Riley Reels

News. Reviews. Photography

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Fun with Fujifilm

I recently had the pleasure of messing around with a Fujifilm X-H1 with their 80mm Macro lens on a 2x teleconverter! Click below to see some results!

Location: Denver Botanic Gardens, Denver Colorado

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Meet Me In St. Louis

Recently I had the pleasure -or pain- to travel to St Louis Missouri and spend some time in this old city over the 4th of July. The pain part of this, well 110 degrees and two destroyed rolls of film later I would recommend visiting in the fall. Still, the history that the state had to offer gave me some wonderful photography. Here are a few that I loved from the trip.

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Queen City Architectural Salvage

Queen City Architectural Salvage

4750 Brighton Blvd, Denver, CO 80216

Finding this little gem is easy to do, straight off a main highway this junk yard is a photographers dream. However be warned, its only open for short hours and only part of the week; not to mention the construction surrounding the entire place. 

The best way to get there currently is to still get off at Brighton Blvd, just know parking is scarce and the neighborhood can be a bit rough. But with this salvage junk yard gem of a place it is well worth whatever walk you might have to do. When I went the sun was just peaking out and the place was packed (there was a photography meet-up) so walking room was tight. I would not recommend bringing a tripod as the aisle ways are small, uneven, and to be courteous to other patrons it would be best to leave it be. 

There are plenty of things there, around 4 old cars, an old diner, toilets, and so much texture some people might overload. The owner is super polite and loves that photographers come to see the place, he is also a Denver Historian. If there is anything you want to know about Denver- ask him. I would say this is definitely a place you could go if you wanted some fun stuff to take pictures of, or if you need a good restoration project for a house. The old doors would make good picture frames, or if you need some fun lighting some of the older buildings are also stocked. 

I might head back in awhile as the place is small, but still enjoyed my time there, and I do believe you will too.

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It's Electric...

And so we reach the second play to come out of the Black Box Respiratory at the Arvada Center for Arts and Humanities wth The Electric Baby. Now I have never heard of this play but upon seeing the sketches that were on display at the Arvada Center, my imagination was taken hold of by the amazing work of the set that will be apart of this production. 

     Many of the actors from Sense and Sensibility will be returning, as well as their understudies now taking on lead roles within this play. Words cannot describe how curious I am to see the staging of this show. As they are using the same space that Sense and Sensibility is still currently running in. The Electric Baby from what I read up on, is defiantly going to be an interesting night of dark comedy, with underlying motives and lessons involving a magical baby. In other words I am instantly intrigued. 

    Being more of the musical girl that I am, I am trying to watch more plays this year and the Arvada Center has helped tremendously with their Black Box season. They are 1 for 1 right now with their cheeky Sense and Sensibility, let’s see if they can go 2 for 2 with their production of the Electric Baby. I will be seeing it Friday, February 9th at 7:30.

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Sluething Around

Who doesn’t love a murder mystery? I know little to no one who can resist the dark undertones, and characters that you seem to be unable to read upon first glance. It is this lure that is pulling Samantha and myself to the Vintage Theatre, for their production of Sleuth that will open on February 2nd. 

    While I have been to many productions at the Vintage I believe this is the most excited I have been for one of their productions. With the theatre being as small as it is, it is sure to present an intimate mystery that will put the audience right in the center of the action. Sleuth won the 1971 tony for best play, and presents an interesting story that is sure to keep us all on the edge of our seats. 

    When mystery writer Andrew Wyke invites his wife’s lover to his county estate, things turn sinter in an unexpected game of cat and mouse. 

     Now, this one sentence alone peaks my interest and I’m sure it will catch many theatre goers eye as the mystery unravels within the walls of The Vintage. Personally I am looking for to this production and cannot wait to see what director Bernie Cardell and his cast have in store for us. 

    We will be seeing Sleuth on February 2nd at the Vintage at 7:30pm.

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Sense & Sensibility

    When I think of Jane Austin, I will admit Sense and Sensibility, isn’t the first story that appears within my head. As a matter of fact the only time I have read this tale was way back in high school, for an english course that I really don’t remember. With that being said, strangely enough I am very excited to be seeing the play adaptation that is premiering at the Arvada Center on January 26th. 

    This production will be performed by The Arvada Center’s Black Box Respiratory Company, a group of very multitalented actors who are not only taking on multiple roles in  this play, but are also performing in two or all of the upcoming plays within this season. 

    That is a hard task within itself and I would be lying if I said I am not curious to see them perform. I love watching actors change their entire body language and appearance, shapeshifting into a completely different person, with a different personality, or even an entirely different being. It shows the complexity and skills these actors have trained to the best of their abilities. 

     It isn’t hard to see that I a very excited to see this production, especially considering this will be a comedy. Like many people I am complete sucker for them, I adore watching comedic timing and seeing how the audience will respond. Having read up on this production, it will be nice to see what risks and twists have they have added to this story, and how quick they will be able to pull the audience, including myself in Austin’s world. 

     We see Sense and Sensibility on January 26th, at the Arvada Center at 7:30pm.

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Being Sick

What's harder?

 Being sick or trying to not be sick because there are so many things you need to do? 

 I'd say both, in the current month we've got a lot of stuff coming up from the Arvada Center all the way up to Evergreen. The 365 photo challenge is going, just hard to keep up posting it when some of it is on a film canister that isn't finished yet. 

Also some other fun news, I'm officially starting to teach classes both at my day job and through another company! Boulder Film festival is coming but I won't be participating unfortunately, an unexpected trip to Minnesota is planned two weeks before hand and there isn't enough time to prepare. Oh well, more fun pictures in the frozen north for me! 

 And just for fun, the picture is from the Academy Awards years ago, it's an old slide I found!

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Mining for Gold

Later next week we are going to have the pleasure of experiencing Josh Hartwell's version of A Christmas Carol at Miner's Alley Playhouse in Golden, CO. This will be the second time I will have seen the show but the continual change that I have heard being described about the show has me excited. 

Seeing such a classic getting redone but also reworked is going to be worth the wait, and importantly worth the time for the creative team. With only 6 actors in the whole production things are going to get interesting, but also more exciting. The last time I saw this production (a more classical rendition I might add) was at the Guthrie in Minneapolis. Having a smaller setting I believe is going to be very very nice. 

We will be seeing A Christmas Carol Dec. 8th which runs until Dec. 23rd at The Miner's Alley Playhouse in Golden, CO.

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RENT 20th Anniversary Tour

  Because everything is RENT

 You know I can remember the first time I saw the musical Rent….Well the movie version that is… I was about 14 and had bought the dvd from an old video store in the mall. My dad was with me and thought nothing of it as I paid for the newest musical in my collection. What happens next will forever remain one of the funniest moments in my life, That being my little brother having to watch Rent with me on our way home. Let’s just say his face was priceless. 

    With that aside it is kinda sad to know I have never really seen a live production of Rent.  The opportunity just never presented itself with where I was currently living and by then I believe that touring company had come to an end. Now I wonder how I will react when seeing the 20th anniversary tour. Rent was something that I always had to be in the mood for to watch. In other words I had to be ready to feel extremely sad after sitting through it. Its premise surrounding eight friends living in New York City during the Aids epidemic can make a person feel that way. I think that’s also why I haven’t watched it in a while. The show is very heavy and while the music can be upbeat from time to time, with songs that still get stuck in my head, it can also be very emotional. But with what this show did for musical theatre I am very interested to see it. This time from what its creator envisioned instead of the film. 

    I see Rent on November 14th at 7:30, at the Buell Theatre.

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The End of #DFF40

It is officially the last day of Denver Film Festival 40.

 I have had a blast seeing all the films I could in the time I had, some were amazing, some not so good. But that is what I consider a beautiful part of a film festival-- seeing films and cinema in a non-skewed way. 

Except for Molly's Game. I wanted to see that movie since it finished principal filming. 

I had the privilege to see and interact with as many people from the Denver Film Society, who I am extremely thankful for, and who put on an amazing event. They deserve recognition for the hard effort and work they put into this fest.

I am excited for my reviews to slowly trickle in, the first will by Molly's Game the Big Night Presentation from Thursday November 9th, and I, Tonya from the Closing Night Presentation on November 11th. 

 Keep following to see more reviews pop up of the festival as a whole, the films, and especially the Colorado-grown Walden: Life in the Woods. 

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DFS 40

I’m excited. Very excited, I can officially announce that I will be apart of the accredited press for the length of the festival. I will be able to see the films, shorts, and student work that will be featured within the 12 days of a film lovers dream.

There are two red carpet presentations I’m extremely excited for two films; Molly’s Game Jessica Chastain’s new film. Honestly I screamed for a couple of milliseconds on learning that one was in the lineup. The second is the closing night presentation of I,Tonya the Biopic about Tonya Harding—I heard this got good press at Toronto so I’m curious at how this one is going to be. 

I’m also planning on seeing 6 other films or panels, so please give me some options if you know of any good ones that will be happening!

Denver Film Festival runs from November 1- November 12

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Being "The Foreigner"

    It’s so strange how much superstition can go into a day like Friday the 13th. Strangely enough this has always been a good, but normal day for me. It’s probably the fact I was born on the 13th and am a natural clumsy person on a day to day basis. But anyway…. 

    Hopefully the date will be oblivious at the Arvada Center as they open their production of The Foreigner. I am very excited for it to be staged in their black box theatre; one space I have yet to see a production in. 

    Having known little to none about this play I am very curious to see it and it is safe in my opinion to not read anymore into it. I will be going into this show with an open mind. Normally I am more of a musical type of girl and plays sometimes have to work a bit harder to keep my attention. However this one did piqued my curiosity. The play is a comedy and from what little I have read up on it looks to be a good night of entertainment. Hopefully it will scare away the paranoid superstitions of a day that is known to be so unlucky. 

    We will be seeing the production on Friday, Oct 13th at The Arvada Center for Performing Arts.

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Dracula.

So I have never been one to go to the Ballet, I've also never really been one for Opera either (yet I have done the latter and highly regretted it). So I can honestly say this is my first time seeing anything close to the highly sophisticated event that is ballet. 

I'm one of the lucky few that has not sat through The Nutcracker, thanks Mom.

Anyhow, when I saw that there was going to be a "Dracula" ballet I got curious, well more than curious I bought the tickets that night. I had loved anything to do with the work and world of Dracula so I thought hopefully there will be creepy music. I just also hope at the same time there will be plenty to eat.

I got really hungry at Cinderella

We see Dracula this Saturday Oct. 7, 2017 at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House.

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Wicked, New York City, Jennifer DiNoia & Carrie St. Louis

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Wicked, New York City, 10th Anniversary Edition. Lindsey Mendez & Alli Mauzey

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Wicked Playbill, New York City, Teal Wicks & Katie Rose Clarke

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The Muny, 99th Season, St. Louis, Missouri The Little Mermaid