San Francisco Playhouse

Arwen Anderson, left, and Isabel Langen play mother and daughter in “A White Girl’s Guide to International Terrorism.” (Courtesy Jessica Palopoli)

Fine acting, contrived premise in ‘White Girl’s Guide’

What might compel a white American teenage girl to join terrorists in…

 

From left, Ruth Keith, El Beh and David Rukin are charming in San Francisco Playhouse’s “Mary Poppins.” (Courtesy Jessica Palopoli)

Jolly holiday with SF Playhouse’s ‘Mary Poppins’

Like its famous source material, San Francisco Playhouse’s stage musical “Mary Poppins”…

 

From left, Charisse Loriaux, Cassidy Brown, Jomar Tagatac and Katie Rubin are excellent in “You Mean to Do Me Harm.” (Courtesy Ken Levin)

Relationships unravel in SF Playhouse’s ‘You Mean to Do Me Harm’

The personal and political dialogue between and among two interracial couples of…

 

John Bambery portrays Georges Seurat and Nanci Zoppi plays his lover Dot in San Francisco Playhouse’s “Sunday in the Park with George.” (Courtesy Ken Levin)

‘Sunday in the Park’ colorfully explores meaning of art

Being an artist has never been easy. Consider Georges Seurat, the 19th-century…

John Bambery portrays Georges Seurat and Nanci Zoppi plays his lover Dot in San Francisco Playhouse’s “Sunday in the Park with George.” (Courtesy Ken Levin)
Lucas Verbrugghe and Lori Prince appear in “An Entomologist’s Love Story” at San Francisco Playhouse. (Courtesy Jessica Palopoli)

‘Entomologist’s Love Story’ an affecting look at meeting and mating

“An Entomologist’s Love Story,” Melissa Ross’ world premiere at San Francisco Playhouse,…

Lucas Verbrugghe and Lori Prince appear in “An Entomologist’s Love Story” at San Francisco Playhouse. (Courtesy Jessica Palopoli)
Joe Estlack and Connie Hall play participants in a clinical trial for an antidepressant in “The Effect” at San Francisco Playhouse. (Courtesy Jessica Palopoli)

Intriguing ‘Effect’ explores science of human feelings

British playwright Lucy Prebble has achieved the rare feat, in her 2012…

Joe Estlack and Connie Hall play participants in a clinical trial for an antidepressant in “The Effect” at San Francisco Playhouse. (Courtesy Jessica Palopoli)
From left, Michael Torres, Gabriel Montoya, Jason Kapoor, Millie Brooks and Anthony Fusco are excellent in “Born Yesterday.” (Courtesy Jessica Palopoli)

SF Playhouse’s funny ‘Born Yesterday’ strikes modern note

As San Francisco Playhouse Artistic Director Bill English explains in the program…

From left, Michael Torres, Gabriel Montoya, Jason Kapoor, Millie Brooks and Anthony Fusco are excellent in “Born Yesterday.” (Courtesy Jessica Palopoli)
From left, Edris Cooper-Anifowoshe, Adrian Roberts, Kehinde Koyejo and Halili Knox appear in San Francisco Playhouse’s provocative comedy “Barbecue.” (Courtesy Ken Levin/San Francisco Playhouse)

SF Playhouse ‘Barbecue’ a smokin’ satire

The sly playwright Robert O’Hara seems to have multiple intentions in his…

From left, Edris Cooper-Anifowoshe, Adrian Roberts, Kehinde Koyejo and Halili Knox appear in San Francisco Playhouse’s provocative comedy “Barbecue.” (Courtesy Ken Levin/San Francisco Playhouse)
From left, Indiia Wilmott, Atim Udoffia and Nia Fairweather are excellent in San Francisco Playhouse’s “Zenith.” (Courtesy Ken Levin/SF Playhouse)

Mesmerizing ‘Zenith’ digs into a shocking family tragedy

“Zenith” begins shockingly, as a woman in a car suddenly takes her…

From left, Indiia Wilmott, Atim Udoffia and Nia Fairweather are excellent in San Francisco Playhouse’s “Zenith.” (Courtesy Ken Levin/SF Playhouse)
Clockwise (from top left), Nikita Burshteyn, Ryan Drummond, Samantha Rose and John Treacy Egan play the happy family in San Francisco Playhouse’s “La Cage Aux Folles.” (Courtesy Jessica Palopoli)

Best of times at SF Playhouse’s ‘La Cage aux Folles’

San Francisco Playhouse has turned its cozy second floor theater into a…

Clockwise (from top left), Nikita Burshteyn, Ryan Drummond, Samantha Rose and John Treacy Egan play the happy family in San Francisco Playhouse’s “La Cage Aux Folles.” (Courtesy Jessica Palopoli)
From left, James Asher, Charisse Loriaux, Lauren English and Don Castro appear in San Francisco Playhouse’s intriguing “You Mean to Do Me Harm.” (Courtesy Ken Levin)

Personal views reflect political reality in witty ‘Harm’

It’s no small accomplishment to create deeply human characters and personal conflicts…

From left, James Asher, Charisse Loriaux, Lauren English and Don Castro appear in San Francisco Playhouse’s intriguing “You Mean to Do Me Harm.” (Courtesy Ken Levin)
Julia Brothers, left, and Susi Damilano star in San Francisco Playhouse’s “The Roommate.” (Courtesy Jessica Palopoli)

SF Playhouse’s fun ‘Roommate’ takes inconceivable turn

In the first half of playwright Jen Silverman’s two-hander “The Roommate,” now…

Julia Brothers, left, and Susi Damilano star in San Francisco Playhouse’s “The Roommate.” (Courtesy Jessica Palopoli)
San Francisco Playhouse’s Susi Damilano shows off the model of the set for the upcoming production of “Noises Off.” (Courtesy Janos Gereben)

Producing ‘Noises Off’ like solving a fun puzzle

Nonstop pratfalls, doors that open inadvertently or don’t work and disappearing plates…

San Francisco Playhouse’s Susi Damilano shows off the model of the set for the upcoming production of “Noises Off.” (Courtesy Janos Gereben)
Anthony Fusco is multifaceted as a pastor of a contemporary church facing challenges, and Stephanie Prentice is good as his wife, in “The Christians” at San Francisco Playhouse. (Courtesy Jessica Palopoli)

SF Playhouse’s ‘Christians’ takes on trials of modern faith

In the beginning of “The Christians,” the leader of an Evangelical church…

Anthony Fusco is multifaceted as a pastor of a contemporary church facing challenges, and Stephanie Prentice is good as his wife, in “The Christians” at San Francisco Playhouse. (Courtesy Jessica Palopoli)
Monique Hafen and Jeffrey Brian Adams appear in San Francisco Playhouse’s “She Loves Me.” (Courtesy Jessica Palopoli)

SF Playhouse’s ‘She Loves Me’ a sweet holiday treat

Look out, Ebenezer Scrooge, and move over, Nutcracker. “She Loves Me,” which…

Monique Hafen and Jeffrey Brian Adams appear in San Francisco Playhouse’s “She Loves Me.” (Courtesy Jessica Palopoli)
Brian Dykstra, left, and Rod Gnapp are excellent in San Francisco Playhouse’s premiere “Seared.” (Courtesy Jessica Palopoli)

SF Playhouse’s ‘Seared’ a luscious, satisfying treat

San Francisco Playhouse just opened its new season with a world premiere…

Brian Dykstra, left, and Rod Gnapp are excellent in San Francisco Playhouse’s premiere “Seared.” (Courtesy Jessica Palopoli)
Jason Stojanovski, center, plays an injured athlete, and Thomas Gorrebeeck, right, plays his younger self in “Colossal.” (Courtesy Jessica Palopoli)

Football meets theater in flashy ‘Colossal’

The main character in Chicago writer Andrew Hinderaker’s latest play, “Colossal” --…

Jason Stojanovski, center, plays an injured athlete, and Thomas Gorrebeeck, right, plays his younger self in “Colossal.” (Courtesy Jessica Palopoli)
Carmen Steele and Warren David Keith appear in San Francisco Playhouse’s provocative “The Nether.” (Courtesy Jessica Palopoli)

‘The Nether’ takes intriguing journey through virtual reality

Jennifer Haley’s 2012 award-winner, “The Nether,” is deceptively formulaic at first: In…

Carmen Steele and Warren David Keith appear in San Francisco Playhouse’s provocative “The Nether.” (Courtesy Jessica Palopoli)
In San Francisco Playhouse’s invigorating “Stage Kiss,” Carrie Paff and Gabriel Marin play actors and former exes who are reunited when they get cast together in a new production. (Courtesy Jessica Palopoli)

‘Stage Kiss’ a charming valentine to theater

In “Stage Kiss,” a kiss is more -- much more -- than…

In San Francisco Playhouse’s invigorating “Stage Kiss,” Carrie Paff and Gabriel Marin play actors and former exes who are reunited when they get cast together in a new production. (Courtesy Jessica Palopoli)
Jeffrey Brian Adams and Caitlin Brooke are superb in San Francisco Playhouse’s local premiere of the musical “Dogfight.” (Courtesy Jessica Palopoli)

‘Dogfight’ a sentimental, authentic charmer

A love story with unorthodox, yet real, characters is a rare thing…

Jeffrey Brian Adams and Caitlin Brooke are superb in San Francisco Playhouse’s local premiere of the musical “Dogfight.” (Courtesy Jessica Palopoli)