""What They Said About Love" was funny, poignant, thoughtful, and revealing about the search for love. It was an amazing performance," said Richard Connema, TalkinBroadway.com. Actor and writer Steve ... [more+]

""What They Said About Love" was funny, poignant, thoughtful, and revealing about the search for love. It was an amazing performance," said Richard Connema, TalkinBroadway.com. Actor and writer Steve Budd wonders why other people can and he can't -- tie the knot, that is. So he asked couples about the push and pull of love -- what keeps them from pulling apart despite annoying the heck out of each other. Meet a New Age couple that swears they met before they met, a pair of Metal Heads who thought it would be a hoot to get married on 6-6-06 and more. Satisfy your voyeuristic tendencies about how others look for love -- and, in some cases, find it. This is documentary theater at its best, a la Anna Deavere Smith. Steve Budd brings 12 characters to life, using their words from hours of interviews, and weaves in the story of his own search for a life partner. See the show named Best of Fringe at the 2016 San Francisco Fringe Festival now at The Marsh Berkeley. [less-]

In October 1998, 21-year-old Matthew Shepard was found savagely beaten, tied to a fence and left to die in Laramie, Wyoming, because he was gay. The hate crime attracted attention worldwide, bringing ... [more+]

In October 1998, 21-year-old Matthew Shepard was found savagely beaten, tied to a fence and left to die in Laramie, Wyoming, because he was gay. The hate crime attracted attention worldwide, bringing sexual discrimination and violence to the forefront of public discourse. "The Laramie Project", comprised of hundreds of interviews with inhabitants of Laramie, is the portrait of a town forced to confront itself in the reflective glare of the national spotlight, responding with love, anger, sympathy, support and defiance. See it at Eddy St. Theatreplex - The EXIT Theatre in San Francisco. [less-]

Be there when Magic Theatre presents the world premiere of Jessica Hagedorn's "The Gangster of Love", which is based on her book of the same name and focuses on the author's personal story of immigrat... [more+]

Be there when Magic Theatre presents the world premiere of Jessica Hagedorn's "The Gangster of Love", which is based on her book of the same name and focuses on the author's personal story of immigration from Manila. In this memorable play, Raquel "Rocky" Rivera and her eccentric family settle in the Haight during the 1970s, amidst a dynamic period of conflict, social change and artistic flourishing in San Francisco. The lauded city of poets, rebels and thriving musicians will be reclaimed at San Francisco's Magic Theatre through the eyes of Hagedorn's immigrant artists. This world premiere stage adaptation -- 20 years in the making -- will feature live music, poetry reading and the music video as key narrative forms. [less-]

Flipping the tables on film noir tropes, solo performer Jill Vice's "A Fatal Step" tells its shadowy tale not from the point of view of a hardboiled detective, but from that of the femme fatale, those... [more+]

Flipping the tables on film noir tropes, solo performer Jill Vice's "A Fatal Step" tells its shadowy tale not from the point of view of a hardboiled detective, but from that of the femme fatale, those sultry - and deadly - bombshells at the heart of the genre. An SF Fringe Festival Best of Fest winner, Vice ("Tipped & Tipsy") combines "an impressive array of body language and vocal talent" ("Huffington Post") in her original shows. This one-woman noir centers on Sarah, who decides to take matters into her own hands when another woman dares to come between her and her handsome podiatrist. "A Fatal Step" has already taken home the Audience Choice award at IndyFringe, and now it comes to The Marsh. [less-]

She's Jewish, he's Christian; She's white, and he's black. They love each other ... but not in that way. Or maybe they do? It's complicated. Charlotte and Jonny have been best friends since they were ... [more+]

She's Jewish, he's Christian; She's white, and he's black. They love each other ... but not in that way. Or maybe they do? It's complicated. Charlotte and Jonny have been best friends since they were just nine years old. Now, as they tumble into their 20s and confront the mysteries of their sexuality, they find that the path forward is not always the one right in front of you. "The Mystery of Love and Sex" was written by Bathsheba Doran ("Boardwalk Empire, Masters of Sex"), and this regional premiere at San Francisco's New Conservatory Theatre Center is directed by Rebecca Longworth. Come see for yourself why "Time Out New York" hailed this show as "wise and exquisitely crafted," and "The New York Times" described it as "tender, funny, packed with humanity and brimming with surprising revelations ... perfectly wonderful." [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-]

"You Are My Sunshine" is a fact-inspired, multi-decade character study of a man of mythic American proportions whose passions and demons lead to tragedy, narrated in Woody Guthrie-style folk songs, ac... [more+]

"You Are My Sunshine" is a fact-inspired, multi-decade character study of a man of mythic American proportions whose passions and demons lead to tragedy, narrated in Woody Guthrie-style folk songs, accompanied by Bay Area music favorites Chris Haugen (guitar) and Trevor Marcom (vocals/guitar). This ensemble drama was spurned from a long-worn, much-hushed rumor in Kelli Kerslake Colaco's family that her great grandfather, Ernest Fletcher Hodge (a semi-pro baseball player with the Detroit Tigers), lost his mind one hot summer night in Blytheville, Arkansas and killed his wife, his mother-in-law and then himself. Part John Steinbeck, part Coen Brothers, this intriguing play focuses on the search for truth behind a dark family legend vis-à-vis an ancestor and the women and children in his life. See "You Are My Sunshine" at San Francisco's Phoenix Theatre. [less-]

Is there anything as painfully funny as an old photo of you and your loved ones? From awkward phases to bad haircuts to questionable poses, there's no shortage of ways your past self can embarrass you... [more+]

Is there anything as painfully funny as an old photo of you and your loved ones? From awkward phases to bad haircuts to questionable poses, there's no shortage of ways your past self can embarrass you. Now, Endgames improv troupe Chivalry Club is here to twist the knife with its new show "ThrowBackThursday". Putting a fun spin on audience suggestion-based improv, Chivalry Club asks you to email them a photo from your past. If your picture is chosen, the talented group of improvisers will turn your embarrassing memory into a hilarious improvised scene at the show! Catch all the fun at San Francisco's Stage Werx. [less-]

San Francisco's always-popular traveling comedy show. "#HellaFunny" comes to Milk Bar with a mix of longtime favorites and up-and-coming comedians. The show began at the legendary Purple Onion club in... [more+]

San Francisco's always-popular traveling comedy show. "#HellaFunny" comes to Milk Bar with a mix of longtime favorites and up-and-coming comedians. The show began at the legendary Purple Onion club in 2010 in the North Beach neighborhood of S.F., and now carries the fun to venues all over the Bay Area. Comedians who appear on "#HellaFunny" have been featured on Comedy Central, "SF Sketchfest", "Comedy Day" and at the Punch Line. DJ Josef With an F will be spinning your favorite '90s hit all night long. The show is produced by Dave Chappelle's Bay Area opener, Stroy Moyd. [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-]

Maybe God "does" make mistakes. Ronnie and Judy are just two regular kids who love the Lord. But when Judy is attacked and impregnated by a dolphin, their summer plans go out with the tide. A greedy p... [more+]

Maybe God "does" make mistakes. Ronnie and Judy are just two regular kids who love the Lord. But when Judy is attacked and impregnated by a dolphin, their summer plans go out with the tide. A greedy pastor, an eccentric French professor and a famous pop singer all get involved in "Christian Teen Dolphin-Sex Beach Party" -- an absolutely ridiculous, absurdist satire about religion, fame and love at PianoFight in San Francisco. [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-]

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-]

Born in Taiwan and raised in Texas, Sheng Wang began his comedy career in San Francisco. His hilarious comedy blends personal observations with absurdity and self-deprecation. He's been seen on Comedy... [more+]

Born in Taiwan and raised in Texas, Sheng Wang began his comedy career in San Francisco. His hilarious comedy blends personal observations with absurdity and self-deprecation. He's been seen on Comedy Central's "Live at Gotham" and his own-half-hour Comedy Central special, toured colleges across the country and played Montreal's famous Just for Laughs Comedy Festival. [less-]

Are Connie and Tristan really in love, or is it just the antidepressants talking? As volunteers in a clinical trial for a new super-drug, their sudden and illicit romance forces the supervising doctor... [more+]

Are Connie and Tristan really in love, or is it just the antidepressants talking? As volunteers in a clinical trial for a new super-drug, their sudden and illicit romance forces the supervising doctors to intervene and confront the ethics of what they're doing. Winner of the UK Critics' Circle Award for Best New Play, "The Effect" tackles our pill-popping culture with humor and scintillating drama. See what "The New York Times" called "a knockout, a ravishment of the senses," at San Francisco Playhouse. [less-]

"West Side Story" takes the most famous romantic drama of all time, Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet", and sets it loose in epic fashion on the streets of 1950s New York. This production by Contra Cost... [more+]

"West Side Story" takes the most famous romantic drama of all time, Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet", and sets it loose in epic fashion on the streets of 1950s New York. This production by Contra Costa Musical Theatre at the Lesher Center for the Arts finds two idealistic young lovers caught between warring street gangs, the Jets and the Sharks. The famed 1961 film adaptation won 10 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and the story has enjoyed many Broadway revivals, the latest in 2009. Written by the creative dream team of Leonard Bernstein, Arthur Laurents and Stephen Sondheim, "West Side Story"'s legendary jazz, Latin and classical-inspired score features treasured numbers like "Something's Coming," "Tonight," "I Feel Pretty" and "America." Don't miss this iconic musical love story! [less-]

Steve Silver's "Beach Blanket Babylon" is the world's longest-running musical revue. Since 1974, this San Francisco institution has followed Snow White on a musical comedy quest around the world, wher... [more+]

Steve Silver's "Beach Blanket Babylon" is the world's longest-running musical revue. Since 1974, this San Francisco institution has followed Snow White on a musical comedy quest around the world, where she runs into satirically portrayed pop culture and political celebrities, an impressive array of gigantic hats and one show-stopping musical number after another. Because the show is constantly updated with new costumes, hats and characters, it rewards repeat visits. Among the familiar faces you might see spoofed at this Club Fugazi production: Lady Gaga, Barack and Michelle Obama, Kate Middleton and Adele. Now running for more than 40 years, "Beach Blanket Babylon" remains one of San Francisco's wildest evenings of live entertainment. [less-]

Robert Kelly's rough-and-tumble childhood -- which included stints in juvie and rehab before the age of 15 -- could've taken the Boston native down a dangerous path. Instead, Kelly has used his past a... [more+]

Robert Kelly's rough-and-tumble childhood -- which included stints in juvie and rehab before the age of 15 -- could've taken the Boston native down a dangerous path. Instead, Kelly has used his past as both motivation and material, blossoming into a seasoned stand-up pro -- one who manages to be both abrasively funny and endearingly vulnerable. A frequent TV guest, he's appeared as Louie CK's brother Robbie on FX's "Louie" and can be seen on "Inside Amy Schumer", "Maron" and Denis Leary's "Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll". He recently released his fourth album of material "Live at the Village Underground" and an accompanying Netflix special. Now he brings his street-wise charm and funny-'cause-they're-true stories to Cobb's Comedy Club in San Francisco. [less-]

BATS Improv -- named the Bay Area's Best Theater Company by the "San Francisco Chronicle", Best Comedy Troupe by "SF Weekly" and Best First Date Spot by the "San Francisco Bay Guardian" -- presents a ... [more+]

BATS Improv -- named the Bay Area's Best Theater Company by the "San Francisco Chronicle", Best Comedy Troupe by "SF Weekly" and Best First Date Spot by the "San Francisco Bay Guardian" -- presents a variety show full of comedy fun, including head-to-head improv battles, long-form murder mysteries, musicals and more. Located at Bayfront Theater in the Marina District, every BATS show is one of a kind, using audience suggestions for a unique mix of improv comedy and theater that's never the same show twice. [less-]

Journalist-turned-comedian Maureen "Mo" Langan, host of KGO Radio's "Hangin' With Langan", is one of the country's top touring comics. In her one-woman show "Daughter of a Garbageman", Langan traces h... [more+]

Journalist-turned-comedian Maureen "Mo" Langan, host of KGO Radio's "Hangin' With Langan", is one of the country's top touring comics. In her one-woman show "Daughter of a Garbageman", Langan traces her roots back to her upbringing in New Jersey in the 1970s, where her Irish mother and New York City sanitation worker father taught her that hard work and education are always rewarded. Now living in an era where Kardashians have book deals and reality TV stars win elections, Langan uses humor, honesty and insight to tap into the frustrations of hard-working people and explore how her parents got it wrong. "Daughter of a Garbageman" made its international debut in Edinburgh in 2016 and its U.S. debut at The Marsh in San Francisco in 2017, where it completed a six-month run, and then went on to Nantucket, Florida and The Irish Writers Festival. Now Langan returns to The Marsh San Francisco MainStage Theater. [less-]