Monthly Archives: July 2015

Entertainment, Events, Music, People, Profiles, San Gabriel Valley, Theatre/Stage

Always-Patsy Cline and the blogathon soft open

Cori Cable Kidder as Patsy and Nikki D'Amico as Louise. click to embiggen
Cora Kidder Cable as Patsy and Nikki D’Amico as Louise. click to embiggen

Always-Patsy Cline the production kicking off the 2015-2016 season at the Sierra Madre Playhouse officially opens this weekend to a sold out crowd.  SOLD OUT.

As a board member I’m involved in a lot of aspects behind the scene’s.  JozJozJoz,  metblogs/blogging.la CEO is an official tweeter for the L.A. Opera and that was the germ of the idea for the blogathon for the soft opening, last rehearsal of Always-Patsy Cline. But more on that a bit later.

This is a wonderful story of an overly zealous fan and the star she adored becoming accidental friends and pen pals. The play itself is about  how Louise Seger, a Houston housewife played by Nikki D’Amico who is best characterized as a spitfire hellcat fun loving divorcee, reminiscing over the night she first heard Pasty Cline on the radio and how she followed her career until they met a club outside Houston.  They became best of friends, Louise and Pasty became penpals and wrote each other until Patsy’s untimely death at the age of 30.  Those letters to Louise ended with the salutation “Always-Patsy Cline”.  That story, and the story of Patsy’s life are intertwined and told through 27 songs by Patsy Cline beautifully recreated by Cori Cable Kidder and backed up by a live band. Continue reading Always-Patsy Cline and the blogathon soft open →

Art, Entertainment, Events, People, San Gabriel Valley, Shopping

Monrovia Art Walk Saturday 7/25 7-10PM


Santiago Heredia will be among the artists doing live demonstrations at this Saturday’s Art Walk in Monrovia sponsored by the Monrovia Association of Fine Arts. Santiago works in acrylic and cranks out paintings full of character and fun live before his audience.

Also demonstrating at the Art Walk will be Elizabeth Butterfield who will show her torn paper collage techniques.  Monrovia High School Ceramics under the direction of Saul Perez will be demonstrating on the potters wheel.

All told there will be 10 (possibly more in the works still) artists on the 400 and 500 block of South Myrtle Avenue.  These artists will include photographers, painters, jewelry sculptures at the Art Walk.  Last. and not least, the Empty Bowls Monrovia project led by Meaghan McCarthy will be there selling the last of the bowls with 100% of the proceeds going to help the Foothill Unity Center feed the homeless and needy here in the SGV.

Lastly, adding to the festive atmosphere there will be live music.

Might I suggest…make a night of it.  Visit one of the many restaurants in Old Town Monrovia, or take in a movie then hit the Art Walk to round out your night.

Deets.  MAFA ART WALK, Saturday 7//25/2015, 7PM-10PM. 400/500 Block S Myrtle Avenue, Monrovia CA 91016 MAP HERE

 

Entertainment, Music, San Gabriel Valley, Theatre/Stage

Thoroughly Modern Milly opens tonight in Monrovia

TMM PosterCommunity theatre is derided but not always deservedly so.   The theatre group associated with Monrovia High School tackles big plays and does them quite nicely.  Most importantly its a community effort supported by MUSD and gives kids and young adults in the area a chance to spread their wings, experiment and grow.

The play plot is well known.   Young girl goes to New York looking for a rich husband instead of love.  The part of Milly is played by Marjory Zuk who not only sings well, but dances well to bring the character to life.  Theres a large pool of local talent to round out the cast and make for a lively evening.

Full Press release after the jump: Continue reading Thoroughly Modern Milly opens tonight in Monrovia →

Entertainment, Music, News, People, San Gabriel Valley

Patsy Cline Listening Party at Vromans Hasting Ranch

Always - Patsy Cline listening party poster, click to embiggen
Always – Patsy Cline listening party poster, click to embiggen

This is going to be an awesomely fun evening.  Sierra Madre Playhouse and Vroman’s Books in Hasting Ranch have teamed up to bring the cast and crew from their soon to open “Always…Patsy Cline” production down the hill for a listening party.  Listen to such classics as Crazy, Walking After Midnight, and I Fall To Pieces.

Learn about the singing techniques Patsy used to evoke the heartbreak and longing that have made her songs country and pop classics. Presented in tandem with the production of Always… Patsy Cline at The Sierra Madre Playhouse, playing July 31 – September 12, 2015.

I know this shopping center well.  Parking is always tight and you can idle forever waiting for a spot to open.  I’d suggest if you are mass transit enabled take the Gold Line to the Sierra Madre Station and walk the 4 blocks east to Vroman’s or grab an ARTS shuttle or Foothill Transit 187 “murder bus” to the center.  Much easier and less stressful than dealing with tight parking.

Deets: The Patsy Cline Listening Party will take place at Vroman’s Hastings Ranch store at 3729 E. Foothill Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91107 on Friday, July 17, 2015 at 6:00 p.m. Free event. MAP HERE.

Art, Downtown, Entertainment, Events, Food & Drink, Seasonal, Shopping

Lotus Festival at Echo Park

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Echo Park Lake and the lotus in bloom looking at DTLA, Click to embiggen
Echo Park Lake and the lotus in bloom looking at DTLA, Click to embiggen

Well today I ventured to Echo Park for this years Lotus Festival.  Yes, they were in bloom and they were knock me over gorgeous.  The rest of the festival, meh.  My last time there was 2007 when I was a rower with the team metblogs Dragon Boat, but I digress.

This years show had very few artisans.  There was some nifty stuff.  Lots of Day of the Dead skulls painted on stuff you wouldn’t expect.  Great food trucks…gotta give the food vendors the nod as they make this festival.  The rest, sadly was swap meet crap.  Its a common theme in outdoor events too many times of late, they let vendors in reselling cheap import crap forcing out the artisans with quality work who can’t compete at a price point.  grrrr.

The music was fun and lively.  and varied.  Something for everyone and that alone makes its worth the drip to Echo Park and fight for parking.

Today is the last day.  More details on the show in the Lotus Festival FB page.

Pic by Me, more on my Flickr album

Art, Entertainment, San Gabriel Valley, Shopping

Call to Artists – Opportunity to share and sell your work

Art Walk Post Card. Click to embiggen
Art Walk Post Card. Click to embiggen

Monrovia Association has two opportunities to show and sell your art work.  The fees are nominal and often you far exceed in sales what your display fee was.  Its a cost effective way to promote your work to potential collectors and start a following.  Covering costs is always a good thing.

ART WALK This annual event was condensed to one night of showing and selling excitement on July 25.  The artists are lined up on the 400 block of South Myrtle Avenue in Monrovia.  This is the same block as the theatre and you capture that crowd as well as those from the local restaurant scene.  (Monrovia has quite the large sidewalk cafe scene going which in itself can be a reason to visit).

If interested in the Art Walk please contact the coordinator Bill Hyatt at [email protected] for all the details on this fun event.

CELEBRATE THE ARTS This year marks the 52nd year of this annual event. IT will be held the weekend of September 26-27 in Library Park in historic Old Town Monrovia. Celebrate the Arts is a Juried Fine Art event that doesn’t permit bead stringers and folk arts.  This annual event is well supported  and attended by the community and surrounding area.  There are numerous artists and community organizations that in this show each year.  Adding to the traffic this year is the first ever ChalkFest featuring several chalk street artists competing for prizes.

Celebrate the Arts Poster, click to embiggen
Celebrate the Arts Poster, click to embiggen

For more information on Celebrate the Arts contact the coordinator Christine Geltz at [email protected] for all the details and an application.

Please follow us on twitter and facebook for all the most current news and updates on events.

*disclosure, I’m on the Board of Directors of the Monrovia Association of Fine Arts and serve as Jury Coordinator.