SANTA ROSA, Calif. – The American Philharmonic-Sonoma County will host a concert on Sunday, May 6, focusing on the work of Beethoven and Saint-Saëns.
The concert will begin at 3:30 p.m. at the Wells Fargo Center For the Arts, 50 Mark West Springs Road, Santa Rosa.
The orchestra concludes its season with some of the most majestic music ever written, featuring the piano and organ and fit for emperors and kings.
Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 5 – the “Emperor” concerto – and Saint-Saëns' Symphony No. 3 will be performed, featuring Conductor Norman Gamboa, pianist Brigitte Armenier and organist James Warren.
Ticket prices include adult, individual reserved – $20; adult, premium reserved – $30; children age 16 and under – $5.
Individual tickets are available online at http://www.apsonoma.org or by calling the Wells Fargo Center Box Office at 707-546-3600.
Additional fees are charged for online and phone orders.
There are no fees for tickets purchased at the box office or by mail, Wells Fargo Center Box Office, 50 Mark West Springs Road, Santa Rosa, CA 95403.
The Wells Fargo Center Box Office is open Tuesday through Saturday, noon to 6 p.m., and one hour before concerts.
My mother kept a handwritten record of every cent she spent from the day she and my father were married until the day she died. So it’s no wonder I especially like this poem by Jared Harel, who teaches creative writing at Centenary College in Hackettstown, New Jersey.
Numbers
My grandmother never trusted calculators. She would crunch numbers in a spiral notebook at the kitchen table, watching her news. Work harder and I’d have more to count, she’d snap at my father. And so my father worked harder, fixed more mufflers, gave her receipts
but the numbers seldom changed. There were silky things my mother wanted, glorious dinners we could not afford.
Grandma would lecture her: no more garbage, and so our house was clean. The attic spotless. In fact, it wasn’t until after she died
that my parents found out how much she had saved us. What hidden riches had been kept in those notebooks, invested in bonds, solid blue digits etched on each page. She left them in the kitchen by her black and white television we tossed a week later, though it seemed to work fine.
For today’s youth market, the delectably humorous “American Pie,” though familiar in pop culture, will not be as fresh as, let’s say, baked goods straight from the oven.
The sexual frustrations of high school seniors in 1999 was the foundation for plenty of raunchy humor, and by contemporary standards, “American Pie” is now almost dated.
In the intervening years, we’ve been subjected to the crude humor generated by Judd Apatow’s school of comedy, from “Superbad” to “Knocked Up” to “Bridesmaids,” just to name a prominent few.
Now, for no apparent reason other than to cash in on the good name of the “Pie” franchise, along comes “American Reunion,” which wants to recapture some of the original film’s underlying sweetness. And in spite of the misfires of previous sequels, it actually does.
Yet, the modern climate almost requires descending to the elemental nature of crude humor, whether brilliantly realized in “The Hangover” or uncouthly hewing to “American Pie’s” unfortunate straight-to-video disasters.
“American Reunion” is a gamble by any measure, as its focus on a high school reunion that takes place, oddly enough, 13 years later is a sign of something off-kilter.
To enjoy a sequel happening so many years later, “American Reunion” demands familiarity with all the lovable characters, from the Stifmeister and Finch to Jim’s dad and Stifler’s mom.
The nominal protagonist is the awkward good guy Jim Levenstein (Jason Biggs), who married his high school sweetheart Michelle (Alyson Hannigan). Now, they have a toddler son, but a sex life gone stale.
Jim, of course, remains famous for a viral YouTube posting of his sexual antics in his school days. A return to East Great Falls for the reunion will rekindle a lot of memories, many of them embarrassing.
The reunion brings together the other familiar old school pals. Finch (Eddie Kaye Thomas) travels the world on his motorcycle, and we wonder if we will reunite with Stifler’s mom (Jennifer Coolidge), who remains as lustful as ever.
Kevin (Thomas Ian Nicholas), now also married, is an architect. The flamboyant Oz (Chris Klein) has found his place as a sportscaster and competitor on “Celebrity Dance-Off.”
Both Kevin and Oz, one married and the other in a committed relationship, find some old passions rekindled when their former loves, Vicky (Tara Reid) and Heather (Mena Suvari) respectively, also show up.
Only Stifler (Seann William Scott), eternally crash and rude, with his wicked smile expressing unrestrained mischief, lingers in a state of perpetual adolescence.
Whether it is doing something unspeakable to someone’s beer cooler or hitting on high school girls by faking interest in “Twilight,” Stifler continues to be game for adventure and temptation.
Come to think of it, Jim’s dad (Eugene Levy), always ready to give his son unwanted advice on sexual matters, is a comforting constant presence, because he’s so damn funny.
Some of the best humor involves the discomfiting and embarrassing situations that usually ensnare the often inept and clueless Jim, even now that he’s all grown up.
A classic case is when Jim ends up in a compromising position with the drunken, naked body of the hot 18-year old neighbor Kara (Ali Corbin) that he used to babysit.
As Jim tries to get Kara back up into her bedroom undetected, Oz, Stifler and Finch fumble through clumsy efforts to preoccupy Kara’s parents from discovering an unpleasant truth.
The agreeable reality of “American Reunion” is that, even if it is an irrepressibly ribald comedy with plenty of coarse gags, it is just outright funny.
To fully appreciate the bawdy humor one must be familiar with the “American Pie” franchise, but only the films that made it to a theatrical release.
TCM CLASSIC FILM FESTIVAL
One of the few good reasons to come to Los Angeles, other than for nice weather and great beaches, is the third annual TCM Classic Film Festival in Hollywood, from April 12 to April 15.
Many of the classic films will feature prominent celebrities or film directors leading discussions. For instance, Mel Brooks will be on the program for a screening of “Young Frankenstein.”
As noted in this space a few weeks ago, legendary filmmaker Stanley Donen will appear to talk about his films “Charade,” “Funny Face” and “Two for the Road.”
To honor the 50th anniversary of James Bond, there will be a special screening of “Dr. No.” Eunice Gayson, memorable as Sylvia Trench, will be the host, along with later Bond girl Maud Adams.
Notable stars will appear in discussions at many screenings. Kim Novak will do the honors for “Vertigo,” Kirk Douglas for “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea,” Angie Dickinson for “Rio Bravo,” and Robert Wagner for “The Pink Panther.”
The appearance of producer Robert Evans and screen writer Robert Towne for the classic noir film “Chinatown” is certain to be one of the many TCM highlights.
Opening night features the World Premiere Restoration of “Cabaret” with Liza Minnelli and Joel Grey participating in the discussion.
The TCM Classic Film Festival just keeps getting better and more impressive. Film buffs should not miss out on this grand adventure.
Tim Riley writes film and television reviews for Lake County News.
The winning entry in California’s 2012 Upland Game Bird Stamp art competition will be selected at a judging event on April 16 in Davis.
The public is invited to attend the judging, which will take place in the conference room of the Yolo Wildlife Area Headquarters beginning at 10 a.m.
Eight artists from around the country have entered the competition, which is sponsored by the California Department of Fish and Game (DFG).
Each artist submitted their own original depiction of a Band-tailed Pigeon (Patagioenas fasciata).
The setting and details were determined by the individual artists, but entries had to include at least one adult band-tailed pigeon and if background detail was included in the design it needed to be accurate and representative of the species’ natural habitat in California.
The entries will be judged by a panel of citizens selected for their expertise in the fields of ornithology, conservation, art and printing.
Designs will be judged on originality, artistic composition, anatomical accuracy, and suitability for reproduction as a stamp and a print.
The winning entry will be reproduced on the 2012 California Upland Game Bird Stamp.
An upland game bird stamp is required for hunting migratory and resident upland game birds in California.
Money generated from stamp sales can only be spent on upland game bird-related conservation projects, the creation of hunting opportunities, and outreach and education.
DFG sells about 200,000 upland game bird stamps annually, including sales to stamp art collectors.
For more information about the California Upland Game Bird Stamp program, please visit the DFG Web site at www.dfg.ca.gov/upstamp .
MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – An acting camp is starting in Lake County to give young people an experience with theater and drama.
The acting camp is open to students who will be entering first through fifth grades in the fall.
Camp runs 9 a.m. to noon, Mondays through Fridays, June 18-22 and June 25-29, in Middletown.
Healthy snacks are provided.
Campers will rehearse a play, “Alice in Woodland,” and perform on the last day of camp.
Join Alice and her friends including the Cheshire Cat, March Hare, Mad Hatter and the Queens as she learns a big lesson in the forest.
All campers will have their own parts in this spirited and funny tale.
There will be a performance for invited friends and family on June 29 at 11 a.m., followed by a cast party.
The cost is $200.
To enroll and for more information, call 415-328-6363 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
How to resolve AdBlock issue? 
