(Legitimate) MUNI Street Theater: Trolley Dances on the N-Judah Line

Loyal readers are well aware of past documentation of MUNI Street Theater, the entertaining, but unintentional, performances of our fellow citizens, public servants, and assorted denizens in and around MUNI.
Now, it seems, legitimacy has come to MUNI Street Theater, in the form of San Francisco Trolley Dances, a series of dance theater performances along the N-Judah line, from October 20 – 22.
I had the pleasure of speaking with Amy Kingwill, who explained how the day’s festivities will work. All you’ll need is a $1.50 or a MUNI Pass, and gather at the Market Street Railway Museum (which celebrated its “official” opening last week). Designated guides will tell you when to get off at designated stops along the Embarcadero, where one can take in performances by no less than four dance companies. What a bargain!
The original concept came from the Jane Isaacs Dance Theater in San Diego, and quickly spread to San Francisco 3 years ago. The idea is to foster a sense of community, provide free and open access to art, and to perhaps get people to see mass transit as something more than just a way to get to work. This year marks the first time the N-Judah will be used for the day’s events – previously the F-line was used.
If you’re free on October 20th, 21st or 22nd and have a couple of hours to spare, find a way to drop by the museum and take a tour. Each guided tour/performance lasts approximately 2 hours, and begins at 11am, 11:45am, 12:30pm, 1:15pm, 2pm, and 2:45pm. Get there about half an hour early since as we all know, the N can fill up pretty fast with both patrons of the arts and transit riders.
I think it’s great when people find new and interesting ways to try new things and expand art and the like to things other than expensive symphonies and operas. While our regular MUNI Street Theater is free, it is not always welcome, so if you can, check out the Trolley Dances and enjoy street theater that is significantly more enjoyable than our usual fare, which tends to include loud cell phone conversations and a cavalcade of whimsy provided by denizens and The City.
Memo to Chief Heather Fong and MUNI chief Nate Ford: Please do not send 6 police and 3 fare inspectors to this event. This is a legitimate artistic endeavour, and I don’t think patrons of the arts would appreciate it!