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SF Mime Troupe: Behind the Scenes of Disruption

KALW | By Ben Trefny
Published July 26, 2025 at 1:10 PM PDT
San Francisco Mime Troupe

For more than 60 years, the Tony Award-winning San Francisco Mime Troupe has spoken truth to power with theater, satire, and community action.

KALW hosted a special evening previewing their 2025 summer show: DISRUPTION – A New Musical Farce.

KALW Executive Producer Ben Trefny spoke with writer, actor and director Michael Gene Sullivan, a long time creative force within the SF Mime Troupe to get a glimpse of the new show with taped scenes and musical numbers. They explore the making of DISRUPTION, SF Mime Troupe’s legacy of political theater, and what it means to provoke laughter and action in 2025.

Michael Gene Sullivan
San Francisco Mime Troupe
Michael Gene Sullivan
KALW News
Ben Trefny
I joined KALW in 2004. As Executive News Editor and then News Director, I helped our news department win numerous regional and national awards for long- and short-form journalism. I've also helped create numerous training programs — for teenagers, incarcerated people, and early-career journalists — and have taught hundreds of audio producers. I served as interim Executive Director for nearly two years. My work is currently focused on creating original live events, programming, and building partnerships with like-minded organizations.
See stories by Ben Trefny