Between health-related closures, dwindling audiences, casting challenges and at least one big change in company leadership, there was almost as much drama off-stage as on in the North Bay theater community in the past year.
There was an assumption by some that pandemic-weary audiences (and theater companies) would seek relief in comedies and small-scale musicals and, to a certain extent, they did, but dramatic plays continued to be a welcome option for local audiences.
Here are my “Top Torn Tickets” for the best and/or most interesting dramas produced in the North Bay in 2022:
Clybourne Park—Raven Players—Bruce Norris’ Pulitzer Prize-winning continuation of Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun got a solid mounting from this Healdsburg company.
A Doll’s House, Part 2—Novato Theater Company—This production of Lucas Hnath’s sequel to Ibsen’s 138-year-old drama packed a lot in its 85 intermission-less minutes.
The Glass Menagerie—Main Stage West—The now 75-year-old Tennessee Williams classic may be draped in the trappings of its time, but its look at the illusions people create to get through life, and the pain and regret that comes with the shattering of those illusions, still hit hard, courtesy of the work of four actors at the top of their game.
Master Class—Sonoma Arts Live—Libby Oberlin was first class as diva Maria Callas in this simply staged but very effective production.
Misery—Cinnabar Theater—One knew what one was getting when taking a seat at this stage adaptation based on the screenplay of the Stephen King novel. That it was still able to deliver a jolt or two, despite the familiarity of the material, is a credit to director Tim Kniffin and the cast.
One Flea Spare—Main Stage West—A show set during the Great Plague in a quarantined household might have been a little too on-the-nose for some, but its look at what sequestration can do to people (and what people can do to each other) was absolutely absorbing.
The River Bride—6th Street Playhouse—Despite the occasional train whistle and ambient sounds of local automobile traffic, this production of an Amazonian-set fable managed to—through set, sound and performance—transport audiences to a different world.
The Sound Inside—Marin Theatre Company—Theater didn’t get any more unsettling than this look at the relationship between a college professor and a student. Challenging in both presentation and subject matter, it’s a rare play in which everything isn’t tied neatly up at the end.
Humboldt County landmark inspires Netflix and winemaking
When most people think of Humboldt County, it’s not for vineyards. Adrian Manspeaker, founder and winemaker at Joseph Jewell Wines, is hoping to change that.
Having grown up in Benbow in southern Humboldt County, Manspeaker attended the College of the Redwoods in Eureka from 1996 to 1998 before moving back to spend a few more years in his hometown and moving to Sonoma County with his now-wife in 2003. He started Joseph Jewell out of his garage in Windsor in 2006, first sourcing fruit from Elk Prairie, a six-acre vineyard close to Humboldt’s Myers Flat and later from the area now known as “Murder Mountain,” which also happens to be the title of a Netflix true crime documentary series.
“Some people disappeared from this area back in the day, and inevitably this is how the name ‘Murder Mountain’ came to be. Fast forward to now—the Netflix series came out after there was another unfortunate situation in the area,” says Manspeaker.
The winemaker is hoping to help make the area known for another reason—pinot noir—and put Humboldt County on the map as the next frontier when it comes to California cool climate pinot noir growing regions.
In 2014, Manspeaker started sourcing grapes from a two-acre vineyard in Alderpoint, which is a few miles from the infamous mountain. Over the following five years, he complemented this fruit with pinot noir from additional sites in Humboldt County, including Ryan Vineyard (a 17-acre vineyard in his hometown of Benbow), Fruitland Ridge (near Elk Prairie, way up north to the furthest reaches of Humboldt County) and Phelps Vineyard in Briceland.
Manspeaker believes that Humboldt County is optimal for pinot noir because “there are a vast number of interesting and distinct microclimates in Humboldt County that are just now being discovered.”
Factors characteristic of wines grown in Humboldt County include its proximity to the Eel River and its persistent marine layer (this affects vineyards in Fruitland Ridge or Myers Flat particularly), and overall very cool temperatures, even in higher elevation vineyards (like the Phelps Vineyard Joseph Jewell sources fruit from).
Joseph Jewell usually picks their Humboldt County fruit in late October, which is more than a month later than warmer sites in the Russian River Valley and at least a month later than the coolest Sonoma Coast and Russian River sites.
“It took me over 10 years to form relationships with all these small farmers, and their unique sites are helping me understand and learn more about the climate up there and where exactly ideal vineyards could be planted in the future,” says Manspeaker. “I think we are making really nice wines from Humboldt County, and it would seem that the critics agree, as our 2018 Alderpoint Vineyard Pinot Noir was awarded 94 points recently by Wine Enthusiast.”
If one is a fan of fresh, elegant, cool climate pinot noirs, I’d recommend visiting Joseph Jewell’s local tasting room in Forestville, where one can taste both their Humboldt County and Sonoma County pinot noirs, as well as their pét-nat of vermentino.
Russia’s war upon Ukraine should be a reminder that violent international conflicts not only persist, but constitute a plague upon the world.
One popular response to war is isolationism, which is designed to keep one’s nation out of the conflict. But this policy (labeled “America First” in the U.S.) ignores the suffering of other people and, of course, does nothing to stop a war elsewhere.
Pacifism is on a higher ethical plane, for it deplores the horrors produced by militarism and war. Furthermore, if most people around the world accepted the absolute pacifist position (which rejects military force in all circumstances), pacifists might be able to prevent wars from occurring or continuing. But this is not the case and, given widespread public support for “just wars” (including defense against invasion), seems unlikely to become so.
Nonviolent resistance has greater potentiality as an alternative to war or surrender, although its full promise has yet to be realized in coping with international war.
Legislative bodies enact laws, while police and judicial institutions enforce these laws. Unfortunately, on the global level, these institutions are so rudimentary and limited in power that they fail to produce an effective check upon violence. Thus, on the national level, governments can restrain violence by individuals, mobs or insurrectionists. But, on the international level, things proceed much as they did in the American Wild West of yesteryear.
In short, while nations have established useful governance at the national level, the world lacks effective governance at the international level. As a result, when nations have an international conflict, they are tempted, in the absence of the force of law, to invoke the law of force.
After thousands of years of blood and plunder, topped off in recent decades by the looming danger of a nuclear holocaust, isn’t it time to give strengthened global governance a try?
Nations of the world unite! There is nothing to lose but wars.
Perhaps nothing connected people during the pandemic more than music. It seems as if every band in the world produced an album in recent years. And when live performances returned, for many it was as if collective spirits lifted and bodies again moved freely in dance.
In the North Bay, the vibrant and diverse music scene is something worth celebrating, as are all these bands, performers and music supporters.
And so, here are the winners of the 2022 North Bay Music Awards, as voted by the readers of the Pacific Sun and the North Bay Bohemian.
Americana: Dave Hamilton
Last year’s winner in the folk category, Dave Hamilton’s win in Americana, no small feat in the rich tradition the genre has in the region, shows the breadth of his appeal across categories. Hamilton plays throughout the North Bay this month. davehamiltonfolkamericana.com
Blues: Spike Sikes & His Awesome Hotcakes
Bluesmen aren’t born; they are formed through struggle and soul. Sultry North Bay fixture Spike Sikes bleeds out the blues at local venues week after week. His band of accomplices blends a slow burn of blues, jazz and soul on their 2022 LP, Magnolia Street. awesomehotcakes.com
Country: Bloomfield Bluegrass Band
Bloomfield Bluegrass Band plays that brand of music that was called “old-time” 100 years ago and that will still move the heart 100 years hence. Their experiments with the locally built redwood fiddle are especially worthy. bloomfieldbluegrassband.com
DJ (Live): Lady Char
707 native Lady Char spins upbeat sets that draw from an eclectic mix of influences, all connected by the love of a dancing crowd. Lauded for the positivity of her sets, Char started the Love Beat DJ after-school enrichment program to inspire love of music in youth. djladychar.com
DJ (Radio): New Release Hour with Brian and Doug on KRCB
Co-owner of Santa Rosa’s Next Record Store, Doug Jayne teams up with KRCB morning DJ Brian Griffith to give listeners a taste of new releases every Tuesday at 11am. Dudes know their stuff. norcalpublicmedia.org/radio-programs/new-release-hour-with-brian-doug
Electronica: Eki Shola
Winner of the electronica category for the last four years, Eki Shola defies comparison. Percussive piano, synth vocals, jazzy bass lines and whisper-soft breakbeats melt together under easy pop vocals and hip-hop delivered wisdom. ekishola.com
Folk: Dave Hamilton
Two time winner this year, Dave Hamilton channels the spirit of Pete Seeger to win the NorBay for folk for the third year running. davehamiltonfolkamericana.com
Hip-Hop: J.Lately
“Too much comfort can be a disservice,” raps J.Lately in his single, “Pictures.” The Sebastopol native spits cozy smooth flow, but drops albums like a madperson, with three long players in the last two years. When one wants to feel good to the core, these are the beats. justlatelymusic.com
Indie: Ellie James
Berklee College of Music grad Ellie James has a reputation as an indie standout, winning the award in 2020. Now she is back and in a big way…but small, as in indie. Her sound and approach capture that dichotomy perfectly: a honed talent, yet fun and free. thisiselliejames.com
INDIE Ellie James uplifts North Bay audiences.
Jazz: Stella Heath
Lauded in past Bohemian articles for her “magnetic vocals and tight rhythms,” Petaluma native Stella Heath draws from the origins of popular jazz to channel Louis Armstrong and Billie Holliday in a fistful of can’t miss projects for jazzheads. stellaheathmusic.com
Metal: A Hero To Fall
For those who wish the Dillinger Escape Plan lived next door, they may look no further than North Bay metalcore mainstays A Hero To Fall. NorBay winners again in the metal category, this wholesome bunch has scream-growled their way into hearts. instagram.com/aherotofall
Punk: The Happys
With a sound evolving from tripped out Brit-punk like The Clash covering the Moving Sidewalks, to a more recent tapestry of West Coast sounds—think pre-grunge northwest punk plus surf rock—if one doesn’t love The Happys, they may stop reading this column. thehappysofficial.com
R&B: The Soul Section
One of the biggest sounds around, The Soul Section returns to claim the R&B category for yet another year. Those looking to cut the floor to the vibe of classic Motown can see the brass and bass heavy crew at the California in Santa Rosa on Jan. 20. thesoulsection.com
Reggae: Sol Horizon
Multi-NorBay winners Sol Horizon continue to garner votes for their true-to-the-roots reggae. Energetic live shows and upbeat, stoner-positive messages will never be out of vogue in the North Bay. instagram.com/sol.horizon
Rock: Kingsborough
Those who love Fleetwood Mac and Don Henley will gravitate to Santa Rosa rockers Kingsborogh. In true classic rocker style, the band takes its name from the family name of frontperson Billy Kingsborough. kingsboroughmusic.com
Singer-Songwriter: Ellie James
The happy-go-lucky tunes of Ellie James can sometimes belie the deeper craftsmanship of the winner of this year’s indie category. As a songwriter, James’ chops continue to develop, more than justifying her win in the highly competitive singer-songwriter category. thisiselliejames.com
Promoter: Jake Ward Presents
Jake Ward seems to own this category. Why? Because he and his cast of over-the-top performers hustle to bring a unique experience to the North Bay through blood, sweat and tears. Live piercing fans have a home here. northbaycabaret.com
Venue: HopMonk Sebastopol
The original location of the popular local chain of beer gardens, HopMonk Sebastopol sits in a 115-year-old stone and timber tavern. A dual music venue with stages outside and in the cozy inside Abbey, HopMonk is a spot for music not to be missed. hopmonk.com/sebastopol
Music Instructor: Spike Sikes
The local music scene contains a wealth of talented musicians who dedicate themselves to teaching the next generation of North Bay talent. No wonder the area is so rich in music. It is a credit to many-time NorBay winner Sikes to stand out among them. instagram.com/spike_sikes
Hardest Working Musician: Ellie James
Ok, girl, go. Just go. Winning her third NorBay in 2022 proves the point. Ellie James is working her butt off to bring the message of uplifting pop to ears desperate for positivity in this age of permacrisis. thisiselliejames.com
Reminding that “art” and “artisanal” share some etymological DNA, the Petaluma Arts Center (PAC) has embarked on a new effort that’s a feast for the senses.
Raising a glass (literally) to its 15th anniversary, the center and Petaluma’s Barber Cellars present a monthly Artist Wine Label Series, featuring visual works by PAC member artists adorning the vessels of the winemakers’ flagship varietals.
The project serves as both a fundraiser for the center, as well as a reminder that Petaluma has embraced its identity as the gateway to wine country (long-known as an advocate for both, permit me to disclose that recently I joined another local media colleague as a member of the center’s board).
The original artwork and line of limited edition labeled bottles are available exclusively via monthly online auctions through 2023, with the proceeds benefiting the center’s myriad community art programs.
“I am thrilled to launch this historic collaboration with Barber Cellars, a perfect pairing of art and wine and a showcase for creative catalysts all around us,” says Carin Jacobs, PAC executive director. “What an ideal kickoff to PAC’s anniversary year and a documentation of local artisanal talent.”
CHEERS Petaluma Arts Center executive director Carin Jacobs, left, and artist Lisa Lightman toast the launch of the wine label project at Barber Cellars.
The first artist featured is Lisa Lightman, whose abstract “Botanical Fourteen” (oil, oil stick, collage on paper) captures the verdant spirit of local flora and pairs well with the dry-farmed, organically grown zinfandel from the Barbers’ own estate.
Lightman’s original, framed painting, as well as a bottle of the “Mr. Beast” 2020 Zinfandel featuring the work on its label signed by the artist, is now available in a collectible package at petalumaartscenter.org/wine-label-auction. The auction concludes on Jan. 30.
Her work, which Lightman donated to the project, is on view at Barber Cellars Tasting Room, 112 Washington St., Petaluma, through January. Meanwhile, single bottles and cases of the collectible wine edition can be purchased online through Barber Cellars later in January at barbercellars.com.
“Having moved to Petaluma two years ago, I still consider myself a newcomer,” said Lightman, who was previously in San Francisco, where she was the director of community programs for San Francisco Superior Court. She began making art in earnest in her 30s while taking adult education classes, which helped her discover her expressive aesthetic.
“One class changed everything,” she recalls in her artist bio. “Draw whatever you want, however you want. I leaned toward abstraction. It was liberating to make art that was generated by the myriad of emotions that floated on the surface of my life at that time.”
Since then, her art has “evolved slowly,” but her presence in the community has emerged relatively quickly—she recently became both PAC artist member and board member.
“The willingness to see colors and shapes in a landscape or on a kitchen counter, or feel a mood or emotion, all rendered through paints, pencils and other materials, are only a few of the infinite filters that land on the surface,” writes Lightman in her bio. “I understand that each mark or color choice, or the final painting, is recognized as a moment in time not to be matched by any other moment in time.”
It’s perhaps the relationship of Lightman’s work to time that fostered her selection as the wine label project’s inaugural artist—wine, after all, is time in a bottle. And like art, it likewise appreciates with time but can be appreciated any time.
“My primary pull, as an artist, is to leave an emotional mark, an image or shape that is mysterious and curious, brings joy and beauty,” said Lightman. “I create art that generates, for me, a feeling of wonder and awe, not unlike life itself.”
She adds, “This collaboration, a positive project for all involved, brings me closer to the community I now call home.”
The most underreported story list is a list of distractions, important stories to be sure, in what many would consider, pre-COVID normal times. However, folks, the World Economic Forum (WEF) has vanquished most world governments in an apparent bloodless coup.
Klaus Schwab, the nominal WEF leader, admires the Communist Chinese authoritarian model, and that’s the direction the wind blows. They shut off your power; they’re sabotaging the supply chain; they sabotage small farming and food processing.
They suspend the Constitution after they released a biological weapon. They’re taking away your children, your sovereignty and your money. With the reset and both digital ID and currency, you will own nothing and not be very happy eating mealworm. Why are we under the thrall of the WHO, UN and WEF? Was that Bill Clinton, Barack Obama or Donald Trump who disenfranchised us? With executive order 666, did they hand over decision making to Schwab?
Banks have always won in this paradigm, but our financial system is broken, and those 1 percenters are openly looting the empire. They’re so many news stories and distractions, one naturally loses track or is confused or easily led. That’s alright, because everyone will comply or die, and they will control you, completely and utterly command your life.
The United States and other western nations have long been compromised and therefore operate with organized crime, the security agencies and big business. It is not a coincidence that Americans are divided, not if you have been paying any attention to the elephant in the room.
Leland Dennick
Sebastopol
Four Horsemen
Daggers to the heart of democracy have not been delivered exclusively by Donald Trump and his minions, or Nancy Pelosi and hers, depending upon your orientation.
Here are my dark horse nominations for the four horsemen of the American political apocalypse.
Consider the newspaper killers in our society—cost-cutting, profit maximizing robber barons who deliberately destroy local news capacity in favor of nationalist reporting.
Consider Congress with its massive dereliction of constitutional duty to do things like make laws and impeach people who usurp or impede lawmaking.
Consider the Supreme Court of the United States, which has abandoned its mandate to find legislative intent and gone over to the dark side of partisan decision-making.
Consider our 1% class, with its puppet members of both parties in tow, asserting the inviolability of all its money, no matter how ill-gotten the gain.
Mississippi-born, Memphis-raised, Grammy Award-winning music legend Charlie Musselwhite celebrates the release of his new album, Mississippi Son, with a live performance at the Luther Burbank Center for the Arts on Jan. 20. Renowned worldwide as a master harmonica player, Musselwhite is a seasoned, truth-telling vocalist and songwriter rooted deep within the blues tradition who was a fixture of the local music scene for years before a recent move back to Mississippi, where he recorded his new album in the heart of the Delta. Musselwhite will perform a solo opening set for The Blind Boys of Alabama, then join the group for a couple of tunes during their closing set. Charlie Musselwhite performs at 8pm, Friday, Jan. 20 at the Luther Burbank Center for the Arts, Ruth Finley Person Theater, 50 Mark West Springs Rd., Santa Rosa. Tickets are $39-$59 and are available at lutherburbankcenter.org.
Healdsburg
Beo String Quartet
Beo String Quartet, noted for its sterling sound and experimental as well as classical performances, brings it virtuosity to The 222 in Healdsburg on Jan. 20 with an eclectic lineup of selections, including Johann Sebastian Bach’s “The Art of the Fugue,” Missy Mazzoli’s “Enthusiasm Strategies,” Dmitri Shostakovich’s “Quartet No. 8 in C Minor,” Marc Mellits’ “String Quartet No. 5: Waníyetu” and Ludwig van Beethoven’s “Quartet in F Major.” The quartet convenes at 7:30pm, Friday, Jan. 20 at The 222, located at 222 Healdsburg Avenue, Healdsburg. Tickets range from $35 to $75. For more information, visit the222.org.
San Anselmo
Photographer Ed Kashi Book Signing
Renowned American photojournalist Ed Kashi shares his visceral relationship with photography in a new, award-winning monograph, Abandoned Moments: A Love Letter to Photography, with a lecture and reception this Saturday at San Anselmo’s The Image Flow. In contrast to the orchestration of the “decisive moment” often associated with photography, Kashi’s latest volume honors the intuition he has gained over a 40-year career to yield his camera to the experiences of reality around him (as per the striking 2007 image of the Ganapati Festival in Vadhav, India above). Ed Kashi’s lecture and reception begins at 5pm, Saturday, Jan. 7 at The Image Flow Inc, 328 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., San Anselmo. theimageflow.com. The event is free and open to the public.
Pt. Reyes Station
Vickisa Unleashed
Gallery Route One presents “Vickisa Unleashed,” an exhibition of works inspired by music festivals, incorporating paintings, painted drawings, and limited-edition, accordion-style artist books by Marin mononymic artist Vickisa. The artist has chronicled countless music festivals, including the New Orleans French Quarter Festival and her favorite, San Francisco’s Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, which are depicted in her selection of artist-crafted, fold-out accordion books. As she explains, “My passion is creating accordion books from these festivals. At the recent Hardly Strictly Bluegrass music festival, I found myself right in front of the stage quickly sketching the exciting activities swirling around me and taking some photographs too. The process of sketching, collaging and creating a handwritten story is something I never tire of.” A reception commences at 3pm, Sunday, Jan. 8 at Gallery Route One Exhibitions, 11101 Highway One, Point Reyes Station. For more information, visit galleryrouteone.org.
ARIES (March 21-April 19): “My life was the best omelet you could make with a chainsaw,” observed flamboyant author Thomas McGuane. That’s a witty way to encapsulate his tumultuous destiny. There have been a few moments in 2022 when you might have been tempted to invoke a similar metaphor about your own evolving story. But the good news is that your most recent chainsaw-made omelet is finished and ready to eat. I think you’ll find its taste is savory. And I believe it will nourish you for a long time. (Soon it will be time to start your next omelet, maybe without using the chainsaw this time!)
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): After meticulous research of 2023’s astrological omens, I have come to a radical conclusion: You should tell the people who care for you that you’d like to be called by new pet names. I think you need to intensify their ability and willingness to view you as a sublime creature worthy of adoration. I don’t necessarily recommend you use old standbys like “cutie,” “honey,” “darling” or “angel.” I’m more in favor of unique and charismatic versions, something like “Jubilee” or “Zestie” or “Fantasmo” or “Yowie-Wowie.” Have fun coming up with pet names that you are very fond of. The more, the better.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): If I could choose some fun and useful projects for you to master in 2023, they would include the following: 1. Be in constant competition with yourself to outdo past accomplishments. But at the same time, be extra compassionate toward yourself. 2. Borrow and steal other people’s good ideas and use them with even better results than they would use them. 3. Acquire an emerald or two, or wear jewelry that features emeralds. 4. Increase your awareness of and appreciation for birds. 5. Don’t be attracted to folks who aren’t good for you just because they are unusual or interesting. 6. Upgrade your flirting so it’s even more nuanced and amusing, while at the same time you make sure it never violates anyone’s boundaries.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): When she was young, Carolyn Forché was a conventional poet focused on family and childhood. But she transformed. Relocating to El Salvador during its civil war, she began to write about political trauma. Next, she lived in Lebanon during its civil war. She witnessed firsthand the tribulations of military violence and the imprisonment of activists. Her creative work increasingly illuminated questions of social justice. At age 72, she is now a renowned human rights advocate. In bringing her to your attention, I don’t mean to suggest that you engage in an equally dramatic self-reinvention. But in 2023, I do recommend drawing on her as an inspirational role model. You will have great potential to discover deeper aspects of your life’s purpose—and enhance your understanding of how to offer your best gifts.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Are the characters in Carlos Castañeda’s books on shamanism fictional or real? It doesn’t matter to me. I love the wisdom of his alleged teacher, Don Juan Matus. He said, “Look at every path closely and deliberately. Try it as many times as you think necessary. Then ask yourself, and yourself alone, one question. Does this path have a heart? If it does, the path is good; if it doesn’t, it is of no use.” Don Juan’s advice is perfect for you in the coming nine months, Leo. I hope you will tape a copy of his words on your bathroom mirror and read it at least once a week.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Teacher and author Byron Katie claims, “The voice within is what I’m married to. My lover is the place inside me where an honest yes and no come from.” I happen to know that she has also been married for many years to a writer named Stephen Mitchell. So she has no problem being wed to both Mitchell and her inner voice. In accordance with astrological omens, I invite you to propose marriage to your own inner voice. The coming year will be a fabulous time to deepen your relationship with this crucial source of useful and sacred revelation.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Libran philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche offered advice that is perfect for you in 2023. It’s strenuous. It’s demanding and daunting. If you take it to heart, you will have to perform little miracles you may not yet have the confidence to try. But I have faith in you, Libra. That’s why I don’t hesitate to provide you with Nietzsche’s rant: “No one can build you the bridge on which you, and only you, must cross the river of life. There may be countless trails and bridges and demigods who would gladly carry you across; but only at the price of pawning and forgoing yourself. There is one path in the world that none can walk but you. Where does it lead? Don’t ask, walk!”
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): How might you transform the effects of the limitations you’ve been dealing with? What could you do to make it work in your favor as 2023 unfolds? I encourage you to think about these questions with daring and audacity. The more moxie you summon, the greater your luck will be in making the magic happen. Here’s another riddle to wrestle with: What surrender or sacrifice could you initiate that might lead in unforeseen ways to a plucky breakthrough? I have a sense that’s what will transpire as you weave your way through the coming months in quest of surprising opportunities.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Sagittarian singer Tina Turner confided, “My greatest beauty secret is being happy with myself.” I hope you will experiment with that formula in 2023. I believe the coming months will potentially be a time when you will be happier with yourself than you have ever been before—more at peace with your unique destiny, more accepting of your unripe qualities, more in love with your depths, and more committed to treating yourself with utmost care and respect. Therefore, if Tina Turner is accurate, 2023 will also be a year when your beauty will be ascendant.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): “I’m homesick all the time,” writes author Sarah Addison Allen. “I just don’t know where home is. There’s this promise of happiness out there. I know it. I even feel it sometimes. But it’s like chasing the moon. Just when I think I have it, it disappears into the horizon.” If you have ever felt pangs like hers, Capricorn, I predict they will fade in 2023. That’s because I expect you will clearly identify the feeling of home you want—and thereby make it possible to find and create the place, the land, and the community where you will experience a resounding peace and stability.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Storyteller Michael Meade tells us, “The ship is always off course. Anybody who sails knows that. Sailing is being off-course and correcting. That gives a sense of what life is about.” I interpret Meade’s words to mean that we are never in a perfect groove heading directly towards our goal. We are constantly deviating from the path we might wish we could follow with unfailing accuracy. That’s not a bug in the system; it’s a feature. And as long as we obsess on the idea that we’re not where we should be, we are distracted from doing our real work. And the real work? The ceaseless corrections. I hope you will regard what I’m saying here as one of your core meditations in 2023, Aquarius.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): A Chinese proverb tells us, “Great souls have wills. Feeble souls have wishes.” I guess that’s true in an abstract way. But in practical terms, most of us are a mix of both great and feeble. We have a modicum of willpower and a bundle of wishes. In 2023, though, you Pisceans could make dramatic moves to strengthen your willpower as you shed wimpy wishes. In my psychic vision of your destiny, I see you feeding metaphorical iron supplements to your resolve and determination.
The entire Bay Area will be under a flood watch beginning Wednesday due to a heavy storm system expected to be as bad or worse than Saturday’s deluge and which will likely result in the loss of human life, according to a dire forecast update from the National Weather Service.
The update issued Monday afternoon includes five key points, with the first one noting a “threat to life likely during this storm.” Mudslides are anticipated due to saturated soil, and rapidly rising creeks and streams will pose additional dangers. A meteorologist shared the following observations in the forecast about the coming storm: “To put it simply, this will likely be one of the most impactful systems on a widespread scale that this meteorologist has seen in a long while. The impacts will include widespread flooding, roads washing out, hillside collapsing, trees down (potentially full groves), widespread power outages, immediate disruption to commerce, and worst of all, likely loss of human life. This is truly a brutal system that we are looking at and needs to be taken seriously.”
The forecast includes an updated threat matrix it classifies as “extreme risk” for conditions expected Wednesday and Thursday, including increased wind gusts, a flood watch that now includes the entire Bay Area and an added forecast Friday through Sunday after the big storm for roughly 1-2 inches of rain in most areas. Wednesday through Thursday morning will be the worst of the storm, with heavy rain and strong winds with gusts of 35-55 mph in most areas, with stronger gusts at higher elevations.
The flood watch will be in effect from Wednesday morning through Thursday afternoon, with rain amounts expected from 2-4 inches in the valleys, 3-6 inches in the foothills and 8-10 inches in the coastal mountains. The updated forecast includes increased rain totals for several areas from the previous forecast issued Sunday: San Rafael (4-6 inches, up from 3-4 inches); San Jose (2-3 inches, up from 1.5-2 inches); Livermore (2-3 inches, up from 1.5-2 inches); Stockton (2-3 inches, up from 1.5-2 inches); and Hollister (2-3 inches, up from 1.5-2 inches). Meanwhile, Santa Rosa is expected to receive between 2.5-4.75 inches between Wednesday and Thursday afternoon.
On Monday, the city announced that a flood watch will begin late Tuesday evening, asking residents to prepare an evacuation plan. City officials urged residents in the range of the 2020 Glass Fire burn scare area to be especially careful as their homes are at higher risk for flash floods, mudflows, and debris flows during intense rainfall. Two areas on the coast south of San Francisco may see slightly less rain than first forecast. The revised forecast is for 2-3 inches of rain in Half Moon Bay — down from 3-4 inches — and for 3-4 inches in Santa Cruz instead of 4-6 inches in the previous forecast. Tuesday is expected to have little to no rain for the region and represents the last opportunity to clean up from Saturday’s storm before the next one hits, forecasters said. For the latest forecast updates, visit weather.gov/bayarea.
Part One: Looking Back on a Year of Musicals and Comedies
Live theater continued its steady march to some semblance of normalcy in 2022, but health related-closures continue to take their toll on the North Bay theater community. After a promising start to the year, evidenced by an increase in the number and scale of productions presented by local companies, the end of the year brought another round of COVID and flu-related cancellations and closures.
But march on they did, and ’tis time to recognize the best and/or most interesting stage work done over the past year. Here are my “Top Torn Tickets” for North Bay musicals and comedies produced in 2022:
Ain’t Misbehavin’—Sonoma Arts Live—A talented cast brought energy, joy and a refreshing blast of diversity to the valley with this tribute to the music of Thomas Wright “Fats” Waller.
Almost, Maine—Spreckels Theatre Company—A series of short two-handers on the subject of love that ran from the whimsical to the bittersweet, its simplicity made it the theatrical equivalent of comfort food.
Fun Home—Left Edge Theatre—Another welcome blast of diversity in both subject matter and casting.
The Government Inspector—Ross Valley Players—Nikolai Gogol’s takedown of the dishonesty, greed and stupidity that runs rampant in government is fictional comedic gold. Fictional?
Hair—6th Street Playhouse—Proving what shocked audiences in the 1960s can still surprise staid Sonoma County audiences today, a beautifully diverse cast let it all hang out while letting the sunshine in.
Hank Williams: Lost Highway—6th Street Playhouse—A standard jukebox musical elevated by superb live music, with the added bonus of local blues legend Levi Lloyd making his theatrical debut.
The Music Man—Spreckels Theatre Company—The curtain finally went up on this oft-pandemic-delayed production which, while a bit too idyllic in its presentation of small-town America, was very entertaining.
Rent—Marin Musical Theatre Company & Novato Theater Company—What this show lacked in finesse was more than made up for by its cast’s energy, enthusiasm and heart.
Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street—Lucky Penny Productions—A surprisingly robust production of this large-scale musical by this tiny Napa company.
Two Gentlemen of Verona—Curtain Theatre—Shakespeare can often be laborious. Shakespeare can also be hilarious. Thankfully, this outdoor production of the Bard’s first work was the latter.
Woody Guthrie’s American Song—Raven Players—Bringing a musical production to Healdsburg’s Downtown Plaza had to be quite a challenge. Challenge met.
Next up, a look back at the dramas that stood out on North Bay stages in 2022.
Local dramas ranged from ‘solid’ to ‘unsettling’
Between health-related closures, dwindling audiences, casting challenges and at least one big change in company leadership, there was almost as much drama off-stage as on in the North Bay theater community in the past year.
There was an assumption by some that pandemic-weary audiences (and theater companies) would seek relief in comedies and small-scale...
Humboldt County landmark inspires Netflix and winemaking
When most people think of Humboldt County, it’s not for vineyards. Adrian Manspeaker, founder and winemaker at Joseph Jewell Wines, is hoping to change that.Having grown up in Benbow in southern Humboldt County, Manspeaker attended the College of the Redwoods in Eureka from 1996 to 1998 before moving back to spend a few...
By Lawrence S. Wittner
Russia’s war upon Ukraine should be a reminder that violent international conflicts not only persist, but constitute a plague upon the world.
One popular response to war is isolationism, which is designed to keep one’s nation out of the conflict. But this policy (labeled “America First” in the U.S.) ignores the suffering of other people and, of...
Perhaps nothing connected people during the pandemic more than music. It seems as if every band in the world produced an album in recent years. And when live performances returned, for many it was as if collective spirits lifted and bodies again moved freely in dance.
In the North Bay, the vibrant and diverse music scene is something worth celebrating,...
Reminding that “art” and “artisanal” share some etymological DNA, the Petaluma Arts Center (PAC) has embarked on a new effort that’s a feast for the senses.
Raising a glass (literally) to its 15th anniversary, the center and Petaluma’s Barber Cellars present a monthly Artist Wine Label Series, featuring visual works by PAC member artists adorning the vessels of the winemakers’...
Elephant in the Room
The most underreported story list is a list of distractions, important stories to be sure, in what many would consider, pre-COVID normal times. However, folks, the World Economic Forum (WEF) has vanquished most world governments in an apparent bloodless coup.
Klaus Schwab, the nominal WEF leader, admires the Communist Chinese authoritarian model, and that’s the direction the...
Santa Rosa
Charlie Musselwhite at LBC
Mississippi-born, Memphis-raised, Grammy Award-winning music legend Charlie Musselwhite celebrates the release of his new album, Mississippi Son, with a live performance at the Luther Burbank Center for the Arts on Jan. 20. Renowned worldwide as a master harmonica player, Musselwhite is a seasoned, truth-telling vocalist and songwriter rooted deep within the blues tradition who was...
ARIES (March 21-April 19): "My life was the best omelet you could make with a chainsaw," observed flamboyant author Thomas McGuane. That's a witty way to encapsulate his tumultuous destiny. There have been a few moments in 2022 when you might have been tempted to invoke a similar metaphor about your own evolving story. But the good news is...
On Monday, a meteorologist warned "The impacts will include widespread flooding, roads washing out, hillside collapsing, trees down (potentially full groves), widespread power outages, immediate disruption to commerce, and the worst of all, likely loss of human life."
Part One: Looking Back on a Year of Musicals and Comedies
Live theater continued its steady march to some semblance of normalcy in 2022, but health related-closures continue to take their toll on the North Bay theater community. After a promising start to the year, evidenced by an increase in the number and scale of productions presented by local companies,...
