THE JEWELRY BOX Returning to The Marsh

The Marsh presents the return of THE JEWELRY BOX, a family friendly holiday show by award-winning performer Brian Copeland (Not a Genuine Black Man, The Waiting Period, The Scion) and directed by David Ford. THE JEWELRY BOX will play Fridays at 8pm and Saturdays at 5pm and 8pm, November 27 - December 19, 2015 at The Marsh San Francisco, 1062 Valencia Street. For tickets ($30-$100) the public may visit www.themarsh.org or call 415-282-3055 between 1:00 pm and 4:00 pm, Monday through Friday.

In this hilariously heartwarming story, a prequel to Copeland's hit solo show Not a Genuine Black Man, a young Brian heads to the "mean streets" of Oakland to buy his mom a Christmas present. When he finds the perfect gift - a jewelry box in the White Front store - six-year-old Brian sets out to earn the required $11.97 by Christmas Eve. Rife with references to 1970s Oakland, THE JEWELRY BOX follows Brian's adventures as he scours the "help wanted" ads, applies for jobs, and collects bottles, inching his way toward the perfect Christmas gift. After making its World Premiere in 2013, the show was an instant success, selling out shows and proving popular with audiences and critics alike. It was declared "destined to be a holiday classic" by The San Francisco Examiner, and The San Francisco Chronicle wrote that the show "glitters with bright comedy."

Brian Copeland has been in show business since he first stepped on the comedy stage at age 18. Soon, he was headlining clubs and concerts across the country and opening for such artists as Smokey Robinson, The Temptations, Ringo Starr, and Aretha Franklin, in venues from The Universal Amphitheater to Constitution Hall in Washington DC. Copeland then branched off into television, appearing on comedy programs on NBC, A&E and MTV. He spent five years as co-host of San Francisco FOX affiliate KTVU breakfast program Mornings on 2 and two years hosting San Francisco ABC affiliate KGO's Emmy Award winning afternoon talk show 7Live. In 1995, KGO Radio premiered "The Brian Copeland Show." With his unique blend of humor and riveting talk, the program remains the most listened to program in its time slot, reaching more than 100,000 listeners. His first network special, NOW BRIAN COPELAND, premiered recently on NBC.

Copeland's other theatrical work includes The Waiting Period, a solo play about his lifelong struggle with depression, and The Scion, a tale of privilege, murder, and sausage, which received its World Premiere in January 2014.

David Ford is a director, collaborator, and Goldie Award-winning playwright who has worked on countless solo shows over his 25-year career in the business. Frequently working on projects at The Marsh, Ford has collaborated with many Bay Area favorites including Charlie Varon, Marilyn Pitman, Geoff Hoyle, and Cherry Terror.