Jean Schiffman

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Mike McShane voices Scrooge in San Francisco Mime Troupe’s radio play “A Red Carol.” <ins>(Courtesy Karen Samski)</ins>

S.F. Mime Troupe tackles Dickens in ‘A Red Carol’

Radio play offers a new take on holiday classic

Mike McShane voices Scrooge in San Francisco Mime Troupe’s radio play “A Red Carol.” <ins>(Courtesy Karen Samski)</ins>
From left, Jens Rasmussen, Ali Andre Ali, Imran Sheikh, Andrew Aaron Valdez and Leila Buck appear in a virtual performance of “American Dreams.” (Courtesy Cherie B. Tay)

Game-show parody ‘American Dreams’ asks provocative questions

Aurora Theatre premieres clever audio play ‘The Flats’

From left, Jens Rasmussen, Ali Andre Ali, Imran Sheikh, Andrew Aaron Valdez and Leila Buck appear in a virtual performance of “American Dreams.” (Courtesy Cherie B. Tay)
From left, Johnny Moreno, Jomar Tagatac and Bobak Bakhtiari appear in San Francisco Playhouse’s riveting production of “Art.” (Courtesy SF Playhouse)

SF Playhouse streams lively version of Yasmina Reza’s ‘Art’

Manual Cinema enthralls with innovative ‘Frankenstein’ at Cal Performances

From left, Johnny Moreno, Jomar Tagatac and Bobak Bakhtiari appear in San Francisco Playhouse’s riveting production of “Art.” (Courtesy SF Playhouse)
Shotgun Players present Josh Kornbluth in the engaging “Citizen Brain.” (Screenshot)

Magic captivates with Churchill’s ‘Escaped Alone’

Kornbluth amuses again in ‘Citizen Brain’

Shotgun Players present Josh Kornbluth in the engaging “Citizen Brain.” (Screenshot)
Chloe Fong, center, with Michelle Talgarow and Don Wood, is delightful in Cutting Ball Theater’s masterful production of Charles Mee’s “Utopia.” (Courtesy photo)

Cutting Ball premieres fun, invigorating ‘Utopia’

Pearl Theatre streams ‘Lysistrata’

Chloe Fong, center, with Michelle Talgarow and Don Wood, is delightful in Cutting Ball Theater’s masterful production of Charles Mee’s “Utopia.” (Courtesy photo)
“Zohar’s Studio,” an undated print, is among the provocative, intriguing works by Stephen Berkman on view at the Contemporary Jewish Museum. (Courtesy Contemporary Jewish Museum)

Contemporary Jewish Museum reopens with sly, mysterious Zohar photos

Exhibition showcases witty 19th century-seeming images

“Zohar’s Studio,” an undated print, is among the provocative, intriguing works by Stephen Berkman on view at the Contemporary Jewish Museum. (Courtesy Contemporary Jewish Museum)
Bay Area theater veteran Margo Hall has taken the helm of San Francisco’s Lorraine Hansberry Theatre. (Courtesy Lisa Keating Photography)

Black theater matters

African Americans infuse Bay Area stages with renewed energy

Bay Area theater veteran Margo Hall has taken the helm of San Francisco’s Lorraine Hansberry Theatre. (Courtesy Lisa Keating Photography)
Marga Gomez is great in “Spanking Machine,” presented by Brava. (Courtesy photo)

Solo shows by Marga Gomez, Geoff Hoyle work well on Zoom

Master performers create intimacy online

Marga Gomez is great in “Spanking Machine,” presented by Brava. (Courtesy photo)
American Conservatory Theater opened its season virtually with “In Love and Warcraft,” featuring, top, from left, James Mercer as Ryan and Cassandra Hunter as Evie, and, bottom, Evangeline Edwards as Kitty. (Courtesy ACT)

ACT opens virtually with ‘In Love and Warcraft’

Plentiful shorts in Our Digital Stories, up-close look at Euripides’ ‘Bacchae’

American Conservatory Theater opened its season virtually with “In Love and Warcraft,” featuring, top, from left, James Mercer as Ryan and Cassandra Hunter as Evie, and, bottom, Evangeline Edwards as Kitty. (Courtesy ACT)
We Players’ 2018 production of “Caesar Maximus” in Golden Gate Park is the basis of an effective new film the inventive troupe is streaming. (Courtesy Lauren Matley)

We Players take ‘Caesar’ from outdoor stage to screen

Marsh streams solo shows, with commentary

We Players’ 2018 production of “Caesar Maximus” in Golden Gate Park is the basis of an effective new film the inventive troupe is streaming. (Courtesy Lauren Matley)
San Francisco Shakespeare Festival’s 2020 Free Shakespeare at Home production of ”King Lear” features, from left, Yohana Ansari-Thomas, Phil Lowery and Jessica Powell in the title role. (Courtesy San Francisco Shakespeare Festival)

Streams go wild, from ‘King Lear’ to ‘Three’s Company’

‘Quack,’ ‘Paris Effect’ also worth checking out

San Francisco Shakespeare Festival’s 2020 Free Shakespeare at Home production of ”King Lear” features, from left, Yohana Ansari-Thomas, Phil Lowery and Jessica Powell in the title role. (Courtesy San Francisco Shakespeare Festival)
Regina Monique is excellent as a student who challenges her history professor in Shotgun Players’ timely “The Niceties” online in its final performances July 17-18. (Courtesy Jayme Catalano)

Shotgun Players’ ‘Niceties’ perfect for these times

SF Playhouse Zoomlets take audiences behind the scenes

Regina Monique is excellent as a student who challenges her history professor in Shotgun Players’ timely “The Niceties” online in its final performances July 17-18. (Courtesy Jayme Catalano)
Lloyd Suh’s “Why We Can’t Have Nice Things” is among the short works in Play at Home, which offers dozens of short scripts for theater lovers to read. (Courtesy Play at Home)

Check out Play at Home, Mime Troupe, Summer Briefs

Radio serials, new short scripts, and more

Lloyd Suh’s “Why We Can’t Have Nice Things” is among the short works in Play at Home, which offers dozens of short scripts for theater lovers to read. (Courtesy Play at Home)
Magician David Hirata, who presented the engaging “A Box Without a Bottom” at the Marsh, successfully reprises it online. (Courtesy Daniel D. Baumer) Magician David Hirata, who presented the engaging “A Box Without a Bottom” at the Marsh, successfully reprises it online. (Courtesy Daniel D. Baumer)

SF Playhouse hosts Zoomlets, David Hirata does magic

If being a fly on the (digital) wall at a first rehearsal…

Magician David Hirata, who presented the engaging “A Box Without a Bottom” at the Marsh, successfully reprises it online. (Courtesy Daniel D. Baumer) Magician David Hirata, who presented the engaging “A Box Without a Bottom” at the Marsh, successfully reprises it online. (Courtesy Daniel D. Baumer)
Set and costume designer Robert Perdziola discusses choices he made in American Conservatory Theater’s production of “Rhinoceros” — actor David Breitbarth is pictured — in the company’s online “Takes on a Scene” presentation. (Courtesy Kevin Berne)

From ‘Rhinoceros’ to Chekhov and Black Lives Matter

Theater classics go online, troupes take viewers behind the scenes

Set and costume designer Robert Perdziola discusses choices he made in American Conservatory Theater’s production of “Rhinoceros” — actor David Breitbarth is pictured — in the company’s online “Takes on a Scene” presentation. (Courtesy Kevin Berne)
Linda Amayo-Hassan’s “La Vida Lobo” — the 2019 premiere is pictured – is among the myriad works in PlayGround Zoom Fest; billed as the nation’s largest digital new play festival and presented by the renowned Bay Area theater development lab, it runs through June 14. (Courtesy Mellophoto.com)

PlayGround celebrates 25 years with big Zoom Fest

Local theaters expand online activity with plentiful offerings

Linda Amayo-Hassan’s “La Vida Lobo” — the 2019 premiere is pictured – is among the myriad works in PlayGround Zoom Fest; billed as the nation’s largest digital new play festival and presented by the renowned Bay Area theater development lab, it runs through June 14. (Courtesy Mellophoto.com)
Comedian Margo Gomez’s May 7 appearance on “Stephanie’s MarshStream,” an online show presented by Marsh co-founder Stephanie Weisman, can be seen on YouTube. (Courtesy Fabian Echevarria)

Podcasts, performances from Marsh, SF Playhouse, Magic and more

Theaters cleverly transition from stage to small screen

Comedian Margo Gomez’s May 7 appearance on “Stephanie’s MarshStream,” an online show presented by Marsh co-founder Stephanie Weisman, can be seen on YouTube. (Courtesy Fabian Echevarria)
Dawn Ursula, center is excellent as the title character American Conservatory Theater’s “Toni Stone.” Performances have been canceled, but ticket holders will have the opportunity to view a recording. (Courtesy Kevin Berne)

‘Toni Stone’ tells story of little-known baseball hero

ACT to provide recording of show to ticketholders

Dawn Ursula, center is excellent as the title character American Conservatory Theater’s “Toni Stone.” Performances have been canceled, but ticket holders will have the opportunity to view a recording. (Courtesy Kevin Berne)
Magic Theatre’s ‘Mangos’ a rich, memorable family tale

Magic Theatre’s ‘Mangos’ a rich, memorable family tale

Ricardo Pérez González premiere cleverly weaves varied tones

Magic Theatre’s ‘Mangos’ a rich, memorable family tale
From left, Carla Gallardo, Brady Morales-Woolery, Gendell Hernández (dancing) and Edie Flores appear in Word for Word’s “Retablos” by Octavio Solis. (Courtesy Lorenzo Fernandez-Kopec)

‘Retablos,’ ‘On the Periphery’ explore life on the border

Word for Word, Golden Thread, Crowded Fire dramas set in Texas, Turkey

From left, Carla Gallardo, Brady Morales-Woolery, Gendell Hernández (dancing) and Edie Flores appear in Word for Word’s “Retablos” by Octavio Solis. (Courtesy Lorenzo Fernandez-Kopec)