Rosie was terrible. I'd been hoping the awfulness of her ill-conceived variety show, "Rosie Live," which played the night before Thanksgiving, would recede in intensity in the intervening days of my holiday break. But no. On Monday, it's still as fresh and raw as a wound that refuses to scab. Felicia and Heather were right, and I deserve to be locked in a subcompact car with Ms. O'Donnell on a six-hour road trip while she screams at her manager on a cell phone. My quick take on the show:
Liza Minnelli was bizarre. Brittle and dangerously amped like a stereo speaker one volume level from blowing out, she seemed so jittery and hopped up I was afraid that her too-tightly-pulled face was going to shatter like a porcelain vase, or that she'd offer a primal scream and fling herself into the audience.
The pie-in-the-face routine with Conan O'Brien was actually one of the better spots on the show. And that's saying a lot.
I'm a big Jane Krakowski (big Broadway star, Elaine on "Ally McBeal") fan. So I won't hold her "Rosie Live" appearance, in which she turned the song "You've Gotta Have a Gimmick" into a corny series of product placements and then took off all her clothes, against her.
Everything about the show, from the stodgy staging (a few desultory dancers) and the performance space (a traditional proscenium stage) to the emphasis on cute little performing kids, seemed positively archaic. I fear that in one swoop, Rosie has managed to forever slay the genre.
OK, we can do this without setting off the corny alarm, right? On this Thanksgiving weekend, here's a chance for you to tell us one thing you're thankful for. It doesn't have to be what you're MOST thankful for, so don't worry about dissing your sweetheart, or the Big Guy Who Lives in the Sky, or the numbing effects of alcohol. Just one, good, solid thanks.
Well, Rick Bentley and I had a jolly time today bashing two of the big Thanksgiving movie releases. I gave the mediocre "Four Christmases" a C, and Rick really tore into "Australia" with a D+. (Rounding out the three major releases today on the pages of The Bee, Orlando Sentinel critic Roger Moore trashed "Transporter 3," giving it a D.)
As this never-ending food-movie-more food-maybe-another-movie weekend progresses, let us know your thoughts about what's playing. (We already have posts up where you can sound off about "Bolt" and "Twilight.") Or did you just stay inside with the crummy weather and watch DVDs?
It's just a regular Tuesday, but there's something about today's Bee that really pulled me in as a reader. Here are the stories I found intriguing:
Metro columnist Bill McEwen writes that the site of the former Kmart on Olive Avenue across from Roeding Park -- a grim example of urban blight that makes me wince every time I drive by -- is going to find new life as the Fresno Super Mall. In this case, McEwen writes, that's a "fancy name for an indoor swap meet." He's irked that the city took so long finding a way to improve the zoo and redevelop the area around Roeding Park, and that while he doesn't have anything against the swap-meet owner, he doesn't feel that it's the kind of business that would make a good impression on tourists visiting one of Fresno's top attractions. I have to agree with McEwen. I kept hoping for some major in-fill development for this big, prime parcel. We waited since 2002 for this? [Pictured: the abandoned Kmart in a Bee file photo.]
Gottschalks might be "your store," but come January, the Fresno-based department store chain will be under the control of a Chinese investment firm that is "an extension of the government," according to a professor of international business. This from a story by Bee writer Tim Sheehan. Hmmm. Wonder what those red-state Clovis patriots will think when they learn they're buying their intimate apparel from the Red State itself?
Fresno's Fox and CW affiliates are likely to go up for auction as part of bankruptcy proceedings under way for 10 of the 27 television stations owned by Harry J. Pappas, Beehiver Rick Bentley reports. Just think, Felicia: You could buy Channel 59 and program "America's Next Top Model" 24-hour marathons to your heart's content.
And lastly, check out the headline from this downright beautiful story from Page A1 of today's paper: "A little nap can go a long way in boosting memory, creativity." As someone who loves to crash for a bit during those late-afternoon sleepy-time hours, I loved every minute of this pop-science story. I plan to laminate it and use it as domestic protection.
UPDATE 4 p.m. 11/25: Looks like we have a winner: Blake Jones! Thanks, all, for playing.
Yes, Beehive readers, we're giving away coveted tickets to the sold-out last performance (7 p.m. Sunday Nov. 30) of Artists' Repertory Theatre's "The Rocky Horror Show" at the Severance Building. As I mentioned yesterday in my contest-tease post, we're mixing things up a little with this giveaway:
Instead of giving away the tickets to the first commenter with a valid e-mail address, we're giving them away to the TENTH commenter with a valid e-mail address. There's a catch, though: You can only enter one time (we'll be checking I.P. addresses) to keep people from flooding our inbox. So when I declare the contest open, you'll have to guess how long to wait to comment in order to be the tenth entry. I won't be posting any comments until a winner is determined.
Well, this is it. The contest is open NOW. Rules are on the jump.
By the way, I've had lots of "Rocky" fans ask me about ART's upcoming productions.
A message from MADL (the Manilow Anti-Defamation League)
To: Ms. Felicia Cousart Matlosz, The Beehive From: Roxanne "Copacabana" Smith, executive director, MADL RE: request for retraction
Ms. Matlosz, it has come to our attention through our diligent network of Internet spies (we call them the Mandy Nation) that you have disparaged the greatest living songwriter and romantic crooner of the century. It's bad enough that you report to your readers the unacceptable conduct of the obviously disturbed judge who "sentenced" criminal offenders to listen to the creator of such world-changing songs as "Looks Like We Made It." (How, we ask, can it be a "sentence" to be required to engage in such a pleasurable activity?) But to include your own snarky opinion of the musical talents of this great man -- to go so far as to claim NAUSEA when listening to him -- ranks as a journalistic travesty. We, the members of the MADL, are shocked, hurt and can't smile without demanding amends from you.
We request not only an apology but a sincere commitment, Ms. Matlosz, that you attend our intensive Manilow Appreciation Training series of seminars. At their conclusion you will not only understand how his brilliance shines through every dominant seventh chord inversion but also have a deeper regard for the creative uses of white Spandex. We also ask that you download at least twenty (20) of the master's songs onto your iPod, including "Bandstand Boogie" and "Daybreak." It is time to make the musical world safe again for sunny music everywhere.
We've got two tickets to 'Rocky Horror' to give away
What's the hottest ticket in town? "The Rocky Horror Show," presented by Artists' Repertory Theater, which has its last two performances this coming weekend, and both are sold out. But here on the Beehive, we have a pair of tickets to the last performance (7 p.m. Sunday) to give away.
We're going to mix things up a little this time, however. Instead of giving away the tickets to the first commenter with a valid e-mail address, we're going to give them away to the TENTH commenter with a valid e-mail address. There's a catch, though: You can only enter one time (we'll be checking I.P. addresses) to keep people from flooding our inbox. So when I declare the contest open, you'll have to guess how long to wait to comment in order to be the tenth entry. Make sense?
And here's some advance warning: I'll be announcing the start of the contest sometime between11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Are you a dance fan? Don't forget the semi-annual University Dance Theatre production this weekend at Fresno State. Student choreography and performance will be showcased in this completely student-produced show running Thursday through Saturday.
According to the department:
With only twelve weeks to prepare, the group designs everything from the choreography and performance to costumes, lights and sound. This fall, twenty-two individuals have interwoven the diversity of their personal backgrounds and dance experience to create an evening of variety and entertainment. Twelve student choreographers have created original pieces in modern dance, hip-hop, jazz, contemporary, musical Theatre and video for this semester's concert. Special guests this fall also include dancers from the Japanese Student Association.
Be sure to get your tickets in advance--during the past 12 semesters, every UDT show has sold out! Tickets are on sale now for $5 and can be purchased either online at www.csufresno.edu/theatrearts or at the box office in the Speech Arts Building, 5201 North Maple Avenue.
Performances are 8 p.m. Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday and 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday.
On the jump: "La Virgin de Guadalupe y Juan Diego" tickets go on sale; Heather Parish is named artistic director of Woodward Shakespeare Festival; Chuck Erven at City College gets an award.
Producers Chris Campbell and Julie Ann Keller report that they've added one performance of Artists Repertory Theatre's production of "The Rocky Horror Show" at the Severance Building. The encore show will be 7 p.m. Nov. 30. The rest of the run is sold out. "Rocky" has become one of the hottest tickets in town, so if you want to nab a coveted seat at this added final performance, I'd do the time warp over to the show's site at brownpapertickets.com just as quickly as you can.
UPDATE 3:46 pm: And our winner is ... Amy Hance. Congratulations!
UPDATE 2:46 pm: We do have a winner, but I'm still waiting on the confirmation email back from that person.
UPDATE 2:04 pm: OK, folks, the ticket contest is on. Rules are on the jump. A pair of tickets will go to the first commenter with a valid email address to this post.
PREVIOUSLY: I'm going to be giving away a pair of tickets sometime between 2 and 2:30 p.m. today to the Fresno Philharmonic's children's concert, "Beethoveen Lives Upstairs." The concert is 3 p.m. Saturday and features actors from Classical Kids Live!, the same company that came for last year's Mozart children's concert with the Phil. It's designed for children ages 6 and up. So keep watching the Hive. When I give the word, the tickets will go to the first person with a valid email address who posts a comment.
I can't recommend "Something's Afoot." This very slight 1976 musical, pitched as a murder mystery spoof, is more plodding than madcap. Though it's given an adequate staging at Roger Rocka's Dinner Theater and includes in its cast several top-notch comic veterans of Good Company Players, this production remains flimsy in terms of music, narrative and laughs.
Of course, "Something's Afoot" doesn't try to be more than a mere trifle. But I'm not sure that the trifle has aged all that well. Perhaps back in the 1970s, spoofing Agathe Christie -- and in particular her novel "Ten Little Indians" -- might have had a little more cultural oomph. As it stands now, the show's concept has a faraway, low-key, quaint-but-dusty feel.
Set on an English country estate (charming set by David Pierce) on the quintessential dark and stormy night (same for Andrea Henrickson's lighting design), the play opens with the arrival to Lord Rancour's house -- which is conveniently set on its own little island and thus easily isolated in a storm -- of a number of weekend guests. True to form in a madcap musical mystery, they've been invited by the host for fiendishly specific reasons, but we don't know what those reasons are.
I'm sure they just wanted to get young people into the Met, but the thuglife was prevalent, and the Met had to shut down the dance party at 3am, kicking everyone out ...
... For club-goers, it's all about who one knows and the power of getting in 'first.' Line cutting, desperate actions at the door (but I know so-and-so! but my friend is already inside! how about i slip you $$...I got mad cash on me. DON'T YOU _________ ME! YOU DON'T KNOW WHO I AM!!)
Well, people, obviously you didn't know or respect this jewel of a building. People started dancing ON the display cases, busting through the back doors, and there were scattered fights.
Shame. The show was well put together, the DJs were the best, and three floors were hopping. But the Met bit off more than they could chew with this disrespectful crowd. Once they cleared everyone out and cleaned up, tho, they reopened to actual visitors who wished to see this new centrepiece of Fresno, not to drop E or sell vicodin in the hallways (just $5 dollars a tab!).
I don't think there will be any more club nights at the Met. Ever.
That's troubling to hear, Stephen. Anyone else have a first-hand account they can contribute?
The Fresno Philharmonic and Theodore Kuchar have agreed to hang out together for five more years. Kuchar and the orchestra's board will announce in the next few days that the conductor is extending his contract. I have a column about the jet-setting conductor -- who has crossed the Atlantic Ocean no less than FIVE times the last three weeks -- in Sunday's Spotlight section. How busy is this guy? Here's a link to a list of the more than 90 compact discs he's recorded for the Naxos, Brilliant Classics, Ondine and Marco Polo labels.
A reminder: Superstar violinist Sarah Chang performs in her second concert of the weekend with the Philharmonic 2:30 p.m. Sunday at the Saroyan Theatre. The Bee's George Warren offers his review here.
Long before CNN turned human warfare into a live event -- we're all familiar now with the graphics-studded, instant-gratification cable-television extravaganzas that allow audiences to stay glued to their tubes and watch death and mayhem in real time -- people back home agonized with the wait of it all. It would take weeks, even months, for the ancients to learn the results of a far-flung battle. Would the sons of a city return home in a triumphant horde? Or would a few pathetic survivors be all that straggle back to deliver the bad news?
There's something about the ache of that situtation that gives Aeschylus' "The Persians," the oldest surviving play in Western civilization, such a powerful impact. The Experimental Theatre Company at Fresno State has crafted a rousing and deeply affecting version of this ancient play, based on a new translation by Elen McLaughlin, that captures both its timeless quality and its raw, contemporary bristle. Director Yosef Mahmood, who's double majoring in theater arts and political science, has put both of his academic interests to great use. He's crafted a fluid and well-staged meditation on the costs and pervasiveness of war.
There's nothing like hatching a brilliant idea in the light of day that involves a 2 a.m. story idea. It sounds great at the time ... and then you have to actually execute it.
When my Hive colleague Felicia and I heard that the Fresno Metropolitan Museum would be open for 55 straight hours for its reopening, we started thinking: What's it like to be in a museum in the middle of the night? Would anyone be there? Would it be like that movie, "A Night in the Museum," in which Ben Stiller discovers that the exhibits come to life at night? After all, the Met's major opening show is "Feathered Dinosaurs and the Origin of Flight."
Our curiosity got the better of us. We decided to see for ourselves and blog about our experience. We picked 2 a.m. If you make it out to the museum this weekend, let us know what you think.
2 a.m. Pair drives by the Million Elephant and Babylon in the Tower District, both incredibly hopping for such a late hour. Who knew the Tower boasted such nightlife?
2:10 a.m. After entering the museum at the ground floor, we take a quick elevator trip up to the fourth floor to check in with John English, manager of marketing and communications. In the space of five minutes, we hear two different people remark upon the bright apple green color scheme in the stairwell. (The museum's thematic colors are white, gray and a very vivid apple green.) One man says, "Where in the world did they get this color? At a sale?"
I ate an extra bowl of Wheaties this morning in preparation for my marathon Fresno entertainment weekend. Here's my itinerary:
I started out last night with Fresno Pacific University's production of "Hay Fever." It continues 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
In just a few minutes, at 4 p.m., I'm going to the opening performance of Aeschylus' classic Greek drama "The Persians," performed by the Experimental Theatre Company at Fresno State. It plays at 4 and 8 p.m. Friday, 8 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday, Lab School Theater.
At 8 p.m., I'll be there for the opening-weekend performance of "Something's Afoot" (pictured above) at Roger Rocka's Dinner Theater. The show continues through Jan. 11.
At 2 a.m. Saturday morning -- yes, you read that correctly -- my stalwart Beehive companion Felicia Matlosz and I will tromp out to the newly reopened Met museum to sample the late-night activities there. Look for our blog posting Saturday morning.
At 8 p.m. Saturday night, I'm going BACK to "The Rocky Horror Show" at the Severance Building. Yep, it'll be the second time for me. The show also plays 8 p.m. Friday and 7 p.m. Sunday. There aren't very many weekends left in the run.
At 2:30 p.m. Sunday, I'll be at the Fresno Philharmonic concert to experience the glorious sounds of violin superstar Sarah Chang. (She also plays at 8 p.m. Saturday.)
And at 5 p.m. Sunday, I'll be in north Fresno hosting a San Joaquin River Parties for the Parkway movie-night event. (Sorry, all sold out.) We'll be watching a movie called "The Fall."
How raw is the electorate after the passage of Prop. 8? When it comes to the theater world, the greater Central Valley is making national news. The New York Times reports:
The artistic director of the California Musical Theater, a major nonprofit producing company here in the state's capital, resigned on Wednesday in the face of growing outrage over his support for a ballot measure this month that outlawed same-sex marriage in California.
Scott Eckern had given $1,000 to the Yes-on-8 campaign. He said in a statement that his donation stemmed from his Mormon religious beliefs. Angry online activists demanded his resignation, and some Broadway luminaries had talked about boycotting the theater with their productions. Here's the Sac Bee's take on the story. The Bee asked in an online forum: How do you feel about boycotting businesses to make your feelings known on Prop. 8?
UPDATE 4:55 pm: Congrats to our second winner, AMANDA TOUT. Thanks to all for reading and playing.
And keep watching for those free tickets, Beehive readers: Tomorrow, Mike Oz becomes the Grand Ticket Master when he gives away Trans-Siberian Orchestra tickets.
PREVIOUS:
Congratulations to TUDOR STANLEY, the winner of our first pair of tickets to the Sarah Chang concert Saturday.
And now it's time to give away the second pair ... first reader to respond with a comment to this post will win. (Remember, you need a valid email address to win, and you have to check your email to claim your prize.) The rules are on the jump.
Here's an example in which I truly hope that life doesn't imitate art.
Bee reader Ralene Stevens passes along news about a new play called "Eat the Runt" by Robert Riechel Jr. that recently opened at the Hudson Guild Theatre in Santa Monica. According to L.A. Weekly, the play is about a theater critic named The Man who is kidnapped and brutalized for his scathing review in The Fresno Bee of a new work by a blowhard playwright.
Yes, you read that correctly: Unspeakable acts performed on The Fresno Bee's theater critic! Gives you shivers, doesn't it? (Or, at least, it should give ME shivers.) LA Weekly describes the plot:
Mr. Lone [the playwright] may or may not have used a gun in the apprehension of the drama critic from his bed (he shows up in pajamas, blindfolded and gagged). We first see him dragged into Lone's grubby basement apartment punctuated by a poster of Samuel Beckett, who provides the scribe his dark inspiration. The Man is a smart, bitter fellow, an obit writer who takes occasional assignments as the paper's drama critic ... Lone's over-sexed, sadistic girlfriend, Hammer, provides the third link of a triangle that spins almost off the stage in Riechel's hostage drama, because both the rudely portrayed Hammer (a smart, willing "slut") and Lone's self-evident insanity give long-suffering drama critics a power that exists only in the long-suffering hearts of self-absorbed playwrights, who simply haven't caught on yet that critics don't make much difference.
No idea if Riechel (the real playwright) is from Fresno -- he doesn't show up in the Bee's archives -- and I'm wondering if good old Fresno is just performing its semi-regular stand-in role as butt for the joke. Or maybe I should invest in that flak jacket and 24-hour security service after all. What I do know is that I desperately want to go see the play before it closes Dec. 13.
UPDATE 4:45 pm: Congratulations to our second winner: AMANDA TOUT. And thanks to all for reading and playing.
This is it, Beehivers: your chance to win a pair of tickets to see Saturday night's Fresno Philharmonic concert featuring violin superstar Sarah Chang. The first Beehive reader with a valid email address to respond with a comment to this post will win. (Remember, you have to check your email to claim your prize.)
I'll announce the winner of the tickets between 4 and 4:30 p.m. today. That announcement will be the giveaway signal for the second pair of tickets. So keep watching.
Sarah Chang is one of the hottest classical music concerts of the year -- and we've got two pairs of tickets to give away to her 8 p.m. Saturday concert with the Fresno Philharmonic! I'll be giving out the first pair of tickets sometime between 1:30 and 3 p.m. today on the Beehive -- so be on the lookout for my contest post. First commenter (with a valid email address) will win the tickets.
I've cheerfully recovered from my high-school-marching-band marathon on Saturday -- sitting through 26 bands and eight hours of shows -- and once again extend a hearty congratulations to Clovis West High School (shown here in a 2006 photo) for winning the big-school sweepstakes award. (Beyer High School from Modesto won the sweepstakes award for smaller schools.) Unfortunately, you wouldn't have known that from reading Sunday's paper, which prompted some readers to express their frustration. A typical call from Sunday:
In the paper today, it lists Beyer High School as the sweepstakes winner. But you left out Clovis West, which won the sweepstakes prize for Class AAAA and Class AAAAA. I thought the live blog was good, and we do appreciate the coverage, but how could you have left out the local high school? It made you guys look not so together.
Alas, mistakes do happen, and on Monday morning, we did run the full list of scores on Page B4. As I posted on the live-blog thread, I offer my apologies for the incomplete print results. We'll get better on this Internet-to-print thing, I promise!
Blogging live: The Golden State Tournament of Bands
There are some folks who think that sitting in a football stadium press box for eight hours watching TWENTY-SIX high school bands perform in a row would be a fate worse than, say, broiling one's limbs in hot oil and having to listen to the new David Archuleta CD.
I'm not one of them.
I'm having a blast here at the Golden State Tournament of Bands, the annual marching-band competition held at Buchanan High School. It's a perfect day: not too warm, a nice cloud cover, no real threat of rain, and it looks like my Alaska-strength parka on loan from Sarah Palin won't be required when the sun dips below the horizon. (I have on occasion frozen my kiester off at Fresno band competitions in November. Let's just say that the ear muffs came in handy.) The crowds are sparse so far, so now's your chance to get that perfect seat on the 50-yard line. As for me, I'm comfy up in the press box -- what a view! -- and am settling in for a marathon of musical talent.
I'll be updating this blog periodically through the afternoon and evening. Feel free to keep me company.
Ever since my complete immersion (some would say indoctrination) in the sacred world of marching band in high school and college, I can tell you that you never quite outgrow the thrill of a brisk fall night in a football stadium: the smell of the fresh-cut grass, the slightly slippery way your heel digs into a yardline, the shrill power of the drum major's whistle as the field show begins. Heck, I get a nostalgic whiff back to high school just passing by a big, lumbering yellow school bus idling in a parking lot and smelling the exhaust.
So it's with my annual anticipation that I look forward to the Golden State Tournament of Bands Saturday at the Buchanan High School stadium. This is the biggie: an impressive roster of local high school bands, plus some from out of town, in an eight-hour marathon of competition. To mark the occasion, on Sunday I wrote my column as a slightly bizarre nod to the hard work that student musicians put into these competitions. (Can you imagine an alternate universe in which there's a "band section" in your daily newspaper but no sports section?)
And at the competition itself, I plan to be there and blog the event live here on the Beehive. It starts at 2 p.m. with the smallest bands and continues to 10 p.m. with the behemoths. As a graduate of a small high school, I'm going to make the commitment to blog the little guys along with the big ones. So if you're going to be there in the stadium, bring your iPhones and blog along with me.
Also: We don't have the staff or resources to cover the high-school marching band season extensively, alas. But if you're a band member, parent or director, I'm asking your help in pulling together some information about this year's competitors. Send me photos of your band performing from this past season and give me a brief description of your field show. Fill us in on the juicy gossip or heart-wrenching stories: Do you have a color guard member doing flips on a broken ankle? How'd you raise the money to get to Las Vegas? Tell me what awards you've won this year, too. I'll post the responses here as an advance for this Saturday's event. If you're from out of town and are reading this Saturday morning, feel free to send something then, too.
[At top: Der Yang rehearses with the El Diamante High School Band in 2007. Photo by Heidi Huber/The Fresno Bee]
When you learn that Doris Baizley's comedy "Shiloh Rules" takes aim at the behind-the-scenes world of Civil War reenactments, a logical question is:
Would a hard-core reenactment buff -- one of those plucky citizens who travels the circuit, memorizes the speeches of Robert E. Lee and spends an inordinate amount of time polishing his Confederate Army uniform buttons -- find it a sympathetic portrayal? Or is this the kind of biting satire that could make the 13th Regular New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry want to surround the theater and take no prisoners?
It says something for Baizley's writing, and Terry Miller's nuanced direction in the new production at California State University, Fresno, that there's room for people on both sides of the issue to find common ground in the play. (Full disclosure: It's no secret that I loathe Civil War reenactments, especially in Fresno, which was thousands of miles away from said war.) For me, "Shiloh Rules" isn't so much about the specifics of Civil War reenactments -- although there are plenty of amusing details -- as much as it is a droll commentary on how comfortable it can be for people to obsess about something, especially when it's the past.
The stars align -- at least the ones involving Earth and a distant planet named Transsexual -- for the new production of "The Rocky Horror Show" at the Severance Building. With the limited number of performances and seating capacity, it's the kind of show that could become the hottest ticket in town and sell out an entire run. Boasting a gregarious spirit that captures much of the campy excess of the well-known movie, this live musical version from Artists' Repertory Theatre is innovatively staged, extremely well sung, strikingly choreographed and just salacious enough to provoke a shocked Fresno sermon or two.
And on top of all that, you get to throw toilet paper at the actors. What could top that?
Especially when you get to break the rules and eat right there in the stacks! Once again I hosted a table for the annual Dinner in the Library fund raiser, which was held Sunday night at the main downtown branch library. My tablemates and I had a grand time talking about such topics as local theater, opera, classical music and Keanu Reeves. (Did you know that "A Walk in the Clouds" is ridiculously wrong when it comes to the mechanics of a grape harvest? Fresno is not tolerant of such script liberties.) We ate tender filet mignon, drank white library wine, gabbed a lot about the terrific new production of "The Rocky Horror Show" at the Severance Building and lamented that there aren't always enough hours in the weekend to partake in all that Fresno has to offer. I told everyone at my table about the Beehive and promised to post their pic, so here it is:
By the way: We all know that the library loves you. Remember to love it back on election day.
It's going to be a busy weekend -- and I'm not just talking about the sure-to-be-frenzied action of a Halloween that falls on a Friday night. Here are my picks that don't involve dressing up as Sarah Palin:
If it's Nov. 1, it must be Christmas season! "A Christmas Carol" opens at the 2nd Space Theatre. Patrick Allan Tromborg heads up the large cast as Scrooge, a role he reprises from previous years. Featured in the production this year are returning performers David Otero (Christmas Present) and Greg Ruud (Marley), as well as many new faces: Patricia Hoffman (Christmas Past), Rich Burt (Bob Cratchit), Kate McKnight (Mrs. Cratchit), Matthew Rosales (TinyTim), Lorraine Christiansen (Belle) and Larry Mattox and Teresa Burt as the Fezziwigs. Fred Bologna directs, which means that for two weekends, he'll have shows he directed playing both at 2nd Space and Roger Rocka's. Busy guy. (8:30 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday)
Check out "Shiloh Rules," a comedy about Civil War reenactors, at Fresno State. (8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday)
Sunday afternoon is an absolute log-jam of piano recitals, with no less than three scheduled at the same time. (Talk about splitting the audience, alas.) At City College, a musical program of Mozart and Arensky will feature FCC piano instructor Olga Quercia joined by violinist Susan Doering, violinist Claudia Shiuh and cellist Wulfhorst. (4 p.m. Sunday, FCC recital hall.) At Fresno State, world-renowned Gershwin expert Richard Glazier performs a solo piano recital for the Philip Lorenz Memorial Keyboard Concerts series. (3 p.m., Concert Hall). And at the First Congregational Church, homegrown pianist Sally Christian makes a trip from the Bay Area to perform the complete Preludes, Opus 32, by Rachmaninoff plus a world premiere from Michael Kimbell. (3 p.m., church sanctuary.) How will piano fans decide?
In honor of the opening of the live version of "The Rocky Horror Show" at the Severance Building tonight, we present a caption contest courtesy of director/star Daniel Chavez Jr. In this photo he's ostensibly demonstrating Step 5 ("But it's the pelvic thrust") of the infamous Time Warp dance. But the alternate possibilities for accompanying this photo are endless. What's your alternate caption? Bonus points for Fresnocentric references.
If you're dying for a refresher course on the Time Warp, by the way, the print edition of Friday's 7 contains a full two-page spread of Daniel teaching us how to do the classic version of the dance. Let's just say he's a lot more limber than 98% of the general public.
The 7 section "Rocky Horror" package includes my main story, some "Rocky Horror" tidbits from Felicia and comments from selected Beehive readers. In other words, there's so much high-quality info packed into today's dinosaur print product that you Internet freeloaders might even consider venturing out to the newsstand and plunking down 50 cents for a hard copy. (And help pay our salaries!)
I hear that the opening night performance of this Artists' Repertory Theatre show is sold out, by the way. But "Rocky Horror" fans shouldn't despair: the show continues weekends through Nov. 29.
I have an interview with Terry Miller, director of the new Fresno State production of "Shiloh Rules," in the Friday issue of 7. This newish play has a great premise: It's about people who participate in Civil War reenactments. And as most people know, Fresno is a hotbed for such events, considering that thousands of people descend upon Kearney Park every year to celebrate a war that took place more than halfway across the continent. (OK, enough snark from me.) Here's the rest of the interview:
I understand that you took some of your actors to the recent Civil War reenactment at Kearney Park in Fresno. What was that like?
We learned a great deal. Two of the actresses play nurse re-enactors. They attended a lecture on medicine and field hospitals of the Civil War era. One plays a vendor, so she gave much of her attention to the tents where various articles are sold. All of the actresses took note of the re-enactors whose roles are closest to those of their characters. I enjoyed the scope and pageantry of the event, and paid special attention when things got a chaotic, as they do in the play. One horse threw his rider, bolted halfway round Kearney Park and almost made it to freedom. A soldier was injured (also an event in the play). The cannon were so loud that they sometimes set off car alarms in the parking lot.
File this under the most ridiculous political-slash-pop-culture news of the day. Politico reports:
Joe the Plumber is being pursued for a major record deal and could come out with a country album as early as Inauguration Day.
According to the Web site, the far too famous "Joe" -- aka Samuel Wurzelbacher, a Holland, Ohio, pipe-and-toilet man -- "just signed with a Nashville public relations and management firm to handle interview requests and media appearances, as well as create new career opportunities, including a shift out of the plumbing trade into stage and studio performances."
Up till now, I was guessing he'd just do the obvious thing and run for Congress.
Wonder what his first single will be? I'm holding out for "I Won't Be Happy Till I Get 1.6 Liters Per Flush."
I can't believe this. On Sunday I wrote what was essentially a fluffy column praising various local cultural offerings and tossed in some love for Darren Tharp and Peter Allwine, currently starring as Max and Leo in "The Producers" at Roger Rocka's Dinner Theater. I wrote:
I wouldn't want to be either of these guys' respective vocal cords these days, so cross your fingers that they remain healthy for the rest of the run.
There's a long tradition, of course, of never saying good luck to an actor before a performance. (There's even a song in "The Producers" built on this premise titled, appropriately enough, "You Never Say Good Luck on Opening Night.") I would never do THAT. But imagine my sheepishness when I learn that on the VERY MORNING that my column ran, Tharp pretty much lost his voice. Stage manager Dave Filipczak writes:
You jinxed us! You didn't say "good luck" but you did talk about vocal cords and the song "Betrayed". Both were missing from our Sunday afternoon performance. Darren came in with about 20% of his voice and it kept leaving him throughout the show. (At one point I wondered if he was going to have to finish the show using sign language.) His understudy was covering for another actor. That was out, so "The show must go on!"... And it did.
Once again, Fresno Grand Opera gives us a sturdy and rousing production, this one a spirited "La Boheme," that features strong singing and acting. (It opened Friday night at the Saroyan Theatre and plays its second and final performance 2:30 p.m. Sunday.) The acclaimed Shu-Ying Li, who returns to the company in the role of Mimi after a memorable outing last season as Cio-Cio San in "Madama Butterfly," has an electric ability to connect emotionally with a large hall. She radiates warmth, and when playing a character such as Mimi, who on her deathbed literally gains great comfort when she's able to heat up her frozen hands, a thermal relationship with an audience is persuasive indeed.
Artistic director Joseph Bascetta wants to nudge the company in the direction of greater creative sophistication, something that can be tough for regional opera to do when staging traditional shows with sets and costumes rented as a package. In a first step for Fresno Grand Opera, Bascetta opted for greater creative control with the costumes. (Maribel Sorensen is the costume designer, and she has overseen a strong lineup.) Bascetta has set "Boheme" 100 years later than its traditional 1830s setting, and his goal with this "Hollywood 1930s look" is to give the opera a more snazzy, glamorous feel. The assumption, I think, is that a little glitz will help connect the title to younger audiences, something that Baz Luhrmann notably tried to do with a Broadway version of "Boheme" several years ago.
I'm not sure that this Fresno attempt at shaking things up will be noticed much by audiences. The gowns are gorgeous, that's for sure, especially the ones worn by the dolled-up Musetta (a vibrant Angela Turner Wilson). Her second-act blond bombshell ensemble -- a knockout floor-length shimmering white gown set off by an extravagant boa longer than a substantial python -- is grand and fun. However, if you look at the production as a whole, the costumes aren't enough by themselves to really cast the glamorous glow and make the indelible period time-stamp that I think Bascetta was trying to achieve.
OK, these "La Boheme" tickets aren't free like the ones we already gave away on the Beehive, but the price is certainly right. I'm talking about student rush tickets to Fresno Grand Opera.
Any available seat is $10. Tickets must be purchased in-person day of show only at the Saroyan Theatre box office. Requires student I.D. One ticket per student. Box office opens 2 hours prior to performance: that's 5:30 p.m. Friday, 2:30pm on Sunday.
As I always say when I lecture to high school and college classes: take advantage of your student ID cards. You can get some great deals. And it never hurts to ask at any box office if there are student prices.
I'm in the middle of "Rocky Horror" fever as I prepare for next week's 7 story on the opening Oct. 31 of the stage musical at Severance Theatre. This Artists' Repertory Theatre production promises a contemporary twist on the 1970s era cult classic. For people of a certain age (including me), all you have to do is utter the words "Time warp" to get all nostalgic about the story of Brad, Janet and the "sweet transvestite" known as Frank N. Furter.
After talking around to people about the show, it seems that those in the 35ish age-range and up remember the movie well. (Some even remember the original Broadway musical upon which the 1975 movie was based.)
But I'm not sure if folks in their late teens and 20s are as familiar with "Rocky Horror." Do 20-somethings stare blankly at the mention of the Annual Transylvanian Convention and the planet Transsexual? Is a familiarity with the "Rocky Horror" canon strictly a generational thing? Or does a knowledge of the show extend to all ages?
For my story, I'd like to publish a sample of opinions from all ages. So let me know: How old are you (approximations are fine), and are you "Rocky" literate or not?
P.S. -- Isn't the original poster art for the show, pictured above, impressive?
By now most of you have heard that the 20-year-old McCain volunteer who said yesterday that she was robbed at a Pittsburgh ATM machine and then had a "B" carved into her face by the assailant -- supposedly reacting to a McCain for prez bumper sticker on her car -- made the whole thing up.
No 6'4" black attacker, no robbery, no assault. No rallying cry for a campaign.
A sad story, of course, but let's face it: Out of the thousands of campaign volunteers and millions of highly partisan followers in this election, odds are that at least a few are going to crack up before it's over. You can't use this incident to generalize about McCain followers any more than you could blame a pro-Obama volunteer for a similar isolated incident.
What's unconscionable, though, is the way that Matt Druge pushed this woman's story to the top of the news cycle by trumpeting her story on his top-read Web site. Then it was followed by such "respectable" sites as Politico.com, which were soon blaring the story as well. Politico got around the thinness of the story by attributing it to -- you guessed it -- Drudge! Then other sites picked up the Politico story, and so on, and you can see how in a matter of hours this unknown woman was suddenly the most famous "B"-emblazoned personality in the country.
Now that the story has been debunked, we didn't get so much as an apology from Politico. (But it did run a follow-up story saying it was fake.) I wouldn't expect one from Drudge, who managed to sensationalize the story even more by publishing a big photo with the headline "SHE MADE IT UP!"
And all this took place in a matter of hours. As the Internet becomes ever more pervasive, our world just keeps getting faster.
UPDATE: We have a winner: Kristy Page. Congratulations, Kristy.
I'm giving away our second pair of tickets to Fresno Grand Opera's "La Boheme" (7:30 p.m. Friday, Saroyan Theatre) right NOW. First commenter to this post with a verifiable email address wins. (Please, folks, if you enter, be sure to check your email.)
Remember, I'm not going to post your comment entries until I've announced the winner.
A tease: Our next Beehive giveaway will be tickets to the Trans Siberian Orchestra, Nov. 19 at Save Mart Center. We'll be giving them away soon, so keep reading.
I hold right now in my hot little hands two pairs of tickets to Fresno Grand Opera's Friday production of "La Boheme," and I get to give them away! The performance is 7:30 p.m. at the Saroyan Theatre.
Here's how it works: the first commenter to this blog post will win the first pair of tickets. (UPDATE: We have a potential winner for the first pair, but I'm not going to post the comments until we confirm the email address.)
When I announce that winner on Thursday morning, readers will have a chance to compete for the second pair of tickets. Again, the first commenter wins, so if you're an opera fan, keep watching.
Summer's over, but that doesn't mean that the Woodward Shakespeare Festival goes into hibernation. The company maintains a regular schedule of staged readings through the "off-season." These readings, says WSF, are "terrific opportunities to become familiar with the canon of the Bard and delve more richly into Shakespearean text."
First up this season: "Romeo and Juliet," 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Woodward Park Library. Lisa Taber directs. Included in the cast are Stephen Torres and Melissa Geston as Romeo and Juliet, along with Hal Bolen, Alyssa Cummings. Joel Garbutt-Quistiano, Taylor Johnson, Ricci Mazzuca, Matt Otstot, Michael Peterson, Jessica Reedy, Megan Taber and Jeff Vogt.
The schedule for the rest of the season:
Nov. 18: "Henry VIII," directed by Heather Parish
Dec. 16: "All's Well that Ends Well," directed by Erica Riggs Johnston
Feb. 17: "Julius Caesar"
March 17: "Women of Will: Scenes and Monologues," directed by Charles West
I took my mom to see "The Producers" yesterday at Roger Rocka's (lots of fun), and she was wondering what are the real-life jobs of Darren Tharp and Peter Allwine. I know you mentioned this in your column recently, but I can't find it online. Can you help?
Sure thing, Pat. Here's the link. When they aren't doing six shows a week at Good Company, Tharp is an outside rep for a chemical company, and Allwine works for United Cerebral Palsy of Central California. While hanging out with them during the rehearsal period of "Producers," I marveled at just how many hours a week they put into the show -- and how, when combined with their full-time jobs, it leaves time for little else but sleeping and eating. I hope both of their fine voices are holding up during the run. Both have to talk a lot while doing their day jobs, so it's not like they get much vocal rest!
By the way, folks, "The Producers" runs through Nov. 9. You don't have much time left to catch one of the funniest shows of the year.
UPDATE: Turns out that fellow Beehiver Will Albritton already posted the following video a few weeks ago -- um, must have been when I was on vacation, or perhaps that 72-hour coma I experienced, Will, sorry 'bout that, I really do read your stuff, honest -- but I like the video so much I'm going to post it again along with a companion McCain video.
ORIGINAL POST: If you're a Broadway musical fan, you can't miss this inspired pro-Barack-Obama video set to "One Day More" from "Les Miserables." (The idea is that it's Nov. 3, 2008, one day more to the election.) As a firm believer that life's selective moments should come with an original cast recording, I think it's brilliant -- even if the lighting does get a little iffy.
Note: I searched high and low for a pro-McCain campaign foray into the Broadway genre, but the closest I could find was the "Raining McCain" video, which you can find on the jump. If anyone has nominations for a better McCain offering, let me know and I'll post.
What are you all doing this weekend, culture warriors? It's the last weekend of Fresno City College's production of "The Importance of Being Earnest," so I'd encourage you to catch that if you haven't yet.
If you're a Beethoven fan -- and there are a lot of you out there -- you won't want to miss the Fresno Philharmonic's "Basicically Beethoven" concert, which features noted Israeli-born pianist Shai Wosner playing the Piano Concerto No. 3. A highlight is the oh-so-famous Symphony No. 5. I write a little bit about that famous TA-TA-TA-TUMM motif in Friday's 7 section.
I'll tell you one thing I'm NOT going to -- the Civil War Re-enactment at Kearney Park. (Even though we all know, of course, what an integral part that Fresno, California played in the Civil War. Um, right.) I'll send you instead to a link from my merry take on the subject last year.
Last-minute for Friday night: The Downtown Community Arts Collective is having its grand opening 4-8 p.m. The collective is at at 754 P. Street. On the jump: Much more about the DCAC, plus a photo.
I'm not sure if the following "sign war" between a Catholic church and Presbyterian church in a Southern town is real or not, but it sure is amusing. (Thanks to reader Ray Arthur.) I was raised Presbyterian myself, and I'll be the first to admit that Catholics have great senses of humor ...
(You'll have to look on the jump because the image is so tall and skinny, and I don't want to take up too much precious Beehive front-page real estate that could be showcasing the talents of "haters Oz and Heather," as one of their fans noted today.)
The weirdest thing about "Project Runway's" season finale was the sudden substitution of Tim Gunn -- the hand-holding, fussier-than-brie, pinstripe-suit-wearing dandy who flits in and out of the contestants' work room acting like a cross between a personal pep squad and a nagging, cranky old uncle -- as a judge at the finals at Bryant Park. The explanation: The other judge hurt herself.
This seemed suspicious to me. Had Gunn, playing off his nice-guy image, taken the unnamed judge under his wing, cooed sweet fashion nothings into her ear, then tripped her as she walked down the back stairs at the Parsons School of Design? Had years of playing second fiddle to Heidi Klum's fashion pronouncements made him snap and demand a part in the decision-making process? All I know is that Gunn was a little too close to these contestants (after visiting their homes, meeting their families and telling them oh-so-emphatically how much he loved them at least six or seven dozen times) to be a paragon of impartiality in the final showdown.
Still, that's how things worked out, and it didn't come as much of a surprise that the judges pretty much loved the collections of all three contestants. And I have to admit: I liked almost all the work, too, from Kenley Collins' slightly trippy-hippy "dream" collection and Korto Momolu's bold, Afro-influenced designs to the petal-heavy, light and flowing look of winner Leanne Marshall's offerings.
Last weekend's Sierra Art Trails event boasted great weather, great artists and great (well, good) crowds -- and if it didn't feature great quantities of cash-waving buyers soaking up every painting in sight, we do have to remember we're in the middle of this pesky little thing known as a financial crisis. I talked on Sunday with Sierra Art Trails organizer Jon Bock -- who showed me his very cool new photo series that you might call an exercise in digital deconstruction -- at his home studio, and he noted that while crowds had been steady throughout the weekend, the general consensus was that folks certainly weren't opening their wallets as in years past.
Two of us from the Beehive made it up to Sierra Art Trails in separate trips, both on Sunday. Kathy Mahan focused on the Coarsegold area, and I explored Oakhurst. (In years past, I'd headed up to the Mariposa area.) You can read our impressions, including mine of Valley powerhouse artist Adam Longatti, pictured above, on the jump.
We could all use a little more Oscar Wilde in our lives. Sweep away the silliness offered on today's TV (can you imagine the droll and significantly sniffy things that Wilde would have had to say about reality shows?) and settle down with the master instead. It always amazes me when I see one of his plays just how sharp and contemporary Wilde still seems more than 100 years later. Even when he's writing about the foibles of the landed gentry, as he does in his classic "The Importance of Being Earnest," there's a sense of connection that reaches across cultures, time periods and the number of acres you own.
The current production of "Earnest" (continuing through Saturday) at Fresno City College, has some strong moments, and it captures much of this play's brisk potential, even if there are some weaknesses. When this production really clicks -- such as in the second act, when the play's two leading ladies, Gabriela Lawson as Gwendolen and Ashley Hyatt as Cecily (pictured above), duke it out in a scene of verbal wit and parrying that ascends to dizzying heights -- it's on fire. At other points, such as in the third act, as we unwind the complexities of the plot, which turn out to be -- you guessed it -- quite silly -- it's as if the tenor and fluidity of the material seems just a little out of the cast's grasp.
Sally Stallings watches her clothesline like other people watch TV. The old-fashioned, four-lined clothesline that sits in her backyard is the kind of thing that most of us would overlook; it's simply a utilitarian device that has just one function. But Stallings is an artist, and artists tend to look at things with a heightened awareness. For her, the clothesline is like a friend that has served as sort of a sentry in her life. She hung the tiny socks of her four children on those lines to dry, and she watched those socks get bigger over the years. Now she's back to tiny socks again with her young grandchildren. She loves to look at it from her kitchen window and watch the sun hit her laundry drying in the breeze. In the winter, she is a "clothesline meteorologist" from learning to read the skies: How much drying time does she have before it rains?
In my Sunday Spotlight column, I write about Stallings' clothesline, which is part of a wonderful exhibit at the Fresno Art Museum titled "Eleven Ways of Working: The Fresno Journal Project." Stallings used her clothesline as an intriguing device for looking at the world through text, photographs and drawings, from her own personal history to the relentless march of the seasons. (She also tackles the topic of global warming, which isn't helped by the dismissive attitudes that most people have today toward clotheslines, as if they're cheap or junky, which is why people use dryers instead. How silly is that, Stallings asks, especially in the summer: It can be 104 degrees outside in Fresno and people are still using electricity to dry their clothes inside?) What I love about this exhibit, and about Stallings' contribution in particular, is the way that it focuses on the subtleties of everyday existence.
THEATER REVIEW: Hal Holbrook in 'Mark Twain Tonight!'
There's an avuncular quality to Hal Holbrook's beloved Mark Twain show, which the actor has been performing in various incarnations for more than 50 years. Folksy and homespun, this one-man production is a strong, sturdy slice of Americana, and you could tell from the pre-play chatter amongst the audience at the Saroyan Theatre on Friday night that many in the crowd had seen Holbrook perform the role before.
Yet there's also a certain amount of tension in the air, especially once Holbrook takes the stage and starts to remind us just how tart and caustic Twain could be when talking about two of his favorite subjects: politics and religion. That tension arises between two uneasy camps. On one side are those in the audience hoping and longing for the "easy" Twain to dominate the evening with pithy one-liners, generalized politican bashing and easy-to-digest anecdotes. (When in doubt, make a joke about Congress. It's practically guaranteed a laugh.) This is Twain as the 19th Century version of David Letterman: glib, relaxed and cranky. On the other side are those who hope more for the fiery Twain to materialize: the man who doesn't just taunt Congress but also takes aim at the irrationality and laziness of voters as well; the thundering prophet who recites the piercing "War Prayer," which mocks the act of invoking God to smite one's enemies.
With 15 solid hours of memorized material from the famed author and humorist, Holbrook shapes each of his shows differently. You never know exactly what he'll perform. (The run continues 8 p.m. Saturday.)
But it shouldn't be any surprise which Twain dominated on Friday. We're just weeks away from a presidential election and are experiencing traumatic economic times. Holbrook chose selections from Twain that not only highlighted the crassness of politicians -- always a crowd pleaser -- but the transgressions of voters as well.
Word comes that noted Fresno State professor and artist William "Bill" Minschew, who owned a glorious hilltop Tollhouse retreat on Highway 168 that he painstakingly developed through the years to resemble a Tuscan estate, has died at age 71. An obituary ran Thursday in the Charlotte News & Observer. (No obituary ran in the Bee.) Minschew died on Oct. 1. The funeral is 2 p.m. Sunday in Wilson, N.C.
Here's a recap from his obit:
He graduated with honors from the University of North Carolina in 1961. Upon graduation, he received a national Fulbright scholarship for post graduate work to study 17th-century sculpture and painting at the Academy of Fine Arts, Rome, Italy. Returning to the United States, he became a professor at California State University in Fresno. His work has been exhibited in numerous one-man and group exhibitions and in more than one hundred private collections.
I last wrote about Minschew (shown above in a 2000 Bee photo by Tomas Ovalle) on the Beehive during CSU Summer Arts, when he sponsored a July 8 reception for the program's guest artists and instructors.
When he died, Minschew was working on a show titled "The Egypt Portfolio: Selected Prints," in conjunction with the Conference on Middle East Studies at Fresno State, which runs Oct. 16-18. A reception will be held the first night of the conference.
Now for a little unabashed cheer on yet another crazy day. This video is titled: "My Dogs greeting me after returning from 14 months in Iraq." Just remember: At the end of the day, no matter how lousy the economy, we've still got our dogs.
In Friday's issue of 7 I have an interview with Janine Christl, director of the new Fresno City College production of "The Importance of Being Earnest." Here's a continuation of the interview:
What's your approach to this production?
I focused my attention on creating a real love story with twists and turns along the way. While Oscar Wilde definitely pokes fun at the assumptions we make about what love should provide, I think he also leaves us with a hopeful message that love is worth all the work it takes. As far as the acting approach, I worked with my cast on the "different levels of being." The level work is a way to describe the way we change depending on our environment and who we are around and what their expectations are, e.g., the character Gwendolyn will behave one way when she is responding to social expectations and another way when she finds her own voice and is comfortable with expressing her truth. The overall focus of the script may feel superficial, however I see the "Victorian melodrama" as only one part of the story. I find it interesting to counter the Victorian social conditioning with a truthful desire to find a meaningful connection with someone. So, I have directed a comedy of manners that comments on the absurd expectations in Victorian society and also delivers the real person caught up in the social beliefs of the period.
Remember those late-night discussions we'd have when you'd dream about your Armani suits and six-figure starting investment banker salaries and three-bedroom co-op apartments with a view? We'd all laugh about my possible future earnings with a journalism degree (a pittance compared to yours), and then I'd good-naturedly tear into you by declaring that a job that consists of moving little pots of money around all day (and skimming a healthy percentage off the top) might make some folks rich in the short term, but that in the long run a society built on greed isn't healthy. You'd laugh, call me naive and explain that nothing could be holier than amassing wealth -- because in the end, it makes us all richer. I'd interrupt to ask where it was written that CEOs should get paid such outrageous salaries, and I'll never forget your answer: "Because they can."
I got some mild grief from readers about my mixed-to-positive review of "Beverly Hills Chihuahua." In fact, I had an odd email from someone from Omaha (!) who suggested I might have been adding a little whiskey to my dog food. (Turns out that my review ran on the wire and got picked up by the Omaha World-Herald. Maybe Sarah Palin read it when she was in town?)
Turns out that "Chihuahua" crushed the competition at the box office. For once, I am on the side of popular opinion! (I know, it has to happen sometimes.)
So for all those who caught the film over the weekend: What did you think? Was I too kind? Or did it make you bark with delight? (And was Delgado the German shepherd cool, or what?) Post a comment and let me know.
The best thing about "Slaughter of the Innocents," a little-performed and mostly forgotten play by William Saroyan that comes to life in a big and assertive new production at California State University, Fresno, is the way that the playwright's anger comes barreling through. We're talking thick, viscous waves of anger, the type that emanates self-righteously from wise men pontificating from on high, pounding the audience like a hurricane savaging a shore.
When Saroyan wrote this play in 1952, he was irked, to put it mildly, at what was going on in the United States at the time with McCarthyism and the Red Scare. And he sat down, all pumped up, to write a work that is certainly not his best. It is a rough draft that is full of passion, but also of triteness. It pushes its points with a lack of nuance that at times gives it the earnestness of an old "Star Trek" episode. If Arthur Miller's "The Crucible" is the epitome of creative reaction to this dark period in history, then Saroyan's "Slaughter" is a pale imitation.
Still, it's a very fine production of a flawed play, and I applaud Fresno State's theater department and director Edward EmanuEl for tackling such challenging fare.
A funny thing happened to "So You Think You Can Dance" on its way from slick and intimate TV series to live concert version performed in a huge arena. The dancers who performed so well this season on the small screen -- the stocky and personable Joshua, who tore through the required list of dance genres from Argentine tango to spirited showtunes with amazing gusto, and the lyrical Katee, whose technique was flawless in all those demanding close-ups -- were overshadowed by several of their cast members.
My favorite dancers from the "SYTYCD" tour, which stopped at the Save Mart Center Sunday night for a sturdy 150-minute-plus show in front of a wildly appreciative audience, were easy to pick:
In Sunday's Spotlight section I chat in my column with Hal Holbrook, who has played Mark Twain on stage for so many years that it can be hard to tell where the Oscar-nominated actor stops and where the author begins. He's appearing in "Mark Twain Tonight!" Friday and Saturday at the Saroyan Theatre.
I'd looked forward to this phone interview for a while, not so much because of the Mark Twain angle (although it was fun to hear him in character blast Wall Street greed and corruption on the day that the House of Representatives failed to pass the bailout bill) but because of a movie scene of his that has really stuck with me. And I'd always wanted to ask him about it.
In "Into the Wild," Holbrook portrays a lonely old man who meets the young and adventurous Chris McCandless (played by Emile Hirsch), the subject of the fact-based film, who decides he wants to give up his standard upper-middle-class American career trajectory to go live in the Alaska wilderness. Holbrook's character becomes a sort of grandfather figure to him, and in their final scene together they share an emotional moment of farewell. Both know that this is good-bye for good (although Hirsch's character wouldn't have truly realized the danger he was heading toward). There's a definite "pass the torch" theme at work, too: the older man stepping aside and letting the younger one move out into the world. The scene is such a moment of searing honesty on screen that the memory of it can still bring a tear to my eye. It's as if we we moved beyond acting and watched life itself unfold. Out of the thousands of movies I've seen, it's one of the handful of scenes that has remained indelibly stamped in my memory.
I asked him what he remembered about making that scene. He told me:
How natural it felt. How simple it was. It was mostly due to the way that Sean Penn directs actors, which is basically to let you alone. Trusting you that whatever you're going to give him is going to be OK. It's easier to arrive at a good moment like we had there in the Jeep. We knew this was an important scene, of course. We just sat in the Jeep together with our own thoughts while the crew set up the lights. We didn't talk to each other. It took about 20 minutes for the set-up. When the camera started to roll, we just played the scene. I think we only did one take. I remember looking at Sean and thought he was going to having me do another take, and he just gave me the thumbs up. And I knew that something special had happened.
Lots of other people did, too. Holbrook nabbed an Oscar nomination for the role.
Once again, Donald and Felicia set out to devour an ArtHop -- or at least to sample some of its delicacies. We'd love to hear what you thought of ArtHop venues, too, especially ones that we didn't have time to get to. Send us a comment or email and get some artistic discussion really going in this town, 'k? Donald writes:
You won't exactly be blown away by the museum-quality presentation of Kirtley King's spare new photo show, "Embalmed Twilight," at Corridor 2122. Then again, he's just fine with that. King has done the ultra-classy presentation thing -- the beautiful frames, the expensive mattes, the swanky title cards -- in past shows. For this one, he's blown up his prints and hung them with thumbtacks and binder clips, with little industrial-strength name tags hanging like labels in a warehouse. In doing so, he eschews the "edifices" that many photographers build trying to give their art a serious-art-worthy sheen.
King's show is part of an ongoing series in which he examines the relationship between photographic images and memory. In his view, every photo is like a memorial to a frozen moment. It's almost as if we're mourning that moment passing, and in doing so we have an almost funereal attitude toward the passage of time. (And just think of how much of the "present" that many digital-camera-addicted people spend documenting past events rather than living in the moment. Ah, but it can be an addiction.) For King, I get the feeling that there's no need for his images to reflect the "reality" of those moments he records. Instead, they become little shrines all their own, careening off in some instances in an entirely different direction than the scene itself.
The twilight prints in this show -- many of which were taken locally -- are heavy on night-time acoutrements of the urban scene: brash traffic lights, darkening skies against utility poles, distant headlights. In his "Madera Co. 08.05.1995," for example, the sunset he captures seems steamy, even sweaty. If his photos were a TV show, they'd be an episode of "Cops" shot at night in a hot, humid city in a bad part of town.
CNN's iReport kept the report up until at least 10:15 AM ET, about 20 minutes after Apple's denial, according to the Silicon Valley Insider. The story has since been removed. Here's what it said:
Steve Jobs was rushed to the ER just a few hours ago after suffering a major heart attack. I have an insider who tells me that paramedics were called after Steve claimed to be suffering from severe chest pains and shortness of breath. My source has opted to remain anonymous, but he is quite reliable. I haven't seen anything about this anywhere else yet, and as of right now, I have no further information, so I thought this would be a good place to start. If anyone else has more information, please share it.
Twitter went crazy after the CNN story went up, with the story spreading like wildfire. Turns out, too, that canny investors could have made a killing on the swing in the stock price if they knew about it in advance. People are calling for the FBI and SEC to investigate.
Here's what I think: Stuff like this is only going to get worse. It's the downside of Twitter and "citizen journalism," which allow unsubstantiated gossip (which, of course, has existed since the dawn of humankind) to travel more quickly and efficiently than ever in the history of the planet. I'm bracing for the first real Twitter panic to hit our society: a stampede caused in a crowded stadium, say, or a mob riled to action by an untrue allegation about a local personality, or, an election getting influenced at the last moment by malicious gossip. I got a small preview this past week when a Twitter rumor went out that the Fresno Bee was getting sold, when it turned out the real story was that we were getting a new individual as publisher. (One way the rumor spread: The new publisher's name is William Fleet, and the gossip became that The Bee was being sold to "Fleet Publishing.") Suddenly it seemed like everyone in town knew: The phone calls and emails from family and friends started in MINUTES.
It scares me a little how easy it could be to manipulate this technology out of carelessness, greed or downright maliciousness.
I have an interview with Fresno State theater prof Edward EmanuEl in Friday's 7 section about the new production of "Slaughter of the Innocents" opening today. This will be a rare chance to see one of William Saroyan's little-known plays, this one written at the height of the McCarthyism era. Here's a continuation of the interview:
Talk about your concept for the production.
Saroyan doesn't provide any information as to where the play is set or in what period or in what season. All of this is left up to the production company to provide for the audience. I decided to set the play at Christmas on an island republic in the Caribbean.
Christmas is a time for brotherhood and good will toward all people and by setting the play at Christmas we created a sense of dramatic tension between the season and the subject of the play. Also, Saroyan hints that there is a strong religious attitude in the play which is not fully explained. One accused is a young man who only defends himself by saying, "Happy Birthday. Get born." This character is executed but he keeps returning to the play. There is a strong theme of self sacrifice in the play as well.
Salon has an amusing story up about "older" people (in this case, "over 30") flocking to Facebook as a networking tool and, in the words of author Michael Martin, making a mess of things. The leading anecdote is about a professional woman in the film biz who tried to delete a "disgusting" video that someone had posted on her Wall but instead sent it to everyone on her contact list:
Facebook automatically selected all her contacts, e-mailing the video to "clients, agents, studios, everyone," says the woman. "A famous producer I'd 'friended' but never contacted -- my face showed up on his Facebook page next to a Jacuzzi diarrhea video."
Another subject in the story, a 40-something magazine writer named Laura Bell, really messed up her work life:
Social tragedies involving CC:, BCC: and Reply All are as old as the Internet itself, but Facebook's applications -- the seemingly cute survey and quiz tools that allow you to rank, rate and refer friends -- have added a new level of peril to online interaction. Recently, Bell was killing time with the Compare Friends app, which selects five random members of your Friends list and asks you to rate them according to ephemeral criteria. In this case, the question was, "Who smells better?" One of the five contestants was Bell's boss, whom Facebook notified of her low rank. She then e-mailed Bell to express her dismay.
All you veteran "youngster" Facebook users out there: Any advice (or horror stories) to share with all the new "old" users?
the well-attended Tower Theatre peformance Saturday night of American Ballet Theatre II, the "junior company" that serves as the training arm of what many consider to be America's national ballet company.
The dancers: ages 16-20, they're among the cream of the crop of young dancers from all the world, including Korea, Mexico, Brazil and the U.S. Lanky yet sure-footed, each one boasting not an extra ounce of body fat, the dancers as a group had an intense, coltish quality, as if their still maturing bodies hadn't quite caught up to their dazzling professional ambitions.
The stage: tiny, as everyone knows. The fact that 10 dancers were able to do their thing in such a confined space only added to the virtuosity of the experience.
The skill level of the dancers: very high. Sure, there were a few hesitant and out-of-sync moments, but their sheer performance poise, coming from those so young, was truly remarkable.
The highlight: Meaghan Ninkis and Joseph Gorak dancing the Pas de Deux from "Don Quixote."
The quote of the evening: Two sturdy middle-aged women, both with girths that would numerically swamp those of the dancers at which they'd just spent nearly two hours gaping, paused on their way out to take one last look at the empty stage. "They are so skinny," one said to the other. And both sighed.
There's no doubt about it: the doldrums of summer are long past, and the cultural season is in full swing. Lots of stuff to make Fresno proud this weekend:
The Fresno Philharmonic kicks off its season with a crowd-pleasing interpretation of Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue." Special guest artists are the Marcus Roberts Trio, which has catapulted to fame over the past few years as a leading jazz name. There's also a world premiere on the program: a composition from Fresno's own Jack Fortner.
If you're a dance fan, you already know what a big deal American Ballet Theatre is. That internationally regarded New York company is sending its "young dancers" company -- which they call American Ballet Theatre II -- on a West Coast swing, and it's coming Saturday to the Tower Theatre. Check out my advance story on the group in today's 7 section.
Glass art is becoming increasingly popular these days. If you're into the gallery scene, you won't want to miss the perfect-for-fall pumpkins of Molly Stone and Michael Cohn at the Tamsen Munger Gallery. The artists will be there Saturday for an opening reception.
And finally, a shameless plug: I'll be in my only public performance of "The Producers" at Roger Rocka's Dinner Theatre for the Sunday matinee. You can watch me attempt to remember all my dance steps (which I haven't done since last week's final dress rehearsal) as a Little Old Lady. If you were living under a Beehive rock and somehow missed my exhaustive account on this blog over the last six weeks of life on the stage, start out with the silly video.
Tomorrow afternoon I have a phone interview scheduled with Joshua Allen, otherwise known as the winner of the latest season of "So You Think You Can Dance." The show's tour stops in Fresno Oct. 5. Allen was the mostly untrained, beefy-build hip-hop dancer who ended up dazzling the judges with his ability to dance everything from modern to classical ballet.
Here's your chance to ask him a question. Let me know what you'd like to know, and I'll try to get in as many reader questions as I can. You can leave a comment or send me an email.
All good things must come to an end, and with "[title of show,]" the spunky little Broadway musical that could, the end is coming a little sooner than some might have hoped. Playill reports that the show will play its final performance Oct. 12. The musical will have played 13 previews and 102 performances.
The show features Fresno's own Heidi Blickenstaff (pictured center), who got her start in Good Company Players and has since gone on to a strong Broadway career, which is why I've followed it so closely. "[title of show"] is the first time she's originated a major role on Broadway.
Don't look for the cast to give up without a fight, however, According to the show's blog, a full-fledged campaign is under way to try to sell out remaining performances so the show's run can continue. This is a show that made it to Broadway through Internet activism, after all. The current plan: to make a "save the show" video using photos of fans holding up the lyrics to the song "Nine People's Favorite Thing."
Hot off the presses: Here's the video, shot by the most excellent Will Albritton, from last night's final dress rehearsal. What was it like out there under the lights, caked with makeup and blue eye glitter, squeezed into black tights, singing in falsetto, jumping with a walker? Everything you'd expect: Scary, fun, a blur. An adrenaline rush. Somehow, the theater miracle happened once again: bringing 25 cast members, hundreds of costume changes, 23 songs and 16 walkers into a coordinated whole that is somehow much more than the sum of its parts.
Here's the exciting news (or the not so exciting, if you have absolutely no interest in me dressed as a Little Old Lady): I'll be performing one "bonus" performance at the Sunday matinee on Sept. 28. I'd better not forget my dance steps.
I'm dead tired this afternoon. Will finish my final blog entry on my actual performance -- with more photos -- after a good, long nap. Until then, check out Will's video.
UPDATE 9/20: For those who found your way here from my story in Sunday's Spotlight section -- complete with abbreviated timeline so that those who don't want a heavy reading load can get the condensed version -- welcome to this blog series. On the jump, I finish up the series with more on my Good Company Players debut and some final thoughts about this whole wacky experience.
About this blog series: The tables are turned on The Bee's theater critic as he joins the ensemble for one number in "The Producers." He'll go through the rehearsal process and will make his Good Company Players debut at the final dress rehearsal.
One of the joys of a film festival such as Reel Pride is the chance to watch short films. The whole short-film genre seems to be undergoing a renaissance these days, and one of the reasons is the Internet: You can easily catch a "performance" online. Getting to see short films on a big screen is still relatively rare, however, and that's where a festival can be so advantageous.
On this last day of the festival, there are two major opportunities to indulge in short films: the "Afternoon Delights" (Boys' Shorts) program (2 p.m., Tower Theatre) and the "Directors' Cut Shorts" (4:30 p.m., Starline) followed by the filmmakers' forum.
The Boys' Shorts program offers films that generally trend more toward the accessible (and some downright risque). "The Postcard," about a young man writing love notes to his mail carrier, is one of my favorites because of its crisp, sweet ambiance. "El Primo" (The Cousin)" has a tender, unresolved vulnerability that lingers. And for those looking for explicit nudity, the voyeuristic "The Window" will likely be a favorite.
The Directors' Cut Shorts trend more toward the cutting-edge, from the experimental French film "Selene Narcis" (weird and nearly inpenetrable) to the strange "The Red Dress" (light and bizarre). One of the great things about short films is that if you don't care for a particular title, you can soon move on to the next offering. That's the way I felt about the overly arch "3 Stories About Evil," which uses an interesting technique (stringing still images together) but tries a little too hard to be shockingly wry.
TWO HIGHLIGHTS: Don't forget the festival's centerpiece documentary feature, "A Jihad for Love" (noon, Tower Theatre), which I've already seen and recommend, and "XXY" (7:30 p.m., Tower Theatre, note that the printed catalog says 8:30 p.m. but I think that's a typo), about a teen-ager with ambiguous genitalia, which I haven't yet seen but look forward to, topped off by the closing-night gala open to all ticket and pass holders.
AND FINALLY: A hearty Fresno welcome to Yvonne Johnson from Ohio, who came all the way to our fair city just for Reel Pride -- and who seems to be having a blast.
Reel Pride programmer Stephen Mintz reports that excitement has been high at some of the festival's centerpiece offerings, including Thursday's world premiere of "To Each Her Own":
The film was so well received (an actual lesbian film with genuine situations and an actual happy ending!), the stars from Toronto were swarmed all night long by autograph seekers (another fairly new first for Reel Pride). It's been overwhelming for the two stars and director, but they should get used to it, as they're signed to many more festivals to come.
One person told me that he saw the film's director, Heather Tobin, at the Landmark after the screening, and she seemed on top of the world.
Mrs. T. Rex, could you please eat the Save Mart staff?
Loved the "Dinosaurs." Hated the box office.
The scene: about 50 people in line Thursday night at the Save Mart Center box office just before the start of "Walking with Dinosaurs." The show starts at 7 p.m.
Number of ticket windows out of six open at 6:55 p.m.: Four.
Number of ticket windows out of six open at 6:58 p.m.: Three. (Yes, they closed one window, with all those people waiting.)
Number of dedicated windows for Will Call (people who already paid for their tickets and are just waiting to pick them up: Zero.
Number of Save Mart box office employees with seating charts supposedly "working the line" standing around with nothing to do because most people have decided already 1) which tickets to buy; or 2) are impatiently waiting to do the Will Call thing: One.
Number of ticket sellers at 6:59 p.m. selling tickets for a FUTURE show: One. (Isn't that, like, a felony in some states when you're within half an hour of curtain?)
Number of people late for the show: Lots and lots.
Last night featured the first world premiere film in the fesitval's history: "To Each Her Own." How'd it go? Any reader reviews? (Anyone? Anyone? Come on, gay and lesbian film lovers: What'd YOU think? I can't see every film in the festival, especially when I'm off doing dinosaur duty.)
You don't normally think of a gargantuan place like the Save Mart Center as a theater -- but then again, when your actors are the height of a three-story building, you need a lot of room for them to roam around. With the big, brute beasts wowing near-sold-out crowds in "Walking With Dinosaurs" through Sunday at the Save Mart, it's clear that Fresno is in the grip of Dinosaur Fever. I caught the Thursday evening show, and while I'm not precisely the target demographic for this all-out-spectacular, I do have to echo what lots of other folks are saying about the performance: It's mighty impressive.
When you walk into the arena, you notice that the seats closest to the floor have been purposefully kept vacant. Once the show starts, it's easy to see why. The dinosaurs' massive tails have a habit of sweeping out over the boundaries of the arena floor. (Imagine the fright to a 4-year-old of actually getting whacked with a massive tail.) The amazing thing is that the tails delicately skirt the bevy of lights ringing the performance space as the "creatures" clomp around. Who knew that dinosaurs could be so dainty?
So, how did the opening night of the Reel Pride gay and lesbian film festival go? I walked by Samba Tower at about 11 pm last night, and it looked like the place was hopping.
On the schedule tonight: the world premiere of "To Each Her Own" (8:30 p.m., Tower Theatre), which I wrote about in my Sunday roundup piece on the festival. Another highlight is "Boystown" (6:15 p.m., Tower Theatre), described as "outrageous new comedy from Spain" about a guy named Victor who is acting a bit too eager to gentrify Madrid's Chueca district by "eliminating those tenants that he doesn't feel fit in with his vision of a perfectly gay and trendy neighborhood."
There is no question the 49 black lesbians, ages 18-60, interviewed by director Tiona M. have something important things to say. In fact, they say it again and again. A lack of imagination on the director's part that leaves this documentary nothing more than a series of talking heads blunts what should have been the most powerful and real offering of the festival. Grade: B-
It's 11:30 p.m. I'm tired. My eyes hurt. And once again -- after most of the rest of the cast members have gotten to go home at the end of this second night of tech rehearsal -- I'm paired up with my damn walker. It's reached the point where I'm dreaming about walkers: the sturdy rubber soles clacking against the floor on the beat; the plastic grips solid in my hands as I execute a top-to-bottom spin; the strong metal frame supporting my hunched-over form as I shuffle across the stage.
I both love and hate my walker: I embrace its stark silver aesthetic. I admire its utilitarianism. Yet I loathe the increased space it forces me to displace as I move through the world. (Ever try to run through a dark hallway with a walker?) Even years from now, when I walk through a park or squeeze into an elevator or maneuver through a 2nd Space Theatre Sunday matinee, I will never pass a walker again without thinking of Max Bialystock having carnal relations with a whole pack of little old ladies, some of whom need to shave.
Why so late with the walker tonight? Because there's a minor emergency to repair in the "Along Came Bialy" number, the one in which I make a brief appearance in "The Producers," and because there won't be an opportunity to makes the fixes before tomorrow night's final dress rehearsal. Yes, we're talking about that dress rehearsal, the one where I will perform in front of a real live audience.
Director Fred Bologna decided that it's taking too long for the Little Old Ladies to get out on stage for the walker part of the number. It was one thing to practice the moves in the rehearsal hall, where we could cheat a little and ignore the lines on the floor designating the entrance to the stage. But when you have to cram people into a dark, narrow hallway, the walker procession is looking more like rush hour on the 405. Bologna's solution: to have the third row, of which I'm a member, to come in from stage left instead of right.
Since I'm at the end of the line, that means that instead of merely tagging along after everyone -- relying on those in front of me to figure out the exact musical cue -- I'm going to be leading off the whole procession. And the first time I do it will be in front of a live audience. Oy.
About this blog series: The tables are turned on The Bee's theater critic as he joins the ensemble for one number in "The Producers." He'll go through the rehearsal process and will make his Good Company Players debut at the final dress rehearsal.
From its humble beginnings in a classroom at Fresno State, the Reel Pride gay and lesbian film festival has come a long way. Now in its 19th year, it offers 68 films (the most ever in the festival's history) in two venues over five days.
The festivities get under way 7 p.m. today at the Tower Theatre with the opening night film, "Ruby Blue," pictured above, starring Bob Hoskins as a widower living in a working-class English seaside town who develops an unlikely relationship with a French neighbor. You can see the trailer here. I actually didn't care for this film all that much (and, in fact, consider it one of the weaker films of the festival), but don't let me put a damper on your opening-night spirit too much. Everyone knows that the film itself is just part of the experience.
Tickets to "Ruby Blue" are $20 and include the opening night gala at Samba Tower (in the old Daily Planet space.) Plenty of food, drink and dancing will be on hand.
As far as the Beehive goes, consider this your space for the latest news, reviews and festival highlights. I'll be posting some late reviews as the festival goes on, and I'd love to get a sampling of audience comments on individual titles. You can start things off by telling me if you agree with my take on "Ruby Blue."
I know that we steer away from hot-and-heavy presidential politics on the Beehive, but this one definitely veers toward "Saturday Night Live" territory. It seems that Ralph Nader (remember him?) is so discouraged about lack of coverage for his campaign that he has filmed a commercial of himself unloading his woes on a parrot named Cardozo. And you thought that the campaign couldn't get any weirder ...
A new study of 6,500 traveling executives says 35 percent of them would choose their PDA over their spouse. According to CBS TV:
Of those polled, 87 percent said they bring their devices into the bedroom.
Another 84 percent check their e-mails just before they go to sleep. Another 80 percent check them in the morning as soon as they get up. "It can actually ruin relationships," said Dr. Susan Bartell, a psychologist and relationship expert. Bartell said couples should be interfacing more, but with each other. Of those polled, 62 percent said they love their blackberry or PDA, and most of them said it makes their life more productive.
What say you, Beehivers? Should the bedroom be a Blackberry-free zone?
Even though the phrase might sound vaguely AFL-CIOish, "striking the set" is not a labor action demanding more money for actors. The term refers to taking down the set from the old show and building the new one. Because the last performance of Good Company's "Chicago" was the Sunday matinee, which got over about 3:30 pm, that doesn't give much time to set up for "The Producers," which needs to be completely ready by Monday night for the first tech rehearsal.
How to make the transition? A highly efficient operation has evolved that relies on the casts of both the outgoing and ingoing shows. Six times a year, like clockwork, Roger Rocka's Dinner Theater is a frenzy of activity for a couple of hours as the changeover is made. This isn't just a volunteer gig: If you're in either of the shows, you're expected to pitch in and help -- regardless if you've got the biggest starring role or the tiniest ensemble part. People are assigned to one of several strike crews, including lights, props, costumes, set construction and the always popular task of cleaning dressing rooms that haven't had a thorough airing out for a couple of months.
I grabbed my camera and decided to make this installment of my "Producers" adventure a photo blog. On the jump: lots more pics.
Nicholle Cash and Julie Lucido marvel at the mess left behind in the men's dressing room.
About this blog series: The tables are turned on The Bee's theater critic as he joins the ensemble for one number in "The Producers." He'll go through the rehearsal process and will make his Good Company Players debut at the final dress rehearsal.
CAST CHANGE: In the Good Company Players production of "Doubt," Teresa K. Gipson in a scheduled cast change on Thursday took over the role of Mrs. Muller -- the mother of the boy who may be part of a child-abuse scandal -- through the remainder of the run. She replaces Christina Huerta. From what I hear, Gipson (pictured with Tessa Cavalletto, who gives a powerhouse performance as Sister Aloysius) takes a noticeably different approach to the role. Because this play by John Patrick Shanley is so open to audience interpretation, it will be interesting for audiences to see a different dynamic on stage. You can read my review of the original cast here.
VENTOUX UPDATE: In his Beehive interview for "Hamlet" posted today, Adam Meredith makes reference to the fact that Theatre Ventoux is "on hold" for now. I checked with artistic director Greg Taber, who confirmed the information:
We are on a temporary hiatus. Our fall production of 'Glass Menagerie' is off. We are planning to be be back in the spring with a play titled "The Anastasia Trials in the Court of Women," and we may have something in the Rogue Festival. There is also a good possibility that we will be handling Woodward Shakespeare Festival's staged reading of "Romeo and Juliet" in October.
I'm glad to hear that Ventoux is planning to be back and that we haven't lost yet another theater company in Fresno for good. (I'm still mourning Epic Theatre.) It'll be nice to welcome the hard-working folks from Ventoux back in the spring.
Procrastinators take note: There are only two performances left of "Hamlet" at the Woodward Shakespeare Festival (it plays 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday), so if you've been telling yourself all summer that you were going to catch the show, time is running out. To mark this last weekend of the season, I caught up with Adam Meredith, who takes on the massive challenge of the title character. My interview with him starts in Friday's 7 section. Here's a continuation:
Question: This production has sparked a lot of public comment online on the Beehive. Your thoughts?
Answer: I have cruised by a few times to see what is being said about the production. I think it's always great that people are talking about it and that there is such a vibrant variety of opinions -- some complimentary and others not so much. That is fine, though, because in the end you can't be all things to all people and if this production was,we would be doing something wrong. The enthusiastic people who come to the park looking for entertainment and a nice night that is a change of pace from the 'same old thing' say enough generously granting us with their time and applause. That is reward enough for me. Lets keep the discussion and exchange of ideas going. My concern is when it becomes damning when all we are using the forum for is to rail on someone or something. As long as the discussion moves the work forward and can help inspire people to either come see a show or produce a show I am all for it.
Below: Here's a Woodward Shakespeare video promo for "Hamlet":
I look at myself in the mirror. Nice dress. I'm wearing a blue calico frock with a lace collar. It looks like something that my grandmother might have worn if she'd crossed the prairies on a covered wagon and spent her spare time baking pies for the lunch-box social. On my head is a gray curly wig topped by the cutest gosh-darn blue pillbox hat you've ever seen. A yellow daisy completes the look. Ginger Kay Lewis-Reed, GCP's resident costume designer and the person with the Herculean job of providing 300 costumes for "The Producers," takes a measurement for an alteration. "I hope there aren't any pins in there," she says wryly.
I only have one costume in the show, of course, as part of my stunt role in the dress rehearsal. But the ensemble members, most of whom play multiple roles, are going to be spending lots of time jumping in and out of costumes when the show officially opens next Thursday night. Steve Pepper, the dancer I'm shadowing in the "Little Old Lady Land" number, has eight costumes, for example. He plays everything from a blind violinist and a swishy choreographer to Stalin.
How important are costumes to a theater this size? They have to be first-rate. Audiences are forgiving when it comes to Good Company's small stage and the absence of the fancy moving sets and cutting-edge technical wizardry that you find on Broadway. But the costumes have to be on par with any professional production. If they don't look good, an entire production can look schlocky. And in such a visual show as "The Producers," in which many of the jokes are sight gags (including a dancing pretzel and singing storm troopers), the costumes actually have to carry some of the humor.
Just then the phone rings. Lewis-Reed picks it up and says hello, then motions that she has to take the call. "It's my Nazi armband supplier," she says.
About this blog series: The tables are turned on The Bee's theater critic as he joins the ensemble for one number in "The Producers." He'll go through the rehearsal process and will make his Good Company Players debut at the final dress rehearsal.
In my Sunday column, I wrote about my adventures at the "Mamma Mia" sing-along movie now in theaters. A reader writes:
Next time, Take a Chance On Me. I invited my office staff to go last Thursday. Only one person and her six year old daughter could come. I had to drag my Abba-neutral husband along to do the Pierce Brosnan parts. I did carefully choose my all white outfit complete with a fringed three-quarter-length poncho which would flutter nicely in the dance numbers. Aside from the couple who laughed at my husband's movie trailer joke, the audience of twelve, including a back row group of 8-9, was silent. No singing, no encouragement and when I finally did get up to dance, not a peep. The six-year old did try to sing, and her mother told me the next day she was quite miffed that Mom had not purchased a CD so she could have known the words.
My response: I can see that it'd much tougher to do an Abba sing-along at a sparsely attended matinee. That's why I wanted to whip everyone into shape right after the sing-along version opened so we could get some real crowd energy. I'm guessing that your Abba-neutral husband did a better job than Pierce, eh?
Hot it was on Thursday night -- hot off the presses, that is. The Fresno art scene doesn't usually boast a gallery opening that includes a printed catalog, but that's what greeted visitors to Gallery 25's "Alchemy" show. (OK, so it was bloody hot, too, but what else is new?) Beehiver Felicia Matlosz was anxious to see "Alchemy," and she says it was worth the wait. Here's her take:
The buzz about the new "Alchemy" exhibit at Gallery 25 turned out to be true. It is a plush, strong, marvelous display of some of the area's most creative talent. With a showcase of 29 artists, there is plenty to visually devour. Make sure you carve out ample time to breathe in the scope of this show.
First, why the title "Alchemy"? The catalog introduction, written by one of the featured artists, Trude McDermott, states: "The contemporary use of the term alchemy is frequently a reference to a mysterious synthesis or fusion of different elements into a new form." From that premise, these artists forged visions from that concept.
The moment you walk through the gallery's front door, you will briefly ponder which way to go. But I think you'll be pulled to the right. On the wall hangs one of Robert Weibel's large-scale gunpowder works of bison. This one is a multiple image, in a lighter, golden-brown tone, that gives the work an ethereal feel, as if aiming for transcendency. To the left is a huge, vertical, three-panel painting by Nanete Maki-Dearsan, called "The Abilities of Butterflies." It's a dramatically dark, textured work, with whiffs of white seemingly struggling from submergence for a separate plane of existence.
Wednesday, Aug. 27
Good Company Players rehearsal hall
Things are a little tense tonight. Not major-league tense. Director Fred Bologna doesn't display the I'm-going-to-bite-your-head-off-and-feed-it-to-the-booster-club swagger that a ticked-off football coach, say, might launch into when a complicated play has just gone awry. But as I watch Bologna rehearse the dancers for the tap dance scene in "Springtime for Hitler," I start to feel the pressure of the approaching opening night. Suddenly it seems to be looming a lot closer than it was just a few weeks ago.
"Don't bend from the waist," Bologna tells the tap-dancers. "It's all about military precision. That's why it looks awful. Even though it's a tap dance, 50% of the audience will be looking from the waist up. It has to be PERFECT. Those of you who know me know that we're going to do this until it looks good for stage."
He says more, but I'm stuck on just one word: audience. Yes, there will be an audience. In just a matter of weeks. Hanging out in a rehearsal hall as I have these last couple of weeks, playing to a bunch of empty blue plastic chairs, it's easy to make all this an academic exercise. It's easy to forget that real, live, people are soon going to be sitting in front of me. One of my favorites lyrics in the musical "Billy Elliott" is when the hardened but still kindly dance teacher tells her hapless students, "We only have seven and a half months to rehearse this, so for Christ's sake, concentrate!"
We don't have seven and a half months.
For the very first time in this entire endeavor, I feel the tiniest wingbeat of a butterfly in my stomach.
About this blog series: The tables are turned on The Bee's theater critic as he joins the ensemble for one number in "The Producers." He'll go through the rehearsal process and will make his Good Company Players debut at the final dress rehearsal.
Wait till you see our story about the Washington Monument
Our favorite reader complaint of the morning comes from a woman who called to say that the following Associated Press photo in Wednesday's Life section is pornographic:
The reason for the offense? That big, upright baguette, which evidently for this reader carries with it such strong phallic connotations that even those innocent cherry tomatoes look vaguely complicit.
I'm no Heather, but as the interim deputy assistant to the secretary of gossip here at the Beehive, I thought I'd pass along this charming tidbit (courtesy of In Touch Weekly's publicists, who relentlessly fill my in box each morning) of one more example of Madonna's uppity ways:
Madonna is still the reigning queen of pop, so it's not surprising that she's picky about her thrones -- especially when it comes to public toilets. Before her concert at the Palais Nakaia concert hall in Nice, France, on August 26, the singer had all of the commodes, showers and sinks removed, scrubbed down and then reinstalled. "Everyone thinks she did this because she hates the thought of dirty and germy things," an insider tells In Touch. The self-disciplined star has even admitted to her controlling ways. "Guy [Ritchie, her husband] tells me to loosen up," she has said. "My friends do, too, but I can't. I've always been this way." And it's not the first time the Material Girl has been occupied with lavatory troubles, the insider notes: "During her tour last year, a man stole some of the toilets from the Madonna tour and sold them on eBay for nearly $8,000!'' Madge kicked off her Sticky & Sweet tour on August 23 in Wales, where the latrines were presumably spotless.
Just think if Madonna had lived back in the 17th Century. She would have demanded a NEW chamber pot at each tour stop.
Pictured: a toilet from the world-famous Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo. Get it? Madonna toilet? Hey, that's what I get for using Google Image.
Thank you for asking. Unfortunately, all of the concurrent events at the amphitheater have been distracting to some degree for those acting in and watching Hamlet. Interestingly, we have gotten the most outpouring of audience comment about the cage fighting but we cannot really say that it was louder or more distracting than the amplified music and the often enthusiastically screaming crowds that attracts. So the more vocal Hamlet audience objection to the fighting may have other motivations. Obviously, it also depends on the sensitivity of the particular audience member. On the night of the blues concert I talked to several friends, all of whom can be quite particular about their theater experience. None mentioned any displeasure about the sound although the songs were often loud enough to sing along. I was out of town this weekend so I cannot really compare the experiences.
Campbell says that Woodward Shakespeare is working collaboratively with the parks department to develop a solution for next year. He describes some possible solutions on the jump.
My good read of the week: Are we taking too many photos?
How many digital pictures is enough? I've been known to take 300 in ONE DAY. With no worries about paying to process film, it's easy to adopt an attitude of "take so many shots that your subject wants to kill you."
In many ways, taking lots of pics is a good strategy. It's certainly improved my photos. I've able to learn a lot through practice. And the more shots you take, the better your odds are of coming up with a real winner. But I've been trying to cut down on my tendency to want to document EVERYTHING, no matter how mundane. As Ivor Tossell asks in an astute piece in the Toronto Globe and Mail, has digital-photo taking become compulsive? He writes:
It is as if people fear that moments won't exist unless they've been reduced to bits. No transgression goes undocumented, no inebriation goes unpublicized and no child goes un-camcorded ... It all gets posted to YouTube and stuck on Flickr, filling up giant, remote server farms like the one Google built on a river in Oregon. It's not just family snaps any more, it's every square inch of populated turf, every spare moment of carousing, the combined detritus of Facebook friendship, artistic impulse and wish-you-were-here idleness.
The world is so redundantly well-documented, it's as if you could reconstruct a virtual reality out of it.
Let's see. I've got something like 18,000 photos on my hard drive. (In a completely gratuitous attempt to show him off, here's one below of my 5-year-old nephew Connor getting autographs from cast members Tami Cowger and Max Debbas at the performance of "Annie Get Your Gun" I took him to at Roger Rocka's Dinner Theater.) Do I need to join a support group or something?
What a weird Labor Day weekend. I'd like to say that I spent the entire three-day holiday splashing in the sun, or communing with nature, or drinking myself to oblivion. (From the aftermath of the afternoon scene at Starline Grill, where I ate dinner Monday night, it seemed as if a fair number of folks took the drinking route.) But I actually frittered a lot of the long weekend away glued to my computer screen following national news developments: the aftermath of the Dems convention, the McCain VP pick, the path of Hurricane Gustav, the bizarre Sarah Palin fake-pregnancy rumors and the announcement that her 17-year-old daughter is pregnant.
Such issues have been thoroughly covered elsewhere online, of course, and it isn't my intention to get into a partisan back-and-forth about Palin, for example, here on this thread. (You have plenty of opportunities elsewhere: for the conservative side, try Redstate.com and nationalreview.com; for the liberal side, some of the big players have been Dailykos.com and andrewsullivan.com. And there's always the Bee's Opinion Blog.) However, there are several bigger-picture things that struck me about the whole scenario:
1) We are in a different age in terms of how quickly rumors/news/developments travel. I've realized that for a while, but it really hit home this weekend. I didn't even turn on the TV to track Hurricane Gustav. Updates were much faster online. As far as the Palin story goes, the major developments actually seemed to move of their own accord online. One site would pick up a rumor, then another, and all the while hundreds of commenters issued forth a steady stream of opinions, conspiracy theories, personal memories and outright vitriol. Occasionally someone would contribute an actual tidbit of news. The bloggers themselves just fought to keep up. And the more mainstream outlets were playing continual chase-up, with even the august New York Times relying more on its Caucus blog comment string to advance the story than anything its reporters could provide.
One week after the controversy of Shakespeare in Woodward Park playing at the same time as a big Mixed Martial Arts match across the way at the amphitheatre, another potentially very loud competitor rolled into the same venue: a Timmy T concert. I'm curious from people who attended last night's "Hamlet": Did it go OK? Or did the noise level interfere?
The shiny new road sign on display Thursday night in the lobby welcomed folks to "William Saroyan Country." I'm not sure what the famously grouchy author would have thought of this. You have to remember that he made it very clear that he didn't want anything named after him. And now there will be signs with his name posted all over a special downtown district.
Then again, his birthday party was being held in the lobby of the William Saroyan Theatre. If he's in a position to care about such things, he's already come to terms with the name thing.
The celebration marking the 100th anniversary of his birth was a festive night: lots of Armenian delicacies, a clown named Scruffy, a memorabilia auction that included a bottle of Marilyn Monroe merlot, a stage flanked by two old-fashioned bicycles just like the one that Saroyan used to tool around on downtown. Lots of glammed-up members of the local Armenian community sipped wine. Larry Balakian, chairman of the William Saroyan Centennial Committee and a devoted disciple to the preservation of the author's memory, was seemingly everywhere in his crisp summer suit, chatting with sponsors and making sure the evening flowed smoothly.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO BILL: Yes, the official day of celebration is here: For a year, the city has been celebrating the 100th anniversary of William Saroyan's birth, and now it's time for the party. The William Saroyan Centennial Committee has put together a program tonight at -- where else? -- the Saroyan Theatre celebrating the favorite-son author. The program includes a concert with the National Chamber Orchestra of Armenia and performances by Edna Garabedian, Rhonda Grove and the Fresno Choral Artists.
Pre-concert festivities start at 6 pm. The concert starts at 7:30, and birthday cake will be served at 9:30. Tickets are $25-$50.
I talked to organizer Larry Balakian this afternoon, and tickets for tonight's event are still available. (Pictured: A watercolor from Pat Hunter's book ""William Saroyan: Places in Time.")
LAST WEEKEND:Children's Musical Theaterworks closes out its summer season with "Once Upon a Mattress." There are four performances left: 7:30 p.m. tonight and Friday, and 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday. I haven't yet had a chance to catch this show, but I'm going to make an effort. Do CMT patrons recommend it? Let me know.
If you need any more encouragement to see Woody Allen's new film "Vicky Christina Barcelona," one of his best in recent years, you can add this to your list of reasons: Fresno's beloved Juan Serrano has two songs featured in the movie. The soundtrack is now available. According to the label:
As might be expected from a collection of Spanish music, instrumental guitar pieces make up the lion's share of the soundtrack. Guitarist Juan Serrano, whose reputation as a flamenco virtuoso spans six decades, delivers the churning and complex "Gorrión" early in the set, followed much later by the equally intricate closer, "Entre Olas."
If you recall, Serrano appeared at the Tower Theatre in July as part of the California State University Summer Arts festival.
I learned all sorts of interesting things in today's Bee:
CONDUCT THIS: As a Tower District resident who is periodically yanked from a deep sleep by the blast of a train horn -- on foggy nights it sounds as if the railroad crossing arm is in my living room -- my heart jumped when I read Denny Boyles' story headlined "Fresno plans to silence trains":
With the current crossings, engineers are required to use their horns as a warning as they approach intersections. The quiet zone project will cost just over $1 million and will make improvements to many of the downtown rail crossings. Work will include new concrete medians and improved crossing signals.
Yes! At last, an attempt to rein in the heavy-handed horn madness! (Have you ever heard the train engineer who replicates the "Jaws" theme?) I excitedly read about the effort to create a railroad quiet zone between Olive Avenue and Ventura Avenue.
Then it hit me. I live north of Olive Avenue. So I'll probably be just in range when the horn-ready engineers, momentarily silenced through downtown and just itching to make some real noise, get to let loose with a blast.
ABOUT THAT CAGE MATCH: Folks continue to express their displeasure with the juxtaposition of a Mixed Martial Arts match and the performance of "Hamlet" on Saturday night at Woodward Park.
Hello: I have a not so friendly argument with a co-worker......He says that he and his wife got to talking and could not come up with ANY ACTRESSES worth their salt in movies today. Nothing, they say, like the Bergmans, Davis', Crawfords, Turners, etc of the 40's to 70's. I disagreed with him and he said no professional critics would have any of the last 20 years in their top ten of actresses.
Some of my faves/opinions.......Helen Mirren, Cate Blanchett, Tilda Swinton, Angelina Jolie, Meryl Streep, Julianne Moore......and those come to mind..... What are your thoughts?
My response: First off, George, I hope you've completely ruled out a duel with your coworker. No amount of movie supremacy in an argument is worth a 3/4-inch musket ball embedded in your shin.
I'm on your side on this one. I really do believe that some of today's best actresses are smokin' good.
[Pictured: Meryl Streep in 'Sophie's Choice,' Joan Crawford in 'Female On the Beach']
A pleasant man left a message saying nice things about my Sunday Spotlight "Producers" column, but he had a bone to pick with one of my "facts." I had written:
The last show I performed in was in high school (I was the second sharecropper in "Finian's Rainbow"), and that was so many years ago that I'm pretty sure there was a glacier where Roger Rocka's Dinner Theater stands today.
My caller chided me, saying: "I want to correct something. That used to be an old Sprouse-Reitz department store."
OK, so just to be clear here: First an ice age back in Donald's distant past, THEN the Sprouse-Reitz. Gotta get the chronology correct.
Back in July, I wrote a column about a terrific art exhibition at Gallery 25 titled "Assemblage." One of the pieces in that show was by noted Fresno artist Nancy Youdelman, who likes to use found objects in her art. She had stumbled upon a fascinating cache of old letters that she ended up using as the basis for the piece, which she titled "Letters to Allen," pictured above.
Youdelman found the letters on eBay, which is a common place these days for people to unload old family heirlooms. (What to do with a stash of letters found in an attic? Put them on eBay.) The man had passed away at an advanced age. When Youdelman stumbled upon the letters and plowed through their beautiful calligraphy, she discovered an intriguing, if one-sided, view of a charismatic young man named Allen H. Watkins living in Greensboro, N.C., in the 1930s. From the letters that he had saved, which came from a number of women, a portrait emerges of an engaging young man with a country-club lifestyle and a bevy of lady friends who were obviously interested in him as romantic material.
After that story ran, I got an email from a local gentleman named Howard Watkins who was interested in the last name of the subject for obvious reasons. He put a link to the column on a Watkins family genealogy site. And, lo and behold, he got a call from none other than the son of Allen H. Watkins. Could he put her in touch with the artist?
I immediately called Youdelman. You can't blame her for being a little nervous for hearing that the son of the man whose intimate correspondence wound up in her assemblage piece wanted to talk with her.
Sounds like Woodward Park was a pretty lively place on Saturday night, what with a capacity crowd of 4,000 fans jamming the amphitheatre for "Rumble in the Park" and a smaller group of devoted Shakespeare fans gathering across the street at the Theater in the Glen for a performance of "Hamlet." Fans started lining up 90 minutes in advance for the "Rumble," an evening of mixed-martial arts that had a starting ticket price of $30. More than 1,500 people were turned away, Bee writer Denny Boyles reported. It's safe to assume that the audience for Shakespeare, which was free, was significantly smaller. Wonder how many of those disappointed 1,500 fight fans walked across the street for "Hamlet" instead?
You can be lighthearted about the contrast between the two events -- whatever makes folks happy, right? -- and can actually get historical about it. Bear baiting was a big deal in Shakespeare's time, of course, and the Bard was keenly aware of his competition. But I did hear from some "Hamlet" fans about the noise from the fights and how it bled into the play.
And on this weekend's Mindhub, Craig Scharton weighed in:
The people who put on Shakespeare in the park seem to be a good natured group, a group who obviously receives little support from anyone with the keys to the treasury to bring entertainment to our community. Tonight's play was their 100th. It should have been a celebration. Instead it was bombarded by AC/DC, Ozzie Osbourne and System of a Down. All good bands, but not in a bird sanctuary and not on a night when the local Shakespeare company was putting their collective hearts into a performance.
Thursday, Aug. 14
Good Company Players rehearsal hall
You could walk right past this storefront studio and never realize what's inside. The space is tucked in the corner of an innocuous strip mall that sits on the curvy part of Wishon Avenue, just south of Olive in the Tower District. (Babylon is at the other end of the building.) The unmarked rehearsal hall is almost invisible from the street. A screen blocks the view from the door. To a shopper walking by on the way to the thrift store a few storefronts down, it's impossible to tell that on the other side of the screen, 25 people are singing and dancing like mad.
Well, that shopper might hear something out of the ordinary.The walls are thin. Next door to the rehearsal hall is a church. At 7 p.m. on Thursdays, the worship service lumbers into gear. On one side of the wall there's the rumble of an organ and the bark of the minister. On the other, a line of actors hunched over like little old ladies singing a song from "The Producers." It's quite a combination.
I've been in this rehearsal space before conducting interviews for advance stories on GCP productions, but on this night, it's in a slightly different capacity. I am in a number from "The Producers" -- at least through the final dress rehearsal.
I AM one of those little old ladies.
As I write in my Sunday Spotlight column introducing this blog series, all those Fresno theater fans out there who are used to me as the dignified critic slouching in the dark may now pop their eyeballs back into their heads.
Proving once again that there is a blog for absolutely everything under the sun, this baby-shower dessert is featured on Cake Wrecks, a site devoted to "when professional cakes go horribly, hilariously wrong."
On the jump: three more of my faves. (Warning: Avoid if you're eating lunch, especially McDonald's french fries.)
OPENINGS: The last Children's Musical Theaterworks production of the summer, "Once Upon a Mattress," pictured above, opens Friday at the Fresno Memorial Auditorium and runs for two weekends. This production is for the 11-to-14 year old crop of actors, and unlike "Sweeney Todd," it's appropriate for all ages. So many kids in that age range wanted to be in the show that CMT has two completely separate casts, 35 each, alternating the show. Normally in a CMT show, the principal roles are alternated, but the ensembles remain the same. I'm curious to hear what audience members (which includes parents, of course) think of the arrangement.
SECOND WEEKEND: "Hamlet" and "Doubt" continue their runs at Woodward Shakespeare Festival and 2nd Space Theatre, respectively. The "Hamlet" review, which is capsulized in Friday's 7 section, is here. (It's generated quite a volume of comments already, including a fascinating one Thursday from the cast member playing Ophelia talking about her character.) The "Doubt" review is here.
And speaking of made-up funny stuff: Maureen Dowd's latest column about John McCain and Hillary Clinton plotting against Obama -- which is getting a lot of play online -- is immensely clickworthy.
Sam Delaney of the UK's Telegraph has a fascinating story about the increasing pressures that photographers -- even amateur ones -- are under when attempting to take pictures in public spaces. The reason: hyped-up police trying to ferret out terrorists and pedophiles. Even the general public, egged on by the authorities, are quick to turn on citizen photographers. Among the biggest offenders: private security guards, who have very little official authority but who have been known to use their uniforms to bully folks just wanting to take snapshots. Delaney writes:
Across the globe, casual snappers are experiencing similar problems. There's the amateur photographer confronted at a subway station in LA after being told by a misinformed station guard that he was 'breaking the 9/11 Law.' There's the protests taking place in New York against the proposed ban on photography in train stations. There's the Melbourne shopping centre and tourist attraction that banned photography in order to "stop terrorism." There's even a story about a man who was visited at home and interrogated by FBI agents after being spotted taking photographs at the Port of Los Angeles. The Internet is home to a fast-growing, worldwide community of photographers who feel their hobby is being gradually outlawed by an increasingly paranoid society.
Scary stuff. So far, in Fresno, I haven't felt any weirdness when I'm out and about taking photos. Then again, I haven't tried to get any shots of the Friant Dam lately, either.
OK, we'll turn down the Paranoia Meter here and focus on something a lot more fun: like taking photos. Steve Dzerigian of Spectrum Art Gallery writes to tell me that Fresno will be a part of the first "Worldwide Photo Walk," a free event held Saturday Aug. 23 in conjunction with the release of the update of Scott Kelby's "Lightroom Book for Digital Photographers." Photographers from around the world will gather for a two-hour time slot to take pictures in and around their communities. Fresno's designated area is the Tower District. Because of the heat, local organizers picked a 6-8 a.m. time slot.
Melinda Downing of Spectrum is Fresno's Photo Walk leader. She'll pick a winner out of the group who will receive a free copy of the Kelby book, and local photos will be featured online. A grand-prize winner from the day also will be selected. Mostly the event is just a chance to socialize with other photographers and perhaps learn something from each other. (And be part of a plug for a book, but, hey, it's smart marketing, right?) Participation is free, but registration online is required. The event is limited to 50 photographers.
Oh, and by the way, if you aren't a photographer and are up early Saturday in the Tower and a horde of folks with cameras wanders by your house, don't worry. A tour bus didn't get lost on the way to Yosemite.
I don't normally have a chance to see Fresno plays more than one time, especially if they're short runs. But I made an exception for the Children's Musical Theaterworks production of "Sweeney Todd," which closed Saturday night. Why? Because the company uses two different sets of performers in leading roles. I wanted to see the last performances of a couple of cast members I'd missed the first time around.
And when I say last performances, I'm talking about more than just the last "Sweeney Todd." Every summer, a new group of longtime CMT performers "age out" of the program. It's like graduation. To perform in the youth shows, you have be 20 years old or younger.
Were there tears backstage at the last performances? You bet. A graduation wouldn't be complete without them. It's a time when close friends often have to say good-bye as they head off in different directions.
At the end of the Good Company Players production of John Patrick Shanley's "Doubt, a parable," the characters we've just seen come to life on stage -- including the sternly righteous, tree-trunk-solid Sister Aloysius and the charismatic but hard-to-pin-down Father Flynn, who butt up against each other in the mesmerizing face-off that makes this acclaimed play so indelible -- vanish. They're replaced by the actors themselves, who arrange themselves in chairs to chat with the audience members who have chosen to remain for a short talk-back session.
This casual discussion is a fine way to end this intriguing theater experience. The question everyone in the audience has, of course, is a simple one: Did he do it? Is Father Flynn guilty of the sexual abuse that Sister Aloysius is so confident he committed? As the comments flow and the actors muse, it's clear that talking about the show afterward is an essential part of the process. (It's been said that the second act of the play is the discussion that takes place between audience members when they get home.)
But something else emerges from the look back at at the brisk and streamlined "Doubt," which is performed without an intermission. It is more than just a detective story. Sitting there, still reeling, at the end of the play, what we've just witnessed is a moral guessing game.
The setting: Late-night Saturday at BJ's Restaurant and Brewhouse restaurant at Fashion Fair, where the TV sets never rest and the enormous, piping-hot chocolate-chunk "Pizookies" served in mini-pizza pans are so addictive that they've been known to entice secret agents into changing sides. (This BJ's must be distinguished from Fresno's own BJ's Kountry Kitchen, the decadent breakfast establishment -- motto: "would you like six or 15 pieces of bacon with your eggs?" -- that might as well set up intravenous feeds at the tables and inject lard directly into its patrons' veins.)
The scene: Michael Phelps' historic attempt at an eighth Olympic gold medal at the Beijing games.
The logistics: One of the amazing things about BJ's is the fact that big-screen TV sets are visible on all sides of the restaurant. This means that each member of a party of four sitting at a square table, say, can gaze directly ahead to see the wall-mounted TV without having to shift his or her head. It also sets up the somewhat disconcerting situation that people tend to stare past those sitting across from them, creating the sensation that folks are eating in a daze. It's like mealtime at a psychiatric facility after everyone's taken their meds.
The moment: Phelps and his American team competing in the 4x100-meter medley relay team . Even though the sound is down, every eye in the place seems glued to the various screens.
The win: The Americans get the gold, and the whole place erupts in a cheer. Phelps smiles. Pizookie eaters smile. It's a smiling moment, yes, that brings a whole bunch of people together. Yet we don't really smile at one another, because we're all looking different ways. Then, finally, as what Phelps has accomplished sinks in, we wrench our collectives eyes from those collective screens on the wall and do the holler-whoop thing. He did it. Michael Phelps got us to look away from the TV.
Arlene Schulman, the articulate and industrious director of Woodward Shakespeare Festival's vibrant new production of "Hamlet," has compared the play to a "caged leopard" that paces and searches, ready to leap given the slightest opportunity. That's a perfect way to describe Hamlet himself. The title character is portrayed with a prowling, lithe, snarling obsessiveness by Adam Meredith.
This is not Hamlet as grand protagonist. He is not the embodiment of all that is noble. He does not exude the stage-dominating gravitas that we often associate with the great men who tackle this great role. This Hamlet is brash, petulant and a bit of a whiner. He is tousled and desperate, grasping at straws, fidgeting with excess energy. He is a man bent upon seeking revenge, yes, but he is also a showman -- preoccupied with the artifice and allure of the stage -- who relishes the thrill of the chase. I can imagine that he's always been a little "off" socially, even before he learned of the death of his father. He might be in line to be king, but I don't think he'd ever get elected student body president at Clovis West High School.
Meredith is fierce and compelling. He's just one of the reasons that I really, really like this "Hamlet."
In Friday's 7 section I have an interview with Arlene Schulman, director of the new Woodward Shakespeare Festival production of "Hamlet." Here's a continuation of the interview:
How did you hook up with Woodward Shakespeare Festival?
I love Shakespeare and directing his plays is always a first priority for me. As a professional director living and working in the NJ/NYC area, I regularly check the casting calls online for potential job opportunities. I saw Woodward Shakespeare Festival's notice on Playbill Online looking for directors for their upcoming 2008 season. Since they were looking for a director for "Hamlet" and I was looking for a company that would be open to exploring the somewhat innovative directorial concept for "Hamlet" that is the basis of my MA dissertation I responded to their ad and sent in a precis for my concept. They were intrigued and enthusiastic, and thus it began ...
You've gotta love the New York Times: upright institution of high culture, but just dying to get down into the trenches and scream about sex and salaciousness. How does the Times manage to cover the hot topic of hot bodies in the Olympics? By combining a prurient "I like to watch" theme with a scholarly, measured, academic appraisal of just why it is that humans love to gaze longingly at lithe, toned bodies. Writer Guy Trebay manages to work in references as disparate as the ancient Greeks, 4th Century Sicily, a young Cassius Clay and Madonna. He notes that the infatuation with Michael Phelps-style bodies (shown above, ahem, from below) is nothing new:
What the Games also frankly accommodate is a taste for the spectacle of straining young bodies, an appeal that was not lost on the ancients. The crowds at the early Games, according to the historian Nigel Spivey, were as excited by the "boys with slim waists, broad shoulders, neatly proud buttocks and springy thighs" as they were by the lofty ideal of the Games.
And, yes, I'm also sucking up just a little to new editor Kathy, who was just waiting for another pic of Phelps.
OPENINGS: Two Fresno-area plays open Thursday night:
Woodward Shakespeare Festival's "Hamlet" kicks off a four-weekend run with a new production directed by Arlene Schulman. I have an interview with Schulman in Friday's 7 section. The New Jersey-based director has a fresh take on this classic play: She's particularly interested in the depiction of the major women characters, Gertrude and Ophelia, and their relationship to the story.
Good Company Players opens "Doubt," which continues through Oct. 12 at the 2nd Space Theatre. John Patrick Shanley's play about the collision between a formidale nun and a new priest sent to her parish parochial school was a recent favorite on Broadway. (Mike Oldham, who plays Father Flynn, is pictured at right.)
DON'T FORGET:Children's Musical Theaterworks' accomplished production of "Sweeney Todd" at the Fresno Memorial Auditorium continues for just four more performances. From what I understand, the "Fleet Street cast" (with Joey Giudici, Terra Greer and Kelly Sanchez in the leading roles) performs 7:30 p.m. Thursday and 2 p.m. Saturday. The "Pie Shop cast" (with Chase Stubblefield, Caitlin Stevenson and Daniel Rodriguez) performs 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
AND: You only have a few days left to see GCP alum Andrea Chamberlain star in "The Drowsy Chaperone" at the Orpheum Theatre in San Francisco. You can read my interview with her here.
Checking in with the star of 'The Drowsy Chaperone'
I still run into people who aren't all that interested in Good Company Players productions " 'cause it's just dinner theater." You'd think that with all the ink (and air time!) devoted over the years to the success of Audra McDonald, Sharon Leal, Heidi Blickenstaff and the dozens of other GCP alums who have gone on to distinguished theater careers that folks would be a little more cognizant of what a great training ground this local company is.
Some things never change.
But that's an even better excuse to celebrate Andrea Chamberlain, a Roosevelt grad and GCP standout. Not only did she understudy the lead role of "The Drowsy Chaperone" on Broadway, she nabbed the part for herself on the national tour. She's appearing in the show in San Francisco at the Orpheum Theatre through Sunday Aug. 17. We caught up with her for an email interview.
Question: What's the most challenging part of playing this role on a daily basis?
Stamina. Both vocal and physical. It is pretty demanding on both fronts. I am doing splits, cartwheels and high kicks in SHOW OFF as well as holding long high notes =). Over time, you build up those muscles(both vocally and physically) but there are definitely days where my body hurts or my voice is a little tired. Especially with all of the travelling that we do.
I cheerfully admit that I know next to nothing about the MTV series "The Hills" other than it is the most gawdawful acted show on TV -- I tried to watch an episode once and thought I'd stumbled into someone reading the minutes from a planning commission meeting -- but I do have a tiny local angle to pass on. Jervy Smith, my optometrist, reports that his son, Alex Smith, Clovis West '03, is in the season 4 trailer for "The Hills" and has a bit part in the show. Jervy writes:
Alex is supposed to cuddle up to Whitney Port, although she may have found another flame in which case his appearances will be short lived. But at least Alex made the first 20 seconds of the nationally televised trailer.
Infrared photography is very cool, very hip, these days. Lots of photographers are experimenting with the genre. Tim A. Fleming's new show at Spectrum Gallery is a good way to get a grip on the technique.
When you shoot in an infrared format, scenes can turn out weird and otherworldly. Foliage appears white and water looks black. The whole scene is infused with an ethereal glow.
For August ArtHop, I started off with Fleming's exhibition at Spectrum. It's an impressive show. Fleming is more of a "purist" when it comes to infrared photography than those shooters who merely try to act the effect with the help of Photoshop. Fleming, who uses a specialized 4x5 digital camera designed for such work, uses a special filter. It's a complicated process that actually involves using the camera like a "scanner" -- rapidly photographing one "line" at a time of a scene -- that necessitates a lengthy exposure.
Those who were worried that Children's Musical Theaterworks would somehow candy-coat Stephen Sondheim's wonderfully doleful "Sweeney Todd" needn't have had any cause for concern. Granted, this stage production -- featuring CMT's actors ages 15-20 -- is nowhere near as bloody as the recent Tim Burton movie. And thank goodness for that. There are still a couple of scenes from that film -- most notably a certain, um, hacking motion from Johnny Depp's straight-edge razor followed by what can only be called a waterfall of red -- that still stand out unpleasantly in my mind. I estimate there are at least 45 seconds of the film I've never seen, thanks to my eyes being tightly screwed shut.
Stage productions have a lot more latitude when it comes to symbolizing violence rather than depicting it graphically, of course. And while it's true that this "Sweeney Todd" (which plays through Aug. 16 at Fresno Memorial Auditorium, 2425 Fresno St.) is not as bloody as other stage productions of the show I've seen, director Elizabeth Fiester does deliver what's arguably far more important: a giddy yet macabre sense of itself.
Sure, the actors are a little younger than we're used to seeing in these iconic parts, from the grim and embittered Sweeney to the shrilly middle-aged Mrs. Lovett (who's certainly been around a London block more than a few times). But thanks to some impressively mature voices from these young performers -- and strong makeup and hair design by Steve Souza -- it's easy to be drawn into the play.
So it's settled: Joshua is the big winner on "So You Think You Can Dance." It came down to him and Twitch in the final two Thursday night, with the men on the show pushing aside the women for the top spots.
I have to admit that I rolled my eyes the first time I watched an installment of this show, thinking that it was just another forgettable, hacked-up attempt to cash in on the "American Idol" craze. Even the insistence on referring to the dancers by first names seemed to take away a little of their legitimacy.
Yet the show became one of my guilty pleasures over the season. I've talked to other people who admit the same thing. Sure, there are times when I thought the producers took the "everyone should be able to dance all styles" thing too far. It'd be like forcing pro athletes to compete on day in baseball, the next in basketball, then on to football. At some point I think you have to specialize when it comes to dance genres. But, that said, I found this season thoroughly engrossing. Even the ultra-annoying judge, Mary "Tamale Train" Murphy, whose shriek-song voice could dissolve hard-water deposits, grew on me. I was also jazzed that the group dance numbers were almost always impeccably rehearsed and beautifully performed, compared to the sloppy, mediocre efforts by the "American Idol" singers in their own group numbers.
And I loved the way that producer/judge Nigel Lythgoe insisted on exposing the audience to top-notch dance companies and choreographers. When was the last time Alvin Ailey was featured on Fox TV?
The New York Times has a fascinating piece on Zhang Yimou, the creative wizard responsible for today's dazzling Opening Ceremonies at the Beijing Olympics. Zhang is one of my all-time favorite movie directors. His films "Raise the Red Lantern" and "To Live" are definitely in my Top 20 list of all-time films. Though he's now riding high in the eyes of the Chinese government, the Times notes that it wasn't always that way:
Time and again, Mr. Zhang's terse, gritty epics were banned by government censors for portraying China's ugly side. When he won an award at the Cannes Film Festival in 1994, the authorities stopped him from attending. Up for an Oscar one year, officials lobbied to have his film withdrawn from the competition.
Zhang's evolution from social critic to establishment star has in some ways been incremental. He embraced the big-budget martial-arts genre with his big hit "Hero," and even then some critics were calling him a sell-out. I guess you could argue that China is a different place than when Zhang first started making his searing, beautiful films. Or is it that he's become a different director?
In Friday's 7 section I have an interview with Elizabeth Fiester, director of the new Children's Musical Theaterworks production of "Sweeney Todd." Here's a continuation of the interview:
Did you see the recent film version? If so, what did you think?
Yes, I went to the midnight showing on it's opening weekend. I liked the movie, I thought Tim Burton adapted it to the screen wonderfully and I really enjoyed the performances.
And not just because your very cranky steering wheel tried to burn your hands. There's an interesting array of ArtHop shows to see tonight. Beehiver Felicia Matlosz gave us a rundown in Sunday's Spotlight section.
There's some other ArtHop news to report. Stalwart participant Glen Delpit, who has been on the ArtHop tour for the last six years in the Fresno High/Tower area (and whose work "Autumn" is shown above), has moved downtown to the heart of the Cultural Arts District at 1753 Van Ness (Van Ness and Amador), directly across from Bill Bruce's studio and one block north of Arte Americas. He writes:
Next door to me is the Roger Perry Studio, and although it is a recording studio it will be showing art work every Arthop (this month Shannon Johnson will have work there) and also presenting live music.
The Cultural Arts District is starting to come alive (we're working on banners for the streetlights) . There's Arte Americas one block south, and 1 block behind us on Fulton is the Pearl Building, and 3 blocks southwest is the Broadway studios -- all within a very short walking distance, and of course the Met when it gets underway is just a block away. away. No longer is Bill Bruce an oasis on the north end of Van Ness. So, while there is a great deal at the other end of Van Ness with Fig Tree Gallery (which Bill and I are both members of) and Gallery 25 and Corridor 2122, there is now something happening at the north end too. We hope you'll take the opportunity on Arthop to stop in and say hello and see what's taking place in the Cultural Arts District.
Sounds great, Glen. The more bustle, the better. You're definitely on my list.
This summer has been a transitional challenge for Woodward Shakespeare Festival, no question about it. Though the move from the park's amphitheater to the smaller group activity area gave lots of room for positive spin -- the intimacy of the space, the additional greenery, the potential for a permanent stage -- festival organizers had some big challenges as well, especially the lighting situation. As the second production of the summer, "Hamlet," gears up for an Aug. 14 opening, spokesperson Chris Campbell looks back at "Twelfth Night," addresses what's up with the lights and talks about "Hamlet":
Well, 12th Night is concluded. I think the show really strengthened in all aspects over the 5 week run as we learned a lot -- and monitored the feed back on your blog. I don't know if you were able to get back out there but we have heard excellent things from the audience and we had over 1500 total audience for the three shows last weekend.
Now we are on to Hamlet opening August 14. We are on the way to transform the set into a Danish Castle and rehearsals seem to be going very well.
There are two things I want to emphasize about Hamlet: the interesting director and the less interesting lights.
I'm still settling in after returning from a vacation, but I didn't want to let my July 27 Spotlight column get away without mentioning it here. I wrote about a longtime Fresno piano teacher named Velda V. Boutte, who died last year and is now being honored by piano scholarships in her name through the Fresno County Branch of the Music Teachers Association of California.
My column was appreciated by several readers. One named Donna writes:
Just wanted to thank you for your wonderful article on Ms. Boutte. I never had the privilege of knowing Ms. Boutte, but it 'touched a chord' in my heart, perhaps more than some readers, as my mom was another of those one-in-a-million, unbelievabley gifted, musicians (pianist/organist) whose great joy, like Ms. Butte, was helping others be their best, whether through teaching, rehearsing, arranging, or providing the perfect accompaniment to beginners and celebrities alike. Too infrequently, I think, are these treasured people honored beyond the circles of those who knew and loved them. Your lovely article shined a deserving and sweet light on Ms. Butte's generous life. By bringing attention to the MTAC Foundation, I'm grateful, too, that you've given those of us who wish we had known her a way to perpetuate her passion.
On the jump: my own piano teacher memories, plus more reader comments.
UPDATE 8/5: Well, there's a winner. I hesitate to share his name because it will just make people even more likely to project themselves into the winner's circle -- there's nothing like personalizing the fantasy -- but here it is: Jeffery Carl of Visalia. Let the phone calls from old friends and distant family members begin.
8/4: A pet peeve of mine: news stories about lottery jackpots. This morning Channel 30 was whooping it up about the $47 million SuperLotto winning ticket sold at a Goshen convenience store, pictured. The Bee popped the story on top of Monday's front page. It's a time-honored tradition for news outlets to frenzy it up when there's a local winner.
Of course, we never seem to read about the people who waste thousands of dollars a year on what essentially is a sucker bet. As long as there's that teensy 1-in-25-million-chance of a big win, people can dream. That's what these stories are meant to be: little fantasies. People dive in for a few paragraphs, think to themselves, "Ah, if that only were me," and then go out and hand over more of their hard-earned dough in pursuit of the near impossible. Never mind that someone is ALWAYS going to win the lottery. It's not like it's some astonishing event. What the state basically did in this case is collect a whole lot of money from a bunch of people, give $47 million to one person and then hang on to the rest. Repeat cycle, forever.
I suppose if people want to throw away their money, fine, but why does the media so blithely play along by donating all that free advertising?
The Associated Press is reporting that actor Morgan Freeman has been in a fairly major car accident in rural Mississippi. Rescuers had to use the Jaws of Life to get him out of the car. He's hospitalized Monday afternoon in serious condition with a broken arm, broken elbow and minor shoulder damage, according to his publicist.
So what does a small town do when a celebrity is involved in a potentially life-threatening accident? Rush out to get a good rubbernecking view, of course:
Bystanders converged on the accident scene trying to get a glimpse of the actor. When one person tried to snap a photo with a cell phone camera, Freeman joked, ''no freebies, no freebies," a local journalist reported.
I guess the old adage about always wearing clean underwear is true if you're a box-office star.
UPDATE 8/6: Photos removed at request of photographer Brad Polzin.
ORIGINAL POST 8/4: You've got to hand it to Edna Garabedian and her plucky California Opera Arts and Educational Festival: Not only does she persevere, but each year the event gets a little closer to her vision of a world-class training festival in Fresno.
The festival ended Sunday afternoon with a fully-staged performance of Puccini's one-act "Il Tabarro" at the Tower Theatre. The venue itself is a notable upgrade from past years. Previously, the festival made a home at San Joaquin Gardens retirement complex. (Construction work at the facility meant that the festival had to find new lodgings, and there was a little bit of scrambling by Garabedian to find suitable alternatives, which ended up including the Fresno Art Museum and St. Therese Catholic Church.) The move to the Tower is a good one. Though Garabedian always made a valiant effort each year to transform the big hall at San Joaquin Gardens into a space for opera, the Tower stage is on a whole different level of performance.
And it can fit a lot more people as well. The audience for "Il Tabarro" was robust indeed. No doubt the draw of free opera -- and the reputation of the festival -- is clicking with more people in the Fresno area than ever. [Photos: California Opera]
The critical consensus on "Mamma Mia," which Beehiver Will still hasn't seen even though he keeps talking about going, seems to be is that the film has some major flaws but is still a lot of fun to see -- if you're into movie musicals. Still, there are some pretty feisty defenders of the film out there. Here's a sample call in reaction to my review from a reader named Tina, who from the sounds of it took a small multigenerational army to the multiplex:
We just took about 12 people to see "Mamma Mia" today. You know what, you are so off base with your review, dude ... I don't know what kind of movies you really do like, but I'll tell you, the whole auditorium was clapping. So Pierce doesn't have a voice … but you know what, Meryl Streep's role in that show is phenomenal. My 17 year old daughter loved it, my 91 year old residents loved it, I'm 45 and I loved it ... So you are way off base on this one, dude. You missed the mark, buddy. Maybe you'd better take some people with you and pick their brain before you slaughter a really great movie. Take care. I'd love to hear your singing voice someday. Bye.
Tina: (Or may I call you Mrs. Dude?): If you read to the end of my review, you'll find that I concluded my "Dancing Queen" metaphor with this line: "The movie version might not count as royalty, but any Abba fan will want to take a chance on it anyway." I think that's pretty fair. P.S.: I am in no way Broadway (or even local theater) caliber in terms of my singing voice, but I think that I (and about 200 million other U.S. citizens) could belt it out better than Pierce Brosnan.
Call me a purist, but I think that the musical "Chicago" should be more sexy than funny. Sure, there are lots of frivolous and laugh-out-loud moments in the oft-performed John Kander/Fred Ebb/Bob Fosse stage version, which got a big boost from the Oscar-winning 2002 movie. But the laughter should be sharp and cutting. This is a show about skin, sex, corruption, gyrating bodies, tight costumes and -- not to forget -- murder, along with the whole theme of glorifying empty celebrity. Goofy and slapstick don't fit nearly so well on that list.
Consider the second-act courtroom scene, a near-train-wreck-moment, on opening night of the Good Company Players production at Roger Rocka's Dinner Theater. Steve Souza, playing all the members of the jury as is customary, hopped from chair to chair just as you'd expect. As he created different characterizations, he pretended to pick his nose, chat on the phone, use binoculars, drink out of a flask, etc. All this takes place as Roxie Hart (played by Julie Lucido), on the witness stand for murdering her lover, is undergoing friendly examination by her superstar attorney, Billy Flynn (Peter Allwine). The trick is to make the multiple-jury-member gag wryly amusing without disrupting the flow of the action.
As staged by Scott Hancock, however, the scene bogs down.
(UPDATED 7/26: Roxie's "husband" corrected to "lover.")
As the California State University Summer Arts program continues at Fresno State, we envision this Beehive post as a place for news, recommendations, reader reviews, gripes, background information -- anything related to the program. You can leave a comment here or send an email.
FRIDAY July 25
We made it. After more than 40 public events, all sorts of free culminations, hundreds of hard-working students, a bevy of world-class guest artists -- another CSU Summer Arts comes to a close. Today is your last chance to get a taste of this popular festival with the final round of student performances. (And they're all free!) I'd get there REALLY early for the Steppenwolf culmination -- the theater is small and the show, Lanford Wilson's "Balm in Gilead," is powerful. (I saw it the last time Steppenwolf came to Summer Arts.) Here's a list of culminations:
I've been tickled for days over The Fresnan's brilliant technique for dealing with obnoxious people who trumpet inane cell-phone conversations in enclosed public spaces: He tapes them and posts them online. That's what he did at a recent "Dark Knight" screening at Broadway Faire when some guy jawed on for 20 minutes before the previews started. The audio quality isn't great, but it's more the genius of the idea than the actual content of the conversation that makes it a kick.
Just think: Militias of cell-phone-recording activists could record annoying conversations and then go home and post them. Web sites could be built; millions could be made. If someone wants to blab in your face, fine, but maybe folks would think twice if they knew that their very public conversations were being recorded for posterity.
The Kronos Quartet, which wowed an audience Tuesday night at Fresno State as part of CSU Summer Arts, is not your great-great-grandmother's string quartet. No staid Sunday afternoon music recitals or Victorian-upholstered private garden parties here. Mozart and Schumann? Let them get in line behind John Adams, Clint Mansell and a bevy of international composers whose names you might trip over and whose music speaks of a world view, not just a Western one.
Sitting on a square, slightly raised platform in the John Wright Theatre and flanked by floor-level stage lights, a scattering of exotic stringed instruments and giant speakers, the quartet exuded a sort of hip, relaxed modernity. Audiences have experienced the Kronos Quartet in literally thousands of concerts over the past 30 years in some of the world's great venues, but it's hard to imagine a more intimate space than the John Wright to experience this group's potent personality.
Over the course of the MTV competition show "Legally Blonde The Musical: The Search for Elle Woods," I was a fan of 28-year-old Autumn Hurlbert from the start. She had the best voice of all 10 contestants, and I just had the feeling that she'd best be able to handle the rigors of performing eight shows a week on Broadway.
But I will admit that in the last couple of weeks of the show, Autumn faded a little. She never really clinched the deal for the role, you could say, and I think that's why it ultimately went last night to Bailey Hanks, who always had the clear advantage of absolutely looking the part.
The cool thing is that all four of the top-ranked contestants got roles with the show. Playbill.com sums it up:
Finalists Hurlbert, Rhiannon Hansen and Lauren Zakrin have all been cast in either the Broadway production or the first national tour of the musical, which launches in Providence, RI, Sept. 23. Hurlbert, the first runner-up in the competition, will understudy the role of Elle Woods on Broadway and will perform in the ensemble. Zakrin, the youngest contestant on the reality show, will understudy the tour's Elle Woods, Becky Gulsvig, and will also be a member of the ensemble. And, Hansen will play the role of Margot, Elle's best friend, on tour.
The story behind "The Dark Knight" just keeps getting darker. Various outlets, including AP on The Bee's home page, are reporting that "Batman" star Christian Bale was arrested in London:
Bale's mother and sister complained they were assaulted by the 34-year-old actor at the Dorchester Hotel in London on Sunday night, a day before the European premiere of his latest film, "The Dark Knight." The women made the allegation at a local police station in southern England on Monday, Britain's Press Association news agency said.
It didn't take long for the story to explode. In fact, the way I found out about the arrest this morning was when an email landed in my inbox at 7:41 am from someone wanting to be interviewed about media-crisis management:
The arrest of Batman star Christian Bale for assaulting his mother and sister in a London hotel threatens to damage the Batman brand (as well as Bale’s). The summer’s largest blockbuster could take a box office dive unless studio executives, and Bale himself move quickly to address the crisis. Ronn Torossian, CEO of NY based 5W Public Relations, which works extensively in crisis communications, including work for Sean “Diddy” Combs, Pamela Anderson and Snoop Dogg can discuss how executives should handle the latest crisis surrounding Dark Night:
“Christian Bale being arrested shortly after Batman being released has huge implications for the Batman movie. Many questions will arise, and both Bale and studio executives need to move quickly to address this crisis, particularly given cast member Heath Ledger’s earlier drug overdose death. There are huge implications for the brand as a whole. What will parents say to their children when they take them to the movie about why Batman beat up his mother?” said Torossian.
Woe be to the audience member who attempts to take a flash photograph from the front row of a David Shiner show. When that happened in the opening minutes of clown master Shiner's CSU Summer Arts performance at Fresno State on Saturday, the temptation to impose public humiliation on the offender was just too great to pass up. Shiner, a lanky fellow with an almost liquid flow to his stage movements and a razor-sharp ability to convey exaggerated emotions with a few wrinkles of his expressive face, was immediately all over the guy: rolling his eyes in mock outrage, miming a machine gun, taking an imaginary camera and stomping it into the ground, even dropping to all fours and doing his "doggie duty" on the offending device.
It was very funny stuff. Especially because -- and I'm sure every audience member was thinking the same thing -- it wasn't me.
Clowns terrify some people. After watching Shiner's smooth and expertly paced show at a packed John Wright Theatre, I'm thinking that at least some of that childhood terror comes from a fear of being plucked from the audience.
In my Sunday Spotlight column I write about the "Dark Knight" phenomenon and the massive audiences attracted to the film in its opening weekend. How much of its popularity can be attributed to Heath Ledger's untimely death? Was Ledger's creepy turn as the Joker his best performance? Beyond that, it's fascinating how cinema can freeze an actor in a state of eternal youth.
Here's your chance to talk about "The Dark Knight's" opening weekend. Was every screening in the area sold out? What did you think of Ledger's performance? And (be honest here) were you more likely to go (or plan to go) because of all the publicity? [Photo: comicbookmovie.com]
This was how anxious last night I was to read the New York Times review of the new Broadway musical "[title of show]" starring Fresno's own Heidi Blickenstaff: I found it on the Times Web site on my mobile phone at the intermission of "The Music Man," and just as I was able to scroll down to start reading, the house lights dimmed. And since the Times, true to form, didn't have a headline that actually told you whether it was a postive or negative review, I had to put my curiosity on hold through the second act.
Well, it was worth the wait. Here's what Christopher Isherwood, the second-string critic for the Times, had to say:
It is genial, unpretentious and far funnier than many of the more expensively manufactured musicals that make it to Broadway these days ... Consider “[title of show]” the class clown of Broadway. Certainly it will never be part of the popular crowd, like those snooty smash hits “Wicked” or “The Lion King.” It’s not the straight-A, critic’s-pet type like “Spring Awakening,” either. But like all class clowns, it wins you over by making fun of the big shots and bursting with its own distinctive personality.
The musical also got a strong review from the New York Daily News, but it got panned by the Post.
Did Heidi and her gang luck out by opening when first-string critic (and noted terror of Broadway) Ben Brantley was out of town or on vacation? Perhaps. But a Times review is a Times review, and a positive one means a lot. Congrats to all. [Photo: New York Times]
Big, bright and with enough zip to power every Wii in Clovis, the new production of "The Music Man" at CenterStage Clovis Community Theatre is an energetic and ambitious version of the oft-performed classic. A huge cast of 63 nicely fills out the big Mercedes Edwards stage, and director Greg Grannis shuffles his enthusiastic players on and off with such efficiency and vigor that many, many calories are burned.
I got beat up a little by readers for my review of last year's CenterStage summer musical, "The Sound of Music." It can be very unpopular for a critic to call a community-theater production "adequate at best." But I just didn't think that the show represented the full potential of the Clovis company. Thankfully, there's a striking difference between this year's production and last year's effort. "The Music Man" is in a whole different league in terms of staging, choreography and general overall competence. Even the tremendous sound problems experienced last year, in which the live orchestra drowned out some of the lyrics, have been immensely improved.
I have an interview in Friday's 7 section with Greg Grannis, who is commanding an impressive army of 63 cast members plus full orchestra in CenterStage Clovis Community Theatre's production of "The Music Man," which opened Thursday at the Mercedes Edwards Theatre. Here's a continuation of the interview:
What's your own background with "The Music Man"?
"The Music Man" was the very first full-scale production I was cast in as a kid. I so admired the teen dance ensemble in that show that when I came home from college, The Music Man was the first show I did upon returning home...that time as a teen dancer. Since then, I've helped out on several other productions, and finally (after having performed the show over 100 times myself), now am getting to direct and choreograph the true American classic that first cemented my love for musical theater. It feels a bit like everything's come full circle, with flashbacks of past productions popping into my head as I watch rehearsals. And it doesn't hurt that with my family's mid-western background, I feel like I actually grew up knowing some of the these characters in real life.
Frankly, folks, I got a little scared when I went to the Sierra Vista Cinemas 16 Web site this morning to check on this Friday's movie openings. Here's what the site lists as the ticket prices:
General Admission - $13.00
Student Discount - $8.50
Children 3 – 11 & Senior 60 & better – $9.50
Matinee daily until 6pm – $10.00
I haven't been out to the theater for a month or so, but could this be true? I can't see how it could be. Thirteen bucks is a whopping $3 more than Regal charges. (And can you believe $10 for a matinee?) On Movietickets.com, the official online site for the theater, the top ticket price for Sierra Vista is listed as $9.75, so I'm assuming the higher prices must be some kind of Web site error. But what if it's dummy type for a planned future price increase? With $4.50/gallon gas and $13 ticket prices, people are going to have take out loans if they want popcorn with their movies.
UPDATE 5:30 p.m.: Well, that got fixed fast. The Web site has been changed. Looks like the $13 rate structure is for 3-D movies. Regular top price is $9.75. Still, I felt as if I've seen the future, and it isn't pretty.
Speaking of ticket prices: We have an announcement in Friday's upcoming issue of 7 that Regal's Clovis Towne Center 8 theater will be changing over to a discount movie house. Tickets will be $3. That means first-run films won't open there anymore. It remains to be seen what this will mean long-term to the art-house films such as "The Visitor" and "Young@Heart" that have been playing there recently, but as of Friday, those titles remain. And $3 sounds a lot better than $13.
Most of us never get to see the raw footage from movies. By the time we get to the final product, the film has been carefully edited -- and while most of us are dimly aware that a lot more footage is shot than actually makes it on the screen, it's never an idea that is front and center.
With Monday night's Summer Arts lecture, the audience got a rare peek at what the editor of a film is confronted with: lots and lots of raw footage that has to be shaped into some kind of cohesive experience. The film is "Ars Medicina," a documentary from Bklyn2LA productions and MEDIA OFFLINE. It follows a group of Los Angeles doctors who take an annual week-long trip to rural Guatemala to offer medical assistance. The film at this point in time is smack in the middle of the creative process, with the footage all in the can but the editing still to go.
There's been a lot of lively reader discussion on my Beehive "Twelfth Night" review thread, so if you want to experience some spirited back-and-forth between local theater types, click away. This Woodward Shakespeare Festival production has two weekends left in its run, and it's been interesting to read what people have to write about the show as the run progresses. Some folks are positive:
I liked this show. I was also there on opening night and there were technical issues, but I thought the acting was good and it was a pleasant evening. All of Woodward's shows have a mixed bag of experienced and inexperienced actors, and Donald picking on the younger men was a tad unfair, but I thought most of the cast knew what they were doing and were having a good time.
Others disagree:
I saw "Twelfth Night" on Thursday last and was disappointed. Not with the new venue--it was lush and inviting and much cooler than the concrete of the amphitheater. I was not disappointed with the acting, sound, or lights, but in the obvious lack of structure or direction. Mr. Thorson calls "Twelfth Night" Shakespeare's most romantic play. I saw no hint of romance. There was little chemistry between any of the actors in the quadrangle (Olivia/Orsino/"Cesario"/Sebastian). I would have liked the director to have taken more time to develop those relationships.
ON THE JUMP: More on "Twelfth Night," a new executive director for the Warnor's Center is named, a Good Company Players veteran stars in a national tour, and is anyone out there as addicted to "Legally Blonde the Musical: The Search for Elle Woods" as I?
To kick off the second session of Summer Arts, organizers picked a performer with a name so towering that it only made sense to feature him at the Tower Theatre. Flamenco guitar master Juan Serrano, along with his accomplished son, Juani, made an appearance that ended with the chance for both of them to perform together. I wasn't able to attend the concert, but I knew that Beehive regular Blake Jones would be there and asked him to provide a recap, which he most graciously did:
The Tower Theater was packed. I mean packed. This was beautiful to see, but no big surprise. Juan
Serrano is loved in this town. When he came to Fresno, he already had a world-wide reputation: pictures of him with JFK, Ed Sullivan, and cello maestro Pablo Casals were all displayed proudly in his office. When he left Fresno, he left a legacy of years of music making -- he gave concerts all over the country when his schedule permitted, teaching -- he built up an impressive program for guitar at Fresno State, and mentoring --- ask the myriads of students who had the joy of being invited to hang out and talk music with him at the Student Union coffee shop after class.
But this legacy was already in place whether or not he returned to Fresno for CSUFresno’s Summer Arts Program.
Mark Larson told a Photoshop joke before a Summer Arts lecture last week. Yes, there is such a thing as a Photoshop joke. Here goes:
How many Photoshop experts does it take to screw in a lightbulb?
The answer: One, and the other 99 have their own expert ways to do it.
Larson, the course coordinator for the CSU Summer Arts digital photo seminar, might not be getting his own HBO comedy special anytime soon, but he's a very nice guy, and he welcomed me to his class Tuesday and introduced me to a few of his students. I focus on one of those students, Charlene Kassmayer, in Friday's issue of 7. (You can see a bigger image of her Barn Door photo on the jump.) Some of her fellow students shared some more tips for up-and-coming photographers:
In Friday's 7 section, I have an interview with Mark Norwood, director of Reedley's River City Theatre Company new production of "Little Shop of Horrors." Here's a continuation of the interview:
Question: Talk a little about the production. Is this going to be a big technical challenge for your small space?
Answer: I think that the creative use of our limited space is perhaps the thing that I am most proud of as we near the end or our 5th year round season. For Pump Boys And Dinettes we hung a 1946 Dodge off of our stage right wall and still managed to have the “Double Cup Diner”, “Jim’s Garage”, a four piece band and a cast of 7occupy the playing area. With the addition of a forestage, a thrust and balcony extensions, we have produced Big River, Music Man, and Oliver with casts averaging 25 performers. We have also turned the stage into a functioning beauty salon for Steel Magnolias and a saloon for The People Vs. Mona.
With all that said, Little Shop Of Horrors does present some very big challenges for our “little” Opera House.
Though the screenwriting and film-acting components don't have as high a public profile as other course offerings at the California State University Summer Arts program, there's a lot of Hollywood industry brainpower concentrated at Fresno State this week. A chatty group representing different facets of the biz -- screenwriter, director, cinematographer, casting agent, studio executive -- shared some tips with students and community members at a panel discussion at Wahlberg Recital Hall. Make no mistake, they said: It's a jungle out there.
"Everybody on the planet has a screenplay," said John Schimmel, producer and vice president of development at Ascendant Pictures.
This story probably falls more into the business/news blog side of things, but I've always had protective feelings toward Fresno's airport -- having reliable, convenient and affordable air transportation is one of those big-city things that I think we desperately need -- so I'm a little bummed with the news today that ExpressJet is pulling out of FAT. The Bee's Jeff St. John writes in this breaking update:
Fresno Yosemite International Airport officials announced today that the Houston-based carrier would end its Fresno flights on Sept. 2 ... ExpressJet started its Fresno service in April 2007, but said in a news release that it was cutting back “due primarily to rising fuel prices which have made the operations impossible to sustain.”
UPDATE: Here's Jeff's longer story from Thursday's paper.
I was just having a conversation the other night with an out-of-town Summer Arts participant and saying that Fresno's airport has really improved in recent years. Now this. Just think: 1) of all those hundreds more cars each day driving to Southern California; and 2) the minor embarrassment that you won't even be able to fly straight from San Diego to Fresno. Business travelers are going to scream, and that's going to make it harder attracting quality jobs to the area. In case you've missed the ongoing story, by the way, the U.S. air transport system is on the verge of collapse, particularly for mid-sized cities, thanks to crumbling infrastructure and soaring fuel prices. If we don't watch out, we'll be back to the way it was 50 years ago when only the very wealthy could afford to fly.
When you put two outspoken lesbian spoken-word performance artists on the same billing, it's no surprise if they make memorable sparks. When it's veteran performers Alix Olson and Kimberly Dark, you can add funny, poignant, acerbic and occasionally downright caustic to that list. Olson and Dark have carved out meaty careers in the spoken-word-slash-poetry world, but they've never actually shared the same stage until Tuesday night at California State University Summer Arts. Alternating their sets, they pumped up the audience with politically provocative fare that had a particular emphasis on queer and gender issues.
Dark (pictured) is a terrific presence on stage: her voice warm, her eyes lively, the physical choices she makes in terms of relationship of her body to the audience somehow reassuring and even nurturing. Yet she's also able to forge a slightly adversarial union with her listeners as well. In her opening piece, a commentary on the tendency for women to obsess about body image and weight, she challenged not only men -- for gawking natures and unrealistic expectations -- but women as well who conform to those male expectations. Dark is a strong writer, each phrase solid and calculated, and her ability to create word pictures is extraordinary. I won't soon forget the image of a woman with scalpel in hand, literally chiseling off layers of fat as if she's some sculptor working in soft stone.
Regular Beehive readers know that I'm mildly obsessed with "[title of show]," the Teensy Little Musical That Could, which co-stars Good Company Players alum Heidi Blickenstaff. (I covered the show way back when it was just starting out in New York). Well, the long-shot dream of Heidi and her cast members came true Saturday when the very first preview performance opened on BROADWAY, if you can believe that. And check out the fans who mobbed the stage door afterward:
Also, check out the amusing "[title of show]" blog account of the first performance.
Now I just have to get through the trauma of waiting for Ben Brantley's New York Times review.
Art (with a capital A) is always winding up in famous little spats with its sometime bedfellows: Art Vs. Commerce, Art Vs. Religion, Art Vs. Elitism. As our world becomes even more steeped in bytes and hard drives, there's another conflict tha
OK, so I was wrong
Rosie was terrible. I'd been hoping the awfulness of her ill-conceived variety show, "Rosie Live," which played the night before Thanksgiving, would recede in intensity in the intervening days of my holiday break. But no. On Monday, it's still as fresh and raw as a wound that refuses to scab. Felicia and Heather were right, and I deserve to be locked in a subcompact car with Ms. O'Donnell on a six-hour road trip while she screams at her manager on a cell phone. My quick take on the show:
