Stage Fog: Make Us Laugh

While today's elections should prove less depressing than the last presidential one, you can always use a few laughs, right?

Like a Dog on Linoleum at Lorraine Hansberry Theatre
All hail the trendiest celebrity vehicle--no, it's not a Hummer. It's the solo show. The likes of Billy Crystal and Martin Short have already ridden through town on them, and now it's Leslie Jordan's turn. Yeah, he's Beverly Leslie from Will and Grace. (You thought his mug looked familiar, huh?) If the thought of another solo show, aka "Hey, the audience pays me for an hour of my therapy," makes your stomach turn, fear not: at least one critic exclaims that Jordan's show is actually, wow, entertaining. Combining his journey from the south to Hollywood along with his escape from the closet, Jordan's show highlights bizarre characters and even more bizarre Hollywood stories (like his appearance in U.S. Army ad, of all things). So, step away from the small screen and see the real thing.
Playing June 8 through July 2

Photo of Leslie Jordan by alanmercer.com

The Fabulous Adventures of Captain Queer at New Conservatory Theatre Center
More South Park than Marvel, playwright Prince Gomolvilas's tongue-in-cheek homage to the gay overtones (well, maybe overtones isn't strong enough a word) in comic books follows our tights-wearing captain as he tries to save us all from the Reginald Screamingbottom and his mutant sidekick, Dr. Octopussy. Even if you're saying, "Look, there's no way I'm gonna check this show out," we still highly encourage a time-suck visit to Prince's site, which has such comic gems as Prince's 75-year-old neighbor's review of Curious George and a link to his tutorial of how to make your ass look good in pants. Because great asses aren't just for superheroes.
Playing through July 9

Hunter Gatherers at Thick House
Animal sacrifice, illicit sex, sudden violence and Greco/Roman wrestling--not exactly your typical dinner party. Or is it? Playwright Peter Sinn Nachtrieb is preoccupied with both drama and biology, and his social satire shows us that we really aren’t very different from animals--even if we have mastered, thanks to opposable thumbs, the fork and knife. And when it comes to dining with old school friends, secrets, jealousies and rivalries lurking just below the surface erupt in predictable, if shocking, ways. This world premiere--and the first full-length play for San Francisco sketch comedy gurus Killing My Lobster--is a zany deconstruction of our biological selves, but just below its outrageous humor is a subtle exploration of our self-interested impulses.
Playing June 8 through July 9

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.