Bookwaves/Artwaves is produced and hosted by Richard Wolinsky.
Links to assorted local theater & book venues
Bookwaves
Joseph Hansen (1923-2004) was a pioneer of private eye fiction, whose main character, Dave Brandstetter, an insurance investigator, was the first gay protagonist in the detective field published by a mainstream house. The first Brandstetter novel, Fadeout, was published in 1970. At the time of publication, being gay was illegal in 49 of the 50 states.
Richard Wolinsky and Richard A. Lupoff had a chance to interview Joseph Hansen on June 14th, 1990 following the publication of the eleventh novel, The Boy Who Was Buried This Morning. It turned into a career retrospective.
There were twelve Brandstetter novels in all, culminating in 1991’s A Country of Old Men. Successful at the time, they’d fallen out of print since Hansen’s death, and are now being reissued by Syndicate Books and distributed by Soho Press. The first three books in the series, Fadeout, Death Claims and Troublemaker, were published on January 8th, 2022, with each succeeding book published on the eighth day of each succeeding month.
Priot to the Brandstetter books, Joseph Hansen published gay-centric novels in various small presses under a pseudonym. Two gothic novels under the pseudonym Rose Brock. There were also autobiographical novels and short story collections among his output. Despite the acclaim his books received, none of Joseph Hansen’s work has ever been adapted for film or television.
This interview has not been heard since its initial airing thirty years ago, and has never seen the light of day in its entirety. It was digitized, remastered, and re-edited in February 2022 by Richard Wolinsky.
Artwaves
Janis Ian, singer/songwriter, in conversation with Richard Wolinsky, recorded June 14, 2008 in the KPFA studios while she was on tour for her memoir, “Society’s Child.”
Janis Ian achieved success as a teenager with “Society’s Child,” but was known as a one-hit wonder until her twenties with “At Seventeen” and the album Between the Lines in the mid-1970s. She later went on to write science fiction short stories, became a columnist for The Advocate, and continued her music career as a composer (“Stars”) and performer. All told there have been 24 albums — she now says her latest, The Light at the End of the Line, released in January 2022, will be her last studio solo album.
Review: “Heroes of the Fourth Turning” at San Francisco Playhouse through March 5, 2022.
Book Interview/Events and Theatre Links
Note: Most in-person events require proof of full vaccination for all audience members over 12 and masks. Many venues will require proof of boosters starting February 1, 2022. Shows may unexpectedly close early or be postponed due to actors’ positive COVID tests. Other shows have already been cancelled (see below). Check the venue for closures, ticket refunds, and vaccination status requirements before arrival. Dates are in-theater performances unless otherwise noted. All times Pacific Standard Time.
Book Stores
Bay Area Book Festival Bay Area Book Festival, May 7-8, 2022,
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 Calendar. On-line events only.
Center for Literary Arts, San Jose. Danielle Evans, Feb. 20, 4 pm, Zoom. See website for Book Club guests in upcoming months.
Kepler’s Books On-line Refresh the Page program listings.
Live Theater Companies
Alter Theatre. Upcoming: Snag by Tara Moses.
American Conservatory Theatre Freestyle Love Supreme at the Geary Theater through February 13, 2021.
Aurora Theatre This Much I Know postponed until September, 2022. Please contact the box office for refunds.
Awesome Theatre Company. On-line now: The Jersey Devil Play, on Vimeo.
Berkeley Rep Swept Away, January 9 – March 6, 2022.
Brava Theatre Center: See page for updated listings.
BroadwaySF: Il Volo Sings Morricone and more, April 24, Orpheum. Rain: A Tribute to the Beatles, April 30, Golden Gate. Hadestown national tour, opens June 7, Orpheum.
Broadway San Jose: Rent 25th Anniversary Tour, April 8-10, 2022. TOOTSIE national tour, April 19-24.
California Shakespeare Theatre (Cal Shakes) Romeo y Juliet May 25 – June 19, 2022.
Central Works Escape From the Asylum by Patricia Milton, Mar 19–Apr 17, at the Berkeley City Club.
Cinnabar Theatre. Amy and the Orphans begins February February 11.
Contra Costa Civic Theatre Anton in Show Business by Jane Martin, March 4-20, 2022.
Curran Theater: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child playing now.
Custom Made Theatre Zac & Siah, or Jesus in a Body Bag postponed.
42nd Street Moon. A Grand Night for Singing, March 10-27 Gateway Theater
Landmark Musical Theater. You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown, March 11 – April 10.
Lorraine Hansberry Theatre. Upcoming schedule to be announced.
Magic Theatre. The Kind Ones by Miranda Rose Hall, through February 20. Colman Domingo, live at the Strand, Feb. 14, 8 pm as a benefit for the Magic.
Marin Theatre Company Pass Over by Antoinette Chinonye Nwandu, through February 20.
Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts Upcoming Events Page.
New Conservatory Theatre Center Dot by by Colman Domingo, March 4 – April 3. Getting There by Tipika Guha has been cancelled.
Oakland Theater Project. 2022 season starts with Shakespeare’s The Tempest, February 11 – March 6, 2022, at FLAX art & design, 1501 MLK, Oakland.
Pear Theater. In Theater: Mountaintop by Katori Hall, January 21 – February 13, 2022.
PianoFight. Calendar of shows. Expansion to The Flight Deck in Oakland. SF Sketchfest, January 7-23.
Ray of Light: Upcoming shows to be announced.
San Francisco Playhouse. Heroes of the Fourth Turning January 26 – March 5, in theater only.
SFBATCO I, Too, Sing America on the main stage, January 28 – February 13. See website for upcoming streaming and in- theater shows.
San Jose Stage Company: Strange Courtesies by L. Peter Callender, scheduled to open in January, has been rescheduled to spring, 2023. Coming next: August: Osage County, March 30 – April 24, 2022.
Shotgun Players. Babes in Ho-lland has been cancelled. Contact the ticket office for refunds. Passing Strange by Stew, March 5 – April 10.
The Breath Project. Streaming archive.
The Marsh: Calendar listings for Berkeley, San Francisco and Marshstream.
Theatre Rhino How Black Mothers Say i Love You by Trey Anthony, March 16-April 3, 2022, 4229 18th St., SF. Streaming: Essential Services Project, conceived and performed by John Fisher, all weekly performances now available on demand; Saturday, February 12, 5 pm: Bedroom on Zoom or Facebook Live, live from New York. SHARK!, conceived and performed by John Fisher, live performance only, Sunday Feb. 27, 2 & 4 pm EST, 12 St. Marks Place, NYC.
TheatreWorks Silicon Valley. Hershey Felder as Chopin, scheduled to open in January, has been postponed until August 17, 2022. Sense and Sensibility, a musical, music and lyrics by Paul Gordon, March 9 – April 3, Lucie Stern Theater, Palo Alto, also available streaming.
Word for Word. See webpage for WORD for WORDcast streaming availability.
Misc. Listings:
BAM/PFA: Current film series. Coming in March: Wayne Wang retrospective, with the director introducing the films, in theater.
Berkeley Symphony: Reimagine, Second Symphonic Concert of the 50th Anniversary Season, Friday, March 25, 7:30, First Congregational Church of Berkeley
Chamber Music San Francisco: Calendar, Feb. 13 – May 8, 2022.
Dance Mission Theatre. On stage events calendar.
Oregon Shakespeare Festival: Calendar listings and upcoming shows.
San Francisco Opera. Calendar listings, January 16 – June 10, 2022.
San Francisco Symphony. Calendar listings.
Playbill List of Streaming Theatre: Updated weekly, this is probably the best list you’ll find of national and international streaming plays and musicals. Each week has its own webpage, so scroll down.
National Theatrical Streaming: Upcoming plays from around the country.
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]