Arts & Entertainment

Poet and translator Jack Hirschman was known for championing fellow writers, particularly unsung voices from the working class and people whose first language isn’t English. <ins>(Photo by Marco Bakker/Courtesy Agneta Falk)</ins>

Agneta Falk on Jack Hirschman’s arcane life and love

‘Word man’ was legend among street artists, poets and those we used to call hipsters

(Courtesy of Daniel Sternstein)

Jerry Garcia’s music plays on, thanks to Melvin Seals

Bay Area lifer mixes Garcia originals with Grateful Dead tunes on tour

  • Sep 24, 2021
“Radiant Fugitives” by Nawaaz Ahmed is a poignant family tragedy. (Courtesy photo) “Radiant Fugitives” by Nawaaz Ahmed is a poignant family tragedy. (Courtesy photo)

‘Radiant Fugitives’ explores ties that bind, and divide, a Muslim family

Nawaaz Ahmed’s SF-set novel links personal, political conflicts with passion, empathy

The Sounds, led by Maja Ivarsson (center), are on a U.S. tour promoting “Things We Do For Love.” (Courtesy David Möller)

Sweden’s The Sounds play eventful COVID-era U.S. tour

‘Everything that could go wrong, did go wrong’

The Sounds, led by Maja Ivarsson (center), are on a U.S. tour promoting “Things We Do For Love.” (Courtesy David Möller)
Is the Black Cat incident a distraction from the recovery of The City’s storied nightlife industry or does Mayor London Breed’s behavior inadvertently highlight the predicament the industry’s been in since San Francisco reinstated indoor mask requirements on Aug. 20?<ins> (Kevin N. Hume/The Examiner, 2021)</ins>

Club owners to maskless mayor: Are we the new fun police?

Black Cat affair highlights difficult recovery for nightlife industry

  • Sep 20, 2021
Is the Black Cat incident a distraction from the recovery of The City’s storied nightlife industry or does Mayor London Breed’s behavior inadvertently highlight the predicament the industry’s been in since San Francisco reinstated indoor mask requirements on Aug. 20?<ins> (Kevin N. Hume/The Examiner, 2021)</ins>
Ron Chapman as Pericles and Carolina Morones as Marina appear in Episode 4 of San Francisco Shakespeare Festival’s 2021 Free Shakespeare in the Park production of “Pericles, Prince of Tyre.” Performances continue in San Francisco and Cupertino. (Courtesy Jay Yamada)

SF Shakes stages free, fun, family-friendly ‘Pericles’

Outdoor performances round out troupe’s hybrid season

Ron Chapman as Pericles and Carolina Morones as Marina appear in Episode 4 of San Francisco Shakespeare Festival’s 2021 Free Shakespeare in the Park production of “Pericles, Prince of Tyre.” Performances continue in San Francisco and Cupertino. (Courtesy Jay Yamada)
Jordan Maria Don, left, and Troy Rockett are excellent in Crowded Fire Theater’s “The Displaced.” (Courtesy Adam Tolbert/Crowded Fire Theater)

‘Displaced’ an intriguing gentrification horror story

Crowded Fire show engages, entertains, enlightens

Jordan Maria Don, left, and Troy Rockett are excellent in Crowded Fire Theater’s “The Displaced.” (Courtesy Adam Tolbert/Crowded Fire Theater)
Ms. López’s “Portrait of the Artist as the Virgin of Guadalupe” (1978), left, inspired younger generations of Latina artists to rethink a popular Roman Catholic icon. Another painting in the Guadalupe triptych, right, depicts Ms. López’s grandmother casually holding a knife and a snakeskin. (Yolanda López via New York Times/Examiner illustration)

Yolanda López, boundary-breaking star of SF Chicano artworld, dies at 78

‘Her approach never involved making masterpieces for the elites’

  • Sep 20, 2021
Ms. López’s “Portrait of the Artist as the Virgin of Guadalupe” (1978), left, inspired younger generations of Latina artists to rethink a popular Roman Catholic icon. Another painting in the Guadalupe triptych, right, depicts Ms. López’s grandmother casually holding a knife and a snakeskin. (Yolanda López via New York Times/Examiner illustration)
San Francisco’s Chillingsworth Surfingham has released a self-titled album of lively guitar instrumentals. <ins>(Courtesy ATOM Records)</ins>

Chillingsworth Surfingham rocks out on guitar

SF schoolteacher John Ashfield has a fun musical alter ego

San Francisco’s Chillingsworth Surfingham has released a self-titled album of lively guitar instrumentals. <ins>(Courtesy ATOM Records)</ins>
“Ticket to Ride,” on view at RVCA’s Haight-Ashbury store, is made up of artistic renderings of Muni tickets. <ins>(Courtesy Optimist Williams)</ins>

Celebrating pre-tech SF through Muni transfer tickets

‘Ticket to Ride’ exhibit presents public transit as art and equalizer

  • Sep 17, 2021
“Ticket to Ride,” on view at RVCA’s Haight-Ashbury store, is made up of artistic renderings of Muni tickets. <ins>(Courtesy Optimist Williams)</ins>
The Marsh Berkeley returns to live theater with fan favorite Don Reed in the solo show “Going Out.” (Courtesy Daniel D. Baumer)

Unfailingly funny Don Reed takes on COVID in ‘Going Out’

Solo artist shines describing ‘adventures before and after the pan-pan’

The Marsh Berkeley returns to live theater with fan favorite Don Reed in the solo show “Going Out.” (Courtesy Daniel D. Baumer)
From left, Keith Pinto, Wilson Jermaine Heredia, Rinabeth Apostol and Melissa WolfKlain are excellent in “Starting Here, Starting Now,” a revue featuring songs by David Shire and Richard Maltb, Jr. at San Francisco Playhouse. (Courtesy Jessica Palopoli)

Song-and-dance quartet charms in ‘Starting Here, Starting Now’

Tunes in SF Playhouse revue span range of emotions

From left, Keith Pinto, Wilson Jermaine Heredia, Rinabeth Apostol and Melissa WolfKlain are excellent in “Starting Here, Starting Now,” a revue featuring songs by David Shire and Richard Maltb, Jr. at San Francisco Playhouse. (Courtesy Jessica Palopoli)
Joan Mitchell’s 1976 “Weeds” references plant life as well as the artist’s image of her own place in the world. (Photo courtesy Ian Lefebvre, Art Gallery of Ontario/Estate of Joan Mitchell)

Powerful abstracts by Joan Mitchell at SFMOMA

Colorful, dazzling works on view in plentiful retrospective

Joan Mitchell’s 1976 “Weeds” references plant life as well as the artist’s image of her own place in the world. (Photo courtesy Ian Lefebvre, Art Gallery of Ontario/Estate of Joan Mitchell)
From left, dane troy, Craig Marker, Safiya Fredericks and Sharon Shao are excellent in California Shakespeare Theater’s “A Winter’s Tale.” (Courtesy Kevin Berne/California Shakespeare Theater)

Cal Shakes’ ‘Winter’s Tale’ springs to life in second half

Versatile cast boasts music, dance and comedy skills

From left, dane troy, Craig Marker, Safiya Fredericks and Sharon Shao are excellent in California Shakespeare Theater’s “A Winter’s Tale.” (Courtesy Kevin Berne/California Shakespeare Theater)
Ali Gass has raised $2.5 million to start the new institution in Dogpatch, with a planned opening in fall 2022. (Ulysses Ortega/New York Times)

San Francisco get its own Institute of Contemporary Art

ICA SF will showcase Bay Area artists ready for national attention

  • Sep 10, 2021
Ali Gass has raised $2.5 million to start the new institution in Dogpatch, with a planned opening in fall 2022. (Ulysses Ortega/New York Times)
Revelers on Second Street enjoyed the How Weird Street Faire in 2018. (Courtesy photo)

How Weird festivities return to SoMa

Masks required, costumes encouraged at electronic music and art street party

Revelers on Second Street enjoyed the How Weird Street Faire in 2018. (Courtesy photo)
Versatile singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright is back on the road promoting new music. (Courtesy V. Tony Hauser) <ins> </ins>

Rufus Wainwright continues to ‘unfollow’ rules

Musician makes waves with opera, poetry and new folk pop effort

Versatile singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright is back on the road promoting new music. (Courtesy V. Tony Hauser) <ins> </ins>
Flower Piano in the San Francisco Botanical Garden invites musicians from the public to play at one of 12 pianos stationed in the area; a community performer is pictured in 2019. (Courtesy photo)

Flower Piano to bloom again in Golden Gate Park

Music pros, community performers tinkle the ivories throughout botanical garden

  • Sep 8, 2021
Flower Piano in the San Francisco Botanical Garden invites musicians from the public to play at one of 12 pianos stationed in the area; a community performer is pictured in 2019. (Courtesy photo)
Gypsy Snider, onstage at far left, coaches hand balancer Junru Wang at a recent rehearsal for “Dear San Francisco: A High-Flying Love Story.”<ins> (Leslie Katz/The Examiner)</ins>

‘Dear San Francisco’ preps for big opening at Club Fugazi

New show, approach are ‘all about community’

Gypsy Snider, onstage at far left, coaches hand balancer Junru Wang at a recent rehearsal for “Dear San Francisco: A High-Flying Love Story.”<ins> (Leslie Katz/The Examiner)</ins>
Awkwafina and Simu Liu play San Franciscans who work at the Fairmont Hotel in “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.”<ins> (Courtesy Jasin Boland/Marvel Studios)</ins>

Marvel movie’s running ‘Rings’ around town

Asian superhero flick ‘Shang-Chi’ has exciting scenes in The City

Awkwafina and Simu Liu play San Franciscans who work at the Fairmont Hotel in “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.”<ins> (Courtesy Jasin Boland/Marvel Studios)</ins>