Beautiful Theater on San Francisco Pier Across From Alcatraz SITREP I was lucky to catch the exceptional, the eclectic, the very eccentric dark musical-dance production "SHADOW DANCE" at the Cowell Theater, and .... *MIND BLOWN* ARIELLAH DARKER STILL www.ariellah.com The yearly production of Shadow Dance is the creative brain child of Ariellah Darker Still, a talented and mystical fusion belly-dancer based in Oakland, California. Taught by the legendery belly dancer Rachel Brice (a collaborator with the industrial rock Nine Inch Nails), Ariellah has carved a niche into the belly dancing realm that traverses into even darker realms still of Dark mystical arts, the fears that convulse the human mind, and the angelic & demonic figures that warp our spiritual dimensions. SHADOWDANCE This mystic view of our earthly dimension is interpreted by her and her collaborators by the artistic expressions of DANCE and MUSIC. SHADOWDANCE is culmination these wondrous & haunting expressions and is a showcase of all these talented performance artists. COWELL THEATER The expansive realm of the Cowell Theater is a perfect venue for Shadow Dance. The spacious stage is a wonderful playground for all the performers. * Aerial artists on silk fabric to Suspension artists chained to piercings on penetrating their back, all rely on the dependable cables extending from the ceiling of the stage's heights; * Various configurations of different dance troupes find more than ample space on which to dance on this suspended stage; SEATING Very traditional old-school theater-style seats. Flip-up. People have to squeeze by forcing you to stand up. No cup holders. Not roomy. Primitive. In this day & age of amphitheater-style seating, or reclining seating in the IMAX and/or XD theaters, the seating here is at most very basic. LAVATORY Very contemporary and modern. There are two different bathrooms, very roomy, complete with many stalls - both unisex, shared by all. PARKING Limited and Pricy. You need to pay for your spots. We saw tow trucks towing cars away that did not pay obviously pay for their spots at the machines. THE LOWDOWN A very solid theater for enjoying a great performance. Just know the rules for everything else having to do with this theater. read more

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More than 20 years ago, I worked as a stagehand and also attended a couple of shows in this theatre. I really enjoyed the location and found the house to be comfortable and intimate. But it's been more than 20 years, so I don't know the current situation. read more

Children's Theater Association of San Francisco preformed the play Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs! CTA performs this free for the school district children, which is great to expose them to theatre The stage scenery, costumes, singing and acting were quite joyful and fun to watch. Several times throughout the play they involve The audience by having the Seven dwarfs and Snow White Performing in the audience. As usual Peggy Haas stole the show as Sir Pompous. Sir Pompous saves Snow White and is ready to battle the evil queens. Looking forward to Peggy Haas's next performance with CTA. See you in the theater! read more

Cowell Theater - Performing Arts Near Me - San Francisco, California

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The little theater that could! Saw SMUIN ballet here today and had no idea this GEM of a Company was here in the Ft. Mason nook of the city. Contemporary and Modern Ballet was top to bottom exhilarating and dynamic. I highly recommend taking in the ballet after first maybe shopping the farmers market and having lunch at Greens. A perfect day. read more

Cowell Theater - SMUIN company members talking to Marin Ballet students after the show. - Performing Arts Near Me - San Francisco, California

*** My review of the production "Dances from the Heart". *** On Mon 30Apr several bay area dancers united to fight AIDS. And they came together in a most unlikely venue, Fort Mason. I have run by/thru Fort Mason many times but never knew that there's an auditorium. Who knew? Great spot for a fundraiser. Richmond/Ermet AIDS Foundation (REAF) presented this show. They brought together dancers from ten local dance companies to make in essence a variety show of dance skits, from ballet to modern dance to ballroom to avant garde. I enjoyed this much. There was also a silent auction at intermission where I scored a two-nite stay in a suite at Argonaut Hotel for just $450. Winning! Funds raised to support REAF and Larkin Street Youth Services. For more detail on this fundraiser, go to http://www.fortmason.org/events/events-details?id=2224&start=2012-04-30&end=2012-04-30 *** Prkg is just $5 for the evening, an all around solid venue. *** read more

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Great theater venue with a beautiful view of the bay and golden gate. Theater was super clean and nice. Big stage. Parking was $10 for 3 hours but seemed to be plenty of it available on a Sunday. read more

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Cute, little, cozy theater. Every seat has a good view of the stage. There is an ample sized restroom, that is nearby, too! I was just at Cowell this afternoon to catch the Nutcracker Sweets. It was a great show for little kids, at just 50 minutes. While the stage was small, and the show was abridged, it was perfect for the youngest of kids. I sat in the side section, row G, and event a 3 year old could still see everything on stage. Plenty of Fort Mason parking nearby. I'd recommend the show and the theater! read more

Wow. Fantastic venue! I had no idea! My girlfriends and I came here the other night for the first time to see one of history's most famous Operas: Puccini's "La Boheme". Put on by the San Francisco Lyric Opera, we were blown away at the acoustics, set design, costumes, the overall ambiance, the presence of Super Subtitles, and the sheer talent of the actors. Tucked away on the middle pier behind Herbst Pavilion at Fort Mason, this is such a hidden gem that I'm determined to come back to. Visitor Tip: when booking your tickets online, I'd recommend staying away from the very corner seats in the rows that flank the stage on either side. While there really isn't a bad seat in the house, I don't think I'll want to sit in a seat on the very outskirts of the theatre for my next visit. read more

Event staff was really exceptional for the 2019 Shadowdance last night. Bartenders, security, ushers added to the really nice feel of this venue. There was plenty of parking, large bathrooms, and nice lighting throughout the space. Bring a jacket for the windy walk to and from your car! read more

I heart the Cowell Theater. It's a beautiful, medium/large space that that feels big with over 400 seats, but doesn't feel overwhelming...from both the audience's and performers' standpoint. Comfy seats, and every seat receives a great view of the stage. The lobby overlooks the water, and at the right time, you see the Golden Gate Bridge, boats, and the sunset. You'll find tons of great performances every month, but Printz Dance Project and Janice Garrett & Dancers rock it every year! read more

I have not only performed at Cowell Theater, but seen many performances, and all I can say is WEAR a COAT and be prepared for snow-like temperatures....seriously, it is FREEZING in there. That being said, they host a wide range of events, most recently,Ken Burns, who is by far the most genuine amazing speaker I have ever seen. His new documentary on Prohibition is AMAZING!!! a must see read more

This delightful original production of Alice in Wonderland will entrance audiences young and old! It has Enough artistry **** LIVE music, exquisite dancing, fanciful costumes, dynamic, enchanting choreography that is accessible to any and everyone*********prepare yourself for the smooth mastery of this assured production. Don't miss this event which captures the MAGIC and will treat you to the pure WONDER of Wonderland! The fifty-minute length respects the attention span of the youngest audience members, while the quality of this ballet celebrates the art form and asks no selfless sacrifice from the adults in the audience. Prepare yourself to be well entertained !!! It will leave you amazed and wanting MORE... read more

Who would have thought? Hidden from everyone on the edge of Fort Mason is this great hall that proceeds a an even greater theater! The acoustics to this hall were very refined and the simplicity of the building was just great! During intermission we decided to take a stroll outside and I've never seen such a perfect site of the Golden Gate (Besides from the park : P). This place was amazing and, of course, the students at the Opera they put on were AMAZING. I couldn't believe my ears; what talent they had! read more

I recently saw the Derevo performance here and really enjoyed the venue. The positives: - private parking - not too big not too small - I'm pretty sure every seat in the house has a great view The negatives: - the seats are a bit old but I guess that adds to the charm I'll be back here. read more

The theatre itself is quite nice, with good sightlines. BUT, now there is no indoor access to it from the box office. So you get your tickets, and then have to walk around the building to the back - and it's a LONG walk. Every time I've gone, it's been freezing cold (right by the bay), and very windy. Since I have a heart condition, this is no joke - it makes it hard to breathe and by the time I get inside the theatre, I'm traumatized. I see other seniors also struggling. This is an outrage, and disrespectful (illegal?) to seniors & the Disabled. Bring back the indoor access, and I'll give 5 stars. read more

also saw the lyric opera's La Boheme here. as mentioned before, great acoustics, not a bad seat in the house, and cookies at intermission. five stars. read more

The Cowell Theater is home to an array of diverse programs unequalled anywhere in the Bay Area --- dance, theater, film festivals, seminars, conferences, community activities, and corporate events. Tonight, we were in the Herbst Pavilion for the Benjamin Moore Hue event and later whisked into the theater for the night's award ceremony to honor the professionals in the architectural and design community who have effectively harnessed the power of color in their work and who have demonstrastrated confidence is using color innovatively, creatively, impressively. The hallway leading to the theater was lined with red carpet and mock paparazzis taking photos of arriving guests. Boy, I feel special. :) My 5 seconds of fame. Buahahaha....The theater was very intimate with plush red seating, comfy but might be a slightly tight for ppl with long legs. The space was lil chilly, weather-wise, perhaps this is right by the Bay waters and I also left my jacket in the car. read more

A little difficult to find (if you follow the signs inside Fort Mason, all of the sudden you hit a wall - maybe I'm just being stupid). Anyways, nice venue, you really get a sense of inclusiveness so it's great for plays and expressive operas. Has a really industrial feel to it, which I quite like. Long walk from the entrance of the building to the actual (rather small) venue. Ample parking, which is always a plus for a performance venue. read more

who woulda thunk there was a theater on the bay? we were brought here by the good graces of our opera-student-friend, who was performing a midsummer's night dream - the opera. my thoughts are on the venue, and not the opera. *anticipation anticipation* after parking in the third lot over for fort mason, making the windy walk to the front gates, making an additionally windy walk to the theater, and then strolling down a long, long hall, the theater finally showed itself. like i said - *anticipation, anticipation*. the cool thing was that while you're walking down this long hall, the golden gate bridge is peek-a-boo-ing at you, and the ocean is literally, right there. the hall is clean, cozy, and has your basic toilet-beer-wine-snacks-seating amenities, and much to the pleasure of my boyfriend, his knees were not pressed up against the row in front of him! it's about a 200-seater, which makes it ideal for viewing our opera-student-friend, and of course, no mics required to immerse yourself in the sounds. au naturelle is always best :) overall, an unexpected surprise, and i'd definitely go to see another performance here. *clap clap* encore! read more

We had tickets and arrived 30 minutes prior to the start time to see Alice in Wonderland today at 2 pm. Unfortunately, there were so many events and some kind of Farmers Market (taking up much of the parking lot) at Fort Mason, we could not find anywhere to park our car and make it in time! It was very frustrating and disappointing for my kids and me. I recommend that you check before counting on being able to park anywhere remotely close to Fort Mason. Too bad and such a waste of an afternoon trying to get to this event. :( read more