Page 45 | Bohemian | Sonoma & Napa Counties

Loverly, ‘My Fair Lady’ at Cinnabar Theater

Jan 27, 2026

Loverly, ‘My Fair Lady’ at Cinnabar Theater

Aficionados of musical theater classics will appreciate Cinnabar Theater’s production of Lerner and Loewe’s My Fair Lady, running through Feb. 8 in Rohnert Park in the Warren Auditorium at Sonoma State University. Directed by Christian Arteaga, it is a prime example of keeping it simple and casting well and of actors working tirelessly in pursuit of excellence.

The nearly full house certainly seemed to enjoy the evening, watching poor, scrappy Eliza Doolittle (Brittany Law) become a real English lady under the tutelage of the emotionally immature Professor Higgins (superb Trevor Hoffman) and kindly Col. Pickering (Tim Setzer, who excels in saucy, mugging moments).

I grew up watching the 1964 film adaptation of My Fair Lady, starring Audrey Hepburn and Rex Harrison. I always wondered why Eliza ended up with the pompous Higgins and also why Rex Harrison never actually sang, but rather, talked in a sing-song way. Lucky for us, Hoffman outdoes Harrison in vocals and gives Higgins characteristics that make him more understandable.

The play doesn’t delve into the WHYs of the story, with characterizations and motivations thin, but it does give us a fairytale full of memorable music, performed live by pianist Brett Strader and harpist Krista Strader. Standouts include “I Could Have Danced All Night,” which showcases Law’s powerful, beautiful voice, and the bawdy “Get Me to the Church on Time,” featuring Nathan Cummings as Eliza’s freewheeling dad, performing a raucous dance number with the ensemble.

About this ensemble: They are all excellent throughout, highlighted in “With a Little Bit of Luck.” Each voice can be heard both distinctively and harmoniously, and each performer steals moments.

Though I really would have loved to see Law go totally feral as pre-posh Eliza, she excels in her newly minted lady status moments, especially at the Ascot races. At the end, there seemed a moment of squashed impulses between Higgins and Eliza, where a less restrained interaction would have been much more satisfying, especially after Eliza declares her need for actions to the young lovestruck Freddy (a whirling dervish played by Liam Cody) in “Show Me!”

It’s what is not shown and not developed in the relationship of Higgins and Eliza that’s really needed to make this romance truthful. But, by all means, one may judge for themself and consider a ticket to this well made production.

Cinnabar Theater presents ‘My Fair Lady’ through Feb. 8 at Warren Auditorium in Ives Hall at Sonoma State University. 1801 E. Cotati Ave., Rohnert Park. Fri–Sat, 7pm; Sun, 2pm. $23–$72. 707.763.8920. cinnabartheater.org.

Spirit of the King: Collective Soul Plays Graton Rancheria

Nikki Silverstein

Jan 27, 2026

Spirit of the King: Collective Soul Plays Graton Rancheria

Mojo Nixon and Skid Roper once sang that Elvis was everywhere—to hilarious effect. In the case of the most recent Collective Soul record, the two-CD Here to Eternity, the spirit of Presley was literally omnipresent.

Recorded on-site at Presley’s California estate in Palm Springs, the album project was a dream come true for Collective Soul founding member Ed Roland, who was a devout fan of the “King” while growing up in Atlanta. Collective Soul plays at Rohnert Park’s Graton Resort & Casino, Saturday, Jan. 31.

“The year before Elvis passed, he spent his last Thanksgiving, Christmas, birthday and did his last three gospel records there,” Roland explained in a recent interview. “RCA (Records) had set it up—soundproofing the Big Room, and Elvis was able to record live. That’s how we record.

“I had met the guys who bought it on the courthouse steps because (Presley’s wife) Priscilla and (daughter) Lisa Marie wanted nothing to do with it, so it was dormant. So we had to stage it by bringing furniture in and things like that. We set the control room up in Lisa Marie’s room. Our producer/engineer was in Priscilla’s room, and I got to sleep in Elvis’ bedroom. I’m the only man that can say that,” he continued.

After recording began in January 2023, Collective Soul banged out a dozen songs. With three weeks remaining on the lease, Roland decided to pursue his dream of recording a double album inspired by a number of influential albums from his youth, including Elton John’s Goodbye Yellow Brick Road and the Rolling Stones’ Exile on Main Street.

“I went in there with 12 songs, and the guys recorded them in four days,” Roland recalled. “We still had the place for a month, so I told them to take a four-day hiatus. Maybe go to Joshua Tree, hike, bike or golf. I sat in Elvis’ room by myself, in his party room, and I had my vinyl brought out and just listened to people I grew up listening to, and I wanted to see if I could write some more songs. Somehow, I got 10 done in four days. Then they (the band) came back in, and we recorded in five days. I told them that I was done and tapped out.”

The resulting 20 cuts range from the piano ballad “Be The One” and hearty Beatlesque earworm “La Dee Da” to the live gem “Bob Dylan (Where Are You Today),” which resonates with a delicate balance of solo acoustic guitar, mournful harmonica and some topical lyrics. Throughout this joyful recording experience, Roland insists Presley’s spirit could be felt the whole time the Georgia native and his crew were there.

“There was a place where Elvis would sing, so I would sing there,” Roland said. “And he’d usually sing out by the pool, so I would do my vocals out by the pool. And it’s just part of knowing that nobody had been there since he died. The night Lisa Marie passed, we had set the control up in her bedroom, and the ceiling fell down, so it was kind of a spooky vibe. We just absorbed it. We couldn’t believe we were there, to be honest with you. The excitement is definitely there.”

The son of a preacher, singer Roland and brother Dean (who plays guitar in Collective Soul) caught the rock and roll bug early due to the fact that their mom played piano in church while dad led the congregation in song. The latter was open-minded and influential when it came to secular music, taking his boys to see Johnny Cash in 1969 and subsequently Liberace and Elton John in later years. And while Ed Roland would grow to love the likes of The Cars, AC/DC, The Police and Peter Frampton, he admitted he would only go so far in terms of what albums he’d bring into the family home.

“I loved (AC/DC’s) Highway to Hell, but that was a record I really couldn’t bring into the house,” he said with a laugh. “As a young kid, I didn’t want to push it too much. I remember getting Queen’s Jazz album, opening it up and saw all the topless girls in there. I ran across the street to my neighbor and asked him to hold onto this album for me and told him I’d listen to it at his house.”

As he got older, Roland decided he wanted to join his rock and roll heroes by writing his own songs. He went on to form the original lineup of Collective Soul with his brother, Dean.

A recent documentary, Give Me A Word: The Collective Soul Story, tells the tale of the 30-year history of the band from Stockbridge, Georgia, which began with a bang when Atlantic Records signed the group. In 1993, they released what was essentially a demo of Ed Roland songs as Hints Allegations and Things Left Unsaid. Featuring the hit single “Shine,” the album went double platinum.

Collective Soul’s second album, a self-titled effort, was even more popular, going triple platinum and generating five hit singles, including the chart topping “December,” “Where the River Flows” and “The World I Know.” The band finished the decade with two more successful albums, Disciplined Breakdown and Dosage.

But as the new century arrived, Collective Soul’s fortunes began to gradually wane, as four more studio albums saw diminishing returns. The band, which still includes long-time bassist Will Turpin, also went through some personnel changes, cycling through a pair of drummers before drummer Johnny Rabb joined in 2012. In 2014, guitarist Jesse Triplett became the band’s third guitarist (following Ross Childress and Joel Kosche), completing a current lineup that Roland feels is the best version yet of Collective Soul.

As Collective Soul returns to the road, Roland insists the familial vibes of his band will be overflowing to those in attendance at their upcoming performance.

“Everyone is just enjoying this moment in time,” he said. “We’re just going out and playing our songs for the people.”

Collective Soul plays at 8pm, Saturday, Jan. 31 at The Event At Graton Resort & Casino, 288 Golf Course Dr. W., Rohnert Park. bit.ly/collective-soul-rp.

No Kings, Indivisible Sonoma County’s Tom Bethin

Locals

Cincinnatus Hibbard

Jan 27, 2026

No Kings, Indivisible Sonoma County’s Tom Bethin

In the warming afterglow of their Jan. 17 protest rally, I telephoned Tom Bethin. He was buzzing.

Earlier that day, his all-volunteer organization, Indivisible Sonoma County, had organized a speaker series on Santa Rosa’s civic plaza. Backed by a 10-foot tall banner emblazoned, “RISE UP AND RECLAIM OUR DEMOCRACY,” six candidates for two congressional seats (including Mike Thomson and ole Mike McGuire) sought to fire up the crowd (and justify their leadership). After the inspiring talk, the crowd—numbering in the hundreds, was offered candles and arranged on the square to form a giant, manifesting peace sign. Visit indivisiblesoco.org to watch the aerial video recap.

I describe this rally—a fist raised to the one-year anniversary of Donald Trump’s second inauguration—partly to do a bit of inspiring myself. And to put my finger on two of the qualities that have made the Indivisible network the most effective protest movement of the Trump era. Those being close communication with elected leaders and diverse, and (I daresay) fun, protest tactics.

These two qualities come out of the origins of Indivisible—and its national structure.

Indivisible was founded by (just) two former congressional staffers (young insiders). And its national organization consists of more than 2,500 self-organizing and semi-autonomous local groups (in almost all U.S. congressional districts). These local groups are in a two-way dialogue with a national parent organization—which pools good ideas coming up from below—in addition to setting priorities for the movement and orchestrating national days of resistance (such as “Hands Off,” “Ice Out” or “No Kings,” which drew 7 million protesters into 2,700 local expressions of peaceful defiance like the rally I described). These things I gathered while talking to Bethin. Here are some quotes.

Cincinnatus Hibbard: Tom, I find you have a great political brain. It’s like talking to a gassed-up policy wonk. What is your professional employment?

Tom Bethin: I’m retired. I was the owner of Shutterbug Camera Store.

How many people subscribe to Sonoma Indivisible’s Substack newsletter?

About 8,000.

Get hip, Sonoma. What tactics is the Sonoma County organization currently fielding?

They have changed a lot. During Trump 1.0 and the Biden Administration, our tactics were primarily based on a model of constituent pressure on elected officials actually based on the Tea Party Movement—without their ideology, of course (laughs). With Trump 2.0, we have really had to change our methods. We couldn’t wait, and our elected leaders were failing to step up.

Word. Tell me more about your organization.

We are volunteer-driven, enthusiasm-driven. Protests happen because people show up at our meetings and say, “I have an idea”—and we make them the lead on it.

Beyond the struggle for today, your local organization is taking the long few on how to build a more resilient democracy for the future.

We have come up with something of a strategic framework. It has four key areas we need to be headed toward. We need to build a united front with other organizations; we need to be in coalition. We need to grow community power through alternative organizations—in the absence of federal government help. We need to inspire defections among people that are actively taking part in the MAGA attack on our country, or abetting by passively stepping aside. And, we need to develop responses to threats of violence.

Learn more: Make contact with local Indivisible organizations in Marin, Sonoma or Napa. Their sites host info guides, statement pieces, protest calendars, update newsletters and opportunities to join or to donate. Action converts fears for the future into fierce empowerment. indivisiblesoco.org.

Artists at Work, Marin’s Rancho Roots and History Impresarios

Crush

Weeklys Staff

Jan 20, 2026

Sausalito

Artists at Work

ICB ART kicks off the year by throwing open the doors to one of Sausalito’s most quietly industrious creative hubs. Artists at Work offers a rare, behind-the-scenes look inside the historic ICB Building, where more than 60 artists—working across painting, sculpture, photography, ceramics, textiles and beyond—invite the public into their studios while the work is actually happening. Spread across three floors of waterfront space, the event lets visitors wander, ask questions and watch ideas take shape in real time, from experiments that almost work to pieces ready to go home with a new owner. Offered just twice a year, Artists at Work is part open studio, part cultural field trip and part reminder that Sausalito’s art scene is very much a living, working organism. 11am–5pm, Saturday, Jan. 24, ICB Building, 480 Gate 5 Rd., Sausalito. Free admission; free parking; all ages welcome. More info at icbart.com.

San Rafael

Rancho Roots

Marin History Museum opens the doors to a deeper layer of local history with Rancho Roots: The Californio Legacy in Marin, a new bilingual exhibition that traces the enduring influence of Spanish and Mexican settlers who established ranchos across Marin County in the early 19th century. Through artifacts, storytelling and hands-on interactive displays, the exhibition explores how Californios shaped the region’s land use, agriculture, place names and cultural identity—threads that still run through Marin’s farms and communities today. 11am–3pm, Saturday, Jan. 24, Marin History Museum, 1125 B St., San Rafael. Free.

Sonoma

Gold on the Roof

History gets theatrical—and a little supernatural—inside the Buena Vista Winery legendary Bubble Lounge with Gold on the Roof, the latest installment from Sonoma History Cabaret. Created and performed by local history impresarios George Webber and CW Bayer, the show summons Zoltar the Magnificent, a spiritualist armed with Andronico Vallejo’s mystical guitar, who attempts to clear the afterlife reputation of Count Agoston Haraszthy, Buena Vista’s famously controversial founder. Accused of embezzlement in life and apparently still stewing over it in death, the count returns to help uncover the “real” culprit—through means both historical and hilariously theatrical. Admission includes a glass of Champagne, sparkling wine or white wine, with additional pours available. 4–5pm, Saturday, Jan. 24, Buena Vista Historical Winery, 18000 Old Winery Rd., Sonoma. $75.

Petaluma

Flow and Form

Usher Gallery opens its 2026 exhibition calendar with Explorations in Flow and Form, a joint show pairing the intuitive abstractions of Catrina Walker and Nicole Mathers. Though distinct in process, both artists work from a place of movement and responsiveness—letting material, gesture and repetition guide the work rather than fixed imagery. The opening reception invites viewers to meet the artists, with live music by Jethro Jeremiah alongside light refreshments and wine. It’s a community-forward evening that reflects the gallery’s emphasis on local voices and exploratory practice. 5–8pm, Saturday, Jan. 24, Usher Gallery, 1 Petaluma Blvd. N., Petaluma. Free. More info at ushergallerypetaluma.com.

Freedom From Fear: What We Can Do Here and Now

Cincinnatus Hibbard

Jan 20, 2026

Freedom From Fear: What We Can Do Here and Now

This is the third and final piece of a three-part series on ongoing issues with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement as it reaches into our areas. -–Editor

Part 3: Fear Is Control

“Freedom from fear” was the fourth of four freedoms defining democracy President Franklin D. Roosevelt framed in his rally cry to fight fascist conquest from without. It is openly debated whether America is now fighting a fascist takeover from within.

It may be debated, but only because the would-be dictators of the world will always disguise their plays for power in the mock forms of democratic legality (e.g., declaring a fake emergency, attacking political rivals through trumped-up legal charges or holding rigged elections).

But there can be no disguising the fear. Fear is how authoritarians maintain control, how they keep the people head down and silent—hardworking, obsequious, compliant. In any country in the world, the questions, “Do you fear the president?,” “Do you fear the government?” and “Do you fear the police?” cut through the political lies to the truth.

Wherever one stands on the political spectrum running blue, purple, red, there can be no doubt that in America a great fear is rising.

Fighting Fear Itself

“Power, not panic” is the slogan with which “immigrant defense coordinator” Gina Garibo signs off every email. I was always relieved to see it. In the process of my research, I met a great many professionals, protesters and volunteers just like Gina, “Esteban” and “Marisol.” Some are working openly. And some are working in the new underground resistance.

They are part of a great mobilization of people gathering around a strategic arc of methods for confronting ICE terror. It is a thrilling thing to witness, but still much more support is needed if they are to succeed. “Expanded capacity” is the watchword among these groups.

Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” passed last summer by a cowed millionaire’s Congress that doubled the ICE budget to $80 billion. A crash recruitment drive is setting targets to recruit another 18,000 officers to the president’s private police force (The Economist, “Trumpforce”).

California is a “sanctuary state” with the highest percentage of undocumented people in the U.S. (7%). It is governed by one of Trump’s strongest opponents now and in the 2028 election—democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom. California is going to be heavily targeted. ICE will return to San Francisco. “It’s going to get a lot worse before it gets better,” “Esteban” told me when we first met at the “American nostalgia” diner.

The activists I spoke to invite our readers to look at these elements of their adapting strategy and try to find their part in it. Whether our readers are motivated by the fight for immigrants’ human rights and dignity, or to fight for the rights of the poor, minority rights, anti-racism, the fight against the billionaires, public safety, national security, or by the preservation of our constitutional rights, these activists urge them to find their part in this fight. ICE is now the flashpoint in the fight against fear. Use these terms and names to begin one’s own research. Be brave; be unafraid. Fight.

Sanctuary States, Counties and Cities

Sanctuary declarations are based in constitutional law which except state and local officials in assisting in the enforcement of federal laws. The phrase “sanctuary” relates these laws to a religious tradition of sacred sanctuaries for the oppressed, amplifying moral outrage at their violation. Ultimately, they are a local declaration of passive non-cooperation with ICE—with no necessary commitment to resistance or to assistance to those who are fighting.

Putting Pressure on Elected Officials

Claudia Rios Manzo, the program director of the Sacramento F.U.E.L., a network of organizations for immigrants, recommended this key piece. Ask elected representatives what they are doing to actively support our undocumented neighbors. Through funding and partnerships, local government can support those actively fighting ICE terror for all of us. Help them be brave; even U.S. senators feel unsafe in this terror.

Boycotts

Conscientious consumerism quietly remains one of our most powerful political tools. In this way, the people can lead powerful corporations that have no morality but will always follow the money like cattle. Don’t buy from the corporations that have contributed to Trump in the last year or have contracts to supply ICE. If one has stocks in these companies—dump them.

Marches

Along with local chapters of No Kings, a host of local and national groups are organizing a wide range of non-violent protests across the Bay Area. There are many calendars—I suggest the calendar at actiontogetherwest.org. I would also recommend Gene Sharp’s “Methods of Non Violent Action.” Boycotts and marches are just two of the 198 methods of resistance listed in its pages.

Be Out

This part of resistance was advised by activists, especially for Latinos and for persons of color. It is advice for all the communities that feel targeted by this administration (such as LGBTQ persons):

Be safe. Take care of oneself. And to the extent that it is consistent with safety (in one’s personal assessment), be out. Continue to go out—show one’s face; be loud; take one’s place; be proud. Gather. Dance. Live lives as free people. It is a political act. It is effective resistance. They want people to hide, and hide who they are. Be out.

Allies are advised to recognize, honor and support this everyday courage.

Talk About These Issues

Use platforms to keep these issues out in front. Have conversations with friends and family. Continue to educate oneself.

Print and Digitally Distribute Red Cards / Tarajetas Rojas

These index cards, available in 56 languages, have been prepared by the influential Immigrant Legal Resource Center. They have constitutionally protected immigrant rights printed on one side, and a script for talking to ICE agents on the other.

Keep the Number of One’s Local Rapid Response Network on One’s Phone

These networks collect and verify crowdsourced ICE sightings in one’s area and send trained legal monitors to observe and document ICE activity and arrests.

Look up “California Rapid Response Networks” to find one’s local network. And read up on how to identify ICE—false alarms fan the fear.

Train to Be a Legal Observer

Abigail [redacted], a legal observer for rapid response, suggested going to a training by one’s local network without commitment and “make your own assessment of personal risk” after. Some trainees may choose to become rapid responders, others to participate in “adopt-a-school” or “adopt-a-day labor site” programs or be observers at community events that might be targeted. Still other trainees become public sources of good information.

Besides adding to the safety of our immigrant friends and neighbors, observers’ video documentation discourages rights abuses by ICE agents, helps identify detained persons for family and becomes evidence in deportation hearings.

If One Is an Attorney, Consider Volunteering

There are corresponding rapid response networks for defense attorneys. Contact the Immigrant Legal Resource Center or one’s local rapid response network to learn more.

Volunteer

Donate time and skills to local immigrant rights groups. And also do the same for the food banks, community free clinics and homeless shelters, community of service providers that supply their very limited social safety net.

Donate

Donate money to those same local and national organizations. I will add that there is a special moral obligation on the part of employers in industries that have benefitted from hard-worked and cheap immigrant labor to donate. Immigrants have given to us; now it is time to give back.

Check in With Neighbors

Immigrant communities are fragmenting; families are isolated and scared right now. People of color are intimidated. Abigail [reacted] had this further piece of advice: “Reach out to each other. If you happen to know they are undocumented, offer to pick up their groceries. Let them know that you are on their side.”

Meet these people and build community. Force does indeed check force, but ultimately, communal love is the power that fights fear directly. And most assuredly, love wins.

CODA

After our intense interviews with the farm workers, “Esteban” wanted to show “Marisol” and me his grandfather’s old wooden plow by way of refreshment. “He fed 10 children with that plow,” “Esteban” said with pride.

It made me think, once again, how fundamentally similar working class Mexicans and Americans are (they are rural, independent, truck driving, beer and barbecue loving, church-going family people, wanting only to work a square deal and for the government to leave them in peace).

At one point on our walk over crunching gravel, a sudden impulse made “Esteban” stop in his tracks and pull out his phone. “I didn’t show you this, ‘Marisol,’” he said. It was a video, now five years old, of two of his grandchildren, then aged three and five. They are in their PJs in a playroom before a keyboard. Together, they sing a song for him—grandpa. “Don’t Worry, Be Happy,” they sing in their small piping voices. “I watch it a lot these days,” said “Esteban.” And not for the first or second time that day, we cried together.

Learn more. Click or type this link: linktr.ee/iceterrorANDamericandemocracy.