Mountain Views News     Logo: MVNews     Saturday, January 16, 2016

MVNews this week:  Page 12

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Mountain Views-News Saturday, January 16, 2016 

On the Marquee: Notes from the Sierra Madre Playhouse


SEAN’S SHAMELESS 

REVIEWS:

LISTEN UP: SONGS OF THE WEEK

By Sean Kayden

THE MISSING INGREDIENT


By Artistic Director, Christian Lebano

You all know by now about my love of theater 
and for this theater in particular, but what may 
not be so common knowledge is that my other 
great passion is cooking. Among my friends I’m 
known as quite a good one. I’m an intuitive cook 
– I learned that from my mother – and can make 
a meal out of almost anything in the pantry and 
fridge. I have a knack for finding just the right 
spice or ingredient for making a dish sing.

Well last night at our invited dress rehearsal 
I was reminded of the final ingredient in any 
performance – YOU! We had a group of 18 
theater students from the American Academy 
in the audience and the show took flight. I will 
say that Deathtrap was as ready to be seen as 
any show I have ever worked on. These last few 
rehearsals have been just about fine-tuning the 
technical elements and how the actors interact 
with them. I think we were all itching to put it 
in front of people. I often say to actors that I’m 
working with when asked about how to play a 
moment that “the audience will tell us what it 
needs.” And I really believe this – that’s why a 
play is always better a few weeks into the run than 
it is at opening. It needs to simmer in front of an 
audience.

Last night the students laughed and gasped and 
a few shrieked at all the right moments. I could 
see the relish in the cast’s eyes – no one knows 
them better than I do at this point. It gave them 
confidence to trust the work we had done in 
preparation for tonight’s opening.

I hope you’ll see this one. I’m very proud of it. 
You are just the spice I’m looking for! 

Deathtrap is selling briskly – we have our highest 
presale in our history! – it opened January 15 and 
runs through February 20. This one is going to be 
great fun – don’t miss it. Please visit our website 
at SierraMadrePlayhouse.org or call Mary at 
626.355.4318 to arrange your purchase. 

* * *

I’m excited to announce a new Initiative at the 
Playhouse – a once-a-month reading series of 
plays I am interested in producing in the future. 
These plays will generally be the last Monday of 
the month and will be directed and star many 
actors you’ve enjoyed over the last few years. D.J. 
Harner ( who played Mother and General Cutter 
in Battledrum) will work with me to produce this 
Series (we haven’t settled on a name yet). The 
Reading Series will be free to attend. We launch 
our first one Monday, January 25 at 7pm. Arthur 
Hankett (who was in The Twentieth Century) 
will direct and perform in Eric Overmyer’s On 
the Verge a wonderful play I can’t wait to hear 
out loud. Do come, we’ll have refreshments 
and it should be great fun. I have a wonderful 
list of plays coming up: Bus Stop, The Skin of 
Our Teeth, The Octoroon and many more. The 
complete schedule and list of plays is on our 
website: SierraMadrePlayhouse.or

School of Seven Bells – 
“Open Your Eyes” – The 
new self-titled record from School of Seven Bells 
will be the final album for Alejandra Deheza under 
this moniker. The sad reason is because of her 
friend/lover/bandmate Benjamin Curtis passed 
away in 2013 of T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma. 
The first single “Open Your Eyes” is comforting 
and luminous. It’s heartbreaking to hear since 
this song as well the entire nine-track album was 
written prior to Curtis’ untimely death. The deeply 
layered snyths and heartfelt lyrics revolving around 
the band members’ relationship are emotional to 
say the least. Overall, it’s just a really terrific tune. 
The record could be the finest effort that School of 
Seven Bells has ever delivered, but sadly it will be 
their last.

 Grizfolk – “Troublemaker” – Grizfolk has finally 
released their debut record this past week and one 
of the better tracks off the album is, “Troublemaker”. 
It shows the band pushing their boundaries with 
a darker vibe going on here. Grizfolk attempts to 
balance the line of anthemic rock and indie-pop. 
The quintet shows much promise on their debut 
offer despite the notable comparisons to bands 
before them. Grizfolk were a buzz band in late 
2013 into 2014 so this first LP is long overdue, but 
it delivers the vibes that were not only wanted, 
but also needed. Let loose this winter with a fun, 
sprightly sound from a group that’s aesthetic falls 
between the indie-folk expanses and indie-pop 
regions. 

 Ra Ra Riot – “Water” – For fans of Vampire 
Weekend, the new single “Water” from Ra Ra 
Riot is a must hear. It fact, the song was produced 
by Rostam Batmanglij of Vampire Weekend so 
no wonder the vibes are present. This isn’t the 
first time collaboration between Ra Ra Roit and 
Batamnglii had been crafted. Vocalist Wes Miles 
previously teamed up with him when they released 
their album in 2009 under the name Discovery. 
As for the brand new track “Water,” which will be 
off the new record, “Need Your Light” next month 
is a bubbly cut that just feels right no matter how 
you examine it. Miles vocals resemble those of the 
band Passion Pit, however he clearly displays his 
own distinctive approach. While this may be the 
band’s fourth album within a decade, there’s a huge 
sense of rejuvenation. The expansive soundscape 
of the first single should get fans super amped up 
for what’s in store on the full length. And with a 
Vampire Weekend album still to be determined, 
fingers crossed Ra Ra Riot’s “Need Your Light” 
holds you over until then. 

 DMA’S – “Delete” – The debut LP, “Hills End” 
from the Sydney trio may be the breakthrough 
record of 2016. Their single, “Delete” crosses the 
same territory as Oasis (when they were something 
special) and a little bit of The Arctic Monkeys. 
“Delete” starts off as ballad before it explodes late 
into the song into something magnificent. The 
harmonies sink in, the guitars get louder and touch 
greatness. I can’t speak for how the rest of the album 
will shape up to be, but if you have a penchant for 
Britpop, let me introduce you to your new favorite 
band, DMA’S. 

David Tolemy is Clifford Anderson in Deathtrap. 
Photo by John Dluglolecki

Jeff’s Book Pics By Jeff Brown

Clementine: The Life of 
Mrs. Winston Churchill by 
Sonia Purnell

 “Sonia Purnell has at long 
last given Clementine 
Churchill the biography she 
deserves. Sensitive yet clear-
eyed, Clementine tells the 
fascinating story of a complex 
woman struggling to maintain 
her own identity while serving 
as the conscience and principal 
adviser to one of the most 
important figures in history.” 
–Lynn Olson, bestselling 
author of Citizens of London 
A long-overdue tribute to 
the extraordinary woman 
behind Winston Churchill.
By Winston Churchill’s own 
admission, victory in the 
Second World War would 
have been “impossible without 
her.” Until now, however, the 
only existing biography of 
Churchill’s wife, Clementine, 
was written by her daughter. 
Sonia Purnell finally gives 
Clementine her due with a 
deeply researched account that 
tells her life story, revealing 
how she was instrumental in 
softening FDR’s initial dislike 
of her husband and paving 
the way for Britain’s close 
relationship with America. 
It also provides a surprising 
account of her relationship 
with Eleanor Roosevelt and 
their differing approaches 
to the war effort.Born into 
impecunious aristocracy, 
the young Clementine was the target of cruel 
snobbery. Many wondered why Winston married 
her, but their marriage proved to be an exceptional 
partnership. Beautiful and intelligent, but driven 
by her own insecurities, she made his career 
her mission. Any real consideration of Winston 
Churchill is incomplete without an understanding 
of their relationship, and Clementine is both the 
first real biography of this remarkable woman and 
a fascinating look inside their private world.

David Attenborough New Life Stories 
Audio CD – Audiobook, CD, Unabridged 
by David Attenborough 

 One of the nation’s most popular presenters 
examines twenty marvels of the natural world from 
his extraordinary and pioneering experiences. 
How did Sir David track down 
a giant Earthworm? Why does 
he respect Rats? What was the 
first bribe in nature? Why do 
well known foods often have 
two names? And where can 
you see evidence of the earliest 
life on Earth? His enthusiasm 
is as infectious as ever, and 
conveys a unique fascination 
on topics as diverse as the Kiwi, 
Hummingbirds, Monsters, 
Butterflies, Chimps, Cuckoos, 
Fireflies and Elsa, the famous 
lioness. So listen to these stories 
to find out why Rats should be 
respected and which insects 
emerge from the ground only 
once every 17 years. Includes 
detailed programme notes 
inside the booklet.

The Life-Changing 
Magic of Tidying Up: 
The Japanese Art 
of Decluttering and 
Organizing by Marie 
Kondo 

 This #1 New York Times best-
selling guide to decluttering 
your home from Japanese 
cleaning consultant Marie 
Kondo takes readers step-by-
step through her revolutionary 
KonMari Method for 
simplifying, organizing, and 
storing.Despite constant 
efforts to declutter your home, 
do papers still accumulate 
like snowdrifts and clothes 
pile up like a tangled mess of 
noodles?Japanese cleaning 
consultant Marie Kondo takes tidying to a whole 
new level, promising that if you properly simplify 
and organize your home once, you’ll never have 
to do it again. Most methods advocate a room-
by-room or little-by-little approach, which doom 
you to pick away at your piles of stuff forever. 
The KonMari Method, with its revolutionary 
category-by-category system, leads to lasting 
results. In fact, none of Kondo’s clients have lapsed 
(and she still has a three-month waiting list). 
With detailed guidance for determining which 
items in your house “spark joy” (and which don’t), 
this international bestseller featuring Tokyo’s 
newest lifestyle phenomenon will help you clear 
your clutter and enjoy the unique magic of a tidy 
home—and the calm, motivated mindset it can 
inspire.


SPECIAL MUSIC EVENT CELEBRATING 
GRANADOS AT SIERRA MADRE PLAYHOUSE 

ON JANUARY 31

Sierra Madre Playhouse and Colburn Conservatory 
of Music continue their collaboration of presenting 
superior evenings of traditional and contemporary 
classical music for a third season. Our first such 
event this year is Celebrating Granados: His Life, 
His Influences, His Music.

 Enrique Granados (1867-1916), revered in his 
native Spain, is less well-known by American 
audiences. Our January concert commemorates 
the centennial of his death. In 1916, following the 
New York premiere of his opera Goyescas (based 
on his earlier piano pieces inspired by the paintings 
of Francisco Goya) and a special piano recital for 
President Woodrow Wilson, Granados and his 
wife set sail for the return voyage to Europe. They 
perished when their vessel was sunk by a German 
U-Boat. They were survived by six children, one of 
them a musician.

 Prize-winning pianist, recording artist, and 
former Fulbright scholar Régulo Martinez-Antón, 
the recipient of the Professional Studies Certificate 
from the Colburn Conservatory of Music and 
currently a piano faculty member at the Colburn 
School of Performing Arts and the Montecito 
International Music Festival, has assembled the 
program for the January 31 concert. A native of 
Madrid, Martinez-Antón has a special affinity for 
the works of Granados. The concert will feature 
not only works by Granados, but also by his 
influences.

 The program:

 Robert Schumann (1810-1856) Arabeske in C 
major, Op. 18

 Fredreric Chopin (1810-1849) Nocturne op. 62 
in B major

 Franz Liszt (1811-1886) Sonetto 47 del Petrarca

Sonetto 104 del Petrarca

Sonetto 123 del Perrarca

Intermission

 

Enrique Granados (1867-1916) from Danzas 
españolas, op. 37 Andaluza

Oriental from Goyescas Los requibros (The

 Compliments)

Quejas o la maja y el ruiseñor (Complaints 
or the Maiden and the Nightingale)

 El pelele

“Martinez-Antón’s performance was astounding.”-
---Stage & Cinema

 “The music of Régulo Martinez-Antón is always 
an adventure:----Rhein Zeitung (Germany)

 

 Celebrating Granados promises to be an 
extraordinary evening of musicianship and 
listening pleasure. It’s not to be missed.


ADULT CLASS IN THE FINE ART OF MOSAIC

Join Ellen Dinerman in a class learning the art of 
mosaics. Students may bring a desired project to 
complete or design and create a tray filled with your 
own original mosaic.

Class will be held at Weizmann Day School

Thursdays, 9:30-11:00 am, January 21, 28 & 
February 4, 11, 18, 25, $125.00 - Includes materials

Register in WDS Office, 626-797-0204


Jeff’s History Corner By Jeff Brown

1.The Founding Fathers penned the first couple of 
drafts of the Declaration of Independence on hemp 
paper, since at the time at least 75 percent of all the 
world’s paper was made from cannabis hemp fiber. 
The democratic delegates eked out the document’s 
first and second drafts—completed on June 28th and 
July 2nd 1776, respectively—on Dutch hemp paper. 
The final document had a more official air, though, as 
it was printed on parchment.

2.The American flag was the brainchild of a high 
schooler.Robert Heft was 17 years old when he 
submitted his design for a new American flag for a 
school project in 1958. After receiving a B- for his 
work, Heft contested his grade with his teacher and 
an agreement was made that he would receive an A if 
it was accepted by the US Congress. In the following 
year, which saw Alaska and Hawaii join the union, 
Heft’s flag was adopted by the nation and his grade 
was changed accordingly.

3.FDR escaped an assassination attempt before he 
was famous.Franklin D Roosevelt was diagnosed 
with polio in 1921, yet led a somewhat charmed 
life. In February 1932, just three weeks prior to his 
inauguration, a revolver bullet meant for him was 
directed off target as it was fired, fatally wounding the 
Mayor of Chicago instead. An American submarine 
mistakenly fired a torpedo at the battleship Iowa, 
missing it by a fraction, as he held a secret meeting on 
it in November 1943. These brushes with death were 
preceded, however, by a close escape in 1919 when 
he gave Mitchell Palmer, the notorious Attorney 
General, a lift home from a boozy party. FDR politely 
refused the offer of a nightcap, driving off and leaving 
Palmer to retire upstairs before the front portion of 
his house then exploded as part of an attempt on his 
life. Had FDR accepted Palmer’s hospitality, both 
men would have been killed.

4.Cross-dressing women served in the Civil War.
Hundreds of women are thought to have disguised 
themselves as men in order to participate in the Civil 
War. Most famous is Sarah Emma Edmonds, who felt 
compelled to play her part for the Union Army and 
enlisted in the 2nd Michigan Infantry with the alias 
“Franklin Flint Thompson”. She served between 1861 
and 1863, with Malaria curtailing her involvement. 
She wrote a memoir of her time in the army, selling 
almost 200,000 copies.

5.Months before World War Two ended, the Japanese 
found themselves in a bit of a pinch. Making the 
most of the strong air current across the Pacific 
Ocean, the Japanese crafted what was likely the first 
intercontinental weapon system and attached bombs 
to hydrogen balloons, in what was known as the Fu-
Go campaign. Depending on weather conditions, 
it would take each balloon anywhere from 30 to 60 
hours to reach the United States. Researchers estimate 
that the Japanese said

sayonara to around 9,000 bombs—which were 
approximately 33 feet in diameter— to the United 
States, with 342 known to have reached the United 
States. Many of them landed and exploded, with one 
even killing a whole family in Oregon in 1944. Rumor 
has it that there may still be dozens – potentially still 
active – lying around.

Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com