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April 2005:
BOOK ‘EM CALDWELL…If you noodled through
Book Bay recently, you could find two separate paperback
editions of Erskine Caldwell’s This Very Earth
– 35 cents originally. In case you haven’t noticed,
the cent symbol is no longer on keyboards. Went the way of
the typewriter. At any rate, one paperback cover by the God’s
Little Acre author boasts "nearly 2,000,000 sold."
Tawdry. Torrid. Many choice finds at the store.
AND THE AWARD GOES TO… Magic Theatre was one of
only half a dozen recipients of the AT&T On Stage Awards
for new plays to be produced in 2005. The $55,000 that accompanied
the honor will be used for the production and development
of John Belluso’s The Rules of Charity.
The play will be part of this year’s Hothouse at Magic.
FAMILY FEUD …One of many reasons to buy tickets to
A Reckoning at Magic Theatre is to see an actual
father and daughter play a father and daughter on stage. One
assumes that the real-life relationship between actors Kevin
and Jennifer Tighe is less stormy than the one
the audience witnesses.
BATS GOT A BRAND NEW STAGE …After eight years
with a "temporary" stage, BATS Improv saw
to it that the Bayfront Theater has a brand new one with solid
construction and a new ramp that provides wheelchair access.
The design also allows better sightlines and brings the action
closer to the audience. Check it out.
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCA-TION…Christie Every Productions
occupied the Herbst Pavilion recently. The big empty
space was the designated location for an In Style magazine
fashion shoot…Another interesting location – The
Mexican Museum held a recent fundraiser at the Rotunda
at Neiman Marcus on Union Square. To date $22.5 million
has been committed, but, says, Executive Director William
Moreno, they need the last $7.5 to meet their goal of
$30 million.
SPRING IS IN THE AIR…As we go to press, painters
are putting the final touches on the exterior of the uninhabited
west pier and the roofers are busily putting on a new roof.
A study to determine how to seismically retrofit the substructure
has been ordered. Also, plans for paid parking at the Center
are in the final stages. The net income from parking will
go toward the restoration of all the piers and buildings on
campus.
SLOUCHING TOWARD THE PAST…A quarter of a century
ago this month, Magic Theatre was doing Martin Epstein’s
Charles the Irrelevant. The Center also hosted the
three-day Bay Area Mime Festival. Two decades ago in
April, one could attend these workshops – Sea Vegetable
Gathering and Cooking, Tear Gas/Mace Self-Defense Course,
Irish Country Dance for Adults. One could also attend
the Basketball Marathon Peace Conference, where 80
Bay Area organizations played basketball for 80 hours. Eighty
teams were expected to play in 40 games, each lasting two
hours. Sounds like a test question. Funds from the marathon
were used to send students to a youth festival in Moscow.
– Staff
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