An 'Archy and Mehitabel' cartoon. Courtesy of the Lower Lake Historic School Preservation Committee.

Just who are Archy and Mehitabel?

First appearing in 1916 in the New York Sun newspaper as a serial, Archy is a cockroach (yes, cockroach!) and the “transmigrated” soul of a free verse poet, while Mehitabel is a toujours gai alley cat with a celebrated past, including Cleopatra and a number of cheap floozies who have trouble maintaining the dignity that was once theirs by natural right.

Writing after hours on the typewriter of Don Marquis, Archy jumps up and down on the keys (lower case only and with no punctuation as he cannot use the shift key) to painstakingly write his observations of the day concerning “life, death, love, politics, kittens and library paste.”

Writing from an insect's point of view, Archy makes sharp, incisive, not always very complimentary (but highly amusing) comments on the foibles and fallibilities of humanity.

Don Marquis was said to be “America’s next Mark Twain,” and the stories out of Archy’s poetic mind are full of wit, wisdom and philosophy.

Archy and Mehitabel ran until the late 1920s as a newspaper serial. The pair have been featured as a Broadway musical, “Shinbone Alley,” written by a young Mel Brooks in 1957, and no less than Eartha Kitt and Carol Channing have performed the role of Mehitabel on stage, on records and as a television special in 1960.

A full-length feature movie, again with Carol Channing, was released in 1971.

Other memorable characters by Don Marquis include Warty Bliggens the Toad, Freddy the Rat, The Old Soak, and a host of whimsical characters with a bent toward literary ruminations.

Gale McNeeley’s career has spanned Broadway, regional theater, television, film and circus. An Irish tenor with a wide musical and performance range, McNeeley has studied physical comedy in Europe and teaches clowning and Commedia Dell’Arte.

He is a graduate of the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York City, the Dell’Arte International School of Physical Theater and Antonio Fava’s Scuola Intenazionale Dell’Attore Comico in Italy.

Actor Gale McNeeley will perform his one-man show,

KELSEYVILLE – Jack Ballance’s painting, “Spring Farm, Lake County,” took the first place in the Nature Art contest show-cased at the Lake County Land Trust Spring Dinner at the Saw Shop Gallery Bistro on May 11.

Also awarded were Lyle Madeson, photography; Renee Geare; Meredith Gambrell; Carmen Patterson; and Jacqueline Farley.

Many thanks to Gail Salituri, Tom Gilliam and Barbara LaVasseur for helping to organize and judge the art show.

The artwork presented at the annual Spring Dinner and Art Show is donated by local artists and very much appreciated.

The Lake County Land Trust was honored with many entries and thanks all of the artists who participated.

MIDDLETOWN – Coyote Film Festival, Lake County’s own independent film festival, celebrates paper folding on Saturday, May 29, at the Calpine Geothermal Visitors Center.

There will be a 1:30 p.m. matinée and a 7:30 p.m. screening featuring the multi-award-winning documentary “Between The Folds” by filmmaker Vanessa Gould.

Admission is $10 at the door $5 for kids 16 and under.

Winner of many awards across the globe, including the 2010 Peabody award, “Between The Folds” chronicles the stories of 10 fine artists and intrepid theoretical scientists who have abandoned careers and scoffed at hard-earned graduate degrees – all to forge unconventional lives as modern–day paperfolders.

This is a visually stunning documentary exploring science, art, creativity and ingenuity of many of the world’s best paper folders.

Here is some of the critical acclaim the film has received: “A gorgeous cinematic experience. I was so captivated by the documentary that halfway through I felt intense admiration for humanity, the same tingling I feel when listening to music so exquisite it's almost painful.” – Karen A. Frenkel, Talking Science

3 1/2 stars: “...Exquisite sights and surprising thoughts...Mere paper draws visionaries and virtuosos.” – Bill Stamets, Chicago Sun-Times

Meet Charlotte Webb, instructor at Lake County’s own origami club. Charlotte will share her stories and her work. The Coyote audience will be able to take home a piece of origami that Charlotte will teach us how to make!

Calpine Geothermal Visitors Center is located at 15500 Central Park Road in Middletown. There is plenty of parking, restrooms, great sound and a great screening room. Tickets are $10 at the door and $5 for kids 16 and under. Fresh popcorn and concessions will also be available.

Coyote Film Festival is a fundraising arm of EcoArts of Lake County, a 501(c)3 nonprofit arts organization dedicated to bringing visual art opportunities to the residents and visitors of Lake County.

The EcoArts Web site is being rebuilt and they will announce when a new site is up and running.

Please contact Coyote Film Festival through This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 707-928-0323.