Magician/illusionist Ben Seidman brings his special show, Magic Things, to the Castro Valley Center for the Arts, Saturday, October 5 at 7:30 pm.  Ben combines psychological magic, stand-up comedy, pickpocketing and sleight-of-hand, giving his audiences an unforgettable evening.  Tickets: cvartsfoundation.org or 510-889-8961. 19501 Redwood Road.

Celebrate this Valentine’s Day with a magical night of melody and romance at the Douglas Morrisson Theatre (DMT). Join the Hayward Area Recreation and Park District for its special event, The Billie Holiday Project: Love Songs. Created for the theater’s new “DMT Presents” series, The Billie Holiday Project is headlined by the esteemed vocalist Stella Heath and the Starlights Band and will take place on February 14 at 7:30 PM. It’s poised to be a night to remember for all who cherish jazz and Billie Holiday's enduring legacy. 

Stella Heath is celebrated for her enthralling vocal prowess that honors great jazz icons. She will take center stage and showcase her renditions of Billie Holiday’s most treasured love songs. Heath's talent for encapsulating the essence and profundity of Holiday’s tunes has garnered her widespread acclaim and a loyal fan base. Her performance is expected to be a heartfelt homage and a refreshing interpretation of timeless classics that appeal to a broad audience. Drawing from some of Billie Holiday’s most recorded love tunes, including All of Me, Night & Day, and My Man, the band also revives some of the earlier and lesser-known tunes. 

Joining Stella Heath are the Starlights — a band of skilled musicians noted for their adept performances of jazz standards. This collaboration is anticipated to produce a vibrant musical atmosphere ideally suited to the Douglas Morrisson Theatre’s intimate setting. 

As a venue that regularly hosts a diverse array of high-caliber shows, the Douglas Morrisson Theatre has established itself as a key destination for those seeking distinctive and captivating entertainment. It offers the perfect setting for this extraordinary event.  

Valentine’s Day traditionally symbolizes the celebration of love and romance. What could be more fitting than spending the evening listening to the timeless music of Billie Holiday? This event is designed not just for jazz aficionados, but also for anyone who wishes to experience the electric and intimate feeling of seeing Lady Day live in a 1930s jazz club. 

An evening spent with Stella Heath and the Starlights will undoubtedly be an extraordinary experience that will leave a profound and lasting impression far beyond the final note of the performance. We encourage you to purchase tickets in advance as the event will sell out quickly. 

Tickets are $20, which you can purchase here: https://douglasmorrissontheatre.thundertix.com/.  

The Band features Stella Heath highlighting the vocal style of Billie Holiday; Neil Fontano's classic style piano virtuoso; Michael Fortunato, rich and inventive on tenor saxophone and clarinet harkening back to Lester Young's soulful sound; Trevor Kinsel interchanging between upright bass and cornet; and Spike Klein on the drum kit.  

To learn more about this and other upcoming events, call (510) 881-6700 or visit https://douglasmorrissontheatre.thundertix.com/ 

Chanticleers Theatre is excited to announce an encore performance by Brian Copeland on Friday, October 6. Energized by his recent show entitled “Grandma & Me: An Ode to Single Parents”, which played to a sold out audience on Saturday, June 3, the award-winning comedian is back with his most famous one-man play, “Not a Genuine Black Man.”

In 1971, Fair Housing advocates considered San Leandro one of the most racist suburbs in America. CBS aired a special on the situation. The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights conducted hearings. The next year, eight-year-old Copeland and his African-American family moved in. In an evening of laughter, tears and sociology, “Not a Genuine Black Man” is a hilarious and insightful look at Bay Area history and the ways in which our upbringings make us who we are.

After the show’s debut in 2004, the San Francisco Chronicle declared it to be “A beautiful mix of wry humor and heartbreak, indignation and inspiration, a singular story of extreme isolation that speaks to anyone who’s ever felt out of place.”

Copeland plays over 20 characters during the two-hour show, including himself, himself as an 8-year-old, his mother, his sister, his grandmother, his son, his father, his landlord, 3 policemen, 2 lawyers, his father, a waitress, a pastor of an all-white church, a hate-letter writer, two white teenaged racists and several irate neighbors.

Join us for this special, one-night only performance of “Not a Genuine Black Man”, and come see why it holds the record for the longest running solo show in San Francisco history! Tickets are $35 online and $40 at the door. Patrons can make purchases at chanticleers.org or call 510-SEE-LIVE (510-733-5483).

Chanticleers Theatre is a nonprofit community theater organization with a rich history dating back to 1948. Known as “Castro Valley’s Little Theatre in the Park”, the 99-seat playhouse is located in the Castro Valley Community Park right across from the Veterans Memorial and next to the children’s waterpark and playground.

Come celebrate summer and the beginning of the Castro Valley Arts Foundation 2023-24 Concert Series as we kickoff the season with Soul singer/songwriter Cornell C.C. Carter and his seven-piece band.  On Saturday, August 12, at the Castro Valley Center for the Arts, come early for dinner (5-7pm) on the theater patio, catered by Sacred Pig Barbeque, 21st Amendment, and Drake’s Brewing Co and a selection of wines. Cornell has opened for the legendary James Brown and Ray Charles and recorded and performed with Carlos Santana.  He has three albums of original music. This spring, Cornell’s latest single, “It’s So Nice,” garnered the #1 spot on the UK Soul charts.

Born in Berkeley and raised in San Francisco, Cornell performs extensively in the United Kingdom and Europe.  Cornell shares, “Europeans have a real love for Soul music.  I found a huge community of musicians and fans for my music.”  The first time he performed in England he was “blown away” by the audience’s reaction to American Soul.  “It is every artist’s dream to be so welcomed.”

Cornell divides his time between the European and North American continents, allowing him to perform and visit his four children and grandchildren here in the States.  His son, Lytrel, is manager of the Castro Valley branch of Fremont Bank.

Please visit: cvartsfoundation.org/shows/ for show tickets and https://www.cvcfa.com/bbq for dinner tickets.

The Castro Valley Center for the Arts is located at 19501 Redwood Road.  It is a mile away from the Castro Valley BART station, and there is free parking at the Center.

Haven’t been back to Broadway since the Pandemic? Castro Valley Arts Foundation is bringing Broadway to you with tenor David Burnham, Saturday, August 20, at the Castro Valley Center for the Arts at 7:30p.m. David Burnham is a Broadway veteran, award-winning performer, composer, director and choreographer. David does it all! Kelly Brandeburg joins David in their show, Back to Broadway, singing songs from your favorite Broadway shows. See www.cvartsfoundation.org for ticketing information.  Parking is free. 

 “We are excited to be back in business with Sounds of Summer,  two concerts with dinner and drinks at the Castro Valley Center for the Arts,” remarked Castro Arts Foundation Vice President, Mary Ann DeGrazia.  To add to the fun, CVAF has invited  food trucks Roadside Rotisserie and Smoked Seduction, 21st Amendment Brewery, Drakes Brewing Company, and TwiningVine Estate Winery to cater dinner before the concerts.  Lighten UP! Paul Conyers and Friends, a night of comedy will be on July 16.  Dinner is 5-7pm on the front patio of the theater. Concerts begin at 7:30pm. This is a 21+ event and dinner tickets are limited. See www.CVartsfoundation.org for ticketing information.

 “We are excited to be back in business with Sounds of Summer,  two concerts with dinner and drinks at the Castro Valley Center for the Arts,” remarked Castro Arts Foundation Vice President, Mary Ann DeGrazia.  To add to the fun, CVAF has invited  food trucks Roadside Rotisserie and Smoked Seduction, 21st Amendment Brewery, Drakes Brewing Company, and TwiningVine Estate Winery to cater dinner before the concerts.  Fleetwood Mask, the Fleetwood Mac Experience, will entertain on July 9.  Lighten UP! Paul Conyers and Friends, a night of comedy will follow on July 16.  Dinner is 5-7pm on the front patio of the theater. Concerts begin at 7:30pm. This is a 21+ event and dinner tickets are limited. See www.CVartsfoundation.org for ticketing information.