Arts & Events

New: An Unusual Rally to Defend Our Entitlement Programs

by Harry Brill
Monday June 17, 2013 - 09:15:00 PM

On Tuesday, July 2nd, 4-6pm the AFL-CIO and the Alliance for Retired Americans will be having an unusual rally at the federal building in San Francisco to PROTECT AND IMPROVE Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. Similar rallies will be held in cities throughout the country. Our East Bay Tax the Rich Group is supporting this event. -more-


The Hitchcock Nine Kicks off the SF Silent Film Festival

By Gar Smith
Friday June 14, 2013 - 02:49:00 PM

There's a lot to shout about at this year's edition of the San Francisco Silent Film Festival. SFSFF gets underway this week with a rare and not-to-be-missed three-day extravaganza of films by Alfred J. Hitchcock. But this is Hitchcock with a twist.

Before his fame crossed the Atlantic, Hitchcock was earning his stripes in London as a director of silent films. In the course of these early years, Hitchcock directed ten films. Today, only nine survive but – thanks to the efforts of the British Film Institute – all of these recovered and restored classics (some well-known to film buffs; others previously believed "lost") now are being seen for the first time in generations.

The Hitchcock Nine will be screening at San Francisco's Castro Theater from June 14-16, with live musical accompaniment provided by the Castro's Mighty Wurlitzer, the Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra and a slew of guest soloists. This promises to be a great beginning for the 18th edition of an internationally celebrated festival that has screened more than 170 rare silent classics. -more-


Around and About Theater: Wilde Irish 10th Annual Bloomsday Celebrations

By Ken Bullock
Friday June 14, 2013 - 09:38:00 AM

Wilde Irish Productions is celebrating its 10th anniversary of Berkeley Bloomsday celebrations, the date in 1904 when "Leopold Bloom, the most famous Jew in Ireland, and his cohorts go traipsing and tramping the streets and strands of Dublin," out of the pages of James Joyce's 'Ulysses,' featuring Ms. Marion McEvoy, direct from Dublin, in her show about Joyce's mother, 'A Portrait of the Artist's Mother,' with music and song, as well as old and new Wilde Irish company members in scenes from 'Portrait of the Artist' and 'Finnegan's Wake'--ending with Shosi Black, who at five sang the traditional song "Finnegan's Wake" at their first Bloomsday, now reprising the number as a teenager with her father, Shay Black of the famous Dublin Black Family and the audience. -more-


Around and About Theater: Theater Exploration Class Starts Monday

By Ken Bullock
Friday June 14, 2013 - 09:37:00 AM

Marion Fay's excellent Theater Explorations class will recommence this Monday, June 17, 1-3 pm, at Northbrae Community Church, 941 The Alameda near Solano Avenue, with 3 plays ('Abigail's Party' by Mike Leigh at the SF Playhouse June 29, 3 pm--'This Is How It Goes' by Neil Labute at Aurora July 14, 7 pm--and 'Sea of Reeds' by Josh Kornbluth at Shotgun July 28, 5 pm) and six Monday afternoon classes. -more-