Sacramento Arts and Culture

Tim Wise Brings Racism Discussion to Sac State

2010-04-15T05:58:24Z

Prominent anti-racist author and speaker Tim Wise spoke about the continuing reality of racism in the United States to an audience of more than 700 students at Sacramento State University Wednesday.

Wise opened his lecture, "Colorblindness and its Consequences: How Ignoring Race Deepens the Racial Divide," with a personal story. He told the audience about when he lived with nine guys in Louisiana and one of his roommates made a pot of gumbo but never cleaned it up. Wise said the gumbo sat on the oven burner for more than a day and a half before the mess and smell compelled him to clean.

"It didn't matter that I didn't make the mess. The only thing that mattered was that I didn't want to live in that funk anymore," he said, using that example to tell students that even though they didn't help create the legacy of racism in society, it is their responsibility to help clean it up.

"This legacy lives today," Wise added. "It is one we must confront on a daily basis."

Wise pointed out, as an example, that the majority of CEOs of top companies are white men, who he then criticized for losing billions of dollars over the last few years.

"It would take half a millennium for black and brown folk to steal that much damn money!" Wise joked before adding, "But we're more afraid of a black guy crossing the street in a hoodie than we are of rich white men driving around in their Lexuses."

Throughout the rest of his lecture, Wise used stories, facts and statistics to make his point that racism is still alive in our society. He said the government, not the free market, helped create the middle class through the Homestead Act of 1862 and FHA loans from the '30s through '60s.

"The government has never been small for white Americans," he said.

Wise said that racial discrimination has made it harder for black and Latino people to get a jobs. He cited a statistic that said that a black person with a college degree is twice as likely as a white person to be out of work, and for Latinos, is almost two thirds as likely.

"For some people," he said, "double-digit unemployment ain't new."

Wise told the students that by being aware of the prejudice, they can more easily fight it. He was given a standing ovation after he finished and was available to sign books for the students who enjoyed his lecture.

"He really spoke to one of our big problems today," said English graduate student Lee Lee. "We're in denial about racism even though it affects us all."

Cosumnes River College student Kendall Gums brought his grandmother to the lecture, and he said he loved Tim Wise and his message.

"He's really in tune with the depth of society's prejudice." he said. "It's really excellent what he does."

"Chicago" Will Be In Sacramento

2010-03-09T19:57:49Z

"Chicago: The Musical" is returning to Sacramento for an 11-day run starting tomorrow.

The world-renowned musical is the sixth-longest running production in Broadway history and was adapted into a movie in 2002, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture.

This is the fourth time the musical will be in Sacramento. It will be performed at the Community Center Theatre as part of the California Musical Theatre's Broadway Sacramento series.

"Our goal is to bring Broadway to Sacramento," said California Musical Theatre executive producer Richard Lewis. "'Chicago' represents prime Broadway theatre."

The musical takes place in 1920s Chicago and tells the story of two women who try to become celebrities while in prison for murder. The production, which is based on a true story, deals with the idea of a "celebrity criminal" in a setting drenched with vaudeville and jazz.

"It's kind of a sexy show," said Lewis. "The dancing is great, the score is well done, and the story is very engaging."

Starring in this national run of "Chicago" is actor and television personality John O'Hurley, who plays the role of lawyer Billy Flynn. O'Hurley is best known for his work on "Seinfeld" and "Dancing With the Stars," and is the most recent host of "Family Feud."

"We're very excited about John O'Hurley," said Lewis. "There is a lot of buzz about his performance."

Lewis said that good seats are still available, but are selling quickly. "Chicago," Lewis said, is an engaging and exciting musical that no one should miss.

"It's a wonderful piece of work."

"Chicago" runs from Wednesday, March 10 to Sunday, March 21 at the Community Center Theater, 1301 L Street. Tickets are on sale now, and start at $18. The show is recommended for ages 16 and up.

Kip Fulbeck Brings Mixed Race Discussion to Sac State

2010-02-23T07:39:38Z

Kip Fulbeck, an artist, slam poet, filmmaker, and teacher at UC Santa Barbara, informed and entertained about 300 people Thursday at Sacramento State.

Fulbeck is a renowned figure who created the Hapa Project, a project focusing on mixed-race people that includes a book, photograph exhibit and online community. The term "hapa" is used to refer to someone of mixed racial heritage that includes Asian or Pacific Islander descent.

His nearly hour-and-a-half-long presentation, "Race, Sex and Tattoos," combined short films, poetry, humor, stories, and even a quiz in a format that analyzed personal identity, with a focus on mixed-race people. While the event featured some of Fulbeck's humorous films, his stories about his own mixed-race background and the creation of his three books guided most of the presentation.

Fulbeck was honest and quite funny, and presented his material with enthusiasm and passion, instantly connecting with the audience.

"It was honest," said Jacki Rohrer, a communications studies major. "He spoke about things people are afraid to speak about."

"It opened my eyes to how mixed-race people see the world," said Lisa Prefach, a sophomore studying computer engineering.

Fulbeck opened with a short film before reciting a poem and giving the audience a quiz. He then talked about his books "Part Asian, 100% Hapa" and "Permanence: Tattoo Portraits," which both feature portraits of either Hapa people or people with tattoos and the corresponding statements they give.

He told a touching story about a Holocaust survivor, featured in "Permanence," who shared with Fulbeck pictures of her family members who died in the Holocaust.

Fulbek ended the evening with a video about how a number of "ethnically-ambiguous" Disney characters look like him. It was a lighthearted and humorous way to end a presentation that dealt with some intriguing issues in a way that only the multi-talented Kip Fulbeck could have done.

Fulbeck's books "Part Asian, 100% Hapa" and "Permanence: Tattoo Portraits" are available now, and his new book, "Mixed Kids," which features portraits and statements of mixed-raced children, comes out next month. You can find more on Fulbeck and watch some of his short films at his website, redsushi.com.

"The Conductor" Is Worth Seeing

2010-02-08T03:32:54Z

B Street Theatre's new production, "The Conductor: Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad," is a great experience.

The play, which is part of B Street Theatre's Family Series, made its debut in time for Black History Month. It tells the story of Harriet Tubman as she helps a slave, Jeremiah, escape to freedom in 1850s America. Jerry Montoya authored this B Street Theatre original production.

"The Conductor" was written with children in mind, but that doesn't mean it is dumbed down. Instead, it portrays the struggles of being a slave in a way that is easy to understand and accessible for young viewers but is harrowing and intense enough that the experience is not diminished.

This makes the play engaging for adults as well as children. That the production presents slave life in a family-friendly manner is perhaps its greatest strength, but "The Conductor" has many other qualities.

The actors portray their characters with conviction and emotion. The stage bursts with personality, allowing the audience to invest in the unfolding events. Skyler Cooper, who plays Harriet Tubman, deserves special mention for transforming a meek mother in one scene to a powerful and convincing leader in the next.

The play's target on young viewers does have its faults, though. The plot is fairly simple and the supporting characters are never fully fleshed out. One character in particular has a quick change of heart that might not seem believable. But "The Conductor" is well told and well acted, and is great for the young audience.

Considering that the venue holds only about 150 people, the production values are quite good. The sets are well designed, if a bit sparse, consisting mostly of a few backdrops and a constructed porch. The sound effects are adequate, with ambient noise such as crowd chatter and hooting owls coming through the speakers when appropriate. The technical side of the play always compliments the solid acting, which is the anchor of the play.

"The Conductor: Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad" is moving and powerful, and entertains both children and adults. It's one you'll remember long after you have left the theater.

"The Conductor," B Street Theatre, weekends through March 14, 1 and 4 p.m. Tickets are $15 to $22, available by calling 916-443-5300. B Street Theatre is at 2711 B St.

Global Audience For 'Rent' In Sacramento

2010-02-06T06:49:46Z

With the national tour of the smash Broadway musical Rent making its last stop in Sacramento, fans from all over the world are flocking to Sacramento's Community Center Theater to experience it one last time.

The tour features a multitude of original cast members, including Anthony Rapp and Adam Pascal.

Some fans wait all day for the $23 rush tickets, which go on sale at 6 p.m. the day of the show, and provide the opportunity to see the musical from the first two rows.

Morgan Macri, Beth Furmoff and Kayla Guminiak had been waiting in line together since 9:30 a.m. Friday morning. They were visiting California for the first time, and had paid more than $500 to visit Sacramento and see Rent.

"It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," said Furmoff. The 18 year-old student at Edison State College flew from Fort Myers, Fla., to see the show.

The three friends were enjoying their time in line. They had brought cards, coloring books, textbooks and food. They all became friends through their mutual love of Rent.

"It's the basis of our friendship," said Macri, a 16 year-old who traveled from Seattle to meet her friends.

"It's been our lives for the past few years," Furmoff said. The friends, who called themselves "Rentheads," said the show was amazing and worth the travel and cost.

"I'm not going to be eating for another few weeks," said Guminiak, a 20 year-old journalism student from the University of South Florida. She said she has seen the tour eight times, including shows in Orlando, Miami, Tampa and Chicago.

The three had nothing but good things to say about Rent.

"You could have just failed this big math test, but you turn on Rent and it makes it all OK," said Guminiak.

"Every major experience in my life has been changed by this," Furmoff said.

"It's an experience," Macri said. "There's no words for it."

Their love for the show is shared by fans worldwide.

"I love Rent. It changed my life," said Gabrielle Robinson, a student who traveled from Sydney, Australia, to see the show. Robinson, 24, had been waiting since 9 a.m. and spent more than $1,700 on the trip. She saw the show's San Francisco run in October, but said she was excited to see the show in Sacramento.

"It was the last chance to see this cast," she said. "I had to take the trip."

The first ones in line were also the ones who traveled the farthest. Asako Yoshida, Michiko Komori and Masato Moizumi traveled from Tokyo to see the last run of the show, and had each spent more than $2,200 on the trip. Moizumi had seen the show in San Francisco, and Komori had traveled to New York to see the show there.

"We love it," Yoshida said. "It has a very important message."

While most people waiting in line were not from Sacramento, there were a few locals. Leslie Miller, a sociology major at Sacramento State, said she fell in love with the movie.

"Seeing it live has been really great," she said. "It's a deep show with a powerful story."

Nearly everyone in line planned to come back every day for the show's run, which ends Sunday.

"I recommend it to anybody," said Robinson. "It's very powerful."

Rent is playing at Sacramento's Community Center Theater, and the final performance is Sunday at 8 p.m. The Community Center Theater is at 1301 L St.