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MARCH 2006
PAW GOES TO THE UNITED NATIONS ... The Performing Arts Workshop was invited to the World Conference on Arts Education, which takes place in Lisbon this month. The purpose of the conference is to define a common, universal understanding of the meaning of quality arts education and to strengthen teaching of arts practices to help socially and economically underprivileged students. This, of course, is a much larger story, but points to the value of PAW’s work in the field.
IN THE NEWS ... Book Bay Bookstore keeps its popular bookshop in the limelight. A few months ago, it was the Shanghai Sunday Morning News. More recently, it was featured in a CBS “Eye on the Bay” Broadcast. The big “Book of Lists” from the San Francisco Business Times is out. In the “largest performing arts organizations,” Fort Mason Center’s Magic Theatre and World Arts West made the top 25. Also, Gang Situ, Music Director of Chinese Cultural Productions, has been in the news lately with a highly acclaimed new cello concerto. Situ’s work has been performed by the San Francisco and Shanghai symphony orchestras, among others.
HISTORICAL IF NOT HYSTERICAL ... If you were visiting Fort Mason Center 20 years ago — and some of you were — what would you see? The Young Performers Theatre staged the bon-bon filled Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The Children’s Art Center celebrated with their Sixth Annual Spring Festival. Jan Ken Po, a play written by three award-winning Asian playwrights, was performed at the People’s Theater. Two productions went on at the Magic — The Detective, a vaudeville parody-inspired extravaganza, and Thirst, an emotion-filled drama about three sisters at a reunion.
CHEERS AND BEST WISHES TO ... Chinese Martial Arts Grandmaster Jack Man Wong, who taught classes here since 1979, retired late last year, but the art goes on. Rick Wing, of the Jing Mo Athletic Association, has taken over the grandmaster’s classes with the help of some of the longtime students. Wong was noted for, among other things, rarely missing a class in 45 years. It took a force of nature like the Loma Prieta Quake to cause him to miss one. Wing not only teaches, but also writes. His most recent book is Northern Shaolin Style, Shaolin, Number 5, Martial Skill.
MORE OF A GOOD THING ... The award-winning, internationally renowned Greens restaurant has added a special room for private dining. The new space allows seating for 42 and boasts magnificent views of the Golden Gate Bridge.
THE SHOW MUST GO ON ... Despite the big New Year’s floods, its Russian River location, and the subsequent need to rebuild, Solar Living Institute is offering classes here. This month they will be giving classes in biodiesel, urban sustainable energy, and solar electric systems.
– Ron Tierney
Image: "Fort Mason Center" by Michael Schwab
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