Cooking Con Karimi

Cooking Con Karimi

First, a little shameless self-plug (at least it’s related to the story...ha), every Friday night I DJ at a spot in Uptown Minneapolis called Azia (26th/Nicollet) in their Caterpillar Lounge. I come armed with an arsenal of 70s Funk/Soul, 80s Pop/Disco/Hip Hop, and a few other select treats. For the last several weeks* a few particular new faces started to show up (2 guys and a young lady). About 3 weeks ago one of them came up to tell me that they have been enjoying the musical selection there on Fridays. He introduced himself to me as John Castro. As we talked a little bit we realized we shared some common contacts on our travels (most notably he’s friends with Peanut Butter Wolf of Stones Throw and me and Mr Wolf used to trade phone calls/talks in the 90s about our love for obscure 80s rap records). He told me that he was in town from the Bay Area working on a “cooking show” and would be here a bit longer. At the time, I didn’t really know what he meant by “cooking show”…well I guess I assumed I did and thought it was just….well, a cooking show.

 A couple weeks later he elaborated that it was a theater production that was one-part play/one-part cooking show. I was instantly intrigued. I mean eating is certainly a favorite activity of mine. As for as theater, I’m pretty sure I’ve never been to anything beyond the couple school plays I acted in and then some elementary school events for my daughter, niece and nephews. However, it had been something that has long been on my list of things to do. This seemed to be as good a time to start as any. I procured the essential information, told my girlfriend to keep her schedule clear for the date, and then it was only of matter of time…

The play took place at The Pangea World Theater on Lake St “secretly hiding” in a unassuming business building (711 West Lake), which is a cool spot that I had no idea existed. The play itself was completely entertaining from beginning to end! I definitely admired their attention to detail in such things as even making the time before the show a part of the show with audience interaction and just subtle going-ons. It was quite effective in building the intrigue for what was yet to come.

The play was a combination that is probably “best” described as a political-comedy-culinary work that focuses on the many ways that people interact with each other. This idea isn’t only the job of the actors alone, the audience is invited and encouraged to be a part of the experience at key parts thru out. There are a few surprises that I don’t want to spoil if you get a chance to get out and see this play so I won’t go to deep into that.

The Play is very cleverly written and uses the kitchen and the art of cooking as metaphors and/or symbols for our beliefs, prejudices, and just overall daily actions.  There’s never a dull moment. As an added bonus, thru out the play you have the opportunity to get a few different snacks that are whipped up on the set. Then as the ultimate end-all conclusion each member of the audience is fed a complete meal once all the fun and knowledge has come full circle.

I unfortunately had to leave right after the play and didn’t get to enjoy the food…I move that I’m still regretting being that as I passed it by on the way out my eyes scanned all the tasty looking and “aromeous”* options and even now the thought of it evokes memories of the school teachings of Pavlov’s Dog… 

I wish I had seen this earlier to make this a suggestive post for you to go out and see it, but I actually caught the last presentation of what I believe were all sold out shows here in Minneapolis. Hopefully this play is traveling around and you can catch it elsewhere or the local popularity of it will get it a second run in the twin cities at some point. In the meantime, you can get to know the talented individuals behind this tasty and thought provoking work who both have many other projects under the belt and in progress:

-www.kaoticgood.com
-www.myspace.com/karimi
-John Casto:
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=640014
 
 Additional Places to visit:
-Azia: http://www.aziarestaurant.com/catepillar.htm
-Pangea: www.pangeaworldtheater.org

-The Key:

*This should have actually been posted here on March 12th, but I suck and don’t have time to do anything so are getting a full month later. That sounds about my right, everything in my life is about a month late…whatever that means…ha.

*Aromeous is a word of my own creation. The meaning
 should be obvious, but for those who can’t keep up
 Webster “would” print it as: The act or state of being of
 having a pleasant smell. See: Aroma
 …patent pending J