Steve Murray is a writer for Cabaret Scenes magazine, contributor to ForAllEvents and now BroadwayWorld. He started writing rock reviews for his college newspaper in the 1970’s, produced a variety show in San Francisco for 6 years and staged comedy, theatre and music performances in the Bay Area. An avid tennis player and competitive swimmer, Steve worked in Biotech till retiring in January 2024.
Ben Jones, award-winning singer, comedian, storyteller, and actor returned to the intimate Feinstein’s at the Nikko for an extremely successful two-run engagement displaying his considerable talents. If you haven’t seen Ben Jones, make it a must. He has that unique skill that makes a great entertainer – he’s so engaging and interesting that you can’t wait for the next moment. This show, titled ‘Temptation’, exhibits that proficiency brilliantly.
What did our critic think of WAIT UNTIL DARK at Hillbarn Theatre?
Coach John Wooden said “Sports don’t build character, they reveal it” and this applies to fans as well, evidenced wonderfully in TheatreWorks 54th season opener King James, award-winning Rajiv Joseph’s two-hander perspective on fandom and its effect on the relationship between two bros.
What did BroadwayWorld's critic think of CHOIR BOY at Shotgun Players? Read the review and learn about the production.
What did our critic think of RIDE THE CYCLONE at New Conservatory Theatre Center?
What did our critic think of THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG at SF Playhouse?
Bay Area musical icon Melissa Wolfklain delivers another bravura performance as country star Patsy Cline in Ted Swindley’s nostalgic jukebox musical play. Based on a true story of Cline’s friendship with a Houston super fan named Louise Seger, played with ebullient joy by Kimberley Donovan, the story is a loving homage to friendship and the singer’s incredible songbook.
What did our critic think of DOING ALRIGHT at Gateway Theater?
What did our critic think of GIRL FROM THE NORTH COUNTRY at Golden Gate Theatre?
What did our critic think of MRS. DOUBTFIRE at Orpheum Theatre?
The Help Is on The Way: BROADWAY & BEYOND 30th Anniversary Concert & Gala on Sun., July 14, 2024,7:30 pm is truly a milestone to be celebrated. When Ken Henderson and Joe Seiler began the Richmond / Ermet Aid Foundation in 1995 and producing these concerts, they could not have imagined how many lives have been affected, touched and made better due to their ability to bring the community, performers and the many beneficiaries together to give back and raise money for a myriad of worthy causes.
What did our critic think of MOTHER ROAD at Berkeley Repertory Theatre?
The Cher Show blows through town faster than the multitude of Bob Mackie costume changes and we’re better off for it. Even die-hard Cher fanatics had a challenging time mustering excitement for this tired jukebox musical, settling for the flash and cheese of 60’s style comic vignettes rather than delving into perhaps some interesting insight into the resilient pop icon who bucked the male dominated entertainment scene.
There are few things more glorious than over 300 voices raised in perfect harmony. Since 1978 the SFGMC has been a voice for uplifting the LGBTQIA+ community through times of great sorrow and joy. Persevering in the ugly face of intolerance and persecution, the chorus inspired a worldwide choral movement. This summer, they will tour the Midwest where antigay legislation is being enacted. Tuesday’s concert, a high note in their 46th season titled a “Season of Love”, turned Davies Hall into a cathedral, a scared space of inclusion, reverence, and light.
Let the tributes begin, and there will be many. The enduring legacy of Stephen Sondheim’s music is ours forever and his works ensure he’s one of Broadway’s greatest composers. He is Theatreworks’ most produced composer and Founding Artistic Director Robert Kelly collaborates with Resident Musical Director William Liberatore to celebrate the joyous and complicated human relationships prevalent throughout Sondheim’s musicals and plays.
What a mess – the characters I mean. Sondheim’s original Tony-winning play examines both the merit and harsh realities of relationships as seen through the perspective of a detached, intimacy avoiding individual. They’re all delightfully dysfunctional, their relationships messy, beautifully mirroring reality.
Who doesn’t like a good coming of age story, better yet a LGBTQ coming out story to boot? Mix a catchy pop/rock score, a delightfully innocent 16-year-old schoolboy, and some fabulous drag, and you have the makings of a hit show tailor-made for San Francisco’s audiences. Based on a true story and the 2011 documentary Jamie: Drag Queen at 16, this fictional musical follows Jaime New as he battles homophobia and prejudice to self-actualize into a fierce drag queen.
A fresh off the boat Jewish immigrant from Bavaria stands in awe of the musical box that in New York City in 1884. All he can repeat is Baruch Hashem (Blessed be God) and is amused when an immigration officer changes his name so easily from Chaim to Henry. This man is Henry Lehman who, along with his two brothers will create a financial firm that figured prominently in American history prior to its spectacular collapse triggering the largest financial crisis in history.
Center Repertory Company closes its 2023-24 season with a stunning production of the Tony Award-winning Kander and Ebb masterpiece Cabaret. Artistic Producer Markus Potter helms the finely tuned production with a stellar ensemble, marvelous musical direction and a supporting technical crew that confirms Center Rep as a powerhouse Bay Area theatre troupe.
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