Category — Yuliya

www.billcharles.com

          The room was filled with the anxious air of anticipation. Eighteen college students were sitting in the classroom – waiting for a legend to arrive. They knew of his many accomplishments – having won the European Publishers Award for Photography and having his work displayed in over fifteen exhibitions. Then, he arrived and Jeff Mermelstein was a regular man wearing regular street clothes, but like his photography of ordinary people, there was something extraordinary about him – his passion for taking pictures. [Read more →]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mtkr/2466405086/

            There is nothing striking about her appearance. She is a woman of modest stature with black shoulder-length hair and dark brown eyes. Yet the greatness of her spirit is apparent before she even says a single word. It has been this spectacular spirit that has propelled her to become one of the leading writers of our time – having published over 20 books of fiction, nonfiction, and short stories. The spirit of Francine Prose is full of freedom, exploration, and an admiration for the never-ending surprises of everyday life. [Read more →]

www.waltzwithbashir.com

             Memory is a tricky thing. Not all the events that happen in our lives are retained in our memory. Those that manage to grad hold are vulnerable to manipulation, especially to the point where the memory no longer resembles the original. Then, there is the peculiar case of lost memories – events that we chose to forget, whether consciously or unconsciously, due to fear that we might discover something faulty within ourselves. Waltz with Bashir, a compelling film by Israeli director Ari Folman, explores the subject of memory and the complex journey of trying to remember. [Read more →]

www.inconflicttheplay.com

             An American flag on one side and a map of Iraq on the other – three large tablets occupy the middle of the stage. Each tablet depicting a different portion of the image and spinning independently of the others – forcefully turned by the troubled characters, whose lives have spun just as much as those three central tablets. “In Conflict”, a new production by Douglas C. Wager, chronicles the individual stories of the magnificent characters that constitute the diverse group of Iraqi war veterans upon whom the play centers. [Read more →]

theatermania.com

        Ms. Feldshuh plays the role of Irena Gut Opdyke, a young Polish Catholic girl, who is cast with the tremendous responsibility of keeping twelve Jews hidden away from the Nazis during World War II. The deterioration of Ms. Feldshuh’s mighty presence during Irena’s emotional breakdowns, as she recounts her experiences during the war, is striking and powerful. It sends a clear message of the destruction caused by the war not only to physical property, but also to people’s spirits. Ms. Feldshuh’s masterful artistry is further exhibited during the small instants of dark humor that are interspersed throughout the show. In a play about a subject of this magnitude, humor is an unexpected surprise, but Ms. Feldshuh’s performance manages to be respectful, while accentuating the terrible circumstances under which this humor exists. Although, Ms. Feldshuh is clearly the star of the show, Thomas Ryan, Steven Hauck, Maja Wampuszyc, Gene Silvers, Tracee Chimo, and John Stanisci act as a great supporting cast for Ms. Feldshuh. [Read more →]

Lincoln Center Theater

            On some enchanted evening, you find a musical that simply steals your heart. Its story touches upon the harsh truths of today’s society and yet it offers the hope that people can change and that true love is possible. Its music moves you emotionally to the extent that you leave the theatre singing “If you’ll excuse an expression I use. I’m in love. I’m in love. I’m in love.” This is the magic of South Pacific. [Read more →]

“Hello. My name is Yuliya,” I introduce myself to you. You quickly glance in the direction that this simple greeting came from and see a strange composition of green eyes, an average nose, full lips, high cheekbones, and pale skin. You see my face and immediately associate my name and who I am with this face. However, I warn you to proceed with extreme caution for things are not always what they seem. My face, the mask I present to the world, tells nothing about who I truly am. In fact, it is a master trickster, leading people to conclusions that are most often false. [Read more →]