Rotimi speaks appreciatively of the relaxed nature of his relationship with the organization — how inspired he is by his fellow artists, and particularly the flexibility it affords him to create work at his own pace, rather than by an organization-imposed deadline or including a guideline for producing commercially viable work.
“It’s a[kind of]freedom,” he notes, “not feeling pressure to conform to a certain standard.”
SPACE 124 in the Artaud project. (Courtesy of SPACE 124)
Project Artaud: collective power writ large
Founded in 1971, Project Artaud (499 Alabama St.) is one of the oldest artist-run live work spaces in the country. It serves as a home for nearly 100 members who lead the project together while nurturing their individual artistic and creative practice.
As you would expect from an organization named after the influential French theater maker Antonin Artaud, building performance spaces was an important part of the project’s creators’ vision. Today, the impressive industrial building (once the headquarters of the American Can Company) houses several public venues managed by tenants and one – SPACE 124 – managed by the project.
With each space and theater group operating independently, Project Artaud is a place of endless possibilities. Each week, audiences can discover the highly specialized work of the Theater of Yugen, a touring powerhouse or new musical at the 244-seat Z Space, gripping new works by local playwrights at the Z Below, a celebration of dance works at the Joe Goode Annex, or the heady Heights of an aerial performance at SPACE 124.
While each space has its own vibe and audience, cross-pollination is part of the overall ecosystem. Fury Factory – a biannual festival of ensemble performances curated by jokesFURY prior to its dissolution in 2021 – cleverly capitalized on their proximity, presenting multiple touring and local artists, workshops and talks simultaneously and in close proximity to each other. But even without a festival on site, the venues are linked by a shared history and Project Artaud’s focus on creating and preserving artistic space together.
“I’m so glad I was a part of that time,” says Lizzy Spicuzza, a Project Artaud member since the early ’80s and current program manager of SPACE 124. “It’s also part of my story.”
The Stage Werx Theater offers a 70-seat space in the heart of the mission. (Ty McKenzie)
The Stage Werx Theater at 446 Valencia Street is not a multi-stage venue. But one look at what’s on offer suggests it has to be – it’s home to such a wide range of artists and performance styles.
Would you like to perform a musical about a cat allergy? Exploring the surrealist medium Exquisite Corpse as an ensemble production? Reading the works of HP Lovecraft naked on stage? Ty Mckenzie, owner of Stage Werx, a staple of the San Francisco underground, won’t tell you no.
As the seemingly tireless engine working behind the scenes to create this supporting microcosm, Mckenzie had to learn to do whatever it took to (literally) stop the lights (literally).
The only thing I don’t do is plumbing,” she says of her workload. “I can plumb, but I drew a line. I do everything else – from accounting to production, from electrics to roof repairs.”
A staple of the Stage Werx calendar is improv including (up until this year) Endgames Improv and currently the delightfully wacky Cirque Oui-Et! (or Circus Yes-And), who mix their long improv shows with burlesque, puppetry, drag and clown. And similar to a separate improvisation show, the guiding principle of Stage Werx could be described as a “yes and”.
Mckenzie, the human embodiment of this principle, still doesn’t pay for her work at Werx, instead focusing on the ephemeral rewards of a job well done – and the satisfaction of supporting local artists.
“I love the work they do here and it fills me with boundless energy to provide a clean, well-run, state-of-the-art venue so they can focus on their craft. It’s a love-love situation,” she says. “And who doesn’t want to spend their days surrounded by love?”
