Golden Thread ProductionsGolden Thread Productions
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"title": "10 of the Best Plays and Musicals to See This Fall in the Bay Area",
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"content": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Be sure to check out our full \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/fall-guide-2026\">2026 Fall Arts Guide\u003c/a> to live music, movies, art, theater, festivals and more in the Bay Area.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A certain type of magic comes with fall in the Bay Area. As T-shirts and shorts turn to long sleeves and jeans, rich browns and oranges overtake each leaf. Apart from the weather, seeing theater companies kick off their seasons is always thrilling, with world premieres and big hits ready to land all over the Bay Area.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While darkness may fall faster with each passing day, let the stage lights of these 10 fantastic theater productions brighten your life for the next three months.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1516\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/MT_TheWhiteChip_ChrisHardy4.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993464\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/MT_TheWhiteChip_ChrisHardy4.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/MT_TheWhiteChip_ChrisHardy4-160x121.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/MT_TheWhiteChip_ChrisHardy4-768x582.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/MT_TheWhiteChip_ChrisHardy4-1536x1164.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Danny Scheie, Benjamin Clark and Lyndsy Kail are featured in Marin Theatre’s ‘The White Chip,’ running Aug. 27–Sept. 20. (Chris Hardy)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.marintheatre.org/\">The White Chip\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Aug. 27–Sept. 20\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Marin Theatre, Mill Valley\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Sean Daniels has been one of the most visible figures in the American theatre to discuss his challenges as a recovering alcoholic while working to soften the stigma of addiction. In his semi-autobiographical play, \u003cem>The White Chip\u003c/em>, Steven is a theatrical director whose career spirals out fo control due to drinking. His journey through sobriety includes reckoning with self-acceptance and finding his community. Daniels’ play has seen significant productions nationwide, inspiring those on their own sobriety journeys. Artistic director Lance Gardner directs. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/manningpr-0138.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993044\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/manningpr-0138.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/manningpr-0138-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/manningpr-0138-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/manningpr-0138-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(L–R) Caleb Andrew Cabrera, Michael Torres and Alonso Melgoza star in ‘Manning,’ a play about grief and healing. (Cheshire Isaacs)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.crowdedfire.org/\">Manning\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 5–26\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Potrero Stage, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The death of a wife and mother. Spreading ashes around the backyard. What results is the growth of a mysterious, giant zucchini overnight, and the discovery of a unique language for grief. Benjamin Benne penned this West Coast premiere in part to imagine a world where patriarchal supremacy is replaced by healthy and whole masculinity. Crowded Fire Theater’s newest production is another in their quest toward daring work that both entertains and challenges. Adin Walker directs. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.lhtsf.org/african-stew\">African Stew\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 10–27\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Lorraine Hansberry Theatre, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>An African American woman and a Nigerian man announce their quick engagement, which leads to a family dinner in Oakland. Things aren’t exactly smooth, however, as the two very different cultures gather, and as identity, cultural differences and familial expectations all prove to be heated topics of conversation. Lorraine Hansberry Theatre’s rolling world premiere features the triumphant return of frequent collaborator Lisa B. Thompson, with the show stewarded by longtime Bay Area director and artist Edris Cooper-Anifowoshe.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/IMG_0433-copy-smaller.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993048\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/IMG_0433-copy-smaller.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/IMG_0433-copy-smaller-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/IMG_0433-copy-smaller-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/IMG_0433-copy-smaller-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(L to R) Linda Amayo-Hassan, Megan Calfas, Aidaa Peerzada and Julius Ernesto Rea make up Playwright’s Foundation residents for 2026-2027. (Playwrights Foundation)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://playwrightsfoundation.org/2026-bay-area-playwrights-festival/\">Bay Area Playwrights Festival\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 18–27\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Strand Theater, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Play development has taken a hit around the country in the past 10 years, but the need for new work in American theater continues. Fortunately, consequential developers in the Bay Area still showcase new voices which may just write the next great American play. The Bay Area Playwrights Festival is coming up on its 47th year, and has seen more than 80 percent of its works go on to successful productions. This year’s festival features four new plays from diverse storytellers, giving audiences a sneak peek of the future. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1428\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/KING-LEAR-landscape.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993046\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/KING-LEAR-landscape.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/KING-LEAR-landscape-160x114.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/KING-LEAR-landscape-768x548.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/KING-LEAR-landscape-1536x1097.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">J. Jha stars as the title character in William Shakespeare’s ‘King Lear’ as Oakland Theater Project jumps across the Bay to Z Space in San Francisco. (Adam Montanaro)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘\u003ca href=\"https://oaklandtheaterproject.org/\">King Lear\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 25–Oct. 11\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Z Space, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While twilight sets on the rule of King Lear, dividing his kingdom among his three daughters becomes another ploy in his quest for flattery. As his power dissipates, the king is proven to be a fool, one whose demise is entirely of his own making. Sound timely? Oakland Theater Project continues their daring season of rethinking classics and putting visceral new razors on stories of brutality. Lear is the model for many of theater’s greatest characters, and an embodiment of self-inflected wounds. Executive Artistic Director Michael Socrates Moran directs one of William Shakespeare’s most devastating tales. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘\u003ca href=\"http://teatrovision.org\">Alebrijes: A Dia De Los Muertos Tale\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 8–18\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Mexican Heritage Plaza Theater, San José\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the 1930s, papier-mâché artist Pedro Linares created the earliest alebrijes – a form of Mexican folk art depicting mythical hybrid animals. In Teatro Vision’s production of \u003cem>Alebrijes: A Dia De Los Muertos Tale\u003c/em>, playwright Georgina Escobar presents a mythological tale of Linares being chased by “La Muerte” through the colorful celebration of the Day of the Dead. The 42-year-old company and the production are both under the artistic hand of Rodrigo Garcia, and showcase all of the emotional pageantry of the festive holiday, with traditional Mexican music, comedy and community on full display in East San Jose. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-1409168059.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993059\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-1409168059.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-1409168059-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-1409168059-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-1409168059-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golden Thread Productions founder Torange Yeghiazarian. (Carlos Avila Gonzalez / San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"http://goldenthread.org\">ReOrient Festival\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 9–Nov. 1\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Potrero Stage, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Founded by Torange Yeghiazarian, Golden Thread celebrates its 30th anniversary this year as a company that interrogates and celebrates Middle Eastern culture and identity. There’s never a shortage of candidates for Golden Thread’s signature festival, and this year is no different: of the 83 plays submitted, only five were selected. This year’s lineup focuses on Iran and Palestine, with rich diversity among the titles, one of which, \u003cem>Homing Pigeons & Co\u003c/em>, is directed by Yeghiazarian herself.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.sfbatco.org/\">Every Saturday Night\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 10–Nov. 1\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>The Strand, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Harlem of the West” is a famous description of San Francisco’s Fillmore District in the ‘40s and ‘50s — and now, it’s the subject of a major world premiere for \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfbatco.org/\">SFBATCO\u003c/a>. \u003cem>Every Saturday Night\u003c/em> has been in development for four years, and it explores a San Francisco once filled with Black excellence and soul-stirring jazz. Those good times came to a halt when urban renewal’s displacement and gentrification robbed the world of a thriving Black community. Bay Area playwright, composer and director Danny Duncan joins forces with acclaimed playwright Michael Gene Sullivan for this anticipated production.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alaska-Thunderfuck_Photo-Credit-Daniel-Rampulla.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993047\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alaska-Thunderfuck_Photo-Credit-Daniel-Rampulla.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alaska-Thunderfuck_Photo-Credit-Daniel-Rampulla-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alaska-Thunderfuck_Photo-Credit-Daniel-Rampulla-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alaska-Thunderfuck_Photo-Credit-Daniel-Rampulla-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Drag queen Alaska Thunderfuck will star as Mary Todd Lincoln in the San Francisco run of Cole Escola’s ‘Oh, Mary!’ (Daniel Rampulla)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.act-sf.org/whats-on/2026-27-season/oh-mary\">Oh, Mary!\u003c/a>’ and ‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.act-sf.org/whats-on/2026-27-season/john-proctor-is-the-villain\">John Proctor is the Villain\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘Oh, Mary!,’ \u003cem>\u003cem>Oct. 13–Nov. 1\u003c/em>\u003c/em>; Curran Theater, San Francisco \u003cbr>‘John Proctor is the Villain,’ \u003cem>\u003cem>Nov. 12–Dec. 6\u003c/em>\u003c/em>; Toni Rembe Theater, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Picking between \u003cem>Oh, Mary!\u003c/em> or \u003cem>John Proctor is the Villain\u003c/em> when both are being produced at A.C.T. is like picking a favorite child — you might have one, but you don’t say it out loud. \u003cem>Oh, Mary!\u003c/em> is a riotous, side-splitting show (and 2026 Pulitzer finalist) by Cole Escola, while \u003cem>Proctor \u003c/em>is a Broadway hit that inspired the \u003cem>New York Times\u003c/em> headline “Why Women are Leaving This Broadway Show in Tears.” The two shows couldn’t be more different in tone and temperament, but they’re firmly in the can’t-miss category. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2500\" height=\"1667\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Liberation_0115r-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993050\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Liberation_0115r-1.jpg 2500w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Liberation_0115r-1-2000x1334.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Liberation_0115r-1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Liberation_0115r-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Liberation_0115r-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Liberation_0115r-1-2048x1366.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2500px) 100vw, 2500px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The New York cast of Bess Wohl’s ‘Liberation’ at the Laura Pels Theatre in 2025. (Joan Marcus)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘\u003ca href=\"http://berkeleyrep.org\">Liberation\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 23–Nov. 29\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Roda Theatre, Berkeley\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Bess Wohl’s \u003cem>Liberation\u003c/em>, a piercing memory play about a group of women who strategize in a 1970s recreation center basement about how to change the world, won a Pulitzer and Tony during its Broadway run. Whitney White, who directed, returns in the same role for this West Coast premiere, a co-production with the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles and Washington D.C.’s Studio Theatre. (And if you’re looking for more Wohl in the Bay, \u003ca href=\"https://www.thestage.org/production-history/barcelona\">San Jose Stage produces her 2012 play \u003cem>Barcelona\u003c/em> from Sept. 30–Oct. 18\u003c/a>.)\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/MT_TheWhiteChip_ChrisHardy4.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993464\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/MT_TheWhiteChip_ChrisHardy4.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/MT_TheWhiteChip_ChrisHardy4-160x121.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/MT_TheWhiteChip_ChrisHardy4-768x582.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/MT_TheWhiteChip_ChrisHardy4-1536x1164.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Danny Scheie, Benjamin Clark and Lyndsy Kail are featured in Marin Theatre’s ‘The White Chip,’ running Aug. 27–Sept. 20.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Chris Hardy)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/MT_TheWhiteChip_ChrisHardy4.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993464\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Danny Scheie, Benjamin Clark and Lyndsy Kail are featured in Marin Theatre’s ‘The White Chip,’ running Aug. 27–Sept. 20.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Chris Hardy)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.marintheatre.org/\">The White Chip\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Aug. 27–Sept. 20\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Marin Theatre, Mill Valley\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Sean Daniels has been one of the most visible figures in the American theatre to discuss his challenges as a recovering alcoholic while working to soften the stigma of addiction. In his semi-autobiographical play, \u003cem>The White Chip\u003c/em>, Steven is a theatrical director whose career spirals out fo control due to drinking. His journey through sobriety includes reckoning with self-acceptance and finding his community. Daniels’ play has seen significant productions nationwide, inspiring those on their own sobriety journeys. Artistic director Lance Gardner directs. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Aug. 27–Sept. 20\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Marin Theatre, Mill Valley\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Sean Daniels has been one of the most visible figures in the American theatre to discuss his challenges as a recovering alcoholic while working to soften the stigma of addiction. In his semi-autobiographical play, \u003cem>The White Chip\u003c/em>, Steven is a theatrical director whose career spirals out fo control due to drinking. His journey through sobriety includes reckoning with self-acceptance and finding his community. Daniels’ play has seen significant productions nationwide, inspiring those on their own sobriety journeys. Artistic director Lance Gardner directs. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/manningpr-0138.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993044\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/manningpr-0138.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/manningpr-0138-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/manningpr-0138-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/manningpr-0138-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(L–R) Caleb Andrew Cabrera, Michael Torres and Alonso Melgoza star in ‘Manning,’ a play about grief and healing.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Cheshire Isaacs)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/manningpr-0138.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993044\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(L–R) Caleb Andrew Cabrera, Michael Torres and Alonso Melgoza star in ‘Manning,’ a play about grief and healing.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Cheshire Isaacs)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.crowdedfire.org/\">Manning\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.crowdedfire.org/\">Manning\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 5–26\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Potrero Stage, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 5–26\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Potrero Stage, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The death of a wife and mother. Spreading ashes around the backyard. What results is the growth of a mysterious, giant zucchini overnight, and the discovery of a unique language for grief. Benjamin Benne penned this West Coast premiere in part to imagine a world where patriarchal supremacy is replaced by healthy and whole masculinity. Crowded Fire Theater’s newest production is another in their quest toward daring work that both entertains and challenges. Adin Walker directs. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The death of a wife and mother. Spreading ashes around the backyard. What results is the growth of a mysterious, giant zucchini overnight, and the discovery of a unique language for grief. Benjamin Benne penned this West Coast premiere in part to imagine a world where patriarchal supremacy is replaced by healthy and whole masculinity. Crowded Fire Theater’s newest production is another in their quest toward daring work that both entertains and challenges. Adin Walker directs. \u003c/p>\n"
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"text": "‘African Stew’",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.lhtsf.org/african-stew\">African Stew\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 10–27\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Lorraine Hansberry Theatre, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 10–27\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Lorraine Hansberry Theatre, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>An African American woman and a Nigerian man announce their quick engagement, which leads to a family dinner in Oakland. Things aren’t exactly smooth, however, as the two very different cultures gather, and as identity, cultural differences and familial expectations all prove to be heated topics of conversation. Lorraine Hansberry Theatre’s rolling world premiere features the triumphant return of frequent collaborator Lisa B. Thompson, with the show stewarded by longtime Bay Area director and artist Edris Cooper-Anifowoshe.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>An African American woman and a Nigerian man announce their quick engagement, which leads to a family dinner in Oakland. Things aren’t exactly smooth, however, as the two very different cultures gather, and as identity, cultural differences and familial expectations all prove to be heated topics of conversation. Lorraine Hansberry Theatre’s rolling world premiere features the triumphant return of frequent collaborator Lisa B. Thompson, with the show stewarded by longtime Bay Area director and artist Edris Cooper-Anifowoshe.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/IMG_0433-copy-smaller.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993048\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/IMG_0433-copy-smaller.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/IMG_0433-copy-smaller-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/IMG_0433-copy-smaller-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/IMG_0433-copy-smaller-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(L to R) Linda Amayo-Hassan, Megan Calfas, Aidaa Peerzada and Julius Ernesto Rea make up Playwright’s Foundation residents for 2026-2027. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Playwrights Foundation)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/IMG_0433-copy-smaller.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993048\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(L to R) Linda Amayo-Hassan, Megan Calfas, Aidaa Peerzada and Julius Ernesto Rea make up Playwright’s Foundation residents for 2026-2027. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Playwrights Foundation)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "Bay Area Playwrights Festival",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://playwrightsfoundation.org/2026-bay-area-playwrights-festival/\">Bay Area Playwrights Festival\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://playwrightsfoundation.org/2026-bay-area-playwrights-festival/\">Bay Area Playwrights Festival\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 18–27\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Strand Theater, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 18–27\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Strand Theater, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Play development has taken a hit around the country in the past 10 years, but the need for new work in American theater continues. Fortunately, consequential developers in the Bay Area still showcase new voices which may just write the next great American play. The Bay Area Playwrights Festival is coming up on its 47th year, and has seen more than 80 percent of its works go on to successful productions. This year’s festival features four new plays from diverse storytellers, giving audiences a sneak peek of the future. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Play development has taken a hit around the country in the past 10 years, but the need for new work in American theater continues. Fortunately, consequential developers in the Bay Area still showcase new voices which may just write the next great American play. The Bay Area Playwrights Festival is coming up on its 47th year, and has seen more than 80 percent of its works go on to successful productions. This year’s festival features four new plays from diverse storytellers, giving audiences a sneak peek of the future. \u003c/p>\n"
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"srcset": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/KING-LEAR-landscape.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/KING-LEAR-landscape-160x114.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/KING-LEAR-landscape-768x548.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/KING-LEAR-landscape-1536x1097.jpg 1536w",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/KING-LEAR-landscape.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993046\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/KING-LEAR-landscape.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/KING-LEAR-landscape-160x114.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/KING-LEAR-landscape-768x548.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/KING-LEAR-landscape-1536x1097.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">J. Jha stars as the title character in William Shakespeare’s ‘King Lear’ as Oakland Theater Project jumps across the Bay to Z Space in San Francisco. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Adam Montanaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/KING-LEAR-landscape.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993046\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">J. Jha stars as the title character in William Shakespeare’s ‘King Lear’ as Oakland Theater Project jumps across the Bay to Z Space in San Francisco. \u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Adam Montanaro)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"text": "‘King Lear’",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘\u003ca href=\"https://oaklandtheaterproject.org/\">King Lear\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 25–Oct. 11\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Z Space, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 25–Oct. 11\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Z Space, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>While twilight sets on the rule of King Lear, dividing his kingdom among his three daughters becomes another ploy in his quest for flattery. As his power dissipates, the king is proven to be a fool, one whose demise is entirely of his own making. Sound timely? Oakland Theater Project continues their daring season of rethinking classics and putting visceral new razors on stories of brutality. Lear is the model for many of theater’s greatest characters, and an embodiment of self-inflected wounds. Executive Artistic Director Michael Socrates Moran directs one of William Shakespeare’s most devastating tales. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>While twilight sets on the rule of King Lear, dividing his kingdom among his three daughters becomes another ploy in his quest for flattery. As his power dissipates, the king is proven to be a fool, one whose demise is entirely of his own making. Sound timely? Oakland Theater Project continues their daring season of rethinking classics and putting visceral new razors on stories of brutality. Lear is the model for many of theater’s greatest characters, and an embodiment of self-inflected wounds. Executive Artistic Director Michael Socrates Moran directs one of William Shakespeare’s most devastating tales. \u003c/p>\n"
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"attrs": {
"text": "‘Alebrijes: A Dia De Los Muertos Tale’",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘\u003ca href=\"http://teatrovision.org\">Alebrijes: A Dia De Los Muertos Tale\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 8–18\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Mexican Heritage Plaza Theater, San José\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>In the 1930s, papier-mâché artist Pedro Linares created the earliest alebrijes – a form of Mexican folk art depicting mythical hybrid animals. In Teatro Vision’s production of \u003cem>Alebrijes: A Dia De Los Muertos Tale\u003c/em>, playwright Georgina Escobar presents a mythological tale of Linares being chased by “La Muerte” through the colorful celebration of the Day of the Dead. The 42-year-old company and the production are both under the artistic hand of Rodrigo Garcia, and showcase all of the emotional pageantry of the festive holiday, with traditional Mexican music, comedy and community on full display in East San Jose. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>In the 1930s, papier-mâché artist Pedro Linares created the earliest alebrijes – a form of Mexican folk art depicting mythical hybrid animals. In Teatro Vision’s production of \u003cem>Alebrijes: A Dia De Los Muertos Tale\u003c/em>, playwright Georgina Escobar presents a mythological tale of Linares being chased by “La Muerte” through the colorful celebration of the Day of the Dead. The 42-year-old company and the production are both under the artistic hand of Rodrigo Garcia, and showcase all of the emotional pageantry of the festive holiday, with traditional Mexican music, comedy and community on full display in East San Jose. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-1409168059.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993059\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-1409168059.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-1409168059-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-1409168059-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-1409168059-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golden Thread Productions founder Torange Yeghiazarian.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Carlos Avila Gonzalez / San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"text": "ReOrient Festival",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 9–Nov. 1\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Potrero Stage, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Founded by Torange Yeghiazarian, Golden Thread celebrates its 30th anniversary this year as a company that interrogates and celebrates Middle Eastern culture and identity. There’s never a shortage of candidates for Golden Thread’s signature festival, and this year is no different: of the 83 plays submitted, only five were selected. This year’s lineup focuses on Iran and Palestine, with rich diversity among the titles, one of which, \u003cem>Homing Pigeons & Co\u003c/em>, is directed by Yeghiazarian herself.\u003c/p>\n",
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"text": "‘Every Saturday Night’",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.sfbatco.org/\">Every Saturday Night\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 10–Nov. 1\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>The Strand, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>“Harlem of the West” is a famous description of San Francisco’s Fillmore District in the ‘40s and ‘50s — and now, it’s the subject of a major world premiere for \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfbatco.org/\">SFBATCO\u003c/a>. \u003cem>Every Saturday Night\u003c/em> has been in development for four years, and it explores a San Francisco once filled with Black excellence and soul-stirring jazz. Those good times came to a halt when urban renewal’s displacement and gentrification robbed the world of a thriving Black community. Bay Area playwright, composer and director Danny Duncan joins forces with acclaimed playwright Michael Gene Sullivan for this anticipated production.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>“Harlem of the West” is a famous description of San Francisco’s Fillmore District in the ‘40s and ‘50s — and now, it’s the subject of a major world premiere for \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfbatco.org/\">SFBATCO\u003c/a>. \u003cem>Every Saturday Night\u003c/em> has been in development for four years, and it explores a San Francisco once filled with Black excellence and soul-stirring jazz. Those good times came to a halt when urban renewal’s displacement and gentrification robbed the world of a thriving Black community. Bay Area playwright, composer and director Danny Duncan joins forces with acclaimed playwright Michael Gene Sullivan for this anticipated production.\u003c/p>\n"
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"\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alaska-Thunderfuck_Photo-Credit-Daniel-Rampulla.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993047\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Drag queen Alaska Thunderfuck will star as Mary Todd Lincoln in the San Francisco run of Cole Escola’s ‘Oh, Mary!’\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Daniel Rampulla)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n"
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"text": "‘Oh, Mary!’ and ‘John Proctor is the Villain’",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.act-sf.org/whats-on/2026-27-season/oh-mary\">Oh, Mary!\u003c/a>’ and ‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.act-sf.org/whats-on/2026-27-season/john-proctor-is-the-villain\">John Proctor is the Villain\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n",
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"\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.act-sf.org/whats-on/2026-27-season/oh-mary\">Oh, Mary!\u003c/a>’ and ‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.act-sf.org/whats-on/2026-27-season/john-proctor-is-the-villain\">John Proctor is the Villain\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘Oh, Mary!,’ \u003cem>\u003cem>Oct. 13–Nov. 1\u003c/em>\u003c/em>; Curran Theater, San Francisco \u003cbr>‘John Proctor is the Villain,’ \u003cem>\u003cem>Nov. 12–Dec. 6\u003c/em>\u003c/em>; Toni Rembe Theater, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘Oh, Mary!,’ \u003cem>\u003cem>Oct. 13–Nov. 1\u003c/em>\u003c/em>; Curran Theater, San Francisco \u003cbr>‘John Proctor is the Villain,’ \u003cem>\u003cem>Nov. 12–Dec. 6\u003c/em>\u003c/em>; Toni Rembe Theater, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Picking between \u003cem>Oh, Mary!\u003c/em> or \u003cem>John Proctor is the Villain\u003c/em> when both are being produced at A.C.T. is like picking a favorite child — you might have one, but you don’t say it out loud. \u003cem>Oh, Mary!\u003c/em> is a riotous, side-splitting show (and 2026 Pulitzer finalist) by Cole Escola, while \u003cem>Proctor \u003c/em>is a Broadway hit that inspired the \u003cem>New York Times\u003c/em> headline “Why Women are Leaving This Broadway Show in Tears.” The two shows couldn’t be more different in tone and temperament, but they’re firmly in the can’t-miss category. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Picking between \u003cem>Oh, Mary!\u003c/em> or \u003cem>John Proctor is the Villain\u003c/em> when both are being produced at A.C.T. is like picking a favorite child — you might have one, but you don’t say it out loud. \u003cem>Oh, Mary!\u003c/em> is a riotous, side-splitting show (and 2026 Pulitzer finalist) by Cole Escola, while \u003cem>Proctor \u003c/em>is a Broadway hit that inspired the \u003cem>New York Times\u003c/em> headline “Why Women are Leaving This Broadway Show in Tears.” The two shows couldn’t be more different in tone and temperament, but they’re firmly in the can’t-miss category. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Liberation_0115r-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993050\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Liberation_0115r-1.jpg 2500w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Liberation_0115r-1-2000x1334.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Liberation_0115r-1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Liberation_0115r-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Liberation_0115r-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Liberation_0115r-1-2048x1366.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The New York cast of Bess Wohl’s ‘Liberation’ at the Laura Pels Theatre in 2025.\u003ccite class=\"wp-inline-image-credit\"> (Joan Marcus)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Bess Wohl’s \u003cem>Liberation\u003c/em>, a piercing memory play about a group of women who strategize in a 1970s recreation center basement about how to change the world, won a Pulitzer and Tony during its Broadway run. Whitney White, who directed, returns in the same role for this West Coast premiere, a co-production with the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles and Washington D.C.’s Studio Theatre. (And if you’re looking for more Wohl in the Bay, \u003ca href=\"https://www.thestage.org/production-history/barcelona\">San Jose Stage produces her 2012 play \u003cem>Barcelona\u003c/em> from Sept. 30–Oct. 18\u003c/a>.)\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Be sure to check out our full \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/fall-guide-2026\">2026 Fall Arts Guide\u003c/a> to live music, movies, art, theater, festivals and more in the Bay Area.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>A certain type of magic comes with fall in the Bay Area. As T-shirts and shorts turn to long sleeves and jeans, rich browns and oranges overtake each leaf. Apart from the weather, seeing theater companies kick off their seasons is always thrilling, with world premieres and big hits ready to land all over the Bay Area.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While darkness may fall faster with each passing day, let the stage lights of these 10 fantastic theater productions brighten your life for the next three months.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1516\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/MT_TheWhiteChip_ChrisHardy4.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993464\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/MT_TheWhiteChip_ChrisHardy4.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/MT_TheWhiteChip_ChrisHardy4-160x121.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/MT_TheWhiteChip_ChrisHardy4-768x582.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/MT_TheWhiteChip_ChrisHardy4-1536x1164.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Danny Scheie, Benjamin Clark and Lyndsy Kail are featured in Marin Theatre’s ‘The White Chip,’ running Aug. 27–Sept. 20. (Chris Hardy)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.marintheatre.org/\">The White Chip\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Aug. 27–Sept. 20\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Marin Theatre, Mill Valley\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cbr>Sean Daniels has been one of the most visible figures in the American theatre to discuss his challenges as a recovering alcoholic while working to soften the stigma of addiction. In his semi-autobiographical play, \u003cem>The White Chip\u003c/em>, Steven is a theatrical director whose career spirals out fo control due to drinking. His journey through sobriety includes reckoning with self-acceptance and finding his community. Daniels’ play has seen significant productions nationwide, inspiring those on their own sobriety journeys. Artistic director Lance Gardner directs. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1334\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/manningpr-0138.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993044\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/manningpr-0138.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/manningpr-0138-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/manningpr-0138-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/manningpr-0138-1536x1025.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(L–R) Caleb Andrew Cabrera, Michael Torres and Alonso Melgoza star in ‘Manning,’ a play about grief and healing. (Cheshire Isaacs)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.crowdedfire.org/\">Manning\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 5–26\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Potrero Stage, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The death of a wife and mother. Spreading ashes around the backyard. What results is the growth of a mysterious, giant zucchini overnight, and the discovery of a unique language for grief. Benjamin Benne penned this West Coast premiere in part to imagine a world where patriarchal supremacy is replaced by healthy and whole masculinity. Crowded Fire Theater’s newest production is another in their quest toward daring work that both entertains and challenges. Adin Walker directs. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.lhtsf.org/african-stew\">African Stew\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 10–27\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Lorraine Hansberry Theatre, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>An African American woman and a Nigerian man announce their quick engagement, which leads to a family dinner in Oakland. Things aren’t exactly smooth, however, as the two very different cultures gather, and as identity, cultural differences and familial expectations all prove to be heated topics of conversation. Lorraine Hansberry Theatre’s rolling world premiere features the triumphant return of frequent collaborator Lisa B. Thompson, with the show stewarded by longtime Bay Area director and artist Edris Cooper-Anifowoshe.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/IMG_0433-copy-smaller.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993048\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/IMG_0433-copy-smaller.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/IMG_0433-copy-smaller-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/IMG_0433-copy-smaller-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/IMG_0433-copy-smaller-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">(L to R) Linda Amayo-Hassan, Megan Calfas, Aidaa Peerzada and Julius Ernesto Rea make up Playwright’s Foundation residents for 2026-2027. (Playwrights Foundation)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"https://playwrightsfoundation.org/2026-bay-area-playwrights-festival/\">Bay Area Playwrights Festival\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 18–27\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Strand Theater, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Play development has taken a hit around the country in the past 10 years, but the need for new work in American theater continues. Fortunately, consequential developers in the Bay Area still showcase new voices which may just write the next great American play. The Bay Area Playwrights Festival is coming up on its 47th year, and has seen more than 80 percent of its works go on to successful productions. This year’s festival features four new plays from diverse storytellers, giving audiences a sneak peek of the future. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1428\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/KING-LEAR-landscape.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993046\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/KING-LEAR-landscape.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/KING-LEAR-landscape-160x114.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/KING-LEAR-landscape-768x548.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/KING-LEAR-landscape-1536x1097.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">J. Jha stars as the title character in William Shakespeare’s ‘King Lear’ as Oakland Theater Project jumps across the Bay to Z Space in San Francisco. (Adam Montanaro)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘\u003ca href=\"https://oaklandtheaterproject.org/\">King Lear\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Sept. 25–Oct. 11\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Z Space, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>While twilight sets on the rule of King Lear, dividing his kingdom among his three daughters becomes another ploy in his quest for flattery. As his power dissipates, the king is proven to be a fool, one whose demise is entirely of his own making. Sound timely? Oakland Theater Project continues their daring season of rethinking classics and putting visceral new razors on stories of brutality. Lear is the model for many of theater’s greatest characters, and an embodiment of self-inflected wounds. Executive Artistic Director Michael Socrates Moran directs one of William Shakespeare’s most devastating tales. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘\u003ca href=\"http://teatrovision.org\">Alebrijes: A Dia De Los Muertos Tale\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 8–18\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Mexican Heritage Plaza Theater, San José\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>In the 1930s, papier-mâché artist Pedro Linares created the earliest alebrijes – a form of Mexican folk art depicting mythical hybrid animals. In Teatro Vision’s production of \u003cem>Alebrijes: A Dia De Los Muertos Tale\u003c/em>, playwright Georgina Escobar presents a mythological tale of Linares being chased by “La Muerte” through the colorful celebration of the Day of the Dead. The 42-year-old company and the production are both under the artistic hand of Rodrigo Garcia, and showcase all of the emotional pageantry of the festive holiday, with traditional Mexican music, comedy and community on full display in East San Jose. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-1409168059.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993059\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-1409168059.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-1409168059-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-1409168059-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/GettyImages-1409168059-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Golden Thread Productions founder Torange Yeghiazarian. (Carlos Avila Gonzalez / San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u003ca href=\"http://goldenthread.org\">ReOrient Festival\u003c/a>\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 9–Nov. 1\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Potrero Stage, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Founded by Torange Yeghiazarian, Golden Thread celebrates its 30th anniversary this year as a company that interrogates and celebrates Middle Eastern culture and identity. There’s never a shortage of candidates for Golden Thread’s signature festival, and this year is no different: of the 83 plays submitted, only five were selected. This year’s lineup focuses on Iran and Palestine, with rich diversity among the titles, one of which, \u003cem>Homing Pigeons & Co\u003c/em>, is directed by Yeghiazarian herself.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.sfbatco.org/\">Every Saturday Night\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 10–Nov. 1\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>The Strand, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>“Harlem of the West” is a famous description of San Francisco’s Fillmore District in the ‘40s and ‘50s — and now, it’s the subject of a major world premiere for \u003ca href=\"https://www.sfbatco.org/\">SFBATCO\u003c/a>. \u003cem>Every Saturday Night\u003c/em> has been in development for four years, and it explores a San Francisco once filled with Black excellence and soul-stirring jazz. Those good times came to a halt when urban renewal’s displacement and gentrification robbed the world of a thriving Black community. Bay Area playwright, composer and director Danny Duncan joins forces with acclaimed playwright Michael Gene Sullivan for this anticipated production.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alaska-Thunderfuck_Photo-Credit-Daniel-Rampulla.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993047\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alaska-Thunderfuck_Photo-Credit-Daniel-Rampulla.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alaska-Thunderfuck_Photo-Credit-Daniel-Rampulla-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alaska-Thunderfuck_Photo-Credit-Daniel-Rampulla-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Alaska-Thunderfuck_Photo-Credit-Daniel-Rampulla-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Drag queen Alaska Thunderfuck will star as Mary Todd Lincoln in the San Francisco run of Cole Escola’s ‘Oh, Mary!’ (Daniel Rampulla)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.act-sf.org/whats-on/2026-27-season/oh-mary\">Oh, Mary!\u003c/a>’ and ‘\u003ca href=\"https://www.act-sf.org/whats-on/2026-27-season/john-proctor-is-the-villain\">John Proctor is the Villain\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘Oh, Mary!,’ \u003cem>\u003cem>Oct. 13–Nov. 1\u003c/em>\u003c/em>; Curran Theater, San Francisco \u003cbr>‘John Proctor is the Villain,’ \u003cem>\u003cem>Nov. 12–Dec. 6\u003c/em>\u003c/em>; Toni Rembe Theater, San Francisco\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Picking between \u003cem>Oh, Mary!\u003c/em> or \u003cem>John Proctor is the Villain\u003c/em> when both are being produced at A.C.T. is like picking a favorite child — you might have one, but you don’t say it out loud. \u003cem>Oh, Mary!\u003c/em> is a riotous, side-splitting show (and 2026 Pulitzer finalist) by Cole Escola, while \u003cem>Proctor \u003c/em>is a Broadway hit that inspired the \u003cem>New York Times\u003c/em> headline “Why Women are Leaving This Broadway Show in Tears.” The two shows couldn’t be more different in tone and temperament, but they’re firmly in the can’t-miss category. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2500\" height=\"1667\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Liberation_0115r-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13993050\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Liberation_0115r-1.jpg 2500w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Liberation_0115r-1-2000x1334.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Liberation_0115r-1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Liberation_0115r-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Liberation_0115r-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/08/Liberation_0115r-1-2048x1366.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2500px) 100vw, 2500px\" />\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The New York cast of Bess Wohl’s ‘Liberation’ at the Laura Pels Theatre in 2025. (Joan Marcus)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003ch2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">‘\u003ca href=\"http://berkeleyrep.org\">Liberation\u003c/a>’\u003c/h2>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Oct. 23–Nov. 29\u003c/em>\u003cbr>\u003cem>Roda Theatre, Berkeley\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Bess Wohl’s \u003cem>Liberation\u003c/em>, a piercing memory play about a group of women who strategize in a 1970s recreation center basement about how to change the world, won a Pulitzer and Tony during its Broadway run. Whitney White, who directed, returns in the same role for this West Coast premiere, a co-production with the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles and Washington D.C.’s Studio Theatre. (And if you’re looking for more Wohl in the Bay, \u003ca href=\"https://www.thestage.org/production-history/barcelona\">San Jose Stage produces her 2012 play \u003cem>Barcelona\u003c/em> from Sept. 30–Oct. 18\u003c/a>.)\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "arab-spring-play-review-san-francisco-sf-sfbatco-golden-thread",
"title": "Sorting Through the Wreckage of an Immigrant Father’s Death",
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"content": "\u003cp>Yusuf is a recovering addict who presents as a lovable yet unserious schlub. Warm and playful, he’s always ready to chop it up with his more stoic big sister, Dina. Their playfulness extends even to hair noogies and wet willies while wrasslin’ on the floor of their late, estranged dad’s house in Houston.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Amid all this is the question: How are they going to plan a traditional Islamic burial that they barely understand — and for a man they hardly knew? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This quandary forms the core of Denmo Ibrahim’s world premiere, \u003cem>Arab Spring\u003c/em>, a co-production between Golden Thread Productions and SFBATCO. Set on the eve of the Fourth of July, the show ponders legacy, and how to focus a parent’s loss, offering answers while giving space to the audience for their own hypotheses. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-01-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991104\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-01-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-01-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-01-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-01-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Yusef (Salim Razawi) and Dina (Arti Ishak) roughhouse in their late father’s home in ‘Arab Spring.’ (Jared Randolph)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Yusuf (Salim Razawi) is introduced standing in front of the house of his father, Samir, asking facile questions to Siri regarding the anxiety-healing powers of gum. Soon, Dina (Arti Ishak) approaches the house, a total professional, highly educated and serious. Their odd-couple nature manifests in some strained dialogue between the siblings, these two Egyptian American children of immigrants who know they have to get this right, with few avenues as to how.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Their dad’s small, semi-hoarding habitat is a time capsule for 1980s technology and pop culture. (The fabulous scenic design is by Mikiko Uesugi.) Entire box sets of \u003cem>Star Wars\u003c/em> rest in the corner. A large silver boombox awaits a cassette and D batteries. Clothes are strewn everywhere. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Each sibling gets swallowed by memories inside this tightly inhabited wasteland. Strawberry Shortcake radios are a direct link for Dina to her dad, and cassette tapes contain the recorded voice of the man the siblings must now live without (with Khaled Abol Naga providing the beautiful voiceovers of Samir). \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-05-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991102\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-05-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-05-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-05-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-05-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Dina (Arti Ishak) listens to cassette tapes of her estranged father’s voice (Khaled Abol Naga, in voiceover) before his funeral in the world premiere of ‘Arab Spring.’ (Jared Randolph)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The power of Ibrahim’s play is in the richness of her dialogue, staged with strong and pensive strokes by director Nailah Unole Didanas’ea Harper-Malveaux. Ibrahim’s words carry weight. Natural and flowing, they’re snappy when necessary, and thoughtful, when not leaning into unnecessary schtick. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Any two-hander structure relies on a close connection between the talent, which Razawi and Ishak often find. They share absurdly delightful explanations for why their Arab-American family celebrates Easter; the hilarious chaos of their last Eid as a family before their parents split; and their clunky abilities, in both a logistical and spiritual sense, to plan their dad’s funeral. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Other aspects are simply stunning. That starts with Lev Collins’ technical direction; small televisions screen opaque home movies that were the benchmark of 1980s memory-capturing. Michael Kelly’s sound design is fantastic, namely when Samir’s decadent and regal voice appears, forcing both Yusuf and Dina to stare down the barrel of time. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-07-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991103\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-07-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-07-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-07-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-07-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Yusef (Salim Razawi) in the world premiere of ‘Arab Spring’ by Denmo Ibrahim. (Jared Randolph)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Family secrets arise, forcing questions about where Samir’s loyalties were placed. It’s one of several nuances in Ibrahim’s script, exploring the familiar dynamic of a family unit that, after a parent’s death, becomes a rudderless ship lacking parental structure. In this, a eulogy for this father immediately becomes the most daunting essay in Yusuf’s life. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On the downside, the writing doesn’t always steward a consistent flow. Instead, it acts as a series of vignettes, each asking its characters to lock into heavy emotional demands, only to dismiss those demands and reset on a dime. This deprives the audience of processing the gravity of any situation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When brutal discoveries are made, forcing both Yusuf and Dina to expel so much emotional capital, how does it affect them moving forward? Rapid shifts in the storytelling mean that the payoffs in certain moments (the cliched slow hug after heapings of shared trauma, for example) don’t always feel earned. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-03-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991105\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-03-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-03-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-03-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-03-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Yusef (Salim Razawi) and Dina (Arti Ishak) in ‘Arab Spring.’ (Jared Randolph)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But the structural challenges here don’t diminish the fact that Ibrahim is a writer with oodles of talent, and a knack for understanding how tension can fill a room. Her writing feels personal, with strong fingerprints, allowing those of any culture to see themselves and their family in this story. That’s all the more reason to narrow the scope of the story, and tightly focus on fewer issues, with deeper and fuller interrogation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Arab Spring\u003c/em> is a fierce reminder that our parents, and whatever legacy they may be building, will not physically be with us forever. The messiness of their imperfections, however, aren’t going anywhere, forcing those of us left behind to try and figure out our next move.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘Arab Spring’ runs through Sunday, July 12 at Potrero Stage in San Francisco. \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://goldenthread.org/productions/arab-spring/\">\u003cem>Tickets and more information here\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Yusuf is a recovering addict who presents as a lovable yet unserious schlub. Warm and playful, he’s always ready to chop it up with his more stoic big sister, Dina. Their playfulness extends even to hair noogies and wet willies while wrasslin’ on the floor of their late, estranged dad’s house in Houston.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Amid all this is the question: How are they going to plan a traditional Islamic burial that they barely understand — and for a man they hardly knew? \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>This quandary forms the core of Denmo Ibrahim’s world premiere, \u003cem>Arab Spring\u003c/em>, a co-production between Golden Thread Productions and SFBATCO. Set on the eve of the Fourth of July, the show ponders legacy, and how to focus a parent’s loss, offering answers while giving space to the audience for their own hypotheses. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-01-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991104\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-01-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-01-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-01-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-01-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Yusef (Salim Razawi) and Dina (Arti Ishak) roughhouse in their late father’s home in ‘Arab Spring.’\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Yusuf (Salim Razawi) is introduced standing in front of the house of his father, Samir, asking facile questions to Siri regarding the anxiety-healing powers of gum. Soon, Dina (Arti Ishak) approaches the house, a total professional, highly educated and serious. Their odd-couple nature manifests in some strained dialogue between the siblings, these two Egyptian American children of immigrants who know they have to get this right, with few avenues as to how.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Yusuf (Salim Razawi) is introduced standing in front of the house of his father, Samir, asking facile questions to Siri regarding the anxiety-healing powers of gum. Soon, Dina (Arti Ishak) approaches the house, a total professional, highly educated and serious. Their odd-couple nature manifests in some strained dialogue between the siblings, these two Egyptian American children of immigrants who know they have to get this right, with few avenues as to how.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Their dad’s small, semi-hoarding habitat is a time capsule for 1980s technology and pop culture. (The fabulous scenic design is by Mikiko Uesugi.) Entire box sets of \u003cem>Star Wars\u003c/em> rest in the corner. A large silver boombox awaits a cassette and D batteries. Clothes are strewn everywhere. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Their dad’s small, semi-hoarding habitat is a time capsule for 1980s technology and pop culture. (The fabulous scenic design is by Mikiko Uesugi.) Entire box sets of \u003cem>Star Wars\u003c/em> rest in the corner. A large silver boombox awaits a cassette and D batteries. Clothes are strewn everywhere. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Each sibling gets swallowed by memories inside this tightly inhabited wasteland. Strawberry Shortcake radios are a direct link for Dina to her dad, and cassette tapes contain the recorded voice of the man the siblings must now live without (with Khaled Abol Naga providing the beautiful voiceovers of Samir). \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Each sibling gets swallowed by memories inside this tightly inhabited wasteland. Strawberry Shortcake radios are a direct link for Dina to her dad, and cassette tapes contain the recorded voice of the man the siblings must now live without (with Khaled Abol Naga providing the beautiful voiceovers of Samir). \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-05-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991102\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-05-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-05-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-05-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-05-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Dina (Arti Ishak) listens to cassette tapes of her estranged father’s voice (Khaled Abol Naga, in voiceover) before his funeral in the world premiere of ‘Arab Spring.’\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>The power of Ibrahim’s play is in the richness of her dialogue, staged with strong and pensive strokes by director Nailah Unole Didanas’ea Harper-Malveaux. Ibrahim’s words carry weight. Natural and flowing, they’re snappy when necessary, and thoughtful, when not leaning into unnecessary schtick. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>The power of Ibrahim’s play is in the richness of her dialogue, staged with strong and pensive strokes by director Nailah Unole Didanas’ea Harper-Malveaux. Ibrahim’s words carry weight. Natural and flowing, they’re snappy when necessary, and thoughtful, when not leaning into unnecessary schtick. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Any two-hander structure relies on a close connection between the talent, which Razawi and Ishak often find. They share absurdly delightful explanations for why their Arab-American family celebrates Easter; the hilarious chaos of their last Eid as a family before their parents split; and their clunky abilities, in both a logistical and spiritual sense, to plan their dad’s funeral. \u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>Any two-hander structure relies on a close connection between the talent, which Razawi and Ishak often find. They share absurdly delightful explanations for why their Arab-American family celebrates Easter; the hilarious chaos of their last Eid as a family before their parents split; and their clunky abilities, in both a logistical and spiritual sense, to plan their dad’s funeral. \u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Other aspects are simply stunning. That starts with Lev Collins’ technical direction; small televisions screen opaque home movies that were the benchmark of 1980s memory-capturing. Michael Kelly’s sound design is fantastic, namely when Samir’s decadent and regal voice appears, forcing both Yusuf and Dina to stare down the barrel of time. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-07-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991103\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-07-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-07-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-07-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-07-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Yusef (Salim Razawi) in the world premiere of ‘Arab Spring’ by Denmo Ibrahim.\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>Family secrets arise, forcing questions about where Samir’s loyalties were placed. It’s one of several nuances in Ibrahim’s script, exploring the familiar dynamic of a family unit that, after a parent’s death, becomes a rudderless ship lacking parental structure. In this, a eulogy for this father immediately becomes the most daunting essay in Yusuf’s life. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>On the downside, the writing doesn’t always steward a consistent flow. Instead, it acts as a series of vignettes, each asking its characters to lock into heavy emotional demands, only to dismiss those demands and reset on a dime. This deprives the audience of processing the gravity of any situation.\u003c/p>\n",
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"\n\u003cp>On the downside, the writing doesn’t always steward a consistent flow. Instead, it acts as a series of vignettes, each asking its characters to lock into heavy emotional demands, only to dismiss those demands and reset on a dime. This deprives the audience of processing the gravity of any situation.\u003c/p>\n"
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>When brutal discoveries are made, forcing both Yusuf and Dina to expel so much emotional capital, how does it affect them moving forward? Rapid shifts in the storytelling mean that the payoffs in certain moments (the cliched slow hug after heapings of shared trauma, for example) don’t always feel earned. \u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-03-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991105\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-03-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-03-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-03-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-03-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 992px) min(100vw, 1536px), (min-width: 768px) min(100vw, 1280px), min(100vw, 1020px)\"/>\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Yusef (Salim Razawi) and Dina (Arti Ishak) in ‘Arab Spring.’\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>But the structural challenges here don’t diminish the fact that Ibrahim is a writer with oodles of talent, and a knack for understanding how tension can fill a room. Her writing feels personal, with strong fingerprints, allowing those of any culture to see themselves and their family in this story. That’s all the more reason to narrow the scope of the story, and tightly focus on fewer issues, with deeper and fuller interrogation.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Arab Spring\u003c/em> is a fierce reminder that our parents, and whatever legacy they may be building, will not physically be with us forever. The messiness of their imperfections, however, aren’t going anywhere, forcing those of us left behind to try and figure out our next move.\u003c/p>\n",
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"innerHTML": "\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘Arab Spring’ runs through Sunday, July 12 at Potrero Stage in San Francisco. \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://goldenthread.org/productions/arab-spring/\">\u003cem>Tickets and more information here\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n",
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"title": "Review: ‘Arab Spring’ and the Tumult of an Immigrant Parent's Death | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Yusuf is a recovering addict who presents as a lovable yet unserious schlub. Warm and playful, he’s always ready to chop it up with his more stoic big sister, Dina. Their playfulness extends even to hair noogies and wet willies while wrasslin’ on the floor of their late, estranged dad’s house in Houston.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Amid all this is the question: How are they going to plan a traditional Islamic burial that they barely understand — and for a man they hardly knew? \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>This quandary forms the core of Denmo Ibrahim’s world premiere, \u003cem>Arab Spring\u003c/em>, a co-production between Golden Thread Productions and SFBATCO. Set on the eve of the Fourth of July, the show ponders legacy, and how to focus a parent’s loss, offering answers while giving space to the audience for their own hypotheses. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-01-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991104\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-01-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-01-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-01-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-01-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Yusef (Salim Razawi) and Dina (Arti Ishak) roughhouse in their late father’s home in ‘Arab Spring.’ (Jared Randolph)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Yusuf (Salim Razawi) is introduced standing in front of the house of his father, Samir, asking facile questions to Siri regarding the anxiety-healing powers of gum. Soon, Dina (Arti Ishak) approaches the house, a total professional, highly educated and serious. Their odd-couple nature manifests in some strained dialogue between the siblings, these two Egyptian American children of immigrants who know they have to get this right, with few avenues as to how.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Their dad’s small, semi-hoarding habitat is a time capsule for 1980s technology and pop culture. (The fabulous scenic design is by Mikiko Uesugi.) Entire box sets of \u003cem>Star Wars\u003c/em> rest in the corner. A large silver boombox awaits a cassette and D batteries. Clothes are strewn everywhere. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Each sibling gets swallowed by memories inside this tightly inhabited wasteland. Strawberry Shortcake radios are a direct link for Dina to her dad, and cassette tapes contain the recorded voice of the man the siblings must now live without (with Khaled Abol Naga providing the beautiful voiceovers of Samir). \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-05-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991102\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-05-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-05-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-05-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-05-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Dina (Arti Ishak) listens to cassette tapes of her estranged father’s voice (Khaled Abol Naga, in voiceover) before his funeral in the world premiere of ‘Arab Spring.’ (Jared Randolph)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>The power of Ibrahim’s play is in the richness of her dialogue, staged with strong and pensive strokes by director Nailah Unole Didanas’ea Harper-Malveaux. Ibrahim’s words carry weight. Natural and flowing, they’re snappy when necessary, and thoughtful, when not leaning into unnecessary schtick. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Any two-hander structure relies on a close connection between the talent, which Razawi and Ishak often find. They share absurdly delightful explanations for why their Arab-American family celebrates Easter; the hilarious chaos of their last Eid as a family before their parents split; and their clunky abilities, in both a logistical and spiritual sense, to plan their dad’s funeral. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Other aspects are simply stunning. That starts with Lev Collins’ technical direction; small televisions screen opaque home movies that were the benchmark of 1980s memory-capturing. Michael Kelly’s sound design is fantastic, namely when Samir’s decadent and regal voice appears, forcing both Yusuf and Dina to stare down the barrel of time. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-07-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991103\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-07-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-07-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-07-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-07-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Yusef (Salim Razawi) in the world premiere of ‘Arab Spring’ by Denmo Ibrahim. (Jared Randolph)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>Family secrets arise, forcing questions about where Samir’s loyalties were placed. It’s one of several nuances in Ibrahim’s script, exploring the familiar dynamic of a family unit that, after a parent’s death, becomes a rudderless ship lacking parental structure. In this, a eulogy for this father immediately becomes the most daunting essay in Yusuf’s life. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>On the downside, the writing doesn’t always steward a consistent flow. Instead, it acts as a series of vignettes, each asking its characters to lock into heavy emotional demands, only to dismiss those demands and reset on a dime. This deprives the audience of processing the gravity of any situation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>When brutal discoveries are made, forcing both Yusuf and Dina to expel so much emotional capital, how does it affect them moving forward? Rapid shifts in the storytelling mean that the payoffs in certain moments (the cliched slow hug after heapings of shared trauma, for example) don’t always feel earned. \u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cfigure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-03-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13991105\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-03-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-03-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-03-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/06/Arab-Spring-Press-03-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Yusef (Salim Razawi) and Dina (Arti Ishak) in ‘Arab Spring.’ (Jared Randolph)\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>But the structural challenges here don’t diminish the fact that Ibrahim is a writer with oodles of talent, and a knack for understanding how tension can fill a room. Her writing feels personal, with strong fingerprints, allowing those of any culture to see themselves and their family in this story. That’s all the more reason to narrow the scope of the story, and tightly focus on fewer issues, with deeper and fuller interrogation.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Arab Spring\u003c/em> is a fierce reminder that our parents, and whatever legacy they may be building, will not physically be with us forever. The messiness of their imperfections, however, aren’t going anywhere, forcing those of us left behind to try and figure out our next move.\u003c/p>\n\n\n\n\u003chr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\">\n\n\n\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>‘Arab Spring’ runs through Sunday, July 12 at Potrero Stage in San Francisco. \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"https://goldenthread.org/productions/arab-spring/\">\u003cem>Tickets and more information here\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>Before San Francisco’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/golden-thread-productions\">Golden Thread Productions\u003c/a> kicked off their \u003ca href=\"https://goldenthread.org/season/\">30th season\u003c/a> in early March, Alaa Shehada’s participation was guaranteed. The Palestinian performer and comedian was scheduled to fly in for his acclaimed solo show \u003cem>The Horse of Jenin\u003c/em> as part of \u003ca href=\"https://goldenthread.org/productions/a-festival-of-palestinian-art/\">A Festival of Palestinian Art\u003c/a> (April 9–19).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then, on Feb. 28, the U.S. and Israel began attacking Iran. Suddenly, the entire Middle East was destabilized. Shehada found himself landing on U.S. soil only to be taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“He was detained at the border … then sent back, even though he has a work visa,” says Golden Thread Artistic Director Nabra Nelson. A founding member of Seattle’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.dunyaproductions.org/\">Dunya Productions\u003c/a>, which also specializes in MENA (Middle Eastern and North African) theater work, Nelson had already been in contact with Shehada, whose festival performance was meant to kick off a nationwide U.S. tour.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Those plans came to an end after he was denied entry to the country.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“[Golden Thread] and many theaters across the nation had to shift our plans to present \u003cem>Horse of Jenin\u003c/em>, and were really devastated by the situation, which was incredibly illegal and inhumane,” says Nelson. “We know that this is because he’s Palestinian.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Shehada wasn’t the only person connected to Golden Thread to have his life disrupted. Even before the current conflict began, the Trump administration made international travel \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13976000/international-musicians-visas-us-tours-immigration\">a logistical nightmare\u003c/a>, severely limiting the number of Middle Eastern collaborators able to work onsite in San Francisco. The regional chaos caused since February has only exacerbated matters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13988653\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13988653\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Torange-Yeghiazarian-at-Women_s-Day-2026-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph_2000.jpg\" alt=\"seated older woman faces interviewer, holds mic\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Torange-Yeghiazarian-at-Women_s-Day-2026-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph_2000.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Torange-Yeghiazarian-at-Women_s-Day-2026-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph_2000-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Torange-Yeghiazarian-at-Women_s-Day-2026-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph_2000-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Torange-Yeghiazarian-at-Women_s-Day-2026-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph_2000-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Golden Thread co-founder Torange Yeghiazarian at the 2026 program of What Do The Women Say? \u003ccite>(Jared Randolph)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Since the Iranian-born director \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101859653/first-person-torange-yeghiazarian-of-golden-thread-productions\">Torange Yeghiazarian\u003c/a> co-founded Golden Thread in 1996, the company has prided itself on highlighting stories by and about MENA artists, many of whom travel to San Francisco to share their stories personally. Getting performers here has often involved maneuvering through the red tape of shifting travel restrictions, a task that only grew more difficult after 9/11.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the nearly two months since Feb. 28, Golden Thread artists, along with their friends and family, have felt the effects of the attacks on Iran and Lebanon, as well as Israel’s continued presence in Gaza. By Nelson’s telling, Yeghiazarian has been out of contact with her family since the beginning of the attacks on Iran.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Notably, Nelson’s direct predecessor as artistic director, Lebanese theater artist Sahar Assaf, had been planning to return to San Francisco for the company’s annual \u003ca href=\"https://goldenthread.org/productions/what-do-the-women-say-2026/\">What Do the Women Say?\u003c/a> performance on March 8. The show would have been both a kickoff of the 30th anniversary season and a goodbye from Assaf to the company she led 2021–2025.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“[Sahar] had a ticket to come here from Lebanon when the airspace was completely closed,” says Nelson. “So, she was stuck there for a while as the war started, then decided ‘I can’t go to America even when-and-if the airspaces reopen.’ Given the situation, she may not be able to return. That was devastating, and just so indicative of how this affects all of our lives.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ultimately, Assaf’s participation was limited to a livestreamed message the night of the event. Similarly, in lieu of a proper \u003cem>Horse of Jenin\u003c/em> performance, Golden Thread presented two screenings of a filmed performance of the show.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13988652\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13988652\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Nabra-Nelson-Headshot-03-Photo-by-Hana-Mattar_2000.jpg\" alt=\"woman in colorful dress stands outside large black sculpture\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Nabra-Nelson-Headshot-03-Photo-by-Hana-Mattar_2000.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Nabra-Nelson-Headshot-03-Photo-by-Hana-Mattar_2000-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Nabra-Nelson-Headshot-03-Photo-by-Hana-Mattar_2000-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Nabra-Nelson-Headshot-03-Photo-by-Hana-Mattar_2000-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Golden Thread Artistic Director Nabra Nelson. \u003ccite>(Hana Mattar)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Nelson insists that the company will move ahead with the rest of its season — which includes a full production of Denmo Ibrahim’s \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://goldenthread.org/productions/arab-spring/\">Arab Spring\u003c/a>\u003c/em> and the annual \u003ca href=\"https://goldenthread.org/productions/reorient-festival-2026/\">ReOrient Festival of Short Plays\u003c/a> — but is staying in touch with performers and patrons in case world events continue to affect the schedule.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Although it’s turned her first year at the helm into trial by fire, Nelson is grateful Golden Thread is able to amplify MENA voices when other arts organizations remain silent about the Middle East — a silence she attributes to fear of backlash.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s really despicable for people in arts organizations to be afraid to speak out when you compare that fear to what people are actually facing,” she says. “I don’t think there’s a specific thing an arts organization must do when there’s a war or genocide, but to not have that in the forefront of your mind, and make steps to listen to your community, doesn’t make sense to me.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite the uncertainty, Nelson’s role of coordinating with international artists and providing a safe space for the community is one that has 30 years of precedent. She draws inspiration from both her artistic collaborators and community members who have circumvented Iran’s own \u003ca href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/apr/06/iran-internet-blackout-is-longest-national-shutdown-since-arab-spring\">internet blackout\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Golden Thread has been doing it right, and there’s so much that proves that,” she says. “I consider my role to be a community service role; my mandate is to respond to what our community needs. I’m really cognizant about our responsibility as MENA artists and an arts institution to continue these conversations beyond the mainstream news cycle.”\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Golden Thread’s \u003ca href=\"https://goldenthread.org/productions/a-festival-of-palestinian-art/\">Festival of Palestinian Art\u003c/a> runs through Sunday, April 19 with ‘Amreeka: The Comedy Show’ at Potrero Stage (1695 18th St., San Francisco).\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Before San Francisco’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/golden-thread-productions\">Golden Thread Productions\u003c/a> kicked off their \u003ca href=\"https://goldenthread.org/season/\">30th season\u003c/a> in early March, Alaa Shehada’s participation was guaranteed. The Palestinian performer and comedian was scheduled to fly in for his acclaimed solo show \u003cem>The Horse of Jenin\u003c/em> as part of \u003ca href=\"https://goldenthread.org/productions/a-festival-of-palestinian-art/\">A Festival of Palestinian Art\u003c/a> (April 9–19).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then, on Feb. 28, the U.S. and Israel began attacking Iran. Suddenly, the entire Middle East was destabilized. Shehada found himself landing on U.S. soil only to be taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“He was detained at the border … then sent back, even though he has a work visa,” says Golden Thread Artistic Director Nabra Nelson. A founding member of Seattle’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.dunyaproductions.org/\">Dunya Productions\u003c/a>, which also specializes in MENA (Middle Eastern and North African) theater work, Nelson had already been in contact with Shehada, whose festival performance was meant to kick off a nationwide U.S. tour.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Those plans came to an end after he was denied entry to the country.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“[Golden Thread] and many theaters across the nation had to shift our plans to present \u003cem>Horse of Jenin\u003c/em>, and were really devastated by the situation, which was incredibly illegal and inhumane,” says Nelson. “We know that this is because he’s Palestinian.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Shehada wasn’t the only person connected to Golden Thread to have his life disrupted. Even before the current conflict began, the Trump administration made international travel \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13976000/international-musicians-visas-us-tours-immigration\">a logistical nightmare\u003c/a>, severely limiting the number of Middle Eastern collaborators able to work onsite in San Francisco. The regional chaos caused since February has only exacerbated matters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13988653\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13988653\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Torange-Yeghiazarian-at-Women_s-Day-2026-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph_2000.jpg\" alt=\"seated older woman faces interviewer, holds mic\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Torange-Yeghiazarian-at-Women_s-Day-2026-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph_2000.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Torange-Yeghiazarian-at-Women_s-Day-2026-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph_2000-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Torange-Yeghiazarian-at-Women_s-Day-2026-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph_2000-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Torange-Yeghiazarian-at-Women_s-Day-2026-Photo-by-Jared-Randolph_2000-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Golden Thread co-founder Torange Yeghiazarian at the 2026 program of What Do The Women Say? \u003ccite>(Jared Randolph)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Since the Iranian-born director \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101859653/first-person-torange-yeghiazarian-of-golden-thread-productions\">Torange Yeghiazarian\u003c/a> co-founded Golden Thread in 1996, the company has prided itself on highlighting stories by and about MENA artists, many of whom travel to San Francisco to share their stories personally. Getting performers here has often involved maneuvering through the red tape of shifting travel restrictions, a task that only grew more difficult after 9/11.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the nearly two months since Feb. 28, Golden Thread artists, along with their friends and family, have felt the effects of the attacks on Iran and Lebanon, as well as Israel’s continued presence in Gaza. By Nelson’s telling, Yeghiazarian has been out of contact with her family since the beginning of the attacks on Iran.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Notably, Nelson’s direct predecessor as artistic director, Lebanese theater artist Sahar Assaf, had been planning to return to San Francisco for the company’s annual \u003ca href=\"https://goldenthread.org/productions/what-do-the-women-say-2026/\">What Do the Women Say?\u003c/a> performance on March 8. The show would have been both a kickoff of the 30th anniversary season and a goodbye from Assaf to the company she led 2021–2025.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“[Sahar] had a ticket to come here from Lebanon when the airspace was completely closed,” says Nelson. “So, she was stuck there for a while as the war started, then decided ‘I can’t go to America even when-and-if the airspaces reopen.’ Given the situation, she may not be able to return. That was devastating, and just so indicative of how this affects all of our lives.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ultimately, Assaf’s participation was limited to a livestreamed message the night of the event. Similarly, in lieu of a proper \u003cem>Horse of Jenin\u003c/em> performance, Golden Thread presented two screenings of a filmed performance of the show.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13988652\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13988652\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Nabra-Nelson-Headshot-03-Photo-by-Hana-Mattar_2000.jpg\" alt=\"woman in colorful dress stands outside large black sculpture\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Nabra-Nelson-Headshot-03-Photo-by-Hana-Mattar_2000.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Nabra-Nelson-Headshot-03-Photo-by-Hana-Mattar_2000-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Nabra-Nelson-Headshot-03-Photo-by-Hana-Mattar_2000-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/04/Nabra-Nelson-Headshot-03-Photo-by-Hana-Mattar_2000-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Golden Thread Artistic Director Nabra Nelson. \u003ccite>(Hana Mattar)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Nelson insists that the company will move ahead with the rest of its season — which includes a full production of Denmo Ibrahim’s \u003cem>\u003ca href=\"https://goldenthread.org/productions/arab-spring/\">Arab Spring\u003c/a>\u003c/em> and the annual \u003ca href=\"https://goldenthread.org/productions/reorient-festival-2026/\">ReOrient Festival of Short Plays\u003c/a> — but is staying in touch with performers and patrons in case world events continue to affect the schedule.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Although it’s turned her first year at the helm into trial by fire, Nelson is grateful Golden Thread is able to amplify MENA voices when other arts organizations remain silent about the Middle East — a silence she attributes to fear of backlash.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s really despicable for people in arts organizations to be afraid to speak out when you compare that fear to what people are actually facing,” she says. “I don’t think there’s a specific thing an arts organization must do when there’s a war or genocide, but to not have that in the forefront of your mind, and make steps to listen to your community, doesn’t make sense to me.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite the uncertainty, Nelson’s role of coordinating with international artists and providing a safe space for the community is one that has 30 years of precedent. She draws inspiration from both her artistic collaborators and community members who have circumvented Iran’s own \u003ca href=\"https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/apr/06/iran-internet-blackout-is-longest-national-shutdown-since-arab-spring\">internet blackout\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Golden Thread has been doing it right, and there’s so much that proves that,” she says. “I consider my role to be a community service role; my mandate is to respond to what our community needs. I’m really cognizant about our responsibility as MENA artists and an arts institution to continue these conversations beyond the mainstream news cycle.”\u003c/p>\n\u003chr>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>Golden Thread’s \u003ca href=\"https://goldenthread.org/productions/a-festival-of-palestinian-art/\">Festival of Palestinian Art\u003c/a> runs through Sunday, April 19 with ‘Amreeka: The Comedy Show’ at Potrero Stage (1695 18th St., San Francisco).\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "best-bay-area-theater-plays-musicals-2025",
"title": "The Best Bay Area Theater We Saw in 2025",
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"headTitle": "The Best Bay Area Theater We Saw in 2025 | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cem>This week, we’re looking back on the best art, music, food, movies and more from the year. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/best-of-2025\">See our entire Best of 2025 guide here\u003c/a>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2025, Bay Area theater was loaded with innovative artists producing great shows, coupled with a hope that the local scene will soon see healthier days.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During a spate of theater closures, funding challenges and diminished audiences, there’s been \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13978734/how-to-save-bay-area-theater-from-collapse-and-closures\">no shortage of ideas\u003c/a> from the Bay Area’s top theater brass as to how Bay Area theater can survive. There were also plenty of victories to be had on our region’s stages in 2025.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Below, theater critics and regular KQED contributors Nicole Gluckstern and David John Chávez share their most significant Bay Area theater happenings of 2025.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13984280\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1600px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1047\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13984280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed.jpg 1600w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-160x105.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-768x503.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-1536x1005.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Syrian-Armenian-American artist Sona Tatoyan talks about her friend, Turkish political activist Osman Kavala, as renowned oud player Ara Dinkjian accompanies her in ‘AZAD,’ at Golden Thread.\u003cbr> \u003ccite>(David Allen Studio)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>The beautiful spectacle of ‘AZAD’ at Golden Thread\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Written and performed by Sona Tatoyan, a Syrian Armenian American theatre-maker and Storyteller, \u003ci>AZAD\u003c/i> defied categorization in its April premiere at Golden Thread. With its compelling personal narrative, it presented like a solo show but relied on a taut ensemble of puppeteers, centenarian Karagöz puppets and a live musician to create an expansive, visionary performance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>AZAD\u003c/em> excavated painful, rigorously researched histories that rarely see the spotlight, putting the audience and performer through an intense emotional wringer that never relied on cliché or manipulation to elicit a response. With atmospheric projections designed by Camilla Tassi, and meticulous scenic design by Marcelo Martínez García, this Jared Mezzocchi-directed piece was a visual and virtuosic standout. —\u003ci>Nicole Gluckstern\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13984283\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 960px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-6.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"960\" height=\"640\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13984283\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-6.jpg 960w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-6-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-6-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mona (Lauren Marcus, left) and waitress Edna Louise (Ashley Cowl, center) get reacquainted with Joanne (Shakina) in the musical ‘Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean: A New Musical’ at TheatreWorks Silicon Valley.\u003cbr> \u003ccite>(Kevin Berne)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘Jimmy Dean’ came back to Mountain View\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>It is insanely hard to write a new hit musical. Just take a peek at the constant stream of revivals that have hit theaters in recent years. That’s what made TheatreWorks Silicon Valley’s \u003ci>Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean: A New Musical\u003c/i> such an achievement. A darling of the company’s 2024 New Works Festival, the show premiered this past summer, featuring every component of what makes a musical unforgettable.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Start with the insightful book from Ashley Robinson, the playful, fierce music from Dan Gillespie Sells and unbeatable lyrics by Shakina. Add a terrific creative team led by director Giovanna Sardelli, and you’ve got a magical show. As an added bonus, it was thrilling to see an unapologetic transgender narrative, with Shakina stunning as a vision in white. —\u003cem>David John Chávez\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13984276\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1600px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1065\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13984276\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-2.jpg 1600w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-2-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-2-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-2-1536x1022.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Juicy (Devin A. Cunningham) stares down the ghost of Pap (Ron Chapman) in ‘Fat Ham’ at SF Playhouse.\u003cbr> \u003ccite>(Jessica Palopoli)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>The Pulitzer-winning ‘Fat Ham’ astounded at SF Playhouse\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>A singular upside of the COVID lockdown was the rare chance to stream innovative performances from around the world. One such toothsome treat was the world premiere of the Pulitzer-winning \u003ci>Fat Ham\u003c/i>, by James Ijames, staged as a digital production by Philadelphia’s Wilma Theater. This first taste whetted my appetite for more. At SF Playhouse, \u003ci>Fat Ham\u003c/i> brought a deeply humorous, deeply human reimagining of \u003ci>Hamlet\u003c/i>, in which a grieving Juicy (Devin Cunningham) contemplated mortality and morality as his mother (Jenn Stephens) and new stepfather-uncle (Ron Chapman) celebrated their hasty nuptials with a backyard barbeque.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Deftly directed by Margo Hall, the actors pushed each punchline and outrageous misfortune to its absolute limit, flipping the existential dread of Denmark’s saddest prince into a flamboyant embrace of life’s possibilities. —\u003ci>Nicole Gluckstern\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13984278\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"560\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13984278\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-3.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-3-160x112.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-3-768x538.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tshembe (Jeuneé Simon) faces guard Eric (Monique Crawford) as Madame Nielsen (Jacinta Kaumbulu) sits and looks on in Oakland Theater Project’s production of ‘Les Blancs.’\u003cbr> \u003ccite>(Ben Krantz Studio)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>A powerful Lorraine Hansberry revival in Oakland\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>If there’s any Bay Area company outgrowing their britches faster than a teenager on a growth spurt, it’s Oakland Theater Project. In their charming space at the Flax Art & Design building, their current production of \u003ci>Cabaret\u003c/i> is sold out for the entire run weeks before closing. Ideally, they’d be able to move into a permanent space worthy of their fierce, bold reputation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Take their fantastic production of \u003ci>Les Blancs\u003c/i>. Though it lacks the name recognition of \u003ci>A Raisin in the Sun\u003c/i>, it carries major weight in the theater world as Lorraine Hansberry’s final work, adapted by her ex-husband Robert Nemiroff. The story is also the only one of Hansberry’s to be set in Africa, using beats, rhythms and dance to signify Black and African cultures. Presenting a clash between white colonialism and Black liberation, the story and production were both memorable and explosive. —\u003ci>David John Chávez\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13984281\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1600px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-4.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1065\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13984281\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-4.jpg 1600w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-4-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-4-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-4-1536x1022.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Marga Gomez in ‘The Search for Signs\u003cbr>of Intelligent Life in the Universe,’ the last production at famed Berkeley institution Aurora Theatre before the company ceased operations.\u003cbr> \u003ccite>(Kevin Berne)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Marga Gomez helped bid goodnight to Aurora Theatre\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The first play I bought as a teenage theatre nerd, Jane Wagner’s inventive \u003ci>The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life In the Universe\u003c/i> was written to showcase the versatile talents of her wife, Lily Tomlin — a tough act to follow in any era. Thankfully, Aurora Theatre made the inspired move to cast Bay Area powerhouse Marga Gomez in its 2025 revival.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A comedian, MC, actor and seasoned solo show creator/performer, Gomez switches seamlessly between characters, scenarios and timelines without elaborate props or costume changes — making her a stellar choice to fill Tomlin’s cosmic shoes. Adding to the pressure of the performance was the concurrent announcement that Aurora Theatre would cease operations for the foreseeable future. At least Gomez ensured they went out with a (big) bang. \u003ci>—Nicole Gluckstern\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13984279\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1116px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-5.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1116\" height=\"735\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13984279\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-5.jpg 1116w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-5-160x105.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-5-768x506.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1116px) 100vw, 1116px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Theoretical physicist Marianne (Vivienne Truong) and beekeeper Roland (George Alexander K.), one of three couples with the same names and dialogue in ‘Constellations’ at the Pear Theatre in Mountain View.\u003cbr> \u003ccite>(Reed Flores)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘Constellations’ offered a terrific way forward\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>On the surface, there was nothing terribly flashy about Nick Payne’s \u003ci>Constellations\u003c/i> at the Pear Theatre in Palo Alto. A group of actors — George Alexander K., Raven Douglas, Thomas Nguyen, Sahil Singh, Elana Swartz and Vivienne Truong — enter an open space, pair off and begin spilling their guts. The pairings were different at each performance, and at the end of the show, the audience got to make decisions for the next audience coming in the following night. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You’d be forgiven in thinking this sounds gimmicky. But under the direction of Reed Flores, it proved that theater need not have bells and whistles, just a great story and fantastic performances that grip the audience. If Bay Area theater is going to survive, phenomenal shows like this one will need to be at its forefront. —\u003ci>David John Chávez\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13984284\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1600px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1066\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13984284\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-1.jpg 1600w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-1-1536x1023.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Katherine Park, Elana Swartz, Carl Lucania and Alejandra Wahl took their ‘Tempest’ to the ocean with Berkeley Shakespeare Company.\u003cbr> \u003ccite>(Sara Nicole Mindful)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Fabulous backdrops that reinvigorated the classics\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Theatre-makers love a copyright-free classic, but some productions really push their source material to exciting extremes. This year, standouts included Nate Currier’s first-time adaptation of \u003ci>The Epic of Gilgamesh\u003c/i> at Marin Shakespeare Company, and a site-expansive production of \u003ci>The Tempest\u003c/i> at the windswept Point Montara Lighthouse and Hostel.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Currier’s \u003ci>Gilgamesh\u003c/i> combined action-hero vigor with bare-bones physical staging, honoring the poetry of the 4,000-year-old original with a modern vernacular — somewhat reminiscent of Maria Dahvana Headley’s “bro”-tinged \u003ci>Beowulf\u003c/i>. Meanwhile, Stuart Bousel’s \u003ci>Tempest\u003c/i>, produced by Berkeley Shakespeare Company, utilized its proximity to the ocean and uniquely intimate interiors to create a truly magical realm for its artists and audiences alike. —\u003ci>Nicole Gluckstern\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13984282\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1452px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/24sanfrancisco1-superJumbo.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1452\" height=\"1040\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13984282\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/24sanfrancisco1-superJumbo.jpg 1452w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/24sanfrancisco1-superJumbo-160x115.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/24sanfrancisco1-superJumbo-768x550.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1452px) 100vw, 1452px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">(L–R) Outgoing American Conservatory Theater artistic director Pam MacKinnon and incoming Golden Thread Productions artistic director Nabra Nelson. \u003ccite>(ACT / Golden Thread)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Seismic comings and goings in San Francisco\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Two theater companies are going into the new year with big shifts at the top. Sahar Assaf, who’s made Golden Thread Productions her artistic home for the past four years, is turning over the reins as artistic director to Nabra Nelson, who has a wealth of experience in arts administration. Nelson is a multi-hyphenate artist, having delved into playwriting, dramaturgy, consultant, director and community engagement, among other roles. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, Pam MacKinnon concludes her eight years leading American Conservatory Theater at the end of the 2025-2026 season. Soon returning to New York City, she plans to rekindle her freelance directing career. Succeeding longtime A.C.T. leader Carey Perloff, MacKinnon dove deeply into commissions with big names, and oversaw some tough times for the company, including the COVID shutdown and the closure of A.C.T.’s highly regarded MFA program. —\u003ci>David John Chávez\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13984293\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1060px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/113301VdVSD-Opening-Night2025-09-05-21_59_03Philip-Pavliger_Web_654x390.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1060\" height=\"632\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13984293\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/113301VdVSD-Opening-Night2025-09-05-21_59_03Philip-Pavliger_Web_654x390.jpg 1060w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/113301VdVSD-Opening-Night2025-09-05-21_59_03Philip-Pavliger_Web_654x390-160x95.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/113301VdVSD-Opening-Night2025-09-05-21_59_03Philip-Pavliger_Web_654x390-768x458.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1060px) 100vw, 1060px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Joan Baez joined the circus and starred in ‘The Soiled Dove’ in Alameda. \u003ccite>(Philip Pavliger / Vau de Vire Society)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘The Soiled Dove’ flew high in Alameda\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Is there anything more synonymous with the Bay Area performing arts than circuses and sin? I hope not, because I’m here for all of it. The Vau de Vire Society’s wicked and wonderful Barbary Coast dinner theatre extravaganza, \u003ci>The Soiled Dove\u003c/i>, has been a perennial crowd-pleaser for over 10 years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This year’s Alameda revival prominently featured legendary singer-songwriter and social activist Joan Baez — whose six-decade career continues to flourish — while the seasoned circus and cabaret performers who make up Vau de Vire’s core company soared. Viva, Vau de Vire! —\u003ci>Nicole Gluckstern\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13984277\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 803px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-7.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"803\" height=\"630\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13984277\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-7.jpg 803w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-7-160x126.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-7-768x603.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 803px) 100vw, 803px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Magic Theatre’s artistic director Sean San José made a return to the Fort Mason stage in ‘Aztlan’ by Luis Alfaro.\u003cbr> \u003ccite>(Jay Yamada)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Life after prison in the poetic ‘Aztlán’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Anytime transcendent poet and playwright Luis Alfaro collaborates with the Magic Theatre, it’s a massive win. This past summer, their pairing yielded the powerful \u003ci>Aztlán\u003c/i>, rooted in Alfaro’s intimate knowledge of the Central Valley. With imagery from Mayan and Mexica folklore, the story of a parolee trying to reinvent his life outside of prison walls was aided by David Arevalo’s costume design, Alejandro Acosta’s sharp lighting design, and dazzling scenic design by Tanya Orellana.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Beautifully directed by El Teatro Campesino’s Kinan Valdez, Alfaro’s story featured a great cast of Magic regulars. An added bonus? Sean San José’s thrilling return to the stage as an evil-minded deity. —\u003ci>David John Chávez\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cem>This week, we’re looking back on the best art, music, food, movies and more from the year. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/best-of-2025\">See our entire Best of 2025 guide here\u003c/a>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2025, Bay Area theater was loaded with innovative artists producing great shows, coupled with a hope that the local scene will soon see healthier days.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During a spate of theater closures, funding challenges and diminished audiences, there’s been \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/13978734/how-to-save-bay-area-theater-from-collapse-and-closures\">no shortage of ideas\u003c/a> from the Bay Area’s top theater brass as to how Bay Area theater can survive. There were also plenty of victories to be had on our region’s stages in 2025.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Below, theater critics and regular KQED contributors Nicole Gluckstern and David John Chávez share their most significant Bay Area theater happenings of 2025.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13984280\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1600px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1047\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13984280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed.jpg 1600w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-160x105.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-768x503.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-1536x1005.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Syrian-Armenian-American artist Sona Tatoyan talks about her friend, Turkish political activist Osman Kavala, as renowned oud player Ara Dinkjian accompanies her in ‘AZAD,’ at Golden Thread.\u003cbr> \u003ccite>(David Allen Studio)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>The beautiful spectacle of ‘AZAD’ at Golden Thread\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Written and performed by Sona Tatoyan, a Syrian Armenian American theatre-maker and Storyteller, \u003ci>AZAD\u003c/i> defied categorization in its April premiere at Golden Thread. With its compelling personal narrative, it presented like a solo show but relied on a taut ensemble of puppeteers, centenarian Karagöz puppets and a live musician to create an expansive, visionary performance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>AZAD\u003c/em> excavated painful, rigorously researched histories that rarely see the spotlight, putting the audience and performer through an intense emotional wringer that never relied on cliché or manipulation to elicit a response. With atmospheric projections designed by Camilla Tassi, and meticulous scenic design by Marcelo Martínez García, this Jared Mezzocchi-directed piece was a visual and virtuosic standout. —\u003ci>Nicole Gluckstern\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13984283\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 960px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-6.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"960\" height=\"640\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13984283\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-6.jpg 960w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-6-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-6-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Mona (Lauren Marcus, left) and waitress Edna Louise (Ashley Cowl, center) get reacquainted with Joanne (Shakina) in the musical ‘Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean: A New Musical’ at TheatreWorks Silicon Valley.\u003cbr> \u003ccite>(Kevin Berne)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘Jimmy Dean’ came back to Mountain View\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>It is insanely hard to write a new hit musical. Just take a peek at the constant stream of revivals that have hit theaters in recent years. That’s what made TheatreWorks Silicon Valley’s \u003ci>Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean: A New Musical\u003c/i> such an achievement. A darling of the company’s 2024 New Works Festival, the show premiered this past summer, featuring every component of what makes a musical unforgettable.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Start with the insightful book from Ashley Robinson, the playful, fierce music from Dan Gillespie Sells and unbeatable lyrics by Shakina. Add a terrific creative team led by director Giovanna Sardelli, and you’ve got a magical show. As an added bonus, it was thrilling to see an unapologetic transgender narrative, with Shakina stunning as a vision in white. —\u003cem>David John Chávez\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13984276\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1600px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1065\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13984276\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-2.jpg 1600w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-2-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-2-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-2-1536x1022.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Juicy (Devin A. Cunningham) stares down the ghost of Pap (Ron Chapman) in ‘Fat Ham’ at SF Playhouse.\u003cbr> \u003ccite>(Jessica Palopoli)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>The Pulitzer-winning ‘Fat Ham’ astounded at SF Playhouse\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>A singular upside of the COVID lockdown was the rare chance to stream innovative performances from around the world. One such toothsome treat was the world premiere of the Pulitzer-winning \u003ci>Fat Ham\u003c/i>, by James Ijames, staged as a digital production by Philadelphia’s Wilma Theater. This first taste whetted my appetite for more. At SF Playhouse, \u003ci>Fat Ham\u003c/i> brought a deeply humorous, deeply human reimagining of \u003ci>Hamlet\u003c/i>, in which a grieving Juicy (Devin Cunningham) contemplated mortality and morality as his mother (Jenn Stephens) and new stepfather-uncle (Ron Chapman) celebrated their hasty nuptials with a backyard barbeque.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Deftly directed by Margo Hall, the actors pushed each punchline and outrageous misfortune to its absolute limit, flipping the existential dread of Denmark’s saddest prince into a flamboyant embrace of life’s possibilities. —\u003ci>Nicole Gluckstern\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13984278\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-3.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"560\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13984278\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-3.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-3-160x112.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-3-768x538.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tshembe (Jeuneé Simon) faces guard Eric (Monique Crawford) as Madame Nielsen (Jacinta Kaumbulu) sits and looks on in Oakland Theater Project’s production of ‘Les Blancs.’\u003cbr> \u003ccite>(Ben Krantz Studio)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>A powerful Lorraine Hansberry revival in Oakland\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>If there’s any Bay Area company outgrowing their britches faster than a teenager on a growth spurt, it’s Oakland Theater Project. In their charming space at the Flax Art & Design building, their current production of \u003ci>Cabaret\u003c/i> is sold out for the entire run weeks before closing. Ideally, they’d be able to move into a permanent space worthy of their fierce, bold reputation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Take their fantastic production of \u003ci>Les Blancs\u003c/i>. Though it lacks the name recognition of \u003ci>A Raisin in the Sun\u003c/i>, it carries major weight in the theater world as Lorraine Hansberry’s final work, adapted by her ex-husband Robert Nemiroff. The story is also the only one of Hansberry’s to be set in Africa, using beats, rhythms and dance to signify Black and African cultures. Presenting a clash between white colonialism and Black liberation, the story and production were both memorable and explosive. —\u003ci>David John Chávez\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13984281\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1600px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-4.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1065\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13984281\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-4.jpg 1600w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-4-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-4-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-4-1536x1022.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Marga Gomez in ‘The Search for Signs\u003cbr>of Intelligent Life in the Universe,’ the last production at famed Berkeley institution Aurora Theatre before the company ceased operations.\u003cbr> \u003ccite>(Kevin Berne)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Marga Gomez helped bid goodnight to Aurora Theatre\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The first play I bought as a teenage theatre nerd, Jane Wagner’s inventive \u003ci>The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life In the Universe\u003c/i> was written to showcase the versatile talents of her wife, Lily Tomlin — a tough act to follow in any era. Thankfully, Aurora Theatre made the inspired move to cast Bay Area powerhouse Marga Gomez in its 2025 revival.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A comedian, MC, actor and seasoned solo show creator/performer, Gomez switches seamlessly between characters, scenarios and timelines without elaborate props or costume changes — making her a stellar choice to fill Tomlin’s cosmic shoes. Adding to the pressure of the performance was the concurrent announcement that Aurora Theatre would cease operations for the foreseeable future. At least Gomez ensured they went out with a (big) bang. \u003ci>—Nicole Gluckstern\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13984279\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1116px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-5.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1116\" height=\"735\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13984279\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-5.jpg 1116w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-5-160x105.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-5-768x506.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1116px) 100vw, 1116px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Theoretical physicist Marianne (Vivienne Truong) and beekeeper Roland (George Alexander K.), one of three couples with the same names and dialogue in ‘Constellations’ at the Pear Theatre in Mountain View.\u003cbr> \u003ccite>(Reed Flores)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘Constellations’ offered a terrific way forward\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>On the surface, there was nothing terribly flashy about Nick Payne’s \u003ci>Constellations\u003c/i> at the Pear Theatre in Palo Alto. A group of actors — George Alexander K., Raven Douglas, Thomas Nguyen, Sahil Singh, Elana Swartz and Vivienne Truong — enter an open space, pair off and begin spilling their guts. The pairings were different at each performance, and at the end of the show, the audience got to make decisions for the next audience coming in the following night. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You’d be forgiven in thinking this sounds gimmicky. But under the direction of Reed Flores, it proved that theater need not have bells and whistles, just a great story and fantastic performances that grip the audience. If Bay Area theater is going to survive, phenomenal shows like this one will need to be at its forefront. —\u003ci>David John Chávez\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13984284\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1600px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1066\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13984284\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-1.jpg 1600w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-1-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-1-1536x1023.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Katherine Park, Elana Swartz, Carl Lucania and Alejandra Wahl took their ‘Tempest’ to the ocean with Berkeley Shakespeare Company.\u003cbr> \u003ccite>(Sara Nicole Mindful)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Fabulous backdrops that reinvigorated the classics\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Theatre-makers love a copyright-free classic, but some productions really push their source material to exciting extremes. This year, standouts included Nate Currier’s first-time adaptation of \u003ci>The Epic of Gilgamesh\u003c/i> at Marin Shakespeare Company, and a site-expansive production of \u003ci>The Tempest\u003c/i> at the windswept Point Montara Lighthouse and Hostel.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Currier’s \u003ci>Gilgamesh\u003c/i> combined action-hero vigor with bare-bones physical staging, honoring the poetry of the 4,000-year-old original with a modern vernacular — somewhat reminiscent of Maria Dahvana Headley’s “bro”-tinged \u003ci>Beowulf\u003c/i>. Meanwhile, Stuart Bousel’s \u003ci>Tempest\u003c/i>, produced by Berkeley Shakespeare Company, utilized its proximity to the ocean and uniquely intimate interiors to create a truly magical realm for its artists and audiences alike. —\u003ci>Nicole Gluckstern\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13984282\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1452px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/24sanfrancisco1-superJumbo.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1452\" height=\"1040\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13984282\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/24sanfrancisco1-superJumbo.jpg 1452w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/24sanfrancisco1-superJumbo-160x115.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/24sanfrancisco1-superJumbo-768x550.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1452px) 100vw, 1452px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">(L–R) Outgoing American Conservatory Theater artistic director Pam MacKinnon and incoming Golden Thread Productions artistic director Nabra Nelson. \u003ccite>(ACT / Golden Thread)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Seismic comings and goings in San Francisco\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Two theater companies are going into the new year with big shifts at the top. Sahar Assaf, who’s made Golden Thread Productions her artistic home for the past four years, is turning over the reins as artistic director to Nabra Nelson, who has a wealth of experience in arts administration. Nelson is a multi-hyphenate artist, having delved into playwriting, dramaturgy, consultant, director and community engagement, among other roles. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Meanwhile, Pam MacKinnon concludes her eight years leading American Conservatory Theater at the end of the 2025-2026 season. Soon returning to New York City, she plans to rekindle her freelance directing career. Succeeding longtime A.C.T. leader Carey Perloff, MacKinnon dove deeply into commissions with big names, and oversaw some tough times for the company, including the COVID shutdown and the closure of A.C.T.’s highly regarded MFA program. —\u003ci>David John Chávez\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13984293\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1060px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/113301VdVSD-Opening-Night2025-09-05-21_59_03Philip-Pavliger_Web_654x390.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1060\" height=\"632\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13984293\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/113301VdVSD-Opening-Night2025-09-05-21_59_03Philip-Pavliger_Web_654x390.jpg 1060w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/113301VdVSD-Opening-Night2025-09-05-21_59_03Philip-Pavliger_Web_654x390-160x95.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/113301VdVSD-Opening-Night2025-09-05-21_59_03Philip-Pavliger_Web_654x390-768x458.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1060px) 100vw, 1060px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Joan Baez joined the circus and starred in ‘The Soiled Dove’ in Alameda. \u003ccite>(Philip Pavliger / Vau de Vire Society)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘The Soiled Dove’ flew high in Alameda\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Is there anything more synonymous with the Bay Area performing arts than circuses and sin? I hope not, because I’m here for all of it. The Vau de Vire Society’s wicked and wonderful Barbary Coast dinner theatre extravaganza, \u003ci>The Soiled Dove\u003c/i>, has been a perennial crowd-pleaser for over 10 years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This year’s Alameda revival prominently featured legendary singer-songwriter and social activist Joan Baez — whose six-decade career continues to flourish — while the seasoned circus and cabaret performers who make up Vau de Vire’s core company soared. Viva, Vau de Vire! —\u003ci>Nicole Gluckstern\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13984277\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 803px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-7.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"803\" height=\"630\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13984277\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-7.jpg 803w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-7-160x126.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/12/unnamed-7-768x603.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 803px) 100vw, 803px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Magic Theatre’s artistic director Sean San José made a return to the Fort Mason stage in ‘Aztlan’ by Luis Alfaro.\u003cbr> \u003ccite>(Jay Yamada)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Life after prison in the poetic ‘Aztlán’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Anytime transcendent poet and playwright Luis Alfaro collaborates with the Magic Theatre, it’s a massive win. This past summer, their pairing yielded the powerful \u003ci>Aztlán\u003c/i>, rooted in Alfaro’s intimate knowledge of the Central Valley. With imagery from Mayan and Mexica folklore, the story of a parolee trying to reinvent his life outside of prison walls was aided by David Arevalo’s costume design, Alejandro Acosta’s sharp lighting design, and dazzling scenic design by Tanya Orellana.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Beautifully directed by El Teatro Campesino’s Kinan Valdez, Alfaro’s story featured a great cast of Magic regulars. An added bonus? Sean San José’s thrilling return to the stage as an evil-minded deity. —\u003ci>David John Chávez\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13938979\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1758px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/DAP_4447.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1758\" height=\"1321\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13938979\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/DAP_4447.jpg 1758w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/DAP_4447-800x601.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/DAP_4447-1020x766.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/DAP_4447-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/DAP_4447-768x577.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/DAP_4447-1536x1154.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1758px) 100vw, 1758px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sofia Ahmad and Neamah Hussein in ‘Closure’ at Golden Thread’s 2023 ReOrient Festival. \u003ccite>(David Allen Studios)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Bay Area theater in 2023 often went in woeful directions. Audiences still haven’t returned to bustling pre-pandemic levels, and too many theaters closed, unable to balance their high levels of artistry with financial solvency.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Still, there are encouraging signs for live storytelling as the calendar marches toward 2024. Some critical Bay Area festivals returned, carrying national repercussions, and many bold theatermakers chose this year to reveal transcendent passion projects — with no shortage of local world premieres. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here, Bay Area theater critics and regular KQED Arts contributors Nicole Gluckstern and David John Chávez reflect on the region’s significant theater news, events and premieres of 2023. \u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13938999\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/TNL.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"532\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13938999\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/TNL.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/TNL-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/TNL-768x511.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Rotimi Agbabiaka, AeJay Marquis Mitchell, Aidaa Peerzada and Donald Lacy, Jr. in ‘The Ni¿¿er Lovers’ at Magic Theatre. \u003ccite>(Jay Yamada)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Not Sorry to Bother You\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>‘The Ni¿¿er Lovers’ was a breakthrough hit\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To say that Marc Anthony Thompson’s debut play \u003cem>The Ni¿¿er Lovers\u003c/em> at Magic Theatre pulled no punches would be to massively understate its gleeful fearlessness. Its focus, the story of Ellen and William Craft, who escaped from slavery in 1848 by dressing Ellen up as a white man traveling North, with William posing as her servant. But rather than taking a somber bio-pic approach to their heroic flight the play went for satirical gusto, casting its daring protagonists as unrepentant kinksters (impeccably performed by Aidaa Peerzada and Rotimi Agbabiaka), and presenting their story in a series of vignettes punctuated by music, monologues, comic sketches, and sharply-honed, go-for-the-jugular irreverence that felt decades in the perfecting.\u003cem>—Nicole Gluckstern\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13938972\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/6_Once_TabardTheatre_EdmondKwongPhotography.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13938972\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/6_Once_TabardTheatre_EdmondKwongPhotography.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/6_Once_TabardTheatre_EdmondKwongPhotography-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/6_Once_TabardTheatre_EdmondKwongPhotography-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/6_Once_TabardTheatre_EdmondKwongPhotography-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/6_Once_TabardTheatre_EdmondKwongPhotography-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/6_Once_TabardTheatre_EdmondKwongPhotography-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘Once’ at Tabard Theatre. \u003ccite>(Edmond Kwong Photography)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Tabard Sings ‘Once’ More\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Goodbye to a popular South Bay company\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Tabard Theater production of \u003cem>Once\u003c/em> in March was a warm delight, but will mostly be remembered as the last production of the venerable 22-year-old downtown San José company. Tabard’s longtime home, formerly known as the Theatre on San Pedro Square, is one of the most quaint, charming spaces in the entire South Bay, with flickering candles atop cabaret tables and a plentiful bar with a rustic feel. The area is also a happening spot, with lots of trendy restaurants and plentiful parking surrounding the second story theater. Adding to the melancholia more recently, the company lost their lease on the building, leaving both the company (which moved away from theater productions and focused on live events) and the space itself up in the air. Despite all that, the company remains resolute and optimistic to find new places to program their engaging, community-centered events.\u003cem>—David John Chávez\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13938981\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/ForgettingTree.JesDeville-copy.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"504\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13938981\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/ForgettingTree.JesDeville-copy.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/ForgettingTree.JesDeville-copy-160x101.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/ForgettingTree.JesDeville-copy-768x484.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jes Deville, director and co-producer of ‘Forgetting Tree.’ \u003ccite>(Courtesy Queer Cat Productions)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Hello/Goodbye\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>‘Forgetting Tree’ gave grace to Queer Cat Productions’ final bow\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Modeling important values in and out of the theatre such as consent, access, and emphatically queer joyfulness, Queer Cat’s performance offerings throughout these pandemic times have been thoughtfully crafted and boldly imaginative. Thankfully they left us one last production to remember them by—the gorgeously-rendered \u003cem>Forgetting Tree\u003c/em>, co-produced and directed by Jes DeVille of Openhaus Athletics. Combining the creative gifts of cellists, clowns, acrobats, dancers, permaculture designers, and the fierce love of a Living Altar (Rawiya Tariq), \u003cem>Forgetting Tree\u003c/em> offered remembrance, ritual, and catharsis to those of us fortunate enough to experience it—both in the room and virtually.\u003cem>—Nicole Gluckstern\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13938976\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/012_English.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1278\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13938976\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/012_English.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/012_English-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/012_English-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/012_English-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/012_English-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/012_English-1536x1022.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Christine Mirzayan (Goli) in ‘English’ at Berkeley Repertory Theatre. \u003ccite>(Alessandra Mello)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘English’ Speaks All Languages\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>‘My accent is a war crime’\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the first week of May, Berkeley Repertory Theatre’s wonderful, poignant West Coast premiere production of \u003cem>English\u003c/em> closed. The day after the final curtain, playwright Sanaz Toossi’s script, about a group of four Iranian adults preparing for a daunting English language exam near Tehran in order to come to other parts of the world, won the 2023 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The production was significant for its stewarding by local director Mina Morita, the longtime artistic director of San Francisco’s Crowded Fire Theater Company. Morita is moving away from the company this month to focus more on her directing career, and will be in Australia late next year directing \u003cem>Yoga Play\u003c/em> by Dipika Guha at the National Theater of Parramatta.\u003cem>—David John Chávez\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13938978\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/CYM-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1424\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13938978\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/CYM-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/CYM-800x445.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/CYM-1020x567.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/CYM-160x89.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/CYM-768x427.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/CYM-1536x854.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/CYM-2048x1139.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/CYM-1038x576.jpg 1038w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/CYM-1920x1068.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">L.M. Bogad as Dr. Masc in the ‘immersive experience’ from Say Nothing and Leave, ‘Change Your Mind.’ \u003ccite>(Courtesy Say Nothing and Leave)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>You Gotta Believe\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Change Your Mind (or don’t) with ‘Say Nothing and Leave’\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I may have entered the bustling Say Nothing and Leave-designed \u003cem>Change Your Mind\u003c/em> clinic a Guarded Contrarian, but I left it…a Guarded Contrarian. Ok, so some personality types are more resistant to change than others, but in this tone-perfect immersive experience, the promise of personality editing is presented with such matter-of-fact aplomb you will almost certainly find yourself wondering if it could \u003cem>really\u003c/em> be done. Whether you actually choose to change or not, the experience playfully and thoroughly raises the question of what could be gained through said deletion—and what could be irretrievably lost.\u003cem>—Nicole Gluckstern\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13938973\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 864px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/Jordan-Maria-Don-as-Clara-and-Monique-Crawford-as-Annie-in-EDIT-ANNIE-photo-by-Cheshire-Isaacs-for-Crowded-Fire-Theater.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"864\" height=\"576\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13938973\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/Jordan-Maria-Don-as-Clara-and-Monique-Crawford-as-Annie-in-EDIT-ANNIE-photo-by-Cheshire-Isaacs-for-Crowded-Fire-Theater.jpg 864w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/Jordan-Maria-Don-as-Clara-and-Monique-Crawford-as-Annie-in-EDIT-ANNIE-photo-by-Cheshire-Isaacs-for-Crowded-Fire-Theater-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/Jordan-Maria-Don-as-Clara-and-Monique-Crawford-as-Annie-in-EDIT-ANNIE-photo-by-Cheshire-Isaacs-for-Crowded-Fire-Theater-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/Jordan-Maria-Don-as-Clara-and-Monique-Crawford-as-Annie-in-EDIT-ANNIE-photo-by-Cheshire-Isaacs-for-Crowded-Fire-Theater-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jordan Maria Don as Clara and Monique Crawford as Annie in ‘Edit Annie’ at Crowded Fire Theater. \u003ccite>(Cheshire Isaacs)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Collaboration is Key\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Crowded Fire restructures, premieres ‘Edit Annie’\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Crowded Fire has always been a highly unified company, with a commitment to tell stories and present opportunities for all marginalized groups. While many companies follow a structure with an artistic director at the top of the pyramid, Crowded Fire instead turned one leader into seven, cross-pollinating everyone’s institutional knowledge into all aspects of the company. The first production of this new regime was the highly regarded west coast premiere of \u003cem>Edit Annie\u003c/em> by Mary Glen Fredrick, which kicked off in October.\u003cem>—David John Chávez\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13938977\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1024px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/Sequoiaa.AfroMusical.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13938977\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/Sequoiaa.AfroMusical.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/Sequoiaa.AfroMusical-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/Sequoiaa.AfroMusical-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/Sequoiaa.AfroMusical-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/Sequoiaa.AfroMusical-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">SeQuoiia (center) in ‘De Mangangá’ at the 2023 New Roots Theatre Festival. \u003ccite>(Courtesy SFBATCO)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>New Roots Meets Old School\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>SFBATCO’s annual festival gave center stage to exciting collaboration\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Making space for experimentation, innovation, and camaraderie, this year’s New Roots festival lineup included the breathtaking, capoeira-inspired \u003cem>De Mangangá\u003c/em> written by mother-son team Tania Santiago and SeQuoiia, \u003cem>Shidaiqu\u003c/em>, an intriguing new musical by Jord Liu, revealing the intersections of Jazz and Communism in 1920s Shanghai, and a stunning revival of Zaccho Dance Theatre’s \u003cem>Dying While Black and Brown\u003c/em>, choreographed by Johanna Haigood with music by Marcus Shelby. By focusing attention on BIPOC-centered creation at every stage of development, these New Roots festivals are nurturing some of the most exciting theatrical collaborations in the Bay Area, including SFBATCO’s own \u003cem>Sign My Name to Freedom, The Unheard Songs of Betty Reid Soskin\u003c/em>, which will receive its full world premiere in 2024.\u003cem>—Nicole Gluckstern\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13938975\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1655px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/GoldenThread.Reorient.DavidAllenStudios.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1655\" height=\"1205\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13938975\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/GoldenThread.Reorient.DavidAllenStudios.jpg 1655w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/GoldenThread.Reorient.DavidAllenStudios-800x582.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/GoldenThread.Reorient.DavidAllenStudios-1020x743.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/GoldenThread.Reorient.DavidAllenStudios-160x116.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/GoldenThread.Reorient.DavidAllenStudios-768x559.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/GoldenThread.Reorient.DavidAllenStudios-1536x1118.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1655px) 100vw, 1655px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sofia Ahmad and Neamah Hussein in ‘Closure’ at Golden Thread’s 2023 ReOrient Festival. \u003ccite>(David Allen Studios)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>ReOrient-ing at Golden Thread\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Festival of Middle Eastern works has run since 1996\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When Sahar Assaf took over in 2021 from Golden Thread Productions’ artistic director and founder Torange Yeghiazarian, she knew there were massive shoes to fill. She also learned quickly that the company’s ReOrient Festival is beloved as one of the longest running theater festivals of new work in the Bay Area. With incubators disappearing nationally, such as the Lark and the Humana Play Festival, new playwrights have fewer places to develop their work. More than 100 scripts were submitted for consideration this year. Six were selected. The company has also worked to expand Middle Eastern narratives, and how those stories impact Middle Easterners who make the Bay Area and beyond their home. For the first time in the festival’s history, all of this year’s plays were set in the United States. \u003cem>—David John Chávez\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13938974\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1082px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/Exodus_To_Eden_2023_376.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1082\" height=\"720\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13938974\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/Exodus_To_Eden_2023_376.jpg 1082w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/Exodus_To_Eden_2023_376-800x532.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/Exodus_To_Eden_2023_376-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/Exodus_To_Eden_2023_376-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/Exodus_To_Eden_2023_376-768x511.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1082px) 100vw, 1082px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Arielle Powell as Miriam in ‘Exodus to Eden’ at Oakland Theater Project. \u003ccite>(Ben Krantz Studio)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Big Things in the East Bay\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Oakland Theater Project’s world premiere of ‘Exodus to Eden’\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Setting foot inside the Flax Art & Design building for an Oakland Theater Project show means knowing you’re in for some highly charged theater that’s not to be missed. The company has a great sense of how to present a classic text (their 2018 \u003cem>A Streetcar Named Desire\u003c/em> and the more recent \u003cem>Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf\u003c/em>, featuring associate artistic director Lisa Ramirez and co-artistic director William Hodgson, were both phenomenal), but have also dove headfirst into world premieres. This year, co-artistic director Michael Socrates Moran made his playwriting debut with \u003cem>Exodus to Eden\u003c/em>, which he also directed. The intimate Flax space provided the production some spatial limits, yet the show still featured a sizable cast of 17 performers. Whether it’s a world premiere or a tried-and-true play, Oakland Theater Project has strategically found a formula that melds the potential of people with a sky-high commitment to artistry.\u003cem>—David John Chávez\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13933234\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1679px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/08/image1.jpg\" alt=\"a red and black and green painted building\" width=\"1679\" height=\"1208\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13933234\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/08/image1.jpg 1679w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/08/image1-800x576.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/08/image1-1020x734.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/08/image1-160x115.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/08/image1-768x553.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/08/image1-1536x1105.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1679px) 100vw, 1679px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The newly painted exterior of BAM House at 1540 Broadway in downtown Oakland. \u003ccite>(Ariana Proehl/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>New Spaces for Fresh Faces\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>It’s been an incredibly tumultuous time for small performance venues in the Bay Area, and the list of spaces we’ve lost feels like it just keeps growing. But incredibly and inspiringly, a new crop of venues and multi-use spaces have blossomed in their wake. This is just a small sampling of the marvelous specificity and neighborhoods being served by some of our newest artistic homes.\u003cem>—Nicole Gluckstern\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.churchofclown.org/\">Church of Clown\u003c/a>, 2400 Bayshore Blvd., San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.eclecticboxsf.com\">Eclectic Box\u003c/a>, 446 Valencia St., San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.lowerbottomplayaz.com/\">BAM House\u003c/a>, 1540 Broadway, Oakland\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.therhino.org\">Theatre Rhinoceros\u003c/a>, 4229 18th St., San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.447minna.com/\">447 Minna\u003c/a>, 447 Minna St., San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.performingartsworkshop.org/\">Geneva Powerhouse\u003c/a>, 2301 San Jose Ave., San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"https://sealevelsf.com\">Sealevel\u003c/a>, 4331 Irving St., San Francisco \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/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\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13938979\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1758px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/DAP_4447.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1758\" height=\"1321\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13938979\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/DAP_4447.jpg 1758w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/DAP_4447-800x601.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/DAP_4447-1020x766.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/DAP_4447-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/DAP_4447-768x577.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/DAP_4447-1536x1154.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1758px) 100vw, 1758px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sofia Ahmad and Neamah Hussein in ‘Closure’ at Golden Thread’s 2023 ReOrient Festival. \u003ccite>(David Allen Studios)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Bay Area theater in 2023 often went in woeful directions. Audiences still haven’t returned to bustling pre-pandemic levels, and too many theaters closed, unable to balance their high levels of artistry with financial solvency.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Still, there are encouraging signs for live storytelling as the calendar marches toward 2024. Some critical Bay Area festivals returned, carrying national repercussions, and many bold theatermakers chose this year to reveal transcendent passion projects — with no shortage of local world premieres. \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here, Bay Area theater critics and regular KQED Arts contributors Nicole Gluckstern and David John Chávez reflect on the region’s significant theater news, events and premieres of 2023. \u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13938999\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/TNL.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"532\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13938999\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/TNL.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/TNL-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/TNL-768x511.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Rotimi Agbabiaka, AeJay Marquis Mitchell, Aidaa Peerzada and Donald Lacy, Jr. in ‘The Ni¿¿er Lovers’ at Magic Theatre. \u003ccite>(Jay Yamada)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Not Sorry to Bother You\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>‘The Ni¿¿er Lovers’ was a breakthrough hit\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>To say that Marc Anthony Thompson’s debut play \u003cem>The Ni¿¿er Lovers\u003c/em> at Magic Theatre pulled no punches would be to massively understate its gleeful fearlessness. Its focus, the story of Ellen and William Craft, who escaped from slavery in 1848 by dressing Ellen up as a white man traveling North, with William posing as her servant. But rather than taking a somber bio-pic approach to their heroic flight the play went for satirical gusto, casting its daring protagonists as unrepentant kinksters (impeccably performed by Aidaa Peerzada and Rotimi Agbabiaka), and presenting their story in a series of vignettes punctuated by music, monologues, comic sketches, and sharply-honed, go-for-the-jugular irreverence that felt decades in the perfecting.\u003cem>—Nicole Gluckstern\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13938972\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/6_Once_TabardTheatre_EdmondKwongPhotography.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13938972\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/6_Once_TabardTheatre_EdmondKwongPhotography.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/6_Once_TabardTheatre_EdmondKwongPhotography-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/6_Once_TabardTheatre_EdmondKwongPhotography-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/6_Once_TabardTheatre_EdmondKwongPhotography-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/6_Once_TabardTheatre_EdmondKwongPhotography-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/6_Once_TabardTheatre_EdmondKwongPhotography-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">‘Once’ at Tabard Theatre. \u003ccite>(Edmond Kwong Photography)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Tabard Sings ‘Once’ More\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Goodbye to a popular South Bay company\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Tabard Theater production of \u003cem>Once\u003c/em> in March was a warm delight, but will mostly be remembered as the last production of the venerable 22-year-old downtown San José company. Tabard’s longtime home, formerly known as the Theatre on San Pedro Square, is one of the most quaint, charming spaces in the entire South Bay, with flickering candles atop cabaret tables and a plentiful bar with a rustic feel. The area is also a happening spot, with lots of trendy restaurants and plentiful parking surrounding the second story theater. Adding to the melancholia more recently, the company lost their lease on the building, leaving both the company (which moved away from theater productions and focused on live events) and the space itself up in the air. Despite all that, the company remains resolute and optimistic to find new places to program their engaging, community-centered events.\u003cem>—David John Chávez\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13938981\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/ForgettingTree.JesDeville-copy.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"504\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13938981\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/ForgettingTree.JesDeville-copy.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/ForgettingTree.JesDeville-copy-160x101.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/ForgettingTree.JesDeville-copy-768x484.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jes Deville, director and co-producer of ‘Forgetting Tree.’ \u003ccite>(Courtesy Queer Cat Productions)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Hello/Goodbye\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>‘Forgetting Tree’ gave grace to Queer Cat Productions’ final bow\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Modeling important values in and out of the theatre such as consent, access, and emphatically queer joyfulness, Queer Cat’s performance offerings throughout these pandemic times have been thoughtfully crafted and boldly imaginative. Thankfully they left us one last production to remember them by—the gorgeously-rendered \u003cem>Forgetting Tree\u003c/em>, co-produced and directed by Jes DeVille of Openhaus Athletics. Combining the creative gifts of cellists, clowns, acrobats, dancers, permaculture designers, and the fierce love of a Living Altar (Rawiya Tariq), \u003cem>Forgetting Tree\u003c/em> offered remembrance, ritual, and catharsis to those of us fortunate enough to experience it—both in the room and virtually.\u003cem>—Nicole Gluckstern\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13938976\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/012_English.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1278\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13938976\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/012_English.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/012_English-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/012_English-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/012_English-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/012_English-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/012_English-1536x1022.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Christine Mirzayan (Goli) in ‘English’ at Berkeley Repertory Theatre. \u003ccite>(Alessandra Mello)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>‘English’ Speaks All Languages\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>‘My accent is a war crime’\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the first week of May, Berkeley Repertory Theatre’s wonderful, poignant West Coast premiere production of \u003cem>English\u003c/em> closed. The day after the final curtain, playwright Sanaz Toossi’s script, about a group of four Iranian adults preparing for a daunting English language exam near Tehran in order to come to other parts of the world, won the 2023 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The production was significant for its stewarding by local director Mina Morita, the longtime artistic director of San Francisco’s Crowded Fire Theater Company. Morita is moving away from the company this month to focus more on her directing career, and will be in Australia late next year directing \u003cem>Yoga Play\u003c/em> by Dipika Guha at the National Theater of Parramatta.\u003cem>—David John Chávez\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13938978\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/CYM-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1424\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13938978\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/CYM-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/CYM-800x445.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/CYM-1020x567.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/CYM-160x89.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/CYM-768x427.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/CYM-1536x854.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/CYM-2048x1139.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/CYM-1038x576.jpg 1038w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/CYM-1920x1068.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">L.M. Bogad as Dr. Masc in the ‘immersive experience’ from Say Nothing and Leave, ‘Change Your Mind.’ \u003ccite>(Courtesy Say Nothing and Leave)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>You Gotta Believe\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Change Your Mind (or don’t) with ‘Say Nothing and Leave’\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>I may have entered the bustling Say Nothing and Leave-designed \u003cem>Change Your Mind\u003c/em> clinic a Guarded Contrarian, but I left it…a Guarded Contrarian. Ok, so some personality types are more resistant to change than others, but in this tone-perfect immersive experience, the promise of personality editing is presented with such matter-of-fact aplomb you will almost certainly find yourself wondering if it could \u003cem>really\u003c/em> be done. Whether you actually choose to change or not, the experience playfully and thoroughly raises the question of what could be gained through said deletion—and what could be irretrievably lost.\u003cem>—Nicole Gluckstern\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13938973\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 864px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/Jordan-Maria-Don-as-Clara-and-Monique-Crawford-as-Annie-in-EDIT-ANNIE-photo-by-Cheshire-Isaacs-for-Crowded-Fire-Theater.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"864\" height=\"576\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13938973\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/Jordan-Maria-Don-as-Clara-and-Monique-Crawford-as-Annie-in-EDIT-ANNIE-photo-by-Cheshire-Isaacs-for-Crowded-Fire-Theater.jpg 864w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/Jordan-Maria-Don-as-Clara-and-Monique-Crawford-as-Annie-in-EDIT-ANNIE-photo-by-Cheshire-Isaacs-for-Crowded-Fire-Theater-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/Jordan-Maria-Don-as-Clara-and-Monique-Crawford-as-Annie-in-EDIT-ANNIE-photo-by-Cheshire-Isaacs-for-Crowded-Fire-Theater-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/Jordan-Maria-Don-as-Clara-and-Monique-Crawford-as-Annie-in-EDIT-ANNIE-photo-by-Cheshire-Isaacs-for-Crowded-Fire-Theater-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jordan Maria Don as Clara and Monique Crawford as Annie in ‘Edit Annie’ at Crowded Fire Theater. \u003ccite>(Cheshire Isaacs)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Collaboration is Key\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Crowded Fire restructures, premieres ‘Edit Annie’\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Crowded Fire has always been a highly unified company, with a commitment to tell stories and present opportunities for all marginalized groups. While many companies follow a structure with an artistic director at the top of the pyramid, Crowded Fire instead turned one leader into seven, cross-pollinating everyone’s institutional knowledge into all aspects of the company. The first production of this new regime was the highly regarded west coast premiere of \u003cem>Edit Annie\u003c/em> by Mary Glen Fredrick, which kicked off in October.\u003cem>—David John Chávez\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13938977\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1024px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/Sequoiaa.AfroMusical.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13938977\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/Sequoiaa.AfroMusical.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/Sequoiaa.AfroMusical-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/Sequoiaa.AfroMusical-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/Sequoiaa.AfroMusical-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/Sequoiaa.AfroMusical-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">SeQuoiia (center) in ‘De Mangangá’ at the 2023 New Roots Theatre Festival. \u003ccite>(Courtesy SFBATCO)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>New Roots Meets Old School\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>SFBATCO’s annual festival gave center stage to exciting collaboration\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Making space for experimentation, innovation, and camaraderie, this year’s New Roots festival lineup included the breathtaking, capoeira-inspired \u003cem>De Mangangá\u003c/em> written by mother-son team Tania Santiago and SeQuoiia, \u003cem>Shidaiqu\u003c/em>, an intriguing new musical by Jord Liu, revealing the intersections of Jazz and Communism in 1920s Shanghai, and a stunning revival of Zaccho Dance Theatre’s \u003cem>Dying While Black and Brown\u003c/em>, choreographed by Johanna Haigood with music by Marcus Shelby. By focusing attention on BIPOC-centered creation at every stage of development, these New Roots festivals are nurturing some of the most exciting theatrical collaborations in the Bay Area, including SFBATCO’s own \u003cem>Sign My Name to Freedom, The Unheard Songs of Betty Reid Soskin\u003c/em>, which will receive its full world premiere in 2024.\u003cem>—Nicole Gluckstern\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13938975\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1655px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/GoldenThread.Reorient.DavidAllenStudios.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1655\" height=\"1205\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13938975\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/GoldenThread.Reorient.DavidAllenStudios.jpg 1655w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/GoldenThread.Reorient.DavidAllenStudios-800x582.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/GoldenThread.Reorient.DavidAllenStudios-1020x743.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/GoldenThread.Reorient.DavidAllenStudios-160x116.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/GoldenThread.Reorient.DavidAllenStudios-768x559.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/GoldenThread.Reorient.DavidAllenStudios-1536x1118.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1655px) 100vw, 1655px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sofia Ahmad and Neamah Hussein in ‘Closure’ at Golden Thread’s 2023 ReOrient Festival. \u003ccite>(David Allen Studios)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>ReOrient-ing at Golden Thread\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Festival of Middle Eastern works has run since 1996\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When Sahar Assaf took over in 2021 from Golden Thread Productions’ artistic director and founder Torange Yeghiazarian, she knew there were massive shoes to fill. She also learned quickly that the company’s ReOrient Festival is beloved as one of the longest running theater festivals of new work in the Bay Area. With incubators disappearing nationally, such as the Lark and the Humana Play Festival, new playwrights have fewer places to develop their work. More than 100 scripts were submitted for consideration this year. Six were selected. The company has also worked to expand Middle Eastern narratives, and how those stories impact Middle Easterners who make the Bay Area and beyond their home. For the first time in the festival’s history, all of this year’s plays were set in the United States. \u003cem>—David John Chávez\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13938974\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1082px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/Exodus_To_Eden_2023_376.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1082\" height=\"720\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13938974\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/Exodus_To_Eden_2023_376.jpg 1082w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/Exodus_To_Eden_2023_376-800x532.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/Exodus_To_Eden_2023_376-1020x679.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/Exodus_To_Eden_2023_376-160x106.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/12/Exodus_To_Eden_2023_376-768x511.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1082px) 100vw, 1082px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Arielle Powell as Miriam in ‘Exodus to Eden’ at Oakland Theater Project. \u003ccite>(Ben Krantz Studio)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>Big Things in the East Bay\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Oakland Theater Project’s world premiere of ‘Exodus to Eden’\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Setting foot inside the Flax Art & Design building for an Oakland Theater Project show means knowing you’re in for some highly charged theater that’s not to be missed. The company has a great sense of how to present a classic text (their 2018 \u003cem>A Streetcar Named Desire\u003c/em> and the more recent \u003cem>Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf\u003c/em>, featuring associate artistic director Lisa Ramirez and co-artistic director William Hodgson, were both phenomenal), but have also dove headfirst into world premieres. This year, co-artistic director Michael Socrates Moran made his playwriting debut with \u003cem>Exodus to Eden\u003c/em>, which he also directed. The intimate Flax space provided the production some spatial limits, yet the show still featured a sizable cast of 17 performers. Whether it’s a world premiere or a tried-and-true play, Oakland Theater Project has strategically found a formula that melds the potential of people with a sky-high commitment to artistry.\u003cem>—David John Chávez\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_13933234\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1679px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/08/image1.jpg\" alt=\"a red and black and green painted building\" width=\"1679\" height=\"1208\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13933234\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/08/image1.jpg 1679w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/08/image1-800x576.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/08/image1-1020x734.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/08/image1-160x115.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/08/image1-768x553.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/08/image1-1536x1105.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1679px) 100vw, 1679px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The newly painted exterior of BAM House at 1540 Broadway in downtown Oakland. \u003ccite>(Ariana Proehl/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>New Spaces for Fresh Faces\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>It’s been an incredibly tumultuous time for small performance venues in the Bay Area, and the list of spaces we’ve lost feels like it just keeps growing. But incredibly and inspiringly, a new crop of venues and multi-use spaces have blossomed in their wake. This is just a small sampling of the marvelous specificity and neighborhoods being served by some of our newest artistic homes.\u003cem>—Nicole Gluckstern\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.churchofclown.org/\">Church of Clown\u003c/a>, 2400 Bayshore Blvd., San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.eclecticboxsf.com\">Eclectic Box\u003c/a>, 446 Valencia St., San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"http://www.lowerbottomplayaz.com/\">BAM House\u003c/a>, 1540 Broadway, Oakland\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.therhino.org\">Theatre Rhinoceros\u003c/a>, 4229 18th St., San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.447minna.com/\">447 Minna\u003c/a>, 447 Minna St., San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"https://www.performingartsworkshop.org/\">Geneva Powerhouse\u003c/a>, 2301 San Jose Ave., San Francisco\u003cbr>\n\u003ca href=\"https://sealevelsf.com\">Sealevel\u003c/a>, 4331 Irving St., San Francisco \u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"order": 1
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"id": "code-switch-life-kit",
"title": "Code Switch / Life Kit",
"info": "\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em>, which listeners will hear in the first part of the hour, has fearless and much-needed conversations about race. Hosted by journalists of color, the show tackles the subject of race head-on, exploring how it impacts every part of society — from politics and pop culture to history, sports and more.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em>, which will be in the second part of the hour, guides you through spaces and feelings no one prepares you for — from finances to mental health, from workplace microaggressions to imposter syndrome, from relationships to parenting. The show features experts with real world experience and shares their knowledge. Because everyone needs a little help being human.\u003cbr />\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510312/codeswitch\">\u003cem>Code Switch\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />\u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/lifekit\">\u003cem>Life Kit\u003c/em> offical site and podcast\u003c/a>\u003cbr />",
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"id": "commonwealth-club",
"title": "Commonwealth Club of California Podcast",
"info": "The Commonwealth Club of California is the nation's oldest and largest public affairs forum. As a non-partisan forum, The Club brings to the public airwaves diverse viewpoints on important topics. The Club's weekly radio broadcast - the oldest in the U.S., dating back to 1924 - is carried across the nation on public radio stations and is now podcasting. Our website archive features audio of our recent programs, as well as selected speeches from our long and distinguished history. This podcast feed is usually updated twice a week and is always un-edited.",
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"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Commonwealth-Club-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
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"meta": {
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"source": "Commonwealth Club of California"
},
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"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5jb21tb253ZWFsdGhjbHViLm9yZy9hdWRpby9wb2RjYXN0L3dlZWtseS54bWw",
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"id": "forum",
"title": "Forum",
"tagline": "The conversation starts here",
"info": "KQED’s live call-in program discussing local, state, national and international issues, as well as in-depth interviews.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 9am-11am, 10pm-11pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Forum-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Forum with Mina Kim and Alexis Madrigal",
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"order": 9
},
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"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM5NTU3MzgxNjMz",
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"id": "freakonomics-radio",
"title": "Freakonomics Radio",
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"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/05/freakonomicsRadio.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://freakonomics.com/",
"airtime": "SUN 1am-2am, SAT 3pm-4pm",
"meta": {
"site": "radio",
"source": "WNYC"
},
"link": "/radio/program/freakonomics-radio",
"subscribe": {
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"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/freakonomics-radio/id354668519",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/WNYC-Podcasts/Freakonomics-Radio-p272293/",
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},
"fresh-air": {
"id": "fresh-air",
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"link": "/radio/program/fresh-air",
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"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=214089682&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
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"info": "A live production of NPR and WBUR Boston, in collaboration with stations across the country, Here & Now reflects the fluid world of news as it's happening in the middle of the day, with timely, in-depth news, interviews and conversation. Hosted by Robin Young, Jeremy Hobson and Tonya Mosley.",
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"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510051/podcast.xml"
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"hidden-brain": {
"id": "hidden-brain",
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"info": "Shankar Vedantam uses science and storytelling to reveal the unconscious patterns that drive human behavior, shape our choices and direct our relationships.",
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"airtime": "SUN 7pm-8pm",
"meta": {
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"source": "NPR"
},
"link": "/radio/program/hidden-brain",
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"how-i-built-this": {
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"title": "How I Built This with Guy Raz",
"info": "Guy Raz dives into the stories behind some of the world's best known companies. How I Built This weaves a narrative journey about innovators, entrepreneurs and idealists—and the movements they built.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/news/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2018/05/howIBuiltThis.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510313/how-i-built-this",
"airtime": "SUN 7:30pm-8pm",
"meta": {
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},
"link": "/radio/program/how-i-built-this",
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"npr": "https://rpb3r.app.goo.gl/3zxy",
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-built-this-with-guy-raz/id1150510297?mt=2",
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"hyphenacion": {
"id": "hyphenacion",
"title": "Hyphenación",
"tagline": "Where conversation and cultura meet",
"info": "What kind of no sabo word is Hyphenación? For us, it’s about living within a hyphenation. Like being a third-gen Mexican-American from the Texas border now living that Bay Area Chicano life. Like Xorje! Each week we bring together a couple of hyphenated Latinos to talk all about personal life choices: family, careers, relationships, belonging … everything is on the table. ",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Hyphenacion_FinalAssets_PodcastTile.png",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/hyphenacion",
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"order": 15
},
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},
"jerrybrown": {
"id": "jerrybrown",
"title": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown",
"tagline": "Lessons from a lifetime in politics",
"info": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown brings listeners the wisdom of the former Governor, Mayor, and presidential candidate. Scott Shafer interviewed Brown for more than 40 hours, covering the former governor's life and half-century in the political game – and Brown has some lessons he'd like to share. ",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-Political-Mind-of-Jerry-Brown-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/jerrybrown",
"meta": {
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"order": 18
},
"link": "/podcasts/jerrybrown",
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},
"latino-usa": {
"id": "latino-usa",
"title": "Latino USA",
"airtime": "MON 1am-2am, SUN 6pm-7pm",
"info": "Latino USA, the radio journal of news and culture, is the only national, English-language radio program produced from a Latino perspective.",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/latinoUsa.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "http://latinousa.org/",
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"link": "/radio/program/latino-usa",
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"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?s=143441&mt=2&id=79681317&at=11l79Y&ct=nprdirectory",
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"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510016/podcast.xml"
}
},
"marketplace": {
"id": "marketplace",
"title": "Marketplace",
"info": "Our flagship program, helmed by Kai Ryssdal, examines what the day in money delivered, through stories, conversations, newsworthy numbers and more. Updated Monday through Friday at about 3:30 p.m. PT.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 4pm-4:30pm, MON-WED 6:30pm-7pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Marketplace-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.marketplace.org/",
"meta": {
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"source": "American Public Media"
},
"link": "/radio/program/marketplace",
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},
"masters-of-scale": {
"id": "masters-of-scale",
"title": "Masters of Scale",
"info": "Masters of Scale is an original podcast in which LinkedIn co-founder and Greylock Partner Reid Hoffman sets out to describe and prove theories that explain how great entrepreneurs take their companies from zero to a gazillion in ingenious fashion.",
"airtime": "Every other Wednesday June 12 through October 16 at 8pm (repeats Thursdays at 2am)",
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"officialWebsiteLink": "https://mastersofscale.com/",
"meta": {
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"source": "WaitWhat"
},
"link": "/radio/program/masters-of-scale",
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"apple": "http://mastersofscale.app.link/",
"rss": "https://rss.art19.com/masters-of-scale"
}
},
"mindshift": {
"id": "mindshift",
"title": "MindShift",
"tagline": "A podcast about the future of learning and how we raise our kids",
"info": "The MindShift podcast explores the innovations in education that are shaping how kids learn. Hosts Ki Sung and Katrina Schwartz introduce listeners to educators, researchers, parents and students who are developing effective ways to improve how kids learn. We cover topics like how fed-up administrators are developing surprising tactics to deal with classroom disruptions; how listening to podcasts are helping kids develop reading skills; the consequences of overparenting; and why interdisciplinary learning can engage students on all ends of the traditional achievement spectrum. This podcast is part of the MindShift education site, a division of KQED News. KQED is an NPR/PBS member station based in San Francisco. You can also visit the MindShift website for episodes and supplemental blog posts or tweet us \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/MindShiftKQED\">@MindShiftKQED\u003c/a> or visit us at \u003ca href=\"/mindshift\">MindShift.KQED.org\u003c/a>",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Mindshift-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED MindShift: How We Will Learn",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/mindshift/",
"meta": {
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"source": "kqed",
"order": 12
},
"link": "/podcasts/mindshift",
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"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vS1FJTkM1NzY0NjAwNDI5",
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"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/kqed/stories-teachers-share",
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}
},
"morning-edition": {
"id": "morning-edition",
"title": "Morning Edition",
"info": "\u003cem>Morning Edition\u003c/em> takes listeners around the country and the world with multi-faceted stories and commentaries every weekday. Hosts Steve Inskeep, David Greene and Rachel Martin bring you the latest breaking news and features to prepare you for the day.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 3am-9am",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Morning-Edition-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/programs/morning-edition/",
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"link": "/radio/program/morning-edition"
},
"onourwatch": {
"id": "onourwatch",
"title": "On Our Watch",
"tagline": "Deeply-reported investigative journalism",
"info": "For decades, the process for how police police themselves has been inconsistent – if not opaque. In some states, like California, these proceedings were completely hidden. After a new police transparency law unsealed scores of internal affairs files, our reporters set out to examine these cases and the shadow world of police discipline. On Our Watch brings listeners into the rooms where officers are questioned and witnesses are interrogated to find out who this system is really protecting. Is it the officers, or the public they've sworn to serve?",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/On-Our-Watch-Podcast-Tile-703x703-1.jpg",
"imageAlt": "On Our Watch from NPR and KQED",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/podcasts/onourwatch",
"meta": {
"site": "news",
"source": "kqed",
"order": 11
},
"link": "/podcasts/onourwatch",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1567098962",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5ucHIub3JnLzUxMDM2MC9wb2RjYXN0LnhtbD9zYz1nb29nbGVwb2RjYXN0cw",
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"stitcher": "https://www.stitcher.com/show/on-our-watch",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510360/podcast.xml"
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},
"on-the-media": {
"id": "on-the-media",
"title": "On The Media",
"info": "Our weekly podcast explores how the media 'sausage' is made, casts an incisive eye on fluctuations in the marketplace of ideas, and examines threats to the freedom of information and expression in America and abroad. For one hour a week, the show tries to lift the veil from the process of \"making media,\" especially news media, because it's through that lens that we see the world and the world sees us",
"airtime": "SUN 2pm-3pm, MON 12am-1am",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/onTheMedia.png",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.wnycstudios.org/shows/otm",
"meta": {
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"source": "wnyc"
},
"link": "/radio/program/on-the-media",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/on-the-media/id73330715?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/On-the-Media-p69/",
"rss": "http://feeds.wnyc.org/onthemedia"
}
},
"pbs-newshour": {
"id": "pbs-newshour",
"title": "PBS NewsHour",
"info": "Analysis, background reports and updates from the PBS NewsHour putting today's news in context.",
"airtime": "MON-FRI 3pm-4pm",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/PBS-News-Hour-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.pbs.org/newshour/",
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"source": "pbs"
},
"link": "/radio/program/pbs-newshour",
"subscribe": {
"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/pbs-newshour-full-show/id394432287?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/radio/PBS-NewsHour---Full-Show-p425698/",
"rss": "https://www.pbs.org/newshour/feeds/rss/podcasts/show"
}
},
"perspectives": {
"id": "perspectives",
"title": "Perspectives",
"tagline": "KQED's series of daily listener commentaries since 1991",
"info": "KQED's series of daily listener commentaries since 1991.",
"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Perspectives_Tile_Final.jpg",
"imageAlt": "KQED Perspectives",
"officialWebsiteLink": "/perspectives/",
"meta": {
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"source": "kqed",
"order": 14
},
"link": "/perspectives",
"subscribe": {
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"npr": "https://www.npr.org/podcasts/432309616/perspectives",
"rss": "https://ww2.kqed.org/perspectives/category/perspectives/feed/",
"google": "https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93dzIua3FlZC5vcmcvcGVyc3BlY3RpdmVzL2NhdGVnb3J5L3BlcnNwZWN0aXZlcy9mZWVkLw"
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},
"planet-money": {
"id": "planet-money",
"title": "Planet Money",
"info": "The economy explained. Imagine you could call up a friend and say, Meet me at the bar and tell me what's going on with the economy. Now imagine that's actually a fun evening.",
"airtime": "SUN 3pm-4pm",
"imageSrc": "https://ww2.kqed.org/radio/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2018/04/planetmoney.jpg",
"officialWebsiteLink": "https://www.npr.org/sections/money/",
"meta": {
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"source": "npr"
},
"link": "/radio/program/planet-money",
"subscribe": {
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"apple": "https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/planet-money/id290783428?mt=2",
"tuneIn": "https://tunein.com/podcasts/Business--Economics-Podcasts/Planet-Money-p164680/",
"rss": "https://feeds.npr.org/510289/podcast.xml"
}
},
"politicalbreakdown": {
"id": "politicalbreakdown",
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