Hodges & Hodges Set the Stage for BUYER & CELLAR with Michael Urie

Hodges & Hodges Sets the Stage for BUYER & CELLAR

Pop Quiz! Who's the greatest star, who is by far, a person who needs people like us to love her from a-far? You guessed it - Barbra Streisand! This month San Francisco bay area people are in for a scrumptious theatrical treat called Buyer & Cellar, which is touring the country after rave reviews Off-Broadway in New York. It's being presented to us by SHNSF at the Curran Theater, August 19-31, 2014 so get your tickets now!

The one-person, 90-minute show stars Michael Urie ("Ugly Betty," Broadway's "How To Succeed in Business...") who plays Alex, an out-of-work actor who lands a job working for La Streisand in her faux mall of vintage "shops" which is housed in the basement of her Malibu home. And, lest you think the mall is as fictional as the rest of the show, playwright Jonathon Tolins took as his inspiration Barbra's 295-page, glossy, hardbound book called "My Passion for Design," which features her basement mall filled to the brim with all of the treasures she's collected over the years.

We. Can't. Wait.

How to get ready to see Buyer & Cellar - Some Barbra things to do in San Francisco

Selfie Time! Visit the Hungry I Nightclub at 599 Jackson at Kearny where Streisand performed in 1963 after her commitment to Broadway's "I Can Get It for You Wholesale" ended. The gig was timed to correspond with the release of her first album with Columbia Records. Sadly the location is now. . . well, a strip club of the same name. Still, visit the outside of the club and take a selfie and send it to our facebook page at BroadwayWorld San Francisco https://www.facebook.com/pages/BroadwayWorld-San-Francisco/187321874619525 and to SHNSF's https://www.facebook.com/shnbroadwayinsf!

Go get your nails done! Barbra's mother didn't think her daughter would ever make it in show business so she advised her to go to Secretarial School and learn to type. Whereupon Barbra promptly began to grow out her fingernails. We don't think she's typed to this day. "Tootsie Toes" at 1741 Polk is the place to go. Make an appointment today and get ready to enjoy Buyer & Cellar in a manner befitting the diva herself!

Antique Shopping: Barbra has filled her mall with antique shops of every kind. Antique clothes, shoes, dolls, and furniture adorn her underground shopping village. Why not visit one of San Francisco's antique shops? Try Aria Antiques in North Beach or the beautiful Enchanted House on Grant.

What's Up Doc? Time for a City Car Trip: This Streisand/O'Neil comedy was shot right here in San Francisco! Visit IMDb at http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0069495/locations for a listing of all 13 filming locations and take a photo-op driving tour around the city. Cautionary note: Don't try to recreate the wild chase scene that took place on Steiner St. and through Chinatown! Trivia note: Though her movie, "The Guilt Trip" ends in San Francisco, it was actually filmed in LA in Echo Park!

Oy Vey! Visit the Contemporary Jewish Museum at 736 Mission Street (www.thecjm.org) to gain a better understanding of the culture that helped shaped a legend.

Dinner before the Show: While you're at the Contemporary Jewish Museum, have lunch at Wise Sons Jewish Delicatessen which is located in the museum (museum tickets not required). Or head over to San Francisco favorite, David's Delicatessen which is located very near the Curran Theatre on Geary!

What To Watch For in the Show: In a one-person show, the audience plays a big role - more so than usual. The energy in the room and the audience's willingness to suspend reality help the actor with comedic timing and makes for a great show. Michael Urie doesn't do a Babs impersonation but he's got chutzpah and does give us a Bab's impression. Therefore, the Barbra in your head will need to be front and center. Watch for Eurie to play off the crowd and, if he breaks the fourth wall, see if he does it to good effect. Also, the pace set by director Stephen Brackett is brisk and tight. Get ready for a wild ride!

BUYER & CELLAR
One-person show starring Michael Urie
Written by Jonathon Tolins
Directed by Stephen Brackett
August 19-31, 2014
Curran Theatre
www.shnsf.com

Photo courtesy of Joan Marcus