2021–22 Season — Live! In-Person!
– A Whole New Season of Theatre –
Live! In-Person! Dramatic! Funny! In the Castro! In Downtown! Indoor! Outdoor!
We’re back off-line! It’s the Rhino’s 45th Anniversary Season with a whole line-up of exciting, new, in-person evenings of entertainment. Plus, our popular reading series! Plus, surprises and pop-ups along the way! And all of it in the two best neighborhoods on the planet: The Castro and DTSF! Who could ask for anything more?
By Terry Guest
Directed by Tanika Baptiste
October 28 – November 14, 2021
Spark Arts, 4229 18th Street, SF, in the Castro
West Coast Premiere
Courtney Berringers would like to welcome you to her wake! But—make no mistake—this ain’t your grandma’s funeral. At the Wake of a Dead Drag Queen is a play about Blackness, southern queerness, and the fine art of drag. From African Gods and Goddesses to Trina and Whitney Houston, At the Wake thoughtfully uses storytelling, drama and drag to explore identity, illness, and the worlds we construct for ourselves. Come party at the wake. Bring your own heels!
Playwright Terry Guest discusses his inspiration and hopes for AT THE WAKE OF A DEAD DRAG QUEEN
On Friday, Nov 15, Mayor Breed and Supervisor Mandelman attended AT THE WAKE OF A DEAD DRAG QUEEN and had this to say about The Rhino (watch the video!)
Cast Photos
Tuesday, December 14 at 7:00 p.m.
4229 18th Street, SF
This year we are reviving that tradition in tribute to Robert and to this immortal classic.
Please join us for this revived Rhino holiday tradition.
A Variety Show with Pizzaz
With Tanika Baptisteas Your Host
Featuring Jesús U. BettaWork , The Cast of “Foodies the Musical”, L. Duarte, Justin Lucas, Leandra Ramm, Bobby Singer, Stan Stone, Elsa Touché, and More!
December 30, 2021at 8:00pm
One Show Only
The Gateway Theatre (formerly the Eureka)
215 Jackson Street, SF
A Season Tradition
by Iman Qureshi
Directed by Salim Razawi
Tuesday, January 4 at 7:00 p.m.
Free Online Reading
By Michael Allen Harris
Directed by Stan Stone
February 8, 2022 at 7:00 p.m.
Presented FREE at 4229 18th St. in SF or on Zoom
Living in the near-literal shadow of Orlando’s Magic Kingdom, life-long partners Arthur and Henry are coming to terms with their differing opinions on marriage on the heels of Florida legalizing same-sex unions. Meanwhile, their son Alex and niece Phaedra try to break free from the vicious cycles of heartbreak and addiction. Kingdom is the story of an entirely LGBTQ African-American family struggling to create a life together and, in the process, capture a little bit of magic of their own.
Written and Directed by Stuart Eugene Bousel
Featuring Nicole Odell, Kyle Goldman, Ron Talbot, Laura Domingo, Michael Conner, Valerie Fachman
4229 18th Street, SF, in the Castro or on Zoom
Mathew was declared dead by physicians. Three days later, he regained consciousness.
The doctors can’t say why. His partner doesn’t want to think about why.
His father, a minister, thinks he knows why. His evangelical aunt thinks nobody should speculate why.
By Trey Anthony
March 17 – April 3, 2022
Spark Arts, 4229 18th Street, SF, in the Castro
West Coast Premiere
Claudette, now in her late thirties, travels to visit her dying mother Daphne in Brooklyn, but that doesn’t stop her anger and abandonment issues from bubbling up. It doesn’t stop Daphne from voicing her opinions on how Claudette lives her life, either. With Daphne, Claudette, and another daughter Valerie all under one roof again, each family member is forced to confront her emotions while there’s still time.
Cast Photos
by Adam BockDirected by Andy Alabran
May 3 at 7:00 p.m.
4229 18th Street in SF
Barb finds out that Buddhist monks in Thailand only own eight things — and wonders if that is all she wants. She starts giving away her things but her husband Bob keeps buying her new ones. Donna wants Carla Carla to marry her, but Carla Carla doesn’t like that Donna smokes. Nick meets a shark at the aquarium — they go on a date to the beach and Nick tries not to sleep with the shark too fast. Plus dream sequences. Plus a wedding.
Conceived and Performed by Mark Nadler
May 12 – 15, 2022
The Gateway Theatre
215 Jackson Street, SF, in Downtown SF
World Premiere
Mark Nadler, the man with the pulse of the keys and the voice of heaven is back for an evening of queer fun and mayhem. This time Mark will be performing an entire musical — playing all the roles. Every word of dialogue is by Moss Hart and every lyric is by Larry Hart. This is the show that lyricist Lorenz Hart and playwright Moss Hart would have written had they not been in the closet that the 1930’s and ‘40’s demanded.
Read All about Mark Nadler and HARTS’ DESIRE in The Bay Area Reporter:
‘Harts’ Desire’ – Mark Nadler’s meet-cute musical at Theatre Rhinoceros
Cast Photos and Videos
Featuring: Jesús U. BettaWork, Jennifer Ekman, Lillith Era, Rudy Guerrero, Keldamuzik, Justin Lucas, Leandra Ramm, Stan Stone, Elsa Touché, and more!
May 15 at 7:00 p.m.
The Gateway Theatre
215 Jackson Street, SF, in Downtown SF
An evening of SF’s top entertainers in a benefit for Theatre Rhinoceros. Songs, dance, raffles!
By William Shakespeare
May 28–30, 2022
Salesforce Park
425 Mission St., SF
In the wake of KING LEAR and TIMON, it’s our latest Shakespeare in the Park! Travel the wilds of Downtown’s gorgeous new Salesforce Park, in this unique ambulatory production. Your Medieval Scottish hosts are the villainous royal couple and a gaggle of Ghosts and Specters. A creepy adventure updated to the present.
