If easily nauseated, I suggest skipping straight to the calendar and proceeding content…
I am forever scarred by a Broadway play. As an adolescent visiting the big city, my father took me to a very serious performance tackling very serious things. My stomach, however, had other plans. While my father explained I needed to hold tight for this serious actor to finish his serious monologue, I proceeded to projectile vomit. Into my lap. And all the way to the bathroom. It was so bad that someone from the production came to find me and give me a clean t-shirt. And maybe to take my picture for a lifetime ban.
But this is an arts and culture newsletter, goddammit, and the Bay Area theatre scene deserves some love too. So here’s to getting over my stage fright, along with tiny books, Stern Grove festival, and the launch of limited edition merch.
Free merch for annual subscribers. Discounted for monthly (message for promo code).
Lifespan of a Fact
Category: Theatre
Date: Friday, June 28th @ 8pm (Add to Google Calendar)
Location: Aurora Theatre Company
Price Range: $45
Why I Care: Thanks to friend
, I am one degree of separation from Harry Potter. Jim co-wrote a book on his internship experience as a fact checker, which in turn became a Broadway play starring Daniel Radcliffe… as Jim. While the boy wizard won’t be on the Berkeley stage, the wild personal story of Jim’s fact-checker-turned-detective days will still be on full display. Stay after to hear Jim participate in the post-show discussion.I recommend a pre-performance snack of crackers and ginger ale.
Santigold
Category: Music
Date: Thursday, June 27th @ 7pm (Add to Google Calendar)
Location: The Midway
Price Range: $50+
Why I Care: I’m physically transported back to college when I hear L.E.S. Artistes, though sadly without curing my lower back pain. Santigold was one of Stern Grove's headliners last year and pulled off a “spellbinding” performance that engaged the 10,000+ packed audience. Enjoy the artist in a more intimate setting at The Midway, known for its versatility in offerings ranging from indie gaming conventions to disco dancing.
Vendor Market Block Party
Category: Party
Date: Saturday, June 30th @ 12pm (Add to Google Calendar)
Location: Good Mother Studio + Snail Bar
Price Range: Free to enter
Why I Care: There’s much to celebrate this Pride weekend, including local artists and makers of the Bay Area. Grab the (hopefully functioning) BART post-Pride Parade and head to Good Mother Studio to peruse art, vintage, ceramics, and more to the beats of local DJs. Snail Bar will be providing the curated wine selection, and more importantly, hosting the after party for those with the stamina for a school night hang.
Shout out to
for rallying the troops on this one.Closing Reception: Remnants of Reverie
Category: Art (Party)
Date: Friday, June 28th @ 6:30pm (Add to Google Calendar)
Location: Theresa Brockett Collections
Price Range: Free
Why I Care: What a treat to see a friend make their dreams come true. Theresa and I met under inebriated circumstances at a MoAD party but managed to piece together our shared desire for involvement in the arts. So while I’ve been tippity typing away on Substack, Theresa launched her first gallery show as part of Theresa Brockett Collections. This closing reception will be a celebration of her and her artists’ well-earned success, and no doubt the first of many.
Frameline48: Queer Places, Spaces, & Shorts
Category: Film
Date: Wednesday, June 26th @ 1pm (Add to Google Calendar)
Location: Roxie Theater
Price Range: $19.50
Why I Care: The friendship entanglements are coming in hot this edition. Meg Shutzer, my partner’s former housemate, directed short film Mother, which follows the launch of San Francisco’s first lesbian bar to operate in over a decade. The film is part of Frameline48’s LGBTQ+ Film Festival short film program, which includes several other talented directors and creators.
If a casual work-lunch screening isn’t in the cards, check out the on demand screening. Thanks, Christa (Martin’s other former housemate and
’s partner), for the flag!Stern Grove Festival: Franc Moody, DRAMA
Category: Music
Date: Sunday, July 28th @ 2pm*** (Add to Google Calendar)
Location: Stern Grove Concert Meadow
Price Range: Free
Why I Care: If both your wallet and knees are resisting a concrete jungled music festival, check out the free picnic options. Stern Grove is San Francisco’s oldest music festival, with nearly a century of performances under its belt. Last year I drove straight from LA to the park for Bob Moses & Neil Francis, and while our crew ended up precariously perched in between trees, I’m ready to elbow my way to a coveted picnic spot this round.
***Tickets release Friday, June 28th @ 2pm (Add to Google Calendar), which is why I’ve included the concert in this drop. And trust me, Stern Grove tickets sell out quick.
Small Plates Publication Party
Category: Literary & Art
Date: Friday, June 28th @ 6pm (Add to Google Calendar)
Location: San Francisco Center for the Book
Price Range: Free
Why I Care: Yes, books are clearly books, but they can also be works of art. San Francisco Center for the Book is celebrating the publications of three artists, all of whom participated in the center’s Small Plates program. The annual programming gives three artists the resources to produce their own artist books, each with a limited edition of up to 100 copies.
And at only 4 x 4 inches, each book is like a little pocketful of sunshine.
Next Drop: Thursday, July 4th