A Chorus Line James Kirkwood and Nicolas Dante (Book): Marvin Hamlisch (Music); Edward Kleban (Lyrics) Originally Conceived by Michael Bennett San Francisco Playhouse What is immediately striking as the twenty-four dancing hopefuls both sprint and shuffle onto the stage is the wide variety of shapes, sizes, races, and ages among them. At first glance, many of them is … [Read more...] about A Chorus Line
San Francisco Playhouse
Chinglish
Chinglish David Henry Hwang San Francisco Playhouse With a congenial big smile behind the center-stage lectern, American businessman Daniel Cavanaugh punctuates his talk on “Doing Business in China” with examples how Chinese interpreters often massacre common English phrases in commercial signage, with “Chief Financial Officer” becoming “Financial Affairs Is Everywhere … [Read more...] about Chinglish
Cashed Out
Cashed Out Claude Jackson, Jr. San Francisco Playhouse Walking into the theatre and seeing the impressive scenic design of Tanya Orellana, my expectations for San Francisco Playhouse’s world premiere of Cashed Out only increased. Already I was excited that this commissioned work coming from the Playhouse’s pandemic Zoomlet series of ten-minute plays is written by a … [Read more...] about Cashed Out
The Paper Dreams of Harry Chin
The Paper Dreams of Harry Chin Jessica Huang San Francisco Playhouse “America is lonely. Yes. Is hard. Is ugly. Is angry. Is scary. But maybe. Maybe not. Maybe not so much. Maybe home. Someday.” In a country where nearly all the present population once immigrated from somewhere else, the United States has historically been plummeted with wave after wave of … [Read more...] about The Paper Dreams of Harry Chin
Water by the Spoonful
Water by the Spoonful Quiara Alegría Hudes San Francisco Playhouse Remaining estranged from a son for ten years. Maneuvering through a messy divorce. Refusing any sort of relationship with a birth mother while caring for the dying aunt (her sister) who raised him. Being the mother now detested by your son. Wanting to find the Japanese birth parents … [Read more...] about Water by the Spoonful
Heroes of the Fourth Turning
As birds chirp from every direction, a backwoods cabin sits against a backdrop of giant pines, lined up like sentry soldiers guarding under a Wyoming sky whose stars begin to peak through their needles. Intermittent chords resembling a distant foghorn are heard as we settle into our seats; but there is something ominous in their low, haunting sounds. As the play progresses, … [Read more...] about Heroes of the Fourth Turning
Art (A Review of a Filmed & Streamed Live Performance)
After almost seven months of watching all the Netflix and Amazon Prime series that I have missed in the past twenty years of annually seeing 150+ live performances on local and worldwide stages, I have been finally lured back to local theatre. What has prompted me to write my first review since March 12 is San Francisco Playhouse’s bold step to become one of the first theatres … [Read more...] about Art (A Review of a Filmed & Streamed Live Performance)
Tiny Beautiful Things
“Dear Sugar, ... I’m secretly addicted to pain meds.” “Dear Sugar, Icky thoughts turn me on …” “Dear Sugar, My wife drinks while I am at work …” “Dear Sugar, My daughter has a tumor … and I find myself doubting God’s existence.” “Dear Sugar, My birth mother doesn’t want to meet me.” “Dear Sugar, What the fuck, what the fuck, what the fuck? I’m asking this … [Read more...] about Tiny Beautiful Things
Groundhog Day The Musical
Phil is pissed, big time. That Pittsburg’s best-known, TV weatherman has to drag himself on February 2 to the podunk town of Punxsutawney, PA to provide live coverage for the stupid tradition of having someone declare if a so-called groundhog named Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow or not is totally insulting. To make it worse, on his way to the annual ceremony on Gobbler’s … [Read more...] about Groundhog Day The Musical
The Daughters
In 1955 their meeting in a San Francisco apartment could have resulted in all of them being arrested, losing their jobs, and being shunned by family and friends. In 2015, their having a special place in the City by the Bay to meet was deemed as no longer needed (or financially viable). In a matter of sixty years, was it time to declare triumphantly, “Face it, we won!” as … [Read more...] about The Daughters
“Dance Nation”
Dance Nation Clare Barron San Francisco Playhouse The Cast of Dance Nation Thirteen. Oh, God, when I remember thirteen, I get this strange knot in my stomach and a wave of brief nausea. I was already six-foot, two-inches, and stuck out like a sore thumb in the school hallway. I was awkward and stumbled over my size-twelve feet; my voice squeaked; my thick glasses … [Read more...] about “Dance Nation”
“Cabaret”
CabaretJoe Masteroff (Book); John Kander (Music); Fred Ebb (Lyrics)San Francisco PlayhouseJohn Paul Gonzalez & the Kit Kat DancersSince its 1966 Broadway debut and its initial eight Tonys, Cabaret has continued to evolve through several major, award-winning revivals in both New York and London, becoming ever darker, starker, and rawer with each new production during its … [Read more...] about “Cabaret”
“Significant Other”
Significant OtherJoshua HarmonSan Francisco PlayhouseRubio Qian, Kyle Cameron, Hayley Lovgren & Nicole-Azalee Danielle‘Always a bridesmaid and never a bride’ is difficult enough to swallow if you’re the near-thirty-something who is feeling the impact of that cliché, but what if you would at least like to be a bridesmaid but your besties never ask you? For Jordan … [Read more...] about “Significant Other”
“Yoga Play”
Yoga PlayDipika GuhaSan Francisco PlayhouseRyan Morales, Bobak Cyrus Bakhitiari, Craig Marker (on screen) & Susi DamilanoWho wouldn’t want to run out and buy a pair of soft, stretchy pants with “slow-release, organic lavender activated by water” that has made focus group participants “want to hold on to their clothes even after a sweaty yoga class”? The executive team … [Read more...] about “Yoga Play”
“King of the Yees”
King of the YeesLauren YeeSan Francisco PlayhouseKrystle Piamonte & Francis Jue“I am Lauren Yee, and this is a story, a true story, about my dad, about dying Chinatowns, about how things fall apart and how to say goodbye.”But the “two-hander” play that Lauren Yee thinks she has written and is now in its opening minutes at San Francisco Playhouse (with one actor playing her … [Read more...] about “King of the Yees”
