Arts&Culture

Sarah Johnson and Scooby Meredith in A Tribute to Hazards of Love at Jub Jub’s Thirst Parlor.

A local vocalist leads a theatrical, musical tribute to a dangerous emotion

BY Katie Dow

The final performance of A Tribute to Hazards of Love is at Jub Jub’s Thirst Parlor, 71 S Wells Ave., 3841652, on Friday, Feb. 14. Doors at 7 p.m., show at 7:30. $15.

Love can be a hazardous pursuit, as anybody who has ever been through a breakup could tell you. (I’m talking to you, ex-boyfriend I punched in the face. You know who you are.) With this idea in mind, the Portland, Ore., band the Decemberists wrote The Hazards of Love, a 17-song rock opera that follows the harrowing story of two lovers torn asunder by the cruelty of fate. The music is emotional with a healthy dose of fantasy.

Jill Marlene, a Reno local and Decemberists enthusiast, found it so compelling that she undertook the challenge of bringing it to the stage. A Tribute to Hazards of Love found that stage at Jub Jub’s Thirst Parlor, 71 S Wells Ave., 384-1652, where it was performed February 7, 8, and 9. The last chance to see it will be Friday, Feb. 14. Doors at 7 p.m., show at 7:30.

Marlene first staged the show three years ago, and it was supposed to be a one-off performance. She had put it together to satisfy her need to pay homage to a band that she worships, to use her own word.

“This is my version of a fan film,” she says. “I don’t know how to make movies, and this is my way to celebrate them.”

It was more successful than anticipated and ever since, she has been asked when she would do it again. Several months ago, she decided to revisit it. She gathered most of the talent she worked with the last time and sent out a call to other local artists and performers to fill out the rest of the cast and crew. The result is a psychedelic Midsummer Night’s Dream aesthetic, complete with aerialists, sentient scenery and an eight-person musical accompaniment.

The advertisements for the show encourage steam-punk attire, which is the first hint that the audience is supposed to be part of the whole experience. Marlene describes the Decemberists’ music as “evocative of a Nouveau Victorian vibe,” and she believes that the steam-punk style fits comfortably with the feel of the music. The intent is for the audience to have fun and feel a connection with the music and the story unfolding around them.

Walking into the large open area where the show is performed, the mood is set by trees lining the walls and actors in full character painted to resemble wood nymphs and trees wandering eerily around, pushing the boundaries of personal space. Painted green and brown vines create a mottled texture all over their skin and other worldly masks covered in branches evoke the impression of antlers. The makeup for the actors, done by Andrea Hansen from House of Blackbird, is elaborate and elegant, giving each character a unique, ethereal beauty. DECEMBER ROMANCE

The Decemberists are an indie folk rock band that has been around since the early oughts. To date, they have released eight full-length albums, The Hazards of Love being seventh. It fits into their repertoire neatly, maintaining the storytelling style of their previous albums. What’s unique about the album, though, is that it was written originally to be a full-scale musical performed on stage. Colin Meloy, the songwriter for the group, decided that it couldn’t work as a stage piece and continued with it as a rock opera.

A Tribute to Hazards of Love picks up on that original intention and carries it to fruition. It’s the story of Margaret, who comes upon an injured fawn in the woods. When he transforms into a man named William, they fall in love. Soon Margaret realizes that she’s pregnant and returns to the woods to find William. Along the way, the audience discovers that immortality was bestowed on William by the Queen of the Forest, who does not take kindly to William wanting to leave with Margaret. She schemes with a Rake to tear the two apart and even as Margaret and William triumph over their foes, it all ends in tragedy.

The interpretation of this story by Marlene and her crew is artfully rendered and literally applied. As the songs are played in the back of the room by the band, they are translated into motion on the stage and surrounding areas. The trees move around on stage to suit the needs of the story as an aerialist on silks moves in time with the music just offstage. Through a mixture of pantomime, interpretive dance, mood lighting, and acrobatics the tale comes to life all around the audience, never limited to just the space of the stage.

While the performance aspect of this tribute is beautifully done, the real show stopper was the band. The Decemberists are praised for having complex music, and the ensemble used for this show handles it exquisitely. Marlene herself provides the vocals for the Queen and occasional backing vocals. With the other talented artists in the band, the music came together with stunning fluidity and clarity.

Seventeen songs flew by as I soaked in the adroit handling of the intricate musical numbers. The spectacle is visually interesting and audibly outstanding. The love and care with which the cast and crew approached their roles comes across in every aspect and definitely lends depth to the overall experience. An after party follows each show with different bands playing each night to keep the fun flowing well past the end of the show.

The cast and crew all expressed excitement for being involved in such a creative endeavor. The tribute is a performance by the community for the community.

Rory Dowd, who plays the Rake, summed up the drive to work hard on this venture. “We’re not making money off this, we’re not getting a lot of fame. We just like putting on shows.” The love of performance and bringing art into the community in new ways is a big incentive for the crew of the show.

A Tribute to Hazards of Love is a full theatrical experience all wrapped up in a rock show. For the last performance, on Valentine’s Day, an all-night DJ party is scheduled to follow. It’s an opportunity to support local artists, and reflect upon all of your own hazardous love affairs.

“Even though it’s tragedy, it’s still a good date night,” says Marlene. ❤

PHOTO/NIABI DANN

NOTICE TO POTENTIAL AGGRIEVED PERSONS

On October 24th, 2013, a settlement fund was established to compensate persons with disabilities who encountered unlawful discrimination in connection with an assistance animal at Rosewood Park Apartments in Reno, Nevada. The Fair Housing Act requires that a landlord grant reasonable accommodation requests to persons with disabilities. This includes granting requests from persons with disabilities who rely on assistance animals to waive pet rules and “no pet” policies. An assistance animal is an animal that does work or performs tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability or provides emotional support or other assistance that alleviates one or more symptoms or effects of a person’s disability.

IF YOU ARE A PERSON WITH A DISABILITY AND HAVE AN ASSISTANCE ANIMAL, YOU MAY BE ENTITLED TO A MONETARY AWARD IF: • You were denied the opportunity to live at Rosewood Park Apartments in Reno,

Nevada because of a “no pets” policy. • You were required to pay pet fees or a pet deposit for the assistance animal. • You were required to live in a certain section of Rosewood Park Apartments.

If you believe you fall into one of these categories, or if you have information about someone else you believe falls into one of these categories, please contact the United States Department of Justice, no later than July 11th, 2014, at: 1-800-896-7743 and select menu option 8. You may also write to:

United States Department of Justice Civil Rights Division Housing and Civil Enforcement Section 1800 G Street, N.W., Suite 7002 Washington, DC 20006 Attn: DJ# 175-46-135

Your telephone message or letter must include your name, address, and, if possible, at least TWO telephone numbers where you may be reached.