Sights & Sounds is your weekly guide to the Bay Area arts scene. Theatre of Yugen Artistic Director Nick Ishimaru told KALW’s Truc Nguyen about three fantastic arts events happening around the Bay this weekend.
- The Northern California Cherry Blossom Festivalin SF Japantown 4/20-4/21
- SFFILM Festival at various locations (SF)thru 4/23
- Hedda Lettuce at Oasis (SF) 4/19-4/20
The annual Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival is the largest celebration of Japanese culture on the West coast. Over 200,000 people are expected to attend the festivities which include food vendors, cultural performances, martial arts, live bands, as well as the Grand Parade. The festival is running through this weekend in San Francisco’s Japantown.
“It’s huge, and you can see artists from all over the region that will be there.”
The 62nd edition of the San Francisco International Film Festival will be going on until April 23rd at venues throughout San Francisco. This is the longest-running film festival in America and this year it’s featuring nearly 200 films and live events across the Bay Area. Log onto sffilm.org for more information.
“I love the representation of genderqueerness and trans performances in film; I think that’s wonderful.”
Hedda Lettuce, the six-time Drag Queen of the Year Award-winner from New York City will be performing two nights of storytelling, stand-up comedy, and live singing. This is Hedda’s first show in San Francisco in quite some time, so don't miss her at the OASIS in San Francisco this Friday and Saturday night.
“I love going to Oasis shows. Their shows are wildly funny, and always very poignant, and powerful, and profound, and they bring the best drag acts into the city.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdXkFSG1vU8
Theatre of Yugen’s latest production Helen is currently showing at NOHspace in San Francisco.
