SF Chronicle Praises Joan Rivers Cabaret, Workshop

By: Aug. 29, 2007
Get Access To Every Broadway Story

Unlock access to every one of the hundreds of articles published daily on BroadwayWorld by logging in with one click.




Existing user? Just click login.

American entertainer and celebrity personality, Joan Rivers, is currently in San Francisco debuting her original play-in-progress workshop, The Joan Rivers Theatre Project to packed-audiences at the Magic Theatre through September 2.

In between performances, Rivers appears at the legendary Empire Plush Room for late-night concert/comedy shows.  While The Joan Rivers Theatre Project is not open for press-review, Steven Winn of The San Francisco Chronicle attended the Plush Room performance and praised Rivers for her style and the attention she has brought to San Francisco:

"A high-voltage late-night set by a 74-year-old celebrity performer isn't something that comes along every day," Winn says, "An enthusiastic crowd turned out at the Plush Room to howl at every bit, sometimes in delight and sometimes in feigned (or real?) indignation? She's a self-styled queen of the outrageous, armored with a Brooklyn street fighter's instincts."

To read the full review, Click Here.
For tickets to her remaining Plush Room performances (August 31 & September 1): Click Here.

BroadwayWorld.com's News Desk Editor, Eugene Lovendusky (a San Francisco native relocated to New York), got the opportunity to speak to Rivers about her work-in-progress. Look forward to the exclusive interview on BWW.com soon!

Her new autobiographical play is a "comedy set in a dressing room just before Hollywood's biggest award show, Joan must muster all her strength and ingenuity to survive yet another year," state press notes, "The network has a new entertainment director and if this year's puny cheese platter is any indication, Joan is in big trouble. The creative team will continue developing the piece through its two-week limited run and presentations will be followed by a talkback with Rivers as a part of the process?

"Although most prominently known as an Emmy Award-winning on-screen personality and entrepreneur, Rivers has had a long and acclaimed career as a stand-up comedienne with her signature brand of outrageous, no-holds-barred humor. Rivers traveled the world with her one-woman show Broke and Alone and received a Best Actress Tony Award-nomination for her Broadway appearance in Sally Marr and Her Escorts, which she also co-wrote. The Joan Rivers Theatre Project brings together what Ms. Rivers does best: high-energy, character-driven comedy with hilarious insights of today's pervasive celebrity culture. Ms. Rivers will use this workshop production to test her play in front of audiences and to develop the piece in preparation for a fully-produced world premiere production."

Performances are through September 2; Wednesdays ? Saturdays at 8PM; Sundays at 2:30 & 7PM at Magic's Sam Shepard Theatre (Bldg D, Fort Mason Center, San Francisco at Marina Blvd and Buchanan St). Tickets are $40 limited premium seats and $25 general (student, senior, educator discounts available) and are available at 415-441-8822 or www.magictheatre.org.



Videos