SF Follies Comes to Actors Theatre, Opens February 6

San Francisco's history, people, culture, landmarks & neighborhoods roasted to perfection! Overflowing with glitz, singing, dancing & jaw-dropping comedy. Thurs-Fri-Sat, 8pm; Sun, 2:00pm. $33/$40. Actors Theatre SF. 855 Bush @ Taylor. 1-800-838-3006 

Bay Area Theatre Director and Producer, John Bisceglie, who is best known for his elaborate and colorful musical productions, will be producing and directing his SF Follies musical revue at the Actors Theatre in San Francisco, opening February 6th, 2009.

Finding the right location in San Francisco was a bit of a challenge
SF Follies roasts San Francisco to perfection, while revealing 300 years of history, secrets, scandals and urban folklore. The show lampoons the city's popular landmarks, attractions, personalities, neighborhoods, institutions and events, making it the one show the San Francisco Board of Supervisors doesn't want you to see. With hippies, flappers, rabid sea lions, earthquakes, and a nearly naked gold miner, the SF Follies is as unique and zany as the city itself. It has big production value with glittery and electric sets of San Francisco famed landmarks and institutions combined with video projection. The show is set to a hit parade of popular and upbeat rock, pop, blues and show tunes. Listen to a sample of the singing and comedy at http://www.sffollies.com/preview

Auditions for SF Follies were held on December 6th at the SF Dance Center. 60 women and 25 men demonstrated their vocal, acting and dancing abilities beautifully, making John's final casting decision a difficult one. Amongst the 16 dynamic performers chosen are 9 women (Jenna Davi, Millie DeBenedet, Erica Gerard, Tenaya Hurst, Jessica Payne, Tiffany Joy Swenson, Mandy Wilczynski, Jujuana ShaRon Williams, and Sarah Wintermeyer) along with 7 men (Brett Hammon, Alan Hoshida, Christopher John Lindstrom, Ryan McBrearty, Jepoy Ramos, Brian Vouglas and George Patrick Scott). This exceptional group of 16 makes up a wildly talented and diverse cast for the show that all of San Francisco will be talking about.

Bisceglie, a San Jose native, is no stranger to the Follies. In 1995, he created and produced the long running San Jose Follies and San Jose Follies Strikes Back that played for two years at both Bella Mia Restaurant and the Victory Theater in Downtown San Jose. For years, Bisceglie has wanted to create a Follies production for San Francisco. Over the past 12 months, he has been busy developing SF's own Follies with co-author and friend Jason Tarshis, who also co-wrote both of the San Jose productions. Though both writers had great fun working on the San Jose Follies, they agreed that only a San Francisco setting could do the follies justice. They proved to be right as the final result does just that.

Although the show is risqué at times with definite attitude, it is by no means mean-spirited, and in fact celebrates San Francisco. Included in the SF Follies "Hit List" are over 300 SF and California personalities, businesses, landmarks and institutions. As an audience member, you may even be lucky enough to run into one of the celebrities on the "Hit List" as many are being offered special VIP tickets to the show. To see who is named or portrayed, visit www.sffollies.com/hitlist.

In addition to directing and producing the show, Bisceglie has created the marketing collateral, made the set and costume designs and secured a location for the show. "Finding the right location in San Francisco was a bit of a challenge", states Bisceglie, "I literally hit the streets with my presentation folder and laptop with a demo of the show, and pitched the concept to nearly 50 locations. Making cold calls to banquet managers and meeting with hotel and restaurant managers who didn't know much about theater was rough. Most of them thought it was a good idea, but their meeting room and banquet spaces were too valuable to give up for a 9 to13 week run."

"We needed a theater that wasn't too big or too small, and the stage needed to have a large enough area for our sets and costumes. After seriously considering about 10 venues, we decided to go with the Actors Theatre at 855 Bush Street (at Taylor.) The space is a perfect location for both locals and visitors and is large enough for our set and technical needs, while maintaining the intimacy and perks of a 90-seat house."

 

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