In the heart of San Francisco, where I've made a temporary home, I noticed a pulse that seems to run on, what I've come to joke with friends, a new energy source. It's the self-sustaining '3H' cycle: Hustling, Healing, Hallucinating. One begets the other in a sequence as rhythmic as it is persistent. We hustle passionately, to a point where we seek healing in methods as ancient as they are avant-garde, before hallucinating (literally a by-product of healing too) with our AI co-pilot on the next big thing. Rinse and repeat. It’s a testament to the ambition of the audacious, each spin of the cycle greased by the sweat and blood of optimistic builders and daring opportunists.
I'm happy to see and somewhat amazed they still exist in SF, given the economics of everything! I went there about 15 years ago with a friend for a performance. If I remember, we were one of the only young people there, they had some free sushi afterwards, and overall it was one of those old-school memorable quirky SF things that even then, felt like it was amazing that it still existed..special things. Also the gamelans of the Bay Area area are something that survives through the dedication of its members.
Wow! Thank you for sharing this cute story! It feels surreal that my story about such a niche theater reached someone who has a history with it in a place I least expected it to happen :) 15 years sounds like a long while ago but at the same time barely anything about what we do there has changed!
The magic of the internet! Well, I have pretty niche and obscure tastes and experiences, so there you go..I think it may have even been closer to 20 years or so now that I match up the dates. Can’t remember exactly. We were quite young. Yeah, I’m not too surprised. A lot of niche troupes like this tend to either keep on in the same form or else evolve in a different direction to survive. Would be fun to see a performance by them again one day.
I resonate with the scenic description of SF. Someone also pointed on the interesting phenomena of how Mission and Market streets have two different vibes. Mission is full of office workers with $xxxxxx, Market have no house to sleep in. And those streets never intersect!
Your post made me curious to try the Theatre of Yugen. Also, wanted to endorse Circus Center and their clown classes. There is one on Sat at noon that I always go to and could not recommend more. It is captivating to see how words/music/movement adds "color" to expression.
I'm happy to see and somewhat amazed they still exist in SF, given the economics of everything! I went there about 15 years ago with a friend for a performance. If I remember, we were one of the only young people there, they had some free sushi afterwards, and overall it was one of those old-school memorable quirky SF things that even then, felt like it was amazing that it still existed..special things. Also the gamelans of the Bay Area area are something that survives through the dedication of its members.
Wow! Thank you for sharing this cute story! It feels surreal that my story about such a niche theater reached someone who has a history with it in a place I least expected it to happen :) 15 years sounds like a long while ago but at the same time barely anything about what we do there has changed!
The magic of the internet! Well, I have pretty niche and obscure tastes and experiences, so there you go..I think it may have even been closer to 20 years or so now that I match up the dates. Can’t remember exactly. We were quite young. Yeah, I’m not too surprised. A lot of niche troupes like this tend to either keep on in the same form or else evolve in a different direction to survive. Would be fun to see a performance by them again one day.
woahhh!! Goosebumps reading this. This is inspiring, honest and beautifully written. I am so lucky to have known you!
Wow, what a great piece.
I resonate with the scenic description of SF. Someone also pointed on the interesting phenomena of how Mission and Market streets have two different vibes. Mission is full of office workers with $xxxxxx, Market have no house to sleep in. And those streets never intersect!
Your post made me curious to try the Theatre of Yugen. Also, wanted to endorse Circus Center and their clown classes. There is one on Sat at noon that I always go to and could not recommend more. It is captivating to see how words/music/movement adds "color" to expression.
An illuminating debut piece, love the powerful metaphor throughout!