The Bitch is Back: Stories of Resurgence Back in hot vax summer of '21, we were so jazzed about coming out of the pandemic. We brought our live show to the courtyard of the historic San Francisco Mint to hear tales of bouncing back, renaissance and reemergence. Stories from business executive Karla Martin, writer and professor Matthew Clark Davison, high school senior and spoken word performer Jyairrah Martin, writer and barman Alan Black and lawyer and artist Matt Gonzalez. Hosted by Arline Klatte and Beth Lisick, music by Marc Capelle, recorded by Brandi Howell. 

We wrap up our North Beach series with an interview with Graziano Cerchiai, the patriarch of the city's legendary Bimbo's 365 Club, on his 91st birthday. 

Our guest this week is theater director and current Chief Producer at San Francisco's Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Jonathan Moscone. Jon talks about his North Beach memories, including memorable nights at Tosca, and how the pandemic has unveiled inequities in our society that we cannot ignore. 

Author, journalist, and fifth generation San Franciscan Pia Hinckle joins us to talk about growing up and raising her own kids in the city. Topics include her legendary father, journalist Warren Hinckle, and nearly every single bar in North Beach.

Arline and Beth catch up with poet Jack Hirschman.  He looks back on his friendship with Lawrence Ferlinghetti and shares a poem he wrote for Lawrence on the night of his passing.  

Arline and Beth catch up with City Lights Books' linchpin Stacey Lewis. She looks back on 25 years at the iconic bookstore and remembers her mentor and friend Lawrence Ferlinghetti.

A year after Tuttle's death, Arline and Beth remember the tattoo icon with his friend and archivist Danielle Boiardi.   

Arline and Beth talk to San Francisco legend Peggy Knickerbocker. The cookbook author and gal about town talks about The Dolphin Club, her new memoir, and childhood friends helping get her through the pandemic. Her story about running around North Beach was recorded at Bimbo's in 2018. 

Beth and Arline remember a great show back in 2019 in the perfectly lit, crowded lounge at Bimbo's. Porchlight favorite Jesse DeNatale was there. He spent the pandemic creating a beautiful album "The Wilderness." Hear all about it and the roads that lead us wherever the hell we wind up.

We were so excited to join forces with both the Contemporary Jewish Museum and the California Institute for Integral Studies for a night of stories exploring our understanding of self and the fluidity of identity. An amazing group shared personal stories inspired by the CJM exhibition Show Me as I Want to be Seen. The lineup: Kelly Beardsley has been telling wacky stories around SF for the last 15 years.  His stories have been heard on This American Life, The California Report, KQED and a bunch of Porchlight events. He works as a BART train operator and lives in Oakland. India Marie Chakraverty was raised in a small town in the Central Valley before enrolling at San Francisco State University. They are getting a Master of Fine Arts degree in Creative Writing and loving every minute of their starving artist life. They live with their boyfriend and cat (one for now) in this wonderful and expensive city and work as the General Books supervisor at the SFSU Bookstore. They are working on three novels and two short stories and aspire to be a rich author, but will settle to be an editor, because reading is wonderful and who wouldn’t love to get paid to read all day. They love cats, books, Star Wars, and so many other things, but love to smile even more. Eddie Jen is a writer and drag queen in San Francisco. He writes about life, beauty, and food, and recently won his first case as an attorney when he obtained asylum for a Guatemalan minor. Juliana Delgado Lopera is an award-winning Colombian writer, historian, speaker and performance artist based in San Francisco. The recipient of the 2014 Jackson Literary award  she’s the author of Quiéreme (Nomadic Press 2017) and ¡Cuéntamelo! an illustrated bilingual collection of oral histories by LGBT Latinx immigrants which won a 2018 Lambda Literary Award and a 2018 Independent Publisher Book Award. She's received fellowships from Brush Creek Foundation of the Arts, Lambda Literary Foundation, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts and The SF Grotto, and an individual artist grant from the SF Arts Commission. She's the recipient of the 2016 Jeanne Córdova Words Scholarship. Her work has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize and has appeared in Eleven Eleven, Foglifter, Four Way Review, Broadly, TimeOut Mag to name a few. She’s the creative director of RADAR Productions  a queer literary non-profit in San Francisco.    Donna Persona is a 71 year old San Francisco transgender/ gay community activist and drag queen performer. She began her career and activism at the age of 59. At age 20, she was associated with SF drag legends. Around 2005 i reunited with then and began a public life. She has been of the boards of Trans March, Trans Visibility, and Trans Day of Remembrance. She has worked to name SF streets after a trans woman and an historical event in The SF Tenderloin,  Compton's Cafeteria Riot.  She went on to co- write a play about the riot which had a successful run in San Francisco last year and will be remounted this year. She is currently working with a filmmaker on a documentary on her experiences. She also continues to perform on stages, stay involved with activism, and entertain gay seniors and patients in hospitals and several retirement homes. Donna helped fly the transgender flag with Mayor London Breed and has been nominated as Grand marshall for 2019 Pride. Nic Sommerfeld is an Oakland based actor and playwright, originally from Montana.  They wrote for Best of Playgound 2018 and have written for UCSF, Killing My Lobster, and The Olympians Festival. As an actor they have performed with Berkeley Playhouse, SF Playhouse, Fuse Theatre, Landmark Musicals, and others.  They are also a drag king known as Chester Vanderbox.  Hosted by Arline Klatte and Beth Lisick.  Music by Marc Capelle.  Podcast produced by Brandi Howell.

A not-to-miss variety show celebrating the wonderment and weirdness of SF's landmark indie bookstore with author Mary Roach, illustrator Wendy McNaughton, Thao of the Get Down Stay Down, Vetiver's Andy Cabic, Forum's Michael Krasny, author Robin Sloan, author and musician Willy Vlautin and more!   Hosted by Arline Klatte and Beth Lisick on September 6, 2017 at the Great American Music Hall.  Recorded and Mixed by Brandi Howell

It's our 15th birthday and we're putting on a killer storytelling show to celebrate! BACK IN THE DAY will feature true tales from a stellar assortment of humans including: Muni Diaries founder Eugenia Chien Lawyer, activist, and artist Matt Gonzalez Bartender and writer Ginger Murray Master bookbinder Dominic Riley Writer and contributor to The New Yorker, Vice, and The Guardian, Carvell Wallace Writer, performer Cintra Wilson Musical Guest Sonny Smith with your emcees Arline Klatte and Beth Lisick

Porchlight and Sketchfest present: BOMBS AWAY! Stories of Implosions and Explosions With Dana Merwin, Eddie Pepitone. Erin Foley, Karla Martin and Mike Phirman 

Every year, we join forces with the amazing Litquake Literary Festival to bring you a night of stories told by authors and writers. Our theme for this show is ripped from the Talking Heads song “Life During Wartime,” and involves tales of explosive scenarios, epic struggles, and living each day like it could be your last. With Greg Milner, Laurie Notaro, D. Watkins, Jack Boulware, Eric Spitznagel, Bucky SInister, and Pamela Alma Weymouth. Hosted by Arline Klatte and Beth Lisick, with music by Marc Capelle. 

Who am I? It's a queston that never fails to amuse, confuse, bewilder, and humble us as we plunk along our journey on this earth. To what end, no one knows. To paraphrase Oliver Sacks, it is an enormous privilege and adventure to be a sentient being, a thinking animal, on this beautiful planet. And you are free to have canned fish for lunch every day, if you wish.  As Porchlight celebrates fourteen years of personal storytelling onstage, we look to a theme where storytellers can choose to reflect or freak out on the whats, whys, and hows of who they think they are.  Cousins author Mary Roach and bookbinder Dominic Riley Mythbusters legend Adam Savage writer and actor Moon Zappa Executive strategist Karla Martin Writer/performer/psychic hotline operator Ben McCoy Bawdy Storytelling dynamo Dixie De La Tour

Porchlight partners with Greenhouse, a software company that optimizes hiring practices, for a show of stories about JOBS. Our storytelling superstars for this special edition include writer/musician Eric Shea, HIV educator Ed Wolf, and producer/comedian Dana Merwin.    Hosted by Arline Klatte at the Hilton Union Square on May 26, 2016. Recorded by PSAV and mixed by Patty Fung.

Porchlight returns with a Bill Graham and the Rock & Roll Revolution edition featuring Wavy Gravy, Bob Barsotti, Eric Shea, Deanne Franklin, Bart Davenport, and Lorrie Murray. Hosted by Arline Klatte and Beth Lisick on May 12, 2016 at The Contemporary Jewish Museum. Recorded by Brandi Howell. Mixed by Patty Fung. 

Kitchen Confidential is back! Hear some of SF's finest onstage with their insider stories about food, restaurants, kitchens, customers, and the vagaries of having a life in the service industry. Writer and restaurant person Karen Leibowitz. Natural foods expert/writer Matt Levine. Cookbook author J. Kenji Lopez-Alt. Comedian Kyle Mizono. Chef/teacher Erika Almeida Mooney and superstar chef Richie Nakano. Hosted by Arline Klatte and Beth Lisick on April 13, 2016 at San Francisco's Verdi Club. Recorded by Brandi Howell. Mixed by Patty Fung. 

You're Doing It Wrong: Stories from Porchlight's annual SF Sketchfest show featuring Beth Lisick and Arline Klatte with guests Iris Haas-Biel, Moshe Kasher, Jackie Kashian, Kyle Mizono and Aparna Nancherla and songs by Bart Davenport. Hosted by Arline Klatte and Beth Lisick January 22, 2016 at the Swedish American Hall Recorded by Brandi Howell. Mixed by Patty Fung. 

Litquake’s edition of the Bay Area’s long-running Porchlight series (15 years!) returns to the festival for a special storytelling night of authors and writers, telling tales on the theme of “Kill Your Darlings.” Featuring stories by Heather Mackey, Martha Tolles, Neal Pollack, Mark Haskell Smith, Siamak Vossoughi and Ali Liebegott. Hosted by Arline Klatte and Beth Lisick on October 12, 2015 at San Francisco's Verdi Club. Recorded by Brandi Howell. Mixed by Patty Fung. 

It seems like only yesterday that we got some friends together at the Hemlock Tavern to tell us their stories and now BAM, it's somehow 13 years later! Arline, Beth, and Marc celebrate the thrill again as some of our favorite Bay Area storytellers delight and surprise you with the theme Flip The Switch: When Things Change In an Instant. Featuring stories by Virgil Shaw, Tara Jepsen, Scott Kravitz, David Lynch and Dominic Riley. Hosted by Arline Klatte and Beth Lisick on June 19, 2015 at San Francisco's Verdi Club. Recorded by Paula Junn. Mixed by Patty Fung.

A very special edition of the Bay Area’s longest-running storytelling series, now in its 13th year! An evening of unforgettable stories by a stellar cast of feisty San Franciscans who are STILL HERE. So you know: This show is not meant to be a bummer, but rather a rollicking night featuring people who love this city and would prefer to stay here and keep on loving it. Stories from: Tim Redmond, Cammy Blackstone, Rio and Rene Yañez, Marilynn Fowler, Shannon Matesky and Ed Wolf. Also featuring songs by: Stephen Smith and Tom Heyman.   Hosted by native San Franciscans Arline Klatte and Marc Capelle, along with Beth Lisick (born in San "The Hose" Jose, y'all!) on April 20, 2015 at San Francisco's Verdi Club.  Recorded by Paula Junn. Mixed by Patty Fung.

Kitchen Confidential, Porchlight's most anticipated show of the year. Get all the dirt from the top food people in this unapologetically food-obsessed town, as stories from the kitchen, the front of the house, and the food truck are told onstage. Stories from: Chef and TV Personality Joey Altman, James Beard Award Winner and Slanted Door's Charles Phan, Author and St. Vincent Owner David Lynch, Restaurant Family Scion and ll Fornaio Co-Owner Mike Mindel, Writer and Culinary Tour Guide Nina Tamburello, and Former Private Chef Zahra Noorbakhsh. Hosted by Arline Klatte and Delfina's Craig Stoll on May 19, 2014 at San Francisco's Verdi Club. Recorded by Paula Junn. Mixed by Patty Fung.

For the fifth year in a row, Porchlight teams up with the San Francisco Sketchfest to bring you a rollicking night of storytelling by a line-up of people in the writing and funny business. Working with the theme FAKE IT TIL YOU MAKE IT, six superstars tell ten-minute stories for your joy and entertainment. Stories from: Shelley McLendon, Derrick Brown, Frank Portman, Phoebe Robinson, Scott Capurro and Ophira Eisenberg.    Hosted by Arline Klatte and Beth Lisick on January 25, 2015 at the Verdi Club in San Francisco. Recorded by Paula Junn. Mixed by Patty Fung.  

Porchlight Halloween show. Hosted by Arline Klatte and Marc Capelle on October 27th, 2014 at San Francisco's Hemlock Tavern

This installment comes from our collaboration with the yearly Litquake Literary Festival. The theme of the evening was brushes with the other side of fame told by Jennifer Longo, Antonia Crane, Caitlin Doughty, Joshua Safran and Owen Egerton along with songs by Frank Portman. Hosted by Arline Klatte & Beth Lisick on October 13, 2014 at the Verdi Club. Recorded by Paula Junn. Mixed by Patty Fung.

Stories about love and the Bay Area told by Chinaka Hodge, Thao Nguyen, Anthony Bedard, Dana Merwin, John Reichmuth, Hiya Swanhuyser and music by Carletta Sue Kay. Hosted by Arline Klatte & Beth Lisick on September 4, 2014 at the California Academy of Sciences.

Stories about dating told by David Jordan, Russell Gonzaga, Rachel Balik, Heather Marlowe, and Al Luhan.   Hosted by Beth Lisick & Arline Klatte on February 17, 2014 at San Francisco's Verdi Club.

Stories about times it was too hard to keep it together, too hard to keep a secret, too hard to keep thinking about, and too hard to keep up.  Told by Michael Bunin, Suzanne Kleid, Brian McMullen, and Rick Oginz. Hosted by Beth Lisick and Arline Klatte on March 20, 2014 at San Francisco's Contemporary Jewish Museum.   

Stories of Fans, Stalkers, Acolytes, and Zealots. Hosted by Arline Klatte on February 24, 2014 at San Francisco's Hemlock Club.   

Broken hearts on the stage at Porchlight Open Door. Hosted by Arline Klatte and Beth Spotswood on February 25, 2013 at San Francisco’s Hemlock Tavern. 

PL+Sketchfest 2014 Stories from comics Nick Thune, Kevin McDonald, April Richardson, Anthony Bedard, Anna Seregina, & Caitlin Gill. Hosted by Arline Klatte and Beth Lisick on January 26, 2014 at San Francisco’s Verdi Club. 

Stories of appetites, obsessions, and hunger pains.  Hosted by Arline Klatte and Beth Spottswood on November 25, 2013 at San Francisco’s Hemlock Tavern.  

Extra helpings of family secrets, evil step-grandmothers, famous fathers, and horrible dinner table conversation will be served.  Stories from: Sean Keane, Marianna Cherry, Christopher Caen, Jay Beaman, Karen Duffin and Ali Liebegott.    Hosted by Arline Klatte and Ali Liebegott on November 18, 2013 at San Francisco’s Verdi Club.  

Etiquette advice for stalking celebrities, becoming a man through Bar Mitzvah and phone sex, how breaking bones can be good for your health, and why sometimes you really need a BB gun to take down the Xmas tree.  Stories from: Bobcat Goldthwait, Moshe Kasher, Caitlin Gill, and Anna Seregina.   Hosted by Arline Klatte and Beth Lisick on January 20, 2012 at the Purple Onion in San Francisco.  Podcast produced by Briana Breen.

Stories about Doubt, Debt, Drugs, and Determination:  What to do when your writing session is interrupted by men with guns, how a writer shouldn't plan for her retirement, a writer’s life in the porn industry, and one of Oprah's favorite things that you won't find on The O List. Stories by: Kent Zimmerman, Sandra Tsing Loh, Jerry Stahl, and music by John Vanderslice and Marc Capelle.  From October 14, 2013 at San Francisco's Verdi Club.  Hosted by Beth Lisick and Arline Klatte. Podcast produced by Briana Breen.

Stories of making an exit from: Mike Morasky, Brittney Gilbert, Michael Ching, Broke-Ass Stuart aka Stuart Schuffman, and Kelly Beardsley. Special musical performance by Carletta Sue Kay. Hosted by Arline Klatte and Ali Liebegott on September 16, 2013 at San Francisco's Verdi Club.  Podcast produced by Briana Breen. 

Adventures and escapades with friends and lovers.  The do's and dont's of vacationing with your S.O (platonic or romantic), including what to say when a Guatemalan judge asks you, "Do you know Michael Jordan?"  Also, helpful notes for finding love in a bar in San Francisco or on a street corner in New Orleans. Stories from: Law partners--Whitney Leigh & Matt Gonzalez, Bloggers, columnists, and fabulous gals about town--Melissa Griffen & Beth Spotswood, Artists and lovers--Danny Levesque & Joel Casey, and Queens of the SF literary empire, Radar Productions--Ali Liebegott & Beth Pickens. Hosted by Arline Klatte and Beth Lisick on November 21, 2011 at San Francisco's Verdi Club.  Podcast produced by Briana Breen.    

Get schooled with these stories from teachers, students, and people learning (or not learning) formative lessons.  Hosted by Arline Klatte and Jack Boulware September 24, 2012 at San Francisco's Hemlock Tavern.  Podcast produced by Briana Breen.

STORIES FROM: Normal 0 0 1 32 188 1 1 230 11.1539 0 0 0 British bookbinder—Dominic Riley Writer—April Sinclair  Literary superstar—Michelle Tea YA author and Mr. T. Experience frontman—Frank Portman Poet, actor and storyteller—Hai Ning Luan Musician and talent booker—Anthony Bedard Hosted by Arline Klatte and Beth Lisick July 26, 2013 at San Francisco's Verdi Club.  Podcast Produced by Briana Breen

Mom, philanthropist and former model--Paula Williams Fashion blogger--Adelle McElveen Crafty lady and "What Not To Wear" victim--Pam DeLuco Interior designer--John James Former model turned writer--Meghan Ward Author, teacher and performer--Richard Silberg   From March 21, 2011 at San Francisco’s Verdi Club.

Stories of lies, deception, and trickery from: The Roxie Theatre's--Mike KeeganArtist and radio producer--Stacy BondAuthor and Litquake co-founder--Jack BoulwareSan Francisco real estate agent--Steve MavromihalisMills College professor--Maura FinkelsteinYA novelist and MR. T Experience frontman--Frank Portman Hosted by Arline Klatte and Jon Moscone June 17, 2013 at San Francisco's Verdi Club.  Podcast produced by Briana Breen.

Misbehaving bar patrons, a trip to Mexico to unlock the secret recipe of a magical tostada, harrowing tales of restaurant openings, hitting rock bottom as a waitress, celebrities and reservation booking madness from inside one of New York's top restaurants, and when ramen noodles go wrong.  Stories from: bartender and performer--Jill Vice, Tacolicious executive chef--Telmo Faria, Nopa, Chow, and Kokkari, Chef and co-owner--Laurence Jossel, writer and recovering watiress--Ali Liebegott, owner of St. Vincent Tavern and author of Vino Italiano--David Lynch, Hapa Ramen chef-owner and author of over 20k tweets--Richie Nakano Hosted by Arline Klatte and Craig Stoll May 20, 2013 at San Francisco's Verdi Club.  Podcast produced by Briana Breen.  From May 20, 2013 at San Francisco’s Verdi Club.

Stories of parents and drug dealers, and parents who are drug dealers, an M.P. guarding high value detainees in Baghdad, how not to get into Egypt, lawlessness in Cambodia, spanking, late night run-ins with campus police, what to say when a cop wants to search your vehicle, and bedbugs. Hosted by Arline Klatte and Beth Spottswood. Podcast produced by Briana Breen.   From March 25, 2013 at San Francisco’s Hemlock Tavern.

A Porchlight show unlike any other.  Storytellers and readers take the stage for a unique literary, storytelling, and musical mixtape.     Hosted by Arline Klatte and Evan Karp.  Podcast produced by Briana Breen.  From April 15, 2013 at San Francisco’s Verdi Club.

Stories about getting over it and moving on from: Deputy Chief of Staff for Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom--Deirdre Hussey, writer and comedian--Miles K., high school teacher--Karie Rubin, writer and performer--Kurt Bodden, and surprise stoytellers! Hosted by Arline Klatte and Beth Spotswood. Podcast produced by Briana Breen.   From January 21, 2013 at San Francisco’s Verdi Club.

Stories from: Criminal defense attorney--Renee Paradis Comic and union organizer--Nato Green San Francisco Poilice Department Sergeant--Carl Tennenbaum Chief Judge of the Ninth Circuit--Alex Kozinski Hosted by Arline Klatte and Beth Spotswood.  Podcast produced by Briana Breen.From March 18, 2013 at San Francisco's Verdi Club.

Porchlight and SF Sketchfest present stories from: Soccer journalist--Alan Black Stand-up comedian--April Richardson Zinester, illustrator, and pet portrait artist--Nicole Georges Comedian, actor, musician, and host of “The Dave Hill Explosion”--Dave Hill Comedian, actor, and writer --Scott Capurro   Hosted by Arline Klatte and Beth Lisick. Podcast produced by Briana Breen. From February 8, 2013 at San Francisco’s Verdi Club.

Stories about mormons, stoners, sailors, families, a Civil War in West Africa, and Walt Whitman. Brave stories from courageous storytellers at Porchlight Open Door. Hosted by Arline Klatte and Beth Spotswood. Podcast produced by Briana Breen.   From January 28, 2013 at San Francisco’s Hemlock Tavern.

Stories about lost soulmates, painful geography lessons, Mexican prostitutes, an Afghani girl who wanted to become a pilot, Christian lesbian rappers, as well as insider tips for playing the slots in Vegas.  Hosted by Beth Lisick and Arline Klatte. Podcast produced by Briana Breen.   From January 30, 2012 at San Francisco’s Hemlock Tavern.