A STRANGE LOOP coming to San Francisco in April 2024

If there's anyplace it made sense for A Strange Loop to come first after New York City and London, it was San Francisco, where the musical is a coup for the American Conservatory Theater - and a great chance for me to finally see it next spring.

It's not the final show of ACT's season, which is actually The Lehman Trilogy, postponed for a while due to COVID-19. Both shows are part of the theater's subscription package that suddenly looks pretty strong. There's no information on casting yet. The show will open April 18 and run through May 12.- just over three weeks. 

https://www.act-sf.org/whats-on/2023-24-season/a-strange-loop/

https://datebook.sfchronicle.com/theater/a-strange-loop-broadway-act-sf-18164001

It would surprise me if this is the only stop for the musical. I would expect it to visit Los Angeles at least. But I guess it depends on whether the producers are going to try to put together a mini-tour that hits major cities or just have new performers in each town at smaller venues. The Toni Rembe Theater (formerly the Geary) seats a little over 1,000 people.

I have to say it feels like ATG dropped the ball on this one. I think there would be enough interest in A Strange Loop to fill a slot in its otherwise meh touring season and at least occupy the Curran with an actual show instead of leaving the place empty. But their loss is ACT's gain.

Updated On: 6/22/23 at 01:01 AM

Hoping this is a mini tour and it comes to Chicago. At least at The Goodman or a short stint somewhere. 

Yes, The Ahmanson Theatre here in LA announced in July of last year that ASL was part of their 2024 season.  I have a subscription and decided to not buy tickets to see it again.  Once was enough.  Ha, ha.  Just didn't care for it at all.  

a shame this is only playing LA & San Francisco this summer. Was hoping they'd get a few more stops announced like Seattle, San Diego and/or Portland.

The reviews of the San Francisco production are favorable but are basically just review of the show, aside from some focus on Malachi McCaskill, the college junior who played Usher. Karen D'Souza in the Mercury News describes him as "sweetly endearing" while Lily Janiak in the San Francisco Chronicle is rather harsh, writing that he "doesn't have the chops to carry a work of this depth" while also criticizing his vocal performance.

I'm going to defend McCaskill here, as I thought he got better as the show went along. There were also, as I mentioned in my comments on the show, some sound issues at my performance (and at a subsequent one an acquaintance attended) that affected everyone, not just him.

To me, the key things are that McCaskill - from my vantage point in the fifth row of the orchestra - did an excellent job as an actor in a grueling role and then nailed the gospel number and the finale. I was very impressed with his overall performance, especially because it ended so strongly.