Arts Q&A
Thank You and Good Night
After nearly four decades in Sacramento, comedian Jack Gallagher quietly left town in 2024 and moved back to his native Massachusetts to be near family. In his latest (and last) one-man show at the B Street Theatre, he talks about what he left behind as he bids a fond farewell.
Q&A with Dan Simon, new CEO of Sacramento Zoo
Last spring, ambitious plans to relocate the 14.6-acre Sacramento Zoo in William Land Park to a 65-acre space in Elk Grove fell through. Since then, the zoo’s board has decided to stay in its current facility and is actively seeking to add approximately 6 acres of adjacent land to its footprint. And in November, it announced that Dan Simon would take over as CEO of the 99-year-old attraction. We spoke with him about his animal expertise, why a focus on wildlife conservation is increasingly important for modern zoos, his favorite furry residents, and which animal he foresees making a comeback in Sacramento.
G-Man
After 40 years as the definitive voice of the Sacramento Kings, Gary Gerould has been our man in the arena. And now, at 85, he’s the second longest-serving active announcer in the NBA. Marking this milestone anniversary, we turned the mic on the broadcasting legend and, as ever, G-Man hit nothing but net.
Q&A with Agustín Arteaga, new CEO and director of the Crocker Art Museum
On July 1, the Crocker Art Museum will welcome its first new director and CEO in a quarter century. Before taking the helm of the Crocker, Agustín Arteaga spent eight years as the director of the Dallas Museum of Art. Weeks before starting his new position, he talked to us about his vision for the Crocker’s future, the need for museums to reflect their communities, and the importance of raising our museum’s international profile.
Pretty Enough To Eat
Over the past year, Jeff Nebeker’s ceramic doughnuts have gone deliciously viral, with each new batch attracting lines around the block outside midtown’s Elliott Fouts Gallery. With National Doughnut Day fast approaching on June 6, we talk to the 68-year-old Sacramento artist and former baker about his “yum aesthetic.”
Q&A with NBA Great Bill Cartwright
As a five-time NBA champion, Bill Cartwright is unequivocally the winningest basketball star to ever emerge from Sacramento. The 7-foot-1 former big man is best known as the starting center who competed alongside Michael Jordan on the Chicago Bulls team that three-peated in the early ’90s. Now 67, the Elk Grove High alum and Gold River resident talks about growing up on a farm, his thoughts on today’s NBA, and why Sacramento “is the place to be.”
Steering the Ship in the Early Days of Disney
Walt Disney may have created the House of Mouse, but bringing Disney magic to the big screen took a pixie-dusted village. For his recently released book, Directing at Disney: The Original Directors of Walt’s Animated Films, longtime Davis resident and Disney historian Don Peri teamed up with Pixar’s Oscar-winning chief creative officer Pete Docter to tell the story of the forgotten pioneers of animated movies.
Q&A with Distance Runner Fiona O’Keeffe
Davis native Fiona O’Keeffe crossed the finish line of her first marathon with a new U.S. Olympic trials record and a spot in the 2024 Paris Games.
Q&A with Jeremy Ganter, Executive Director of the Mondavi Center
What started over 20 years ago as a temp job at UC Davis has worked out pretty well for Jeremy Ganter. In November, he became the new executive director of the Mondavi Center—only the third person to hold the position since the school’s premier performing arts facility opened in 2002. Ganter, 49, speaks about his transition from performer to presenter, past highlights and future plans (hint: you may soon be able to dance to the music at the Mondavi).
A Metropolitan Life
As the subject of Martin Scorsese’s docuseries Pretend It’s a City, Fran Lebowitz opined on everything from guilty pleasures to public transportation. In advance of her appearance in Davis this February, we talk to the iconic cultural commentator about the future of cities, Joan Didion, and the Mondavi Center’s backstage cuisine.
New Home for the Holidays
Mere months after arriving in town from his native Iowa, Alex Heetland leads 130 vocalists as the new artistic director of the Sacramento Gay Men’s Chorus. As he and his choir prepare for the group’s signature holiday show, the 35-year-old ensemble leader talks about the SGMC’s growing profile, the continuing significance of gay men’s choruses in the 21st century, and what attendees can expect at this year’s production, from its wide-ranging songbook to its big move to the Crest Theatre.
Q&A with Estella Sanchez, Founder of Sol Collective
Born in Sacramento to Mexican immigrants, Estella Sanchez has always navigated the influences of both her Hispanic heritage and her California upbringing. In 2005, at age 30, she founded the local multicultural nonprofit Sol Collective to help others explore and express their own diverse identities by hosting gallery shows, leading art classes and participating in social justice and health initiatives at its headquarters and beyond. This fall, the group will host events throughout town to observe Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), and Sanchez talks to us about those celebrations, growing a karmic bank account, and the power of perseverance.
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