Marin County
Staged Returns
This week, two Marin County theaters finally light their stages and open their delayed productions. In Mill Valley, Marin Theatre Company presents acclaimed playwright Antoinette Chinonye Nwandu’s provocative new play, Pass Over, that turns everyday profanities into poetry and illuminates the human spirit of young Black men. Feb. 2–20; marintheatre.org. At Marin Art & Garden Center’s Barn Theatre, Ross Valley Players present Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Jersey Lily by actor-turned-playwright, Katie Forgette—where the wit of Oscar Wilde meets the cunning of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Feb. 4–20; rossvalleyplayers.com. Covid protocols apply.
Mill Valley
Big Reveal
All-star Americana outfit Back pOrchEstra came together during the summer of 2020 on musician/songwriter Tim Eschliman’s back porch. Now comprised of Eschliman, drummer Bowen Brown, violinist Candy Girard, bassist Beau Beaullieu and guitarist Gary Potterton, Back pOrchEstra recently released its first album, Voices in My Head (Genre Whiplash), and announced a series of Bay Area performances—including this week’s “North Bay Reveal” concert with support from the Sean Carscadden Trio on Thursday, Feb. 3, at Sweetwater Music Hall, 19 Corte Madera Ave., Mill Valley. 8pm. $17. Proof of vaccination and masks required. sweetwatermusichall.com.
Napa
Classical Rebels
Newly formed Bay Area ensemble the Renegade Orchestra contains the beauty of a classical symphony with the heart of a rock band by combining virtuosic musicians and a hard-driving rhythm section. This week, the nine-piece orchestra pushes the boundaries of classical, jazz and rock-and-roll, and performs works from diverse composers such as Nina Simone, Miles Davis, the Mamas and the Papas, and Donna Summer when it takes the stage and cuts loose on Thursday, Feb. 3, at Blue Note Napa, 1030 Main St., Napa. 8pm. $20–$35. Proof of vaccination and masks required. Bluenotenapa.com.
Yountville
Brief Cinema
With three days of screenings in the heart of Napa Valley, the 5th annual Yountville International Short Film Festival returns to a live format this month. The festival boasts 20 dedicated screening blocks that feature more than 100 short films encompassing animation, drama and foreign film selections. In addition to the films, the fest will offer filmmaker Q&A sessions and VIP wine-tasting events when it screens Thursday to Sunday, Feb. 3–6, at two pop-up cinemas, the Yountville Community Center’s Heritage Room and Bardessono Hotel & Spa, in downtown Yountville. $15 and up. Masks required. Yisff.com.
—Charlie Swanson
