KPFA - Bookwaves/Artwaves

Frank Bonham (1914-1988), author of stories and novels in the western genre from the pulp magazine era to the 1980s, author of young adult novels from the early sixties to his death, also author of stories in other fields, including mysteries and science fiction, interviewed in the fall of 1988 by KPFA's Lawrence Davidson, assisted by author Bill Pronzini for the Probabilities radio program. Digitized, remastered and re-edited in December 2018 by Richard Wolinsky.

 

Richard Wolinsky:

In late November 2018, I attended John Fisher’s one-man show, "A History of World War II" at the Marsh in San Francisco, (the show runs on Thursdays and Saturdays through February 2, 2019. For more information: and tickets [1]).  During his monologue, John mentioned a book written for juveniles that started his obsession with the Second World War by a writer named Frank Bonham.

I remembered that years ago, my former co-host, the late Lawrence Davidson of Cody’s Books, had interviewed Bonham, whom he’d known primarily as a writer of western novels and pulp magazine stories. This was one of many interviews with former pulp magazine writers that were heard on the Probabilities radio program on KPFA in the 1970s and 1980s. After pulling out the undated tape, recorded in the fall of 1986 and not heard since its initial airing in January, 1987, I discovered that Lawrence’s co-host was Bill Pronzini, the prolific author as of now of more than 80 mystery and historical novels, and some 350 short stories. I’d assumed as I digitized and edited the original 2-part program that Bonham was forgotten today. Not so: a quick look on Amazon [2] reveals that over a dozen of his books are still in print at the end of  2018, including his one best-seller, a young adult novel called Durango Street.

From the Goodreads website:

<< Frank Bonham (February 25, 1914 – 1988) was an author of Westerns and young adult novels. Bonham wrote 48 novels, as well as TV scripts. Bonham was born in Los Angeles. He was a UCLA graduate. Bonham was known for his works for young adults written in the 1960s, with tough, realistic urban settings, including The Nitty Gritty and Durango Street, as well as for his westerns. Several of his works have been published posthumously, many of which were drawn from his pulp magazine stories, originally published between 1941 and 1952. Durango Street was an ALA Notable Book.>>

Bill Pronzini’s latest novels are The Violated, a psychological suspense novel and Give A Damn Jones, an off-beat westers, and coming up The Flim Flam Affair, number eight in the Carpenter & Quincannon series of historical mysteries set in San Francisco in the 1890s.

Extended 45-minute Radio Wolinsky podcast. [3]

 

 

 

 

[1] https://themarsh.org/

[2] https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Frank+Bonham

[3] https://kpfa.org/area941/episode/the-probabilities-archive-frank-bonham-1914-1986/

Nathan Tysen, lyricist for the musicals "Tuck Everlasting," "Amelie" and the forthcoming "Paradise Square," talks with host Richard Wolinsky. "Tuck Everlasting" runs at TheatreWorks [1] Lucie Stern Theatre in Palo Alto through December 30th.

Originally from Kansas, Nathan Tysen [2] made a name for himself with the off-Broadway musical "The Burnt Part Boys" with composer Chris Miller, and was the lyricist for the musical "Amelie" which played at Berkeley Rep before moving to Broadway for a short run. His next project, "Paradise Square," features the music of Stephen Foster set against the draft riots of the Five Points section of Manhattan in 1863.

Also: review of "In the Heights" at Custom Made Theatre in San Francisco.

An extended version of this interview can be found as a Bay Area Theater [3] podcast.

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

[2] http://nathantysen.com/

[3] https://kpfa.org/area941/episode/interview-nathan-tysen-lyricist-for-tuck-everlasting-at-theatreworks-palo-alto/

Taylor Mac's Holiday Sauce: Host Richard Wolinsky speaks with Taylor Mac, writer, performer, and co-director, and with Niegel Smith, co-director, of "Taylor Mac's Holiday Sauce" at the Curran in San Francisco through December 1, 2018.

This past year was a good one for performer and playwright Taylor Mac. Winner of a MacArthur Genius Grant, he was also a finalist for his performance piece A 24-Decade history of Popular Music. His latest show, Taylor Mac’s Holiday Sauce, is now playing at the Curran in San Francisco through December 1st, before it moves on to Los Angeles for two performances in mid-month. Taylor Mac is playwright, co-director and star of Holiday Sauce, which has set design and costumes by his long-time collaborator Machine Dazzle, and is co-directed by Niegel Smith, the artistic director of the Flea theatre company in New York.

In these two interviews, they talk about their performance piece, and about working with audiences on a show that attempts to bring down, in Taylor Mac's words, "the patriarchy as spirituality" and come up with an inclusive approach to the holidays.

Complete Taylor Mac Interview [1]

Complete Niegel Smith interview [2]

Also: a review of "Pike Street" at Berkeley Rep through December 9th.

 

[1] https://kpfa.org/area941/episode/taylor-macs-holiday-sauce-ii-taylor-mac/

[2] https://kpfa.org/area941/episode/taylor-macs-holiday-sauce-i-niegel-smith-co-director/

Members of the Cirque du Soleil show "Volta," running at the big top near AT&T Park in San Francisco through February 3, 2018 talk about the show and their work with the Montreal-based circus organization with host Richard Wolinsky.

Guests are:

Dancer Joey Arrigo, who plays the lead character "Waz" in the show.

Acrobat Bradley Henderson, hoop-diving specialist.

Steven Ross, publicist for the show.

The discussion focuses on the creation of "Volta," the roles of the performers in the show, their history as artists, and general questions about Cirque and its international performers.

Full 28-minute Radio Wolinsky podcast [1]

 

 

 

 

Also: Review of "Everything Is Illuminated" at Aurora Theatre Company through December 9, 2018. Note: the run has been extended to December 16th.

[1] https://kpfa.org/area941/episode/cirque-du-soleil-volta/

Jonathan Lethem: Excerpt from a Live Career Retrospective, hosted by Richard Wolinsky.

On March 3, 2016, Richard Wolinsky had a chance to sit down with author Jonathan Lethem in front of a Berkeley audience as a benefit for KPFA. Jonathan is the author of several novels, including Motherless Brooklyn, Fortress of Solitude, Chronic City and most recently Dissident Gardens,along with short story collections and a book of essays, The Ecstasy of Influence. This except from the interview focuses on Jonathan's early career, living in Berkeley and working at Pegasus Books and Moe's Bookstore.

Jonathan’s collection, Lucky Alan and Other Stories, had just come out in trade paperback.His newest novel, A Gambler’s Anatomy has a release date of October 16, 2016. Special thanks to Bob Baldock, who creates these events, and Jane Heaven, who records them. Recorded at the First Congregational Church in Berkeley.

The full 70-minute  interview can be found as a Radio Wolinsky [1] podcast.

[1] https://kpfa.org/area941/episode/jonathan-lethem-live/

John Fisher, Artistic Director of Theatre Rhine, in conversation with Richard Wolinsky.

Director, playwright and actor John Fisher discusses his one-man show, "A History of World War II" at the Marsh [1] in San Francisco Nov, 8 - Dec. 16, 2018, Thursday and Saturday evenings. He also talks about the current Theatre Rhino [2] season, which opened with the musical "The Boy From Oz" about the life of gay singer/songwriter Peter Allen, playing at the Gateway (Eureka) Theatre through Nov. 17, 2018.

An extended version of this interview [3] can be found as a Bay Area Theater podcast.

 

 

Also: Review of "Men On Boats [4]" at ACT Strand through December 16, 2018.

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[1] https://themarsh.org/

[2] http://therhino.org/

[3] https://kpfa.org/area941/episode/interview-john-fisher-artistic-director-theatre-rhino/

[4] http://bookwaves.homestead.com/Soundfiles/Men_On_Boats_thru_Dec_16_3_27.mp3

Roz Chast, whose latest book is “Going into Town: A Love Letter to New York” in conversation with Richard Wolinsky.

A regular cartoonist for the New Yorker since 1978, Roz Chast has developed a following for her quirky, strange and funny cartoons.. She started out in the National Lampoon and Village Voice but has since become a regular and familiar artist in the New Yorker.

In this interview, she talks about her start as an artist, discusses how cartoons wind up in the magazine, and focuses on her new book, a graphic guide-book to New York, originally written for her daughter but expanded into an often funny and probably helpful look at the Big Apple.

 

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

Roz Chast website [2]

Also: Reviews of "The Resting Place" at the Magic Theatre and "Fairview" at Berkeley Rep. Both plays close November 4, 2018.

[1] https://kpfa.org/area941/episode/roz-chast/

[2] http://rozchast.com/

[caption id="attachment_254730" align="alignleft" width="322"] Alsion Bechdel (left); Jeanine Tesori (right)[/caption]

Fun Home: Alison Bechdel and Jeanine Tesori, in conversation with Richard Wolinsky.

Alison Bechdel is the author of the graphic novel "Fun Home," and Jeanine Tesori is the composer of the musical adaptation of "Fun Home". Originally opening at New York's Public Theatre, "Fun Home" moved to Broadway and won the 2015 Tony Award for Best Musical. Jeanine Tesori shared the Tony for Best Original Score with lyricist and librettist Lisa Kron.

“Fun Home” is based on a graphic memoir detailing how Alison Bechdel came out of the closet to her parents, and discovered her father was gay, and the tragedy that came afterward.

Alison Bechdel is also the author of the comic strip "Dykes to Watch Out For" and the graphic novel "Are You My Mother." Jeanine Tesori has written the music for four other musicals: "Violet," "Thoroughly Modern Millie", "Shrek: The Musical" and, with Tony Kushner, "Caroline or Change." She has also written scores for four animated films, including "Shrek The Third," and recently worked with David Henry Hwang on the musical "Soft Power," which played in San Francisco earlier this year.

The premiere local production of "Fun Home" plays in a Theatreworks [1] production at the Mountain View Center for the Arts through October 28, 2018.

Extended 39-minute Radio Wolinsky podcast. [2]

[1] https://theatreworks.org/

[2] https://kpfa.org/area941/episode/fun-home-alison-bechdel-jeanine-tesori/

[caption id="attachment_298558" align="alignleft" width="397"] Rupert Everett and Richard Wolinsky.[/caption]

Rupert Everett, writer, director and lead actor of the film "The Happy Prince" about the last years of Oscar Wilde, in conversation with Richard Wolinsky.

Rupert Everett’s film career took off with lead roles in the British films “Another Country” and “Dance with a Stranger” in the mid 1980s before his career took a nosedive when he came out as gay. He resurfaced in the late 1990s as a Hollywood star in the film “My Best Friend’s Wedding,” a period that lasted a short time before roles again dried up. Shortly afterward, he began working on a screenplay about Oscar Wilde’s final years, which finally has reached the screen as “The Happy Prince. The film stars Rupert Everett, who also served as director and screenwriter.

In this interview, he discusses his career, coming out as a gay actor, his work on "The Happy Prince," and his thoughts on today's world of social media.

Also: Charles Busch discusses drag and gay iconography.

Also: Review of "The Goat, or Who is Sylvia" by Edward Albee. At Custom Made Theatre in San Francisco.

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Loretta Greco, Artistic Director of the Magic Theatre, [1] and director of "Sweat" by Lynn Nottage, at ACT's Geary Theater through October 21st, in conversation with host Richard Wolinsky.

Loretta Greco has developed, premiered, and championed the work of Taylor Mac, Mfoniso Udolfia, Barbara Hammond, Jessica Hagedorn and Luis Alfaro during her years at the Magic. She's also directed plays at both the Magic, Cal Shakes, A.C.T. and other theatrical companies.

"Sweat" by Lynn Nottage won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. ACT website. [2]

 

An extended version of this interview can be found as a Bay Area Theater podcast. [3]

 

Images from "Sweat"

[1] http://magictheatre.org/

[2] http://www.act-sf.org/

[3] https://kpfa.org/area941/episode/interview-loretta-greco-artistic-director-of-the-magic-theatre/