Free Will Astrology, Dec. 24-30

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ARIES (March 21-April 19): In the Brazilian rainforest, Cecropia trees and Azteca ants have a special relationship. The trees’ hollow branches serve as nesting spaces for the ants and offer them sugar-rich food. In return, the ants aggressively defend the trees from herbivores and predators, protecting them from damage. This mutualism benefits both species. The trees get protection that enhances their growth, while the ants gain shelter and nutrition. In the coming months, Aries, I invite you to seek symbiosis that’s equally vigorous. Enjoy the fun challenge of reducing your solo struggles as you rouse collaborations that boost your power and everyone else’s. The goal is intelligent alliance, not compromise. Be resourceful as you trade a bit too much independence for just the right amount of interdependence.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): When potters center clay on a wheel, they typically use one hand inside the vessel to apply steady, controlled force. The other hand remains fluid, guiding and stabilizing the outer rim of the spinning clay. This balanced use of pressure—one hand firm and bracing, the other adapting minutely to the shifting clay—helps bring the lump into perfect symmetry. I propose you make this a prime metaphor in the coming months, Taurus: control meeting surrender. You will be crafting a new balance between security and surprise. Too much rigidity, and the form cracks; too much flow, and it collapses. Practice the middle art.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Poet Audre Lorde spoke of how caring for herself was the exact opposite of being selfish. It was the foundation of her ability to serve and inspire other people. My Aunt Sophie used to say, “You can’t pour from an empty cup. Take care of yourself first.” Educator Stephen Covey advised, “Be patient with yourself. Self-growth is tender; it’s holy ground. There’s no greater investment.” Poet Vironika Tugaleva writes, “Learning to love yourself is essential and life-changing.” Everything I just said should be your keynotes in the coming months, Gemini. Boost your self-care to sublime levels.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): A remarkable species of jellyfish can circumvent the aging and death process that affects all other animals. Turritopsis dohrnii converts its mature, specialized cells back into stem cells, essentially recycling its own body into youth. The process may repeat indefinitely, making the animal theoretically immortal. In the coming months, Cancerian, your emotional wisdom will also show amazing regenerative power. Challenging and intriguing situations will be opportunities for you to initiate stunning acts of renewal. Like the jellyfish, you won’t merely manage change but will use it as a catalyst for vigorous growth. Have you ever before been blessed by such wildly rejuvenative powers of metamorphosis? I don’t think so.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): According to ancient Egyptian myth, the sun god Ra rode a celestial boat across the sky by day. Each night, he plunged into the underworld to wrangle with chaos so he could rebirth light in time for the dawn. That’s your mythic assignment for the coming months, Leo: not to be nonstop luminous, but to renew and nurture your radiance in the dark. Your courage will lie in feeling and learning from your doubts without identifying with them. Your magnetism and wisdom will deepen as you descend. You won’t be less golden for passing through shadow.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): In medieval monasteries, scribes added whimsical drawings called drolleries into the margins of sacred manuscripts. These marginalia included scenes like frogs playing harps, nuns chasing rabbits and fantastical creatures engaged in playful or absurd activities. How should we interpret these seemingly prankish additions? Scholars disagree. In any case, I recommend you experiment with drolleries of your own, Virgo. Inject improvisation into duty. Add ornament to order. The coming months will reward your serious play. You’ll accomplish more by enjoying the work than by obsessing on perfecting it. A touch of friskiness may even improve efficiency. So when you edit, doodle; when you analyze, wink. 

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Italy’s Orto Botanico di Padova is the world’s oldest botanical garden still in its original location. Since its inception 480 years ago, it has been a center for botanical research, education and conservation. Its layout is striking, a square inscribed in a circle, symbolizing harmonious order. In the coming months, Libra, you will be wise to associate yourself intimately with a similar wonder: an enduring source of beauty and revelation that you can both serve and benefit from.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Astronaut Chris Hadfield has spent 166 days orbiting the Earth in the International Space Station. In the microgravity of outer space, he says, motion is very smooth; objects and people float. He marvels at how everything is always moving, and yet the pace itself is tranquil and unhurried. I foresee you enjoying a lot of this kind of grace in the coming months, Scorpio: momentum without mania; constant fluidic movement that’s never hectic or rushed. What a great privilege. I expect you will rack up many flowing accomplishments.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): In Kyoto’s famous moss gardens, caretakers practice artful arrangement rather than total removal of shed foliage. They use delicate tools to gather trees’ cast-off leaves and arrange them on the moss to create visual harmony rather than bare tidiness. This approach reflects the Japanese aesthetic principles of embracing imperfection. Supposed “flaws” become part of the beauty of the garden. I propose that you regularly adopt a metaphorically comparable approach in the coming months, Sagittarius. Integrate rather than edit. Be creative with what’s changing form. Treat so-called messes and unexpected plot twists not as blemishes but as rich textures that feel meaningful and inspiring.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): A newly planted orchard spends its first year growing roots, not fruit. Underground and unseen, the real work happens. I surmise that’s like what you will be doing in the coming months, Capricorn: mostly invisible stabilization and preparation. If anyone asks you what you’re producing, smile inscrutably and say, “Depth.” Be committed to the quiet, hidden work rather than any showy song and dance. As my rough and rugged spirit guide, Esther, likes to say, “You don’t got to prove nothin’ to nobody.” The nourishment you will be storing up will sustain later abundance. 

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Engineers may engage in “stress testing.” They evaluate a system’s hardiness and reliability by subjecting it to pressure or force. I suspect that life will bring you a benevolent version of this trial in the coming months, Aquarius. That’s a good thing. It’s not meant to break you, but to prove how much resilience you have developed. Situations that might have formerly cracked your confidence will affirm and reveal your upgraded endurance. Take note of your composure and congratulate yourself for it. You will have every right to exult in the vivid evidence of how much you’ve grown.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Piscean author Anaïs Nin wrote, “Love never dies a natural death. It dies because we don’t know how to replenish its source.” Apply her counsel dynamically during the coming months, dear Pisces. Be the great replenisher. Make yourself into a fountain of beauty as you share lavishly. Nurture tenderness and adoration with unexpected flowers, gorgeous music in the midst of the routine and affection expressed through artful thoughtfulness. Be brilliant and persistent in ensuring that love thrives. Your elegant generosity and fond attention should enrich everything you touch.

Elegance Over Excess, Grateful Voodoo, Wild Worlds and More

Petaluma

NYE Gala Concert

SkyHill Cultural Alliance rings in the new year with its 17th Annual New Year’s Eve Gala Concert, a Petaluma tradition that favors elegance over excess and music over noise. The program brings together works by Beethoven, Mahler, Copland, Ives and John Zorn, performed by a chamber ensemble led by pianist Elizabeth Walter and featuring guest violinist Joseph Edelberg, concertmaster of the Santa Rosa Symphony. Complimentary wine and cheese will be offered before the show, with Champagne and chocolates afterward. Two performances allow audiences to choose between a matinee-style sendoff or an early evening toast. 3 & 6pm, Wednesday, Dec. 31, Unitarian Universalist Church, 16 5th St., Petaluma. Tickets $60, skyhillconcerts.org.

Fairfax

Grateful Voodoo

If one’s idea of holiday spirit involves dancing and a little New Orleans funk, Grateful Voodoo has them covered. The Bay Area jam collective returns to Peri’s Tavern with its Holidaze Dance Party, blending Grateful Dead staples with Crescent City grooves and a rhythm section built for motion. With a rotating lineup of seasoned local players and a crowd that knows when to let go, Grateful Voodoo keeps things loose and celebratory. 5–8pm, Sunday, Dec. 28, Peri’s Tavern, 29 Broadway, Fairfax. Tickets $10, peristavern.com.

Sebastopol

Wild Worlds

Showstoppers Artist Collective heads into January with Wild Worlds, a dual exhibition with works by Patti Fulton, whose animal portraits and human studies reflect decades of medical illustration and ranch life, and Monique Nguyen, exhibiting under the name Tara Mo, whose vibrant abstract paintings explore color and movement. The show spills across neighboring spaces, creating a conversational flow between image and sensation, realism and intuition. Guests can linger over treats, browse boutique art or partake in a community collage table stocked with materials and open to all ages. 1–3pm, Saturday, Jan. 10, Showstoppers Artist Collective, 186 N. Main St., Ste. 110, Sebastopol. Free; donations welcome, supershowstoppers.com.

San Rafael

Watercolor Theory

If one’s greens keep turning muddy or their blues won’t behave, this workshop aims to settle the score. Multidisciplinary artist Suzy Kopf leads a hands-on introduction to watercolor color theory at Marin Museum of Contemporary Art that focuses on the practical magic of mixing, matching, dulling and brightening pigment with intention. Participants will work through guided color exercises, build a personalized color chart and leave with a clearer understanding of which hues harmonize, which clash and why. No prior experience is required—this an ideal launch for beginners and a refinement for practiced painters. 1–4pm, Saturday, Jan. 10, Marin Museum of Contemporary Art, 1210 Fifth Ave. (at B Street), San Rafael. $105 MarinMOCA members / $123 non-members, plus $20 materials fee paid to instructor. suzykopf.com.

Goth for the Holidays: Oliver Graves, Viral Goth Stand-Up

There had of late been a furor on the internet as to the goth status of Christmas, with a lunatic fringe posting that Christmas was even more goth than Halloween.

For a local take, I went to Oliver Graves, the deadpan wit whose viral sensation on America’s Got Talent made him one of the region’s leading goths overnight.

Cincinnatus Hibbard: Oliver, tell it to us straight—is Christmas goth?

Oliver Graves: Well, people do drag a dead tree into their house and make it the centerpiece. 

They decorate it too. Sickening. 

And why? Maybe because it’s the death of the year.

Dark times. What are you going to do for Christmas?

I dunno. Maybe watch Gremlins. Although if I watch Gremlins, I have to watch Gremlins 2

‘Gremlins Take New York’…

… And then Looney Tunes—and that’s not Christmas at all… Words have no meaning…

Tell us about your big show, presiding over the corpse of the old year.

My New Year’s Eve show is at The California, in Santa Rosa. I’m performing; I’m hosting. There are two bands—Temptation, which is a New Order cover band, and Debased, which is a Pixies cover band.

Both danceable and goth-adjacent bands. That ought to go down well with The California’s slightly debauched theater-nerd following…

Yeah, they typically sell out on holidays.

You’ll be doing 30-minute sets. You like that length? Comics often get five or ten minutes in variety shows.

Oh, it’s so much better to be up there longer and not to stress about time. If I’m doing five minutes, I am very clearly picking my set—picking my jokes. I’m getting on, and I’m getting off. If I’m doing 30 minutes, I’m not sure what 30 minutes I might do. I’m free to follow in the direction of audience reactions. We’re just in the room having fun together.

I’ve never dressed full-out goth. How do things shift when you put on your goth?

Well, as a performer, it unlocks my attitude. Some comics drink or smoke weed. I just put on my wig, and it locks me in. But even off the stage, I know that people will be looking at me when I’m dressed this way. And at the same time, I’m relieved of the responsibility of reacting or responding to them emotionally. You get to be blank-faced.

That’s very interesting. You get to be there, but you don’t have to give any energy.

Or laugh at a comedian’s unfunny jokes…

What are other goth privileges or powers?

When you want to be left alone, you get left alone. You don’t have to worry about it. You can’t smile though—that’s an ice breaker—it ruins it.

That leads us to the dark humor that goes with it, the makeup. Give us a ‘goth joke.’

Well, I dated someone for awhile who was differently abled, and needed me to dress them and bathe them and generally take care of them. And my friend didn’t think that was a great relationship—even though it was very romantic—she didn’t think she could ever live like that. To which I pointed out—well, my girlfriend isn’t actually alive…

Necrophilia. How many minutes do you have on vampires?

Maybe two-three minutes. Mostly one liners—those go fast.

Who are you underneath the makeup?

Oh, just a nerd.

Learn more: Oliver Graves can be booked as an MC or comic for a comedy or spooky variety show on Instagram @olivergravesirl. Tickets for the big NYE show are between $25-$35 and can be purchased at caltheatre.com.

’Twas a Wine Country Christmas, With our Most Sincere Apologies to Clement Clarke Moore

’Twas a Wine Country Christmas and all through the cellar

Were stowed bottles of vino and this lucky feller.

Since I was a guest, I should’ve inquired

“Say, mind if I binge?” before it transpired.

But my host quipped, “Don’t judge a wine by its label”

So, in due time, I drank him under the table.

Then I sneaked down the hall and through the cellar door

Brandishing a corkscrew and thirsting for more.

“Now, Syrah! Now, Malbec! Grenache and Chenin!

On, Pinot! Primitivo! Tempranillo and Zin!”

We’ll pop all the corks and we’ll fill every cup;

We’ll drink upside down just to say “Bottom’s up!”

Champagne gushed like geysers, merlot poured like rain;

Zins went to my head and cabs to my brain.

My teeth had turned purple, my cheeks had gone red.

Visions of cirrhosis danced through my head.

I crawled on my knees, for I’d forgotten my swagger;

I’d decline a straight line but would be happy to stagger.

And as I bumped in the night toward the end of my carol

I awakened my dear host passed out in a barrel.

He was righteously angry, aggrieved and appalled

Not for drinking his wine but for drinking it all.

But he bowed his head and said, with Yuletide resign

“Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good wine.”

Daedalus Howell is editor of this paper. More at dhowell.com.

Hopping the Pond: Kathleen Inman Grows Roots and Wine

Kathleen Inman embodies the essence of hands-on winemaking—equally comfortable pouring tastings as she is maneuvering tractors through her vineyard. 

For more than two decades, this multifaceted entrepreneur has single-handedly built Inman Family Wines, wearing every hat, from viticulturist to accountant. Her winery reflects an unwavering commitment to environmental stewardship, evident in everything from eco-friendly wine labels to a sustainably designed tasting room powered by solar energy.

A third-generation Napa Valley native, Inman’s wine journey began ironically not in Napa but during a college tasting seminar at University of California, Santa Barbara, where pinot noir captured her imagination. 

That summer, working at Napa Creek Winery on Silverado Trail, she discovered both her vocational calling and her future husband, Simon, a visiting Englishman. Their whirlwind romance led to marriage and 15 years in England, during which time Inman cultivated another passion—organic gardening—eventually creating an expansive 11-acre walled garden at their estate, The Grange at Elvington. This experience planted seeds for her future.

In 1998, drawn by her love of farming and pinot noir, the Inmans returned to California, purchasing the Olivet Grange property in Russian River Valley the following year as a tribute to their English home.

Since her inaugural 2002 vintage, Inman has championed what she terms “eco-ethics” in winemaking, at the forefront of techniques including direct-press rosés, single-vineyard sparkling wines and utilizing Stelvin screw caps with Saratin liners for even her most high-end wines.

Inman serves on Wine Road’s board of directors while advocating tirelessly for equity and diversity in the wine industry.

Amber Turpin: How did you get into this work?

Kathleen Inman: I created my job by forming a company in 2000.

Did you ever have an ‘aha’ moment with a certain beverage? If so, tell us about it.

No, but the 1963 Croft I had in 1982 was a port epiphany.

What is your favorite thing to drink at home?

A Corpse Reviver #2 (equal parts gin, Lillet blanc, orange liqueur and fresh lemon juice, shaken with ice and served up in an absinthe-rinsed glass).

Where do you like to go out for a drink?

Lo & Behold in Healdsburg.

If you were stuck on a desert island, what would you want to be drinking (besides fresh water)?

Champagne.

Inman Family Wines, 3900 Piner Rd., Santa Rosa, 707.293.9576. inmanfamilywines.com.

Tea Time: Kristina Tucker Puts the Kettle On

With minister of enlightenment as her job title, Kristina Tucker holds some powerful energy at Larkspur-based The Republic of Tea. 

But her journey to that position, which has been a 30-year career with the company that started in 1992, has involved many roles. Ultimately, she says that she “believes in the beauty and power of the leaf.” And her mission to “educate and inspire people throughout the world about tea, its varieties, origins, rituals and health benefits” remains central to her work.

Amber Turpin: How did you get into this work?

Kristina Tucker: I discovered tea over 30 years ago and began working with The Republic of Tea soon after. From the beginning, I was captivated by all the transformative properties of tea, and that fascination has only deepened with time. It has been a privilege to help enrich people’s lives through The Republic of Tea’s premium teas and herbs, and to share the ‘Sip-by-Sip’ rather than ‘Gulp-by-Gulp’ philosophy that celebrates mindfulness, health and well-being with such an incredible community.

Did you ever have an ‘aha’ moment with a certain beverage? If so, tell us about it.

The ‘aha’ moments are daily. The Republic of Tea has nearly 400 blends, and I rediscover new favorites all the time. I remember when we introduced our organic Double Green Matcha in 2007: the first matcha of its kind available in a single, easy-to-steep tea bag. It was a true breakthrough for tea lovers and reignited my passion for innovation and exploring new ways to experience tea.

What is your favorite thing to drink at home?

At home, I tend to reach for full leaf teas and herbs. My favorites are The Republic of Tea’s Silver Rain White Tea and Chamomile Lemon or Cardamon Cinnamon herb teas. I also love to prepare matcha, often whisking it with an electric whisk, though I still appreciate the ritual of using a traditional bamboo chasen from time to time.

Where do you like to go out for a drink?

Sushi Ran in Sausalito is a long-time favorite. Not only for its incredible food but for its lovely full-leaf teas, extensive assortment of sake and an outstanding chardonnay to pair with an unmatched Japanese dining experience. Another go-to is Picco in Larkspur, where the drinks are just as memorable, from refreshing bottled iced teas to inventive craft cocktails.

If you were stuck on a desert island, what would you want to be drinking (besides fresh water)?

Tea, of course … but which one is impossible to answer. May I never really have to pick one tea for a desert island.

The Republic of Tea, 900 Larkspur Landing Cir., Suite 275, Larkspur. 800.298.4TEA (4832). republicoftea.com.

Count Down: North Bay Cabaret Gets ‘Mischievous’ for NYE

After a successful year of popular, thrilling and very adult-oriented events, there’s no better way to bid farewell to 2025 than with Jake Ward and his North Bay Cabaret band of sexy pranksters. 

Hence, a New Year’s Eve party with the moniker “Midnight Masquerade” will hit El Infierno Cantina in Santa Rosa’s Railroad Square on Wednesday, Dec. 31. While the usual kinky party vibe is a given, this event marks a first-time collaboration between Ward and LUSH, Sonoma County’s premier LGBTQ+ dance party, which adds a whole new flamboyant dash of revelry to the proceedings.

Ward has been putting on events in and around Sonoma County for so long, one can almost track the comings and goings of the nightclub scene by the spaces he’s booked events at that are no longer around. While losing nightlife options is a bummer, his perseverance and love of putting on epic events is an inspiration.

“Mischief Masquerade was born at Whiskey Tip, where we packed the house for six incredible years. When Whiskey Tip closed, it left a void,” says Ward. This was due to rather particular needs he has of his venues, which include burlesque and circus performers often alongside comedians, poets and bands. Keeping all of this in mind, he notes, “We didn’t just need a new building; we needed a space that could accommodate the correct size, layout, and importantly, had the right vibe.”

Enter El Inierno Cantina, located at the space formerly home to Annie O’s and the Last Day Saloon, located on the edge of Railroad Square. This year’s “Halloweird” event was held at El Infierno. But going in, there was a little trepidation. “Bringing Halloweird to a relatively unknown venue was nerve-wracking, but the entire night went better than planned,” Ward admits. So much so that “me and the manager literally shook hands and locked in NYE on the night of Halloweird, which gave me exactly two months to bring this entire event to life,” he continues with a laugh.

Ward explains that El Infierno works in part because “beyond capacity, we need to work with venues that allow us complete creative control, and are excited to accommodate the very specific requirements for offering up this type of show.” He continues, “For New Year’s Eve, we told the venue that we need to take over the entire space, that the content will be extremely ‘R-rated’ and that we intend to give away free Champagne to the entire audience right before the stroke of midnight. They didn’t hesitate.”

There’s simply not enough space here to list all the performers scheduled, but they include: Jamie Dewolf, Qu’in de la Noche, Sgt Die Wies, Pony Bambino, Harlequin Grim, Dizzy from Earlier, Tapper Dan, Mel Debret, Jamin Jollo, Naveah Travis, Laidbackzach, Jordan Ranft and The Grawlix. LUSH will also be heading a “Dedicated DJ Dance Party Room” featuring DJ Dyops and DJ Diewies. As if that weren’t significant entertainment, the night will also feature a special performance by local faves The Crux.

As usual with a Northbay Cabaret party, there are several ticket options available, depending on how big one wants to go and how close to the, ahem, action one would like to be. 

Options include: Masquerade Floor (general admission standing room), Velvet Parlor (reserved main floor seating), Twilight Balcony (two reserved seats on raised tier), Midnight High-Top (reserved high-top table for two), Gala Loft (reserved table for four on raised tier) and Grand Throne (front row vip table for two). 

Pricing is tiered, with early bird, presale and at the door options. Also, if one attends Midnight Mischief and partakes in the endless Champagne and other adult indulgences, there are plentiful hotels in the downtown Santa Rosa area.

More info can be found at northbayevents.com.

Holiday Kitsch, Solstice Sound Healing and Hamilton Caroling

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Santa Rosa

Fa-la-la-mingo

The Flamingo Resort & Spa leans all the way into tropical holiday kitsch with a season-long transformation that pairs retro tiki cheer with year-end dance-floor excess. Highlights include Sippin’ Santa at the Lazeaway Club, where candy-cane mai tais, peppermint mojitos and rum-spiked hot chocolate are served amid vintage ornaments and palm-tree tinsel, and a neon-soaked Miami Vice-themed New Year’s Eve Decades of Dance Party ushering in 2026 with DJs, live performances and serious throwback energy. Add live music, cookie decorating, hot cider and more, and the Flamingo becomes a full-on winter escape—flamingos included. Sippin’ Santa runs throughout the holiday season; Miami Vice NYE party, New Year’s Eve, Flamingo Resort & Spa, 2777 4th St., Santa Rosa. Details and tickets at flamingoresort.com.

Sausalito

Solstice Sound Bath

The season turns inward with Sound of Love, a winter solstice sound bath led by Ruby Hernandez and David Gibson, inviting participants to lie down, let go and listen deeply. Using a rich array of sound-healing instruments—voice, crystal and Tibetan bowls, gongs, crystal harp, handpan, framedrum, kalimba and more—the evening is designed as a slow, immersive reset for body and mind. Hernandez brings a nature-rooted sensibility shaped by forests and sea life, while Gibson, founder of the Globe Sound Healing Institute and author of The Complete Guide to Sound Healing, anchors the experience in harmonic resonance and intention. 6–8pm, Saturday, Dec. 20, 110 Caledonia St., Sausalito. $33. Tickets via eventbrite.com.

Novato

Caroling for a Cause

Holiday cheer goes mobile as the Hamilton Arts Foundation leads a festive caroling procession through the historic Hamilton neighborhood, raising awareness for the Save Hamilton Theater project. Singers from the Golden Gate Opera and Santa Rosa Community Chorus—joined by special guest quartet Comfort & Joy—will guide the crowd through classic carols, with hot chocolate, cookies, candy canes and sheet music provided along the way. Electric lanterns and flashlights encouraged. 3–5pm, Saturday, Dec. 20, Hamilton Amphitheater, Hamilton Field, Novato. Free. More info at savehamiltontheater.org/caroling

Rohnert Park

Holiday Songbook

Cinnabar Theater closes out the year with The Holiday Songbook, a high-energy, all-ages musical celebration that blends concert performance, storytelling and audience sing-alongs into a 90-minute holiday party. Created by Broadway and recording veterans James A. Rocco and Albert Evans, the show unwraps the stories and surprises behind more than two dozen seasonal favorites, from “Silent Night” to “Jingle Bell Rock,” with fresh arrangements and knockout vocals. 7:30pm, Friday, Dec. 19; 2 and 7:30pm, Saturday, Dec. 20; 2pm, Sunday, Dec. 21, Warren Theater at Sonoma State University (Ives Hall), 1801 East Cotati Ave., Rohnert Park. Tickets and info at cinnabartheater.org or 707.763.8920.

Humbug: Musical ‘Scrooge’ in Sonoma 

What’s Christmas without a production of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol (or a reasonable facsimile thereof) on a local stage? Sonoma Arts Live fills the bill with their production of Scrooge! The Musical. The SAL production runs at the Sonoma Community Center through Dec. 21.

The stage version, which Leslie Bricusse adapted himself from his 1970 movie musical starring Albert Finney, adheres pretty closely to the film, as it tells Dickens’ tale of redemption of cold-hearted miser Ebenezer Scrooge through song and dance. 

It’s a pretty solid production of the ol’ chestnut. Projections (by Gene Abravaya) help expand the confines of the small Rotary stage and transport the cast to various scenes and structures in Victorian England. Colorful costumes by cast member Barbara McFadden also provide great support in establishing the period. 

Director Larry Williams leads the cast of 18 as Scrooge, with Owen Hardisty as Bob Cratchit, David Shirk as Jacob Marley, McFadden and Cat Smith as the Christmas ghosts, and Kathryn Arisman as Tiny Tim.

It’s a good mixture of veteran performers and relative newcomers. Scrooge is a good role for Williams, and he does a fine job with the character’s journey from heartless skinflint to loving member of the community.

Shirk as the Ghost of Jacob Marley (in another excellent costume) shakes things up with his warning to Scrooge to straighten up or be doomed to his fate. McFadden and Smith have fun with the Ghosts of Christmas Past and Present, and Thaddeus Louviere does very well leading the rousing “Thank You Very Much” number.

Among the younger cast, the performances of Andrew Herold as nephew Fred and Addie Lowe as Scrooge’s fiancé Belle stood out, as did the vocals of Autumn Terradista. 

This production uses musical tracks. And while the depth and heart that live music brings to a show was missing, the vocal work by the cast (under Sherrill Peterson’s musical direction) does a lot to compensate for the loss. The choreography by Bridget Codoni, though limited in nature by the relatively small space, was well executed by the cast.  

Director Williams made a few odd blocking choices, and the first act’s conclusion and exit was a bit of a mess. But he kept things moving, and the show came in under two hours, including an intermission. 

All in all, SAL’s Scrooge! The Musical is a well-delivered version of the quintessential holiday show.

‘Scrooge! The Musical’ runs through Dec. 21 on the Rotary Stage at Andrews Hall in the Sonoma Community Center, 276 E. Napa St., Sonoma. Thurs–Sat, 7:30pm. Sat & Sun, 2pm. $30–$45. 866.710.8942. sonomaartslive.org.

Frankenstein’s Miss, Guillermo del Toro Blew His Chance 

Guillermo del Toro, the director of the latest of many Hollywood adaptations of Mary Shelley’s groundbreaking novel, Frankenstein, has said that his movie is not about artificial intelligence. Wait, the story was about human created intelligence 200 years ago, but not now? At this moment, it has to be. 

Frankenstein is a luscious gorefest showcasing the Mexican director’s unmatched ability to humanize a monster on film. The creature is sensitive, emotional and engaged with the world. 

The movie succeeds in many ways, but it fails in two. Del Toro ignores the feminist themes of the book—instead focusing on the father/son story—and he neglects to explore the domination of tech in today’s culture, led in no small part by the very masters of technology that Shelley warned us about. 

Shelley used her strength as an artist to ask the most pressing questions of her time, as great art must. Despite his protestations, comparisons to the current state of technological development, the dawn of the AI Age, are unavoidable for del Toro’s movie. 

“I did want to have the arrogance of Victor be similar in some ways to the tech bros,” del Toro admitted recently on Fresh Air. “He’s … creating something without considering the consequences.”

This comparison must be understood as more than just a model for the character, a crafty way to anchor the actor in a modern arrogance that the audience is familiar with. It cannot be arbitrary because “tech bros” are the exact people in charge of the exact technology that, of all technologies yet to be developed, is the one most likely to run rampant like Shelley’s creature across the face of the Earth. 

So when—SPOILER ALERT on a centuries old story—the creature in the movie forgives the man who defied all efforts to regulate his obsessive pursuit of a technology to overcome death and unleashed it into the world with disastrous results, this artist gives tech bros a pass. After an act of forgiveness not in the book, the creature calls the doctor “Father.” This is loaded. The doctor is the father of a new age, of an everliving monster that wrecks humanity—he’s a man whose name will last forever (even if he cannot), only to be forgiven his transgressions, which include the death of his brother and wife, and broken men thrown across the cinematic landscapes.

Shelley’s story was not about her own age, that time when the first experiments with electricity were just taking off, but was about THIS moment, the other end of the technology arc, when the creatures we create surpass us. 

Two centuries of innovation lead right here—now. AI is the creature she warned us about. And despite the cultural ubiquity of Shelley’s harrowing masterwork, tech CEOs are behaving just like the doctor did, as self-assured geniuses above society’s guardrails, because men have not learned and they are still in charge. For now.

As if to emphasize the director’s rejection of any critique of patriarchy found in the book, and missing a chance to celebrate this historic artistic triumph of a woman, the film ends with a quote from Shelley—oops, the other Shelley, her husband—and not the author herself, who, as a 18 year old girl in the presence of some of the most famous men of her time, had the audacity to tell a story that would outshine them all.

‘Frankenstein’ by Guillermo del Toro is currently streaming on Netflix.

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