The Ark
SUBSCRIBE
The Ark
SUBSCRIBE
SECTIONS
TiburonBelvedereStrawberryStateElection 2026El NiñoColumnsBusinessSchoolsSportsEntertainmentCalendarObituariesPublic NoticesAround TownVisit
SUBMIT
Letter to the editorSend a news tipCalendar eventPaid obituarySports scoreMilestone or achievementBiz Buzz announcementChalkboard announcementEngagement or weddingBirth announcementPet remembranceGenerosity blurbCorrection request
ADVERTISE
Advertising guidePublic notices & legal adsClassified adsServices guide
EVENTS
Tiburon Peninsula eventsRegional community calendarSubmit a calendar eventLibrary calendarChamber calendar
AROUND TOWN
Ferries, meetings and eventsEmergency preparednessPublic meetingsTiburon Peninsula eventsGolden Gate Ferry scheduleAngel Island Ferry scheduleRoute 219 scheduleTown of TiburonCity of BelvedereBelvedere’s public lanesReed Union School DistrictBelvedere-Tiburon LibraryThe RanchStrawberry Recreation DistrictTiburon Peninsula Chamber of CommerceBelvedere-Tiburon Landmarks Society
ACCOUNT
SubscribeLifetime subscriptionActivate your accessDigital replicaUpdate contact infoSubscriber helpNewsletter signupDonate

Cinelounge revives theater tradition with ‘The Balloon’

“The Balloon” will be performed live on stage at 6 p.m. Feb. 25 at Cinelounge Tiburon.

ALEXANDRA DUPARCDirector Ylane Duparc (left) and playwright Michael Wisner rehearse ‘The Balloon’ in preparation for tonight’s performance at Cinelounge. The absurdist courtroom comedy centers on a giant balloon that appears on the Golden Gate Bridge.
Tyler Callister
By TYLER CALLISTER · 1 min read

Live theater is returning to Cinelounge for the first time in 60 years.

A new play titled “The Balloon” runs for one night only — Feb. 25 — when a local theater troupe takes over the movie theater in what organizers say revives a tradition dating to the venue’s earliest days as the Tiburon Playhouse.

In the late 1950s, the Playhouse wasn’t just showing Hollywood movies. It was also home to the Cove Players, a resident company that staged live productions alongside film screenings. That hybrid tradition faded decades ago as the venue shifted to films only. Now, Cinelounge owners Camilla and Christian Meoli, who reopened the theater as Cinelounge in 2022, say they are reviving it with “The Balloon,” an absurdist courtroom comedy.

The play was written by Michael Wisner, a Mill Valley resident and longtime screenwriter whose “Monsanto” feature film is set to begin production for Netflix later this year. The film stars Jonathan Bailey, Anthony Mackie and Laura Dern.

The play centers on a “strange and illegal balloon” that suddenly appears on the Golden Gate Bridge, sparking a courtroom battle to untangle its origins and meaning. Read the complete story in our e-edition, or SUBSCRIBE NOW for home delivery and access to the digital replica.

Comment on this article on Nextdoor.

A version of this story appeared in the Feb. 25, 2026, print edition of The Ark. See something wrong? Request a correction.
Add The Ark to Google Preferred Sources
Recent Stories
Belvedere parks panel makes Cliff Lane path to the shore its 2027 focus Tiburon crews box in downtown drains to keep tidewater off streets Belvedere painter Gordon Studer among 8 peninsula artists at ICB’s Big Open A former Wall Street banker finds her pace in Tiburon Tiburon dances in the light at fifth annual Diwali celebration
In print every Wednesday
Front page of The Ark, Wednesday, November 11 Nov. 11, 2026 E-EDITION
The Ark in your inbox

Local news from Tiburon, Belvedere and Strawberry, delivered by email.

Support The Ark’s commitment to high-impact community journalism.

The Ark, named the nation's best small community weekly for 2026, is dedicated to delivering investigative, accountability journalism with a mission to increase civic engagement and participation by providing the knowledge that can help sculpt the community and change lives. Your support makes this possible.

SUBSCRIBE Make a contribution