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Windsurf Named Presenting Sponsor of Bay to Breakers 2025

Media contact: David Perry / (415) 676-7007 / news@davidperry.com

Windsurf Named Presenting Sponsor of Bay to Breakers 2025

New Era of Flow and Fun for San Francisco’s Most Iconic Footrace
On Sunday, May 18

17 April 2025, San Francisco, CA: A new wave of innovation is set to sweep across the streets of San Francisco: Bay to Breakers, the city’s most iconic and irreverent footrace, is thrilled to announce Windsurf as the Presenting Sponsor for the 2025 event. This year’s race will proudly bear the title: Bay to Breakers powered by Windsurf, taking place on Sunday, May 18.

Windsurf, a cutting-edge software company built for developers and powered by AI, was born in the Bay Area and shares a deep cultural connection with the race itself. As part of the new partnership, Windsurf aims to bring its signature “flow state” ethos—familiar to both runners and coders alike—to every step of the legendary 12K event.

“One of my favorite moments in the company’s early days was running Bay to Breakers with two other founding team members,” said Varun Mohan, CEO and Co-Founder of Windsurf. “We didn’t train for it. We just showed up and had a great time, and that experience stuck with us. So being part of the race now, as a sponsor, feels like a full-circle moment—one we’re excited to share with others.”

Anshul Ramachandran, Head of Product & Strategy and part of the Founding Team, added: “Bay to Breakers is probably the most representative of what SF is. It’s fun, exciting, and a little chaotic in the best way. Also, we as a company have come up in the Bay Area, out of Silicon Valley, with many of us having run the race before. It’s one of the only events that truly matches the same vibe we bring as a company. So for us, being part of this just makes sense.”

“Windsurf’s energy and vision are a perfect match for the creativity and spirit of Bay to Breakers,” said Phyllis Blanchard of Motiv Sports/Bay to Breakers. “From its roots in the developer community to its AI-powered tools that help people find their flow, Windsurf brings a fresh wave of innovation and authenticity to this time-honored San Francisco tradition.”

As Presenting Sponsor, Windsurf will be fully integrated into all aspects of the race experience, from pre-race communications and social media to on-course branding and exclusive activation zones. Runners can expect to “get their second wind” at the Windsurf Mile and enjoy a series of tech-forward, community-focused engagements throughout race day.

Bay to Breakers is a San Francisco original, known for its spirited race that has been a staple of the city since 1912. It brings together athletes, families, community members, and costume-clad participants for a 12K race from the San Francisco Bay to the breakers on the Pacific Coast. Bay to Breakers is a celebration of life, laughter, and the personality of San Francisco, embodying the city’s inclusive spirit and community engagement. During the annual Bay to Breakers Race, participants of all ages and abilities, and oftentimes in costume, line up on Howard Street a few blocks from The Embarcadero on the third Sunday in May – in 2025, May 18. The course travels west through the City and finishes at the Great Highway, where the breakers crash into Ocean Beach. It truly is a time-honored tradition and the quintessential San Francisco experience.

To learn more about Bay to Breakers or sign up for the fun, visit www.baytobreakers.com. For sponsorship or Corporate Teams information, email Alex Jee at ajee@motivsports.com.

About Windsurf:
Windsurf is a leader in AI-powered coding solutions, offering tools that blend collaborative, continuous AI assistance with developers’ workflows. With a mission to make software creation seamless and joyful, Windsurf helps teams ship faster and smarter with intuitive tools and AI-powered coding assistance. Headquartered in the Bay Area, Windsurf is built by developers, for developers. For more information, visit www.windsurf.com.

YBCA AND OPERA PARALLÈLE PRESENT HARVEY MILK REIMAGINED, A BOLD REVIVAL OF THE TRAILBLAZING OPERA HONORING LGBTQ+ ICON HARVEY MILK

Media Contacts:

David Perry / (415) 676-7007 / news@davidperry.com 

Lauren Macmadu / (415) 350-1884 / lmacmadu@ybca.org

YBCA AND OPERA PARALLÈLE PRESENT HARVEY MILK REIMAGINED, A BOLD REVIVAL OF THE TRAILBLAZING OPERA HONORING LGBTQ+ ICON HARVEY MILK

Coinciding with what would have been Milk’s 95th birthday and the launch of Pride Month 2025, performances run May 31 – June 7, 2025 with a special commemorative display in partnership with the GLBT Historical Society

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15 April 2015 – San Francisco, CA: Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (YBCA) proudly presents Harvey Milk Reimagined, a groundbreaking revival of the acclaimed opera by composer Stewart Wallace and librettist Michael Korie, in partnership with Opera Parallèle. Directed and conceived by Opera Parallèle’s Creative Director Brian Staufenbiel and conducted by Artistic Director Nicole Paiement, this bold new staging honors the life and legacy of Harvey Milk—the civil rights leader and first openly gay elected official in California. Performances run May 31–June 7, 2025 at the Blue Shield of California Theater at YBCA, launching Pride Month 2025 and commemorating what would have been Milk’s 95th birthday.

Recently spotlighted by the San Francisco Chronicle as a “reimagined, streamlined, multimedia version” of the original 1995 opus, Harvey Milk Reimagined brings Milk’s story to a new generation. The production features a fresh orchestration, dynamic digital design, and a stirring performance by baritone Michael Kelly in the title role.

“Harvey Milk’s legacy lives in the hearts and voices of those who continue to fight for equality and inclusion,” said Mari Robles, CEO of YBCA. “We’re honored to partner with Opera Parallèle to bring this transformative opera to our stage, and share a unique window into his life through this historic collaboration.”

In tandem with the opera, YBCA will debut a special commemorative display in the theater lobby, presented in collaboration with the GLBT Historical Society. Featuring rarely seen personal artifacts, letters, campaign materials, and historic photographs from Milk’s life and political journey, this curated installation offers audiences an intimate window into Milk’s life and legacy, as well as the history of the LGBTQ+ rights movement in San Francisco. 

Opera Parallèle’s Artistic & General Director Nicole Paiement said, “OP is thrilled to be returning to YBCA, where our first production took place, as part of our 15th anniversary season. The basis of our collaboration with Stewart Wallace and Michael Korie was to take a new look at Harvey Milk, to rework it into a new and tighter version with a much more dramatic arc. We are so very pleased to present this new orchestration, a sparkling new production and a very talented cast of artists. This fresh, reimagined perspective on the opera is sure to resonate deeply with audiences, honoring Milk’s courageous work in a powerful new way.”

Harvey Milk Reimagined is presented as part of YBCA’s 2024–25 performance season and affirms the organization’s mission to be a gathering space for creative expression that fosters meaningful connection for all.

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE:
Blue Shield of California Theater at YBCA
700 Howard Street, San Francisco, CA

  • Saturday, May 31, 2025 | 7:30 PM
  • Sunday, June 1, 2025 | 3:00 PM
  • Friday, June 6, 2025 | 7:30 PM
  • Saturday, June 7, 2025 | 5:00 PM – Audio Described Performance & Haptic Tour by Gravity Access Services

Full production information available at: https://operaparallele.org/harveymilk/

TICKETS:
Available now at https://ybca.org/harveymilk. Prices range from $50 – $188. A limited number of $35 under 35 tickets available for each performance.  

YBCA programs are made possible in part by Blue Shield of California, the City and County of San Francisco, The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), San Francisco Office of Economic and Workforce Development, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Helen Frankenthaler Foundation, James R. Lilienthal Trust, California Arts Council, Yerba Buena Partnership, Meridee Moore, Beard Family Foundation, Schwab Charitable Fund, Gaia Fund, David and Carla Crane Foundation, Andrew Skillman and Lydia Choy Charitable Fund, Amy and Hannah Eliot, Maria Kim, Tides Foundation, Wayee Chu and Ethan Beard, Amanda Minami, Klau Family Fund, Peter Rigano and Cody Hicks, Harvey and Leslie Wagner Foundation, Robert and Junko Kenmotsu, The San Francisco Foundation, and YBCA Members.

For more information visit www.ybca.org.

About YBCA:
Opened to the public in 1993, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (YBCA) was founded as the cultural anchor of San Francisco’s Yerba Buena Gardens neighborhood. Our work spans the realms of contemporary art, performance, film, civic engagement, and public life. By centering artists as essential to social and cultural movement, YBCA is reimagining the role an arts institution can play in the communities it serves. For more information, visit ybca.org.

YBCA is open Wednesday through Sunday from 11:00am to 5:00pm. General admission is $10, and $5 for students and seniors. Tickets can be purchased in person or reserved in advance at ybca.org. Admission is free every Wednesday and on the second Sunday of each month. 

About Opera Parallèle:
Opera Parallèle merges tradition with innovation to re-invent opera for our modern world. Founded in 2007 by conductor Nicole Paiement, the company has been a driving force in redefining the operatic experience for modern audiences. Opera Parallèle is deeply committed to presenting works that explore relevant social and cultural themes. Its productions often challenge traditional operatic norms by incorporating multimedia elements, technology, and unconventional staging. By blending classical opera with contemporary ideas, the company has garnered a reputation for pushing artistic boundaries and fostering creativity within opera.This dedication to artistic exploration and collaboration has made Opera Parallèle a significant cultural contributor to the vibrant San Francisco arts scene. Through awards and critical acclaim, Opera Parallèle continues to be recognized for its innovation, technical excellence, and highest caliber performances. For more information, visit operaparallele.org

About The GLBT Historical Society:
Founded in 1985, the GLBT Historical Society is a global leader in LGBTQ+ public history. The Society collects, preserves, exhibits, and makes accessible to the public materials and knowledge to support and promote understanding of LGBTQ+ history, culture, and arts in all their diversity. Through the Dr. John P. DeCecco Archives, the organization maintains one of the world’s largest archival collections of LGBTQ+ historical materials. In 2011, the Society established and continues operating the first museum of LGBTQ+ history and culture in the United States. The Society’s operations are centered at two sites: the GLBT Historical Society Museum, located in the heart of San Francisco’s Castro neighborhood, and the Dr. John P. De Cecco Archives and Research Center, open to researchers and located in the Mid-Market district. For more information, visit www.glbthistory.org. 

Volunteer Programs at the Presidio

MEDIA ADVISORY – EARTH MONTH

Volunteer Programs at the Presidio: Spring Days of Service, Saturday, April 19, 9am – 12pm.
Earth Day in Action at Fort Scott, Rob Hill, and Restoration Sites Throughout the Presidio
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Media Contacts:
David Perry / (415) 676-7007 / news@davidperry.com
Lisa Petrie: / (415) 707-9489 / lpetrie@presidiotrust.gov

WHAT:
The Presidio Trust’s signature Earth Month volunteer event happens Saturday, April 19 as part of the larger “Spring Days of Service” campaign across the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Seventy five volunteers will work across four key habitat restoration sites to remove invasive species, to allow for native plants to thrive insupport of healthy ecosystems in a park that is both a national historic landmark and ecological preserve.

Media will have two distinct coverage options:
*   Fort Scott Parade Ground: Central meeting and check-in site, with great visuals of group activity in meadow restoration and interviews with the volunteer coordinator, biological technician and volunteers.
*   Rob Hill Dune Restoration Site: Strong nature visuals, interviews with volunteers and biological technician,  plus view the Silver digger bee’s spontaneous return thanks to these same stewardship efforts.

Visuals include:
– Volunteer groups weeding mulching, and planting
– Native plant beds and landscapes with views of the Bay
– Golden Gate Bridge and historic Fort Scott in the background

WHEN:
Saturday, April 19 from 9am to 12pm

9am – Opening Circle

9:30 – Spread out to different projects

11:45 – Closing Circle

WHERE:
Main media location recommended: Fort Scott Parade Ground, Presidio of San Francisco (1299 Storey Ave). Alternate location for visuals: Behind Rob Hill Campground (1475 Central Magazine Rd, limited parking; please contact in advance).

WHO:
Presidio Trust staff and volunteer leaders available for interviews include:
– Aricia Martinez Johnson, Volunteer Coordinator (Fort Scott)
– Dionisio Gamoso, Bioscience Technician (Rob Hill site)
Please coordinate interviews with David Perry in advance.

DAY OF CONTACT: David Perry, (415) 676-7007

Volunteer projects in the Presidio are led in coordination with the NPS, the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy and the Presidio Trust. For more information and the full list of Spring Days of Service projects, visit: https://www.parksconservancy.org/volunteer/earth-day-and-spring-days-service-2025. For ongoing Presidio Trust projects please visit here: https://presidio.gov/support/volunteer

Blog overview and event highlights also available at: https://presidio.gov/explore/blog/earth-month-activities

About Volunteering in the Presidio. 
Between 1994 and 2024, volunteers have donated more than 867,000 hours of service.To learn more about the various volunteer opportunities, visit presidio.gov/volunteer.

About the Presidio + Presidio Trust.   
The Presidio is one of America’s most visited national park sites, located within the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Spanning 1,500 acres next to San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge, the Presidio is among the most biologically diverse parks in America. Historically a home to native peoples and a military post under three flags, its facilities have been reinvented as museums, restaurants, hotels, homes, and offices. The Presidio Trust is the federal agency that stewards the Presidio, in partnership with the National Park Service and with support from the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy. The Trust sustains the Presidio by leasing homes and workplaces and offering visitor amenities. Learn more at presidio.gov.



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April 30,  Palm Springs Author David Church’s The Magi Solution, available for sale to the public

media contact: David Perry & Associates, Inc / (415) 676-7007 /news@davidperry.com 

April 30,  Palm Springs Author David Church’s The Magi Solution, available for sale to the public

Thrilling Final Chapter in the author’s acclaimed Edison Trilogy

www.edisontrilogy.com

“A high-octane alt-history caper where real figures from history go head-to-head with evil in ways you absolutely never saw in your high school textbooks.”Literary Titan (5 of 5 stars)

10 April 2025 – Palm Springs, CA: Forget the Ides of March, it’s Beltane on April 30 that might send you underneath the sheets. That’s when, according to pagan mythology, the membrane between the physical and spirit realms is at its thinnest. It’s a day for witches, seances, and Palm Springs author David Church’s critically-acclaimed “Thomas Edison and the Magi Solution”: the perfect time for the world’s most famous inventor to save the world, with a little help from some equally well-known friends.   The book is available online via Amazon as well as Church’s site www.edisontrilogy.com.

“If you ever wondered what would happen if Indiana Jones met Thomas Edison, crossed paths with Groucho Marx, and then all three went on a mission to save the world from Hitler—with a dash of sci-fi and the occult thrown in—you’re in for one wild ride,” raved Literary Titan. “It’s for the dreamers, the sci-fi nerds, the WWII buffs, and anyone who loves a bold swing.”

“Thomas Edison has always fascinated me, not only because of his world-altering inventions but because of his fascination with the afterlife,” says Church, 70, whose “Edison Trilogy” is now complete with the new book. “That, added to my love for, and intense study of, history, specifically WWI and WWII, is what inspired these books. “Plus, as a screenwriter, I’m eager to see the trilogy have a second life in film or streaming.”

The first two installments – “Thomas Edison and the Purgatory Equation” and “Thomas Edison and the Lazarus Vessel” – have earned critical praised and a wide fan following for his “free-wheeling, enjoyable blend of real history, derring-do adventure and early cinematic comedy” — Kirkus Reviews.“Thomas Edison and the Purgatory Equation”  is the untold saga of Thomas Edison’s greatest invention: a machine designed to penetrate the barrier between life and death. Edison is accompanied on his metaphysical quest by John Dawkins, his heroic, young assistant with a tragic past, Emily Auburn, a Ziegfeld Follies showgirl and her wise-cracking rehearsal pianist, the teenage George Gershwin. Destiny propels them from the mind-boggling marvels of Edison’s secret library to the Captiva Island compound of the Seminole Indians, to the frontlines of the Great War where they journey into the dark heart of the dead zone and wage a decisive battle for the soul of mankind.

In “Thomas Edison and the Lazarus Vessel”, Edison is assisted by his long-time colleague John Dawkins, Emily Auburn and George Gershwin as they reunite to realize Edison’s final invention, the simu-dermis, a manufactured vessel of skin capable of housing a soul and allowing the dead to rise again. Accompanied by their new companions, Groucho Marx and Eleanor Roosevelt their quest propels them from the Hollywood dream factory, to the metaphysical vortex of Sedona, Arizona, to the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair, and finally to Andros Island in the Bermuda Triangle, where they battle a cabal of terrorists and come face to face with one of the greatest villains in human history.

“ ‘It’s lovely over there,’ were the last words of Edison –  arguably the most famous inventor of all time,” Church explains. “As he lay dying, he seemed to glimpse into another world, a world that he believed with which he could communicate via a device he called the spirit phone. That’s the stepping off point for my entire trilogy.”

In the trilogy’s final chapter, “Thomas Edison and the Magi Solution,” Church takes the reader on a rollicking hold-onto-the-seat-of-your-pants literary rollercoaster. The seminal inventor’s quest for life beyond the grave has him partnering with other historical figures such as Noel Coward, Winston Churchill and the infamous occultist, Aleister Crowley, as he saves the world from Adolf Hitler, the Nazis and Satan himself.

“Edison’s genius wasn’t just about invention—it was about seeing possibilities where others saw limits,” says Church. “I’ve always been captivated by how his work continues to ripple through history. With The Magi Solution, I wanted to explore the profound ways his legacy intersected with the challenges of war and the enduring human spirit. Concluding this trilogy has been deeply rewarding, and I hope readers find it as thrilling and thought-provoking as I did writing it. Literally, Edison ‘lit the way’ for everything that came after.”

A former advertising executive, Church has written for publications as wildly diverse as Soap Opera Digest and Interview, authored an environmental children’s book, Larue and the Brown Sky (illustrations by Toby Bluth), co-authored the cult-musical, Judy’s Scary Little Christmas (with Jim Webber and Joe Patrick Ward) and developed a variety of films for United Artists, CBS and NBC, including Psychic Housewife, and Saving Grace. David is a member of the Dramatists Guild and the Writers Guild of America West.

“You’ve never read a World War II story like this one,” says John Hanc, award-winning journalist and author of The Coolest Race on Earth. “Church’s ability to bring historical characters to life as disparate as Noel Coward and Adolf Hitler continues to amaze. This final book in the Edison Trilogy is exhilarating.”

“The epic conclusion of the Edison Trilogy delivers the voltage,” agrees Larry Dean Harris, Artistic Director, Strong Words.” It’s been a perilously entertaining adventure for our heroes, both fictional and factual, but David Church has saved the zest for last to deliver a deliciously satisfying finale behind enemy lines and beyond our expectations.” 

Thomas Edison and the Magi Solution opens in the Spring of 1945. As World War II comes to an end, John Dawkins, Edison’s intrepid former assistant, is summoned by an ailing President Roosevelt to investigate a terrifying secret report that Adolf Hitler, faced with certain loss, has made an unholy deal with the Devil to annihilate the world.  Along with his wife, Sophie, an ace newspaper reporter, and their ten-year-old son, Joshua, John journeys to war-ravaged London to join forces with theatrical playboy (and undercover agent) Noel Coward. Along the way, they are reunited with the reincarnated spirit of Thomas Edison. Together, they embark on a final, death-defying adventure that propels them from the ruins of Dresden to the bizarre mysteries of the Fuhrer’s bunker, to the bowels of Hell itself.  All in all, it is a journey to find ‘the Magi’ – the only three souls left on earth who can stop Hitler’s satanic endgame.

“Everyone loves a trilogy,” laughs Church, noting that the triangle and pyramid are classically strong geometric forms. “After this, I’m not sure which historical character I might re-discover and thrust into an adventure. But since my Edison books have opened the door to the afterlife, the field is wide open.”For more information about the Edison Trilogy, visit www.edisontrilogy.com and to preorder The Magi Solution, go to https://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Edison-Solution-David-Church-ebook/dp/B0DPRDZL4G 

‘Buttercup’ a wild, wacky ride at Marin Shakes

Theater review: ‘Buttercup’ a wild, wacky ride at Marin Shakes

Barry WillisApril 7, 2025 at 4:06 PM PDT

Sarah Mitchell, left, and Rebecca Pingree star in “Buttercup.” (Photo by Tracy Martin)

A working-class young woman searches for her stolen infant daughter and takes some upper-crust French people for a ridiculous ride in “Buttercup,” running through Sunday at Marin Shakespeare Company’s indoor theater in San Rafael.

The comedy is a whimsical adaptation by J.D. Murphy of Guy de Maupassant’s 1880 short story “Boule de Suif” (“Butterball”) from his collection of tales about the Franco-Prussian War of 1870. A seemingly inconsequential short conflict, and only one of an interminable series of stupidly internecine wars, it was an important event, establishing the structure of modern Europe, and a precursor to World War I and World War II. The original story has been adapted into many stage plays, films, operas and other forms of entertainment.

International and historical consequences are of no concern in Marin Shakes’ capacious, steeply raked performance space, where we are greeted by a nun named Sister Walter (Lizzie Calogero), who lectures the audience as a classroom full of students. We then meet Buttercup (Gianna DiGregorio Rivera), who’s recently given birth to a girl named Regine. The baby is whisked away by a nun who won’t reveal her location. Buttercup and Regine’s father, a coachman named Albert (Titus VanHook), vow to find the girl, whatever it takes. That’s setup No.1.

Setup No. 2 is that this region of France is overrun with plundering Prussians, intent on claiming everything they can grab. Albert and his carriage are hired to transport four French mercantile-class refugees through Normandy, where they hope to cross the English Channel to safety. One of them, Valentin (Richard Pallaziol), has bribed a Prussian general for papers guaranteeing safe passage — “gold, the universal language.” The ploy may or may not prove useful.

Valentin, his friend Henri (Brian Lohmann) and their haughty wives Cecile (Sarah Mitchell) and Marjorie (Rebecca Pingree) are soon onboard an imaginary coach with Buttercup and a nun (Calogero) for a long, bumpy ride where they encounter rabbits, wolves, bandits, ruts and fallen trees that impede their progress. The coachman and his passengers bounce along quite convincingly, their matching movements, on an almost-empty set, adding enormously to the illusion of old-world travel.

Brennan Pickman-Thoon is excellent as Maximillien, a Prussian officer who delays their progress for arbitrary reasons. Choreographer Bridgette Loriaux has coached the performers into perfect synchronization, aided by superb effects by sound designer Ray Archie. It’s amazing how action can appear real in pantomime if done expertly, and aided by great sound reinforcement.

In motion or stationary, the four “first-class” passengers twitter the entire time in ornate dismissive language about their traveling companions. (Theatergoers who enjoy this sort of thing may like the 1996 French film “Ridicule” with Fanny Ardant as queen-bee gatekeeper to the royal court.) Murphy has done an excellent job of capturing their patois and self-indulgent attitudes. Class distinctions run rampant throughout the 75-minute production, which pokes enormous fun at bourgeois pretenses, religious convictions and military traditions — including the use of child soldiers.

Subplots include Buttercup’s obsession with Joan of Arc, the female soldier who was burned at the stake for heresy five centuries earlier, and the gentlemanly demeanor of Jean-Jacques (Norman Gee), a Senegalese immigrant innkeeper who’s become a scholar of all things French. Gee brings great dignity to this minor but important role, one that alludes to the plight of immigrants today.

A surprising number of French natives were in attendance at opening weekend’s Sunday afternoonmatinee. A couple of them commented post-show that Murphy’s satirical adaptation was the opposite of de Maupassant’s original, which one described as “bitter and unhappy.”

This guest appearance by the Intercontinental Drift ensemble is anything but bitter — part old-school formal performance (what Lohmann called “park and bark” acting), part slamming-door farce and lots of commedia dell’arte exaggerated silliness. Director Nancy Carlin does it all marvelously — “Buttercup” is what our French friends might describe as “très amusant,” a delightful bagatelle.

Barry Willis is a member of the American Theatre Critics Association and president of the San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle. Contact him at barry.m.willis@gmail.com.

If you go

What: “Buttercup”

Where: Marin Shakespeare Company, 514 Fourth St., San Rafael

When: Through Sunday; 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday; 2 p.m. this weekend

Admission: $22.24 to $37.99

Information:marinshakespeare.org/tickets

Rating (out of five stars):★★★ 1/2 Stars