ATLRetro

La Schaffer gets a bit anachronistic. Photo courtesy of La Schaffer.

Here at ATLRetro, we’re not so sure what to think about the new cinematic version of THE GREAT GATSBY, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and directed by Baz Luhrmann which hits theaters this Friday, but if it inspires more Roaring ’20s-themed social events, we’re ready to do the Time Warp back to the Charleston again. We’ve also been hearing quite a bit about a newfangled, Retro-inspired sound called “ElectroSwing”! Then we heard about Madame Nocturne’s ElectroSwing Soiree at Gatsby’s Prohibition Nightclub and Dessert Lounge in Midtown on Thursday May 9. Well, it didn’t take us long to decide that its organizer La Schaffer would sure make a swell Kool Kat of the Week.

La is relatively new to the event planner world, but has a background in design and nouveau cirque that intrigued us further. She has a pretty awesome day job as graphic designer for the Center for Puppetry Arts and is about to head to Georgia Tech this fall to pursue a master’s degree in Human-Computer Interaction. She also works with the wacky Dad’s Garage troupe, performs with ELEMENT Acrobats + Circus Artists and helps out with marketing for Imperial OPA.

We caught up with La lately to find out more about her fabulous creative life and this week’s soiree. Here’s what she had to say!

ATLRetro: ElectroSwing is a rising new musical trend with events springing up around the nation. For the uninitiated, what is it and how does it relate to vintage swing music?

La Schaffer: ElectroSwing mixes swing and jazz with modern beats to create something that feels both old and new simultaneously. Often, the swing elements used are sampled straight out of the Big Band era, but they’re made to be a bit more accessible to a modern crowd when mixed with electronic dance music. ElectroSwing artists who create original compositions do an incredible job of recreating the core components of good old fashioned jazz and swing, so sometimes it’s hard to tell if something is old or new, and that’s part of the fun.

Does dancing to ElectroSwing require ballroom lessons?

I sure hope not, or else I’m in trouble! Part of the beauty of the genre is the versatility: You can sort of choose your own adventure and go the swing route, and listen to and pick up those themes, or you can stick to the electronic side and jam out that way. It’s all super catchy, so I think the bigger question is how not to dance around to it, in one way or another!

Gatsby’s sounds like an ATLRetro dream venue. What’s it like inside?

Gatsby’s has a great vibe and some fabulous decor. Much of the furniture is actually vintage. The tables are covered in old newspaper clippings. The lighting is dim and moody – mason jar light fixtures over the bar, red light lamps with dangling crystals, and a dance floor with lighting that can change with the occasion. There are little nooks and crannies to explore, and lots of fun old things on the walls to investigate. It transports you to another time while still being a bit playful. The space can be used for a variety of events since it has a huge dance floor. City of the South Theater even puts on productions there by turning the dance floor into a theater in the round (Here, have a plug for Sordid Lives, running May 11, 17 and 18!). It’s a very cool space to hang out in. It makes you feel a little mysterious.

Why was the 1920s way cooler than now?

As much of a big ol’ nerd and technophile as I am, there is something magical about the simpler days of past eras. I’m terribly guilty of the manufactured busy-ness phenomenon and the dreaded Fear Of Missing Out. Being so connected to everything sometimes makes it hard to concentrate only on what is right in front of us. I imagine it must have been easier to focus on your own experiences and accomplishments to some degree. Then there’s just the whole rebellious teenager phase of America. I’m not sure I’d want to live certain parts it – the smugglin’ and bootleggin’ – but it’s so fascinating to think about and imagine.

Are you a big fan of THE GREAT GATSBY, the book or the 1974 movie? Why do you think F. Scott Fitzgerald’s story is so enduring?

I actually just did a lot of reviewing recently while planning this shindig – reread the book and saw the 1970s movie for the first time. I hadn’t read THE GREAT GATSBY since middle school, when I thought I was just so super cool for carrying around my grandmother’s crackly, yellowed, 1940s paperback copy, instead of the school-issued copy. I certainly got way more out of it this time around. I think, aside from it being such a clear documentation of the era, the story endures the test of time for the same reason tabloids exist: People love train wrecks. It’s comforting to hear stories that are worse than our own mishaps. That aspect is timeless: Its craziness.

La Schaffer. Photo courtesy of La Schaffer.

Do you have any trepidation about the new movie coming out this summer?

Not even at all. I’m pretty confident from what I’ve seen so far that I, personally, am going to love it — I can’t speak for anyone else! I recently re-watched both ROMEO + JULIET (1996) and MOULIN ROUGE! (2001) out of excitement for THE GREAT GATSBY and realized just how bizarre those movies are. I was completely obsessed with MOULIN ROUGE! when it came out. I never really thought about how weird it was until recently, and how both it and ROMEO + JULIET  just require you to sit back, shut up, and accept this random element that it being thrown into an inappropriate setting: breaking out into song, using only Shakespearean English complete with iambic pentameter, or whatever it will be in THE GREAT GATSBY. I’m excited to see what twists he adds.

Who’s Madame Nocturne? I understand she’s a bit of an elusive hostess, not unlike Jay Gatsby?

It’s true! It’s hard to say sometimes if she’ll even show up to her own events. She keeps an eye on the big picture while the rest of us run around and do the dirty work of planning. She’s sort of quiet, but she’s very sweet if you get a chance to meet her. Keep an eye out for a petite lady in a fancy fur coat, which is her trademark.  She certainly will be overseeing the evening from her elevated vantage point, at the very least.

I understand there will be a cirque element as well. Can you talk a little about that and how does the cirque aesthetic dovetail with the 1920s?

It’s good old fashioned entertainment! What’s more ’20s than some razzle dazzle spectacle? It’s beautiful, graceful, and just a little bit dangerous. We’ll have aerial silks and lyra performances by ELEMENT circus artists + acrobats throughout the night.  Some of them may be by yours truly.

How should we dress? Any shopping tips for finding vintage suits or flapper dresses in Atlanta?

Dress however you’d like – whatever inspires you! Show up retro or electro. I expect we’ll see a lot of ’20s,’ 40s, cirque and steampunk-inspired styles, as well as some modern raver-wear, and “normies,” too. All are welcome! I wish I knew where to shop for vintage goodness. My home stock of costumes is embarrassingly abysmal, considering my interests. I must confess that my favorite ’20s dress – a lovely, lacy, drop-waist black and light pink number – is graciously loaned to me by Liz Singleton, the amazing Costume Designer at Dad’s Garage, which is one of my homes away from home. Other places I shop for vintage clothing include my parents’ basement, my friends’ closets and cheap costume websites… Eek.  Sad trombone sound goes here!

La Schaffer. Photo courtesy of La Schaffer.

When you’re not planning 1920s themed soirees, you have what most folks might call a pretty awesome day job as a graphic designer for the Center for Puppetry Arts. Can you share a little bit about what you do there?

Yup! I’ve been the graphic designer for the marketing department at the Center for four years now. I take care of things like ads, postcards, brochures, eblasts and our giant annual Season Guide. We just went through a huge rebranding, so that was quite exciting for me. It’s a great place to be – everyone’s really cool and playful, and it’s very much like a family. Plus, if I ever have a rough day, I can just go up to the museum and hang out with Dr. Teeth for a few minutes. He always knows what to say. I’m actually headed back to school this fall, though, so I’m sad to be leaving, but they won’t get rid of me that easily. I’ll be back to volunteer and generally continue to “contribute” ridiculous “ideas” at inappropriate times.

What other cool things are you up to?

Let’s see. I tend bar at Dad’s Garage; gym hop for aerial silks, tumbling, rock climbing and occasional parkour; help out with marketing for various cool groups around town; go to tons of theater; and travel as much as funding allows!

Will this be the first of a series of Madame Nocturne social events? Is there a Facebook page or Twitter feed we can like/ follow to make sure we don’t miss the next one?

It’s actually her second, but this event is a big step up from her first one. It is possible that this will lead to more, though! It will depend on how the event goes. We’ll see what Gatsby’s thinks. We were lucky enough to meet with The Artifice Club during the planning process, so who knows, maybe she’ll get in cahoots with them somehow, too. You can befriend her here to keep in touch!

Anything else you’d like to add about why folks should definitely come out this Thursday?

The better turnout we have, the more likely it is for Gatsby’s to play ElectroSwing regularly, and I think that would be a pretty great thing to have going on in Atlanta!