Before the Sacramento River Cats begin the 2012 season in defense of their 10th division title in 12 years, one of the most successful American professional sports franchises will host one of Major League Baseball's most storied champions. For the first time in half a decade Major League Baseball will be played in Sacramento as the River Cats host their parent affiliate Oakland Athletics on March 31, 2012. Following a successful 2011 season, in which Sacramento won its 10th Pacific Coast League South Division title, the River Cats kick off the 2012 season against some familiar faces who have found success at the Major League level. The River Cats will host the four-time World Series cham

“A Dangerous Method” A Film Review by Gary Chew Not being a student of Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung or Sabina Spielrein (not to mention Otto Gross), it's difficult knowing to what extent accuracy has been taken in David Cronenberg's “A Dangerous Method.” But suppose that what's depicted in this really chatty film is what happened, starting - as it did - one century and eight years ago. Right now, the film is playing at Sacramento's Tower Theater, Broadway at Land Park Drive. Let's begin with a line spoken by Viggo Mortensen (as Dr. Sigmund Freud). With the soaring phrase of the sentence being “...the black mud of superstition,” it's easy to infer that Cronenberg continues his intellectual-l

Where we’re born is more than a location, it’s part of who we are. Where We’re Born, the stage play by Lucy Thurber, is a strikingly simple and honest look at a young woman’s struggle with life change, the desire to and difficulty of leaving the comfort of your home and history—however hurtful it may have been. It is not a story, but a more like a series of snapshots taken during the course of a few days when the relationships and potentially, lives of three people are forever altered. The catalyst for all of this is Lilly (Jessicah Neufeld), on a quasi-vacation from college. She arrives back in the small Western Massachusetts hill town she calls home just as a domestic crisis is unfoldi

“Laugh at yourself first before anyone else can.” Sure, those words were written over five decades ago by gossip columnist Elsa Maxwell, but they still ring true in every comedy club today. The ten talented comedians who performed at the Punch Line Comedy Club Wednesday night showed how self-depreciation can be one of the most entertaining elements of the show. Stand-up comedians are notorious for having the gift of somehow making all things taboo sound hilarious, and there certainly was no shortage of racial insults and sexual innuendos directed at each other as well as the audience members. A few of them poked fun at a friendly couple sitting up front who shared that they had been dat

With a title like "The Room Next Door, or the vibrator play," audiences might well expect a jolt or two – and not of the AC variety the newfangled electric gadgets of the late-19th century were known to occasionally deliver. For those looking for a bit of shock and awe from J Street's "bold, intimate, live" theater, the current Capital Stage production of Sarah Ruhl's comedy does not disappoint. Though Ruhl's script goes for the gag switch a few too many times, and changes polarity with unsettling frequency, the uniformly strong cast led by Michael Stevenson, Elena Wright and Katie Rubin shine brightly and consistently. Playing through Feb. 26, "The Room Next Door" is set in the late-19t

Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame member and legendary Righteous Brother Bill Medley brought a crew of extremely talented individuals to Thunder Valley Casino Resort Friday, including daughter McKenna. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Righteous Brothers. The second half of the duo, Bobby Hatfield, died of a heart attack back in 2003; Medley now tours with the 3 Bottle Band and McKenna. Kicking off the show was a video showing Medley as he made appearances in various shows throughout his career, including the David Letterman Show and the hit television series, Cheers. As the video ended, Medley started to sing “A Song for You” while he was still offstage. After about a minute he start

Remember when musical theater was called musical comedy? True, dramatic plot turns have consistenly been essential elements in most of the Great White Way's all-singing, all-dancing productions. From the issue of racial discrimination explored in Jerome Kern's landmark "Show Boat" (1927) to the gritty realities of abortion, rape and suicide facing teenagers in Duncan Sheik and Steven Sater's "Spring Awakening" (2007), musicals often have featured some measure of conflict. Maybe it's the rose-colored opera glasses audiences tend to slip on when looking back, but some still bemoan Broadway's shift away from happy-go-lucky book musicals in which the most-serious issue was the question of wh

William Selby remembers well when he first heard about a little cabaret show that was generating buzz among New York theater fans. “I was a full-time actor at the time, and I had a roommate who was a waiter at this place – Palsson’s (Supper Club) on West 72nd Street,” Selby said. “He came home one night raving about something called ‘Forbidden Broadway’ and did a number for me. “I fell off the bed laughing – I knew I loved it right then and there.” Selby wasn’t the only one who embraced Gerard Alessandrini’s concept of a satiric revue that both celebrated and skewered musical theater. Since its opening 30 years ago this month, “Forbidden Broadway” played almost continuously in New Yor

Surely destined for cable on Lifetime or Oxygen, “Albert Nobbs” is now playing downtown at the Crest Theater on K Street in Sacramento. The movie is a longtime project of the renowned film actor Glenn Close. She just took an Oscar nomination for her lead performance in the film. Ms. Close is one of its producer and also co-wrote the screenplay with John Banville. “Albert Nobbs” was adapted from a 1927 novella by the Irish Realist George Moore, a male* literary figure who influenced the work of James Joyce. It was a friend of mine who jokingly mentioned once that cable TV channels marketing entertainment for women should be lumped into a single category, and also offered up a name for such

“Carnage”  A Film Review by Gary Chew Sacramento, California  January 20, 2012 Occasionally a play is good enough that it will eek itself into a motion picture. Since plays tend to be rather static, it's common that when they're made for cinema, people who seldom go to the Theater complain about the movie being different from most other films they see. That can be said of Roman Polanski's new film, “Carnage.”  As a play, it won the 2009 Best Play Tony. On stage it was known as “Le Dieu du Carnage” (“God of Carnage”), written by Yasmina Reza, the Paris-born Jewish playwright/actress/screenwriter of Iranian/Hungarian parentage.  Ms. Reza and Polanski wrote the screenplay. The first 10 min

Growing up, sometimes we forget to exercise our creative activities. For some, our creative drive dies right along with the hand-me-down car from Grandma senior year in high school. Sometimes our creative energy is put on the backburner as stresses and responsibilities of being an adult such as finding a job, keeping a job, paying bills, the mortgage and providing for our families take over… or our creative energy fades away completely. Here in Sacramento, we love each other. We support each other. Seriously, we do. Just stop for a moment and think back on how many creative projects, ideas and businesses that have thrived in the last decade or so. Regardless if the doors of any of these i

“Shame”  a Film Review by Gary Chew Sacramento, California  January 7, 2012 You’d think seeing this film way back in 2011 that I’d probably forgotten most of it by now, but since it has such an out-of-the ordinary theme, it’s kept itself more clearly in my mind than maybe I’d really like for it to.  The movie is now playing downtown on K Street at Sacramento’s Crest Theater.   Its title is, “Shame.” No, I said “Shame,” not “Shane.” “Shame” is rated NC-17. And nowhere do you ever see an image of Alan Ladd on a horse. And how could it be directed by anyone else except David Cronenberg? ...the man who also gave us such heart-warming motion pictures as the first film titled, “Crash,” “A Hi

The first question presented to the panel was "What does Sacramento have that other cities don't have, and what don't we have?", and with that, the passionate discussion about 'The State of Live Music in Sacramento' was off and running. It was one question that fueled one-and-a-half hours of enthusiastic discussion. On Sunday evening The Sacramento Living Library (curated by Time Tested Books' Peter Keat and hosted by Midtown Monthly Editor Tim Foster) brought together five notable Sacramento music industry insiders to talk about music, politics, venues, history, and demographics. Jerry Perry (legendary Sacramento promoter), Brian McKenna (Abstract Entertainment), Rick Ele (KDVS), Mindy G

   'No Apparent Reason' is a book created and written by Frankie Vanity and the WNG. It’s a wonderful creation of an original world from the mind of Frankie Vanity and her creative team the WNG who help with editing, layouts and story ideas. It's about an eclectic group of misfits in college and their misadventures along the way. It is set in New Orleans and has Paranormal Investigators, a bit of supernatural and pop culture references. The book draws on life experiences and relays those experiences through humorous, fun and crazy characters. Frankie Vanity, tell the readers a little about who you are? I am a costume designer, event coordinator, public relations, artist and writer to name

photographs by Barry Wisdom Everyone wants to be appreciated for who they; for their personalities, for their accomplishments, for their talents – for their “extraordinary skills.” On the surface, “Aliens With Extraordinary Skills” – Saviana Stanescu’s seriocomic play now on stage at the B Street Theatre – is a story of the new generation of immigrants who are coming to America. Some, like Nadia (Stephanie Altholz) and Borat (John Lamb) have landed with less-than-legal credentials and are on the run from the INS. Lupita (Rinabeth Apostol), a wannabe actress from the Dominican Republic who pays the rent by working as an exotic dancer and renting out her living room, is more pragmatic. S

The world renowned Harlem Globetrotters were at Power Balance Pavilion Sunday to take on the International Elite, as they went head-to-head to determine who would be the world champions. Globie, the team mascot, came out before the show to entertain the crowd with a little bit of magic and some dance moves. As Globie strutted around like Michael Jackson the crowd went wild with some kids jumping up to dance along with Globie. Even though the stadium was far from sold out, the audience members made up for it in enthusiasm. Throughout the game the crowd was cheering and clapping for the Globetrotters, with a few boos thrown in for team Elite. As with all Globetrotter games this was an aud

Every beginning writer at one time or another has been admonished to “Show me, not tell me,” by a mentor or instructor. If last night’s Revelations 2012 is any indication, theater companies would be wise to follow the example of KOLT Run Creations and take the same advice to heart. Revelations 2012 was a party, a preview, and review, all in a tidy little two-hour time frame. It was a chance for patrons and potentials patrons to appreciate past productions and sneak a peek at what’s ahead in the season to come. Actors from past seasons and the upcoming shows were on hand to present a forty-five minute performance of short scenes that did a brilliant job of showing the flavor of the compa

Armed with 20 vocalists, six band members and four crew members impersonating the legends of Motown, RPM Crown Productions brought their Hitsville USA Legends of Motown Tribute Show to Thunder Valley Casino Resort on Saturday. There was a sold-out crowd of diehard Motown fans there to enjoy some of the greatest hits from the Motown era. It was perplexing that more people weren’t up on their feet during some of the performances. However, after each performer finished their set they were met with more than a few people giving them a standing ovation. The all-star lineup included acts such as The Four Tops, The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, and even a brief break from Motown for a little bit of

Lewis Black had high expectations for the 21st Century. They have not come anywhere close to being met, and he is not amused. He is, however, quite amusing. Although he claims to be disappointed by the direction the world is taking, he also admits to being swept up in the inevitable pull of progress. He started a web site; every performer needs a web site. But then he found out he needed a Facebook page to promote his web site! It all came to a head when one morning he woke up after a drunk and discovered he was now on Twitter! All this, he laments, and not a single flying car. Not what he had hoped for at all. The Community Center Theater was respectably full on Saturday night when

photographs by Barry Wisdom People around the world may burn the Stars and Stripes, hang our leaders in effigy and protest the U.S. government’s involvement in everything from the assassination of foreign leaders to the selection of Miss Universe finalists, but the United States remains a top destination for those seeking a better life. And whether one is an illegal immigrant from Moldava or Russia, a Green Card holder from the Dominican Republic, or even a divorced good ol’ boy from the Deep South, nothing embodies the American Dream like New York City. It’s a story old as time, a song as old as rhyme, but given a fresh chorus by playwright Saviana Stanescu, herself a Romanian immigran