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KPFA Theatre Critic Richard Wolinsky reviews “Pictures from Home” at Marin Theatre through May 31, 2026 TEXT OF REVIEW Acclaimed photographer Larry Sultan based his career on capturing life as lived through his art, and what better notion than collating photos of his own family and home growing up in Sherman Oaks in Southern California during the middle of the twentieth century. This collection of snapshots became a book published in 1992, which was then adapted for the stage as “Pictures from Home”, which plays at Marin Theatre through May 31st. In this memory play, Larry, who died in 2009, tells the story of his visits to his parents while preparing the book, as the three, parents and son, comment on the pictures and bicker with one another. Irving Sultan, a retired salesman, is no Willy Loman. He sold well and retired well-off, always ready to explain exactly what makes a great salesman, often to Larry's chagrin. Jean Sultan, ever acerbic, puts up with her husband's toxic masculinity, refusing to take his bullying and having a life of her own. Always seemingly on the verge of divorce, they will stay together until the end. What makes Pictures from Home work so well in this Marin Theatre production — the show began off broadway with in 2023 with a cast that included Nathan Lane — is the truthfulness, in the dialogue, in all three performances, and in the direction of Jonathan Moscone. There's no heightened speech, no pregnant theatrical pauses. These are real people sounding like a family, dysfunctional maybe, but real. The performances by Victor Talmadge as Irving and Susan Koozin as Jean are so truthful that even if they're not your actual parents or grandparents, they still sound like them in their sparring and quarrelling. Dan Cantor, as the narrator and son, physically a dead ringer for the real Larry, pulls off his double duties without a hitch. Pictures from Home can at times be painful to watch. These people are maybe too real for comfort. Do you really want to spend an evening with relatives like these, didn't you move as far away from them as possible? Our memories create golden ages where such squabbles and power plays don't exist. Which is why Larry Sultan's photos have such resonance. His photos were more credible than the memories he retained, which is why his books and exhibitions work so well. This play mirrors that credibility. With truthfulness in short supply these days in social media and in news reports, finding it in a memory play is all the more special. Pictures from Home by Sharr White, directed by Jonathan Moscone, plays at Marin Theatre through May 31st. For more information you can go to marintheatre.org. I'm Richard Wolinsky on Bay Area theatre for KPFA. The post Review: “Pictures from Home' at Marin Theatre appeared first on KPFA.
Bookwaves/Artwaves is produced and hosted by Richard Wolinsky. Links to assorted local theater & book venues Tracy Kidder (1945-2026): Pulitzer Winning Non-Fiction Author Tracy Kidder (1945-2026), Pulitzer Prize winning author of literary non-fiction, in conversation with Richard Wolinsky, recorded in the KPFA studios during the book tour for “Strength in What Remains: A Journey of Remembrance and Forgiveness, ” which focuses on the extraordinary true story of Deo, a young man who arrives in America from Burundi in search of a new life. Tracy Kidder, who died of lung cancer on March 24, 2026 at the age of eighty, was best known for his literary journalism, for turning non-fiction narratives into literary masterpieces. The author of eleven books, he won the Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction and the National Book Award for Nonfiction in 1982 for The Soul of A New Machine, which looked at the tech environment during the birth of the modern computer. His 1990 book, Among Schoolchildren, a close look at American education, focusing on twenty students in a Massachusetts elementary school, won several literary awards. In the years after the interview, Tracy Kidder went on to write three more non-fiction books. His final book to date, Rough Sleepers: Dr. Jim O'Connell's Urgent Mission to Bring Healing to Homeless People was published in 2023. Paul Farmer, the subject of Tracy Kidder's 2003 book “Mountains Beyond Mountains”, died in February, 2022. Joseph Kanon: Spy Thriller Novelist Joseph Kanon, in conversation with Richard Wolinsky, recorded June 17, 2017 during the book tour for the spy thriller “Defectors.” Over the course of the last thirty years, Joseph Kanon has established himself as one of the best spy novelists around, in the vein of John Le Carre, Alan Furst, Graham Greene and Eric Ambler. His latest novel, “Defectors,” is about what happens after a Soviet mole defects to Russia. What is their life like? What happens then? Set in the early 1960s, “Defectors,” through copious research, sets up what life must have been like for people like Kim Philby and other Russian spies forced to leave the West to survive. Joseph Kanon's most recent novel, “Shanghai” was published in 2024. Review of “The Goat or Who Is Sylvia”” at Shotgun Players Ashby Stage through April 28, 2026. Book Interview/Events and Theatre Links updated April 14, 2026 Note: Shows may unexpectedly close early or be postponed due to actors' positive COVID tests. Check the venue for closures, ticket refunds, and mask requirements before arrival. Dates are in-theater performances unless otherwise noted. Some venues operate Tuesday – Sunday; others for shorter periods each week. All times Pacific Time. Closing dates are sometimes extended. Book Stores Bay Area Book Festival See website for highlights from the 110th Annual Bay Area Book Festival, May 31 – June 1, 2025. Book Passage. Monthly Calendar. Mix of on-line and in-store events. Books Inc. Mix of on-line and in-store events. The Booksmith. Monthly Event Calendar. BookShop West Portal. Monthly Event Calendar. Center for Literary Arts, San Jose. See website for Book Club guests in upcoming months. Green Apple Books. Events calendar. Kepler's Books On-line Refresh the Page program listings. Live Theater Companies Actors Ensemble of Berkeley. See website for readings and events. Actor's Reading Collective (ARC). See website for upcoming productions. African American Art & Culture Complex. See website for calendar. American Conservatory Theatre ||: Girls :||: Chance :||: Music :||. through April 19, Strand Theatre. Hamnet, adapted by Lolita Chakrabarti, April 22 – May 24, Toni Rembe (Geary). Awesome Theatre Company. See website for information. BATS Improv Improvised theatre. See website for schedule. BATS Bayfront Theatre, Fort Mason Center, San Francisco. Berkeley Playhouse. Cats, May 22 – June 21. Berkeley Rep. The Monsters by Ngozi Anyanwu, March 27 – May 3, Peets Theatre. The Lunchbox, World Premiere Musical, May 17 – June 28, Berkeley Shakespeare Company See website for upcoming productions. Brava Theatre Center: See calendar for events listings. BroadwaySF: Hadestown, April 21 -26, Orpheum. Hells Kitchen, May 6 – 24, Orpheum. See website for complete listings for the Orpheum, Golden Gate and Curran Theaters. note: BroadwaySF is now ATG Tickets. Broadway San Jose: Les Miserables, April 29 – May 3. Back to the Future, June 2 – 7. The Sound of Music, July 21-26, Center REP: Lost in Yonkers by Neil Simon, March 29 – April 19. Central Stage. See website for upcoming productions, 5221 Central Avenue, Richmond Central Works The Prince, Parts I & 2 by Gary Graves, July 18 – Sept. 26. Rotating. See website for schedule. Cinnabar Theatre. The Christians by Lucas Hnath, April 10-26, The Secret Garden, June 12 – 28. Club Fugazi. Dear San Francisco, ongoing. Closed Monday and Tuesday. Contra Costa Civic Theatre A Chorus Line, June 6 – 21, 2026. See website for other events and concerts. Golden Thread Festival of Palestinian Art, April 9-19, Potrero Stage..See website for details and specifics. Hillbarn Theatre: The Play That Goes Wrong by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer & Henry Shields, April 23 – May 17. Lorraine Hansberry Theatre. 2026 season: Sistahfriend by Phaedra Tillery-Boughton, Magic Theatre, May 15-17; African Stew by Dr. Lisa B. Thompson, Sept. 10-27. Magic Theatre; Soulful Christmas, December, Magic Theatre. Los Altos Stage Company. The Cherry Orchard by Anton Chekhov, adapted by Tom Stoppard, April 16 – May 10. Lower Bottom Playaz See website for upcoming productions. Magic Theatre. A Back with Two Beasts Productions presents Shades and Shadows, a world premiere play by William Brasse, April 30 – May 3. Marin Shakespeare Company: La Comedia of Errors, April 17 – May 10, As You Like It, June 19 – July 19, Julius Caesar, August 14 – Setpember 13, See website for schedule. Marin Theatre: 60th Anniversary Gala, April 19. Pictures from Home by Sharr White, May 7-31. Masquers Playhouse, Point Richmond. The Gods of Comedy by Ken Ludwig, April 24 – May 17. Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts Closed. SF Chronicle gift article. New Conservatory Theatre Center (NCTC) how to make an American Son By Christopher Oscar Peña, Walker Theatre, April 3 – May 10. Silent Movie written & directed by Stephanie Temple, April 24 – May 3, Tucker Theatre. New Performance Traditions. See website for upcoming schedule Oakland Theater Project. Assassins, March 29 – extended to April 19. The House of Bernarda Alba by by Federico Garcia Lorca, adapted by Chay Yew, May 22 – June 7. The Fre by Taylor Mac, June 18-28. Odd Salon: Upcoming events in San Francisco & New York, and streaming. Palace of Fine Arts Theater. See website for event listings. Pear Theater. Anon(ymous) an adaptation of the Odyssey, by Naomi Iizuka, April 18 – May 3, God of Carnage by Yazmina Reza, June 12 – 28. See website for staged readings and other events. Playful People Productions. See website for classes and upcoming events. . Presidio Theatre. See website for complete schedule of events and performances. Ray of Light: Mean Girls The Musical. May 1 – 30. Urinetown, July 31 – August 29. New Venue: The Barbary Stage (formerly The Gateway), Jackson Square, SF. Ross Valley Players: See website for New Works Sunday night readings and other events. San Francisco Playhouse. Flex by Candrice Jones. March 26 – May 7.. SFBATCO. See website for streaming and in- theater shows. San Francisco Shakespeare Festival. Shakespeare on Tour: Julius Caesar, through May. See website for more information. San Jose Stage Company: See website for events and upcoming season Shotgun Players. The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia by Edward Albee, extended to May 3, and cannot extend further. South Bay Musical Theatre: On The Twentieth Century, April 19-20. SPARC: See website for upcoming events. Stagebridge: See website for events and productions. Storytime every 4th Saturday. The Breath Project. Streaming archive. The Marsh: Calendar listings for Berkeley, San Francisco and Marshstream. Theatre Lunatico See website for upcoming productions.. Theatre Rhino La Cage aux Folles, May 7 – June 7. Streaming: Essential Services Project, conceived and performed by John Fisher, all weekly performances now available on demand. TheatreWorks Silicon Valley Come from Away, April 15 – May 10, Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts.The Employee Dharma Handbook by Geetha Ready, world premiere, July 8 – Aug 2, Lucie Stern Theatre, Palo Alto. Word for Word. See website for upcoming productions. Misc. Listings: BAMPFA: On View calendar for Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive. Berkeley Symphony: See website for listings. Chamber Music San Francisco: Calendar, 2025 Season. Dance Mission Theatre. On stage events calendar. Fort Mason Center. Events calendar. Oregon Shakespeare Festival: Calendar listings and upcoming shows. San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus. See schedule for upcoming SFGMC performances. San Francisco Opera. Calendar listings. San Francisco Symphony. Calendar listings. Filmed Live Musicals: Searchable database of all filmed live musicals, podcast, blog. League of Livestream Theatre: See website for streaming plays. If you'd like to add your bookstore or theater venue to this list, please write Richard@kpfa.org . y. The post Bookwaves/Artwaves – April 2, 2026 – Tracy Kidder – Joseph Kanon appeared first on KPFA.
Bookwaves/Artwaves is produced and hosted by Richard Wolinsky. Links to assorted local theater & book venues From the Probabilities Archive: E. Hoffman Price, Fantasy & Science Fiction Pulp Writer E. Hoffman Price (1898-1988), fantasy and science fiction author who published in various pulp magazines from the 1920s into the 1950s, in conversation with Probabiliaties hosts Richard Wolinsky, Richard A. Lupoff and Lawrence Davidson, recorded in early 1979 at Price's home in Redwood City, California. E. Hoffman Price, who was born 1898 and died shortly before his 90th birthday in 1988, wrote fantasy and science fiction stories for the pulp magazines of the first half of the twentieth century, along with some non-fiction. Mostly forgotten today, though several of his stories are available in small press editions, his claim to fame is a single collaboration with the great horror writer H.P. Lovecraft, titled “Through the Gates of the Silver Key,” a sequel to Lovecraft's story, “The Silver Key.” A contributor to Weird Tales, he was also friends with two other writers from the magazine, Seabury Quinn and Clark Ashton Smith, as well as with the longtime editor of Weird Tales, Farnsworth Wright. He also knew Otis Adelbert Kline, famous in his day for writing imitations of Edgar Rice Burroughs. In the interview, Price talks about his writing career, his friendships with H.P. Lovecraft, horror writer Seabury Quinn, adventure writer Otis Adelbert Kline, and horror master Clark Ashton Smith. The Probabilities radio show first went on the air on KPFA in 1977. Within a year, my co-host Lawrence Davidson was on the trail for old pulp writers and editors, egged on by science fiction and fantasy author Richard A. Lupoff, who officially joined the show a couple of years later. This interview, following on the heels of interviews with pulp science fiction author Stanton A. Coblentz and editor Charles Hornig, was conducted at Price's house in Redwood City, California, most likely in the spring of 1979. Accompanying Dick, Lawrence and myself were Dick's wife Pat Lupoff and science fiction fanzine editor Jim Purviance. Over two hours were recorded on multiple tapes, and parts of the transcription can be found in the book Space Ships Ray Guns Martian Octopods: Interviews with Science Fiction Legends. The interview was digitized and then remastered using AI technology first, and then edited for clarity and coherence. Some outtakes exist which I can forward by email via richard@kpfa.org. The unpublished memoir Price discusses in the interview, Book of the Dead: Friends of Yesteryear, Fictioneers and Others was eventually published posthumously, in 2001. The interview opens with a question by Richard A. Lupoff. Several collections of stories by E. Hoffman Price were published in 2017 by Wildside Press, and are available both digitally and in print. The interview was digitized, remastered and edited in March 2026. This interview was first heard in a very truncated version in 1979 and has not been aired until now. The complete 68-minute interview can be heard here. Rob Nillson: Award-Winning Independent Film-maker Rob Nillson is a Bay Area based maverick filmmaker. The winner of the Camera d'Or at Cannes in 1979 for Northern Lights and the Grand Prize at Sundance for Heat and Sunlight in 1988, he continues to make independently distributed films. A documentary about the life and work of Rob Nillson, titled The Way Things Seem to Be, introduced by Rob Nillson and the documentary's director, Zahn Petrov, gets its world premiere at the Christopher Smith San Rafael Film Center this coming sunday, March 29th at 12 noon, and for more information you can go to cafilm.org. This interview was part of a larger interview about the life and work of filmmaker David Schickele. Review of “Assassins” at Oakland Theatre Project through April 5, 2026.e Book Interview/Events and Theatre Links Note: Shows may unexpectedly close early or be postponed due to actors' positive COVID tests. Check the venue for closures, ticket refunds, and mask requirements before arrival. Dates are in-theater performances unless otherwise noted. Some venues operate Tuesday – Sunday; others for shorter periods each week. All times Pacific Time. Closing dates are sometimes extended. Book Stores Bay Area Book Festival See website for highlights from the 110th Annual Bay Area Book Festival, May 31 – June 1, 2025. Book Passage. Monthly Calendar. Mix of on-line and in-store events. Books Inc. Mix of on-line and in-store events. The Booksmith. Monthly Event Calendar. BookShop West Portal. Monthly Event Calendar. Center for Literary Arts, San Jose. See website for Book Club guests in upcoming months. Green Apple Books. Events calendar. Kepler's Books On-line Refresh the Page program listings. Live Theater Companies Actors Ensemble of Berkeley. See website for readings and events. Actor's Reading Collective (ARC). See website for upcoming productions. African American Art & Culture Complex. See website for calendar. American Conservatory Theatre ||: Girls :||: Chance :||: Music :||. through April 19, Strand Theatre. Hamnet, adapted by Lolita Chakrabarti, April 22 – May 24. Awesome Theatre Company. See website for information. BATS Improv Improvised theatre. See website for schedule. BATS Bayfront Theatre, Fort Mason Center, San Francisco. Berkeley Playhouse. Once, February 20 – March 29. Berkeley Rep. All My Sons by Arthur Miller, Feb. 20 – March 29, Roda Theatre. The Monsters by Ngozi Anyanwu, March 27 – May 3, Peets Theatre. Berkeley Shakespeare Company See website for upcoming productions. Brava Theatre Center: See calendar for events listings. BroadwaySF: MJ The Musical, March 24 – April 5, Orpheum. Hadestown, April 21 -26, Orpheum. Hells Kitchen, May 6 – 24, Orpheum. See website for complete listings for the Orpheum, Golden Gate and Curran Theaters. note: BroadwaySF is now ATG Tickets. Broadway San Jose: Beetlejuice, March 31 – April 5. Les Miserables, April 29 – May 3. Back to the Future, June 2 – 7. The Sound of Music, July 21-26, Center REP: Lost in Yonkers by Neil Simon, March 29 – April 19. Central Stage. See website for upcoming productions, 5221 Central Avenue, Richmond Central Works After Happy by Patricia Milton, Feb. 28 – March 29. Cinnabar Theatre. The Christians by Lucas Hnath, April 10-26, The Secret Garden, June 12 – 28. Club Fugazi. Dear San Francisco, ongoing. Closed Monday and Tuesday. Contra Costa Civic Theatre A Chorus Line, June 6 – 21, 2026. See website for other events and concerts. Golden Thread Festival of Palestinian Art, April 9-19, Potrero Stage..See website for details and specifics. Hillbarn Theatre: The Play That Goes Wrong by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer & Henry Shields, April 23 – May 17. Lorraine Hansberry Theatre. 2026 season: Sistahfriend by Phaedra Tillery-Boughton, Magic Theatre, May 15-17; African Stew by Dr. Lisa B. Thompson, Sept. 10-27. Magic Theatre; Soulful Christmas, December, Magic Theatre. Los Altos Stage Company. The Cherry Orchard by Anton Chekhov, adapted by Tom Stoppard, April 16 – May 10. Lower Bottom Playaz See website for upcoming productions. Magic Theatre. Macbeth, translated and adapted by Migdalia Cruz. Extended through April 12. Marin Shakespeare Company: La Comedia of Errors, April 17 – May 10, As You Like It, June 19 – July 19, Julius Caesar, August 14 – Setpember 13, See website for schedule. Marin Theatre: 60th Anniversary Gala, April 19. Pictures from Home by Sharr White, May 7-31. Masquers Playhouse, Point Richmond. The Gods of Comedy by Ken Ludwig, April 24 – May 17. Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts Closed. SF Chronicle gift article. New Conservatory Theatre Center (NCTC) Gods and Monsters based on the novel by Christopher Bram, written and adapted by Tom Mullen, March 6 – April 5. New Performance Traditions. See website for upcoming schedule Oakland Theater Project. Assassins, March 29 – April 5. The House of Bernarda Alba by by Federico Garcia Lorca, adapted by Chay Yew, May 22 – June 7. The Fre by Taylor Mac, June 18-28. Odd Salon: Upcoming events in San Francisco & New York, and streaming. Palace of Fine Arts Theater. See website for event listings. Pear Theater. Anon(ymous) an adaptation of the Odyssey, by Naomi Iizuka, April 18 – May 3, God of Carnage by Yazmina Reza, June 12 – 28. See website for staged readings and other events. Playful People Productions. See website for classes and upcoming events. . Presidio Theatre. See website for complete schedule of events and performances. Ray of Light: Mean Girls The Musical. May 1 – 30. Urinetown, July 31 – August 29. Ross Valley Players: See website for New Works Sunday night readings and other events. San Francisco Playhouse. Flex by Candrice Jones. March 26 – May 7.. SFBATCO. See website for streaming and in- theater shows. San Francisco Shakespeare Festival. Shakespeare on Tour: Julius Caesar, through May. See website for more information. San Jose Stage Company: See website for events and upcoming season Shotgun Players. The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia by Edward Albee, March 21 – April 19. South Bay Musical Theatre: On The Twentieth Century, April 19-20. SPARC: See website for upcoming events. Stagebridge: See website for events and productions. Storytime every 4th Saturday. The Breath Project. Streaming archive. The Marsh: Calendar listings for Berkeley, San Francisco and Marshstream. Theatre Lunatico See website for upcoming productions.. Theatre Rhino Streaming: Essential Services Project, conceived and performed by John Fisher, all weekly performances now available on demand. TheatreWorks Silicon Valley Primary Trust by Eboni Booth, March 4 – 29, Lucie Stern Theatre, Palo Alto. Word for Word. See website for upcoming productions. Misc. Listings: BAMPFA: On View calendar for Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive. Berkeley Symphony: See website for listings. Chamber Music San Francisco: Calendar, 2025 Season. Dance Mission Theatre. On stage events calendar. Fort Mason Center. Events calendar.Oregon Shakespeare Festival: Calendar listings and upcoming shows. San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus. See schedule for upcoming SFGMC performances. San Francisco Opera. Calendar listings. San Francisco Symphony. Calendar listings. Filmed Live Musicals: Searchable database of all filmed live musicals, podcast, blog. League of Livestream Theatre: See website for streaming plays. If you'd like to add your bookstore or theater venue to this list, please write Richard@kpfa.org . y. The post Bookwaves/Artwaves – March 26, 2026: Pulp Magazine Author E. Hoffman Price (1898-1988) appeared first on KPFA.
Bookwaves/Artwaves is produced and hosted by Richard Wolinsky. Links to assorted local theater & book venues Terry McMillan: Best-Selling Author, “Waiting to Exhale,” 2001 Terry McMillan, best-selling novelist in conversation with host Richard Wolinsky, recorded February 13, 2001 while on tour for her novel, A Day Late and a Dollar Short. Terry McMillan's novels focus on the lives, aspirations and journeys of discovery of African American women and their families. She hit the ground running with her first novel, Mama, in 1987, which she helped turn into a best-seller. She followed that with a series of novels that helped create a large fan base for her work. Among her best known novels are Waiting to Exhale and How Stella Got Her Groove Back, along with Disappearing Acts, all of which were adapted for film. A Day Late and a Dollar Short is a long novel that focuses on several family members going through a variety of crises and revelations. It was adapted into a television film in 2014 starring Whoopi Goldberg and Ving Rhames, which is now available streaming on Kanopy, the free library app, as well as on other streaming services. This interview leans hard into that novel, with side trips into discussions about black families and black culture in America. As of 2026, she has published ten novels and two works of nonfiction, and according to IMDb is working as a producer for a series of television films under the title Terry McMillan presents. Her most recent novel, It's Not All Downhill from Here, was published in 2020. This interview was digitized, remastered and edited in March 2026 and has not been heard in over twenty years. Poul Anderson (1926-2001): Science Fiction and Fantasy Legend, recorded 1978 Poul Anderson (1926-2001), noted science fiction and fantasy author, winner of seven Hugo Awards and three Nebula Awards, in conversation with the late Lawrence Davidson, recorded for the Probabilities radio program on KPFA on June 10, 1978. The late Poul Anderson, who died on July 31, 2001 at the age of 74, is considered one of the greatest science fiction and fantasy authors of the twentieth century. He even has an asteroid named in his honor. Known for his hard science writing, in particular his Polysotechnic League series as well as his Landry series and his Time Patrol series, he was also a master of fantasy. There were also historical novels and mysteries. His career began in 1947 at the age of 21 with stories in Astounding Science Fiction, and he became a professional writer a year later. One of his novels became a film, the Hugo nominated novel, The High Crusade, in 1994 about an alien spaceship landing in medieval England. It is currently not streaming in the United States though if you search, you can find a DVD copy. As with many of the writers of the pulp and paperback era, Poul Anderson is ripe for rediscovery. After Probabilities got its start in 1977, it was natural that the Orinda-based writer would become a guest on the show, This short conversation with co-host Lawrence Davidson, recorded June 10, 1978, was likely Davidson's very first solo interview and came before the show's focus turned to the history of modern science fiction. The interview was digitized, remastered and edited on February 22, 2026, using the Adobe Podcast app to remove noise and echo. This interview has not been heard on the radio since its initial airing. Poul Anderson Wikipedia page Book Interview/Events and Theatre Links Note: Shows may unexpectedly close early or be postponed due to actors' positive COVID tests. Check the venue for closures, ticket refunds, and mask requirements before arrival. Dates are in-theater performances unless otherwise noted. Some venues operate Tuesday – Sunday; others for shorter periods each week. All times Pacific Time. Closing dates are sometimes extended. Book Stores Bay Area Book Festival See website for highlights from the 110th Annual Bay Area Book Festival, May 31 – June 1, 2025. Book Passage. Monthly Calendar. Mix of on-line and in-store events. Books Inc. Mix of on-line and in-store events. The Booksmith. Monthly Event Calendar. BookShop West Portal. Monthly Event Calendar. Center for Literary Arts, San Jose. See website for Book Club guests in upcoming months. Green Apple Books. Events calendar. Kepler's Books On-line Refresh the Page program listings. Live Theater Companies Actors Ensemble of Berkeley. See website for readings and events. Actor's Reading Collective (ARC). See website for upcoming productions. African American Art & Culture Complex. See website for calendar. American Conservatory Theatre ||: Girls :||: Chance :||: Music :||. through April 19, Strand Theatre. Hamnet, adapted by Lolita Chakrabarti, April 22 – May 24. Awesome Theatre Company. See website for information. BATS Improv Improvised theatre. See website for schedule. BATS Bayfront Theatre, Fort Mason Center, San Francisco. Berkeley Playhouse. Once, February 20 – March 29. Berkeley Rep. All My Sons by Arthur Miller, Feb. 20 – March 29, Roda Theatre. The Monsters by Ngozi Anyanwu, March 27 – May 3, Peets Theatre. Berkeley Shakespeare Company See website for upcoming productions. Brava Theatre Center: See calendar for events listings. BroadwaySF: MJ The Musical, March 24 – April 5, Orpheum. Hadestown, April 21 -26, Orpheum. Hells Kitchen, May 6 – 24, Orpheum. See website for complete listings for the Orpheum, Golden Gate and Curran Theaters. note: BroadwaySF is now ATG Tickets. Broadway San Jose: Beetlejuice, March 31 – April 5. Les Miserables, April 29 – May 3. Back to the Future, June 2 – 7. The Sound of Music, July 21-26, Center REP: Lost in Yonkers by Neil Simon, March 29 – April 19. Central Stage. See website for upcoming productions, 5221 Central Avenue, Richmond Central Works After Happy by Patricia Milton, Feb. 28 – March 29. Cinnabar Theatre. The Christians by Lucas Hnath, April 10-26, The Secret Garden, June 12 – 28. Club Fugazi. Dear San Francisco, ongoing. Closed Monday and Tuesday. Contra Costa Civic Theatre A Chorus Line, June 6 – 21, 2026. See website for other events and concerts. Golden Thread See website for upcoming events and productions. Hillbarn Theatre: The Play That Goes Wrong by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer & Henry Shields, April 23 – May 17. Lorraine Hansberry Theatre. 2026 season: Sistahfriend by Phaedra Tillery-Boughton, Magic Theatre, May 15-17; African Stew by Dr. Lisa B. Thompson, Sept. 10-27. Magic Theatre; Soulful Christmas, December, Magic Theatre. Los Altos Stage Company. The Cherry Orchard by Anton Chekhov, adapted by Tom Stoppard, April 16 – May 10. Lower Bottom Playaz See website for upcoming productions. Magic Theatre. Macbeth, translated and adapted by Migdalia Cruz. March 18 – April 5. Marin Shakespeare Company: La Comedia of Errors, April 17 – May 10, As You Like It, June 19 – July 19, Julius Caesar, August 14 – Setpember 13, See website for schedule. Marin Theatre: 60th Anniversary Gala, April 19. Pictures from Home by Sharr White, May 7-31. Masquers Playhouse, Point Richmond. The Gods of Comedy by Ken Ludwig, April 24 – May 17. Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts Closed. SF Chronicle gift article. New Conservatory Theatre Center (NCTC) Gods and Monsters based on the novel by Christopher Bram, written and adapted by Tom Mullen, March 6 – April 5. New Performance Traditions. See website for upcoming schedule Oakland Theater Project. Assassins, March 29 – April 5. The House of Bernarda Alba by by Federico Garcia Lorca, adapted by Chay Yew, May 22 – June 7. The Fre by Taylor Mac, June 18-28. Odd Salon: Upcoming events in San Francisco & New York, and streaming. Palace of Fine Arts Theater. See website for event listings. Pear Theater. Anon(ymous) an adaptation of the Odyssey, by Naomi Iizuka, April 18 – May 3, God of Carnage by Yazmina Reza, June 12 – 28. See website for staged readings and other events. Playful People Productions. See website for classes and upcoming events. . Presidio Theatre. See website for complete schedule of events and performances. Ray of Light: Mean Girls The Musical. May 1 – 30. Urinetown, July 31 – August 29. Ross Valley Players: See website for New Works Sunday night readings and other events. San Francisco Playhouse. Flex by Candrice Jones. March 26 – May 7.. SFBATCO. See website for streaming and in- theater shows. San Francisco Shakespeare Festival. Shakespeare on Tour: Julius Caesar, through May. See website for more information. San Jose Stage Company: See website for events and upcoming season Shotgun Players. The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia by Edward Albee, March 21 – April 19. South Bay Musical Theatre: On The Twentieth Century, April 19-20. SPARC: See website for upcoming events. Stagebridge: See website for events and productions. Storytime every 4th Saturday. The Breath Project. Streaming archive. The Marsh: Calendar listings for Berkeley, San Francisco and Marshstream. Theatre Lunatico See website for upcoming productions.. Theatre Rhino Streaming: Essential Services Project, conceived and performed by John Fisher, all weekly performances now available on demand. TheatreWorks Silicon Valley Primary Trust by Eboni Booth, March 4 – 29, Lucie Stern Theatre, Palo Alto. Word for Word. See website for upcoming productions. Misc. Listings: BAMPFA: On View calendar for Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive. Berkeley Symphony: See website for listings. Chamber Music San Francisco: Calendar, 2025 Season. Dance Mission Theatre. On stage events calendar. Fort Mason Center. Events calendar.Oregon Shakespeare Festival: Calendar listings and upcoming shows. San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus. See schedule for upcoming SFGMC performances. San Francisco Opera. Calendar listings. San Francisco Symphony. Calendar listings. Filmed Live Musicals: Searchable database of all filmed live musicals, podcast, blog. League of Livestream Theatre: See website for streaming plays. If you'd like to add your bookstore or theater venue to this list, please write Richard@kpfa.org . The post Bookwaves/Artwaves – March 19, 2026: Best-Selling author Terry McMillan, recorded in 2001 (newly digitized) appeared first on KPFA.
Bookwaves/Artwaves is produced and hosted by Richard Wolinsky. Links to assorted local theater & book venues Migdalia Cruz: Award-Winning Playwright Migdalia Cruz, an award-winning playwright and the translator/adaptor of Shakespeare's “Macbeth” at the Magic Theatre, in conversation with host Richard Wolinsky, discussing her play, her career, and her ideas about the nature of theatre. Migdalia Cruz is best known for her plays “Featherless Angels” and “Miriam's Flowers” studied playwrighting with the legendary Irene Fornes before embarking on her own career. With fifty plays under her belt, she has been produced in numerous venues around the United States. She has also translated plays from Spanish. Growing up in the South Bronx, to Puerto Rican parents, she originally planned to study math but found that theatre was her real calling. Her focus is on social justice, and presenting voices of those who rarely have voices in the American arts. “Macbeth,” the Scottish play, has been reset in New York in the 1970s, and in Brooklyn for this production. The three witches become a major element of the play, and here both Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are played by women. The interview was recorded by computer on March 3, 2026. Review of “Paranormal Activity” at ACT Toni Rember (Geary) Theatre through March 22, 2026. Review of “All My Sons” by Arthur Miller at Berkeley Rep Roda Theatre through March 22, 2026. Book Interview/Events and Theatre Links Note: Shows may unexpectedly close early or be postponed due to actors' positive COVID tests. Check the venue for closures, ticket refunds, and mask requirements before arrival. Dates are in-theater performances unless otherwise noted. Some venues operate Tuesday – Sunday; others for shorter periods each week. All times Pacific Time. Closing dates are sometimes extended. Book Stores Bay Area Book Festival See website for highlights from the 110th Annual Bay Area Book Festival, May 31 – June 1, 2025. Book Passage. Monthly Calendar. Mix of on-line and in-store events. Books Inc. Mix of on-line and in-store events. The Booksmith. Monthly Event Calendar. BookShop West Portal. Monthly Event Calendar. Center for Literary Arts, San Jose. See website for Book Club guests in upcoming months. Green Apple Books. Events calendar. Kepler's Books On-line Refresh the Page program listings. Live Theater Companies Actors Ensemble of Berkeley. See website for readings and events. Actor's Reading Collective (ARC). See website for upcoming productions. African American Art & Culture Complex. See website for calendar. American Conservatory Theatre Paranormal Activity, Feb. 19 – March 15, Toni Rembe. Awesome Theatre Company. See website for information. BATS Improv Improvised theatre. See website for schedule. BATS Bayfront Theatre, Fort Mason Center, San Francisco. Berkeley Playhouse. Once, February 20 – March 22. Berkeley Rep. How Shakespeare Saved My Life written and performed by Jacob Ming-Trent .January 23 – March 1, Peets Theatre. All My Sons by Arthur Miller, Feb. 20 – March 29, Roda Theatre. Berkeley Shakespeare Company See website for upcoming productions. Brava Theatre Center: See calendar for events listings. BroadwaySF: The Notebook, February 10 – March 1, Orpheum. See website for complete listings for the Orpheum, Golden Gate and Curran Theaters. note: BroadwaySF is now ATG Tickets. Broadway San Jose: The Book of Mormon, March 6-8. Beetlejuice, March 31 – April 5. Les Miserables, April 29 – May 3. Back to the Future, June 2 – 7. The Sound of Music, July 21-26, Center REP: Lost in Yonkers by Neil Simon, March 29 – April 19. Central Stage. See website for upcoming productions, 5221 Central Avenue, Richmond Central Works After Happy by Patricia Milton, Feb. 28 – March 29. Cinnabar Theatre. The Christians by Lucas Hnath, April 10-26, The Secret Garden, June 12 – 28. Club Fugazi. Dear San Francisco, ongoing. Closed Monday and Tuesday. Contra Costa Civic Theatre A Chorus Line, June 6 – 21, 2026. See website for other events and concerts. Golden Thread See website for upcoming events and productions. Hillbarn Theatre: Songs for a New World, music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown, March 5 -22. Lorraine Hansberry Theatre. 2026 season: Sistahfriend by Phaedra Tillery-Boughton, Magic Theatre, May 15-17; African Stew by Dr. Lisa B. Thompson, Sept. 10-27. Magic Theatre; Soulful Christmas, December, Magic Theatre. Los Altos Stage Company. Treasure Island, A New Adventure by By A.J. Allegra, James Bartelle and Alex Martinez Wallace, March 13-22.. Lower Bottom Playaz See website for upcoming productions. Magic Theatre. Macbeth, a new version by Migdalia Cruz. March 18 – April 5. Marin Shakespeare Company: One for All Solo Festival, hosted and curated by Josh Kornbluth, March 6-22. See website for schedule. Marin Theatre: 60th Anniversary Gala, April 19. Pictures from Home by Sharr White, May 7-31. Masquers Playhouse, Point Richmond. Improbable Fiction by Alan Aykbourn, Feb. 6 – March 1. Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts Closed. SF Chronicle gift article. New Conservatory Theatre Center (NCTC) Gods and Monsters based on the novel by Christopher Bram, written and adapted by Tom Mullen, March 6 – April 5. New Performance Traditions. See website for upcoming schedule Oakland Theater Project. Assassins, March 29 – April 5. The House of Bernarda Alba by by Federico Garcia Lorca, adapted by Chay Yew, May 22 – June 7. The Fre by Taylor Mac, June 18-28. Odd Salon: Upcoming events in San Francisco & New York, and streaming. Palace of Fine Arts Theater. See website for event listings. Pear Theater. My Fair Lady, Feb 20 – March 8. See website for staged readings and other events. Playful People Productions. The One-Act Play That Goes Wrong, March 6 – 22. Presidio Theatre. See website for complete schedule of events and performances. The Children's Theatre Association of San Francisco (CTA) presents Once Upon a Mattress, January 24 – February 28. Ray of Light: Mean Girls. May 2026. Ross Valley Players: See website for New Works Sunday night readings and other events. San Francisco Playhouse. M. Butterfly by David Henry Hwang. February 6 – March 14.. SFBATCO. See website for streaming and in- theater shows. San Francisco Shakespeare Festival. Shakespeare on Tour: Julius Caesar, through May. See website for more information. San Jose Stage Company: See website for events and upcoming season Shotgun Players. The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia by Edward Albee, March 21 – April 19. South Bay Musical Theatre: On The Twentieth Century, April 19-20. SPARC: See website for upcoming events. Stagebridge: See website for events and productions. Storytime every 4th Saturday. The Breath Project. Streaming archive. The Marsh: Calendar listings for Berkeley, San Francisco and Marshstream. Theatre Lunatico See website for upcoming productions.. Theatre Rhino Left Field, written and directed by John Fisher, February 19 – March 15. Streaming: Essential Services Project, conceived and performed by John Fisher, all weekly performances now available on demand. TheatreWorks Silicon Valley Primary Trust by Eboni Booth, March 4 – 29, Lucie Stern Theatre, Palo Alto. Word for Word. See website for upcoming productions. Misc. Listings: BAMPFA: On View calendar for Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive. Berkeley Symphony: See website for listings. Chamber Music San Francisco: Calendar, 2025 Season. Dance Mission Theatre. On stage events calendar. Fort Mason Center. Events calendar.Oregon Shakespeare Festival: Calendar listings and upcoming shows. San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus. See schedule for upcoming SFGMC performances. San Francisco Opera. Calendar listings. San Francisco Symphony. Calendar listings. Filmed Live Musicals: Searchable database of all filmed live musicals, podcast, blog. League of Livestream Theatre: See website for streaming plays. If you'd like to add your bookstore or theater venue to this list, please write Richard@kpfa.org . The post Bookwaves/Artwaves – March 12, 2026: Playwright Migdalia Cruz, Adaptation/Translation, “Macbeth” appeared first on KPFA.
Elizabeth Dowd, Member of the BTE Resident Acting Company, and Rand Whipple, an Associate Ensemble Member, speaking about the Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble production of "Annapurna" by Sharr White, running May 23 through June 9, 2024, at the Alvina Krause Theatre on Center Street in downtown Bloomsburg. Shows are Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 pm and Sundays at 3:00. For more information: www.bte.org/
Today, I am so thrilled to announce my episode with Sharr White, playwright of Pictures from Home which is currently playing at Studio 54 starring Nathan Lane and Danny Burstein. Tune in today to hear some of the stories of Sharr's career, including the plays of his that have been based on New York Times article, basing Annapurna on a former teacher, the process of pitching Halston, why war used to be a theme that fascinated him, the play of his he's hoping to bring into New York, working with Larry Sultan's widow Kelly Sultan on Pictures from Home, Robert LuPone's ability to destroy scripts, his many years writing advertising copy, and the projects he's currently working on.
Photographer Larry Sultan began taking photos of his parents beginning in the early 1980s and he spent a decade interviewing, and writing about his parents and his relationship with them. He published a photo memoir in 1992 entitled “Pictures from Home.”. Before it was a book, it was an exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City - and now, it's a Broadway show. Adapted for the stage by Sharr White and directed by Bart Sher, “Pictures from Home” is running through April 30 at Studio 54.
You may have noticed that The Riley Episode is different from every other episode of Generation. It's intensely focused on Riley's subjectivity, and as her 24 hours without sleep unfurl, you fully descend into her blurred reality. This was the result of deep collaboration between Chase Sui Wonders, who plays Riley, and the writers, including Generation co-creator Zelda Barnz and Sharr White, who co-wrote this episode. These three join hosts Gigi Goode & Whembley Sewell on the fourteenth episode of Generation: The Podcast to share some of the juiciest BTS moments from the season and talk intuitive shooting, self-excavation and how they got that iconic Riley line: “didn't anyone ever tell you not to get in the car with strange girls!?” Plus: how to talk about mental health without talking about mental health, unpacking Megan's successful mothering moment, and of course, Griley analysis with the biggest stan in the game. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
Behind every mother’s truly unhinged external monologue is a rampant internal monologue. In other words, if an Orange County white evangelical Christian mom is going off at the PTA meeting about gluten-free snacks… it’s definitely not about snacks. In episode four of the Generation, the HBO Max original series, we get a closer look at Megan, the woman who birthed dynamic twin duo Naomi and Nathan, and worries relentlessly about whether or not they will go to hell. So on the fourth episode of Generation: The Podcast, hosts Gigi Goode & Whembley Sewell unpack Megan’s relationship to normalcy, sex, loss, and change with series writer Sharr White, legendary actor Martha Plimpton, who brings Megan to life onscreen, and Generation co-creator Zelda Barnz.
Off Square Theatre presents Annapurna by Sharr White in the Black Box Theater November 1st - 3rd and November 8th - 10th.
On this episode of the podcast jeremy is joined by Playwright Sharr White whoses plays The Other Place and The Snow Geese have been produced on Broadway and whose new play Annapurna is currently playing off-broadway with Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally .
Bob Wilcox and Gerry Kowarsky review (1) THE OTHER PLACE, by Sharr White, at the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis; (2) FOR COLORED GIRLS WHO HAVE CONSIDERED SUICIDE WHEN THE RAINBOW IS ENUF, by Ntozake Shange, at The Black Rep; (3) FORGET ME NOT, by Tom Holloway, at Upstream Theater, (4) THE WHIPPING MAN, by Matthew Lopez, at the New Jewish Theatre; (5) GOODNIGHT DESDEMONA (GOOD MORNING JULIET), by Ann-Marie MacDonald, at the Clayton Community Theatre; and (6) SWALLOWS AND AMAZONS, by Arthur Ransom, at the Center of Creative Arts.
She’s best-known to the world-at-large for her long-running role as Jackie, sister of the title character in the TV sitcom, “Roseanne.” But actress Laurie Metcalf has had a long and distinguished career as a stage actress. Metcalf was with the esteemed Steppenwolf Company in Chicago, and has appeared regularly on stages in New York and London – notably, across the pond, as Mary Tyrone in a recent production of Long Day’s Journey Into Night. Currently, she’s reclaimed the role of Juliana Smithton, a doctor turned pharmaceutical company representative whose well-controlled life is moving out of control, in Sharr White’s play The Other Place. Metcalf created the part in the play’s Off-Broadway production two seasons ago and returns to it for the play’s Broadway premiere, now running at the Manhattan Theatre Club's Samuel J. Friedman Theatre. New York Times theater critic Charles Isherwood has a review. And you can join Metcalf, her co-star Daniel Stern and the playwright, along with WQXR’s Elliott Forrest, for a conversation about The Other Place at 5 pm on Thursday, Jan. 17, in the Jerome L. Greene Performance. Watch a live video Webcast or get tickets here.
Laurie Metcalf talks about her role in Sharr White's play "The Other Place" at MCC Theater, and the challenge of playing someone whose mental faculties are diminishing in a non-linear play, requiring her to constantly leap between varying states of mind. She also talks about her embrace of theatre during her college years at Illinois State University, where she first studied German, then anthropology, before settling on theatre; being one of the original company members of the acclaimed Steppenwolf Theatre and her satisfaction with her day job during those early years; her Chicago breakout role in "The Glass Menagerie" and how that production fit with the company's reputation for "rock and roll theatre"; her participation in both the Chicago and New York productions of Lanford Wilson's "Balm in Gilead", and how she is still approached on the street by people recalling that show 25 years later; her regular returns to the Steppenwolf stage throughout her television run on "Roseanne" and other TV and film work; her opportunities to play Kate Keller in "All My Sons" twice -- both at London's National Theatre and Los Angeles' Geffen Playhouse; how The New Group's production of "A Lie of the Mind" "saved" her after the brief run of "Brighton Beach Memoirs" and the failure of its companion piece, "Broadway Bound", to open; her affinity for the play "Voice Lessons", which she'll be returning to for a third time; and the appeal of Steppenwolf's "Detroit", scheduled for Broadway in the fall. Original air date - April 27, 2011.
Laurie Metcalf talks about her role in Sharr White's play "The Other Place" at MCC Theater, and the challenge of playing someone whose mental faculties are diminishing in a non-linear play, requiring her to constantly leap between varying states of mind. She also talks about her embrace of theatre during her college years at Illinois State University, where she first studied German, then anthropology, before settling on theatre; being one of the original company members of the acclaimed Steppenwolf Theatre and her satisfaction with her day job during those early years; her Chicago breakout role in "The Glass Menagerie" and how that production fit with the company's reputation for "rock and roll theatre"; her participation in both the Chicago and New York productions of Lanford Wilson's "Balm in Gilead", and how she is still approached on the street by people recalling that show 25 years later; her regular returns to the Steppenwolf stage throughout her television run on "Roseanne" and other TV and film work; her opportunities to play Kate Keller in "All My Sons" twice -- both at London's National Theatre and Los Angeles' Geffen Playhouse; how The New Group's production of "A Lie of the Mind" "saved" her after the brief run of "Brighton Beach Memoirs" and the failure of its companion piece, "Broadway Bound", to open; her affinity for the play "Voice Lessons", which she'll be returning to for a third time; and the appeal of Steppenwolf's "Detroit", scheduled for Broadway in the fall. Original air date - April 27, 2011.