Saturday May 21 @ 7:30 pm. Guitar Master Claude Bourbon at Occidental Center for the Arts. OCA is pleased to welcome back internationally acclaimed guitarist Claude Bourbon: Medieval, Spanish and Progressive Blues. On tour once again from the U.K., the French born guitar virtuoso has crafted a compelling acoustic fusion of blues, jazz, folk, classical and Spanish guitar, with his unique vocals. Don’t miss this remarkable performer as he returns to our acoustic sweet spot once again!$25 General/$20 for OCA Members at www.occidentalcenterforthearts.org. OCA is following current Sonoma County Public Health guidelines. Fine refreshments including wine and beer for sale. Art Gallery exhibit will be open for viewing. OCA is a non profit performing and fine arts center accessible to persons with disabilities. Become an OCA Member and get discounts/free admission. Occidental Center for the Arts, 3850 Doris Murphy Ct. Occidental,CA. 95465
Thursday, May 5th, 2022 @ 7PM, Friends, Sonomans, and the culturally curious! Occidental Center for the Arts’ Literary Series is thrilled to present An Evening with Andrei Codrescu, star of page, screen, and NPR who will talk, read, and generally hold forth. Tickets $25 GA/ $20 for OCA Members. Ticketholders will receive a poem by Andrei Codrescu in a limited handset letterpress broadside edition of 100, designed and printed by Pat Nolan and Eric Johnson at North Bay Letterpress Arts Limited tickets available – get yours today! Refreshments for sale. OCA: 3850 Doris Murphy Way, Occidental, CA. OCA’s facilities are accessible to people with disabilities. For more info: occidentalcenterforthearts.org or 707-874-9392. Thank you for your continuing support of OCA by posting our listings.
May 6, 7, 8,14, 15. Occidental Community Choir Spring Concerts 2022. Born around a bonfire in Occidental in the winter of 1978, OCC is thrilled to emerge from the recent darkness to present an exciting Spring 2020 concert series titled Common Ground . Under the inspired direction of Gage Purdy, we offer a unique blend of original compositions and contemporary and classical songs from outside composers, plus some poetry and theatrics, to highlight themes that unite us all. They include caring for an aging parent, social and political injustice, environmental warriors, personal responsibility, airport security announcements, the diaspora of refugees… even raccoons! And you won’t want to miss our rendition of Smash Mouth’s ‘All Star’ as an English madrigal! All concerts will be held at Occidental Center for the Arts, following current Sonoma County public health guidelines for masking and capacity. Friday, May 6 @ 7pm – Community First Night $10,Saturday, May 7 @ 7 pm, Sunday May 8 @ 3 pm, Saturday, May 14 @ 7 pm, Sunday May 15 @ 3 pm . Tickets are $25 . Kids 12 and under FREE. Available @ OccidentalChoir.org/tickets after March 21. Get your tickets early! Occidental Center for the Arts, 3850 Doris Murphy Ct. Occidental, CA. 95465. Accessible to persons with disabilities.
Sunday, May 1st,@4 pm Occidental Center for the Arts’ Literary Series presents American Peace Gardens: A Memoir, 1996 to 2020 by Stephen C. Fowler. In August of 1996, Steve Fowler set out on an odyssey, gathering soils from organic farmers all across America in preparation for a ceremony, with Native American collaborators, on the Mall in Washington, D.C. The narrative of that adventure, and the personal challenges that led up to it, are the subject of this short book. The connection between peace work and farm practices is the main theme. Quixotic and quirky, this is the script of a work of performance art by an actor and poet (50 Cent Poems, 2017) who is a gardener by trade. Free admission, all donations gratefully invited. Refreshments for sale. Selected readings, Q&A, book sales (Hand assembled in loose-leaf binders; includes a 70 minute CD which contains 32 tracks, mostly interviews with farmers, plus a few musical interludes)& signing. OCA: 3850 Doris Murphy Way, Occidental, CA. OCA’s facilities are accessible to people with disabilities. For more info: occidentalcenterforthearts.org or 707-874-9392.
Saturday, April 30 @ 6 pm. The Musers at Occidental Center for the Arts. Come celebrate life, creativity and the release of CD #4 with Sonoma County’s fun-loving folk trio. The Musers are Anita Sandwina, Megan McLaughlin and Tom Kuhn, with the tasteful addition of Chris Govea on drums. Enjoy their sweet harmonies, diverse musical styles, and exceptional song craft in our acoustic sweet spot. Tickets are $25 General Admission, $20 for OCA Members @ www.occidentalcenterforthearts.org. OCA is following current County Public Health guidelines. Fine refreshments including wine and beer for sale. Art Gallery exhibit will be open for viewing. OCA is a non profit performing and fine arts center accessible to persons with disabilities. Become an OCA Member and get discounts/free admission. Occidental Center for the Arts, 3850 Doris Murphy Ct., Occidental, CA. 95465. 707-874-9392.
Friday, April 22 @ 7:30 pm. Laurie Lewis and Friends at Occidental Center for the Arts. OCA is pleased to welcome back the iconic bluegrass and Americana singer/songwriter/ fiddler Laurie Lewis! For nearly four decades, Laurie Lewis has gathered fans and honors for her powerful and emotive voice and her versatile, dynamic songwriting. She is a sought-after recording producer, teacher and mentor. And she is an inspiration and a ground-breaker – across genres, geography and gender barriers. Don’t miss Laurie’s return to OCA with her fine band of musicians including Brandon Godman on fiddle, Mark Shatz on bass and Sam Reider on accordion. Tickets are $30 General, $25 for OCA members@www.occidentalcenterforthearts.org. OCA is following current Sonoma County Public Health guidelines. Fine refreshments including wine and beer for sale. Art Gallery exhibit will be open for viewing. OCA is a non profit performing and fine arts center accessible to persons with disabilities. Become an OCA Member and get discounts/free admission. Occidental Center for the Arts, 3850 Doris Murphy Ct. Occidental,CA. 95465
Sunday April 24th 4-5:30 Occidental Center for the Arts Literary Series presents artist Leeann Lidz. Adventures on the Gringo Trail: An Artist’s Awakening. In 1974, the author set off on a nineteen- month journey through Central and South America including the birth of her daughter in the Andean highlands of Ecuador. As an artist, she kept a journal of over 100 pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations of the places she visited: The unique story of her travels and evolution as an artist and mother living in Ecuador in a time before technology. Free admission, all donations gratefully invited. Slide show/Andean music with selected readings. Refreshments for sale. A Q&A, book sales & signing. OCA: 3850 Doris Murphy Way, Occidental, CA. OCA’s facilities are accessible to people with disabilities. For more info: occidentalcenterforthearts.org or 707-874-9392.
Sunday April 10th 4-5:30 pm Occidental Center for the Arts Literary Series. Local Author Michael David Fels’ Bodies in Motion: Short Trips in An Expanding Universe. A collection of first-person memoirs, an internal journey on the impact of movement/travel on the author, taking the reader to The Philippines, China, Dubai, Lebanon, Canada and Thailand as well as California, Kansas, New York, and New Mexico. Free admission, all donations gratefully received. Masking requested for unvaccinated. Selected readings, Q&A, book sales & signing. Refreshments for sale. OCA: 3850 Doris Murphy Way, Occidental, CA. OCA’s facilities are accessible to people with disabilities. For more info: occidentalcenterforthearts.org or 707-874-9392.
Saturday, April 9 @ 7:30 pm. ‘Sonoma County’s Got Talent!’ at Occidental Center for the Arts. Join us for our annual showcase of local talent on the OCA stage! A variety of community performers will entertain us during this fundraiser to support our Center. Tickets are $25 General Admission, $20 for OCA Members @ www.occidentalcenterforthearts.org. OCA is following current County Public Health guidelines. Fine refreshments including wine and beer for sale. Art Gallery exhibit will be open for viewing. OCA is a non profit performing and fine arts center accessible to persons with disabilities. Become an OCA Member and get discounts/free admission. Occidental Center for the Arts, 3850 Doris Murphy Ct., Occidental, CA. 95465. 707-874-9392.
“Imagine this little girl in the back seat of a white Ford Focus. When you look into her eyes, you see an openly queer woman of color, an Afro Latina, who found her strength in life through art. And that’s what I believe we’re here to celebrate,” DeBose said in her acceptance speech.
“So to anybody who’s ever questioned your identity ever, ever, ever or you find yourself living in the gray spaces, I promise you this: There is indeed a place for us,” she added.
Set in the 1950s, “West Side Story” centers on the rivalry between two teenage street gangs — the Jets, a white gang, and the Sharks, a Puerto Rican gang — as their communities faced displacement during New York City’s urban renewal period. Their rivalry intensifies when Tony, a Jet, falls in love with Maria, the young sister of Sharks leader Bernardo.
Anita, Bernardo’s girlfriend and Maria’s friend, is Puerto Rican like the rest of the Sharks. She stands out for her assertiveness and captivating dance skills.
DeBose, a triple-threat performer of Puerto Rican descent, shows off her versatile skills in “America” — leading an epic ensemble around the streets of New York’s San Juan Hill in the iconic musical number.
Her performance then takes a poignant turn in the intensely emotional number “A Boy Like That” alongside Rachel Zegler, who plays Maria, the lead female character, in the film.
“Ultimately what you see on the screen is such a beautiful exploration of a deep female relationship,” DeBose previously told NBC News. “It is ugly. It is loud. It is highly emotional. Quite frankly, it’s volatile, and then just downright heartbreaking because there is so much love there.”
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With her Oscar win, DeBose and legendary actor Rita Moreno, who originated the role in the 1961 film version of the acclaimed Broadway musical, are now part of a small group of pairs of actors who’ve won an Academy Award for playing the same character.
When Moreno won her acting Oscar for her portrayal of Anita 60 years ago, she made history as the first Latina to win the honor.
DeBose and Moreno, who also returned for Spielberg’s “West Side Story” remake as an executive producer and as the character Valentina, are the first women and performers of color to join the rare club.
“She means a lot to me,” DeBose said of Moreno in a previous NBC News joint interview. “She means a lot to the Puerto Rican community. She means a lot to the Latino community and to the entertainment industry at large.”
