NCTC's 21-22 Season Brochure

N E W CON SE RVATO RY THE AT RE CENTER

40 ss fearle Yart T

in c l

JOY

NI

EW NFUN

MA

HU

Magic

Queer

joy

dynam

MO VI N

fearless

Imaginative powerful allied

QUEE

R mic NEW Dyna

visionary

family

INNOV ATIVE

G

e

delicio us

z pizza m i n g co l +D e w eli LGBTQ se g d iv e r

ic

s m a rt U S RO ZZ V AD E N T U IZZA

intimate

u s iv

ENTERTAINING TE stron IONA S S o p p o r charac g PA t u n it ters COM y z

ive inclsumsabrotld allied

ht

l

LOVE

power

ful

home

bold

HUMANITY

P

fu

Opportunity

E N L IG H

powerful

heartwarming T E N IN G

imagina

fun

tive

pride art HOMrE DELICIOUS LLIEIND A ining magic ta TIM + te n Q y e Enlightening LGBT ionar e A ight vis ional brM diversRTqeualityTE LOVE bold visionary t o o A v g m v i n n e i i P t g c M m inclusive S nova eRlTc-WoARMING DynamQUi AL rid W ul n f ALITY i QU t O p A p h ity HE e tunity commun ily perfo ITY Compassionate rmances Intimate adventurous Fam elipgNeEWc oorm d strong r u it ancem love form s M O V INn y G queer n g l a i n v o moRACTERS emoti A H C B R IG H T diversAZeZ Innovative

G STRON

joy

MA GIC

PIZZ

HUMANITY

21–22

SEASON

Your stories. Our stage.

Find it all at NCTC.

Letter from Founder & Artistic Director Ed Decker 40 years. I can hardly believe it myself and am beyond honored that so many of you have made NCTC an artistic home during this time. We are fortunate enough to reopen our doors thanks to the unconditional confidence and the seismic generosity of the NCTC family. You called upon us to keep going, provided us the support to do so, and we are both humbled and grateful.

Planning a season is always a fascinating puzzle and eye-opening experience.

This year more so than ever. Curating the entertaining and groundbreaking Queer and Allied theatre you have come to expect from us and returning from an international health crisis has made fitting the jigsaw pieces together highly unique. The challenge has yielded a fresh line-up of comedies, dramas, love stories and flights of fantasy to celebrate NCTC’s 40th birthday.

There are three World Premieres including a Rolling World Premiere, a Regional Premiere, a Bay Area Premiere, and a special Cabaret extravaganza featuring selections from four decades of musicals that have graced our stages.

As theatres across the land reopen, the guidelines for public assembly continue to evolve. To that end, NCTC is working hard to ensure that all areas of the facility are well prepared for everyone’s safe return. The wellbeing of artisans and audiences alike is at the forefront of restoring operations at NCTC. Our mission to enlighten, entertain and advocate change has never been more necessary than it is now. This is the time to conjure the transformative powers of theatre to help us reflect, learn, and reimagine how to be the very best we can be. Not only that, it’s time to have some fun!

I can’t wait to see you at the theatre.

“The over 500 productions under Ed Decker’s direction have aided in the successes of emerging performing artists, fostered crucial community dialogue, and paved the way in making New Conservatory Theatre Center a leader in Queer and Allied Arts.”

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi Photos by Lois Tema

Welcome back to NCTC As a Queer arts organization it has always been an essential part of NCTC’s values that we support marginalized communities and we remain deeply focused on growing and improving these practices. We believe in fostering a safe and vibrant place for our community to connect and we welcome you with great joy, open-heartedness, and respect.

We also recognize that NCTC is located on unceded land of the Ramaytush Ohlone Peoples, the original peoples of what is now the San Francisco Peninsula, and the greater Bay Area is the ancestral territory of the Miwok, Yokuts, Patwin, and other Ohlone to whom we owe a collective debt.

Visit NCTCSF.ORG to learn more about our values, vision and action items.

NCTC's Health & Safety Protocols Stay tuned with our most up-to-date measures to ensure a safe return at nctcsf.org/covid.

We understand that the panoply of safety recommendations can shift rapidly and we will continue to shift alongside them as we welcome guests into our theatre.

Please find the latest information regarding NCTC’s health and safety protocols in response to COVID-19 on the webpage listed above.

2021-22 season productions

Interlude

By Harrison David Rivers Directed by ShawnJ West Oct 8–Nov 7, 2021

Plot Points in Our Sexual Development

By Miranda Rose Hall Directed by Leigh Rondon-Davis Nov 12–Dec 19, 2021

Gently Down the Stream

By Martin Sherman Directed by Arturo Catricala Dec 3, 2021–Jan 9, 2022

Getting There

By Dipika Guha Directed by Nailah Harper-Malveaux Jan 14–Feb 20, 2022

BECOME A SUBSCRIBER Save on tickets, reserve the best seats, access free exchanges, guest discounts, and more when you subscribe!

Learn more at nctcsf.org/subscribe

Dot

By Colman Domingo Directed by ShawnJ West Mar 4–Apr 3, 2022

PrEP Play, or Blue Parachute

By Yilong Liu Directed by Adin Walker Apr 1–May 8, 2022

Encore Curated by Ed Decker, Dennis Lickteig, and Joe Wicht Directed By Dennis Lickteig Musical Direction and Arrangements by Joe Wicht May 13–Jun 12, 2022

*Schedule subject to change.

Stay Connected NCTCSF

@NCTCSF

NCTC

NCTCSF

40 Views on 40 Years NCTC has been a home for artists, audiences, students, and teachers for 40 years. We look forward to making many more memories in the years to come! See more at nctcsf.org/40-and-fabulous

“NCTC is a cultural institution here in San Francisco” Cesar Cadabes, GAPA Artistic Director

“A community full of love, respect, artistic freedom, and bravery” Christian Mejia, Lighting Designer

“It's a welcoming and inclusive space for everyone” Alex Akin, Actor and Teaching Artist

“NCTC has a rich history of acclaimed productions of LGBTQ+-themed plays” Jim Provenzano, Bay Area Reporter

“NCTC attracts dynamic people full of curiosity and who are willing to help each other” Jewelle Gomez, Playwright

“The intimacy of the theater spaces makes me feel very engaged with the plays and actors” Eve Lynch, Board Member

Sometimes the only way forward is to look back.

OCT 8–NOV 7, 2021

By Harrison David Rivers Directed by ShawnJ West

“A must see” —Theatrius

WORLD PREMIERE COMMISSION Jesse Howard’s life looks nothing like it used to. Forced by a national pandemic to return to his childhood home in Kansas with his conservative parents, he finds himself standing still for the first time. As Jesse battles his writer’s block in a country that no longer feels like home, his mother struggles to reach out to the son she never really knew. Adapted for the stage from NCTC’s critically-acclaimed audio drama, Interlude is a personal and tender snapshot of one man’s search for connection.

“Tender, inventive... a lovely sonic lily” —Bay Area Reporter

“It’s easy to recommend” —The Thinking Man's Idiot

“Beautifully written” —Broadway World

PLAYWRIGHT AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS ⋆ GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding New York Theater: Off–Off Broadway for When Last We Flew ⋆ Relentless Award for The Bandaged Place ⋆ Runner-up for 2018 Artist of the Year by the Star Tribune ⋆ MN Theatre Award for Exceptional New Work for This Bitter Earth and Five Points

Let’s talk about sex.

NOV 12–DEC 19, 2021

By Miranda Rose Hall Directed by Leigh Rondon-Davis

“Worthy of praise” —Fordham Observer

REGIONAL PREMIERE Sex is complicated. Especially if you’ve

“Intensely provocative” —The New York Times

got a history. When their relationship hits a breaking point, Theo and Cecily look back at their awkward-messy-tenderwonderful-heartbreaking pasts to understand the meaning of true intimacy.

There’s no holding back in this provocative

“Deeply revelatory for anyone— which is to say everyone— who has ever tried to figure out themselves, their bodies, their feelings” —New York Stage Review

exploration of gender, sex, and the risks of being vulnerable with the one you love.

“A universal tale of love” —New York Theatre Guide

Performances will be in the newly designed Walker Theatre seating in the round!

PLAYWRIGHT AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS ⋆ Lambda Literary Award Finalist in Drama for Plot Points in Our Sexual Development ⋆ San Diego Critics Circle Award for Outstanding New Play for The Hour of Great Mercy ⋆ Hot Desk Playwright in Residence at Baltimore Center Stage

Catch “theKnow beat” with this exuberant new musical. your past.

Find your future.

DEC 3, 2021–JAN 9, 2022

By Martin Sherman Directed by Arturo Catricala WEST COAST PREMIERE

“Tender, funny and unconventional romance” —Variety

Beau has spent decades of his life trying

“Rich in moments of pathos and humor”

to blend into a world that told him to be invisible. Enter Rufus, who lives his life

—Hollywood Reporter

openly and becomes fascinated with the much older Beau. When these two very

“It’s a triumph”

different men fall into a whirlwind romance,

—Stage Review UK

they’re left to navigate a relationship neither

“A deeply felt gem”

expect, but both depend on. Spanning over

—The Arts Desk

a decade, Gently Down the Stream is a bittersweet, brilliantly funny romance about

“Epic sweep of LGBT history”

being a gay man in the 21st century and

—The Daily Beast

finding love along the way.

PLAYWRIGHT AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS ⋆ Pulitzer Prize-nominee for Bent ⋆ Tony Award-nominee for Best Play for Bent and Best Book of a Musical for The Boy from Oz ⋆ Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Play for Rose

Five women. One city. Twenty-four hours.

JAN 14–FEB 20, 2022

By Dipika Guha Directed by Nailah Harper-Malveaux WORLD PREMIERE COMMISSION Kai and Julie came to Paris to see the sights, enjoy the food, and maybe learn something about themselves. After a falling out sends them on separate paths, Kai is pulled into an affair with a sophisticated older married couple, while Julie encounters an enigmatic woman deep in a war against herself. Twenty-four hours later, none of these five women are the same.

Full of surprises and serendipity, Getting There is an intergenerational meditation on love, aging and solitude.

“One of the most exciting up-and-coming playwrights hitting the San Francisco Bay Area stages” —India West

“A brilliant playwright” —Playwrights' Center Associate Artistic Director Hayley Finn

“I can therefore only look forward to whatever Guha writes next” —London Theatre 1

PLAYWRIGHT AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS ⋆ Relentless Award semifinalist for The Art of Gaman ⋆ Awarded residencies at the Hermitage Artist Residency, Djerassi Resident Artists Program, SPACE at Ryder Farm, McCarter Theatre’s Sallie B.Goodman Residency, Ucross Artists Residency and the Rasmuson Foundation in Sitka, Alaska.

Catch “the beat” withisthis exuberant Memory a funny thing. new musical.

MAR 4–APR 3, 2022

By Colman Domingo Directed by ShawnJ West

“Uproariously funny” —The New York Times

BAY AREA PREMIERE The Shealys are barely holding it together in this twisted and touching dramedy.

Matriarch Dotty is struggling to hold onto her memory, eldest daughter Shelly is looking for an escape route, golden child Donnie and his husband are constantly bickering, and the baby of the family, Averie, has gone from viral sensation to a discount store cashier. Back in their West Philly home for the holidays, one thing’s for sure: the only way they’re getting through this is together.

Now being adapted for television as West Philly, Baby on AMC Networks, Dot is a loving look at the ties that bind—and drive us crazy.

“Vibrant and outrageous” —The Huffington Post

“Fearless mix of bone-dry humor and warp-speed emotional shifts” —Entertainment Weekly

“Touching and hilarious” —Arts ATL

“Full of laughter and heartbreak” —TheaterMania

PLAYWRIGHT AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS

⋆ Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Solo Show for A Boy and His Soul ⋆ GLAAD Media Award for Best Production in New York, Broadway and Off-Broadway for A Boy and His Soul

⋆ Drama League Award Nomination for Outstanding Production of a Broadway or Off-Broadway Musical for SUMMER: The Donna Summer Musical

These side effects are wild.

APR 1–MAY 8, 2022

By Yilong Liu Directed by Adin Walker ROLLING WORLD PREMIERE What if you had the chance to rewrite history? Erik’s world is thrown into free-fall

Named one of 10 contemporary Asian and Pacific Islander American playwrights you should know —ArtsBoston

when he’s pulled into a wondrously bizarre time-traveling journey by Agent 701 (aka his now-sentient PrEP pill). Landing into the AIDS epidemic of the 80s, Erik finds himself in a race against history to save a life lost decades ago. From award-winning playwright Yilong Liu comes a contemporary

“Provocative exploration of queerness, and the dangers and joys of nostalgia in an increasing globalized world” —American Theatre Magazine

queer fantasia that examines the ghosts of our past and the hopes for our future.

PLAYWRIGHT AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS

⋆ Kennedy Center Paul Stephen Lim Playwriting Award for The Book of Mountains and Seas ⋆ LAMBDA Literary Award for Best LGBTQ Drama for The Book of Mountains and Seas ⋆ Po’okela Award for Best New Play for Joker

Catch “the beat” withlooked this exuberant 40 never so good. new musical.

MAY 13–JUNE 12, 2022

Curated by Ed Decker, Dennis Lickteig, and Joe Wicht Directed By Dennis Lickteig Musical Direction and Arrangements by Joe Wicht A CABARET PERFORMANCE CELEBRATING 40 YEARS Celebrate NCTC’s milestone birthday with a magically melodious performance of iconic numbers from a songbook of over 50 musical productions that have lit up our stage. Featuring hit songs from blockbuster mega-musicals and hidden gems from indie darlings, Encore is sure to be the birthday party of the season.

“Every performance—singing, acting, puppetry, dancing—excels.

Great talent lives at NCTC” —Theatrius

“Retreat to a safe place where you can laugh…For LGBT people (and our allies), one of those places is New Conservatory Theatre Center” —Talkin' Broadway

AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS ⋆ Ed Decker is a recipient of KQED’s Local Hero Award and named a Theatre Bay Area 40@40 Honoree. ⋆ Dennis Lickteig has directed countless productions at NCTC including Avenue Q, Still at Risk, The Nance, and Sordid Lives. ⋆ Joe Wicht is winner of Bay Area Reporter's Bestie Award for Best LGBT Musician

Subscribe today for the best prices, seats and perks

4 Ways to Subscribe:

"NCTC offers a feeling of

7-show Package

Hallie Henle, Subscriber

see the full season and save

6-ticket weekday flex pass Get six tickets at a discounted rate to use at any Wed or Thur performance

6-ticket anytime flex pass Get six tickets at a discounted rate to use however and whenever you like

4-show package Pick any four shows in the season

belonging and a shared love of theatre."

NEW THEATRE RENOVATIONS! The Walker Theatre has been renovated to offer improved sightlines from all seats and new staging configuration options.

“NCTC has always been a trailblazer in the way it tells stories and interacts with its community” Brennan Pickman-Thoon, Actor

⋆ Free and easy TICKET EXCHANGES ⋆ BIGGEST TICKET SAVINGS ⋆ BEST SEATS in the house ⋆ 25% OFF ALL non-subscription shows ⋆ SPECIAL DISCOUNTS at partner restaurants ⋆ and support NON-PROFIT ARTS in San Francisco!

nctcsf.org/subscribe | 415.861.8972

NCTC’s 2021–22 Season Calendar Interlude

Plot Points in Our Sexual Development Nov 12–Dec 19, 2021

Oct 8–Nov 7, 2021 October 2021 S

M

T

W

Gently Down the Stream Dec 3, 2021–Jan 9, 2022 December 2021

November 2021

T

F

S

S

M

T

W

T

F

S

S

M

8

9

10

11

13

14

15

16

17

18

20

21

22

23

24

25

27

28

29

30

31

8

9

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

5

6

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

12

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

28

29

30

19 26

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

Dot

Jan 14–Feb 20, 2022 M

T

W

F

S

S

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

6

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

February 2022 1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

M

T

W

F

W

F

S

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

5 12

6

7

1

2

3

4

8

9

10

11

T

W

6

7

8

T

F

S

1

2

7

8

9

13

14

15

16

20

21

22

23

27

28

29

30

6

7

3

4

5

7

8

9

10

11

12

3

4

5

6

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

10

11

12

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

17

18

19

27

28

29

30

31

24

25

26

May 2022

April 2022 1

2

1 8

3

Opening Weeknight Weekend Weekend/Post-Show Discussion Holiday - No Performance

June 2022

M

2

Preview

T

5

1

May 13–Jun 12, 2022 May 2022

S

S

Encore

T

4

April 2022

T

20

M

3

March 2022

T

9

S

1 2

PrEP Play, or Blue Parachute Apr 1–May 8, 2022

Mar 4–Apr 3, 2022

January 2022 S

January 2022

9

19

Getting There

S

7

7

1

F

4

6

December 2021

T

3

5

November 2021

W

2

4

31

T

1

3

2

3

4

5

Become a donor

⋆ Exclusive event invitations ⋆ Donor Lounge access ⋆ Behind-the-scenes opportunities

Help make our 40th fabulous!

Your support makes it all possible.

"A true intimate theater experience sets NCTC apart from other theaters.”

Gary Demyen, Donor

"NCTC beautifully presents stories about LGBT experiences.

Let's keep telling our stories!"

Randall Shields, Donor

Make a gift today at NCTCSF.ORG/DONATE You can also add a gift onto your ticket order, or send by mail to: 25 Van Ness Ave, LL San Francisco, CA 94102

Encore: A 40th Anniversary Musical Celebration May 13–Jun 12, 2022

PrEP Play, or Blue Parachute

By Yilong Liu Apr 1–May 8, 2022

Dot

By Colman Domingo Mar 4–Apr 3, 2022

Getting There

By Dipika Guha Jan 14–Feb 20, 2022

Gently Down the Stream

By Martin Sherman Dec 3, 2021–Jan 9, 2022

Plot Points in Our Sexual Development

By Miranda Rose Hall Nov 12–Dec 19, 2021

Interlude

By Harrison David Rivers Oct 8–Nov 7, 2021

Subscribe for the best savings and perks! nctcsf.org/subscribe • 415.861.8972

Your stories. Our stage.

Find it all at NCTC.

2021–22 Season 25 Van Ness Avenue, Lower Lobby San Francisco, CA 94102