Beach Blanket Babylon, San Francisco's Famed Musical Revue, To End This Year
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- San Francisco's famed musical revue show Beach Blanket Babylon is closing its doors at the end of this year after a 45 year run, the show's producer announced on Wednesday.
The show, which has been stationed at Club Fugazi in North Beach for years, follows the story of Snow White, a woman looking for love and encountering singing celebrities along the way. The show was created by Steve Silver and his wife Jo Schuman Silver took over production in 1995 after his death.
Jo Silver said the wildly popular show isn't shutting down for financial reasons, but rather that she felt it was the right time to end the show instead of dragging it out.
"No, it's not about money. I just felt it was time to go out on top because the show deserves to go out on top. And we'll be here until New Year's Eve. It's very sad, but I just felt it was the right time for the show," said Silver.
The show, which first opened its curtains on June 7, 1974, will give its final performance on December 31, 2019.
According to a press release put out by the production, the show will have played a record-breaking 17,216 performances upon its closing.
Beach Blanket Babylon was made famous for its "hilarious spoofs of political and pop culture, spectacular costumes, and iconic hats."
Tammy Nelson, an actress with the show, was surprised to hear the news. "I'm smiling through... because I've got a show to do in 20 minutes and I'm happy and proud to be able to perform and I will. I will perform. In spite of my ... my heart is breaking," said Nelson emotionally.
When asked about how she felt after hearing about the end of the show, Nelson said, "Disbelief. Shock. And then... tears. Just pouring down tears. In and out of tears, obviously."
Nelson said the cast members were all brought in together before the announcement was made and they sat in "stunned silence."
"And I think people are trying to process this," said Nelson.
Some of the cast members asked if they could change Silver's mind about ending the show, but she said it's definitely the end.
"I had people I was thinking of handing it off to, but you know, it has to be run like Steve Silver wanted it to be continued. And it had to be somebody that knew him and I don't think ... all my cousins and my godchild didn't know him. So, this is going to be it," said Silver.
