Mission Mission

Katie & Brittany sat down with Eric Reid, who is starting a new theater company aimed at providing meaningful roles for people of color. Which is awesome. SF has a real diversity problem. Specifically, the African American population is disappearing. And there is far too little effort being made to address this. Eric missed a World Series game to talk with them, so the least you could do is look at his flyer (below), which is also awesome. Here’s their report:

A press release came across our inbox about a new-to-us theater company called Theatre Madcap that was doing a “deliberately diverse” production of True West. Even though we knew we couldn’t make the show to review it, we were intrigued. So we asked the Co-Founder and Artistic Director, Eric Reid, to coffee to tell us about his company and his show.

Katie: Tell us about Theatre Madcap.

Eric: We started it, my wife and I that is, about 2 and a half years ago. We started it really because as a black actor I’m frustrated that I can’t find a lot of roles for myself, or If I’m auditioning for something it’s always “ethnicity ambiguous” roles, nothing really for black folks or persons of color at all. So I thought if it’s going to be hard to be in theater, I might as well do it myself and struggle for moi.

Brittany: What have you been working on so far?

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Capp Street Crap reports, in a post titled “I’ll drink to this: Uptown’s employees are buying the bar”:

Some good things are meant to last, even in the Mission in 2014.

After months of uncertainty following the death of owner Scott Ellsworth, Uptown’s bartenders are about to finalize a deal to buy the beloved Mission dive bar. Uptown bartender Shae Green said she, the five other bar employees and one of Ellsworth’s good friends, have just a few legal loose ends to tie up with Ellsworth’s siblings before the bar is theirs.

According to Green, Ellsworth’s sister in Colorado, Pam Stutheit, made it happen.

“She wanted to keep the bar open to honor Scott, a community center for folks,” she said.

Luckily, the soon-to-be owners are also on good terms with the landlord and are taking over the lease, which has four more years on it, with an option of renewing for an additional five years.

News of Uptown’s purchase is a bright spot in what lately has felt like a sea of disappointment.

Read on for more news and photos.

[Photo by Capp Street Crap]

[via Gray Powell]

THREE ANDREW W.K.'S SINGING KARAOKE 🙌 I CAN NOW DIE HAPPY

A video posted by Therese (@omgdannydevito) on Nov 11, 2014 at 3:33pm PDT

While perusing the CMJ best-of lists from the past week, I discovered this fun duo from LA. They’re called Girlpool and they play cool songs filled with constant harmonies and straight-forward lyrics. Looks like they played Brick and Mortar earlier in October, so hopefully they’ll be back soon. They’re also releasing an EP on Nov 18. For now, you can hear two of their songs on their bandcamp page from their split with Philly/LA-based Slutever.

First up tonight, Adobe Books!  Or rather, UNDER THE SEA MACABRE…

Tourists are disappearing from fisherman’s wharf. And no, they’re not in north beach. As more and more tourists vanish from the fog-soaked piers, the seals of the wharf decide to take matters into their own hands. Maybe its the changing of the season; perhaps new zoning laws; perhaps renegade google buses are to blame; any way you look at it, something smells a little… fishy. It is up to the viewer to investigate the recent disappearances. Come get scared at the Adobe Haunted House on All Hallows’ Eve! Please be afraid. Our tourists need you.

Check it all out here.

And on Saturday when you’re finally done nursing your hangover and have gotten over your tummy ache from eating too many bite-size snickers, the 4th incarnation of evilest costume contest in Mission awaits at the Knockout…

All SMITHS, all MISFITS, all night long with a costume contest around midnight. 1st place gets $100 bones. Prizes for 2nd and 3rd as well. Nuff said…

Indeed!  Invite your friends here.

Previously:

• Okay, now what should we do for Halloween?

I’ve got two recommendations…

1. Go to Oakland and see Shannon and the Clams perform as Metallica:

Or…

2. Stay in the Mission and go to Singin’ & Pingin’ at Verdi Club:

I watched the game at Pop’s, and as soon as it was over there was a drum corps in the middle of the intersection of 24th and York. The crowd poured out of the bar and gathered around and screamed and danced and it was beautiful.

Some cops came through, but they didn’t bother us.

Not sure if the difference was 24th Street vs. Mission Street or what, but this was a peaceful, happy celebration. Giants!

Giants!

[via Ellen]

3D City is a year long stereoscopic photography project by Doctor Popular

Another year, another batch of street fires and riot cops. Here’s some of the craziness I saw on Mission St shortly after the Giants won the World Series. If for some reason, Wigglegrams aren’t your thing… and that’s a big if… I’ve posted more shots on Flickr.

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