Page 239 | Pacific Sun | Marin County, California

Sam Shepard’s Political Farce Plays on Stage in Cloverdale

Harry Duke

Jul 20, 2021

Sam Shepard’s Political Farce Plays on Stage in Cloverdale

With the lifting of most restrictions on in-door gatherings, the curtain continues to slowly rise on live, in-person theater in the North Bay. Many companies, having made their season announcements, plan to welcome audiences into their houses with productions opening from mid-August to early September.

The Cloverdale Performing Arts Center gets an early jump on the season with Sam Shepard’s The God of Hell. Originally planned as a streaming production, the show now runs live, onstage Saturday evenings and Sunday afternoons through Aug. 1.

Capacity at the 99-seat theater will be limited to 50%, and groups will be safely spaced apart. Masks must be worn while moving around the theater—but may be removed while seated for the 90-minute show, which is what every one of the 30-plus opening-night attendees—except me—did.

Playwright Shepard, whose better-known works include True West, Buried Child and Fool for Love, wrote this play in 2004 in reaction to the events of 9/11 and the then-impending presidential election. Its focus on ultra-patriotism places connections to our current political environment within easy reach.

Wisconsin dairy farmers Frank (Christopher Johnston) and Emma (Elizabeth Henry) find their quiet, pastoral lives upended with the arrival of a mysterious man in black named Welch (Jonathan Graham), whose briefcase is stuffed with American flags and red, white and blue cookies. He takes particular interest in the number of rooms in the farmhouse, and exhibits an almost obsessive curiosity about the basement.

Residing in that basement is Haynes (Matt Farrell), a friend of Frank’s who seems to be on the run from something, and whose electrifying presence is the real reason for Welch’s visit. The slick salesman of all-things-American, whose jingoism is initially mildly amusing, soon morphs into a sadistic torturer. By the show’s end, Frank has bought into the program, while Emma literally sounds a warning bell.

Shepard wrote this farce in a hurry, and it shows. Director Athena Gundlach brings a light touch to the occasionally heavy-handed material—and being reminded of the Abu Ghraib atrocities is about as heavy-handed as comedy gets.

The cast of four is solid, and obviously relished the opportunity to be back on stage in front of an audience—almost as much as the audience relished the opportunity to be back in a theater.

Welcome back, everyone, but please think about keeping the masks on.

“The God of Hell” runs through Aug. 1 at the Cloverdale Performing Arts Center, 209 N. Cloverdale Blvd., Cloverdale. Saturday, 7:30pm; Sunday, 2pm. $12–$25. 707.894.2219. Recommended for ages 18+. Strobe effects and pyrotechnics. cloverdaleperformingarts.com

Wine Encounters: Upcoming events showcase the region’s tastes

Charlie Swanson

Jul 20, 2021

Wine Encounters: Upcoming events showcase the region’s tastes

Several North Bay organizations invite the public to raise a glass in both virtual and in-person settings this summer for events that celebrate the region’s vintner culture and support local wineries, local youth and the fight against cancer.

Founded in 1944, Sonoma County Vintners represents more than 200 wineries and affiliated businesses throughout Sonoma County. Each summer, the group gathers many of these wineries for the annual Taste of Sonoma event.

This summer, Sonoma County Vintners pivots to virtual events and partners with Wine.com to present “Taste of Sonoma at Home,” presented by Visa Signature, featuring a lineup of online events in July.

“We wanted, out of an abundance of caution, to not move forward with a (live event) until we could do so in a safe and healthy manner for our wineries and community,” says Sonoma County Vintners Director of Events Vanessa Renee. “It also allows us to put the spotlight on the wineries who are welcoming guests back in smaller numbers to their tasting rooms.”

This week, “Taste of Sonoma at Home” digitally joins Kendall-Jackson Winery on Thursday, July 22, for an interactive virtual garden tour and culinary class hosted by Executive Chef Justin Wangler and Master Culinary Gardener Tucker Taylor.

“The idea was to bring back that food and wine focus, and that’s such a big part of the Kendall-Jackson DNA,” Renee says. “They have these beautiful grounds surrounded by vineyards and these great gardens. This is a way for them to show that off and to get people excited about when this event comes back, because it will be at Kendall-Jackson.”

The following week, on July 29, Wine.com hosts an online rotation of local red wines ranging from Russian River Valley pinot noir to Dry Creek Valley zinfandel and Alexander Valley cabernet sauvignon featuring participating wineries Pedroncelli Winery, Francis Ford Coppola Winery and La Crema. tasteofsonoma.com

In San Rafael, nonprofit organization Youth In Arts will close down C Street for an outdoor fundraiser, Sip & Bid: Dancing in the Streets, on Friday, July 23. Youth In Arts has plenty of reason to celebrate, as it marks a 50-year milestone of helping Marin County youth build visual and performing arts skills.

For the upcoming event, Chef Lisa Hines—also known as “the Food Fashionista—of Bella Luxe catering will serve food and drinks alongside live music by Marin band Pop Rocks and performances by famed YIA mentor artists.

In addition to the entertainment, the Sip & Bid benefit also boasts an extensive wine auction that includes rare vintages, wine trips and other experiences. youthinarts.org

In Napa Valley, the V Foundation Wine Celebration, benefitting the V Foundation for Cancer Research, goes live in August. The three-day soiree, running Aug. 5–7, includes highlights like the “Rock The V Party” on Aug. 6; which boasts a barbecue showdown and North Bay vintners offering samples of their latest vintages and perfectly aged selections.

On Aug. 7, the weekend celebration gathers some of the nation’s leading physicians and research scientists for the “Answer for Cancer” research symposium. The free event features top minds discussing current advances in immunotherapy and discoveries into alternative treatments for cancer.

Also on Aug. 7, the V Foundation Wine Celebration culminates in a gala dinner and live auction at Nickel & Nickel Winery in Oakville. Recently, V Foundation announced that a generous matching grant will challenge bidders in the fund-a-need portion of the evening’s auctions.

“With this generous matching grant, we are poised to raise a significant amount of money to advance immunotherapy research,” says Julie Maples, V Foundation board member and co-chair of the Wine Celebration, in a statement. “We are working to bring our vision of victory over cancer closer to reality every single day.” winecelebration.org

Marin Center Marks the Spot for TreasureFest This Summer

Charlie Swanson

Jul 19, 2021

Marin Center Marks the Spot for TreasureFest This Summer

Ten years ago, Marin residents Angie and Charles Ansanelli launched one of the Bay Area’s largest, most diverse and most popular flea markets, TreasureFest.

Originally named the Treasure Island Flea and renamed TreasureFest in 2016, the event indeed flocked to Treasure Island, connected to San Francisco via the Bay Bridge, for its outings.

For several years, the monthly open-air market drew in-demand indie designers, artists, craft makers, local eateries, musicians and other creatives, along with thousands or shoppers and their dogs to the island.

Last year, the Ansanellis realized the event was outgrowing the island, and were planning to move to Marin County to turn the monthly gathering into a massive annual event that could further showcase art, music, top-rated local eats and other treasures among more than 400 curated vendors selling their goods.

While the 2020 TreasureFest was canceled due to Covid-19, the Ansanellis were able to go online for a virtual market last year.

Now, the in-person event is back on the books for 2021, and North Bay attendees are invited to the Marin Center in San Rafael for the 10th anniversary TreasureFest on September 18-19.

The outdoor event will take over a massive lawn that’s perfect for a picnic or sunbathing, and the two-day showcase will feature live music from popular local acts, mouth-watering local eats, craft brews, wine and cocktails, art installations and live art demonstrations and hundreds of local vendors.

The one-of-a-kind crafts and items that will be available at TreasureFest includes up-cycled furniture, clothes, art and jewelry, and more from both emerging designers and vintage collections.

“We are so excited to bring TreasureFest to Marin,” says Angie Ansanelli. “We have expanded the original concept of TreasureFest to be even more of a premium outdoor festival experience. The 2021 TreasureFest is going to be our best yet and and as always, fun for all ages and well-behaved pooches on leashes!”

“Our goal is to showcase the immense talent found throughout the bar area, connecting the maker or collector directly to the shopper,” Ansanelli says. “This way the shopper not only walks away with a treasure but the story behind it, to share with others for years to come.”

On the TreasureFest website, organizers also note that, “We are relieved and hopeful to see the COVID-19 situation improving across the country but we are still monitoring matters closely. We will follow the recommended health and safety guidelines put forth by the authorities. In the meanwhile, please help us achieve our goals by continuing to wear masks and get vaccinated when it is your turn to do so.”

TreasureFest comes to the North Bay on Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 18–19, at Marin Center in San Rafael. 10am to 6pm both days. All ages. Early Bird tickets to the event are sold-out and $15 tickets expire on July 31. Tickets will be $20 on August 1, and $25 at the door. Treasurefest.com.

Breaking News: Novato Homeless Win Restraining Order Against the City

Nikki Silverstein

Jul 16, 2021

Breaking News: Novato Homeless Win Restraining Order Against the City

The Novato Homeless Union won a temporary restraining order (TRO) against the City of Novato from a U.S. District Court judge yesterday. The order from federal Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers prevents Novato from evicting the homeless out of a downtown park and enforcing restrictive anti-camping ordinances that were passed last month.

About 25 homeless people have been living in Lee Gerner Park for more than a year. It has been a contentious issue. Novato residents unhappy about the homeless living in the park regularly hold demonstrations, speak out at city council meetings and post derisive comments on social media.

[NOTE: The Novato Homeless Union’s TRO application and the judge’s order are available to view here.]

The Novato City Council had been hesitant to act during the Covid-19 pandemic, but when the lockdown ended last month, they unanimously passed the anti-camping ordinances.

The ordinances prevent camping within 50 feet of “critical infrastructures” and bodies of water. According to one of the ordinances, “critical infrastructure may include, but is not limited to, government buildings, such as schools, fire stations, police stations, jails, or courthouses; hospitals; structures, such as antennas, bridges, roads, train tracks, drainage systems, or levees; or systems, such as computer networks, public utilities, electrical wires, natural gas pipes, telecommunication centers, or water sources.”

In addition, the city prohibited daytime camping, which would necessitate the need for homeless people to strike their tents, pack up their belongings, and disperse from 7am to 9pm.

Violations of the ordinances are punishable as a misdemeanor; however, enforcement won’t begin until the CDC relaxes restrictions about keeping homeless encampments in place or Marin County reaches a 90% vaccination rate for residents 16 and older.

The Novato Homeless Union’s filing in court for the TRO said Novato’s “definition of ‘critical infrastructure’ is so vague and over broad that virtually any and every public space in the City of Novato can be and likely will be so designated and thereby off-limits to the unhoused.”

The Union also claims the ordinances disregarded Martin v Boise, a 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling affirming people cannot be punished for sleeping outside on public property when a city cannot offer them an adequate shelter option. Marin County has a shortage of available beds for the homeless.

Jason Sarris, a member of the Novato Homeless Union and plaintiff in the action says he is excited that the court reacted quickly, within just 24 hours of the filing, and he believes it is an indication that Novato’s ordinances are faulty.

“I don’t think the homeless should be criminalized just for existing,” Sarris said.

The Novato City Council voted 5-0 earlier this week to enter into an agreement with nonprofit Homeward Bound to provide up to 15 spaces in its Novato shelter for Novato homeless residents. The Homeward Bound shelter typically accepts homeless people from anywhere in the county and prior to the agreement with Novato, it did not reserve beds for people from a particular city.

However, with 310 homeless people tallied in Novato during the last homeless count in early 2019, the 15 beds won’t be enough to allow the city to skirt Martin v Boise.

In response to the temporary restraining order, Novato issued a press release on Friday saying the city will now delay providing the shelter beds and other related services to the 15 homeless residents, “until the Court fully considers this matter.”

“There is nothing in the TRO that prevents the city, in partnership with Homeward Bound or any other organization, from offering housing to anyone right now,” Anthony Prince, attorney for the Novato Homeless Union, said on Friday in response to the city’s decision. “The TRO only enjoins the enforcement of the ordinances and the forcible removal of people from Lee Gerner Park. It’s not the equivalent of somehow preventing an offer of housing assistance and yet the city is trying to make it look like it was the fault of the court and the fault of the homeless bringing the lawsuit that they now cannot go forward with the plan they voted on Tuesday night. This is a pretty thinly veiled and politically motivated attack on the Homeless Union and a back-handed way of calling the court’s authority into question, as well.”

Prince represents the members of the Novato Homeless Union on a pro bono basis. He is also representing the Sausalito Homeless Union in their legal battle against the City of Sausalito. That city was enjoined earlier this year from enforcing a ban on daytime camping, although the court did allow the city to move a homeless encampment from the downtown area to a city-owned park.

Judge Rogers scheduled a hearing for the Novato matter on July 28 at 1:30pm; however, Novato’s counsel has requested an extension on the deadline for the hearing.

MarinMOCA to Open Exhibits Celebrating Culture and Clay

Charlie Swanson

Jul 15, 2021

MarinMOCA to Open Exhibits Celebrating Culture and Clay

Several Northern California artists and Bay Area sculptors are displaying innovative and culturally vibrant works at Novato’s esteemed Marin Museum of Contemporary Art, as the MarinMOCA opens two group exhibitions and one members’ show on July 24.

Described as a “visual quilt,” MarinMOCA presents “Invincible,” an exhibition that pays tribute to the vibrant culture, heritage and resiliency of the LatinX community.

Curated by MarinMOCA artist member Luis Garcia, “Invincible” features the work of Northern California artists Juana Alicia, Edgar Arturo-Camacho, Lark Calderon-Gomez, Luis Garcia, Ramona Garcia, Manuel Ruelas and Pablo Villicana Lara. These artists explore their world view through work that investigates constant⏤and often taboo⏤themes in the LatinX experience, including post-colonial identity, racism, sexual identity, gentrification, immigration and poverty.

“‘Estado Invincible,’ or ‘Unconquerable State’ means incapable of being subdued or brought under control. I believe that ‘Estado Invincible’ is a state of mind that resides within artists of color and LatinX communities in general,” curator Luis Garcia says in a statement. “There is resilience within our communities, where the spirit thrives. In a time of division, and uncertainty, it is important to amplify all voices, especially those of underrepresented communities of color. This exhibition hopes to do that, to broaden viewers’ perspectives, to educate, and to reinforce the ‘Unconquerable State’ of mind.”

On August 19, Garcia and artists Edgar Arturo-Camacho, Lark Calderon-Gomez, and Manuel Ruelas engage in a lively conversation about their works. The exhibit opens with a reception on Saturday, July 24, at 5pm.

Also on July 24, MarinMOCA opens “Continuous Clay: Trends & Innovations,” featuring nine inventive Bay Area artists working in ceramics today.

Following in the footsteps of pioneering Bay Area artists such as Viola Frey and Ron Nagle, who championed the materiality of clay and elevated the medium beyond the realm of craft, the nine artists in the exhibit build on the region’s clay legacy by taking unconventional approaches to traditional sculpture techniques.

For example, San Francisco-based contemporary figurative artist Michelle Gregor, one of the most highly regarded second-generation sculptors of the Bay Area Figurative Movement working today, employs a painterly approach to glaze application. Her work displays a masterful, intuitive sense of color.

Also on view is work by Marin-based artist Brett Crawford. Crawford, a skilled potter, juxtaposes traditional vessel forms with experimental surface treatments.

Though all the work varies greatly in style through a broad range of conceptual processes, distinctive materials, and evolved techniques, the artists share an immense passion for the deeply primordial and unforgiving nature of clay.

In addition to these two group exhibits, MarinMOCA is also opening “Dialogues,” a paired exhibition with artist members Gary Marsh and Donna Wallace-Cohen.

In recognition of their artistic achievement, they were awarded this exhibition for winning first place in the 2020-2021 MarinMOCA Members’ exhibitions. Marsh’s sculptures and Wallace-Cohen’s paintings are informed by deeply personal experiences, resulting in an engaging dialogue between artist and medium.

All exhibits open on Saturday, July 24, at 5pm; and run through September 5. MarinMOCA is open Wed–Fri, 11am to 4pm and Sat–Sun, 11am to 5pm. Get details on visiting the museum at marinmoca.org.