Support The Silent Room: A Worker's Musical

A quick shout out to all the cast, crew, and supporters of The Silent Room: A Worker's Musical.  From the production's website:

In this music-laced sendup of corporate exploitation, retail worker Ray's dreams of becoming a playwright are eclipsed by the double-shifts and tyrannical bosses of corporate America… until a ghostly visit from martyred union legend Joe Hill shows him that when workers unite, everything can change. Ray's coworkers begin talking union, and soon find themselves toe-to-toe with corporate unionbusters. As the fight heats up, Ray has to decide which side he is on.

Inspired by the torture of years of labor in corporate retail hellholes and the exhilaration of confronting the bosses in the IWW Starbucks Workers Union, THE SILENT ROOM is an original work of musical theater born of exploitation, struggle, and hope for a better future.

The Silent Room is set for its world premier as part of the renowned Minnesota Fringe festival line-up.  Do yourself a favor and check this show out during its festival run.  If you won't be in the area and/or can't make one of the performances, please consider donating funds towards the cost of production.  The show's themes and experiences - taken from the actual workplaces where people are organizing - deserve more attention in the arts community.  The scenes will surely resonate with most everyone, whatever your job might be.  The Silent Room will challenge you to consider your own employment situation and hopefully inspire you to take that first step.  Get a laugh from the new film Horrible Bosses, but get something lasting, something real from The Silent Room!

N.B. This production continues the long, rich tradition of dramatic arts in the Industrial Workers of the World labor union.  Though, I imagine Edith Koivisto and others from the historical Work People's College might dispute the claim that this is the first IWW musical since the 1913 Paterson Strike Pageant.  Not a musical per se, but take a look at the opening scene from The Majority - a one act play composed by another Minnesota IWW (and noted cartoonist), Ernest Riebe.

Riebe's play appeared in the May, 1921 issue of The Industrial Pioneer.

Our Work, Our Lives, Our Music - Pistolera's Eres Tú

Call it pride of place, but I adore my neighborhood.  It's not really about this particular location though, because this spot has some of the same things you'd see in any post-industrial city (it is special having four large city parks and a beautiful riverfront all within blocks of home to be fair).

For me, it's really a pride of people, as they're what make this place unique - what it was, is, and will be.  As I see it, to live in and be a part of this Northeast Minneapolis neighborhood is to continue building upon a truly global community - a community of myriad peoples, customs, and voices that have mingled over the years to create a rich, vibrant chorus.

I can't help but visualize the people of this neighborhood chorus when I listen to the group Pistolera.  I see my great grandfather Andrzej coming home from a long day at the Pillsbury A Mill many decades ago, taking off his dusty boots and grabbing my great grandmother Aniela, dancing in circles to an oberek in their small home - just a few blocks from where my family is now.  I think of our neighbor Luis, and the constant cumbias emanating from the garage while he wrenches on that old minivan or chases the kids around the backyard.  I envision my daughter, years from now, practicing her trumpet in preparation for that all-important first band concert.  Her parents retreat to the backyard in order to (avoid the din and) watch the setting sun envelop the buildings of the nearby rail yard with a blood-orange glow.

Yeah, I might be overly romantic about my neighborhood.  But I'm certain you share a similar love of your spot and you've got a soundtrack to match.  Maybe we can swap tracks and stories sometime soon.  Until then, enjoy Pistolera's Eres Tú!

Props to K-dog for introducing me to Pistolera and to the one JAS for the inspiration.

Would You Hire a Fascist?

Apparently yes, if you're Swindon Town F.C. in England's League Two.  Sure, I don't have (or desire) the ability to hire and fire people, and I have zero experience in the operations of a professional football club. These facts alone would lead many to rubbish my opinion on Swindon Town's decision to hire Paolo Di Canio as their next manager.  If that's you, you're always free to stop reading here and I bid thee addio!

Now, I've disclosed previously that I'm a supporter of West Ham United - a club where to this day Di Canio receives a hero's welcome.  Speaking strictly of footballing skills, many fans of the Claret and Blue would argue that the Hammers haven't had a player with such ability in and around the box since Di Canio's departure.  Shoot, I still consider his wonder-volley against Wimbledon in March of 2000 as the best goal I've ever seen.  Fantastico!

Taking a look at the entire package though, this parcel has arrived in Wiltshire marked 'EXTREME LIABILITY'.  Maybe this decision makes sense given Swindon Town's consistent financial woes, or considering they've cycled through no less than 10 managers (including caretakers) since 2005 - what's another punt on a retired footballer with no managerial experience?  But let's not also forget that this crate comes stamped with the big black, ugly letters of 'FASCIST'!