SFR Picks

Billy Shakes, gag me with a spoon Jupiter and our good pal Noah G

Et Tu, Bro-Te?

Let slip the boards of war

Don't let Kenneth Branagh or Julie Taymor trick you into thinking good Shakespeare needst be boring, countrymen, countrywomen and country gender non-conforming folk. In fact, the Bard's works hath more sex, violence and understanding of the human condition than one might shake a cockle staff at, and nary another writer has approached a similar level before or since. And lo! It was good. But how couldst we entice a younger generation? And how might we maketh the plays presentable in new ways?

Mayhap thou thinketh of Baz Luhrmann's 1996 abomination (yeah, we said it) Romeo+Juliet, or even 1999's brilliant (yeah, we said it) Taming of the Shrew adaptation, 10 Things I Hate About You. And though thou wouldst be right in assuming these films did make the material more digestible, Veronica Everett has a plan of her own: Skateboards.

What didst thou say? Aye. Skateboards. Also punk rock, hip-hop, live music and spray paint art. Through Everett's Skate Shake program, she hopes to bring Julius Caesar to life in the DeVargas Skatepark (302 W DeVargas St.) this summer.

"I never skated myself, but I love the idea of taking something that's fringe culture and bringing it to the forefront of a society that's pretty snooty," Everett says. "It's a story we're all familiar with, we know the speeches, and it's the hot political play right now."

But how to get involved? Well, it's early yet, but the first round of local auditions goes down from 5-9 pm this Friday and Saturday Feb. 16 and 17 at Skate School Santa Fe. Everett says the process is open to all, but there's a distinct focus on youth; good skaters or not, there are roles for everyone. Further, donations can be made to help pay for the upcoming park fees at gofundme.com/skate-shake-julius-caesar. (Alex De Vore)

Skate Shake: Julius Caesar Auditions: 
5-9 pm Friday and Saturday Feb. 16 and 17. Free.
Skate School Santa Fe,
825 Early St., Ste. H,
474-0074

Spaced

Yeah, yeah, yeah—Jupiter's big and has that red spot and there are something like two dozen moons orbiting it. Fine. But did you know it's the fourth brightest object in the whole effing solar system? Or that the aforementioned spot is an ever-raging storm? Jupiter's cool, man, and there are just so many facts waiting to be unearthed (so to speak) that the Renesan Institute's Jim Baker, an astronomy instructor, has a whole talk planned around what we at SFR call "the biggest-ass planet." Learn something, marvel at the universe, get smart. (ADV)

All About Jupiter:
1 pm Thursday Feb. 15. $10.
St. John's United Methodist Church,
1200 Old Pecos Trail,
982-5397.

As If!

O, glory be! The Jean Cocteau Cinema heard our prayers and this week presents the seminal (yeah, we said it) 1995 Alicia Silverstone vehicle, Clueless, as the kickoff to their new Girls Night Out series. Huzzah! In the film, young Cher (Silverstone) attempts to transform a homely new classmate into what she'd call a "Betty," but she learns a thing or two about herself and stepbrother love in the process. Sound like Jane Austen's Emma? Good, because that's just what it's based upon, and we can thank director Amy Heckerling for star-making turns from the likes of Brittany Murphy, Donald Faison and Paul Rudd. Future films in the series include Mean Girls and Jawbreaker, but this one has a special place in our hearts. (ADV)

Girls Night Out: Clueless:
8 pm Saturday Feb. 17. $9-$10.50.
Jean Cocteau Cinema,
418 Montezuma Ave.,
466-5528.

The Sound is Coming Down

Never having heard of Seattle-based alt.rock musician Noah Gundersen, we turned to YouTube to help write a simple calendar listing. Before we knew it, four hours had passed, we'd cycled through dozens of songs and had fallen deeply in love with the comely guitarist. His music—which has notes of Chris Isaak, or a late-'90s John Rzeznik-y quality that is uplifting instead of overly poppy—is pensive but doesn't bog you down; tugs at the heartstrings without taking cheap shots; gets in your head to make you hum without minding that it's stuck there for days. Give "The Sound" or "Isaiah" a listen and you'll see why we're sold, and we'll see you at the show. (Charlotte Jusinski)

Noah Gundersen with Aaron Gillespie:
8 pm Tuesday Feb. 20. $18-$20.
The Bridge at Santa Fe Brewing Company,
37 Fire Place,
557-6182.

Letters to the Editor

Mail letters to PO Box 4910 Santa Fe, NM 87502 or email them to editor[at]sfreporter.com. Letters (no more than 200 words) should refer to specific articles in the Reporter. Letters will be edited for space and clarity.

We also welcome you to follow SFR on social media (on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter) and comment there. You can also email specific staff members from our contact page.