Once a site of art fairs and concerts, San Francisco’s scenic Fort Mason is becoming a destination for pandemic-friendly entertainment with its new drive-in movie theater and vast, open spaces.
As the city moves to allow small-scale, outdoor performances, the San Francisco International Arts Festival is putting on an experimental program that seeks to pilot what socially distanced live dance, theater and music could look like while traditional venues remain closed.
Not quite a festival, SFIAF’s Oct. 24–25 weekend of outdoor programming features two days of individual, short performances with a diverse lineup of artists. Theater artist Nkechi Emeruwa will deliver her comedic solo show Licensed to Drive While Black; pianist Sumi Lee and bandoneonist Heyni Solera join forces for a soulful tango performance as Las Almas; and dancers Jessica Fudim and the Dance Animals collaborate with musician blue buddha on a performance piece, As the Crow Flies, that processes their shelter-in-place experience.
There are 12 performances in total, and each is under an hour long and takes place in a different outdoor area of the Fort Mason campus over the two days. Attendees are invited to bring their own picnic chairs or blankets to set up in social distancing circles, with each group six feet apart from others, and masks are required. Details here.
