S1: It's time for Midday Edition on KPBS. On today's Arts and Culture show , we hear about a new KPBS series , plus a remembrance of a legendary figure in San Diego art. I'm Andrew Bracken in for Jane Heinemann. Here's to conversations that keep you informed , inspired , and make you think. A new video podcast from KPBS looks into the history of stripper energy and activism in San Diego.
S2: Cotta Pierce Morgan fought essentially a civil rights battle from the unlikely stage of a strip club.
S1: Then a conversation with the director of the musical The Outsiders , which premiered at the La Jolla Playhouse and is now nominated for multiple Tony Awards. Plus , we take a look at the lasting legacy of sculptor James Hubble and the role San Diego's natural beauty played in his work. That's all ahead on Midday Edition. KPBS news is out with a new six part video podcast. It's called Stripper Energy Fighting back from the fringes. KPBS Debbie Cruz got the details from podcast creator and host Beth Accomando. She's also an arts reporter here at KPBS. Debbie started out by asking Beth for the podcast's elevator pitch.
S2: Well , I'm always attracted to stories from the fringes and Corday , Pierce Morgan fought essentially a civil rights battle from the unlikely stage of a strip club. So some may bristle at the term stripper. But quarter Pierce Morgan embraced it in the 70s because she felt empowered by what she calls stripper energy. So I'll let her provide an example of what that is.
S3: When I was closing up the girls , the parking lot was empty. I went out to my car and there were still three guys there and they won't let me leave. They have my car door. They're laughing. They think it's funny. And so I take my gun and I pointed it at them and I said , I've asked you really nicely. I have to get home. Oh , the look on their face. So that was a little bit of my stripper energy. I was not going to let anybody frighten me.
S2: And I feel this story really kind of typifies Kate and who she is. She's somebody who does not want to put up with things and who will draw on this reserve of what she calls stripper energy. And , you know , she constantly had examples for me. She goes , oh , did I tell you about the time I was with , like , the Hells Angels ? And I punched one of them in the face. So , um , I think I hope people are going to enjoy meeting her and , uh , feeding off of her energy.
S4:
S2: So every year that I was covering San Diego International Fringe , I would learn a little bit more about that history and about Carter's story. And so what's important to me is that these women were in a marginalized community , and that the stereotypes about women working in adult entertainment really stigmatized them and created circumstances in which vice cops felt that they could harass and abuse them without fear of repercussions , because society just didn't seem to care about what was happening to these women.
S4:
S2: And because she's proof that not being a silent bystander makes a difference , this is a major thing for her. Her plays are all about this , and she's basically lived her life saying , if you see something that's wrong or if something upsets you or you feel is not right , you need to speak out. And she refers to what she did and what some of the dancers spoke out about as being Geiger counters. And her point is , is that she was raising complaints about officers who would later end up being charged with other things and even crimes , and that perhaps if these women had been listened to earlier , these people might have been disciplined or removed from the force and these other incidents might not have happened. So I think it's important because there are all sorts of marginalized communities that suffer from harassment or abuse or just selective enforcement , and it's important that we listen to their stories and give them a voice.
S4:
S2: So she has more than like 150 boxes of photos and letters and police reports , video , audio. And it's kind of a daunting task to be going through all this stuff. And I swear , we have probably only scratched the surface of a few boxes , and I feel like I'm only telling a portion of the story. But I think that all this archival material was so fascinating to me , including some statements from these women that were written back in the 70s and 80s. And , you know , it was their opportunity to kind of speak about what they were going through. And Korda never felt like those statements would ever see the light of day. And when she shared some of them with me , it was really moving to hear what these women were putting up with and how so many of them were dancing in order to put themselves through school or to support their kids or , um , you know , things like that which may not fit the stereotype that people have. Right.
S4: Right.
S2: And she discovered the term in a recent story that she read about Donna Gentilly , a murdered prostitute , and quarter discusses the term in the podcast.
S3: No humans involved was how we were called , you know , by the cops. And I mean , they're talking about the fringe women and that being a exotic dancer , we were lumped right in with the hookers and the drug addicts and the biker gang women. I was shocked that they listed strippers. I didn't know that I was an NI.
S2: So that discovery really shocked her. And what surprised me too , is that the stereotypes and the stigmatization about adult entertainment still exist today. And two of the women who are in the podcast did not want their identities revealed , not because they're embarrassed by what they did or what they do , but rather because they feel that too many people would judge them for working at lay girls and would treat them differently. So it was even a challenge to include footage of the women doing their job as dancers , because people are uncomfortable with women working in a sexualized industry , and just seem to assume that these women are being exploited , or that they're embarrassed by what they do. And I do want to point out that Lake Girls is unique because for decades it has been a female run business with a woman owner , a woman manager , and no men are there as bouncers or DJs or bartenders , and there's no alcohol served there. So it is kind of a unique venue within the adult entertainment world.
S4: Very unique.
S2: So if you see something that's wrong or it makes you uncomfortable or angry , that's when you need to speak up. And that is what she likes to call stripper energy. And it's something that can start in fear. But then it moves to anger and to fighting back. And I also hope that people will watch this podcast and see these women as human beings and not as the stereotypes that was.
S1: KPBS host Debbie Cruz speaking with arts reporter Beth Accomando. She's the creator and host of the new KPBS video podcast Stripper Energy Fighting Back from the fringes. The first episode is out now on YouTube or@kpbs.org. You'll want to catch up before episode two drops on June 5th. When we come back , we revisit a conversation with the Tony nominated director of the musical The Outsiders. The show had its premiere last year at the La Jolla Playhouse , and is based on the novel from SW Hinton.
S5: Something that Susie said to me when I was there is she said , make your version. Mine already exists. And that was extremely freeing to get the blessing from the author.
S1: That's just ahead on Media Edition. Welcome back to KPBS midday Edition. I'm Andrew Bracken in for Jade Hindman. Earlier this month , The Outsiders was nominated for 12 Tony Awards , including best Musical and Best Director. It premiered at the La Jolla Playhouse last year and is based on the 1967 novel by S.E. Hinton , and was adapted into a movie in 1983 by Francis Ford Coppola. This show is directed by Donna Taymor , who spoke with KPBS Arts producer Julia Dickson Evans in February , before the musical had its world premiere at the Playhouse. Here's that conversation.
S6: So , so many of us read The Outsiders book in school. It's still being read in school , and the 80s movie took the story even further into the mainstream. But for those of us not very familiar with it , can you fill us in what it's about ? Sure.
S5: The outsiders follows Ponyboy Curtis and his best friend Johnny Cade to 114 year old and 115 year old trying to get by in Tulsa , Oklahoma. It's a story about class warfare. It's a story about chosen family and belonging , and it's also a story about masculinity in all its forms and its tenderness and its aggression and rage , in its love. And at its heart , I think it is about friendship and belonging.
S6:
S5: I mean , a sense of responsibility , like for me is what drives me to do justice to the story. I was lucky enough to go to Tulsa and get to meet Suzy Hinton , who wrote the book. She still lives in Tulsa. She is such an incredible , grounded person , and so always when I've been working on the musical , I've used the book as a touchstone. That's what I returned to. It's the core. It's got all the clues we need to make this adaptation , but something that Susie said to me when I was there is she said , make your version. Mine already exists. And that was extremely freeing to get the blessing from the author to make a version that speaks to today. So I guess my answer would be both. It's a tremendous responsibility , but I love that responsibility and the ability to tell a story that could impact a lot of kinds of people , but especially young people at a formative time in their lives and such a visceral form of theater. It's such a privilege and an honor and something I'm really enjoying doing. Wow.
S6: Wow. That's great. And you can't talk about the Outsiders without talking about these these gangs , the greasers and the socios. Can you talk a bit about some of these primary characters and who they are ? Definitely.
S5: I mean , you know , it's a story about have and have nots. And we talk a lot in our process about how class is something that divides us all and that poverty is a great equalizer until it isn't. So in our version , we are exploring class warfare in America through like the very particular not of class and race as well. There are some incredible characters in the story. On the greasers side , you've got Johnny Cade , one of the youngest greasers who kind of is the heart of the greasers. He is everybody's little brother. He's kind of the glue. And you've got his best friend , Ponyboy Curtis , who are just getting initiated into the gang. So you see these young ones and how they become part of it. You've got two oppositional characters like Dallas Winston , who is reckless and wild and so damaged. And you've also got Daryl Curtis , his kind of opposite , who's the oldest Curtis brother whose parents were killed in a train accident , who's also so damaged and trying to do the best that they can. And then on the South side , you've got extremely privileged characters like Cherry Valance , homecoming Queen , like the girl who has everything you've got , her boyfriend Bob , who nobody will ever say no to. One thing I really admire about the way Susie wrote the book is she has incredible compassion for every character , even the characters that she presents. So honestly , she's not afraid to show faults in every character. So there's nobody who's only virtuous and there's no character who's only evil , which I find so honest to the world.
S6: I'm wondering if in the adaptation there have been changes or kind of updates to characters to to bring in diversity , to bring in stronger female characters , for example. Sure.
S5: So one thing that felt really important to all of us was to tell a story that could be true to the time. You know , one of the first lyrics you hear in the musical is This is Tulsa in 1967 , which is such a particular time in this country. So that felt really interesting to us to explore. And I've been collaborating with Doctor Michael Ralph , who's the chair of Afro-American studies at Howard , and he's been on our project as an anthropologist , helping us stay true to what Tulsa could have been like and bring a different lens to the story , but one that is still true to the type. Time. So in our production , the sources are the privileged kids are all white. They go to Will Rogers High School , which was still a segregated high school. And on the greaser side , the Curtis boys in our production are white because they go to school with the sausages. And some of the other greasers come from different backgrounds. So Dallas Winston , a character who was from New York , is mixed. Johnny Cade , the actor who's playing that role , is half Native American , half black , which is so true to what Tulsa was like in terms of gender. You know , there's something interesting when you build a musical and you try to build it in a way that the characters can be inhabited by any actor who could fully bring themselves to the role. There's a character named ace that's played by Tilly Evans Krieger , who's our associate dance captain , and they have created this incredible track , and it shows sort of like what it could have been like to be a girl , but a girl who feels like they're part of a gang and we're exploring their sexuality , their identity. And so that feels really powerful in the story , because the outsiders are like outsiders among outsiders. They're people for whatever reason , they don't fit in the group that society has slotted them into. And so that's been really fruitful in how we've been trying to build that group of folks.
S6: And can you talk about how you have brought some of the action and and the violence to life on stage ? Absolutely.
S5: I'm working with this incredible choreography team led by Rick and Jeff Cooperman. They are brothers. They're 13 months apart. They grew up dancing together. They grew up fighting together. And something that was so important to me was that the language of dance and the language of fight and the language of scene all felt like one. You know , fighting can be as intimate as making love. And I think that you can see that in some of the ways that we're exploring choreography. The fighting is visceral. As Adam Rapp says in the book , it should you should want to run up on stage and save these kids. And so the violence , you know , is hyper realistic at times. And then when we have thought , like , the audience can't take that kind of hyper realism , or they might get numb to it , it goes into an expressive place , which I think is as powerful as the hyper real stuff. So the show is incredibly physical. It climaxes at a huge rumble that all 19 members of the cast are in. It's raining , it's muddy , and by the end of that fight , the characters are indistinguishable from one another , which I think is part of the point that Susie was trying to make , which is , at the end of the day , we're all people who are molded by our circumstance , who are molded by society , and if we don't judge one another on those superficial aspects , we get a lot farther as a as a society.
S6: Next , I want to talk about the music. And the production team brought on both Justin Levine and Jamestown Revival to write the music.
S5: I remember getting the script and the demos and turning on the first song , Cool Hand Luke , and just grooving like , you know , the band has been rehearsing for the first time , so I've been able to hear kind of the sound with its nine piece orchestra , and it's funky and it's so good , and it's so from the heart , and it's so visceral. And so that's something that I find really unique to the musical theater world. It does what it needs to do storytelling wise , but it feels like going home. You know , there's a ton of Bill Withers influence in it. There's some Bonnie Raitt , there's the band. It just feels like America to me in all of its chaos and beauty. And so that feels really special to me. And , you know , the musicians have been with us in our rehearsal process , in the tech process the whole time , really tailoring every song to what's happening on stage. So there's certain songs when I just hear the the music start , make me want to cry , you know , the music has that power and I can't wait for people to hear it.
S6: So I'm hearing a lot of buzz that this will be the next Jersey boys. And that was another world premiere musical that skyrocketed from the Playhouse , its original producer , to Broadway , back in 2005. We could also mention The Who's Tommy , which also originated at the Playhouse or more recently , come from away. I don't know if you're hearing that also , but is that something that you just kind of have to tuck in the back of your mind as as a cast , as a creative team ? Definitely.
S5: You know , I am trying to be so present. Working on this adaptation of The Outsiders has been something that has given me , like , the most joy I've ever experienced in my life. It's such an incredible story that I'm trying to focus on making it now for La Jolla Playhouse and for this audience. So we are making it the best version we possibly can , and I definitely can't think too far in the future , even though , of course , I hope this goes everywhere and even more than Broadway. I hope this goes into high schools all over the country and all over the world. Part of what's so struck me about the book is that it affects people in all countries , too. So I just imagine what it could be like to be a high schooler working on this material , and what it allows young people to investigate and expose in themselves and how healthy that could be. So that's my real dream , is for young people to get their hands on this and make their own versions of this and sing their hearts out and explore feelings and emotions and ways of being that society tells them not to do. That's my real dream.
S1: That was Danya Taymor , the director of the musical The Outsiders , speaking with KPBS Arts producer and editor Julia Dickson Evans in February before it premiered at the La Hoya Playhouse. The Tony Award ceremony is on June 16th. When we come back , we hear about the artistic legacy of San Diego sculptor James Hubble , who passed away Friday at the age of 92.
S7: Jim's art is more than just an object. It has a message behind it , which is about peace and beauty and the importance of all of us , and hopefully seeking , as he did , seeking beauty in our own lives.
S1: You're listening to KPBS Midday Edition. Welcome back to KPBS midday Edition. I'm Andrew Bracken in for Jade Hindman. Iconic local sculptor , architect and designer James Hubbell passed away last Friday. He was 92. Hubbell is best known for hundreds of pieces around San Diego , from stained glass windows to sculptures and mosaic fountains. Hubbell lived in Julian since 1958 , where the backdrop of San Diego's mountains were a major source of artistic inspiration. To reflect on his legacy. KPBS Arts producer and editor Julia Dixon Evans spoke with Marian Curtis. She's executive director of the Ellen Leal Foundation , an arts education nonprofit founded by Hubbell and his wife , Anne , in 1982. And she's the director of the documentary called James Hubble Between Heaven and Earth. Julia began by asking Marion what San Diego's backcountry and wilderness meant to James Hubbell.
S7: Nature was such a huge inspiration for him. He didn't copy nature in his art , but he certainly took the lessons he learned from his lifetime's devotion to it. Uh , in expressing it in his form and in the way he would blend materials. He he would point out that in nature , a tree and grass will grow next to a rock. They don't they don't keep separate. And so when he worked with materials , he would put , uh , you know , brick with mosaic with stained glass. A floor becomes a wall , a wall becomes a roof. And his designs and and so it was that kind of inspiration that he took from from nature.
S6: I want to play an excerpt from a KPBS special that aired well over 20 years ago. It's called the Art and Vision of James Hubbell.
S8: The artist is , uh , is the kind of person who who we all , when there's problems , we suffer with them. But the artist is the kind of person that has to make something from that. And so what he function says is sort of a raw nerve for the culture. And he transfers that , um , that change which is going about into an object , whether it's , um , pollution or overpopulation or war , he needs to to reinterpret the , the myth of the culture. The problem that we've had is that the we've treated the artists so much as a play toy to the rich that we , um , we haven't made use of the gifts that the artists can give to all of us.
S6:
S7: The idea that art only belongs in a museum or on the walls of of wealthy homes was just anathema to him. And and so he would build art into his own home. It would be on the floor , it would be on the wall. It would be in the light fixture in his studio for his artist to work by. And it was in his public art as well. And of course , he did a lot of projects where he brought art to the community , for example , his 30 years work in Palladio in Mexico and Tijuana , uh , that he built a school for children and , and encrusted it with many beautiful mosaics and stained glass works and , uh , artful designs and the architecture. And the idea was that if he would , he said in to quote him , is that if children , you give a children a beautiful place to learn , then they'll think that education is important. And if you don't , then they're not valuing what you want them to take from their education. So he he just deeply understood that , that art speaks to the soul and that we all need it. In fact , the people who can least afford it probably need it the most. And so he did his best to open , uh , artistic opportunities for people to learn with him , to help him build some of his public art projects , and to bring that beautiful art into the public sphere so that everyone could enjoy it.
S6: You know , it's hard to talk about Hubble without talking about Ilan Liel and his incredible studio and home property in in Julian.
S7: And and that didn't happen for him until he was in his late 20s. So , you know , it's an interesting his his early story is interesting. He , his mother , uh , was uh , moved around quite a bit. She was married several times. And so , uh , he talks about being in 12 different schools and 12 years and that , uh , that he never could call any one place home. And so he went , he looked to his art , and he looked to nature as those constant things that he could find wherever he was. Uh , and it wasn't until , um , he had grown up. He traveled in Europe for for a few years. He served in the Korean War of and and came back , you know , traveled through Japan and and so forth. And , uh , when he finally returned back to San Diego and met the woman he would marry. And Stuart , uh , he was ready at that point to settle down. He was in his late 20s and and he purchased a ten acres in Julian , uh , uh , in 1958. And they proceeded together to build their home there. And that was his home for 65 years , the first and only home that he , he could really call his own. And and it was the source and sustenance of so much of his work. He built a studio there , and it is the place from which most of his artwork emanated. Was that an incredibly , uh , special space in nature , filled with his surrounding himself and his family , with his art , in his architecture , and then , you know , famously opening it to the public on Father's Day for , for decades , you know , this was the one day when anyone could come out and come see his home and , and thousands of people made the trek out to Julian to see that unique space because it had such a a reputation as such an unusual and beautiful spot.
S6: And working on these documentaries about him has definitely impacted your life.
S7: As much as I admire and adore the beautiful works that he does , and it is his his giving , his giving spirit to all of us , his willingness to open up his art to many people , to let us watch his process , to invite us in , to collaborate with him , uh , the free way that he would share and give his art away to worthy causes or , or as a way of saying thank you to someone. I personally received many wonderful gifts from him , as you know as is in his gratefulness to me for helping him with his work. And , you know , it's just he was never he never held back. He was always giving of himself , giving his art away , giving his talent away. And you can't help but be moved by that and attracted by that. You know , that whole idea that the love you give is what you take ? I think that's what we see being expressed in the moment now was hundreds of people are stepping forward and talking about what an impact that man has made on their lives. And it's it's partly his art , but it's also his spirit. So I know people who have known him will understand what I'm speaking of because it it's truly what made him , I think , so popular and so special and so beloved in this community.
S6: And for those of us who want to experience some of James Hubble's work , can you tell us about the exhibitions that are currently on view in four different library art galleries across the county ? And these are all open to the public , and they're free through August 4th.
S7: That's right. The exhibition is called Architecture of Jubilation. Now that's a document almost a manifesto. I would say that Jim wrote about his work and his ideas behind his work , and we have taken that document and expressed it in , uh , covering his very long and varied career , starting with his young life and his travels to settling and Julian to the work he has done , the the notable work such as the Sea Ranch Chapel and the doors of Abu Dhabi , and then all the public art that exists in San Diego. And then , of course , as the latter half of his life that he dedicated to doing so many projects in Baja California , uh , and , and introducing Americans to Tijuana and to , to and to the people and the public art projects that include , uh , the Colegio School I mentioned before and , uh , Alchemy Museum in Dakar , which is the only Kumeyaay museum that we that exists today. And it was designed by James and , uh , is , is uh , on , uh , open to the public there. So , um , so this whole all of these different things are , are part of our architecture of jubilation. Uh , it is a part story , part art exhibit , and it is has some beautiful architectural designs that Jim has made for clients. We have a beautiful set of doors and and some furniture there. We also have a recreation of his private studio in Julian for people to kind of see the space that he created in and what he surrounded himself with to inspire his own creativity. And , uh , it's a it's a wonderful , uh , joyous and beautiful exhibition. And at Central Library , the ninth floor gallery. And then we have three additional exhibitions that that dive deeper into elements of his work. So at Scripps Ranch , Miramar , that is a exhibition about Ellen Leal , his home in Julian , uh , at the Mission Valley Library. He we have an exhibit about Pacific Rim Park. That's Jim's Park projects that he built around the Pacific Rim. And then at , uh , at Otay Mesa. Nestor , uh , we have an exhibit about Jim's work in Baja California , and that includes the school , the Kumeyaay museum , and some works at Rancho Laporta. So , uh , it's a comprehensive look at Jim's work. Jim , as an artist who embodies San Diego and Baja California and really the spirit of this region. It's nature. It's culture , our proximity to Mexico , our proximity to the ocean. All of those themes are woven through Hubble's art. So he truly , I think , is the ultimate expression of of what it means to be an artist in San Diego.
S6: I wanted to share something that Hubble said in your documentary , James Hubble Between Heaven and Earth , which is available to watch online on the KPBS video app. And , you know , this is from when he's. A bit older and you can hear the impact that Parkinson's has in his voice , but he is still so strong and convicted in his expression.
S9: I think my life is really about maybe bridging things , but it's also just about making things. I think artists are born with a certain vocabulary in their head , and they just you follow it or you get a chance to fall in. You're lucky. I don't think you have to know where you're going , but I think you have to set a direction towards something that hopefully it's big enough so that it'll last your whole life and even after.
S6: Mary Ann I was actually just starting to kind of mourn all of the future parks and libraries that haven't been built yet that won't have James Hubble's artwork in them. But then I remembered that line about setting a direction towards something , and hopefully it's big enough.
S7: And to think that those beautiful works of art will no longer be on our tables or coming out of Hubble Studios is is a sad thing to contemplate. But Jim's you know , Jim's art is more than just an object. It has a message behind it , which is about peace and beauty and the importance of all of us understanding and appreciating and hopefully seeking as he did , seeking beauty in our own lives , opening ourselves to the possibilities of our own creativity or our own potential and and just embracing one another , you know , in friendship. Because that's what he did every day. And that is what he encouraged all of us to do alongside him. And I , I'm sure he hopes that we continue to do that when he's no longer here. And fortunately , he's left us this wonderful legacy and the foundation that he started 41 years ago , the Allen Leo Foundation. And in that foundation , we are continuing to to approach the projects that he started and hope to continue. We we have every intention of continuing to build Pacific Rim parks. There are 51 countries that touch the Pacific , so we've got a lot of territory to cover. But we also have this tremendous group of people who have been groomed and worked with Jim for many decades , and who can carry on in his spirit. We won't have his particular design , but we will have his spirit.
S1: That was Mary Ann Curtis , filmmaker and executive director of the Ellen Lowell Foundation , speaking with Julia Dickson Evans , KPBS arts producer and editor and KPBS Midday Edition host Jade Heineman caught up with Julia to hear her reflections on James Hubble's legacy.
S6: Hey , Jade , thanks for having me.
S10: Always glad to have you here. So we just heard Marianne's reflections on Hubble's work.
S6: Um , there is a huge stained glass window designed by James Hubble. It's at All Souls Episcopal Church and Point Loma. And , you know , they have a bunch of concerts there as well. And it's this really beautiful backdrop. There's so many blues and yellows and greens. It's kind of done in abstract botanicals. I first saw it when I was a teenager , and it was actually the first time I'd ever heard of him as an artist , so that one will always be special to me. Um , another one is a little bit more off the beaten path , but it's a piece of public art. Right at the start of the Vulcan Mountain trailhead in Julian. It's these beautiful carved wood and metal sculptures that form , like a little passageway or a gate as you start the trail. And it's also a really great hike. And on our website we have a little list of some other highlights or places that you can check out his work around the county. And of course , definitely check out some or all of the exhibitions at the four libraries right now. You just heard Marianne outline for us , and I would recommend starting at the Downtown Central Library. It's the ninth floor art gallery. It's kind of a retrospective with a bunch of his sculptures , some like books and photos and other ephemera , as well as lots of information about him. It's a great place to start. The gallery has slightly different hours than the library , but it's still open every day , so yeah , that one's great. And on Tuesday there's going to be a discussion with Keith York. He's a local architecture historian , is going to do a presentation about a friendship that Hubbell had for 40 years with the architect SIM Bruce Richards. So that's Tuesday at 6:00 at the downtown library.
S10: Very nice. All right , well , let's take a look at some other arts and culture events going on this weekend. A new spin on hamlet opens at the Old Globe this weekend. What do you know about Fat Ham ? Right.
S6: So this is a Pulitzer Prize winning play. It's by playwright James Ames , and it retells the concept of hamlet. It's set against the backdrop of a southern black families backyard gathering. And instead of hamlet , we have juicy , who is a queer black college student who has to face the ghost of his father , who shows up at the barbecue looking for revenge and the way that I am script handled. Does the kind of generational trauma of hamlet is that he spins us in another direction than Shakespeare did , as we follow juicy finding agency. And this opens on May 25th , and it's on stage at the globe until June 23rd.
S10: It sounds great. All right. The San Diego Symphony performs at the Shell on Saturday. What are they.
S6: Performing ? Right. So this is with Raphael Perry conducting , and they're doing Igor Stravinsky's Firebird. This was originally written for the ballet. It's a huge sweeping piece. And we're listening to the infernal dance movement. And they're also going to play Beethoven's fourth Piano Concerto. It's also a really lovely piece. And Jeremy Denk is doing the solo. And this is Saturday at 630 and the At the Shell.
S10: Kevin Kwan is author of crazy Rich Asians , and he's coming to town tonight to discuss his latest book. What can you tell us about that ? Yeah.
S6: So this book , the new one is called Lies and Weddings , and it starts out within the elite family in Hong Kong , who , after they realize they've dried up their trust fund , they decide that their best option is to marry off their son to someone else super rich. And their plan is to send him to a society wedding to meet someone. There's scandals and lots of upper crust shenanigans. It sounds like a great read. And Kevin Kwan will be here in conversation with Lacy Crawford , who's a local author. It's going to be at Usds Institute for Peace and Justice Theater tonight at seven.
S10: Sounds great. And the museum school holds their annual art auction this Friday.
S6: Regardless of whether you have any plans on bidding on anything. And the auction's actually already open online , so you can browse the works before you go. Or you can just show up and look at some beautiful art on the walls. And the main draw here for me is just how comprehensive this list of artists is. There's so many really notable local artists involved like Carrie Fukuyama , Hugo Crossway , The Dilatory Brothers , Andrew Accursed , Charles Gilbert Solak , Ted Washington , the list goes on. Dozens and dozens more. And this is at Bread and Salt from 5 to 8 on Friday , and they will have the show set up in the big brick room. And it's one night only , so don't miss it.
S10:
S6: We have Maggie Rogers playing with the Japanese house at their Gallagher Square stage , and we're listening to Maggie Rogers song The Kill is from her newest album , which just dropped last month. But be sure to get there in time to catch the Japanese house opening.
UU: Don't sleep on them. One of these days I'm gonna wake up smiling. One of these days I'm gonna cry. When all of you start to blend in together and watch them disappear in your eyes.
S6: And then on Friday , we also have CD ghosts. They're playing at Whistlestop Bar. They are a great synth moody band. This is their song constellations from their brand new EP.
UU: Kat Shea butter.
S6: And finally , on Sunday at Petco Park , Moon Lafferty will perform. She is a Chilean Mexican musician , and this is a single that she just put out earlier this year called obra de Dios. And it has this really distinct pop style. But she has such a range as a musician , she pulls from so many different genres , not just rock and pop , but cumbia , bolero , salsa and the opening act Sunday night is Jimenez Argentina , a Latin pop star based out of Mexico City. Should be a really great show you.
UU: Around the. So in my.
S10: Sounds like a lot to see. You can find details on these and more arts events , and sign up for Julia's weekly arts newsletter at KPBS , mortgage Arts. I've been speaking with KPBS Arts producer Julia Dixon Evans. Julia. Thanks. Thanks , Jay.
S1: That's our show for today. We'd love hearing your feedback. Andrea Rose left us this message after our show Tuesday about cannabis and how it's helping her mom.
S11: She goes from screaming and crying and having all the negatives of Alzheimer's to being happy laughing for us. It's been amazing , and I really think that it's wasted on the youth , and we need to focus our energy and our science on how it can help seniors.
S1: If you have feedback for us , you can leave us a message at (619) 452-0228. You can also email us at midday at KPBS. Org. If you ever miss a show , you can download the Midday Edition podcast wherever you listen. Midday editions produced by Giuliana Domingo , Brooke Ruth , Ashley Rush and me , Andrew Bracken. Art segment contributors are Julia Dixon Evans and Beth Accomando. Technical producers include Rebecca Chacon , Ben Ridloff and Brandon Truffaut. Our theme music is by the Sure Fire Soul Ensemble. I'm Andrew Bracken. Jade Heidemann will be back next week. Thanks so much for listening.
