Bankhead Presents Program | May 2026
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SPARC Theater: The Glass Menagerie
FRI MAY 1—SUN MAY 3
God Is A Scottish Drag Queen 2
FRI MAY 8 @ 8 PM
God, dressed in a floral power suit, comes down to set the record straight and expound on everything from Pocahontas to the Platypus and answer humankind’s most asked questions in the hilarious and unforgettable sequel God Is A Scottish Drag Queen 2. Loved by Preachers and Atheists alike, this franchise has quickly become one of the most popular one-man shows touring today, and has received critical acclaim for its non-stop, brilliant look at pop culture and humanity through the eyes of a silly, foul-mouthed, and very lovable Scottish Deity. Although comedian Mike Delamont and his previous shows have delighted The Bankhead more than once over the past few seasons, one does not need to have seen the original show to enjoy this standalone sequel!
The title character of the show was created in a monthly cabaret called Atomic Vaudeville and was an instant hit. In 2011, Mike Delamont created the very first one-act production of God Is A Scottish Drag Queen and began touring it on the North American fringe circuit. In 2015, the show was developed into a larger-scale, two-act, theatrical production that has now spawned two full-length sequels and a Christmas special. The success of the character is that the show perfectly blends major political topics, biblical history, and silly pop culture, and is told through the voice of a deity who is clearly in on the joke!
LVA Sponsor
LVA Sponsor
LVA Sponsor
Glen Phillips (of Toad the Wet Sprocket)
SAT MAY 9 @ 8 PM
During his almost 40 years as lead singer and main songwriter of Toad the Wet Sprocket, Glen Phillips has helped create the band’s elegant folk/pop sound with honest, introspective lyrics that forged a close bond with fans. Alongside his work with Toad, Glen has released acclaimed solo albums and collaborated on projects ranging from Mutual Admiration Society (with members of Nickel Creek) to the experimental Remote Tree Children.
“I’ve been playing a songwriting game with Texas folk singer Matt The Electrician for about ten years,” Glen says. “Every Friday, he sends out a title. We have a week to write a song that includes it. The process allows me to write songs I wouldn’t write on my own. I’m always surprised at what comes out.” That sense of curiosity and play continues to fuel his creative life. Coming off a very full year of music, Glen played to packed solo shows across the US, toured the Rockies with John Craigie, and hit the road with Toad the Wet Sprocket for a massive summer tour that featured openers The Jayhawks, Sixpence None the Richer, KT Tunstall, and Vertical Horizon. This fall he heads overseas to tour the UK with Colin Hay, and in October he hosts his first-ever European river cruise on the Danube, traveling from Budapest to Nuremberg.
Glen has also launched a new partnership with Volume, where he’ll be live streaming at least once a month. These shows give him the chance to connect with fans when he and Toad are off the road, offering a space for community, new songs, deep cuts, and the stories behind the music. “I have a long history of livestreaming, and am excited to start a new chapter with Volume. Their format allows me not just to do livestreams, but also post new material and host online get-togethers.”
Looking ahead, Glen plans to begin work on a new solo album in 2026. “I’ll be spending this year writing new material for both Toad and solo projects. There’s also an acoustic Toad album coming out, as well as a side project solo collection of songs. Between that and touring, I’ll be plenty busy.”
Mariachi Divas de Cindy Shea
SUN MAY 10 @ 3 PM
With a career spanning 24 years, the critically acclaimed all-female Mariachi Divas de Cindy Shea specializes in providing professional mariachi music for live concerts, commercials, television, and film recordings. A two-time GRAMMY Award winner, with eight GRAMMY nominations and three Latin GRAMMY nominations, the ensemble continues to expand the scope of mariachi music, delighting audiences from around the world.
Founded in 1999 by musical director and trumpet player Cindy Shea, Mariachi Divas is celebrated for its innovative and eclectic array of music ranging from mariachi classics to jazz and pop. Mariachi Divas is known for its sophisticated, smooth, and refined, elegant musical style. Since 2003, Mariachi Divas has been the official all-female mariachi of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, performing year-round at Disneyland, Disney California Adventure, and Downtown Disney in Anaheim, California. The group is also the official mariachi for Disney Pixar’s Coco inspired show at Plaza de La Familia/Día de Los Muertos celebration at Disney California Adventure. Mariachi Divas is often sought after to appear in various television, film, and music video projects.
They have performed, recorded, and collaborated with artists such as, Alejandro Fernández, “Agridulce” on the album Rompiendo Fronteras (2017), Ozomatli, single “Volver, Volver” (2017), Natalia Jiménez of La 5a Estación and Sergio Vallín of Maná, single “Esa Soy Yo” (2009) to name a few. Additionally, Mariachi Divas has appeared in two music videos with major recording artists: OhNo’s “Suavemente” (2019) and U2’s “Song for Someone” (2016).
With an established recording track record, their discography includes nineteen professional full-length album releases co-produced by Cindy Shea through East Side Records.
East Bay Jazz 10th Anniversary Concert
FRI MAY 15 @ 8 PM
Possessing a voice as cool and crystalline as an Alpine stream, Natalie Cressman draws inspiration from a vast array of musical currents. A prodigiously talented trombonist, she’s spent the last 14 years touring as a horn player and vocalist with Phish’s Trey Anastasio, while also performing around NYC with jazz greats Wycliffe Gordon, Nicholas Payton, Anat Cohen, Dave Douglas, and Peter Apfelbaum.
Deeply versed in Latin jazz, post-bop, pop, and Brazilian music, Cressman has released three albums under her own name as well as three acclaimed duo albums with Brazilian-born guitarist Ian Faquini, her primary musical partner for the past decade. Together they’ve honed a singularly expansive creative communion encompassing their love of the Brazilian songbook, jazz, Impressionism and sophisticated pop songcraft. Focusing on their original songs, the duo’s recordings include 2019’s Setting Rays of Summer, 2022’s Auburn Whisper, and 2024’s GUINGA, a tribute to the revered Brazilian composer and guitarist.
Cressman’s trombone prowess has earned her widespread recognition. In 2019, 2023, and 2025, Downbeat awarded her “Rising Star Trombone” honors in the magazine’s annual critics’ poll.
Drawing on her love of groove, cool R&B and jazz, Cressman released the solo albums, Unfolding (2012) and Turn the Sea (2014), followed by Etchings in Amber (2016), a gorgeous duo album with guitarist Mike Bono that introduced Cressman as a formidable musical force without her horn. She released The Traces EP in 2017, which expanded her creative reach into post-production with meticulously crafted soundscaped tracks inspired by R&B and indie pop.
Her passion for groove music hasn’t diluted her love of jazz. In 2016 SFJAZZ commissioned her to develop music for a concert celebrating the legacy of jazz trombonist/arranger Melba Liston. When she’s not performing her own music, Cressman can be found collaborating with some of the most illustrious figures in rock, funk, jazz and beyond such as Carlos Santana, Phish, Big Gigantic, Escort, Phil Lesh, Oteil Burbridge, The Motet, and Umphrey’s McGee.
Her mother, Sandy Cressman, is a jazz vocalist who immersed herself deeply in Brazilian music, collaborating with many of the country’s most respected musicians. Her father, Jeff Cressman, is a recording engineer and trombonist who recently concluded a two-decade run with Santana. Natalie quite naturally began studying trombone with her father, but set out to be a dancer rather than a musician. An aspiring ballerina until her junior year of high school, she changed courses when an injury sidelined her dance aspirations.
Her parents provided entrée to a number of enviable opportunities, but Cressman’s own prodigious gifts continued to merit her presence in any number of high-profile settings. She soon found herself playing salsa with Uruguayan percussionist Edgardo Cambon e Orquesta Candela, Latin jazz with Pete Escovedo’s Latin Jazz Orchestra, world music with Jai Uttal and the Pagan Love Orchestra, and globally-inspired avant-garde jazz with multi-instrumentalist Peter Apfelbaum, a close family friend. Cressman traveled east in 2009 to study at the Manhattan School of Music, and the following year jam band pioneer Trey Anastasio recruited her for his touring band. He met Cressman at 18, and “was instantly floored by how melodically and naturally she played and sang,” Anastasio says. “Natalie is the rarest of musicians. Born into a musical family and raised in a home filled with the sounds of Brazilian music, jazz and Afro-Cuban rhythms, musicality is in her DNA.” These days, she’s blazing new musical trails with Faquini, creating sumptuous songs where jazz and the Brazilian songbook intermingle.
Natalie is endorsed by King Trombones.
UNCLE Credit Union Art Gallery at the Bankhead Theater
Presenting Splendid Surroundings in Watercolor
Thru May 10, 2026
Thursdays — Saturdays, 12 pm — 5 pm*
FREE & OPEN to the Public
*PLEASE NOTE: The Art Gallery is CLOSED Sundays through Wednesdays, as well as on Saturdays when matinee performances take place at The Bankhead.
California Watercolor Association artists draw inspiration from the places they’ve explored and the people who’ve left a lasting impression. This exhibition features a wide range of watercolor paintings inspired by those experiences, from vibrant landscapes and peaceful still lifes to expressive portraits, figures, and abstracts. Together, the works offer a colorful and personal look at the moments, memories, and scenes that spark creativity—and invite visitors to slow down, look closely, and enjoy the journey. The Reception for “Presenting Splendid Surroundings in Watercolor,” also free and open to the public at the UNCLE Credit Union Art Gallery, was on Saturday, April 11, from 1 pm to 3 pm. Learn More …
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