Welcome to “The Sights + Sounds Show with Jeneé Darden," where every week we tap into the Bay Area arts scene and bring you rich conversations with artists. On today’s show, the Oakland Public Conservatory of Music is celebrating its 20th anniversary. Their founding director Angela Wellman talks about the conservatory and why she’s retiring. Then, the Marsh Theater's upcoming play about how we handle grief when our pets die.
Today’s show is about looking ahead to the next chapter.
Angela Wellman
Music educator and scholar Angela Wellman, Ph.D. wanted to make music education accessible to adults and youth, especially Black and brown youth. So she founded the Oakland Public Conservatory of Music back in 2005. For just over 20 years, the musician, originally from Kansas City, has been impacting the creative spirits of Bay Area artists. Now, Angela Wellman is retiring. But she’s going out with a big celebration. The Oakland Public Conservatory of Music is hosting a gala on Saturday, October 24, at the Downtown Oakland Science Academy. Angela talks about what led her to launching the conservatory and what's next for her.
Dr. Alan Stewart and Elizabeth Coplan
Many of you love your pets. They’re not only fun and cute. They teach us a lot about life and death. For some of you, looking back on your childhood, your first lesson in dying was the death of a pet. Although death is a part of life, many of us still struggle to discuss and accept it, even when it comes to our fur babies. And here is where the power of art comes in.
The Marsh Theater is celebrating our bond with animals, and addressing the grief of losing a pet in their upcoming production “Our Loving Companions.” In this immersive show audiences have a say in what they want to see on stage. Host Jeneé Darden chats with producer Elizabeth Coplan, as well as playwright, co-producer and veterinarian Dr. Alan Stewart. Elizabeth is also the founder of the nonprofit Grief Dialogues.
“Our Loving Companions” is running at the Marsh Theater in San Francisco from October 15-18 and at their Berkeley location from October 22-25.
