Jean Schiffman

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Clockwise, from top left, Kacie Rogers, Romi Dias, Eden Malyn and Mary Beth Fisher appear in playwright Laurel Ollstein’s “Pandora,” presented by TheatreWorks Silicon Valley and the Getty Villa Museum. (Screenshot)

Laurel Ollstein’s ‘Pandora’ a funny feminist take on a classic myth

TheatreWorks, Getty Museum stream amusing 90-minute show

Clockwise, from top left, Kacie Rogers, Romi Dias, Eden Malyn and Mary Beth Fisher appear in playwright Laurel Ollstein’s “Pandora,” presented by TheatreWorks Silicon Valley and the Getty Villa Museum. (Screenshot)
The Drexler twins’ amusing new web series is called “The Simpleton’s Guide to Success.” (Courtesy photo)

Drexler twins debut ‘Simpleton’ mockumentary

Bay area siblings write, star in funny New York-set web series

The Drexler twins’ amusing new web series is called “The Simpleton’s Guide to Success.” (Courtesy photo)
William DeMeritt appears in Marin Theatre Co. and Round House Theatre’s timely production of “The Catastrophist.” (Courtesy Marin Theatre Co.)

Marin Theatre’s ‘Catastrophist’ couldn’t be more relevant

‘Review’ takes on New York art world, post 9/11

William DeMeritt appears in Marin Theatre Co. and Round House Theatre’s timely production of “The Catastrophist.” (Courtesy Marin Theatre Co.)
Woody LaBounty, left, and David Gallagher started the Western Neighborhoods Project which has a Balboa Street office housing historical items and comprehensive website dedicated to the history of The City’s West side. (Kevin N. Hume/S.F. Examiner)

Outside Lands podcast delves into West side’s quirky past

History buffs Woody LaBounty and David Gallagher have been sharing fun stories about the Richmond and Sunset since 1998

Woody LaBounty, left, and David Gallagher started the Western Neighborhoods Project which has a Balboa Street office housing historical items and comprehensive website dedicated to the history of The City’s West side. (Kevin N. Hume/S.F. Examiner)
From left, Diana Lauren Jones as Cordelia, Jessica Powell as King Lear, Ron Chapman as Duke of Burgundy and Yohana Ansari-Thomas as King of France appeared in San Francisco Shakespeare Festival’s 2020 Free Shakespeare at Home production of “King Lear.” (Courtesy San Francisco Shakespeare Festival)

For Bay Area theaters, the show must go on

With stages shut, many troupes found new ways to tell stories in 2020

From left, Diana Lauren Jones as Cordelia, Jessica Powell as King Lear, Ron Chapman as Duke of Burgundy and Yohana Ansari-Thomas as King of France appeared in San Francisco Shakespeare Festival’s 2020 Free Shakespeare at Home production of “King Lear.” (Courtesy San Francisco Shakespeare Festival)
The Curran and Pomegranate Arts present performance artist Taylor Mac in “Holiday Sauce…. Pandemic!” <ins>(Courtesy Little Fang)</ins>

Taylor Mac’s wacky as ever in ‘Holiday Sauce … Pandemic!’

Wild, anything goes show glitters and dazzles online

The Curran and Pomegranate Arts present performance artist Taylor Mac in “Holiday Sauce…. Pandemic!” <ins>(Courtesy Little Fang)</ins>
Leigh Rondon-Davis and Kenny Scott are excellent in Shotgun Players’ “The Light,” a visceral show offering a rush for the audience. (Courtesy Nailah Harper-Malveaux)

Shotgun Players’ ‘The Light’ an intense theatrical experience

Pear, Perspective theaters present a double-bill of solo shows

Leigh Rondon-Davis and Kenny Scott are excellent in Shotgun Players’ “The Light,” a visceral show offering a rush for the audience. (Courtesy Nailah Harper-Malveaux)
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)