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The Bay Area’s own rock opera has returned to its roots for a grand welcoming. Born of Green Day’s 2004 Grammy-winning prize for Best Rock Album, American Idiot premiered at Berkeley Repertory Theater in 2009, after lead singer and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong collaborated on the book with Tony Award-winning director Michael Mayer. They added a few songs from other Green Day albums, a few lines of dialogue, and were off and running. Since then, American Idiot has travelled to Broadway, the smoky basements of British pubs, and currently is back in the Bay Area where it’s playing to sold out crowds—this time at City Lights Theater Company in San Jose. The production, directed by Jeffrey Bracco, was originally scheduled to close Sunday, Aug. 21, 2016, but has been extended for five more performances. American Idiot tells the story of three young men who struggle to find themselves in the suburbs during the darkness the brand new millennium, each turning in a different direction. Under the musical direction of Samuel Cisneros, all the leads—particularly the trio of friends at the heart of the story, Johnny (Joey Pisacane), Tunny (Andrew Erwin), and Will (Tarif Pappu)—roll out superb vocal performances. The entire cast bring Green Day’s familiar songs to life in a way that’s familiar, while still adding something fresh. In particular, “21 Guns” and “St. Jimmy” contain superb solos and powerful moments by the company. Together, scenic designer and production manager, Ron Gasparinetti, and lighting and projections designer, Nick Kumamoto, worked numerous functioning television screens into the set to create a sense of the time period. In other scenes, faded backdrops project to effectively create mood or demonstrate place or time period without distraction. The minimalist, multi-level set accommodates this 21 person cast on City Lights' relatively small stage. The actors make good use of the rolling set pieces, which help provide for seamless transitions and some of the production’s more inventive choreography. Onstage, the set incorporates a guitar, bass, and keyboard player, while another guitar and drums are hidden from view. Johnny and Will also play their own guitars during the show, adding another layer of intimacy to this 100-person venue where neither the music, the images, nor the characters ever want to let you go. Don't miss the last days of this performance. Aug. 24-27 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, Aug. 28 at 2 p.m. Contact (408) 295-4200 or cltc.org for ticket information. City Lights Theater Company is located at 529 S. Second St, in San Jose’s SoFA arts district.

After back-to-back three-win seasons, Gilroy is looking to start a new trend in 2016.

Go to jail, get free college

“This has been the best year yet,” said Christine Vatuone, CEO/executive director of pregnancy resource center Informed Choices, one of 25 community-based organizations distributing information at Party in the Park at San Ysidro Park on Aug. 12.Featuring a climbing wall, jump house, live DJ music, dance performances and an assortment of games and prizes for the kids, the final installment of the fourth annual event series aimed to beat its previous attendance record set last month, when 650 people strolled, cycled or drove to the eastside 9-acre park.“Two hundred and fifty was our largest attendance before,” said Brian Hames, coordinator of the event, which aims to create safe, community spaces in neighborhoods with a history of gang activity.“We want to raise awareness and provide information on the many resources that are available to people,” said Hames, adding the event was modeled after Los Angeles’ Parks After Dark and is similar to Viva Parks! in San Jose, a series of free public events that focus on health and wellness resources, physical activities, and community engagement.In a half-circle of tables around the handball courts were representatives from agencies including CalWorks, Planned Parenthood, Santa Clara County Re-Entry Resource Center and clinics providing free health screenings.Getting a jump on Attendance Awareness Month in September, employees of Gilroy Unified School District were also on hand, reminding parents to get their children back to school on the first day of classes and promoting “Challenge Five”—encouraging students to have less than five days of absence per year.Jennifer DelBono, GUSD program administrator for school climate and student attendance said the district is looking at ways of partnering with local businesses to incentivize student attendance and hopes to launch a program soon.“We have such incredible partnerships in Gilroy,” she said.Gilroy resident Michael Martinez said he’d been going to Fifth Street Live downtown on Friday nights this summer but decided to come to the park with his seven-year-old son, Brayden, now smiling widely with his new balloon hat and pirate sword, after seeing a flyer at soccer signups.Over at the face-painting booth, Hollister residents Emma Torres and husband, Gabriel, with their three kids, Emily, Andrew and Bianca, looked through their goodie bags.“There is a lot of good information about the local nonprofits,” said Emma, who saw the event notice in Out and About magazine and decided to check it out. “We all run into people that could use this type of help and if we have these resources, we can pass it on to them.”

The ideal of representative democracy is alive and well in Gilroy.

For the first time in years, Luis Carrillo was absent when the new school year started this week.

We can’t help thinking of Gertrude Stein’s sentiment about trying to find her old Oakland home, “There’s no there there,” as we drive into Gilroy.

Residents of one of Gilroy’s most beautiful and environmentally fragile areas are fighting mad because PG&E is considering it for a power substation.