Red Poppy Art House

Warango
2026-01-31 19:30 - 21:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Red Poppy Art House, 2698 Folsom St., San Francisco, CA, 94110, United States
Advance tickets are available online. You are advised to purchase advance tickets for this event.
RSVP to the Facebook event:

Warango
The Sounds of Afro-Peruvian Music / Afro-Peruvian Rhythms

Warango is a musical project born in 2019 in Oakland, California. Its music is based on vibrant Afro-Peruvian rhythms. This proposal is a meeting of traditional sounds represented by the Cajón, which symbolizes Afro-Peruvian roots; with harmonies and melodies of jazz and classical music. These worlds coexist in the sounds of Warango creating a unique musical proposal.
Pierr Padilla, Cajon
Kyla Danysh, Violin
Javier Trujillo, Guitar
Saturday, January 31, 2026
Time: 7:00 pm doors, 7:30 pm show
Admission: (Online) $25 student & senior – $29 Early Bird – $35 General / (Door) $35

ABOUT THE ARTISTS:
The name of the group comes from the “huarango” tree that grows on the southern coast of Peru, where the Afro-descendant population is mainly settled. The huarango is characterized by its great resistance to extreme climates, it has strong and extensive roots that can reach up to 70 meters deep, this allows it to live up to a thousand years in a self-sufficient way, feeding on the water from the subsoil, even creating new ecosystems for the habitat of other species.
Inspired by this unique tree, we brought our Warango to life giving it a different context in which our music originally belongs to. By exploring the interplay between Afro-Peruvian roots and other musical styles, a vibrant and innovative sound is generated that honors traditions while pushing creative boundaries. Warango wants to create a powerful and captivating musical experience that engages both Peruvian audiences, who are familiar with Afro-Peruvian music, and those who are discovering it for the first time.
www.facebook.com/warangomusic
www.instagram.com/warangomusic
www.youtube.com/@warangomusic

EVENT DETAILS
Saturday, January 31, 2026
Time: 7:00 pm doors, 7:30 pm show
Admission: (Online) $25 student & senior – $29 Early Bird – $35 General / (Door) $35
Note: A limited quantity of additional tickets will be available for purchase at the door unless otherwise noted on the Facebook event page that the show is SOLD OUT.
Purchase advance tickets for this event
Note: Purchasing an advance ticket guarantees admission but does not guarantee a seat. Seating is first come, first served.
RSVP to the Facebook event:

Volunteer for this event!

Standing with the People of Iran: Echoes of Stolen Lives
2026-02-07 19:00 - 22:00
Standing with the People of Iran:
Echoes of Stolen Lives
On December 28, 2025, millions of Iranians took to the streets, calling for dignity, freedom, and an end to decades of repression. In response, the Islamic Republic of Iran unleashed one of the deadliest crackdowns in its history. Tens of thousands were killed, many shot at close range, including children, women, and young people, and thousands more were blinded, injured, or arrested, all under a nationwide internet blackout to this day that plunged the country into digital darkness, crippling communication, erasing evidence, and preventing people from seeking help.
Families grieve. Communities endure. And yet, their courage echoes.
To honor those lives stolen and to stand in solidarity with the people of Iran, MAPP brings together eight artists from Iranian, Kurdish, Armenian, and Arab backgrounds. Through music, reflection, and shared witness, we mourn, remember, and lift the voices that authoritarian regimes try to erase.
Join us for an evening of remembrance, resistance, and hope.
Read the full statement on the ongoing struggle and the call for global accountability [here].
FEBRUARY 7TH MAPP PROGRAM
Red Poppy Art House
2698 Folsom @23rd
Curator: Dina Zarif
MAPP (Mission Art Performance Project)
Saturday, February 7, 2026
Doors open at 6:45 pm
7 p.m. to 10 p.m. event
Standing with the People of Iran
Echoes of Stolen Lives
7:00 – 7:10 PM: Video Projection (Witness Iran)
7:20 – 7:45 PM: Yearning for Homeland (Lebanese-Armenian vocals & duduk)
8:00 – 8:25 PM: Love Tunes from Iran (Harp, clarinet & vocals)
8:40 – 8:55 PM: Between Two Rivers (Contemporary Kurdish folk)
9:10 – 10:00 PM: Echoes of Zagros (Love, resilience & freedom)
Video Projection “Witness Iran” during the night.
Exhibition: Andrea Guskin – Fracture Zones, exploring rupture & resilience
Poster graphic design by Romina Zabihian
THIS IS A FREE EVENT
RSVP HERE

MAPP (Mission Arts & Performance Project)
Launched in 2003, the Mission Arts & Performance Project (MAPP) is a homegrown bi-monthly, multidisciplinary, intercultural event that takes place in the Mission District of San Francisco. On the first Saturday of every even month of the year, the MAPP transforms ordinary spaces, such as private garages, gardens, living rooms, studios, street corners, and small businesses into pop-up performance and exhibition sites for a day/night of intimate-scale artistic and cultural exchange among a kaleidoscope of individuals and communities.
RED POPPY MAPP TEAM:
Artistic Director | Managing Director: Dina Zarif
Content manager: Jennie Legary
Sound crew: Andrew Scott
Host: Verda Bursal

ABOUT THE PERFORMING ARTISTS

Yearning for Homeland
Lebanese-Armenian vocals & duduk
Khatchadour will present Armenian songs of loss, grief and of yearning for the beloved and for homeland. He will share with the community several pieces narrating stories through both singing and performing on the Armenian woodwind, Duduk.
Featuring:
Khatchadour Khatchadourian – Vocal & Duduk
Khatchadour is a Lebanese-Armenian vocalist and duduk player based out of the Bay Area. His vocal repertoire is grounded in the Armenian and Levantine Arabic vocal traditions. Growing up within the Armenian diaspora on the Lebanese Mediterranean coast, and later having spent many years in Aleppo, Syria, Khatchadour’s voice pays homage to the vocal landscapes spanning the regions of the South Caucasus, Levant, and Anatolia. Khatchadour’s passion for the duduk, an Armenian double reed woodwind, began in 2007, and has since taken him on musical journeys across Armenia and Southern France. He studies under master duduk player, Levon Minassian. Additionally, for the past few years, Khatchadour has been immersed in the study of Persian vocal Radif, and sings in Farsi, under the instruction of master vocalist Mahsa Vahdat.
Khatchadour is currently completing his 6th album, Shounch: Breath, which is partially funded and made possible through the Musical Grant Program, administered by InterMusic SF, and supported by the Clarence E. Heller Charitable Foundation and the Hewlett Foundation.

Love Tunes from Iran
Iranian Classical & Folk Music – A Soundscape of Tragedy & Triumph
This project is a collaboration between Dina Zarif, Iranian immigrant singer, and Amelia Romano, San Francisco–based harpist, blending classical and folk music into a seamless sonic journey. Their performances fuse Iranian classical and folk traditions with South American–inspired rhythms, creating a soundscape of tragedy and triumph that explores themes of immigration, homeland, and cultural memory. Since 2016, they have headlined stages at the San Francisco International Arts Festival (Fort Mason), Montalvo Arts Center, Yerba Buena Gardens Festival, Palace of Fine Arts, Brava Theater, and the Asian Art Museum.
Featuring:
Dina Zarif – Vocal
Amelia Romano – Harp
Asaf Ophir – woodwinds
Dina Zarif is a San Francisco–based multidisciplinary performing artist, designer, curator, and arts activist, born and raised in Iran. As a vocalist, she fuses Western classical technique with Middle Eastern and Persian traditions, creating a distinctive sound rooted in her cultural heritage.
As an actress, Zarif has trained and worked under renowned Iranian theater master Bahram Beyzaie at Stanford University’s Iranian Studies Program. Her stage credits include Ardaviraf’s Report, Tarabnameh (musical), Crossroads, The Language of Wild Berries (Golden Thread Productions, 2022), and Exodus to Eden (Oakland Theater Project, 2023). Most recently, she appeared in Dash Akol According to Marjan, which premiered in two parts at Berkeley Repertory Theatre’s Roda Theatre (2024–2025), and in Leili and Majnun musical (2024–2025).
Zarif starred in the title role of the feature film MITRA (2021), which premiered at the International Film Festival Rotterdam.
As a shadow performer and costume designer, Zarif toured internationally with the cinematic shadow play Feathers of Fire: A Persian Epic, winner of the 2019 UNIMA Award for Excellence in Live Performance and Design. The production toured extensively with over 100 performances worldwide, including major institutions such as Brooklyn Academy of Music, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Musée du quai Branly (Paris), and leading international festivals across Europe, Asia, and the United States.
Zarif has served as a panelist for the San Francisco Arts Commission Community Investments Committee and is currently the Artistic and Managing Director of Red Poppy Art House, a multidisciplinary artist incubator in San Francisco. She holds an MA in Landscape Architecture from the University of Tehran, College of Fine Arts.
Amelia Romano (harp, voice) is a lever harpist, programming classical re-imaginations alongside original works. She received her master’s in classical lever harp performance at San Francisco State University under the tutelage of Karen Gottlieb, retired second harpist of the San Francisco Symphony. Her latest album, “Levers Engaged: Classical Works Re-imaged for Harp ” and sheet music collection “Classical Re-imaginations,” present the instrument as a valid voice in classical music. A composer, arranger and trailblazer in the lever harp world, she is equally at home writing Latin America inspired works for solo harp as she is adapting classical pieces for chamber collaborations.
Asaf Ophir (woodwinds, voice, guitar) began his professional career in musical theaters in Israel, while studying at the Rimon School of Jazz and Contemporary Music, and later at the Jerusalem Academy. Arriving in the United States in 2014, he began to perform in musicals around the Bay Area such as the award winning Love Sick in 2017, and The People in the Picture in 2018. Finding a home away from home, he can most often be seen in world music projects on Jewish, Arabic, and Balkan stages.
Asaf has performed on such distinguished stages as Habima, HaCameri, and Jerusalem Theaters in Israel, as well as the Paramount Theater, the Palace of Fine Arts, the Great American Concert Hall, Freight and Salvage, Brava Theater, and others in the San Francisco Bay Area. Throughout his career he has shared the stage with artists such as Miri Mesika, Avi Kushnir, Galit Giat, Rana Farhan, Ustad Mahwash, and Barbara Streisand.

Between Two Rivers
Contemporary Kurdish folk
Featuring:
Elana Sasson – Vocal
Elana is a vocalist, composer, and bandleader creating music at the intersection of Kurdish and Persian traditions, contemporary jazz, and Mediterranean folkloric influences. She explores themes of identity and duality: weaving emotive modal melodies, intricate harmonic textures, and diverse instrumentation to dialogue between tradition and modernity.
Shaped by years of training with master musicians from Iran and Kurdistan and studies at the Berklee College of Music in Valencia, Elana’s clear voice reflects a fusion of rich tradition and personal expression. Her music has been celebrated with nods from global press such as Songlines Magazine, who described her voice as “an arrestingly beautiful focus” and gave a 4 star review to the album ‘Golestan’. Her new album, ’In Between’ released with PKMusik in April 2025 and received shining reviews from press, including a 4 star review from Songlines.
She has graced global stages at prestigious venues such as Fundación Juan March (Madrid, Spain), Palau de Les Arts Reina Sofia (Valencia, Spain), Stone Nest (London, UK), Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (San Francisco, California), and Fabrica Research Centre (Treviso, Italy). Elana has been featured in festivals across Europe such as UPV Jazz Festival in Valencia, Spain, Isole Che Parlano in Sardigna, Italy, and AtoJazz Festival in Sofia, Bulgaria.
Elana’s voice can be heard on Growing Songs, a 2024 album produced by esteemed Iranian vocalist Mahsa Vahdat, and her music was featured in the 2023 Venice Biennale-premiered film Tatami. She has collaborated with renowned musicians such as Matthieu Saglio, Mahsa Vahdat, Perico Sambeat, and Hadar Noiberg.
Elana holds a Master of Music in Contemporary Performance and Production from Berklee College of Music in Valencia and a BA in Design Media Arts from UCLA. She was a resident at Fabrica Research Centre in 2019 and is a member of the Iranian Female Composers Association (IFCA).

Echoes of Zagros
Love, resilience & freedom
In Solidarity with the People of Iran
Echoes of Zagros brings together Kurdish musical traditions in solidarity with the people of Iran. Rooted in the sounds of the Zagros Mountains, the program weaves ancestral rhythms and melodies into a shared human story of resilience, love, and freedom.
Featuring:
Nariman Assadi – Daf
Asaf Ophir – Clarinet
Evîn Şah – Vocal
Raman osman – Baglama
Evîn Şah is a Kurdish singer and performer who brings together the traditional roots of Kurdish music with a contemporary interpretation. She was born in Muş, Turkey, and was introduced to Kurdish folk music at an early age, particularly the dengbêji tradition. Throughout her artistic journey, she has aimed to preserve this heritage through both live performance and recorded work, while carrying it to diverse audiences and geographies.
Evîn Şah completed her music education at the Istanbul University State Conservatory, where she received training in folk music and modal (maqam-based) traditions. Combining her academic background with extensive stage experience, she has developed a distinctive vocal style of her own. Her repertoire features primarily Kurmanji, alongside other Kurdish dialects, as well as songs in Turkish and Armenian. Blending traditional melodies with modern arrangements forms the core of her musical identity.
She has performed widely in Turkey and abroad, taking part in concerts, cultural events, festivals, and special projects. In her work, music is not only an aesthetic expression but also a means of memory, identity, and cultural transmission.
Since 2019, Evîn Şah has focused on studio production. She released the 9-minute potpourri single “Hine”, followed in 2021 by “Şahino,” a tribute to her cultural roots. The music video for Şahino was filmed in the United States. Both of her music videos were directed by her husband, Oktay Şahin.
In 2019, Evîn Şah relocated with her family from Turkey to California, USA, where she continues her musical work today. With her strong stage presence and emotionally powerful interpretations, she stands out as an artist who resonates with both the Kurdish community and international audiences.
Nariman Assadi was born in Hamedan, Iran on January 1, 1992. Raised in Tehran, he always felt drawn to percussion instruments. At the age of thirteen, he began studying Tombak under Master Amir Mogharab Samadi. In 2007, he was invited to Pars Academy, the premier music academy for children. Following Pars Academy, Nariman was selected to be a member of the Persian Percussion Ensemble, which included a hundred percussionists. From 2008 to 2013, Nariman performed at Vahdat Hall as a soloist and with the Persian Percussion Ensemble. After mastering Tombak, he then began teaching himself how to play the Daf and later was trained under the great Master Bijan Kamkar. With a strong understanding of the Daf and Tombak, Nariman wanted to further his skills as a percussionist by learning the melodic instrument, Barbat (Oud) under Master Mohammad Firouzi. In 2015, Nariman immigrated to the United States. He immediately began his professional music career by performing and attending festivals throughout the Northern California area. Along with being a member of various ensembles, Nariman also teaches Daf and Tombak.
Raman Osman is a Kurdish composer and master tembûr (saz) musician from Al-Hasaka, Syria. In his early age, he was exposed to a variety of music and cultural sources like Kurdish, Persian, Arabic, Turkish, Armenian, Assyrian, and more. Osman has performed at a variety of venues, including the Damascus Opera House, several universities in Syria, and throughout the Bay Area.

Visual Art Exhibition: Fracture Zones

Inspired by the geographical language and imagery of topographic maps, particularly the large scars forming “fracture zones” deep beneath the surface of the Atlantic Ocean, she uses these fissures as a metaphor for the layers of emotional experience related to ancestry, immigration, and lost family narratives.
Andrea Guskin is a San Francisco Bay Area based multidisciplinary artist who was raised amongst the woods and college campuses of Wisconsin and Ohio.
She works across multiple disciplines including photography, sculpture, and painting. She often uses everyday domestic materials and tools for mending–such as thread, foil, spices– to explore ancestry, domesticity and strategies for repair and transformation in our daily lives.

MAPP GENERAL PROGRAM
Join us in MAPP at all other spaces throughout the Mission District.

PREVIEW THE PERFORMANCE

Khatchadour Khatchadourian
Dina Zarif & Amelia Romano
Elana Sasson
Evîn Şah – Vocal

IN PERSON EVENT DETAILS
Time: Saturday, February 7th, 2026, 7pm- 10pm (IN-PERSON)
Admission: Free!

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The Musical Art Quintet
2026-02-14 19:00 - 20:15
Advance tickets are available online. You are advised to purchase advance tickets for this event.
RSVP to the Facebook event:

The Musical Art Quintet
“The LOVE concert” “Valentine’s Day Concert a Love Theme”

The music of The Musical Art Quintet will get your heart racing, and awaken your passion. The theme of the concert is love and we will explore the many facets of love with romantic music from around the globe. Featuring the original compositions and arrangements of Latin Grammy nominated bandleader, Sascha Jacobsen, and special guest percussionist, Aaron Kierbel, expect the unexpected, as we celebrate Valentine’s Day together.
Anthony Blea, violin
Michele Walther, violin
Charith Premawardhana, viola
Mischa Sascha Jacobsen, bass
Saturday, February 14, 2026
Time: 6:30 pm doors, 7:00 pm show
Admission: (Online) $25 student & senior – $29 Early Bird – $35 General / (Door) $35

ABOUT THE ARTISTS:
The Musical Art Quintet was formed in 2008 in the Mission district of San Francisco during chamber music jam sessions every Sunday night at Cafe Revolution. Each week a new piece of music was written by MAQ band leader Sascha Jacobsen to be performed at Classical Revolution, and ink still wet, we would read through the piece in front of a live audience. As our repertoire grew, a core group of players emerged and the quintet was founded.
The name of the quintet is taken from The Musical Art Quartet, a string quartet formed in the 1920’s and led by the Great-Grandfather and namesake of the bassist and composer of the quintet, Sascha Jacobsen.
Although classically trained, the members of The Musical Art Quintet are skilled improvisors and each one brings with him a special area of expertise. Whether it is Jazz, Argentine Tango, Afro-Cuban Son, or Klezmer, the Quintet is at home. The music of band leader, Sascha Jacobsen, propels the group with rhythmic, lyrical, modern compositions, and new arrangements of pieces by great composers of all genres.
Collaboration is key to the group’s mission, and they have done so with a wide variety of artists including Painter, Peggy Gyulai, The rock band, Third Eye Blind, Rapper, Phesto Dee of Heiroglyphics, Director of the Flamenco Theatre Company of SF, Carola Zertuche, Pianists Lara Downes and Serene, The SF Silent Film Festival, The SF Jewish Film Festival, Latin Jazz master Doug Beavers, Banjo virtuoso Tim Weed, and many others.
www.musicalartquintet.com
https://www.facebook.com/MusicalArtQuintet

EVENT DETAILS
Saturday, February 14 2026
Time: 6:30 pm doors, 7:00 pm show
Admission: (Online) $25 student & senior – $29 Early Bird – $35 General / (Door) $35
Note: A limited quantity of additional tickets will be available for purchase at the door unless otherwise noted on the Facebook event page that the show is SOLD OUT.
Purchase advance tickets for this event
Note: Purchasing an advance ticket guarantees admission but does not guarantee a seat. Seating is first come, first served.
RSVP to the Facebook event:

Volunteer for this event!

Sudamericanto
2026-02-21 19:30 - 20:30
Advance tickets are available online. You are advised to purchase advance tickets for this event.
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Sudamericanto
Blending jazz with Latinamerican, Caribbean and Brazilian rhythms

Sudamericanto’s unique brand of latin-american music combines Brazilian jazz with South and Central American folk rhythms, taking audiences along a journey through traditions from South America and the Caribbean with a Brazilian jazz twist. Featuring multi-faceted Puerto Rican vocalist/interpreter Madeleine Zayas and high caliber Bay Area musicians/educators coming together to play fresh compositions of Brazilian Jazz tunes, in addition to original arrangements of carefully selected Latin American classics from Argentina, Chile, Perú, Venezuela, Mexico, Cuba, and Puerto Rico.
Sudamericanto draws from the sounds rooted in the traditions of afroperuvian landó, zamacueca, Brazilian samba, Puerto Rican bomba and guaracha, joropo venezolano, son cubano and boleros – tied together with rhythmic precision and jazzy flavors.
Madeleine Zayas, Vocals and Percussion
Marcos Silva, keyboard, arrangements
Michaelle Goerlitz, percussion
David Pinto, Bass, arrangements
Saturday, February 21, 2026
Time: 7:00 pm doors, 7:30 pm show
Admission: (Online) $25 student & senior – $29 Early Bird – $35 General / (Door) $35

ABOUT THE ARTISTS:
Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Madeleine Zayas is a Latin American singer/interpreter and choreographer based in Oakland, CA. who started a professional dance career at age 15 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. She has performed as a dancer in theaters and television in Puerto Rico, California and Nevada since 1985. She is co-founder and artistic director of various Bay Area musical groups since 2014. Madeleine has shared stage with Tohnino Horta, Cheo Feliciano, Inti Illimani, John Santos, and Holly Near. Her love of folk music is rooted in the jibaro traditions of the mountains from Puerto Rico and her eclectic repertoire blends Nueva Canción/Nueva Trova traditions with latinoamerican folk and Artsong.
Marcos Silva is a Brazilian native multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger and educator who performs worldwide. Nominated for a Grammy, he has toured with many world-renowned artists, including Paquito D’Rivera, Bud Shank, Dori Caymmi, and many others. He was musical director for Flora Purim and Airto Moreira for 23 years. Marcos has written arrangements for Dizzy Gillespie’s band and replaced Gil Evans as arranger-composer of Airto’s Spiritual Mass. He is founder and director of the Brazilian Jazz Department at California Jazz School in Berkeley.
David Pinto is a Peruvian native best-known for his work as music director, arranger, and bassist for Grammy-winner Susana Baca, Diva of Afro-Peruvian song. He was member of Peru Jazz, a group highly praised for their innovation and fusion of Peruvian roots and jazz.
Michaelle Goerlitz has been playing drums and percussion since she was eight years old. After attending college in the Midwest, she moved to San Francisco in 1980 to continue her studies, which have led to exploration of Brazilian, Afro Cuban, Venezuelan, Peruvian and Middle Eastern rhythms (plus American idioms jazz, R & B & funk). She was a founding member of two renowned & long-term projects, the Blazing Redheads and Wild Mango. Both groups blended many different styles which showcased Michaelle’s versatile percussive skills.
https://www.facebook.com/myloscarpinteros
https://www.facebook.com/madeleine.zayasmart.3
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https://www.karumanta.com/david.htm9
http://www.michaellegoerlitz.com/

Campo
Negra Presuntu
General
Finale

EVENT DETAILS
Saturday, February 21, 2026
Time: 7:00 pm doors, 7:30 pm show
Admission: (Online) $25 student & senior – $29 Early Bird – $35 General / (Door) $35
Note: A limited quantity of additional tickets will be available for purchase at the door unless otherwise noted on the Facebook event page that the show is SOLD OUT.
Purchase advance tickets for this event
Note: Purchasing an advance ticket guarantees admission but does not guarantee a seat. Seating is first come, first served.
RSVP to the Facebook event:

Volunteer for this event!

IAN MAKSIN: "Songs of Love & Peace" New Album Tour
2026-02-28 19:00 - 20:15
Advance tickets are available online. You are advised to purchase advance tickets for this event.
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IAN MAKSIN: “Songs of Love & Peace” New Album Tour
An incredible musical journey with world acclaimed one-man cello orchestra multilingual vocalist Ian Maksin

Get immersed in the deep sounds of Ian Maksin’s soulful one-man-cello orchestra, paired and blended with his vibrant voice, as he explores a collection of traditional songs from different corners of the world: Armenia, Iran, Medieval Spain and France and more. His latest release reflects the path of a true musical globetrotter: a sonic offering shaped by countless journeys across continents as a touring artist, along with mountaineering, flying airplanes, practicing meditation, and collaborating with local musicians in search of the mystical thread that connects all cultures. This album invites listeners into a space of presence, clarity, and emotional restoration.
In addition to music from the new album, Ian will perform works from his earlier opuses—The Alchemist, Amor Renatus—as well as selections from his vast repertoire of over 300 songs in 43 languages. With loop pedal and other electronics, he transforms the cello into an entire orchestra, merging timeless global traditions into an unforgettable, immersive, and deeply personal experience.
IAN MAKSIN: cello, vocals, loop pedal
Saturday, February 28, 2026
Time: 6:30 pm doors, 7:00 pm show
Admission: (Online) $29 Students & Seniors – $35 Early Bird – $40 General / (Door) $40

ABOUT THE ARTISTS:
BREAKING BOUNDARIES both musical and geographical, cellist, composer and multilingual vocalist IAN MAKSIN has created his own unique style by blending elements of different genres and traditional music from around the globe in a new way using his cello as the main unifying force.
ONE-MAN ORCHESTRA:In addition to cello, he used an electronic device called the loop pedal, which allows him to create “loops” or layers by recording and replaying his own playing in real time.
SINGING IN 30 LANGUAGES: What began as a hobby and a passion for linguistics and travel has become part of a unique concert experience. At this time Ian Maksin sings in 30 languages including Ukrainian, Russian, English, Farsi, Armenian, French, Italian, Arabic, Hebrew, Mongolian, Bambara (one of the tongues spoken in West Africa) and many other exotic languages. Most of this repertoire was amassed by Maksin during his world travels, jam sessions and collaborations with local musicians. Many of his original songs and instrumental compositions are also infused with flavors of ethnic music from countries and regions where he drew inspiration from: Mongolia, West Africa, Middle East, the Balkans, Andalusian flamenco.
THE GLOBAL MUSICIAN: Ian Maksin was born in Leningrad, USSR into a multinational family and grew up absorbing many cultures and traditions from an early age. He began playing guitar and piano at age 3 and cello at age 6 at the School for Gifted Children in Leningrad and then came to the USA at 16 to continue studies at the Manhattan School of Music in New York City. After working for many years in the classical genre including a three-year tenure with the New World Symphony in Miami Ian has decided to look for his own musical path. His diverse musical experience, including playing rock and blues guitar and passion for jazz and world music has allowed him to take the cello to a new dimension and develop his own distinct style as a musician and composer. In Ian’s own words: “At some point I realized that music is much more than mere entertainment. Music is one of most powerful and unifying forces in the world, capable of healing, inspiring, bringing people together and bringing peace among them. I believe that cello will save the world”
ianmaksin.com
facebook.com/cellomaxx
instagram.com/ianmaksin
youtube.com/ianmaksin
open.spotify.com/artist/2OdXXipsrskFeePBpIdtc2
music.apple.com/us/artist/ian-maksin/268783791

EVENT DETAILS
Saturday, February 28, 2026
Time: 6:30 pm doors, 7:00 pm show
Admission: (Online) $29 Students & Seniors – $35 Early Bird – $40 General / (Door) $40
Note: A limited quantity of additional tickets will be available for purchase at the door unless otherwise noted on the Facebook event page that the show is SOLD OUT.
Purchase advance tickets for this event
Note: Purchasing an advance ticket guarantees admission but does not guarantee a seat. Seating is first come, first served.
RSVP to the Facebook event:

Volunteer for this event!

Contemporary Tango
2026-03-06 19:30 - 21:00
Advance tickets are available online. You are advised to purchase advance tickets for this event.
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Contemporary Tango
Paris Meets the Bay: A Night of Tango

This concert will feature the Paris based Tango trio: Colombo/Kociolek/Frontini trio in collaboration with our very own Bay Area violinist Basma Edrees. The concert will feature new arrangements and works by the world renowned Argentinian bandoneonist Fabrizio Colombo.
Featuring:
Fabrizio Colombo: Bandoneon
Emilie Aridon-Kociolek: Piano
Basma Edrees: Violin
Lucas Frontini: Bass

Friday, March 6, 2026
Time: 7:00 pm doors, 7:30 pm show
Admission: (Online) $25 Students & Seniors – $29 Early Bird – $35 General / (Door) $35

ABOUT THE ARTISTS:
Colombo/Kociolek/Frontini trio bio:
The CKF is a Paris-based tango trio founded by bandoneonist Fabrizio Colombo, pianist Émilie Aridon-Kociołek, and double bassist Lucas Frontini, united by their passion for the great Argentine tango trios. Inspired especially by Buenos Aires’ 1970s Vanguatrio, their repertoire, arranged by Colombo, blends a strong tango identity with jazz influences and dazzling virtuosity. Through this project, the three musicians fuse their distinctive sounds and energies to explore the magic of the trio format and carve out their own voice within today’s vibrant landscape of contemporary instrumental tango.
Fabrizio Colombo, an acclaimed Argentine bandoneonist, composer, and arranger, was born in Mendoza in 1994 and is now based in Paris. Renowned for his expressive versatility, he bridges tango, jazz, and classical music with equal mastery. Winner of the 2019 Che Bandoneón International Competition, he joined the Quinteto Revolucionario, the official ensemble of the Astor Piazzolla Foundation, for tours across Switzerland and South Korea. Colombo has performed worldwide and shared stages with legends such as Néstor Marconi and Alexis Cárdenas. Continuing his family’s tango legacy, he has released five acclaimed albums, including Siempre Paris (2025) and Celedonio (2022).
Émilie Aridon-Kociolek is a distinguished French pianist and graduate of the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et Danse de Paris, where she studied with Michel Béroff and Claire Désert, she has been awarded in numerous national and international competitions. She has performed as a soloist with the Lille and Lyon National Orchestras, and collaborated with bandoneonist William Sabatier on Astor Piazzolla’s Hommage à Liège recording. Winner of two prizes at the 2021 Piazzolla Music Competition, she appears regularly with Quinteto Respiro, and in projects blending classical, jazz, and tango traditions.
Basma Edrees is praised for her expressive artistry and rich, lyrical tone, and as a Juilliard-trained violinist she bridges Western classical, Arabic, and Argentine Tango music. Introduced to Tango through the works of Astor Piazzolla, she discovered a musical space where her classical precision and Arab lyricism converge. She studied Tango violin with renowned violinist Guillermo Rubino of the Orquesta Escuela de Tango Emilio Balcarce and has performed with leading Tango musicians, including Ramiro Boero and Julian Peralta. Beyond Tango, Basma has appeared as soloist internationally, founded the Bay Area’s Egyptian heritage ensemble Music in-Takht, and serves as violin faculty at Santa Clara University.
Argentine double bassist Lucas Eubel-Frontini brings virtuosic energy and stylistic versatility to today’s tango and classical scenes. Born in Argentina, he began on electric bass before immersing himself in double bass studies with renowned bassist Roberto Tormo. He refined his craft in France at the Conservatoire Régional de Toulouse, earning a performance diploma with high honors, and later completed a Bachelor with Honors at Trinity Laban in London. Now based in Paris, Lucas is in high demand as a freelance artist, performing with leading Argentine music ensembles including Quinteto Emedea, Orquesta Silbando, Cuarteto Lunares, TaXXI, and Orquesta Tanguísimo.
https://www.youtube.com/@fabriziocolombo7teto

EVENT DETAILS

Friday, March 6, 2026
Time: 7:00 pm doors, 7:30 pm show
Admission: (Online) $25 Students & Seniors – $29 Early Bird – $35 General / (Door) $35

Note: A limited quantity of additional tickets will be available for purchase at the door unless otherwise noted on the Facebook event page that the show is SOLD OUT.
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Echoes of Solidarity
2026-03-29 19:00 - 20:15
Advance tickets are available online. You are advised to purchase advance tickets for this event.
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Echoes of Solidarity
Coming Together with Music and Movement

In these challenging times, coming together through music, movement, and shared artistic expression is one of the most powerful ways to nurture solidarity and human connection. Across cultures, music and dance have long served as languages of resilience, empathy, and collective strength.
Join us for a journey of music and dance across the diverse cultural landscapes of the Middle East and Central Asia—from Iran to Afghanistan and beyond—featuring some of the Bay Area’s finest folk performers. Through rhythm, melody, and movement, this gathering celebrates the bonds that connect communities and reminds us that even in difficult moments, art can bring people together.

Featuring:

Natalie Nayun – danceSirvan Manhoobi – oudAsaf Ophir – clarinetAmir Etamadzadeh – percussion

Sunday, March 29, 2026
Time: 6:30 pm doors, 7:00 pm show
Admission: (Online) $25 Students & Seniors – $29 Early Bird – $35 General / (Door) $35

ABOUT THE ARTISTS:
Natalie Nayun is an international teacher and performer, specializing in contemporary and folkloric styles from Central Asia and the Middle East. She holds a degree in modern dance from UC Berkeley and is a certified Franklin Method Teacher and comprehensive Pilates instructor. Natalie is the artistic director of Ballet Afsaneh and founder of Pomegranate Garden Dance, an international online dance school featuring teachers and students from around the world. Her expertise includes Persian, Afghan, Tajik and Uzbek dance, among other styles. She has been dancing for over 20 years and teaching for over 15 years.
www.nayundance.com
Sirvan Manhoobi is a Kurdish Iranian oud and tar player as well as a composer. He was chosen for the Best Soloist award at Iranian music festivals in 2006, 2008 and 2009. After completing his MA in archaeology from Tehran University, Sirvan moved to the United States and continued his musical career. He established the Bamdad Ensemble and collaborated with great artists such as Bijan Kamkar, Aziz Shahrokh, Ardeshir Kamkar and Ismaeel Sabour, as well as the renowned Iranian director Bahram Bezraei in his play Tarabnameh (2016). Sirvan is currently beginning his PhD music studies at the University of California.
www.sirvanmanhoobi.com
Asaf Ophir began his professional career in Israeli musicals, playing in some of the most distinguished theaters in his home country. Having moved to the United States in 2014, Ophir performs throughout the Bay Area in many Jewish, Middle Eastern and Balkan productions, as well as classical and jazz. He has shared the stage with artists such as Avi Kushnir, Emel Mathlauthi, Ustad Mahwash and Barbra Streisand. The San Francisco Chronicle writes: “Asaf Ophir gives the clarinet the timbre of a trumpet, then a violin, then a raspy scream… the instrument’s wail almost becomes too plaintive and beautiful to bear.”
www.asafophir.com
Amir Etemadzadeh is a percussionist and educator, specializing in Persian and Middle Eastern music traditions. With years of experience teaching Tombak, Daf, Darbuka, Tar and other traditional instruments, he has inspired students of all ages worldwide. Amir is the founder of Amir School of Music, and the author of several instructional books on percussion. Beyond teaching, Amir performs and collaborates with diverse artists, exploring the healing power of music in community and therapeutic settings. His passion is to connect cultures and hearts through the universal language of music.
www.amirschoolofmusic.com

EVENT DETAILS

Sunday, March 29, 2026
Time: 7:00 pm doors, 7:30 pm show
Admission: (Online) $25 Students & Seniors – $29 Early Bird – $35 General / (Door) $35

Note: A limited quantity of additional tickets will be available for purchase at the door unless otherwise noted on the Facebook event page that the show is SOLD OUT.
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Season for Iran: Exhibition Opening of BĀZ-TĀB (Reflection)
2026-04-19 18:00 - 20:00
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BĀZ-TĀB
As part of A Season for Iran, we are honored to present BĀZ-TĀB—meaning reflection—an immersive performance and installation rooted in the architectural memory of Iran. Through large scale charcoal hand-drawing, paper sculpture, sound, and spatial performance, the work reconstructs the dreamlike fragments of places remembered: courtyards, domes, wind towers, and the intimate interiors of Iranian homes. Centered around the symbolic courtyard and howz (pool), the audience is invited to gather inside a living memory-space shaped by longing, displacement, and return. BĀZ-TĀB becomes not only an artwork, but a collective act of remembering the spaces, sounds, and emotions that continue to live within us across distance. Throughout the evening, Sima and Nima will serenade us with songs that echo the tenderness, longing, and resilience carried through the spaces of memory.
Sunday, April 19th, 6pm – 8pm
Red Poppy Art House
2698 Folsom Street, San Francisco
RSVP, Donation encouraged

ABOUT THE ARTIST
Sima Shahverdi is an Iranian architect and vocalist based in Brooklyn. She holds a B.Arch from the Art University of Tehran, an M.Arch I from the University of Tehran, and an M.Arch II from UCLA’s Suprastudio program under Greg Lynn, where she collaborated with Boeing, Bot & Dolly, UCLA’s IDEAS Robotics Lab, and Cirque du Soleil. Her professional work spans architectural design, fabrication, and process development at offices including AI SpaceFactory, Why Architecture, Kevin Daly Architects, and Kreysler & Associates.
Alongside her architectural practice, Sima is a self-taught vocalist and co-founder of Koubeh, a Brooklyn-based band drawing from Iranian folk traditions while developing original work. Koubeh’s single “Kook” became a breakout release, and the band has performed across the U.S. at venues including Nublu 151 and Nublu Classic in New York City, completing a sold-out West Coast run in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Scottsdale. Her current work brings these two practices together – architecture and music – into an integrated, multidisciplinary performance rooted in Iranian cultural memory.
Guest artist: Nima Farzaneh

Nima is an architectural designer and researcher in the musical and architectural acoustics domain, working toward a Ph.D. at the Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics at Stanford University. He holds a bachelor’s degree in architecture and M.S. in landscape architecture from Iran. In 2010 he moved to the U.S. and studied at Pratt Institute’s post-professional architecture M.S. program focused on computation and design. After practicing architecture in New York City from 2011 to 2019, he went to RPI (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute) to specialize in architectural acoustics. His research interest is primarily the study of acoustics in Iran’s historical architectural spaces and its correlation with the region’s aural traditions, rituals, and music. Having an interest in working with new media, he incorporates technologies such as virtual acoustics, VR, and immersive experience for recreating architectural spaces and space-based musical experiences.
Visual Art Exhibition: BĀZ-TĀB
BĀZ-TĀB (meaning reflection) is a body of work rooted in the architectural memory of Iran. Each piece begins as a large-scale hand drawing of a specific Iranian site – a courtyard, a dome, an arched passage – built up gradually in charcoal, documented frame by frame, and brought to life as an animated drawing. Three-dimensional paper sculptures grow out of the drawings, collapsing the boundary between image and object. Sound mirrors the spatial and emotional quality of each place. Together, the drawing, moving image, and sound aim to recreate something closer to how we actually remember a place: not as a photograph, but as a dream – fragmentary, layered, and alive.
The performance proposed for Red Poppy takes this further. Two parallel walls become the interior faces of an Iranian house – one the tabestān-neshin, the summer room, one the zemestān-neshin, the winter room. The audience sits at the center, where the courtyard would be. We are Iranians, scattered across cities, each carrying the last memories of a place we can no longer easily return to. My memories are the architectural spaces I walked through as a student – the hum of people under a dome, a voice carrying across a courtyard, the cool of wind descending through a badgir. In this performance, we gather at the howz. We sit by the water. We look up at the sky. We let ourselves miss Iran – together, out loud, held by sound and image and each other.
This is not documentation. It is not nostalgia. It is the act of remembering as a collective, bodily, present-tense experience. We become part of the house. The house becomes part of us.

[Show thumbnails]

EVENT DETAILS
Sunday, April 19, 2026
Time: 6pm – 8pm
Admission: FREE, Donation encouraged
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Season for Iran - Kamân duo: Mazdak Alipour, Nariman Assadi
2026-04-25 19:30 - 21:00
Advance tickets are available online. You are advised to purchase advance tickets for this event.
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Season for Iran – Kamân duo: Mazdak Alipour, Nariman Assadi
Voices of Resilience: Music from Lorestan

Presented as part of Season for Iran.
From the mountains of Lorestan, melodies rise carrying memory, endurance, and voices that continue across generations.
Performed on kamancheh and Iranian percussion, this program draws from a living tradition, one that persists, adapts, and is shared, even in difficult times.
As part of Season for Iran, this gathering offers a space to listen, reflect, and come together through music across distances, across communities.

Featuring:

Mazdak Alipour – Kamancheh and Vocal
Nariman Assadi – Percussion

Saturday, April 25, 2026
Time: 7:00 pm doors, 7:30 pm show
Admission: (Online) $29 Students & Seniors – $35 Early Bird – $40 General / (Door) $40

ABOUT THE ARTISTS:
Mazdak Alipour: International Kamancheh Virtuoso & Award-Winning Composer
With a distinguished career spanning over 30 years, Mazdak (Moslem) Alipour is a visionary Kamancheh player, vocalist, and composer. Born into a musical lineage in Khorramabad, Iran, he began his journey under the tutelage of his father, the legendary maestro Faraj Alipour.
Global Recognition & Awards Mazdak is a celebrated artist on the global stage, earning prestigious recognition for his innovation in Persian music:
Global Music Awards: Multi-award winner, holding both Silver and Bronze Medals (2020 & 2021).
Silk Road Project: Featured soloist conducted by the Academy Award-winning Tan Dun.
UNESCO: Distinguished performer at “Mozart Day” in France.
UCLA Collaboration: Currently collaborating with the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), contributing to its prestigious musical programs and showcasing his expertise through specialized performances and cultural initiatives.
Musical Vision & Innovation Currently based in Los Angeles, Mazdak is renowned for his mastery of musical fusion, blending ancient Persian heritage with contemporary global genres. With over 20 albums and the publication of “Taal” (a seminal book on Lori music), he continues to influence the world music scene through film scoring, international tours, and advanced music education.
Nariman Assadi is an Iranian musician. Raised in Tehran, he always felt drawn to percussion instruments, and at the age of thirteen, he began studying Tombak under Master Amir Mogharab Samadi. From 2008 to 2013, Nariman performed at Vahdat Hall as a soloist and with the Persian Percussion Ensemble at Pars Academy, the premier music academy for children. After mastering Tombak, he then began learning Daf under the great Master Bijan Kamkar, and with a strong understanding of the Daf and Tombak, Nariman started learning Barbat (Oud) under Master Mohammad Firouzi. In 2015, Narimanimmigrated to the United States, where he immediately began his professional music career by performing and attending festivals. Along with being a member of various ensembles, Nariman is a certified-Orff teacher and teaches Daf, Tombak, and Music for children.
In 2022, he toured all over the United States with Afra Ensemble, led by Master Hossein Behrouzina, and additionally, Narimanrelaeasd his first album Larzanah, Improvisation of Iranian Folk Music, with Master Faraj Alipour on vocals and Kamancheh. Currently, he teaches Iranian Music at Farsi Schools in Sacramento and the Bay Area. He also teaches music at more than seven elemantary schools in Sacramento.

Artist Links
Mazdak Alipour: mazdakalipour.comNariman Assadi: narimanpercussion.com
Instagram:Nariman Assadi (@nariman.percussion)Mazdak Alipour (@moslemalipour)
Facebook:Moslem AlipoorNariman Assadi
EVENT DETAILS

Saturday, April 25, 2026
Time: 7:00 pm doors, 7:30 pm show
Admission: (Online) $29 Students & Seniors – $35 Early Bird – $40 General / (Door) $40

Note: A limited quantity of additional tickets will be available for purchase at the door unless otherwise noted on the Facebook event page that the show is SOLD OUT.
Purchase advance tickets for this event
Note: Purchasing an advance ticket guarantees admission but does not guarantee a seat. Seating is first come, first served.
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Garotas da Lua
2026-05-15 19:30 - 21:00
Advance tickets are available online. You are advised to purchase advance tickets for this event.
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Garotas da Lua
Brazilian Vocal Harmony Ensemble
“Garotas da Lua” is an exciting new three voice harmony group, singing MPB, Samba and Bossa Nova. The group honor the great tradition of Brazilian Vocal groups from the last half of the 20th century through present day(Quarteto Em Cy, MPB4, Boca Livre and more), singing fresh arrangements of classics and gems by composers such as Chico Buarque, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Ary Barroso, Dori Caymmi.
Featuring:
Sandy Cressman, Catia Lund and Lillian Yee, Vocals
Ricardo Peixoto, 7 string guitar
Ami Molinelli, percussion
Friday, May 15th, 2026
Time: 7:00 pm doors, 7:30 pm show
Admission: (Online) $25 Students & Seniors – $29 Early Bird – $35 General / (Door) $35
ABOUT THE ARTISTS:
Garotas da Lua honor the great tradition of Brazilian Vocal groups from the last half of the 20th century through present day, singing fresh arrangements of classics and gems by composers such as Chico Buarque, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Ary Barroso, Dori Caymmi and more.
The voices of “Garotas da Lua” are:
Sandy Cressman: known for her group “Homenagem Brasileira”, with whom she has recorded 3 critically acclaimed CDs, and played venues and major festivals in the U.S. and Brazil.
Catia Lund: Originally from Rio de Janeiro, Catia is the lead vocalist for Oakland Samba Revue, for Bébé(Brazil East Bay Ensemble), Samba 415 and more.
Lillian Yee: Vocalist of The Brazilian Project, and collaborator within the wider Bay Area Brazilian Music community. She is co-founder of the Women Composers Collective and of Garotas da Lua, where she also serves as one of the group’s arrangers.
The vocalists are accompanied by Ricardo Peixoto, the well-known 7 string guitarist and percussionist Ami Molinelli.
Artist Links
Websitewww.cressmanmusic.comwww.ricardopeixoto.com
FacebookSandy Cressman Music Facebook GroupSandy Cressman Music on Facebook
Instagram@garotasdalua.musica

EVENT DETAILS
Friday, May 15th, 2026
Time: 7:00 pm doors, 7:30 pm show
Admission: (Online) $25 Students & Seniors – $29 Early Bird – $35 General / (Door) $35
Note: A limited quantity of additional tickets will be available for purchase at the door unless otherwise noted on the Facebook event page that the show is SOLD OUT.
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Note: Purchasing an advance ticket guarantees admission but does not guarantee a seat. Seating is first come, first served.
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Rebecca Kleinmann Quintet
2026-05-22 19:30 - 21:00
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Rebecca Kleinmann Quintet
Venezuela to Brazil
The Red Poppy presents the Rebecca Kleinmann Quintet featuring East Coast based flutist and vocalist Rebecca Kleinmann in collaboration world class Venezuelan musicians cuatro player/percussionist Jackeline Rago and guitarist Carlos Caminos, wonderful Bay Area/ Mexican born percussionist Marlon Aldana, and outstanding Bay Area bassist Bil Hager. Gracefully flowing between Venezuelan music, Brazilian folkloric rhythms and flamenco inspired originals, this dynamic quintet brings a special spin and vibrant life to every composition they arrange.
Featuring:
Rebecca Kleinmann, flutes and vocals
Carlos Caminos, guitar
Jackeline Rago, cuatro and percussion
Bil Hager, bass
Marlon Aldana, percussion
Friday, May 22nd, 2026
Time: 7:00 pm doors, 7:30 pm show
Admission: (Online) $25 Students & Seniors – $29 Early Bird – $35 General / (Door) $35
ABOUT THE ARTISTS:
Flutist and vocalist Rebecca Kleinmann returns to California from North Carolina where she leads several bands, directs UNC Chapel Hill’s Charanga Carolina and teaches in the UNCG Jazz department while pursuing her masters in classical flute. A Grammy awarded artist for her contribution to Taylor Eigsti’s “Plot Armor” (2023), she is an acclaimed for her performances worldwide. Pianist Benny Green made note of her unique artistry saying “Rebecca is masterful and selfless in her ability and inclination of melding her sound with her environment.” This Quintet iteration celebrates music from Venezuela to Brazil with some of Rebecca’s most treasured collaborators.
Artist Links
Website: www.rebeccakleinmann.com; www.jackelinerago.com; www.caminosmusic.com; www.marlonaldana.com
Instagram: @rebeccakleinmannmusic
Facebook: @rebeccakleinmannmusic
Preview the Performance

EVENT DETAILS
Friday, May 22nd, 2026
Time: 7:00 pm doors, 7:30 pm show
Admission: (Online) $25 Students & Seniors – $29 Early Bird – $35 General / (Door) $35
Note: A limited quantity of additional tickets will be available for purchase at the door unless otherwise noted on the Facebook event page that the show is SOLD OUT.
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Cuerdas Tropicales
2026-06-05 19:30 - 21:00
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Cuerdas Tropicales
PuertoRican Trova and Latin-american classics meet Brazilian choro, samba and Brazilian standards
Featuring:
Ricardo Peixoto, brazilian guitar
Brian Rice, pandeiro and drumset
Madeleine Zayas, voice and hand percussion
Special Guest:
Daniel Zamalloa, Peruvian mandolin and flute player
Friday, June 5th, 2026
Time: 7:00 pm doors, 7:30 pm show
Admission: (Online) $25 Students & Seniors – $29 Early Bird – $35 General / (Door) $35
ABOUT THE ARTISTS:
Guitarist, composer and arranger Ricardo Peixoto is among the top representatives of Brazilian guitar in the US, with a fluid melodic style and a keen compositional sense. His music is grounded both in jazz and Brazil’s diverse traditions; but always ventures well beyond their borders. He has recorded, performed, and collaborated with, among others, Claudia Villela, Flora Purim and Airto, saxophonist Bud Shank, Dom Um Romão, Claudio Roditi, Paul McCandless Fabiana Cozza, Spok, Sivuca, Arturo Sandoval, Toots Thielemans, Dori Caymmi and Guinga. His recordings include the CDs Scary Beautiful, and Inverse Universe (with Claudia Villela). He has performed throughout the US, Europe, Canada, Japan and Brazil. Additionally Ricardo has taught Brazilian Guitar and Choro music at the California Jazz Conservatory for over 10 years. ricardopeixoto.com
Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Madeleine Zayas is a Latin American singer/interpreter, choreographer and architect based in Oakland. At age 15 she tasted professional singing with internationally acclaimed singer/songwriter Wilkins in her native Puerto Rico. She has performed in theaters and television in Puerto Rico, California and Nevada since 1985. She was co-founder of Buena Trova Social Club with Brandon Vance in 2012 and soon after as the lead singer and co-artistic director of Madelina y Los Carpinteros and Duo Made y Feña since 2014. She is the co-founder with Marcos Silva and lead singer of Sudamericanto, a bay area musical ensemble performing original compositions and innovative arrangements of carefully selected classics from the Brazilian Jazz, Latin American/Caribbean songbook. Madeleine has shared stage with Cheo Feliciano, Inti Illimani, John Santos, Tohnino Horta and Holly Near. Her love of folk music is rooted in the jibaro traditions of the Puertorican countryside, where her paternal family is from, and her eclectic repertoire is inspired by the Nueva Canción/Nueva Trova tradition of entertaining and educating about latin-american culture and pressing social issues. https://www.facebook.com/madeleine.zayasmart.3
Oakland based percussionist, Brian Rice specializes in both Brazilian and Afro Cuban percussion but can be heard playing a wide variety of music from Mexican son jarocho to the Grateful Dead songbook blended with Celtic music. Brian is a founding member of the Berkeley Choro Ensemble and is frequently called upon for his expertise on the pandeiro (Brazilian tambourine). In 2023 Brian premiered Danzas #4 for pandeiro and orchestra with the Diablo Symphony by Felipe Senna.
In addition to appearing in over a hundred recordings, Brian has worked with Mike Marshall, Jovino Santos Neto, Spok, Claudia Villela, Trio Brasileiro, Alessandro Penezzi, Jorge Alabe, Almir Côrtes, and Rogerio Souza among others. Brian performed at the Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center, the Savannah Music Festival and NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert with the Danilo Brito Quintet. In July 2019 Brian celebrated the release of his first self-produced choro CD, Três Baías with Almir Côrtes and Nando Duarte. Brian is the co-founder and artistic director of the Berkeley Festival of Choro and teaches Samba School, and the Afro-Cuban Ensembles at UC Davis. brian-rice.com
Daniel Zamalloa is a guitarist, mandolinist, fiddler, and composer whose work is rooted in the musical traditions of Perú. His landmark recording “Folk Violin From Perú” features village music from 16 different regions.

With trio Chaskinakuy, he has performed and recorded music from Perú, Bolivia, Ecuador, and Argentina. He also recorded with Lichi Fuentes, Inkuyo, Patricio Morales quintet, and EstudiANDINA quartet. He has been musical director of De Rompe y Raja and has worked with Afro-Peruvian percussionists Mangué Vásquez, Lalo Izquierdo and Miguel Ballumbrosio, among others; singers Marina Lavalle, Rosa Los Santos, Mochi Parra, and Rafael Manríquez.

He has collaborated with San Francisco Chamber Orchestra, Del Sol Quartet, Kairos Youth Choir, New York’s Pachamama Peruvian Arts, Seattle’s De Cajón Project, World Repertory Ensemble, Coro Hispano, and various dance troupes.
Artist Links
Websites: www.brian-rice.com; www.ricardopeixoto.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/madeleine.zayasmart.3; www.facebook.com/myloscarpinteros

EVENT DETAILS
Friday, June 5th, 2026
Time: 7:00 pm doors, 7:30 pm show
Admission: (Online) $25 Students & Seniors – $29 Early Bird – $35 General / (Door) $35
Note: A limited quantity of additional tickets will be available for purchase at the door unless otherwise noted on the Facebook event page that the show is SOLD OUT.
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Note: Purchasing an advance ticket guarantees admission but does not guarantee a seat. Seating is first come, first served.
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June 6th MAPP
2026-06-06 19:00 - 22:00
June 6th MAPP

THIS IS A FREE EVENT
Saturday, June 6, 2026 | 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Red Poppy Art House
MAPP (Mission Art Performance Project)
2698 Folsom @23rd
Curator: Dina Zarif
7:15 PM – 7:45 PM
Soundscapes (A Soulful Melodic Journey)
Eliot Valz – Solo guitar
8:00 PM – 8:45 PM
Esotérica Tropical (Puerto Rican Medicinal Songs)
María José Montijo – Harp & vocals
9:00 PM – 9:45 PM
Melodies of the Hindustani Tradition (Expressive Ragas)
Kamal Ahmad – Sitar
Nilan Chaudhuri – Tabla
Exhibition:
BĀZ-TĀB (Reflection) by Sima Shahverdi, a large-scale installation featuring charcoal drawings and paper sculpture, presented as part of A Season for Iran.
MAPP (Mission Arts & Performance Project)
Launched in 2003, the Mission Arts & Performance Project (MAPP) is a homegrown bi-monthly, multidisciplinary, intercultural event that takes place in the Mission District of San Francisco. On the first Saturday of every even month of the year, the MAPP transforms ordinary spaces, such as private garages, gardens, living rooms, studios, street corners, and small businesses into pop-up performance and exhibition sites for a day/night of intimate-scale artistic and cultural exchange among a kaleidoscope of individuals and communities.
RED POPPY MAPP TEAM:
Artistic Director | Managing Director: Dina Zarif
Content manager: Jennie Legary
Sound crew: Andrew Scott
Host: Verda Bursal
ABOUT THE PERFORMING ARTISTS

The Genie Soundscapes
A Soulful Melodic Journey
Featuring:
Eliot Valz – Solo guitar
Eliot Valz is a rising 11th -grade musician and performer at the Ruth Asawa School of the Arts in San Francisco. He performs with Marcus Shelby’s Teen Jazz Band at CMC, Old Skool Cafe, and his rock band, Thorn. Thorn just released their new EP on Spotify, and they will be heading to the Treefort Music Festival in Boise, Idaho in March. Eliot’s musical development has been shaped through mentorship with artists including Marcus Shelby, Kyle Blaze, and Javi Madrigal. Eliot is eager to continue growing as a musician through collaboration with diverse artists in professional and creative music spaces.

Esotérica Tropical
Medicinal Songs from Puerto Rico
Featuring:
María José Montijo – Harp & vocals
Esotérica Tropical transcends musical boundaries with her commanding voice, harp, and fusion of Bomba rhythms with electronic production. Her self-titled debut album was named Best Bay Area Music of 2024 by KQED, KALW, and White Crate. Her work boldly challenges colonial mentality, advocating for sovereignty and surrealism. A chance encounter with a Celtic harp on a Puerto Rican beach in 2009 transformed her from an acupuncturist into a genre-defying musical magician. Drawing on 20 years as a traditional medicine practitioner, Esotérica’s ritualistic performances have captivated audiences at major venues and festivals worldwide including Brava Theater, The Chapel, MACLA, Oakland Museum of California, SOMArts, Teatro Municipal de Cusco, Festival Color Caribe, Teatro el Supremo, and el Fiestón Cultural del Instituto de Cultura de PR.

Melodies of the Hindustani Tradition
Expressive raags through improvisation & tradition
Featuring:
Kamal Ahmad – Sitar
Nilan Chaudhuri – Tabla
Kamal Ahmad’s path to music wasn’t conventional, and that’s exactly what makes him a better teacher. His journey began with tabla before his elder sister introduced him to the sitar, sparking a devotion that would reshape his life. He sought formal training under sarod maestro Arnab Chakrabarty, who introduced him to sitar virtuoso Vinayak Chittar and scholar-vocalist Pandit Arijit Mahalanabis, a lineage of mentorship rooted in the deepest traditions of Indian classical music. Trained as a neuroscientist, Kamal started his serious musical study later than most. Rather than a setback, this became his advantage. His scientific mind drove him to find the most efficient, intentional methods of practice, the same methods he now teaches his students. He didn’t just learn raga music. He studied how people learn, and built his teaching around it.
Nilan Chaudhuri is a Bay Area based percussionist, educator, and performer. Initiated into the tradition of Indian Classical Music at the age of five by his father, Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri, Nilan has been performing as a tabla soloist and accompanist for nearly two decades. Prior to beginning his formal training with his father in 2000, Nilan studied tabla with Brad Van Cleve, Tim Witter, and Uttam Chakraborty, all of whom are senior disciples of his father.
Drawing inspiration from his father’s innovative approach to classical tabla solo, Nilan was determined from a young age to be a soloist. He presented his first public tabla recital at the age of eleven, at the Ali Akbar College of Music in San Rafael, in the presence of Maestro Ali Akbar Khansahib. It was during these formative years that Nilan was introduced to the world of Tabla accompaniment by Maestro Ali Akbar Khan, providing rhythmic support for his vocal and instrumental classes at the college.

Visual Art Exhibition: BĀZ-TĀB (Reflection)

BĀZ-TĀB (Reflection) by Sima Shahverdi, a large-scale installation featuring charcoal drawings and paper sculpture, presented as part of A Season for Iran.
BĀZ-TĀB (meaning reflection) is a body of work rooted in the architectural memory of Iran. Each piece begins as a large-scale hand drawing of a specific Iranian site—a courtyard, a dome, an arched passage—built gradually in charcoal, documented frame by frame, and brought to life through animation. Three-dimensional paper sculptures emerge from the drawings, collapsing the boundary between image and object. Together, these elements seek to recreate something closer to how we actually remember a place: not as a photograph, but as a dream—fragmentary, layered, and alive.
At Red Poppy Art House, the two parallel walls become the interior faces of an Iranian house—one the tabestān-neshin (summer room), the other the zemestān-neshin (winter room). The audience sits at the center, where the courtyard would be.
We are Iranians scattered across cities, each carrying memories of a place we can no longer easily return to. My own memories are of the architectural spaces I walked through as a student—the hum of voices beneath a dome, a voice carrying across a courtyard, the cool wind descending through a badgir. I invite the audience to gather at the howz, sit by the water, and look up at the sky.
This is not documentation. It is not nostalgia. It is the act of remembering as a collective, embodied, present-tense experience. We become part of the house. The house becomes part of us.
MAPP GENERAL PROGRAM
Join us in MAPP at all other spaces throughout the Mission District.

IN PERSON EVENT DETAILS
Time: June 6th, 2026, 7pm- 10pm (IN-PERSON)
Admission: Free!

DONATE

ShadowLight Productions
2026-06-14 13:00 - 16:00
RSVP to the Facebook event:

ShadowLight Productions
Earth Paper Cut: Shadow Performance & Puppet Workshop
Created and performed by ShadowLight’s Jess Nguyen, Earth Paper Cut is a youth-scripted, surreal story translated into a shadow show: Earth Paper Cut follows two children navigating the moral quandaries around staying or leaving their planet behind at the end of the world as we know it.
This performance will be followed by a guided exploration of transforming a story into a shadow play and a puppet building workshop.
This event is part of Red Poppy’s Family Art Program (Arte entre Familia).
Featuring:
Jess Nguyen, Puppeteer and Teaching Artist
Sunday, June 14th, 2026
Time: 1:00 pm – 4: 00 pm
Admission: FREE
ABOUT THE ARTISTS:
Jessica Nguyễn specializes in movement and visual arts disciplines ranging from dance, puppetry, and circus to science illustration and sculpture. As a core member, performer, and frequent collaborator with Shadowlight Productions Jess specializes as a shadow puppeteer and designer, but is also versed in other forms of puppetry. She has performed and collaborated with Facing West Shadows, OddSavvy, Driveway Follies, SF Youth Theatre, and the SF Opera. Jess is always up to shenanigans with the youth, and is a multi-disciplinary educator across the Bay. You can often catch her, unsurprisingly, mulling over fun facts to share with you.
Artist Links
Jess Nguyen
FB: https://www.facebook.com/phantomcardium/
IG: @phantomcardium
Website: www.ghosthearted.com
ShadowLight
Instagram: @shadowlightproductions
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ShadowLightProductions/
Website: shadowlight.org
EVENT DETAILS
Sunday, June 14th, 2026
Time: 1:00 pm – 4: 00 pm
Admission: FREE
Note: RSVP guarantees admission but does not guarantee a seat. Seating is first come, first served.
RSVP to the Facebook event:

Volunteer for this event!

ICU (I See You) : A One-Woman Play
2026-06-19 19:30 - 21:00
ICU (I See You)
A one-woman staged reading inspired by Iran’s “Women, Life, Freedom” movement
Presented by
Red Poppy Art House and Golden Thread Productions present a special theatrical reading of ICU (I See You) by Leyla Modirzadeh and Domenique Lozano, a one-woman play performed by Bridgette Loriaux.
Dates
Friday, June 19
Doors: 7:00 PM | Performance: 7:30–9:00 PM
Saturday, June 20
Doors: 7:00 PM | Performance: 7:30–9:00 PM
Sunday, June 21
Doors: 1:30 PM | Performance: 2:00–3:30 PM
Venue
Red Poppy Art House
2698 Folsom Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
Please Note

Seating is limited.
Doors open 30 minutes before the performance.
Late seating may not be accommodated.
Please allow extra time for parking.

Advance tickets are available online. You are required to purchase advance tickets for this event.
*Due to the theatrical nature of this performance, the show begins promptly and late seating may not be permitted.
RSVP on Facebook & buy tickets:

GET TICKETS

ABOUT THE PLAY
Red Poppy Art House and Golden Thread Productions proudly presents ICU (I See You), a one-woman theatrical reading written by Leyla Modirzadeh and Domenique Lozano, and performed by Bridgette Loriaux.
Inspired by Iran’s 2022–2023 “Women, Life, Freedom” movement, ICU illuminates the events and human experiences of the uprising through the intersecting lives of five Iranian women.
The movement began after the death of Mahsa Amini while in the custody of Iran’s morality police, sparking nationwide protests led by women and girls demanding dignity, freedom, and basic human rights. What followed was one of the most significant protest movements in modern Iranian history and a brutal crackdown by the regime.
ICU is a full-length play currently in development as part of Golden Thread’s New Threads Staged Reading Series. New Threads is Golden Thread’s annual staged reading series that engages its audience in the process of playmaking and allows writers of Middle Eastern and non-Middle Eastern descent an authentic and supportive space to develop work about the Middle East.
Because the events that inspired the work continue to resonate so deeply, the artists wanted to share the story with audiences now rather than wait for the play’s final production. Portions of the performance will be presented with scripts in hand as part of the play’s ongoing development process.
The title ICU operates on several levels. It references the intensive care units where injured protesters sought treatment. It declares “I see you”—the fundamental demand to be witnessed, recognized, and remembered. It also evokes the eye itself and the power of sight, which became a powerful symbol throughout the movement.
The play begins on a hopeful morning in the midst of the Women, Life, Freedom protests. From there, it follows the aftermath of a single day and night, tracing the lives of women whose futures are forever altered by the choices they make and the events they endure.
Through humor, resilience, grief, friendship, and extraordinary courage, ICU explores what it costs to demand your humanity—and what it takes to keep fighting for it. With some laughs.
Written by: Leyla Modirzadeh & Domenique Lozano
Performed by: Bridgette Loriaux
Presented by Red Poppy Art House and Golden Thread Productions.
About Golden Thread Productions
Golden Thread Productions is a San Francisco-based theatre company dedicated to exploring Middle Eastern cultures, diverse perspectives, and global immigrant experiences. Founded in 1996, it is the first American theatre company devoted to the Middle East and its diaspora. Through new play development, education programs, and its signature ReOrient Festival, Golden Thread champions underrepresented voices and creates powerful opportunities for cultural exchange, dialogue, and artistic innovation.
ARTISTS
Bridgette Loriaux is an award-winning actor, writer, director, choreographer, and movement artist known for her highly physical and visually inventive approach to storytelling. Her work includes the off-Broadway dance-theatre piece 2½ Breaths, award-winning productions for Marin Shakespeare Company, and movement direction for The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time at San Francisco Playhouse. Internationally, she has toured throughout Europe, South America, and Egypt, performed at the Beijing Olympic Games, and continues to develop innovative work as both a theatre artist and movement educator.

Domenique Lozano is a director, actress, vocal coach, and educator based on the West Coast. She has served as a Resident Artist with American Conservatory Theater and an Associate Artist with California Shakespeare Theater. Her directing credits include productions with Marin Shakespeare Company, ACT, UC Berkeley, TheatreFirst, and Southern Oregon University. As an actor, she has performed with Cal Shakes, ACT, Berkeley Rep, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and numerous regional theatres across the country.

Leyla Modirzadeh (co-writer) is an Iranian-American artist, actress, and director. She has performed in theaters across the country including Cincinnati Playhouse, A Contemporary Theatre, The Group Theatre, Wisdom Bridge Theatre in Chicago, Speakeasy Stage in Boston, The Kennedy Center in DC, La Mama ETC and New York Theatre Workshop in New York. She was seen most recently at Indiana Repertory Theatre as Roya in English. In addition to her professional stage work, Leyla is known for her collaborations with renowned theatre artist Ping Chong. She has a BA in Humanities from UC Berkeley, MFA in acting from University of Washington.

[Show thumbnails]

ICU (I See You) : A One-Woman Play
2026-06-20 19:30 - 21:00
ICU (I See You)
A one-woman staged reading inspired by Iran’s “Women, Life, Freedom” movement
Presented by
Red Poppy Art House and Golden Thread Productions present a special theatrical reading of ICU (I See You) by Leyla Modirzadeh and Domenique Lozano, a one-woman play performed by Bridgette Loriaux.
Presented by heading aside — paste continues below.
Dates
Friday, June 19
Doors: 7:00 PM | Performance: 7:30–9:00 PM
Saturday, June 20
Doors: 7:00 PM | Performance: 7:30–9:00 PM
Sunday, June 21
Doors: 1:30 PM | Performance: 2:00–3:30 PM
Venue
Red Poppy Art House
2698 Folsom Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
Please Note

Seating is limited.
Doors open 30 minutes before the performance.
Late seating may not be accommodated.
Please allow extra time for parking.

Advance tickets are available online. You are required to purchase advance tickets for this event.
*Due to the theatrical nature of this performance, the show begins promptly and late seating may not be permitted.
RSVP on Facebook & buy tickets:

GET TICKETS

ABOUT THE PLAY
Red Poppy Art House and Golden Thread Productions proudly presents ICU (I See You), a one-woman theatrical reading written by Leyla Modirzadeh and Domenique Lozano, and performed by Bridgette Loriaux.
Inspired by Iran’s 2022–2023 “Women, Life, Freedom” movement, ICU illuminates the events and human experiences of the uprising through the intersecting lives of five Iranian women.
The movement began after the death of Mahsa Amini while in the custody of Iran’s morality police, sparking nationwide protests led by women and girls demanding dignity, freedom, and basic human rights. What followed was one of the most significant protest movements in modern Iranian history and a brutal crackdown by the regime.
ICU is a full-length play currently in development as part of Golden Thread’s New Threads Staged Reading Series. New Threads is Golden Thread’s annual staged reading series that engages its audience in the process of playmaking and allows writers of Middle Eastern and non-Middle Eastern descent an authentic and supportive space to develop work about the Middle East.
Because the events that inspired the work continue to resonate so deeply, the artists wanted to share the story with audiences now rather than wait for the play’s final production. Portions of the performance will be presented with scripts in hand as part of the play’s ongoing development process.
The title ICU operates on several levels. It references the intensive care units where injured protesters sought treatment. It declares “I see you”—the fundamental demand to be witnessed, recognized, and remembered. It also evokes the eye itself and the power of sight, which became a powerful symbol throughout the movement.
The play begins on a hopeful morning in the midst of the Women, Life, Freedom protests. From there, it follows the aftermath of a single day and night, tracing the lives of women whose futures are forever altered by the choices they make and the events they endure.
Through humor, resilience, grief, friendship, and extraordinary courage, ICU explores what it costs to demand your humanity—and what it takes to keep fighting for it. With some laughs.
Written by: Leyla Modirzadeh & Domenique Lozano
Performed by: Bridgette Loriaux
Presented by Red Poppy Art House and Golden Thread Productions.
About Golden Thread Productions
Golden Thread Productions is a San Francisco-based theatre company dedicated to exploring Middle Eastern cultures, diverse perspectives, and global immigrant experiences. Founded in 1996, it is the first American theatre company devoted to the Middle East and its diaspora. Through new play development, education programs, and its signature ReOrient Festival, Golden Thread champions underrepresented voices and creates powerful opportunities for cultural exchange, dialogue, and artistic innovation.
ARTISTS
Bridgette Loriaux is an award-winning actor, writer, director, choreographer, and movement artist known for her highly physical and visually inventive approach to storytelling. Her work includes the off-Broadway dance-theatre piece 2½ Breaths, award-winning productions for Marin Shakespeare Company, and movement direction for The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time at San Francisco Playhouse. Internationally, she has toured throughout Europe, South America, and Egypt, performed at the Beijing Olympic Games, and continues to develop innovative work as both a theatre artist and movement educator.

Domenique Lozano is a director, actress, vocal coach, and educator based on the West Coast. She has served as a Resident Artist with American Conservatory Theater and an Associate Artist with California Shakespeare Theater. Her directing credits include productions with Marin Shakespeare Company, ACT, UC Berkeley, TheatreFirst, and Southern Oregon University. As an actor, she has performed with Cal Shakes, ACT, Berkeley Rep, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and numerous regional theatres across the country.

Leyla Modirzadeh (co-writer) is an Iranian-American artist, actress, and director. She has performed in theaters across the country including Cincinnati Playhouse, A Contemporary Theatre, The Group Theatre, Wisdom Bridge Theatre in Chicago, Speakeasy Stage in Boston, The Kennedy Center in DC, La Mama ETC and New York Theatre Workshop in New York. She was seen most recently at Indiana Repertory Theatre as Roya in English. In addition to her professional stage work, Leyla is known for her collaborations with renowned theatre artist Ping Chong. She has a BA in Humanities from UC Berkeley, MFA in acting from University of Washington.

[Show thumbnails]

ICU (I See You) : A One-Woman Play
2026-06-21 14:00 - 15:30
ICU (I See You)
A one-woman staged reading inspired by Iran’s “Women, Life, Freedom” movement
Presented by
Red Poppy Art House and Golden Thread Productions present a special theatrical reading of ICU (I See You) by Leyla Modirzadeh and Domenique Lozano, a one-woman play performed by Bridgette Loriaux.
Dates
Friday, June 19
Doors: 7:00 PM | Performance: 7:30–9:00 PM
Saturday, June 20
Doors: 7:00 PM | Performance: 7:30–9:00 PM
Sunday, June 21
Doors: 1:30 PM | Performance: 2:00–3:30 PM
Venue
Red Poppy Art House
2698 Folsom Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
Please Note

Seating is limited.
Doors open 30 minutes before the performance.
Late seating may not be accommodated.
Please allow extra time for parking.

Advance tickets are available online. You are required to purchase advance tickets for this event.
*Due to the theatrical nature of this performance, the show begins promptly and late seating may not be permitted.
RSVP on Facebook & buy tickets:

GET TICKETS

ABOUT THE PLAY
Red Poppy Art House and Golden Thread Productions proudly presents ICU (I See You), a one-woman theatrical reading written by Leyla Modirzadeh and Domenique Lozano, and performed by Bridgette Loriaux.
Inspired by Iran’s 2022–2023 “Women, Life, Freedom” movement, ICU illuminates the events and human experiences of the uprising through the intersecting lives of five Iranian women.
The movement began after the death of Mahsa Amini while in the custody of Iran’s morality police, sparking nationwide protests led by women and girls demanding dignity, freedom, and basic human rights. What followed was one of the most significant protest movements in modern Iranian history and a brutal crackdown by the regime.
ICU is a full-length play currently in development as part of Golden Thread’s New Threads Staged Reading Series. New Threads is Golden Thread’s annual staged reading series that engages its audience in the process of playmaking and allows writers of Middle Eastern and non-Middle Eastern descent an authentic and supportive space to develop work about the Middle East.
Because the events that inspired the work continue to resonate so deeply, the artists wanted to share the story with audiences now rather than wait for the play’s final production. Portions of the performance will be presented with scripts in hand as part of the play’s ongoing development process.
The title ICU operates on several levels. It references the intensive care units where injured protesters sought treatment. It declares “I see you”—the fundamental demand to be witnessed, recognized, and remembered. It also evokes the eye itself and the power of sight, which became a powerful symbol throughout the movement.
The play begins on a hopeful morning in the midst of the Women, Life, Freedom protests. From there, it follows the aftermath of a single day and night, tracing the lives of women whose futures are forever altered by the choices they make and the events they endure.
Through humor, resilience, grief, friendship, and extraordinary courage, ICU explores what it costs to demand your humanity—and what it takes to keep fighting for it. With some laughs.
Written by: Leyla Modirzadeh & Domenique Lozano
Performed by: Bridgette Loriaux
Presented by Red Poppy Art House and Golden Thread Productions.
About Golden Thread Productions
Golden Thread Productions is a San Francisco-based theatre company dedicated to exploring Middle Eastern cultures, diverse perspectives, and global immigrant experiences. Founded in 1996, it is the first American theatre company devoted to the Middle East and its diaspora. Through new play development, education programs, and its signature ReOrient Festival, Golden Thread champions underrepresented voices and creates powerful opportunities for cultural exchange, dialogue, and artistic innovation.
ARTISTS
Bridgette Loriaux is an award-winning actor, writer, director, choreographer, and movement artist known for her highly physical and visually inventive approach to storytelling. Her work includes the off-Broadway dance-theatre piece 2½ Breaths, award-winning productions for Marin Shakespeare Company, and movement direction for The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time at San Francisco Playhouse. Internationally, she has toured throughout Europe, South America, and Egypt, performed at the Beijing Olympic Games, and continues to develop innovative work as both a theatre artist and movement educator.

Domenique Lozano is a director, actress, vocal coach, and educator based on the West Coast. She has served as a Resident Artist with American Conservatory Theater and an Associate Artist with California Shakespeare Theater. Her directing credits include productions with Marin Shakespeare Company, ACT, UC Berkeley, TheatreFirst, and Southern Oregon University. As an actor, she has performed with Cal Shakes, ACT, Berkeley Rep, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and numerous regional theatres across the country.

Leyla Modirzadeh (co-writer) is an Iranian-American artist, actress, and director. She has performed in theaters across the country including Cincinnati Playhouse, A Contemporary Theatre, The Group Theatre, Wisdom Bridge Theatre in Chicago, Speakeasy Stage in Boston, The Kennedy Center in DC, La Mama ETC and New York Theatre Workshop in New York. She was seen most recently at Indiana Repertory Theatre as Roya in English. In addition to her professional stage work, Leyla is known for her collaborations with renowned theatre artist Ping Chong. She has a BA in Humanities from UC Berkeley, MFA in acting from University of Washington.

ICU (I See You) : A One-Woman Play

Reuse, Repurpose, Reimagine: Interactive Mending Workshop
2026-06-27 13:00 - 16:00
Join us to learn about mending clothes, bags, and fabric items, and even work on your project with guidance and materials from Verda Bursal. You can bring your own item(s) in need of mending and/or work with scrap pieces from Verda’s stash.
Thread and tools will be provided, including a sewing machine if you’re feeling brave!
The workshop will be entirely donation-based. No tickets, no need to RSVP, pay what you can for your alteration and/or lesson.

Verda Bursal is the creator of Waste to Hip, a project dedicated to mending and upcycling fabric goods as well as teaching others how to do the same. She is proud to carry on the millennia-old tradition of turning plant and animal fibers into useful three-dimensional objects, and firmly believes that most fabric items have more life they can live.
Read more about her project: https://www.wastetohip.com/

Waste to Hip by Verda Bursal

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