Scene from Auction Napa Valley

Auction Napa Valley is underway and runs through Sunday. Organized by Napa Valley Vintners, a non-profit trade association responsible for promoting and protecting the Napa Valley appellation, the annual fundraiser  features dozens of parties (from blue jean casuals, to dress your finest soirees), 250 auction lots, and marquee dinners.

Emeril Lagasse headlines an all-star culinary lineup and is appearing at Auction Napa Valley for the first time. Chef Lagasse is widely known as the chef/proprietor of 13 restaurants (three in New Orleans), author of more than a dozen best-selling cookbooks, and inimitable TV personality.

Napa legend and super-chef Cindy Pawlcyn will once again be on hand delighting with her gourmet flare.

Other chefs making ANV appearances include Michael Tusk (Quince, Cotogna), Napa Valley’s legendary Cindy Pawlcyn (Mustards Grill, Cindy’s Backstreet Kitchen, Brassica), and Meadowood’s Three-Michelin-Star Chef Christopher Kostow, to name just a few.

Auction Napa Valley: LIVE AUCTION LOTS

Proceeds from the weekend support health, youth and affordable housing non-profit programs.

Founded in 1981, under the vision of Robert and Margrit Mondavi Auction Napa Valley is designed to showcase Napa Valley’s best wine, food and outstanding hospitality has grown to be a four-day gathering held each year the first weekend in June.

[Auction Napa Valley]

By Monica Turner - Stark Insider.

Something curious happened when the houselights when down last night at “Mary Poppins,” presented by Broadway San Jose:  the audience began to applaud. While this audience – roughly 80% female – was slightly tilted in favor of women under 40 who brought their children, there was a not insignificant contingent of older adult women. Regardless of age, all seemed hell bent to escape back to Cherry Tree Lane. However smitten I may have been some 45 odd years ago by Dick van Dyke’s general cheeriness, and chim-chim-er-ee wistfulness, like St. Paul, I too “put away the things of a child.”  This left me mystified as to why Mary Poppins, which just opened at the Center for Performing Arts in San Jose was obviously such a huge draw. Why does this story continue to be so meaningful, generation after generation?

In her December 2005 New Yorker article, Caitlin Flanagan (whose feminism regularly trotted out on the pages of the Atlantic alternately appalls and entrances) sagely observed that these enthusiastic audiences “were children who grew up in an America in which nannies were as unfamiliar to middle-class neighborhoods as Jaguars and Martians. But they would become adults in an America that had invented a new nanny culture. To an astonishing extent, the way they came to think and talk about their employees was shaped by the movie they had seen so many years earlier.”  To a large extent, Ms. Flanagan is correct. How many suburban matrons comment that their employee is just like a Guatemalan Mary Poppins?

This raises a curious question as to why we feel the need to project such goodness upon some externalized other who brings order to our households and happiness to our children – as if it was something entirely beyond our ken. But perhaps magic is always best delivered by some other, which is certainly what happened at this opening of Mary Poppins.

However smitten I may have been some 45 odd years ago by Dick van Dyke’s general cheeriness, and chim-chim-er-ee wistfulness, like St. Paul, I too “put away the things of a child.”

I confess, I came prepared not to like this production. Yet however, when the Bird Woman (Q. Smith) offered up her “Feed the Birds” shortly before the close of the first act, something turned.  This moment held the heart of the entire production.  We see little of this character, yet she carries the emotional center of the entire production.  Without this anchor, the Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious that followed would seem incredibly artful, but soulless. With this anchor, the audience enjoyed a phenomenally well-crafted song that propelled the whole thing forward.

This production brings all the magic of Mary Poppins’ bottomless handbag, park excursions, banister-sliding, and other feats of nanny-wizardry. No expense was spared on the technical side of this production, much to the delight of the audience. Defects, such as they were, were largely due to sound mixing, as the mic picked up far too much, leaving the audience sonically-assaulted at moments.  However, these opening night defects will undoubtedly be remedied.

Both Rachel Wallace (Mary Poppins) and Case Dillard) were well cast. If Wallace’s vocals were at times grating, her physical persona was perfect, especially for those who grew up on the 1964 movie.  Likewise, Dillard was a perfect counterbalance to Wallace, as the artful, if somewhat inept Bert.  Neither rose to the heights of Q. Smith, but perhaps that was intentional. Also noteworthy was the well-staged choreography, particularly of the chimney sweeps.

You may find it time to relive the Mary Poppins mystery – and catch this production at the San Jose Center for Performing Arts.  Given that it’s only running for one week, you have to act fast to get tickets.  If the enthusiasm of the opening night audience is any indication, even Mary Poppins’ magic might not help if tickets sell out before the wind changes.

By Cy Ashley Webb - Stark Insider.

Weill Hall, Sonoma State University: Opens September 2012.

Located on the picturesque Sonoma State University campus in theheart of California’s Sonoma wine region, Weill Hall officially opens Saturday, September 29 with an Opening Night concert featuring Lang Lang followed on Sunday with a Choral Sunrise Concert, a concert with Bruno Ferrandis and the Santa Rosa Symphony, and a special evening performance with Alison Krauss & Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas.

Designed to be a focal point for music in the region, the inaugural season in Weill Hall features an array of internationally acclaimed performers including vocalists Stephanie Blythe, Elīna Garanča, Joyce DiDonato and Barbara Cook; celebrated classical soloists Yo-Yo Ma, Vadim Repin, Wynton Marsalis and Anne-Sophie Mutter; acclaimed early music ensembles Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra and Chorale, Tallis Scholars and Il Complesso Barocco; and Latin jazz greats Chucho Valdés and Buika. The Santa Rosa Symphony, Resident Orchestra, offers a full season of programming at the Green Music Center and the San Francisco Symphony will perform four concerts.

Beginning in June 2013, Sonoma State University and New York’s Carnegie Hall will launch a new partnership to include a year-long residency at SSU by young professional musicians, all alumni of The Academy, the prestigious program created by Carnegie Hall, The Juilliard School and the Weill Music Institute in partnership with the New York City Department of Education. As Visiting Artists in Residence, a small number of specially-selected Academy alumni will reside on the SSU campus for a year, fully engaging musically with the SSU community: presenting performances, offering lessons, chamber music coachings, and workshops; participating in community outreach to K-12 schools and other community partners; mentoring students; and coordinating audience development and concert preparation activities in residence halls for on-campus performances, among many other duties. This marks the first time that Academy alumni will create such an extended residency, working in a university setting.

Complementing this new Visiting Artists in Residence program, a partnership with the Santa Rosa Symphony will bring Carnegie Hall’s Link Up National program for grade school students to Sonoma County. Link Up will join other educational programs currently offered by the Symphony – Music For Our Schools and Training Young Musicians – as the orchestra creates an El Sistema based program for local students. The Symphony’s five-year pilot program, Simply Strings, will provide daily after-school instruction on violin or viola to first through fifth grade students, culminating each spring in a live performance in Weill Hall with the Santa Rosa Symphony. Students will also have the opportunity to learn pieces of music on the recorder, enabling them to take part in a joint performance – children and the Symphony – at the Green Music Center.

Created by Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute, Link Up National is an interactive and engaging music education program that currently connects more than 30 orchestras across the country with schools in their local communities. As part of the partnership, Carnegie Hall will provide free music education curriculum materials for use in Sonoma County schools as well as complimentary resources to support the culminating concert for students in Spring 2013.

The initial concept for the Green Music Center began in the 1990s with University President Ruben Armiñana, his wife Marne Olson, and local philanthropists Donald & Maureen Green – all of whom shared a vision of creating a choral recital hall on campus. Over the next few years, an inspiring visit to Tanglewood Music Center’s renowned Ozawa Hall led the four to expand their initial vision into a world-class arts center. They realized that the University, nestled in the beautiful Wine Country of Northern California, was an ideal home for a music venue unmatched by any on the West Coast and beyond.

Impressed by the acoustic excellence of Ozawa Hall, and intrigued by its indoor/outdoor design, the founders of the Green Music Center engaged William Rawn and Larry Kirkegaard, the architect and acoustician principally responsible for the design of Ozawa Hall, and San Francisco-based Theatre Consultant Len Auerbach. Their task was to create a new concert hall for the campus that would recall the spirit and quality of Ozawa Hall, while drawing on the special physical and cultural environments of the Sonoma County setting.

After a strong start and more than a decade of planning and construction, in late 2006 the economy began to be challenging and fundraising slowed dramatically until the beginning of 2011. This is when Joan and Sanford I. Weill – newcomers to Sonoma County – gave Sonoma State its largest ever cash gift. Their generous $12 million contribution enabled the completion of the concert hall and adjacent lawn and paved the way for the September 29 opening.

The elegant stone Trione courtyard lined with 125-year-old olive trees welcomes guests to Weill Hall, a traditional shoebox shaped 1,400 seat hall made with beautiful warm woods including European steamed beech, white maple and Douglas fir. Weill Hall boasts extraordinary views of the rolling Sonoma Mountains from large windows lining the north and east walls and seating areas include a main orchestra floor, two side galleries which connect to a chorus balcony at the rear of the stage and an upper balcony at the rear of the hall. In a nod to the inspiration of Ozawa Hall in Tanglewood, a “barn door” at the back of Weill Hall opens onto terraced patio levels and lawn seating, giving audiences outside a magical chance to connect with performers onstage.

Joan & Sanford I. Weill Hall

Total square footage: 38,500

Height (orchestra to ceiling): 53’

Balcony to Balcony (width): 53’

Front Face of Rear Balcony to Front of Stage: 75’

Modular rear door: 20’H x 54’W; runs the entire length of the south wall of Weill Hall. When opened, it extends the reach of the concert hall to an additional 5,000 patrons on the adjacent Weill Lawn.

Stage: 2,880 square feet (48’ deep x 60’ wide); made of white maple and featuring adjustable lifts and risers to accommodate a full orchestra when needed and to fine-tune ensemble communications and sound on the main floor.

Seats: Each is comprised of European steamed beech wood, an open back, and a burgundy cushion. Custom-made by Fancher Chair Co., the acoustically neutral seats are a rare combination of traditional wood mortise and tenon joinery with a unique tip-up seat.

Total: 1,417 seats (orchestra floor – 784, 1st balcony – 312 Seats, 2nd balcony – 321)
Use of woods: Plaster and European steamed beech for the walls; European steamed beech for the balcony railings, trim and seats; Tongue and Groove Douglas Fir for the balcony undersides; White Maple on the stage floor; and Vertical Grain Douglas Fir for the orchestra and balcony floors.

Backstage: Multiple dressing rooms, a green room, assembly and support spaces, specialized instrument storage rooms, general storage, and a full loading dock.
Instruments: 9-foot Steinway Concert Grand piano (Model D) and 9-foot Fazioli Concert Grand piano (F278).

Audio and Video Recording Facilities: Comprehensive, state of the art technical equipment and interconnectivity throughout complex.

Acoustically, the hall has been designed to support a broad range of programming from full symphony orchestra with chorus to vocalists, smaller instrumental ensembles, solo recitals, jazz and world music. To tune the hall’s acoustics ideally for all of these possibilities, there is a system of motorized sound-absorbing banners that can be progressively deployed to provide increasing control over the fullness and reverberation of the hall, therefore enabling the hall to support amplified performances as well as lectures. Theatre consultants assimilated the theatrical and performance functions into the architectural design of Weill Hall, including the seamless application of elements of variable acoustics and performance technology.

Just to the east of Weill Hall is the site of the future outdoor performance pavilion, which will accommodate a full range of performances, including symphonic music and dance in addition to amplified genres such as pop and rock. The pavilion is expected to seat approximately 10,000 guests, with a combination of fixed seats and lawn spaces – reminiscent of other venues that combine both fixed and lawn seating such as Ravinia and the Hollywood Bowl.

In addition to the performance venues of the Green Music Center, the complex houses a Music Education Wing with large classrooms and ensemble rooms, practice studios and rehearsal spaces; a Hospitality Center featuring the upscale Prelude Restaurant and Privé conference spaces; in addition to an elegant dining patio and lawn. Schroeder Recital Hall, an intimate 250-seat venue inspired by the soaring spaces of European churches and graced on one wall by a rare Brombaugh Tracker Organ, awaits final funding and completion.

By Monica Turner - Stark Insider.

News flow has changed dramatically. Just one of several interesting slides from Mary Meeker's much anticipated annual Internet trends report.

Internet data diva Mary Meeker has released her annual trends report. The Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers  partner presented this morning at the AllThingsD (#ATD10) conference here in Rancho Palos Verdes covering everything from the growth of mobile, the challenges facing the global economy faces, and even the hobbled Facebook IPO.

Fair warning: the presentation in 112 slides and includes a tonne of information, trends, data, and charts – much culled from other sources such as Gartner, Morgan Stanley and some directly from KPCB own research initiatives.

If your work (or interest) involves the Web, or social media, or technology in general than this report is a must-read. Download it here directly from the KPCB site, grab a latte (or two) and let Mary give you a 101 on what’s going on in the world vis-a-vis technology.

Those of us in attendance at ATD or who watched the livestream are probably searching for some Tylenol or Margarita, or both. Mary is as informative as she is rapid-fire. Have you ever presented 100 slides in a little over 30 minutes? If not, check in with her on how best to bamboozle (yet inform!) a crowd. At least a few called the presentation a “whirlwind.” Particularly entertaining is the section where she frames the “re-imagination” of just about everything… Computing (from Desktops/Laptops to Tablets/Smartphones), Life stories (from framed photos/bios to Facebook), Scrapbooking (from glue/scissors to Pinterest), Home Entertainment (from Lean Back/Lean Forward to “Curl Up” with iPad)…

KPCB Internet Trends 2012

Mary Meeker, investment partner, KPCB

Regarding the trend data of Mary Meeker’s presentation, here’s a few items that caught my eye:

– Android phone adoption is ramping 4x faster than iPhone (iPad is ramping 3x faster).

– India, China and Brazil lead the world when it comes to mobile user growth at 841%, 115%, and  99% respectively (US and Japan still lead in absolute numbers).

– as of January 2012, 29% of American adults own an eReader or tablet.

– in 1995 global Internet ad revenue was $55 million. Today it’s over $73 billion (!); ad revenue has similarly jumped from $9 to $49 per user.

If you watched the presentation you may have noticed Mary’s repeated love-in for a cool social app for iOS called “Waze.” It’s a crowd sourcing play on navigation. And, yes, she’s (KPCB) is an investor.

The ATD conference continues through tomorrow. Now on stage: Zynga CEO Mark Pincus.

[Mary Meeker/KPCB: Internet Trends 2012 (pdf) ]

By Clinton Stark - Stark Insider.

Android 4.0.4 for Samsung Galaxy Nexus - so long to choppy audio.

If you have a Samsung Galaxy Nexus, now would be the time to go into settings, and then click about phone and software update.

Verizon has started to roll out Android 4.0.4 for the popular Android smartphone, and several of my friends (and a few anonymous StarkIn tipsters) have indicated they’ve already received the 39.8MB update. Good on you! Those anxious to find out more should visit the Verizon software update page where you’ll find details about the upgrade in addition to a short installation guide. If you haven’t yet received the update, be patient and soon enough you’ll get the update notification automatically. If things call wrong call it a 404 error… (poor excuse at web humor that).

The Galaxy Nexus was the first smartphone to ship (late last year) with Ice Cream Sandwich. Version 4.0 was a major step in the right direction as Google attempted to streamline the Android experience. In addition to improved ease-of-use (widgets are easier to place now, for example), the update featured a new Mr. Roboto font, and several performance enhancements.

Bonus: if you run any flavor of ICS you’ll be able to install the much-loved Google Chrome Beta for Android – joy to the syncing bookmarks.

What’s new in Android 4.0.4?

Straight from the horse’s mouth:

Email, Messaging & Data

– Email messages will display properly when the text size is set to large.
– When sending a multimedia message to an Outlook email address, the file extension will send, allowing the recipient to successfully open an image.
– Successfully deleted emails on the device will be deleted from the desktop as well.
– Successfully send text messages without experiencing network connectivity issues.

Applications

– When viewing a Calendar reminder or appointment, you will now be able to view the full notes associated with the appointment.
– A down arrow has been added in the Calendar application that will expand the calendar message body, allowing you to view the entire message.

Device Features

– Successfully turn on Wi-Fi using the Power Control widget.
– Updates have been made to prevent the display from freezing or becoming unresponsive.
– Complete calls without experiencing choppy audio, clicking noises and one-way audio noises.
– Successfully access Voicemail and other automated systems without error.

Blown away by the cacophony of goodies in 4.0.4? Didn’t think so… but remember this is a minor release. It sounds like the dreaded “choppy audio” may be resolved so that will bode well for many of you. There should be enough here to keep you satiated until Jelly Bean arrives which we understand could be next month at I/O. Also, we’re told that release will be anointed version 4.1, not 5.0 as previously believed.

By Mike Carrall - Stark Insider.

Senator Noreen Evans and Assemblyman Michael Allen presented certificates of recognition to the members of the Rutherford Dust Society, project landowners, Napa County, the Napa County Resource Conservation District, and ESA PWA for their work on this pioneering large scale river restoration project.

Many other project partners were recognized for their role in this private-public partnership endeavor, including resource agencies such as the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board, NOAA/NMS, and the California Department of Fish and Game, and major project funders such as the State Water Resources Control Board, the California Coastal Conservancy, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the California Department of Parks and Recreation Habitat Conservation Fund. Following the recognition ceremonies, stakeholders gathered with elected officials at the Capitol for a reception featuring Rutherford wines sponsored by the California Association of Wine Grape Growers.

“The Rutherford Dust Restoration Team represents the epitome of a collaborative community effort to restore a living and resilient river. This project is a model of forward-looking and extraordinary environmental stewardship. Investing in the future, diverse stakeholders are successfully working together to create and protect the things we value most in common: a healthy environment, a thriving economy, and a meaningful connection to the place we call home,” said Gretchen Hayes, Napa River Rutherford Reach Restoration Project Landowner Liaison.

By Monica Turner - Stark Insider.

Cream of the crop: Wall Street Journal's "D" conference runs May 29-31 and can be followed online (of course!).

It’s hard to believe that the AllThingsD — the Wall Street Journal’s extremely successful push into technology journalism/blogging — conference “D” is now celebrating its tenth edition. D kicks off tonight from Rancho Palos Verdes (just south of L.A.), and for three days will be the center of attention for all things tech – news, opinion, conversation.

#ATD10 as it’s called on Twitter, opens with none other than Apple CEO Tim Cook who will take the stage (6pm today) with co-editors Kara Swisher (who was profiled over the weekend in the Chronicle) and the estimable Walt Mossberg. Cook will be appearing at the event for the first time, and it will also mark the first time he will be appearing on stage at a non-Apple event.

In addition to Cook, other figures, tech or otherwise, making appearances include Larry Ellison (Oracle), Michael Bloomberg (Mayor, New York), John Hennessy (President, Stanford), Daniel Elk (Spotify), among others.

What I like best about D is that it’s – thankfully – unscripted. There are no canned speeches, or stumps to be found. What you get are genuine, live conversations with Swisher and Mossberg usually playing the role of moderators.

There is a livestream, but unfortunately not all of the conference will be broadcast. If you can spare a few minutes here and there during the day, I highly recommend you poke your head in to see what’s happening. More information can be found here.

By Clinton Stark - Stark Insider.

Samsung Galaxy S III: First Android smartphone to induce lust among iPhone users. (Photo: The Verge)

Big expectations and the Samsung Galaxy S III were synonymous for the better part of this year, leading up to the flagship Android’s announcement in London earlier this month. So far, Samsung appears to have nailed it. The smartphone is receiving glowing reviews (The Verge: “Unequaled performance” 8.5/10). Pre-orders are through the roof and reportedly the “most ever for an Android phone.”

But perhaps what’s most interesting about this highly anticipated smartphone from Samsung is that it could be the first Android to convert masses of iPhone users to Google’s mobile OS.

Anecdotally I’ve heard from more than one friend, and seen several posts on Twitter and Facebook about disgruntled users potentially making the switch from an iPhone to the S III. In addition to calling it the best Android on the market, the Telegraph suggests that ”even iPhone users should take a look.”

I don’t expect a sea change, and, no question, Apple’s not about to go the way of the Palm anytime soon (or ever). Still, there’s a sense that with Google’s impending self-branded Android 5/tablet launch, and the incredible demand seen with this Samsung smartphone, that the potential to score market share hits against Apple is not the impossibility many suspect.

There’s several reasons why iPhone users are converting to the Samsung S III:

1. Screen Size

Want a bigger screen than 3.5-inches? Scratch the iPhone off your list. It only comes in one size (but two colors!). Meanwhile Android is a Vegas buffet by comparison with sizes available across several manufacturers all the way up to the Galaxy Note’s 5.3-inches (also available in two colors!).

2. Android is finally as easy to use as iOS

In the early days, circa 2009-2010, Android was a techy stew. Not so today. Android 4.0 “Ice Cream Sandwich” (though penetration is still extremely low) and even its far more popular predecessor Android 2.3.x “Gingerbread” have made significant inroads in ease-of-use. Better still Google’s app market (now called Google Play) finally does not feel like walking through a bad neighborhood.

3. Android is more customizable, personable

Widgets are a huge plus for Android. They allow you to be more productive. For example, you can add CNN headlines to your homescreen, or the weather forecast, or the latest sports scores. There are thousands of possibilities, none of which are available on the iPhone which instead offers only a boring grid of icons.

4. Speed

Android, and the Samsung S III in particular, bests the iPhone 4S in two ways when it comes to speed. First, overall performance, thanks to a quad-core processor, is simply unparalleled. It blows the iPhone away (Google the benchmarks for the nitty gritty). Beyond that, there’s 4G/LTE. Blazing cellular data speeds are not available to iPhone users who are stuck with the markedly slower 3G service. Sad that.

5. Slim is in

Hold an iPhone 4S next to a Samsung Galaxy S III (or even the S II), and you’ll immediately notice something surprising: the iPhone is a chunky little bugger. In fact the iPhone 3 line, thanks to its elegantly rounded case, could be considered the better design. When it comes to slim there’s no beating Android; the Moto RAZR led the charge earlier this year, and now the S III too proves that you needn’t carry a small brick around to get terrific performance.

Beyond these features and design differences, there’s something else in play.

At CES in January we heard one Android maker after another say they’d launch fewer models. 2011 was a mess when it came to new Android smartphones. Consumer confusion reigned supreme, and many (including myself) kept waiting “just a few more weeks” for the next big thing to hit our local Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile stores. In fact, I’m still running an OG Moto Droid (2009) and now an eager to upgrade to the S III el pronto. Thankfully manufacturers are slowing the release cycle. It’s important to avoid flooding the market, not only to prevent consumers from delaying buying decisions, but also for putting marketing muscle behind individual model launches.

Case in point: this very Samsung Galaxy S III.

Like Apple, Samsung is releasing a new model only once per year. The result is laser focus. These press release/presentation style launches were invented by Steve Jobs and Apple, and have proved hugely successful in building excitement, generating buzz, garnering headlines. I suspect Google will do something similar with Android 5 and its self-branded 7-inch tablet (Asustek) that we should see next month.

By Clinton Stark - Stark Insider.

Democratic cartoon shows Andrew Jackson, the 7th president of the United States, fighting the monster Bank. "The Bank", Jackson told Martin Van Buren, "is trying to kill me, but I will kill it!" (Photo: Wikipedia)

Populism Yeah Yeah!

San Jose Stage Company has landed the regional premiere of Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson. The brash and irreverent rock musical, about the country we live in and the leaders we choose, uses a blend of comedy, rebellious theatricality and an emo rock score. Written by Alex Timbers with music and lyrics by Michael Friedman, the play opens at The Stage June 6 – July 29 and is directed by Rick Singleton.

Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson redefines the life of the 7th president of the United States through a filter of glorified teenage angst and rockstar posturing. President Jackson’s tenure in the Oval Office left an indelible mark on the history of the United States and this production portrays the persona of a man we’ve only met in textbooks as a counter-culture icon. Using pop culture vernacular, this musical reshapes the major events that outlined Andrew Jackson’s life and administration: his relationship with first lady Rachel Jackson, the state of populism and the Indian Removal Act. With numbers like “Populism Yeah Yeah”, “The Corrupt Bargain”, “Rock Star and The Great Compromise”, this musical comedy was nominated for two Tony Awards in 2011 and won the 2010 Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding New Off-Broadway Musical.

In office from March 4, 1829 to March 4, 1837, Jackson was a political maverick and his philosophy, and the era in which it was adopted, has since been coined the Jacksonian democracy. His pioneer upbringing in Tennessee and military service on the American Frontier made him a figure that the common man could relate to, a point that was proven by his immense popularity with voters. Andrew Jackson prided himself as a man of the people.

In discussing the timing of the play, Artistic Director Randall King stated, “We hoped to attain the rights in time for this year’s presidential election. The muses were generous, and we are thrilled to be able to present Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, the regional premiere of this new break-all-rules musical.”

While referring to the striking parallels Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson shares with modern politics, King noted, “The show makes clear that those in power, like everyone else, make choices based on the times in which they live.” He went on to say, “Above and below the surface, this has been a politically-charged season of theatre at The Stage. It portrays the rebellious teenager that America was in the early 19th century. Revisiting the 1820s and 1830s in a rock ‘em and shock ’em musical is a lot of fun to produce and even more fun to watch.”

According to Director Rick Singleton, “I think the challenge is going to be balancing what we know and what we feel about Jackson. I have to admit that Jackson’s activity was pretty unfamiliar to me. Just a face on the twenty and not much else. I sat there when I saw it on Broadway and found that it didn’t really matter where you sat in history class, it is still a real eye opener.” He went on to say, “Politics in this country travels through the centuries in this play, and has been compared to Saturday Night Live with an Off-Broadway twist.”

Rick Singleton directs the production for The Stage, where he helmed the sold-out runs of Cabaret (review), Avenue Q (review) and Altar Boyz. His other notable directorial credits for the Company include The Pillowman (review), I Am My Own Wife, The Diary of Anne Frank, Urinetown, The Musical and Angry Housewives.

Jonathan Rhys Williams returns to The Stage in the title role of Andrew Jackson and Halsey Varady returns to play Rachel Jackson, the First Lady. The ensemble includes Clarissa Chun, David Colston Corris, Courtney Hatcher, Chanz Kallstrom, Mari Magaloni, Jon Lee, Allison F. Rich, Manuel Romero, Martin Rojas Dietrich, Will Springhorn Jr., Jef Valentine and Aaron Wilton.

The show’s designers include Thierry Chantrel (set) Michele Wynne (costumes), Selina G Young (lighting) and John Koss (sound).

By Monica Turner - Stark Insider.

How exactly does a 1,400 horsepower monster truck compare to a Toyota Prius? Find out as Loni heads over to Oakland Coliseum (O.co) in this special Monster-sized edition of Stark Insider TV.

Watch our “the little chihuahua” attempts to climb aboard Tom Meents’ ”Maximum Destruction” (Max D.), a wicked beast driven by Neill Elliott, now seen touring across the country, entertaining large crowds of up to 60,000 people. It’s been said Neill is a graduate of Tom Meents School of Monster Truck Driving – which is to say, it’s full throttle, all the time. In fact, as you’ll learn here, he’s rolled Max D. several times. Find out in this video what he’s installed in the cockpit to help him maintain his orientation.

Other drivers were on hand at the Monster Jam warm-ups, and Team Stark met up with other drivers to give you a first hand look at life at the wheel of a monster.

“I’d have to say it’s all the interaction with the kids, all the fans. The look on their faces. They look at you like a superhero.” explains Chuck Werner, “El Toro Loco” (the truck with the golden tooth and blazing red/orange paint job!), on his favorite part of being a driver. “And all I am is an ordinary guy with an extraordinary job.”

There’s no shortage of technology used to get these trucks flying through the air. Neill shows Loni some of the latest innovations used in Max D. including the four wheel system, the dual shock/coil spring set-up, and, of course, the massive 66-inch tall tires.

Oh, and that Prius comparison and mpg?! When it comes to fuel efficiency, Neil explains, “it’s gallons to the mile.” Then again, this is Maximum Destruction and monster-sized entertainment – you’re not likely to see one of these trucks in the California car pool lane anytime soon.

WATCH: Inside Monster Truck “Maximum Destruction”

(With Clinton Stark contributing)

By Chris Wright - Stark Insider.