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

Dreamlandia Thick House, 1695 18th St; 401-8081, www.thickdescription.org. $15-25 (previews, audience members are paid $1 to attend). Previews Sun/18-Mon/19, 8pm. Opens Tues/20, 8pm. Runs Thurs-Sun, 8pm (also Aug 25, 3pm). Through Sept 15. See A&E review, page 46.

PINS Walker Theatre, New Conservatory Theatre Center, 25 Van Ness; 861-8972. $18-38 (Thurs/15, pay what you can). Previews Wed/14-Sat/17 and Aug 21-23, 8pm; Sun/18, 2pm. Opens Aug 24, 8pm. Runs Wed-Sat, 8pm; Sept 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, 2pm. Through Oct 13. The New Conservatory Theatre Center continues its Pride Season with Jim Provenzano's drama set in the world of high school wrestling.

The Tale of the Allergist's Wife Curran Theatre, 445 Geary; 551-2000. $30-68. Opens Wed/14, 8pm. Runs Tues-Sat, 8pm (also Wed and Sat, 2pm); Sun, 2pm. Through Sept 8. Valerie Harper, Tony Roberts, and Michele Lee star in Charles Busch's hit Broadway comedy.

Bay Area

Death Live Oak Theater, 1301 Shattuck, Berk. $10-14. Opens Thurs/15, 8pm. Runs Thurs-Sun, 8pm (also Sun, 2pm). Through Aug 25. Theater Absurd presents Woody Allen's one-act comedy.

Ongoing

American Buffalo Shelton Theater, 533 Sutter; 433-7875. $20 (Thurs, pay what you can). Extended run: Thurs-Sat, 8pm. Through Aug 24. Three small-time crooks plan a robbery and philosophize on the nature of friendship in David Mamet's 1977 play. The action (if we can call a prolonged failure to do anything "action") takes place in a junk shop owned by Donny (Charles Brumm), where he and his buddy "Teach" (Richard Harder) plot to steal a valuable coin. Bobby (Joseph Silva), Donny's gofer, wants in on the action, but the two older men exclude him, half suspecting he might be trying to cheat them himself. Much of the emotional nuance is lost in this production because of a rather flat relationship between Donny and Bobby. However, Harder is excellent as Teach and really carries the play. (Shalson)

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.

Attempts on Her Life 312 Connecticut Theater, 312 Connecticut; 1-866-GOT-FURY. $12-25 (Sunday, pay what you can). Thurs-Sun, 8pm (Aug 31, show at 10pm instead). Through Sept 1. Foolsfury performs Martin Crimp's avant-garde play about a woman with multiple identities.

Augustine (Big Hysteria) Exit on Taylor, 227 Taylor; 999-8870, www.theshee.org. $15-20. Fri/16-Sat/17, 8pm. Augustine, a 15-year-old housemaid admitted to Paris's Salpêtrière Hospital in 1875, became the "star" of neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot's famous lectures. But Charcot and his staff seem never to have given much attention to Augustine's claim that she was raped at 13, a trauma she identified as the spur of her violent psychic attacks. This cycle of male obliviousness and exploitation is the primary target of British playwright Anna Furse's Augustine (Big Hysteria), making its U.S. premiere as the first production of the Shee Theatre Company. Director Virginia Reed maintains a sepulchral tone that dampens some of Furse's sharp humor; in the end, despite all the craft and intelligence at work here, the evening seems to get stuck in a monotone of hysterical ravings and self-serving intellectualism. (Rosenstein)

Beyond Therapy Bulldog Theater, 965 Mission; 778-4050. $12-17. Fri-Sat, 8pm. Through Aug 24. OneHeart Productions presents Christopher Durang's relationship comedy.

Carved in Stone Eureka Theatre, 215 Jackson; 778-4077. $17-20. Fri-Sat, 8pm; Sun, 3pm. Through Aug 31. See A&E review, page 50.

Confessions of a Mormon Boy New Conservatory Theatre Center, 25 Van Ness; 861-8972. $18-38. Wed-Sat, 8pm; Sun, 2pm. Through Aug 25. Steven Fales struggled for years to overcome his SSA (that's "same sex attraction," in the clinical language of reparative heterosexual therapy) but was ultimately excommunicated from the Mormon Church anyway. In his solo show he tells the story of his life: a model Mormon boy who attended Brigham Young University and completed a two-year mission, who married a Mormon woman and became a father of two, all the while fighting through prayer and therapy to rid himself of his homosexual desires. The story is a poignant one, and unfortunately, an all too familiar one, but Fales's play is more than just a difficult coming-out story. As a trained actor with a lovely singing voice, Fales has enough charisma to keep us engaged and laughing, even when his story is predictable. It is the heartfelt honesty of his performance that makes this piece surprisingly moving. (Shalson)

Killing My Lobster's 'Tango Dell'Amore' ODC Theater, 3153 17th St; 558-7721. $10-15. Fri/16-Sun/18, 8pm. The sketch comedy group returns with a new show about love and romance.

Ladies and Gentlemen ... It's B Movie Night! Exit Theatre, 156 Eddy; 387-3163. $12-15. Fri/16-Sat/17, 8pm. Ironworkers Local 202 Theater Company presents four short plays inspired by low-budget genre films.

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.

Off White Party Weekend Theater Rhinoceros, 2926 16th St; 861-5079. $18-24. Thurs-Sat, 8pm; Sun, 7pm. Through Aug 25. The Half Baked Players present Robin Goldsmith, Garret Jon Groenveld, and John Morace's musical send-up of dot-coms and gay circuit parties.

Oleanna Next Stage Theater, 1620 Gough; 248-9371. $15. Fri-Sun, 8pm. Through Sept 1. Expression Theatre Ensemble presents David Mamet's tale of sexual misconduct.

The Pirates of Penzance Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Theater, 700 Howard; 978-2787. $10-38. Wed/14-Sat/17, 8pm (also Sat/17, 2pm); Sun/18, 2pm. The Lamplighters Music Theatre presents the Gilbert and Sullivan classic.

'ReOrient 2002: A Festival of Short Plays about the Middle East' New Langton Arts, 1246 Folsom; (510) 986-9194. $15. Thurs-Sun, 8pm. Through Aug 25. Golden Thread Productions presents its fourth annual festival of short plays exploring themes concerning, the Middle East. Series One (Thurs and Sat) includes Sewing in Syria, by Elizabeth Marquis; Such a Beautiful Voice is Sayeda's, by Yussef El Guindi; and Waves, by Torange Yeghiazarian. Series Two (Fri and Sun) includes A Friendly Face, by Laura McPherson; Dual-Use, by Victoria Stewart; From the Courtyard, by Catherine Fletcher; A Tunnel in Palestine, by Don Monaco; and Tamam, by Betty Shamieh.

Smaller Noh Space, 2840 Mariposa; 668-1962. $12-20 (sliding scale). Thurs-Sat, 8pm; Sun, 7pm. Through Aug 25. I-80 Productions presents Malachy Walsh's tale of two coworkers at a San Francisco ad agency.

South Pacific Golden Gate Theatre, 1 Taylor; www.bestofbroadway-sf.com. Wed/14-Sat/17, 8pm (also Wed/14 and Sat/17, 2pm); Sun/18, 2pm. I'm not sure it's the greatest honor Richard Rodgers will receive in his centennial year, but a new production of his and Oscar Hammerstein II's South Pacific has washed up at the Golden Gate Theatre, starring Robert Goulet as Emile de Becque. While Goulet's still got the same impressive vocal power he's always had, any sense of nuance or emotional shading gets obliterated in his blaring glides toward the proper notes. Unlike the inspired recent reimaginings of Carousel and Oklahoma!, no one here seems to have spent much time thinking over what South Pacific could be. To really work for a contemporary audience South Pacific needs a lot more tweaking than the minor cuts it gets here. (Rosenstein)

*Stories by Tobias Wolff Magic Theatre, Fort Mason Center, Marina at Laguna; 437-6775. $25 (Wed, pay what you can). Tues-Sat, 8:30pm; Sun, 3pm. Through Aug 25. Under this unassuming title, Word for Word triumphantly stages three tales from the oeuvre of the masterful short story writer. In the Garden of the North American Martyrs, directed by Sheila Balter, follows a frumpy, undistinguished academic (Susan Harloe) through a humiliating job interview at a snooty East Coast university. In a wonderful send-up of academic pomp, Wolff allows his underdog the last word and affirms the individual against vain intellectualism. Next, Stephanie Hunt directs Lady's Dream and Bullet in the Brain. The first explores love's necessary illusions, as a Southern belle (Nancy Shelby) and her overbearing husband (Joel Mullennix) reflect separately on their courtship many years before. In the final piece, a snide and pompous book critic named Anders (Paul Finocchiaro) is toppled in a bank line by his own uncontrollable penchant for sarcasm. The audience partakes of his final moments courtesy of Anders's corpus callosum. Throughout, intelligent, imaginative staging and fine ensemble performances (led by Word for Word stalwarts Harloe, Shelby, and Finocchiaro) mesh with Wolff's crystalline prose and playful wit to elicit our lively and unflagging interest. (Avila)

'Summer Shorts: Days and Nights' Exit Stage Left, 156 Eddy; 863-7707, www.ticketweb.com. $10-20. Fri/16-Sat/17, 8pm. Isis Arts Collective presents an evening of short plays, including five world premieres by Bay Area writers and three lesser-known works by Christopher Durang and Wendy Wasserstein.

Unhampered by Sanity Phoenix Theater, 414 Mason; 841-1262. $15 (Thurs, pay what you can). Thurs-Sat, 8pm. Through Aug 31. First Seen presents Kerry Reid's "punk-rock-meets-Dada comedic drama."

Bay Area

Benefactors Aurora Theatre, 2081 Addison, Berk; (510) 843-4822. $26-35. Wed/14-Sat/17, 8pm; Sun/18, 2 and 7pm. A successful architect and his do-gooder wife dutifully adopt the troubled and less advantaged couple next door. In a series of flashbacks, David (David Arrow) and Jane (Nancy Carlin) take increasing responsibility for the welfare of Colin (Ron Campbell) and Sheila (Araxi Djian), driving a rift between their charges that strains their own marriage. British playwright Michael Frayn penned this lightly sardonic comedy at the height of the Thatcher years but aimed his political blowgun at the patronizing if well-intentioned idealism of the liberal bourgeoisie. Joy Carlin directs a capable cast, though partly owing to Frayn's insistence that his characters declaim at least as much as they converse, their relations feel a little too stolid throughout. (Avila)

The King and I Kofman Auditorium, 2200 Central, Alameda; (510) 864-2256. Fri-Sat, 8pm; Sun, 2pm. Through Aug 25. Alameda Civic Light Opera performs the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical.

*Mata Hari Berkeley City Club, 2315 Durant, Berk; (510) 558-1381. $8-18. Fri-Sat, 8pm (also Sat, 5pm); Sun, 5pm. Through Aug 24. Central Works and Women in Time present the trial of the most notorious of female spies. Mata Hari (Jan Zvaifler), a Dutch-born exotic dancer and courtesan, reportedly traded sex for state secrets, passing them to the competing governments of France and Germany during WWI. The evidence was circumstantial, but then that's the beauty of a military tribunal (O infinite justice!). Writer-director Gary Graves sacrifices some drama to the minutiae of history, while offering a compelling account of what really led this fascinating figure to the firing squad. The truth unfolds during a heated interrogation conducted by Bouchardon (Louis Parnell), the obsessive French military prosecutor. Through a series of flashbacks, the proud, vain, decidedly cagey seductress gradually reveals a loyal heart beset by treachery and realpolitik. Zvaifler and Parnell charge every measured silence between them with a fervent chemistry, while John Patrick Moore and Jeff Wincek deftly deliver an array of lovers, admirers, and tormentors. Lauren Kaplan's elegant costumes lend the proceedings visual authority, while Gregory Scharpen's sound design supports a captivating atmosphere of nostalgia and menace. (Avila)

Measure for Measure Highway One at Calle del Mar, Stinson Beach; (415) 868-1115, www.shakespeareatstinson.org. $13-23. Fri/16-Sat/17, 7pm; Sun/18, 6pm. Shakespeare at Stinson presents Shakespeare's comedy about hypocrisy.

*Pericles, Prince of Tyre (415) 567-1758, www.womanswill.org. Free. Fri/16, 8pm: Berkeley Arts Festival, Wells Fargo Annex, 2081 Center, Berk. (also Sat/17-Sun/18, 1pm: Dolores Park, Dolores at 19th St, S.F.) Of all the Shakespeare plays being offered this season only one is entirely produced and performed by women, and only one incorporates a new translation of the work into American Sign Language. Woman's Will, the all-female Shakespeare company, brings the Bard's rarely produced romantic Greek epic to a hearing and deaf audience. The all-women cast is a refreshing twist on the practices of Shakespeare's time (all actors were male in those days), but this production succeeds primarily because of its fine acting. (Shalson)

*San Francisco Mime Troupe's 'Mr. Smith Goes to Obscuristan' (415) 285-1717, www.sfmt.org. Free. Wed/14-Thurs/15, 7pm: Lakeside Park, Lakeside Dr at Lake Merritt, Oakl. (Also Sat/17, 2pm: Lagoon Park, Marin Center, Avenue of the Flags, San Rafael; Sun/18, 2pm, Washington Square Park, Columbus at Union, S.F.) Through Sept 2; check Web site for full schedule. Written by Josh Kornbluth (Haiku Tunnel) in collaboration with the troupe, Mr. Smith Goes to Obscuristan is a smart and humorous look at what happens to democratic ideals when profits are at stake. Jeff Smith is a Sept. 11 firefighter who's been sent to supervise a tiny desert nation's first democratic elections. However, it turns out that the elections are fixed ("Only an American could mistake a fixed election for a real one," candidate Ralif Nadir quips) and that the United States is supporting the corrupt government in order to gain control of Obscuristan's oil resources. On opening weekend the performance fell short of the troupe's usual polish, but there are plenty of much needed laughs and at least a few moments (Ed Holmes as Barbara Bush!) approaching brilliance. (Shalson)

The Seagull Bruns Memorial Amphitheater, Gateway Blvd exit off Hwy 24, Orinda; (510) 548-9666, www.calshakes.org. $13-46. Tues-Thurs, 7:30pm; Fri-Sat, 8pm (also Sat, 2pm); Sun, 4pm. Through Sept 1. The California Shakespeare Festival presents Anton Chekhov's drama.

Triumph of Love Larkspur Café Theatre, 500 Magnolia, Larkspur; (415) 924-6107. $15-30. Fri-Sat, 8pm; Sun/18, 3pm. Through Aug 31. Hoochi-Doo Productions presents a musical adaptation of the Marivaux comedy.

Troilus and Cressida John Hinkel Park, Southampton between San Diego and Somerset, Berk; (510) 704-8210. Pay what you can. Sat-Sun, 5pm. Through Sept 1. It's not exactly surprising that this is one of Shakespeare's least popular plays. With more than 20 characters and several loosely intertwining plotlines that often seem unmotivated – partly due to gaps in the text and partly due to the fact that the characters themselves are unsure about their reasons – it's a difficult play to follow, to say the least. The love affair between Troilus and Cressida is straightforward enough, but it's almost a side note to the story of the Trojan War and some of its most celebrated warriors (the Greek Achilles and the Trojan Hector among them) that's also being told. Brushing up on the text beforehand (or at least reading the notes in the program), is worth the effort. The play does provide food for thought, making some valid points about the tragic absurdities of war, and the Shotgun Players' production is generally solid and enjoyable. (Shalson)

The Winter's Tale Memorial Park Amphitheater, Stevens Creek Blvd between Mary and North Stelling (across from De Anza College), Cupertino; www.sfshakes.org. Free. Fri-Sun, 7:30pm. At this location through Aug 25. 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

'Dancing after Dark: Everyday People Pursuing Their Passion for Dance' Cowell Theater, Fort Mason Center, Marina at Laguna; 345-7575. Fri-Sat, 8pm. $23-25. The Metronome Ballroom presents its student-teacher showcase, with performances in a variety of dance styles, including tango, salsa, swing, foxtrot, ballet, and more.

h e l p: human elemental laboratory of performance New College Theater, 777 Valencia; 387-4812. Wed-Thurs, 7pm. Free. Huckleberry Youth Programs benefits from this performance, which features Jim Saliba's jesus and the myth of care, a new movement theater-performance art piece with visual design by Mary Armentrout; Christy Funsch's 2001 solo Pilgrim; and Jennifer Gwirtz's 2001 Sundial.

'Yerba Buena Gardens Choreographers Festival' Yerba Buena Gardens, Mission at Fourth; 543-1717, www.ybgf.org. Aug 19-23, 12:30pm. Free. See 8 Days a Week, page 64.

Bay Area

'Belly Dance Fantasy Festival' San Leandro Marina Center, 15301 Wicks, San Leandro; (925) 828-5714. Sat, 11am-10pm. $5-15. Tatseena and the Good Vibrations Dancers present this festival of performances and classes, plus food and vendors selling belly dance costumes and other items.

performance

'AfroSolo Arts Festival' Buriel Clay Memorial Theater, African American Art and Culture Complex, 762 Fulton; 771-AFRO, www.afrosolo.org. Thurs-Sat, 8pm; Sun, 3pm. $12-20. Five emerging Bay Area artists, including Soyinka Rahim and Uchechi Kalu, perform as part of the AfroSolo Arts Festival.

'Artopia 2002' Washington Square Park, Columbus at Union; 835-0610. Sat, 1pm. Free (donations accepted). The Artists Guild of San Francisco hosts a performance featuring the Danza Teokalli Aztec Dancers, the Chung Ngai Dance Troupe, the All Nations Singers, and the Medicine Wheel Dancers.

'Beatbox: A Raparetta' Ruth Williams Memorial Theater, Bayview Opera House, 4705 Third St; www.sterngrove.org. Thurs, 1pm (also Fri, 9pm, Glen Park Recreation Center, Bosworth at O'Shaughnessy). Free. In conjunction with the Stern Grove Festival's Hip Hop Summer Series, Felonious performs their "rap operetta."

'Once upon a Toon' Cartoon Art Museum, 655 Mission; CAR-TOON. Tues, noon, 2pm. $2-6. Artist Joe Wos performs an original blend of storytelling and live cartoon illustration.

'Penalty Without a Crime' Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts, 2868 Mission; 821-1155. Sat, 4 and 8pm; Sun, 2pm. $15-20 (sliding scale). Fabiola Zepeda's play is about a group of women who are being detained by the Immigration and Naturalization Service.

'Pinoykio' Bindlestiff Studio, 185 Sixth St; 974-1167. Thurs-Sat, 8pm. $7-15 (sliding scale). Ramon Abad performs an original, Filipino American take on the Pinocchio story using puppetry, video projections, and other elements.

'POMO (Post Modern American Pilipino Performance Project)' Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, 301 Mission; 978-2787. Sat, 8pm; Sun, 3pm. $15-18. Kularts highlights new performance works by Gigi Otálvaro-Hormillosa, Melinda Corazon Foley, and zero 3.

'Bay Area Playwrights Festival' Z Space Studio, 1360 Mission, Third fl; 263-3986, www.playwrightsfoundation.org. $10 suggested donation; festival pass $55-75. Fri/16-Sat/17 and Aug 22-24, 8pm (also Sat/17 and Aug 24, 3pm; Aug 24, 11:30am); Sun/18-Mon/19 and Aug 25, 7pm (also Sun, 3pm). See 8 Days a Week, page 64.

'Waiting for the Podiatrist' Venue 9, 252 Ninth St; 289-2000. Aug 20-23, Aug 27-28, 8pm. $8-15. Footloose presents Terry Baum's solo comedy about a woman dealing with her aging parents. Proceeds Aug 21 benefit the Pat Bond Memorial Old Dyke Award; Aug 23, proceeds benefit Venue 9's Women's Work series.

Bay Area

'Guys 'R Dolls' Glenview Performing Arts Center, 1318 Glenfield, Oakl; (510) 551-9785. Sat, 8pm; Sun, 3pm. Ongoing. $39.95. A cast of drag divas performs, led by MC Brian Keith.

'Persephone Rising' Jupiter, 2181 Shattuck, Berk; (510) 547-6997. Sun, 2pm. Free. Magical Acts Ritual Theater presents a preview reading of a new mythology-based play by Cathering Pennington.

Dean Santomieri Berkeley Arts Festival, Wells Fargo Annex, 2081 Center, Berk; (510) 665-9496. Thurs, 8pm. $10. The composer, monologuist, and video artist performs multimedia works The Boy Beneath the Sea and A book bound in red buckram ... as part of the Berkeley Arts Festival.

'Tales around the Campfire' Miwok Park, 2200 Novato, Novato; (415) 897-4064, www.marinindian.com. Fri, 6:30pm. $5. Native American storytellers Andy Allen and Ralph Burns share tales at this event sponsored by the Marin Museum of the American Indian.

'To Bury a Cousin' Sanchez Concert Hall, 1220 Linda Mar, Pacifica; (650) 355-1882. Thurs, 7:30pm. $8. Pacifica Performances presents a reading of Gus Weill's play about a man who returns to his Deep South home after a cousin commits suicide.

comedy

Bayfront Theater Fort Mason Center, Marina at Laguna; www.BATSimprov.org. "BATS Improv Eighth Annual Festival": Thurs, 8pm: "Summer Hummer," $10; Fri, 8pm: "Improvised Shakespeare," $12; Fri, 10:30pm: "And Now for Something Completely Improvised ...", $5; Sat, 2:30pm: "Summer School Showcase," $5; Sat, 8pm: "Special Guest: True Fiction Magazine," $15; Sun, 8pm: "Micetro," $6; Mon, 8pm (potential participants, show up at 6:45 for workout-audition): "Theatresports RAW," $8. Festival through Aug 26.

BrainWash Café 1122 Folsom; 861-3663. Thurs, 8pm: Comedy open mic hosted by Tony Sparks, free. Fri, 8:30pm: "All Women's Comedy Open Mic," with host Aundré the Wonderwoman, free.

The Field 524 Union; 377-1662. Wed, 8pm: "Comedy Club," with host Ian Jensen, $5.

Great American Music Hall 859 O'Farrell; 1-866-468-3399. Fri, 8 and 10pm: Richard Lewis with special guests, $20.

Java Source 343 Clement; 387-8025. Fri, 10:30pm and Sat, 10pm: Comedy open mic hosted by Tony Sparks, free.

Luggage Store 1007 Market; 255-5971. Tues, 8pm: Comedy workshop with Tony Sparks, $3.

New Pisa 550 Green; 207-0285, www.northbeachimprov.com. Fri, 9pm: "All-Star Comedy Day Improv Gala!", $10.

San Francisco LGBT Community Center 1800 Market; 865-5633. Mon, 8pm: "Monday Night Gay Comedy," with host James Judd, $8-15 (no one turned away for lack of funds).

Sharon Meadows Golden Gate Park; 820-1570. Sun, 1pm: "22nd Annual Free Comedy Day in Golden Gate Park," with Mark Pitta, Brian Copeland, Tom Ammiano, Will Durst, Debi Durst, Diane Amos, Johnny Steele, and more, free.

Bay Area

Black Box 1928 Telegraph, Oakl; (510) 595-5597. Thurs and Sat, 8pm: The Oakland Playhouse improv troupe performs improv comedy (Saturday night show is a special two-hour performance), $5-12.

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: La Peña Cultural Center La Peña Cultural Center, 3105 Shattuck, Berk; (510) 849-2566. "Café Poetry," with open mic and host Kira Allen, 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. "The Berkeley Slam," with hosts Charles Ellik and dani eurynome, 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.

Sunday: Artisans Gallery 78 East Blithedale, Mill Valley; (415) 388-2044. "The Marin Poetry Center Summer Traveling Show," with host Gloria Rodriguez, 4:30pm, free.

Monday: Perry's Joint 1661 Fillmore; 931-5260. "Celebration of the Word," with Q.R. Hand Jr. and Dan Richmond, plus host Jeanne Powell, 7pm, free. Rasselas Jazz (Fillmore) 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 featured reader Pratap Chaterjee and open mic, 7:30pm, $3-5 (no one turned away for lack of funds).