theater

Opening

The Mikado Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, 701 Mission; 978-2787, www.lamplighters.org. $10-42 (Aug 26, pay what you can). Previews Fri/20, 8pm. Opens Sat/21, 8pm. Runs Thurs-Sat and Sept 5, 8pm (also Aug 28, 2pm); Sun/22 and Aug 29, 2pm. Through Sept 5. The Lamplighters of San Francisco perform Gilbert and Sullivan's popular operetta.

Proof Off-Market Theater, 965 Mission; 577-1161, www.theatreproject.org. $15-25. Previews Thurs/19, 8pm. Opens Fri/20, 8pm. Runs Thurs-Sat and Mon/23, 8pm. Through Aug 28. The Theatre Project, in association with Combined Art Form Entertainment, performs David Auburn's play about a brilliant mathematician and his daughter.

Ongoing

Are We Almost There? Shelton Theatre, 533 Sutter; 345-7575. $22-24. Fri-Sat, 8pm. Through Sept 11. Travel is the theme of this musical comedy revue.

Breakfast with Scot New Conservatory Theatre Center, 25 Van Ness; 861-8972, www.nctcsf.org. $20-40. Wed-Sat, 8pm; Sun, 2pm. Through Sept 12. New Conservatory Theatre Center's "Pride Season Ten" kicks off with Michael Downing's world premiere comedy about a gay couple who're surprised to find the 11-year-old they've agreed to care for is "a budding queen."

Circumnavigator Marsh, 1062 Valencia; 826-5750, www.themarsh.org. $10-14. Thurs-Sat, 8pm. Through Aug 28. Dan Hoyle's solo performance is his travelogue of a 2002 around-the-world trip financed by a grant from the Circumnavigator Club to study the impact of globalization. The traveler's young and inquisitive mind, however, lends the enterprise a personal cast, interrogating his own assumptions as an activist and the child of a '60s-era socialist in light of the social complexities he encounters. These latter include union leaders in Thailand, free-trade boosters in India, hip-hop aficionados in Kenya, corporate-sponsored surfers in South Africa, and street urchins in Argentina, among others. Throughout, Hoyle (son of actor-performer Geoff Hoyle) displays ample gifts as a mimic. Directed by veteran monologuist Charlie Varon, he draws his characters skillfully, with much humor and implicit compassion. The least defined or consistent character ends up being his narrator self, a skin he seems less comfortable in, onstage anyway. Partly as a result, the narrator's tentative questioning of the accepted avenues of resistance to global capitalism remains less than compelling. Doubts aside, the world order Hoyle investigates makes a playground for the superrich at the expense of everyone else, while the persistence and ingenuity of human personality, so artfully represented here, becomes a source of marvel and hope. (Avila)

*Circus Contraption's Grand American Traveling Dime Museum CELLspace, 2050 Bryant; 1-800-838-3006, www.circuscontraption.com. $15. Fri-Sun, 9pm. Through Aug 28. There aren't many places you can go these days to enjoy a plate of homemade blackberry cobbler à la mode while watching a trombone-playing caveman demonstrate virtuosic whistling skills, a trio of tap-dancing chorus girls in corsets and frilly knickers do tricks with bowler hats and hoops, and a deranged bunny and a contortionist race each other on stationary penny farthing bicycles. Thankfully, Circus Contraption's Grand American Traveling Dime Museum offers all these delights and more. While a few of the acts aren't up to much, this Seattle-based company of dexterous performers presents its twisted theatrics with such gusto that dropped juggling balls and scrappy scene changes are made to look almost deliberate. Combining a Victorian fairground aesthetic with a Triplets of Belleville sensibility, Circus Contraption gives us a rare insight into the silliest and most bizarre contraption of all time: the human being. (Veltman)

'Comedy on the Square' Shelton Theatre, 533 Sutter; 522-8900. Most shows $15. Upcoming performances: Oakland Playhouse Improv Troupe (Fri, 10pm, ongoing); Will Franken's "Circushead" (Sat/21 and Aug 28, 10pm); "A Celebration of Laughs," with Fred Anderson (Sun, 3 and 7pm, ongoing; no show Sun/15); "Tortoise Attraction," sketch comedy show with Uphill Both Ways (Sun, 8:30pm, through Sept 5); "Bush League 2004," political comedy show (Sept 12, 8:30pm). Tortoise Attraction: "Tortoise Attraction" is the title of this evening of short sketches by Bay Area comedy team Uphill Both Ways. It's impossible to infer from the material just what they had in mind, but the label feels apt in at least one sense: it takes a little while to warm to the show. Words, it turns out, are part of the problem – for example, the word spam (as in faux ham, not junk mail), which as an opening comedy salvo rarely bodes well for originality. But things do get gradually better, as the tortoise said. Company members Colin Benoit, Jack Daniel, Sean McGinn, and Dave McKew are all funny guys with tremendous energy, and the several inspired scenes (the writing is divided between the four of them) point encouragingly past the more obvious or underdeveloped material. And it's the better sketches that seem to lock in the performances too, which can otherwise be unfocused or plagued by shaky characterizations. That said, the group's boisterousness and personality make it hard to begrudge them even the filler. (Avila)

Disney's The Lion King Orpheum Theatre, 1192 Market; 512-7770, 356-LION, www.bestofbroadway-sf.com. $26-82. Extended run: Tues-Sat, 8pm (also Sat, 2pm); Sun, 1 and 6:30pm. Through Sept 10. Starting Oct 13, runs Wed-Sat and Oct 26, 8pm (also Wed and Sat, 2pm); Sun, 1 and 6:30pm (no 6:30pm show Oct 31). Through Nov 21. Apparently director and designer Julie Taymor didn't win those Tonys for nothing. The Bay Area premiere of her staged interpretation of Disney's The Lion King, courtesy of Best of Broadway, works so well you're liable to forgive the residual Disney that clings to this singular spectacle. The plot – a lion cub grows up in exile until he can assume his rightful place on the usurped throne of his late father – must be familiar to nearly everyone by now; the characters are the stock ones recycled by Disney. They're animated, however, by a superb cast. (Avila)

Ella! First Lady of Song Shelton Theater, 533 Sutter; (510) 232-3522. $15. Sat, 10pm. Ongoing. Jamie Myrick stars in this multimedia jazz production paying tribute to Ella Fitzgerald.

An Evening With Spencer Day New Conservatory Theatre Center, 25 Van Ness; 861-8972, www.nctcsf.org. $20-25. Fri-Sat, 8pm; Sun, 3pm. Through Aug 29. As part of the New Conservatory Theatre Center's "In Concert" series, the singer-songwriter and pianist weaves a personal journey through classic and original songs.

The Fantasticks Playhouse, 536 Sutter; 677-9596, www.sfplayhouse.org. $30. Extended run: Wed/18-Sat/21, 8pm (also Sat/21, 3pm). S.F. Playhouse wraps up a terrific debut season with Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt's 1960 musical, a lyrical crowd-pleaser derived from Edmond Rostand's satire of young love, Les romanesques. Dianna Shuster directs a winsome ensemble cast in a stripped down plotline that gives full absurdist play to the story of a young couple (Mark Farrell and Katy Stephan, in two charmingly spot-on performances) who secretly woo over the wall (Shaye Troha, in the role of all-purpose and all-seeing Mute) built between their backyards by their quarreling fathers (Louis Parnell and Brian Scott). In fact, their ardor is being intentionally stoked by their colluding parents (who realize, as one of the show's lively songs has it, that children only do what you tell them not to). (Avila)

*I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change Marines Memorial Theatre, 609 Sutter; 1-877-771-6900, www.tickets.com. $40-55. Tues-Fri, 8pm; Sat, 5 and 9pm; Sun, 2 and 7pm. Through Sept 5. If the conceit of off Broadway's longest-running musical (a comic look at the roller-coaster ride of modern heterosexual romance) sounds less than original, its execution feels surprisingly fresh thanks to a fine balance of comedy, tunefulness, and charm. Amounting to a series of short sketches with titles like "Single Man Drought," "A Stud and a Babe," and "Men Who Talk and the Women Who Pretend They're Listening," the breezy book and consistently clever lyrics of Joe DiPietro (Memphis), together with engaging music from Jimmy Roberts (pleasing rendered by a piano-and-violin duet), serve as an ideal foundation for a sharp and versatile four-person cast. (Avila)

Improvised Bawdy Shakespeare Exit Stage Left, 156 Eddy; 869-5384, www.un-scripted.com. $7-10. Fri/20-Sat/21, 8pm. The Un-Scripted Theater Company performs a spontanous, Bard-inspired, dirty joke-packed comedy.

Leftovers: The Ups and Downs of a Compulsive Eater Next Stage, 1620 Bush; 826-6505. $15-25. Fri-Sat and Aug 26, 8pm (no show Sat/21); Sun, 3pm (Aug 29, show at 8pm). Through Aug 29. It might be unfair to compare Marcia Kimmell, Deah Schwartz, and Anne Wilford's Leftovers: The Ups and Downs of a Compulsive Eater with Eve Ensler's recent solo show, The Good Body – as far as budget goes, the Next Stage production is to Ensler's what Ross Dress for Less is to Gucci. But in fundamental ways, the two shows are remarkably similar: both deal with women's self-image problems, both see fatness as a factor of psychological-emotional trauma, both come to the conclusion that we shouldn't listen to what Cosmo tells us, and – hold the Slimfast! – that we should love ourselves just the way we are. While neither Leftovers nor The Good Body truly trims the fat off a topic that has been overdigested for decades, at least Ensler works it with humor and clever writing. Despite successful moments, even a Lion King-sized budget wouldn't rescue Leftovers' flagging rhythm and flat mise-en-scène. (Veltman)

Lusty Booty New Langton Arts, 1246 Folsom; 289-6766, www.thunderbirdtheatre.com. $15-20. Thurs-Mon, 8pm. Through Aug 28. Thunderbird Theatre Company performs an original comedy inspired by pirate romance novels.

Marga Gomez's Intimate Details Theatre Rhinoceros, 2926 16th St; 861-5079, www.therhino.org. $15-28. Wed-Sat, 8pm; Sun, 3 and 7pm. Through Sept 5. Lesbian comedian Marga Gomez performs her sixth solo show, a " 'walk of shame' through her sexual backstreets."

Movin' Out Golden Gate Theatre, One Taylor; 512-7770, www.ticketmaster.com. $34-81. Tues-Sat, 8pm (also Wed and Sat, 2pm); Sun, 2pm. Through Aug 29. Popular music has consistently inspired Twyla Tharp, more than most modern dance choreographers, so her choosing to respond to the songs of Billy Joel comes as no surprise. Tharp's Movin' Out constructs a very clear story line, told exclusively through ballet-rooted dance and pop music, one that aims simultaneously to push the boundaries of musical theater and to resonate with war-poisoned present-day America. In terms of testing the limits of what audiences will accept as musical theater, Movin' Out succeeds surprisingly well, as evidenced by its Tony Award-winning Broadway run and now the touring show presented by Best of Broadway. The only baggage turns out to be the narrative stringing these elements together; as far as the salient theme of war goes – elaborated in darkly hallucinatory scenes of battle casualties and their lingering hold on the minds of America's discarded veterans – the play strangely fails to arouse much interest. (Avila)

*Not a Genuine Black Man Marsh, 1062 Valencia; 826-5750. $15-22. Extended run: Thurs-Sat, 8:30pm. Through Aug 28. What, asks the unapologetically middle-class Brian Copeland, is the real meaning behind the phrase, "a genuine black man"? By way of an answer, the stand-up comic and KGO radio host offers up a simultaneously funny and disarmingly frank story about growing up African American in the racist suburb that was San Leandro in the early 1970s. Letting his narrative bounce back and forth between his boyhood memories and a period of depression that overtook him as a parent in 1999 – and interlarding the autobiography with verbatim utterances from both sides of the fight his family joined to desegregate the city – Copeland brings admirable chops as a comedian to bear on some difficult and disturbing, if ultimately hopeful, material. (Avila)

Orpheus Descending Actors Theatre of San Francisco, 533 Sutter; 296-9179, www.actorstheatresf.org. $15-25. Thurs-Sat, 8pm; Sun, 7pm. Through Aug 28. Actors Theatre presents the 1957 Tennessee Williams play, a masterful blend of dramatic realism and poetic symbolism that reworks his first professional effort (1940's unsuccessful Battle of Angels) while retelling the Orpheus-Eurydice myth in the context of a suffocating Southern town. Williams's version of Orpheus's descent into hell to rescue his beloved has a dark and handsome drifter-troubadour named Valentine Xavier (a compellingly Brando-esque Alex Garcia) arrive at the dry goods store and soon-to-open confectionery operated by Lady Torrance (an excellent Ann Hopkins, temporarily replacing Nadia Tarzi for the remainder of the run) on behalf of her black-hearted husband (John Krause) lying upstairs on his death bed. Val's role as savior to the repressed lady – an Italian American left to a loveless marriage after the lethal destruction of her father's wine garden by arsonists enraged by his black customers – has something of the Christian tradition about it too, while the play's grim and powerful climax manifests the hypocrisy, racism, and sheer brutality of the white Christian establishment. Directed by Jean Shelton, the play strikes an enchanting balance between an ethereal lyricism and an earthy naturalism and gets all the emotional force it demands from a focused and committed cast. (Avila)

V the Ultimate Variety Show V Theater, Pier 39; 39-VSHOW, www.vtheshow.com. $24-44. Nightly, 6 and 8pm. Ongoing. A revolving array of variety acts highlight this family-friendly show originally produced in Las Vegas.

Va Va Voom Room Plush Room, York Hotel, 940 Sutter; 885-2800, www.vavavoomroom.com. $20-25. Fri-Sat, 11pm. Ongoing. Each week a new cast of performers from San Francisco, New York City, and Los Angeles present a burlesque and vaudeville cabaret.

Zippy the Pinhead in Fun: The Concept Dark Room Theater, 2263 Mission; 401-7987, www.darkroomsf.com. $12.50-16. Extended run: Aug 27-28, 8pm. Proof that it takes a village idiot, the stage adaptation of Bill Griffith's legendary comic strip finally breaks down capitalism's disorienting mass-culture consumer haze into individually wrapped fun-sized chunks of wizdumb. In a suitably weird 70-minute production blessed by Griffith himself and brought to you by producers Jim Fourniadis and Erin Ohanneson – of the late Spanganga gallery, now ensconced in their new community theater space, the Dark Room – Bryce Byerly plays the microcephalous pop-culture sensualist in the clown suit and five o'clock shadow, alter id to his creator Griffy (Mikl-Em), a neurotic everyman railing against postmodernity's suburban vacuities. Part Seinfeld, part Pee-wee's Playhouse, playwright Denzil Meyers's story folds the freakish strip's wacky wordplay and brazen anticlimaxes into a loose plot involving a dangling contractual offer from Dino De Laurentis and Griffy's existential meltdown. (Avila)

Bay Area

*The Caucasian Chalk Circle John Hinkel Park, Southampton and Somerset, Berk; (510) 841-6500, www.shotgunplayers.org. Free. Sat-Sun, 4pm. Through Aug 29. Following last year's excellent run of Bertolt Brecht's Mother Courage and Her Children, it's with welcome consistency that the Shotgun Players chose another of the playwright's major works for their annual summer show in John Hinkel Park. While not as even as last year's offering, director Cliff Mayotte's intelligent production proves nearly as entertaining and every bit as relevant to an age of war and war-profiteering. Grusha, a young peasant woman of the Caucasus (played at different points by Karla Acosta, Sofia Ahmad, and Trish Mulholland), sacrifices all to save a helpless infant, abandoned by the governor's shrewish wife during a bloody coup d'état. When the latter tries to reclaim the child later on, the two competing mothers come before a judge, the boozy and corrupt but ever sly Azdak (variously played by Mulholland, John Thomas, and Andy Alabran), put in power through the cheek of a couple of soldiers during the period of marshal law. Mulholland and Alabran deliver standout performances, though the large ensemble isn't always as strong as it could be. (Avila)

*Cavalia: A Magical Encounter Between Horse and Man Golden Gate Fields, off I-80 on the Berkeley-Albany border; 1-866-999-8111, www.cavalia.net. $44-79. Extended run: Sat/21, Aug 24-26, 8pm (also Sat/21, 3pm); Sun/22, 1 and 5pm. Through Aug 26. "Whoa, hold your horses there, partner. I thought Cirque du Soleil was supposed to be sans animaux." Yeah, well, who said this was Cirque du Soleil? OK, the show's creator, Normand Latourelle, cofounded the world-famous Quebec-based cirque. And in many ways this lush multimedia equestrian extravaganza really does look like Cirque du Soleil with horses. But bears on trikes it isn't. These horses are well loved and clearly much happier, generally speaking, than the rest of us. Cavalia stars 33 of these stunning creatures, on an enormous big-top stage, interacting with European horse whisperer Frédéric Pignon and his wife, trainer and rider Magali Delgado, along with 30 or so acrobats, aerialists, trick riders, dancers, and musicians in scenes that range from slow, wistful dance sequences to high-energy feats of intermammalian prowess. (Avila)

The Fantasticks Hwy 1 and Calle Del Mar, Stinson Beach; (415) 868-1115. $17-24. Fri/20-Sat/21, 7pm; Sun/22, 6pm. Shakespeare at Stinson performs the romantic musical.

The Importance of Being Earnest Bruns Amphitheater, 100 Gateway, Orinda; (510) 548-9666, www.calshakes.org. $13-52. Tues-Thurs, 7:30pm; Fri-Sat, 8pm (also Sept 4, 2pm); Sun, 4pm. Through Sept 5. California Shakespeare Theater performs Oscar Wilde's romantic comedy.

Love and Taxes 142 Throckmorton Theatre, 142 Throckmorton, Mill Valley; (415) 383-9600, www.142throckmortontheatre.com. $20-25. Fri/20-Sat/21, 8pm; Sun/22, 5pm. Josh Kornbluth (Haiku Tunnel) performs his latest solo comedy show.

The Mysterious Mr. Looney Berkeley City Club, 2315 Durant, Berk; (510) 558-1381, www.centralworks.org. $8-20 sliding scale. Thurs-Sat, 8pm; Sun, 5pm. Through Aug 29. When a shady character by the name of J.T. Looney turns up uninvited at the well-appointed home of renowned Shakespeare scholar Sir Sidney Chambers, claiming that the dramatist's plays were not written by a bloke from Stratford but by someone entirely different, Sir Sidney is understandably peeved. Waving quills instead of cutlasses, the two mighty intellects try to settle the Shakespeare authorship question once and for all. Gary Graves's play manages to turn a musty literary debate into moderately interesting theater. The resonant use of dramatic irony – Shakespeare isn't the only figure whose identity beckons the question "what's in a name?" – imbues the play with depth, but the dragging argument and melodramatic moments (including a fainting scene and a ghost) give it a bumpy farcical edge. Although the play is anachronistic in its presentation of the state of early-20th-century literary criticism, gusto performances and the gorgeous setting of Berkeley City Club make for a fun night out. (Veltman)

Showdown at Crawford Gulch Bolinas Community Center, 14 Wharf, Bolinas; (415) 285-1717, www.sfmt.org. Free. Wed/18, 7:30pm (live music, 7pm). Also: Thurs/19, 7pm with live music at 6:30pm, Todd Grove Park, MusicPark Blvd, Ukiah. Sat/21, 2pm with live music at 1:30pm, Peacock Meadow, Golden Gate Park (JFK Dr between McLaren Lodge and Conservatory of Flowers), SF. Sun/22, 2pm with live music at 1:30pm, Washington Square Park, Columbus at Union, SF. Show continues at northern California parks through Sept 26. With a politically of-the-moment take on the spaghetti western of old, the San Francisco Mime Troupe storms into the parks and pastures of northern California with puns blazing. A quick-draw cast and Jason Sherbundy's catchy tunes animate the story of a small Texan burb called Crawford Gulch, which finds its collective chaps and petticoats in a twist over a red menace (read: Comanche terrorism) propagated by the mayor (Ed Holmes) – who also owns the bank – with help from a trigger-happy parson (Michael Carreiro); a slick East Coast capitalist (Amos Glick), who secretly covets the precious fluid beneath the Indian land; and the new editor of the local paper (Velina Brown). Looks like a job for some masked avenger (Michael Gene Sullivan) or, better yet, just some general unmasking that will leave the real interests behind war and fear-mongering buck naked for all to see. Sure enough, faced with the real scoundrels, one character offers a classic bit of Wild West problem-solving ("Let's burn down the bank!"), although the good citizens of Crawford Gulch decide on exercising their democratic prerogatives instead. In the West, it's always the authorities who end up being the truly wild ones. (Avila)

dance

'House Special' ODC Theater, 3153 17th St; 863-9834, www.odctheater.org. Sat, 8pm. $12. See Critic's Choice.

Yaelisa and Caminos Flamencos ODC Theater, 3153 17th St; 863-9834, www.odctheater.org. Sun, 7pm. $10-17. See 8 Days a Week.

'Yerba Buena Gardens Festival' Yerba Buena Gardens, Mission between Third and Fourth Sts; 543-1718, www.ybgf.org. Aug 22-29. Free. Featured performances this week: Sun/22, 1-2pm, "Butoh in the Gardens;" Mon/23, 12:30pm, group A and Danny Nguyen Dancers and Musicians; Tues/24, 12:30pm, Erica Rose Jeffery and Deborah Slater Dance Theater.

Bay Area

Aniruddha Knight Julia Morgan Center for the Arts, 2640 College, Berk; (925) 798-1300. Fri, 8pm. $15-25. See 8 Days a Week.

'Live Art: Butoh and Action Theater Performances' Temescal Arts Center, 511 48th St, Oakl; (510) 601-7494, www.temescalartscenter.org. Fri-Sat, 8:30pm. Through Aug 28. $15-20. This weekend: Butoh artist Tanya Calamoneri with double bass improviser Damon Smith, Butoh artists Paige Sorvillo and Kinji Hayashi, and members of experimental music and Butoh company Degenerate Art Ensemble.

performance

BATS Improv Bayfront Theater, Fort Mason Center, Bldg B, third fl, Marina at Laguna; 474-8935, www.improv.org. Thurs, 8pm: "The Harold," $10. Fri, 8pm: "Special Guest: True Fiction Magazine," $15. Sat, 8pm: "Spontaneous Broadway," $12. Mon, 7pm: "Long-Form Intensive Showcase," free.

'Fauxgirls!' Marlena's, 488 Hayes; 864-6672. Sat, 10pm. Free. Victoria Secret and Alexandria host a drag cabaret.

'Fireworks!' Marsh, 1062 Valencia; 826-5750, www.themarsh.org. Wed, 8pm. $25-50 sliding scale. Performer and circus artist Sara Felder appears as part of the Marsh's San Francisco Treasure Series.

'Lynnee Breedlove's One-Freak Show' Dark Room, 2263 Mission; www.darkroomsf.com. Thurs, 8pm; Fri, 10pm (no show Fri/20). Through Sept 24. $7-10 sliding scale. The Tribe 8 singer and author (Godspeed) performs a comedic solo show.

Off-Market Theater and Studio 965 Mission, 896-6477, www.cafearts.com. $10 unless otherwise noted. Thurs, 8pm: "Improv Revolution." Fri, 8pm: "Harmon Leon: TV Pirate."

'San Francisco Drag King Contest' DNA Lounge, 375 11th St; 282-5378, www.sfdragkingcontest.com. Thurs, 8pm-2am. $20-35. See 8 Days a Week.

'Testify: Real People and Religion' 30 Grant, sixth fl; 439-2332, ext 2, www.act-sfbay.org. Thurs-Sat, 7:30pm (also Fri-Sat, 4:30pm). Free. The Studio ACT Theater of Testimony class performs this original work based on interviews with 50 men and women from various religious backgrounds.

'3 Drops of Blood: Installment III' Dance Mission Theater, 3316 24th St; 273-4633. Fri-Sat, 8pm. $15-18. Ali Tabatabai curates this evening of varied performance, featuring Rova Saxophone Quartet, inkBoat, Gamelan Sekar Jaya, Nanos Operetta, and Leyya Tawil.

'Til Friday' Club Rendezvous, 1312 Polk; 309-CLUB. Fri, 10:30pm and midnight. Ongoing. Free. Cockatelia, Holotta Tymes, Manley Lennox, Sofondaboyz, and weekly guest stars tear up the stage at this drag revue.

'Veils/Vestiges: The Aesthetics of Hidden Things' Noh Space, 2840 Mariposa; 621-7978, www.theatreofyugen.org. Mon-Tues, 8pm. $10-15 sliding scale. The experimental Strangefruit Theatre Ensemble performs an investigation of "the mysteries and catastrophes of the human heart, mind, and body."

Bay Area

'Open Stage Festival' Various locations, Oakl; www.openstagefest.com. Wed-Thurs, 8pm; Sun, 2pm. $5-10. Performance artist Hanifah Walidah (Black Folks Guide to Black Folks) and the Oakland Cultural Arts Department host this three-day festival, featuring spoken word, live music, dance, and more.

comedy

Canvas Gallery 1200 Ninth Ave; 504-0010. Tues, 8pm: "Comedy Open Mic Night," free.

Climate Theatre 285 Ninth St; 863-1076. Sun, 8pm: "S.C.A.M.: Stunts, Comedy, and Magic," with Eric Cash, $5. Through Aug 29. Mon, 8pm: "Monday Night Improv Jam," presented by the San Francisco Improv Co-Operative, $5. Tues, 8pm: "Tuesday Night Improv Special: Night of 1,000 Games," short-form improv jam, $5.

Cobb's Comedy Club 915 Columbus; 928-4320, www.cobbscomedy.com. Wed, 8pm: "All-Pro Comedy Showcase," $10. Thurs-Sun, 8pm (also Fri-Sat, 10:15pm): Dat Phan and Tammy Pescatelli, $15-20.

Dark Room 2263 Mission; 401-7987. Sat, 10pm: "Ha Bloody Ha," live talk show with Harmon Leon, $5-10. Through Aug 28.

50 Mason Lounge 50 Mason; 398-4129, www.50masonlounge.com. Wed-Sat, 8pm: "San Francisco Comedy Club Showcase," $10.

Green Room Comedy Club 2801 Leavenworth (at the Cannery); 674-9333, www.greenroomcomedy.com. Thurs-Sun, 8:30pm (also Fri-Sat, 10:30pm): Don Freisen, $12-15.

Hyena Theater 2390 Mission; 821-3601. Sat, 8:30pm: "Hyena Comedy All-Stars," hosted by Julia Jackson, $7.

Mock Cafe 1074 Valencia; 826-5750, ext 5. Sat, 9pm: Stand-up comedy showcase, $7.

Punch Line 444 Battery; 397-PLSF. Mon, 9pm: "Bizarro's PolitiComedy-A-Go-Go," with cartoonist Dan Piraro and comedians Jeff Kreisler, Brian Malow, and Michael Capozzola, $12.

Purple Onion 140 Columbus; 217-8400, 956-1653. Wed, 9pm: "San Francisco Showcase," $7.

Uptown 200 Capp; 206-9997. Wed, 8:30pm: "Uptown Comedy Open Mic," hosted by Eric Peterson, free.

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 spoken word events and featured readers:

Wednesday: BrainWash Café 1122 Folsom, SF; (415) 440-5530. "Spoken Word Salon," with host Diamond Dave Whitaker, 8pm, free. Canvas Cafe 1200 Ninth Ave, SF; (415) 504-0060, mike@westcoastvideo.net. "Open Mic Talent Showcase," 7:30pm, free. Lost and Found Saloon 1353 Grant, SF; (415) 981-9557. Open mic with host Chris Brown, 8:30pm, free. Il Piccolo Cafe 1219 Broadway, Burlingame; (650) 631-5732. Poet Esther Kamkar reads, 7pm, free. Magnet 4122 18th St, SF; kirkread@earthlink.net. "Smack Dab," open mic with featured readers Bambi Lake and Alvin Orloff, free.

Thursday: 16th Street/Mission BART Plaza 16th St at Mission, SF; (415) 255-9881. "CAI Street Arts Workshop," open mic, 8:30pm, free. Mediterranean Cafe 2475 Telegraph, Berk; (510) 526-5985. "Word Beat Reading Series," with featured readers Bert Glick and Randy Fingland, 7pm, free.

Friday: 21 Grand 449 23rd St, Oakl; (510) 444-7263. "Bay Area Summer Poetry Marathon," noon-4pm and 6:30-9:30pm, $5-15 sliding scale.

Monday: Rockin Java Cafe 1821 Haight, SF; (415) 440-5530. "Open Mic Spoken Word Singing Word," hosted by Diamond Dave Whitaker, 7:30pm, free. Purple Onion 140 Columbus, SF; (415) 217-8400, www.caffemacaroni.com. Open mic hosted by the Kitchenettes, 7pm, $5. Priya Indian Cuisine 2072 San Pablo, Berk; berkeleypoetryexpress@yahoo.com. "Poetry Express: Tribute to Dixi Cohn Night," 7pm, free.

Tuesday: Pat's Cafe 2330 Taylor, SF; (415) 905-8837. "Pat's Cafe Reading Series," with featured reader Rudy Waltz, plus open mic, 7pm, free. Beanery 2925 College, Berk; (510) 549-9093. "Whole Note Poetry Series: Tribute to Allen Cohen," 7pm, free (RSVP as space is limited).