Your Guide toSan Francisco's Performing Arts Events This Spring
Here's a helpful round-up of the must-see performances in San Francisco this season.
From comedy and theater to opera and dance, San Francisco attracts the best of the best, giving visitors plenty of performances to choose from during their stay. Explore what’s playing this season and start planning your trip.
Comedy
Andrew Schulz
The MasonicOne of the hottest names in comedy is in San Francisco for just two nights on The Life Tour. The incredibly successful comedian and podcaster draws a crowd wherever he goes for his crowd work, quick wit, and breadth of knowledge. Mar. 8 and 9.
Ronny Chieng
The MasonicShowman Ronny Chieng is at the Masonic Theatre for two evenings in May. The multi-talented performer already has two Netflix specials and has taken his newest act on the road. Be sure to grab tickets early before they sell out. May 11 and 12.
Trevor Wallace
Cobb’s Comedy ClubWhile he started his rise to fame years ago on Vine, Trevor Wallace is now one of the most viral comedy stars of his generation. Wallace is everywhere, racking up more than a billion combined views across all social media – all before the age of 30. He has his finger on the pulse and knows how to work a crowd. May 17-19.
Dance
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
San Francisco BalletShakespeare’s story of romantic encounters and subsequent confusion comes to the stage with a score composed by Felix Mendelssohn. What was once set to be a wedding for one couple ends in three couples being married, but certainly not before a comedy of errors—and quite a bit of trickery—ensues. Mar. 12-23.
Next@90 Curtain Call
San Francisco BalletThe Curtain Call features a trio of exciting pieces across a variety of genres. First is Violin Concerto, a reimagining of Stravinsky’s famed score from the 1930s. Sit back and watch Yuri Possokhov reimagine this beautiful melding of music and dance.
Next is MADCAP, an eerie circus-themed piece where performers slowly deconstruct the anatomy of a clown through motion, percussion, and even singing.
Lastly is Gateway to the Sun, a ballet in five movements inspired by 13th century Islamic poet Rumi. Gateway to the Sun references a line from his piece You Wake the Dead to Life, and the poem’s influence is seen throughout this production. Apr. 2-13.
Dos Mujeres
San Francisco BalletOlivier Award-winner Arielle Smith and Grammy Award-winner Arturo O’Farrill combine forces for this two-part performance. The first part outlines the life of Carmen, a strong and independent woman who dreams of love without the pitfalls of jealousy and over-dependance. The second part centers on Frida Kahlo. Audiences are invited to enter Frida’s fantastical and often torn world to see Annabelle Lopez Ochoa’s creative choreography on display. Apr. 4-14.
Mere Mortals
San Francisco BalletThe story of Pandora is no less applicable today than it was to the Ancient Greeks. Mere Mortals returns for just one more week this season, offering a modern look at this story of curiosity and cost. The experience is immersive, thrusting viewers into the center of a symphony of lights and sounds. Apr. 18-24.
Swan Lake
San Francisco BalletDue to popular demand, Swan Lake returns with world-renowned guest stars Natalia Osipova (The Royal Ballet), Daniel Camargo (American Ballet Theater), and Jacopo Tissi (Dutch National Opera & Ballet). Whether you're a ballet lover or new to the art form, Swan Lake is on everyone's must-see list.
Opera
Birds & Balls
Opera ParallèleEver heard of a live operatic tennis match? That’s what you’re in store for—among many other things—in this world premiere double bill. First up is the West Coast Premiere of The Finch Opera, an opera about finch sitting (It’s a Flemish sport. Yep, seriously.), followed by the world premiere of the one-act opera, Balls. Balls tells the story of the famed “Battle of the Sexes” tennis match in 1973 between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs. Apr. 5-7.
Theater
Big Data
A.C.T.’s Toni Rembe TheaterDo we control technology or does it – subtly or overtly – control us? That’s the question at the Core of Big Data, written by Kate Attwell and directed by Pam MacKinnon, A.C.T.’s own Artistic Director. This at times irreverent look at the attention economy and the “siren song of tech” will have you laughing while you ponder your own relationship to the device you keep in your pocket. Now through Mar. 10.
Unpacking in P'Town
The New Conservatory Theatre CenterEach year, four former vaudevillians—Buster, Lydia, Minty, and Scottie—meet in Provincetown to drink, dance, unwind, and forget about the world around them. This year, though, is different. It’s 1959 – 10 years before Stonewall, but the civil rights movement is starting to gain traction. The four friends face challenges and make hard choices for their families – chosen and born. Unpacking in P’Town is a “world premiere portrait of the queer artists of color who paved the way for others to live out loud.” Now through Mar. 31.
Sign My Name to Freedom
SFBATCOIf you lived four lifetimes, chances are you wouldn’t have half the life experience that beloved Bay Area icon Betty Reid Soskin did. The world premiere of Sign My Name to Freedom chronicles the 102 years of Betty Reid Soskin’s life and takes you along her journey as a World War II defense worker, activistic, song writer, park ranger, and everything in between. Mar. 29 – Apr. 14.
The Tutor
The New Conservatory Theatre CenterWhat price would you pay to be truly who you are? That’s the heart of The Tutor, written by Torange Yeghiazarian and directed by Sahar Assaf. The story centers on Kayvan, who’s recently married a young Iranian woman named Baran. Once the two move back to Kayvan’s home in the Bay Area, their lives slowly fall apart. Who wins in a game where our most fundamental truths are at stake? Apr. 5 – May 11.
A Strange Loop
A.C.T.'s Toni Rembe TheaterOne of the most original and inventive Broadway musicals in recent memory, the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning A Strange Loop tells the story of Usher, a Black, queer writer writing a musical about a Black, queer writer writing a musical about a Black, queer writer. Hell-bent on breaking free of his own self-perception, Usher wrestles with the thoughts in his head, brought to life on stage by a hilarious, straight-shooting ensemble. Apr. 18 - May 12.
Adventures With Alice
We Players Theatre CompanySomewhere between Wonderland and Looking Glass is Adventures with Alice. This play sold-out all last season, and there’s every reason to expect it’ll be the same this time. This run is promised to be just as immersive as the last one, with a few added twists and characters! Performances will be held on select dates at Golden Gate Park. Apr. 24 – June 2.
Funny Girl
Orpheum TheatreFunny Girl is the classic musical about the life of Jewish vaudevillian comedian Fanny Brice. This rendition features an updated book based on the Isobel Lennart original, but still retains all the classic songs. It’s a love letter to theatre and to the whole craft at its core. Apr. 30 – May 26.
tick, tick…Boom!
The New Conservatory Theatre CenterFrom the creator of Rent comes the story of a composer, Jon, about to turn 30, trying to make his mark on the world, but feeling like he’s running out of time. A cult favorite of the musical theater crowd that was adapted into an acclaimed Netflix film directed by Lin-Manuel Miranda, tick, tick…Boom! is all about pursuing what matters most. May 10 – June 9.
The Lehman Trilogy
A.C.T.'s Toni Rembe TheaterThe National Theatre and Neal Street Productions’ The Lehman Trilogy comes to San Francisco following sold-out seasons in London and a highly lauded run on Broadway. The Lehman Trilogy is the story of a family and a company that changed the world, told by a cast of three in three parts on a single evening. It's an extraordinary feat of story-telling!
Company
The Orpheum TheatreCompany took home five Tony Awards, including Best Revival of a Musical, for the recreation of Stephen Sondheim and George Furth’s masterpiece about Bobbie, a 35-year-old woman who’s still single on her 35th birthday. As company arrives, the questions fly: why isn’t she married, when will she settle down? Company follows Bobbie as she strives to find answers to her guests’ questions and, in turn, questions of her own. June 5-29.
Joe Coleman is a freelance travel and outdoor writer based in East Texas. Though always up for an international trek, there’s nothing he loves more than a road trip exploring the large cities and small towns of the United States. You can find more of his work at colemancreates.com.
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