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Pride Extension Announced For TRANSNATIONAL CABARET at New Conservatory Theatre Center
by BWW News Desk - June 02, 2021
In honor of Pride month and the Trans artists and activists who are a cornerstone of the LGBTQ+ community, New Conservatory Theatre Center has announced the extension of TransNational Cabaret, an exuberant performance dedicated to the power of being Trans.
Jeffrey Lo of WRITING FRAGMENTS HOME at TheatreWorks Silicon Valley Believes in the Power of Storytelling as a Tool to Foster Empathy
by Jim Munson - June 02, 2021
Jeffrey Lo seems to be just about everywhere these days. As if his day job as TheatreWorks Silicon Valley’s Director of Community Partnerships / Casting Director weren’t enough, he is also enjoying quite a successful career as a director and playwright. With the recent, tragic spike in prejudice and violence toward the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community, Lo decided to take action by calling on his own Filipino American heritage. He spearheaded TheatreWorks Silicon Valley’s efforts to stream a benefit reading of his play Writing Fragments Home to raise funds to support and uplift the AAPI community. The comedic play is an unapologetically Filipino American story about art, family, and culture. The top-flight cast includes stage veteran Emily Kuroda, perhaps best known for playing Mrs. Kim on TV’s Gilmore Girls. Co-presented by more than 40 leading theatres and arts organizations in the Bay Area and beyond, the reading will benefit Compassion in Oakland, a nonprofit formed in response to the surge of anti-Asian attacks and dedicated to promoting safety and community in Oakland Chinatown and beyond. Writing Fragments Home will be streamed live at 7pm PDT, Saturday, June 5, 2021 (with streaming on-demand access available June 6 to June 9). For more information, visit TheatreWorks.org.  BroadwayWorld with Lo last week about his impetus to write the play, how the benefit reading came together, his thoughts about Asian American representation in the theatre, and his experience working with some of his personal heroes. Lo is very easy to talk to – laid-back, thoughtful and self-effacing with an underlying gentle humor – all qualities which likely serve him well in his roles at TheatreWorks. At the same time, I got the impression he is someone who knows how to step up to the plate and get the job done.
TheatreFIRST Presents Three Plays For Pride
by BWW News Desk - June 01, 2021
TheatreFIRST continues its 20-21 virtual season with three unique narratives that center the queer experience.
Oaklash Drag & Queer Performance Festival Takes Place This Weekend
by BWW News Desk - May 29, 2021
From Friday May 28th to Sunday May 30th, over one hundred drag kings, queens, and queer performers from the Bay Area and beyond will perform online for the fourth annual Oaklash Drag & Queer Performance Festival.
Festival Napa Valley Launches Manetti Shrem Program
by BWW News Desk - May 28, 2021
Festival Napa Valley announces the launch of the Manetti Shrem Opera Program, a major new initiative designed to nurture the creative careers of gifted singers.
Theatre Rhinoceros Presents PILLOW TALK
by BWW News Desk - May 28, 2021
Theatre Rhinoceros presents Pillow Talk, a world premiere commission, written by Kheven LaGrone and directed by Tanika Baptiste. Streaming live  June 11-20, 2021*
Plethos Productions Presents UNCORKED Stand Up Comedy Show
by BWW News Desk - May 28, 2021
Enjoy a lineup of 5 hilarious comedians, live, interactive and entertaining you IN-PERSON at Twining Vine Winery in Castro Valley! 
IMMERSIVE VAN GOGH San Francisco Launches Yoga Classes
by BWW News Desk - May 27, 2021
Today, Immersive Van Gogh—the original, blockbuster exhibition that invites audiences to step inside post-Impressionist artist Vincent van Gogh's most incredible works of art—announced the launch of Gogh with Lifeway Kefir Immersive Yoga.
San Francisco Opera's IN SONG: PENE PATI Now Available
by BWW News Desk - May 27, 2021
San Francisco Opera's new short-form song and storytelling video portrait series, In Song, continues with the premiere of In Song: Pene Pati.
Dragon Productions Theatre Company Extends Run of Drive-In Variety Show Through June
by BWW News Desk - May 27, 2021
The Dragon, a theatre company based in Redwood City, will be extending its run of At the Port: Dragon's Drive-In Variety Show, presented in partnership with Redwood City Parks, Recreation, and Community Services, through June 2021.
Berkeley Playhouse Welcomes Producing Director Of Education & Mainstage
by BWW News Desk - May 26, 2021
Berkeley Playhouse has announced the addition of Melissa Rivera, a California-born Latina performer, educator, and theater professional to its full time staff. Rivera will join the Berkeley Playhouse leadership team as Producing Director of Education & Mainstage. After an extensive search, Executive Artistic Director Kimberly Dooley, Managing Director Mary K. Lins, and the Berkeley Playhouse Board of Directors confidently selected Rivera as their choice for this new position.
Diablo Ballet Presents LOVE STORIES, June 18
by BWW News Desk - May 26, 2021
Diablo Ballet virtually presents the final program of its 27th Season, Love Stories, June 18-27, featuring three ballets, including the romantic duet Carousel (A Dance) inspired by the Broadway musical by renowned choreographer Christopher Wheeldon. 
BWW Review: SWAN LAKE at San Francisco Ballet Offers a Welcome Opportunity to Revisit an All-Time Classic
by Jim Munson - May 26, 2021
San Francisco Ballet brings its extremely successful 2021 Digital Season to a close by revisiting that all-time classic, Swan Lake, in a production choreographed by Artistic Director Helgi Tomasson back in 2009, and captured on video in 2016. Swan Lake is a particular favorite of mine, so I was sincerely looking forward to seeing it again and would love to be able to report that SFB was ending their season on a high note. Alas, that isn’t quite the case here. Instead, it was a little like re-encountering a long-lost friend who is going through a bit of a rough patch. It’s still lovely to see them, but they do seem to be missing some of the spring in their step.
Napa Valley Museum Yountville Reopens June 18
by BWW News Desk - May 26, 2021
The Napa Valley Museum Yountville is reopening all galleries to the public on Friday, June 18, 2021 at 11 am. The Museum will reopen on a modified schedule: Fridays through Sundays from 11 to 4 (except major holidays).
San Francisco Opera's IN SONG: PENE PATI Released Thursday, May 27
by BWW News Desk - May 25, 2021
San Francisco Opera's new short-form song and storytelling video portrait series, In Song, continues May 27 with the premiere of In Song: Pene Pati. To celebrate the release of this new episode, a live conversation between the Samoan-born tenor and In Song director and executive producer Elena Park will be streamed Thursday at 4 pm Pacific on Facebook and YouTube.
AlterTheater Expands Arts Learning Project For Native Youth, Hires Tanis Parenteau
by BWW News Desk - May 25, 2021
AlterTheater will expand its Arts Learning Project for Native Youth, safely adding in-person summer programming according to COVID protocols in some reservation communities, while expanding virtual programming. To help with the expansion, the company has hired Tanis Parenteau as its new Tribal Liaison and Outreach Coordinator, joining Education Director Teresa Melendez.
Remote Studios And The Marsh Present Reading Of Caridad Svich's  THE BOOK OF MAGDALENE
by BWW News Desk - May 25, 2021
The Marsh partners with Remote Studios will present a reading of Caridad Svich's new drama, The Book of Magdalene, as part of a newly launched month web show of readings on its digital platform, MarshStream.
Jeff Greenwald of 108 BELOVED OBJECTS at The Marsh Makes it OK to Let Go of Material Things by Holding Onto Their Stories
by Jim Munson - May 25, 2021
If you've been spending some of your pandemic downtime attempting to declutter your life and have found yourself struggling to let go of certain items of no discernable value or use, Jeff Greenwald has got just the show for you. On May 29th, the acclaimed travel writer and performer will bring his new show, 108 Beloved Objects, to The Marsh, inviting audiences to rethink how we interact with the material world. When his travel assignments dried up due to the COVID pandemic, Greenwald used that as an opportunity to embark on an inward journey around his Oakland flat, ultimately picking out 108 objects that evoked personal passages. Greenwald parts with these items and introduces an element of chance by inviting five audience members to pick one object that catches their eye from a grid of 16 images. Whether it's a toy camera or a dolphin tooth necklace, each item has its own fascinating tale to tell, leading to a series of unexpected encounters and surprising destinations that are humorous, thought-provoking and deeply personal. Immediately following the performance Greenwald will be joined by The Marsh Founder/Artistic Director Stephanie Weisman for a Q&A. 108 Beloved Objects will be streamed at 7:30pm (PDT) on Saturday, May 29. For more information, visit www.themarsh.org/marshstream. BroadwayWorld spoke with Greenwald last week from his flat in Oakland, California. This past, essentially homebound year has definitely been a strange one for someone like him who makes his living largely as a travel writer. We talked about how his original impetus to declutter his life led to this new solo show, his thoughts on why we get so attached to certain objects and what their ultimate function might be, and his challenges as a self-professed non-actor to become a successful solo performer. As might be expected for such an inveterate traveler, Greenwald is an inherently interesting interview. He is very comfortable chatting with folks (like me) whom he's never met, readily offers up little bits of insight gleaned from his exposure to so many different cultures, and isn't reticent to gently question some of his interviewer's assumptions. He also has an understated sense of humor that often lies just below the surface of his actual words.
Playful People Productions Presents Taiko Drumming Workshop
by BWW News Desk - May 25, 2021
After being shuttered due to COVID, The Sherman Players have announced their return. President Steve Stott says of the announcement “I’m excited we’re finally able to get back to what we love!  It’s been a long year!”. This year The Sherman Players will offer a series of arts events and theatrical offerings on their mainstage and beyond.
IN THE HEIGHTS, EVERYBODY'S TALKING ABOUT JAMIE Will Premiere Special Screenings at Frameline Film Festival
by Sarah Jae Leiber - May 25, 2021
On June 11th and 12th, fans in San Francisco will be able to enjoy premieres of movie musicals 'In The Heights' and 'Everybody's Talking About Jamie' at Frameline Film Festival. 
Brian Copeland's Critically Acclaimed NOT A GENUINE BLACK MAN Comes To MarshStream
by BWW News Desk - May 24, 2021
The Juneteenth celebration will continue when The Marsh presents a special, one-night-only performance of Not a Genuine Black Man, the longest running solo show in San Francisco theater history, to its digital platform, MarshStream. This funny, honest, and harrowing piece by award-winning actor, playwright, and talk show host Brian Copeland recounts the struggles Copeland faced growing up in what was declared one of the most racist suburbs in America.
Opera San José Extends Virtual Hit LOVE & SECRETS; Ticket Sales Must Close June 13
by BWW News Desk - May 24, 2021
Due to popular demand, Opera San José has announced the extension of its critically acclaimed digital offering, Love & Secrets: A Domestic Trilogy, tales of passion and yearning in which three couples contend with the tumult, joy, and heartache of love.
Dates Announced for THE WINTER'S TALE at California Shakespeare Theater
by BWW News Desk - May 24, 2021
California Shakespeare Theater (Cal Shakes) has announced The Winter’s Tale will run from September 1-26 at the Bruns Amphitheater. The production, previously announced in February as part of the Season of Shared Light, will be directed by Artistic Director Eric Ting in an adaptation by Ting and Resident Dramaturg Philippa Kelly. 
Grammy Winner Eric Whitacre Conducts First Ever Live Virtual Chorus Using Groundbreaking Tech
by BWW News Desk - May 21, 2021
Grammy Award-winning conductor and composer Eric Whitacre, whose worldwide audiences for virtual choir performances number in the millions, will use groundbreaking technology from JackTrip Labs to create his first ever live virtual performance, conducting dozens of young chorus members singing in synch while hundreds of miles apart.
Pear Theatre Announces 20th Season!
by BWW News Desk - May 20, 2021
After one of the most difficult years for live theatre, Pear Theatre is proud to announces its 20th anniversary season: 20 PearFect Years, Now 20 More. This exciting and ambitious lineup pairs new shows with shows that the Pear has done in the past, with many of the production slots performing in repertory (“Pear Pairings”). 

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