Indian Cinema Goes Mainstream in “RRR”
page 22
Preservation Is More Than You Think page 6 Out & About Pictures pages 8 and 12
Meow Meow Will Have You Purring Like a Kitten page 11
P!NK Brings Her “Trustfall Tour” to Sacramento page 21
“Creed lll” & “Cocaine Bear” page 23
The National AIDS Memorial announces that Bobbi-Angelica Morris, currently at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C., and Joseph Taylor, at Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore, are the most recent recipients of the Mary Bowman Arts in Activism Award. Now in its fourth year, the Award honors the life of Mary Bowman, the poet, advocate, author and singer who passed away from AIDS in early 2019 at the age of 30.
Funded through a generous multi-year grant from ViiV Healthcare, the only pharmaceutical company solely focused on HIV, the Award offers support to artist-activists who through their creative practice inspire individuals and communities, and make a positive impact in the fight against HIV/AIDS while advancing social justice. The awardees receive $5,000 each.
The Mary Bowman Arts in Activism Award recognizes the power of the arts to dismantle stigma and isolation, and bring people together in our shared humanity. Mary Bowman, an icon of hope and resilience, was born with HIV and lived out her experiences of growing up with HIV—and losing a mother to AIDS—through her art. As a young out woman of color, she was a dynamic, vital voice for the next generation of individuals living with HIV, willing and proud to speak of her own challenges beyond HIV. She was also a fierce advocate for other young people with HIV. The arts gave Bowman the platform and voice to channel her creative energy, her passion, her truth. She performed at the 2018 ViiV Healthcare Youth and Community Summit, inspiring leaders across the movement. This was one of many examples of how Mary used her voice and her art to build bridges and make a difference.
Activism through visual and/or performing arts harnesses the imagination to design campaigns, programs, events, narratives and strategies that provoke new questions and infuse meaning in the pursuit of more respectful ways of being, and to foster a more equitable, just society. The arts become a tool for combating stigma, providing insight into different lives and experiences that builds empathy and challenges our own implicit biases. Stigma, and all it entails—shame, isolation, embarrassment, prejudice, exclusion—remains among the most formidable barriers to fighting the AIDS epidemic. Through this Award, we hope to inspire art that develops appreciation, understanding and activism.
“During Black History Month, we are especially pleased to support poet and spoken word performer Bobbi-Angelica Morris and painter Joseph Taylor with our most recent Mary Bowman Arts in Activism Awards,” said John Cunningham, Chief Executive Officer of the National AIDS Memorial. “Bobbi-Angelica’s poetry and commitment is creating space for marginalized voices and intersectional identities to express themselves freely and creatively.
“Joseph Taylor uses his artistic talent to uplift the voices within the Black community by visually amplifying their challenges and struggles while simultaneously illustrating their grace, heroism and power.” Both outstanding art activists honor the life, and the creative and changemaking spirit of Mary Bowman.
Bobbi-Angelica Morris stated, “The life and legacy of Mary Bowman have inspired me to stay true to the identities…that make me who I am today. As a form of expression and activism, my spoken word poetry often references different forms of oppression or traumas….I see this same mindset in Mary’s story, as she shared her artwork about personal experiences, inspiring others to live their truth.”
ViiV Healthcare has supported the multi-year program with more than $100,000 in funding to the National AIDS Memorial. In 2023, $5,000 awards will be granted to an additional two eligible artist-activists, and the Mary Bowman paid fellowship program that launched last year will also continue with our second fellow beginning this summer.
“This Award supports young artists and activists like Joseph and Bobbi-Angelica who use their creativity and unique perspectives to highlight our shared humanity, and to make change through their art,” said Marc Meachem, Head, U.S. External Affairs, ViiV Healthcare.
“Like Mary Bowman, their work shows how culture can break down stigma and deepen connections with people to activate positive change.”
ViiV Healthcare recognizes the power of the arts to break down HIV/AIDS stigma and isolation, and the company proudly supports cultural programs that inspire individuals and communities in the fight to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic. A beautifully-produced video tribute to Bowman, created by the National AIDS Memorial with support from ViiV Healthcare, captures that spirit and Bowman’s life and work.
Details about the application process and requirements for the Award may be found at www.aidsmemorial.org/marybowman. The online application for the next round of awards will open March 1, 2023, with applications accepted until the deadline of July 15, 2023, 5pm PT.
About the National AIDS Memorial: The mission of the National AIDS Memorial is to share the story of the struggle against HIV/AIDS and to remember, in perpetuity, the lives lost, offer healing and hope to survivors, and inspire new generations of activists in the fight against stigma, denial, and hate for a just future. Through the National AIDS Memorial Grove, AIDS Memorial Quilt, and other programs that benefit the community, the National AIDS Memorial ensures that the story of AIDS and the AIDS movement is never forgotten, and connects four decades of healing, hope, remembrance and survival to issues faced by society today. Learn more at www.aidsmemorial.org.
About ViiV Healthcare: ViiV Healthcare is a global specialist HIV company established in November 2009 by GlaxoSmithKline (LSE: GSK) and Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) dedicated to delivering advances in treatment and care for people living with HIV, and for people who are at risk of becoming infected with HIV. Shionogi became a ViiV Healthcare shareholder in October 2012. ViiV Healthcare’s aim is to take a deeper and broader interest in HIV/AIDS than any company has done before and take a new approach to deliver effective and innovative medicines for HIV treatment and prevention, as well as support communities affected by HIV.. For more information on the company, its management, portfolio, pipeline, and commitment, please visit www.viivhealthcare.com.
Good news for all frequent flyers and visitors to Sacramento International Airport (SMF)! The airport is embarking on a $1.3 billion expansion project, called SMForward, that promises to take your airport experience to the next level.
SMForward will launch six ambitious projects in 2024, including the construction of a stunning $140 million pedestrian walkway that will seamlessly connect Terminal B to Concourse B. This state-of-the-art walkway empowers passengers with the flexibility to choose between a leisurely walk to their gate or utilizing the airport’s efficient train system. But that’s not all. SMForward also includes expansions to both Terminal A and Concourse B, which will add gates and new amenities, a new Terminal B parking garage, and a
consolidated ground transportation center that will centralize taxi, rideshare, and off-site shuttle providers into a single area that is walkable from both terminals. SMForward is expected to conclude in late 2027 with the completion of a new $400 million consolidated rental car facility, allowing passengers access to the Airport’s rental car providers without the need to ride a shuttle bus.
This visionary project promises to be financed through a combination of federal and state grants, municipal bonds issued by the airport, and user fees. This means that the burden of financing will not fall on the local taxpayers.
Apart from making your airport experience smoother and more efficient, SMForward will also create jobs and economic opportunities for local businesses, serving as a catalyst for
further development in the region. The project will help Sacramento to be more competitive as a destination, attract more visitors and businesses, and ultimately contribute to the growth of the region.
The launch of SMForward comes as air travel demand in the Greater Sacramento region continues to exceed peer airports in the region after unprecedented impacts from the Covid-19 pandemic. The expansion project promises to address the issues and create an airport ready to serve the modern passenger. So, if you are a frequent flyer, buckle up for a transformed airport experience at SMF in the coming years. And if you’re a local business owner or an individual looking for business opportunities, head to SMForward.com to stay informed, stay connected, and be a part of the revolution!
6 Person Hours of Cleaning $270
8 Person Hours of Cleaning $360
by Livia Valana Wolfe
“I, Livia Valana Wolfe, take you, my dearest of all, Rosemary Celeste Browne, to be my love, my best friend, my protectorate, my companion, my Princess Featherweight Ethereal... my wife... forevermore.” From then on, as she and I say, sharing giggles and wiggles until the universe unravels... or our bodies do. We intend to publicly renew our vows to each other at least once a year. Everyday is Valentine’s Day... every day is a perfect time to celebrate love! It’s meant to be shared, so put yourself out there in ways right for you. We all want love, we all need love. It’s the most important thing in life. Not the only important thing, of course, but without it we may all be lost.
My absolutely incredible wife asked this lucky lady to marry her on International Women’s Day 2022. And here we are, two happily married, pansexual, polyamorous trans women! Secretly married in July 2022 (because we couldn’t wait another moment, big smiles), then again publicly in October, married in a beautiful ceremony with our friends and chosen family (and streamed live the the Internet, of course), on a day that turned out to be an absolutely perfect fixed point in time, including my smeared lipstick from kissing my beloved newlywed wife at the altar. There was even a zip line, and goats named after cheeses at our reception. Thanks, fam!
Marriage matters (to me, minus the religious connotations). Other people shouldn’t define what love and commitment is and what it looks like for you and yours. No one else gets to decide what family means to you. We have the freedom to marry, so be free if you like. Let your rainbow love be counted!
Your betrothed is your fiancé. The origin of betrothed, from Middle English, means “be + truth.” Be truthful. Live your truth. If you love someone, declare it to the world. Right now, this is your life, it’s not practice. It’s happening this instant. Go out there and get it, create it, face it, live it!
If you’re in love, in lust, or plan to seek a sexual relationship, then first get yourself tested for STIs/STDs. Consider PrEP treatment and the Monkeypox vaccine for starters. Near the Sacramento area? Contact the Sacramento LGBT Center, the Gender Health Center, and/or your healthcare provider. Please get help and stay safer.
Saint Valentine was a doctor and a priest who was decapitated on February 14, in the year 273. The Emperor of Rome at the time had outlawed marriage so men would be more willing to fight in a war. Doctor Valentine secretly married people in candlelit ceremonies in hidden places of Rome. They all risked life and limb to declare their love and commitment to one another. Valentine was eventually caught, jailed, tortured, and killed. Valentine’s Day is important.
There’s an infinity of what could have been. Sometimes we forget that there have been people, generations of people, who died fighting for what they believed in, who in doing so, have given us all the rights, privileges, and benefits that we have now (even during this post-Roe/trans genocide we are facing). Vigilance, unfortunately, is required to keep, protect, and expand our rights collectively as a people.
Commitment in life, commitment in love, please take it seriously. Love is never foolish and it’s always worth it. Love matters, neurobiochemical or not, love is at the root of humanity. Protect your rights to live and love as an individual, as one of many, as a community. We are legion, legions of the rainbow. YOU ARE NOT ALONE!
Founded by eight community members in 1998, the Lavender Library serves to preserve the Sacramento LGBTQ+ community’s heritage. As a lending library for the Greater Sacramento Valley Area LGBTQ+ community featuring books and magazines, various media, and archival materials, it’s become an integral part of the Sacramento cultural community.
As we close down the BENT Sacramento LGBTQ+ Film Festival, formally known as SIGLFF, Sacramento International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival , we sought local community organizations that might benefit from the success we’ve experienced. There were many organizations that we considered as recipients of a financial donation. One that was near and dear to the Film Festival and my heart was the Lavender Library. For the longest time it was my fervent prayer and hope that all our programs from day one to our last film festival would be digitized and be able to be shared. Not just with our community of today, but future generations to come. As I thought this out, it led me to more avenues of thought. It made me think of not only are we helping the library preserve our Film Festival’s history, but giving the Lavender Library a chance to preserve our community’s history in ways that will help for generations to come.
Some find history in general obscure, and nothing more than a hodgepodge of collective dates and places and people from the past that have no relevance to many of us. But the past speaks if you are listening. It speaks from the Community Center we have today and the laws we hold dear, to the pride flag in its many incarnations that we fly just to name a few. We should never forget the brothers and sisters in the many facets of our community that have come before us. People who led, gave their best, some even gave their all, so that we can have the open, supportive community we have today.
History is not something obscure or unimportant. LGBTQ history plays a vital role in our everyday lives. We learn from our past in order to achieve greater influence of our present and continue to build our future. History serves as a model not only of who and what we are today, it is a portal to see who came before us, how we got here and where we are going tomorrow. It is the story of our past, a form of collective memories, a history of the story of us. So, not only is the Film Festival securing our history’s legacy, but giving a chance to the Lavender Library to preserve our community’s history.
So, if you’ve never been down to the Lavender Library and Archival Exchange, please pay them a visit. Become a member or make a donation; help in any way that will preserve and protect this information, so generations will know who you were, what you did, what we all did and why we did what we did to pave it forward for those yet to come.
Give history a chance. Don’t let your history fade into obscurity with you, or your loved ones. Make your mark, let people know what you did, why you did it and why you helped our future LGBTQ community members make our community epic.
In closing, just remember 21 words that I live by:
“There is no greater calling than in the service of helping others in need and times when it is called upon.”
California Attorney General Rob Bonta today issued the following statement in response to a decision that Walgreens won’t distribute medication abortion in states where anti-abortion attorneys general object, including in places where medication abortion remains legal:
“Medication abortion is safe, effective, and serves as a lifeline for people in need of critical care, especially those from vulnerable and underserved communities,” said Attorney General Bonta. “I am disappointed that Walgreens has decided to give in to political pressure from anti-abortion states, and cut off access to these necessary and lifesaving medications. Its decision has now made it harder for countless people, including those from communities of color and those living in rural areas, to get the care they need. Many will be forced to turn to desperate and unsafe measures that endanger their health and safety. This is unacceptable. Let me make this clear: In California, we will not falter in the fight for reproductive freedom. The more anti-abortion states move to sow confusion and fear, the harder we will fight to protect and expand access to reproductive care - in our state and across the nation.”
More information on Attorney General Bonta’s actions in support of reproductive rights can be found at https://oag.ca.gov/reprorights
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The LGTBQ+ Alliance Sacramento’s Launch Party was held at Badlands and was a huge success with a turnout of over 100. Despite the rain, people showed up to learn about the organization and to show us that fair housing for ALL matters to so many. Food was catered by Executive Chef Michael Shugert with Blue Door Catering. For more information, visit: realestatealliance.org
The San Francisco SPCA celebrates its 155th anniversary with Tails of the Heart—a joyful fundraising event that will help provide access to veterinary care for all companion animals—on Tuesday, April 18, 2023 at the SF SPCA campus. The anniversary celebration will be followed by the SF SPCA’s firstever Late Night Wooftop Party at Dandelion Chocolate Factory. At Tails of the Heart, more than 300 animal-loving guests and the SF SPCA Board of Directors will gather for a cocktail reception, a gourmet plant-based dinner by Taste Catering, and premier live auction and fund-a-need for a heartwarming evening of hope and inspiration. For tickets and more information, visit: sfspca.org/tailsoftheheart
“We have been serving the California community since 1868, helping thousands of animals find new homes each year and making veterinary care more accessible in San Francisco and beyond,” said Dr. Jennifer Scarlett CEO of the SF SPCA. “Recently, we unveiled our new mission statement: to ensure every companion animal has access to quality medical care, compassionate shelter, and a loving home. Tails of the Heart is a celebration not only of the last 155 years, but of our future commitment to the animals who need our help.”
Offering a new opportunity to support its mission and mingle with fellow animal lovers, the SF SPCA will launch the Late Night Wooftop Party. From 811 p.m., guests will enjoy a night of music and dancing by DJ Steve1der, bites, and cocktails. All attendees can also enter a raffle for a chance to win an assortment of prizes from the San Francisco Giants, the Golden State Warriors, and more. Access to the Late Night Wooftop Party is included with Tails of the Heart admission, and tickets can also be purchased separately for $155, at sfspca.org/tailsoftheheart.
“We are excited to introduce the Late Night Wooftop Party as a way for charitable young professionals to deepen their love of animals and support the SF SPCA during a fun, unforgettable evening,” says Allison Broude Friedberg, Tails of the Heart Co-Chair. “This SF SPCA celebration is one of the most anticipated events of the year, and now the Wooftop Party means even more people can join in. It will be a night you won’t want to miss!”
Guests of Tails of the Heart will have the chance to bid on exclusive, opportunities such as a “Fly Around the Bay,” complete with a helicopter ride and hotel stay, and “Experience the Far Niente” vintage yacht luncheon for ten around the Bay. The auction will also include a package tailored for young
animal lovers, with the opportunity to become a Vet for the Day, and a special photography session for furry family members with award-winning photographer, Peter Samuels. The auction will conclude with a Fund-A-Need, which will further raise the funds necessary to save lives and provide care for animals.
The SF SPCA is the first cageless animal shelter in the U.S. and is the largest animal shelter and veterinary hospital in the Bay Area. Proceeds from the anniversary celebration and after party will help support the SF SPCA’s public hospital, shelter programs, and community medicine clinics and expand beyond current care models to provide new, innovative pathways to service. The SF SPCA’s impact continues to grow, facilitating more than 4,400 adoptions and helping more than 36,000 clients at its hospital each year. In addition, last year the SF SPCA provided more than $1 million in veterinary financial assistance and helped more than 7,000 animals at its mobile vaccine, walk-in wellness, and community veterinary clinics. To learn more and get involved, visit sfspca.org
Corporate sponsors for Tails of the Heart include First Republic Bank and Morrison Foerster (Platinum Sponsors), and Chia Network, Franklin Templeton and Fiduciary Trust International, GRAFF, McKinsey & Co. (Gold Sponsors), and more.
Equality California, the nation’s largest statewide LGBTQ+ civil rights organization, released the following statement from Executive Director Tony Hoang on HB 1223, a bill filed in Florida by Rep, Adam Anderson (R-Tarpon Springs) that would expand the discriminatory so-called ‘Don’t Say Gay’ legislation passed in early 2022 that seeks to erase LGBTQ+ people from Florida schools:
“There seems to be no limit to the cruelty and bigotry that Florida lawmakers, including Governor Ron DeSantis, wish to inflict upon LGBTQ+ students and their families. The mental health consequences that ‘Don’t Say Gay’ causes for LGBTQ+ students and their families are myriad and distressing.
“Numbers don’t lie —Students without access to supportive and affirming classroom environments are much more likely to engage in self-harming behaviors and have greatly increased levels of suicidal ideation. Make no mistake —Ron DeSantis and his ilk intend to put these children directly in harm’s way in order to score political points.
“Equality California will continue to work with our partners at Equality Florida as they face these unprecedented challenges. In addition, we will keep working with elected officials in California to uplift and protect LGBTQ+ students.”
The introduced expansion would allow anti-LGBTQ+ activists to sue a school district to enforce a complete ban on any mention of LGBTQ+ people in pre-kindergarten through 8th grade curriculums, as well as forbid the use of pronouns that align with a student’s gender identity up through 12th grade. To support Equality Florida, visit www.eqfl.org.
by Chris Narloch
This eye-popping mural — pun intended — graces an exterior wall of the Burgers & Brew in West Sac, and it’s really something to see.
WOW Sacramento has been creating large outdoor murals for a number of years now, and the permanent works of art, which were mostly in midtown to begin with, now add color to buildings all around Sacramento each summer.
Since I am a free public art junkie, I recently completed my tour of last year’s murals, and I recommend spending a day driving around town to check out these wonderful works of art by world-class artists from around the globe.
For more information and maps of WOW art, visit: www.wideopenwalls.com
Itmight not be too much to say that a Meow Meow cabaret performance is a life-changing event.
Named one of the “Top Performers of the Year” by The New Yorker, the spectacular crowd-surfing tragi-comedienne has been called a “diva of the highest order” (New York Post) — but one whose insecurities are always simmering just below the surface.
Careening from French chanson to Radiohead, with brilliant dashes of Brecht and Weill in between, she’s a remarkable singer and physical comedian who hypnotizes and inspires her audiences with ease.
Hilarious and heartbreaking in equal measure, an evening with Meow Meow will have you holding on to your seats and grabbing for handkerchiefs.
You can experience Meow Meow on Friday evening, March 31, in Davis. To purchase tickets, go to: www.mondaviarts.org/event/2022-23/meow-meow
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What can you say? Drag Queen Bingo had another great evening of fun and money raising - benifiting children through CASA Yolo County. We loved the special appearance of three studly Drag Kings as well! Take that Tennessee! photos by Ron Tackitt
One of our finest modern musicals is back on tour and coming soon to Sacramento, with the return of “Hairspray.”
In any incarnation — John Waters’ original 1988 film, the subsequent stage version, or the criminally underrated, all-star, big screen adaptation of that Broadway hit — this show is a joyful, cross-dressing classic.
The musical takes on racism, sexism, ageism, and fat-shaming with sly humor and an addictive score that includes dynamite songs like “Welcome to the 60’s,” “Good Morning Baltimore” and “You Can’t Stop the Beat.”
Join 16-year-old Tracy Turnblad in 1960’s Baltimore as she sets out to dance her way onto TV’s most popular show. Can a girl with big dreams (and even bigger hair) change the world? You bet she can!
This all-new touring production reunites Broadway’s award-winning creative team — led by director Jack O’Brien and choreographer Jerry Mitchell — to bring “Hairspray” to a new generation of theater audiences.
“Hairspray” performs this March 15-19 at the SAFE Credit Union Performing Arts Center. For more information, please visit: www.broadwaysacramento.com
Sadly, I was not able to make it to Opening Night, due to a bad back, but the reviews for this new Broadway musical are off-the-chart ecstatic, and I hope to approach the throne before “SIX” closes on March 19 at San Francisco’s Orpheum Theatre.
A friend of mine who saw the show in S.F. recently, and raved about it, described it as a hip history lesson if your history teachers were the Spice Girls.
From Tudor Queens to Pop Icons, the six wives of Henry VIII take the mic to remix five hundred years of historical heartbreak into a euphoric celebration of 21st century girl power.
Everyone is “losing their head” over this original musical, a global sensation that won 23 awards during the 2021/2022 Broadway season, including the Tony Award for Best Original Score (Music and Lyrics) and the Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Musical. Visit https://broadwaysf.com
Happy Ostara! The Spring equinox is upon us on March 20! Dance, sing and welcome the resurgence of life back into the Northern Hemisphere! Or hunker down at home from extreme wind and hail—who knows at this point. With all the beautiful trees lost over the last two months we might have to rename ourselves the City of Sawdust. But as we embrace Spring, let’s do it with some fun events!
March 9 is National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NWGHAAD). Nearly 23% of people living with HIV in the U.S. are women who also make up 19% of all new diagnoses. Women ages 25 - 44 account for the highest number of new diagnoses among that 19%. Learn more about advances in testing, treatment, and prevention at HIV.gov
March 20 is not only Ostara, but it is National Native HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. The observance is a national effort to encourage Native Americans, Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians to get educated and tested for HIV.
Join us for the Outword and Badlands Liquid Therapy Happy Hour at Badlands Sacramento, 2003 K St. on Friday, Mar. 10 at 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. Escape the cold and come enjoy drink specials, music videos, giveaways, and friends.
Queer Sacramento Authors Collective is showing off their latest projects with new Milk & Cookies Reading at the Lavender Library, 1414 21st St. on Saturday, Mar. 18 at 6 p.m. Local authors will be reading from their current releases and their works-in-progress.
Build your sphere of influence while meeting and collaborating with local business leaders from all over Sacramento. The Rainbow Chamber’s March 21 Networking Mixer will be held at 6 p.m. and hosted by the Mansion Apartments, 1517 H St. We will serve hosted appetizers and cocktails! Nonmembers are welcome for a small fee. Rainbowchamber.com
Mama’s Makin’ Bacon is undeniably the largest and most anticipated drag brunch extravaganza and this year organizers are thrilled to showcase the best drag talent Northern California has to offer. The event returns to the Sacramento Memorial Auditorium, 1515 J St. on Sunday, Mar. 12
at 11 a.m. Grab your tickets now for brunch and for an amazing cause. Saccenter.org
Celebrate the American Irish holiday on Saturday, Mar. 18 from 4 - 11:59 p.m. by being part of the 6th annual Lucky’s St. Patrick’s Day Crawl. The crawl includes exclusive drink and food specials and an awesome After Party! Grab tickets in advance if you can! Crawlwith.us
Sacramento Art Glass, 204 23rd St., is back with a treasure trove of new artwork, plus vintage clothing, and rare vinyl that you can slap on any turntable! Ceramics, plasma cut art, tapigami, paintings, garage sale items and of course finished art glass!
Saturday, Mar. 11 from 5 - 8 p.m.
Sacramentoartglass.com
Capital Stage, 2215 J St. is kickin’ some serious theater butt with its current season! Heroes Of The Fourth Turning directed by Michael Stevenson makes its Sacramento premiere Mar. 15 - Apr. 16. Days after the white-supremacist riot in Charlottesville, four old friends grapple with their place in the world and spiral into clashing politics and spiritual chaos. Capstage.org
You Can’t Stop the Beat on Mar. 15 - 19 when Hairspray, Broadway’s Tony Awardwinning musical comedy phenomenon is back on tour! Join 16-year-old Tracy Turnblad in 1960’s Baltimore as she sets out to dance her way onto TV’s most popular show. Can a girl with big dreams (and even bigger hair) change the world? This all-new touring production brings Hairspray to a new generation of theater audiences. Broadwaysacramento.com
Do you love Skiing? Snowboarding? Partying? Then this event is made for you!
Thursday, Mar. 9 - 12 experience the Ski + Snowboard + Party at Black Out Weekend in Lake Tahoe! Blackoutweekend.com Events, birthdays, announcements? Send them to matthew@hengemedia.com
by Chris Narloch
That’s Dave Gahan, one of two remaining permanent members of the iconic synthrock supergroup Depeche Mode, posing on stage like your “personal Jesus.”
Martin Gore is the other half of the current lineup, and the 60-year-old rock gods are still filling arenas with their massive catalog of hypnotic hits, which include “People Are People,” “Enjoy the Silence,” “Policy of Truth,” “Blasphemous Rumours,” “World in My Eyes,” “Everything Counts,” “Just Can’t Get Enough,” and “Strangelove.”
In a major coup for River City, Depeche Mode will kick off its “Memento Mori” world tour this March 23, at Sacramento’s Golden 1 Center. Tickets are almost gone, but you can see what’s left by clicking the image to the right.
P!NK is a beautiful badass. Everyone knows it, and she knows it. Just look at the cover image from her just-released ninth studio album, “Trustfall.” Who else could rock a soft pink silk dress with chunky black boots and make it work? The singer’s new music is similarly yin and yang, with moving ballads and a bittersweet love song dedicated to her late father (“When I Get There”) sharing the disc with party tracks like “Never Gonna Not Dance Again.” Her duet with Chris Stapleton (“Just Say I’m Sorry”) is a standout, and P!NK also corrals First Aid Kit and The Lumineers for collaborations. “Trustfall” isn’t the artist’s finest CD, but the songs should sound even better when she belts them out at Sacramento’s Golden 1 Center this fall. Tickets recently went on sale for that October 12 show. Visit www.pinkspage.com
by Chris Narloch
The letters in “RRR” stand for S.S. Rajamouli, the genius director of the film, and Ram Charan and N.T. Rama Rao Jr., the two incredibly hunky Indian superstars who paly real-life freedom fighters in a fictitious adventure set before the two heroes started fighting for their country in the 1920s.
The thrilling three-hour epic is a must for action flick fans — and for gay men who enjoy seeing buff, bronzed studs with their shirts off! — and it should have been nominated for Oscars in more categories, including Best International Feature or even Best Picture. (If I had a vote for the Oscar’s top award, I would have nominated the exhilarating “RRR” over James Cameron’s turgid turd, “Avatar: The Way of Water.”)
“RRR” will have to settle for (probably) winning the Oscar in the Best Original Song category, for “Naatu Naatu,” the catchy tune that provides the soundtrack for an amazing dance battle between the two male leads that hilariously interrupts the action.
In addition to incredible stunts, “RRR” also contains a powerful plot line about the evils of British colonialism. The movie recently returned to the big screen where it belongs, and it was still playing at Sacramento’s Tower Theatre as I wrote this. However you see it, don’t miss “RRR.”
If you haven’t seen “RRR” on Netflix, you don’t know what you’re missing. Imagine if Vin Diesel and The Rock made another action flick together and broke into song and dance in the middle of it. That’s why I love Indian cinema — they aren’t afraid to throw everything and the kitchen sink into the mix.Ram Charan and N.T. Rama Rao Jr.
by Chris Narloch
They say variety is the spice of life, and so I divide my moviegoing time between the indie flicks and foreign films that play at Sacramento’s Tower Theatre, and the more commercial blockbusters that fill multiplexes. Read on for my latest movie reviews.
Jonathan Majors is having a moment, with two big movies currently in theaters (this film and the new “Ant-Man” movie). The talented actor plays villains you love to hate in both movies, and he is especially good as the frenemy of Michael B. Jordan’s character in the new “Creed” sequel.
Mr. Jordan effectively takes over the reins as director this time out, for an intense story about two former friends separated by a prison sentence who are reunited in the ring for the requisite climactic boxing battle.
Rocky Balboa (and Sylvester Stallone) is nowhere to be seen onscreen this time out, and “Creed lll” is darker in tone than Stallone’s “Rocky” films, but I thoroughly enjoyed the movie, which boasts very strong performances from the two male leads, as well as solid supporting work by Tessa Thompson and Phylicia Rashad. In wide theatrical release.
Movie titles don’t mess around anymore – they tell you exactly what to expect – and lately we have had “Plane,” “Women Talking,” and now “Cocaine Bear” which is indeed about a coked-up bear that gets the munchies for the dumb denizens of northeast Georgia. Actress Elizabeth Banks found just the right script for her limited directorial skills, and she has a lot of fun staging kill scenes that are more funny than scary, although the movie is also very gory.
My favorite sequence in the film involves a speeding ambulance, the airborne bear, and actress Margo Martindale, who plays a trigger-happy, white trash park ranger to the hilt. In addition to Martindale, the mostly strong cast includes the late, great Ray Liotta, Keri Russell, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, and O’Shea Jackson Jr.
I enjoy a trashy B-movie that knows that’s all it is, and on that level “Cocaine Bear,” which is very loosely inspired by a true story, delivers. In wide theatrical release.
This fascinating film is a revisionist, feminist biopic of Emily Bronte, the brilliant British novelist who wrote “Wuthering Heights” when she was in her 20s and then died a year after its publication, at the age of 30.
Emma Mackey is superb as the rebellious misfit Bronte sister – her sibling Charlotte wrote “Jane Eyre” – and handsome Oliver Jackson-Cohen plays a curate who engages in a torrid but disastrous secret affair with Emily, in the film’s imagined history of a complex and talented woman who was by all accounts private, reclusive, and difficult during her much too short life.
Deservedly Oscar-nominated this year in the Best International Feature category, this sad stunner from Ireland follows a withdrawn nine-year-old girl who experiences a loving home for the first time when she spends the summer on a farm with a middle-aged couple, distant relatives who have lost a child.
Catherine Clinch is perfect as the young girl, saying more with her eyes and body language than all her minimal dialogue combined. “The Quiet Girl” is a simple story beautifully told.
“The Quiet Girl” and “Emily” were still playing at Sacramento’s Tower Theatre as we went to press.
You have until September 3rd of this year to witness “Glee” girl Lea Michele’s highly-acclaimed performance as Fanny Brice in the Broadway revival of “Funny Girl,” at the August Wilson Theatre in New York City.
Ms. Michele saved the show from imminent closing after she replaced the woefully miscast Beanie Feldstein and promptly turned the production into a must-see hot ticket overnight.
Michele is a well-known super-fan of Barbra Streisand (the original and definitive Fanny Brice), who originated the role on Broadway in 1964 and then won an Oscar for her performance after she starred in the 1968 movie version.
Spring is my favorite time to visit NYC, and I might have to plan a trip around “Funny Girl” to see Michele’s show-stopping portrayal.
If you can’t make it to “The Big Apple” before September, you can enjoy the new Broadway cast recording of “Funny Girl” which was released at the end of January.
For all the details on the musical, go to: funnygirlonbroadway.com
ADULT STORES
L’AMOUR SHOPPE 2531 Broadway, 916-736-3467l
ATTORNEY AT LAW
FINDING COMMON GROUND
MEDIATION & LAW SERVICE
Melinda Levy 916-835-5635
AUTO DEALERS
ELK GROVE ACURA ElkGroveAcura.com
866-345-7984 ELK GROVE AUDI AudiElkGrove.com
866-345-7984 ELK GROVE DODGE, CHRYSLER, JEEP 877-399-4262 ElkGroveDodge.com ELK GROVE SUBARU 877-360-0259 ElkGroveSubaru.com ELK GROVE VOLKSWAGON ElkGroveVW.com 888-427-5431
BARS / CLUBS
BADLANDS 2003 K St., 916-441-6823 SacBadlands.com
THE DEPOT 2001 K St., Sac, 916-441-6823 TheDepot.net
CHIROPRACTORS
HEALING TOUCH CHIROPRACTIC Dr. Darrick Lawson, 1919 21st St, Ste. 101, 916-447-3344 www.FixMyBack.com
COUNSELING
WEAVE 916-920-2952 (24/7) www.weaveinc.org
BANKS / CREDIT UNIONS
SAFE CREDIT UNION www.SafeCU.org
TRI COUNTIES BANK www.tricountiesbank.com
WELLS FARGO www.wellsfargo.com
DENTISTRY
ERIC GROVE, DDS
KENDALL HOMER, DMD 9216 Kiefer Blvd., STE 5 916-363-9171 • grovehomerdentists.com
DINING/BEVERAGES
SCOTT’S SEAFOOD - ON THE RIVER 916-379-5959 ScottsSeafoodontheRiver.com
DMV SERVICES
QUICK & EZ TITLE AND TAGS 3100 O Street, Sacramento 916-452-7777 • www.eztitleandtags.com
EYEWEAR
STYLEYES 2231 J Street, Ste. 102, Midtown Sacramento 916-448-2220 • www.styleyes.biz
FINANCIAL PLANNING
MIDTOWN FINANCIAL
Al Roche, 1750 Creekside Dr. Suite 215, 916-447-9220 MidtownFinancial.net
STEELE FINANCIAL PARTNERS
Judy Steele, Financial Advisor 916-846-7733 www.steelefp.com
HEATING & AIR
PERFECTION HOME SYSTEMS 916-481-0658 www.HotCold.com
HEALTH SERVICES
CAPITAL CITY AIDS FUND 1912 F Street, 916-448-1110 PlayButPlaySafe.org
ONE COMMUNITY HEALTH 1500 21st St., 916-443-3299 onecommunityhealth.com
RIVER BEND MEDICAL ASSOC. www.rbmafamilydocs.com
INSURANCE
STATE FARM INSURANCE
Ryan Maguire, Agent 916-572-0090 www.ryanmaguire.com
LIBRARIES
FRIENDS OF THE SAC. PUBLIC LIBRARY 8250 Belvedere, Ste. E, 916-731-8493
MUSEUMS
CROCKER ART MUSEUM 916-808-7000 CrockerArt.org
MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT
CAL HOPE CALHope.org
OPTOMETRY
CAMERON YEE, O.D. 6407 Riverside Blvd., 916-395-0673 DrCameronYee@aol.com
PERFORMING ARTS
BROADWAY SACRAMENTO Safe Credit Union Performing Arts Center 916-557-1999 BroadwaySacramento.com
CREST SACRAMENTO 1013 K Street crestsacramento.com
MONDAVI CENTER UC Davis mondaviarts.org
SBL ENTERTAINMENT Sofia/B St. Theatre bstreettheatre.org sblentertainment.com
PEST MANAGEMENT
EARTH GUARD PEST SERVICES 916-457-7605 contact@earthguardpest.com
PHARMACY
PUCCI’S PHARMACY 3257 Folsom Blvd., 916-442-5891 www.puccirx.com
REAL ESTATE
COLDWELL BANKER Mark T. Peters, 916-341-7794 www.MarkPeters.biz
LYON REAL ESTATE Tanya Curry, 916-698-9970 TCurry.GoLyon.com
MCMARTIN REALTY Brian McMartin, 916-402-4160 brian@brianmcmartin.com McMartinRealty.com
WEDDING VENUES
GRANITE BAY GOLF CLUB Granite Bay, CA 916-791-7578 www.granitebayclub.com
SCOTT’S SEAFOOD - ON THE RIVER 916-379-5959 ScottsSeafoodontheRiver.com
