Theater Review: Hamlet at A.C.T. San Francisco

Stars align for a memorable ‘Hamlet’ at the ACT

The American Conservatory Theater’s Hamlet marks the debut of two greats who somehow (strangely) have never tackled this great play. John Douglas Thompson premieres his Hamlet, direct by A.C.T. artistic director Carey Perloff. The results make me thank whatever theater gods brought these two together to work on Shakespeare’s...
How I Learned to Drive - Custom Made Theatre San Francisco

Lessons in driving and empathy at Custom Made Theatre

Playwright Paula Vogel has been in the news a lot recently. She made her (shamefully overdue) Broadway debut with Indecent, which was nominated for the 2017 Best Play Tony. She started a national conversation around producers’ and critics’ biases when it comes to financing and reviewing plays by women...

Backstage Video: BTS at LUZIA by Cirque du Soleil (Now in Atlanta)

Stark Insider presents a backstage look at Cirque Du Soleil's newest artistic creation, Luzia. LUZIA is now in Atlanta. Cirque's "waking dream of Mexico" features everything we've come to expect from the spectacle: beautiful costumes, astonishing acrobatics, dancing, singing, audience engagement, and, overall, fine entertainment. But LUZIA has a unique...
Bill Hader - SNL

David Lynch’s Festival of Disruption adds Bill Hader

Comedian and SNL alum Bill Hader is the latest to be added to the Festival of Disruption. You know, the guy with this kind of headshot: Now in its second year and curated by founder David Lynch the Festival of Disruption is certainly evolving into one of the more interesting...
Theater Review: Luna Gale at Aurora Theatre, Berkeley

Blown away by Aurora’s ‘Luna Gale’

In the words of a character from Luna Gale, deciding a child’s future is an “awesome responsibility.” In this absorbing play, receiving its Bay Area premiere at Aurora Theatre, social worker Caroline must determine what to do about the case of baby Luna. Her meth-addicted parents are trying to...

Zenith dodges its own question

Kirsten Greenidge’s new play Zenith asks a difficult question: why do ordinary people commit horrifying crimes? Specifically (in a scenario loosely inspired by a true event), how could a seemingly well-adjusted mother drive a car the wrong way on the highway, causing a deadly crash? The premise is well...
Something Rotten Tour Review - San Francisco SHN Orpheum

Something Rotten! proves a fresh musical parody

There’s nothing serious or meaningful about Something Rotten!. Still, if you know the lullaby of Broadway and brush up your Shakespeare, it’s sure to make you laugh.
Pixar in Concert San Francisco Summer Concert Series 2017

What’s Happening: San Francisco Symphony announces summer line-up

"Summer with the Symphony" runs July 4-29. Highlights include Pixar in Concert, Ben Folds with the SFS, A Night at the Moulin Rouge with Storm Large, and an all-American program with music of Bernstein and Gershwin with Rhiannon Giddens.
Toxic Avenger Musical - San Jose Stage Company

The Toxic Avenger: Freakish, wild, entertaining musical pushes all the right buttons

Andrew Lloyd Weber this is not. And that's largely the point. Think of it more as Joan Crawford... the one later in her career (Strait-Jacket?).

Montalvo Arts Center reveals 2017 summer concert series

Jay Leno, The B-52s, Gregory Porter lead strong summer concert line-up at historic outdoor Lilian Fontaine Garden Theatre.