Stage Fog: Geary Street
No, it's not 42nd Street, but it's the closest thing we got. And this week, Geary Street has two shows that are next door neighbors, but couldn't possibly further from each other on the theatrical spectrum.
Fame Becomes Me at the Curran Theatre
Spend any amount of time in a Muni or BART station and you'll find that you can't escape the ads for Martin Short's new musical, a pre-Broadway world premiere no less. Yes, they're marketing this as if it were the latest Tony Award-winning show. Actually, they are. "The next great American musical is coming...but until then there's" Martin Short, with his name in diamonds (lights are so passé). The self-effacement ends there: this show within a show is a celebration of Short's fabulous life, that is, until the audience demands some scandal and tears. So he and his cast of focus-stealing singers and dancers oblige, changing the story as they tell it. Well, we're fans of Primetime Glick and all (expect Jiminy to make an appearance), but let's see if Short has enough star-power to drive massive ticket sales, with seats topping off at $90. (Go for the $30 ones.)
Playing through May 21
Photo of Martin Short as Jiminy Glick. Thanks, Comedy Central!
A Number at the Geary Theater
With the growth (so to speak) of the stem cell research and genetic engineering sectors here in San Francisco, American Conservatory Theater brings us a timely West Coast premiere about three replicates who confront their father after they discover the truth about their genesis. We're suddenly getting visions of Rutger Hauer in Blade Runner, but this newish play by Caryl Churchill is more psychological drama than sci-fi cult story. It also stars Josh Charles (Knox Overstreet in Dead Poets Society, and appearing in the upcoming Darwin Awards), who plays all three brothers--solving the casting problem of finding a set of identical triplets who can also act.
Playing April 28 through May 28
For more stage options, check out the listings at the Guardian, the Express, the SF Weekly, and the calendar on Theatre Bay Area's website.