Bay Area Reporter :: Theater News

'Exotic Deadly: Or The MSG Play' - Keiko and Jesca's excellent adventure at SF Playhouse

January 21, 2025 | by Jim Gladstone

Writer Keiko Green and director Jesca Prudencia cheerfully cite "Wayne's World" and "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure" as major aesthetic influences on "Exotic Deadly: Or the MSG Play," which opens on Jan. 30 at the San Francisco Playhouse.

Black Choreographers Festival: 20th anniversary includes multiple events through June

by Finbar LaBelle
Jan 20, 2025

The African & African American Performing Arts Coalition and K Star Productions present the Black Choreographers Festival: Here and Now. From February to June, the festival will welcome the new year with its twentieth anniversary.

Queer comedy picks: Highlights of SF Sketchfest 2025

by Jim Gladstone
Jan 14, 2025

SF Sketchfest returns this weekend for a 22nd citywide celebration of mirth. Here are a few of the queer performers and queer-focused programs worth checking out; Joel Kim Booster, Straightio Lab, Trans-It Girls and more.

Going Out, Jan. 9-17, 2025 arts & nightlife events

by Jim Provenzano
Jan 8, 2025

Put your mittens on if you have to, because there's still plenty of arts and nightlife events to see, including live music, museums, theater and even more, in Going Out.

Kathy Griffin's 'Life on the PTSD List' legendary comic finds humor in her misfortunes

by David-Elijah Nahmod
Jan 7, 2025

Kathy Griffin has bounced back. Now cancer-free and able to fly, she is touring in a new show titled "My Life on the PTSD List." In her show, Griffin speaks candidly about all she's been through, finding humor in the worst of situations.

'Dragcula' - the queerest vampire show you'll ever see

by David-Elijah Nahmod
Jan 5, 2025

Coming to Oasis beginning on January 16 is what may be the scariest, funniest the venerable club has offered to date. "Dragcula" will be a comic adaptation of the 1931 vampire film classic cast entirely with queer and trans performers.

'Some Like It Hot' at the Orpheum - Tavis Kordell stars as a newfangled ingénue

by Jim Gladstone
Dec 30, 2024

In this era of calculated personal branding and TikTok careerism, it's delightful to meet an honest-to-goodness ingénue. Tavis Kordell is now playing the nonbinary lead role of Jerry/Daphne in the first national tour of "Some Like It Hot."

Going Out, Dec. 26, 2024-Jan. 3, 2025 arts & nightlife events

by Jim Provenzano
Dec 24, 2024

Celebrate the new year as trepidatious an exercise it may be. Perhaps start polishing up your 'Cabaret' playlist. Storm into -or away from -balloon drops and complimentary champagne in a plastic cup- in this week's Going Out.

Going Out, Dec. 19-27, 2024 arts & nightlife events

by Jim Provenzano
Dec 18, 2024

We're making a list (every week), checking it twice, and while we don't care if you're naughty or nice, we've got plenty of both in this week's arts and nightlife events, including some venues open on Christmas. Unwrap this week's Going Out.

Holiday triple plays - New versions of old favorites

by Jim Gladstone
Dec 17, 2024

Sometimes revisiting a time-honored tradition lends the perfect twinkle to holiday season theater productions; sometimes not. 'Peter Pan: Panto in the Presidio,' 'The Kinsey Sicks: Deep Inside Tonight,' and 'A Whynot Christmas Carol,' are reviewed.

Going Out, Dec. 12-21, 2024 arts & nightlife events

by Jim Provenzano
Dec 11, 2024

There's something in the air besides pollutant particulates, and that's the holiday spirit. Whether you're a "Come all ye faithful" type or a downright Scrooge, it's inescapable, so dig in and enjoy it.

'Thirty-Six' at Shotgun Players: Love, sex, art, and tech-themed play is rated experimental

Dec 10, 2024

Imagine a matchmaking app for theatergoers. Playwright Nanako Winkler's beguiling "Thirty-Six" would fit, but would you reflexively swipe left if a piece's profile included the word "experimental"?

Going Out, Dec. 5-13, 2024 arts & nightlife events

by Jim Provenzano
Dec 4, 2024

Some holidays aren't exactly here yet, but Christmas concerts galore have filled our calendar, as well as festive nightlife events like the Santa Skivvies Run and the annual Krampus Pageant. We've got it all wrapped up and ready to go in Going Out.

No tip for 'Waitress' - San Francisco Playhouse can't save musical's script

by Jim Gladstone
Dec 3, 2024

"Sugar. Butter. Flour." This three-word refrain rings throughout "Waitress," the musical now being served up as holiday fare at the San Francisco Playhouse. It's not sung sweetly, but with an odd atonality.

Festive and fabulous: Bay Area holiday performances

by Philip Mayard
Nov 26, 2024

When the holiday performing arts season arrives, the Bay Area shines as a beacon for LGBTQ arts and culture, from fierce drag performances to queer choral ensembles, classical concerts to new adaptations of "A Christmas Carol" and "The Nutcracker."

Arts & Culture :: Theater

'Exotic Deadly: Or The MSG Play' - Keiko and Jesca's excellent adventure at SF Playhouse

Black Choreographers Festival: 20th anniversary includes multiple events through June

Queer comedy picks: Highlights of SF Sketchfest 2025

Going Out, Jan. 9-17, 2025 arts & nightlife events

Kathy Griffin's 'Life on the PTSD List' legendary comic finds humor in her misfortunes

'Dragcula' - the queerest vampire show you'll ever see

'Some Like It Hot' at the Orpheum - Tavis Kordell stars as a newfangled ingénue

Going Out, Dec. 26, 2024-Jan. 3, 2025 arts & nightlife events

Going Out, Dec. 19-27, 2024 arts & nightlife events

Holiday triple plays - New versions of old favorites

Going Out, Dec. 12-21, 2024 arts & nightlife events

'Thirty-Six' at Shotgun Players: Love, sex, art, and tech-themed play is rated experimental

Going Out, Dec. 5-13, 2024 arts & nightlife events

No tip for 'Waitress' - San Francisco Playhouse can't save musical's script

Festive and fabulous: Bay Area holiday performances

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Queer comedy picks: Highlights of SF Sketchfest 2025

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