Now through August 13, you can view “San Francisco Opera: A Centennial Celebration,” an exhibit at San Francisco International Airport’s Harvey Milk Terminal 1.
“San Francisco Opera: A Centennial Celebration” lets viewers pass through decades of costumes, props, and multimedia. Celebrate the history of SF Opera and its pioneers, such as Kirsten Flagstad and Leontyne Price.
How to Break will premiere on Village Theatre’s stage later this month. This musical was workshopped as part of the Village Originals program. Check out the interview with Jacinth Greywoode on the innovative and modern production.
How to Break will play at Village Theatre’s Francis J. Gaudette Theatre in Issaquah March 29–April 30 and at Everett Performing Arts Center May 5–28. Tickets are available now.
An electrifyingly innovative world-debut Mainstage production of new work developed by Village Theatre! Featuring a dynamic kaleidoscope of music, poetry, breakdancing, and beatboxing, How to Break follows two hospitalized teenage hip-hop dancers and how they navigate their adolescence in the confines of a hospital room, finding ways to love and learn amidst IV bags and chemotherapy as inspired by real-life events in writer Aaron Jafferis’ time as an artist in residence at a children’s hospital. Part commentary on the American health care system, part moving autobiography, and part profound journey through the joy and pain of growing up, How to Break reveals just how resilient the human spirit is in the face of change and transformation.
The 5th Avenue Theatre has announced their 2023/24 season which includes seven shows that celebrate the power of dreams. The five-show season package lineup will include Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Cambodian Rock Band, Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, Something’s Afoot, and Spring Awakening. The two season add-ons will be 1776 and Clue.
“There is nothing more powerful than a dream,” said Producing Artistic Director Bill Berry. “This season we’ve combined a selection of shows that examines the power of always searching for something better than the here and now. Whether it’s about a mermaid who is searching to be part of the human world, a survivor of the Khmer Rouge who is processing past and future, or a teenager persevering through tragedy and dreaming of hope for the future, dreams are what keep us going even when we feel like the world is against us.”
Season packages for the five-show lineup are available for purchase online. Subscribers get priority renewal to secure the best seats for full season packages, and access to premium benefits like free parking (not valid on weekday matinees or add-ons), extra ticket discounts, concessions perks, and more. Check out 5th Avenue Theatre’s full 2023/24 season below.
What will it take to get two dozen powerfully passionate, exceedingly complicated, and all-too-human individuals to settle their differences, while they hold the very future of a nation in their hands? American Repertory Theater at Harvard University/Roundabout Theatre Company’s new production of the Tony Award®-winning Best Musical, 1776, is a tuneful, witty, “bold and exuberant” (Variety) reexamination of a pivotal moment in American history from directors Jeffrey L. Page (Violet) and Diane Paulus (Waitress). 1776 comes to Seattle with a cast that reflects multiple representations of race, gender, and ethnicity. You may never think about our country—who we are and why—the same way again.
One of the most successful Disney musicals of all time returns to The 5th Avenue Theatre in celebration of the 35th Anniversary of the original film. Ariel, King Triton, Flounder, Scuttle, Ursula, and Prince Eric tell the story of dreams, love, family, and friendship that has delighted generations. Dive under the sea with Ariel and her friends as they sing some of the best-known songs of the last century.
A co-production with ACT
Guitars tuned. Mic checked. Get ready to rock! This darkly funny, electric new play with music tells the story of a Khmer Rouge survivor returning to Cambodia for the first time in thirty years, as his daughter prepares to prosecute one of Cambodia’s most infamous war criminals. Backed by a live band playing contemporary Dengue Fever hits and classic Cambodian oldies, this thrilling story toggles back and forth in time as father and daughter face the music of the past. Lauren Yee brings us an intimate rock epic about family secrets set against a dark chapter of Cambodian history.
Based on the beloved, timeless film, Irving Berlin’s White Christmas comes just in time for the holiday season. After World War II, two veterans, Bob Wallace and Phil Davis, begin a successful song and dance act, following two singing sisters to their Christmas gig at a Vermont resort lodge. With classic standards such as “Blue Skies,” “How Deep is the Ocean,” and the titular hit, Irving Berlin’s White Christmas is a stirring and delightful musical that stands the test of time.
Prepare to laugh until it hurts with this musical spoof of the whodunit genre. Something’s Afoot pokes fun at Agatha Christie murder mysteries; ten people are stranded in an isolated country estate during a raging thunderstorm. One by one, they are picked off by cleverly fiendish devices. As bodies pile up, the survivors frantically race to solve the mystery! Join in the tomfoolery of this farcical, raucous, and outrageous play, that will appeal to lovers of shows like Arrested Development, The Office, and Schitt’s Creek.
Spring Awakening is an electrifying journey through the trials and challenges of adolescence, with music by Duncan Sheik. Winner of eight Tony Awards®, including Best Musical, the story explores the mystery of attraction, desire, sex, insecurity, and the highs and lows of navigating the pressures of young adult life. With a score of contemporary rock music that transformed the way Broadway thinks about musicals, Spring Awakening is a poignant and thrilling ride that stings with resonance for today’s youth.
Based on the iconic 1985 Paramount movie which was inspired by the classic Hasbro board game, Clue is a hilarious farce-meets-murder mystery play. Six guests assemble for an unusual dinner party, where murder and blackmail are on the menu. When their host turns up dead, everyone is a suspect. Led by Wadsworth, the butler, Miss Scarlett, Professor Plum, Mrs. White, Mr. Green, Mrs. Peacock, and Colonel Mustard race to find the killer as the body count stacks up. Clue is the absurd comedy whodunit that will leave both cult-fans and newcomers stitches.
We’ve got six feisty exes, an inspiring civil rights leader, and one pretty woman. Check out some of the accessible performances happening this month in the San Francisco Bay Area.
This March, get to know the six wives of Henry VIII like never before in SIX at Broadway San Francisco; get inspired with Fannie: The Music and Life of Fannie Lou Hamer at TheatreWorks; and don’t make a big mistake—huge—by missing Pretty Woman: The Musical at Broadway San Jose. You can see all these shows this March with audio described, open captioned, and ASL performances available.
Broadway San Francisco
From Tudor Queens to Pop Icons, the SIX wives of Henry VIII take the microphone to remix five hundred years of historical heartbreak into a Euphoric Celebration of 21st century girl power! This new original musical is the global sensation that everyone is losing their head over!
Audio Described: March 12
Open Captioned: March 15
ASL Interpreted: March 18
Theatreworks
“To hope is to vote!” Famed activist and civil rights hero Fannie Lou Hamer makes this impassioned rally cry, reminding us that change begins with just one voice. Tracing her steps from sharecropper to activist to political candidate, Fannie takes audiences on a gospel-filled journey of justice and self-determination, inspiring every American to rise up and fight for the vital issues of our time. Featuring a live band and the return of Greta Oglesby, star of last season’s critically-acclaimed Gem of the Ocean!
ASL Interpreted: March 21
Open Captioned: March 26
Audio Described: March 31
Broadway San Jose
Pretty Woman: The Musical, based on one of Hollywood’s most beloved romantic stories of all time, springs to life with a powerhouse creative team led by two-time Tony Award®-winning director and choreographer Jerry Mitchell (Hairspray, Kinky Boots, Legally Blonde).
Brought to the stage by lead producer Paula Wagner, Pretty Woman: The Musical features an original score by Grammy® winner Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance (“Summer of ’69”, “Heaven”), and a book by the movie’s legendary director Garry Marshall and screenwriter J. F. Lawton. Pretty Woman: The Musical will lift your spirits and light up your heart. “If you love the movie, you’ll love the musical!” (BuzzFeed News).
ASL Interpreted: March 25
Audio Described: March 26
Open Captioned: March 26
We’ve got musicals, we’ve got drama, we’ve even got Gene Kelly! Check out this month’s accessible performances in the Greater Seattle Area.
This March, you can lose yourself in a twist on the classic fairytale with Stephen Sondheim’s Into the Woods at 5th Avenue Theatre; laugh uproariously to the 1491s first ever play, Between Two Knees at Seattle Rep; or get posh with the Dashwood sisters in Sense and Sensibility at Village Theatre. Check out the full list of open captioned, ASL interpreted, audio described, and sensory friendly performances coming to Seattle in March.
Sound Theatre Company
Released last year as a radio play, renowned Deaf storyteller Howie Seago worked with original adapters Fern Naomi Renville and Roger Fernandes to create this first-of-its-kind, sign-language-based film featuring two Deaf Native storytellers. This film takes the original audio and augments it with gorgeous Lower Elwha S’Klallam landscapes and visual storytelling created for the screen.
Closed Captioned and ASL Interpreted: On demand now
Seattle Opera
Seattle Opera World Premiere. Set against Afghanistan’s volatile history, this new opera tells the breathtaking story of Mariam and Laila, two Afghan women. Brought together under the brutal Taliban rule, the bond between Laila and Mariam leads to unthinkable sacrifices, and ultimately, one family’s survival. Based on Khaled Hosseini’s best-selling novel, this story has captured the hearts of millions including American composer Sheila Silver and librettist Stephen Kitsakos who adapted the novel for the opera stage.
Open Captioned: March 3–11
The 5th Avenue Theatre
“Happily Ever After” has never been so complicated. That’s what Little Red, a Witch, Cinderella, the Baker, and his wife discover as they invade one another’s stories and find themselves tangled in a web of unexpected consequences. They quickly find this web is too big to untangle on their own and that they must work together to set everything right in the kingdom. Into the Woods reminds us that only together can we defeat the wolves and giants of the world. With a stunning, unforgettable score featuring “No One is Alone,” “Children Will Listen,” and “Giants in the Sky,” this iconic show will enchant, entrance, and delight! A Tony Award-winning Broadway hit and feature film sensation, Into the Woods continues to enthrall theater lovers more than three decades after its creation.
Audio Described: March 4
Seattle Children’s Theatre
Carmela Full of Wishes is based on the book of the same title by Newbery Medal and Caldecott Honor-winning author Matt de la Peña and illustrator Christian Robinson. When young Carmela wakes up on her birthday, her wish has already come true–she’s finally old enough to join her big brother as he does the family errands! Traveling through their neighborhood, Carmela finds a lone dandelion growing in the pavement. But before she can blow its white fluff away, her brother tells her she has to make a wish. If only she can think of just the right wish to make! Join us for this moving ode to family, dreamers, and to finding hope in the most unexpected places.
ASL Interpreted: March 4
Audio Described: March 11
Sensory Friendly: March 12
Broadway at The Paramount
A letter that was never meant to be seen, a lie that was never meant to be told, a life he never dreamed he could have. Evan Hansen is about to get the one thing he’s always wanted: a chance to finally fit in. Dear Evan Hansen is the deeply personal and profoundly contemporary musical about life and the way we live it.
ASL Interpreted & Audio Described: March 12
Open Captioned: March 12
Seattle Rep
The first play by acclaimed intertribal sketch comedy troupe The 1491s—best known for the hit television series “Reservation Dogs”—takes audiences on a searing and absurdly funny series of vignettes through American history centered on one family’s account of their experiences from the massacre at Wounded Knee in 1890 to the protests there in 1973.
Open Captioning: March 16
ASL Interpreted & Audio Described: March 25
Seattle Symphony
Music was central to Gene Kelly’s work. It influenced him, inspired him and in many ways, defined him. In 1969, the musical arrangements to many of MGM’s classic films were destroyed. Now with these scores carefully reconstructed, we bring you a remarkable event: Gene Kelly dancing on the big screen accompanied live by the Seattle Symphony! Hosted by Kelly’s wife and biographer, Patricia Ward Kelly, this special Seattle Pops event takes you behind the scenes to share Gene Kelly’s own insights about the making of these enduring works.
Open Captioned: March 18
Village Theatre—Everett
With a flirtatious nod to Netflix’s smash hit Bridgerton, our production of this playful new adaptation of Jane Austen’s beloved novel follows the fortunes (and misfortunes) of the Dashwood sisters—sensible Elinor and sensitive Marianne—after their father’s sudden death leaves them financially destitute and socially vulnerable. This classic-modern mashup revisits the 18th-century England of the beloved iconic characters, and layers it with smart comedy and zany antics—all cheekily underscored by a contemporary mix of your favorite pop songs, bringing to life this delightfully indulgent literary masterpiece on Village Theatre’s intimate mainstage.
ASL Interpreted: March 25
The second chapter of Qui Nguyen’s trilogy takes the stage at American Conservatory Theater’s (A.C.T.) Strand Theater March 30–May 7, 2023. Jaime Castañeda will return to the helm after directing the first show in the trilogy, Vietgone.
Following the rousing success of the first installment, Poor Yella Rednecks will reunite audiences with the lovers Tong and Quang and although they are now married, its not quite a fairytale ending. Castañeda draws from rap, leaps into martial arts, and digs deep into his own family journey. Funny, sexy, and subversive, Poor Yella Rednecks confirms Nguyen as a groundbreaking American voice.
“I can’t wait to be back in San Francisco at one of my favorite theaters in the country,” said director Jaime Castañeda. “Set in 1981, class and assimilation intersect to create a one-of-a-kind theatrical experience that feels closer to a live concert event than your average contemporary play.”
The cast for Poor Yella Rednecks includes (in alphabetical order) Ben Chau-Chiu, Will Dao, Christine Jamlig, Jenny Nguyen Nelson, Amanda Le Nguyen, Jed Parsario, Hyunmin Rhee, and Jomar Tagatac.
Directed by Jaime Castañeda, the creative team for Poor Yella Rednecks includes Tanya Orellana (Scenic Designer), Jessie Amoroso (Costume Designer), Yi Zhao (Lighting Designer), Jake Rodriguez (Sound Designer), Yee Eun Nam (Projection Designer), James Ortiz (Puppet Designer), and Shammy Dee (Composer).
Tickets are now available at the box office at 415.749.2228 or online. A.C.T. will also offer a variety of InterACT events as well as accessible performances.
An open captioned performance will be held on April 22 at 2 p.m. At this performance, the dialogue will be displayed on a screen at the front of the stage on house left. To purchase seats in the best viewing section, please use code CAPTION when ordering.
Seattle Opera presents the world premiere of A Thousand Splendid Suns, on McCaw Hall’s stage February 25 to March 11, 2023. The new opera, based on the book by Khaled Hosseini, has been years in the making. Hear from the artistic team about how this exceptional new production has come to be made. And get your tickets to see it now!
“The arts remain our most powerful teachers of empathy, and it is my hope that this opera proves not only a beautiful musical journey but also an expression—through the tale of Mariam and Laila—of the collective struggles and sacrifices of Afghan women.”—Khaled Hosseini
DIG IN is a new program announced by Berkeley Repertory Theatre’s School of Theatre that will give school communities across California digital access to professional theatre performances. The program aims to inspire creativity in the younger generations by providing them access to interactive experiences in the arts community.
There are two elements to DIG IN—the Digital Library and the Virtual Stage. The Digital Library is made up of professionally recorded productions, including works that align directly with California Core Curriculum and CASEL Standards. These recordings will be available to any student in California, along with production programs, resource guides, performance clips, video lessons in arts and humanities, interactive challenges, and career development interviews.
The Virtual Stage will provoke discussion among students with Berkeley Rep’s productions. Students will have the opportunity to create art—music, video, dance, poetry, stories, visual art, theatre pieces—through interactive challenges on the virtual stage and social media.
“Berkeley Rep is committed to our values of innovation, equity, and discovery,” said Tom Parrish, Berkeley Repertory Theatre’s managing director. “DIG IN will provide students and teachers with incredible access to theatrical resources and experiences that can provide entry points for new audiences, tools for artists and students to harness their creative power and build empathy, and curricular support in a variety of subjects.”
To learn more about DIG IN or to sign up for programming, visit Berkeley Rep’s website.
The full cast and creative teams have been announced for the Seattle premiere of Between Two Knees, a play by the sketch comedy troupe The 1491s. Obie Award-winner Eric Ting will be directing the show which will run March 3–26, 2023 at the Bagley Wright Theater.
Between Two Knees is the first play by The 1491s, an intertribal sketch comedy troupe whose credits include the acclaimed TV show Reservation Dogs. Through a series of vignettes, it takes audiences through American history centered around one family’s experiences from the massacre at Wounded Knee in 1890 to the protest there in 1973.
“Between each glorious bit and slapstick joke is a subversive indictment of America’s particular brand of extractive dominance and a commitment to using comedy to heal, provoke, and transform. In a style that’s both Monty Python and Brechtian Epic Theater, The 1491s have crafted an unforgettable theatrical experience that comes for everyone. No one is safe from the satire,” said Seattle Rep Artistic Producer Kaytlin McIntyre.
Between Two Knees features performances from Jennifer Bobiwash as Older Irma/Ensemble (TV: The Power; Magnum P.I.; Rutherford Falls), Rachel Crowl as Ensemble (La Jolla Playhouse: As You Like It), Derek Garza as Young Isaiah/Eddie/Ensemble (Studio Theatre: People, Places & Things), Justin Gauthier as Larry (Oregon Shakespeare Festival: Between Two Knees), Shyla Lefner as Young Irma/Irene/Ensemble (Yale Rep: Manahatta), Wotko Long as Older Isaiah/Ensemble (Featured in the documentary This May Be The Last Time), James Ryen as Ensemble (Seattle Rep: Vietgone), and Shaun Taylor-Corbett as William/Ensemble (Second National Tour: Jersey Boys), also credited for Original Choreography.
The cast also includes understudies Irma-Estel Laguerre (Broadway: The King and I), Nikcoma Lee Mahkewa (Discovery+ series Book of Queer), John Scott-Richardson (Film: The Reunion), Kholan Studi (Native Voices at The Autry: They Don’t Talk Back) and Maribel Torres Barragán (Irene Ryan Award double-nominee and semifinalist).
The creative team for Between Two Knees includes The 1491s (Playwrights), Eric Ting (Director), Ty Defoe (Choreographer), Regina García (Scenic Designer), Lux Haac (Costume Designer), Elizabeth Harper (Lighting Designer), Jake Rodriguez (Sound Designer), Shawn Duan (Projection Designer), Younghawk Bautista (Wig and Hair Designer), Julie Felise Dubiner (Production Dramaturg), Stacey Rice, CSA (Casting Director), Rod Kinger (Fight Director), Kelsey Rainwater (Intimacy Director), Liz Hayes (Vocal Coach), R. Réal Vargas Alanis (Associate Director), Amanda Nita Luke-Sayed (Production Stage Manager), and Kevin Jinghong Zhu (Assistant Stage Manager).
San Francisco Opera has announced free, live performances of Giacomo Puccini’s La Bohème. This abridged version of the fan-favorite opera will be performed this spring at outdoor locations throughout the Bay Area.
La Bohème was the first opera presented by SF Opera 100 years ago and the company is now bringing an altered, intimate one-hour adaptation to modern audiences in a completely new way. To travel across the San Francisco Bay Area, San Francisco Opera will bring the beloved tale of love and loss to the public via a converted shipping container, turned into a portable stage.
Bohème Out of the Box will be directed by Jose Maria Condemi and will be sung in Italian with English dialogue—there will not be supertitles, but a translation of the libretto will be available online. The opera will feature San Francisco Opera’s Adler Fellows and guest artists with piano accompaniment.
Bohème Out of the Box will take place March 10–April 2, 2023 at outdoor venues across the Bay Area. Specific performance dates and locations can be found on San Francisco Opera’s website.
