El Campanil
Theatre |
In
Association With |
All Proceeds to Benefit The
Los Medanos College Drama Dept and
The Carla Zilbersmith
Performing Arts
Scholarship
In this challenging financial climate, our best hope for the future is education. You can help students at Los Medanos College by attending this very special fundraising event that honors the life and work of former LMC Professor Carla Zilbersmith who has been stricken with Lou Gehrig’s Disease.
Much loved veteran stand up and Pittsburg native Johnny Steele: Winner of the San Francisco International Comedy Competition and host of Live 105's morning show. 'Steele is the real thing: witty, acerbic and hysterical'
Karen Rontowski from Comedy Central and Comedy Unleashed! Comedian David Brenner said 'Even if you can't spell Karen Rontowski, you'd better remember her name, because she's GREAT!'
Dead Pan Comedian Larry 'Bubbles' Brown whose comic style has earned him two appearances on 'Late Night with David Letterman' and legions of loyal fans.
Reserved Seating
TICKETS
Adults: $
25
Seniors (62 & Over): $ 22
Students (Show ID): $ 15
Tickets May Be Purchased in Advance at the Ticket Office
604 W. Second Street - Next Door To The Theatre
(Monday through Friday 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.) and 1 hour before
showtime
no service charge when purchased at the ticket
office
or
by phone: (925) 757-9500
$2.00 charge applies (per phone order- not per
ticket)
or ONLINE
Internet processing fees will apply. Varies by ticket price.
Whether you buy your
tickets on the phone or online
please consider requesting E-Tickets
(Print At Home)
and bypass the wait at Will Call.
Please Note:
If you require special - or handicapped seating, or
have
questions,
please contact the ticket office: (925) 757-9500.
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Hey everyone,
In addition to making sure you disinfect your hands when entering Carla's apartment, there's a few more things that would be helpful to keep in mind. These will be posted on Carla's refrigerator as a reminder.
· Keep floor clear – anything on floor should be as close to the wall as possible so the wheelchair has a safe path. Your shoes need to be flush with a wall or right by the front door.
· Let Carla tell you how you can help move her from chair to car, etc. Let her do it her way unless you’ve been trained by one of the main helpers. Carla knows the safest way to transfer.
· Leave a message on the phone. It’s hard for her to get to it on time sometimes as she keeps the chair on slow mode for safety purposes.
· Be cautious about Carla’s energy. Look for signs your visit is tiring her out and offer to leave. She loves visitors and it’s hard to tell people to leave even if she’s exhausted.
· Carla loves neatness and hates clutter. If you visit, please don’t leave more clutter (dirty dishes in sink, cups on the table, etc.) for her to deal with.
Thanks everyone!
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Dear Friends,
I know what you’re thinking: “Another last gig? When is this bitch going to die already?” Apparently not for awhile. But before I give you the gig details (see the carla's performances section for details), here’s an update for those of you who don’t keep up with the blog http://carlamuses.blogspot.com/.
I’m in the wheelchair about 60%-70% of the time now but I still walk around my apartment and in the pool near my house as well as on someone’s arm. I look very drunk when I do that so one of my former students suggested I yell “Whoohoo, party!” to avoid pity. When I’m tired my speech is slurred now so this helps with the drunken souse illusion. I choke about every other day so I’m loving the hell out of good food while I can, since pureed foods are looming in the not too distant future. My right hand still functions at about 50% so I can dress myself in stretch clothes and do all non-shower grooming with some degree of difficulty, which means I can continue to live alone thanks to the help of my amazing friends, for a little while at least.
Most importantly, my life is poignantly beautiful and filled with laughter, generosity and hugs. My son is turning into an amazing man right before my eyes and I get to make music with the bitchinest band in the Bay area. As perverse as it sounds, I must say that in some ways (not all by a longshot!) I’ve never been happier.
I still don’t want to spend my days crusading for an end to ALS but I do want to pitch the gratitude angle at every opportunity. It’s a delectable world – eat it up.
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Hey DMC girls and guys,
I'm sending you all so much love right now. I can't even begin to express my gratitude to all of you. I will keep you posted of course ... the blog is carlamuses.blogsot.com.
More importantly, I will just enjoy all of you and revel in the great gifts you bring to my life.
Love you all
C
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Dear Friends,
I’m looking out the window of my apartment onto the Berkeley Hills on what is truly a fabulous day. This view and the deck from which I enjoy it has given me nothing but pleasure since I moved into this apartment in what can truly be called the weirdest year of my life.
I will cut to the chase. I have been diagnosed with ALS ( Lou Gherig’s Disease) – an incurable and fatal illness which will take me - maybe in a year, maybe in 10 years. Of course I hold out for what the Flight of the Conchords would call “ a hilarious misunderstanding” but I’m also not in denial.
Forgive the mass email, but I want people to know so I don’t have that awkwardness around the question “ So what’s new with you?” when we bump into each other. I also want people to know that you don’t have to watch what you say around me. There are no verboten topics. If I don’t want to hear about your shamanic healer who uses ingestion of bark and owl urine to cure unthinkable illnesses, I’ll tell you flat out (but in a nice way). But please don’t feel like you need to watch your words. Being present is enough. In fact it’s more than enough. Please don’t be afraid to call or write but don’t be offended if I take awhile to answer. I’m not being a Californian, I’m not dissing you, I’m just overwhelmed is what it probably means.
I also want people to know that the words in the Louis Armstrong song What a Wonderful World are actually incisive and NOT at all corny. Who knew? I heard a little baby singing in a stroller today and I looked up at the blue sky and the powder biscuit clouds and I was flooded with an overwhelming sense of awe and gratitude. What an amazing fucking world this is!!!! How awesome it is that I have gotten to have the experiences I’ve had, loved the people I’ve loved and done it all with a fit and functioning (and dare I say hot?) body.
Don’t get me wrong. I think it’s bullshit that I have to go this way. I don’t like it one bit. But that’s the hand I’ve been dealt and all I can do is feverishly, fervently and with great intention live the rest of my life to the best of my ability. I will not become a tireless crusader for a cure for ALS, I will not fight until the bitter end or be anyone’s poster-middle-aged-woman – rather I will do what we were all meant to do – be with people I love doing things that make me happy, trying to make the world a little brighter when I can and giving myself a break when I can’t.
Remember the speech Lou Gherig gave when he called himself the “luckiest man alive?” I totally get it now.
I keep thinking of Mary Oliver’s line “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” I plan to start with boogie boarding and go from there. I’ll update on my blog which you can get to from my website and I of course look forward to having you all in my life as long as possible.
Blessings to all of you!
Carla