October 16, 2002

film

stage

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

theater

Opening

Beauty and the Beast Orpheum Theatre, 1192 Market; 512-7770, www.ticketmaster.com. $18.50-70.50. Opens Wed/16, 8pm. Through Oct 20: runs Wed-Sat, 8pm (also Thurs, Sat, 2pm); Sun, 2, 7:30pm. Through Nov 3: runs Tues-Sat, 8pm (also Wed, Sat, 2pm); Sun, 2pm. Belle and company return to San Francisco in the Disney musical version of the fairy tale.

'Hysterics' Phoenix Theatre, 414 Mason; 431-8423, www.kaliyuga.com. $12-20 (Oct 28, Nov 4, pay what you can). Previews Thurs/17, 8pm. Opens Fri/18, 8pm. Runs Thurs-Sat, 8pm; Oct 28, Nov 4, 7:30pm. Through Nov 16. Kaliyuga Arts presents an evening of two solo performance pieces: writer-performer Dan Carbone's Up from the Ground and Jill Dowse's X: The Rise and Fall of a Performance Star, acted by Jennifer Taggart.

Killing My Lobster Circus of Failure A Traveling Jewish Theater, 470 Florida; 558-7721, www.killingmylobster.com. $10-15. Opens Thurs/17, 8pm. Runs Thurs-Sun, 8pm. Through Nov 10. The comedy troupe presents a new show that takes on "total and abject failure."

The Men from the Boys New Conservatory Theatre Center, 25 Van Ness; 861-8972. $18-38. Previews Oct 16-25, 8pm. Opens Oct 26, 8pm. Runs Wed-Sat, 8pm (no show Nov 28); Sun, 2pm. Through Dec 8. The New Conservatory Theatre Center presents Mart Crowley's world premiere sequel to The Boys in the Band, his 1968 hit about a group of gay friends in New York City.

R. Buckminster Fuller: The History (and Mystery) of the Universe Project Artaud Theater, 450 Florida; 626-DOME, www.foghouse.com. $20-40 (Oct 23, first Wed of each month, pay what you can). Previews Wed/16-Sat/19, 8pm (also Sat/19, 2pm). Opens Sun/20, 7pm. Runs Wed-Sat, 8pm (also Sat, 3pm); Sun, 2pm. Open-ended. D.W. Jacobs' solo play about the inventor-philosopher returns to San Francisco, with original star Ron Campbell.

Serious Money Zeum Theater, Yerba Buena Gardens, Fourth at Mission; 749-2228, www.act-sfbay.org. $10-15. Previews Thurs/17, 8pm. Opens Fri/18, 8pm. Runs Sat/19, Oct 24-25, 30, Nov 1-2, 8pm (also Nov 2, 2pm); Sun/20, Oct 26-27, 2pm (also Sun/20, 7pm). Through Nov 2. The American Conservatory Theater's MFA program presents Caryl Churchill's satire about amoral corporate raiders.

Starting Here, Starting Now Bethany Theatre, 1268 Sanchez; 701-7011. $12-15. Opens Fri/18, 8pm. Runs Fri-Sat, 8pm; Sun, 2pm. Through Oct 27. Bethany Theatre Project presents the play by Maltby and Shire.

Ted Kaczynski Killed People with Bombs Magic Theatre, Fort Mason Center, Marina at Laguna; 441-8822. $17-50. Previews Fri/18-Sat/19, Oct 23-24, 8:30pm. Opens Oct 25, 8:30pm. Runs Wed-Sat, 8:30pm; Sun, 2:30pm (also Nov 3, 10, 7:30pm). Through Nov 10. The Magic Theatre opens its new season with a world-premiere play by Michelle Carter about the Unabomber.

Bay Area

The Wind Cries Mary San Jose Repertory Theatre, Sobrato Auditorium, 101 Paseo de San Antonio, San Jose; (408) 367-7262. $20-48. Previews Sat/19, Oct 23-24, 8pm (also Oct 23, noon); Sun/20, 2 and 7pm. Opens Oct 25, 8pm. Runs Oct 26, 29-31, Nov 1-2, 5-9, 12-16, 8pm (also Oct 26, Nov 2, 9, 16, 3pm; Nov 13, noon); Sun, 2, 7pm. Through Nov 17. The San Jose Repertory Theatre presents the world premiere of Philip Kan Gotanda's new take on Hedda Gabler, which sets the tale among Asian American intellectuals in 1968 San Francisco.

Working for the Mouse La Val's Subterranean Theatre, 1834 Euclid, Berk; (510) 464-4468. $7-12. Opens Fri/18, 8pm. Runs Fri-Sat, 8pm; Sun, 7pm. Through Nov 16. Nov 22, show runs Fri-Sat, 8:30pm (no shows Nov 29-30), Exit Cafe, 156 Eddy, S.F. Through Dec 14. Impact Theatre presents Trevor Allen's solo comedy about working at Disneyland.

Ongoing

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.

As If in Sleep Exit Stage Left, 156 Eddy; 346-6040. $10-12. Fri-Sat, 8pm. Through Nov 2. The Hub at the Jewish Community Center of San Francisco presents Tim Barsky's solo show that transposes a fairy tale onto an urban American landscape.

Black Snow Venue 9, 252 Ninth St; 262-0477. $13-15 (Thurs, pay what you can). Thurs-Sat, 8pm; Sun, 2pm. Through Oct 27. The Custom Made Theatre Company performs Keith Reddin's adaptation of Mikhail Bulgakov's novel about a novelist who finds surprise success as a playwright.

La Bohème Curran Theatre, 445 Geary; 512-7770, www.ticketmaster.com. $40-90. Tues-Sat, 8pm (also Wed, Sat-Sun, 2pm). Through Nov 10. Baz Luhrmann (Moulin Rouge) brings his production of Puccini's opera to San Francisco en route to Broadway.

Brand Potrero Hill Playhouse, 935 De Haro; (510) 845-2687. $12-20. Thurs/17-Sat/19, 8pm; Sun/20, 7pm. Henrik Ibsen's first great drama, Brand, while universally admired, rarely finds companies daring enough to mount its epic verses about the religious calling of a fanatical parish priest, since the play presents difficulties as notoriously treacherous as its alpine setting. Leave it to audacious Last Planet Theatre to rise to the challenge. Director John Wilkins displays his flair for visual interpretation from the outset, and Leshinskie brings an inexhaustible energy to the demanding title role. But the production proves sporadically inspired, reflecting a less than harmonious set of impulses toward satire, comedy, and tragedy. (Avila)

Dreams of the Salthorse Thick House, 1695 18th St; 821-4849. $15-20. Wed/16-Sat/19, 8pm; Sun/20, 5pm. Encore Theater presents the premiere of Adam Rapp's apocalyptic dreamscape about a 10-year-old boy's search for peace after the trauma of losing his father. The setting, colored by the dark purgatory of the boy's tortured imagination, resembles a childhood home transformed into hell. The boy, now a headless man (Rick Eldredge), returns after years of limbo, encountering an odd family made up of a foul-mouthed madam (Kimberly Richards), a Chicana prostitute (Vanessa Aspillaga), and a mute young savage (Matt Roe). But while Rapp's gifts as a storyteller (together with a terrific cast directed by Sturgis Warner) keep us intellectually engaged, the conceit here feels familiar and lacking in emotional weight. (Avila)

Eight X Tenn Eureka Theatre Company, 215 Jackson; (510) 434-0734. $12-20. Wed/16-Sat/19, 8pm; Sun/20, 3pm. Eastenders Repertory Company performs eight one-act plays by Tennessee Williams.

'The Fear Project' The Next Stage, 1620 Gough; 673-0304. $15-20. Thurs-Sat, 8pm. Through Nov 2. Combined Art Form Entertainment opens another season of multimedia theater with a timely triplet of stories. The first, a production of Ray Bradbury's short story The Veldt, is a rich, evocative, and fun tale by a master of the genre. In Pinch, writer-director Dan Wilson's clever riff on some classic anxiety dreams, Emily Rosenthal plays a woman awaking from one nightmare into another in a wonderfully funny and subtle performance. 500 Synonyms for Fear, a collaborative effort directed by Emily Pender, is the least consistent of the three. But along with rough edges come some inspired moments which add life to a thoughtful critique of the interplay between the manipulation of public fears, marketing, and the corporate media. (Avila)

Icarus's Mother and The Unseen Hand Actors Theatre of San Francisco, 533 Sutter; 296-9179, www.actorstheatresf.org. $5-20. Thurs-Sat, 8pm; Sun, 7pm. Through Nov 23. Actors Theatre of San Francisco performs two experimental works by Sam Shepard.

*Lavender Lockeroom Theatre Rhinoceros, 2926 16th St; 861-5079. $20-25. Thurs-Sat, 8pm; Sun, 7pm. Through Oct 27. Theater Rhinoceros and the irrepressible Hot Pants Homo Players relaunch writer-director F. Allen Sawyer's ribald, lighthearted high school comedy about a closeted gay teen running the gamut of hectoring family members, school bullies, and his first romance. It's the last in a trilogy of works by Sawyer that reclaims the gay pulp novels of the 1950s, and the genre squirms delightedly under the playwright's satirical thumb. Sawyer is the gay pornographic litterateur's Judy Bloom. Moreover, an altogether exceptional ensemble cast, featuring Tara Blau, Isaac Brantner, Arturo Galster, Sandra Schlechter, and Michael Soldier, and led by David Bicha as the troubled but otherwise happy-go-lucky Vern, flies out of the gate with well-honed performances that swing along – and I do mean swing – at an invigorating clip. Like the pulp material inspiring it, the play may come up aesthetically short compared with more sophisticated fare, but such balls-out performances (and Sawyer's contagious way with the poetry of smut) at least offer stiff competition in the end. (Avila)

Master of the (Miss) Universe New Conservatory Theatre Center, 25 Van Ness; 861-8972. $15-25. Wed-Sat, 8pm; Sun, 2pm. Through Oct 27. Noel Alumit stars in his solo show, a gay Filipino man's take on the world of beauty pageants.

*Night and Day Geary Theater, 415 Geary; 749-2228, www.act-sfbay.org. $11-61. Wed/16-Sat/19, 8pm (also Wed/16, Sat/19, 2pm); Sun/20, 2 and 7pm. Tom Stoppard's Night and Day (1978) hasn't aged as well as the author, but American Conservatory Theater's lavish revival proves it's well worth a second look. As civil war brews in the fictitious African nation of Kambawe in the mid 1970s, three journalists hole up near a precious telex machine in the seeming oasis of an English family's postcolonial estate. The play is stiff in its attempt to reconcile all of its elements, but this first-rate production remains genuinely enjoyable throughout. (Avila)

A Perfect Human Being Theatre Rhinoceros, 2926 16th St; 861-5079. $15. Thurs/17-Sat/19, 8:30pm. Guilty Theatre presents its first production, a new play by Kristina Goodnight about a set of twins.

Shocktoberfest!! Odeon Bar, 3223 Mission; www.thrillpeddlers.com. $5. Thurs-Sat, 9pm and midnight. Through Nov 9. The Thrillpeddlers return with their annual Grand Guignol-inspired production of short plays.

*Snake in the Basement: The Prosecution of Rev. Bill Pruitt and Brace Yourself Exit on Taylor, 277 Taylor; 673-3847. $12-18. Snake runs Fri, 8pm; Brace runs Sat, 8pm. Through Nov 2. Liebe Wetzel and her Lunatique Fantastique's Brace Yourself is, quite simply, a lovely piece of theater. Employing such everyday objects as a few pots, some pairs of shoes in various sizes, a cane, and an old-fashioned leg brace, the cast of black-clad puppeteers perform the not-so-simple feat of infusing these items with breathtaking life to tell the story of one man (Wetzel's father) and his experience with polio. From the onset of the disease in childhood to the paralysis suffered later on, the objects portray a life haunted by iron lungs and the specter of a waiting wheelchair, but also one blessed by love, romance, and children. It is astonishing how expressive and moving household paraphernalia becomes in the capable hands of these performers, who embellish the atmosphere with wordless murmurs and other small sounds. Brace performs in repertory with Snake in the Basement, a piece about a pastor accused of child molestation. (Shalson)

Some Like it Hot Golden Gate Theatre, 1 Taylor; 512-7770. $34-77. Wed-Sat, 8pm (also Wed, Sat, 2pm); Sun, 2pm. Through Nov 3. Tony Curtis stars (though not in the same role he made famous in the movie) in the new musical comedy.

Spike Rhee's Get on the Bus Noh Space, 2840 Mariposa; 440-5545. $12-15. Thurs-Sat, 8pm; Sun, 7pm. Through Oct 27. Ever lie awake at night wondering what Bruce Lee would look like if he were alive today? Or what it might be like to make love to him? In Spike Rhee's Get On The Bus, Asian American comedy troupe 18 Mighty Mountain Warriors pay homage to the kung fu king by evoking his spirit in a variety of lurid ways. Squashed together on a mysterious bus tour bound for Lee's tomb, a bunch of misfits let loose their inner Bruce, and we learn something about the Asian American experience in the process. While the tightly knit, energetic performers focus on exploding cultural stereotypes with alternating sarcasm, slapstick, and plain silliness, the characters they depict rarely rise above cliché. From the cheap landlady to the cell phone-obsessed sex addict, the clumsily connected sketches are more infantile than intelligent. The show's Lee-inspired mantra might be "The destination is not important; what's important is the journey," but it would be nice to feel as if we were going somewhere. (Veltman)

*Stories by Tobias Wolff Magic Theatre, Fort Mason Center, Marina at Laguna; 437-6775. $25 (Wed, pay what you can). Second extended run: Thurs/17-Sat/19, 8:30pm. 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. 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. Throughout, intelligent, imaginative staging and fine ensemble performances mesh with Wolff's crystalline prose and playful wit to elicit our lively and unflagging interest. (Avila)

Talking with Angels Spanganga, 3376 19th St; 821-1102. $15-20. Wed/16-Sat/19, 8pm; Sun/20, 5pm. In Nazi-occupied Hungary, four friends held weekly philosophical discussions, where, according to their manuscripts, they were visited by forces that they came to know as angels. Shelley Mitchell's virtuosic solo performance presents this story from the perspective of the lone survivor: an elderly, decidedly nonreligious, and likably cynical Gitta Mallasz. Whether one believes in angels or is more inclined to find another explanation, this is a remarkable story. (Shalson)

The Train Play or the Reckless Ruthless Brutal Charge of It Exit Theatre, 156 Eddy; 675-5995. $10-25. Fri-Sat, 8pm. Through Nov 10. In Crowded Fire's West Coast premiere of Liz Duffy Adams's comic ride, eight passengers more or less deliberately fleeing themselves revel in the opportunities travel brings. The careening journey through the American heartland provides refuge for all, never mind that the final destination may be the end of the world. The material is uneven: some internal monologues, while short, can grow tedious. But in the end Adams, a young New York-based playwright, gets us where we need to go. Crowded Fire's production of this playful derailment of American dreams and apocalyptic nightmares proves that the company, anyway, is on track. (Avila)

Bay Area

The Dark at the Top of the Stairs The Playhouse, 27 Kensington, San Anselmo; (415) 892-8551. $10-18. Thurs-Sat, 8pm; Sun, 2pm. Through Nov 3. Marin Classic Theatre presents William Inge's tale of small-town life in the 1920s.

*Deep Space Transparent Theater, 1901 Ashby, Berk; (510) 883-0305. $20 (Sun/20, pay what you can). Thurs/17-Sat/19, 8pm; Sun/20, 7pm. Two Dublin roommates enter a tacit competition for a woman named Fionnuala in Transparent Theater's production of Irish playwright Alex Johnston's drama. The play begins with Keith (Drew Khalouf) and Jaco (Jason Frazier) setting out their thoughts on sex: Keith outlines some of the finer points of postmodern discourse on the construction of the sexual subject, while Jaco explains his penchants for halter tops and oral pleasuring. Thereafter the action unfolds through a combination of boy banter and confessions to the audience, as things build to their various climaxes. Johnston's able dialogue makes this familiar territory fresh, and his abruptly ended but otherwise well-crafted story cleverly defies our initial assumptions. (Avila)

*The House of Blue Leaves Berkeley Rep's Roda Theatre, 2015 Addison, Berk; (510) 647-2949. $10-54. Wed/16 and Sun/20, 7pm (also Sun/20, 2pm); Thurs/17-Sat/19, 8pm (also Thurs/17, 2pm). As Berkeley Repertory Theatre's revival of John Guare's 1971 sardonic farce shrewdly demonstrates, for all its built-in nostalgia, this '60s period piece retains a remarkably contemporary charge. The action takes place in 1965, the day the pope came to New York to plead before the United Nations for an end to the Vietnam War. In a cluttered Queens apartment, Artie Shaughnessy (Jarion Monroe) longs to escape his deranged wife, Bananas (Rebecca Wisocky), and flee with Bunny Flingus (Jeri Lynn Cohen). Meanwhile 18-year-old son Ronnie (Adam Ludwig) is AWOL from the Army with a plan to blow up the pontiff. Director Barbara Damashek and a remarkable cast go a long way toward infusing it all with a palpitating immediacy. (Avila)

*The Shape of Things Aurora Theatre, 2081 Addison, Berk; (510) 843-4822. $28-38. Wed/16-Sat/19, 8pm; Sun/20, 2 and 7pm. Controversial in the film and theater worlds since the potent 1997 indie In the Company of Men, Neil LaBute continues his fascination with manipulation and control in The Shape of Things, making its West Coast debut in a sleek production at the Aurora Theatre. Adam (Craig Marker) works as a security guard for the art gallery at his Midwestern college. There he encounters Evelyn (Stephanie Gularte) hovering provocatively before a sculpture, spray can in hand. In a reversal of the misogynistic dynamic of Men, as well as the biblical relationship echoed in their names, Evelyn will remake the smitten Adam in her own image, sculpting him into the ideal mate. If ultimately less provocative than some of LaBute's past work, the play remains intriguing, not least for its consistently sharp and witty dialogue – a strength director Tom Ross and cast exploit fully with fearless and supple performances. (Avila)

The Syringa Tree Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, Castro at Mercy, Mountain View; 650-903-6000, www.theatreworks.org. $20-45. Tues, 7:30pm (no show Oct 29); Wed-Sat, 8pm (also Oct 26, Nov 2, 2pm); Sun, 2pm (also Oct 20, 27, 7pm). Through Nov 3. TheatreWorks presents Pamela Gien's Obie award-winning solo play about a child growing up in Johannesburg during the days of apartheid.

We Won't Pay! We Won't Pay! Eighth Street Studio, 2525 Eighth St, Berk; (510) 704-8210. $10-25. Thurs/17-Sat/19, 8pm. Shotgun Players continues its thoughtful response to the timbre of the times with Dario Fo's rollicking comedy about the working poor. Antonia (Katjah Rivera) joins the neighborhood women in raiding the local supermarket amid increased gouging from all quarters, but she and best friend Margherita (Andrea Day) must hide the results from their conformist husbands, Giovanni (Clive Worsley) and Luigi (Ian Petroni), who meanwhile get downsized at the Fiat plant. Add a couple of cops and an undertaker (Kevin Kelleher) and stir vigorously. The result is revolt à la Fo, an answer to the hunger for dignity. If performances are uneven and the timing not always there, there are magic moments in this worthy production that takes its comedy seriously. (Avila)

dance

Alonzo King's Lines Ballet Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, 701 Mission; 978-ARTS, www.linesballet.org. Wed-Sat, 8pm; Sun, 7pm. $20-50. See "King's Court," Page 52.

EmSpace Dance ODC Theater, 3153 17th St; 863-9834. Thurs-Sat, 8pm. $13-15. Choreographer Erin Meil-Ling Stuart presents "Soon, and in Pleasant Company," works built around the theme of women's social lives.

Kate Corby Dance Mission Theater, 3316 24th St; 642-0122. Fri-Sat, 8pm; Sun, 7pm. $10-15. Producer and choreographer Corby presents "Drown," an evening of dance that also features works by Alma Esperanza Cunningham. Special guests include Deborah Slater Dance Theater and musician Adam Zabarsky.

Savage Jazz Dance Company Cowell Theater, Fort Mason Center, Marina at Laguna; 478-2277, www.tickets.com. Fri-Sat, 8pm; Sun, 2pm. $16-24. The company celebrates its 10th anniversary with "Directions in Music/The Dances," featuring choreography by artistic director Reginald Ray-Savage and music by Marcus Shelby. (Savage Jazz also appears with jazz guitarist Fareed Haque of Garaj Mahal, Shelby and his quintet, jazz vocalist Frankye Kelly, and others as part of the Golden Gate Jazz Arts Gala, Thurs, 7pm, $50, also at the Cowell Theater. Proceeds help fund their 2002-2003 season.)

Yaelisa and Caminos Flamencos ODC Theater, 3153 17th St; 863-9834. Sun, 7pm. $10-17. I have a sister who lives in Spain. This summer she was listening to a flamenco guitarist in a beach café at 2 a.m. when a woman got up, walked to the water's edge and started to dance in the dark. Caminos Flamencos won't be able to re-create that kind of seaside experience, but every third Sunday they do create an enchanting flamenco setting when ODC is transformed into an intimate, candlelit café with just enough room for the dancers to work their magic on you. Programs vary thematically; this Sunday the company honors flamenco from Cádiz, as Yaelisa calls it, that "sweet seaport village" in southern Spain. For that one night a month, ODC also gets a liquor license so you can, if so moved, toast the dancers with a glass of wine. (Felciano)

Bay Area

Ballet San Jose Silicon Valley San Jose Center for the Performing Arts, 255 Almaden, San Jose; (408) 288-2800, www.balletsanjose.org. Thurs and Sun, 7:30pm (also Sun, 1:30pm); Fri-Sat, 8pm. $22-68. The company performs "The Choreography of Dennis Nahat," an evening of works including In Studio D, set to Peter Wright's music and featuring a guest vocalist, actress Lainie Kazan (My Big Fat Greek Wedding).

Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company Zellerbach Hall, Bancroft at Telegraph, UC Berkeley; (510) 642-9988, www.calperfs.berkeley.edu. Fri-Sat, 8pm. $24-46. See Critic's Choice.

performance

'Avatars' DNA Lounge, 375 11th St; 1-866-468-3399. Thurs, 8pm. Through Oct 24. $15-18. Fusion performance group Capacitor presents a multimedia, video game-inspired piece.

BATS Improv Bayfront Theater, Fort Mason Center, Marina at Laguna; www.batsimprov.com. Thurs-Sat, 8pm. $6-12. This week's shows: "All-Star Theatresports" (Thurs-Sat).

The brOTHERs Jon Sims Center for the Arts, 1519 Mission; 554-0402. Fri, 8pm. $5-10 (sliding scale, no one turned away for lack of funds). As part of the Jon Sims Center's Fall 2002 AIRspace artists-in-residence series, the performance ensemble of female-born, male-identified artists of color presents spoken word, poetry, movement, and more.

DramaRama new play readings Blue Bear Theatre, Fort Mason Center, Marina at Laguna; 626-4603. Fri, 7:30pm; Oct 29, call for time. Through Oct 29. $5-10. Playwrights' Center of San Francisco hosts this series highlighting new plays. This week: New Jersey Book of the Dead by Jason Spiegel-Grote.

'God's Trombones' Third Baptist Church, 1399 McAllister; 346-4426. Fri-Sat, 7pm. Free. James Weldon Johnson's Harlem Renaissance-era sermon play is presented by a cast that includes noted choreographer Robert Henry Johnson.

'In the Street Festival' Ellis between Leavenworth and Hyde; 255-5971, www.luggagestoregallery.org. Fri, 5:30-10pm; Sat-Sun, 11:30am-5:30pm. Free. See 8 Days a Week, page 60.

'Mr./Miss Gay San Francisco Pageant' Most Holy Redeemer Rec Hall, 100 Diamond; 864-0959. Sat, 7pm. $15-20. See 8 Days a Week, page 60.

'Night of the Living Drag Queens' Spanganga, 2293 Mission; 821-1102. Fri-Sat, 10:30pm through Oct 26; also Oct 31, 8:30pm. $10. Get in the mood for Halloween at this show, which is inspired in part by John Waters and features a cast of "disco-dancing drag queen zombies."

'Plastic: A Trip Through the Membrane' The Lab, 2948 16th St; 864-8855. Fri-Sat, 8pm. $7-10. See 8 Days a Week, page 60.

'The Second Annual Living Word Festival' Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, 701 Mission; 978-ARTS. Fri, 8pm ($10-20); Sun, 8pm ($8-15). Also, Sat, 11am-6pm (free), Youth Speaks Literary Arts Center, 2169 Folsom; and 8pm ($5-10), San Francisco Art Institute, 800 Chestnut; www.livingwordproject.org. Events in this jam-packed fest include Friday's "Generations," a performance featuring Sarah Jones, Janice Mirikitani, Piri Thomas, and other poets; Saturday daytime's full slate of panels, performances, and workshops, plus a nighttime event, "Aspire to Inspire: A Favorite Poem Project," and Sunday's "The Next Movement in Spoken Word Theater," featuring Aya de Leon, Marc Bamuthi Joseph, Beau Sia, and others.

Bay Area

'Big Burlesque's Original Fat-Bottom Review' Ashkenaz, 1317 San Pablo, Berk; (707) 546-6170. Thurs, 8pm. $10-15. (Also Fri, 7pm, Cafe du Nord, 2170 Market, S.F.) This old-school burlesque show features the "large and lovely" dancers of Big Moves, plus other performers.

'Gender Art: A Performance by Transgendered Artists' Black Box Theater, 1928 Telegraph; (510) 451-1932. Sun, 7-10pm. $5-10. Local transgendered artists present an event in celebration of diversity.

'.:. sands .:. of .:. time .:.' Rodeo Beach, Marin Headlands, Sausalito; (415) 332-9454 (reservations required). Fri-Sat, 7-10pm. $10. Antenna (Euphor!um) presents a unique, 30-minute "walk-through, graphic illustration of the history of the universe," which uses sand sculptures, personal listening devices, and other elements. Wear warm clothes and comfortable shoes.

'Straight Black Folks Guide to Gay Black Folks' Black Box Theater, 1928 Telegraph, Oakl; (510) 594-4335, www.trustlife.net. Wed, 7:30pm. Through Oct 30. $12. Hanifah Walidah presents her multicharacter solo show.

comedy

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

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

The Stud 399 Ninth St; 823-5121, stoodupsf@hotmail.com. Wed, 8:30pm: "Stood Up!" stand-up comedy hosted by Pippi Lovestocking and Ronn Vigh, $5.

Victoria Theatre 2961 16th St; 869-2896, www.bombshellcomedy.com. Sat, 8pm: "Bombshell! Comedy" with Mary C. Matthews, Julia Jackson, Jane Barbone, Lisa Nelson, and Jeremy Beth Michaels, 8pm, $15-25. Partial proceeds benefit Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

Bay Area

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

Calvin Simmons Theater Ten Tenth St, Oakl; (510) ONE-LOVE. Sun, 7:30pm: Comedian Laura Hayes performs. Part of "Love Life Week," an annual series of events aimed at educating the community about gun violence.

Sali Lieberman Studio 397 Miller, Mill Valley; (415) 541-5610. Fri-Sat, 8pm: "Scott Capurro: Erect in Marin," stand-up comedy show, $20.

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" open mic hosted by Paul Flores, 8pm, $3-5. BrainWash Café 1122 Folsom; 864-3842. "Spoken Word Salon," open mic and featured reader Jon Bernson, with host Diamond Dave Whitaker, 8pm, free.

Thursday: Coppa D'Oro Cafe 3164 24th St; 821-1618. "Poetry on the Patio" spoken word and acoustic music open mic with host Barbara Bennett, 6:30pm, free.

Saturday: Cafe du Nord 2170 Market; 861-5016, www.othermag.org. "Writers with Drinks" reading with Cas McGee, Joel Schalit, and more, 6pm, $3-5.

Sunday: Cody's Books 2454 Telegraph, Berk; (510) 845-7852. "Poetry Flash," with Gary Mex Glazner and Thea Hillman, 7:30pm, $2. SomArts Cultural Center 934 Brannan; 552-9261. "Speak Your Peace: Antiwar Gathering of Poets" sponsored by the National Poetry Association, 7:30pm, $5.