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"content": "\u003cp>The word “genius” seems to get thrown around a lot in performing arts circles, but there isn’t an adjective more appropriate for writer and director Mary Zimmerman, whose latest theatrical thrill ride, \u003cb>Argonautika\u003c/b>, is making a spectacular west coast premiere at Berkeley Repertory Theatre.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This marks Zimmerman’s fifth return to the Rep, where critics and audiences have generally (and many would say, rightfully) fawned over her uniquely inventive and often breathtaking style of theatre-making. Of these productions, the one that likely still lingers in the minds of Bay Area theatre-goers is \u003cb>Metamorphoses\u003c/b>, Zimmerman’s Tony Award-winning staging of Ovid’s classic tales, which she set in and around a massive pool of water. 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Instead, Zimmerman has collaborated with set designer Daniel Ostling to create an astonishing scenic playground of blond wood platforms, heavy swinging ropes, industrial metal clamps, trap doors and catwalks which, when accompanied by marvelous lighting effects by John Culbert and the occasional large swath of billowing fabric, can magically transform the performance space from the windswept deck of the ship to the dark forest of Mysia.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>From a towering, ridiculously goofy Poseidon to a flying team of skeletal harpies — who seem to have a bit of an incontinence problem — Michael Montenegro’s astounding puppets work beautifully with Ana Kuzmanic’s costumes, which range from spare tunics on the men to dazzling gowns and drag queen-worthy platform boots on the ladies. Sound effects blend seamlessly with several lovely original musical compositions by Andre Pluess and Ben Sussman.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Argonautika\u003c/b> is very much an ensemble piece, with nearly all of the large cast of 14 given ample stage time. Once Zimmerman sets up the main story line — Jason is given the formidable task of recovering the Golden Fleece by his power-hungry uncle Pelias; a mission which Pelias believes will be the death of his teenage nephew — the cast storms the stage with bongo drums and belts out a rollicking rap-style roll call. This number really puts the “fun” in functional, with each of the characters stepping forward to introduce themselves, although, between the tribalistic pounding of the drums and hand-clapping in the audience, some of the dialogue is difficult to decipher.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As the reluctant and all too imperfect hero — aren’t they all? — at the center of \u003cb>Argonautika\u003c/b>, Jake Suffian’s tormented Jason is a great match for Atley Loughridge’s hopelessly love-struck Medea. While Zimmerman’s interpretation of the infamous character of Medea is surprisingly sympathetic, her take on the relationship between Hercules (as portrayed by a boisterously delightful Soren Oliver) and Hylas (a charming Justin Blanchard) is perhaps even more interesting. Oliver’s Hercules is the king of the locker-room jocks, all raw muscle power and unbridled arrogance. But when his companion Hylas turns up missing, a heartbroken Hercules is inconsolable. It’s pretty clear that Zimmerman believes these guys were a lot more than just “friends.” (The scene in which Hylas is lured into the spring of Pegae by a beautiful nymph is particularly memorable.) Other outstanding contributions include Christa Scott-Reed’s contemptuous Hera, Sofia Jean Gomez’s antagonistic Athena, Ronete Levenson’s wailing Andromeda, and Allen Gilmore’s paranoid Pelias.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For those who live in the city, it can be somewhat of a stressful schlep to make a 7:30 or 8:00 curtain in the East Bay (and I’d highly recommend you join in one of the lively pre-show docent presentations, which happen every Tuesday and Thursday, 30 minutes prior to curtain). But like the classic voyage of Jason himself, the journey to Berkeley Rep for this astounding production is well worth it. Employing a top-notch ensemble of actors on stage and a magnificently creative production team backstage, \u003cb>Argonautika\u003c/b> is theatrical storytelling at its finest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Argonautika\u003c/b> runs through December 16, 2007 at Berkeley Repertory Theatre. \u003ca href=\"http://www.berkeleyrep.org/season/0708/1989.asp\" target=\"offsite\" rel=\"noopener\">For tickets and information\u003c/a> visit berkeleyrep.org.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Want to see a piece of genius filmmaking? \u003ca href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DO-m1240uUc\" target=\"offsite\" rel=\"noopener\">Check out this clip\u003c/a> from the 1963 film adaptation of \u003cb>Jason and the Argonauts\u003c/b>, with special effects by Ray Harryhausen. Decades before the days of CGI, this absolutely mesmerizing battle scene, in which Jason and his band of well-built Argonauts battle an army of skeletons, apparently took four painstaking months to create via stop-action animation. The sequence is still largely considered to be one of the greatest special effects scenes in movie history.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "The word \"genius\" seems to get thrown around a lot in performing arts circles, but there isn't an adjective more appropriate for writer and director Mary Zimmerman, whose latest theatrical thrill ride, \u003cb>Argonautika\u003c/b>, is making a spectacular west coast premiere at Berkeley Repertory Theatre. ",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>The word “genius” seems to get thrown around a lot in performing arts circles, but there isn’t an adjective more appropriate for writer and director Mary Zimmerman, whose latest theatrical thrill ride, \u003cb>Argonautika\u003c/b>, is making a spectacular west coast premiere at Berkeley Repertory Theatre.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This marks Zimmerman’s fifth return to the Rep, where critics and audiences have generally (and many would say, rightfully) fawned over her uniquely inventive and often breathtaking style of theatre-making. Of these productions, the one that likely still lingers in the minds of Bay Area theatre-goers is \u003cb>Metamorphoses\u003c/b>, Zimmerman’s Tony Award-winning staging of Ovid’s classic tales, which she set in and around a massive pool of water. With \u003cb>Argonautika\u003c/b>, the MacArthur “genius” grant-winner returns to the fables of Greek mythology, this time chronicling the heroic adventures of Jason and the Argonauts, and their epic quest for the Golden Fleece.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Drawing from the ancient Greek texts by Apollonius Rhodius and Roman poet Gaius Valerius Flaccus, Zimmerman and her production team from Chicago’s \u003ca href=\"http://www.lookingglasstheatre.org/\" target=\"offsite\" rel=\"noopener\">Lookingglass Theatre\u003c/a> have created a world where the lines between sets and costumes, props and lighting, and acting and improvisation are blurred.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With the majority of the action taking place on the high seas, artists of less ingenuity might have chosen to again set this production on a pool of water. Instead, Zimmerman has collaborated with set designer Daniel Ostling to create an astonishing scenic playground of blond wood platforms, heavy swinging ropes, industrial metal clamps, trap doors and catwalks which, when accompanied by marvelous lighting effects by John Culbert and the occasional large swath of billowing fabric, can magically transform the performance space from the windswept deck of the ship to the dark forest of Mysia.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>From a towering, ridiculously goofy Poseidon to a flying team of skeletal harpies — who seem to have a bit of an incontinence problem — Michael Montenegro’s astounding puppets work beautifully with Ana Kuzmanic’s costumes, which range from spare tunics on the men to dazzling gowns and drag queen-worthy platform boots on the ladies. Sound effects blend seamlessly with several lovely original musical compositions by Andre Pluess and Ben Sussman.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Argonautika\u003c/b> is very much an ensemble piece, with nearly all of the large cast of 14 given ample stage time. Once Zimmerman sets up the main story line — Jason is given the formidable task of recovering the Golden Fleece by his power-hungry uncle Pelias; a mission which Pelias believes will be the death of his teenage nephew — the cast storms the stage with bongo drums and belts out a rollicking rap-style roll call. This number really puts the “fun” in functional, with each of the characters stepping forward to introduce themselves, although, between the tribalistic pounding of the drums and hand-clapping in the audience, some of the dialogue is difficult to decipher.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As the reluctant and all too imperfect hero — aren’t they all? — at the center of \u003cb>Argonautika\u003c/b>, Jake Suffian’s tormented Jason is a great match for Atley Loughridge’s hopelessly love-struck Medea. While Zimmerman’s interpretation of the infamous character of Medea is surprisingly sympathetic, her take on the relationship between Hercules (as portrayed by a boisterously delightful Soren Oliver) and Hylas (a charming Justin Blanchard) is perhaps even more interesting. Oliver’s Hercules is the king of the locker-room jocks, all raw muscle power and unbridled arrogance. But when his companion Hylas turns up missing, a heartbroken Hercules is inconsolable. It’s pretty clear that Zimmerman believes these guys were a lot more than just “friends.” (The scene in which Hylas is lured into the spring of Pegae by a beautiful nymph is particularly memorable.) Other outstanding contributions include Christa Scott-Reed’s contemptuous Hera, Sofia Jean Gomez’s antagonistic Athena, Ronete Levenson’s wailing Andromeda, and Allen Gilmore’s paranoid Pelias.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For those who live in the city, it can be somewhat of a stressful schlep to make a 7:30 or 8:00 curtain in the East Bay (and I’d highly recommend you join in one of the lively pre-show docent presentations, which happen every Tuesday and Thursday, 30 minutes prior to curtain). But like the classic voyage of Jason himself, the journey to Berkeley Rep for this astounding production is well worth it. Employing a top-notch ensemble of actors on stage and a magnificently creative production team backstage, \u003cb>Argonautika\u003c/b> is theatrical storytelling at its finest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Argonautika\u003c/b> runs through December 16, 2007 at Berkeley Repertory Theatre. \u003ca href=\"http://www.berkeleyrep.org/season/0708/1989.asp\" target=\"offsite\" rel=\"noopener\">For tickets and information\u003c/a> visit berkeleyrep.org.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Want to see a piece of genius filmmaking? \u003ca href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DO-m1240uUc\" target=\"offsite\" rel=\"noopener\">Check out this clip\u003c/a> from the 1963 film adaptation of \u003cb>Jason and the Argonauts\u003c/b>, with special effects by Ray Harryhausen. Decades before the days of CGI, this absolutely mesmerizing battle scene, in which Jason and his band of well-built Argonauts battle an army of skeletons, apparently took four painstaking months to create via stop-action animation. The sequence is still largely considered to be one of the greatest special effects scenes in movie history.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>The contrasts between “high” and “low” art, the sublime and the ridiculous, the earthy and the divine in Mozart’s final opera \u003cb>The Magic Flute\u003c/b> are all on display in the San Francisco Opera’s current production. \u003cb>The Magic Flute\u003c/b> can be considered a bipolar composition, beginning as a humorous and lively fairy tale and ending as a moral and spiritual lesson. This production, designed by Gerald Scarfe for the Los Angeles Opera in 1992 and fully refurbished for this run, conveys both aspects of the opera with moments of sublime transcendence and delightful comedy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The opera moves rapidly through a variety of characters, scenes, and musical styles, sometimes seeming to contradict itself and leaving the audience unsure of its villains and heroes. In Act I, prince Tamino is convinced by the Queen of the Night to rescue her daughter Pamina, who has been kidnapped by the evil sorcerer Sarastro. By the end of Act I, Tamino has recognized Sarastro as a wise priest and leader of a spiritual community. Tamino renounces the Queen, and in Act II he and Pamina commit to Sarastro’s trials to achieve enlightenment together. They are accompanied reluctantly by the simple birdcatcher Papageno. More interested in food and wine than in spiritual purity, Papageno fails Sarastro’s tests but finds love with Papagena. Along the way there is enchantment, deception, love at first sight, attempted suicide, and giant snake attacks — just another night at the opera!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The first act abounds with whimsical details that serve the plot and characters, such as the scene in which Tamino, trying out his magic flute for the first time, calls forth “animals” from the forest. But these are unlike animals ever seen before: a giraffstrich, combination giraffe and ostrich, who enters on stilts; a strangely beautiful pink striped tigicorn (tiger and unicorn); and a short, hilarious crocoguin (crocodile and penguin) no more than three feet tall, who nudges Tamino’s flute, encouraging him to play more. The creatures give the scene a dreamy, otherworldly atmosphere that’s perfectly suited to the music of Tamino’s magic flute and \u003cb>The Magic Flute\u003c/b> as a whole.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A highlight of the production is the second aria sung by Erika Miklósa as the Queen of the Night, which provides a needed spark during Act II. The coloratura (very high, rapid vocal passages) is electric and the scene is further animated by the believable interaction between the Queen and Pamina, who tries and fails to stand up to her mother. Anyone who watches this scene should be glad that their mother can’t trill out high notes to win an argument!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The simplicity of the costumes and staging for the “heroic” characters of Tamino and Pamina creates an appropriate contrast with the colorful, manic theatrics of the comedic Papageno and the Three Ladies, aids to the Queen of the Night. While in some productions this contrast leaves the heroic roles seeming dull, they are saved here by the smooth, expressive singing of Piotr Beczala (Tamino) and Dina Kuznetsova (Pamina). As Sarastro, Georg Zeppenfeld combines a powerful, warm tone with a commanding and benevolent stage presence.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This production begins with great energy but slows down significantly during Act II. This may be partly due to the structure of the opera itself. Characters introduced in Act I, including the vibrant and entertaining Three Ladies, are nearly forgotten in Act II as the chorus takes on a more prominent, but also more static role. There are plot inconsistencies between the two acts as well, such why the Queen’s gifts to Tamino (including the magic flute) continue to aid him even after he has turned against her.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Theories abound to explain these inconsistencies in plot and tone. Were Mozart and his librettist Emanual Schickaneder unable to reconcile their different artistic visions, with Schickaneder advocating for broader humor and Mozart focusing on the sublime spiritual elements? Did they make last-minute changes to differentiate the opera from a contemporary opera (called \u003cb>The Magic Zither\u003c/b>) that dealt with similar themes? Were Mozart’s dramatic instincts at odds with his attempts to express Enlightenment and Masonic ideals? Was there a rush to finish the work against a difficult deadline?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There may be no one explanation for the inconsistencies and seeming contradictions of this opera, and in fact these elements are part of what make the work so fascinating. \u003cb>The Magic Flute\u003c/b>, undeniably one of Mozart’s great masterpieces, is not easy to categorize or define. The opera encompasses many different aspects of human experience: bawdy jokes and ethereal visions, sensual enjoyment and the search for wisdom, sexual aggression and selfless love, revenge and empathy, hatred and forgiveness.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Each time you watch or listen to the opera, you may decide that the favor lies with a different side. Are you moved by Sarastro’s calm mercy, or do you thrill to the seductive virtuosity of the Queen of the Night? Do you envy Papageno and Papagena’s simple earthy love, or Tamino and Pamina’s enlightened selflessness? Would you rather live in the unpredictable forest of Act I, or in the peaceful temple of Act II?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In this production, the energy and interest is more sustained in the fairy tale of Act I. But perhaps the real truth of \u003cb>The Magic Flute\u003c/b> is that these tensions and contradictions are all aspects of the same experience. Maybe the fun is in not having to choose.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>The Magic Flute\u003c/b> is at the San Francisco Opera through November 3, 2007. For \u003ca href=\"http://sfopera.com/opera.asp?o=254\" target=\"offsite\" rel=\"noopener\">tickets and information\u003c/a> visit sfopera.com.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>The contrasts between “high” and “low” art, the sublime and the ridiculous, the earthy and the divine in Mozart’s final opera \u003cb>The Magic Flute\u003c/b> are all on display in the San Francisco Opera’s current production. \u003cb>The Magic Flute\u003c/b> can be considered a bipolar composition, beginning as a humorous and lively fairy tale and ending as a moral and spiritual lesson. This production, designed by Gerald Scarfe for the Los Angeles Opera in 1992 and fully refurbished for this run, conveys both aspects of the opera with moments of sublime transcendence and delightful comedy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The opera moves rapidly through a variety of characters, scenes, and musical styles, sometimes seeming to contradict itself and leaving the audience unsure of its villains and heroes. In Act I, prince Tamino is convinced by the Queen of the Night to rescue her daughter Pamina, who has been kidnapped by the evil sorcerer Sarastro. By the end of Act I, Tamino has recognized Sarastro as a wise priest and leader of a spiritual community. Tamino renounces the Queen, and in Act II he and Pamina commit to Sarastro’s trials to achieve enlightenment together. They are accompanied reluctantly by the simple birdcatcher Papageno. More interested in food and wine than in spiritual purity, Papageno fails Sarastro’s tests but finds love with Papagena. Along the way there is enchantment, deception, love at first sight, attempted suicide, and giant snake attacks — just another night at the opera!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The first act abounds with whimsical details that serve the plot and characters, such as the scene in which Tamino, trying out his magic flute for the first time, calls forth “animals” from the forest. But these are unlike animals ever seen before: a giraffstrich, combination giraffe and ostrich, who enters on stilts; a strangely beautiful pink striped tigicorn (tiger and unicorn); and a short, hilarious crocoguin (crocodile and penguin) no more than three feet tall, who nudges Tamino’s flute, encouraging him to play more. The creatures give the scene a dreamy, otherworldly atmosphere that’s perfectly suited to the music of Tamino’s magic flute and \u003cb>The Magic Flute\u003c/b> as a whole.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A highlight of the production is the second aria sung by Erika Miklósa as the Queen of the Night, which provides a needed spark during Act II. The coloratura (very high, rapid vocal passages) is electric and the scene is further animated by the believable interaction between the Queen and Pamina, who tries and fails to stand up to her mother. Anyone who watches this scene should be glad that their mother can’t trill out high notes to win an argument!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The simplicity of the costumes and staging for the “heroic” characters of Tamino and Pamina creates an appropriate contrast with the colorful, manic theatrics of the comedic Papageno and the Three Ladies, aids to the Queen of the Night. While in some productions this contrast leaves the heroic roles seeming dull, they are saved here by the smooth, expressive singing of Piotr Beczala (Tamino) and Dina Kuznetsova (Pamina). As Sarastro, Georg Zeppenfeld combines a powerful, warm tone with a commanding and benevolent stage presence.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This production begins with great energy but slows down significantly during Act II. This may be partly due to the structure of the opera itself. Characters introduced in Act I, including the vibrant and entertaining Three Ladies, are nearly forgotten in Act II as the chorus takes on a more prominent, but also more static role. There are plot inconsistencies between the two acts as well, such why the Queen’s gifts to Tamino (including the magic flute) continue to aid him even after he has turned against her.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Theories abound to explain these inconsistencies in plot and tone. Were Mozart and his librettist Emanual Schickaneder unable to reconcile their different artistic visions, with Schickaneder advocating for broader humor and Mozart focusing on the sublime spiritual elements? Did they make last-minute changes to differentiate the opera from a contemporary opera (called \u003cb>The Magic Zither\u003c/b>) that dealt with similar themes? Were Mozart’s dramatic instincts at odds with his attempts to express Enlightenment and Masonic ideals? Was there a rush to finish the work against a difficult deadline?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There may be no one explanation for the inconsistencies and seeming contradictions of this opera, and in fact these elements are part of what make the work so fascinating. \u003cb>The Magic Flute\u003c/b>, undeniably one of Mozart’s great masterpieces, is not easy to categorize or define. The opera encompasses many different aspects of human experience: bawdy jokes and ethereal visions, sensual enjoyment and the search for wisdom, sexual aggression and selfless love, revenge and empathy, hatred and forgiveness.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Each time you watch or listen to the opera, you may decide that the favor lies with a different side. Are you moved by Sarastro’s calm mercy, or do you thrill to the seductive virtuosity of the Queen of the Night? Do you envy Papageno and Papagena’s simple earthy love, or Tamino and Pamina’s enlightened selflessness? Would you rather live in the unpredictable forest of Act I, or in the peaceful temple of Act II?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In this production, the energy and interest is more sustained in the fairy tale of Act I. But perhaps the real truth of \u003cb>The Magic Flute\u003c/b> is that these tensions and contradictions are all aspects of the same experience. Maybe the fun is in not having to choose.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>The Magic Flute\u003c/b> is at the San Francisco Opera through November 3, 2007. For \u003ca href=\"http://sfopera.com/opera.asp?o=254\" target=\"offsite\" rel=\"noopener\">tickets and information\u003c/a> visit sfopera.com.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>There are many breathtaking visual effects in the Magic Theatre’s world premiere production of \u003cb>Expedition 6\u003c/b>. Created and directed by acclaimed actor/director/producer Bill Pullman, and billed as “an imaginative docudrama exploring the personal and political life-and-death crisis of two American astronauts and a Russian cosmonaut stranded in space after the Columbia shuttle disaster,” the show utilizes trapeze choreography as both a figurative and literal metaphor for the danger and beauty of weightlessness in space. When these daring actors swing through the dark fly-space above the stage, sometimes passing perilously close not only to each other, but also to structural support beams and the heads of some audience members, it’s a truly spine-tingling effect. Unfortunately, these moments, as well as many other remarkable effects created by set/lighting designer Kate Boyd, essentially serve as visual rewards for a rather aimless if not downright confusing script.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Presented as the highlight of a partnership between the Magic and the \u003ca href=\"http://www.chabotspace.org/\" target=\"offsite\" rel=\"noopener\">Chabot Space & Science Center\u003c/a>, \u003cb>Expedition 6\u003c/b> incorporates writings by astronauts, NASA reports and other source materials as the bulk of the spoken dialogue. (An exhibit of space-flown objects on loan from \u003ca href=\"http://www.thewfoundation.org/\" target=\"offsite\" rel=\"noopener\">The W Foundation\u003c/a> accompanied the production, but was only on view through September 16.) The production does illuminate many interesting facts about the United States’ space exploration program, the psychological and physical effects of life in space, the doomed Columbia mission, and the men who were trapped aboard the International Space Station for four months.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many might not recall that back in early 2003, with the build-up of coalition forces in the Middle East, the media paid comparatively little attention to the Columbia shuttle disaster, and even less to the destiny of the three men who were effectively trapped on the space station with no plan for getting back to Earth. While the relationship between all of these events — and the societal fallout which still resonates today — is certainly worthy of discussion, it’s a formidable amount of territory to cover in a little over two hours on a stage.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Still, there are some fine and even nuanced performances by this hard-working ensemble, particularly the three men at the heart of the story: Robert Karma Robinson and Brent Rose as the American astronauts and Justin Walvoord as the Russian cosmonaut. And not enough can be said about the spectacular aerial choreography by Robert Davidson, Director of Movement Choreography at the Denver Theatre Center’s National Theatre Conservatory, where the show was first developed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While it’s certainly a highly creative and admirable work-in-progress, too often \u003cb>Expedition 6\u003c/b> falls into a black hole of theatrical ARTINESS, especially when Pullman and his collaborators throw in what feel like obligatory anti-Bush proclamations and socio-political commentary about the culture of Islam. When asked why he chose to explore this topic in a performance art setting, Pullman said, “I was compelled to search out data from every perspective that could make sense of the Iraq issue, the future of the space program, and the fate of these astronauts orbiting the Earth while the world was polarizing below them. Outwardly, I functioned, but I spoke in fragments about the things I was reading and trying to sort out. I needed the theater.” Indeed, like the thoughts and ideas which inspired its creator, \u003cb>Expedition 6\u003c/b> is essentially a series of sometimes puzzling fragments which, regrettably, never quite come together.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Expedition 6\u003c/b> runs through October 7, 2007. \u003ca href=\"http://www.magictheatre.org/pages/boxoffice.shtml\" target=\"offsite\" rel=\"noopener\">For tickets and information\u003c/a> visit magictheatre.org.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>There are many breathtaking visual effects in the Magic Theatre’s world premiere production of \u003cb>Expedition 6\u003c/b>. Created and directed by acclaimed actor/director/producer Bill Pullman, and billed as “an imaginative docudrama exploring the personal and political life-and-death crisis of two American astronauts and a Russian cosmonaut stranded in space after the Columbia shuttle disaster,” the show utilizes trapeze choreography as both a figurative and literal metaphor for the danger and beauty of weightlessness in space. When these daring actors swing through the dark fly-space above the stage, sometimes passing perilously close not only to each other, but also to structural support beams and the heads of some audience members, it’s a truly spine-tingling effect. Unfortunately, these moments, as well as many other remarkable effects created by set/lighting designer Kate Boyd, essentially serve as visual rewards for a rather aimless if not downright confusing script.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Presented as the highlight of a partnership between the Magic and the \u003ca href=\"http://www.chabotspace.org/\" target=\"offsite\" rel=\"noopener\">Chabot Space & Science Center\u003c/a>, \u003cb>Expedition 6\u003c/b> incorporates writings by astronauts, NASA reports and other source materials as the bulk of the spoken dialogue. (An exhibit of space-flown objects on loan from \u003ca href=\"http://www.thewfoundation.org/\" target=\"offsite\" rel=\"noopener\">The W Foundation\u003c/a> accompanied the production, but was only on view through September 16.) The production does illuminate many interesting facts about the United States’ space exploration program, the psychological and physical effects of life in space, the doomed Columbia mission, and the men who were trapped aboard the International Space Station for four months.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many might not recall that back in early 2003, with the build-up of coalition forces in the Middle East, the media paid comparatively little attention to the Columbia shuttle disaster, and even less to the destiny of the three men who were effectively trapped on the space station with no plan for getting back to Earth. While the relationship between all of these events — and the societal fallout which still resonates today — is certainly worthy of discussion, it’s a formidable amount of territory to cover in a little over two hours on a stage.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Still, there are some fine and even nuanced performances by this hard-working ensemble, particularly the three men at the heart of the story: Robert Karma Robinson and Brent Rose as the American astronauts and Justin Walvoord as the Russian cosmonaut. And not enough can be said about the spectacular aerial choreography by Robert Davidson, Director of Movement Choreography at the Denver Theatre Center’s National Theatre Conservatory, where the show was first developed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While it’s certainly a highly creative and admirable work-in-progress, too often \u003cb>Expedition 6\u003c/b> falls into a black hole of theatrical ARTINESS, especially when Pullman and his collaborators throw in what feel like obligatory anti-Bush proclamations and socio-political commentary about the culture of Islam. When asked why he chose to explore this topic in a performance art setting, Pullman said, “I was compelled to search out data from every perspective that could make sense of the Iraq issue, the future of the space program, and the fate of these astronauts orbiting the Earth while the world was polarizing below them. Outwardly, I functioned, but I spoke in fragments about the things I was reading and trying to sort out. I needed the theater.” Indeed, like the thoughts and ideas which inspired its creator, \u003cb>Expedition 6\u003c/b> is essentially a series of sometimes puzzling fragments which, regrettably, never quite come together.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Expedition 6\u003c/b> runs through October 7, 2007. \u003ca href=\"http://www.magictheatre.org/pages/boxoffice.shtml\" target=\"offsite\" rel=\"noopener\">For tickets and information\u003c/a> visit magictheatre.org.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street",
"headTitle": "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>Stephen Sondheim might best be described as the American musical theatre’s greatest enigma. At the age of 77, he’s been the recipient of countless awards (including seven Tonys, more than any other composer), and the \u003ci>New York Times\u003c/i> called him “the greatest and perhaps best-known artist in the American musical theater.” And yet, unfortunately, as a 2002 Smithsonian article rightfully stated, “Sondheim has never quite escaped the ghetto of cult enthusiasm….[he] has always been an acquired taste. He’s never achieved the sort of popularity of Andrew Lloyd-Webber or had a megahit on the order of \u003cb>Cats\u003c/b>.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite a rabid fan base among musical theatre insiders, most of Sondheim’s artistically daring and harmonically challenging musicals — \u003cb>Company\u003c/b>, \u003cb>A Little Night Music\u003c/b>, \u003cb>Follies\u003c/b>, \u003cb>Into the Woods\u003c/b>, \u003cb>Sunday in the Park with George\u003c/b> — aren’t often produced by community or even large-scale repertory theatres. Admittedly, I’ve been a musical theatre fan for nearly four decades, yet only in recent years have I seen many of Sondheim’s works on stage for the first time. (And, like many other folks sitting in the audience, I bought a ticket based largely on the star-power of celebrities cast in the leading roles.) \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, perhaps no other work by Sondheim — with the possible exception of \u003cb>A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum\u003c/b> — is as accessible as \u003cb>Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street\u003c/b>, launching its third national tour in an enormously appealing production at American Conservatory Theater.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This scaled-down \u003cb>Sweeney\u003c/b> isn’t the decadent, blood-soaked extravaganza which stunned Broadway in 1979. That production wasn’t exactly a huge success. The show’s producers never earned back their original $1 million investment, and it’s rumored that half the opening night audience left in disgust at intermission. Still, that first legendary \u003cb>Sweeney\u003c/b>, with its massive industrial sets and gargantuan orchestra and cast, ran for over 500 performances, earned nine Tony Awards (including a fourth for Angela Lansbury), and ushered in the era of the mega-musical.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So it’s interesting that when British director John Doyle staged this celebrated revival on London’s West End in 2004, subsequently transferring to Broadway the following season, he did it on a comparatively small if not miniscule scale — without an orchestra, the actors themselves playing the score on stage. (I couldn’t help but wonder how the legendary diva Patti LuPone reacted when she learned she’d be honking out a melody on a tuba.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When the curtain rises on this odd and fascinating production, one is transported to a bleak, colorless world where the ghostly creatures who inhabit the minimalist set are less characters than storytellers. Doyle’s direction is a brilliantly choreographed, highly stylized dance in which the players rarely speak directly to each other, their tattered costumes and gaunt features made even more haunting by designer Angelina Avallone’s zombie-esque makeup.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Leading this marvelously talented cast of ten, David Hess delivers a deliciously dark and alluring performance in the title role. When Todd proclaims ownership over his barber’s razor in the sweet ballad “My Friends,” he might just as easily be singing a love song to a long-lost high school sweetheart. But make no mistake, his Sweeney is a cold-blooded murderer, singularly obsessed with revenge on the judge who sealed his fate, and that of his family’s, 15 years earlier.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Judy Kaye steps confidently into what many consider the \u003ci>real\u003c/i> leading role in the show: Mrs. Lovett, the murderous meat-pie maven and Todd’s deceptively sweet partner-in-crime. Kaye is a positively luminous performer. From the moment she steps forward to musically express the sad state of her meat-pie business (“The Worst Pies in London”) to a hilariously gruesome homage to cannibalism (“A Little Priest”) and the quintessential Sondheim ballad (“Not While I’m Around”), Kaye has a palpable stage presence that commands an audience’s attention.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lauren Molina, as a bushy-haired, ethereal Johanna, and Edmund Bagnell as the blissfully off-kilter Tobias, are both theatrical triple-threats: extraordinarily skilled vocalists, string players and actors, while Keith Buterbaugh (Judge Turpin) and Benjamin Eakeley (The Beadle) also turn in fine performances as Sweeney’s most delightfully deserving victims.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pardon the inevitable yet completely appropriate pun, this \u003cb>Sweeney\u003c/b> is a bloody good time and should prove to be one of the highlights of San Francisco’s exciting fall theater season.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street\u003c/b> has been extended through October 14, 2007. \u003ca href=\"http://act-sf.org/index.cfm?s_id=&pid=tkt_swt\" target=\"offsite\" rel=\"noopener\">For tickets and information\u003c/a> visit act-sf.org.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Stephen Sondheim might best be described as the American musical theatre’s greatest enigma. At the age of 77, he’s been the recipient of countless awards (including seven Tonys, more than any other composer), and the \u003ci>New York Times\u003c/i> called him “the greatest and perhaps best-known artist in the American musical theater.” And yet, unfortunately, as a 2002 Smithsonian article rightfully stated, “Sondheim has never quite escaped the ghetto of cult enthusiasm….[he] has always been an acquired taste. He’s never achieved the sort of popularity of Andrew Lloyd-Webber or had a megahit on the order of \u003cb>Cats\u003c/b>.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite a rabid fan base among musical theatre insiders, most of Sondheim’s artistically daring and harmonically challenging musicals — \u003cb>Company\u003c/b>, \u003cb>A Little Night Music\u003c/b>, \u003cb>Follies\u003c/b>, \u003cb>Into the Woods\u003c/b>, \u003cb>Sunday in the Park with George\u003c/b> — aren’t often produced by community or even large-scale repertory theatres. Admittedly, I’ve been a musical theatre fan for nearly four decades, yet only in recent years have I seen many of Sondheim’s works on stage for the first time. (And, like many other folks sitting in the audience, I bought a ticket based largely on the star-power of celebrities cast in the leading roles.) \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, perhaps no other work by Sondheim — with the possible exception of \u003cb>A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum\u003c/b> — is as accessible as \u003cb>Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street\u003c/b>, launching its third national tour in an enormously appealing production at American Conservatory Theater.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This scaled-down \u003cb>Sweeney\u003c/b> isn’t the decadent, blood-soaked extravaganza which stunned Broadway in 1979. That production wasn’t exactly a huge success. The show’s producers never earned back their original $1 million investment, and it’s rumored that half the opening night audience left in disgust at intermission. Still, that first legendary \u003cb>Sweeney\u003c/b>, with its massive industrial sets and gargantuan orchestra and cast, ran for over 500 performances, earned nine Tony Awards (including a fourth for Angela Lansbury), and ushered in the era of the mega-musical.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So it’s interesting that when British director John Doyle staged this celebrated revival on London’s West End in 2004, subsequently transferring to Broadway the following season, he did it on a comparatively small if not miniscule scale — without an orchestra, the actors themselves playing the score on stage. (I couldn’t help but wonder how the legendary diva Patti LuPone reacted when she learned she’d be honking out a melody on a tuba.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When the curtain rises on this odd and fascinating production, one is transported to a bleak, colorless world where the ghostly creatures who inhabit the minimalist set are less characters than storytellers. Doyle’s direction is a brilliantly choreographed, highly stylized dance in which the players rarely speak directly to each other, their tattered costumes and gaunt features made even more haunting by designer Angelina Avallone’s zombie-esque makeup.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Leading this marvelously talented cast of ten, David Hess delivers a deliciously dark and alluring performance in the title role. When Todd proclaims ownership over his barber’s razor in the sweet ballad “My Friends,” he might just as easily be singing a love song to a long-lost high school sweetheart. But make no mistake, his Sweeney is a cold-blooded murderer, singularly obsessed with revenge on the judge who sealed his fate, and that of his family’s, 15 years earlier.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Judy Kaye steps confidently into what many consider the \u003ci>real\u003c/i> leading role in the show: Mrs. Lovett, the murderous meat-pie maven and Todd’s deceptively sweet partner-in-crime. Kaye is a positively luminous performer. From the moment she steps forward to musically express the sad state of her meat-pie business (“The Worst Pies in London”) to a hilariously gruesome homage to cannibalism (“A Little Priest”) and the quintessential Sondheim ballad (“Not While I’m Around”), Kaye has a palpable stage presence that commands an audience’s attention.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lauren Molina, as a bushy-haired, ethereal Johanna, and Edmund Bagnell as the blissfully off-kilter Tobias, are both theatrical triple-threats: extraordinarily skilled vocalists, string players and actors, while Keith Buterbaugh (Judge Turpin) and Benjamin Eakeley (The Beadle) also turn in fine performances as Sweeney’s most delightfully deserving victims.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pardon the inevitable yet completely appropriate pun, this \u003cb>Sweeney\u003c/b> is a bloody good time and should prove to be one of the highlights of San Francisco’s exciting fall theater season.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street\u003c/b> has been extended through October 14, 2007. \u003ca href=\"http://act-sf.org/index.cfm?s_id=&pid=tkt_swt\" target=\"offsite\" rel=\"noopener\">For tickets and information\u003c/a> visit act-sf.org.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>It was with great fanfare that \u003cb>Avenue Q\u003c/b>, a decidedly low-budget (by modern Broadway standards at least) parody of \u003cb>Sesame Street\u003c/b>, knocked out the high-profile \u003cb>Wicked\u003c/b> for the Tony Award for Best Musical in 2004. Even more theatrical eyebrows were raised when, shortly thereafter, the show’s producers announced that in lieu of a national tour, the show would instead be heading to Steve Wynn’s swanky new hotel in Las Vegas for a sit-down production in a custom-built theater space. It was a risky move that didn’t pay off. Despite massive publicity campaigns and a futile attempt to “Vegas-ize” the show (it was cut to 90 minutes, no intermission), the production closed after only a nine month run. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Thankfully, the not-so-surprising curtain on \u003cb>Avenue Q\u003c/b>‘s Las Vegas fiasco paved the way for a highly anticipated tour, which opened here in San Francisco last week. Ultimately, \u003cb>Avenue Q\u003c/b> may be many things — relentlessly charming, wickedly funny (pun intended), irresistibly hummable — but a Vegas spectacle is one thing it most definitely is not. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The show revolves around recent college grad Princeton, a sad sack of a puppet-man, whose student debt and useless degree in English lead him to Avenue Q in search of affordable housing in New York City. Here, among the grimy stoops and beat-up trash cans, he meets a colorful menagerie of neighbors, who are obviously inspired by the characters of \u003cb>Sesame Street\u003c/b>. But apparently one big thing’s changed since Mr. Hooper and Maria hung out with Grover and Big Bird … these muppets are getting laid! Or (like those of us raised on the highly lauded PBS series), at least, they’re \u003ci>trying\u003c/i> to get laid, when they’re not worrying about unemployment, depression and fear of commitment. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite the dark themes upon which \u003cb>Avenue Q\u003c/b> occasionally treads, the show bounces along at a doggedly frenetic and consistently hilarious pace, thanks to the boundless energy of a fabulously talented cast. Cole Porter (no, not \u003ci>that\u003c/i> Cole Porter) as the very un-funny comedian Brian, and Angela Ai as Christmas Eve, an amalgamation of cynical Asian stereotypes, are the human counterpart to their puppet friends, offering sage advice to their furry friends in much the way Bob and Linda did back on \u003cb>Sesame Street\u003c/b>. Ai’s “The More You Ruv Someone,” with its faux musical theater drama and mauled English grammar, proves to be a sweetly sentimental tribute to love in all its frustrating wonder. Carla Renata — a dead ringer for comedian Wanda Sykes — tears it up as the embittered landlord, Gary Coleman. Yes, \u003ci>that\u003c/i> Gary Coleman, former child star who, at the conclusion of “It Sucks to Be Me,” can rightfully claim to be the person whose life sucks the most. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Robert McClure and Christian Anderson double- or triple-up on puppet roles, so at times they’ll provide the arms for one puppet and the voice for another “person of fur,” on the other side of the stage. It sounds confusing, but it works. Anderson’s adorably clueless Nicky and McClure’s high-strung, closeted Rod (clearly modeled on \u003cb>Sesame Street\u003c/b>‘s Bert and Ernie) just might go down as musical theater’s hottest new gay couple … . That is, if they were gay. But the real show-stopper of \u003cb>Avenue Q\u003c/b> is Kelli Sawyer, in a dazzling turn as Lucy the Slut, an over-the-top Miss Piggy-esque chanteuse. That Sawyer has lungs that can reach the rafters of the cavernous Orpheum Theater and bring an audience to its feet is amazing; that she can do it all while manipulating a pink foam puppet in a frizzy blond wig is nothing short of extraordinary. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The creative team behind \u003cb>Avenue Q\u003c/b> (Robert Lopez, Jeff Marx and Jeff Whitty) hit a home run with this little musical that could, and San Francisco is lucky to have landed a month-long run. \u003cb>Avenue Q\u003c/b> runs through September 2, 2007.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>It was with great fanfare that \u003cb>Avenue Q\u003c/b>, a decidedly low-budget (by modern Broadway standards at least) parody of \u003cb>Sesame Street\u003c/b>, knocked out the high-profile \u003cb>Wicked\u003c/b> for the Tony Award for Best Musical in 2004. Even more theatrical eyebrows were raised when, shortly thereafter, the show’s producers announced that in lieu of a national tour, the show would instead be heading to Steve Wynn’s swanky new hotel in Las Vegas for a sit-down production in a custom-built theater space. It was a risky move that didn’t pay off. Despite massive publicity campaigns and a futile attempt to “Vegas-ize” the show (it was cut to 90 minutes, no intermission), the production closed after only a nine month run. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Thankfully, the not-so-surprising curtain on \u003cb>Avenue Q\u003c/b>‘s Las Vegas fiasco paved the way for a highly anticipated tour, which opened here in San Francisco last week. Ultimately, \u003cb>Avenue Q\u003c/b> may be many things — relentlessly charming, wickedly funny (pun intended), irresistibly hummable — but a Vegas spectacle is one thing it most definitely is not. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The show revolves around recent college grad Princeton, a sad sack of a puppet-man, whose student debt and useless degree in English lead him to Avenue Q in search of affordable housing in New York City. Here, among the grimy stoops and beat-up trash cans, he meets a colorful menagerie of neighbors, who are obviously inspired by the characters of \u003cb>Sesame Street\u003c/b>. But apparently one big thing’s changed since Mr. Hooper and Maria hung out with Grover and Big Bird … these muppets are getting laid! Or (like those of us raised on the highly lauded PBS series), at least, they’re \u003ci>trying\u003c/i> to get laid, when they’re not worrying about unemployment, depression and fear of commitment. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite the dark themes upon which \u003cb>Avenue Q\u003c/b> occasionally treads, the show bounces along at a doggedly frenetic and consistently hilarious pace, thanks to the boundless energy of a fabulously talented cast. Cole Porter (no, not \u003ci>that\u003c/i> Cole Porter) as the very un-funny comedian Brian, and Angela Ai as Christmas Eve, an amalgamation of cynical Asian stereotypes, are the human counterpart to their puppet friends, offering sage advice to their furry friends in much the way Bob and Linda did back on \u003cb>Sesame Street\u003c/b>. Ai’s “The More You Ruv Someone,” with its faux musical theater drama and mauled English grammar, proves to be a sweetly sentimental tribute to love in all its frustrating wonder. Carla Renata — a dead ringer for comedian Wanda Sykes — tears it up as the embittered landlord, Gary Coleman. Yes, \u003ci>that\u003c/i> Gary Coleman, former child star who, at the conclusion of “It Sucks to Be Me,” can rightfully claim to be the person whose life sucks the most. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Robert McClure and Christian Anderson double- or triple-up on puppet roles, so at times they’ll provide the arms for one puppet and the voice for another “person of fur,” on the other side of the stage. It sounds confusing, but it works. Anderson’s adorably clueless Nicky and McClure’s high-strung, closeted Rod (clearly modeled on \u003cb>Sesame Street\u003c/b>‘s Bert and Ernie) just might go down as musical theater’s hottest new gay couple … . That is, if they were gay. But the real show-stopper of \u003cb>Avenue Q\u003c/b> is Kelli Sawyer, in a dazzling turn as Lucy the Slut, an over-the-top Miss Piggy-esque chanteuse. That Sawyer has lungs that can reach the rafters of the cavernous Orpheum Theater and bring an audience to its feet is amazing; that she can do it all while manipulating a pink foam puppet in a frizzy blond wig is nothing short of extraordinary. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cp>As soon as the lights go down and the shadows come out, it’s clear that Word For Word’s adaptation of “Angel Face” intends to be loyal to the dark, pulpy genre its author helped to create.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In fact, as it does for all its productions, Word For Word’s performance speaks every word from the original short story, including all the “he said” “she said” quotation attribution, scene-setting, and exposition. It’s all there, delivered to the audience, for the most part, as puckish asides.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A good thing, too. Woolrich, whose own life seemed to follow the uncanny conventions of the fiction he wrote, often lends his characters amazing abilities of description. Even his most meat-headed characters are capable of capturing a scene or a thought in powerful, evocative thuds of phrasing. All of which is preserved and enhanced in the stage adaptation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Angel Face,” a short story Woolrich penned under the pseudonym William Irish, was discovered by dramaturg Randall Homan while looking for noir stories featuring female detectives. And although the protagonist here isn’t a detective, she is as strong and sympathetic a female character as you’re likely to find in any story of the time. “Angel Face” is the story of Jerry Wheeler, aka Honey Sebastian, aka Angel Face — a brassy New York broad whose brother is framed for murdering his curiously wealthy, socialite sweetheart. Caught seemingly red-handed, lingering above his girlfriend only a few minutes after she was last seen alive, Chick, the brother (played by Danny Wolohan), is “railroaded,” sent upstate in short order to face the electric chair. Jerry (Laura Lowry) has only a few weeks to prove his innocence. Luckily, she’s peaked the interest of Detective Nick Burns (John Flanagan), one of the “dicks” who helped put Chick away. With only a hunch as to who the real killer might be, Angel Face takes a job as a dancer in a seedy nightclub, and begins to peel away the layers of a conspiracy to frame her brother.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The plot is filled with all the strange twists and inexplicable turns that give the genre its narcotic, dreamlike feel, which is heightened by the stage setting and lighting, which draw out the shadows and darken the demeanors of the actors. A series of three screens in the background brilliantly capture the atmosphere for each scene, freezing characters in profile at pivotal moments. Thatched into ornamental design to evoke the gaudy decoration of a downtown nightclub or a back alley, they also catch the silhouettes of significant objects, such as the branding iron that nightclub king Militis uses to mark his wayward love interests.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>True to the noir form, there’s plenty of cruelty in Woolrich’s story, made palatable by the wry, inventive description and period slang. Thugs have faces “like cobblestones.” They go down “into hamburger, under a battery of heavy fists.” Shot by bullets, victims “take a nosedive.” In one of many such moments, Jerry reminds us of her brother’s imminent death by electric chair, saying, “Chick eats chicken and ice cream for dinner tomorrow night.” The language is hard-bitten to the point of campy, and the rough-hewn New Yoik accents push it further in that direction.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Add to that Word for Word’s verbatim adaptation; characters speak not only dialog, but also their stage direction, and all the other odds and ends of the written story, all of which creates a kind of playful bond between the audience and actors, and between the actors themselves:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Angel Face: “The”\u003cbr>Militis: “night”\u003cbr>Angel Face: “ticked”\u003cbr> Militis: “on…”\u003cbr>Angel Face: “He’d look at me, then he’d suddenly”\u003cbr>Militis: “throw up his hands as though to ward off a dazzling glare. ‘Turn it off, it hurts my eyes.'”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>My Fedora goes off to director Stephanie Hunt and Word for Word for the inventive recreation of the text. At its best, the narration lends Woolrich’s lines and characters more nuance, and adds depth to the actions on stage. The original short story is written primarily from Jerry’s point of view, but in Word for Word’s production the entire cast slips in here and there, sometimes picking up the narration in mid-sentence, sometimes hijacking the text mid-word to add their own inflection, their own perspective. The result is a kind of colorful pastiche of voices and characters, acting out a verbal tug-of-war over the script and the audience’s attention.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At times, though, the description is a little extraneous, especially when the characters find themselves narrating their own movements up a stairwell or down a street, occasionally losing their breath as they do so. However even the stumbling over a line or a breathless delivery enhances the action and quickens the story’s pace.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Laura Lowry renders Jerry (Angel Face) at once tough and endearingly vulnerable. And John Flanagan, Danny Wolohan, and Michael Patrick Gaffney add shade and character to the detectives and crooks they play, all of whom are almost interchangeable in Woolrich’s original short story. Paul Finocchiaro plays an amazing Militis, the arch-villain Greek nightclub king, managing to cast him as a pathetic, lonely old man — as sympathetic a character as a serial-murdering letch can be. Morgan Voeliger and Casey Jones Bastiaans both play multiple roles throughout the show, but shine best together in their performance-within-a-performance of the calypso song “Shame and Scandal,” an opening act at the nightclub where Angel Face dances.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For those purists who like their noir dark and sinister, there might be a little too much tongue-in-cheek meta-humor in “Angel Face,” but there’s no doubt that Word for Word has teased out new possibilities for the noir stage, and added a whole new texture to a lost classic.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Angel Face runs through September 2, 2007 at Project Artaud Theater. For \u003ca href=\"http://www.zspace.org/angelface.htm\" target=\"offsite\" rel=\"noopener\">tickets and information\u003c/a> visit zspace.org.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>As soon as the lights go down and the shadows come out, it’s clear that Word For Word’s adaptation of “Angel Face” intends to be loyal to the dark, pulpy genre its author helped to create.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In fact, as it does for all its productions, Word For Word’s performance speaks every word from the original short story, including all the “he said” “she said” quotation attribution, scene-setting, and exposition. It’s all there, delivered to the audience, for the most part, as puckish asides.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A good thing, too. Woolrich, whose own life seemed to follow the uncanny conventions of the fiction he wrote, often lends his characters amazing abilities of description. Even his most meat-headed characters are capable of capturing a scene or a thought in powerful, evocative thuds of phrasing. All of which is preserved and enhanced in the stage adaptation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Angel Face,” a short story Woolrich penned under the pseudonym William Irish, was discovered by dramaturg Randall Homan while looking for noir stories featuring female detectives. And although the protagonist here isn’t a detective, she is as strong and sympathetic a female character as you’re likely to find in any story of the time. “Angel Face” is the story of Jerry Wheeler, aka Honey Sebastian, aka Angel Face — a brassy New York broad whose brother is framed for murdering his curiously wealthy, socialite sweetheart. Caught seemingly red-handed, lingering above his girlfriend only a few minutes after she was last seen alive, Chick, the brother (played by Danny Wolohan), is “railroaded,” sent upstate in short order to face the electric chair. Jerry (Laura Lowry) has only a few weeks to prove his innocence. Luckily, she’s peaked the interest of Detective Nick Burns (John Flanagan), one of the “dicks” who helped put Chick away. With only a hunch as to who the real killer might be, Angel Face takes a job as a dancer in a seedy nightclub, and begins to peel away the layers of a conspiracy to frame her brother.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The plot is filled with all the strange twists and inexplicable turns that give the genre its narcotic, dreamlike feel, which is heightened by the stage setting and lighting, which draw out the shadows and darken the demeanors of the actors. A series of three screens in the background brilliantly capture the atmosphere for each scene, freezing characters in profile at pivotal moments. Thatched into ornamental design to evoke the gaudy decoration of a downtown nightclub or a back alley, they also catch the silhouettes of significant objects, such as the branding iron that nightclub king Militis uses to mark his wayward love interests.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>True to the noir form, there’s plenty of cruelty in Woolrich’s story, made palatable by the wry, inventive description and period slang. Thugs have faces “like cobblestones.” They go down “into hamburger, under a battery of heavy fists.” Shot by bullets, victims “take a nosedive.” In one of many such moments, Jerry reminds us of her brother’s imminent death by electric chair, saying, “Chick eats chicken and ice cream for dinner tomorrow night.” The language is hard-bitten to the point of campy, and the rough-hewn New Yoik accents push it further in that direction.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Add to that Word for Word’s verbatim adaptation; characters speak not only dialog, but also their stage direction, and all the other odds and ends of the written story, all of which creates a kind of playful bond between the audience and actors, and between the actors themselves:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Angel Face: “The”\u003cbr>Militis: “night”\u003cbr>Angel Face: “ticked”\u003cbr> Militis: “on…”\u003cbr>Angel Face: “He’d look at me, then he’d suddenly”\u003cbr>Militis: “throw up his hands as though to ward off a dazzling glare. ‘Turn it off, it hurts my eyes.'”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>My Fedora goes off to director Stephanie Hunt and Word for Word for the inventive recreation of the text. At its best, the narration lends Woolrich’s lines and characters more nuance, and adds depth to the actions on stage. The original short story is written primarily from Jerry’s point of view, but in Word for Word’s production the entire cast slips in here and there, sometimes picking up the narration in mid-sentence, sometimes hijacking the text mid-word to add their own inflection, their own perspective. The result is a kind of colorful pastiche of voices and characters, acting out a verbal tug-of-war over the script and the audience’s attention.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At times, though, the description is a little extraneous, especially when the characters find themselves narrating their own movements up a stairwell or down a street, occasionally losing their breath as they do so. However even the stumbling over a line or a breathless delivery enhances the action and quickens the story’s pace.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Laura Lowry renders Jerry (Angel Face) at once tough and endearingly vulnerable. And John Flanagan, Danny Wolohan, and Michael Patrick Gaffney add shade and character to the detectives and crooks they play, all of whom are almost interchangeable in Woolrich’s original short story. Paul Finocchiaro plays an amazing Militis, the arch-villain Greek nightclub king, managing to cast him as a pathetic, lonely old man — as sympathetic a character as a serial-murdering letch can be. Morgan Voeliger and Casey Jones Bastiaans both play multiple roles throughout the show, but shine best together in their performance-within-a-performance of the calypso song “Shame and Scandal,” an opening act at the nightclub where Angel Face dances.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For those purists who like their noir dark and sinister, there might be a little too much tongue-in-cheek meta-humor in “Angel Face,” but there’s no doubt that Word for Word has teased out new possibilities for the noir stage, and added a whole new texture to a lost classic.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Angel Face runs through September 2, 2007 at Project Artaud Theater. For \u003ca href=\"http://www.zspace.org/angelface.htm\" target=\"offsite\" rel=\"noopener\">tickets and information\u003c/a> visit zspace.org.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>After seeing a staged reading of \u003cb>Mr. Fujiyama’s Electric Beach\u003c/b> on Saturday, I still have no idea who Mr. Fujiyama is, or how he created his electric beach. In fact, there was absolutely no mention of Mr. Fujiyama, a beach, or even electricity for that matter. But I can’t wait to find out the answers — or if there will be any answers — when the play premieres next February, with a full production by \u003ca href=\"http://www.cuttingball.org\" target=\"offsite\" rel=\"noopener\">Cutting Ball Theater\u003c/a>. The work-in-progress reading that is part of the 30th annual \u003ca href=\"http://www.playwrightsfoundation.org/index.php?p=3\" target=\"offsite\" rel=\"noopener\">Bay Area Playwrights Festival\u003c/a> was enough to get me fired up about the possibilities of Kevin Oakes’ latest work.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The play opens with an extended monologue by the anonymous main character that instantly establishes the disoriented future noir setting for the play. The main character, ably played by Jason Wong, is soon set on his quest to discover his past while navigating the mysterious agency he works for, its ties to a questionable scientific institute, and meeting the assorted types any good noir detective should meet on his quest. Wong, who was a revelation as the anguished and painfully vulnerable lead in Crowded Fire’s production of \u003cb>Porcelain\u003c/b> last year, envelops his character in the cool mystery of a hardboiled protagonist from a \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haruki_Murakami\" target=\"offsite\" rel=\"noopener\">Haruki Murakami\u003c/a> story. Meanwhile, the backdrop of sentient animals living alongside humans can’t help but evoke Jonathan Lethem’s jittery \u003cb>Gun with Occasional Music\u003c/b>. In fact, the play feels descended from a number of noble antecedents including Franz Kafka and Philip K. Dick.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The only reference that receives a name in the work is Orson Welles, who plays a very special role here, one which I am eager to see realized in the full production. And despite the fact that the plot fits into the mold of \u003cb>Bladerunner\u003c/b>-like future noir, the play remains highly original and looks like it will make full use of the live production format when fully staged. The reading featured only the first half of the play, and the audience let out an audible sigh after the lights came up, releasing the tension that had built up throughout. The cast, who realized their characters remarkably well for an on-book reading, then came out to sit through the talkback with the audience.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Playwrights Foundation is presenting its 30th anniversary Bay Area Playwright’s Festival, a collection of readings of new works by some of the most promising and innovative playwrights in the country. Readings of works in progress allow the playwright to gauge the audience experience and interpretation, polish language and stage cues, and visualize what so far has been primarily an ink and paper production. Readings also give production companies a chance to see what’s out there in the way of new material that they may want to take on the following year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Out of the readings this year, \u003cb>Mr. Fujiyama’s Electric Beach\u003c/b> is a special case — it is part of the Playwright Foundation’s Producing Partnerships Initiative, which helps incubate a new work from start to finish, in this case working with the Cutting Ball Theater production company which co-commissioned the work. Kevin Oakes has eschewed the more isolationist model of writing to forge a close relationship with director Rob Melrose, dramaturge Amy Mueller and the cast and artistic team in developing \u003cb>Mr. Fujiyama’s Electric Beach\u003c/b>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Amy Mueller is not only dramaturge for this production, but is also directing another work in the festival and Artistic Director for the Playwrights Foundation. In the latter capacity, she has spent the last seven years steering the Foundation to ramp up the opportunities and resources made available in the Bay Area for emerging playwrights. Over the past 30 years, alumni of the festival have won worldwide acclaim and every prestigious award in theater. This year’s festival features ten works, six full-length and four shorts selected from a nationwide selection process of over 400 works. Each of the plays presented this weekend will be available to sample next weekend as well.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For a full program, visit the \u003ca href=\"http://www.playwrightsfoundation.org/index.php?p=48\" target=\"offsite\" rel=\"noopener\">Playwrights Foundation\u003c/a>. And look for the world premiere of \u003cb>Mr. Fujiyama’s Electric Beach\u003c/b> in February 2008 with Cutting Ball Theater.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>After seeing a staged reading of \u003cb>Mr. Fujiyama’s Electric Beach\u003c/b> on Saturday, I still have no idea who Mr. Fujiyama is, or how he created his electric beach. In fact, there was absolutely no mention of Mr. Fujiyama, a beach, or even electricity for that matter. But I can’t wait to find out the answers — or if there will be any answers — when the play premieres next February, with a full production by \u003ca href=\"http://www.cuttingball.org\" target=\"offsite\" rel=\"noopener\">Cutting Ball Theater\u003c/a>. The work-in-progress reading that is part of the 30th annual \u003ca href=\"http://www.playwrightsfoundation.org/index.php?p=3\" target=\"offsite\" rel=\"noopener\">Bay Area Playwrights Festival\u003c/a> was enough to get me fired up about the possibilities of Kevin Oakes’ latest work.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The play opens with an extended monologue by the anonymous main character that instantly establishes the disoriented future noir setting for the play. The main character, ably played by Jason Wong, is soon set on his quest to discover his past while navigating the mysterious agency he works for, its ties to a questionable scientific institute, and meeting the assorted types any good noir detective should meet on his quest. Wong, who was a revelation as the anguished and painfully vulnerable lead in Crowded Fire’s production of \u003cb>Porcelain\u003c/b> last year, envelops his character in the cool mystery of a hardboiled protagonist from a \u003ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haruki_Murakami\" target=\"offsite\" rel=\"noopener\">Haruki Murakami\u003c/a> story. Meanwhile, the backdrop of sentient animals living alongside humans can’t help but evoke Jonathan Lethem’s jittery \u003cb>Gun with Occasional Music\u003c/b>. In fact, the play feels descended from a number of noble antecedents including Franz Kafka and Philip K. Dick.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The only reference that receives a name in the work is Orson Welles, who plays a very special role here, one which I am eager to see realized in the full production. And despite the fact that the plot fits into the mold of \u003cb>Bladerunner\u003c/b>-like future noir, the play remains highly original and looks like it will make full use of the live production format when fully staged. The reading featured only the first half of the play, and the audience let out an audible sigh after the lights came up, releasing the tension that had built up throughout. The cast, who realized their characters remarkably well for an on-book reading, then came out to sit through the talkback with the audience.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Playwrights Foundation is presenting its 30th anniversary Bay Area Playwright’s Festival, a collection of readings of new works by some of the most promising and innovative playwrights in the country. Readings of works in progress allow the playwright to gauge the audience experience and interpretation, polish language and stage cues, and visualize what so far has been primarily an ink and paper production. Readings also give production companies a chance to see what’s out there in the way of new material that they may want to take on the following year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Out of the readings this year, \u003cb>Mr. Fujiyama’s Electric Beach\u003c/b> is a special case — it is part of the Playwright Foundation’s Producing Partnerships Initiative, which helps incubate a new work from start to finish, in this case working with the Cutting Ball Theater production company which co-commissioned the work. Kevin Oakes has eschewed the more isolationist model of writing to forge a close relationship with director Rob Melrose, dramaturge Amy Mueller and the cast and artistic team in developing \u003cb>Mr. Fujiyama’s Electric Beach\u003c/b>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Amy Mueller is not only dramaturge for this production, but is also directing another work in the festival and Artistic Director for the Playwrights Foundation. In the latter capacity, she has spent the last seven years steering the Foundation to ramp up the opportunities and resources made available in the Bay Area for emerging playwrights. Over the past 30 years, alumni of the festival have won worldwide acclaim and every prestigious award in theater. This year’s festival features ten works, six full-length and four shorts selected from a nationwide selection process of over 400 works. Each of the plays presented this weekend will be available to sample next weekend as well.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For a full program, visit the \u003ca href=\"http://www.playwrightsfoundation.org/index.php?p=48\" target=\"offsite\" rel=\"noopener\">Playwrights Foundation\u003c/a>. And look for the world premiere of \u003cb>Mr. Fujiyama’s Electric Beach\u003c/b> in February 2008 with Cutting Ball Theater.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>Thread is among the most important materials in the universe. Chances are, unless you’re a nudist, thread is touching you right now. It holds our clothing together, makes our bed sheets soft, heals wounds, binds furniture coverings and car upholstery, and makes our window shades go up and down. It is likely that not a day goes by that thread doesn’t touch your life, and in the second show at her new Oakland gallery, curator Kim Johansson chose it as the medium of focus. Eight divergent artists are represented in the group show entitled \u003cb>Thread\u003c/b>, and are unified by a common medium.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Alex Case exhibits canvases of patched fabric, paint, and various industrial parts. Influenced by life in Martinez, Case grew up surrounded by oil refineries and a family in the textile industry. He globs dark acrylic, soot-like paint onto the surface, surrounding industrial-looking forms made of dirty sewn canvas scraps. One abstract piece was titled \u003cb>Dinosaur\u003c/b> but looked nothing like a prehistoric lizard unless, of course, you have some imagination. Fossil fuel doesn’t look like a dinosaur either.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Perhaps the most amazing piece in the show is internationally-renowned artist, Devorah Sperber’s installation of 500 spools of thread in muted shades stacked symmetrically and suspended from silver ball chains. The amazing part is the “viewing sphere” centered strategically on the piece, a few feet away. The sphere is a simple clear acrylic ball placed atop a black metal stand. When you peer through it, the spools hanging from the wall shrink and invert, and before you know it, you’re looking at a tiny blurred image of Grant Wood’s famous American Gothic painting of a farm couple from 1930. Utterly surprising, Sperber’s work has created an unimaginable illusion. At first glance, you would’ve never known that simple technology could turn several hundred spools of thread into such a recognizable image.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>San Francisco’s Steve MacDonald was an obvious choice for the exhibit, as he is quickly becoming one of the most recognized male embroidery artists in the Bay Area arts scene. MacDonald — who recently designed the new Modest Mouse tour t-shirt — was showing large-scale golden landscapes stitched with his signature red thread. Two smaller pieces titled \u003cb>Ramblin Worker Cargo Ship\u003c/b> and \u003cb>Embroidered Op Art\u003c/b> were delightful and inviting. The latter was made up of blocks of rectangular stitched stripes but it made my eyeballs jiggle, causing an optical freak-out due to the juxtaposition of color, line, and threadwork. The image was reminiscent of stacked shipping containers, maybe because a picture of a ship hung just above it. With a friendly white puff drifting out of its smoke stack, the ship worked together with the op art piece to create a feeling of nostalgic shipyard imagery, reminding me of those colorful K Line cargo containers stacked near the East side of the Bay Bridge.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Another favorite series of works was Tucker Schwarz’s sweetly stitched line drawings of buildings, trees and power lines. Inspired by her own photographs of local neighborhoods, Shwarz sews on raw muslin, leaving colorful thread ends hanging, lightly veiling the images. At the front of the gallery, Christy Matson’s interactive \u003cb>Gradient Noise\u003c/b> appears to be a basic woven length of patterned fabric, until you notice a speaker and a box with a switch that says “pitch” and “thresh” hanging next to it. When the switch is flipped, the piece (woven with thread and copper wire) will make different noises depending on how close you bring your hand to the wall, creating art that talks back.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Johansson Projects gallery is a perfect addition to Oakland’s art strip at 23rd and Telegraph. It has a ceiling of dried green moss and holds a promising future as \u003cb>Thread\u003c/b> was an impressive and memorable exhibit. An often-unsung genre, fiber art is one that can feel most mysterious, yet closest to home. Its tactility and familiar qualities add to fiber’s allure, and it has a transcendental way of reminding a viewer of old memories, such as time spent in your granny’s sewing room or a favorite old teddy bear. So get dressed in your best threads, floss your teeth and lace up your shoes — it’s time to discover a new art space in Oakland.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Thread\u003c/b> runs through August 25, 2007 at Johansson Projects.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Thread is among the most important materials in the universe. Chances are, unless you’re a nudist, thread is touching you right now. It holds our clothing together, makes our bed sheets soft, heals wounds, binds furniture coverings and car upholstery, and makes our window shades go up and down. It is likely that not a day goes by that thread doesn’t touch your life, and in the second show at her new Oakland gallery, curator Kim Johansson chose it as the medium of focus. Eight divergent artists are represented in the group show entitled \u003cb>Thread\u003c/b>, and are unified by a common medium.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Alex Case exhibits canvases of patched fabric, paint, and various industrial parts. Influenced by life in Martinez, Case grew up surrounded by oil refineries and a family in the textile industry. He globs dark acrylic, soot-like paint onto the surface, surrounding industrial-looking forms made of dirty sewn canvas scraps. One abstract piece was titled \u003cb>Dinosaur\u003c/b> but looked nothing like a prehistoric lizard unless, of course, you have some imagination. Fossil fuel doesn’t look like a dinosaur either.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Perhaps the most amazing piece in the show is internationally-renowned artist, Devorah Sperber’s installation of 500 spools of thread in muted shades stacked symmetrically and suspended from silver ball chains. The amazing part is the “viewing sphere” centered strategically on the piece, a few feet away. The sphere is a simple clear acrylic ball placed atop a black metal stand. When you peer through it, the spools hanging from the wall shrink and invert, and before you know it, you’re looking at a tiny blurred image of Grant Wood’s famous American Gothic painting of a farm couple from 1930. Utterly surprising, Sperber’s work has created an unimaginable illusion. At first glance, you would’ve never known that simple technology could turn several hundred spools of thread into such a recognizable image.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>San Francisco’s Steve MacDonald was an obvious choice for the exhibit, as he is quickly becoming one of the most recognized male embroidery artists in the Bay Area arts scene. MacDonald — who recently designed the new Modest Mouse tour t-shirt — was showing large-scale golden landscapes stitched with his signature red thread. Two smaller pieces titled \u003cb>Ramblin Worker Cargo Ship\u003c/b> and \u003cb>Embroidered Op Art\u003c/b> were delightful and inviting. The latter was made up of blocks of rectangular stitched stripes but it made my eyeballs jiggle, causing an optical freak-out due to the juxtaposition of color, line, and threadwork. The image was reminiscent of stacked shipping containers, maybe because a picture of a ship hung just above it. With a friendly white puff drifting out of its smoke stack, the ship worked together with the op art piece to create a feeling of nostalgic shipyard imagery, reminding me of those colorful K Line cargo containers stacked near the East side of the Bay Bridge.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Another favorite series of works was Tucker Schwarz’s sweetly stitched line drawings of buildings, trees and power lines. Inspired by her own photographs of local neighborhoods, Shwarz sews on raw muslin, leaving colorful thread ends hanging, lightly veiling the images. At the front of the gallery, Christy Matson’s interactive \u003cb>Gradient Noise\u003c/b> appears to be a basic woven length of patterned fabric, until you notice a speaker and a box with a switch that says “pitch” and “thresh” hanging next to it. When the switch is flipped, the piece (woven with thread and copper wire) will make different noises depending on how close you bring your hand to the wall, creating art that talks back.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Johansson Projects gallery is a perfect addition to Oakland’s art strip at 23rd and Telegraph. It has a ceiling of dried green moss and holds a promising future as \u003cb>Thread\u003c/b> was an impressive and memorable exhibit. An often-unsung genre, fiber art is one that can feel most mysterious, yet closest to home. Its tactility and familiar qualities add to fiber’s allure, and it has a transcendental way of reminding a viewer of old memories, such as time spent in your granny’s sewing room or a favorite old teddy bear. So get dressed in your best threads, floss your teeth and lace up your shoes — it’s time to discover a new art space in Oakland.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Thread\u003c/b> runs through August 25, 2007 at Johansson Projects.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>Over the past 20-some years, I’ve spent a good amount of time observing drag queens, cheering them on and shoving more than few hard-earned dollars down their tissue-stuffed brassieres. When my very liberal older sister eloped to Vegas in the early ’80s, the only attendees at her vodka-soaked, post-nuptial bridal shower were the happy couple, yours truly (then 11 years old) and a posse of drag queens in full regalia. I’ve put in my time at \u003ca href=\"http://www.trannyshack.com\" target=\"offsite\" rel=\"noopener\">Trannyshack\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"http://www.peacheschrist.com\" target=\"offsite\" rel=\"noopener\">Midnight Mass\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"http://www.auntcharlieslounge.com\" target=\"offsite\" rel=\"noopener\">Aunt Charlie’s\u003c/a>. Hell, I’m not ashamed to admit that I, like many inebriated gay men at Halloween, have even donned a beat-up wig myself.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The reason I share this information is because, while I don’t proclaim to be a drag queen aficionado, I’d like to think I’ve learned a thing or two about their unique art form over the course of my life. And yet, nothing could quite prepare me or my unsuspecting companion for the visual and auditory assault that is \u003cb>Kiki and Herb: Alive From Broadway\u003c/b>, now at American Conservatory Theater.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Drag queens being notoriously high-maintenance (“drag time” generally means hours late) it seemed appropriate that the show started an hour later than I thought it was supposed to. So my date and I headed to the Redwood Room to kill some time. Several shots of tequila later, our dignity hanging by a thread, we tottered back to the theater, and resisted the temptation to order more cocktails before taking our seats. As the curtain rose to reveal a surrealistic set that’s been described as “Salvador Dalà working in Las Vegas,” and the audience began to scream wildly, it quickly became apparent this wasn’t going to be just another night at A.C.T.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For 90 minutes or so, drag phenomenon Justin Bond steamrolls over the audience as Kiki Durane, an all too jaded, 76-year-old drunken cabaret chanteuse, while her sidekick Kenny Mellman frantically bangs on a massive grand piano as Herb, whom Kiki describes as a “gay Jew-tard foundling I hooked up with back at the institutional.” Order a strong drink and check any vestiges of political correctness as you stumble into the theater. Audience members are not only allowed to bring cocktails into the theater for this show, they’re encouraged to do so. And frankly… ladies and gentlemen (as veteran lounge lizard Kiki refers to the audience, about every 30 seconds or so)… for those who don’t get into hyper-exaggerated drag at an almost ear-shattering level of amplification, a couple of whiskey sours might be what it takes to get through this theatrical battering.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But for the rest of us, the Tony-nominated \u003cb>Kiki and Herb: Alive From Broadway\u003c/b> is a wonderfully bizarre and brilliantly executed amalgamation of performance art genres, all hiding under the guise of sloppy, drunken high camp. The duo’s rollicking musical book finds its roots in such wide-ranging sources as Radiohead, Public Enemy and Scissor Sisters (with whom Bond and Mellman have toured) to the painfully ’80s Alphaville. A rethinking of Dan Fogelberg’s “Same Old Lang Syne,” during which a weepy Kiki recalls a reunion with her long-lost daughter Miss D, is only one of several moments in the show that are surprisingly touching. (Especially given that she states up-front that such moments are completely manufactured.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As the evening progresses, Kiki gets seemingly drunker, and as with most drunks, her eyelids become heavier, her hair gets messier and her set-up stories become alternately funnier, angrier and more long-winded, the boozy effect made all the more dramatic by a meticulously placed rhinestone under each eye. In the hands of a less experienced actor, antics such as this could easily become tiresome, but Bond’s skillful performance transcends typical drag schtick, incorporating a mesmerizing mix of biting social and political commentary, and rueful recollections of a lifetime filled with painful, hysterical memories.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite their agreement to die upon the completion of a performance at Carnegie Hall a few years ago, Kiki and Herb are in fact alive, ladies and gentlemen, and their performance will leave you feeling the same way. Don’t miss this.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Kiki and Herb: Alive From Broadway\u003c/b> runs through July 29 at A.C.T. \u003ca href=\"http://act-sf.org/index.cfm?s_id=&pid=tkt_kah\" target=\"offfsite\" rel=\"noopener\">Get tickets and information\u003c/a> (at act.org).\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Over the past 20-some years, I’ve spent a good amount of time observing drag queens, cheering them on and shoving more than few hard-earned dollars down their tissue-stuffed brassieres. When my very liberal older sister eloped to Vegas in the early ’80s, the only attendees at her vodka-soaked, post-nuptial bridal shower were the happy couple, yours truly (then 11 years old) and a posse of drag queens in full regalia. I’ve put in my time at \u003ca href=\"http://www.trannyshack.com\" target=\"offsite\" rel=\"noopener\">Trannyshack\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"http://www.peacheschrist.com\" target=\"offsite\" rel=\"noopener\">Midnight Mass\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"http://www.auntcharlieslounge.com\" target=\"offsite\" rel=\"noopener\">Aunt Charlie’s\u003c/a>. Hell, I’m not ashamed to admit that I, like many inebriated gay men at Halloween, have even donned a beat-up wig myself.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The reason I share this information is because, while I don’t proclaim to be a drag queen aficionado, I’d like to think I’ve learned a thing or two about their unique art form over the course of my life. And yet, nothing could quite prepare me or my unsuspecting companion for the visual and auditory assault that is \u003cb>Kiki and Herb: Alive From Broadway\u003c/b>, now at American Conservatory Theater.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Drag queens being notoriously high-maintenance (“drag time” generally means hours late) it seemed appropriate that the show started an hour later than I thought it was supposed to. So my date and I headed to the Redwood Room to kill some time. Several shots of tequila later, our dignity hanging by a thread, we tottered back to the theater, and resisted the temptation to order more cocktails before taking our seats. As the curtain rose to reveal a surrealistic set that’s been described as “Salvador Dalà working in Las Vegas,” and the audience began to scream wildly, it quickly became apparent this wasn’t going to be just another night at A.C.T.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For 90 minutes or so, drag phenomenon Justin Bond steamrolls over the audience as Kiki Durane, an all too jaded, 76-year-old drunken cabaret chanteuse, while her sidekick Kenny Mellman frantically bangs on a massive grand piano as Herb, whom Kiki describes as a “gay Jew-tard foundling I hooked up with back at the institutional.” Order a strong drink and check any vestiges of political correctness as you stumble into the theater. Audience members are not only allowed to bring cocktails into the theater for this show, they’re encouraged to do so. And frankly… ladies and gentlemen (as veteran lounge lizard Kiki refers to the audience, about every 30 seconds or so)… for those who don’t get into hyper-exaggerated drag at an almost ear-shattering level of amplification, a couple of whiskey sours might be what it takes to get through this theatrical battering.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But for the rest of us, the Tony-nominated \u003cb>Kiki and Herb: Alive From Broadway\u003c/b> is a wonderfully bizarre and brilliantly executed amalgamation of performance art genres, all hiding under the guise of sloppy, drunken high camp. The duo’s rollicking musical book finds its roots in such wide-ranging sources as Radiohead, Public Enemy and Scissor Sisters (with whom Bond and Mellman have toured) to the painfully ’80s Alphaville. A rethinking of Dan Fogelberg’s “Same Old Lang Syne,” during which a weepy Kiki recalls a reunion with her long-lost daughter Miss D, is only one of several moments in the show that are surprisingly touching. (Especially given that she states up-front that such moments are completely manufactured.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As the evening progresses, Kiki gets seemingly drunker, and as with most drunks, her eyelids become heavier, her hair gets messier and her set-up stories become alternately funnier, angrier and more long-winded, the boozy effect made all the more dramatic by a meticulously placed rhinestone under each eye. In the hands of a less experienced actor, antics such as this could easily become tiresome, but Bond’s skillful performance transcends typical drag schtick, incorporating a mesmerizing mix of biting social and political commentary, and rueful recollections of a lifetime filled with painful, hysterical memories.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite their agreement to die upon the completion of a performance at Carnegie Hall a few years ago, Kiki and Herb are in fact alive, ladies and gentlemen, and their performance will leave you feeling the same way. Don’t miss this.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Kiki and Herb: Alive From Broadway\u003c/b> runs through July 29 at A.C.T. \u003ca href=\"http://act-sf.org/index.cfm?s_id=&pid=tkt_kah\" target=\"offfsite\" rel=\"noopener\">Get tickets and information\u003c/a> (at act.org).\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>I started college right around the time of the famed Tech Boom in Silicon Valley. Having grown up in the Bay Area, suddenly having the price of EVERYTHING skyrocket, not being able to drive anywhere without getting snarled in a mess of angry traffic, and being a forlorn speck of black in a sea of blue button-up shirts and khaki pants was an immense shock to the system. Ten plus years on, I’ve grown accustomed to the geekspeak and tech toys that permeate the region. But for the most part, the technological savvy that grew the Valley to its present size and scope shot right over my head. So seeing \u003cb>Space Is Blue (and the Birds Fly in It)\u003c/b> where 70 percent of the dialogue concerns the great mysteries of physics was kind of a stretch for me. But it’s a highly appropriate choice of material for Pear Avenue Theatre, a fairly new community theatre in Mountain View.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Gregory Meyer’s new play revolves around Philip, a British boy genius with a debilitating nervous system disorder that leaves him strapped to a wheelchair. He leaves his orphanage in England to undergo an experimental surgery that may correct his condition, and is placed by his doctor in a boarding house that takes in the riff and the raff of the local academic community. Helen, the proprietor of the boarding house, and Corinne, a kooky literature professor from Hungary form strong attachments to the bright and extremely polite young Phillip, who bowls them over with his brilliance in physics. In the meantime, Phillip manages to intimidate graduate student Walter, with both his revolutionary ideas and his quest for Helen’s affections.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This might have been a more convincing premise had the young boy genius not been quite so very young. I’m not sure a nine or ten year old makes for a brilliant physicist AND convincing competition for a strapping young graduate student, and Philip’s dialogue often sounded better suited to an octogenarian than a middle schooler. The audience is also invited to suspend a healthy amount of skepticism in accepting a brain surgery involving incisions into the skull which results in a patient who cannot speak for a week while waiting for the stitches to come out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The actors make a valiant effort to keep the ponderous academic dialogue and often heavy-handed plot devices from overwhelming the momentum of the play and often succeed. Philip is played by the immensely likeable George Murrell, who faces a Herculean task in memorizing and delivering a huge amount of material on how time is the only immutable force and logic is the fundamental quantum. There is a key shift in his personality in the final scene that is less than convincing, but by then the gaping black holes in the plot make this a moot matter.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Susan Jackson gives a spirited performance as the Hungarian literary academic and Rob Dario as Walter, the grad student, makes a convincing character out of often contradictory lines. I was also highly impressed with the elaborate set that allowed for very dynamic staging and the delightfully appropriate costumes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The matinee performance I attended was at nearly full capacity, suggesting that Pear Avenue Theatre, with its unlikely location in a small office park near the Shoreline movie theaters in Mountain View, could benefit from a larger space with more seating. While their season ends with this production, they are already gearing up for the next, with seven productions in the works starting with Anton Checkov’s \u003cb>Three Sisters\u003c/b> in September.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Space Is Blue (and the Birds Fly in It)\u003c/b> runs through July 15, 2007 at the Pear Avenue Theatre in Mountain View. For tickets and information visiting\u003ca href=\"http://www.thepear.org\" target=\"offsite\" rel=\"noopener\">thepear.org\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cp>“That was like the Log Flume,” said my friend Jake as we left the makeshift “Holehead Playhouse” in the heart of San Francisco’s Dogpatch neighborhood. I looked at him quizzically. His face and hair were spattered with what looked remarkably like dried blood, and though I lacked a pocket mirror, I was quite sure mine were as well. “You know, at an amusement park,” he explained. “The Log Floom is kind of a boring ride, ’cause you just sit there, but you get wet, so everyone’s really into it.” This brilliant metaphor was in reference to the performance we had just seen — or, rather, participated in: \u003cb>Night of the Living Dead: Live!\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As part of this year’s San Francisco Independent Film Festival, not-for-profit theater company The Primitive Screwheads have adapted George Romero’s screen classic for the stage — a small stage in the middle of an unmarked warehouse on Indiana Avenue, that is. We arrived a little early and were herded to a merch-and-refreshments area to wait until curtain. Items for sale included cocktails, t-shirts, stickers, and — disturbingly — ponchos. Ponchos? The Screwheads’ website had warned against wearing nice clothes (“WARNING: BLOOD AND GORE WILL SHOWER DOWN UPON THE AUDIENCE IN AN UNHOLY THUNDERSTORM FROM HELL!!!!”) but I had taken it lightly and brought only a white t-shirt to cover up the decent blouse I had worn to work that day. I started to get nervous. A blood-and-gore-crusted zombie lunged against the bars of a cage in the corner, grasping at passersby, rattling the chains around his wrists and moaning loudly, and I could see large plastic tarpulins draped over the chairs in which we’d soon be sitting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As I was soon to discover, the Screwheads are not to be taken lightly. Though their interpretation (self-described as parodic) of the Original Zombie Movie is heavy on the jokes, they are NOT KIDDING when it comes to special effects. The fake limbs are satisfyingly disgusting, the zombies sufficiently creepy — especially when they lurch at you as you wait in line for the bathroom during intermission. But what really got my heart racing were my desperate attempts to avoid the bright red flood let forth into the audience each time a character was bitten, shot, or hacked-at with a hand-axe, which was about every five minutes. From carefully concealed Super-Soakers came long and generous spurts of what looked and smelled like raspberry Kool-Aid, hitting audience members from every angle. The tarpulins were helpful at first but after about 30 minutes we were pretty much soaked and at the end of the show, just when we thought it was finally over, crew members stormed the aisles with large buckets, which they proceeded to empty mercilessly onto our heads.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you’re seeking fine art, \u003cb>Night of the Living Dead: Live!\u003c/b>, as you might have suspected, is not for you. The script is flat, the acting mediocre (think bad Southern accents, lots of wailing and arm-flailing), the scene changes sloppy. But if you love zombies so much you could die (as many people in the audience clearly did; someone sitting behind me was wearing a press badge for “The Dead Report,” a zombie news and reviews podcast) or you’re just a fan of the good-old Log Flume, then head to the Holehead Playhouse before it’s too late.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Night of the Living Dead: Live!\u003c/b> runs through June 23. \u003ca href=\"http://www.sfindie.com/site/node/663\" target=\"offsite\" rel=\"noopener\">Get tickets and information\u003c/a> (at sfindie.com).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cp>I’ll admit it: the words “sketch comedy” didn’t inspire optimism in me. Rather, I tended to imagine hammy, self-congratulatory acting, and awkwardly long skits centered on one flimsy premise. I’m a fan of movie comedies, even some sitcoms, but sometimes the labored zaniness to get people laughing lands with all the subtlety of a lead balloon. So imagine my surprise when I left the opening night of local comedy troupe Killing My Lobster’s new show with a strange happy sensation in my heart… one that came from seeing something, um, actually FUNNY.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The show, \u003cb>Killing My Lobster Saves The Day\u003c/b>, is a themed send-up of all things capes and tights and comic books: “comedic vignettes for the superheroically silly.” The show rescued my view of sketch comedy in a few key ways. First of all, all of the performers are fantastic and energetic, and seem to be having an absolute blast on stage. Each of the six actors rotates through roles with a chameleon-like ease and endless energy that leaps over “impressive” in a single bound, and lands straight on incredible.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even more importantly, though, the writing and staging is professional and surprisingly fresh. Familiar staples of the genre do bear the brunt of a few jokes — capes and tights are given a rather scathing visual and verbal treatment, and phone booths and overly sincere heroics appear in quite a few of the jokes. But the show’s use of the expected clichés ends there. It would’ve been too easy to have sketches full of nerdy, sexually repressed fanboys \u003ca href=\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ufaBKdY60w\" target=\"offsite\" rel=\"noopener\">LARPing\u003c/a> the epic battle of Kirk vs. Picard, but KML opts for a more original take on comic culture. Instead of wrapping their sketches in a kind of pretentious cleverness, the knowing wink-wink of stiff satire, the KML crew performs with a light touch. The troupe lands the jokes and the funny voices and the ridiculous scenarios with the driving force of just making something fun, not overly clever or snide or even all that complex.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I don’t want to describe the sketches here, and ruin their surprises, but I will mention that one of the most hilarious and effortlessly clever sketches was a slideshow of the bizarre, suggestive imagery buried in old \u003cb>Superman\u003c/b> comic pages. Set to a wonderfully over-the-top pop ballad, the segment had the audience roaring, and added a nice, researched credibility to the troupe’s dissection of superhero lore. Clearly, comics and fantasy and caped crusaders are things the troupe knows well — well enough to take the subject in a new direction.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Killing My Lobster Saves The Day\u003c/b> runs through June 16th at the Eureka Theatre in San Francisco. For \u003ca href=\"https://www.killingmylobster.com/tix/\" target=\"offsite\" rel=\"noopener\">tickets and information\u003c/a> visit killingmylobster.com.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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},
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"id": "city-arts",
"title": "City Arts & Lectures",
"info": "A one-hour radio program to hear celebrated writers, artists and thinkers address contemporary ideas and values, often discussing the creative process. Please note: tapes or transcripts are not available",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/05/cityartsandlecture-300x300.jpg",
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"airtime": "SUN 1pm-2pm, TUE 10pm, WED 1am",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "City Arts & Lectures"
},
"link": "https://www.cityarts.net",
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"rss": "https://www.cityarts.net/feed/"
}
},
"closealltabs": {
"id": "closealltabs",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/closealltabs",
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"order": 1
},
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"id": "code-switch-life-kit",
"title": "Code Switch / Life Kit",
"info": "\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em>, which listeners will hear in the first part of the hour, has fearless and much-needed conversations about race. Hosted by journalists of color, the show tackles the subject of race head-on, exploring how it impacts every part of society — from politics and pop culture to history, sports and more.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em>, which will be in the second part of the hour, guides you through spaces and feelings no one prepares you for — from finances to mental health, from workplace microaggressions to imposter syndrome, from relationships to parenting. The show features experts with real world experience and shares their knowledge. Because everyone needs a little help being human.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510312/codeswitch\">\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/lifekit\">\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />",
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"id": "commonwealth-club",
"title": "Commonwealth Club of California Podcast",
"info": "The Commonwealth Club of California is the nation's oldest and largest public affairs forum. As a non-partisan forum, The Club brings to the public airwaves diverse viewpoints on important topics. The Club's weekly radio broadcast - the oldest in the U.S., dating back to 1924 - is carried across the nation on public radio stations and is now podcasting. Our website archive features audio of our recent programs, as well as selected speeches from our long and distinguished history. This podcast feed is usually updated twice a week and is always un-edited.",
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"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Commonwealth-Club-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
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"source": "Commonwealth Club of California"
},
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"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5jb21tb253ZWFsdGhjbHViLm9yZy9hdWRpby9wb2RjYXN0L3dlZWtseS54bWw",
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"id": "forum",
"title": "Forum",
"tagline": "The conversation starts here",
"info": "KQED’s live call-in program discussing local, state, national and international issues, as well as in-depth interviews.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 9am-11am, 10pm-11pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Forum-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
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"source": "kqed",
"order": 9
},
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"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM5NTU3MzgxNjMz",
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"airtime": "SUN 1am-2am, SAT 3pm-4pm",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "WNYC"
},
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"subscribe": {
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"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/freakonomics-radio/id354668519",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/WNYC-Podcasts/Freakonomics-Radio-p272293/",
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},
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"id": "fresh-air",
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"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=214089682&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
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"info": "A live production of NPR and WBUR Boston, in collaboration with stations across the country, Here & Now reflects the fluid world of news as it's happening in the middle of the day, with timely, in-depth news, interviews and conversation. Hosted by Robin Young, Jeremy Hobson and Tonya Mosley.",
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},
"hidden-brain": {
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"info": "Shankar Vedantam uses science and storytelling to reveal the unconscious patterns that drive human behavior, shape our choices and direct our relationships.",
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"airtime": "SUN 7pm-8pm",
"meta": {
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"source": "NPR"
},
"link": "/radio/program/hidden-brain",
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"how-i-built-this": {
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"title": "How I Built This with Guy Raz",
"info": "Guy Raz dives into the stories behind some of the world's best known companies. How I Built This weaves a narrative journey about innovators, entrepreneurs and idealists—and the movements they built.",
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"airtime": "SUN 7:30pm-8pm",
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"link": "/radio/program/how-i-built-this",
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"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-built-this-with-guy-raz/id1150510297?mt=2",
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"hyphenacion": {
"id": "hyphenacion",
"title": "Hyphenación",
"tagline": "Where conversation and cultura meet",
"info": "What kind of no sabo word is Hyphenación? For us, it’s about living within a hyphenation. Like being a third-gen Mexican-American from the Texas border now living that Bay Area Chicano life. Like Xorje! Each week we bring together a couple of hyphenated Latinos to talk all about personal life choices: family, careers, relationships, belonging … everything is on the table. ",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Hyphenacion_FinalAssets_PodcastTile.png",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/hyphenacion",
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"order": 15
},
"link": "/podcasts/hyphenacion",
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"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/2p3Fifq96nw9BPcmFdIq0o?si=39209f7b25774f38",
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},
"jerrybrown": {
"id": "jerrybrown",
"title": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown",
"tagline": "Lessons from a lifetime in politics",
"info": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown brings listeners the wisdom of the former Governor, Mayor, and presidential candidate. Scott Shafer interviewed Brown for more than 40 hours, covering the former governor's life and half-century in the political game – and Brown has some lessons he'd like to share. ",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Political-Mind-of-Jerry-Brown-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/jerrybrown",
"meta": {
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"order": 18
},
"link": "/podcasts/jerrybrown",
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},
"latino-usa": {
"id": "latino-usa",
"title": "Latino USA",
"airtime": "MON 1am-2am, SUN 6pm-7pm",
"info": "Latino USA, the radio journal of news and culture, is the only national, English-language radio program produced from a Latino perspective.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/latinoUsa.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://latinousa.org/",
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},
"link": "/radio/program/latino-usa",
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"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=79681317&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
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"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510016/podcast.xml"
}
},
"marketplace": {
"id": "marketplace",
"title": "Marketplace",
"info": "Our flagship program, helmed by Kai Ryssdal, examines what the day in money delivered, through stories, conversations, newsworthy numbers and more. Updated Monday through Friday at about 3:30 p.m. PT.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 4pm-4:30pm, MON-WED 6:30pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Marketplace-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.marketplace.org/",
"meta": {
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"source": "American Public Media"
},
"link": "/radio/program/marketplace",
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},
"masters-of-scale": {
"id": "masters-of-scale",
"title": "Masters of Scale",
"info": "Masters of Scale is an original podcast in which LinkedIn co-founder and Greylock Partner Reid Hoffman sets out to describe and prove theories that explain how great entrepreneurs take their companies from zero to a gazillion in ingenious fashion.",
"airtime": "Every other Wednesday June 12 through October 16 at 8pm (repeats Thursdays at 2am)",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "https://mastersofscale.com/",
"meta": {
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"source": "WaitWhat"
},
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"apple": "http://mastersofscale.app.link/",
"rss": "https://rss.art19.com/masters-of-scale"
}
},
"mindshift": {
"id": "mindshift",
"title": "MindShift",
"tagline": "A podcast about the future of learning and how we raise our kids",
"info": "The MindShift podcast explores the innovations in education that are shaping how kids learn. Hosts Ki Sung and Katrina Schwartz introduce listeners to educators, researchers, parents and students who are developing effective ways to improve how kids learn. We cover topics like how fed-up administrators are developing surprising tactics to deal with classroom disruptions; how listening to podcasts are helping kids develop reading skills; the consequences of overparenting; and why interdisciplinary learning can engage students on all ends of the traditional achievement spectrum. This podcast is part of the MindShift education site, a division of KQED News. KQED is an NPR/PBS member station based in San Francisco. You can also visit the MindShift website for episodes and supplemental blog posts or tweet us \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/MindShiftKQED\">@MindShiftKQED\u003c/a> or visit us at \u003ca href=\"/mindshift\">MindShift.KQED.org\u003c/a>",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Mindshift-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED MindShift: How We Will Learn",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/mindshift/",
"meta": {
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"source": "kqed",
"order": 12
},
"link": "/podcasts/mindshift",
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"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM1NzY0NjAwNDI5",
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}
},
"morning-edition": {
"id": "morning-edition",
"title": "Morning Edition",
"info": "\u003cem>Morning Edition\u003c/em> takes listeners around the country and the world with multi-faceted stories and commentaries every weekday. Hosts Steve Inskeep, David Greene and Rachel Martin bring you the latest breaking news and features to prepare you for the day.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 3am-9am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Morning-Edition-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
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"link": "/radio/program/morning-edition"
},
"onourwatch": {
"id": "onourwatch",
"title": "On Our Watch",
"tagline": "Deeply-reported investigative journalism",
"info": "For decades, the process for how police police themselves has been inconsistent – if not opaque. In some states, like California, these proceedings were completely hidden. After a new police transparency law unsealed scores of internal affairs files, our reporters set out to examine these cases and the shadow world of police discipline. On Our Watch brings listeners into the rooms where officers are questioned and witnesses are interrogated to find out who this system is really protecting. Is it the officers, or the public they've sworn to serve?",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/On-Our-Watch-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/onourwatch",
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"source": "kqed",
"order": 11
},
"link": "/podcasts/onourwatch",
"subscribe": {
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"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5ucHIub3JnLzUxMDM2MC9wb2RjYXN0LnhtbD9zYz1nb29nbGVwb2RjYXN0cw",
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},
"on-the-media": {
"id": "on-the-media",
"title": "On The Media",
"info": "Our weekly podcast explores how the media 'sausage' is made, casts an incisive eye on fluctuations in the marketplace of ideas, and examines threats to the freedom of information and expression in America and abroad. For one hour a week, the show tries to lift the veil from the process of \"making media,\" especially news media, because it's through that lens that we see the world and the world sees us",
"airtime": "SUN 2pm-3pm, MON 12am-1am",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/onTheMedia.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/otm",
"meta": {
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"source": "wnyc"
},
"link": "/radio/program/on-the-media",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/on-the-media/id73330715?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/On-the-Media-p69/",
"rss": "http://feeds.wnyc.org/onthemedia"
}
},
"pbs-newshour": {
"id": "pbs-newshour",
"title": "PBS NewsHour",
"info": "Analysis, background reports and updates from the PBS NewsHour putting today's news in context.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 3pm-4pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/PBS-News-Hour-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.pbs.org/newshour/",
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},
"link": "/radio/program/pbs-newshour",
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"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/pbs-newshour-full-show/id394432287?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/PBS-NewsHour---Full-Show-p425698/",
"rss": "https://www.pbs.org/newshour/feeds/rss/podcasts/show"
}
},
"perspectives": {
"id": "perspectives",
"title": "Perspectives",
"tagline": "KQED's series of daily listener commentaries since 1991",
"info": "KQED's series of daily listener commentaries since 1991.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Perspectives_Tile_Final.jpg",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "/perspectives/",
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"source": "kqed",
"order": 14
},
"link": "/perspectives",
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