Hidden Gems

The latest from Second City: Pratfall of Civilization
Fresh off an extended run as the stars of “Disposable Nation,” there is no rest for Amanda Blake Davis, Alex Fendrich, Robert Janas, Niki Lindgren, Nicky Margolis and Andy St. Clair. The cohesive six pack jumps right back into the mix on Second City’s e.t.c. stage with the company’s latest revue, “Pratfall of Civilization.”

And as a fan of intelligent comedy with an edge, I couldn’t be happier this cast remained intact — not to mention didn’t take a break.

Cynics may label some of Pratfall’s skit topics as a bit past their prime or too routine, but when the acting is masterful, timing is adept and writing remains as clever as always, it’s awfully easy to forgive.

An intervention to save a metrosexual (Janus) was one of the highlights of the night, as friends and family attempt to rescue a man who uses raspberry jasmine moisturizer, wears women’s sunglasses, spends $200 on a t-shirt, chooses “Sex and the City” DVDs over ESPN and, according to his distraught friend (St. Clair), tried to sneak couscous into Wrigley Field. When the defensive metrosexual insists he needs his hand cream, a member of the intervention speaks out in disgust: “A real man knows there is only one use for hand cream.”

Janas also does a spot-on impersonation of Al Gore, who turns into a cult leader and demands that the only route to save the planet from global warming is mass suicide by way of pineapple mango punch laced with cobra venom.

Two of the more creative and funniest bits involved a pair of NASCAR fans improbably discussing the problems in the Middle East during a race, and funeral attendees taking advantage of a drawn-out eulogy by an attention-seeking widow (Davis) to tap a keg, play musical chairs and hook up with one another.

The skits are numerous in volume — better than 30 by my count — and as quick as they are witty, with plenty of musical talent on display by the cast (Lindgren, St. Clair and Davis, especially) and no pertinent national issue left untouched (immigration officers interrogating the audience, a mad scientist adding likable qualities to political candidates by way of a special personality machine and marketing suits attempting to clean up explicit rap lyrics).

To say this cast has a bright future sells their previous work short. The future is now for them, and after a night laughing at Pratfall, you can’t help but walk out of Piper’s Alley with a new perspective on the nation’s issues and inadequacies. And why someone with couscous at Wrigley needs to be ridiculed.

— Trent Modglin

The Chicago Photography Center
Finally decided to invest in that digital SLR camera you’ve been thinking about? Then deciding to invest in some knowledge about how to use it would be a wise choice as well. The Chicago Photography Center would be a great place to start.

The CPC offers a wide selection of classes aimed toward anyone with a serious interest in photography. Options range from a Saturday afternoon Digital Boot Camp for beginners to more advanced courses such as Advanced Lighting Techniques.

While the CPC doesn’t offer you a letter grade, the classes do force you to work. In addition to attending a three-hour weekly lecture, there are also weekly assignments that require shooting 40-50 pictures and a lab night where digital students are able to make prints using the computers at the CPC and film students are able to get some time in the dark room.

Lectures cover a variety of topics such as getting the correct exposure, depth of field and the creative license of a photographer. Weekly assignments include taking pictures that show an object in motion, front and back lighting and taking an entire “digital roll” of another classmate. The emphasis of the lab nights for digital students is on making prints rather than using Photoshop. Some basic Photoshop instruction is offered in both Photo I and Photo II, but the motto of several instructors is that a photographer should be taking photographs, not staring at the computer all day, so the focus is on getting the picture correct in the camera rather than getting it close enough in the camera and then adjusting it in Photoshop later.

After buying my first DSLR camera about two years ago, I decided to sign up for a class last fall. Since then, I have completed Digital Photo I and Digital Photo II. Both classes have a strong emphasis on the technical aspects of using the camera to turn the picture that you would like to be able to take into the picture that you actually can take.

After completing Digital Photo I and II, I’ve not only gained a much better understanding of the technical aspects of my camera (as I am no longer relegated to keeping it on “auto” mode!), but I have also ventured in a new direction with my photography that I never thought I had an interest in thanks to the CPC’s assignments. For anyone with a serious interest in photography, the CPC is a great choice.

— Vince Samford

 

MCA: Tuesdays on the terrace
Every Tuesday this summer, the Museum of Contemporary Art presents a musical program in coordination with the Chicago Jazz Institute. The summer jazz program features many artists well known in Chicago, a city specializing in jazz. I saw the immensely popular Fred Anderson Trio, who return on August 21.

The sophisticated music is offered at a volume that doesn’t prohibit conversation and in an environment of extraordinary views. Adjacent to the Bauhaus-designed museum is a terrace and lawn from which one looks straight up to the north to the John Hancock Center. The gothic architecture of Northwestern Memorial is just across the street to the south, and the big, blue body of water is across Lake Shore Park to the east.

Inside, the museum, which is free on Tuesdays, houses many avant-garde works by numerous artists including Claes Oldenburg and Alexander Calder.

Angelique Williams, the museum’s director of marketing elaborated on the event: “We were driven by the need to welcome new audiences and remove barriers. We don’t have coastal envy; we don’t aspire to be New York or L.A. We give a platform for Chicago-based artists, and we have a fantastic blues and jazz tradition here in Chicago.”

Take time to view the museum’s unique treasures as well as the diverse attendees. While people watching, I saw a guy wearing a very original “Notorious B.I.G. depicted as Che Guevara” t-shirt. Getting a table for dinner requires advance reservations; however, the lawn is open seating. The menu of chic food and drinks are provided by the museum’s Wolfgang Puck cafe and includes a must-try pizzette, wine, champagne and summer cocktails. “The people attending are like a snapshot of Chicago,” Williams said. “You have families on the lawn, girlfriends getting together having wine, people meeting on first dates. You’ll see every race, every economic class.”

The free event runs until 8 p.m. Music begins at 5:30. Located at 220 E. Chicago Ave. and online at www.mcachicago.org

— Paul M. Banks

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