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"content": "\u003cp>When Dashiell Hammett wrote his great San Francisco noir \u003cem>The Maltese Falcon\u003c/em>, he drew upon his deep knowledge of the City to imbue it with ruthless realism and site-specific detail. Even today you can walk in Hammett’s footsteps from the Tenderloin to downtown, and glimpse traces of the City as it was, a character as integral to the plot of the novel as Sam Spade.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In Christopher Chen’s new play \u003ca href=\"https://www.act-sf.org/whats-on/202223-season/the-headlands/\">\u003cem>The Headlands\u003c/em>\u003c/a> — a family drama with a murder mystery at its heart — San Francisco similarly plays a starring role. It is no mere backdrop to the narrative, but an active participant in it. [aside postid='arts_13923665']\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A born-and-raised San Franciscan, Chen meticulously uncovers parts of the City little referenced in the guidebooks and travelogues. His protagonist Henry (Phil Wong), a self-described “amateur sleuth,” traverses a landscape hauntingly familiar to longtime residents: a childhood spent in a stucco-clad, single-family home in the Outer Sunset, followed by a tech job and condo on the Embarcadero (“I’m part of the problem,” Henry admits sheepishly). In flashbacks, his parents meet-cute on an overgrown overlook in Land’s End and canoodle at the base of Coit Tower. His father George (Johnny M. Wu) attempts to bond with a young Henry by taking him on hikes in the Marin Headlands, where they can look across the water and see the City basking in its own self-referential glow.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But just as San Francisco provides a picturesque container for Henry’s fonder memories, it also delivers the fog which obfuscates their uncomfortable truths. As an adult, Henry is only beginning to discover these truths, secrets contained within the low-voiced half conversations around the kitchen table: the quiet melancholy of his father looking out of the window at night. The abiding mystery of his death by gunshot, a violence that shocked their insular community. A mystery now decades-old — and no closer to being solved than it was on the first day his body was discovered. [aside postid='arts_13925249']\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Tautly directed by A.C.T.’s artistic director Pam MacKinnon, \u003cem>The Headlands\u003c/em> reveals itself sedately, bit by tantalizing bit. Alexander V. Nichols’ set is deceptively simple, an almost aggressively blank wall that cleverly morphs into the interiors and exteriors of a series of iconic San Francisco homes, streetscapes and hilltops, thanks to a few choice furnishings and a series of well-executed projections. This is a quintessential Christopher Chen play: an homage to Noir — but with fewer fedoras and more earnest heartache. It’s a labyrinth of unexpected twists and contradictory perspectives that keep you guessing until the very end.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a satisfying demonstration of restraint, Chen’s characters say as much with their silences as most might with a loquacious monologue. In one scene, Henry and his girlfriend Jess (Sam Jackson) conduct a lengthy disagreement primarily through their nervous tics: a jiggling foot, an avoidance of eye contact, an anxious swallow of beer. In another, George stands silently at the aforementioned window, reduced to a shadow, trapped in what his wife, Leena, later describes as “despair.” He’s an unknowable cipher to his son, then and now.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13925297\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/02/HED_052.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13925297\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/02/HED_052-800x532.jpg\" alt=\"three people on a stage, an Asian man, a Black woman and an older Asian woman, smiling at each other as they sit\" width=\"800\" height=\"532\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/02/HED_052-800x532.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/02/HED_052-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/02/HED_052-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/02/HED_052-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/02/HED_052-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/02/HED_052-2048x1363.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/02/HED_052-1920x1278.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Phil Wong (Henry), Sam Jackson (Jess) and Keiko Shimosato Carreiro (Older Leena) in the West\u003cbr>Coast premiere of Christopher Chen’s ‘The Headlands.’ \u003ccite>(Kevin Berne)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>It’s Leena — played younger by Erin Mei-Ling Stuart and older by Keiko Shimosato Carreiro — who provides the first essential clues for Henry’s quest to learn more about his father’s unexplained death. It may be his watchful, silent father at the window around which Henry builds his first vague hypotheses, but it’s the ellipses between his mother’s often quotidian conversations that conceal the most.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Watching Stuart and Carreiro trade this role back and forth throughout the play is especially enjoyable. They both so skillfully bring complementary facets of Leena to life that she becomes by far the most fully-realized character in the play. It’s a characterization that deepens with every revelation, surfaced behind the mischievous grin of a young woman falling in love, the wounded eyes of a grieving mother, the offhand remark of a widow at dinner. [aside postid='arts_13925067']\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While Leena frequently wears her heart on her sleeve, Henry struggles to identify his own complicated emotions surrounding his family history and his place within it. As Henry, Wong vacillates between emulating the stillness of Wu’s father figure and Stuart’s ebullience — a delicate balance. As the mysterious Tom, A.C.T. regular Jomar Tagatac imbues his unpredictable role with the most menace. But no character is more menacing than the troubling void at the heart of this whodunit — a void that each character attempts to fill with their own particular spin, never quite landing on a unified version of the narrative.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Theater-goers looking for the full genre experience of a ham-fisted, hard-boiled pulp fiction replete with fast cars, faster romance and impenetrable lingo may find the chilly environs of \u003cem>The Headlands\u003c/em> not quite to their taste. But for those of us who revel in our own secret San Franciscos — internal terrains of beloved sandwich shops, local breweries and breathtaking vistas — spending time investigating Christopher Chen’s through his precise playwriting is a pleasure.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-12127869\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"78\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-768x75.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.act-sf.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">‘The Headlands’ plays at A.C.T.\u003c/a> through March 5. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a satisfying demonstration of restraint, Chen’s characters say as much with their silences as most might with a loquacious monologue. In one scene, Henry and his girlfriend Jess (Sam Jackson) conduct a lengthy disagreement primarily through their nervous tics: a jiggling foot, an avoidance of eye contact, an anxious swallow of beer. In another, George stands silently at the aforementioned window, reduced to a shadow, trapped in what his wife, Leena, later describes as “despair.” He’s an unknowable cipher to his son, then and now.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13925297\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003ca href=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/02/HED_052.jpg\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13925297\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2023/02/HED_052-800x532.jpg\" alt=\"three people on a stage, an Asian man, a Black woman and an older Asian woman, smiling at each other as they sit\" width=\"800\" height=\"532\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/02/HED_052-800x532.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/02/HED_052-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/02/HED_052-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/02/HED_052-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/02/HED_052-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/02/HED_052-2048x1363.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/02/HED_052-1920x1278.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/a>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Phil Wong (Henry), Sam Jackson (Jess) and Keiko Shimosato Carreiro (Older Leena) in the West\u003cbr>Coast premiere of Christopher Chen’s ‘The Headlands.’ \u003ccite>(Kevin Berne)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>It’s Leena — played younger by Erin Mei-Ling Stuart and older by Keiko Shimosato Carreiro — who provides the first essential clues for Henry’s quest to learn more about his father’s unexplained death. It may be his watchful, silent father at the window around which Henry builds his first vague hypotheses, but it’s the ellipses between his mother’s often quotidian conversations that conceal the most.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Watching Stuart and Carreiro trade this role back and forth throughout the play is especially enjoyable. They both so skillfully bring complementary facets of Leena to life that she becomes by far the most fully-realized character in the play. It’s a characterization that deepens with every revelation, surfaced behind the mischievous grin of a young woman falling in love, the wounded eyes of a grieving mother, the offhand remark of a widow at dinner. \u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While Leena frequently wears her heart on her sleeve, Henry struggles to identify his own complicated emotions surrounding his family history and his place within it. As Henry, Wong vacillates between emulating the stillness of Wu’s father figure and Stuart’s ebullience — a delicate balance. As the mysterious Tom, A.C.T. regular Jomar Tagatac imbues his unpredictable role with the most menace. But no character is more menacing than the troubling void at the heart of this whodunit — a void that each character attempts to fill with their own particular spin, never quite landing on a unified version of the narrative.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Theater-goers looking for the full genre experience of a ham-fisted, hard-boiled pulp fiction replete with fast cars, faster romance and impenetrable lingo may find the chilly environs of \u003cem>The Headlands\u003c/em> not quite to their taste. But for those of us who revel in our own secret San Franciscos — internal terrains of beloved sandwich shops, local breweries and breathtaking vistas — spending time investigating Christopher Chen’s through his precise playwriting is a pleasure.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-12127869\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"78\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-768x75.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.act-sf.org/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">‘The Headlands’ plays at A.C.T.\u003c/a> through March 5. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "The Geary Theater Has a New Name: The Toni Rembe Theater",
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"content": "\u003cp>San Francisco’s Geary Theater is getting a new name.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The theater, built in 1910 as the Columbia Theater, will be renamed the Toni Rembe Theater, after the San Francisco philanthropist.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.), which operates the building, made the announcement on Monday. The renaming is “in recognition of a $35 million gift from an anonymous donor,” the largest single gift in A.C.T.’s history.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The funds provided are transformational for the future of American Conservatory Theater and the impact of our programming throughout the San Francisco Bay Area,” A.C.T. Executive Director Jennifer Bielstein said in a statement. “Toni is a role model, and we are honored to recognize her in such a deserving and significant way.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A.C.T. has made the theater at 415 Geary Street its home since 1967. In 1989, the theater suffered major damage from the Loma Prieta earthquake, requiring a $28.5 million restoration.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13919301\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 600px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13919301\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/09/9e2af0cc-6f4a-0d8d-2869-55ff3e90f438.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"900\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Banners along the facade of the former Geary Theater announce the building’s new name. \u003ccite>(Kevin Berne / A.C.T.)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The renaming of the Geary Theater follows other high-profile venue name changes in San Francisco, such as the 2019 renaming of the Giants’ ballpark, previously known as AT&T Park, to Oracle Park. Other renamings are not so corporate, including a 2018 renaming of the Nourse Auditorium, home to City Arts & Lectures. That theater is now known as the Sydney Goldstein Theater, in honor of City Arts & Lectures’ late founder.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pam MacKinnon, A.C.T.’s artistic director, said in a statement: “Toni Rembe has been central to the health and wellbeing of the Bay Area theater scene. Her wide-ranging artistic taste and appreciation of artists and the special act of audiences coming together for a story make her a true theater lover.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Rembe, president of the van Lӧben Sels/Rembe Rock Foundation, has served on A.C.T.’s Board of Trustees for over 20 years. She is a past president and chair of A.C.T.’s board, a past president of the Commonwealth Club, and a a retired partner at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"title": "The Geary Theater Has a New Name: The Toni Rembe Theater | KQED",
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"headline": "The Geary Theater Has a New Name: The Toni Rembe Theater",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>San Francisco’s Geary Theater is getting a new name.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The theater, built in 1910 as the Columbia Theater, will be renamed the Toni Rembe Theater, after the San Francisco philanthropist.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.), which operates the building, made the announcement on Monday. The renaming is “in recognition of a $35 million gift from an anonymous donor,” the largest single gift in A.C.T.’s history.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The funds provided are transformational for the future of American Conservatory Theater and the impact of our programming throughout the San Francisco Bay Area,” A.C.T. Executive Director Jennifer Bielstein said in a statement. “Toni is a role model, and we are honored to recognize her in such a deserving and significant way.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A.C.T. has made the theater at 415 Geary Street its home since 1967. In 1989, the theater suffered major damage from the Loma Prieta earthquake, requiring a $28.5 million restoration.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13919301\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 600px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13919301\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/09/9e2af0cc-6f4a-0d8d-2869-55ff3e90f438.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"900\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Banners along the facade of the former Geary Theater announce the building’s new name. \u003ccite>(Kevin Berne / A.C.T.)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The renaming of the Geary Theater follows other high-profile venue name changes in San Francisco, such as the 2019 renaming of the Giants’ ballpark, previously known as AT&T Park, to Oracle Park. Other renamings are not so corporate, including a 2018 renaming of the Nourse Auditorium, home to City Arts & Lectures. That theater is now known as the Sydney Goldstein Theater, in honor of City Arts & Lectures’ late founder.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pam MacKinnon, A.C.T.’s artistic director, said in a statement: “Toni Rembe has been central to the health and wellbeing of the Bay Area theater scene. Her wide-ranging artistic taste and appreciation of artists and the special act of audiences coming together for a story make her a true theater lover.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Rembe, president of the van Lӧben Sels/Rembe Rock Foundation, has served on A.C.T.’s Board of Trustees for over 20 years. She is a past president and chair of A.C.T.’s board, a past president of the Commonwealth Club, and a a retired partner at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "With 'Fefu and Her Friends,' ACT Throws an Exhilarating, Challenging Affair",
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"content": "\u003cp>Parties can be quite challenging experiences depending on why you’re there and who else shows up. Some parties are emphatically casual affairs: loose assemblages of friends and acquaintances who gather periodically to reaffirm their connection over a few rounds. But some parties have higher stakes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In \u003cem>Fefu and Her Friends\u003c/em>, written in 1977 by María Irene Fornés, part of the experience is determining what kind of party you’ve inadvertently stumbled into, and what, eventually, you’ll gain by being there.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13911730\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13911730\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/04/FefuAndHerFriends_LivingRoom_photocredit_KevinBerne-800x532.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"532\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/04/FefuAndHerFriends_LivingRoom_photocredit_KevinBerne-800x532.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/04/FefuAndHerFriends_LivingRoom_photocredit_KevinBerne-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/04/FefuAndHerFriends_LivingRoom_photocredit_KevinBerne-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/04/FefuAndHerFriends_LivingRoom_photocredit_KevinBerne-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/04/FefuAndHerFriends_LivingRoom_photocredit_KevinBerne-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/04/FefuAndHerFriends_LivingRoom_photocredit_KevinBerne-1920x1278.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/04/FefuAndHerFriends_LivingRoom_photocredit_KevinBerne.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Emma (Cindy Goldfield) practices her fundraising speech for the ensemble as Fefu (Catherine Castellanos) looks on in ‘Fefu and Her Friends’ by María Irene Fornés. \u003ccite>(Kevin Berne)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In A.C.T.’s version, running through May 1 at the Strand Theater, and directed by Pam MacKinnon, the party is slow to build. Guests appear in staggered succession, wandering into Fefu’s lavishly appointed living room and helping themselves from her bar cart (scenic design by Tanya Orellana, props by Janice Garten). Fefu, played by Catherine Castellanos, busies herself with fidgety tasks, from arranging flowers to fixing her toilet.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Fefu is the kind of host who can make or break a party just by being herself. Her energy is at turns nervous and imperious. She keeps her guests on edge by acting unpredictably and dominating the conversation even as she confesses privately, in a moment of unexpected fragility, that she is in “constant pain.” Her outfit—a riot of clashing patterns designed by Sarita Fellow—underscores the unquiet machinery of her mind. She seems always two steps ahead of her guests, who scramble to keep up even as they might recoil from her methods.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It takes breaking the audience and the ensemble up into smaller groups who literally disperse themselves throughout the building to break free from the magnetic pull of Fefu’s dominance. From the intimate confines of the top floor Rueff performance space to the ground floor lobby, the action and the audience travel from room to room, eavesdropping on the conversations that occur between Fefu’s guests when she’s out of earshot and cannot judge their words.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13911729\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13911729\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/04/FefuAndHerFriends_SaritaOcon_JenniferIkeda_photocredit_KevinBerne-800x532.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"532\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/04/FefuAndHerFriends_SaritaOcon_JenniferIkeda_photocredit_KevinBerne-800x532.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/04/FefuAndHerFriends_SaritaOcon_JenniferIkeda_photocredit_KevinBerne-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/04/FefuAndHerFriends_SaritaOcon_JenniferIkeda_photocredit_KevinBerne-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/04/FefuAndHerFriends_SaritaOcon_JenniferIkeda_photocredit_KevinBerne.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jennifer Ikeda and Sarita Ocón read quietly in the Rueff performance space during ‘Fefu and Her Friends’ at A.C.T. \u003ccite>(Kevin Berne)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Reading together in a quiet room, Cindy (Jennifer Ikeda) and Christina (Sarita Ocón) discuss the world’s dangers, of which Fefu is just one. In the kitchen, Paula (Stacy Ross) and Sue (Leontyne Mbele-Mbong) parse out an elaborate equation for failed love, a conversation unexpectedly disrupted by the entrance of Paula’s former lover Cecilia (Marga Gomez), all rakish charm and self-possession.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, alone in a dim bedroom, Julia (Lisa Anne Porter) converses alone with the violent hallucinations that threaten her sanity. Visibly traumatized by her visions, she speaks ominously of the heaviness of her own entrails, and the impossible standards of womanhood as determined by men.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Of all the guests, Julia is both the biggest threat to Fefu’s need to control her environment, as well as the most affected. When Julia declares her hallucinations to be “contagious” Fefu unexpectedly agrees with her, and even appears to suffer a hallucination involving Julia on her own. If Castellanos as Fefu embodies the crackling energy of a “live wire,” Porter as Julia represents an actual hazard—both as a sufferer and as a conduit. In her solo scene she lies on her bed surrounded by a circle of watchful audience, as if on display. Resembling, in effect, a precious work of art—or a corpse.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13911731\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13911731 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/04/FefuAndHerFriends_GardenScene_photocredit_KevinBerne-800x532.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"532\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/04/FefuAndHerFriends_GardenScene_photocredit_KevinBerne-800x532.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/04/FefuAndHerFriends_GardenScene_photocredit_KevinBerne-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/04/FefuAndHerFriends_GardenScene_photocredit_KevinBerne-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/04/FefuAndHerFriends_GardenScene_photocredit_KevinBerne.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The audience watches a scene from ‘Fefu and Her Friends.’ \u003ccite>(Kevin Berne)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Producing this little-staged classic of experimental theater gives A.C.T. a chance to stretch its artistic muscles in some exhilarating directions, interrogating the feminine experience directly through the entrails, the genitals, and all of the messy, complicated, “revolting” bits that would normally remain unnoticed or at least unremarked upon. At the same time, it’s a production that reveals the layers of artifice typical to the stage and lays them out in the open.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As an attempt at experiential theater goes, A.C.T.’s \u003cem>Fefu \u003c/em>is not without some stylistic missteps and dropped beats. But the overall ambience is very much that of a party full of big personalities impossible to tear your attention away from, even as you wait quietly in the corner to witness their inevitable meltdowns.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A.C.T.’s \u003cem>Fefu and Her Friends\u003c/em> invites its audience to consider the intricacies of how society is mirrored through even the most banal social interactions—a reminder of the ways in which we live within a complex Venn diagram of overlapping worlds and contradictory norms. This won’t be the kind of party you walk away from with a new best friend, or even a plate of leftovers for the road. But with its powerhouse cast (and a superlative playlist compiled by sound designer Jake Rodriguez) it’s a party you won’t soon forget. Despite—or perhaps because of—the discomfort it provokes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-12904247\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"39\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-160x16.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-240x23.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-375x37.jpg 375w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘Fefu and Her Friends’ plays through May 1 at the Strand Theater in San Francisco. \u003ca href=\"https://www.act-sf.org/whats-on/20202122-season/fefu-and-her-friends/\">Details here.\u003c/a>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Parties can be quite challenging experiences depending on why you’re there and who else shows up. Some parties are emphatically casual affairs: loose assemblages of friends and acquaintances who gather periodically to reaffirm their connection over a few rounds. But some parties have higher stakes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In \u003cem>Fefu and Her Friends\u003c/em>, written in 1977 by María Irene Fornés, part of the experience is determining what kind of party you’ve inadvertently stumbled into, and what, eventually, you’ll gain by being there.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13911730\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13911730\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/04/FefuAndHerFriends_LivingRoom_photocredit_KevinBerne-800x532.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"532\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/04/FefuAndHerFriends_LivingRoom_photocredit_KevinBerne-800x532.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/04/FefuAndHerFriends_LivingRoom_photocredit_KevinBerne-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/04/FefuAndHerFriends_LivingRoom_photocredit_KevinBerne-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/04/FefuAndHerFriends_LivingRoom_photocredit_KevinBerne-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/04/FefuAndHerFriends_LivingRoom_photocredit_KevinBerne-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/04/FefuAndHerFriends_LivingRoom_photocredit_KevinBerne-1920x1278.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/04/FefuAndHerFriends_LivingRoom_photocredit_KevinBerne.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Emma (Cindy Goldfield) practices her fundraising speech for the ensemble as Fefu (Catherine Castellanos) looks on in ‘Fefu and Her Friends’ by María Irene Fornés. \u003ccite>(Kevin Berne)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In A.C.T.’s version, running through May 1 at the Strand Theater, and directed by Pam MacKinnon, the party is slow to build. Guests appear in staggered succession, wandering into Fefu’s lavishly appointed living room and helping themselves from her bar cart (scenic design by Tanya Orellana, props by Janice Garten). Fefu, played by Catherine Castellanos, busies herself with fidgety tasks, from arranging flowers to fixing her toilet.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Fefu is the kind of host who can make or break a party just by being herself. Her energy is at turns nervous and imperious. She keeps her guests on edge by acting unpredictably and dominating the conversation even as she confesses privately, in a moment of unexpected fragility, that she is in “constant pain.” Her outfit—a riot of clashing patterns designed by Sarita Fellow—underscores the unquiet machinery of her mind. She seems always two steps ahead of her guests, who scramble to keep up even as they might recoil from her methods.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It takes breaking the audience and the ensemble up into smaller groups who literally disperse themselves throughout the building to break free from the magnetic pull of Fefu’s dominance. From the intimate confines of the top floor Rueff performance space to the ground floor lobby, the action and the audience travel from room to room, eavesdropping on the conversations that occur between Fefu’s guests when she’s out of earshot and cannot judge their words.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13911729\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13911729\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/04/FefuAndHerFriends_SaritaOcon_JenniferIkeda_photocredit_KevinBerne-800x532.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"532\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/04/FefuAndHerFriends_SaritaOcon_JenniferIkeda_photocredit_KevinBerne-800x532.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/04/FefuAndHerFriends_SaritaOcon_JenniferIkeda_photocredit_KevinBerne-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/04/FefuAndHerFriends_SaritaOcon_JenniferIkeda_photocredit_KevinBerne-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/04/FefuAndHerFriends_SaritaOcon_JenniferIkeda_photocredit_KevinBerne.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jennifer Ikeda and Sarita Ocón read quietly in the Rueff performance space during ‘Fefu and Her Friends’ at A.C.T. \u003ccite>(Kevin Berne)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Reading together in a quiet room, Cindy (Jennifer Ikeda) and Christina (Sarita Ocón) discuss the world’s dangers, of which Fefu is just one. In the kitchen, Paula (Stacy Ross) and Sue (Leontyne Mbele-Mbong) parse out an elaborate equation for failed love, a conversation unexpectedly disrupted by the entrance of Paula’s former lover Cecilia (Marga Gomez), all rakish charm and self-possession.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, alone in a dim bedroom, Julia (Lisa Anne Porter) converses alone with the violent hallucinations that threaten her sanity. Visibly traumatized by her visions, she speaks ominously of the heaviness of her own entrails, and the impossible standards of womanhood as determined by men.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Of all the guests, Julia is both the biggest threat to Fefu’s need to control her environment, as well as the most affected. When Julia declares her hallucinations to be “contagious” Fefu unexpectedly agrees with her, and even appears to suffer a hallucination involving Julia on her own. If Castellanos as Fefu embodies the crackling energy of a “live wire,” Porter as Julia represents an actual hazard—both as a sufferer and as a conduit. In her solo scene she lies on her bed surrounded by a circle of watchful audience, as if on display. Resembling, in effect, a precious work of art—or a corpse.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13911731\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13911731 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2022/04/FefuAndHerFriends_GardenScene_photocredit_KevinBerne-800x532.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"532\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/04/FefuAndHerFriends_GardenScene_photocredit_KevinBerne-800x532.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/04/FefuAndHerFriends_GardenScene_photocredit_KevinBerne-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/04/FefuAndHerFriends_GardenScene_photocredit_KevinBerne-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/04/FefuAndHerFriends_GardenScene_photocredit_KevinBerne.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The audience watches a scene from ‘Fefu and Her Friends.’ \u003ccite>(Kevin Berne)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Producing this little-staged classic of experimental theater gives A.C.T. a chance to stretch its artistic muscles in some exhilarating directions, interrogating the feminine experience directly through the entrails, the genitals, and all of the messy, complicated, “revolting” bits that would normally remain unnoticed or at least unremarked upon. At the same time, it’s a production that reveals the layers of artifice typical to the stage and lays them out in the open.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As an attempt at experiential theater goes, A.C.T.’s \u003cem>Fefu \u003c/em>is not without some stylistic missteps and dropped beats. But the overall ambience is very much that of a party full of big personalities impossible to tear your attention away from, even as you wait quietly in the corner to witness their inevitable meltdowns.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A.C.T.’s \u003cem>Fefu and Her Friends\u003c/em> invites its audience to consider the intricacies of how society is mirrored through even the most banal social interactions—a reminder of the ways in which we live within a complex Venn diagram of overlapping worlds and contradictory norms. This won’t be the kind of party you walk away from with a new best friend, or even a plate of leftovers for the road. But with its powerhouse cast (and a superlative playlist compiled by sound designer Jake Rodriguez) it’s a party you won’t soon forget. Despite—or perhaps because of—the discomfort it provokes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-12904247\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"39\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-160x16.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-240x23.jpg 240w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/03/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39-375x37.jpg 375w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘Fefu and Her Friends’ plays through May 1 at the Strand Theater in San Francisco. \u003ca href=\"https://www.act-sf.org/whats-on/20202122-season/fefu-and-her-friends/\">Details here.\u003c/a>\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>In June of 2020, the pandemic’s shutdown of live performance was nearly three months old. A wave of protests sparked by the murder of George Floyd were rocking the nation, bringing to the forefront demands for racial justice while challenging anti-blackness and structural inequities. And on June 8, 2020, an open letter from a nationwide coalition of BIPOC theater-makers, titled \u003ca href=\"https://www.weseeyouwat.com\">“We See You White American Theater,”\u003c/a> was published online.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The next day, an editable Google doc titled “Living Document of POC Experiences in Bay Area Theatre Co.”—\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13882276/for-bipoc-bay-area-theater-a-living-document-provides-catharsis-calls-to-action\">begun by Bay Area theater-maker and educator Ely Sonny Orquiza\u003c/a>—quickly amassed hundreds of anonymous testimonials, as well as at least one attempt to erase it altogether. But not only was it impossible to erase the Living Document from the internet, it’s remained a part of the discourse around reopening Bay Area theaters to live, in-person performance ever since.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID='arts_13882276']In the first weeks after the Living Document made its appearance, only a handful of companies released public statements addressing its contents. Undeterred, Orquiza and his collaborators published a comprehensive addendum in late July: \u003ca href=\"https://www.bipoclivdoc.com/action-plan\">the BIPOC Equity Action Plan\u003c/a>, a series of concrete demands directed at the Bay Area “Predominantly White Institutions” (or PWI). These included conducting staff-wide anti-racism/anti-bias trainings, implementing land acknowledgements and contributing regularly to the Shuumi Land Tax, programming seasons with minimum 60% of plays written by “BIPOC, queer, trans, womxn of color, non-binary and/or disabled playwrights,” prioritizing cultural competency, and shifting the racial demographics of staff and board.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Orquiza and his collaborators called for a response to the demands “within ten business days” of the document’s release. As of August 11, 2020, they estimated that only 15% of Bay Area theater companies had promised to take action. However, since the beginning of 2021, more companies have released their individual action plans, detailing in depth the anti-racist actions they have taken, are taking, and plan to take in the future.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As the largest theater company in the region, A.C.T. was mentioned extensively in the Living Document, including links and references to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13851200/former-american-conservatory-theater-actor-files-racial-discrimination-lawsuit\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">a 2019 lawsuit\u003c/a> filed by former Conservatory instructor and movement choreographer, Stephen Buescher. While Buescher’s allegations of institutional racism, brought to A.C.T.’s board as early as 2018, eventually inspired the formation of a formal Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion committee, the demands delineated in the Living Document and We See You White American Theater forced the company to look more critically at every aspect of its operations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13898892\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13898892\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2021/06/ACT_JenniferBielstein_photocredit_KevingBerne-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/06/ACT_JenniferBielstein_photocredit_KevingBerne-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/06/ACT_JenniferBielstein_photocredit_KevingBerne-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/06/ACT_JenniferBielstein_photocredit_KevingBerne-768x513.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/06/ACT_JenniferBielstein_photocredit_KevingBerne.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A.C.T. Executive Director, Jennifer Bielstein. \u003ccite>(Kevin Berne)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“We’ve had a real intentional focus on developing an organizational culture that is welcoming and inclusive and transparent and accessible,” says Jennifer Bielstein, Executive Director of A.C.T., about the process. “Because diversity will not thrive if the organizational culture isn’t ready to embrace diversity.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Referencing an internal spreadsheet that she estimates contains over 150 items, Bielstein describes hours of analyzing the demands from the Living Document and We See You WAT, “incorporating items from each of those documents into our work” throughout the organization. In November, the company published a \u003ca href=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/a-c-t/image/upload/v1617393816/Uploads/EDI/PDFs/EDI_Strategic_Plan.pdf\">31-page document of their own\u003c/a> detailing their updated Equity, Diversity and Inclusion strategic plan, a work they acknowledge is still in process.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some actions mentioned by Bielstein include moving away from grueling “10 out of 12” tech rehearsals and six-day rehearsal weeks, paying artists for work done at fundraisers and other functions, and ensuring the availability of an on-site counselor or therapist for artists, particularly for shows engaged with racialized trauma, such as \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13876835/despite-an-early-closing-toni-stone-hits-a-home-run-at-a-c-t\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Toni Stone\u003c/a>\u003c/em>. Artistically, Bielstein says, the company is prioritizing works written and directed by majority women and BIPOC creatives, and committing to hiring more Bay Area actors and designers (currently the percentage of local hires is around 73%).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For Bielstein, the emergence of the Living Document has been what she terms “a gift” to the organization and to the field, noting that “our community at large will hold us accountable for delivering on these commitments and actions.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13898891\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13898891\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2021/06/CrowdedFire_MinaMorita_photocredit_CheshireIsaacs-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/06/CrowdedFire_MinaMorita_photocredit_CheshireIsaacs-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/06/CrowdedFire_MinaMorita_photocredit_CheshireIsaacs-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/06/CrowdedFire_MinaMorita_photocredit_CheshireIsaacs-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/06/CrowdedFire_MinaMorita_photocredit_CheshireIsaacs.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Crowded Fire Artistic Director Mina Morita. \u003ccite>(Cheshire Isaacs)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Even BIPOC-led companies and theater artists have taken the demands of the Living Document to heart. For example, while San Francisco-based Crowded Fire had already been engaged in EDI work internally over the past five years, the publication of the Living Document highlighted to Artistic Director Mina Morita the need to further the work throughout the greater Bay Area theater ecosystem.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“What’s unique about the theater field is we all move through many different organizations to create,” she says. “So I was aware of some of the inequities and problems. But I don’t think I was as fully aware until the Living Document.” So, in addition to hiring on EDI trainer Lisa Walker to coach Crowded Fire through a multi-week training, Morita harnessed the energy of the moment to collaborate and share resources with other companies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One such collaboration involves Crowded Fire, Magic Theatre, and Playwrights Foundation instigating a “train the trainer”-style workshop series they’ve dubbed “Making Good Trouble,” led by Beatrice Thomas of Authentic Arts & Media. Over the course of nine months, a cohort of 20+ persons will develop the tools to train other companies—including their own—in anti-racist and inclusionary practices. This will not only make it possible for more theater companies to access the training necessary to implement these practices in their own institutions, but will provide the new trainers with an extra income stream—a welcome and needed benefit after a 15-month shutdown.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“(I) didn’t think I would see it in my lifetime,” Morita comments about overall effects of the Living Document. “To have such a courageous disruption happen, where we could really open up the harms, and start to try to hopefully address and repair them.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID='arts_13851339']That these effects have reverberated outside of theaters is exemplified by the announcement of a new grant administered by the Center for Cultural Innovation. Called \u003ca href=\"https://www.cciarts.org/cgi/page.cgi/cali_grants.htm\">CALI Catalyst\u003c/a>, the program funds individual artists and collectives active in what they term “moving the sector towards greater inclusion, access, diversity, and equity” by centering “Black, Indigenous, people of color, LGBTQIA+, and people with disabilities.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>CCI Program Director Laura Poppiti emphasizes how the Living Document—which she first heard about on Facebook—helped to inspire the creation of CALI Catalyst.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“For me it was a ‘Wow,’” she describes. “(That) one person like Ely can launch this document in a…guerrilla arts kind of way, and it’s really having tangible impacts…that was just so powerful.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As a member of a funding organization that focuses on individuals, she and her colleagues began to design the guidelines for CALI Catalyst in the summer of 2020. She admits it’s been a slow process, but is confident that the program will help support “change-makers” whose demands of accountability from the arts sector have potentially put their own livelihoods and well-being at risk. In this spirit, the grants are unrestricted with no “measurable” outcome required, and the first round of applications are due by July 15.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13882279\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13882279\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2020/06/ElySonnyOrquiza_credit_PacianoTriunfo-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/06/ElySonnyOrquiza_credit_PacianoTriunfo-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/06/ElySonnyOrquiza_credit_PacianoTriunfo-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/06/ElySonnyOrquiza_credit_PacianoTriunfo-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/06/ElySonnyOrquiza_credit_PacianoTriunfo.jpg 960w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ely Sonny Orquiza, creator of the “Living Document.” \u003ccite>(Paciano Triunfo)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>As theaters and performance venues move towards reopening their physical doors, an overarching hope expressed by the proponents of the Living Document is that the work of confronting and dismantling oppression within the arts sectors not become an afterthought. Or, as Morita calls it, a “performative” one.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think the Living Document urged us as artists and as a community to be more sensitive and respectful and careful towards one another, especially in association with BIPOC artists,” reflects Orquiza. “Finding all the nuances within and affirming our identities and practices and policies—I think that sets us up for success.”\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>In June of 2020, the pandemic’s shutdown of live performance was nearly three months old. A wave of protests sparked by the murder of George Floyd were rocking the nation, bringing to the forefront demands for racial justice while challenging anti-blackness and structural inequities. And on June 8, 2020, an open letter from a nationwide coalition of BIPOC theater-makers, titled \u003ca href=\"https://www.weseeyouwat.com\">“We See You White American Theater,”\u003c/a> was published online.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The next day, an editable Google doc titled “Living Document of POC Experiences in Bay Area Theatre Co.”—\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13882276/for-bipoc-bay-area-theater-a-living-document-provides-catharsis-calls-to-action\">begun by Bay Area theater-maker and educator Ely Sonny Orquiza\u003c/a>—quickly amassed hundreds of anonymous testimonials, as well as at least one attempt to erase it altogether. But not only was it impossible to erase the Living Document from the internet, it’s remained a part of the discourse around reopening Bay Area theaters to live, in-person performance ever since.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>In the first weeks after the Living Document made its appearance, only a handful of companies released public statements addressing its contents. Undeterred, Orquiza and his collaborators published a comprehensive addendum in late July: \u003ca href=\"https://www.bipoclivdoc.com/action-plan\">the BIPOC Equity Action Plan\u003c/a>, a series of concrete demands directed at the Bay Area “Predominantly White Institutions” (or PWI). These included conducting staff-wide anti-racism/anti-bias trainings, implementing land acknowledgements and contributing regularly to the Shuumi Land Tax, programming seasons with minimum 60% of plays written by “BIPOC, queer, trans, womxn of color, non-binary and/or disabled playwrights,” prioritizing cultural competency, and shifting the racial demographics of staff and board.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Orquiza and his collaborators called for a response to the demands “within ten business days” of the document’s release. As of August 11, 2020, they estimated that only 15% of Bay Area theater companies had promised to take action. However, since the beginning of 2021, more companies have released their individual action plans, detailing in depth the anti-racist actions they have taken, are taking, and plan to take in the future.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As the largest theater company in the region, A.C.T. was mentioned extensively in the Living Document, including links and references to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13851200/former-american-conservatory-theater-actor-files-racial-discrimination-lawsuit\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">a 2019 lawsuit\u003c/a> filed by former Conservatory instructor and movement choreographer, Stephen Buescher. While Buescher’s allegations of institutional racism, brought to A.C.T.’s board as early as 2018, eventually inspired the formation of a formal Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion committee, the demands delineated in the Living Document and We See You White American Theater forced the company to look more critically at every aspect of its operations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13898892\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13898892\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2021/06/ACT_JenniferBielstein_photocredit_KevingBerne-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/06/ACT_JenniferBielstein_photocredit_KevingBerne-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/06/ACT_JenniferBielstein_photocredit_KevingBerne-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/06/ACT_JenniferBielstein_photocredit_KevingBerne-768x513.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/06/ACT_JenniferBielstein_photocredit_KevingBerne.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A.C.T. Executive Director, Jennifer Bielstein. \u003ccite>(Kevin Berne)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“We’ve had a real intentional focus on developing an organizational culture that is welcoming and inclusive and transparent and accessible,” says Jennifer Bielstein, Executive Director of A.C.T., about the process. “Because diversity will not thrive if the organizational culture isn’t ready to embrace diversity.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Referencing an internal spreadsheet that she estimates contains over 150 items, Bielstein describes hours of analyzing the demands from the Living Document and We See You WAT, “incorporating items from each of those documents into our work” throughout the organization. In November, the company published a \u003ca href=\"https://res.cloudinary.com/a-c-t/image/upload/v1617393816/Uploads/EDI/PDFs/EDI_Strategic_Plan.pdf\">31-page document of their own\u003c/a> detailing their updated Equity, Diversity and Inclusion strategic plan, a work they acknowledge is still in process.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some actions mentioned by Bielstein include moving away from grueling “10 out of 12” tech rehearsals and six-day rehearsal weeks, paying artists for work done at fundraisers and other functions, and ensuring the availability of an on-site counselor or therapist for artists, particularly for shows engaged with racialized trauma, such as \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13876835/despite-an-early-closing-toni-stone-hits-a-home-run-at-a-c-t\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Toni Stone\u003c/a>\u003c/em>. Artistically, Bielstein says, the company is prioritizing works written and directed by majority women and BIPOC creatives, and committing to hiring more Bay Area actors and designers (currently the percentage of local hires is around 73%).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For Bielstein, the emergence of the Living Document has been what she terms “a gift” to the organization and to the field, noting that “our community at large will hold us accountable for delivering on these commitments and actions.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13898891\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13898891\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2021/06/CrowdedFire_MinaMorita_photocredit_CheshireIsaacs-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/06/CrowdedFire_MinaMorita_photocredit_CheshireIsaacs-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/06/CrowdedFire_MinaMorita_photocredit_CheshireIsaacs-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/06/CrowdedFire_MinaMorita_photocredit_CheshireIsaacs-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/06/CrowdedFire_MinaMorita_photocredit_CheshireIsaacs.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Crowded Fire Artistic Director Mina Morita. \u003ccite>(Cheshire Isaacs)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Even BIPOC-led companies and theater artists have taken the demands of the Living Document to heart. For example, while San Francisco-based Crowded Fire had already been engaged in EDI work internally over the past five years, the publication of the Living Document highlighted to Artistic Director Mina Morita the need to further the work throughout the greater Bay Area theater ecosystem.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“What’s unique about the theater field is we all move through many different organizations to create,” she says. “So I was aware of some of the inequities and problems. But I don’t think I was as fully aware until the Living Document.” So, in addition to hiring on EDI trainer Lisa Walker to coach Crowded Fire through a multi-week training, Morita harnessed the energy of the moment to collaborate and share resources with other companies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One such collaboration involves Crowded Fire, Magic Theatre, and Playwrights Foundation instigating a “train the trainer”-style workshop series they’ve dubbed “Making Good Trouble,” led by Beatrice Thomas of Authentic Arts & Media. Over the course of nine months, a cohort of 20+ persons will develop the tools to train other companies—including their own—in anti-racist and inclusionary practices. This will not only make it possible for more theater companies to access the training necessary to implement these practices in their own institutions, but will provide the new trainers with an extra income stream—a welcome and needed benefit after a 15-month shutdown.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“(I) didn’t think I would see it in my lifetime,” Morita comments about overall effects of the Living Document. “To have such a courageous disruption happen, where we could really open up the harms, and start to try to hopefully address and repair them.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>That these effects have reverberated outside of theaters is exemplified by the announcement of a new grant administered by the Center for Cultural Innovation. Called \u003ca href=\"https://www.cciarts.org/cgi/page.cgi/cali_grants.htm\">CALI Catalyst\u003c/a>, the program funds individual artists and collectives active in what they term “moving the sector towards greater inclusion, access, diversity, and equity” by centering “Black, Indigenous, people of color, LGBTQIA+, and people with disabilities.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>CCI Program Director Laura Poppiti emphasizes how the Living Document—which she first heard about on Facebook—helped to inspire the creation of CALI Catalyst.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“For me it was a ‘Wow,’” she describes. “(That) one person like Ely can launch this document in a…guerrilla arts kind of way, and it’s really having tangible impacts…that was just so powerful.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As a member of a funding organization that focuses on individuals, she and her colleagues began to design the guidelines for CALI Catalyst in the summer of 2020. She admits it’s been a slow process, but is confident that the program will help support “change-makers” whose demands of accountability from the arts sector have potentially put their own livelihoods and well-being at risk. In this spirit, the grants are unrestricted with no “measurable” outcome required, and the first round of applications are due by July 15.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13882279\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13882279\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2020/06/ElySonnyOrquiza_credit_PacianoTriunfo-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/06/ElySonnyOrquiza_credit_PacianoTriunfo-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/06/ElySonnyOrquiza_credit_PacianoTriunfo-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/06/ElySonnyOrquiza_credit_PacianoTriunfo-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/06/ElySonnyOrquiza_credit_PacianoTriunfo.jpg 960w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ely Sonny Orquiza, creator of the “Living Document.” \u003ccite>(Paciano Triunfo)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>As theaters and performance venues move towards reopening their physical doors, an overarching hope expressed by the proponents of the Living Document is that the work of confronting and dismantling oppression within the arts sectors not become an afterthought. Or, as Morita calls it, a “performative” one.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I think the Living Document urged us as artists and as a community to be more sensitive and respectful and careful towards one another, especially in association with BIPOC artists,” reflects Orquiza. “Finding all the nuances within and affirming our identities and practices and policies—I think that sets us up for success.”\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "Livestreaming Defined the Performing Arts in 2020. How Can it Be Sustained?",
"headTitle": "Livestreaming Defined the Performing Arts in 2020. How Can it Be Sustained? | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>The last in-person performance I saw in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13876835/despite-an-early-closing-toni-stone-hits-a-home-run-at-a-c-t\">2020 was \u003cem>Toni Stone\u003c/em> at A.C.T.\u003c/a>—a show that opened and closed on the same night in early March, right before the city implemented its first, strict, stay-at-home orders of the COVID-19 pandemic.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since it wasn’t clear in those early weeks just how long the shutdown would last, theaters continued to be optimistic about their fall and winter shows, and in the interim, many branched out into broadcasting previously filmed shows (\u003cem>Toni Stone\u003c/em> among them), as well as staging readings, discussions, and original content on Zoom—a web-conferencing software many had never used before.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While those first heady weeks of streaming \u003cem>everything\u003c/em> available were fun, a saturation point was quickly reached, and performers watched audience numbers dwindle as their own enthusiasm for the limited capabilities of streamed content waned. As drag performer Honey Mahogany mentioned recently on KQED Forum, discussing the Stud’s regular livestreams on Twitch, “The numbers have been going down week after week. It’s really unsustainable.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even so,\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13890093/2020-decimated-the-concert-industry-and-it-cant-rebuild-without-government-help\"> just like local music venues\u003c/a>, it’s unclear when theater spaces will be able to open their doors again to live performance. So continuing to innovate new ways of creating and presenting their works in the interim is crucial to their continued survival.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>New Formats, New Platforms\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>For many, July 4 means opening day of the San Francisco Mime Troupe’s annual show in Dolores Park. This year, while other theaters were still tentatively trying to figure out whether or not they could schedule any shows at all, the Mime Troupe had their decision made for them in April, when the City told them they couldn’t have a permit to present in the park.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13890059\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13890059\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/SFMT_VelinaBrown_MichaelGeneSullivan_photocredit_ZacharySullivan-800x402.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"402\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/SFMT_VelinaBrown_MichaelGeneSullivan_photocredit_ZacharySullivan-800x402.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/SFMT_VelinaBrown_MichaelGeneSullivan_photocredit_ZacharySullivan-1020x513.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/SFMT_VelinaBrown_MichaelGeneSullivan_photocredit_ZacharySullivan-160x80.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/SFMT_VelinaBrown_MichaelGeneSullivan_photocredit_ZacharySullivan-768x386.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/SFMT_VelinaBrown_MichaelGeneSullivan_photocredit_ZacharySullivan-1536x772.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/SFMT_VelinaBrown_MichaelGeneSullivan_photocredit_ZacharySullivan-1920x965.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/SFMT_VelinaBrown_MichaelGeneSullivan_photocredit_ZacharySullivan.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">San Francisco Mime Troupe’s Velina Brown and Micheal Gene Sullivan recording ‘A Red Carol’ at home. \u003ccite>(Zachary Sullivan)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>A lifelong love of radio plays offered an idea to the company’s chief playwright, Michael Gene Sullivan. He’d already toyed with the idea of a show in which four interconnected stories come together in a blockbuster ending. Why not write it for the radio? When he brought the idea to the rest of the company, they quickly approved, and the company’s 10-episode serial radio drama, \u003ca href=\"http://www.sfmt.org/talesoftheresistance\">\u003cem>Tales of the Resistance\u003c/em>\u003c/a>, was born.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As company member, Velina Brown had already been on deck to direct their live show this year, and she gamely took the lead on directing the radio series, working closely with sound engineer Taylor Gonzalez and music director Daniel Savio. After becoming frustrated with Zoom as a rehearsal platform due to its delays and bandwidth usage, they hit upon using Discord, a chatroom app popular with gamers. This made it possible, Brown says, to rehearse with fewer delays and glitches by using Discord’s audio-only features, all while developing their own radio play “vocabulary” as a group. That vocabulary was passed over to Sullivan, for directing their brand new holiday play, \u003ca href=\"http://www.sfmt.org/a-red-carol\">\u003cem>A Red Carol\u003c/em>\u003c/a> (which opened Dec. 11).\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13890057\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13890057\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/PianoFight_DrunkImprov_Gather_Screenshot_NicoleGluckstern-800x440.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"440\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/PianoFight_DrunkImprov_Gather_Screenshot_NicoleGluckstern-800x440.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/PianoFight_DrunkImprov_Gather_Screenshot_NicoleGluckstern-1020x561.png 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/PianoFight_DrunkImprov_Gather_Screenshot_NicoleGluckstern-160x88.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/PianoFight_DrunkImprov_Gather_Screenshot_NicoleGluckstern-768x423.png 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/PianoFight_DrunkImprov_Gather_Screenshot_NicoleGluckstern.png 1152w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Drunk Theatre Company on the PianoFight Gather “mainstage.” \u003ccite>(Nicole Gluckstern)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>And Discord isn’t the only gaming interface being used by theater-makers. Companies such as PianoFight, Dragon Productions, and Mystic Ventures Collective have all built out virtual spaces in retro-cute, pixelated graphics on a program called \u003ca href=\"https://gather.town/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Gather\u003c/a>. For myself, rolling up to \u003ca href=\"http://www.pianofight.com\">PianoFight’s pre-Halloween fundraising party\u003c/a> felt almost exactly the same as in person. I staked out a hiding place in the bar and watched the crowd trickle in, and once everyone had found someone else to socialize with, made a beeline for the main stage to watch some Drunk Theatre Company. That’s one of the big upsides of a Gather space: being able to move around and encounter fellow attendees spontaneously, without losing the ability to watch the entertainment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13890061\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13890061\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/QueerCatProductions_postcardpackages_courtesyQCP-800x600.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/QueerCatProductions_postcardpackages_courtesyQCP-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/QueerCatProductions_postcardpackages_courtesyQCP-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/QueerCatProductions_postcardpackages_courtesyQCP-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/QueerCatProductions_postcardpackages_courtesyQCP.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Queer Cat Productions sending out packages of postcards to campaign participants. \u003ccite>(Queer Cat Productions)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Bringing it All Back Home\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Exploring tangibility as a theatrical imperative was the driving force behind \u003ca href=\"http://www.queercatproductions.com\">Queer Cat Productions\u003c/a>’ pre-election postcard campaign in October, Faultline Theater’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.faultlinetheater.com/merch/fck-2020-bingo-game\">F*CK 2020 Bingo Game\u003c/a>, and \u003ca href=\"http://www.playonkit.com\">\u003cem>Play On!\u003c/em>\u003c/a>, the latest project from Bay Area Children’s Theater. Recognizing a need to move “zoomed-out” children away from their screens, BACT’s narrative activity kits come with all of the materials kids need to develop and stage their own shows at home.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“As we created the kits, we really put the process through a traditional theatrical design lens,” BACT’s executive director, Nina Meehan, explained in an email. “So each element is created with the notion that the story will activate the imagination and the element will support that activation.” For example, in their holiday edition, \u003cem>The Gingerbread Family\u003c/em>, families embark on an interactive adventure to “Grandma’s” house, accompanied by a stuffed purple reindeer and a suite of physical activities, crafts, board games, and singalongs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13890062\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13890062\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/BACT_PlayOnHolidayKit_photocredit_NinaMeehan-800x663.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"663\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/BACT_PlayOnHolidayKit_photocredit_NinaMeehan-800x663.jpeg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/BACT_PlayOnHolidayKit_photocredit_NinaMeehan-160x133.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/BACT_PlayOnHolidayKit_photocredit_NinaMeehan-768x637.jpeg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/BACT_PlayOnHolidayKit_photocredit_NinaMeehan.jpeg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Bay Area Children’s Theater debuted their Play On! kits, including this holiday-inspired one, ‘The Gingerbread Family.’ \u003ccite>(Nina Meehan)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Artist-Oriented Streaming Models\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>For many performers—such as comedy artists \u003ca href=\"http://www.potatoesmashed.com\">Edna Mira Raia\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"http://www.margagomez.com\">Marga Gomez\u003c/a>—the pandemic has meant brushing up on tech skills and upgrading personal equipment in order to stream live from home (Raia on OBS, Gomez on ECAMM). But Raia, who performs most often as a pantheon of comedic characters and drag personae, has found filming and editing comedy videos for YouTube to be ultimately more satisfying, although not without its drawbacks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Recording allows me to make mistakes and correct them, which I can’t do onstage,” she admitted. “The advantages are that editing gives a soloist more room to play multiple characters or easily change costumes…the downside is that the audience feedback is so delayed because you have to wait for people to watch on their own time to leave a comment, if they say anything at all. I miss hearing laughter and applause.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13890060\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13890060\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/EdnaMiraRaia_JaminJollo_photocredit_EdnaMiraRaia-800x650.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"650\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/EdnaMiraRaia_JaminJollo_photocredit_EdnaMiraRaia-800x650.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/EdnaMiraRaia_JaminJollo_photocredit_EdnaMiraRaia-160x130.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/EdnaMiraRaia_JaminJollo_photocredit_EdnaMiraRaia-768x624.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/EdnaMiraRaia_JaminJollo_photocredit_EdnaMiraRaia.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Edna Mira Raia and Jamin Jollo clown for the camera. \u003ccite>(Edna Mira Raia)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>That loss of interactivity with an audience, as well as with other performers, is one of artists’ biggest gripes about Zoom. But artist-led technology projects are in the works, being designed to specifically address those particular aspects of the user experience. One of these, \u003ca href=\"https://pineappl.studio\">Pineappl\u003c/a>, being developed by long-time improv artists Chris Griswold and Michael Parlato, is currently in its beta-testing stage. In a tour conducted by Griswold, he showed how easily performers could interact on the screen, as well as maintain (or swap) position. Backgrounds can be preset and easily switched around, and it’s easier for multiple people to speak at the same time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There are types of improv that I teach that were not translating well to Zoom,” Griswold said about the impetus behind his custom app. “So we built a tool that we could do all kinds of things on!”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13890075\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13890075\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/ChrisGriswoldMichaelParlato_PineapplScreenshot_ChrisGriswold-800x500.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"500\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/ChrisGriswoldMichaelParlato_PineapplScreenshot_ChrisGriswold-800x500.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/ChrisGriswoldMichaelParlato_PineapplScreenshot_ChrisGriswold-160x100.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/ChrisGriswoldMichaelParlato_PineapplScreenshot_ChrisGriswold-768x480.png 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/ChrisGriswoldMichaelParlato_PineapplScreenshot_ChrisGriswold.png 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Chris Griswold and Michael Parlato test-drive Pineappl with friends. \u003ccite>(Chris Griswold)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Back on Stage\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, in a considerable leap back towards performer interaction, \u003ca href=\"http://www.sfplayhouse.org\">San Francisco Playhouse\u003c/a> was recently given a green light from Actor’s Equity to film shows on their physical stage with rigorous testing and social distancing protocols in place.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Our space has a capacity of 700, so limiting it to ten people in the room at any given time feels really safe,” explained producing director Susi Damilano as she described the three-camera shoots of live-staged performances. To date they’ve presented Yasmina Reza’s \u003cem>Art\u003c/em>, and Brian Copeland’s \u003cem>The Jewelry Box\u003c/em>, and opened \u003cem>Songs for a New World\u003c/em>, by Jason Robert Brown, on December 12.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If there’s one thing that artists are uniquely suited for, its creative problem-solving in the face of adversity. And while it’s impossible at this point to make a solid prediction for what the face of theater will look like in 2021, what is certain is that there are still surprising discoveries to be made, as artists continue to build new methods and tools for themselves to create with.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This has been an incredible time for theater, keeping it alive while the ground keeps shifting,” reflected Damilano. “It really feels like we are all in this together and by holding each other up, we will come out of this stronger than ever.”\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>The last in-person performance I saw in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13876835/despite-an-early-closing-toni-stone-hits-a-home-run-at-a-c-t\">2020 was \u003cem>Toni Stone\u003c/em> at A.C.T.\u003c/a>—a show that opened and closed on the same night in early March, right before the city implemented its first, strict, stay-at-home orders of the COVID-19 pandemic.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since it wasn’t clear in those early weeks just how long the shutdown would last, theaters continued to be optimistic about their fall and winter shows, and in the interim, many branched out into broadcasting previously filmed shows (\u003cem>Toni Stone\u003c/em> among them), as well as staging readings, discussions, and original content on Zoom—a web-conferencing software many had never used before.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While those first heady weeks of streaming \u003cem>everything\u003c/em> available were fun, a saturation point was quickly reached, and performers watched audience numbers dwindle as their own enthusiasm for the limited capabilities of streamed content waned. As drag performer Honey Mahogany mentioned recently on KQED Forum, discussing the Stud’s regular livestreams on Twitch, “The numbers have been going down week after week. It’s really unsustainable.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even so,\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13890093/2020-decimated-the-concert-industry-and-it-cant-rebuild-without-government-help\"> just like local music venues\u003c/a>, it’s unclear when theater spaces will be able to open their doors again to live performance. So continuing to innovate new ways of creating and presenting their works in the interim is crucial to their continued survival.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>New Formats, New Platforms\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>For many, July 4 means opening day of the San Francisco Mime Troupe’s annual show in Dolores Park. This year, while other theaters were still tentatively trying to figure out whether or not they could schedule any shows at all, the Mime Troupe had their decision made for them in April, when the City told them they couldn’t have a permit to present in the park.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13890059\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13890059\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/SFMT_VelinaBrown_MichaelGeneSullivan_photocredit_ZacharySullivan-800x402.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"402\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/SFMT_VelinaBrown_MichaelGeneSullivan_photocredit_ZacharySullivan-800x402.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/SFMT_VelinaBrown_MichaelGeneSullivan_photocredit_ZacharySullivan-1020x513.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/SFMT_VelinaBrown_MichaelGeneSullivan_photocredit_ZacharySullivan-160x80.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/SFMT_VelinaBrown_MichaelGeneSullivan_photocredit_ZacharySullivan-768x386.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/SFMT_VelinaBrown_MichaelGeneSullivan_photocredit_ZacharySullivan-1536x772.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/SFMT_VelinaBrown_MichaelGeneSullivan_photocredit_ZacharySullivan-1920x965.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/SFMT_VelinaBrown_MichaelGeneSullivan_photocredit_ZacharySullivan.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">San Francisco Mime Troupe’s Velina Brown and Micheal Gene Sullivan recording ‘A Red Carol’ at home. \u003ccite>(Zachary Sullivan)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>A lifelong love of radio plays offered an idea to the company’s chief playwright, Michael Gene Sullivan. He’d already toyed with the idea of a show in which four interconnected stories come together in a blockbuster ending. Why not write it for the radio? When he brought the idea to the rest of the company, they quickly approved, and the company’s 10-episode serial radio drama, \u003ca href=\"http://www.sfmt.org/talesoftheresistance\">\u003cem>Tales of the Resistance\u003c/em>\u003c/a>, was born.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As company member, Velina Brown had already been on deck to direct their live show this year, and she gamely took the lead on directing the radio series, working closely with sound engineer Taylor Gonzalez and music director Daniel Savio. After becoming frustrated with Zoom as a rehearsal platform due to its delays and bandwidth usage, they hit upon using Discord, a chatroom app popular with gamers. This made it possible, Brown says, to rehearse with fewer delays and glitches by using Discord’s audio-only features, all while developing their own radio play “vocabulary” as a group. That vocabulary was passed over to Sullivan, for directing their brand new holiday play, \u003ca href=\"http://www.sfmt.org/a-red-carol\">\u003cem>A Red Carol\u003c/em>\u003c/a> (which opened Dec. 11).\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13890057\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13890057\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/PianoFight_DrunkImprov_Gather_Screenshot_NicoleGluckstern-800x440.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"440\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/PianoFight_DrunkImprov_Gather_Screenshot_NicoleGluckstern-800x440.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/PianoFight_DrunkImprov_Gather_Screenshot_NicoleGluckstern-1020x561.png 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/PianoFight_DrunkImprov_Gather_Screenshot_NicoleGluckstern-160x88.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/PianoFight_DrunkImprov_Gather_Screenshot_NicoleGluckstern-768x423.png 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/PianoFight_DrunkImprov_Gather_Screenshot_NicoleGluckstern.png 1152w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Drunk Theatre Company on the PianoFight Gather “mainstage.” \u003ccite>(Nicole Gluckstern)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>And Discord isn’t the only gaming interface being used by theater-makers. Companies such as PianoFight, Dragon Productions, and Mystic Ventures Collective have all built out virtual spaces in retro-cute, pixelated graphics on a program called \u003ca href=\"https://gather.town/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Gather\u003c/a>. For myself, rolling up to \u003ca href=\"http://www.pianofight.com\">PianoFight’s pre-Halloween fundraising party\u003c/a> felt almost exactly the same as in person. I staked out a hiding place in the bar and watched the crowd trickle in, and once everyone had found someone else to socialize with, made a beeline for the main stage to watch some Drunk Theatre Company. That’s one of the big upsides of a Gather space: being able to move around and encounter fellow attendees spontaneously, without losing the ability to watch the entertainment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13890061\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13890061\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/QueerCatProductions_postcardpackages_courtesyQCP-800x600.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/QueerCatProductions_postcardpackages_courtesyQCP-800x600.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/QueerCatProductions_postcardpackages_courtesyQCP-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/QueerCatProductions_postcardpackages_courtesyQCP-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/QueerCatProductions_postcardpackages_courtesyQCP.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Queer Cat Productions sending out packages of postcards to campaign participants. \u003ccite>(Queer Cat Productions)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Bringing it All Back Home\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Exploring tangibility as a theatrical imperative was the driving force behind \u003ca href=\"http://www.queercatproductions.com\">Queer Cat Productions\u003c/a>’ pre-election postcard campaign in October, Faultline Theater’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.faultlinetheater.com/merch/fck-2020-bingo-game\">F*CK 2020 Bingo Game\u003c/a>, and \u003ca href=\"http://www.playonkit.com\">\u003cem>Play On!\u003c/em>\u003c/a>, the latest project from Bay Area Children’s Theater. Recognizing a need to move “zoomed-out” children away from their screens, BACT’s narrative activity kits come with all of the materials kids need to develop and stage their own shows at home.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“As we created the kits, we really put the process through a traditional theatrical design lens,” BACT’s executive director, Nina Meehan, explained in an email. “So each element is created with the notion that the story will activate the imagination and the element will support that activation.” For example, in their holiday edition, \u003cem>The Gingerbread Family\u003c/em>, families embark on an interactive adventure to “Grandma’s” house, accompanied by a stuffed purple reindeer and a suite of physical activities, crafts, board games, and singalongs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13890062\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13890062\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/BACT_PlayOnHolidayKit_photocredit_NinaMeehan-800x663.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"663\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/BACT_PlayOnHolidayKit_photocredit_NinaMeehan-800x663.jpeg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/BACT_PlayOnHolidayKit_photocredit_NinaMeehan-160x133.jpeg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/BACT_PlayOnHolidayKit_photocredit_NinaMeehan-768x637.jpeg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/BACT_PlayOnHolidayKit_photocredit_NinaMeehan.jpeg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Bay Area Children’s Theater debuted their Play On! kits, including this holiday-inspired one, ‘The Gingerbread Family.’ \u003ccite>(Nina Meehan)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Artist-Oriented Streaming Models\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>For many performers—such as comedy artists \u003ca href=\"http://www.potatoesmashed.com\">Edna Mira Raia\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"http://www.margagomez.com\">Marga Gomez\u003c/a>—the pandemic has meant brushing up on tech skills and upgrading personal equipment in order to stream live from home (Raia on OBS, Gomez on ECAMM). But Raia, who performs most often as a pantheon of comedic characters and drag personae, has found filming and editing comedy videos for YouTube to be ultimately more satisfying, although not without its drawbacks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Recording allows me to make mistakes and correct them, which I can’t do onstage,” she admitted. “The advantages are that editing gives a soloist more room to play multiple characters or easily change costumes…the downside is that the audience feedback is so delayed because you have to wait for people to watch on their own time to leave a comment, if they say anything at all. I miss hearing laughter and applause.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13890060\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13890060\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/EdnaMiraRaia_JaminJollo_photocredit_EdnaMiraRaia-800x650.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"650\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/EdnaMiraRaia_JaminJollo_photocredit_EdnaMiraRaia-800x650.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/EdnaMiraRaia_JaminJollo_photocredit_EdnaMiraRaia-160x130.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/EdnaMiraRaia_JaminJollo_photocredit_EdnaMiraRaia-768x624.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/EdnaMiraRaia_JaminJollo_photocredit_EdnaMiraRaia.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Edna Mira Raia and Jamin Jollo clown for the camera. \u003ccite>(Edna Mira Raia)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>That loss of interactivity with an audience, as well as with other performers, is one of artists’ biggest gripes about Zoom. But artist-led technology projects are in the works, being designed to specifically address those particular aspects of the user experience. One of these, \u003ca href=\"https://pineappl.studio\">Pineappl\u003c/a>, being developed by long-time improv artists Chris Griswold and Michael Parlato, is currently in its beta-testing stage. In a tour conducted by Griswold, he showed how easily performers could interact on the screen, as well as maintain (or swap) position. Backgrounds can be preset and easily switched around, and it’s easier for multiple people to speak at the same time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There are types of improv that I teach that were not translating well to Zoom,” Griswold said about the impetus behind his custom app. “So we built a tool that we could do all kinds of things on!”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13890075\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13890075\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/ChrisGriswoldMichaelParlato_PineapplScreenshot_ChrisGriswold-800x500.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"500\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/ChrisGriswoldMichaelParlato_PineapplScreenshot_ChrisGriswold-800x500.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/ChrisGriswoldMichaelParlato_PineapplScreenshot_ChrisGriswold-160x100.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/ChrisGriswoldMichaelParlato_PineapplScreenshot_ChrisGriswold-768x480.png 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/ChrisGriswoldMichaelParlato_PineapplScreenshot_ChrisGriswold.png 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Chris Griswold and Michael Parlato test-drive Pineappl with friends. \u003ccite>(Chris Griswold)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Back on Stage\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, in a considerable leap back towards performer interaction, \u003ca href=\"http://www.sfplayhouse.org\">San Francisco Playhouse\u003c/a> was recently given a green light from Actor’s Equity to film shows on their physical stage with rigorous testing and social distancing protocols in place.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Our space has a capacity of 700, so limiting it to ten people in the room at any given time feels really safe,” explained producing director Susi Damilano as she described the three-camera shoots of live-staged performances. To date they’ve presented Yasmina Reza’s \u003cem>Art\u003c/em>, and Brian Copeland’s \u003cem>The Jewelry Box\u003c/em>, and opened \u003cem>Songs for a New World\u003c/em>, by Jason Robert Brown, on December 12.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If there’s one thing that artists are uniquely suited for, its creative problem-solving in the face of adversity. And while it’s impossible at this point to make a solid prediction for what the face of theater will look like in 2021, what is certain is that there are still surprising discoveries to be made, as artists continue to build new methods and tools for themselves to create with.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This has been an incredible time for theater, keeping it alive while the ground keeps shifting,” reflected Damilano. “It really feels like we are all in this together and by holding each other up, we will come out of this stronger than ever.”\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "All’s Fair Game in 'Love and Warcraft'",
"headTitle": "All’s Fair Game in ‘Love and Warcraft’ | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>Although Madhuri Shekar’s \u003cem>In Love and Warcraft\u003c/em> debuted in 2013, it feels custom-written for this moment in time. As it delves into the nuances of living a significant part of one’s life online, \u003cem>In Love and Warcraft\u003c/em> gives its Generation Z characters a shot at love, while reveling in their individual goofy streaks and neuroses. Directed by Peter J. Kuo, and starring six American Conservatory Theater (ACT) Conservatory students, this candid ode to college romance wears a Zoom container comfortably—as if it were meant to be performed that way all along.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>In Love and Warcraft\u003c/em> was originally slated to be performed in the Spring at ACT’s Costume Shop, so the actors \u003cem>did\u003c/em> have the luxury of having already rehearsed together in real life, helping them in transition to all-digital platforms with natural ease. There’s real chemistry between protagonist Evie (Cassandra Hunter) and the object of her tentative desire, Raul (Hernán Angulo)—and plenty of mutual fondness and easy camaraderie among the rest of the ensemble as well.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>An avid player of a multi-player fantasy game that Shekar calls “Warcraft Universe,” Evie’s side hustle is writing love letters for her classmates. She’s a modern-day Cyrano, whose specialties include Facebook posts, text messages, and heartfelt emails. But Evie’s own love life is suspect. Her teammate Ryan (James Mercer)—an amiable nerd with an affinity for Red Vines—is supposedly her boyfriend, but all of their “dates” take place online. Meanwhile, her sex-positive roommate Kitty (Evangeline Edwards) urges her to break it off and explore the exciting possibilities of physical romance. The opportunity to do so presents itself almost immediately in the form of Raul, a former client of Evie’s, who’s fallen for the loving words she’d written to his now-ex.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If the scenario is a little contrived, what’s completely genuine is the relatable awkwardness of Evie’s inexpert foray into the unknown. With Kitty urging her on from the sidelines, Evie screws her courage to the sticking point—until she gets stuck. Uncertain of her own desires, she discovers that the reliable language of love that she’s deployed faithfully on behalf of others is not enough to express the complexities of her own feelings. Meanwhile, a smitten Raul soon discovers that he must also navigate aspects of their relationship that are new to him as well.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13885921\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13885921\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2020/09/InLoveAndWwarcraft_Still2_courtesyofACT-800x450.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/09/InLoveAndWwarcraft_Still2_courtesyofACT-800x450.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/09/InLoveAndWwarcraft_Still2_courtesyofACT-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/09/InLoveAndWwarcraft_Still2_courtesyofACT-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/09/InLoveAndWwarcraft_Still2_courtesyofACT.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Cassandra Hunter as Evie and Hernán Angulo as Raul in Madhuri Shekar’s ‘In Love and Warcraft.’ \u003ccite>(courtesy of A.C.T.)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>As Evie, Hunter is a delight to watch. Her every gesture and nose wrinkle speaks volumes of dork-ish. Her excitement on the Warcraft battlefield is matched by her real expertise in the game. That she thinks of romance in game terms makes her valuable as a go-between. But, as she discovers for herself, keeping a scorecard in personal relationships is a recipe for misadventure.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As Raul, Angulo embodies a lovable ungainliness. Even when he stumbles (and stumble he does) he never crosses the line into the unforgivable. As a co-conspirator, and occasional co-transgressor, Evangeline Edwards brings a vibrant touch to her role, luminous eyes beaming out from her screen in every scene she’s in. If you’ve been wondering about the viability of digital platforms as stages for live performance, being mesmerized by all of the subtleties of expression in each character’s face makes a good case for it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Over the past few years, the rich world of gamers has emerged as one ripe for exploring through the medium of theater, including the current affairs-parsing \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13825717/non-player-character-puts-gamergate-on-the-theater-stage\">\u003cem>Non-Player Character\u003c/em> at San Francisco Playhouse\u003c/a>, and the virtual reality romp \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13871091/5-plays-for-the-holidays-that-arent-a-christmas-carol\">\u003cem>An Invitation Out\u003c/em> with Quantum Dragon Theatre\u003c/a>. A major challenge for those plays was staging their game scenes \u003cem>without \u003c/em>screens, mostly relying on extravagant costumes and occasional video enhancement to give their game worlds a computerized feel. For \u003cem>In Love and Warcraft\u003c/em>, the challenge is inverted.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When the characters inhabit their game world, the audience experiences the computer graphic gameplay onscreen, as opposed to the cast dressed up as their avatars. The bigger challenge these actors face is how to stage their non-game action from their respective screens so it appears that they’re sharing the same space. By actively manipulating the angles and timing of their devices, they’re able to face each other and interact relatively naturally, their evident rapport helping to blur the borders of their Zoom rooms. Through allusion and some clever choreography, even first kisses and gynecological exams are made plausible.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13885922\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13885922\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2020/09/InLoveAndWarcraft_Still3_courtesyofACT-800x450.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/09/InLoveAndWarcraft_Still3_courtesyofACT-800x450.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/09/InLoveAndWarcraft_Still3_courtesyofACT-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/09/InLoveAndWarcraft_Still3_courtesyofACT-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/09/InLoveAndWarcraft_Still3_courtesyofACT.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A scene from Madhuri Shekar’s ‘In Love and Warcraft,’ with James Mercer as Ryan, Cassandra Hunter as Evie, and Evangeline Edwards as Kitty. \u003ccite>(courtesy of A.C.T.)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Rather than relying overmuch on virtual backgrounds, which can make actors’ limbs disappear at random moments, these performers have instead decorated the walls of their homes with cafe signs and medical posters. And if occasionally their couch cushions don’t line up perfectly from screen to screen, suspending disbelief in order to fully embrace the world of the play is what theater audiences do best. It just so happens that this world is one that infiltrates our personal space instead of the other way around. In a sense, it creates a \u003cem>more\u003c/em> intimate experience for the audience than a conventionally staged performance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Another way in which this digital production embraces its unique format is as a co-production with Juneau, Alaska’s Perseverance Theatre. Sharing costs and creative team, ACT and Perseverance demonstrate the potential of collaborating over a distance, opening up a whole realm of possibilities for future partnerships with almost any theater company from around the world.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All in all, this sweetly sincere investigation of analog human connection in a digital age is worth experiencing, whatever the platform.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"78\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-12127869\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-768x75.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘In Love and Warcraft’ runs live through Sept. 12, and on demand through Sept. 25. Tickets and \u003ca href=\"https://secure.act-sf.org/overview/loveandwarcraft\">more details here\u003c/a>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "Video games and romance come together in this live-action Zoom experience from ACT and Perseverance Theater.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Although Madhuri Shekar’s \u003cem>In Love and Warcraft\u003c/em> debuted in 2013, it feels custom-written for this moment in time. As it delves into the nuances of living a significant part of one’s life online, \u003cem>In Love and Warcraft\u003c/em> gives its Generation Z characters a shot at love, while reveling in their individual goofy streaks and neuroses. Directed by Peter J. Kuo, and starring six American Conservatory Theater (ACT) Conservatory students, this candid ode to college romance wears a Zoom container comfortably—as if it were meant to be performed that way all along.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>In Love and Warcraft\u003c/em> was originally slated to be performed in the Spring at ACT’s Costume Shop, so the actors \u003cem>did\u003c/em> have the luxury of having already rehearsed together in real life, helping them in transition to all-digital platforms with natural ease. There’s real chemistry between protagonist Evie (Cassandra Hunter) and the object of her tentative desire, Raul (Hernán Angulo)—and plenty of mutual fondness and easy camaraderie among the rest of the ensemble as well.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>An avid player of a multi-player fantasy game that Shekar calls “Warcraft Universe,” Evie’s side hustle is writing love letters for her classmates. She’s a modern-day Cyrano, whose specialties include Facebook posts, text messages, and heartfelt emails. But Evie’s own love life is suspect. Her teammate Ryan (James Mercer)—an amiable nerd with an affinity for Red Vines—is supposedly her boyfriend, but all of their “dates” take place online. Meanwhile, her sex-positive roommate Kitty (Evangeline Edwards) urges her to break it off and explore the exciting possibilities of physical romance. The opportunity to do so presents itself almost immediately in the form of Raul, a former client of Evie’s, who’s fallen for the loving words she’d written to his now-ex.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If the scenario is a little contrived, what’s completely genuine is the relatable awkwardness of Evie’s inexpert foray into the unknown. With Kitty urging her on from the sidelines, Evie screws her courage to the sticking point—until she gets stuck. Uncertain of her own desires, she discovers that the reliable language of love that she’s deployed faithfully on behalf of others is not enough to express the complexities of her own feelings. Meanwhile, a smitten Raul soon discovers that he must also navigate aspects of their relationship that are new to him as well.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13885921\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13885921\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2020/09/InLoveAndWwarcraft_Still2_courtesyofACT-800x450.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/09/InLoveAndWwarcraft_Still2_courtesyofACT-800x450.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/09/InLoveAndWwarcraft_Still2_courtesyofACT-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/09/InLoveAndWwarcraft_Still2_courtesyofACT-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/09/InLoveAndWwarcraft_Still2_courtesyofACT.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Cassandra Hunter as Evie and Hernán Angulo as Raul in Madhuri Shekar’s ‘In Love and Warcraft.’ \u003ccite>(courtesy of A.C.T.)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>As Evie, Hunter is a delight to watch. Her every gesture and nose wrinkle speaks volumes of dork-ish. Her excitement on the Warcraft battlefield is matched by her real expertise in the game. That she thinks of romance in game terms makes her valuable as a go-between. But, as she discovers for herself, keeping a scorecard in personal relationships is a recipe for misadventure.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As Raul, Angulo embodies a lovable ungainliness. Even when he stumbles (and stumble he does) he never crosses the line into the unforgivable. As a co-conspirator, and occasional co-transgressor, Evangeline Edwards brings a vibrant touch to her role, luminous eyes beaming out from her screen in every scene she’s in. If you’ve been wondering about the viability of digital platforms as stages for live performance, being mesmerized by all of the subtleties of expression in each character’s face makes a good case for it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Over the past few years, the rich world of gamers has emerged as one ripe for exploring through the medium of theater, including the current affairs-parsing \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13825717/non-player-character-puts-gamergate-on-the-theater-stage\">\u003cem>Non-Player Character\u003c/em> at San Francisco Playhouse\u003c/a>, and the virtual reality romp \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13871091/5-plays-for-the-holidays-that-arent-a-christmas-carol\">\u003cem>An Invitation Out\u003c/em> with Quantum Dragon Theatre\u003c/a>. A major challenge for those plays was staging their game scenes \u003cem>without \u003c/em>screens, mostly relying on extravagant costumes and occasional video enhancement to give their game worlds a computerized feel. For \u003cem>In Love and Warcraft\u003c/em>, the challenge is inverted.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When the characters inhabit their game world, the audience experiences the computer graphic gameplay onscreen, as opposed to the cast dressed up as their avatars. The bigger challenge these actors face is how to stage their non-game action from their respective screens so it appears that they’re sharing the same space. By actively manipulating the angles and timing of their devices, they’re able to face each other and interact relatively naturally, their evident rapport helping to blur the borders of their Zoom rooms. Through allusion and some clever choreography, even first kisses and gynecological exams are made plausible.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13885922\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13885922\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2020/09/InLoveAndWarcraft_Still3_courtesyofACT-800x450.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/09/InLoveAndWarcraft_Still3_courtesyofACT-800x450.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/09/InLoveAndWarcraft_Still3_courtesyofACT-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/09/InLoveAndWarcraft_Still3_courtesyofACT-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/09/InLoveAndWarcraft_Still3_courtesyofACT.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A scene from Madhuri Shekar’s ‘In Love and Warcraft,’ with James Mercer as Ryan, Cassandra Hunter as Evie, and Evangeline Edwards as Kitty. \u003ccite>(courtesy of A.C.T.)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Rather than relying overmuch on virtual backgrounds, which can make actors’ limbs disappear at random moments, these performers have instead decorated the walls of their homes with cafe signs and medical posters. And if occasionally their couch cushions don’t line up perfectly from screen to screen, suspending disbelief in order to fully embrace the world of the play is what theater audiences do best. It just so happens that this world is one that infiltrates our personal space instead of the other way around. In a sense, it creates a \u003cem>more\u003c/em> intimate experience for the audience than a conventionally staged performance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Another way in which this digital production embraces its unique format is as a co-production with Juneau, Alaska’s Perseverance Theatre. Sharing costs and creative team, ACT and Perseverance demonstrate the potential of collaborating over a distance, opening up a whole realm of possibilities for future partnerships with almost any theater company from around the world.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All in all, this sweetly sincere investigation of analog human connection in a digital age is worth experiencing, whatever the platform.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"78\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-12127869\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-768x75.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘In Love and Warcraft’ runs live through Sept. 12, and on demand through Sept. 25. Tickets and \u003ca href=\"https://secure.act-sf.org/overview/loveandwarcraft\">more details here\u003c/a>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "Despite Early Closing, 'Toni Stone' Hits a Home Run at A.C.T., Moves Online",
"headTitle": "Despite Early Closing, ‘Toni Stone’ Hits a Home Run at A.C.T., Moves Online | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>Attending opening night of A.C.T.’s production of \u003cem>Toni Stone\u003c/em> on March 11 was a singular experience. Following an announcement from Mayor London Breed limiting gatherings to under 1,000 people, the theater was far from capacity, and, like a half-empty sports arena, the atmosphere was subdued, though expectant.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Written by Lydia R. Diamond and directed by A.C.T.’s Artistic Director Pam MacKinnon, \u003cem>Toni Stone\u003c/em> was meant to be a crowning jewel in a season themed the “rules of play.” But through no fault of its own, its opening night was overshadowed by an unfolding public health crisis—which eventually resulted in a shelter-in-place order with firm restrictions on public gatherings, including at theaters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Under these unenviable circumstances, the show did go on. And the next morning, it closed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Toni Stone\u003c/em> is now being made \u003ca href=\"http://www.act-sf.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">available to watch online\u003c/a>, filmed on stage at the Geary Theater, in a unique arrangement \u003ca href=\"http://<a%20href=\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">also undertaken\u003c/a> by a handful of other theaters during the coronavirus shutdown. Tickets for the recorded performance are on a pay-what-you-will system. If you’re stuck at home, I recommend giving it a shot.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s because despite the external pressures on opening night, the cast and artistic team of \u003cem>Toni Stone\u003c/em> knocked it out of the park. Chronicling the high point of the career of the first professional woman baseball player in the Negro Leagues, \u003cem>Toni Stone\u003c/em> inhabits an episodic realm halfway between biopic and dramatic monologue, told through the perspective of its charismatic titular character, and supported by a strong team of eight additional players. Although a player for a short time with the San Francisco Sea Lions, \u003cem>Toni Stone\u003c/em> is set during her later stint with the Indianapolis Clowns, the team with which she commanded the most attention.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13876840\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13876840\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2020/03/ToniStone_DawnUrsula_team_credit_KevinBerne-800x532.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"532\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/03/ToniStone_DawnUrsula_team_credit_KevinBerne-800x532.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/03/ToniStone_DawnUrsula_team_credit_KevinBerne-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/03/ToniStone_DawnUrsula_team_credit_KevinBerne-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/03/ToniStone_DawnUrsula_team_credit_KevinBerne-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/03/ToniStone_DawnUrsula_team_credit_KevinBerne-1920x1278.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Dawn Ursula as Toni Stone at A.C.T. \u003ccite>(Kevin Berne)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Without preamble, Dawn Ursula as Toni Stone walks onstage to address the audience directly. Confident, solid, the embodiment of a consummate athlete, describing the weight of the ball as feeling like “what your hand, my hand, wanted all along.” As she describes herself and her preoccupation with the logistics of the game, her teammates enter the stage one by one, posing seriously with their bats. She introduces them with warm camaraderie—a litany of mostly forgotten, real-life players such as Spec (Daniel J. Bryant), King Tut (JaBen Early), and Elzie (Rodney Earl Jackson Jr.)—and the game begins in earnest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As they “play,” the team’s exemplary choreography (Camille A. Brown with movement coach Danyon Davis) fills the stage with something akin to the energy of a live game while the character of Toni delves into the specifics of it. Balls are tossed, bats swung, bases rounded, banter flies. With all of the measurements of the game divisible by three, they reference the holy trinity, declaring the playing field a church. Like angels, the players glide across the floorboards, slightly above the gritty fray.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13876838\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13876838\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2020/03/ToniStone_DawnUrsula_JaBenEarly_credit_KevinBerne-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/03/ToniStone_DawnUrsula_JaBenEarly_credit_KevinBerne-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/03/ToniStone_DawnUrsula_JaBenEarly_credit_KevinBerne-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/03/ToniStone_DawnUrsula_JaBenEarly_credit_KevinBerne-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/03/ToniStone_DawnUrsula_JaBenEarly_credit_KevinBerne-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/03/ToniStone_DawnUrsula_JaBenEarly_credit_KevinBerne-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Dawn Ursula and JaBen Early on the off-season in ‘Toni Stone’ at A.C.T. \u003ccite>(Kevin Berne)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In the idealized world of the theatrical, the raw sharp edges of life on the road are somewhat smoothed, addressing the many hardships faced by the team without forcing the actors to reenact each in too-excruciating detail. Forced to run from a crowd of racists during an exhibition game, the audience can feel reasonably certain that they’ll make it back to their van unscathed. Forced to ride through the night in search of a place to lay their heads, we know the bus will make it in one piece. Forced to sleep in a brothel in lieu of a hotel, Toni even makes a friend, the enigmatic Millie (Kenn E. Head), who offers some welcome comfort and sage advice.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But smoothed out certainly doesn’t mean edge-free, and the harsher realities of barnstorming in the League never stray far from the spotlight. A particularly agonizing sequence shows the players participating in the humiliating tradition of fifth-inning “clowning” during which their consummate athleticism becomes a framework for a minstrel-style show of synchronized soft-shoe and barely suppressed rage; pointedly implicating the watching audience. Toni must face and push back on the rampant sexism she encounters on and off the field, from threats of sexual violence to “helpful” suggestions that she wear a skirt as her uniform. Her teammates chafe and strain at their straightened circumstances, as over in New York, Jackie Robinson is breaking the color line in the majors, but not wide enough for them to join him.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13876841\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13876841\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2020/03/ToniStone_MarquisDGibson_Dawn-Ursula_credit_KevinBerne-800x1202.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"1202\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/03/ToniStone_MarquisDGibson_Dawn-Ursula_credit_KevinBerne-800x1202.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/03/ToniStone_MarquisDGibson_Dawn-Ursula_credit_KevinBerne-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/03/ToniStone_MarquisDGibson_Dawn-Ursula_credit_KevinBerne-768x1154.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/03/ToniStone_MarquisDGibson_Dawn-Ursula_credit_KevinBerne-1020x1533.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/03/ToniStone_MarquisDGibson_Dawn-Ursula_credit_KevinBerne.jpg 1597w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Marquis D. Gibson and Dawn Ursula in ‘Toni Stone’ at A.C.T. \u003ccite>(Kevin Berne)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Worldly yet guileless, self-sufficient but doggedly literal, Toni remains true to her own ambitions, no matter how many well-meaning voices try to talk her into desiring something else. A life of the creature comforts those voices promise is not the life she craves. It’s the dirt under her fingernails and the extra stretch in her arm as she reaches for an approaching ball, eager to feel the weight of it. Dawn Ursula deftly captures each shifting mood of her expressive character, while her talented teammates field the many bit roles: worried parents, overbearing bosses, bored bartenders, tender couples dancing in the dim half-light of memory. It feels a little strange that the play omits the overlap between Toni’s short tenure with the Indianapolis Clowns with those of their subsequent hires—Mamie “Peanut” Johnson and Connie Morgan—but as it already clocks in at close to two-and-a-half hours, it’s hard to say where they would fit in.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In what feels almost like an outrageously improbable doomsday scenario, both theater productions \u003cem>and\u003c/em> major sporting events are effectively canceled for now, making the truncated run of this particular sports-themed show feel like a double whammy. But at least the show’s online stream ensures that the many years of work that went into this one production won’t be completely lost to posterity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It took this many years for the Bay Area to give Toni Stone her due. And it’s good to see she’s not going down without a fight.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-12127869\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-800x78.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"78\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-768x75.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Toni Stone \u003c/em>live performances have been canceled in San Francisco due to COVID-19 concerns. Find more details about watching the play online \u003ca href=\"http://www.act-sf.org\">here\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Attending opening night of A.C.T.’s production of \u003cem>Toni Stone\u003c/em> on March 11 was a singular experience. Following an announcement from Mayor London Breed limiting gatherings to under 1,000 people, the theater was far from capacity, and, like a half-empty sports arena, the atmosphere was subdued, though expectant.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Written by Lydia R. Diamond and directed by A.C.T.’s Artistic Director Pam MacKinnon, \u003cem>Toni Stone\u003c/em> was meant to be a crowning jewel in a season themed the “rules of play.” But through no fault of its own, its opening night was overshadowed by an unfolding public health crisis—which eventually resulted in a shelter-in-place order with firm restrictions on public gatherings, including at theaters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Under these unenviable circumstances, the show did go on. And the next morning, it closed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Toni Stone\u003c/em> is now being made \u003ca href=\"http://www.act-sf.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">available to watch online\u003c/a>, filmed on stage at the Geary Theater, in a unique arrangement \u003ca href=\"http://<a%20href=\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">also undertaken\u003c/a> by a handful of other theaters during the coronavirus shutdown. Tickets for the recorded performance are on a pay-what-you-will system. If you’re stuck at home, I recommend giving it a shot.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That’s because despite the external pressures on opening night, the cast and artistic team of \u003cem>Toni Stone\u003c/em> knocked it out of the park. Chronicling the high point of the career of the first professional woman baseball player in the Negro Leagues, \u003cem>Toni Stone\u003c/em> inhabits an episodic realm halfway between biopic and dramatic monologue, told through the perspective of its charismatic titular character, and supported by a strong team of eight additional players. Although a player for a short time with the San Francisco Sea Lions, \u003cem>Toni Stone\u003c/em> is set during her later stint with the Indianapolis Clowns, the team with which she commanded the most attention.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13876840\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13876840\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2020/03/ToniStone_DawnUrsula_team_credit_KevinBerne-800x532.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"532\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/03/ToniStone_DawnUrsula_team_credit_KevinBerne-800x532.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/03/ToniStone_DawnUrsula_team_credit_KevinBerne-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/03/ToniStone_DawnUrsula_team_credit_KevinBerne-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/03/ToniStone_DawnUrsula_team_credit_KevinBerne-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/03/ToniStone_DawnUrsula_team_credit_KevinBerne-1920x1278.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Dawn Ursula as Toni Stone at A.C.T. \u003ccite>(Kevin Berne)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Without preamble, Dawn Ursula as Toni Stone walks onstage to address the audience directly. Confident, solid, the embodiment of a consummate athlete, describing the weight of the ball as feeling like “what your hand, my hand, wanted all along.” As she describes herself and her preoccupation with the logistics of the game, her teammates enter the stage one by one, posing seriously with their bats. She introduces them with warm camaraderie—a litany of mostly forgotten, real-life players such as Spec (Daniel J. Bryant), King Tut (JaBen Early), and Elzie (Rodney Earl Jackson Jr.)—and the game begins in earnest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As they “play,” the team’s exemplary choreography (Camille A. Brown with movement coach Danyon Davis) fills the stage with something akin to the energy of a live game while the character of Toni delves into the specifics of it. Balls are tossed, bats swung, bases rounded, banter flies. With all of the measurements of the game divisible by three, they reference the holy trinity, declaring the playing field a church. Like angels, the players glide across the floorboards, slightly above the gritty fray.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13876838\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13876838\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2020/03/ToniStone_DawnUrsula_JaBenEarly_credit_KevinBerne-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/03/ToniStone_DawnUrsula_JaBenEarly_credit_KevinBerne-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/03/ToniStone_DawnUrsula_JaBenEarly_credit_KevinBerne-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/03/ToniStone_DawnUrsula_JaBenEarly_credit_KevinBerne-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/03/ToniStone_DawnUrsula_JaBenEarly_credit_KevinBerne-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/03/ToniStone_DawnUrsula_JaBenEarly_credit_KevinBerne-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Dawn Ursula and JaBen Early on the off-season in ‘Toni Stone’ at A.C.T. \u003ccite>(Kevin Berne)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In the idealized world of the theatrical, the raw sharp edges of life on the road are somewhat smoothed, addressing the many hardships faced by the team without forcing the actors to reenact each in too-excruciating detail. Forced to run from a crowd of racists during an exhibition game, the audience can feel reasonably certain that they’ll make it back to their van unscathed. Forced to ride through the night in search of a place to lay their heads, we know the bus will make it in one piece. Forced to sleep in a brothel in lieu of a hotel, Toni even makes a friend, the enigmatic Millie (Kenn E. Head), who offers some welcome comfort and sage advice.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But smoothed out certainly doesn’t mean edge-free, and the harsher realities of barnstorming in the League never stray far from the spotlight. A particularly agonizing sequence shows the players participating in the humiliating tradition of fifth-inning “clowning” during which their consummate athleticism becomes a framework for a minstrel-style show of synchronized soft-shoe and barely suppressed rage; pointedly implicating the watching audience. Toni must face and push back on the rampant sexism she encounters on and off the field, from threats of sexual violence to “helpful” suggestions that she wear a skirt as her uniform. Her teammates chafe and strain at their straightened circumstances, as over in New York, Jackie Robinson is breaking the color line in the majors, but not wide enough for them to join him.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13876841\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13876841\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2020/03/ToniStone_MarquisDGibson_Dawn-Ursula_credit_KevinBerne-800x1202.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"1202\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/03/ToniStone_MarquisDGibson_Dawn-Ursula_credit_KevinBerne-800x1202.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/03/ToniStone_MarquisDGibson_Dawn-Ursula_credit_KevinBerne-160x240.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/03/ToniStone_MarquisDGibson_Dawn-Ursula_credit_KevinBerne-768x1154.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/03/ToniStone_MarquisDGibson_Dawn-Ursula_credit_KevinBerne-1020x1533.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/03/ToniStone_MarquisDGibson_Dawn-Ursula_credit_KevinBerne.jpg 1597w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Marquis D. Gibson and Dawn Ursula in ‘Toni Stone’ at A.C.T. \u003ccite>(Kevin Berne)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Worldly yet guileless, self-sufficient but doggedly literal, Toni remains true to her own ambitions, no matter how many well-meaning voices try to talk her into desiring something else. A life of the creature comforts those voices promise is not the life she craves. It’s the dirt under her fingernails and the extra stretch in her arm as she reaches for an approaching ball, eager to feel the weight of it. Dawn Ursula deftly captures each shifting mood of her expressive character, while her talented teammates field the many bit roles: worried parents, overbearing bosses, bored bartenders, tender couples dancing in the dim half-light of memory. It feels a little strange that the play omits the overlap between Toni’s short tenure with the Indianapolis Clowns with those of their subsequent hires—Mamie “Peanut” Johnson and Connie Morgan—but as it already clocks in at close to two-and-a-half hours, it’s hard to say where they would fit in.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In what feels almost like an outrageously improbable doomsday scenario, both theater productions \u003cem>and\u003c/em> major sporting events are effectively canceled for now, making the truncated run of this particular sports-themed show feel like a double whammy. But at least the show’s online stream ensures that the many years of work that went into this one production won’t be completely lost to posterity.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It took this many years for the Bay Area to give Toni Stone her due. And it’s good to see she’s not going down without a fight.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-12127869\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-800x78.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"78\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-768x75.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Toni Stone \u003c/em>live performances have been canceled in San Francisco due to COVID-19 concerns. Find more details about watching the play online \u003ca href=\"http://www.act-sf.org\">here\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "'Testmatch' at A.C.T. No Sticky Wicket",
"headTitle": "‘Testmatch’ at A.C.T. No Sticky Wicket | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>Embodying A.C.T.’s 2019/2020 season theme “Rules of Play,” Kate Attwell’s lively \u003cem>Testmatch\u003c/em> gives Women’s International Cricket a moment in the spotlight and explores its imperialist underpinnings with a smart one-two. With a cast of six, and a centuries-long timeline, \u003cem>Testmatch\u003c/em> careens from point to point like a runaway strike. And while the ball doesn’t always land as expected, the result is a mostly rewarding event, buoyed by a committed squad of assembled players.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This world-premiere production, directed by A.C.T.’s Artistic Director Pam MacKinnon (who will also direct the baseball-centered \u003cem>Toni Stone\u003c/em> in March), opens in the “players lounge” of a Women’s World Cup Cricket match. The teams are England and India, facing off in what the Indian team terms a “massive” game, eager to put the Brits down on their home turf. But the vagaries of English weather have put a damper on their ambitions, and the players are forced to sit around, drink tea, and bicker about their stats as they wait for the rain to stop.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13869692\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/11/Testmatch_MillieBrooks_ArwenAnderson_LipicaShah_MeeraRohitKumbhani_AvanthikaSrinivasan_credit_KevinBerne-800x532.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"532\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13869692\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/11/Testmatch_MillieBrooks_ArwenAnderson_LipicaShah_MeeraRohitKumbhani_AvanthikaSrinivasan_credit_KevinBerne-800x532.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/11/Testmatch_MillieBrooks_ArwenAnderson_LipicaShah_MeeraRohitKumbhani_AvanthikaSrinivasan_credit_KevinBerne-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/11/Testmatch_MillieBrooks_ArwenAnderson_LipicaShah_MeeraRohitKumbhani_AvanthikaSrinivasan_credit_KevinBerne-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/11/Testmatch_MillieBrooks_ArwenAnderson_LipicaShah_MeeraRohitKumbhani_AvanthikaSrinivasan_credit_KevinBerne-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/11/Testmatch_MillieBrooks_ArwenAnderson_LipicaShah_MeeraRohitKumbhani_AvanthikaSrinivasan_credit_KevinBerne-1200x799.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/11/Testmatch_MillieBrooks_ArwenAnderson_LipicaShah_MeeraRohitKumbhani_AvanthikaSrinivasan_credit_KevinBerne-1920x1278.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/11/Testmatch_MillieBrooks_ArwenAnderson_LipicaShah_MeeraRohitKumbhani_AvanthikaSrinivasan_credit_KevinBerne.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Millie Brooks, Arwen Anderson, Lipica Shah, Meera Rohit Kumbhani, and Avanthika Srinivasan faceoff in the players lounge in Kate Attwell’s Testmatch at A.C.T.’s Strand Theater. \u003ccite>(Kevin Berne)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Their sharp-tongued banter ricochets around Nina Ball’s minimalist set with plenty of penetrating wit. In short order, they dissect romance, honor, and cricket strategy without missing a beat—or an opportunity to elicit laughter, both comfortable and not. As captains of their respective teams, Meera Rohit Kumbhani and Madeline Wise command special attention. Kumbhani is a master of the wordless side-eye that speaks volumes, while Wise uses her natural gift of height to physically dominate the room. Inevitably the tension boils over, and humorous snark gives way to a simmering stew of resentments, racist invective, and accusations. Within the tumultuous unraveling, McKinnon skillfully inserts moments of heavy silence that drive home the stakes better than any right hook.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13869688\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 665px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13869688\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/11/Testmatch_MillieBrooks_MadelineWise_credit_KevinBerne.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"665\" height=\"1000\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/11/Testmatch_MillieBrooks_MadelineWise_credit_KevinBerne.jpg 665w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/11/Testmatch_MillieBrooks_MadelineWise_credit_KevinBerne-160x241.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 665px) 100vw, 665px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Millie Brooks and Madeline Wise confer in the players lounge in Kate Attwell’s Testmatch at A.C.T.’s Strand Theater. \u003ccite>(Kevin Berne)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>But suddenly, without warning, we’re whisked away to a Victorian-era British East India Trading Company compound in Calcutta, where Arwen Anderson and Millie Brooks are transformed into fatuous members of the company, and Lipica Shah as their put-upon footsoldier/secretary, Abhi. Primarily concerned with clarifying the official rules of cricket for posterity, while outside their walls a famine rages, Anderson and Brooks play their callous colonialists with cartoonish bombast, while the put-upon Shah observes their antics wearily from behind a gigantic mustache.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13869690\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13869690 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/11/Testmatch_LipicaShah_ArwenAnderson_MillieBrooks_credit_KevinBerne-800x532.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"532\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/11/Testmatch_LipicaShah_ArwenAnderson_MillieBrooks_credit_KevinBerne-800x532.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/11/Testmatch_LipicaShah_ArwenAnderson_MillieBrooks_credit_KevinBerne-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/11/Testmatch_LipicaShah_ArwenAnderson_MillieBrooks_credit_KevinBerne-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/11/Testmatch_LipicaShah_ArwenAnderson_MillieBrooks_credit_KevinBerne-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/11/Testmatch_LipicaShah_ArwenAnderson_MillieBrooks_credit_KevinBerne-1200x799.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/11/Testmatch_LipicaShah_ArwenAnderson_MillieBrooks_credit_KevinBerne-1920x1278.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/11/Testmatch_LipicaShah_ArwenAnderson_MillieBrooks_credit_KevinBerne.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Lipica Shah, Arwen Anderson, and Millie Brooks record the rule of the game in Kate Atwell’s Testmatch at A.C.T.’s Strand Theater. \u003ccite>(Kevin Berne)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The audience gets a brief lesson in cricket terms and an even briefer download of the rapacity of the EITC, creating an awareness of British colonial misrule as well as the complicated relationships former colonies have with British influences, then and now. There’s a reason, Attwell suggests, that the only countries that have kept cricket alive are in that category (the fact that matches can take up to four days to play possibly being another). By playfully examining the evolution of the game to show how structural effects of colonial rule linger into the present, Attwell delves into a complex chapter in history without pedantry.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Throughout the second act, Anderson and Brooks waddle through their buddy comedy with a shameless surfeit of self-awareness, and the other three members of the cast shine in their secondary roles: an opium-addled memsahib (Wise), an emissary from Bangalore (Kumbhani), and an astute bowler from the village (Avanthika Srinivasan). It’s humorous and giddily irreverent, but feels increasingly less inspired as the pace, as well as the pith, flags halfway through.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13869689\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13869689\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/11/Testmatch_ArwenAnderson_MillieBrooks_credit_KevinBerne-800x532.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"532\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/11/Testmatch_ArwenAnderson_MillieBrooks_credit_KevinBerne-800x532.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/11/Testmatch_ArwenAnderson_MillieBrooks_credit_KevinBerne-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/11/Testmatch_ArwenAnderson_MillieBrooks_credit_KevinBerne-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/11/Testmatch_ArwenAnderson_MillieBrooks_credit_KevinBerne.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Arwen Anderson, and Millie Brooks as members of the British East Indian Trading Company in Kate Atwell’s Testmatch at A.C.T.’s Strand Theater. \u003ccite>(Kevin Berne)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In effect, \u003cem>Testmatch \u003c/em>feels like kin to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13867205/partying-like-its-2099-at-cutting-balls-free-for-all\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Megan Cohen’s \u003cem>Free For All\u003c/em>\u003c/a>, which recently debuted at Cutting Ball Theater. Both employ satire, bawd and cross-dressing to comment on elitism, capitalist overreach, and the patriarchy while pitting the undeserving powerful against the underserved poor. But there’s a tentativeness to A.C.T.’s production that doesn’t quite allow it to reach absurdist extremes. The ending doesn’t shock the system as feels intended, and the overall effect is decidedly less devastating and more benign than a truly scathing societal critique.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But \u003cem>Testmatch\u003c/em> does give its audience a chance to wrestle with the implications of empire amid questions of honor, teamwork, and what divides us. It also underscores a fresh commitment to ambitious new works under the A.C.T. banner. Wholly contemporary, unapologetically experimental, and emphatically feminist, \u003cem>Testmatch\u003c/em> is a way of testing San Francisco’s appetite for same. Hopefully this means we’ll get to revisit \u003cem>Testmatch\u003c/em> in a future iteration, and that A.C.T. will continue to give similarly audacious work an artistic home in the seasons to come.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘Testmatch’ runs through Dec. 8, 2019, at the Strand Theater in San Francisco. \u003ca href=\"https://secure.act-sf.org/overview/testmatch\">Details here\u003c/a>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Embodying A.C.T.’s 2019/2020 season theme “Rules of Play,” Kate Attwell’s lively \u003cem>Testmatch\u003c/em> gives Women’s International Cricket a moment in the spotlight and explores its imperialist underpinnings with a smart one-two. With a cast of six, and a centuries-long timeline, \u003cem>Testmatch\u003c/em> careens from point to point like a runaway strike. And while the ball doesn’t always land as expected, the result is a mostly rewarding event, buoyed by a committed squad of assembled players.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This world-premiere production, directed by A.C.T.’s Artistic Director Pam MacKinnon (who will also direct the baseball-centered \u003cem>Toni Stone\u003c/em> in March), opens in the “players lounge” of a Women’s World Cup Cricket match. The teams are England and India, facing off in what the Indian team terms a “massive” game, eager to put the Brits down on their home turf. But the vagaries of English weather have put a damper on their ambitions, and the players are forced to sit around, drink tea, and bicker about their stats as they wait for the rain to stop.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13869692\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/11/Testmatch_MillieBrooks_ArwenAnderson_LipicaShah_MeeraRohitKumbhani_AvanthikaSrinivasan_credit_KevinBerne-800x532.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"532\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13869692\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/11/Testmatch_MillieBrooks_ArwenAnderson_LipicaShah_MeeraRohitKumbhani_AvanthikaSrinivasan_credit_KevinBerne-800x532.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/11/Testmatch_MillieBrooks_ArwenAnderson_LipicaShah_MeeraRohitKumbhani_AvanthikaSrinivasan_credit_KevinBerne-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/11/Testmatch_MillieBrooks_ArwenAnderson_LipicaShah_MeeraRohitKumbhani_AvanthikaSrinivasan_credit_KevinBerne-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/11/Testmatch_MillieBrooks_ArwenAnderson_LipicaShah_MeeraRohitKumbhani_AvanthikaSrinivasan_credit_KevinBerne-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/11/Testmatch_MillieBrooks_ArwenAnderson_LipicaShah_MeeraRohitKumbhani_AvanthikaSrinivasan_credit_KevinBerne-1200x799.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/11/Testmatch_MillieBrooks_ArwenAnderson_LipicaShah_MeeraRohitKumbhani_AvanthikaSrinivasan_credit_KevinBerne-1920x1278.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/11/Testmatch_MillieBrooks_ArwenAnderson_LipicaShah_MeeraRohitKumbhani_AvanthikaSrinivasan_credit_KevinBerne.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Millie Brooks, Arwen Anderson, Lipica Shah, Meera Rohit Kumbhani, and Avanthika Srinivasan faceoff in the players lounge in Kate Attwell’s Testmatch at A.C.T.’s Strand Theater. \u003ccite>(Kevin Berne)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Their sharp-tongued banter ricochets around Nina Ball’s minimalist set with plenty of penetrating wit. In short order, they dissect romance, honor, and cricket strategy without missing a beat—or an opportunity to elicit laughter, both comfortable and not. As captains of their respective teams, Meera Rohit Kumbhani and Madeline Wise command special attention. Kumbhani is a master of the wordless side-eye that speaks volumes, while Wise uses her natural gift of height to physically dominate the room. Inevitably the tension boils over, and humorous snark gives way to a simmering stew of resentments, racist invective, and accusations. Within the tumultuous unraveling, McKinnon skillfully inserts moments of heavy silence that drive home the stakes better than any right hook.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13869688\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 665px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13869688\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/11/Testmatch_MillieBrooks_MadelineWise_credit_KevinBerne.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"665\" height=\"1000\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/11/Testmatch_MillieBrooks_MadelineWise_credit_KevinBerne.jpg 665w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/11/Testmatch_MillieBrooks_MadelineWise_credit_KevinBerne-160x241.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 665px) 100vw, 665px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Millie Brooks and Madeline Wise confer in the players lounge in Kate Attwell’s Testmatch at A.C.T.’s Strand Theater. \u003ccite>(Kevin Berne)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>But suddenly, without warning, we’re whisked away to a Victorian-era British East India Trading Company compound in Calcutta, where Arwen Anderson and Millie Brooks are transformed into fatuous members of the company, and Lipica Shah as their put-upon footsoldier/secretary, Abhi. Primarily concerned with clarifying the official rules of cricket for posterity, while outside their walls a famine rages, Anderson and Brooks play their callous colonialists with cartoonish bombast, while the put-upon Shah observes their antics wearily from behind a gigantic mustache.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13869690\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13869690 size-medium\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/11/Testmatch_LipicaShah_ArwenAnderson_MillieBrooks_credit_KevinBerne-800x532.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"532\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/11/Testmatch_LipicaShah_ArwenAnderson_MillieBrooks_credit_KevinBerne-800x532.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/11/Testmatch_LipicaShah_ArwenAnderson_MillieBrooks_credit_KevinBerne-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/11/Testmatch_LipicaShah_ArwenAnderson_MillieBrooks_credit_KevinBerne-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/11/Testmatch_LipicaShah_ArwenAnderson_MillieBrooks_credit_KevinBerne-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/11/Testmatch_LipicaShah_ArwenAnderson_MillieBrooks_credit_KevinBerne-1200x799.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/11/Testmatch_LipicaShah_ArwenAnderson_MillieBrooks_credit_KevinBerne-1920x1278.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/11/Testmatch_LipicaShah_ArwenAnderson_MillieBrooks_credit_KevinBerne.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Lipica Shah, Arwen Anderson, and Millie Brooks record the rule of the game in Kate Atwell’s Testmatch at A.C.T.’s Strand Theater. \u003ccite>(Kevin Berne)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The audience gets a brief lesson in cricket terms and an even briefer download of the rapacity of the EITC, creating an awareness of British colonial misrule as well as the complicated relationships former colonies have with British influences, then and now. There’s a reason, Attwell suggests, that the only countries that have kept cricket alive are in that category (the fact that matches can take up to four days to play possibly being another). By playfully examining the evolution of the game to show how structural effects of colonial rule linger into the present, Attwell delves into a complex chapter in history without pedantry.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Throughout the second act, Anderson and Brooks waddle through their buddy comedy with a shameless surfeit of self-awareness, and the other three members of the cast shine in their secondary roles: an opium-addled memsahib (Wise), an emissary from Bangalore (Kumbhani), and an astute bowler from the village (Avanthika Srinivasan). It’s humorous and giddily irreverent, but feels increasingly less inspired as the pace, as well as the pith, flags halfway through.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13869689\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13869689\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/11/Testmatch_ArwenAnderson_MillieBrooks_credit_KevinBerne-800x532.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"532\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/11/Testmatch_ArwenAnderson_MillieBrooks_credit_KevinBerne-800x532.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/11/Testmatch_ArwenAnderson_MillieBrooks_credit_KevinBerne-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/11/Testmatch_ArwenAnderson_MillieBrooks_credit_KevinBerne-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/11/Testmatch_ArwenAnderson_MillieBrooks_credit_KevinBerne.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Arwen Anderson, and Millie Brooks as members of the British East Indian Trading Company in Kate Atwell’s Testmatch at A.C.T.’s Strand Theater. \u003ccite>(Kevin Berne)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In effect, \u003cem>Testmatch \u003c/em>feels like kin to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13867205/partying-like-its-2099-at-cutting-balls-free-for-all\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Megan Cohen’s \u003cem>Free For All\u003c/em>\u003c/a>, which recently debuted at Cutting Ball Theater. Both employ satire, bawd and cross-dressing to comment on elitism, capitalist overreach, and the patriarchy while pitting the undeserving powerful against the underserved poor. But there’s a tentativeness to A.C.T.’s production that doesn’t quite allow it to reach absurdist extremes. The ending doesn’t shock the system as feels intended, and the overall effect is decidedly less devastating and more benign than a truly scathing societal critique.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But \u003cem>Testmatch\u003c/em> does give its audience a chance to wrestle with the implications of empire amid questions of honor, teamwork, and what divides us. It also underscores a fresh commitment to ambitious new works under the A.C.T. banner. Wholly contemporary, unapologetically experimental, and emphatically feminist, \u003cem>Testmatch\u003c/em> is a way of testing San Francisco’s appetite for same. Hopefully this means we’ll get to revisit \u003cem>Testmatch\u003c/em> in a future iteration, and that A.C.T. will continue to give similarly audacious work an artistic home in the seasons to come.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp> \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘Testmatch’ runs through Dec. 8, 2019, at the Strand Theater in San Francisco. \u003ca href=\"https://secure.act-sf.org/overview/testmatch\">Details here\u003c/a>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"publishDate": 1567105246,
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"title": "Fall Theater Guide 2019: Top Plays and Performances in SF and the East Bay",
"headTitle": "Fall Theater Guide 2019: Top Plays and Performances in SF and the East Bay | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>After a summer full of outdoor festivals, touring shows in parks, and family-style recreating, autumn signals a shift—if not in temperature, than in the theatrical climate. For many Bay Area theaters, fall is when new seasons begin, and even for theater companies whose seasons follow the calendar year, rarely is their autumnal offering anything but a grand centerpiece.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For even the occasional theatergoer, it’s hard to choose wrong—the real challenge is in narrowing down the field. Here are nine picks from the heavy-hitting months ahead. (And as always, check \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/thedolist\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Do List\u003c/a> for weekly recommendations in music, art and more from KQED Arts editors.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13864734\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13864734\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/CuttingBall_FREE4ALL_credit_EstelaHernandez-800x582.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"582\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/CuttingBall_FREE4ALL_credit_EstelaHernandez-800x582.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/CuttingBall_FREE4ALL_credit_EstelaHernandez-160x116.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/CuttingBall_FREE4ALL_credit_EstelaHernandez-768x558.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/CuttingBall_FREE4ALL_credit_EstelaHernandez.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Phil Wong and Stacy Ross in Megan Cohen’s ‘Free for All’ at Cutting Ball Theater. \u003ccite>(Estela Hernandez)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘Free For All’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Cutting Ball Theater, San Francisco\u003cbr>\nSept. 19-Oct. 20, 2019\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"https://cuttingball.com/productions/free-for-all\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Details here\u003c/a>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This highly anticipated world premiere from local playwright and librettist Megan Cohen—the first playwright selected for Cutting Ball Theater’s new playwright commissions program—opens their 21st season with a champagne cork pop. Billed as a “new \u003cem>Miss Julie\u003c/em> for a new world,” this non-naturalistic, San Francisco-centric riff on Strindberg’s problematic interrogation of power dynamics promises comedy, theatricality, and a foray into a future of elegant waste and survivalism. Can San Francisco be saved before half of it washes out to sea? Does anyone even care to try? Directed by Ariel Craft.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13864731\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13864731\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/inkedbaby_-Leigh-Rondon-Davis_Christell-Lewis_David-Everett-Moore_credit_CheshireIssacs-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/inkedbaby_-Leigh-Rondon-Davis_Christell-Lewis_David-Everett-Moore_credit_CheshireIssacs-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/inkedbaby_-Leigh-Rondon-Davis_Christell-Lewis_David-Everett-Moore_credit_CheshireIssacs-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/inkedbaby_-Leigh-Rondon-Davis_Christell-Lewis_David-Everett-Moore_credit_CheshireIssacs-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/inkedbaby_-Leigh-Rondon-Davis_Christell-Lewis_David-Everett-Moore_credit_CheshireIssacs.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Leigh Rondon-Davis, Christell Lewis, and Everett Moore star in ‘Inked Baby’ at Crowded Fire Theater. \u003ccite>(Cheshire Issacs)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘Inked Baby’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Crowded Fire Theater, San Francisco\u003cbr>\nSept. 12-Oct. 5, 2019\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.crowdedfire.org/inked-baby/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Details here\u003c/a>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Crowded Fire Theater continues its tradition of bringing dynamic American playwrights to their Potrero Hill stage with this early Christina Anderson work. A playwright with a history of Crowded Fire productions (they produced her \u003cem>Drip\u003c/em> in 2009, and \u003cem>Good Goods\u003c/em> in 2012), and erstwhile Bay Area artistic roots, Anderson has garnered international acclaim for her multi-layered works centering the black American experience. With \u003cem>Inked Baby\u003c/em>, she begins by wrestling with the dynamics of an in-family surrogate pregnancy and winds up in a speculative realm where a mysterious malady ravages the city, and potentially their future. Directed by Lisa Marie Rollins.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13864735\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13864735\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/Churchill_Caryl_courtesyofAmericanConservatoryTheater-800x601.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"601\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/Churchill_Caryl_courtesyofAmericanConservatoryTheater-800x601.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/Churchill_Caryl_courtesyofAmericanConservatoryTheater-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/Churchill_Caryl_courtesyofAmericanConservatoryTheater-768x577.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/Churchill_Caryl_courtesyofAmericanConservatoryTheater.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Caryl Churchill. \u003ccite>(American Conservatory Theater)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Caryl Churchill-palooza\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>‘Top Girls’\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\n\u003ci>A.C.T., San Francisco\u003cbr>\nSept. 19-Oct. 13, 2019\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.act-sf.org/home/box_office/1920_season/top_girls.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Details here\u003c/a>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Vinegar Tom\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\n\u003ci>Shotgun Players, Berkeley\u003cbr>\nDec. 6, 2019-Jan. 5, 2020\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://bit.ly/2FPuyCJ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Details here\u003c/a>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hot on the heels of new Caryl Churchill one-acts produced by Berkeley’s Anton’s Well, A.C.T. opens its new season with her best-known work, the \u003cspan class=\"st\">inimitable\u003c/span> \u003cem>Top Girls—\u003c/em>partly set at the most interesting dinner party of all time. Then, closing their season in December, Shotgun Players presents a rollicking rendition of Churchill’s \u003cem>Vinegar Tom\u003c/em>, a Brechtian musical foray set in a 17th century of witchfinders and oppressive patriarchy. It’s a wonderful opportunity for Bay Area theatergoers to reacquaint themselves with multiple decades’ worth of Churchill’s feminist ideals and strong-willed protagonists.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13864729\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13864729\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/terrorvault_credit_JoseAGuzmanColon-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/terrorvault_credit_JoseAGuzmanColon-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/terrorvault_credit_JoseAGuzmanColon-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/terrorvault_credit_JoseAGuzmanColon-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/terrorvault_credit_JoseAGuzmanColon.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Terror Vault returns to the Old Mint. \u003ccite>(Jose A. Guzman Colon)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘Terror Vault’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>The Old Mint, San Francisco\u003cbr>\nOct. 10-Nov. 10, 2019\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.intothedarksf.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Details here\u003c/a>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Most haunted houses don’t qualify as theater picks, but then again, most haunted houses aren’t 45-minute immersive experiences, scripted and staged by the great Peaches Christ (in collaboration with Non Plus Ultra and legendary haunted house designer David Flower). Last year’s \u003cem>Terror Vault\u003c/em> was a taut tightrope of creepshow, camp, and bloodbath, with a surprisingly cohesive narrative throughline and plenty of (optional) audience participation, and this year’s version looks to be all that and more. This edition introduces \u003cem>Apolcalypse,\u003c/em> a zombie-themed escape-room experience for folks who just can’t get scared enough. Discover the haunted histories of San Francisco’s Old Mint—or become one of them yourself.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13864728\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 600px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13864728\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/TheatreFIRST_DanWolf_courtesyoftheartist-800x1110.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"833\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/TheatreFIRST_DanWolf_courtesyoftheartist-800x1110.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/TheatreFIRST_DanWolf_courtesyoftheartist-160x222.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/TheatreFIRST_DanWolf_courtesyoftheartist-768x1066.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/TheatreFIRST_DanWolf_courtesyoftheartist-865x1200.jpg 865w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/TheatreFIRST_DanWolf_courtesyoftheartist.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Dan Wolf. \u003ccite>(TheatreFIRST)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Haunted Playwrights\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>‘From the Ground Up’\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\n\u003ci>TheatreFIRST, San Francisco\u003cbr>\nOct. 27-Nov. 10, 2019\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"https://theatrefirst.com/2019-20-season/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Details here\u003c/a>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Eugene O’Neill Festival\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\n\u003ci>Various venues\u003cbr>\nAug. 24-Sept. 29, 2019\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.eugeneoneill.org/20th-annual-eugene-oneill-festival/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Details here\u003c/a>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Speaking of hauntings, is there anything so haunted as the unresolved past? TheatreFIRST’s anthology of commissioned short plays explores the personal as peril—and how society is shaped by the supernatural—in \u003cem>From the Ground Up: An Anthology of Ghost Stories Made New\u003c/em>, penned by a who’s-who of some of the Bay Area’s most inventive voices, including Eugenie Chan, Dan Wolf, and Cleavon Smith. Meanwhile, the 20th Annual Eugene O’Neill Festival calls back to a pair of American Theater’s “haunted poets”—Eugene O’Neill and Tennessee Williams. It includes a special weekend of O’Neill’s seafaring short plays at Hyde Street Pier, and a production of his epic \u003cem>Long Day’s Journey Into Night \u003c/em>at his historic Tao House in Danville.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13864736\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 600px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13864736\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/CentralWorks_CristinaGarcia_Headshot_courtesyoftheartist-800x891.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"668\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/CentralWorks_CristinaGarcia_Headshot_courtesyoftheartist-800x891.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/CentralWorks_CristinaGarcia_Headshot_courtesyoftheartist-160x178.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/CentralWorks_CristinaGarcia_Headshot_courtesyoftheartist-768x856.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/CentralWorks_CristinaGarcia_Headshot_courtesyoftheartist.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Cristina García. \u003ccite>(Central Works)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘The Lady Matador’s Hotel’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Central Works, Berkeley\u003cbr>\nOct. 12-Nov. 10, 2019\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://centralworks.org/the-lady-matadors-hotel/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Details here\u003c/a>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So successful was \u003cem>King of Cuba,\u003c/em> last year’s Central Works collaboration with novelist Cristina García, that they’re back this year with another, \u003cem>The Lady Matador’s Hotel\u003c/em>. Adapted from her 2010 book of the same name, \u003cem>The Lady Matador’s Hotel\u003c/em> follows the adventures of an unlikely coterie of travelers, stranded in an unnamed Central American country in a state of political unrest. Featuring a high-caliber cast and directed by Central Works’ co-artistic director, Gary Graves, this production closes out their 29th season with their 65th world premiere.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13864733\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13864733\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/HPATCC-NY-Year-Two-Bubba-Weiler_Nadia-Brown_Nicholas-Podany_Photo-By-Matthew-Murphy-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/HPATCC-NY-Year-Two-Bubba-Weiler_Nadia-Brown_Nicholas-Podany_Photo-By-Matthew-Murphy-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/HPATCC-NY-Year-Two-Bubba-Weiler_Nadia-Brown_Nicholas-Podany_Photo-By-Matthew-Murphy-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/HPATCC-NY-Year-Two-Bubba-Weiler_Nadia-Brown_Nicholas-Podany_Photo-By-Matthew-Murphy-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/HPATCC-NY-Year-Two-Bubba-Weiler_Nadia-Brown_Nicholas-Podany_Photo-By-Matthew-Murphy.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Bubba Weller, Nadia Brown, Nicholas Podany in the New York production of ‘Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.’ \u003ccite>(Matthew Murphy)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘Harry Potter and the Cursed Child’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>The Curran, San Francisco\u003cbr>\nOct. 23, 2019-May 2020\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"https://sfcurran.com/harry-potter-and-the-cursed-child/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Details here\u003c/a>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Calling all wizards! The extravaganza that is \u003cem>Harry Potter and the Cursed Child \u003c/em>is coming to San Francisco in October for its West Coast premiere under the refurbished Curran Theater roof. \u003cem>Harry Potter and the Cursed Child\u003c/em> features a grown-up Harry and his children, in particular his son Albus, who is heading to Hogwarts. Having been written with the many Harry Potter superfans in mind, the play is a two-part marathon, with tickets available for both consecutive and non-consecutive showings. Either way, be prepared to board the Hogwarts Express from Platform 9 ¾.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13864730\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13864730\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/MagicTheatre_Nassim_credit_David-Monteith-Hodge-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/MagicTheatre_Nassim_credit_David-Monteith-Hodge-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/MagicTheatre_Nassim_credit_David-Monteith-Hodge-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/MagicTheatre_Nassim_credit_David-Monteith-Hodge-768x513.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/MagicTheatre_Nassim_credit_David-Monteith-Hodge-1020x681.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/MagicTheatre_Nassim_credit_David-Monteith-Hodge-1200x801.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/MagicTheatre_Nassim_credit_David-Monteith-Hodge-1920x1282.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/MagicTheatre_Nassim_credit_David-Monteith-Hodge.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Still from ‘Nassim.’ \u003ccite>(David Monteith-Hodge)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘Nassim’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Magic Theatre, San Francisco\u003cbr>\nNov. 12-16, 2019\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"https://magictheatre.secure.force.com/ticket#details_a0S5A00000VLiXtUAL\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Details here\u003c/a>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In his infamous \u003cem>White Rabbit, Red Rabbit\u003c/em>, Nassim Soleimanpour challenged actors around the globe to perform his play without rehearsal, direction, or even time to read the script before the show. His eponymous \u003cem>Nassim \u003c/em>asks a similar leap of performer faith. The twist, however, is that Soleimanpour himself controls how and when the actor receives the text they are to speak via a projection screen. They’ll also receive an onstage crash course in Farsi, while exploring the human nuances of language and our universal struggles to communicate. Winner of the 2017 Fringe First award in Edinburgh, Scotland.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13864737\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13864737\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/BBB_San-Francisco-Skyline-Hat_RickMarkovich-800x532.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"532\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/BBB_San-Francisco-Skyline-Hat_RickMarkovich-800x532.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/BBB_San-Francisco-Skyline-Hat_RickMarkovich-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/BBB_San-Francisco-Skyline-Hat_RickMarkovich-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/BBB_San-Francisco-Skyline-Hat_RickMarkovich-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/BBB_San-Francisco-Skyline-Hat_RickMarkovich-1200x799.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/BBB_San-Francisco-Skyline-Hat_RickMarkovich-1920x1278.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/BBB_San-Francisco-Skyline-Hat_RickMarkovich.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">San Francisco Skyline at Beach Blanket Babylon \u003ccite>(Rick Markovich)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘Beach Blanket Babylon’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Club Fugazi, San Francisco\u003cbr>\nThrough Dec. 31, 2019\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.beachblanketbabylon.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Details here\u003c/a>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sure, it’s a little over the top. Ok, a \u003cem>lot\u003c/em>. But \u003cem>Beach Blanket Babylon\u003c/em> is as much a San Francisco institution as any of our mainstages, and predates many of them at a venerable 45 years old; it’s the world’s longest-running musical revue. But despite its enduring charm, unflappable energy, and strong sales, the show must apparently not go on, closing for good on Dec. 31. So whether you’re a long-time fan, or one who’s been meaning to go but just haven’t quite made it out, this is your last opportunity to make some \u003cem>Beach Blanket Babylon \u003c/em>memories to carry with you into a future bereft of its broad-stroke satire and iconic hats.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>After a summer full of outdoor festivals, touring shows in parks, and family-style recreating, autumn signals a shift—if not in temperature, than in the theatrical climate. For many Bay Area theaters, fall is when new seasons begin, and even for theater companies whose seasons follow the calendar year, rarely is their autumnal offering anything but a grand centerpiece.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For even the occasional theatergoer, it’s hard to choose wrong—the real challenge is in narrowing down the field. Here are nine picks from the heavy-hitting months ahead. (And as always, check \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/thedolist\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Do List\u003c/a> for weekly recommendations in music, art and more from KQED Arts editors.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13864734\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13864734\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/CuttingBall_FREE4ALL_credit_EstelaHernandez-800x582.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"582\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/CuttingBall_FREE4ALL_credit_EstelaHernandez-800x582.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/CuttingBall_FREE4ALL_credit_EstelaHernandez-160x116.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/CuttingBall_FREE4ALL_credit_EstelaHernandez-768x558.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/CuttingBall_FREE4ALL_credit_EstelaHernandez.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Phil Wong and Stacy Ross in Megan Cohen’s ‘Free for All’ at Cutting Ball Theater. \u003ccite>(Estela Hernandez)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘Free For All’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Cutting Ball Theater, San Francisco\u003cbr>\nSept. 19-Oct. 20, 2019\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"https://cuttingball.com/productions/free-for-all\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Details here\u003c/a>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This highly anticipated world premiere from local playwright and librettist Megan Cohen—the first playwright selected for Cutting Ball Theater’s new playwright commissions program—opens their 21st season with a champagne cork pop. Billed as a “new \u003cem>Miss Julie\u003c/em> for a new world,” this non-naturalistic, San Francisco-centric riff on Strindberg’s problematic interrogation of power dynamics promises comedy, theatricality, and a foray into a future of elegant waste and survivalism. Can San Francisco be saved before half of it washes out to sea? Does anyone even care to try? Directed by Ariel Craft.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13864731\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13864731\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/inkedbaby_-Leigh-Rondon-Davis_Christell-Lewis_David-Everett-Moore_credit_CheshireIssacs-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/inkedbaby_-Leigh-Rondon-Davis_Christell-Lewis_David-Everett-Moore_credit_CheshireIssacs-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/inkedbaby_-Leigh-Rondon-Davis_Christell-Lewis_David-Everett-Moore_credit_CheshireIssacs-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/inkedbaby_-Leigh-Rondon-Davis_Christell-Lewis_David-Everett-Moore_credit_CheshireIssacs-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/inkedbaby_-Leigh-Rondon-Davis_Christell-Lewis_David-Everett-Moore_credit_CheshireIssacs.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Leigh Rondon-Davis, Christell Lewis, and Everett Moore star in ‘Inked Baby’ at Crowded Fire Theater. \u003ccite>(Cheshire Issacs)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘Inked Baby’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Crowded Fire Theater, San Francisco\u003cbr>\nSept. 12-Oct. 5, 2019\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.crowdedfire.org/inked-baby/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Details here\u003c/a>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Crowded Fire Theater continues its tradition of bringing dynamic American playwrights to their Potrero Hill stage with this early Christina Anderson work. A playwright with a history of Crowded Fire productions (they produced her \u003cem>Drip\u003c/em> in 2009, and \u003cem>Good Goods\u003c/em> in 2012), and erstwhile Bay Area artistic roots, Anderson has garnered international acclaim for her multi-layered works centering the black American experience. With \u003cem>Inked Baby\u003c/em>, she begins by wrestling with the dynamics of an in-family surrogate pregnancy and winds up in a speculative realm where a mysterious malady ravages the city, and potentially their future. Directed by Lisa Marie Rollins.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13864735\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13864735\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/Churchill_Caryl_courtesyofAmericanConservatoryTheater-800x601.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"601\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/Churchill_Caryl_courtesyofAmericanConservatoryTheater-800x601.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/Churchill_Caryl_courtesyofAmericanConservatoryTheater-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/Churchill_Caryl_courtesyofAmericanConservatoryTheater-768x577.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/Churchill_Caryl_courtesyofAmericanConservatoryTheater.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Caryl Churchill. \u003ccite>(American Conservatory Theater)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Caryl Churchill-palooza\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>‘Top Girls’\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\n\u003ci>A.C.T., San Francisco\u003cbr>\nSept. 19-Oct. 13, 2019\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.act-sf.org/home/box_office/1920_season/top_girls.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Details here\u003c/a>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Vinegar Tom\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\n\u003ci>Shotgun Players, Berkeley\u003cbr>\nDec. 6, 2019-Jan. 5, 2020\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://bit.ly/2FPuyCJ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Details here\u003c/a>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Hot on the heels of new Caryl Churchill one-acts produced by Berkeley’s Anton’s Well, A.C.T. opens its new season with her best-known work, the \u003cspan class=\"st\">inimitable\u003c/span> \u003cem>Top Girls—\u003c/em>partly set at the most interesting dinner party of all time. Then, closing their season in December, Shotgun Players presents a rollicking rendition of Churchill’s \u003cem>Vinegar Tom\u003c/em>, a Brechtian musical foray set in a 17th century of witchfinders and oppressive patriarchy. It’s a wonderful opportunity for Bay Area theatergoers to reacquaint themselves with multiple decades’ worth of Churchill’s feminist ideals and strong-willed protagonists.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13864729\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13864729\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/terrorvault_credit_JoseAGuzmanColon-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/terrorvault_credit_JoseAGuzmanColon-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/terrorvault_credit_JoseAGuzmanColon-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/terrorvault_credit_JoseAGuzmanColon-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/terrorvault_credit_JoseAGuzmanColon.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Terror Vault returns to the Old Mint. \u003ccite>(Jose A. Guzman Colon)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘Terror Vault’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>The Old Mint, San Francisco\u003cbr>\nOct. 10-Nov. 10, 2019\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.intothedarksf.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Details here\u003c/a>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Most haunted houses don’t qualify as theater picks, but then again, most haunted houses aren’t 45-minute immersive experiences, scripted and staged by the great Peaches Christ (in collaboration with Non Plus Ultra and legendary haunted house designer David Flower). Last year’s \u003cem>Terror Vault\u003c/em> was a taut tightrope of creepshow, camp, and bloodbath, with a surprisingly cohesive narrative throughline and plenty of (optional) audience participation, and this year’s version looks to be all that and more. This edition introduces \u003cem>Apolcalypse,\u003c/em> a zombie-themed escape-room experience for folks who just can’t get scared enough. Discover the haunted histories of San Francisco’s Old Mint—or become one of them yourself.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13864728\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 600px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13864728\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/TheatreFIRST_DanWolf_courtesyoftheartist-800x1110.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"833\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/TheatreFIRST_DanWolf_courtesyoftheartist-800x1110.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/TheatreFIRST_DanWolf_courtesyoftheartist-160x222.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/TheatreFIRST_DanWolf_courtesyoftheartist-768x1066.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/TheatreFIRST_DanWolf_courtesyoftheartist-865x1200.jpg 865w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/TheatreFIRST_DanWolf_courtesyoftheartist.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Dan Wolf. \u003ccite>(TheatreFIRST)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Haunted Playwrights\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>‘From the Ground Up’\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\n\u003ci>TheatreFIRST, San Francisco\u003cbr>\nOct. 27-Nov. 10, 2019\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"https://theatrefirst.com/2019-20-season/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Details here\u003c/a>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Eugene O’Neill Festival\u003c/strong>\u003cbr>\n\u003ci>Various venues\u003cbr>\nAug. 24-Sept. 29, 2019\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.eugeneoneill.org/20th-annual-eugene-oneill-festival/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Details here\u003c/a>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Speaking of hauntings, is there anything so haunted as the unresolved past? TheatreFIRST’s anthology of commissioned short plays explores the personal as peril—and how society is shaped by the supernatural—in \u003cem>From the Ground Up: An Anthology of Ghost Stories Made New\u003c/em>, penned by a who’s-who of some of the Bay Area’s most inventive voices, including Eugenie Chan, Dan Wolf, and Cleavon Smith. Meanwhile, the 20th Annual Eugene O’Neill Festival calls back to a pair of American Theater’s “haunted poets”—Eugene O’Neill and Tennessee Williams. It includes a special weekend of O’Neill’s seafaring short plays at Hyde Street Pier, and a production of his epic \u003cem>Long Day’s Journey Into Night \u003c/em>at his historic Tao House in Danville.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13864736\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 600px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13864736\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/CentralWorks_CristinaGarcia_Headshot_courtesyoftheartist-800x891.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"668\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/CentralWorks_CristinaGarcia_Headshot_courtesyoftheartist-800x891.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/CentralWorks_CristinaGarcia_Headshot_courtesyoftheartist-160x178.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/CentralWorks_CristinaGarcia_Headshot_courtesyoftheartist-768x856.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/CentralWorks_CristinaGarcia_Headshot_courtesyoftheartist.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Cristina García. \u003ccite>(Central Works)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘The Lady Matador’s Hotel’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Central Works, Berkeley\u003cbr>\nOct. 12-Nov. 10, 2019\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://centralworks.org/the-lady-matadors-hotel/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Details here\u003c/a>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So successful was \u003cem>King of Cuba,\u003c/em> last year’s Central Works collaboration with novelist Cristina García, that they’re back this year with another, \u003cem>The Lady Matador’s Hotel\u003c/em>. Adapted from her 2010 book of the same name, \u003cem>The Lady Matador’s Hotel\u003c/em> follows the adventures of an unlikely coterie of travelers, stranded in an unnamed Central American country in a state of political unrest. Featuring a high-caliber cast and directed by Central Works’ co-artistic director, Gary Graves, this production closes out their 29th season with their 65th world premiere.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13864733\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13864733\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/HPATCC-NY-Year-Two-Bubba-Weiler_Nadia-Brown_Nicholas-Podany_Photo-By-Matthew-Murphy-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/HPATCC-NY-Year-Two-Bubba-Weiler_Nadia-Brown_Nicholas-Podany_Photo-By-Matthew-Murphy-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/HPATCC-NY-Year-Two-Bubba-Weiler_Nadia-Brown_Nicholas-Podany_Photo-By-Matthew-Murphy-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/HPATCC-NY-Year-Two-Bubba-Weiler_Nadia-Brown_Nicholas-Podany_Photo-By-Matthew-Murphy-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/HPATCC-NY-Year-Two-Bubba-Weiler_Nadia-Brown_Nicholas-Podany_Photo-By-Matthew-Murphy.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Bubba Weller, Nadia Brown, Nicholas Podany in the New York production of ‘Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.’ \u003ccite>(Matthew Murphy)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘Harry Potter and the Cursed Child’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>The Curran, San Francisco\u003cbr>\nOct. 23, 2019-May 2020\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"https://sfcurran.com/harry-potter-and-the-cursed-child/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Details here\u003c/a>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Calling all wizards! The extravaganza that is \u003cem>Harry Potter and the Cursed Child \u003c/em>is coming to San Francisco in October for its West Coast premiere under the refurbished Curran Theater roof. \u003cem>Harry Potter and the Cursed Child\u003c/em> features a grown-up Harry and his children, in particular his son Albus, who is heading to Hogwarts. Having been written with the many Harry Potter superfans in mind, the play is a two-part marathon, with tickets available for both consecutive and non-consecutive showings. Either way, be prepared to board the Hogwarts Express from Platform 9 ¾.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13864730\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13864730\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/MagicTheatre_Nassim_credit_David-Monteith-Hodge-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/MagicTheatre_Nassim_credit_David-Monteith-Hodge-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/MagicTheatre_Nassim_credit_David-Monteith-Hodge-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/MagicTheatre_Nassim_credit_David-Monteith-Hodge-768x513.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/MagicTheatre_Nassim_credit_David-Monteith-Hodge-1020x681.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/MagicTheatre_Nassim_credit_David-Monteith-Hodge-1200x801.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/MagicTheatre_Nassim_credit_David-Monteith-Hodge-1920x1282.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/MagicTheatre_Nassim_credit_David-Monteith-Hodge.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Still from ‘Nassim.’ \u003ccite>(David Monteith-Hodge)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘Nassim’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Magic Theatre, San Francisco\u003cbr>\nNov. 12-16, 2019\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"https://magictheatre.secure.force.com/ticket#details_a0S5A00000VLiXtUAL\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Details here\u003c/a>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In his infamous \u003cem>White Rabbit, Red Rabbit\u003c/em>, Nassim Soleimanpour challenged actors around the globe to perform his play without rehearsal, direction, or even time to read the script before the show. His eponymous \u003cem>Nassim \u003c/em>asks a similar leap of performer faith. The twist, however, is that Soleimanpour himself controls how and when the actor receives the text they are to speak via a projection screen. They’ll also receive an onstage crash course in Farsi, while exploring the human nuances of language and our universal struggles to communicate. Winner of the 2017 Fringe First award in Edinburgh, Scotland.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13864737\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13864737\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/BBB_San-Francisco-Skyline-Hat_RickMarkovich-800x532.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"532\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/BBB_San-Francisco-Skyline-Hat_RickMarkovich-800x532.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/BBB_San-Francisco-Skyline-Hat_RickMarkovich-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/BBB_San-Francisco-Skyline-Hat_RickMarkovich-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/BBB_San-Francisco-Skyline-Hat_RickMarkovich-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/BBB_San-Francisco-Skyline-Hat_RickMarkovich-1200x799.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/BBB_San-Francisco-Skyline-Hat_RickMarkovich-1920x1278.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/BBB_San-Francisco-Skyline-Hat_RickMarkovich.jpg 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">San Francisco Skyline at Beach Blanket Babylon \u003ccite>(Rick Markovich)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘Beach Blanket Babylon’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Club Fugazi, San Francisco\u003cbr>\nThrough Dec. 31, 2019\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.beachblanketbabylon.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Details here\u003c/a>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sure, it’s a little over the top. Ok, a \u003cem>lot\u003c/em>. But \u003cem>Beach Blanket Babylon\u003c/em> is as much a San Francisco institution as any of our mainstages, and predates many of them at a venerable 45 years old; it’s the world’s longest-running musical revue. But despite its enduring charm, unflappable energy, and strong sales, the show must apparently not go on, closing for good on Dec. 31. So whether you’re a long-time fan, or one who’s been meaning to go but just haven’t quite made it out, this is your last opportunity to make some \u003cem>Beach Blanket Babylon \u003c/em>memories to carry with you into a future bereft of its broad-stroke satire and iconic hats.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"title": "After Leaving Behind a Record Deal, Netta Brielle Rediscovers Her Motivation",
"headTitle": "After Leaving Behind a Record Deal, Netta Brielle Rediscovers Her Motivation | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 4.6875em;float: left;line-height: 0.733em;padding: 0.05em 0.1em 0 0;font-family: times, serif, georgia\">A\u003c/span>fter her deal with Atlantic Records didn’t pan out, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/nettabrielle\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Netta Brielle\u003c/a> found herself back in Northern California asking, “What am I going to do now?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The East Bay singer-songwriter had to figure out how to pull herself up from what she saw as a position of failure. Her remedy for that dip in self-confidence? Getting active behind the scenes, making vision boards, playing the flute and even acting in movies. Now we’re about to see the fruits of her labor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-13833985\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/05/OGPenn.Cap_-160x184.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"160\" height=\"184\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/05/OGPenn.Cap_-160x184.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/05/OGPenn.Cap_.jpg 180w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 160px) 100vw, 160px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A few weeks ago she dropped a three-song project, \u003ca href=\"https://music.apple.com/us/album/an-ep-by-netta/1464097824\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u003cem>An EP by Netta\u003c/em>\u003c/a>. It was a subtle reveal of new material, as well as some older pieces that she’s recently revamped.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Aug. 24, Netta will be the star of a concert and Q&A at \u003ca href=\"https://www.queenhippiegypsy.com/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Queen Hippie Gypsy\u003c/a>’s headquarters in downtown Oakland as part of the event \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-spiritual-lounge-netta-brielle-at-queen-hippie-gypsy-tickets-66269332357\">The Spiritual Lounge\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And on Sept. 6, Netta will appear on the silver screen in the film \u003cem>E.14\u003c/em>, directed by Rafael Flores. It’s set to debut during First Friday at United Roots on Telegraph Avenue.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She told me that her busy agenda is a byproduct of a recalibrated focus on what “art” means to her.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 4.6875em;float: left;line-height: 0.733em;padding: 0.05em 0.1em 0 0;font-family: times, serif, georgia\">W\u003c/span>hen you put something on your vision board, be careful. You might get what you’ve asked for.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>See, earlier this year, Netta created a chart that had the words “better,” “confidence” and “goal planning.” She wrote notes about wanting to return to her roots as an artist, and even recommit to her pursuit of a career in acting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“And then I get a call, asking if I want to audition for this movie. It’s about Oakland. And this young girl who is involved in sex trafficking,” said Netta, sitting across from me at the Mo’ Joe Café on Sacramento Street in her hometown of Berkeley.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://youtu.be/VvVBxcFGpTk\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The “call” wasn’t just a phone call, but more of “a calling,” for the spiritual folks in the room. Yet, faced with the opportunity she had envisioned, she started to second-guess herself.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“All of these negative thoughts popped in my head. But I told myself, ‘This is what you asked for. If you don’t get the role, at least go audition for it’,” said Netta.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She got the part of Liberty, a young woman who is a sex worker who becomes pregnant. The role inspired Netta to study the world of sex trafficking.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I got into it. I drove up and down East 14th, looked at the girls and their body language,” Netta told me. “I even interviewed a few women who were in the life, and found a way to get out of it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Netta continued to reflect on her time spent on the stroll, saying, “It was a really wild experience, not even just the acting side of it, but learning about this thing going on in Oakland—and has been going on for some time!”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Netta’s right. The heavy saturation of pimp culture in this region goes back far beyond Too $hort’s 1987 saga \u003cem>Freaky Tales\u003c/em>, and even before 1973, when the blaxploitation film \u003cem>The Mack\u003c/em> was filmed here. There are tales of the sex trade in Northern California during the Gold Rush. \u003ca href=\"https://www.dominican.edu/academics/lae/undergraduate-programs/history/assets/title-of-thesis-201cwomen-of-the-golden-gate-prostitution-in-san-francisco-1848-1870201d\">One study reveals\u003c/a> that during that time period, “[San Francisco] housed more brothels and bars than any other place in the larger United States.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Recently, there have been efforts to curb sex trafficking of minors here in the Bay Area. In 2009, \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/opinion/editorials/article/Human-trafficking-a-blight-in-progressive-Bay-Area-5517754.php?psid=hQlsw\">the FBI listed\u003c/a> the Bay Area as one of the sex trafficking hubs of the nation. In 2014, the anti-trafficking group MISSSEY and Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O’Malley launched \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-xpm-2014-jan-09-la-me-ln-oakland-child-sex-trafficking-20140109-story.html\">an anti-trafficking billboard campaign\u003c/a> and internet database, \u003ca href=\"http://www.heatwatch.org/human_trafficking/statistics\">HEAT Watch\u003c/a>. In 2017, the documentary film\u003cem> \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"http://www.survivinginternationalboulevard.com/#title\">\u003cem>Surviving International Boulevard\u003c/em> \u003c/a>showed what’s going on in nonfiction form. And this week, Regina Evans’ live stage play about sex trafficking, \u003ca href=\"http://www.ubuntutheaterproject.com/letters\">\u003cem>52 Letters\u003c/em>,\u003c/a> comes to a close.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And if you haven’t heard about these works of art highlighting the culture or campaigns addressing the issue, you might be familiar with the high-profile case from 2016, when a young woman who went by \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11106467/why-the-celeste-guap-scandal-isnt-only-about-her-case\">Celeste Guap\u003c/a> alleged that she was exploited by and had sex with dozens of officers, some while she was underage, resulting in charges of misconduct and prostitution against the officers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s a very serious and real thing,” said Netta. “Especially for really young girls.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And no sooner than the cameras started rolling did Netta see just how real the subject matter is.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https://open.spotify.com/embed/album/2U6J2F2VNpPFW8d4WseyYS\" width=\"800\" height=\"380\" frameborder=\"0\" allowtransparency=\"true\" allow=\"encrypted-media\" scrolling=\"yes\" class=\"iframe-class\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The first day we started shooting, there was this young girl out there. I was dressed basically like her,” said Netta. “She was like, ‘Are you Netta Brielle? I love your music.’ And we talked for a minute.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I interrupted Netta with a “Whoa,” but in spite of my outburst, she continued. “And I was like, I hear you God,” said Netta, looking up past her red beret, toward the ceiling. “It was wild to me. It was powerful. This is somebody who listens to my music, and now I’m portraying their life,” Netta said, now looking at me. “It was a lot, it was draining. I had to cry for like three days straight.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 4.6875em;float: left;line-height: 0.733em;padding: 0.05em 0.1em 0 0;font-family: times, serif, georgia\">N\u003c/span>ow the film is wrapped, and Netta is eager to get involved in more acting gigs. She told me that earlier this year she did a performance on the set of a piece Chinaka Hodge is producing for Apple TV. And she’s working with an agent for more openings.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Her whole mindset is about being committed to reaffirming her purpose. She put the R&B on the back-burner, because she felt like she was boxing herself in as a singer. But she’s more than that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She holds an undergraduate degree in theater from San Jose State. And she used to be a part of ACT’s Young Conservatory program in San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even before she found acting as a student at Berkeley High, she was an artist of another sort: she played the flute.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I went to Willard Junior High, and I would carry around my flute.” Said Netta, almost laughing. “They’d be like, ‘Here come Netta with that damn flute!’”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiYPaW-FE4E\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite getting teased, that was her introduction to the arts. The seed was planted when she first played the instrument while at Malcolm X Elementary. Netta’s grandmother watered that seed when she bought Netta her own flute.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But even with her family’s support, Netta was shy about her talents. “I became insecure about it. I’d tuck it in my backpack so people couldn’t see it, but it’d be poking out of the top,” said Netta.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But recently, she’s decided to pick it up. Netta told me that she was thinking, “What else can I do, that I’m using my brain? And not just be so boxed in to ‘Netta, the R&B singer’… so I started thinking about what I used to do.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Netta continued, “I started going back to the things that made me unique… It’s theater, it’s the flute, it’s these things that I used to feel insecure about—cause I used to get teased!”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Although she’s never played the flute live on stage, in January of this year, Netta posted an \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/BtMgg4IBxCC/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Instagram video\u003c/a> of her playing T.I.’s “Motivation” on it. Fitting. After talking to her about her path, her ups and downs, and what she’s currently working on—that melody is all the more inspirational.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Before we parted ways, I asked her what her greatest accomplishment is thus far.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“People only see the glitz and the glamour, the social media, you performing on stage, or you in the studio and they think you’re ‘on’ and it’s all good,” she reflected. “But for me it’s not like that. I had to work for everything I have. And when I made mistakes, I had to pull myself back up. So the idea that I know how to do that, I feel like that’s my greatest accomplishment.”\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "The singer makes her film debut in 'E.14,' an indie movie that takes on Oakland's sex-trafficking epidemic. ",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 4.6875em;float: left;line-height: 0.733em;padding: 0.05em 0.1em 0 0;font-family: times, serif, georgia\">A\u003c/span>fter her deal with Atlantic Records didn’t pan out, \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/nettabrielle\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Netta Brielle\u003c/a> found herself back in Northern California asking, “What am I going to do now?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The East Bay singer-songwriter had to figure out how to pull herself up from what she saw as a position of failure. Her remedy for that dip in self-confidence? Getting active behind the scenes, making vision boards, playing the flute and even acting in movies. Now we’re about to see the fruits of her labor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-13833985\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/05/OGPenn.Cap_-160x184.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"160\" height=\"184\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/05/OGPenn.Cap_-160x184.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/05/OGPenn.Cap_.jpg 180w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 160px) 100vw, 160px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A few weeks ago she dropped a three-song project, \u003ca href=\"https://music.apple.com/us/album/an-ep-by-netta/1464097824\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\u003cem>An EP by Netta\u003c/em>\u003c/a>. It was a subtle reveal of new material, as well as some older pieces that she’s recently revamped.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On Aug. 24, Netta will be the star of a concert and Q&A at \u003ca href=\"https://www.queenhippiegypsy.com/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Queen Hippie Gypsy\u003c/a>’s headquarters in downtown Oakland as part of the event \u003ca href=\"https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-spiritual-lounge-netta-brielle-at-queen-hippie-gypsy-tickets-66269332357\">The Spiritual Lounge\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And on Sept. 6, Netta will appear on the silver screen in the film \u003cem>E.14\u003c/em>, directed by Rafael Flores. It’s set to debut during First Friday at United Roots on Telegraph Avenue.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She told me that her busy agenda is a byproduct of a recalibrated focus on what “art” means to her.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 4.6875em;float: left;line-height: 0.733em;padding: 0.05em 0.1em 0 0;font-family: times, serif, georgia\">W\u003c/span>hen you put something on your vision board, be careful. You might get what you’ve asked for.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>See, earlier this year, Netta created a chart that had the words “better,” “confidence” and “goal planning.” She wrote notes about wanting to return to her roots as an artist, and even recommit to her pursuit of a career in acting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“And then I get a call, asking if I want to audition for this movie. It’s about Oakland. And this young girl who is involved in sex trafficking,” said Netta, sitting across from me at the Mo’ Joe Café on Sacramento Street in her hometown of Berkeley.\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/VvVBxcFGpTk'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/VvVBxcFGpTk'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>The “call” wasn’t just a phone call, but more of “a calling,” for the spiritual folks in the room. Yet, faced with the opportunity she had envisioned, she started to second-guess herself.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“All of these negative thoughts popped in my head. But I told myself, ‘This is what you asked for. If you don’t get the role, at least go audition for it’,” said Netta.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She got the part of Liberty, a young woman who is a sex worker who becomes pregnant. The role inspired Netta to study the world of sex trafficking.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I got into it. I drove up and down East 14th, looked at the girls and their body language,” Netta told me. “I even interviewed a few women who were in the life, and found a way to get out of it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Netta continued to reflect on her time spent on the stroll, saying, “It was a really wild experience, not even just the acting side of it, but learning about this thing going on in Oakland—and has been going on for some time!”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Netta’s right. The heavy saturation of pimp culture in this region goes back far beyond Too $hort’s 1987 saga \u003cem>Freaky Tales\u003c/em>, and even before 1973, when the blaxploitation film \u003cem>The Mack\u003c/em> was filmed here. There are tales of the sex trade in Northern California during the Gold Rush. \u003ca href=\"https://www.dominican.edu/academics/lae/undergraduate-programs/history/assets/title-of-thesis-201cwomen-of-the-golden-gate-prostitution-in-san-francisco-1848-1870201d\">One study reveals\u003c/a> that during that time period, “[San Francisco] housed more brothels and bars than any other place in the larger United States.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Recently, there have been efforts to curb sex trafficking of minors here in the Bay Area. In 2009, \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfchronicle.com/opinion/editorials/article/Human-trafficking-a-blight-in-progressive-Bay-Area-5517754.php?psid=hQlsw\">the FBI listed\u003c/a> the Bay Area as one of the sex trafficking hubs of the nation. In 2014, the anti-trafficking group MISSSEY and Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O’Malley launched \u003ca href=\"https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-xpm-2014-jan-09-la-me-ln-oakland-child-sex-trafficking-20140109-story.html\">an anti-trafficking billboard campaign\u003c/a> and internet database, \u003ca href=\"http://www.heatwatch.org/human_trafficking/statistics\">HEAT Watch\u003c/a>. In 2017, the documentary film\u003cem> \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"http://www.survivinginternationalboulevard.com/#title\">\u003cem>Surviving International Boulevard\u003c/em> \u003c/a>showed what’s going on in nonfiction form. And this week, Regina Evans’ live stage play about sex trafficking, \u003ca href=\"http://www.ubuntutheaterproject.com/letters\">\u003cem>52 Letters\u003c/em>,\u003c/a> comes to a close.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And if you haven’t heard about these works of art highlighting the culture or campaigns addressing the issue, you might be familiar with the high-profile case from 2016, when a young woman who went by \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11106467/why-the-celeste-guap-scandal-isnt-only-about-her-case\">Celeste Guap\u003c/a> alleged that she was exploited by and had sex with dozens of officers, some while she was underage, resulting in charges of misconduct and prostitution against the officers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s a very serious and real thing,” said Netta. “Especially for really young girls.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And no sooner than the cameras started rolling did Netta see just how real the subject matter is.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https://open.spotify.com/embed/album/2U6J2F2VNpPFW8d4WseyYS\" width=\"800\" height=\"380\" frameborder=\"0\" allowtransparency=\"true\" allow=\"encrypted-media\" scrolling=\"yes\" class=\"iframe-class\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The first day we started shooting, there was this young girl out there. I was dressed basically like her,” said Netta. “She was like, ‘Are you Netta Brielle? I love your music.’ And we talked for a minute.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I interrupted Netta with a “Whoa,” but in spite of my outburst, she continued. “And I was like, I hear you God,” said Netta, looking up past her red beret, toward the ceiling. “It was wild to me. It was powerful. This is somebody who listens to my music, and now I’m portraying their life,” Netta said, now looking at me. “It was a lot, it was draining. I had to cry for like three days straight.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 4.6875em;float: left;line-height: 0.733em;padding: 0.05em 0.1em 0 0;font-family: times, serif, georgia\">N\u003c/span>ow the film is wrapped, and Netta is eager to get involved in more acting gigs. She told me that earlier this year she did a performance on the set of a piece Chinaka Hodge is producing for Apple TV. And she’s working with an agent for more openings.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Her whole mindset is about being committed to reaffirming her purpose. She put the R&B on the back-burner, because she felt like she was boxing herself in as a singer. But she’s more than that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She holds an undergraduate degree in theater from San Jose State. And she used to be a part of ACT’s Young Conservatory program in San Francisco.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even before she found acting as a student at Berkeley High, she was an artist of another sort: she played the flute.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I went to Willard Junior High, and I would carry around my flute.” Said Netta, almost laughing. “They’d be like, ‘Here come Netta with that damn flute!’”\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/AiYPaW-FE4E'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/AiYPaW-FE4E'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>Despite getting teased, that was her introduction to the arts. The seed was planted when she first played the instrument while at Malcolm X Elementary. Netta’s grandmother watered that seed when she bought Netta her own flute.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But even with her family’s support, Netta was shy about her talents. “I became insecure about it. I’d tuck it in my backpack so people couldn’t see it, but it’d be poking out of the top,” said Netta.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But recently, she’s decided to pick it up. Netta told me that she was thinking, “What else can I do, that I’m using my brain? And not just be so boxed in to ‘Netta, the R&B singer’… so I started thinking about what I used to do.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Netta continued, “I started going back to the things that made me unique… It’s theater, it’s the flute, it’s these things that I used to feel insecure about—cause I used to get teased!”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Although she’s never played the flute live on stage, in January of this year, Netta posted an \u003ca href=\"https://www.instagram.com/p/BtMgg4IBxCC/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Instagram video\u003c/a> of her playing T.I.’s “Motivation” on it. Fitting. After talking to her about her path, her ups and downs, and what she’s currently working on—that melody is all the more inspirational.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Before we parted ways, I asked her what her greatest accomplishment is thus far.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“People only see the glitz and the glamour, the social media, you performing on stage, or you in the studio and they think you’re ‘on’ and it’s all good,” she reflected. “But for me it’s not like that. I had to work for everything I have. And when I made mistakes, I had to pull myself back up. So the idea that I know how to do that, I feel like that’s my greatest accomplishment.”\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "Enter the Rhino: Eugene Ionesco’s Absurdist Classic Stampedes A.C.T.",
"headTitle": "Enter the Rhino: Eugene Ionesco’s Absurdist Classic Stampedes A.C.T. | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>There’s a curious symbiosis between Edward Albee’s \u003cem>Seascape\u003c/em>, which opened at A.C.T. in January, and their current production of Eugene Ionesco’s \u003cem>Rhinoceros\u003c/em>, that extends beyond their use of thick-skinned quadrupeds to illuminate the human condition. Both take the strictly mundane—a vacation at the beach, a day in the office—and turn them into explorations of existence through an absurdist lens. But where \u003cem>Seascape\u003c/em>’s director Pam MacKinnon (also A.C.T.’s artistic director) leaned into the realism of a predictable beach holiday before juxtaposing it with the audacity of having giant lizards as two major characters, \u003cem>Rhinoceros’ \u003c/em>director, Frank Galati, takes a different approach.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In Galati’s \u003cem>Rhinoceros\u003c/em>, the absurd is not merely hinted at, but is integral to the core of the production from the beginning. A garishly painted backdrop of a quaint, French side street—positioned so close to a single cafe table that the actors seem in constant danger of poking through it—sets the tone. As does the heightened, jokey affect of friends Berenger (David Breitbarth) and Gene (Matt DeCaro), who are meeting for coffee and superfluous chit-chat. As they bicker over Berenger’s appearance, Gene hands him a glassless mirror frame to examine himself in, and their waiter pops through the wall to take their order. There’s no gradual descent into surrealism here. Those cards are lying right out on the flimsy table, and flimsier walls for all to see.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13859204\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/06/Rhinoceros_MattDeCaro_DavidBreitbarth_credit_KevinBerne.jpg\" alt=\"Matt DeCaro as Gene and David Breitbarth as Berenger in 'Rhinoceros' at A.C.T.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1331\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13859204\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/06/Rhinoceros_MattDeCaro_DavidBreitbarth_credit_KevinBerne.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/06/Rhinoceros_MattDeCaro_DavidBreitbarth_credit_KevinBerne-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/06/Rhinoceros_MattDeCaro_DavidBreitbarth_credit_KevinBerne-800x532.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/06/Rhinoceros_MattDeCaro_DavidBreitbarth_credit_KevinBerne-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/06/Rhinoceros_MattDeCaro_DavidBreitbarth_credit_KevinBerne-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/06/Rhinoceros_MattDeCaro_DavidBreitbarth_credit_KevinBerne-1200x799.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/06/Rhinoceros_MattDeCaro_DavidBreitbarth_credit_KevinBerne-1920x1278.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Matt DeCaro as Gene and David Breitbarth as Berenger in ‘Rhinoceros’ at A.C.T. \u003ccite>(Kevin Berne)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>And yet, when the rhinos make their entrance, first as offstage rumblings (sound by Joseph Cerqua) and later as fully-realized giants (courtesy of scenic designer Robert Perdziola), their effect still shocks the imagination, just as it shocks the villagers onstage. There are few hypothetical scenarios more unsettling than that of an agitated, 6000-pound creature stampeding through a quiet neighborhood, and the panic it stirs among the actors feels genuine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Still, the premise feels in many ways like an elaborate put-on—until the second act, when the human implications of this strange metamorphosis really come to light. As Berenger visits, the normally impeccable Gene begins a startling transformation, conveying the weirdness of his situation with uncontrollable flailing, disco dancing, guttural growling, and with such commitment that when Breitbarch strips off his shirt you actually expect to see tough, rhino hide. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Throughout, as a concerned Berenger tries to soothe and calm his friend, we get a crucial insight into the mentality of a prospective pachyderm: there is pleasure in the transformation. Gene feels powerful, energetic, even sexy. He declares humanism “dead” and runs to the bathroom to check out his burgeoning horn. He embraces his new state of being—mentally and physically—even as vestiges of his old self struggle against it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13859201\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/06/Rhinoceros_DavidBreitbarth_MattDeCaro_credit_KevinBerne.jpg\" alt=\"David Breitbarth as Berenger and Matt DeCaro as Gene, in 'Rhinoceros' at A.C.T.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"665\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13859201\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/06/Rhinoceros_DavidBreitbarth_MattDeCaro_credit_KevinBerne.jpg 1000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/06/Rhinoceros_DavidBreitbarth_MattDeCaro_credit_KevinBerne-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/06/Rhinoceros_DavidBreitbarth_MattDeCaro_credit_KevinBerne-800x532.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/06/Rhinoceros_DavidBreitbarth_MattDeCaro_credit_KevinBerne-768x511.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">David Breitbarth as Berenger and Matt DeCaro as Gene, in ‘Rhinoceros’ at A.C.T. \u003ccite>(Kevin Berne)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>It’s this insight that guides the rest of the play to a natural conclusion, albeit in an unnatural world. What’s attractive about belonging to the herd isn’t boring conformity. It’s that there’s true strength in numbers, and even before the rhinos are the actual majority, they command an outsized amount of attention. Larger than life, seemingly indestructible, and made up of a community of friends, neighbors and co-workers, the way of the rhinoceros becomes plausible, even desirable, and soon even Berenger longs to join.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Granted permission by the Ionesco estate to adapt the script to the modern age has resulted in a leaner, meaner \u003cem>Rhinoceros\u003c/em>, minus a brace of cumbersome bit parts, and plus au courant terminology such as “fake news.” Certain lines take on new resonance, as when the boorish Mr. Botard (Jomar Tagatac) at the office patronizes the sweet-natured Daisy (Rona Figueroa), insisting she can’t possibly have seen what she knows she did, (even when a rhinoceros crashes in through the front door and destroys the office staircase as he watches). The aforementioned floorboard-shaking soundscape in tandem with Chris Lundahl’s chiseled lighting adds welcome dimension to the staging, and an aching rendition of \u003cem>“Non, je ne regrette rien,”\u003c/em> sung by Figueroa lends an air of melancholy to the madness.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13859202\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/06/Rhinoceros_ensemble_blue_credit_KevinBerne.jpg\" alt=\"Ensemble of 'Rhinoceros' at A.C.T.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"665\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13859202\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/06/Rhinoceros_ensemble_blue_credit_KevinBerne.jpg 1000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/06/Rhinoceros_ensemble_blue_credit_KevinBerne-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/06/Rhinoceros_ensemble_blue_credit_KevinBerne-800x532.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/06/Rhinoceros_ensemble_blue_credit_KevinBerne-768x511.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ensemble of ‘Rhinoceros’ at A.C.T. \u003ccite>(Kevin Berne)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>It feels pertinent to reflect on Ionesco’s backstory, when considering the implications of a \u003cem>Rhinoceros\u003c/em> for today. Born in Romania, raised in France, and an eyewitness to the rise of European fascism, Ionesco’s lived experience contributed heavily to his recognition of the seductive nature of raw power, and the siren song of capitulation. In this particular production, what’s more frightening by far than the stampede, is the cheery bonhomie of their human brethren who head off to join them with barely a trace of hesitation. We see housewives fling themselves down flights of stairs to be with their transformed husbands, wonky co-workers insisting they have a duty to stick by their peers, and an erstwhile love interest believes that the bellowing of beasts is just a musical number, before drifting away to join their song.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Their lack of resistance to what they have internalized as inevitable offers some uncomfortable insight into how a population might respond to a cool new platform that thrives by “connecting” them, even as it strips them of their right to privacy, or to a system that bankrupts people unlucky enough to require a major surgery without insurance, or to policies that prioritize personal vehicles above mass transportation. It’s not just fascist creep that Ionesco is cautioning against, but intrinsic societal complacency. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Rhinoceros\u003c/em> may be absurd. But it’s no joke.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"78\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-12127869\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-768x75.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>‘Rhinoceros’ plays through \u003ca href=\"https://www.act-sf.org/home/box_office/1819_season/rhinoceros.html\">June 23\u003c/a> at A.C.T.’s Geary Theater. \u003ca href=\"https://www.act-sf.org/home/box_office/1819_season/rhinoceros.html\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Details here\u003c/a>.\u003c/i> \u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>There’s a curious symbiosis between Edward Albee’s \u003cem>Seascape\u003c/em>, which opened at A.C.T. in January, and their current production of Eugene Ionesco’s \u003cem>Rhinoceros\u003c/em>, that extends beyond their use of thick-skinned quadrupeds to illuminate the human condition. Both take the strictly mundane—a vacation at the beach, a day in the office—and turn them into explorations of existence through an absurdist lens. But where \u003cem>Seascape\u003c/em>’s director Pam MacKinnon (also A.C.T.’s artistic director) leaned into the realism of a predictable beach holiday before juxtaposing it with the audacity of having giant lizards as two major characters, \u003cem>Rhinoceros’ \u003c/em>director, Frank Galati, takes a different approach.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In Galati’s \u003cem>Rhinoceros\u003c/em>, the absurd is not merely hinted at, but is integral to the core of the production from the beginning. A garishly painted backdrop of a quaint, French side street—positioned so close to a single cafe table that the actors seem in constant danger of poking through it—sets the tone. As does the heightened, jokey affect of friends Berenger (David Breitbarth) and Gene (Matt DeCaro), who are meeting for coffee and superfluous chit-chat. As they bicker over Berenger’s appearance, Gene hands him a glassless mirror frame to examine himself in, and their waiter pops through the wall to take their order. There’s no gradual descent into surrealism here. Those cards are lying right out on the flimsy table, and flimsier walls for all to see.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13859204\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/06/Rhinoceros_MattDeCaro_DavidBreitbarth_credit_KevinBerne.jpg\" alt=\"Matt DeCaro as Gene and David Breitbarth as Berenger in 'Rhinoceros' at A.C.T.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1331\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13859204\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/06/Rhinoceros_MattDeCaro_DavidBreitbarth_credit_KevinBerne.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/06/Rhinoceros_MattDeCaro_DavidBreitbarth_credit_KevinBerne-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/06/Rhinoceros_MattDeCaro_DavidBreitbarth_credit_KevinBerne-800x532.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/06/Rhinoceros_MattDeCaro_DavidBreitbarth_credit_KevinBerne-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/06/Rhinoceros_MattDeCaro_DavidBreitbarth_credit_KevinBerne-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/06/Rhinoceros_MattDeCaro_DavidBreitbarth_credit_KevinBerne-1200x799.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/06/Rhinoceros_MattDeCaro_DavidBreitbarth_credit_KevinBerne-1920x1278.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Matt DeCaro as Gene and David Breitbarth as Berenger in ‘Rhinoceros’ at A.C.T. \u003ccite>(Kevin Berne)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>And yet, when the rhinos make their entrance, first as offstage rumblings (sound by Joseph Cerqua) and later as fully-realized giants (courtesy of scenic designer Robert Perdziola), their effect still shocks the imagination, just as it shocks the villagers onstage. There are few hypothetical scenarios more unsettling than that of an agitated, 6000-pound creature stampeding through a quiet neighborhood, and the panic it stirs among the actors feels genuine.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Still, the premise feels in many ways like an elaborate put-on—until the second act, when the human implications of this strange metamorphosis really come to light. As Berenger visits, the normally impeccable Gene begins a startling transformation, conveying the weirdness of his situation with uncontrollable flailing, disco dancing, guttural growling, and with such commitment that when Breitbarch strips off his shirt you actually expect to see tough, rhino hide. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Throughout, as a concerned Berenger tries to soothe and calm his friend, we get a crucial insight into the mentality of a prospective pachyderm: there is pleasure in the transformation. Gene feels powerful, energetic, even sexy. He declares humanism “dead” and runs to the bathroom to check out his burgeoning horn. He embraces his new state of being—mentally and physically—even as vestiges of his old self struggle against it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13859201\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/06/Rhinoceros_DavidBreitbarth_MattDeCaro_credit_KevinBerne.jpg\" alt=\"David Breitbarth as Berenger and Matt DeCaro as Gene, in 'Rhinoceros' at A.C.T.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"665\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13859201\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/06/Rhinoceros_DavidBreitbarth_MattDeCaro_credit_KevinBerne.jpg 1000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/06/Rhinoceros_DavidBreitbarth_MattDeCaro_credit_KevinBerne-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/06/Rhinoceros_DavidBreitbarth_MattDeCaro_credit_KevinBerne-800x532.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/06/Rhinoceros_DavidBreitbarth_MattDeCaro_credit_KevinBerne-768x511.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">David Breitbarth as Berenger and Matt DeCaro as Gene, in ‘Rhinoceros’ at A.C.T. \u003ccite>(Kevin Berne)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>It’s this insight that guides the rest of the play to a natural conclusion, albeit in an unnatural world. What’s attractive about belonging to the herd isn’t boring conformity. It’s that there’s true strength in numbers, and even before the rhinos are the actual majority, they command an outsized amount of attention. Larger than life, seemingly indestructible, and made up of a community of friends, neighbors and co-workers, the way of the rhinoceros becomes plausible, even desirable, and soon even Berenger longs to join.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Granted permission by the Ionesco estate to adapt the script to the modern age has resulted in a leaner, meaner \u003cem>Rhinoceros\u003c/em>, minus a brace of cumbersome bit parts, and plus au courant terminology such as “fake news.” Certain lines take on new resonance, as when the boorish Mr. Botard (Jomar Tagatac) at the office patronizes the sweet-natured Daisy (Rona Figueroa), insisting she can’t possibly have seen what she knows she did, (even when a rhinoceros crashes in through the front door and destroys the office staircase as he watches). The aforementioned floorboard-shaking soundscape in tandem with Chris Lundahl’s chiseled lighting adds welcome dimension to the staging, and an aching rendition of \u003cem>“Non, je ne regrette rien,”\u003c/em> sung by Figueroa lends an air of melancholy to the madness.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13859202\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/06/Rhinoceros_ensemble_blue_credit_KevinBerne.jpg\" alt=\"Ensemble of 'Rhinoceros' at A.C.T.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"665\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13859202\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/06/Rhinoceros_ensemble_blue_credit_KevinBerne.jpg 1000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/06/Rhinoceros_ensemble_blue_credit_KevinBerne-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/06/Rhinoceros_ensemble_blue_credit_KevinBerne-800x532.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/06/Rhinoceros_ensemble_blue_credit_KevinBerne-768x511.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ensemble of ‘Rhinoceros’ at A.C.T. \u003ccite>(Kevin Berne)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>It feels pertinent to reflect on Ionesco’s backstory, when considering the implications of a \u003cem>Rhinoceros\u003c/em> for today. Born in Romania, raised in France, and an eyewitness to the rise of European fascism, Ionesco’s lived experience contributed heavily to his recognition of the seductive nature of raw power, and the siren song of capitulation. In this particular production, what’s more frightening by far than the stampede, is the cheery bonhomie of their human brethren who head off to join them with barely a trace of hesitation. We see housewives fling themselves down flights of stairs to be with their transformed husbands, wonky co-workers insisting they have a duty to stick by their peers, and an erstwhile love interest believes that the bellowing of beasts is just a musical number, before drifting away to join their song.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Their lack of resistance to what they have internalized as inevitable offers some uncomfortable insight into how a population might respond to a cool new platform that thrives by “connecting” them, even as it strips them of their right to privacy, or to a system that bankrupts people unlucky enough to require a major surgery without insurance, or to policies that prioritize personal vehicles above mass transportation. It’s not just fascist creep that Ionesco is cautioning against, but intrinsic societal complacency. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Rhinoceros\u003c/em> may be absurd. But it’s no joke.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"78\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-12127869\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-400x39.jpg 400w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/09/Q.Logo_.Break_-768x75.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>‘Rhinoceros’ plays through \u003ca href=\"https://www.act-sf.org/home/box_office/1819_season/rhinoceros.html\">June 23\u003c/a> at A.C.T.’s Geary Theater. \u003ca href=\"https://www.act-sf.org/home/box_office/1819_season/rhinoceros.html\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Details here\u003c/a>.\u003c/i> \u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"title": "Hot Summer Guide 2019: Top 10 Picks for Theater in the Bay Area",
"headTitle": "Hot Summer Guide 2019: Top 10 Picks for Theater in the Bay Area | KQED",
"content": "\u003cp>By now, you’ve probably heard that \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://hamilton.shnsf.com/Online/default.asp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Hamilton\u003c/a>\u003c/em> is in town, running through January of next year. You may have also heard that \u003ca href=\"https://sfcurran.com/shows/harry-potter-and-the-cursed-child/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cem>Harry Potter and the Cursed Child\u003c/em>\u003c/a> is coming in October, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13845883/the-curran-at-a-crossroads\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">possibly running for three or more years\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But what of all the other great theater in the shadow of the blockbusters? This summer, the Bay Area is home to an array of the stellar productions, from big musicals to small dramas. Below, we round up the best summertime theater to see on opera stages, black boxes and even on the sidewalk—which, in the Bay Area, is often a stage unto itself.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13857960\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13857960\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/Plays.Rhinocerous-800x686.jpg\" alt=\"David Breitbarth in Eugène Ionesco's Rhinoceros at A.C.T.'s Geary Theater.\" width=\"800\" height=\"686\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/Plays.Rhinocerous-800x686.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/Plays.Rhinocerous-160x137.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/Plays.Rhinocerous-768x659.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/Plays.Rhinocerous-1020x875.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/Plays.Rhinocerous.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">David Breitbarth in Eugène Ionesco’s ‘Rhinoceros’ at A.C.T.’s Geary Theater. \u003ccite>(Cliff Roles)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘Rhinocerous’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>May 29–June 23, 2019\u003cbr>\nGeary Theater, San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.act-sf.org/home/box_office/1819_season/rhinoceros.highResolutionDisplay.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">More information\u003c/a>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Eugène Ionesco’s absurdist masterpiece involves the inhabitants of a small French town transforming, one by one, into rhinos. But the play’s allegories to fascism—and the characterization of those who oppose it as paranoid—could not be any more relevant to the United States in 2019. Staged by ACT, which last year put \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13849904/a-day-at-the-beach-interrupted-by-two-giant-lizards\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">giant lizards on the stage in Edward Albee’s \u003cem>Seascape\u003c/em>\u003c/a>, \u003cem>Rhinocerous\u003c/em> is not only a marvelous study in conformity, but a consistently fun stampede through the possibilities of set and wardrobe.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13858006\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13858006\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/Rent.SHN_-800x551.jpg\" alt=\"Deri'Andra Tucker in the touring production of 'Rent.'\" width=\"800\" height=\"551\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/Rent.SHN_-800x551.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/Rent.SHN_-160x110.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/Rent.SHN_-768x529.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/Rent.SHN_-1020x702.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/Rent.SHN_-1200x826.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/Rent.SHN_.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Deri’Andra Tucker in the touring production of ‘Rent.’ \u003ccite>(Carol Rosegg)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘Rent’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>June 14–23, 2019\u003cbr>\nGolden Gate Theatre, San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.shnsf.com/Online/default.asp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">More information\u003c/a>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The retelling of \u003cem>La bohème\u003c/em> that swept the world in the 1990s gets the 20th anniversary tour it deserves, including this very quick stop in San Francisco. \u003cem>Rent\u003c/em> is particularly resonant in the expensive Bay Area, where living in warehouses and off-the-grid spaces is a necessity for many, and the turmoil of HIV/AIDS hits close to home. If you still get chills at the opening chords of “Seasons of Love,” don’t sleep on this one-week-only run.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13857974\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13857974\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/BRIDGES_JNai_S.-Richards_2-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"J'Nai Bridges plays the lead role in 'Carmen' at SF Opera this June.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/BRIDGES_JNai_S.-Richards_2-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/BRIDGES_JNai_S.-Richards_2-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/BRIDGES_JNai_S.-Richards_2-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/BRIDGES_JNai_S.-Richards_2-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/BRIDGES_JNai_S.-Richards_2-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/BRIDGES_JNai_S.-Richards_2.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">J’Nai Bridges plays the lead role in ‘Carmen’ at SF Opera this June. \u003ccite>(S. Richards)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘Carmen’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>June 5–29, 2019\u003cbr>\nWar Memorial Opera House, San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"https://sfopera.com/1819season/carmen/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">More information\u003c/a>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You already know more songs from \u003cem>Carmen\u003c/em> than you think you know (thanks, \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Wsx22WxWOc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Saturday morning cartoons\u003c/a>), and if you’re daunted by the marathon of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13835968/how-crazy-do-you-have-to-be-to-sit-through-15-hours-of-opera\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">longer operas\u003c/a>, Bizet’s eternal tale of a woman who dares to live freely clocks in at under three hours. Add to it Francesca Zambello’s modern production, James Gaffigan conducting the orchestra and \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_MMKJaIHes\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">basketball player-turned-opera star J’Nai Bridges\u003c/a> (pictured above) in the title role, and you’ve got a summertime opera that even those who \u003cem>think\u003c/em> they hate opera can enjoy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13857965\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13857965\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/Aztec.CAST_-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"The cast of 'Kiss My Aztec!' at Berkeley Rep, directed by Tony Taccone.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/Aztec.CAST_-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/Aztec.CAST_-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/Aztec.CAST_-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/Aztec.CAST_-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/Aztec.CAST_-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/Aztec.CAST_.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The cast of ‘Kiss My Aztec!’ at Berkeley Rep, directed by Tony Taccone. \u003ccite>(Cheshire Isaacs/Berkeley Rep)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘Kiss My Aztec!’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>May 28–July 21, 2019\u003cbr>\nRoda Theatre, Berkeley\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.berkeleyrep.org/season/1819/13384.asp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">More information\u003c/a>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Written by John Leguizamo and Tony Taccone, this world-premiere musical has more than a whiff of \u003cem>Hamilton\u003c/em> for Latin America: a history lesson of resistance in Spanish-occupied Mesoamerica told through salsa, hip-hop, merengue and funk, with a blend of 16th-century dialect and modern slang. Taccone and Leguizamo previously worked together on \u003cem>Latin History for Morons\u003c/em>, but this one’s special: it’s Taccone’s final production as artistic director \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/12700435/berkeley-rep-artistic-director-tony-taccone-announces-departure\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">after 33 years at Berkeley Rep\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-13858009\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/MidsummerNightDream.CalShakes-800x400.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/MidsummerNightDream.CalShakes-800x400.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/MidsummerNightDream.CalShakes-160x80.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/MidsummerNightDream.CalShakes-768x384.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/MidsummerNightDream.CalShakes-1020x510.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/MidsummerNightDream.CalShakes-1200x600.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/MidsummerNightDream.CalShakes.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>May 22–June 16, 2019\u003cbr>\nBruns Amphitheater, Orinda\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"https://calshakes.org/make/a-midsummer-nights-dream/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">More information\u003c/a>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cal Shakes, the region’s premier purveyors of the Bard, bring this Shakespeare favorite to life this summer with all the sprites, dukes, queens and faeries you’ve come to know and love. It’s easy to forget just how damn \u003cem>fun\u003c/em> the action is in \u003cem>A Midsummer Night’s Dream\u003c/em>, and with costume by Ásta Bennie Hostetter and set by Nina Ball, the visuals are sure to be dazzling. Tyne Rafaeli directs in the picturesque outdoor Bruns Amphitheater.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13858316\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13858316\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/ShortLived-800x450.jpg\" alt=\"Last year’s champions of ShortLived, The Geek Show, who won for their piece 'No Country for Old Henchmen.'\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/ShortLived-800x450.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/ShortLived-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/ShortLived-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/ShortLived-1020x574.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/ShortLived-1200x675.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/ShortLived.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Last year’s champions of ShortLived, The Geek Show, who won for their piece ‘No Country for Old Henchmen.’ \u003ccite>(Courtesy PIanoFight)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘ShortLived VII’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>June 14–Sept. 7, 2019\u003cbr>\nPianoFight and The Strand, San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.pianofight.com/shortlived-viii/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">More information\u003c/a>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pushing the limits of theatrical possibility, \u003cem>ShortLived\u003c/em> is a marathon \u003cem>American Idol\u003c/em>-esque race to a $5,000 check and eternal Bay Area glory. This year’s audience-judged competition features 48 short plays running over the course of 8 weeks, and then a winner-take-all finals on Sept. 6 and 7. If you want to take a dip into the rampant creativity of Bay Area theater—and see some fun, charming competition along the way—you can’t do much better than this.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13858015\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13858015\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/Dollhousemonsters-800x571.jpg\" alt=\"(L to R) Lady Malavendra, Red Velvet, and Dee O’s Mío in 'Dollhouse Monsters.'\" width=\"800\" height=\"571\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/Dollhousemonsters-800x571.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/Dollhousemonsters-160x114.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/Dollhousemonsters-768x548.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/Dollhousemonsters-1020x728.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/Dollhousemonsters-1200x857.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/Dollhousemonsters.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">(L to R) Lady Malavendra, Red Velvet and Dee O’s Mío in ‘Dollhouse Monsters.’ \u003ccite>(Ross Pearson)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘Dollhouse Monsters’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>July 12–27, 2019\u003cbr>\nExit Stage Left, San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.theexit.org/dollhouse/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">More information\u003c/a>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These days, burlesque is everywhere, thanks to an ongoing vaudeville-circus-steampunk revival especially resonant here on the Barbary Coast. And while body positivity has long been a staple of modern burlesque, the ladies of DIVA Or Die Burlesque take that introspection further in \u003cem>Dollhouse Monsters\u003c/em>, a half-theater, half-burlesque show that examines our inner behaviors and secrets, why we have them, and why we keep them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13857967\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13857967\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/SOMAQueerWalking-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/SOMAQueerWalking-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/SOMAQueerWalking-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/SOMAQueerWalking-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/SOMAQueerWalking-1020x681.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/SOMAQueerWalking-1200x801.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/SOMAQueerWalking.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ryan Hayes, Brian Freeman, Marga Gomez, J. Miko Thomas a.k.a. Landa Lakes for OUT of Site SOMA. \u003ccite>(Robbie Sweeny)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘OUT of Site: SOMA’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>June 8–16, 2019\u003cbr>\nHoward Langton Community Garden, San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.eyezen.org/out-of-site-soma\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">More information\u003c/a>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>OUT of Site\u003c/em> has already brought history to life in North Beach, and now, the theatrical walking tour series alights South of Market for a reevaluation of the neighborhood’s LGBTQ contributions. The Castro gets most of the attention, but as \u003cem>OUT of Site\u003c/em> points out, SOMA is home to hidden stories, “from Native American Two-Spirit culture to the Folsom Street Fair, Lesbian auto-mechanics to labor activists and dock workers to drag queens.” Marga Gomez heads up a cast that should be illuminating and entertaining.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13857973\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13857973\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/TheFlick-800x475.jpg\" alt=\"'The Flick' won the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.\" width=\"800\" height=\"475\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/TheFlick-800x475.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/TheFlick-160x95.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/TheFlick-768x456.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/TheFlick-1020x605.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/TheFlick.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘The Flick’ won the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. \u003ccite>(Shotgun Players)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘The Flick’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Aug. 22–Sept. 22, 2019\u003cbr>\nAshby Stage, Berkeley\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://bit.ly/2rgcffY\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">More information\u003c/a>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>People who work at movie theaters are a specific kind of nerd: exceedingly knowledgable about the minutiae of fictional film, but open to letting real life take over with gale force when it wants to. The winner of the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, \u003cem>The Flick\u003c/em> is about three employees of a suburban movie theater in Massachusetts who still know how to run 35mm film projectors, with a script that follows their personal struggles which overlap in unexpected, humorous and heartbreaking fashion.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13858334\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13858334\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/DragonTheatre-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"The Dragon Theatre stage.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/DragonTheatre-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/DragonTheatre-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/DragonTheatre-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/DragonTheatre-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/DragonTheatre.jpg 1100w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Dragon Theatre stage. \u003ccite>(Dragon Theatre)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Redwood City Play Festival\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>June 8–16, 2019\u003cbr>\nDragon Theatre, Redwood City\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.fusetheatre.org/projects/rwc-festival/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">More information\u003c/a>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A joint effort by Dragon Productions Theatre Company and Fuse Theatre, this festival of three one-act plays centers on issues of gender: \u003cem>Because I Went There\u003c/em>, \u003cem>Never Swim Alone\u003c/em> and \u003cem>Legal-Tender Loving Care\u003c/em>. Held in the heart of Redwood City’s downtown (time it right, and you could fit in the town’s surreal light show a block away in Courthouse Square), the plays should bring a good dose of social justice to the Peninsula.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"excerpt": "Tony winners! New musicals! Shakespeare! Opera! Burlesque! All of this and more hits Bay Area stages this summer.",
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"headline": "Hot Summer Guide 2019: Top 10 Picks for Theater in the Bay Area",
"datePublished": "2019-05-28T12:00:32-07:00",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>By now, you’ve probably heard that \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://hamilton.shnsf.com/Online/default.asp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Hamilton\u003c/a>\u003c/em> is in town, running through January of next year. You may have also heard that \u003ca href=\"https://sfcurran.com/shows/harry-potter-and-the-cursed-child/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003cem>Harry Potter and the Cursed Child\u003c/em>\u003c/a> is coming in October, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13845883/the-curran-at-a-crossroads\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">possibly running for three or more years\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But what of all the other great theater in the shadow of the blockbusters? This summer, the Bay Area is home to an array of the stellar productions, from big musicals to small dramas. Below, we round up the best summertime theater to see on opera stages, black boxes and even on the sidewalk—which, in the Bay Area, is often a stage unto itself.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13857960\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13857960\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/Plays.Rhinocerous-800x686.jpg\" alt=\"David Breitbarth in Eugène Ionesco's Rhinoceros at A.C.T.'s Geary Theater.\" width=\"800\" height=\"686\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/Plays.Rhinocerous-800x686.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/Plays.Rhinocerous-160x137.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/Plays.Rhinocerous-768x659.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/Plays.Rhinocerous-1020x875.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/Plays.Rhinocerous.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">David Breitbarth in Eugène Ionesco’s ‘Rhinoceros’ at A.C.T.’s Geary Theater. \u003ccite>(Cliff Roles)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘Rhinocerous’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>May 29–June 23, 2019\u003cbr>\nGeary Theater, San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.act-sf.org/home/box_office/1819_season/rhinoceros.highResolutionDisplay.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">More information\u003c/a>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Eugène Ionesco’s absurdist masterpiece involves the inhabitants of a small French town transforming, one by one, into rhinos. But the play’s allegories to fascism—and the characterization of those who oppose it as paranoid—could not be any more relevant to the United States in 2019. Staged by ACT, which last year put \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13849904/a-day-at-the-beach-interrupted-by-two-giant-lizards\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">giant lizards on the stage in Edward Albee’s \u003cem>Seascape\u003c/em>\u003c/a>, \u003cem>Rhinocerous\u003c/em> is not only a marvelous study in conformity, but a consistently fun stampede through the possibilities of set and wardrobe.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13858006\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13858006\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/Rent.SHN_-800x551.jpg\" alt=\"Deri'Andra Tucker in the touring production of 'Rent.'\" width=\"800\" height=\"551\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/Rent.SHN_-800x551.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/Rent.SHN_-160x110.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/Rent.SHN_-768x529.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/Rent.SHN_-1020x702.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/Rent.SHN_-1200x826.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/Rent.SHN_.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Deri’Andra Tucker in the touring production of ‘Rent.’ \u003ccite>(Carol Rosegg)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘Rent’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>June 14–23, 2019\u003cbr>\nGolden Gate Theatre, San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.shnsf.com/Online/default.asp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">More information\u003c/a>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The retelling of \u003cem>La bohème\u003c/em> that swept the world in the 1990s gets the 20th anniversary tour it deserves, including this very quick stop in San Francisco. \u003cem>Rent\u003c/em> is particularly resonant in the expensive Bay Area, where living in warehouses and off-the-grid spaces is a necessity for many, and the turmoil of HIV/AIDS hits close to home. If you still get chills at the opening chords of “Seasons of Love,” don’t sleep on this one-week-only run.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13857974\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13857974\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/BRIDGES_JNai_S.-Richards_2-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"J'Nai Bridges plays the lead role in 'Carmen' at SF Opera this June.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/BRIDGES_JNai_S.-Richards_2-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/BRIDGES_JNai_S.-Richards_2-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/BRIDGES_JNai_S.-Richards_2-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/BRIDGES_JNai_S.-Richards_2-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/BRIDGES_JNai_S.-Richards_2-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/BRIDGES_JNai_S.-Richards_2.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">J’Nai Bridges plays the lead role in ‘Carmen’ at SF Opera this June. \u003ccite>(S. Richards)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘Carmen’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>June 5–29, 2019\u003cbr>\nWar Memorial Opera House, San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"https://sfopera.com/1819season/carmen/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">More information\u003c/a>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You already know more songs from \u003cem>Carmen\u003c/em> than you think you know (thanks, \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Wsx22WxWOc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Saturday morning cartoons\u003c/a>), and if you’re daunted by the marathon of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13835968/how-crazy-do-you-have-to-be-to-sit-through-15-hours-of-opera\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">longer operas\u003c/a>, Bizet’s eternal tale of a woman who dares to live freely clocks in at under three hours. Add to it Francesca Zambello’s modern production, James Gaffigan conducting the orchestra and \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_MMKJaIHes\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">basketball player-turned-opera star J’Nai Bridges\u003c/a> (pictured above) in the title role, and you’ve got a summertime opera that even those who \u003cem>think\u003c/em> they hate opera can enjoy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13857965\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13857965\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/Aztec.CAST_-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"The cast of 'Kiss My Aztec!' at Berkeley Rep, directed by Tony Taccone.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/Aztec.CAST_-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/Aztec.CAST_-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/Aztec.CAST_-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/Aztec.CAST_-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/Aztec.CAST_-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/Aztec.CAST_.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The cast of ‘Kiss My Aztec!’ at Berkeley Rep, directed by Tony Taccone. \u003ccite>(Cheshire Isaacs/Berkeley Rep)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘Kiss My Aztec!’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>May 28–July 21, 2019\u003cbr>\nRoda Theatre, Berkeley\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.berkeleyrep.org/season/1819/13384.asp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">More information\u003c/a>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Written by John Leguizamo and Tony Taccone, this world-premiere musical has more than a whiff of \u003cem>Hamilton\u003c/em> for Latin America: a history lesson of resistance in Spanish-occupied Mesoamerica told through salsa, hip-hop, merengue and funk, with a blend of 16th-century dialect and modern slang. Taccone and Leguizamo previously worked together on \u003cem>Latin History for Morons\u003c/em>, but this one’s special: it’s Taccone’s final production as artistic director \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/12700435/berkeley-rep-artistic-director-tony-taccone-announces-departure\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">after 33 years at Berkeley Rep\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-medium wp-image-13858009\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/MidsummerNightDream.CalShakes-800x400.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/MidsummerNightDream.CalShakes-800x400.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/MidsummerNightDream.CalShakes-160x80.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/MidsummerNightDream.CalShakes-768x384.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/MidsummerNightDream.CalShakes-1020x510.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/MidsummerNightDream.CalShakes-1200x600.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/MidsummerNightDream.CalShakes.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>May 22–June 16, 2019\u003cbr>\nBruns Amphitheater, Orinda\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"https://calshakes.org/make/a-midsummer-nights-dream/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">More information\u003c/a>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Cal Shakes, the region’s premier purveyors of the Bard, bring this Shakespeare favorite to life this summer with all the sprites, dukes, queens and faeries you’ve come to know and love. It’s easy to forget just how damn \u003cem>fun\u003c/em> the action is in \u003cem>A Midsummer Night’s Dream\u003c/em>, and with costume by Ásta Bennie Hostetter and set by Nina Ball, the visuals are sure to be dazzling. Tyne Rafaeli directs in the picturesque outdoor Bruns Amphitheater.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13858316\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13858316\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/ShortLived-800x450.jpg\" alt=\"Last year’s champions of ShortLived, The Geek Show, who won for their piece 'No Country for Old Henchmen.'\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/ShortLived-800x450.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/ShortLived-160x90.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/ShortLived-768x432.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/ShortLived-1020x574.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/ShortLived-1200x675.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/ShortLived.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Last year’s champions of ShortLived, The Geek Show, who won for their piece ‘No Country for Old Henchmen.’ \u003ccite>(Courtesy PIanoFight)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘ShortLived VII’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>June 14–Sept. 7, 2019\u003cbr>\nPianoFight and The Strand, San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.pianofight.com/shortlived-viii/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">More information\u003c/a>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pushing the limits of theatrical possibility, \u003cem>ShortLived\u003c/em> is a marathon \u003cem>American Idol\u003c/em>-esque race to a $5,000 check and eternal Bay Area glory. This year’s audience-judged competition features 48 short plays running over the course of 8 weeks, and then a winner-take-all finals on Sept. 6 and 7. If you want to take a dip into the rampant creativity of Bay Area theater—and see some fun, charming competition along the way—you can’t do much better than this.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13858015\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13858015\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/Dollhousemonsters-800x571.jpg\" alt=\"(L to R) Lady Malavendra, Red Velvet, and Dee O’s Mío in 'Dollhouse Monsters.'\" width=\"800\" height=\"571\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/Dollhousemonsters-800x571.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/Dollhousemonsters-160x114.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/Dollhousemonsters-768x548.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/Dollhousemonsters-1020x728.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/Dollhousemonsters-1200x857.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/Dollhousemonsters.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">(L to R) Lady Malavendra, Red Velvet and Dee O’s Mío in ‘Dollhouse Monsters.’ \u003ccite>(Ross Pearson)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘Dollhouse Monsters’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>July 12–27, 2019\u003cbr>\nExit Stage Left, San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.theexit.org/dollhouse/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">More information\u003c/a>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These days, burlesque is everywhere, thanks to an ongoing vaudeville-circus-steampunk revival especially resonant here on the Barbary Coast. And while body positivity has long been a staple of modern burlesque, the ladies of DIVA Or Die Burlesque take that introspection further in \u003cem>Dollhouse Monsters\u003c/em>, a half-theater, half-burlesque show that examines our inner behaviors and secrets, why we have them, and why we keep them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13857967\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13857967\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/SOMAQueerWalking-800x534.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/SOMAQueerWalking-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/SOMAQueerWalking-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/SOMAQueerWalking-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/SOMAQueerWalking-1020x681.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/SOMAQueerWalking-1200x801.jpg 1200w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/SOMAQueerWalking.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ryan Hayes, Brian Freeman, Marga Gomez, J. Miko Thomas a.k.a. Landa Lakes for OUT of Site SOMA. \u003ccite>(Robbie Sweeny)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘OUT of Site: SOMA’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>June 8–16, 2019\u003cbr>\nHoward Langton Community Garden, San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.eyezen.org/out-of-site-soma\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">More information\u003c/a>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>OUT of Site\u003c/em> has already brought history to life in North Beach, and now, the theatrical walking tour series alights South of Market for a reevaluation of the neighborhood’s LGBTQ contributions. The Castro gets most of the attention, but as \u003cem>OUT of Site\u003c/em> points out, SOMA is home to hidden stories, “from Native American Two-Spirit culture to the Folsom Street Fair, Lesbian auto-mechanics to labor activists and dock workers to drag queens.” Marga Gomez heads up a cast that should be illuminating and entertaining.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13857973\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13857973\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/TheFlick-800x475.jpg\" alt=\"'The Flick' won the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.\" width=\"800\" height=\"475\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/TheFlick-800x475.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/TheFlick-160x95.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/TheFlick-768x456.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/TheFlick-1020x605.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/TheFlick.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘The Flick’ won the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. \u003ccite>(Shotgun Players)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘The Flick’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Aug. 22–Sept. 22, 2019\u003cbr>\nAshby Stage, Berkeley\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://bit.ly/2rgcffY\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">More information\u003c/a>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>People who work at movie theaters are a specific kind of nerd: exceedingly knowledgable about the minutiae of fictional film, but open to letting real life take over with gale force when it wants to. The winner of the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, \u003cem>The Flick\u003c/em> is about three employees of a suburban movie theater in Massachusetts who still know how to run 35mm film projectors, with a script that follows their personal struggles which overlap in unexpected, humorous and heartbreaking fashion.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13858334\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-13858334\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/arts/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/DragonTheatre-800x533.jpg\" alt=\"The Dragon Theatre stage.\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/DragonTheatre-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/DragonTheatre-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/DragonTheatre-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/DragonTheatre-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/DragonTheatre.jpg 1100w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Dragon Theatre stage. \u003ccite>(Dragon Theatre)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Redwood City Play Festival\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>June 8–16, 2019\u003cbr>\nDragon Theatre, Redwood City\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.fusetheatre.org/projects/rwc-festival/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">More information\u003c/a>\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A joint effort by Dragon Productions Theatre Company and Fuse Theatre, this festival of three one-act plays centers on issues of gender: \u003cem>Because I Went There\u003c/em>, \u003cem>Never Swim Alone\u003c/em> and \u003cem>Legal-Tender Loving Care\u003c/em>. Held in the heart of Redwood City’s downtown (time it right, and you could fit in the town’s surreal light show a block away in Courthouse Square), the plays should bring a good dose of social justice to the Peninsula.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"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.",
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