CHARLES PHOENIX'S HOLIDAY

RETRO SLIDE SHOW

Saturday December 3, 2011 -2:00 and 8:00pm

Pop Culture humorist, Charles Phoenix celebrates how we decorated, dressed up, dined, and drank for the holidays in the, 50s and, 60s. With his abundant joy, clever wit and keen eye for odd-ball detail, he supercharges the classic living room slide show into a laugh-out-loud roast and toast of classic and kitschy mid-century New Year’s, Easter, Fourth of July, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas life and style.
Celebrating classic and kitsch pop culture, Charles is known for his retro slide show performances, school bus field trip tours, roller skating variety shows, test kitchen creations, coffee table books and Slide of the Week emails. He offers a hip and highly original take on American life and style. Fans from coast to coast enjoy his infectious enthusiasm and keen eye for finding humor and delight in the details. He provides commentary and serves as a recurring correspondent for NPR and The Martha Stewart Show.

Southern California Native

In the 60s and 70s while growing up in Ontario, Calif., Charles “studied” design at the “Disneyland School of Style” and became interested in 50s and 60s cars, spending Saturdays on his dad’s used car lots. As a teen he discovered thrift shops as museums of merchandise and the perfect place to study the underbelly of our mass consumerism culture.
In 1982, Charles moved to Los Angeles and began a career as a fashion designer. Because he kept getting fired from every design job, he started collecting and trading vintage American cars. During that time, he stumbled across a box of old Kodachrome slides in a thrift shop.  That discovery changed the course of his life. Soon collecting other peoples old slides became an addiction that inspired his first retro slide show performance in 1998.

Retro Slide Showman

Charles’ passion for American culture, combined with his massive collection of vintage slides, soon evolved into live slide show performances nationwide at civic theaters, museums, universities and corporate events. Often, he embellishes his shows by showcasing hula hoopers, ballerinas, marionettes, roller skaters and even a pink poodle. He also enjoys honoring local legends and has been known to make ambrosia on stage and serve it at intermission.
At the 2003 New York Fringe Theatre Festival, his RETRO VACATION SLIDE SHOW TOUR OF THE USA was awarded “Most Unique Theatrical Performance.”  LA WEEKLY chose Charles for the cover of its 2008 people issue, calling him the “Kodachrome King.” In 2009 He was the Grand Marshall of Pasadena’s Doo Dah Parade.

www.charlesphoenix.com