David Chase, creator of HBO’s dearly departed The Sopranos, is planning to reunite with one of his best-known stars from the New Jersey-based mob drama, but no need to choke on your Cannoli – it’s not James Gandolfini. 

Longtime E Street Band guitarist and Sopranos co-star Steven Van Zandt will produce the music for the director’s feature debut, an as-yet-untitled music-driven coming-of-age story set in 1960s suburbia.
Production is set to begin in January 2011.


Also a creative force behind the 1990 CBS comedy series Northern Exposure, Chase revealed that actors John Magaro (Wes Craven's My Soul to Take) and Jack Huston (HBO’s Boardwalk Empire) will star, with the first-time director working from an original script.

Ram Dass won’t be appearing in person at Book Passage in Corte Madera on Nov. 7 to promote his new book, Be Love Now: The Path of the Heart (HarperOne)—a follow-up to his 1971 bestseller, Be Here Now. He suffered a debilitating stroke 13 years ago, and now stays put in Maui, so he’ll be appearing by teleconference. But that won’t stop local metaphysical junkies from showing up to talk spiritual bliss with the iconic author and teacher.

It’s a Thursday night, and the Herbst Theatre is buzzing with people, including a disproportionate number of 20- and 30-somethings sporting some article of vintage attire. It seems as though the entire San Francisco writing community is here. There’s the creative director of Mother Jones, a couple of Wired editors, The New Yorker writers, and folks from McSweeney’s and Salon.