2021 was supposed to be the year that live theatre came roaring back, and it did… for a while. By the end of the year, that roar had been replaced by a hacking cough symptomatic of exposure to the Omicron variant of the coronavirus. Theatres once again began to cancel or postpone performances as casts…
Directors will often change the setting or time period of an older, well-known play in the hopes of making it more accessible to contemporary audiences. Modernized Shakespeare plays are usually the best examples of this practice. Similarly, the Novato Theater Company has taken Oscar Wilde’s community-theatre staple The Importance of Being Earnest and plopped it…
The circle of life takes center stage in the North Bay with two plays featuring females dealing with challenges ranging from child rearing to senior living. Petaluma’s Cinnabar Theater invites you to Cry It Out while the Ross Valley Players would love for you to come and pull a Ripcord. Proof of COVID vaccination and…
Fall is the time when a theatre company’s fancy turns lightly to thoughts of a new season. Announcements are made, rehearsals are scheduled, and the sound of buzzing returns to auditoriums as audiences enter and take their seats in support of live performance. After being dark for a year-and-a-half, California’s June “reopening” gave theatre artists…
For theatre lovers who prefer their Shakespeare ‘al fresco’ – or for those who are still hesitant about venturing inside – two North Bay companies are presenting free outdoor productions of Bard-centric plays. They are adhering to all city, county, and state COVID protocols and the casts and crews have been fully vaccinated. Mill Valley’s…
Theaters throughout the North Bay have finally started to receive disbursements from the Federal Government’s Shuttered Venue Operators Grant Program. The program, administered by the U.S. Small Business Administration, was signed into law in December 2020. It offers substantial grants to producing organizations and entertainment venues to replace lost revenue as a result of COVID-19…
Marin County’s Ross Valley Players have announced their 92nd season of productions. Their five-show season opens on September 10 and concludes on June 5, 2022. It will consist of four “major” productions and one “RAW” (Ross Alternative Works) staged presentation. All five shows will be presented at The Barn at the Marin Art and Garden…
Marin County’s Mountain Play announced the cancellation of their 2021 season via Twitter. The two-part Tweet read as follows: “In support of the health and well-being of our community and staff, the Mountain Play announces the cancellation of our 2021 Season Production of INTO THE WOODS. We will safely return to Cushing Memorial Amphitheatre on…
‘Tis the time for critics of all ilks to release their “end of year” lists. For almost twenty years, this publication has presented a “Top Torn Tickets” list featuring the year’s best North Bay theatrical productions. Those years, however, had the advantage of having an entire calendar year’s worth of shows to consider. With the…
Marin Theatre Company artistic director Jasson Minadakis has announced MTC’s 54th Season lineup including the third installment of the Lauren Gundeson/Margot Melcon Christmas in Pemberley series. Initial programming for the 2020/2021 season will be offered digitally while theatres remain closed due to COVID-19. They hope to return to live, audience-attended productions in their Boyer Theatre…
North Bay Stage and Screen 