MVFF Review: “Robot Dreams”

On a warm Saturday, just after noon, João Federici — the Mill Valley Film Festival’s director of World Cinema programming — introduced the film Robot Dreams with a surprising admission. “This, I think, is my favorite film in the World Cinema lineup this year,” he said. “I love the characters and the story, and I…

Review: “Hello, Dolly!” in Rohnert Park

North Bay audiences finally got a chance to say “hello” to Dolly Gallagher Levi after the curtain rose on the bureaucratically-delayed Spreckels Theatre Company production of Hello, Dolly! Veteran director Elly Lichenstein makes her Spreckels debut with the Jerry Herman classic now running at the Spreckels Performing Arts Center in Rohnert Park through Oct 15. …

MVFF Review: “Day of the Fight”

In describing how he came up with the idea for his new film Day of the Fight, actor-turned-director Jack Huston (Ben Hur, Kill Your Darlings, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies) told the opening night crowd at the Mill Valley Film Festival that it was the film’s star, Michael Pitt — with whom he worked on…

On discovering the magic of film festivals

I have loved the idea of film festivals ever since I moved to Northern California in autumn of 1981 and ‒ while applying for a job in downtown Mill Valley ‒ saw a stack of programs for the upcoming Mill Valley Film Festival. What is now a world-renowned, 10-day-long cinematic showcase was then celebrating its…

Interview – Spreckels’ “Hello, Dolly!”

My guests on the “Theatre Thursday” segment on the September 28 broadcast of The Drive on 95.5 were Elly Lichenstein and Sheri Lee Miller from the Spreckels Theatre Company production of Hello, Dolly! Due to some administrative issues, the show’s scheduled September 29 opening has been temporarily delayed. Click the link at the bottom of…

Interview – SRJC’s “Clue On Stage”

My guests on the “Theatre Thursday” segment on the September 21 broadcast of The Drive on 95.5 were Reed Martin and Austin Aquino-Harrison from the Santa Rosa Junior College Theatre Arts production of Clue On Stage (NOT Clue the Musical). Click below to listen: ********** Click HERE for more information on the show.