In the KNOW

Now Studio 81 Performing Arts (El Dorado High School Drama) presents “The Little Mermaid” through May 21 at the Carl Borelli Amphitheater in Placerville. For tickets and more information visit studio81arts.com/tickets.

The Stage at Burke Junction in Cameron Park presents “Short Cuts” through May 21 with performances on Saturdays and Sundays. For tickets and more information call (916) 947-1010 or visit stageatburke.com.

El Dorado County Certified Farmers Markets have begun Saturdays at Placerville Cinema on Placerville Drive, 8 a.m. to noon and Wednesdays at Burke Junction on Coach Lane in Cameron Park, 8 a.m. to noon; they begin May 21 – Sundays at El Dorado Hills Town Center, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.; June 6 – Tuesdays at American Legion South Lake Tahoe on South Lake Tahoe Boulevard, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Gold Bug Park & Mine in Placerville is open Saturdays and Sundays, weather permitting, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information visit goldbugpark.org.

May 12

Sherwood Demonstration Garden is open again every Friday and Saturday for open garden days, 9 a.m. to noon. Take a leisurely stroll through all 16 themed gardens. Docents are on-site to assist with any questions regarding Sherwood Demonstration Garden or your personal garden. May be closed for inclement weather or poor air quality. Check the website before visiting: ucanr.edu/sites/ EDC_Master_Gardeners/ Demonstration_Garden.

The Placerville Shakespeare Club’s 2023 annual Giant Rummage Sale will be held 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, May 12, and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 13, at the clubhouse, 2940 Bedford Ave. There will be something for everyone. Come early and bring your really big shopping bag. For more information call (530) 677-1134 or visit placervilleshakespeare.com.

Rosy Nolan and David Newbould perform 7-10 p.m. at The Green Room Social Club, 251 Main St. in Placerville. For tickets and more information visit clubgreenroom.com.

Red Hawk Casino + Resort hosts live music at the Stage Bar, 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday. Hear American Mile (country/rock) May 12; Cougar Adams (classic n See Know, page B5

Odin Rasco Staff writer

Alone soldier in older camouflage fatigues ducks behind a tree, easing his grip on his rifle as he bites from a protein bar before he decides it’s time to move again. He steps forward carefully, and then he hears something ...

“OK, that was good, Mark! Let’s reset and shoot that again.” Director Donald Wren’s voice calls out and actor Mark Becketti goes back to his place for the start of the scene. The small production team resets, the cameraequipped drone hovers back to its starting position and then ...

Becketti, wearing older camouflage fatigues, ducks behind a tree, easing his grip on the prop sci-fi gun as he bites from a protein bar (making sure to hide the label) before the script says it’s time to move again.

The scene is the opening to Drat Productions’ newest short film, “No Love in War,” which is set to hit the internet Saturday evening. The short film is a high-action futuristic face-off between two soldiers — and only one will leave the battle alive. It will be available on Drat Productions’ YouTube and Facebook pages for any interested viewers and potential future “Drat-heads,” Wren’s nickname for the fans.

Wren has been putting together film shoots like this multiple times a year for more than 15 years with his passion project, Drat Productions. A scrappy crew of newcomers and repeat guests on both sides of the camera, Drat is a community motivated by the simple question “why not?”

“I first got involved maybe 12 years ago, when my kid first did an early short video; we just thought, why don’t we give this a shot?” said Janet Todd, who has gone on to be the go-to script reader for many Drat films.

Wren, a born-and-raised Placerville resident, wants to make the moviemaking experience approachable for anyone and ensure everyone has fun during the process.

“I’m just a small-town guy trying to bring a Hollywood feeling to Placerville. If you want to be a band, that’s easy. You can grab some friends and some instruments and there’s places around here you can play. But where do you go if you want to make a film? I want to make that an option for people who otherwise would never have a chance,” Wren said.

Becketti, one of the stars in “No Love in War,” has done several shoots with Wren over the years and said the fun keeps him coming back.

“He’s so fun to work with. It’s a fun time and it’s just always so great to see the finished project,” Becketti said.

Low-stress and a positive atmosphere are key components to any Drat shoot, with the bloopers as welcome as the footage they set out to record.

“This is a hobby. The moment it becomes a job, I’m quitting,” Wren joked. “I don’t stress out; I can’t stress out when we’re filming. I’m not paying them. We’re doing this for fun so we’ve just gotta roll with it.”

Though he insists it’s just a hobby, it’s hard to ignore just how prolific Wren has been writing, filming and editing scores of short films, sketches and weekly jokes. So far he has burnt out three computers from running video editing software so often on them. The short film topics run a gamut — rednecks, zombies, superheroes, crime, horror, sci-fi and comedy — often leaning into a blend of genres that Wren likes to call the “action-groaner.”

“I don’t like those movies where you’re sitting around for 20 or 30 minutes before anything even happens,” Wren said. “I have a rule in my scripts that you get to the action in at least two minutes, and then it’s action, action, action followed by a groaner kind of ending.”

Though the groaners are sometimes as simple as the obvious joke waiting in the wings finally being told, they

2nd Annual Forebay Golf Classic

First

Place Team – $500 Second Place Team – $250

Rattlesnake

Avoidance For Dogs

Each dog is individually trained with live rattlesnakes and is personally trained by staff from HIGH ON KENNELS. Sponsored By Hangtown Kennel Club Of Placerville, CA, Inc. with assistance from Dalmatian Club of No. CA

June 24–25, 2023

You’ll be at the clinic site approximately 40 minutes

Cost $90 Per Dog

PRE-REGISTRATION

REQUIRED

CONTACT: CATHY KEELER — 530-622-6909 www.highonkennels.com