Local Music Teachers to Perform at Carnegie Hall

Johanna Miller
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Local Music Teachers to Perform at Carnegie Hall

A musical duo who also teaches in the Pajaro Valley Unified School District has been selected by an international competition to perform at the prestigious Carnegie Hall in New York City.

Amalia Diaz and Camilo Ortiz have been playing together as “Camilo y Amalia” for years, having first met while teaching with Youth Orchestra Salinas. They now teach with PVUSD through El Sistema Santa Cruz/Pajaro Valley, a nonprofit aiming to bring music education and performance to students.

In 2019 Diaz received an email about Progressive Musicians, a competition aiming to help artists “achieve their goals and advance artistically.” Musicians go through two rounds of competition, receiving feedback about their work from a professional jury.

“That’s what caught my attention,” Diaz said. “We hadn’t had any professional feedback, and it’d be super cool to have it from a jury in New York. It’d take things to another level.”

Progressive Musicians is open to artists of all ages in three categories: Children, Amateur and Professional. Winners in each category are invited to perform at the Winner’s Recital at Carnegie Hall.

“We’re teachers, we play weddings and events,” Ortiz said. “We’ve played our whole life, but not like this. The quality of the recital is going to be very high.”

Ortiz said that the opportunity is not only good for their career, but also for the students they teach. 

“We always try to tell the kids, music is great for you, not just because you’re learning songs,” he said. “It can open your eyes and the world to you. I feel like this is a validation of that message for them: You don’t know what kinds of opportunities music can open for you.”

Added Diaz: “I love the fact that we’re teachers in Watsonville, and it’s something people don’t expect to happen. People should know there are good musicians and programs for our students right here.”

El Sistema Santa Cruz/Pajaro Valley was founded in 2012, though the nonprofit originated in Venezuela in 1975. Diaz and Ortiz are both originally from nearby Columbia. To their surprise, major networks in the South American country have embraced their story, reporting on the duo’s upcoming concert.

“There is so much bad news coming out of Columbia … so it’s a piece of good news they want to share with the country,” Ortiz said. “It’s a piece of light amongst the craziness.”

El Sistema has even more good news: For the second time, a workshop they created will be presented at the International Society of Music Education’s annual conference. The event is currently scheduled to be virtual, but, if Covid restrictions improve, there is a chance it could be held in person in Australia. 

“If we could attend, our idea was to bring some kids from Watsonville with us,” Ortiz said. “That’s what we want to show them: Music can take you to so many places.”

For information on Camilo y Amalia, including their upcoming debut album “Senderos,” visit their website.

Watsonville’s New Districts Stay Close to Status Quo

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Watsonville’s New Districts Stay Close to Status Quo

The Watsonville City Council at its Tuesday meeting approved new district boundaries that feature only a handful of differences from the borders that were in place during the last decade.

Every decade following the release of census data, jurisdictions must adjust their district lines to account for possible shifts in population from one area to another. This is done to ensure that all elected districts and communities remain as equally represented as possible in local government.

In Watsonville’s case, that meant adjusting the boundaries of the city’s seven districts to account for the changes the city has undergone since 2011, and the possible growth it will see in the near future.

The changes are as follows: 

  • The neighborhood made up of Wagner Avenue and Delaware, Vermont and Martinelli streets is moving from the 6th to the 7th.
  • The neighborhood between Rogers and Hill avenues will move from the 2nd to the 6th district.
  • The section of downtown surrounded by Main, E. 5th, Brennan, Union and East Beach streets will move from the 1st to the 2nd. 
  • The land on which the FedEx distribution center sits will move from the 1st to the 4th.
  • The neighborhoods around Hazelwood Park on the north side of the city will move to 3rd District, while the 4th will gain a small sliver of Highway 1 and Westgate Drive in exchange. 

The map was approved by a 5-2 vote, with City Councilmembers Rebecca Garcia and Vanessa Quiroz-Carter dissenting. 

Garcia said she voted against the proposal because the map did not unify the Clifford Avenue apartment complexes that are currently split between the 5th and 4th districts. Garcia throughout the redistricting process has said the apartments are a “community of interest,” or a group that has similar concerns and makeup, and should be lumped into one district.

Quiroz-Carter did not explain her dissenting opinion Tuesday. But in previous meetings, she has said that she worried the removal of the neighborhood off Rogers Avenue, known in local political circles as “The Thumb” because of its shape in relation to the 2nd District, would hurt her constituents.

The final map was the result of the city’s redistricting process that began in earnest last fall. A seven-member committee appointed by the city council recommended the elected leaders move forward with the plan accepted on Tuesday after a half-dozen public meetings.

Several committee members said they chose to stay close to the status quo because of concerns about census undercount and a possible dilution of power in the 1st and 2nd districts—historically representing large Latino populations.

The plan will return for a second reading on Feb. 22 or March 8. It must be finalized by March 20.

Watsonville Chips in $130K to Health District’s Push for Hospital Purchase

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Watsonville Chips in $130K to Health District’s Push for Hospital Purchase

In a vote that was largely ceremonial, the Watsonville City Council unanimously approved giving $130,000 to the newly-formed Pajaro Valley Healthcare District to help the nonprofit purchase Watsonville Community Hospital’s operations.

The contribution from the cash-strapped municipality pales in comparison with those of other jurisdictions such as Santa Cruz ($5.5 million) and Monterey ($3M) counties and encapsulates why the PVHD was formed: to bring WCH back into public ownership as it was before it was purchased by a corporation in the 1990s.

The hospital serves an area with disproportionately low household income and access to quality housing, transportation and healthcare, according to the California Healthy Places Index. Around 43% of the hospital’s gross revenue comes from the state Medi-Cal program, and 30% of its gross revenue comes from the federal Medicare program serving the elderly and disabled.

Because of this, WCH has struggled to adequately serve the Pajaro Valley over the course of two decades of private ownership.

The current hospital operators filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in December. The hospital remains open and offers a full range of medical services as it weaves its way through the bankruptcy court hearings.

PVHD, made up of the County of Santa Cruz, the City of Watsonville, Community Health Trust of Pajaro Valley and Salud Para La Gente, is the lead candidate of three that have shown interest in buying the hospital’s operations.

“If we had millions, we’d probably give millions,” Mayor Ari Parker said. “But we’ll wait and see what we can do.”

During Tuesday’s presentation to the council, Cecilia Montalvo, the director of the Cambria Community Health Care District and a founding board member of the PVHD, said the district needs to raise $39 million to close on the purchase of the hospital by Feb. 22.

Along with the commitments from the city and the two counties the hospital serves, the Community Health Trust, Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Dominican Hospital and the Central California Alliance for Health have also chipped in, and Montalvo said PVHD is on pace to gather the funds needed for the purchase. 

In all, the district will need to raise close to $67 million to adequately fund the hospital’s operations, with the largest investment—an expected infusion of $15 million—coming from the state.

The district will also soon give people the opportunity to contribute individual donations, Montalvo said.

The breakneck pace of the creation, establishment and fund-gathering the PVHD has undergone since it first announced its plans to purchase the hospital last fall—when its chief executive told employees that the facility faced imminent closure—has been nothing short of spectacular, all councilmembers said.

State Senator John Laird’s bill (Senate Bill 418) that sought to establish the PVHD passed unanimously in the Assembly and Senate and was signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in less than a month, clearing the final hurdle on Friday.

Salud Para La Gente CEO Dori Rose Inda said the quick action by the state legislature was a “very powerful proclamation about the importance of our community.”

“It was a clear statement by the state that the Pajaro Valley, the residents who work here and live here, and the hospital that serves them, really are essential and important,” said Inda, who is also a founding member of the PVHD.

Decision on Watsonville’s Measure U Renewal Upcoming

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Decision on Watsonville’s Measure U Renewal Upcoming

An effort to extend a landmark Watsonville ballot measure that placed restrictions on the expansion of the city took a big step forward Tuesday.

The Watsonville City Council accepted the city clerk’s certification of a petition filed by the Committee for Planned Growth and Farmland Protection that will bring an extension of Measure U before the elected leaders at an upcoming meeting.

At that meeting, the council could choose to accept the petition and extend the constraints on urban expansion approved by Watsonville voters in 2002 for another 18 years. But, it is more likely that the council will instead give Watsonville voters a chance in the upcoming November election to voice their opinion on the effect Measure U has had on the community and whether they’d like to continue down the same path through 2040.

Determining the effects the measure, which, officially, was an amendment to the city’s general plan, has had on Watsonville is a difficult task. While the constraints on outward growth have indeed protected agricultural land from development, they have also limited Watsonville’s ability to, among other things, build new homes and persuade large employers and businesses to invest in the city.

Supporters of the extension say that the city should instead try to solve its housing issues by building apartment complexes on vacant and underutilized land throughout the already densely populated municipality.

The city council has commissioned a study on the measure that will likely come to the leaders before they decide how to proceed.

The committee, a coalition of environmentalist and agriculture advocates and representatives, needed to collect signatures from 10% of Watsonville’s voting body, or about 2,100 people, to bring the renewal forward. It turned in a little more than 3,100 signatures in December but around 700 were tossed out by the County Clerk because they were unverified. 

In the end, the committee still had more than enough signatures (2,411) to move ahead. 

Tuesday’s action was on the council’s consent agenda, where items that are uncontroversial are typically placed. Because of this, there was little discussion among the council about the measure.

Only Councilwoman Rebecca Garcia chose to comment on the item. She said she heard that people gathering signatures for the committee were telling prospective signees that the measure would help protect the wetlands from development.

City Manager Pro-Tem Tamara Vides, answering Garcia’s question as to what safeguards the wetlands already have, said that the city’s general plan has strong and clear protections for the natural resource.

“The wetlands are already protected and will not be built upon,” Vides said.

Garcia, following up on Vides’ statement, said that it seemed the committee was spreading misinformation about what exactly a renewal would accomplish.

“The wetlands are already protected,” Garcia said. “I think that needs to be corrected for their future advocacy for that measure.”

Committee member Sam Earnshaw in an email to the Pajaronian said Garcia’s comments were over-generalizations and not based on fact.

“No one has ever said anything about ‘building’ on the wetlands,” Earnshaw wrote.

Santa Cruz City Council Opposes Abandoning Freight Lines

Aiyana Moya
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Santa Cruz City Council Opposes Abandoning Freight Lines

The Santa Cruz City Council unanimously voted to oppose the potential abandoning of freight service on the Felton and Santa Cruz Rail Lines at its meeting Tuesday. The vote will have no formal power, but it signals to the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) that the council sides with Roaring Camp Railroads in the battle over the future of the rail lines.

On Feb. 3, the RTC held a public meeting about potentially abandoning the Felton Branch Rail Line, which would deem it “railbanked.” According to a staff report on the issue, this move would allow for the potential to haul freight in the future and would put off the estimated $50-plus million in repairs that the line needs.

But Roaring Camp sees the RTC’s proposal as “an aggressive attack” on the railroad, fueled by lobbyists working to “end rail in Santa Cruz County,” according to a public statement on the matter.

“We are in a deadlock,” said Councilwoman Sandy Brown, who is also on the RTC, at the council meeting. “That’s the reality. We are really stalled.”

All members of the council spoke about the importance of supporting transportation infrastructure when making their vote to oppose abandoning the freight lines. Councilmembers Donna Meyers and Justin Cummings also noted that although the repairs needed will be substantial, both in scope and funding, they aren’t unfeasible.

“This effort to bring rail and trail to our community has been going on since the late 80s,” said Cummings. “Over the past two years, we’ve been seeing segments get built, and the efforts over time are leading us to making rail and trail a reality. We need to do what we can to keep this effort alive.”

Council also discussed the city’s budget, which, according to City Interim Finance Director Bobby Magee, will need to see a cut of $2.5 million during the next fiscal year. At the current rate of spending and if no new sources of revenue are secured, Magee said, projections show the city’s reserves running dry by 2028.

“Our operations are stretched thin,” said City Manager Matt Huffaker. “That’s why a discussion around exploring this additional sales tax measure is going to be important as we [think about] long term financial planning.”

A proposal for a new sales tax is expected to be brought before the council in early March. City staff has been polling residents about a new sales tax, one that voters could see on the June 7 ballot this year. Some 59% of respondents supported a new sales tax according to a January poll, Huffaker said.

“New revenue opportunities will be a key piece of what that rebuilding looks like,” said Huffaker. 

Santa Cruz County to Lift Mask Mandate Feb. 16

GT Staff
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Santa Cruz County to Lift Mask Mandate Feb. 16

In alignment with the state, 11 Bay Area counties, including Santa Cruz and the City of Berkeley, will lift universal mask requirements for most indoor public settings on Feb. 16.

Unvaccinated individuals over the age of 2 will continue to be required to wear masks in all indoor public settings. Businesses, venue operators and hosts may continue to require patrons to wear masks.

The change aligns with the California Department of Public Health’s (CDPH) decision to let expire the statewide indoor mask requirement, which was instated on Dec. 15 during the latest Covid-19 surge as a result of the Omicron variant of the disease. 

Indoor masking is still required by the state for everyone, regardless of vaccination status, in the following settings:

  • Public transportation
  • Health care settings
  • Congregate settings, like correctional facilities and homeless shelters
  • Long term care facilities
  • K-12 schools 
  • Childcare settings  

In a joint statement, health officers from the 12 Bay Area jurisdictions, in alignment with CDPH, continued to strongly recommend masks be used to slow the spread of the virus, especially when case rates are high or when additional personal protection is needed. 

They say that continuing to mask in indoor public settings, especially crowded or poorly ventilated spaces, remains the safest choice for an individual and helps protect those who are medically vulnerable or cannot get vaccinated, such as young children. 

As evidence continues to show, vaccinations and boosters remain the best defense against the virus, the joint statement read.

According to County Health spokesperson Corinne Hyland after reaching a high on Jan. 20 of 1,263 new cases in a day, Santa Cruz County case rates have declined to a 7-day average of 117 as of Feb. 7. Meanwhile, hospitalizations, a lagging indicator of the disease, have decreased.

CDPH continues to require masking in K-12 school settings but has indicated adjustments to the state’s policies will be shared in the coming weeks.

Cabrillo Parts Ways with Embattled Vice President

GT Staff
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Cabrillo Parts Ways with Embattled Vice President

By Lucia Meza

The Cabrillo College Governing Board of Trustees has decided to cut ties with the school’s vice president of instruction, who was placed on administrative leave after being charged with embezzlement in December.

The board decided in the closed session of its monthly meeting on Monday. The elected leaders approved the recommendation of Cabrillo College President Matt Wetstein to issue Paul De La Cerda a “notice of non-reemployment on or before March 15, 2022.”

In a prepared statement, Wetstein said that De La Cerda will remain on a leave of absence until June 30, when he will longer be a Cabrillo employee.

De La Cerda has responded to a request for comment. 

De La Cerda was put on administrative leave by the board after being charged with embezzlement by the Los Angeles County District Attorney.

Cabrillo hired him in June of 2021, a move the school’s leadership stood by while he was under investigation for fraud.

De La Cerda, 47, faces charges of misappropriation of government funds and embezzlement. He is accused of overbilling East Los Angeles College for roughly $1,575 between March 2017 and 2019. He is also accused of forging documents he submitted for reimbursement.

He pleaded not guilty on Jan. 7 and is set to return to the Los Angeles Superior Court on Feb. 17.

EXCLUSIVE: Longtime Supervisor Greg Caput Won’t Seek Reelection

Hugh McCormick
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EXCLUSIVE: Longtime Supervisor Greg Caput Won’t Seek Reelection

After serving for 12 years as Santa Cruz County’s 4th District representative, Supervisor Greg Caput says that he will not seek reelection in the upcoming June primary.

With a wife, two sets of adolescent twins and a 16-year-old son, Caput, now in his early 70s, says he wants to spend more quality time at home with his tight-knit family.

“It’s just the right time,” he says.

His departure might not be entirely surprising for those who have followed Caput through his ascent in local politics. Caput made passing term limits a significant part of his initial 2010 Board of Supervisors campaign—a hard-fought and stressful battle in which he triumphed by a measly 61 votes out of over 10,000 cast.

His multiple attempts to push term limits as a supervisor—both eight years and 12—were turned down by his fellow politicians, and the issue never came to a vote. 

“The shelf life of a supervisor should be 12 years,” says Caput. “I tried hard to push term limits. Throughout history, no one has really been on the Board of Supervisors for more than 12 years except for Gary Patton. I’ve loved the job of supervisor, but I’m ready to move on.”

Caput’s love for his district—one that includes Watsonville’s rural and agricultural lands, the Pajaro Valley and greater South County—is evident. A lifelong Watsonville resident, Caput attended local schools and spent his summer months in the fields cutting lettuce. His cluttered but warm office at the Watsonville Vets Hall in the heart of the city is adorned with all varieties of posters, relics and decorations representing the region’s rich and storied history. 

For Caput, Watsonville is, and always will be, home.

Tall, lanky and often wearing a tie, almost always a tad askew, Caput doesn’t look or come off as the typical politician. He does, however, have a magical way of connecting with his constituents and making them feel heard and listened to. That ability was on full display when he ousted three-term incumbent Tony Campos in 2010 for the 4th District seat. He primarily appealed to Watsonville voters that sought to slow the city’s expanding population and low-income housing production, advocating for “smart growth” on the campaign trail.

The past few years have been rough for the always personable supervisor—connections with his community more challenging to maintain.

“Covid has made things tough and impersonal. My whole family tested positive for the virus. I like meeting people in person—giving the personal touch,” he says. “Covid made everything difficult.”

Two familiar candidates have already stepped forward to try to fill his seat. According to county records, Watsonville City Councilman Jimmy Dutra declared his intention to run in the June primary late last month. Former Watsonville City Councilman and current Cabrillo College Governing Board Trustee Felipe Hernandez has also declared his intent to run.

Caput bested both candidates in 2018 for the 4th District seat, scoring a victory over Dutra in a November runoff by 1,000 votes. He also beat Dutra in 2014.

In his youth, the months Caput spent processing lettuce created a long and deep-seated connection with the area’s rich and fertile soil and its farmworkers. Before being elected to the board, Caput served on the Watsonville City Council from 2006-2010. He ran on a public safety platform—strengthening an understaffed firefighting and police force—and protecting farmland from urban sprawl.

Caput’s eyes light up when he starts to describe the work that he’s done over the past dozen years. He’s continued his commitment to supporting law enforcement and the fire department—eliminating mandatory overtime to prevent fatigue and mistakes.

Through the recent fires and a crippling pandemic, he’s advocated for opening doors and establishing services to aid the area’s homeless population. For years, more than 80 people were overnight guests at the Watsonville Vets Hall—just steps from his office.

When his third term ends later this year, Caput will leave his constituents with two big parting gifts: an ambitious plan to construct a massive park near the County Fairgrounds and the purchase of the old West Marine Building that the County is turning into a resource center.

By orchestrating the latter, he gave South County residents access to human services, the planning department, mental health services and public works without traveling all the way to Santa Cruz.

During his tenure, Caput also volunteered countless hours on a long list of other boards, committees and regional agencies, including the Environmental Health Appeals Commission, the Highway 1 Construction Authority, the Santa Cruz County Mental Health Advisory Board and the Santa Cruz County Workforce Development Board.

His colleagues on the Board of Supervisors unanimously elected him as the Board Chair for 2020.

Just as he pushed to establish term limits for the Board of Supervisors, Caput lobbied to cut the pay for the entire board. His efforts were summarily rejected, but he says he decided to donate most of his salary—over $200,000 over 11 years—to nonprofits and cases of need (like family tragedies).

“I could have used the money to pay off my mortgage,” he admits.

Caput says that he’s loved his time as supervisor, but not necessarily the politics. He does, however, want to thank his fellow supervisors—past and present. 

“Even though we didn’t agree on a lot of issues, we always got along,” he says. “It used to be shouting matches and yelling matches 30 years ago. Lately, though, we’ve always had a good working environment. They always accept me for who I am. And I accept them for who they are.”

Things To Do in Santa Cruz: Feb. 9-15

GT Staff
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Things To Do in Santa Cruz: Feb. 9-15

A weekly guide to what’s happening.

ARTS AND MUSIC

DELVON LAMARR ORGAN TRIO WITH ANDRE CRUZ & THE BLACK DIAMOND RHYTHM BAND The best way to describe this musical cornucopia: 1960s jazz organ a la Jimmy Smith, soul strut reminiscent of Booker T. & The M.G.’s and sprinkles of the otherworldliness emitting from Hendrix’s guitar. Andre Cruz & the Black Diamond Rhythm Band deliver “fuzz heavy, groove-infused California soul.” $20/$25. Wednesday, Feb. 9, 8:30pm. Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. Proof of vaccination or negative Covid test (within 72 hours of the show) required. moesalley.com.

THE WEIR The arrival of a mysterious woman from Dublin disrupts the routine of a tiny pub in rural Ireland. The local barflies vie to impress her with tales of the supernatural but what starts as stories of ghosts and fairies leads to revelations about love and family. ‘The Weir’ scored playwright Conor McPherson the Laurence Olivier Award for ‘Best New Play.’ $45-50. Thursday, Feb. 10, 7:30pm. Friday, Feb. 11 and Saturday, Feb. 12, 8pm. Sunday, Feb. 13, 2pm. The Colligan Theater, 1010 River St., Santa Cruz. jeweltheatre.net.

BUILT TO SPILL Frontman Doug Martsch returns to Santa Cruz with a new backing band and a forthcoming record on the horizon—already being dubbed one of the most anticipated records of 2022. Attendees can look forward to an array of fan faves from the group’s classic albums, including Perfect From Now On. $33.60. Thursday, Feb. 10, 8pm. Rio Theatre, 1205 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz. Proof of vaccination or negative Covid test (within 72 hours of the show) required. folkyeah.com. 

LET YOUR IMAGINATION FLY: RED LETTER DAYS HANDS-ON ART EVENT Using the medium of collage, participants will create an original book cover design using authentic images from the McCarthy Era. Presenters Jo-Neal Graves and Sharon Ferguson are local artists and art educators; they will provide all needed materials, background information, collage techniques and encouragement. The number of participants is limited. Free. Registration and proof of vaccination required. Saturday, Feb. 12, 1pm. Aptos Village Park, 100 Aptos Creek Road, Aptos. santacruzpl.libcal.com.

NICK DANGER AND THE LAVA LOUNGE Formerly The Dwellers, Nocturnal and Teaser, the five-piece Watsonville outfit’s musical style has evolved into a unique brand of Americana inspired by everyone from John Prine to Warren Zevon. Enjoy a mix of storytelling, sea shanties and early originals. Free with reservations. Saturday, Feb. 12, 2pm. El Vaquero Winery, 2901 Freedom Blvd., Watsonville. elvaquerowinery.com.

SANTA CRUZ SYMPHONY: BEETHOVEN & THE HILL WE CLIMB Destiny Muhammad (composer/singer/harpist), Leon Joyce, Jr. (drums), Noriyuki ‘Ken’ Okada (bass), Matt Wong (piano) and the Esperanza del Valle Baile Folclórico dancers will join the orchestra for an evening featuring the music of Beethoven. $31.50-102.50. Saturday, Feb. 12, 7:30pm. Civic Auditorium, 307 Church St., Santa Cruz. cityofsantacruz.com

HAND HABITS W/ GREGORY UHLMANN Hand Habits, aka singer-songwriter Meg Duffy, recently dropped the most ambitious record of her career, Fun House (engineered by King Tuff’s Kyle Thomas). The opus is a personal diary of grief, trauma and recovery. Chicago musician Gregory Uhlmann has collaborated with Tasha, Miya Folick, Nate Mercereau and Olivia Kaplan. $18/$22. Tuesday, Feb. 15, 8pm. Moe’s Alley, 1535 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz. Proof of vaccination or negative Covid test (within 72 hours of the show) required. moesalley.com.

ZACHARY WILLIAMS (OF THE LONE BELLOW) The Lone Bellow frontman revealed that a bulk of the tunes on his new solo record, Dirty Camaro, came during late-night writing sessions in his East Nashville home. There’s also a 13-year-old ballad he wrote about his daughter growing up. $20/$24. Tuesday, Feb. 15, 8pm. Felton Music Hall, 6275 Hwy 9, Felton. Proof of vaccination or negative Covid test required. feltonmusichall.com.

COMMUNITY

VIRTUAL MOVIE NIGHT: ‘CAREGIVER: A LOVE STORY’ Caregiver: A Love Story documents the tale of one man struggling to care for his dying wife. The film highlights an essential yet largely unseen workforce—the family caregivers of America—and challenges viewers to acknowledge the growing strain placed on them. Registration required. Wednesday, Feb. 9, 6-7pm. scottsvalleychamber.com/events/virtual-movie-night-caregiver-a-love-story.

COMMUNITY PILATES MAT CLASS Build strength at the popular in-person community Pilates Mat Class. Bring a mat, a small Pilates ball and TheraBand (if you have one). Must be vaccinated. $10/Suggested donation. Thursday, Feb. 10 and Tuesday, Feb. 15, 10am. Temple Beth El, 3055 Porter Gulch Road, Aptos.

WEST CLIFF VALENTINE’S OUTDOOR MARKET Enjoy the Valentine’s Day iteration of the outdoor market, featuring unique artisans, food trucks and a beautiful ocean view. The one-of-a-kind market is held in two parking lots along West Cliff Drive, overlooking Steamer Lane. Free. Saturday, Feb. 12, 10am-5pm. Lighthouse Point Park, West Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz.

VALENTINE’S DAY ONLINE WINE AND CHOCOLATE TASTING Taste six wine and chocolate pairings for up to two people while participating in a live zoom presentation featuring winemakers and chocolatiers. If you don’t have a kit, you must pick one up at the winery. Visit the online store to order. Saturday, Feb. 12, 5pm. El Vaquero Winery, 2901 Freedom Blvd., Watsonville. elvaquerowinery.com.

DOWNTOWN SANTA CRUZ ANTIQUE FAIRE For an eclectic blend of antiques and unique items, vintage clothing, collectibles, LPs, furniture, home dècor and memorabilia, check out the Santa Cruz Antique Faire (8am-5pm, the second Sunday of every month). Sunday, Feb. 13, 9am-5pm. Downtown Santa Cruz, Lincoln St. between Pacific & Cedar, Santa Cruz.

GROUPS

ENTRE NOSOTRAS GRUPO DE APOYO Spanish-speaking women diagnosed with cancer meet twice monthly. Free. Registration required. Friday, Feb. 11, 6pm. WomenCARE, 2901 Park Ave., Ste. A1, Soquel. 831-457-2273. womencaresantacruz.org.

WOMENCARE WRITING CIRCLE The Writing Circle is geared towards women who have been diagnosed with cancer. Meets on the second Saturday every other month. Free. Registration required. Saturday, Feb. 12, 10am-1pm. WomenCARE, 2901 Park Ave., Ste. A1, Soquel. 831-457-2273. womencaresantacruz.org.

WOMENCARE ARM-IN-ARM WomenCARE Arm-in-Arm Cancer support group for women with advanced, recurrent or metastatic cancer meets every Monday on Zoom. Free. Registration required. Monday, Feb. 14, 12:30pm. 831-457-2273. womencaresantacruz.org.

WOMENCARE TUESDAY SUPPORT GROUP The WomenCARE Tuesday Cancer support group, for women newly diagnosed and those undergoing treatment, currently meets on Zoom. Free Registration required. Tuesday, Feb. 15, 12:30-2pm. 831-457-2273. womencaresantacruz.org.

OUTDOOR

COASTAL BIRDING WALK The 2.5-mile tour includes several stops to view birds, plants and scenery along the way. Bring your binoculars if you have them, and help identify birds. Clothes for variable weather and good walking shoes are recommended. Meet next to the park map in Wilder Ranch’s main parking lot. Rain cancels. $10/Lot fee. Friday, Feb. 11, 9am. Wilder Ranch State Park, 1401 Coast Road, Santa Cruz. santacruzstateparks.as.me.

SUNSET BEACH BOWLS & BONFIRE Watch the sunset and experience the multi-sensory vibrations of crystal bowls and the ocean waves, creating a blissful symphony of sound. Moran Lake Beach. Free. Tuesday, Feb. 15, 5-6pm. Moran Lake Park & Beach, East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz. 831-333-6736.

Behind the Scenes With the Jewel Theater’s Julie James

Christina Waters
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Behind the Scenes With the Jewel Theater’s Julie James

The phrase “haunting drama” might have been coined for the plays of Irish bard Conor McPherson, whose acclaimed studies in brooding tall tales are fueled by ghosts, longing and plenty of Guinness. In the Jewel Theatre’s current production, The Weir, McPherson invites us to join locals in a remote Irish pub as they respond to a mysterious woman from Dublin called Valerie. As the barflies trade ghost stories with the unexpected visitor, the evening deepens with dark fears, uneasy encounters and tender revelations. The Jewel production shows why the play won the Olivier Award for Best New Play, and why McPherson is considered a jeweler of a playwright. With its small cast, simple set and scenario exploring the human desire for supernaturally inflected reminiscences, The Weir is perfect for a theatre company like Jewel. Jewel Theater Artistic Director Julie James agreed, and spoke to me about the production.

What attracted you to ‘The Weir’?
Julie James: As a producer, I love plays that are not obvious. Conor McPherson has a way of writing that cleverly presents the dichotomies of being human—the surface layer we present to those around us, and the deep, layered underbelly of feelings and thoughts and assimilation of experiences that really make us who we are. On the surface, The Weir might seem like just a lot of casual and silly talk between people in a bar, but it’s really a celebration of community, camaraderie and connection between souls—but in a kind of casual, subtle way. As an actress, tackling characters that go through life much different than ourselves is especially appealing, and in the case of The Weir, capturing not just a dialect but a sensibility and an ease with a culture that is steeped in lore and legends. 

Is there a larger subtext?
What appealed to me about The Weir was that it reflects that notion that there are no little things—people are impacted by the big things that happen, of course, but the really interesting thing to see is how people are impacted by the seemingly little things. The ghost stories they tell in the play kind of have that element, and the stranger, Valerie, who comes into the room in the play creates little ripples that affect the other characters in ways that start percolating without being visible. Toward the end of the play, the room is filled with a potential “something” that wasn’t there to start.

When did you cast the play?
As it is with many of our productions, some roles were pre-cast months ahead of time, and some were cast within weeks of starting. This production has three actors we’ve worked with previously [David Ledingham, Louis Lotorto, Shaun Carroll] and two actors who are completely new to us [Wiley Naman Strasser, Katherine Stein].

How difficult is it walking the fine line between presenting a challenging property and pleasing the crowd?
I don’t find it difficult at all. We do it often. And our patrons respond. They seem to appreciate the thought-provoking, strange, challenging work just as much as they enjoy the fluffy crowd-pleasing stuff.  I’m proud that we do the gamut on our stage, and our patrons have continued to support this kind of programming. We certainly don’t pretend to please all of the people all of the time, and our patrons know if our current play doesn’t happen to be their cup of tea, the next one probably will be. Regardless, they know and trust that each show we present will have quality acting and production values.

How does a well-known play remain fresh for a new audience?
Theater is a living, breathing thing, and each production and each performance has the potential to be an amazing new experience for actors with a different audience each night, even with a show you’ve done before or have been performing for years. It’s part of why actors like acting. We’ve done a Conor McPherson adaptation of an August Strindberg play [The Dance of Death], and more recently The Beauty Queen of Leenane by Martin McDonagh. McPherson and McDonagh are both Irish playwrights of a certain age, and of a certain casual boldness in their themes and writing, and that is attractive. 

How is the fit between director Susan Myer Silton and McPherson’s piece? 
Susan, being both a director and dramaturg, always does extensive research on whatever show she is working on. She looks for things that connect. The soul of The Weir, similar to The Beauty Queen of Leenane—which she also directed—offered layers of history and folklore and people struggling to survive and connect and triumph over the ironies of our world. That attracts me, and I knew it would attract Susan, as well.

What is it about Ireland, and Irish pubs and villages as settings that is so enduring?
I have to go back to the idea of quiet community and camaraderie, without sappiness. The Irish seem to have an attitude, a charm, that is both fun-loving and philosophical. To me that’s the best combination.    

‘The Weir,’ by Conor McPherson, directed by Susan Myer Silton, is at the Jewel Theatre through Feb.20. Tickets at jeweltheatre.net.

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