Two juniors at Santa Rosa's Ursuline High School, Natalie Qabazard and Isabelle Straka, have organized "Hope for Haiti Night," a fund-raising dinner and concert to be held from 5:30 to 11 p.m. Friday, April 30, in the Ursuline gym. The goal is to raise $10,000 for the ongoing Haiti earthquake [...]
Tim Kniffin, a Santa Rosa actor who has divided his time successfully between Sonoma County and the rest of the Bay Area, has a new show opening in the city. "An Accident," a new drama written by Lydia Stark, opens Thursday (April 15) at the Magic Theatre in [...]
Stephanie St. James, a hometown favorite with some big-time credits, has been signed to appear in the 6th Street Playhouse production of the musical "Rent" in Santa Rosa next month. St. James co-starred as Squeak in the national touring production of the Broadway hit,`The Color Purple,'' adapted from [...]
There are so many local fund-raising events, all for good causes, and so many pleas for publicity. One does try to be fair and objective in evaluating all these requests, and yet, when the worthy cause is a newspaper, one tends to perk right up and pay attention (especially if [...]
Still haven't heard back from the "American Idol" people? There is an alternative. Jim Crosthwaite of First Step Sports Marking Group has come up with a vocal competition for would-be stars called "NorCal Sings!" -- whose sponsors include Westfield Malls and Borders Books. And this contest will come to you. [...]
The playwright Moliere is enjoying a mini-revival in Sonoma County this spring. Not bad for a guy who's been dead for more than 300 years. Sonoma State University will stage his satire about about a wealthy, healthy man who thinks he's dying, "Imaginary Invalid," Friday, March 19, through March 27 [...]
During an online discussion a few weeks ago about local movie houses in general, readers eagerly volunteered their support for Ky Boyd's Rialto Cinemas in Santa Rosa. Everybody weeps and wails when an old favorite is suddenly gone, but the true measure of the Rialto fans' sincerity is simply this: [...]
When I think back on the one college class that best prepared me for a career as an arts journalist, I'd have say "Introduction to the Theater of the Absurd." When you dedicate yourself to covering the arts in an industry most concerned with news, celebrity and sports, it's best [...]
Readers have been sharing their opinions with me recently about large outdoor sculptures to be seen around Sonoma County. And now we have a new one to talk about. Stephen Fitz-Gerald's new 12-foot-high steel sculpture, "Industrial Tropic," commissioned by the Martin family of Pine Creek Properties, has been [...]
One of my father's favorite jokes was to take a cliche and turn it upside-down: "Everybody's crazy except you and me, and sometimes I'm not so sure about me." Or: "Things will get worse before they get worse." Or, appropriate to today's topic: "I know a lot about [...]
What is art? Whether it’s oil on canvas or actors on stage, dancers on their toes or comedians doing stand-up, Press Democrat staff writer Dan Taylor covers the fine and lively arts in Northern California. Meet the people, go behind the scenes and get ahead on what’s coming up.