Cal Performances at Home is much more than a series of great streamed performances. Fascinating behind-the-scenes artist interviews. Informative and entertaining public forums. The Cal Performances Reading Room, featuring books with interesting connections to our Fall 2020 programs. For all this and much more, keep checking this page for frequent updates and to journey far, far Beyond the Stage!
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Beyond the Stage
Cal Performances Artistic Leadership Reminisces on Memorable Moments from the 2022–23 Season
Cal Performances Artistic Leadership Reminisces on Memorable Moments from the 2022–23 Season
From the Two Who Saw It All!
Interview of Jeremy Geffen, Cal Performances’ Executive and Artistic Director, and Katy Tucker, Cal Performances’ Director of Artistic Planning. Video filming and editing by Tiffany Valvo, Cal Performances’ Social Media and Digital Content Specialist.
As we inch closer to the start of our 2023–24 season, Cal Performances’ Executive and Artistic Director, Jeremy Geffen, and Director of Artistic Planning, Katy Tucker, take one final moment to reflect on some of the highlights and surprises of the past year. In this video, they answer:
- What performance made you the most emotional? (0:33)
- Share a time when a member of a group or ensemble really stood out to you. (1:47)
- Which performance ran smoothly on the surface but, due to unforeseen circumstances, required lots of scrambling/problem-solving behind the scenes? (3:29)
- Share a moment (outside of William Kentridge’s campus residency) when you got to see an artist really connect with students. (5:13)
- In which performance did you feel the greatest sense of community? (7:21)
Note that, for context, you can find programs for each performance mentioned in the video linked in the transcript below.
Transcript
Jeremy Geffen:
Hi, I am Jeremy Geffen, Executive and Artistic Director of Cal Performances.
Katy Tucker:
And I’m Katy Tucker, Director of Artistic Planning at Cal Performances.
Jeremy Geffen:
We are seated backstage in Zellerbach Hall in the Green Room, which is generally where artists warm up, and it is the last thing they see before they see all of you when they walk out onto the Zellerbach Hall stage.
Katy Tucker:
And today, Jeremy and I are going to be looking back over the 22–23 season and sharing some of our favorite memories from this past year.
What performance made you the most emotional?
Katy Tucker:
I was just openly sobbing during William Kentridge’s week with us multiple times. But both parts of that performance [SIBYL], “The Moment Has Gone” by Kyle Shepherd and “Waiting for the Sibyl” were just transformative life experiences.
Jeremy Geffen:
I have to agree with you on this one, that like, from the from the moment that Kyle Shepherd started playing in “The Moment Has Gone,” there was something that just like instantly transported you.
But if I can add another one to this, just a few days earlier, we had the Vienna Philharmonic with us and gave a performance of Bruckner’s Symphony No. 8 that has to be on my top 10 lists of musical performances of my lifetime. It was one of those moments where you think, “I don’t know if the composer actually understood that this the piece was capable of this”—the depth, the feeling of ensemble, just the quality of the sound… That really got me, too.
Share a time when a member of a group or ensemble really stood out to you.
Katy Tucker:
After Camille Brown & Dancers’ first performance—they did two or three shows—after their first performance, I was walking out of the building, and I ran into one of the dancers who had in the piece done something like 10 or 15 successive jumps, just jump, like this, just straight up in the air like this. And he got so high and he was so pin straight, and it was so beautiful and athletic. And I said to him something like, “Bet you didn’t know you could do that in your dance career,” or something like that. And he’s like, and he said, “Yeah, this isn’t even my real job.” And I was like, “What else can you do better than this?” And he just laughed and walked away from me. Just like, what?
Jeremy Geffen:
So I’m thinking of the performance of Artemis. They were all stars, but I don’t think I was, and each one of them is a virtuoso. They’re also composers. So we had compositions from most of them. There was a new album coming out. The drummer, Allison Miller. I mean, she made Animal look like he was tamed, sedate. She was just the most energetic, inspiring, and kinetic performer. I could have watched her for hours.
Which performance ran smoothly on the surface but, due to unforeseen circumstances, required lots of scrambling/problem-solving behind the scenes?
Jeremy Geffen:
I have a feeling you’re probably thinking of the exact same situation that I am.
Katy Tucker:
The Guided Tour of the Exhibition?
A long story short: the cargo for some of the William Kentridge events didn’t arrive on time due to shipping issues in France! For reference, Guided Tour was on a Wednesday and the SIBYL premiere was Friday.
Jeremy Geffen:
Yes. So the morning of Guided Tour of the Exhibition, actually I think this plan had been made the day before.
Katy Tucker:
The day before, yeah.
Jeremy Geffen:
They sourced all of similar types of props and costume and even sets from within Zellerbach Hall and also from our friends at the Department of Theater, Dance, and Performance Studies.
Jeremy Geffen:
And on Thursday, I think, on Wednesday I think we got—
Katy Tucker:
Half of—
Jeremy Geffen:
Yeah. Some part of SIBYL, but none of Guided Tour.
Katy Tucker:
Correct.
Jeremy Geffen:
Thursday we got the remaining part, and they got that very complicated show up in a little over 24 hours. Which, I mean, I don’t think that was apparent to anyone in the audience.
Katy Tucker:
No. And a huge boon to our technical staff, who were really the people who were undergoing the most rehearsal process for that, because, of course the cast had just done it in Paris. Our crew had never moved the chair that breaks or swept up all of the papers that they throw all over the stage. And so they had basically 24 hours to learn an incredibly difficult show. And it looked fabulous on Friday night when it opened. So, a huge success. But a sweaty one!
Share a moment (outside of William Kentridge’s campus residency) when you got to see an artist really connect with students.
Katy Tucker:
This is something that I’ve known, I knew already, but it was really reinforced in a very real way. But Jeremy Denk is such an unbelievable performer, and an equally unbelievable teacher. He gave a masterclass this year for us in the music department. He worked with four young pianists out of the music department. And the depth of his knowledge about repertoire, the thoughtfulness with which he approaches music-making, and his ability to articulate it in such a human and totally open way, it was really touching, it was really beautiful. I loved watching him give that masterclass.
Jeremy Geffen:
Can I add one more? When Maxim Vengerov give his recital in October, you know, I didn’t realize—we are on the campus of a major university—there were so many students who clearly had grown up listening to his recordings. They found every entrance to this building and they waited outside each of them to meet him afterwards. And when we were driving out of the parking structure, we saw a group of people standing up at the corner. And this is like 10:30 at night on a Friday night in Berkeley; it’s not a time that you see these sorts of clusters of people. When it turned out they were waiting for him, he got out of the car, he spoke with every single one of them, as he did with all the other students he encountered. He was incredibly gracious and really engaging, and he loved talking to his fans.
In which performance did you feel the greatest sense of community?
Jeremy Geffen:
There are a lot of performances where you feel community, and it’s different types of community. Kyle Abraham’s piece for Ailey [Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater], Are You in Your Feelings?, is that—
Katy Tucker:
Yep.
Jeremy Geffen:
It was, like, the most virtuosic piece for that company featuring, you know, all sorts of combinations of dancers and so many different styles. And, you know, there’s this moment that you get when you’re all seeing something new for the first time, and that, “Oh my God, this is incredible”—that feeling was absolutely rising from the audience and you know, the electricity of the reception definitely reflected it.
Katy Tucker:
Parable of the Sower was—I’m not a sci-fi fan; I did listen to that book on tape in sort of preparation for our presentation of it… And to see all of the people come out because of Toshi, because of Octavia E. Butler, because of the combination of the two, you know, a very large portion of an audience that kind of comes already with some preconceived information; but then to be totally taken over and, like, beguiled by the absolutely gorgeous music in that opera, all kind of leading up to a group singing moment at the very end of a song that Toshi teaches everybody in the audience that her mother [Bernice Johnson Reagon] wrote… This is a very simple song about “a sower went out to sow her seeds.” And it just was such a beautiful cap to not only that piece, but our season, and it felt like there was a lot of involvement with each other in those moments. It was very heartening.
Jeremy Geffen:
I’m gonna add one more. Rachell Ellen Wong. One of the things that I know that we share is the belief in giving artists a shot at the beginning of their career. And, you know, when you’re introducing an artist to the public, all you’re doing is essentially giving them a turn at bat. And then it is up to them to hit the ball. And watching someone hit it out of the park… And by the way, it’s a miracle if that—
Katy Tucker:
Sports reference landed.
Jeremy Geffen:
—If that sports metaphor was correct, because I’m so bad with sports. But I just… the fire that came from her, like, there was an enormous amount of scholarship that went into that program because there were some really off-the-beaten-track pieces by composers that I think only a few people in the audience would’ve heard from. But, oh man, just that moment of discovery, it’s sort of similar to Kyle Abraham’s piece, that when you’re all having this moment together, you feel it.
Katy Tucker:
For sure, for sure.
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A Day in the Life of an AileyCamper
A Day in the Life of an AileyCamper
Behind the Scenes of Berkeley/Oakland AileyCamp’s 21st Year
Video by Tiffany Valvo, Cal Performances’ Social Media and Digital Content Specialist
Berkeley/Oakland AileyCamp is a joyful and rigorous six-week program, free to youth ages 11 to 14, that has been hosted by Cal Performances for 21 years! Conceived by Alvin Ailey himself, the camp is designed to use dance as a vehicle for personal development, and cultivates a supportive community where young people can connect meaningfully with each other and with caring adults, express themselves creatively, and experience the transformative power of dance.
Although schedules vary and students don’t have each class every day, AileyCampers receive daily training from experienced teaching artists in four major dance forms: modern, ballet, jazz, and African dance. They also explore creative writing and the visual arts in creative communications class, and they enhance their social and emotional development through a personal development course.
AileyCamp is a truly inspirational and exciting experience for the campers—and what better way to demonstrate this than by giving you a look at the day-to-day magic taking place right here on the UC Berkeley campus? On June 25, we followed Berkeley/Oakland AileyCampers around to see what a day in their life is like and got some direct feedback from a wonderful returning camper as well!
For more information on AileyCamp—including how to have a child apply to the program, how to sponsor a child’s free tuition, or how to attend the campers’ final performance later this week—visit calperformances.org/aileycamp.
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A Family Transformed by AileyCamp
A Family Transformed by AileyCamp
“They say it takes a village to raise a kid, we’ve had seven! I don’t think we could have done it without AileyCamp’s help.”
By Krista Thomas, Cal Performances’ Associate Director of Communications
This June marked the start of another year of Cal Performances’ Berkeley/Oakland AileyCamp, a powerful full-scholarship dance and personal development program conceived by Alvin Ailey himself. Over the course of six weeks, campers ages 11–14 take dance classes in modern, West African, jazz, and ballet; as well as in creative communication and personal development, delving into topics such as goal-setting, conflict management, media literacy, positive self image, and leadership development. This program is known for its ability to transform participants, and Brenda Scott, a longtime proponent of the program, has seen this firsthand—six times!
Brenda and her partner Kathryn have been together for over 20 years, and in that time they’ve raised seven of their grandchildren, six of whom have attended AileyCamp as a household “rite of passage.” (The youngest is not yet old enough to attend.) At the time their AileyCamp journey began, they had four grandchildren under the age of 3. With so many active young ones running around, Brenda and Kathryn frequently looked for activities and outings to keep the family entertained.
“One day Kathryn was looking through the paper and saw AileyCamp’s end of year production [the culmination of six weeks of hard work at camp], which was free to attend. She knew about Alvin Ailey and had always wanted to see the company but had never felt she could afford to, so we were wowed at the camp and decided to take the kids,” she said. “After the performance, they kept saying, ‘I want to do this! How old do we have to be?’ It became their goal.”
The family attended AileyCamp final performances every year until the eldest of the grandkids were finally old enough to apply in 2011. “As soon as the two eldest—born 10 days apart—both entered 6th grade, the first thing they asked was, ‘Did you get the application in?’ And we did.” It turned out that, based on birthdays, all three of the oldest qualified to attend that year together.
That first summer proved to Brenda and Kathryn what a valuable impact this program could have for their grandkids. “They all had their own trauma they’d gone through, especially around losing or not even knowing their parents. But AileyCamp gave them confidence in themselves, a lot more than I could have done,” she said.
Brenda described one of the first grandsons as being very “defiant” when he entered camp, with AileyCamp’s director sharing with Brenda that he’d “never had a student go toe-to-toe with [him] three separate times.” With the conflict resolution lessons and patient conversations that staff had with him, however, Brenda saw a remarkable improvement with his openness and collaboration that has lasted “all through his life.” Her granddaughter who attended that year, Brenda shared, “had night terrors for years. She was afraid of everything, very shy… After she got out of AileyCamp, she ran for secretary at her school. She was very open and no longer afraid to voice her opinion. Her teachers saw it too, and told me, ‘There’s this glow coming out of her.’”
Each new year a grandchild would enter sixth grade, the AileyCamp applications would happen like clockwork. The children were not only excited for the program, but really dedicated to making it happen. Brenda recalls one year that car issues and conflicting work schedules made it impossible to take one of her grandsons all the way to camp, but he was so determined that, despite being nervous, he took BART by himself and walked the rest of the way to campus to ensure he could participate.
Last year, the second-youngest of her grandchildren—who had watched the eldest grandchildren’s final performance when he was only 3 years old—was finally able to attend. The year leading up to AileyCamp, he had experienced extreme harassment at school that bled into social media, with some students even taking inappropriate photos of him without his knowledge and circulating them online. “When he went into the program, his head was so down… He found himself again at AileyCamp,” she said. His newfound confidence was game-changing and, when he went to a new school this year, the principal coincidentally recognized him from his final performance! “When the principal met him and mentioned AileyCamp, he lit up. He has done so well in school this year and is feeling better about himself.”
In addition to promoting confidence, Brenda attests that, “because it took the form of the arts, the kids started to realize there were other parts of them.” Each one of her grandchildren found expression through the performing arts following this experience and went on to attend a longer program at East Bay Center for the Performing Arts in Richmond, where they explored everything from acting to African drumming to improv—and, of course, more dance. A few even pursued the arts into adulthood via acting and playwriting!
The youngest child is seven so will not be able to attend camp for a few years still, but the family is already looking forward to the tradition they’ve treasured over the years when they attend their loved one’s final performance and, for the older grandkids, experience the shared sense of accomplishment and growth they felt on that very stage years before.
Reflecting on the overall impact of the camp, Brenda said, “They say it takes a village to raise a kid, and we’ve had seven! I don’t think we could have done it without AileyCamp’s help. Each child in their own way found their inner strength and bloomed from there, and they still carry a lot of what they learned at AileyCamp to this day… I’m not sure how they all would have turned out if they hadn’t had this transformational experience.”
This year marks Berkeley/Oakland AileyCamp’s 21st year, with over 70 campers currently attending the program and experiencing their own form of growth and arts exploration. If you’re interested in having a child apply to the program, sponsoring a child’s free tuition , or seeing the culmination of their hard work at the final performance later this month, you can learn more at calperformances.org/aileycamp.
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Queer Luminaries from World History You’ll Want to Know
Queer Luminaries from World History You’ll Want to Know
Celebrating LGBTQ+ Roots in Honor of Stonewall’s 54th Anniversary.
By Krista Thomas, Cal Performances’ Associate Director of Communications
June 28 represents the anniversary of the 1969 riots at Stonewall, which sparked the 20th century LGBTQ+ liberation movement. Stonewall’s anniversary and Pride month are not only an invitation to celebrate the queer community around us today, but also to reflect on those who fought for rights and representation before us. This coming season, Cal Performances is fortunate to feature the West Coast premiere of Taylor Mac & Matt Ray’s Bark of Millions, which celebrates and explores the spectrum of the queer community through the lens of such forebears. In the words of Taylor Mac, “[The production is] 55 songs, one song for every year after Stonewall, inspired by a different queer person from world history. They’re all people that I never would have known about my entire upbringing. And it’s an exploration of the ideas that these people inspire.”
In honor of Stonewall’s anniversary, we’re highlighting a few underrecognized queer figures in history who have made an impact on the LGBTQ+ community—and who’ve inspired Bark of Millions. On behalf of Cal Performances, we’d like to thank the creators of Bark of Millions for shedding light on these individuals.
Mother Flawless Sabrina (1939–2017)
Performer, drag pioneer, queer advocate, and self-proclaimed “gender clown,” Flawless Sabrina was one of the main figures who brought greater visibility to drag beginning in the 1960s. Born in Philadelphia in 1939, Jack Doroshow (the man behind the drag) attended his first drag show in Manhattan in the late 1950s, and shortly thereafter was inspired to stage a drag pageant alongside friends in 1959. Though Doroshow ran the first events in a suit, he and his co-hosts decided it was only fitting that they dress for the occasion and, by pageant number three, his drag persona Flawless Sabrina was born. To signal to competing queens that she was not a competitor, Flawless Sabrina adopted the title of Mother, which would turn out to perfectly express her support and mentorship of other queens. Despite beginning her career at a time when drag had not yet hit the “mainstream”—and crossdressing was still criminalized—she was able to find commercial success over time in her Miss All-America Camp Beauty Pageant, which went on to host competitions at a national scale.
In the late 1960s, Mother Flawless Sabrina retired from hosting pageants and turned her attention to film, starring in her own iconic documentary, The Queen, and even consulting on drag and queer representation for a handful of Hollywood films. Later in life, she acted as a cultural producer and arts socialite, and continued her work of mentoring and advocating for queer youth. She is particularly recognized for her advocacy for trans folks, in society at large as well as within the gay community.
Chavela Vargas (1919–2012)
Chavela Vargas, beloved Mexican Ranchera singer, was an icon of rebellion and queer expression. Born in Costa Rica, Vargas moved to Mexico as a teenager to find greater opportunities as a singer and began her career performing on the streets and in clubs in Mexico City. In addition to her sultry voice and beautifully raw interpretation of Ranchera music, Vargas was known for her rebellious image. Contrary to gendered expectations, she wore masculine clothing, smoked cigars, drank heavily, and even carried a gun. She also frequently addressed love interests in her music as women and was known to have had many love interests of her own, including a rumored romance with Frida Kahlo. At age 81, the international musical icon publicly described herself as a lesbian. In a 2000 interview, Vargas said, “Nobody taught me to be like this. I was born this way. Since I opened my eyes to the world, I have never slept with a man. Never. Just imagine what purity. I have nothing to be ashamed of.” At her passing in 2012, Vargas was lauded for paving the way for free expression and representation within her field.
Frances Thompson (1840–1876)
Frances Thompson is believed to be the first trans woman to testify before the US Congress. Thompson was born into slavery in the South in 1840 and, following the Civil War, was granted freedom in her mid-20s. After her emancipation, she was living as her authentic self wearing bright dresses, shaving her face, and taking in washing to earn a living.
In 1866, Thompson was raped during the Memphis Riot, in which white men targeted the Black community in Memphis over the course of three days of atrocious violence that left nearly 50 people dead, nearly 100 buildings destroyed, and an entire community damaged and vulnerable. Thompson was among a handful of Black women who were called on to testify to the crimes before Congress. As a result of her brave testimony, Thompson had greater recognition in the South and was subject to increased harassment. Ten years after the trial, Thompson was arrested for cross-dressing and imprisoned. Her arrest and identity as a trans woman were used politically to discredit her previous “lynchpin” testimony. Though persecuted during her time, Thompson is often referenced now as an example of how the history of queer liberation and Black liberation are inextricably linked.
Niankhkhnum & Khnumhotep (25th century BC)
Niankhkhnum and Khnumhotep were believed to be chief manicurists to a ruler of Egypt in the fifth dynasty. When their tomb was discovered in 1964 in Cairo, the two men drew significant attention due to how intimately they were depicted together in carvings on the wall of their tomb: In one very powerful reference, the two are seen facing each other, holding hands, and touching noses, which was considered the greatest sign of intimacy at that time and was typically reserved for husband and wife. Other depictions showed one of the men in positions traditionally reserved for women in such carvings and, while the two did have wives and children who were present in the artwork, they were hardly featured in the core of the carvings. While some scholars have suggested that the two men may have been given a joint burial and connected depiction because they were twins (or even conjoined twins!), a leading theory remains that the two were lovers and that their tomb represents the first recorded same-sex couple.
If you’re interested in learning even more about queer history and music this month, we recommend watching Taylor Mac, Matt Ray, Machine Dazzle, and other Bark of Millions collaborators chart centuries of popular music through a queer lens in Taylor Mac’s 24-Decade History of Popular Music, which will be released for streaming on June 27.
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San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus: Pioneers of a Queer Choral Movement
San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus: Pioneers of a Queer Choral Movement
A voice for change.
By Krista Thomas, Cal Performances’ Associate Director of Communications
The San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus (SFGMC), who performs with us this December, has been a powerful voice of change since its founding 45 years ago. Created by Jon Reed Sims who recruited members by way of flyering the city’s telephone poles, the group was organized with the simple goal of providing more music for the local Gay Freedom Day Parade. However, less than a month after their first practice, the chorus of already more than 100 singers was pulled toward a more serious subject.
November 27, 1978, the night of the group’s fifth ever rehearsal, marked the assassinations of Supervisor Harvey Milk, the first openly gay elected official in California, and San Francisco Mayor George Moscone. Moved by the city’s sense of loss, over 100 members of the chorus followed the candlelight vigil march onto the steps of SF City Hall and, in an emotional moment, spontaneously began singing. Just like that, the choir made their first public appearance—one rooted not just in the idea of a celebration of identity, but committed to the true work of the community, of calling for justice and working for solidarity.
Following this performance, they held their first formal concert in December. The group credits a significant portion of their publicity and resulting sold-out shows those first few years to a public standoff with the San Francisco Chronicle which, in 1979, refused to publish the cover art for their “Lovers Too” concert that featured a drawing of two men kissing. The chorus protested by blocking the entrance to the newspaper’s office and, in the end, was able to generate significant press and community support. (The Chronicle would prove to be a great ally and champion of the chorus later on!)
In 1981, SFGMC embarked on their first national tour—a costly endeavor that necessitated three SFGMC members taking out mortgages on their houses! But the investment was one that undoubtedly paid off. This landmark tour hit nine major cities across all regions of the US and is credited as the direct inspiration for many gay men’s choruses that sprung up immediately following. Lauded affectionately as the “grandfathers” of the gay choral movement, SFGMC sparked a true national (and, later, even international) trend which is still evidenced in the official histories of local groups like the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, DC as well as the national Gay and Lesbian Association of Choruses (GALA), which formed to help organize this plethora of new organizations.
The tour finished with a home concert in San Francisco, during which the chorus received the key to the city. And while the tour was and continues to be cause of tremendous celebration, it coincided with the very beginning of a period of great difficulty for the choir and the nation at large: The same San Francisco Chronicle issue that celebrated the group’s return also bore the headline “A Pneumonia that Strikes Gay Men.” What at this time in 1981 was positioned as a small and perplexing outbreak would, in the decades to follow, become known as the HIV/AIDS Epidemic.
Of the 337 reported cases of HIV/AIDs in 1981, the very first year of the epidemic, nearly 40% died before the end of the year. It took years before a test was created to detect the virus and, in the meantime, the lack of information and the fear surrounding this epidemic, particularly in the gay male community, was not only physically dangerous, but mentally and socially trying as well. According to SFGMC, “As a result [of the crisis], many Americans were reluctant to interact with LGBTQ+ people because they assumed they would instantly contract HIV. Consequently, many individuals actively avoided the LGBTQ+ community altogether. In response, many LGBTQ+ individuals remained closeted.” In a time of increased isolation and loss, members of the chorus used their voices to build bridges and to retain community.
In 1987, the chorus was part of the landmark march on Washington designed to bring attention to this issue. At that time, they had lost 32 members to HIV/AIDs, including the group’s founding director in 1984. In 1993, the San Francisco Chronicle posted a sobering photo of the chorus that featured 115 of its 122 members turned around, representing the 115 members of “the fifth section” of the chorus, those they’d lost to AIDs so far. According to the Foundation for AIDS Research, the virus had killed more than 234,000 people in the US by the end of that year.
For decades, the chorus continued to advocate and fundraise for those impacted by AIDs, and even commissioned a number of moving songs to capture the tumultuous feelings of the community during this period—the first of which, “I Shall Miss Loving You,” was commissioned in 1986 and is among the first ever commission on the subject.
As of this year, the group has lost just over 300 members to AIDs, who have, over time, been memorialized on a special “fifth section” quilt the chorus commissioned in their honor. While AIDs detection, support, and prevention have improved dramatically in the current age, there remain over a million people living with AIDs in the US today. The chorus has continued their strong voice of activism and in 2018 established the Artists Portal Monument within the National AIDs Memorial Grove.
Though AIDs became a focus of much of their work, the group has been a voice of strength in many social justice conversations, including the fight for legalized gay marriage, in criticism of the military’s Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy (This included a semi-staged production of the critical performance USS Metaphor in 2007.), and, most recently, as a voice for the queer community who have seen their legal protections once again challenged by politicians, particularly in the Deep South. Their 2017 tour of the Deep South with the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir, titled The Lavender Pen Tour, was turned into an award-winning documentary, Gay Chorus, Deep South, released in 2019. The film documents the opposition the group faced, particularly from local religious communities, and how the 300+ singers used their voice to “[bring] a message of music, love and acceptance, to communities and individuals confronting intolerance.”
While their history is in many ways defined by setbacks the queer community has faced in the past five decades, SFGMC is anything but bitter or resigned. A recent public letter from Artistic Director Jacob Stensberg in honor of Pride begins, “Pride, like hope, should never be silent. We all have a voice: when we raise them together in harmony, love will always win.” Today, the chorus continues to focus on advocacy, education, and joy, through their concerts; through their benefit efforts; through the numerous educational resources on their website, which include articles on how to “come out” and understanding pronouns (as well as inspiring videos with LGBTQ+ celebs and allies, such as our upcoming performer Kristin Chenoweth!); and their active youth program, RHYTHM, for which chorus members visit local schools to deliver a message of acceptance and to combat isolation and bullying.
We at Cal performances are delighted to have the opportunity to be part of their holiday concert series, which has been a beloved hallmark of their programming since the group’s founding! As we anticipate this performance celebrating the LGBTQ+ community, we also want to take a moment to reflect on what it means to be a supporter, an ally, and an effective community member during Pride month and beyond.
Said Stensberg, “June is our annual reminder of the importance of taking pride in ourselves and the progress we’ve made. It is also a time when we—both LGBTQ people and allies—recommit to the causes and communities who continue to suffer under an unjust society.”
We invite you to learn more about SFGMC and their incredible mission, as well as to look at their resources, at sfgmc.org.
WATCH: Clips of the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus Performing
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Summer Cinema: Get Ready for Our 23–24 Season with These Exciting Films!
Summer Cinema: Get Ready for Our 23–24 Season with These Exciting Films!
Doom scrolling through Netflix to find movies to watch this summer? We’ve got you covered.
By Krista Thomas, Cal Performances’ Associate Director of Communications
While Cal Performances’ events pause over summer as we switch over to a new season, you can still stay engaged and get a taste for all the upcoming season has to offer with a number of exciting films and documentaries providing context for our 23–24 artists and programs. Below, we’ve compiled a long list of related movies and pulled out eight standouts for your viewing pleasure. As a bonus, we’ve also included a few major motion pictures that feature music you likely never knew was performed by some of our most beloved artists! (Need an excuse to rewatch Star Wars or Avengers? We’ve got you covered!)
Let us know if there are any must-sees we missed, and happy viewing!
Movie: Mr. Gaga: A True Story of Love and Dance
Related Performance: Batsheva Dance Company, MOMO
Ohad Naharin, the current house choreographer and former longtime artistic director of Batsheva Dance Company, has made a profound impression on both the company and the landscape of modern dance. Naharin has even created his own movement language, “Gaga,” which all Batsheva dancers practice daily. In this film, created over the course of eight years, “director Tomer Heymann mixes intimate rehearsal footage with an extensive unseen archive and breathtaking dance sequences” to paint a picture of a modern day dance titan, marked by “great artistic integrity and extraordinary vision.” This film will provide context for his new work MOMO, which makes its Bay Area premiere at Cal Performances in March 2024.
Movie: Hedwig and the Angry Inch
Related Performance: John Cameron Mitchell and Amber Martin in Cassette Roulette
Songs and scenes from this dramatic musical comedy have a high probability of gracing the stages of John Cameron Mitchell and Amber Martin’s Cassette Roulette at Cal Performances this November. With Mitchell serving as writer, director, and lead actor, the film follows Hedwig, an East Berlin-born genderqueer musician who moves to the West to be with an American G.I. Years later, Hedwig is touring with her band around the United States, sharing her music as well as glimpses into the chaotic twists and turns of her life through multiple concerts at Bilgewater Inn seafood restaurants. During the tour, Hedwig is forced to juggle the presence of another touring musician, the ultra successful rockstar Tommy Gnosis, a man Hedwig once loved who broke her heart and stole her songs.
Movie: Reclaiming History: Our Native Daughters
Related Performance: American Railroad, Silkroad Ensemble with Rhiannon Giddens
In November 2023, multi-instrumentalist Rhiannon Giddens returns to Cal Performances with Silkroad Ensemble for American Railroad, a work that examines the history of the US’s expansion west through the music of underrecognized communities. Though American Railroad is a newer work for Giddens, her interest in examining history through the lens of culture goes much farther back. In this documentary developed by the Smithsonian Channel, we follow Giddens and three other black female banjo players—Amythyst Kiah, Leyla McCalla, and Allison Russell—on their journey to create and perform a deeply personal folk album offering a new perspective on Black women’s history and the often overlooked roots of American music. “From a secluded Louisiana bayou recording studio to electrifying concerts around the country, witness four incredible musicians on an extraordinary creative journey.”
Movie: Gay Chorus, Deep South
Related Performance: San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus, Holiday Spectacular
The San Francisco Gay Men’s Choir was founded on political activism and resilience, having formed in response to the assassination of Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man elected to public office in California. This 2019 documentary follows the chorus along with the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir on a tour through the American Deep South, conceived in the wake of anti-LGBTQ legislation and rhetoric flooding the region. Through a series of difficult and often uncomfortable conversations, deep personal reflection on both sides, and, of course, song, the film offers “a glimpse of a less divided America, where the things that divide us… are set aside by the soaring power of music, humanity and a little drag.”
Movie: The Triplets of Belleville
Related Performance: The Triplets of Belleville Cine-Concert
The charming animated French feature film The Triplets of Belleville swept the globe when it was released in movie theaters in 2003, raking up dozens of awards and nominations and attracting a cult following among film buffs. Through music and images (and almost no dialogue), writer-director Sylvain Chomet tells a story of a caper involving American gangsters, Tour de France cyclists, and a trio of colorful vaudevillian sisters out to expose a crime ring. In October, the piece will visit Cal Performances with composer Benoît Charest and his eight-piece orchestra, who will perform a live version of Charest’s Oscar-nominated score, evoking the streets of 1920s Paris and “Le Jazz Hot” and featuring fun live sound effects to accompany the film.
Movie: Debate: Baldwin vs. Buckley
Related Performance: Baldwin and Buckley at Cambridge, Elevator Repair Service
At the height of the Civil Rights Movement in 1965, the progressive queer Black writer and activist James Baldwin met the “Father of American Conservatism” William F. Buckley, Jr., onstage at the Cambridge University Union to debate the resolution “The American Dream is at the Expense of the American Negro.” This documentary showcases and provides valuable context for the very debate that will be dramatized on Cal Performances stages next March by Elevator Repair Service, a New York troupe that specializes in adaptations of literary and historic texts.
Movie: Iya Tundé, The Mother Came Back
In February 2024, Germaine Acogny visits Cal Performances to dance common ground[s], a duet co-created and co-performed with Malou Airaudo. Now in her 70s, Acogny’s pioneering work helping to spread African dance internationally has earned her the title “mother of African contemporary dance.” This documentary focuses on “the legacy of Acogny’s dance practice, fusing West African and contemporary dance,” and the dance school she founded that now serves as a meeting point for dancers throughout Africa to facilitate training in and exchange of various styles of African dance. The film also explores challenges she has faced as a Black woman in her field as well as the ways she has used movement and nature as a catalyst of growth.
Movie: Handel: Rodelinda, starring Renée Fleming
Related Performance (1): The English Concert, Handel’s Rodelinda
Related Performance (2): Renée Fleming, soprano
This recording from 2012 provides a glimpse into two performances on our 2023–24 season, highlighting both the vocal abilities of soprano Renée Fleming, who will give a Cal Performances recital February 2024, and the interpretive mastery of conductor Harry Bicket in Handel’s Rodelinda, which he will guide The English Concert in at Cal Performances in November 2023. Rodelinda is a story of enduring marital love that remains steadfast through every adversity. Starring here in the title role, Fleming delivers beloved arias “Ombre, piante” and “Ho perduto il caro sposo” as she mourns the loss of her exiled husband Bertarido, and must navigate her new potions at the mercy of the lustful and vicious usurper Grimoaldo.
Even More for Your Consideration
- Pina. A true dance showcase, this Oscar-nominated film features a number of longtime Pina Bausch dancers, including a soloist on our upcoming program, Malou Airaudo, plus archival footage from the choreographer herself. (Related Performance: Pina Bausch’s The Rite of Spring and Germaine Acogny and Malou Airaudo’s common ground[s], co-produced by the Pina Bausch Foundation, École des Sables, and Sadler’s Wells)
- Tous les matins du monde. This French romance/drama that follows a grand master of the viola da gamba was once credited by viol virtuoso Jordi Savall as having ignited a revival of interest in viola da gamba. The Baroque soundtrack, which features Savall, is said by IMDb to have outsold Michael Jackson upon its release in France, and outsold Madonna upon its release in the United States. (Related Performance: Jordi Savall and Hespèrion XXI)
- Being John Malkovich. Multiple Academy Award nominee John Malkovich has starred in seemingly countless films, perhaps most iconic of which is this dramatic comedy in which a puppeteer played by John Cusack finds a portal into movie star John Malkovich’s brain. (Related Performance: John Malkovich in The Infernal Comedy: Confessions of a Serial Killer)
- Ailey. This recent documentary tells the story of choreographer Alin Ailey’s life through dance as well as archival footage of Ailey himself. (Related Performance: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater)
- Don Giovanni. This TV movie version of the Mozart opera features tenor Mark Padmore as Don Ottavio. (Related Performance: Mark Padmore, tenor; Mitsuko Uchida, piano)
- Rebels on Pointe. This 2017 documentary traces the all male drag ballet company Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo through their founding following the Stonewall Riots of 1969 to modern day. (Related Performance: Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo)
- Ballerina Boys. In 2021, a new documentary on The Trocks both contextualizes the group and follows them as they tour through North and South Carolina and are faced with the region’s struggles over LGBTQ rights. (Related Performance: Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo)
- Hairspray Live! Winner of Emmy and Tony Awards for both her singing and acting, Kristin Chenoweth is has an extensive roster of films, though Hairspray Live! is one of the few onscreen in which you’ll hear her sing as well! (Related Performance: Kristin Chenoweth, For the Girls)
- Anna Karenina. The 2012 movie featuring Kiera Knightly and Jude Law takes up the same Tolstoy story as does the Joffrey Ballet’s first full-length narrative ballet. (Related Performance: The Joffrey Ballet, Anna Karenina)
- Thrive and Matthew Whitaker: About Tomorrow. Categorized as short documentaries, both films follow the life of the young, blind jazz pianist Matthew Whitaker, whose talent for piano was apparent at age 3. The first documentary was released in 2015 about Whitaker at age 12, and the second was released in 2022 and features Whitaker ahead of his 21st birthday. (Related Performance: Matthew Whitaker)
- Free to Dance, The three-part PBS documentary on the impact of Black choreographers and dancers in America features Urban Bush Women’s founder and a source of inspiration for Hair & Other Stories, Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, as well as Alvin Ailey. (Related Performance 1: Urban Bush Women, Hair & Other Stories; Related Performance 2: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater)
- Singular. This documentary discusses the career of Grammy-winning jazz singer Cécile McLorin Salvant through interviews with the artist, her peers, her family members, and others who’ve influenced her life. (Related Performance: Cécile McLorin Salvant)
- Joffrey: Mavericks of American Dance. Released in 2012, this documentary traces The Joffrey Ballet from their roots in 1956, “touring the United States in a borrowed station wagon,” to their modern place of international renown among ballet and modern dance companies. (Related Performance: The Joffrey Ballet, Anna Karenina)
Honorable Mention: Soundtracks
- While Space Cowboys, Eyes Wide Shut, and other movies feature Brad Mehldau on the soundtrack, he also “acts” as a pianist in Mona Lisa Smile! (Related Performance 1: Brad Mehldau Trio; Related Performance 2: Brad Mehldau, 14 Reveries)
- The Last Jedi, I Am Legend, and Click are among many soundtracks Los Angeles Master Chorale has performed on. (Related Performance: Los Angeles Master Chorale, Music to Accompany a Departure)
- Cyrano and Darkest Hour feature piano by pianist Víkingur Ólafsson. (Related Performance: Víkingur Ólafsson, piano, J.S. Bach’s Goldberg Variations)
- The Woman King’s most iconic song, “Keep Rising,” features Angélique Kidjo. (Related Performance: Angélique Kidjo)
- The Avengers and The Lobster are among some of the movie soundtracks featuring the Takács Quartet. (Related Performance: Takács Quartet)
- The Fountain and Requiem for a Dream are among soundtracks featuring Kronos Quartet. (Related Performance: Kronos Quartet, Five Decades)
- Tous les matins du monde. See description in section above.
Honorable Mention: Coming Soon!
- A 24-Decade History of Popular Music. A film of Taylor Mac’s award-winning performance will make its debut at the Tribeca Film Festival this June (and shortly thereafter be available on HBO streaming platforms), alongside a documentary about Bark of Millions collaborator, costumer Machine Dazzle. (Related Performance: Taylor Mac & Matt Ray’s Bark of Millions: A Parade Trance Extravaganza for the Living Library of the Deviant Theme)
- Ogresse. Grammy-winning jazz singer Cécile McLorin Salvant will turn her renowned musical project into an animated film. The irreverent fairytale “explores self-love and beauty ideals with a brave, complex, sometimes cruel and always endearing heroine.” (Related Performance: Cécile McLorin Salvant)
- The Art of Fugue Explored. Sponsored by the Borletti-Buitoni Trust, paint Filippo Gorini embarks on a journey into Bach’s final work. (Related Performance: Filippo Gorini, piano)
Please note that these movies were compiled based on our own survey of what currently exists and is easily viewable, and does not include many wonderful films and documentaries that are only accessible via film festivals, or any that we may have inadvertently missed. If there are any movies you don’t see listed here related to your 2023–24 season that you recommend we include, please write to us at info@calperformances.org.
Additionally, please note that these movies have been created independently of Cal Performances and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the organization.