This fall Theatre Lunatico presents
Frankenstein
Why ‘Frankenstein’ gets AI better than Silicon Valley ever will
Lily Janiak, San Francisco Chronicle
Our Mission
Theatre Lunatico is a collectively-run ensemble physical theatre company devoted to storytelling that creates richly evocative worlds through the kinetic interplay between performers and the shared imagination of the audience.
Our work spans contemporary plays, reimagined classics, and original devised theatre, all approached through a dynamic ensemble process that highlights marginalized and underrepresented voices. Lunatico creates deeply felt, visceral experiences through the use of minimal sets and design. Our intimate black box venue amplifies our immersive and actor-driven aesthetic.
We strive to model the kind of world we want to inhabit: one rooted in equity where collaboration replaces hierarchy, every community member is supported, and every voice is heard.
Dive Into the World of Theatre Lunatico
The Company
Since Theatre Lunatico’s restructuring to a collectively run company by its Core Members in 2020, we have worked to move away from a single Artistic Director vision to one that is representative of the Core Company members who have committed to develop and co-run the company. We feel that the collaborative nature of our organization allows us to question and grapple with our choices both administratively and creatively.
Our core company members make it all happen, working alongside our growing pool of San Francisco Bay Area artists.
What Our Audience Says
“Theatre Lunatico’s production of “Frankenstein” was thoroughly enthralling. Compelling performances by the entire cast stirring up a complex emotional response.
I was riveted throughout.”
“I loved it! Everyone did such a great job. Every detail was perfect! Great costumes, lights, sounds, all the staging and props worked really well. The percussion and other sound effects were very well executed and really contributed to the impact of the play! So well done by everyone! Congrats!!!
The show was amazing!!!”
“This group of young actors packs such passion into their work. It’s a revelation to watch them work. I was transfixed.”
“I would say that what impressed me most was the way the group, through the expressiveness in voice and action, cut through the hazy film of centuries and made the play feel of our moment, fresh and relevant. I was also impressed with the way the unconventional venue actually became an asset – both in the engagement with the whole building as a vessel for the performance and for putting the audience on the stage with the actors.”
“I’ve never worked on anything quite like Lunatico’s production of Frankenstein. I was carried by this incredible ensemble of artists, who drove this story about pain, loss, abandonment, and obsession. Thank you Lauri for trusting me with this immense challenge.
‘Leave Gifts of Joy at People’s Door, And Then Quietly, Graciously, Disappear Into The Mists of Time.'”
“Frankenstein was so good! The music and sound were excellent!”
“I was extremely impressed with Theatre Lunatico’s production of Metamorphoses, The Stories of Ovid, written by Mary Zimmerman. This all female group’s use of a makeshift refugee camp as a backdrop for their storytelling was both captivating and refreshingly innovative. By using simple and powerful storytelling techniques, the actors were able to draw the audience into each story and reveal the timeless beauty of the human condition.”
“I was extremely impressed with Theatre Lunatico’s production of Metamorphoses, The Stories of Ovid, written by Mary Zimmerman. This all female group’s use of a makeshift refugee camp as a backdrop for their storytelling was both captivating and refreshingly innovative. By using simple and powerful storytelling techniques, the actors were able to draw the audience into each story and reveal the timeless beauty of the human condition.”
Experience the Magic of Live Theatre
Don’t miss out on an unforgettable performance at Theatre Lunatico. Secure your seats today and immerse yourself in the world of captivating storytelling and dynamic performances. Click below to purchase your tickets and be part of an extraordinary theatrical journey!
Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Empathy
Theatre Lunatico condemns both the overt racism of violent assault and the covert racism of silent complicity. We strive to educate ourselves in how we can be part of the solution, and we work to promote theatre that confronts oppression in all its forms. We stand in solidarity and empathy with our black and brown communities. We demand change now. The world needs all of us – together we accomplish more than divided.
Actions speak louder than words. A statement of support is not enough. Although we have consistently discussed and acted on the need to achieve greater diversity in our company, we have a lot more to do. In our programming we have prioritized stories that represent many aspects of the oppressed experience, addressing racism and misogyny and hate in our work, but we acknowledge that we need to achieve greater cultural diversity in the stories we tell.
We have created a solid body of work at Theatre Lunatico that has successfully shifted women to the centre of all our narratives, providing strong and ground-breaking roles for our female actors and achieving gender parity within our casts and crews. This work will remain essential to who we are as a company; we will additionally strive for greater intersectionality by urgently addressing racial diversity within our company.
We pledge to make constructive changes at Theatre Lunatico to increase our diversity not only within our community of actors, but also within our creative teams. Our leadership is comprised of a cooperative decision-making structure–our Core Company–and currently consists of five women and three men. Core Company Members collaborate and govern the company as a collective, and work with other artists and volunteers for our productions.
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