Intro | Concerts | Visual Art | Theater | Festivals | Movies | Food
It seems that all of Silicon Valley is a stage this summer, as theater companies big and small roll out top-notch productionsfrom comedies to dramas, classics to contemporary. So, stop by a local black box or head to one of the major regional theaters to take in a show.
HAMMER THEATRE CENTER
101 Paseo de San Antonio, San Jose
hammertheatre.com
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
May 31
Living in the South Bay puts theater lovers well over 5,000 miles from London. Thankfully, the Hammer Theatre regularly broadcasts National Theatre Live productions from the West End. The Hammer closes out May with this Tennessee Williams play, taped in 2017 and starring Sienna Miller, Jack O’Connell and Colm Meaney.
PEAR THEATRE
1110 La Avenida St, Mountain View
thepear.org
Oh, Coward
Jun 22-Jul 15
The Pear is looking to punctuate their latest season with a bit of an oddity. With their fourth musical show in 15 years, they start summer off with a run of Oh, Coward. The show will feature four singers accompanied by piano as they sing songs penned by English playwright Noël Coward.
THEATREWORKS
Lucie Stern Theatre, Palo Alto
Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts
theatreworks.org
Hold These Truths
July 11-Aug 5 | Lucie Stern
Set in the midst of Japanese internment during World War II, Hold These Truths follows the story of the late Japanese-American Gordon Hirabayashi. The story explores Hirabayashi’s 50-year journey from courtroom to a Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Native Gardens
Aug 22- Sep 16 | MVCPA
Different aspects of prejudice are explored in this clever comedy about a Latino couple moving in next to the award-winning garden of a prominent Washington, D.C., family. Spats over floral arrangements and fencing are employed to explore themes of race, class and privilege.
LOS ALTOS STAGE COMPANY
Bus Barn Stage, Los Altos
losaltosstage.org
Pippin
May 24- June 24
This Tony Award-winning musical tells the story of a young man as he seeks meaning in his life and the world around him. His journey unfolds alongside a slew of songs penned by Stephen Schwartz of Wicked fame to remind us that the most important facets of our lives are usually the simplest.
Little Women
Jul 13-29
Produced by the Los Altos Youth Theatre, this adaption of Louisa May Alcott’s famed novel tells the familiar story of Jo, Meg, Amy and Beth. The four sisters make their way from childhood all the way up through young adulthood as they navigate Civil War-era America.
CITY LIGHTS THEATER CO.
529 S Second St, San Jose
cltc.org
The Siegel
May 17-Jun 17
This romantic comedy follows the story of Ethan Siegel as he looks to wed Alice, a girl who broke up with him two years ago. Ethan presses on undeterred despite the fact that she’s busy recuperating in the face of a lost election and has a new lover.
In the Heights
Jul 14-Aug 19
Boasting music and lyrics by Hamilton‘s Lin-Manuel Miranda, In the Heights tells an American story from a very different time. Set in New York’s Washington Heights, the Tony Award-winning musical details the life of Usnavi de la Vega and the community his bodega serves.
SAN JOSE STAGE COMPANY
490 S First St, San Jose
thestage.org
Hedwig and the Angry Inch
May 30-Jul 8
Obie Award-winning rock musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch follows a German rock & roll artist as she stalks fellow rocker Tommy Speck. She seeks revenge against Speck for stealing her songs by, among other things, undercutting his shows by playing across the street from every stadium he plays.
3BELOW THEATERS & LOUNGE
288 S Second St, San Jose
3belowtheaters.com
Keith Moon: The Real Me
Jun 15-Jun 24
Mick Berry plays famed drummer Keith Moon of The Who. Berry spends the two-hour show telling Moon’s life story, all the way up to his tragic downfall. Of course, that’s not to say he won’t show off his drumming chops along the way with a couple of the band’s best songs.
TABARD THEATRE
Theatre on San Pedro Square, San Jose
tabardtheatre.org
Durst Case Scenario
May 25-26
Just as he was when George W. Bush was in office, Will Durst has been hard at work. He takes to the stage for a one-man show as he lays siege to the political climate we’ve found ourselves in, our place in that climate and, of course, good ol’ No. 45.
BROADWAY SAN JOSE
San Jose Center for the Performing Arts
broadwaysanjose.com
Jersey Boys
Jun 5-10
Jersey Boys recounts the journey of The Four Seasons. Pop legends Frankie Valli, Bob Gaudio, Tommy DeVito and Nick Massi took the world by storm and sold 175 million records with songs like “Sherry,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry” and “Can’t Take My Eyes of You.”
CHILDREN’S MUSICAL THEATER
Montgomery Theater, San Jose
The Wiz
Jul 13-21
Featuring Children’s Musical Theater members from ages 10 through 14, this production of The Wiz will likely be some young performers’ first encounter with the famous retelling of L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Just like the rest in this series, the show will run for about a week.
Robin Hood
Aug 9-12
CMT’s youngest members will get their shot to bring life to a brand new version of Robin Hood, written by accomplished composer Ken Hauge. Together, the youngsters will give new faces to the titular character, his loyal band of merry men and maid Marian.
West Side Story
Jul 27-Aug 5
Some of CMT’s oldest members will be given the opportunity to relive the classic love story between Maria and Tony. This time around, the ill-fated lovers will likely fall into the age range of 14 and 20. The production will run for a little less than a week.
SILICON VALLEY SHAKESPEARE
Willow Street Park, San Jose
Sanborn Skyline County Park, Saratoga
As You Like It
Jun 8-24 | Willow Street
Silicon Valley Shakespeare is starting off the summer season off right with a production of the Bard’s pastoral comedy As You Like it. The production will be another entry in SVS’ free Shakespeare in the Park series.
Much Ado About Nothing
Aug 3-Sep 2 | Sanborn Skyline
Finishing off their 20th season with something a little different, SVS set the Bard’s classic tale of two struggling couples a few centuries later, in the Roaring ’20s. With this production, they juxtapose Shakespeare’s wit and humor with art deco styling and jazz.
