What's that? You say you've never been to the Rogue Festival in Fresno before? Hmmmm. . . I think it is about time you did. Don't let a little thing like the unfamiliar keep you from the adventure in art that is "Da Rogue". But, like any other cultural event that has evolved (this is its 10th year), it has its own quirks, etiquette and, of course, buzzwords.
The Rainbow Delegation was started in August of 2010 by a man named Matt Mazzei. Mazzei, founder of the Rainbow Delegation, like others, had a dream of creating support for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community; a community which he proudly identifies as part of today. Six months later, the Rainbow Delegation is now known as a popular movement across the Central Valley, and has expanded its presence world wide.
This past weekend Super Fanny opened at the Reedley Opera House, presented by Reedley’s River City Theatre Company. If you are looking to laugh, this is the show to see. It is an original show written and directed by Mark Norwood. His writing partner Darrell Devaurs wrote the music.
This year the Rogue Performance Festival in Fresno is celebrating its tenth year. Rogue Festivals feature all types of performers from magicians, to theatre, to dancers, singers and more, from the Valley and beyond. If you love the arts, it’s an incredible event not to be missed.
Most people think of February’s three-day holiday weekend as just that, but Reedley bibliophiles know that the First United Methodist Church’s annual book sale opens the Saturday following President’s Day and there will be literally hundreds and hundreds of books—all at bargain prices!
The musical version of Cinderella opened at the Enchanted Playhouse in Visalia on February the fourth and goes until the 19th. Director Don Williams stated that they decided to go with the musical version at the recommendation of founding director Susan Sluka-Kelly, who performed this version with her new company in Rancho Cucamonga a year and a half ago and it was well received.
We are all familiar with police officers—we see their cars driving around town, see them in uniform at crime scenes and local events—but how many of us are aware of the police chaplain who serves the community and the Police Department just as diligently, and as a volunteer?
Director Irene Morse is effusive about Lonely Planet and playwright Steven Dietz. Morse praises Dietz’s ability to depict emotions from grief to giddiness with few words. According to Morse, Dietz had been mulling the idea for a play about friends dealing with crisis when he read Ionesco’s The Chairsand realized that chairs were the perfect vehicle for describing “a horrific time in a light hearted and quirky way.”
I remember clearly the first time I saw Todd Croissant on a basketball court. It was probably 1991 or 1992 during warm-ups for a game at the Immanuel High School Gym. Todd was a freshman, playing on the varsity—a very rare thing then, as it is now. My first impression was, “this guy belongs on a basketball court.”
The New Ensemble is a new theatre company in Fresno that wants to provide, on a regular basis, thoughtful, powerful works of theatre for this community-- works of literary and theatrical merit based in ideas and immediacy of emotion.
