A Coyote was spotted trying to sneak up on the Bald Eagle perched next to the aereation pond on Middle Foy's Lake in broad daylight. Yeah, the eagle just took off flying. The weather is a touch colder, but light snow keeps falling intermittently, with sunshine in between the flurries.

New and Updated! Theater X-Net

Featuring: Ida Rubinstein Belle Epoch Russian/Parisian beauty.
Read more about Ida in Sisters of Salome by Toni Bentley

Visit: Michael's Montana Web Archive
Theater, Art, Flash Gordon, Funky Music and MORE!

Webmaster Blues: All basic links are clickin' along! I had an email from ex-Friends Roadshow stalwart Michael Novotny about a change I had to make, too.

Charity Alert: Keep that resolution! Click on The Hunger Site every day.

Theatre/Theater: Katie will be doing performances on the 28th and on Feb. 6th in Amsterdam before heading out to France and Scotland. Overtoom 301

Bindlestiff Family Cirkus Update

Ringmistress Philomena and Mr. Pennygaff of the
Bindlestiff Family Cirkus
(From a photo by Liz Steger on Backwash Zine)
Bindlestiff Family Cirkus Winter Cabaret
Every Friday Night from March 17 through April 28, 2006
at Galapagos Art Space, 70 North 6th Street, Williamsburgh, NY
directions: http://www.galapagosartspace.com/directions.html
Admission: $15 ($5 discount for clowns in make-up)Showtime: 10 pm. The BFC Cabaret brings together elements of circus, sideshow, vaudeville, burlesque, and cabaret to provide a stage for some of the most talented performing artists in the world. Jugglers, clowns, acrobats, and trapeze artists share the stage with musicians, magicians, dancers, daredevils, and more. Each show features a unique combination of acts, but all promise a legendary lineup of circus feats, sideshow marvels, and world-class entertainers. The New York Times said of the BFC Cabaret: "It's old-fashioned variety entertainment of the sort Ed Sullivan so astutely scooped up, but with twists."

Bindlestiff Family Cirkus presents Cavalcade of Youth
at Henry Street Settement/Abrons Arts Center, 466 Grand Street, New York, NY.
Sunday March 26, 2006 and Sunday April 2, 2006
3 pm showtime Tickets: $15 ($10 for those under 21)
The performers of tomorrow steal the stage today! Bindlestiff Family Cirkus presents a special showcase for young variety performers, ranging from amateurs to world-class professionals. Juvenile jugglers, diminutive dancers, adolescent acrobats and a host of other moppets and mummers present a full show of vernal vaudeville. Acts range from debuting amateurs to world-class champion performers—all under the age of 21.

Bindlestiff Family Cirkus Variety Show
at Makor, 35 West 67th Street March 19, 2006
The Bindlestiff's are bringing a bit of downtown entertainment uptown. More details coming soon.

Book Release Events featuring Bindlestiffs
Trav S.D., Bindlestiff Family Cirkus Advisory Board Member, has just released a hysterical and histrionic history of Vaudeville, No Applause, Just Throw Money: The Book That Made Vaudeville Famous. Not only does the book include the Bindlestiffs, book release events include a few Bindlestiff appearances:
* Saturday, March 4, 4pm: Brooklyn Public Library: "Brooklyn Vaudeville Past"
* Saturday, March 11, 4pm: Brooklyn Public Library: "Brooklyn Vaudeville Present"

Bindlestiff Family Cirkus Summer Tour (mostly Northeastern United States)
Thirst for excitement? Dying for a night at the Cirkus? Yearning for an ice cold beer? Well, you're in luck! This summer the Bindlestiff Family Cirkus and Magic Hat Brewing Company team up to satisfy all your thirsts! Coming to over 35 cities, form Maine to North Carolina, the long awaited Bindlestiff Family Circus East Coat Tour hits the road in June, July and August. To celebrate the launch of the Magic Hat Summer Variety Show 12 Pack, The Bindlestiffs will be rolling into a town near you with a classic variety show that promises something for everyone: circus, sideshow, vaudeville and burlesque presented in unique Bindlestiff style. Don't settle for any pale imitations! The cast features an All-star lineup of founding members of America's best travelling variety show--Scotty the Blue Bunny, David Didd, Philomena and Mr. Pennygaff, joined by Aussie circus sensation Dizzy Lizzie, musical guest stars, and other surprises! Stay tuned for more details. Coming to a Town near you!

Seeking young acts to be a part of this Year's Cavalcade of Youth
Wanted: contortionists, jugglers, magicians, puppeteers, ringmasters or mistresses, tap dancers, singers and musicians, clowns, aerialists, rope spinners, wire walkers, sideshow marvels, and other entertaining folks. Ground or aerial; solo, partner, and group acts are welcome! If you'd prefer to help out behind the scenes, that's great too. Take this opportunity to learn basic theater production skills of all kinds, including sound and lighting operation, set maintenance and construction, rigging, costume and make-up design, front of house management, and show promotion. Our staff of theater professionals is ready to invest its talents in the next generation of variety performers. You help us; we'll help you. No experience necessary if you're willing to work! Sign up now! Must be under 21 years of age.
To find out more or sign up to perform, please contact Cavalcade of Youth Director Viveca Gardiner at 212.989.4718 or Viveca@PlayfulProductions.com.
To find out more about Bindlestiff Family Cirkus, call 1-877-BINDLES or see www.bindlestiff.org.

Seeking Acts for Bindlestiff Family Cirkus Cabaret
We are always looking for amazing talent to take part in the Bindlestiff Family Cirkus. For over ten years the Bindlestiff Family Cirkus has presented some of the best variety acts working today. This show is unable to bring artists in from out of town, but if you are coming through New York in March or April and are looking for a good excuse to play New York, let us know. We will not be holding auditions this year, however,tapes and promotional material can be sent to Bindlestiff Family Cirkus, PO Box 1917, New York, NY 10009.

Bring the Cirkus to your town
We are currently seeking venues to host the 2006 Bindlestiff Family Cirkus Summer Tour. We are looking for venues that are Cirkus friendly and ready to serve pints and Bottles of Magic Hat Beer. The larger the stage the grander the show. For booking details email Stephanie at stephanie@bindlestiff.org

Volunteer and/or intern with the Cirkus
Bindlestiff is seeking volunteers and interns for all New York events. If you are interested in being a part of show email Ellia at ellia@bindlestiff.org.

Bindlestiff Family Cirkus on DVD coming soon.
For over ten years the Bindlestiff Family Cirkus has been presenting its unique blend of Circus, Sideshow, Vaudeville, and Burlesque and you will soon be able to take the Cirkus home with you. Produced by Alan Plotkin this documentary highlights the travels, trials and evolution of the Bindlestiff Family Cirkus. Warning: Video may contain risque material. Stay tuned for actual release date, early bird specials, ordering info, and public screenings.

Keep the Variety Arts Alive Here at BFC headquarters we're already thinking about spring. We have a new season of shows coming up, and some big changes on the way. As we raise funds for publicity, marketing, management, costumes, rehearsal space, technical support, and equipment, we come to you, our fans, friends, and donors, with our annual appeal for your support. Every donation is greatly appreciated, whether it is five dollars or five thousand dollars. With your help, Circus, Sideshow, Vaudeville and Burlesque continue to thrive despite the rising costs of insurance, gas, props, publicity, legal fees, moving costs, storage, venue rentals...
Donations can be give on-line at http://www.bindlestiff.org or by sending a check or money order to Bindlestiff Family Variety Arts, Inc., PO Box 1917, New York, NY 10009. You can also donate online at http://www.bindlestiff.org/donate.html
Bindlestiff Family Variety Arts, Inc. is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization devoted to the preservation and evolution of the variety arts.
Bindlestiff Family Cirkus PO Box 1917 New York, NY 10009 1-877-BINDLES

Three Whitetail Deer were foraging under the feeders in the back yard. More snow melted than fell yesterday, so there was plenty of greenery to graze on too.

New and Updated! Theater X-Net

Featuring: Ida Rubinstein Belle Epoch Russian/Parisian beauty.
Read more about Ida in Sisters of Salome by Toni Bentley

Visit: Michael's Montana Web Archive
Theater, Art, Flash Gordon, Funky Music and MORE!

Webmaster Blues: I have some links and images yet to fix on the above sites, but the changes are in gear.

Charity Alert: Keep that resolution! Click on The Hunger Site every day.

Media Watch: Jillian (Warry) Barbarie and John Zimmerman are leading everybody on Skating with Celebrities. Todd Bridges fell down in his performance and was the first one voted off. Soon the Winter Olympics will be televised and we'll see some REAL skating! Zimmerman's wife is on the Italian team, and home ice has it's advantages. Let's see -- Deborah Gibson was entertaining. (I have always admired her determination.) Kristy Swanson got better. Dave Coulier and Nancy Kerrigan were fairly flat. Ex-Olympic jocks Tai Babalonia and Bruce Jenner were better too.


Jillian Barbarie (Left) injured a groin muscle during practice for the second week's number. It looks like there will be more bumps and bruises during this show. John Zimmerman (Right) looks like he's thinking, "She got through the routine ALIVE!"

SUSPICIONS CONFIRMED -- I was outside filling the feeders when the Sharp-Shinned Hawk chased a Finch into our cedar tree and caught it. They must have been flying over 30 MPH! The alternating snow, clouds, and sun pattern continues.

Updates later this week: Theater X-Net

Featuring: Ida Rubinstein Belle Epoch Russian/Parisian beauty.
Read more about Ida in Sisters of Salome by Toni Bentley

Visit: Michael's Montana Web Archive
Theater, Art, Flash Gordon, Funky Music and MORE!

Charity Alert: Keep that resolution! Click on The Hunger Site every day.

Media Watch: Let's go for the superficial stuff first!
Dancing with the Stars -- Cheryl and Drew stayed, as did "Tina Sparkle." Master P and Ashley Del Grosso must have generated some sympathy votes like ours -- they will come back. Newscaster Giselle Fernandez, who topped George Hamilton in the comedy department on Thursday, came in last. Too bad -- we liked the Soap Opera Lady the least this time.
NFL Football -- The Denver Broncos were out-muscled by the Pittsburgh Steelers at Mile High Stadium. The Seattle Seahawks made cat skin rugs out of the Carolina Panthers in Seattle. Pittsburgh's veteran running back Jerome Bettis AKA "The Bus," is a sentimental working-class favorite with much of the nation, myself included. He's retiring from this very rough game before he's permanently crippled. For his sake, I'm rooting for the Steelers over the Seahawks, even though I once lived in Seattle. The Superbowl will be in Bettis' home town of Detroit. Sad to say, but Frank and Jillian's final diversions of the season weren't worth describing. (Barbarie will get a few mentions in the near future as I follow Skating with the Celebrities, though.)


Giselle Fernandez during her tango with Jonathan Roberts
She may be off the show, but her quick wit won't be forgotten.
Book TV -- Einstein on Race and Racism was a surprising program. The two authors not only told the story of Einstein's support for Civil Rights in his adopted country (my own), but how this information has been suppressed and censored over decades. He was friendly with then-controversial 'radicals' like W.E.B. DuBois and Paul Robeson. He joined the N.A.A.C.P. and attended their meetings in the segregated town of Princeton, New Jersey. He lobbied on behalf of anti-lynching legislation, and other life-affirming activities which got him placed on Hoover's FBI watch-list. There always seems to be more to admire about this remarkable human being.
Another program was about the book Mastermind by Daniel Charles, the subject of which was Fritz Haber, the German chemist who created and oversaw the use of poison gas in World War One. To Haber's credit, he also made large-scale nitrogen fertilizers which enabled the post WWII "Green Revolution," for good and bad. He was born a Jew and converted to Christianity. He tried to excuse his deadly weapons of mass destruction as a patriotic act, rather than the hideous corruption of science and technology that it was. When Hitler came to power Haber was forced to flee his Teutonic military masters because of his genealogy. The Nazis later used Haber's commercial insecticides on his cousins and other human beings in the death camps.
Some dense or misguided audience members tried to categorize he and Einstein together in the Q & A session, but the author made it clear that Einstein was always courageously working for peace, while Haber saw warfare as a business opportunity. Einstein DID help solve some aeronautical problems which helped the German air forces in WWI, and wrote a letter warning FDR about the certitude of the power of a Uranium bomb in 1941, but he didn't participate in weaponizing anything in either case, and always counseled against the stupidity of war. From his letters, there are reasons to believe that Einstein regretted the few interfaces he experienced with governments and their militaries.