Arts & Life



‘FBI’ ON THE CBS NETWORK

The prolific Dick Wolf, producer of the “Law & Order” and “Chicago” franchises, has a strong presence on the NBC network schedule. But for now, his new series “FBI,” a police procedural, has a home on the CBS network.

During the summer TV press tour, Dick Wolf explained to the assembled critics that he grew up idolizing his FBI agent uncle and “having a very, very warm feeling about all the agents I met back there.” Seeing his uncle as a role model translates into this show’s favorable portrayals.

An intense, moving drama about the inner workings of the New York office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation offers the opportunity for “FBI” to cover all the bases of the crime beat, including gang activity to terrorism to hate crimes.

As a matter of fact, the basic themes are pretty much covered in the first two episodes, allowing Special Agent Maggie Bell (Missy Peregrym) and her partner Special Agent Omar Adom “OA” Zidan (Zeeko Zaki) to demonstrate their talents.

The pilot covers the gang activity of the treacherous, murderous MS-13 expanding its turf and the sinister moves of a neo-Nazi white supremacist. The second episode goes for the topical terror threat posed by ISIS recruiting impressionable youth.

Agent Zidan, a Muslim who graduated from West Point and spent two years undercover for the DEA before being cherry-picked by the FBI, adds special skills with his ability to speak Arabic when uncovering the ISIS poisoning plot in the second episode.

Don’t get comfortable with Connie Nielsen as the person in charge because she’s replaced by Sela Ward’s Special Agent in Charge Dana Mosier, starting with the second episode. This is one reason it’s important to go past any series’ pilot to get the full picture.

One could be forgiven for thinking that Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jubal Valentine (Jeremy Sisto) is really running the show because he’s constantly barking directives in a commanding way that highlights his innate strengths. Sisto nails his role with effortless ease.

The pairing of Agent Maggie Bell and Agent Omar Adon Zidan works on several levels. Zidan proves to be sturdy and strong, while Bell has a sensitive core that relates to the emotional state of victims and the accused alike.

“FBI” may come to be a good bet for CBS for the primary reason that this type of police drama is like comfort food for the mind at the end of a long day.



‘THE ROOKIE’ ON ABC NETWORK

The fact that the titular character for “The Rookie,” a police procedural in the setting of Los Angeles, would seem an unnatural person to be taking up a career in law enforcement underlines this series’ human interest story.

Nathan Fillion’s John Nolan, a small town guy whose marriage and career crumbled, is starting over in the big city in his pursuit of a dream, at the age of 40, to become a police officer, in the LAPD no less.

The pilot episode wasted no time in moving John Nolan on a new path. In the middle of a divorce and giving up on construction work in his midlife crisis, Nolan foils a bank robbery with a reckless bravery that propels him to the uncharted waters of police work.

As the creator, writer and producer of “The Rookie,” Alexi Hawley was best-suited to point out during the summer TV press tour that Fillion’s character lands in a “sort of in between place because the other characters who are his age are his superiors.”

After getting through the police academy, the first day on the job proves to be a test that Nolan does not pass with flying colors. It’s not easy getting into the middle of a domestic dispute that turns ugly and bloody violent.

As befitting someone of advanced age, Nolan can’t quite keep up the pace of his fellow rookies. We see that he’s unable to jump a fence during a pursuit. Heck, he can’t even run fast enough to catch the ordinary street criminal.

The officer in charge of training rookies, Sgt. Wade Grey (Richard T. Jones), doesn’t want Nolan to be there in the first place. He doesn’t hold back on letting it be known that the LAPD is no place for someone trying to find himself because he’s “a walking midlife crisis.”

Don’t expect Nolan’s training partner to have a light touch. LAPD officer Talia Bishop (Afton Williamson), tasked with taking Nolan on the beat, wonders why a middle-aged rookie is even being given a chance. Veteran officer Tim Bradford (Eric Winter) is equally tough.

Aside from the grittiness of the mean streets of the City of Angels which go far to create a sense of realism, “The Rookie” benefits from the likable presence of Nathan Fillion that serves him well in whatever role he plays.

At first blush, “The Rookie” looks promising for having a dark edge that doesn’t sugarcoat the rigors of dangerous police work in the urban setting.

Tim Riley writes film and television reviews for Lake County News.

Cary Grant, David Niven and Loretta Young star in the 1948 romantic comedy, “The Bishop’s Wife.” Courtesy image.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The 1948 romantic comedy, “The Bishop’s Wife,” starring Cary Grant, David Niven and Loretta Young, screens at the Soper Reese Theatre on Tuesday, Nov. 27, at 1 and 6 p.m.

Entry to the film is by donation.

It’s a delightful Christmas show about an angel (Grant) sent down to Earth to help a bishop (Niven) with his struggling marriage and an urgent need for funds for a new church.

The acting from all three stars is lovely with Grant taking center stage as the graceful, good-natured miracle worker from above.

The movie is sponsored by Michael Lorenzini. Not rated. Run time is 1 hour and 49 minutes.

The Soper Reese Theatre is located at 275 S. Main St., Lakeport, 707-263-0577, www.soperreesetheatre.com.

“Witnessing.” Image courtesy of MAC staff.

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – The Middletown Art Center’s Restore project features a needle felting (felt painting) workshop this Saturday, Nov. 17, from 1 to 5 p.m.

Adults and children age 12 and up are invited to join one of Lake County’s most prolific artists, Alana Clearlake, to learn some of the techniques and tricks she employs in her work with felt.

The cost of this class is $10 to cover the many specialized materials required.

The name “needle felting” describes the process of this art form: Poking repeatedly at natural animal fibers with a barbed needle that eventually entwines the fibers creating a solid fabric. The result is similar to felt that is machine made and widely available.

Since hand felting is individual, the texture and look is very different from felt, which is purchased. “Come stab with me and become familiar with a new terminology: drafting, carding, roving, tops,” said Clearlake.

Clearlake is a master of the medium. Her colorful and impressive felt paintings and evocative felt sculptures are regularly featured in MAC exhibits. She has taught extensively, and her work in a variety of media has been exhibited worldwide and featured in artisan journals and magazines.

Two large-scale felt paintings, sculptures, and traditional mixed media paintings by Clearlake are currently on view in the “All Souls” exhibit at MAC. Enjoy “All Souls” through Dec. 2: Thursday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Friday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; or by appointment.

Please register in advance for this one-of-a-kind class at www.middletownartcenter.org/restore, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 707-809-8118. Space is limited and reservations are required.

Middletown Art Center is located at 21456 Highway 175 at the junction of Highway 29.

“We Are All Stardust III.” Image courtesy of MAC staff. 

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lake County Symphony Association is excited to announce that new brass and woodwind players will join the expanded Youth Orchestra in the November concert.

The concert will take place on Sunday, Nov. 18, at the Soper Reese Theatre in Lakeport.

This has been the dream of conductor, Sue Condit for several years.

“We now have a group of students who are excited about playing in an orchestra,” said Condit. “All are currently playing in their high school band and were recommended by their music teacher.”

The Youth Orchestra will begin the November concert with Capriccio Espagnol by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, arranged by Richard Meyer.

This piece premiered in 1887 for full orchestra after Rimsky-Korsakov changed his mind about scoring for a solo violin with orchestral accompaniment.

Meyer’s arrangement features a clarinet solo and several sections of the original Capriccio Espagnol.

Continuing on with composer, Rimsky-Korsakov, the orchestra will play Dance of the Tumblers, from the opera Snow Maiden. Based on folk and fairy tales, this highly colorful and energetic piece is a favorite of all audiences.

Reserve tickets now for the opening season fall concert set for Sunday, Nov. 18, at the Soper Reese Theatre. General admission for the 2 p.m. concert is $25 or $30 for premium seating. Lake County Symphony Association members receive a $5 discount.

Open rehearsal starts at 11 a.m. The cost is $5 for adults and is free for those under 18.

The Higher Logic Project. Courtesy photo.

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – Lake County residents and visitors are invited to groove to The Higher Logic Project at the Middletown Art Center on Friday, Nov. 16, from 7 to 10 p.m.

With its finger on the pulse of arts and culture in Lake County, the MAC welcomes this beloved local band to perform in the MAC gallery, surrounded by artwork from the “All Souls” exhibit currently on view.

Enjoy reggae-infused dance rock and soulful melodies with lyrical consciousness. Celebrate local music and art! The cover charge is $10. A no-host bar will be onsite.

The Higher Logic Project is comprised of diverse musicians including Dooby (Derek) Wells on lead vocals and guitar, Gary Cambra on guitar and keyboards, Jacob Cambra on drums, Chris Clark on bass, DJ Sam Murti, and Bella Cambra on background vocals.

“Music and Art are key to our existence,” said Rick Berriz, owner and partner with Gary Cambra at The Butterfly House Studio in Clearlake where Higher Logic’s CD was produced and recorded. “We’re very proud of these guys. Just let the music speak for itself!”

“Whether you love reggae, rock, R&B or funk, love to dance or love MAC, the Higher Logic Project – Give Thanks concert promises to deliver a high energy, heartfelt community gathering. We give thanks for our communities’ courage, and who we are becoming as we rebuild, grow, and sustain Lake County, with local arts being an integral part of the revival,” explained Lisa Kaplan, programs director at MAC.

The Higher Logic Project music can be found on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/HigherLogicMusic. Digital download the CD at https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-higher-logic-project/1240032426.

Since its opening in 2015 and subsequent wildfires in Lake County, MAC has become a cultural hub hosting concerts, open mics, dances and other community events. Be a part of the growing arts scene in South Lake County by becoming a MAC member, or by attending one of the many arts and cultural events or classes at MAC.

Middletown Art Center is located at 21456 State Highway 175 at the junction of Highway 29. Visit www.middletownartcenter.org or “Like” Middletown Art Center on Facebook to stay up-to-date with what’s happening at MAC. Check out MAC’s nominal cost Restore classes in sculpture, mixed media, printmaking and creative writing that happen most weekends at www.middletownartcenter.org/restore.

Heather McFadden, dramatic mezzo-soprano. Courtesy photo.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – Opera has come to Lake County.

The Lake County Symphony’s Fall Concert opens its 41st season with “An Afternoon at the Opera” on Sunday, Nov. 18, at the Soper Reese Theatre in Lakeport.

Conductor John Parkinson has chosen a concert performance of opera overtures and arias featuring dramatic mezzo-soprano Heather McFadden, who has been a prominent singer throughout California for more than a decade.

Bringing a lush voice and dramatic presence to the operatic stage, she has established herself as a compelling performer of the lyric and dramatic mezzo repertoire.

The program features an overture played by the orchestra followed by an aria, from each of three well-known operas: “La Favorita,” “Un Ballo in Maschera” and “Carmen.”

“La Favorita” by Gaetano Donizetti is based on a love triangle involving the King of Castile Alfonso XI, his mistress (“the favorite”) Leonora, and her lover Fernando. McFadden will be singing the aria of Leonora, “O Mio Fernando.”

“Un Ballo in Maschera” (“A Masked Ball”) is an opera by Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi. The plot is based on the assassination in 1792 of King Gustav III of Sweden who was killed as the result of a political conspiracy against him. He was shot while attending a masked ball.

In the opera, Riccardo (Gustavo) investigates Ulrica, a fortune teller accused of witchcraft, and goes to her house. The opening of the second scene finds Ulrica summoning her magical powers in the aria Re dell’ abisso, affrettati (King of the abyss, make haste), performed by McFadden.

“Carmen,” by Georges Bizet, endures as one of the greatest operas ever written. “Les Toreadors,” the theme from Act I, and Habanera, Carmen’s aria featuring McFadden, are among the best known in all operatic repertoire.

The final number in the program will feature the orchestra, playing Bizet’s familiar “Symphony in C,” his first and only symphony before he continued concentrating on opera composition.

It was written when he was a student at the Paris Conservatoire and reveals an extraordinary talent for a young composer in melodic invention, thematic handling and orchestration.

He started it four days after he turned 17, completing it about a month later. It was never played during his lifetime, but was discovered in the conservatory library in 1933. It was first performed in 1935 and quickly became part of the standard Romantic repertoire.

Reserve tickets now for the opening season fall concert set for Sunday, Nov. 18, at the Soper Reese Theatre. General admission for the 2 p.m. concert is $25 or $30 for premium seating. Lake County Symphony Association members receive a $5 discount.

Open rehearsal starts at 11 a.m. The cost is $5 for adults and is free for those under 18.

The November concert is dedicated to the memory of Chris Hansom, longtime horn player in the Lake County Symphony who passed away recently.

LCNews

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