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Annapolis Summer Garden Theater
Moonlight, Stars, and Stagelights
One the best ways to enjoy a summer evening in Annapolis is to take a walk downtown near the City Dock. If you happen to be downtown on a Thursday, Friday, Saturday, or Sunday evening you can extend that enjoyment by purchasing a ticket to a show at Annapolis Summer Garden Theater (ASGT), the "theater under the stars." "It's wonderful theater in a more relaxed setting," explains Carolyn Kirby, who has been volunteering at ASGT since 1988. "It's fun to be outdoors in downtown Annapolis in the summer."
Kirby first became involved with local community theater when her daughter, Lauren, started performing with Children's Theatre of Annapolis in 1986. Two years later Lauren performed in the first Talent Machine, written by Steve Evans and Mike Gilles and developed further by Bobbi Smith at AGST, and Kirby started lending a hand as an usher and a worker at the box office. A board member since 1990, Kirby served as the treasurer for many years and still does the financial statements as well as currently serving as the president.
ASGT's stage and seating are in an open courtyard; a building houses the box office, dressing rooms, scenery, and sets. That building, dating to approximately 1840, says Kirby, "is a real challenge." Taking care of a piece of real estate is an added layer of responsibility that most community theaters are not prepared to undertake. Fewer than six community theaters in the state own their buildings, according to Kirby. Colonial Players, also in downtown Annapolis, near State Circle, is one of those six.
"Our building was once a warehouse and then a blacksmith shop," explains Kirby. "We are in the process of developing our priorities. We currently have no office space. We need more restroom facilities. We need more secure storage. We would like to open up the lobby and make it more inviting. One thing not on the table is a roof over the theater space. We wouldn't be 'theater under the stars' if we were under a roof!"
All shows begin at 8:30 p.m. If it is raining at show time, the show is cancelled. "Most summers we have fewer than six rain outs," says Kirby. Ticket holders have the option of rescheduling for another performance or requesting a refund by mail.
This season, ASGT is celebrating its fortieth anniversary. On September 8 it will celebrate and raise money for the building improvements with a theatrically themed gala, Broadway Under the Stars. Check ASGT's Web site or call for updated information.
During July ASGT is performing Urinetown the Musical. A recent Broadway play and the winner of several Tony awards, it has won critics' praises as one of the most uproariously funny musicals in recent years. A tale of greed, love, and corruption, it tells the story of scarce resources being manipulated by big business.
Running August 4 through September 2 is the timeless classic Cabaret, which brings to life the pre-World War II era of Germany. Filled with torch songs and well- loved dance numbers, Cabaret was on Broadway the year ASGT opened in 1966.
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After initially starting in what is now the William Paca House Garden, the group started leasing its present location at 143 Compromise Street after its first year. In 1990 it was fortunate to purchase the property for $1 from Anne Arundel County, with the stipulation that it continue to operate as a community theater engaged in cultural and educational activities.
ASGT is an all-volunteer organization whose operating income is supplemented by grants from the City of Annapolis, the Arts Council of Anne Arundel County, and the Maryland State Arts Council.
"There is an ever-evolving pool of talent. It is never the same twice," explains Kirby. Auditions are open to the public and are advertised in the local media. Since the performing season lasts 3 months, the remaining 9 months are spent in preparation.
Tickets can be reserved in advance but must be picked up and paid for by 8 p.m., 30 minutes before the performance. Adult admission is $15 and students and seniors pay $12. For more information call the box office at (410) 268-9212 or visit the Web site at www.summergarden.com.
-Nadja Maril
Henri Matisse-Jazz
A Rare Art Book is on Exhibit for the First Time in 10 Years at the Baltimore Museum of Art
Henri Matisse. Horse, rider and clown, from the illustrated book Jazz. 1947. The Baltimore Museum of Art: The Cone Collection. © 2006 Succession H. Matisse, Paris/Artists Rights Society (ARS) New York |
Entombed in an interior room of the Baltimore Museum of Art is a fragile document that has been hidden away for years. Its sensitivity to light prevents it from being displayed often, making the current exhibit an unusual delight that art lovers shouldn't miss.
The exhibit contains the pages of a rare unbound version of Jazz, an art book by Henri Matisse published in limited quantity in 1947. Each illustrated page is laid out serially under the protective glass, interspersed with pages of text written in Matisse's large, flowing cursive hand.
"We think of Jazz as one of Matisse's greatest books," says Jay Fisher, deputy director of curatorial affairs and senior curator, prints, drawings, and photographs, at the Baltimore Museum of Art. Fisher put together the exhibit, arranging the pictures in the order in which they appear in the book. "The book format is very important to artists like Matisse," he says. "They allow the artist to determine what order the pictures are viewed in."
The dim lighting lends the solemnity of a church to the high-ceilinged gallery. Two glass display cases stand like tombs equidistant from the entrance. More cases line the edge of the room, holding the book pages like scripture. As your eyes adjust, the colors jump from their glass sarcophagi-amorphous, glowing images that overwhelm the senses.
Henri Matisse. Icarus, from the illustrated book Jazz. 1947. The Baltimore Museum of Art: The Cone Collection. © 2006 Succession H. Matisse, Paris/Artists Rights Society (ARS) New York |
Matisse designed the book's pictures by pasting colored paper cutouts onto a white piece of paper. A technique called pochoir, wherein each color is painted thickly by hand through stencils, was used to create a distinctly layered effect similar to the original collages. Since each illustration required numerous stencils and paint applications, the first edition of 250 prints required immense amounts of time and work by a series of skilled craftsmen to reproduce the original.
Matisse first used decoupages, or paper cutouts, as a time-saving device. When planning a painting, he would make shapes out of brightly colored paper that he could easily move around the canvas, allowing him to experiment with color and layout without having to repaint every time.
It was not until a botched stomach cancer surgery left him unable to stand at an easel that Matisse turned to decoupage completely. He became enchanted with the medium, writing: "I felt like the traveler who had crossed the frontier into a new country-leaving his baggage behind." Fisher calls it "sculpting with scissors," where two-dimensional cutouts become a three-dimensional image.
Jazz was originally a book about the circus, as some of the image titles reveal; e.g., The Sword Swallower and The Knife Thrower. "[Artists] saw elements of the circus performers in their own lives," Fisher says. "People wanted to see them perform, but afterwards wanted nothing to do with them."
Matisse, in keeping with his initial theme, entitled the book La Cirque. It was the book's publisher, Tériade, who chose the ultimate title. He felt Matisse's energy and variation in the illustrations paralleled that of a jazz musician. Jazz seems strikingly fitting when you see the paintings, despite the artist's original intention.
Henri Matisse. Circus, from the illustrated book Jazz. 1947. The Baltimore Museum of Art: The Cone Collection. © 2006 Succession H. Matisse, Paris/Artists Rights Society (ARS) New York |
To fully absorb the pictures takes time. At first they appear random and abstract, but with enough time (and a couple of helpful informational plaques), the images coagulate and emerge from the jumble. What was senseless now makes sense. The images speak loudly in the quiet gallery-a secret wink between artist and viewer.
These images linger in the mind after you step out of the dark room, for at first it's too bright to see clearly. Blinking and rubbing your eyes in the sunlight, you begin to find the familiar patterns of color and shape in your surroundings. The cerebral filters pop into place along with the pupils, forming solids from the abstractions surrounding you. This is the Jazz of everyday life.
Jazz by Henri Matisse, a part of the Modern Masters Series of exhibitions, can be viewed May 3 through August 27 at the Baltimore Museum of Art, 10 Art Museum Drive, Baltimore. Call (443) 573-1700 or visit www.artbma.org for more information.
-Conal Darcy
Tasting is what the International Great Grapes Festival is All About
The International Great Grapes! Wine, Arts & Food Festival at Symphony Park at SouthPark Mall in Charlotte, NC. |
For many Annapolitans a getaway in July means slogging through beach traffic to reach a crowded coastal resort. Why endure this when you can spend a civilized, leisurely day strolling among winemakers and merchants who are eager to share a taste of their favorite creations and discoveries? On July 29 and 30, the International Great Grapes! Wine, Arts & Food Festival visits the Anne Arundel County Fairgrounds, featuring wines from all over the world.
This wine festival, larger in scale than the Annapolis Jazz and Wine Festival that you may remember, is geared toward both the beginner and the seasoned wine connoisseur. "Whether you know nothing-or everything about wine-there is still something to learn," says Mills Wine & Spirits Director of Operations Gary Reiner, who is working with Moorea Marketing to organize the festival. "The idea is to have fun. This is a 'happening,' with lots of artisans, chefs, and wineries, including Maryland family wineries and suppliers representing wines from countries like Argentina, Chile, Italy, France, Germany, and Spain." Reiner, a wine connoisseur who has managed dozens of wine-tasting events, adds, "The key to enjoying the festival is to sample many of the wines being offered. The point is to taste and experience the many different varietals being offered; and to educate yourself on what good wines are about."
To date, several wineries, many from the mid-Atlantic region, such as Balic Winery (NJ), Davis Valley Winery and Vineyard (VA), Heritage Wine Cellars (PA), and Horton Winery (VA) will be pouring several wines for tasting at the festival. "It's an international festival so we invite wineries from all over-not just Maryland," says Susan Urbanek of Moorea Marketing. The wineries and suppliers will pour tastes of approximately 250 brands, such as Frog's Leap or Kendall Jackson. Numerous varietals, such as Shiraz, Zinfandel, Sauvignon Blanc, and Cabernet Sauvignon-in some cases, different varietals of the same brand-will be represented. Mills will be setting up a tent that will focus on wines imported from all over the world.
Where to begin with so many wines to taste? If you are just beginning to learn about wines, savor the opportunity to develop your palate-in an afternoon. An easy way to approach tasting many wines on a sweltering July afternoon is with a sense of fun and discovery. To give the adventure some focus, have one or two ideas of what you are seeking-maybe a crisp Pinot Grigio for a picnic or a citrusy Sauvignon Blanc for a seafood dinner, or smooth Chianti for a pasta-laden family reunion. The idea is to stroll about, try whatever strikes your interest-with a simple plan.
Consider tasting and comparing one varietal, such as the light, summery Pinot Grigio, from each of the wineries that offers it. Once you have tasted several, move on to another white varietal that is slightly more robust, such as an oaky Chardonnay. The idea is to taste the more delicate wines first, then move to those with increasing intensity and flavor. Once you have tasted the white wines that interest you, then move on to red wines. Another approach is to taste and compare wines from a certain region or country, such as northern California or Italy. With numerous mid-Atlantic wineries at the festival, you could explore regional Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Maryland wines. Again, move from the more delicate white wines to the robust reds.
For many wine lovers, favorite summertime wines are white, many of which pair beautifully with backyard, summery seafood dishes. At the wine festival you can seek out and taste wines that have flavors that compliment the food with which you plan to serve them. For instance Chardonnay, some have a rich, buttery taste that pairs well with seafood such as lobster, crab, tuna, and swordfish served with a buttery, creamy sauce. Another summertime favorite, Sauvignon Blanc, lighter than Chardonnay, is crisp, with flavors of fresh herbs, green grass, and citrus, and works well with fresh, simply prepared hot or cold seafood. Shrimp, oysters, clams, mussels, and delicate fishes such as mahi-mahi cooked with wine and fresh herbs all pair well with Sauvignon Blanc. In some cases opposites attract-and fruitiness offsets spice. The fruitiness of White Zinfandel, for instance, balances Cajun and spicy, tomato-based sauces and even barbecue teriyaki glazes.
To help you keep track of the many varietals you taste, most of the wineries at the festival will have copies of detailed tasting notes describing the wines they are pouring. Bring along a pen to add to these notes your own reactions to each wine you taste. Ask the experts-those pouring-why they recommend the wine. If the tasting notes are complicated, don't let unfamiliar language intimidate you. These highly descriptive terms often have appeal for wine connoisseurs who are looking for nuances and subtleties that distinguish one wine from another. Dozens of basic descriptors create a common language among wine enthusiasts. See the box for a sampling of them. Ask the experts pouring the wine how they would describe it and why and you'll broaden your wine vocabulary along with educating your palate.
Once you decide which wines you plan to purchase, consider short-term storage and temperature. Most wines on the market today are ready to drink as soon as you purchase them. Keep these wines away from direct sunlight, heat, and any source of vibration, and store them lying on their sides. This will ensure that the cork remains moist and therefore airtight. There is no need to store white wines or Champagne or other sparkling wines in the refrigerator if you are not planning to drink them soon.
"If you approach the festival as a good way to educate yourself," says Reiner, " without drinking to excess, then you are sure to come away a winner."
The International Great Grapes! Wine, Arts & Food Festival sponsored by Moorea Marketing and Mills Fine Wine & Spirits will be held on July 29 and 30, 2006, noon to 6 p.m. each day, at the Anne Arundel County Fairgrounds, Annapolis, Maryland. More than 45 exhibitors are expected. Admission (includes souvenir wine glass and wine samples): $20 at the door, $17 in advance, $15 group tickets, $10 designated driver. For more information, call (410) 769-8223, Greg Nivens, ext. 105, or Mary Moran, ext. 106 or see the Web site www.uncorkthefun.com.
Tasting is what the International Great Grapes Festival is All About
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This is a sampling of typical descriptors that appear on tasting notes:
- Body - the viscosity of the wine (is it thin or thick?)
- Big - high in alcohol
- Buttery - having an aroma of butter or butterscotch
- Crisp - high in fruit acidity
- Fat - full-bodied
- Flabby - not enough acid
- Finish - the wine's aftertaste
- Fruity - the fruit the wine is made from (the grape) or another fruit flavor is perceptible
- Hard - too tannic
- Oaky - can taste the oak from aging in an oak barrel
- Soft - not too tannic
-Trish Dempsey
Bela Fleck & the Flecktones |
The Who, Where, and What You'll Dig
by j.s. houck
7/3 & 5 Bonnie Raitt at the Filene Center, Wolf Trap, Vienna
(877) WOLFTRAP
One of the best in blues slide guitar, Bonnie Raitt visits wonderful Wolf Trap for two dates with special guest Keb Mo. The nine-time Grammy winner recently released her eighteenth album, Souls Alike, proving that guitar greats never let their instrument rest long.
7/8 Belle & Sebastian at Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia
(410) 547-SEAT
Born in Glasgow in 1996, Belle & Sebastian grew from a duo into a seven-member full-fledged band. Its sound is sweeping, ethereal pop rock-good harmony, great melody, lush instrumentation. Should be a great one at 'ol Merriweather.
Paul Simon |
7/12 Paul Simon at Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia
(410) 547-SEAT
Paul Simon in the Symphony Woods of Merriweather-reminiscent of another show he played up in NYC a "few" years back. With his new album, Surprise, on shelves, Simon's tour comes on the heels of a very creative period for him. A rare treat this summer to see the songsmith live.
7/15 The Roots at Rams Head Live!, Baltimore
(410) 244-1131
Hip-hop instrumentalists The Roots got their start in '87 and have ranked among the best in the biz since. Jazz-tinged freestyling is the game they play. Joining them for this show are Talib Kweli and The Pharcyde-both could be headliners themselves. This might be the ringer show of the month.
Nickelback |
7/26 Nickelback at Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia
(410) 547-SEAT
Heavy and hard-hitting rock with the right mix of melody has shot Nickelback on the road to rock 'n' roll glory. They're true road warriors in every sense-touring unrelentingly for much of this year, pleasing everyone from metal heads to pop princesses.
7/29 OAR at Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia
(410) 547-SEAT
Of A Revolution returns home (well kind of-several members are Marylanders) to serve the faithful. The five-member band features guitars, bass, drums, and sax and relies on the group groove to carry it through exploratory jams and great tunes. Its stock is quickly rising.
7/30 Karl Denson Trio at the 8 × 10 Club, Baltimore
(410) 547-SEAT
Funky, sax-driven jazz-rock fits Denson like a glove. He was born to deliver the good stuff via saxophone. While his full ensemble, the Tiny Universe, takes a breather, Denson hits the road with two others.
Widespread Panic |
8/4 Widespread Panic at Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia
(410) 547-SEAT
Almost a year to the day since last summer's visit, Panic hits us again. For the jamband brethren, this summer is a big one, playing venues coast-to-coast, coinciding with the release of a new album, Earth to America. Lots to chew on for WSP fans.
8/10 Melissa Etheridge at Constitution Hall, D.C.
(410) 547-SEAT
Singer, songwriter, guitarist Melissa Etheridge is in full swing. Having recently released her first collection of greatest hits, she claims she's ready to embrace the next half of her career. Acoustic rock with heartfelt lyrics and passion drives her.
8/14 Béla Fleck & the Flecktones at Pier Six Pavilion, Baltimore
(410) 547-SEAT
Jazz-funk banjoist Fleck and company take charge of this summer's Acoustic Planet Tour, which also features Umphrey's McGee and Marc Broussard. Three great acts to jam to, for one low price.
Jonny Lang |
8/15 Jonny Lang at Rams Head Live!, Baltimore
(410) 244-1131
It's hard to believe but this bluesy guitar gunslinger has been mesmerizing audiences for more than 10 years now-and he's only 24 years old. See what Lang brings to the table this August.
8/24 Bruce Hornsby & Tea Leaf Green at the Filene Center, Wolf Trap, Vienna
(877) WOLFTRAP
An annual favorite for Bruuuuuce fans, Wolf Trap is the place to be this evening for Hornsby's signature piano-driven rock and jamming. At the Wolf Trap shows, Hornsby and his band, the Noisemakers, are usually joined by his nephew R.S. Hornsby on guitar. This show, San Fran jammers Tea Leaf Green will open the show. Good things will happen!
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Museums and Galleries
Can't Miss Exhibits
Giovanni Bellini and Titian, Feast of the Gods, 1514 and 1529 oil on canvas, National Gallery of Art, Washington, Widener. |
Bellini, Giorgione, Titian, and the Renaissance of Venetian Painting
At the National Gallery of Art, D.C.
Through September 17
(202) 737-4215
This exhibition focuses on paintings from the first 3 decades of the 16th century, which correspond roughly to the High Renaissance in Rome and Florence. The time span covered by the exhibition represents, visually and intellectually, the most exciting phase of the Renaissance in Venice (regarded as a golden age), when the old Giovanni Bellini (d. 1516) and Giorgione (d. 1510) and the young Titian, among others, were all working side by side. The exhibition presents approximately sixty paintings that best exemplify the new ideas and ideals: music, the pastoral landscape, the female nude, and the romantic portrait.
A triple self-portrait by Norman Rockwell. On exhibit at the Maryland Science Center. |
Rockwell's America: Celebrating the Art of Norman Rockwell
Through January 7, 2007
At the Maryland Science Center, Baltimore
(410) 685-5225
Experience the imaginative world of Norman Rockwell with theatrical environments, multimedia experiences, and live characters based on his most famous Saturday Evening Post art. Follow the evolution of technology and its impact on the American lifestyle and landscape as depicted in Rockwell's cover illustrations and in hands-on displays. The exhibit contains more than 100 original Saturday Evening Post covers and features original works of art by Norman Rockwell. Through twenty theatrical environments and thirty-five life-size sculptures of Rockwell's most beloved characters, the exhibit blends elements of education and entertainment to create a place where families and groups of all ages can take a journey back into the United States in the 20th century.
Anooralya (Wild Yam Dreaming), 1995, by Emily Kame Kngwarreye (1916-1996). © 2006 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York/VISCOPY, Australia. Photo by Paul Macapia for Seattle Art Museum. |
Art & Community
At Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts, Annapolis
Through September 15
(410) 263-5544
Art & Community is an exhibition of photography and the written word by New Orleans students responding to the devastation of their home in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The resultant work is part photojournalism, part catharsis, and part learning ways in which artists can use life experience to inform the creative process. Directed by Kirsten Elstner, VisionWorkshops is a nonprofit organization in residence at Maryland Hall contracted by National Geographic to coordinate a series of photojournalism workshops for youth across the country. In 2006, the program worked with public high school students in New Orleans.
See the Star Spangled Banner, among all that makes up the Smithsonian National Museum of American History before it closes its doors for 2 years of renovation work on 9/4. |
Dreaming Their Way: Australian Aboriginal Women Painters
Through September 24
At the National Museum of Women in the Arts, D.C.
(202) 783-5000
The exhibit features intensely colorful canvases and extremely intricate paintings on bark by thirty-three contemporary Australian Aboriginal women painters from indigenous communities all over the continent. Rooted in Aboriginal stories called dreamings, these paintings express the women's connection to the land and their country. This groundbreaking exhibit is the first in the United States to feature works by Aboriginal female artists.
O Say Have You Seen?
Through September 4
At the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, D.C.
The museum will undergo major renovations beginning in the fall of 2006 and will be closed until the summer of 2008. This summer will be your last chance to visit the museum before it closes its doors. September 4 is the last day to visit. Exhibits cover cultural icons from throughout our country's 230-year history, from the Star Spangled Banner to locomotives to Dorothy's Wizard of Oz ruby slippers.
On Stage In May
Gypsy, a musical fable based on the life story of burlesque entertainer, Gypsy Rose Lee, runs July 1-22 at Towson University. |
A Midsummer Night's Dream is a classic Shakespeare production that follows a playful, acrobatic, and hysterical dream. Outdoors in the Meadow at Evergreen House, Baltimore. July 7-23. $15-25. Call for tickets. (410) 366-8596.
Assassins is a captivating look at the lives, loves, and lunacy of nine infamous American assassins from John Wilkes Booth to Lee Harvey Oswald. Includes music ranging from folk to ragtime to big, Broadway ballads. At the Signature-Theatre, VA. July 1-16. $31-50. Call for tickets. (703) 218-6500.
Cabaret is a Broadway classic tells the story of the turmoil in the lives of the people of Berlin in the era leading up to the Third Reich and World War II. At Annapolis Summer Garden Theatre, 143 Compromise St., Annapolis. August 4 through September 2. $12-15. Call for tickets. (410) 268-9212.
Gypsy. Desperate to keep her dream of stardom alive, overbearing stage mother Mama Rose pushes daughter June and Louise into the limelight and over the edge. As the curtain begins to rise on Louise and her bittersweet success, Rose must face the end of an era and the demise of her dreams. At Towson University, Towson. July 1-22. $18-25. Call for tickets. (410) 704-2787.
Love's Labor's Lost. King Navarre and three of his noblemen renounce the world's pleasures-especially women-for the world of academia. But when the Princess of France and her three ladies arrive, the men find themselves helplessly falling in love. At The Shakespeare Theatre, Washington, D.C. July 1-30. $26-64.75. Call for tickets. (202) 547-1122.
Shear Madness is Washington's hilarious whodunit that lets the audience solve the crime. At the Kennedy Center Theater Lab, Washington, D.C. $34-45. Continues indefinitely. Call for tickets. (800) 444-1324.
The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life In the Universe. Twelve seemingly unconnected characters are interwoven in this one-woman show that combines playful social commentary and brilliant humor. At Towson University, Towson. July 7-22. $16-23. Call for tickets. (410) 704-2787.
Urinetown is a humorous tale of greed, corruption, love, and revolution in a city where a 20-year drought has led to a government ban on private toilets. At Annapolis Summer Garden Theatre, 143 Compromise St., Annapolis. July 1-29. $12-15. Call for tickets. (410) 268-9212.
Quick Six: Cartoonist Jim Toomey
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Jim Toomey, cartoonist of the famous comic strip Sherman's Lagoon, called in to answer our questions this month. He was en route to California for a book signing of Fifty Ways to Save the Ocean, written by David Helvarg, to which Toomey contributed the illustrations. Known for its witty, amusing, and easily digestible humor, Sherman's Lagoon is syndicated in more than 150 newspapers in the United States and around the world. The lead character, Sherman, is a great white shark, though not of the Jaws variety. Toomey also has an exhibit, The Cartoon Art of Jim Toomey, hanging at the Quiet Waters Park Gallery in Annapolis through July 30. More information and fun can be found at the Web site www.slagoon.com.
What's Up? Annapolis: Jim, what was the seed that grew into Sherman, your main character and, in general, what have been your artistic and comic influences?
Jim Toomey: Well, Sherman basically grew from my love for the ocean that started when I was a little boy-watching Jacques Cousteau documentaries. And the summer trips to Rehoboth Beach, Bethany Beach, etc. And then there was a family trip we took to the Bahamas. My dad was a pilot in the Navy during WWII and he kept flying after he retired from the Navy. We had kind of like a "family Cessna" and the whole family would pile into the Cessna and we'd fly off to Kitty Hawk or New England. And one time we actually flew out to the Bahamas. And being in a private plane we could fly really low. So we're flying over these islands (at about 200-300 feet high) and we flew over a little lagoon and there was a shark sunning himself in that lagoon. And that was really my first image of Sherman and the lagoon.
WUA: So how long had you been drawing comics before they began to be picked up? Basically, how hard was it to crack the syndicated life for your comics?
JT: I started off in college drawing a political cartoon. And I wasn't doing that for any money. That was sort of "cutting my teeth" in publishing. And I learned quite a bit just publishing in a college paper. The beauty of the college paper is that they'll publish just about anything, really. So I learned about the fine art of cartooning and illustration for newsprint, which is quite different than, say, the glossy stock that What's Up? Annapolis is printed on. Newsprint is very binary-it's either black or white and you have to get really good at cross-hatching and the kind of drawing style that newspapers require.
So I did that most of my college career and then I went on to do political cartoons for the Alexandria Gazette [now called the Gazette Packet]. So I jumped over to the journal newspapers. Then I dropped out of it and it wasn't until 1991, when I self-syndicated Sherman's Lagoon. I just conjured up this character-I've always been fascinated with sharks. I figured the shark could be kind of a dumb, knuckle-headed character that's like the foundation of a lot of comedy teams-Laurel and Hardy or Desi and Lucy-and for his foil, I dreamed up a character that's a little more neurotic and intelligent. And then I built the cast around them. The hermit crab, Hawthorne, is very type A, greedy, and selfish. There's a little nerd fish named Earnest and he's sort of the way I speak to, hopefully, younger readers-he's very computer oriented and literate. And there's Megan, who is Sherman's wife.
WUA: How much of the characters' personalities are a play off of your life?
JT: They all are in a certain way. They're all little bits of my personality and that's how I'm able to write for them. Sherman is sort of my "stupid, ask any question" side of me. Fillmore the sea turtle is more of my intellectual, book side. And Hawthorne is my entrepreneurial side. So they all have a side of me in them.
WUA: What are some of your favorite themes or gags that you like to play off of? And do you ever find yourself having a difficult time coming up with new material?
JT: Yeah I do. But that's sort of the nature of deadline writing, as I'm sure you can relate to. In general, the most fertile ground is life experience and lately for me it's been new kids and a wife, so I do a fair amount of marriage gags between Sherman and Megan.
WUA: What about Annapolis as inspiration? You moved back after some time in Paris and San Francisco.
JT: We lived in San Francisco for about 13 years and there I did a lot of saltwater scuba diving and I was really into that sort of thing. I haven't done much of that here but the Bay is a great inspiration because we have all of these critters. We live on the South River so we can catch crabs and fish and so forth. And teaching that to the kids is a lot of fun as well.
And everybody new that you meet-a new friend or a new neighbor-can be worked into the strip. My friends aren't regular characters but a setup will make it into the strip.
WUA: Do you ever touch on the hot topics of the day: politics, religion, science, and celebrity life?
JT: A little bit of topical stuff. But with Sherman I made the decision a long time ago not to do politics. If you're a politically oriented comic strip, it's okay-it's just that you have to stay that way, you have to stay in that genre, you have to be Doonesbury or Boondocks, or whatever. And if you're not, you have to stay out of it. The reason for that is the syndicate wants to know how to sell you. And if they sell you as a political strip then you have to stay in that genre. And if they sell you as a nonpartisan strip, they sell you like that. So it's a little hard to change your formula and keep customers. And so for me, it was a fundamental business decision to stay out of politics.
WUA: Well, what's it like to be known nationally, even worldwide for that matter?
JT: (laughs) Well, you're not exactly talking to Brad Pitt. Even people who know Sherman's Lagoon-which I don't really run into a lot of-people that know the strip hardly know my name and nobody recognizes me. A lot of authors are like that too. I couldn't pick Michael Crichton out of a lineup. But it's sort of the life of the writer even if you're a "famous writer." You're kind of behind your work. It's not like waiters recognize my name when I give them the credit card.
WUA: What's a day in the life for you like? What's the production process for the strip?
JT: I wake up and probably do my best writing in the morning when it's still quiet. And I try to get a few ideas down by noon. I do that for a couple days of the week. And I can usually get all the drawing done in about a 6-hour stretch. So I really work 3 days out of the week on the comic strip and I do some other things. I work with an ad agency in Baltimore doing humor-oriented advertising. It's nice to get out of the office. Sometimes I'll go to the Naval Academy library when I need a quiet time to write because I have a 1 1/2-year-old and a 3 1/2-year-old-it's kind of a zoo at my house right now. Just getting out of the studio and interacting with other people is really a great thing to do if you're home alone all day doing your craft. Especially if you're an artist trying to create art that other people can relate to. It really behooves you to get out of the house and experience what other people experience and learn what other people find funny.
WUA: Is there anything else you'd like to discuss?
JT: Well it's truly a pleasure to live in the Annapolis area and be in a community that's so water oriented, so sailing oriented, and so conservation oriented. And that's really neat for me; we just love it.
-j.s. houck
Street Talk
by Kimi Raspa
One of the best things about summer is the assortment of celebrations, holidays, and events packed into a 3-month stretch. Whether it's a birthday, an annual fundraiser, or a public art festival, there is always something on the calendar. We asked you this month's question: What is your favorite local event that you're looking forward to this summer?
 Brian Vent, 25, Naval officer, of Annapolis-"Commissioning Week." |
 Jordan, 13, and Cody Cole, 12, of Crownsville-Jordan: "The Demolition Derby." Cody: "Being on the Severn River and eating crabs." |
 Heather, 20, Hairdresser, of Baltimore-"Baltimore Pride day." |
 Mike, 45, General contractor, and Tracey Nosal, 52, U.S. Airways ramp agent, of Crownsville-"Anne Arundel Fairgrounds." |
 Reid Stevens, 27, Student and bartender, of Columbia-"The Greek Festival." |
 Jamie, 22, Hairdresser, of Pasadena-"Having my baby." |
Questions about Street Talk? Contact Kimi Raspa at kraspa@whatsupmag.com or (410) 267-9390 x117.