stage

Stage listings are compiled by Cheryl Eddy. Performance times may change; call venues to confirm. Reviewers are Robert Avila, Sima Belmar, Rita Felciano, and Brad Rosenstein. Theater intern is Lara Shalson. See 8 Days a Week for information on how to submit items to the listings.

theater

Opening

Bombs over Baghdad New Langton Arts, 1246 Folsom; 290-1576. $15. Opens Fri/19, 8pm. Runs Fri-Sun, 8pm. Through May 5. Texas Theater Company presents Jeff Kellner's play about media image makers in government.

By Jupiter Eureka Theatre, 215 Jackson; 255-8207. $15-27. Previews Wed/17-Thurs/18, 8pm. Opens Fri/19, 8pm. Runs Thurs-Fri, 8pm; Sat, 6pm; Sun, 2pm. Through May 12. 42nd Street Moon kicks off its 10th anniversary season with Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart's comedy of the sexes.

Confessions of a Dope Dealer Exit Cafe, 156 Eddy; 666-3939. $10-15. Opens Thurs/18, 8:30pm. Runs Thurs-Sat, 8:30pm. Through May 11. Sheldon Norberg presents his autobiographical solo show, a comedic look at his drug experiences.

Enter the Guardsman Gershwin Theater, 2350 Turk; 978-2787. $20-38. Opens Fri/19, 8pm. Runs Wed-Sat, 8pm (also Sat/27, 2pm); Sun, 2pm. Through Sun/28. Lamplighters Musical Theatre presents the comedic musical about a newlywed couple trying to keep romance alive.

Sisters Phoenix Theatre, 414 Mason, Ste 601; 989-0023. $20 (Thurs, pay what you can). Previews Thurs/18-Fri/19, 8pm. Opens Sat/20, 8pm. Runs Thurs-Sat, 8pm. Through May 25. Phoenix Theatre (now operating out of a new space) presents Wendy Lill's play about a nun arrested for burning down a school for Native American children.

Stones in His Pockets Curran Theatre, 445 Geary; 512-7770. $34-59. Opens Wed/17, 8pm. Runs Tues-Sat, 8pm (also Wed and Sat-Sun, 2pm). Through May 12. Bronson Pinchot and Christopher Burns star in Marie Jones's comedy about a film crew that travels to Ireland to make a big-budget movie.

Tape Magic Theatre, Fort Mason Center, Bldg D, Marina at Laguna; 441-8822. $17-37. Previews Fri/19-Sat/20, Wed/24-Thurs/24, 8pm. Opens Fri/26, 8pm. Runs Wed-Sat, 8pm; Sun, 2:30pm (also May 5 and 12, 7:30pm). Through May 12. The Magic Theatre presents Stephen Belber's play about the reunion of three high school friends.

Three 2 Life Intersection for the Arts, 446 Valencia; 626-3311. $9-15. Previews Thurs/18, 8pm. Opens Fri/19, 8pm. Runs Fri-Sat, 8pm. Through May 4. See Critic's Choice.

Bay Area

Homebody/Kabul Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Thrust Stage, 2025 Addison, Berk; (510) 647-2949. $38-54. Previews Fri/19-Sat/20 and Tues/23, 8pm; Sun/21, 7pm. Opens Wed/24, 8pm. Runs Tues and Thurs-Sat, 8pm (also Sat/27, May 2, 4, 11, 16, 25, 30, June 8, 15, 22, 2pm; no show May 3); Wed and Sun, 7pm (also Sun, 2pm). Through June 23. See 8 Days a Week, page 52.

Ongoing

Ain't Misbehavin' Lorraine Hansberry Theatre, 620 Sutter; 474-8800. $22-30. Thurs-Sat, 8pm; Sun, 2pm. Through Sun/28. The Lorraine Hansberry Theatre presents the musical, set in 1930s Harlem and featuring the music of Fats Waller.

The Altruists Actors Theatre of San Francisco, 533 Sutter; 296-9179. $20-35. Runs Thurs-Sat, 8pm; Sun, 7pm. Through May 18. The Actors Theatre of San Francisco presents a play about people who don't match their politics.

Are We Almost There? Shelton Theatre, 533 Sutter; 345-7575. $19-23. Thurs-Sat, 8pm; Sun, 2pm. Extended through Sun/28. The musical comedy revue about traveling returns to the Shelton Theatre.

Chain Reactions and Tick-a-licious Next Stage, 1620 Gough; 673-0304, ext 3. $15-20. Thurs-Sat, 8pm. Through Sat/27. Combined Art Form Entertainment presents two new one-acts that tackle the big questions in singular ways. Trevor Allen's Chain Reactions, directed by Rob Melrose, weaves a cosmic tapestry of asynchronous lifetimes. The script sacrifices some dramatic coherence to the harmony of the theme, but able performances and impressive sound and set designs by Steve Kahn and Daniel Thobias, respectively, lend considerable force to Allen's inventive work. Shaun Church's irresistible Tick-a-licious, meanwhile, lands us on planet Mirth, where Mirthlings evolve from simple pleasure sponges to self-aware angst-ridden Care Bear existentialists. Church's talent for storytelling and wordplay receives exactly the right touch from director Cris Cassell and further benefits from three dedicated performers swaddled in Erin Blendu and Lori Hebert's playful costumes. (Avila)

Come My Beloved Traveling Jewish Theatre, 470 Florida; 399-1809. $12.50-25. Thurs-Sat, 8pm; Sun, 2 and 7pm. Through May 19. A Traveling Jewish Theatre presents an updated interpretation of the biblical Song of Songs.

Euphor!um Presidio (enter from Marina Blvd through Crissy Field gate), Bldg 920, Mason St; 332-9454. $15. Extended run: Thurs, 6-10pm; Fri-Sat, 7-11:30pm; Sun, 3-7pm. Through Sun/28. Antenna presents its interactive journey through Samuel Taylor Coleridge's opium-inspired poem "Kubla Khan."

*Five Flights Thick House, 1695 18th St; 401-8081. $15-20. Thurs/18-Sat/20, 8pm; Sun/21, 5pm. Five Flights is a fable of faiths in collision, each of its characters desperately looking for something or someone to believe in. Kent Nicholson crafts a gem of presentational staging in perfect sync with playwright Adam Bock's self-conscious structure. Unfortunately, the play loses steam as it strains toward a conclusion of difficult grace. Still, Bock remains a tremendously exciting talent, and you couldn't ask for a better production than this one by the Encore Theatre Company. (Rosenstein)

*Frank Olivier's Twisted Cabaret and Pandemonium Vaudeville Show Mason Street Theatre, 340 Mason; 982-5463. $30-42. Extended run: Fri, 8:30pm; Sat, 5:30 and 9pm; Sun, 3:30pm. Through May 5. Also, the "Midnight Madness" version of the show, with more extreme acts, runs Fri, midnight, through May 3. Jugglers don't come much better or stranger than Frank Olivier, a one-man reincarnation of vaudeville with a decided edge. This show features the performer as more than a dozen showbiz characters, including a pointedly inept magician and an emotionally distraught knife thrower. There are hits and misses, but when Olivier is juggling, no one can touch him, not just for his mind-bending skill but also for his perfectly honed awkward-guy appeal, which gets the audience roaring. (Rosenstein)

The Glass Menagerie Geary Theater, 415 Geary; 749-2228. $15-61. Tues-Sat, 8pm (also Wed and Sat-Sun, 2pm). Through Sun/28. Unbelievably, this is the first time American Conservatory Theater has mounted Tennessee Williams's classic in its 35-year history. But aside from introducing some interesting textual variants, director Laird Williamson's production sheds little new light on a play we all have known perhaps a bit too well since high school. The most piquant twist is Amanda, played splendidly by Robin Moseley, who unlike most actors plays her not as a batty warm-up to Blanche DuBois but as an extremely practical Southern lady with steely determination. It's an illuminating approach, but it also oversimplifies the play's complex and conflicted defense of the sensitive spirit in a brutal world. (Rosenstein)

*In Perpetuity Throughout the Universe Shotwell Studios, 3252A 19th St; 262-0477. $13-15. Fri/19-Sat/20, 8pm; Sun/21, 2pm. To say that the Custom Made Theatre Company has taken a good script and given it a well-executed, straightforward production seems like bland praise at best. However, the company's is a surprisingly rare accomplishment, and the results are refreshing indeed. The actors all do a fine job, but what really stands out is the natural way in which they interact with one another, lending a true ensemble feel to this quickly paced, intelligent, and ofttimes painfully funny play by Eric Overmeyer about a handful of ghostwriters working for blatantly racist conspiracy theorists. (Shalson)

Michelangelo Did This? Exit Theatre, 156 Eddy; 981-6444. $10-20. Thurs-Sat, 8pm. Through May 11. Genghis Productions presents Howard Hain's black comedy that imagines what would happen if Michelangelo were reincarnated as "a putz living in Iowa."

'Mr. Williams Pays a Call' Potrero Hill Neighborhood House Theatre, 953 De Haro; 364-3037. $18. Fri-Sat, 8pm; Sun, 5pm. Through Sun/28. Class Act Theatre presents a program of one-acts by Tennessee Williams.

*My Brother Sang like Roy Orbison Bannam Place Theater, 50A Bannam; 986-4607. $15-18. Fri-Sat, 8pm; Sun, 3pm. Through May 5. With six-string in hand, Randy Rutherford begins his one-man show by teasing out the first few chords to a Beatles song as we imagine him walking along a sunlit beach in Hawaii. The halting, half-muted strumming salutes the amateur guitarist in all of us, but Rutherford (we see later on) is actually quite capable on the instrument. Just so, Rutherford, an adept performer, subtly conveys youth's doubts, hesitations, and improvisations in a soulful and engrossing account of his early manhood in the 1960s. Unable to raise him herself, Randy's mother sends him to live with Denny, an older boy who once had the same stepdad as Randy. The charismatic young man with a crooner's throat and a cherry red Corvette becomes both big brother and idol to the shy, undersize 16-year-old. There's humor, nostalgia, and suspense in the details of their life together, conveyed with unflinching love against the backdrop of Vietnam, a war that transforms the nation and their relationship. Directed with quiet assurance by Freddie Long, Rutherford's story inevitably blends his coming-of-age with the country's coming apart in an affecting tale of lost innocence. (Avila)

Speak the Devil Exit Theater, 156 Eddy; 820-1670. $10-18. Thurs-Sat, 8pm. Through May 11. The SF Buffoons present an original dark comedy inspired by medieval fools and street performers.

'Unidentified One-Act Marathon' Union Square Playhouse, 340 Mason; 846-9501. $10-15. Sun-Tues, 7pm. Through Tues/30. Unidentified Theater Company presents a program of seven plays by local writers directed by seven directors.

The Very Worst of Varla Jean Merman New Conservatory Theatre Center, 25 Van Ness; 861-8972. Wed-Sat, 8pm (also Sat/20, Sat/27, and May 4, 10pm). Through May 4. Varla Jean Merman (a.k.a. Jeffery Roberson) promises to "educate" her audience during this 70-minute drag cabaret in which Merman variously sings, plays the clarinet, and shows videos of her trips to Provincetown and Tokyo. The claim is clearly intended as a joke, sending up and celebrating the vacuous nature of Merman's part smutty, part ditzy, part being-un-"p.c."-is-fun! performance, which includes a song about talking to genitals and another piece in which Merman consumes nearly an entire can of spray cheese – all just fine if you find that sort of thing amusing. To her credit, Merman is a very good-looking airhead with some fabulous costumes, and she sports an impressive vocal range. Her performance of a medley from Schoolhouse Rock is the highlight of the evening, when all the immaturity (complete with a Shirley Temple lisp), finally makes sense. (Shalson)

Waiting for Godot Theatre Rhinoceros, 2926 16th St; 861-5079. $15-18. Thurs/18-Sat/20, 8:30pm; Sun/21, 5pm. Creatus and Theatre Rhinoceros present a new interpretation – "high gay concept meets low burlesque" – of the Beckett classic.

Bay Area

The Fantasticks Larkspur Cafe Theatre, 500 Magnolia, Larkspur; (415) 924-6107. $18-30. Fri/19-Sat/20, 8pm. Hoochi-Doo Productions presents the musical love story.

In Search of a Legend Berkeley Black Repertory Theater Co., 3201 Adeline, Berk; (510) 652-2120. $12. Fri-Sat, 8pm; Sun, 5pm. Through Sun/28. Jonal Productions and Berkeley Black Repertory Theatre Co. present Johnny Land's musical tribute to the life of Josephine Baker.

Kept Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro, Mountain View; (650) 903-6000. $20-40. Tues, 7:30pm (no show April 30); Wed-Sat, 8pm (also Sat/27 and May 4, 2pm); Sun, 2 and 7pm (May 5, show at 2pm only). Through May 5. Best summed up in a program note as "Camille and La Traviata with a disco beat," this new TheatreWorks musical by Stephen Chbosky (coauthor), Bill Russell (coauthor and lyricist), and Henry Krieger (music) updates Alexandre Dumas fils's 19th-century classic to New York in 1979 and '80. Parisian high society, with its shallowness, decadence, and sharp economic edges, translates quite well to the Studio 54 era. In fact, the authors can't quite decide between their obvious admiration for the glamour and liberation of the pre-AIDS period and the simplistic moral equations of their source materials. The result is an uneasy slip 'n' slide, with their heroine, Caleigh (Christiane Noll), the ex-supermodel mistress of a two-timing billionaire, presented as an odd admixture of Violetta, Garbo, and Sally Bowles. There are some appealingly sharp-witted lines in the uneven book, but none of the characters are sufficiently developed, and the score is a bland mix of generic lyrics and equally generic pop-inflected tunes. Director Scott Schwartz and choreographer Andy Blankenbuehler seem constrained by the limited size of the stage and what feels like an underpopulated cast, and their vision of disco-era abandon generally comes off as cartoonish sleaze. Noll's star power and beautiful pipes help cover a multitude of sins, and Will Swenson as her idealistic suitor, Karen Murphy as his mother, and a supporting cast of Broadway veterans all do a creditable job. The story, as it has proved for more than 150 years, is nearly foolproof tearjerker material. But this highly anticipated premiere by Russell and Krieger, the creators of Side Show and Everything's Ducky, is a disappointment with a long road to travel on its way to Broadway. (Rosenstein)

Long Day's Journey into Night Live Oak Theatre, 1301 Shattuck, Berk; (510) 528-5620. $10. Fri-Sat and May 9, 8pm. Through May 11. Actors Ensemble of Berkeley presents Eugene O'Neill's play.

*Las meninas San Jose Repertory Theatre, 101 Paseo de San Antonio, San Jose; (408) 367-7255. $26-44. Sat/20, 8pm; Sun/21, 2pm. Playwright Lynn Nottage throws imaginative light on a factual but erased historical chapter: the illicit relationship between King Louis XIV's wife, Queen Marie-Thérèse (Mercedes Herrero), and her "fool," the African dwarf Nabo (Daniel Bryant). Director Michael Donald Edwards does a first-rate job managing Nottage's tricky mix of spoof and soul, and he beautifully stages the San Jose Repertory Theatre premiere. (Rosenstein)

Pericles LaVal's Subterranean, 1834 Euclid, Berk; (510) 234-6046. $10-14. Thurs-Sat, 8pm; Sun, 7pm. Through May 4. Subterranean Shakespeare presents the Bard's classic with masks, puppets, and eight actors in 35 roles.

Two Rooms Oakland Metro Theatre, 201 Broadway, Oakl; (925) 798-1300. $15-20. Thurs/18-Sun/21, 8pm. The Venture Theatre Company presents Lee Blessing's play about a man who is taken hostage in Beirut and the efforts of his wife to save him.

L'Universe Roda Theatre, 2025 Addison, Berk; (510) 647-2949. Tues-Fri, 8pm (no shows Wed/17 and May 10; added shows Tues/16 and May 9, noon); Sat, 2 and 8pm; Sun, 1 and 4:30pm. Through May 19. The Flying Karamazov Brothers present a show that uses juggling, music, physical theater, and comedy to explore the mysteries of the universe.

dance

Alonzo King's Lines Ballet Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Theatre, 700 Howard; 978-ARTS. Fri-Sat and Wed/24-Thurs/25, 8pm; Sun, 7pm. Through Sun/28. $20-35. The company presents its San Francisco Spring 2002 Season performances with a live commissioned score by kotoist Miya Masaoka.

'Dancing the Mystery' Dance Mission Theater, 3116 24th St; 273-4633. Sat, 8pm; Sun, 6pm. $16-18. ABD Productions presents an evening of dance inspired by spirituality, featuring Anne Bluethenthal and Dancers, Laura Elaine Ellis and Robert Henry Johnson, Mazine Moerman Dancetheatre, New Trails Dance Theatre, Dimensions Dance Theater, Westwind International Folk Ensemble, and Susu Pampanin and Ensemble.

Monique Jenkinson and Joan Bruemmer ODC Theater, 3153 17th St; 863-9834. Thurs-Sat, 8pm. $13-15. See 8 Days a Week, page 52.

'San Francisco Ballet 2002 Repertory Season' War Memorial Opera House, 301 Van Ness; 865-2000. Program Seven: Tues/23 and Thurs/25-Sat/27, 8pm (also Sat/27-Sun/28, 2pm); Wed/24, 7:30pm. Program Seven consists of Silver Ladders, world premiere Damned, and Sandpaper Ballet.

Sara Hook Dances and Mills Repertory Dance Company Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, 701 Mission; (510) 430-3258. Sat, 2pm. Free. Sara Hook, Trisha Brown, Jeff Slayton, and others present their works.

Transit Exit on Taylor, 277 Taylor; 273-5890. Thurs-Sat, 8pm. Through Sat/27. $10-15. See 8 Days a Week, page 52.

Bay Area

Mark Morris Dance Group UC Berkeley, Zellerbach Hall, Bancroft at Telegraph, Berk; (510) 642-9988. Fri-Sat, 8pm (also Sat, 2pm); Sun, 3pm. $34-68. As part of Cal Performances' "Silk Road Project," the group performs the new Kolam, with a score performed live by Yo-Yo Ma, as well as 1995's World Power and 2001's V.

Sara Hook Dances Mills College, Haas Pavilion, 5000 MacArthur, Oakl; (510) 430-3258. Fri, 8pm. Free. Sara Hook presents the West Coast premiere of work in progress Buff 'em up, Baby Doll.

'University Dance Theater Spring 2002 Season' Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley, Bancroft at Telegraph, Berk; (510) 642-9925. Fri-Sat, 8pm (also Sat/20 and Sat/27-Sun/28, 2pm); Sun/21, 7pm. Through Sun/28. $6-12. Berkeley dancers present a variety of new works, including excerpts from Jose Limon's A Choreographic Offering.

performance

'The Adventures of Lucky M: AIM' The Lab, 2948 16th St; 864-8855. Thurs, 8pm. $5-10. Michelle Handelman presents a performance art piece – a "durational action painting" made with soy-based paint – in conjunction with her current visual arts installation.

David Gaines Plush Room, York Hotel, 940 Sutter; 885-2800. Mon/22-Sat/27, 8pm (also Sat/27, 10:30pm). $30. The Broadway star (The Phantom of the Opera) performs in a cabaret.

'Heartmeat' El Teatro de la Esperanza, 2940 16th St; 255-2320. Fri-Sat, 8:30pm. $5-8. Mary-Sullivan Roark's black comedy gets a workshop production as part of San Francisco State University's "GreenHouse 2002" series.

'The Naco Show' Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts, 2868 Mission; 821-1155. Sat, 8pm. $10-13. Chusma performs a multimedia satire that comments on the recent "Latin invasion" in popular cultural.

'San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus Does Queen' Murphy Auditorium, Mission High School, 3750 18th St; 865-3650. Sat, 8pm; Sun, 5pm. $20-40. The SFGMC performs a tribute to Freddie Mercury and Queen.

'Sound Stage' Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, 701 Mission; 978-ARTS. Wed-Sat, 8pm (no show Wed/24); Sun, 2pm. Through Sun/28. $7-20. The Paul Dresher Ensemble presents a new, kid-friendly music theater work about making music, featuring a set made of oversize musical instruments.

'The Stalker in Me' Jon Sims Center for the Arts, 1519 Mission; 554-0402. Fri, 8pm. $5-10 (no one turned away for lack of funds). Artist in residence Dominique Zeltzman takes on depression and recovery via dance, trapeze, and storytelling.

'Til Friday' Club Rendez-vous, 1312 Polk; 309-CLUB. Fri, 10:30pm and midnight. Free. A cast of drag performers – including Cockatelia, Gypsy Calabrese, Sonfondaboyz, Manley Lennox, and Karen Kill – takes the stage; this week's theme is "The British Invasion."

'Tokyo Bound' Noh Space, 2840 Mariposa; 440-5545. Thurs-Sat, 8pm; Sun, 2 and 7pm. Through Sun/28. $15-25. Amy Hill performs her autobiographical multimedia show about a Japanese-Finnish woman who embarks on a personal journey to discover more about her mother, a native of Japan.

'USDA Resurrection' Venue 9, 252 Ninth St; 487-9290. Fri-Sun, 8pm. Through Sun/28. $10-20. This program features three short plays: Domino's, by Ryan McLaughlin; The Last Revolt of Nobody, by Vlad Pogorelov; and Three Good Men, by Charlie Getter.

'Vehicular Motion' SomArts Cultural Center, 934 Brannan; 436-9724. Fri, 10am-2pm. Free. This daylong festival includes performances by Recreation Center for the Handicapped's Theatre Unlimited, videos, and interactive workshops on topics including improvisational dance and "car art."

'Yugen Presents' Noh Space, 2840 Mariposa; 621-7978. Mon-Tues, 8pm. $10-15. This month's program is "Four Seasons of Japan: Jiuta Music and Dance" and features both local and Tokyo-based performers.

comedy

Bayfront Theater Fort Mason Center, Bldg B, Third fl, Marina at Laguna; 474-8935. Thurs, 8pm: "Hot Topic!," improvised songs and sketches, $7. Fri-Sat, 8pm: "3 x 3 Improv Tournament," $12. Sun, 8pm: "Theatresports Ring Tournament," team improv competition, $6.

Geary Theater 415 Geary; 749-2228. Sun, 8pm: "Seventh Annual Comedy Night at the Geary," with Will Durst, Greg Fitzsimmons, and Dan St. Paul; proceeds benefit the ACT One Conservatory Scholarship Fund, $25.

Odeon Bar 3223 Mission; www.danielpackard.com. Sat, 8pm (through Sat/27): comedian Daniel Packard performs, $7-9.

Palace of Fine Arts 3301 Lyon; 421-TIXS. Fri, 8pm: Bill Maher performs, $27.50-37.50.

Spanganga 3376 19th St; 821-1102. Thurs, 10pm: "Spiegelmania," stand-up comedy show hosted by Mike Spiegelman, with Mark Miller, John Allston, Yayne Ababe, and more, $5.

Stud Bar 1284 Harrison; stoodupsf@hotmail.com. Wed, 7pm: "Stood Up," stand-up comedy with host Pippi Lovestocking, $5.

Victoria Theatre 2961 16th St; 861-5079. Fri-Sat, 8pm: "An Evening of Stand-Up Comedy": Karen Williams in "Take It Personal," plus Dan Rothenberg, $22.

Bay Area

Black Box 1928 Telegraph, Oakl; (510) 595-5597. Thurs, 8pm: Oakland Playhouse improv troupe performs improv comedy, $5.

Julia Morgan Center for the Arts 2640 College, Berk; 925-798-1300. Fri, 8pm: Scott Capurro performs stand-up comedy (adults only), $16.50.

spoken word

Open mics take place almost every night in cafés throughout the Bay Area. If you want to perform, show up about half an hour before start time to put your name on the list. A day-by-day guide to word events and featured readers:

Wednesday: Venue 9 252 Ninth St; 289-2000. "Meet the Beat," spoken word series presents "Firebrands and Thunder Throats" with Michelle Tea, Don Bajema, Cathleen Daly, and G.P. Skratz, 8pm, $6-10. Cody's Books 2454 Telegraph, Berk; (510) 845-7852. "Poetry Flash," with Marilyn Chin and Morton Marcus, 7:30pm, $2. La Peña Cultural Center 3105 Shattuck, Berk; (510) 849-2572. "Cafe Poetry Word and Sing," hosted by Paul Flores, 8pm, call for price.

Thursday: The Poetry Center Humanities Bldg, Rm 512, San Francisco State University, 1600 Holloway; 338-2227. Kevin Davis and Kevin Killian read, 4:30pm, free. Café Espresso Bravo 663 Valencia; 551-5160. New College Poetics presents Heinous Pablo, Bonnie Schneider, and friends, with an open mic, 7:30pm, free.

Friday: Yakety Yak Coffee House 679 Sutter; 285-2951. Open mic with featured reader Cara Vida, 7:30pm, free.

Saturday: Coffee with a Beat 458 Perkins, Oakl; (510) 526-5985. "Word Beat Reading Series," with featured readers "Vampyre" Mike Kassel and Eve Sutton, plus open mic, 7-9pm, free. Edinburgh Castle Pub 950 Geary; 885-4074. Peter Plate, Alan Black, and Jack Boulware read, 10pm, free.

Sunday: Bird and Beckett Books and Records 2278 Diamond; 586-3733. Poet David Meltzer reads, 4:40pm, free.

Monday: Berkeley Bakery and Café 1561 Solano, Berk; dreamboogie@yahoo.com. "Poetry Express," with featured reader Walter Liggett and open mic with host Mark States, 7pm, free. Notes from Underground Café 2399 Van Ness; 928-8904. "Celebration of the Word," with featured reader Elizabeth Sartain and host Jeanne Powell, 7pm, free. Rasselas Jazz 1534 Fillmore; 346-8696. Open mic for instrumentalists, singers, and poets, featuring the Dee Spencer Trio, 8pm, free.