Editor’s note: This is taken from a press release. Stratford Players, now in its 10th year entertaining Idyllwild, kicks off the holiday season with mystery and merriment. The theater troupe will perform “The Game’s Afoot or Holmes for the Holidays,” winner of the Mystery Writers of America’s Edgar Award for Best Play. After a long…

Second-place winner in 2017 McCallum Theater’s Open Call competition Some think artists are self-indulgent egotists glorying in their creative pursuits. The reality is often far more complex and demanding. Michael Staff, local pianist, composer and teacher, was on the road to a major concert-performance career. He was preparing, at age 21, to enter the Van…

In theater, musical theater especially, one is a “triple threat” if one can sing, dance and act with equal facility. Pine Cove resident Matthew Shaker does it all. He also plays piano, composes, orchestrates and is writing the book, music and lyrics for a new musical. He recently won the 2015 Desert Theater League Award…