Mar 29 - Apr 13
WORLD PREMIERE
2 hours and 30 min, with intermission
IN-PERSON
March 29, 2024 to April 13, 2024
Z Space, 450 Florida St, San Francisco
Getting to Z Space >>
STREAM
From April 5, 2024 12PM PT to April 14, 2024 12PM PT, you could enjoy a high quality video stream of the show from the comfortable of your own home! Your ticket allows you to watch the show once anytime, at your leisure and convenience, during that window. Email info@sfbatco.org with any questions.
How do you chronicle 102 years of life? Flood survivor, racial integrator, World War II defense worker, business owner, activist, revolutionary, songwriter, and… park ranger? Bay Area icon Betty Reid Soskin has survived it all. In this World Premiere musical based on her life, acclaimed playwright Michael Gene Sullivan weaves Soskin’s original music in and out of dialogue between The Four Bettys - Little Betty, Married Betty, Revolutionary Betty, and Ranger Betty as they take us through a century of the Negro, Colored, Black, and African-American experiences of this amazing woman. Conceived by Jamie Zimmer, the production boasts choreography direction by laura elaine ellis, aerial choreography by Joanna Haigood, and direction by Elizabeth Carter.
Based upon the life, music, and writing of Betty Reid Soskin
Book by Michael Gene Sullivan
Directed by Elizabeth Carter
Concept by Jamie Zimmer
Angie Doctor - Music Supervisor, Vocal Director, and Arranger
Daniel Savio - Music Director, Arranger, and Additional Music Composition
laura elaine ellis - Choreography
Joanna Haigood - Aerial Choreography
Mikiko Uesugi - Scenic Design
Tiersa Nureyev - Costume Design
Claudio Andres Silva Restrepo - Lighting Design
Jules Indelicato - Sound Design
Starring Cathleen Riddley* as Betty Reid Soskin
Lucca Troutman as Revolutionary Betty
Aidaa Peerzada as Married Betty
Tierra Allen as Little Betty
Jasmine Milan Williams* as Renee
CAST
Featured
CREATIVE TEAM
Featured
BAND & CREW
Featured
ABOUT PLAYWRIGHT AND DIRECTOR
Michael Gene Sullivan, playwright, is an award-winning Actor/Writer/Director, Resident Playwright: The San Francisco Mime Troupe, The Playwrights Foundation,The Djerassi Arts Center (2017), Guggenheim Fellowship (2022). Michael has written over 30 plays, and has taught playwriting at the American Conservatory Theatre, SFMT’s Young California Writers Project, and has guest lectured or taught workshops at Yale, Stanford, Dartmouth, and USC. Michael’s stage adaptation of George Orwell’s 1984 has been translated into five languages and has been performed in fourteen countries on five continents, and his play The Great Khan premiered at San Francisco Playhouse, San Diego Rep. and Chicago’s Red Twist Theatre.
Elizabeth Carter, director, is a SF Bay Area theatremaker who most recently she directed Wolf Play for Shotgun Players. Her recent regional directing credits include Confederates (St. Louis Rep), Steel Magnolias (TheatreWorks Silicon Valley), and past productions Every 28 Hours Plays and A Place To Belong (A.C.T Conservatory), Stoop Stories (Aurora Theatre Co.) and associate director on the ripple the wave that carried me home (Berkeley Rep/Goodman Theatre) and assistant director How I Learned What I Learned (Oregon Shakespeare Festival). She directed the ground breaking 2020 virtual King Lear, (SF Shakespeare Festival), Feel the Spirit (Shotgun Players/Colt Couer NYC). Her directorial film debut Bottled Spirits won Best Narrative at the London Pan African Film Festival. She is a recipient of the Bridging the Gap Grant and is a 2019 alum of Director’s Lab West. Elizabeth was the inaugural SDCF Lloyd Richards New Futures Resident Director at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and a 2023 Lucas Arts Fellow.
*The Actor appears through the courtesy of Actors' Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States.
**United Scenic Artists, Local USA 829, IATSE is the union representing Scenic, Costume, Lighting, Sound and Projection Designers in Live Performance.
Special PerformanceS and Events
For press inquiries, email kevin@prismaticcommunications.com
IN THE NEWS
ABC 7 | Sign My Name to Freedom with Kumasi Aaron (4.1.24)
102-year-old heroine Betty Reid Soskin’s journey premieres on Bay Area stage
48Hills, Lou Fancher (3.28.24)
‘Sign My Name to Freedom’ celebrates the unheard songs of 102-year-old Betty Reid Soskin
SF Chronicle, Jessica Zack (3.27.24)
Beloved Bay Area icon’s life becomes a new musical
The Mercury News, Sam Hurwitt (3.26.24)
Musical ‘Sign My Name to Freedom’ showcases saga of Betty Reid Soskin
SF Examiner, Janis Mara (3.25.24)
KTVU | FOX (3.22.24)
'Sign My Name To Freedom' hits the stage of Z Space
East Bay Express, Sharon K. Sobotta (3.20.24)
KPIX | CBS NEWS BAY AREA (3.13.24)
‘Riveter Days 2024’ set for March in Richmond
The Ricmond Standard, Kathy Chouteau (2.20.24)
Musical chronicling life of Betty Reid Soskin set for Bay Area debut
The Ricmond Standard, Kathy Chouteau (2.8.24)
SFBATCO Announces Cast and Creative Team for the World Premiere of Sign My Name to Freedom
BroadwayWorld, A.A. Cristi (1.16.24)
Bay Area theater is ready to experiment again in 2024
SF Chronicle Datebook, Lily Janiak (12.27.23)
The nation’s oldest park ranger is also a singer-songwriter, and now she has a musical
SF Chronicle Datebook, Lily Janiak (10.13.21)
REVIEWS
Review: The profound life and scintillating music of Betty Reid Soskin shine in ‘Sign My Name to Freedom’
SF Chronicle / Datebook, David John Chávez (3.30.24)
Review: Betty Reid Soskin’s Incredible Life Comes to the Stage in ‘Sign My Name to Freedom’
KQED, Gabe Melina (4.1.24)
Review: ★★★★★
Theatre Storm, Charles Kruger (4.4.24)
Review: “Sign My Name to Freedom”: Betty’s Songs Highlight a Legendary Life — At SFBATCO
Theatrius, Mary Lou Herlihy & Barry David Horwitz (4.2.24)
Review: Sfbatco Explores Betty Reid Soskin’s Amazing Life In ‘Sign My Name To Freedom’
SF Gate, Jean Schiffman (4.3.24)
Review: “Sign My Name to Freedom”
Theatre Eddys, Eddie Reynolds (4.4.24)
Review: “Sign My Name to Freedom”
Stage and Cinema, Chuck Louden (4.3.24)
For ticketing questions, email boxoffice@zspace.org
STREAMING
We’ll be offering a high quality video stream viewing option, so you can enjoy the show at home! Your ticket allows you to watch the show once anytime, at your leisure and convenience, between April 5 12PM PT to April 14 12PM PT. Email info@sfbatco.org with any questions. Get access to the stream here.
LATE SEATING
We’ll be starting the show right on time, so please do your best to Z Space arrive early! Late arrivals will be seated during appropriate breaks in the show at the discretion of the House Manager.
WAITLIST FOR SOLD OUT SHOWS
A first-come first-serve in-person waitlist will be available for sign up at the box office 45 minutes before showtime.
CONTENT
Content Warning: This performance contains depictions of violence against an elder, mentions of illness and death, historical racism, and some strong language.
Noise & Lighting Warning: Loud sound effects and flash lighting effects will be used during this performance.
Some strong language has been removed for younger audience members for our Student Matinee show on 4/4 11AM and our Relaxed Family show on 4/6 3PM.