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Page 16 Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com September 25, 2009 The Makeup Girl � Airbrush Makeup � Facials � Glycolic Peels � Professional Makeup Artistry & Esthetics Waxing � Lash and Brow Tinting 925-408-8010 6064 Main Street, Clayton www.themakeupgirl.com Gift certificates available. A Skin Care and Make-up Studio $10 off any treatment (For new customers only - Excludes waxing) Keenan/Heinz company Really cool stuff for home & garden Name Enter to win a $250 Shopping spree. Phone or Email Enter now thru 11/15/09. Drawing held on 11/16/09. Enter as often as you wish in person, just once per day. Www. keenanheinz.com Expires 10/17/2009 1700 East Street Concord (925) 288-0159 Theatre Review Join the soldiers LOU FANCHER Clayton Pioneer “On the Town” premiered on Broadway in 1944. Based on choreographer Jerome Robbins’ idea, it’s blessed with a sumptuous score by Leonard Bernstein. The centerpiece of the musical was always Robbins’ invigorating ballets and Bernstein’s stick-in-your-craw songs, especially “New York, New York” and “Lonely Town.” Sixty-five years later, Diablo Theatre Company’s production continues that tradition with style and substance. The pursuit of love – at least the 24-hour version – leads three sailors off the ship and through the streets of New York. Ozzie is all knowledge and desire, Chip is wrapped up in his father’s old map and agendas for sight-seeing and Gabey is looking for “Miss Turnstile,” whom he falls in love with after seeing her picture on the subway. The ensuing action, filled with hilarious supporting characters, provides a whirlwind tour of for an adventure ‘On the Town’ Ryan Drummond is Ozzie, with Emma Goldin as Claire in “On the Town.” Movie Review The trailer for “9” showed a lot of promise earlier this year, with its mysterious creatures and dark apocalyptic scenery. This animated film by fledgling director Shane Acker, started out as Acker’s graduate thesis project in film school and received an Oscar nomination in 2005 for Best Animated Short film. While gorgeous to look, “9” relies too much on its visual effects to carry you to the end. The fantastic, war-ruined landscape bursts off the screen in every detail – and without any 3-D wizardry that’s all the rage in animated movies these days. Unfortunately, the story of an idealistic but naïve little patchwork doll named 9 falls flat. The movie starts off intriguingly. A group of doll-like creatures, surviving among the ruins of a human war, finds another of their kind with the number 9 stamped on his back. Each of the creatures has a similar number, 1 through 8, and its own personality. With the voice of Elijah Wood, 9 tries to lead the others out from hiding on a quest to find some answers about who they are and where they belong. He is opposed by number 1, the city – from subway rides to Carnegie Hall to Coney Island. As dawn breaks, the sailors find their hearts’ desire, but also the end of their leave. The three friends return to the ship just as a new crew of soldiers prepares for their big city adventure. Bounding from stage right to left with more spring than a super ball, Ryan Drummond’s Ozzie sets the pace for the evening. He’s a versatile actor, moving with the physical humor of John Cleese, and, in “Carried Away,” displaying a fine, warmtoned voice. Bryan McElroy as Gabey is solid and charmingly understated as the soldier whose pursuit of Miss Turnstile propels the action. Mark Farrell’s Chip rounds out the trio, managing to be both adorable and dimwitted – two characteristics that frequently slide into “annoying” when overplayed by less adept actors. Courtney Iventosch (Ivy/Miss Turnstile) is a director’s gem, with an expressive voice, willowy profile and surprising physical gumption. Hope the rigid and iron-fisted leader voiced by Christopher Plummer who wants everyone to stay hidden and, therefore, safe. Adventure ensues, monsters are battled, secrets are revealed. Take away the breathtaking animation and it is pretty standard fantasy fare. If Acker had dropped the violence down just a notch, to PG instead of PG-13, it would have been a fine kid’s movie. The violence may be a bit intense for youngsters but is neither gory nor mean-spirited. The script simply doesn’t rise to the level of the spectacular animation. The stock characters can’t grab the imagination and bring these bizarre creatures to life. The plucky idealist, the brave girl warrior, the distracted scientist and the fearful but loyal friend could have been grabbed from any number of fantasy adventures. Ultimately, it has a hopeful message and some exciting scenes as the dolls fight for their lives against monster machines, but it’s all visual. The big revelation toward the end is kind of Mirlis’ Hildy is a knockout hit. Her growl and give-it-to-menow delivery – not to mention her cab driving – is nothing short of magical. Every musical has a sweet, sexy honey, and as Claire, Emma Goldin is blessed with a voice sent from the angels above and fits the role perfectly. Director Mindy Cooper, who shares choreographic credit with Company C’s Charles Anderson, packs the production with exhilarating movement. It’s not just dancers who dance; everything does: subway, taxi, ship, skyline, actors, briefcases, museum dioramas – all zipping in and out or spinning around and around to dizzying, brilliant effect. The actors don’t just stand up from a couch; they twirl off. Food and scarves aren’t passed hand to hand; they float or are flung through the air. It’s lively – alive – and exactly what makes musical theater satisfying. The sets by Robert Broadfoot are streamlined and effective. Costumer Carol Edlinger has clearly done her homework; the designs are accurate, stylish and never overpowering. If conductor Cheryl Yee Glass’ orchestra occasionally struggled on opening night to synchronize with the actors, it was a minor distraction and an indication of the dynamic edge live performance lends to a production. With a three-week run, the musicians and actors are sure to find a mutual groove. Editor’s Note: Fancher is ballet mistress for Company C Contemporary Ballet, one of the organizations involved in the production. “On the Town” plays through Sept. 27 at the Hofmann Theatre at the Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. For tickets, call 943-SHOW or visit www.leshercenter.org. ‘9’ fails to reach its potential DON PEDRO CRUZ AT THE MOVIES Mysterious patchwork creatures try to survive in the ruins of a post-human world in the animated movie “9.” “ho-hum” and didn’t explain the mystery completely. Maybe there’s some kind of allegory buried in there, but it simply wasn’t engaging enough to make me want to think about it too much. After Acker’s Oscar nominated short film attracted the attention of bigwigs such as Tim Burton (“Nightmare Before Christmas,” “Edward Scissorhands”), he was able to develop “9” into this full-length feature with Burton as a producer. Expanding the short into a feature may have diluted its magic rather than expanded it. While “9” is worth seeing just for the top-notch animation, I hope Acker’s next film will pair him up with a good writer who can take advantage of his enormously creative mind. Then maybe we will get a movie that’s not so forgettable. �� Don Pedro Cruz is a local freelance writer and graphic designer. Send your comments to dpvc2000@gmail.com ‘Texas Chainsaw Musical’ creeps into Willows Cabaret GARY CARR Special to the Pioneer NICK BAYNE is the very troubled Eddy and Carlye Pollack is his heartthrob, Lucretia, in The Texas Chainsaw Musical at the Willows Cabaret in Martinez. Just in time for Halloween season, the Willows Cabaret in Martinez is staging the world premiere of “The Texas Chainsaw Musical.” For fans of the Cabaret’s successful “Evil Dead: The Musical,” “Chainsaw” won’t disappoint. Penned by Marin composer/musician Cory Bytof and Christopher t. Minori, who now lives in Georgia, “Chainsaw” features all the fun, frivolity and body parts you remember from one of the most famous horror films ever made. “Think of it as ‘Love Story’ …with a chainsaw,” Bytof says. “Chainsaw” workshopped at this year’s San Francisco Fringe Festival, where Willows artistic director Rich Elliott saw it as perfect for Halloween at the Cabaret. The Willows will add the scenic elements that made “Evil Dead” so popular, including the notorious “Splatter Zone” in the front row of the theater. “It’s a hoot,” Elliott says, “and the show works because the songs are witty, while everything else is completely over the top.” Bytof and Minori use the 1974 horror film, directed by Tobe Hooper, as a jumping-off place. Their “Chainsaw” is more of a prequel, based on the true story of Wisconsin murderer Ed Gein. “We wondered how this guy would have been like as a kid,” Minori says, “so we took a few things from his life and then completely made up everything else. It was easier than doing research.” For the “Splatter Zone,” the Willows Cabaret production of “Evil Dead” used 50 gallons of stage blood per performance – much of it cascading into the front row of the audience. People paid extra to sit there, and the “Zone” was sold out nearly every night. The Zone will return for “Chainsaw,” and plastic ponchos will once more be available in the lobby. For those who may be chainsaw-averse, Neil Simon’s “Barefoot in the Park” opens at the Willows Mainstage Oct. 12 and runs through Nov. 8. “Hats: The Musical,” about the hat ladies, follows “Chainsaw” into the Cabaret, Nov. 23-Dec. 20. The Willows continues to need your support. You can help “Save the Willows” at www.willowstheatre.com and click on Make a Donation. “The Texas Chainsaw Musical” plays Oct. 9-31, Willows Cabaret, 636 Ward St., Martinez. For tickets, visit www.willowstheatre.com or call 798-1300.
September 25, 2009 Clayton Pioneer • www.claytonpioneer.com Page 17 While cucumbers are always cool to the touch, the adage “cool as a cucumber” mostly refers to someone who is calm and unruffled in the face of chaos. I don’t think you can describe the Adelaide, Australia, police as “cool” these days, though. In more than a dozen robberies this year, some $10,000 worth of cucumbers have been stolen. “We’re having difficulty establishing where they (the cucumbers) are going,” says a police spokesman. If the police don’t crack the case soon and a shortage of cukes hits the markets, I guess everybody’s going to be in a pickle. Cucumbers, which originated in India, were highly regarded during the Roman Empire. Emperor Tiberius reportedly insisted on a daily cucumber regardless of the season. As a result, the emperor’s gardeners created the first rudimentary greenhouses to grow them yearround. The Romans also used cucumbers for medicinal purposes to treat scorpion bites and bad eyesight. In folklore, women wore cucumbers around their waists to ensure pregnancy. There are many varieties of cucumbers. American “slicers” have a tough skin, while most other countries prefer a more delicate skin. English cucumbers, which grow as long as 2 feet and Book Review are nearly seedless, are often referred to as “hothouse” cukes. Persian cucumbers are growing in popularity. They’re small, nearly seedless and are grown in Canada for the American market. Beit Alpha cucumbers are small, sweet fruits (yep, they’re not veggies) well-adapted to the climate of Middle East countries such as Israel. Kirby and Liberty are pickling cucumbers that constitute a large portion of the American crop. Bred for uniform length and diameter, picklers are soaked in brine (a salt solution) and sometimes brine mixed with vinegar and spices. Americans refer to pickling cucumbers merely as pickles, although they’re called gherkins in England. However, if you want a pickle with your fish and chips in the north of England, you’d better ask for a “Wallie.” It’s pretty easy to put up “refrigerator pickles,” which can be refrigerated for up to one week in an airtight container. REFRIGERATOR DILL PICKLES (Makes 1 quart) 1½ c. distilled white vinegar ¼ c. sugar 4 tsp. kosher salt 1 tsp. mustard seeds 1 tsp. coriander seeds ¾ tsp. dill seeds 2 lbs. Kirby (pickling) cucumbers, sliced ¼-inch thick ¾ c. fresh dill, coarsely chopped 3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped Pick up a pack of cukes and get pickling Microwave one cup of water until hot in a large heat-proof measuring cup. Add the vinegar, sugar, salt, mustard seeds, coriander seeds and dill seeds. Stir until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Let the brine cool. In a large bowl, toss the cucumbers with the dill and garlic. Pour the brine over the cucumbers and turn to coat. Place a small plate or bowl on top of the cucumbers to keep them submerged in the brine. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight, stirring the mixture once or twice. There’s still some warm weather ahead this year, so you might like to try a simple chilled soup. COLD CUCUMBER SOUP (Serves 6) 4 English (hothouse) cucumbers, peeled, seeded and roughly chopped 2 green onions, sliced 1½ c. non-fat plain yogurt 1½ c. sour cream 2 T. fresh dill, chopped, plus sprigs for garnish 1 T. fresh mint 1 T. flat-leaf parsley 1 clove garlic, minced 1½ tsp. kosher salt White ground pepper to taste Fresh lemon juice to taste Combine ingredients in a blender or food processor and process until pureed. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh dill sprigs. We like to use cucumbers as the base for appetizers at Pans on Fire. These cucumber cups with hummus make a deliciously healthy choice. LINDA WYNER FOOD FOR THOUGHT RED PEPPER HUMMUS CUPS 6 medium cucumbers 1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed ½ jar fire-roasted red peppers 2-4 cloves peeled garlic (to taste) 2 T. tahini (sesame seed paste) Salt Olive oil for processing Use a zester to remove long thin strips of skin from each cucumber. Slice the cucumbers into ¾-inch slices and use a melon baller to remove most of the center (seeded) area of each slice. Take care not to go all the way through the slice, because you want a little cup to hold the hummus. Puree remaining ingredients except olive oil. Slowly add enough olive oil to develop a thick, spoonable mixture. Place about ½ T. of hummus in each cuke cup (or use a pastry bag with a star tip). Linda Wyner, a local attorney and foodie, owns Pans on Fire, a gourmet cookware store and cooking school in Pleasanton. Direct your suggestions or questions to lwyner@claytonpioneer.com Novel a loving look at enduring friendships SUNNY SOLOMON FOR THE BOOKS For readers, both male and female, who are pre-boomers, Judith Marshall’s novel will resonate at some level. Finally, a book inhabited by real folk, not the slick, hip boomers who Botox their way into retirement. “Husbands May Come and Go – But Friends are Forever” won the 2008 Jack London Prize awarded by the California Writers Club. In the book, we meet Liz, a divorced mother of two adult children, as she experiences the downside of a company merger. The year is 2000 and the setting is generally Northern California and specifically, the Bay Area and Lake Tahoe. Concurrently, her longtime lover is offered a much-deserved promotion that would require a move to New York City. How does our heroine cope? She does it like most of us, with a little help from her friends. And there is the heart of Marshall’s story – six women who have known each other since at least high school and some go back as far as grammar school. Marshall has deftly crafted her story to fit within a onemonth period, March-April. Flashbacks provide funny and poignant memories, not only about how the girls met and are drawn together but also important biographical information that distinguishes each character. Not once does a reader mix up the friends, which occurs more often than not in novels of this kind. Marshall’s women stand out as individuals, and as the storyline begins to center around the sudden death of one of the friends, we are seamlessly drawn into the events. This is not a story wherein a protagonist is going to mature. After all, these women are all more than 65 years old. Then again, there is room for growth, which is heartening. And trust me, there is a lot of room for laughter. Marshall’s description of a surreal Tupperware-like party is pretty darned funny, and all matters sexual (both adolescent and adult) are treated with great honesty. Marshall’s depiction of a much earlier Lake Tahoe rings true for those of us who remember the all-day drive from the Bay Area to the lake. Her handling of what would eventually be known as dysfunctional families is also spot-on. These women did not have the vocabulary or resources their children would have. They slogged their way through divorce, alcoholism, infidelity, spousal abuse or any other aberrant behavior by trial and error, often leaving them with painful memories that wound never fade. Karen, the friend who died, lived at Lake Tahoe and it is there where the women meet again. It is there that long-held secrets are revealed, that ex-husbands and lovers come to mourn and adult children return to support their parents. The novel is told in Liz’s voice and it is definitely her story, but the group of eight women almost becomes a character in �� Paver Patio & Walkway �� Retaining Walls �� Drainage �� Lawn & Plant Installation �� Low Voltage Lighting �� We Design & Install Landscape itself. You will recognize a least a few of the women and possibly yourself, as well. Learning to accept one another, willingly or not, is a key to the longevity of their friendship. And in answer to the question asked in the Beatles’ great song, “When I’m 64,” yeah, I think at least some of these women will still find themselves loveable. Sunny Solomon holds a Master of Arts in English and Creative Writing from San Francisco State University. She is a poet and published author. 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