February 3, 2024
For immediate release

Contact:
Andrew Wood: 415-399-9554 (o) 415-305-1102 (c) [email protected]
Lucho Ramirez: 415-425-0445 [email protected]

Box Office Open & Early Bird Tickets On-Sale for
2025 SF International Arts Festival

- All Shows by Discipline, Dates, Times Listed Below

Calendar Editors Please Note
Who: Multiple Artists
What: San Francisco International Arts Festival
Where: Multiple Venues in the Mission District
Dates: April 30 - May 11, 2025.
Tickets: FREE - $30. Five Show Passes: $100
Box Office and Information: https://www.sfiaf.org or 415-399-9554

Photos Available on Request

February 3, San Francisco: San Francisco International Arts Festival (SFIAF) is pleased to announce that the box office is open and Discounted Early Bird Tickets are on-sale for the 2025 Festival program that will run from April 30 - May 11..

The annual Festival program will take place in nearly 20 venues in the City's Mission District. In addition to the 100 concerts and performances, the multidisciplinary event will feature numerous educational and outreach activities where artists directly interact with members of the public.

The Festival's theme continues to be IN DIASPORA: I.D. for the New Majority. I.D. asks artists to contemplate the changing demographics of the United States of America and / or apply the ideas of social justice to reflect on the conditions of minority, migrant, disenfranchised and/or displaced peoples in other countries and continents.

This year the Festival is using the theme to highlight San Francisco's reputation as a civil and human rights leader. It balances providing equitable access and services to the City's residents through collaborations such as one with San Francisco Planning Department's Cultural Corridors program and its work with local merchant associations to attract visitors and cultural tourists.

The expansion comes as the organization continues to learn to embrace the multiple rhythms and dynamics of the neighborhood since its return in 2023. In addition to the slow rebuilding of international artist participation in the Festival following the COVID-19 Pandemic, the most striking feature this year is the outreach to local businesses, several of whom have become presenting partners and non-traditional venues.

SFIAF Director, Andrew Wood said of the expansion into non-traditional venues, "The City of San Francisco is looking to the arts to help with economic revitalization following the pandemic. Much of the onus on Grants for the Arts funding is for creating an economic impact. We are taking the issue seriously. As well as prioritizing excellence and diverse voices in the arts, we are also looking for innovative ways to cross-promote and attract new audiences by presenting artistic work in different experimental environments that have a different clientelle. Working with for-profit businesses is something we tested informally last year. This allowed us to develop parameters for their participation this year."

Mission Merchants Association President Ryen Motzek expressed full support for the Festival’s partnership with local small businesses as venues, stating, “This concept is one we wholeheartedly endorse. Building connections between artists and local businesses not only revitalizes the neighborhood but also fosters cross-pollination between the Festival’s audience and the merchants’ customer base.”

The opening night of the Festival, on Wednesday April 30, will feature Shaun Blaney performing in the US Premiere of In the Name of the Son (2021), a play based on the remarkable life of Gerry Conlon, an Irishman framed by the English police who served 15 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. The script was written and developed by Conlon's lifelong friend Richard O’Rawe and Martin Lynch of Belfast's Green Shoot Productions in the years following Conlon's death in 2014.

Other confirmed international artists include Agathe & Adrien (Canada), Duane Forrest (Canada), Ayane Nakagawa / Suichu-megane∞ (Japan) and Ben Noble / Fairly Lucid Productions (Australia).

One local production that epitomizes the Festival's interest in non-traditional venues is the premiere of a new work being developed by choreographer, Eric Kupers of Dandelion Dance Theater for the Wandering Ensemble. Titled, Lost & Found, it is an immersive performance piece telling the stories of LGBTQ+ elders, leaders and cultural icons that will take place throughout El Rio.

Funding Credits: San Francisco International Arts Festival is made possible in part by (among others) the support of the National Endowment for the Arts, Creative West (formerly WESTAF), California Arts Council, San Francisco Grants for the Arts, Further Foundation, Arts Council Northern Ireland, Canada Council for the Arts, Conseil des Artistes Quebecois and generous individual donors.

CHRONOLOGICAL PERFORMANCE LISTINGS BY DISCIPLINE ARE AS FOLLOWS

DANCE & CIRQUE

Helen Wicks Works (USA)
Radio Vision (2025, World Premiere)
Fri May 2, 8:00pm; Sun May 4, 3:30pm
20 mins. Shared Bill With Alive & Well Productions.
Total Duration: 50 mins
Theatre of Yugen's NOH Space, 2840 Mariposa St.
Radio Vision, a solo choreographed and performed by Helen Wicks, is an ode to music composition teacher Nadia Boulanger and the origins of broadcast television 100 years ago. Radio Vision synthesizes Wicks’ conversation with legendary composer Quincy Jones and research on her great-grandfather, Universal’s Music Supervisor Joe Gershenson.

Alive & Well Productions (USA)
The Four Seasons of Hamadan (2025, San Francisco Premiere)
Fri May 2, 8:00pm, Sun May 4, 3:30pm
23 minutes. Shared bill with Helen Wicks Works
Total Duration: 50 mins
Theatre of Yugen's NOH Space, 2840 Mariposa St.
The Four Seasons of Hamadan is a duet for violinist and dancer that interweaves Persian and Jewish music and dance traditions to express intercultural harmony. This project blends folkloric forms from the artists’ respective heritages and reimagines that material through a contemporary lens.

Sweta Ravisankar (USA)
Imagining Pain: The Menster Saga (2024, Bay Area Premiere)Sat May 3, 2:30pm, Sun May 4, 7:00pm
25 mins. Shared Bill with Samudra Dance Creations.
Total duration 65 mins
Tix: $20 - $28 Gen Adm.
Theatre of Yugen’s NOH Space, 2840 Mariposa St.
In this piece, a woman's lifelong suffering, beginning in her teens, is depicted as she confronts disbelief and self-doubt amidst undiagnosed pain, embodied by the menstrual monster. Through Bharatanatyam and yoga-inspired movements, this dance drama illuminates the unseen struggles of women.

Samudra Dance Creations
Fearless Women - A Celebration of Women's Literature (work-in-progress)
Sat May 3, 2:30pm, Sun May 4, 7:00pm
35 mins. Shared Bill with Sweta Ravisankar.
Total duration 65 mins
Tix: $20 - $28 Gen Adm.
Theatre of Yugen’s NOH Space, 2840 Mariposa St.
Innumerable women poets and writers of South Asian origin remain relatively unknown. In this dance work, soloist Jyotsna Vaideeswaran explores the stories of India’s early women writers and their works. Words that interrogate injustice, with searing questions of gender and faith, raising their voices.

Melissa Cruz Flamenco (USA)
Tablao Flamenco
Sat May 3, 7:30pm
60 minutes with intermission. Tix: $20 - $28 Gen Adm.
Abanico Coffee Roasters, 2121 Mission St
The vibrance and allure of flamenco come alive in this tribute to the flamenco “tablao,” an improvised collaboration allowing for the expression of the full spectrum of human emotion. Deep cante jondo juxtaposed with light-hearted cante chico, the pulse of palmas and the stirring poly-rhythms of heel work weave and unravel to create tension and release so emblematic of flamenco.

Agathe and Adrien (Canada)
N.Ormes (2023, West Coast Premiere)
Thu May 8, 8:30pm; Sat May 10, 8:00pm
60 mins w/out intermission. Tix: $20-$28 Gen Adm.
Dance Mission Theater, 3316 24th St.
N.Ormes is a circus show where the duo Agathe and Adrien push the limits and expectations of their own bodies and gender norms. Provocative, dysfunctional and tender, the piece brings the viewer to question their own assumptions about understanding equity.

PULP (USA)
Pulp and it's completely different but also still pulp (2025, World Premiere)
Fri May 9, 7:30pm; Sat May 10, 7:00pm; Sun May 11, 2:30pm
60 min w/out intermission Tix: $20-$28 Gen Adm.
Folk Yoga Studio, 3315 20th St
Pulp and it's completely different but also still pulp is a dance show full of personality, attitude, vulnerability and juicy oranges. PULP uses dance and theater to ask questions, have conversations and hopefully make you laugh about our relationships with ourselves, the world and its outrageous constructs. PULP shares their perspectives on what consumes most of their 30-something-year-old lives: autonomy, identity, injustice, pleasure, communication, betrayal and love.

Suichu-megane∞ (Japan)
my choice, my body (2021) and Anchor (2023) (U.S. Premieres)
Fri May 9, 8:30pm; Sat May 10, 4:00pm
50 mins with intermission Tix: $20-$28 Gen Adm.
Dance Mission Theater, 3316 24th St.
Suichu 'Megane∞, led by Ayane Nakagawa, explores “freedom” through powerful movement and visual vocabulary influenced by Nihon Buyo (Japanese classical dance) and contemporary dance theaters . Their signature works “my choice, my body” and “Anchor” confront societal norms, celebrating autonomy, destiny, and the struggles tied to gender and sexuality with an unflinching, evocative edge.

Abhinaya Dance Company of San Jose (USA)
Unbound (2017)
Sun May 11, 2:00pm
Duration: 40 mins. Shared Bill with InSyncKathak
Total duration 95 mins
Tix: $20-$28 Gen Adm.
Dance Mission Theater, 3316 24th St.
Rasika Kumar’s solo Bharatanatyam production takes you on an intimate journey, revealing how we, as women navigating our lives, endure a thousand subtle cuts that diminish us, forcing us to shrink and occupy less space in the world. What if we expanded to live a bold and unapologetic life?

InSyncKathak Dancers (USA)
Prakriti (2020)
Sun May 11, 2:00pm
45 mins. Shared bill with Abhinaya
Total duration 95 mins
Tix: $20-$28 Gen Adm.
Dance Mission Theater, 3316 24th St.
Prakriti is an ode to Mother Nature. Creation, coexistence, change, and resilience are threads woven into the beautiful tapestry of life. Drawing upon myriad personal experiences like wildfires, earthquakes, and droughts in California, this relentless human spirit and its tryst with Mother Nature is presented through Indian classical Kathak dance.

Theatre Flamenco of San Francisco
Sun May 11, 7:00pm
50 mins with intermission Tix: $20-$28 Gen Adm.
Dance Mission Theater, 3316 24th St
Tríptico is a captivating flamenco performance that blends the passion and tradition of flamenco with the innovative spirit of contemporary dance. Artistic Director and flamenco dancer Carola Zertuche leads this dynamic collaboration, where three dancers—Zertuche, contemporary artist Nol Simonse, and flamenco dancer Nevarez Encinias—explore the intersections of movement, gender, and expression.

MUSIC

Dee Spencer Trio with Michelle Jacques & Students
Women in Jazz & World Music Graduation Concert
Fri May 2, 7:00pm
90 mins w/out intermission. Tix: Free / By Donation
Community Music Center, 544 Capp St.
The culmination of SFIAF’s free vocal training course for 15 – 24 year olds led by Dr. Dee Spencer with Mistress of Choirs Michelle Jacques.

Moe Staiano Ensemble (USA)
Music for Eight Guitars (The Parting Gift)
Fri May 2 7:30pm
30mins. Tix: $20-$28 Gen Adm.
Monkey Brains, 933 Treat Ave
Composer and percussionist, Moe Staiano continues to explore works for electric guitar ensembles with his third composition--an experimental exploration of tonal interplay and contrasting rhythms for eight electric guitars, bass, drums and percussion.

Romano & Ophir Duo (USA)
Classical & Latin American Interpretations
Saturday, May 3, 2:00 PM
70 mins w/out intermission. Tix: $20 - $28
Barbara Berkeley Studio, 3340 A 18th St.
Works from the Baroque era to the present day re-imagined with harp, clarinet and flute, offering a fresh new look at classical music, and interwoven with the dynamic flare of Amelia’s original compositions inspired by Latin American rhythms and folk traditions.

Motion (USA)
Circle Singing
Saturday May 3, 4:30pm
90 mins w/out intermission. Tix: $20 - $28 Gen Adm.
Community Music Center, 544 Capp St.
Bobby McFerrin's group, MOTION present a circle singing event. Through improvisation, MOTION will spontaneously create music that promotes community, harmony, health and joy. This is an interactive event where the audience will participate in the experience so come free your voice with Tammi Brown, Bryan Dyer, Destani Wolf and David Worm.

JazzFrancisco (USA)
Sat May 3, 6:00pm
60 mins w/out intermission
Barbara Berkeley Studio 3340A 18th
Guitarist Jackson Moran and clarinetist Nathaniel Vincent will be performing a set comprised of Jazz standards played in the style of Django Reinhardt. They will also be performing some original pieces drawing inspiration from Reinhardt's style of playing.

Valerie Troutt Trio  (USA)
Loopy Church
Sat May 3, 6:30pm
45min w/out intermission. Tix: $20 - $28 Gen Adm.
Fingersnaps Media Arts 3527 20th St
Valerie Troutt presents "Loopy Church," a captivating performance that blends soulful melodies with innovative looping techniques. Utilizing a loop pedal, live percussion, guitar, and backing vocals, Valerie creates a rich, layered sound that resonates deeply.

Climate Music Project (USA)
CLIMATE (2016)
Sat May 3, 7:30pm
90 mins w/out intermission. Tix: $20 - $28 Gen Adm.
Monkey Brains, 933 Treat Ave.
Composed by Erik Ian Walker as music to be modulated by existing and predicted climate data, the sound is dramatically altered as the timeline goes into the future. From 1800 to 2300, the video timeline and animated graphics illustrate this sweeping and powerful collision of music and climate data.

Robert Lopez Ensemble featuring Jorge Alabê (USA)
Ogum Onirê (2025, World Premiere)
Sat May 3, 8:30pm
50 mins w/out intermission. Tix: $20 - $28 Gen Adm.
Community Music Center, 544 Capp St.
Ogum Onirê is a suite of ancestral music originating from the Candomblé religion. These practices, enduring the Transatlantic slave trade and centuries of religious intolerance are a staple of Brazilian culture. This work adds chamber music instrumentation to traditional Candomblé ensemble featuring the prominent educator and master drummer Jorge Alabê.

Conspiracy of Venus (USA)
Sun May 4, 2:00pm
60 minutes w/out intermission. Tix: $20 - $28 Gen Adm.
Community Music Center, 544 Capp St.
Conspiracy of Venus performs music of Leonard Cohen, PJ Harvey, and more, with dance and choreography by Bethany Mitchell, and choral arrangements by Joyce Todd McBride, director.

Francis Wong (USA)
Wong Wei’s Legacy (work-in-progress)
Sun May 4 3:00pm. 60 mins. w/out intermission. Tix: $20-$28
Monkey Brains, 933 Treat Ave
Wong Wei’s Legacy is a new work integrating music, text, and movement, by saxophonist, Francis Wong exploring three generations of the Wong family through war and flight as refugees in the latter half of the 20th Century. Artists: Francis Wong, William Roper, Karl Evangelista, Deszon X. Claiborne,and Lynn Huang.

Music in-Takht (USA)
Nile Vibes: Ancient Roots, Modern Grooves
Sun May 4, 6:30pm
105 minutes with intermission. Tix: $20-$28 Gen Adm.
Community Music Center, 544 Capp St.
Dive into the enchanting world of Egyptian instrumental music with Music in-Takht, the Bay Area’s premier Egyptian heritage ensemble! Journey through the sounds of Egyptian classical music to modern contemporary Egyptian grooves in a night of mesmerizing melodies.

Karma Roulette Quartet (USA)
Slinky Proverb (2024, California Premiere)
Sun May 4, 7:00pm
105 mins with Intermission. Tix: $20-$28 Gen Adm.
Red Poppy Art House, 2698 Folsom St
Slinky Proverb is the title of one of two new works by Michael Smolens that will be performed as part of this evening length concert. Slinky Proverb combines West-African groove with bluesy, contemporary jazz and 20th century classical-influenced melodies. The second new composition is titled Abakim featuring the kalimba that progresses into a jazz waltz.

Moving Van Trio
Flight Risk (2025, World Premiere)
Thu May 8, 8:00pm
60 mins w/out intermission. Tix: $20 - $28 Gen Adm.
Finger Snaps Media Arts, 3527 20th St.
Moving Van will present an intimate night of music performing a low-volume, heartfelt set, bringing deep grooves and soulful melodies in a warm, stripped-down setting. This special performance features the premiere of the new composition, Flight Risk.

The No-Mads (USA)
Guilty Pleasures and Hip Hits
Music of 20th-Century American and European Pop Culture
Fri May 9, 7:00pm
70 mins w/out intermission. Tix: $20 - $28 Gen Adm.
Finger Snaps Media Arts, 3527 20th St.
An invitation to celebrate music’s reign in the 20th-century pop culture of Europe and the Americas! Jazz, TV and film themes, rock, French waltzes, Italian folk songs, Bossa Nova, and more are on The No-Mads’ instrumental program to bring a smile with once-familiar songs that maybe you’ve forgotten that you know and love.

Ensemble for These Times (USA)
Mujeres ahora
Fri May 9, 7:30pm
70 mins with intermission Tix: $20-$28 Gen Adm.
Community Music Center, 544 Capp St.
Award-winning contemporary music group Ensemble for These Times (E4TT) celebrates works by 21st century Latina composers Gabriela Lena Frank, Tania León, Carla Lucero, Claudia Montero, Angélica Negrón, and Gabriela Ortiz. Performed by Nanette McGuinness, soprano, Margaret Halbig, piano, Lylia Guion, violin, and Vanessa Ruotolo, cello. Pre-concert talk with Carla Lucero.

Prasant Radhakrishnan Trio (USA)
Fri May 9 8:00pm.
45 mins. Shared Bill with Siddique Ahmed.
Total duration 105 mins
Tix: $20-$28 Gen Adm.
Monkey Brains, 933 Treat Ave
The Prasant Radhakrishnan trio features Carnatic and jazz saxophonist, Prasant Radhakrishnan, Carnatic and hybrid kit percussionist Rohan Krishnamurthy, and jazz bassist and guitarist, Eric Vogler. This new trio will present original work drawing on Indian classical and jazz traditions and the shared energy of many years of playing together.

Siddique Ahmed (USA)
Fri May 9 8:00pm. 
45 mins. Shared Bill with Prasant Radhakrishnan.
Total duration 105 mins
Tix: $20-$28 Gen Adm.
Monkey Brains, 933 Treat Ave

Sumi Lee - Ramiro Boero Duo (USA)
Saturday, May 10, 4:30 PM
70 mins w/out intermission. Tix: $20-$28 Gen Adm.
Community Music Center, 544 Capp St.

Malpica (USA)
Abanico Coffee Roasters
Sat May 10, 7:30pm
60 mins w/out intermission. Tix: $20-$28 Gen Adm.
Abanico Coffee Roasters, 2121 Mission St.
Malpica is a one-man band who blends modern looping techniques with the vibrant rhythms of Latin America. Creating live percussion, basslines, backing guitars, and vocal harmonies, he delivers a dynamic solo performance. Fusing traditional syncopation with innovative production, Malpica offers a captivating soundscape that bridges tradition and technology.

Loco Bloco (USA)
Otro Mundo del Azul Profundo (2025, World Premiere)
Sat May 10, 8:00pm
45 mins w/out intermission
Cultura y Arte Nativa de las Americas, 1333 Florida St.
Otro Mundo del Azul Profundo celebrates Loco Bloco's Carnaval 2025 theme in true Afro-Latin tradition - a high energy concert performance featuring live music, percussion and dance, followed by a DJ dance party. Come ready to move!celebrates Loco Bloco's Carnaval 2025 theme in true Afro-Latin tradition - a high energy concert performance featuring live music, percussion and dance, followed by a DJ dance party. Come ready to move!

Eryen Korath y Neblinas del Pacífico (Colombia / USA)
Mangroves and Marimba (2025, World Premiere)
Sat May 10, 8:30pm
90 mins mins w/out intermission. Tix: $20-$28 Gen Adm.
Community Music Center, 544 Capp St.
Eryen Korath Ortiz Garcés (Buenaventura, Colombia) and Neblinas del Pacífico (La Mission, San Francisco) present a sound fabric of marimba de chonta music from the Afro-Colombian Pacific: music of rivers and mangroves, of polyrhythms and harmonies, of spirituality and everyday life, of ancestors and tradition, of celebration and resistance.

Melody of China with Ali Akbar College of Music Ensemble (USA)
Mystic Harmonies (2025, World Premiere)
Sun May 11, 2:00pm
75 mins w/out intermission. Tix: $20-$28 Gen Adm.
Community Music Center, 544 Capp St
Evoking fond memories of their last shared concert at SFIAF 2017, Melody of China performs in collaboration with Indian tabla virtuoso Swapan Chaudhuri. The concert program will include repertoire from minority ethnic groups in China as well as the world premiere of a new work for mixed ensemble featuring Chinese and Indian trained musicians.

Sameer Gupta (USA)
Jupiter (2024)
Sun May 11, 4:00pm
75 minutes mins w/out intermission. Tix: $20-$28 Gen Adm.Monkey Brains 933 Treat Ave.
Jupiter is a shoegaze inspired free jazz experiment with visions of Indian classical music and universal consciousness joining epic improvisational journeys set across a luscious landscape of long-sample warping and shimmering dynamics. The piece sets a luminous tone through its interstellar raga-inspired improvisations woven throughout a cosmic drone landscape.

Teresa Tam, Obadiah Díaz Wrynla, Basma Edrees (USA)
Bach, Tango & Beyond
Sun May 11, 4:30pm
105 mins with intermission. Tix: $20-$28 Gen Adm.
Red Poppy Art House, 2698 Folsom St.
Teresa, Obadiah, and Basma unite with diverse musical histories to present a dynamic blend of traditions. Rooted in tango, their repertoire spans Bach to Piazzolla, Disney to Mandopop. Showcasing violin, voice, and bandoneón, their performances highlight expertise, cultural influences, and a shared exchange that resonates deeply with audiences and themselves.

Gamelan Sari Raras (USA)
Hanoman in Action
Sun May 11, 7:00pm
75 mins w/out intermission. Tix: $20-$28 Gen Adm.
Community Music Center, 544 Capp St
Experience the magic of Javanese culture with Gamelan Sari Raras in a captivating Wayang Kulit (traditional shadow puppet performance). Directed by Midiyanto, with puppeteer Ki Hanggoro Murti and vocalist Heni Savitri, the show blends ancient storytelling, shimmering shadows, and the hypnotic sounds of a traditional bronze-forged gamelan orchestra.

Duo, Brock & Spencer (USA)
Celebrating Mother’s Day with a Queer American Songbook
Sun May 11, 7:30pm
105 mins with intermission. Tix: $20-$28 Gen Adm.
The Chan National Queer Arts Center, 170 Valencia St.
The 2025 Festival concludes in an uncharacteristically wholesome manner – celebrating Mother’s Day in the company of Duo, Brock & Spencer, who bring the Great American Songbook to life. Jason Brock delivers soulful vocal interpretations of timeless classics, while award-winning pianist Dee Spencer adds her signature jazz improvisation. Their seamless chemistry brings a fresh, dynamic energy to these timeless songs.

PERFORMANCE ART

The Wandering Ensemble (USA)
Lost & Found (2025, World Premiere)
Wed Apr 30 & Wed May 7, 8:00pm
70 mins w/out intermission.
Tix: Pay what you can. Suggest: $20. No one turned away...
El Rio, 3158 Mission St.
Lost & Found explores the many losses of the last five years as well as emerging futures arising out of the wreckage of old systems, institutions, beliefs, and habits. Inclusive dance, music, theatre, ritual, storytelling, and spectacle weave an immersive performance ceremony guiding participants and witnesses towards vibrant aliveness.

Sha Sha Higby Dance in Sculptural Costume (USA)
Sha Sha Higby with Keith Evans “Feathered Fox” (2025, World Premiere)
Sat May 10, 2:00pm; Sun May 11, 1:30pm
60 mins w/out intermission. Tix: $20-$28 Gen Adm.
Theatre of Yugen's NOH Space, 2840 Mariposa St.
Using mobiles, micro-puppetry, and magic spears, the metaphoric masks and costume dances through the symbolic plight of our skies, forests, and our own demise. Fish fly up out of the dead sea catching flying souls. Keith Evans with his fascination devices will alchemically deify Sha Sha Higby’s handmade artifacts with moving light.

Anneli Kanninen (Estonia/Finland)
HOMEing (Work-in-Progress)
Date(s) & Time(s): Sat May 10, 2:30pm, Sun May 11, 6:00pm30 mins. Shared bill with Algiin. Total duration 70 mins
Tix: $20-$28 Gen Adm.
The Marsh Studio, 1062 Valencia St
HOMEing is a personal exploration through the lenses of different languages and contemporary dance of what it means to grow roots in a new place. Arriving in a new country, culture and a language, how does one start building home, while remembering what has been left behind?

SPOKEN WORD

The Last Supper Party (USA & Canada)
An Evening of Poetry and Music with Fernando Marti, Duane Forrest and Susan Dambroff. Open Microphone to Follow.
Sat. May 3, 6:00pm, 90 mins w/ intermission. Tix: FREE
Temo's Café, 3000 24th St
The Festival organization's monthly spoken word and music performance series inspired by Fe Bongolan’s 200 sq. ft. canvas of the same name. The Last Supper Party invites audience to share ideas and find inspiration in the thoughts and words of artists whose perspectives are drawn from a kaleidoscope of cultures. But who are united by compassion and a common desire to seek justice, equity and truth.

The Po' Poets Project of POOR Magazine (USA)
Houseless/Poor Mamas Write Homes with Poems (2025, World Premiere)
Sat May 10, 6:00pm. 120 mins with intermission.
Tix: Pay what you can. Suggest: $20. No one turned away...
Monkey Brains, 933 Treat Ave
Po' Poets of POOR Magazine (poor, houseless, disabled, youth and elder poets in resistance) presents writing from street, shelter and community-based theatre/poetry workshops with poor and houseless mamas. They will also show the trailer to new movie, Crushing Wheelchairs (co-directed by Adrian Diamond and Muteado Silencio).

THEATRE

Green Shoot Productions (Northern Ireland)
In the Name of the Son (2022, U.S. Premiere)
Wed Apr 30, 7:00pm; Fri May 2 - Sat May 3, 8:00pm
70 minutes w/out intermission
Victoria Theatre, 2961 16th St.
A captivating solo play starring Shaun Blaney that chronicles the extraordinary life of Gerry Conlon (of the Guildford Four) following his release from prison in 1989 (where he had been falsely convicted and held by the British Government for 15 years). Conlon’s rollercoaster story becomes a metaphor for Northern Ireland’s struggle to escape the trauma of the Troubles.

Wachowicz / Fret Studio (Poland)
Granica / The Border (2024, U.S. Premiere)
Thu May 1, 7:00pm; Sat May 3, 6:30pm
60 mins w/out intermission. Tix: Free / By Donation
Theatre of Yugen’s NOH Space, 2840 Mariposa St.
A solo performance with video by Monika Wachowicz that tells the true story of transgendered Ukrainian performance artist, Antonina Romanova – a member of the Polish ensemble, Teatr ZAR. Romanova was drafted into the Ukrainian army to fight against the invading Russian army in 2023. She recounts her experiences on film from the front line.

Duane Forrest (Canada)
Bob Marley: How Reggae Changed the World (2022, U.S. Premiere)
Thu May 1 – Fri May 2, 8:30pm; Sat May 3, 3:00pm
60 mins w/out intermission. Tix: $20 - $28 Gen Adm.
Finger Snaps Media Arts, 3527 20th St.
Duane Forrest embarks on an acoustic journey celebrating Bob Marley’s life and the roots of reggae. The performance includes soulful renditions of legendary songs, exploring reggae’s origins and its global impact. This interactive show invites audiences to, reflect on the life of Marley, sing along and connect through the power of music.

Fairly Lucid Productions (Australia/UK)
MEMBER (2019, U.S. Premiere)
Thu May 8 - Fri May 9, 7:00pm, Sat May 10, 6:30pm, Sun May 11, 2:30pm
70 minutes w/out intermission. Tix: $20-$28 Gen Adm.
The Marsh Studio, 1062 Valencia St
An award winning, gripping tale of brutality and brokenness, MEMBER explores Sydney's gay hate crimes (1970s–1990s). Written and performed by Ben Noble, it follows Corey, a father confronting his own homophobia. Accompanied by Simone Seales on cello, this raw production delves into hatred, humanity, and the darkest corners of prejudice.

Duane Forrest with Tide & Foam (Canada / USA)
Tree of Dreams (work-in-progress)
Thu May 8, 7:30pm, Sat May 10, 6:00pm
60 mins w/out intermission. Tix: $20-$28 Gen Adm.
Theatre of Yugen's NOH Space, 2840 Mariposa St
Tree of Dreams is an immersive theatrical experience blending live music, object storytelling, and projections. Duane Forrest explores themes of fear, resilience, and self-discovery, guiding audiences through a child’s journey to overcome trauma and find hope. With symbolic characters and dynamic visuals, the show invites deep reflection on personal growth.

Us in the U.S. (USA)
We Was Here First (Work-in-Progress)
Fri May 9, 8:00pm, Sun May 11, 5:00pm
60 mins w/out intermission Tix: $20-$28 Gen Adm.
Theatre of Yugen, 2840 Mariposa St
A young girl uncovers a shocking truth: not all Black Americans are direct descendants of Africa. This eye-opening journey explores identity, history, and cultural understanding, as she grapples with the complex truths about heritage, identity, and the stories we tell ourselves. An enlightening and thought-provoking experience for all.

Algiin (USA)
Silent Assassin (Work-in-Progress)
Sat May 10, 2:30pm, Sun May 11, 6:00pm
30 mins. Shared bill with Anneli Kanninen
Total duration 70 mins
Tix: $20-$28 Gen Adm.
The Marsh Studio, Location:1062 Valencia St
Silent Assassin is a theatrical piece illustrates the nuances of our societal dilemma of addiction. Silent Assassin shows a path to illuminate the cost and impact of our personal and collective decision-making, development of consciousness, and quality of life.

WALKING TOURS

Precita Eyes Mural Tours (USA)
Saturday Morning Special
Sat May 3 and 10, 11:30am
90 mins w/out intermission
Precita Eyes Mural Arts Center, 2981 24th St.
Artist and local resident, Carmela Gaspar leads a tour through the streets and alleys of the Mission, choosing to showcase the murals she loves the most and sharing community lore as she goes.

Precita Eyes Mural Tours (USA)
OG Classic Mission Mural Walk
Sat 3 May & Sat May 10, 1:30pm
90 mins w/out intermission
Precita Eyes Mural Arts Center, 2981 24th St
The original Mural Walk is led by muralist and Mission resident Patricia Rose, who has worked with Precita Eyes for more than 40 years, as a mural painter and as a tour guide. The OG Tour includes murals both old and new, and also shares information about the neighborhood and the artists who paint here.

Shaping San Francisco (USA)
What’s That Smell? A Walking Tour of the Northeast Mission Industrial Zone
Sat May 10, 11:00am
105 mins w/out intermission. Tix: $20-$28 Gen Adm.
Theatre of Yugen's NOH Space, 2840 Mariposa St.
Chris Carlsson, long-time grassroots historian and guide to San Francisco's lost, forgotten and overlooked histories, takes participants on a walk around the old industrial sites of the North Mission. Pungent odors such as ammonia, baking bread, and roasting hops, once common, are now only memories.

Calendar Editors Please Note
Who: Multiple Artists
What: San Francisco International Arts Festival
Where: Multiple Venues in the Mission District
Dates: April 30 - May 11, 2025.
Tickets: FREE - $30. Five Show Passes: $100
Box Office and Information: https://www.sfiaf.org or 415-399-9554

Photos Available on Request