The San Francisco Theater Festival was a far-cry from traditional theater festivals. It was a combination of both the expected and the surprising, the traditional and the unorthodox. One thing is certain: There is no way you could cover every facet of the 6-hour non-stop event. Still, I made an effort to go to as many different performances as I could so that I would experience the full breadth of the festival. Here are my impressions of the diverse event that captured many sides of theater and entertained audiences of all kinds.

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“If you’re tired, you take a nap-a; you don’t move to Napa.” This line from Sex and the City was stuck in my head all morning. Maybe because I was tired and en route to Napa. Maybe because it has always struck me as a particularly stupid thing to say.

But that’s neither here nor there. The reason I was traveling to Napa was a press day for upcoming indie film Bottle Shock. Based on a true story, the movie recounts the events leading up to Chateau Montelena’s historic win at the 1976 “Judgement of Paris” wine competition. Not familiar with the story? That’s OK—neither was I. But it was kind of a big deal, mostly because it established Napa as the thriving wine country we know it to be today. (You can get all the details on Wikipedia.)

To see what the cast and crew of Bottle Shock had to say, you’ll need to read my article next month. For now, here’s a behind the scenes look at the interviews.

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Most people familiar with Jay Brannan know him from his role as Ceth in Shortbus, a John Cameron Mitchell movie about New Yorkers trying to find a real connection. Oh, and with lots of real sex. Brannan actually sings a song in the film—the catchy “Soda Shop”—but that may be overlooked by some, given that it directly precedes a rather … engaging threesome scene.

There was no distracting sex at Bottom of the Hill Thursday night. Well, at least not any I could see. Brannan played a lively, balanced set, proving once again that he’s more than just a pretty face.

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30 words or less: Concerts can be entertaining, energetic and personal, but it is a rare that you see one which is revealing. Feist’s concert at the Greek Theatre was such an event.

Feist Set list:

Intro: The Wagoner’s Lad (American Folk Song)
When I Was a Young Girl
Mushaboom
My Moon My Man
The Limit to Your Love
I Feel it All
Honey Honey
Who Could Love You More than Me? (new song)
Intuition
How My Heart Behaves
1234
Past in Present
Gatekeeper
Inside and Out
Sea Lion Woman
The Water
Phantoms
Let it Die

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