The Gateway Theatre — Attraction in San Francisco

The resident 42nd Street Moon company produces spirited revivals of musicals old and new that are rarely seen anywhere else. The theater is small enough that the singers don't need microphones, and the standards of singing, dancing, acting, and production have consistently been raised through the years from lively "staged concerts" to top-grade presentations. The small stage and the budget and the lack of an orchestra pit force the company to be clever instead of extravagant in stage sets and to rely on talented pianists and/or small ensemble accompaniments rather than full original orchestrations, but these limitations don't limit my enjoyment; I've subscribed to many seasons and will continue. New audience seating (Feb. 2019) is a real improvement, too. (Oct. 2019) One caution is that some performances now are miked, and not...

One of my favorite venues in the city hands down.

As a patron, seeing a show here is great. I often come when the San Francisco Sketchfest is in town and I love it. The space is accommodating, but small enough so that it feels incredibly intimate. There's a bar outside in the lobby that usually serves beer, wine, and other fun things too.

As a performer, I absolutely love being on this stage. It's large and the lighting is great. The green room in the back is...

Small and a bit run-down theatre. It's underground with no bathrooms on the same floor (had to go up to the 1st or 2nd floor). I didn't see any elevator so accessibility might be a problem.

Every seat is a good seat. A few leftmost seats in the last two rows can be pretty cold because the only air conditioner in the room is there. But you can ask the staff to turn it off if...