Must close on March 1!

“Come for the gossip, stay for Townsend’s imagination.”
… Lily Janiak, SF Chronicle

“90 minutes of captivating tales and good humor”
… Jim Munson, Broadway World, SF

Must close on March 1 | The Marsh Berkeley
Friday at 8pm & Saturday at 8:30pm
Tickets $40 General Admission
Reserved Seating $50 and $100

– JUST IN –
THE SUNDAY, MARCH 1st PERFORMANCE IS SOLD OUT!

Get your tickets now so you don’t miss this AMAZING performance

CLICK BELOW TO PURCHASE PERFORMANCE TICKETS

Post Show Special Event!

*Sunday, March 1 | 7:30pm
The Marsh Berkeley

In Celebration of Black History Month

After LIVING THE SHUFFLE on March 1st, join Townsend in a special event where he will discuss his body of work, how he creates as an artist, and hosts a Q & A.

Hear intimate details about his projects, watch a special sizzle video clip and have the opportunity to purchase commemorative items.

This event is FREE to Sunday performance
attendees and $15 for drop ins!

Click Below to ADD this special event to your evening!
Free with valid Sunday ticket purchase receipt or
$15 general admission *seating is first come first serve

Reserve a spot for the Post Show Special Event

Click here

Show Description

Living the Shuffle is the amazing journey of actor, writer, director, and filmmaker, Robert Townsend. Townsend, a natural-born storyteller, takes you on a show biz rollercoaster ride of ups and downs from the dangerous streets of Chicago, to performing Julius Caesar at a pimp convention in New York City. He also takes you behind the scenes of giving birth to his first film “Hollywood Shuffle” done with a miracle and a credit card. Townsend gives you a front-row seat, sharing life lessons he has learned along the way.

This one-man show returns Townsend to his roots in the theater, where he showcases his uncanny ability with impressions and performs a cast of characters like you’ve never seen before. This edgy, raw and, hilarious show will inspire and give hope to the dreamer in anyone.

Artist Biography

Robert Townsend transcends any medium he touches whether he’s performing stand up, acting, writing, directing, producing, or running a television network. A Chicago native, Townsend is often referred to as one of the “Godfathers” of the Independent Film World. With over 30 years in the business, he has made an indelible mark in Hollywood with an extensive list of credits. Robert’s genius first revealed itself in elementary school. As a kid Robert was always fascinated with television, watching and studying it tirelessly, he began to practice acting out scenes and impersonating famous characters.

At his school during a reading of Sophocles’s Oedipus Rex, he dazzled the class with his ability to transform effortlessly into character. As a result, Robert’s remarkably versatile talent as a young actor was born and caught the attention of Chicago’s Experimental Bag Theatre. Robert made an unforgettable mark in his hometown of Chicago then went onto New York’s renowned comedy club, The Improvisation, and initiated his career as a stand-up comedian.

Then for Robert, it was on to Hollywood. There he dabbled in a mixture of industries and found that with his versatile talent, he was able to adapt quickly from being a comedian to a full-screen actor. Robert’s first film appearance was (uncredited) in the popular urban classic, Cooley High (1975). His break came while performing on various television comedy specials including Rodney Dangerfield: It’s Not Easy Bein’ Me (1986) and Uptown Comedy Express (1987). Although comedy had been his forte during the early part of his career, he knew he was destined to be on the big screen. He landed the role of a lifetime co-starring opposite Denzel Washington in A Soldier’s Story (1984) and appeared with Diane Lane in Streets of Fire (1984) and Kevin Costner in American Flyers (1985).

Don Reed – Co-Producer Don Reed, (East 14th/Snap Judgment/Tonight Show) a TBA: Theatre Bay Area Award WINNER and three-time nominee, San Francisco Critics Circle Nominee, San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle Nominee and NAACP Triple Nominee for Best Actor & Best Playwright, is presently playing one of the lead roles in the Amazon Prime comedy series :Bartlett: co-financed and recurring role starring composer/creator of Broadway smash “HAMILTON” – Lin Manuel Miranda. Don has performed, written and directed for film, television, and theater. A memorable performance on Robert Townsend’s HBO Partners and Crime Special years ago caught the attention of some Hollywood guns and led to many recurring and guest-starring roles. You may have heard his voice on Spiderman, Johnny Quest, SNL and most recently as the voice of the cat on CBS’s “2 Broke Girls.”

Show Info

Written & Performed by Robert Townsend
Produced & Directed by Robert Townsend
Co-Produced by Don Reed

For more information on the sliding scale ticketing policy, late seating and reserved seating please click here.

Buy Tix by phone:
Monday – Friday 1 – 4pm, 415.282.3055
(Additional service fees apply)