at the Magic Theatre
Christmas, in May? Well, yeah. The Magic Theatre rearranged its season a bit. But The Long Christmas Ride Home may be worth the wait. Penned by Paula Vogel as a sort of "love letter to San Francisco," this West Coast premiere is an enticing mix of theater, choreography and Bunraku puppetry (the traditional puppet theater of Japan). What's more, master puppeteer and San Francisco native Basil Twist directs, local luminary Joe Goode choreographs, Jess Curtis dances, and one of our favorite local companies Lunatique Fantastique lends some puppeteers. Just the thought of Paula Vogel and Basil Twist has theater geeks drooling. For the rest of you, trust us. Or, check out some video first. And, if you're really a groupie, Basil Twist has an exhibition at the Lisa Dent Gallery, with an opening reception on May 18.
Playing through June 11

Photo of Paula Vogel, Basil Twist and Philip Flavin with puppet Stephen (a work-in-progress) by Bill Faulkner.

The Long Christmas Ride Home