Weekends are for relaxing and rejuvenating, and San Francisco Sailing Company offers the perfect way to do that. Climb aboard a sailboat for a two-hour cruise under the Golden Gate Bridge. Along the way, enjoy two complimentary drinks, such as champagne, mimosas, beer, white wine or soda. You’ll depart from Pier 39 at 10:00am, when sailing is the smoothest and warmest. Along the way to Golden Gate Bridge, you’ll cruise past Fisherman’s Wharf, Aquatic Park, Fort Mason, the Marina District, Crissy Field and Fort Point. You’ll be right under the Golden Gate Bridge for the 11:00am champagne toast. The return journey through the central bay and around Alcatraz Island will offer magnificent views of the cityfront, Golden Gate Bridge, Sausalito, Angel Island, Alcatraz, Oakland and the Bay Bridge.

Blue & Gold Fleet’s Escape From the Rock Cruise is an exciting 90-minute excursion that takes you around the perimeter of Alcatraz to view the island from every angle. As the ship sails, passengers are treated to a presentation complete with sound effects and chilling tales of inmates Al Capone and Billy Cook, not to mention Clyde Johnson’s daring escape attempt. This historical yet entertaining boat trip does not stop at the island of Alcatraz itself, but it does evoke the days when this iconic maximum-security prison was the most feared institution in the American penal system.

Engage! Your trip to the outer reaches of the universe comes in these hilarious improvised episodes inspired by the hit science fiction fantasy series Star Trek. You don’t have to be a super fan to enjoy Phasers on Stun’s live show’s featuring intergalactic humor, cosmic exploration and planet-hopping adventures — all improvised on the spot. This improv gang specializes exclusively in Star Trek-inspired episodes about the cosmos, keeping audiences entertained with costumes, aliens and more. Check out this wild and wacky fan-fic spin at Stage Werx in San Francisco.

Craft beer and comedy merge harmoniously in the Beer Basement at Ales Unlimited, where The Setup draws some of the funniest local and nationally touring stand-ups in the business. The space is small and cozy but the hops and the laughs are big, with performers hailing from such comedic institutions as Comedy Bang Bang, San Francisco Sketchfest and The Comedy Store. So order a drink from Ales Unlimited’s world-class selection of microbrews, wines and specialty cocktails, then head downstairs for a truly underground experience in the heart of the Tenderloin.

A recent winner of the San Francisco Stage Magic Competition and a finalist at the Rooster T. Feather’s and Wharf Room Comedy competitions, Ryan Kane will astound and amuse in his show, Please Enjoy Responsibly. Kane began honing his craft as a teenager on the streets of Old Sacramento where he attracted audiences with his deft magic and charming personality. In his show, minds are read, whiskey bottles appear out of nowhere and a paintball gun is fired at the man responsible for it all. Don’t miss his San Francisco appearance at the EXIT Theatre.

San Francisco’s world famous Chinatown holds a wealth of exquisite flavors, but without insider knowledge it can be difficult to find those culinary secrets. Your Sidewalk Food Tours guide will lead you through the streets and alleys of Chinatown, where you will enjoy five flavorful tastings, satisfying your appetite for the exotic. You’ll try Cantonese pork buns, President Obama’s favorite San Francisco dim sum, Chef Han’s authentic Szechuan cuisine, savory Peking duck and egg tarts cooked to a smooth flan-like perfection with a flakey crust. At the end of the tour, you’ll know all of the best spots to eat and can return to enjoy Chinatown’s food with confidence. Vegetarian substitutions can be arranged with advance notice.

Submission is a standup comedy show at the SF Armory Club. Every Friday night, top comedians from the Bay Area (SF Sketchfest, Cobbs, Punch Line) perform their hardest-hitting material and, just to keep things interesting, a member of the San Francisco kink community shares some tips and tricks. Grab a craft cocktail from the bar upstairs and prepare for a night of laughter with a touch of kink.

Come see the Punch Line’s weekly SF Comedy Showcase, held every Sunday for over 30 years. San Francisco has a rich and vibrant comedy scene, and this weekly show has launched the careers of such comedians as Patton Oswalt, Margaret Cho and Arj Barker, as well as the current flock of rising stars such as W. Kamau Bell and Moshe Kasher. Laugh at a lineup of the Bay Area’s top stand-up comics, many of whom have appeared on late-night television, Comedy Central and other esteemed television outlets.

Sail under the Golden Gate Bridge and along the San Francisco Bay’s historic waterfront on Blue & Gold Fleet’s Bay Cruise Adventure. This fully narrated one-hour tour features information and history on city landmarks and plenty of opportunities for taking pictures of the unobstructed views of the San Francisco skyline. Both indoor and outdoor seating is available, so you can experience the sights and sounds from out on deck or take it all in from the warmth and comfort of an interior seat — either experience makes for a truly great San Francisco adventure.

50 weekends a year, the critically acclaimed San Francisco Neo-Futurists present The Infinite Wrench, an attempt to perform 30 bite-sized plays in a frantic race against the clock, in an order determined by you, the audience. Each week, the ensemble offers up new plays ranging from the personal to the political to the profoundly WTF, all truthful and inspired by the lived experiences of the performers. With The Infinite Wrench, the SF Neo-Futurists promise to break the fourth wall and maybe your heart but never your wallet in this ongoing, ever-changing show the SF Chronicle calls “an underground power generator.” We hear it’s a great first date, too.

Date night’s in the bag on Wednesdays at PianoFight. Grab dinner, drinks, then catch our longest-running comedy show, based on Craigslist posts from San Francisco’s most hopeful, heartbroken and high-strung. Each Wednesday night, we refresh the browser for a wildly different show and a new set of Missed Connections.

Magician and mindreader David Gerard is back with new magic and mentalism for 2019. Over 75 minutes, David’s 20 years of experience with the mystery arts are on display, showcasing a wide range of magic and mindreading effects. A top hit with Silicon Valley companies and event planners, David’s shows at PianoFight in San Francisco are the only place to catch him performing this new material.

Enjoy food and drink samples from five of the Mission District’s most exciting taquerias, mom-and-pop shops and restaurants on this food lover’s walking tour from Sidewalk Food Tours. Sample award-winning pizza, taste the area’s renowned Mexican food — even skip the line at a bakery whose owners won the coveted James Beard Award for Outstanding Pastry Chef in 2008. Between tastings, your knowledgeable guide will tell intriguing stories about 17th century Spanish missionaries, the lively punk scene of the 1970s and more. All food and beverage tastings are included with the tour. Please see the full event description for a list of tasting locations.

Take a tour through San Francisco’s waterfront history alongside one of its most colorful characters. Emperor Norton was a prominent businessman who lost everything on a bad investment. Instead of throwing in the towel, he responded to his failure by declaring himself “Emperor of the United States and Protector of Mexico.” San Francisco embraced this quirky character, treating him as royalty and even accepting his self-created currency. Tour guide Joseph Amster incorporates his journalistic and acting talents to provide a one-of-a-kind tour in which he takes on the persona of Emperor Norton and introduces you to the history of the city’s most unique and interesting sites through the eyes of this larger-than-life unofficial mascot. Over the course of just under three hours, you’ll cover about two miles along the waterfront, from the historic Ferry Building to The Cannery.

The floor burns with furious footwork. The air pulses with syncopated claps and castanets as rhythmic guitar resounds. A unique mother-daughter pair, Carolina Lugo & Carolé Acuña’s Ballet Flamenco brings the passion and energy of flamenco and Spanish dance to Peña Pachamama.

Famed local historical figure Countess Lola Montez — aka Rick Shelton — leads this entertaining and informative three-hour walking tour of San Francisco, focusing on the Gold Rush era of the 1850s and beyond. Montez herself was an Irish actress and mistress of the King of Bavaria and composer Franz Liszt, who became a popular “Spanish” dance queen in mid-19th century San Francisco. She’ll take you by some of her favorite haunts, tell you stories of the Barbary Coast and let you in on plenty of other little known town secrets, in this one-of-a-kind drag performance-excursion.

Discover the unique Barbary Coast, an exciting area that’s evolved into a food lover’s paradise. On this three-hour walking tour from Sidewalk Food Tours, you’ll enjoy food and drink samples from six of the neighborhood’s authentic mom-and-pop restaurants and ethnic eateries. Explore a world-famous delicatessen that’s presented a salami to the pope, nosh on pizza or rosemary focaccia from a 100-year-old bakery, nibble on decadent handmade truffles and more. Between tastings, your knowledgeable guide will give you an insider’s look into how the foods are made at these eateries along with information about this historical neighborhood. All food and beverage tastings are included with the tour. Please see the full event description for a list of tasting locations.

Take a tour through San Francisco’s history with one of its most colorful characters. Emperor Norton was a prominent businessman who lost it all on a bad investment. He responded to his failure by declaring himself “Emperor of the United States and Protector of Mexico.” Rather than dismissing him, San Francisco embraced him, treating him as royalty and accepting his self-created currency. Tour guide Joseph Amster incorporates his journalistic and acting talents to provide a one-of-a-kind tour, taking on the persona of Emperor Norton and introducing you to the history of the city’s most unique and interesting sites through the eyes of this larger-than-life unofficial city mascot.

Every Saturday, enjoy #Qtease, a queer burlesque and cabaret experience, at The Stud in San Francisco.

Celebrate the impressive San Francisco Bay Bridge and its history — which spans over 75 years — by embarking on this 90-minute cruise that sails under both the Golden Gate and the Bay Bridges and passes by Alcatraz Island. Discover San Francisco history and landmarks via narrated headset audio in 16 available languages, which includes information about the city’s natural history, architecture, Native American culture, and, of course, the building of the famous bridges. It’s a stunning and informative way to experience the breathtaking views of the downtown skyline and its historic waterfront.

This Red and White Fleet Cruise launched in 1939 as part of the Golden Gate International Exposition, and it’s still entertaining visitors and locals alike more than 70 years later. After departing from historic Fisherman’s Wharf, the ship sails along San Francisco’s breathtaking waterfront, past the city’s Maritime National Park, under the majestic Golden Gate Bridge, and around notorious Alcatraz Island, cruising by many other exciting sights as well on the one-hour voyage. Take advantage of the personal-headphone audio, available in 16 languages, to learn more about San Francisco’s history and world-famous landmarks, while enjoying a full onboard bar with drinks and snacks.

Like it or not, the United States is filled with borders, and a wall is not a realistic solution to most of them. Take a break from political posturing and media spinning with Border People, a play featuring the words and thoughts of actual people who navigate our nation’s borders daily.

For a relaxing afternoon on the water, hop aboard the Privateer, a truly traditional sailboat, for a semi-private 90-minute cruise of the bay, complete with included beer and wine. This double-masted, teak-decked, bronze-fitted beauty holds no more than 28 passengers, so you’ll get plenty of personal attention from the skilled and friendly crew as the Privateer glides over to Alcatraz and Angel Island, passes by charming and picturesque Sausalito, parallels the magnificent Golden Gate Bridge and sails past the famous San Francisco skyline on its way back to the pier.

You’re in the picture at the Museum of 3D Illusions, a new, world-class museum has arrived in San Francisco, with over 40 completely interactive exhibits. The Museum of 3D Illusions is a place where you can let your mind soar through a world of optical illusions and become a full-fledged participant within the paintings on display. Featuring work from world-renowned artists, the pop-up is great for visitors of all ages and provides the perfect backdrop for terrific selfies and social media posts. It’ll blow your mind.

Whether you want to kick off a fabulous date night or wrap up an enjoyable afternoon, this two-hour sunset sail is just the ticket. Step aboard the gorgeous traditional vessel called the Privateer to take in the sights at the most bewitching time of day. You’ll sail past Alcatraz, hug the coast at Sausalito and experience the full grandeur of the Golden Gate Bridge. Sip two servings of your choice of included beer, wine, soda or water as Privateer cruises along the spectacular San Francisco cityscape, while the sun sets and the lights of the city come to twinkling life.

Combining great Japanese cuisine and live music, Yoshi’s Oakland has quickly become one of the world’s most respected venues for jazz, rock, blues and more. What started as a small sushi bar has blossomed into an award-winning live performance venue with a state-of-the-art sound system and design, occupying 17,000 square feet in the heart of Oakland’s Jack London Square. Yoshi’s Oakland has hosted such legendary jazz greats as Betty Carter, Max Roach, Dizzy Gillespie, Joe Williams, Diana Krall, Branford Marsalis, McCoy Tyner, Harry Connick Jr., Oscar Peterson and hundreds of others, and has also expanded its focus to present a variety of musical genres — and even popular comedians.

Filipino-American comedian Rex Navarrete, star of the stand-up DVDs Hella Pinoy, Badass Madapaka! and Komik Organik, headlines the Punch Line. After more than a decade in the business, this local San Francisco favorite has performed at clubs all over the country, not to mention Europe and Asia. And his comedy work extends to the internet, CDs and animation as well. Not strictly limited to material for the Filipino audience, Navarrete finds the universality in the American immigrant experience — while still managing to get in a few jabs at Filipino icons like boxer Manny Pacquiao.

BATS Improv — named the Bay Area’s Best Theater Company by the San Francisco Chronicle, Best Comedy Troupe by SF Weekly and Best First Date Spot by the San Francisco Bay Guardian — presents a variety show full of comedy fun, including head-to-head improv battles, long-form murder mysteries, musicals and more. Located at Bayfront Theater in the Marina District, every BATS show is one of a kind, using audience suggestions for a unique mix of improv comedy and theater that’s never the same show twice.

Red and White Fleet’s California Twilight Cruise is a relaxed two-hour cruise with views of the spectacular city lights, live guitar entertainment, light appetizers and a hot or cold beverage from the bar in a warm and cozy atmosphere. The boat features heated indoor viewing decks with large windows and comfortable seats as well as outdoor viewing decks for taking in the Golden Gate Bridge, the Bay Bridge and the infamous Alcatraz.

Powered by a mix of breathtaking film, 4D technology, and immersive sensations, this one-of-a-kind art installation will allow you to experience a year in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Prepare to be awed by America’s last great wilderness and get up close and personal with herds of caribou, arctic foxes, migratory birds, and polar bears. With over 66 million pixels of projected video, 20 channels of sound, custom scents, atmospheric elements, and tactile sensations, you’ll be transported to the Arctic Refuge without ever leaving San Francisco.

Astana Ballet had been Kazakhstan’s best-kept secret since their debut in 2013. Naturally, their high level of grace, artistry and technique couldn’t stay hidden from the world for very long. After making waves in Europe and Asia, West Coast audiences can finally witness Astana Ballet’s rich fusion of classic and modern dance on their first-ever US tour.

Join tens of thousands of fans as they converge at Wizard World Bay Area to celebrate the best in pop culture. Wizard World Bay Area is brought to you by the group who produces the most widely attended pop culture tour and has it all – Movies, Comics, Toys, Video Gaming, Games, TV, Anime, Manga, Horror, Wrestling, MMA, Original Art, Collectibles & More!

When she’s not racking up views YouTube — over a billion and counting — for her wildly theatrical performances of original tunes and pop culture faves (think Avengers mashed up with Game of Thrones), Lindsey Stirling is bringing her unique take on holiday classics to her instrument of choice: the electric violin. Dance, music, holiday cheer — it’ll all be turned to 11 when Stirling blows the roof off the San Jose Civic.

Join Resound Ensemble on The Road Home. Resound is a chamber chorus of mixed voices who believe there is no disconnect between art and popular music, juxtaposing unlike pieces to reveal something impossible if they were performed alone. Through the lens of a diverse group of composers, genres and choral works, The Road Home is Resound’s Fall Concert, exploring what it means to find home. The Road Home addresses the urgent concerns of immigrants, refugees, asylum seekers and all people who are experiencing homelessness and displacement. Every VIP ticket comes with premiere seating and includes post-show bites, wine and refreshments — all part of your Resound Ensemble concert experience. Join your community at Noe Valley Ministry to experience songs that will move you, inspire you, and fill you with compassion and joy. Featuring Saunder Choi, Caroline Shaw, Joel Thompson, Ysaÿe Barnwell, Maurice Duruflé, Eric Whitacre, Stephen Paulus, Giovanni Palestrina and more.

A “human cartoon fantasia” by San Francisco’s award-winning, renowned poet clown Sara Moore, Atomic Clown is based on her recently published memoir of the same name. Through hyper-physical comedy, quick-witted repartee and some wild musical numbers brought on by bouts of enthusiastic sleep-walking, Moore tells the horrible-hilarious story of her recent journey through the death of her Dad, the breakup of her marriage and surviving breast cancer by finding the humor in the humanity. As depicted in her memoir, Moore chose to embrace and outright celebrate her shattered heart by doing her cancer treatments in the guise of different overblown characters while careening furiously from her therapist to her best bro-pal’s advice while also running the Clown Conservatory in San Francisco, a training program for tomorrow’s Mr. Beans & Lucille Balls. Miraculously, she saved herself from despair by believing in the mantra: “Today’s tragedy is tomorrow’s comedy!” In this case, today and tomorrow were the same day. Directed by Sean Owens, with choreography by Rory Davis, and featuring additional comic performers Colin Johnson, Fernando Gambaroni, and Texas Holly, with a special video appearance by Emmy-winning TV star Sharon Gless as Dr. Claire, Sara Moore’s snap-dragon therapist.

Isabelle Arc is a sensible, hard-working, God-fearing woman. Her headstrong daughter, on the other hand, communes with Saint Catherine, dons men’s clothing and prepares to lead the French army into battle. Motherhood in the fifteenth century is not easy. In her riveting new play, Jane Anderson reimagines Joan of Arc’s epic tale through the eyes of her mother. Isabelle follows the baffling journey of her odd and extraordinary daughter with a mother’s loving persistence—facing her own fears and upended faith along the way. "Marin is where my heart is, it’s where I go to soothe my soul. I’m so glad that this very raw and personal piece of me is getting a home on the MTC stage.” — Jane Anderson

Practice pays off — the talented student musicians of the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra (aka SFSYO) spent the summer of 2019 jetting off to Europe for a series of performances, hitting six major cities in Denmark, Germany, Austria and Hungary in 17 days. They even got to play Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto at the famed Musikverein in Vienna, where it actually premiered in 1881. Now they’re back to blow you away on their home stage, with Prokofiev, Grieg and a piece by SFS’s own Music Director and Maestro Michael Tilson Thomas.

Throughout history, there is a persistent and overwhelming longing for peace. We hear in our prayers, on the streets and particularly in our music, regardless of genre, whether liturgical, folk, pop, or any other. In this celebration devoted to music of social justice, eight beautiful voices come together … we’ll hear a vast repertoire of songs ranging from Ladino to Yiddish to Motown and Jacques Brel. We know you’ll want to sing along.

Mandy Patinkin in Concert: Diaries presents the acclaimed actor/singer/storyteller in his most electrifying role: concert performer. “Mandy Patinkin is in the business of showstopping,” raves The New Yorker, and that’s exactly what he does in this powerful, passionate evening of song. Diaries is a marriage of many of Mandy’s favorite Broadway and classic American tunes, along with selections from his newest recordings on Nonesuch Records, Mandy Patinkin Diary January 2018 and Mandy Patinkin Diary April/May 2018. From Randy Newman to Stephen Sondheim, from Harry Chapin to Rufus Wainwright, Mandy Patinkin takes you on a dazzling musical journey you’ll never forget.

This Is How We Respond creates space for current, creative, community response by and for the writers and performers of the San Francisco Bay Area. We meet to share our stories, our fears and our responses to what’s taking place in our communities, our societies and our lives. Work may be scripted or spontaneous, solo or ensemble. The aim is not to revise, critique or refine, but simply to express and listen and to build a safe community space to appreciate individual voices and the unique perspectives that they represent. All are welcome: artists, amateurs and audience members!

Detroit was a music mecca in the mid-‘60s, and the Motown sound helped define a generation. Now two of the city’s biggest hitmakers —” The Temptations and The Four Tops — are sharing a bill for one special night at Paramount Theatre. Take a step back in time with all those sharp suits, tight harmonies and hits like “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg” and “I Can’t Help Myself.”

A hunting story to beat all hunting stories. When the Soady clan reunites for the opening day of deer season at the family’s Upper Peninsula camp, 35 year-old Ruby brings with her the infamous reputation of being the oldest Soady in the history of the Soadys never to bag a buck. In a hunting story to beat all hunting stories, Escanaba In Da Moonlight spins a hilarious tale of humor, horror and heart as she goes to any and all lengths to remove herself from the wrong end of the record book.

The Bill Murray flick that inspired this entertaining musical is, in our humble opinion, a contender for one of the best comedies of the ‘90s. And we’re willing to bet you’ll like this San Francisco Playhouse production so much you’ll want to see it again… and again… and again…

If you were too young to see James Brown perform his outrageously energetic show live (and most of us were), Remembering James just might be the next best thing. A tour de force performance of the King of Soul’s biggest hits performed live with an eight-piece band, the show stars Dedrick Weathersby, who brings all the moves, music and magic of James Brown to life on stage for a new generation of fans.

San Francisco Symphony fave Leif Ove Andsnes is back at Davies Hall with Maestro Manfred Honeck for a performance of Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 22. “A pianist of magisterial elegance, power, and insight” (The New York Times), Andsnes was inducted into the Gramophone Hall of Fame in 2013 and scored a prime gig as the New York Philharmonic’s Artist in Residence in 2018. Stick around for a post-concert Q&A with him and Honeck.

You’ve got to be pretty good with the baton to conduct performances of Wagner in his native Germany — and Australian maestra Simone Young has more than proven her chops as the artistic director of the Hamburg State Opera and Philharmonics, not to mention the Berlin and Bavarian State Operas. She’s even released complete recordings of the entire Ring cycle. Rest assured you’re in skilled hands as Young makes her SFS debut with this concert.

When Spring Awakening first debuted on Broadway in 2006, one of the biggest names in the production was musician Duncan Sheik. But the musical wound up making stars out of Jonathan Groff and Lea Michele. Now the play has returned with a timeless tale of ignorance, power and sexuality.

The most rewatchable, most quotable holiday movie ever gets even more fun in this hit Broadway adaptation. The musical wizards behind La La Land, and Dear Evan Hansen have added a lively score, and all your favorite scenes — from Ralphie’s Christmas gift wish (“You’ll shoot your eye out, kid!”) to his dad’s prized “leg lamp” — are recreated live on stage.

Before Lin-Manuel Miranda came along, Stephen Sondheim was Broadway’s rappingest wordsmith. Into the Woods works its considerable magic through his exhilarating rhymes and occasional grim wisdom. See this riveting production at Fox Theatre in Redwood City.

In recent years, LGBT candidates have made major strides in being elected to office across the country. At the same time, protections have been weakened against discrimination in health care coverage, employment, military service and access to public and private services. Former Houston Mayor Annise Parker — the first openly LGBT mayor of a major American city — will review the results of the recent November 2019 election and look ahead to the 2020 presidential election to highlight the issues of importance to LGBTQI Americans. LGBTQ Victory Fund and Victory Institute President and CEO Annise Parker is the first former elected official to lead the organizations, having served six years as a Houston City Council member, six years as city controller and six years as mayor of the city. She is one of only two women to have been elected mayor and is the only person in Houston history to have held the offices of council member, controller and mayor. In addition to her duties as mayor, Parker was a member of President Obama’s Task Force on Climate Preparedness and Resilience, chaired the U.S. Conference of Mayors Criminal and Social Justice Committee, and served on the boards of the Texas Environmental Research Consortium and Houston Galveston Area Council. She is a past Fellow of the Institute of Politics at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. She also co-owned Inklings, a lesbian/feminist bookstore for 10 years.

The New York trio known as the X Ambassadors come complete with some serious alt-rock cred: they were discovered by Imagine Dragons, they’ve recorded and performed with Eminem, Lil Wayne, Bebe Rexha, Wiz Khalifa and more, and their huge hit “Renegades” was famously heard in a commercial for (what else?) the Jeep Renegade. Now they’re touring behind the 2019 release of their third album, Orion, and coming to The Warfield on Market Street, which boasts a full bar on site and just happens to be surrounded by a ton of excellent restaurants.

A masterpiece from one of the greatest dramatists of our time, Could 9 is about sexual politics in colonial Africa and modern-day Britain, in which all our assumptions about sex and gender are stunningly exploded. It is also about relationships — between women and men, men and men, women and women, work, mothers, power, generations, politics, and money, which is why this classic play feels as urgent today as when it made Churchill a household name.

Join us at Hagwarts School of Bitchcraft and Trickery, where our motto is “Drag Queen Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus” (“Never Tickle a Sleeping Drag Queen”)! Featuring a cast of some of the Bay Area’s most outrageous drag performers, Harry Poofter and the Sorcerer’s Rhinestone follows young Harry through his first year at Hagwarts, where he makes new friends (like that know-it-all Hermanly Grindr), absorbs valuable lessons from Professor Dumboldwhore, helps thwart a sauna troll, learns more than anyone wants to know about unicorns, and lip syncs for his life in an effort to help House Gryffindore-alley take the House Cup. Get to Oasis this November — you won’t want to miss this magical ride.

Meet new single friends who appreciate fine wines! For the first time we offer two wine tasting parties at the same location on the same day: 1-3pm and 7-9pm. Your ticket includes three tastes. Dress to impress. Adults of all ages welcome.

Playwrights Joe Napoli and John Scacco have teamed up to bring their original laugh-out-loud comedy The Write Stuff to the San Francisco stage for one weekend only at Shelton Theater. Based loosely on the trials and tribulations of the actual playwrights, The Write Stuff unfolds on the eve of what could be the last opportunity for two struggling screenwriters: a face-to-face pitch meeting with a legendary Hollywood director. With the clock ticking, the two engage in an increasingly desperate struggle to find a winning pitch. As the night wears into the wee hours, their ideas come to life on stage, blurring the line between what is real and what is imagined.

Performers Under Stress presents the San Francisco premiere of There Is A Happiness That Morning Is by Mickle Maher. This work tracks the fallout after two classics professors, who are teaching William Blake’s Songs of Innocence and Experience, get caught having sex in the middle of the campus. Dramatic arguments, declarations of passion and celebration of this fleeting, and ridiculous, trip of life ensue — in modern verse. Blake lovers, unite — or, perhaps, untie!

Dark Kabaret is brightening up November. Each week, see a different lineup of flashy performers with even flashier names, like danger artist Lynx Kim, Miss Exotic World and Frankie Ficticious. It’s edgy and provocative, but also playful and tongue-in-cheek. It’s a bit of circus, a bit of burlesque and a bit of comedy all rolled into one!

This new show features performances of music from games including Final Fantasy, Zelda, Pokémon, Overwatch, Kingdom Hearts, Undertale, Okami, MegaMan, Metroid, and Earthworm Jim! Imagine the thrill of video gaming mixed with the collective energy of a rock concert and the emotional power of a symphony orchestra, and you have an idea of the adrenaline rush that is Video Games Live! A concert event for all the senses, the interactive show created by game music composer Tommy Tallarico features the UC Berkeley Symphony Orchestra performing live arrangements of video game music hits, synchronized to dazzling video footage, spectacular light displays, and theatrical special effects. Whether you’re a current gamer or nostalgic for the Marios and Zeldas of another era, pre- and post-concert events offer a chance to interact with others in the gaming community, and include a costume contest and meet-and-greets with top industry game composers and designers.

Light up your holiday season with Smuin’s The Christmas Ballet! With snow-white classical selections set to cherished carols alongside red-hot contemporary numbers set to pop favorites, this yuletide spectacular is a beloved Bay Area tradition. Celebrate the holidays with a dazzling collection of ballet, tap and jazz that will have you dancing out of the theater full of festive cheer. Catch this annual holiday tradition at the Lesher Center for the Arts in Walnut Creek.

Sometimes when you’re just getting by, you need something — or someone — to show you how much more life has in store. Theatre Rhinoceros, San Francisco’s live professional queer theater presents Driven, a fascinating dive into the tension between responsibilities, potential and passion in a young man’s life.

Ridiculously Impressive — it doesn’t just describe the tricks that are up magician Jonathan Levit’s sleeves. We think it also applies to the intimate Moroccan-style speakeasy where the show takes place. Take advantage of the gorgeous setting with pre-show drinks and appetizers before settling in for a night of mind-blowing magic.

Join us for a free live taping of a special edition of The C-Dubb Show podcast at The Commonwealth Club with The Michelle Meow Show. In recent months, a big conversation in the tech community has been about claims that black voices are being censored on social media when speaking on issues of race. Facebook has been a particular focus in this conversation, as black users from across the world have complained about being censored and blocked regularly. One of those users was Carolyn Wysinger, who was featured in a USA Today article about those who have been “Zucked.”

Aurora Theatre Company has made it a mission to present shows that encourage us to “do better, think deeper, laugh louder and cast wider nets of empathy toward the world.” And it’s hard to think of a show that better represents that ethos than the fast-paced, feminist comedy of Bull in a China Shop.

Faith, family and frosting are all in the mix as this off-Broadway comedy comes to NCTC for its regional premiere. Written by Bekah Brunstetter of the hit TV show This Is Us, this oh-so-timely story is about a master baker thrown by a request from her goddaughter to create a cake for her lesbian wedding.

Based on George Orwell’s novel, this production takes place in an America not distant from our own. Social media has become the people’s opium, Big Brother sees all and the devices are watching us! This new society is built on fear and scapegoating of immigrants, people of color, differing religious faiths, and people of differing sexual orientations; anyone who can be considered “other” is marginalized. But as Orwell predicted: “The people will not look up from their screens long enough to notice what’s happening!”

Vintners Estates invites you to an afternoon of Wine Tasting. Join us for an afternoon of sipping 95+ point rated wines from Napa, Sonoma, Paso Robles, and beyond! The beauty of the SF Vintners Estates is we bring award winning, super small production wineries to one location in San Francisco. Many of these wineries are allocation only, not available to the public, and have ridiculously good 95+ point rated wines from Wine Enthusiast, Wine Spectator, James Suckling and Robert Parker. Many of the winemakers will be here pouring for you and you can buy your favorites to take home or have shipped. Up to 100 wineries will be in attendance — many pouring club/allocation wines for our guests. Just to name a few of the award winning, small production wineries: Pellet Estate from Napa Valley — numerous 94+ point wines (Wine Enthusiast, Robert Parker), including Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and Merlot….Hertelendy Vineyards from Napa Valley – big powerhouse Napa Cabs and Chardonnay, uber-small production, and enough 94, 95, and 96 point rated wines for an entire Trophy case. Did we mention their 96 Point 2015 Mountain Blend was #43 in Top 100 Wines of 2018 from The International Wine Report? …Motange Russe from Napa Valley – In the last two years alone the accolades from Robert Parker, Wine Spectator, and James Suckling have been adding up – 95 (twice), 94 (three times), 93 (seven times), 92 (twice), and three double golds from the SF Chronicle Wine Competition. …Spoto Family Wines – Less 500 cases produced each year with a bucket full of 94, 95, and 96 point rated wines from Robert Parker and Wine Advocate. …Chiron Wines – Amazing wine that sees less than 50 cases per vintage on many of their wines. Numerous 92+ point rated wines by Wine Enthusiast and Double Golds for days. We have dozens of other award winning small production wineries in attendance, but we can’t name them all! Many are here on the down-low because they are pouring club-only and allocation-only wines for the general public!

Located in the heart of the historic Mission District, right next to the 16th St. BART at the lovely Skylark Bar, On a Lark is San Francisco’s goofiest comedy show. The show features some of the Bay Area’s top comedians, who have made appearances at Cobb’s, PunchLine, SketchFest and more. Be prepared to laugh the night away in an intimate venue where the performers will take you on a journey with their wacky jokes and stories.

Just in time for the holidays, Opera San José invites families to enjoy Humperdinck’s irresistible fairy tale Hansel and Gretel. The classic story of two brave children and a tantalizing gingerbread house comes to colorful life in this enchanting confection. Kids receive a small gift, intermission treats, opportunities to meet characters and be photographed in fun, fairy tale settings in the lobby. While adults enjoy the rich score inspired by the sophisticated orchestrations of Wagner, youngsters will be transported by the not-very-scary tale of two children who use their wits to overcome a bumbling witch, setting free a whole batch of gingerbread children from her fearful spell. Opera San José’s Hansel and Gretel presents an excellent introduction to opera for the youngest of music lovers, with a fantastical world including colorful Candyland sets, first-class singing, and a chance to view other clever children appearing on stage as angels and gingerbread cookies. Opera San José Music Director Joseph Marcheso conducts one of his favorite scores, while Layna Chianakas provides stage direction. Hansel and Gretel will be sung in English with English supertitles. Runtime is just under 2 hours, including intermission. It is staged at the magnificent California Theatre, the elegant 1927 former movie palace meticulously restored to opulent splendor and now one of the world’s most intimate opera houses, with twenty rows of seats in the orchestra section, five rows in the grand tier, and six in the mezzanine.

Left Coast Theatre Co is coming back home to The Exit Theare for some holiday fabulousness: Paul Rudnick’s The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told, an extravaganza that could only come from the man who brought you Jeffrey, In & Out, _Sister Act- and Addams Family Values. In the beginning, the Stage Manager said “Creation of the world, go” and, lo, it was good. Then she created Adam and Steve. And Jane and Mabel. This hilarious, touching, and irreverent show follows the first two couples through the centuries: from the creation of appetizers, to Noah’s Ark, to a Christmas party in a Manhattan loft. Along the way, they meet a slew of fabulous characters, including a sexy rhino, a flamboyant Pharaoh, a go-go boy and a lesbian paraplegic rabbi. The whole time they continue to ask: Can two gay couples find God?

KWENTO presents a comedy-dance-theater production that takes you back into the performers’ dressing room. The artists experience each others’ quirky pre-show rituals, with awkward turtle moments and 4th wall breaks. This multimedia play features idiosyncratic choreography and a video to be watched in an unconventional way.

Think you know the Middle East? Think again! ReOrient 2019 will celebrate the 20th anniversary of this innovative and ambitious festival of short plays from or about the Middle East. Golden Thread’s most recognized program and a mecca for innovative, spirited, and thought-provoking theatre, ReOrient welcomes artists who challenge the dominant depictions of the Middle East and audiences who seek unconventional and provocative programming. The line-up includes playwrights with longtime association with Golden Thread: Egyptian-American playwright Yussef El Guindi, Bay Area-based Palestinian-American playwright Betty Shamieh, and MacArthur Fellow and celebrated playwright Naomi Wallace. Joining these writers are four newcomers to the festival: Iraqi-British writer and actor Rendah Heywood, Noor Theatre Founding Artistic Director Lameece Issaq, Turkish-Kurdish writer and filmmaker Mustafa Kaymak, and local Iranian-American writer Niku Sharei. Selected from 108 submissions from 13 countries, the seven short plays are diverse in content and style, highlighting the multiplicity of Middle Eastern perspectives and identities.

There’s a place in Downtown Oakland where time stands still. A pocket of 19th century decadence, showmanship, allure and charm. Don your classiest ensemble and become a guest in this Gold Rush/Barbary Coast era outpost, with scintillating performers, a live orchestra and an authentic dinner-theater experience.

Tony Award winner Beth Leavel (The Prom, The Drowsy Chaperone) is thrilled to make her Feinstein’s at the Nikko debut with her brand new show! Thirteen Shows and Counting is a celebration of her long and storied career as one of Broadway’s biggest, belting-est divas. Join us for a night of story and song, taking you through her favorite roles she’s played, the ones that got away, and the ones she’s still chasing after. Filled with laughs and surprises, this is one show you don’t want to miss.

Beyond the Ring is a contemporary circus performance about lost things, an epic journey and the antics of clowns. Produced by Kinetic Arts Productions, the Oakland circus company that has been bringing audiences thrilling shows for more than a decade. Follow the aerial adventures and physical theater journeys of eight unlikely people who lose something precious and the bumps along the way to finding it.

In 1910 Brussels, a young woman draws on her resourcefulness and her strength of character to bring happiness to her quarrelsome parents, her Parisian co-worker, and even a fiance she doesn’t love. Perhaps the most celebrated comedy of the Belgian repertoire, now in a new English translation and adaptation. The Marriage of Mademoiselle Beulemans, by Franz Fonson and Fernand Wicheler. Translated, adapted, and directed by R. David Valayre. With Alan Badger (Mr. Beulemans), Abhishek Das (Albert), Fabien Ferhani (Seraphin), Lynne Hollander (Mrs. Meulemeester), Nastassia Maltsava (Suzanne Beulemans), Karen Sellinger (Mrs. Beulemans), R. David Valayre (Mr. Delpierre), Vishalini Mona Vimal (Isabelle), Ket Watters (Mr. Mostinckx). Lights: Katrina van Winkle. Sound: Jonathan Loo. Production Consultant, Costume Design & Makeup: Vishalini Mona Vimal. Photos & Video: David Wilson. A GenerationTheatre Presentation.

Maximiliano Larrea (guitar) is an accomplished guitarist, arranger, and composer from Rosario, Argentina, and a leading interpreter of classical and contemporary guitar of the new tango generation. After completing a degree in classical guitar in Rosario, he moved to Buenos Aires where he studied tango and folk music in the prestigious Manuel de Falla Conservatory under legendary guitarist Juan Falú, and tango arranging and composition from renowned tango masters Diego Schissi, Nicolas Ledesma, and Gabriel Senanes. In Argentina, he worked with Argentine folk music groups, Cuartero Revirado, Quinteto Negro La Boca (Sony Argentina), Quinteto Clandestino, and Aires Trio Bandoneonist Charles Gorczynski composes music without stylistic restrictions, fundamentally centered in tango with influences in modern jazz and contemporary chamber music. He has toured extensively in North America and Italy, including performances in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Portland, Seattle, Chicago, Montreal, New York, Pisa, and Rome. Sumi Lee is a classically trained pianist who obtained a Master’s Degree in Music, piano performance from the SF Conservatory of Music, who also has been professionally trained as a tango pianist from “La Orquesta Escuela de Tango, Emilio Balcarce,” Buenos Aires, Argentina. She has given concerts internationally and throughout the Bay Area including the Mundial Tango festival, 2017 & 2018, Buenos Aires.

Moses is a talented comedian and actor who can be seen on the upcoming NBC comedy Sunnyside, from Mike Schur and Kal Penn. On television, you may have seen him in I’m Dying Up Here on Showtime, Arrested Development for Netflix and This Is Us on NBC. Film credits include the 2015 high-concept Universal horror film Unfriended, and the Adam Sandler Netflix film Father of the Year. In late night, he has appeared twice as a performer on Conan, including one visit where he was both the performer and only guest for the evening. He hosts Conan O’Brien’s live variety show ‘Team Coco’s Up & Up’ at the Dynasty Typewriter Theater in L.A. and joined Conan for his first multi-city live tour in 8 years in late 2018 titled Team Coco Presents Conan & Friends: An Evening of Stand-Up and Investment Tips. In 2015, he had the prestigious honor of being chosen as a “New Face” at the Just for Laughs comedy festival in Montreal. Now catch him live at Punch Line Comedy Club in San Francisco!

It’s movie night in mom’s basement. You and your friends grab some popcorn, pop in a DVD and settle down to watch an all-time favorite. You laugh, you gasp, you even get a little misty. The only thing is, this movie has never been shot. It’s being made up on the spot. Also, you only have an hour, so you’ll be needing that remote. Come join us for hilarious, completely improvised movies that move at a frantic pace.

From Iranian playwright Nassim Soleimanpour comes an audacious new theatrical experiment. Each night a different performer joins the playwright on stage, while the script waits unseen in a sealed box. Touchingly autobiographical yet powerfully universal, Nassim is a striking theatrical demonstration of how language can both divide and unite us. Nassim follows Soleimanpour’s globally acclaimed White Rabbit Red Rabbit, which has been translated into over 25 different languages and performed over 1,000 times by names including Stephen Fry, Ken Loach and Whoopi Goldberg. Winner of the Scotsman Fringe First Award at Edinburgh Fringe 2017. “A strikingly gentle, humane and emotive consideration of the experience of an artist living and working in the diaspora.” – The Herald

Dance Moms have nothing on Mama Rose, the ultimate stage mother, who lives out her dreams of stardom through her daughters, one of who grows up to be the famous striptease artist Gypsy Rose Lee. Known as one of the theater’s greatest roles, Rose has been played by everyone from Ethel Merman, Bernadette Peters and Bette Midler to Tyne Daly, Angela Lansbury and Patti LuPone — the latter trio picking up a Tony for their performances.

The Broadway hit Miss Saigon boasts a gorgeous score, an emotionally evocative tale of love and war — and a life-sized helicopter that hovers just above the stage. It’s a must-see theater moment brought to vivid life in this blockbuster new production of a show that famously takes Puccini’s Madame Butterfly and transports it to the Vietnam Era.

Experience J.K. Rowling’s world like never before at Harry Potter and the Cursed Child in San Francisco. The story of Harry, Ron, and Hermione continues on stage—where the magic is real. It has been 19 years since they saved the Wizarding World. But even when you think the battle is won, darkness comes from unexpected places. Prepare to be on the edge of your seat as this Tony Award-winning spectacle “leaves you gasping in wonder at the magic of it all” (TIME). The entire Curran Theater has been transfigured for the show’s exclusive West Coast production to immerse you in this world where epic duels, extraordinary spells, and beloved characters come to life. “It has to be seen to be believed” (USA Today).

Other shows would need a dozen performers for all this talent! Singing, dancing, impersonations, sketches… Don Reed does it all. The multi-talented funnyman has unleashed his talents on Netflix, Amazon, The Tonight Show and beyond. Now be in the audience for That Don Reed Show at The Marsh San Francisco MainStage Theater.

A.C.T.‘s exciting new artistic director, Pam MacKinnon, took home a 2013 Tony for her directing work on Who’ s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and won an Obie for Clybourne Park — so she’s got a pretty good handle on great American drama. Now making her Strand Theater debut, she’ll guide Testmatch, an exciting new play, to the stage in San Francisco.

Witness the next generation of magicians and be prepared to be amazed by this young prodigy magician. At a young age, James Chan has already fooled the most brilliant minds in the Bay Area at top tech companies including Airbnb, Google, Twitter, Yahoo, the 49ers, the Olympic Club, the Oakland Athletics, the San Francisco Giants, and the Golden State Warriors. With seven years of experience, he’s a triple threat. James can juggle two diabolos, five balls, and will give you one of the best close-up experiences you’ve seen. First, you’ll be personally escorted to the showroom above a busy restaurant. Then James will entertain you with some of the most perplexing magic you’ve ever seen and leave you with a child’s sense of wonder. And after the show, James will give you a short private magic lesson, detailing how you can be the most popular employee in the office. Witness the next generation of magic today.

AMALUNA is loosely based on Shakespeare’s The Tempest — but The Bard’s original take on this story of castaways shipwrecked on a magical island didn’t feature unicycling acrobats, trapeze artists plunging into a pool of water, or a cast that’s more than two-thirds female.

On this walking tour, you’ll learn about Tiburon’s history as a blue-collar, rough and tumble railroad town from 1884 until 1967. You’ll learn about the major events and historic figures of this time, including: The Donahue brothers, who brought the industrial revolution to California by way of Tiburon, the fires that virtually destroyed the town three times and how the town dealt with Prohibition, how Al Capone figures (twice!) in Tiburon’s history. Then you’ll learn about more modern history, including some of the Tiburon Peninsula’s notable residents, the decline of the railroad and Tiburon’s transformation into a suburban community and tourist destination. Find out how the dedication of two families helped maintain Main Street’s early 1900s character, and how conservationists fought hard to maintain the area’s physical beauty and small-town character. Learn about local landmarks like The Railroad and Ferry Depot Museum and its working model of the 1909 Tiburon rail yard, The Arks and the creation of Ark Row.

On this 1½ – 2 hour walking tour, you’ll learn about Tiburon’s history before the arrival of the railroad in 1884. You’ll also learn about the lives of the indigenous people, the Coast Miwok, their first encounters with Europeans, and how they were treated by the Spaniards and later the Americans. We’ll talk about the early Spanish explorers in the 1500s and why it took them another 200 years before Juan de Ayala entered the Golden Gate into San Francisco Bay. You’ll learn about The Tiburon Peninsula’s first European settlers, John Reed and his descendants, and what life was like before the railroad. We’ll visit Lyford’s Stone Tower, the entrance to Dr. Benjamin Lyford’s Hygeia, a vision of Tiburon as the world’s finest health resort and residential community. You’ll also learn about the history of Angel Island, called by some “The Ellis Island of the West,” and how it was saved from commercial development. And you’ll learn about the history of the City of Belvedere, which began in the 1890s as the weekend and summer home of the wealthiest San Franciscans.

Tuesday and Cyrus Present Freak Show is LA’s #1 variety show four years running. Freak Show features the top in sideshow acts, stand-up comedy, musical comedy, performance art, character comedy, drag and all sorts of dark twisted bizarre hilarious fun. Seen on MTV True Life and BBC’s World of Weird, Freak Show has performed to sold-out crowds across the country. Freak Show’s talent attracts casting directors from major networks and our performers have been featured on shows like America’s Got Talent and The Gong Show. Hosted by the “Punk Rock Cher” Tuesday Thomas and featuring standup comedian Cyrus Naderpour, Freak Show, at San Francisco’s Punch Line Comedy Club, is the nightmare you never knew you needed.

Following a sold-out engagement in February 2019, singer-songwriter Steve Grand returns to Feinstein’s at the Nikko with The Pink Champagne Tour. Grand will perform fan-favorite original material from his two albums, as well as classic covers from some of the most iconic out gay artists of all-time, including Queen, Elton John, and George Michael. With over 19 million views on YouTube, a #3 and #10 album on the Billboard Independent Album charts, and one of the most successful music Kickstarter campaigns ever under his belt, Grand has not just broken the rules, but has changed the game in how to be a successful singer-songwriter in this era. July 6, 2018 marked the release of his long-anticipated sophomore album, not the end of me. Released independently on his own label, Grand Nation LLC, the album garnered rave reviews from the LGBTQ market. He toured nationally and internationally in 2018 and continues to do so in 2019, gathering new fans, creating energy, and performing new music. With the release of his first album, All American Boy, in 2015, Grand broke the mold for the traditional singer-songwriter. Having self-funded a viral video of the title track—then fan-funding the release and creating a vocal and energetic fanbase—the openly gay artist from Chicago created a place for himself in the music industry and hasn’t looked back since.

BATS players create stories in all different genres, time periods and starting from all kinds of different suggestions. In November we’re taking storytelling to a whole new level, because we’re starting from true stories. Each week we’ll have all new special guest storytellers joining us from The Moth and the Stanford Storytelling Project, standing up and sharing their own true personal narratives. We’ll take it from there, and create improvised scenes based on themes, settings and ideas in those stories. What better inspiration for improvised stories than the truth?

A holiday mash-up for the entire family, The Hip Hop Nutcracker is an internationally touring contemporary work set to Tchaikovsky’s timeless music. The Hip Hop Nutcracker will feature MC Kurtis Blow, one of hip hop’s founding fathers, opening the show with a short set before rapping the introduction. Directed and choreographed by Jennifer Weber, The Hip Hop Nutcracker is a full-length production performed by a supercharged cast of a dozen all-star dancers, DJ and an electric violinist.

The California Golden Bears are back for another season of Pac-12 action in Berkeley, and they’re aiming for the top of the standings and a trip to a bowl game. Visit one of the most scenic stadiums in college football to see the Bears battle non-conference foes and Pac-12 rivals.

This fall Andrew will be starring in a new show alongside Lil Dicky. Santino starred in the Showtime series I’m Dying Up Here, which was produced by Jim Carey and directed by Jonathan Levine. He also appeared in Game Over Man and was the star of the ABC comedy Mixology. Andrew is the host of his popular podcast Whiskey Ginger and is a frequent guest on the Joe Rogan Experience, seen by tens of millions of people per year. His hour-long Showtime stand up special, Home-Field Advantage, debuted in 2017. His half-hour Comedy Central stand-up special was released alongside his debut album Say No More. Andrew made his debut on Adam Devine’s House Party and has since performed standup on Conan and The Meltdown With Jonah and Kumail. He’s also headlined at Montreal’s Just For Laughs Comedy Festival as well as SXSW and numerous venues across the country. See him live at Cobb’s Comedy Club in San Francisco.

Thrill to a one-of-a-kind stage show with Dan Chan, Master Magician. Weaving feats of mentalism, perception and improv comedy with sleight-of-hand showmanship and jaw-dropping illusions, Chan has performed for tech titans and international billionaires. You can catch his latest show at K-Elements BBQ, where his astonishing feats of deception, including hacking into your iPhone and other smartphone tricks, will no doubt astound you. Behold a showman who Buzzfeed called “Silicon Valley’s Favorite Magician … able to fool the most skeptical of audiences.”

A vast variety of samples, coupons, classes and more are on the menu for the The Gluten Free, Allergy and Special Diet Festival, at the San Mateo County Event Center. Designed to be fun, educational — and flavor-filled — the San Mateo Nourished Festival is the perfect place for those with dietary restrictions to discover the multitude of products catering to their nutritional and culinary needs and preferences. You’ll find more than 100 exhibitors and brands at the expo with items to taste and purchase, plus speakers, workshops and more.

Olivier Award winner, Broadway star and Bay Area native Lesli Margherita (Matilda, Dames at Sea, Zorro) returns to Feinstein’s at the Nikko with Rule — a new take on her signature cabaret show which critics have hailed as “outrageous,” “rip-roaring,” and “fiercely original.” With her take-no-prisoners attitude and self-deprecating humor, Margherita “inspires,” “uplifts,” and “slaps you across the face”—and let’s be honest, everyone needs a good slap across the face every once in a while. From memorable favorites with a twist to new stories bound to become classics, Margherita’s 70-minute showstopping set will leave you screaming “Yaaas!” Rule is written by Lesli Margherita, directed and produced by Lauren Bass, and features musical direction and arrangements by Brett Ryback.

San Francisco’s Circus Center presents its acclaimed monthly entertainment series, the Circus Center Cabaret. It’s a unique mix of live jazz and a rotating cast of the Bay Area’s best circus and variety performers, presented in an intimate venue with a full bar. For our November edition, we’ve been the victims of a hacking scheme! Our special guest host, drag superstar Countess Katya Smirnoff-Skyy, has infiltrated our cozy theater, and now everything has a little Russian flair. She’s given the Roger Glenn Trio new marching orders, and they’re ready to back her musical delights. Our all-star lineup of circus and variety artists will have you awestruck one minute, and laughing the next. So grab a couple of Moscow Mules – or vodka shots – and let us peek at all your passwords at the Circus Center Cabaret!