Kick Off the New Year with Inclusive Bay Area Arts in January
Accessible shows in the Bay Area this January, SF Symphony’s performance of James Gaffigan and Ray Chen, and a sneak peak into SF Opera’s next season.
Begin the new year with performances that bring people together and celebrate inclusion. This January, the Bay Area’s arts community is offering a wide range of accessible shows, including ASL interpretation, audio description, and open captioning. Whether you’re moved by a heartfelt play, energized by a lively musical, or inspired by an engaging speaking event, these performances ensure everyone can share in the joy of live arts as 2025 gets underway.
Waitress
- Haptic Tour: January 5 at 1 p.m.
- Audio Described: January 5 at 2 p.m.
Jenna, a waitress and expert pie maker, is stuck in a small town and a loveless marriage. Faced with an unexpected pregnancy, Jenna fears she may have to abandon the dream of opening her own pie shop…until a baking contest in a nearby county and the town’s handsome new doctor offer her a tempting recipe for happiness.
San Francisco Playhouse
sfplayhouse.org
On the Stage
Ring in the new year with a classical powerhouse performance, a heart-lifting musical, a deep dive into history, and more.
James Gaffigan & Ray Chen
Classical | San Francisco Symphony
January 9 – 11 | Tickets
Conductor James Gaffigan and violinist Ray Chen return on a thrilling program that combines lyricism and athleticism, fireworks and finesse. Samuel Barber wrote only one Violin Concerto, but it’s such a dazzling doozy that you can’t blame him for quitting while he was ahead. Prokofiev’s Fifth Symphony was composed at the height of the Second World War but its appeal is universal.
More Events
- Hamilton | BroadwaySF | Now – January 5
- Waitress | San Francisco Playhouse | Now – January 18
- Rachmaninoff and the Tsar | Theatreworks Silicon Valley | January 10 – February 9
Next Line
From new season announcements to spring galas, there’s a whole lot to look forward to in 2025.
- San Francisco Opera has announced an exciting world premiere for their next season. While the full 2025/26 season won’t be announced until February 4, SF Opera has given a sneak peak into their November 2025 performance of The Monkey King. This new, action-packed opera combines high-energy music and text with puppetry, dance, Peking opera, and Buddhist sutras to tell the tale of the Monkey King’s beginnings. Subscriptions for this opera and the full 2025/26 season will be available on February 4.
- Secure your tickets today for Cal Performances’ 2025 Gala on March 7. The upcoming spring Gala promises to be a standout event in the 2024/25 Bay Area cultural calendar. Celebrating the California Orchestra Residency at Cal Performances, this special evening will feature renowned pianist Yefim Bronfman performing Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3, alongside Strauss’s symphonic masterpiece, Ein Heldenleben. Led by the acclaimed Conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin, this extraordinary program is set to deliver an unforgettable musical experience.
