Sylvia Hernandez-DiStasi's guest appearances

Sylvia Hernandez-DiStasi

Talk Theatre in Chicago

BOOTH ONE - Celebrating Culture and Conversation

Michael Halberstam

David Catlin

Charlie Newell

Dennis Zacek

Jonathan Abarbanel

Tony Fitzpatrick

Anne Brown

Jonathan Berry

Michael Shannon

Helen Prejean

Jack Zimmerman

Emily Skinner

Carmen Cusack

Steve Scott

Neil LaBute

OwlTail

Gary and Roscoe have Spring Fever, and it isn’t even Spring! Full Lyrics They’re frisky and spinning daydreams as we begin our second year of Booth One podcasts with two special guests this week. Firstly, on a sad note, erstwhile BFF of Gary’s, Carly Fiorina (formerly Carlton S.), has laid her primary campaign to rest. After getting around 4 votes in New Hampshire, it was time to give up the ghost. Fortunately, someone found the perfect burial vault for her campaign …..an old HP copier!Now on to the heart of our episode – we welcome David Catlin Full profile, co-founder of the Lookingglass Theatre Info and Tickets in Chicago; and welcome back Sylvia Hernandez-DiStasi read bio, whose interview on Episode 12 is a listener favorite! Sylvia is co-founder and Artistic Director of the Actors Gymnasium get more info here in Evanston, IL, a marvelous training center for circus and theatrical arts, and has had an amazing career as a world-class circus performer.  David and Sylvia are appearing together in a new show at the Actors Gymnasium called Marnie &amp; Phil: A Circus Love Story Info and Tickets, written and directed by Chris Mathews of The House Theatre of Chicago read more. Marnie &amp; Phil tells the story of a young aerialist and an aspiring clown as they seek to make their mark in the big time circus world. Their love-lorn tale unfolds through thrilling circus acts, clown routines, acrobatics, gorgeous music and moving dialogue. With a deft touch, writer/director Mathews reveals all the splendor, humor, pathos and sacrifice that being a successful circus performer entails, while subtly illuminating important aspects of the human condition. This show has Heart with a capital H! David and Sylvia tell how they met in 1993 and the various projects they have collaborated on through the years. We learn about their inspirations, the sources of their passion for performing, and how Marnie &amp; Phil reflects their individual lives. Roscoe talks about his fascination with the Silks routines and wonders if one is ever too old to learn… We discuss a sequence in the show where 20 young performers encircle the stage on Unicycles and why the audience finds the sequence so emotionally moving. Sylvia and David tell us about how they have borrowed from the great performers, teachers and instructors over the years to create their own unique aesthetic and techniques. Roscoe proposes that one can’t learn to be funny by watching Shecky Greene on TV! See Shecky on YouTube Huge congratulations are in order for Lookingglass Theatre, who this week received a monetary award of $1,000,000 from the MacArthur Foundation, one of 14 Chicago area theatres to be so honored by the “2016 MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions”. Full story David and Sylvia have contributed so much to Lookingglass and MacArthur’s gift will enable this remarkable ensemble theatre to keep taking great theatrical risks! Sylvia discusses her family history getting into the world of  circus performance, and reminisces about her life in the Ringling Brothers traveling circus. Go here if you’d like to see Sylvia and the Hernandez Troupe in action from the nineties!   We talk about superstitions that circus performers have – no peacock feathers ever!; Never wear yellow on stage; A bird in the tent is bad luck; Never cut a loose thread with scissors – always tear it off. David and Sylvia reveal their pre-show ritual of wishing for a “Good, Fast, Safe Show – Rock the House” with each member of the cast. Too bad we can’t show you the hand slapping routine that goes with it. It’s quite the dazzling feat. As we do with most guests, Gary breaks out the Chat Pack get more info here and David and Sylvia are game to play along. Find out who their favorite teacher/best boss was, hear them describe encounters with wild animals+, and what was the most dangerous thing they’ve ever done. Roscoe relates anecdotes about Marina Oswald Porter and feral Mexican dogs! Finally, listen as David describes the genesis of the Lookingglass Theatre space, and how the flexibility and configurations of stage and seating allow the company to keep their audiences engaged and immersed in the storytelling of a piece. This is Catlin at his most eloquent. Not to be missed!            Kiss of Death – Tommy Kelly, Hollywood’s Tom Sawyer. Wiki Link Movie mogul David O. Selznick plucked young Tommy from obscurity in the Bronx in 1937 to star as the iconic Tom Sawyer in the film of Mark Twain’s classic tale. Tommy was 12 at the time and didn’t know a lick about acting. Precisely what Selznick was looking for – an unknown actor who could display a lack of affectation, conspicuously absent from other child stars of the day. Kelly was chosen from what was reported to be 25,000 other young boys that Selznick rejected. Though his film career was short, Kelly had small parts in Gone With the Wind (1939), Irene (1940), and The West Point Story (1951). He spent the later years of his adult life, happily, as a teacher and an educational administrator. Tommy Kelly was 90. Full obit

Gary and Roscoe have Spring Fever, and it isn’t even Spring! <a href="http://www.metrolyrics.com/it-might-as-well-be-spring-lyrics-frank-sinatra.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Full Lyrics</a> They’re frisky and spinning daydreams as we begin our second year of Booth One podcasts with two special guests this week. Firstly, on a sad note, erstwhile BFF of Gary’s, Carly Fiorina (formerly Carlton S.), has laid her primary campaign to rest. After getting around 4 votes in New Hampshire, it was time to give up the ghost. Fortunately, someone found the perfect burial vault for her campaign …..an old HP copier!<a href="https://booth-one.com/2016/02/in-the-center-ring-with-david-catlin-and-sylvia-hernandez-distasi-episode-27/hpcopier/" rel="attachment wp-att-1102 nofollow" target="_blank"></a>Now on to the heart of our episode – we welcome David Catlin <a href="https://www.communication.northwestern.edu/faculty/DavidCatlin" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Full profile</a>, co-founder of the Lookingglass Theatre <a href="http://lookingglasstheatre.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Info and Tickets</a> in Chicago; and welcome back Sylvia Hernandez-DiStasi <a href="http://500clown.com/artists/sylvia-hernandez-distasi/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">read bio,</a> whose interview on Episode 12 is a listener favorite! Sylvia is co-founder and Artistic Director of the Actors Gymnasium <a href="http://www.actorsgymnasium.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">get more info here</a> in Evanston, IL, a marvelous training center for circus and theatrical arts, and has had an amazing career as a world-class circus performer. <a href="https://www.communication.northwestern.edu/faculty/DavidCatlin" rel="attachment wp-att-1103 nofollow" target="_blank"></a> David and Sylvia are appearing together in a new show at the Actors Gymnasium called Marnie &amp; Phil: A Circus Love Story <a href="http://www.actorsgymnasium.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Info and Tickets</a>, written and directed by Chris Mathews of The House Theatre of Chicago <a href="http://thehousetheatre.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">read more</a>. Marnie &amp; Phil tells the story of a young aerialist and an aspiring clown as they seek to make their mark in the big time circus world. <a href="http://www.actorsgymnasium.org/" rel="attachment wp-att-1106 nofollow" target="_blank"></a>Their love-lorn tale unfolds through thrilling circus acts, clown routines, acrobatics, gorgeous music and moving dialogue. With a deft touch, writer/director Mathews reveals all the splendor, humor, pathos and sacrifice that being a successful circus performer entails, while subtly illuminating important aspects of the human condition. This show has Heart with a capital H! David and Sylvia tell how they met in 1993 and the various projects they have collaborated on through the years. We learn about their inspirations, the sources of their passion for performing, and how Marnie &amp; Phil reflects their individual lives. Roscoe talks about his fascination with the Silks routines and wonders if one is ever too old to learn… We discuss a sequence in the show where 20 young performers encircle the stage on Unicycles and why the audience finds the sequence so emotionally moving. Sylvia and David tell us about how they have borrowed from the great performers, teachers and instructors over the years to create their own unique aesthetic and techniques. Roscoe proposes that one can’t learn to be funny by watching Shecky Greene on TV! <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrYwbDfSsdE" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">See Shecky on YouTube</a> Huge congratulations are in order for Lookingglass Theatre, who this week received a monetary award of $1,000,000 from the MacArthur Foundation, one of 14 Chicago area theatres to be so honored by the “2016 MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions”. <a href="http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20160218/NEWS07/160219837/macarthur-to-focus-its-arts-firepower-on-chicago" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Full story</a> David and Sylvia have contributed so much to Lookingglass and MacArthur’s gift will enable this remarkable ensemble theatre to keep taking great theatrical risks! Sylvia disc<a href="https://booth-one.com/2016/02/in-the-center-ring-with-david-catlin-and-sylvia-hernandez-distasi-episode-27/tetterboard/" rel="attachment wp-att-1115 nofollow" target="_blank"></a>usses her family history getting into the world of  circus performance, and reminisces about her life in the Ringling Brothers traveling circus. Go <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSYAtCmxrwI" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a> if you’d like to see Sylvia and the Hernandez Troupe in action from the nineties! We talk about superstitions that circus performers have – no peacock feathers ever!; Never wear yellow on stage; A bird in the tent is bad<a href="https://booth-one.com/2016/02/in-the-center-ring-with-david-catlin-and-sylvia-hernandez-distasi-episode-27/peacock/" rel="attachment wp-att-1139 nofollow" target="_blank"></a> luck; Never cut a loose thread with scissors – always tear it off. David and Sylvia reveal their pre-show ritual of wishing for a “Good, Fast, Safe Show – Rock the House” with each member of the cast. Too bad we can’t show you the hand slapping routine that goes with it. It’s quite the dazzling feat. As we do with most guests, Gary breaks out the Chat Pack <a href="http://www.questmarc.com/products/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">get more info here</a> and David and Sylvia are game to play along. <a href="http://www.questmarc.com/products/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a>Find out who their favorite teacher/best boss was, hear them describe encounters with wild animals+, and what was the most dangerous thing they’ve ever done. Roscoe relates anecdotes about Marina Oswald Porter and feral Mexican dogs! Finally, listen as David describes the genesis of the Lookingglass Theatre space, <a href="http://lookingglasstheatre.org/" rel="attachment wp-att-1120 nofollow" target="_blank"></a>and how the flexibility and configurations of stage and seating allow the company to keep their audiences engaged and immersed in the storytelling of a piece. This is Catlin at his most eloquent. Not to be missed! <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=lookingglass+theatre+images&amp;biw=1280&amp;bih=673&amp;tbm=isch&amp;tbo=u&amp;source=univ&amp;sa=X&amp;sqi=2&amp;ved=0ahUKEwiljJzhh5bLAhUGWD4KHVvNAkoQ7AkIMg#tbm=isch&amp;q=chicago+pumping+stattion+images&amp;imgrc=_" rel="attachment wp-att-1145 nofollow" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=lookingglass+theatre+images&amp;biw=1280&amp;bih=673&amp;tbm=isch&amp;tbo=u&amp;source=univ&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=0ahUKEwiH08jwk5TLAhXG6x4KHd7zCM0Q7AkIMg" rel="attachment wp-att-1121 nofollow" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=lookingglass+theatre+images&amp;biw=1280&amp;bih=673&amp;tbm=isch&amp;tbo=u&amp;source=univ&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=0ahUKEwiH08jwk5TLAhXG6x4KHd7zCM0Q7AkIMg" rel="attachment wp-att-1137 nofollow" target="_blank"></a> Kiss of Death – Tommy Kelly, Hollywood’s Tom Sawyer. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_Kelly_%28actor%29" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Wiki Link</a> Movie mogul David O. Selznick plucked young Tommy from obscurity in the Bronx in 1937 to star as the iconic Tom Sawyer in the film of Mark Twain’s classic tale. Tommy was 12 at the time and didn’t know a lick about acting. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_Kelly_%28actor%29" rel="attachment wp-att-1125 nofollow" target="_blank"></a>Precisely what Selznick was looking for – an unknown actor who could display a lack of affectation, conspicuously absent from other child stars of the day. Kelly was chosen from what was reported to be 25,000 other young boys that Selznick rejected. Though his film career was short, Kelly had small parts in Gone With t<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_Kelly_%28actor%29" rel="attachment wp-att-1126 nofollow" target="_blank"></a>he Wind (1939), Irene (1940), and The West Point Story (1951). He spent the later years of his adult life, happily, as a teacher and an educational administrator. Tommy Kelly was 90. <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/14/movies/tommy-kelly-who-played-a-hollywood-tom-sawyer-dies-at-90.html?_r=0" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Full obit</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_Kelly_%28actor%29" rel="attachment wp-att-1127 nofollow" target="_blank"></a>

In The Center Ring with David Catlin and Sylvia Hernandez-DiStasi – Episode 27

Our very special guest, Sylvia Hernandez-DiStasi, Co-Artistic Director &amp; Co-Founder of the Actors Gymnasium and choreographer of the Lookingglass Theatre production of Moby Dick, stops by for an in-depth interview about circus, performance, training and flying! We are so excited to have Sylvia as our guest on the show today. Gary and Roscoe have just seen the sensational Moby Dick, adapted and directed by David Catlin. Read one of the “through the roof” reviews here. Hedy Weiss. Here are a couple of quotes from that review we couldn’t agree with more: “Lookingglass Theatre’s world premiere production of Moby Dick is a triumph of grand theatrical imagination, deep thought, superb acting and eye-popping, ingeniously deployed physical daring.” AND “As a co-production with the Actors Gymnasium, it also is shot through with astonishingly original aerial choreography by Sylvia Hernandez-DiStasi, and its fearless, acrobatic cast brilliantly captures the grueling and perilous labor of life aboard a whaling ship.” Such beautiful and imaginative story-telling. Gary ran into friends who were at the show with their two young children (maybe 7 and 8?). This is an intense story and ran for 2.5 hours, but these kids were spell-bound. Sylvia’s fabulous interview comes after a couple of brief opening segments. Gary found a fascinating article in The Week entitled, “Do Sharks Like to Eat Humans?” Why some meals are better than others for these monsters of the deep. Legendary silent film director F.W. Murnau’s skull has been stolen (not for the first time) from a cemetery outside Berlin. Gary and Roscoe discuss this senseless vandalism. Could it be the work of occultists? Ross, who is a bit of a silent film expert, tells us about Murnau’s films, such as Nosfaratu and Sunrise (cited as one of the greatest films of all time). He  says The Last Laugh starring Emile Jannings would turn even the biggest skeptic into a silent movie fan. Among other innovations, Murnau introduced the subjective point of view camera. His 1928 film, 4 Devils, was set in a circus.  Read more. Speaking of the circus, again, we are so happy to welcome Sylvia Hernandez-Distasi! Gary asks her to describe what it was like to tour with the professional circus and we hear about her adventures living on the train. She was a flyer for a teeter board act, landing on a chair resting on the shoulders of her four brothers. Sylvia told us about the various kinds of living quarters on the trains and said that walking through the circus train was like traveling through Europe. We talked with her about the evolution of Moby Dick from the first workshop at University of Chicago with Blair Thomas and House, through David’s production at Northwestern and at Lookingglass. She told us about David Catlin’s amazing collaborative process and the specific ways her choreography and the staging changed based the strengths of different cast members in the three productions. They talk about the dream/nightmare choreography featuring the amazing performances of Anthony Fleming III and Jamie Abelson. Gary describes “the dress” that becomes the sea. You really have to see it to believe it. We learn more about the Actor’s Gymnasium in Evanston, a place where actors can build physical skills to enhance their repetoire – as well as a thriving school for adults and children who want to learn circus arts. They offer all kinds of cool classes. Roscoe and our producer are considering “Circus Arts Fitness.” Gary wants to write a show with Sylvia. We’ll keep you posted. Check out Actors Gymnasium Actor’s Gym also develops their own productions. Winter Circus opens on February 13, 2016. Sylvia announces, for the first time on our show...that since it’s the 20th anniversary of Actor’s Gymnasium, she will be joining the cast of the show this year. Run don’t walk. By the way, “Learn to Fly” is the tagline for Actor’s Gymnasium. It’s a great one. Kiss Of Death: A profile of the great percussionist Vic Firth and the making of the modern American drumstick.

<a href="https://booth-one.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/SylviaBW.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a>Our very special guest, Sylvia Hernandez-DiStasi, Co-Artistic Director &amp; Co-Founder of the Actors Gymnasium and choreographer of the Lookingglass Theatre production of Moby Dick, stops by for an in-depth interview about circus, performance, training and flying! We are so excited to have Sylvia as our guest on the show today. Gary and Roscoe have just seen the sensational Moby Dick, adapted and directed by David Catlin. Read one of the “through the roof” reviews here. <a href="http://entertainment.suntimes.com/stage/moby-dick-gets-stellar-lookingglass-treatment/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Hedy Weiss.</a> Here are a couple of quotes from that review we couldn’t agree with more: “Lookingglass Theatre’s world premiere production of Moby Dick is a triumph of grand theatrical imagination, deep thought, superb acting and eye-popping, ingeniously deployed physical daring.” AND “As a co-production with the Actors Gymnasium, it also is shot through with astonishingly original aerial choreography by Sylvia Hernandez-DiStasi, and its fearless, acrobatic cast brilliantly captures the grueling and perilous labor of life aboard a whaling ship.” <a href="https://booth-one.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/MobyDickRBB_8624-X3.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a>Such beautiful and imaginative story-telling. Gary ran into friends who were at the show with their two young children (maybe 7 and 8?). This is an intense story and ran for 2.5 hours, but these kids were spell-bound. Sylvia’s fabulous interview comes after a couple of brief opening segments. Gary found a fascinating article in The Week entitled, “Do Sharks Like to Eat Humans?” Why some meals are better than others for these monsters of the deep. <a href="https://booth-one.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Nosferatu.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a>Legendary silent film director F.W. Murnau’s skull has been stolen (not for the first time) from a cemetery outside Berlin. Gary and Roscoe discuss this senseless vandalism. Could it be the work of occultists? Ross, who is a bit of a silent film expert, tells us about Murnau’s films, such as Nosfaratu and Sunrise (cited as one of the greatest films of all time). He  says The Last Laugh starring Emile Jannings would turn even the biggest skeptic into a silent movie fan. Among other innovations, Murnau introduced the subjective point of view camera. His 1928 film, 4 Devils, was set in a circus.  <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F._W._Murnau" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Read more.</a> Speaking of the circus, again, we are so happy to welcome Sylvia Hernandez-Distasi! Gary asks her to describe what it was like to tour with the professional circus and we hear about her adventures living on the train. She was a flyer for a teeter board act, landing on a chair resting on the shoulders of her four brothers. Sylvia told us about the various kinds of living quarters on the trains and said that walking through the circus train was like traveling through Europe. We talked with her about the evolution of Moby Dick from the first workshop at University of Chicago with Blair Thomas and House, through David’s production at Northwestern and at Lookingglass. She told us about David Catlin’s amazing collaborative process and the specific ways her choreography and the staging changed based the strengths of different cast members in the three productions. They talk about the dream/nightmare choreography featuring the amazing performances of Anthony Fleming III and Jamie Abelson. Gary describes “the dress” that becomes the sea. You really have to see it to believe it. We learn more about the Actor’s Gymnasium in Evanston, a place where actors can build physical skills to enhance their repetoire – as well as a thriving school for adults and children who want to learn circus arts. They offer all kinds of cool classes. Roscoe and our producer are considering “Circus Arts Fitness.” Gary wants to write a show with Sylvia. We’ll keep you posted. <a href="http://www.actorsgymnasium.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Check out Actors Gymnasium</a> Actor’s Gym also develops their own productions. Winter Circus opens on February 13, 2016. Sylvia announces, for the first time on our show...that since it’s the 20th anniversary of Actor’s Gymnasium, she will be joining the cast of the show this year. Run don’t walk. By the way, “Learn to Fly” is the tagline for Actor’s Gymnasium. It’s a great one. Kiss Of Death: A profile of the great percussionist <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/29/arts/music/vic-firth-who-gave-drummers-their-sticks-dies-at-85.html?_r=0" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Vic Firth</a> and the making of the modern American drumstick.<a href="https://booth-one.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/VicFirthdrumsticks.jpg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a>

Learn to Fly with special guest Sylvia Hernandez-Distasi – Episode 12

What makes a text suitable for the signature circus-infused style of Lookingglass Theatre? Director David Catlin and Acrobatic/ Circus Choreographer Sylvia Hernandez-DiStasi join Anne Nicholson Weber to discuss their production of The Little Prince, adapted from Antoine de Saint-Exupery's beloved classic by Rick Cummins and John Scoullar.

TTIC- David Catlin and Sylvia Hernandez-DiStasi - February 10, 2014