Author Archives: Marianya Klis

Review: Theatre of Western Springs’ Ghosts in the Machine

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Show: GHOST IN THE MACHINE
Stage Manager: Jon Mills 		Location: The Theatre of Western Springs
Director: Rick Snyder


This was a very last minute decision to see this production and really it was because one of my friend wanted to see his friend (whom I am also familiar with) in it and I was curious enough with what little of the premise I was able to construe to want to see what it was about.

So first the quickie:
Acting: love
Staging: love
Set Design: love

Fairly simple, no? According to The Theatre of Western Springs website…

The story begins with a common situation – that of a missing fifty dollar bill – and spins it into intriguing questions of probability, chance and the complexities of musical composition. A man programs a computer to compose music at random, but in the middle of all the binary coin-tossing the computer gives him much more than he asked for. A concurrent mystery surrounds several people who find themselves suspecting and distrusting each other over the issue of a lost or possibly stolen fifty dollar bill. Originally produced at Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre, Ghost in the Machine is an entertaining and brisk mix of sex, mystery and metaphysics.

So below is the cast list and beyond the break my thoughts:

CHARACTER ACTOR
Wes Westlund Mike Janke
Nancy Westlund Laura Leonardo Ownby
Matt Carroll David M. Rodriguez
Kim Goldfarb Sharon Kushiner
Ali Schumann Noor Hamdi
Llewelyn Harper James Murphy

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Fleeting: Blithe Spirit by Noel Coward

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Someone once told me:

If someone claims to have been in love multiple times, they don’t really know what love is

The irony in this statement is that I remember once upon a time when a small group of us were talking about whether we have ever been in love before. And we went around the group… a few of the people have been in love multiple times or believes that they were in love at the moment. But me? I had to think, I grew to love one guy… I liked others… I was in love with the idea of being in love with another guy… but being in love with someone? Nope, hasn’t happened… at least not the full fledged thereof…

There are some people I know that are with someone because it is comfortable and eventually they have grown to love one another… a kind of jaded view on the concept of love but when you’ve been burned over and over again could you blame them? There are others that jump from person to person to person because chances are deep down the idea an concept of being alone frightens them… even though to every one else they appear to be guy or girl crazy…

I am not saying that I am any better… but speaking as someone that has been alone (voluntarily) for close to seven years straight and makes a conscious effort to be alone after a falling out of a relationship as opposed to jumping straight to the next person waiting in the wings… well I would like to think I have a better feel of the kind of person that I am.

Which is kind of odd that my latest role was the part of Elvira in Munroe Park Theatre Guild’s production of Blithe Spirit. Early in the process the director sat down with myself and a couple of other actors and went into more detail as to how these particular characters are acting and reacting in particular situations.
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Recipe: Snickers Brownies

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This was a recipe that my friend wanted bake for kids and as thus was primary chef while I just helped out… kind of. 😉 Snickers Brownies, which automatically sounds heavenly and doesn’t really need much worry as to how it came out.

Since she tends to follow the recipe to the tee… here is the recipe that (I believe) she used from My Baking Addiction:

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Fleeting: Miss Saigon Characters (Wish List: Round One)

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Still no update on whether or not a Miss Saigon film is a “go” but I figured that as an extension of my original “wish list” in regards to a possible Miss Saigon film adaptation… I’ll provide my idea / vision of the character breakdown for various character parts.

Keep in mind I prefer to stay away from “fantasy casting” so don’t be expecting me to do any “name dropping” as it were. Though thinking this through I think it would be best if I broke this down into two posts… one for the Vietnamese only characters and another for the non-Vietnamese cast. Also (time-permitting) I’ll list out all the side characters from the original Miss Saigon musical that have bit parts in the songs that I think are significant enough to have decent cameos (if necessary).

So to make my life easier (and I’ll explain why in the next post) I’ll work on the non-Vietnamese characters first… these will include the obvious: Chris, John and Ellen… and I will add in “The Engineer” as well to which I will explain at the end of this post, but first:

CHRIS and JOHN
I think this would have been obvious. Americans… doesn’t have to be the stereotypical blond haired / blue-eyed Americans… or Caucasians, but heck anyone that you can see from the Army at some point during the 1970s. Sure the traditional look from musical theatre between Chris and John is one African-American and the other Caucasian, but it isn’t absolutely necessary. What is more necessary is how they look… do they look like they have been through the military boot camp of evil and tossed into an exotic place like Vietnam and rampaged through the jungles of the city of Saigon and not know what the heck is going on? Do they look worn down by the stress of war to the point that they are about to break?

ELLEN
So by extension Ellen (though obviously American) I feel should have a quiet strength to her. Someone that is steadfast, but not overbearing. A light at the end of the tunnel, someone who worked to be a sounding board for Chris for so long and is not only incredibly patient, she stands her ground… after all she is willing to “fight” Kim to keep Chris.

THE ENGINEER
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Fleeting: Period Correct Persian Fashion

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Back in 2012, via my RSS feed, there was an article about an artist that was in the middle of a series of various Disney heroines reimaged to wear period accurate clothing. Me being the curious cat I tended to be was intrigued and sifted through the images available and was floored with what I saw.

Jasmine (from the Aladdin series) was one character I would love to attempt to pull off if I had the abs for her… and I don’t. But even if I did I still would have preferred to be as historically accurate as possible, so when I saw what the artist had drawn up for her I was disappointed when I couldn’t see the front of the outfit due to the position drawn of the character.

Le sigh…

Fortunately after a little more digging around the artist provided information about their primary inspiration for the piece that stemmed from pre-Islamic Middle East (aka Persia).

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Fleeting: Nhã Uyên Fashion

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Finally! My aunt (dad’s eldest sister) has a website up and running: Nhã Uyên Fashion.

In fact, ever since I visited Vietnam for the first time… I have had pants made by her and I have never gone back to wearing or purchasing any slacks in America since. Yes, I am a very happy camper.

Some of my favorite blouses and shirts come from my aunt, or replicated from her fashion house. So yes… I may be a little bias.

In other news:

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Fleeting: Disney Bounding

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Not like this is anything new or what not, but I am a huge Disney geek. Granted I don’t show it off… I don’t see the need to, but among some of my more vocal Disney friends… I consider myself up there.

So when talking to a friend about the upcoming trip to Disneyland I was seriously considering if I could Disney Bound there. “Disney Bound? What’s that?” Well Disney bounding is a term coined recently by a blogger that started putting outfits together that were inspired by various Disney characters. Pretty much anything goes. Essentially with all the Disney characters (and others that may tickle her fancy) she puts together outfits that you could either wear everyday, out on the town, while exercising…

Which brings me to the original purpose of this post, “Who or what am I going to Disney Bound?” Well, I don’t know. Right now I have close to full costume-ish ideas for Esmeralda, Briar Rose (when she is living with her three fairy godmothers)… which I could easily tap into for any potential costume related parties down the road…

As for just everyday wear? Well a few ideas that came to mind include:
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Reflection: Now That I have Found Heaven, How Do I Get Into Paradise?

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Well, after the weekend trip through Disneyland and the Disney California Adventure I realized something… Disney Imagineering is probably the closest to what I hoped to be able to do when I grow up. In Imagineering I am able to meld the two parts of me into one total being without having to choose one or the other.

How do I know this? Well in DCA there was a little cabin just off the main path called “Blue Sky Cellar” and in there were all the plans for the Disneyland expansion: Fantasy Faire. But it wasn’t the final product that intrigued me, it was the process leading into the final product. Essentially I found my heaven.

However, getting into Paradise is proving to be a tumultuous journey, mainly because the only available position at the moment is for a Senior Electrical Engineer, which I am woefully underqualified for… well, to be honest the only qualification I do not have is the Professional Engineering License, which I cannot get without taking and passing the Fundamentals of Engineering exam. Hmmm….
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Fleeting: Lunar New Year 2013

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Yes… I am Asian… which means I am most likely to celebrate Lunar New Year… and I have been looking forward to this particular year for a while now… why? Because of the following:

What was predicted for me in 2011: the breaking down of an old life and in 2012: the building of a new life

So what does 2013 have in store? Well… theoretically the seeds that were planted in 2012 will continue to build and grow and eventually become something worthwhile for me to see the fruits of my labor.

Nothing comes easy… and it isn’t suppose to.

So what does the year of the Water Snake have in store in general? Well in general Snakes tend to:

feel and sense its way through life and represent spiritual rebirth, elusiveness and exploration of life’s mysteries.

Rich in wisdom and charm, Snakes are romantic and deep thinkers. Their intuition guides them strongly. Snakes usually do things at their own pace, and when the moment is right, shed their skin and take up something completely new. It is for this reason that people avoid Snakes — They can’t handle their mistrust and secretiveness. Although sociable at times, they have a strong desire to be left alone. Snakes are actually subtle workers — imperceptibly manuevering and manipulating until they are in the position to get what they want. Attracted to elegant and refined partners, they are deeply jealous and possessive when involved in relationships.

But beyond that… what does the element of “Water” mean?

Still water sheltering underwater secrets asleep in its depths; sinking and muddy. Profit from this year to restore your energies and regain your inner balance. Avoid overwork or any excesses which will follow with depression. Maintain your equilibrium and do not waste your energy. Don’t go too far too quickly. This years Water element will be socially beneficial, calming and conducive to meditation and interpersonal contact.

Ok… so what does that mean in general? Well… I can’t say, because I am not you… but in the grand scheme of things the “Water Snake” year provides:
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Recipe: Banh Chung (Yay for Lunar New Year!)

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Every year within a month before the new Lunar New Year, I make a point of taking a weekend off from everyone else I know on the planet to be with my mom to make Banh Chung… a rice cake that we only make for the Lunar New Year… not only that, but we make a massive number of them (anywhere from sixteen to twenty cakes total… but usually eighteen cakes) and we give some to my maternal grandparents… I take a cake or two back with me and she takes the rest.

INGREDIENTS:
– approximately 10 pounds of glutinous (or sweet rice)
– approximately 6 pounds of mungbeans
– approximately 6 pounds of pork loins (the more lean the better I always say)
– cleaned banana leaves
– salt (approximately 2 tablespoons)
– pepper
– olive oil (if using lean pork)
(creates 16 rice cakes)
Variation: If you are vegetarian then subtract pork and mix mungbeans with sugar. It is tastier with light brown sugar.

Since we make a massive batch… we went with an eight pound hulk of pork loins from Costco (we ended up using up to seven pounds of it though). If you don’t want to go all out with so many rice cakes for yourself the below are approximations of the above for just one rice cake:
– 2/3 pound (though according to the above it is closer to 1/2 + 1/9) of glutinous (or sweet) rice
– 1/3 pound of mungbeans
– 1/3 pound of pork loins

PREPARATION for MUNGBEANS
Day One
1: Soak the mungbeans in water overnight

Day Two
1: Rinse the mungbeans and toss a little salt
2: Put mungbeans into the steamer until it is just cooked through (how to test: take a small portion in hand and smash, if you have to put pressure then it is good, if falls apart easily then it is bad)
3: Ground mungbeans when completely cooled down

PREPARATION for EVERYTHING ELSE
As with all Vietnamese cooking I don’t really have set directions, so here is what I know:
1: Cut the pork in 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch thick slices. Marinate with salt and pepper. Add olive oil if using lean pork. Set aside
2: Clean the banana leaves and wipe reasonably dry
3: Rinse the glutinous rice, drain, toss with a little salt… set aside

Now here comes the fun part… you will need four sheets of aluminum foil approximately 12 inches by 12 inches square and then fold in accordance to the video below:
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Fleeting: Men’s Musical Pants

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While walking towards the Magic Kingdom from our hotel, my friend and I passed by a guy with his little girl… to which my friend said:

Music is coming from his pants…

To which I couldn’t help but reply:

Well if there was a prototype out there for pants that men could wear that would automatically make music, what would be the controls?
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Literary Review: Old Friends New Fancies by Sybil G Brinton

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Technically I read this particular novel a few years ago, and I have reread particular portions of the novel but it has been a while since I have read the novel front to back in its entirety. So after those few years I decided to pack up the book and reread it during my flight to the west coast and from there decided to break it all down again.

First a few generalizations to note:
The author does notate some passage of years for various characters (if not all), however, there was a distinct feeling that all six of the primary novels ended at approximately the same time. As thus there was a sense of convolution in trying to fit everything in as much as possible.

There were a fair number of characters that were either 1) mentioned in passing, 2) passing through as an obstacle or 3) passing through as a connection for other characters to meet. How do these break down? Well
1) Edward and Elinor Ferrars, Colonel and Marianne Brandon, Catherine Tilney, most of the Bertrams
2) Anne Steele, Robert and Lucy Ferrars, Sir Elliot, Lady Catherine de Bourgh
3) Lady Portinscale (Eleanor Tilney), Mr Yates

As always there were a few primary romances that occurred over the course of the novel… without providing any spoilers some of the characters in question included:
Northanger Abbey: James Morland
Mansfield Park: Tom Bertram, William Price, Mary Crawford
Pride and Prejudice: Colonel Fitzwilliam, Georgiana Darcy, Kitty Bennet
I am sure from the above you are able to figure out the majority of the pairings (if not all)

Overall I rather enjoyed this particular novel, despite all the typos, editing errors, etc. It is probably one of the better Jane Austen sequels I have read in a while. With the majority of the characters staying true to the original characterization as depicted by Jane Austen it is a real trip to try to remember how someone knew someone else and why. At the same time the new romances were fun to follow as I found myself getting involved in them as well.

But like all books… I have a few grievances:

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Review: Dogfight and Yo Soy Un Hombre Loco (both Short Films)

Just because I like to pimp the talents of my friends… here is my friend Shawn Bernal in Dogfight.

I haven’t seen good martial arts like that since… well… yeeeeaaaaah. I mean I love a good action flick like the next guy, but this really gets me going. 🙂

Now at first glance I have never been a big fan of two against one fight sequences… it just doesn’t seem fair and adding more people into a fight sequence would feel a bit crowded if it isn’t done right… well it is being done right, and done well… as I have come to expect from Shawn and his friend Manny.

True martial arts fighting without all the tricks, this is what sets him apart from the rest of the crowd.

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Recipe: Butterbeer Ice Cream (but really Sorbet)

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Since I have yet to go to the Magical Wizarding World of Harry Potter down in Orlando, Florida I have to make do by playing with recipes I get off of MuggleNet.com. Last year I posted a recipe about Butterbeer Cupcakes that turned out to be a bit of a hit from various parties and I decided that whenever I get the chance I’ll make actual Butterbeer.

In comes the Bake-a-Thon and a fellow Harry Potter fan… and voila! Butterbeer ended up on the menu. So from the Mugglenet.com Recipe page, which one of the many recipes did we end up using? Well… we settled on the Butterbeer by Nicole as the most proper choice:

Now if only I had actually followed the recipe… >.< Guess what I did wrong? Continue reading →

Review: The Hobbit

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So how to explain this one?

First off… I had the slight inkling that this was Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring except with smaller people and uneven pacing and more fun? I think that pretty much sums it up. (And the LOTRProject appears to agree with me)

There are twelve dwarves on a quest to regain the mountain their forefathers have been driven away from… with the help of Gandalf they went on a search to find a final member of their little entourage and Gandalf decided to engage the use of a Hobbit… particularly Bilbo Baggins of the Shire.

Well what happened there after is a long series of unfortunate events where the endgame includes managing to find a way to the elven territory of Rivendell…

Anyone else see a pattern or is it just me?

Heck I can’t even get a quick list down other than to say that I liked it…
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