San Francisco Playhouse
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (January 2014) |
SF Playhouse The Playhouse | |
 | |
 | |
| Address | 450 Post Street San Francisco United States |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 199 |
| Production | Tiny Beautiful Things |
| Opened | 2003 |
| Website | |
| http://sfplayhouse.org | |
San Francisco Playhouse (formerly SF Playhouse) is a non-profit theater company in San Francisco, California, founded in 2003 by Bill English and Susi Damilano.[1][2] The theater stages nine plays yearly, including Broadway plays, musicals, and world and regional premieres.[3]
San Francisco Playhouse has been home to several world premieres, including Bauer by Lauren Gunderson, Ideation by Aaron Loeb, Grounded by George Brant, and Seared by Theresa Rebeck.[4][5][6]
As part of its mission to shape and promote the growth of performing arts in the Bay Area, San Francisco Playhouse created the Rising Star Program, which provides theatre tickets to under-served youths in San Francisco and surrounding communities.[7]
In 2015, the theater company was awarded the American Theatre Wing's National Theatre Company Grant.[8]
History
Change of venue
In 2012, San Francisco Playhouse moved from 533 Sutter Street to a 199-seat theater at 450 Post Street, inside of the Kensington Park Hotel.[7] The building was constructed in 1924 by architect Anthony Heinsberger as a lodge for the Elks.[9][10] The Elks began leasing out portions of the building in 1981.[9] Their former meeting hall was converted into a 750-seat theater by architect Gene Angell in 1982 for producers Jonathan Reisis and Joseph Perrotti.[9][10] They presented more than 60 productions in the space as Theatre on the Square.[9] When Theatre on the Square closed down in 2002,[11] the theater served as the home of other groups, including The Post Street Theatre[10] and The Lorraine Hansberry Theatre,[12] before becoming the site of San Francisco Playhouse.[13] During its tenure with The Lorraine Hansberry Theatre, renovations were made including reducing the audience capacity to 400.[12] The San Francisco Playhouse further reduced the seating to 199 prior to their inaugural production in the space in October 2012.[14]
Current season
As of 2019[update]:
- Dance Nation by Clare Barron
- Groundhog Day (musical) by Tim Minchin and Danny Rubin
- Tiny Beautiful Things by Nia Vardalos
- Real Women Have Curves (play) by Josefina López
- The Clean House by Sarah Ruhl
- Follies by Stephen Sondheim and James Goldman
Programs
Rising Star Program
The Rising Star Theatre Attendance Program inspires a new generation of theatregoers by providing Bay Area high school students with a four play season subscription. As part of the TAP, students receive a pre-show lesson plan that includes theatre games/warm-ups, scene teasers and comprehension questions; the post-show lesson provides further enrichment with activities that draw on their experience as audience members. Rising Stars also participate in an immediate post-show discussion with the cast and director. They then write a letter to their adult subscriber-sponsor describing their reactions to the performances.
The Rising Star Program now serves 600 youth from 19 local high schools. According to the company, Approximately 50% have no formal drama program at their schools, 75% are economically disadvantaged, and 90% are minorities. In a survey conducted by the company, 25% of students reported that they hadn't seen a single play prior to attending a San Francisco Playhouse production, and another 50% had only seen one to two shows before participating in the Rising Star Program.
Sandbox Series
The presentations have limited design elements and are being promoted primarily online thus reducing the costs and risk of each production. By reducing risk, the Sandbox Series is designed to bridge the gap between “readings” and “main stage” productions and thus provide increased exposure to the new voices in American Theater.
Productions
| Opening | Play | Writer | Director |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020/06 | Follies | Stephen Sondheim (music and lyrics) James Goldman (book) | Bill English |
| 2020/05 | The Clean House | Sarah Ruhl | Susi Damilano |
| 2020/03 | Real Women Have Curves | Josefina López | TBD |
| 2020/01 | Tiny Beautiful Things | Cheryl Strayed (book), Nia Vardalos (stage adaptation) | Bill English |
| 2019/11 | Groundhog Day (musical) | Tim Minchin (music and lyrics) Danny Rubin (book) | Susi Damilano |
| 2019/09 | Dance Nation | Clare Barron | Becca Wolff |
| 2019/06 | Cabaret | John Kander (music) Fred Ebb (lyrics) Joe Masteroff (book) | Susi Damilano |
| 2019/04 | Significant Other | Joshua Harmon | Lauren English |
| 2019/03 | Yoga Play | Dipika Guha | Bill English |
| 2019/01 | King of the Yees | Lauren Yee | Joshua Kahan Brody |
| 2018/11 | Mary Poppins | Julian Fellowes (book) Sherman Brothers (music and lyrics) | Susi Damilano |
| 2018/09 | You Mean to Do Me Harm | Christopher Chen | Bill English |
| 2018/07 | Sunday in the Park with George | James Lapine (book) Stephen Sondheim (Music and Lyrics) | Bill English |
| 2018/05 | An Entomologist's Love Story | Melissa Ross | Giovanna Sardelli |
| 2018/03 | The Effect | Lucy Prebble | Bill English |
| 2018/01 | Born Yesterday | Garson Kanin | Susi Damilano |
| 2017/11 | A Christmas Story: The Musical | Joseph Robinette (book) Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (Music & Lyrics) | Susi Damilano |
| 2017/09 | Barbecue | Robert O'Hara | Margo Hall |
| 2017/07 | La Cage aux Folles | Harvey Fierstein (book) Jerry Herman (Music and Lyrics) | Bill English |
| 2017/05 | The Roommate | Jen Silverman | Becca Wolff |
| 2017/03 | Noises Off | Michael Frayn | Susi Damilano |
| 2016/07 | The Christians | Lucas Hnath | Bill English |
| 2016/11 | She Loves Me | Joe Masteroff (book) Sheldon Harnick (Lyrics) Jerry Bock (Music) | Susi Damilano |
| 2016/09 | Seared | Theresa Rebeck | Margarett Perry |
| 2016/07 | City of Angels | Larry Gelbart (book) Cy Coleman (Music) David Zippel (Lyrics) | Bill English |
| 2016/05 | Red Velvet | Lolita Chakrabarti | Margo Hall |
| 2016/03 | Colossal | Andrew Hinderaker | Jon Tracy |
| 2016/01 | The Nether[15] | Jennifer Haley | Bill English |
| 2015/11 | Stage Kiss[16] | Sarah Ruhl | Susi Damilano |
| 2015/09 | Dogfight[17] | Benj Pasek and Justin Paul | Bill English |
| 2015/07 | Company[18] | George Furth | Susi Damilano |
| 2015/05 | Trouble Cometh[19] | Richard Dresser | May Adrales |
| 2015/03 | Stupid Fucking Bird[20] | Aaron Posner | Susi Damilano |
| 2015/01 | Tree[21] | Julie Hébert | Jon Tracy |
| 2014/11 | Promises, Promises[22] | Neil Simon | Bill English |
| 2014/09 | Ideation[23] | Aaron Loeb | Josh Costello |
| 2014/06 | Into the Woods[24] | James Lapine (book) Stephen Sondheim (music and lyrics) | Susi Damilano |
| 2014/05 | Seminar[25] | Theresa Rebeck | Amy Glazer |
| 2014/03 | Bauer[2] | Lauren Gunderson | Bill English |
| 2014/01 | Jerusalem[26] | Jez Butterworth | Bill English |
| 2013/11 | Storefront Church | John Patrick Shanley | Joy Carlin |
| 2013/10 | The Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo | Rajiv Joseph | Bill English |
| 2013/07 | Camelot | Alan Jay Lerner (book & lyrics) & Frederick Loewe (music) | Bill English |
| 2013/05 | Abigail's Party[27] | Mike Leigh | Amy Glazer |
| 2013/03 | Reasons to be Pretty | Neil LaBute | Susi Damilano |
| 2013/01 | The Motherf**ker with the Hat | Stephen Adly Guirgis | Bill English |
| 2012/12 | Bell, Book and Candle | John Van Druten | Bill English |
| 2012/10 | Bloody, Bloody Andrew Jackson | Alex Timbers (script) & Michael Friedman (music & lyrics | Jon Tracy |
| 2012/07 | My Fair Lady | George Bernard Shaw (book), Alan Lerner (lyrics) & Frederick Loewe (music) | Bill English |
| 2012/05 | A Behanding in Spokane | Martin McDonagh | Susi Damilano |
| 2012/03 | The Aliens | Annie Baker | Lila Neugebauer |
| 2012/01 | Becky Shaw | Gina Gionfriddo | Amy Glazer |
| 2011/11 | Period of Adjustment | Tennessee Williams | Bill English |
| 2011/09 | Honey Brown Eyes | Stefanie Zadravec | Susi Damilano |
| 2011/06 | Tigers Be Still | Kim Rosenstock | Amy Glaxer |
| 2011/05 | Reborning | Zayd Dohrn | Josh Costello |
| 2011/03 | Wirehead | Benjamin Brown | Susi Damilano |
| 2011/01 | Harper Regan | Simon Stephens | Amy Glazer |
| 2010/11 | Coraline | David Greenspan (book) & Stephin Merritt (music & lyrics) | Bill English |
| 2010/09 | The Sunset Limited | Cormac McCarthy | Bill English |
| 2010/06 | The Fantasticks | Tom Jones (book & lyrics) & Harvey Schmidt (music) | Bill English |
| 2010/04 | Slasher | Allison Moore | Jon Tracy |
| 2010/03 | Den of Thieves | Stephen Adly Guirgis | Susi Damilano |
| 2010/01 | Animal out of Paper | Rajiv Joseph | Amy Glazer |
| 2009/11 | She Stoops to Comedy | David Greenspan | Mark Rucker |
| 2009/09 | First Day of School | Billy Aronson | Chris Smith |
| 2009/06 | One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest | Dale Wasserman | Bill English |
| 2009/05 | Dead Man's Cell Phone | Sarah Ruhl | Susi Damilano |
| 2009/03 | The Story | Tracey Scott Wilson | Margo Hall |
| 2009/01 | Landscape of the Body | John Guare | Bill English |
| 2008/12 | Abraham Lincoln's Big Gay Dance Party | Aaron Loeb | Chris Smith |
| 2008/10 | Shining City | Conor McPherson | Amy Glazer |
| 2008/07 | Tea & Crisp | Richard Louis James | Richard Louis James |
| 2008/06 | Cabaret | Joe Masteroff (book)& Fred Ebb (lyrics)& John Kender (music) | Bill English |
| 2008/05 | Bug | Tracy Letts | Jon Tracy |
| 2008/03 | Coronado | Dennis Lehane | Susi Damilano |
| 2008/01 | The Scene | Theresa Rebeck | Amy Glazer |
| 2007/12 | Mrs Bob Cratchit's Wild Christmas Binge | Christopher Durang | Joy Carlin |
| 2007/09 | Six Degrees of Separation | Jon Guare | Bill English |
| 2007/06 | Man of La Mancha | Dale Wasserman (book), Joe Darion (lyrics) & Mitch Leigh (music) | Jon Tracy |
| 2007/05 | First Person Shooter | Aaron Loeb | Jon Tracy |
| 2007/03 | Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train | Stephen Adly Guirgis | Bill English |
| 2007/01 | Three Seconds in the Key | Deb Margolin | Leigh Fondakowski |
| 2006/11 | Reckless | Craig Lucas | Louis Parnell |
| 2006/09 | The Ride Down Mount Morgan | Arthur Miller | Joy Carlin |
| 2006/06 | Putting it Together | Stephen Sondheim | – |
| 2006/05 | Roulette | Paul Weitz | Susi Damilano |
| 2006/03 | Our Lady of 121st Street | Stephen Adly Guirgis | – |
| 2006/01 | The Mystery Plays | Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa | – |
| 2005/11 | Prelude to a Kiss | Craig Lucas | – |
| 2005/09 | The Crucible | Arthur Miller | – |
| 2005/06 | Art | Yasmina Reza | Robin Stanton |
| 2005/04 | Kimberly Akimbo | David Lindsay-Abaire | – |
| 2005/02 | Monster | Neal Bell | Bill English |
| 2004/11 | Our Town | Thornton Wilder | Bill English |
| 2004/09 | The Fantasticks | Tom Jones (Book & Lyrics) Harvey Schmidt (music) | Bill English |
| 2004/04 | The Smell of the Kill | Michelle Lowe | Bill English |
| 2004/02 | The Glory of Living | Rebecca Gilman | Bill English |
| 2003/12 | It Had to be You | Renee Taylor & Joseph Bologna | – |
Sandbox Series
| Opening | Play | Writer | Director |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020/08 | Primary User | Nate Eppler | Lauren English |
| 2020/02 | Born in East Berlin | Rogelio Martinez | Margarett Perry |
| 2019/10 | The Daughters | Patricia Cotter | Jessica Holt |
| 2018 | Washed Up on the Potomac | Lynn Rosen | José Zayas |
| 2018 | In Braunau | Dipika Guha | Susannah Martin |
| 2018 | Non-Player Character | Walt McGough | Lauren English |
| 2016 | Zenith | Kirsten Greenidge | Lauren English |
| 2016 | You Mean to Do Me Harm | Christopher Chen | Bill English |
| 2016 | All of What You Love and None of What You Hate | Phillip Howze | Edris Cooper-Anifowoshe |
| 2016 | The Rules | Dipika Guha | Susannah Martin |
| 2016/03 | On Clover Road | Steven Dietz | Susi Damilano |
| 2015/08 | 1 2 3 | Lila Rose Kaplan | Lauren English |
| 2014/10 | 77% | Rinne Groff | Marissa Wolf |
| 2014/08 | From Red to Black | Rhett Rossi | Susi Damilano |
| 2013/09 | Ideation | Aaron Loeb | Josh Costello |
| 2013/02 | Inevitable | Jordan Puckett | Lauren English |
| 2012/08 | Grounded | George Brant | Susannah Martin |
| 2012/06 | Reunion | Kenn Rabin | Louis Parnell |
| 2012/02 | Private Parts | Graham Gremore | Bill English |
| 2011/10 | Track in a Box | Tim Barsky | Jon Tracy |
| 2010/10 | Seven Days | Daniel Heath | Susi Damilano |
| 2010/02 | Safe House | Geetha Reddy | Nancy Carlin |
| 2010/05 | The Apotheosis of Pig Husbandry | William Bivins | Bill English |
References
- ^ Jones, Chad (22 June 2014). "S.F. Playhouse unearths the layers of 'Into the Woods'". SF Gate. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
- ^ a b Heymont, George (27 May 2014). "As Seen Through a Woman's Eyes". Huffington Post. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
- ^ Hurwitt, Robert (20 July 2012). "SF Playhouse moving to a bigger house". SF Gate. Retrieved 22 August 2013.
- ^ Stark, Clinton (2014-03-24). "Theater Review: 'Bauer' and the art of not painting". Stark Insider. Retrieved 2020-02-14.
- ^ Jones, Chad (2018-10-10). "How a Sandbox moved to San Francisco Playground — and New York, too". Datebook | San Francisco Arts & Entertainment Guide. Retrieved 2020-02-14.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Meyer, Dan (2019-10-29). "Read Reviews for Off-Broadway's Seared, Starring Raúl Esparza and Krysta Rodriguez". Playbill. Retrieved 2020-02-14.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b Sanchez, Don. "SF theater company celebrates 10th anniversary". ABC 7 News. Retrieved 22 August 2013.
- ^ "American Theatre Wing Announces Recipients of 2015 National Theatre Company Grants". Playbill. Retrieved 2017-11-29.
- ^ a b c d Grant, Gary. "History of Theatre on the Square". Retrieved 6 January 2017.
- ^ a b c Hurwitt, Robert (30 April 2003). "Post Street to start with 2-man hit / 'Thwak' takes swing at popular culture". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 6 January 2017.
- ^ Winn, Steven (17 August 2002). "Theatre on the Square to close / Producer cites rent, market downturn". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 6 January 2017.
- ^ a b Hurwitt, Robert (30 June 2011). "Lorraine Hansberry Theatre signs deal on new home". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 6 January 2017.
- ^ Hurwitt, Robert (21 December 2015). "Hansberry Theatre keeps dream of survival alive". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 6 January 2017.
- ^ "San Francisco Playhouse—Venue". sfplayhouse.org. Retrieved 6 January 2017.
- ^ Jones, Chad (January 25, 2016). "Provocative, brilliant 'Nether' world at S.F. Playhouse". SF Gate. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
- ^ Rowe, Georgia (November 23, 2015). "'Stage Kiss' a charming valentine to theater". The San Francisco Examiner. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
- ^ Hurwitt, Robert (September 28, 2015). "'Dogfight': Marines' fraught last night in S.F. before Vietnam". SF Gate. Retrieved December 18, 2015.
- ^ "Love, marriage side by side in SF Playhouse's lively 'Company' - The San Francisco Examiner". The San Francisco Examiner. Retrieved 2015-12-18.
- ^ Hurwitt, Robert (May 17, 2015). "'Trouble' cagily probes reality TV at SF Playhouse". SF Gate. Retrieved December 18, 2015.
- ^ Mannino, Jason (April 15, 2015). "San Francisco Playhouse Debuts Bay Area Premiere of Stupid Fucking Bird". Huffington Post. Retrieved December 18, 2015.
- ^ Jones, Chad (January 26, 2015). "Theater review: "Tree" explores tangled roots of family". SF Gate. Retrieved December 18, 2015.
- ^ Katz, Leslie (13 November 2014). "SF Playhouse takes swing at 'Promises, Promises'". The San Francisco Examiner. Retrieved 21 November 2014.
- ^ D'Souza, Karen (1 August 2014). "Review: 'Ideation,' a gripping dark comedy, returns to San Francisco Playhouse". San Jose Mercury News. Retrieved 21 November 2014.
- ^ Sokol, Robert (1 July 2014). "SF Playhouse makes happy journey 'Into the Woods'". The San Francisco Examiner. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
- ^ D'Souza, Karen (5 May 2014). "Review: 'Seminar' a snarky triumph at San Francisco Playhouse". San Jose Mercury News. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
- ^ Lin, Michelle (3 February 2014). "San Francisco Playhouse's 'Jerusalem' squanders technical excellence with erratic plot". The Daily Californian. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
- ^ Heymont, George (10 December 2013). "A Pair of Pitch Perfect Productions". Huffington Post. Retrieved 16 July 2014.