Silver Lake Film Festival

Silver Lake Film Festival ran from 2000 to 2007. It was a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization established to provide a showcase for cutting-edge independent film, music, digital, and other arts in Los Angeles, California. The Festival was held annually at various venues throughout Los Angeles’ Eastside, showcasing well over 200 narrative features, documentaries and short films. In 2005, in addition to its annual event, SLFF launched a very successful monthly series of short films with curated programs from an international array of filmmakers that is consistently SRO. The 7th annual edition ran for ten days, May 3–12, 2007, and included such varied programming as MP4Fest and MusicFest (two festivals-within-the-festival), along with curated film programs on architecture and design, urban sustainability, and an ASCAP Music Lounge along the lines of those at Tribeca and Sundance Film Festivals.
Mission.
Silver Lake Film Festival was created specifically to address the lack of opportunity for truly independent films to be seen by audiences in movie theaters. Its mission has been to reflect a personal vision of the filmmaker, rather than a commercial imperative. Ironically, there had been a dearth of this type of film festival in Los Angeles – the film capital of the world – where the prevailing programs bend to either mainstream studio fare or highly niched markets. In fact, the majority of films screened at the annual festival would otherwise never be seen by Los Angeles audiences in any context—in theaters, on TV or DVD, etc.
Los Angeles' Eastside.
Local history.
Silver Lake Film Festival’s name was chosen as emblematic of the entire Eastside community of Los Angeles, roughly that area between Downtown and Hollywood and including the historic communities of Echo Park, Silver Lake and Los Feliz. This area is bounded by major movie studios, including NBC Universal and Paramount Pictures, and is the site of the historic birthplace of cinema in Los Angeles. Since their establishment in the early 20th century, Silver Lake and its surrounding environs have had a reputation for avant-garde arts, a pronounced multiculturalism, a large gay and lesbian community, and staunchly progressive politics.
In this creative environment, Modernist architecture flourished, and the area is filled with many mid-century residential masterpieces by some of the leading lights of Modernist architecture, including Rudolph Schindler, Richard Neutra and John Lautner. In the 1950s the hilly area became known as Red Hills because of all the purported Communists who called it home. Many literary luminaries have also made their homes in Silver Lake, including Raymond Chandler, Anaïs Nin and Charles Bukowski.
Boho Heart.
More recently, the Silver Lake area has developed an international reputation for urban bohemianism. Artists and audience-goers gravitate to an area filled with alternative music clubs, one-of-a-kind fashion boutiques, art galleries, record and book stores, and a vast array of ethnic cafes and restaurants – the equivalent of the East Village in New York City or San Francisco’s South of Market district. The area is also becoming known nationally for its thriving alternative music scene, and numerous musicians as well as other artists call it home, including Beck, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and world-famous opera singer Marilyn Horne.
Programming.
Along with presenting a large number of new films each year via the open call for submission, Silver Lake Film Festival was known internationally for its array of festivals-within-the-festival, and its curated programs, which presented films grouped according to specialized subjects by experts in their fields.
Festivals within the festival.
From its grass roots origins at the Vista Theatre in Silver Lake, the Festival has continued to expand annually, both in the amount of its content and in its range of arts programming. In its third year (2003), Silver Lake Film Festival launched FringeFest, a fest-within-a-fest committed to presenting the best in experimental and avant-garde video and film, along with presenting live shows of cutting-edge performance artists. In the same year, the Festival introduced MusicFest, a parallel festival showcasing the best of independent, alternative, and progressive musical artists through films and live concerts.
In its sixth year (2006), Silver Lake Film Festival debuted MP4Fest. ,
Curated by Saskia Wilson-Brown and David Burns, MP4Fest provided another parallel festival devoted exclusively to digital content and, specifically, movies made for viewing online and on handheld devices, such as cellphones, PDAs and game players. The inaugural program was marked by the first public screening of Machinima in Los Angeles.
Curated programs.
Silver Lake Film Festival’s many curated programs have included the following: “Reel Politik”, a series of documentaries that demonstrated the power of cinema to influence social change, called agitprop; “New Croatian Cinema”, curated by Ziggy Mkrich, festival director of the Dubrovnik International Film Festival, and underwritten by the Croatian Ministry of Culture; a tribute to revolutionary spirit Tina Modotti; “Green Films,” a slate of environmental documentaries whose executive curator was Los Angeles City Council President Eric Garcetti; “State of the Union,” films on the changing labor movement; and an extensive Fusion Asian cinema program, which presented a retrospective of legendary Japanese horror master Nobuo Nakagawa and award-winning films from festivals in Korea, Hong Kong and India.
Cinema heritage.
Annually at every festival, Silver Lake Film Festival has paid tribute to the founding forces of cinema — fitting, since the Edendale neighborhood, between Silver Lake and Echo Park, is where the first Hollywood studios took root. Among those whose work has been spotlighted are Antonio Moreno, Clara Bow, Baby Peggy, Fatty Arbuckle, and Sessue Hayakawa. The Festival also looks to the present and future, bestowing its Spirit of Silver Lake Award for career achievement in independent cinema on such notables as actors John C. Reilly, Laura Dern, Mark Ruffalo, and Julie Delpy, and filmmakers Allison Anders, Charles Burnett, Kenneth Anger, Rob Nilsson, Curtis Harrington and Penelope Spheeris
Venues.
For the first four years, the Festival was based at the historic Vista Theatre at the corner of Hollywood and Sunset Boulevards—the longest-running freestanding theater in Southern California—and included additional venues in neighboring theaters. In 2005 and 2006, the Festival took place exclusively at the ArcLight Cinemas in Hollywood, a high-profile complex that allowed increased media visibility for its programs. In 2007, Silver Lake Film Festival’s co-directors Kate Marciniak, Greg Ptacek and Saskia Wilson-Brown announced that the heart of the Festival would return to its namesake neighborhood, capitalizing on the resurgence of Silver Lake and Echo Park as entertainment and nightlife loci of note—perfectly reflecting the Festival’s philosophical and pragmatic independence.


Christy Matson

Christy Matson (born 1979) is an American textile artist.
A native of Seattle, Matson studied at the University of Washington and at the California College of the Arts. She has taught at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago; currently she lives and works in Los Angeles. Her pieces begin as drawings and watercolors, which are then transformed into woven works using a Jacquard loom. Matson was among the artists featured in the exhibit "40 Under 40: Craft Futures" at the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian Museum of American Art, and one of her pieces was subsequently accessioned by the museum.


Home (The Wiz song)

"Home" is a song from the 1975 Broadway musical, "The Wiz". It was written by Charlie Smalls and was performed by Stephanie Mills in the stage production and by Diana Ross in the 1978 film adaptation and released on the soundtrack album in 1978.
1989 recording.
Stephanie Mills re-recorded the song for her 1989 album of the same name with background vocals by Take 6. The single release scored her another number one on the "Billboard" Hot Black Singles chart. The single was the last of five number ones for Mills on the R&B Singles chart.
Track listing.
A1. "Home" - 4:34
B1. "Love Hasn't Been Easy on Me" - 4:44


Takeda Izumo II

Takeda Izumo II (1691–1756) was a Japanese playwright. The successor to Chikimatsu Monzaemon at the Takemoto Theater, he wrote the three most celebrated period plays in the "bunraku" repertoire: "Sugawara and the Secrets of Calligraphy" (1746), "Yoshitsune and the Thousand Cherry Trees" (1747), and "The Treasury of Loyal Retainers" (1748). Leonard Pronko writes that although Chikamatsu’s writing “possesses superior literary qualities, Izumo’s has an undeniable variety, richness, and theatricality.”


Lists of opera companies

To view inclusive lists of opera companies by location see the following:


Shakespeare in the Park festivals

Shakespeare in the Park is a term for outdoor festivals featuring productions of William Shakespeare's plays. The term originated with the New York Shakespeare Festival in New York City's Central Park, originally created by Joseph Papp. This concept has been adapted by many theatre companies, and over time, this name has expanded to encompass outdoor theatre productions of the playwright's works performed all over the world.
Shakespeare in the Park started as an idea to make theatre available to people of all walks of life, so that it would be as readily available as library books. The performances are more often than not free admission to the general public, usually presented outdoors as a summer event. These types of performances can be seen by audiences around the world, with most festivals adapting the name for their productions, such as Vancouver's Bard on the Beach. Many festivals incorporate workshops, food, and other additions to the performances making this type of theatre experience an interactive community event.
United States.
Asheville.
The Montford Park Players, a community theater company, has been staging free Shakespeare productions in Asheville, North Carolina since 1973. The productions were first staged at a municipal park on Montford Avenue and, in 1993, moved to its current location, the Hazel Robinson Amphitheatre.
Baltimore.
The Baltimore Shakespeare Festival present productions outdoors each summer in the Meadow at the Evergreen Museum & Library.
Boston.
Commonwealth Shakespeare Company presents professional productions of Shakespeare in Boston Common. The first production was in 1996 at Copley Square; a year later the program was moved to the Commons, first at the Parkman Bandstand and more recently at the Parade Ground.
Buffalo.
Shakespeare in Delaware Park describes itself as the United States' 2nd largest Shakespeare festival (following New York Shakespeare Festival). It is held in Buffalo, New York's Delaware Park.
Dallas.
Inspired by the New York Shakespeare Festival, Robert "Bob" Glenn started The Shakespeare Festival of Dallas in 1971 as a free summer Shakespeare Festival. Renamed Shakespeare Dallas in 2005, the company produces three free Shakespeare productions each summer at the Samuel-Grand Amphitheatre in Lakewood.
Denver.
The Foothills Theatre Company has been staging Shakespeare productions every summer since 2014 in Clement Park, located in Littleton, a suburb SW of Denver.
Jersey City.
The Hudson Shakespeare Company, founded by L. Robert Johnson in 1992, features a summer season where the company stages productions for each month of the summer. Besides Shakespeare standards such as "Hamlet" and "A Midsummer Night's Dream", they often produce one to two lesser done productions a season such as "The Two Noble Kinsmen", "Cardenio" and "Henry VIII". Based in Jersey City, NJ, they also tour as part of their summer season to other New Jersey locations such as Fort Lee, Hackensack, Kenilworth, Hoboken, West Milford and also to Stratford, CT.
Kansas City.
The Heart of America Shakespeare Festival was founded by Tony winning Broadway producer Marilyn Strauss in 1993 at the urging of Joe Papp with a production of The Tempest in Southmoreland Park. In 1998, they began to produce two productions per year, with a total of 23 production at the start of the 2011 season.
Louisville.
Kentucky Shakespeare Festival is a non-profit, professional theatre company in Louisville, Kentucky that produces and performs the works of William Shakespeare. The main productions offered are the annual summer series of plays presented free to the public at Central Park. This series, commonly called "Shakespeare in Central Park", sprung from an initial production in the park by The Carriage House Players in the summer of 1960. They also perform shows in other venues, as well as conduct educational programs related to acting and other theater-related skills.
Miami.
The Florida Shakespeare Theater is the only Shakespeare company on the planet that produces Shakespeare in the Park in mid winter. Every January, since 2005, the Florida Shakespeare Theater presents free Shakespeare in the Park productions in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties. Noted for their educational programming and public outreach, the FST fulfills their mission of providing open and equal access to classical theater.
Minneapolis/St. Paul.
Classical Actors Ensemble has performed free outdoor Shakespeare in metro parks each summer since 2014 as well as touring educational productions into secondary schools each spring.
Nashville.
The Nashville Shakespeare Festival presents free Summer Shakespeare productions in Nashville, Tennessee and Franklin, Tennessee every year in August and September. Winter Shakespeare takes place in January and February and often focuses on Shakespeare's works that are studied in schools across Tennessee. Founded in 1988, NSF has focused on making Shakespeare accessible to all communities through free and reduced-price tickets and rich educational offerings.
New York City.
The original Shakespeare in the Park was founded in 1954 by Joseph Papp as the New York Shakespeare Festival, which eventually led to free public performances in Central Park. Since 1961 an outdoor amphitheatre, the Delacorte Theatre, has accommodated these productions. Many celebrity actors have worked the Delacorte. People often line up in the morning to assure tickets for the evening performance. Many seasons have featured works by other playwrights, including Bertolt Brecht and Samuel Beckett.
Omaha.
Alan Klem, an Assistant Professor at Creighton University, and Dr. Cindy Phaneuf, then an Assistant Professor of Dramatic Arts at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, founded Nebraska Shakespeare in 1986. Klem previously helped found Shakespeare in the Park in Ft. Worth, TX. Nebraska Shakespeare presents free performances each summer and the shows are staged in Elmwood Park in Omaha, which borders University of Nebraska Omaha. In the fall, Nebraska Shakespeare also tours shorter versions of Shakespeare's plays to schools across Nebraska.
Philadelphia.
This Philadelphia theater company offers the largest, free outdoor production of Shakespeare's plays in the greater Philadelphia area. Shakespeare in Clark Park was formed in the fall of 2005 by Marla Burkholder, Maria Möller, Tom Reing and Whitney Estrin. In their inaugural season, Shakespeare in Clark Park presented four performances of "Twelfth Night", drawing an audience of over 2,000 people. Those audiences have grown to over 5,000 and the annual show has become a staple of summer in Philly.
Pittsburgh.
Jennifer Tober founded Pittsburgh Shakespeare in the Parks in 2005. Their performances are free and utilize various public parks in the Pittsburgh area.
Rochester.
The Rochester Community Players have staged free Shakespeare productions at the Highland Bowl in Highland Park each July since 1997.
Saint Louis.
St. Louis Shakespeare Festival began in 2001 and produced the first annual free Shakespeare festival in Forest Park with a production of "Romeo and Juliet". Since the initial two-week run that attracted 33,000 audience members, the Festival has grown into a year-round institution producing over 250 public performances annually for nearly 100,000 patrons and students.
San Francisco.
Free Shakespeare in the Park began in San Francisco in 1983, with its debut production of The Tempest in Golden Gate Park. Produced every year in San Francisco, Pleasanton, Cupertino, and Redwood City from July through September, this program stages professional theater free of charge throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.
San Pedro.
Shakespeare by the Sea was launched in 1998 by Producing Artistic Director Lisa Coffi. It presents free Shakespeare productions in San Pedro, Los Angeles and throughout Los Angeles, Orange and Ventura Counties.
Seattle.
Since 1989, GreenStage has been producing free Shakespeare in major parks in and around Seattle. In 2014, they completed the entire Shakespeare canon.
In 1994, a theater company called the Wooden O started annual summer Shakespeare performances at the Luther Burbank Amphitheater on Mercer Island, Washington. In later years park venues including Lynnwood, Washington and Auburn, Washington were added. In the spring of 2008 the Seattle Shakespeare Company merged with Wooden O and continues to present free Shakespeare productions throughout the Puget Sound region.
South Dakota.
The South Dakota Shakespeare Festival (SDSF) was formed in 2011 and launched its inaugural season in Vermillion, South Dakota, in June 2012. Since the summer of 2012 the SDSF has been offering fully produced professional Shakespeare performances in Vermillion's Prentis Park and daytime arts educational offerings for youth and adults.
Tallahassee.
The Southern Shakespeare Festival occurs annually in Tallahassee, Florida. The festival's first incarnation existed from 1995–2000. In 2012 a group of scholars saw an opportunity to revive the free outdoor festival at the award-winning Cascades Park.
Westfield, NJ.
Troupe of Friends offers free outdoor Shakespearean performances in Westfield, New Jersey. The shows are typical staged at Mindowaskin Park on Labor Day weekend. The company was formed in 2006 by Artistic Director Joseph Penczak. Among the shows they have produced are The Comedy of Errors, Twelfth Night, Henry IV Part One, Julius Caesar, The Merry Wives of Windsor, Richard 2, The Taming of the Shrew, King Lear, Waiting For Godot, and Endgame.
Australia.
The Australian Shakespeare Company (Melbourne).
The Australian Shakespeare Company was founded in 1987 by Glenn Elston, the man responsible for pioneering outdoor theatre performances of William Shakespeare's plays in Australia. The company has performed for more than a million people across all the different regions of Australia. They make it a mission to draw audiences of all age groups to their shows.
Shakespeare in the Park Festival at Toowoomba.
The Shakespeare in the Park Festival at Toowoomba is another location for al fresco Shakespeare performances in Australia. Originally presented in Toowoomba's Queen's Park (2004-2011), this festival recently moved (2012) to the University of Southern Queensland's Toowoomba campus. Presentations on the open-air mainstage since the festival's inception in 2004 include "The Tempest", "Romeo and Juliet", "Macbeth", "Comedy of Errors", "Taming of the Shrew", "Hamlet", "Twelfth Night" and "A Midsummer Night's Dream". Cast includes Creative Arts students from the University of Southern Queensland and also includes a variety of other events to complement the mainstage offering each year.
Shakespeare WA (Perth).
Western Australia also holds a large Shakespeare in the Park festival in Perth at King's Park Botanical Gardens. The plays for this festival are set to be performed by the same company (Shakespeare WA) through 2014. This festival is usually held from mid January to mid February, and is the largest single theatre event in Western Australia.
Shakespeare by the Lakes (Canberra).
Shakespeare by the Lakes is a summer festival of free Shakespeare plays, produced by theatre company Lakespeare & Co. (established by Founder and Executive Producer Taimus Werner-Gibbings and collaborators Duncan Driver, Lexi Sekuless and Paul Leverenz), and attracting over 5,000 patrons to ACT public parks.
New Zealand.
Wellington
"Summer Shakespeare" has been an annual outdoor theatre event in the capital city, Wellington, since 1983. The large-scale, large-cast productions have taken place in a variety of settings including the Dell in the Wellington Botanic Gardens, Civic Square, Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, onsite at Victoria University and at Gladstone Vineyard in the Wairarapa. Productions have ranged from some of the most popular to some of the most obscure plays in the Shakespeare canon.
Auckland
"Shakespeare in the Park" has been performed in the outdoor amphitheatre at The PumpHouse Theatre, Lake Pupuke since 1996. incorporating traditional costumes and settings.
Canada.
The Dream in High Park (Toronto).
The Dream in High Park is the oldest annual outdoor theatre event in Canada, currently entering its 33rd season in 2016. Since its inception in 1983, an estimated 1.3 million people have enjoyed the tradition of theatre under the stars. The Canadian Stage Company, who performs the Dream, is nationally and internationally acclaimed, and is Canada's leading not-for-profit contemporary theatre company. It was founded in 1987 with the merger of CentreStage and Toronto Free Theatre, and is dedicated to programming international contemporary theatre, and to developing and producing landmark Canadian works.
Shakespeare In The Ruff (Toronto).
Shakespeare In The Ruff was born from the ashes from the previous company Shakespeare In The Rough which performed in Toronto's East End neighbourhood of Riverdale between 1994 and 2006. The new company launched in 2012 focuses on creating unique contemporary adaptations of Shakespeare's work and providing opportunities for emerging artists. As part of the company's community work, they run a youth apprenticeship program called the Young Ruffians which pairs up high school students with a member of the professional company for the duration of rehearsals and performances.
Shakespeare by the Sea Festival (St. John's).
Shakespeare by the Sea Festival Inc., a community-based organization, produces and promotes artistic works with a focus on William Shakespeare. It unites seasoned and developing talent and aspires to excel in all aspects. The festival is the longest-running outdoor summer theatre event in the St. John's area. Since 1993, the Shakespeare by the Sea Festival has been performing the works of the famous Bard all around the St. John's area – from the cliff-top meadows of Logy Bay to the historic World War II bunkers at Cape Spear – from the cobblestoned courtyard of the Murray Premises to the lush landscapes of Bowring Park. Since that time, the Festival has grown into a much-anticipated annual event.
Repercussion Theatre (Montreal).
Repercussion Theatre has been touring parks throughout Montreal for over 25 years, bringing the classics to people where they live, for free (with donations graciously accepted). They are experienced in providing Shakespeare in the Park across the city, entertaining people who may otherwise not be exposed to live theatre. Repercussion Theatre was founded in 1988, when they played four shows in front of 800 people in Beaconsfield, Qc. Now, they perform to over 10,000 people each summer across the island of Montreal and beyond – with a commitment to cultural diversity, gender equity, and infusing Shakespeare's plays with a decidedly Montreal flair. They are the only company in Montreal to consistently produce a Shakespeare production each year. The company's first Artistic Director was Cas Anvar (followed by Kevin Orr and then Paul Hopkins) and the current Artistic Director is Amanda Kellock.
A Company of Fools (Ottawa).
In 1990, Margo MacDonald and Heather Jopling, rooted in the belief that Shakespeare should be seen and not read, recruited almost a dozen young performers and took to the streets. They derived inspiration from the rogue Elizabethan players that once entertained audiences outdoors at the Globe theatre, named themselves A Company of Fools, and began performing for crowds on the streets of Ottawa. In 1998 the Fools began performing in Ottawa City Parks with college shows, and in 2002 the Fools launched the Torchlight Shakespeare series. Besides mounting an average of two productions a year, the Fools hold three annual events (Twelfth Night Celebration, Valentine's Day Sonnet Delivery, and the Ottawa Theatre Challenge) and are active in the Ottawa community.
Shakespeare in the Ruins (Winnipeg).
Shakespeare in the Ruins (SIR) is Manitoba's only professional Shakespeare company. The company was founded in 1993 and is noted for its productions at Trappist Monastery Provincial Park.
Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan.
Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan was founded in 1985 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. The plays are staged in tents with a seating capacity of approximately 275 on the banks of the Saskatchewan River, and take place from early July to mid-August. The festival traditionally offers two main stage performances and occasionally produces a third offering. The festival sees over 12,000 patrons each year.
Freewill Shakespeare Festival (Edmonton).
The Freewill Shakespeare Festival, formerly known as the River City Shakespeare Festival was founded in 1989. It is produced by the Edmonton, Alberta-based "Free Will Players" every summer from late June to mid July. The Festival includes full-scale professional productions of two plays by William Shakespeare, as well as Camp Shakespeare
The Bard on the Beach (Vancouver).
Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival was established in 1990. The plays are staged in Vanier Park on Vancouver's waterfront, in open-ended tents, from the end of May through September. Over the years Bard on the Beach attendance has grown significantly from 6,000 patrons in 1990 to more than 90,000 patrons in 2009. The programming has of course expanded from one play to four, and from 34 performances to 215 two decades later.
The Bard's Bus Tour (Ontario).
Driftwood Theatre is Ontario's leading outdoor summer touring theatre company, on the road with The Bard's Bus Tour visiting Ontario communities since 1995. Driftwood Theatre breaks down barriers to experiencing and participating in theatre art by bringing theatre and engagement opportunities to audiences in Ontario who may not have access to professional performance.
Europe.
Shakespeare in the Park currently takes place throughout many European countries. In Europe, ever since the Elizabethan period, theatre has been a crucial part of their cultural heritage and history. The Shakespearean performances take place mostly all over Europe from the East to Central Europe. One of the three Globe Theatres is located in Germany and is called "The Globe Neuss". It was founded in 1991 and is famous for its annual International Shakespeare Festival, where companies from all over the world come to perform.
The German city of Bremen hosts The Bremer Shakespeare Company, which features the largest Shakespearean repertoire on a German stage. Performances at Bremen's Bürgerpark are a cultural attraction each year, and the festival also lets guests participate in The Dramatikerwerkstatt – a playwright workshop.
The Footsbarn Theatre Company based in France is a travelling troupe who perform outdoor theatre all over the world.
In Italy, The Globe Theatre is located within the museum park in Villa Borghese. The stage is a classical "wooden o" structure, reminiscent of the original Globe stage, and is perfect for staging Elizabethan style productions.
Brussels Shakespeare Society based in Belgium has been performing "al fresco" productions of Shakespeare's plays since the summer of 1976.
Theatrum Gedanense Foundation annually organizes the International Shakespeare Festival in Gdańsk, Poland. A week-long festival of outdoor plays and events, the company strives to include not only Polish adaptations of Shakespeare plays, but foreign ones as well.
The British Shakespeare Company; this Leeds-based festival attracts 15 000 people each summer and is also responsible for helping to initiate a government policy to send "Shakespeare Packs" to school children of all ages and backgrounds, in an effort to introduce Shakespeare at a young age.
London's Regent's Park is a very special place for an outdoor Shakespeare experience, as the original productions of these great works took place in this very city and is the host of one of London's summer attractions. Since being first established in 1932 with the very first production of "Twelfth Night", the Open Air Theatre has been the home of many seasons of Shakespeare; but also has staged other classical plays, operas, musicals and family shows, becoming a famous tourist location, where many locals and tourists alike gather to see performances. It is one of the largest auditoria in London and the oldest outdoor theatre in all of Britain hosting over 130,000 people annually in its sixteen-week season.
The Cambridge Shakespeare Festival; this Festival holds eight plays every summer and is one of the UK's most popular and oldest outdoor Shakespeare companies. Established by David Crilly, it stages authentic Shakespeare in the Cambridge University's college grounds. Audiences can reach up to 1000 people per show, particularly for performances of A Midsummer Night's Dream.
The Willow Globe Theatre; this replica Globe Theatre in Wales is built entirely from living willow trees. It stages productions throughout the summer with an ecological and sustainable focus.
The Minack Theatre; this outdoor amphitheater in Cornwall has views of the sea and stages Shakespeare productions throughout the summer.


Big Bad Mama

Big Bad Mama is a 1974 American action-crime-sexploitation comedy movie produced by Roger Corman, starring Angie Dickinson, William Shatner, and Tom Skerritt, with Susan Sennett and Robbie Lee. This movie is about a mother, Wilma (played by Dickinson), and her two daughters, Polly (Robbie Lee) and Billie Jean (Susan Sennett), who go on a crime spree. After the mother unexpectedly falls in love with a bank robber it all ends, with tragic consequences. "Big Bad Mama" became a cult hit and was followed by a sequel, "Big Bad Mama II", in 1987.
Plot.
In Texas in 1932, after stopping her youngest daughter's wedding, Wilma McClatchie (Dickinson) takes over her late lover's bootlegging business, but gets caught while doing the delivery route with her two daughters. After handing over all her money and her ring to the sheriff, they are let go and she begins her crime spree.
While Wilma is at a bank trying to cash a fake check, the bank is held up by Fred Diller (Skerritt) and his gang. In the melee, Wilma and her daughters, Polly (Robbie Lee) and Billie Jean (Susan Sennett), grab some money bags from behind the counter and escape, but not before Diller gets in their automobile and leaves with them. Afterwards, they decide to pair up, and Diller and Wilma also become lovers.
During a subsequent con, Wilma meets the refined yet dishonest gambler William J. Baxter (Shatner) and falls for him. He joins the group and becomes Wilma's lover, much to the chagrin of Diller. The gang proceeds with several more heists, each time getting more money. Eventually, they kidnap the daughter of a millionaire in hopes of getting rich off the ransom. When the ransom is paid, federal agents who had been tracking them arrive with the police.
Baxter is captured, but Wilma, Polly, and Billie Jean escape with the suitcase full of money, and Diller stays behind, providing cover with his Tommy gun, which he uses to kill the handcuffed Baxter, who had been working as an informant with the agents. As the three women drive off, the mortally wounded Wilma's bloodied left arm is seen hanging down on the left side of the car.
Production.
The movie is a loose follow-up to 1970's Bloody Mama, which starred Shelley Winters in the title role. That film was produced and directed by Roger Corman, who produced Big Bad Mama. Big Bad Mama is not a sequel (as Mama died in the original) or a remake. However, the core themes of a criminally active mother who shoots a tommy gun, has a strong sexual appetite, and is questioningly close to her grown children - two young ladies in this movie, four adult men in the previous one - are repeated.
The movie features a number of nude scenes by the three principal actresses, several of which are with the two principal actors. According to director Steve Carver, Angie Dickinson allowed the crew to remain on set during the filming of her sex scene with Tom Skerritt, but William Shatner asked for all nonessential crew to be removed during his sex scene with Dickinson.
Much of the bluegrass music for this movie was written by David Grisman. It was played by the Great American Music Band, and recorded and mixed by Bill Wolf.
Home media.
On December 7, 2010, Shout! Factory released the title on DVD, packaged as a double feature with "Big Bad Mama II" as part of the "Roger Corman's Cult Classics" collection.
On March 30, 2016, Shout! Factory released "Big Bad Mama" on Blu-ray as a solo release. This Blu-ray is a BD/MOD (Blu-ray disc, manufactured on demand) release. It was announced on the Home Theater Forum, UHD Blu-ray/Blu-ray Forum.


Steve Schewel

Stephen M. Schewel (born 1951) is an American politician, businessman, and academic. A Democrat, he is the current Mayor of Durham, North Carolina and formerly served on the Durham City Council and as the Vice Chair of the Durham Public School Board. Schewel is also a faculty member at Duke University's Sanford School of Public Policy and a former faculty member at North Carolina Central University. He founded the weekly newspaper "Indy Week" in 1983, and served as its president until he sold the paper in 2012. In 2010 he co-founded the Hopscotch Music Festival.
Early life and education.
Schewel grew up in Lynchburg, Virginia. He moved to North Carolina in 1969 to attend Duke University. While an undergraduate student, Schewel served as the president of the Associated Students of Duke University. In this capacity, he granted the charter to Duke's first LGBTQ student organization in 1973. He graduated magna cum laude from Duke in 1973. He earned a master's degree in English from Columbia University in 1974, and a Ph.D. in education from Duke in 1982.
Career.
Business and academia.
In 1983 Schewel founded the newspaper "North Carolina Independent", later renamed "Indy Week". Schewel personally wrote the state's first same-sex marriage announcement in the paper. Schewel stepped down as the paper's publisher in 1999, but continued on as president of the company until he sold it in 2012. He is also a co-founder of the Hopscotch Music Festival, which he sold in 2015.
Schewel is a visiting assistant professor at Duke University’s Sanford School of Public Policy. He is also a former Durham Public Schools board of education member and former English instructor at North Carolina Central University.
Politics.
From 2004 to 2008 Schewel was a member, and Vice-Chair, of the Durham Public Schools Board of Education. He was elected to the Durham City Council in 2011 and served until 2017. While serving on the city council, Schewel was an outspoken critic of North Carolina Amendment 1 and introduced a city resolution to support same-sex marriage. He and his wife hosted a fundraiser at their home, raising over $200,000 to assist organizations fighting against the amendment.
Schewel was elected mayor of Durham on November 7, 2017, to succeed the retiring Bill Bell. After being sworn-in as mayor, Schewel spoke about hopes for gun control and environmental regulations.
On May 5, 2018 Schewel presided over the Jewish Baccalaureate Service at Duke University. In 2018 he participated in Michael Bloomberg's Harvard City Leadership Initiative.
In April 2019 Schewel joined local business leaders and the city's fire chief to address the state of industry in Durham after the 2019 Durham gas explosion, which affected multiple local businesses in the Bright Leaf Historic District. Schewel had arrived on the scene shortly after the explosion took place.
Schewel proposed a $95 million housing bond in 2019.
In January 2020 Schewel stated that the city intends to help fund the mitigation of carbon monoxide issues at McDougald Terrace, a public housing complex in Durham that had to evacuate its residents due to a carbon monoxide leak.
In February 2020 Schewel was criticized by Jewish residents of Durham and neighboring municipalities for supporting a municipal resolution banning police training in Israel for Durham police officers. Schewel banned the program after anti-Israel groups alleged that the program provided military-style training and encouraged racial violence against African-American communities.
The ban, approved in April 2018, forbids members of the Durham Police Department from engaging in international training exchanges where officers could receive "military-like training". The ban was first in the United States to prevent a city's police department from engaging in international training. The ban was approved under questionable circumstances and despite the fact that no police training was planned with Israel, leading many to question the motives of Schewel in promoting the ban. The pro-Zionist groups North Carolina Coalition for Israel and Fight Back Now attempted to present Schewel with trophies engraved with the words "BDS MAYOR OF AMERICA - Scapegoating Jews since 2018" during a City Council public comment session. Schewel declined to take possession of the trophies, stating, "Take that trophy and move it! I’m -- I’m gonna! You either take that trophy and move it now or you will not be coming back here to speak!” Schewel was invited to speak at an event hosted by the Jewish Federation of Durham-Chapel Hill in February 2020, but his appearance was publicly opposed by Durham Jewish residents over his role in the police training ban. A complaint was filed against Schewel, the Durham City Council, and the Durham Human Relations Committee in the Greensboro federal court by the North Carolina Coalition for Israel, Rabbi Jerome Fox, Perri Shalom-Liberty, and Kathryn Wolf.
On March 13, 2020, Schewel declared a state of emergency for the city of Durham, which was set to expire on March 28. The declaration was in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, and prohibits groups of 100 people or more to meet. On March 25, 2020, Schewel declared a stay at home order for the city. The order will be put in place March 26, 2020 at 6:00 PM and is issued to last until April 30, 2020. The order bans individuals in Durham from traveling, going out in public, and prevents gatherings of more than 10 people, with some exceptions. The order closed non-essential businesses but encouraged employees to work from home.
In April 2020 Schewel, alongside Durham County Board of Commissioners chairwoman Wendy Jacobs, Durham County Commissioner Heidi Carter, Durham City Council members Javiera Caballero, Jillian Johnson, Mark-Anthony Middleton, and Charlie Reece, and Raleigh City Council members Nicole Stewart and Saige Martin, pledged to take part in the #ShareYourCheck Challenge. They pledged all or part of their federal stimulus payments, part of an aid package to help Americans through the COVID-19 recession onset by the COVID-19 pandemic, to go to Siembra Solidarity Fund. The fund helps undocumented residents who were shut out of financial assistance due to their immigration status.
Personal life.
Schewel is Jewish and attends Judea Reform Congregation. He said he opposes the organization Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions, although he donated to one of its supporter groups, the Jewish Voice for Peace in 2017.
He is married to Lao Rubert, the former executive director of the Carolina Justice Policy Center. They have two sons and live in Durham. He has coached soccer for middle schools and high schools in Durham. Schewel likes to run in his free time.
Schewel has served on as the Chair of the Durham Tech Community Foundation and has served on the boards of the Durham Public Education Network, the Durham Arts Council, the Blue Ribbon Commission for the Future of Durham High School, and Urban Ministries of Durham. He also served on the community advisory boards for WNCU and WUNC radio stations.


Victoria and Albert Museum Spiral

The Victoria and Albert Museum Spiral (or V&A Spiral, or The Spiral) was a proposed extension to the 19th-century London building which houses the Victoria and Albert Museum, the world's largest museum of decorative arts. It was designed by Daniel Libeskind and the designer, artist, and writer, Cecil Balmond. The museum chose the design over seven others in competition in 1996 but, after much controversy and failing three times to attract the necessary funding, the project was abandoned in 2004.
When the design was chosen in 1996, Libeskind was relatively unknown, but in 1999 he won international acclaim for the Jewish Museum in Berlin, and his master plan for the World Trade Center site in New York has made him a household name there.


Atlanta Fringe Festival

The Atlanta Fringe Festival was conceived in 2010 by a small group of art and theatre lovers. The festival debuted in Atlanta, Georgia. May 9–13, 2012. The festival has attracted performers from all over the United States, including actors, dancers, comedians and aerialists. In its inaugural year, the Atlanta Fringe Festival received over 40 performance submissions. Like the original Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland, the Atlanta Fringe is a non-juried event that showcases both professional and experimental theatre. AFF is currently accepting submissions for the second annual edition of the festival, slated for June 6–9, 2013.
Features.
Non-juried Performances.
The Atlanta Fringe Festival is nonjuried—judges do not select the shows appearing in the festival. Instead, the performers submitted applications and were chosen by lottery. In 2012, there will be 29 opportunities to see the shows offered by the festival. During the Atlanta Fringe, the performances will be available at six venues including Beacon Dance, Core Dance, Mask Center, Horizons School Theatre, Horizons School Gym and Wonderroot.
Radio Fringe.
The Atlanta Fringe Festival is the first Fringe to have a radio play component. The audio submissions will be made available on the festival’s website. There is a $2 fee for listeners to gain access to Radio Fringe. The categories for Radio Fringe include radio plays, storytelling and sound art. The artists were selected on a first-come, first-served basis.
Easter Art Hunt.
On March 31, 2012 the Atlanta Fringe Festival hosted its inaugural Easter Art Hunt in Grant Park, the fourth largest park in Atlanta. At this event, participants searched for and kept free artwork from Atlanta-area artists. Hundreds of people found over 100 art pieces hidden throughout Grant Park.
AFF Workshops.
Early in 2012, the Atlanta Fringe offered five business workshops for artists. The workshop facilitators were professionals in their respective areas. The topics discussed at the workshops were managing volunteers, producing a show, copyrighting original works, grant writing and corporate funding.
The Shows.
2012 Live Performing Companies.
Bottled Lighting, Atlanta
NOCO/fresNO dance COllective, California
The Adventures of Les Kurkendaal, California
Princess Dragon Productions, North Carolina
Tonya Jone Miller, Oregon
OnStage Atlanta, Atlanta
Twinhead Theatre, Atlanta
Purple Crush Productions, New York
O.C.I. Entertainment LLC, Maryland
Thimblerig Circus, Atlanta
The Circle Ensemble Theatre of Athens, GA presents "ATTIC" by Daniel Guyton
Twilight Productions, Indiana
Fish and Bicycle Theatre Co., New York
55BC, Tennessee
Suburban Vampire Productions, Atlanta
Beth Marshall Presents, Tennessee
Red Button Productions, Atlanta
The W Projects, North Carolina
Mixed Revues, Atlanta
Nick Shackleford Productions, Virginia
Performance Gallery, Ohio
Sara L. Gammaro, Italy
Hot Toddies Flaming Cabaret, Atlanta
Sobers & Godley, New York
The Great Ben Egerman Theatre Adventure!, Minnesota
2012 Radio Performances.
The Cleansed
Interactive Care
The Leviathan Chronicles: The Dramatist
Pussy General: The Coming Out Story
Skull Lake
String Theory
Blues for Johnny Raven
The Master's Hungry Children
Dad
Radio Star
I.B.0
Every Now and Then
Sky
Steering Committee.
Diana Brown, Executive Director
Molly Kristyn, Director of Operations
Cherry DelRosario, Design Director
Brittany Harper, Marketing & Ticketing Manager
Michael Tesney, Radio Director
Rachel Teagle, Volunteer Coordinator
Evelyn Danielle, Workshop Coordinator
Nadia Morgan, Production Coordinator
Jessica L. Bodiford, Development Coordinator
Armond Brown, Development Coordinator
Laura Bayless, Hospitality Coordinator
Tessa Buffington, Legal Liaison


Billie Zangewa

Billie Zangewa (born in 1973 in Blantyre, Malawi) is a half Malawian half South African artist who hand sews silk fabrics to create collage tapestries, and who now lives in Johannesburg. Since 2004, her art has featured in international exhibitions including at the Paris Art Fair at the Grand Palais in Paris.
Zangewa's work is autobiographical and centralizes Black femininity and everyday domesticity and motherhood. Her artistic approach is indicative of the artist's expressing resistance to the oppression she faces through self-love.
Materials.
While Zangewa initially turned to textile arts out of the affordability of the medium, the fabric she uses soon became integral to her art. Zangewa finds importance in the everyday practicality of fabric that brings something familiar into her work and parallels the focus on appreciating domesticity. The process of refining silk especially resonates with the artist for its associations with metamorphosis.
Zangewa's finished tapestries celebrate imperfection with their raw, irregular edges and often large pieces seemingly cut out of the tapestry that seem to impede on the scene. This tactic also works to break any illusions of the work being painted on canvas.
Biography and Career.
She was born in 1973 in Blantyre, Malawi, and graduated in Fine Arts from Rhodes University, South Africa after studying printmaking. Her mother worked in the textiles industry on sewing and embroidery. As a child she witnessed the bond between her mother and other women as they sewed along with other domestic tasks together, which would influence the themes of motherhood in her work. In her artistic training, she tested several modes of expression, but finally became passionate about the work of silk, both because of her interest in the fabrics, its luminosity and reflective qualities. She indicated that: "Silk has a fabulous quality of reflection but at the same time, I think it is very modern and at the forefront of fashion".
Working in Gaborone, Botswana, then Johannesburg but also in London, she sought to translate a feminine perspective on her urban environment. She talked about her interest in fashion photography and the narrative approach, for example, of Ellen von Unwerth in her works. Zangewa's early textile work consisted of the production of patchwork handbags, using scenes taken from the city of Johannesburg. When the artist first started creating the larger-scale collages she is now well known for, she more heavily relied on the usage of text, images with a pop art influence, and, sometimes, effects including embroidery, beads, and mats on the surface of the fabric.
The artist's "The Rebirth of Black Venus," finished in 2010, marked a shift in Zangewa's subject matter. The tapestry depicts the city-scape of Johannesburg, reduced to miniature proportions in comparison to the graceful but towering figure of Zangewa, who appears nude besides a banner encircling her body. The work came at Zangewa's breaking off of a proposal, and signifies the commitment she made to herself, self-love that has been present and recurring in much of her work ever since.
Exhibitions and Recognition.
In 2020, Templon in Paris presented a solo exhibition of work by the artist, titled "Soldier of Love", which explored the themes of domesticity, femininity, and love. Speaking with Jareh Das in "Ocula Magazine", the artist explained, 'I feel that at present, we live in a time blighted by a lot of violence and transgression in different forms that we inflict on one other as a society. We hear about it on the news every day. I believe that it is because we do not prioritise love, and that if we did, most of the suffering in the world would come to an end and we would find healing.'
Zangewa's 2014 work "Constant Gardener" is owned by the Smithsonian's National Museum of African Art in Washington, D C. The textured printing paper awakened her interest in the materiality of surfaces, and when she moved to Johannesburg she found her muse: the city. She uses self-referentiality as a conceptual framework within which to epitomize the contemporary African woman and contribute to her redefinition in societies in which patriarchy and reactionary views continue to work against the liberation of women. Although her tapestries are autobiographical, she finds recourse in the shaping of a collective identity, as in Midnight Aura and Angelina Rising-titles that reference the names given to wax prints by the Dutch fabric company Vlisco. The African woman depicted in Zangewa's tapestries, who has "experienced modernity" in the words of Yinka Shonibare MBE, has had to reclaim herself: passive and subjected to the desires of men, she has become the agent of seduction performed as a conscious and voluntary act.
In 2018 Zangewa was the featured artist for the annual FNB JoburgArtFair. In 2019 Zangewa was included in the show "I Am… Contemporary Women Artists of Africa" at the National Museum of African Art.
Zangewa is included in the book "Vitamin T: Threads and Textiles in Contemporary Art" ( Phaidon, 2019), .


The Valiant Hombre

The Valiant Hombre is a 1948 American Western film directed by Wallace Fox, written by Adele Buffington, and starring Duncan Renaldo, Leo Carrillo, John Litel, Barbara Billingsley, John James and Stanley Andrews. It was released on December 15, 1948, by United Artists.


Ellada Eheis Talento (season 4)

The fourth season of "Ellada Eheis Talento" began on 25 March 2012. The show is hosted by Christos Ferentinos. Katerina Gagaki, marketing executive of ANT1, confirmed that Vaggelis Perris and Eugenia Manolidou would return as judges. Ilias Psinakis decided not to return for the fourth season. The third judge would be the photographer Charis Christopoulos, a judge from "Next Top Model".


Machine embroidery

Machine embroidery is an embroidery process whereby a sewing machine or embroidery machine is used to create patterns on textiles. It is used commercially in product branding, corporate advertising, and uniform adornment. It is also used in the fashion industry to decorate garments and apparel. Machine embroidery is used by hobbyists and crafters to decorate gifts, clothing, and home decor. Examples include designs on quilts, pillows, and wall hangings.
There are multiple types of machine embroidery. Free-motion sewing machine embroidery uses a basic zigzag sewing machine. Designs are done manually. Most commercial embroidery is done with link stitch embroidery. In link stitch embroidery, patterns may be manually or automatically controlled. Link Stitch embroidery is also known as chenille embroidery, and was patented by Pulse Microsystems in 1994. More modern computerized machine embroidery uses an embroidery machine or sewing/embroidery machine that is controlled with a computer that embroiders stored patterns. These machines may have multiple heads and threads.
Free-motion machine embroidery.
In free-motion machine embroidery, embroidered designs are created by using a basic zigzag sewing machine. As this type of machine is used primarily for tailoring, it lacks the automated features of a specialized machine. The first zigzag sewing machine was patented by Helen Blanchard.
To create free-motion machine embroidery, the embroiderer runs the machine and skillfully moves tightly hooped fabric under the needle to create a design. The "feed dogs" or machine teeth are lowered or covered, and the embroiderer moves the fabric manually. The embroiderer develops the embroidery manually, using the machine's settings for running stitch and fancier built-in stitches. In this way, the stitches form an image on a piece of fabric. An embroiderer can produce a filled-in effect by sewing many parallel rows of straight stitching. A machine's zigzag stitch can create thicker lines within a design or be used to create a border. Many quilters and fabric artists use a process called thread drawing (or thread painting) to create embellishments on their projects or to create textile art.
Free-motion machine embroidery can be time-consuming. Since a standard sewing machine has only one needle, the operator must pause to re-thread the machine manually for each subsequent color in a multi-color design. He or she must also manually trim and clean up loose or connecting threads after the design is completed.
As this is a manual process rather than a digital reproduction, any pattern created using free-motion machine embroidery is unique and cannot be exactly reproduced, unlike with computerized embroidery.
With the advent of computerized machine embroidery, the main use of manual machine embroidery is in fiber art and quilting projects. Though some manufacturers still use manual embroidery to embellish garments, many prefer computerized embroidery's ease and reduced costs.
Cornely hand-guided embroidery.
This embroidery inherited the name of the Cornely machine. Created in the 19th century to imitate the Beauvais stitch (chain stitch), it is still used today, especially in the fashion industry.
Cornely embroidery is a so-called hand-guided embroidery. The operator directs his machine according to the pattern. The fabric is moved by a crank located under the machine. The Cornely also has a universal drive system controlled by a handle.
Some models can embroider sequins, cords, braids, etc. There are also Cornely machines performing a classic straight stitch.
Computerized machine embroidery.
Most modern embroidery machines are computer controlled and specifically engineered for embroidery. Industrial and commercial embroidery machines and combination sewing-embroidery machines have a hooping or framing system that holds the framed area of fabric taut under the sewing needle and moves it automatically to create a design from a pre-programmed digital embroidery pattern.
Depending on its capabilities, the machine will require varying degrees of user input to read and sew embroidery designs. Sewing-embroidery machines generally have only one needle and require the user to change thread colors during the embroidery process. Multi-needle industrial machines are generally threaded prior to running the design and do not require re-threading. These machines require the user to input the correct color change sequence before beginning to embroider. Some can trim and change colors automatically.
A multi-needle machine may consist of multiple sewing heads, each of which can sew the same design onto a separate garment concurrently. Such a machine might have 20 or more heads, each consisting of 15 or more needles. A head is usually capable of producing many special fabric effects, including satin stitch embroidery, chain stitch embroidery, sequins, appliqué, and cutwork.
History.
Before computers were affordable, most machine embroidery was completed by punching designs on paper tape that then ran through an embroidery machine. One error could ruin an entire design, forcing the creator to start over.
Machine embroidery dates back to 1964, when Tajima started to manufacture and sell TAJIMA Multi-head Automatic Embroidery machines.
In 1973 Tajima introduced the TMB Series 6-needle (6 color) full-automatic color-change embroidery machine. A few years later, in 1978, Tajima started manufacturing the TMBE Series Bridge Type Automatic Embroidery machines. These machines introduced electronic 6-needle automatic color change technology.
In 1980 the first computerized embroidery machines were introduced to the home market. Wilcom introduced the first computer graphics embroidery design system to run on a minicomputer. Melco, an international distribution network formed by Randal Melton and Bill Childs, created the first embroidery sample head for use with large Schiffli looms. These looms spanned several feet across and produced lace patches and large embroidery patterns. The sample head allowed embroiderers to avoid manually sewing the design sample and saved production time. Subsequently, it became the first computerized embroidery machine marketed to home sewers.
The economic conditions of the Reagan years, coupled with tax incentives for home businesses, helped propel Melco to the top of the market. At the Show of the Americas in 1980, Melco unveiled the Digitrac, a digitizing system for embroidery machines. The digitized design was composed at six times the size of the embroidered final product. The Digitrac consisted of a small computer, similar in size to a BlackBerry, mounted on an X and Y axis on a large white board. It sold for $30,000. The original single-needle sample head sold for $10,000 and included a 1" paper-tape reader and 2 fonts. The digitizer marked common points in the design to create elaborate fill and satin stitch combinations.
In 1982, Tajima introduced the world's first electronic chenille embroidery machine, called the TMCE Series Multi-head Electronic Chenille Embroidery Machine. In the same year, they developed the automatic frame changer, a dedicated apparatus for rolled textile embroidery. Also in 1982, Pulse Microsystems introduced Stitchworks, the first PC based embroidery software, and the first software based on outlines rather than stitches. This was monumental to decorators, in that it allowed them to scale and change the properties and parts of their designs easily, on the computer. Designs were output to paper tape, which was read by the embroidery machine. Stitchworks was sold worldwide by Macpherson.
Melco patented the ability to sew circles with a satin stitch, as well as arched lettering generated from a keyboard. An operator digitized the design using similar techniques to punching, transferring the results to a 1" paper tape or later to a floppy disk. This design would then be run on the embroidery machine, which stitched out the pattern. Wilcom enhanced this technology in 1982 with the introduction of the first multi-user system, which allowed more than one person to work on the embroidery process, streamlining production times.
In 1983, Tajima created the TMLE Series Multi-Head Electronic Lock Stitch Chenille Embroidery machine, followed by the TMEF Series 9-needle Type Electronic Embroidery Machine in 1984.
In 1986, Tajima introduced the world's first sequin embroidery machine, enabling designers to combine sequin embroidery with plain embroidery.
In 1987, Pulse Microsystems introduced a digital asset management application called DDS, which was a design librarian for embroidery machines. This made it more efficient for machine operators to access their designs. In 1988 Tajima designed the TMLE-D5 series embroidery machines, with a pair arrangement of lock-stitch-handle embroidery heads, which were capable of sewing multiple threads.
Brother Industries entered the embroidery industry after several computerized embroidery companies contracted it to provide sewing heads. Pulse Microsystems developed a software for them called PG1. PG1 had a tight integration with the embroidery machine using high level protocol, enabling the machine to pull designs from software, rather than having the software push designs to the machine. This approach is still used today. Singer failed to remain competitive during this time. Melco was acquired by Saurer in 1989.
The early 1990s were quiet for machine embroidery, but Tajima introduced a 12 needle machine into their series along with a noise reduction mechanism.
In 1995, Tajima added a multi-color (6-color) type to chenille embroidery machines, and announced the ability to mix embroidery machines with plain chenille embroidery. They also began sales of the TLFD Series Laser-cut Embroidery Machines. In 1996, Pulse Microsystems introduced the computational geometry based simulation of hand created chenille using a spiral effect. Following this in 1997, Tajima introduced 15-needle machines, in response to the "multi-color-age".
In the late 1990s, Pulse Microsystems introduced networking to embroidery machines. It added a box, which allowed them to network and then pull designs from a central server. It also provided machine feedback, and allowed machines to be optically isolated to protect machines in an industrial environment. Since then, computerized machine embroidery has grown in popularity as costs have fallen for computers, software, and embroidery machines. Many machine manufacturers sell their own lines of embroidery patterns. In addition, many individuals and independent companies also sell embroidery designs, and there are free designs available on the internet.
In the year 2000, Pulse Microsystems introduced Stitchport, which is a server based embroidery engine for embroidery in a browser. This allowed for the factory automation of letter creation. Although they were not yet ready for it, this transformed the apparel industry by allowing manufacturers, stores, and end users access to customized versions of the mass-produced garments and goods they had been buying throughout their lives, with no margin of error.
In 2001, Tajima created heater-wire sewing machines, which were innovative, combination machines.
In an environment that was finally ready for the individuality that mass-customization allowed, the principles developed for Stitchport were adapted in 2008 for the creation of PulseID. PulseID allows for the automation of personalization, even on the largest industrial scale.
In 2013, Tajima released the TMAR-KC Series Multi-Head Emrboidery Machine, equipped with a digitally controlled presser foot.
The major embroidery machine companies and software developers are continuing to adapt their commercial systems to market them for home use, including Janome, RNK, Floriani, Tacony Corporation and many more. As costs have fallen for computers, software and home market embroidery machines, the popularity of machine embroidery as a hobby has risen, and as such, many machine manufacturers sell their own lines of embroidery patterns. In addition, many individuals and independent companies also sell embroidery designs, and there are free designs available on the internet.
The computerized machine embroidery process.
Machine embroidery is a multi-step process with many variables that impact the quality of the final product, including the type of fabric to be embellished, design size, stabilizer choice and type of thread utilized. The basic steps for creating embroidery with a computerized embroidery machine are as follows:
Design files.
Digitized embroidery design files can be either purchased or created with industry-specific embroidery digitizing software. Embroidery file formats broadly fall into two categories. The first, source formats, are specific to the software used to create the design. For these formats, the digitizer keeps the original file for the purposes of editing. The second, machine formats, are specific to a particular brand or model of embroidery machine, they contain primarily stitch data (offsets) and machine functions (stitch, trims, jumps, etc.) and are thus not easily scaled or edited without extensive manual work. However, because these files easy to decode, they serve as easy exchange formats, with some formats such as Tajima's .dst and Melco's .exp being so prevalent that they have effectively become industry standards and are often supported directly by machines built by rival companies, or through provided software to convert them for the machine.
Many embroidery designs can be downloaded in popular machine formats from embroidery websites. However, since not all designs are available for every machine's specific format, some machine embroiderers use conversion programs to convert from one machine's format file to another, with various degrees of reliability.
A person who creates a design is known as an embroidery digitizer or puncher. A digitizer uses software to create an object-based embroidery design, which can be easily reshaped and edited. These files retain important information such as object outlines, thread colors, and original artwork used to punch the designs. When the file is converted to a stitch file, it loses much of this information, rendering editing difficult or impossible.
Software vendors often advertise auto-punching or auto-digitizing capabilities. However, if high-quality embroidery is essential, then industry experts highly recommend either purchasing solid designs from reputable digitizers or obtaining training on solid digitization techniques.
Editing designs.
Once a design has been digitized, an embroiderer can use software to edit it or combine it with other designs. Most embroidery programs allow the user to rotate, scale, move, stretch, distort, split, crop, or duplicate the design in an endless pattern. Most software allows the user to add text quickly and easily. Often the colors of the design can be changed, made monochrome, or re-sorted. More sophisticated packages allow the user to edit, add, or remove individual stitches. Some embroidery machines have rudimentary built-in design editing features.
Loading the design.
After editing the final design, the file is loaded into the embroidery machine. Different machines require different formats that are proprietary to that company. Common design file formats for the home and hobby market include .ART, .HUS, .JEF, .PES, .SEW, and .VIP. Embroidery patterns can be transferred to the computerized embroidery machines through cables, CDs, floppy disks, USB interfaces, or special cards that resemble flash or compact cards.
Due to some commonality between the controllers and the software manufacturers, some of the formats are headers and additional information surrounding similarly encoded stitches. .TAP is a .DST file without the header. .EXP file stitches are very close to .JEF, .SHV and .SEW but without the surrounding data about thread color and hoop positioning. .10o is encoded in the same manner as .F01, .GT, .DSB, .DAT, .INB and .U01 but with different headers and surrounding information.
Stabilizing the fabric.
To prevent wrinkles and other problems, the fabric must be stabilized. The method of stabilizing depends on the type of machine, the fabric type, and the design density. For example, knits and large designs typically require firm stabilization. There are many methods for stabilizing fabric, but most often one or more additional pieces of material called stabilizers or interfacing are added beneath or on top of the fabric, or both. Stabilizer types include cut-away, tear-away, solve water-soluble, heat-n-gone, film last, and open mesh, sometimes in various combinations. The stabilizer helps to keep the embroidered piece from rubbing or irritating the skin like in left chest polo shirt designs or in children's wear.
For embroidered wearable items, the fabric is placed in a hoop. This is then attached to the machine. An X and Y drive mechanism moves the hoop under the needle following the design coordinates created when the design was digitized for embroidery.
Embroidering the design.
Finally, the embroidery machine is started and monitored. For commercial machines, this process is more automated than for the home machines. Many designs require more than one colour and may involve additional processing for appliqués, foam, or other special effects. Since home machines have only one needle, every colour change requires the user to cut the thread and change the colour manually. In addition, most designs have one or more jumps that need to be cut. Depending on the quality and size of the design, sewing a design file can require anywhere from a few minutes to over half a day.
Stitch your Design.
For the best machine embroidery for beginners, this is often the final step. To get the stitches, learn to be very patient with your machine. You should also ensure that your stabilizer remains in place and prevents any kink around the fabric.
Embroidery machines.
Not all machines are solely used for embroidery; some are also used for sewing. Some of the more advanced computerized embroidery machines have an array of easy to navigate features. Some of the main ones include LCD touchscreens, a USB connectivity, auto threading, built-in design editing software, embroidery adviser software, and design file storage systems. Commercial embroidery machines can be purchased with a set number of needle colours per head (1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 12, 15,18 or more colours). Industrial embroidery machines are available with 1 to 56 heads.
Commercial and contract embroidery factories.
Factories can have a few small machines or many large machines, or any combination of machines.
Contract embroidery is done on goods that the customer supplies to the embroidery house and is limited to the trade, "ASI" and marketing firms use these services almost exclusively. A company offering contract embroidery sews designs onto wearable items for brokers, other embroiderers, speciality firms, and screen printers at wholesale rates. The customer of a contract embroiderer usually supplies the items to the factory and only pays for the embroidery service.
Commercial embroiderers, and some contract embroiderers, offer their services to the public and can supply the wearable items, and usually have a vast collection of stock designs and text available, Keeping up with current market trends, and offering names and personalization as well as designs for embroidery.
Other supplies.
Almost any type of fabric can be embroidered, given the proper stabilizer. Base materials include paper, fabric, and lightweight balsa wood.
Machine embroidery commonly uses polyester, rayon, or metallic embroidery thread, though other thread types are available. 40 wt thread is the most commonly used embroidery thread weight. Bobbin thread is usually either 60 wt or 90 wt. The quality of thread used can greatly affect the number of thread breaks and other embroidery problems. Polyester thread is generally more colour-safe and durable.
Other associated costs are thread, stabilizer, purchased designs, needles, bobbins, and other miscellaneous tools and supplies.


The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic

The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic (2000) (Confessions of a Shopaholic in the United States and India) is the first in the popular Shopaholic series. It is a chick-lit novel by Sophie Kinsella, a pen-name of Madeleine Wickham. It focuses on the main character Rebecca (Becky) Bloomwood, a financial journalist, who is in a serious amount of debt through her shopping addiction.
Plot summary.
Rebecca Bloomwood lives in a flat in fashionable Fulham, London, that is owned by her best friend Suze's wealthy, aristocratic parents. Becky works as a financial journalist for the magazine "Successful Savings", a job she dislikes. Becky admits to knowing very little about personal finance, and is thousands of pounds in debt due to her uncontrollable spending on designer homeware, clothes and beauty products. The book emphasises that her cycle of debt is not easily broken, as, even as she is thousands of pounds in debt, Becky still receives letters offering her credit and department store cards. She often rationalises her overspending, for instance by referring to items as an 'investment' or necessary, but not everyone agrees with it. During a visit to Surrey, her parents order Becky to shape up and cut back on her spending spree or make more money.
On her way to a press conference held by Brandon Communications, Becky notices a sale sign in the window of the Denny and George shop. She sees that the scarf she has long craved for is on sale at a discount of 50%. Becky sees this as a unique opportunity but realizes that she has left her Visa card at the office and asks the shop assistant to reserve the scarf until she can retrieve her credit card. The assistant reluctantly agrees to hold it until the end of the day only.
Upon arriving at the press conference, she is greeted by a staff member of Brandon Communications, who mentions that there's been some surprising news in the banking field and asks Becky her opinion on the news. Becky has no idea what the woman is referring to and has to feign knowledge. After the staffer leaves, Luke Brandon, head of Brandon Communications, realizing that she was feigning knowledge of what was happening, tells her that one financial group recently bought another, and it was recently rumoured that Flagstaff Life was going the same way. Halfway through the conference Becky is given another errand by her employer and realizes that she will not have time to return to the office for her credit card, but only needs twenty pounds more to buy her Denny & George scarf. She asks her friend Elly Granger if she can borrow some money, but Elly has none. Luke hears Becky ask for twenty pounds, and stops the whole Press Conference just so he can hand a twenty-pound note to her, once she has made up a story of needing the money to buy a present for her aunt who is in hospital.
Later on during the week, Becky's flatmate Suze asks her to go to a restaurant with her and her cousins, including Tarquin. There, Becky sees Luke and his parents having dinner. Luke's stepmother, Annabel, comments on Becky's scarf, and she politely thanks her. Becky claims that her aunt gave it to her in order to avoid Luke being suspicious. Luke runs into Becky after that and asks her to come shopping with him at Harrods. Initially she enjoys shopping with him for luggage, helping Luke choose the best purchase. After he reveals that the luggage is actually for his girlfriend, Sacha, Becky is very upset thinking that he humiliated her. She tells Luke off that she feels he's used her and not treated her with respect.
Suze and Becky happen to be flicking through a magazine and see a list of eligible millionaires, which includes Tarquin and Luke Brandon. Tarquin asks Becky out, and compliments Becky on her scarf. While Tarquin goes to the bathroom, Becky sneaks a look at his checkbook, and is unimpressed by the content. Tarquin returns and Becky is sure he saw her looking at the checkbook. Becky gives up trying to date Tarquin, as he is just not her type, even if he is very rich.
Throughout the story, a man named Derek Smeath, who is the manager of Becky's bank, is constantly trying to get hold of her so he can set up a re-payment schedule for her overdraft. Becky always has some excuse as to why she cannot send a cheque or meet with Mr. Smeath and his assistant, Erica. The excuses range from a broken leg, a dead aunt, etc., etc., until it becomes obvious to Mr. Smeath that Becky is unable to repay the overdraft. He becomes quite insistent upon setting up a meeting with her. Unable to come up with any more excuses to avoid meeting the bank manager, Becky goes back home to hide at her parents' house, telling them the bank manager is a stalker. Becky learns that her next door neighbors made a financial decision based on advice that Becky had absentmindedly given them and stand to miss out on thousands of pounds in a windfall resulting from a bank takeover. Becky is horrified by being partly culpable and sets out to make things right by writing an article that exposes the bank's duplicity. The article is a success, and leads to Becky appearing on a daytime television show, "The Morning Coffee". Unfortunately, Becky did not know that the bank was a client of Luke Brandon's PR firm. Luke is angry with her, believing she wrote the article just to get back at him for treating her poorly. Becky and Luke square off during her appearance on "The Morning Coffee". After arguing with Becky, Luke concedes that she was right, and announces that Brandon Communications will no longer be representing that bank. Becky gets a regular slot on the show and finally talks to Mr. Smeath. After apologizing for her behavior, she and Smeath agree to set up a meeting to work out her financial debt.
Luke invites Becky out for a seeming business dinner at the Ritz Hotel. When Becky arrives at their meeting, business is not on the agenda and instead they eat their fill of the food and end up spending the night at the Ritz together. Becky has to miss yet another meeting arranged with her bank manager, but he writes and tells her this can be postponed, as due to her regular slot on television, her finances are now rosy. But the bank manager, Derek Smeath, will continue to keep an eye on her account.
Characters.
Becky Bloomwood: the main character and protagonist in the story. Although she works as a financial journalist, she also has significant debts concerning her credit cards and her constant overdrafts. Despite it, nothing stops her from buying new clothes, shoes and new items which others think are unnecessary.
Susan "Suze" Cleath-Stuart: Becky's aristocratic best friend who keeps an eye on her spending spree. She is described as blonde and is an even worse shopaholic than Becky. In "Shopaholic Abroad", it's revealed that Suze and Alicia have a bitter history and of which she blamed the latter for wrongly getting her fired just because she was originally up for promotion by Luke.
Luke Brandon: The CEO and owner of Brandon Communications. He is described by Becky as being 6'4, dark hair and dark eyes. Luke originally dated Sacha de Bonneville before dating Becky.
Alicia Billington: Luke's employee at Brandon Communications and is described by Becky as being blonde and long-legs. This earns her the nickname Alicia Bitch Long-Legs because she's selfish and uncaring of others. Alicia and Suze have a bitter history with each other when they first worked at Brandon C as PRs. She was responsible for an incident that got Suze wrongly fired just because she wanted the promotion for herself. Alicia and four others involved in her scam are later fired by Luke for her plans in ruining Brandon C.'s reputation.
Graham and Jane Bloomwood: Becky's parents who are extremely cautious of their spending and tells her to shape up by cutting back on her spending spree or make more money. In "Shopaholic and Sister" Becky learns that Graham had a previous relationship with a woman named Marguerite and that she had a half-sister named Jessica "Jess" Bertram.
Philip: Becky's boss at Successful Savings who hasn't promoted Becky and chosen Clare Edwards instead due to her lack of responsibility.
Clare Edwards: Becky's co-worker whom Philip had promoted based on how she takes her job seriously. She later replaces Becky as a financial expert in ""Shopaholic Abroad"
Derek Smeath: Becky's manager at Endwich Bank. He is described as polite and professional, but also persistent whenever she refuses to meet him for a meeting. In the end, she and Smeath work out a meeting with each other.
Tarquin Cleath-Stuart: Suze's cousin whom Becky tried to date, but realizes he's not her type. He and Suze later get married in "Shopaholic Ties the Knot". They have three children.
Martin and Janice Webster: Close friends and neighbors of the Bloomwoods.
Tom Webster: Martin and Janice's son. He originally was dating Lucy until she dumped him in "Shopaholic and Sister". Since "Shopaholic and Baby" Tom has dated Becky's older half-sister, Jessica, and in "Mini Shopaholic" they married in Chile. They have plans to adopt first, which even Becky fully supports, but Janice insists they have a natural child first.
Lucy: Tom's girlfriend from the first novel and later fiancée by "Shopaholic Ties The Knot". She later dumps him at the beginning of "Shopaholic and Sister"" and hasn't been heard from since then.
Elly Granger: Becky's other friend who only makes her appearance in this novel. She asks Elly for some money, but she has none.
Sacha de Bonneville: Luke's French girlfriend whom he buys an expensive luggage set based on Becky's recommendations at Harrods. She later dumps him at the end of the first novel, also making her a one-time character.
Critical reception.
The earlier novels in the series received a generally positive reception from critics.
One review considered it to be clever that Kinsella begins each chapter with an ominous letter to Becky from her bank.
Readers seemed to like Becky, care about what was happening to her, as if for a friend. While she has faults, she is 'irresistibly daft. ' When it comes to reviewing this book, many agree that Sophie Kinsella has managed to combine two essential ingredients that make for a favourite among readers: abundant flashes of reality and a witty sense of humour. Women identified with the character and her situation. Reviews encouraged readers to 'stick to' these earlier books in the series, considering them better than the later books which appeared to have been written excessively quickly, although they would still satisfy those already faithful to the series.
Film adaptation.
A film adaptation of the novels starring Isla Fisher as Becky Bloomwood, Hugh Dancy as Luke Brandon, and Krysten Ritter as Suze was released on 13 February 2009. The film focused on some plots, while eliminating others to make room for the 2nd novel's plot Shopaholic Abroad.
Shopaholic Series.
The Shopaholic series as of July, 2020 consists of nine novels and one short story, in order:


Aran knitting patterns

Aran knitting patterns are heavily textured knitting patterns which are named after the Aran Islands, which are located off the west coast of Ireland from County Galway and County Clare. The patterns are knitted into socks, hats, vests, scarves, mittens, afghans, pillow covers, and, most commonly, sweaters.
History.
The first known example of Aran knitting appeared in the 1930s.
The stitches that create the Aran knitting patterns are complex and the knitted goods are time-consuming to create. For example, a typical Aran sweater will have over 100,000 stitches, and may take several months to finish. The three dimensional effect of the twisted stitches also increased the warmth of the clothing by creating air pockets.
Contrary to popular mythology, Aran knitting patterns were never used to assist in identifying dead fishermen who washed up onshore after accident at sea. This story appears to have been derived from John Millington Synge's play, "Riders to the Sea", in which a character is identified by means of stitches dropped in error in a pair of plain socks knitted by his sister.
Meanings of the stitches.
The idea that there are meanings associated with the stitches used in Aran knitting derives from Sacred History of Knitting, an entirely fabricated book written by Heinz Edgar Kiewe. Kiewe, a self-styled 'textile journalist' who ran a yarn shop in Oxford, purchased one of the first Aran-style sweaters and, noting a chance similarity between the patterns and ancient Irish illuminated manuscripts, began describing the stitchwork in these terms. Before long, his fanciful descriptions were being used to market the sweater abroad, particularly within the Irish Diaspora in the United States, and it became an accepted part of the sweater's lore that the knitting patterns were developed in ancient times, that each stitch pattern had an associated, usually Christian meaning, and that each family on the Aran Islands had its own clan Aran. However, actual historical documentation, including some of the oldest photography shot in Ireland, are at odds with this mythology.
Nevertheless, knitters may find the following meanings entertaining and inspiring. The meanings of some of these stitches have been embellished in recent times since the knitting became a commercial enterprise.
Cable stitch.
The cable stitch, which is the most common type of stitch seen on Aran sweaters, is said to represent a fisherman’s ropes. There are many different type of cable stitches. The technique for cabling, which involves crossing one stitch over another is one of the easier stitches.
The row on which the stitches crossed over each other is known as the turning row. After the turning row, several plain rows are worked, followed by another turning row. Standard cables have the same number of plain rows between turning rows as there are stitches in the cable.
Diamond stitch.
The diamond stitch supposedly symbolises the small fields on the islands. These fields were worked intensively by local farmers, and this stitch may be said to represent hopes of good luck, success and wealth in farming on the Aran Islands. Diamond patterns might also represent the fishing nets.
Zig Zag stitch.
Zig zag stitches, sometimes known as Marriage Lines, can be used to represent the typical highs and low of matrimony and marriage life. They are may also be used to represent the twisting cliff paths that are on the islands.
Honeycomb stitch.
In Aran knitting patterns the honeycomb stitch, signifying the bee, is often used to represent both hard work and its rewards. The honeycomb stitch may be included as a symbol of good luck, signifying plenty.
When only one repetition of the pattern is used, the honeycomb stitch is also known as the Chain Cable.
Trellis stitch.
Trellis stitch recalls the stone-walled fields of the Northwestern farming communities, in the upland areas in Ireland where rock outcrops naturally or large stones exist in quantity in the soil such as in the Aran Islands. The stitch is useful for adding dimension, and might be used as a symbol of protection.
Tree of Life stitch.
The Tree of Life stitch is frequently used as a motif of rites of passage, and of the importance of family. It is sometimes given a religious significance, symbolising a pilgrims path to salvation. This stitch is also known as the Trinity stitch.
Aran knitting patterns in modern times.
Aran knitting patterns are very adaptable, and are widely used in many types of knitted items, including hats, scarves, skirts, and even decorative pillows. The recent revival of interest in handcrafts have led to many modern variations of both stitches and designs. The original sweaters were typically boxy, with saddle sleeves, knit flat and sewn together; however, many modern designs are knit in the round with little or no sewing, and are frequently fitted by clever manipulation of the stitch patterns.
Today, the patterns are being used by knitters around the world, and the sweaters have become an Irish export commodity.
Due to the success of cheap imports from the Far East from the 1970s onward, both the Irish woollen industry and the associated cottage knitting industry in Ireland which supplied hand-knit Aran-style items to the market were all but destroyed, and today only a few mills and handknitters continue the tradition. As a result, a hand-knit Aran sweater can be quite expensive, and may well be worked in wool and yarn blends imported from overseas.


Felip de Malla

Felip de Malla (; 1370 – 12 July 1431) was a Catalan prelate, theologian, scholastic, orator, classical scholar, and poet. He was a confidante of the kings Martin the Humane, Ferdinand of Antequera, and Alfonso the Magnanimous. He was the seventeenth President of the Generalitat de Catalunya from 1425 to 1428.
Born in Barcelona and educated in literature and philosophy at the University of Lleida, Felip eventually earned a master's of theology from the University of Paris. He later took holy orders. Renowned for his oratory and his classical prose, among the ancients which he can be shown to have read are Pindar, Alcaeus, Horace, Catullus, and Serenus Sammonicus. A high percentage of his own manuscripts survive. Between 1419 and 1424 he penned his most important work, "Memorial del peccador reemut", an ascetic treatise on Christianity, Judaism, and paganism. This manuscript now resides in the Biblioteca de Catalunya (MS. 465). Two incunabula of the "Memorial del peccador reemut" exist: the first was published in 1483 and the second in 1495 by Joan Rosenbach at the Abbey of Montserrat.
In 1408 Felip was appointed "conseller e promotor dels negocis de la cort" ("counsellor and business promoter of the court") by Martin. He maintained this position under Ferdinand and Alfonso. Felip participated in the negotiations leading up to the Compromise of Caspe, putting his support decisively behind Ferdinand of Antequera and exerting effective influence on his part. Felip also played a role in the resolution of the Western Schism through his work at the Council of Constance and his efforts against the following of Benedict XIII, his former patron. In the election to choose a pope, Felip received six votes at Constance.
In February 1413, the Consistori de Barcelona held a poetry competition at the Palau Reial Major. Both the opening speech ("") and the closing one were given by Felip de Malla, one of the maintainers ("mantenidors") of the Consistori. Both speeches were transcribed (and presumably delivered) in a Catalan liberally seasoned with classical and ecclesiastical Latin, as befitted Felip's education and reputation. Not surprisingly from a master of theology, it is intensely religious:
In light of the fact that Ferdinand was involved in a war with James II, Count of Urgell, Felip, whose duty it is as maintainer to give the contestants a theme, asked for short, sharp verses about war, namely, a "sirventes".
In 1423 Felip was the dean of the diocese of Huesca and then almoner of Elne. In 1424 he was elevated to the position of archdeacon of the see of Barcelona, which post he held until his death. In 1425 he was made president of the Generalitat. In that capacity he had to fight the distance between the king and the nobility, growing wider since the Corts de Barcelona of 1421. During his term Felip dealt with the introduction of Castilians into government offices, the lack of concern showed by King Alfonso for his Spanish territories, the preoccupation of the king with the conquest of Naples, and the attempt by Alfonso to create a fief for his younger brother Peter at Cervera. In 1428 Catalonia was ravaged by the plague, and an earthquake struck on 2 February. This earthquake was one of only several that struck Catalonia (especially Roussillon) during the years 1427–28. The duty of informing the king, who was then in Valencia, fell to Felip, whose letter and description of the event survives. Felip left office later that year. He died on 12 July 1431 in Barcelona.


Sh-K-Boom Records

Sh-K-Boom Records is an independent record label and producer of recorded and live entertainment, which was founded in 2000 by husband and wife Kurt Deutsch and Sherie Rene Scott with the mission of bridging the gap between pop music and theater. In 2004 Sh-K-Boom created their second imprint, Ghostlight Records, dedicated to the preservation of traditional musical theater, spurred by the popular release of their first-ever show cast recording, Jason Robert Brown's "The Last Five Years". Together the two labels have over 150 albums in their catalogues. The company has also produced over 50 live concerts as part of their Sh-K-Boom Room Concert Series, and are currently developing new and innovative projects for the stage and screen.
Sh-K-Boom & Ghostlight Records are twelve-time Grammy Award nominees and three-time Grammy winners in the Best Musical Theater Album category for "In the Heights", "The Book of Mormon" and "". Ghostlight's "Book of Mormon" album was the first Broadway cast recording to break into the Billboard Top 10 since the original 1969 release of "Hair", taking its place as the biggest-selling digital cast recording of all time. The label's Original Broadway Cast Album for "In the Heights" also debuted at #1 on the Billboard Top Cast Albums chart and arrived on the "Billboard" 200 at #82.
In June 2017, Sh-K-Boom entered a joint venture with Warner Music Group's Arts Music division.
Sh-K-Boom & Ghostlight Records have produced and released the debut solo albums of Broadway stars such as Adam Pascal, Sherie Rene Scott, Patti LuPone, Sutton Foster, Kelli O'Hara, Alice Ripley, Melissa Errico, Billy Porter, Ben Vereen, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Judy Kuhn, Christine Ebersole, Julia Murney, Ashley Brown, Linda Lavin, Lea Delaria, Anastasia Barzee, and Klea Blackhurst.
Albums.
2000–2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2019
2021
Awards and honors.
Drama Desk.
Sh-K-Boom & Ghostlight were awarded a special 2006 Drama Desk Award for dedication to the preservation of musical theatre through original cast albums.
Grammy Awards and nominations.
2003
2005
2006
2008
2009
2011
2014


Jeneen Frei Njootli

Jeneen Frei Njootli is an interdisciplinary Vuntut Gwitchin artist known primarily for their work with sound and textiles, performance, fashion, workshops, and barbeques.
Njootli uses "they/them" pronouns.
Work.
Njootli is a co-creator of the ReMatriate Collective, a group working toward better representation of Indigenous women in the media. Their work often focuses on the non-visible qualities, histories, and energy of the materials she uses and examines and animates their relationship to trade, ceremonial regalia, and the politics of First Nations art. Key themes in their art include Indigeneity in politics, community engagement and productive disruptions.
As one of the five finalist of the 2018 Sobey Art Award Njoottli's work, "wind sucked in through bared teeth" (2017) is included in an eponymous exhibition featuring the finalists at the National Gallery of Canada.
Njootli was chosen as a LandMarks2017 artist, creating the installation "Being Skidoo", which honoured and acknowledged skidoos as "tools and partners in travel." Being Skidoo was filmed on a journey into Vuntut National Park in April 2017.
In 2016, Njootli completed the Media Arts Residency at the Western Front, an artist-run centre in Vancouver.
Njootli has worked on several projects and presentations with artist Olivia Whetung. Whetung wrote "Fugitive Dust" to accompany Njootli’s solo exhibition "I Can’t Make You Those Mitts Because There Is a Hole in My Heart and My Hands Hurt" (2018).
Education.
Jeneen Frei Njootli completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at Emily Carr University in 2012, and in 2010 completed an undergraduate exchange study at the Sydney College of Art in Australia. In 2017, they earned an M.F.A from the University of British Columbia. In 2016, they completed the Earth Line Indigenous Tattoo training residency.
Performance.
2018
2016
2015
2014
Awards and Honours.
In 2018, Njootli was the Sobey Art Award Finalist for the West Coast and Yukon categories. In 2017, Njootli was also longlisted for the Sobey Art Award for the West Coast and Yukon categories, and in the same year, awarded the Contemporary Art Society of Vancouver's Artist Prize. In 2016, Njootli was awarded the Hnatyshyn Foundation, William & Meredith Saunderson Prize for Emerging Canadian Artist Lectures, Workshops & Curating.


Summer Holiday (song)

"Summer Holiday" is a song recorded by Cliff Richard and The Shadows, written by rhythm guitarist Bruce Welch and drummer Brian Bennett. It is taken from the film of the same name, and was released as the second single from the film in February 1963. It went to number one in the UK Singles Chart for a total of three weeks, as had the first single from the film, "The Next Time". After "Summer Holiday" had spent two weeks at number one, The Shadows' instrumental "Foot Tapper" - also from the same film - took over the top spot for one week, before "Summer Holiday" returned to the top spot for one further week. The track is one of Richard's best known titles and it remains a staple of his live shows. It was one of six hits Richard performed at his spontaneous gig at the 1996 Wimbledon Championships when rain stopped the tennis.
The melody of the song is used in the chorus of the 1986 rap tune "Holiday Rap", by the Dutch duo MC Miker G & DJ Sven.
In 2019 the UK Government's Drinkaware campaign parodied Summer Holiday for a string of radio adverts and videos for the "No Alcoholiday" initiative to encourage people to have drink-free days.
Chart performance.
Summer Holiday.
'Notes:
Dancing Shoes.
The B-side "Dancing Shoes" also entered some charts, some of which are listed below.