Theatre Rhinoceros — San Francisco’s Live Professional Queer Theater

GLAAD Media Award Winner

“Theatre Rhinoceros continues to stage the best, most thought provoking new plays in the Bay Area.” — Vince Mediaa Vmediabackstage.com

Theatre Rhinoceros and Spark Arts Present

Staged Readings in the Castro

October 1, 2019 7 pm. The Food Chain, by Nicky Silver. Directed by Fernando Gambaroni. Amanda has been married to Ford for three weeks, though he has been missing for two of those weeks. She seeks help from a hotline, where she speaks with Bea, who is not much help. Amanda hangs up, though, when Ford walks in the door. Across town, Serge is waiting for his lover to return, when a former one-night stand, Otto, shows up to try to convince Serge that they belong together. Serge flees, in search of his lover, as Otto follows, refusing to give up. They all meet up at Amanda and Ford’s apartment where romance and love need to sorted out, joined by Bea from the hotline, who doesn’t appreciate being hung up on.

November 5, 2019 7 pm. Oscar and Walt, by Donald Steven Olson. Directed by Joseph Ayers. In January,1882, Oscar Wilde traveled to the United States to give a series of lectures. While here, he met one of his idols, Walt Whitman. What did the two queer literary giants discuss? Playwright Olson has an idea.

December 3, 2019 7 pm. Rotterdam, by Jon Brittain. Directed by Lisa McHenry. It’s New Year in Rotterdam, and Alice has finally plucked up the courage to email her parents and tell them she’s gay. But before she can hit send, her girlfriend reveals that he has always identified as a man and now wants to start living as one. Now Alice must face a question she never thought she’d ask . . . does this mean she’s straight? A bittersweet comedy about gender, sexuality and being a long way from home

January 7, 2020 7 pm. The Taint of Equality, or, I Want Your Sex, by Duncan Pflaster. Adrian and Javier are a gay couple who don’t believe in marriage- but everyone assumes they’re married. When they realize they’ve never actually opened up their “open relationship”, they decide to each go out and get laid, with hilarious and erotic results. The play is an entertaining send-up of modern Gay life and relationships that tackles drug use, Dan Savage, racism, showtunes, porn, Grindr, public sex, and much much more…

Free Event!
Staged Reading!!

Porn Yesterday

Jason Wayne Wong, Nick Trengove, and Joe Tally

by Andrew Black and Patricia Milton
Directed by Alan Quismorio
Tuesday, September 3 at 7 pm

Sparks Art Gallery
4229 18th Street, San Francisco
(Between Diamond and Collingwood Streets)
Map It

In a queer riff on Garson Kanin’s classic play: A porn star is set to make his classical stage debut in Edward II. A local theater director is brought on to coach him. Sparks fly, characters’ lives are changed.

Free! No Tickets Needed!

A History of World War II:

The D-Day Invasion to the Fall of Berlin

by John Fisher

Fridays and Saturdays
August 9 – September 7, 2019

The Marsh, Berkeley
2120 Allston Way

John Fisher returns to bring you World War II from the Allied invasion of Normandy to the Fall of Berlin.

He also gives useful information about the best books on the subject, the cutest generals who fought the battles, and the hottest actors who played generals in the movies.

“A one-man fireworks display! Contagious, edifying and as theatrical as a circus!”

Lily Janiak, San Francisco Chronicle

Khris Francis

This past New Year’s Eve we were blessed with the comedy and song stylings of the wonderful Khris Francis, who passed away just last week.

Khris was an hysterical comedian, a terrific pianist and an amazing song improviser. He tickled our audiences in what was surely one of the more controversial Rhino performances of recent memory. Before the show Khris asked me, “How naughty do you want it?” And not really knowing what I was letting myself in for, I said, “Very naughty, they’re tough.” It was NAAAAUGHTY! And a riot. It felt like the Seventies all over again as closets, all kinds of closets, were literally nuked to pieces! We only got to know him quickly, that night, but he was as charming off-stage as on and we were looking forward to his return this year.

Alas, we have only the glorious memory.

Be well, Khris. You knocked ‘em dead and will be missed. A very special thanks to Rhino board member Lawrence Dillon who brought Khris into our lives and hosted him for the evening. Lawrence, you’re the best!

Khris Francis entertained people from all over the world for over thirty years. Khris performed piano clubs nationally, most notably at Gentry in Chicago. As a comedian, Khris headlined Lake Tahoe’s Caesar’s Palace and Harvey’s Hotel and Casino, under legendary producer Breck Wall. Khris also headlined at the Riviera Hotel and Casino, and most recently at The Tuscany Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. You can read more about Khris’s amazing career at www.khrisfrancislive.com