Bisceglie's SF Follies Press Release

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	"Something new and exciting has just opened in San Francisco. It's the San Francisco Follies and it's terrific! The San Francisco Follies is a flashy, fast- paced show that really takes on the city with potshots at every place, everybody and everything. It's a barrel of laughs! It has young, fresh, and talented performers who play multiple roles. Among the portrayals are Mayor Gavin Newsom, Senators Diane Feinstein and Barbara Boxer and Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Go see the SF Follies. You'll laugh your head off!" - Jerry Friedman, KGO Radio
	"John Bisceglie is one talented & charismatic artist. The costumes and concept are terrific. The humor really works, especially the number about the different neighborhoods of SF. Its really is a fun night of theatre!" - Jan Wahl, KRON TV
	"SF Follies is the new must-see San Francisco revue! If you live here, you'll laugh out loud. And if you're not from here, you'll want to be by the end of the show. SF Follies delivers the brave, bold and often times sordid history of our beloved City by the Bay in a burst of non-stop, in your face action. From our local celebrities to our one-of-a-kind neighborhoods, there are no sacred cows here and nothing is spared. Go and see SF Follies! It'll be a great night out for you and your friends." - Fernando & Greg, Energy 92.7

REVIEWS

There are moments of inspired lunacy in the new homegrown musical revue “SF Follies”: a maniacal sea lion and a crazed combination of ubiquitous movie critic Jan Wahl and historic Playland character Laughing Sal.While writer-director-producer John Bisceglie doesn’t necessarily invite comparisons with The City’s higher-rent granddaddy of the genre, “Beach Blanket Babylon,” his “Follies” does have a few big hats, glittering costumes and songs in which lyrics of pop tunes are switched out to funny local effect. Read more...
- Leslie Katz, SF Examiner

“Move over, Beach Blanket, and make room for the new kid in town. "SF Follies," the satirical revue of our beloved Babylon by the Bedlam sprung from the brain, loin and other body parts of John Bisceglie, is San Francisco’s latest must-see phenomenon on the only-in-San-Francisco to-do list.” Read more…
- By Roger Brigham, EDGE San Francisco

If you love gaudy, bawdy musicals, if you thrill to high energy glitz with amazing chorus lines that dazzle, and if you adore San Francisco, in all of its grime and glory, you owe it to yourself to see this exciting, edgy show that ridicules all the things that drive us wild: the filthy pan handlers, the drug dealers, the crammed busses, vindictive meter maids and littered streets set against a skyline to die for and opulence no one can afford. Read more…
- By Lynn Ruth Miller

John Bisceglie’s SF FOLLIES is the most refreshing musical revue to inhabit the City in a very long time. Playing now in the off-Broadway-type environment of Actors Theatre (855 Bush Street at Taylor), SF FOLLIES sits in the proverbial “All Talking/All Singing/All Dancing” category and boasts a sparkling group of Bay Area performers who will soon become the talk of the town. Read more…
- By Sean Martinfield, Sentinel Fine Arts Critic

"Don't cry for me, San Francisco," a chic businesswoman belts, "the truth is I can't afford you." A militant-ditzy Patty Hearst (Tenaya Hurst, no relation) warbles "I get by with a little help from my friends." A newly arrived Midwestern couple check local prices and decide, "Let's call the home search off." A segue from "I felt the earth move under my feet" to "shake the city" and "burn, baby, burn" is a natural for a certain event of 1906. Read more…
- By Robert Hurwitt, Chronicle Theater Critic

John Bisceglie, who created the successful revue The San Jose Follies, has now put his sights on San Francisco in a fast, bawdy 90-minute musical revue with some great high glitz that anyone living in this city will be sure to find entertaining. The very talented cast has energy that spills into the audience. The city has Beach Blanket Babylon to lampoon national events, so why not have a satirical revue that pokes fun at city landmarks, attractions, personalities and local events?
Read more…
- By Richard Connema, talkinbroadway.com

SF Follies is a spectacular show that attracts both young and old alike. Many times we have wondered, what would happen if San Francisco was left without a show that has the magnitude and importance of Beach Blanket Babylon? Well, it would be a semi-serious disaster, as this musical event is not only of great importance to our great city, but also for the thousands of tourists who visit San Francisco every day.
Read more…
- By Mario A. Echevarría, The San Francisco Tribune

The city of San Francisco has a long and captivating history, from the building of Spanish missions to the 1906 earthquake to the bust of the dotcom industry. Throughout that history, San Francisco has become one of the most wonderful, and most tragic, cities in the world. John Bisceglie’s SF Follies surveys the beauty and the horror of living in San Francisco through the lens of absurdity, giving residents and visitors alike a humorous second look at life in the Bay Area, complete with naked gold miners, rabid sea lions, and ridiculously complicated street cleaning signs. Read more…
- By Ann Taylor, SF Station

With a blast and a bang the Follies performers greet us with a lively song and dance opening that grabs us from the start as we are invited to revisit the past and present of one of America’s most glorious cities. As quickly we are back in the seventeen hundreds where a couple of Spaniards are commanding two female native Indians who comprehend nada. After the name Yerba Buena is changed to San Francisco a naked gold miner adds another note of humor and scandal as he appears holding his mining plate in front of his parts to spoof the days of the Gold Rush. Read more…
- By Dr. Jean Lust and Flora Lynn Isaacson

It’s not often that I find myself slumped in my theater seat completely engulfed with laughter, but that happened to me at during the glitter whirlwind that is John Bisceglie’s SF Follies. Harking back to the days of Florenz Ziegfield, Bisceglie puts forth his vision in his definition of follies: “a lavishly produced review using song and dance that features glitzy costumes, dynamic performers and outlandish humor.” Check, check, and check. Clearly produced as a labor of love, SF Follies succeeds in dazzling the audience with its fifteen performers on a tiny stage. It may be cut-rate lavishness, but you wouldn’t know it from the glitter, the plumes, and the eye-popping colors of the many, many costumes. Read more...
- By Robert Philipson, Piedmont Press

SF Follies is that rare combination of history, entertainment and hilarity that succeeds brilliantly. This show educates and satirizes historic events and current politics but does so endearingly. People walk out of the theater smiling and laughing and comparing their favorite moments. Read More...
- Richard Tuck, Playland-Not-at-the-Beach

YELP REVIEWS

AMAZING!!! I was sitting at the edge of my sitting throughout the entire musical. I laughed so hard that my muscles were sore. The the costumes, stage settings, and props really added to the theatrical aspect. The writer of this piece exhibited sheer creativity, great sense of humor, and solid knowledge of SF through this musical.

What a delightul show, full of heart and energy. Great cast, great song parodies. great set and costumes. An all around joyous and entertaining experience for all. Don't miss it. We looooved it.

As native San Franciscans, who adore our city and it's history, we loved this show! This was a fun, fast paced look at San Francisco's truly historic past and it's citizens. With it's fabulous costumes (especially the wigs) SF Follies was very fun to look at. The singing and dancing made it easy to enjoy. The writing was witty and true and the humor can be enjoyed by natives and visitors alike. This show has such potential for greatness, it could become a San Francisco staple!

New lyrics to old San Francisco songs, well choreographed, outlandish costumes with wigs to match and an energetic very talented young group, highlighted the premier evening which I was very fortunate to partake. An exceedingly enjoyable evening and well worth the price of admission

It's a funny, enjoyable show. Great costumes and wigs. Excellent singing and dancing. Have recommended it to several of my friends. A worthwhile night out.

This show was so much fun! The very talented cast had energy that spilled into the audience, making us all want to get up and dance. The costumes were amazing (so many of them too!). The set was spectacular....I've been to the Actors Theatre before and I couldn't believe the transformation! I found myself laughing out loud throughout the entire show but also a little teary eyed during the sentimental tribute. What a great time.....looking forward to seeing it again!

My husband and I went to the show and absolutely loved it! Everything about it was fantastic! It had singing, dancing, beautiful costumes, and was so hilarious. At one point I had tears coming out from laughing so hard! Perfect for a date night! A must see!

High-paced, witty, great dancing, fun songs, awesome parodies and DIANE FEINSTEIN!!! in all her disco glory. The number where they roast the districts is worth the price of admission alone. Costumes, sets, wigs were incredible, this show is as good as it gets! Woohoo!

This is a spectacular show! I'd love to see this on a bigger stage! Although the intimate space made it all the more fun. The cast was top-notch, the writing was superb, and the costumes were out of this world. Well worth it! GO SEE IT NOW!

YOU MUST SEE THIS SHOW! It's energetic and fun--I don't think I ever stopped laughing from the time that first sparkly-vested man stepped out on stage. The cast is incredibly talented and very good looking. Especially the guy that plays the mayor. YUM! I'm going again next week!

This show rocks! Sometimes it's a little rough around the edges, but it just makes it cooler for some reason, not to mention it has countless moments of absolute brilliance. The humor is quick and spares no one. The quality of costumes and great script make this show a real home-run. Simply put, it's a great show with an awesome cast. Highly recommended!

My husband and I saw the SF Follies matinee this afternoon, and it was absolutely hilarious! John Bisceglie succinctly intertwines San Francisco history with cultural truisms. Despite an audience full of folks from different backgrounds, age groups, and even demographics, this well-written piece struck home across the board. You may want to get tix in advance because people waited in the rain for them today--unheard of in SF. Bravo!

A wonderful way to spend an evening filled with pure entertainment! The SF Follies show captivates you with brilliant costuming and light hearted musical review. The historical references are uncannily accurate and the political jibs teasing and terse. Particularly poignant for SF locals was the nostalgic black and white film footage at the end. Bringing back solid memories to SF natives, many were moved by the images of the old Sutro buildings, children playing in the fun houses and depictions of the neighborhoods they'd grown up in . Well written and well done, this show is not to be missed.