Absolutely San Francisco: A Musical Comedy About Lost Love and the San Francisco Experience
The Alcove Theater, Between Post and Geary (414 Mason St San Francisco, CA 94102)
- Full Price:
- $32.00
- Our Price:
- FREE - $16.00*
* Additional fees apply.
All offers for Absolutely San Francisco have expired.
The last date listed for Absolutely San Francisco was Thursday December 29, 2011 / 8:00pm.
Goldstar Member Tips
-
Goldstar Member on What to Wear
Casual
-
Goldstar Member on Other
Enjoy the SF trivia preshow slide presentation and SF music
-
Goldstar Member on Other
Loved the slide show, cable car videos and music!
51 Goldstar Member Reviews
D. Ch'an-Moriwaki
Absolutely San Francisco is absolutely so fantastic. Echoing the near unanimity of all comments preceding, Yes, agree! We have an attractively well-appointed, intimate little theater here; a warmly welcoming, gracious staff; a great “off-off-Broadway” downtown location where all the amenities are, where urban sophistication jumps. We have a fabulous non-stop musical that has a terrific book; a dynamically simple presentation, set with stunningly beautiful, tie-dyed panels that recall the ambience of an era, and keenly integrated video images carried by the projection screen; music that discerningly conveys kaleidoscopic moods . . . and characters. (!) Wearing many hats as everybody, literally, and as Sunshine, this is a fabulous tour-de-force starring the wonderful and wondrous Mary Gibboney.Written on Jul 19 2011
But this is way more than merely an evening’s after-dinner diversion, an afternoon’s winning entertainment to fill a happy weekend. For in theater, the truly good shows are not only well-crafted in their words and music, but they also must be, first and last, resonant at all levels, relatable for every kind of audience. Brilliantly written and directed by Anne Doherty, Absolutely San Francisco stands among the best of these, a spectrum of the beguilingly and deceptively frivolous and flighty, crazy and crass, to the pithy and sardonic compassion that addresses sober, existential issues. Where such sensibilities are even half-awake, the lines sneak up on you. Words pregnant with meaning. Triggering those deeper stirrings. Hitting fast and sudden. Bam, bam, bam! The ending’s surprise, as mentioned earlier by other commenters here.
In these decaying yet transformative times, Absolutely San Francisco is no mere "bread and circuses" exercise, but contains real meaning hidden in plain sight within all the fun. This is musical theater that is deeply, yet lightly, unobtrusively, non-presumptuously, 'spiritual.'
Dare I use such a loaded word?
Not coincidentally, I see that Jesus Christ Superstar is again playing around here. And a new friend I’ve met produced and directed a well-noticed production of same, many years ago. Absolutely synchronicity. I’m not a religionist, nor is religiosity at all the show’s intent in the least. However, yes, Absolutely San Francisco IS spiritually relevant, and gratefully so. A sign of the times. Gives the thoughtful something to really chew on. Brava, Mss. Doherty and Gibboney, and the entire team!!
- 0
- 2
- 0
Austin Nation
Well-acted..great interweaving of the story and characters. If you're new or visiting SF, this would be the first show I would see to get an wonderful overview of the city by someone who really loves being here.Written on Dec 12 2011
- 0
- 0
- 1
bwkbwk
I really wanted to like this show, since others gave it a good review.Written on Aug 05 2011
However, I found myself extremely bored throughout the show.
The musical numbers were not all that clever, nor was the storyline. The solo actress has a mediocre singing voice.
Although there were references to San Francisco throughout the show, the show was based entirely on a woman who meets some people on a cable car.
The characters were not particularly unique to S.F., and all of the "action" took place on the cable car. Thus, it could have taken place anywhere, not just San Francisco.
The show had a few funny lines in it, but it was mostly poignant. Not at all what I was expecting.
The crowd was made up of about 80% tourists. They seemed to like it, even though they didn't get the small references to lesser-known San Francisco settings (Sunset District) or people (the Giants' Brian Wilson).
To me, this show was a HUGE disappointment.
- 1
- 0
- 0
Renae B
What an enjoyable fun evening. The show was really good and the acting was fabulous. It is a small theater and there is audience interaction which added to the enjoyment. It is a piece of San Francisco. If you love SF you should see it.Written on Jul 15 2011
- 0
- 1
- 0
More Information About Absolutely San Francisco
Website
http://www.absolutelysanfrancisco.com
Quotes & Highlights
- "Absolutely San Francisco is absolutely fantastic ... A show this nuanced, this layered – and this much fun, Absolutely San Francisco is a show to see again and again." --Marina Times/Northside
- "Fun and funny...San Francisco is known for its history, its neighborhoods, its politics and its characters, all of which are showcased in Absolutely San Francisco....The show has great humor throughout, and some very fun and funny songs." --San Francisco Bay Times
- "Captures the spirit of San Francisco..." —KGO -TV/ABC7
- "Absolutely San Francisco is very SF" —BeyondChron.com
- "...an intimate look at San Francisco seen through the eyes of a gifted artist." —Visit Half Moon Bay
Description
Not Quite Opera Productions’ original one-woman musical Absolutely San Francisco stars show author and composer Anne Doherty as Sunshine -- a free spirit living under the Embarcadero’s Cupid’s Span sculpture - and five other “typical” San Franciscans.
Penetrating humor abounds in this uplifting musical dramedy about lost love and the San Francisco experience. The insightful, whimsical book and lyrics turn the city’s stereotypes inside out, revealing the heart and soul of its citizens. The audience laughs and cries while taking an up-close tour of the “City by the Bay.”
Guided by signals from Sutro Tower, Sunshine takes a cable car ride where she meets a hippie billionaire, a Chinese shopkeeper, an Indian engineer, a gay wine merchant, and an empathetic cable car conductor. The plot, which revolves around Sunshine’s effort to make a permanent home out of the bow-and-arrow sculpture on the Embarcadero called Cupid's Span, twists and turns on an unpredictable comic journey that unites the contrasting characters and heals their wounds of lost love.
A single actor plays all of the roles, using simple hats and props to indicate character. Watching the rapid-fire transformations between characters is also part of the fun, but the idea that one woman plays all the roles underscores one of the show’s central themes that the city’s people – however disparate – are all connected through their San Francisco experience: “Everybody comes looking for something…even if you were born here, you have to be looking for something, even if it’s only acceptance, because the search is what ties us all together.”