Quarantine discoveries: Fresno-area creatives share their picks (Part 5)

Educator and podcaster; host of “Fresno’s Best” and “History of California” podcast. Currently working on a new podcasting project arriving this month.

Quarantine discoveries: “I had time to watch Ken Burns’ series on the history of country music. Although it is not a genre of music that I gravitate toward, the history of what we call country music is much more nuanced than the casual listener understands. I’ve been watching it through Kanopy, by the way, which is a free streaming service through your public library account. It not only includes Ken Burns’ documentaries, but also great foreign films, classics, and a lot of full Great Courses classes from The Teaching Company. Don’t sleep on the library. It’s one of our great institutions. If you want to nerd out on libraries, read Susan Orlean’s ‘The Library Book’ or watch ‘Ex Libris’ about the New York Public Library.

Up next: “A Children’s Bible” by Lydia Millet on audiobook. “Millet is a writer’s writer, and this book is part of the growing genre of apocalyptic environmental novels. This book includes irresponsible parents and sardonic teenagers, her metaphor for the state of things in the world. Millet still has a day job, like Ted Chiang, whose ‘Exhalations’ is another recent favorite, but manages to write tremendous fiction at night.”

Note: A recent episode of “Fresno’s Best” podcast features Donald as guest to talk about the arts, The Munro Review, the pandemic and spicy shrimp burritos at Don Pepe’s. You can find it at Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Musician; Executive Director of the Youth Orchestras of Fresno and the FOOSA Festival/Fresno Summer Orchestra Academy

Quarantine discoveries: “Quarantine binge-watching has taken us through so many series and movies I can’t remember them anymore! The fads just keep coming. It may be a sign of our times that I was fascinated by the Danish system of government as depicted in the excellent series ‘Borgen.’ And I was already a huge fan of ‘Schitt’s Creek’ back when it was new—if you’ve missed it, really, do yourself a belly-laughing favor and watch now! Meanwhile, an unexpected side-effect of the shutdown has been that I’m learning to create videos. Truly having a blast with this new skillset.

Up next: “Planning in advance? That is a thing?”

Aspiring film producer/director/writer who uses the stage name Ramon Charles. Fresno State student graduating in 2022. Born and raised in Los Feliz, Los Angeles. Found his passion for filmmaking at age 5 when he noticed film was one of the key components that brought his family together. Since then he’s been drawn to the moving image. His latest accomplishment is a short film he directed just a few months ago: “I successfully managed over 30 crew/cast members, ranging from 4 to 75, for ‘The Keys to Life.’ It was one of the few productions on set in Los Angeles while COVID-19 cases were at an all-time high. This has not only motivated myself to take on larger projects but has motivated other filmmakers in my community. My next project is a feature film I’m preparing for pre-production in Spring 2021.”

Quarantine discoveries: Binge watching Akira Kurosawa and Sergio Leone movies. “This has been one of my greatest discoveries because it has sparked many ideas for myself as a filmmaker and gave me knowledge on unique storytelling that motivated some of Hollywood’s greats: Steven Spielberg, Quentin Tarantino, George Lucas, etc.”

Up next: He wants to read as much Shakespeare as he can to master the method of iambic pentameter in his screenwriting. One of his favorite screenwriting examples of the technique that he recommends: “The Social Network.”

Chair, Professor and Director; Fresno State Department of Theatre and Dance

Quarantine discoveries: He enjoyed watching “Dexter” again (starring Jennifer Carpenter as Deb). “I directed Jennifer as a child actor in Louisville, KY. I was addicted to MSNBC, sometimes watching it for hours during the summer and fall. I was very focused on the presidential election which in turn led me to watch the entire series ‘Designated Survivor,’ starring Kiefer Sutherland.”

Up next: There isn’t as much television for him in the near future. He is directing the completely virtual Theatre for Young Audiences tour of “We Have Stories to Tell,”  a culturally diverse storytelling celebration. He is also directing a production (with face-to-face rehearsals following COVID-19 safety protocols) of “All in the Timing” by David Ives that will be streamed by Fresno State in late spring.

Director, Producer, and Actor; Communications Specialist for the Department of Theatre and Dance at Fresno State, Board Member and Marketing Director for The Fools Collaborative.

Quarantine discoveries: “Baking! I never would have imagined myself whipping up muffins, biscuits, and scones from scratch. Lockdown might make a homemaker of me yet!”

Besides rewatching “Parks and Rec,” “The Office” and “Seinfeld” (for the fifth time), he finally binged “Game of Thrones.” He says:  “I know, I’m VERY late to the party. I’m actually glad I didn’t watch until now because I would have not had the patience to wait for new episodes … so many cliffhangers. I also binged “Veneno” on HBO Max and I can’t recommend it enough. It’s based on the (mostly) true story of Spain’s most famous prostitute and Transgender icon, Cristina “La Veneno” Ortiz Rodríguez. It’s so refreshing to see Spanish language programming handle LGBTQ+ content in such a raw, bold, and loving manner. Seriously, check it out.

Up next: He’s going to tackle bread making. “It’s been intimidating me, but enough is enough!” On his book list: “Ready Player Two” by Ernest Cline and “Let’s Explore Diabetes With Owls” by David Sedaris.

Thanks to all those who participated in my ‘Quarantine Discoveries’ project. Below, you can find responses from the first, second, third and fourth installments.

Interim dean of the College of Arts and Humanities and professor of classics and humanities at Fresno State

Quarantine discoveries: “Alexa, which I thought was Big Brother incarnate when I saw it on my sister’s kitchen counter a year ago, but after receiving one as a gift in March, it’s become the amazing device that plays a vast range of music, provides scads of information and helpful reminders, and displays photos of beautiful places around the world that inspire dreams of future trips.”

Up next: Broadening her knowledge of all types of music until people can all gather again to listen in person.

Head of Music & Media services in the Henry Madden Library at Fresno State; currently “unemployed” actor

Quarantine discoveries: He finally finished the sixth season of “Schitt’s Creek” on Netflix. “My mom and I watched the entire season together on Christmas Eve, and there were most definitely happy/sad tears being shed at the bittersweet knowledge that this sweet, funny, quirky, and at times beautifully moving series was over. But for me, the biggest discovery of the quarantine was the chance to take part in a truly astonishing number of online and outdoor/socially distanced play readings. It started with Renee Newlove and the Zounds! Bardatine Readers Society, where we read the entire canon of Shakespeare (uncut/unedited) on Zoom in three months — I was only able to take part towards the end, but I had a blast in the shows I was able to participate in.

“And then came the Backyard Readers Theatre Lab, or BYRTL, as we affectionately refer to it. Started by Julie Lucido (with able assistance from administrators Marc Gonzalez and Nwachukwu Oputa), we have been meeting in small groups in people’s backyards where we set up chairs a minimum of 6 feet apart, wear masks and observe all safety protocols, and then proceed to read plays together for the joy of doing some kind of ‘theater.’ We have focused on reading plays that are by or about underrepresented voices in theatre, such as authors and characters of color, female playwrights, and plays about LGBTQ issues. We have had important discussions about race in theatre, the future of theatre post-pandemic, and many other important issues. But most importantly it has been a chance for us to come together (at a distance) and create art together in this crazy time. I am proud to say that I have only missed one reading out of the nearly 40 we have done (because it was scheduled on a workday), and I have been affectionately dubbed the “BYRTL Whore.” Right behind me is Camille Gaston, who has been given the title of “BYRTL Jezebel.”

Up next: Many books, tv shows, and movies. “But specifically, the next two books on my nightstand are ‘So You Want to Talk About Race’ by Ijeoma Oluo, and ‘Modern Mending: Minimize Waste and Maximise Style’ by Erin Lewis-Fitzgerald (full disclosure, the author is my sister who lives in Melbourne, Australia, and her book has created a huge deal of buzz in the mending world — it’s currently the highest-rated English language mending book – new or old – on Goodreads. I am a very proud brother). The next thing on my Netflix queue is ‘David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet,’ followed by the series ‘Bridgerton.’ I also recently decided to splurge and get HBO Max, so I’m looking forward to seeing new movies such as ‘Wonder Woman: 1984,’ and now I can FINALLY start watching ‘Game of Thrones’ — I feel like I’m the last human being on the planet to see it.

Board member of Valley Public Radio, Fresno Community Chorus, and Fresno Filmworks; recently retired technical writer

Quarantine discoveries: “Psych” streaming free on Peacock. “The comic chemistry of James Roday and Dulé Hill is a font of hilarity and silliness,” she says. “Just finished John Steinbeck’s ‘The Log from the Sea of Cortez’ in anticipation of eventually taking the trip to see the restoration of the Western Flyer that we’d hoped to do last summer. Walking-walking-walking in our Fig Garden neighborhood. Baths! A welcome and happy rediscovery.”

Up Next: Next read is “L’Appart: The Delights and Disasters of Making My Paris Home” by David Lebovitz, a Christmas gift from her sister. Next watch (continuing) “The Queen’s Gambit” and “The Newsroom.”

Fresno composer of more than 300 works, pianist, Professor Emeritus of Music at Fresno Pacific University, and grandfather of five. His mission is to create through music windows of sonic light that reveal Jesus Christ to the world.

Quarantine discoveries: “This was a good year to retire, which I did in June. Visiting grandchildren and their families and honoring COVID-19 protocols shows me how precious each minute and hour is with them. Taking them for bicycle rides gives us more quality time and better health! For families, church, and musical events, Zoom is a bit of a pain – and indispensable. The recent Fresno Pacific University ‘Festival of Lessons and Carols’ enabled me to become an arranger and have a brand-new arrangement of ‘When Jesus Left His Father’s Throne’ receive its world première during the virtual hour-long service.”

Up next: Get in 4,000 miles of bicycling during 2021 and enjoy the virtual season of the Fresno Philharmonic, which continues  5:30 p.m. Feb. 20 “on a desktop computer extremely near me,” he says. “Also continue the “Tapisseries” series of piano pieces inspired by sister-in-law Ann Harwell’s quilt art (she’s still 30 quilts ahead of my pieces!) and finish the Second Symphony.”

Multimedia storyteller; advisory board member at Fresno Filmworks; communication specialist for Fresno State’s English Department

Quarantine discoveries: Virtual cinema. With the coronavirus pandemic mostly shutting down movie houses, art-house theaters improvised right away with online screenings of first-run movies, in partnership with independent distributors. “I felt lucky to watch, from the safety of home, several of the year’s major indies as they rolled out nationally: ‘Bacurau’ (via the State Theatre in Modesto), ‘Vitalina Varela’ (via Film Lincoln Center in New York City), and ‘John Lewis: Good Trouble’ (via Fresno Filmworks in Fresno). We’ve seen so many changes to film exhibition in nine short months and 2021 will continue to change how we watch movies.”

Up next: “I’m just starting to watch a collection of seven beautiful 4K restorations of Wong Kar-wai classic films, via The Roxie in San Francisco.”

Director, Choreographer, Actor, Mom, Wife, President of Junior Company Foundation and UR Here, Creator of the Backyard Readers Theatre Lab, 35-year member of Good Company Players, Marketer for the produce industry, Past Co-Chair of the PMA Women’s Leadership Committee, Mentor, Coach, Non-stop type A theater lover (incapable of being brief)

Quarantine discoveries: “That not even a pandemic can get me down — or prevent me from some sort of theatrical experience. But seriously, rediscovering my love for language and Shakespeare by reading with the Zounds Bardatine Zoom Readers group and realizing I missed humans, so kick-started a socially distanced backyard readers group where we read 39 scripts with ‘Br’er Cotton,’ ‘Collective Rage,’ ‘A Play in 5 Betties,’ ‘For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf,’ ‘Quixote Nuevo,’ and ‘Dance Nation’ being some of my favorites. How talented — dedicated — beautifully hearted my theater friends are, and how connections can be made even during this challenging time. But also somedays are meant for wine with ‘Real Housewives’ and others for ‘The Tudors’ because ‘Game of Thrones’ is over.

Up Next: Next non-theater read on her nightstand is “Buy Yourself the F*cking Lilies'”by Tara Schuster. Next script reading is going Greek with “Medea” and “Bash” followed by 24 more scripts planned for BYRTL (with more to come). Also: “Helping put together a Rogue Show for UR Here (a new theater company) with my artistic partners in crime Jonathon Hogan, Chris Mangels, Diane Fidalgo, and Marc Gonzalez. And returning to CMT to my ‘Matilda’ cast and crew and continuing teaching classes for them. And, other things up the sleeve for 2021……”

Creative Director of The Fools Collaborative, Filmmaker, Wanna-be Poet, Medusaphile.

Quarantine discoveries: “I read a lot on the collective social power of women’s rage during my last semester of grad school (Favorites: ‘Good and Mad’ by Rebecca Traister and ‘Rage Becomes Her’ by Soraya Chemaly.) After my (virtual) graduation in September, I’ve been spending the fall and winter trying to focus more on self-care. Friends turned me on to activists/poets like Sonya Renee Taylor and Trisha Hersey (the self-proclaimed Nap Bishop) who teach about self care through the lens of social justice. Also, LOTS of binge-watching television. ‘Euphoria,’ ‘Killing Eve,’ the new ‘Perry Mason,’ ‘The Great,’ and literally the entirety of ‘Bob’s Burgers’ have all helped me through. I also binged the ‘Nice White Parents’ podcast.”

Up next: Everyone keeps telling her to watch “Soul” and I’m reading “White Rage” by Carol Anderson next. And I look forward to reading everyone else’s recommendations!

Reporter with The Fresno Bee. Also a writer, blogger, rock-band frontman and lover of all things (OK, most things) Fresno.

Quarantine discoveries: Youtube. “I’m way late to the game here, but since the pandemic started I’ve made a hard shift toward Youtube for all my quick-bite content (and some more long-form stuff, but I’m not watching movies or anything). I’ve become obsessed with skateboarding videos and in particular the Nine Club channel. On the music side, Two Minutes to Late Night has created Bedroom Covers, in which a who’s who of the metal/punk/hardcore collaborate on a series of cover tunes from the comforts of their homes. This cover of Steely Dan’s “Reelin’ in the Years” is Very. Metal. and yet still fairly listenable for non metal heads.”

Up next: He has been eagerly anticipating the release of Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune” remake. “David Lynch’s original film had a big impact on me as a child (alongside ‘Krull’) and I finally bought and read a copy of the novel this summer. I’ve been meaning to start ‘Lovecraft Country’ on HBO. I very much liked the book.”

Kathleen McKinley: Theater director and university acting professor. Last show was a video graphic novel production of “Darkside.” Campaign volunteer, Soon-to-be grandmother.

Quarantine discoveries: A British cop show, “Scott and Bailey,” recommended by an old friend who knows she’s been a big fan of women detectives ever since “Cagney and Lacey.” All 15 seasons of “ER” since the late 90’s and early 2000’s were way too hectic for TV — great guest stars, and younger Clooney and Margulies. Plus: “Once again,” she says, “I was comforted by rewatching seven seasons of ‘West Wing’ for the umpteenth time. Best holiday discovery urged by my daughter? The documentary ‘Dance Dreams: Hot Chocolate Nutcracker,’ with the fabulous Debbie Allen!”

Up Next: Glenda Jackson in “Elizabeth is Missing” on ‘”Masterpiece.” Her son-in-law is sure she will like “The Mandalorian.”

Artistic director of the Fresno Master Chorale

Quarantine discovery: “CuriosityStream” (especially the history episodes).

Up next: Now that the prequel “The Evening and the Morning” is out, reading the Ken Follett medieval series in sequence.

Veteran local actor, board member of the Junior Company Foundation.

Quarantine discovery: “During the pandemic keeping yourself entertained can be a difficult task. I was having a rough go of it. But my sister’s caffeine addiction helped me to find a way to keep busy, I decided to teach myself to make mixed coffee, brew espresso and make some pretty good coffee. So far I’ve made mochas, lattes, and even a few cold brews. It’s been a messy and interesting experience for me and I hope it sticks with me long after.”

Up next: “I’ve always been fascinated with the idea of metalworking and the ability to craft beautiful objects and images out of metal, so I’m going to give it a try. I’ve already started a few projects and they seem to be going well. Hopefully I’ll learn to become a good metalworker and craftsman.”

Sedentary local actor and movie fan.

Quarantine discoveries: “For aerobics, I grew a beard. Then travelled via streaming to Bosch’s Los Angeles and Mrs Maisel’s New York.” His favorite movie decades are the 1930s and 1970s. He loves cynical noir thrillers but is a sucker for any funny line or maudlin melodrama as he searches for forgotten Kay Francis films. His go-to stimulants: Buster Keaton, Ingmar Bergman, Astaire and Rogers, :Umbrellas of Cherbourg,” “Jules et Jim,” Kubrick’s “Lolita,” and any frame of Bea Lillie or James Mason.

Up next: “Just began watching the witty French Netflix series ‘Call My Agent,’ which includes cameos by major French actresses spoofing their careers. Fun!”

State employee by day; performer and vlogger by night.

Quarantine discoveries: “I’m a bonafide YouTube junkie and I heavily consumed content on gardening, minimalism, DIY projects, and climate change. I discovered content creators such as Planterina, Earth Mama Medicine, Hallease, and Yoga with Adriene. And I caught up on the at-home versions of ‘The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon’ and ‘The Daily Show with Trevor Noah.’ ” She binged podcasts on Spotify such as “Sustainability Defined,” “The Michelle Obama Podcast,” and supported local podcasters “Java with Jacob” with Jacob Moon and “Dead Folks Podcast” with Haley White and Brooke Aiello. She read about 25 plays with the Backyard Readers Theatre Lab (BYTRL), and my favorites have been “Br’er Cotton” and “Quixote Nuevo.”

Up next: She’s excited to read more plays, particularly “God of Vengeance” and “Indecent.” Her next podcast to binge is “Black Hair in the Big Leagues” with Fresnan Salisha Thomas.

President & CEO Fresno Philharmonic, Board Member Association of California Symphony Orchestras

Quarantine discoveries: “The standout series I streamed during the pandemic was ‘The Queen’s Gambit.’ (And yes we bought a chessboard afterwards!) The acting, writing and mid-century period setting all made for great watching. Early in the pandemic, I also did a deep dive into classic film noir: ‘Out of the Past,’ ‘Double Indemnity,’ ‘The Killers, ‘The Asphalt Jungle,’ ‘In a Lonely Place’ and ‘The Big Heat,’ among others. This was such an amazing era of film and, for me, it was helpful to experience American culture from a time when the default assumption was that things would not turn out well.

Up next: Several books are up for him: Barack Obama’s memoir, New Yorker music critic Alex Ross’s book on Wagnerism, and Scott Anderson’s ‘The Quiet Americans’ about the CIA in the early years of the Cold War.

Author/Op Ed Columnist; recently co-authored: “The Words Between Us: A Pandemic Abecedarius,” a docu-memory about life during Covid.

Quarantine discoveries: Binge watched “The Restaurant,” “Last Tango in Halifax,” “Riviera,” “The Queen’s Gambit,” “Paris, je t’aime.“ And she loved stumbling across a pirated version of “Grey Gardens” on YouTube. “Such a guilty pleasure,” she says.

Up next: Submitting a “Tiny Love Story” to New York Times and putting finishing touches on a spring course for OLLI at Fresno State: “Embracing the Journey: Writing Your Heart Out!” And a COVID vaccine so I can book flights to New York and Paris.

Poet, Professor, author of “Scar and Flower,” finalist for the 2020 Northern California Book Award in Poetry.

Quarantine discoveries: More Bong Joon-ho films. “I loved ‘Parasite’ so much that I bought it on DVD and have watched it five more times. There’s something new to love every time I see it. I loved ‘Okja.’ I also watched and thoroughly enjoyed ‘Snowpiercer’ and ‘The Host.’ I’m watching ‘Barking Dogs Never Bite’ tonight.

Up next: “Lovecraft Country.” He liked Jonathan Majors in “The Last Black Man in San Francisco” and some good friends  recommended the series.

Rogue Performance Festival co-producer, recovering theatre director and blogger.

Quarantine discovery No. 1: “Virtual programming I couldn’t have attended live. This year I enjoyed the Virtual Dickens Universe Conference at UC Santa Cruz, which highlighted Frances E.W. Harper’s “Iola Leroy,” a 19th Century novel by an African-American woman I hadn’t known before. Also, I got to produce and moderate a panel of theatrical artists from all over the nation regarding adapting Austen to the stage for the Jane Austen Society, and I’ve enjoyed fringe performer Martin Dockery’s almost-monthly shows streaming on YouTube called ‘Right Now.’ Virtual programming doesn’t replace live, but I predict that it will create its own space in our arts ecosystem.”

Quarantine discovery No. 2: TikTok. It may inspire mockery from the uninitiated, but she says that TikTok has grown beyond cute dances and lipdubs into an incredibly muscular tool for creativity, communication, humor and ideas. “There is a ton of informative, inspirational, educational, and downright theatrical content with a DIY flair. As always with social media, though: your mileage may vary!”

Up next: After finishing “Bridgerton” on Netflix, “Lovecraft Country” on HBO, and listening to “A Promised Land” by Barack Obama on Audible, “I’ll be producing Virtual Rogue Festival 2021 in March where we’re beaming in performers near and far for two weekends of storytelling and indie theatre. . . all from my tiny desk in the Tower District.”

Board president, Children’s Musical Theaterworks; local business owner who found her way back to the family business (Fresno Neon Sign Co., Inc.) after working the first half of her career as an attorney. 

Quarantine discoveries: After 10 years with a jam-packed schedule and literally no free time (work, family, volunteer work, kids sports, theater, family trips, etc.) she caught up on some older TV shows she missed, including “Blacklist” (Netflix) and “Once Upon a Time” (Disney Plus). “I also re-watched ‘Lost’ (Hulu), which was a show that I loved in my pre-kids life, but missed the ending when life got too busy. I just have the season finale left (so don’t spoil it!). I also loved ‘The Umbrella Academy,’ ‘Ozark’ and ‘Locke & Key.’ My husband and I introduced the kids to a few of our favorite childhood movies, like ‘War Games’ and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,’and we also watched ‘Hamilton’ on Disney Plus to see how it compared to the live version that we saw last year in San Francisco. I read ‘The Lions of Fifth Avenue’ (Fiona Davis) and every Kate Morton book I could get my hands on. I had the time to try a few different things with my garden, growing quite a bit of our family’s fruit and vegetables.The lettuce is my favorite, but I have a secret source for the best lettuce seeds!”

Up next: “The Queens Gambit” and “Salt Fat Acid Heat” (both on Netflix). “I may even read the book by Samin Nosrat, since it appears that I will be eating nothing but my own cooking for a few more months at least, so I may as well get inspired!”