It's No Secret: ‘The Lunchbox’ Continues to Pack ’Em in for a Reason
Sorting Through the Wreckage of an Immigrant Father’s Death
SF Theater Troupe Faces Reality of City’s New Demographics
Aurora Theatre to Reopen Under New Leadership
There Will Be Blood: ‘Elektra’ Unfolds Like a Horror Movie at SF Opera
The Best Looks at Oaklash, Oakland’s Drag Festival
Where to Find Free Parking for Shows in San Francisco
The 11 Best Plays and Musicals to See This Summer in the Bay Area
A Shakespeare Story in Need of Brushing Up
Player sponsored by
window.__IS_SSR__=true
window.__INITIAL_STATE__={
"attachmentsReducer": {
"audio_0": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_0",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background0.jpg"
}
}
},
"audio_1": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_1",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background1.jpg"
}
}
},
"audio_2": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_2",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background2.jpg"
}
}
},
"audio_3": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_3",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background3.jpg"
}
}
},
"audio_4": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "audio_4",
"imgSizes": {
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/themes/KQED-unified/img/audio_bgs/background4.jpg"
}
}
},
"placeholder": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "placeholder",
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-800x533.jpg",
"width": 800,
"height": 533,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-768x512.jpg",
"width": 768,
"height": 512,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"height": 680,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"fd-lrg": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"fd-med": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"height": 680,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"fd-sm": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-800x533.jpg",
"width": 800,
"height": 533,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"xxsmall": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"xsmall": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"small": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"xlarge": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1020x680.jpg",
"width": 1020,
"height": 680,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1-1920x1280.jpg",
"width": 1920,
"height": 1280,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-32": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 32,
"height": 32,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-50": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 50,
"height": 50,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-64": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 64,
"height": 64,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-96": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 96,
"height": 96,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"guest-author-128": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 128,
"height": 128,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"detail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-1333x1333-1-160x160.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 160,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/KQED-Default-Image-816638274-2000x1333-1.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1333
}
}
},
"arts_13991121": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "arts_13991121",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13991121",
"found": true
},
"title": "022_TLB",
"publishDate": 1782434959,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1782435179,
"caption": "Kuhoo Verma stars as Ila in the world-premiere musical ‘The Lunchbox’ at Berkeley Rep.",
"credit": "Kevin Berne",
"altTag": "A young Indian woman holds a shiny silver cylinder aloft, wearing patterned fabric in a room decorated as a kitchen",
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/022_TLB-160x106.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 106,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/022_TLB-768x511.jpg",
"width": 768,
"height": 511,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/022_TLB-1536x1022.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1022,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/022_TLB-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/022_TLB-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/022_TLB-1200x675.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-square": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/022_TLB-600x600.jpg",
"width": 600,
"height": 600,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/022_TLB.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1331
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"arts_13991106": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "arts_13991106",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13991106",
"found": true
},
"title": "Arab-Spring---Press-02-(Photo-by-Jared-Randolph)",
"publishDate": 1782412138,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1782412315,
"caption": "Egyptian-American siblings Yusef (Salim Razawi) and Dina (Arti Ishak) take a moment to connect as they prepare for their estranged father’s funeral in the world premiere of ‘Arab Spring’ by Denmo Ibrahim.",
"credit": "Jared Randolph",
"altTag": "A woman and man sit on a couch, amid a very cluttered room, actively in conversation",
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-02-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-02-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-768x512.jpg",
"width": 768,
"height": 512,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-02-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-02-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-02-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-02-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-1200x675.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-square": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-02-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-600x600.jpg",
"width": 600,
"height": 600,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-02-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1333
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"arts_13990822": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "arts_13990822",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13990822",
"found": true
},
"title": "SFNF-The-Blackest-Wrench-29",
"publishDate": 1781652062,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1781652331,
"caption": "A scene from the 2025 edition of the SF Neo-Futurists’ ‘The Blackest Wrench.’ ",
"credit": "Kayleigh Shawn",
"altTag": "A group of Black actors on a beige wooden stage with a black background",
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/SFNF-The-Blackest-Wrench-29-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/SFNF-The-Blackest-Wrench-29-768x512.jpg",
"width": 768,
"height": 512,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/SFNF-The-Blackest-Wrench-29-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/SFNF-The-Blackest-Wrench-29-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/SFNF-The-Blackest-Wrench-29-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/SFNF-The-Blackest-Wrench-29-1200x675.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-square": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/SFNF-The-Blackest-Wrench-29-600x600.jpg",
"width": 600,
"height": 600,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/SFNF-The-Blackest-Wrench-29.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1333
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"arts_13984281": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "arts_13984281",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13984281",
"found": true
},
"title": "unnamed-4",
"publishDate": 1764643774,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1764660524,
"caption": "Marga Gomez in ‘The Search for Signs\nof Intelligent Life in the Universe,’ the last production at famed Berkeley institution Aurora Theatre before the company ceased operations. \n",
"credit": "Kevin Berne",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-4-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-4-768x511.jpg",
"width": 768,
"height": 511,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-4-1536x1022.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1022,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-4-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-4-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-4-1200x675.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-4.jpg",
"width": 1600,
"height": 1065
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"arts_13990546": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "arts_13990546",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13990546",
"found": true
},
"title": "_O2A6856",
"publishDate": 1780950800,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1780954981,
"caption": "Elza van den Heever as Chrysothemis, Elena Pankratova as Elektra, and Kyle Ketelsen as Orest in Richard Strauss’ ‘Elektra.’",
"credit": "Cory Weaver / San Francisco Opera",
"altTag": "A woman in a black suit outfit hoists a double-edged axe in the air as a second woman in a light pink dress gazes up at it in a stupor",
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/O2A6856-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/O2A6856-768x512.jpg",
"width": 768,
"height": 512,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/O2A6856-1536x1025.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1025,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/O2A6856-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/O2A6856-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/O2A6856-1200x675.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-square": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/O2A6856-600x600.jpg",
"width": 600,
"height": 600,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/O2A6856.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1334
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"arts_13989804": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "arts_13989804",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13989804",
"found": true
},
"title": "20260516-OAKLASH-JY-01-KQED-1",
"publishDate": 1779122024,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1779131694,
"caption": "Luismi Munster poses for a portrait during the Oaklash Block Party in Oakland, Calif., on Saturday, May 16, 2026.",
"credit": "Juliana Yamada for KQED",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-01-KQED-1-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-01-KQED-1-768x512.jpg",
"width": 768,
"height": 512,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-01-KQED-1-1536x1024.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1024,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-01-KQED-1-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-01-KQED-1-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-01-KQED-1-1200x675.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-square": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-01-KQED-1-600x600.jpg",
"width": 600,
"height": 600,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-01-KQED-1.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1333
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"arts_13989523": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "arts_13989523",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13989523",
"found": true
},
"title": "Bottom of the Hill on 17th Street in San Francisco on May 12, 2026.",
"publishDate": 1778625515,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1778796256,
"caption": "The Bottom of the Hill on 17th Street in San Francisco, on May 12, 2026. As parking has grown increasingly scarce across San Francisco, KQED Arts editor Gabe Meline shares his best secret free parking spots for shows in the city. ",
"credit": "Martin do Nascimento/KQED",
"altTag": null,
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/260512-FREE-PARKING-AT-MUSIC-VENUES-MD-03-KQED-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/260512-FREE-PARKING-AT-MUSIC-VENUES-MD-03-KQED-768x512.jpg",
"width": 768,
"height": 512,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/260512-FREE-PARKING-AT-MUSIC-VENUES-MD-03-KQED-1536x1025.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1025,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/260512-FREE-PARKING-AT-MUSIC-VENUES-MD-03-KQED-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/260512-FREE-PARKING-AT-MUSIC-VENUES-MD-03-KQED-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/260512-FREE-PARKING-AT-MUSIC-VENUES-MD-03-KQED-1200x675.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-square": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/260512-FREE-PARKING-AT-MUSIC-VENUES-MD-03-KQED-600x600.jpg",
"width": 600,
"height": 600,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/260512-FREE-PARKING-AT-MUSIC-VENUES-MD-03-KQED.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1334
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"arts_13989541": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "arts_13989541",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13989541",
"found": true
},
"title": "3",
"publishDate": 1778638398,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 13989487,
"modified": 1778639753,
"caption": "Jean-Michel (Landyn Endo) and Anne (Akhila Narayanan) navigate their very opposite parents on their journey toward impending nuptials in ‘La Cage aux Folles’ at Theatre Rhinoceros in San Francisco. ",
"credit": "Scott Sidorsky",
"altTag": "A young man srtiking a cupid-like pose in a suspended hoop hands a rose to a young attractive woman sitting on the floor of a stage",
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/3-160x116.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 116,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/3-768x558.jpg",
"width": 768,
"height": 558,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/3-1536x1115.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1115,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/3-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/3-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/3-1200x675.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-square": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/3-600x600.jpg",
"width": 600,
"height": 600,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/3.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1452
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
},
"arts_13988823": {
"type": "attachments",
"id": "arts_13988823",
"meta": {
"index": "attachments_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13988823",
"found": true
},
"title": "3_HAMNET_KyleFlubacker",
"publishDate": 1776982250,
"status": "inherit",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1776986769,
"caption": "Rory Alexander and Kemi-Bo Jacobs as William and Agnes Shakespeare in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s ‘Hamnet’ at ACT in San Francisco. ",
"credit": "Kyle Flubacker",
"altTag": "A man in blue and a woman with a flower crown look upward",
"description": null,
"imgSizes": {
"thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/3_HAMNET_KyleFlubacker-160x107.jpg",
"width": 160,
"height": 107,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"medium_large": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/3_HAMNET_KyleFlubacker-768x512.jpg",
"width": 768,
"height": 512,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"1536x1536": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/3_HAMNET_KyleFlubacker-1536x1025.jpg",
"width": 1536,
"height": 1025,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"post-thumbnail": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/3_HAMNET_KyleFlubacker-672x372.jpg",
"width": 672,
"height": 372,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"twentyfourteen-full-width": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/3_HAMNET_KyleFlubacker-1038x576.jpg",
"width": 1038,
"height": 576,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-wide": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/3_HAMNET_KyleFlubacker-1200x675.jpg",
"width": 1200,
"height": 675,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"npr-cds-square": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/3_HAMNET_KyleFlubacker-600x600.jpg",
"width": 600,
"height": 600,
"mimeType": "image/jpeg"
},
"kqedFullSize": {
"file": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/3_HAMNET_KyleFlubacker.jpg",
"width": 2000,
"height": 1334
}
},
"isLoading": false,
"fetchFailed": false
}
},
"audioPlayerReducer": {
"postId": "stream_live",
"isPaused": true,
"isPlaying": false,
"pfsActive": false,
"pledgeModalIsOpen": true,
"playerDrawerIsOpen": false,
"liveAudioPlayStartedAt": 0,
"liveAudioPlayContext": ""
},
"authorsReducer": {
"byline_arts_13990818": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "byline_arts_13990818",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"slug": "byline_arts_13990818",
"name": "Charles Lewis III",
"isLoading": false
},
"shotchkiss": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "61",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "61",
"found": true
},
"name": "Sarah Hotchkiss",
"firstName": "Sarah",
"lastName": "Hotchkiss",
"slug": "shotchkiss",
"email": "shotchkiss@kqed.org",
"display_author_email": true,
"staff_mastheads": [
"arts"
],
"title": "Senior Editor",
"bio": "Sarah Hotchkiss is a San Francisco \u003ca href=\"http://www.sarahhotchkiss.com\">artist\u003c/a> and arts writer. In 2019, she received the Dorothea & Leo Rabkin Foundation grant for visual art journalism and in 2020 she received a Society of Professional Journalists, Northern California award for excellence in arts and culture reporting.",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/bc662df144b3d27fd8b1b6f1c2a420d34e91e53154d411bb7ad353cc8b6cea8d?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": null,
"bluesky": null,
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "arts",
"roles": [
"Contributor",
"administrator"
]
},
{
"site": "artschool",
"roles": [
"administrator"
]
},
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "pop",
"roles": [
"administrator"
]
},
{
"site": "bayareabites",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "spark",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "checkplease",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Sarah Hotchkiss | KQED",
"description": "Senior Editor",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/bc662df144b3d27fd8b1b6f1c2a420d34e91e53154d411bb7ad353cc8b6cea8d?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/bc662df144b3d27fd8b1b6f1c2a420d34e91e53154d411bb7ad353cc8b6cea8d?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/shotchkiss"
},
"gmeline": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "185",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "185",
"found": true
},
"name": "Gabe Meline",
"firstName": "Gabe",
"lastName": "Meline",
"slug": "gmeline",
"email": "gmeline@kqed.org",
"display_author_email": true,
"staff_mastheads": [
"arts"
],
"title": "Senior Editor, KQED Arts & Culture",
"bio": "Gabe Meline entered journalism at age 15 making photocopied zines, and has since earned awards from the Edward R. Murrow Awards, the Society for Professional Journalists, the Online Journalism Awards, the Association of Alternative Newsweeklies and the California Newspaper Publishers Association. Prior to KQED, he was the editor of the \u003cem>North Bay Bohemian\u003c/em> and a touring musician. He lives with his wife and daughter in his hometown of Santa Rosa, CA.",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/5bebe57be0d8bc2dd318934feb47299e2d2d10cba28d09d8d7afb389a2ce2bdd?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": null,
"bluesky": null,
"facebook": null,
"instagram": null,
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "arts",
"roles": [
"administrator"
]
},
{
"site": "artschool",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"author"
]
},
{
"site": "pop",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "bayareabites",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "food",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "liveblog",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "hiphop",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Gabe Meline | KQED",
"description": "Senior Editor, KQED Arts & Culture",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/5bebe57be0d8bc2dd318934feb47299e2d2d10cba28d09d8d7afb389a2ce2bdd?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/5bebe57be0d8bc2dd318934feb47299e2d2d10cba28d09d8d7afb389a2ce2bdd?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/gmeline"
},
"nvoynovskaya": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "11387",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "11387",
"found": true
},
"name": "Nastia Voynovskaya",
"firstName": "Nastia",
"lastName": "Voynovskaya",
"slug": "nvoynovskaya",
"email": "nvoynovskaya@kqed.org",
"display_author_email": false,
"staff_mastheads": [
"arts"
],
"title": "Editor and reporter",
"bio": "Nastia Voynovskaya is a reporter and editor at KQED Arts & Culture. She's been covering the arts in the Bay Area for over a decade, with a focus on music, queer culture, labor issues and grassroots organizing. She has edited KQED story series such as Trans Bay: A History of San Francisco's Gender-Diverse Community, and co-created KQED's Bay Area hip-hop history project, That's My Word. Nastia's work has been recognized by the Society of Professional Journalists and San Francisco Press Club. She holds a BA in comparative literature from UC Berkeley.",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/310649817772dd2a98e5dfecb6b24842?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": null,
"bluesky": null,
"facebook": null,
"instagram": "https://www.instagram.com/nananastia/",
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "arts",
"roles": [
"administrator"
]
},
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "pop",
"roles": [
"administrator"
]
},
{
"site": "bayareabites",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "podcasts",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
},
{
"site": "hiphop",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Nastia Voynovskaya | KQED",
"description": "Editor and reporter",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/310649817772dd2a98e5dfecb6b24842?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/310649817772dd2a98e5dfecb6b24842?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/nvoynovskaya"
},
"jyamada": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "11876",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "11876",
"found": true
},
"name": "Juliana Yamada",
"firstName": "Juliana",
"lastName": "Yamada",
"slug": "jyamada",
"email": "julianayamada@kqed.org",
"display_author_email": false,
"staff_mastheads": [],
"title": "KQED Photojournalist",
"bio": null,
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/cf3070075b6f3d12aac4e1e40079b3ba5fd828442b579f0ce48c293178a5f269?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": "julianayphoto",
"bluesky": null,
"facebook": null,
"instagram": "https://www.instagram.com/julianayamadaphoto/",
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "arts",
"roles": [
"author"
]
},
{
"site": "news",
"roles": [
"editor"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "Juliana Yamada | KQED",
"description": "KQED Photojournalist",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/cf3070075b6f3d12aac4e1e40079b3ba5fd828442b579f0ce48c293178a5f269?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/cf3070075b6f3d12aac4e1e40079b3ba5fd828442b579f0ce48c293178a5f269?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/jyamada"
},
"djchavez": {
"type": "authors",
"id": "11905",
"meta": {
"index": "authors_1716337520",
"id": "11905",
"found": true
},
"name": "David John Chávez",
"firstName": "David John",
"lastName": "Chávez",
"slug": "djchavez",
"email": "theatrechavez@gmail.com",
"display_author_email": false,
"staff_mastheads": [],
"title": "KQED Contributor",
"bio": "Based in San José, David is a theater critic and reporter who serves as Executive Chair of the American Theatre Critics/Journalists Association, as well as a regular theater contributor to The Mercury News, San Francisco Chronicle, American Theatre Magazine and KQED, among other publications. He is a two-time juror for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama (’22-’23) and a 2020 fellow of the Eugene O'Neill National Critics Institute.",
"avatar": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/fabc2bc243ff109345d5c43867bc0b76?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twitter": null,
"facebook": "https://www.facebook.com/bydavidjchavez",
"instagram": "https://www.instagram.com/davidjchavez/",
"linkedin": null,
"sites": [
{
"site": "arts",
"roles": [
"author"
]
}
],
"headData": {
"title": "David John Chávez | KQED",
"description": "KQED Contributor",
"ogImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/fabc2bc243ff109345d5c43867bc0b76?s=600&d=blank&r=g",
"twImgSrc": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/fabc2bc243ff109345d5c43867bc0b76?s=600&d=blank&r=g"
},
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/author/djchavez"
}
},
"pagesReducer": {
"arts_category_theater": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_967",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "967",
"score": 12.281799
},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Theater",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Theater Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 985,
"slug": "theater",
"isLoading": false,
"title": "Theater",
"pageMeta": {
"site": "arts",
"WpPageTemplate": "page-topic-editorial"
},
"blocks": [
{
"blockName": "kqed/post-list",
"attrs": {
"layout": "cardArticle2",
"query": "posts/arts?category=theater",
"seeMore": true
}
},
{
"blockName": "kqed/ad"
}
]
}
},
"pfsSessionReducer": {},
"postsReducer": {
"stream_live": {
"type": "live",
"id": "stream_live",
"audioUrl": "https://streams.kqed.org/kqedradio",
"title": "Live Stream",
"excerpt": "Live Stream information currently unavailable.",
"link": "/radio",
"featImg": "",
"label": {
"name": "KQED Live",
"link": "/"
}
},
"stream_kqedNewscast": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "stream_kqedNewscast",
"audioUrl": "https://www.kqed.org/.stream/anon/radio/RDnews/newscast.mp3?_=1",
"title": "KQED Newscast",
"featImg": "",
"label": {
"name": "88.5 FM",
"link": "/"
}
},
"arts_13991117": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "arts_13991117",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13991117",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1782494207000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "the-lunchbox-review-berkeley-rep-kuhoo-verma",
"title": "It's No Secret: ‘The Lunchbox’ Continues to Pack ’Em in for a Reason",
"publishDate": 1782494207,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "It’s No Secret: ‘The Lunchbox’ Continues to Pack ’Em in for a Reason | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>Since it opened in May at \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/berkeley-rep\">Berkeley Rep\u003c/a>, the world-premiere musical \u003cem>The Lunchbox\u003c/em> has sold out night after night. Based on and hewing closely to \u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2350496/\">the well-loved 2013 film\u003c/a>, the show’s been extended twice already, and is, in plain terms, a bona fide hit.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That much was plain during a mid-run visit, where the crowd — roughly half South Asian, half older white Berkeleyite — treated it like it was still opening night: excited chatter in the packed lobby, a standing ovation, flower bouquets at the ready.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Directed by Rachel Chavkin, the show is a warm, sweet, sensory delight. It starts with a magnificent four-story set (design by Mimi Lien), full of wrought iron, concrete, clotheslines and a 20-foot Bollywood movie billboard. Stairs, balconies and fire escapes recall a Mumbai version of \u003cem>West Side Story\u003c/em>; streetcars and deliverymen soon add to the crowded cityscape.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1331\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/178_TLB.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991120\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/178_TLB.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/178_TLB-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/178_TLB-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/178_TLB-1536x1022.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The cast of ‘The Lunchbox’ perform in a dream sequence about Bhutan. (Kevin Berne)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Sequestered in her apartment, Ila (Kuhoo Verma, in a starmaking role) is a thirtysomething wife and mother trying to cook her way back into her distant husband’s heart. She takes advice for recipes and life from her upstairs neighbor, whom she calls “auntie” (Anisha Nagarajan), and is clearly in need of a shakeup.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She gets one when the lunch Ila cooks for her husband is delivered to the wrong address: a defeated widower, Fernandes (Manu Narayan), who’s pushed papers at a desk for 30 years. The two strike up a correspondence of handwritten notes tucked inside the delivered lunchbox, each more revealing than the last. After a flirty battle of the sexes over the correct amount of salt, a charming, late-in-life puppy love takes root, one folded-up piece of paper at a time. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You may think you know where this is going, and you’re half-right. But as any handcart operator in a big city can tell you, the fun is in the journey, bumps and all. It’s a joy to see just how completely smitten Ila and Fernandes are with one another. The script by Ritesh Batra, who wrote and directed the original film, nails with precision the feeling of being infatuated with someone distant and possibly unattainable.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1331\" height=\"2000\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/119_TLB.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991123\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/119_TLB.jpg 1331w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/119_TLB-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/119_TLB-768x1154.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/119_TLB-1022x1536.jpg 1022w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1331px) 100vw, 1331px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kuhoo Verma in ‘The Lunchbox’ at Berkeley Rep. (Kevin Berne)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Verma is just plain radiant in the lead role, on down to how Ila overthinks every detail in advance of a possible first meeting. She’s an excellent singer, emoting and hitting every trill, and she perfectly conveys both the coyness and frustration of Ila’s predicament, from introspective belters like “Courage” to the tiniest coquettishly raised eyebrow.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The play has many side quests, some more relevant than others. Fernandes’ coworker Shaikh (Aathaven Tharmarajah) helps open up Fernandes’ heart not just to love but to friendship. Nagarajan pulls all the humanity imaginable out of Mrs. Deshpande, the upstairs auntie whose lonely home life serves as a warning to what Ila’s life could become in the face of inaction. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Other numbers are less important, if not complete speedbumps. Twenty minutes in, Fernandes happens to tell a restaurant that its food was good, and its employees commence a hammy song-and-dance about \u003ca href=\"https://archive.nytimes.com/india.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/05/13/indias-middle-class-growth-engine-or-loose-wheel/\">the Bird of Gold\u003c/a>. It’s somewhat cute, but this early in the show, we want more Ila and Fernandes, and it stifles the plot’s momentum. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1331\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/063_TLB.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991122\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/063_TLB.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/063_TLB-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/063_TLB-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/063_TLB-1536x1022.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Manu Narayan (as Fernandes) and Savidu Geevaratne in ‘The Lunchbox’ at Berkeley Rep. (Kevin Berne)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The orchestra performing the songs, however, could not be finer, and the music by Daniel and Patrick Lazour straddles traditional Indian rhythms and melodies (opening number “No Wrong Mistake,” sung by the lunchbox deliverymen known as dabbawallahs) and the accessible veneer of Broadway (a colorful, serene dream sequence about Bhutan). The choreography by Reshma Gajjar, particularly during a crowded train car scene, is inventive and captivating. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Much of \u003cem>The Lunchbox\u003c/em> is a very traditional love story, with nearly conservative themes. The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach; the way to flirt with a woman is by negging. Then there’s the age gap, and the notion of women being attracted to decades-older men, who appear more mature, deep and emotionally present. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>These are usually viewed as hindrances by your typical lefty Berkeley audience, but the rapturous crowd on Wednesday night certainly didn’t seem to mind. After the ups and downs of Ila and Fernandes’ yearning for each other, and an indelible final onstage image before the lights go out, who could really argue?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘The Lunchbox’ runs through Sunday, July 12 at Berkeley Rep. \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.berkeleyrep.org/shows/the-lunchbox-nkft\">\u003cem>Tickets and more information here\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
"blocks": [
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Since it opened in May at \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/berkeley-rep\">Berkeley Rep\u003c/a>, the world-premiere musical \u003cem>The Lunchbox\u003c/em> has sold out night after night. Based on and hewing closely to \u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2350496/\">the well-loved 2013 film\u003c/a>, the show’s been extended twice already, and is, in plain terms, a bona fide hit.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Since it opened in May at \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/berkeley-rep\">Berkeley Rep\u003c/a>, the world-premiere musical \u003cem>The Lunchbox\u003c/em> has sold out night after night. Based on and hewing closely to \u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2350496/\">the well-loved 2013 film\u003c/a>, the show’s been extended twice already, and is, in plain terms, a bona fide hit.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>That much was plain during a mid-run visit, where the crowd — roughly half South Asian, half older white Berkeleyite — treated it like it was still opening night: excited chatter in the packed lobby, a standing ovation, flower bouquets at the ready.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>That much was plain during a mid-run visit, where the crowd — roughly half South Asian, half older white Berkeleyite — treated it like it was still opening night: excited chatter in the packed lobby, a standing ovation, flower bouquets at the ready.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Directed by Rachel Chavkin, the show is a warm, sweet, sensory delight. It starts with a magnificent four-story set (design by Mimi Lien), full of wrought iron, concrete, clotheslines and a 20-foot Bollywood movie billboard. Stairs, balconies and fire escapes recall a Mumbai version of \u003cem>West Side Story\u003c/em>; streetcars and deliverymen soon add to the crowded cityscape.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Directed by Rachel Chavkin, the show is a warm, sweet, sensory delight. It starts with a magnificent four-story set (design by Mimi Lien), full of wrought iron, concrete, clotheslines and a 20-foot Bollywood movie billboard. Stairs, balconies and fire escapes recall a Mumbai version of \u003cem>West Side Story\u003c/em>; streetcars and deliverymen soon add to the crowded cityscape.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 13991120,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"imageCredit": "Kevin Berne",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/178_TLB.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/178_TLB-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/178_TLB-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/178_TLB-1536x1022.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/178_TLB.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991120\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/178_TLB.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/178_TLB-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/178_TLB-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/178_TLB-1536x1022.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The cast of ‘The Lunchbox’ perform in a dream sequence about Bhutan.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/178_TLB.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991120\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The cast of ‘The Lunchbox’ perform in a dream sequence about Bhutan.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Sequestered in her apartment, Ila (Kuhoo Verma, in a starmaking role) is a thirtysomething wife and mother trying to cook her way back into her distant husband’s heart. She takes advice for recipes and life from her upstairs neighbor, whom she calls “auntie” (Anisha Nagarajan), and is clearly in need of a shakeup.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Sequestered in her apartment, Ila (Kuhoo Verma, in a starmaking role) is a thirtysomething wife and mother trying to cook her way back into her distant husband’s heart. She takes advice for recipes and life from her upstairs neighbor, whom she calls “auntie” (Anisha Nagarajan), and is clearly in need of a shakeup.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>She gets one when the lunch Ila cooks for her husband is delivered to the wrong address: a defeated widower, Fernandes (Manu Narayan), who’s pushed papers at a desk for 30 years. The two strike up a correspondence of handwritten notes tucked inside the delivered lunchbox, each more revealing than the last. After a flirty battle of the sexes over the correct amount of salt, a charming, late-in-life puppy love takes root, one folded-up piece of paper at a time. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>She gets one when the lunch Ila cooks for her husband is delivered to the wrong address: a defeated widower, Fernandes (Manu Narayan), who’s pushed papers at a desk for 30 years. The two strike up a correspondence of handwritten notes tucked inside the delivered lunchbox, each more revealing than the last. After a flirty battle of the sexes over the correct amount of salt, a charming, late-in-life puppy love takes root, one folded-up piece of paper at a time. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed/ad",
"attrs": {
"format": "fullwidth"
},
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "",
"innerContent": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>You may think you know where this is going, and you’re half-right. But as any handcart operator in a big city can tell you, the fun is in the journey, bumps and all. It’s a joy to see just how completely smitten Ila and Fernandes are with one another. The script by Ritesh Batra, who wrote and directed the original film, nails with precision the feeling of being infatuated with someone distant and possibly unattainable.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>You may think you know where this is going, and you’re half-right. But as any handcart operator in a big city can tell you, the fun is in the journey, bumps and all. It’s a joy to see just how completely smitten Ila and Fernandes are with one another. The script by Ritesh Batra, who wrote and directed the original film, nails with precision the feeling of being infatuated with someone distant and possibly unattainable.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 13991123,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"imageCredit": "Kevin Berne",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/119_TLB.jpg 1331w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/119_TLB-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/119_TLB-768x1154.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/119_TLB-1022x1536.jpg 1022w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/119_TLB.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991123\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/119_TLB.jpg 1331w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/119_TLB-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/119_TLB-768x1154.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/119_TLB-1022x1536.jpg 1022w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kuhoo Verma in ‘The Lunchbox’ at Berkeley Rep.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/119_TLB.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991123\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kuhoo Verma in ‘The Lunchbox’ at Berkeley Rep.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Verma is just plain radiant in the lead role, on down to how Ila overthinks every detail in advance of a possible first meeting. She’s an excellent singer, emoting and hitting every trill, and she perfectly conveys both the coyness and frustration of Ila’s predicament, from introspective belters like “Courage” to the tiniest coquettishly raised eyebrow.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Verma is just plain radiant in the lead role, on down to how Ila overthinks every detail in advance of a possible first meeting. She’s an excellent singer, emoting and hitting every trill, and she perfectly conveys both the coyness and frustration of Ila’s predicament, from introspective belters like “Courage” to the tiniest coquettishly raised eyebrow.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The play has many side quests, some more relevant than others. Fernandes’ coworker Shaikh (Aathaven Tharmarajah) helps open up Fernandes’ heart not just to love but to friendship. Nagarajan pulls all the humanity imaginable out of Mrs. Deshpande, the upstairs auntie whose lonely home life serves as a warning to what Ila’s life could become in the face of inaction. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The play has many side quests, some more relevant than others. Fernandes’ coworker Shaikh (Aathaven Tharmarajah) helps open up Fernandes’ heart not just to love but to friendship. Nagarajan pulls all the humanity imaginable out of Mrs. Deshpande, the upstairs auntie whose lonely home life serves as a warning to what Ila’s life could become in the face of inaction. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Other numbers are less important, if not complete speedbumps. Twenty minutes in, Fernandes happens to tell a restaurant that its food was good, and its employees commence a hammy song-and-dance about \u003ca href=\"https://archive.nytimes.com/india.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/05/13/indias-middle-class-growth-engine-or-loose-wheel/\">the Bird of Gold\u003c/a>. It’s somewhat cute, but this early in the show, we want more Ila and Fernandes, and it stifles the plot’s momentum. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Other numbers are less important, if not complete speedbumps. Twenty minutes in, Fernandes happens to tell a restaurant that its food was good, and its employees commence a hammy song-and-dance about \u003ca href=\"https://archive.nytimes.com/india.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/05/13/indias-middle-class-growth-engine-or-loose-wheel/\">the Bird of Gold\u003c/a>. It’s somewhat cute, but this early in the show, we want more Ila and Fernandes, and it stifles the plot’s momentum. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 13991122,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"imageCredit": "Kevin Berne",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/063_TLB.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/063_TLB-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/063_TLB-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/063_TLB-1536x1022.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/063_TLB.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991122\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/063_TLB.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/063_TLB-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/063_TLB-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/063_TLB-1536x1022.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Manu Narayan (as Fernandes) and Savidu Geevaratne in ‘The Lunchbox’ at Berkeley Rep.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/063_TLB.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991122\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Manu Narayan (as Fernandes) and Savidu Geevaratne in ‘The Lunchbox’ at Berkeley Rep.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The orchestra performing the songs, however, could not be finer, and the music by Daniel and Patrick Lazour straddles traditional Indian rhythms and melodies (opening number “No Wrong Mistake,” sung by the lunchbox deliverymen known as dabbawallahs) and the accessible veneer of Broadway (a colorful, serene dream sequence about Bhutan). The choreography by Reshma Gajjar, particularly during a crowded train car scene, is inventive and captivating. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The orchestra performing the songs, however, could not be finer, and the music by Daniel and Patrick Lazour straddles traditional Indian rhythms and melodies (opening number “No Wrong Mistake,” sung by the lunchbox deliverymen known as dabbawallahs) and the accessible veneer of Broadway (a colorful, serene dream sequence about Bhutan). The choreography by Reshma Gajjar, particularly during a crowded train car scene, is inventive and captivating. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Much of \u003cem>The Lunchbox\u003c/em> is a very traditional love story, with nearly conservative themes. The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach; the way to flirt with a woman is by negging. Then there’s the age gap, and the notion of women being attracted to decades-older men, who appear more mature, deep and emotionally present. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Much of \u003cem>The Lunchbox\u003c/em> is a very traditional love story, with nearly conservative themes. The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach; the way to flirt with a woman is by negging. Then there’s the age gap, and the notion of women being attracted to decades-older men, who appear more mature, deep and emotionally present. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>These are usually viewed as hindrances by your typical lefty Berkeley audience, but the rapturous crowd on Wednesday night certainly didn’t seem to mind. After the ups and downs of Ila and Fernandes’ yearning for each other, and an indelible final onstage image before the lights go out, who could really argue?\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>These are usually viewed as hindrances by your typical lefty Berkeley audience, but the rapturous crowd on Wednesday night certainly didn’t seem to mind. After the ups and downs of Ila and Fernandes’ yearning for each other, and an indelible final onstage image before the lights go out, who could really argue?\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/separator",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"/>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"/>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed/ad",
"attrs": {
"format": "floatright"
},
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "",
"innerContent": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘The Lunchbox’ runs through Sunday, July 12 at Berkeley Rep. \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.berkeleyrep.org/shows/the-lunchbox-nkft\">\u003cem>Tickets and more information here\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘The Lunchbox’ runs through Sunday, July 12 at Berkeley Rep. \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.berkeleyrep.org/shows/the-lunchbox-nkft\">\u003cem>Tickets and more information here\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
}
],
"excerpt": "Delightful and sweet, the world-premiere musical at Berkeley Rep seems destined for larger stages. ",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1782543958,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 15,
"wordCount": 816
},
"headData": {
"title": "It's No Secret: ‘The Lunchbox’ Continues to Pack ’Em in for a Reason | KQED",
"description": "Delightful and sweet, the world-premiere musical at Berkeley Rep seems destined for larger stages. ",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "It's No Secret: ‘The Lunchbox’ Continues to Pack ’Em in for a Reason",
"datePublished": "2026-06-26T10:16:47-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-06-27T00:05:58-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 1,
"slug": "arts",
"name": "Arts"
},
"source": "The Do List",
"sourceUrl": "https://www.kqed.org/thedolist",
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-13991117",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/arts/13991117/the-lunchbox-review-berkeley-rep-kuhoo-verma",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Since it opened in May at \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/berkeley-rep\">Berkeley Rep\u003c/a>, the world-premiere musical \u003cem>The Lunchbox\u003c/em> has sold out night after night. Based on and hewing closely to \u003ca href=\"https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2350496/\">the well-loved 2013 film\u003c/a>, the show’s been extended twice already, and is, in plain terms, a bona fide hit.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That much was plain during a mid-run visit, where the crowd — roughly half South Asian, half older white Berkeleyite — treated it like it was still opening night: excited chatter in the packed lobby, a standing ovation, flower bouquets at the ready.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Directed by Rachel Chavkin, the show is a warm, sweet, sensory delight. It starts with a magnificent four-story set (design by Mimi Lien), full of wrought iron, concrete, clotheslines and a 20-foot Bollywood movie billboard. Stairs, balconies and fire escapes recall a Mumbai version of \u003cem>West Side Story\u003c/em>; streetcars and deliverymen soon add to the crowded cityscape.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1331\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/178_TLB.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991120\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/178_TLB.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/178_TLB-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/178_TLB-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/178_TLB-1536x1022.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The cast of ‘The Lunchbox’ perform in a dream sequence about Bhutan. (Kevin Berne)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Sequestered in her apartment, Ila (Kuhoo Verma, in a starmaking role) is a thirtysomething wife and mother trying to cook her way back into her distant husband’s heart. She takes advice for recipes and life from her upstairs neighbor, whom she calls “auntie” (Anisha Nagarajan), and is clearly in need of a shakeup.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>She gets one when the lunch Ila cooks for her husband is delivered to the wrong address: a defeated widower, Fernandes (Manu Narayan), who’s pushed papers at a desk for 30 years. The two strike up a correspondence of handwritten notes tucked inside the delivered lunchbox, each more revealing than the last. After a flirty battle of the sexes over the correct amount of salt, a charming, late-in-life puppy love takes root, one folded-up piece of paper at a time. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You may think you know where this is going, and you’re half-right. But as any handcart operator in a big city can tell you, the fun is in the journey, bumps and all. It’s a joy to see just how completely smitten Ila and Fernandes are with one another. The script by Ritesh Batra, who wrote and directed the original film, nails with precision the feeling of being infatuated with someone distant and possibly unattainable.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1331\" height=\"2000\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/119_TLB.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991123\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/119_TLB.jpg 1331w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/119_TLB-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/119_TLB-768x1154.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/119_TLB-1022x1536.jpg 1022w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1331px) 100vw, 1331px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Kuhoo Verma in ‘The Lunchbox’ at Berkeley Rep. (Kevin Berne)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Verma is just plain radiant in the lead role, on down to how Ila overthinks every detail in advance of a possible first meeting. She’s an excellent singer, emoting and hitting every trill, and she perfectly conveys both the coyness and frustration of Ila’s predicament, from introspective belters like “Courage” to the tiniest coquettishly raised eyebrow.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The play has many side quests, some more relevant than others. Fernandes’ coworker Shaikh (Aathaven Tharmarajah) helps open up Fernandes’ heart not just to love but to friendship. Nagarajan pulls all the humanity imaginable out of Mrs. Deshpande, the upstairs auntie whose lonely home life serves as a warning to what Ila’s life could become in the face of inaction. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Other numbers are less important, if not complete speedbumps. Twenty minutes in, Fernandes happens to tell a restaurant that its food was good, and its employees commence a hammy song-and-dance about \u003ca href=\"https://archive.nytimes.com/india.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/05/13/indias-middle-class-growth-engine-or-loose-wheel/\">the Bird of Gold\u003c/a>. It’s somewhat cute, but this early in the show, we want more Ila and Fernandes, and it stifles the plot’s momentum. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1331\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/063_TLB.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991122\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/063_TLB.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/063_TLB-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/063_TLB-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/063_TLB-1536x1022.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Manu Narayan (as Fernandes) and Savidu Geevaratne in ‘The Lunchbox’ at Berkeley Rep. (Kevin Berne)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The orchestra performing the songs, however, could not be finer, and the music by Daniel and Patrick Lazour straddles traditional Indian rhythms and melodies (opening number “No Wrong Mistake,” sung by the lunchbox deliverymen known as dabbawallahs) and the accessible veneer of Broadway (a colorful, serene dream sequence about Bhutan). The choreography by Reshma Gajjar, particularly during a crowded train car scene, is inventive and captivating. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Much of \u003cem>The Lunchbox\u003c/em> is a very traditional love story, with nearly conservative themes. The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach; the way to flirt with a woman is by negging. Then there’s the age gap, and the notion of women being attracted to decades-older men, who appear more mature, deep and emotionally present. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>These are usually viewed as hindrances by your typical lefty Berkeley audience, but the rapturous crowd on Wednesday night certainly didn’t seem to mind. After the ups and downs of Ila and Fernandes’ yearning for each other, and an indelible final onstage image before the lights go out, who could really argue?\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘The Lunchbox’ runs through Sunday, July 12 at Berkeley Rep. \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.berkeleyrep.org/shows/the-lunchbox-nkft\">\u003cem>Tickets and more information here\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/arts/13991117/the-lunchbox-review-berkeley-rep-kuhoo-verma",
"authors": [
"185"
],
"programs": [
"arts_140"
],
"categories": [
"arts_1",
"arts_22313",
"arts_967"
],
"tags": [
"arts_1270",
"arts_1237",
"arts_10278",
"arts_13825",
"arts_769",
"arts_16152"
],
"featImg": "arts_13991121",
"label": "source_arts_13991117"
},
"arts_13991099": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "arts_13991099",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13991099",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1782412658000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "arab-spring-play-review-san-francisco-sf-sfbatco-golden-thread",
"title": "Sorting Through the Wreckage of an Immigrant Father’s Death",
"publishDate": 1782412658,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "Sorting Through the Wreckage of an Immigrant Father’s Death | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>Yusuf is a recovering addict who presents as a lovable yet unserious schlub. Warm and playful, he’s always ready to chop it up with his more stoic big sister, Dina. Their playfulness extends even to hair noogies and wet willies while wrasslin’ on the floor of their late, estranged dad’s house in Houston.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Amid all this is the question: How are they going to plan a traditional Islamic burial that they barely understand — and for a man they hardly knew? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This quandary forms the core of Denmo Ibrahim’s world premiere, \u003cem>Arab Spring\u003c/em>, a co-production between Golden Thread Productions and SFBATCO. Set on the eve of the Fourth of July, the show ponders legacy, and how to focus a parent’s loss, offering answers while giving space to the audience for their own hypotheses. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-01-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991104\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-01-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-01-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-01-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-01-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Yusef (Salim Razawi) and Dina (Arti Ishak) roughhouse in their late father’s home in ‘Arab Spring.’ (Jared Randolph)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Yusuf (Salim Razawi) is introduced standing in front of the house of his father, Samir, asking facile questions to Siri regarding the anxiety-healing powers of gum. Soon, Dina (Arti Ishak) approaches the house, a total professional, highly educated and serious. Their odd-couple nature manifests in some strained dialogue between the siblings, these two Egyptian American children of immigrants who know they have to get this right, with few avenues as to how.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Their dad’s small, semi-hoarding habitat is a time capsule for 1980s technology and pop culture. (The fabulous scenic design is by Mikiko Uesugi.) Entire box sets of \u003cem>Star Wars\u003c/em> rest in the corner. A large silver boombox awaits a cassette and D batteries. Clothes are strewn everywhere. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Each sibling gets swallowed by memories inside this tightly inhabited wasteland. Strawberry Shortcake radios are a direct link for Dina to her dad, and cassette tapes contain the recorded voice of the man the siblings must now live without (with Khaled Abol Naga providing the beautiful voiceovers of Samir). \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-05-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991102\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-05-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-05-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-05-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-05-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Dina (Arti Ishak) listens to cassette tapes of her estranged father’s voice (Khaled Abol Naga, in voiceover) before his funeral in the world premiere of ‘Arab Spring.’ (Jared Randolph)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The power of Ibrahim’s play is in the richness of her dialogue, staged with strong and pensive strokes by director Nailah Unole Didanas’ea Harper-Malveaux. Ibrahim’s words carry weight. Natural and flowing, they’re snappy when necessary, and thoughtful, when not leaning into unnecessary schtick. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Any two-hander structure relies on a close connection between the talent, which Razawi and Ishak often find. They share absurdly delightful explanations for why their Arab-American family celebrates Easter; the hilarious chaos of their last Eid as a family before their parents split; and their clunky abilities, in both a logistical and spiritual sense, to plan their dad’s funeral. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Other aspects are simply stunning. That starts with Lev Collins’ technical direction; small televisions screen opaque home movies that were the benchmark of 1980s memory-capturing. Michael Kelly’s sound design is fantastic, namely when Samir’s decadent and regal voice appears, forcing both Yusuf and Dina to stare down the barrel of time. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-07-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991103\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-07-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-07-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-07-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-07-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Yusef (Salim Razawi) in the world premiere of ‘Arab Spring’ by Denmo Ibrahim. (Jared Randolph)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Family secrets arise, forcing questions about where Samir’s loyalties were placed. It’s one of several nuances in Ibrahim’s script, exploring the familiar dynamic of a family unit that, after a parent’s death, becomes a rudderless ship lacking parental structure. In this, a eulogy for this father immediately becomes the most daunting essay in Yusuf’s life. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On the downside, the writing doesn’t always steward a consistent flow. Instead, it acts as a series of vignettes, each asking its characters to lock into heavy emotional demands, only to dismiss those demands and reset on a dime. This deprives the audience of processing the gravity of any situation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When brutal discoveries are made, forcing both Yusuf and Dina to expel so much emotional capital, how does it affect them moving forward? Rapid shifts in the storytelling mean that the payoffs in certain moments (the cliched slow hug after heapings of shared trauma, for example) don’t always feel earned. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-03-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991105\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-03-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-03-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-03-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-03-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Yusef (Salim Razawi) and Dina (Arti Ishak) in ‘Arab Spring.’ (Jared Randolph)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But the structural challenges here don’t diminish the fact that Ibrahim is a writer with oodles of talent, and a knack for understanding how tension can fill a room. Her writing feels personal, with strong fingerprints, allowing those of any culture to see themselves and their family in this story. That’s all the more reason to narrow the scope of the story, and tightly focus on fewer issues, with deeper and fuller interrogation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Arab Spring\u003c/em> is a fierce reminder that our parents, and whatever legacy they may be building, will not physically be with us forever. The messiness of their imperfections, however, aren’t going anywhere, forcing those of us left behind to try and figure out our next move.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘Arab Spring’ runs through Sunday, July 12 at Potrero Stage in San Francisco. \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://goldenthread.org/productions/arab-spring/\">\u003cem>Tickets and more information here\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
"blocks": [
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Yusuf is a recovering addict who presents as a lovable yet unserious schlub. Warm and playful, he’s always ready to chop it up with his more stoic big sister, Dina. Their playfulness extends even to hair noogies and wet willies while wrasslin’ on the floor of their late, estranged dad’s house in Houston.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Yusuf is a recovering addict who presents as a lovable yet unserious schlub. Warm and playful, he’s always ready to chop it up with his more stoic big sister, Dina. Their playfulness extends even to hair noogies and wet willies while wrasslin’ on the floor of their late, estranged dad’s house in Houston.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Amid all this is the question: How are they going to plan a traditional Islamic burial that they barely understand — and for a man they hardly knew? \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Amid all this is the question: How are they going to plan a traditional Islamic burial that they barely understand — and for a man they hardly knew? \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This quandary forms the core of Denmo Ibrahim’s world premiere, \u003cem>Arab Spring\u003c/em>, a co-production between Golden Thread Productions and SFBATCO. Set on the eve of the Fourth of July, the show ponders legacy, and how to focus a parent’s loss, offering answers while giving space to the audience for their own hypotheses. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>This quandary forms the core of Denmo Ibrahim’s world premiere, \u003cem>Arab Spring\u003c/em>, a co-production between Golden Thread Productions and SFBATCO. Set on the eve of the Fourth of July, the show ponders legacy, and how to focus a parent’s loss, offering answers while giving space to the audience for their own hypotheses. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 13991104,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"imageCredit": "Jared Randolph",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-01-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-01-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-01-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-01-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-01-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991104\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-01-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-01-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-01-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-01-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Yusef (Salim Razawi) and Dina (Arti Ishak) roughhouse in their late father’s home in ‘Arab Spring.’\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-01-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991104\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Yusef (Salim Razawi) and Dina (Arti Ishak) roughhouse in their late father’s home in ‘Arab Spring.’\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Yusuf (Salim Razawi) is introduced standing in front of the house of his father, Samir, asking facile questions to Siri regarding the anxiety-healing powers of gum. Soon, Dina (Arti Ishak) approaches the house, a total professional, highly educated and serious. Their odd-couple nature manifests in some strained dialogue between the siblings, these two Egyptian American children of immigrants who know they have to get this right, with few avenues as to how.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Yusuf (Salim Razawi) is introduced standing in front of the house of his father, Samir, asking facile questions to Siri regarding the anxiety-healing powers of gum. Soon, Dina (Arti Ishak) approaches the house, a total professional, highly educated and serious. Their odd-couple nature manifests in some strained dialogue between the siblings, these two Egyptian American children of immigrants who know they have to get this right, with few avenues as to how.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Their dad’s small, semi-hoarding habitat is a time capsule for 1980s technology and pop culture. (The fabulous scenic design is by Mikiko Uesugi.) Entire box sets of \u003cem>Star Wars\u003c/em> rest in the corner. A large silver boombox awaits a cassette and D batteries. Clothes are strewn everywhere. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Their dad’s small, semi-hoarding habitat is a time capsule for 1980s technology and pop culture. (The fabulous scenic design is by Mikiko Uesugi.) Entire box sets of \u003cem>Star Wars\u003c/em> rest in the corner. A large silver boombox awaits a cassette and D batteries. Clothes are strewn everywhere. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed/ad",
"attrs": {
"format": "fullwidth"
},
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "",
"innerContent": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Each sibling gets swallowed by memories inside this tightly inhabited wasteland. Strawberry Shortcake radios are a direct link for Dina to her dad, and cassette tapes contain the recorded voice of the man the siblings must now live without (with Khaled Abol Naga providing the beautiful voiceovers of Samir). \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Each sibling gets swallowed by memories inside this tightly inhabited wasteland. Strawberry Shortcake radios are a direct link for Dina to her dad, and cassette tapes contain the recorded voice of the man the siblings must now live without (with Khaled Abol Naga providing the beautiful voiceovers of Samir). \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 13991102,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"imageCredit": "Jared Randolph",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-05-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-05-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-05-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-05-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-05-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991102\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-05-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-05-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-05-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-05-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Dina (Arti Ishak) listens to cassette tapes of her estranged father’s voice (Khaled Abol Naga, in voiceover) before his funeral in the world premiere of ‘Arab Spring.’\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-05-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991102\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Dina (Arti Ishak) listens to cassette tapes of her estranged father’s voice (Khaled Abol Naga, in voiceover) before his funeral in the world premiere of ‘Arab Spring.’\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The power of Ibrahim’s play is in the richness of her dialogue, staged with strong and pensive strokes by director Nailah Unole Didanas’ea Harper-Malveaux. Ibrahim’s words carry weight. Natural and flowing, they’re snappy when necessary, and thoughtful, when not leaning into unnecessary schtick. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The power of Ibrahim’s play is in the richness of her dialogue, staged with strong and pensive strokes by director Nailah Unole Didanas’ea Harper-Malveaux. Ibrahim’s words carry weight. Natural and flowing, they’re snappy when necessary, and thoughtful, when not leaning into unnecessary schtick. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Any two-hander structure relies on a close connection between the talent, which Razawi and Ishak often find. They share absurdly delightful explanations for why their Arab-American family celebrates Easter; the hilarious chaos of their last Eid as a family before their parents split; and their clunky abilities, in both a logistical and spiritual sense, to plan their dad’s funeral. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Any two-hander structure relies on a close connection between the talent, which Razawi and Ishak often find. They share absurdly delightful explanations for why their Arab-American family celebrates Easter; the hilarious chaos of their last Eid as a family before their parents split; and their clunky abilities, in both a logistical and spiritual sense, to plan their dad’s funeral. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Other aspects are simply stunning. That starts with Lev Collins’ technical direction; small televisions screen opaque home movies that were the benchmark of 1980s memory-capturing. Michael Kelly’s sound design is fantastic, namely when Samir’s decadent and regal voice appears, forcing both Yusuf and Dina to stare down the barrel of time. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Other aspects are simply stunning. That starts with Lev Collins’ technical direction; small televisions screen opaque home movies that were the benchmark of 1980s memory-capturing. Michael Kelly’s sound design is fantastic, namely when Samir’s decadent and regal voice appears, forcing both Yusuf and Dina to stare down the barrel of time. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 13991103,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"imageCredit": "Jared Randolph",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-07-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-07-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-07-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-07-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-07-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991103\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-07-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-07-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-07-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-07-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Yusef (Salim Razawi) in the world premiere of ‘Arab Spring’ by Denmo Ibrahim.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-07-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991103\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Yusef (Salim Razawi) in the world premiere of ‘Arab Spring’ by Denmo Ibrahim.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Family secrets arise, forcing questions about where Samir’s loyalties were placed. It’s one of several nuances in Ibrahim’s script, exploring the familiar dynamic of a family unit that, after a parent’s death, becomes a rudderless ship lacking parental structure. In this, a eulogy for this father immediately becomes the most daunting essay in Yusuf’s life. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Family secrets arise, forcing questions about where Samir’s loyalties were placed. It’s one of several nuances in Ibrahim’s script, exploring the familiar dynamic of a family unit that, after a parent’s death, becomes a rudderless ship lacking parental structure. In this, a eulogy for this father immediately becomes the most daunting essay in Yusuf’s life. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>On the downside, the writing doesn’t always steward a consistent flow. Instead, it acts as a series of vignettes, each asking its characters to lock into heavy emotional demands, only to dismiss those demands and reset on a dime. This deprives the audience of processing the gravity of any situation.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>On the downside, the writing doesn’t always steward a consistent flow. Instead, it acts as a series of vignettes, each asking its characters to lock into heavy emotional demands, only to dismiss those demands and reset on a dime. This deprives the audience of processing the gravity of any situation.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>When brutal discoveries are made, forcing both Yusuf and Dina to expel so much emotional capital, how does it affect them moving forward? Rapid shifts in the storytelling mean that the payoffs in certain moments (the cliched slow hug after heapings of shared trauma, for example) don’t always feel earned. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>When brutal discoveries are made, forcing both Yusuf and Dina to expel so much emotional capital, how does it affect them moving forward? Rapid shifts in the storytelling mean that the payoffs in certain moments (the cliched slow hug after heapings of shared trauma, for example) don’t always feel earned. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 13991105,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"imageCredit": "Jared Randolph",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-03-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-03-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-03-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-03-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-03-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991105\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-03-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-03-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-03-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-03-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Yusef (Salim Razawi) and Dina (Arti Ishak) in ‘Arab Spring.’\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-03-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991105\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Yusef (Salim Razawi) and Dina (Arti Ishak) in ‘Arab Spring.’\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But the structural challenges here don’t diminish the fact that Ibrahim is a writer with oodles of talent, and a knack for understanding how tension can fill a room. Her writing feels personal, with strong fingerprints, allowing those of any culture to see themselves and their family in this story. That’s all the more reason to narrow the scope of the story, and tightly focus on fewer issues, with deeper and fuller interrogation.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>But the structural challenges here don’t diminish the fact that Ibrahim is a writer with oodles of talent, and a knack for understanding how tension can fill a room. Her writing feels personal, with strong fingerprints, allowing those of any culture to see themselves and their family in this story. That’s all the more reason to narrow the scope of the story, and tightly focus on fewer issues, with deeper and fuller interrogation.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Arab Spring\u003c/em> is a fierce reminder that our parents, and whatever legacy they may be building, will not physically be with us forever. The messiness of their imperfections, however, aren’t going anywhere, forcing those of us left behind to try and figure out our next move.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Arab Spring\u003c/em> is a fierce reminder that our parents, and whatever legacy they may be building, will not physically be with us forever. The messiness of their imperfections, however, aren’t going anywhere, forcing those of us left behind to try and figure out our next move.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/separator",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"/>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"/>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed/ad",
"attrs": {
"format": "floatright"
},
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "",
"innerContent": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘Arab Spring’ runs through Sunday, July 12 at Potrero Stage in San Francisco. \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://goldenthread.org/productions/arab-spring/\">\u003cem>Tickets and more information here\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘Arab Spring’ runs through Sunday, July 12 at Potrero Stage in San Francisco. \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://goldenthread.org/productions/arab-spring/\">\u003cem>Tickets and more information here\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
}
],
"excerpt": "In San Francisco, the new play ‘Arab Spring’ explores family tension and Muslim tradition. ",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1782412668,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 17,
"wordCount": 899
},
"headData": {
"title": "Review: ‘Arab Spring’ and the Tumult of an Immigrant Parent's Death | KQED",
"description": "The world-premiere play in San Francisco explores family tension and Muslim tradition.",
"ogTitle": "Sorting Through the Wreckage of an Immigrant Father’s Death",
"ogDescription": "In San Francisco, the new play ‘Arab Spring’ explores family tension and Muslim tradition.",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "Sorting Through the Wreckage of an Immigrant Father’s Death",
"twDescription": "In San Francisco, the new play ‘Arab Spring’ explores family tension and Muslim tradition.",
"twImgId": "",
"socialTitle": "Review: ‘Arab Spring’ and the Tumult of an Immigrant Parent's Death %%page%% %%sep%% KQED",
"socialDescription": "The world-premiere play in San Francisco explores family tension and Muslim tradition.",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "Sorting Through the Wreckage of an Immigrant Father’s Death",
"datePublished": "2026-06-25T11:37:38-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-06-25T11:37:48-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 1,
"slug": "arts",
"name": "Arts"
},
"source": "The Do List",
"sourceUrl": "https://www.kqed.org/thedolist",
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-13991099",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/arts/13991099/arab-spring-play-review-san-francisco-sf-sfbatco-golden-thread",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Yusuf is a recovering addict who presents as a lovable yet unserious schlub. Warm and playful, he’s always ready to chop it up with his more stoic big sister, Dina. Their playfulness extends even to hair noogies and wet willies while wrasslin’ on the floor of their late, estranged dad’s house in Houston.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Amid all this is the question: How are they going to plan a traditional Islamic burial that they barely understand — and for a man they hardly knew? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This quandary forms the core of Denmo Ibrahim’s world premiere, \u003cem>Arab Spring\u003c/em>, a co-production between Golden Thread Productions and SFBATCO. Set on the eve of the Fourth of July, the show ponders legacy, and how to focus a parent’s loss, offering answers while giving space to the audience for their own hypotheses. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-01-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991104\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-01-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-01-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-01-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-01-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Yusef (Salim Razawi) and Dina (Arti Ishak) roughhouse in their late father’s home in ‘Arab Spring.’ (Jared Randolph)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Yusuf (Salim Razawi) is introduced standing in front of the house of his father, Samir, asking facile questions to Siri regarding the anxiety-healing powers of gum. Soon, Dina (Arti Ishak) approaches the house, a total professional, highly educated and serious. Their odd-couple nature manifests in some strained dialogue between the siblings, these two Egyptian American children of immigrants who know they have to get this right, with few avenues as to how.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Their dad’s small, semi-hoarding habitat is a time capsule for 1980s technology and pop culture. (The fabulous scenic design is by Mikiko Uesugi.) Entire box sets of \u003cem>Star Wars\u003c/em> rest in the corner. A large silver boombox awaits a cassette and D batteries. Clothes are strewn everywhere. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Each sibling gets swallowed by memories inside this tightly inhabited wasteland. Strawberry Shortcake radios are a direct link for Dina to her dad, and cassette tapes contain the recorded voice of the man the siblings must now live without (with Khaled Abol Naga providing the beautiful voiceovers of Samir). \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-05-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991102\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-05-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-05-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-05-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-05-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Dina (Arti Ishak) listens to cassette tapes of her estranged father’s voice (Khaled Abol Naga, in voiceover) before his funeral in the world premiere of ‘Arab Spring.’ (Jared Randolph)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The power of Ibrahim’s play is in the richness of her dialogue, staged with strong and pensive strokes by director Nailah Unole Didanas’ea Harper-Malveaux. Ibrahim’s words carry weight. Natural and flowing, they’re snappy when necessary, and thoughtful, when not leaning into unnecessary schtick. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Any two-hander structure relies on a close connection between the talent, which Razawi and Ishak often find. They share absurdly delightful explanations for why their Arab-American family celebrates Easter; the hilarious chaos of their last Eid as a family before their parents split; and their clunky abilities, in both a logistical and spiritual sense, to plan their dad’s funeral. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Other aspects are simply stunning. That starts with Lev Collins’ technical direction; small televisions screen opaque home movies that were the benchmark of 1980s memory-capturing. Michael Kelly’s sound design is fantastic, namely when Samir’s decadent and regal voice appears, forcing both Yusuf and Dina to stare down the barrel of time. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-07-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991103\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-07-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-07-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-07-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-07-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Yusef (Salim Razawi) in the world premiere of ‘Arab Spring’ by Denmo Ibrahim. (Jared Randolph)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Family secrets arise, forcing questions about where Samir’s loyalties were placed. It’s one of several nuances in Ibrahim’s script, exploring the familiar dynamic of a family unit that, after a parent’s death, becomes a rudderless ship lacking parental structure. In this, a eulogy for this father immediately becomes the most daunting essay in Yusuf’s life. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On the downside, the writing doesn’t always steward a consistent flow. Instead, it acts as a series of vignettes, each asking its characters to lock into heavy emotional demands, only to dismiss those demands and reset on a dime. This deprives the audience of processing the gravity of any situation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When brutal discoveries are made, forcing both Yusuf and Dina to expel so much emotional capital, how does it affect them moving forward? Rapid shifts in the storytelling mean that the payoffs in certain moments (the cliched slow hug after heapings of shared trauma, for example) don’t always feel earned. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-03-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991105\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-03-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-03-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-03-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-03-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Yusef (Salim Razawi) and Dina (Arti Ishak) in ‘Arab Spring.’ (Jared Randolph)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But the structural challenges here don’t diminish the fact that Ibrahim is a writer with oodles of talent, and a knack for understanding how tension can fill a room. Her writing feels personal, with strong fingerprints, allowing those of any culture to see themselves and their family in this story. That’s all the more reason to narrow the scope of the story, and tightly focus on fewer issues, with deeper and fuller interrogation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Arab Spring\u003c/em> is a fierce reminder that our parents, and whatever legacy they may be building, will not physically be with us forever. The messiness of their imperfections, however, aren’t going anywhere, forcing those of us left behind to try and figure out our next move.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘Arab Spring’ runs through Sunday, July 12 at Potrero Stage in San Francisco. \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://goldenthread.org/productions/arab-spring/\">\u003cem>Tickets and more information here\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/arts/13991099/arab-spring-play-review-san-francisco-sf-sfbatco-golden-thread",
"authors": [
"11905"
],
"programs": [
"arts_140"
],
"categories": [
"arts_1",
"arts_22313",
"arts_967"
],
"tags": [
"arts_21783",
"arts_1773",
"arts_21762",
"arts_1146",
"arts_22052",
"arts_585"
],
"featImg": "arts_13991106",
"label": "source_arts_13991099"
},
"arts_13990818": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "arts_13990818",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13990818",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1781652566000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "sf-neo-futurists-theater-infinite-wrench",
"title": "SF Theater Troupe Faces Reality of City’s New Demographics",
"publishDate": 1781652566,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "SF Theater Troupe Faces Reality of City’s New Demographics | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>Even by the eccentric standards of Bay Area theatre, the San Francisco Neo-Futurists are a sight to behold. The local chapter of the Chicago experimental troupe has built a loyal following by taking the original troupe’s format – a weekly anthology show that attempts to stage 30 performance-art shorts in under 60 minutes – and injecting it with a uniquely Bay Area perspective.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That perspective was important when casting their two special-themed June editions of their weekly show \u003cem>The Infinite Wrench\u003c/em>. While searching for actors to perform the Juneteenth-themed \u003cem>The Blackest Wrench\u003c/em> and the LGBTQIA+ show \u003cem>Infinite Pride\u003c/em>, the reality of the Bay Area’s new demographics were made manifest, and the company had to bring in cast members from outside chapters of the Neo-Futurists.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Because the New York and Chicago chapters have larger ensembles, “we don’t tend to go out there for their specialty shows,” says co-artistic director Jeb Lehrman. “Generally, though, San Francisco sees a few more visitors and transfers than the other companies.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/SFNF-2025-Infinite-Pride-El-Rio-84.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13990824\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/SFNF-2025-Infinite-Pride-El-Rio-84.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/SFNF-2025-Infinite-Pride-El-Rio-84-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/SFNF-2025-Infinite-Pride-El-Rio-84-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/SFNF-2025-Infinite-Pride-El-Rio-84-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A scene from the 2025 edition of the SF Neo-Futurists’ ‘Infinite Pride’ at El Rio in San Francisco. (Kayleigh Shawn)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As with the regular weekly shows, \u003cem>Blackest Wrench\u003c/em> and \u003cem>Infinite Pride\u003c/em> will ask audiences to select from a menu of 30 short plays, with its writer-performers attempting to work their way through the entire list before the always-on-display clock buzzes at the end of an hour.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Topics run the gamut, from hilarious observances of life, painful confessions to the audience and even the cast holding still until an audience member interacts with a set piece. By the troupe’s own estimation, the San Francisco chapter has “premiered some 4,000 plays over the last 13 years.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It also produces five or six special shows per year, with \u003cem>Infinite Pride\u003c/em> (boasting an all-queer ensemble) having been staged annually since 2014. This year’s edition will be a two-night event, performed at legendary San Francisco queer bars El Rio and The Stud.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I think it’s generally a little easier to sell a specialty show,” says \u003cem>Infinite Pride\u003c/em> cast member Aster Light. “The regular show happens every weekend, so it’s less of an event, and because all my friends are queer, they tend to be drawn in to see an all-queer cast sharing our stories and our culture.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/SFNF-The-Blackest-Wrench-125.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13990821\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/SFNF-The-Blackest-Wrench-125.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/SFNF-The-Blackest-Wrench-125-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/SFNF-The-Blackest-Wrench-125-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/SFNF-The-Blackest-Wrench-125-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A scene from the 2025 edition of the SF Neo-Futurists’ ‘The Blackest Wrench.’ (Kayleigh Shawn)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, the second annual \u003cem>Blackest Wrench\u003c/em> has been a tougher sell. The one-night show will be performed in Oakland, as if reflecting the mass migration of Black artists away from San Francisco. It’s also the show that required bringing in the most out-of-towners to fill an ensemble of just a half-dozen performers.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>The parallels aren’t lost on Ray Ray Young, a San Francisco Neo-Futurist since 2023, and one whose Black and queer identities reflect the intersection between the two casts. (Of the two shows, Young is only in \u003cem>Blackest Wrench\u003c/em>.)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Honestly, this has been a multiyear effort in the making,” says Young, who’s led efforts to diversify the troupe, and has been instrumental in the production of \u003cem>Blackest Wrench\u003c/em>.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“Even with all of that effort, we still unfortunately don’t quite have enough Black Neo-Futurists in the Bay Area to fill a show like this.”\u003cbr>\u003cbr>With one member from Chicago and one from New York, “[It’s] been really exciting to work with them,” Young says. “And it strengthens our Neo-Futurist practice to get to collaborate with members of different ensembles.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/SFNF-The-Blackest-Wrench-34.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13990823\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/SFNF-The-Blackest-Wrench-34.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/SFNF-The-Blackest-Wrench-34-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/SFNF-The-Blackest-Wrench-34-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/SFNF-The-Blackest-Wrench-34-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A scene from the 2025 edition of the SF Neo-Futurists’ ‘The Blackest Wrench.’ (Kayleigh Shawn)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Though some cast members were facetious about what audiences could expect in the two shows (one \u003cem>Pride\u003c/em> cast member celebrated “[feeling] so represented by gorilla masks and basketballs and arm-heavy choreography in this particular show”), all involved agree that their shows represent activism in the face of nationwide hatred against both Black and queer Americans.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When asked whom they’d like most to see their show, Light is direct and uncompromising: “I hope the ghost of Charlie Kirk is forced to watch it on repeat in hell.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘\u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.onthestage.tickets/show/the-lower-bottom-playaz/69f135bd4462ee1056dde748/\">\u003cem>The Blackest Wrench\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>’ takes place Friday, June 19, at BAM House (540 Broadway, Oakland).\u003c/em> \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfneofuturists.org/pride\">\u003cem>‘Infinite Pride 2026\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>’ runs Monday, June 22, at El Rio (3158 Mission St., San Francisco) and Tuesday, June 23, at The Stud (1123 Folsom St., San Francisco).\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
"blocks": [
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Even by the eccentric standards of Bay Area theatre, the San Francisco Neo-Futurists are a sight to behold. The local chapter of the Chicago experimental troupe has built a loyal following by taking the original troupe’s format – a weekly anthology show that attempts to stage 30 performance-art shorts in under 60 minutes – and injecting it with a uniquely Bay Area perspective.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Even by the eccentric standards of Bay Area theatre, the San Francisco Neo-Futurists are a sight to behold. The local chapter of the Chicago experimental troupe has built a loyal following by taking the original troupe’s format – a weekly anthology show that attempts to stage 30 performance-art shorts in under 60 minutes – and injecting it with a uniquely Bay Area perspective.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>That perspective was important when casting their two special-themed June editions of their weekly show \u003cem>The Infinite Wrench\u003c/em>. While searching for actors to perform the Juneteenth-themed \u003cem>The Blackest Wrench\u003c/em> and the LGBTQIA+ show \u003cem>Infinite Pride\u003c/em>, the reality of the Bay Area’s new demographics were made manifest, and the company had to bring in cast members from outside chapters of the Neo-Futurists.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>That perspective was important when casting their two special-themed June editions of their weekly show \u003cem>The Infinite Wrench\u003c/em>. While searching for actors to perform the Juneteenth-themed \u003cem>The Blackest Wrench\u003c/em> and the LGBTQIA+ show \u003cem>Infinite Pride\u003c/em>, the reality of the Bay Area’s new demographics were made manifest, and the company had to bring in cast members from outside chapters of the Neo-Futurists.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Because the New York and Chicago chapters have larger ensembles, “we don’t tend to go out there for their specialty shows,” says co-artistic director Jeb Lehrman. “Generally, though, San Francisco sees a few more visitors and transfers than the other companies.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Because the New York and Chicago chapters have larger ensembles, “we don’t tend to go out there for their specialty shows,” says co-artistic director Jeb Lehrman. “Generally, though, San Francisco sees a few more visitors and transfers than the other companies.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 13990824,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"imageCredit": "Kayleigh Shawn",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/SFNF-2025-Infinite-Pride-El-Rio-84.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/SFNF-2025-Infinite-Pride-El-Rio-84-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/SFNF-2025-Infinite-Pride-El-Rio-84-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/SFNF-2025-Infinite-Pride-El-Rio-84-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/SFNF-2025-Infinite-Pride-El-Rio-84.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13990824\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/SFNF-2025-Infinite-Pride-El-Rio-84.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/SFNF-2025-Infinite-Pride-El-Rio-84-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/SFNF-2025-Infinite-Pride-El-Rio-84-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/SFNF-2025-Infinite-Pride-El-Rio-84-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A scene from the 2025 edition of the SF Neo-Futurists’ ‘Infinite Pride’ at El Rio in San Francisco. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/SFNF-2025-Infinite-Pride-El-Rio-84.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13990824\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A scene from the 2025 edition of the SF Neo-Futurists’ ‘Infinite Pride’ at El Rio in San Francisco. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As with the regular weekly shows, \u003cem>Blackest Wrench\u003c/em> and \u003cem>Infinite Pride\u003c/em> will ask audiences to select from a menu of 30 short plays, with its writer-performers attempting to work their way through the entire list before the always-on-display clock buzzes at the end of an hour.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>As with the regular weekly shows, \u003cem>Blackest Wrench\u003c/em> and \u003cem>Infinite Pride\u003c/em> will ask audiences to select from a menu of 30 short plays, with its writer-performers attempting to work their way through the entire list before the always-on-display clock buzzes at the end of an hour.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Topics run the gamut, from hilarious observances of life, painful confessions to the audience and even the cast holding still until an audience member interacts with a set piece. By the troupe’s own estimation, the San Francisco chapter has “premiered some 4,000 plays over the last 13 years.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Topics run the gamut, from hilarious observances of life, painful confessions to the audience and even the cast holding still until an audience member interacts with a set piece. By the troupe’s own estimation, the San Francisco chapter has “premiered some 4,000 plays over the last 13 years.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed/ad",
"attrs": {
"format": "fullwidth"
},
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "",
"innerContent": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>It also produces five or six special shows per year, with \u003cem>Infinite Pride\u003c/em> (boasting an all-queer ensemble) having been staged annually since 2014. This year’s edition will be a two-night event, performed at legendary San Francisco queer bars El Rio and The Stud.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>It also produces five or six special shows per year, with \u003cem>Infinite Pride\u003c/em> (boasting an all-queer ensemble) having been staged annually since 2014. This year’s edition will be a two-night event, performed at legendary San Francisco queer bars El Rio and The Stud.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“I think it’s generally a little easier to sell a specialty show,” says \u003cem>Infinite Pride\u003c/em> cast member Aster Light. “The regular show happens every weekend, so it’s less of an event, and because all my friends are queer, they tend to be drawn in to see an all-queer cast sharing our stories and our culture.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“I think it’s generally a little easier to sell a specialty show,” says \u003cem>Infinite Pride\u003c/em> cast member Aster Light. “The regular show happens every weekend, so it’s less of an event, and because all my friends are queer, they tend to be drawn in to see an all-queer cast sharing our stories and our culture.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 13990821,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"imageCredit": "Kayleigh Shawn",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/SFNF-The-Blackest-Wrench-125.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/SFNF-The-Blackest-Wrench-125-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/SFNF-The-Blackest-Wrench-125-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/SFNF-The-Blackest-Wrench-125-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/SFNF-The-Blackest-Wrench-125.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13990821\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/SFNF-The-Blackest-Wrench-125.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/SFNF-The-Blackest-Wrench-125-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/SFNF-The-Blackest-Wrench-125-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/SFNF-The-Blackest-Wrench-125-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A scene from the 2025 edition of the SF Neo-Futurists’ ‘The Blackest Wrench.’ \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/SFNF-The-Blackest-Wrench-125.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13990821\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A scene from the 2025 edition of the SF Neo-Futurists’ ‘The Blackest Wrench.’ \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, the second annual \u003cem>Blackest Wrench\u003c/em> has been a tougher sell. The one-night show will be performed in Oakland, as if reflecting the mass migration of Black artists away from San Francisco. It’s also the show that required bringing in the most out-of-towners to fill an ensemble of just a half-dozen performers.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>The parallels aren’t lost on Ray Ray Young, a San Francisco Neo-Futurist since 2023, and one whose Black and queer identities reflect the intersection between the two casts. (Of the two shows, Young is only in \u003cem>Blackest Wrench\u003c/em>.)\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, the second annual \u003cem>Blackest Wrench\u003c/em> has been a tougher sell. The one-night show will be performed in Oakland, as if reflecting the mass migration of Black artists away from San Francisco. It’s also the show that required bringing in the most out-of-towners to fill an ensemble of just a half-dozen performers.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>The parallels aren’t lost on Ray Ray Young, a San Francisco Neo-Futurist since 2023, and one whose Black and queer identities reflect the intersection between the two casts. (Of the two shows, Young is only in \u003cem>Blackest Wrench\u003c/em>.)\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Honestly, this has been a multiyear effort in the making,” says Young, who’s led efforts to diversify the troupe, and has been instrumental in the production of \u003cem>Blackest Wrench\u003c/em>.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“Even with all of that effort, we still unfortunately don’t quite have enough Black Neo-Futurists in the Bay Area to fill a show like this.”\u003cbr>\u003cbr>With one member from Chicago and one from New York, “[It’s] been really exciting to work with them,” Young says. “And it strengthens our Neo-Futurist practice to get to collaborate with members of different ensembles.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“Honestly, this has been a multiyear effort in the making,” says Young, who’s led efforts to diversify the troupe, and has been instrumental in the production of \u003cem>Blackest Wrench\u003c/em>.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“Even with all of that effort, we still unfortunately don’t quite have enough Black Neo-Futurists in the Bay Area to fill a show like this.”\u003cbr>\u003cbr>With one member from Chicago and one from New York, “[It’s] been really exciting to work with them,” Young says. “And it strengthens our Neo-Futurist practice to get to collaborate with members of different ensembles.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 13990823,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"imageCredit": "Kayleigh Shawn",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/SFNF-The-Blackest-Wrench-34.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/SFNF-The-Blackest-Wrench-34-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/SFNF-The-Blackest-Wrench-34-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/SFNF-The-Blackest-Wrench-34-1536x1024.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/SFNF-The-Blackest-Wrench-34.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13990823\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/SFNF-The-Blackest-Wrench-34.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/SFNF-The-Blackest-Wrench-34-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/SFNF-The-Blackest-Wrench-34-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/SFNF-The-Blackest-Wrench-34-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A scene from the 2025 edition of the SF Neo-Futurists’ ‘The Blackest Wrench.’ \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/SFNF-The-Blackest-Wrench-34.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13990823\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A scene from the 2025 edition of the SF Neo-Futurists’ ‘The Blackest Wrench.’ \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Though some cast members were facetious about what audiences could expect in the two shows (one \u003cem>Pride\u003c/em> cast member celebrated “[feeling] so represented by gorilla masks and basketballs and arm-heavy choreography in this particular show”), all involved agree that their shows represent activism in the face of nationwide hatred against both Black and queer Americans.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Though some cast members were facetious about what audiences could expect in the two shows (one \u003cem>Pride\u003c/em> cast member celebrated “[feeling] so represented by gorilla masks and basketballs and arm-heavy choreography in this particular show”), all involved agree that their shows represent activism in the face of nationwide hatred against both Black and queer Americans.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>When asked whom they’d like most to see their show, Light is direct and uncompromising: “I hope the ghost of Charlie Kirk is forced to watch it on repeat in hell.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>When asked whom they’d like most to see their show, Light is direct and uncompromising: “I hope the ghost of Charlie Kirk is forced to watch it on repeat in hell.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/separator",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"/>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"/>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed/ad",
"attrs": {
"format": "floatright"
},
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "",
"innerContent": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘\u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.onthestage.tickets/show/the-lower-bottom-playaz/69f135bd4462ee1056dde748/\">\u003cem>The Blackest Wrench\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>’ takes place Friday, June 19, at BAM House (540 Broadway, Oakland).\u003c/em> \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfneofuturists.org/pride\">\u003cem>‘Infinite Pride 2026\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>’ runs Monday, June 22, at El Rio (3158 Mission St., San Francisco) and Tuesday, June 23, at The Stud (1123 Folsom St., San Francisco).\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘\u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.onthestage.tickets/show/the-lower-bottom-playaz/69f135bd4462ee1056dde748/\">\u003cem>The Blackest Wrench\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>’ takes place Friday, June 19, at BAM House (540 Broadway, Oakland).\u003c/em> \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfneofuturists.org/pride\">\u003cem>‘Infinite Pride 2026\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>’ runs Monday, June 22, at El Rio (3158 Mission St., San Francisco) and Tuesday, June 23, at The Stud (1123 Folsom St., San Francisco).\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
}
],
"excerpt": "For a special all-Black show, the San Francisco Neo-Futurists have imported actors from outside the region.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1781725213,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 14,
"wordCount": 801
},
"headData": {
"title": "SF Theater Troupe Faces Reality of City’s New Demographics | KQED",
"description": "For a special all-Black show, the San Francisco Neo-Futurists have imported actors from outside the region.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "SF Theater Troupe Faces Reality of City’s New Demographics",
"datePublished": "2026-06-16T16:29:26-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-06-17T12:40:13-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 1,
"slug": "arts",
"name": "Arts"
},
"source": "The Do List",
"sourceUrl": "https://www.kqed.org/thedolist",
"sticky": false,
"nprByline": "Charles Lewis III",
"nprStoryId": "kqed-13990818",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"showOnAuthorArchivePages": "No",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/arts/13990818/sf-neo-futurists-theater-infinite-wrench",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Even by the eccentric standards of Bay Area theatre, the San Francisco Neo-Futurists are a sight to behold. The local chapter of the Chicago experimental troupe has built a loyal following by taking the original troupe’s format – a weekly anthology show that attempts to stage 30 performance-art shorts in under 60 minutes – and injecting it with a uniquely Bay Area perspective.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>That perspective was important when casting their two special-themed June editions of their weekly show \u003cem>The Infinite Wrench\u003c/em>. While searching for actors to perform the Juneteenth-themed \u003cem>The Blackest Wrench\u003c/em> and the LGBTQIA+ show \u003cem>Infinite Pride\u003c/em>, the reality of the Bay Area’s new demographics were made manifest, and the company had to bring in cast members from outside chapters of the Neo-Futurists.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Because the New York and Chicago chapters have larger ensembles, “we don’t tend to go out there for their specialty shows,” says co-artistic director Jeb Lehrman. “Generally, though, San Francisco sees a few more visitors and transfers than the other companies.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/SFNF-2025-Infinite-Pride-El-Rio-84.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13990824\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/SFNF-2025-Infinite-Pride-El-Rio-84.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/SFNF-2025-Infinite-Pride-El-Rio-84-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/SFNF-2025-Infinite-Pride-El-Rio-84-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/SFNF-2025-Infinite-Pride-El-Rio-84-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A scene from the 2025 edition of the SF Neo-Futurists’ ‘Infinite Pride’ at El Rio in San Francisco. (Kayleigh Shawn)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As with the regular weekly shows, \u003cem>Blackest Wrench\u003c/em> and \u003cem>Infinite Pride\u003c/em> will ask audiences to select from a menu of 30 short plays, with its writer-performers attempting to work their way through the entire list before the always-on-display clock buzzes at the end of an hour.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Topics run the gamut, from hilarious observances of life, painful confessions to the audience and even the cast holding still until an audience member interacts with a set piece. By the troupe’s own estimation, the San Francisco chapter has “premiered some 4,000 plays over the last 13 years.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It also produces five or six special shows per year, with \u003cem>Infinite Pride\u003c/em> (boasting an all-queer ensemble) having been staged annually since 2014. This year’s edition will be a two-night event, performed at legendary San Francisco queer bars El Rio and The Stud.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“I think it’s generally a little easier to sell a specialty show,” says \u003cem>Infinite Pride\u003c/em> cast member Aster Light. “The regular show happens every weekend, so it’s less of an event, and because all my friends are queer, they tend to be drawn in to see an all-queer cast sharing our stories and our culture.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/SFNF-The-Blackest-Wrench-125.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13990821\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/SFNF-The-Blackest-Wrench-125.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/SFNF-The-Blackest-Wrench-125-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/SFNF-The-Blackest-Wrench-125-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/SFNF-The-Blackest-Wrench-125-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A scene from the 2025 edition of the SF Neo-Futurists’ ‘The Blackest Wrench.’ (Kayleigh Shawn)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, the second annual \u003cem>Blackest Wrench\u003c/em> has been a tougher sell. The one-night show will be performed in Oakland, as if reflecting the mass migration of Black artists away from San Francisco. It’s also the show that required bringing in the most out-of-towners to fill an ensemble of just a half-dozen performers.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>The parallels aren’t lost on Ray Ray Young, a San Francisco Neo-Futurist since 2023, and one whose Black and queer identities reflect the intersection between the two casts. (Of the two shows, Young is only in \u003cem>Blackest Wrench\u003c/em>.)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Honestly, this has been a multiyear effort in the making,” says Young, who’s led efforts to diversify the troupe, and has been instrumental in the production of \u003cem>Blackest Wrench\u003c/em>.\u003cbr>\u003cbr>“Even with all of that effort, we still unfortunately don’t quite have enough Black Neo-Futurists in the Bay Area to fill a show like this.”\u003cbr>\u003cbr>With one member from Chicago and one from New York, “[It’s] been really exciting to work with them,” Young says. “And it strengthens our Neo-Futurist practice to get to collaborate with members of different ensembles.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/SFNF-The-Blackest-Wrench-34.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13990823\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/SFNF-The-Blackest-Wrench-34.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/SFNF-The-Blackest-Wrench-34-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/SFNF-The-Blackest-Wrench-34-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/SFNF-The-Blackest-Wrench-34-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A scene from the 2025 edition of the SF Neo-Futurists’ ‘The Blackest Wrench.’ (Kayleigh Shawn)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Though some cast members were facetious about what audiences could expect in the two shows (one \u003cem>Pride\u003c/em> cast member celebrated “[feeling] so represented by gorilla masks and basketballs and arm-heavy choreography in this particular show”), all involved agree that their shows represent activism in the face of nationwide hatred against both Black and queer Americans.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When asked whom they’d like most to see their show, Light is direct and uncompromising: “I hope the ghost of Charlie Kirk is forced to watch it on repeat in hell.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘\u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.onthestage.tickets/show/the-lower-bottom-playaz/69f135bd4462ee1056dde748/\">\u003cem>The Blackest Wrench\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>’ takes place Friday, June 19, at BAM House (540 Broadway, Oakland).\u003c/em> \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfneofuturists.org/pride\">\u003cem>‘Infinite Pride 2026\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>’ runs Monday, June 22, at El Rio (3158 Mission St., San Francisco) and Tuesday, June 23, at The Stud (1123 Folsom St., San Francisco).\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/arts/13990818/sf-neo-futurists-theater-infinite-wrench",
"authors": [
"byline_arts_13990818"
],
"programs": [
"arts_140"
],
"categories": [
"arts_1",
"arts_22313",
"arts_967"
],
"tags": [
"arts_3226",
"arts_5158",
"arts_1146",
"arts_585"
],
"featImg": "arts_13990822",
"label": "source_arts_13990818"
},
"arts_13990661": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "arts_13990661",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13990661",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1781048313000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "aurora-theatre-berkeley-reopen-new-leadership",
"title": "Aurora Theatre to Reopen Under New Leadership",
"publishDate": 1781048313,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "Aurora Theatre to Reopen Under New Leadership | KQED",
"labelTerm": {
"site": "arts"
},
"content": "\u003cp>When \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/aurora-theatre\">Aurora Theatre\u003c/a> announced it was suspending productions last summer, audiences worried the 33-year-old theater wouldn’t make it through a year of hibernation. So many other theaters, both experimental and mainstream, had closed in recent years: \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13961349/farewell-to-cutting-ball-theater-a-bastion-of-fearless-experimentation\">Cutting Ball\u003c/a>, Theater First, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13924185/pianofights-theatre-was-independent-creative-accessible-and-necessary\">PianoFight\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13966472/cal-shakes-to-close-down-citing-insurmountable-financial-impasse\">Cal Shakes\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13929386/bay-area-childrens-theatre-to-close-citing-financial-challenges\">Bay Area Children’s Theatre\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Bucking that trend, Aurora Theatre announced its return on Monday under the new leadership of Artistic Director Jennifer King and Managing Director Jenn Ruygt. The theater will return to producing shows in the 2027/2028 season.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Both King and Ruygt have a history with the company. King was a frequent Aurora actor and director; she directed \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.auroratheatre.org/search-for-signs\">The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, Aurora’s last show before the 2025 closure. Ruygt was previously the company’s production manager.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When the theater closed last year, it had a $500,000 operating deficit. “We’ve taken the past nine months to really get our ducks in a row so we can move out of having to be in crisis management,” King told KQED. “That means being really responsible, both fiscally and artistically, with our community.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Many details about Aurora’s return are yet to be determined. King and Ruygt hope to remain in Berkeley — whether as a roving project or a brick-and-mortar space, which may be decided by trying out both.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is the first update in a series of updates,” Ruygt said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Aurora fans may also be wondering about the theater’s distinctive thrust stage, the one that made audiences feel like they were part of the action. King said that even if their future space lacks that specific characteristic, that “intimacy” will be part of the experience.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/06/EurekaDay.AuroraTheatre.DavidAllen.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13977150\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/06/EurekaDay.AuroraTheatre.DavidAllen.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/06/EurekaDay.AuroraTheatre.DavidAllen-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/06/EurekaDay.AuroraTheatre.DavidAllen-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/06/EurekaDay.AuroraTheatre.DavidAllen-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Lisa Anne Porter, Elizabeth Carter, Rolf Saxon, Teddy Spencer, and Charisse Loriaux in Aurora Theatre Company’s world premiere of ‘Eureka Day’ in 2018. (David Allen)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Founded in 1992 by Barbara Oliver, Aurora Theatre became known over the decades for its high-quality productions with talented local actors. By restarting the program, King and Ruygt inherit Aurora’s reputation with both audiences and the local theater community.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We look at Berkeley Rep, we look at ACT, and they’ve really moved to a different model. They utilize local actors, but they really have become places where you’re seeing things either come from New York or move on to New York,” King said. (Aurora has also produced New York-bound shows, including the Tony Award-winning \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13980686/eureka-day-marin-theatre-aurora-mill-valley-covid\">Eureka Day\u003c/a>\u003c/em> in 2018.)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>King’s point is that Aurora played an important role in the ecology of the local theater scene — what theater critic \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12046149/why-local-theater-is-in-free-fall\">Lily Janiak called\u003c/a> “a ladder from ‘Here I am making theater with my college buddies on $1,000,’ to something with more prominence and more reach.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“What we heard over and over again is that artists and artisans reached for the opportunity to work at the Aurora,” King said, explaining that bringing it back isn’t about staking a personal claim. “It is the Bay Area’s theater company.”\u003c/p>\n\n",
"blocks": [
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>When \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/aurora-theatre\">Aurora Theatre\u003c/a> announced it was suspending productions last summer, audiences worried the 33-year-old theater wouldn’t make it through a year of hibernation. So many other theaters, both experimental and mainstream, had closed in recent years: \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13961349/farewell-to-cutting-ball-theater-a-bastion-of-fearless-experimentation\">Cutting Ball\u003c/a>, Theater First, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13924185/pianofights-theatre-was-independent-creative-accessible-and-necessary\">PianoFight\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13966472/cal-shakes-to-close-down-citing-insurmountable-financial-impasse\">Cal Shakes\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13929386/bay-area-childrens-theatre-to-close-citing-financial-challenges\">Bay Area Children’s Theatre\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>When \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/aurora-theatre\">Aurora Theatre\u003c/a> announced it was suspending productions last summer, audiences worried the 33-year-old theater wouldn’t make it through a year of hibernation. So many other theaters, both experimental and mainstream, had closed in recent years: \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13961349/farewell-to-cutting-ball-theater-a-bastion-of-fearless-experimentation\">Cutting Ball\u003c/a>, Theater First, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13924185/pianofights-theatre-was-independent-creative-accessible-and-necessary\">PianoFight\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13966472/cal-shakes-to-close-down-citing-insurmountable-financial-impasse\">Cal Shakes\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13929386/bay-area-childrens-theatre-to-close-citing-financial-challenges\">Bay Area Children’s Theatre\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Bucking that trend, Aurora Theatre announced its return on Monday under the new leadership of Artistic Director Jennifer King and Managing Director Jenn Ruygt. The theater will return to producing shows in the 2027/2028 season.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Bucking that trend, Aurora Theatre announced its return on Monday under the new leadership of Artistic Director Jennifer King and Managing Director Jenn Ruygt. The theater will return to producing shows in the 2027/2028 season.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed-v2/related-articles",
"attrs": {
"postIds": [
"arts_13978734",
"news_12046149"
],
"label": "Related Articles"
},
"innerHTML": "",
"innerContent": [],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Both King and Ruygt have a history with the company. King was a frequent Aurora actor and director; she directed \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.auroratheatre.org/search-for-signs\">The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, Aurora’s last show before the 2025 closure. Ruygt was previously the company’s production manager.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Both King and Ruygt have a history with the company. King was a frequent Aurora actor and director; she directed \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.auroratheatre.org/search-for-signs\">The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, Aurora’s last show before the 2025 closure. Ruygt was previously the company’s production manager.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>When the theater closed last year, it had a $500,000 operating deficit. “We’ve taken the past nine months to really get our ducks in a row so we can move out of having to be in crisis management,” King told KQED. “That means being really responsible, both fiscally and artistically, with our community.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>When the theater closed last year, it had a $500,000 operating deficit. “We’ve taken the past nine months to really get our ducks in a row so we can move out of having to be in crisis management,” King told KQED. “That means being really responsible, both fiscally and artistically, with our community.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Many details about Aurora’s return are yet to be determined. King and Ruygt hope to remain in Berkeley — whether as a roving project or a brick-and-mortar space, which may be decided by trying out both.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Many details about Aurora’s return are yet to be determined. King and Ruygt hope to remain in Berkeley — whether as a roving project or a brick-and-mortar space, which may be decided by trying out both.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed/ad",
"attrs": {
"format": "fullwidth"
},
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "",
"innerContent": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“This is the first update in a series of updates,” Ruygt said.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“This is the first update in a series of updates,” Ruygt said.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Aurora fans may also be wondering about the theater’s distinctive thrust stage, the one that made audiences feel like they were part of the action. King said that even if their future space lacks that specific characteristic, that “intimacy” will be part of the experience.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Aurora fans may also be wondering about the theater’s distinctive thrust stage, the one that made audiences feel like they were part of the action. King said that even if their future space lacks that specific characteristic, that “intimacy” will be part of the experience.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 13977150,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"imageCredit": "David Allen",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/06/EurekaDay.AuroraTheatre.DavidAllen.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/06/EurekaDay.AuroraTheatre.DavidAllen-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/06/EurekaDay.AuroraTheatre.DavidAllen-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/06/EurekaDay.AuroraTheatre.DavidAllen-1536x1025.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/06/EurekaDay.AuroraTheatre.DavidAllen.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13977150\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/06/EurekaDay.AuroraTheatre.DavidAllen.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/06/EurekaDay.AuroraTheatre.DavidAllen-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/06/EurekaDay.AuroraTheatre.DavidAllen-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/06/EurekaDay.AuroraTheatre.DavidAllen-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Lisa Anne Porter, Elizabeth Carter, Rolf Saxon, Teddy Spencer, and Charisse Loriaux in Aurora Theatre Company’s world premiere of ‘Eureka Day’ in 2018.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/06/EurekaDay.AuroraTheatre.DavidAllen.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13977150\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Lisa Anne Porter, Elizabeth Carter, Rolf Saxon, Teddy Spencer, and Charisse Loriaux in Aurora Theatre Company’s world premiere of ‘Eureka Day’ in 2018.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Founded in 1992 by Barbara Oliver, Aurora Theatre became known over the decades for its high-quality productions with talented local actors. By restarting the program, King and Ruygt inherit Aurora’s reputation with both audiences and the local theater community.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Founded in 1992 by Barbara Oliver, Aurora Theatre became known over the decades for its high-quality productions with talented local actors. By restarting the program, King and Ruygt inherit Aurora’s reputation with both audiences and the local theater community.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“We look at Berkeley Rep, we look at ACT, and they’ve really moved to a different model. They utilize local actors, but they really have become places where you’re seeing things either come from New York or move on to New York,” King said. (Aurora has also produced New York-bound shows, including the Tony Award-winning \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13980686/eureka-day-marin-theatre-aurora-mill-valley-covid\">Eureka Day\u003c/a>\u003c/em> in 2018.)\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“We look at Berkeley Rep, we look at ACT, and they’ve really moved to a different model. They utilize local actors, but they really have become places where you’re seeing things either come from New York or move on to New York,” King said. (Aurora has also produced New York-bound shows, including the Tony Award-winning \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13980686/eureka-day-marin-theatre-aurora-mill-valley-covid\">Eureka Day\u003c/a>\u003c/em> in 2018.)\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>King’s point is that Aurora played an important role in the ecology of the local theater scene — what theater critic \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12046149/why-local-theater-is-in-free-fall\">Lily Janiak called\u003c/a> “a ladder from ‘Here I am making theater with my college buddies on $1,000,’ to something with more prominence and more reach.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>King’s point is that Aurora played an important role in the ecology of the local theater scene — what theater critic \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12046149/why-local-theater-is-in-free-fall\">Lily Janiak called\u003c/a> “a ladder from ‘Here I am making theater with my college buddies on $1,000,’ to something with more prominence and more reach.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“What we heard over and over again is that artists and artisans reached for the opportunity to work at the Aurora,” King said, explaining that bringing it back isn’t about staking a personal claim. “It is the Bay Area’s theater company.”\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>“What we heard over and over again is that artists and artisans reached for the opportunity to work at the Aurora,” King said, explaining that bringing it back isn’t about staking a personal claim. “It is the Bay Area’s theater company.”\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
}
],
"excerpt": "The beloved Berkeley theater suspended programming last summer. Now two directors are bringing it back.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1781048319,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 13,
"wordCount": 542
},
"headData": {
"title": "Aurora Theatre to Reopen Under New Leadership | KQED",
"description": "The beloved Berkeley theater suspended programming last summer. Now two directors are bringing it back.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "Aurora Theatre to Reopen Under New Leadership",
"datePublished": "2026-06-09T16:38:33-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-06-09T16:38:39-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 1,
"slug": "arts",
"name": "Arts"
},
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-13990661",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/arts/13990661/aurora-theatre-berkeley-reopen-new-leadership",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>When \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/aurora-theatre\">Aurora Theatre\u003c/a> announced it was suspending productions last summer, audiences worried the 33-year-old theater wouldn’t make it through a year of hibernation. So many other theaters, both experimental and mainstream, had closed in recent years: \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13961349/farewell-to-cutting-ball-theater-a-bastion-of-fearless-experimentation\">Cutting Ball\u003c/a>, Theater First, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13924185/pianofights-theatre-was-independent-creative-accessible-and-necessary\">PianoFight\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13966472/cal-shakes-to-close-down-citing-insurmountable-financial-impasse\">Cal Shakes\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13929386/bay-area-childrens-theatre-to-close-citing-financial-challenges\">Bay Area Children’s Theatre\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Bucking that trend, Aurora Theatre announced its return on Monday under the new leadership of Artistic Director Jennifer King and Managing Director Jenn Ruygt. The theater will return to producing shows in the 2027/2028 season.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Both King and Ruygt have a history with the company. King was a frequent Aurora actor and director; she directed \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.auroratheatre.org/search-for-signs\">The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, Aurora’s last show before the 2025 closure. Ruygt was previously the company’s production manager.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When the theater closed last year, it had a $500,000 operating deficit. “We’ve taken the past nine months to really get our ducks in a row so we can move out of having to be in crisis management,” King told KQED. “That means being really responsible, both fiscally and artistically, with our community.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Many details about Aurora’s return are yet to be determined. King and Ruygt hope to remain in Berkeley — whether as a roving project or a brick-and-mortar space, which may be decided by trying out both.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is the first update in a series of updates,” Ruygt said.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Aurora fans may also be wondering about the theater’s distinctive thrust stage, the one that made audiences feel like they were part of the action. King said that even if their future space lacks that specific characteristic, that “intimacy” will be part of the experience.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/06/EurekaDay.AuroraTheatre.DavidAllen.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13977150\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/06/EurekaDay.AuroraTheatre.DavidAllen.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/06/EurekaDay.AuroraTheatre.DavidAllen-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/06/EurekaDay.AuroraTheatre.DavidAllen-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/06/EurekaDay.AuroraTheatre.DavidAllen-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Lisa Anne Porter, Elizabeth Carter, Rolf Saxon, Teddy Spencer, and Charisse Loriaux in Aurora Theatre Company’s world premiere of ‘Eureka Day’ in 2018. (David Allen)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Founded in 1992 by Barbara Oliver, Aurora Theatre became known over the decades for its high-quality productions with talented local actors. By restarting the program, King and Ruygt inherit Aurora’s reputation with both audiences and the local theater community.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“We look at Berkeley Rep, we look at ACT, and they’ve really moved to a different model. They utilize local actors, but they really have become places where you’re seeing things either come from New York or move on to New York,” King said. (Aurora has also produced New York-bound shows, including the Tony Award-winning \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13980686/eureka-day-marin-theatre-aurora-mill-valley-covid\">Eureka Day\u003c/a>\u003c/em> in 2018.)\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>King’s point is that Aurora played an important role in the ecology of the local theater scene — what theater critic \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12046149/why-local-theater-is-in-free-fall\">Lily Janiak called\u003c/a> “a ladder from ‘Here I am making theater with my college buddies on $1,000,’ to something with more prominence and more reach.”\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“What we heard over and over again is that artists and artisans reached for the opportunity to work at the Aurora,” King said, explaining that bringing it back isn’t about staking a personal claim. “It is the Bay Area’s theater company.”\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/arts/13990661/aurora-theatre-berkeley-reopen-new-leadership",
"authors": [
"61"
],
"categories": [
"arts_1",
"arts_967"
],
"tags": [
"arts_21925",
"arts_1270",
"arts_10278",
"arts_1072"
],
"featImg": "arts_13984281",
"label": "arts"
},
"arts_13990554": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "arts_13990554",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13990554",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1780955996000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "elektra-review-sf-opera-richard-strauss-san-francisco",
"title": "There Will Be Blood: ‘Elektra’ Unfolds Like a Horror Movie at SF Opera",
"publishDate": 1780955996,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "There Will Be Blood: ‘Elektra’ Unfolds Like a Horror Movie at SF Opera | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>It’s a horror-filled time in the nation’s movie theaters. Rather than the typical summertime superhero fare, it’s \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2026/05/15/nx-s1-5822305/in-obsession-love-hurts-it-really-really-really-hurts\">Obsession\u003c/a>\u003c/em> and \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13990351/backrooms-director-kane-parsons-petaluma-kenilworth-marin-teachers\">Backrooms\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, horror films made by young directors who came from TikTok and YouTube, which are raking in audiences and topping box-office charts. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Then there’s \u003cem>Elektra\u003c/em>, a 117-year old opera currently running the War Memorial Opera House in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/san-francisco\">San Francisco\u003c/a>, a Richard Strauss bloodfest of beheading, stabbing, bathtub murder and night terrors. Here’s the twist: at 1 hour and 44 minutes, it’s even shorter than \u003cem>Obsession\u003c/em> or \u003cem>Backrooms\u003c/em>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/C0A9009.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13990545\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/C0A9009.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/C0A9009-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/C0A9009-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/C0A9009-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The two-story set, designed by Boris Kudlicka, of Richard Strauss’ ‘Elektra’ at SF Opera. (Cory Weaver / San Francisco Opera)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As staged by Keith Warner and last seen at \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/san-francisco-opera\">San Francisco Opera\u003c/a> in its 2017 U.S. premiere, this \u003cem>Elektra\u003c/em> is set inside a 21st century museum, its revenge drama unfolding overnight through the eyes of a stowaway visitor after closing time. In addition to a wonderful set with video tableaus and rooms that slide in and out of the museum’s walls, aided by stellar lighting, this voyeuristic framework lends the staging a \u003cem>Rear Window\u003c/em> quality that’s engrossing and fun.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It’s also a little bit convoluted. As the museum visitor, and simultaneously Elektra, Elena Pankratova doesn’t display the acting skills to really sell the gambit. I found myself discarding the entire premise of the museum exhibit coming to life, and focusing instead on the sheer endurance of her marathon singing performance (one in which she’s onstage for nearly the entire show, which at times showed in her voice).\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/O2A6417.jpg\" alt=\"Two women in black and blue wardrobe sit on a bench, looking afraid\" class=\"wp-image-13990548\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/O2A6417.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/O2A6417-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/O2A6417-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/O2A6417-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Elena Pankratova as Elektra and Michaela Schuster as Klytemnestra in Richard Strauss’ ‘Elektra.’ (Cory Weaver / San Francisco Opera)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Without having to deplete her lungs over and over like Pankratova, Elza van den Heever brings projection and rounded tone to the role of Chrysothemis as Elektra’s sister. Unlike her siblings, Chrysothemis does not seek revenge upon her mother Klytemnestra, played by Michaela Schuster, for having an affair with Aegisth and killing her father Agamemnon.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the two women nonetheless convey the story’s necessary suspense and anguish. Meanwhile, Kyle Ketelsen as the avenging Orest is resolutely delightful, and William Burden as Aegisth is appropriately bumbling. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/O2A7729.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13990547\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/O2A7729.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/O2A7729-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/O2A7729-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/O2A7729-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Elena Pankratova as Elektra and Elza van den Heever as Chrysothemis in Richard Strauss’ ‘Elektra.’ (Cory Weaver / San Francisco Opera)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The real star of the show, however, is below the stage.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Elektra\u003c/em> brings with it the largest orchestra the Opera House has ever seen: 95 musicians, fueled by Eun Sun Kim’s baton and charging through Richard Strauss’ score like a locomotive. At the moment when Elektra recognizes her brother Orest, it’s as if the orchestra’s train crashes through an entire city block — Notes! Notes! \u003ca href=\"https://youtu.be/auqm-lOn6k4?si=CibV9DO-SHVIR2vl\">Notes everywhere!\u003c/a> — bleating a full-volume, clustered chord. What follows is one full minute of dynamite slowly morphing into a feather, a moment as powerful as it is wondrous, while Kim very gradually applies the brakes.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1334\" height=\"2000\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/C0A0601.jpg\" alt=\"A large orchestra is stuffed tightly into an orchestra pit before a large stage \" class=\"wp-image-13990555\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/C0A0601.jpg 1334w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/C0A0601-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/C0A0601-768x1151.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/C0A0601-1025x1536.jpg 1025w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1334px) 100vw, 1334px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Eun Sun Kim leads the San Francisco Opera Orchestra in a rehearsal for ‘Elektra’ at the War Memorial Opera House. (Cory Weaver / San Francisco Opera)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The despair in this staging never decelerates, however. \u003cem>Elektra\u003c/em> unfolds in a milieu where happiness is a burden, and the Gods determine that anyone having too much fun must die. If that sounds like the setting of a horror movie, then bring on the dread and unease.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One last thing: you’ll never look at a kitchen sink in the same way again.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘Elektra’ runs through June 27 at the War Memorial Opera House in San Francisco. \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.sfopera.com/operas/elektra/\">\u003cem>Tickets and more information here\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
"blocks": [
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>It’s a horror-filled time in the nation’s movie theaters. Rather than the typical summertime superhero fare, it’s \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2026/05/15/nx-s1-5822305/in-obsession-love-hurts-it-really-really-really-hurts\">Obsession\u003c/a>\u003c/em> and \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13990351/backrooms-director-kane-parsons-petaluma-kenilworth-marin-teachers\">Backrooms\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, horror films made by young directors who came from TikTok and YouTube, which are raking in audiences and topping box-office charts. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>It’s a horror-filled time in the nation’s movie theaters. Rather than the typical summertime superhero fare, it’s \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2026/05/15/nx-s1-5822305/in-obsession-love-hurts-it-really-really-really-hurts\">Obsession\u003c/a>\u003c/em> and \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13990351/backrooms-director-kane-parsons-petaluma-kenilworth-marin-teachers\">Backrooms\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, horror films made by young directors who came from TikTok and YouTube, which are raking in audiences and topping box-office charts. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Then there’s \u003cem>Elektra\u003c/em>, a 117-year old opera currently running the War Memorial Opera House in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/san-francisco\">San Francisco\u003c/a>, a Richard Strauss bloodfest of beheading, stabbing, bathtub murder and night terrors. Here’s the twist: at 1 hour and 44 minutes, it’s even shorter than \u003cem>Obsession\u003c/em> or \u003cem>Backrooms\u003c/em>. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Then there’s \u003cem>Elektra\u003c/em>, a 117-year old opera currently running the War Memorial Opera House in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/san-francisco\">San Francisco\u003c/a>, a Richard Strauss bloodfest of beheading, stabbing, bathtub murder and night terrors. Here’s the twist: at 1 hour and 44 minutes, it’s even shorter than \u003cem>Obsession\u003c/em> or \u003cem>Backrooms\u003c/em>. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 13990545,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"imageCredit": "Cory Weaver / San Francisco Opera",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/C0A9009.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/C0A9009-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/C0A9009-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/C0A9009-1536x1025.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/C0A9009.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13990545\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/C0A9009.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/C0A9009-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/C0A9009-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/C0A9009-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The two-story set, designed by Boris Kudlicka, of Richard Strauss’ ‘Elektra’ at SF Opera.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/C0A9009.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13990545\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The two-story set, designed by Boris Kudlicka, of Richard Strauss’ ‘Elektra’ at SF Opera.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>As staged by Keith Warner and last seen at \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/san-francisco-opera\">San Francisco Opera\u003c/a> in its 2017 U.S. premiere, this \u003cem>Elektra\u003c/em> is set inside a 21st century museum, its revenge drama unfolding overnight through the eyes of a stowaway visitor after closing time. In addition to a wonderful set with video tableaus and rooms that slide in and out of the museum’s walls, aided by stellar lighting, this voyeuristic framework lends the staging a \u003cem>Rear Window\u003c/em> quality that’s engrossing and fun.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>As staged by Keith Warner and last seen at \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/san-francisco-opera\">San Francisco Opera\u003c/a> in its 2017 U.S. premiere, this \u003cem>Elektra\u003c/em> is set inside a 21st century museum, its revenge drama unfolding overnight through the eyes of a stowaway visitor after closing time. In addition to a wonderful set with video tableaus and rooms that slide in and out of the museum’s walls, aided by stellar lighting, this voyeuristic framework lends the staging a \u003cem>Rear Window\u003c/em> quality that’s engrossing and fun.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>It’s also a little bit convoluted. As the museum visitor, and simultaneously Elektra, Elena Pankratova doesn’t display the acting skills to really sell the gambit. I found myself discarding the entire premise of the museum exhibit coming to life, and focusing instead on the sheer endurance of her marathon singing performance (one in which she’s onstage for nearly the entire show, which at times showed in her voice).\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>It’s also a little bit convoluted. As the museum visitor, and simultaneously Elektra, Elena Pankratova doesn’t display the acting skills to really sell the gambit. I found myself discarding the entire premise of the museum exhibit coming to life, and focusing instead on the sheer endurance of her marathon singing performance (one in which she’s onstage for nearly the entire show, which at times showed in her voice).\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 13990548,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"imageCredit": "Cory Weaver / San Francisco Opera",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/O2A6417.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/O2A6417-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/O2A6417-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/O2A6417-1536x1025.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/O2A6417.jpg\" alt=\"Two women in black and blue wardrobe sit on a bench, looking afraid\" class=\"wp-image-13990548\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/O2A6417.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/O2A6417-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/O2A6417-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/O2A6417-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Elena Pankratova as Elektra and Michaela Schuster as Klytemnestra in Richard Strauss’ ‘Elektra.’\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/O2A6417.jpg\" alt=\"Two women in black and blue wardrobe sit on a bench, looking afraid\" class=\"wp-image-13990548\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Elena Pankratova as Elektra and Michaela Schuster as Klytemnestra in Richard Strauss’ ‘Elektra.’\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Without having to deplete her lungs over and over like Pankratova, Elza van den Heever brings projection and rounded tone to the role of Chrysothemis as Elektra’s sister. Unlike her siblings, Chrysothemis does not seek revenge upon her mother Klytemnestra, played by Michaela Schuster, for having an affair with Aegisth and killing her father Agamemnon.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>Without having to deplete her lungs over and over like Pankratova, Elza van den Heever brings projection and rounded tone to the role of Chrysothemis as Elektra’s sister. Unlike her siblings, Chrysothemis does not seek revenge upon her mother Klytemnestra, played by Michaela Schuster, for having an affair with Aegisth and killing her father Agamemnon.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed/ad",
"attrs": {
"format": "fullwidth"
},
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "",
"innerContent": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But the two women nonetheless convey the story’s necessary suspense and anguish. Meanwhile, Kyle Ketelsen as the avenging Orest is resolutely delightful, and William Burden as Aegisth is appropriately bumbling. \u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>But the two women nonetheless convey the story’s necessary suspense and anguish. Meanwhile, Kyle Ketelsen as the avenging Orest is resolutely delightful, and William Burden as Aegisth is appropriately bumbling. \u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 13990547,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"imageCredit": "Cory Weaver / San Francisco Opera",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/O2A7729.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/O2A7729-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/O2A7729-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/O2A7729-1536x1025.jpg 1536w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/O2A7729.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13990547\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/O2A7729.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/O2A7729-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/O2A7729-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/O2A7729-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Elena Pankratova as Elektra and Elza van den Heever as Chrysothemis in Richard Strauss’ ‘Elektra.’\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/O2A7729.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13990547\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Elena Pankratova as Elektra and Elza van den Heever as Chrysothemis in Richard Strauss’ ‘Elektra.’\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The real star of the show, however, is below the stage.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The real star of the show, however, is below the stage.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Elektra\u003c/em> brings with it the largest orchestra the Opera House has ever seen: 95 musicians, fueled by Eun Sun Kim’s baton and charging through Richard Strauss’ score like a locomotive. At the moment when Elektra recognizes her brother Orest, it’s as if the orchestra’s train crashes through an entire city block — Notes! Notes! \u003ca href=\"https://youtu.be/auqm-lOn6k4?si=CibV9DO-SHVIR2vl\">Notes everywhere!\u003c/a> — bleating a full-volume, clustered chord. What follows is one full minute of dynamite slowly morphing into a feather, a moment as powerful as it is wondrous, while Kim very gradually applies the brakes.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Elektra\u003c/em> brings with it the largest orchestra the Opera House has ever seen: 95 musicians, fueled by Eun Sun Kim’s baton and charging through Richard Strauss’ score like a locomotive. At the moment when Elektra recognizes her brother Orest, it’s as if the orchestra’s train crashes through an entire city block — Notes! Notes! \u003ca href=\"https://youtu.be/auqm-lOn6k4?si=CibV9DO-SHVIR2vl\">Notes everywhere!\u003c/a> — bleating a full-volume, clustered chord. What follows is one full minute of dynamite slowly morphing into a feather, a moment as powerful as it is wondrous, while Kim very gradually applies the brakes.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/image",
"attrs": {
"id": 13990555,
"sizeSlug": "full",
"linkDestination": "none",
"imageCredit": "Cory Weaver / San Francisco Opera ",
"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/C0A0601.jpg 1334w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/C0A0601-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/C0A0601-768x1151.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/C0A0601-1025x1536.jpg 1025w",
"sizes": "(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)"
},
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/C0A0601.jpg\" alt=\"A large orchestra is stuffed tightly into an orchestra pit before a large stage \" class=\"wp-image-13990555\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/C0A0601.jpg 1334w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/C0A0601-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/C0A0601-768x1151.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/C0A0601-1025x1536.jpg 1025w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Eun Sun Kim leads the San Francisco Opera Orchestra in a rehearsal for ‘Elektra’ at the War Memorial Opera House. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/C0A0601.jpg\" alt=\"A large orchestra is stuffed tightly into an orchestra pit before a large stage \" class=\"wp-image-13990555\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Eun Sun Kim leads the San Francisco Opera Orchestra in a rehearsal for ‘Elektra’ at the War Memorial Opera House. \u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The despair in this staging never decelerates, however. \u003cem>Elektra\u003c/em> unfolds in a milieu where happiness is a burden, and the Gods determine that anyone having too much fun must die. If that sounds like the setting of a horror movie, then bring on the dread and unease.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>The despair in this staging never decelerates, however. \u003cem>Elektra\u003c/em> unfolds in a milieu where happiness is a burden, and the Gods determine that anyone having too much fun must die. If that sounds like the setting of a horror movie, then bring on the dread and unease.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>One last thing: you’ll never look at a kitchen sink in the same way again.\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>One last thing: you’ll never look at a kitchen sink in the same way again.\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/separator",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"/>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"/>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
},
{
"blockName": "kqed/ad",
"attrs": {
"format": "floatright"
},
"innerBlocks": [],
"innerHTML": "",
"innerContent": []
},
{
"blockName": "core/paragraph",
"attrs": [],
"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘Elektra’ runs through June 27 at the War Memorial Opera House in San Francisco. \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.sfopera.com/operas/elektra/\">\u003cem>Tickets and more information here\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
"innerContent": [
"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘Elektra’ runs through June 27 at the War Memorial Opera House in San Francisco. \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.sfopera.com/operas/elektra/\">\u003cem>Tickets and more information here\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
],
"innerBlocks": []
}
],
"excerpt": "Dissonance and death anchor this vigorous Richard Strauss one-act opera, set at night inside a museum.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1780994802,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 13,
"wordCount": 643
},
"headData": {
"title": "Review: ‘Elektra’ at SF Opera Unfolds Like a Horror Movie Onstage | KQED",
"description": "Dissonance and death anchor this vigorous Richard Strauss one-act opera, set at night inside a museum.",
"ogTitle": "There Will Be Blood: ‘Elektra’ Unfolds Like a Horror Movie at SF Opera",
"ogDescription": "Dissonance and death anchor this vigorous Richard Strauss one-act opera, set at night inside a museum.",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "There Will Be Blood: ‘Elektra’ Unfolds Like a Horror Movie at SF Opera",
"twDescription": "Dissonance and death anchor this vigorous Richard Strauss one-act opera, set at night inside a museum.",
"twImgId": "",
"socialTitle": "Review: ‘Elektra’ at SF Opera Unfolds Like a Horror Movie Onstage %%page%% %%sep%% KQED",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "There Will Be Blood: ‘Elektra’ Unfolds Like a Horror Movie at SF Opera",
"datePublished": "2026-06-08T14:59:56-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-06-09T01:46:42-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 1,
"slug": "arts",
"name": "Arts"
},
"source": "The Do List",
"sourceUrl": "https://www.kqed.org/thedolist",
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-13990554",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/arts/13990554/elektra-review-sf-opera-richard-strauss-san-francisco",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>It’s a horror-filled time in the nation’s movie theaters. Rather than the typical summertime superhero fare, it’s \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2026/05/15/nx-s1-5822305/in-obsession-love-hurts-it-really-really-really-hurts\">Obsession\u003c/a>\u003c/em> and \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13990351/backrooms-director-kane-parsons-petaluma-kenilworth-marin-teachers\">Backrooms\u003c/a>\u003c/em>, horror films made by young directors who came from TikTok and YouTube, which are raking in audiences and topping box-office charts. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Then there’s \u003cem>Elektra\u003c/em>, a 117-year old opera currently running the War Memorial Opera House in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/san-francisco\">San Francisco\u003c/a>, a Richard Strauss bloodfest of beheading, stabbing, bathtub murder and night terrors. Here’s the twist: at 1 hour and 44 minutes, it’s even shorter than \u003cem>Obsession\u003c/em> or \u003cem>Backrooms\u003c/em>. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/C0A9009.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13990545\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/C0A9009.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/C0A9009-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/C0A9009-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/C0A9009-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The two-story set, designed by Boris Kudlicka, of Richard Strauss’ ‘Elektra’ at SF Opera. (Cory Weaver / San Francisco Opera)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>As staged by Keith Warner and last seen at \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/san-francisco-opera\">San Francisco Opera\u003c/a> in its 2017 U.S. premiere, this \u003cem>Elektra\u003c/em> is set inside a 21st century museum, its revenge drama unfolding overnight through the eyes of a stowaway visitor after closing time. In addition to a wonderful set with video tableaus and rooms that slide in and out of the museum’s walls, aided by stellar lighting, this voyeuristic framework lends the staging a \u003cem>Rear Window\u003c/em> quality that’s engrossing and fun.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>It’s also a little bit convoluted. As the museum visitor, and simultaneously Elektra, Elena Pankratova doesn’t display the acting skills to really sell the gambit. I found myself discarding the entire premise of the museum exhibit coming to life, and focusing instead on the sheer endurance of her marathon singing performance (one in which she’s onstage for nearly the entire show, which at times showed in her voice).\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/O2A6417.jpg\" alt=\"Two women in black and blue wardrobe sit on a bench, looking afraid\" class=\"wp-image-13990548\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/O2A6417.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/O2A6417-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/O2A6417-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/O2A6417-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Elena Pankratova as Elektra and Michaela Schuster as Klytemnestra in Richard Strauss’ ‘Elektra.’ (Cory Weaver / San Francisco Opera)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Without having to deplete her lungs over and over like Pankratova, Elza van den Heever brings projection and rounded tone to the role of Chrysothemis as Elektra’s sister. Unlike her siblings, Chrysothemis does not seek revenge upon her mother Klytemnestra, played by Michaela Schuster, for having an affair with Aegisth and killing her father Agamemnon.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But the two women nonetheless convey the story’s necessary suspense and anguish. Meanwhile, Kyle Ketelsen as the avenging Orest is resolutely delightful, and William Burden as Aegisth is appropriately bumbling. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/O2A7729.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13990547\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/O2A7729.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/O2A7729-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/O2A7729-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/O2A7729-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Elena Pankratova as Elektra and Elza van den Heever as Chrysothemis in Richard Strauss’ ‘Elektra.’ (Cory Weaver / San Francisco Opera)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The real star of the show, however, is below the stage.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Elektra\u003c/em> brings with it the largest orchestra the Opera House has ever seen: 95 musicians, fueled by Eun Sun Kim’s baton and charging through Richard Strauss’ score like a locomotive. At the moment when Elektra recognizes her brother Orest, it’s as if the orchestra’s train crashes through an entire city block — Notes! Notes! \u003ca href=\"https://youtu.be/auqm-lOn6k4?si=CibV9DO-SHVIR2vl\">Notes everywhere!\u003c/a> — bleating a full-volume, clustered chord. What follows is one full minute of dynamite slowly morphing into a feather, a moment as powerful as it is wondrous, while Kim very gradually applies the brakes.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1334\" height=\"2000\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/C0A0601.jpg\" alt=\"A large orchestra is stuffed tightly into an orchestra pit before a large stage \" class=\"wp-image-13990555\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/C0A0601.jpg 1334w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/C0A0601-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/C0A0601-768x1151.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/C0A0601-1025x1536.jpg 1025w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1334px) 100vw, 1334px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Eun Sun Kim leads the San Francisco Opera Orchestra in a rehearsal for ‘Elektra’ at the War Memorial Opera House. (Cory Weaver / San Francisco Opera)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The despair in this staging never decelerates, however. \u003cem>Elektra\u003c/em> unfolds in a milieu where happiness is a burden, and the Gods determine that anyone having too much fun must die. If that sounds like the setting of a horror movie, then bring on the dread and unease.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>One last thing: you’ll never look at a kitchen sink in the same way again.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘Elektra’ runs through June 27 at the War Memorial Opera House in San Francisco. \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://www.sfopera.com/operas/elektra/\">\u003cem>Tickets and more information here\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/arts/13990554/elektra-review-sf-opera-richard-strauss-san-francisco",
"authors": [
"185"
],
"programs": [
"arts_140"
],
"categories": [
"arts_1",
"arts_69",
"arts_22313",
"arts_967"
],
"tags": [
"arts_1312",
"arts_10278",
"arts_769",
"arts_1146",
"arts_1071",
"arts_3316",
"arts_585",
"arts_22171"
],
"featImg": "arts_13990546",
"label": "source_arts_13990554"
},
"arts_13989835": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "arts_13989835",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13989835",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1779140135000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "best-looks-oaklash-oakland-drag-festival-2026",
"title": "The Best Looks at Oaklash, Oakland’s Drag Festival",
"publishDate": 1779140135,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "The Best Looks at Oaklash, Oakland’s Drag Festival | KQED",
"labelTerm": {
"site": "arts"
},
"content": "\u003cp>Over the past nine years, \u003ca href=\"https://www.oaklash.com/\">Oaklash\u003c/a> has grown from a humble, grassroots block party to a full-scale \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/pop/tag/drag\">drag\u003c/a> festival — not to mention an arts incubator that has put on some \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13984104/last-seven-days-obsidienne-obsurd-oaklash-oakland\">truly mind-melting performances\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Saturday, May 16, hundreds of drag fans gathered in Old Oakland to watch dozens of performers on multiple stages. There were soul-stirring lip syncs, flawless fashion reveals, gravity-defying dance moves and lots of dollar bills flying through the air.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Local drag queens, kings and genderless entities frolicked alongside artists who flew in from all over the country, including \u003cem>RuPaul’s Drag Race\u003c/em> star Aja, who headlined along with \u003cem>King of Drag\u003c/em>’s King Molasses. KQED roamed the streets, documenting the most creative looks we could find.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989771\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1333px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-03-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1333\" height=\"2000\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989771\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-03-KQED.jpg 1333w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-03-KQED-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-03-KQED-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-03-KQED-1024x1536.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1333px) 100vw, 1333px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">“The inspiration was if Lil Uzi Vert was a highland cow,” said Tokyn 666. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989797\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989797\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-40-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-40-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-40-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-40-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-40-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tokyn 666 stands in the crowd during the Oaklash Block Party in Oakland on Saturday, May 16, 2026. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989802\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989802\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-47-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-47-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-47-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-47-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-47-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Luismi Munster poses for a portrait during the Oaklash Block Party. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989801\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989801\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-46-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-46-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-46-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-46-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-46-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">“What inspired my look was very zebra, but also zebra with a fire, but it’s still being fierce throughout the fire,” Luismi Munster said. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989800\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989800\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-44-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-44-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-44-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-44-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-44-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Aja of ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ performs during the Oaklash Block Party. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989799\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989799\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-43-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-43-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-43-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-43-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-43-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Bre’nae Bullocks-Benard, 21, and Zachary Lipsett, 20, cheer as Aja performs. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989798\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989798\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-41-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-41-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-41-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-41-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-41-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">People cheer in the crowd while waiting for the next performer. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989796\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989796\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-39-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-39-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-39-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-39-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-39-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">People dance in the crowd during the Oaklash Block Party. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989795\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989795\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-38-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-38-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-38-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-38-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-38-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Aurris Garçon takes tip money from the crowd as she performs her set. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989794\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989794\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-37-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-37-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-37-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-37-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-37-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Zachary Lipsett, 20, claps as drag quen Empress Astara does a flip during their performance. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989791\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989791\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-30-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-30-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-30-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-30-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-30-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Evian, aka Lashley, poses for a portrait during the Oaklash Block Party. Evian is one of Oaklash’s artists in residence, and produced large-scale art installations for the festival. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989790\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1333px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989790\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-28-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1333\" height=\"2000\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-28-KQED.jpg 1333w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-28-KQED-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-28-KQED-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-28-KQED-1024x1536.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1333px) 100vw, 1333px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Pei Pei Ma’Bilz stands for a portrait during the Oaklash Block Party. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989789\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1333px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989789\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-27-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1333\" height=\"2000\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-27-KQED.jpg 1333w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-27-KQED-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-27-KQED-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-27-KQED-1024x1536.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1333px) 100vw, 1333px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">“I was going for business because Pei Pei, she means business but also she likes to clown,” Pei Pei Ma’Bilz said. “She just got plastic surgery, she’s still recovering.” \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989786\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1333px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989786\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-23-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1333\" height=\"2000\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-23-KQED.jpg 1333w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-23-KQED-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-23-KQED-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-23-KQED-1024x1536.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1333px) 100vw, 1333px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Cake Bitch poses for a portrait during the Oaklash Block Party . \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989785\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989785\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-21-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-21-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-21-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-21-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-21-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">“I recently made a troll porn with one of my best friends that’s in a couple local film festivals,” said Cake Bitch. “I’m a crazy troll collector. I have over 300 trolls and so does my bestie.” \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989787\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989787\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-24-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-24-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-24-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-24-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-24-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Cake Bitch poses for a portrait. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989784\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989784\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-20-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-20-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-20-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-20-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-20-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Henlo Bullfrog at the Oaklash Block Party. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989783\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989783\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-19-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-19-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-19-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-19-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-19-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">“This was very much, like, ‘corpse being reclaimed by nature,’” said Henlo Bullfrog. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989781\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989781\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-17-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-17-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-17-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-17-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-17-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Raya Light poses at the Oaklash Block Party. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989780\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989780\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-16-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-16-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-16-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-16-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-16-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">“I’m an all-American whore,” Raya Light said. “Can you say that on KQED?” \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989777\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989777\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-13-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-13-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-13-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-13-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-13-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jupiter poses for a portrait. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989776\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989776\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-12-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-12-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-12-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-12-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-12-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jupiter has been doing drag since 1976: “You remember the ancestors and also do what’s up and coming and beyond.” \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989775\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989775\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-09-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-09-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-09-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-09-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-09-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">“I very much enjoy sci-fi. I’m very anti-AI, but I’m a very pro—body modification in the sense of supporting my trans family,” Mylique E. Fawcett said. “Humans have been into body mods since the beginning of time, it’s nothing new. So I just wanted to show my support in a different way.” \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989773\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989773\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-06-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-06-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-06-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-06-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-06-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">“This outfit was inspired by Rosalía at the BRIT Awards ceremony,” said Mudd the Two Spirit. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "Drag queens, kings and genderless entities showed out in eye-popping outfits. ",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1779145256,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 5,
"wordCount": 690
},
"headData": {
"title": "The Best Looks at Oaklash, Oakland’s Drag Festival | KQED",
"description": "Drag queens, kings and genderless entities showed out in eye-popping outfits. ",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "The Best Looks at Oaklash, Oakland’s Drag Festival",
"datePublished": "2026-05-18T14:35:35-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-05-18T16:00:56-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 1,
"slug": "arts",
"name": "Arts"
},
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-13989835",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"showOnAuthorArchivePages": "No",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/arts/13989835/best-looks-oaklash-oakland-drag-festival-2026",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Over the past nine years, \u003ca href=\"https://www.oaklash.com/\">Oaklash\u003c/a> has grown from a humble, grassroots block party to a full-scale \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/pop/tag/drag\">drag\u003c/a> festival — not to mention an arts incubator that has put on some \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13984104/last-seven-days-obsidienne-obsurd-oaklash-oakland\">truly mind-melting performances\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Saturday, May 16, hundreds of drag fans gathered in Old Oakland to watch dozens of performers on multiple stages. There were soul-stirring lip syncs, flawless fashion reveals, gravity-defying dance moves and lots of dollar bills flying through the air.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Local drag queens, kings and genderless entities frolicked alongside artists who flew in from all over the country, including \u003cem>RuPaul’s Drag Race\u003c/em> star Aja, who headlined along with \u003cem>King of Drag\u003c/em>’s King Molasses. KQED roamed the streets, documenting the most creative looks we could find.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989771\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1333px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-03-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1333\" height=\"2000\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989771\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-03-KQED.jpg 1333w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-03-KQED-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-03-KQED-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-03-KQED-1024x1536.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1333px) 100vw, 1333px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">“The inspiration was if Lil Uzi Vert was a highland cow,” said Tokyn 666. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989797\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989797\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-40-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-40-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-40-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-40-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-40-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tokyn 666 stands in the crowd during the Oaklash Block Party in Oakland on Saturday, May 16, 2026. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989802\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989802\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-47-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-47-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-47-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-47-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-47-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Luismi Munster poses for a portrait during the Oaklash Block Party. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989801\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989801\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-46-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-46-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-46-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-46-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-46-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">“What inspired my look was very zebra, but also zebra with a fire, but it’s still being fierce throughout the fire,” Luismi Munster said. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989800\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989800\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-44-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-44-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-44-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-44-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-44-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Aja of ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ performs during the Oaklash Block Party. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989799\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989799\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-43-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-43-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-43-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-43-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-43-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Bre’nae Bullocks-Benard, 21, and Zachary Lipsett, 20, cheer as Aja performs. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989798\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989798\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-41-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-41-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-41-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-41-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-41-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">People cheer in the crowd while waiting for the next performer. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989796\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989796\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-39-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-39-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-39-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-39-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-39-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">People dance in the crowd during the Oaklash Block Party. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989795\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989795\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-38-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-38-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-38-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-38-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-38-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Aurris Garçon takes tip money from the crowd as she performs her set. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989794\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989794\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-37-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-37-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-37-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-37-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-37-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Zachary Lipsett, 20, claps as drag quen Empress Astara does a flip during their performance. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989791\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989791\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-30-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-30-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-30-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-30-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-30-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Evian, aka Lashley, poses for a portrait during the Oaklash Block Party. Evian is one of Oaklash’s artists in residence, and produced large-scale art installations for the festival. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989790\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1333px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989790\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-28-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1333\" height=\"2000\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-28-KQED.jpg 1333w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-28-KQED-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-28-KQED-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-28-KQED-1024x1536.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1333px) 100vw, 1333px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Pei Pei Ma’Bilz stands for a portrait during the Oaklash Block Party. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989789\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1333px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989789\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-27-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1333\" height=\"2000\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-27-KQED.jpg 1333w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-27-KQED-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-27-KQED-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-27-KQED-1024x1536.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1333px) 100vw, 1333px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">“I was going for business because Pei Pei, she means business but also she likes to clown,” Pei Pei Ma’Bilz said. “She just got plastic surgery, she’s still recovering.” \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989786\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1333px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989786\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-23-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1333\" height=\"2000\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-23-KQED.jpg 1333w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-23-KQED-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-23-KQED-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-23-KQED-1024x1536.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1333px) 100vw, 1333px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Cake Bitch poses for a portrait during the Oaklash Block Party . \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989785\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989785\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-21-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-21-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-21-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-21-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-21-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">“I recently made a troll porn with one of my best friends that’s in a couple local film festivals,” said Cake Bitch. “I’m a crazy troll collector. I have over 300 trolls and so does my bestie.” \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989787\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989787\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-24-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-24-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-24-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-24-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-24-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Cake Bitch poses for a portrait. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989784\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989784\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-20-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-20-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-20-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-20-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-20-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Henlo Bullfrog at the Oaklash Block Party. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989783\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989783\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-19-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-19-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-19-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-19-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-19-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">“This was very much, like, ‘corpse being reclaimed by nature,’” said Henlo Bullfrog. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989781\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989781\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-17-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-17-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-17-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-17-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-17-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Raya Light poses at the Oaklash Block Party. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989780\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989780\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-16-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-16-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-16-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-16-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-16-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">“I’m an all-American whore,” Raya Light said. “Can you say that on KQED?” \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989777\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989777\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-13-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-13-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-13-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-13-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-13-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jupiter poses for a portrait. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989776\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989776\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-12-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-12-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-12-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-12-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-12-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jupiter has been doing drag since 1976: “You remember the ancestors and also do what’s up and coming and beyond.” \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989775\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989775\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-09-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-09-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-09-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-09-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-09-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">“I very much enjoy sci-fi. I’m very anti-AI, but I’m a very pro—body modification in the sense of supporting my trans family,” Mylique E. Fawcett said. “Humans have been into body mods since the beginning of time, it’s nothing new. So I just wanted to show my support in a different way.” \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989773\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989773\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-06-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-06-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-06-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-06-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/20260516-OAKLASH-JY-06-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">“This outfit was inspired by Rosalía at the BRIT Awards ceremony,” said Mudd the Two Spirit. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/arts/13989835/best-looks-oaklash-oakland-drag-festival-2026",
"authors": [
"11387",
"11876"
],
"categories": [
"arts_1",
"arts_967"
],
"tags": [
"arts_1556",
"arts_10278",
"arts_1143",
"arts_22152"
],
"featImg": "arts_13989804",
"label": "arts"
},
"arts_13989622": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "arts_13989622",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13989622",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1778853603000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "free-parking-san-francisco-concerts-shows-where-to-find",
"title": "Where to Find Free Parking for Shows in San Francisco",
"publishDate": 1778853603,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "Where to Find Free Parking for Shows in San Francisco | KQED",
"labelTerm": {
"site": "arts"
},
"content": "\u003cp>\u003cem>This story is part of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/affordability\" target=\"_blank\">How We Get By\u003c/a>, a KQED series exploring how people are coping with rising costs in the Bay Area and California. Find the full series \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/affordability\">here\u003c/a>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Finding free parking in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/san-francisco\">San Francisco\u003c/a> during the day is nearly impossible. If you’re going to a show or concert at night, though, when the meters have stopped running, you have options. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I’ve been driving to shows in San Francisco for 35 years from my hometown, an hour away. Because I hate having to pay an extra $40–$60 for parking, I’ve built up a vast mental database of the best places to park for free near every major live music venue in the city.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I’ve always kept this list of secret parking spots to myself and close friends. Until now. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Below, I spill all — the best places to park for shows in San Francisco for free, within reasonable walking distance (usually) to more than 30 of the city’s many \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/category/music\">live music\u003c/a> venues.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989527\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/260512-FREE-PARKING-AT-MUSIC-VENUES-MD-08-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989527\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/260512-FREE-PARKING-AT-MUSIC-VENUES-MD-08-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/260512-FREE-PARKING-AT-MUSIC-VENUES-MD-08-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/260512-FREE-PARKING-AT-MUSIC-VENUES-MD-08-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/260512-FREE-PARKING-AT-MUSIC-VENUES-MD-08-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Independent on Divisadero Street in San Francisco on May 12, 2026. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>First, San Francisco parking tips everyone should know\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Look to the left\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nOn a one-way street with parallel parking on both sides, parking on the left side is usually more open, since people are less comfortable executing a left-handed parallel parking maneuver. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Cross that big street\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nMajor arteries like Market Street and Van Ness constitute mental borders for many drivers. If your destination is near a popular street, aim for the other side of it, where there’ll typically be more vacancies. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Stray uphill\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nHills, too, create mental obstacles for people looking for parking. If you’re willing to walk up one of San Francisco’s many hills either before or after the show, you’ll find more spots. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Always check signs\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nPay attention to posted time restrictions to avoid tickets. Some meters in San Francisco mercilessly run until 10pm. Also, street cleaning hours can start at 12am, before some shows get out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Know when you’re beaten\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nSome neighborhoods are hopeless. North Beach, Nob Hill, Divisadero — forget about it. The sooner you accept this, the more inner peace you will find. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Trust your gut\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nI acknowledge that I am a 6’1” man, and not everyone feels as comfortable as I do walking alone at night. If you’re not a local, and you’re feeling unsure, read up on the neighborhood beforehand.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Realize the ‘right’ way can be painful too\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nIf you’re tempted to suck it up and pay for a parking lot or garage, remember: after the show, you may be stuck for a long time in a parking-lot traffic jam as cars try to get out all at once.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Okay! On with my list, with suggested free parking areas marked red.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-12.55.05%E2%80%AFPM.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"970\" height=\"584\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-13989625\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-12.55.05 PM.jpg 970w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-12.55.05 PM-160x96.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-12.55.05 PM-768x462.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 970px) 100vw, 970px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Where to find parking for Davies Symphony Hall, War Memorial Opera House, Herbst Theater or Bill Graham Civic Auditorium\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>East side of Gough Street, between Golden Gate and McAllister\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nPro tip: Park on the left side of the street. Quick eats to go are almost nonexistent in the area, so pick up any pre-show provisions you may need at the Super Sam corner store. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-12.57.27%E2%80%AFPM.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1490\" height=\"724\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-13989626\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-12.57.27 PM.jpg 1490w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-12.57.27 PM-160x78.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-12.57.27 PM-768x373.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1490px) 100vw, 1490px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Where to find parking for SFJAZZ, Rickshaw Stop or Mr. Tipple’s Jazz Club\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>North side of Oak Street between Buchanan and Octavia\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nPro tip: The right lanes are almost always congested due to the upcoming freeway onramp. Watch for cars speeding down the hill behind you in the left lanes, and nose in rather than backing into the spot, if possible. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-1.01.09%E2%80%AFPM.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1338\" height=\"904\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-13989627\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-1.01.09 PM.jpg 1338w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-1.01.09 PM-160x108.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-1.01.09 PM-768x519.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1338px) 100vw, 1338px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Where to find parking for the Castro Theater\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Castro Street, between 14th and 16th\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nPro tip: Separated from the Castro by Market Street, and up the hill a little, most people don’t think of parking here. I found a cool old metal dustpan on the street here once. Still use it. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-3.48.47%E2%80%AFPM.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"944\" height=\"680\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-13989630\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-3.48.47 PM.jpg 944w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-3.48.47 PM-160x115.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-3.48.47 PM-768x553.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 944px) 100vw, 944px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Where to find parking for the Chapel\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>South Van Ness Avenue between 17th and 21st\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nPro tip: Parking in the Mission District can be maddening; find solace on either the east or west side of the main artery on the edge of the neighborhood. Say hi to Whiz Burger for me.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-3.52.46%E2%80%AFPM.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1178\" height=\"644\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-13989631\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-3.52.46 PM.jpg 1178w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-3.52.46 PM-160x87.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-3.52.46 PM-768x420.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1178px) 100vw, 1178px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Where to find parking for the Great American Music Hall\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Franklin Street between Ellis and Geary\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nPro tip: I’ve also found Geary Boulevard, between Van Ness and Franklin, to usually have open spots. (Plus, you’re right next to Tommy’s Joynt for post-show eats.) \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-3.59.30%E2%80%AFPM.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"870\" height=\"530\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-13989632\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-3.59.30 PM.jpg 870w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-3.59.30 PM-160x97.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-3.59.30 PM-768x468.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Where to find parking for the Regency Ballroom\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Franklin Street between Post and Bush\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nPro tip: Separated from the venue by Van Ness, and up the hill a little, most people don’t think of parking here. Aim for the left side of this one-way thoroughfare, where parking is usually more open. Pour one out for the closed Walgreens.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.01.32%E2%80%AFPM.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1532\" height=\"828\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-13989633\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.01.32 PM.jpg 1532w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.01.32 PM-160x86.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.01.32 PM-768x415.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1532px) 100vw, 1532px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Where to find parking for Mabuhay Gardens or On Broadway\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Leavenworth Street between Francisco and Chestnut\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nPro tip: Trying to find parking in North Beach is like repeatedly hitting yourself in the face with a hammer for a half hour. I park an \u003cem>entire mile away\u003c/em>, and enjoy the walk along Columbus, which is teeming with action on weekends. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.03.39%E2%80%AFPM.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1648\" height=\"950\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-13989634\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.03.39 PM.jpg 1648w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.03.39 PM-160x92.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.03.39 PM-768x443.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.03.39 PM-1536x885.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1648px) 100vw, 1648px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Where to find parking for the Midway\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Illinois Street between 23rd and 25th\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nPro tip: Do not be seduced by the road leading toward Pier 80; it looks wide open, but is full of private parking, and Pier 80 itself will be closed off.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.06.40%E2%80%AFPM.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1218\" height=\"512\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-13989635\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.06.40 PM.jpg 1218w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.06.40 PM-160x67.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.06.40 PM-768x323.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1218px) 100vw, 1218px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Where to find parking for Chase Center\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>16th Street between Carolina and Connecticut\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nPro tip: For concert parking, the Chase Center garage currently charges $75. \u003cem>Ahem\u003c/em>. I think you’ll agree that a nice 10-minute stroll down 16th Street is a better alternative.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.09.02%E2%80%AFPM.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1190\" height=\"698\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-13989636\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.09.02 PM.jpg 1190w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.09.02 PM-160x94.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.09.02 PM-768x450.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1190px) 100vw, 1190px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Where to find parking for the Bottom of the Hill\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>16th Street between Carolina and Connecticut\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nPro tip: Parking’s not nearly as plentiful as it used to be here; be aware of the new-ish protected bike lanes on 17th and the many time restrictions. (Also, bring presents for the excellent staff at one of the city’s best clubs before it \u003ca href=\"https://www.coyotemedia.org/san-francisco-club-bottom-of-the-hill-to-close-at-the-end-of-2026/\">closes at the end of the year\u003c/a>.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.12.11%E2%80%AFPM.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1306\" height=\"754\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-13989637\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.12.11 PM.jpg 1306w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.12.11 PM-160x92.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.12.11 PM-768x443.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1306px) 100vw, 1306px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Where to find parking for the Fillmore\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Geary Boulevard between Divisadero and Scott\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nPro tip: I agonized for years driving in circles on neighborhood streets until finding this wonderful stretch of Geary, down the road and on a slight curve, where no one thinks to park.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.14.04%E2%80%AFPM.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1238\" height=\"870\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-13989638\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.14.04 PM.jpg 1238w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.14.04 PM-160x112.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.14.04 PM-768x540.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1238px) 100vw, 1238px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Where to find parking for the Warfield\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Folsom Street between 7th and 6th\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nPro tip: This one’s tough, being close to both Union Square and the Tenderloin. I shoot for the less-populated area south of Market and walk up 6th Street, home of harm-reduction services, pizza-by-the-slice joints, SROs and \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/oursf/article/Did-Julia-Child-really-dine-at-Tu-Lan-A-legend-13666853.php\">Tú Lan\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.16.11%E2%80%AFPM.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1508\" height=\"932\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-13989639\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.16.11 PM.jpg 1508w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.16.11 PM-160x99.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.16.11 PM-768x475.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1508px) 100vw, 1508px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Where to find parking for the Brick and Mortar Music Hall or Public Works\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gough Street between Market and McCoppin\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nPro tip: This is on an odd little diagonal block that’s off of most people’s radar, on the other side of a freeway overpass. It’s never let me down.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.26.53%E2%80%AFPM.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1636\" height=\"870\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-13989643\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.26.53 PM.jpg 1636w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.26.53 PM-160x85.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.26.53 PM-768x408.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.26.53 PM-1536x817.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1636px) 100vw, 1636px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Where to find parking for Oracle Park\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Harrison Street between 3rd and 4th\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nPro tip: Optimal ballpark spots used to change each year. In a coincidence that I won’t overanalyze, I’ve had luck parking on this block ever since Buster Posey left the Giants in 2021. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.29.07%E2%80%AFPM.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"990\" height=\"392\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-13989644\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.29.07 PM.jpg 990w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.29.07 PM-160x63.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.29.07 PM-768x304.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 990px) 100vw, 990px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Where to find parking for the Masonic\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Van Ness Avenue or Franklin Street between Sacramento and Pine\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nPro tip: Sorry, man. You will not find parking on Nob Hill. You can try driving up California while looking for a spot, but likely, you’ll have to head back and make the five-block walk.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.32.04%E2%80%AFPM.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1496\" height=\"1082\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-13989645\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.32.04 PM.jpg 1496w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.32.04 PM-160x116.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.32.04 PM-768x555.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1496px) 100vw, 1496px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Where to find parking for August Hall\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mission or Howard Streets, between 5th and 6th\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nPro tip: The “park up the hill” trick doesn’t work here, since the nearby hill is Nob Hill. If you strike out on Mission or Howard, Folsom is often open.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.34.58%E2%80%AFPM.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1252\" height=\"788\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-13989646\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.34.58 PM.jpg 1252w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.34.58 PM-160x101.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.34.58 PM-768x483.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1252px) 100vw, 1252px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Where to find parking for the DNA Lounge\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Treat Street between Florida and Alameda\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nPro tip: Luckily the DNA is surrounded by a pretzel of strange, short, wiggly streets, good for finding parking; head south of the freeway overpass to this hidden curve. (It’s where I parked when I saw \u003ca href=\"https://web.archive.org/web/20130501120440/http%3A//citysound.bohemian.com/2013/04/25/live-review-prince-at-the-dna-lounge-san-francisco/\">Prince at the tiny club in 2013\u003c/a>; yes of course I am bragging.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.37.09%E2%80%AFPM.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1367\" height=\"1030\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-13989647\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.37.09 PM.jpg 1367w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.37.09 PM-160x121.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.37.09 PM-768x579.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1367px) 100vw, 1367px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Where to find parking for Golden Gate Park, Outside Lands or Hardly Strictly\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Clement Street between 34th and 38th\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nPro tip: The best way to get to these festivals is to throw a bike in the trunk, park near Ocean Beach, and ride in past the bison to the free bicycle parking area. Barring that, your other best bet is to park up the (very) steep hill, near the VA hospital.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.22.34%E2%80%AFPM.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1354\" height=\"902\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-13989641\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.22.34 PM.jpg 1354w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.22.34 PM-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.22.34 PM-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1354px) 100vw, 1354px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Where to find parking for the Cow Palace\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Geneva Avenue between Stoneridge and Carter\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nPro tip: I don’t really have a pro tip for this one. I just want to say that there should be more concerts at the Cow Palace, which is cool as hell.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.40.36%E2%80%AFPM.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1560\" height=\"786\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-13989648\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.40.36 PM.jpg 1560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.40.36 PM-160x81.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.40.36 PM-768x387.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.40.36 PM-1536x774.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1560px) 100vw, 1560px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Where to find parking for Stern Grove\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Portola Drive between San Fernando and Santa Clara\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nPro tip: Park across the major artery of 19th, and up the hill a little bit. And, since Stern Grove concerts always take place on Sundays, there are no two-hour parking restrictions to contend with.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.44.08%E2%80%AFPM.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1318\" height=\"926\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-13989649\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.44.08 PM.jpg 1318w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.44.08 PM-160x112.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.44.08 PM-768x540.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1318px) 100vw, 1318px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Where to find parking for the Independent\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Divisadero Street between O’Farrell and Turk\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nPro tip: You’ll have to go back in time to when you could park at the DMV lot, because this neighborhood is impossible now. I go down the hill a ways, and usually find a spot north of Primo Pizza.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.46.29%E2%80%AFPM.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1514\" height=\"760\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-13989650\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.46.29 PM.jpg 1514w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.46.29 PM-160x80.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.46.29 PM-768x386.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1514px) 100vw, 1514px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Where to find parking for the Black Cat\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>East side of Van Ness Avenue, between Turk and Ellis\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nPro tip: Aim for Van Ness, the west boundary of the Tenderloin. For a major thoroughfare, Van Ness often surprises me with open spots, especially on the east side heading north.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.48.47%E2%80%AFPM.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1460\" height=\"824\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-13989651\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.48.47 PM.jpg 1460w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.48.47 PM-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.48.47 PM-768x433.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1460px) 100vw, 1460px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Where to find parking for Cafe du Nord or Swedish American Hall\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>16th Street between Guerrero and Sanchez\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nPro tip: Once the daycare that’s just east of Dolores on 16th closes for the day, the white curb — which tends to scare off many drivers — is free for you to park at. Bonus points for the view of the Mission Dolores basilica, just a beautiful building. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-5.02.27%E2%80%AFPM.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1004\" height=\"604\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-13989653\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-5.02.27 PM.png 1004w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-5.02.27 PM-160x96.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-5.02.27 PM-768x462.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1004px) 100vw, 1004px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>The SF venues you don’t need my help parking at\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Weirdly, I’ve never had trouble finding a parking spot by El Rio or the Knockout, near 24th and Mission. And if you’re seeing a show at venues outside the city core, like Neck of the Woods or the 4-Star Theater, you’re in luck — you shouldn’t need any tips for easy parking at these slightly more out-of-the-way venues.\u003c/p>\n\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "A veteran concertgoer reveals his best secret spots to park for free at concerts and shows in SF.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1779116703,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 63,
"wordCount": 1867
},
"headData": {
"title": "Where to Find Free Parking for Shows in San Francisco | KQED",
"description": "A veteran concertgoer reveals his best secret spots to park for free at concerts and shows in SF.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "Where to Find Free Parking for Shows in San Francisco",
"datePublished": "2026-05-15T07:00:03-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-05-18T08:05:03-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 1,
"slug": "arts",
"name": "Arts"
},
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-13989622",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/arts/13989622/free-parking-san-francisco-concerts-shows-where-to-find",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cem>This story is part of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/affordability\" target=\"_blank\">How We Get By\u003c/a>, a KQED series exploring how people are coping with rising costs in the Bay Area and California. Find the full series \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/affordability\">here\u003c/a>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Finding free parking in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/san-francisco\">San Francisco\u003c/a> during the day is nearly impossible. If you’re going to a show or concert at night, though, when the meters have stopped running, you have options. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I’ve been driving to shows in San Francisco for 35 years from my hometown, an hour away. Because I hate having to pay an extra $40–$60 for parking, I’ve built up a vast mental database of the best places to park for free near every major live music venue in the city.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I’ve always kept this list of secret parking spots to myself and close friends. Until now. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Below, I spill all — the best places to park for shows in San Francisco for free, within reasonable walking distance (usually) to more than 30 of the city’s many \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/category/music\">live music\u003c/a> venues.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989527\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/260512-FREE-PARKING-AT-MUSIC-VENUES-MD-08-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989527\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/260512-FREE-PARKING-AT-MUSIC-VENUES-MD-08-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/260512-FREE-PARKING-AT-MUSIC-VENUES-MD-08-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/260512-FREE-PARKING-AT-MUSIC-VENUES-MD-08-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/260512-FREE-PARKING-AT-MUSIC-VENUES-MD-08-KQED-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Independent on Divisadero Street in San Francisco on May 12, 2026. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>First, San Francisco parking tips everyone should know\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Look to the left\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nOn a one-way street with parallel parking on both sides, parking on the left side is usually more open, since people are less comfortable executing a left-handed parallel parking maneuver. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Cross that big street\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nMajor arteries like Market Street and Van Ness constitute mental borders for many drivers. If your destination is near a popular street, aim for the other side of it, where there’ll typically be more vacancies. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Stray uphill\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nHills, too, create mental obstacles for people looking for parking. If you’re willing to walk up one of San Francisco’s many hills either before or after the show, you’ll find more spots. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Always check signs\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nPay attention to posted time restrictions to avoid tickets. Some meters in San Francisco mercilessly run until 10pm. Also, street cleaning hours can start at 12am, before some shows get out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Know when you’re beaten\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nSome neighborhoods are hopeless. North Beach, Nob Hill, Divisadero — forget about it. The sooner you accept this, the more inner peace you will find. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Trust your gut\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nI acknowledge that I am a 6’1” man, and not everyone feels as comfortable as I do walking alone at night. If you’re not a local, and you’re feeling unsure, read up on the neighborhood beforehand.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Realize the ‘right’ way can be painful too\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nIf you’re tempted to suck it up and pay for a parking lot or garage, remember: after the show, you may be stuck for a long time in a parking-lot traffic jam as cars try to get out all at once.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Okay! On with my list, with suggested free parking areas marked red.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-12.55.05%E2%80%AFPM.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"970\" height=\"584\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-13989625\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-12.55.05 PM.jpg 970w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-12.55.05 PM-160x96.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-12.55.05 PM-768x462.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 970px) 100vw, 970px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Where to find parking for Davies Symphony Hall, War Memorial Opera House, Herbst Theater or Bill Graham Civic Auditorium\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>East side of Gough Street, between Golden Gate and McAllister\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nPro tip: Park on the left side of the street. Quick eats to go are almost nonexistent in the area, so pick up any pre-show provisions you may need at the Super Sam corner store. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-12.57.27%E2%80%AFPM.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1490\" height=\"724\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-13989626\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-12.57.27 PM.jpg 1490w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-12.57.27 PM-160x78.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-12.57.27 PM-768x373.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1490px) 100vw, 1490px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Where to find parking for SFJAZZ, Rickshaw Stop or Mr. Tipple’s Jazz Club\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>North side of Oak Street between Buchanan and Octavia\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nPro tip: The right lanes are almost always congested due to the upcoming freeway onramp. Watch for cars speeding down the hill behind you in the left lanes, and nose in rather than backing into the spot, if possible. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-1.01.09%E2%80%AFPM.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1338\" height=\"904\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-13989627\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-1.01.09 PM.jpg 1338w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-1.01.09 PM-160x108.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-1.01.09 PM-768x519.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1338px) 100vw, 1338px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Where to find parking for the Castro Theater\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Castro Street, between 14th and 16th\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nPro tip: Separated from the Castro by Market Street, and up the hill a little, most people don’t think of parking here. I found a cool old metal dustpan on the street here once. Still use it. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-3.48.47%E2%80%AFPM.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"944\" height=\"680\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-13989630\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-3.48.47 PM.jpg 944w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-3.48.47 PM-160x115.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-3.48.47 PM-768x553.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 944px) 100vw, 944px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Where to find parking for the Chapel\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>South Van Ness Avenue between 17th and 21st\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nPro tip: Parking in the Mission District can be maddening; find solace on either the east or west side of the main artery on the edge of the neighborhood. Say hi to Whiz Burger for me.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-3.52.46%E2%80%AFPM.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1178\" height=\"644\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-13989631\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-3.52.46 PM.jpg 1178w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-3.52.46 PM-160x87.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-3.52.46 PM-768x420.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1178px) 100vw, 1178px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Where to find parking for the Great American Music Hall\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Franklin Street between Ellis and Geary\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nPro tip: I’ve also found Geary Boulevard, between Van Ness and Franklin, to usually have open spots. (Plus, you’re right next to Tommy’s Joynt for post-show eats.) \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-3.59.30%E2%80%AFPM.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"870\" height=\"530\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-13989632\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-3.59.30 PM.jpg 870w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-3.59.30 PM-160x97.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-3.59.30 PM-768x468.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Where to find parking for the Regency Ballroom\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Franklin Street between Post and Bush\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nPro tip: Separated from the venue by Van Ness, and up the hill a little, most people don’t think of parking here. Aim for the left side of this one-way thoroughfare, where parking is usually more open. Pour one out for the closed Walgreens.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.01.32%E2%80%AFPM.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1532\" height=\"828\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-13989633\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.01.32 PM.jpg 1532w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.01.32 PM-160x86.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.01.32 PM-768x415.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1532px) 100vw, 1532px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Where to find parking for Mabuhay Gardens or On Broadway\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Leavenworth Street between Francisco and Chestnut\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nPro tip: Trying to find parking in North Beach is like repeatedly hitting yourself in the face with a hammer for a half hour. I park an \u003cem>entire mile away\u003c/em>, and enjoy the walk along Columbus, which is teeming with action on weekends. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.03.39%E2%80%AFPM.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1648\" height=\"950\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-13989634\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.03.39 PM.jpg 1648w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.03.39 PM-160x92.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.03.39 PM-768x443.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.03.39 PM-1536x885.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1648px) 100vw, 1648px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Where to find parking for the Midway\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Illinois Street between 23rd and 25th\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nPro tip: Do not be seduced by the road leading toward Pier 80; it looks wide open, but is full of private parking, and Pier 80 itself will be closed off.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.06.40%E2%80%AFPM.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1218\" height=\"512\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-13989635\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.06.40 PM.jpg 1218w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.06.40 PM-160x67.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.06.40 PM-768x323.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1218px) 100vw, 1218px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Where to find parking for Chase Center\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>16th Street between Carolina and Connecticut\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nPro tip: For concert parking, the Chase Center garage currently charges $75. \u003cem>Ahem\u003c/em>. I think you’ll agree that a nice 10-minute stroll down 16th Street is a better alternative.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.09.02%E2%80%AFPM.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1190\" height=\"698\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-13989636\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.09.02 PM.jpg 1190w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.09.02 PM-160x94.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.09.02 PM-768x450.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1190px) 100vw, 1190px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Where to find parking for the Bottom of the Hill\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>16th Street between Carolina and Connecticut\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nPro tip: Parking’s not nearly as plentiful as it used to be here; be aware of the new-ish protected bike lanes on 17th and the many time restrictions. (Also, bring presents for the excellent staff at one of the city’s best clubs before it \u003ca href=\"https://www.coyotemedia.org/san-francisco-club-bottom-of-the-hill-to-close-at-the-end-of-2026/\">closes at the end of the year\u003c/a>.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.12.11%E2%80%AFPM.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1306\" height=\"754\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-13989637\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.12.11 PM.jpg 1306w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.12.11 PM-160x92.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.12.11 PM-768x443.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1306px) 100vw, 1306px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Where to find parking for the Fillmore\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Geary Boulevard between Divisadero and Scott\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nPro tip: I agonized for years driving in circles on neighborhood streets until finding this wonderful stretch of Geary, down the road and on a slight curve, where no one thinks to park.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.14.04%E2%80%AFPM.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1238\" height=\"870\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-13989638\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.14.04 PM.jpg 1238w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.14.04 PM-160x112.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.14.04 PM-768x540.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1238px) 100vw, 1238px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Where to find parking for the Warfield\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Folsom Street between 7th and 6th\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nPro tip: This one’s tough, being close to both Union Square and the Tenderloin. I shoot for the less-populated area south of Market and walk up 6th Street, home of harm-reduction services, pizza-by-the-slice joints, SROs and \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/oursf/article/Did-Julia-Child-really-dine-at-Tu-Lan-A-legend-13666853.php\">Tú Lan\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.16.11%E2%80%AFPM.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1508\" height=\"932\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-13989639\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.16.11 PM.jpg 1508w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.16.11 PM-160x99.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.16.11 PM-768x475.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1508px) 100vw, 1508px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Where to find parking for the Brick and Mortar Music Hall or Public Works\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Gough Street between Market and McCoppin\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nPro tip: This is on an odd little diagonal block that’s off of most people’s radar, on the other side of a freeway overpass. It’s never let me down.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.26.53%E2%80%AFPM.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1636\" height=\"870\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-13989643\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.26.53 PM.jpg 1636w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.26.53 PM-160x85.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.26.53 PM-768x408.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.26.53 PM-1536x817.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1636px) 100vw, 1636px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Where to find parking for Oracle Park\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Harrison Street between 3rd and 4th\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nPro tip: Optimal ballpark spots used to change each year. In a coincidence that I won’t overanalyze, I’ve had luck parking on this block ever since Buster Posey left the Giants in 2021. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.29.07%E2%80%AFPM.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"990\" height=\"392\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-13989644\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.29.07 PM.jpg 990w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.29.07 PM-160x63.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.29.07 PM-768x304.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 990px) 100vw, 990px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Where to find parking for the Masonic\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Van Ness Avenue or Franklin Street between Sacramento and Pine\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nPro tip: Sorry, man. You will not find parking on Nob Hill. You can try driving up California while looking for a spot, but likely, you’ll have to head back and make the five-block walk.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.32.04%E2%80%AFPM.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1496\" height=\"1082\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-13989645\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.32.04 PM.jpg 1496w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.32.04 PM-160x116.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.32.04 PM-768x555.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1496px) 100vw, 1496px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Where to find parking for August Hall\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Mission or Howard Streets, between 5th and 6th\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nPro tip: The “park up the hill” trick doesn’t work here, since the nearby hill is Nob Hill. If you strike out on Mission or Howard, Folsom is often open.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.34.58%E2%80%AFPM.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1252\" height=\"788\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-13989646\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.34.58 PM.jpg 1252w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.34.58 PM-160x101.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.34.58 PM-768x483.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1252px) 100vw, 1252px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Where to find parking for the DNA Lounge\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Treat Street between Florida and Alameda\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nPro tip: Luckily the DNA is surrounded by a pretzel of strange, short, wiggly streets, good for finding parking; head south of the freeway overpass to this hidden curve. (It’s where I parked when I saw \u003ca href=\"https://web.archive.org/web/20130501120440/http%3A//citysound.bohemian.com/2013/04/25/live-review-prince-at-the-dna-lounge-san-francisco/\">Prince at the tiny club in 2013\u003c/a>; yes of course I am bragging.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.37.09%E2%80%AFPM.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1367\" height=\"1030\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-13989647\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.37.09 PM.jpg 1367w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.37.09 PM-160x121.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.37.09 PM-768x579.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1367px) 100vw, 1367px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Where to find parking for Golden Gate Park, Outside Lands or Hardly Strictly\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Clement Street between 34th and 38th\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nPro tip: The best way to get to these festivals is to throw a bike in the trunk, park near Ocean Beach, and ride in past the bison to the free bicycle parking area. Barring that, your other best bet is to park up the (very) steep hill, near the VA hospital.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.22.34%E2%80%AFPM.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1354\" height=\"902\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-13989641\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.22.34 PM.jpg 1354w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.22.34 PM-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.22.34 PM-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1354px) 100vw, 1354px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Where to find parking for the Cow Palace\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Geneva Avenue between Stoneridge and Carter\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nPro tip: I don’t really have a pro tip for this one. I just want to say that there should be more concerts at the Cow Palace, which is cool as hell.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.40.36%E2%80%AFPM.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1560\" height=\"786\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-13989648\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.40.36 PM.jpg 1560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.40.36 PM-160x81.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.40.36 PM-768x387.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.40.36 PM-1536x774.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1560px) 100vw, 1560px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Where to find parking for Stern Grove\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Portola Drive between San Fernando and Santa Clara\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nPro tip: Park across the major artery of 19th, and up the hill a little bit. And, since Stern Grove concerts always take place on Sundays, there are no two-hour parking restrictions to contend with.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.44.08%E2%80%AFPM.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1318\" height=\"926\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-13989649\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.44.08 PM.jpg 1318w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.44.08 PM-160x112.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.44.08 PM-768x540.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1318px) 100vw, 1318px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Where to find parking for the Independent\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Divisadero Street between O’Farrell and Turk\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nPro tip: You’ll have to go back in time to when you could park at the DMV lot, because this neighborhood is impossible now. I go down the hill a ways, and usually find a spot north of Primo Pizza.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.46.29%E2%80%AFPM.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1514\" height=\"760\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-13989650\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.46.29 PM.jpg 1514w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.46.29 PM-160x80.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.46.29 PM-768x386.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1514px) 100vw, 1514px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Where to find parking for the Black Cat\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>East side of Van Ness Avenue, between Turk and Ellis\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nPro tip: Aim for Van Ness, the west boundary of the Tenderloin. For a major thoroughfare, Van Ness often surprises me with open spots, especially on the east side heading north.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.48.47%E2%80%AFPM.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1460\" height=\"824\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-13989651\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.48.47 PM.jpg 1460w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.48.47 PM-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-4.48.47 PM-768x433.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1460px) 100vw, 1460px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Where to find parking for Cafe du Nord or Swedish American Hall\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>16th Street between Guerrero and Sanchez\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\nPro tip: Once the daycare that’s just east of Dolores on 16th closes for the day, the white curb — which tends to scare off many drivers — is free for you to park at. Bonus points for the view of the Mission Dolores basilica, just a beautiful building. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-5.02.27%E2%80%AFPM.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1004\" height=\"604\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-13989653\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-5.02.27 PM.png 1004w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-5.02.27 PM-160x96.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Screenshot-2026-05-14-at-5.02.27 PM-768x462.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1004px) 100vw, 1004px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>The SF venues you don’t need my help parking at\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Weirdly, I’ve never had trouble finding a parking spot by El Rio or the Knockout, near 24th and Mission. And if you’re seeing a show at venues outside the city core, like Neck of the Woods or the 4-Star Theater, you’re in luck — you shouldn’t need any tips for easy parking at these slightly more out-of-the-way venues.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/arts/13989622/free-parking-san-francisco-concerts-shows-where-to-find",
"authors": [
"185"
],
"categories": [
"arts_1",
"arts_69",
"arts_235",
"arts_967"
],
"tags": [
"arts_22185",
"arts_21742",
"arts_22642",
"arts_22586",
"arts_10278",
"arts_22646",
"arts_1146"
],
"featImg": "arts_13989523",
"label": "arts"
},
"arts_13989487": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "arts_13989487",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13989487",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1778680853000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "best-plays-musicals-bay-area-oakland-san-francisco-berkeley-2026",
"title": "The 11 Best Plays and Musicals to See This Summer in the Bay Area",
"publishDate": 1778680853,
"format": "aside",
"headTitle": "The 11 Best Plays and Musicals to See This Summer in the Bay Area | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>\u003cem>Be sure to check out our full \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/summer-guide-2026\">2026 Summer Arts Guide to live music, movies, art, theater, festivals and more\u003c/a> in the Bay Area.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After a year of particular rockiness, Bay Area theatre continues to experience ups and downs. While some companies have closed, such as \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DWAoR6UFB3r/?img_index=1\">3Below in San Jose\u003c/a>, others are reinventing old spaces into new beginnings, like San Francisco’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.rayoflighttheatre.com/thebarb\">Ray of Light\u003c/a> and their fresh, intimate performance space, the Barbary Stage.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This summer’s theater in our region offers new ideas, but also some nostalgia. Lisa Vroman played Christine Daaé in \u003ci>The Phantom of the Opera\u003c/i> when it ran in San Francisco for more than five years in the 1990s; when the revitalized production returns to the city May 29–June 21, Vroman will take on the role of choreographer Madame Giry.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And if an angry vocal instructor with bad skin who lives in the damp catacombs of an opera house isn’t your vibe, never fear — here are 11 other fantastic plays and musicals running all over the Bay Area this summer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989541\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989541\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1452\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/3.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/3-160x116.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/3-768x558.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/3-1536x1115.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jean-Michel (Landyn Endo) and Anne (Akhila Narayanan) navigate their very opposite parents on their journey toward impending nuptials in ‘La Cage aux Folles’ at Theatre Rhinoceros in San Francisco. \u003ccite>(Scott Sidorsky)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.therhino.org/\">La Cage aux Folles\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Theatre Rhinoceros, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>May 16–June 7\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jean-Michel’s dad Georges is the master of ceremonies at a Saint-Tropez drag nightclub. Anne’s dad is head of the Tradition, Family and Morality Party that’s trying to close drag clubs. How will these two get along now that their kids are in love? A bevy of lies ensue to try and assuage Anne’s family, yet by the end, everyone needs each other and drag artists win the day. The intimate performance space in the historic Castro District is a perfect spot for this joyous musical, written by dynamic duo Jerry Herman and Harvey Fierstein. Longtime executive artistic director John Fisher and development director/company manager Crystal Liu share directing duties.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989543\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1601px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989543\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/unnamed.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1601\" height=\"1281\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/unnamed.png 1601w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/unnamed-160x128.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/unnamed-768x614.png 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/unnamed-1536x1229.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1601px) 100vw, 1601px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Manu Narayan, background and Kuhoo Verma star in the world premiere musical adaptation of the 2013 film ‘The Lunchbox’ at Berkeley Rep, directed by Rachel Chavkin. \u003ccite>(HanJie Chow)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.berkeleyrep.org/shows/the-lunchbox-nkft\">The Lunchbox\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Berkeley\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>May 17–June 28, 2026\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bay Area audiences can certainly get used to seeing the uber-talented Kuhoo Verma, who’s spent time at both Berkeley Rep and ACT San Francisco in recent years. She completed an Off-Broadway run in \u003ci>Heathers\u003c/i> this past April; she now stars in this newly adapted musical. Based on Ritesh Batra’s popular 2013 film, \u003ci>The Lunchbox\u003c/i> is set in Mumbai, where a young wife and an older widower close to retirement begin a correspondence through a wrong lunch delivery. Notes hold deeper truths, and a romance begins to blossom. Batra serves as co-lyricist with sibling music group The Lazours (\u003ci>We Live in Cairo\u003c/i>), while \u003ci>Hadestown\u003c/i> director Rachel Chavkin handles the directing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989497\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989497\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/HOBA_53-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1054\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/HOBA_53-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/HOBA_53-1-160x84.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/HOBA_53-1-768x405.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/HOBA_53-1-1536x809.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Lisa Ramirez rehearses as the title character of ‘The House of Bernarda Alba’ at Oakland Theater Project. The company is producing a new adaptation by Chay Yew. \u003ccite>(Adam Elder Montanaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://oaklandtheaterproject.org/\">The House of Bernarda Alba\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oakland Theater Project, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>May 22–June 7, 2026\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Spanish poet and playwright Federico Garcia Lorca remains one of the most thrilling artists of the 20th century. A sly critic of the brutal General Francisco Franco, Lorca was ultimately killed by firing squad in 1936 at age 38. In a new adaptation of Lorca’s \u003ci>The House of Bernarda Alba\u003c/i> by Chay Yew, Matriarch Bernarda demands that her five daughters mourn the loss of their father for eight years. Yet as time goes on, the sisters begin to self-destruct, mostly driven by a single love interest among multiple sisters, a man the audience never sees. Lisa Ramirez, a terrific actor and co-artistic director of the company, takes on the title role, directed by Michael Socrates Moran.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989544\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989544\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/IMG_0910.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/IMG_0910.jpeg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/IMG_0910-160x90.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/IMG_0910-768x432.jpeg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/IMG_0910-1536x864.jpeg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/IMG_0910-1200x675.jpeg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Bess Wohl’s ‘Continuity’ at Shotgun Players takes place on a Hollywood set. \u003ccite>(Shotgun Players)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://shotgunplayers.org/show/continuity/\">Continuity\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Ashby Stage, Berkeley\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>May 23–June 21, 2026\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Emilie Whelan directs this fast-paced comedy about life on a Hollywood set. As art imitates life, Maria is on edge as she keeps the production together amidst wild chaos. Egos, secrets and too much truth for comfort inform the story, a classic example of art imitating life. Shotgun Players are coming off a terrific production of another Pulitzer winning playwright, Edward Albee, and his risk-taking play \u003ci>The Goat, or Who is Sylvia?\u003c/i>, continuing a daring streak of staging stories with penetrating questions and complicated answers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989542\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989542\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Billie-J.-Simmons.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1475\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Billie-J.-Simmons.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Billie-J.-Simmons-160x118.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Billie-J.-Simmons-768x566.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Billie-J.-Simmons-1536x1133.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Billie J. Simmons, left, and Kelly Rinehart take on powerful emotional demands in ‘’night, Mother’ at the Altarena Playhouse in Alameda. \u003ccite>(Altarena Playhouse)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.altarena.org/2026-season-announcement/night-mother/\">’night, Mother\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Altarena Playhouse, Alameda\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>May 29–June 28, 2026\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The winner of the 1983 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, Marsha Norman’s story focuses on mother Thelma (Billie J. Simmons) and her daughter Jessie (Kelly Rinehart), who declares she is about to take her own life. Thelma’s battle for Jessie to reconsider becomes a bond, based on old secrets and long-standing harm. The small Altarena Playhouse in Alameda, featuring a three-quarter stage and just north of 100 seats, is an ideal venue for these types of personal stories. Actor, director and podcaster ShawnJ West directs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989553\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1280px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989553\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/099.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1280\" height=\"914\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/099.jpeg 1280w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/099-160x114.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/099-768x548.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Erin Rose Solorio and Sean Okuniewicz play the roles of Scaramouche and Galileo in the San Jose Stage production of ‘We Will Rock You,’ featuring the hits of rock band Queen. \u003ccite>(Dave Lepori)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.thestage.org/\">We Will Rock You\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>San Jose Stage\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>June 3–28, 2026\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There’s never a bad time to dive into the hits of legendary rock band Queen, which boasted one of rock music’s greatest frontmen, Freddie Mercury. In this jukebox musical, two misfits, Galileo and Scaramouche, join a group of bohemians tasked with finding the buried sacred instruments that will allow them to save rock and roll. Featuring some of Queen’s biggest hits, such as “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “We Are the Champions,” and “Somebody to Love,” the show is an opportunity to rock out to live Queen covers and dance in the aisles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989492\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989492\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/DenmoIbrahim.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1125\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/DenmoIbrahim.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/DenmoIbrahim-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/DenmoIbrahim-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/DenmoIbrahim-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/DenmoIbrahim-1200x675.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Playwright Denmo Ibrahim’s ‘Arab Spring’ premiere is a collaboration between Golden Thread Productions and SFBATCO. \u003ccite>(Clara Rice Photography)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://goldenthread.org/productions/arab-spring/\">Arab Spring\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Potrero Stage, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>June 19–July 12, 2026\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Golden Thread Productions and SFBATCO, two of the Bay Area’s most consequential creators of new work, join forces for this promising co-production. In \u003ci>Arab Spring\u003c/i>, two siblings (played by Salim Razawi and Arti Ishak) return to the suburbs to bury their deadbeat dad, and themes of family and religion come to the forefront. Written by Golden Thread resident playwright Denmo Ibrahim and directed by Crowded Fire co-executive director Nailah Unole didanas’ea Harper-Malveaux, the play promises to be explosive and timely. It’s also the first full production under new artistic director Nabra Nelson, who took over from Sahar Assaf in December.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989538\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1009px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989538\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Evren-Odcikin.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1009\" height=\"673\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Evren-Odcikin.jpg 1009w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Evren-Odcikin-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Evren-Odcikin-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1009px) 100vw, 1009px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Evren Odcikin presents his adaptation of ‘As You Like It’ at Marin Shakespeare Company in June and July. \u003ccite>(Makeen Osman)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.marinshakespeare.org/as-you-like-it/\">As You Like It\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Marin Shakespeare Co.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>June 19–July 19, 2026\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If it’s summer in the Bay Area and one does not go see Shakespeare outdoors, is it really summertime? Transitioning from T-shirt to jacket to blanket throughout a summer night is a rite of passage in these parts, and very few places are better suited for it than Marin. This year, exceptional theater maker Evren Odcikin is premiering his adaptation of \u003ci>As You Like It\u003c/i>, with one of Shakespeare’s most beloved characters, the brilliant light Rosalind. Banished from the court, Rosalind disguises herself as the boy Ganymede and darts to the forest of Arden, where she encounters her love interest Orlando. It’s a classic pastoral comedy of music and romance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989536\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 750px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989536\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Geetha-Reddy-Headshot-2026-small.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"750\" height=\"500\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Geetha-Reddy-Headshot-2026-small.jpg 750w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Geetha-Reddy-Headshot-2026-small-160x107.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Bay Area-based playwright and screenwriter Geetha Reddy’s world premiere of ‘The Employee Dharma Handbook’ opens at TheatreWorks Silicon Valley in July. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Geetha Reddy)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://theatreworks.org/mainstage/the-employee-dharma-handbook/\">The Employee Dharma Handbook\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, Mountain View\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>July 8–Aug. 2, 2026\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In this prominent world premiere, Bay Area playwright Geetha Reddy explores dharma as a concept of morals and responsibilities in the workplace, as HR executive Val wrestles with suspicions of sexism among a group of lead engineers preparing a rocket launch. Reddy’s exploration of identity, culture and nepotism is directed by Snehal Desai, a former artistic director at Los Angeles’ East West Players currently serving as Artistic Director at the Center Theatre Group.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989557\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989557\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/SFP_hairspray-headshots.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/SFP_hairspray-headshots.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/SFP_hairspray-headshots-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/SFP_hairspray-headshots-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/SFP_hairspray-headshots-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ella Ruth Francis, Jonathan Chisolm, Jordan Covington, Alison Ewing, Mackenzie Macdonald, Trevor March, Jeannine Anderson, Jeffrey Brian Adams, Samantha Rich and Ken Brill are featured in ‘Hairspray’ at San Francisco Playhouse. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of San Francisco Playhouse)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://sfplayhouse.org/2025-2026-season/hairspray/\">Hairspray\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>SF Playhouse\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>July 10–Sept. 12, 2026\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sometimes you just want to go to the theater and dance in your seat. While \u003ci>Hairspray\u003c/i> is loaded with great hits in the spirit of 1960s R&B groups, it also doubles as a slick commentary on racism and societal acceptance. The story is told through the lens of plus-sized Tracy Turnblad and her mission to bring marginalized people into the spotlight through a television dance show. As good as the 2007 film was, starring John Travolta, Christopher Walken, Zac Efron and a fresh-faced Nikki Blonsky, hearing the numbers live is a whole ‘nother vibe. Artistic director Bill English handles directing duties.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989540\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 940px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989540\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/PS-2025.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"940\" height=\"627\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/PS-2025.jpg 940w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/PS-2025-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/PS-2025-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 940px) 100vw, 940px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Stephen Sherwood and Vanessa Alvarez in ‘A Mysterious Demise’ by Paul Braverman, part of last year’s 2025 Pear Slices Festival. \u003ccite>(The Pear)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.thepear.org/season24\">Pear Slices\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>The Pear Theatre\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>July 19–Aug. 3, 2026\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>New works are the heartbeat of the American theater, and terrific incubators abound in the Bay Area, including the popular \u003ci>Pear Slices\u003c/i> festival at the Pear Theatre. Over the course of the festival’s 24 years, more than 100 new works have been brought to audiences, with the 2025 production offering eight brand new stories. At this year’s 24th annual iteration of the series, the plays are nicely varied, with a mix of comic and poignant works. Tonya Mara and Joey Dippel tag-team the direction.\u003c/p>\n\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "From world premiere dramas to classic musicals, your guide to summertime theater in the Bay Area is here.",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1779317347,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 28,
"wordCount": 1786
},
"headData": {
"title": "The 11 Best Plays and Musicals to See This Summer in the Bay Area | KQED",
"description": "From world premiere dramas to classic musicals, your guide to summertime theater in the Bay Area is here.",
"ogTitle": "",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "The 11 Best Plays and Musicals to See This Summer in the Bay Area",
"datePublished": "2026-05-13T07:00:53-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-05-20T15:49:07-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 1,
"slug": "arts",
"name": "Arts"
},
"source": "Summer Guide 2026 ",
"sourceUrl": "https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/summer-guide-2026",
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-13989487",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/arts/13989487/best-plays-musicals-bay-area-oakland-san-francisco-berkeley-2026",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cem>Be sure to check out our full \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/summer-guide-2026\">2026 Summer Arts Guide to live music, movies, art, theater, festivals and more\u003c/a> in the Bay Area.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After a year of particular rockiness, Bay Area theatre continues to experience ups and downs. While some companies have closed, such as \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/DWAoR6UFB3r/?img_index=1\">3Below in San Jose\u003c/a>, others are reinventing old spaces into new beginnings, like San Francisco’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.rayoflighttheatre.com/thebarb\">Ray of Light\u003c/a> and their fresh, intimate performance space, the Barbary Stage.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This summer’s theater in our region offers new ideas, but also some nostalgia. Lisa Vroman played Christine Daaé in \u003ci>The Phantom of the Opera\u003c/i> when it ran in San Francisco for more than five years in the 1990s; when the revitalized production returns to the city May 29–June 21, Vroman will take on the role of choreographer Madame Giry.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And if an angry vocal instructor with bad skin who lives in the damp catacombs of an opera house isn’t your vibe, never fear — here are 11 other fantastic plays and musicals running all over the Bay Area this summer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989541\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989541\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1452\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/3.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/3-160x116.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/3-768x558.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/3-1536x1115.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jean-Michel (Landyn Endo) and Anne (Akhila Narayanan) navigate their very opposite parents on their journey toward impending nuptials in ‘La Cage aux Folles’ at Theatre Rhinoceros in San Francisco. \u003ccite>(Scott Sidorsky)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.therhino.org/\">La Cage aux Folles\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Theatre Rhinoceros, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>May 16–June 7\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jean-Michel’s dad Georges is the master of ceremonies at a Saint-Tropez drag nightclub. Anne’s dad is head of the Tradition, Family and Morality Party that’s trying to close drag clubs. How will these two get along now that their kids are in love? A bevy of lies ensue to try and assuage Anne’s family, yet by the end, everyone needs each other and drag artists win the day. The intimate performance space in the historic Castro District is a perfect spot for this joyous musical, written by dynamic duo Jerry Herman and Harvey Fierstein. Longtime executive artistic director John Fisher and development director/company manager Crystal Liu share directing duties.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989543\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1601px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989543\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/unnamed.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1601\" height=\"1281\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/unnamed.png 1601w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/unnamed-160x128.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/unnamed-768x614.png 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/unnamed-1536x1229.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1601px) 100vw, 1601px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Manu Narayan, background and Kuhoo Verma star in the world premiere musical adaptation of the 2013 film ‘The Lunchbox’ at Berkeley Rep, directed by Rachel Chavkin. \u003ccite>(HanJie Chow)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.berkeleyrep.org/shows/the-lunchbox-nkft\">The Lunchbox\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Berkeley\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>May 17–June 28, 2026\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bay Area audiences can certainly get used to seeing the uber-talented Kuhoo Verma, who’s spent time at both Berkeley Rep and ACT San Francisco in recent years. She completed an Off-Broadway run in \u003ci>Heathers\u003c/i> this past April; she now stars in this newly adapted musical. Based on Ritesh Batra’s popular 2013 film, \u003ci>The Lunchbox\u003c/i> is set in Mumbai, where a young wife and an older widower close to retirement begin a correspondence through a wrong lunch delivery. Notes hold deeper truths, and a romance begins to blossom. Batra serves as co-lyricist with sibling music group The Lazours (\u003ci>We Live in Cairo\u003c/i>), while \u003ci>Hadestown\u003c/i> director Rachel Chavkin handles the directing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989497\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989497\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/HOBA_53-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1054\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/HOBA_53-1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/HOBA_53-1-160x84.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/HOBA_53-1-768x405.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/HOBA_53-1-1536x809.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Lisa Ramirez rehearses as the title character of ‘The House of Bernarda Alba’ at Oakland Theater Project. The company is producing a new adaptation by Chay Yew. \u003ccite>(Adam Elder Montanaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://oaklandtheaterproject.org/\">The House of Bernarda Alba\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oakland Theater Project, Oakland\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>May 22–June 7, 2026\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Spanish poet and playwright Federico Garcia Lorca remains one of the most thrilling artists of the 20th century. A sly critic of the brutal General Francisco Franco, Lorca was ultimately killed by firing squad in 1936 at age 38. In a new adaptation of Lorca’s \u003ci>The House of Bernarda Alba\u003c/i> by Chay Yew, Matriarch Bernarda demands that her five daughters mourn the loss of their father for eight years. Yet as time goes on, the sisters begin to self-destruct, mostly driven by a single love interest among multiple sisters, a man the audience never sees. Lisa Ramirez, a terrific actor and co-artistic director of the company, takes on the title role, directed by Michael Socrates Moran.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989544\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989544\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/IMG_0910.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/IMG_0910.jpeg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/IMG_0910-160x90.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/IMG_0910-768x432.jpeg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/IMG_0910-1536x864.jpeg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/IMG_0910-1200x675.jpeg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Bess Wohl’s ‘Continuity’ at Shotgun Players takes place on a Hollywood set. \u003ccite>(Shotgun Players)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://shotgunplayers.org/show/continuity/\">Continuity\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Ashby Stage, Berkeley\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>May 23–June 21, 2026\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Emilie Whelan directs this fast-paced comedy about life on a Hollywood set. As art imitates life, Maria is on edge as she keeps the production together amidst wild chaos. Egos, secrets and too much truth for comfort inform the story, a classic example of art imitating life. Shotgun Players are coming off a terrific production of another Pulitzer winning playwright, Edward Albee, and his risk-taking play \u003ci>The Goat, or Who is Sylvia?\u003c/i>, continuing a daring streak of staging stories with penetrating questions and complicated answers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989542\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989542\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Billie-J.-Simmons.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1475\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Billie-J.-Simmons.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Billie-J.-Simmons-160x118.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Billie-J.-Simmons-768x566.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Billie-J.-Simmons-1536x1133.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Billie J. Simmons, left, and Kelly Rinehart take on powerful emotional demands in ‘’night, Mother’ at the Altarena Playhouse in Alameda. \u003ccite>(Altarena Playhouse)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.altarena.org/2026-season-announcement/night-mother/\">’night, Mother\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Altarena Playhouse, Alameda\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>May 29–June 28, 2026\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The winner of the 1983 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, Marsha Norman’s story focuses on mother Thelma (Billie J. Simmons) and her daughter Jessie (Kelly Rinehart), who declares she is about to take her own life. Thelma’s battle for Jessie to reconsider becomes a bond, based on old secrets and long-standing harm. The small Altarena Playhouse in Alameda, featuring a three-quarter stage and just north of 100 seats, is an ideal venue for these types of personal stories. Actor, director and podcaster ShawnJ West directs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989553\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1280px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989553\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/099.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1280\" height=\"914\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/099.jpeg 1280w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/099-160x114.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/099-768x548.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Erin Rose Solorio and Sean Okuniewicz play the roles of Scaramouche and Galileo in the San Jose Stage production of ‘We Will Rock You,’ featuring the hits of rock band Queen. \u003ccite>(Dave Lepori)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.thestage.org/\">We Will Rock You\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>San Jose Stage\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>June 3–28, 2026\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There’s never a bad time to dive into the hits of legendary rock band Queen, which boasted one of rock music’s greatest frontmen, Freddie Mercury. In this jukebox musical, two misfits, Galileo and Scaramouche, join a group of bohemians tasked with finding the buried sacred instruments that will allow them to save rock and roll. Featuring some of Queen’s biggest hits, such as “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “We Are the Champions,” and “Somebody to Love,” the show is an opportunity to rock out to live Queen covers and dance in the aisles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989492\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989492\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/DenmoIbrahim.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1125\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/DenmoIbrahim.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/DenmoIbrahim-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/DenmoIbrahim-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/DenmoIbrahim-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/DenmoIbrahim-1200x675.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Playwright Denmo Ibrahim’s ‘Arab Spring’ premiere is a collaboration between Golden Thread Productions and SFBATCO. \u003ccite>(Clara Rice Photography)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://goldenthread.org/productions/arab-spring/\">Arab Spring\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Potrero Stage, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>June 19–July 12, 2026\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Golden Thread Productions and SFBATCO, two of the Bay Area’s most consequential creators of new work, join forces for this promising co-production. In \u003ci>Arab Spring\u003c/i>, two siblings (played by Salim Razawi and Arti Ishak) return to the suburbs to bury their deadbeat dad, and themes of family and religion come to the forefront. Written by Golden Thread resident playwright Denmo Ibrahim and directed by Crowded Fire co-executive director Nailah Unole didanas’ea Harper-Malveaux, the play promises to be explosive and timely. It’s also the first full production under new artistic director Nabra Nelson, who took over from Sahar Assaf in December.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989538\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1009px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989538\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Evren-Odcikin.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1009\" height=\"673\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Evren-Odcikin.jpg 1009w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Evren-Odcikin-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Evren-Odcikin-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1009px) 100vw, 1009px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Evren Odcikin presents his adaptation of ‘As You Like It’ at Marin Shakespeare Company in June and July. \u003ccite>(Makeen Osman)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.marinshakespeare.org/as-you-like-it/\">As You Like It\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Marin Shakespeare Co.\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>June 19–July 19, 2026\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If it’s summer in the Bay Area and one does not go see Shakespeare outdoors, is it really summertime? Transitioning from T-shirt to jacket to blanket throughout a summer night is a rite of passage in these parts, and very few places are better suited for it than Marin. This year, exceptional theater maker Evren Odcikin is premiering his adaptation of \u003ci>As You Like It\u003c/i>, with one of Shakespeare’s most beloved characters, the brilliant light Rosalind. Banished from the court, Rosalind disguises herself as the boy Ganymede and darts to the forest of Arden, where she encounters her love interest Orlando. It’s a classic pastoral comedy of music and romance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989536\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 750px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989536\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Geetha-Reddy-Headshot-2026-small.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"750\" height=\"500\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Geetha-Reddy-Headshot-2026-small.jpg 750w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Geetha-Reddy-Headshot-2026-small-160x107.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Bay Area-based playwright and screenwriter Geetha Reddy’s world premiere of ‘The Employee Dharma Handbook’ opens at TheatreWorks Silicon Valley in July. \u003ccite>(Courtesy Geetha Reddy)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://theatreworks.org/mainstage/the-employee-dharma-handbook/\">The Employee Dharma Handbook\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, Mountain View\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>July 8–Aug. 2, 2026\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In this prominent world premiere, Bay Area playwright Geetha Reddy explores dharma as a concept of morals and responsibilities in the workplace, as HR executive Val wrestles with suspicions of sexism among a group of lead engineers preparing a rocket launch. Reddy’s exploration of identity, culture and nepotism is directed by Snehal Desai, a former artistic director at Los Angeles’ East West Players currently serving as Artistic Director at the Center Theatre Group.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989557\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989557\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/SFP_hairspray-headshots.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/SFP_hairspray-headshots.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/SFP_hairspray-headshots-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/SFP_hairspray-headshots-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/SFP_hairspray-headshots-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ella Ruth Francis, Jonathan Chisolm, Jordan Covington, Alison Ewing, Mackenzie Macdonald, Trevor March, Jeannine Anderson, Jeffrey Brian Adams, Samantha Rich and Ken Brill are featured in ‘Hairspray’ at San Francisco Playhouse. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of San Francisco Playhouse)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://sfplayhouse.org/2025-2026-season/hairspray/\">Hairspray\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>SF Playhouse\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>July 10–Sept. 12, 2026\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sometimes you just want to go to the theater and dance in your seat. While \u003ci>Hairspray\u003c/i> is loaded with great hits in the spirit of 1960s R&B groups, it also doubles as a slick commentary on racism and societal acceptance. The story is told through the lens of plus-sized Tracy Turnblad and her mission to bring marginalized people into the spotlight through a television dance show. As good as the 2007 film was, starring John Travolta, Christopher Walken, Zac Efron and a fresh-faced Nikki Blonsky, hearing the numbers live is a whole ‘nother vibe. Artistic director Bill English handles directing duties.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13989540\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 940px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13989540\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/PS-2025.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"940\" height=\"627\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/PS-2025.jpg 940w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/PS-2025-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/PS-2025-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 940px) 100vw, 940px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Stephen Sherwood and Vanessa Alvarez in ‘A Mysterious Demise’ by Paul Braverman, part of last year’s 2025 Pear Slices Festival. \u003ccite>(The Pear)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.thepear.org/season24\">Pear Slices\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>The Pear Theatre\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\n\u003cem>July 19–Aug. 3, 2026\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "floatright"
},
"numeric": [
"floatright"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>New works are the heartbeat of the American theater, and terrific incubators abound in the Bay Area, including the popular \u003ci>Pear Slices\u003c/i> festival at the Pear Theatre. Over the course of the festival’s 24 years, more than 100 new works have been brought to audiences, with the 2025 production offering eight brand new stories. At this year’s 24th annual iteration of the series, the plays are nicely varied, with a mix of comic and poignant works. Tonya Mara and Joey Dippel tag-team the direction.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/arts/13989487/best-plays-musicals-bay-area-oakland-san-francisco-berkeley-2026",
"authors": [
"11905"
],
"categories": [
"arts_1",
"arts_235",
"arts_967"
],
"tags": [
"arts_22642",
"arts_1237",
"arts_10278",
"arts_22644",
"arts_21781",
"arts_2295",
"arts_2360",
"arts_1815",
"arts_585"
],
"featImg": "arts_13989541",
"label": "source_arts_13989487"
},
"arts_13988836": {
"type": "posts",
"id": "arts_13988836",
"meta": {
"index": "posts_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13988836",
"score": null,
"sort": [
1776986944000
]
},
"guestAuthors": [],
"slug": "hamnet-review-act-san-francisco",
"title": "A Shakespeare Story in Need of Brushing Up",
"publishDate": 1776986944,
"format": "standard",
"headTitle": "A Shakespeare Story in Need of Brushing Up | KQED",
"labelTerm": {},
"content": "\u003cp>During one of the most critical scenes in the play \u003cem>Hamnet\u003c/em>, a grieving mother, Agnes, watches in awe at the theater world of her husband, William Shakespeare. A world of costumes and nightly death, it also inspires reverence, and she comes to understand that her late son was the quintessence of glory. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To see Agnes absorb \u003cem>Hamlet\u003c/em>’s every word despite not understanding most of them is to witness simultaneous grief and healing. For eternity, she realizes, one of the world’s greatest plays will be connected to one of the universe’s most perfect 11-year-old boys.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Running through May 24 at San Francisco’s American Conservatory Theater, \u003cem>Hamnet\u003c/em> gives agency to Shakespeare’s mysterious and enigmatic wife, known as Anne or Agnes. This is not a historical account of a woman who simply sat by as a dutiful spouse, raising three children in Stratford-upon-Avon as Shakespeare gallivanted through London’s seedy and bustling Elizabethan theater district. Nor is it \u003cem>Shakespeare in Love\u003c/em>, the 1998 film which portrays Anne as a loveless hindrance to Shakespeare’s quill and immortality. \u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13988826\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/1_HAMNET_KyleFlubacker.jpg\" alt=\"A man in blue and a woman with a flower crown nuzzle up against one another\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13988826\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/1_HAMNET_KyleFlubacker.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/1_HAMNET_KyleFlubacker-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/1_HAMNET_KyleFlubacker-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/1_HAMNET_KyleFlubacker-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Rory Alexander and Kemi-Bo Jacobs as William and Agnes Shakespeare in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s ‘Hamnet’ at ACT in San Francisco. \u003ccite>(Kyle Flubacker)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Hamnet\u003c/em> is more on par with the jukebox musical \u003cem>& Juliet\u003c/em>, in which Anne directly questions the misogyny of Shakespeare’s storytelling. (A young teenage girl throwing her life away for a dithering and pathetic boy who changes his passions like he changes his underwear? What kind of hot garbage is that, Will?) \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Onstage at ACT, the battles between Agnes (Kemi-Bo Jacobs) and William (Rory Alexander) are filled with pain, as Shakespeare knows he has no choice but to make the four-day trek to London and continue writing plays that may someday change the world.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lolita Chakrabarti’s adaptation from Maggie O’Farrell’s sweeping tale is a highly metaphoric jaunt through the thrill of new love — the mystery of this strange falcon girl who may have deep connections to witchcraft, and a base Latin tutor helping his father (Nigel Barrett) climb out of crippling debt.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13988825\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1320px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/5_HAMNET_KyleFlubacker.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1320\" height=\"2000\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13988825\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/5_HAMNET_KyleFlubacker.jpg 1320w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/5_HAMNET_KyleFlubacker-160x242.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/5_HAMNET_KyleFlubacker-768x1164.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/5_HAMNET_KyleFlubacker-1014x1536.jpg 1014w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1320px) 100vw, 1320px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kemi-Bo Jacobs as Agnes (center), with Ajani Cabey as Hamnet and Saffron Dey as Judith in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s ‘Hamnet’ at ACT in San Francisco. \u003ccite>(Kyle Flubacker)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In Erica Whyman’s astute direction, long swatches of material become babies and pregnancies. This theatrical approach complements a grand and rustic scenic design by Tom Piper, who also designed the costumes. Simon Baker’s soundscape leans heavily into deep bass to augment whispers and wisdom that form much of the play’s mystery. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Chakrabarti’s reimagined script veers somewhat from O’Farrell’s flashback-heavy 2020 novel. Yet it’s respectful to the novel’s great intentions (the stunning clarity in the book to describe a first tryst among the apples is staged beautifully here). \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While much about ACT’s production works, it is not perfect. The initial sounds of child whispers are hard, if not impossible, to understand. While plenty of the show meets the story’s emotional demands, other moments fall toward a thinner, more unsatisfying end. Hard honesty moves through space with too much rapidity for an audience yearning for authenticity. \u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13988824\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/6_HAMNET_KyleFlubacker.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13988824\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/6_HAMNET_KyleFlubacker.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/6_HAMNET_KyleFlubacker-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/6_HAMNET_KyleFlubacker-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/6_HAMNET_KyleFlubacker-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Saffron Dey as Judith and Ajani Cabey as Hamnet in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s‘Hamnet’ at ACT in San Francisco. \u003ccite>(Kyle Flubacker)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Some fantastic setups preface the second act’s more damaging moments. Anyone with the slightest knowledge of Shakespeare knows that Hamnet’s demise is near; a gentle, well-paced staging doesn’t make that any easier to digest. But take note of how Jacobs conveys the hurt. As in the Ocscar-winning 2025 film of \u003cem>Hamnet\u003c/em>, Jacobs’ cries as Agnes are guttural, produced from a place that only exists for those who’ve bore and lost a child. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While William channels his agony into his opus, unbeknownst to those mourning back home, the stoic Agnes is the face of devastation, conveyed by Jacobs using every ounce of her emotions. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Both John and Mary (Penny Layden) represent the issues that encompass Will as he navigates a scandalous pregnancy out of wedlock. While Barrett conveys the horror of John’s temper in O’Farrell’s novel, he’s equally delightful as the bumbling comic actor Will Kempe. And Troy Alexander as Barthlolomew is a gargantuan presence, taking charge when he sees fit. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Art will always have the power to heal weary souls, contextualizing some of existence’s most distressing moments. Hamnet needs a greater commitment to manifest its own quintessence, but the pathway is there for the taking. \u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘Hamnet’ runs through Sunday, May 24 at the Toni Rembe Theater in San Francisco. \u003ca href=\"https://www.act-sf.org/whats-on/2025-26-season/hamnet\">Tickets and more information here\u003c/a>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
"blocks": [],
"excerpt": "Despite a somewhat uneven production at ACT, ‘Hamnet’ resonates with emotion.\r\n",
"status": "publish",
"parent": 0,
"modified": 1776986944,
"stats": {
"hasAudio": false,
"hasVideo": false,
"hasChartOrMap": false,
"iframeSrcs": [],
"hasGoogleForm": false,
"hasGallery": false,
"hasHearkenModule": false,
"hasPolis": false,
"paragraphCount": 16,
"wordCount": 834
},
"headData": {
"title": "Review: ‘Hamnet’ at ACT in San Francisco Needs Brushing Up | KQED",
"description": "Despite a somewhat uneven production at ACT, ‘Hamnet’ resonates with emotion.\r\n",
"ogTitle": "A Shakespeare Story in Need of Brushing Up",
"ogDescription": "",
"ogImgId": "",
"twTitle": "A Shakespeare Story in Need of Brushing Up",
"twDescription": "",
"twImgId": "",
"socialTitle": "Review: ‘Hamnet’ at ACT in San Francisco Needs Brushing Up %%page%% %%sep%% KQED",
"schema": {
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "Article",
"headline": "A Shakespeare Story in Need of Brushing Up",
"datePublished": "2026-04-23T16:29:04-07:00",
"dateModified": "2026-04-23T16:29:04-07:00",
"image": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png"
}
},
"primaryCategory": {
"termId": 1,
"slug": "arts",
"name": "Arts"
},
"source": "The Do List",
"sourceUrl": "https://www.kqed.org/thedolist",
"sticky": false,
"nprStoryId": "kqed-13988836",
"templateType": "standard",
"featuredImageType": "standard",
"excludeFromSiteSearch": "Include",
"articleAge": "0",
"path": "/arts/13988836/hamnet-review-act-san-francisco",
"audioTrackLength": null,
"parsedContent": [
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>During one of the most critical scenes in the play \u003cem>Hamnet\u003c/em>, a grieving mother, Agnes, watches in awe at the theater world of her husband, William Shakespeare. A world of costumes and nightly death, it also inspires reverence, and she comes to understand that her late son was the quintessence of glory. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To see Agnes absorb \u003cem>Hamlet\u003c/em>’s every word despite not understanding most of them is to witness simultaneous grief and healing. For eternity, she realizes, one of the world’s greatest plays will be connected to one of the universe’s most perfect 11-year-old boys.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Running through May 24 at San Francisco’s American Conservatory Theater, \u003cem>Hamnet\u003c/em> gives agency to Shakespeare’s mysterious and enigmatic wife, known as Anne or Agnes. This is not a historical account of a woman who simply sat by as a dutiful spouse, raising three children in Stratford-upon-Avon as Shakespeare gallivanted through London’s seedy and bustling Elizabethan theater district. Nor is it \u003cem>Shakespeare in Love\u003c/em>, the 1998 film which portrays Anne as a loveless hindrance to Shakespeare’s quill and immortality. \u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13988826\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/1_HAMNET_KyleFlubacker.jpg\" alt=\"A man in blue and a woman with a flower crown nuzzle up against one another\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13988826\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/1_HAMNET_KyleFlubacker.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/1_HAMNET_KyleFlubacker-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/1_HAMNET_KyleFlubacker-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/1_HAMNET_KyleFlubacker-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Rory Alexander and Kemi-Bo Jacobs as William and Agnes Shakespeare in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s ‘Hamnet’ at ACT in San Francisco. \u003ccite>(Kyle Flubacker)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Hamnet\u003c/em> is more on par with the jukebox musical \u003cem>& Juliet\u003c/em>, in which Anne directly questions the misogyny of Shakespeare’s storytelling. (A young teenage girl throwing her life away for a dithering and pathetic boy who changes his passions like he changes his underwear? What kind of hot garbage is that, Will?) \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Onstage at ACT, the battles between Agnes (Kemi-Bo Jacobs) and William (Rory Alexander) are filled with pain, as Shakespeare knows he has no choice but to make the four-day trek to London and continue writing plays that may someday change the world.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
},
{
"type": "component",
"content": "",
"name": "ad",
"attributes": {
"named": {
"label": "fullwidth"
},
"numeric": [
"fullwidth"
]
}
},
{
"type": "contentString",
"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lolita Chakrabarti’s adaptation from Maggie O’Farrell’s sweeping tale is a highly metaphoric jaunt through the thrill of new love — the mystery of this strange falcon girl who may have deep connections to witchcraft, and a base Latin tutor helping his father (Nigel Barrett) climb out of crippling debt.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13988825\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1320px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/5_HAMNET_KyleFlubacker.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1320\" height=\"2000\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13988825\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/5_HAMNET_KyleFlubacker.jpg 1320w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/5_HAMNET_KyleFlubacker-160x242.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/5_HAMNET_KyleFlubacker-768x1164.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/5_HAMNET_KyleFlubacker-1014x1536.jpg 1014w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1320px) 100vw, 1320px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kemi-Bo Jacobs as Agnes (center), with Ajani Cabey as Hamnet and Saffron Dey as Judith in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s ‘Hamnet’ at ACT in San Francisco. \u003ccite>(Kyle Flubacker)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In Erica Whyman’s astute direction, long swatches of material become babies and pregnancies. This theatrical approach complements a grand and rustic scenic design by Tom Piper, who also designed the costumes. Simon Baker’s soundscape leans heavily into deep bass to augment whispers and wisdom that form much of the play’s mystery. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Chakrabarti’s reimagined script veers somewhat from O’Farrell’s flashback-heavy 2020 novel. Yet it’s respectful to the novel’s great intentions (the stunning clarity in the book to describe a first tryst among the apples is staged beautifully here). \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While much about ACT’s production works, it is not perfect. The initial sounds of child whispers are hard, if not impossible, to understand. While plenty of the show meets the story’s emotional demands, other moments fall toward a thinner, more unsatisfying end. Hard honesty moves through space with too much rapidity for an audience yearning for authenticity. \u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13988824\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/6_HAMNET_KyleFlubacker.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13988824\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/6_HAMNET_KyleFlubacker.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/6_HAMNET_KyleFlubacker-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/6_HAMNET_KyleFlubacker-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/6_HAMNET_KyleFlubacker-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Saffron Dey as Judith and Ajani Cabey as Hamnet in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s‘Hamnet’ at ACT in San Francisco. \u003ccite>(Kyle Flubacker)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Some fantastic setups preface the second act’s more damaging moments. Anyone with the slightest knowledge of Shakespeare knows that Hamnet’s demise is near; a gentle, well-paced staging doesn’t make that any easier to digest. But take note of how Jacobs conveys the hurt. As in the Ocscar-winning 2025 film of \u003cem>Hamnet\u003c/em>, Jacobs’ cries as Agnes are guttural, produced from a place that only exists for those who’ve bore and lost a child. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While William channels his agony into his opus, unbeknownst to those mourning back home, the stoic Agnes is the face of devastation, conveyed by Jacobs using every ounce of her emotions. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Both John and Mary (Penny Layden) represent the issues that encompass Will as he navigates a scandalous pregnancy out of wedlock. While Barrett conveys the horror of John’s temper in O’Farrell’s novel, he’s equally delightful as the bumbling comic actor Will Kempe. And Troy Alexander as Barthlolomew is a gargantuan presence, taking charge when he sees fit. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Art will always have the power to heal weary souls, contextualizing some of existence’s most distressing moments. Hamnet needs a greater commitment to manifest its own quintessence, but the pathway is there for the taking. \u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘Hamnet’ runs through Sunday, May 24 at the Toni Rembe Theater in San Francisco. \u003ca href=\"https://www.act-sf.org/whats-on/2025-26-season/hamnet\">Tickets and more information here\u003c/a>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
"attributes": {
"named": {},
"numeric": []
}
}
],
"link": "/arts/13988836/hamnet-review-act-san-francisco",
"authors": [
"11905"
],
"programs": [
"arts_140"
],
"categories": [
"arts_1",
"arts_22313",
"arts_967"
],
"tags": [
"arts_1238",
"arts_1175",
"arts_769",
"arts_1146",
"arts_2087",
"arts_585"
],
"featImg": "arts_13988823",
"label": "source_arts_13988836"
}
},
"podcastsReducer": {
"isFetching": false,
"fetchFailed": false,
"hasFetched": false,
"podcasts": {}
},
"radioProgramsReducer": {
"isFetching": false,
"fetchFailed": false,
"hasFetched": false,
"radioPrograms": {}
},
"programsReducer": {
"all-things-considered": {
"id": "all-things-considered",
"title": "All Things Considered",
"info": "Every weekday, \u003cem>All Things Considered\u003c/em> hosts Robert Siegel, Audie Cornish, Ari Shapiro, and Kelly McEvers present the program's trademark mix of news, interviews, commentaries, reviews, and offbeat features. Michel Martin hosts on the weekends.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 1pm-2pm, 4:30pm-6:30pm\u003cbr />SAT-SUN 5pm-6pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/All-Things-Considered-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/all-things-considered/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/all-things-considered"
},
"american-suburb-podcast": {
"id": "american-suburb-podcast",
"title": "American Suburb: The Podcast",
"tagline": "The flip side of gentrification, told through one town",
"info": "Gentrification is changing cities across America, forcing people from neighborhoods they have long called home. Call them the displaced. Now those priced out of the Bay Area are looking for a better life in an unlikely place. American Suburb follows this migration to one California town along the Delta, 45 miles from San Francisco. But is this once sleepy suburb ready for them?",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/American-Suburb-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/news/series/american-suburb-podcast",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 19
},
"link": "/news/series/american-suburb-podcast/",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/RBrW",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?mt=2&id=1287748328",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/American-Suburb-p1086805/",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/series/american-suburb-podcast/feed/podcast",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkMzMDExODgxNjA5"
}
},
"baycurious": {
"id": "baycurious",
"title": "Bay Curious",
"tagline": "Exploring the Bay Area, one question at a time",
"info": "KQED’s new podcast, Bay Curious, gets to the bottom of the mysteries — both profound and peculiar — that give the Bay Area its unique identity. And we’ll do it with your help! You ask the questions. You decide what Bay Curious investigates. And you join us on the journey to find the answers.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Bay-Curious-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Bay Curious",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/news/series/baycurious",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 3
},
"link": "/podcasts/baycurious",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bay-curious/id1172473406",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/500557090/bay-curious",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/category/bay-curious-podcast/feed/podcast",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/9a90d476-aa04-455d-9a4c-0871ed6216d4/bay-curious",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/bay-curious",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/6O76IdmhixfijmhTZLIJ8k"
}
},
"bbc-world-service": {
"id": "bbc-world-service",
"title": "BBC World Service",
"info": "The day's top stories from BBC News compiled twice daily in the week, once at weekends.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 9pm-10pm, TUE-FRI 1am-2am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/BBC-World-Service-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/live:bbc_world_service",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "BBC World Service"
},
"link": "/radio/program/bbc-world-service",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/global-news-podcast/id135067274?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/BBC-World-Service-p455581/",
"rss": "https://podcasts.files.bbci.co.uk/p02nq0gn.rss"
}
},
"californiareport": {
"id": "californiareport",
"title": "The California Report",
"tagline": "California, day by day",
"info": "KQED’s statewide radio news program providing daily coverage of issues, trends and public policy decisions.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-California-Report-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The California Report",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/californiareport",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 8
},
"link": "/californiareport",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kqeds-the-california-report/id79681292",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/26099305-72af-4542-9dde-ac1807fe36d5/kqed-s-the-california-report",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/432285393/the-california-report",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqedfm-kqeds-the-california-report-podcast-8838",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/tag/tcram/feed/podcast"
}
},
"californiareportmagazine": {
"id": "californiareportmagazine",
"title": "The California Report Magazine",
"tagline": "Your state, your stories",
"info": "Every week, The California Report Magazine takes you on a road trip for the ears: to visit the places and meet the people who make California unique. The in-depth storytelling podcast from the California Report.",
"airtime": "FRI 4:30pm-5pm, 6:30pm-7pm, 11pm-11:30pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-California-Report-Magazine-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The California Report Magazine",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/californiareportmagazine",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 10
},
"link": "/californiareportmagazine",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-california-report-magazine/id1314750545",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM3NjkwNjk1OTAz",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/564733126/the-california-report-magazine",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/the-california-report-magazine",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/tag/tcrmag/feed/podcast"
}
},
"city-arts": {
"id": "city-arts",
"title": "City Arts & Lectures",
"info": "A one-hour radio program to hear celebrated writers, artists and thinkers address contemporary ideas and values, often discussing the creative process. Please note: tapes or transcripts are not available",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/05/cityartsandlecture-300x300.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.cityarts.net/",
"airtime": "SUN 1pm-2pm, TUE 10pm, WED 1am",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "City Arts & Lectures"
},
"link": "https://www.cityarts.net",
"subscribe": {
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/City-Arts-and-Lectures-p692/",
"rss": "https://www.cityarts.net/feed/"
}
},
"closealltabs": {
"id": "closealltabs",
"title": "Close All Tabs",
"tagline": "Your irreverent guide to the trends redefining our world",
"info": "Close All Tabs breaks down how digital culture shapes our world through thoughtful insights and irreverent humor.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/CAT_2_Tile-scaled.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Close All Tabs",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/closealltabs",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 1
},
"link": "/podcasts/closealltabs",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/close-all-tabs/id214663465",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC6993880386",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/92d9d4ac-67a3-4eed-b10a-fb45d45b1ef2/close-all-tabs",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/6LAJFHnGK1pYXYzv6SIol6?si=deb0cae19813417c"
}
},
"code-switch-life-kit": {
"id": "code-switch-life-kit",
"title": "Code Switch / Life Kit",
"info": "\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em>, which listeners will hear in the first part of the hour, has fearless and much-needed conversations about race. Hosted by journalists of color, the show tackles the subject of race head-on, exploring how it impacts every part of society — from politics and pop culture to history, sports and more.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em>, which will be in the second part of the hour, guides you through spaces and feelings no one prepares you for — from finances to mental health, from workplace microaggressions to imposter syndrome, from relationships to parenting. The show features experts with real world experience and shares their knowledge. Because everyone needs a little help being human.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510312/codeswitch\">\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/lifekit\">\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />",
"airtime": "SUN 9pm-10pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Code-Switch-Life-Kit-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/code-switch-life-kit",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/1112190608?mt=2&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnByLm9yZy9yc3MvcG9kY2FzdC5waHA_aWQ9NTEwMzEy",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/3bExJ9JQpkwNhoHvaIIuyV",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510312/podcast.xml"
}
},
"commonwealth-club": {
"id": "commonwealth-club",
"title": "Commonwealth Club of California Podcast",
"info": "The Commonwealth Club of California is the nation's oldest and largest public affairs forum. As a non-partisan forum, The Club brings to the public airwaves diverse viewpoints on important topics. The Club's weekly radio broadcast - the oldest in the U.S., dating back to 1924 - is carried across the nation on public radio stations and is now podcasting. Our website archive features audio of our recent programs, as well as selected speeches from our long and distinguished history. This podcast feed is usually updated twice a week and is always un-edited.",
"airtime": "THU 10pm, FRI 1am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Commonwealth-Club-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.commonwealthclub.org/podcasts",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "Commonwealth Club of California"
},
"link": "/radio/program/commonwealth-club",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/commonwealth-club-of-california-podcast/id976334034?mt=2",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5jb21tb253ZWFsdGhjbHViLm9yZy9hdWRpby9wb2RjYXN0L3dlZWtseS54bWw",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Commonwealth-Club-of-California-p1060/"
}
},
"forum": {
"id": "forum",
"title": "Forum",
"tagline": "The conversation starts here",
"info": "KQED’s live call-in program discussing local, state, national and international issues, as well as in-depth interviews.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 9am-11am, 10pm-11pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Forum-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Forum with Mina Kim and Alexis Madrigal",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/forum",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 9
},
"link": "/forum",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kqeds-forum/id73329719",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM5NTU3MzgxNjMz",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/432307980/forum",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqedfm-kqeds-forum-podcast",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC9557381633"
}
},
"freakonomics-radio": {
"id": "freakonomics-radio",
"title": "Freakonomics Radio",
"info": "Freakonomics Radio is a one-hour award-winning podcast and public-radio project hosted by Stephen Dubner, with co-author Steve Levitt as a regular guest. It is produced in partnership with WNYC.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/05/freakonomicsRadio.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://freakonomics.com/",
"airtime": "SUN 1am-2am, SAT 3pm-4pm",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "WNYC"
},
"link": "/radio/program/freakonomics-radio",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/4s8b",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/freakonomics-radio/id354668519",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/WNYC-Podcasts/Freakonomics-Radio-p272293/",
"rss": "https://feeds.feedburner.com/freakonomicsradio"
}
},
"fresh-air": {
"id": "fresh-air",
"title": "Fresh Air",
"info": "Hosted by Terry Gross, \u003cem>Fresh Air from WHYY\u003c/em> is the Peabody Award-winning weekday magazine of contemporary arts and issues. One of public radio's most popular programs, Fresh Air features intimate conversations with today's biggest luminaries.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 7pm-8pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Fresh-Air-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/fresh-air/",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/fresh-air",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/4s8b",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=214089682&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Fresh-Air-p17/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/381444908/podcast.xml"
}
},
"here-and-now": {
"id": "here-and-now",
"title": "Here & Now",
"info": "A live production of NPR and WBUR Boston, in collaboration with stations across the country, Here & Now reflects the fluid world of news as it's happening in the middle of the day, with timely, in-depth news, interviews and conversation. Hosted by Robin Young, Jeremy Hobson and Tonya Mosley.",
"airtime": "MON-THU 11am-12pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Here-And-Now-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://www.wbur.org/hereandnow",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/here-and-now",
"subsdcribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?mt=2&id=426698661",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Here--Now-p211/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510051/podcast.xml"
}
},
"hidden-brain": {
"id": "hidden-brain",
"title": "Hidden Brain",
"info": "Shankar Vedantam uses science and storytelling to reveal the unconscious patterns that drive human behavior, shape our choices and direct our relationships.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/05/hiddenbrain.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/series/423302056/hidden-brain",
"airtime": "SUN 7pm-8pm",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "NPR"
},
"link": "/radio/program/hidden-brain",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/hidden-brain/id1028908750?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/Science-Podcasts/Hidden-Brain-p787503/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510308/podcast.xml"
}
},
"how-i-built-this": {
"id": "how-i-built-this",
"title": "How I Built This with Guy Raz",
"info": "Guy Raz dives into the stories behind some of the world's best known companies. How I Built This weaves a narrative journey about innovators, entrepreneurs and idealists—and the movements they built.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/05/howIBuiltThis.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510313/how-i-built-this",
"airtime": "SUN 7:30pm-8pm",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/how-i-built-this",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/3zxy",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-built-this-with-guy-raz/id1150510297?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/Arts--Culture-Podcasts/How-I-Built-This-p910896/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510313/podcast.xml"
}
},
"hyphenacion": {
"id": "hyphenacion",
"title": "Hyphenación",
"tagline": "Where conversation and cultura meet",
"info": "What kind of no sabo word is Hyphenación? For us, it’s about living within a hyphenation. Like being a third-gen Mexican-American from the Texas border now living that Bay Area Chicano life. Like Xorje! Each week we bring together a couple of hyphenated Latinos to talk all about personal life choices: family, careers, relationships, belonging … everything is on the table. ",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Hyphenacion_FinalAssets_PodcastTile.png",
"imageAlt": "KQED Hyphenación",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/hyphenacion",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 15
},
"link": "/podcasts/hyphenacion",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hyphenaci%C3%B3n/id1191591838",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/2p3Fifq96nw9BPcmFdIq0o?si=39209f7b25774f38",
"youtube": "https://www.youtube.com/c/kqedarts",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/6c3dd23c-93fb-4aab-97ba-1725fa6315f1/hyphenaci%C3%B3n",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC2275451163"
}
},
"jerrybrown": {
"id": "jerrybrown",
"title": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown",
"tagline": "Lessons from a lifetime in politics",
"info": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown brings listeners the wisdom of the former Governor, Mayor, and presidential candidate. Scott Shafer interviewed Brown for more than 40 hours, covering the former governor's life and half-century in the political game – and Brown has some lessons he'd like to share. ",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Political-Mind-of-Jerry-Brown-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The Political Mind of Jerry Brown",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/jerrybrown",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 18
},
"link": "/podcasts/jerrybrown",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/790253322/the-political-mind-of-jerry-brown",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id1492194549",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/series/jerrybrown/feed/podcast/",
"tuneIn": "http://tun.in/pjGcK",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/the-political-mind-of-jerry-brown",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/54C1dmuyFyKMFttY6X2j6r?si=K8SgRCoISNK6ZbjpXrX5-w",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/44420f75-3b0e-4301-ab3b-16da6b09e543/the-political-mind-of-jerry-brown"
}
},
"latino-usa": {
"id": "latino-usa",
"title": "Latino USA",
"airtime": "MON 1am-2am, SUN 6pm-7pm",
"info": "Latino USA, the radio journal of news and culture, is the only national, English-language radio program produced from a Latino perspective.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/latinoUsa.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://latinousa.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/latino-usa",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/xtTd",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=79681317&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Latino-USA-p621/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510016/podcast.xml"
}
},
"marketplace": {
"id": "marketplace",
"title": "Marketplace",
"info": "Our flagship program, helmed by Kai Ryssdal, examines what the day in money delivered, through stories, conversations, newsworthy numbers and more. Updated Monday through Friday at about 3:30 p.m. PT.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 4pm-4:30pm, MON-WED 6:30pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Marketplace-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.marketplace.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "American Public Media"
},
"link": "/radio/program/marketplace",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=201853034&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/APM-Marketplace-p88/",
"rss": "https://feeds.publicradio.org/public_feeds/marketplace-pm/rss/rss"
}
},
"masters-of-scale": {
"id": "masters-of-scale",
"title": "Masters of Scale",
"info": "Masters of Scale is an original podcast in which LinkedIn co-founder and Greylock Partner Reid Hoffman sets out to describe and prove theories that explain how great entrepreneurs take their companies from zero to a gazillion in ingenious fashion.",
"airtime": "Every other Wednesday June 12 through October 16 at 8pm (repeats Thursdays at 2am)",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Masters-of-Scale-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://mastersofscale.com/",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "WaitWhat"
},
"link": "/radio/program/masters-of-scale",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "http://mastersofscale.app.link/",
"rss": "https://rss.art19.com/masters-of-scale"
}
},
"mindshift": {
"id": "mindshift",
"title": "MindShift",
"tagline": "A podcast about the future of learning and how we raise our kids",
"info": "The MindShift podcast explores the innovations in education that are shaping how kids learn. Hosts Ki Sung and Katrina Schwartz introduce listeners to educators, researchers, parents and students who are developing effective ways to improve how kids learn. We cover topics like how fed-up administrators are developing surprising tactics to deal with classroom disruptions; how listening to podcasts are helping kids develop reading skills; the consequences of overparenting; and why interdisciplinary learning can engage students on all ends of the traditional achievement spectrum. This podcast is part of the MindShift education site, a division of KQED News. KQED is an NPR/PBS member station based in San Francisco. You can also visit the MindShift website for episodes and supplemental blog posts or tweet us \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/MindShiftKQED\">@MindShiftKQED\u003c/a> or visit us at \u003ca href=\"/mindshift\">MindShift.KQED.org\u003c/a>",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Mindshift-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED MindShift: How We Will Learn",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/mindshift/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 12
},
"link": "/podcasts/mindshift",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mindshift-podcast/id1078765985",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM1NzY0NjAwNDI5",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/464615685/mind-shift-podcast",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/stories-teachers-share",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/0MxSpNYZKNprFLCl7eEtyx"
}
},
"morning-edition": {
"id": "morning-edition",
"title": "Morning Edition",
"info": "\u003cem>Morning Edition\u003c/em> takes listeners around the country and the world with multi-faceted stories and commentaries every weekday. Hosts Steve Inskeep, David Greene and Rachel Martin bring you the latest breaking news and features to prepare you for the day.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 3am-9am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Morning-Edition-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/morning-edition/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/morning-edition"
},
"onourwatch": {
"id": "onourwatch",
"title": "On Our Watch",
"tagline": "Deeply-reported investigative journalism",
"info": "For decades, the process for how police police themselves has been inconsistent – if not opaque. In some states, like California, these proceedings were completely hidden. After a new police transparency law unsealed scores of internal affairs files, our reporters set out to examine these cases and the shadow world of police discipline. On Our Watch brings listeners into the rooms where officers are questioned and witnesses are interrogated to find out who this system is really protecting. Is it the officers, or the public they've sworn to serve?",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/On-Our-Watch-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "On Our Watch from NPR and KQED",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/onourwatch",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 11
},
"link": "/podcasts/onourwatch",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1567098962",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5ucHIub3JnLzUxMDM2MC9wb2RjYXN0LnhtbD9zYz1nb29nbGVwb2RjYXN0cw",
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/onourwatch",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/0OLWoyizopu6tY1XiuX70x",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/On-Our-Watch-p1436229/",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/show/on-our-watch",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510360/podcast.xml"
}
},
"on-the-media": {
"id": "on-the-media",
"title": "On The Media",
"info": "Our weekly podcast explores how the media 'sausage' is made, casts an incisive eye on fluctuations in the marketplace of ideas, and examines threats to the freedom of information and expression in America and abroad. For one hour a week, the show tries to lift the veil from the process of \"making media,\" especially news media, because it's through that lens that we see the world and the world sees us",
"airtime": "SUN 2pm-3pm, MON 12am-1am",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/onTheMedia.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/otm",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "wnyc"
},
"link": "/radio/program/on-the-media",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/on-the-media/id73330715?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/On-the-Media-p69/",
"rss": "http://feeds.wnyc.org/onthemedia"
}
},
"pbs-newshour": {
"id": "pbs-newshour",
"title": "PBS NewsHour",
"info": "Analysis, background reports and updates from the PBS NewsHour putting today's news in context.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 3pm-4pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/PBS-News-Hour-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.pbs.org/newshour/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "pbs"
},
"link": "/radio/program/pbs-newshour",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/pbs-newshour-full-show/id394432287?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/PBS-NewsHour---Full-Show-p425698/",
"rss": "https://www.pbs.org/newshour/feeds/rss/podcasts/show"
}
},
"perspectives": {
"id": "perspectives",
"title": "Perspectives",
"tagline": "KQED's series of daily listener commentaries since 1991",
"info": "KQED's series of daily listener commentaries since 1991.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Perspectives_Tile_Final.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Perspectives",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/perspectives/",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 14
},
"link": "/perspectives",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id73801135",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/432309616/perspectives",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/perspectives/category/perspectives/feed/",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93dzIua3FlZC5vcmcvcGVyc3BlY3RpdmVzL2NhdGVnb3J5L3BlcnNwZWN0aXZlcy9mZWVkLw"
}
},
"planet-money": {
"id": "planet-money",
"title": "Planet Money",
"info": "The economy explained. Imagine you could call up a friend and say, Meet me at the bar and tell me what's going on with the economy. Now imagine that's actually a fun evening.",
"airtime": "SUN 3pm-4pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/planetmoney.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/sections/money/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/planet-money",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/M4f5",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/planet-money/id290783428?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/Business--Economics-Podcasts/Planet-Money-p164680/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510289/podcast.xml"
}
},
"politicalbreakdown": {
"id": "politicalbreakdown",
"title": "Political Breakdown",
"tagline": "Politics from a personal perspective",
"info": "Political Breakdown is a new series that explores the political intersection of California and the nation. Each week hosts Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos are joined with a new special guest to unpack politics -- with personality — and offer an insider’s glimpse at how politics happens.",
"airtime": "THU 6:30pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Political-Breakdown-2024-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Political Breakdown",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/politicalbreakdown",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 5
},
"link": "/podcasts/politicalbreakdown",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/political-breakdown/id1327641087",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/e0c2d153-ad36-4c8d-901d-f1da6a724824/political-breakdown",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/572155894/political-breakdown",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/political-breakdown",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/07RVyIjIdk2WDuVehvBMoN",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/tag/political-breakdown/feed/podcast"
}
},
"possible": {
"id": "possible",
"title": "Possible",
"info": "Possible is hosted by entrepreneur Reid Hoffman and writer Aria Finger. Together in Possible, Hoffman and Finger lead enlightening discussions about building a brighter collective future. The show features interviews with visionary guests like Trevor Noah, Sam Altman and Janette Sadik-Khan. Possible paints an optimistic portrait of the world we can create through science, policy, business, art and our shared humanity. It asks: What if everything goes right for once? How can we get there? Each episode also includes a short fiction story generated by advanced AI GPT-4, serving as a thought-provoking springboard to speculate how humanity could leverage technology for good.",
"airtime": "SUN 2pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Possible-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.possible.fm/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "Possible"
},
"link": "/radio/program/possible",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/possible/id1677184070",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/730YpdUSNlMyPQwNnyjp4k"
}
},
"pri-the-world": {
"id": "pri-the-world",
"title": "PRI's The World: Latest Edition",
"info": "Each weekday, host Marco Werman and his team of producers bring you the world's most interesting stories in an hour of radio that reminds us just how small our planet really is.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 2pm-3pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-World-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.pri.org/programs/the-world",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "PRI"
},
"link": "/radio/program/pri-the-world",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/pris-the-world-latest-edition/id278196007?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/News--Politics-Podcasts/PRIs-The-World-p24/",
"rss": "http://feeds.feedburner.com/pri/theworld"
}
},
"radiolab": {
"id": "radiolab",
"title": "Radiolab",
"info": "A two-time Peabody Award-winner, Radiolab is an investigation told through sounds and stories, and centered around one big idea. In the Radiolab world, information sounds like music and science and culture collide. Hosted by Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich, the show is designed for listeners who demand skepticism, but appreciate wonder. WNYC Studios is the producer of other leading podcasts including Freakonomics Radio, Death, Sex & Money, On the Media and many more.",
"airtime": "SUN 12am-1am, SAT 2pm-3pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/radiolab1400.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/radiolab/",
"meta": {
"site": "science",
"source": "WNYC"
},
"link": "/radio/program/radiolab",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/radiolab/id152249110?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/RadioLab-p68032/",
"rss": "https://feeds.wnyc.org/radiolab"
}
},
"reveal": {
"id": "reveal",
"title": "Reveal",
"info": "Created by The Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX, Reveal is public radios first one-hour weekly radio show and podcast dedicated to investigative reporting. Credible, fact based and without a partisan agenda, Reveal combines the power and artistry of driveway moment storytelling with data-rich reporting on critically important issues. The result is stories that inform and inspire, arming our listeners with information to right injustices, hold the powerful accountable and improve lives.Reveal is hosted by Al Letson and showcases the award-winning work of CIR and newsrooms large and small across the nation. In a radio and podcast market crowded with choices, Reveal focuses on important and often surprising stories that illuminate the world for our listeners.",
"airtime": "SAT 4pm-5pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/reveal300px.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.revealnews.org/episodes/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/reveal",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/reveal/id886009669",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Reveal-p679597/",
"rss": "http://feeds.revealradio.org/revealpodcast"
}
},
"rightnowish": {
"id": "rightnowish",
"title": "Rightnowish",
"tagline": "Art is where you find it",
"info": "Rightnowish digs into life in the Bay Area right now… ish. Journalist Pendarvis Harshaw takes us to galleries painted on the sides of liquor stores in West Oakland. We'll dance in warehouses in the Bayview, make smoothies with kids in South Berkeley, and listen to classical music in a 1984 Cutlass Supreme in Richmond. Every week, Pen talks to movers and shakers about how the Bay Area shapes what they create, and how they shape the place we call home.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Rightnowish-Podcast-Tile-500x500-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Rightnowish with Pendarvis Harshaw",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/rightnowish",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 16
},
"link": "/podcasts/rightnowish",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/721590300/rightnowish",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/programs/rightnowish/feed/podcast",
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rightnowish/id1482187648",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/rightnowish",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkMxMjU5MTY3NDc4",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/7kEJuafTzTVan7B78ttz1I"
}
},
"science-friday": {
"id": "science-friday",
"title": "Science Friday",
"info": "Science Friday is a weekly science talk show, broadcast live over public radio stations nationwide. Each week, the show focuses on science topics that are in the news and tries to bring an educated, balanced discussion to bear on the scientific issues at hand. Panels of expert guests join host Ira Flatow, a veteran science journalist, to discuss science and to take questions from listeners during the call-in portion of the program.",
"airtime": "FRI 11am-1pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Science-Friday-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/science-friday",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/science-friday",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=73329284&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Science-Friday-p394/",
"rss": "http://feeds.wnyc.org/science-friday"
}
},
"snap-judgment": {
"id": "snap-judgment",
"title": "Snap Judgment",
"tagline": "Real stories with killer beats",
"info": "The Snap Judgment radio show and podcast mixes real stories with killer beats to produce cinematic, dramatic radio. Snap's musical brand of storytelling dares listeners to see the world through the eyes of another. This is storytelling... with a BEAT!! Snap first aired on public radio stations nationwide in July 2010. Today, Snap Judgment airs on over 450 public radio stations and is brought to the airwaves by KQED & PRX.",
"airtime": "SAT 1pm-2pm, 9pm-10pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Snap-Judgment-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Snap Judgment",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://snapjudgment.org",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 4
},
"link": "https://snapjudgment.org",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/snap-judgment/id283657561",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/449018144/snap-judgment",
"stitcher": "https://www.pandora.com/podcast/snap-judgment/PC:241?source=stitcher-sunset",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/3Cct7ZWmxHNAtLgBTqjC5v",
"rss": "https://snap.feed.snapjudgment.org/"
}
},
"soldout": {
"id": "soldout",
"title": "SOLD OUT: Rethinking Housing in America",
"tagline": "A new future for housing",
"info": "Sold Out: Rethinking Housing in America",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Sold-Out-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Sold Out: Rethinking Housing in America",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/soldout",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 13
},
"link": "/podcasts/soldout",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/911586047/s-o-l-d-o-u-t-a-new-future-for-housing",
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/introducing-sold-out-rethinking-housing-in-america/id1531354937",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/soldout",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/38dTBSk2ISFoPiyYNoKn1X",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/sold-out-rethinking-housing-in-america",
"tunein": "https://tunein.com/radio/SOLD-OUT-Rethinking-Housing-in-America-p1365871/"
}
},
"spooked": {
"id": "spooked",
"title": "Spooked",
"tagline": "True-life supernatural stories",
"info": "",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Spooked-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Spooked",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://spookedpodcast.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 7
},
"link": "https://spookedpodcast.org/",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/spooked/id1279361017",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/549547848/snap-judgment-presents-spooked",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/76571Rfl3m7PLJQZKQIGCT",
"rss": "https://feeds.simplecast.com/TBotaapn"
}
},
"tech-nation": {
"id": "tech-nation",
"title": "Tech Nation Radio Podcast",
"info": "Tech Nation is a weekly public radio program, hosted by Dr. Moira Gunn. Founded in 1993, it has grown from a simple interview show to a multi-faceted production, featuring conversations with noted technology and science leaders, and a weekly science and technology-related commentary.",
"airtime": "FRI 10pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Tech-Nation-Radio-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://technation.podomatic.com/",
"meta": {
"site": "science",
"source": "Tech Nation Media"
},
"link": "/radio/program/tech-nation",
"subscribe": {
"rss": "https://technation.podomatic.com/rss2.xml"
}
},
"ted-radio-hour": {
"id": "ted-radio-hour",
"title": "TED Radio Hour",
"info": "The TED Radio Hour is a journey through fascinating ideas, astonishing inventions, fresh approaches to old problems, and new ways to think and create.",
"airtime": "SUN 3pm-4pm, SAT 10pm-11pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/tedRadioHour.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/ted-radio-hour/?showDate=2018-06-22",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/ted-radio-hour",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/8vsS",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=523121474&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/TED-Radio-Hour-p418021/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510298/podcast.xml"
}
},
"thebay": {
"id": "thebay",
"title": "The Bay",
"tagline": "Local news to keep you rooted",
"info": "Host Devin Katayama walks you through the biggest story of the day with reporters and newsmakers.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Bay-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The Bay",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/thebay",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 2
},
"link": "/podcasts/thebay",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-bay/id1350043452",
"amazon": "https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/d800ea4c-7a2c-42f2-b861-edaf78a5db0b/the-bay",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/586725995/the-bay",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/the-bay",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/4BIKBKIujizLHlIlBNaAqQ",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC8259786327"
}
},
"thelatest": {
"id": "thelatest",
"title": "The Latest",
"tagline": "Trusted local news in real time",
"info": "",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/The-Latest-2025-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The Latest",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/thelatest",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 6
},
"link": "/thelatest",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-latest-from-kqed/id1197721799",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/1257949365/the-latest-from-k-q-e-d",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/5KIIXMgM9GTi5AepwOYvIZ?si=bd3053fec7244dba",
"rss": "https://feeds.megaphone.fm/KQINC9137121918"
}
},
"theleap": {
"id": "theleap",
"title": "The Leap",
"tagline": "What if you closed your eyes, and jumped?",
"info": "Stories about people making dramatic, risky changes, told by award-winning public radio reporter Judy Campbell.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Leap-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED The Leap",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/theleap",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 17
},
"link": "/podcasts/theleap",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-leap/id1046668171",
"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/447248267/the-leap",
"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/the-leap",
"spotify": "https://open.spotify.com/show/3sSlVHHzU0ytLwuGs1SD1U",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/programs/the-leap/feed/podcast"
}
},
"the-moth-radio-hour": {
"id": "the-moth-radio-hour",
"title": "The Moth Radio Hour",
"info": "Since its launch in 1997, The Moth has presented thousands of true stories, told live and without notes, to standing-room-only crowds worldwide. Moth storytellers stand alone, under a spotlight, with only a microphone and a roomful of strangers. The storyteller and the audience embark on a high-wire act of shared experience which is both terrifying and exhilarating. Since 2008, The Moth podcast has featured many of our favorite stories told live on Moth stages around the country. For information on all of our programs and live events, visit themoth.org.",
"airtime": "SAT 8pm-9pm and SUN 11am-12pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/theMoth.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://themoth.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "prx"
},
"link": "/radio/program/the-moth-radio-hour",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-moth-podcast/id275699983?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/The-Moth-p273888/",
"rss": "http://feeds.themoth.org/themothpodcast"
}
},
"the-new-yorker-radio-hour": {
"id": "the-new-yorker-radio-hour",
"title": "The New Yorker Radio Hour",
"info": "The New Yorker Radio Hour is a weekly program presented by the magazine's editor, David Remnick, and produced by WNYC Studios and The New Yorker. Each episode features a diverse mix of interviews, profiles, storytelling, and an occasional burst of humor inspired by the magazine, and shaped by its writers, artists, and editors. This isn't a radio version of a magazine, but something all its own, reflecting the rich possibilities of audio storytelling and conversation. Theme music for the show was composed and performed by Merrill Garbus of tUnE-YArDs.",
"airtime": "SAT 10am-11am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-New-Yorker-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/tnyradiohour",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "WNYC"
},
"link": "/radio/program/the-new-yorker-radio-hour",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/id1050430296",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/WNYC-Podcasts/New-Yorker-Radio-Hour-p803804/",
"rss": "https://feeds.feedburner.com/newyorkerradiohour"
}
},
"the-sam-sanders-show": {
"id": "the-sam-sanders-show",
"title": "The Sam Sanders Show",
"info": "One of public radio's most dynamic voices, Sam Sanders helped launch The NPR Politics Podcast and hosted NPR's hit show It's Been A Minute. Now, the award-winning host returns with something brand new, The Sam Sanders Show. Every week, Sam Sanders and friends dig into the culture that shapes our lives: what's driving the biggest trends, how artists really think, and even the memes you can't stop scrolling past. Sam is beloved for his way of unpacking the world and bringing you up close to fresh currents and engaging conversations. The Sam Sanders Show is smart, funny and always a good time.",
"airtime": "FRI 12-1pm AND SAT 11am-12pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/The-Sam-Sanders-Show-Podcast-Tile-400x400-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.kcrw.com/shows/the-sam-sanders-show/latest",
"meta": {
"site": "arts",
"source": "KCRW"
},
"link": "https://www.kcrw.com/shows/the-sam-sanders-show/latest",
"subscribe": {
"rss": "https://feed.cdnstream1.com/zjb/feed/download/ac/28/59/ac28594c-e1d0-4231-8728-61865cdc80e8.xml"
}
},
"the-splendid-table": {
"id": "the-splendid-table",
"title": "The Splendid Table",
"info": "\u003cem>The Splendid Table\u003c/em> hosts our nation's conversations about cooking, sustainability and food culture.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Splendid-Table-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.splendidtable.org/",
"airtime": "SUN 10-11 pm",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/the-splendid-table"
},
"this-american-life": {
"id": "this-american-life",
"title": "This American Life",
"info": "This American Life is a weekly public radio show, heard by 2.2 million people on more than 500 stations. Another 2.5 million people download the weekly podcast. It is hosted by Ira Glass, produced in collaboration with Chicago Public Media, delivered to stations by PRX The Public Radio Exchange, and has won all of the major broadcasting awards.",
"airtime": "SAT 12pm-1pm, 7pm-8pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/thisAmericanLife.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.thisamericanlife.org/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "wbez"
},
"link": "/radio/program/this-american-life",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=201671138&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"rss": "https://www.thisamericanlife.org/podcast/rss.xml"
}
},
"tinydeskradio": {
"id": "tinydeskradio",
"title": "Tiny Desk Radio",
"info": "We're bringing the best of Tiny Desk to the airwaves, only on public radio.",
"airtime": "SUN 8pm and SAT 9pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/300x300-For-Member-Station-Logo-Tiny-Desk-Radio-@2x.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/series/g-s1-52030/tiny-desk-radio",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/tinydeskradio",
"subscribe": {
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/g-s1-52030/rss.xml"
}
},
"wait-wait-dont-tell-me": {
"id": "wait-wait-dont-tell-me",
"title": "Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!",
"info": "Peter Sagal and Bill Kurtis host the weekly NPR News quiz show alongside some of the best and brightest news and entertainment personalities.",
"airtime": "SUN 10am-11am, SAT 11am-12pm, SAT 6pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Wait-Wait-Podcast-Tile-300x300-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/wait-wait-dont-tell-me/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/wait-wait-dont-tell-me",
"subscribe": {
"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/Xogv",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=121493804&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/Wait-Wait-Dont-Tell-Me-p46/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/344098539/podcast.xml"
}
},
"weekend-edition-saturday": {
"id": "weekend-edition-saturday",
"title": "Weekend Edition Saturday",
"info": "Weekend Edition Saturday wraps up the week's news and offers a mix of analysis and features on a wide range of topics, including arts, sports, entertainment, and human interest stories. The two-hour program is hosted by NPR's Peabody Award-winning Scott Simon.",
"airtime": "SAT 5am-10am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Weekend-Edition-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/weekend-edition-saturday/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/weekend-edition-saturday"
},
"weekend-edition-sunday": {
"id": "weekend-edition-sunday",
"title": "Weekend Edition Sunday",
"info": "Weekend Edition Sunday features interviews with newsmakers, artists, scientists, politicians, musicians, writers, theologians and historians. The program has covered news events from Nelson Mandela's 1990 release from a South African prison to the capture of Saddam Hussein.",
"airtime": "SUN 5am-10am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Weekend-Edition-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/weekend-edition-sunday/",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/weekend-edition-sunday"
}
},
"racesReducer": {},
"racesGenElectionReducer": {},
"racesGenElection2026Reducer": {},
"radioSchedulesReducer": {},
"listsReducer": {
"posts/arts?category=theater": {
"isFetching": false,
"latestQuery": {
"from": 0,
"size": 9
},
"vitalsOnly": false,
"totalRequested": 9,
"isLoading": false,
"isLoadingMore": true,
"total": {
"value": 978,
"relation": "eq"
},
"items": [
"arts_13991117",
"arts_13991099",
"arts_13990818",
"arts_13990661",
"arts_13990554",
"arts_13989835",
"arts_13989622",
"arts_13989487",
"arts_13988836"
],
"complete": true
}
},
"recallGuideReducer": {
"intros": {},
"policy": {},
"candidates": {}
},
"savedArticleReducer": {
"articles": [],
"status": {}
},
"newslettersReducer": {
"isFetching": false,
"fetchFailed": false,
"hasFetched": false,
"newsletters": {},
"isSubscribing": false,
"isUnsubscribing": false,
"subscribedNewsletters": {}
},
"termsReducer": {
"about": {
"name": "About",
"type": "terms",
"id": "about",
"slug": "about",
"link": "/about",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"arts": {
"name": "Arts & Culture",
"grouping": [
"arts",
"pop",
"trulyca"
],
"description": "KQED Arts provides daily in-depth coverage of the Bay Area's music, art, film, performing arts, literature and arts news, as well as cultural commentary and criticism.",
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts",
"slug": "arts",
"link": "/arts",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"artschool": {
"name": "Art School",
"parent": "arts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "artschool",
"slug": "artschool",
"link": "/artschool",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"bayareabites": {
"name": "KQED food",
"grouping": [
"food",
"bayareabites",
"checkplease"
],
"parent": "food",
"type": "terms",
"id": "bayareabites",
"slug": "bayareabites",
"link": "/food",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"bayareahiphop": {
"name": "Bay Area Hiphop",
"type": "terms",
"id": "bayareahiphop",
"slug": "bayareahiphop",
"link": "/bayareahiphop",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"campaign21": {
"name": "Campaign 21",
"type": "terms",
"id": "campaign21",
"slug": "campaign21",
"link": "/campaign21",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"careers": {
"name": "Careers",
"type": "terms",
"id": "careers",
"slug": "careers",
"link": "/careers",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"checkplease": {
"name": "KQED food",
"grouping": [
"food",
"bayareabites",
"checkplease"
],
"parent": "food",
"type": "terms",
"id": "checkplease",
"slug": "checkplease",
"link": "/food",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"education": {
"name": "Education",
"grouping": [
"education"
],
"type": "terms",
"id": "education",
"slug": "education",
"link": "/education",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"elections": {
"name": "Elections",
"type": "terms",
"id": "elections",
"slug": "elections",
"link": "/elections",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"events": {
"name": "Events",
"type": "terms",
"id": "events",
"slug": "events",
"link": "/events",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"event": {
"name": "Event",
"alias": "events",
"type": "terms",
"id": "event",
"slug": "event",
"link": "/event",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"filmschoolshorts": {
"name": "Film School Shorts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "filmschoolshorts",
"slug": "filmschoolshorts",
"link": "/filmschoolshorts",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"food": {
"name": "KQED food",
"grouping": [
"food",
"bayareabites",
"checkplease"
],
"type": "terms",
"id": "food",
"slug": "food",
"link": "/food",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"forum": {
"name": "Forum",
"relatedContentQuery": "posts/forum?",
"parent": "news",
"type": "terms",
"id": "forum",
"slug": "forum",
"link": "/forum",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"futureofyou": {
"name": "Future of You",
"grouping": [
"science",
"futureofyou"
],
"parent": "science",
"type": "terms",
"id": "futureofyou",
"slug": "futureofyou",
"link": "/futureofyou",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"jpepinheart": {
"name": "KQED food",
"relatedContentQuery": "posts/food,bayareabites,checkplease",
"parent": "food",
"type": "terms",
"id": "jpepinheart",
"slug": "jpepinheart",
"link": "/food",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"liveblog": {
"name": "Live Blog",
"type": "terms",
"id": "liveblog",
"slug": "liveblog",
"link": "/liveblog",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"livetv": {
"name": "Live TV",
"parent": "tv",
"type": "terms",
"id": "livetv",
"slug": "livetv",
"link": "/livetv",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"lowdown": {
"name": "The Lowdown",
"relatedContentQuery": "posts/lowdown?",
"parent": "news",
"type": "terms",
"id": "lowdown",
"slug": "lowdown",
"link": "/lowdown",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"mindshift": {
"name": "Mindshift",
"parent": "news",
"description": "MindShift explores the future of education by highlighting the innovative – and sometimes counterintuitive – ways educators and parents are helping all children succeed.",
"type": "terms",
"id": "mindshift",
"slug": "mindshift",
"link": "/mindshift",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"news": {
"name": "News",
"grouping": [
"news",
"forum"
],
"type": "terms",
"id": "news",
"slug": "news",
"link": "/news",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"newsletters": {
"name": "newsletters",
"type": "terms",
"id": "newsletters",
"slug": "newsletters",
"link": "/newsletters",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"perspectives": {
"name": "Perspectives",
"parent": "radio",
"type": "terms",
"id": "perspectives",
"slug": "perspectives",
"link": "/perspectives",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"podcasts": {
"name": "Podcasts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "podcasts",
"slug": "podcasts",
"link": "/podcasts",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"pop": {
"name": "Pop",
"parent": "arts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "pop",
"slug": "pop",
"link": "/pop",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"pressroom": {
"name": "Pressroom",
"type": "terms",
"id": "pressroom",
"slug": "pressroom",
"link": "/pressroom",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"quest": {
"name": "Quest",
"parent": "science",
"type": "terms",
"id": "quest",
"slug": "quest",
"link": "/quest",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"radio": {
"name": "Radio",
"grouping": [
"forum",
"perspectives"
],
"description": "Listen to KQED Public Radio – home of Forum and The California Report – on 88.5 FM in San Francisco, 89.3 FM in Sacramento, 88.3 FM in Santa Rosa and 88.1 FM in Martinez.",
"type": "terms",
"id": "radio",
"slug": "radio",
"link": "/radio",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"root": {
"name": "KQED",
"image": "https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/2020/02/KQED-OG-Image@1x.png",
"imageWidth": 1200,
"imageHeight": 630,
"headData": {
"title": "KQED | News, Radio, Podcasts, TV | Public Media for Northern California",
"description": "KQED provides public radio, television, and independent reporting on issues that matter to the Bay Area. We’re the NPR and PBS member station for Northern California."
},
"type": "terms",
"id": "root",
"slug": "root",
"link": "/root",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"science": {
"name": "Science",
"grouping": [
"science",
"futureofyou"
],
"description": "KQED Science brings you award-winning science and environment coverage from the Bay Area and beyond.",
"type": "terms",
"id": "science",
"slug": "science",
"link": "/science",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"stateofhealth": {
"name": "State of Health",
"parent": "science",
"type": "terms",
"id": "stateofhealth",
"slug": "stateofhealth",
"link": "/stateofhealth",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"support": {
"name": "Support",
"type": "terms",
"id": "support",
"slug": "support",
"link": "/support",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"thedolist": {
"name": "The Do List",
"parent": "arts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "thedolist",
"slug": "thedolist",
"link": "/thedolist",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"trulyca": {
"name": "Truly CA",
"grouping": [
"arts",
"pop",
"trulyca"
],
"parent": "arts",
"type": "terms",
"id": "trulyca",
"slug": "trulyca",
"link": "/trulyca",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"tv": {
"name": "TV",
"type": "terms",
"id": "tv",
"slug": "tv",
"link": "/tv",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"voterguide": {
"name": "Voter Guide",
"parent": "elections",
"alias": "elections",
"type": "terms",
"id": "voterguide",
"slug": "voterguide",
"link": "/voterguide",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"guiaelectoral": {
"name": "Guia Electoral",
"parent": "elections",
"alias": "elections",
"type": "terms",
"id": "guiaelectoral",
"slug": "guiaelectoral",
"link": "/guiaelectoral",
"taxonomy": "site"
},
"arts_category_theater": {
"isLoading": true
},
"arts_967": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_967",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "967",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Theater",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Theater Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 985,
"slug": "theater",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/category/theater"
},
"source_arts_13991117": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_arts_13991117",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "The Do List",
"link": "https://www.kqed.org/thedolist",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_arts_13991099": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_arts_13991099",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "The Do List",
"link": "https://www.kqed.org/thedolist",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_arts_13990818": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_arts_13990818",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "The Do List",
"link": "https://www.kqed.org/thedolist",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_arts_13990554": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_arts_13990554",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "The Do List",
"link": "https://www.kqed.org/thedolist",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_arts_13989487": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_arts_13989487",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "Summer Guide 2026 ",
"link": "https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/summer-guide-2026",
"isLoading": false
},
"source_arts_13988836": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "source_arts_13988836",
"meta": {
"override": true
},
"name": "The Do List",
"link": "https://www.kqed.org/thedolist",
"isLoading": false
},
"arts_140": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_140",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "140",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "The Do List",
"slug": "the-do-list",
"taxonomy": "program",
"description": null,
"featImg": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2015/11/The-Do-LIst-logo-2014-horizontal-015.png",
"headData": {
"title": "The Do List Archives | KQED Arts",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 141,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/program/the-do-list"
},
"arts_1": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_1",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "1",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Arts",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Arts Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1,
"slug": "arts",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/category/arts"
},
"arts_22313": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_22313",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "22313",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "The Do List",
"slug": "the-do-list",
"taxonomy": "category",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "The Do List | KQED Arts",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 22325,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/category/the-do-list"
},
"arts_1270": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_1270",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "1270",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Berkeley",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Berkeley Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1282,
"slug": "berkeley",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/berkeley"
},
"arts_1237": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_1237",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "1237",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Berkeley Rep",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Berkeley Rep Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1249,
"slug": "berkeley-rep",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/berkeley-rep"
},
"arts_10278": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_10278",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "10278",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "featured-arts",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "featured-arts Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 10290,
"slug": "featured-arts",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/featured-arts"
},
"arts_13825": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_13825",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "13825",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "musicals",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "musicals Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 13837,
"slug": "musicals",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/musicals"
},
"arts_769": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_769",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "769",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "review",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "review Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 787,
"slug": "review",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/review"
},
"arts_16152": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_16152",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "16152",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "South Asian",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "South Asian Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 16164,
"slug": "south-asian",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/south-asian"
},
"arts_21866": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_21866",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "21866",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Arts and Culture",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Arts and Culture Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 21878,
"slug": "arts-and-culture",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/interest/arts-and-culture"
},
"arts_21872": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_21872",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "21872",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Berkeley",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Berkeley Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 21884,
"slug": "berkeley",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/interest/berkeley"
},
"arts_21879": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_21879",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "21879",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Entertainment",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Entertainment Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 21891,
"slug": "entertainment",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/interest/entertainment"
},
"arts_21870": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_21870",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "21870",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Events",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Events Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 21882,
"slug": "events",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/interest/events"
},
"arts_21783": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_21783",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "21783",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "Golden Thread Productions",
"slug": "golden-thread-productions",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "Golden Thread Productions | KQED Arts",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 21795,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/golden-thread-productions"
},
"arts_1773": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_1773",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "1773",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "immigration",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "immigration Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1785,
"slug": "immigration",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/immigration"
},
"arts_21762": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_21762",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "21762",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Islam",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Islam Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 21774,
"slug": "islam",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/islam"
},
"arts_1146": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_1146",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "1146",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "San Francisco",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "San Francisco Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 701,
"slug": "san-francisco",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/san-francisco"
},
"arts_22052": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_22052",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "22052",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "sfbatco",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "sfbatco Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 22064,
"slug": "sfbatco",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/sfbatco"
},
"arts_585": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_585",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "585",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "thedolist",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "thedolist Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 590,
"slug": "thedolist",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/thedolist"
},
"arts_21859": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_21859",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "21859",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "San Francisco",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "San Francisco Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 21871,
"slug": "san-francisco",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/interest/san-francisco"
},
"arts_3226": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_3226",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "3226",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "LGBTQ+",
"slug": "lgbtq",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "LGBTQ+ | KQED Arts",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 3238,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/lgbtq"
},
"arts_5158": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_5158",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "5158",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "Pride",
"slug": "pride",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "Pride | KQED Arts",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 5170,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/pride"
},
"arts_21925": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_21925",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "21925",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "Aurora Theatre",
"slug": "aurora-theatre",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "Aurora Theatre | KQED Arts",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 21937,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/aurora-theatre"
},
"arts_1072": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_1072",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "1072",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "theater",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "theater Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1089,
"slug": "theater",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/theater"
},
"arts_69": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_69",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "69",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Music",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Music Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 70,
"slug": "music",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/category/music"
},
"arts_1312": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_1312",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "1312",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "classical music",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"socialTitle": "From Symphony Hall to Hidden Gems: Bay Area's Classical Music Stories",
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": "Immerse yourself in the Bay Area's rich classical music world! KQED brings you news, educational resources, and event listings.",
"metaRobotsNoIndex": "index",
"title": "From Symphony Hall to Hidden Gems: Bay Area's Classical Music Stories",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1324,
"slug": "classical-music",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/classical-music"
},
"arts_1071": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_1071",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "1071",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "San Francisco Opera",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "San Francisco Opera Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1088,
"slug": "san-francisco-opera",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/san-francisco-opera"
},
"arts_3316": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_3316",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "3316",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "SF Opera",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "SF Opera Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 3328,
"slug": "sf-opera",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/sf-opera"
},
"arts_22171": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_22171",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "22171",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "war memorial opera house",
"slug": "war-memorial-opera-house",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "war memorial opera house Archives | KQED Arts",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 22183,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/war-memorial-opera-house"
},
"arts_1556": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_1556",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "1556",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "drag",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "drag Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1568,
"slug": "drag",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/drag"
},
"arts_1143": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_1143",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "1143",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Oakland",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Oakland Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 692,
"slug": "oakland",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/oakland"
},
"arts_22152": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_22152",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "22152",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Oaklash",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Oaklash Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 22164,
"slug": "oaklash",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/oaklash"
},
"arts_21860": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_21860",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "21860",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Oakland",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "interest",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "Oakland Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 21872,
"slug": "oakland",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/interest/oakland"
},
"arts_235": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_235",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "235",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "News",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "category",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "News Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 236,
"slug": "news",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/category/news"
},
"arts_22185": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_22185",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "22185",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "affordability",
"slug": "affordability",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "affordability Archives | KQED Arts",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 22197,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/affordability"
},
"arts_21742": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_21742",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "21742",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "audience-news",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "audience-news Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 21754,
"slug": "audience-news",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/audience-news"
},
"arts_22642": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_22642",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "22642",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "Bay Area Summer Guide 2026",
"slug": "summer-guide-2026",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": "Browse our 2026 Bay Area summer guides, including:\r\n\u003cul>\r\n \t\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13989330/bay-area-oakland-san-francisco-napa-music-festivals-summer-2026\">Best music festivals\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\r\n \t\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13989487/best-plays-musicals-bay-area-oakland-san-francisco-berkeley-2026\">Best plays and musicals\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\r\n \t\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13989193/visual-art-summer-guide-2026-museum-gallery-shows\">Best museum and gallery shows\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\r\n \t\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13989602/free-concerts-bay-area-summer-best\">Best free concerts\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\r\n\u003c/ul>\r\nSee below for even more ways to enjoy and enrich your summer.",
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "Bay Area Summer Guide 2026 | KQED Arts",
"description": "Find the best concerts, festivals, plays, art exhibits, film screenings and more this summer in the Bay Area.",
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 22654,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/summer-guide-2026"
},
"arts_22586": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_22586",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "22586",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "concerts",
"slug": "concerts",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "concerts | KQED Arts",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 22598,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/concerts"
},
"arts_22646": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_22646",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "22646",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "parking",
"slug": "parking",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "parking | KQED Arts",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 22658,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/parking"
},
"arts_22644": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_22644",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "22644",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"name": "Marin Shakes",
"slug": "marin-shakes",
"taxonomy": "tag",
"description": null,
"featImg": null,
"headData": {
"title": "Marin Shakes | KQED Arts",
"description": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogDescription": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"twDescription": null,
"twImgId": null
},
"ttid": 22656,
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/marin-shakes"
},
"arts_21781": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_21781",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "21781",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "oakland theater project",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "oakland theater project Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 21793,
"slug": "oakland-theater-project",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/oakland-theater-project"
},
"arts_2295": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_2295",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "2295",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "sf playhouse",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "sf playhouse Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 2307,
"slug": "sf-playhouse",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/sf-playhouse"
},
"arts_2360": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_2360",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "2360",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "Shotgun Players",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"socialTitle": "Experience Raw & Daring Theatre: Shotgun Players, Berkeley's Gem",
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": "Dive into the electrifying world of Shotgun Players, Berkeley's acclaimed theatre company. Discover immersive productions & intimate experiences.",
"metaRobotsNoIndex": "index",
"title": "Experience Raw & Daring Theatre: Shotgun Players, Berkeley's Gem",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 2372,
"slug": "shotgun-players",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/shotgun-players"
},
"arts_1815": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_1815",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "1815",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "theatreworks silicon valley",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "theatreworks silicon valley Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1827,
"slug": "theatreworks-silicon-valley",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/theatreworks-silicon-valley"
},
"arts_1238": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_1238",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "1238",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "ACT",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "ACT Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1250,
"slug": "act",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/act"
},
"arts_1175": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_1175",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "1175",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "American Conservatory Theater",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "American Conservatory Theater Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 1187,
"slug": "american-conservatory-theater",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/american-conservatory-theater"
},
"arts_2087": {
"type": "terms",
"id": "arts_2087",
"meta": {
"index": "terms_1716263798",
"site": "arts",
"id": "2087",
"found": true
},
"relationships": {},
"featImg": null,
"name": "shakespeare",
"description": null,
"taxonomy": "tag",
"headData": {
"twImgId": null,
"twTitle": null,
"ogTitle": null,
"ogImgId": null,
"twDescription": null,
"description": null,
"title": "shakespeare Archives | KQED Arts",
"ogDescription": null
},
"ttid": 2099,
"slug": "shakespeare",
"isLoading": false,
"link": "/arts/tag/shakespeare"
}
},
"userPermissionsReducer": {
"wpLoggedIn": false
},
"eventsReducer": {},
"fssReducer": {},
"tvDailyScheduleReducer": {},
"tvWeeklyScheduleReducer": {},
"tvPrimetimeScheduleReducer": {},
"tvMonthlyScheduleReducer": {},
"userAccountReducer": {
"user": {
"email": null,
"emailStatus": "EMAIL_UNVALIDATED",
"loggedStatus": "LOGGED_OUT",
"loggingChecked": false,
"articles": [],
"firstName": null,
"lastName": null,
"phoneNumber": null,
"fetchingMembership": false,
"membershipError": false,
"memberships": [
{
"id": null,
"startDate": null,
"firstName": null,
"lastName": null,
"familyNumber": null,
"memberNumber": null,
"memberSince": null,
"expirationDate": null,
"pfsEligible": false,
"isSustaining": false,
"membershipLevel": "Prospect",
"membershipStatus": "Non Member",
"lastGiftDate": null,
"renewalDate": null,
"lastDonationAmount": null
}
]
},
"authModal": {
"isOpen": false,
"view": "LANDING_VIEW"
},
"error": null
},
"youthMediaReducer": {},
"checkPleaseReducer": {
"filterData": {
"region": {
"key": "Restaurant Region",
"filters": [
"Any Region"
]
},
"cuisine": {
"key": "Restaurant Cuisine",
"filters": [
"Any Cuisine"
]
}
},
"restaurantDataById": {},
"restaurantIdsSorted": [],
"error": null
},
"userAgentReducer": {
"userAgent": "Mozilla/5.0 AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko; compatible; ClaudeBot/1.0; +claudebot@anthropic.com)",
"isBot": true
}
}
