2021 Programs

Broadway’s Golden Age: The Making of an American Art Form, 1927-1964

Wednesday, October 6 | 7:00 – 8:30 PM

When we attend a musical theatre production, we go with certain ideas about what we’re going to see and hear, but those notions took years to develop and are ever-changing. The majority of what we think about musical theatre comes from its Golden Age, spanning the years, people, and productions between Showboat and Fiddler on the Roof. In this presentation, Rob Seitelman will explain the building blocks that started the ball rolling for the American Musical, you will hear about some of the major works that established the genre, and ruminate on what makes the musical a quintessentially American art form.

A student of theatre, including musical theatre, for almost thirty years, Seitelman studied at Williams College (Williamstown, MA) and American Conservatory Theatre (ACT, San Francisco), where he earned his MFA in 2004. Seitelman has acted, directed, and written professionally, and has worked in various creative capacities with ACT, Berkeley Rep, and Berkeley Playhouse, among others. He co-founded a performing arts high school in Antioch Unified School District and has run theatre programs at high schools across the San Francisco Bay Area for the past ten years. His original musical based on Milton’s epic poem Paradise Lost premiered at the New York Music Theatre Festival in 2008. Seitelman lives in Walnut Creek with his wife, two daughters, two dogs, and a cat, all of whom have Shakespearean names (except his wife).

The Walnut Creek Library Foundation would like to thank our sponsors for making this program possible. Presenting sponsor: Simpson Family. Masterpiece sponsors: Kristin and Ray Abraham; Mechanics Bank; Robin Kokemor Rangel and Arthur Rangel; and Rudney Associates. Classic Sponsors: Donahue Fitzgerald Attorneys; Cynthia and Mark Jordan; and the Safeway Foundation. Bestseller sponsors: Cindy and Gordon Baker; Kathleen and John Odne; Donna Robertson and Brian Krcelic; and Lorie and Greg Tinfow. Contributing sponsors: Carole and Ernie Leopold.

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The Bounty

Wednesday, November 10 | 7:00 – 8:30 PM

Don’t miss the fascinating story of one of the controversial events in maritime history! Presenter Mark Jordan will discuss the mission, the men, and the mutiny on the HMS Bounty. Learn how the story ends: the notorious Captain Bligh’s miraculous 4,000-mile journey in a 23-foot boat, the disappearance of Fletcher Christian and his mutineers, and the eventual discovery of their whereabouts 20 years later.

Mark Jordan requests that attendees watch one or more of the four Bounty films prior to his program on Nov. 10th. These will serve to prepare and enrich the learning experience.

• In the Wake of the Bounty (1933), starring Mayne Lynton and Errol Flynn (available on Kanopy)
• Mutiny on the Bounty (1935), starring Clark Gable and Charles Laughton
• Mutiny on the Bounty (1962), starring Marlon Brando and Trevor Howard
• The Bounty (1984), starring Mel Gibson and Anthony Hopkins

The Walnut Creek Library Foundation would like to thank our sponsors for making this program possible. Presenting sponsor: Simpson Family. Masterpiece sponsors: Mary Ann Hruska; Robin Kokemor Rangel and Arthur Rangel; Rudney Associates and Whittier Trust. Classic Sponsors: Cynthia and Mark Jordan; Sharon and James Moore; Mt. Diablo Resource Recovery; and Rutan & Tucker, LLP. Bestseller sponsors: Stanley Buller; Howard and Susan Geifman Philanthropic Fund; Cynthia and Ward Pynn; and Cindy and Thomas Silva. Contributing sponsor: Bill King.

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Tod Dickow and Charged Particles: The Music of Michael Brecker

Tuesday, December 7 | 7:00 – 8:30 PM

Join us for an evening performance by jazz trio Charged Particles featuring guest tenor saxophonist Tod Dickow as they celebrate the music of Michael Brecker, one of the most prolific jazz saxophonists, and a few songs of the holiday season.

The Walnut Creek Library Foundation would like to thank our sponsors for making this program possible. Presenting sponsor: Simpson Family. Masterpiece sponsors: Kristin and Ray Abraham; Mary Ann Hruska; Mechanics Bank; and Rudney Associates. Classic Sponsors: Donahue Fitzgerald Attorneys; Sequoia; and Lisa Wrenn & Peter Magnani. Bestseller sponsors: Beverly and David Loder; Gwen Regalia; Marsha and Richard Servetnick; and Peggy and Michael White. Contributing sponsor: Bill King.

Registration will open October 27, 2021.

 

 

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