LAKEPORT, Calif. – A first-ever Lenten concert series held at St. John’s Episcopal Church drew such high praise that another set of concerts is being planned to honor Lake County’s fall harvest season.

“It’s a wonderful experience to hear music in St. John’s small but elegant venue,” said John Parkinson, local musician, composer and conductor. “This is such a treat for Lake County music lovers. I’m waiting for the fall concerts.”

The opening of the recent recital was performed by Tom Aiken on his highly ornamented Flemish Harpsichord.

Aiken described the origins of each piece and then expertly interpreted them for us to hear and enjoy.

They enjoyed the educational aspect and also the technical information given by Aiken. It was a very nice opening concert. As the audience was departing the church, one lady mentioned that she couldn’t believe she had heard such beautiful music in such a jewel of a church.

Mel Taylor, church organist of St. John’s Church, played a beautifully planned and executed concert of French, German and contemporary music and spoke about each number before he played it. It was a special pleasure to listen for the certain nuances Taylor pointed out.

The last concert was performed by Bob Culbertson on his Chapman stick. Culbertson played, pointed out and demonstrated to us the most interesting aspects of his instruments. The audience knew so much more about his Chapman stick and its musical possibilities by the end of his performance, which was beautifully planned and executed.

For further information, please call Fr. Leo Joseph at 707-349-6563 or see St. John’s Web site www.saintjohnslakeport.org .

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – “I used to be pretty good on the cello in high school … “

“Once upon a time I played flute in a marching band … “

“I think I still have my old trumpet in a case in the basement … “

“Yeah, I used to play the viola, but do orchestras still even use them?”

If these sound like you, then Clear Lake Performing Arts (CLPA) – Lake County’s music education and performance organization – wants to encourage you to start playing again.

According to CLPA Board Member Jerry Mundel there are probably many former musicians who would like to play their instrument once again, or even learn to play one now.

“We’d like to find out how many of them are out there, and how many remember just how much fun it was to join with others in making music. That way we can determine what resources are needed to create programs to meet those needs,” he said. “If there is enough interest, then we’ll look for ways to make it happen.’

Activities might include providing music teachers for different instruments, helping returning and new musicians to develop good ways to practice, and maybe to learn more about how the instruments were built and should be cared for, or where to go for repairs or to find sheet music for each level of ability.

“Best of all,” he added, “we’ll create opportunities for everyone to get together and play. This might be in small ensembles, but for some who get serious it might even lead to a seat in tn the Lake County Symphony.”

CLPA will provide information about musical options, including benefits for members of the organization.

For information, contact Jerry Mundel at 707-350-1335, or email him at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

LOWER LAKE, Calif. – The Lower Lake High School and Konocti Unified School District Drama Department will perform “Fame, the Musical” in the high school multipurpose room on Friday, May 24; Saturday, May 25; and Sunday, May 26.

The show will begin at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday.

Cost of admission is $8 students, $9 senior citizens and $10 adults. Presale tickets will be discounted $2.

“Fame” is based off of the hit motion picture and television series. It is set during the last years of New York City’s celebrated High School for the Performing Arts on 46th street (1980-1984).

“Fame, the Musical” is a bittersweet but an inspiring story of diverse group of students as they commit to four years of grueling artistic work.

The show explores the issues that confront many young people today: prejudice, identity, self-worth, literacy, substance abuse and perseverance.

The cast consists of Lower Lake High School students and seventh and eighth grade students from Lower Lake Elementary School, including: D’Art Markowski, Michelle Kimsey-Bailey, Wayne Harris, Kesean Harris, Jade Holling, Julia Jiohnson, Megan Smith, Patty Tuell, Patrick McGough, Betzy Rowland, Eddie Pineda, Jacie Baker, Sadie Sheldon, Exzonta Mosley, Weeden Wetmore, Allison Lahr, Corrine Thill, Cedalia Schofield, Sophia LaRose, Theresa LaRose, Natalie Carte, Rachel Cabral, Brandon Goodson, Nalani Geary and Fallon Diener.

The production is being directed by Tracy Lahr, choreographed by Michelle John-Smith, and is under the musical direction of the amazing Viki Jay.

For more information contact Tracy Lahr at 707-994-6471.

I love writing poems about the most ordinary of things, and was envious, indeed, when I found this one by Michael McFee, who lives in North Carolina. How I wish I’d written it.

Saltine

How well its square
fit my palm, my mouth,
a toasty wafer slipped
onto the sick tongue
or into chicken soup,

each crisp saltine a tile
pierced with 13 holes
in rows of 3 and 2,
its edges perforated
like a postage stamp,

one of a shifting stack
sealed in wax paper
whose noisy opening
always signaled snack,
peanut butter or cheese

thick inside Premiums,
the closest we ever got
to serving hors d’oeuvres:
the redneck’s hardtack,
the cracker’s cracker.

American Life in Poetry is made possible by The Poetry Foundation ( www.poetryfoundation.org ), publisher of Poetry magazine. It is also supported by the Department of English at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Poem copyright 2012 by Michael McFee from his most recent book of poems That Was Oasis, Carnegie Mellon Univ. Press, 2012. First printed in Threepenny Review #107, Vol. 27, no. 3, (Fall 2006). Poem reprinted by permission of Michael McFee and the publisher. Introduction copyright 2013 by The Poetry Foundation. The introduction's author, Ted Kooser, served as United States Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress from 2004-2006. They do not accept unsolicited manuscripts.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County Theatre Co.’s production of “Rumors” is now open at Gard Street Auditorium in Kelseyville.

“Rumors” will be the third in a string of classic presentations which included “Miracle on 34th Street” and “Cuckoo’s Nest.”

Written by Neil Simon, “Rumors” is sure to be another crowd pleaser for the Lake County audiences.

As those familiar with Neil Simon know, Simon is a master of subtle comedy that takes the life situations of normal individuals and makes them abnormally funny. “Rumors” is no exception.

The plot centers on a couple who is celebrating their 10th wedding anniversary by throwing a dinner party for their friends.

As the the guests arrive, they discover that the food has not been prepared, the couple is nowhere in sight and “somebody” may have shot “somebody” in the ear lobe.

How do close friends, business associates – and the police – react to such a scenario? Audiences will need to attend Gard Street School Auditorium on Gard Street in Kelseyville to discover the answers to these questions.

But another important note should be mentioned about the Gard Street School Auditorium. Until recently, loyal LCTC theater goers bravely seated themselves in metal folding chairs and tried to ignore that uncomfortable arrangement.

Then a “miracle” occurred. An anonymous donor gifted the theater company with over 100 comfortable, padded theater seats.

They have been installed at the Gard Street auditorium and are ready for a comfortable evening of theater entertainment.

The show will run from April 26 through May 12, Fridays and Saturdays at 7 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m.

Tickets are $15 for reserved, $12 for general and $2 less for students, seniors and LCTC members.

General and reserved tickets are available at Wildhurst Tasting Room in Kelseyville, 707-279-4302, and general seating tickets are available at The Party Shop in Lakeport, 707-263-7800, and can be purchased online at www.lakecountytheatrecompany.com .

For further information, feel free to call 707-279-2595.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Spring Dance Festival’s 32nd event will take place on Saturday, May 4, at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m., and on Sunday, May 5, at 2 p.m.

The theme for this year’s festival is “Dance and Shout.”

This yearly production is the primary fundraiser for the Lake County Arts Council.

Over the years it has been produced in many venues. It was presented in the gym at the Clear Lake High School for many years, and on the stage at the Marge Alakszay auditorium a few times, before the Soper-Reese Community Theatre was ready for public use.

The Soper-Reese has turned out to be a wonderful facility for presenting dance. Along with the professional sound system and great theater lighting, the large stage allows full range to the dancers’ movements.

Every one of the comfortable seats in the house has a full view of all dancers participating, from the tops of their heads to the soles of their slippers.

The Spring Dance Festival involves most of the dance schools in Lake County as well as many individual dancers and independent dance groups, men and women, from all parts of Lake.

This year there will be 32 acts, each averaging a few minutes long. The age of the dancers will be from 12 to 83 years, with many being in high school.  

The extensive training and study, combined with expert choreography and professional costuming, bring beauty to the stage. While the Spring Dance Festival is a great entertainment deal, it is more than that.

Tickets are $20 for premium reserved seats, $15 for general assigned seat admission, and $10 for age twelve and younger, and are available at the Soper-Reese box office, Fridays 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., at 275 S. Main St. in Lakeport, or by calling 707-263-0537; at the Travel Center in the Shoreline Shopping Center, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; or on the Web at www.soperreesetheatre.com .

More information is available on the Web site www.lakecountyartscouncil.com or by calling the Lake County Arts Council at 707-263-6658.