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Eye Street
Editor: Stefani Dias • Phone: 661-395-7488 • Email: sdias@bakersfield.com
COURTESY OF “FRIENDS THE MUSICAL PARODY”
“Friends the Musical Parody” is coming to the Fox Theater on July 10. Madison Fuller, a longtime fan of the original TV show, plays Phoebe Buffay.
‘Friends’ goes from TV to stage in musical parody at the Fox Theater BY KELLY ARDIS kardis@bakersfield.com
“Friends” might be distinctly of the 1990s but its popularity is as strong as ever here in the 21st century, with reruns on half a dozen channels and a devoted fan base that freaks out whenever Netflix even thinks about taking it off its streaming service. Now there’s one more way to enjoy the shenanigans of Rachel, Ross, Monica, Chandler, Joey and Phoebe: “Friends! The Musical Parody,” which is coming to the Fox Theater on July 10. “It takes all the best jokes and moments and puts them into a kind of sketch comedy-like musical production,” said Madison Fuller, who plays Phoebe. “It covers all 10 seasons. The writers did a really good job.” The show was created and written by Bob and Tobly McSmith, with the show originally running Off-Broadway before going on to tour the country starting last fall. The duo have also written musical parodies of “Saved by the Bell” and “The Office.” The musical includes plenty of fan favorite moments, like the “Pivot!” scene where Ross and Chandler try to move a couch and the Thanksgiving when Monica puts a turkey on her head. Smitten barista Gunther even makes an appearance. Fuller, who was born and raised in Atlanta, was all too happy to join the touring production of “Friends! The Musical Parody.” “’Friends’ has been my favorite TV show for a very, very long time,” she said. “It’s what I watch to fall asleep.” At 26 years old, Fuller came to the show after its initial run, watching it on Nick at Nite and, in college, on a friend’s DVDs. “’Obsessed’ is an understatement,” she said. “Once it ended, I’d cry at the last episode and start (the first season) up again. I was thrilled to get to be a part of recreating one of my favorite shows.” As a major fan of the show, Fuller said she feels a responsibility to other fans and to Phoebe to portray the character right, taking on the voice and mannerisms Lisa Kudrow originally gave the character. She admitted there is a little more pressure when portraying a well-known and beloved character. “I owe it to everyone whose favorite character is Phoebe to bring as much of Lisa Kudrow as I can,” she said. “I love these characters so much. I don’t want the audience to see me. I want them to see the Phoebe from their TV screens.” Phoebe is especially fun for Fuller because, she said, she’s actually more like a certain Please see FRIENDS | C2
COURTESY OF BAKERSFIELD ART ASSOCIATION
“Desert Dreams” is this month’s collection at the Bakersfield Art Association. The show will include art by eight artists, including Iva Fendrick. A reception is planned for Friday from 6 to 8 p.m.
First Friday has desert views, with air-conditioning BY KELLY ARDIS kardis@bakersfield.com
This time of year, the heat is on everybody’s mind. But while some dwell and complain, others take inspiration and get creative. For First Friday, the Bakersfield Art Association is holding an opening reception for its July show, “Desert Dreams.” The event will be held at the BAA Art Center from 6 to 8 p.m. The show features work from eight local artists, each depicting a desert scene in their own unique styles. Participating artists are Marilyn Cameron, Norma Eaton, Iva Fendrick, Toni Lott, Susan McQuerry, Phyllis Oliver, Robert Ross and Stacy Wingate. Unlike the desert scenes the reception showcases, the center does have air conditioning. Art lovers can enjoy the desert views without the desert (or Bakersfield) heat. The Bakersfield Art Center is at 1607 19th St. Art lovers should also brave the heat long enough to walk down from the center to Dagny’s to see the coffee shop’s BAA Art Gallery featuring Dawn Grider as its artist of the month. An art teacher first in public classrooms and now in private lessons, Grider works in acrylic, watercolor and ink, as well as oil and dry mediums. Describing Grider’s work, the BAA newsletter said: “She specializes in depicting the natural world realistically, but she also likes to stylize her subjects. She also enjoys incorporating surrealism into her spiritually themed ink drawings and short stories, which have been published into a book called ‘Sermon Illustrations.’” Grider will be at Dagny’s for a reception from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday.
COURTESY OF BAKERSFIELD ART ASSOCIATION
“Desert Dreams” is this month’s collection at the Bakersfield Art Association. The show will include art by eight artists, including Marilyn Cameron. A reception is planned for Friday from 6 to 8 p.m.
Dagny’s is at 1600 20th St.
GAME ON AT BUBBLE POP Bubble Pop Gallery is all about celebrating the art of pop culture. While that has often meant shows with art inspired by movies, TV shows and beloved characters, this month’s show will open it up to another element of pop culture: sports. The gallery’s first-ever Sports Art Show will open on First Friday from 5 to 9 p.m. at Temblor Brewing Company, where the art will remain for the month of July. Artwork featured in the show will be inspired by sports, athletes and sports in pop culture. All the art will go on sale at the start of the show. The show includes work from local artists like 11th and T Designs, Scott “Fuzzy” Joseph, Terry Tripp, GoodyK Art Styles, Ashley-
marie Sey Lively, Nate Parrish, Alex Zamora, Guilli Munster and Sarah Harmon. Some of the artists, including the last four, will be at the show to meet guests. National artists Lissette Carrera and Amanda Harrington also have work in the show. Admission is free for all ages, and Temblor will have its full food menu and beer options available for purchase. Temblor Brewing Company is at 3200 Buck Owens Blvd. Suite 200.
BMOA OFFERS FREE ADMISSION The Bakersfield Museum of Art will offer free admission and extended hours as part of this month’s First Friday. Its current exhibitions include “Platinum,” photographs by Please see FRIDAY | C2
THE LOWDOWN
Studio engineer hits milestone with sound mastering credit for ‘Hybrid’ Seasoned studio engineer Dave Fore has heard his share of hits and misses. From rap to silky soul, gospel, reggae and hick hop (you read that correctly), his ears have also been taken to some of the furthest sonic reaches known. For hours and sometimes days, there’s no stopping until the final sweet take and a commitment to excellence MATT MUNOZ that often FOR THE CALIFORNIAN borderlines on mad scientist-like obsession. Call it what you want, but for Fore, it’s what keeps him in the business. “It’s a roller coaster ride and for the life of me I can’t figure out why,
PHOTO COURTESY OF DAVE FORE
Bakersfield sound engineer Dave Fore’s latest milestone is a sound mastering credit for the 2019 album “Hybrid” by American reggae artist Collie Buddz.
but it seems like it’s either feast or famine,” he said from his home, describing life as an independent studio owner where a healthy number of hits have been crafted and launched into sound systems
and earbuds around the world. “The ebb and flow of projects piling up and then having no projects at all.” His latest milestone: a sound mastering credit for the 2019
album “Hybrid” by American reggae artist Collie Buddz. The album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard reggae charts in May and continues hovering atop as one of the genre’s biggest summer sellers of the year. “Ninety percent is all referrals from other people in the music business. Your network absolutely determines your opportunities in this industry. However, some of my biggest achievements are the direct result of meeting and interacting with a small handful of people on social media. Social media should complement your hustle, not be your hustle.” Drawn to the science and intricacies of sound engineering at an early age secretly taking apart his family’s transistor radios, he eventually pursued a formal music education taking up piano, saxophone and vocal lessons. All of that proved vital ear-training before analog synthesizers and drum machines and their associated mediums to record them helped turn his passions into a career. “I learned audio engineering in Los Angeles at the tail-end of analog tape and large format mixing consoles. That experience
still benefits me to this day working in the digital domain. Now I prefer a mix of both analog and digital gear to get the sound I’m looking for.” The list of artists Fore has collaborated with reads like a who’s who of hip hop and RnB, including best-selling rappers Snoop Dogg, DJ Quik, Xzibit, N2Deep, Tech N9ne, E-40, gospel icon Fred Hammond, and platinum songstress Deborah Cox, whom he’s never met. Some like Cox send their tracks to Fore’s studio for sound mastering without ever meeting. “It’s interesting because I primarily work from my private studio at home, so most of the time I am sent projects that have well-known artists featured on them. Some I get to meet or talk to on the phone and some never even know I exist. That’s the music business today.” Fore’s work with Georgia-based rappers, The Lacs, known for their eclectic mix of country-laced Southern rap known as “hick hop” a wildly popular subgenre has also boosted his professional
Please see MUNOZ | C2