Robert Townsend News

Celebrating Black History Month, Black film pioneer Robert Townsend will add one additional performance for the closing run of his solo show Living the Shuffle on Sunday, March 1 and three special post-show discussions at The Marsh Berkeley.

In celebration of Black History Month, The Marsh San Francisco and The Marsh Berkeley announce additional performances of four shows which speak to the 20th century African-American experience: Living the Shuffle, Not a Genuine Black Man, The Waiting Period, and East 14th. From a look at the difficulties faced by Black actors in the film industry to growing up in what was declared one of the most racist suburbs in America, overcoming depression, and living on the rough side of town, each solo show brilliantly explores aspects of life, as seen through the eyes of actor/performers Robert Townsend, Brian Copeland, and Don Reed. For tickets and additional information on Living the Shuffle (Feb. 1-29), Not a Genuine Black Man (Feb. 8), The Waiting Period (Feb. 16), and East 14th (Feb. 21 & 22), the public may visit www.themarsh.org or call The Marsh Box office at 415-282-3055 (open Monday through Friday, 1:00pm-4:00pm). NOTE: Performances locations vary.

They've Gotta Have Us, a dynamic chronicle of art, activism and race in Black Cinema featuring in-depth interviews with some of Hollywood's most iconic voices, has been acquired by ARRAY Releasing as the company's first series acquisition.  ARRAY will premiere the docu-series on Netflix on February 5, 2020. ARRAY has also acquired distribution rights in the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Africa. The announcement was made by ARRAY founder Ava DuVernay.

Due to popular demand, Living the Shuffle, Robert Townsend's one-man rollercoaster-ride through the ups and downs of show business, will return to The Marsh Berkeley in February 2020.

SF Sketchfest presented announces additions to the lineup for the 19th annual San Francisco Comedy Festival January 9-26, 2020.

Just in time for the holiday season, The Marsh Berkeley announces a limited run of comedian Don Reed's East 14th, a bold and innovative peek into an extraordinary childhood intertwined with Christmas stories. Winner of the 2016 Theatre Bay Area (TBA) Award for a?oeOutstanding Presentation of a Solo Production,a?? this acclaimed autobiographical hit invites audiences to 1970s Oakland when Reed tried to resist the evangelical recruiting by his Jehovah's Witness stepfather.

Due to popular demand, The Marsh Berkeley announces that it has extended Living the Shuffle, a one-man rollercoaster-ride through the ups and downs of show business. Renowned actor/director Robert Townsend has worked with Hollywood icons like Beyoncé, Denzel Washington, Eddie Murphy, Morgan Freeman, James Earl Jones, and many more.

Filmmaker Robert Townsend is a born entertainer, and his solo show a?oeLiving the Shufflea?? is perhaps more than anything about the pleasure of his company. He seems so comfortable onstage, knowing precisely how to scale his performance to the size of the room, how to punctuate a laugh line for maximum effect, when to pull back a bit to give the material some room to breathe, that it's startling to realize it's been decades since he's done live performance. He first came to national prominence with his groundbreaking, satirical 1987 film, a?oeThe Hollywood Shufflea?? from which his stage show obviously takes its name. In the intervening years, Townsend has had a prolific career as an actor-writer-director-producer in film and TV. Based on the evidence currently onstage at The Marsh Berkeley, it's lucky for us that he's turned his focus to live theater.

Filmmaker Robert Townsend has truly had a singular career ever since coming to prominence with his groundbreaking 1987 film a?oeThe Hollywood Shuffle.a?? That satirical comedy about Black actors dealing with racial stereotypes in the film and TV industry was famously self-financed by Townsend maxing out his credit cards. Perhaps even more remarkably, he has successfully maintained simultaneous careers over the ensuing decades as an actor, director, writer and producer working in both film and TV, narratives and documentaries, with the occasional mockumentary thrown in for good measure. Along the way, he has worked with a virtual galaxy of stars - Beyoncé, James Earl Jones and Morgan Freeman to name just a few a?" while surviving the inevitable ups and downs of a career in show business. Townsend is now returning to his roots as a stage performer with his solo show a?oeLiving the Shufflea?? at The Marsh Berkeley.

Westport Country Playhouse's world premiere translation and adaption of Molière's comedy, a?oeDon Juan,a?? by Brendan Pelsue, directed by Playhouse associate artistic director David Kennedy, will begin Tuesday, November 5 and run through Saturday, November 23.

The Marsh Berkeley announces the extension of That Don Reed Show created by acclaimed comedian/playwright, Theatre Bay Area (TBA) 2018, 2017 nominee, and 2016 TBA winner Don Reed. Following a successful World Premiere run at The Marsh Berkeley, That Don Reed Show transferred to The Marsh San Francisco in September 2019. Saturday Night Live said Don was a?oetoo white,a?? while the network executive for In Living Color said he wasn't a?oeblack enough.a?? So Don created That Don Reed Showa?"his own sketch variety showa?"bringing Bay Area audiences an evening of irreverent sketches, edgy stand-up, music, and moving drama. With a little bit of improvisation and constantly evolving material, no two shows are exactly alike. Special themed and holiday performances will be offered throughout the run. That Don Reed Show will be extended October 20 a?" December 29, 2019 (specific times below) at The Marsh San Francisco, 1062 Valencia St., San Francisco. For tickets ($20-$35 sliding scale, $55-$100 reserved) or more information, the public may visit www.themarsh.org or call The Marsh Box office at 415-282-3055 (open Monday through Friday, 1pm-4pm).

The Marsh Berkeley presents Living the Shuffle, a one-man rollercoaster-ride through the ups and downs of show business. Renowned actor/director Robert Townsend has worked with Hollywood icons like Beyoncé, Denzel Washington, Eddie Murphy, Morgan Freeman, James Earl Jones, and many more. Now, the trailblazing filmmaker gives audiences a front row seat to his career, from the dangerous streets of Chicago to performing Julius Caesar at a pimp convention in New York City, then creating the breakout film that would launch his career, Hollywood Shuffle, and becoming a Black film pioneer.

Following a successful World Premiere run at The Marsh Berkeley, That Don Reed Show, created by acclaimed comedian/playwright, Theatre Bay Area (TBA) 2018, 2017 nominee, and 2016 TBA winner Don Reed, will transfer to The Marsh San Francisco this fall.

TBS has tapped writer, director and producer Keenen Ivory Wayans to serve as showrunner on season three of The Last O.G., starring Tracy Morgan and Tiffany Haddish. Co-created and executive-produced by Academy Award-winner Jordan Peele, The Last O.G. launched as cable's #1 comedy in 2018 and continues to be a ratings success with season two reaching a multiplatform audience of 32.5 million viewers thus far. Wayans, a New York native, will also direct four episodes in the newest season of the Brooklyn-centric comedy series.

WestBeth Entertainment will present HANNAH GADSBY'S latest solo show, DOUGLAS, for a 4-week limited engagement, July 23 - August 17, at the Daryl Roth Theater (101 East 15th Street). Tickets go on sale to the general public on Sunday, April 14 at 10:00am at Ticketmaster.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000.

From Friday, May 3 through Wednesday, May 22, BAM presents Black 90s: A Turning Point in American Cinema, a nearly three week-long program of films, both low-budget art films and classic blockbusters, from an era of explosive creativity and newfound studio support for black filmmakers.

Luna Stage and The United Tastes of America (formerly Syria Supper Club) have teamed up to co-host a memorable evening includes a full Syrian dinner and live entertainment on Sunday, March 3, from 6-9pm. This first-ever Luna Dinner is one night only, launching an annual fundraiser and community dinner series. Held at Luna Stage in West Orange, the March 3 event featuring jazz headliner Suzzanne Douglas, and supports both newly immigrated local refugee families and cutting-edge local theatre.

The one-and-only Isaac Mizrahi - celebrated fashion icon, singer, raconteur - will bring his singular talent, humor and charm to the McCarter Theater Center stage (91 University Place, Princeton, NJ) for one-night-only on Friday, March 1st as he kicks off a national tour with a brand new show, I&ME, in conjunction with the release of his memoir I.M., to be published by Flatiron Books on February 26, it has been announced by the tour's producer Arnold Engelman.