If you’re the kind of person who doesn’t get swept up in the traditional celebrations at this time of year because you’re (a) single, (b) sober, (c) nonreligious, (d) hate being forced to listen to Christmas music, (e) dread family gatherings, or (f) can no longer fake enthusiasm for the holidays, fear not. San Francisco's… Read More »Review: Messing With Peoples’ Minds

Tenderloin edge meets "Let's put on a show!" pluck in Left Coast Theatre's clothes-shedding, zinger-flinging production of "The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told." An ideal prophylactic against the coming holiday season, Paul Rudnick's Bible-thumping comedy (both Testaments are pretty much beaten to a pulp) was originally produced over 20 years ago, but still packs comedic… Read More »Review: Bible Borscht Belt

“Have yourself a merry little Christmas/ Make the yuletide gay/ From now on/ Our troubles will be miles away…” – Judy Garland, “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” (Hugh Martin/Ralph Blane), Meet Me in St. Louis (1944) I think it’s finally happened, dear reader. After the many, many, many times I’ve said that I just… Read More »O Horny Night: ‘The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told’

The cast of "Come here Often?" - Back Row: Wera von Wulfen, Edgardo Vega, Jeremy Judge, David Boyll. Middle row: Paul Renolis, Stefin Collins, Carole Swann, Christian Heppinstall, Ryan Engstrom, Terry Maloney Haley. Front row: Nic Sommerfeld, Mary Cait Hogan, Emily Keyishian. San Francisco's Left Coast Theatre Company recently presented the world premiere of Come Here Often, an… Read More »The Blame Game

San Francisco’s Left Coast Theatre Company recently premiered three short plays under the umbrella title of Twisted Hitchcock. To make sure that the audience was in on the joke, the usual pre-show announcement about cell phones and emergency exits finished with the following request spoken by an actor imitating Alfred Hitchcock). “And now please sit… Read More »Pushed to the Brink

The Left Coast Theatre Company presents excellent productions in various theatres in the city. The company is presenting for the first time the very clever and unusual San Francisco, Here I Come. San Francisco, Here I Come is the story of seven different tenants in one apartment over 10 decades who dared to change themselves… Read More »Review: San Francisco, Here I Come

One often hears about people who hunger for unconditional love. But the opportunity to receive unconditional love starts very early in life. A great deal of one's success depends on the type of parenting a child receives. The Washington Post recently published a provocative article by Jennifer S. Hirsch entitled "A Scientific Look At The… Read More »Review: We Are Family

It’s kind of become a tradition with my friend Lisa and I to go enjoy the Left Coast Theatre Company’s collection of short GLBT plays about families.  Partly, because we’re “family” – the way that most matters…in the heart. One reason we like this original and inventive short plays is there’s usually about 5-7 of… Read More »Review: Giving an “A” to a Show About The F:

Let's hear it for the queers. Shout-out to anyone who felt like an outsider growing up. Shout-out to anyone who had to sit through wild side-eye at the family dinner table. And a big shout-out to anyone who can take that sort of oppression and turn it into comic gold, as demonstrated by Left Coast… Read More »Review: Gay for Play

Several small nonprofits regularly offer aspiring playwrights an opportunity to write short plays and have them staged before an audience. Incubators like Playground specialize in assigning a topic to a group of playwrights for an evening of 10-minute plays. Others may simply choose a theme and work with a group of writers to see what… Read More »Review: Short Takes

While Theatre Rhinoceros and New Conservatory Theatre Center are the two oldest LGBT theatre companies in the San Francisco Bay area, last year Left Coast Theatre Company emerged from the GuyWriters Playwrights and began carving a niche for itself as a community theatre group. Specializing in short plays primarily created by local writers, its aim… Read More »If These Walls Could Talk – Review of “I’m Not OK, Cupid”