The Oakland Poetry Slam was founded in 1999 by a small group of Bay Area poets set on bringing…read morePoetry Slam to the sunny side of The Bay. These visionaries included Sonia Whittle, Charles Ellik, Nisa Ahmad & Nazelah Jamison. In that very first year the rookie team Oakland reached Finals stage at The National Poetry Slam, finishing the tournament as the 4th ranked team in the nation (of 64). After the teams triumphant return the Slam soon took of and took on a life of it's own. Over the years The Oakland Slam has been held at a variety of venues around the city of trees. The city doesn't always make it easy for the arts or the artists. Venues have included Mambo-Mambo, The Black/Oakland Box Theater, The Oakland Metro, Oaklandish Gallery, The Uptown Theater, KTOP Studios and currently The Oasis Restaurant & Bar. Since 2005 the Slam has been organized & promoted by the dynamic duo of Dahled & Nazelah who hosts the show and coaches the squad. While the team hasn't quite made it back to the Finals stage since 2003 they have performed consistently well in competition. In 2009 The Oakland Slam is branching out and growing. They've added a monthly COMEDY Slam and are part of the group importing Chicago's wildly popular Encyclopedia Show to the Bay Area. Past Oakland Poetry Slam Team Members: 1999 - Sonia Whittle, Jamie Kennedy, Shawn Taylor, Roxanne Hanna-Ware 2000 - Michael Cirelli, Nazelah Jamison, AfroKen, Y.A.D.D.O.S., Angela Boyce (alt.), Sonia (coach) 2001 - Michael Cirelli, Nazelah Jamison, Jamie Kennedy, Rupert Estanislao, Sonia (coach) 2002 - Danielle Drake, Meliza Benales, Ishle Yi Park, Mesej 1 2003 - Scorpio Blues, Danielle Drake, nerCity, Prentice Powell, Lucky 7 (alt), Sonia (coach) 2004 - Ise Lyfe, Lucky 7, L. Abdul Kenyatta, Dahled Jeffries 2005 - Mesej 1, Dahled Jeffries, Geoff Trenchard, Mack Dennis, Aaron Enskat, Nazelah (coach) 2006 - Prentice Powell, Mesej 1, Dahled Jeffries, Lucky 7, Nazelah (player/coach) 2007 - nerCity, Aaron Gardner, Dahled Jeffries, Queen D, Nazelah (coach) 2008 - nerCity, Jaylee Alde, Mesej 1, Dahled Jeffries, Deaidre White, Nazelah (coach) 2009 - Joyce Lee, D. Silence, "-i-", Stephen Meads, Dahled Jeffries, Nazelah (coach) -iWPS rep; Joyce Lee 2010 - Joyce Lee & Aaron Gardner, Jason Bayani, Milani Pelley, Nazelah (coach / alternate) -WoWPS rep; Milani Pelley -iWPS rep; Jason Bayani

Great entertainment, and Deandre is a great host. HILARIOUS. It was very touching to see these…read morepeople go on stage and share their stories through poetry... Majority of them were nervous, but they still did their thang. It was funny, touching, and raw. Beers are pretty pricey but a well spent night. They made me and my boyfriend one of the judges for the poetry slam. Just so happens my boyfriend is a poet himself. Great social activity with your people or significant other.

Eagerly looking forward to an entertaining evening by the masterly band of chic freaks and geeks I…read morescurried up the wooden stairs of the quaint and charming theatre that is the "Climate Theatre" a good 30 minutes before the published show time. The show was an intimate affair between performers and audience as they practically rubbed shoulders over the course of the show in the charming & cozy ambiance of the auditorium. Without giving away the story or any of the not-too-infrequent risqué humor, I will attempt to describe the evening of melodious tunes, mesmerizing voices, heart stopping performances, and smouldering beauties. As we all know, the story is predicated on a young naïve girl who stumbles upon a family of other-worldy beings on her way to a party. Talula (Alissa), the matron of the freaks, endearingly labeled as one that shares an acronym with a Mommy In Love (with) Falafels, took the stage with a seasoned vocal that manifested itself from the get go that screamed "I am the first lady here". The songstress's vibrato was impeccable and seemed to suggest years and years of operatic singing (not that I am an expert in such matters). The buxom Madame Laveaux, played by the bodacious beauty Nicole, is a captivating presence that cannot easily be ignored (nay, make that "never"). And Lordy, when she accentuates those God-given bountiful curves wrapped by a diaphanous viel that do nothing to hide those lovely limbs, clean thoughts are the last thing on my mind (Lord, forgive me my trespasses!). As with most singers, the high vocal note is expected and delivered but Nicole's low in the second half that plumbed the depths of the frequency range was eye-brow raising impressive. And of course, we now have the bumbling and innocent Ann, the *ahem* Virgin, whose merry naïve ways happen to be the catalyst that is the reason for this story's existence. Played by the versatile Alison, it was indeed an eyeopener as she went from a naïve waif to a red-hot vivacious vixen that makes one wonder if she was indeed the same giggling girl at the start of the story. Our very own Luke the gay cannibal playing himself, save for the cannibalism, wowed the crowed with an inspiring, funny performance backed ably by his powerful vocal chords that filled the room from wall to wall. His odd humanitarianism and zig-zag attributes that disallow him from eating kitty-cats can only be understood from watching the show. (Now pardon me for this is the part where I get a little sketchy as I was busy ...ummm... critiquing the luscious ladies of the stage that my memory doesn't serve me quite as well) The schizophrenic psychopathic Jekyll&Hyde, played by Sam, was a study in contradiction, switching between amiable party host to not-so-amiable personalities. In one of his many avatars was an oblique humorous reference to Mikado that, I am afraid, escaped a majority of the audience. The imposing Edward ("Cullens"?) literally stood above the rest of the cast with his imposing stature helped in no small part by the ridiculously pale visage as befits any self-respecting, luxury-coffin-dwelling vampire. After the highly entertaining performance, I had a little chit-chat with Sean, the Musical-Director, who revealed that the script was somewhat close to it's final form only about 3 weeks before the premiere! I guess the old habits of cramming for the exams in the last minute never really dies --- they merely resurface in various forms that can leave even Jekyll & Hyde scratching their bi-polar heads in absolute bewilderment. In conclusion, I admit my 5-star rating may have been slightly biased by the fact that I know the Composer. For the complete stranger, you might want to expect a 4-star performance as nothing is worse than arriving with an unrealistic sky-high expectation that leaves you wanting for more. Now Hurry along and catch it before it's limited run closes on October 31st.

In reality, i should have gotten "first to review" since i was the first one to see the show, but…read morealas, Umesh beat me to it. (flips the bird) The Witching Hour blew me away. I knew the show was going to be good, but i wasnt expecting it to be amazing. The singing, the acting, the dark sense of humor all kept me laughing and entertained the whole way through. I could have used a little more blood and gore, but thats just the sadist in me. Everyone did an excellent job with their characters but i was completely smitten with Alissa Deeter (Talula). I was attracted to her take charge, dominating character. Love. Her. Im not big on musicals. I honestly have always had a hard time sitting through them. Beach Blanket Babylon?....good but a snore. (I literally fell asleep) The Witching Hour definitely made me a fan. Well, i should say that it made me a fan of, not musicals in general, but of The Miscreants of Cabaret. The way they interact with the crowd makes you feel like you're part of it and getting a private viewing. Im looking forward to their next show. Trust me when i say i didnt give this show 5 stars just because Luke is one of my favorite people. I said to Luke "if your show blows, dont cry when i give you a 1 star review." I dont sugar coat shit for anyone. Luckily the show was fantastic and the Climate Theater, although small, gave it a nice intimate feel. Get ready Broadway, Luke is coming for ya and he's going to blow you (no pun intended) away! (side not: Luke, now that i know you have an amazing voice, be prepared to serenade me when you jump out of my bday cake)

Went to the popup Nightmare on Franklin St. (wrote a separate review just for the popup). Please…read moresee my review NightmareSF- also on yelp. Rather than duplicate that I will summarize- Not One Person who attend from my group enjoyed it and would not return again to another performance.

CLUE Jan 12 thru Feb 2011 - THE BOXCAR winter 11 show…read more CLUE: Directors Peter Matthews & Nick A. Olivero have a brilliant show - sure to sell out - so buy up all these goldstar seats if you can find any.. this is truly a charm to sit above the amazing wiz of a CLUE GAME Board designed by co director Olivero . his vision of hosting the game watcher above the set is epic .. as if we are part of a Harry Potter broom fight ,, we are instead a sit a top of a game of CLUE. The adapted script moves fast and is very fun mixing in many of the key lines from the film and more. A great cast of SF locals better players all move at the speed of this game plan - The Butler brilliantly played by Brian Martin - holds the game board together with the most script tied to his role. Sarah Savage, Linnea George-Kupferand, Justin Liszanke keep the game rolling with some very funny comic timing linked to the many roles that Adam Simpson is cast as his every role true to the game and killings. J. Conrad Frank the queen on he board spins his skirt as the dice is tossed and is hilarious as the bodies fly. Besides the dead dummies as they pile up, the true star of this play is the set. The audience is lifted above the game board to see the whole 90 min event unfold - its a great night of Black box theatre in SF - not to be missed and is most likely sold out ,, I hope you get to see it. CLUE is the best .. V

What a fun way to spend an evening. It's improv so you never know if it's going to be the best show…read moreof your life or the worst. Depends on the day. Located in format mason across from the german restaurant. It's up the elevator on floor 3. I've been exploring my neighborhood and working through the artist way and thought why not go for an artist date at BATS improv. It's cute it's homey. The first popcorn was free. They have drinks for sale alcoholic and non alcoholic. Then you can walk into the theatre and find a spot to sit. Closer to the front and your shout outa might have an easier time of being chosen. I came for the improve battle of newbies mixed with veterans. It was fun to guess who was who. They did different games and totaled points with elimination rounds. So of course there was a range in experience and expertise. Regardless I was thoroughly entertained laughed, cringed, felt surprised, and elated. Honestly a much better way to spend an evening compared to a movie. In person human connection. That's what we need as a collective whole these days.

Just an incredible experience absolutely hysterical. Able to make you laugh without being over the…read moretop, risqué or bad language. I attended last weekend with my parents and I felt like I was in San Francisco for pre Covid days. It was a good feeling. Keep up the good work!

Fantastic venue for one-man shows. I attended Dan Hoyle's "Takes All Kinds." The performance was…read moretransformative. Two issues: - Arrive 1/2 hour before the showtime for good seating. Some seat are way off to the side; I got stuck there, and visiblity is bad, because the performers don't always turn to face the sides of the audience. There are a few seats behind a pillar; I assume those seats are for blind people. - It's small and crowded, with bad ventilation. Wear a mask during cold/flu season.

Had an excellent time at The Marsh seeing Dan Hoyle's It takes All Kinds. The venue is excellent -…read moreintimate with comfortable seating that allows for engagement and good views. Dan Hoyle's It Takes All Kinds is superb. A one man play that explores the complexities of our socio-political views, relationships around divisive topics while maintaining a sense of surprise, engagement and hope. The playwright, actor and "journalist of hanging out" uniquely captures the essence of the people he represents and honors their stories - the acting, voice control, and physical embodiment of the stories he is telling is truly transformative.

Ive been to several of their shows and laughed my butt off. They sell alcohol now alongside some…read moreNon Alcoholic drinks and snacks. And the lobby is a chill place to hangout before or after shows, including past the final show. I have also taken classes there including their Saturday drop-in class and it was a ton of fun. Any ticket allows you to stay for shows the rest of the night for free. If you have never been to improv, I recommend going early in the night so you can check out different improv shows all for the price of one. Each show has different styles and teams.

This spot has been around for 14+ years and the improv comedy was mentioned to be reinstated for…read moreThursdays, Fridays, Saturdays with multiple shows during the week. They also offer classes for aspiring improv folk. I was unsure at first since improv can be a hit or miss, but I had a great time. The venue is intimate with about 5 rows and the night we went 4 performers had five categories where audience can share a story based on the category and a timed improv is acted out. I laughed at 4/5 of the improv acts. Tickets range from $17-21 and you can purchase canned drinks and snacks too.

The class was a great introduction to pottery! Victor was patient and went around helping everyone…read morewhen it was time to make our individual pieces. We also came late, but thankfully he still allowed us to join in. He helped set our clay up and caught us up to speed with the others. We could make up to 3 pieces and the glaze was chosen for us beforehand. I hope my pieces come out good! Would come again to practice my pottery skills! Keep in mind, parking around here is a little rough since there are a lot of one hour parking spots. Overall great experience for friends, dates, family and kids.

Kaytea was awesome! Yesterday I took my team to a private pottery wheel throwing class and everyone…read moretold me how much fun they had. Kaytea is very knowledgeable, funny, and helpful. Me and most of the team have personally never done this before and we appreciated her patience, humor, and story telling. I've always been interested in wheel pottery as a personal hobby and I'm leaning towards coming back here on my own time :) plus the studio is super cute!

When I was a child, I loved it when someone would read aloud to me, taking on the voices of the…read morecharacters, and narrating the story with the appropriate emotion and meaningful pauses. Word For Word takes this concept one step further. They choose a story and act out the entire thing, without omitting any bit of writing or changing it to suit their interpretation. So every "he said, with a look of disdain" is spoken, usually by the character. I have such a love and respect for writers and great writing, and I find this genre of theater a very nice tribute to an author. It's fun to see how this theater company finds ways to interpret the prose, having to entertain an audience while staying true to the written word Last week I went to see "Strangers We Know" at the Magic Theater in Fort Mason. This was a performance of 2 short stories: "Mlle. Dias de Corta by Mavis Gallant, and "Which is More Than I Can Say About Some People" by Lorrie Moore. While I didn't care for the Gallant piece, it was due to my not liking the writing rather than the performance. The Lorrie Moore piece was very good - the acting and choreography were well-done, and I enjoyed it very much. Last year, Kirsten F and I went to see the Daniel Handler stories "4 Adverbs" which was very lively and entertaining. I would think it would be such a treat for a living author to see his or her work performed in this way. Word For Word has been in around since 1993, and selects works that range from classic to contemporary. Some of the featured writers have been Rudyard Kipling, Edgar Allen Poe, Eudora Welty, Dorothy Parker, John Stinebeck, and Michael Chabon. They have been around since 1993 and seem to have a small but dedicated following. If you want to see an original concept that marries literature and theater, performed in an intimate setting by a very dedicated company, check out Word For Word. They are part of Z-Space Studio, which you can read about on the website http://www.zspace.org/

I saw "The Necklace" and "A Jury of Her Peers." I'd seen The Necklace before, and also read it in…read more9th grade. It wasn't that thrilling (more heartbreaking, than anything else), but Word For Word made it come alive! Word for Word is the most entertaining kind of play; you hear all the lines, as well as the stage directions and the descriptions of the actors' emotions, (such as, "He moved to the left; he wore an expression of wistfulness with a touch of frustration" -- and then the actor expresses the described action). The actors are incredibly skilled and talented, and, having someone narrate, makes it feel as if you're reading the play, as well as viewing it at the same time, and adds a bit of humor to otherwise serious plays. Word for Word Performing Arts Company is in a class of its own. Truly an incredible experience. They're often shown in Z Space in SF, which is an intimate theatre (read: great!), or in Europe. You don't have to enjoy plays to enjoy Word for Word!