stage

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

theater

Opening

S.F. Mime Troupe's 'Mr. Smith Goes to Obskuristan' Dolores Park, Dolores between 18th and 19th Sts; 285-1717, www.sfmt.org. Free. Opens Thurs/4, 2pm. Runs at this location Sat/6-Sun/7, 2pm. Through Sept 2; check Web site for full schedule. See 8 Days a Week, page 54.

Stranger and Stranger Phoenix Theatre, 414 Mason; 289-6808. $12-15. Opens Fri/5, 8pm. Runs Fri-Sat, Thurs/11, 8pm; Sun/7, 2pm. Through Sat/13. Kinetic Theory Experimental Theatre presents its unique mime comedy, a 2001 San Francisco Fringe Festival favorite.

Summer's Eve Bindlestiff Studio, 185 Sixth St; 974-1167. $12-15. Opens Thurs/4, 8pm. Runs Thurs-Sat, 8pm. Through July 20. The Bindlestiff Pinay Collective presents a show that uses comedy, puppets, movement, and other techniques to expose what it's like to grow up Pinay in the United States.

Bay Area

MacBeth Bruns Memorial Amphitheater, Bruns Memorial Amphitheater, Gateway Blvd exit off Hwy 24, Orinda; (510) 548-9666, www.calshakes.org. $13-46. Previews Wed/3-Fri/5, 8pm. Opens Sat/6, 8pm. Runs Tues-Thurs, 7:30pm; Fri-Sat, 8pm (also Sat, 2pm); Sun, 4pm. Through July 28. Shakespeare's tale of the perils of ambition is staged by the California Shakespeare Festival.

Ongoing

American Buffalo Shelton Theater, 533 Sutter; 433-7875. $20 (Thurs, pay what you can). Thurs-Sun, 8pm. Through July 27. The Shelton Theater presents David Mamet's tale about three small-time crooks.

Are We Almost There? Shelton Theatre, 533 Sutter; 345-7575. $12-15. Thurs-Sat, 8pm. Open-ended. Travel is the theme of this musical comedy revue.

Bodies and Hearts in the Face of the Monster Exit on Taylor, 277 Taylor; 841-1262. $15. Fri/5-Sat/6, 8pm. Written during the Monica Lewinsky scandal, Toni Press-Coffman's comedy about the exploits of a politician, her much younger paramour, her poet-construction worker brother, and his two lovers attempts to demonstrate two things: first, that love is complicated and we all have different ways of going about it, and second, that the moral indignation some of us express toward others' relationships is hypocritical because it's accompanied by an obsession with the scorned activity. Unfortunately, the relationships are about as complicated as you'd find on any poorly rated soap opera while being less innovative, and instead of proving that we're actually aroused by this sort of thing, the piece makes the point that this stuff really isn't worth our attention. The actors make a valiant effort with the script, but their earnestness only aggravates its deficiencies in places where a more ironic approach might have given it a boost. (Shalson)

Buried Child Geary Theatre, 405 Geary; 749-2ACT, www.ticketweb.com. $15-61. Wed-Sat and Tues/9, 8pm (also Sat, Wed/3, 2pm; no show Thurs/4); Sun, 2pm (also Sun/7, 7pm). Through Sun/14. It's been almost 25 years since Sam Shepard's Buried Child premiered at the Magic Theatre, eventually landing its author a Pulitzer Prize. Dodge (John Seitz) is a rasping hulk who can barely move off the sofa. His wife, Halie (Frances Lee McCain), is on her way out for assignations with the local minister. Their sons are all broken men, from vicious amputee Bradley (Robert Parsons) to shell-shocked Tilden (Marco Barricelli). And when Tilden's son Vince (Neil Hopkins) returns home after years of absence, he's unrecognized by his own flesh and blood. They're a bizarre bunch, but what's so funny and unsettling about the play is how accurately it evokes the ruthless and seductive tug of family ties. This American Conservatory Theater production uses Shepard's 1995 revision of the play, which trims the language and simplifies some of the play's mysteries. This certainly isn't a definitive Buried Child, but it's a welcome revisitation of a classic. (Rosenstein)

i feel love Intersection for the Arts, 446 Valencia; 626-3311. $9-15. Thurs-Sun and Mon/15 (special actors benefit), 8pm. Through Mon/15. See "Mighty Real," page 41.

Mamma Mia! Orpheum Theatre, 1192 Market; 512-7770, www.ticketmaster.com. $38-78. Tues-Sat, 8pm (also Sat, 2pm); Sun, 2 and 7:30pm. Through Sat/13. ABBA fans, take note: the musical returns to San Francisco.

Of Mice and Men Actors Theatre of San Francisco, 533 Sutter; 296-9179. $15-20. Thurs-Sat, 8pm; Sun, 7pm. Through Aug 31. Actors Theatre of San Francisco presents the John Steinbeck classic.

The Ritz New Conservatory Theatre Center, 25 Van Ness; 861-8972. $18-35. Sun/7, 2pm. The New Conservatory Theatre Center presents Terrence McNally's play about a straight guy who evades the Mafia by hanging out in a gay bathhouse.

Roberto Zucco: A Portrait of a Serial Killer Theatre Rhinoceros, 2926 16th St; 861-5079. $12-20 (previews, pay what you can). Opens Fri/5, 8pm. Runs Thurs-Sun, 8pm (no show Thurs/4). Through July 28. The Cutting Ball Theater presents Bernard-Marie Koltès's play about a killer who wreaks mayhem when he escapes from prison.

*'Russell Simmons Def Poetry Jam' Theatre on the Square, 450 Post; 433-9500. $25-40. Tues-Thurs, 8pm; Fri-Sat, 7 and 10pm; Sun, 5pm. Through July 28. Following on the heels of the HBO series Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry, this evening of performance poetry features nine rising stars of the slam poetry scene. Among them are Steve Colman, with his scathing sociopolitical commentary, and Mayda del Valle, Black Ice, Georgia Me, and Suheir Hammad, who speak eloquently to issues facing Americans of Latin, African, and Palestinian descent, to name a few. The evening rocks with energy and passionate intensity, and it's inspiring to see young people tackling major social ills with artful, uncompromising language and Whitmanesque fervor. The confessional-accusatory tone can get a bit earnest and preachy. Fortunately Poetri and local favorite Beau Sia are on hand to provide some much needed humor, ranging from Poetri's whimsical ruminations on Krispy Kreme doughnuts and the faithless nature of money to Sia's full-frontal Asian assault on white America's cultural hegemony. The evening has its limitations, but in these times of paralyzing national timidity it's cathartic to hear some ardent voices telling it like it is. (Rosenstein)

611 $upreme Exit Theatre, 156 Eddy; 561-1418. $15-25. Fri/5-Sat/6, 8pm. Paducah Mining Co. presents the world premiere of E. Hunter Spreen's "environmental morality play."

Sleeping with Straight Men Theatre Rhinoceros Studio, 2926 16th St; 861-5079. $20-25. Fri, 8:30pm; Sat, 6 and 9pm; Sun, 3:30 and 7:30pm. Through July 21. Great Scott Productions presents Ronnie Larsen's new play, based on the true tale of a gay man who is murdered after revealing his crush on a straight man on a television talk show; Mink Stole, Dan Renzi (of MTV's Real World: Miami), and Sister Roma (of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence) star.

Top Girls Exit Stage Left, 156 Eddy; 675-5995, www.crowdedfire.org. $12-25. Thurs/4-Sat/6, 8pm. First produced in 1982 in the depths of Margaret Thatcher's Britain, Caryl Churchill's Top Girls is a pointed critical look at the rarity of women in positions of power. The play argues in rich and complex terms for the need to scrutinize, just as much as men's choices, both the paths women take to the top and the decisions they make when they've gotten there. The play is renowned for its brilliant opening scene – Marlene, a contemporary executive, has just received a major promotion; to celebrate, she is joined at a posh restaurant by notable women from history – and director Rebecca Novick and her fine cast in this Crowded Fire production seem to know that, as it is played as the tour de force it deserves to be. Then things pull back to a focused simplicity as we learn the story behind Marlene's "success," a tale that for all its smart writing and equally bright acting can't sidestep disappointing elements of cliché in Churchill's conception. Linda Jones, as Marlene, emerges as the company's major player, an indispensable actor of exceptional power, nuance, and range. (Rosenstein)

The World Goes 'Round: The Songs of Kander and Ebb New Conservatory Theatre Center, 25 Van Ness; 861-8972. $15-35. Thurs-Sat, 8pm; Sun, 2pm. Through Sun/14. As part of its third "In Concert" season, the New Conservatory Theatre Center presents this musical revue with tunes from Cabaret, Chicago, and other shows.

Bay Area

Abingdon Square Julia Morgan Center for the Arts, 2640 College, Berk; (510) 704-8210. $10-25 (previews, pay what you can). Thurs/4-Sat/6, 8pm. Through Sat/6. Simplicity always baffles people, and it's amusing to see the critical contortions Maria Irene Fornes's plays often provoke. Her Abingdon Square is set in New York in the early 1900s and tells the story of Marion (Myla Balugay), a 15-year-old orphan who marries 50-year-old Juster (Christopher Herold) in gratitude but feels increasingly stifled by him as her sexual and spiritual yearnings explode. The cast is uneven in handling the challenges of the stylized language and its depths; what holds it all together is Shana Cooper's thoughtful direction, which realizes Fornes's precisely calibrated surfaces and the seething emotions underneath. There are clunky moments, but the tone and texture of this Shotgun Players production are frequently on the money. (Rosenstein)

Antony and Cleopatra La Val's Subterranean Theatre, 1834 Euclid, Berk; (510) 234-6046. $10-14. Thurs-Sat, 8pm (no show Thurs/4). Through July 20. These doomed lovers are one of Shakespeare's best couples (if two so insistently individual characters can be called a couple). The endlessly playful and aggrandizing Cleopatra (Pamela Wylie) and the waning Roman titan Antony (Stanley Spenger) make quite a pair – for sheer theatricality and one-upmanship you can forget Albee's George and Martha. Their heroic world is also a world passing out of existence, making the demise even more poignant. The play's many characters – including Octavius Caesar (Zach Gossett) and chief rival Pompey (Jason Barba) – intrude repeatedly, so that we glimpse our heroes only fleetingly before again being tossed out to the world of politics. Then again, their romance is as political as it is sexual, or rather it takes the politics of sex to new heights. In Subterranean Shakespeare's production, uneven casting, director Joy Meads's shuffling pace, and the formidable exigencies of the play itself (including its length and innumerable scene changes) can make the action feel disjointed and wearying. But while often falling short, it attains some worthy moments. Spenger displays significant authority and pathos as Antony, and Wylie's mischievous queen basks in the play's sizable comic aspects. (Avila)

Cloud Nine Roda Theatre, 2015 Addison, Berk; (510) 647-2949. $10-54. Tues and Thurs-Sat, 8pm (also Thurs/11, July 18 and 27, 2pm); Wed and Sun, 7pm (also Sun, 2pm). Through July 28. You'd think anything by Caryl Churchill – particularly this feast of social satire bridging the British-dominated Africa of 1880 and the London of 1980 – would be a natural for the Berkeley Repertory Theatre's Tony Taccone, who's been on a roll lately. Instead the director plays the evening mostly for laughs, skimming lightly over the piece's lyricism and depth. It's easy – and misguided – to dismiss Cloud Nine as dated. At its premiere 20 years ago, Cloud Nine was a stunning reflection on the personal cost of Britain's imperialism and its hypocritical Victorian morality. The play's fluid vision of unbridled sexuality seemed liberating then, only to mark the script as an apparent period piece in ensuing years. But today what comes through most potently is not the sex or the politics but the hilarious and painful choices the play's parents and children and lovers (and by extension, governments and citizens and generations) make in dealing with one another. (Rosenstein)

Homebody/Kabul Berkeley Repertory Theatre, Thrust Stage, 2025 Addison, Berk; (510) 647-2949. $38-54. Extended run: Thurs-Sat, 8pm (also Sat/13, 2pm); Wed and Sun, 7pm (also Sun, 2pm; no show Wed/3). Through Sun/14. While much has been made of Tony Kushner's "prescience" in writing his latest play, Homebody/Kabul, long before Sept. 11, the play is about much more than the events of the moment. The focus begins intimately in the living room of the Homebody (Michelle Morain), an obsessive reader who has settled in with a quaint but informative 1965 travel guide to Kabul. Surprisingly, this armchair traveler decides to go explore the world she has only read about. This three-hour-and-forty-minute evening is absorbing, witty, fierce, and intelligent, but it's hard for Kushner to top the Homebody's astounding opening monologue. Like the script, Tony Taccone's direction has its rough spots, but his work here bristles with attentiveness and dynamism. (Rosenstein)

Smokey Joe's Café: The Songs of Leiber and Stoller Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, Castro at Mercy, Mountain View; (650) 903-6000. $20-45. Tues, 7:30pm (no show Tues/9); Wed-Sat, 8pm (also Sat, 2pm); Sun, 2pm (also Sun/7, 7pm). Through Sun/14. The songwriters are celebrated in a musical revue that highlights hits such as "Stand by Me," "On Broadway," and "Jailhouse Rock."

The Winter's Tale Duck Pond Meadow, Lakeside Park, Lake Merritt, near Perkins at Grand, Oakl; www.sfshakes.org. Fri-Sat, 4pm; Sun, 7pm. At this location through Sun/14. The San Francisco Shakespeare Festival celebrates 20 years of Free Shakespeare in the Park with a performance of the Bard's tale of jealousy and forgiveness.

dance

14th Annual West Coast Improvisational Festival 8th Street Studios, 2525 Eighth St, Berk; (510) 559-8666. Wed, 7pm (opening circle and jam); Thurs-Mon, 9:30am-5:15pm (classes), 8pm (evening jams Thurs-Fri and Mon; performances Sat-Sun). $10-75 ($350 for five-day pass). Dancers from beginners to trapeze artists participate in this festival, which includes classes, teaching labs, discussions, and performances.

performance

'Alive from Palestine: Stories under Occupation' Palace of Fine Arts, 3301 Lyon; 392-4400. Sun, 7pm, $35. See 8 Days a Week, page 54.

'Beauty Shop' Noh Space, 2840 Mariposa; 621-7978. Fri-Sat, 8pm; Sun, 6pm. $10-20. This "evening of comedy and concept" includes dance, spoken word, performance art, film, and other elements.

'Circo Zero' Theater Artaud, 450 Florida; 864-9834. Thurs-Sun, 8:30pm. $20. Keith Hennessy's "intimate and spectacular circus" is both a celebration and a funeral. It's appropriate that such an event takes place at Theater Artaud, where the auditorium is resuscitated by this group of artists stretching human possibility past the limits of popular imagination in a gesture toward survival after death. The piece is an amalgamation of old and new elements: traditional circus arts (aerial fabric and hoop dance, contortion, and acrobatics) in a contemporary urban environment with a musical score of American roots/folk songs arranged to hip-hop rhythms. The effect is mesmerizing, but the purpose is unclear. One gets the feeling the limp, dying bodies and the beautiful, flying bodies intend to convey something, but it's uncertain what. The narrative elements that are legible (for instance, the opening funeral procession) can feel a little hokey (like a storybook ritual performed in Harry Potter cloaks). Best not to worry about finding the meaning and simply enjoy the magic created by these talented performers. (Shalson)

'Collectibles and Curiosities' Noh Space, 2840 Mariposa; 621-7978. Mon-Tues, call for time. $10-15. Strangefruit Theatre Ensemble presents an experimental theater work in which the characters address their own mortality.

'The Harry Bridges Chautauqua' UCSF Laurel Heights Campus, 3333 California; 673-6864. Tues, 7:30pm. Call for price. Actor Ian Ruskin performs a dramatic monologue and discussion about workers's rights and social justice crusader Harry Bridges.

'In the Wake of Gold' and 'Jack London at Sea' Aboard the Balclutha, Hyde St Pier; 561-7100. In the Wake of Gold: Sat, noon and 1pm, through July 20; Jack London at Sea: Sun, noon and 1pm, through July 21. $2-6. The historic Balclutha hosts two plays performed by Live Oakes Educational Theatre.

'Night Light' Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (meet in grand lobby), 701 Mission; 978-ARTS. Tours leave at 6:30, 6:50, and 7:10pm, free (call for reservations). Mon/8-Fri/12. See 8 Days a Week, page 54.

'S.E.X. (Searching Eternal Ecstasy)' La Val's Subterranean Theatre, 1834 Euclid, Berk; (510) 704-8210. Mon-Tues, 8pm. Through Tues/16. Call for price. The Shotgun Theatre Lab presents a six-actor play, created through improv, that examines the meanings of sex, lovel, loyalty, illusion, and betrayal.

comedy

BrainWash Café 1122 Folsom; 861-FOOD. Thurs, 8pm: Tony Sparks hosts comedy open mic, free. Fri, 8:30pm: all-women comedy open mic hosted by Aundré the Wonderwoman, free.

Eureka Theater 215 Jackson; 345-7575. Fri-Sat, 8pm: "Scott Capurro: Erect in San Francisco," stand-up comedy, $17.

Java Source 343 Clement; 387-8025. Fri, 10:30pm: Greg Jones and Tony Sparks host comedy open mic, free.

Luggage Store 1007 Market; 255-5971. Tues, 8pm: comedy open mic with host Tony Sparks, free.

The Mock Café 1074 Valencia; 826-5750. Sat, 9-11pm: "No Y Chromosome Comedy Showcase," all-female stand-up, $7.

New Pisa 550 Green; 207-0285, www.northbeachimprov.com. Fri, 9pm: "North Beach Improv," with host Uncle Vinny Rizzo, $10.

Sea Biscuit 3815 Noriega; 661-3784. Comedy open mic with hosts Tom Smith and Tony Sparks, 8pm, free.

Sweetie's Café and Bar 475 Francisco; 820-3237. Sat, 8pm: "Too Many Larrys!," sketch comedy, free.

Venue 9 252 Ninth St; 820-3947. Sun, 8pm: "Seven Sins," comedy and solo performance, $10-15. Through Aug 4.

Bay Area

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

Island Paradise Lounge 1436 Webster, Alameda; (510) 865-3225 or (510) 982-0490. Miracle Malone hosts comedy night, 10pm, call for price.

Kimball's East 6005 Shellmound, Emeryville; (510) 658-2555, ext 4. Wed, 7pm: "The Other Comedy," multicultural comedy showcase, free ($5 after 7pm).

Mingles 370 Embarcadero, Jack London Square, Oakl; (510) 466-5735. Fri, 7pm: "The Other Comedy," multicultural comedy showcase, free before 7pm ($5 after).

Papa Buzz Café 2318 Telegraph, Oakl; (510) 763-6494. Fri, 6-10pm: comedy night with host Mike Holley, $5.

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: Cody's Books 2454 Telegraph, Berk; (510) 845-7852. "Poetry Flash," with Boas Writing Group, 7:30pm, $2. Mama Bears Women's Bookstore 6536 Telegraph, Oakl; (510) 506-3717. "SheSpeaks," open mic night for women 18 and over, 7:30pm, $5. Starry Plough 3101 Shattuck, Berk; (510) 841-2082. "Chicken Grease!," with hosts Nazalah Jamison and Karen Ladson, 8pm, $7. BrainWash Cafe 1122 Folsom; 864-3842. "Spoken Word Salon," open mic with host Diamond Dave Whitaker, 8pm, free.

Thursday: Café 1428 1428 Alice, Oakl; (510) 239-2239, ext 2899. "Poet Skool," open mic with host Paradise, 7pm, donations accepted.

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

Saturday: Boadecia's Books 398 Colusa, Kensington; (510) 559-9184. "All Poetry Dyke Open Myke," 7:30pm, free.

Sunday: City Lights Bookstore 261 Columbus; www.laborfest.net. "Working Words" poetry reading, sponsored by LaborFest, 5pm, free.

Monday: Perry's Joint 1661 Fillmore; 931-5260. "Celebration of the Word," with N-Side: Norman Woods 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. Tuva Space 3192 Adeline, Berk; isiswonder@hotmail.com. "Sedition: Poetry and Politics," with Marty McConnell, 7:30pm, $5.