“Cast & Crew Call” from ACCESS SACRAMENTO 2011 “A Place Called Sacramento” Film Project Wednesday May 18 from 6 – 9 PM “Make a Movie This Summer” -- All Are Invited For the Twelfth year, Access Sacramento launches “A Place Called Sacramento” (PCS), a scriptwriting and short film production project for local writers and producers. PCS challenges local scriptwriters to write ten-minute scripts about the people, places, and events that make our community such a unique place to live (details and past films on-line at www.AccessSacramento.org). Script evaluation and judging have been completed. Dozens of scripts have been reviewed by local professionals and ten have been selected for producti

In many cities around the world with live theater, there are special bar/nightclubs. These are places where actors gather after their performances or in between shows. The club will have a well versed resident pianist. The actors take turns belting out their favorite show tune or try out new material for their fellow actors and assorted fans of “show tunes.” For the next two nights and an afternoon, Sacramentens can experience something similar to this phenomenon. Sacramento Theatre Company's Mainstage lobby has morphed into a nightclub for this weekend. The show being performed in this space evokes just what I have described of these actor performance venues. “You Can't Stop the Beat, C

When answering a personal ad promising ‘a night that will change the course of mankind’, expect a few disappointments. When Jo and Jules hook up in B Street Theatre’s current production of ‘Boom’, written by Peter Sinn Nachtrieb, their disappointment in each other is the highlight of their evening. Jo, played with an angry intensity by Sarah Aili, wants the human connection she’s never had…or, rather, she wants to have had a human connection; best get it over with! Jules, played by Peter Story, has a bit loftier goal. He wants to be the savior of all mankind and the father of all future generations! One small problem though; he can’t really…um…perform. “ But”, he’s quick to point out, “it’

The Green Room - the College Musical is set to open this Friday at the California Stage in Sacramento.  Starring Courtney Parks, Jacob Montoya, Jessica Goldman & Lafras le Roux, this edgy and funny musical is sure to entertain Sacramento audiences.  The Green Room was presented for a short run in Hermosa Beach in May to audience acclaim and great reviews.  Director Kevin Caravalho has brought some interesting elements to the production that incorporate video and photography to assist in telling the story of Divonne, Cliff, Anna & John as they live through their years in college and try to fulfill their apirations of going to Broadway.  The music & lyrics by Chuck Pelletier span a wide r

A stroll past the corner of 22nd and L Streets on Mondays from 7- 9 p.m. might cause concern for those unfamiliar with the location. It's typical to hear people screaming out as they're being chased, fits of anger, uncontrollable laughter, heated arguments and even opera singing. The unassuming Geery Theatre is home to the Midtown Players on Monday nights for Carrie Bray's improv class. This weekend will kick off The Midtown Players' very first performance. Carrie Bray, who has taken classes from Viola Spolin, performed simultaneously at comedy clubs with Robin Williams as well as at Budd Friedman's Improv, only just recently moved to Sacramento. In the 50's, Bray actually spent one ye

Derek Byrne is a new student to the art of improv. Below he shares his experiences with acting, comedy and what it's like to learn improv from Brian Crall at The Comedy Spot. I've taken classes and workshops, but the bulk of what I've been doing recently is with Brian Crall at Sacramento Comedy Spot on Broadway. Most of my studying has been there. I just came to Sacramento go to college and ended up staying. I've been here for 18 years, since 1990. I've been doing acting for the past 8 eight years. Mostly dramatic stuff commercials, six or seven plays, a few local films, Elsa Letterseed, Bad Faith, Dreams Awake, Make it Happen, I do voice overs and industrials. I've always had an intere