Immersive Hit Show THE SPEAKEASY To Reopen In A Limited Run, April 4 – June 23

Boxcar Theatre has announced the reopening of the hit immersive show, THE SPEAKEASY: AGE OF SCOFFLAWS, in a limited run, April 4 – June 23, 2024. Marking its ten-year anniversary, the celebrated show transports audiences back to the Roaring 1920s inside an intricately designed space complete with a two-story cabaret, three bars and a casino, as well as secret passageways and disguised entrances.

 

Previews begin April 4. The opening night is Saturday, April 13. Performances run Wednesdays to Sundays, with premium admission including a one-act playlet at 7 p.m. and general admission at 8 p.m., and on Sundays at 4 p.m. (premium) and 5 p.m. (general). Tickets, $65 - $275, will go on sale January 16 at thespeakeasysf.com/tickets.

 

At the time The Speakeasy closed in 2019, it had completed a remarkable run of approximately 425 performances before an audience of more than 72,000 attendees. Often compared to other extravagant productions around the country like Sleep No More, Tony & Tina's Wedding and Secret Cinema, The Speakeasy raised the bar for immersive theater in the Bay Area.

 

First opening on January 10, 2014 in San Francisco's Tenderloin neighborhood, The Speakeasy ran for more than five months earning praise from critics and audiences alike. “Impressively orchestrated” (San Francisco Bay Guardian), “Everything I love about San Francisco” (The Bold Italic) and “The best bar in San Francisco” (SF Weekly) were a few of the glowing reviews it received.

 

After moving to a new location on the border of North Beach and Chinatown, The Speakeasy boasted an enlarged script of almost 1,500 pages, requiring minute-by-minute precision to coordinate scenes unfolding simultaneously in six different areas of the venue. Bucking trends for a night out on the town, The Speakeasy enforced a dress code for guests, offered period attire for rent and required that mobile phones be turned off and stowed away inside the theater. After the first act, patrons were free to “choose their own adventure,” freely exploring The Speakeasy's maze of hidden rooms.

 

Critical acclaim followed first in the local press – “An intoxicating delight,” (San Francisco Chronicle), “Period perfect,” (San Francisco Examiner), “A voyeur's playland” (San Francisco magazine) – and later in national and international outlets from Frommer's to Condé Nast Traveler, and from the Toronto Sun to Haaretz.

 

In its latest iteration, The Speakeasy is pleased to welcome back many cast and crew members from years past who will be reprising more than half of the roles. Among the returning cast are Holly Silk in the role of Eloise, Donna Marie McMillan as Dorothy, Cecilia Palmtag and Rachael Richman, who both previously played Charlotte and next year will be sharing the newly developed role of Lois Lipstick, Robert Kittler as Clyde, David Magidson as Oliver and Ron Campbell as Eddie the emcee.

 

The creative team is also represented by many former alums. Elizabeth Etler, previously a choreographer on the show, now oversees the creative department as entertainment director. Ciera Eis, who served as a chorus girl from 2017 to 2019, returns this time in the director's chair. Michael French and Leah Gardner return as consulting directors. And Stefani Pelletier, who previously served as company manager, returns this year in the role of general manager. New to the team is performance director Felicity Hesed, consulting director Jeff Razz and music director John Lehrack.

 

“Working on this production for so many years has been the highlight of my career,” said Etler. “While much of our 1920s-era musical repertoire hasn't changed, our approach to the material has – and this is offering us welcome new creative challenges.”

 

“I am one of four people moving back cross country specifically to work on The Speakeasy,” said Pelletier. “Despite claims that San Francisco is stuck in a ‘doom loop,' this is an incredible city and a wonderfully rewarding project.”

 

In addition to updates to the script – several characters have been laid to rest, and a few new ones will take their place – audiences will discover a relaxing of several rules of engagement. Apart from Saturday nights, there will be no enforced dress code, and guests are welcome to capture their experience using their phones and cameras inside the theater. Saturday nights, however, will be reserved for the immersive theater aficionado. No 21st-century technology will be allowed inside and a formal dress code will be in place. The higher ticket pricing for Saturday nights will also include special performances and a premium open bar.

 

“Over the course of its inspired run, The Speakeasy has employed over 265 performers and paid more than $1.74 million to artists,” said Peter Liu, a member of Boxcar's board of directors. “I have had the pleasure of watching Boxcar grow from a scrappy black box company in SoMa and the Tenderloin, to become a staple of the Bay Area arts scene.”

 

The Speakeasy was conceived and created by Boxcar Theatre Founding Executive Director Nick A. Olivero. It was co-written by Olivero and Bennett Fisher with numerous contributing writers, including members of the cast and managing member Geof Libby.

 

“It was always our intention to remount the show,” said Libby. “The pandemic and ensuing shutdown, plus the slow recovery of 2022 and 2023 delayed those plans. Looking forward to 2024, the market conditions are right, and the demand appears overwhelming. This show has made lasting impressions on so many different people, and we are grateful to be able to rev up our little time machine once more.”

 

For more information, visit thespeakeasysf.com.

 

Boxcar Theatre was co-founded in 2005 by Nick A. Olivero, and has produced over 60 plays and musicals including The Illusionist, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Little Shop of Horrors, Clue, three Tennessee Williams plays in repertory and four Sam Shepard plays in repertory. It has also been the home for such companies as Crowded Fire and the Neo-Futurists as well as dozens of other emerging groups over the years. In 2007, the company opened its first venue, the Boxcar Playhouse, in San Francisco's SoMa district, and in 2010 their second space, the Boxcar Studios, in the Tenderloin. The company is currently located in The Palace Theatre, a multimillion-dollar space designed to present Boxcar's marquee show, The Speakeasy.

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