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WORLD PREMIERE

October 10 - November 1, 2026

Every Saturday Night

COMMISSIONED BY SFBATCO

 
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Art by Estela Karina Art

Every Saturday Night (A Harlem of the West Musical)

WORLD PREMIERE

Based on a Story by Danny Duncan
Book by Michael Gene Sullivan and Danny Duncan
Music and Lyrics by Danny Duncan

Directed and Choreographed by AeJay Antonis Marquis
Associate Direction and Choreography by Phaedra-Tillery Boughton
Music Direction and Accompaniment by Othello Jefferson

COMMISSIONED BY SFBATCO

DATES: October 10 to November 1, 2026
LOCATION: The Strand Theater, 1127 Market St., San Francisco, CA 94103 (map)

Be transported to San Francisco’s Fillmore District—beginning in the present day, where the echoes of a once-thriving Black neighborhood still shape the streets. From there, Every Saturday Night pulls audiences back into the 1950s, the vibrant “Harlem of the West,” when the Fillmore pulsed with jazz, community, and possibility.

Following two Black boys—one in each era—the musical explores home, belonging, and resilience, revealing how the Fillmore’s past and present are connected by displacement, gentrification, and the enduring fight to stay rooted in the community. 

Inspired by true events, this boisterous and heartfelt new work by acclaimed Bay Area playwright, composer, and director Danny Duncan and playwright Michael Gene Sullivan celebrates a historic neighborhood while asking urgent questions about who gets to remain in the city today.

Tickets on sale this spring.

 TEAM

Danny Duncan

Creator, Composer, Co-writer

  • Danny Duncan, a native of San Francisco’s Fillmore District, is a celebrated director, choreographer, and composer who created acclaimed works such as Uhuruh; Billie’s Song; and Go Down Garvey. A lifelong educator, he helped found SFArtsED’s musical theatre company—the Players—in 2002, where he continues to direct annual productions, and has worked with hundreds, if not thousands, of young performers.

Michael Gene Sullivan

Playwright

  • Michael Gene Sullivan is an actor, writer, director, blogger, and teacher committed to developing theatre of social and economic justice, of political self-determination, and, of course, musical comedy. Michael is also an alum of the nationally-acclaimed  Playwright's Foundation, a Djerassi Center Artist Fellow, and in 2022 was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship.

     An accomplished  veteran of Bay Area theater, with credits from American Conservatory Theatre, San Francisco Playhouse, Theatreworks, The Magic Theatre, Marin Theatre Company, Denver Center Theater Company, The California, San Francisco and Marin Shakespeare companies as well as many others, Michael is also a Collective Member and Resident Director of the Tony and OBIE award-winning, always revolutionary, and never, ever silent San Francisco Mime Troupe, where he has written, acted in, and/or directed over thirty plays.

    As a playwright Michael's work has appeared across the United States, as well as in Germany, Italy, Mexico, Spain, The Netherlands, Argentina, Australia, the United Kingdom, Columbia, Hong Kong, Canada, China, and Ukraine.

    Michael's directing credits include work with the San Francisco Mime Troupe, The San Francisco Shakespeare Festival, and The African-American Shakespeare Festival.

AeJay Antonis Marquis

Director, Choreographer

  • AeJay Antonis Marquis, originally from Louisiana, is an Oakland-based director, choreographer, and scholar. Their most recent work included the critically-acclaimed Magnolia Ballet and Choir Boy at Shotgun Players, have directed and Choreographed musicals throughout the Bay Area including Footloose, Little Shop of Horrors (for which they received a Kennedy Center recognition for Best Direction), Sister Act, and Priscilla Queen of the Desert (for which they received a nomination for Best Choreography of a Musical at SFBATCC.) Immersed in New Work development, they are thrilled to bring this new musical to Bay Area audiences.

Phaedra Tillery-Boughton

Associate Director, Associate Choreographer

  • Phaedra is a passionate creative artist dedicated to theatre, production, and community advocacy. She serves as associate producer and casting manager at SFBATCO and co-hosts Creatively Shaded, a podcast amplifying Black theatre voices in the Bay Area. A teaching artist with SFArtsED, Berkeley Rep, A.C.T., and Pacific Singers & Actors, she recently played Rabby in Fat Ham at SF Playhouse and was named a 2025–26 Lorraine Hansberry New Black Voices Mentee. A 2024–25 Black Futures Awardee, her credits include The Color Purple, Ain’t Misbehavin’, and directing Legally Blonde. @phaedratboughton

Othello Jefferson

Music Director, Accompanist

  • Othello Jefferson is a native of San Francisco. He received a Bachelor of Music Degree in Voice from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and a single subject music credential from San Francisco State University. At Sequoia High School, in Redwood City, CA, he serves as Piano Instructor, Chorus and Orchestra Director. He also serves as Minister of Music at First African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church in San Francisco. He is the recipient of awards from San Francisco’s Academy of Gospel and the Friends of Negro Spirituals, Oakland and has completed the first level of the American Guild of Organist’s examinations for professional certification (Service Playing Certificate). He is also the featured singer on the African American Composers Initiative‘s (AACI) recent CD entitled Good News.

Trinity Wicklund

Production Manager

  • Over the past several years, Trinity has developed a passion for new work and she is very excited to be working with such amazing artists on this production. Recent credits include working as an SM PA on the aves, Uncle Vanya, The Matchbox Magic Flute, and Mexodus (Berkeley Repertory Theatre) and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Marin Shakespeare Company). She is very happy to be back in the Bay Area stage managing and is looking forward to the rest of a wonderful run with SFBATCO!

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