By Donna Sachet—
If you haven’t yet attended an event at the newly refurbished Castro Theatre, make plans now! In the short time it has been reopened, we have seen musical performers, classic films, and official opening ceremonies, and each time we are more and more impressed with this gorgeous venue. Imagine how close we came to losing The Castro Theatre, as an aging building badly in need of upgrades, improvements, and restoration! One need only look around at surrounding neighborhoods, many of which have empty shells of former movie palaces, painful derelicts of their former glory. Instead, we have a historic landmark, restored with loving attention and now programmed with a variety of community-appropriate events.
Our most recent visit was to see Alyssa Edwards of RuPaul’s Drag Race fame along with Gary Virginia, Deana Dawn, and Moxie Penn. We were dazzled by her costumes, intrigued by her stories, and fully engaged in her one-woman show, despite our lack of connection with the popular television sensation. She took full advantage of the deeper stage, extensive lighting, and proximity to the audience, even inviting one hesitant gentleman on stage for a funny dialogue. She invited one other person on stage briefly, introducing her as a student of her drag, and also shared the stage with a local guest star, Curve Ball, who delivered a high energy set, providing a nice pace to the total show.
Gala Season continues … . We enjoyed the Openhouse mid-day Spring Fling at The Conservatory at One Sansome, the newly available sprawling window-lined space mentioned in this column before. Guests enjoyed “High Tea” and a program honoring LYRIC with the Trailblazer Award and State Senator Scott Wiener with the Adelman-Gurevitch Founders’ Award. Sister Roma emceed and Michael Tate served as auctioneer, bringing lots of funds into this worthy organization. We heard from San Francisco Pride’s Suzanne Ford and the beloved Dr. Marcy Adelman. The space then transformed into a Senior Prom setting especially conceived for those who missed such an event as kids.
We then dashed to Fabulosa Books in the Castro for a reading by popular author Mark Abramson from his newest book Fathers and Sons,where we saw many 440 Castro friends and had a delightful reunion with Leah Garchik whose writings in the San Francisco Chronicle remain an inspiration. Get your copy of Fathers and Sons today!
On Wednesday, April 15, we not only completed our tax filing, but also participated in the third installment of Serenade, an Imperial Court event featuring live singers and this time live accompaniment as well. Midnight Sun has hosted many karaoke events, but this was a next level event, really showcasing amazing talent, both vocally and instrumentally. Imagine French horn, guitar, violin, and vocals all in one place!
The following night we joined Frank Woo at a political fundraiser for Scott Wiener for Congress at a private home in Hayes Valley. And what a private home it was! This was a restored Victorian with soaring ceilings, elaborate detailing, and huge windows and the guest list guaranteed good results. It was great to catch up with Joe Sangirardi, Don Spradlin, Victor Ruiz-Cornejo, and many other politically active friends.
On Friday, the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus hosted an evening with the incredible Stephen Schwartz, which we attended with Khmera Rouge, at the Chan Center. This space continues to impress us with its versatility. Supported by guest stars Michael McCorry Rose, Taylor Iman Jones, and members of the chorus, Stephen took us on a very personal journey through his extensive body of work, thankfully including several nods to Wicked. His touching acknowledgment of outgoing Chief Executive Officer Christopher Verdugo left the audience in tears.
Then, after a quick nap, we arose with our adorable puppy Peanut for the annual Earthquake/Fire Commemoration at Lotta’s Fountain at 4:30 am. We see you shaking your head in disbelief, but indeed we were there along with Reigning Emperor John Brett, Christine Pelosi, Joanie Juster, SF Fire Chief Dean Crispen, Police Chief Derrick Lew, Board of Supervisors President Rafael Mandelman, and Mayor Willie Brown, to remember that tragic day and the impact it had on our nascent city. Make it a point to join us next year for the 121st anniversary!
Next on the gala circuit was Soiree for the LGBT Community Center at City View at Metreon, where we joined delightful table captains Gary Nathan & David Gin. The crowd really dresses up for this event, emceed with finesse by Sister Roma and Honey Mahogany and featuring some real success stories of lives changed by the services this place provides. New Executive Director Jennifer Valles received a standing ovation from the supportive crowd. Michael Tate was again on hand for a spirited live auction and Juanita MORE! curated entertainment for the post-party as DJ LadyRyan brought partiers onto the dance floor.
Donna Sachet is a celebrated performer, fundraiser, activist, and philanthropist who has dedicated over two decades to the LGBTQ Community in San Francisco. Contact her at empsachet@gmail.com
Donna’s Chronicles
Published on April 23, 2026
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