The PuSh Festival is once again upon us. For me this means a number of things. Tomorrow I will be taking German artist Volker Gerling on one of a dozen scheduled walks so that he might make a flipbook from it. If you have not seen Volker perform, where he presents his flipbooks via camera projection, there is documentation online. I should add that I am hosting Volker’s “Portraits In Motion” event at Performance Works on February 3rd (8PM).

Another event, one I am ambivalent about, is the stage version of Hard Core Logo, based on my book, Noel S. Baker’s screenplay and Bruce McDonald’s film. I say ambivalent because in reading the interviews (all of them with playwright and lead actor Michael Scholar, Jr.), I sense that what is driving this production has more to do with “authenticity” than artistry, and that of course is its own road to hell.

An event I am looking forward to is the mildly titled Inventions & Mysteries. Presented with Theatre Conspiracy, this January 28th lecture by industry professional Bro Gilbert promises a behind-the-scenes peek at -- as well as a critique of -- the magic business. Magic is one of the few disbelief suspenders left in our culture. Somehow I think this lecture will do more to revive it than put it to rest.