Page 202 – Bohemian | Sonoma & Napa Counties

Notes from the Set of (Not) a Werewolf Film

Jul 27, 2022

Notes from the Set of (Not) a Werewolf Film

When news editor Will Carruthers offhandedly suggested I write a dispatch from the set, he had no idea I had been keeping a production diary.

Films are what I do when I’m not newspapering, and this particular film, presently titled Wolftone, is a bit of Gen X angst spun as a rom-com but with fangs and fur.

It’s a werewolf movie that takes pot shots at Herman Hesse’s Steppenwolf (not a werewolf book, mind you), horror genre idioms, but mostly my generation’s commitment to not aging gracefully, the (de)evolution of traditional relationships and how second chances are seldom on our own terms.

Some might say this is a vanity project (I write, direct and star), but I’d like to think I’m taking one for our Team X, saying what a lot of us have been thinking. Trust me, this is not a flattering piece of material. But I am stoked to join the ranks of such quasi-contemporaries as B.J. Novak (congrats on Vengeance!), as well as ancient writer-director-actor antecedents—from schlocky Ed Wood to artiste Orson Welles.

As culture writer Andrew Bloom wrote when mulling the spectrum between Wood and Welles, “all art contains a piece of the author’s soul, from cinema’s highest highs to its lowest lows, and that fact connects everyone with the foolhardy impulse to try to make good on the impulse to create.”

I agree with Bloom wholeheartedly and I applaud all artists, however they heed the call—filmmakers in particular. And by “filmmakers” I mean all those hearty souls participating in every aspect of production. These are precisely the kind of people with whom you would want to venture into deep space. You have no idea where you’re going and if you’ll ever get home, but the hope is to eventually share something amazing everyone can someday see for themselves.

Films are impossible but not implausible, which is why they still happen.

And so far as one’s aesthetic ambitions will lead where they may, the drive to make these cinematic monsters necessarily derives from a collective spirit. And that, ultimately, belongs to the audience. Over flickering fires to cinematic streams, movies and their progeny are how our culture best reflects itself.

But culture ain’t what it used to be. We exist in atomized algorithmic-driven niches now. The blockbusters and water-cooler attractants of yore have given way to an amazing glut of “content,” nearly as many shows as subscribers.

So, why make independent films in this climate? As Quentin Tarantino reminds his casts and crews when goading them into a final take: “We love making movies.”

That’s why.

‘Bohemian’ and ‘Sun’ editor Daedalus Howell is directing his second feature film. Find him at daedalushowell.com.

‘Drowsy Chaperone’ Awakes in Sonoma

Harry Duke

Jul 27, 2022

“I hate theater.”

No, that’s not the long-suspected confession of a theater critic. It’s the opening line from the Sonoma Arts Live production of The Drowsy Chaperone, now running through July 31.

That line, followed by a litany of complaints about modern theater (shows are too long, actors shouldn’t interact with the audience, Elton John, etc.), is uttered in darkness by a disembodied voice. The lights come up on a gentleman (Tim Setzer) sitting in a comfy chair next to a record player, surrounded by Broadway musical cast albums.

The “Man in Chair” is feeling a little blue and usually finds solace by escaping into the fantasy world of Broadway. After first considering an escape to River City, IA via The Music Man, he decides to return to the decadent world of the 1920s, as presented in the classic Broadway musical, The Drowsy Chaperone (an entirely fictional show). As he plays the soundtrack, the characters from the show appear in his apartment and the audience is treated to a play-within-a-play, which is an amalgam of showbiz musicals of the time.

Broadway star Janet Van De Graff (Maeve Smith) seeks to give up the stage to marry the man she loves (Stephen Kanaski), much to the chagrin of her producer (Pat Barr). Under pressure from an investor and his gangsters (Rick Love, Kaikane Lavilla), the producer schemes to break things up by having a Latin Lothario (Andrew Smith) seduce Janet. Will love win out in the end? Need one ask?

The Man in Chair provides running commentary throughout the show, which also includes a staid butler (Sean O’Brien), a harried best man (Jonathen Blue) and, of course, a drowsy chaperone (Daniela Innocenti Beem).

Despite its opening line, Chaperone is a love letter to musical theater. There’s singing, dancing, comedy, colorful period costuming by Rebecca Valentino and just a wee bit of heart. Director Michael Ross shows a sure comedic hand in guiding his cast in threading the needle between loving parody and outright spoof.

Talented North Bay regulars populate the large cast, with Setzer the calm but bitingly amusing center of the on-stage storm. Sherrill Peterson’s band delivers the music, Maeve Smith and Dani Beem deliver the vocals, and the entire cast delivers in the Liz Andrew-choreographed numbers.

The Drowsy Chaperone delivers a lightweight escape for all.

‘The Drowsy Chaperone’ runs through July 31 at Andrews Hall in the Sonoma Community Center, 276 E. Napa St., Sonoma. Thurs–Sat, 7:30pm; Sun, 2pm. $25–$37. 866.710.8942. Proof of vaccination with ID and masking are required to attend. sonomaartslive.org

Oakland Artist Adia Millett Creates Nature-Inspired Work

Jane Vick

Jul 27, 2022

Oakland Artist Adia Millett Creates Nature-Inspired Work

Napa County’s di Rosa Center for Contemporary Art welcomes the public to “Force of Nature,” the result of Oakland-based artist Adia Millett’s six-month intermittent residency, spent wandering the landscape, collecting materials and sound samples, and exploring the boundaries between language, figure and abstraction.

Through a range of media, from sound installation to painting and textile, Millett’s work in “Force of Nature” follows the concept of human as a natural force, using “a process of taking things apart, removing, replacing, cutting, pasting, sewing and building.” Evoking the power of human creativity, Millett suggests that “humans, like earthquakes, fires or floods, are also forces of nature.”

Millett is originally from Los Angeles. She received her MFA from California Institute of the Arts and, in 2001, moved to New York City for the Whitney Museum Independent Study Program, after which she completed the Studio Museum in Harlem’s residency program. Her 2019 solo exhibition, “Breaking Patterns,” shown at the California African American Museum, was a well-received body of work.

Her work weaves African American experiences into an ongoing conversation and investigation into identity and collective history. Millett seeks and follows the tenuous yet perpetual interconnectivity between all living beings—the ties that bind and unite.

In her own words:

“Fragmented, constructed and reassembled, I shed light on the multifaceted and complex parallels between the creative process and the nature of personal identity. My paintings feature abstracted, geometric shapes that imply movement—colorful forms expand and collapse freely among glittery backgrounds with hints of landscape and structural objects such as rooftops, windows and doors. While the textiles draw on the domestic and artistic traditions of quilt-making, they are pieced together, combining culturally diverse fabrics.

While my work pays homage to the past through the use of repurposed fabrics and historical iconography, its bright atheistic imagery is informed by the future. The art reminds us of the importance of renewal and rebuilding, not only through the artistic process, but also through the possibility of transformative change.”

Millett has also exhibited at the Craft and Folk Museum in Los Angeles; the New Museum of Contemporary Art, New York; the Museum of Contemporary Art, Atlanta; the Santa Monica Museum of Art; and the Contemporary Art Center, New Orleans.

**IN THE STUDIO** Adia Millett working on one of her pieces. Photo courtesy of the artist.

In her collaboration with di Rosa, a unique communion between artist and institution, Millett tuned in to the land, using sun, water, air and earth, “elements that birthed us and keep us alive” as both mirrors and signposts to produce a body of work exploring our ancestral connection to the rhythms and matter of the natural world.

Pieces like Solar Serpent, inspired by Millett’s observation of a baby rattlesnake, create a bridge between the natural force of the human and non-human rhythms. Millett’s work can act as a reminder that we are not unique in our movements, patterns and changes.

“The countless creatures I witnessed living on the land, including a baby rattler, became mirrors,” Millett said. “We are able to see ourselves in other living beings. As they navigate the land, so do we. I imagine the young snake using its senses to transition from the challenges of one season to another. Here the triangle-shaped painting, not only integrated the shades of red to symbolize fire, but blue, green, yellow and gold, for the water, air and earth. Like the snake, we move, shed and thrive.”

Executive director Kate Eilertsen indicated the center was delighted with Millett’s special appreciation for the land surrounding di Rosa.

“Di Rosa was thrilled to work hand-in-glove with Millett, a nationally-recognized artist whose vivid paintings and textiles have garnered widespread praise, by granting her unprecedented access to our site,” said executive director Kate Eilertsen. “Her reverence for the strange beauty of our landscape—scarred by fire and drought and yet insistently teeming with life—is profoundly inspiring.”

“Force of Nature” is on view now through Oct. 30, with accompanying programming throughout, including a talk on Saturday, Aug 20, from 2:30-4pm with artist Adia Millett and curatorial associate Twyla Ruby and a free Force of Nature Family program on Saturday, Oct. 29 from 1:30-3:30pm, offering different activity stations inspired by the exhibition.

Di Rosa will be commemorating its 25th anniversary all year long with a series of special events, ranging from artist talks and films to concerts and theatrical performances. On Dec. 3, the festivities will culminate with a 25th Anniversary Celebration Gala honoring Eleanor Coppola and Lynn Hershman Leeson for their extraordinary lives in the arts. A complete listing of 25th anniversary events can be found on the gallery’s webpage.For more information on this show and di Rosa programming, visit www.dirosa.org. Learn about Millettt’s work at www.adiamillett.com.

CULTURE CRUSH—Mentalist magic, Comedy and More

Jane Vick

Jul 27, 2022

Sausalito

Mentalist Magic

Join the Sausalito Center for the Arts for a night of food, drink and magic with mentalist Jay Alexander at the Sausalito Pop Up Magic Show! A master magician, mentalist and comic, Alexander has appeared on the Today show, TEDx talks, MTV and Good Morning America. His recurring “Mind Tricks Live!” show at San Francisco’s Marrakech Magic Theater is rated the #1 show on both Yelp and TripAdvisor. This week, North Bay residents can see this hit show, full of wonder and mind-boggling magic, closer to home. The Sausalito Pop Up Magic Show is Aug. 4 at the Sausalito Center for the Arts, 750 Bridgeway, Sausalito. Tickets $250. Seating is limited. Tickets to this event include a year of free membership to the center. www.sausalitocenterforthearts.org

Petaluma

Petaluma Music Festival

Produced by a non-profit organization, the Petaluma Music Festival is held each year to raise money for music in Petaluma’s public elementary and secondary schools, ensuring that students have access to an education in the arts. Since 2008, the nonprofit has donated over $400,000 to Petaluma school music programs. This year’s lineup includes 14 musicians, including Dirty Cello, Rainbow Girls, La Gente SF and The Happys. The festival will also feature booths for meet and greets with artists, merchandise for sale, beers from Lagunitas Brewing Company and Two Rock Brewing Company, and food from local vendors. This is a chance to support music in schools. This year, the festival will be held Saturday, Aug. 6 at the Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds, 175 Fairgrounds Dr, Petaluma. Gates open at 11:30am, and music runs until 9:30pm. Tickets start at $60. www.petalumamusicfestival.org

Rohnert Park

Renegade Orchestra

An unconventional Bay Area orchestra is performing in a Rohnert Park redwood grove next week. Renegade Orchestra describes itself as “throwing out all the old conventions of a quiet, sleepy, stuffy show of musicians locked in straight jackets of tradition.” This 18-piece ensemble pairs a set of virtuosic orchestra musicians with a hard-driving rhythm section. Renegade will perform work by Nina Simone, Miles Davis, the Mamas and the Papas, and Donna Summer. This concert from a lively orchestra is set to get toes tapping and hips moving. An added bonus: The show will be held outdoors amidst redwood trees. Fresh air and fresher music. The Renegade Orchestra performs at the SOMO Village, 1100 Valley House Dr, Rohnert Park, on Aug. 7. Show starts at 7pm. Tickets $25-30. www.somovillage.com

Kenwood

Larry Omaha

Comedic legend Larry Omaha comes to Deerfield Ranch Winery for a night of wine and laughs. Omaha’s comical stories about his youth have been hailed by the Los Angeles Times as “refreshing, funny and universal.” An Indigenous Humanistic Native stand-up comedian born on the banks of the Missouri River, Omaha’s childhood was spent fighting flood waters, snakes and coyotes on the Midwestern plains. He has many television, film and performing credits, and is best known as the voice of Nightwolf in Mortal Kombat. The winery, in the heart of Sonoma Valley, is an award winning, organic winery. Bring a picnic and get ready to laugh! Omaha is performing at Deerfield Ranch Winery, 10200 Sonoma Hwy, Kenwood on Saturday, July 30. 7pm-8:30pm. Tickets $35. www.crushersofcomedy.com

—Jane Vick

CPAC Takes Wing in Leonard Gershe’s Butterflies are Free

Beulah F. Vega

Jul 20, 2022

CPAC Takes Wing in Leonard Gershe’s Butterflies are Free

One may recognize Leonard Gershe’s Butterflies are Free, written and set in 1969, from the film adaptation starring Goldie Hawn. The Cloverdale Performing Arts Center (CPAC) has a production of this running through July 31.

Loosely inspired by the early life of blind Harvard-educated lawyer Harold Krents, the story follows a day in the life of young, blind and motivated Don Baker. Don is one month into a two-month sabbatical from his overprotective mother (Athena Gundlach). Living on his own for the first time, he meets next-door neighbor Jill (Shannon Sawyer), whom he falls for instantly.

Predictably, mother shows up to find the two unclothed and seemingly sharing an apartment. Mama Baker scares the young Jill with a nightmare scenario of life with a blind man, which leads her back into the arms of her friend Ralph (Christopher Johnston).

There is much to like here. Few local directors have Amy Lovato’s calm competency. Regardless of script shortfalls, she always delivers a professional, engrossing play.

Gundlach, Johnston and Hamilton Lee are well cast. Gundlach’s Mrs. Baker is a force with which to be reckoned. Hamilton-Lee’s Don is grounded and moody, with wit presented more as keen sarcasm than humor. Johnston is loudly over-the-top in the best possible way. Sawyer, however, tends to play at a surface level and never finds depth in her character, making the play’s finale even more troublesome.

There are two elephants in this room. The first is blindness being portrayed by a sighted actor. Cloverdale is a house that always strives to do things equitably with an eye to advance all populations, and thoughtfully brought in a vision consultant (Jonathan Jose Esparza) to advise the cast. Whether casting a sighted actor was the correct decision is not for a sighted reviewer to make.

The second elephant is to be expected from a play written by a man in the ’60s: casual misogyny. The “happy” ending of this play is in reality the fallout of emotional bullying. It’s unfortunate that this wasn’t addressed, as it could have been a teaching moment for all.

Butterflies are Free is an evenly directed, well-cast, and well-costumed play. Just be prepared to leave modern sensibilities at the door (and for gawd’s-sake, leave cell phones at the door, too).

‘’Butterflies are Free’ runs through July 31 at the Cloverdale Performing Arts Center, 209 N. Cloverdale Blvd., Cloverdale. Saturday, 7:30pm; Sunday, 2pm. $12 -$25. Special Club 99 performance Thursday, July 21, $50. Recommended for viewers aged 13 and up due to mature language and brief sexual content. 707.894.2219. cloverdaleperformingarts.com

Kronos Quartet: The legendary San Francisco quartet comes to Rancho Nicasio

Jane Vick

Jul 20, 2022

Kronos Quartet: The legendary San Francisco quartet comes to Rancho Nicasio

Kronos Quartet, a staple of the San Francisco music scene since 1978, is returning to Rancho Nicasio on Sunday, July 24 for the venue’s BBQ on the Lawn series. The night promises to be clement, with plentiful brews flowing freely and eclectic music emanating from the Kronos Quartet’s strings.

Kronos Quartet is decidedly not the traditional string quartet experience. Those concerned about a sleepy performance featuring snoring seatmates need not worry. Not only is Rancho Nicasio a lively and refreshing outdoor venue; the group is known for taking audiences along for an often unexpected, always exciting, classical thrill ride. According to its website, the quartet exists “to create, perform and promote music from a global perspective that responds to the world we share and expand the understanding of music’s role as a powerful force in society.”

Think of Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture,” which for those unfamiliar features live cannon fire, chimes and brass fanfare, for a general sense—minus the cannons—of Kronos’ adventurous, explorative and invigorating productions. This musical institution, including a nonprofit branch dedicated to developing the musical capacities of future generation artists and listeners, honors the profundity of music that only music can convey.

Kronos Quartet was first founded in 1973 in Seattle, WA, by violinist David Harrington and moved to its now home of San Francisco in 1978. Made up of four members, the quartet currently consists of Harrington on violin, John Sherba on violin, Hank Dutt on viola and Sunny Yang—the newest member—on cello.

The group has performed worldwide, recorded over 40 albums and is considered by many to be the most famous contemporary classical music group in the world. Their repertoire is expansive, with over 1,000 pieces commissioned over their nearly 50 years of performing. The group plays a strikingly diverse range of music, from work by minimalist composers such as John Adams, Arvo Pärt and Philip Glass, to pieces composed for them by Frank Zappa, to adaptations of works by Prince and Sigur Ros.

Kronos Quartet has performed alongside Allen Ginsberg, Björk, the National, Tom Waits and David Bowie. They have received over 40 musical awards, including two Grammy awards, the Polar Music Prize, the 2018 WOMEX Artist Award, and the Rolf Schock Prize and the Avery Fisher Prize, among others. They are constantly revolutionizing the quartet music experience and pushing the boundaries of classical music. The quartet tours five months of each year, appearing in the world’s most prestigious music venues,

The Kronos Performing Arts Association gives back to the music community in myriad ways, both in the Bay Area and internationally. Photo by Lenny Gonzalez.

Says founder Harrington of the group’s ethos, “I’ve always wanted the string quartet to be vital, and energetic, and alive, and cool, and not afraid to kick ass and be absolutely beautiful and ugly if it has to be. But it has to be expressive of life. To tell the story with grace and humor and depth. And to tell the whole story, if possible.”

Along with their illustrious and lengthy career transforming the landscape of classical music, their nonprofit arm, the Kronos Performing Arts Association (KPAA), has also built and sustained programs mentoring emerging musicians and composers, both in the United States and abroad.

“There are certain experiences in life that set the bar higher,” says Harrington. “One of them for me was when in 1974 Rostislav Dubinsky, the Borodin Quartet’s first violinist, spent three hours going over with me every question I had about Shostakovich’s 8th Quartet. This lesson set the bar for me as to what an elder musician ought to do for a younger musician. Each member of Kronos has received this kind of generous guidance from many people over the years. We have been given a wealth of spirit and knowledge that we hope to share.”

In 2015, Kronos Quartet and KPAA, which manages all aspects of the Kronos Quartet, launched 50 For the Future: The Kronos Learning Repertoire. This project is commissioning and freely distributing 50 new works for string quartets, designed specifically to educate and train new to mid-career string musicians and quartets. These commissioned pieces of music play many roles, including being used as remixable samples in KPAA’s collaboration with Sunset Youth Services, which supports young music producers, engineers and hip-hop artists. These remixes will be released by Sunset Youth Services’ in-house record label, Upstar Records.

Their ongoing dedication to keeping the story of classical music alive, contemporary and valuable to the community has made Kronos Quartet a musical institution and a gem in the crown of the Bay Area arts scene.

Check out Kronos Quartet this Sunday, July 24 at Rancho Nicasio, playing a set including works by Bob Dylan, Nina Simone, Mazz Swift, Peni Candra Rini, Philip Glass and Michael Gordon.

For information and tickets to BBQ on the Lawn, visit www.ranchonicasio.com. More information about the quartet can be found at www.kronosquartet.org.

Culture Crush—New Yorker Cartoons and Wine, Jazz and Art, and More

Jane Vick

Jul 20, 2022

Culture Crush—New Yorker Cartoons and Wine, Jazz and Art, and More

Sonoma

Cartoons + Wine

What better a combination than wine and cartoons? For those with a creative inkling and a love of wine, join New Yorker cartoonist, author and filmmaker Hilary Fitzgerald Campbell at the La Prenda Tasting Room for Cartooning Classes. Fitzgerald’s debut memoir, Murder Book, has been nominated as the best non-fiction mystery novel in this year’s Bouchercon World Mystery Convention, and she has illustrated books like Feminist Fight Club and Are You My Uber? Her second memoir, The Joy of Snacking, is scheduled to come to bookstores in 2023. Though she resides in New York, Fitzgerald is a Sonoma-born artist, and is looking forward to bringing her cartooning gifts to her hometown. Join Fitzgerald at the La Prenda Tasting Room, 535 1st St W, Sonoma, on Thursday, July 21 at 6:30pm, or Thursday, Aug. 25 at 6:30pm. $50, including supplies and a glass of La Prenda wine. www.laprendawines.com

Sonoma

Jazz and Art

Yet another great combination—art and jazz! Join the Sonoma Valley Museum of Art (SVMA) for Jazzin’ It Up at ArtNight, a lively night of music, food, art and cocktails, inspired by the museum’s current exhibition, “Dancing with Charlie: Bay Area Art from the Campbell Collection.” Featuring music from A Band for All Seasons—a group formed specifically for this occasion—including Roy Blumenfeld, Jef Labes, Richard Olsen, Joni Maxx, Paul Robinson and Paul Smith. Take a trip through the evolution of jazz during Charlie Campbell’s lifetime, including the Charleston, Lindy Hop, Swing and the jazz sounds of North Beach. Enjoy the art, have a drink and shake a leg! This event is held at the Sonoma Valley Museum of Art, 551 Broadway, Sonoma, from 6pm-9pm. $35 SVMA members, $40 for non-members. One cocktail is included with admission. Reservations are required. www.svma.org

Petaluma

Rivertown Revival

This Petaluma staple returns for 2022. Come celebrate the slough at Rivertown Revival!

Food, art and drinks for all are guaranteed. And this year, to make up for lost time, Rivertown Revival is offering even more.This year’s festivities include two days packed with $5 weddings, curios, and performances by Sean Hayes, La Gente, The Musers and many more. There will be a family area for all ages, including crafts and dancing, and a quiet area for tired little ones. Proceeds from the Rivertown Revival benefit Friends of the Petaluma River, a local non-profit dedicated to educating the community about the Petaluma River and its watershed. Throughout the year, the nonprofit hosts river cleanups, free boating programs, nature camps for kids, environmental education courses, community celebrations and much more. Rivertown Revival is held at 100 E D St, Petaluma. July 23-24. 11am-7pm. Tickets from $5-$40. www.rivertownrevival.com

San Rafael

Married, Single, Mingle!

Looking for something new to do this weekend? Head over to Ounces Outdoors for Married, Single, Mingle! Join a group of strangers waiting to be friends at the outdoor beer garden for light snacks, mixer games that make mingling easy and all kinds of opportunities. The event is co-sponsored by The Society of Single Professionals, the world’s largest nonprofit singles organization, and benefits the Seva Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to preventing and treating blindness. Ounces Outdoors, which opened this summer, is dog friendly, and features craft beer, cider, wine and bocce courts. Come check out a new venue, try a new beer and make a new friend. Dressy casual attire is suggested for this event, held on Sunday, July 24 at Ounces Outdoors, 5800 Northgate Dr, San Rafael. From 3pm-5pm. Tickets $10. www.stayhappening.com

—Jane Vick