Welcome to the Limelight
Hello, world.
This is your new host for the Fame or Famine blog, Gray Miller. Armed with a thorough knowledge of onstage and offstage antics and a quite diverse (ok, I’ll admit it, it’s downright speckled) performing arts background, I come to you live from the entertainment capitol of the world, Madison, WI!
Hmmm. Somehow I suspect that thunderous applause is only in my mind…
My primary background is contemporary dance and multimedia production; I’ve been a consultant for groups such as Li Chiao Ping Dance company, the Dziga Vertov Perfomance Group, and professional presenters such as Heidi Miller (no relation, sorry). I’ve also run my own performance technology company, now in hiatus, and that’s where a lot of my opinions are going to be coming from.
Because that’s really what the performing arts are about. Opinions. One of my hats is as an adult mentor for the Proud Theatre of Madison, WI, a group for LGBTQ teens who want to "change the world through theatre." One of them summed up the power of the performing arts quite well:
"I have a lot of opinions, and theatre tricks people into listening to me talk. And they can’t interrupt, because it would be rude."-Kat Miller, Youth Artistic Director
That’s about the size of it–the performing arts are different than the entertainment world because they are out to express someone else’s opinion of the world, not play to their audience’s views. The best stuff will both entertain and challenge you. Which is what I’m out to do, as well. I’ve got my fingers out looking for neat little tidbits to share with you, and would love any tidbits thrown back my way. Send them to gray@b5media.com.
This is my first time as a "pro blogger" (look, ma, I’m legit) so please be gentle. In looking at the Fame or Famine archive, I see a lot of focus on reality shows and American Idolesque type programs, and I’m here to tell ya, I don’t do that. Well, I haven’t, much (I confess to being sucked into "Dancing with the Stars" on occasion).
But it strikes me that it would be a good exercise to take one of those shows and look at it from a arts perspective. Only one, though, I must restrain myself…but which one? Any suggestions?
3 Comments
Hard call. Dancing with the Stars starts tonight. It has quite an interesting array of celebs. What would drive a political commentator to ballroom dance?
I can think of one good reason: attention. He’s conservative, they aren’t doing too well these days. I personally am suspicious of “names” like this, thinking that they really are just regurgitating talking points for a few moments of fame and money.
they’re performers; why not dance, too?
Then again, maybe I’m jaded…
Happy Anniversary Man!