"So, imagine art-filled crosswalks that actually feature your favorite plays and musicals, interactive imagery and lighting and led lighting and billboards that actually indicate with San Francisco character. There it is."
"Mahmood doesn't want to show off SF's unique, eclectic theatre, he wants a faux-Great White Way where every venue is owned by ATG (formerly BroadwaySF, formerly SHN). He sees place where an inoffensive Dear San Francisco plays next door to whatever jukebox musical just arrived, ensuring tourists never have to watch plays full of those "San Francisco politics" Fox News warned them about."
Supervisor Bilal Mahmood, a former tech CEO, proposed transforming Market Street into a theatre arts district with $5 million in funding. His vision includes art-filled crosswalks, interactive imagery, and LED billboards featuring plays and musicals. However, the proposal reflects a "Manhattanization" approach that would replace San Francisco's distinctive, politically engaged theatre scene with corporate-controlled, inoffensive entertainment designed for tourists. This strategy mirrors failed attempts by previous leaders to homogenize the city's cultural landscape, prioritizing chains like ATG over independent venues and authentic local artistic expression.
#san-francisco-theatre #urban-development #cultural-commercialization #performing-arts-policy #manhattanization
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