Sweetwater Music Hall holds a special place in California music history. For over 40 years, this Bay Area treasure's played host to artists like Carlos Santana, Elvis Costello, Sammy Hagar, Bonnie Rai... [more+]

Sweetwater Music Hall holds a special place in California music history. For over 40 years, this Bay Area treasure's played host to artists like Carlos Santana, Elvis Costello, Sammy Hagar, Bonnie Raitt and members of the Grateful Dead. In fact, it was the Grateful Dead's Bob Weir who helped reopen the club in 2012 with an all-new, state-of-the-art sound system and a revived sense of purpose to support local musicians. Today, Sweetwater Music Hall is a thriving 300-person venue that hosts everyone from rising local talent to the biggest national roots, folk and rock stars, with concerts virtually every night of the week (and an organic restaurant that's perfect for date night). [less-]

Celebrated political 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 t... [more+]

Celebrated political 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 to The Marsh in San Francisco with "The Durst Case Scenario", his new 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", Will Durst's latest stage show is a rollicking feast of satire that's timely and as irreverent as the president's latest 4 a.m. tweet. [less-]

A hilarious and heartwarming portrait of love in a nontraditional family, "La Cage aux Folles" has been one of Broadway's biggest hits for more than 30 years, earning nine Tony Awards, including Best ... [more+]

A hilarious and heartwarming portrait of love in a nontraditional family, "La Cage aux Folles" has been one of Broadway's biggest hits for more than 30 years, earning nine Tony Awards, including Best Musical and Best Revival. This boisterous and vibrant musical comedy invites you into the lives of Georges and his lover Albin, who moonlights as Zaza at the couple's popular St. Tropez drag nightclub. Problems arise when Georges' 25-year-old son comes home with his fiancée ... and her conservative parents. Watch as the flamboyant couple's family dynamic gets hilariously turned upside down. Written by Harvey Fierstein, the musical features beloved Jerry Herman tunes like "The Best of Times Is Now" and "I Am What I Am." Get in on the wig-flying fun as "La Cage aux Folles" celebrates love, romance and being true to who you really are at San Francisco Playhouse. [less-]

Interactive science comedy showcase "Eureka!" demystifies science through laughter. Twice a month, San Francisco's PianoFight hosts guest scientists to give a talk on a grab bag of brainiac topics. Me... [more+]

Interactive science comedy showcase "Eureka!" demystifies science through laughter. Twice a month, San Francisco's PianoFight hosts guest scientists to give a talk on a grab bag of brainiac topics. Meanwhile, comedians riff and banter with them, producing a hilarious experience ... that may even be educational. Plus, you can get in on the action by answering the expert's questions in exchange for fun, theme-related prizes. [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-]

Brimming with poetic language and emotional longing, Tennessee Williams' memory play "The Glass Menagerie" is rightly considered a true classic, a work that's lost none of its power over the generatio... [more+]

Brimming with poetic language and emotional longing, Tennessee Williams' memory play "The Glass Menagerie" is rightly considered a true classic, a work that's lost none of its power over the generations. Set in a Depression-era St. Louis tenement, aspiring poet Tom struggles with a mind-numbing job and a smothering home life. His overbearing mother, a former Southern belle, constantly pushes her son to bring home a "gentleman caller" for his painfully shy sister Laura, whose collection of glass animals mean everything to her. But when Tom finally produces a male visitor, the guest's presence sends shock waves through the family -- and the fragile fantasy world they've built may be irreparably shattered. Experience this moving, beautiful production, helmed by acclaimed Chicago director Lisa Portes, at Cal Shakes Bruns Amphitheater in Orinda. [less-]

Orange isn't the new black in "Black Butterflies", it's a trap -- a fact of America's overwhelmed incarceration system that this bold new drama brings to life with probing insight as it follows a cast... [more+]

Orange isn't the new black in "Black Butterflies", it's a trap -- a fact of America's overwhelmed incarceration system that this bold new drama brings to life with probing insight as it follows a cast of young girls of color who are caught in "the school-to-prison pipeline." As they struggle to survive and escape this stifling web of neglect and calcified courts with their humanity intact, a nuanced portrait emerges of the community of parents, educators and litigants who got them there. See the world premiere of "Black Butterflies" at The Rueff at A.C.T's Strand Theater in San Francisco. [less-]

Comedy and cartoons make an award-winning combo in this multimedia show at the Punch Line Comedy Club. "Evil Cyborg Sea Monsters" features the art and hilarity of comedian and cartoonist Mike Capozzol... [more+]

Comedy and cartoons make an award-winning combo in this multimedia show at the Punch Line Comedy Club. "Evil Cyborg Sea Monsters" features the art and hilarity of comedian and cartoonist Mike Capozzola, whose work has appeared in TED Talks, "WIRED" and many more. Performed at comic cons, theaters, museums and comedy festivals throughout the nation, the show has elements tailored to every sci-fi and comic book fan as well as every other comedy fan in between. With over 15 years of stand-up under his belt, Capozzola brings the funny to San Francisco, along with special guest Dan Linley. [less-]

Debbie Benton is the all-American girl next door who wants to take her cheerleading career to the next level by joining the famous Texas Cowgirls cheer squad. When she's accepted for the tryouts, Debb... [more+]

Debbie Benton is the all-American girl next door who wants to take her cheerleading career to the next level by joining the famous Texas Cowgirls cheer squad. When she's accepted for the tryouts, Debbie has only a week to raise the money to get down to Texas for her audition. Debbie's girlfriends agree to help her out, and together they begin performing "odd jobs" for the all-too-eager neighborhood men. Based on the smash-hit 1978 adult film, "Debbie Does Dallas: The Musical" contains no nudity or sex -- but this performance at Oasis in San Francisco is still a salacious and hilarious theater experience. [less-]

Combining great Japanese cuisine and live music, Yoshi's Oakland has quickly become one of the world's most respected venues for jazz, rock, blues and more. What started as a small sushi bar has bloss... [more+]

Combining great Japanese cuisine and live music, Yoshi's Oakland has quickly become one of the world's most respected venues for jazz, rock, blues and more. What started as a small sushi bar has blossomed into an award-winning live performance venue with a state-of-the-art sound system and design, occupying 17,000 square feet in the heart of Oakland's Jack London Square. Yoshi's Oakland has hosted such legendary jazz greats as Betty Carter, Max Roach, Dizzy Gillespie, Joe Williams, Diana Krall, Branford Marsalis, McCoy Tyner, Harry Connick Jr., Oscar Peterson and hundreds of others, and has also expanded its focus to present a variety of musical genres -- and even popular comedians. [less-]

Visited by his father's ghost and tasked with avenging his murder, Prince Hamlet descends into madness and homicidal rage in Shakespeare's masterpiece. In the Bard's immortal words, Hamlet meditates o... [more+]

Visited by his father's ghost and tasked with avenging his murder, Prince Hamlet descends into madness and homicidal rage in Shakespeare's masterpiece. In the Bard's immortal words, Hamlet meditates on the nature of life versus death, fate versus choice and art versus reality in an eloquence that has yet to be matched: "To be or not to be" will forever provoke soul-searching in audiences. Something may be rotten in Denmark, but "Hamlet" remains fresh -- especially in San Francisco performing group Ninjaz Of Drama's take. Edited down to a chamber drama and performed by a earnest cast in modern dress with minimal staging, this faithful yet innovative interpretation of the play is sure to entertain both the discerning lover of Shakespeare and those experiencing it for the first time. The psychological thrill ride of revenge, sex, greed and the supernatural comes to the Phoenix Theatre San Francisco. [less-]

Inspired by the beloved classic "Don Quixote", the moving "Man of La Mancha" is one of the best musicals ever to grace a Broadway stage. In this play within a play, Don Quixote is a mad knight, a dyin... [more+]

Inspired by the beloved classic "Don Quixote", the moving "Man of La Mancha" is one of the best musicals ever to grace a Broadway stage. In this play within a play, Don Quixote is a mad knight, a dying old man living in a world of his own imagination as he awaits his hearing in the Spanish Inquisition. Prepare to be captivated by the show's Tony-winning score and book, a treasure trove of some of musical theater's most beloved songs, including "Impossible Dream," "Dulcinea," "It's All the Same" and the ever rousing "Man of La Mancha" with its thrilling, triumphant refrain. Catch this blockbuster musical from North Bay Stage Company, presented at the Luther Burbank Center for the Arts in Santa Rosa. [less-]

This is not your grandmother's gospel. "The Last Days of Judas Iscariot" is set in a time-bending, darkly comic world between heaven and hell, where Jesus' betrayer Judas stands trial in purgatory as ... [more+]

This is not your grandmother's gospel. "The Last Days of Judas Iscariot" is set in a time-bending, darkly comic world between heaven and hell, where Jesus' betrayer Judas stands trial in purgatory as his lawyers bargain for his admission to heaven. The trial flashes through Judas' life, all the way back to his childhood, while incredible figures from history and beyond are called to testify -- figures like Mother Teresa, Sigmund Freud and even Satan himself. As the trial unfolds, audience members must confront old truths and examine what it means to really forgive during a production that ranges between hilarious dark comedy and intimate, touching drama. Written by Stephen Adly Guirgis, winner of the 2015 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, this production of "The Last Days of Judas Iscariot" can be seen at Shelton Theater in San Francisco. [less-]

Behind a secret door near the intersection of North Beach and Chinatown lies a dimly lit subterranean realm teeming with colorful characters and overlapping storylines. This is "The Speakeasy", an int... [more+]

Behind a secret door near the intersection of North Beach and Chinatown lies a dimly lit subterranean realm teeming with colorful characters and overlapping storylines. This is "The Speakeasy", an interactive theatrical experience that will transport you to a 1920s San Francisco watering hole full of bootleggers, bouncers, war veterans and barflies. As you wander throughout the multi-room environment, sipping cocktails, playing casino games, or simply observing, you'll stumble across all manner of conversations and interactions as a complex narrative web unfolds. Never the same thing twice, "The Speakeasy" is a meta-theatrical event you'll want to see again and again. [less-]

Finding love isn't easy, nor is making it last. And finding love in San Francisco while trying to get ahead in your career ... you just might have an easier time finding a rent-controlled apartment wi... [more+]

Finding love isn't easy, nor is making it last. And finding love in San Francisco while trying to get ahead in your career ... you just might have an easier time finding a rent-controlled apartment with ample street parking. Co-written by David Steele and Victoria Chong Der and based on original writings by David Steele, with music curated by Noise Pop, "Vignettes on Love" follows six San Franciscans in their struggles with love, betrayal and their own self-destructive tendencies in this fast-paced, La Ronde-style dark comedic drama at Potrero Stage. [less-]

Master magician and mentalist Jay Alexander is the new headliner at the Marrakech Magic Theater with his "Mind Tricks" show, a triple entertainment experience of comedy, magic and mentalism. Alexander... [more+]

Master magician and mentalist Jay Alexander is the new headliner at the Marrakech Magic Theater with his "Mind Tricks" show, a triple entertainment experience of comedy, magic and mentalism. Alexander's shows have been praised by everyone from Robin Williams and U2's Bono to Monty Python's John Cleese and the Rolling Stones' Ron Wood. Your evening begins in the Oasis Lounge where you will see world class sleight-of-hand, and a wonderful assortment of drinks and Moroccan appetizers are available for purchase prior to the show. You will then be escorted into an intimate showroom for Jay Alexander's unforgettable performance of magic, psychology and human lie detection that will lift your spirits and have you gasping in amazement. [less-]

Master showman and "illusionist of the mind" Kevin Blake is known for his theatrical magic shows and blink-and-you'll-miss-it close-up conjuring. A favorite at private galas for companies like Google ... [more+]

Master showman and "illusionist of the mind" Kevin Blake is known for his theatrical magic shows and blink-and-you'll-miss-it close-up conjuring. A favorite at private galas for companies like Google and Square, he's brought his immersive and interactive magic to L.A., London and nearly everywhere in between and even opened for Third Eye Blind at The Fillmore. In his newest performance, Blake combines tall tales, wonders of the mind, witty banter and brilliant illusions that'll leave you scratching your head. Prepare to spend countless hours wondering, "How'd he do that?!" after this show at The Amado Theater in San Francisco. [less-]

Craft beer and comedy merge harmoniously in the Beer Basement at Ales Unlimited, where "The Setup" draws some of the funniest local and nationally touring stand-ups in the business. The space is small... [more+]

Craft beer and comedy merge harmoniously in the Beer Basement at Ales Unlimited, where "The Setup" draws some of the funniest local and nationally touring stand-ups in the business. The space is small and cozy but the hops and the laughs are big, with performers hailing from such comedic institutions as "Comedy Bang Bang", San Francisco Sketchfest and The Comedy Store. So order a drink from Ales Unlimited's world-class selection of microbrews, wines and specialty cocktails, then head downstairs for a truly underground experience in the heart of the Tenderloin. [less-]

Actors Mona and Terry are on an ambitious quest to tour their play, "Great Moments in Human Achievement", across the country ... by bicycle. But as they pedal across the nation reenacting history's hi... [more+]

Actors Mona and Terry are on an ambitious quest to tour their play, "Great Moments in Human Achievement", across the country ... by bicycle. But as they pedal across the nation reenacting history's high points, finding a place to do their laundry proves just as challenging as their unruly audiences. When the day is done, can our heroes manage a great moment of their own? An exuberant comedy about all the potholes on the road to sheer brilliance, "The Making of a Great Moment" pedals its way onto the Z Below stage in San Francisco. [less-]

Pulitzer Prize-winning composer John Luther Adams is now the subject of a music festival in San Francisco, which commences with a group lauded for their "viscerally exciting performances" by "The New ... [more+]

Pulitzer Prize-winning composer John Luther Adams is now the subject of a music festival in San Francisco, which commences with a group lauded for their "viscerally exciting performances" by "The New York Times". The critically acclaimed JACK Quartet, frequently collaborators with Adams, will interpret four of his works with their cutting-edge version of chamber music. Known for their explosive technique, these former Eastman School of Music students have performed on the prestigious stages of Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center, and now you can see them perform string quartets during the John Luther Adams Festival at SFJAZZ Center. [less-]