Chronicle Live: Where does Bay Area theater go from here?

Shrinking seasons. Pauses in production. Hibernations. Closures.

San Francisco Chronicle headlines about Bay Area theater in recent years haven’t exactly painted a rosy picture. Some observers wonder if we’re spiraling into an industry-specific doom loop: Will all the bad news mean fewer artists move here, leading to less art still?

Of course, there have also been recent bright spots, rising stars and new ideas that attest to the bottomless ingenuity and resourcefulness of the region’s artists. Still, if a full rebound to pre-pandemic days is unlikely, can we make sense of how we got here and use that to envision a different future for the art form in the Bay Area?

Join Chronicle Theater Critic Lily Janiak live at Manny’s alongside Tony Award-winning playwright Jonathan Spector, Ted Russell of Californians for the Arts and San Francisco Playhouse Producing Director Susi Damilano for an in-depth conversation about the state of local theater and where the industry goes from here. They’ll explain how nonprofit theater works; whether it’s faring worse in the Bay Area than elsewhere in the country and what, in spite of all this, is giving them hope.

They’ll also answer your questions and share what local theater fans can do right now to help support companies and artists.Get your tickets today!

The Zoom link will be at the bottom of the confirmation page after the ticket has been purchased.

Manny’s never turns away anyone for lack of funds. If you need a free ticket, just email "grapefruit" along with the event title to.

Want to help others attend? Buy a "Pay It Forward" ticket to cover the cost for someone who can’t afford it. Your support helps us keep our events accessible and ensure a diverse audience that reflects San Francisco.

Host or Publisher Manny's