There’s something kinetic about two art events happening in the LGBT community this coming week. One is a foot-stomping musical about a fictitious boy-band, while the other is a series of colorful yet contemplative paintings that depict figures as if emerging from a dream state.
Let’s start with the boy-band.
Altar Boyz is a rafter-raising musical comedy about a Christian boy-band on the last night of their Raise the Praise tour. The Boyz are five all-singing, all-dancing heartthrobs from Ohio. And yes, you guessed it; they go by Matthew, Mark, Luke, Juan and Abraham.
From what I can gather the show is chock-full of tight harmonies and spectacular dancing. But there is also a message woven throughout about faith, loyalty and the ultimate harmony.
With music direction by Sean Laperruque, choreography by Michael Mizerany and set and lighting design by Michael Hoffman, Altar Boyz is playing at the Diversionary Theatre from Aug. 9 through 19. diversionary.org
Meanwhile, over at the Pink Noodle, local artist James Dingman is showing what he describes as a “newer” series of paintings titled Querer Es Poder (aka: The Power of Dreams).
After a very long hiatus from art-making, Dingman picked up his brush again and settled in on a style and technique that he says finally fascinated him. In a lovely correspondence that illustrates the push and pull of being an artist in the real world, James explained his process.
“I alternate layers of masking with layers of transparent color, and do it over and over until things begin to emerge. It might take a dozen layers or fifteen or more; but eventually my subjects reveal themselves.”
Dingman insists that he does not have a plan in advance. “Sometimes I enhance what I see to make it easier for a viewer to find. Other times I leave things lurking in their raw state so that anyone who spends a little time may discover them. Needless to say, people often find things I didn’t even see myself.”
Make sure to attend the reception so that you can hear the story about the inadvertent penis. While there is a subliminal sexual energy in the painting’s subject matter, ultimately, Dingman’s hope is that the paintings reward the casual viewer with more than mere content, much as a cloud-filled sky rewards a 10-year-old gazing up from the backyard.
Querer Es Poder is on the walls of the Pink Noodle (406 University Ave.) until the end of August. You are welcome to attend a reception Thursday, Aug. 2, from 7 – 9 p.m.
They forgot to mention the show was directed by Noah Longton.