Running After Shadows

Buy your 2025-26 season pass now! Subscribers get first pick of the best seats now, and single tickets go on sale on April 25. (Already bought your pass and want to pick your dates? Email us and we’ll get you set up.)

 

Why you should see this show

Because this poignant, funny show originated during the Covid shutdown, when City Lights commissioned a series of plays by writers in the BIPOC community. The joyous fact that it’s now on stage reminds us never to take live, in-person theater for granted ever again.
Because it’s a world premiere!
Because giving a standing ovation at the theater is a million times better for the soul than giving a like on Instagram.
Because garlic.

Synopsis

Morgan Collins is on a culinary journey. He used to buy his cookware at the 99-cent store, and is now a budding gourmet and an America’s Test Kitchen devotee. But today, as he unboxes his new garlic press live on Instagram, he also opens something completely unexpected. This box brings him face to face with childhood memories and the pain left by his absentee father. Both poignant and funny, this story of human connection was commissioned by City Lights as part of a series of solo plays by writers in the BIPOC community.

Details and special events

Running After Shadows previews Jan. 15 and 16, 2026, and runs through Feb. 8. (No Show Jan. 18) Showtimes are Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m., with one 2 p.m. Saturday matinee on Jan. 31 and one 7:30 p.m. Wednesday show on Feb. 4. Single tickets are $31-$75, now with no fees.

Don’t be scared off by the seats labeled “Slightly obstructed.” They have a narrow wooden post partially in view from the seat. Most folks say the experience in our intimate theater is just fine!

Bring a group of 10 or more and get 25% off the face value of each ticket. The discount is automatically applied when 10 or more tickets are in the cart. (Contact the box office if group members are paying separately.) If you are an employee of a fellow theater company seeking industry comps, please email us at least 48 hours in advance. Subject to availability.

Health & safety:
If you are feeling unwell, please stay home, and don’t worry about your tickets. We’ll be happy to exchange them for another performance, free of charge. During the run of each show, we require masks indoors on Sunday of the third weekend. On other dates, they are recommended. Learn more about our Covid-19 protocols.

Special events:
Thursday, Jan. 15, 7:30 p.m.: Pay What You Can Preview Night. (Call the box office at 408-295-4200 to name your own price.)
Friday, Jan. 16, 8 p.m.: Preview Night.
Saturday, Jan. 17, 8 p.m.: Opening Night.
Sunday, Feb. 1, 2 p.m.: Mask-required performance.
Wednesday, Feb. 4, 7:30 p.m.: $40 Industry Night. We’ve added a specially priced Wednesday performance to make life easier for theater professionals who are working on other shows. (No need to work in the theater industry to attend — the night is open to all.)

Parking and other info

Should you require ADA parking, email us or add a note to your order to reserve a spot in front of the glass doors. We will accommodate as many as possible. The theater is wheelchair-accessible; book the ADA & Companion seats when buying tickets.

For everyone else, there’s free parking a short walk away. Most ParkSJ garages offer 90 minutes of free parking, and the parking website ParkSJ.org is a great resource providing real-time parking availability, maps and more.

The closest city lot is the First Street and I-280 Lot, under the freeway. Parking there is free on weekends and after 6 p.m. on weekdays. 

Learn more about accessibility and public transit in the area.

Due to the intimate size of our theater, we unfortunately are not able to seat late patrons. Thank you for your understanding.