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    Shelton Theater

    4.1 (130 reviews)
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    Angela F. W.

    First time at the Shelton Theater and was low key impressed. Came here for a Cheaper than Therapy standup comedy show and had a great time. I've been to Cobbs and the Punchline many times so I was surprised that I had not heard of this place. We got tickets for the wrong day and the show was sold out the night we came. I managed to charm the ticket lady and the manager to let us in. Good customer service right there. The inside has different levels with cool historic vibes. There were also two bars. The lineup of the night was pretty great. I enjoyed all the comedians especially this Asian guy from Hawaii. Highly recommend coming here for a show!

    Cheaper Than Therapy entrance
    Annabelle R.

    I was pleasantly surprised by this theater, which hosts Secret Improv Society (comedic improvisation) and Cheaper Than Therapy (stand up comedy) regularly, as well as a few other events it looks like. I was initially confused about where to go for  our particular show (Secret Improv Society) as we were given very little instructions when we entered. There are small signs, but also multiple levels and multiple doors in this venue, and the signs are easy to miss. They had two bars serving drinks on a Saturday night, a nice selection of delicious specialty cocktails on the menu (I especially liked When Life Gives You Lemons, with the starburst- infused vodka). The lower level, where the auditoriums are, has an awesome lounge space as the waiting area, with a lot of character, quirky decor and seating, cool art, and even a piano. And of course the bar in the middle, with friendly bar staff (even if they're not the fastest). Doors to the auditoriums open around the same time, near showtime, and it's open seating. Facing the bar, the door to the right (Main Stage) is the entrance to Cheaper Than Therapy, the door to the left (Cabaret Stage) is the entrance to Secret Improv Society. I only attended the latter, but it was an amazing show, with great audience participation. There was even a kid (possibly a tween) who went on stage for one of the bits, so I guess they don't have an age limit here. The performers for the show were very entertaining, and the staff at this venue were overall helpful if you have any questions. The auditoriums are small and simple, not meant to hold large crowds, but just perfect for a fun intimate event.

    the main bathroom

    Dirty, run down, neglected interiors with absolutely disgusting bathrooms (with no trash cans, only giant recycling cans...so unsanitary for ladies), rude box office staff, and bartenders who don't ID *anyone*. Scary upstairs with unmarked bathrooms that they ask you not to lock behind you (how unsafe and scary for women). Bad vibes only from the space and staff.

    Annie Warbucks
    Michael T.

    This was my fist time at this theater and I had a good time. My wife coworker was preforming in the play so that made it extra special. I saw Annie Warbucks and I thought they put on a really good play. One of the lead actors (I don't remember her name unfortunately) was amazing! The venue itself is a small privately owned theater. It's not modern in any way but its a cute little theater. They has a small concession stand with snacks and drink (alcoholic and non-alcoholic). The bathrooms were clean. All the employees were friendly and helpful. I would come back.

    Noemi M.

    Amazing spot!!! Great little theater very intimate loved the Adams family, comfy seats they also have a vending area with candy, candy bars, freshly made popcorn and cans of variety of sodas and drinks. It's on the second floor the stairs are high however they have an elevator. Two bathrooms on the first floor very clean and there is a beautiful bar on the first floor also. We had a blasted great night.

    Porsche C.

    I never knew this place existed!! The Shelton Theater is a non-profit organization and has been a part of the San Francisco theater scene since 1993. The theater is an extension of the Shelton Studios which has been creating, supporting, and nurturing artists in the Bay Area since 1961. I came to watch the Fou Fou HA! Whoa-Man! A Musical on November 20th, 2015 from 8-930.I bought tickets from Groupon FOR $22.50 which was much cheaper than buying them from http://www.eventbrite.com where tickets were $35.00. SEATING: Stage left has 74 seats and stage right has 60 seats. The stage is very close up and intimate but fills up VERY quickly so get there early if you want good seating. PARKING: The Sutter/Stockton garage is close and reasonable. Street parking is free after 6pm. Pay close attention to all signs on the street. I was able to find parking near Union Square. BARS: There are two full bars located on eat of the floors. They have a list of drinks on the wall as well as pricing that makes it really convenient. ABOUT THE SHOW: Fou Fou Ha is an ensemble of animated performers who thrill audiences with over the top shows filled with Circus antics, jaw-dropping dance numbers to high-energy music and audience interactive playfulness. They are a family of enticing, colorful, sexy performers, each owning a unique character and color that celebrates individuality and unabashed human expression. The musical "Whoa-Man" is a satirical look at the lives of four women and the tortures in trying to find "perfection" in a modern world. A story only clowns could tell. Whoa-Man enters the lives of 4 women living in present day, each one searching for love via online dating mishaps and grappling with sexuality, power, body image and self-worth. The show, filled with sexy dance numbers and live singing, will riff off of current pop-culture frameworks such as 50-Shades of Grey and Lean-In and take a clown's perspective on the unrealistic expectations that we set on women. This show definitely left me wanting more. I laughed and sang at Fou Fou Ha's "Whoa-Man: A Musical" the whole 1hr and half of the show. The cast includes Jasper Patterson of the New Eccentrics, Bobby Barnaby of SF Boylesque, Allegra Misonznick-Davidson, Amelia Van Brunt, Courtney Cavagnero, Janelle La Riza, Lucas Reshi and Dyon Lain. Conceived, choreographed and directed by Maya Lane, with original acts and costume design by the cast.

    Cindy C.

    Tiny little theatre tucked away in San Francisco. It has a nostalgic speak easy feel which I absolutely enjoyed! You walk down this small hall way, down some very steep stairs, and arrive at this little bar greeted by a suave gentlemen bartender. He was also the one checking us in. The theatre itself was small, but cozy. You got a great view of the stage no matter where you sat. My manager starred in Extreme Measures. It was such a raunchy and hilarious play!

    Terri N.

    The Shelton Theater was a seriously cool find in SF, thanks to Goldstar! We got last minute half-price tickets to God of Carnage on a Friday night. The theater is an easy (though slightly uphill) walk from the Powell St. BART station, and is surrounded by endless restaurant choices for pre-show dining. Keep an eye out for the simple black and white awning - this is a seriously small and cozy theater, don't be hunting for epic neon. There are 2-3 theater spaces inside, our show was in the downstairs theater which I believe sat around 75 people. Our program was our ticket, and there is a SUPERCOOL bar space downstairs outside the theater door to wait for your door to open. Limited options but everyone will be happy. I had a decent Chardonnay, BF had an Anchor Steam beer, and I saw Mexican Coke on the menu as well - way cool! The entire bar area is dimly lit with small tables, and the walls are covered with beautiful paintings. It had a bit of a speakeasy feel, and was such a nice departure from the mayhem of bigger theater crowds and fussiness. This was just mellow and cool. Inside the theater, for being such a small space, I didn't feel cramped at all. We were allowed to bring our drinks into the theater, which was surprising and very appreciated as it was a bit warm. Red velvet lines the seats and walls, and there is no bad seat in this house. The play was wonderful, actors were top notch. It's foolishly easy to assume such a small space would produce an amateur production, but this was really spectacular! Now that the Shelton is on my radar, I will keep my eyes peeled for future shows and very much look forward to returning!

    Great show I loved it

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    7 years ago

    We rent out this theater for work trainings. Matt Shelton is so accommodating and easy to work with.

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    Page 1 of 4

    Ask the Community - Shelton Theater

    Review Highlights - Shelton Theater

    My husband and I came here for 4 days and decided to spend our Saturday night at the theater watching Cheaper than Therapy.

    Mentioned in 9 reviews

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Surprise guests, amazing acrobatics, and a countdown with a glass of Champagne.

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    I took my family for the second time to see the show "Dear San Francisco" last weekend and loved it…read moreas much as the first time. The show is exciting, truly professional, and feels like "home". The small sized venue and local theme makes you feel like you are with family in a comfortable livingroom. I won't hesitate to see it a third time!

    If you haven't been yet what are you doing with your life? Everyone always talks about wanting to…read moresupport the arts and participating in culture. Come enjoy the acrobatic experience of dear San Francisco at Club Fugazi. There really is a part of the show for everyone. It is great for both young and old. Maybe you'll even feel inspired to try acrobatics yourself! The cast is absolutely amazing. I love acrobatics and have been a part of dance, gymnastics, yoga, and pole dance. They are killing it out there and I'm so happy to see a show dedicated to our beautiful city. Each time I've come by I just have gotten a tea or a glass of wine. I recommend to come early to settle in, write your letter, and get your order in before the show. Everyone comes all at once at 7:25 PM and it's a bit of a mad rush. For those looking for date night inspo take your girl at to club fugazi for an amazing night. I would be over the moon.

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    Club Fugazi - "Dear San Francisco" the high flying show at Club Fugazi

    "Dear San Francisco" the high flying show at Club Fugazi

    Club Fugazi - "Dear San Francisco" the high flying show at Club Fugazi.

    "Dear San Francisco" the high flying show at Club Fugazi.

    Club Fugazi - "Dear San Francisco" the high flying show at Club Fugazi

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    San Francisco Playhouse - Seat E109 view - M. BUTTERFLY by David Henry Hwang

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    4.4(355 reviews)
    0.1 miUnion Square

    Purchased tickets with ease, was given the option to add to calendar with full info which I always…read morelove! I did two separate purchases with blind seating, we added a fourth person later, it was not possible to select seating purchasing blind. We were completely ok sitting separately. Day of when ticket email came and seats were viewable all seating had been placed together which was REALLLLLLLY appreciated and not expected!! The theater is old, and stunning all the details in the architecture. Due to its age the seating is not elevated which is NO current fault. However it did cause all spectators to move their heads around to see the production. The row above us was empty we ended up climbing up a row in order to see. When I book again I won't book blindly and will select my seats. The production was cast WELL!!!! Chemistry isn't always evident among theater cast, it was present here.. Very present!!! Choreo was on point, vocals were Spectacular, energy was high, not one person in the production skipped a beat!!! We all really thought Hairspray was PHENOMENAL!! Will I return: ABSOLUTELY!!!!!! Great customer service, easy purchasing, small details like grouping tickets purchased separately, PHENOMENAL SHOW......: I'll be back sooner than later!!!!! We used spot hero app to find parking at 520 Mason Street which was underground and secure!!!!! The plus was it was literally around the corner and a one minute walk to the theater!!!!!

    I hadn't been to the SF Playhouse in ages, not since it was the Post Street Theater! It's a great…read moretheater with very good sightlines from every seat. I was there for "Dracula, A Feminist Revenge Fantasy, Really" and had a wonderful time. The sound system was pretty good; I heard most of everything that was said on stage, but whatever I missed can be blamed on my hearing, not their sound system! Seats were relatively comfortable and the legroom was at par with other theaters. The bathrooms, which were not separated for men and women, were clean with seat covers and plenty of toilet paper. It was a bit strange seeing men walk out of the stalls in the bathroom, but it didn't bother me. I would really prefer that the seat is returned to a downward position, though, and happy the floor was dry!

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    San Francisco Playhouse - Stage and playbill

    Stage and playbill

    San Francisco Playhouse - Show posters for Flex

    Show posters for Flex

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    The Speakeasy

    The Speakeasy

    4.4(336 reviews)
    0.6 miNorth Beach/Telegraph Hill, Russian Hill
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    Hidden two floors below China Live Restaurant on Broadway Street is an entertainment space called…read moreThe Speakeasy (also the Palace Theater). I went to see a show " Italiani Veri "  last night. Fabulous cabaret-type show with performer Arianna. She's a true (veri) Italian from Milan who sang, danced and explained Italian culture as part of the entertainment. She has an amazing voice! She could have been a finalist at the San Remo Music Festival - the most famous singing festival in Italy. She fessed up saying she had been an Italian Mouseketeer! The venue has a bar/lounge to enjoy cocktails then a few steps down further is the theater. You need to be mobile since there are a lot of steps. Seating is first come-first serve. I have to admit that seating is quite tight. You are shoulder to shoulder with your neighbors. Get cozy folks. They typically have magic shows here! If you want to see a historic night club, this would be the venue to come to and enjoy a show. Italiani Veri show was a real treat! Highly recommend it!

    My hubby and I had an amazing time!…read more We attended the 8P show for: We Call It Jazz, A Journey to The Heart of New Orleans. I bought our tickets through FEVER and got the rail seating. Very good view From entering to sitting down, we were well taken care of I had bought two tickets online but when checking in, it only showed one- I pulled up my ticket and the usher at the front quickly apologized and got us situated I really appreciate the quickness Everyone was super friendly We stopped by the bar before the show started and got some drinks Music was spectacular One of the best live shows I've got to experienced Definitely made me want to check out their other events 10/10 phenomenal!

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    The Speakeasy
    The Speakeasy
    The Speakeasy

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    Secret Improv Society - Some of the Secret Improv Cast with our new T Shirts

    Secret Improv Society

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    My wife and I decided to go for a new comedy experience by checking out an improv show at Secret…read moreImprov Society, and we're sure glad that we did. Let's get into it... Ambiance - After getting your tickets from the ticket booth, you go down a sharp flight of stairs which dumps you out into a bar area with two large doors on both sides of the room. The room on the right-hand side is where they have stand-up comedy (Cheaper than Therapy), and the left hand side is where the Improv show takes place. You wait in the bar area until the doors open. Once you enter, there are a handful of rows of chairs (barstool style with backs) and it's general admission. It's a pretty cozy area, maybe fitting around 50 people or so if I had to guess. Before the show, one of the improv team members came around offering Oreos to guests. We did not partake, but if you like Oreos you're in for a treat. The show itself was great. There were four improv comedians and they took a bunch of crowd suggestions and tailor-made a show based around our suggestions. The show itself is about an hour and a half, but didn't feel like it was that long at all. When it ended, I was shocked that an hour and a half had passed already. Time truly does fly when you're having a great time! I would definitely return again as we had a blast and really enjoyed the quick wit the improv team had to offer. I would highly recommend checking them out!

    Incredibly fun and very inexpensive. Beware, outside a sign just says "better than therapy" which…read moreis a comedy club in an adjacent room at the same address. Also it was good that we got there a bit early in time to get drinks (a nice large selection). Small to moderate intimate theater with very talented keyboard player who "improvised the music" with each skit all night long. "Actors" were very personable and talented--so much fun--we will reco to all SF friends and family

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    Secret Improv Society - Stage during show

    Stage during show

    Secret Improv Society
    Secret Improv Society

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    Palace of Fine Arts Theatre - Inside the theatre

    Palace of Fine Arts Theatre

    4.1(79 reviews)
    2.4 miMarina/Cow Hollow

    Wow! I visit San Francisco 2-3 times a year for over 3 decades and just finally got the chance…read moreexplore...parking is always horrible, but I stayed at a nearby hotel in walking distance. The architecture is absolutely amazing and breathtaking...it's straight out of Italy, Greece, Star Wars, Star Trek or Lord of the Rings movie. Words can't describe it...see the photos or really just go see it for yourself in person!

    Now let me be clear, this review was for the Palace of Fine Arts Theater NOT the event we attended…read more Last night we visited the PoFAT and had a mixed reaction. The venue seemed a bit disorganized, opening a few minutes after the stated time, both for VIPs and regular patrons. The refreshments bar was not fully set up, and one could see that they were rushing to get it done, making their patrons wait (suggestion, start your prep earlier). Delays by staff during a VIP experience, takes away from the time there, which costs a premium. You show your appreciation for your audience by how you treat their time. Later the meet and greet we attended but got started late, then the entry into the seating ran about 20 mins late, one staffer saying they were still setting up the lighting. Seriously? How long does it take to set six lights shining on curtains for two people in chairs? Having just finished a week on stage crew at a venue in Sacramento, there is no need to "run late" (suggestion, start your prep earlier). The times listed for the event did not have a reliable seating/entry into the actual theater but they made sure we all knew when to pick up the items we had already picked up in our VIP experience. Finally, I thought that having the ladies' restroom door set so you could see them going in and out of the stalls, including some feet/legs while doing their business was tacky. On the upside, the seats were very nice and we found parking nearby. The setting outside was amazing as when I volunteered there when it was the Exploratorium.

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    Palace of Fine Arts Theatre
    Palace of Fine Arts Theatre - Inside the theatre

    Inside the theatre

    Palace of Fine Arts Theatre

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    Shelton Theater - theater - Updated August 2026

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