Standing barely 4 feet tall, 96-year-old Ann Jeremias waited patiently in line among nearly 50 SF State students to grab a front row seat.

She squinted hard as she placed both of her fragile hands on her cane while trying to remember how long it had been since she attended SF State as an art student. Years later, memory fading, she still remembers to attend Brown Bag productions as often as possible.

“Some [plays] are good to watch,” Jeremias said. “But sometimes I have a hard time hearing.”

The Brown Bag Theatre Company, also known as Senior Production Workshop, started in 1976, to give students an opportunity to gain hands-on experience in directing, acting, lighting and house management — the liaison between productions and audience on show day. Thirty years later, the student-run company continues to inspire theater students and help prepare them for the world of theater as well as provide free weekly shows for the community.

“Students gain experience in watching themselves and each other grow,” said advisor of Brown Bag, Bill Peters.

Every season, about 24 actors and eight directors participate in at least three productions, on top of rotating other class duties.

Senior Adela Ballester, 22, theater major and actress in Brown Bag was house manager Friday and had to turn away 15 people during Director Jeremy Forbing’s last production.

Directors like Forbing are given the opportunity to produce an entirely original show or create an adaptation from something already published. Regardless of which they choose, the real challenge, students say, is packing the performance into one hour.
“If you want a competent show, it takes about four weeks of rehearsal for three days of performances,” said Ballester.

According to Brown Bag student and theatre major Sarah Doherty, 22, the class educates students how productions are run, ways to expand their creativity, and make something incredible with a limited amount of resources.

“[Brown Bag] is good, but challenging to have [the students] somewhat confined in the limited space, with limited amount of props, and little to work with,” said Doherty. “This makes us have to believe the world a little more and bring the audience into it just as much.”

In addition to providing a resource to gain knowledge about the theatre business, Brown Bag offers students interested in all aspects of theatre a way to gain experience on stage too, since it can be difficult and competitive to get a role in larger, main productions on campus.

Theatre arts major Scott Manelis, 34, started Brown Bag this fall with the hope to work with a diverse group of people and participate in different shows.

“A lot of people have the ‘can do’ spirit,” said Manelis, who completed his first week of performances on Friday. “We’re basically given a room and it’s up to us to put something in it.”

According to Peters, Brown Bag is special to the students largely because of the audience, which includes students, faculty, and San Francisco residents.
“Some audience members come back every week and watch the students grow,” said Peters.

“Their loyalty is a motivation.”

A brand new Brown Bag production takes place every week with performances on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. in room 104 of the Creative Arts Building. Early arrival is suggested due to limited seating.