Kpfa - Bay Area Theater

KPFA Theatre critic Richard Wolinsky reviews the Broadway-bound revival of “The Wiz” at BroadwaySF Golden Gate Theatre through Feb. 11, 2024 The post Review: “The Wiz” at BroadwaySF Golden Gate Theatre appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA theatre critic Richard Wolinsky reviews “Just For Us” with Alex Edelman, at Berkeley Rep’s Peets Theatre through January 21, 2024. The post Review: “Just For Us” at Berkeley Rep Peets Theatre appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA theatre critic Richard Wolinsky discusses the year in theatre in the Bay Area in 2023, plus a top ten list and two honorable mentions.   Text of the podcast. In the Bay Area, Live theatre companies continued in 2023 to adapt to the post-Covid world. While movie audience sizes seems to be returning to pre-pandemic numbers. live theater remains mostly on life support across the board, mainly because season subscriptions are down by at least a third or maybe more, which means theatergoers are buying tickets on a show by show basis. That makes planning difficult, and it also means artistic directors are less likely to produce shows that are more challenging in favor of audiences pleasers such as musicals, comedies, and most importantly, the warhorses that folks are willing to see over and over again. The great multi-theatre venue, Piano Fight, in the Tenderloin closed its doors in March, leaving a host of younger theatregoers bereft. Bay Area Musicals didn’t survive the pandemic, and its successor Landmark M

KPFA theatre critic Richard Wolinsky reviews “Harry Clarke” at Berkeley Rep Roda Theatre through December 23, 2023. The post Review: “Harry Clarke” at Berkeley Rep Roda Theatre appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA theatre critic Richard Wolinsky reviews “Guys & Dolls” at San Francisco Playhouse through January 13, 2023. The post Review: “Guys & Dolls” at SF Playhouse appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA theatre critic Richard Wolinsky reviews “1984,” an adaptation of the George Orwell novel by Michael Gene Sullivan, directed by Barbara Damashek, at Aurora Theatre Company through December 10, 2023. The post Review: “1984” at Aurora Theatre Company appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA theatre critic Richard Wolinsky reviews “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” at Shotgun Players Ashby Stage through December 30, 2023. The post Review: “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” at Shotgun Players Ashby Stage appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA theatre critic Richard Wolinsky reviews “Bulrusher” by Eisa Davis, at Berkeley Rep’s Peets Theatre through December 3, 2023. The post Review: “Bulrusher,” at Berkeley Rep Peets Theatre appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA theatre critic Richard Wolinsky reviews “Nollywood Dreams” by Jocelyn Bioh at San Francisco Playhouse through November 4, 2023. The post Review: “Nollywood Dreams” at San Francisco Playhouse appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA theatre critic Richard Wolinsky reviews “The Hippest Trip: The Soul Train Musical” at the ACT Toni Rembe (Geary) Theatre through October 8, 2023. The post Review: “The Hippest Trip: The Soul Train Musical” at ACT Toni Rembe Theatre appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA theatre critic Richard Wolinsky reviews “Odyssey,” written and directed by Lisa Peterson, at Marin Theatre Company through September 24, 2023. The post Review: “Odyssey” at Marin Theatre Company appeared first on KPFA.

Giovanna Sardelli, Artistic Director of TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, in conversation with host Richard Wolinsky. Before becoming Artistic Director in July 2023, Giovanna Sardelli served as Artistic Director of TheatreWorks New Works since 2014. A noted stage director, she has worked closely with Tony winner Matthew Lopez and Pulitzer finalist Rajiv Joseph, among others, and has directed at several regional and New York theaters, along with several productions at TheatreWorks. Before joining TheatreWorks she served on the faculty at NYU Tisch School of the Arts, and before that had an acting career. In this conversation, she discusses TheatreWorks’ current financial challenges, along with a look at the upcoming season. The post Interview: Giovanna Sardelli, Artistic Director, TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, 2023 appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA theatre critic Richard Wolinsky reviews “A Chorus Line” at San Francisco Playhouse through September 16, 2023. The post Review: A Chorus Line” at San Francisco Playhouse appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA theatre critic Richard Wolinsky reviews “Mahabharata,” a co-production of Oakland Theatre Project and Z Space, at Z Space through August 20, 2023. The post Review: “Mahabharata” at Z Space appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA theatre critic Richard Wolinsky reviews “Josephine’s Feast,” from Campo Santo and The Magic Theatre, at the Magic Theatre in San Francisco through August 20, 2023. The post Review: “Josephine’s Feast” at the Magic Theatre appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA theatre critic Richard Wolinsky reviews “The Wizard of Oz” at ACT’s Toni Rembe (Geary) Theatre through June 25, 2023. The post Review: “The Wizard of Oz” at ACT Toni Rembe (Geary) Theatre appeared first on KPFA.

Susi Damilano and Bill English, co-founders of San Francisco Playhouse. Bill English, Artistic Director of San Francisco Playhouse, in conversation with Richard Wolinsky, recorded via Zencastr May 29, 2023. San Francisco Playhouse was founded in 2003 by Bill English and Susi Damilano and has grown into a major regional theatre, with several world premieres later moving on to future productions in New York and elsewhere. In this interview, Bill English discusses the current show at San Francisco Playhouse, Chinglish by David Henry Hwang, which runs through June 10, 2023, and the upcoming production of A Chorus Line, which starts previews on June 22, 2023. He also talks about the upcoming 2023-2024 season, as well as the state of the company three years after the pandemic shutdown. The post Interview: Bill English, San Francisco Playhouse appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA theatre critic Richard Wolinsky reviews “Let The Right One In” at Berkeley Rep‘s Roda Theatre through June 25, 2023. The post Review: “Let The Right One In” at Berkeley Rep appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA theatre critic Richard Wolinsky reviews “English” at Berkeley Rep Peets Theatre and “Poor Yella Rednecks: Vietgone 2” at ACT Strand Theatre. The post Review: “English” at Berkeley Rep; “Poor Yella Rednecks, Vietgone 2” at ACT Strand appeared first on KPFA.

KPFA theatre critic Richard Wolinsky reviews “The Triumph of Love” at Shotgun Players Ashby Stage through April 23, 2023. The post Review: “The Triumph of Love” at Shotgun Players Ashby Stage appeared first on KPFA.