Arts

When you go to a Pryor Baird and the Deacons performance, there’s no doubt you should do what you want to do: clap your hands, stand up and dance, whatever—as long as you get swept up in the jazzy, bluesy tunes that bounce from the band. Pryor Baird, on the other hand, does what he […]

There’s no suspense like live theater suspense, when the plot is unfolding right before your eyes. And there’s no better place for that kind of suspense than an intimate space, where you can feel like you’re right in the room with the characters—a space like Santa Maria Civic Theatre’s. The group’s latest production, Deathtrap, is […]

Even though his career reaches back into the mid ’80s, no one has ever accused local singer songwriter Glen Phillips of sitting still. Ever since he first took to the stage out front of Toad the Wet Sprocket at the tender age of 16, Phillips’ musical life has been in constant motion. Having released five […]

About two years ago, I took up kickboxing. Muay Thai to be exact. The national sport of Thailand, Muay Thai is like cardio kickboxing on crack. It combines traditional punch combinations with several kinds of kicks, and—if you want to get really fancy—flying elbows and knees. Practicing Muay Thai has taught me a lot of […]

There’s a cul-de-sac in downtown Lompoc that stands out for its little ornate houses all in a row. The residents are quite transient, but welcomed nonetheless—so welcome, in fact, that one man has built these homes for 20 years. They aren’t for people, though. They’re for the birds. Jim Manweiler builds intricate birdhouses and feeders. […]

Perhaps my favorite thing about PCPA (besides eavesdropping on the conversations of fellow audience members that precede each play) is the fact that once you’re somewhat familiar with the company, you begin to compare the actors’ roles in various productions—often with comedic or surprising results. Erik Stein, for example, assumes the role of Javert in […]