Arts

The Santa Maria Philharmonic Society is ringing with excitement for two reasons this month. The first is because it will soon perform its first-ever Christmas concert; the second is because the concert likely wouldn’t have been possible save for a $250,000 bequest. The Philharmonic, in addition to its subscription concert series, also provides the local […]

One of the most hidden aspects of an artist’s work is the process by which it was created. In the Betteravia Gallery’s latest exhibition, “The Audacity of Process: An Exploration in Diverse Practices,” that secretive method is coming to light—brought by the artists themselves. Curated by John Hood, professor of art at Allan Hancock College […]

Perhaps no dictator has captured the minds of historians, scholars, and the general public more than Adolf Hitler. Include Allan Hancock College professor Klaus P. Fischer in that group of people fascinated with the infamous man. Having just released his latest book on the fuehrer, Hitler and America, Fischer has participated in a flurry of […]

Tis the season for nostalgia. While A Christmas Carol runs at PCPA, Santa Maria Civic Theatre recalls a classic that’s a century younger than Dickens’ work, but a Christmas institution in its own right: Frank Capra’s beloved film It’s a Wonderful Life. A financial disappointment on its initial release in 1946, the now-ubiquitous film gained […]

Nutcracker 25 years ago. Though the memory is vivid in her mind, she still can’t wrap her head around the fact that this month marks the 25th production. When she first moved to Santa Maria, Zink, artistic director for Everybody Can DANCE and the Santa Maria Civic Ballet, found some summer and mid-season productions, but […]

It’s a wonder if the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come let Charles Dickens in on what a holiday icon his novella, A Christmas Carol (1843), would become. Or how many times and in how many ways it would be adapted. In addition to the major film and stage versions, various cartoons, TV specials, sitcom […]