Told through circus, theater dance and music, Isabella and the Jewel Divine brings to life a magical and mythical tale of a young woman coming to embody her presence and power.

Co-Created & Performed by: Annie Herring, Asherah Weiss, Ben Goldstein, Bethlayne Hansen, Genie Cartier , Lane Lewis, Madison Worthington, Marie Cartier, Michael Curran, Sage Russo

Directed by: Polina Smith

“Isabella is the intense and moving story of a young woman first inspired by her bawdy and embodied grandma but then suppressed and controlled by a series of societal authorities until she finally resolves to follow her heart. The immensely talented and versatile Crescent Moon troupe uses a rich blend of mime, song, voice, accordion, choreography, costume, magic, and gymnastics to deliver to full effect this beautifully crafted tale that had me alternately laughing, crying, and cringing as the drama spun out with graceful and seamless transitions from scene to scene and mood to mood using minimal props. It’s a brilliant and memorable piece of theater with a powerful and important message to anyone wondering whether they are getting what they really want out of life and looking for inspiration. Missing it is missing out!” ~Don Smith

Photos by Robbie Sweeny

A Circus Cabaret!

Literary Foolery is a 90-minute cabaret featuring a guest doing amazing work in the community with circus artists, comedians and musicians sharing performances inspired by the guest's work. Every other month at PianoFight Theater in SF.

Literary Foolery is co-produced and co-MCed by Tristan Cunningam and Polina Smith as their respective clown characters, Gretchen and Dr. Schmidt.

FB Page: www.facebook.com/pg/LiteraryFoolery/ 

Past guests have included: 

Sam Mogannam, author of Eat Good Food and owner of Bi-Rite Grocery

Rhodessa Jones, founder of the Medea Project: Theater for Incarcerated Women

Joshua Fouts, Executive Director of Bioneers

Jean Johnstone, Exectuive Director of Teaching Artists Guild

Wendy Newman, Dating Expert and author of 121 First Dates

Carolyn Cooke, author of Daughters of the Revolution

Dave X, Burning Man's Fire Arts Safety Manager

“By far the best book event I've had so far. What a cool ass gig!”  
~Sam Mogannam, author of Eat Good Food and owner of Bi-Rite Grocery

Inspired by Paulo Coelho's 'The Alchemist,' La Alquimista draws on dance, contortion, physical theater, and song to bring a mythical and magical adventure to life inside the Tenderloin National Forest.

“Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself. And that no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams, because every second of the search is a second's encounter with God and with eternity.” 
― Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

La Alquimista in the news: http://fringereview.co.uk/review/san-francisco-fringe/2015/la-alquimista-a-circus-theater-fable/

Performed by: Alexander Jones, Alison Socha Ross, Ari Keever, Ben Goldstein, Michael Curran, Sammay Dizon, Samsara Shmee, Serena Malkani

Directed by: Polina Smith

An original production inspired by the lives of the women who came before us.

"In all of us there is a hunger, marrow-deep, to know our heritage, to know who we are and where we came from." –Alex Haley

Winner of 2014 BEST OF FRINGE

Performed by: Sam Selliman, Jessy Manuel, Jessie Aslop, Rae Mathias

Directed by: Polina Smith

Photos by: Thatcher Hayward