Wire Magazine 22.2018 Catching Up With Gorgeous Model Philippe Bélanger by David Vance

ISSUE # 22 | 05.31.18 DESTINATIONS: AMELIA ISLAND A TASTE OF THE FINER LIFE

ARTS NEWSIE: SUMMER SHORTS

RETURN TO THE ARSHT CENTER

TOP TRAX: JANELLE MONÁE & CHARLIE PUTH DOWN TO FUNK!

CATCHING UP WITH GORGEOUS MODEL

PHILIPPE BÉLANGER

BY DAVID VANCE

WIREMAG.COM/PHOTOS

TABLE OF CONTENTS: 8. ARTS NEWSIE: SUMMER SHORTS

America's Short Play Festival, better known as Summer Shorts, is coming to the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, so we preview it for you in this week's issue.

12. COVER STORY: PHILIPPE BÉLANGER BY DAVID VANCE

Model Philippe Bélanger returned to Miami recently for another photo shoot with acclaimed photographer David Vance. Enjoy the beautiful photographs!

18. TOP TRAX: JANELLE MONÁE & CHARLIE PUTH ARE DOWN TO FUNK

The latest throwback music revival is being led by young artists like Janelle Monáe and Charlie Puth, who are letting everyone know they're back and they're Down To Funk!

20. DESTINATIONS: AMELIA ISLAND

Amelia Island offers a distinct and special taste of the finer life in a small, gorgeous, elegant setting.

28. GOING OUT: PLAN YOUR OUTINGS

Visit wiremag.com/goingout for this week's rundown of nightlife, dining and cultural events.

PHOTO BY DAVID VANCE. DAVIDVANCEPRINTS.COM

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Distributed in print in Miami, The Beaches, and Fort Lauderdale, and digitally worldwide through wiremag.com The views, opinions or positions expressed by contributors to and interview subjects of Wire Magazine are theirs alone and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions or positions of Wire Magazine, its staff or publisher.

Cover photo by David Vance davidvanceprints.com Model: Philippe BĂŠlanger

PUBLISHER'S CORNER BYE BYE RACIST ROSEANNE! This week, I start by opining about Tuesday's ABC firing of Roseanne Barr and the cancellation of her show Roseanne, after she tweeted a disgusting, racist "joke" about Valerie Jarrett, former senior advisor to President Obama. Trump may get away with racist comments and disgusting insults, but ABC and its management stood up to similar behavior by one of his biggest supporters and clearly said enough is enough. ABC Entertainment Group president Channing Dungey, who in 2016 became the first African-American president of ABC Entertainment, put it best when she said, "Roseanne's Twitter statement is abhorrent, repugnant and inconsistent with our values, and we have decided to cancel her show."

In this week's issue, we catch up with model Philippe Bélanger to get an update on what he has been up to since his first photo shoot with acclaimed photographer David Vance. Philippe returned to Miami recently for another photo shoot with David, so we decided to sit down with both of them to talk about their collaboration and how the beautiful photographs in this week's cover story came about. Enjoy the interviews, the sexy centerfold and the rest of the photos!

The official start of summer this year is Thursday, June 21. Summer solstice will take place on this day, when the Sun reaches its northernmost point from the equator. With the start of summer and the upcoming high temperatures and rains also comes America's Short Play Festival, better known as Summer Shorts. This annual theatrical Festival will take place at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts from May 31 to July 1, as part of the Summer 4U @ Arsht Series. Audiences will enjoy some of the best ten-minute plays nationwide, as Summer Shorts celebrates its 23rd anniversary. We sat down with its leader, City Theatre Artistic Director Margaret M. Ledford, to discuss how this summer's theater season kick-off will entertain audiences in a cool air-conditioned environment with a mix of new short plays, comedies, dramas and mini-musicals.

If you are looking for summer vacation options, Amelia Island could be a nice choice right in our home state of Florida. In Destinations, Michael W. Sasser fills us in on a vacation spot that offers a distinct and special taste of the finer life in a small, gorgeous, elegant setting. With its beautiful beaches and native wildlife, the city of Fernandina Beach, and some of the best golfing in the state, Amelia Island is frequently considered one of the top island destinations in the United States. In Top Trax, DJ FR8-O looks at how the latest throwback music revival is being led by young artists like Janelle Monáe and Charlie Puth, who are letting everyone know they're back and they're Down To Funk!

Finally, remember to visit wiremag.com/goingout if you are interested in going out and enjoying some of the nightlife, dining and cultural events in our Magic City and Fort Lauderdale. There is always something going on in South Florida!

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ARTS NEWSIE

By Rafa Carvajal

SUMMER SHORTS

RETURN TO THE ARSHT CENTER merica's Short Play Festival, better known as Summer Shorts, is coming to the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts from May 31 to July 1, as part of the Summer 4U @ Arsht Series. During this year's Festival you will enjoy some of the best ten-minute plays nationwide, as Summer Shorts celebrates its 23rd anniversary led by City Theatre Artistic Director Margaret M. Ledford. Summer Shorts is considered the kick-off of the summer theater season with a celebration of diversity through a mix of new short plays, comedies, dramas and mini-musicals. Tickets to Summer Shorts are $39-$54 and can be purchased through the Adrienne Arsht Center Box Office by calling 305.949.6722, or online at arshtcenter.org.

Rafa Carvajal: Describe this year's Summer Shorts to our readers.

Margaret Ledford: This year's Summer Shorts is an incredibly funny romp featuring characters, including people, critters and creatures, engaging in nine different kinds of storytelling. Together these plays, with humor and surprising twists, prove to have substance, humanity, and something to say.

RC: What is your job as artistic director for Summer Shorts?

ML: My job as artistic director is to curate an evening of seven to nine short plays, from over 1,000 submissions, that are diverse, unique, fun, thought provoking and can exist in one evening of entertainment together. It is also to assemble a design team and acting ensemble that are nimble, flexible, creative, talented, and open to this wild ride of seven to nine plays.

Finally, it's to produce entertaining theater that audiences will enjoy, remember, recommend and want to return to year after year.

8 WIREMAG.COM #22 2018

PHOTO BY GEORGE SCHIAVONE. PROVIDED BY ADRIENNE ARSHT CENTER

I sat down with Margaret Ledford to learn more about this year's Summer Shorts and what audiences should expect when they go to the theater.

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RC: How different is it being the director of one show versus a collection of short plays?

ML: Each play, no matter the length, is about conveying to the audience in the clearest ways at your disposal (set, costume, props, lights, sound, movement, etc.) the playwright's storytelling intention. In a full length play, you have the advantage of being able to sit in those elements longer with a single vision and utilize them to your every advantage. In a festival of short plays, you must do that with three or more plays, using the same elements to the best of each piece, and yet find what is distinctly different in each script. As artistic director, my job is to communicate with each of the four to five festival directors, to calibrate and incorporate their style and taste, into a cohesive theatrical production.

RC: Describe Summer Shorts in three words.

ML: A funny must see (as one sentence), or funny, exhilarating, must-see.

RC: Tell us about some of your favorite shorts in this year's program.

ML: Each play is my favorite for what it is in its own way!

1. The musical The Almost In Laws by Greg Edwards and Andy Roninson is adorable, and features the singing talents of our incredible cast, while taking on topical social issues.

2. Covenant by Ken Weitzman is a wonderful, quippy, and funny peak into a couple's dilemma on the day of their son's circumcision.

3. Run, penned by This Is Us writer Bekah Brunstetter, centers around a young girl whose dad is awkwardly trying to help her body-image issues in all the wrong, but well meaning, ways.

4. Bloodbath at the Fillmore by Audrey Cefaly finds an award winning writer holding up his speaking engagement causing havoc backstage.

5. Melto Man and Lady Mantis by Eric Pfeffinger – two monsters doing their taxes, one office, funny!

10 WIREMAG.COM #22 2018

RC: What is the most challenging aspect of directing Summer Shorts, and why?

ML: In a short play festival, we have to share some of the same production elements.

The challenge is to use those shared elements in a new and exciting way for each of your plays. It is fun and stretches you as a director.

RC: What do you think audiences will enjoy the most from this year's Summer Shorts program?

ML: Beyond the laughs, I think each audience member, no matter the age or the place you are in your life, will find something that speaks to you, makes you giggle, and feel a bit better about the world around us. It will be a great time!

RC: Why do you think it is important to have arts and culture programming such as Summer Shorts year-round?

ML: Arts and culture reminds us of our humanity, our shared human experiences, and can help us reach beyond what might be familiar to us in our daily lives and allow us to expand. With Summer Shorts you can have a full season of theatre in one night!

RC: Is there anything else you would like to share with Wire Magazine readers?

ML: City Theatre is the only professional company in the country dedicated to developing and producing short plays and musicals. This is City Theatre's 23rd season of producing the Summer Shorts Festival alone! What began as a kind of single summer theatre experiment in a new genre in 1996, continues to grow into new and innovative opportunities for producing shorts year-round for all ages. Most importantly, City Theatre has not only sustained itself with this unique niche of theatre, but it creates productions and visibility for hundreds of local, regional and national award-winning and emerging playwrights, and employs nearly a hundred talented and diverse regional artists annually.

PHOTO BY GEORGE SCHIAVONE. PROVIDED BY ADRIENNE ARSHT CENTER

RC: What is the process like for selecting the short plays that make it into Summer Shorts?

ML: First, we have a team of readers that go through the submissions, then that gets reduced to around 200-250 plays. From there, the literary team and myself sort through and cull it down to 25-30 of the best plays for Summer Shorts. Then, among these I try to find the best seven to nine plays/musicals that will co-exist and inform each other in one program.

However, the secret is our City Theatre National Award for Short Playwriting Contest. The contest exists to recognize talented playwrights and award excellence in writing. There may be 20-30 plays that will make the cut as a winner and finalists, including plays currently being produced in Summer Shorts.

The other scripts become our "bench" – the plays we go to and consider in future productions of City Theatre programming: including our reading series, Winter Shorts, Shorts Gone Wild, City Shorts, the Short Cuts school tour and other Summer Shorts.

CATCHING UP WITH MODEL

R E G N A L É B E P P I L I PH vajal prints.com

By Rafa Car davidvance avid Vance.

D by os ot Ph

odel Philippe Bélanger returned to Miami recently for another photo shoot with acclaimed photographer David Vance. I sat down with both Philippe and David to talk about their collaboration and how the beautiful photographs in this week's cover story came about.

Rafa Carvajal: Tell our readers about yourself.

Philippe Bélanger: I'm 26 years old. I'm mainly a circus artist but also a sportswear designer, model, entrepreneur, fierce workaholic, attention whore, a bit of a party boy, but also a positive energy, life-driven person.

RC: In your opinion, what is your greatest strength as a model?

PB: I always thought that my athletic physique was my biggest strength as a model, but recently I've been told that it's also my jawline and my eyes.

12 WIREMAG.COM #22 2018

RC: How have your experiences and training with Cirque du Soleil helped you in your photo shoots?

PB: I think a good attribute to being a successful model is knowing how to work your face, knowing what it looks like without having to see yourself in the mirror. Being on stage over the years, watched by thousands of people every day, has really helped me develop this. Knowing what works and what doesn't in terms of facial expressions and body language. Helping me to comfortably implement this into my photo shoots.

RC: What are your main goals as a model?

PB: At the moment, I'm mostly modelling for my own company Design KontroL. But, honestly I'd like to model for other big brands as well! We'll see how that goes.

RC: Tell our readers about Design KontroL. Are you working on any new designs?

PB: Design KontroL is a sportswear brand that my acrobatic/business partner and I launched in December of 2015. We design clothes that we think are properly adapted and suitable for our acrobatic training, but also for anybody that wants to wear a garment that will follow the limit of your movements throughout your training. All the products are designed and created by us, and then manufactured in Canada. We are just about to launch new designs and are also working on some for next winter. If you want to know more, everything will be shared on social media (@designkontrol).

RC: What do you consider your greatest guilty pleasure?

PB: It's gonna sound very clichĂŠ, but I love putting a bit of maple syrup in my coffee (it's the Canadian in me).

RC: Tell us three of your favorite things to do in life.

PB: Obviously, I love being on stage and showing off my skills. I also really enjoy negotiating contracts. Oh, and I love a great brunch in good company!

RC: If you could meet anyone living or dead, who would it be and why?

PB: I would like to meet Chris Hemsworth. I guess he is my current man crush.

RC: What was your first fragrance, and what cologne do you currently wear?

PB: I've always worn Bleu de Chanel.

RC: What is your workout routine prior to a shoot?

PB: I always like do a little chest workout, just to get that blood flowing and the chest pumping.

RC: Describe your experiences shooting with David Vance.

PB: So far, I've done two really successful shoots with David Vance. We've developed a really nice professional relationship and I feel really comfortable shooting with him. Communication is key and we were just really honest with each other, working as a team. He would tell me if my idea was bad, or when something didn't look good, as I'm not scared of proposing crazy ideas! #22 2018 WIREMAG.COM 13

16 WIREMAG.COM #22 2018

I NTERVIEW WI T H

DAVID VANCE Rafa Carvajal: What is your end goal photographing beautiful men?

David Vance: I don't have an end goal, what I have is an addiction. I shoot because I am compelled or inspired to shoot, and sometimes I am lucky and make a few bucks by using the photos in a calendar or book.

RC: Why did you choose to photograph Philippe BĂŠlanger the first time?

DV: I saw him performing on his unicycle and was taken by his physical appearance.

RC: The most recent shoot?

DV: Once is rarely enough. After photographing him the first time, I knew that on the second round I would be more comfortable with the situation and able to get more from the shoot.

RC: What was it like working with Philippe?

DV: It was a wonderful experience. He is an actor and performer, so he already had a stage presence that made things easier for me.

RC: What did you enjoy the most?

DV: His cooperative easy going attitude. Seeing him on stage, I was expecting someone with more of an ego, more of an defensive attitude. That was not the case. He is charming and funny, just completely affable.

RC: What do you hope our readers take away from your photographs?

DV: I don't care. I don't shoot for other people's reaction. I shoot to express how I feel about my subjects. I just want them to see him through my eyes, filtered through my experience.

RC: What do you think makes an excellent photograph?

DV: One that compels you to look, and keep looking. One that evokes an emotion or a feeling that you can relate to.

RC: What other photography services do you offer and how can our readers contact you for a shoot?

DV: These days, I am mostly considered a portrait photographer. I do personal portraits, and public relations portraits, so I do photos of people who need them for business, or for something memorable to hang on their wall. I also do fitness work for athletes who need that kind of image. I've been shooting people since I was 14, and I know how to make people look their best. I've learned how to light, compose and cajole my subjects to get the most flattering results possible. You can contact me at 305.354.2083 or dmvance@davidvance.com.

#22 2018 WIREMAG.COM 17

TOP TRAX

By DJ FR8-O

JANELLE MONÁE AND CHARLIE PUTH Are Down To Funk

Janelle Monáe - Dirty Computer Arriving half a decade after her critically acclaimed Electric Lady, Monáe's latest update breaks the silence with alt-pop tapestry weaved out of '80s R&B and (of course) classic funk. Accompanied by a 45-minute visual counterpart dubbed Dirty Computer: Emotion Picture, the newly out singer explores the highs and lows of her newfound sexual freedom. It's on funk guitar-driven tracks like "Take a Byte," "Screwed," "Make Me Feel" and "Americans," where you'll swear the 32-year-old is channeling the spirit of the legendary Prince himself. Whether this was intentional or not, it's a perfect homage to the Purple One. The rest of the collection walks the fine line between past and present, distilling elements of Motown soul with edgy rock and modern hip-hop, resulting in a deliciously decadent feast for the ears.

Charlie Puth - Voicenotes After making his mark just a couple of years ago with his ballad-heavy debut Nine Track Mind, it seems that Charlie Puth has decided to funk things up a little this time around. At least that's what you would expect after hearing Voicenotes' first three singles, "Attention," "How Long" and "Done For Me," just oozing with the sound of that sexy instrument we all know and love – the funk guitar. However, there's much more behind the 27-year-old's follow up than carefully-curated guitar riffs. Produced almost exclusively by Puth himself, the collection also gives nods to '90s R&B icons like Babyface, Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis and Teddy Riley. Boyz II Men even make a cameo on the acapella collab "If You Leave Me Now." While it may not be the most avant-garde album of the year, it is the perfect soundtrack for the next time you're DTF.

If you're a recording artist, producer or musician and would like your work featured in TOP TRAX, hit me up at abarrios@wiremag.com.

18 WIREMAG.COM #22 2018

PHOTO CREDIT: © DEPOSITPHOTOS.COM | KAVRAMM

ames Brown sparked it in the '60s, Prince perfected it in the '80s. Now there's a whole new generation of recording artists who are carrying the torch that funk lit. One of my favorite things about modern music is that it's constantly evolving – not necessarily for the better, but not always for the worse either. Sometimes that evolution takes us right back to a sound that was once considered innovative and groundbreaking, before it gave way for the next "new sound" to take the mantle. As we creep closer and closer towards a new decade, you can sense that change is starting to happen again with high-tech bells and whistles slowly being replaced with vintage vibes and live instrumentation like strings and bass guitars. This latest throwback revival is being led by young artists like Janelle Monáe and Charlie Puth, who are letting everyone know they're back and they're Down To Funk!

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DESTINATIONS

By Michael W. Sasser

BEACH, DINING, GOLF AND... GOLF lorida destinations have a lot in common.

There's natural beauty and beaches. There is food and entertainment, although not necessarily in the same locale. There is culture and history. There are world-class resorts. And there is golf. There is lots of golf.

For the uninitiated, Amelia Island is a barrier island off the coast of Northeast Florida, not far from both Jacksonville and the pretty southern coast of Georgia. It encompasses beautiful beaches and native wildlife, the city of Fernandina Beach, and some of the best golfing in the state. It is frequently considered one of the top island destinations in the United States.

The beaches are beautiful, and the cuisine is crafted to permit visitors to finish their unforgettable day on the course or beach with a worldclass dinner. But Amelia Island also isn't really the place to go for cutting edge nightlife and less likely the place for you to meet your next 20 WIREMAG.COM #22 2018

PHOTOS COURTESY OF AMELIAISLAND.COM

Enter Amelia Island. Finding many of the aspects of Florida's appeal can be a challenge.

But upstate, Amelia Island offers a taste of the finer life that fans feel makes it distinct and special. It's not just a feeling, though – it is those things, offering a whole lot of appeal in a small, gorgeous, elegant setting.

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future ex-boyfriend than most beach-y resort towns. Not that it's not gay-friendly; everyone is welcome. It's just stately, a word generally reserved for describing Wayne Manor rather than an actual place.

A number of appeals and attractions, yes. But it starts and ends with golf. Amelia Island's golf courses, including a PGA tournament course, are known throughout the Southeast. Ninety-nine holes of world-class golf await at sites including Amelia River Golf Club, Fernandina Beach Golf Club, the Golf Club of Amelia Island, Omni Amelia Island Plantation... with fabled names like Pete Dye and Arnold Palmer having put their architectural design skills to work. It's a golfing paradise in a setting that just continues the theme.

That outdoor paradise-y can be experienced on 13 miles of beaches with a sunset worth waking up early for, or a sunset boat tour, horseback riding on the beach, join a sea turtle watch and hope to get lucky, or take a kayak excursion on the marshy inland waters. Amelia Island is quite historic and you can learn all about it at the Amelia Island Museum of History. Water sports? Done. Eco-tours? Done. Two theaters for some culture? Done.

Photo licensed by Ingram Image

Accommodations in Amelia Island range from quaint, hospitable B&Bs to a diversity of hotels to resorts like the spectacular Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island or Omni Amelia Island Plantation Resort. If you're doing Amelia Island, you probably aren't looking for shabby chic. Go for it.

Resort dining isn't to be scoffed at in Amelia Island. Coast at the Ritz-Carlton is billed as Modern American, but it's the local seafood that shines, as it does off-campus at the relaxed fine dining Burlingame Restaurant and at Marina Seafood, the island's oldest restaurant. But there is more. David's Restaurant and Lounge is great for steak, local seafood and fine dining in a comfortable setting. Don't miss Oceanside for a casual, flip-flop friendly post-beach break.

You get the whole Amelia Island environment.

It's beachfront elegance with a "stately" glam.

And golf. Lots of golf.

Michael W. Sasser has been a travel writer for more than 20 years, for publishers ranging from Time Out and Frommer's to Miami Herald Custom Publishing and ABARTA Media. He is author of thousands of travel stories and dozens of travel books. Reach him at mikewsasser@yahoo.com.

For more information, visit ameliaisland.com.

22 WIREMAG.COM #22 2018

Photo courtesy of ameliaisland.com

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Connection speeds up to 75 Mbps*

What you get with HughesNet Satellite Internet:

• 50X faster than DSL!!**

• Fast speeds up to 25 Mbps

• Reliability and high speed with fiber optic technology

• Available everywhere

• Fast download time for streaming videos, music and more!

• Larger data allowance (up to 50 GB per month)

Speed performance allowing you to stream & download shows, music, photos, large files and more on multiple devices

CONTACT YOUR LOCAL AUTHORIZED RETAILER

844-495-0237 HughesNet is a registered trademark of Hughes Network Systems, LLC, an EchoStar company.

The HughsNet Gen5 service plans are designed to deliver download speeds of 25 Mbps and upload speeds of 3 Mbps, but individual customers may experience different speeds at different times of the day. Speeds and uninterrupted use are not guaranteed and may vary based on a variety of factors including: the configuration of your computer, the number of concurrent users, network of Internet congestion, the capabilities and content of the websites you are accessing, network management practices as deemed necessary, and other factors. When you connected to HughesNet service using Wi-Fi, your experience will vary based on your proximity to the Wi-Fi source and the strength of the signal. *Speeds may vary depending on distance, line quality and number of devices used concurrently. Subject to availability. Some prices shown may be introductory offers. Equipment fees, taxes and other fees and restrictions may apply. **Speed comparison based on 1.5 Mbps DSL.

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