Being Geek Chic is a blog about one woman navigating the male-dominated industries of production and tech. It's written by Elizabeth Giorgi, Founder, CEO and Director of Mighteor - one of the world's first internet video production companies. Learn more about Mighteor here.
We at Being Geek Chic are no strangers to the wonders of magic. It’s well documented that we can’t get enough of Harry’s adventures, Hermione’s quick and savvy intellect, and Ron’s well-intended missteps. But we know in our heart of hearts that these are just stories. The wizarding world lives in the pages of books and the lights of the cinema. So when I had the opportunity to see a live magic show, “The Illusionists” at the Ordway Theater in St. Paul, I couldn’t pass it up.
“The Illusionists” (or, as the Playbill refers to them, “the Avengers of Magic”) are seven highly skilled magicians, escape artists, and performers:
The show truly dazzled me in “how’d they do that?!” amazement. I let go of the possibility that I would figure out their tricks—spotting a card up a sleeve or a trap door. These people are professionals who have their trade down pat, so suspend your disbelief and just enjoy the show. I did, and experiencing the tricks with childlike awe was so much more fun than frowning with cynicism.
“The Illusionists” is on a national tour, and if it comes to your area, I’d recommend picking up a ticket. But be warned: there’s tons of audience participation, so if you’d rather not participate in an on-stage game on Russian roulette or swallow your pride to assist The Trickster, consider sitting a bit father back in the audience.
And if you go, here’s my advice: allow yourself to believe, even if only for a few hours, that some things are indeed beyond the realm of possibility. After all, in the words of Roald Dahl, “Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.”
Image via Joan Marcus.
Emma Bauer is a Being Geek Chic Contributor. Clearly, she’s got great taste. She is a PR enthusiast, dog lover, tea drinker, art appreciator, and of course, aspires to Be Geek Chic. Follow her on Twitter: @emmalynnbauer
As my fellow of choice (who just so happens to be Liz’s brother, Adam) and I were leaving the Ordway Theater after seeing the raucously lighthearted musical “Nice Work if You Can Get It,” we overheard a woman quip, “it was just such a fun and frilly musical.” I agree.
Should you have the opportunity to see this nationally touring show at the Ordway Theater or elsewhere, take it. But be warned: you can’t think about it too much. As the lights dim, the curtain rises, and the orchestra begins playing the razzle-dazzle main theme, give yourself permission to enjoy the rich and sparkling Gershwin tunes, lovably stereotypic characters, and the naïve and clunky ridiculousness of it all.
If you don’t—if you look for plot themes, a larger meaning within the story line, or thoughtful character development—you’ll come up short. In one frame of mind, “Nice Work if You Can Get It,” set in Roaring Twenties, is dishearteningly hollow. In another, it’s delightfully improbable.
As Adam drove me home, we came to the conclusion that the theme is there is no theme. “Nice Work if You Can Get It” is frothy, jazzy, and unrealistic for the sake of being just that: frothy, jazzy, and unrealistic. You can’t take the musical too seriously, and it dawned on me that in life as much as in art, you need to recognize when to just roll with it. Let it hit you, take it for what it is, enjoy it if you so please, and when you move on, if you’re humming a Gershwin melody, that’s great.
Sometimes you just have to laugh and sigh and say “’S Wonderful.”
Image: Alex Enterline (Jimmy Winter) and the female ensemble of the “Nice Work if You Can Get It” national tour. (Photo by Jeremy Daniel)
Emma Bauer is a Being Geek Chic Contributor. Clearly, she’s got great taste. She is a PR enthusiast, dog lover, tea drinker, art appreciator, and of course, aspires to Be Geek Chic. Follow her on Twitter: @emmalynnbauer
I’m finishing my sophomore year in high school. The year before I was in the fall musical and somehow managed to get a hold of a supporting role in the mainstage musical The Who’s Tommy. I played pre-pubescent boys in both of those shows. Because of some Tommy problems that I won’t detail here and because I was one of the two freshmen in the cast, I was left feeling confused, insecure, and unacquainted with my fellow actors.
This year, I wanted to start my theater career anew. I decided to enter a new realm of high school theater: Unhinged. Unhinged productions are entirely produced by students: the directing, acting, tech, costumes, you name it. I was in three out of the four Unhinged shows this year and the mainstage musical again. This was an experience entirely different from last year’s, and I am grateful to have been able to work with such wonderful people.
But now, the list you’ve all been waiting for.
10 things I learned From High School Theater that apply to all of life:
1. Don’t be intimidated by others. This is serious. It’s easy to feel intimidated by the “cool” upperclassmen who are so good you want to ask for an autograph (or at least a hug) at auditions. Many people are scared of approaching members of this theater group but do not be! Once I was in Unhinged shows acting alongside and being directed by these guys I quickly learned that they are some of the kindest, most approachable, funniest, and overall greatest people. If you shy away from these people, you’re missing out.
2. It’s not you, it’s the part. This is something that every actor – high school or otherwise — has to go through. Rejection. Being turned down for a part does not mean you’re a bad actor. You just don’t fit. DO NOT GIVE UP! Don’t do it.
3. Okay, it actually might be you. This does not mean what you think it does. Everyone has potential to be an excellent performer. This is about reputation. People will not cast you if you have a bad name. To prevent this, all you really have to do is be a decent person. Memorize lines on time, show up, don’t be rude to your directors. Common sense, really.
4. Theater secrets stay secret. Sorry, I can’t say more.
5. There is always room for improvement. Though it’s great to be confident, it’s important to remember that you can always improve on your skills. Someone who starts with no natural acting talent but works hard can do just as well, if not better, than a person who is plenty talented but doesn’t work at all.
6. Don’t look down on others. Everyone’s learning. Be nice.
7. Learn to work in chaos. It’s tech week and there’s only half of a set? Your scene partner hasn’t learned their lines? All part of high school theater. Get used to it.
8. Enjoy yourself. It’s easy to get caught up in trying to be perfect, but a production can’t be good if the people involved are not enjoying what they’re doing. Though it may be hard sometimes, have fun. You’re acting! That’s the best, right?
9. Don’t exclude others. Shows are only fun when all of the cast and crew get along. People can be ostracized enough by outsiders just for being in theater. Don’t let it happen in the cast as well.
10. Be yourself. As cheesy as it sounds, this is so true. If you’re not being yourself, it’s hard to stay relaxed and have a good time. Once you let your guard down and are able to be yourself in front of other people (see number one), high school theater can be one of the best communities to be a part of. It’s just so damn fun.
Thanks to everyone I worked with this year and a special shout out to my high school’s amazing casts and crews of Picasso at the Lapin Agile, The Importance of Being Earnest, The Nerd, and Thoroughly Modern Millie. I love you all.
Post by Natalie El-Hai. Natalie enjoys science and all things theater. She spends her free time reading and snuggling with her cats. She will be a sophomore at Southwest High School this fall.
This past weekend, myself and the inimitable lady geek and interviewer extraordinaire, Emma Bauer had the pleasure of taking in the new theatrical production of The Wizard of Oz. The occasion at the magnificent Ordway Theater was “Bloggers Night,” and as such, balconies were filled with internet-savvy wordsmiths, more eager to tweet pictures of their programs than preoccupy over the next day’s write-up for the paper or a thorough review for the pages of a magazine.
The challenge for this geek and part-time blogger was this: what to say about the Wizard of Oz, a story that had admittedly never set my heart on fire?
My parents did show me the classic Judy Garland-led film at one juncture in my early years, but it never stuck. It’s not something I carried with me, as I was apt to do with so many other things, from Mickey Mouse to TMNT and Spider-Man.
Here’s the funny thing though. Sitting in the Ordway Theater, the story, magic, and world of the Wizard of Oz had this immediacy, as if though it was one of those things that dominated my younger years. The words and melodies of the songs known word for word and beat for beat, the personalities and desires of the characters understood and held close. I left concluding that this speaks to not only the enduring and wide-reaching pop-cultural impact of the Wizard of Oz, but also the timelessness of this tale and its themes of escape and longing.
L. Frank Baum originally wrote The Wonderful Wizard of Oz in 1900, striving to create a distinctly American fairytale. In the decades that followed, it spread far and wide, adapted into countless different forms and flavors. But the central themes were always there, and upon reflection, these are themes that sit at the core of so many fandoms and geeky universes we hold dear today. Escapism seen through the young heroine longing desperately for something better “over the rainbow,” in a fantastical world far away. The hero’s journey seen through the search for that one elusive thing we lack, sought from the grasp of a wise and powerful man inhabiting a shining city at the end of a long, perilous road – this also wonderful allegory for the “American Dream” ever-present in Baum’s time and still in ours today. And ultimately, that final lesson, that the things we desire, and the things we need, are there within us all along if we’re willing to look for them.
A row of young children sat in front of us in the theater, watching each scene with rapt attention, hanging on every word and responding earnestly and visibly to every outcome. As the wizard spoke his final words in the show’s penultimate act, I found myself in a frame of mind not unlike these young ones, as the words swept me up and resonated strongly.
“If you have what it takes to want a brain, you have what it takes to have one.”
“If you feel enough to want a heart, you feel enough to have one.”
“If you’ve got the courage to ask for something, you’ve got the courage to have it.”
Each an enduring message and an important reminder.
All told, this newest iteration of the Wizard of Oz offers an exciting and fun night at the theater, filled with impressive staging, confident performances and quite a bit of cinematic flourish as well. But young or old, lover of the yellow brick road or no, I think it is in those universal themes and timeless lessons that you will find something worthwhile, should you seek out the magic when it comes your way.
Guest post by Adam Giorgi, who also happens to be my brother. He’s a writer, gamer, reader and Potter head. He also makes cool comics from time to time. Check out his blog: Geek-Attack. Follow him on twitter: @adamgiorgi
So it’s snowing on April 22nd in Minneapolis right now. Spring refuses to come. I’m refusing to leave the house. As such, it’s time for a snowed in movie marathon. Here’s the ingredients to a perfect movie night:
Turn off the lights (and lighted devices): It’s easy to turn off lamps, but if your family and friends are constant phone checkers, here’s a game to play. Make everyone turn off their phones and put the phones in a bowl in the middle of the room. The first person to break and reach for their phone has to do snack refilling duty the rest of the night. Texting at the movies is unacceptable — same goes for home movies.
