FIREHOUSE ARTS CENTER PRESENTS
NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2011
HOLIDAY SHORTS: A LONG WINTER’S TALE Get into the holiday spirit with teen improv troupe, Creatures of Impulse. PAGE 14
WELCOME TO THE FIREHOUSE ARTS CENTER The Firehouse Arts Center is dedicated to inspiring passion through the arts. With world-class performing and visual arts, exciting interactive programs for all ages, and a state-of-the-art venue, we combine the sophistication of the culturally rich Bay Area arts landscape with the hospitality and intimacy of our own hometown.
Come discover everything the Firehouse Arts Center has to offer, and get inspired!
FIREHOUSE ARTS CENTER: November - December 2011 3
WELCOME TO THE FIREHOUSE ARTS CENTER FIREHOUSE ARTS CENTER BOX OFFICE Tickets may be purchased for events scheduled at both the Firehouse Arts Center and the Amador Theater. Group discounts of 15% are offered for most ticket purchases of ten or more made at the same time to the same event. Firehouse Arts Center gift certificates are now available for purchase online, by phone or at the box office.
TICKETS ONLINE www.firehousearts.org
TICKETS BY PHONE (925) 931-4848
TICKETS AT THE BOX OFFICE 4444 Railroad Avenue Pleasanton
BOX OFFICE HOURS Wed-Fri 12-6 p.m.; Sat 10 a.m.-4 p.m. 2 hours prior to performances
HARRINGTON GALLERY HOURS Wed-Fri 12-5 p.m.; Sat 11 a.m.-3 p.m. 1 hour prior to performances
FIREHOUSE ARTS CENTER CONNECTS JOIN THE FIREHOUSE ARTS CENTER COMMUNITY BECOME A VOLUNTEER Join a staff that is passionate about giving our visitors, participants, artists, and partners an exceptional experience from the very first point of contact. For more information and to fill out an application, visit firehousearts.org/volunteer.
GIVE ONLINE Visit firehousearts.org/donate to give online via our secure server.
GIVE BY MAIL You can also make a gift to the Firehouse Arts Center by check, money order or credit card by sending your gift to: Firehouse Arts Center City of Pleasanton P.O. Box 520 Pleasanton, CA 94566 The Firehouse Arts Center programs are produced and distributed by The Pleasanton Weekly. For advertising opportunities, call (925) 600-0840. 4 FIREHOUSE ARTS CENTER: November - December 2011
One of America’s -/ĂŠ " ĂŠ "1,- Ă€Âˆ}Â…ĂŒĂŠÂˆÂ˜ĂŠĂžÂœĂ•Ă€ĂŠÂœĂœÂ˜ĂŠL>VÂŽĂž>Ă€` Ranked in the Top 50 municipal golf courses in the USA in 2010 and 2011 UĂŠ ÂœV>ĂŒi`ĂŠÂˆÂ˜ĂŠ-ÂœĂ•ĂŒÂ…ĂŠ*Â?i>Ăƒ>Â˜ĂŒÂœÂ˜ UĂŠ Â…>Â?Â?i˜}ˆ˜}ĂŠ`iĂƒÂˆ}Â˜ĂŠvÂœĂ€ĂŠ>Â?Â?ĂŠĂƒÂŽÂˆÂ?Â?ĂŠÂ?iĂ›iÂ?Ăƒ UĂŠ Ă€i>ĂŒĂŠVœ˜`ÂˆĂŒÂˆÂœÂ˜ĂŠ>˜`ĂŠiĂ?ViÂ?Â?iÂ˜ĂŒĂŠ`Ă€>ˆ˜>}i UĂŠ*Ă€>VĂŒÂˆViĂŠ>Ă€i>ĂŠ>˜`ĂŠ`Ă€ÂˆĂ›ÂˆÂ˜}ĂŠĂ€>˜}i UĂŠ6ÂˆĂƒÂˆĂŒĂŠÂœĂ•Ă€ĂŠvĂ•Â?Â?ĂžĂŠĂƒĂŒÂœVÂŽi`ĂŠ*Ă€ÂœĂŠ-Â…ÂœÂŤ UĂŠ ˜Â?ÂœĂžĂŠĂ€ivĂ€iĂƒÂ…Â“iÂ˜ĂŒĂƒĂŠÂˆÂ˜ĂŠÂœĂ•Ă€ĂŠ >ÀÊEĂŠ Ă€ÂˆÂ?Â?
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EVENT LISTINGS BY GENRE ACOUSTIC/FOLK Men of Worth April Verch
HARRINGTON ART GALLERY 11 10
8
9
CLASSICAL Liszt Festival
12
CONCERT Pleasanton Community Concert Band
22
18
FILM Warren Miller at The Amador Theater
16
Jeff Bordes & Friends featuring Zakiya Hooker — A Jazzy Soulful Christmas
15
POETRY Cynthia Bryant
20
POP/ROCK Montrose
11
THEATER
COUNTRY A Cash Country Christmas
Pacific Masterworks Chorus
HOLIDAY JAZZ
CABARET Lee Lessack & Linda Purl
7
HOLIDAY CHORAL
BLUES The Official Blues Brothers Revue
National Watercolor Society Traveling Exhibit
12
The Official Blues Brothers Revue 6 FIREHOUSE ARTS CENTER: November - December 2011
Sleeping Beauty at the Amador Theater
14
YOUTH Creatures of Impulse presents Holiday Shorts: A Long Winter’s Tale
A Cash Country Christmas
14
HARRINGTON ART GALLERY: NATIONAL WATERCOLOR SOCIETY TRAVELING EXHIBIT October 26 – December 10 Price: $5 The Firehouse Arts Center’s Harrington Gallery will host the 2010 traveling exhibit of the National Watercolor Society from October 26 to December 10, 2011. The National Watercolor Society exhibit represents the best of water media painting. This show features a selection from “Maya of Chichicastenango” by Jan Ledbetter the Society’s 90th annual exhibit in 2010, which is traveling to numerous venues nationwide this year. Detailed information about the National Watercolor Society is available at www. nationalwatercolorsociety. org A companion exhibit, “Five Palettes”, that features “Heads or Tails” by Kathleen Maling works by five California Watercolor Association artists, will also be on display and will be included in the general admission fee. The artists, all from Contra Costa County, are Leslie Wilson, Marilyn Miller, Maggie Metcalf, Iretta Hunter, and Sue Johnston. Their works are displayed at Gallery Concord, Triton Museum in Santa Clara, Epperson Gallery in Crockett, and Lindsay Dirkx Brown Art Gallery in San Ramon. They have shown and placed in many local and statewide competitions.
NATIONAL WATERCOLOR SOCIETY EXHIBIT GALLERY RECEPTION October 29, 3-5 p.m. FIREHOUSE ARTS CENTER: November - December 2011 7
BLUES/ROCK: THE OFFICIAL BLUES BROTHERS REVUE November 3, 4 at 8 p.m. November 5 at 2 p.m., 8 p.m. Price: $17-$34 Wayne Catania and Kieron Lafferty, a.k.a. Jake & Elwood, are the most dynamic and authentic Blues Brothers show to ever hit the stage. Their show combines the comedy and hits from the original “Lost in Las Vegas” movie and pays homage to Chicago’s rich history of blues, gospel and soul music. Jake, Elwood & The Band hit just the right balance of humor, music and mayhem that has captivated audiences nationwide. Upbeat and uplifting, The Official Blues Brothers Revue is fun for all ages. www.bbrevue.com 1 ON ST LE DE E S WO DO SO RD LL N : FI A RECIT REH R AL
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Now Offering Kindermusik Classes
CABARET: LEE LESSACK & LINDA PURL “Steppin’ Out With My Baby”: The Songs of Irving Berlin November 6, 2 p.m. Price: $17-$27 Broadway, Hollywood and TV star Linda Purl teams up with cabaret and recording artist Lee Lessack in a nostalgic tribute to the career of “America’s Composer,” Irving Berlin. Linda Purl has starred in more than 40 television Movies of the Week and has appeared recently on “Desperate Housewives” and “The Office.” She is a popular vocalist in concert and in cabarets. Lee Lessack tours extensively in the U.S. and Europe to sold-out performances, and has released six albums to rave reviews. His album, “In Good Company,” garnered both a MAC and Bistro Award for Best Recording of the Year. This much-applauded duo will have you humming along to Berlin’s most beloved songs — “There’s No Business Like Show Business,” “Alexander’s Ragtime Band,” “God Bless America” and many more. What a perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon!
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FOLK, ACOUSTIC FIDDLE: APRIL VERCH Internationally Renowned Canadian Fiddler November 12, 8 p.m. Price: $12-$25 April Verch, doesn’t just perform music, she exudes it. The internationally renowned Canadian ďŹ ddler, singer, songwriter and step dancer, whom you may remember from the opening ceremonies of the 2010 Olympics, expresses a passion for performing and touches the lives of listeners at any given moment. The April Verch Band features world-class musicians Clay Ross on guitar and Cody Walters on upright-electric bass and banjo. Together, these three passionate musicians have established an international reputation as consummate performers, winning over audiences with sheer virtuosity on their instruments as well as with charm, humor and boundless energy on stage. Experience their ďŹ re at the Firehouse! www.aprilverch.com
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POP/ROCK: MONTROSE Guitar Player Magazine presents Montrose in Concert November 17-18, 8 p.m. Price: $35-$45 The original “sheer rock and roll ecstasy” of the Ronnie Montrose remains the stuff of music legend with its American hard rock hits like “Rock the Nation,” “I Got the Fire” and “Rock Candy.” Fans have been begging for more ever since Montrose emerged on the music scene more than four decades ago. Now, after music trailblazing with Gamma’s bluesy-edged guitar and synthesizer explosions in albums such as “Open Fire” and “The Speed of Sound,” the huge sound and pealing riffs return — with conviction! Come to the Firehouse and relive the tunes that rocked the nation with heart-thumping, foot-stomping, fist-pumping energy. The legend is back! www.ronniemontrose.com
ACOUSTIC CELTIC FOLK: MEN OF WORTH November 19, 8 p.m. Price: $12-$22 Scotsman Donnie Macdonald and Irishman James Keigher come together at the Firehouse to perform Irish and Scottish folk music in a unique combination of stirring tunes, soulful ballads and humor. Men of Worth (the name chosen from the title of a Scottish folk song) combine traditional and contemporary styles, blending their voices in harmony with an eclectic array of instruments that has made them a much sought after musical duo for more than 25 years. Don’t miss them! www.menofworth.com
FIREHOUSE ARTS CENTER: November - December 2011 11
CLASSICAL: LISZT FESTIVAL November 20, 2 p.m. Price: $20-$40 Full Day; $10 Individual Concerts
Celebrating Liszt’s Bicentennial Year Join the celebration at four exciting concerts commemorating the bicentennial birthday of Franz Liszt, the visionary performer, composer and advocate, who was “the central figure of the Romantic era.” At a 2:00 p.m. Young Artists Recital, audition winners will perform works by Liszt. At 3:30 p.m. Dr. William Wellborn will present a lecture and recital, sharing insights on the fascinating evolution of Liszt’s compositional style, complemented by musical demonstrations from the keyboard. A 5:00 p.m. Ensemble Concert will feature pianists Stephen Varney and Naomi Sanchez (one piano, four hands) in Les Préludes and Grand Galop Chromatique. Cecilia Huang, violin; Paul Rhodes, cello; and Dominique Piana, harp will perform Orpheus, Symphonic Poem arranged by SaintSaëns while soprano Marta Johansen, with pianist Robert Schwartz, will perform art songs by Liszt. An evening Solo Recital, at 8:00 p.m., will showcase the talents of award-winning Hungarian pianist Peter Toth in Mazeppa, B-A-C-H Legend-Weinen, Klagen-Norma and more.
FILM: WARREN MILLER AT THE AMADOR THEATER Warren Miller Entertainment presents “Like There’s No Tomorrow” November 20, 7 p.m. Price: $20 This fall, Warren Miller Entertainment brings you its 62nd winter sports film, Warren Miller’s “Like There’s No Tomorrow.” Hosted by skiing icon Jonny Moseley and shot on location in India, New Zealand, Chile, Alaska, Norway, British Columbia and beyond, “Like There’s No Tomorrow” is your annual reminder that winter is on its way and, with it, four months of an adrenaline-fueled dance with gravity. Featuring world-class athletes, 12 FIREHOUSE ARTS CENTER: November - December 2011
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like Colby West, Julia Mancuso and Chris Davenport, “Like There’s No Tomorrow” celebrates those who take on the mountains with an abandon that amazes and inspires us all. Warren Miller films attract a cult-like following and mark the official start of winter for sports enthusiasts everywhere. Warren Miller premieres are an experience and phenomena not to be missed. Check warrenmiller.com for details.
YOUTH: CREATURES OF IMPULSE PRESENTS HOLIDAY SHORTS: A LONG WINTER’S TALE The holiday improv show where the audience gets the vote! December 1-2, 7:30 p.m. Price: Students - $5 Adv/$8 Door; General - $10 Adv/$15 Door Join Creatures of Impulse as they fill you with holiday cheer! Your suggestions will inspire holiday themed games, scenes, and audience interactions in the first act. The audience will then vote for which short scene Creatures of Impulse will make into an entire improvised “play” in the second act. This is the holiday show you will be talking about for a long time!
THEATER: SLEEPING BEAUTY AT THE AMADOR THEATER 7:30 p.m. shows Dec. 9, 10, 16, 17 2:00 p.m. matinees Dec. 10, 11, 17, 18 Price: $6-$18 Princess Beauty’s overprotective parents are determined that she won’t prick her finger on her 16th birthday – but now she’s spoiled rotten! Can a magic sleep and the wisdom of adventurous Prince Revoir help her become beautiful both inside and 14 FIREHOUSE ARTS CENTER: November - December 2011
out? This delightful comedic take on the traditional story is in the “panto� style of 2009’s Cinderella and 2010’s The Princess and the Pea. Full of music, dance, and magic, Sleeping Beauty is fun for the whole family!
HOLIDAY JAZZ: JEFF BORDES & FRIENDS FEATURING ZAKIYA HOOKER — A JAZZY SOULFUL CHRISTMAS December 10, 8 p.m. Price: $12-$25 Merging the sounds of New Orleans, the swing of big band, and soul of the blues, all with the spirit of Christmas, jazz trumpeter Jeff Bordes brings us a holiday show which will leave everyone tapping their feet to favorite holiday songs. Join Pleasanton’s own Jeff Bordes & Friends, featuring Zakiya Hooker and Big Band, as they perform a jazzy, funky, bluesy Christmas!
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HOLIDAY CHORAL: PACIFIC MASTERWORKS CHORUS December 16, 8pm Price: $15-$20 Under the direction of Dr. Greg Lyne, the Pacific Masterworks Chorus will be performing Carols and Lullabies, “Christmas in the South West,” a 1992 work by the American composer Conrad Susa. Dr. Greg Lyne, world-renowned musical and artistic director, brings a wealth of musical knowledge and passion for excellence wherever he teaches and directs. Dr. Lyne works full-time as a coach for choruses and quartets throughout the country and as a clinician for musical ensembles of all types. The Pacific Masterworks Chorus is devoted to high quality choral performances and recording. The chorus embraces a wide variety of repertoire ranging from works of the a cappella tradition to accompanied compositions including choral masterworks. The Chorus seeks to perform and record distinctive choral music that will delight both our performers and our audiences and also provides training and education in historical and contemporary choral methods for individual growth and community enrichment. www.pacificmasterworkschorus.org
Music, poetry, theater, comedy, film, art and more... Discover everything the Firehouse Arts Center has to offer and purchase tickets or gift certificates at firehousearts.org 16 FIREHOUSE ARTS CENTER: November - December 2011
Bring Home the Holidays The Pleasanton Weekly will help you start off the holiday season with the annual glossy Holiday Gift Guide in the November 18 issue. Also, each newspaper issue during the season will feature articles dedicated to helping you make the holidays a sweet and joyous time full of fun, family and friends. November 18 – Deck the Halls Decorating for the holidays November 25 – Entertaining How to hold a memorable, warm holiday gathering December 2 – Be Good To Yourself Don’t stress! Take care of yourself
December 9 – Peace and Joy Create special memories, and keep the kids occupied, during holiday break December 16 – Last Minute Gift Giving Ideas in all price ranges for the procrastinators
To subscribe or advertise call (925) 600-0840.
Pleasanton Weekly.com FIREHOUSE ARTS CENTER: November - December 2011 17
COUNTRY: A CASH COUNTRY CHRISTMAS James Garner’s Holiday Tribute to Johnny Cash December 17, 8 p.m. Price: $12-$25 James Garner’s) Cash Tribute Show was a sell-out, stand up, rollicking hit in its debut at the Firehouse earlier this year. Now, by popular demand, Garner brings his show and his band back to The Firehouse, but with an added twist just in time for the holiday season. Cash fans know all of his hits like “Ring of Fire,” “I Walk the Line” and “A Boy Named Sue,” but many are surprised to learn that Cash recorded memorable versions of many holiday classics on numerous Christmas albums between 1963 and 1991. In his special holiday program, A Cash Country Christmas, Garner and his band will recreate some of those recordings in Cash’s unique style and distinctive arrangements. Don’t miss out! Catch the spirit of the season with a holiday treat you’ll remember all year long. www.cashtribute.net
Our local news comes at a (very low) price. The Pleasanton Weekly may seem free, but it’s really not. Supporting a staff of local journalists, publishing a weekly newspaper and operating a website with breaking news is an expensive undertaking … too expensive in an economy where the local businesses we rely on for advertising are struggling. For as little at 17¢ a day ($5 a month) you can become a subscribing member of the Pleasanton Weekly. We’ll thank you in ads, invite you to special “members-only” events and send you a “Support Local Journalism” bumper sticker. But most important, we’ll be able to keep providing Pleasanton with the award-winning local reporting that any vibrant community needs.
To begin your membership, call us at 600-0840 or go to SupportLocalJournalism.org/Pleasanton and sign up online.
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POETRY Welcome Cynthia! Cynthia L. Bryant, newly appointed Poet Laureate for the City of Pleasanton will serve a two-year term as the city’s seventh Poet Laureate. Cynthia, with the distinction of having also served as the city’s fourth Poet Laureate from 2005-2007, brings to the post a wealth of knowledge and experience. As a Pleasanton resident, Bryant has read her poetry throughout California in many diverse venues including coffee shops, fairs, art galleries, schools, women’s shelters, and a federal prison. Bryant was first published in 1997 after winning 3rd place in a national poetry contest and has since been published in more than 30 anthologies, numerous websites, an e-book, and she has recorded her poems for e-radio as well as on community television. She has self-published eight chapbooks of poetry which are available at the Pleasanton Public Library and local bookstores. Bryant’s poetry books, “Sojourn,” “Pebbles in the Shoe,” and “No Time to Shoot the Poets” were accepted in the new Ina Coolbrith Circle library section of the California State Library’s Special Collections Reading Room in Sacramento. To contact Cynthia about the City of Pleasanton Poet Laureate programs or to join the email distribution list send her a note at pleasantonpoetry@ci.pleasanton.ca.us, join facebook.com/ PleasantonPoetry or visit her website at www.PoetsLane.com.
UPCOMING POETRY WORKSHOPS AND READINGS EVERYTHING POETRY (IN TWO PARTS) Second Saturday Soup — workshops 2nd Saturday of every month, 10 a.m. - noon Firehouse Arts Center, 4444 Railroad Avenue, Pleasanton
Third Tuesday Trope — critiques 3rd Tuesday of every month, 7 p.m. - 9 p.m. Towne Center Books, 555 Main Street, Pleasanton Everything Poetry will be a full taste of Poetry Biz and all the aspects of being a poet through the vision of visiting poets/teachers brought in to the workshop. 20 FIREHOUSE ARTS CENTER: November - December 2011
POETRY POETRY WORKSHOPS On November 12, 2011, Jannie M. Dresser will teach, “The Beat Goes On,” a basic workshop on metrics and musicality in poetry. On December 10, 2011, Jannie M. Dresser will teach, “Free Verse’s Secret Net,” exploring techniques for making free verse poetry more alive with the sound of music. Jannie M. Dresser is a Bay Area poet with Central California (Fresno) roots, co-founder of the Bay Area Poets Seasonal Review and SF Poetry Examiner at examiner.com. She has worked in the book and publishing industry for 40 years as an editor, writer, bookseller, and manager, and has taught poetry and writing for over 25 years. In 2011, she created Bay Area Poetry Salons and hosts 7 salons in 7 cities where lovers of poetry gather to read, discuss and learn about poetry’s varied traditions. In both groups, writers will read, learn and write.
LIGHTS OF THE VALLEY ILLUMINATION CEREMONIES December 7, 6:30 p.m. Event will take place at Heritage Bank of Commerce, 300 Main Street, Pleasanton
HAND TO MOUTH/ WORDS SPOKEN OUT January 28, 2012, 4-6 p.m. Event will take place at Rebound Books, 1611 4th Street, San Rafael
“Music Box” by Cynthia L.
Bryant
Outside mo rning frost hou sed huge metal discs du sted ba rre n limbs Cu Gran dchildren wa ken early touts determined which notes spirits bright the box would pla y like the sta r atop Gran dmother’s tree Eve ry Christ ma s Soft giggles hea rd with gra ndchildren be hin d the attic doo r tucked neatly away in their attic beds The old ma hogany box Gr an dfathe r pla ced a disc Ge rman crafted gin gerly into the box be fore World Wa r II cra nke d the ha ndle fitted with fin e wo rks sev era l revolutions polished to hig h sheen loving ly positio ned Filled Christ ma s mo rning just inside with sweet me lodic sou nds my Gran dpare nt’s Ou r lon g held fro nt doo r anticipation ended A ha nd cra nk on the side with the sig na l that Sa nta broug ht it to life had com e The dra we r at the bottom an d gon e
FIREHOUSE ARTS CENTER: November - December 2011 21
PLEASANTON COMMUNITY CONCERT BAND The Pleasanton Community Concert Band offers public performances of concert band music to encourage interest in music and cultural activities in the local area. The Band has well over 100 pieces in its repertoire each year, selected for each performance from its library of over 1,200 pieces. They include Big Band medleys, Broadway musicals, Dixieland, jazz, ragtime, wellknown classics, popular music, patriotic music, and marches. The Band has performed for the dedications of the Pleasanton Sports Park, Tennis Park, and Aquatic Center. It also performs for several commercial functions such as the Pleasanton Pasta Festival, the Pleasanton Main Street Party, the ground-breaking of the Providian Bank, the opening of the Valley Care Medical Center, and Santa's Arrival at Stoneridge Mall. The Band has participated in the annual Sacramento Valley Symphonic Band Association (SVSBA) Band Festival in Carmichael. Pleasanton Community Concert Band performs three concerts each year in Pleasanton featuring Spring, Family and Holiday concerts. Admission is free to all concerts.
UPCOMING CONCERTS VETERANS DAY CEREMONY November 6, 1-3 p.m. Veterans Memorial Building at 301 Main Street, Pleasanton
FAMILY CONCERTS November 13, 2-3 p.m. December 4, 2-3:15 p.m. Firehouse Arts Center at 4444 Railroad Avenue, Pleasanton
22 FIREHOUSE ARTS CENTER: November - December 2011
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FIREHOUSE ARTS CENTER: November - December 2011 23