Hooray! for Cayuga Park

QuoteAugust 7, 2014directorebeccer Leave a comment

That show was awesome!

–Cayuga Park audience member, age 7

We had a great preview performance at Cayuga Park last Sunday, with lots of kids in attendance and even a runaway kickball that was batted back into play by Samuel Peaches.

Our next performances are Saturday, August 16 at San Francisco’s Precita Park at 2pm, and Sunday, August 17 at Pleasanton’s Centennial Park at 5pm. We hope to see you there!

Click here for the full Tour Schedule.

Audience at our Cayuga Park show, August 3. Photo by Serena Morelli.

Pingle the Stute-Fish (played by Blueberry Starshine) and Smiler the Whale. Photo by Serena Morelli

Glen Park – August 31

August 2, 2014directorebeccer 1 Comment

Glen Park – August 31 We’re confirmed for a performance of O Best Beloved on Sunday, August 31 at 2:00pm at Glen Canyon Park in San Francisco. Mark your calendars! We’ll be outside the Rec Center — just follow the path from the entrance at either Bosworth Street or at Elk & Chenery.

Wildflowers and boulders in Glen Canyon Park

[If you happen to be holding a postcard that says we’ll be in Glen Park on 9/13, never fear: August 31 is the date we’ll be there. We originally planned for Sept 13, but moved the date when the Parks Dept realized there was a big picnic planned in the park that day.]

Glen Canyon Park has been recently renovated with a fantastic new playground and entrance on Elk Street near Chenery. Come on in and look for us near the Rec Center. Bring the kids, the dog, a picnic blanket and your sense of humor!

If you can’t wait ’til August 31, our first performance is tomorrow, Sunday August 3 at Cayuga Playground! For a full listing of our confirmed summer 2014 performances, check out our Tour Schedule. And for more info on seeing a show, read our F.A.Q.

A taste of Tour 2014 – “The Beginning of the Armadillos”

GalleryJuly 29, 2014July 29, 2014directorebeccer Leave a comment

Photos from one of our new stories, “The Beginning of the Armadillos,” by the phenomenal Serena Morelli. Here’s a link to the original story by Mr. Kipling.

Our first performance is this Sunday, August 3 at Cayuga Playground, San Francisco!

Check out our full 2014 Tour Schedule.

Blueberry Starshine (Sam Jackson) as the Professor

Thumper (Joan Howard) plays Painted Jaguar, about to surprise the two Armadillos — played by Samuel Peaches (Casey Robbins) and Arby-Darby (Juliana Frick)

Blueberry Starshine also plays Mama Jaguar and Meekins and Princess Gwen are her Jaguar Posse

Rawr! Meekins, Blueberry and Princess Gwen as the Jaguars

Samuel Peaches and Arby-Darby as the Hedgehog and Tortoise, hatching a plan to surprise Painted Jaguar

Port Costa – August 23

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Port Costa – August 23

We’re thrilled to announce that we’ll bring O Best Beloved to Port Costa, CA on Saturday, August 23 at 1:00pm at the corner of Erskine Street and Canyon Lake Drive. Mark your calendars!

Idyllic, right? Gorgeous aerial shot by Lewis Stewart for the Port Costa Conservation Society

Picnic lunches will be available for sale from the Bull Valley Roadhouse, who have created a special picnic menu for us. Pre-order lunch online starting July 28 or purchase at the show while supplies last.

Picnic options include Muffaletta Sandwiches on focaccia (veggie or meaty), Fried Chicken Sandwiches with spicy aioli (there’s also a kids’ version without the spice), and sides like Fruit Salad, Cole Slaw or Potato Salad. Delish! Drinks including fresh lemonade, Mexican Coke, and beer and wine will be for sale at the show. And while you can purchase lunch last-minute at the show, we do recommend pre-ordering online.

Our performance in Port Costa is going to be super special! Not only is August 23 the birthday of our own Marlene Yarosh, but you’ll not want to miss the chance to explore this sweet little town. Once a busy wheat-shipping port, Port Costa is now home to about 200 people, a great dive bar with a phenomenal beer list, a fabulous Victorian-era hotel, the delicious Bull Valley Roadhouse, and Wendy Addison’s whimsical Theatre of Dreams.

Here’s a photo of Joan & Rebecca in the hills above Port Costa this past July 4, when we went hiking with Marlene & Soren before checking out the fireworks above the Carquinez Strait.

So where is Port Costa? Just a 40-minute drive from San Francisco, and just a hop and a skip from other spots in the East Bay. Find it on our Summer Tour map!

Were Kipling to have visited Port Costa, perhaps there’d be a Just-So Story about this guy, immortalized at the Warehouse Cafe.

Want to make it a weekend adventure? We highly recommend a hike after the show, staying overnight at The Burlington Hotel, and brunching Sunday morning at the Bull Valley Roadhouse. Perfection!

Many thanks are due to Soren and Marlene, as well as the Port Costa locals who have welcomed us with open arms and helped make this performance happen — Dee, Jeff, Veronica & Tuala — thank you!

For a full listing of our confirmed summer 2014 performances, check out our Tour Schedule. And for more info on seeing a show, please read our F.A.Q.

Memorial Park Bandstand, Hayward – Sept 7

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Hayward – September 7

We’ll be performing O Best Beloved on Sunday, September 7 at 2:00pm at the Memorial Park Bandstand, near the Hayward Plunge: 24176 Mission Boulevard, Hayward, CA. Mark your calendars for this performance, sponsored by the Douglas Morrisson Theatre!

Advocates of ornithology may enjoy meeting this fellow, who lives between the Hayward Plunge and the Bandstand. We have no idea who he is, but he sure is handsome!

Advocates of ornithology may enjoy meeting this feathered friend, who lives between the Hayward Plunge and the Bandstand.

Coming up at the DMT: The Cafetorium Chronicles: Lost & Found, on July 13 at 8pm. It’s part of the Theatre’s Playwrights CageMatch scriptwriting competition, giving playwrights a chance to show their stuff in an audience-decided live competition! Tickets are free, and voting ballots are just $5! What a steal for a cage match.

For a full listing of O Best Beloved’s confirmed summer 2014 performances, check out our Tour Schedule. And for more info on seeing a show, please read our F.A.Q.

Centennial Park, Pleasanton – August 17

LinkJuly 10, 2014directorebeccer 7 Comments

Pleasanton – August 17

We’ll be performing O Best Beloved on Sunday, August 17 at 5:00pm at Centennial Park, 5353 Sunol Blvd, Pleasanton. Mark your calendars for this special early-evening performance!

“The Yak” by Joseph Anthony McDonnell – a resident of Centennial Park that will help our wild beasts feel right at home.

Our performance is presented in association with the City of Pleasanton.

For a full listing of our confirmed summer 2014 performances, check out our Tour Schedule. And for more info on seeing a show, please read our F.A.Q.

Noe Valley “Town Square” – August 24

LinkJuly 9, 2014directorebeccer 1 Comment

Noe Valley – August 24

We’re confirmed for a performance of O Best Beloved on Sunday, August 24 at 2:00pm at Noe Valley Town Square in San Francisco. Mark your calendars! Noe Valley Town Square is at 3861 24th Street, between Sanchez and Vicksburg Streets, in Noe Valley.

A rendering of the planned renovations at Noe Valley Town Square

Occasionally disguised as a mere parking lot, every Saturday the Town Square hosts the Noe Valley Farmer’s Market. A group of residents have come together to ensure that the property, recently acquired by the City of San Francisco and now part of the SF Recreation and Parks system, will be renovated into a beautiful neighborhood public space.

We’re thrilled to be performing in a spot that’s so well-loved by the community!

For a full listing of our confirmed summer 2014 performances, check out our Tour Schedule. And for more info on seeing a show, read our F.A.Q.

Cayuga Playground – August 3

LinkJuly 8, 2014July 8, 2014directorebeccer 2 Comments

Cayuga Playground – August 3

We’re confirmed for a performance of O Best Beloved on August 3 at 2:00pm at Cayuga Playground, San Francisco. Mark your calendars!

Not sure how to find Cayuga Playground? Here’s a map.

Cayuga Playground features fantastic carved wooden sculptures by Demetrio Braceros.

Cayuga Playground, in San Francisco’s Excelsior neighborhood, is a often called a “hidden gem.” It’s been recently renovated, and is full of art, children, a few dogs, and neighbors getting their daily exercise. Our rehearsal space is nearby, and you may have seen us rehearsing in the park itself last week!

For nearby eats, we recommend Mamá Art Cafe on Mission Street. They have great coffee and bagel sandwiches you can bring to the park, and are awesome neighbors who are truly involved in the community.

For a full listing of our confirmed summer 2014 performances, check out our Tour Schedule. And for more info on seeing a show, read our F.A.Q.

Rehearsal Report: Special Guest Soren

ImageJuly 4, 2014directorebeccer Leave a comment

At yesterday’s rehearsal we had a special guest, Soren Santos, an actor and theatremaker who is also an associate producer for O Best Beloved. One of his specialties is physical partner work, and he was super helpful coaching Sam B and Juliana on the fantastic duo animals they’ve come up with–and helped them create a couple more. Some of Soren’s credits include the American premiere of Maurice at New Conservatory Theatre Center (Maurice), the professional west coast premiere of Orlando at TheatreFIRST (Marmaduke and Ensemble), and the world premiere adaptation of Jane Eyre with Counter-Balance Theater (St. John and Ensemble). Soren is currently associated with Counter-Balance Theater and foolsFURY Ensemble. When not on stage, he can be found co-teaching Foundations of Flight, an ongoing acting/movement workshop with fellow Counter-Balance company member Anika Solveig. Visit Soren on the web at www.sorensantos.com and catch him in Mugwumpin’s Super:Anti:Reluctant July 10-12.

Rehearsal collage! Featuring Nquong (Sam Jackson) in his bath in the blue gums, Uncle Giraffe (Sam Bertken and Juliana Frick), and the ensemble with Mdme. Directrix. Photo by Soren Santos.

Precita Park – August 16

LinkJuly 1, 2014August 7, 2014directorebeccer 4 Comments

Precita Park – August 16

We’re confirmed for a performance of O Best Beloved on August 16 at 2:00pm at Precita Park, Precita Ave at Harrison, San Francisco. Mark your calendars!

Precita Park is not only a beautiful, dog- and kid-friendly spot in the sunny part of town, it is also home to Precita Eyes Muralists‘ Mural Arts Studio. Precita Eyes is undoubtedly one of San Francisco’s cultural treasures; their visitors’ center is a short walk away on 24th Street near Harrison.

Consider visiting Precita Park Cafe before or after the show for neighborly nosh, Hillside Supper Club for brunch prior, or pick up a picnic from Charlie’s Deli Cafe or Harvest Hills Market and bring it with you to the show!

Stay tuned here for more time & date announcements!