Mountain Views News, Sierra Madre Edition [Pasadena] Saturday, October 29, 2016

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Mountain Views-News Saturday, October 29, 2016 

On the Marquee: 

Notes from the Sierra MadrePlayhouse

Jeff’s Book Pics By Jeff Brown

Wonders of Spiritual Unfoldment 
by John Butler 

 A personal account of searching 
for spiritual understanding initially 
outside Christian teaching, this 
book takes the position that there 
are as many ways to God as there are 
paths up a mountain. Interpreting 
his own spiritual breakthroughs, the 
author describes them as “windows 
of realization” and likens them to 
the sensation of being made whole. 
The book describes his journey from 
Eastern mantra-style meditation to 
the Orthodox “prayer of the heart” 
and details how a love of nature and a 
desire to do good played an important 
part in his spiritual unfoldment.

The Whistler by John Grisham 

 We expect our judges to be 
honest and wise. Their integrity and 
impartiality are the bedrock of the 
entire judicial system. We trust them 
to ensure fair trials, to protect the 
rights of all litigants, to punish those 
who do wrong, and to oversee the 
orderly and efficient flow of justice.
But what happens when a judge 
bends the law or takes a bribe? It’s 
rare, but it happens.Lacy Stoltz is an 
investigator for the Florida Board 
on Judicial Conduct. She is a lawyer, 
not a cop, and it is her job to respond 
to complaints dealing with judicial 
misconduct. After nine years with the 
Board, she knows that most problems 
are caused by incompetence, not 
corruption. But a corruption case 
eventually crosses her desk. A 
previously disbarred lawyer is back in 
business with a new identity. He now 
goes by the name Greg Myers, and he 
claims to know of a Florida judge who 
has stolen more money than all other 
crooked judges combined. And not 
just crooked judges in Florida. All judges, from 
all states, and throughout U.S. history.What’s the 
source of the ill-gotten gains? It seems the judge 
was secretly involved with the construction of a 
large casino on Native American land. The Coast 
Mafia financed the casino and is 
now helping itself to a sizable skim 
of each month’s cash. The judge is 
getting a cut and looking the other 
way. It’s a sweet deal: Everyone is 
making money.But now Greg wants 
to put a stop to it. His only client 
is a person who knows the truth 
and wants to blow the whistle and 
collect millions under Florida law. 
Greg files a complaint with the 
Board on Judicial Conduct, and the 
case is assigned to Lacy Stoltz, who 
immediately suspects that this one 
could be dangerous.

The Wrong Side of Goodbye (A 
Harry Bosch Novel) by Michael 
Connelly 

 Harry Bosch is California’s newest 
private investigator. He doesn’t advertise, 
he doesn’t have an office, and he’s picky 
about who he works for, but it doesn’t 
matter. His chops from thirty years with 
the LAPD speak for themselves.

 Soon one of Southern California’s 
biggest moguls comes calling. The 
reclusive billionaire is nearing the 
end of his life and is haunted by 
one regret. When he was young, he 
had a relationship with a Mexican 
girl, his great love. But soon after 
becoming pregnant, she disappeared. 
Did she have the baby? And if so, 
what happened to it?Desperate to 
know whether he has an heir, the 
dying magnate hires Bosch, the only 
person he can trust. With such a 
vast fortune at stake, Harry realizes 
that his mission could be risky not 
only for himself but for the one he’s 
seeking. But as he begins to uncover 
the haunting story--and finds 
uncanny links to his own past--he 
knows he cannot rest until he finds 
the truth.At the same time, unable to 
leave cop work behind completely, he volunteers 
as an investigator for a tiny cash-strapped 
police department and finds himself tracking a 
serial rapist who is one of the most baffling and 
dangerous foes he has ever faced. 


“GROUCHO” IS THE NOT-SO SECRET WORD

By Artistic Director, Christian Lebano

On his very popular show You Bet Your Life Groucho 
Marx always had a “secret” word of the day. If that day’s 
contestants said the word, a bird would drop down 
and they would win a prize. Well, if our patrons say 
“Groucho” they will get a wonderful experience on 
Sunday, December 4, 2017 and SMP 
will get a fabulous prize.

Frank Ferrante (a Sierra Madre 
native) who has traveled the world 
with his show An Evening with 
Groucho – he is in Australia now 
playing to sold-out houses – has very 
generously donated a performance 
to SMP. We are using this wonderful 
donation of Frank’s considerable 
talents as the centerpiece of a Gala 
Fundraiser for our Playhouse. 
For $100 (Center section reserved 
seating) or $85 (Side seating or rear 
row Center section) our patrons 
will have a chance to see Frank’s 
amazing performance AND support 
the Playhouse. Each ticket will 
be deductible after the first $30 and will include a 
champagne reception in our lobby afterwards. Frank 
will happily sign photos and talk about his love of 
Groucho. Tickets are on sale now.

The last time he did his show in our area it was at the 
Pasadena Playhouse last January and he is scheduled 
to perform at the La Mirada Center for the Performing 
Arts next March. Ferrante was handpicked by Arthur 
Marx to carry on his father’s legacy. The New York 
Times described him as “the greatest living interpreter 
of Groucho Marx’s material.” Morrie Ryskind, co-
author of the classic Animal Crackers and A Night at 
the Opera, has said that he is “the only actor aside from 
Groucho who delivered my lines as they were intended.”

Frank’s generosity follows on the heels of Fritz Coleman’s 
two sold-out performances last Sunday of his one-man 
show Defying Gravity. Fritz also, 
very generously, donated the entire 
box office to SMP. This was such a 
wonderful gesture on his part and 
will make such a difference to us 
as we plan our upcoming season. 
Frank’s show could likewise make 
a huge difference in allowing us to 
move forward with our ambitious 
plans for the rest of this season. 

We are now reaching out to our 
supporters and donors to make 
commitments of support for the 
next year. You each should be 
receiving your solicitation letters 
soon and when you do, I hope you 
will consider making a generous gift 
to SMP. I’ve spoken of some of our 
dreams and plans, to make them a reality we will need 
the help of our friends, old and new, in our Marquee 
Giving Circle. Please help us keep SMP as a vital and 
treasured part of this community. And, I hope to see 
you at our Groucho Gala! – it’s going to be a fantastic 
evening.

As always we do it for you – our SMP family. Your 
support and loyalty mean so much to us. For tickets 
please call Mary in the box office at 626.355.4318. Hope 
to see you soon!


SEAN’S SHAMELESS REVIEWS: 

By Sean Kayden

RA RA RIOT – LIVE REVIEW 

AT THE GREEK THEATRE

Syracuse-born musical 
chameleons Ra Ra Riot set 
the stage on fire on Friday 
night in Los Angeles, CA as the opening act to Young The 
Giant. As far as openers go, Ra Ra Riot could have easily 
been the headliner as their 2016 record, Need Your Light, 
was their liveliest and most enthused material to date. 
While the initial carnation of Ra Ra Riot has seen some 
line-up changes over the course of ten years ago, Wes Miles 
(vocals), Mathieu Santos (bass), Milo Bonacci (guitar), 
Rebecca Zeller (violin), and Kenny Bernard (drums) were 
all in perfect sync on a somewhat warm October night in 
Los Angeles. It was clearly evident Ra Ra Riot was arguably 
having the most fun on stage in their entire lifespan. With 
four albums to work from, all of which are considerably 
different from one to the next, Ra Ra Riot performed a 
glorious assortment of tracks, six coming off their latest 
endeavor. The combination of string based instruments 
and a heavy amount of synthesized provided a great deal 
of balance for the band’s wonderful and praiseworthy 
opening set.

 The band kicked the night off with “Too Too Too Fast,” 
a terrific track off their 2008 debut record, The Rhumb 
Line. Miles’ angelic voice soared over this hidden baroque 
gem. Given that it’s an older track, the song surprisingly 
resembles the band’s present sound. “Binary Mind” was a 
solid follow-up track. It has a great chorus and an utterly 
buoyant offering for the enthusiastic LA crowd. While 
most of the audience might have been there for Young The 
Giant, they did however let out a spirited cheer for “Too 
Dramatic,” a fan favorite of many years off the sophomore 
record, The Orchard. The high orchestra endeavor 
alongside the infectious chorus line, “I don’t understand it/
You’re too too dramatic,” sounded better and crisper than 
ever. It’s definitely a song that hits you hard if you haven’t 
heard it in quite some time. “Foreign Lovers” is a sharp 
two-plus minute gem. The simple, yet effective offering 
showcases great violin work into the mix of frenzy snyths. 
Eponymous track from their third record, “Beta Love,” was 
one of the true highlights of the night. A killer falsetto from 
Miles boosted the mellifluous track. While it appears off 
the band’s seemingly less popular record, it still was well 
received by their keen fans. 

 “Each Year,” another one off The Rhumb Line, turned 
down the synths and headed back to strings and percussion. 
The lyrics, a nod to Harper Lee’s To Kill A Mockingbird is 
band’s most complex tracks offering an even deeper side to 
the many talents of Ra Ra Riot. To get things rolling on a 
high note again, Ra Ra Riot broke into “Dance With Me,” 
a splendidly rousing track that had the crowd dancing 
in no time flat. Unquestionably addicting and beautiful 
harmonies to share, this foot-tapping endeavor displayed 
a band having a blast on stage performing together. The 
subsequent “Absolutely” was an ebullient tune to say the 
least. A snythpop whirlwind, it’s as addicting as anything 
these original indie-poppers have ever produced. The 
exuberant Miles takes mundane situations and adds much 
needed energy to them as he does here with “Absolutely.” 
He even makes a shout out to “Los Angeles” and that 
of course livened up the crowd even more so with an 
animated roar. “Boy” came up next, another classic from 
the camp. The lively jam doesn’t feel dated in the slightest 
bit. Miles’ whimsical vocals were clear and chipper over 
the song’s zooming bass and high-energy drums. He once 
again engaged the crowd to clap their hands in synchronize 
fashion. 

 “Water,” a very Vampire Weekend-esque track, which 
comes as no surprise since Rostam Batmanglij, formerly of 
Vampire Weekend, helped produced the brand new record. 
Miles’s falsetto vocals, original as they come by in indie pop, 
floats on cloud nine here. The single is greatly satisfying and 
melodiously all-around as it was performed. The final song 
of the night came in the form of “I Need Your Light.” Miles 
asked for the crowd to stand up and turn on their cellphone 
light. Perhaps the finest song off their latest endeavor, this 
one turned out to be entirely incandescent. It was exquisitely 
executed with numerous layers that allowed it to feel like 
something quite distinctive. With the crowd shining down 
the “light” that was asked by Miles, he returned the favor 
in another way. Undoubtedly, Ra Ra Riot left the stage on 
a high note and these multitalented veterans assuredly 
enchanted the audience under their hallucinogenic spell. 

All Things By Jeff Brown

HILLARY CLINTON AS SENATOR

Just months before 9/11, Hillary Clinton became 
a U.S. senator in New York. She served for eight 
years in the city and was a key architect of the $21 
billion federal aid bill that helped rebuild the city 
after her term started with the worst tragedy New 
York had ever seen. But perhaps what she is most 
remembered for is fighting for the health bill that 
served first responders in the first 48 hours after 
the attack. Clinton fought the Environmental 
Protection Agency to admit the air wasn’t safe to 
breathe. That’s why Clinton has the support of so 
many 9/11 first responders. That wasn’t the first 
time Clinton had advocated for a strong health 
care bill, though. In 1994, a universal health care 
bill that Hillary Clinton pushed for had failed as 
the Clinton administration came into office. Then 
Democrats lost the House and then lost the Senate 
for the first time in 40 years. Democrats had 
essentially given up on health care reform, until 
First Lady Clinton helped the State Children’s 
Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). Hillary 
Clinton has negotiated ceasefires in Israel, put the 
Lilly Ledbetter Pay Equity Act into law, authored 
the Pediatric Research Equity Act (which helped 
re-label drugs to keep millions of children safe)
She negotiated ceasefires in Israel, put the Lilly 
Ledbetter Pay Equity Act into law, authored the 
Pediatric Research Equity Act (which helped re-
label drugs to keep millions of children safe).As 
First Lady of the United States, Clinton led the 
unsuccessful effort to enact the Clinton health care 
plan of 1993. In 1997 and 1999, she helped create the 
State Children’s Health Insurance Program. She 
also tackled the problems of adoption and family 
safety and foster care. At the 1995 UN conference 
on women, held in Beijing, Clinton stated in a then 
controversial and influential speech, that ”human 
rights are women’s rights and women’s rights are 
human rights”.

HALLOWEEN 
Presented by the Sierra Madre Library and Community Services Department, 
Sierra Madre Chanmber of Commerce, and Sierra Madre Kiwanis Club, 
Sponsored by Assemblymember Chris R. Holden, The Buccaneer Lounge, best buy 
drugs, Sierra madre community foundation, and leonora mossMonday, October 31, 2016Costume Contest 
HAPPENINGS• All contestants must fill out a waiver form in Kersting Court from 4:00 - 5:00 pm - late 
contestants can fill one out in Memorial Park• Categories: Group (All ages - Must include 1 youth under 17), 2 and under, 3 to 4 years old, 5 
to 7 years old, and 8 to 13 years old• Prizes will be given to the top 3 group and age category contestants.
• Strong efforts are being made to keep the contest to under an hour. Please arrive for a prompt 
start of 5:30pmFor more information call 626.355.7394 or visit http://www.cityofsierramadre.comTrick or Treating• Downtown Sierra Madre businesses will be handing out treats!
• Participating business will have a sign in window indicating involvementCostume Parade• Follow the Sierra Madre Fire Department Engine down Sierra Madre Blvd.
• Parade should only last 15 minutes. Starts at Kersting Court and ends at Hermosa Ave.
• Costume parade is open to all ages and registration is not required to participate3:30-5:00pm Downtown Sierra Madre5:00pm Kersting Court5:30pm Memorial Park 
Free 
Event
“RETURN OF THE TINGLER” AT THE PLAYHOUSE -

TIME MACHINE RIDES AND RODDY ROBOT

 In conjunction with Sierra Madre’s 
Halloween festivities which occur 
on Monday the 31st, The Symbiotic 
Society will present “Return of the 
Tingler”. This free show is a parody 
of the 1959 hit film, “The Tingler” 
starring the legendary Vincent 
Price. Audience interaction will 
be featured, along with activities 
outside the Playhouse. Free shows 
will run every half hour from 6:30 
to 9:30 pm, HALLOWEEN NIGHT 
ONLY. Returning from last year will 
be the TIME MACHINE; plus a new 
attraction, RODDY ROBOT. These 
vintage attractions are part of our 
retreat to the 50-60’s. 

THE PLAYHOUSE HALLOWEEN 
PRESENTATION – “Return of the 
Tingler”, is loosely based on the film 
by William Castle who was famous 
for low budget B-Movie thrillers. 
Many films featured gimmicks to 
attract audiences. Our presentation 
will offer our own contrivance 
collection in his honor. 

THE TIME MACHINE – It is a full 
size replica of the time machine 
featured in the 1960 movie, The Time 
Machine. The movie is based on the 
famous H.G. Wells book of the same 
name, starring Rod Taylor and Yvette 
Mimieux. It differs from the original 
in having fun lights controllable by 
the rider. Those wishing to return to 
their younger years can ride the Time 
Machine before or after the shows. 

RODDY ROBOT – He invokes 
memories of the 50-60’s era 
anthropomorphic robots featured 
in many sci-fi B-movies. He 
joins the Time Machine as a great 
photo opportunity. A professional 
photographer will take photos free 
of charge. ABOUT THE SYMBIOTIC 
SOCIETY – this deranged group of 
volunteer individuals, formerly known as 
the Zombie Players Association, creates 
an annual event at the Sierra Madre 
Playhouse during Halloween. Since the 
group is primarily senior in nature with 
signs of dementia, the presentations are 
nutty and over-the-top. The whole purpose 
is to provide free fun entertainment, 
primarily for kids and those wishing to be 
kids again. The Halloween activity is a drastic switch, maybe its cathartic in nature, from the Society’s primary goal of promoting the Human and Tingler 
alliance. To find out more visit www.yourtingler.com Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @yourtingler. #TeamTingler


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