Emily S. MendelTheaterSan Francisco,
A cross between a musical profile and a rock and roll show, Randy Johnson’s “A Night with Janis Joplin” is undoubtedly entertaining. The best aspect of the evening is Kacee Clanton, who does a fabulous Janis. She has the deep throaty voice, the slightly frowsy look and the small sexy ...
Lewis WhittingtonTheaterPhiladelphia,
At the trendy low-scale New York eatery, owner Mike wants to make things upscale, by hiring his former boss George, a former top chef, now a middle-age divorced alcoholic fresh from drug and alcohol rehab. That is the set up for “How To Cut With A Knife” by Will ...
Renata PoltFilm
Everybody has heard of T. E. Lawrence--"Lawrence of Arabia"--adventurer, explorer, expert on what's now called the Middle East. Certainly every movie-goer has seen Peter O'Toole in flowing white robes, riding through the wide-angle desert with his coterie of Arab horsemen.
Far fewer people have heard of Gertrude Bell ...
Nancy S. BishopArt & ArchitectureChicago,
Be prepared for your visit to The Octopus Eats Its Own Leg, the new exhibit of work by artist Takashi Murakami at the Museum of Contemporary Art. Your head may explode with his bubblegum colors and fantastic imagery and ideas.
Murakami is best known for his work related to ...
Josh BaxtTheaterSan Diego,
Arrogant doctors, mysterious maladies, incomprehensible jargon, “The Imaginary Invalid” might be the latest medical drama, rather than a 17th century comedy by the French playwright Molière. No doubt, that is why the play holds up so well. Despite all the discussions of bile and other humors, the fundamental relationships haven’t ...
Joanna G. HarrisDanceSan Francisco,
ODC has sponsored the “Walking Distance Dance Festival” June 2-10 to “offer us the opportunity to experience the juxtaposition of different choreographic voices.” (Quote from program notes by Marie Tollon, ODC Writer-In-Residence.) The pieces are short (usually one-hour works) that have been developed in the last two years and address ...
Emily S. MendelTheaterBerkeley,
From Mira Nair’s Golden Globe-nominated 2001 movie comes her world premiere musical version of “Monsoon Wedding,’ a big-hearted earnest extravaganza of a four-day Punjabi Indian wedding, with all the emotion, color and drama that goes with it. Just as “Fiddler on the Roof” has universal appeal, so too does “Monsoon ...
Toba SingerDanceSan Francisco,
Opera Paralèlle’s “Les Enfants Terribles” is a Jean Cocteau novel-inspired multimedia cocktail of nearly equal parts opera, filmed images, ballet, spoken word, and live piano accompaniment. Plot lines derivative of the 1972 Franco Zeffirelli film, “Sister Sun, Brother Moon,” and Henrik Ibsen’s play, “Hedda Gabbler,” find their way into the ...
Joanna G. HarrisDanceSan Francisco,
Eve Mutso defines her work “Unknown” is the following words:
“It is said that creativity requires the courage to let go of certainties.
I sometimes see life itself as a performance full of uncertainties. The roles we play and the risks we take amidst the uncertainties result in ...
Renata PoltFeaturesSan Francisco,
Father's Day, wedding day, graduation--all important June occasions. And, of course, the San Francisco Silent Film Festival, June 1st to 4th. This year, as in the 21 preceding years, the festival will feature a wide selection of films from the teens through the twenties ...
