Tips on how to book a show at The Poet and the Patriot
Booking the music for a venue is usually not a group effort. Normally there is a “booker” and they are the end all, be all. Want a show? Get in line to talk to the booker. If the booker doesn’t like “your kind,” then you can forget about ever getting on the calendar.

Not so at downtown drinkery The Poet and the Patriot, where the entire crew, from sound man to door man, have the power to pencil you in. If you call for a show you might talk to Jason, if you walk in off the street you might talk to Chris or Sean, and if you email you will probably hear back from Tim.

Director Susan Myer Silton returns with a new—and funny—endeavor
She’s back. After a year-long sabbatical, revered local theater director Susan Myer Silton is back in the director’s chair, and this time around, she’s ratcheting everything up several notches. And that’s a hard feat, considering that Myer Silton is the co-founder and artistic director of the popular and edgy Pisces Moon theater company that for years has been turning out stellar dramatic work. But with her new play, “Clouds,” produced by Jewel Theatre of San Jose, Myer Silton is indeed upping the ante. This time around, she’s working with an equity company, and staging a play that’s using some equity actors, and in addition, she’ll play only the role of director this time. No longer does she have to write the grants, hire the lighting guy and so on. Her skills are purely focused on one thing—directing “Clouds,” which opens on Sept. 16 at the Broadway Playhouse in Santa Cruz.

Watsonville’s Cafe Ella celebrates the bounty of local produce with homemade recipes
his week thousands of us will travel on East Lake Avenue towards the Santa Cruz County Fair. Huge hogs raised by 4-H kids, rides, carnie games, and exhibits of local artisans are sure to draw crowds. Nevertheless, what if you’re just not a fan of fair food?

As the official season of summer draws to a close, I have my fingers crossed for a month of warm fog-free fall days. But to hedge my bet I set out to enjoy a summer dinner at 515 Kitchen and Cocktails.

I’d like to see Arnold take a job in teaching or healthcare and then have pay reduced to the federal minimum wage durring the budget crisis.
Jorie Henrickson
Santa Cruz | Copywriter

Our obsessions with cell phones becomes evident in new play
Gerry Gerringer, artistic director of Actors’ Theatre, is kicking off the company’s 26th season with a play you’ve probably never heard of. “Dead Man’s Cell Phone” may not have the theatrical history of a Shakespeare comedy, but it’s the perfect example of what’s hot right now in contemporary playwriting.

Sarah Ruhl, who was nominated for a 2010 Tony award for her play “In the Next Room,” wrote this new dark comedy, which revolves around Jean (Julia Cunningham), a woman who answers a stranger’s phone when it won’t stop ringing, only to find out that the man is dead. Rather than seek medical assistance for him, Jean gets herself entangled in his dysfunctional relationships with his alienated widow, his commanding mother and his mysterious mistress, and even falls in love with his lonely brother.

Owen Ashworth reflects on 13 years as Casiotone for the Painfully Alone
“I don’t think I’m a particularly good interview,” laments Owen Ashworth about halfway through my interview with the purveyor of indie electronic act Casiotone for the Painfully Alone—coming to the Crepe Place on Wednesday, Sept. 22 with opener Otouto.

This is a half-truth. It’s not so much that Ashworth isn’t a good interview—rather, I feel like I’ve learned a great deal about the Chicago-via-San Francisco musician during our 30 minutes. His answers are methodical, philosophical, and engaging. However, Ashworth is correct in asserting that his musings are distinct (read: much headier) from other indie pseudo-stars. And I feel like this is because he knows all my tricks and secrets.

PG&E’s SmartMeter devices have aroused many heated opinions among Santa Cruz residents—as Good Times learned first hand following our recent round table Q&A with a handful of key players in the debate. One of the most ubiquitous concerns was that PG&E was not communicating well with the general public. Well, concerned citizens take note: PG&E will be holding “open houses” aimed at educating about SmartMeters throughout the county over the next month. Take your questions and concerns to any or all of the following open house events: PG&E Payment Center in Capitola from 1 to 4 p.m. on Sept. 22; Ramsey Park Family Center in Watsonville from 4 to 7 p.m. on Sept. 30; and the Louden Nelson Community Center in Santa Cruz from 6 to 9 p.m. on Oct. 13. 

In lieu of state funding, one volunteer program aims to keep the streets safe from dirty needles
Last September, the Downtown Santa Cruz community was dealt a firm blow when the Santa Cruz AIDS Project’s Drop-In Center fell prey to state budget cuts and was forced to close its doors.

For 10 years the center provided a safe-haven for many in the community—whether they had fallen on hard times, needed shelter from the elements, or were dealing with serious drug addictions. The center also dispersed information on drug rehabilitation and medical treatments, as well as administered a syringe exchange program (SEP). Now, with such a noticeable void left in the community, volunteer groups have been scrambling to provide the lost services. One such group is Street Outreach Supporters (S.O.S.).

The ride is back, revamped and family-friendly
Rain or shine, the Surf City AIDS Ride wants you to get your bicycle out. The annual tour-de-Cruz bicycle extravaganza returns on Oct. 3 as a full-fledged family affair, revamped to accommodate riders of varying skill levels.

The Surf City AIDS Ride began 10 years ago as the Century Ride, and is currently in its fifth year under the direction of the Santa Cruz AIDS Project (SCAP). Traditionally, it has commenced at Cabrillo College, but this year the riders will gather at the centrally located San Lorenzo Park on Dakota Avenue in Downtown Santa Cruz. Organizers say the change in the starting location will make the ride more accessible to Santa Cruz residents. Furthermore, they have plans for the park to provide a spacious and scenic venue for an all-day event. While the bicyclists endure the trek of 12, 30, 60, or 100 miles along the coast and through Santa Cruz and its neighboring counties, their cheerleaders will get to enjoy the luxury of homegrown entertainment: the park will be filled with comestibles provided by vendors, family-friendly games, and live local music. Ride organizers are encouraging all members of the community to partake in the festivities.