A Big Warm Hallowed Out Hole

In a city like San Francisco, where the rents are sky-high and artists are forced to leave in droves, it's always exciting to hear news about the opening of new -- as well as the revivifying of old -- performing arts venues. We've seen a spate of them of late, from the resuscitation of The Climate Theater to the advent of The Garage on Mission Street to Boxcar moving into its first permanent building in SOMA.

Just heard about another great addition to the local small theatre scene. Ex-Darkroom aficionado Ty Mckenzie together with her sister Cory are about to launch a new company called Stage Werx Theatre in downtown SF. Some info from the company's website:

Stage Werx Theatre was founded in 2007 by Cory and Ty Mckenzie. These sisters spent their childhood running around rehearsal halls while their parents performed in community theatre. It only seems fitting that they would wind up running a space of their own. Stage Werx is dedicated to the community and has been established to:

- provide a forum in which theatre artists (actors, directors, playwrights, designers) may further develop their talents and skills.

- further the vitality, stability and development of live theatre in San Francisco by producing and hosting premieres and “reinventions” of previously produced materials.

- increase the Theatre’s profile in particular and the profile of San Francisco theatre in general by creating unique projects of interest.

Nothing too original about this mission statement, but that's OK. It's what goes on in the space that counts. Stage Werx's official launch takes place on January 19 in the company's Sutter Street basement (the building is shared with SF Playhouse among other groups) which the founders affectionately describe as "a big warm hallowed out hole underneath the mean cold streets above."