Newest articles and comments on The Sacramento Press written by Esther Hodapp

A non-arborist's adventure through "The City of Trees"

2009-10-18T19:14:27Z

Even though autumn had its official start three weeks ago, I had my first foray into fall on Saturday's tree tour through my own neighborhood Arden Park, hosted by the Sacramento Tree Foundation.

The tree tours were started over five years ago by longtime Sacramento Tree Foundation member Fran Clarke. It was Clarke's goal to make the community aware of the many spectacular trees found in Sacramento.

Eighteen resident citizens, from 2 years age to retired, gathered at La Sierra Park for an informational walk-about with Sacramento Tree Foundation stewardship coordinator Luanne Leineke.

"The trees are not only beautiful, they play important roles in our community," Leineke said. "They help clean up pollution. The leaves attract particles of pollution so people don't breathe them in. They also provide shade which helps lower the ambient air temperature which is especially important in a hot location like Sacramento."

Before the mile-and-a-half walk began, each participant was handed a detailed brochure and map entitled "The Magnificent Trees of Arden Park." The handout illustrated the location of 51 mostly deciduous, "leaf-losing" trees spread out over a many-mile radius.

"This particular tour is best done on a bike," Leineke said as the tour started. But there were plenty of trees to see on an abbreviated walking tour.

Starting out in La Sierra Park, we admired the blue atlas cedar with its dominant pyramidal shape, viewed two sickly looking Black locusts and learned to differentiate between a variety of oaks, including the Southern Live oak, the valley oak and the pin oak.

"Oaks have very lobed leaves," Leineke informed us. "But the pin oak's leaves are very lobed and it has crunchy, vertical bark."

This educational adventure continued into the neighborhoods as we ventured down Los Molinos Way, up El Sur Way and over on Castec Drive. Lieneke has an extensive knowledge of hardwood trees and worked hard to inform our group about proper care for a tree, average tree maintenance costs (approximately $9 a month per tree), pruning techniques and basic plant biology. We made special note of the planting differences of east-west streets that strive for shade and the more open north-south streets.

Leineke emphasized planning ahead when choosing a shade tree for your yard. She stressed that consideration must be given to the eventual size of the tree and the importance of a healthy root system.

"Wet soil is not healthy for most trees," Leineke warned. "With wet soil, there is not enough oxygen in the soil for the tree to stay healthy."

During our walk, we stopped to appreciate many trees, including ginkgo, elm, tulip tree (yellow poplar), tupelo — which was starting to get some of its intense red fall color — Southern magnolia, liquidamber and the redwood. Perhaps the most stunning tree on the tour was the wide-branching blue oak that caused many participants to exclaim, "Just beautiful!"

We also learned about the "shade history" of the Arden Park neighborhood. Historically, many streets were lined with the graceful Modesto ash; however, because of its susceptibility to mistletoe and anthracnose (a hardwood tree disease), many of these trees have been removed and replaced with more stable shade providers such as the London plane.

"How do you tell a London plane from a sycamore?" questioned one participant.

"By its balls," answered Lieneke, jokingly referring to the soft brown seed balls that hang from the branches in two-pair clusters. Lieneke indicated that sycamore's seed balls form in clusters of three to five.

Four additional tree tours will be held throughout the fall season and will highlight a variety of community settings. All tours are free and open to the public. The tours begin at 10 a.m. and conclude by noon. Further information can be found on the Sacramento Tree Foundation's website.

The Tree Tours schedule:

Oct. 24: American River College, meet at the administration building, 4700 College Oak Dr.

Oct 30: River Park Community tour, meet at the shopping center, 5493 Carlson Dr.

Nov. 7: Capitol Park tour, meet on the east steps of the Capitol

Nov. 14: Sacramento State campus, meet near the bus stop at the J Street entrance

Esther Hodapp on "'Suddenly, Last Summer' brings drama to new stage"

2009-10-18T01:31:25Z

Photos courtesy of the Lambda Players

'Suddenly, Last Summer' brings drama to new stage

2009-10-18T01:30:55Z

Emotions ran high on stage keeping the audience at the edge of their seats during the dramatic showing of Suddenly, Last Summer, a play by Tennessee Williams, which opened Oct. 2 at the Lambda Players new theater home on 21st Street.

As the audience entered the newly designed, intimate theater space, which seats approximately 40 patrons, a social experiment ensued. The seats, which have yet to be properly numbered and ordered, left patrons roaming through the four aisles trying to figure out an order or pattern to the seating chart. Eventually the groups would simply situate themselves in an open section.

However, those who had already figured out the disorder were entertained by the new arrivals searching for an unidentifiable location until someone would indicate that nobody had figured out the order. This caused a unique early interaction between the audience members that one rarely gets while waiting for a show to begin.

Suddenly, Last Summer, directed by Sonny Sorrells, is composed of a small cast of seven characters. The play, originally written as a one-act, was presented in two intervals with a brief intermission, giving time for the audience to take a breather from the over-the-top drama.

The play is set in the 1930s New Orleans garden of wealthy socialite Violet Venable, mother of Sebastian, the underlying main character of the play. While Sebastian himself has no role in the show, it is the argumentative discussion of the mysterious circumstances surrounding Sebastian's death last summer during a trip to Europe that is the main theme of the play.

The show begins with Violet (played by Kristen Wagner) entering the stage with Dr. Cukrowicz (Steve Lozano), or Dr. Sugar, as cukrowicz means "sugar" in Polish. Dr. Sugar is a young surgeon who is at the pioneering forefront of the practice of lobotomies. He has been brought to Violet's home under somewhat false pretenses, believing that Violet is considering awarding him a large monetary donation from the newly established "Sebastian Venable Memorial Foundation" to support his controversial surgical practice. It becomes imminently clear that Violet is only willing to do this if Dr. Sugar agrees to lobotomize her niece Catharine Holly (Lynnette Blaney) who was Sebastian's traveling partner and sole witness of his death.

Violet wishes to lobotomize Catherine because she feels she has gone insane after Sebastian's death and wants her to quit tarnishing Sebastian's good name and reputation. Violet wants Sebastian to be remembered as a great poet and will go to any lengths to cover up Sebastian's homosexuality. It is evident to the audience, however, that Violet does not view her relationship with Sebastian in the traditional mother/son hierarchy. Instead she idolizes him in almost a romantic sense. "We were a famous couple," says Violet.

The second act starts with the encounter between Violet and Catherine. Blaney brings a true agitation and internal torture to the character of Catherine as she paces the stage, knowing that her wealthy aunt could likely cause her further psychological anguish. Dr. Sugar seeks the truth behind Sebastian's murder and injects Catherine with a "truth serum" so the full story will finally be exposed.

The Lambda Players, now in their 21st season, are an active theater troupe in the Sacramento area. This all-volunteer, non-profit organization has a mission to educate and entertain through the live-theater medium, with a focus relevant to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender population.

Since 2007, the Lambda Player's had made the Studio Theatre located at 1028 R St. their home. However, members felt this location was not the best location for GLBT theater. President Chris Crittenden believes the move to the Lavender Heights district will place them more in the heart of the GLBT community and allow them to better promote their mission.

"[The theater] has felt like home from the first day we walked in," Crittenden said.

However, the transition to the new location was not easy.

"We spent long hours on the new space," Crittenden said. "We all work full-time jobs and then spent over 40 hours a week working on the new space. It was a long haul, but so worth the time and effort."

And it appears that the effort has been paying off. Crittenden said many community members stopped by during the build and the same word came out of almost everyone's mouths: "Wow."

"The word we are now looking for is fabulous!" Crittenden said.

The show will continue to run until Oct. 31 at the 21st & L Street Theatre, 1127 21st Street, in Midtown. Shows will be on Friday and Saturday nights at 8 p.m. Ticket prices range from $15 to $17 and can be purchased in advance through the Lambda Players website or by calling the box office at (916) 444-8229.

Esther Hodapp on "Old Sacramento Ghost Tours Offer Fun and Fright"

2009-10-15T22:06:10Z

This seems like a fun way to get into the Halloween spirit!

Esther Hodapp on "Byron Blackburn - a musician to be reckoned with"

2009-10-15T22:04:12Z

Touching story. It is evident that Sacramento has lost a prominent citizen and that Byron will be missed. Thanks Byron for bringing life and music to Sacramento.

Esther Hodapp on "What is the Norcal Noisefest?"

2009-10-15T21:58:05Z

Sounds interesting. I was intrigued by how many photos show people making noise in so many ways. Do instruments have to be used?

Esther Hodapp on "Sac State Tuition Increasing, Classes and Professors Decreasing"

2009-10-15T21:53:57Z

Kimberly - thank you for not being complacent. I think this is the first step in change - and hopefully this story can inspire others and be the start of something big.

Good times to be had at 'The Corner'

2009-10-15T04:58:51Z

East Sacramento has a new hangout: The Corner Restaurant & Bar, which opened its doors for business last Friday.

"I want this to be a place people want to come and hang out at," said owner Joel Thompson. "As cliche as it sounds, I hope The Corner will be a place like the 'Cheers' bar 'where everyone knows your name.'"

The Corner is located down the street from Sacramento State University at the corner of 57th and J streets in the historic building that was home to the original Shakey's Pizza until the mid-1990s. The Thompson family opened the restaurant with the goal of creating a family-friendly place where students, parents and kids alike could enjoy reasonably priced food and drink in a social atmosphere.

"This is something East Sac has been looking for for a long time," Thompson said. "We wanted to incorporate both Sac State and the East '40s into one restaurant."

As the building was redesigned to accommodate The Corner, efforts were made to keep the original aesthetics and facade intact in order to maintain the historic charm. Much of the decor features historical photographs of East Sacramento, including several images of past Sacramento State sports teams.

Executive chefs Evan Elsberry, of Evan's Kitchen and Catering, and Michael Steele have designed and executed a menu based on quintessential favorites of American cuisine like hamburgers and pizza which gives this hometown restaurant a relaxed and casual feel.

"The menu consists of really solid club fare, a sort of eclectic cuisine," Elsberry said. "I envision this restaurant as a place where a guy can order a hamburger and watch a game."

All of the classic bar appetizers can be found in the starters section of the menu, including onion rings, jalapeno poppers, potato skins, calamari and party wings. A popular item has been the carnitas lollipops, which is carnitas on a stick.

The majority of the menu consists of lighter fare with a lengthy list of sandwich, burger and pizza options, all with witty names reflective of college life and Sacramento sights, such as the Dean (a classic Reuben sandwich), the Colonel (a quarter-pound fried chicken style burger) or the Alhambra (a spinach, tomato, mushroom, onion and avocado pizza). For those looking for a heavier meal, the entree portion features items such as a New York steak, salmon with a sambucca sauce and fish and chips.

According to Elsberry, "The salmon is really tasty."

Vegetarians have plenty of options with four salads, two sandwiches, a veggie burger and Gorgonzola-stuffed spinach ravioli represented on the menu. There is also a "kiddie corner" on the menu, for the young or young at heart, with a choice of a burger, chicken strips, macaroni and cheese, a grilled cheese sandwich or a corn dog. And save room for the "Half Baked" (an ice cream-topped chocolate chip cookie), "Strawberry Shorts" (strawberry shortcake) or "Monkey's Uncle" (an all-time American favorite: the banana split) -- all sure to satisfy a sweet-tooth. The Corner also has a full bar, a selection of red, white and sparkling wines, and many draft and bottled beers including Newcastle, Wyder's Cider and Young's Double Chocolate Stout.

The double-meat, double-cheese pizza, known as the JohnJohn, holds a special place in the hearts of the Thompson family. The JohnJohn is named after the youngest son of Jerry and Joyce Thompson and brother of Jerry Jr. and Joel. John Robert Thompson passed away from cancer in 2005 at the young age of 24. Every time the JohnJohn is ordered from the menu a part of the proceeds is donated to a local charity dedicated to expanding cancer research. Four charities will be sponsored each year and a charity can be nominated by emailing The Corner at causes@thecornerbaronline.com.

"I want to open the eyes of every person who comes in here," said Joel Thompson. "I want to honor John."

Every weekend The Corner will host a brunch buffet from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. with endless mimosas, for a cost of $18.95; with the option of buffet-only for $11.95 or mimosas-only for $9.00. Thompson also has plans to have nightly events at The Corner with featured food and drink specials. Currently planned events include Sunday Funday from 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Monday Night Foodball from 5 to 10 p.m., both of which feature the weekly football games.

The Corner Restaurant & Bar is located at 5641 J St. The restaurant and bar are open Monday through Friday 11:30 a.m. to midnight, Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to midnight, and Sunday 9:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. The kitchen closes at 10:00 p.m.

Esther Hodapp on "Charter Committee meeting provides constructive forum to answer citizen's questions"

2009-10-09T19:05:15Z

Thanks for the comments everyone. The town hall meetings are an open forum for community members to have their questions answered about the strong mayor initiative and the charter committee recommendations. I would highly encourage everyone to attend these meetings because they provide a very constructive environment to discuss a variety of issues of importance of local citizens.

Charter Committee meeting provides constructive forum to answer citizen's questions

2009-10-09T04:00:38Z

Twelve Sacramentans who attended Wednesday's Charter Review Committee town hall meeting at San Brannan Middle School did not come to debate the "strong mayor" initiative. They said they wanted to have their questions answered so they could better understand the proposed changes to Sacramento's mayoral authority.

Committee member JoAnn Fuller led the meeting and presented an overview of the recommendations of the Charter Review Committee. Each attendee was provided a handout describing the eight tentative recommendations with illustrations that depicted Sacramento's current system of mayoral authority and how the system would change under the strong mayor initiative and under the recommendations from the committee.

"These are all tentative decisions," Fuller said. "We are ready to listen. We want your opinions and will answer your questions."

The primary question of the evening revolved around the appointment and removal process of the city manager. Currently, the City Council, which consists of eight members and the mayor, needs a two-thirds majority vote to appoint or remove the city manager. Under the strong mayor initiative, the mayor would appoint the city manager, which would require confirmation by the City Council. However, removal of the city manager would be a decision made solely by the mayor. The Charter Review Committee has recommended that the appointment process would be the same as outlined for the strong mayor initiative, but removal of the city manager would not be a unilateral power of the mayor. Instead, with cause, a majority vote by the City Council could remove the city manager or the mayor could remove the city manager with majority approval of the council.

The rationale behind this recommendation was questioned. Members of the Charter Review Committee said that their decision was meant to ensure the mayor and city manager are a team, which could be better accomplished by allowing the mayor to choose his or her city manager.

"Would this create a revolving door policy of city managers?" asked Peggy Alexander, a local school teacher. "Since the mayor and city manager would work so closely together, could we expect a new city manager every four years as new mayors get elected?"

The citizens in attendance also wanted a clear understanding the underlying issues that formed the committee's recommendations.

"What were the strong points that you [the Charter Review Committee] used to get to your decision for the recommendations?" asked JoAnne Bernhard.

Dan Gorfain, chairman of the Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission, asked if the recommendations were "a compromise of the committee members."

In response, Charter Review Committee member Alan LoFaso said: "There is a desire from some members of the public for the mayor to have some additional power."

The committee's recommendations would enhance the current mayoral system. The recommendations centered around three points the committee felt were important for Sacramento's government. They were:

1) A mayor sitting with the city council enhances citizen access to the mayor.
2) A mayor sitting with the city council fosters a collaborative community environment.
3) Placing the mayor in an more executive-type positon seperates the mayor from the city council and decreases the public's access to the mayor.

"Good leadership should not be demanded control but should inspire voluntary fellowship," said Chester Newland, Charter Review Committee member and University of Southern California professor of public administration, as he attempted to clarify the differences between the strong mayor initiative and the charter committee recommendations.

Alexander said it also was important to understand how the strong mayor initiative would change the job requirements of the mayor. Committee member Chris Tapio described the transition in business terms, indicating that the mayor would become the chief executive officer and the city manager would fulfill a more administrative role.

"If the strong mayor initiative passes, we may need a different type of mayor," Alexander said. "We need to elect a mayor as someone with a very particular job. Their job would be very different from what it currently is."

Meetings will continue until October 15. The Sept. 21 story by Kathleen Haley (there will be a link) has the times, dates and locations of the remaining meetings.

SIGLFF encourages all to embrace their sexuality

2009-10-08T05:01:11Z

The Sacramento International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival (SIGLFF), Sacramento's largest gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) art event, is coming to the Crest Theatre Thursday through Saturday.

"Embrace your sexuality, whatever it is," said Patti Barcena of SIGLFF. "SIGLFF is good entertainment. Where else will you get to see GLBT films with such an appreciative audience?"

SIGLFF is a non-profit event that shows worldwide film and video works of both positive or critical portrayals of GLBT communities, people and aspects of their daily lives. "This international festival provides an outlet for GLBT filmmakers to express themselves and have their works shown on a big screen to a general audience, a feat that is oftentimes hard to accomplish with a GLBT-themed film," Barcena said.

"The goal of this event is to show that we can come together with our shared experiences and create an authentic reflection of our community," said Dawn Deason, president of SIGLFF.

Each night of the three-night festival is composed of different short and feature length films. While a variety of themes are explored, such as being true to yourself and coming of age, according to Barcena, the program is very youthful and full of humor.

The festival will open with two short films, "Paris Noir" directed by Alexandra McGuinness and "Frequent Traveler" directed by Patricia Bateria. Thursday night's showing concludes with "The Big Gay Musical" directed by Casper Andreas and Fred M. Caruso. "The Big Gay Musical" follows the lives of Paul and Eddie, actors whose lives mirror the characters they are playing. Paul is looking for the perfect man but seems to only have disastrous dating experiences, while Eddie is dealing with how sexuality and faith can mix.

Friday night's showing has a similar format to Thursdays featuring two short films, "Girl Talk" directed by Jennifer Smith and "U-Haul: The Music Video" directed by Bob Koehr, followed by Shamin Sarif's feature length film "I Can't Think Straight." An entertaining, romantic comedy, "I Can't Think Straight," is a sweet story about two women, one Indian and the other Palestinian, and their preparations to get married.

Fifteen short films will conclude the festival Saturday night. Films include: "Dinx," "Make a Mate," "James," "A Day at the Beach," "Dish," "Buttery Top," "Downstream (Im Fluss)," "The Marionettes," "Allison My Love," "On the Bus," "510 Meters Above Sea Level," "El Mueble de las Fotos," "Peking Turkey," "Judgment Day" and "How Do I Say This? I’m Gay."

"The short program is really fun," Barcena said. "There are such a variety of films - from comedies to musicals to animation. There is a program for everyone."

Most films strike an emotional chord with the audience, said Jennifer Novak, of Sunburst Projects. "They really make people aware that we are all human beings."

In the past, the audience has been so inspired, they have ended with film on their feet cheering for the film's characters, Barcena said.

"Nobody cheers for the GLBT characters in mainstream film," Barcena pointed out. "The reaction to SIGLFF has been fabulous."

After the showing, each audience member will have a chance to vote for their favorite film.

SIGLFF was started in 1992 by Allan Cole and was based on a student-run gay and lesbian film festival at Fresno State. Cole and his organizers worked together with students from the California State University, Sacramento Gay and Lesbian Alliance and the Delta Lambda Phi fraternity to organize SIGLFF. The first year was a huge, sold-out event prompting SIGLFF to be continually held each year in early October to celebrate National Coming Out Day, observed every October 11.

SIGLFF shares the proceeds of this event with local non-profit organizations. This years beneficiaries are the Lambda Players and Sunburst Projects.

The Lambda Players serve the GLBT community by educating and entertaining through live theatre, including works from local GLBT play writes.

Sunburst Projects is a local organization that helps improve the lives of thousands of primarily low-income HIV or AIDS infected and affected family members and children. They work to address the social, emotional and psychological needs and care of those impacted by HIV and AIDS.

"The money raised by SIGLFF will go to our children and teens to help support monthly activities, such as laser tag, adopt-a-child holiday program and our summer camp programs," Novak said.

Since 1992, SIGLFF has raised more than $34,300 which has benefited a variety of organizations including Breaking Barriers, Women's Health Services and Center for AIDS Research & Education.

All shows begin at 7:30 p.m. An individual ticket to the event is $10 and an all-festival pass is $25. Pass holders receive free entry to all programs and the SIGLFF sponsored events before and after each program, including special seating, an opening night reception at the Cosmo Cafe and wine and hors d'oeuvres before the Friday and Saturday showings.

Tickets are available at the Crest Theatre, 1013 K Street, tickets.com and The Beat Music Store, 1700 J Street.

Photos are courtesy of SIGLFF.

Rhythm and Ribs rocks Raley Field

2009-10-04T02:10:56Z

"The smokehouse is open — keep on smoking," boomed a low voice from a vendor at Smokehouse Specialties, one of the six rib teams participating in the seventh annual Rhythm and Ribs festival this weekend at Raley Field.

"We do a lot more than just baseball," said Nick Lozito, coordinator for the Sacramento River Cats Baseball Club. "We try to use the stadium year-round, especially after the baseball season has ended, to host fun family events, like Rhythm and Ribs."

The Rhythm and Ribs festival, sponsored by the California Correctional Peace Officers Association, pits regional rib teams against each other for a chance to win the People's Choice Award of tastiest ribs. Festival-goers can sample ribs from Joshua's Ribs, Smokehouse Specialties, West Sacramento Elk's Lodge, Addicted to Rub, River Cat Ribs and My Brother's BBQ.

The competition is fierce and each rib concessionaire works hard to impress the crowd and make their food extraordinary.

Ron Nelson knows what he wants in a good rib. "The meat has to just fall off the bone," said Nelson as he polished off some ribs from My Brother's BBQ. "It has to be tender. And the sauce has to be good."

But different rib enthusiasts are looking for a variety of tastes. Friends Angela Johnson and Clarissa Alderete could not agree on what sauce flavor was tops. "I go for the smokey-flavored ribs," Johnson said. "No, the spicy ribs have a delicious flavor, " Alderete countered.

Some fans are die-hard loyal to their favorite rib joint. "Joshua's are the best!" proclaimed April Mack, five-time festival-goer. "They are smokey and the meat just falls off the bone."

After sampling the fares, attendees can cast one vote for their favorite rib joint. The rib champion of the People's Choice Award will be announced on Sunday at 2 p.m.

All food and beverage at the event is purchased with food voucher tickets. A single food voucher costs $1. A variety of "rib specials" are available, including a three-bone rib sampler for six tickets, half a rack of ribs for 11 tickets, and a full rack for 20 tickets. For an additional cost, patrons can purchase a rib meal, which comes with a choice of sides such as potato salad or red beans over rice. The non-rib lovers also have a wide selection of barbecue items including pulled pork sandwiches, turkey legs and grilled corn on the cob.

Throughout the festival, 12 West Coast bands will be providing high-energy entertainment. Most of the acts are tribute bands, including Stung (a tribute to the Police), The Rising (a tribute to Bruce Springsteen), Joel: The Band (a tribute to Billy Joel) and Caravanserai (a tribute to Santana).

"I am looking forward to seeing all of the groups," George Gosling announced. "But Caravanserai is, no doubt, one of the best groups of talented musicians that will take the stage, period. They have been together for 12 years and just seem to improve each year."

Friday night, the bands were not a tribute to any certain artist but rather to the best pop and rock music of all time. Savannah Blue opened the event with a revue of Southern rock to get the crowd in a down-home country mood. It's Only Rock & Roll drew a group of classic rock lovers to the stage and brought out the rock star in everyone as they took a musical tour through rock'n'roll. Livin' In The USA finished the night with a compilation of music honoring the United States. All of the bands focused on entertaining the audience and keeping the crowd singing along to the well-known lyrics.

"The music is fun," said attendant Lydia Wbarra. "It adds to the flavor of the event."

For a full list of musical groups and performance times, click here.

In addition to the tasty eats and thumping beats, there is plenty to keep the whole family entertained. Kids of all ages flock to the Interactive Kid Zone, which includes bounce houses, slides and obstacle courses. There are also several craft vendors and local retailers with a wide variety of items for sale such as rhinestone-studded denim skirts, purses, sunglasses, fudge, flavored nuts and espresso. And sports fans can breathe easy: The Miller Light Sports Tavern featuring flat-screen TVs with surround sound and a full bar, will be showing football both Saturday and Sunday throughout the day.

The Rhythm and Ribs festival will continue Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. There is a $5 entrance fee, and children 12 and under are free. Parking at Raley Field is $8.

What makes Sacramento the place we call home?

2009-10-02T06:35:58Z

There is no place like home, and that is exactly what 12 local filmmakers will prove at the 10th annual "A Place Called Sacramento" film festival hosted by Access Sacramento.

PCS challenges local filmmakers to write a 10-minute script about the people, places and events that define our community.

"The idea of telling a story and making a movie is, in some ways, the great American novel," said Ron Cooper, executive director of Access Sacramento. "For many, making a film is a lifelong ambition. They just need an outlet to succeed."

And that outlet is being provided by Access Sacramento. Each year, Sacramentans have a unique opportunity to submit their original work to Access Sacramento, a local non-profit organization that uses community media to encourage digital storytelling, for the chance to have their script made into a film.

A panel of five judges, comprised of local film professionals, evaluate the entries based on the strength of the script, the inclusion of local resources and locations and its "do-ability" or chance of success. After the winners are selected, local actors, film production crews and any interested volunteers combine their talents and produce the films throughout the summer months.

"The goal of PCS is to show that anybody can make a film," said Michelle Barbaria of Access Sacramento and a two-time PCS participant.

Wayne Johnson, "Ten Minute Ride" writer, proved that this goal is being fulfilled. "Where else can a first-time writer, producer and sometimes director make a movie that will be screened in front of so many people? It really is a chance of a lifetime."

Twelve films were selected for this year's festival. Over the past nine years, 88 films have been created. The addition of these 12 will result in an even 100 films created by local artists over the past decade.

The 2009 films are "The Push" by Danna Wilberg; "Ten Minute Ride" by Wayne D. Johnson; "Nightmare On K Street" by Jessica Vazquez; "City of Trees" by Mark Perrigan; "Beatrice & The Bike Thief" by Frank Casanova; "Cup O' Tea" by Isaiah Tichenor; "Master of Destiny" by Julie Ivanovich; "Play Day" by Carrie Stroud; "641/2" by Chris Henry; "Midnight Snack" by Leilani Hernandez; and "11 B Diaries" by Laura Tapia.

All of the films are required to be family-friendly in nature; however, this had not stopped filmmakers from exploring controversial topics including cannibalism, drug addiction, kidnapping and war. These topics are examined through a wide range of film genres including comedy, romance, horror, and drama, which results in an emotional ride for the attending audience.

Frank Casanova, director of "11 B Diaries" recognizes the emotions that are brought out in Tapia's script about the lifelong bonds made by soldiers during war. "I think the picture accomplished its goal. It's difficult to not have a tear when you watch it."

But some films are more lighthearted in nature and really give the audience a chance to identify with the characters.

"Our film ["Master of Destiny"] is a quirky comedy that is really grounded in reality," said Julie Ivanovich. "I think Sacramento, as a community, is defined by the characters in this film. Ryan [the main character] is the everyman. He's every person who's ever been dumped, or lost their job, or faced a difficult path in their lives. He is the people of Sacramento. He is Sacramento."

This year, as a first for the PCS festival, a film written by a child was selected as a winner. 8-year-old Leilani Hernandez wrote and produced "Midnight Snack" with the assistance of her father Carlos Hernandez.

"Leilani's story is very creative," said Cooper. "She really put her foot down and followed her vision and would not take many suggestions from her dad. This shows that anyone from the community can be active and involved in the collaborative process of film-making. I want other 8-year-olds in the audience to think 'Wow, I could do that!' "

Carrie Stroud, author of "Play Day," also had the involvement of children in mind when she wrote the script. Stroud's movie features the kids of Skylab Youth Center, an organization for children whose families are transitioning from homelessness to self-sustainability. "We had kids casting the movie, directing, behind cameras, on headphones for sound, even holding boom mics and doing the hair and make-up."

The goals of many of this year's filmmakers are very similar. "I hope the audience feels moved, enlightened and entertained," said Danna Wilberg, writer of "The Push."

But even more than entertainment, all PCS participants want to showcase the greatness of Sacramento and all it has to offer.

Mark Perrigan has these expectations from his film "City of Trees." "I hope Sacramento can be seen as not just a city, but as a community in my film. A place people are proud to say they are from."

The PCS festival will be held at the Crest Theatre, 1013 K St., on Sunday. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the Crest box office, the Access Sacramento office located at 4623 T St., or tickets.com. Doors open to the event at noon and the show starts at 1 p.m. Guests are encouraged to buy tickets in advance and arrive early, as past shows have nearly sold out.

All photos included are still shots from the winning movies and are courtesy of the filmmakers.

Return of the Reptiles

2009-09-24T04:14:34Z

Reptile enthusiats unite. A cold spell is headed toward Sacramento in the form of 3,000 cold-blooded reptiles arriving at the Sacramento Convention Center for this weekend's 12th Annual Sacramento Reptile Show.

A wide variety of reptiles will be featured at the event, including snakes, monitor lizards, geckos, chameleons and alligators, along with some non-reptilian species like frogs, salamanders and insects.

The first reptile show came to Sacramento in 1998 as a 10-vendor event held at a local hotel. Since that time, the show has grown tremendously and now features 3,000 reptiles, 80 vendors — with 40 professional reptile breeders along with suppliers and educators — and boasts an attendance near 10,000.

Popular vendors include LLL Reptile and Supply Co., Inc., Reptile Depot, and Amazing Blue Reptiles, who specialize in breeding top-quality panther chameleons.

Throughout the day, there will be five lectures that highlight different reptilian topics, such as leopard geckos, iguanas, alligators and rainbow boas. The "Wild Things" educational presentation is interactive and will provide a hands-on opportunity to interact with an alligator.

Reptile aficionados Jeremy and Angel Epstein of Upscale Reptiles and Pets To Go started the Sacramento Reptile Show as a way to promote their reptile breeding and to educate potential reptile-owners on how to properly care for their pets.

"We thought we could make our event better than other reptile shows," Jeremy Epstein said. "This event is highly successful because the crowd is entertained and the vendors are satisfied with the population we bring in."

The Epsteins began their adventure with reptile raising when Angel was presented with a pair of corn snakes for her birthday.

While Jeremy was skeptical at first, his love and interest for reptiles grew, and within a year they owned a collection of 50 reptiles. As their menagerie expanded, so did the associated expenses, so the Epsteins began breeding their snakes and lizards and traveling to reptile shows across California.

Currently the Epsteins own more than 200 reptiles. Their plethora of creatures contains boas, pythons, Colubrid snakes, skinks (members of the lizard family) and other lizards. Jeremy's favorite animal is the Acantharus monitor because it is so active and has a personality and vivaciousness that other reptiles do not exhibit.

Proper animal care and education have always been important to the Epsteins, so they incorporate educators into this event, such as the Northern California Herpetological Society. These educators answer any questions the public has specific to reptiles.

"When you become a pet owner — whether for a dog or a reptile — you gotta know what you are getting into," Jeremy Epstein said. "An owner must have knowledge and the proper tools for the animal to have a great life."

The show also functions as a sale. Reptile lovers and newcomers will be able to meet breeders, gain knowledge on reptile care and purchase a pet of their own.

"Nearly 1,000 attendees take a pet home," he said.

A wide variety of pets will be for sale, from starter reptiles such as corn snakes or leopard geckos in the $25 to $30 price range, all the way to $20,000 bull pythons with unique coloring. However, native species, and venomous or imported animals are not for sale.

The event will run 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets can be purchased at the door. Reptiles will be shown in Exhibit Halls C-E of the Convention Center, 1400 J Street. Adult admission is $16 for two days and $10 for one, and admission for children ages 6 to 12 is $10 for two days and $6 for one. Children 5 and under are free.

For more information, visit upscalereptiles.com or call (916) 808-5181.

Photos courtesy of Upscale Reptiles.

Esther Hodapp on "Spike & Mike's 'Sick & Twisted' at Sac State"

2009-09-24T03:42:00Z

The image included with this story was created by India Curry, a graphic design intern at the University Union, CSUS, using images supplied from Rooftop Comedy.

Spike & Mike's 'Sick & Twisted' at Sac State

2009-09-24T03:41:30Z

Audiences will laugh and cringe through a variety of disturbing and repulsive topics at Spike & Mike's Sick & Twisted Festival of Animation, coming to Sacramento State's University Union Ballroom Thursday.

"Spike & Mike shows are different from other movies," said Zenia Diokno, program adviser for event-sponsor UNIQUE. "There is a ton of energy in the crowd. Everyone is yelling and having fun. I thought it would be great to host this on a college campus."

The film will include 28 short animated clips ranging from one to five minutes. Highlights from this year's film include "Washington," the popular Internet cartoon by Brad Neely, and Jeff Chiba Stearns' Post-It production of "Yellow Sticky Notes."

"It's all gonna be good," Diokno said. "My favorite animation is 'Rats on Cocaine' [by Apocalypse Cartoons]. It's kind of like the movie Blow, but with rats and way more disturbing."

Sick & Twisted is presented by Mellow Manor Productions, Inc., better known as "Spike & Mike."

Mellow Manor, started by Craig "Spike" Decker and Mike Gribble in the early '70s, originally promoted underground bands with retro-style short animated films. This led to presentations of special shows, including all-night horror-thons, and movie classics like Slaughterhouse 5 that would open with animated shorts, such as "Betty Boop" and cult favorite "Bambi Meets Godzilla" by well-known animation filmmaker Marv Newland. The popularity of these films grew, and in 1977, Spike & Mike began promoting animated shorts full time.

In 1990, the Sick & Twisted Festival began as an outlet for animated pieces that were too revolting, adult in nature, or politically incorrect for the Classic show. This festival is the birthplace of Mike Judge's "Beavis and Butthead" and Matt Stone and Trey Parker's "Spirit of Christmas," the original, uncensored "South Park."

Justin Randle, UNIQUE volunteer, looks forward to a peek at the up-and-coming animations. "I'm excited to see what will succeed past the festival and come out on television," he said.

Spike & Mike shows have amassed a huge cultlike following and have been hosted at a multitude of notorious festivals including the Sundance Film Festival, Cannes International Film Festival, and the International Festival of Animation in Annecy, France.

Each year the Sick & Twisted show premieres at the San Diego Comic-Con convention and continues to play throughout the year at theaters, film festivals and college campuses in over 50 cities across the United States and Canada.

While the popularity of the festival has continuously grown, it has sparked controversy for exhibiting works perceived as violent, sexist, ageist, or insensitive in nature.

The Crest Theatre has hosted the Sick & Twisted show many times in the past. "It's very popular, but it definitely appeals to a distinct audience," said Sid Heberger, theater manager. "I love, love, love 'Lupo the Butcher' [an animation by Danny Antonucci]. I'll wear my Lupo T-shirt tomorrow to support the festival!"

Several well-known animators got their start with Spike & Mike, bringing bizarre works into mainstream culture.

Tim Burton and John Lasseter of Disney and Pixar have both premiered their works in the Classic Festival of Animation. Popular animators Bill Plympton, known for drawing every frame of an animation himself, and Don Hertzfeldt, famous for traditional pen-and-paper animation of hand-drawn stick figures, have been nominated for Academy Awards for their films ("Your Face" and "Rejected," respectively) featured in past festivals.

UNIQUE is a volunteer group, started in 1978 at Sacramento State, that works to bring innovative, quality entertainment to campus. Student volunteers plan, promote and produce all UNIQUE events with the goal to present a variety of highly attended, low-cost events.

"UNIQUE really brings a lot of people together," Randle said.

Entertainment and educational events organized by UNIQUE include concerts, lectures, cultural programs, films, comedy and performing arts. Past events include a screening of The Simpsons Movie and concerts featuring the Plain White T's and Ozomatli.

The show will run from 7:30 to 9:05 p.m. and is free of charge. All ages will be admitted to the film; however, most content is not suitable for children.

Esther Hodapp on "Furloughs Impact Students"

2009-09-22T17:35:05Z

I agree with Gonzalez - education will be the number one way to get out of this recession - and it is a shame so see educational programs suffering. I hope that someday everyone who has the desire to get a college education will also have the opportunity.

Sacramentans get a peek into the past at SOCA's annual historic home tour

2009-09-21T05:58:35Z

Many would agree with Reine Thibeault when she says, "I like to get a glimpse into other people's lives. It's fun."

That's just what Sacramentans had a chance to do at Sunday's Sacramento Old City Association's (SOCA) 34th annual historic home tour in Midtown's Boulevard Park neighborhood.

More than 300 history hunters visited 7 seven restored homes on a self-guided walking tour that featured architectural, interior design and landscaping highlights of the mostly Craftsman-style homes.

Craftsman design was popular from the end of the 19th century to the early part of the 20th century. The movement emphasized handmade over mass-produced and was in large part a reaction to the Industrial Revolution. The style incorporates locally handcrafted wood, glass and metal work that is simple and elegant. Common architectural features include exposed rafters, decorative brackets under eaves, front porch extensions under the main roof and low-pitched roof-lines.

Homes on this year's tour included 2130 H St., owned by Vincent and Donna Bezdecheck; 2117 F St., owned by George and Dorothy Niesl; 2401 H St., owned by Stephanie Tucker; 1822 G St., owned by Mary Marks and Janet Seaman; 2111 F St., owned by Peter Keat and Mariam Davis; 627 22nd St., owned by Hal and Liz Edmonds; and 2211 G St., owned by David Philipp and Joe Concannon.

Since many of the homes were subdivided into multiple units in the 1940's and 50's, most of the homes on the tour have undergone restoration that used period construction techniques and Craftsman details. Each home on the tour was unique and highlighted a wide variety of Craftsman-style structures, including a bungalow, a home with Prairie-style elements and a Shingle style, characterized by shingles, with a steep A-frame second-story gable.

Particular details in some houses made a lasting impression.

Linda Dressel praised the back yard of 2130 H St. "It was amazing. It had a wonderful waterfall and koi pond."

The organizer of the home tour named his standout.

"The most unique feature I noticed was the original figurine lamp on the newel post at 2401 H St.," said Clark Mildenhall.

For some,a strong historical interest brought them to the event.

"I can feel the children who lived in these homes before," said Jeanne Molineaux.

"When you open the door to an old house, you see the same things people have seen for over 100 years," said Cynthia Torres. "I love the connection with the past. The living room at 2211 G Street is so warm and inviting. The spirits seem to speak to me here."

The Boulevard Park neighborhood, which is bounded by 16th and 24th streets and B and I streets, always has been a thriving neighborhood with a rich history. Even though the neighborhood is more than a century old, it was a late developer in Sacramento's history.
In 1859, Sacramento became the permanent home for the state fair and, in 1860, legislative funds were allocated for the construction of a trotting park, known as Union Park Racetrack. This racetrack, along with an agricultural pavilion, constituted the new state fair grounds. Many famous Sacramentans, including Charles Crocker and Leland Stanford, raced their trotting teams on the track. The last state fair at the Union Park Racetrack was in 1904, and in 1905 the Park Realty Company purchased the land and subdivided it.

To maintain the parklike quality of the up-and-coming neighborhood, plants were placed in median strips down 21st and 22nd streets. It is these medians that many people connect with the Boulevard Park district today. Houses in the neighborhood come in a combination of styles. Colonial, Classical Revival and Prairie School were among those represented.

The goal of the Boulevard Park Neighborhood Association is to help neighbors, ensure the area is safe and clean and to preserve historic housing.

In addition to the home tour, there was a street fair in the median of 21st Street between F and H streets featuring artisans selling stained glass, quilted fabric and original paintings. Home improvement specialists were on hand, including Burnett & Sons, a local shop that specializes in historic restorations, as well as representatives from the Sacramento History Archives and CLUCK - Champion for Legalizing Urban Chicken Keeping.

The Sacramento Capital A's Model A Club parked their beauties throughout Boulevard Park. Each home on the tour had one to two cars out front with the owner available for conversation.

Lynn Phinney, a 15-year member of Capital A's, was there with his 1931 Sports Coupe Model A with rumble seat, which he has named "Old Glory." "I take her out about two times a month and also when I go to my aerobics class," Phinney said. "All the girls want a ride in the back seat, but don't let my wife know that!"

SOCA, the host of the event, is a volunteer organization started in 1972 to encourage Sacramento citizens to stay in the central city. It promotes public awareness of the historic and cultural resources of the city and advocates for policies that ensure a quality urban environment that is respectful of Sacramento's historic buildings and neighborhoods.

"We are about preservation and planning," said board member Guy Guarige.

"The greenest building is one that is already built," chimed in Mildenhall.

The home tour is SOCA's primary fundraiser. "It allows the club to show how wonderful these old houses are," said Kay Knepptrah, 25-year member. Each year the home tour features different historic homes of Sacramento. "Very few homes have been repeated on the tour," Knepprath said. "But some houses are so unique that people like to see them over and over again."

Photos of homes are courtesy of Randy Lum.

Beer connoisseurs unite at the California Brewers Festival

2009-09-21T05:40:55Z

The 15th annual California Brewers Festival descended on Discovery Park on Saturday. The venue was perfect for brewers and beer lovers to share a variety of microbrews. Against a picturesque backdrop of the Sacramento and American rivers, more than 3,500 people enjoyed a day of plentiful beer, barbecued oysters, Mexican food, garlic fries, tri-tip sandwiches, and the thumping beat of popular cover songs by local bands Utz! & the Shuttlecocks and Velvet Tongue.

"We 'heart' Brewfest!" proclaimed friends Kerry Alires, Cassandra Ramsey and Luke Poffenberger, two-year veterans of the festival that's put on by Point West Rotary Club. "The music, the beer, and getting to try a variety of brews is awesome," said Alires.

The festival featured award-winning, handcrafted beers from eight distributors, including Markstein Beverage Co., DBI Beverage and Saccani Distributing Co., and 56 brewers who offered samples of more than 150 beers.

"There are a plethora of brewers represented, both local and international," said Don Levin, Point West Rotary member. "Many breweries return to the event every year. We treat them well, so they continue to come back."

Returning brewers included Full Sail Brewing Co., Kona Brewing Co., Redhook Ale Brewery and Widmer Brother's Brewery. There also were many breweries that were new to the festival, including Magner's Irish Cider, Primator Premium Lager, Primo Brewing & Malting Co. and Victory Brewing Co.

"I am excited about visiting the Alaskan Brewing Company booth," said Cori Badgley, publicity manager of the festival. "I am from Juneau so I want to show my support to my hometown brewery. I am also excited about all the cider companies in attendance."

With so many ales to choose from, many patrons had a hard time deciding what their favorite brew was.

"All of them," Levin said. "I like a variety of beer. No particular variety or brand stands out to me. For me, it's all about beer. If it ain't beer, it ain't good."

Mike Centro, festival co-chairman, agreed. "I don't have a favorite beer. I taste different beers every year. I try to get around and really expand my beer-tasting palate."

But for some, loyalty to their favorite brewery ran deep. Brian Smith and Jeff Fletcher pronounced Mendicino Brewing Co. in Ukiah, the festival's best brewer. "I like all their brews, but Eye of the Hawk is the best," Smith said.

"My favorite is the Red Tail Ale," Fletcher countered. "I am slightly disappointed that they didn't bring it to this event for others to try."

It was Tera Mackey's first Brewers Festival. "The Hefeweizen was really good," said the Sudwerk fan. "But it's the atmosphere of the event that is great. I love the freedom of trying so many new things."

Many festivalgoers came looking for niche or craft beers and foreign brews that are difficult to purchase locally. "People gravitate towards unique beers," Levin said.

Tickets to the event were $25 in advance, $30 at the gate. The price included 10 tokens, each one good for a 4-ounce sample. Additional tokens cost $1.

The Brewers Festival also featured a professional beer judging competition. Sponsored by the Gold Country Brewers Association, it included 13 categories and best of show. The judging was done on August 15 by judges trained through the Beer Judge Certification Program. Categories included amber ales, light ales, specialty beers, American pale ales, English pale ales, India pale ales, stouts, porters, lagers, wheat beers, brown ales, fruit beers and strong ales.

Central California breweries were overall crowd-pleasers in the competition. Sudwerk of Davis took first place in best of show with its Helles European light lager. Other best of show winners included Firestone Walker Brewing Co.'s Pale 31 American pale ale and Sacramento Brewing Co.'s India pale ale.

The California Brewers Festival is the Point West Rotary Club's largest fundraiser and most of the proceeds go to local charities, with a focus on children's charities. For the past several years, The Assistance League of Sacramento has been the primary beneficiary of this event. The Assistance League of Sacramento is a volunteer organization that focuses on community service. The funds support the philanthropic program Operation School Bell, a project that addresses the need for new school clothing and supplies for economically disadvantaged children. The program, which started in Sacramento in 1995, serves 34 schools in four districts.

Last year's festival raised more than $30,000.

Hidden treasures abound at the Sacramento Antique Faire

2009-09-14T04:43:55Z

What's old is new again at the Sacramento Antique Faire, an outdoor antique and collectible marketplace held the second Sunday of every month from 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Three hundred antique dealers from the Northern California area and as far as Washington and Oregon arrived early Sunday morning to display a wide variety of antiquarian items and interior design inspirations. Many of these vendors attend the Sacramento Antique Faire on a monthly basis. With nearly 3,500 visitors to the fair each month, each vendor has ample opportunity to find a seasoned collector or amateur enthusiast eager to purchase a one-of-a-kind treasure.

Quality items for sale included fine art and jewelry, pottery, china and glassware, garden accessories, textiles and furniture. There are also several items geared toward those looking for something to spice up their interior design schemes, such as painted furniture, the perfect dining table, early-era plumbing fixtures, delicate glassware, French porcelain and wrought iron for the garden.

A wide range of Sacramentans, old and young alike, attended the fair. They were able to buy items from the $5 price range, such as vintage clip-on earrings, all they way to top-of-the-line antiques for several hundred dollars, like hand-blown glass lamps from Italy. There were also several people purchasing niche items such as original Star Wars action figures still in the original packaging and Victorian-era buttons to add glamour to items in their current wardrobe.

Throughout the day, delicious food and drink was served up by local eateries including Kettle Cornucopia, Mocha Motion and Pepperhead Ed's. The early risers were treated to a breakfast of hot brewed coffee, espresso drinks, melt-in-your mouth pastries and zesty breakfast burritos. The afternoon attendees enjoyed a choice of tri-tip and sausage sandwiches, burritos, chicken kabobs, corn dogs and kettle corn all cooked to order.

The Sacramento Antique Faire was started five years ago by Marylon Rose, an avid antiquer. "I started it because I love antiques," she said. "There are many old, beautiful things and I have an appreciation for the craftsmanship used to create them. I thought this would be a good way for shops to increase their foot traffic and to be able to show to a large number of people."

Many of the antique vendors, including Gary Ogren, of Ogren's Auctions in Lodi, have participated in the fair since the beginning. "Antiquing is in our blood," he said. "We continue to come to the Sacramento Antique Faire because Marylon listens to what the vendors and the buyers want and she takes input from everyone."

Only antiques and collectibles are sold at the fair. No reproduction or craft items are available. "The fair has a good reputation among seasoned collectors for quality buying opportunities," Rose said.

From Ogren's experience, the most popular items people look for are old oil- or gas-related signs from gas stations. "They are a guy thing," he said. "We like to collect that sort of stuff."

The Sacramento Antique Faire is located on 21st Street between X and W streets in Sacramento. Admission to the event is $3 and children under 16 and parking for the event are free.

'Six Women with Brain Death' keeps Sacramentans smiling

2009-09-13T05:20:49Z

The Six Women actresses proclaim, "You have to laugh and scream and blow off steam so you don't expire," and that is exactly what the audience did at Friday's showing of the revival of Sacramento's cult classic Six Women with Brain Death (or Expiring Minds Want to Know).

As the show begins, six frazzled, women parade across the stage in a grocery check-out line, reading the outrageous headlines of The Expirerer, a spoof of today's tabloid magazines. The women quickly transition from their comedic sketch into a full-energy musical number introducing the audience to the "World of Expiring Minds."

The first act consists of a series of life and pop culture scenarios from the viewpoint of overworked, burnt-out, middle-aged women. A wide range of topics are explored, including the housewife who gets too emotionally involved in daytime soap operas, the musical audition of the "Divas of Midtown", and the reminiscing of high school friends at their 20-year high school reunion.

The highlight of the first act is the Rambi scene, a comedic combination of the Disney classic Bambi and the action-flick Rambo. Five women, costumed as Disney-esque woodland creatures, including the rabbit, Thumper, and the skunk, Flower, speak in the sing-songy voices of Disney characters while casually mixing profanity with politeness. The animals wait for Rambi, who is costumed in antlers and camo and carries a machine gun. The scene concludes with Rambi helping the animals protect themselves from evil hunters, combining the best of both fantasy and gore.

The second act starts at a slower pace than the first, giving the audience a breather after being bombarded with tabloid culture puns and irony-clad lyrics. It picks up again with the game show act, "Wise Up or Die," in which Jolene, a book-smart woman, tries to find out who she is. The host, Baby Ruth, presents Jolene with three panelists experts: Type A is a straight-laced business woman, Type B is a housewife, and Type C is a buxom, sex goddess. The panelists question Jolene, mostly about her sexuality, and conclude that Jolene is not a spontaneous person and self-help books cannot provide all the answers.

The musical hilarity continues in two skits featuring the women in garish purple choir robes, auditioning for the Grand Ol' Opry and proclaiming "God Is an Alien" in a gospel-themed parody. The show ended with a thunderous applause and groups of women left the theater clinging to one another in fits of laughter.

The energy and pacing of the show can be likened to the roller coaster of emotional ups and downs that challenge middle-aged American women. Many of the sketches have a slow beginning with a series of bizarre, left-of-field comedic sketches that end with an over-the-top, yet hilarious, musical number. While all the comedic bits are farcical in theory, at times some fall a bit flat and overdo the mockery of tabloid culture.

Six actresses star in Six Women and tackle a variety of characters in the different sketches. The comedic timing and edginess carries the show. Both Raylynn Sanders and Dottie Harris lead the vocals with booming voices and resonating tones that fill the intimate Studio Theatre. However, Sanders is the dynamo of this show and really brings a zany personality into each character she takes on.

Six Women is Sacramento's longest-running musical. Studio Theatre owner Jackie Schultz opened Six Women in 1996 and the show continued to run until 2006. The current run of Six Women, presented by the Lambda Players, is a special tribute to Schultz, who is currently battling Chronic Fatigue and Immune Dysfunction Syndrome.

Director Kitty Czarnecki, a former Six Women actress, has made several changes to the revived show. She added modern quips, including references to Twitter, High School Musical and "Jon & Kate Plus 8."

"I tried not to go back to the original [show]," she said. "I have looked at this as a fresh piece and I have adapted the show to the cast."

The show will run through Oct. 4 at the Studio Theatre, 1028 R St. in Downtown Sacramento. Shows are on Friday and Saturday nights at 8 p.m., with a Sunday matinee at 2 p.m. Ticket prices range from $13 to $17 and can be purchased in advance through the Lambda Players website or by calling the box office at (916) 444-8229.

BBQ and beer to benefit local Boys & Girls Clubs

2009-09-11T01:51:41Z

This Saturday, September 12, Rubicon Brewery and the Northern California Brewers Guild will present the 4th annual Midtown Community Festival to benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Sacramento.

"This will be a fun-filled day of food, music and games where attendees will get a great feeling of being part of our community," Rubicon owner Glynn Phillips said. "I'm hoping everyone comes out for a plate of ribs and a pint of beer to support the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Sacramento."

The festival will include live performances by four local bands, fun games and activities for kids including a climbing wall and a jump house, raffle prizes and a walk-a-thon.

There will be a wide variety of food available, all donated by local merchants, featuring spicy pork ribs and barbecue from Rubicon and green and red tacos from Mulvaney's B&L Restaurant. Mulvaney's executive chef, Patrick Mulvaney, says green and red tacos are based on the cuisine of the American Southwest and are made from locally grown green chilies and tomatillos.

Mulvaney is excited to participate in this year's event because, "My philanthropic pattern has been geared towards helping children. The Midtown Community Festival is a unique event. Everything is donated, so 100 percent of the money raised goes to the Boys & Girls Clubs, which is very inspiring."

Also returning to the event is the ever popular Beer Garden, which features beer and wine tastings from 12 area breweries and wineries including Rubicon Brewery, Lost Coast Brewery, Two Rivers Cider Company, Revolution Wines and Madroña Vineyards.

Phillips started the Midtown Community Festival four years ago. "I wanted to give back to the youth in California and our community," he said. "And also to give back to the people who support my business (Rubicon Brewery)."

He said he hopes the proceeds from this event will allow the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Sacramento to continue to provide an outlet for local youth to participate in a variety of programs.

Boys & Girls Clubs have been serving children across America for over 100 years with the mission "to inspire and enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens." Boys & Girls Clubs focus on five major program areas including: education and career development, sports, recreation and fitness, character and leadership development, health and life skills, and the arts.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Sacramento was started 12 years ago by Fred Teichert when he realized that Sacramento was the only capital city in the country without a Boys & Girls Club. The club is open to all youths ages 6 to 18 who live in the Greater Sacramento area.

It offers activities every Monday through Friday from 2:30 to 7 p.m. that include homework help, computer training, visual arts, cooking, and sports. There are currently 12,733 registered members in the Sacramento area. Membership is $12 per child for the school year, which runs from September through June.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Sacramento has several fundraisers throughout the year. Judy McCurry, the Boys & Girls Clubs administrative coordinator, said she is excited for the Midtown Community Festival.

"It is a low-key event that is a lot of fun. It gets our name out to the community and gets a lot of community members involved in our organization," she added. In the past, the festival has raised $12,000 to $14,000 for the organization, and McCurry said they hope to earn $15,000 this year.

This family-friendly fundraiser will take place in front of Rubicon Brewery on Capitol Avenue between 20th and 21st streets from 1 to 6 p.m. Entrance to the event is free, but there is a charge for food and drink. Beer Garden tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the gate.

For more information or an application to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Sacramento, call (916) 392-1350, visit a club location or go online.

Photos are courtesy of midtowngrid.com.

Esther Hodapp on "Snapshot Sacramento"

2009-09-10T23:40:08Z

I know next year a book is being planned. Are there any thoughts about doing both a calendar and book so people could have a choice on what medium to purchase the photographs in?

Esther Hodapp on "Series of Stolen Art"

2009-09-10T23:35:36Z

It's shocking that someone would steal from area artists, people who are promoting culture and beauty in the community. I hope that this article will raise awareness and some of the art will be returned to the rightful owners.

Esther Hodapp on ""Graham-a-Rama" provides unique cabaret experience"

2009-09-10T23:30:35Z

This sounds really fun. It will be interesting to see how long the run continues.

Esther Hodapp on "Life after 'Brain Death' "

2009-08-13T17:52:23Z

As a correction, photos were taken by Leon Fredette of Fredette Photography, and provided by Chris Crittenden, President of Lambda Players.

Life after 'Brain Death'

2009-08-13T04:22:51Z

This Friday, Sacramento will welcome back its longest running musical in Sacramento theater history, Six Women with Brain Death (or Expiring Minds Want to Know), as a special tribute to former Studio Theatre director, producer and actor Jackie Schultz.

Schultz opened the Studio Theatre in 1994 with a mission to promote theater from the female perspective. She opened Six Women in 1996 and it immediately sold out three months in advance. The show continued to run until 2006, when Schultz's battle with Chronic Fatigue and Immune Dysfunction Syndrome (CFIDS) along with opportunities to explore other ventures required her to end the show.

Six Women is a fast-paced, musical satire of life and pop culture from an entirely left-of-field, feminine standpoint. The show consists of a bizarre yet hilarious combination of songs and sketches targeted at middle-aged women and the unique problems and challenges presented to them by our American culture.

The authors explore a wacky range of topics including grocery line tabloid headlines, TV soap operas, the fantasy life of Barbie and Ken, severed heads of aging prom queens, and the unforgettable forest detour where Bambi meets Rambo (the infamous Rambi scene). Schultz says Six Women makes you "laugh like you have never laughed before."

This cult-classic revival of Six Women will be presented by the Lambda Players under the direction of Kitty Czarnecki, a former actress in the musical.

This is the Lambda Players 21st season as an active theater troupe in the Sacramento area. They are an all-volunteer, non-profit organization with a mission to educate and entertain through the live-theater medium, with a focus relevant to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender population.

The Lambda Players transitioned from purely a traveling theater troupe to a full-fledged community theater with a full-time home in 2004 when they moved into a 41-seat theater on 17th Street, which they named the Lambda Players Theatre.

In September 2007, the Lambda Players made the Studio Theatre their home. Chris Crittenden, the president of the Lambda Players, says the Studio Theatre has been a "great theater to perform in for the past two years." However, at the conclusion of this show, the Lambda Players will be moving their troupe to 1127 21st St., in the Lavender Heights area of Sacramento, a location that they feel better supports their mission.

Czarnecki is a returning alum to Six Women. Czarnecki acted in the show under the direction of Schultz for two and a half years. Six Women is unique as there are no set roles and the actors each play a handful of roles throughout the show.

"It is a very quirky show with a cult-following appeal," she said. "I have a better understanding of what it means to people. Being in the show is like a sisterhood. You create a bond like no other."

Over 50 actors performed in the original 10-year run of Six Women and some audience members loved the show so much they saw it from 20 to 50 times. Schultz believes that Sacramentans felt Six Women was "our show."

While the contents of the vignettes comprising Six Women remain the same, Czarnecki ensures the audience will have several new surprises in store. One major difference from the original show relates to the demographic make-up of the cast members themselves. In the original show, the cast members were all petite women in their 30s. In the new show, Czarnecki has actors ranging in age from 21 to 45 and ranging in dress size from 2 to 22. Czarnecki believes that the current actors are "more representative of women across the board, making it easier for women to relate to [the show]." Czarnecki is especially excited for the Rambi scene. "I hope it makes people laugh like it makes me laugh," Czarnecki said.

"Jackie has been so involved in the theater world and this show is her baby, so this is a tribute to her," Crittenden said. Czarnecki is "thrilled that it honors her."

Schultz has had a very public 12-year battle with CFIDS, also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis. CFIDS is not well understood by the medical community, and is oftentimes diagnosed through a time-consuming and difficult process of eliminating other diagnosable illnesses. CFIDS consists of a series of debilitating disorders affecting the brain and multiple body systems. Symptoms include muscle and joint pain, memory problems and severe exhaustion where patients cannot maintain their energy for any length of time. Some patients also report digestive disturbances, depression, poor immune response and cardiac and respiratory issues. As Schultz says, "The truth behind it: It's complicated. The complexity of the disease is mind-numbing."

Perhaps the most frustrating aspect of this disease is that there is no definitive cause, no medical tests to diagnose it, no known cure, and the recovery rate is low. Many patients with CFIDS carry a heavy psychological burden as they struggle to get others to recognize their needs due to the ambiguity of CFIDS as an actual medical syndrome. Since most of the symptoms of CFIDS are invisible to the outside observer and can be highly variable in severity, it is difficult for outside observers to understand the difficulties that people with this illness must contend with.

"My battle [with CFIDS] has been hell," Schultz said. "There is no answer. There is no cure. In California, there are very few resources [for patients with CFIDS]."

While Schultz can no longer act she says she is "the biggest cheerleader on the planet" and looks forward to the return of Six Women with Brain Death. The show runs for eight weeks from Aug. 14 to Oct. 4 at the Studio Theatre, located at 1028 R St. in Downtown Sacramento. Shows will be on Friday and Saturday nights at 8 p.m. with a Sunday matinee at 2 p.m. Ticket prices range from $13 to $17 and can be purchased in advance through the Lambda Players website or by calling the box office at (916) 444-8229. Photos included in this article are coutesy of Lambda Players president Chris Crittenden.

Esther Hodapp on "Funk, food and folk music at Buddhist bazaar"

2009-08-11T21:33:40Z

This sounds like a neat festival to highlight Japanese culture. Are most of the entertainers and artisans from the local Sacramento area and where can one get more information on getting involved in these groups?

Esther Hodapp on "Sac Salons Battle at Hair Wars"

2009-08-11T21:17:44Z

Do all the shows have a theme associated with the hair styles? What will some of the other upcoming themes be?

Esther Hodapp on "Soaring Voices at the Crocker"

2009-08-11T20:57:50Z

This is very interesting that this is an all female art exhibit. How do you think the ceramic work of these females differs from that of their male counterparts?

Esther Hodapp on "Got a bike? Take a tour!"

2009-08-11T20:51:34Z

This sounds like a great way to get out and see the city. Are there any thoughts of putting a map together of this route with particular landmarks highlighted and posting it somewhere to cyclists can easily follow the described routes?

Esther Hodapp on "Outdoor movies pop up in Sactown"

2009-08-11T20:47:11Z

Is this a family-friendly event or is it geared towards the adult community?