Category: News

New poetry project from California Poet Laureate Lee Herrick invites Californians to write about their state.

Inspired by “My California,” California Poet Laureate Lee Herrick’s ode to the Golden State, the California Arts Council (CAC) has announced today the first phase of Our California, an inclusive and participatory arts project that invites all Californians to write a poem about their city, town, or state and explore what they love about it, what they find in it, what they would change about it, or what hopes they hold for it.

“Each of us has a unique experience and relationship with California,” said California Poet Laureate Lee Herrick. “It is a place of bounty of innovation, opportunity, and progress, as well as difficulty and violence, challenges, and areas of need. Poetry can be a bridge to personal and societal change, and it can show us new ways of seeing ourselves and the world around us.”

Our California is a joint project of California Poet Laureate Lee Herrick and the California Arts Council, with support from the California State Library. The project encourages Californians across the state to share their feelings about the place in which they live through the art of poetry. A portal for participants to submit their works will be added to the California Poet Laureate website later this fall. Submissions will be published to the site on a quarterly basis.

POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive is playing at Berkeley Rep’s Roda Theatre now through October 22. Get your tickets today and see what audiences and critics are say.

Berkeley Rep brings you this gleefully feminist satire just in time for the Presidential primaries! When the President unwittingly spins a PR nightmare into a global crisis, the seven brilliant and beleaguered women he relies upon most risk life, liberty, and the pursuit of sanity to keep the commander-in-chief out of trouble. (Any resemblance to past White House shenanigans is purely coincidental.) Entertainment Weekly says, “The likelihood that you will laugh until your face hurts is one of near certainty.”

“LMAO-inducing POTUS rips America a new one and roots around inside. [Annie] Tippe’s cast triumphs! It’s the kind of theater where you almost never sit back; you’re ever alert for the walls of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. to come tumbling down.”

San Francisco Chronicle

“Nasty fun! Gargantuan guffaws! Playwright [Selina] Fillinger has a wicked way with a one-liner. Her women are smart, ambitious and crude as hell. From the first line to the last, the play’s language is so salty you may need to bring hydration – and that’s when the play is at its best.”

Chad Jones’ Theater Dogs

“All the actors in POTUS were tremendous. How lovely to see an all-female cast. It reminded me — and I mean this in a good way — of the Barbie movie.”

Audience Member

“Loved this play! Witty, clever, funny and entertaining!!”

Audience Member

“Just what we all need!”

Audience Member

Join San Francisco Opera from the comfort of your own home by streaming the 2023/24 season. Tickets for streaming performances are $27.50.

Opening Night Concert

September 8 At 8 p.m.

Ring in the 101st season with an Opening Night Concert featuring tenor Roberto Alagna and soprano Aleksandra Kurzak with the San Francisco Opera Chorus and Orchestra, conducted by Caroline H. Hume Music Director Eun Sun Kim. Please note that there is no on-demand option for this livestream. Buy tickets.

Il Trovatore

September 20 at 7:30 p.m.

Familial revenge runs deep in Giuseppe Verdi’s towering opera of grand passions stymied at every turn. Caroline H. Hume Music Director Eun Sun Kim continues her Verdi cycle with this work of sublime arias, passionate ensembles, and the rousing Anvil Chorus. Buy tickets.

The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs

September 27 at 7:30 p.m.

Acclaimed San Francisco composer Mason Bates and Pulitzer-winning librettist Mark Campbell, return home to the Bay Area with this Grammy award-winning opera. Under the baton of Michael Christie, Bates’ score takes us on an operatic journey weaving together classical lyricism and a techno soundscape informed by the audio of early computers. Buy tickets.

Lohengrin

October 21 at 7 p.m.

A medieval epic with sword fights and witchcraft, this Wagnerian masterpiece pairs legends about the Holy Grail with songs that have become pop-culture staples, including the Bridal Chorus. Buy tickets.

Omar

November 11 at 7:30 p.m.

Winner of the 2023 Pulitzer Prize for music. A new opera from Grammy-winning artist Rhiannon Giddens and composer Michael Abels. Kidnapped, enslaved and over 6,000 miles from home, a Muslim scholar from West Africa defies the law in the antebellum South by writing his own story. Buy tickets.

The Elixir of Love

November 26 at 2 p.m.

He has no money. No confidence. And no hope of winning the hand of the wealthy and beautiful bachelorette Adina. But the timid young waiter Nemorino is about to gamble everything he has for one last shot at romance—only to discover how intoxicating love can be. Buy tickets.

The Magic Flute

June 4, 2024 at 7:30 p.m.

Armed with magic bells and a flute that can summon joy, a prince and a bird-catcher embark on a perilous journey to rescue a kidnapped princess—only to discover that their adversary is really their ally. Buy tickets.

Innocence

June 12, 2024 at 7:30 p.m.

It was supposed to be the happiest day of their lives. But just as Stela and Tuomas toast their marriage, a devastating secret reemerges that threatens to drive the couple apart—and expose the guilt Tuomas bears in an unconscionable crime. Buy tickets.

Partenope

June 23, 2024 at 2 p.m.

Partenope is the queen of the Paris social scene, her salon a beacon to the era’s edgiest artists. But they’re not just interested in cocktails and conversation. They’re interested in winning Partenope’s hand in marriage. Buy tickets.

Cal Shakes had announced “Midsummer at the Bruns,” a lineup of events to take place at the Bruns Memorial Amphitheater.

“It’s midsummer at Cal Shakes. With the help of great partners we’ve added events to our summer series,” said Clive Worsley, Executive Director at Cal Shakes. “From Indigenous dance, Shakespearean theater, a Shakespeare/Dungeons & Dragons mash-up movie and, the hip-hop, reggae, jazz, funk, world music of Michael Franti (Spearhead). As we finish up our 49th season and get ready to start building our Cal Shakes 50th Anniversary season, we thank you for the sold-out shows and for sharing your passion for all of the new arts here At the Bruns.”

San Francisco Shakespeare Festival — “Cymbeline”

September 16, 17, 23 & 24 at 4 p.m.

Tickets: FREE

Cal Shakes and San Francisco Shakespeare Festival jointly announce that the Bruns Memorial Amphitheater will host Free Shakespeare in the Park this summer, with free performances of Shakespeare’s Cymbeline.

Cymbeline, Shakespeare’s epic romantic adventure, features a dazzling mix of comedy, tragedy, and fairy tale that concludes with inventive scenes of revelation and joyous reconciliation. The play will be directed by Festival Resident Artist Maryssa Wanlass. Cymbeline will be presented FREE OF CHARGE. It will run 90 minutes long, without intermission. Preshow grove talks, including with Cal Shakes Resident Dramaturg Philippa Kelly are scheduled.

A Cymbeline student matinee is scheduled for September 23 at 11 a.m. For more information and to secure your classes spot, email: artisiticlearning@calshakes.org

Food Bank Players

September 29 at 7 p.m.

Tickets: FREE

The Food Bank Players is a vibrant coalition of theater artists, an essential community organization and neighbors helping neighbors. Everything we do is designed to build community, from our financial support of the Alameda Food Bank to our captivating, and free, productions in the Alameda Healing Garden to our diverse casts of professionals, up-and-coming actors and folks who haven’t been on stage in 40 years.

“The spirit of the actors is the engine for our work, from sharing costumes to running lines to helping stow the set pieces after a show,” said Gene Kahane, Director Food Bank Players. “We range in age, background and experience, but share a love of theater and a commitment to helping those experiencing food insecurity.”

Tickets are free for more information visit: foodbankplayers.org

Sewam American Indian Dance

September 30 at 3 p.m.

Tickets: $25 and up

Sewam Dance is dedicated to sharing the highest quality meaningful, and culturally rich American Indian presentations to audiences everywhere. We share the art, culture and beauty of American Indian people through performance and education presentations, enriching participants’ understanding of American Indian cultural traditions, and celebrating the diversity of our varied communities.

This piece shares cultural histories, dances, and songs that are appropriate to share in spaces such as powwow and other community gatherings. In this specialized program audiences experience rich oral narratives, come to understand meanings of dances, cultural history, lifestyle, arts, and participate in building awareness and connections across diverse communities. It is important for audiences to know that this program and sharing is not intended to speak for all Native American/American Indian peoples and cultures.

We share in good protocol, with the intention of creating a first step in building awareness and connections to the rich, beautiful, and diverse lifeways of Indigenous peoples around the world.

Notes for Hope, Oktoberbrest presents Michael Franti

October 6 at 5 p.m. VIP Experience, 6 p.m. General Admission Gate, 7 p.m. Music

Tickets: $125 and up

On October 6, Notes4Hope returns to The Bruns, home of Cal Shakes, in Orinda to kick off its 4th annual Oktoberbrest (the combination of breast cancer awareness month and Oktoberfest).

“Cal Shakes is proud to have worked with Notes4Hope since 2015 and is thrilled for their return to The Bruns since the pandemic,” said Clive Worsley, Executive Director of Cal Shakes. “This October they will punctuate the 2023 ‘At the Bruns’ summer series by welcoming an incredible, multi-talented artist to this magical venue.”

Bringing BIG BIG LOVE to The Bruns beautiful outdoor amphitheater is the one-and-only Michael Franti! Joined by two bandmates, their high energy live performance will light up the stage and spread hope, positivity, and optimism.

Michael Franti adds, “Like sunshine, music is a powerful force that can instantly and almost chemically change your entire mood. It gives us new energy and a strong sense of purpose.

Sponsored by Matson Logistics, Kimberly Harrison Interiors, and The Fourth Bore.

A Movie Makers Production | A Midsummer Night’s D&D World Premiere

October 7 – Gate 6 p.m., Film 7:30 p.m.

Tickets: $10 and up

What happens when a burnt-out drama teacher decides to do one last Shakespearean themed D&D campaign for his afterschool program? Young love, domineering parents and mischievous spirits are the perfect fodder for both Shakespeare and D&D in this new adaptation of the Bard’s classic, A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

About Movie Makers

“Though she be but little, she is fierce!” – Midsummer Night’s Dream Act III, Scene II

Movie Makers is the brainchild of artist Tracy Randolph. Birthed out of a love of creative arts and cinema, Tracy began helping young performers custom make their original stories come to life. Armed with a big box of costumes, cardboard and paint, and a willingness to go to great lengths for a moment of art, Tracy began producing student films which premiered for friends and family, projected on a bedsheet in her backyard. As a founding member of Bay Area Children’s Theatre, Tracy is no stranger to the power of creativity and the performing arts and is proud to bring Movie Makers into its 13th year!

During 2022 Tracy, a former teacher with San Francisco Shakespeare Festival, heard the call of the Bard and decided her longtime Movie Maker students were ready for Shakespeare. A field trip to Cal Shakes’ King Lear adaptation by Marcus Gardley changed everything.

“Lear was not only entertaining, but it was alive with new meaning and delicious interpretation that excited my students. They were delighted with the creativity, performances, and representation onstage. There was no turning back after our field trip to Cal Shakes…we had to write our own adaptation!” – Tracy Randolph, Artistic Director.

ACT Theatre and 5th Avenue Theatre will stage Cambodian Rock Band September 29 through November 5. Playing in ACT Theatre’s Falls Theatre, Cambodian Rock Band is presented in association with Alley Theatre, Arena Stage, and Berkeley Repertory Theatre.

Guitars tuned. Mic checked. Get ready to rock! This darkly funny hit 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.

Check out what the critics have to say about this groundbreaking play from Lauren Yee, and get your tickets today.

“Wittily funny, wonderfully complex, and deeply moving.”

New York Theatre Guide

“Powerful. A gloriously raucous affair, as that line between theater and concert is obliterated in a cloud of joy.”

Houston Chronicle

“A grab bag full of dichotomies, the funny and the frightful, the cheeky and the cheerless, the musical and the murderous. And it works splendidly.”

Houston Press

“Yee has made her characters so joyfully and ridiculously human that it’s impossible – to a heartbreaking degree – not to identify with them.”

Los Angeles Times

“A haunting, wise, political and personally searing show.”

Chicago Tribune

“Good old rock ‘n’ roll, Cambodian-style. Clap your hands, everybody, and sing along!”

The New York Times

“The guitars shred your heart.”

Time Out Chicago

American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco has announced the extension of Hippest Trip—The Soul Train Musical in response to strong ticket demand before the show’s previews.

Hippest Trip is the Broadway-bound musical based on the iconic TV show that brought Black music, dance, and style into every living room in America, performing at A.C.T.’s Toni Rembe Theater.  Performances of Hippest Trip will now run through October 8, 2023. Preview performances will begin on August 27, with an official opening taking place on September 6.

“Making the leap from run throughs in the rehearsal studio, band practice, and costume fittings to now be all together on stage under lights at A.C.T.’s Toni Rembe Theater, we are seeing audience excitement start to get on a roll,” said A.C.T. Artistic Director Pam MacKinnon. “There are some sold out houses already. There is growing demand from the Bay Area for this powerful world premiere musical made here for the Bay and bound for Broadway. I cannot wait to share. Happy to be extending!”

Journey back to 1971 Chicago, when Black entrepreneur and radio DJ Don Cornelius transformed the pop culture landscape by recognizing the lack of Black musical artists on television. Within a year, his local dance show went national and became one of the longest running shows in television history. Elegant, determined, and complicated, Cornelius set trends for nearly 40 years by giving a stage—and a camera—to the artists who created the soundtrack of multiple generations, and to the dancers, many of whom went on to became superstars.

Tickets for Hippest Trip are available online.

In the grand commemoration of its 60th-anniversary season, Seattle Opera unveils a captivating array of events and performances, poised to embellish the forthcoming months.

Amidst this celebratory season, a vibrant tapestry of experiences awaits opera enthusiasts. Beyond the confines of the traditional opera house, a mosaic of opportunities beckons – from the traditional Annual Open House, to the inaugural presentation by the Soldiers’ Chorus of The United States Army Field Band, to immersive opera classes and resounding recitals. These offerings collectively extend an invitation to partake in the enchantment of live theater, fostering an experience that transcends the opera house’s physical boundaries.

What you see on the opera stage is only the tip of the iceberg,” said General Director Christina Scheppelmann. “We are always eager to welcome audiences into our building to show them what goes on under the surface. It takes a huge team to put opera on stage, with a staggering variety of jobs and expertise. Whether you check out our Open House, one of our educational programs, or our recitals, come learn more about how the performing arts work—it’s the best way to feel connected to our art and the artists who make it.”

At the heart of the festivities lies Seattle Opera’s highly anticipated yearly Open House, scheduled for Saturday, September 23. In the previous year, this event warmly embraced 600 attendees within the confines of The Opera Center, the administrative hub nestled on the Seattle Center campus. The forthcoming edition of this complimentary celebration promises an array of engaging and captivating activities. Highlights encompass an insightful presentation by Anthony Davis, the illustrious Pulitzer Prize-winning composer renowned for X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X.

The program also features captivating performances by the fresh cohort of Resident Artists from Seattle Opera and a medley of other vocalists. Attendees can immerse themselves in the creative processes by indulging in an interactive glimpse into the inner workings of the Costume Shop and Props Department. Artistry extends to craft stations, fostering an ambiance of creative engagement. The event will resonate with a harmonious community sing-along and provide a live transmission of an ongoing rehearsal for Alcina, granting an exclusive behind-the-scenes view into the opera’s production.

“The Open House is our opportunity not only to showcase the great work going on at Seattle Opera, but also to celebrate the broad range of excellent organizations that make up Seattle’s arts and culture community,” said Director of Programs and Partnerships Dennis Robinson, Jr. “Seattle needs arts organizations of all sizes, telling all kinds of stories, in order to thrive. We want to make sure we’re doing our part to support that ecosystem and make connections throughout our larger community.”

Taproot Theatre Company reveals their season of Friends & Families. The 2024 season will include five plays that highlight families and friends bringing out the best in each other.

Be amazed as the incredible might of friendship achieves the unthinkable in The Book of Will and Sister Act. Delight in the exceptional nature of seemingly average families in How to Write a New Book for the Bible and A Raisin in the Sun. And relax and savor the enigma of Sherlock Holmes and the Precarious Position, all the while observing one of literature’s most iconic friendships.

The Book of Will

Shakespeare is dead. But in an act of undying devotion, his dearest friends rally to keep his plays alive by publishing every word he wrote, before time erases them forever. This irreverent and entertaining tale celebrates storytelling, community, and an unselfish act that changed the world forever. For booklovers and history buffs, and anyone whose love has inspired them to persevere.

January 24–February 24, 2024

How to Write a New Book for the Bible

“Write what you know” the saying goes. But when Bill Cain moves home to help his dying mother, he doesn’t have the words to capture the mystery of his own family. Amidst doctor appointments and baseball games he begins to see how seemingly ordinary details become the lifegiving rituals that shape our lives.

March 20–April 20, 2024

Sherlock Holmes and the Precarious Position

Corsets, crowns, and a missing royal jewel set the stage for a battle of wits in this tale of deception, suspense, and deduction. When the bookish Perkins sisters approach Sherlock Holmes with a case, they unveil a theatrical scheme of encyclopedic proportions. 4 actors play multiple characters and the mystery turns deadly.

May 15–June 15, 2024

Sister Act

A feel-good musical comedy like “nun” other! Delores dreams of fame and fortune, but after witnessing a murder she lands in protective custody. Being disguised as a nun can’t cramp her style, and soon she’s inspired the whole choir. Featuring original music by Tony and Oscar winner Alan Menken (Newsies, Little Mermaid, Aladdin)!

July 10–August 10, 2024

A Raisin in the Sun

An American classic! A life insurance payout provides a path for Lena Younger to move her Black family from their cramped apartment to an affordable home in a historically white neighborhood. But racial intolerance threatens to turn their American dream into heartbreak. This 1959 masterpiece “changed American theater forever” (New York Times) and continues to resonate in our hearts today.

September 18–October 19, 2024

Kate Maltais will fill the position of managing director at 5th Avenue Theatre, succeeding Bernadine C. Griffin, who retired in July after 21 years with the theatre.

Maltais will come to 5th Avenue Theatre from Stages in Houston, Texas where she is the managing director. During her time as Managing Director, she consistently demonstrated strong leadership, upholding the fundamental principles of transparency, teamwork, and a dedicated stance against racism and oppression. These very values will be carried over to her new position at The 5th.

“Helming The 5th Avenue Theatre along with Bill is a dream come true,” said Maltais. “I have long followed the organization and admired its commitment to an artform I deeply love. I am looking forward to collaborating with this incredible team of staff, board, and artists to ensure the longevity and vibrancy of The 5th for generations to come. Downtown Seattle is going through a renaissance and I’m so eager to join city, business, and nonprofit leaders in forging opportunities for residents and visitors to find connection and joy in our community.”

Maltais’ selection as the new Managing Director of The 5th follows an extensive search process that lasted for several months. In late 2022, a search committee comprising staff, board members, and community leaders was established to collaborate with the Tom O’Connor Consulting Group in identifying the ideal candidate to assume the executive leadership role.

“Katie’s unwavering dedication to nurturing sustainable organizations that foster the creation of art is truly inspiring,” said The 5th’s Producing Artistic Director, Bill Berry. “Her boundless enthusiasm and unwavering belief in the transformative power of musical theater are forces to be reckoned with. I eagerly anticipate the journey ahead, partnering with her to fulfill The 5th’s mission in the years to come.”

This week mezzo-soprano Daniela Mack will be featured in San Francisco Opera’s web series In Song.

In a moving journey of discovery, re-connection, and riveting music, this new episode of In Song unfolds on the streets of Buenos Aires, as mezzo-soprano Daniela Mack returns to the homeland she left at age 6. Mack traces her roots, shares memories of her childhood, and reunites with her family, then delivers no holds-barred renditions of Piazzolla’s “María de Buenos Aires” and “Los Pájaros Perdidos,” as well as Pauline Viardot’s “Havanaise.” Husband/tenor Alek Shrader and their two children join her for this homecoming, just prior to rehearsals for her starring role of Frida in Gabriela Lena Frank’s El Último Sueño de Frida y Diego.

Learn more at San Francisco Opera’s website.