January 15, 2003

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

Amnesia Theatre Rhinoceros, 2926 16th St; 861-5079. $15-25. Previews Thurs/16-Fri/17, 8pm. Opens Sat/18, 8pm. Runs Wed-Sat, 8pm; Sun, 7pm (also Jan 26, Feb 2, 9, 3pm). Through Feb 15. Theatre Rhinoceros presents John Fisher's new play about a gay soldier who loses his memory after being injured in the Battle of the Bulge.

Blue Jelly Plush Room, Hotel York, 940 Sutter; 885-2800. $15-20. Previews Mon/20, 8pm. Opens Jan 27, 8pm. Runs Mon, 8pm. Through Feb 17. Vocalist Lesley Hamilton performs a standards-filled "cabaret monologue," based on the novel by Debby Bull, about a woman's comedic search for her self-worth.

Chicken: A 1-Ho Show The Marsh, 1062 Valencia; 826-5750. $10-15. Previews Jan 16-31: Thurs-Sat, 8pm. Opens Feb 1, 8pm. Runs Thurs-Sat, 8pm. Through March 1. David Henry Sterry performs his solo show about a 1970s teen who becomes a gigolo in Beverly Hills.

The Chosen A Traveling Jewish Theatre, 470 Florida; 399-1809. $12.50-25 (Thurs, pay what you can). Previews Wed/15-Thurs/16, 8pm. Opens Sat/18, 8pm. Runs Thurs-Sat, 8pm; Sun, 2, 7pm. Through Feb 16. (Feb 20-March 2, Julia Morgan Theatre, 2640 College, Berk. Same phone, price, and schedule). Two baseball-loving Jewish teenagers grapple with their futures (and their fathers) in 1940s Brooklyn in this adaptation of Chaim Potok's novel.

Closer than Ever New Conservatory Theatre Center, 25 Van Ness; 861-8972. $15-35 (Thurs/16, pay what you can). Previews Wed/15-Fri/17, 8pm. Opens Sat/18, 8pm. Runs Thurs-Sat, 8pm; Jan 26, Feb 9, 16, 23, 2pm. Through Feb 23. The New Conservatory Theatre Center kicks off its "In Concert" season with this musical revue of songs by David Shire and Richard Maltby, Jr.

The Dreamstealers Exit Theatre, 156 Eddy; 1-866-GOT-FURY, www.ticketweb.com. $15-25 (Previews and Thursdays in Jan, pay what you can). Previews Thurs/16-Fri/17, 8pm. Opens Sat/18, 8pm. Runs Thurs-Sat, 8pm. Through Feb 15. foolsFURY performs Stephen Jacob's new play set inside a "Dream Syndicate" whose occupants must grapple with the creation of an artificial child.

Eye Exit Stage Left, 156 Eddy; 626-4603. $12-20. Opens Thurs/16, 8pm. Runs Thurs-Sat, 8pm. Through Feb 1. The Playwrights' Center of San Francisco presents the winner of its "Produce My Play" contest, a drama by Jay Levin about a journalist drawn to war-torn Afghanistan despite having a family back home.

Never in My Lifetime Exit Theatre Cafe, 156 Eddy; 721-9682. $15. Opens Thurs/16, 8:30pm. Runs Thurs-Sat, 8:30pm. Through Feb 8. La Luna Theatre Collective presents Shirley Gee's love story set amid the violence in Northern Ireland.

Thief River New Conservatory Theatre Center, 25 Van Ness; 861-8972. $18-38. Previews Wed/15-Fri/17, 8pm. Opens Sat/18, 8pm. Runs Wed-Sat, 8pm; Sun, 2pm. Through Mar 9. The New Conservatory Theatre Center launches "Pride Season 8" with Lee Blessing's drama about a decade-spanning, mostly unrequited love affair between two men from a small Minnesota community.

Women on the Way Festival Venue 9, 252 Ninth St; 289-2000, www.venue9.com. $12-15 (sliding scale). Opens Thurs/16, 8pm. Runs Fri-Sun, 8pm. Through Feb 2. This week: Without Walls by Reality Theater (Thurs/16); 1, 2, 3, 4 by Huckabay-McAllister Dance, In Memoriam and Drown by Kate Korby and Dancers, and Piece of You by Sue Peters (Fri/17); Woods for the Trees by Sara Kraft and Ed Purver, Oh My Goddess by Sherry Glaser (Sat/18); Stardust by Alma Esperanza Cunningham Movement, Walking Still by Nora Chipaumire, plus repeat performances of 1, 2, 3, 4 and Oh My Goddess (Sun/19). See 8 Days a Week.

Bay Area

Book of Days Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, Castro at Mercy, Mountain View; (650) 903-6000. $20-43. Previews Wed/15-Fri/17, 8pm. Opens Sat/18, 8pm. Runs Tues, 7:30pm (no show Feb 4); Wed-Sat, 8pm (also Feb 1, 8, 2pm); Sun, 2pm (also Jan 26, Feb 2, 7pm). Through Feb 9. TheatreWorks performs Lanford Wilson's new play, a tale of deceit, murder, and a community-theater production of Saint Joan in a sparsely populated Midwestern town.

Ongoing

American Buffalo Geary Theater, 415 Geary; 749-2228, www.act-sf.org. $11-61. Opens Wed/15, 8pm. Runs Tues/21, 7pm; Wed-Sat, Jan 28, Feb 4, 8pm (also Jan 22, Feb 5, Sat, 2pm); Sun, 2pm (also Sun/19, Feb 2, 7pm). Through Feb 9. American Conservatory Theater presents the David Mamet classic about three scheming thieves.

Are We Almost There? Shelton Theatre, 533 Sutter; 345-7575. $15-18. Thurs-Sat, 8pm. Open-ended. Travel is the theme of this musical-comedy revue.

Body Familiar Magic Theatre, Fort Mason Center, Marina at Laguna; 441-8822, www.magictheatre.org. $17-37. Wed-Sat and Jan 28, 8pm (also Feb 1, 2:30pm; no shows Jan 22-25); Feb 2, 7:30pm. Through Feb 2. Magic Theatre presents the world premiere of acclaimed choreographer Joe Goode's "play with movement." Visual artist Leonard (Liam Vincent), roped off in his studio behind material made to look like intestines, introduces us to six emotionally scarred characters (five living, one dead) whose relation to one another is in a phase of disturbing transition. Leonard's painfully chipper patron Kitty (Celia Shuman) is a wealthy socialite in a loveless marriage to her stormy alcoholic husband Bull (Mark Rafael Truitt). Bull pines for the dead Simone (Marit Brook-Kothlow), who continues to visit both him and Leonard, while Bull's pugnacious, closeted sister Katherine (Elizabeth Burritt) dissolves into mental illness, and Leonard re-encounters a long lost lover, Ricardo (Felipe Barrueto-Cabello), who sends him into a spiral of insecurity. Writer-director Goode's trademark blurring of the lines between dance and theater has evolved some ingenious effects, and the stylized movements woven throughout act as an intriguing if inconsistent register of emotional and psychic states. Some of the more effective sequences offer a wonderful parody of the formalities that make up the social dance. Not all the characters sustain interest, however, despite some skillful performances, and the script suffers from some all too familiar plotting and dialogue. (Avila)

The Colossus of Rhodes Zeum Theater, Yerba Buena Gardens, Fourth at Howard Sts; 749-2228, www.act-sfbay.org. $14-24. Tues-Thurs, 7pm (also Thurs/16, Jan 30, 1pm); Fri-Sat, 8pm (also Sat/18, Jan 25, 2pm; Feb 1, show at 2pm only); Sun, 2pm. Through Feb 1. See "Into Africa".

*Hedwig and the Angry Inch Victoria Theatre, 2961 16th St; 863-7576. $20-40. Wed-Sun, 8pm (also Sat, 11pm). Open-ended. Kevin Cahoon assumes the title role originated by John Cameron Mitchell in his 1998 Obie-winning glam musical, later a celebrated film, now making its long-anticipated San Francisco debut with a sizable cult following ready and waiting. And while die-hard fans show up prepared to sing along, the show is so instantly contagious that no homework is necessary on the part of the uninitiated. An East Berlin girlie boy named Hansel becomes Hedwig after a sex change – but the operation is botched, leaving Hedwig with just an "angry inch" of her former self. Heart in tatters but spirit intact, she plays out her story as a nightclub act. For all its value as camp, Hedwig is a cabaret act of subtle sophistication; the story, like the best glam rock, has a quiet force that is the undercurrent of its self-conscious banality and cutting humor. (Avila)

Grease Orpheum Theatre, 1192 Market; 512-7770, www.ticketmaster.com. $40-75. Tues-Sat, 8pm (also Wed, Sat, 2pm); Sun, 2pm. Through Jan 26. Frankie Avalon reprises his role from the movie (the "Beauty School Dropout"-singing angel) in this production of the popular musical.

Mammoth under the Bathmat Next Stage, 1620 Gough; 541-5678, www.ripetreats.com. $15-20. Thurs-Sat, 8pm. Through Jan 25. There's no better place to share a secret than on the stage. From Romeo and Juliet's pact with Friar Lawrence to standup-era Woody Allan telling stories about his sexual misfortunes, theater's intimacy gives the hush-hush unparalleled oomph. In Mammoth under the Bathmat, Ripe Theater's edgy exploration of the things we choose to reveal about ourselves and the assumptions we make about other people, secrets escape like dangerous diseases from Pandora's box. Tight, dark, and abounding with absurdist wit, Ripe Theater combines video and theater in a series of short scenarios inspired by the way the media revealed and withheld various "secrets" in 2002. From a dopey housewife's verbal diarrhea at the hair salon to an executive's uncomfortable meeting with a bike messenger, little slivers of everyday life morph into larger truths. If anything lets Mammoth under the Bathmat down, it's the quality of the videography. With shaky images and sloppy sound, one can't help wishing the characters on film would keep their secrets to themselves. (Veltman)

Mother's Milk The Marsh, 1074 Valencia; 826-5750. $10-15. Fri-Sat, 7:45pm. Through Feb 22. Wayne Harris performs his solo show, a reflection on his mother's death from breast cancer.

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)

7 Sins Shelton Theatre, 533 Sutter; 820-3947. $20-25. Extended run: Sun, 5 and 8pm. Through Jan 26. A revolving cast of seven performs comedy monologues drawn from real-life experiences; special guests include Alex Borstein (Sun/19) and Teri Garr (Jan 26).

X Spanganga, 3376 19th St; 826-1202. $12. Fri-Sat, 8pm. Through Feb 15. African American sketch and improv comedy group Oui Be Negroes present their tenth anniversary show.

Bay Area

The Distribution of Empathy Berkeley Rep's Thrust Stage, 2025 Addison, Berk; (510) 647-2949, www.berkeleyrep.org. $25-30. Wed/15-Fri/17, 8pm; Sat/18-Sun/19, 7pm (also Sat/18, 9:30pm). Karen Finley performs her solo show, an exploration of the emotional state of New Yorkers following Sept. 11.

Fugitive Kind Marin Theatre Company, 397 Miller, Mill Valley; (415) 388-5208. $25-43. Tues, Thurs-Sat, 8pm (also Jan 23, 1pm; Feb 1, 8, 2pm); Wed, 7:30pm; Sun, 2 and 7pm. Through Feb 9. Marin Theatre Company performs a rare early Tennessee Williams play (written in 1937, and not performed since) that follows the colorful occupants of a transient hotel in St. Louis.

*The Play about the Baby La Vals Subterranean, 1834 Euclid, Berk; (510) 704-8210. $12-18. Extended run: Fri/17-Sat/18, 8pm. Shotgun Players presents the West Coast premiere of Edward Albee's lively and provocative play, a gleeful stripping away of willful delusions. A Boy (Brent Rosenbaum) and Girl (Katie McMahon) enjoying the Eden-like bliss of first love appear to have given birth to a child, when an older couple, Man (Richard Louis James) and Woman (Trish Mulholland), arrive and complicate the picture considerably. With a dazzling, frequently hilarious perfusion of asides, direct addresses, and mischievous wordplay, Man and Woman worm their way into the youngsters' quaint paradise, inviting the audience along for the ride. An identity game ensues that shatters the complacency of clichés both psychical and theatrical. Albee has a knack for making such blood sport terrific fun and sobering all the same, like a host who plies you with drinks just so he can lay into you with a few honest truths. Director Reid Davis revels in the approach, and his actors rise to the occasion. In particular, Mulholland twitches with a marvelously spastic comic energy, while James's deft turn as the serene sophisticate with a hint of malice exerts a gravitational pull that makes the close surroundings seem all the more intimate. (Avila)

dance

'Mis Sueños Mis Ideas' Dance Mission, 3316 24th St; 273-4633. Fri-Sat, 8pm; Sun, 2 and 7pm. $7-17. Ramón Ramos Alayo leads a group of choreographers and performers – including Ire Ile, an all-women's ensemble – in this celebration of Cuban dance.

Kim Epifano Cowell Theater, Fort Mason Center, Marina at Laguna; 345-7575. Fri-Sat and Jan 23, 26, 8pm. Through Jan 26. $12-20. The choreographer presents the gravity-defying Einstein's Daughters, a new work inspired by the life story of Albert Einstein's first wife.

Zeri Le'on Dance Theater SomArts Cultural Center, 934 Brannan; 552-2131. Fri, 7:30 and 9:30pm; Sat, 8pm. $10-15. The multigenerational company taps a variety of dance styles, from ballet to hip-hop, in Requiem for a 'Ho, a morality tale about a young, urban woman. Bay Area

Aeros Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley, Bancroft at Telegraph, Berk; (510) 642-9988. Fri-Sat, 8pm (also Sat, 2pm); Sun, 3pm. $20-40. Created by choreographer-dancers Daniel Ezralow, David Parsons, and Moses Pendleton, this show features the athletic and dance talents of 20 members of the Romanian gymnastics team.

Twyla Tharp Dance Marin Veterans' Memorial Auditorium, Avenue of the Flags at Civic Center Dr, San Rafael; (415) 499-6800. Fri, 8pm. $18-45. The noted choreographer brings her company, and three Bay Area premieres (Westerly Round, Surfer at the River Styx, and an untitled work), to Marin.

performance

'Barbary Coast to Paris' Broadway Studios, 435 Broadway; 626-8436, 203-5346, www.sfburlesque.com. Thurs, 8:30pm. $15. The Cantankerous Lollies, Kitten on the Keys, Hot Pink Feathers, and others perform in this burlesque revue.

'BATS Improv: The Winter Games' Bayfront Theater, Bldg B, Fort Mason Center, Marina at Laguna; 474-8935. Fri-Sat, 8pm. Through Jan 25. $12. Improv teams face off, with comedic and dramatic results.

'Improv Mix and Match' 848 Community Space, 848 Divisadero; 922-2385. Sat, 8pm. $10. The theater group performs and hosts an audience "jam" after the show.

'The Pan King' McBean Theater, Exploratorium, 3601 Lyon; EXP-LORE. Sun, 1pm. $6-10. The East Bay Center for the Performing Arts presents a scene from Jordan Simmons and E Yoon Saelee's work-in-progress play about the Laotian Mien community during the Vietnam War.

'Rococo Risqué, Menagerie!' Odeon Bar, 3223 Mission; www.rococorisque.com. Fri-Sat, 9pm. Through Jan 25. Cabaret, vaudeville, and burlesque elements contribute to this performance.

Bay Area

'Brass Logic' Transparent Theater, 1901 Ashby, Berk; www.transparenttheater.org. Wed-Sun, 8pm. $20. Mesha Kussman performs her solo show, a mix of dance, lights, live music, and other elements that tell the story of an Alice in Wonderland-like character trapped inside of a video game.

'In the Name of Love' First Congregational Church of Oakland, 2501 Harrison, Oakl; 1-866-468-3399, www.ticketweb.com. Sun, 7:30pm. $10-18. The Oakland Jazz Choir leads this musical tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr., which also includes performances by the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir, the Oakland Youth Chorus, and the Oaktown Jazz Workshop Ensemble.

'Remembering Slavery: The History of African Americans through Slave Songs' Julia Morgan Center for the Arts, 2640 College, Berk; (925) 798-1300. Sun, 2pm. $5-10. The California Revels and featured soloist Wendell Brooks perform songs brought to America and the Caribbean by West Africans who were forced into slavery. comedy

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

Double Play 2401 16th St; 821-3601. Fri, 8pm: "Hyena Comedy All-Stars" perform stand-up and songs, $7.

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

Fort Mason Center Marina at Laguna (check daily events sandwich board to see exact location); 453-9092. Sat, 1-4pm: Improv workshop with Jim Crenna, $10. Ongoing.

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.

The Mock Café 1074 Valencia; 820-3237. Fri, 9pm: stand-up comedy with host Tom Smith, followed by improv troup Too Many Larrys!, $7. Through Jan 31.

New Pisa 550 Green; 207-0285, www.northbeachimprov.com. Fri, 9pm: "North Beach Improv," with host Uncle Vinny Rizzo, $10.

*'SF Sketchfest: The Second Annual San Francisco Sketch Comedy Festival' Eureka Theatre, 215 Jackson; 1-866-468-3399 (tickets), 487-6443 (info). Jan 2-26. This week: Killing My Lobster and the Tenderloins (Wed, 8pm, $15); the Sklar Brothers and the Meehan Brothers (Thurs and Sat, 8pm, $15-17; Fri, 10:30pm, $17); the Sklar Brothers and Kasper Hauser (Fri, 8pm, $17; Sat, 10:30pm, $17); the Sklar Brothers and Totally False People (Sun, 8pm, $15); Hoskins and Breen and Troop! (Tues, 8pm, $15). For the month of January, the Eureka Theatre has transformed itself into a vaguely policed laugh riot, an almost nightly showcase of group comedic talent from across North America, as well as a meeting ground where aspiring comedians and comedy writers visibly lurk, rubbing elbows with the pros, the semipros, or merely with the help. The second annual SF Sketchfest kicked off a month's worth of eclectic sketch comedy with master of ceremonies Joe Klocek and four local favorites from last year: the Meehan Brothers, White Noise Radio Theatre, Kasper Hauser, and Totally False People (who with Thomas Sawyer produced the festival). They were joined the next night by the weekend headliners: New York-based improv champs the Upright Citizens Brigade. In an ambitious expansion of last year's six-act inaugural, the festival will feature 19 sketch groups in all, at least one from as far away as Montreal, and including no less than Fred Willard and his Hollywood Players. Happily, all this forward-looking hasn't diminished the laid-back feel of the event, which offers a great opportunity to watch the group mind at work. (Avila)

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

Bay Area

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

Paramount Theatre 2025 Broadway, Oakl; www.ticketmaster.com. Sat, 7 and 10:30pm: "Latham Entertainment Presents" stand-up show with DL Hughley, Sommore, Bruce Bruce, Earthquake, and others, $40.50-67.50.

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; 440-5530. "Spoken Word Salon," open mic, 8pm, free. Mama Bears Women's Bookstore 6536 Telegraph, Oakl; (510) 506-3717. "SheSpeaks," open mic night for women 18 and up, 7:30pm, $5. Starry Plough 3101 Shattuck, Berk; (510) 841-2082. "The Berkeley Slam!" with hosts Charles Ellik and dani eurynome, 8pm, $7. Jon Sims Center for the Arts 1519 Mission; 554-0402. "Lit @ JSC" reading, discussion, and book signing with Justin Chin and Beth Lisick, 8pm, $7-12.

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.

Friday: New Langton Arts 1246 Folsom; 279-4383. Lagoon anthology reading and release party with the Laguna Street Writers, 7-10pm, $5-10.

Sunday: 21 Grand 449B 24th St, Oakl; (510) 44-GRAND. "The New Brutalism: Readings by Youngish Diviners Jocelyn Saidenberg and Julia Bloch," 7pm, $4. Cody's Books 2454 Telegraph, Berk; (510) 845-7852. "Poetry Flash" with Tony Barnstone and Caley O'Dwyer, 7:30pm, $2. Oakland Public Library Lakeview Branch, 550 Embarcadero, Oakl; (510) 238-7344. Poets Carla Woshawnee Heins and Ralph Dranow read, 2-3:30pm, free. Build 483 Guerrero; 863-3041. "Hubbub: Queer Spoken Word" with featured readers Shailja Patel and Roger Pinnell, host Larry-bob, and open mic, 3pm, $3.

Monday: Rasselas Jazz (Fillmore) 1534 Fillmore; 346-8696. Open mic for instrumentalists, singers, and poets, featuring the Dee Spencer Trio, 8pm, free. Perry's Joint 1661 Fillmore; 931-5260. "Celebration of the Word" with featured reader Don Brennan and open mic, 7pm, free. Yerba Buena Center for the Arts 701 Mission; 978-ARTS, www.youthspeaks.org. Youth Speaks presents "Bringing the Noise for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.," 7-10pm, $2-10. See 8 Days a Week. Café du Nord 2170 Market; aklatte@sbcglobal.net. "Porch Light" storytelling series (this month's theme: "Kitchen Confidential") with Jean Field, Douglas Monsalud, Steve Muller, Sini Anderson, and others, 7pm, $8.