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December 20, 2013
 In
the 12/15 edition of the San Franciso Chronicle, several
local Bay area actors were asked the question - "How
did you get into theater?" Peter responded, "When I
was young and growing up in New York, my parents took me
to children's theater quite often - elaborate
presentations of 'Goldilocks' and 'Rapunzel' for
Upper East Side kids. As I grew older they took me to
adult theater, mostly musicals. The first that I
remember was John Murray Anderson's 'Almanac' with Harry
Belafonte. It was stunning. Full of drama, sound, music,
passion. Then I put it on hold and forgot about it"
 "When
I got to Grinnell College, I was part of the black
turtleneck sweater and Camel cigarette crowd of poets
and writers. One day, the drama coach, a brilliant
fellow named Ned Donaho, slid into our booth at the
student center, half in the bag, and challenged me: 'Has
it ever occurred to you that theater is a public
argument of great moment?' he demanded. I admitted that
it hadn't. He arm-twisted me to try out for the theater,
and when I did I was the last piece in a puzzle for him.
'No one asks the basketball coach to use his
second-string team,' Ned said. He went on to assemble a
rep company in the college, and for the next four years
I did plays. By my senior year, I played James Jr. in
'Long Day's Journey into Night,' and it was an epiphany.
I was transported and so was the production - we had all
seasoned together for four years. I could tell by the
respect with which the faculty members treated me when
they all came backstage, that it had been something
special. Never quite got over it. When I went to get my
master's in creative writing at San Francisco State
after Grinnell, I joined the moribund remnants of the
Actor's Workshop, until I saw Kay Hayward and Sandy
Archer in the San Francisco Mime Troupe, and drove down
that day to audition. The rest is history."
October 21, 2013
This
year's La Femme Film Festival, held from October
17-20, featured one of Peter's narrated documentaries
called "Paulo Soleri: Beyond Form". Created by
filmmaker Aimee Madsen, the 80-minute film is a
cinéma vérité style documentary, that presents an
intimate look at the legendary and multi talented
artist, philosopher, urban theorist and architect Paolo
Soleri. A man who had a dream to create an environment
in harmony with man. This film focuses on how his body
of work has inspired thousands of people over the years
and why his technique and concepts have staying power.
October 12, 2013
Always
the politically-engaged person, Peter gave a helping
hand this week to Lhamo Tso, wife of Tibetan
Dhondup Wangchen, who has been imprisoned in China
for six years. He was sentenced for "inciting
separatism" simply because he dared to speak about about
Tibetan human rights through his filmmaking. It was
Lhamo Tso's intention to have cards and pictures from
his children delivered for her husband's upcoming
birthday on October 17th. Peter accompanied her to the
Chinese Consulate but they were not received so they had
no choice but to drop the envelope off in the letterbox.
They then held a press conference with Lhamo Tso
stating, "I’m disappointed that the Chinese Consulate
would not receive us today and that my husband Dhondup
Wangchen will have to spend another birthday alone in
prison, far away from his family. It would have meant a
lot to him to receive the cards and letters from his
children who miss him a great deal. At this time, I’d
like to thank Peter Coyote for his support and help
today and also the many people around the world who have
expressed solidarity with Dhondup Wangchen.”
October 7, 2013
The
36th annual Mill Valley Film Festival paid
tribute to famed political filmmaker Costa-Gavras
Friday night at the Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film
Center. Costa-Gavras was in town to present his
latest film, “Capital” and to receive the Mill Valley
Film Festival Award. Peter moderated the event, which
included conducting a Q&A with the audience. Introducing
the film, he said, "It is just part of the continuum of
great films. I don’t know another director that has
mixed the craft of cinema with rigorous political
analysis with unbending belief in the democratic process
and civil liberties and rights." After Costa-Garvas
walked out to a rousing ovation, conversation turned to
his film career, and not surprisingly, politics. Who
better to chit-chat with on the subject of politics than the Coyote! The
first photo shows Peter and Costa-Gavras with MVFF's
programming director Zoe Elton and festival director
Mark Fishkin.
On
September 17th Peter attended the Public Premiere of
"Metallica Through the Never" at Christopher
B. Smith Rafael Film Center. The screening was held
as a Mill Valley Film Festival Kick-off event. Here
are some photos of Peter hanging out with some of
the group.
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