Top Ten Theatrical Events

By Albert Goodwyn

1. Travesties, The Rivals, American Conservatory Theatre: excellent production values, good acting; triviality or total lack of story lines are beside the point; enjoyable.

2. Suburban Motel, a series at Zellerbach Theatre, UC Berkeley: vivid depictions of people you never want to cross paths with, but we wind up liking them; smooth productions by students.

3. Eyes of Babylon, New Conservatory Theatre Center, San Francisco: personal recollections of war by an appealing hero

4. Still in Love, Mary Mackay and Billy Philadelphia at New Conservatory Theatre Center, San Francisco: some great cabaret singers have passed through The City, but this local duo still sings great and charms.

5. SF Fringe Festival, EXIT Theatres and elsewhere: a variety of short plays with great ideas; some need more development, some are finished gems.

6. M Butterfly, Francis Jue owns the stage; his transition from coquette to snake is an acting masterpiece.

7. Kiss of the Spider Woman, New Conservatory Theatre Center, San Francisco: the production and casting demand total involvement with and sympathy for the characters.

8. Killer Joe, Marin Theatre Company and The Magic at Ft. Mason Center: a crass, in-yer-face thriller; You got a problem with that?

9. The Twelve Days of Cochina, Theatre Rhinoceros, San Francisco: lewd and crude Marga Gomez is a treat to watch.

10. Glass Menagerie, Berkeley Rep: Rita Moreno actually found humor in the maudlin Tennessee Williams story.

Best of Theatre

By Tom W. Kelly

1. Hunter Gatherers at the Thick House, Potrero Hill by Killing My Lobster
 
2. Kiss of the Spider Woman at New Conservatory Theatre Center, 25 Van Ness (also diverse fare such as Convenience, The War at Home, Insignificant Others, Valhalla, The Fabulous Adventures of Captain Queer, Eyes of Babylon, Franc D’Ambrosio’s Broadway, and D*Face)
 
3. Glass Menagerie at Berkeley Repertory Theatre (also there: 9 Parts of Desire, Mother Courage, Ennio, and Zorro in Hell)
 
4. Doubt, Best of Broadway series (also A Chorus Line and MB’s Swan Lake)
 
5. Reckless at SF Playhouse, Sutter Street (also Roulette)
 
6. Killer Joe at Marin Theatre Company and Magic Theatre
 
7. Annie Get Your Gun at Foothill Music Theatre
 
8. Salome at Aurora Theatre (also Small Tragedy)
 
9. Cabaret singers at the Plush Room and elsewhere: Jane Olivor, Paula West, Maude Maggart, Linda Kosut, and Vandana Bali
 
10. 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee ay the Post Street Theatre