It’s that time of year when critics look back and attempt to encapsulate an entire year’s worth of productions into one easily read list of the “best of” the year. Why? Because it gives us something to do during the slow period between the close of the holiday shows and the onslaught of productions in the New Year.
We’re kidding. Mostly.
The end of the year is a time for reflection by many, and critics are no different. We take pleasure in remembering and reporting on the good work we’ve seen produced locally. It’s our way of saying thanks to the community for the work they do and for continuing to invite and welcome us into their theatrical homes.
Here, in alphabetical order, are the Top Torn Tickets for the best and/or most interesting theater produced in Marin County in 2025, as determined by Beulah Vega (BV), Caitlin Strom-Martin (CSM) and Harry Duke (HD):
As You Like It – Curtain Theatre – An adaptation set in the Bear Flag era shouldn’t work, but it did, mainly because this was probably the best cast show in Marin County in 2025. BV
Cabaret – Marin Musical Theatre/Novato Theater Company – This story, in our current political climate, had an urgency and potency it probably hasn’t had since Weimar Germany fell to fascism. The cast was good, the direction solid, and Dani Beem was a force of nature. This is the production of Cabaret seared in my brain. BV
Do You Feel Anger? – Marin Theatre – Very rarely does theater hit me at a visceral level; this show lived in my nervous system for a month. Simply put, we need more shows like this until we can make their messages irrelevant. BV
The Epic of Gilgamesh – Stray Dog Theater Co./Marin Shakespeare Company – A new director with a relatively unknown cast deciding to adapt The Epic of Gilgamesh on a bare bones stage was always going to appeal to me. That the adaptation was solid, the cast good and the staging interesting was a bonus. BV
Proof that a 4,000-year-old story in the hands of inventive artists can be as fresh and entertaining as anything written today. HD
It’s True, It’s True, It’s True – Marin Theatre – A “punk rock meets Italian Renaissance” courtroom drama full of amazing costumes, musical interludes and extremely brave performances. This was sheer artistic risk-taking with a massive payoff. CSM
Matilda – Novato Theater Company – This show was tight, well-performed, and left even this cynical critic smiling. Coupled with the talent of the young actors and the joy of seeing so many kids having a great time on stage, this production was always going to be on my list. BV
Miracle Fish – College of Marin – As a poet myself, I was thrilled to see the students at COM create theater in response to Ada Limón’s The Hurting Kind. Whoever chose this is a savvy educator. It was a smart way to teach about devised theater while examining complex themes. Plus, they gave me a miracle fish. BV
Sally & Tom – Marin Theatre – A very well produced and performed entry in the ongoing discussion of who should tell whose stories and the devil’s bargains that are (or aren’t) made to get those stories told. HD
The North Bay is an incredibly supportive community for the performing arts. Thanks also to the audiences for continuing to show up.
