Category: Arts

Music Circus director nominated for Tony


Marcia Milgrom Dodge

Marcia Milgrom Dodge, who directed “Guys and Dolls” at Music Circus last summer, was nominated today for a Tony Award for her directing of the revival of “Ragtime” on Broadway. She is the first director involved with Music Circus to be nominated for a Tony.

Dodge will return to Music Circus this summer to direct “Oklahoma!” in the 60th anniversary season under the tent (do they still call it that?) The Tony Awards are blowin’ up your television set on June 13th and I predict that “Glee” will somehow win an award.

Sacramentan has a Minute to Win It!

Jessica “The Outlaw” James, 20 of Sacramento competed tonight on the NBC game show Minute to Win It. In case you have not watched Minute to Win It, contestants must complete a series of silly stunts using household products while music from The Omen and Conan the Barbarian and The Office(???) blares in an attempt to win $1,000,000. Consider it to be NBC’s version of an economic stimulus package as people across the country are stocking up on various items in order to practice. Claiming to be the 5th best cheerleader in world, she was an excellent game show contestant as she (a) was really hot and (b) had appropriate inspiration in competing for a million dollars, which was to buy a house for her mom.

How did she do? Spoiler after the jump.
Continue reading “Sacramentan has a Minute to Win It!”

Saturday is Free Comic Book Day!

Heads’ up, geeks: Saturday is Free Comic Book Day, which is a perfect day to head on down to your local comic book shop and see what’s new in paneled graphic entertainment. This year features a slew of interesting titles:

  • a mini issue of “Mouse Guard,” a spectacular book about a society of mice
  • “Iron Man/Thor” written by Matt Fraction and drawn by John Romita, Jr. which leads into the next chapter in the Marvel Universe
  • a “Green Hornet” issue written by Kevin Smith and tying into the upcoming feature film
  • an issue of “Atomic Robo“, an entertaining book about a WWII era robotic man
  • the first issue of “Irredeemable,” about a superhero who flips the switch and becomes a super villain

Continue reading “Saturday is Free Comic Book Day!”

HGTV Design Star Appears in Sac. You Can Win Tickets!

Kitchen design by Matt Locke.

Ever wonder what goes on behind the scenes of those reality TV interior design shows? The fast flash of a bedroom makeover sketch usually plays second-fiddle to the high drama that ensues to complete the project on budget and on time. Well, here’s your chance to take an up-close look at those design sketches, and even meet one of the designers who appeared on HGTV’s “Design Star,” Matt Locke.

Locke will be keynote speaker for an event this Thursday, April 29 at 6:00 P.M. to benefit Ronald McDonald House Charities of Northern California. Located at the California Auto Museum, the event is hosted by TV star power Branden Rickman, winner of Bravo Network’s “Make Me a Supermodel,”and is presented by the International Academy of Design & Technology. The night features design plans from the academy’s top interior design students, fashion designers, and graphic designers. These are your future TV designers in the making.

If you can’t tear yourself away from the HGTV network, here’s your chance to get a real-life taste of the action. One lucky winner will get a set of two tickets here! Continue reading “HGTV Design Star Appears in Sac. You Can Win Tickets!”

Win Tickets to Festa di Vino! They have Fudge!

Next Saturday, May 1, celebrate the area’s best in food and wine at Festa di Vino, an event held at the Aerospace Museum. The entire museum will be transformed to host more than 20 local restaurants and 20 area wineries, each serving up samples for you to feast all night long.

Restaurants include 33rd Street Bistro, Il Forno Classico, Iron Steaks, Mamma Susanna’s, PF Chang’s, and more. Wineries include (my favorite) Rail Bridge Cellars, Madrona Vineyards, Todd Taylor, Scribner Bend, and others. Last year’s famous fudge made by nonprofit Women’s Empowerment will also make a guest appearance this year. Trust me, you don’t want to miss that fudge! (I helped make it last year. And helped eat it. By the pound.)

Best of all? You can attend FREE! I’ve got one ticket each for the first two people… Continue reading “Win Tickets to Festa di Vino! They have Fudge!”

Do You Have the Right Stuff?

Four-time Oscar nominee Ed Harris is coming to Sacramento next Friday, April 30. YOU could be there to meet him… If you’re lucky…

Harris stars in the new film Touching Home, based on the bestselling memoir Either You’re In or You’re in the Way written by Northern Cali twin brothers Logan and Noah Miller. The story follows the brothers’ efforts to save their homeless father (played by Harris) by pursuing professional baseball careers–despite their working class background. The publicity folks call it “a coming-of-age drama, an account of overcoming enormous odds and a tale about family and the bonds that matter.”

The movie premiers red-carpet-style with a VIP event next Friday that’s selling for $100 per ticket (proceeds benefit the B Street Theatre). The ticket price gets you into a pre-party with the stars where they’ll be serving up free apps, wine, and Lagunitas beer, followed by a red carpet walk with the stars (and local dignitaries), the movie premier followed by a Q & A with Harris and the twins (who also star in the film), and finally, an after-party at Social Nightclub. The best part? Your favorite SacRag writer (that’s me, GreenBeet, right?) will be there, too. Now that’s what I call a party!

But wait… There’s more! If you have the right stuff, YOU can win a free ticket to join the fanfare. Continue reading “Do You Have the Right Stuff?”

Earth Day Parade & Seed Demo with GreenBeet

Backyard Farmer GreenBeet teaching kids about seeds.

The sun is shining. The birds are twirping. What a great day for an Earth Day parade! Join me at the Capitol Heights Academy, where K-5th graders,their families and friends will enjoy an event filled with live music, crafts, and green-living tips. This includes a seed demo by yours truly, Backyard Farmer GreenBeet. I’ll be making seed kits for kids to take home and plant. Your kid is going to want one, too!

The event is being hosted by the Leadership class of the Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce. The leadership team adopted the Capitol Heights Academy’s afterschool program as their ongoing community project, calling it the Green Monster project. So far, the kids have learned about recycling, composting, gardening, nutrition, and living a green life. This is my kind of project! I hope you will join us for the fun.

Event details:
What: Green Monsters Earth Day Festival
When: 11am – 1pm TODAY, Saturday, April 17
Where: Capitol Heights Academy, 2520 33rd Ave (just off Broadway behind Immaculate Conception Church)
Who: YOU!

“Little House” musical to pitch in with Habitat for Humanity


Photo Credit: © Michal Daniel, 2008

The stage musical version of Little House on the Prairie opens this week at the Community Center Theater. The show stars Melissa Gilbert, who made a name for herself playing Laura in the 1970s TV series based on the books. And over the weekend, the cast will be tackling a Habitat for Humanity house in Del Paso Heights:

Throughout its 34-week, 26 city tour, Little House on the Prairie will make a minimum donation of $1,500 per market to the work of Habitat for Humanity through June 2010. In addition, the cast and crew will help local Habitat for Humanity affiliates build homes in each location.

Neat idea! But what I want to know is: Will the house come with a hollowed out log for smoking venison? Will there be a big iron stove for making pancake men?

Earth Day Celebration Sunday

Earth Day is officially April 22. But here in Sac, we like to do things ahead of the trends. That’s why we’re celebrating Earth Day this Sunday, April 11th at Southside Park from 12:00 to 5:00 PM, conveniently located across the street from the Downtown Farmers’ Market, so you can plan for a very earth-friendly day.

Earth Day festivities include music, cuisine, and one of my favorites: a capoeira performance!  If you aren’t familiar with capoeira, it’s a high-energy form of Brazilian dance that mixes in martial arts technique. Trust me–it’s super cool! Sacramento’s popular capoeira studio Agua de Beber will be performing. They begin at 1:00 PM with a big batucada parade followed by the capoeira demonstration.

You’ll also find a host of vendors sharing information about how to make your life a little greener and healthier. Come on out for a little peace, love, and earth-hugging. It’ll put a smile on your face.

Help KYDS

We here at The Rag have frequently sung the praises of KYDS, El Camino High School’s student run radio station at 91.5 on your FM dial. Even though their annual budget is a mere $2000, they manage to be one of the least boring radio stations in the Sacramento area. Their annual Spring Audiothon takes place this weekend starting today at 3pm. If you are a fan, please consider helping them out with a small donation to pay their FCC fine. (see update at end of story)

As The Bee reports, KYDS was fined $1500 for failing to file their FCC license on time. I suppose this is a hazard of having a radio station run entirely by students, as the FCC license renewal process was reportedly and understandably overwhelming for a kid. As a consequence, the forms were a few weeks late.

Continue reading “Help KYDS”