Inside a stripped-down “Streetcar”
The Bay Area’s weekly roundup of arts, culture, and community | January 23 to 29, 2026
What do you have when you take away set dressing, props, and even dialect? It’s the language that’s allowed to shine. And with a script by Tennessee Williams, that rich dialogue fills any gaps we may expect with a stripped stage. The Streetcar Project asks its audience to listen and to imagine, to sink into the emotion and struggle that is at the heart of A Streetcar Named Desire.
American Conservatory Theater is the first dedicated theatre to host this production, which has found a home in an airplane hanger, a warehouse, and other atypical locations. By bringing the show to Toni Rembe Theater, frequent audiences will experience something different with the opportunity to sit directly on stage.
“We’re opening up and letting the audience see the entire space of the Toni Rembe, to not pretend it’s any other place than it is,” said Nick Westrate, co-creator of The Streetcar Project. “Which is different than how we usually use a theatre, right? We usually use a theatre to make a representation of another place, to transport people, to build that fourth wall that people are used to. And what I hope we get to do in the Toni Rembe is subvert the entire space so that our imaginations can fill the entire room that we’re all in together, and let the audience be a part of the storytelling.”
An interview between A.C.T. Artistic Director Pam MacKinnon and co-creators of The Streetcar Project Nick Westrate and Lucy Owen dives deep into this visceral storytelling event. When you read the discussion, you may be drawn in, already imagining the frustrations of Blanche, Stanley, and Stella. Once you’re ensnared, the only thing to do is see the performance for yourself. — Ciara
On the Stage
Beethoven 5 & Seong-Jin Cho
Classical | San Francisco Symphony
Now – January 24 | Tickets
Finnish conductor John Storgårds makes his San Francisco Symphony debut with an exhilarating program centered on Beethoven’s monumental Fifth Symphony.
More Events
- Schubert in Vienna | California Symphony | Now – January 25
- Mark Morris Dance Group: Moon | Cal Performances | Now – January 25 | View Print Program
- Audio Described: January 25
- Hershey Felder: The Piano and Me | TheatreWorks | Now – February 8
- How Shakespeare Saved My Life | Berkeley Rep | Now – March 1 | View Program
- Closed Captioned: January 29
Next Line
- The conqueror is on the move. Julius Caesar, presented by San Francisco Shakespeare Festival, is going on tour to schools and public spaces next month. The cast and creative teams have been announced.
- Get your kids’ summer plans done early this year. Berkeley Rep is now enrolling grades 1 to 12 for artistic summer camps, accepting kids with all levels of experience. Plus, sign up before January 26 and get special pricing.
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