By David John Chávez

On the job for the @mercurynews.com. A first - same show, twice in a row. Viewing one tonight.

Smits, De Jesús bring more than star power to stage classic in Berkeley The actors, who are partners in real life, star in Arthur Miller’s classic drama “All My sons” at Berkeley Rep.

Joyous is one way to describe chatting with Jimmy Smits and Wanda De Jesús. They are both phenomenal in Berkeley Rep's #AllMySons. Review upcoming, but for now, here is a fun feature I did with both for the @mercurynews.com. Show runs through March 29. #hellatheatre (gift article)

Berkeley Rep's #AllMySons, on the job for the @mercurynews.com #hellatheatre

Her Post-Soviet Buddy Comedy Was Decades in the Making

On Lauren Yee, her political comedy “Mother Russia” and her play cycle in progress.

“Mother Russia” is a lot of fun, btw, and very smart. Go.

(gift link) www.nytimes.com/2026/02/25/t...

ATG San Francisco (formerly BroadwaySF) announces big 2026-27 season

“The Outsiders,” “Buena Vista Social Club,” “The Great Gatsby” among season offerings.

ATG San Francisco (formerly BroadwaySF) announces big 2026-27 season “The Outsiders,” “Buena Vista Social Club,” “The Great Gatsby” among season offerings.

One of the biggest seasons in years. I've seen all these shows (except Outsiders and Gatsby), and have not been this hyped about ATG in years.
Interesting thing - back in the day, we used to get a month in the Bay, but now they are all 3 week runs. A bit of a bummer. #hellatheatre (gift article)

This was absolutely fantastic. One week left of performances, highly recommend! #SanJose

Sunday matinee at the Oh-Pair-Ah. Two one acts.

The Operation Mincemeat Cast Is Saying Goodbye to Their Show—But Not to Each Other The musical’s original cast reveal what they want their next show to be, the key to staying friends for a decade, and if a filming is in the works.

I interviewed all 5(!) departing cast members of Operation Mincemeat. It was chaotic, hilarious and brilliant, like the show. My favorite part: them revealing the key to lasting collaboration is to never fancy each other playbill.com/article/the-...

Yosimar Reyes explores lives of the undocumented in Teatro Vision show In ‘No Llegamos Aquí Solos,’ undocumented people have ‘created networks of familiarity out of being strangers.’

Just days left to catch a big world premiere in #SanJose, at Teatro Vision. For the @mercurynews.com, I spoke with Santa Clara County poet laureate and playwright Yosimar Reyes, with director Rodrigo Garcia, about their community based production. Through Feb. 22 #hellatheatre (gift article)

Ready for a long one at San Jose Stage. On the job for the @mercurynews.com. #hellatheatre

San Jose hosts an opera double bill to die for Alma Deutscher’s upbringing was quite ordinary. She began playing the piano at age 2, wrote an opera when she was 10, and saw the world premiere of that composition at Opera San Jose when she…

We have world class opera in #SanJose, led by a 21-year-old (in 2 days) prodigy from taking the conductor's wand. For this @mercurynews.com Weekender+ cover story, I spoke to director and #OperaSanJose general director/CEO Shawna Lucey and conductor Alma Deutscher. Thru 3/1. #opera (gift article)

Daughter making her stage debut. #hellatheatre #SanJose

Rewatching the halftime show with our family "tree!"

Bad Bunny’s closing messages during his Super Bowl performance:

“The only thing more powerful than hate is love”
“Together, we are America”

Just beautiful. 😭

Internet winner today.

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

😭😭😭😭😭😭

Listo! #OrgulloLatino #BenitoBowl #Español

Critics in Columbia Residency: True/False Edition One of America’s most prestigious documentary film festivals takes place each March in Columbia, Mo., home to the University of Missouri. This four-day-residency (March 5-8) will bring five critics to...

Friendly reminder that I'm looking for film journalists to come mentor @mujschool.bsky.social student critics during @truefalsefilmfest.bsky.social! $1000 paid stipend. Applications due Monday!

On Spotify, BB has 108M followers. KR has 3M. Can we stop saying that this is an "alternative" halftime show? There is nothing alternative about it, not even in the same universe. What a joke. #BenitoBowl

For anyone who might want a Bad Bunny primer heading into tomorrow, I got you…👇

Review: ‘The Cherry Orchard’ Makes Family Delusion Captivating in Marin | KQED Carey Perloff’s direction and a gleaming cast elevate Anton Chekov’s final play at Marin Theatre.

The Cherry Orchard at Marin Theatre is excellent. Great translation, with a solid cast of the Bay Area's most acclaimed talent. So much to like about the show. Always great to be back writing theater reviews for @kqedarts.bsky.social. #hellatheatre www.kqed.org/arts/1398639...

‘Shakespeare’ gets a lot of credit — but performer should, too Jacob Ming-Trent takes theatergoers on an illuminating and entertaining journey.

Another show about how Shakespeare is hip-hop? Actually, no. We all discovered The Bard for the first time, but for Jacob Ming-Trent, it was life or death. The ending is a struggle, but the show really is terrific. My review of "How Shakespeare Saved My Life" for the @mercurynews.com. #hellatheatre

1. It was not an accident.
2. It was not a staffer.
3. While the president may have dementia his racism is not due to dementia.
4. He isn’t sorry. He means every racist thought he shares.
5. His base agrees with him.
6. He will do it again.
7. No one in power will hold him accountable.

You know how Home Depot gives jobs to Olympic-level athletes and flexibility to train, compete, etc.?

We need that. But for journalists. As of 2023, more than a third of journalist are self-employed, according to @pewresearch.org. That number has doubtless grown!

Review: Hershey Felder delivers a brilliant story … about Hershey Felder The performer best known for his engaging profiles of legendary composers, unspools an equally compelling story of his own life.

Hershey Felder's annual appearance on the Peninsula at TheatreWorks has an emotional bent, telling his very personal life story. It was so beautiful when he dedicated "Claire de Lune" to the memory of Alex Pretti in the post-show Q&A. My review for The @mercurynews.com. #hellatheatre (gift article)

Review: Joy, pain, cooking merge in ‘Running After Shadows’ in San Jose Vincent Terrell Durham’s solo show shines in world premiere at City Lights Theater

Really nice show at City Lights, about the pain of missing out on a life of not one, but two fathers. Rella Lossy award-winning play's world premiere, runs through this weekend in #SanJose. My review of "Running After Shadows" for The @mercurynews.com #hellatheatre (gift article)