8 days a week

Jan. 9-16, 2002

THE CHALLENGE PRESENTED by the Cutting Ball Theater's 'Risk Is This ... the Cutting Ball New Plays Festival: Staged Readings by Three Playwrights Who Are Changing What Theater Can Be' doesn't lie in readying oneself for nontraditional performance. In fact, the challenge – and the real pleasure – is in giving up the safety of preconceived expectations and letting the works of Trevor Allen (Chain Reactions), Kevin Oakes (The Bad Math Plays), and Caridad Svich (Begging the Eclipse) perform their magic. While the work of the Cutting Ball, a smart, ambitious, and energetic young company, tends to be on the cerebral side (if that sounds like a negative evaluation, know that my feelings are rooted in millions of murdered brain cells, rather than in critical assessment), the group mounted a production of As You Like It last year that was innovative and original. "Risk Is This" marks yet another step forward; Allen's work (originally mounted at the 2000 San Francisco Fringe Festival) may be familiar to local audiences, while Oakes and Svich have extensive national credits. Start the year off right and take a walk outside. Through Jan. 27. Opens Thurs/10, 8:30 p.m. Runs Thurs.-Sat., 8:30 p.m. (additional shows Sun., 2 p.m., Julia Morgan Center for the Arts, 2640 College, Berk.). Play schedule: Chain Reactions, Thurs/10-Sun/13; The Bad Math Plays, Thurs/17-Sun/20; Begging the Eclipse, Jan. 24-27. Theater Rhinoceros, 2926 16th St., S.F. $12 (three plays for $25). (415) 861-5079. (J.H. Tompkins)

Jan. 9

Wednesday

Wuthering heights Not to be confused with the 1996 Maggie Cheung-starring French film, Charles Ludlam's Gothic farce 'The Mystery of Irma Vep, a Penny Dreadful' is a two-actor play filled with multiple characters, zany gags, costumes, and fast-paced action. Penned in 1984 and recently a smash off-Broadway revival, Irma Vep careens into the New Conservatory Theatre Center with stars Lee Corbett and Patrick Dukeman embodying an Egyptian princess, a werewolf, a Scottish greenskeeper, and more. Late playwright Ludlam founded the Ridiculous Theatrical Company in 1967 and received Obies, a Guggenheim fellowship, and numerous other awards for his work; this performance of Irma Vep is the latest production in the NCTC's seventh Pride Season. Through Feb. 23. Previews Wed/9-Sat/12 and Wed/16-Fri/18, 8 p.m.; Sun/13, 2 p.m. Opens Sat/19, 8 p.m. Runs Wed.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Jan. 27, Feb. 3, 10, 17, 2 p.m., New Conservatory Theatre Center, 25 Van Ness, S.F. $18-$35. (415) 861-8972. (Cheryl Eddy)

Jan. 10

Thursday

Screen time Now in its seventh year, the 'Berlin and Beyond' film festival takes over the newly refurbished Castro Theatre for a week of movies from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. The majority of the films are brand-new works that you'll be among the first in America to see, including the latest from Gordian Maugg, Ingredients for Dreams, a love story that centers on a chef who dreams of attaining culinary greatness in contemporary Switzerland. Other intriguing entries include the documentaries Dear Fidel – Marita's Story, about real-life ex-Castro love and New York resident Marita Lorenz (she became pregnant by him but had an abortion; years later she became a CIA operative), and The Dream Is Gone, about the 40-year history of leftist German band Ton Steine Scherben. Louise Brooks fans will want to take note of the screening of a newly restored print of G.W. Pabst's 1929 Diary of a Lost Girl. Through Jan. 16. Castro Theatre, 429 Castro, S.F. $7.50-$15. (415) 621-6120, www.goethe.de/sanfrancisco, www.ticketweb.com. For schedule and additional location information see First Runs, in Film listings. (Eddy)

Jan. 11

Friday

They are the Champlins Back in the day, and I mean way back, the Sons of Champlin (led by Marin native Bill Champlin) were the best band the San Francisco Bay Area had ever seen. The Airplane and Big Brother got the attention, but nobody could play like the Sons – big, fat, B-3-driven jazzy rock that was full of unexpected twists and turns and moments of sheer improvisational delight. They gave away their one record (you could say they lacked commercial instincts), and their music was too complicated for a lot of people. They've reformed intermittently over the years and are doing so again. The Sons of Champlin are not an oldies act – just a band that can really play. 9 p.m., Great American Music Hall, 859 O'Farrell, S.F. $20. (415) 885-0750. (J.H. Tompkins)

See through As dj_spucke writes in the current edition of the Transbay Creative Music Calendar, "by taking away performers and technology on stage, new musical possibilities emerge that blur lines between composition, field recordings, sound design, 'cinema for the ear,' virtual reality, 'radio' drama, and sound synthesis." And that's the raison d'être of the Transparent Tape Music Festival. Over the course of two nights, listeners will be treated to the music – in the form of "fixed media compositions" that continue to exist independent of their prior performance by humans – of such composers as Pauline Oliveros, John Oswald, Walter Ruttmann, Paul Koonce, Edgard Varese, and Hildegard Westercamp, all diffused through more than 20 loudspeakers in a surround-sound environment. Through Sat/12. 8 p.m., Transparent Theater, 1901 Ashby, Berk. $7-$12. (510) 649-8744. (Derk Richardson)

Grace and fire Veteran troupe Theatre Flamenco is starting out the new year with a 35th-birthday party, making it one of the oldest dance companies in San Francisco. Like most folks who hit their mid 30s, the troupe is rethinking who it is and what it wants to do when it grows up. With its latest program, "Fusión Flamenca," it steps into the future with three premieres, two of which are clear departures from the past. Fusión, a festive alegría – known as the "queen of flamenco," featuring those torso-challenging trains, here on all-white dresses – is performed to a chamber music score by Vincente Amor instead of with the traditional guitars. Escuela bolero, danced in slippers as well as heeled shoes, is not really flamenco but a waltzy type of court-derived social dance popular in Spanish cities in the 18th century. Finally, Theatre Flamenco's artistic director, Miguel Santos, has brought the quintet Amanecer – a soleares, which usually are full of pathos and pain – back from Spain, where its creation was inspired by his studies with flamenco master El Guito. Fri/11-Sat/12, 8 p.m.; Sun/13, 2 p.m., Cowell Theater, Fort Mason Center, Marina at Laguna, S.F. $25-$27 (Sat., gala and performance, $50). (415) 345-7575. (Rita Felciano)

Jan. 12

Saturday

Truck-stop life By the turn of the new century, Patterson Hood had already written "Bulldozers and Dirt" and "The Living Bubba," two of the best Southern rock songs ever written. As the frontal lobe for Alabama's Drive-by Truckers, Hood lets the conflicted duality of his Southern upbringing hang out all over albums like Gangstabilly and Pizza Deliverance (both on Soul Dump/Ghostmeat) with wit and honesty. Returning with Southern Rock Opera (Soul Dump), DBT take on the most heinous of all rock clichés – the concept double album – and come out the other side with an essential listen. A coming-of-age tale set between the Old and the New South, the album addresses Lynyrd Skynyrd, George Wallace, Bear Bryant, class, race, living drunk, rocking out, and Southern pride with Hood's typical heartfelt poignancy. The disc also confirms that the Truckers stand as one of the best-ever roots bands. Jerry Joseph and the Jackmormons also play. 9 p.m., Last Day Saloon, 406 Clement, S.F. $10. (415) 387-6343. (John O'Neill)

Liquid courage Add a little locution to your evening at 'Writers with Drinks,' an event that promises spoken word, erotica, comedy, poetry, and, most intriguingly, "rants" by local literary and performing luminaries. Stop by to hear White Noise Theatre, Jan Richman, Shauna Rogan, Cara Bruce, Jamez Smith, Bay Guardian culture editor Annalee Newitz, and host Charles Anders get Saturday night rolling with words of wisdom, wisecracks, and maybe even some verbal abuse. All proceeds benefit bisexual literary mag Anything That Moves. 6-8 p.m., Cafe du Nord, 2170 Market, S.F. $3-$5. (415) 861-5016. (Eddy)

Strike of the beast They may not have achieved the worldwide mainstream success of thrash metal brethren Metallica, but local headbangers Exodus deserve credit for being one of the pioneering bands of the genre. The group's 1985 Combat Records debut, Bonded by Blood, crudely captured singer Paul Baloff's bloodthirsty screams and the brutal twin-guitar attack of Gary Holt and Rick Hunolt (who stepped in when original member Kirk Hammett jumped ship to Metallica). The album still stands as a seminal document of the Bay Area thrash scene. Exodus achieved greater commercial success after Baloff was replaced with ex-Testament howler Steve Souza, but the band lost some of the raw fury that made the original lineup so unique, and they broke up in '92. Exodus have reunited with Baloff several times, most recently to perform at last summer's "Thrash of the Titans." Cutthroats 9 (featuring Chris Spencer of Unsane) and Dekapitator fill out the bill. 9 p.m., Covered Wagon Saloon, 917 Folsom, S.F. $10. (415) 974-1585. (Dave Pehling)

Jan. 13

Sunday

Say hello to my little friend Gangster Al Capone: mastermind of the St. Valentine's Day massacre, first-time holder of the title "Public Enemy Number One," and, near the end of his life, Alcatraz's most famous inmate. Learn more about Scarface's time in the Bay Area at 'Alcatraz v. Al Capone,' the latest entry in the Rock's series of after-hours excursions, which are aimed at local residents and offer – in addition to the standard-issue audio tour – a chance to dig a little deeper into the history of the former prison. Plus, what could be scarier than Alcatraz in the dark? The next Alcatraz Night Tour, "Gold, Greed, and Gambling," is scheduled for Jan. 17 and includes an exploration of the adventurous past of San Francisco gold miners. 4:20 p.m., departs from Pier 41, Fisherman's Wharf, S.F. $11.50-$20.75. (415) 561-4925. (Eddy)

Jan. 14

Monday

All aboard If your knowledge of former presidential candidate Michael Dukakis is limited to his losing campaign against George Bush (the elder) and his luxurious eyebrows, head down to the Commonwealth Club and catch up on what he's involved with these days: the world of high-speed trains. Now a member of Amtrak's board of directors, the former governor of Massachusetts will discuss how trains can help alleviate traffic problems and serve as alternative means of travel – particularly opportune now that concerns about airport security are at an all-time high. 12:30 p.m., Commonwealth Club, 595 Market, Second floor, S.F. $7-$10. (415) 597-6705. (Eddy)

Jan. 15

Tuesday

Southern fusion When he's not providing guitar firepower to help resuscitate classic-rock dinosaurs like Kansas or Deep Purple, six-string wizard Steve Morse can usually be found fronting his reunited Southern-fried fusion ensemble, the Dixie Dregs. Combining blistering speed with a keen melodic sense and unmatched stylistic versatility, Morse leads his group through fiery jazz-rock workouts soaked in country and bluegrass influences. Formed back in 1975, the Dixie Dregs built a solid cult audience with their onstage pyrotechnics and a series of solid albums for Polydor and Arista before dissolving in '82. Morse has reconvened the band numerous times since the initial split, giving guitar geeks the world over a chance to experience their undeniable chemistry. The latest incarnation features principles Rod Morgenstein (drums), T Lavitz (keys), Mahavishnu Orchestra original member Jerry Goodman (violin), and Dave La Rue (bass). Bluebeard opens. 8 p.m., Slim's, 333 11th St., S.F. $25. (415) 522-0333. (Pehling)

Jan. 16

Wednesday

Down-home good time Tighten the strings on your fiddle and head down to tonight's free "Fog City Bluegrass" show, with a three-band bill that includes the harmonious sounds of local pickers How You Duo. Band members Allegra Yellin and Michael Follstad, who met a few years ago at Berkeley's Jazz School, tap into an eclectic variety of influences – including country swing, gospel, klezmer, and soul – to create their unique blend of acoustic, energetic music played on guitar and mandolin. West of Kentucky open the show; Jeanie and Chuck's Classic Country Round-Up headline. 8 p.m., Plough and Stars, 116 Clement, S.F. Free. (415) 751-1122. (Eddy)