Hello,

We're coming to San Francisco for a week at the end of April and need a little help getting a grasp on the theatre scene. We live in NYC and go to many Broadway shows. What would be some good websites to check out? Are there any shows that are not to be missed? Are there ways to get discounted seats? Here there are a few websites like Broadwaybox.com that offers promotional codes. Any help would be great appreciated!

Thanks!
Rachel

You may be in for a big disappointment. San Francisco is not much of a theatre town. Expect two or three big recent or long run Broadway shows, which I'm sure you will have already seen. There are some smaller venues, mostly scattered near Union Square, just to the west.

There is a TKTS booth at Union Square where you can often get half price tickets to most of the shows, except those big ones. I've had great luck there, and unlike New York I've never seen much of a wait in line.

I usually wait until I get there and check out what's currently happening.

The one thing I would suggest is Beach Blanket Babylon -- totally unique to San Francisco. See the website and you'll get a really rough idea. Be sure to click "The Show" and then "current in the show". You do need to get tickets ahead.

www.beachblanketbabylon.com

Big shows at the biggest theaters can be found here:
http://www.bestofbroadway-sf.com/bob0506.html

Smaller options include venues such as Theatre Rhonoceros:
http://www.therhino.org/

and New Conservatory Theater:
http://www.nctcsf.org/

As mentioned Beach Blanket Babylon has been going strong for decades.

If you want interactive try Teatro Zinzanni's Love, Chaos & Dinner:
http://love.zinzanni.org/

Check out www.sfgate.com go to entertainment.
You will find only late-run Broadway hits. Some local talent, but need to check reviews for that. Beach Blanket Babylon is an old saw, but it has it's cute moments. You can enjoy what it's like to be an out-of-towner convention there.

As You Like It at the Curran Theatre has gotten very good reviews. Also, Lennon the Musical, is opening here mid-May at the Orpheum Theatre before it heads to Broadway. Unfortunately, I don't know how one might obtain a discount.

I always use www.theatrebayarea.org for a list of current or upcoming plays. Opera, ballet, symphony don't advertise here, check their own websites.

You can also check www.sfbay.com enterntainment page, theater, music, etc...

If you decide to go to Beach Blanket Babylon - check the 1/2 price list, recently they've started to sell them too!

I would also suggest you look at both Berkeley Rep and Aurora Theaters. They are both in the same "theater district" in Berkeley and a short BART trip from SF. The BART station is about a block away from both theaters. We have seen some very good and relatively early run shows at Berkeley Rep. I think the website is www.berkeleyrep.org.