Sur Aur Taal: From Classical to Modern Bollywood Music, Indian Culture Comes to Liberty City

MAIACA, Miami Association of Indian Americans for Culture and the Arts, will host Sur Aur Taal, a live production exploring the evolution of melody and rhythm connecting centuries old Classical Indian music to Bollywood movie songs. The event is scheduled for September 18th at the revitalized Sandrell Rivers Theater in Liberty City beginning at 6pm EST. Sur Aur Taal will feature musicians and singers from the Asian Cultural Association of Central Florida. The troupe will perform a series of well-known musical ragas (classical patterns of musical stanzas) in both Classical and Bollywood melodies. This will be the first live, in-person performance for MAIACA in almost two years, due to the pandemic.

Tickets for the September 18th Sur Aur Taal show are available via the Sandrell Rivers Theater website. COVID protocols of the Sandrell Rivers Theater will be enforced. Face coverings in all public common areas and temperature checks for all patrons and staff are required. The Sandrell Rivers Theater is located at 6103 NW 7th Ave, Miami, FL 33127. Please visit MAIACA to make a donation or learn more.

A documentary from Parkland’s own: ‘It’s Not a Burden’

Directed by Michelle Boyaner and produced by Parkland resident Wendy Zipes Hunter, “It’s Not a Burden: The Humor and Heartache of Raising Elderly Parents” is a deeply intimate documentary that follows its director as she serves as the primary caretaker for her elderly parents, Elaine and Morris. Each parent struggles with their own battle incited by old age, with Elaine suffering from dementia and Morris being a hoarder.

Morris Boyaner in IT’S NOT A BURDEN
©2021 Greenie Films

Supplementing her own personal story and composing the majority of the film is a composition of around 20 vignettes, each telling their own story of adults providing care for their elderly parents. Each vignette features a retrospective of each parent’s life, an account of their current struggles, and occasionally an update on the family’s story. 

Boyaner’s impetus for dedicating such a considerable portion of her documentary toward other people’s struggles instead of her own is to convey the film’s central message. 

Coming directly from Boyaner, the message of this film is, “You are not alone. If you are somewhere in the midst of this journey, helping your parent/parents, you are not alone. Look at the people in this film, all walks of life, navigating their own version of the same thing. You are not alone.”

Frances Moore & Cynthia Moore in IT’S NOT A BURDEN
©2021 Greenie Films

In each story, including her own, it is an uphill battle against old age. Boyaner is frank in showcasing that elderly care is often embarrassing and melancholy, for both parties.

However, as Boyaner presents, no one family is solitary dealing with the strife of old age. Although each family struggles, they prove strong in the face of life’s great equalizer, and they are able to see the final time spent with their loved ones as a blessing rather than a burden.

Below is a portion of my interview with Boyaner.

Q. What kind of philosophy or belief system do you believe people should take into the final stages of their lives?

A. I relied very heavily on the book “Being Mortal” by Atul Gawande, as it explores the last stages of life through personal stories and focuses on quality of life. I highly recommend this book (you should see my copy, it’s marked up like a textbook).

Q. After filming, did you do any follow-ups with the families you interviewed?

A. We have kept in touch with many of the families we met with for “It’s Not a Burden,” and although “follow-ups” are not contained in the film, we have been in touch. The bulk of the filming with the other families was from 2016 to 2019, so unfortunately some of the parents have now passed away, and we’ve been in touch with families as they have grieved their losses. We also continue to celebrate milestones with those who are still with us.

Q. During filming, was it ever difficult for the people you interviewed to talk about their circumstances?

A. Every family who opened their homes and their hearts to us were taking a chance. They were honest and vulnerable and shared stories about their own experiences that they hoped would help other people. Those we spoke to were truly heroes and we are so grateful to them for trusting us with their truths and knowing that what we were creating was going to become something to help.

Q. What is your favorite memory with your mother?

A. I have certain memories, snapshots of simpler times from very early in my childhood that stand out as magical with my mother. In more recent times, it has just become a montage of all the time we spent — as you see in the film — out on adventures, running errands, just being together.

Q. Do you have any advice for anyone who is currently going through something similar to what you experienced?

A. My advice is really contained in the film: Let’s try harder to regard each other. To take a minute. To spend the time. To be patient. To listen. To not just see an older person as their age or their ailment but realize that they’ve lived a whole life filled with memories, and they’re still here, and it’s vital that they have a sense of purpose.

Vickie Pierre: ‘Be my herald of what’s to come’

Vickie Pierre: ‘Be my herald of what’s to come’

For New York-born and Miami-based artist Vickie Pierre, there’s more to come. At the age of 51, Pierre is just hitting her stride.

Vickie Pierre: ‘Be my herald of what’s to come’

With a solid portfolio and major accomplishments under her belt, Pierre is currently focused on generating new works. Her current pieces on display at the Boca Raton Museum of Art are a continuation of the work she has done since her college years at the School of Visual Arts in New York City.

Her work has been exhibited at Foundation Clement in Martinique and Centro de Documentación para las Artes Visuales and Galerie Oriente in Cuba. She has exhibited at the Little Haiti Cultural Center and the Diana Lowenstein Fine Art Gallery in Miami and the Art and Culture Center in Hollywood, Florida. In 2019, she was a finalist in the Orlando Museum of Art Florida Prize in Contemporary Art. 

In 2016 Pierre caught the eye of both Irvin Lippman, CEO of the Boca Raton Museum of Art, and Assistant Curator Kelli Bodle, when she was brought to their attention by Miami-Haitian artist Edouard Duval-Carrié, who was exhibiting at the museum. He flagged her as an up-and-coming artist in the Miami art scene.

“Vickie draws from her parents’ penchant for European interior design, evident in the French colonial influence on Haiti,” says Bodle. 

Pierre uses resin wall plaques, ornate wall sconces, vintage Avon glass perfume bottles, wooden shelf sconces and ship bookends, jewelry, and hand-strung glass beads to create her visions. She deconstructs the perfume bottles from the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries and reintroduces them as anthropomorphic shapes set against monochromatic backgrounds. The headless forms are no longer recognizable as the fairy-tale mistresses they once were. 

Vickie Pierre: ‘Be my herald of what’s to come’

Her piece titled “And Though I May Have Lost My Way, All Paths Lead Straight to You” uses the reenvisioned perfume bottles, flaxen hair from dolls, galleon ships representing the slave trade, bracelets, cuffs, and jewelry, all interconnected by long strands of beads that she strings herself in various patterns.

Pierre’s work encompasses evocative titles such as “I Can’t Say No to You (Good Enough),” “Totems for My Sisters (We Are All Illuminous!),” and “You’ve Stolen My Heart and It Hurts Me to Remember.”

“When Vickie exhibited her piece ‘Elemental Mistresses (The Power of 3)’ [also in this exhibition] at the museum in 2016, I found the sculpture beautiful, with its grand sweeps of beadwork and ornate sconces,” Bodle says. “It was also quite haunting by virtue of the elegant script (‘This Must Be the Love They Speak of’) transcribed on the wall.

“The world craves authentic, genuine people and experiences more than any faux polished façade. Vickie and her work come from a place of earnestness and authenticity.

“These attributes, paired with skill and effectual presentation, make for great art,” Bodle says.

The current exhibit is Pierre’s premiere solo museum show and one of which she is immensely proud.

“This is a significant milestone in my career,” says Pierre. “It is a tremendous opportunity and a great achievement for my work to be introduced and showcased in the Boca Raton Museum of Art, to be enjoyed by the local public as well as visitors from around the world.

“My work exemplifies who I am and what I’m trying to do,” she says from her studio in Miami’s Fountainhead. “I have a love of the fantastical and whimsical but also incorporate history, identity, and the concepts of womanhood and femininity.”

Indeed, Pierre turns pop-culture feminine icons such as Snow White and Cinderella on their head, deconstructing them à la Hans Bellmer, a German surrealist artist and photographer best known for his series of life-sized pubescent female dolls (poupées).

Pierre questions the influence of history and popular culture on identity. “My continued focus is on the exploration of identity and ethnicity, with references to design and nature, as well as connections between my Haitian heritage and the Caribbean as well as broader global cultural mythologies,” she says.

In 2020, after the social justice movements, Pierre created “Black Flowers Blossom (Hanging Tree),” as a way to honor the souls of people lost to racial injustice, including George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery, among others. This piece is also included in the show.

Vickie Pierre: ‘Be my herald of what’s to come’

She describes her creative process as “easy,” doing a lot of sketching and what she calls “navel-gazing.”

“I’m always reworking, cutting, and pasting,” she says. “I let the ideas marinate and my execution is superfast.”

The child of medical professionals and immigrants from Haiti, Pierre says she was raised to be 100% American. She grew up in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, in a mixed neighborhood playing with people of all different backgrounds and religions.

“This inclusivity fostered my vision to reach for the universal,” she says. “I strive for a global ideal.”

In addition to Bellmer, Pierre counts Duval-Carrié, Canadian-American artists Miriam Schapiro, and Betye Saar as influences, who also worked with assemblage to explore the myths and stereotypes around race and femininity.

In 2016, Pierre committed full-time to her artwork. “It was sink or swim, and everything came together,” she says.

When asked what drives her, Pierre reflects.

“I feel this is my destiny; I’m doing exactly what I’m supposed to be doing and I am where I’m supposed to be,” she replies. “I’m excited and amazed. Everything in my life has led me to this point.”

The exhibit runs through Sept. 5. For more information, visit bocamuseum.org.

The show must go on: Barclay Performing Arts

With a great-grandmother who was a showgirl and George White Scandal dancer (Broadway revues modeled after the Ziegfield Follies) who appeared on the cover of Vanity Fair magazine, and a family steeped in musical theater, it’s no wonder that Christine Barclay founded the Barclay Performing Arts theater in 2016 as a way to honor her late father, John Barclay.

John Barclay was a director, educator, actor, and founder of the Weston Drama Workshop in Weston, MA.

“My dad was an amazing director who always found a way to bring out the very best in each and every person, whether on the stage or behind the scenes,” remembers Christine Barclay.

It is to his memory and passion that she dedicates herself and her work. “There’s no better person to be the beacon for this theater in Boca Raton,” she says.

“My dad created confident, articulate young people and made a big difference in the lives of his students,” Barclay says. “I hope to do the same.”

The theater, located next to T.J. Maxx in the Somerset Shoppes in Boca Raton, helps students of all ages find their voice, creativity, and confidence. Before moving to this location, Barclay worked out of the Boca Black Box theater on Glades Road. 

Her opening production, entitled “Spring Awakening,” is forever etched in her mind.

Pregnant with her now 3-year-old daughter Caroline and about to give birth in February 2018, the tragedy occurred at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland. Many of the MSD students were performing in the production.

“The cast decided to move forward with the show,” recalls Barclay, who by that time was on maternity leave. “It was one of the most unbelievable experiences of my life.” 

“To watch these kids travel to the White House, meet with then-President Barack Obama, then board a red-eye back to Boca for rehearsals, all while mourning their friends, was just incredible,” she says.

“I’m so proud of their survival and the emotional, physical, and mental resilience of our team and that of the community,” Barclay says. “Getting through those shows after the tragedy and giving birth was a moment that fully made me realize my responsibilities.”

“I wanted to ensure my company was there to support these kids and to transition to a space with a purpose and mission to change the world,” she says.

“We want to be a community center where kids and others can come to feel safe and have a platform in which to express themselves.”

Before relocating to Florida in 2012, Barclay was the executive assistant to Marc Tumminelli, founder of the Broadway Workshop in New York City, and she was a resident member of the theater faculty for the Rodeph Sholom School in Manhattan. 

She performed, directed, and choreographed for many theaters and schools, including the Kew Forest School and the Looking Glass Theatre in New York. In addition to acting, she has directed, choreographed, stage-managed, and performed in numerous productions in New York, Florida, Massachusetts, Maine, and Pennsylvania.

During the pandemic, Barclay produced 10 virtual, live-streamed performances including “Schoolhouse Rock,” “Fame Jr.,” “Band Geeks: The Musical,” and the concert version of “Guys and Dolls.”

She is currently in production for “Peter Pan,” “Urinetown: The Musical,” and “Willie Wonka.”

“We worked just as hard during quarantine as we did previously,” says Barclay, who in addition to her 3-year-old is raising three stepchildren.

Lewis Singer, 53, a chiropractor at Singer Family Chiropractic in Boynton Beach, had his first acting role 22 years ago in “Sweet Charity” at the Lake Worth Playhouse when he played the hippie preacher, known as “Big Daddy.

Fast forward to 2015, where Singer was in the audience at the Barclay theater to support some acting friends, when he noticed one of their upcoming shows was “Fun Home,” the first Broadway musical with a lesbian protagonist, which won five Tony Awards including Best Musical that year.  

“I knew I had to be a part of it,” Singer remembers. He had seen the road show in Tampa and says “to my shock and disbelief, I landed my dream role of the father, Bruce Bechdel. This is the role of a lifetime.”

“I fell in love with Christine and fell in love with the mission of her theater,” says Singer, who also sings and plays keyboard in an ’80s cover band called Livin’ the 80s.

“She’s amazing, and her vision and mission of caring for the community using her theater as the vehicle for this are amazing as well. There is nothing I wouldn’t do for her,” he says.

Barclay is working with the nonprofit Find Your Voice Foundation, a social enterprise company that gives creative companies a voice with which to share their story with the end goal of establishing their own theater and venue. She hopes the theater will be a gathering place for people in the community.

“If anyone feels like they’re missing something in their life, a spark of interest, motivation, friendship, or someone to hug, somewhere to walk in a door and sit down and be exactly who you are, we’re the space for you,” Barclay says. “You don’t need to be on Broadway. If you need somewhere to be and be the best version of yourself, we’ll find a space for you.”

“We want to be a ball of light for our community,” says Barclay.

For more information, visit barclayperformingarts.com.

Here’s to a COLORFUL school year! 

A colorful back-to-school collaboration

We can’t contain our excitement, as it’s nearly time for school again! In order to get the kids as enthusiastic as we are, we decided to throw them a colorful back-to-school party. First we started with a wall sign, colorful balloons, and an amazing sweets table. 

   

The kids activity table was set up with personalized pencil cases and water bottles on top of coloring sheets serving as placemats. Next, they each were given custom T-shirts to wear as good-luck pajamas for the night before their first day. A cute tradition to start is a first day of school interview. For example, you can create your own questions or get a free printable list online. Keep it somewhere safe! It’s fun to read it again at the end of the year. 

 

The final activity was loads of fun: a school supply scavenger hunt! We hid all the essential supplies around the house with clues, and set the kids running to fill their backpacks. The kids felt so proud as they read the clues and figured out where to go next. 

   

Finally, as you prepare for their first day, be sure to send them off with four things: 

  • A good joke. Here’s a simple one:

Q. What’s the king of all school supplies?

A. The ruler!

  • A survival kit for their new teacher filled with fun treats. 
  • A sweet note to remind them how amazing and brave they are. This ruler cookie will do the trick! 
  • A giant hug.

Rachel Hunter is the owner of Celebrate You Events, offering bespoke party planning for all occasions.

She can be reached at (305) 389-0550 or CelebrateYou2020@gmail.com.

For information on any of these activities, contact the following:

  • Rachel from Celebrate You Events (IG: @celebrate.you.events) — concept creation, party styling, and activities
  • Alex from Hullaballoon (IG: @thehullaballoon) — custom balloon arch
  • Claudia from Claumellows (IG: @claumellows) — custom cookies
  • Kim and KJ from Tis the Season Favors (IG: @tistheseasonfavors) — personalized pencil cases and teacher survival kit
  • Miriam from City Girl Sweet Shop (IG: @citygirlsweetshop) — custom cake and cupcakes
  • Nicole from Luv My Creations (IG: @luvmycreations) — custom T-shirts and personalized water bottles.

Mounts Botanical Garden Offers Escape from Summer Heat

Mounts Botanical Garden offers escape from summer heat

What to do in the dog days of summer?

After the beach and pool, why not explore nature at Mounts Botanical Garden, Palm Beach County’s oldest and largest botanical garden? Or better yet, bring your pooch on July 11 as the garden hosts its monthly Dogs’ Day in the Garden, a dog- and family-friendly event.

“Dogs’ Day in the Garden offers dog owners a chance to step away from their routine outdoor walks and enjoy a different, relaxing environment with their fur babies,” says Melissa Carter, a spokesperson for Mounts.

Mounts Botanical Garden offers escape from summer heat

“The dogs love being in our garden with so many new ‘sniffs’ and the chance to see other dogs and people,” she says. “The Mounts Botanical Garden also offers a great backdrop for family photo ops.”

The Garden takes its name from Marvin Umphrey “Red” Mounts, the county’s first assistant agricultural extension agent, who established and cared for the Garden’s collection of fruit trees to help produce new food resources.

A quiet, tropical oasis located behind the Palm Beach International Airport, the Garden spans 4 acres and boasts a collection of 25 display gardens containing more than 5,000 species of tropical and subtropical plants, including Florida native plants, exotic and tropical fruit trees, ornamentals, herbs, palms, roses, cacti, succulents, and bromeliads.

The various gardens include the Rose and Fragrance Garden, Garden of Tranquility, Herb Garden of Well-Being, Florida Natives Garden, and Children’s Maze Garden, among others.

For kids, the Children’s Maze Garden offers opportunities to learn and explore. Hedge mazes evolved from the knot gardens of Renaissance Europe. They are known for their mystical and magical quality. This maze was created in the 1980s from a sweet fragrant shrub whose white flowers bloom twice a year. 

At the center of the maze stands the Bo Tree, said to be the species of tree that Siddhartha Gautama, the spiritual teacher known as the Buddha, sat under when he attained enlightenment.

Each garden is created as a living exhibit, with plants chosen specifically to tell a story about choices that visitors can make within our subtropical climate. The gardens illustrate what area residents can emulate in their own spaces, large or small.

The Herb Garden of Well-Being showcases herbs and how they affect our lives and sense of well-being through culinary, medicinal, ceremonial, and aromatherapy applications. 

Natural elements of stone, wood, and living plant materials are combined in the Garden of Tranquility, as well as an Indonesian, hand-carved wall juxtaposed with elements from other Asian influences. The objective is to inspire peace and tranquility — a spiritual place for the mind and soul.

In addition to roses, the Rose and Fragrance Garden boasts the fragrant flowers of the Ylang-Ylang Perfume Tree, Angel’s Trumpet, and the Longan Tree, one of the oldest trees in the Garden.

The Florida Natives Garden uses native plants to help preserve the state’s natural resources. Increasingly, our native birds, butterflies, and wildlife rely on gardeners to replace natural habitats lost to development. Those native plants include the Wild Coffee native shrub and the Firebush, which attracts hummingbirds and butterflies. 

In bloom in July are the Rainbow Shower Cassia (Cassia x nealiae), the Verawood (Bulnesia arborea), and the Trai Tich Lan Perfume Tree (Fagraea ceilanica), with its large, creamy, trumpet-shaped flowers.

August awaits the blooms of the Summer Poinsettia (Mussaenda philippica), the White Crepe Ginger (Costus speciosus), and the fragrance that became famous as Chanel No. 5 Eau de Parfum — the Ylang-Ylang Perfume Flower (Canaga odorata).

In June 2017, the Garden created the Windows on the Floating World: Blume Tropical Wetland Garden as a way of conserving and protecting freshwater. The wetland garden was designed to highlight the wetland ecology and to protect Florida’s fragile wetland system. 

Designed by artists in collaboration with Palm Beach County’s Art in Public Places program, the garden, a microcosm of tropical wetlands, features open-gridded, 4-foot-wide walkways on the surface of the wetlands. 

Within these walks are four “windows” planted with aquatics and changed out with rotating and seasonal botanical exhibits growing from submerged containers. Four circular, etched-glass, interpretive viewers are strategically located throughout the garden to educate and engage visitors on key components of a wetland.

Bromeliads grow wild and cover the natural stone walls; aquatic life and wading birds are abundant; and wildlife can be seen foraging for fish, clams, and snails in the muck and shallow pools.

So, while you may not find silver bells or cockle shells, you will find a respite from the outside world, a chance to unwind with or without your pet, and appreciate nature in all its glory.

Mounts Botanical Garden

Mounts Botanical Garden is located at 531 N. Military Trail, West Palm Beach. Sunday, July 11, is Dogs’ Day in the Garden, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Last entry at 2 p.m.) Cost: Free for members; $10 for nonmembers; $5 for children 5-12. For more information, visit mounts.org.

Go for the Gold! – An Olympic Collaboration

Go for the Gold! - An Olympic Collaboration

Five years in the making, the rescheduled 2020 Summer Olympic in Tokyo are (at the time of print) set to forge ahead on July 23rd. We cannot wait to see the amazing physical feats that these athletes perform and cheer on Team USA! We created this Opening Ceremony party to help build the excitement, and show some creative hosting ideas and family activities. 

Go for the Gold! - An Olympic Collaboration

The fun is in the details. From torch cupcakes to Olympic Rings cookies to food in the five Olympic colors. We made it bright, colorful, and easy thanks to some talented local bakers and crafters, and a quick trip to Trader Joe’s. 

                 Go for the Gold! - An Olympic Collaboration

For the adults, we created a signature cocktail called Go for the Gold (2 parts bourbon, 1 part freshly squeezed lemon, 1 part honey syrup – 100% delicious!). Dipping the glasses in honey and Olympic-colored sugars makes them extra festive, and custom-made Olympic Rings stir sticks topped off the look. We made a flag game to test how worldly our friends were. Simply choose 26 flags and assign them a letter. Then have your guests try to match them to the correct country name. Be sure to throw some obscure ones in there to really test them!

Kids love a good contest, and when gold medal cookies are the prize they get really excited! We set up a basketball station, a golf station and had swimming races. We ordered temporary tattoo flags to make it really authentic. 

Whatever sport you tune into, whatever country you cheer for, we can all be united in this historical sporting event.

Enjoy, stay safe, and GO TEAM USA!

For information on any of these activities contact:

Rachel from Celebrate You Events (IG: @celebrate.you.events) – Concept creation, party styling, activities & fringe banners

Lindsay from ARCH the Party Co. (IG: @archtheparty) – Balloons & helium bundles

Daniela from Tulle & Tools (IG: @tulleandtools) – Cupcake torches & mini cake

Ana from AO Craft Décor (IG: @aocraftdecor) – Hanging Olympic Rings & acrylic stir sticks

Crystal from Riley Black Designs (IG: @rileyblackdesigns) – Custom acrylic cone stand, flame cake & cupcake toppers

Melissa from That Girl in Pink Bakery (IG: @thatgirlinpinkbakery) – Custom cookies

The Fantels − adjusting to a new normal in music, performing arts

In early 2020, the future looked rosy for Coral Springs couple Caryl and Roy Fantel.

One night, Roy was playing drums in the orchestra for the world premiere production of the musical “A Wonderful World” at Miami New Drama, a professional, nonprofit theater company in Miami Beach. Roy helped create the drum score for the musical biography about jazz legend Louis Armstrong. 

While Roy worked on “A Wonderful World,” Caryl was music directing a production of Stephen Sondheim’s classic “A Little Night Music” by Zoetic Stage, a nonprofit, professional company in downtown Miami.

Caryl and Roy, a nationally respected couple who have been married almost 26 years, own and operate Coral Springs-based Fantel Music (www.fantelmusic.com). The couple, between them, boast more than 60 years of professional expertise in the performing arts. And the couple had already booked most of the rest of 2020 with gigs. Life was good.

Then, almost overnight, the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Folks who had booked the Fantels for jobs canceled the engagements. In fact, Caryl could not even retrieve her belongings from the Arsht Center, where “A Little Night Music” was to open. The Arsht shut down, as did the musical. Meanwhile, in Miami Beach, Miami New Drama postponed “A Wonderful World” indefinitely.

In the bleakness that followed, email message after email message reached the couple’s inboxes, confirming closures and cancellations. 

For the first time in decades, the Fantels found themselves jobless. Fortunately, they are versatile and adaptable. 

Caryl is a music director, event producer, pianist, teacher, editor, and arts activist. Meanwhile, Roy is a drummer, percussionist, teacher, video-audio producer, and web designer. With all the skills between them, they were able to adapt to the new normal by finding virtual work.

Their first COVID-era job was producing the Carbonell Awards, which recognizes excellence in South Florida live theater. Caryl has been part of the award show’s production team for 12 years. But this year, the awards ceremony looked different. Caryl, herself a Carbonell Award winner, decided — along with the organization — to prerecord the 2020 awards ceremony and present it virtually in August 2020. The Carbonells turned out to be one of several projects the Fantels worked on, during which they helped schools and other performers put on shows virtually. 

“COVID has been extraordinarily challenging for everyone in the entertainment industry, but it has given us the opportunity to demonstrate our flexibility,” Caryl said. “Roy’s extensive technical background and abilities, and our wide experience working with groups of all sizes, ages, and levels, has enabled us to pivot into creating work that isn’t necessarily live performance, but is still art and entertainment.” 

For instance, the couple worked with drama students at Coral Glades High School to virtually perform the Off-Broadway musical hit “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change.” Among other things, Roy figured out via green-screen technology how to make four actors appear as though they were together.

The Fantels also used green-screen technology to virtually produce “Signs of Life.” The Yiddishkayt Initiative presented the musical drama as part of a Holocaust Remembrance Day program. Roy said because the production was virtual, people from all over the world were able to watch it on Facebook and YouTube. 

The Fantels − adjusting to a new normal in music, performing artsJoan Limon, the producer of “Signs of Life,” praised the Fantels. “If there is an equivalent of a Tony Award for best musical direction and videography of a virtual musical drama, it definitely belongs on [their] mantel,” she said.

In addition to the Carbonell Awards, “Signs of Life,” and “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change,” the couple’s projects during the past year included the following:

  • “Stars of David in Concert,” produced by Avi Hoffman’s Yiddishkayt Initiative. The group is a not-for-profit organization that celebrates and promotes Jewish history, life, and culture.
  • Two readings of new musicals that combined recorded and live elements, including one at Florida Atlantic University.
  • A couple of holiday concerts presented as part of the Yiddishkayt Initiative’s international Hanukkah and Purim festivals.
  • A musical theater production for Nova Southeastern University.
  • A production of “Almost, Maine” for an area high school.

“As long as there’s a need, we will continue to produce virtually,” Caryl said. “To some degree, we believe virtual productions are here to stay, as they provide unlimited audience reach.”

However, “we’re both looking forward to performing in front of live audiences again,” Caryl said. “We are cautiously optimistic that audiences will return to theaters live and in-person in pre-pandemic numbers (or even beyond those numbers). We have heard that people are starved for live entertainment. We’re hoping they will be willing to prioritize attending live events, since people haven’t spent much, if anything, on arts events in more than a year … and artists and arts organizations need support now more than ever.

‘There’s always time for tea’

Did you know — and I admit I didn’t — that there is Thai iced-tea pie, and even a small artisanal company in Brooklyn that sells Macha and Earl Grey teas ice cream? 

Here we take a brief tour of teas. Look no farther than our state for retail and cafe locations for sampling numerous types, some familiar and some perhaps not. Plus there is the nonprofit U.S. League of Tea Growers, at www.usteagrowers.com, where potential growers can ask questions, research tea growing, and connect with regional organizations. There is also American Yaupon (www.americanyaupon.org), based in Florida, which promotes a number of local shops.

It’s a new day for tea. It is soothing, warming, and refreshing with excellent varieties easily obtainable. The steady trend toward natural foods and herbal teas is well known, though you may not have spent much time thinking about the varied types until the pandemic descended upon us. Tea is an enjoyable beverage whatever the time of day or season. There are, of course, basic teas. 

One gardening expert of 30 years, Erica Jo Shaffer, confirms, for example, that herbal infusions are relaxing to the nerves and nourishing. She advises, “Tea is only ‘tea’ when it contains camellia sinensis, the plant that gives us white, green, black, and oolong tea.”

Sampling of organic herbal teas: You could try citrus mint with an infusion of peppermint and citrus; blueberry merlot with a taste of blueberries and a wisp of sage; chamomile citron with a blend of flower blossoms and a zest of citrus; and ginger lemongrass blended with citrusy herbs and a tingle of ginger. (There’s also a cocktail like the Sunday Tea, which some may know from having peach, moonshine, bourbon, sweet tea, and lemon, which might lull you into a generic dream of the South.)

And then there’s yaupon!

Yaupon tea: Pronounced “yoh-pon,” this is the only caffeinated plant native to North America — an antioxidant-laden drink that’s been consumed for thousands of years and known as yaupon holly. It’s a specific Southern tea type that can be found in loose-leaf form at premium shops around the country, and sometimes in shrub form at select nurseries to add as a border or hedge to your own landscaping to harvest, keep in a container on the patio, or plant in a community patch! 

Grown in the Southeast and traded by Native Americans for ceremonies and recreation, according to the Yaupon Brothers Tea Co. (formed in Florida in 2012), it does not need fertilizer or pesticides as it is native and requires very little water, and has less environmental impact on surrounding areas. During the Civil War, Southerners often drank yaupon in place of coffee and black tea, note historians. One fellow of the day noted, “Substitute for Tea — [yaupon] is excellent but let me say that the wild thorned leaf holly is the best that I have ever used. It would take the best of judges to tell it from the best of black tea. Fall is the time to gather the leaves. Make as black tea.”

 

Caffeine content: Unprocessed, the leaves of this evergreen holly with small green leaves on stiff branches contain between 65% and 85% caffeine compared to tea leaves with about 3.5% caffeine. (Black-tea caffeine content is labeled by one popular seller as “robust,” herbal infusions as “none,” green tea as “moderate,” and white tea as between “very low” and “low.”)

There is plenty of information on Yaupon and Dwarf Yaupon shrub propagating, pruning, light requirements, soil, and so on, at several informative websites; one is a University of Florida blog site, at blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/lakeco/2021/01/21/grow-your-own-yaupon-tea.

For example, the “evergreen” Dwarf Yaupon Holly tolerates wind and the hot, humid Southern summers. New growth emerges with a light purple color and darkens to green. This small mounding shrub can get 3 to 5 feet tall and wide, and it can take full sun or partial shade.

  

Ryan Hinson, the “tea guy” at well-known Tin Roof Teas (www.tinroofteas.com), a high-quality loose teas and accessories business, knows his teas — and their shelf life. He told me, “Yaupon is best consumed in 8 to 10 months, but good up to 2 years. Would consider an herb, so you have 8 months for maximum potency — up to 8 months for flowers and leaves, and up to 2 years for seeds, roots, and barks.”

Fragrant premium tea shops abound if you prefer to visit rather than to order in supply (see two Florida brothers’ enterprise at www.yauponbrothersamericantea.com). Many shops are now open with COVID protocols in place.

 

And from the Louisiana State University Ag Center is an informative May 2019 article by horticulturist Heather Kirk-Ballard, who notes that the wiry shrub’s blooms appear in early to mid-spring (eaten by many bird species), with the red berries, also enjoyed by the birds, showing in late fall and winter. She writes much more about the yaupon, including its widespread use as home decor during the holidays. Check out the article too for excellent tips for your seasonal decorating.

So whether you grow your tea fresh from the garden (or patio container) or have it shipped to your door, get out those teapots and teacups (or mugs), and have a tea party. Pinkies up!

Joan Wenner, J.D., is a widely published, longtime freelance writer who writes historical, maritime, and general interest stories. She resides in eastern coastal North Carolina, although she lived many years in Florida where she hopes to soon return. Comments are welcomed at joan_writer@yahoo.com.

Tik-Tok vs. YouTube: Social media influencer behemoths duke it out in the ring

There are two facts of life that remain constant: Technology continues to evolve, and people love to fight. That is why, during the “Battle of the Platforms,” a myriad of big-name social media influencers, representing their respective social media platforms of YouTube and Tik-Tok, duked it out in the ring to both settle their beefs and decide which platform’s creators reign supreme.

Headlining the ticket was the fight between two social media icons — Tik-Tok superstar and self-proclaimed “bad boy,” Bryce Hall, and YouTube vlog powerhouse and family man, Austin McBroom. The two, having possessed a public quarrel for a good amount of time, decided things should be quelled in the most exciting and entertaining method, a good ole’ amateur boxing match. Add even more social media stars and rivalries to the mix, and you have a great night of in-person social media entertainment.

The social media star-studded series of boxing bouts took place at the distinguished Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. Adding to the spectacle were condensed performances by A-list hip-hop artists such as Trippie Redd, Lil’ Baby, and DJ Khaled interspersed between each heated brawl. Also present was prolific commentary by social media creators and provocateurs FouseyTUBE and Keemstar. 

Whether you use it or not, there is no denying that the Tik-Tok platform has made serious waves in the space of entertainment. Its trend-based and short-form content, which adapts to each user’s specific interests and preferences, creates an addicting and mindlessly entertaining app that can keep anyone, especially teens, scrolling for hours at a time. 

YouTube’s impact on the entertainment industry needs no introduction. The internet video service, along with Netflix, put basically all of cable TV on its knees, persuading and swiping its audience with more personable content that viewers could consume without having to purchase a bothersome cable package.

At the cornerstone of both YouTube and Tik-Tok are the creators. Not only do they produce the content for the platforms, but they also give them a face and a soul. The most notable creators possess a combination of talent, charm, and glamour, which turns them into luminary icons who abide in the hearts and minds of their devoted fans. Just like teen pop idols of the past, such as Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears, and Justin Bieber, their fans will fight their battles, defend them to the end, and follow each venture they partake in.

Aware of the extraordinary gravity that these social media stars possess, event organizers see social media influencer-based events as a lucrative avenue to pursue. Based on the impressive spectacle and success of this recent event, whether it be boxing or other sensational exhibitions, I predict the public will definitely be seeing more influencer-studded events in the future.

Miami could possibly serve as the new hot spot for these influencer events. In addition to the work put in by LiveXLive, Battle of the Platforms’ central organizer, Hard Rock itself was a key force in producing and carrying out the event. With Miami’s known and ever-evolving image as a neon-lit destination for glitz, glamour, action, and fame, perhaps the Battle of the Platforms is the catalyst for South Florida’s path to emerging as the new Las Vegas.

Actors 50 and over examine dementia and death

The Show Must Go On | Pigs Do Fly Productions

Actors 50 and over examine dementia and death

By Jan Engoren

With the emphatic moniker, Pigs Do Fly, Ellen Wacher, founder and producer of Pigs Do Fly Productions, wanted people to know, women (and men) of a certain age are still relevant.

“When pigs fly,” might be an ironic comment meant to convey the unlikeliness of something happening, but Pigs Do Fly stands for people over 50 living interesting, active lives, according to Wacher, a 60-something who founded the theatre company in 2014.

With a mission is to produce plays that highlight the actor over 50 as a viable, fully involved, full of life character, Wacher says she wants to engage the 100 million plus Americans who are over age 50 and are under-recognized by the marketers of other popular culture.

“We don’t do plays about dementia or death,” says Wacher from her home in Miami.  “I’m interested in vibrant, active people living their lives and pursuing their passions.”

All of the company’s plays focus on this demographic and feature actor over 50.  The company is a professional theatre company and all employees are paid.

Seven years ago, Wacher presented her first production, title, “Fifty Plus — A Celebration Of Life . . . As We Know It,” a collection of short plays featuring actors 50+, and focused on active folks of the same age group.

On March 6, 2020, Wacher’s latest production, “Helen on Wheels,” an original play by Oregon-based playwright Cricket Daniel premiered at the Empire Stage in Ft. Lauderdale, but was indefinitely postponed as theatres shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I’d give my eye teeth to be back live,” says Wacher who is gauging things on a daily basis as to when the theatre might resume.

She’s also concerned, about whether her audience – also people of a certain age – will return.   Noting that many theatres and other arts venues have moved their programming on-line, Wacher defers, saying, “By definition, theatre is meant to be shared live and in person.”

A native of Miami, Wacher worked for the state of Florida as a teacher and lobbyist and retired with 30 years under her belt.

“I always wanted to be an actress,” Wachter remembers, “but didn’t have the courage to starve.  Eating and dressing nicely were always at the top of my list.”

So, once she retired, she decided to pursue her passion and appeared in local productions of Neil Simon’s “Rumors,” “The Sisters Rosensweig,” “Joseph Andrews” and “The False Witness.”

“Now I can do what I always wanted to do and not worry about the money,” she said.

However, it was a shock to learn that she had aged out of the commercial acting market.

“I didn’t fit the stereotype of what they wanted for older women,” she remembers.  “I got really mad and decided to start my own theatre company.  I didn’t have a clue what I was doing, but I was committed to the idea.”

“I was headstrong and determined,” Wacher says.  “I lucked out, found the right people and in spite of not knowing what I was doing, managed to get it done.”

“We picked plays, held auditions and the audiences came,” she says.  “I got positive feedback from my audience.”

Currently, Wacher is vice president of the SAG-AFTRA Miami local and as chair of the women’s committee, works on the need to better recognize actors (and audiences) over 50 in theater, television and film.

During the quarantine and pandemic, Wacher, despite eating what she says is a bit too much ice-cream, attended SAG Zoom meetings, watched reruns of Seinfeld (her favorite), Friends and Everyone Loves Raymond and founded the Miami Radio Players, a group of professional actors based in Miami, who perform live radio shows.

Once she gets the all-clear to resume productions, Wacher is ready to go with re-launches of two of her most popular productions – Daniel’s “Helen on Wheels” and an original comedy by playwright Jerry Mayer titled, “2 Across,” about the New York Times crossword puzzle and a chance encounter aboard a San Francisco BART train.

She also has her eye on mounting “The Savannah Sipping Society,” a comedy by Nicholas Hope, Jessie  Jones and  Jamie Wooten.

As one audience member proclaimed to Wacher, after a previous show, “Thank god someone’s doing something for people like us.”

 

Visit pigsdoflyproductions.com

Self-esteem: Part of the basics, not just a byproduct

By Dr. Simone Alicia, D.D, h.c

Take a shower, brush your teeth, mind your manners, and nurture your self-esteem. Those are the basics for our kids, right? Along with eating healthy, studying, and going to bed on time, most of us would agree that these are foundations of proper physical and emotional health.

Yet, there’s something strange on that list. Something that is always expected from our kids, but usually left off of the list of basic life lessons: It’s self-esteem.

Some say it’s just a byproduct that comes from doing other things, like sports, dance, or theater. But is that enough? Or do we need to teach self-esteem more directly?

As a self-esteem coach, one of the first things my young clients learn from me is that self-esteem is “the way we think and feel about ourselves.” I love that definition because it empowers kids to take charge of what they are thinking about anytime that they want. And they quickly learn that their thoughts affect their attitude, beliefs, and behavior!

Now, picture it, your kids just finished watching a drama-filled series online, then they played a few hours of a violent video game; they also realized that they got a bad grade, and a former friend was mean to them on social media. All of these experiences become images swirling around in your child’s mind. Each image has a negative feeling attached to it.

Now here’s the key: Your child has no clue what to do about these thoughts and feelings. So, now it affects their behavior, and they have a negative attitude toward you all day.

Is the self-esteem “byproduct” from their extracurricular activities enough to help them through this? No. They need real, direct tools, like affirmations, journaling, and reframing skills, which I’ll detail for you below:

  • This involves reciting positive things about yourself starting with “I am.” Singing them to the beat of a familiar tune helps younger kids through difficult times.
  • Step 1: “Release,” which is writing out all negative emotions in a journal and really imagining that they are being released out of you. Step 2 (most important): Turn to a new page and “refill” yourself, being a best friend to yourself and coaching yourself through whatever you just released, so you are left in a positive place. For example, “Even though that happened, I am strong, and I know it’ll be OK.”
  • This is a method by which you try to see your situation in a different way, perhaps with humor or by finding the good thing hidden in your situation. The sentence may start with “Well, at least…” ⎯ for example, if children get a low score at school, they could say, “Well, at least it’s not the last grade for the year.”

The most important thing for parents to know is that tools are out there to help their kids with building self-esteem, and they should have those tools before they need them. Preparation is power. After all, it’s far easier to put the life vest on before you fall into the water. Am I right?

With the current times that we live in and the unlimited access to technology, social media, controversial influencers, and more, we can no longer treat self-esteem building like a mere byproduct that kids will pick up somewhere. Instead, it’s time to recognize self-esteem building as a basic, fundamental life skill that our kids need to learn directly in order to live mentally healthy lives.