By Brian Lafferty

January 12, 2009 (San Diego’s East County)--While watching The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus I could not help but remember a film with elements similar to it. That film would be The City of Lost Children, a 1995 French film co-directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet (Amelie) and Marc Caro. Like The City of Lost Children, Doctor Parnassus contains eccentric characters (in both physical appearance and personality), lush cinematography and set design, and an interesting narrative that is barely coherent yet rewarding at the same time. I loved it.

The Magic Horse Therapeutic Riding Center hosts an art fair and live auction on Sunday, December 13th from 12:00 noon to 4:00 p.m. at the Lakeside VFW Hall, 12650 Lindo Lane, Lakeside 92040. Admission and meal costs $25, or reserve a table for six including wine for $150. The event includes a live auction, opportunity drawing, creative activities for children, and T-shirt. Auction and drawin include items donated by local businesses and art by local artists, and artwork created by the horses!

December 4, 2009 (El Cajon) -- The City of El Cajon has been working on a master plan for the Civic Center area that will include major renovations to the East County Performing Arts Center (ECPAC) including closure of the theater for up to two years. The City iwill be hosting two community forums to share goals of the renovation and to receive community input on desired renovations to the theater.

December 2, 2009 (El Cajon)--The Grossmont College Music Department’s Jazz Ensemble will perform a holiday program starting at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 10, at the Cuyamaca College Arts Center auditorium, 900 Rancho San Diego Parkway, in El Cajon. The public is invited to attend.

By Gina McGalliard

November 30, 2009 (La Mesa) --The Academy of Performing Arts, San Diego’s acclaimed dance studio which has sent numerous students on to professional ranks, has just relocated to La Mesa. The new four-studio home is located at 5120 Baltimore Drive in the same shopping center with a Discount Dance Supply Store.

November 22, 2009 (Poway) - California Ballet Company will present The Nutcracker, a holiday classic ballet performance at the Poway Performing Arts Center.  This is the longest running Nutcracker performance in San Diego and has been voted "Best Local Dance Performance" by Ranch & Coast Magazine in 2008.

November 18,2009 (San Diego) – Fletcher Hills artist Mary Lou Holmberg will host a One Woman Art Show on Friday, November 20th from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the lobby of Emerald Plaza, 402 W. Broadway in downtown San Diego. Her show, titled “Return,” celebrates two years of clean health for the award-winning artist and lung cancer survivor.

November 15, 2009 (Julian) - On November 21 and 22 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., artists and artisans from the Julian Arts Guild invites the public to in an open studios and galleries tour. What better way to do some early holiday shopping and enjoy the beautiful backroads and byways near the historic gold mining town of Julian?

By Tammy Lawhead, events coordinator, Armchair Impressionists

November 7, 2009 (El Cajon) -- Renown Western artist, illustrator, and art instructor Jack Jordon and watercolorist Carol Harris are special guest artists at this year’s Armchair Impressionists Exhibition. Paintings by armchair Impressionists Jeffrey Graham, Rustin Holec, David Lawhead, Karen Marsh, and William Marsh will be featured November 1 -30 at the Rancho San Diego Library, 11555 Via Rancho San Diego in El Cajon.  The public is invited to join the artists at a reception November 15th from 2 – 4 pm in the Community Room.

The Armchair Impressionists are five artists who came together as Grossmont College of Community Learning students under the tutelage of  Jordan. The group meets to offer support and encouragement as they submit their paintings to venues available to artists in and around San Diego County. 

Below are biographies of this year’s Exhibition participants and samples of their work:

A review by Bill Pogue

October 27, 2009 (La Mesa)--Grossmont Hospital Chief of Staff Michael Musicant M.D. recognized that the pace and structure of the medical practice today is stressful and tends to isolation of practitioners, compared to 30 years ago. So he set up a "Happiness committee" dedicated to getting staff together around social projects. Six have been organized so far. One donated back packs to needy school kids. Another exhibited art created by thephysicians, attracting attendance by 170 doctors and their families.

On Tuesday, September 17, about 150 Doctors, staff, and family gathered on the lawn behind the mental rehab facility as the sun set, enjoying two hours of music of all sorts performed by Grossmont Hospital physicians.

CITY OF EL CAJON TERMINATES MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT WITH CHRISTIAN THEATER GROUP; POSTPONES CLOSURE UNTIL AT LEAST MID-2010 TO HONOR CONTRACTS FOR SHOWS

By Miriam Raftery

October 14, 2009 (El Cajon) – El Cajon City Council members voted unanimously yesterday to terminate its agreement effective January 1st with ArtBeat Management, a subsidiary of Christian Community Theater, which has managed the East County Performing Arts Center (ECPAC) for the past four years. The theater is slated to close for approximately two years for renovations including a new roof, improving access for the disabled, and moving the entrance to open onto Main Street, generating traffic toward local merchants and restaurants.

At yesterday’s Council hearing, Grossmont Community Concerts Association (GCCCA) president Ron Shelby pleaded with Council members to keep the theater open through the groups’ 2010 concert season, which is sold out. “We were in panic mode because we couldn’t find any place that can accommodate all of our performances,” said Shelby.  After the hearing, he expressed gratitude that Mayor Mark Lewis pledged to honor all contracts signed by CCT, assuring Shelby that the theater will remain open at least through the end of the GCCCA season in May

The City hailed the renovation plans with a press release today proclaiming “exciting changes planned for the East County Performing Arts Center.

By: Dennis Moore

By Miriam Raftery

October 5, 2009 (El Cajon) – Brad Pitt, Angeline Jolie and Jennifer Anniston celebrity impersonators join a “Tribute to the Stars” fundraising event Oct. 10 at the El Cajon Performing Arts Center to benefit the Mother Goose Parade. Other special appearances include tribute artists for Gwen Stefani, the music of No Doubt, “Twilight” movie stars, and Johnny Depp tribute artist “Cap’n Jack” Sam Sparrow.

The public is invited to join in the fun for $15 a person, $40 for a family four-pack--or splurge on a $45 rock star limo package that includes a celebrity red carpet welcome--complete with paparazzi to commemorate your arrival.

October 5, 2009 (El Cajon)--The Grossmont College Jazz Ensemble, featuring jazz saxophonist soloist Christopher Hollyday, will perform starting at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 8, at the Cuyamaca College Arts Center auditorium, 900 Rancho San Diego Parkway, in El Cajon. The performance is open to the public. Admission is $8 for adults and $5 for students and seniors.

September 23, 2009 (Santee) – San Diego Master Chorale presents “From Handel to Halloween”, a concert of “spirited” music on October 16 at the Sonrise Community Church in Santee. The program features classics, folk songs, popular music in keeping with the season, spirituals, and a special focus on men’s voices at this family-oriented concert.