It’s officially summer this week and summertime events are in full swing. Here are my picks:
Monday, June 17
Just when you thought there was nothing to do on Monday, here’s Lara Louise, born and raised in the Netherlands and who taught herself how to play guitar. If that’s not enough of a draw, she was inspired by the likes of Joni Mitchell, Madeline Peyroux, Leonard Cohen, and Frank Sinatra. Hear her at Scopo Divino from 5–8 p.m. Free admission.
Tuesday, June 18
The San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus joins the San Francisco Symphony for “All We Need is Love,” the ultimate tribute to love songs from ballads to anthems and “a testament to love’s unending capacity to uplift, inspire, and unite.” Because it’s what the world needs now, right? Tickets from $20.
Wednesday, June 19
Garuda’s Wing, Magic Theatre’s well-acted world premiere by Naomi Iizuka, explores the effects of colonization, while touching on other themes, including habitat loss, climate change, personal histories and legacies, corporate greed, and even a murder mystery. It opens in a Borneo jungle in a rudimentary dwelling with a passionate paleontologist hosting a photojournalist, whose sister happened to disappear in the jungle years before. Additional scenes set in the future take place on the same land parcel, which has evolved to a wellness spa, and then to a high-rise corporate headquarters. To add intrigue, the deceased appear throughout, either offering wisdom and advice or observing silently. Through June 23. Tickets from $30.
This special Juneteenth installment of San Francisco International Arts Festival‘s The Last Supper Party, a spoken word and performance series based on Felerine Bongolan’s 200 square-foot painting features diverse artists and writers who address myriad injustices, the impacts of corruption, unchecked power, and greed. The audience is also invited to share ideas and thoughts. Donations accepted and reservations a must.
The Tony Award-winning musical The Cher Show about the iconic award-winning performer features 35 of her hits (looks like “I Got You Babe” is in) and covers 60 (!) years of her career with three actors playing the leading role. Through June 23 at the Curran Theatre. Tickets from $46.
Thursday, June 20
Grab some goodies from the Ferry Building Marketplace then head outside to the north plaza conveniently located next to the Fort Point Beer Garden, pick up your brewski, and enjoy live music from 4–6 p.m. featuring Bay Area musicians. Free admission.
Celebrate the first day of summer at Grace Cathedral with TILT: A Celebration of Light and Music on the Summer Solstice, an intimate concert with “a different angle on music” performed on the longest day of the year, which means all those glorious stained-glassed windows will be at their best. Tickets from $95.
Frameline presents Mad About the Boy: The Noël Coward Story, a documentary about the playwright, composer, Tony winner, and more, including spy for the crown in World War II. Despite having no formal education after age 9 and being raised in a working-class boarding house, Coward managed to turn himself into an upper-crust British sophisticate, and a master of self-invention several times over. See it at the Roxie Theater or stream it live. Tickets $12 and $20.
Friday, June 21
Circus Bella will provide the entertainment with a troupe of acrobats, aerialists, jugglers, and clowns from the Bay Area and beyond along with the six-piece Circus Bella All-Star Band. You just show up for the outdoor performance at Yerba Buena Gardens today at noon or tomorrow at noon or 2:15 p.m. Free admission (suggested $20 donation).
Every seat is a good one at the Presidio Theatre, so don’t miss Fellow Travelers, Opera Parallèle‘s production based on Thomas Mallon’s novel, a political thriller set in the McCarthy era, which is also a tender love story. Because love is what the world needs now, for everyone. Through June 23. Tickets from $30.
Saturday, June 22
On display at the Haines Gallery in Fort Mason is a solo exhibition by Northern California native and nationally recognized artist Patsy Krebs, whose abstract minimalist works appear in museums you may have heard of, like SFMOMA. Through July 6. Free admission.
Sunday, June 23
Take the family for a stroll, skate, scooter, or bike ride on Golden Gate Avenue between Jones and Hyde streets for some car-free fun and recreation (and find out if can you still hula hoop) at Sunday Streets Tenderloin Community Block Party from noon to 5 p.m. Free admission.
Enjoy your week, have fun, and be safe. Because it’s a jungle out there.
Updated: 05/18/24
