September 17, 2004

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Publication Date: Friday, September 17, 2004

Civic Arts launches new season

Civic Arts Presents launched its 2004-05 season Tuesday with a luncheon at Century House to laud the arts and those who promote them.

"We indulge in the arts, pursue our own creativity, and present artists," said Andy Jorgensen, Civic Arts Manager.

Civic Arts will host nine shows at the Amador Theater this season, some returning favorites and others for the first time: ¥ "A Christmas Carol" by Civic Arts Stage Company, Dec. 3-5, 10-12 ¥ Will Durst's "Big Fat Year End Kiss Off Comedy Show XII," Dec. 26 ¥ Phonk! by Scrap Arts Music, "action percussion," Jan. 7 ¥ Mark Anderson/Tamriko Siprashvili two-piano concert, Feb. 12 ¥ Lily Cai Chinese Dance Company, Feb. 19 ¥ Author Anne Lamott, March 5 ¥ Colcannon performing Celtic sounds, March 13; ¥ Keiko Matsui jazz piano, April 9 ¥ Second City Comedy Troupe, April 15

Jorgensen also introduced Julie Finegan, who is heading up efforts to create a city art gallery in the lobby of the city offices at 150 Main St. "The idea is to create a first-class program" that will then be moved into the new Firehouse Theater and Art Gallery when it opens, said Jorgensen.

"The City Council has allocated $6 million and we are about to start the design process," he said, noting that a gallery designer will be on the team. A Downtown Public Art Master Plan is being created hand in hand with the Pleasanton Cultural Arts Council, Jorgensen added.

Rob Vogt, manager of the Amador Theater, pointed out that the box office has a new Web site: www.civicartstickets.org. "You can pick your seats online, too," he said, with the site displaying a seating chart.

The Civic Arts School Concert Series is also launching. One new highlight will be a presentation in March of "The Shape of a Girl," a one-woman show that looks at the realities of bullying and peer pressure.

The third annual Youth Music Festival will take place March 4, with auditions Jan. 27. Other youth programs are the Haunted House on Oct. 22; Children's Arts Festival on June 5; a Youth Poetry Workshop Series; and a Summer Drama Camp.

This season the fourth annual Poetry and Arts Festival, taking place April 16, is called the Poetry, Prose and Arts Festival, said Pleasanton Poet Laureate Kirk Ridgeway, because it celebrates all the literary arts.

The Century House Poetry Readings that take place from 1-3 p.m. on the first Sunday afternoon of even-numbered months are gaining a reputation throughout the area, Ridgeway reported.

"We had a nearly full house on Aug. 1," he said. "There were a lot of new faces and new readers, some brought by the invited readers, and a number of others from Pleasanton and surrounding towns."

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