theater
Opening

Extremities Noh Space, 2840 Mariposa; 621-7978, www.acteva.com/go/extremities. $25-35. Opens Fri/19, 8pm. Runs Thurs-Sat, 8pm (no show Nov 25); Sun, 3pm. Through Dec 19. Sale Productions performs William Mastrosimone's drama about a woman who holds her attacker captive and tortures him; net proceeds benefit San Francisco Women Against Rape.

Our Town Playhouse, 536 Sutter; 677-9596, www.ticketweb.com. $30 (previews $15; opening night $50). Previews Wed/17-Thurs/18, 8pm. Opens Fri/19, 8pm. Runs Wed-Sat, 8pm (also Sat, 3pm; no show Nov 25). Through Dec 18. SF Playhouse performs Thornton Wilder's American classic.

Bay Area

Polk County Berkeley Rep's Roda Theatre, 2015 Addison, Berk; (510) 647-2949, www.berkeleyrep.org. $15-60. Previews Fri/19-Sat/20 and Mon/22, 8pm; Sun/21, 7pm. Opens Tues/23, 8pm. Runs Tues, Thurs-Sat, and Dec 20, 8pm (no shows Nov 25 or Dec 24-25; additional shows Nov 27, Dec 4, 11, 16, 23, 30, and Jan 8, 2pm); Wed, 7pm (Nov 24, show at 8pm); Sun, 2 and 7pm. Through Jan 9. Berkeley Rep performs the world premiere of Zora Neale Hurston and Dorothy Waring's long-lost musical drama set in a depression-era Florida sawmill camp.

Ongoing

*Addicted ... a Comedy of Substance Marine's Memorial Theatre, 609 Sutter; 771-6900, www.marinesmemorialtheatre.com. $25-40. Extended run: Wed-Fri, 8pm; Sat-Sun, 2pm (also Sat, 9pm). Through Nov 27. This is a must-see for anyone who's ever been addicted to anything: this dude feels your pain. Writer-performer and stand-up comedian Mark Lundholm's very funny and genuinely amazing story draws on the Bay Area native's long slide from a spastic childhood in front of the TV set into a self-annihilating adulthood of crime, drug abuse, absent fatherhood, and homelessness. If his high-energy, razor-sharp performance and flawless timing seem to belie the notion of a guy utterly lacking in self-control, it just underscores the significance of Lundholm's narrative and its real-life transformation. Broadway and cinema's Bob Balaban directs this agile multicharacter one-man show, which makes excellent use of lighting and sound effects to support the already vivid voices in Lundholm's head. Alternately suggesting the funniest Alcoholics Anonymous speech ever, the sickest and slickest motivational talk around, and a 3D jailbreak from the pages of a Robert Crumb comic, Lundholm's charisma and candor have a freshness that can make old subjects – like the pointlessness of a triple decaf anything – seem brand-new and the less-charted terrain of the serious addict disarmingly close to home. (Avila)

*'Avant GardARAMA!' Exit Theatre, 156 Eddy; 419-3584. $15-25. Fri/19-Sat/20, 8pm. Cutting Ball Theater's five playlet sample pack of experimental theater matches rarely seen work by masters Richard Foreman, Heiner Müller, Suzan-Lori Parks, and Mac Wellman, with artistic director Rob Melrose's own worthy contribution, Helen of Troy. The evening begins with Fighter Airplanes, a more than convincing channeling of Foreman's dreamlike style (based on a section of the playwright's notebooks), which makes the most sensible nonsense out of two war-bent jumbo jets being interrogated by a couple of sexy French stewardesses with a pacifist bent. Among the many highlights of the evening is Jaxy Boyd's terrific monologue in Parks's Pickling, the story of an African American woman who's learned the art of preservation maybe a little too well. Melrose's attentive and insightful direction brings out the specific contours of each play, producing a lively and interesting assortment of themes and styles underscored by Michael Locher's beautifully apt scenic flourishes, Cliff Caruthers's excellently wrought soundscapes, and solid work by a charismatic ensemble (featuring Boyd, James S. Craft, Danielle O'Hare, Ryan Oden, Jessa Santens, and David Sinaiko). (Avila)

Ben Franklin: Unplugged Magic Theatre, Fort Mason Center, Marina at Laguna; 441-8822, www.zspace.org. $25-30. Wed-Sat, 8pm (also Sat, 3pm; no show Nov 25); Sun, 3pm (also Nov 28, 7pm). Through Nov 28. Monologuist Josh Kornbluth's segue from autobiography into the life of the prince of autobiographers ends up, of course, being yet another approach to his own story – especially as it concerns his communist father – first broached in Red Diaper Baby. This time, however, the relationship with his "un-American" father develops as a clever parallel and contrast to the filial saga behind "first American" and founding father Ben Franklin (to whom Kornbluth finds he bears an uncanny resemblance, a coincidence that launches a short-lived career as a Franklin impersonator and an even shorter one as a Franklin scholar impersonator). Set in Annie Smart's comfy kitchen, where Kornbluth keeps busy making himself lunch and doing little things about the house, this collaboration with director David Dower has a more theatrical (i.e., vaguely Mister Rogers' Neighborhood-like) feel to it than your standard standup or sit-down monologue, and though Kornbluth's famously emphatic delivery can be too emphatic at times, the consistently amusing history lesson gets progressively involving – in fact, Kornbluth is at his best here when delivering what's essentially a smoothly executed lecture on the tortuous tale of Ben and William Franklin, a story that loops back to his own in a fashion both supple and compelling. (Avila)

Carrie Snow: 7,000 Sailors Can't Be Wrong Off-Market Theater, 965 Mission; 1-866-468-3399, www.cafearts.com. $20. Fri-Sat, 8pm (no shows Nov 26-27). Through Dec 4. The comedian and former Roseanne writer performs her solo show about weight gain and loss.

*Cicada Exit Stage Left, 156 Eddy; 289-2249, www.ripetreats.com. $15-20 sliding scale. Thurs/18-Sat/20, 8pm. Damaged environmental activists Cicada (Sarah McKereghan) and Joe (Russell Gilland) have lived underground since Inauguration Day 2001 in an act of protest against a world-destroying regime, and they remain oblivious to all that's transpired since. Given supplies at regular intervals by Cicada's sister Iris (Maia Halperin) and her new boyfriend, would-be documentarian Reece (John Andrew Stillions), their only other contact is with a surly, semi-sinister psychiatrist (Mark Rachel). Suffering, meanwhile, from their respective environmental ailments (pesticides and Gulf War syndrome) and the psychic effects of prolonged confinement in their converted fallout shelter, the couple appear to be slowly going bonkers. (No wonder Joe's diminutive for his partner sounds like "sicky.") As Cicada's willful and mysterious dream double (Miranda Calderon) begins finally erasing the line between fantasy and reality, we sense, ominously, an impending transformation. Ripe Theater's involving and witty drama (written by cofounder McKereghan) is an inventive, eerily prescient reflection on opposition to a mad world order. Featuring an excellent cast – buoyed by Noah Kelly's playful, always intelligent direction – its almost sci-fi ambience gains cathartic intensity in the recent election's miserable aftermath, further heightening its themes of struggle and renewal. (Avila)

Disney's The Lion King Orpheum Theatre, 1192 Market; 512-7770, 356-LION, www.bestofbroadway-sf.com. $26-82. Extended run: Wed/17-Sat/20, 8pm (also Wed/17 and Sat/20, 2pm); Sun/21, 1 and 6:30pm. 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)

*Don't Make Me Look Too Psychotic 533 Sutter; 820-3945, www.toopsychotic.net. $22. Fri-Sat, 8pm. Through Nov 27. Violently unhealthy relationships are the driving force behind Bruce Pachtman's hilarious solo show, which he developed after dating a particularly incendiary woman. Psychotic – which enjoyed a 68-week local run after premiering in 2000 and is now back for a brief revival run – is gut-bustingly funny, which is no small feat considering the seriousness of the material. (Joshua Medsker)

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.

*Fist of Roses Intersection for the Arts, 446 Valencia; 626-3311, www.theintersection.org. $9-15. Thurs/18-Mon/22, 8pm. The genius of Philip Kan Gotanda's mesmerizing one-act deconstruction of the nature of domestic violence, A Fist of Roses, lies in its ability to see both sides – the harmless joke and the brutal confession – and then to blur the line between them. The play doesn't just explore its contradictions; like its subjects, it lives through them. The MC for the evening (Donald E. Lacy Jr.) warms up the crowd with some off-color humor before introducing the rest of the cast (Michael Cheng, Rajiv Shah, Tommy Shepherd, and Danny Wolohan), collectively known as "the Five Aces." Shades of the local sports bar and comedy club soon give way to discussions among a men's therapy circle and other male group dynamics, even in recognizing themselves as actors together onstage. With this world premiere, Campo Santo and Intersection for the Arts launch another extraordinary collaboration. It's a remarkable departure for playwright and director Gotanda, and one that beautifully integrates the taut yet fluid choreography of movement director Erika Chong Shuch and a simmering score by actor-composer Shepherd. (Avila)

Hooray for What! Eureka Theatre, 215 Jackson; 978-2787, www.42ndstmoon.org. $17-30. Thurs-Fri, 8pm (no show Nov 25); Sat, 6pm (also Sat/20, 1pm); Sun, 3pm; Nov 24, 7pm. Through Nov 28. "Lost musicals" company 42nd Street Moon unearths Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg's comic antiwar musical.

Irving Berlin's White Christmas Curran Theatre, 445 Geary; 512-7770, www.bestofbroadwaysf.com. $30-85. Tues-Sat, 8pm (also Wed, Sat, Nov 26, and Dec 23, 2pm; no shows Nov 24-25 and Dec 24; no 2pm show Dec 25); Sun, 2pm (also Nov 28 and Dec 26, 7:30pm). Through Dec 26. Best of Broadway presents a new musical based on the classic holiday film.

Little Shop of Horrors Golden Gate Theatre, 1 Taylor; 512-7770, www.ticketmaster.com or www.bestofbroadway-sf.com. $34-81. Wed-Sat, 8pm (also Wed, Sat, and Nov 26, 2pm; no show Nov 25); Sun, 2pm. Through Dec 5. See "Planting Seeds."

Murder at the Howard Johnson's Shelton Theatre, 533 Sutter; www.mysticbison.com. $15-25. Thurs-Sat, 8pm (no show Nov 25). Through Nov 27. Mystic Bison Theatre and Dance performs Ron Clark and Sam Bobrick's screwball comedy.

*Not a Genuine Black Man Marsh, 1062 Valencia; 826-5750. $15-22. Extended run: Thurs-Fri, 8:30pm (no show Nov 25); Sat, 5pm. Through Nov 27. What, the unapologetically middle-class Brian Copeland asks, 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)

Oleanna San Francisco Performing Arts Library and Museum, 401 Van Ness; 248-9371, www.expressiontheatre.net. $10-15. Thurs/18-Sat/20, 8pm. Expression Theatre Ensemble performs David Mamet's provocative drama.

*The Real Thing Geary Theater, 415 Geary; 749-2228, www.act-sf.org. $11-68. Wed/17-Sat/20, 8pm (also Wed/17 and Sat/20, 2pm); Sun/21, 2pm. American Conservatory Theater just does Tom Stoppard right. For confirmation see this enthralling revival of his 1982 play, a partly self-referential work about a writer of domestic melodramas (Marco Barricelli) and the course of his relationship with an actress (René Augesen) after their adulterous affair. As life begins uncomfortably imitating art, The Real Thing becomes a compelling rumination on love and the nature of reality that blends a heartfelt modern romance with Stoppard's fecund theatrical imagination, political skepticism, and prodigious wit. Artistic director Carey Perloff's proven affinity for the playwright's brand of theatrical magic makes this a surefooted production, enlivened by a fine seven-person cast spearheaded by the terrific duet between Augesen and Barricelli. (Indeed, Barricelli's performance as the brilliantly clever playwright with unrepentantly middlebrow tastes will doubtless stand as one of the very best this season on any Bay Area stage.) The continual layering of theatrical realities here (so that the audience isn't always sure just where "reality" begins) gets a boost from J.B. Wilson's intentionally anti-realistic scenic design, which suggest Mark Rothko's infinitely expanding color fields, echoing the play's own marvelously self-conscious coupling of form and content to cast itself beyond the frame of the proscenium arch. (Avila)

Really Rosie New Conservatory Theatre Center, 25 Van Ness; 861-8972, www.nctcsf.org. $9-12. Sat-Sun, 2pm (starting Dec 4, also Sat, 4pm; additional shows Dec 27-30, 2pm; no show Nov 27). Through Dec 30. New Conservatory Theatre Center presents Carole King and Maurice Sendak's children's musical.

The Right Kind of People Magic Theatre, Fort Mason Center, Bldg D, Marina at Laguna; 441-8822, www.magictheatre.org. $20-38. Previews Wed/17-Fri/19, 8:30pm. Opens Sat/20, 8pm. Runs Tues-Sat, 8:30pm (no show Nov 25); Sun, 2:30pm. Through Dec 12. Magic Theatre performs a new play by Charles Grodin about his experiences sitting on a Fifth Avenue co-op board in New York City.

Rush Limbaugh in Night School Marsh, 1062 Valencia; 826-5750, www.themarsh.org. $15-22. Opens Sat/20, 8pm. Runs Sat-Mon, 8pm. Through Dec 13. Charlie Varon celebrates the 10th anniversary of his solo comedy, in which he plays 20 characters.

'Significant Others' New Conservatory Theatre Center, 25 Van Ness; 861-8972. $20-40. Wed-Sat, 8pm (no show Nov 25); Sun, 2pm. Through Dec 12. New Conservatory Theatre Center performs five one-act gay romances by Tom W. Kelly.

Talking with Angels Project Artaud Theater, 450 Florida; 392-4400, www.cityboxoffice.com. $27.50-35. Wed-Sat, 8pm; Sun, 3pm. Through Dec 5. See "Planting Seeds."

Tell Me You Love Me Space 049, 423 Tehama; 255-8851, www.bittersauce.com. $15 (Thurs/17, pay what you can). Thurs/17-Sat/20, 8pm. Do sex, love, and terrorism go together? Local playwright Jack Karp hopes so. His cast of four (two New York-based heterosexual couples) attempt to take comfort in one another, in various configurations, just months after September 11. Investment banker Samantha and her husband, Jonathan – who won't go to work because he fears another terrorist attack – have it out in their messy bedroom, fighting about her inability to have an orgasm and his refusal to get on with his life. The same dirty laundry-strewn space becomes the bedroom of Howard, a New York Police Department officer working at ground zero, and Vanessa, a waitress at a diner, who battle about money, sex, and the state of the city. Directed by Tom Parker, this Bitter Sauce Theater Company production is an ambitious attempt that falls short at times, weaving the lives of a group of justifiably fearful friends grappling with issues of intimacy, fear, and the aftermath of that day. (Mantzaris)

Train Stories Marsh, 1062 Valencia; 826-5750, www.themarsh.org. $15-22. Extended run: Fri-Sat, 8:30pm. Through Nov 27. Wayne Harris performs his solo show about three men linked by heritage, railroads, and tragedy.

Two Fools Theatre Rhinoceros, 2926 16th St; 861-5079, www.therhino.org. $15-28. Wed/17-Sat/20, 8pm; Sun/21, 2 and 7pm. Luna (Adelina Anthony) is a successful painter from Costa Rica who directs an art institute in Amsterdam. Gracie (Emily Rosenthal) is an emerging writer from San Francisco who's just published an edited collection of writings by lesbians. When the two meet at Modern Times Bookstore, it's love at first sight. But immigration officials and antigay marriage laws don't exactly make it easy for international same-sex love to flourish. Terry Baum's semiautobiographical play couldn't be more timely; the problem is that the issues – important ones – pile up without equal attention to character development. One would hope that two successful, international queer artists would have more nuanced thoughts on racism and homophobia, expansive social networks, and a plan. Instead, they seem totally isolated, and it's as though they're encountering everything for the first time; at one stage the impossibly naive Gracie actually apologizes for her country as though she's just learned that racism exists in the United States! Despite these flaws, the quickly paced whirlwind romance and the relevance of Two Fools' themes hold our attention. Some steamy sex scenes, skillfully performed by Anthony and Rosenthal, don't hurt either. (Shalson)

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. $25. Fri-Sat, 11pm. Through Dec 18. Performers from San Francisco, New York City, and Los Angeles present a burlesque and vaudeville cabaret.

*Welcome to the Hypnodrome Hypnodrome, 575 10th St; 248-1900, www.hypnodrome.com. $18-50. Thurs/18-Sat/20, 8pm. Tucked away under a dark overpass in the nether regions of SoMa, the theater at 575 10th St. is the perfect setting for Welcome to the Hypnodrome, a gleefully unhinged evening of early 20th-century French kitsch. In The Beast, an adaptation of L'homme nu (1928), by Charles Méré, ketchup flies when an injured traveler finds himself caught between an austere Austrian count, his crazy wife, and their frightening secret. The burlesque Bearded Assets, adapted from Madame Aurelie (1909), by Yves Mirande, provides light relief with the discovery of a circus performer's amazing new talent on Victor Hugo's funeral day. Meanwhile, in the claustrophobic melodrama Murder of the Will, based on Maurice Renard's L'amant de la morte (1925), a lovesick hypnotist (intensely personified by Brian Raffi) attempts to exert his will on the wife of his best friend, with tragic results. Featuring the luminous Jill Tracy, and Bob Taxin in multi-dexterous form, Thrillpeddlers brings ghoulish aplomb to Grand Guignol. (Veltman)

When You Comin' Back, Red Ryder Next Stage, 1620 Gough; 333-6389, www.wehavemet.org. $20. Thurs-Sat, 8pm (no show Nov 25; Dec 4 show at 2pm, not 8pm). Through Dec 11. Multi Ethnic Theater performs Mark Medoff's drama about five people held hostage in a small-town diner.

Bay Area

Emma Aurora Theatre, 2081 Addison, Berk; (510) 843-4822, www.auroratheatre.org. $28-45. Previews Wed/17, 8pm. Opens Thurs/18, 8pm. Runs Wed-Sat, 8pm (no show Nov 25); Sun, 2 and 7pm. Through Dec 19. Aurora Theatre Company performs Michael Fry's adaptation of Jane Austen's classic novel.

Life x 3 Marin Theatre Company, 397 Miller, Mill Valley; (415) 338-5208, www.marintheatre.org. $28-46 (Tues, pay what you can). Tues, Thurs-Sat, 8pm (also Dec 2, 1pm; also Sat/20 and Dec 11, 2pm); Wed, 7:30pm (also Nov 24, 1pm); Sun, 2 and 7pm. Through Dec 12. Marin Theatre Company performs Yasmina Reza's esoteric comedy about an unplanned dinner party that plays out to three conclusions.

Meanwhile, Back at the Super Lair La Val's Subterranean Theatre, 1834 Euclid, Berk; (510) 464-4468, www.impacttheatre.com. $10-15 (Thurs, pay what you can). Thurs-Sat, 8pm (no show Nov 25). Through Dec 11. Impact Theatre performs Greg Kalleres's comedy about a crew of "not-so-superheroes" called on to fight twin forces of evil.

Present Laughter Live Oak Theater, 1301 Shattuck, Berk; (510) 649-5999, www.aeofberkeley.org. $10. Thurs/18-Sat/20, 8pm. The company performs Noël Coward's comedy.

A Step Away Berkeley City Club, 2315 Durant, Berk; (510) 558-1381. $8-20. Thurs/18-Sat/20, 8pm; Sun/21, 5pm. Central Works performs Myrna Holden's new play about modern love.

dance

Anne Bluethenthal's ABD Productions Dance Mission, 3316 24th St; 273-4633, www.abdproductions.org. Fri-Sat, 8pm; Sun, 6pm. $15-20. See 8 Days a Week.

Kunst-Stoff ODC Theater, 3153 17th St; 863-9834, www.odctheater.org. Wed, 8pm. $12-15. Artistic director Yanis Adoniou and guest choreographer Pontus Lidberg present their new piece, As We Close Their Eyes.

Mary Sano Studio of Duncan Dancing 245 Fifth St, Studio 314; 357-1817, www.duncandance.org. Sat, 8pm; Sun, 3pm. $13-16. The company performs its annual "Terpsichorean Celebration," featuring dances from the Duncan repertoire and Butoh works.

'San Francisco Hip Hop DanceFest' Palace of Fine Arts, 3301 Lyon; 392-4400, www.sfhiphopdancefest.com. Thurs-Sat, 8pm (also Sat, 5pm); Sun, 7pm. $5-25. Professional and youth companies alike perform at this four-day festival, with a huge lineup that includes Bill "Crutchmaster" Shannon, Chain Reaction, Culture Shock Oakland, Destiny Youth Performance Group, Dream, New Style Motherlode, and many others.

Bay Area

Diablo Ballet Dean Lesher Regional Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic, Walnut Creek; (925) 943-SHOW, www.diabloballet.org. Fri-Sat, 8pm (also Sat, 2pm). $26-38. The company performs Nikolai Kabaniaev's The Magic Toy Store and Christopher Stowell's A Revealing Glimpse into the Obvious.

Mills College Repertory Dance Company Lisser Hall, Mills College, 5000 MacArthur, Oakl; (510) 430-2175, dance@mills.edu. Thurs-Sat, 8pm. $10-12. The company performs works by Margaret Jenkins, Molissa Fenley, Sonya Delwaide, Kathleen McClintock, and Anne Westwick.

'Works in the Works' Eighth Street Studio, 2525 Eighth St, Berk; (510) 644-1788, ext 2. $10. Sat-Sun, 7:30pm. This "low-tech" performance series (different shows each night) highlights newly created works and works in progress by Bay Area artists.

performance

'Absolute Time Play Festival' New Langton Arts, 1246 Folsom; 401-9768, www.sfstagefilm.org. Sat, 8pm; Sun, 4pm. $5. San Francisco Stage and Film hosts staged readings of Fingerprinting, by Sharon Eberhardt (Sat), and The Visitor, by Kristin Kirby (Sun).

'Alone Together: 4.5 Deadly Virtues' Young Performers' Theater, Fort Mason Center, Marina at Laguna; charmadu@yahoo.com. Fri-Sat, 8pm. $10. Despite the venue, Jeanette Sarmiento's play about desire is for adults only.

'Attaboy and Burke's Surreal Medicine Show' Odeon Bar, 3223 Mission; www.yumfactory.com/medshow.html. Fri, 9:30pm. $5. The performers revive their 1999 show, with special guests comedian Will Franken and "pogo stick exhibitionist" Rocky Roulette.

BATS Improv Bayfront Theater, Fort Mason Center, Bldg B, third fl, Marina at Laguna; 474-8935, www.improv.org. Fri, 8pm: "Courtroom Drama!," $12. Sat, 8pm: "Two-on-Two Theatresports," $12. Sun, 8pm: "Theatresports Turkey Tourney," $8.

'Cabaret Pre-Hispanico' Brava Theater Center, 2789 24th St; 647-2822, www.brava.org. Fri-Sat, 8pm. $22-25. See 8 Days a Week.

Climate Theater 285 Ninth St; 863-1076. Ongoing. $5. Mon, 8pm: "Monday Night Improv Jam," presented by the San Francisco Improv Co-Operative. Tues, 8pm: "Tuesday Night Improv Special: Night of 1,000 Games," short-form improv jam.

'Comedy on the Square' Shelton Theatre, 533 Sutter; 522-8900. Ongoing. $15. Fri, 10pm: "Big City Improv." Sat, 10pm: "Comedy Showcase." Sun, 3 and 7pm: "A Celebration of Laughs."

'Dark Kabaret' Great American Music Hall, 859 O'Farrell; www.darkkabaret.com. Sat, 8 and 10:30pm. $25-57. "Talented freaks" representing the cabaret, circus, and burlesque worlds perform.

'Judy Garland Being Alive: An Evening with Connie Champagne' Empire Plush Room, 940 Sutter; 885-2800. Thurs-Sat, 8pm. $20-25. Connie Champagne performs pop songs and show tunes in the style of Judy Garland.

'La Llorona Comes On Ovah!' Off-Market Studio, 965 Mission; 896-6477, www.cafearts.com. Mon, 8pm. Donations accepted. Combined Art Form Entertainment hosts a staged reading of Elizabeth Creely's new play.

'Miss Trannyshack Pageant' Regency Center, 1300 Van Ness; www.heklina.com. Sat, 10pm. $20-30. Heklina, Juanita More!, and Pippi Lovestocking host the eighth annual incarnation of this drag pageant.

'The Moving Benefit: 848's 13th Anniversary Shows' 848 Community Space, 848 Divisadero; 922-2385. Fri-Sat, 8pm. $12-20. See Critic's Choice.

'Oui Be Negroes: Improvadelic' Climate Theater, 285 Ninth St; 863-1076. Fri-Sat, 8pm. Through Nov 27. $10. Improvisational troupe Oui Be Negroes (Anasatsia Elizondo, Shaun Landry, and Hans Summers) brings its P-Funk-inspired two-act show, built entirely and spontaneously on audience suggestions, to the laid-back environs of the Climate Theater. With a nod to the funk gurus of Parliament, the long-standing African American improv and sketch comedy group draws on any musical or nonmusical style and theme in developing its long-form material, as long as it grooves. More often than not, it does. The chemistry between the three players couldn't be better, and ideas flowed fast and furious on opening night. (Avila)

'Prophets of Decline' Specs Adler Museum Cafe, 12 Adler Alley; creativezero@yahoo.com. Sun, 7pm. Free. This experimental variety show features music, poetry, and visual and performing art.

'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.

Bay Area

'International Taiko Festival' Zellerbach Hall, Bancroft at Telegraph, UC Berkeley, Berk; (510) 642-9988, www.calperfs.berkeley.edu. Sat, 7pm; Sun, 3pm. $26-36. Plenty of thunderous drumming fills this two-day festival, featuring Grand Master Seiichi Tanaka and the San Francisco Taiko Dojo, San Francisco Taiko Dojo Rising Stars, Los Angeles Matsuri Taiko, Sacramento Taiko Dan, and other special guests.

'Marga Gomez: Deep Tissue Comedy' La Peña Cultural Center, 3105 Shattuck, Berk; (510) 849-2568. Fri, 8pm; Sat-Sun, 7pm. $17-19. The comedian performs for maximum "post-election detox."

'Muavazey' Ashby Stage, 1901 Ashby, Berk; tickets@naatak.com. Sat, 6pm. $12. (Also Sun, 6pm, Off-Market Theater, 965 Mission, SF. Same e-mail and price.) Naatak performs Bhisham Shani's Hindi comedy.

'Tellabration!' Arts First Oakland, 2501 Harrison, Oakl; (510) 444-4755. Sun, 3pm. $12-15. Stagebridge hosts a concert with nationally and locally known storytellers.

'Whirling Dervishes of Damascus' Zellerbach Hall, Bancroft at Telegraph, UC Berkeley, Berk; (510) 642-9988, www.calperfs.berkeley.edu. Wed, 8pm. $22-42. The Dervishes are accompanied by live musicians in an evening of Syrian dance, poetry, music, and chanting.

comedy

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

Cobb's Comedy Club 915 Columbus; 928-4320, www.cobbscomedy.com. Wed, 8pm: "All-Pro Comedy Showcase" $10. Fri-Sun, 8pm (also Fri-Sat, 10:15pm): Ed Helms with Ted Alexandro, $17-20.

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

Green Room Comedy Club 2801 Leavenworth (at the Cannery); 674-9333, www.greenroomcomedy.com. Mon-Tues, 8:30pm: "Green Room Comedy Showcase," $10. Thurs-Sun, 8:30pm (also Fri-Sat, 10:30pm): John Fox with Kirk Fox, call for price.

Last Day Saloon 406 Clement; 387-6343. Thurs, 9-10:30pm: "Dougzilla above the Zoo," with Doug Ferrari, $5.

Marsh 1074 Valencia; 826-5750, www.themarsh.org. Sat, 9:30pm: "Mock Cafe," hosted by Tim Lee and John Trujillo, $7.

Phoenix Theatre 414 Mason, Suite 601; 989-0023. Sun, 6 and 8pm: "Comedy Night," $15.

Purple Onion 140 Columbus; 217-8400 or 956-1653, www.caffemacaroni.com. Thurs, 9pm: "Purple Onion Comedy Night," with Improv Dinosaurs, $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/Singing 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. La Peña Cultural Center 3105 Shattuck, Berk; (510) 849-2568. Open mic hosted by Paradise, 7:30pm, call for price. Monticello Inn 127 Ellis, SF; (415) 394-0661. "Left Coast Writers," reading featuring novelist Alison Anderson, 5pm, free. Magnet 4122 19th St, SF; www.magnetsf.org. "Smack Dab," open mic with featured readers Jennifer Blowdryer and Tara Jepsen, 7:30pm, free. Polk-a-Dot Stationers 1575 Pacific, SF; (415) 346-0330. Rebecca Solnit and Roxanne Dunbar Ortiz read, 7pm, free. Il Piccolo Caffe 1219 Broadway, Burlingame; (650) 631-5732. Poet Lisa Ortiz reads, 7pm, 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 Jannie Dresser and Judy Wells, 7pm, free.

Friday: Fellowship Hall 1606 Bonita, Berk; (510) 841-4824. Mark States reads poetry, plus open mic, 7:30pm, $5-10.

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

Sunday: Cody's Books 2454 Telegraph, Berk; (510) 845-7852. "Poetry Flash," with Kathleen Fraser and Jean Valentine, 7:30pm, $2. Cafe Prague 584 Pacific, SF; (415) 905-8837. Comic Betsy Salkind reads, plus open mic, 7pm, free. Dark Room 2263 Mission, SF; (415) 401-7987. "Pins and Needles: Writers on Body Art," 7:30pm, $5-10.

Monday: Cody's Books 2454 Telegraph, Berk; (510) 845-7852. Victoria Nelson and Vivienne Plumb read, 7:30pm, $2. 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: Mark States Birthday Bash," 7pm, free.

Tuesday: New Langton Arts 1246 Folsom, SF; (415) 503-0520, www.kearnystreet.org. "What Now: Post Election Reflections," presented by Kearny Street Workshop, 7pm, $5. See 8 Days a Week.