ABOUT CHARLES PHOENIX’S LIVE RETRO SLIDE SHOW PERFORMANCES

Slideshow Backstory

Charles Phoenix super-charges the classic living room slide show by reinventing it into a hip and hilarious high-octane celebration of classic and kitschy mid-century American life and style.

1950s, 60s and 70s Kodachrome family and travel slides that Charles collects from flea markets and estate sales provide fodder for his highly original retro slide show performances that have earned him a very dedicated following.
Theater, corporate and college audiences from coast to coast are delighted by Charles’ colorful costumes, friendly personality and infectious enthusiasm as he puts his unique spin on kitschy tourist traps, theme parks, space age style, food, parties, and people in all kinds of amazing scenes and situations.

It all began in 1992 in a Los Angeles thrift shop when Phoenix stumbled upon a shoe box full of old Kodachrome slides marked “Trip across the United States, 1957″. Amazed by what he found he began buying other abandoned old slide collections at flea markets and estate sales.
While having a slide show in his living room a friend suggested that he do a show at the California Map and Travel Center in West Los Angeles. He approached the shop owners with his idea to show old vacation slides. Much to his surprise they sternly said “No one will ever be interested in at looking at other people’s old vacation slides.” But Phoenix knew better. He returned with a few vintage slides to show them. They were awestruck by what they saw and booked a date. For that his first public performance he created GOD BLESS AMERICANA: THE RETRO VACATION SLIDE SHOW TOUR OF THE USA. That was in January, 1998. Since then he has added other themes to his repertoire including THE RETRO SLIDE SHOW TOUR OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, THE RETRO DISNEYLAND SLIDE SHOW and THE RETRO HOLIDAY SLIDE SHOW.

Today, after more than a decade of collecting “orphaned” ’40s, ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s family slides, his archive numbers more than 500,000 vintage slides. The subjects and locations of the slides span the globe, ranging from Cuba to Disneyland, from Halloween to trailer parks. The slide shows are always evolving because he’s constantly finding new material.
Each performance is about 1 hour 45 minutes, including a 10 minute intermission.

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