14 • March 2014 • UPBEAT TIMES
Television, Film & Theater The Importance Of Festivals
By Daniel Sullivan •
danielsullivan.speech@yahoo.com
SANTA ROSA, CA. ~ Artistic endeavors like film making can be both fantasti- cally rewarding and aggressively trying, and to figure out how to make them continuously
and
sustainably is an unholy nightmare. Usually to just even build the necessary stamina you have to start at a young age when the naiveté is
fresh and no amount of competi- tion can stop you. However, as time stretches on, the competi- tion starts to feel more like an endless hallway of closing doors denying an opportunity as simple as
just announcing your pres-
ence. What can be called “The art of a thousand paintbrushes” can begin to feel lonelier than ever. Sometimes the simplest gestures of validation can make one take the most liberating breath, and truly feel that it is all worth it and wouldn’t trade it for any- thing.
Recently I got to attend the “San Diego Black Film Festival”
and within minutes of being there, I took that liberated breath. The lobby of a theater in Gaslamp District was filled with the electric excitement that only comes from the almost audible heartbeats of so many hoping for the same thing; to have their voice heard in whatever the capacity of their involvement was.
In the age of instant accessibil- ity to almost anything the nega- tive can equal nearly as much as the positive. On one hand, your project can be instantly uploaded and viewed by millions and talk- ed about amongst film scholars and casual observers alike. On the other hand, how many people are actually looking for, or even know about your film? While true that the information age has opened a flood gate for aspiring film makers it has also created a vastly over saturated market, making it increasingly difficult to notice the individual. This wors- ens when viewers become set on
the things they like and begin to ignore the peripheral.
The importance of festivals
like the one I attended becomes absolutely clear when you see the broadening experience it pro- duces. All filmmakers instantly began talking with one another about their project and learning about others. You commonly see the blossoming bonds of cama- raderie as you hear: “When’s your film showing? I’ll see yours, come see mine after?” The result is a stampede of film makers from all over the country rush- ing from theater to theater to see the works of their newly found comrades. Working to produce a film in
a field where the competition is daunting, to say the least, the prospect of friends can be far more valuable sometimes than prospect of success. Pericles said:
Guaranteed Press Releases Up to 100 words: $81/issue
Cinnabar Presents Steinbeck’s Masterpiece Of Mice & Men In March
PETALUMA, CA. ~ After two hit shows that sold out their original dates and extended their runs, Cinnabar Theater in Sonoma County continues its spectacular
theatrical
...the great-
ness of our city brings it about that all the good things from all over the world flow in to us, so that to us it seems just as natural to enjoy foreign goods as our own local products.
... continued on page 18 Why Rent...
When You Can Own!
Free Wallet Magnifi er to anyone that calls... while supplies last!
(To help you through all the fi ne print!)
BARRY
O’MEARA Real Estate Mortgages
season
with an American masterpiece. John Steinbeck’s Of Mice & Men opens
at Cinnabar on
March 21 and plays through April 6.
Steinbeck won the Nobel Prize with heartfelt stories about ordinary
people, and
Cinnabar proudly presents his classic tale about friendship and hope. Lenny and George can’t count on anything except each other. Working on a ranch, they save their dimes and dream of buying a farm… but the boss and his flirtatious wife could spoil it all.
After poignant productions
of The Price and La Cage aux Folles, Sheri Lee Miller returns to stage this bittersweet portrait of two underdogs in pursuit of the American dream. “This is such a touching story, and we’ve got an incredible cast to perform it for you,” said Elly Lichenstein, Cinnabar’s esteemed
artistic director.
1265 N Dutton Ave, Santa Rosa, CA 95401
707-291-6761 NMLS# 267912
barryo@stearns.com 14 • March 2014 • UPBEAT TIMES
“Since so many young people read this book in school, we’re particularly excited to offer $9 tickets to middle-school and high-school students for Friday Night Live, our new youth access program on March 21.” Of Mice & Men stars Keith
Baker and Samson Hood as the famous friends, George and Lenny. The ensemble of talent- ed actors also features Anthony Abate (Carlson), James Gagarin
(Curly), Tim Kniffin (Slim), Dorian Lockett (Crooks), Clark Miller (The Boss), Ilana Niernberger (Curly’s wife), and Kevin Singer (Whit). The design team includes
Joe Elwick (scenery), Pat Fitzgerald (costumes), Wayne Hovey (lights), and Jim Peterson (sound). This produc- tion is generously underwritten by Sandra O’Brien and Elly Lichenstein. Every year, Cinnabar Theater
produces a thrilling mix of plays, musicals, operas, and concerts in a remarkable range of genres. Cinnabar’s Young Rep offers extensive activi- ties for local youth, and the Cinnabar Singers welcome any- one who wants to be part of a chorus.
All these events take place in the iconic red schoolhouse perched atop a grassy hill on the outskirts of Petaluma. Audiences have flocked to per- formances in this intimate set- ting since 1972, when Marvin and Jan Klebe established an arts center for the community. Along with their
sons, they
transformed a charming 1908 schoolhouse into a jewel-box theater that has hosted success- ful shows for four decades. Cinnabar Theater is located at 3333 Petaluma Boulevard North, just off Highway 101 and only minutes from historic downtown Petaluma. There’s ample parking up on the hill… and a friendly herd of goats grazing in the neighbor- ing field. For more information call 707-763-8920
If it takes a lot of words to say what you have in mind, give it more thought. ~Dennis Roth
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24