Arts Profiles
A Hunger for Healing
A Roseville cancer survivor reflects on the restorative power of writing and illustrating her debut children’s tale, The Mochi Makers. In this case, a picture book is worth a thousand words.
Q&A with Distance Runner Fiona O’Keeffe
Davis native Fiona O’Keeffe crossed the finish line of her first marathon with a new U.S. Olympic trials record and a spot in the 2024 Paris Games.
Madame Director
Born in the same year that the B Street Theatre was launched, Lyndsay Burch has risen from an intern at the local troupe to succeeding co-founder Buck Busfield as its artistic director. Now she’s crafting an ambitious future that Sacramentans—and, yes, Australians and Scots—are lining up for. Because for B Street, all the world is suddenly a stage.
Going Going Gonzo
He has directed over 400 music videos, is learning seven languages, and started performing stand-up comedy during the pandemic. Oh, and he just landed his first solo show at the Crocker Art Museum, featuring his wildly colorful, surrealistic photography. Meet retrofuturist Raúl Gonzo—the ultimate one-man band of creative expression.
Feats of Clay
From the tables of Michelin-recognized restaurants like Canon to workshops at its new, larger studio, Echeri Ceramics is having a moment. Meet the in-demand duo who put a little Sacramento soul into every cup, bowl and plate they make.
Rock Star
As legendary rock climber Beth Rodden releases her candid new memoir, the Davis native talks about learning the ropes as a kid at the Rocknasium, the perils and pitfalls of fame, and finding grace in the cracks of mountains and life alike.
Putting His Stamp on Maps
Postal worker Michael Calcagno reimagines transportation designs with creative mapmaking mash-ups of Sacramento, San Francisco, New York City and beyond.
Sowing the Seeds of Change (One Theater Seat at a Time)
In 1986, a state worker named James Wheatley founded a Black theater company in Sacramento as a side gig. Nearly 40 years later, Celebration Arts has trained countless Black actors, dancers and singers, providing the education and experience that the mainstream theater community hadn’t afforded them. With new funding, a larger space, and a growing audience for diverse storytelling, the seeds that Wheatley has so carefully nurtured for generations are now coming into full bloom.
Photo Essay: The Nutcracker Auditions
In a rite of passage for throngs of aspiring young dancers, auditions are held each fall for the chance to appear in the Sacramento Ballet’s annual production of The Nutcracker, which has featured thousands of children on stage since debuting in 1968—including one Greta Gerwig—and will take place Dec. 9–23 this year. The latest tryouts for roles like Mice, Candy Canes and Baby Bunnies were held on Sept. 9 at the troupe’s midtown studios, and photojournalist Max Whittaker was there to capture the moments of anticipation, determination and pure joy throughout the day during this storied Sacramento tradition.
New Home for the Holidays
Mere months after arriving in town from his native Iowa, Alex Heetland leads 130 vocalists as the new artistic director of the Sacramento Gay Men’s Chorus. As he and his choir prepare for the group’s signature holiday show, the 35-year-old ensemble leader talks about the SGMC’s growing profile, the continuing significance of gay men’s choruses in the 21st century, and what attendees can expect at this year’s production, from its wide-ranging songbook to its big move to the Crest Theatre.
Q&A with Estella Sanchez, Founder of Sol Collective
Born in Sacramento to Mexican immigrants, Estella Sanchez has always navigated the influences of both her Hispanic heritage and her California upbringing. In 2005, at age 30, she founded the local multicultural nonprofit Sol Collective to help others explore and express their own diverse identities by hosting gallery shows, leading art classes and participating in social justice and health initiatives at its headquarters and beyond. This fall, the group will host events throughout town to observe Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), and Sanchez talks to us about those celebrations, growing a karmic bank account, and the power of perseverance.
Love His Way
How did Rich Good, a graphic designer from London, move to the tiny town of Nevada City and wind up as the lead guitarist for The Psychedelic Furs? In the most improbable way imaginable.
On Sale Now!
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