Events Around the Bay

Theatreworks Silicon Valley Presents Hershey Felder as George Gershwin Alone and Great American Songbook Sing-Along

February 7 – 12, 2024

Internationally-acclaimed and adored by the Bay Area audiences, including this writer, the actor, pianist, and filmmaker Hershey Felder is returning to TheatreWorks Silicon Valley performing a limited engagement of his hit solo show Hershey Felder as George Gershwin Alone.

Captivating audiences around the world, including on Broadway, in London’s West End, Florence and Venice, Italy and more, Hershey Felder as George Gershwin Alone illuminates the life and music of the legendary tunesmith whose work shaped a distinctly American style of music, including iconic works such as “I Got Rhythm,” “’S Wonderful,” and many more. TheatreWorks also announced a one-night-only performance of Hershey Felder’s Great American Songbook Sing-Along. In this special participatory event, Felder will share stories and lead the audience through 100 years of American music, featuring a selection of songs by beloved composers including Irving Berlin, George and Ira Gershwin, Jerome Kern, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim, and many more. Don’t miss this unique and inspirational concert presented by one of the most brilliant artists. Hershey Felder’s Great American Songbook Sing-Along will be available to the public.

Tickets and Information

Single tickets start at $37

877-662-8978; theatreworks.org

Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts

500 Castro Street in Mountain View;

Masks required

Photo courtesy of Theatreworks

 

Yuan Yuan Tan, The Amazing Principal Dancer to Give Final Performance with San Francisco Ballet in “Marguerite and Armand”

February 10th at 8pm and February 14th at 7:30 pm.

San Francisco Ballet Principal Dancer Yuan Yuan Tan will give her final performance with San Francisco Ballet dancing the role of Marguerite in Sir Frederick Ashton’s Marguerite and Armand at the War Memorial Opera House. Created in 1963 for two of ballet superstars Nureyev and Fonteyn, the passionate tale draws inspiration from history’s most famous tragic love stories.

Of all the ballets that Frederic Ashton created, Marguerite and Armand stands out as his most passionate as it whisks the audiences through their tragic love affair. The addition of lush designs tell a dramatic tale of their own. Tan’s personal interpretation and mesmerizing dancing adds a touch of unforgettable drama.  Tan will also dance with former SF Ballet Principal Dancer Tiit Helimets in a selection from Helgi Tomasson “7 for Eight” at the 2024 Opening Night Gala on Wednesday, January 24th, 2024. Born in Shanghai, Tan joined SF Ballet as a soloist in 1995 and was promoted to principal dancer in 1997, making her the youngest and first Chinese principal dancer in the company’s history. Her unprecedented 29-year career at SF Ballet has exemplified her devotion to dance and a passion to create art that is elegant, human, and astonishing. Her repertoire encompasses nearly 100 classical, neoclassical, and contemporary ballets choreographed by George Balanchine, Sir Kenneth MacMillan, John Neumeier, Christopher Wheeldon, Helgi Tomasson, Yuri Possokhov, Edwaard Liang, and Wayne McGregor, among others. Most notably, she has memorably interpreted classical characters such as Giselle, Aurora, and Odette/Odile, as well as contemporary characters such as the Little Mermaid, Tatiana, and the Princess (RAkU). As an international ambassador of ballet, she is a role model for and symbol of ballet across the world. Bravo Yuan Yuan Tan! Thank you for enriching our cultural life in the Bay Area.

Information: Tickets can be purchased by calling 415-865-2000 or visiting sfballet.org

Photo courtesy of SF Ballet

 

The HIstory of Los Altos Street Names Explored in Museum Exhibit

Now on view through April 7, 2024

Have you ever thought about the history of the street where you live? Not till I was intrigued by the special exhibit at the Los Altos History Museum located in downtown Los Altos. What I learned is that street names narrate the history of a neighborhood telling stories of its past, landmarks and early residents.

Unraveling this history is the result of labor of love of two volunteers of Los Altos History Museum’s Collectors Committee Paul Kuckein and Gina Atkinson and the topic of a new exhibit titled: “What’s in a name? History of Los Altos Street Names.” Their extensive excavation of the Museum’s archives unearthed the origins of many Los Altos street names, shading light on a lesser known facet of the community’s legacy. This full of curiosity exhibit presents only a fraction of the comprehensive research undertaken and invites the community to participate in this endeavor. There are over 500 distinct street names in Los Altos and so far they have found the history for one third.  If you live in Los Altos wouldn’t you want to know the history behind your street’s name? Join Paul and Gina and maybe you will discover it. The exhibit is a work in progress and an opportunity to solicit community input.

Information

Admission free

650-948-9427, ext. 14; losaltoshistory.org

Los Altos History Museum was built in 1905 on 14+ acres of apricot orchards

51 S. San Antonio Rd. in Los Altos

Photo courtesy of Los Altos History Museum

“How I Learned What I Learned”

Now through February 3, 2024

TheatreWorks Silicon Valley rings in 2024 with August Wilson’s “How I Learned What I Learned.”  An internationally acclaimed interpreter of August Wilson’s works, Oregon Shakespeare Festival Artistic Director Tim Bond returns to TheatreWorks at the helm of this heartfelt one-man theatrical memoir that chronicles the Pulitzer Prize-in America.

Seen in leading theaters, this show has been hailed as “complex and surprisingly funny”. A crowd-pleasing 100 minutes in the company of a wonderful writer” (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette). Bond reunites with award-winning Bay Area theater artist Steven Anthony Jones, who stars as the iconic playwright. Jones’ tour de force solo performance at Oregon Shakespeare Festival and Seattle Repertory Theatre was called “brilliant” (Talkin’ Broadway) and “a masterful performance that shouldn’t be missed.  Following its run at Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, TheatreWorks will take How I Learned What I Learned on a weeklong tour throughout the Bay Area, sharing this affirming piece with local communities.

Information

Single tickets (starting at $27) and subscriptions (starting at $84) are currently available.

For information visit theatreworks.org or call (877)-662-8978

Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts

500 Castro Street in Mountain View

Photo courtesy of Theatreworks

 

By Lina Broydo