Both irreverent and surprisingly sentimental, "The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas" is the classic country-western musical comedy based on the strange-but-true story of the real-life Chicken Ranch bro... [more+]

Both irreverent and surprisingly sentimental, "The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas" is the classic country-western musical comedy based on the strange-but-true story of the real-life Chicken Ranch brothel. Protected by a friendly sheriff and frequented by governors, senators, mayors and even victorious college football teams, Miss Mona's cozy bordello thrives in the small town of Gilbert -- until a puritan nemesis in the guise of a crusading do-gooder focuses his television cameras and his righteous indignation on the institution and tries to shut it down. Nominated for a passel of Tonys in its original '79 Broadway run and turned into a hit film starring Burt Reynolds and Dolly Parton, this latest production comes to the Gateway Theatre in San Francisco, courtesy of 42nd Street Moon. [less-]

The Tony Award-nominated Broadway musical "A Night with Janis Joplin" is a musical journey celebrating Janis Joplin and her biggest musical influences-trailblazers like Aretha Franklin, Etta James, Od... [more+]

The Tony Award-nominated Broadway musical "A Night with Janis Joplin" is a musical journey celebrating Janis Joplin and her biggest musical influences-trailblazers like Aretha Franklin, Etta James, Odetta, Nina Simone and Bessie Smith, all of whom inspired Joplin to become one of Rock n Rolls greatest legends. Like a comet that burns far too brightly to last, Joplin exploded onto the music scene in 1967 and, almost overnight, became the Queen of Rock n Roll. Her unmistakable voice, filled with raw emotion and tinged with Southern Comfort, made Joplin a must-see headliner from Monterey to Woodstock. Audiences will enjoy Joplin's favorites, including "Piece of My Heart," "Cry Baby," "Me and Bobby McGee" and many others. See Turnaround Artists' production of "A Night with Janis Joplin" at Lesher Center for the Arts in Walnut Creek. Mary Bridget Davies, who received a Tony nomination for Best Lead Actress in a Musical for her performance as Janis in "A Night with Janis Joplin", will be performing most evening performances. [less-]

Winner of the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, "Sweat" is the scorching new play from Lynn Nottage ("Ruined") that "The New York Times" called "keenly observed and surprisingly funny ... throbs with hea... [more+]

Winner of the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, "Sweat" is the scorching new play from Lynn Nottage ("Ruined") that "The New York Times" called "keenly observed and surprisingly funny ... throbs with heartfelt life. " In the industrial town of Reading, Pennsylvania, a group of friends spend their days on the factory floor and their nights sharing drinks, secrets and laughs. But then layoffs and picket lines begin to erode their trust, and they find themselves pitted against each other in a heart-wrenching fight for self-preservation. Based on Nottage's extensive research and interviews with residents of Reading and arriving at A.C.T. in San Francisco after a heralded Broadway run, "Sweat" is a searing reflection of America's economic decline. [less-]

A holiday mash-up for the entire family, "The Hip Hop Nutcracker" is an internationally touring contemporary work set to Tchaikovsky's timeless music. "The Hip Hop Nutcracker" will feature MC Kurtis B... [more+]

A holiday mash-up for the entire family, "The Hip Hop Nutcracker" is an internationally touring contemporary work set to Tchaikovsky's timeless music. "The Hip Hop Nutcracker" will feature MC Kurtis Blow, one of hip hop's founding fathers, opening the show with a short set before rapping the introduction. Directed and choreographed by Jennifer Weber, "The Hip Hop Nutcracker" is a full-length production performed by a supercharged cast of a dozen all-star dancers, DJ and an electric violinist. Through the spells cast by the mysterious Drosselmeyer, Maria-Clara and her prince, Myron, travel back in time to the moment when her parents first meet in a nightclub. Digital scenery transforms E.T.A. Hoffmann's story of a palace of sugarplums into a romance set in 1980s Brooklyn. The dance work celebrates love, community and the magic of New Year's Eve, and is coming to Oakland's Paramount Theatre. [less-]

A mother's love and the spoils of war collide in this family affair. Black Repertory Group Theater's New Arts Experience presents "No! Not My Son". It's a poignant look at the highs and lows of a fami... [more+]

A mother's love and the spoils of war collide in this family affair. Black Repertory Group Theater's New Arts Experience presents "No! Not My Son". It's a poignant look at the highs and lows of a family and community caught in the grip of drug addiction. Preston Thomas has returned from the Vietnam War and brought some demons home with him. To escape the death and destruction he's witnessed, he turns to drugs and his friends and family each have their own way of dealing with his situation. [less-]

The "musically thrilling" award-winning, undie-rock, comedy-pop duo The Skivvies -- featuring Lauren Molina and Nick Cearley -- make their Feinstein's at the Nikko debut with "I Touch My Elf". In this... [more+]

The "musically thrilling" award-winning, undie-rock, comedy-pop duo The Skivvies -- featuring Lauren Molina and Nick Cearley -- make their Feinstein's at the Nikko debut with "I Touch My Elf". In this outrageous San Francisco evening, Molina and Cearley will perform stripped-down, mashed-up versions of holiday favorites playing cello, ukulele, glockenspiel, melodica and other zany instruments while wearing their underwear. Broadway hunk Nick Adams ("Priscilla, Queen of the Desert", "La Cage Aux Follies", "Wicked", "A Chorus Line") joins them with additional guest stars to be announced at a later date. "The Wall Street Journal" called the show "smart, sophisticated ... ingenious," while "Out" magazine says "an unusual explosion of satire and sultry, while "The New York Times" dubbed The Skivvies "a hot musical comedy duo specializing in unexpected arrangements, incongruous mashups, and of course highly toned displays of skin." [less-]

From the top-quality live musical guests to its exceptional Southern cuisine, Biscuits & Blues is the perfect San Francisco spot to enjoy a night of down-home entertainment nearly every night of the w... [more+]

From the top-quality live musical guests to its exceptional Southern cuisine, Biscuits & Blues is the perfect San Francisco spot to enjoy a night of down-home entertainment nearly every night of the week. Located in the heart of the theater district, this intimate venue hosts the best regional and national blues and jazz acts in a comfortable, close-up setting that's open to all ages. Voted America's No. 1 blues nightclub by The Blues Foundation and the Bay Area Blues Society, it's also known for serving up some of the best fried chicken in the entire region, not to mention California wines, microbrews and specialty cocktails. [less-]

Experience San Francisco's Downtown hot spot for salsa, bachata and urban Latin dancing. Every Saturday night, San Francisco's Cadillac Bar features the hottest DJs, featuring Chuy Gomez, Tony O, Muar... [more+]

Experience San Francisco's Downtown hot spot for salsa, bachata and urban Latin dancing. Every Saturday night, San Francisco's Cadillac Bar features the hottest DJs, featuring Chuy Gomez, Tony O, Muaricio, Andres Antonio, Walt Digz and many more. You can even get a dance lesson from seasoned instructors Noelanie and Ruth. [less-]

For some 30 years, Cobb's Comedy Club has been one of the hottest venues on the stand-up circuit, hosting both up-and-comers and established comics. Known for developing some of the country's top perf... [more+]

For some 30 years, Cobb's Comedy Club has been one of the hottest venues on the stand-up circuit, hosting both up-and-comers and established comics. Known for developing some of the country's top performers -- including stars like Robin Williams, Patton Oswalt and Margaret Cho -- the club's famed showcases feature the funniest rising comics in the Bay Area and beyond, many of whom already boast major TV credits. A fixture in San Francisco's famous North Beach, Cobb's offers a complete dinner menu and full-service bar for a complete evening of entertainment. [less-]

With over 30 million YouTube fans worldwide, San Francisco's Voices of Music is the most popular early music ensemble in the United States by a wide margin, and one of the most popular ensembles in an... [more+]

With over 30 million YouTube fans worldwide, San Francisco's Voices of Music is the most popular early music ensemble in the United States by a wide margin, and one of the most popular ensembles in any genre of classical music, in the world. Performed in beautiful cathedrals around the Bay Area, their authentic interpretations of virtuoso baroque concertos are an especially vibrant treat for the ears, as the small, tight-knit group present beguiling and even playful arrangements for violins, cellos, organ and other instruments. Interpreting works by masters ranging from Vivaldi to Bach, this spectacularly talented group of musicians will transport you to another time. [less-]

Shelton Theater celebrates 25 years in San Francisco with the Bay Area premiere of Tennessee Williams' black comedy play "Baby Doll". The story follows a virgin child bride and her alcoholic husband i... [more+]

Shelton Theater celebrates 25 years in San Francisco with the Bay Area premiere of Tennessee Williams' black comedy play "Baby Doll". The story follows a virgin child bride and her alcoholic husband in a revenge plot of seduction and justice. The film was created at the height of Williams' genius and reveals the master storyteller's vision of seduction, empathy and cruelty in the Deep South. This is your chance to see the lurid, controversial tale by the Tony and Pulitzer Prize winner who also wrote "A Streetcar Named Desire" and "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof", among other classics. [less-]

Celebrated satirist Will Durst has performed for three elected presidents (if you count Al Gore ... which Durst does) and appeared as a commentator on CNN, NPR and C-SPAN. Now, he's headed back to The... [more+]

Celebrated satirist Will Durst has performed for three elected presidents (if you count Al Gore ... which Durst does) and appeared as a commentator on CNN, NPR and C-SPAN. Now, he's headed back to The Marsh in San Francisco with "The Durst Case Scenario: Midterm Madness", his up-to-the-minute, lightning-paced comedic exploration of a changing America during the "Time of Trump." Hailed as "[q]uite possibly the best political comedian working in the country today" by none other than "The New York Times", Durst's cutting-edge commentary is pulled from the latest political headlines, and is always as timely and as irreverent as the president's latest 4:00 a.m. tweet. [less-]

In "BRAVO 25", named "Best Bet" by New York's Theatre Is Easy and winner of the ENCORE! Producers' Award at the Hollywood Fringe Festival in 2017, queer artist Eliza Gibson draws on her real-life expe... [more+]

In "BRAVO 25", named "Best Bet" by New York's Theatre Is Easy and winner of the ENCORE! Producers' Award at the Hollywood Fringe Festival in 2017, queer artist Eliza Gibson draws on her real-life experience as a social worker and therapist to bring to life an A.I. avatar and six humans in a support group unlike any you've ever seen! Amber the A.I. therapist is here. Broken hearts, addicts in recovery and a polyamorous lesbian await the arrival of Superintelligence, a grieving savant who likes donuts ... Wait, someone needs a piece of somebody's liver? Maybe it's time to return to our breath. See this award-winning play at The Marsh San Francisco's MainStage Theater. [less-]

Captivated by the sounds of flamenco, composers from around the world have written music in the Spanish style. Pablo Heras-Casado returns to the San Francisco Symphony at Davies Symphony Hall to condu... [more+]

Captivated by the sounds of flamenco, composers from around the world have written music in the Spanish style. Pablo Heras-Casado returns to the San Francisco Symphony at Davies Symphony Hall to conduct "Spanish" works by Frenchmen, including Ravel's sultry slow-burn "Boléro" and Debussy's Andalusian postcard "Ibéria". Hear that music as well as the "fearless and arresting brilliance" ("Gramophone") of Spanish piano virtuoso Javier Perianes performing Bartók's melodious Piano Concerto No. 3. [less-]

"Time Out New York" raved, it's "a thrilling, gender-flipped slice of Manifest Destiny." This subversive tale of 10 men, four boats and two rivers contains none of the above. Pack your gear for this 2... [more+]

"Time Out New York" raved, it's "a thrilling, gender-flipped slice of Manifest Destiny." This subversive tale of 10 men, four boats and two rivers contains none of the above. Pack your gear for this 21st-century telling of 19th-century American explorer and one-armed Civil War veteran John Wesley Powell, who assembles a brawny band of soldiers, trappers and adventurers to explore the waterways of the American West. Inspired by Powell's actual travel log from 1869, Jaclyn Backhaus's nimble and ingenious script is provocative, laugh-out-loud theater, performed by a cast of women who infuse America's historic myths of male conquest with a sly blast of subtext. Catch "Men on Boats" at A.C.T.'s Strand Theater in San Francisco. [less-]

Euripides wrote "The Trojan Women" two and a half thousand years ago. It's about captive women in the aftermath of war. This modern dress version begins with a prelude presenting refugee voices from m... [more+]

Euripides wrote "The Trojan Women" two and a half thousand years ago. It's about captive women in the aftermath of war. This modern dress version begins with a prelude presenting refugee voices from modern conflicts, as far back as World War II, as recent as today's Middle East. "Refugee Voices" and Euripides' "The Trojan Women" is as relevant today as the story Euripides told. Today, there are over 65 million persons displaced by conflicts around the world. Euripides understood their plight. MET's production relates that plight to today's circumstances. [less-]

Megan Hilty returns to San Francisco for one night only with an all-new show including a little bit of "Smash", a couple of standards and a whole lot of Broadway. Megan is most recognized from her por... [more+]

Megan Hilty returns to San Francisco for one night only with an all-new show including a little bit of "Smash", a couple of standards and a whole lot of Broadway. Megan is most recognized from her portrayal of triple threat Ivy Lynn in NBC's hit musical drama "Smash", as well as several other guest and recurring roles on television. Hilty was last seen on Broadway in Roundabout Theatre Company's revival of "Noises Off". She made her Broadway debut as Glinda in "Wicked", also performing the role in Los Angeles and on the national tour. Other Broadway and NYC credits include "9 to 5: The Musical", "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" and "Annie Get Your Gun". She has released three solo recordings: "It Happens all the Time", "Megan Hilty Live at the Cafe Carlyle" and "A Merry Little Christmas with Megan Hilty". Now see this chanteuse hit the stage at Marines' Memorial Theatre. [less-]

"The Resting Place" is a provocative and intense look at an American family in a cloudburst of crisis. Filled with raw humor, piercing darkness and fierce love, this new play from Ashlin Halfnight add... [more+]

"The Resting Place" is a provocative and intense look at an American family in a cloudburst of crisis. Filled with raw humor, piercing darkness and fierce love, this new play from Ashlin Halfnight addresses familial obligation, guilt and our own complacency and culpability in wrongdoing, asking: How do we reconcile our love for someone with the knowledge of their horrifying transgression? Catch the world premiere of "The Resting Place" at San Francisco's Magic Theatre. [less-]

Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare Twelfth Night, or What You Will is a comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written around 16011602 as a Twelfth Night's entertainment for the close ... [more+]

Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare Twelfth Night, or What You Will is a comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written around 16011602 as a Twelfth Night's entertainment for the close of the Christmas season. The play centers on the twins Viola and Sebastian, who are separated in a shipwreck. Viola (who is disguised as Cesario) falls in love with Duke Orsino, who in turn is in love with the Countess Olivia. Upon meeting Viola, Countess Olivia falls in love with her thinking she is a man. [less-]

When it comes to sleek, smart and modern magic, look no further than magician David Gerard, who performs his theatrical illusions and mind reading to sold-out audiences in the Bay Area. Join Gerard fo... [more+]

When it comes to sleek, smart and modern magic, look no further than magician David Gerard, who performs his theatrical illusions and mind reading to sold-out audiences in the Bay Area. Join Gerard for his first shows written exclusively for PianoFight in San Francisco, where you'll witness near-impossible mental and physical feats just inches away from your seat. Through a mix of psychology, misdirection, magic and showmanship, Gerard will create an experience you'll remember long after the show is over. [less-]