UPDATE – Sat 3/12   DoTheCharleston.com Reviews – Theater:  ReceiveR Fest at Redux, “Land of Infinity” by Ian Mozdzen:

“In a word – indescribable. No video, no way, no how, no way…Ok…yes way. Way out – way way out. A few more words:  Tonight’s trip was both out of this world and inside one man’s world. Inside one man, inside every hole of one man, and then back out – right back at yah! Look out, he’s got starry eyes, 4-eyes, the evil eye, the red eye, and the one-eyed snake. This one man show was not isolated on one man, not even his afflicted multi-personalities. His essence hurled over the entire venue (inside and outside Redux Contemporary Art‘s performance hall), and every person within ear shot and nose shot was a part of the performance. This was one of those rare performances where the audience starts looking at each other, again, and again – you know who you are. All the senses were bombarded and bombarded – he ripped apart every thing, every heart, every stomach, every preconception, and every post conception. If an actor ever wanted a part, Ian wanted this – AND- he had his way, and what a character. Bravo to organizers Liz and Jarod for pulling this off – shhshh, under the radar – how in the world can they or anyone top this or delve deeper into that genre?

– UPDATE 3/12 – See New Hi Art Films RAW video of “Stumped.”

–  Mar 10 -13,   ReceiveR Fest –  Engaging Time Based Media Film Festival. Avant-garde like “Off, Off, Broadway,” but so Far-Off,  it’s Far-Out, it’s Charleston.

(1)  You know you’ll broaden horizons when event planners lead you to the hidden OLD CITY JAIL(<–click here, then scroll down).  Dark, eerie, mysterious, and moldy (actually fresh/breezy), me thinks the organizers (happy friends, Liz & Jarod) crafted “the way” for us to wonder & wander around looking for…it…around here, up there.  Ooooh, cooool…oh yeah, this is it. Welcome (kind of like Shangri-La, The Lost Horizon) into the light of the silver screens of different films…so neat:

All the “projections” were interactive and …“off.” No seating, so walk around and create your own bizarre viewpoint, and…wait for it…to unfold <– “Stumped” by Travis Graves, like Rubik’s Cube, takes finding a different vantage point to discover your own “Edutainment.” His grass-roots movement doesn’t project up to a silver screen, his is grounded, set in stone, a concrete cornerstone. Travis empowers and MOVEs the audience!

I also loved the textured feel of the wet and feathery ducks with thick colorful paint. In “Decoy,” Dawn Nye & Katrazyna Randall beautifully balance amidst a public projection some privately focused headphones for a musical sanctuary woven with soft supple poetry. Again, the extra fun is…waiting for it…peering around the side at the viewer with the headphones, salivating at the source of their expressions, and just coveting those damn headphones, gimme.

(2)  So, Do The Charleston 2-step, and step through a totally different time warp at The Rivers Museum at College of Charleston (Curator, Rick Zender, is a REAL walking encyclopedia, and the museum artifacts are REAL, too). What an intriguing venue to see (better than just the posters at the movie theaters in the suburbs).

Friday night “Films?!? here were…were…well…(this is why writers of reviews are so well respected, ahem, so well paid, ahem, so well liked, ahem, by our mothers). Friday night was…hmm…sharp, like the cutting edge has to be. Into the abyss, these trailblazers chopped through the fury of the wild wild unknown. This was not the pot of gold at the end, this was the exciting journey, full of raw adventures, and raw flesh. The ticket price for this trippy trip was not measured in mere paper bills. The leading edge cut both ways, and while scarred for life, I can’t wait to see what other filmmakers tomorrow will bring. (Like the old story: two lost souls wandering alone in the desert meet up, “Don’t go where I came from. And don’t go where I came from either. Ok,  let’s try somewhere neither of us have been, but let’s go for it, together.”) Don’t look, don’t whisper, but I did hear, “…(deleted, I’m learning)….” But I’m thinking…”no guts, no glory.” I’m humming, “up through the ashes grow the roses of success.” I’m seeing/hearing, “ever sharpening tools, passion, and purpose” in geeky artsy techys. I’m feeling…”Indie Filmmakers have courage that others can not know, until they try…”

(3) And…Do The Charleston 3-step, and step into our world of modern art outside the Halsey at College of Charleston(<–click here, then scroll down for more Links). Wait for it…Sat night…see you there.

“ALIVE” live Theater called Theater 99 Improv Comedy:  Another spot-on GEM that glitters with sparks & sparkles. Magnetized performers pull-in the audience on a time warp rocket ride where no man has gone before. (Go to Theater 99 website for the real Pros and their own videos.) If you want to take a training class and aspire to be the best, ask for Co-founder Greg.

The video above is the Final of the Intro Training Class, Mar 2011.

Whether a Pro, “passive” theater goer, or inquisitive wanna-be Trainee…GO, have FUN, either way:

(A) Relax and gape at these RISK-taking Wits, Nit-Wits, Haves or “Have-Nots,”  as the real Pros call themselves (Talk about living in the moment: in every unique instant, they can open up a worm hole, as brilliant quick thinkers (<– Although ask them the secret trick. They may turn-off their monkey brains; feel and flow and get in the zone; knee jerk spontaneously through FREE association, and “try or try-not, do or do-not, be…??”  Other blurbs that fall flat, turn into an eternity of listening to crickets chirping, as they sweat bullets, bleed to death, and crash & burn — mortified (hope no-one taped that…)

(B)  BOING!!  How aproro. The very next second they stumble on a “good one,” spring back to LIFE (L’Chaim) on a natural high that you can’t bottle and sell – its free, yet it’s priceless. The ultimate insider’s joke that performers and audience share alike, or maybe not…either way, you had to be there. Good or bad, it’s so easy to laugh and smile. And oh, oh, look down, your at the edge of your seat…

Confused? How can you ride a roller coaster in downtown Charleston? Well come on down to the end of the peninsula, it’s never ending.

– Mar 22 –  only $1. Burke High School, 10am – 4pm, 27th Annual KIDS FAIR!  It’s not just for Families (but anyone who wants to engage with the most Charleston Trendsetters all in one location…“Renaissance Women” like, Exec Dir extraordinaire, Carol Berlin; Jewish Federation Exec Dir, Judi Corsaro; Exec Dir Fields To Families, Nikki Seibert; etc, etc…).  Join Facebook Event: 10,000 – 12,000 kids/parents <– largest 1 day event in downtown Charleston <– Walk or Bike (or carpool, ok). 100 Non-Profits, Visionary Sponsors, and interactive “Edutaining” booths inside/outside…engage & empower & enrich…broaden horizons… Great food (extra but a lot of tasty healthy food <  $5, like frozen yogurt – yum!). If you would like to attend, sponsor, volunteer, Promote, KidsFair, (Donations for KidsFair are tax deductible and goto scholarships <– any kid that applies can get some help)

DoTheCharleston.com  Reviews – “Fashion For A Cause:”

–  Tabula Rasa Salon 125 Canon St  (843) 577 7595 – Hair Stylists, Makeup, and In-Salon or On-Location custom services for Event Planning, Weddings, VIP Galas, etc (and look for her Make-Up Artists on film – she just did a video).

I met Salon owner, Melissa, a few times. First, at her Salon on the official route of the trendy community event, Fall 2010 Bike & Browse the Boroughs, with Dan (Holy City Bike Coop) and Brandon (The Hub). Second was following some genius VJs (Jack & Soup – from Open Dome). Third was the charm, at her brother Billy’s friendly Remedy Market. Birds of a feather flock together, so I planted a seed to broaden horizons and discuss “fashion-for-a-cause” over my hair cut.

Typical of Charleston, she is a welcoming spirit, and of course has a diverse art background – her father in Chicago ran a trendy theater. Oh, and any artistic eye will love the beautiful graphic arts on her web site & logo, as well as her salon’s interior decor.

She works, eats, plays, and lives a Life “style.” When you get a taste for fashion for a cause, you see even opposites attract around her magnetic field. Don’t be surprised: whether you see skin heads; or NY wedding parties; or her stylists’ credits on videos; or Social Entrepreneurs (Billy followed & opened Remedy Market in her “Borough”), and her sister was drawn back to Charleston, too.

She even put my Mar13 KidsFair poster in her window, which doesn’t fit her classic simplicity clean storefront facade – but, she agreed, we have to all create awareness; fuel good community events; and enrich and sustain Charleston & the World.