KPFA - Bookwaves/Artwaves

National Book Award winning novelist Ha Jin discusses his latest book, "The Banished Immortal," a biography of celebrated 8th Century Chinese poet Li Bai (also known as Li Po). Hosted by Richard Wolinsky.

Extended 39-minute Radio Wolinsky podcast. [1]

Also: A Review of "The Good Person of Szechwan" by Bertolt Brecht, at California Shakespeare Theatre through July 28th.

 

 

 

 

[1] https://kpfa.org/area941/episode/ha-jin-the-banished-immortal/

Steven Saylor, whose latest novel, part of his Roma Sub Rosa series, is “The Throne of Caesar,” just out in trade paperback, in conversation with Richard Wolinsky.

The author of several historical mysteries set in ancient Rome, Steven Saylor’s latest novel takes his detective protagonist, Gordianus the Finder, to the days leading to the assassination of Julius Caesar. In the novel, Gordianus has just been appointed by Caesar to the Roman Senate, and has been tasked by Caesar and by Cicero, to discover if there’s any plot afoot to kill the dictator before he leaves to conquer Parthia. Along the way, Steven Saylor takes us into the life and culture of Rome at the time, from how to buy a toga to what foods are eaten at feasts.

In this discussion, he talks about some of the facts he discovered along the way, his life as a writer, and the relationship of the fall of the Roman Republic to what might, or might not, be happening in America today.

An extended version of this interview can be found as a Radio Wolinsky podcast. [1]

Also: Review of "The Year of Magical Thinking" at Aurora Theatre company.

[1] https://kpfa.org/area941/episode/steven-saylor-the-throne-of-caesar/

Erroi Morris, documentary film maker and author of “The Ashtray (Or the Man Who Denied Reality)” in conversation with Richard Wolinsky.

Noted film maker Errol Morris was in graduate school in philosophy when he argued with his professor, Thomas Kuhn. Kuhn threw an ashtray at Morris and had him kicked out of school. The argument was about truth. Kuhn said it was relative; Morris said it was real. All of Errol Morris’s work as a director and documentary artist focuses on truth, whether it be “The Fog of War” and Robert McNamara, or “The Thin Blue Line,” or even his latest project, the Netflix series “Wormwood.”

In this interview, he talks about his feelings regarding Kuhn, the nature of truth and its relationship to the current Washington regime, the origins of “The Thin Blue Line’ and other matters.

Special thanks to Cherilyn Parsons and the folks at the Bay Area Book Fair, who helped set up this interview.

Extended 33-minute Radio Wolinsky podcast. [1]

Also: Review of "Passion" by Stephen Sondheim & James Lapine, at Custom Made Theatre in San Francisco through July 20, 2019.

[1] https://kpfa.org/area941/episode/errol-morris/

Simon Winchester, whose latest book is “The Perfectionists: How Precision Engineers Created the Modern World,” is interviewed by Richard Wolinsky.

A master at non-fiction writing, Simon Winchester looks at the difference between precision and accuracy, and at how these two elements helped create the world we see today, from automobiles to cell phones, from microscopes to telescopes. In this wide-ranging discussion, he talks about how he came to write this book, and how his career as an author began.

Simon Winchester website [1]

 

Extended 51-minute Radio Wolinsky podcast. [2]

Also: Review of "The Fit" by Carey Perloff at SF Playhouse, Reuff Theater in the Strand, through June 29, 2019.

[1] http://www.simonwinchester.com/

[2] https://kpfa.org/area941/episode/simon-winchester/

left to right: Richard Wolinsky, David Sedaris and David’s boyfriend Hugh.

David Sedaris, whose latest collection of essays is titled “Calypso,” in conversation with host Richard Wolinsky.

David Sedaris has a national following based first on his contributions to the NPR radio show “This American Life,” and later with essays collected in such books as “Barrel Fever,” “Me Talk Pretty One Day” and “Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls.” His latest collection, “Calypso,” follows on the heels of the publication of his diaries from 1977 to 2002, and while often comedic, also deals with darker issues such as the death of his sister Tiffany, and politics in America today.

In this wide ranging discussion recorded in late June, 2018, he talks about gay parades, his father’s obsession with Trump, his own obsession with garbage collection and fitbit steps, and how he creates and molds his essays. Extended 49-minute Radio Wolinsky podcast. [1]

Also: Review of "Archduke" by Rajiv Joseph, at TheatreWorks Mountain View.

[1] https://kpfa.org/episode/arts-waves-on-cover-to-cover-june-17-2019/

Giovanna Sardelli, director of "Archduke" by Rajiv Joseph, at Theatreworks Silicon Valley Mountain View Center for the Arts through June 30, 2019, is interviewed by Richard Wolinsky.

"Archduke" tells the story of the recruitment of young men who were to commit the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the heir presumptive of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1914, an assassination that led directly to what become known as The Great War, and later World War I.

Giovanna Sardelli, director of the production, is also the director of New Works at Silicon Valley, and her career is closely intertwined with that of playwright Rajiv Joseph, a Pulitzer Prize finalist for his earlier play, "Bengal Tiger in the Baghdad Zoo." A graduate of NYU, Giovanna Sardelli spent five years on the soap opera "Another World" before choosing her current career path. She worked closely with Rajiv Joseph on the creation of "Archduke," which was originally a commission from the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles. This new production features revisions which strengthen the work.

Theatreworks website [1]

Extended 36-minute Bay Area Theater podcast [2]

Also: Review of "Rhinoceros" by Eugene Ionesco, directed by Frank Galati, at ACT Geary Theatre through June 23, 2019.

[1] https://theatreworks.org/201819-season/201819-season/archduke/

[2] https://kpfa.org/area941/episode/interview-giovanna-sardelli-director-archduke-at-theatreworks/

[caption id="attachment_313841" align="alignleft" width="307"] Richard Wolinsky & Frank Galati.[/caption]

Frank Galati, director of "Rhinoceros" by Eugene Ionesco, at ACT's Geary Theatre through June 23, 2019, in conversation with host Richard Wolinsky.

Frank Galati is a long-time member of the legendary Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago, and has taught at Northwestern University. The winner of Tony Awards for the adaptation and direction of The Grapes of Wrath in 1990, was nominated for an Oscar for co-adapting The Accidental Tourist for the screen, and was the director of Ragtime and The Pirate Queen on Broadway Frank Galati is also known for adapting several other works for stage and screen.

"Rhinoceros" is considered to be one of the greatest works of political theatre of the absurd. Originally produced in the late 1950s, the play hearkens back to the origins of fascism and how propaganda infects the minds of citizens.

Extended 41-minute Bay Area Theatre podcast. [1]

Also: Review of "Significant Other" at SF Playhouse [2] through June 15, 2019.

[1] https://kpfa.org/area941/episode/interview-frank-galati-ionescos-rhinoceros-at-act-geary/

[2] https://www.sfplayhouse.org/sfph/get-tickets/

Interviews devoted to the arts, focusing on theatre and literature, with side-trips to film and non-fiction narratives. Also on tap: archive interviews from Probabilities and Bookwaves. Hosted by Richard Wolinsky.

Interviews devoted to the arts, focusing on theatre and literature, with side-trips to film and non-fiction narratives. Also on tap: archive interviews from Probabilities and Bookwaves. Hosted by Richard Wolinsky.

[caption id="attachment_312610" align="alignleft" width="253"] Annette O'Toole & Richard Wolinsky[/caption]

An interview with Annette O'Toole, one of the stars of "The Good Book," now at Berkeley Rep's Peets Theatre through June 9, 2019. Annette O'Toole has been performing since the mid-1960s. She played Martha Kent for six seasons on "Smallville," and has been a featured performer on other TV series. Most recently, she played the villain in the current season of "The Punisher" on Netflix. She is interviewed by Richard Wolinsky.

Complete interview: Bay Area Theatre podcast [1]

[1] https://kpfa.org/area941/episode/interview-annette-otoole-the-good-book-at-berkeley-rep/