Bookwaves/Artwaves is produced and hosted by Richard Wolinsky.
Links to assorted local theater & book venues
Artwaves
Dawn Porter, documentary filmmaker, in conversation with host Richard Wolinsky, recorded on Zencastr, September 11, 2023.
Dawn Porter’s work has appeared on ESPN, HBO, Netflix, PBS and other streamers. Her film Trapped, focusing on abortion clinics in the South, won a special prize at Sundance in 2016 along with a Peabody Award. Her 2013 documentary, Gideon’s Army, her first film, focusing on public defender attorneys in the South, is now part of the US Deparment of State’s American Film Showcase.
She is also the director of John Lewis: Good Trouble, which focuses on the late Congressman and activist. Her most recent projects are The Lady Bird Diaries, which was shown at SXSW Film Festival and the four part documentary series, Deadlocked: How America Shaped the Supreme Court, which airs on Showtime starting September 23rd. Other recent projects include the short film Bree Wayy, about the life of Brionna Taylor, also on Showtime Paramount Plus. Gideon’s Army is available for free on the Tubi app.
Dawn Porter will be appearing live at Berkeley Art Museum Pacific Film Archive on September 21st, 22nd and 23rd to discuss her work. On September 21st with The Lady Bird Diaries and September 23rd with Gideon’s Army. See bampfa.org for the times and details of the events. Special thanks to A.J. Fox and Berkeley Art Museum Pacific Film Archives. Complete Interview.
Artwaves
Errol Morris, documentary film maker and author of “The Ashtray (Or the Man Who Denied Reality)” in conversation with Richard Wolinsky.
Noted film maker Errol Morris was in graduate school in philosophy when he argued with his professor, Thomas Kuhn. Kuhn threw an ashtray at Morris and had him kicked out of school. The argument was about truth. Kuhn said it was relative; Morris said it was real. All of Errol Morris’s work as a director and documentary artist focuses on truth, whether it be “The Fog of War” and Robert McNamara, or “The Thin Blue Line,” or even his latest project, the Netflix series “Wormwood.”
In this interview, he talks about his feelings regarding Kuhn, the nature of truth and its relationship to the current Washington regime, the origins of “The Thin Blue Line’ and other matters. Recorded June 4, 2017 at the Bay Area Book Fair. Special thanks to Cherilyn Parsons. Extended 33-minute Radio Wolinsky podcast.
Review of “The Hippest Trip: The Soul Train Musical at ACT Toni Rembe Geary Theater through October 8, 2023..
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.
American Conservatory Theatre The Hippest Trip: The Soul Train Musical, August 25 – October 1, 2023.
Aurora Theatre Born With Teeth by Liz Duffy Adams, September 1 – October 1.
Awesome Theatre Company. Check website for upcoming live shows and streaming.
Berkeley Rep POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive, by Selina Fillinger, September 16 – October 22, Roda Theatre.
Berkeley Shakespeare Company. King Lear. September 1 – 24. See website for days and locations.
Boxcar Theatre. See website for calendar listings.
Brava Theatre Center: See website for events.
BroadwaySF: Hadestown, September 12-17, 2023, Orpheum.
Broadway San Jose: Hadestown, September 26 – October 1.
California Shakespeare Theatre (Cal Shakes). Shakespeare in the Park: Cymbeline, September 16, 17, 23, 24, 4 pm. Free, tickets required. See website for other events.
Center Rep: Crowns by Regina Taylor, September 9 – October 6, 2023.
Central Works The Engine of Our Disruption by Patricia Milton, October 14 – November 12.
Cinnabar Theatre. The Sound of Music, September 8 -24.
Club Fugazi. Dear San Francisco.
Contra Costa Civic Theatre Sondheim on Sondheim, August 25 – September 17; Tintypes, October 20 – November 12.
Curran Theater: See website for upcoming live events and streaming choices.
Custom Made Theatre. Tiny Fires by Aimee Suzara, October 19-29. CounterPulse, 80 Turk Street, San Francisco.
Cutting Ball Theatre. Rossum’s Universal Robots by Karel Capek, adapted by Chris Steele, October 20 – November 12, Cutting Ball Theatre, 277 Taylor St., SF
42nd Street Moon. Mame, November 2 -19, 2023.
Golden Thread ReOrient Festival of Short Plays, October 13 – November 4, 2023.
Lorraine Hansberry Theatre. See website for upcoming productions and events.
Magic Theatre. Josephine’s Feast by Star Finch, extended to September 27, 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) Transnational Cabaret runs through August 20. Before The Sword by Andrew Alty, September 15 – October 15.
Oakland Theater Project. Gary, a sequel to Titus Andronicus by Taylor Mac, September 1 – 24.
Pear Theater. Noises Off by Michael Frayn, September 8 – October 1.
PianoFight. Permanently closed as of March 18, 2023.
Presidio Theatre. See website for schedule of events and performances.
Ray of Light: 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: Bald Sisters by Vichet Chum, September 13 – October 8, 2023.
Shotgun Players. Wolf Play by Hansol Jung, September 2 – October 1. Streaming tickets for certain performances.
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 Overlooked Latinas, September 24 – October 1. Streaming: Essential Services Project, conceived and performed by John Fisher, all weekly performances now available on demand, New performances most Wednesdays.
TheatreWorks Silicon Valley. Mrs. Christie by Heidi Armbruster, October 4 -29, Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts.
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]