The Compton's Cafeteria Riot

The Compton’s Cafeteria Riot is a critically acclaimed immersive theatrical experience presented by the Tenderloin Museum and staged inside its own permanent venue at 835 Larkin Street. Performed Fridays and Saturdays at 7 p.m., the production unfolds within a period-accurate recreation of a 1960s cafeteria, located just steps from where the historic events took place.

Set during the summer of 1966, the play places audiences at the center of the first recorded act of militant queer resistance in U.S. history, three years before Stonewall. The work was co-written by trans activists Collette LeGrande and Donna Personna—members of the Tenderloin’s queer community during the era—alongside playwright Mark Nassar.

Performed by a trans-led 12-person cast, the production surrounds audiences within the recreated space, creating an intimate and immediate encounter with this pivotal moment in LGBTQ+ history. Named one of the San Francisco Chronicle’s must-see productions of 2025, The Compton’s Cafeteria Riot is both a powerful theatrical experience and a vital act of historical preservation.

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Host or Publisher Tenderloin Museum