‘Ballerina’: A Poem by Michael Pietrack The Society March 28, 2023 Beauty, Culture, Performing Arts, Poetry, Readings 51 Comments . . Ballerina The balanced ballerina on her toe was poised with perfect posture—back and chest. The crowd, in silent awe, enjoyed the show, as she maintained a flawless arabesque. The dancer twirled to...
‘Cancel Madame Butterfly’ by Brian Yapko The Society September 17, 2021 Culture, Humor, Performing Arts, Poetry, Villanelle 29 Comments . Cancel Madame Butterfly today! Such racist music cannot soothe the soul. Let’s never show another hate-filled play. The King and I must also cause dismay Since white composers can’t know ethnic...
A Woke Version of Cole Porter’s ‘Anything Goes’ by Julian Woodruff The Society May 20, 2021 Culture, Humor, Music, Performing Arts, Poetry 26 Comments . Everyone Knows Fog and smoke! Such confusion we’re subject to! So much danger to me and you From the yahoos without a clue! Now we’re woke! It’s high time that we reassess This society’s thorough...
‘Flodden’ and Other Poetry by James A. Tweedie The Society January 10, 2021 Beauty, Culture, Performing Arts, Poetry 16 Comments . Flodden Historical Note: The Battle of Flodden took place between English and Scottish armies on September 9, 1513. The battle proved a tragic disaster for the Scots who lost an estimated 12,000-17,000 men...
The Falun Gong Practitioner: A One-Act Play The Society December 28, 2019 Culture, Deconstructing Communism, Human Rights in China, Performing Arts, Poetry 13 Comments . A play in one act based on the true story of Li Zhenjun. Play by Evan Mantyk. Characters Narrator / Voice of Tradition Zhenjun “George” Li Communist Policeman 1 (CP 1) Communist Policeman 2 (CP...
‘An Ode to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern’ by James A. Tweedie The Society April 30, 2019 Culture, Humor, Performing Arts, Poetry 3 Comments An Ode to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern 50 Years Later A Poetic Summary of Tom Stoppard’s Award-Winning Play As Seen Through the Eyes of Its Two Leading Characters Says Rosencrantz to Guildenstern, “I...
‘Musical Comedy or Doggerel for Dilettantes’ by James A. Tweedie The Society August 31, 2018 Beauty, Culture, Humor, Music, Performing Arts, Poetry 15 Comments Musical Comedy or Doggerel for Dilettantes The Sonata Like a Classical sonata, our day opens with a theme, Whether thrown from bed by thunder or lulled softy from a dream. With our breakfast comes a...
‘The Concert’ by Lynn Michael Martin The Society April 9, 2018 Beauty, Music, Performing Arts, Poetry 6 Comments A sonnet of longing and of a glimpse of hope. July 17, 2016. We looked imploring to the starless sky; we worlds and worlds of darkness, seeking light, that we might momently forget our night; for that...
Review: What Is Shen Yun All About? The Society January 19, 2018 Beauty, Culture, Deconstructing Communism, Essays, Human Rights in China, Music, Performing Arts, Poetry, Reviews 42 Comments By Evan Mantyk Advertising for it is everywhere. If you haven’t seen it, you just haven’t been paying attention. A brilliantly colored image depicts a Chinese woman striking an airborne pose. But what is...
‘A Shen Yun Holiday Sonnet’ by Evan Mantyk The Society December 10, 2017 Beauty, Children's, Performing Arts, Poetry 9 Comments When Santa’s sleigh took to the sky, He saw a wonder by him fly: A Chinese Fairy dance on clouds And point to where there gathered crowds; A theater’s lights shone dazzling bright And beckoned him...
A Shen Yun Review: Upon Seeing Shen Yun The Society November 30, 2016 Performing Arts 3 Comments Upon Seeing Shen Yun By Evan Mantyk How they fly now through the air With such poise and splendid flair With a grace and force unique As if fueled by pure mystique! What’s the tale that...
‘The Voices of Shen Yun’ by Daniel Magdalen The Society June 29, 2015 Beauty, Culture, Performing Arts, Poetry 1 Comment Your steps, unequal, hasten, departing from the race Where dust’s all that’s awarded, where just the fit survive, Pursuing trifles, anguished, forgetful of life’s grace. The farther from this...
‘The Funeral March of a Marionette’ by U. Carew Delibes The Society July 24, 2014 Beauty, Performing Arts 1 Comment https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJQTF0bkq8s The Funeral March of a Marionette is by Charles Gounod. The marionette's broken—dead— right off. The funeral procession starts off; it's D-minor....
Poetry on Opera by U. Carew Delibes The Society December 15, 2013 Beauty, Culture, Performing Arts, Poetry https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBmdmFCtTNU Near the End of Don Giovanni The terror starts with the entrancing entrance of Commendatore's shattering note in the brass one long, diminished...
Flower duet – Anna Netrebko & Elina Garanca (Lakmé de Delibes) The Society November 9, 2013 Performing Arts https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vf42IP__ipw Duo des fleurs Léo Delibes By U. Carew Delibes Along a stream, the daughter of a Brahmin priest and her maidservant sing and gather flowers,...