Club Fugazi Experiences Unveils Name Of Brand-New Production

Today, Club Fugazi Experiences Executive Director David Dower announced the name of the brand-new theatrical experience debuting at San Francisco's historic Club Fugazi.

Launching this fall, Dear San Francisco: A High-Flying Love Story is an intimate and immersive resident production from The 7 Fingers, one of the world's leading contemporary circus arts companies. Created by Bay Area natives and The 7 Fingers co-founders Shana Carroll and Gypsy Snider, Dear San Francisco will pay homage to the stunning beauty, storied characters, and astounding resilience of the City by the Bay.

"Dear San Francisco is the result of a lifelong love affair with the city that continues to reinvent, redefine, and inspire awe," said Snider and Carroll in a joint statement. "A theatrical love letter of sorts, our hope is that this production will create a shining and welcoming light for all in the San Francisco Bay Area."

Preview performances of Dear San Francisco begin Wednesday, September 22, ahead of its world premiere on Tuesday, October 12. The regular performance schedule for Dear San Francisco is as follows: Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays at 7:30 p.m.; Saturdays at 2 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.; and Sundays at 2 p.m. & 6 p.m. Press night will be held on Tuesday, October 12, 2021.

Tickets are on-sale through Thursday, December 30, 2021. Specially-priced preview performance tickets (September 22-October 10) are available for $25-$39. Regular performance tickets (beginning October 13) range in price from $35-$89. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit www.clubfugazisf.com or call 415-273-0600. Prices subject to change without notice.

Powered by exhilarating acrobatics, choreography, spoken word, video projections, shadow play, and original music, Dear San Francisco invites locals and visitors alike on a heart-stopping romp through both the essence and the myth that has San Francisco indelibly etched on our collective imagination. From the Gold Rush and 1906 earthquake to the beat poetry and the mysterious fog, San Francisco comes vividly to life through a series of tableaus (acts)-including hoop diving, Chinese pole, Korean plank, hand-balancing, juggling, and "hand-to-trap" (a form first created by Shana Carroll)-performed by an international cast of world-class acrobats including Isabella Diaz (United States), Melvin Diggs (United States), Devin Henderson (United States), Ruben Ingwersen (Australia), Kalani June (United States), Jérémi Levesque (Canada), Natasha Patterson (United States), Enmeng Song (China), and Junru Wang (China).

Said Dower: "Coming out of the fog of 2020 and the litany of calamities and challenges that had befallen our city in the years leading up to that, we wanted to offer a story-and an experience-that reawakens our collective sense of joy among those of us who have loved San Francisco all along, and reveals its enigmatic gifts to people discovering San Francisco for the first time. The city's flag aptly features a picture of a Phoenix. San Francisco is born to rise, over and over again. Circus is the perfect storytelling mode to deliver that sense of unstoppable resilience at the heart of the matter for all of us."

Circus arts has a long and rich history in San Francisco, starting in 1974 with the founding of The Pickle Family Circus where Carroll and Snider both had their first foray as performing artists. The iconic Bay Area troupe is credited with being a pillar in the founding of what is now known as San Francisco's Circus Center. Both organizations were pivotal in the contemporary circus movement that took place throughout the United States and expanded globally. In the late 80's, Master Lu Yi was brought in by The Pickles and the school to introduce the community to traditional Chinese acrobatics. His work continued to establish his legacy as a world-renowned instructor who has inspired, trained, and championed a generation of circus artists. The heritage of his work is honored in Dear San Francisco.

Adds Carroll and Snider: "Master Lu Yi is an iconic figure in the history of Circus in San Francisco. He has influenced much of the work of The 7 Fingers and, by extension, has inspired circus arts around the world. We are forever grateful to him."

To further enhance the Club Fugazi experience, guests of Dear San Francisco can enjoy a curated menu of cicchetti (small bites and plates) sourced from local purveyors, plus a selection of wines and beers that complement the club's Italian roots. Food and beverage service will be available at every seat in the venue and the unique design of the Club's seating will allow for patrons to arrive early, socialize with groups, and mingle with the performers following the show.

"Club Fugazi has had many iterations-even different names-throughout the years, but it has always been a social club, and always celebrated its Italian roots," said General Manager Eric Eislund. "We are leaning into the word 'Club' in our name and creating an experience we hope people will want to return to over and over."

Additional arts initiatives and events from Club Fugazi Experiences-including late-night and off-night programming featuring spoken word, live music, and comedy-will be announced at a later date.

The creative team for Dear San Francisco includes Gypsy Snider (Artistic Director), Shana Carroll (Artistic Director), Alexander V. Nichols (Production Designer), Colin Gagne (Composer), Jake Rodriguez (Sound Designer), and Keiko Carreiro (Costume Designer).

The Club Fugazi Experiences team includes David Dower (Co-Producer and Executive Director), Eric Eislund (Co-Producer and General Manager), and Deborah Barrera (Co-Producer). Nassib El-Husseini, CEO of The 7 Fingers, serves as Executive Producer.

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