Sticking it to the Consumer

Tucked far back in the furthest reaches of Universal Studios Orlando is a brand new place of pilgrimage for cash and credit card carrying Muggles. It's "The Wizarding World of Harry Potter," a section of the theme park past the overly loud Super Hero Square, garish Popeye Plaza, and the hallucinogenic Dr. Seuss Land, sandwiched somewhere between Dinosaur Jungle and Mediterranean Market, which is devoted to J.K. Rowling's epic Harry Potter franchise.

The opportunities for buying a piece of the magic are everywhere. You can chomp a chocolate frog ($10) guzzle a mug of butter beer (price varies between about $2.50 and $10 depending on whether you keep the mug), spew it all up onto a designer t-shirt ($25) while riding the Dragon Challenge roller coaster ride, then start all over again.

There are rides, shops, a restaurant, and live entertainment, all geared toward making the tourist forget the hot and humid Orlando swamp location and transport us to snow-encrusted northern England, where non-magical folk have been given a rare opportunity to tour an exclusive boarding school and environs dedicated to especially gifted students.


It's all very well and good. Loads of fun, in fact, though tweeds and sweaters, robes and scarves seemed a bit incongruous in the stifling heat. But most interesting of all, to me at least, were the places where we could buy our own magic wands (roughly $30). There are about a dozen designs, though in the books each wand is uniquely original and custom-chosen for the wielder. These are mass-produced, cast resin wands, most of which are described as being made of oak, holly, rowan, etc. They come in an exquisitely designed gift box.

Which is where you might as well keep it, since, to my knowledge, no one buying the wands has the magic required to make them work.

A wand without any magic backing it up is just a stick.

That got me to thinking. As Christians, we live in a supernatural world, where we fully expect the power of God through prayer and the Holy Spirit to strengthen and guide, heal and comfort, and to work miracles. Like those wands, we are instruments through which the world is changed and transformed. Curses are broken, demons are cast out, people are released from addictions, illnesses are healed and sins are forgiven. Right?

Well, yeah. Most of the time. Okay, some of the time. At least we've HEARD of such things happening, back in "Bible times."

If you are not experiencing the transforming power of God in your life and in the lives of those around you, your religion may be like that expensive stick in a designer box, a magic wand without the the energizing life to back it up. You could easily end up worshiping the object itself, or the box it sits in. Instead of oak, holly or rowan, the sticks could easily be called "Anglican," "Protestant," or "Non-Denominational," and the boxes could have stained glass windows, carved pulpits or stacking chairs and drum sets.

But no life.

That is NOT God's will for us.  The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. The Holy Spirit lives within us. Are we going to spend our lives on the shelf gathering dust, or are we going to place ourselves in the hands of God and let him use us, to his purpose and glory?

I made my choice a long time ago, and in a real sense, am living and experiencing those "Bible times" today. Here and now. And believe it or not, in Florida!

In a profound sense, I glimpsed God at "The Wizarding World of Harry Potter." And he didn't have a long white beard and half moon spectacles.

PROMO: ACTS presents murder mystery

Colorado ACTS presents...

A MURDER MYSTERY BASED ON

AGATHA CHRISTIE’S TEN LITTLE INDIANS

 IN MEMORIUM

By Marlene Remington  

June 25th Musical Theater Workshop/In Memorium perform the same night at 7pm

June 26th In Memorium only at 7pm

Tickets $3.00

Seniors always $1.00 off

Children 4yrs old and under always free

Reservations are Not Necessary

ACTS Theatre

4905 W. 60^th  

303 456-6772

www.coloradoacts.org

performed by special permission Pioneer Drama Service

REVIEW: Hospitality Suite

If the film "The Big Kahuna" is anything like "Hospitality Suite," Roger Rueff's stage version of the same story, it's probably a better play than a movie.

The one-set comedy-drama about three businessmen grappling with the meaning of life, ethics and faith while ensconced in a sadly anonymous and purgatorial hotel hospitality suite is long on talk, deep in character, and short on action. Basically it's three guys sitting, standing, or walking around, talking.

And boy, do they talk! Fortunately most of what they have to say is thought-provoking, emotionally engaging and spiritually challenging. Sometimes they talk loudly, other times softly, and occasionally they talk while munching mini carrots.

Phil (Don DeVeux) is the divorced and middle aged marketing guy who's nearing burnout. Larry (Patrick Collins) is the hopped up salesman who is desperate to score a contract, and Bob (Mark Shonsey) is the new-hire newlywed research geek on his first business trip. Representing a company that makes industrial lubricants, they wait helplessly and hopefully for a high rolling executive, who might just as well have been named "Godot," to validate their continued existence.

The first act leads up to the much anticipated "mixer," and the second act reveals the aftermath, where "Godot" may or may not have come and gone. That's pretty much it. It's hard to imagine a movie holding an audience's interest with so little overt action, but on a live stage, it's a different and fascinating story. Under well-known local actor, first time director Jason Maxwell's guidance, there's a whole lot of exciting drama going on, and a fair share of humor, too.

Comparisons to David Mamet's flawed, noble, potty-mouthed salesman characters are inevitable and appropriate. These guys could easily exist in Mamet's world of weary office warriors, which was originally created by Arthur Miller in "Death of a Salesman." Of particular interest to me, however, was the added faith element, and how it complicates the mix.

Bob is a born-again Christian who values saving souls over making deals. He's offended by the immorality he sees and hears, and struggles to maintain his integrity. But he's young, inexperienced, and hasn't learned to integrate loyalty to his employer and fidelity to his God. All three characters quote Scripture, and no one is "down" on religion. But the question, and it's a doozy, is "how relevant is one's personal faith to THIS situation?"

There are no easy answers. Two of the characters cross the line. There is no "bad guy," and there's no "religion bashing." It's as if Rueff sincerely wants to work this out, and uses these characters to debate large issues in a context where something very real and personal is at stake. The stage is the perfect forum to raise and explore this kind of material.

I happen to know that at least two artists associated with this excellent production at Denver's Vintage Theatre are men of faith. Thinking Christians should flock to this production, and then seriously discuss the ramifications of the characters' choices and actions.

Though part of me wanted to march up there and wash their profanity-filled mouths out with soap, another part of me wanted to shout Bob down every time he announced "Jesus said..." rather than speak from his own heart. After all, both vulgarity and religiosity are smokescreens inhibiting real communication. But most of me was just thankful. I'm grateful that legitimate Christian concerns can still be treated seriously on a secular stage.


"Hospitality Suite" plays at Vintage Theatre, 2119 E. 17th Ave., Denver, on Friday and Saturday nights at 7:30 p.m., Sundays at 2:30 p.m. through June 20. Tickets are $23. Call 303-839-1361 or order online at www.vintagetheatre.com.

Colorado ACTS presents Art Around the World mini-camps

ART at ACTS:

Art Around the World     Mini Camps on Thursdays, 1:30pm - 5:30pm
Dates: June 10th - August 5th (No class July 1st)

Sign up for one, many, or all classes!

Call: 303-456-6772

E-mail: coloradoacts@yahoo.com

Visit: www.coloradoacts.org

 

Each week explore a different region of the world and create artwork that captures the essence of that region. Draw, paint and sculpt in a variety of art mediums, learning about regional art styles for inspiration.
Take one session or take them all…be a world traveler.

Ages: 8 - Adult                         Teacher: Mary Adrian
Cost: $45/per 4 hour session. *All Supplies Included*   

Please bring a snack and an oversized shirt to protect clothing.

Listed are available projects per session.
To foster individual expression and enjoyment of the art process, the time students spend on each project will determine which and how many projects are actually completed during the session.

June 10th - Classical Europe From timeless to contemporary Europe has it all…Van Gogh Starry night painting, Picasso faces, M. C. Escher tessellations, figure sculptures or Renaissance Illuminated Initials.

June 17th - Viva Mexico
Bright colors reflect the people and life in Mexico create Magical Oaxacan Animals, Mexican Sun Faces , Huichol Yarn Paintings or Ojo de Dios, God's Eye.

June 24th – Down Under Australia
G’Day Matey! No worries as you travel down under to design an Aboriginal animal dot painting, kangaroo sculpture or Maori Koru designs.

July 8th – Wild Africa
Hakuna Matata…The drum beats are calling you to safari land for Making Masks or Drums, Zebra drawing or Kente Cloth design.

July 15th - Pacific Northwest Indians
Create art that celebrates nature and the living world with Totem pole sculptures, Walrus blockprints, Dreamcatchers or Inuit carvings of seals, bears or whales.

July 22nd – Aloha Adventure
Swaying palm trees, sparkling ocean and volcanoes greet you as you sail to the Hawaiian Islands and create Surf’s Up penquins, sleek dolphins, sea turtle or tropical bird drawings, Tiki Sculptures or volcanoes.

July 29th - United Kingdom/Ireland
London bridges falling down…let’s hope not as we explore the Big Ben clock tower, Celtic designs, Dragon sculptures or Antiqued metal rubbings.

August 5th – Exotic Asia
From Samurai warriors to Kimonos, travel to the Orient and draw the unique people of Asia or dabble in Anime, Watercolor painting, or origami.

PROMO: Young Frankenstein

Roger Bart and Shuler Hensley in Mel Brooks' "Young Frankenstein," coming to the Buell Theatre June 15-27. Photo: Paul Kolnik 

You couldn't have pieced together a more lively creative team for "The New Mel Brooks' Musical Young Frankenstein" if you'd stitched up body parts from a cemetery and animated them with lightning.

Based on the iconic 1974 film parody of the phenomenal Universal Studios 1931 adaptation of Mary Shelley's haunting novel, comic legend Mel Brooks has assembled a dream team of artists to bring the project to life onstage. Brooks wrote the music and lyrics, and co-wrote the book with Thomas Meehan. The stellar Susan Stroman directed and choreographed, and Roger Bart, Broadway's original Dr. Frankenstein (Fronkensteen), reprises his role for the national tour.

Everyone remembers the hilarious "Puttin' on the Ritz" number from the movie version, and with just a little reflection you can probably imagine other prime spots for songs and glitzy routines. Where would you place "The Transylvania Mania" or "He Vas My Boyfriend"?

"Young Frankenstein" didn't receive the same critical acclaim as "The Producers," and didn't win any Tony Awards, but did run for 484 performances on Broadway, and Brooks and Stroman's contributions have been highly praised. But to tell the truth, I've been a critic for more than a decade, and Brooks' irreverent humor is meant to be counter-cultural, low-brow and crass, qualities pretentious critics tend to under-appreciate.

Even so, "Young Frankenstein" is not all fluff and nonsense. Dr. Frankenstein's dilemma about whether to pursue his own destiny or carry on the family mad scientist tradition is an interesting take on a major archetypal theme. Is it wrong to deny a cursed family name and seek a new direction, or do old habits inevitably die hard (and then get brought back to life)?


"Young Frankenstein" plays at the Denver's Buell Theatre, June 15-27. Tickets start as low as $15, which honestly, is ridiculously low for a large-scale national touring production of a hit Broadway musical. For tickets, call 303-893-4100 or order and print online at www.denvercenter.org. For more information on the musical itself, check out the web page at www.youngfrankensteinthemusical.com.