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>> female announcer: This is a
production of WKNO, Memphis.
Production funding for this
program is made possible in part
by..
[instrumental music]
♪♪♪
>> Shannon: Hi, I'm Mamie.
Welcome to "Local Color."
Chris and I are here and we're
going to talk about the upcoming
screenings of the Oscar shorts.
That's on location.
Memphis has this every year.
It's sanctioned by the Oscars
which is pretty cool.
And it's at the Malco Ridgeway,
the Ridgeway Four.
>> Davis: And the shorts are
always a joy.
>> Shannon: They really are.
And these are the documentary
shorts.
And what makes it a short is
that it's less than 40 minutes.
This is going to be Thursday,
February 21.
It starts at 7:00 and goes
until.
>> Davis: Well, the documentary
shorts-I'm guessing you're
getting a mix between sort of
light and more entertaining
stuff and some heavier subject
matter, too.
>> Shannon: Not this year.
No, this year the documentary
shorts are-These are pretty
powerful.
They're like a slice of life and
social issues that actually put
a face with the issue.
"Open Heart"-That's the
documentary about two of the
eight children from Rwanda.
>> Davis: So it's a bit of an
adventure story.
>> Shannon: Yeah, it's a big
adventure story.
These two girls are making the
trek across the Sudan to go to
the Salam Center which is the
only free hospital that does
open heart surgery on the
African continent.
So, it's pretty heavy stuff.
>> Davis: Yeah, it's a pretty
big continent to only have one
place you can go if you need to
have that done.
>> Shannon: And geographically,
I don't know where Rwanda is
from this place.
But it's a 2500 mile trek, you
know.
>> Davis: Good haul.
>> Shannon: Yeah, for a six-
year-old and a 17-year-old.
Um, and there-Is it "Innocente"
or "Innocent?"
>> Davis: It looks like
"Innocente."
That's my guess since you're
dealing with a family that has
it's origins in Mexico.
>> Shannon: Right, and this is a
15-year-old little girl who-or
young lady-who is an aspiring
artists and how art is her
passion.
And it is her driving force even
though her dad got deported.
>> Davis: It takes place in San
Diego.
>> Shannon: Yes, yes.
And remember when I went to San
Diego and I told you how the-
>> Davis: Yeah, you said you had
just seen an extraordinary
number of homeless.
>> Shannon: It was like
families.
This was not what we think of.
These were like families.
So this little girl's father was
deported.
The mother is trying to keep her
and her two younger brothers
alive.
And it's their story of being
ping-ponged from, you know,
shelter to cheap apartment, to
losing a job, to, you know, all
these other social issues that
come along with it.
But this little girl hangs on to
her art.
And I think that that says
something for the arts right
there.
>> Davis: It does and San Diego
is one of those places where
it's so much more visible.
You know the story that you're
going to see there is something
that's playing itself out all
across the country and
everywhere.
But because of the climate, you
know, there are places all along
through southern California
where you just, you know, it's a
much more visible.
>> Shannon: Well, and I was so
upset and asked, actually, an
officer of the court, you know,
what are the social programs
that you have to help these
people.
He goes, "Hey, it's beautiful
here.
"If you're going to be homeless,
what a great-"
And I just though-Ooh.
>> Davis: Yeah, "It's beautiful
here," is not exactly
appropriate.
>> Shannon: Yeah, what a great
place to be homeless!
The next one is "Redemption."
This is another story about
people who live on the street.
>> Davis: And working in a
pretty hard scrabble gig.
>> Shannon: They dig through
whatever they need to dig
through to get bottles and cans
and redeem.
You know, take them to the
recycling center to redeem them
for money.
>> Davis: Right.
>> Shannon: And, you know, it
really puts a face and a story
with these people that when you
walk by, you kind of would like
to just act like you don't see
them.
>> Davis: I am on a pretty good
speaking terms with some of the
folks in our neighborhood who do
that.
And they always sort of keep me
up to date on what they're able
to get for their cans.
And it's always shocking how
much they have to turn in.
>> Shannon: Quickly, we've got
two more.
"Kings Point"-It's the folks
that live in the retirement
community.
And then "Mondays at Racine" is
the-
>> Davis: Now, that one sounds
like an uplifting story.
>> Shannon: The beauty shop that
gives, um, cancer survivors hair
cuts and everything and service
on Monday.
Anyway, up next, we got a lot to
talk about today.
Up next, Tracey and a very
special co-host are coming in
for an interview with Marina
Pacini from The Brooks Museum of
Art.
[instrumental music]
♪♪♪
>> Tracey: Marina, thank you so
much for coming in.
I appreciate your time.
This is Zoe and she loves art.
And so, she's excited to find
out about the exhibit.
Zoe, what's your first question
for Marina today?
>> Zoe: Well, what-Why is the
exhibit called "Angels and
Tomboys?"
>> Marina: Well, it's called
"Angels and Tomboys" for a
really good reason.
It's an exhibition of paintings,
sculpture, photographs and
prints having to do with
girlhood in the 19th century.
And while most of the images are
of girls being angels or
angelic, there are also some
images of girls being tomboys
which those images are much more
rare but at the same time,
they're really a nice reflection
of what life was like for girls
in the 19th century.
>> Tracey: Has anyone ever
called you a tomboy?
>> Zoe: Well, sometimes.
>> Tracey: Has anyone ever
called you an angel?
>> Zoe: Yes.
>> Tracey: Oh, good.
I'm glad to hear it.
Um, are you familiar with the
word "print?"
Do you know what that means?
>> Zoe: Not really.
>> Marina: Oh, okay.
Well, let's have a little
conversation about prints.
Prints are an art form that, um,
ends up making multiple copies
of something.
Artists make them in several
different ways.
For example, one way you make
them is you lay down a block of
wood and you carve a design into
the wood so that the image that
you're making is raised up-okay?
You put ink across the top of
that surface and then lay a
piece of paper down.
And the ink, obviously, is only
on the raised portion so then
you get an image off of that.
So it's rather than an artist
directly painting on to
something, it's using another
medium.
Now, what's exciting about
making prints is that you can
make more than one of them.
And it sort of depends on what
kind of a process the artists
work.
You can make anywhere from 10 to
250.
So, it's a way of making
multiples.
One of the reasons artists like
making prints is that they are
less expensive than paintings.
So, more people could actually
afford them.
They were really popular in the
19th century because they showed
people what was happening during
the war or what people's houses
looked like or, you know,
illustrated stories.
And everybody-Well, not
everybody-but many more people
could afford to buy them because
they were not as expensive as
hiring a painter to come and
make a painting-make a portrait-
or to buy a landscape.
>> Zoe: Is it all for girls?
>> Marina: No, the exhibit is
not all for girls.
We're actually hoping that
everybody will come, no matter
how old they are.
Boys and men and grandfathers
will all hopefully come see this
exhibition.
Um, the work is really, um, a
combination of really beautiful
paintings but also,-or artworks
I should say because it's not
all paintings-tells really
interesting stories about 19th
century life.
Now, to get at your mother's
question-yes.
There is an interactive space.
At the same time, we also have
up Romare Bearden's Black
Odyssey.
It's a separate exhibition of
really fantastic works about
Romare Bearden or that made by
Romare Bearden about Homer's
Odyssey.
And there's an interactive space
in between the two exhibitions
with activities for both
exhibitions.
And for Angels and Tomboys, you
can go and there's some angel
wings there.
You can go and make feathers.
There's a try-on section with
some really cool clothes that
look like the costumes that
girls wore in the 19th century
that you can try on and several
other things that are also
happening.
And I want to make sure that you
come on Saturday, the 16th.
We're having a family day from
10:00 to 1:00.
And, um, there's all sorts of
really fun activities that are
going to be happening.
Again, it's free from that
period of time.
There's a lot of fun hands-on
activities.
You can see the exhibition.
I think there are going to be
performances.
So, I hope you will come and
have a good time at that, as
well.
>> Tracey: How long will the
exhibit be at The Brooks?
>> Marina: It's up through the
12th.
It actually closes on Mother's
Day which is hopefully some
daughters will bring their
mothers for brunch on that day
and come and see the exhibition.
>> Tracey: So, you have the
Bearden exhibit and you also
have Angels and Tomboys.
But you guys are doing so much
programming.
Do you want to talk a little bit
about some of the other things
going on at The Brooks?
You guys always have interesting
stuff going on.
>> Marina: Absolutely, the one
thing I want to go back to
Angels and Tomboys for two
seconds is that Holly Pyne
Connor, the curator, is coming
to speak on that same Saturday,
the 16th at 2:00 pm.
Um, but we also have up now a
really terrific exhibition.
And, of course, I'm not going to
remember the full title of it.
Uh, I think it's Andrew Saftel -
Where Water Meets the Land.
And it's an exhibition of
photographs that Andy took when
he was on a, um, fellowship
sponsored by the US Embassy in,
um, Bangladesh.
And they're fabulous images of
the time he spent there.
They're extraordinary.
>> Tracey: Thank you for letting
me know about it.
We will definitely take those
in, as well, when we come to the
museum.
Thank you so much for coming
out.
Next up is Chris with some
guests from Ballet Memphis.
[instrumental music]
♪♪♪
>> Davis" Ballet Memphis is
always looking, it seems, for
better opportunities to reach
out and interface very directly
with the community.
I know I've enjoyed a lot of
the, uh, the open rehearsals you
guys have had over the years and
enjoy bringing my twins to see
the process and the commitment
that goes on behind all of the
lights and the more, um,
glamorous parts of the show.
But you just started a new way.
You've just launched Spark, I
think it's called.
And the first one's already
happened.
>> McMahon: It happened last
night.
>> Davis: Well, tell me a
little.
I mean, when people come out to
meet the dancers and the
choreographers, what are they
the most interested in finding
out about?
>> McMahon: I think people have
a fascination with things that
aren't part of their normal
life, right?
I think that goes for
everything.
So, when they come to speak to
us, I think people really are
interested in what it is we do
every single day, you know, and
how it's different-maybe
different from their lives, you
know.
>> Davis: How does the Spark-How
is this approach different than
what you guys have done in the
past with the rehearsals and the
questions and answers?
>> McMahon: I think it's not
performance-based, you know.
So, it's not an open rehearsal.
We're not there showing
ourselves dancing.
You know, it's not a
performative element to it.
So, it really is just a
conversation like trying to
spark ideas, you know.
Talk about different things, you
know, that maybe the community
would be interested in hearing.
>> Davis: And I'm curious, what
do you guys take away from the
community?
What are you guys able to bring
back to Ballet Memphis?
>> Shumake: Um, I think that's a
very interesting question.
When we're able to interact with
the community, such as like, um,
reaching out and asking
questions, I think getting their
feedback is really important to
us.
A lot of us have relationships
with the people who donate money
or come to see our shows.
And hearing what their
experience was like enriches us
as performers.
What they saw in the art and how
it affected them, affects what
we do in the studio, as well.
So, it's always an interesting
way for us to give back and take
away what we learned from their
experience watching us.
>> Davis: Do you find that the
things that people are
interested in are similar from
event to event or does it change
depending on what you guys are
doing?
Like, is it going to be a very
different group of questions if
you guys are doing "Cinderella"
versus what you guys are doing
right now?
>> McMahon: Yeah, certainly.
I think that people, when it
comes to more narrative ballets,
people have expectations of
those things.
And when its things like our
upcoming show, "Family Matters,"
people want to know what that is
exactly.
What does that mean?
What does a dance performance
about family?
>> Davis: Well, what does
"Family Matters" mean?
What is it about?
I think that this sounds like
one of the more fascinating
things you guys have worked on.
You guys are always doing great,
original work and go along way
to dispelling this idea that if
you want to see innovative,
original work, you have to go to
a bigger place.
>> McMahon: Absolutely not.
I think we make more new work
than maybe any mid-sized ballet
company in North America.
I think that's quite true.
Yeah, "Family Matters" is, um, a
show that was put together.
It will premiere this month at
Playhouse on the Square.
And it's really just four
pieces.
One of them is new that I have
choreographed.
And the other three-They all
look at family dynamics, you
know.
And I think that's a really
important thing for us to look
at because we all have family
and we all, you know, have our
little stories to tell.
And these dances run the gamma
of experience, you know,
>> Davis: I was going to say,
just sort of looking at some of
the pre-press materials, I'm
seeing, you know, that this is
going to be-there's going to be
some drama.
There's going to be some comedy.
There's going to be some satire.
Can you maybe break down the
pieces just a little bit?
>> Shumake: Um, for sure.
We can go back and forth.
How does that sound?
Um, I'm going to talk about
Julia Adams The Crossing.
And it is about a family.
It was her response.
She made the piece right after
9/11.
So the piece is mostly about
loss and, um, how a family deals
with grief.
And it's an abstract version but
she spoke a lot about it last
night at The Spark conversation.
So, that's one of the pieces on
the program is about a family
dealing with loss.
And so, I think that's
interesting as a viewer to see
that displayed in front of you
and then you can digest how
maybe you've dealt with loss in
your own life.
>> McMahon: Um, I have
choreographed a piece that is
one of the-hopefully one of the-
funnier ones.
>> Davis: It's always risky with
comedy.
>> McMahon: It is, it is!
And, I mean, I want it to be
funny but hopefully it can have
some residence, too.
It's called The Royal We.
So, I wanted to play with the
idea of a royal family, you know
like, because I think we have
such an obsession with
celebrity, you know, and the
whole world does, particularly
in America.
And we want to understand them
and know them even when we
don't.
So, I'm playing with this idea
of public and private life.
So, Rachel plays the role of the
queen in my ballet.
And it's just kind of about her
exploring her life with her
family, you know, and a little
bit of the public life, too.
>> Davis: You've got two more to
talk about and only a little bit
of time.
Can we nutshell them both?
>> Shumake: Yes, go for George
and Betty.
>> McMahon: George and Betty by
Shapiro and Smith-It's a dance
that is very physical and it's
dark.
And I can have a little adult
but fun and great, great things.
>> Davis: We think of dance as
being very much a family thing
in the Nutcracker but this is
going to be a little heavier-
right?
>> McMahon: yeah, deep issues.
>> Davis: Thanks Steven and
Rachel.
In just a moment, Mamie is going
to be up with her guest, Johnny
McPhail to talk about the
upcoming Oxford Film Festival in
Oxford, Mississippi.
[instrumental music]
♪♪♪
>> Shannon: Johnny, I'm glad
you're here as ambassador of the
Oxford Film Festival in Oxford,
Mississippi.
But I'm jealous because I want
to be an ambassador for the
Oxford Film Festival.
How do I get to be an
ambassador?
>> McPhail: Hey, you come down
to Oxford and we'll give you any
title you want.
We're going to lay out the red
carpet this year.
And we'd love to have you.
>> Shannon: Okay now, this is
the annual film festival.
What year is this?
>> McPhail: This is the 10th.
>> Shannon: Wow. Last year was
really good.
I don't know how you're going to
beat it.
>> McPhail: Oh, we get bigger
and better every year.
And people come there from all
over the world with their films
and to visit Oxford, of course.
And a lot of them never leave.
>> Shannon: I love it there.
If I could figure out a way to
get there, I would.
Okay, it's February 21st through
the 24th.
And the films are at the Malco.
And then, you also have some
activities at The Lyrics-right?
>> McPhail: Right, we are doing
all of our panels at the Lyric.
Plus, the Thacker Mountain radio
show will come.
>> Shannon: That's Thursday
night.
That's the opening night.
>> McPhail: And then, we will
have a premiere film by Joe York
there.
And they'll do a lot of other
quirky, funny things.
>> Shannon: Now, Joe York's film
is the documentary called "Ten."
And it is the world premiere-
right?
>> McPhail: Absolutely.
>> Shannon: That's pretty
interesting.
Okay, let's talk about juried
films.
You've got 6 narrative features,
which I'm pretty excited
because, you know, being from
Memphis and in the film
community, um, Mark Jones'
documentary-I mean, film
-"Tennessee ***" is in there.
And have you seen it yet?
>> McPhail: No, I haven't.
>> Shannon: It is really cute.
I think it's his best work.
And, I mean, that's saying a
lot.
I thoroughly enjoyed it.
>> McPhail: With Christian
Walker.
>> Shannon: Yeah, you've been in
some things with Christian.
>> McPhail: Three or four films
and he's done some more there.
He's an excellent actor plus,
he's a great filmmaker himself.
>> Shannon: I think he's been.
I think he's in like three films
in Oxford.
I better watch out.
He may get the sash for
ambassador this year.
>> McPhail: Yeah, Melanie
Addington's film, "S for Sally,"
he's in that which is not in the
competition.
>> Shannon: Well, and then
there's 18 narrative features
from around the world.
It's pretty cool.
The United States, Canada,
Germany, the UK.
There's Australia, France,
Spain.
Um, you know, that's a pretty
hefty, um, sampling of films
from around the country.
And the documentaries.
I'm really excited, again,
because our Memphis own Chris
and Laura Jean McCoy, their
documentary "Antennae" is going
to be in there.
>> McPhail: Right.
>> Shannon: And then, I would
like to see the one called
"Plimpton."
It's about the actor George
Pimpton.
Any chance George Plimpton's
going to show up?
>> McPhail: You never know.
A lot of these people from
around the world show up.
They love to come to Oxford.
And we get so many entries now
because people want to come
back.
And so, there will be a lot of
the people representing these
films from around the world.
>> Shannon: And Oxford film
festival does such a magnificent
job of portraying southern
charm.
They welcome everybody.
They treat you like you're a
long lost family member that's
back in the fold.
And like you said, when people
get there, they don't want to
leave.
It's just a great festival.
I'm really excited about-Now,
there's five documentary shorts.
I'm really excited about seeing
the one, "The Urban Herd."
Have you heard about that?
>> McPhail: Oh, I have, too.
I've read about it.
I'm really interested in how a
herd of goats on a vacant lot
can bring the community together
in love and harmony and all
that.
>> Shannon: And you know, it's
really cool because it makes you
rethink urban experiences and,
you know, community
revitalization and things like
that.
Now, there's five animation
films.
There's 11 experimental films.
There's now the Mississippi
category.
You've got five Mississippi
documentaries, five music
videos.
You've got the Mississippi
narratives.
And then, like you were talking
about, there's 20 films that
aren't even in competition that
are exhibition-not competition.
And Mike McCarthy from Memphis
is-
He's got two or three things in
there this year-doesn't he?
>> McPhail: The two he has,
they're wonderful.
They're based about Elvis in
Tupelo.
And Mike, he's a world-class
filmmaker now.
I can't say enough about him.
I don't want to get other people
upset because there's many, many
more from Oxford.
>> Shannon: And that's the cool
thing about it.
You know, Oxford Film Festival
has-When you go, you're right
there watching the films with
the filmmaker and the crew and a
lot of times, the cast.
And you don't even realize it
until, you know, the screening
is over or until it's over.
>> McPhail: And I always
encourage actors and want to be
actors to come and work that
Lobby.
And you'll meet them all there.
And plus, this year, we've added
a party pass which will take you
to all the parties that only the
VIPs have got to go to in the
past.
>> Shannon: That's fun.
>> McPhail: Oh, yeah.
And so you can really-
>> Shannon: Are you going to
karaoke this year?
>> McPhail: I can act like I can
sing but I Can't sing.
>> Shannon: Johnny, thank you so
much for coming.
I'm so envious of you and your
ambassadorship.
We'll be right back for a wrap-
up and a look at the new show at
The Dixon.
[instrumental music]
♪♪♪
>> Shannon: I wish I could look
like those ballet dancers.
>> Davis: Yeah, I do, too.
I wish I could look like those
ballet dancers.
You look fine.
>> Shannon: You do, too, to me
though.
But you know, we've got that
mutual admiration thing going
on.
I just wish that I know what
they put in to that.
And "Family Matters" sounds like
a really cool event.
>> Davis: "Family Matters" is
going to be interesting.
>> Shannon: Are you going to
take the girls to The Brooks to
see Angels and Tomboys?
>> Davis: Oh, absolutely.
>> Shannon: Well, I'm really
excited about that, too.
And then the Oxford Film
Festival coming up.
>> Davis: Keeps growing and
getting bigger.
>> Shannon: Bigger every year.
And you know, this is the 10th
annual Pottery Show and Sale-All
That's Clay at The Dixon
February 22nd through the 24th.
>> Davis: So, it launches the
same year as the Oxford Film
Festival.
>> Shannon: There you go.
>> Davis: Their 10 year
anniversary, too.
>> Shannon: There you go.
And it's really cool this year.
They've got mid-south potters
from Dale and Brin Baucum from
Memphis, Kenneth Ashby from
Canton, Oklahoma, Joseph Eckles
from Hernando.
>> Davis: All over the place.
>> Shannon: From Booneville,
Mississippi; Red Banks; Evening
Shade, Arkansas, you know.
So, we've got it all covered.
Go and get your pottery on.
One thing that's one I'm going
to-and Pat just called me right
before I left and said," Don't
forget, Don't forget!"
Um, The Civil Rights Museum has
teamed up with Macy's.
And they're doing this event
where, you know, for a ticket
price, you go in and you have
breakfast and you get to meet
the experts that do your make-
up.
And so, for the ticket price you
get your make-up done, you have
breakfast, they give you a
goodie bag.
And you know, you need to take
Charlotte and the girls or let
Charlotte and the girls go.
>> Davis: Am I a winter?
>> Shannon: No, you're more of a
spring.
I think you're a cool spring.
You're definitely a deep spring.
>> Davis: I will consider taking
Charlotte and the girls.
I'm not so sure that I need a
make-up consultation.
>> Shannon: I don't think you
do.
>> Davis: Just yet.
>> Shannon: I don't think you
do.
Um, so, next week we've got
Beifuss coming on for the
Oscars.
Have you filled out your "Beat
Beifuss?"
>> Davis: I have not.
I haven't seen all of the-I
haven't seen everything
nominated this year.
>> Shannon: I started having
kids and still haven't seen
everything nominated.
We'll be back next week.
Thank you guys so much.
Please come back and we don't
just talk about this stuff for
our health.
Go out and enjoy your local
color!
[instrumental music]
♪♪♪