Black History Month Celebration at the Bayview Opera House

Live at da Savoy

Saturday, Feb 25, 8PM

A Rhythm and Blues tribute to past and present celebrity artists along with a musical stage play depicting scenes from the renowned Harlem nightclub.  Local singers impersonate artists such as Barry White, Anita Baker, Sammy Davis, Jr., Gladys Knight, Teddy Pendergrass, Stevie Wonder, and more.

Doors open at 7PM
Performance from 8-10PM
Old School Dance Party from 10PM-midnight

Special honoree: Mary Booker

Tickets available at bvohsavoy.eventbright.com or call 415-824-0386
$20 advance tickets, $25 at the door, $15 seniors, $10 youth, $150 for a reserved table for 6

Beautify The Bayview Opera House With Habitat For Humanity!

Habitat for Humanity is in critical need of volunteers for this Friday, January 20 at the Bayview Opera House, 4705 Third St., From 8:30AM - 4:30PM. 

Sign up at the Habitat for Humanity Volunteer Hub, or contact:

Nadine James-Ward
Director of Programs
645 Harrison Street
Suite 201
San Francisco
California 94107-3624

Tel 415 625 1025
njames-ward@habitatgsf.org

MLK Build Day with Habitat for Humanity and Rebuilding Together

When: Monday, January 16, 2012;
8:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Where: Bayview Opera House, 4705 3rd Street

Habitat for Humanity is partnering with Rebuilding Together SF in performing needed renovations to The Bayview Opera House in celebration of its recent designation as a National Historic Building. Volunteers will perform indoor and outdoor painting - no construction experience is needed, but volunteers must be 16 years of age and over.

Visit http://volunteer.truist.com/thevolunteercenter/org/opp/10500127298.html for more information.

Free Family Portraits for the Holidays

Get your FREE Family Portrait THIS Saturday, December 10!

Come celebrate FAMILY ARTS DAY!

FirstExposures in partnership with HELP PORTRAIT will be at the Bayview Opera House, 4705 Third St., this Saturday, December 10, from 11AM – 4PM. The two non-profits are offering families the opportunity to get a FREE professional family portrait. You will take home two 5x7 prints and a CD with your entire photo shoot!

Sign-up in advance is recommended (call BVOH at 415-824-0386) to avoid having to wait, but we will attempt to serve all families who walk in.

Watch HELP PORTRAIT Video

Bayview Koshland Fellows asked Santa to come, so come out to enjoy jumpers, music and free snacks for kids.

Jumpstart will be offering free arts activities. Arts activities by Jumpstart include making bird feeders, exploring snow, and making ornaments and wreaths.

Kids complete their ARTS PASSPORT, and then go to visit with Santa Claus, who has stockings to give away to kids as long as they last!

Invite your friends on Facebook!

EVENT: Circus & Chamber Orchestra Holiday Show

Join the SF Chamber Orchestra and Circus Bella for a special holiday show on Sunday, December 4, and enjoy a fun afternoon filled with clowns, concertos and more when you reserve your tickets in advance.

Bayview Opera House (4705 3rd St., SF) | Sunday, December 4 | 3-4p | FREE*

EVENT: Bayview Opera House Holiday Festival

The Bayview Opera House will be holding The 8th Annual BVHP Holiday Festival on Friday, December 2nd from 5-8PM. There will be many arts and crafts as well as food vendors, live performances and a tree lighting ceremony around 6PM.

The Friday Night Jive will be starting up at 7, so stay and dance the night away!

Bayview Opera House, 4705 3rd Street between Oakdale and Newcomb, parking available

415-824-0386 for more information

Help-Portrait at Bayview Opera House

Help-Portrait is a movement among photographers doing portraits of people that aren't able to afford traditional avenues of family portraiture. This could be single mothers, orphans, the lonely, the sick, people in 3rd World Countries, your Neighbor, the homeless.

First Exposures is doing their own Help-Portrait at the Bayview Opera House at 4705 Third St. on December 10. They are starting now to take reservations for portraits to be taken that day.   They also still need lots of help and support to make this Help-Portrait a huge success. Their goal is to photograph 200-300 families in 5 hours! Thanks to ProCamera Rental for donating all of the lighting needs for the day! Thanks to Orange Photography for donating a dye-sub printer for the day!  There's still more they need so please be in touch. You can email them at firstexposures@sfcamerawork.org if you want to volunteer or find out more.

First Exposures is a unique mentoring program that uses art education to develop transferable skills and foster supportive intergenerational relationships between artists and under-served Bay Area youth. Students and mentors meet weekly for a year and work toward a final project, which in the past has included exhibitions, public billboards, and the book First Exposures

BEAUTIFY THE BAYVIEW OPERA HOUSE WITH HABITAT FOR HUMANITY!

Habitat for Humanity Greater SF is partnering with Rebuilding Together SF in performing needed renovations to The Bayview Opera House in celebration of its recent designation as a National Historic Building by the National Trust for Historic Preservation in recognition of its lasting contributions to the arts and culture of the San Francisco Bay Area. Volunteers will perform indoor and outdoor painting.

When: November 18th and 19th; December 2nd, 3rd, 9th, and 10th
Location: Bayview Opera House, 3rd Street, San Francisco
Time: 8:30am - 4:30pm
Sign Up: http://habitatgsf.volunteerhub.com/Events/Browse.aspx
Contact: 415-625-1026

BAYVIEW OPERA HOUSE RECEIVES GOVERNOR’S AWARD FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION 2011

Announced today by the State Historical Resources Commission:
Bayview Opera House Save America’s Treasures Project Recognized as
Notable Achievement in Preserving the Heritage of California

SAN FRANCISCO, October 28, 2011: On November 17, 2011, members of the Bayview Opera House Ruth Williams Memorial Theater (BVOH) and the San Francisco Arts Commission (SFAC) will travel to Sacramento to receive the 2011 Governor’s Historic Preservation Award. The only one of its kind in the State of California, the award recognizes the BVOH’s recent completion of a “Save America’s Treasures” historic preservation project, which resulted in the restoration of the 122-year-old Opera House’s original Douglas Fir floor and auditorium stage and the building’s acceptance into the National Register of Historic Places. The Bayview Opera House is one of four city-owned cultural centers located in San Francisco and is a central community space for arts and other social activities for the Bayview Hunters Point neighborhood.

“The Governor’s Award will help us shine a spotlight on the Bayview Opera House, a remarkable San Francisco treasure that continues to be relevant and serve the community through its many arts programs,” says Barbara Ockel, Interim Managing Director of the BVOH. “The over 500 children who participate annually in our programs will tell you that this place matters to them!”

Formerly known as the South San Francisco Opera House, the BVOH is the oldest standing theater in San Francisco and survived both the earthquake and fire in 1906. It is the first and only building in San Francisco’s District 10 to be included in the National Register of Historic Places. Historic preservation efforts have traditionally been focused on more affluent areas. Neighborhoods like the Bayview district have not yet been surveyed for historic structures.

Bayview Opera House Events

BAYVIEW OPERA HOUSE RUTH WILLIAMS MEMORIAL THEATER

Treat & Eat Halloween Celebration
Third Street Corridor Project and Bayview Opera House
Sunday, October 30, 1-6PM

The Bayview-Hunters Point community, located on the Sunny Side of San Francisco, is celebrating its inaugural Treat & Eat Halloween Celebration with great food and lots of family fun:

FREE SPOOKY ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS

San Francisco's Landmark Building No. 8, the Bayview Opera House, will become spookified for goblins of all ages to enjoy, so plan to come in costume for a ghoulish time that includes a haunted house, petting zoo, pony rides, pumpkin art, face painting and a costume contest for all ages.

TREAT & EAT FOR ALL AGES

Like Ma used to say, the family has to eat, so plan to eat lunch or dinner while you're here! Explore the many diverse culinary experiences the Third Street Corridor has to offer.
Each ticket allows treats to be sampled at 14 Bayview restaurants!

Get your Treat & Eat tickets now at www.treat-eat.com.
Prices are $10 for adults, $5 for seniors and $2 for children (12 and under). Family 4-pack available for only $20.

5-year old shooting victim needs your HELP!

Marlena was walking with her father and 7-year old sister near 3rd and Palou in San Francisco’s Bayview District on Wednesday, September 20th, when she became a casualty of a reckless shooting. The young girl attended the Bayview Opera House Dare to Dream ARTS summer camp and her Kindergarten class was scheduled to return to the Dare to Dream after school program two days after she was shot. Needless to say, that did not happen.

Can you imagine being 5 years old and experiencing the trauma and shock from being shot by a gun, forcing a dramatic change in your life that you were not ready for? Stopping you from school, from playing with friends, family and from enjoying life. Causing your family to have to deal with a great deal of stress, medical bills, loss of work, rental car expenses back and forth to many doctor appointments and fear for the well-being of your precious young daughter and her two sisters. Multiple surgeries, a full leg cast, stitches, metal pins, not to mention the psychological impact on her young life. Marlena will have many challenges to overcome before she and her family can return to a normal life.

We at the Bayview Opera House are asking you to not only take a stand for our community and help stop the violence, but to step up and help a young family in need:

• $2,500 would bring them up to date on their expenses so far 
• A donated vehicle or money to buy a car would accommodate Marlena's long recovery process
• Additional funds are needed to cover future special expenses

If you can help, please make a donation payable to the Bayview Opera House, Inc. and mark the memo line “Marlena.” ALL funds donated on her behalf will be turned over to the family. A tax-deductible donation receipt from the Bayview Opera House, Inc., a 501(c)(3) organization (Tax ID 94-3136172), will be mailed to you for your records.

To donate online, please visit our website, www.bvoh.org, and click on Fund A Dream/Donate Now. 

Or mail a check to:
Bayview Opera House
4705 3rd Street
San Francisco CA, 94124
Attention: Marlena

For any further questions or information please call the Bayview Opera House at 415-824-0386.

We thank you for helping one of our families that really needs your support now!

The Bayview Opera House Staff and Board of Directors

YouTube Video, Film & Photography class

Classes to begin NEXT Thursday, September 22, 4:30PM

Dare to Dream ARTS Fall 2011 YouTube Video, Film and Photography application form. Meghann Riepenhoff is an exceptional professional arts instructor, role model and loves working with Bayview Hunters Point youth.

If you know of any middle - high school age youth (up to 18 years) that you feel would benefit from this exceptional, educational mentoring experience please have them apply now!

Class size is limited to 12 students and qualifying HS students are eligible to earn a $200 stipend for their full participation.

For more information, please don't hesitate to contact Dare to Dream ARTS Supervisor Sam Watson directly at sam@bvoh.org

SF Mayor's Debate at Bayview Opera House

Lee

Dufty

Last night's San Francisco Mayoral debate at the Bayview Opera House was, amazingly, the first one I'd gone to!  In attendance were: Mayor Ed Lee, Teresa Baum, Jeff Adachi, Bevan Dufty, Michela Alioto-Pier, Joanna Rees, Dennis Herrera, and David Chiu.

Baum

Adachi

Rees

Alioto-Pier

Herrera

Chiu

The recently reconstituted Harvey Matthews Bayview Hunters Point Democratic Club hosted the event, with Club President Leah Pimentel and VP Shane Mayer presiding over the 90-minute debate.  Each candidate touted their D10 cred and all did a good job of making their case, but as with all of these rank-choice voting events, the debate was muted, with many candidates saying how wonderful their opponents were, and no one really taking off the gloves.  Teresa Baum was the only one who seemed to go a bit astray from this, but sounded more like she was still running for national office than local.  It was good for all of us to get a sense of who these people are and to start becoming more engaged in the process.  One good thing was that the crowd (and there were about 100+ people there) listened intently and most of their questions were well thought out.  After previous meetings had been hijacked by an angry few, it was good to see a positive outcome from a meeting in the Bayview.

Sorry for not taking detailed notes, but questions revolved much around race, local-hiring, gang-injunctions, and education.

EVENT: SF Mayor's Debate at Bayview Opera House, Tomorrow night

A reminder that tomorrow night at the Bayview Opera House, 6PM, the Harvey Matthews Bayview Democratic Club will be hosting a mayoral debate, featuring (updated):

Former Supervisor Michela Alioto-Pier
Supervisor John Avalos
Supervisor David Chiu
Former Supervisor Bevan Dufty (recently profiled - with a D10 shout-out - in SFGate)
District Attorney Dennis Herrera (a D10 resident)
Interim Mayor Ed Lee
Joanna Rees

Not attending, but sending a representative will be State Senator Leland Yee

EVENT: Book Fair at the Bayview Opera House

Holland & Knight BVHP 9/11 Day of Service BOOK FAIR
Saturday, September 10, 12-4PM
 
The National Law Firm, Holland & Knight and their San Francisco office have a long standing commitment to literacy. For this year's Day of Service event, they will hold their Annual Book Fair at the Bayview Opera House. Event sponsors include the San Francisco Education Fund, the San Francisco Fire Department and other community based organizations, including a storyteller, music, arts and crafts, firemen and fire engine, healthy treats and of course, all youth (while supplies last) will receive an age appropriate book. 

Come out, join the fun and assist in promoting literacy and the gift of a good read to our Bayview Hunters Point community youth.

Read more about Matthew Vafidis who is spearheading the book fair.

EVENT: SF Mayor's Debate at Bayview Opera House, Sept 15

I hope you will join the Bayview Democratic Club in hosting the Mayoral candidates for a debate at the Bayview Opera House.

This will be a unique and important event that allows the residents of Bayview and surrounding Southeast communities a chance to hear from Mayoral candidates. Given the many issues that have special significance to Bayview residents, including development, environmental justice, public housing and transportation (to name a few) voters here will have very specific concerns they're looking to be addressed.

When?

September 15, 2011
6 PM
Bayview Opera House

More on Facebook

SF Bayview Opera House renovation needs more money

From SFGate,

From vaudeville to art classes, countless events have unfolded within the walls of the Bayview Opera House since 1888. 

But last winter, during a multimillion-dollar revitalization of the historic landmark, one of those walls revealed something unexpected: dry rot. 

What started off as ordinary repairs led construction workers to discover that a fungus had been eating away at the 50-foot-by-36-foot south wall for decades. 

So under San Francisco's proposed budget for the new fiscal year, the wall will get a $500,000 overhaul. The expense, designated an emergency cost by the city, comes on top of the $3 million building renovation, which has been under way since 2007.

 Read more at  SFGate

EVENT: First Exposures at Bayview Opera House

Event: Wednesday, June 29, 6-8 pm 

First Exposures at Bayview Opera House   

Environmental Injustice: It Ain't a Pretty Picture

Join SF Camerawork as we support First Exposures and Breast Cancer Action at the Bayview Opera House!

Breast Cancer Action partnered with First Exposures to provide education and empowerment to budding young activists regarding the involuntary environmental exposures linked to breast cancer and other health problems. The First Exposures students then created original and powerful artwork in response. The result is a stunning collection of images that speak to the power held by youth. 

Together, Breast Cancer Action and First Exposures present this work in an informative and important exhibition.

More Information >> 

Image credits left to right: Hugo Molina, Carolina Sanchez, Mariana Castro

Sunday Streets to Grace Bayview, Potrero, and Dogpatch This Weekend

From SF Streets Blog:

Many a cycling tot will get another chance to graduate from training wheels this Sunday on safe, car-free streets by the Bay. Sunday Streets returns to Bayview with a tweaked route this year to include the Lower Potero Hill and Dogpatch neighborhoods in the plethora of family-friendly activities.

The list of activities this month is so long, in fact, that when organizer Susan King submitted it the San Francisco Examiner for publication, “the copy editors came back to me and said, ‘cut this down by a third’.”

“This is certainly one of the most robust program lists we’ve had,” said King.
The route will run along Third Street from Mendell Plaza to 22nd Street, where it will zig zag west by Espirit Park to the Jackson Playground at 17th and Wisconsin Streets. It was modified to accommodate vehicle traffic needs for a Giants game at the ballpark, but it will also bring the street opening to new doorsteps.

“It gives us a chance to really explore those two neighborhoods that we haven’t done before,” said King. “In Dogpatch, we’re going through the emerging merchant corridor on 22nd Street and tying it to Espirit park, which is a beautiful little park hidden behind the freeway.”


“There’s a new bike path on 17th Street from Mission, so people will have a safe passage to the start of the route,” she added.

The event is being organized by Livable City in coordination with local organizations like The Third Street Corridor Project, the Bayview Merchant Association and the Renaissance Entrepreneur Center.

It will be held in conjunction with the fourth annual Family Health and Wellness Fair hosted by the Bayview Opera House, which will include free health screenings from medical professionals. The Bayview Music Festival will also fill the streets with live outdoor music along with venues all the way from Woods Yard Park to Thee Parkside and Bottom of the Hill.

San Franciscans can get healthy with activities like Zumba dance lessons and a Yoga-thon at the Opera House. As always, the SF Bike Coalition will hold its Freedom from Training Wheels program along with Blazing Saddles’ free bike rentals and the Funky Town Roller Disco. The SF Arts Commission’s Free Wall interactive mural will also make its final appearance.

In light of Sunday Streets’ success, King said officials from the U.S. Center for Disease Control will be assessing this month’s event as a potentially effective obesity intervention program. “They’re looking for programs that will be recommended on a national scale, which is very exciting,” she said.

Visit sundaystreetssf.com for the route map and full list of programs.

This place matters - Bayview Opera House

THIS PLACE MATTERS is a voting contest amongst historic buildings, selected by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The Bayview Opera House is one of 100 finalists. Whoever gets the most people to vote for their place during the month of June wins. There are three cash prizes and we hope to take away $25,000, to benefit our DARE TO DREAM ARTS youth enrichment programs.

The South San Francisco Opera House (aka Bayview Opera House Ruth Williams Memorial Theater) is located in the Bayview Hunters Point district of San Francisco. It was constructed by South San Francisco Masonic Lodge No. 212 and remained under their control until it was sold to Arthur Viargues in 1965. From 1888 to 1965, the building was operated and maintained by the Masons and served as a performance space and gathering hall for the Lodge and the community at large.

Vote for the Bayview Opera House here!!