A promising undercover officer assigned to lure and arrest gay men defies orders when he falls in love with a target.
Plainclothes is brimming with an atmosphere of paranoia and anxiety. As Lucas, a young police officer contending with a secret attraction to men, Tom Blyth palpably embodies this tension in a breakout performance. Straining to fill a prescribed role in the implicitly straight culture of the police force, he carries the crushing weight of both the consequences of his increasingly fraught undercover work as well as the threat of exposure of his exhilarating, clandestine encounters with Andre.
Winner of the US Dramatic Special Jury Award – Sundance Film Festival
Friday, October 3 @ 7 pm: DGIIN at Occidental Center for the Arts. Twice voted “North Bay’s Best Band”, Dgiin was let out of the bottle back in 2001 by Mimi and Gabe Pirard; who infuse tight harmonies into a variety of American and international styles – from New Orleans swing to French chanson, salsa and cumbia to Roma hot jazz. Now a sextet, with saxophone and violin, Dgiin is a “working band” of accomplished reliable musicians who know how to entertain. Bring your dancing shoes and enjoy! Fine refreshments include wine and beer, art gallery open , wheelchair accessible. Tickets are $25 advance at www.occidentalcenterforthearts.org, $30 at the door. $20 for OCA members. Advance sales end at 5PM day of show. 3850 Doris Murphy Ct. Occidental, CA. 95465. OCA is a community-based non-profit arts organization with volunteer staffing.
Beneath the charm and perfect manners of young Rhoda Penmark lurks a chilling darkness. When a classmate dies under mysterious circumstances, her mother, Christine, begins to suspect the unthinkable—could her seemingly innocent daughter be a murderer? As Christine digs into her own past, she uncovers disturbing secrets that challenge everything she believes about nature versus nurture.
Set against the backdrop of 1950s suburban life, Bad Seed is a gripping psychological thriller that explores the terrifying idea of a child with a natural capacity for evil. Adapted from William March’s novel, this Broadway classic keeps audiences questioning: Are monsters born, or are they made?
Thursdays:
$33.00
Friday & Saturday Evening:
Adult $39.95 Senior $36.95 Under 18 $26.95
Saturday & Sunday Matinee:
Adult $47.95 Senior $44.95
Fees: Prices above include all applicable fees. PRICES SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE.
Run time: 2 hours 30 mins, including intermission.
ADA Seats & Group Sales: If there are no ADA seats online, or if you are looking to purchase 10 or more tickets to a single performance, please contact the Box Office.
Refund Policy: All ticket purchases are final, and there are no refunds.
Tax Deduction for Unused Tickets: If you cannot use your tickets to any performance, consider donating them back to the 6th Street Playhouse. Please contact the Box Office prior to the performance date to convert your ticket to a tax-deductible donation.
On paper, at least, we would always prefer gay actors playing gay roles for several reasons, but there are wonderful exceptions, such as Irish Paul Mescal and British Josh O’Connor in The History of Sound. O’Connor’s breakthrough role was playing a closeted gay farmer in God’s Own Country, whilst Mescal made us all fall in love when playing gay in All of Us Strangers. The two have shown such a sensitivity that they can inhabit queer roles without the merest hint of stereotyping. When the movie premiered at the Cannes Film Festival recently, it received rave reviews, although Mescal was annoyed by some (lazy) critics who insisted on comparing it to another queer period piece, Brokeback Mountain.
The History of Sound is adapted from a short story of the same name by Ben Shattuck and directed by the South African filmmaker Oliver Hermanus (who won The Queer Palm at Cannes for ‘Beauty‘), and the film promises to tell a sweeping American story of love, loss, and folk music set in the early 20th century. It the tale of Lionel (Mescal), a gifted young music student at the prestigious Boston Conservatory in 1917, who has a chance encounter with David (O’Connor) at the bar one night. After bonding over their shared love of folk tunes, the pair wind up in bed together, striking up a connection that will shape the rest of their lives.
Some time later, Lionel gets an invite from David to join him on an impromptu journey across rural New England where they’ll record and preserve the traditional music of Americana, and spend each night in a tent, side-by-side—fleeting glimpses over a world all their own……hence the comparison to Brokeback!
Hermanus , who is fast becoming one of Queerguru’s favorite directors (we LOVED Moffie) explained his take in the film.“The History Of Sound is not simply the story of queer lives hidden due to a time of denial, of shame and secrecy,” the filmmaker shares. “It is the story of a man’s life, expressed through the power of sound—as memory, as emotion… As family. Made with a deep affection for cinema that does not shout or scream its intention, our film invites you to enjoy song and spirit, to celebrate life in all its wonder—its losses, its grief, its remembrance, and most of all, its undeniable and indelible mark—love.”
Forbidden Kiss LIVE, the bawdy vaudeville show playing monthly at The California in Santa Rosa, has booked another year’s worth of performances at the popular downtown venue on 7th Street. This variety show, produced by Cheryl King, features talent from the Bay Area and beyond,presenting variety shows consisting of burlesque, comedy, magic, improv, song&dance, hiphop and more. Over the past three years the fan base has grown steadily and the audiences regularly number over 100. Ms. King chooses a theme for each show (Pirate Party, Goth, Masquerade, Cosplay, Babylon, etc) and up to one-third of the audience regularly shows up dressed for the theme. The theme for the upcoming September 19 show is Disney Cosplay, and performers are already preparing costumes for the December show, Santa’s Workshop – Toys After Dark.
Regular performers in the show include Cheryl herself, Thotty McNaughty and Ultraviolette of Bastet Dance Fitness, Vixen, the Forbidden Magician, Velvet Thorn of Epine Productions, singers Karenna Slade, Faethora and Malia Abayon, plus Underground Improv, Ms. King’s improv company in Petaluma. Ms. King and her improv partner Russ Andrews also present a recurring comedy sketch called The Dubbers, a sort of radio theater, which has gained a reputation for its edgy take on the culture. Each month Ms. King also features other local performers, such as Natasha Nightmare, LaidBackZach, Katalina Motley and Titus Androgynous, as well as guest performers from LA and NYC, and the greater Bay Area.
Audience participation is a popular feature of the show – which includes games, costume contests and other interactive bits. Forbidden Kiss LIVE prides itself on being an all-gender friendly show, with a large number of LGBTQ+ cast members, which has contributed to its diverse audiences and community engagement. The California, which has also become a favorite downtown venue, offers excellent food and drink from a full bar and kitchen, and presents shows nearly every night of the week. About Stage Left Studio
Stage Left Studio is a production company dedicated to presenting theater education and various kinds of productions, including Forbidden Kiss LIVE, independent theater and educational retreats. Previously based in NYC, where it had its own venue, it now is located in Santa Rosa, and is run by Cheryl King, director.
Step into a magical night under the stars in beautiful Sonoma, where the thrilling melodies and dazzling dance numbers of Broadway come to life.
Feel the pulse of the stage as our beloved Broadway performers share not only breathtaking songs but also their personal journeys—the challenges they faced and the dreams they chased, inspired by the legends of musical theater. Each story is a testament to resilience and passion, illuminating the path to their Broadway dreams.
This is more than a performance—it’s a celebration of dreams, stories, and the magic of live theater!
Community Night Information
Broadway Family Night on Friday, September 5. Youth attend for half price: 50% off tickets in General Reserve 1 section, rows N-R. Bring the whole family! Use code “FAMILY25”
Community Night: Pride Night Saturday, September 6
Saturday, September 6 at 3 pm. Glass Brick Boulevard in the Amphitheater at Occidental Center for the Arts. This stellar jazz ensemble, led by Greg Johnson, offers contemporary, original jazz tunes with class. Featuring the original Bay Area bandmates who were regulars at Marin’s Fenix Theater, including Paul Hanson on bassoon, Rob Fordyce on bass, Celso Alberti on drums, and Greg Johnson on piano, this talented ensemble will impress and inspire you! The Saturday afternoon show is in our outdoor amphitheater, so please bring your own seat cushion or low-back chair. Patrons with mobility needs email info@occidentalcenterforthearts.org for special seating. Wine, beer and fine refreshments for sale, no outside food please. Art Gallery open for viewing and gifts. Tickets are $25 Adv/$30 at door/OCA Member discount at www.occidentalcenterforthearts.org. 3850 Doris Murphy Ct. Occidental, CA. 95465. OCA is a community-based non-profit arts organization with volunteer staffing.
Sunday, August 31 @ 4 pm. West County Writers Circle’s Book Launch : ‘A View From My Window’, authored by Beverly Riverwood, Diane Foti, Blythe Klein, Noel Bouck, Julie Middleton, Diane Masura and Andrea Van Dyke. Offering an innovative form of memoir writing, seven local women writers share the ‘view’ from each author’s life window; their lived experiences and personal and professional choices, beginning in the 1940s and extending into 2024. Dedicated to local legend Annie Murphy Springer, with remembrances by writer Andrea Granahan, this multi-layered, multi-viewpoint memoir collectively describes how personal, political and social change over this dynamic period affected their family and cultural life. Enjoy selected readings and photographs displayed by the authors, with musical offerings. Q and A , book sales & signing, refreshments. FREE event, all donations gratefully accepted. A portion of book sales supports OCA. 3850 Doris Murphy Ct. Occidental, CA. 95465. OCA is a community-based non-profit arts organization with volunteer staffing.
Iris Mwanza’s debut novel The Lions’ Den is inspired by a real criminal case from Zambia that has stayed with her since the 1990s.
The book follows rookie lawyer Grace Zulu, who takes on the pro bono defence of Willbess “Bessy” Mulenga, arrested for an offence “against nature” and facing 14 years in prison.
For Mwanza, who grew up in Zambia and now works in the US as a staunch advocate for gender equality, the case is emblematic of wider struggles against injustice.
“Police brutality is a manifestation of impunity,” she tells PinkNews. “It’s happening everywhere, not just in Zambia or developing countries, it’s happening right here in this country [US]. And it’s the most vulnerable who suffer the most. I wanted to bring it to the fore unflinchingly.”
A climate of fear
Same-sex sexual activity remains prohibited under Zambia’s Penal Code, carrying a penalty of up to 14 years’ imprisonment. However, as noted by the Human Dignity Trust, a 2019 case saw two gay men convicted and sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment for same-sex sexual activity.
“I feel like human rights are universal, and we all need to be fighting for them,” Mwanza says. “My motivation for writing the book was to show the impact of discrimination on families, communities, societies and the nation, and it’s bad. We are going in the opposite direction.”
She recalls that while living in Zambia she witnessed a “deeply homophobic society”, but law school opened her eyes to the fact that “almost all constitutions in the world guarantee fundamental human rights, so not only is it morally wrong, it’s legally wrong”.
On her last trip home, Mwanza met clandestinely with LGBTQ+ Zambians to protect their identities. “People have a legitimate fear of prosecution, but also persecution societally. They told me what hurt most was when their communities wouldn’t accept them.”
The Lions’ Den by Iris Mwanza.
She recalled having “mixed feelings” upon holding the illicit book reading: “I was incredibly proud to be able to have a conversation with the community in Zambia and get honest feedback. It felt very gratifying to hear that they felt seen and appreciated that I’d written the book.
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“But it was also very sad, and deeply heartbreaking, that I grew up in a society that has not evolved – that’s actually going in the opposite direction, where people are afraid to just live their lives as human beings.”
‘Everybody has fundamental rights’
One thread running through The Lions’ Den is the influence of conservative religious movements. “Fundamentalist or deeply evangelistic religions can give cover to obnoxious, unacceptable behaviour,” Mwanza says. “It’s very systemic.”
Of Zambia’s regressive laws, she is blunt: “It’s baffling, especially when you see younger people being super conservative and not open-minded.” She links this to a wider culture of polarisation, both online and in politics: “The more extreme you are, the more responses you attract. Politicians take extreme positions to get attention.”
Mwanza is equally concerned by developments in the US, where she says the “gender space” is becoming politicised. “A lot of people of colour are leaving their positions because they don’t feel supported, or they were hired under DEI,” she says.
But she finds hope in young people: “They’re fighting and they’re willing to fight. The question is: how do we further empower the next generation to do things better than we did? We’ve taken things for granted,” she adds, pointing to the2022 overturning of Roe v Wade.
“I don’t think people really understand the consequences of an authoritarian government, but when everyone’s rights start getting stripped away, that’s another thing. Everybody has fundamental rights. It isn’t about your own individual prejudices, it’s about us all being human beings, and we all need and deserve protection.”
Saturday, August 23 @ 7 pm: Eliza Gilkyson with Nina Gerber in Occidental Center for the Arts Amphitheater.Join us to celebrate Eliza’s latest release, along with Sonoma County guitar legend Nina Gerber! Eliza Gilkyson is a twice Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter and activist who is one of the most respected musicians in Folk, Roots and Americana circles. A member of the Austin Music Hall of Fame, and an inductee into the Austin Songwriter Hall of Fame, she has won countless awards, including 2014’s Songwriter of the Year and the “Song of the Year” Award at the Folk Alliance International Conference in 2021. She remains true to the convictions and sensibilities for which she is known, covering the wide range of human experience from political to personal, following the threads of darkness and light, reminding us of the hope and beauty still to be found even in the frightening scenarios of today’s current events.This is an outdoor show – bring your own seat cushion or low-backed chair. No outside food/drinks allowed (water OK). Beer, wine, refreshments for sale.Tickets are $35 advance at www.occidentalcenterforthearts.org; $40 at the door (if available). Discount for OCA members. People with limited mobility can email info@occidentalcenterforthearts.org to reserve ground-level front row seating (chairs).This event is likely to sell out, get tickets early! 3850 Doris Murphy Ct. Occidental, CA. 95465. OCA is a community-based non-profit arts organization with volunteer staffing.
