Cultural Events Around Town

Hollywood to Dollywood ... to Sacramento!

2011-08-20T16:01:17Z

The Saturday lineup at the 12th annual Sacramento Film & Music Festival includes 28 films spread over 14 hours of programming, the Sacramento Bee Fashion Challenge results, and a live performance by alumni-musician Stephan Nance. The films include a full length musical about a reluctant monster, 16 films from some of the best student filmmakers in the world, and several short films from Sacramento-based filmmakers. And at 7pm, the Festival hosts "Hollywood to Dollywood" and filmmakers Gary and Larry Lane. This is the fourth festival of 21 who currently have scheduled screenings of this highly sought after independent documentary and the brothers are in town for approximately 12 hours before flying on to their next screening, tomorrow in San Diego.

The film documents a journey, both metaphorical and literal, in which the gay twin brothers write a screenplay for their idol Dolly Parton and then drive across country in a rented RV named "Jolene" to deliver the script to Dolly, in person, on the 25th anniversary of the opening of Dollywood. Along the way, they get writing advice from Academy Award winner Dustin Lance Black ("Milk") and actor/producer Chad Allen, share the stories of their lives and the lives of those they encounter on the road, and battle severe weather that threatens the road trip. All in the hope that they can get close enough to Dolly to hand over their work and be noticed by their heroine. The film also includes 17 songs by Dolly Parton herself.

"Hollywood to Dollywood" screens at 7pm at the historic Crest Theatre and will be followed by a Q&A session with the directors and stars of the film, Gary and Larry Lane.

The full Festival schedule can be found here. Passes and tickets for the remainder of the Festival's eight screenings can be purchased online at tickets.com or at the Crest box office.

Disclosure: Tony Sheppard is Co-Director of the Sacramento Film & Music Festival.

Mediation and conflict resolution featured at the Crest Theatre

2011-08-19T19:42:47Z

The third night of the 12 annual Sacramento Film & Music Festival brings a solid lineup of three narrative feature films to the Crest historic main screen. The first of these, "Face to Face," is an Australian drama that can only be seen at film festivals and which isn't even scheduled to open theatrically in Australia until next month.

"Face to Face" is reminiscent of the classic film "12 Angry Men," with the action moved from a jury room to a mediation session. Ten people and a mediator meet to discuss an employment dispute, but it soon becomes apparent that there is far more at stake and more shared history than one young man's rash actions. The screenplay was adapted from a stage play that was originally written based on actual transcripts of mediation sessions and the result is both powerful and genuine in the relationships and interpersonal dynamics in the room.

"Face to Face" is followed by the dark romantic comedy "Stan" and the horror film "The Corridor." The Festival recommends the later films for adult audiences only. Trailers and synopses for all three films can be found by selecting film titles on the Festival's schedule page here.

The Festival continues at the Crest through Sunday.

Disclosure: Tony Sheppard is Co-Director of the Sacramento Film & Music Festival.

"Beautiful Youth" premiere draws a crowd at the Crest

2011-08-19T08:07:20Z

Just a week ago, the Sacramento Press reported on a local documentary about youth homelessness and on Thursday, "Beautiful Youth" screened for a packed house as part of the Sacramento Film & Music Festival SummerFEST. The Festival contacted the filmmakers as a result of that article and, given only a week of lead time, the size of the audience was both noteworthy and a testament to the interest in the topic. The film itself has a running time of 47 minutes and was followed by a Q&A session with filmmakers Jennifer Lystrup and Mackenzie Long which lasted equally long. Even more remarkable, almost the entire audience stayed throughout the post-screening discussion and asked questions of both the directors and several of the individuals who were interviewed during the making of the film.

The Sacramento Film & Music Festival continues through Sunday evening. Friday evening's lineup consists of three narrative feature films: "Face to Face," "Stan," and "The Corridor" at 7pm, 9pm, and 11pm respectively.

The full Festival schedule can be found here.

Disclosure: Tony Sheppard is Co-Director of the Sacramento Film & Music Festival.

French Film Fest Director to be honored as Film & Music Fest Opens Tonight

2011-08-17T18:22:05Z

The 12th annual Sacramento Film and Music Festival opens its SummerFEST program tonight by honoring another long time Festival director. This year's Film Arts Service Award will be presented to Cecile Mouette Downs, director of the Sacramento French Film Festival. Cecille has worked previously for the Film Department of the French Embassy in New York City, and as a Press Officer for the Conseil Supérieur de l'Audiovisuel in Paris. She has a master’s degree in history, is a regular contributor to “France Today” magazine, and was the 2010 recipient of the Arts Executive of the Year Award from the Sacramento Arts & Business Council.

This is the fifth Film Arts Service Award to be presented. The first went to Shawn Sullivan, who teaches animation at Sheldon High School and has a remarkable record of placing students in competitive college and industry positions. Subsequent recipients have included: Bill Bronston, CEO of Tower of Youth which showcases and advocates for youth filmmaking; Ron Cooper, Executive Director of Access Sacramento and the "A Place Called Sacramento" screenwriting competition and filmmaking program; and Sid Garcia-Heberger, Managing Partner of the Crest Theatre, co-founder and co-director of the Sacramento Jewish Film Festival, and a Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commissioner. As last year's recipient of the Award, Sid Garcia-Heberger will present this year's Award to Cecile Mouette Downs.

Additionally, this year's opening night features the runway portion of the Sacramento Bee Fashion Challenge. The Bee partnered with the Festival to give local designers the challenge of creating a red carpet worthy outfit from newspaper and no more than $50 worth of additional materials. Winners will be announced on Saturday, August 20th at 6pm.

Tonight's opening night feature film is a documentary about Japanese-American animator and film director ("When the Wind Blows") Jimmy Murakami, who spent part of his childhood with his family at the Tule Lake internment camp in Northern California. "Jimmy Murakami - Non Alien" shows the continuing effects this experience has had on his life and explains his discomfort in living in America. This film is an interesting counterpart to the final feature documentary that will play on Sunday, August 21st. "Fordson: Faith, Fasting, Football" explores the American Muslim experience, as seen through the eyes of the football team at Fordson High School in Dearborn, Michigan - a public high school that is 98% of Arab descent and overwhelmingly muslim. 2011 is the 70th anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the 10th anniversary of the attacks of 9/11 and these two films remind us of the impacts of how we collectively treat people who look like, but who aren't, our enemies.

The Sacramento Film & Music Festival SummerFEST opens tonight at 6pm, with a reception catered by District 30 and Pizza Rock, and runs through Sunday. 65 films represent 13 countries, including 23 from this year's 10x10 Filmmaker Challenge - in which local filmmakers are given 10 days to make a 10 minute film. The program also includes an exclusive screening of "Beautiful Youth" at 6pm on Thursday, a film about homeless youth in Sacramento and which has been written about previously in the Sacramento Press. The full schedule and more information, including film trailers can be found online at sacfilm.com. All screenings take place at the historic Crest Theatre.

Disclosure: Tony Sheppard is Co-Director of the Sacramento Film & Music Festival.

Sac Film & Music Fest - Programming Notes

2011-08-14T22:28:29Z

Programming a film festival is an odd and varied process. Some events go out and pro-actively seek the best films that they can find, in an extensive search process – and we see this approach in such local great events as the Sacramento Jewish, French, Japanese, and Gay and Lesbian Film Fests. Other events are submission-based: A call for films is distributed, and filmmakers from a given area submit their works in the hopes of making it to the top of the pile. This latter approach, perhaps best exemplified on a grand scale by the Sundance Film Festival, is also used (on a more modest level) by the Sacramento Film & Music Festival and that given area is the entire world.

This year, films were submitted from almost 30 countries and in just about every conceivable format or genre. Which means that picking through them is an interesting task – one moment you’re watching a cute music video featuring animated vegetables and the next, you’re watching a feature length psychological thriller. The goal is to find the best and fit them into an appealing program that audiences will want to see. However, the problem with a submission-based Festival is that you never know what you’re going to get. Last year, for example, we had a full program of animated short films, whereas this year we have only one animated film within a program of student shorts. And films are often grouped more by general category than by subject matter – so you get narrative short films, international short films, etc. – rather than programs defined by comedy, or drama.

So, at the end of the process, it’s interesting when you sometimes find that you’ve chosen films that seem to follow a common theme. This year’s program includes three feature length documentaries, each of which stood out from the crowd and were selected on their own merits. Only later did we realize that they shared the theme of being “different” in America.

The first of these, “Jimmy Murakami – Non-Alien,” recounts one of the worst times to be different in American history. Jimmy Murakami was born in California and probably would have had a fairly ordinary American childhood had he not been Japanese-American and born in 1933. At the age of eight, he was transported with his family to the Tule Lake internment camp, and spent the next four years there, learning to resent his own government. After the war the family moved to Los Angeles and Jimmy eventually went to art school and became an animator, going on to great success in the film industry and directing such films as “The Snowman,” “When the Wind Blows,” and “A Christmas Carol.” But he never felt comfortable in the country that imprisoned him as a child and never fully came to terms with that experience. The film shares his experience, after 40 years of living in Ireland, of his trip back to California and a pilgrimage to Tule Lake.

In “Hollywood to Dollywood,” twin gay brothers from Tennessee escape their childhood home (for all the reasons you might expect) and move to Los Angeles. There, they spend five years writing a screenplay for their idol Dolly Parton – only to head back across country in a rented RV in the hopes of handing that screenplay to Dolly on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of her theme park, Dollywood. The film contains interesting commentary on the process of writing, including contributions from actor Chad Allen and Academy Award winning writer Dustin Lance Black (“Milk”), shares the adventure of the open road, and includes multiple personal stories of exclusion and coming out.

The last of the three, “Fordson: Faith, Fasting, Football,” focuses on a community on the west side of Dearborn, Michigan. Here, after decades of immigration, the local population has changed so much that Fordson High School is now 98% of Arab descent, and overwhelmingly Muslim. But their other defining characteristic is their love of football, with boys following older brothers, fathers and uncles onto the high school squad. The film follows the team over a period of ten days, considering the question of what it means to be Muslim in a post-9/11 America through personal stories, as they prepare for their big cross-town game with Dearborn High. This is complicated by Ramadan, and a month of afternoon practices and evening games following days of fasting.

Each of the three films is a fascinating depiction of a specific experience but, taken as a whole, they are a compelling account of what it means to fit in, or not fit in, in America. They are three out of 42 films, representing 13 countries (we lost half the countries in the selection process), programmed into 13 unique screenings at this summer’s Festival – including locally made short films and student films, and the Festival’s 10x10 Filmmaker Challenge which will include another 25 films (that’s a guess – they haven’t been finished yet…) made in just 10 days, in and around Sacramento.

Each of the 12 screenings costs $10, but you can buy passes (at the Crest Box Office) for all 13 screenings for only $30 if you mention Sacramento Press, or for the low, low price of $20 if you’re a student.

The Sacramento Film & Music Festival continues its 12th season with SummerFEST is at the historic Crest Theatre in downtown Sacramento, from Wednesday, August 17th to Sunday, August 21st. The full schedule, including trailers for all three films described here, can be found at www.sacfilm.com and you can follow further developments at facebook.com/sacfilm.

Disclosure: Tony Sheppard is Co-Director of the Sacramento Film & Music Festival.

They're Playing Our Song

2011-03-18T21:19:53Z

Currently in its second weekend (of four), New Helvetia Theatre’s production of “They’re Playing Our Song” is another winner from the young company. Founded two years ago, NHT has received high praise for productions that have included “Hedwig and the Angry Inch,” “tick…tick…BOOM!” and “[title of show].”

“They’re Playing Our Song” should appeal to fans of both musicals and plays, as a musical that probably has more distinctive dialog than production numbers. It’s not that the songs are weak, it’s just that the rest of the material comes from the pen of Neil Simon, and so it has that tone that makes it somewhat like watching a Woody Allen movie with musical interludes.

The songs themselves are particularly interesting in the context of the show, in that they are co-written by Carole Bayer Sager (lyrics) and Marvin Hamlisch (music) who are also the inspiration for the story which is based on their 1970’s romance. In it, Vernon and Sonia are a composer and lyricist respectively, who meet to collaborate as songwriters. However, they are both somewhat sensitive and perhaps a little high maintenance, while also being both critical and defensive. Continuing the Woody Allen comparison, it’s like a working relationship and budding romance in which Woody Allen meets his gender-opposite counterpart. In other words, it’s funny.

“They’re Playing Our Song” unites two NHT “veterans” Nanci Zoppi and Jerry Lee as the leads, each of whom are well suited to the roles. And the character’s similar temperaments are also reflected in their respective three-member greek choruses that act like combination muses and personal backup singers (and who very efficiently become the stage crew between scenes). The set is simple but effective, with crowded shelving units creating a sense of divided spaces and also semi-shielding the full band that accompanies the show, and two of the hardest working folding chairs in theater.

Direction is by NHT Founder and Artistic Director Connor Mickiewicz, musical direction by local cabaret mogul Graham Sobelman, choreography by Kiera Anderson, stage management by Caitlin Sapunor-Davis, and collateral material design (poster, tickets) by Paul Le. Additional cast members, familiar to local cabaret and theater fans, are Rosemary Babich, Joseph Boyette, Rebecca Mason, T. Patrick Van, Hilary Wells, and Mike Yee.

“They’re Playing Our Song” continues with shows Thursdays-Saturdays through April 2nd – with an 8pm show each day and an additional 2pm show each Saturday (with the exception of theSaturday, March 19th matinee which starts at 1pm). All shows are at the neat Artisan Building at 1901 Del Paso Blvd, and tickets are available through brownpapertickets.com.

More information at www.newhelvetia.org

Tickets at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/153042

Note: The show photographs were taken, with permission, during the dress rehearsal - some set and/or costume details may have changed.

Joan Rivers at the Crest Theatre - Slideshow

2011-03-14T08:13:30Z

Sac Film & Music Fest: New dates and a new "Pitch Sacramento" competition

2010-10-21T09:02:55Z

Sacramento Film & Music Festival
New dates and “Pitch Sacramento” filmmaking competition for 2011

For the past 11 years, the Sacramento Film & Music Festival has screened the best indie films from around the country and the world. And for the past 7 years, it has established a reputation for local filmmaking competitions, with approx. 150 music videos made for the Sac Music Seen program and 100 short films made for the 10x10 Filmmaker Challenge.

For 2011, the Festival is making two major changes: A split into two separate seasonal events and a new competition for local filmmakers.
Rather than continue as a 10-day Summer Festival, the 12th year for the Sacramento Film & Music Festival will be presented as a shorter “Winterfest” in January and a complementary “Summerfest” in August. This better serves audiences and filmmakers by avoiding the daunting 10-day schedule and continues to provide the programming opportunities for the same quantity of exceptional films, including the popular student film category, with continuing sponsorship from Sony Creative Software. The dates for the first Winterfest program are January 15th-17th, 2011 at the historic Crest Theatre in downtown Sacramento.

The 10x10 Filmmaker Challenge will continue as a Summer program at the Summerfest, and Sac Music Seen will be join the Winterfest program in 2012. But for Winterfest 2011, a special filmmaking competition “Pitch Sacramento” will help promote Sacramento as a filmmaking community and destination.

During Mayor Johnson’s Arts Initiative discussions, a recurring theme emerged in the need to spread the word about Sacramento as a great place to both shoot films and to be a part of the thriving film, video, and television arts community. With that in mind, the Sacramento Film & Music Festival is calling for short films of no more than five minutes that promote that message for its “Pitch Sacramento” competition. It is expected that these will be of an informative and factual nature, expounding on the locations, resources, cast and crew talent, and opportunities that Sacramento has to offer filmmakers.

Completed films will be accepted through December 31st on miniDV or DVD (two copies: both a data disc and a playable disc) with alternate formats to be approved in advance with the Festival directors. Cash prizes will be awarded to at least the top two films, with a prize of at least $500 being given to the first place winner. Cash prizes funding has generously be provided by the Capital Film Arts Alliance and the Crest Theatre. If more funding is forthcoming, the cash prize pool will be increased. Completed films will be screened during the 2011 Winterfest (if more than 24 completed films are submitted, the festival directors reserve the right to screen only the best 24 entries). There are neither submission fees nor complimentary tickets associated with submitted films for this competition.

Contacts:
For alternate formatting and submission questions: Festival Co-Director Nathan Schemel – nschemel@aol.com
For other questions: Festival Co-Director Tony Sheppard – tony@csus.edu

Completed films must be accompanied by the following information:
Name of primary contact person;
Contact information to include phone and email contacts;
Title of project;
Total running time (not to exceed 5 minutes);
A short statement from the film’s primary producer stating that the film does not contain any offensive or legally protected content;
A short statement granting permission to the Festival to screen the film.
Completed films should include a single credit at the end (in addition to any other credits) that states “Produced for the Sacramento Film & Music Festival’s Pitch Sacramento Program.”

Films should be sent to:
Sacramento Film and Music Festival
10445 Ambassador Dr.
Rancho Cordova, CA 95670

Sleepaway Camp: The Musical

2010-09-09T20:45:16Z

Sleepaway Camp: The Musical

Amongst Sacramento’s varied, thriving, and disparate art scenes are large and passionate audiences for both live theater and the trashiest of trash films. Finally, those two audiences can co-exist, and pairs of significant others with significantly different tastes can find a mutually satisfactory outlet in Sleepaway Camp: The Musical.

Officially entry #62 (or rather LXII) in the hit midtown cabaret series Graham-A-Rama, this is a new and original musical adaptation for the stage of the campy and bloody 1983 film that spawned five sequels, Sleepaway Camp. I had the opportunity to sit in on one of the final rehearsals (OMG: ROTFLMAO!) and to bounce a few impromptu questions off the exhaustedly dazed and confused (another potential musical?) creative team: Rob Bean, Freddy Molitch and Andrew Heringer (the twisted trio who adapted and musicalized Robert Hiltzik’s original film screenplay), and Graham Sobelman (producer, music director, and the Graham of the fabulously narcissistically titled Graham-A-Rama).

Q: How did all this start – Why Sleepaway Camp?

Freddy:
The whole Sleepaway thing started really when Rob, Andrew and I were on the staff at a summer camp together. Out of the three of us I am the biggest horror movie fan, so every year I would bring weird movies for the staff to watch after the campers had gone to sleep. Sleepaway Camp has always been one of my favorite movies so I couldn't wait to show it to them AT a summer camp. I brought it back to camp every summer to watch and pretty early on I was trying to convince Rob and Andrew that it would make an incredible musical. One night they jokingly started to riff on a love song sung to the main character Angela and it snowballed into a really great song. We tidied it up a bit and it was that moment that really convinced all of us that it could actually be done.

Watching Sleepaway Camp I always felt that it had such rich and bizarre subtext which made it into almost a Greek-level tragedy if you actually focus on why these characters do what they do. At first glance it seems like some of the actions in the movie are unexplainable but once you dig deep into the story you see that these people have twisted and passionate reasons for falling in love, killing or just acting almost cartoonish.

Rob (clarifying the timeline):
Freddy and I starting creating theatre pieces together in 1997 when we met in college in Seattle (Cornish College of the Arts). In 1999 we met Andrew because he was one of our students at a fine arts camp in El Dorado County, where Freddy and I were teaching theatre.... Andrew started teaching with us in 2002 and we've been a team ever since.

Andrew:
Freddy brought the film version of Sleepaway Camp one year for a group of to watch as it really is one of his favorite movies ever. Definitely a "so bad its good" type of movie. At some point we started joking about the concept of Sleepaway Camp as a musical - with absolutely no intention of making a full length musical. I remember grabbing my guitar and playing with the song that is now "Angela" coming up with ridiculous lyrics which slowly morphed into real lyrics that we actually enjoyed which in turn morphed into us writing more and more songs.

Q: What were each of your roles in as the project developed?

Freddy:
During work on the piece Rob was getting his Master's Degree in Theatre Management, so he started to work more on the business side of the production, I took a little more of the text and Andrew was our musical genius, though we all worked in little was on every aspect of it. Fairly early on Rob contacted the original writer/director of the movie Robert Hiltzik and he seems very excited and supportive about a musical based on his work.

Rob and I had gone to Cornish College of the Arts together, both studying Directing and Playwriting and at one point Andrew was one of our theatre students at summer camp. Those two are more fans of musicals where I am more the horror movie guy so we really worked toward a balance to please fans of either genre. For a while, teaching at camp was one of the only times that we could get together and work on Sleepaway Camp since I live in Seattle, Rob was working and going to school in Oregon and Andrew was going to college in California. But as the project got bigger and we got more excited about it, we would take retreats together to work on it throughout the year, usually in Lake Tahoe.

Andrew:
Rob brought Freddy down to teach at Sugarloaf and once I started working there we all hit it off really well. The idea of Sleepaway Camp as a musical is ironic to me as we all met teaching at a summer camp. The style of the songwriting reflects that folky, campfire feel. When writing the songs - we would usually watch the movie and pinpoint some ridiculous aspect of a certain character and try to play off that. We were all a part of the lyric writing.

Over the course of the last 6 years the show has been written with us living in three different states. This piece was written with all of us collaborating for a couple days at a time whenever we could find the time in Seattle, Eugene and Tahoe. The distance has been our biggest obstacle in getting the show finished and produced.

We owe a lot to Graham Sobelman for taking the initiative to help us get the first reading off the ground. He and I have been meeting for the last couple of months to write out the music for the cast and the band. He was instrumental in getting together this great cast and band for the reading.

Graham:
Andrew played me some demos of the songs from their musical one of the first times we hung out. I immediately loved the humor infused with more folky music. I absolutely loved the movie and was very excited when he told me they had musicalized it. When I found out the script was all written and he had demos of all these songs, I thought it would be a great idea to do a reading of the show. I loved how the musical stayed true to all the important elements of the movie, but capitalized on some perfect moments to create songs out of (sometimes bizarre) dialogue. The show is so fun, I can't imagine it won't go on to have a fully staged production in the near future. The music has to be some of the most clever of recent years. Sacramento will be the first audience to hear any of it!

Graham-A-Rama has been such a wonderful space to experiment with new material, I thought it would be perfectly appropriate to do a reading of Sleepaway Camp in lieu of one of the more typical shows. People already know (and love) Andrew's music, so having this event a week after his Andrew Heringer Band CD release is like finding out there's a whole separate bonus cd with all new songs on it! Luckily, I was able to utilize some of the Graham-A-Rama regulars and also find a couple newcomers to put on the reading.

Q: (To Freddy and Rob) What do each of you do when not setting bloody stabbings to music?

Freddy:
When I'm back in Seattle I act a little but my main job is being a DJ in Seattle nightclubs.

Rob:
I'm the Audience Services Manager for Cal Performances, running things like the Greek Theater, Zellerbach Hall and alike on UC Berkeley's campus.

Q: (To Graham) What else can we expect from Graham-A-Rama in the near future?

Graham:
Graham-A-Rama returns in October with some more "traditional" Graham-A-Rama fare: We will have a lesbian-themed night, a night for the cast of [title of show]* and a special Halloween show! Also, shows starring performers from LA and SF. And hopefully Graham-A-Rama will be returning to NY to do a show in late fall, early spring.

Photos:
Opportunistic low quality iPhone4 photos by Tony Sheppard :
1) The creative team of Heringer, Sobelman, Bean and Molitch pose gratuitously for an entirely inauthentic working shot
2) The Sleepaway Camp uniform t-shirt, modeled by Andrew Heringer

Other really important stuff:
Sleepaway Camp: The Musical is playing at the Geery Theater, on the corner of 22nd and L Streets.

Thursday, September 9th: 7:30pm
Friday, September 10th: 8:00pm
Sunday, September 12th: 7:00pm & 9:00pm (the regular Graham-A-Rama Sunday showtimes)

Tickets are available online here: Sacramento Press readers can use the code "murder" to get tickets discounted at $9.99 (regular price $15).

Notes:
This is a “reading” and not a fully staged show.
*[title of show] is, in fact, the title of the Fall production of New Helvetia Theatre

For more information:
www.grahamarama.com
www.andrewheringer.com
andrewheringer.bandcamp.com (for a download of “Under California Skies” – the new Andrew Heringer Band album)
www.newhelvetia.org (for information on the upcoming production of [title of show])
www.brownpapertickets.com (for all Graham-A-Rama and New Helvetia Theatre show tickets)
Sleepaway Camp: The Musical tickets (direct link)
[title of show] tickets (direct link)

Full disclosure:
The author is the regular photographer for Graham-A-Rama, a donor/producer of “Under California Skies” by the Andrew Heringer Band, a founding donor of New Helvetia Theatre, a veteran ex-employee of the children’s residential summer camping industry (11 years), and a local film festival director and film writer – and therefore the key demographic for Sleepaway Camp: The Musical.

Smashing Pumpkins at the Crest Theatre: Photo Album

2010-09-07T08:28:54Z

Photos by Tony Sheppard

Smashing Pumpkins
Crest Theatre
September 6, 2010

Arts/Downtown Champion to Receive Service Award at Sac Film & Music Festival

2010-07-23T01:08:54Z

There are few people in this town who have consistently done as much to promote film, music, arts and Downtown Sacramento as Sid Heberger, managing partner of the Crest Theatre. Now, after years producing, hosting and promoting multiple film festivals, she is receiving the 4th Annual Film Arts Service Award during the opening ceremonies for the 11th Annual Sacramento Film & Music Festival.

From the Festival Program:

Sid grew up in Sutter Creek developing an early love for film and historic architecture. She moved to Sacramento to attend college and in 1986 became involved in the re-opening of the historic Crest Theatre, leading to a management position two years later. Now CEO of the Crest’s operating company, Sid has overseen multiple renovations of both the marquee and the interior, including selection of historically authentic materials and design components. Sid has produced multiple classic film events, Trash Film Orgy, I Can’t Believe It’s Not Comedy, and the All-Sketch Festival. She co-directs the Jewish Film Festival, hosts and supports multiple other film festivals, serves on the board of the Downtown Sacramento Partnership, served on the Mayor’s Arts Initiative Film Committee, and is a Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commissioner. She lives in Land Park with her husband Bill, son Nicolas, and Lhasa-Poo Dusty.

"Our Festival and many others would suffer without the Crest as the perfect downtown venue and Sid is a friend, a supporter, a sponsor, and an amazing resource for an arts organization such as ours" said Festival Founder and Co-Director Nathan Schemel.

Past Film Arts Service Awards recipients include Shawn Sullivan who has a remarkable track record teaching animation at Sheldon High School and watching his students go on to great success at companies such as Pixar, Bill Bronstein who has directed the Tower of Youth film festival for many years and championed the cause of youth filmmakers, and Ron Cooper, Executive Director of Access Sacramento and the force behind 11 years of their "A Place Called Sacramento" screenwriting and filmmaking program.

In a small-world connection, Shawn Sullivan is also credited as a mentor in the success of local performance artist David Garibaldi, who will be performing at this year's Festival on Thursday, July 29th, following a premiere screening of "Walking Dreams," a new documentary about his work. A charity auction of David's work follows the performance and benefits the Friends of the Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission and the Festival.

The Festival opens with a reception catered by Festival Sponsor Rubios at 7pm tomorrow (Friday, July 23rd). The opening remarks and Award presentation are at 8:00pm followed by a screening of the documentary "Official Rejection" about the trials and tribulations of getting an independent film into film festivals. The screening is followed by an after-party at Festival Sponsor Cosmo Cafe.

Full Festival information and ticketing links can be found at www.sacfilm.com/schedule.html.

All-Screening Passes are $60 at the Crest Box Office (a 50% savings over those bought online) or $30 for students. Most individual screening tickets are $10. Opening night tickets that include both parties, the award presentation, and the movie are $15.

Photos:

1) Sid Heberger, recipient of the 2010 Film Arts Service Award

2) Festival mini-poster

3) David Garibaldi, who performs live on July 29th at the Crest Theatre

Disclaimer: Tony Sheppard is Co-Director of the 11th Annual Sacramento Film & Music Festival

Got plans tonight? Unique theater opportunity!

2010-03-01T21:32:18Z

Image 1: Composer John Bucchino works with actor Nanci Zoppi and Musical Director Graham Sobelman at the It's Only Life masterclass

Image 2: John Bucchino explains his process of writing and composing during the It's Only Life masterclass

Image 3: New Helvetia Founder and Artistic Director Connor Mickiewicz sings "Playbill", accompanied by composer John Bucchino at the It's Only Life masterclass

It's Only Life

After an amazing first year, which included the critically praised productions of Hedwig and the Angry Inch and also Tick, Tick...BOOM (so good they had to bring it back), New Helvetia Theater hosts a unique musical event tonight at the Crest Theatre.

Tonight's one-night performance of It's Only Life not only reunites some of the fledgling theater company's most admired performers (plus some great newcomers to the New Helvetia stage) but teams them with the work's composer/lyricist John Bucchino at the piano.

John came to Sacramento for this unique performance and has been working with the cast in preparation for the show. I had the privilege on Friday to watch them interact in a masterclass setting and it just made me even more eager to see the show. There's something special about watching actors interpret a song and then hear directly from the writer what motivated the song and lyrics: It's a transformative experience, both literally and figuratively, as the song is then re-interpreted and brought to life with a new level of emotional investment and authenticity.

It's Only life is tonight at the Crest Theater at 7pm, followed by an after-party around the corner at Parlare Eurolounge.

For more information:

www.newhelvetia.org
www.thecrest.com
www.johnbucchino.com

Interview: Ian Shive, Conservation Photographer

2009-11-05T05:56:04Z

Photos: 1) Ian Shive at work; 2) Sequoia National Park; 3) Yellowstone National Park

Interview by Tony Sheppard
Originally published in Capitol Weekly

Ian Shive, the photographer behind the new pictorial book "The National Parks: Our American Landscape" recently spent a day in Sacramento, visiting a management class in the Recreation, Parks and Tourism Administration program at Sac State. I asked him a few questions about his work and the value of parks in our lives:

Photography as a living is new to you – before it was more like a cell phone plan: Unlimited nights and weekends.

Very true [laughs].

What were you doing before and how did you get into this?

I was working as a publicist for Columbia Pictures, marketing mainstream films. I worked on at least 60 films for them. I worked on the “Spiderman” franchise. We broke some new ground. It was a time when grassroots marketing really became a critical part of that type of film. Photography for me was kind of a passion but never to the point where it is today. It was something that I enjoyed, it was something that gave me a creative outlet in an environment that was creative marketing, but not the same as creating something from scratch. As I entered into the world and made my photographs visible for people in the professional community I got a lot of response and that encouraged me to then do more of that and get more of a response and see how far I could take it.

In the world of photography, which could take you anywhere, why the National Parks?

They were the obvious place to go when I was a corporate, drone. I was looking for a much better word. They’re the obvious place to go because you know you don’t have the time to explore the entire coast of California and sure it’s beautiful but you have to go down to every beach and I had Saturday and Sunday. So the obvious choices were to go to Sequoia and to Yosemite, the places where you knew you could go into and you would at least have some great options in a very short period of time.

The other thing I have to say is that National Parks are crown jewels of what we have in wilderness. They are the best, they are the true icons of American culture. Also knowing that they’re so vast that the roads only cover a small part of it that there would still be room for exploration as well, that there would be a theme I could develop on.

You’ve described the National Parks essentially as islands of conservation in, presumably, oceans of disregard. What do you mean by that and how do we change our mindset?

Well, we have borders. National Parks have borders. They end, they have communities that build up around them, they have laws that only protect things up to that line. A good example is the Channel Islands in California. The marine sanctuary itself is just this little square and if you go on the edge of that square you can fish. What you see is boatloads on the edge fishing, right where the line ends.

Wildlife doesn’t understand what that means. How do you manage that, how do you effectively manage something when it’s the size of a tennis court? And that’s a sanctuary? For what?

And that’s always been a confusing thing to me and so I try and push an agenda that you can’t fence certain things in and they don’t work well if you do. I think a lot of biology and a lot of studies have proven that effective environment management has come in corridors.

You’ve called yourself a conservation photographer, rather than a nature photographer – how do you make that distinction?

Very simple. I feel the nature photographer does exactly what I do in the sense of photographing a beautiful landscape or wildlife or something like that. A conservation photographer takes those images and becomes an advocate for whatever they’re photographing. It’s advocacy that makes the difference – not just shooting something but working to protect it. The longer you spend in a place like Yosemite or anywhere wilderness…you realize that you’ve been borrowing from it: Maybe it’s solitude, maybe it’s a portfolio of images, maybe it’s “Grizzly Automotive” – you’re always borrowing from it but you’re never giving back.

When I was photographing in Henry Coe and a lot of other [California] State Parks, I had no idea that this issue would be happening – underfunding or cutting or closing them completely.

So what do you tell Californians now, who are watching this portfolio of extraordinary places at risk of neglect and underfunding?

We’ve got to fight it. We’ve got to find a way to fund it, find a way to fight it, and find a way to preserve it. I think the State parks are no less important than our National Parks. They’re not just about environment, they’re about culture, they affect people. The National Parks contribute $10 billion a year to their local economies. I believe State Parks have a major contribution in a similar way. I think the public needs to become stewards of these places and make sure they’re run properly. If we all contribute as a community because they’re for the community, then I think we’ll actually find some solutions that work and we can continue having these places.

New Helvetia Theatre's "Tick, Tick...BOOM" - Preview, interviews, and photos.

2009-10-20T05:35:31Z

Rehearsal photos by Paul Le and Tony Sheppard – taken at the Artisan, 1901 Del Paso Blvd.

“Tick, Tick…BOOM”
Book, Music, and Lyrics: Jonathan Larson
Script Consultant: David Auburn
Directed by Connor Mickiewicz and Erin island

New Helvetia Theatre officially opens its second full production on Saturday, with previews starting Wednesday, of “Tick, Tick…BOOM.” The show is by Jonathan Larson, who won three posthumous Tony awards and a Pulitzer for “RENT.” I had the opportunity to sit in on a recent rehearsal and it literally had me both laughing and crying uncontrollably (not at the same time).

The timing was also interesting after the recent movie release of Jane Campion’s beautiful “Bright Star,” a film account of the end of the life of the poet John Keats. “Tick, Tick…BOOM” chronicles a period in Larson’s life when he was struggling with little recognition, unsure of his future, just as Keats died prior to his work receiving the acclaim that was later associated with it. Ultimately, Larson died before the first full production of “RENT” and its success has rekindled interest in his other works.

“Tick, Tick…BOOM” stars Tristan Rumery, Nanci Zoppi, and New Helvetia’s Founder and Artistic Director Connor Mickiewicz, who also co-directed the show with Erin Island. Between numbers, I bounced a few questions off Connor, his deserves-to-be-proud mother Erin Mickiewicz, and Music Director and destined-to-be-legendary cabaret impresario Graham Sobelman.

Connor Mickiewicz:

SacPress: “RENT” has become well known through multiple productions from Broadway to High Schools, as well as a film adaptation, but “Tick, Tick…BOOM” is less familiar to most people. Can you explain a little about the show and where it fit in Jonathan Larson’s career?
Connor: He had started developing it before “RENT” and with the success of “RENT” and his subsequent passing – there’s this voyeuristic sentiment that drives through it. This musical could not exist without the success of “RENT” and I think if it had been the other way around and this musical had been produced before “RENT” it would have been a lovely, moving show but I think part of the reason that people are interested in seeing this show is knowing the story of Jonathan Larson and what happened with “RENT” – which is still playing in San Francisco and around the country.

SacPress: So what made “Tick, Tick…BOOM” a good choice for New Helvetia’s second full production?
Connor: One that it’s a three person rock musical – and a Sacramento premiere, which lives up to our mission. And it’s accessible for younger audiences as well as more mature audiences.

SacPress: And part of your mission is to produce shows that are less well known – and this would fit that bill.
Connor: This would fit that bill, definitely.

SacPress: You produced the extremely well reviewed “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” earlier this year, and you got to sit up in the booth and watch every performance, but you are producing, co-directing with Erin Island, and also acting in “Tick, Tick…BOOM” – how has the multitasking experience been different?
Connor: It’s completely different and I was so nervous going into it and just working on the show with Erin and Caitlin [Caitlin Sapunor-Davis], the stage manager, we knew from the beginning that the piece was going to have to be more collaborative because I was going to on stage. So it was almost more like a scene study and the actors, Nanci and Tristan, could suggest something – or if something was not right we would get together rather than them being on the outside. That has made…the show that I had in my mind three months ago is not the same show that we have today and we’re all the better for it. So it’s been stressful but also more rewarding.

SacPress: “Hedwig” may well have been the best reviewed show in town – I don’t think I saw anything that was less than the highest possible rating or commentary. Does that make coming out of the gate the second time easier or does that make it harder?
Connor: For a minute I thought that it was going to be harder – but in the end, the respect that the audience has now for the company from “Hedwig” and from “Celebration” [an earlier one-night, semi-staged production and fundraiser] - that’s what I’m interested in, watching the audience grow and develop. I stopped thinking what the critics are going to say about this production – I don’t know if they could have…or if they can top “Hedwig.” If they do, that’s amazing for us but I’m more interested from this point on in just growing the audience and growing the audience’s trust in the company, more than the critics at this point.

Erin Mickiewicz:

SacPress: What and when was Connor’s first foray into theater?
Erin: I love this story: He played competitive soccer for a number of years and when he was 12, he had to try out every year and he didn’t make and we got the news in the mail and he was devastated. So Kiera [Kiera O'Neil], his older sister, said I’m doing “Music Man” why don’t you do [that] – it’s a children’s theater company. So he did it and that was it, he just fell in love with it.

SacPress: This is a silly question that occurred to me – kids transition from being child actors with varying degree of success, or not. How is the transition for the stage mom – do stage moms ever “grow up” or is it much the same, albeit with less carpooling?
Erin: That’s such a good question [laughs]. Because I was involved before Connor was involved with Kiera mainly and then I was the Director of the Arts of St. Francis High School, so even when my kids weren’t involved I’ve stayed involved. So I have a passion for it myself. It’s a fine line though when to back off and with Connor going professional, with his own company, the whole family has been involved - but we still respect the fact that he has to make decisions that we need to stay out of.

SacPress: With Connor as a fifth generation Sacramentan, what does this mean to you and the family to see him doing this here?
Erin: In Sacramento? Oh, I just love it. Selfishly I love him being back from New York – I love that my other son’s here and he can be part of it – he’s a total jock but he really loves his brother. I think it’s fun for us because we didn’t get to see much of him in New York and I think this is really his calling. He’s always an actor first to me but I really do think he can pull this off.

Graham Sobelman:

SacPress: Your main project for most of the last year has been the cult hit midtown cabaret Graham-A-Rama. That’s on hiatus for a couple of weeks for “Tick, Tick…BOOM” so does this feel like a vacation or like work?
Graham: Work - but I love my job so…. [smiles].

SacPress: You work with a lot of the same people in multiple projects….
Graham: That’s why it doesn’t feel like…well, it’s a job but it’s also hanging out with my friends.

SacPress: How do you balance multiple projects in production and development?
Graham: A very detailed calendar and very little sleep!

The last few questions with Graham were squeezed into an extremely short break in the rehearsal, with about one minute to talk and we were walking back into the theater by the end of the third answer, but they still illustrate one of the secrets to the success of these productions: Not only is this a very talented group of individuals who have the skills and vision to pull these things off with great success, but they are doing what they love with people they love. Not all of us have the opportunity or benefit of a workplace environment like that, but at least we can witness it in action – and it certainly shows in their work.

“Tick, Tick…BOOM”
October 21- November 14
Performance Times:
Thursdays and Fridays at 8 pm, Saturdays at 2 pm and 8 pm
All performances at the Artisan, 1901 Del Paso Blvd., Sacramento, CA 95815
Gallery and café open 1 hour prior to show

Associated links for more information:
New Helvetia Theatre: www.newhelvetia.org
Paul Le’s photography and design: www.paperwhitedesigns.daportfolio.com
Graham-A-Rama cabaret: www.grahamarama.com

Review: Hedwig and the Angry Inch

2009-06-19T21:08:17Z

Hedwig and the Angry Inch
New Helvetia Theatre

By Tony Sheppard
Capitol Weekly

This column normally focuses on film, but occasionally something else comes along that warrants attention. “Hedwig and the Angry Inch,” the first full production of the New Helvetia Theatre, is one of those. Familiar to many from the film adaptation or prior stage productions, “Hedwig” tells the story of a transgendered East German who undergoes a botched sex change operation in a bid to emigrate to America. That brief description alone makes it clear that it’s not material that would appeal to all audiences, and it’s certainly not a show for most kids. But this is a phenomenal production of a heartfelt and inherently comedic story of love, loss, and identity.

I am predisposed to think of the character of Hedwig with hair that is as large as her ego. Production stills caused me a slight concern, as this incarnation of the “internationally ignored song stylist” is somewhat toned down in her coiffure. However, the artistic interpretation of both the costumes and sets works wonderfully, with many of the more elaborate set pieces depicted via multiple video screens that are seamlessly incorporated into the performance. With the added involvement of a live video feed we don’t only see Hedwig thrust her head into her mother’s oven, for example, but we can inhabit that small space with her. It’s really an extraordinary confluence of media in a versatile set that might be described as industrial-lite.

Both Christopher Davis Carlisle and Nanci Zoppi seem perfectly cast as Hedwig and Yitzhak, her at times questionably significant other. Their voices are a great match both for the material and for each other. Hedwig’s house band, The Angry Inch, is played by The New Humans. I’ve heard it said that The New Humans’ typical musical style is quite different from the guitar-heavy playing of The Angry Inch. If that’s the case, then they are a truly versatile and talented foursome because they join Carlisle and Zoppi in nailing their respective roles.

Directed by Matthew Schneider, and under the creative oversight of New Helvetia’s Founder and Artistic Director Connor Mickiewicz, “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” is an exciting and auspicious start for the fledgling theater company. Frankly, their biggest challenge at this point is that they’ve given themselves a tough act to follow.

“Hedwig and the Angry Inch” continues through June 27th at the Artisan, 1901 Del Paso Boulevard, with Thursday performances at 8pm and Friday/Saturday performances at 7pm and 9pm. More details and ticket information can be found at NewHelvetia.org – all seats are $25.

Special Film & Music Event: "Anvil! The Story of Anvil"

2009-05-01T06:33:50Z

Anvil! The Story of Anvil
A film by Sacha Gervasi

The Crest Theatre and the Sacramento Film and Music Festival co-present "Anvil! The Story of Anvil" - opening at the Crest on Friday, May 1st. The band will make live appearances at the 5:40pm and 8:00pm screenings on Monday, May 4th. Movie review megasite rottentomatoes.com lists "Anvil!" with a 98% positive rating (86 positive reviews out of 88) and 100% from the top critics (23 out of 23).

Owen Glieberman of Entertainment Weekly said "It's a hilarious, and unexpectedly moving, documentary about the greatest metal band you've probably never heard of."

The following synopsis appeared in the Sundance Film Festival Catalog:

At 14, Toronto school friends Steve "Lips" Kudlow and Robb Reiner made a pact to rock together forever. They meant it.

Their band, Anvil, went on to become the "demigods of Canadian metal," releasing one of the heaviest albums in metal history, 1982's Metal on Metal. The album influenced a musical generation, including Metallica, Slayer, and Anthrax, that went on to sell millions of records. But Anvil's career took a different path - straight to obscurity.

Director Sacha Gervasi has concocted a wonderful and often hilarious account of Anvil's last-ditch quest for elusive fame and fortune. His ingenious filmmaking may first lead you to think this a mockumentary, but it isn't. Gervasi joined the legendary heavy-metal band as a roadie for a tour of Canadian hockey arenas, so he has intimate insight into the members' eccentricities. It's fascinating to see the reality of their day-to-day lives as they struggle to make ends meet, take a misguided European tour, and engage in antics on the road - which is not always lined with fans. Gervasi even finds a softer center to this raucous film, introducing us to band members' ever-supportive, but long-suffering, families.

At its core, "Anvil! The Story of Anvil" is a timeless tale of survival and the unadulterated passion it takes to follow your dream, year after year. Anvil rocks - it has no other choice." John Cooper

Director Sacha Gervasi has a pretty interesting backstory of his own. He first saw the band as a schoolboy, at the Marquee Club on London’s Wardour Street in late 1982. Sounding much like the autobiographical story told by Cameron Crowe in “Almost Famous,” at the tender age of 16 and after telling his mother he was spending the summer with his father in New York, Gervasi went on a tour of Canadian hockey arenas with the band.

After graduating from college, Gervasi co-founded a band in England prior to leaving due to his assessment that the band was “talentless and going nowhere.” The band, Bush, has sold over 10 million records in the US.

He paid his way through UCLA Film School’s graduate screenwriting program, writing for assorted publications, and co-wrote “The Big Tease” with Craig Ferguson. He turned down a request from Warners to adapt the first Harry Potter book because of its “complete lack of commerciality.” He later co-wrote both the story and the screenplay for “The Terminal” (Tom Hanks, 2004).

"Anvil! The Story of Anvil" includes appearance by: Lars Ulrich (Metallica), Lemmy (Motorhead), Scott Ian (Anthrax), Slash (Guns N’ Roses/Velvet Revolver), Tom Araya (Slayer).

Visit www.thecrest.com for screening times and ticket information.

Full disclosure: Tony Sheppard is co-director of the Sacramento Film and Music Festival.

Sac Film & Music Fest: Sac Music Seen "Listening Party"

2009-04-17T23:39:42Z

The Sacramento Film & Music Festival is in its 10th season this year, and it's the 6th season for the innovative Sac Music Seen program which matches local bands/musicians and local filmmakers to make original music videos. In the past 5 years, approximately 115 music videos have been produced and screened at the Crest Theatre as part of the Festival's regular programming, making it one of the region's largest, collaborative arts programs, counting musicians, filmmakers, actors, crew, etc.

As a part of that process, each year, the Festival hosts a "Listening Party" for interested filmmakers to listen to music that has been submitted for consideration. This year approximately 25 bands have submitted music (some songs are still being submitted!) and that music will be played tomorrow, Saturday, April 18th at 1pm at the Art Institute of Sacramento, 2850 Gateway Oaks Drive, Sacramento CA (off I-5 & West El Camino).

Making a music video is a great way to either start out in fimmaking (because the soundtrack is already done!) or develop skills and production techniques if you are already an experienced filmmaker. If you'd like to be a part of this years program, or just help out another team of filmmakers, check out tomorrow's event.

For more information on the Festival, including deadlines and instructions for feature and short film submissions, visit www.sacfilm.com

(Disclosure: Tony Sheppard is a Co-Director of the Sacramento Film and Music Festival.)

Graham-A-Rama cabaret sells out - in a good way!

2009-03-13T06:08:09Z

After only six weeks of shows, the Sundays-only Graham-A-Rama cabaret series at the Geery Theater performed for a full house last week. Here are a few photo highlights from the show....

The pre-show crowd waits to be allowed in:

The crowded Geery Theater:

Graham-A-Rama VI leads Kevin Caravalho and Joelle Wirth (with drummer Alfonso Portela in the background):

From the back of the house:

Caravalho (right), Wirth (center) and impresario Graham Sobelman (left):

Graham-A-Rama VII "We're Seriously Irish" plays Sunday March 15th at 7pm and 9pm at the Geery Theater, at 22nd and L Streets. For an earlier Sacramento Press interview with Sobelman, including reservation information, visit: INTERVIEW

Special Comedy Festival Discount for SacPress "Coolkids"!

2009-02-27T01:35:24Z

So it's opening night tonight for the 2nd Annual Sacramento All Sketch Comedy Festival and in recognition of the high number of artists and creative folks who read the Sacramento Press, I'm passing along an insider tip that's good for the opening night show only....

From Directors Sid and Keith: ...since tonight's show features our local comedy performers we wanted to let our local arts community and friends of our local arts community get into the show. We know artists (and friends of artists) don't have any money. :D

So, here is a way for you to come see the show and have big fun on the cheap!
You can get tickets for only $5. That is $10 off!
Go to www.AllSketch.com and buy your tickets*. When you get to the screen that asks for a discount code enter the secret password. The secret password is: coolkid - written as one word.

*If you can't do this online - print out this article and use it as a coupon for the same special Sacramento Press "Coolkid" discount.

Tonight's (Thursday, Feb 26) show starts at 8pm and the 24th Street Theater - the full Festival schedule, performer biographies, and further ticket information can be found online at www.AllSketch.com. Tonight's lineup includes:

Doctor Doctor is a brand new project featuring Sid Garcia-Heberger and Ben Miller of I Can't Believe It's Not Comedy performing a series of vignettes exploring the role of therapy and therapists in modern life. (from AllSketch.com)

The Sacramento Royal Navy - featuring performers from The Saramento Comedy Spot

See you all at the show!

It's not just cabaret, it's Graham-A-Rama!

2009-02-21T22:06:52Z

Courtney Glass and Connor Mickiewicz perform in Graham-A-Rama III: "Not the Marrying KInd" on Sunday, February 15th, 2009 at the Geery Theater - video and screen capture by Mike Yee

With little fanfare or exposure, one of the best and least known shows in town opened a few weeks ago, on Sundays at the Geery Theater on the corner of 22nd and L Streets. Featuring local stage actors and singers, the Graham-A-Rama cabaret series is a perfect fit for the Geery’s intimate space, giving the feeling of having been invited to a private party of some kind – like the ultimate insider experience, even for outsiders!

I asked the man behind Graham-A-Rama (and behind the piano) Graham Sobelman, a few questions about the series:

Could you describe the basic concept and format for Graham-A-Rama?
GS: I think initially it was mostly an excuse for me to see my theatre friends. Most of us go from show to show and unless you're actually in a show with someone, you never get to see them. So, I thought doing a Sunday evening cabaret show would give me a chance (or an excuse) to see them.

Additionally, I feel like I know some incredibly talented singers in the area that I think are underexposed. I've played for dozens of shows over the years and there are some really great singers in town. A cabaret show seemed like a great venue to share them with Sacramento and also a chance for them to perform songs that they love, not just the songs in the shows they're cast in.

The initial format was to have 2 singers share the evening. Keeping it casual. While working on the first show, we decided it would be fun to include some audience participation (sing-a-long, trivia, etc).

What was the inspiration? - I've heard tales of legendary living room singalongs!
GS: We tried to sort of emulate the sing-a-long parties at my house, where we'd stay up all night and sing around the piano. In that venue, people can sing whatever songs they want - they can sing harmonies whenever they want and there are no inappropriate choices. I love TV theme songs - that's how the TV theme song sing-a-long got included [in Graham-A-Rama]. So, hopefully, these shows give a sneak peak into our late night craziness around the piano.

Last week's "Not the Marrying Kind" with Connor Mickiewicz and Courtney Glass was great - are all the shows themed in some way?
GS: Last week's was the first totally themed show. They worked really hard putting that together. The first shows had more thematic segments - each person had 2-3 sets and we grouped the songs thematically. Tony had a "sex, drugs, and rock and roll" section. Nanci had an “auditioning-in-NY” section. Scott and Kelly had a “songs-I'll-never-get-to-sing” section.

What might audiences expect in the coming weeks?
GS: I'm considering a St. Patrick's Day section for one of the March shows. Mar 22 is called "Wig in a Box" - there will be wigs everywhere. I'm thinking about doing an 80's pop music night with 5-6 singers. I'm bringing a friend's cabaret show from SF up in April. And in early May, I'd like to do an all-star show featuring the best numbers from the first 10 shows.

So now we know how you spend your Sundays - what else do you have in the works?
GS: I’m working on finishing my band's 2nd album (the first one is on iTunes "This is ain't Betty"). I am music directing a few shows around town this spring, and I'd like to use the Geery for a couple of staged readings of some musicals. It's a great venue for intimate performances.

Next up: On Sunday, February 22nd, Graham-A-Rama reprises the show that started it all, with Tony Wichowski and Nanci Zoppi.

Graham-A-Rama showtimes are 7pm and 9pm on Sundays at the William J Geery Theatre, 2130 L Street, Sacramento. Tickets are $15 (cash only) at the door and reservations can be made by calling (916) 798-6352. Note: Reservations are only held until 15 minutes before showtime. Find upcoming schedules and all things Grahamy at www.grahamsobelman.com. Video clips from past shows can be found on youtube by searching for grahamaramacabaret.

The 2nd Annual Sacramento All Sketch Comedy Festival

2009-02-20T09:21:18Z

This week, the second annual Sacramento All Sketch Comedy Festival rolls, and roles, into town (see what I did there?). It’s the brainchild (or something less intellectual and less offspringy) of two of Sactown’s most creative and twisted (in a good way, none of that M. Night Shyamalan crap) minds: Sid Heberger and Keith Lowell Jensen. As well as founding the Festival, Sid and Keith are the founders of the local comedy troupe I Can’t Believe It’s Not Comedy (apparently they like to found). Sid is also the manager of the beautiful and historic (and heroic champion of K Street’s economy) Crest Theatre and Keith is a local comedian, filmmaker (Why Lie I Need a Drink), author (The Atheist Survival Guide; A humorous guide to getting by in a God fearing world), and the resident atheist on the Co-Exist? Comedy Tour. (Note: He’s not especially religious).

I recently threw some questions at Keith (KLJ), via email, in a manner intended to probe, arouse, and generally stimulate his interest, while still avoiding the necessity to leave my recliner or actually meet in person. Here’s the probing, arousing, and generally stimulating outcome:

How and why did you decide to start a comedy festival and what were you drinking/smoking/injecting at the time?
KLJ: Performing with I Can't Believe It's Not Comedy in the Seattle Sketchfest, The Marsh Comedy Festival in SF, the SF Sketchfest etc. was so much fun and it felt like something that our town should have. Sid was probably drinking heavily when I convinced her that she wanted to co-produce this. The only thing I smoke is cigars, not that I'm trying to drop hints to anyone looking to score points with me in hopes of getting booked next year or anything (Davidoffs are nice).

Why focus on just sketches - why not stand up and impressionist pastels?
KLJ: For me it's just that I love sketch and wanted it to have its own festival here, not to be diluted at all. We may do a stand up festival separately but I think that sketch is its own thing and worthy of its own festival. I like to think of sketch as the impressionist pastels of comedy.

It should be mentioned that we have the area’s best comedians emcee the shows: Tapan Trivedi, Chaz Hawkins, Ellis Rodriguez, Jack Taylor, and more.

This year's lineup includes acts from Sacramento and Auburn, but also LA, San Francisco, Bellingham, New York, and Tokyo: Are comedians unaware of the global financial crisis?
KLJ: Comedians are just used to being poor. It's business as usual for us. The performers coming to town will sleep in guest rooms and living rooms of generous volunteers and they'll not likely be dining at Sacramento's more upscale restaurants (unless said restaurants want to offer to feed them for free). The further an act is travelling the greater the chance that they'll be hitting as many venues as possible along the way to make it affordable.

As long as you've brought up the economy, let me point out that we got more sponsors this year because we knew we'd want to charge less for tickets during this, um, recession, yeah that's what it is.

There's a semi-mysterious act on the bill, apparently: What can you tell us about Aardvark Fancy, kittens, and Scott Baio?
KLJ: I can tell you that they submitted an audio tape. Not a CD or an mp3 but a tape. It was funny so we booked them. They asked if we could find someone else to write and perform their material, which left me feeling even more secure that we'd done the right thing in booking them. We scheduled them with The Cody Rivers Show, an amazing troupe who has visited and amazed Sacramento previously so the audience members can feel more relaxed about the risk of going to see a troupe we know almost nothing about. My secret hope is that it turns out Andy Kauman, Elvis and John F Kennedy are the three members of Aardvark Fancy but we'll see.

The Keith and Kate Show is a repeat act and Doctor Doctor examines therapy: Should Keith and Kate have their heads examined and what did you promise them to get them back?
KLJ: Keith and Kate, staring Jason and Kate, agreed to come back when I told them we got Ten West and The Cody Rivers Show. They are huge fans of both. Basically, they're performing to keep from having to buy tickets to the show. I'm really excited to bring them back. Their show is fantastic and has mesmerized me all three times I've seen it.

What might the audience expect from the midnight show and which minority (or majority) group is most likely to be offended?
KLJ: Ha ha. I don't even know what to expect. The midnight show is fun. The comedians and the audience mix. You never know who will work together on stage. Some of our stand up buddies will show up and do a set, and some of them might even try sketch. It's more of a party than a show.
If anyone is offended I just hope they find a funny way to express said offense and we'll find 'em some stage time.

Are there any other tips, comments, or blatant lies you would like to share with the readers of the Sacramento Press?
KLJ: Steve Martin stole all of his material from me when I was but a toddler visiting Disneyland with my parents, wearing my sharp white suit with matching arrow through the head.

I would just like to encourage everyone to help us make this a huge event here like the sketch fests are in SF, Chicago, Seattle, Portland, etc. If a Dixieland Jazz festival can turn this city on its head why not Sketch Comedy next? I also hope that audience members will take advantage of the All Sketch pass to see all the shows for less and to get a free t-shirt.

The Sacramento All Sketch Comedy Festival runs Thursday, February 26th – Saturday, February 28th. All shows are at the 24th Street Theater (2791 24th Street, a few blocks South of Broadway) except for the Saturday midnight show which will be at The Comedy Spot (1716 Broadway). The full schedule, ticket information, and performers’ biographies can be found online at AllSketch.com.

The 12th Annual Sacramento Jewish Film Festival

2009-02-05T22:16:06Z

As a film festival director myself, I’m always intrigued to talk to other directors about their festivals and their process. For every film that makes the cut, there are a mountain of discarded others that may never see the light of day (or the light of projection) and hundreds of unseen administrative tasks associated with presenting the program. I recently asked Sid Heberger, General Manager of the Crest Theatre and Co-Director of the Sacramento Jewish Film Festival about their upcoming event:

Q: This is the 12th Annual Festival: How did the Festival get its start?
A: Margi Park, the co-founder of the Festival, contacted me about starting a festival because she was tired of schlepping to San Francisco for her Jewish Film Festival fix. So, in 1997 we partnered on a screening at the Festival of Cinema to “test the waters” and had a tremendous turn out. The next year we branched out on our own and have been at it ever since.

Q: How do you find films for the Festival?
A: In the beginning, we sought films from other festivals and combed the internet for films we thought would be of interest in Sacramento. Now that the festival has matured we are receiving submissions from film makers and film companies from around the globe.

Q: This year’s festival includes the Oscar Nominated short film “Toyland”. Is that a concidence?
A: Yes, As I was looking for short films for the comedy program I came across this dramatic short film. I actually booked it long before it was nominated. It’s satisfying to know that my taste in films is validated by the Academy!

Q: You’d added a late night slot on Saturday, is this new direction for the Festival?
A: Yes, we’ve been looking for ways to engage a younger audience and then we found this hilarious film “Circumcise Me” and decided to build a lineup of comedy shorts. It’s an experiment for us but so far the response has been positive so we’re thinking this might become a regular program. We recognize that if the festival is going to grow and continue that we need to engage younger people now before our older audience is no longer able to come out to the shows.

Q: What makes a film “Jewish”?
A: Some film festivals accept anything that is made by a Jewish director whether the film is about the Jewish experience or not, but we feel that that just about includes every film out of Hollywood since 1920! A film has to have a substantial part of the plot dedicated to showing the Jewish experience.

Q: So, is the Jewish Film Festival just for Jews?
A: (Laughs) No, and it’s not just for breakfast anymore! Actually, as we look at the film submissions we give weight to films that we think will have cross-over appeal to other festival demographics. We have strong partnerships with the Sacramento French Film Festival, The Sacramento Film and Music Festival, and the Sacramento Gay and Lesbian Film Festival. You don’t have to be Jewish to connect with the dramatic, funny and touching human stories that we feature.

The 12th Annual Sacramento Jewish Film Festival takes place at the Crest Theatre, 1013 K Street, Sacramento on Saturday, February 7th and Sunday, February 8th. Full details, schedules, and ticket information can be found online at www.thecrest.com. Note: “Toyland” and all of this year’s other Oscar Nominated short films open at the Crest on Friday, February 6th.

Mazal Tov!

Tony Sheppard is a Co-Director of the 10th Annual Sacramento Film and Music Festival, July 24th-Aug 2nd, 2009, also at the historic Crest Theatre (Full disclosure!).