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.
Cheryl King hosts this talent-packed show, featuring magic from Vixen, the Forbidden Magician, burlesque from Thotty McNaughty and Velvet Thorn, artist Laidbackzach (LBZ). Also featuring singer/songwriters Karenna Slade and Faethora, and Underground Improv.
Prizes will be awarded for different costume categories – Fuzzy, Sexy, Weird, Sloppy, Anime and more!
PURCHASE IN ADVANCE AND SAVE!. Advance tickets $18, Tickets at the door $25.
This hilarious foul-mouthed lesbian road trip movie co-stars Oscar winning actors Olympia Dukakis (Stella) and Brenda Fricker (Dotty). Stella and Dotty are a lesbian couple in their seventies from Maine. First, Stella has to break Dotty out of a nursing home that Dotty’s granddaughter had moved Dotty unwillingly into. Then they embark on a Thelma and Louise-style road trip to Nova Scotia to get married. Along the way they pick up Prentice, a hitchhiker traveling home to Nova Scotia to visit his dying mother, and the three bond as they travel together.
Two days. Ten bold plays.One unforgettable experience. Step into Hindsight 2025—a weekend of sharp, surprising, and stirring 10-minute plays that explore the past, illuminate the present, and imagine the future. These short works were handpicked from hundreds of international submissions for their urgency, originality, and heart. Experience the stories that rose to the top.And if you missed last year, catch up with Hindsight 2024 and Hindsight 2023. Both editions are now available in print on Amazon and in our box office!
When The Rocky Horror Picture Show first opened in London in 1973, no one involved could have ever imagined the long-lasting impact and legacy that the subversive rock musical would have on the queer and underground film communities.
As the movie adaptation turns 50 this year, the original cast, creatives, and other pop culture figures — including creator Richard O’Brien, stars Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon, and Patricia Quinn, and modern-day icons like Trixie Mattel — reminisce about bringing the strange journey of Brad, Janet, and Dr. Frank-N-Furter to life… not to mention examining the ways in which it has shaped not only their own personal journeys, but culture at large.
Directed by Linus O’Brien (son of the show’s creator), Strange Journey is a love letter to a project that for decades has provided a safe space for outcasts, and has kept audiences around the world doing the time warp again and again and again.
A Film Festival Virgin’s Guide to Frameline49
If you’re considering attending Frameline for the first time, don’t sweat it — we’ve all been there! Thanks to social media, getting peaks into film festivals like Sundance and Cannes has become more commonplace. Still, from the other side of a phone screen, a film festival can seem like all red carpets, standing ovations, and industry insider events.
While the festival circuit can be crucial to the lifespan of a film, these multi-day movie marathons are also a chance for anyone to be among the first to see the year’s best movies — ones that could go on to become serious awards contenders, pop culture talking points, or the genesis for viral TikTok trends. Best of all, you’ll get to be in the room with many of the filmmakers behind the festival’s lineup.
Film Festival 101: Tips for Virgins Who Can’t Fest
Cher (Alicia Silverstone) tries to be a virgin who can drive in “Clueless.”
1. Plan Your Day(s)
As an 11-day film festival, Frameline49 is serving up nearly 150 films from 40 countries. While there’s no possible way to see every Festival film in person, you can make a successful game plan in advance.
Browse the Frameline49 Program: Sort by collections, genres, and various interests to find the films that appeal most to you!
Make a List: Whether you’re curating a watchlist on Letterboxd or jotting down notes on our Festival newspaper, it’s important to keep track of your must-see films — and when and where they’re screening.
Check Out Queer Premieres: There’s nothing quite like seeing a queer film in a room full of folks who get it, especially if that film hasn’t played at an LGBTQ+ film festival yet!
Not sure what to choose? All of our film pages stay up to date with expected guests from the film teams, so, when in doubt, pick a screening that features a one-of-a-kind post-screening Q&A session.
2. Get Acquainted with At-Rush Screenings
The term “At Rush” may sound like film festival jargon, but it’s not all that different from flying standby. When a screening is “sold out,” at-rush tickets can be purchased by folks who join the Rush Line. If ticket holders don’t show up 15 minutes before the screening’s start time, the onsite Box Office will sell empty seats on a first-come, first-served basis to the Rush Line. So, if something you really want to see is already marked as “At Rush,” don’t despair. We always try to get the rush line in — and Festival staff, who are fighting the good fight for you, usually succeed!
Helpful Hint: If standing in the Rush Line doesn’t appeal, keep your eyes peeled for our daily ticket drops! At noon on every day of the Festival, we’ll release tickets for in-demand, “At Rush” screenings.
3. Bring Questions to the Q&As
Although it can feel a bit intimidating to ask a question during a post-screening Q&A, we encourage you to try it out! The best tip we can give? Make sure you have a question. While a little praise is nice, we want to keep the focus on the film team and move the conversation along, so we ask that you reserve personal anecdotes and commentary for post-film discussions in the lobby. If you do have something you want to share with the attending guests, look for them outside the theater after the Q&A and tell them how much you enjoyed their work!
Frameline49 Films for First-Time Festival-goers
Laura Harring and Naomi Watts in “Mulholland Drive” — a movie that might scare first-time festival-goers (complimentary).
Film festivals can offer a deeper range of titles and content than your average multiplex, providing a platform for films that live outside the margins or ones that come from parts of the world that aren’t represented at your typical multi-screen theater. At Frameline, we love to showcase the entire LGBTQ+ spectrum through a wide array of forms, from big-name crowd pleasers and biographical documentaries to DIY indies and international gems… and don’t forget about our diverse collections of short films!
If you want to ease into the Frameline49 program, we have some great films for Festival virgins! For those looking for a feel-good experience that’ll inspire both laughter and tears, the Irish dramedy Four Mothershas been winning over festival audiences across the globe. Our opening night film Jimpa will also bring the funny with the sentimental — not to mention the star power of Oscar winner Olivia Colman! Both films will delight audiences young and old.
A still from teen comedy “She’s the He” — one of Frameline49’s films.
But if you’d prefer to skip the tears and keep the laughs, fans of teen comedies like Bottoms, Clueless, and She’s the Man shouldn’t miss the hilarious hijinks of She’s the He, a clever spin on gender-swap farces from a decidedly trans/queer perspective. Or gather your best girlfriends up for a funny, messy weekend getaway in Lakeview. And you really can’t go wrong with our ever-popular annual program of funny queer short films, Fun in Shorts.
For nonfiction lovers, we suggest catching Sally, an enlightening portrait of lesbian trailblazer Sally Ride, who was the first American woman to fly in space. And filled with interviews of stars like Susan Sarandon, Tim Curry, and Trixie Mattel, Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror will delight both die-hard fans and curious newbies who have yet to learn the “Time Warp.”
