Page 33 | Bohemian | Sonoma & Napa Counties

Amigas, Female Artists of Color Bring ‘Enfrascada’ to Petaluma

Apr 28, 2026

Amigas, Female Artists of Color Bring ‘Enfrascada’ to Petaluma

Mercury Theater’s latest effort, Enfrascada, by Tanya Saracho, is an absorbing journey into the pluricultural experience of a group of Latine friends who are attempting to help one of their own through a dirty breakup with the use of hoodoo, Brujería and Santería. This rallying cry to friendship and magic, led by director (and frequent Bohemian contributor) Beulah Vega and an all-female cast and crew, runs in Petaluma through May 10.

Steady Alicia (Reilly Milton, with some strong moments of truthfulness and an open-hearted nature) has been shunted for another woman by her boyfriend of nine years, leaving her bereft but strangely numb, unable to process this major transition.

Her lively besties, Yesenia (spicy Lexus Fletcher, who has some of the best lines and the fullest characterization of the three main characters), and sweet, sensible group leader Carolina (Bianca Trentadue, with a lovely stage presence and natural mother hen qualities), suggest the use of the gifts of their aunties, who are practitioners of ancient magic, in order to help Alicia win back her man.

Alicia quickly becomes consumed by these spells and tasks, while the audience gets a hefty dose of folk magic scenes that form the most engrossing parts of this story, aided by the remarkable work of Sky Hernandez-Simard as two of the magic practitioners. Her scenes were absolutely riveting and lent the show the momentum it needed to propel the women to their tender ending. A secondary character, eccentric cousin Lulu (played with subdued craftiness by Raysheina de Leon-Ruhs), acted as a hilarious chaos agent and helped scene transitions in a refreshing way.

The friend group, though believable and well written (they often speak Spanish, and while this reviewer is not fluent, she definitely understood all the nuances and inside jokes), didn’t resonate as fully at the opening night performance as they should once they’re into the heart of the run. Nerves seemed apparent, but all these actresses remained in the story without pushing for feeling, an admirable quality.

The many technical elements of the show were flawlessly executed by stage manager Kayla Hewson, and the use of lighting (Missy Weaver) and sound (Jess Johnson) added a lot of depth and mood to this very supernatural tale. Costumes by Serena Elize Flores showcased individual style and personality quite effectively.

If one is looking for a show outside of the white American theater-goer gaze, Enfrascada is there to fill that need.

Mercury Theater presents ‘Enfrascada’ through May 10 at 3333 Petaluma Blvd. N., Petaluma. Thur–Sat, 7:30pm; Sun, 2pm. $20–$35. 707.658.9019. mercurytheater.org.

The Mix: Double Couple Date Stirs up Some Complicated Implications

Jeff Burkhart

Apr 28, 2026

The Mix: Double Couple Date Stirs up Some Complicated Implications

The foursome didn’t really come in hot. And they weren’t really coming in happy either. It was odd from the get-go. For me, and eventually for them too.

We see all kinds of groupings from behind the bar. Boys’ nights out, girls’ nights out, date nights; one really gets a bird’s eye view of the entire range of human romantic interactions. This one appeared to be two sets of friends out on the town. It was an easy assumption to make. And it was not the correct one.

They found four barstools and sat down just as one might expect. Boy, girl, boy, girl. Two espresso martinis, and two craft draft beers. It was so normal as to be almost mundane, until I set the drinks down.

Instead of the beers going to the gentlemen, and the drinks going to the ladies, it was a drink for one of the men, a drink for one of the women, and the same breakdown for the beers.

Typically, when one gets the double couple date night sitting at the bar, either the men are better friends or the women are. This grouping was unusual, because it appeared that the man and woman in the middle were the better friends, and they weren’t a couple.

Bartenders sometimes get a bad rap for being judgmental. And we are, about things that really matter. Things like one’s level of intoxication or their legal age. Things most bartenders could care less about are one’s relationship status and their opinion on shaking vs. stirring.

Just about then, a song came on the overhead speakers that elicited squeals from the couple in the middle.

“Let’s dance,” said the inner woman.

Which was a weird thing to say in a place that doesn’t have a dance floor.

Nonetheless, the inner couple got up and danced. It was all fun and games. And in the bar business, that’s usually pretty good. Until it isn’t.

“You guys seem like you’re really having fun,” said outside-man, when the dancers sat down.

“Well, you never dance,” said inside-woman. “And he does.”

A similar conversation was happening between outside-woman and inside-man.

It reminded me of the internecine workplace affair. The people involved always think they are being discreet. The funny thing is that everyone else always knows.

“Do you think they are having an affair?” outside-woman eventually asked outside-man, as their respective spouses bumped and ground.

“I’m not sure anymore,” he answered.

“Would you two like something else to drink?” I interjected, as bartenders so often do.

They both looked up at me.

“What do you think?” the outside-woman asked me.

“What do you mean?” I asked, knowing full well what she meant.

“Do you think those two are having an affair?” she said, pointing at the woman doing a backbend in the aisle while a husband frontbended over her.

“Do I think they are?” I queried back.

“Yes, do you think they are?” repeated the outer man, exasperated by the parsing.

“No, I don’t think that they are,” I said, answering honestly.

And when I say honestly, I mean honestly, because I didn’t think that they were having an affair. I knew it. Which is altogether different. Because while I might not have known the non-couple in front of me, I was certainly familiar with the other one bumping and grinding.

Leaving me with these thoughts:

• Be sure to ask the right questions; that way, one will always get the right answers.

• Most bartenders are not judgmental. But they aren’t blind either.

• “Discretion is the better part of valor,” decried the coward Falstaff in Shakespeare’s Henry IV.

• The old joke goes: “Be nice to the bartender because we know your wife. And your girlfriend too.” To which I might now add, “We also know your wife’s boyfriend and his wife as well.” Just saying.

Jeff Burkhart hosts ‘The Barfly Podcast.’ More at jeffburkhart.net.

Rebecca Fein, Director of Verity, the County’s Only Rape Crisis, Trauma and Healing Center

Locals

Cincinnatus Hibbard

Apr 28, 2026

Rebecca Fein, Director of Verity, the County’s Only Rape Crisis, Trauma and Healing Center

A gentle caution to my readers. This edition centers on a painfully charged topic: sexual assault in our communty.

Sexual assault covers a range continuum of criminal acts.

Its effect, therefore, is varied and can include shock, acute stress disorder, hypervigilance, PTSD fear triggers, avoidance, social withdrawal, numbness, loss of joy, sleep disruption, major depression, substance abuse, intimacy issues, lowered self-esteem and suicidal ideation.

Per RAINN—the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network—citing the Centers for Disease Control: Nearly 1 in 4 men and 1 in 2 women have experienced unwanted sexual contact in their lifetime.

Here, I remind myself to breathe.

The repercussions of sexual assault are here everywhere. Whether we know it or not, we confront them every day. They are in our every encounter.

I write with the delicate intention to make text of this ever-present subtext—and to bring community attention to Verity, Sonoma County’s sole rape crisis, trauma and healing center.

Established in 1974, Verity offers free confidential services to survivors of sexual assault and human trafficking. Their work spans intervention, healing and prevention. In this time, it is led by the able Rebecca Fein.

Cincinnatus Hibbard: Rebecca, what would you like to highlight?

Rebecca Fein: People don’t know how prevalent sexual assault and human trafficking are in our community, particularly human trafficking.

Your 2024 impact report shows intervention for 122 trafficking survivors. What factors give rise to trafficking in the North Bay?

Proximity to the City. The 101 corridor. High tourism associated with alcohol, cannabis and gambling. Labor trafficking associated with agriculture. Wealth. People are trafficked from outside the region, but also from within. We’re currently developing a marketing campaign addressing signs of exploitation among children—grooming via social media—educating both young people and the adults around them.

I understand Verity also does preventative work in schools with age-appropriate education at elementary, middle and high school levels. Tell me about your healing programs.

We partner with On the Margins to offer free of cost, one-to-one therapy and support groups. It is bicultural and bilingual.

Each person’s situations and needs are unique to them. We respond to them. All our services are survivor centered and survivor led. We provide the information and will support them along whatever path they choose to take. Sexual assault is inherently an experience that removes one’s autonomy.

Tell me about your funding.

Funding is a rollercoaster. We are 70–80% reliant on state grants, themselves funded by federal grants. Every year, we prepare for cuts. We are critically challenged right now. Get involved—support survivors through donations of your time or funds. Volunteers are a huge piece of what we do.

The question that really brought me to you is hard to calculate. I invite you to speculate: What effect has the election of a president with 28 public accusations of sexual assault—actively suppressing the Epstein files—had on the culture of rape in America?

Survivors are silenced. And we have noticed an emboldening of perpetrators, and less shame. I think of serially-accused former Windsor Mayor Dominic Foppoli announcing another run for office.

Could you give some general advice about how to support survivors we know?

We released a blog post very recently regarding the case surrounding Soft Medicine Sanctuary in Sebastopol that addresses how to support survivors.

First and foremost, believe them. Allow them to speak—to the degree they are ready and able. It’s different for different people, but the experience of retelling the story can be itself traumatic.

Learn more at ourverity.org. Verity’s 24/7 support and crisis line: 707.545.7273. The incident need not be recent.

Karen Francis DeGolia Rediscovers Her Vineyard Calling

Food & Drink

Amber Turpin

Apr 28, 2026

Karen Francis DeGolia Rediscovers Her Vineyard Calling

The story of Limerick Lane Cellars is anything but simple or expected. But through the twists and turns of the label’s evolution, the fact remains that this is a place where a true old-vine vineyard is celebrated.

Preserved, protected and revered, this estate that produces award-winning wine is a true landmark in the Northeast corner of Sonoma County’s Russian River Valley.

Owner Karen Francis DeGolia’s connection to Limerick Lane began in the early 1990s, when she was engaged to founder and winemaker Tom Collins as the estate came to life. She was deeply involved in the ranch during those formative years, witnessing the completion of the winery and its iconic bottle-shaped pool in 1993. When Collins passed away unexpectedly, DeGolia departed and channeled her energy into a remarkable corporate career.

Armed with a Dartmouth economics degree and a Harvard MBA, she rose through the ranks of the automotive world, serving as general manager of GM’s Oldsmobile division and later as a VP at Ford Motor Company, one of the youngest women to reach such heights in the industry.

DeGolia returned to Limerick Lane briefly in 2002, working harvest and pouring in the tasting room, but a CEO opportunity at an advertising agency soon pulled her away again. This time, she stayed connected to the area by purchasing the neighboring Ricci Vineyard, cementing her role as a grower and later a board member at Copia, The American Center for Food, Wine, and the Arts.

In 2021, she and her husband, Rick DeGolia, acquired the 12-acre Cypress Ridge Vineyards on Limerick Lane. Then a chance lunch with a neighbor revealed that Limerick Lane Cellars was seeking a new owner. The full circle decision was easy.

Nearly 30 years after first walking those vine rows, Karen DeGolia became the owner of Limerick Lane Cellars. The estate now spans 53 acres in the heart of the Russian River Valley, with winemaker Chris Pittenger crafting wine from these special old vines.

Amber Turpin: How did you get into this work?

Karen Francis DeGolia: Fate.

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

Understanding the profound history of 100-plus-year-old zinfandel vines.

What is your favorite thing to drink at home?

Limerick Lane Marquis.

Where do you like to go out for a drink?

Anyplace with an ocean view.

If you were stuck on a desert island, what would you want to be drinking?

Limerick Lane Rose.

Limerick Lane Cellars, 1023 Limerick Ln., Healdsburg, 707.433.9211, limericklanewines.com.

Visualizing Reform: Preparing for Post-Scandal America

Open Mic

Craig Corsini

Apr 28, 2026

Visualizing Reform: Preparing for Post-Scandal America

After several decades of gross misbehavior on the parts of three branches of government, the American people appear to be asking the rhetorical questions, “What if political corruption is bad? And what if campaigning against corruption is a winning issue?”

Recent polls have found that large shares of both Democrats and Republicans think their party focuses too little on corruption. Indeed, backers of both parties thought corruption was the biggest issue being ignored by both parties.

Wow, yes. Perhaps voters have their heads screwed on right. And also, how do they even know about the growing corruption problem? Long gone are the days when newspapers competed to expose official wrongdoing. There is nothing in today’s fragmented information landscape that is like past scandals pursued by dogged hordes of investigative reporters and orating TV correspondents.

Journalists fuss over candidate fundraising totals without mentioning that, for example, a single super PAC backed by the AI industry has already raised $75 million to spend in congressional races. That still falls behind the $171 million raised so far by a single cryptocurrency industry PAC. This spending will all be “independent,” and much of it will not be fully disclosed. Yet, with spending like this, these industries could effectively buy Congress.

Then there’s the orgy of self-enrichment. Forget the planned White House ballroom or the gilded doorknobs in the Oval Office. According to Forbes, President Donald Trump and his immediate family increased their net worth by $3 billion in one year by leveraging public power. Other analyses peg the one-year amount at $1.4 billion.

Opposition politicians have started to pound away. But it’s not enough to decry sleaze. Jaded voters think “everyone does it.” Indeed, the group End Citizens United in 2025 published a poll suggesting citizens thought Democrats were more corrupt than Republicans.

House Democrats recently announced a task force to assemble an anti-corruption agenda. Joe Morelle leads the drive. Morelle vowed months ago, “This is going to be the most significant governmental reform since Watergate.”

That’s a high bar. The Watergate scandal led to laws to curb presidential abuse and clean up politics: A public financing system sought to curb big money in presidential campaigns. The Inspector General Act of 1978 placed watchdogs in major federal agencies. The Budget Impoundment and Control Act aimed to ensure that Congress, not the president, retained power of the purse. The War Powers Act tried to curb executive warmaking.

After scandal comes reform. Not always, but that’s when it happens. What would a reform agenda look like today?

Craig Corsini is a writer and grandfather in Marin County.

Clee Fest, Phoenix Fundraiser for Local Metal Guitar Hero

Don R. Lewis

Apr 28, 2026

Clee Fest, Phoenix Fundraiser for Local Metal Guitar Hero

For hardcore fans of heavy metal music, nothing could be more metal than shuffling off this mortal coil while shredding on their guitar onstage and keeling over.

But for longtime local heavy metal guitarist Greg “Clee” Clecak, that came frighteningly close to how he met his demise, and it really wasn’t as thrilling as one might hope it to be.

During a show March 8 at Toot’s Tavern in Crockett, Clee was just finishing up a song with his band, Hellbender, when he says, “I remember hearing a weird noise on stage and then getting all sweaty.” He continues, “I went down to adjust my foot pedal, and then I hit the floor, on my butt; I couldn’t get up. I knew something was definitely wrong.”

As it turns out, something was most definitely wrong, and Clee had suffered a fairly major stroke. And as he continues to heal, our ever resilient Sonoma County music community has come together for a benefit show, Clee Fest, on Saturday, May 9, at The Phoenix Theater in Petaluma. Hellbender will headline, with support from friends From Hell, Unprovoked, Right to Remain and Here Comes the Comet, with proceeds from the $15 cover going towards Clee’s road to recovery.

Clee has been a staple in the Sonoma County music scene for more than three decades, playing guitar in bands including his self-titled band Clee, Porterhouse, Crimeseen and since 2011, Hellbender. Beside him on stage in every iteration has been high school buddy, bassist Eric Lee, who is also the host of Metaluma on Petaluma’s radio station KPCA.

Naturally, Lee was onstage with Clee when the stroke occurred and notes, “We have played Toots Tavern over a dozen times, so it was business as usual. We were four songs in, and I saw him reach down to his pedalboard, and then he was sitting down looking confused.” Lee goes on, saying, “Our singer, ‘Dollar’ Bill [Scheffler], went over to check on him and got him to the front of the stage, and we heard a nurse [from the crowd] come over to check on him, so that was reassuring. She got ice on the back of his neck.”

Then, the scene got even weirder. Lee laughs, recounting, “Clee goes, ‘I’m good; keep playing.’ It was all surreal when it was going on. We played two more songs while he was sitting there, and then we had to stop because he was really not feeling good at that point.”

One may have clocked that there was indeed a nurse in the audience that night, and if she hadn’t been, everyone agrees the upcoming May 9 show may be a memorial. Lee says, “She saved his life by putting ice on his neck because that is supposedly one of the first things you should do for a stroke victim. I didn’t know that until then. She is an angel.” Who says the dark forces of the devil’s music don’t look out for their own?

Since the stroke, Clee has been shuttled to a few different hospitals as his care needs have improved. He is at home now and working daily on rehabilitation. “Sutter Health Care provided me with physical therapy for the first four weeks, and now I’m doing the exercises at home. I’m projected to be back to normal in 60-90 days, and so I’m almost there but not quite,” he remarks. “I feel a lot better, but not 100% yet.”

Lee says, “Clee is getting better every day, but there’s still a lot to do to get back to playing a Hellbender gig. But he’s determined, so it will happen. It could be three months or six months; we just don’t know. But the good news is that he will make a full recovery.” He adds, “We had this Phoenix show booked months before, so we decided to turn it into a benefit for our brother, so it’s all about Clee Fest now.”

Clee Fest, 8pm, Saturday, May 9, at The Phoenix Theater, 201 Washington St., Petaluma. For more information and tickets, visit bit.ly/cleefest.

Open Art Studios, Life on Earth, Dr. Color and Authors Fest

Crush

Weeklys Staff

Apr 28, 2026

Open Art Studios, Life on Earth, Dr. Color and Authors Fest

Marin County
Open Doors

For two spring weekends, Marin County turns itself into a walkable, drivable, occasionally wonderfully confusing map of creativity as more than 260 artists open their studios to the public for the 33rd annual Marin Open Studios. The self-guided event offers a rare chance to see where the work actually happens—paint-splattered corners, kiln rooms, sculpture setups and the mysterious habitats of people who know how to make things. Participating artists span painting, photography, ceramics, textiles, jewelry and other disciplines, with 62 newcomers joining the roster this year. Those who prefer reconnaissance before committing can begin at the Showcase Gallery at Sausalito Center for the Arts, where examples from participating artists are gathered under one roof. 11am–6pm, Saturday–Sunday, May 2–3 and May 9–10, at various studios throughout Marin County. Free admission. More information at marinopenstudios.org.

Point Reyes Station
Three New Worlds

Gallery Route One opens spring with a trio of exhibitions loosely united by life on Earth and the ways we perceive it. In The Land’s Memory – Some Places Remember Us features E.A. Zappa’s presentation of realist paintings and sculptural works inspired by Alaska’s landscapes, wildlife and human relationships to place. Jenny-Lynn Hall’s (i’m)permanence offers subtle drawings in chalk, charcoal and soluble pencil that meditate on time, impermanence and interconnectedness. Visiting artist Arminée Chahbazian rounds out the lineup with Biggest Little Worlds, oil and encaustic paintings that transform wild bird eggs into planetary forms suspended between ecology and dreamscape. Together, the three shows move from wilderness memory to cosmic fragility, with stops at geometry, migration and mortality along the way. Heavy themes, yes—but handled with beauty and imagination. Exhibits run now through May 24, Gallery Route One, 11101 Hwy. 1, Point Reyes Station. Gallery hours 11am–5pm, Thursday–Monday.

Petaluma
Dr. Color

Bob Buckter, known professionally as Dr. Color, is a longtime San Francisco designer and color consultant who brings his vivid sensibility to Petaluma for an afternoon devoted to the transformative powers of paint, architecture and cheerful audacity. For decades, Buckter has helped turn historic homes and everyday buildings into exuberant landmarks, approaching color not as decoration but as a public trust. A Vibrant Afternoon with Dr. Color begins at the Petaluma Historical Library & Museum and includes a talk, self-guided walking tour and private cocktail reception at a historic Petaluma home. 4–6:30pm, Saturday, May 2, at Petaluma Historical Library & Museum, 20 4th St. $44.52. More information at bit.ly/dr-color.

Sonoma
Booked Solid

This year’s edition of the Sonoma Valley Authors Festival boasts headliner Maria Semple, newly selected for Oprah’s Book Club, thanks to her latest novel, Go Gentle. That means festivalgoers can catch one of publishing’s emerging talents while the ink is still drying on their CV. The ninth annual gathering returns to Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa with a roster spanning history, humor, politics, poetry and culture, including Doris Kearns Goodwin, Rick Atkinson, Andrew Ross Sorkin and Dave Barry. There is also a free Authors on the Plaza event in downtown Sonoma where authors Barry, Semple, Atkinson and Colum McAnn will also appear. May 1–3, Friday–Sunday, at Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa, Sonoma. Festival passes from $1,500. Authors on the Plaza 11am–2pm, Saturday, May 2, Sonoma Plaza, Sonoma. Free admission. More information at svauthorsfest.org.