STAGE DANCE
AMARA TABOR-SMITH (BELOW) HONORS INFLUENTIAL TEACHER AND PERFORMER ED MOCK (TOP). MOCK PHOTO BY KATHY SLOANE; TABOR-SMITH PHOTO BY ANA TERESA FERNANDEZ
In his footsteps A new site-specific work pays tribute to local legend Ed Mock BY RITA FELCIANO arts@sfbg.com DANCE If you are even tangentially connected to San Francisco’s dance community, one name will pop up again and again: Ed Mock. He was part of San Francisco’s awakening as a center for arts on the edge before his death from an AIDS-related illness in 1986. African American and gay, the performer-choreographer was, above all, a free spirit throughout the two decades he lived in SF. During that time, he influenced and shaped a generation of young artists. For dancers like Wayne Hazzard, Victoria Mata, Shakiri, Joanna Haigood, and Pearl Ubungen, he was crucial to who they became. Mock also collaborated with the young Rhodessa Jones; Ntozake Shange’s For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf... premiered in his studio. One of the dancers whom Mock profoundly marked is Amara Tabor-Smith. To honor him, she created the multi-venue He Moved Swiftly But Gently Down the Not Too Crowded Street: Ed Mock and Other True Tales in a City That Once Was. The piece will wander through the city Sat/15 and June 21-23. The SF-born Tabor-Smith encountered Mock when, at 14, she tagged along with a friend who had been told that classes with Mock were a must. She joined his Ed Mock Dance Company at 17 and stopped dancing for a year when he died. Eventually, she joined New York’s Urban Bush Women for a decade before returning to her much-changed hometown in 2006. Talking with her after a rehearsal in early June, it quickly becomes clear that she not only mourns the passing of a pioneering artist but also a period when San Francisco was place for experimentation, openness, and a sense of the possible. The Beats and the hippies may have put their own stamp on the city, but in the 1970s the gay pride movement filled the air with champagne-like effervescence and expectations — until the AIDS epidemic cut it down. Lately, the tech boom has had a negative effect on SF’s artist population. “Ed was the most fearless person I ever knew,” TaborSmith says, “He was the embodiment of freedom, courage, and mischief. I loved the way he embraced the risk of failure and the way he could create on the spot because the spirit moved him. He knew who he was and where he came from. He was an old soul, and he walked with EDITORIALS
NEWS
FOOD + DRINK
the ancestors.” Mock left his primary legacy through his classes, teaching wherever he could find studio space. TaborSmith remembers them as always packed with all sizes, colors, body shapes, and orientations — unusual for a time when teaching was much more compartmentalized than it is today. He choreographed for his company, but as a dancer he improvised — a pioneering act in itself. Unfortunately, little documentation has survived. A YouTube search does turn up a video of Possum Slim, an astounding solo from 1979 performed by a naked and body-painted Mock. Tabor-Smith (in collaboration with Ellen Sebastian Young) conceived of He Moved — part of Dancers’ Group ONSITE Series — as 11 site-specific performances that journey through Mock’s life. Among others, she is working with Jose Navarette on a section about memory; Jesse Hewitt and Laura Arrington will perform “acts of disruption” for Valencia Street’s 24/7 connected crowd. Hayes Valley’s Salle Pianos and Events — where TaborSmith is rehearsing He Moved’s “A Room of Black Men” section — happens to be next door to one of the studios in Mock’s peripatetic teaching career. She sees its funky elegance, with crystal chandeliers hanging over metal folding chairs, as “an Ed kind of place.” In stark contrast to the traffic roaring by on Market Street, the nine dancers bring a statuesque dignity and stillness to what is a tribute to black manhood. But they also explode into individual solos and help each other find community. At one point the dance becomes what looks like a ceremonial blessing around a seated elder, whose eloquence emanates simply from his presence. Tabor-Smith also likes the Salle space because it’s located across the alley from Zuni Café, where her piece’s “Window Seat” section will be shown. Appropriately, “Ed was a fixture there. The people who ran it were wonderful. He never paid for a meal. Or a bottle of wine.” 2
THE SELECTOR
HE MOVED SWIFTLY BUT GENTLY DOWN THE NOT TOO CROWDED STREET: ED MOCK AND OTHER TRUE TALES IN A CITY THAT ONCE WAS... Sat/15 and June 21-23, 3:308:30pm, free Various locations (starts at 32 Page), SF www.dancersgroup.org
MUSIC
STAGE
ARTS + CULTURE
STAGE LISTINGS Stage listings are compiled by Guardian staff. Performance times may change; call venues to confirm. Reviewers are Robert Avila, Rita Felciano, and Nicole Gluckstern. Submit items for the listings at listings@sfbg.com. For complete stage listings, see www.sfbg.com.
gay men?” Included in the program are two oneact plays: Churchill’s Seven Jewish Children: A Play for Gaza and Deborah S. Margolin’s Seven Palestinian Children. 410[GONE] Thick House, 1695 18th St, SF; www.crowdedfire.org. $10-35. Wed-Sat, 8pm. Through June 29. Crowded Fire Theater presents the world premiere of Frances Ya-Chu Cowhig’s fanciful, Chinese folklore-inspired look at the underworld. Frisco Fred’s Magic and More Alcove Theater, 414 Mason, Ste 502, SF; www.thealcovetheater. Can You Dig It? Back Down East 14th — the com. $35-50. Thu-Sat, 7pm. Through June 29. 60s and Beyond Marsh San Francisco, 1062 Performer Fred Anderson presents his latest Valencia, SF; www.themarsh.org. $15-50. Opens family-friendly show, complete with magic, jugSat/15, 8pm. Runs Sat, 8:30pm; Sun, 7pm. gling, and “crazy stunts.” Through Aug 25. Solo performer Don Reed returns Hedwig and the Angry Inch Boxcar Theatre, with a prequel to his autobiographical coming-of505 Natoma, SF; www.boxcartheatre.org. $27age hits, East 14th and The Kipling Hotel. 43. Thu-Sat, 8pm. Open-ended. John Cameron Darling, A New Musical Children’s Creativity Mitchell’s cult musical comes to life with director Museum, 221 Nick A. Olivero’s Fourth St, SF; ever-rotating cast. www.act-sf.org. Into the Woods $20. Wed-Sat, Eureka Theatre, 7:30pm (also Sat, 215 Jackson, SF; 2pm); Sun, 2pm. www.rayoflightThrough June theatre.com. 29. American $25-36. Thu-Sat, Conservatory 8pm (check webTheater’s Young site for matinee Conservatory perschedule). Through forms Ryan Scott June 29. Ray of Oliver and Brett Light Theatre Ryback’s jazz-age performs Stephen musical. Sondheim’s fairytale mash-up. BAY AREA Krispy Kritters in This Is How It the Scarlett Night Goes Aurora Exit on Taylor, Theatre, 2081 277 Taylor, SF; Addison, Berk; www.cuttingball. www.aurorathecom. $10-50. atre.org. $32-60. Thu/13, 7:30pm; Previews Fri/14Fri/14-Sat/15, Sat/15 and June 8pm (also Sat/15, 19, 8pm; Sun/16, 2pm); Sun/16, 2pm; Tue/18, 5pm. Cutting 7pm. Opens June Ball Theater 20, 8pm. Runs Tue performs and Sun, 7pm (also Andrew Saito’s Sun, 2pm); WedHowl-inspired AURORA THEATRE’S THIS IS HOW Sat, 8pm. Through July 21. portrait of San Aurora Theatre Company IT GOES PHOTO BY DAVID ALLEN Francisco. performs the Bay Area preOleanna miere of Neil LaBute’s edgy Exit’s Studio comedy about an interracial couple. Theater, 156 Eddy, SF; www.theexit.org. $18-25. Fri/14-Sat/15, 8pm (also Sat/15, 2pm); Sun/16, 4pm. Spare Stage performs David Mamet’s exploArcadia ACT’s Geary Theater, 415 Geary, SF; ration of sexual politics in academia. www.act-sf.org. $20-95. Wed/12-Sat/15, Steve Seabrook: Better Than You Marsh San 8pm (also Sat/15, 2pm); Sun/16, 2pm. In Francisco, 1062 Valencia, SF; www.themarsh. Tom Stoppard’s now 20-year-old master work org. $15-50. Thu, 8pm; Sat, 8:30pm. Extended Arcadia, sex and science, and poetry and pastothrough June 29. The bitter fruit of the personal ralism, crowd the otherwise uncluttered stage. growth industry may sound overly ripe for the As two modern academics (Gretchen Egolf and picking, but Kurt Bodden’s deftly executed Andy Murray) vie over the contents of a country “seminar” and its behind-the-scenes reveals, estate library in order to verify their own pet theodirected by Mark Kenward, explore the terrain ries about the past occupants, a 19th-century with panache, cool wit, and shrewd characterintellectual prodigy (Rebekah Brockman) discovization. As both writer and performer, Bodden ers the principles of chaos theory more than a keeps his Steve Seabrook just this side of overly hundred years ahead of her time. Although at sensational or maudlin, a believable figure, finaltimes the pacing of the nearly three-hour play ly, whose all-too-ordinary life ends up something feels sluggish, the slow unfurling of key plot of a modest model of its own. (Avila) points and character reveals suits the intricaSylvia Fort Mason Theater, Fort Mason Center, cies of the text, while still allowing for much of Bldg C, Rm 300, Marina at Laguna, SF; sylvia. Stoppard’s wry humor to shine, if not crackle, brownpapertickets.com. $20-45. Thu-Sat, through the layers. (Gluckstern) 8pm; Sun, 7pm. Through June 30. Independent Birds of a Feather New Conservatory Theatre Cabaret Productions and Shakespeare at Stinton Center, 25 Van Ness, SF; www.nctcsf.org. $25present AR Gurney’s midlife-crisis comedy. 45. Fri-Sat, 8pm (also Sat, 2pm); Sun, 2pm. Talk Radio Actors Theatre of San Francisco, Through June 29. New Conservatory Theatre 855 Bush, SF; www.actorstheatresf.org. $26Center performs the San Francisco premiere of 38. Wed/12-Sat/15, 8pm. Actors Theatre of Marc Acito’s tale inspired by two gay penguins at San Francisco performs Eric Bogosian’s breakthe Central Park Zoo. through 1987 drama. Black Watch Drill Court, Armory Community Tinsel Tarts in a Hot Coma: The Next Center, 333 14th St, SF; www.act-sf.org. $100. Cockettes Musical Hypnodrome, 575 10th Wed/12-Sat/15, 8pm (also Wed/12 and Sat/15, St, SF; www.thrillpeddlers.com. $30-35. Thu2pm); Sun/16, 2pm. American Conservatory Sat, 8pm. Extended through June 29. This is Theater presents the National Theatre of Thrillpeddlers’ third Cockettes revival, a winning Scotland’s internationally acclaimed perforstreak that started with Pearls Over Shanghai. mance about Scottish soldiers serving in Iraq. While not quite as frisky or imaginative as the The Divine Sister New Conservatory Theatre production of Pearls, it easily charms with its Center, 25 Van Ness, SF; www.nctcsf.org. $25fine songs, nifty routines, exquisite costumes, 45. Fri-Sat, 8pm; Sun, 2pm. Through June 29. steady flashes of wit, less consistent flashes of Charles Busch’s latest comedy pays tribute to flesh, and de rigueur irreverence. (Avila) Hollywood films involving nuns. Vital Signs: The Pulse of an American Drunk Enough to Say I Love You? Costume Nurse Marsh San Francisco, 1062 Valencia, Shop, 1117 Market, SF; www.therhino.org. SF; www.themarsh.org. $15-50. Sun/16, 7pm. $15-30. Wed/12-Sat/15, 8pm; Sun/16, 3pm. Registered nurse Alison Whittaker returns to the Theatre Rhinoceros performs Caryl Churchill’s Marsh with her behind-the-scenes show about play that asks, “Do countries really behave like working in a hospital. 2
THEATER OPENING
ONGOING
FILM
CLASSIFIEDS
JUNE 12 - 18, 2013 / SFBG.COM
33