Bookwaves/Artwaves is produced and hosted by Richard Wolinsky.
Links to assorted local theater & book venues
Two from Berkeley Art Museum Pacific Film Archive
Preston Sturges
Stuart Klawans, author of “Crooked but Never Common: The Films of Preston Sturges,” in conversation with host Richard Wolinsky.
Stuart Klawans was film critic for the Nation from 1988 to 2021, and before that wrote a small press and poetry column for the magazine. His previous books were Film Follies: The Cinema Out of Order, and a collection of his reviews and essays from 1988 to 2001, Left in the Dark.
Preston Sturges was the first in the Hollywood sound era to write and direct his own films, creating a series of movies, from The Great McGinty in 1940, through The Lady Eve, Sullivan’s Travels, The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek and other classics to Unfaithfully Yours in 1948, that still resonate today.
A retrospective of the films of Preston Sturges runs at Pacific Film Archive July 27th through August 26th, and Stuart Klawans will be on hand to introduce The Great McGinty on July 27th, The Lady Eve on July 29th and The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek on July 30th. You can find out more at bampfa.org.
All the films mentioned in the interview are available streaming either for rental via Amazon or Apple, or in the case of Unfaithfully Yours, The Sin of Harold Diddlebock and The Great Moment, free on YouTube.
Recorded via Zencastr July 6, 2023.
Luis Bunuel
Kate MacKay, Associate Film Curator at Berkeley Art Museum Pacific Film Archive, discusses a retrospective of the films of the great Spanish director Luis Bunuel playing through November 19, 2023, with host Richard Wolinsky.
Luis Bunuel began his career working with Salvador Dali on the film “Un Chien Andalou,” a masterpiece of the Surrealist movement. After working on another film with Dali, “L’Age d’Or,” and creating a documentary known today as “Las Hurdes” (Land Without Bread), he spent nearly two decades in the Mexican film industry before coming to Hollywood first, and then working with European producers to create masterwork after masterwork, from Viridiana to Belle du Jour to Tristana, The Exterminating Angel, TheDiscreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie through to The Phantom of Liberty and That Obscure Object of Desire. The retrospective contains all the later films plus several rarely seen films from his Mexican period.
All photos courtesy Berkeley Art Museum Pacific Film Archive.
Pacific Film Archive film series listing.
Book Interview/Events and Theatre Links
Note: Shows may unexpectedly close early or be postponed due to actors’ positive COVID tests. Check the venue for closures, ticket refunds, and vaccination and mask requirements before arrival. Dates are in-theater performances unless otherwise noted. Some venues operate Tuesday – Sunday; others Wednesday or Thursday through Sunday. All times Pacific Time. Closing dates are sometimes extended.
Book Stores
Bay Area Book Festival Event calendar and links to previous events.
Book Passage. Monthly Calendar. Mix of on-line and in-store events.
Books Inc. Mix of on-line and in-store events.
The Booksmith. Monthly Event Calendar.
Center for Literary Arts, San Jose. See website for Book Club guests in upcoming months.
Green Apple Books. Events calendar.
Kepler’s Books On-line Refresh the Page program listings.
Live Theater Companies
Actor’s Reading Collective (ARC). See website for past streams.
Alter Theatre. See website for upcoming productions.
Actor’s Reading Collective (ARC). See website for past streams.
Alter Theatre. See website for upcoming productions.
American Conservatory Theatre The Hippest Trip: The Soul Train Musical, August 25 – October 1, 2023.
Aurora Theatre Hurricane Diane by Madeleine George, June 16 – July 16. Streaming July 12 -16.
Awesome Theatre Company. Check website for upcoming live shows and streaming.
Berkeley Rep Out of Character, written and performed by Arfel Stachel, June 23 – July 30, Peets Theatre.
Boxcar Theatre. See website for calendar listings.
Brava Theatre Center: See website for events.
BroadwaySF: Les Miserables, July 6 – 23, Orpheum. Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, August 1-27, 2023, Golden Gate.
Broadway San Jose: Beetlejuice, August 1 – 6.
California Shakespeare Theatre (Cal Shakes). No 2023 season scheduled. See website for events calendar.
Center Rep: Crowns by Regina Taylor, September 9 – October 6, 2023.
Central Works The Dignity Circle a new scheme by Lauren Smerkanich June 24 – July 23.
Cinnabar Theatre. The Sound of Music, September 8 -24.
Contra Costa Civic Theatre 2023-2024 season: Sondheim on Sondheim; Tintypes.
Curran Theater: See website for upcoming events and streaming interview.
Custom Made Theatre. Tiny Fires by Aimee Suzara, postponed to a later date in 2023.
Cutting Ball Theatre. See website for upcoming season.
42nd Street Moon. See website for upcoming shows.
Golden Thread New Threads staged reading series, August 20 and August 27.
Landmark Musical Theater. My Unauthorized Hallmark Movie Musical, July 6 – July 30.
Lorraine Hansberry Theatre. In The Evening By The Moonlight by Traci Tolmaire, co-created and directed by Margo Hall, June 15 – July 9, Young Performers Theatre, Fort Mason, San Francisco.
Magic Theatre. Josephine’s Feast by Star Finch, August 2 – 20, Campo Santo at the Magic. See website for other events at the Magic.
Marin Theatre Company Odyssey written and directed by Lisa Peterson, August 31 – September 24.
Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts Upcoming Events Page.
New Conservatory Theatre Center (NCTC) Drag Queen Storytime Gone Wild starring the Kinsey Sicks, July 5 -16.
Oakland Theater Project. Gary, a sequel to Titus Andronicus by Gaylor Mac, September 1 – 24.
Pear Theater. Falsettos, June 30 – July 23.
PianoFight. Permanently closed as of March 18, 2023.
Presidio Theatre. See website for upcoming productions
Ray of Light: Spring Awakening, streaming through July 30. Cruel Intentions: The ’90s Musical, September 8 – October 1, Victoria Theatre. The Rocky Horror Show, Oasis Nightclub, October 6 – 31. See website for Spotlight Cabaret Series at Feinstein’s at the Nikko.
San Francisco Playhouse. A Chorus Line runs through September 16, 2023.
SFBATCO See website for upcoming streaming and in- theater shows.
San Jose Stage Company:Sex with Strangers by Laura Eason, October 12 – 30.
Shotgun Players. Summer Salon: Various artists, July 23 – August 19. Wolf Play by Hansol Jung, Performances start September 2, 2023.
South Bay Musical Theatre: Rent, September 30 – October 21.
The Breath Project. Streaming archive.
The Marsh: Calendar listings for Berkeley, San Francisco and Marshstream.
Theatre Rhino Streaming: Essential Services Project, conceived and performed by John Fisher, all weekly performances now available on demand, New performances most Wednesdays.
TheatreWorks Silicon Valley. New Works Festival, August 11 – 20, Lucie Stern Theatre, Palo Alto.
Word for Word. See schedule for live and streamed performances and readings.
Misc. Listings:
BAM/PFA: On View calendar for BAM/PFA.
Berkeley Symphony: See website for listings.
Chamber Music San Francisco: Calendar, 2023 Season.
Dance Mission Theatre. On stage events calendar.
Oregon Shakespeare Festival: Calendar listings and upcoming shows.
San Francisco Opera. Calendar listings.
San Francisco Symphony. Calendar listings.
Filmed Live Musicals: Searchable database of all filmed live musicals, podcast, blog.
If you’d like to add your bookstore or theater venue to this list, please write [email protected]