How to resolve AdBlock issue? Arts & Life
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
Classes will be held at Upper Lake High School, Kelseyville High School, and Lloyd P Hance Community.
The purpose of this program is to inspire students to pursue poetry and encourage them to participate in the Lake County Arts Council's other literary arts programs, such as Poetry Out Loud and Youth Poet Laureate.
The Arts Council is seeking poet teachers who have a strong background in poetry, including historical knowledge and experience presenting different poetry styles.
Additionally, poet teachers should be able to provide tips on how to compose one's own poetry, as this program aims to help students develop their own poetic voices.
Poet teachers will also be helping students compile a portfolio and resume to aid in their post high school success.
Poet teachers will be provided with a skeleton lesson plan, which they can personalize by incorporating their favorite poets, poems, and poetic preferences.
The Arts Council encourages instructors to draw from their own experiences and interests in poetry to create an engaging and dynamic learning environment for our students.
As the program will take place on school grounds, poet teachers may be required to undergo fingerprinting and a background check.
The Lake County Arts Council will provide guidance and payment for these fees as necessary.
In addition to developing lesson plans and materials for each session, poet teachers will be responsible for leading interactive activities and assignments to engage students with poetry.
The Arts Council is looking for dynamic and enthusiastic instructors who are passionate about sharing their love of poetry with the next generation of writers.
If you are a Poet Teacher with experience in teaching and a passion for poetry, you are encouraged to apply for this opportunity to make a difference in the lives of young people in the community.
Please submit your resume, a cover letter outlining your qualifications and interest in the position, and samples of your artistic work to the Lake County Arts Council at
All applications should be submitted by June 30.
The Lake County Arts Council is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is committed to equal opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or veteran status.
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- Written by: Middletown Art Center
MIDDLETOWN, Calif. — The Middletown Art Center proud to announce that on June 19, 2023, renowned Unitarian Universalist minister, social activist and musician Clovice Lewis will be delivering a powerful and thought-provoking speech as part of the Juneteenth celebration.
Lewis aims to commemorate the emancipation of enslaved individuals in the United States and shed light on the ongoing struggle for racial justice and equality.
Joining Lewis for this third annual Juneteenth Celebration at MAC will be Gospel band Joyful Noise at 5:30 p.m. and Andre Williams and Friends at 7 p.m. Lewis will speak at 6:15 p.m.
Tickets are available in advance online at MACLake.org for $15, at the door for $20 or $30 for two.
Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Food by Goddess of the Mountain and beverages will be available for purchase.
Lewis’ speech will explore the deep divisions that exist in the United States from our founding as a nation to the present day around race and ethnicity. He notes that what is now celebrated as the “final” day of emancipation for African Americans is the result of misinformation and oppression employed by white supremacists during the Civil War era.
Drawing parallels to the present day, Lewis asserts that there are individuals today who, like their white supremacist ancestors, use misinformation, deceit, propaganda, and violence to further their political ends.
They seek to rewrite history and deny the existence of systemic racism, prejudice, and racial bias that has plagued our nation. Lewis will address the urgent need to confront these issues and dismantle the stranglehold they have on the true potential of our society.
The Middletown Art Center invites all community members to attend this enlightening and impactful event. Lewis's speech promises to be a catalyst for dialogue, understanding, and action towards creating a more just and equitable society for all.
Lewis is a highly respected Unitarian Universalist minister, social activist and musician known for his unwavering commitment to social justice, racial equality, and inclusive spirituality.
Through his speeches, sermons and music, Lewis engages audiences, challenging them to confront systemic injustices and work towards building a more compassionate and equitable world.
The Middletown Art Center is a vibrant cultural hub dedicated to promoting artistic expression, fostering dialogue, and inspiring social change.
Through exhibitions, performances, workshops, and community events, the Art Center provides a platform for diverse voices and perspectives, striving to create an inclusive and accessible space for all. Learn more about the MAC and ways to support their vital work at www.middletownartcenter.org.
The MAC is located at 21456 State Highway 175 at the junction of Hwy 29 in Middletown. Call 707-809-8118 or email
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- Written by: Tim Riley
‘THE MACHINE’ RATED R
Unless you are already a fan of stand-up comedian Bert Kreischer, you might want to watch his Netflix special before attempting to fully grasp what is in store with “The Machine.”
For one thing, you will become frighteningly aware that his schtick requires him to perform shirtless in full potbellied glory, a routine that seemingly dates back to his college days before he embarked on his entertainment career.
Kreischer’s love of booze (apparently vodka) and hard-partying occupied his seven years (shades of “Animal House”) of fraternity living at Florida State University, once deemed the top party school in the country.
Heavy drinking and wild antics during college gained the comedian a large measure of notoriety with an article in “Rolling Stone” that resulted in Oliver Stone buying the film rights to the story.
The intended cinematic project of Kreischer’s story failed to materialize, but it did inspire, without the comedian’s involvement, “National Lampoon’s Van Wilder” in which Ryan Reynolds as the titular character engaged in a party lifestyle.
During his collegiate years, Kreischer enrolled in a Russian language course and admits never learning much of anything after two full years. Somehow, he ended up in a summer program in Russia.
Assisted in flashbacks to his younger self (portrayed by Jimmy Tatro), Kreischer inadvertently got mixed up with the Russian mob during a train trip to Moscow with his fellow students.
The booze-soaked ride on the rails resulted in Kreischer helping the mobsters to rob everyone on the train, and now this youthful indiscretion is coming back to haunt him.
Apparently, there may be truth to this story of the train robbery, but here the comedian is playing a fictionalized version of himself and one has to wonder where the line crosses into fiction.
As the film begins, Kreischer is in therapy sessions with his wife (Stephanie Kurtzuba) and two daughters, with the oldest one (Jess Gabor) holding a prototypical teenage grudge against her father’s antics.
Things only get worse when Kreischer manages to embarrass his oldest child at her sweet sixteen party, and his estranged father Albert (Mark Hamill) unexpectedly arrives from Florida.
The birthday party goes downhill even more when Russian mobster Irina (Iva Babic) turns up and kidnaps Kreischer and his father at gunpoint because the comedian stole a treasured pocket watch that belongs to her father.
Irina expects Kreischer to retrace his steps from his Russia trip more than two decades earlier, and if he fails to find the family heirloom, his teen daughter will be expendable.
A fair question to ask is how did Irina and her thugs manage to extract Kreischer and his father from our soil and end up in Russia. In the blink of an eye, they are on a train ride through Russia to relive a decades-old experience.
All that matters is the core of the story is the action in Russia, which alternates between the 1998 college version of Kreischer and the middle-aged man forced to endure a dark period of conflict with unforgiving mobsters.
At least, the drunken student Bert looked to party with the Russians and called himself “The Machine” as proof that his hard-partying lifestyle would make him a legend, which explains not only this movie but the image he carries into his stand-up routines.
“The Machine” straddles the line between comedy and action, and in the end doesn’t really bring it together in a cohesive manner. The transition from stand-up to supposed action comedy doesn’t land the jokes very well.
Die-hard fans of Kreischer may be more forgiving or understanding. After all, they are the target audience, even if this film proves not to be as memorable as the comedian’s streaming stand-up routines.
‘GHOSTS OF BEIRUT’ ON SHOWTIME
A four-part spy drama based on one of the greatest espionage stories of modern times, “Ghosts of Beirut” is the story of the manhunt for Imad Mughniyeh, the elusive Lebanese terrorist who outwitted his adversaries in the CIA and Mossad for over two decades.
The limited series reveals the origins of 21-year-old Mughniyeh (also known as “The Ghost”) who emerged from obscurity and was responsible for more American deaths than any other individual event prior to 9/11.
Told from American, Israeli and Lebanese perspectives, the series traces Mughniyeh’s origins from the Shiite slums of South Beirut to his masterminding of the concept of suicide bombers, a deadly tactic that led to his swift rise as the world’s most dangerous terrorist.
Based on extensive research of still-classified events, the drama spans decades and weaves in first-hand, real-life interviews with prominent officials from the CIA and Mossad, connecting the turmoil of 1980s Beirut with the spy games of the modern Middle East.
“Ghosts of Beirut,” which is streaming on Showtime, features an innovative narrative approach augmented by deep journalistic research and documentary elements. True spy stories are always fascinating.
Tim Riley writes film and television reviews for Lake County News.
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
The featured movie, “Wall-E,” will be shown beginning at dusk.
Come early to enjoy an evening in Middletown.
Bring chairs, blankets and a picnic to the park at the library and senior center at 21266 Calistoga Road.
The next movie in the series, “Vivo,” will be shown July 8.
