Sights & Sounds is your weekly guide to the Bay Area arts scene. Russell Blackwood, director of theater troupe Thrillpeddlers toldKALW’s Jen Chien about three great events happening around the Bay this weekend.
- Above and Beyond the Valley of Ultra Showgirls at Oasis Bar through 2/18
- Georges Lammam Ensemble at Peña Pachamama Center in SF on 2/10
- Silence the Musical at the Victoria Theatre through 3/18
Above and Beyond the Valley of Ultra Showgirls is a live drag rock musical from D’Arcy Drollinger and SF Sketchfest. Inspired by Beyond the Valley of the Dolls and Showgirls, this dark musical comedy “has enough poor taste references to keep any B-movie junky erect.” The show will be playing at Oasis Bar through February 18th.
RUSSELL BLACKWOOD: It's kind of the height of rock and roll bad taste, and they've put an 80s esthetic on it.
Georges Lammam, a solo violinist of Palestinian descent, born in Beirut, Lebanon, exemplifies the Arab style of instrumental improvisation and lyricism. He'll be performing with an ensemble at Peña Pachamama Center on February 10th.
RUSSELL BLACKWOOD: The building itself is large enough to really be a full-on arts center, and the bill is ever-changing there; they have flamenco dancing, Bolivian music ...
SILENCE! The Musical is based on the movie Silence of the Lambs, and tells the story of rookie FBI agent Clarice Starling as she matches wits with the brilliant but insane cannibal, Dr. Hannibal Lecter, in order to catch the serial killer known as Buffalo Bill. Clarice faces her own demons — and a troupe of singing and dancing lambs — while racing against the clock to unlock Lecter’s clues before Catherine Martin is killed and skinned by Buffalo Bill. The show is being produced by Ray of Light Theater and will be playing at the Victoria Theatre through March 18th.
RUSSELL BLACKWOOD: I think that Ray of Light's been extraordinary at sniffing out off-beat shows, some of them horror-related ... so they're bringing things to San Francisco in locally produced production ... that we might not get to see otherwise.