Shutter On The Street

Natalia used to freelance (play without a permit) on the streets of New York City.  The cold winter and rain encouraged her to move underground into the subway system where the weather was consistent.  Playing without a permit meant that Natalia was subject to the nuisance of tickets and fines.  She didn’t mind the small fines but when she received a $150 fine for having a “weapon”, she filed down her saw and sought out the permit.  While she appreciated the freedom offered to her by not having a permit, she enjoys the stability and consistency offered by the permit.  Today, Natalia can be seen playing in various subway stations Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 12-3pm.

Evan Young and Jonathan Burns are two of the youngest acts performing at Baltimore’s Inner Harbor but they are also two of the classiest acts I’ve met.  In an effort to raise funds for the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, Evan and Jonathan combined forces for a series of shows throughout the day donating their tips to help soldiers who have been injured in combat.

The weekend at the beach was very successful. I met a mix of interesting performers on the boardwalk of Ocean City and even got to catch up with some old favorites. Look for the photographs from that trip to show up in a few weeks.

It’s time for another entry from my good friend and fellow photog Steph.  I heard a lot of good feedback from the last time she wrote so it’s a real treat to have her add her two cents and experience to this performer profile.

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While the audience rumbled with gasps of disgust, I was filled with complete amazement at the unbelievable flexibility of Mr. Jonathan Burns. All I could think was, “This guy is like a rubber band in human form!”

After squeezing into a slightly-too-small red coverall, Jonathan Burns captivates his audience with feats of incredible flexibility. Jonathan’s awkward demeanor is entertaining, but misleading once you experience his talent and unique abilities.

To wrap up his show of bending, twisting, and contorting, Jonathan manages to squeeze his entire body through a toilet seat, known affectionately as “The Hoop of Destiny”…a very impressive, very uncomfortable, mind-boggling finale.