Media contact: David Perry & Associates, Inc. (415) 676-7007 / news@davidperry.com 

MEDIA ADVISORY / REQUEST FOR ONSITE COVERAGE: August 15 & 24

WHO: Manny’s presents

WHAT/WHEN: Two Democratic Presidential Candidates in Discussion

WHERE Manny’s  / 3092 16^th Street @ Valencia, San Francisco

WHEN Thursday, August 15:

7:30pm – Conversation between Manny Yekutiel and Marianne Williamson

Saturday, August 24:

2pm – 4pm: Town Hall with Senator Michael Bennett

WEB: www.welcometomannys.com   

WHY: Manny’s, “the New Hampshire of California” (KCBS Radio)continues its hosting of leading Democratic presidential candidates this month with events featuring Marianne Williamson and Michael Bennett.

Manny’s is a people powered and community focused meeting and learning place in the heart of San Francisco that combines a restaurant, political bookshop, and civic events space. The goal of Manny’s is to create a central and affordable place to become a better informed and more involved citizen. We do this by offering our events space to nonprofits, activists, and civic organizations to spread their message and do their work as well as hosting our own civic and arts related programming. Our kitchen is run by the non-profit, Farming Hope, which hires formerly homeless and formerly incarcerated individuals and trains them in the food skills needed to work in the restaurant industry.

Manny’s opened on Election Night, 2018 where over 500 people came together to watch the results of that moment in our civic life together and since then the venue has hosted hundreds of gatherings. Manny’s is a community space and is proudly located in the Mission District – a historic hub of activism and progressive action. 

media contact:  David Perry / (415) 676-7007 / news@davidperry.com  

Who / What:  The Rainbow Honor Walk dedicates the next Eight Honoree Plaques

When:        Friday, August 9: 10:30am – 11:30am

Where:      Catch Restaurant / 2362 Market Street (@ Castro) San Francisco

7 August 2019 – San Francisco, CA:  The Rainbow Honor Walk (www.rainbowhonorwalk.org) will unveil its next 8 honorees this Friday, August 9 at 10:30am beginning at Catch Restaurant (2362 Market Street @ Castro).  Plaques honoring Alvin Ailey, W.H. Auden, Josephine Baker, Marie Equi, Freddie Mercury, Gerry Studds, Lou Sullivan and Chavela Vargas will be dedicated as Rainbow Honor Walk board members and supporters stop by each plaque. The eight new bronze plaques, 3 feet x 3 feet, are on Market Street between Castro and Sanchez Streets.

Following are the eight honorees whose plaques are to be dedicated:

• Alvin Ailey (1931-1989) Gay American ballet dancer and choreographer credited with popularizing modern dance and revolutionizing African-American participation in 20th-century concert dance.
  
• W.H. Auden (1907-1973) Gay English poet known for love poems such as “Funeral Blues,” poems on political and social themes such as “September 1, 1939,” and poems on cultural and psychological themes such as “The Age of Anxiety.”
  
• Josephine Baker (1906-1975) American-born dancer, singer, actress, and world-famous entertainer, embraced by France as a national treasure, who refused to perform for segregated audiences in the United States.
  
• Marie Equi (1872-1952) Lesbian American physician and political activist devoted to providing care to working-class and poor patients, providing health care information to women, and fighting for civic and economic reforms, women’s right to vote and an eight-hour workday.
  
• Freddie Mercury (1946-1991) Bisexual British singer, songwriter, record producer and lead performer with the rock group Queen.
  
• Gerry Studds (1937-2006) American politician and the first openly gay member of the U.S. Congress.
  
• Lou Sullivan (1951-1991) American author, activist, and female to male transgender pioneer who is widely credited for the modern understanding of sexual orientation and gender identity as distinct, unrelated concepts.
  
• Chavela Vargas (1919-2012) Lesbian Costa Rican-born singer known for her rendition of Mexican rancheras and for her contribution to other genres of popular Latin American music. 

When a volunteer committee of community members proposed the Rainbow Honor Walk, they received the unanimous support of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors to create the sidewalk monument. Comprised of 3 foot x 3 foot bronze plaques embedded in the sidewalk, the Walk salutes the groundbreaking achievements of noted LGBT individuals throughout history. The first 20 honorees were announced in 2011. In 2012 the Rainbow Honor Walk board solicited design proposals from around the world.  An independent jury of artists and cultural leaders selected the winning design by architect Carlos Casuso of Madrid, Spain. The plaques were manufactured by Mussi Artworks of Berkeley, California with creative oversight of the process spearheaded by Lawrence Noble, head of the sculpture department at San Francisco’s Academy of Art University. The first 20 plaques were installed in September 2014 with an additional eight plaques added in 2017.

The Rainbow Honor Walk Board is comprised of the following individuals: Peter Goss, Madeline Hancock, Karen Helmuth, Bill Lipsky, David Perry, Joe Robinson, Charlotte Ruffner, Donna Sachet, Gustavo Serina, Barbara Tannenbaum and Tarita Thomas.

The Rainbow Honor Walk will eventually extend from the Harvey Milk Civil Rights Academy on 19th Street at Diamond down to Castro Street—the LGBT community’s “Main Street”—and will continue up Market Street with additional extensions on 18th Street. On Market Street, San Francisco’s main thoroughfare, the Walk will continue to the LGBT Center at Octavia Boulevard.  

All funds for manufacture of the Rainbow Honor Walk are raised privately, with each plaque costing approximately $ 6000. A major source of income comes from the San Francisco Human Rights Campaign Action Center and Store (575 Castro Street) through the sale of commemorative mugs, t-shirts and lapel pins, which has generated over $20,000 for the Rainbow Honor Walk.

Individuals interested in contacting the Rainbow Honor Walk may do so by email at info@rainbowhonorwalk.org or by mail to Rainbow Honor Walk, 584 Castro Street, #113

San Francisco, California 94114.  Contact can also be made via Facebook by searching “Rainbow Honor Walk”. Information can also be found online, and donations made, through the Rainbow Honor Walk website at www.rainbowhonorwalk.org. 

media contact: David Perry & Associates, Inc. (415) 676-7007 / news@davidperry.com 

Dezart Performs Nominated for 17 Desert Stars Awards: 

Honors To  Be Given Out at 32^nd Annual Desert Theatre League Gala Sunday, October 13

2 August 2019 – Palm Springs, CA: Coming off a record-breaking 11^th season, the acclaimed Dezart Performs has secured 17 nominations for the annual “Desert Star Awards” including the categories of Outstanding Production Comedy and Drama, Director, Lead Actor and Actress, and Set, Sound and Lighting Design. The winners will be announced at the 32^nd annual Desert Theatre League Gala on Sunday, October 13.

“We’re so honored to nominated among the incredible theatre community here in the Desert,” said Dezart Performs Founding Artistic Director Michael Shaw, noting that pre-sales for the upcoming season are at 74% over las year. “For 11 seasons, our audiences have looked to Dezart Performs for theatre that entertains, enlightens and often challenges. Our last season did all of that. We’re thrilled that the Desert Theatre League feels the same.”

The complete list of Desert Theatre League / “Desert Star Awards” nominations for Dezart Performs are as follows: 

Outstanding Production – Comedy – Professional

Maytag Virgin

Perfect Arrangement

Outstanding Director of a Comedy – Professional

Deborah Harmon, Maytag Virgin

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy – Professional

Joel Bryant, Maytag Virgin

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy – Professional

Kay Capasso, Maytag Virgin

Olivia Saccomanno, Perfect Arrangement

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy – Professional

Deborah Harmon, Perfect Arrangement

Yo Younger, Perfect Arrangement

Outstanding Production of a Drama – Professional

White Guy on the Bus

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama – Professional

Beau Marie, Church & State

David Youse, White Guy on the Bus

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama 

Desireé Clarke, White Guy on the Bus

Outstanding Set Design – Professional

Thomas L. Valach, Maytag Virgin

Outstanding Sound Design – Professional

Clark Dugger, Maytag Virgin

Clark Dugger, White Guy on the Bus

Outstanding Lighting Design – Professional

Phil Murphy, Maytag Virgin

Outstanding Props and Special Effects

Clark Dugger and Cecilia Orosco, Maytag Virgin

Dezart Performs, one of the Coachella Valley’s preeminent theatre companies, recognizes that the performing arts enrich the life and culture of a community, promote greater understanding and provoke insightful discussion. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit theatre company, its mission is to provide an artistic home for bold and cutting–edge plays, creating an atmosphere of artistic growth for actors, writers, and directors who uniquely contribute to the diverse theatrical environment in the Coachella Valley.

Season package prices: (4-Show Season Packages $124-164; 3-Show Season Packages $96-126)
All performances take place at the Pearl McManus Theater (at the historic Palm Springs Woman’s Club) 314 S Cahuilla Road, Downtown Palm Springs. Tickets may be purchased online at www.dezartperforms.org, or by calling (760) 322-0179.

12^th Dezart Performs Complete Season Listing

HAND TO GOD

Written by Robert Askins

Directed by Michael Shaw

Dark comedy

November 8-17, 2019

The Tony-nominated Broadway hit comedy, where The Exorcist Meets Sesame Street! “HAND TO GOD is so ridiculously raunchy, irreverent and funny it’s bound to leave you sore from laughing. Ah, hurts so good.” —New York Daily News

After the death of his father, meek Jason finds an outlet for his anxiety at the Christian Puppet Ministry in the devoutly religious, relatively quiet small town of Cypress, Texas. Jason’s complicated relationships with the town pastor, the school bully, the girl next door, and—most especially—his mother are thrown into upheaval when Jason’s puppet, Tyrone, takes on a shocking and dangerously irreverent personality all its own. (note: for mature audiences)

*   *   *

DANIEL’S HUSBAND

Written by Michael McKeever

Drama

January 10-19, 2020

Off-Broadway’s Latest Hit Drama! One of The New York Times plays to see! “A profound look at love and commitment.” —The Daily Beast

Daniel and Mitchell are the perfect couple. Perfect house, perfect friends – even a mother who wants them married. They’d have the perfect wedding, too, except that Mitchell doesn’t believe in gay marriage. A turn of events puts their perfect life in jeopardy, and Mitchell is thrust into a future where even his love may not prove to be enough. DANIEL’S HUSBAND is a bold reflection of love, commitment, and family in our perilous new world. Starring WHITE GUY ON THE BUS’ David Youse and Dezart Performs Artistic Director, Michael Shaw.

*   *   *

SWEAT

Written by Lynn Nottage

Directed by Michael Shaw

Drama

February 28-March 8, 2020

Winner of the 2017 Pulitzer Prize. SWEAT exposes the collapse of the American working class in the new millennium. “Sharp and threatening as a box cutter blade…ferociously engrossing…SWEAT never feels less than authentic—and crucial.” —Deadline.com

It’s the year 2000 in Reading, Pennsylvania and a group of friends go to work at the steel mill and then decompress at the bar like they’ve been doing for over 20 years. But, unbeknownst to them, their lives are about to be uprooted. Their steel mill is making some changes and the blood, sweat and tears of generations of loyal workers don’t seem to amount to much. SWEAT dissects the insidiousness of privilege and entitlement, reminding you that there’s always someone on a lower plane to blame for your troubles, and there will always be someone who stands to profit from your loss. 

*   *   *

EVERY BRILLIANT THING

Written by Duncan Macmillan, with Jonny Donahoe

Directed by Deborah Harmon

Comedy/Drama

April 3-12, 2020

“A heart-wrenching, hilarious play…One of the funniest plays you’ll ever see about depression—and possibly one of the funniest plays you’ll ever see, full stop!” —The Guardian

You’re six years old. Mom’s in the hospital. Dad says she’s “done something stupid.” She finds it hard to be happy. So you start to make a list of everything that’s brilliant about the world. Everything that’s worth living for. 1. Ice cream. 2. Kung Fu movies. 3. Burning things. 4. Laughing so hard you shoot milk out your nose. 5. Construction cranes. 6. Me. You leave it on her pillow. You know she’s read it because she’s corrected your spelling. Soon, the list will take on a life of its own. A play about depression and the lengths we will go to for those we love.

Media Contacts: David Perry (415) 676-7007 / news@davidperry.com

Erin Saberi (916) 952-5080 / erin@davidperry.com 

MEDIA ADVISORY / ONSITE COVERAGE REQUEST –TUESDAY, JULY 30: Dusk

WHAT: San Francisco City Hall lit “Hot Pink” / “Purple” to mark Cleft Awareness Month and SF’s Alliance for Smiles Celebrates 15^thAnniversary Year of “Repairing Children’s Smiles” Around the World

Missions this year will establish and further cleft palate centers in China, Egypt, Guatemala, Honduras, Myamar and The Philippines to Guatemala, Honduras and Egypt

WHEN: Tuesday, July 30: dusk / sunset through the evening

WHERE: The San Francisco City Hall Dome

WEB: www.allianceforsmiles.org

WHY / DETAIL:
On July 30, in recognition of Alliance for Smiles’ 15^th Anniversary and Cleft Awareness Month, San Francisco City Hall will be lit “hot pink / purple” – the color of Cleft Awareness Ribbons. As we come to the end of July — National Cleft and Craniofacial Awareness and Prevention Month — Alliance for Smiles (www.allianceforsmiles.org), the San Francisco-based global organization providing sustainable cleft-palate treatment and support worldwide, is pleased to announce the expansion of its global missions to include Central America, Africa and a return to the Philippines, with a first time mission to Manila. AFS has worked for 15 years in 15 countries and is now pleased to be increasing its presence and support for children with new missions to Guatemala, Honduras and Egypt.  Alliance For Smiles is bringing its sustainable treatment model that builds capacity for continued life changing treatment to Retalhuleu, Guatemala on September 13^th, to Aswan, Egypt on November 3^rd and to Honduras in the spring, 2020. Additionally, areturn mission is planned to the Philippines after a ten-year hiatus, with a first-time mission to Manila, September 29^th. 

“We are delighted to be announcing this life-changing expansion at the culmination of National Cleft Palate Awareness Month,” said Alison Healy, Executive Director of Alliance For Smiles. “Our unique model of cleft palate care works with teams in country to develop a sustainable model of care in country that supports ongoing life-changing care for thousands of children.” 

A cleft lip occurs when the lip does not quite close during the child’sdevelopment before birth and needs to be surgically closed. A cleft palateoccurs during the same period when there is an opening or cleft in the roof of the mouth.  It is estimated that, worldwide, a child is born every three minutes with a cleft — about one in 500-750 births. While such anomalies all need to be corrected by surgery, in first world countries such options are readily available and affordable. However, in developing countries, this is often not the case. Alliance for Smiles exists to fill this need.

“Our mission is repairing children’s smiles,” said Alison Healy, Executive Director for Alliance for Smiles. “It is impossible not be to touched, moved and renewed in spirit by the smiles of the young people we heal. What we celebrate this year is their success. What we are committed to for the next 15 years and beyond, is expanding our work, and educating the public about the long road faced by our patients. We’ve all seen the ads supporting groups that perform this incredible work. However, sometimes such compelling images can be deceiving, in the appearance of a fully healed child. Most of the young people with whom we work will require multiple surgeries and treatments and also socialization over many years. Sadly, in some of the countries most in need of our efforts, being born with a cleft lip or palate not only means pain and difficulty, but it can also mean ostracization and sometimes, even death.”  

In October 2004, Alliance for Smiles was founded by five members of the Rotary Club of San Francisco: Past Presidents, John Uth,Anita Stangl, Jim Patrick, and Jim Deitz and long-time Club Member John Goings. The ongoing support of the Rotary International Community is still key to the success of Alliance for Smiles. Alliance For Smiles in partnership with international medical organizations and hospitals has set up seven multidisciplinary international cleft treatment centers in under-served countries around the world.

“Traditional international efforts to repair cleft lips and palates have consisted of small teams that perform surgical procedures to correct defects,” Healy says. “However, the initial surgery only addresses one part of the problem. Cleft patients require ongoing treatment in the disciplines of dentistry, orthodontia, speech therapy and sometimes psychological counseling.”

According to Healy, time and funding constraints in target countries typically make it next to impossible to address those needs. 

“Even if information, expertise and treatment were available, it would pose afinancial burden on the families of our target population,” Healy summed up.“The budgets of these families are already strained by their basic daily needs for food and shelter.”

To respond to the immediate need, Alliance for Smiles conducts two-week surgical missions. They also provide advanced training for local health care providers who are dedicated to the treatment of under-served cleft lip and palate patients. Additionally, Alliance for Smiles has established permanent treatment centers where patients can receive follow-up and ongoing care, utilizing the same treatment protocols used in the United States.

In addition to organizing and sending two-week medical missions of surgical teams comprised of approximately 15 medical volunteers, supported by approximately 5 non-medical volunteers to a country, AFS also works side-by-side with local medical practitioners to exchange ideas on proper medical techniques and procedures, as well as to provide follow-up care.  Additionally, the organization also works to build sustainability in country, through the establishment and maintenance of Medical Treatment Centers that provide follow-up and continuing care to children who receive surgery. Alliance For Smiles has served almost 7,000 children worldwide. AFS provides care to all patients, regardless of sex, age, economic status, educational background, race, color, ancestry, national origin, sexual orientation, gender expression, gender identity or marital status.

In addition to organizing and sending two-week medical missions of surgical teams comprised of approximately 15 medical volunteers, supported by approximately 5 non-medical volunteers to a country, AFS also works side-by-side with local medical practitioners to train partners in long term and comprehensive cleft care as well as to provide follow-up care.  Additionally, the organization also works to build sustainability in country, through the establishment and maintenance of Medical Treatment Centers that provide follow-up and continuing care to children who receive surgery.  Alliance For Smiles has served almost 7,000 children worldwide.  AFS provides care to all patients, regardless of sex, age, economic status, educational background, race, color, ancestry, national origin, sexual orientation, gender expression, gender identity or marital status.

Upcoming Medical Missions

• September 13 — 21, 2019 – Retalhuleu, Guatemala Medical Mission 

• September 28– October 13, 2019 – Manila, Philippines Mission 

• October 12– 26, 2019 – Yangon, Myanmar Medical Mission

• November 2 — 16, 2019 – Wenzhou China, Teaching Mission

• November 3 — 17, 2019 – Aswan, Egypt Medical Mission 

Learn more at: www.allianceforsmiles.org