Best Of Award

Best Producer

Christina Augello

There's no stopping Christina Augello. This formidable local theater impresario has been largely responsible for rescuing San Francisco theater-goers from the clutches of pointless touring Broadway shows and stolid repertory fare. As the artistic director of Exit Theatre since its inception 23 years ago, Augello (a quirky performer in her own right) has consistently thrown open her doors on the cusp of the Tenderloin to some of the edgiest companies around. The beauty of her programming is its unmitigated eclecticism. On any given evening, the Exit's little black box spaces are home to work as diverse as one-man magic shows, bizarre experimental acts featuring human puppets and dismembered dolls, and full-blown productions of Macbeth. The Exit Cafe is a great place to hang out, drink beer, and gobble pretzels; during the annual San Francisco Fringe Festival (produced by the Exit), the place is positively abuzz.