Bookwaves/Artwaves – January 12, 2023: Suzy McKee Charnas – Frank Galati

Bookwaves/Artwaves is produced and hosted by Richard Wolinsky.
Links to assorted local theater & book venues
 
Bookwaves
Suzy McKee Charnas, in the 1980s.
Suzy McKee Charnas (1939-2023), in conversation with Richard Wolinsky, recorded over Halloween Weekend, 1981 at the World Fantasy Convention in the Claremont Hotel in Berkeley.
Suzy McKee Charnas, who died on January 2nd, 2023 at the age of 83, was a novelist and short story writer focusing on fantasy and science fiction. Over a career that began in 1974 with her first novel, Walk to the End of the World, she wrote eleven novels and several short stories, winning both the Hugo and Nebula Awards for Best short stories. She is best known for her tetralogy of novels, The Holdfast Chronicles, beginning with the aforementioned Walk to the End of the World and concluding with The Conquerer’s Child in 1999.
In 1981, she had just written three novels, focusing on feminist issues in a field that was still dominated by men. Her second novel, Motherlines, which featured no male characters at all, was decades ahead of its time.
A lot has changed since 1981, and the interview also serves as a time capsule in terms of both questions and answers, and in regard to feminist writing, publishing and genre writing.
She continued to work steadily after 1981, but she wrote no more novels after 1999, though short stories continued to be published. None of her works were adapted for television or film, though she did adapt The Vampire Tapestry for the stage in 2001.
The interview aired once shortly after the recording, and was digitized, remastered and edited on January 4, 2023. Complete 29-minute interview.
 
Artwaves
Richard Wolinsky and Frank Galati, 2019.
Frank Galati (1943-2023), who died on January 2, 2023 at the age of 79, was a giant in American theatre.
A long-time member of the legendary Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago, Frank Galati was winner of Tony Awards for the adaptation and direction of The Grapes of Wrath in 1990, was nominated for an Oscar for co-adapting The Accidental Tourist for the screen, and was the director of Ragtime and The Pirate Queen on Broadway. Frank Galati is also known for adapting several other works for stage and screen.
Frank Galati was in the San Francisco Bay Area to direct a production of “Rhinoceros” by Eugene Ionesco at ACT’s Geary Theatre, and it was in ACT’s offices that this interview took place on May 22, 2019.
“Rhinoceros” is considered to be one of the greatest works of political theatre of the absurd. Originally produced in the late 1950s, the play hearkens back to the origins of fascism and how propaganda infects the minds of citizens.
At the end of the interview, Frank Galati discusses his upcoming project, a musical version of James Agee’s “A Death in the Family,” with music and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty (Ragtime, A Man of No Importance). The show, titled “Knoxville” made its world premiere at the Asolo Repertory Company in Sarasota Florida in April 2022, and an original cast album was released digitally in October and on disc in November, 2022. First posted as a Bay Area Theater podcast on June 2, 2019.
Photos: Richard Wolinsky
Complete 42-minute interview.

 
Book Interview/Events and Theatre Links
Note: Shows may unexpectedly close early or be postponed due to actors’ positive COVID tests. Check the venue for closures, ticket refunds, and vaccination and mask requirements before arrival. Dates are in-theater performances unless otherwise noted. All times Pacific Standard Time.
Book Stores
Bay Area Book Festival  Highlights from this year’s Festival, May 7-8, 2022 and upcoming calendar.
Book Passage.  Monthly Calendar. Mix of on-line and in-store events.
Books Inc.  Mix of on-line and in-store events.
The Booksmith.   Monthly Calendar. On-line events only.
Center for Literary Arts, San Jose. See website for Book Club guests in upcoming months.
Kepler’s Books  On-line Refresh the Page program listings.
Live Theater Companies
Actor’s Reading Collective (ARC).  See website for past streams.
Alter Theatre. Upcoming: Snag by Tara Moses, Pueblo Revolt by Dillon Chitto
American Conservatory Theatre  The Headlandsl February 9 – March 5 by Christopher Chen, Toni Rembe Theater.
Aurora Theatre Paradise Blue by Dominique Morisseau, Opens January 27, 2023, streaming February 21-26.
Awesome Theatre Company. Check website for upcoming live shows and streaming.
Berkeley Rep Clydes, by Lynn Nottage, January 20 – February 28, Peets Theatre.
Boxcar Theatre. See website for events.
Brava Theatre Center: See website for events.
BroadwaySF: The Simon & Garfunkel Story, January 18, Golden Gate; Bluey’s Big Play, January 21 – 22, Golden Gate; Dear Evan Hanson, January 24 – February 19, Orpheum; Mean Girls, January 31 – February 26, Golden Gate. Bill Maher, live on stage, March 12, 2023.
Broadway San Jose: Annie, January 10-15, 2023.
California Shakespeare Theatre (Cal Shakes). 2023 Season to be announced.
Center Rep: Red Bike, by Carldad Svich, directed by Jeffrey Lo. February  4 – 25, 2023.
Central Works Mondragola by Gary Graves, March 18 – April 16, 2023.
Cinnabar Theatre. Daddy Long Legs,  January 6 – 22, 2023.
Contra Costa Civic Theatre To Master the Art by William Brown and Doug Frew, April 21 – May 21, 2023.
Curran Theater: Into The Woods, direct from Broadway, June 20-25, 2023.
Custom Made Theatre. Tiny Fires by Aimee Suzara, February 3 – 36, 2023.
42nd Street Moon. Anything Goes, February 23 – March 12, Gateway Theatre.
Golden Thread  See website for upcoming productions.
Landmark Musical Theater. See website for upcoming shows.
Lorraine Hansberry Theatre. Next show to be announced.
Magic Theatre. The Travelers by Luis Alfaro, February 15 – March 5, 2023. See website for other theatre events at the Magic.
Marin Theatre Company Justice: A New Musical by Lauren Gunderson, February 16 – March 12, 2023.
Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts Upcoming Events Page.
New Conservatory Theatre Center (NCTC) Getting There, Jan. 20 – Feb. 26. Tick, Tick … Boom March 3 – April 1, 2023.
Oakland Theater Project.  Exodus to Eden by Michael Socrates Moran, in theater, February 3-26, 2023.
Pear Theater. In Repertory, Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, a new physical adaptation, Dontrell Who Kissed The Sea by Nathan Alan Davis, February 3-26. 2023.
PianoFight. Calendar of shows.
PlayGround. See website for upcoming shows.
Presidio Theatre. See website for upcoming productions
Ray of Light: See website for upcoming productions.
San Francisco Playhouse.  As You Like It, a musical adaptation of the play by William Shakespeare, November 17, 2022 – January 14, 2023. Cashed Out by Claude Jackson, Jr., January 28 0 February 25.
SFBATCO See website for upcoming streaming and in- theater shows.
San Jose Stage Company: Strange Courtesies by L. Peter Callender February 1 – 26, 2023.
Shotgun Players. Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 by Dave Malloy. Extended to February 25, 2023.
South Bay Musical Theatre: The Spitfire Grill, January 28-February 18, 2023.
The Breath Project. Streaming archive.
The Marsh: Calendar listings for Berkeley, San Francisco and Marshstream.
Theatre Rhino  Streaming: Essential Services Project, conceived and performed by John Fisher, all weekly performances now available on demand.
TheatreWorks Silicon Valley. In Every Generation, by Ali Viterbi, January 18 – February 12, Mountain View Center for the Arts.
Word for Word. Staged Reading: Two Stories by Toni Cade Bambara, January 23, 7 pm, Z Below. See schedule for additional live and streaming works.

Misc. Listings:
BAM/PFA: On View calendar for BAM/PFA.
Berkeley Symphony: See website for listings.
Chamber Music San Francisco: Calendar, 2023 Season, starting February.
Dance Mission Theatre. On stage events calendar.
Oregon Shakespeare Festival: Calendar listings and upcoming shows.
San Francisco Opera. Calendar listings.
San Francisco Symphony. Calendar listings.
Playbill List of Streaming Theatre: Updated weekly, this is probably the best list you’ll find of national and international streaming plays and musicals. Each week has its own webpage, so scroll down.
National Theatrical Streaming: Upcoming plays from around the country.
Filmed Live Musicals: Searchable database of all filmed live musicals, podcast, blog.
If you’d like to add your bookstore or theater venue to this list, please write [email protected]
 
 
 
 
 
 
The post Bookwaves/Artwaves – January 12, 2023: Suzy McKee Charnas – Frank Galati appeared first on KPFA.

Bookwaves/Artwaves is produced and hosted by Richard Wolinsky.

Links to assorted local theater & book venues

 

Bookwaves

Suzy McKee Charnas (1939-2023), in conversation with Richard Wolinsky, recorded over Halloween Weekend, 1981 at the World Fantasy Convention in the Claremont Hotel in Berkeley.

Suzy McKee Charnas, who died on January 2nd, 2023 at the age of 83, was a novelist and short story writer focusing on fantasy and science fiction. Over a career that began in 1974 with her first novel, Walk to the End of the World, she wrote eleven novels and several short stories, winning both the Hugo and Nebula Awards for Best short stories. She is best known for her tetralogy of novels, The Holdfast Chronicles, beginning with the aforementioned Walk to the End of the World and concluding with The Conquerer’s Child in 1999.

In 1981, she had just written three novels, focusing on feminist issues in a field that was still dominated by men. Her second novel, Motherlines, which featured no male characters at all, was decades ahead of its time.

A lot has changed since 1981, and the interview also serves as a time capsule in terms of both questions and answers, and in regard to feminist writing, publishing and genre writing.

She continued to work steadily after 1981, but she wrote no more novels after 1999, though short stories continued to be published. None of her works were adapted for television or film, though she did adapt The Vampire Tapestry for the stage in 2001.

The interview aired once shortly after the recording, and was digitized, remastered and edited on January 4, 2023. Complete 29-minute interview.

 

Artwaves

Frank Galati (1943-2023), who died on January 2, 2023 at the age of 79, was a giant in American theatre.

A long-time member of the legendary Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago, Frank Galati was winner of Tony Awards for the adaptation and direction of The Grapes of Wrath in 1990, was nominated for an Oscar for co-adapting The Accidental Tourist for the screen, and was the director of Ragtime and The Pirate Queen on Broadway. Frank Galati is also known for adapting several other works for stage and screen.

Frank Galati was in the San Francisco Bay Area to direct a production of “Rhinoceros” by Eugene Ionesco at ACT’s Geary Theatre, and it was in ACT’s offices that this interview took place on May 22, 2019.

“Rhinoceros” is considered to be one of the greatest works of political theatre of the absurd. Originally produced in the late 1950s, the play hearkens back to the origins of fascism and how propaganda infects the minds of citizens.

At the end of the interview, Frank Galati discusses his upcoming project, a musical version of James Agee’s “A Death in the Family,” with music and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty (Ragtime, A Man of No Importance). The show, titled “Knoxville” made its world premiere at the Asolo Repertory Company in Sarasota Florida in April 2022, and an original cast album was released digitally in October and on disc in November, 2022. First posted as a Bay Area Theater podcast on June 2, 2019.

Photos: Richard Wolinsky

Complete 42-minute interview.

 

Book Interview/Events and Theatre Links

Note: Shows may unexpectedly close early or be postponed due to actors’ positive COVID tests. Check the venue for closures, ticket refunds, and vaccination and mask requirements before arrival. Dates are in-theater performances unless otherwise noted. All times Pacific Standard Time.

Book Stores

Bay Area Book Festival  Highlights from this year’s Festival, May 7-8, 2022 and upcoming calendar.

Book Passage.  Monthly Calendar. Mix of on-line and in-store events.

Books Inc.  Mix of on-line and in-store events.

The Booksmith.   Monthly Calendar. On-line events only.

Center for Literary Arts, San Jose. See website for Book Club guests in upcoming months.

Kepler’s Books  On-line Refresh the Page program listings.

Live Theater Companies

Actor’s Reading Collective (ARC).  See website for past streams.

Alter Theatre. Upcoming: Snag by Tara Moses, Pueblo Revolt by Dillon Chitto

American Conservatory Theatre  The Headlandsl February 9 – March 5 by Christopher Chen, Toni Rembe Theater.

Aurora Theatre Paradise Blue by Dominique Morisseau, Opens January 27, 2023, streaming February 21-26.

Awesome Theatre Company. Check website for upcoming live shows and streaming.

Berkeley Rep Clydes, by Lynn Nottage, January 20 – February 28, Peets Theatre.

Boxcar Theatre. See website for events.

Brava Theatre Center: See website for events.

BroadwaySF: The Simon & Garfunkel Story, January 18, Golden Gate; Bluey’s Big Play, January 21 – 22, Golden Gate; Dear Evan Hanson, January 24 – February 19, Orpheum; Mean Girls, January 31 – February 26, Golden Gate. Bill Maher, live on stage, March 12, 2023.

Broadway San Jose: Annie, January 10-15, 2023.

California Shakespeare Theatre (Cal Shakes). 2023 Season to be announced.

Center Rep: Red Bike, by Carldad Svich, directed by Jeffrey Lo. February  4 – 25, 2023.

Central Works Mondragola by Gary Graves, March 18 – April 16, 2023.

Cinnabar Theatre. Daddy Long Legs,  January 6 – 22, 2023.

Contra Costa Civic Theatre To Master the Art by William Brown and Doug Frew, April 21 – May 21, 2023.

Curran Theater: Into The Woods, direct from Broadway, June 20-25, 2023.

Custom Made Theatre. Tiny Fires by Aimee Suzara, February 3 – 36, 2023.

42nd Street Moon. Anything Goes, February 23 – March 12, Gateway Theatre.

Golden Thread  See website for upcoming productions.

Landmark Musical Theater. See website for upcoming shows.

Lorraine Hansberry Theatre. Next show to be announced.

Magic Theatre. The Travelers by Luis Alfaro, February 15 – March 5, 2023. See website for other theatre events at the Magic.

Marin Theatre Company Justice: A New Musical by Lauren Gunderson, February 16 – March 12, 2023.

Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts Upcoming Events Page.

New Conservatory Theatre Center (NCTC) Getting There, Jan. 20 – Feb. 26. Tick, Tick … Boom March 3 – April 1, 2023.

Oakland Theater Project.  Exodus to Eden by Michael Socrates Moran, in theater, February 3-26, 2023.

Pear Theater. In Repertory, Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, a new physical adaptation, Dontrell Who Kissed The Sea by Nathan Alan Davis, February 3-26. 2023.

PianoFight. Calendar of shows.

PlayGround. See website for upcoming shows.

Presidio Theatre. See website for upcoming productions

Ray of Light: See website for upcoming productions.

San Francisco Playhouse.  As You Like It, a musical adaptation of the play by William Shakespeare, November 17, 2022 – January 14, 2023. Cashed Out by Claude Jackson, Jr., January 28 0 February 25.

SFBATCO See website for upcoming streaming and in- theater shows.

San Jose Stage Company: Strange Courtesies by L. Peter Callender February 1 – 26, 2023.

Shotgun Players. Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 by Dave Malloy. Extended to February 25, 2023.

South Bay Musical Theatre: The Spitfire Grill, January 28-February 18, 2023.

The Breath Project. Streaming archive.

The Marsh: Calendar listings for Berkeley, San Francisco and Marshstream.

Theatre Rhino  Streaming: Essential Services Project, conceived and performed by John Fisher, all weekly performances now available on demand.

TheatreWorks Silicon Valley. In Every Generation, by Ali Viterbi, January 18 – February 12, Mountain View Center for the Arts.

Word for Word. Staged Reading: Two Stories by Toni Cade Bambara, January 23, 7 pm, Z Below. See schedule for additional live and streaming works.

Misc. Listings:

BAM/PFA: On View calendar for BAM/PFA.

Berkeley Symphony: See website for listings.

Chamber Music San Francisco: Calendar, 2023 Season, starting February.

Dance Mission Theatre. On stage events calendar.

Oregon Shakespeare Festival: Calendar listings and upcoming shows.

San Francisco Opera. Calendar listings.

San Francisco Symphony. Calendar listings.

Playbill List of Streaming Theatre: Updated weekly, this is probably the best list you’ll find of national and international streaming plays and musicals. Each week has its own webpage, so scroll down.

National Theatrical Streaming: Upcoming plays from around the country.

Filmed Live Musicals: Searchable database of all filmed live musicals, podcast, blog.

If you’d like to add your bookstore or theater venue to this list, please write [email protected]

 

 

 

 

 

 

The post Bookwaves/Artwaves – January 12, 2023: Suzy McKee Charnas – Frank Galati appeared first on KPFA.