November 6, 2002

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

The Big Bang, the Buddha, and the Baby Boom The Marsh, 1062 Valencia; 826-5750. $14-21 (sliding scale). Opens Thurs/7, 8pm. Runs Thurs-Sat, 8pm. Through Nov 23. KFOG-FM news commentator Wes "Scoop" Nisker performs his solo musical comedy.

The Bombay Trunk New Conservatory Theatre Center, 25 Van Ness; 861-8972. $18-38. Previews Wed/6-Fri/8, 8pm. Opens Sat/9, 8pm. Runs Wed-Sat, 8pm (no shows Nov 28, Dec 25); Sun, 2pm. Through Jan 5. The New Conservatory Theatre Center presents the world premiere of Felice Picano's mystery comedy.

Cirque du Soleil Presents Varekai "Grand Chapiteau," parking lot of Pacific Bell Park, 24 Willie Mays Plaza; 1-800-678-5440. $31.50-70. Opens Thurs/7, 8pm. Runs Fri/8, 4pm; Sat/9-Sun/10, 1 and 4pm; starting Tues/12, runs Tues-Sat, 8pm (also Thurs-Sat, 4pm; no shows Nov 26, Dec 17); Sun, 1 and 5pm. Through Dec 22. The modern circus company performs a new show (the title translates to "Wherever" in Romany) that pays tribute to the nomadic soul.

The Food Chain New Conservatory Theatre Center, 25 Van Ness; 861-8972. $15-25. Previews Wed/6-Fri/8, 8pm. Opens Sat/9, 8pm. Runs Wed-Sat, 8pm; Sun, 2pm. Through Dec 1. The New Conservatory Theatre Center and Unidentified Theatre Company present Nicky Silver's comedy about relationships and body image.

Scenic Routes Exit Stage Left, 256 Eddy; (510) 986-9194. $15-25. Previews Thurs/7-Fri/8, 8pm. Opens Sat/9, 8pm. Runs Thurs-Sat, 8pm. Through Nov 23. Golden Thread Productions presents the world premiere of Yussef El Guindi's drama about the cultural differences facing a white woman and her Egyptian boyfriend.

Show Ho Theatre Rhinoceros, 2926 16th St; 861-5079. $15-25. Previews Thurs/7-Fri/8, 8pm. Opens Sat/9, 8pm. Runs Wed-Sat, 8pm; Sun, 7pm (also Nov 17, 24, Dec 1, 3pm). Through Dec 7. Sara Moore performs her solo show, a multicharacter comedy about a clown traveling with a low-rent circus.

Bay Area

Eternity Is in Love with the Productions of Time Transparent Theater, 1901 Ashby, Berk; (510) 883-0305. $20 (Sun, pay what you can). Opens Thurs/8, 8pm. Runs Thurs-Sat, 8pm; Sun, 7pm. Through Dec 8. Transparent Theater performs an original play about a group of Russian poets fighting for artistic freedom.

Frame of Possibilities Metro Theatre, 201 Broadway, Oakl; (510) 444-8521. $15-20. Opens Fri/9, 8pm. Runs Fri-Sat, 8pm; Sun, 3pm. Through Nov 24. Anniversary Productions presents Judith Offer's comedy set in the contemporary art world.

Menocchio Berkeley Repertory Theatre, 2025 Addison, Berk; (510) 647-2949. $38-54. Opens Wed/6, 8pm. Runs Wed, 7; Tues, Thurs-Sat, 8pm (also Sat/9, Nov 14, 21, 30, Dec 7, 12, and 21, 2pm; no show Nov 28); Sun, 2 and 7pm. Through Dec 22. Berkeley Rep performs Lillian Groag's comedic exploration of one man's fight for intellectual freedom.

Wonderful Town Marin Theatre Company, 397 Miller, Mill Valley; (415) 388-5208. $25-43. Opens Thurs/7, 8pm. Runs Tues and Thurs-Sat, 8pm (also Nov 21, 1pm; Dec 7, 2pm); Wed, 7:30pm; Sun, 2 and 7pm. Through Dec 8. Marin Theatre Company and Allegro Theatre Company coproduce the Tony-winning musical set in 1930s New York.

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.

*La Bohème Curran Theatre, 445 Geary; 512-7770, www.ticketmaster.com. $40-90. Wed/6-Sat/9, 8pm (also Wed/6, Sat/9-Sun/10, 2pm). For all of Baz Luhrmann's stylistic exuberance in his production of La Bohème – debuting in San Francisco and charting an unprecedented course for Broadway – he wisely chooses to play a supporting role to Puccini. The result is a sensitive (and glamorous) rendering of the opera that stays musically and thematically true to its roots while employing a rotating, three-team cast of fetching young opera mavens and updating the action to the 1950s. The impressive production design of Catherine Martin, Luhrmann's collaborator and spouse, adds a characteristic visual flair that audiences who've seen his films will recognize. (Avila)

Cannery Row (Chapters 1-7) Magic Theatre, Bldg D, Fort Mason Center, Marina at Laguna; 437-6775. $25 (Wed, pay what you can). Wed-Sat, 8:30pm; Syn, 5pm. Through Nov 17. (Nov 21, moves to Julia Morgan Center for the Arts, 2640 College, Berk. Same schedule and price; no show Nov 28. Through Dec 1.) Word for Word interprets the Steinbeck classic.

Demon_Industry Shelton Theater, 533 Sutter; (510) 704-4448. $12-20. Fri-Sat, 8pm; Sun, 2pm. Through Nov 17. Bella Union Theatre Company performs Gene Mocsy's supernatural tale set at a San Francisco computer game company.

Eugenia Theatre Rhinoceros, 2926 16th St; 861-5079. $16-18. Thurs-Sat, 8:30pm; Sun, 3:30pm. Through Nov 24. Chameleon Theatre Company performs Lorae Parry's play.

'Hysterics' Phoenix Theatre, 414 Mason; 431-8423, www.kaliyuga.com. $12-20. Thurs-Sat, 8pm. 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 an Asylum Star, acted by Jennifer Taggart.

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.

*It Could Have Been a Wonderful Life Bannam Place Theater, 50A Bannam Pl; 986-4607, www.wonderfullife.org. $15-20. Fri-Sat, 8pm; Sun, 3pm. Through Dec 29. Fred Raker's 25-in-one-man show – back after a successful run last year – charts the despair of aspiring Jewish comedian Phil Resnick, who winds up pigeonholed on public television while the life he could have had goes to an Anglo American-ized colleague, the host of TV's What's Up with That, America? The crisis provokes a little divine intervention by Phil's guardian angel, Jack Benny. Based on Raker's own brush with stardom as well as the Capra classic, this very funny solo performance cleverly weaves Jewish identity and self-doubt into nothing less than a wonderful 75 minutes. (Avila)

Killing My Lobster Circus of Failure A Traveling Jewish Theater, 470 Florida; 558-7721, www.killingmylobster.com. $10-15. Extended run: Thurs-Sun, 8pm. Through Nov 18. All the world's a big top – at least it is for the irreverent, idiosyncratic sketch comedy company Killing My Lobster. In Circus of Failure, a topsy-turvy take on bearded ladies, miniature ponies, and the French Canadian approach to the acrobatic arts, the circus becomes a metaphor for a madcap but not inconceivable world, where city supervisors have shiny green skin and antennae, and George Foreman grills sell out at the local Wal-Mart. The members of Killing My Lobster don't work with the most original material. The hackneyed sight gags and offbeat scenarios sending up the middle classes walk a well-worn tightrope – dust off the Monty Python and Saturday Night Live archives for proof. Yet the Lobsters (ring)masterfully make us believe we've never seen a man trip over his own feet before or a woman lose her grip. (Veltman)

Lackawanna Blues Geary Theater, 415 Geary; 749-2228. $11-49. Wed/6-Sat/9, Nov 13-15, 19-23, 26, 29-30, 8pm (also Sat/9, Nov 13, 23, 30, 2pm); Sun/10, Nov 27, 7pm (also Nov 27, 2pm); Nov 17, 24, Dec 1, 2pm. Through Dec 1. Ruben Santiago-Hudson stars in his solo musical play about 20 different larger-than-life characters from his childhood.

The Man Who Outgrew His Prison Cell Thick House, 1695 18th St; 401-8081. $15-25 (sliding scale). Thurs-Sun, 8pm. Through Nov 24. Joe Loya performs his autobiographical show about his journey from bank robber to journalist.

The Men from the Boys New Conservatory Theatre Center, 25 Van Ness; 861-8972. $18-38. 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.

Peggy-Ann Eureka Theatre, 215 Jackson; 255-8207. $15-27. Thurs-Fri, 8pm; Sat, 6pm; Sun, 3pm. Through Nov 17. 42nd Street Moon's tribute to Richard Rodgers continues with an early and rare Rodgers and Hart 1926 musical. Peggy-Ann (Sorsha Miles) of Glens Falls dreams of a life in the Big Apple with perpetual fiancé Guy (Bill Fahrner) while drudging Cinderella-like in her mother's boardinghouse. But the impecunious Guy hasn't received the big break that will cinch the deal, and it looks like wicked stepsister Dolores (Laura LeBleu) and beau Arnold (Joshua Powell) will beat her there. These worries shape Peggy-Ann's thoughts as she falls asleep, entering a seriously random and wacky dreamworld, flecked with just then fashionable Freudian colors and inhabited by real-world associations now transposed to her anxious vision of Manhattan. Director Greg MacKellan's competent cast brings plenty of pluck to a host of corny lines, as well as some winning numbers, though ones only the true Rodgers aficionado will recognize. (Avila)

Puppetry of the Penis Theatre on the Square, 450 Post; 433-9500. $29.50-44.50. Tues-Thurs, 8pm; Fri-Sun, 7pm (also Fri-Sat, 9:30pm). Open-ended. Two naked performers perform "genital origami" in this comedy show.

R. Buckminster Fuller: The History (and Mystery) of the Universe Project Artaud Theater, 450 Florida; 626-DOME, www.foghouse.com. $20-40 (first Wed of each month, pay what you can). Wed-Sat, 8pm (also Sat, 3pm); Sun, 2pm. Open-ended. D. W. Jacobs's R. Buckminster Fuller: The History (and Mystery) of the Universe is bursting with so many ideas that it's almost impossible to contain them within the confines of the stage. Fuller was one of the great brainiacs of the 20th century, a philosopher, mathematician, inventor, and idealist who devoted his life to finding the best fit between nature and humanity. In Jacobs's fitful, two-hour monologue based on the life and writings of Fuller, actor Ron Campbell dexterously pings from one of the visionary's obsessions to another. Whether rattling through a dense explanation of atomic structure, proselytizing about how famine will become extinct as humans do "more and more with less and less," or espousing the joys of parenting, Campbell inhabits Fuller's eccentric soul with physical and verbal intensity – at times so much so that the margins between performance and lecture blur. (Veltman)

Rocket Girl New Langton Arts, 1246 Folsom; 289-6766. $18. Thurs-Mon, 8pm. Through Nov 16. Thunderbird Theatre Company presents an original, sci-fi musical comedy.

7 Sins: The Holiday Edition Shelton Theater, 533 Sutter; 820-3947. $20-25. Sun, 5 and 8pm. Through Dec 15. A revolving cast of seven perform comedy monologues drawn from real-life experiences.

*The 7 Visions of Encarnación Brava Theatre Center, 2781 24th St; www.shadowlight.com. $15-20. Wed/7-Sat/9, 8pm; Sun/10, 2pm. Renowned playwright Octavio Solis and ShadowLight present a must-see-to-believe collaboration bound to get your Day of the Dead bones shaking. As the world premiere of Solis's enchanting, history-trotting story opens – cast upon a giant screen in a mesmerizing collage vivant of shadows – we rotate back in time to mission-era California, where a young man named Encarnación (Luis Cortes), an orphan raised by the mission padre (Carlos Baron), forges a new mestizo identity through the love of an Indian girl, Carolina (Tania Lisa Llambelis), and the mischievous guidance of Calaca (Baron), a sort of fairy god skeleton. ShadowLight artistic director Larry Reed incorporates live actors, miniatures, glass etchings, puppets, and other devices, as well as the mellifluous harmonies of the trio Cascada de Flores, into a presentation that comes closer to cinema than to stage work. (Avila)

17 Reasons (Why) Intersection for the Arts, 446 Valencia; 626-3311. $9-15 (sliding scale). Thurs-Sun, 8pm. Through Nov 18. Campo Santo + Intersection presents the world premiere of Naomi Iizuka's excavation of San Francisco's Mission District, a ghost story haunting the interstices between official history and personal memory. Taking its title and cue from the neighborhood's famous thrift-store sign, the play comprises 17 scenes, many drawn from real episodes in San Francisco history reaching back to the turn of the century, from which a single but ambiguous murder tale slowly emerges. A charismatic cast and director Delia MacDougall's kinetic staging – which achieves a kind of walking-tour effect with its shifting panels and configurations, and its use of newsreel and original video footage – go a long way toward enlivening a tale that is often intriguing but too diffuse and fragmented to add up to a compelling whole. (Avila)

Shocktoberfest!! Odeon Bar, 3223 Mission; www.thrillpeddlers.com. $5. Thurs/7-Sat/9, 9pm and midnight. The Thrillpeddlers present their annual Grand Guignol-inspired production of short plays.

Ted Kaczynski Killed People with Bombs Magic Theatre, Fort Mason Center, Marina at Laguna; 441-8822. $17-50. Wed/6-Sat/9, 8:30pm; Sun/10, 2:30pm, 7:30pm. Why does any serial killer fascinate? Perhaps we are drawn to them because they are "nobodies" who, acting on dehumanized murder fantasies, usurp the ultimate prerogative of the powerful. In Michelle Carter's Ted Kaczynski Killed People with Bombs, a series of episodes point to seven possible "explanations" for Ted, beginning with childhood and including mental illness, Berkeley, Harvard, and an unrequited infatuation. A wise and satirical portrait of Kaczynski, played with intelligence and a haunted charm by Merle Kessler, emerges as a man who is frustrated and deeply alienated. Carter (2000's Hillary and Soon-Yi Shop for Ties) has a knack for imaginative encounters, witty yet realistic dialogue, and songs that (while not always energetically pursued here) are frisky and lean. Her tendency is to cover a bit too much ground, however, and the segments devoted to the packaging of the Unabomber "story," while perhaps inevitable, are also the most predictable. (Avila)

The Train Play or the Reckless Ruthless Brutal Charge of It Exit Theatre, 156 Eddy; 675-5995. $10-25. Fri/7-Sat/9, 8pm. 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)

Young Zombies in Love Venue 9, 252 Ninth St; (510) 982-0433. $12-15. Thurs-Sat, 8pm (no shows Nov 28-30). Through Dec 7. Emerald Rain Productions present a pop-rock musical comedy about a love affair from beyond the grave.

Bay Area

The Canadian Play La Val's Subterranean, 1834 Euclid, Berk; (510) 704-8210. $10. Mon-Tues, 8pm. Through Nov 19. Shotgun Theatre Lab performs Thessaly Lerner's political satire.

Misanthrope Berkeley City Club, 2315 Durant, Berk; (510) 558-1381. $8-18 (Thurs/7, Nov 14, pay what you can). Thurs-Sat, 8pm (no show Nov 28); Sun, 5pm. Through Nov 30. Central Works performs a new play based on Moliere's classic comedy.

The Wind Cries Mary San Jose Repertory Theatre, Sobrato Auditorium, 101 Paseo de San Antonio, San Jose; (408) 367-7262. $20-48. Wed/6-Sat/9, Nov 12-16, 8pm (also Sat/9, Nov 16, 3pm; Nov 13, noon); Sun, 2, 7pm. Through Nov 17. In its lavish world premiere, Philip Kan Gotanda's keen but loving look back at the 1960s charts the fitful course from an "Oriental" to Asian American identity, amid minority student unrest and antiwar protests at San Francisco State University. This revolutionary moment is fraught with ambiguity, however, the violent force of which is embodied in Eiko Hanabi (Tess Lina), proud and willful bride of a nebbishy Caucasian academic (Thomas Vincent Kelly). Inspired by Ibsen's Hedda Gabler, Gotanda ingeniously blends Eiko's constraint by an overweening patriarchy with the friction of her Japanese-American identity. Unable to free herself from the restraining grip of either, Eiko pushes personal-political revolution to the breaking point. Still, it's a synthesis that has its rough edges, especially in the second act. Though her lover Miles (Stan Egi) calls her Mary, a name suggesting the counterculture's promise of liberation through a holy excess of sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll, Eiko remains aloof in a way that makes their crucial psychological tussle unconvincing. Ultimately, the logic of Hedda's predicament does not transpose neatly to Eiko's, leaving us somewhat bemused, if simultaneously taken by the rich texture of Gotanda's portrait. (Avila)

Working for the Mouse La Val's Subterranean Theatre, 1834 Euclid, Berk; (510) 464-4468. $7-12. Fri-Sat, 8pm; Sun, 7pm. Through Nov 16. Starting 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.

dance

'Pilot 39: Proof' ODC Theater, 3153 17th St; 863-9834. Wed, 8pm. $10-12. Six emerging choreographers showcase their works.

Shinichi Momo Koga and inkBoat Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, 701 Mission; 978-ARTS. Thurs-Sat, 8pm. $10-12. See 8 Days a Week, page 50.

Smuin Ballet Cowell Theatre, Fort Mason Center, Marina at Laguna; (415) 345-7575 or (415) 495-2234. Opens Fri/8. Runs Through Nov 24. Fri/8-Sat/9, Nov 12-16, and 19-23, 8 pm (also Sat, 2pm); Sun, 2pm (also Sun/10, 7pm). $35-55. See Critic's Choice.

Bay Area

Bolshoi Ballet Zellerbach Hall, Bancroft at Telegraph, UC Berkeley, Berk; (510) 642-9988. Wed-Sat, 8pm (also Sat, 2pm); Sun, 3pm. $38-84. The famed Russian company performs Yuri Grigorovich's interpretation of Swan Lake.

'Embody Motion' Black Box, 1928 Telegraph, Oakl; (510) 866-4366. Sat, 8pm. $10-15. Kendra Kimbrough Dance Ensemble, Big Moves, and other groups perform at this "celebration of the body."

Oakland Ballet Paramount Theatre, 2025 Broadway, Oakl; (510) 625-8497. Fri-Sat, 8pm; Sun, 2pm. $15-49. The company performs "Repertory Program III," which includes world premiere Mustt, choreographed by Mario Alonzo, plus four other works.

'Works in the Works' Eighth Street Studio, 2525 Eighth St, Berk; (510) 644-1788, ext 2. Sat-Sun, 7:30pm. Through Nov 24. $8. This performance series features a different lineup of choreographers each evening; this week's hosts include Mary Armentrout (Sat) and Nina Haft (Sun).

performance

BATS Improv Bayfront Theater, Fort Mason Center, Marina at Laguna; www.batsimprov.com. Thurs-Sun, 8pm. $6-12. This week's shows: "Romantic Interludes" (Thurs); "Gorilla Theatre" (Fri); "Improv Invasion!" (Sat); "Theatresports" (Sun).

'The Cafe Project: Second Cup' Canvas Cafe, 1200 Ninth Ave; 564-4799. Sun-Mon, 8pm. Free. Theatre Artists' Conspiracy performs an evening of new plays by local authors.

'EROShambo Surreal Robotic Cabaret' OmniCircus, 550 Natoma; 701-0686. Sat, 9:30pm. Ongoing. $10-15. A cast of musicians, performance artists, and robots appears in this original cabaret show.

'Ever Widening Circle: An Evening of Entertainment Celebrating Art and Disability' Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Theater, 700 Howard; (510) 251-4370. Thurs, 7pm. $15-100. Jazz chanteuse Wesla Whitfield, comedian Chris Fonseca, dance company Light Motion, playwright Lynn Manning, and pianist Valerie Zamora headline this celebration of performers with disabilities.

'Here We Are' Central YMCA, 220 Golden Gate; 621-0507. Sat-Sun, call for time. Free. Theatre of Yugen's education outreach program presents a culminating performance of theater, dance, and other arts by its participants, ages 9-18.

'Kuan-Yin: Our Lady of Compassion' Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Theater, 700 Howard; 978-ARTS. Sat, 8pm; Sun, 2pm. $15-25. Artists from Japan, Hong Kong, and the Bay Area appear in this new performance work by Brenda Wong Aoki and Mark Izu.

'Live! Naked! Truth' Jon Sims Center for the Arts, 1519 Mission; 554-0402. Fri, 8pm. $5-10. Heather Gold performs improvisational comedy inspired by current events.

'Lettere d'amore' Galleria, Istituto Italiano di Cultura, 925 Washington, Ste 200; 788-7142, ext 18. Tues, 6:30pm. Free (seating limited). See 8 Days a Week, page 50.

'The Madwoman of the Castro' Eureka Valley Recreation Center, 100 Collingwood; 337-4713. Thurs-Fri, 7:30pm; Sat-Sun, 2pm. Free. (Also Nov 15-16, 7:30pm; Nov 16-17, 2pm, Randall Museum Theatre, 199 Museum Wy). San Francisco Free Civic Theatre performs a localized adaptation of The Madwoman of Chaillot.

Playbill staged readings Blue Bear School of Music, Fort Mason Center, Bldg B, Marina at Laguna; 626-4603. Fri, 7:30pm. Through Nov 22. $5-10. This week's play in a series of works by new writers is Porn Yesterday, by Patricia Milton and Andrew Black.

'Portal' Orpheum Theatre, 1192 Market; 512-7770. $40-75. Fri-Sat, 8pm (also Sat, 1 and 4:30pm); Sun, 1 and 4:30pm. Magician David Copperfield performs.

'The Quilt Project: Pieces of Me' ODC Theater, 3153 17th St; 863-9834. Thurs-Sun, 8pm. $20. The Quilt Project is a venture by a group of African American dancer-choreographers and word artists who wanted to work within a shared context. It's not an easy proposition, given that these artists have strong voices of their own. Yet here they generously cross disciplines in order to give to each other. The result for Aisha Jenkins' River Returns and Laura Elaine Ellis's three-part Not Alone was dream dancing – not only in terms of the subject matter but in the quality of the performances. You simply couldn't take your eyes away from dancers such as Silfredo La O Vigo, Nora Chipaumire, or Valrie Nozipho Sanders. The stark Untitled Renderings by Robert Moses daringly explores gesture and stasis. Robert Henry Johnson acts as a kind of spirit MC; Marc Bamuthi Joseph is the evening's historical conscience. The program, however, needs a better finale. (Felciano)

'Soul of a Whore' Intersection for the Arts, 446 Valencia; 626-3311. Mon, 7:30pm. $5-15. Campo Santo presents a staged reading of Denis Johnson's new play.

'Women's Work' Venue 9, 252 Ninth St; 289-2000. Tues, 8pm. Through Nov 26. $8-10 (sliding scale). This week's performers in Venue 9's ongoing series include comedian Bridget Schwartz, solo performer Cathy Roy, singer-songwriter Marca Cassity, and dancer Sarah Sass.

'Zero Point Field' Xenodrome, 1320 Potrero; 285-XENO, www.xenodrome.com. Thurs-Sat, 9pm. Through Dec 14. Call for price. Xeno performs a show that combines classical dance with circus arts, pyrotechnics, and more.

Bay Area

'Borikua Fest' La Peña Cultural Center, 3105 Shattuck, Berk; (510) 849-2568, ext 20, www.lapena.org. Performance Fri, 8pm ($12-15); workshop Sat, 1-3pm ($5), discussion 7:30-8:30pm (call for price); dance party 9pm, $15; workshop Sun, noon-3pm ($5-10). (Also, performance Sun, 8pm, MACLA San Jose, 510 First St, San Jose; 408-286-8695. $10). See 8 Days a Week, page 50.

'FanTOYSmical Dreams' Alice Arts Center, 1428 Alice, Oakl; (510) 655-1265. Fri, 7pm; Sat-Sun, 2pm. Through Nov 17. (Also Nov 29-Dec 1, 2pm, Julia Morgan Theatre, 2640 College, Berk). $8-15. The all-youth Splash Circus ensemble performs a new show.

'The Motown Story' Black Repertory Group Theatre, 3021 Adeline, Berk; (925) 205-1581. Fri-Sat, 8pm (also Sat, 2:30pm); Sun, 5pm. $12-15. The Black Repertoru Group presents George Sledge's play.

'Rococo Risque' Tuva Space, 2139 Adeline, Berk; (415) 902-4151, www.trickyflicks.com. Thurs-Sat, 8:30pm. $7-10. Black Betty hosts a cabaret show.

comedy

BrainWash Café 1122 Folsom; 861-3663. Thurs, 8pm: Comedy open mic hosted by Tony Sparks, free.

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

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: "North Beach Improv," with host Uncle Vinny Rizzo, $10.

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

Spanganga 3376 19th St; 826-1202. Fri, 10pm: Comedy troupe Kasper Hauser performs, $10. Through Nov 22. Fri/8-Sat/9, Nov 14-15, 8pm: Comedy troupe Drunken Monkey (formerly known as Johnnykats) performs "The Full Monkey," $10.

The Stud 399 Ninth St; 823-5121, stoodupsf@hotmail.com. Wed, 8:30pm: "Stood Up!," hosted by Pippi Lovestocking and Ronn Vigh, $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: BrainWash Café 1122 Folsom; 440-5530. "Spoken Word Salon," open mic with host Diamond Dave Whitaker, 8pm, free. Starry Plough 3101 Shattuck, Berk; (510) 841-2082. "Chicken Grease," poetry slam, 8pm, $7.

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. Maud Fife Room UC Berkeley, 315 Wheeler Hall, Bancroft at Telegraph, Berk; jscape@socrates.berkeley.edu. Poet Carol Snow reads, 6pm, free. Morrison Library UC Berkeley, Doe Library, Bancroft at Telegraph, Berk; (510) 642-0137. Li-Young Lee reads his poetry, 12:10pm, free. Mills College Faculty Lounge, Rothwell Center, 5000 MacArthur, Oakl; (510) 430-2080. Poet Francisco X. Alarcon reads, 7pm, free.

Friday: Dolores Park Café 501 Dolores; 621-2936. "Oral Fixation," spoken word open mic, 7:30pm, $2 donation requested. Unitarian Center 1187 Franklin; www.sfsu.edu/~poetry. George Albon discusses George Oppen's poetry, 7:30pm, $7.

Saturday: Berkeley Art Center 1275 Walnut, Berk; (510) 527-9753. "Rhythm and Muse," open mic with featured performers Sonata Pi, 7pm, free.

Sunday: Cody's Books 2454 Telegraph, Berk; (510) 845-7852. "Poetry Flash," with D. Nurske and Eliot Schain, 7:30pm, $2.

Monday: Perry's Joint 1661 Fillmore; 931-5260. "Celebration of the Word," with featured reader Anna Sears, plus open mic, 7pm, free.