Goldstar

Fresh from Broadway, Mamet's new comedy November takes a satirical stab at American politics. President Charles Smith, the most corrupt buffoon ever to sit in the Oval Office, is in the final days of his bid for re-election, but the country is a mess and his poll numbers are low. Toss in a lesbian speechwriter longing to marry her sweetheart on TV, Thanksgiving turkeys awaiting pardon, and a ton of shady back-room scheming and you've got Mamet's latest. Learn more...

The New Conservatory Theatre Center Teen Ensemble presents The Wizard of Oz. This talented young actors perform a delightful adaptation of the classic story of Dorothy, the Kansas girl who finds herself in a magical land with no way to get home. Learn more...

New Conservatory Theatre Center presents the 1966 Off-Broadway hit Dames at Sea. This zany look at the Hollywood musicals of the 1930s tells the tale of a sweet small-town girl who arrives in New York with plans to make it big on Broadway. Learn more...

Set along San Francisco's historic waterfront, Teatro ZinZanni is a bewitching evening of European cabaret, cirque, divas and madmen, spectacle and sensuality with live music and a gourmet five-course dinner -- set in the nightclub of your dreams. Since its San Francisco debut in 2000, Teatro ZinZanni has become a Bay Area entertainment institution. Learn more...

Solo Sundays, S.F.'s premier monthly showcase, presents select samplings of veteran virtuosos and top emerging talent in the intimate StageWerx theater near Union Square. Beyond stand-up and storytelling, solo theater creates casts of thousands - plus special effects - all bursting from a single performer. The results are hilarious and heartbreaking, passionate and provocative, ablaze with personal visions. Learn more...

Jake Johannsen headlines Cobb's Comedy Club. Renowned for his dryly witty style, Jake has made over 40 appearances on The Late Show with David Letterman, and his HBO special This'll Take About An Hour was voted one of the 50 Funniest Moments in Television History by TV Guide. Last Comic Standing Season 1 champion Dat Phan will also perform. Learn more...

A middle-aged couple awakes in a beautiful summer house on a hill, surrounded by trees and glimpses of water. There's just one problem. They can't remember their own names, much less the relationship between them. Their pursuit of memory yields both comic and terrifying results, leaving them adrift on a leaky raft of postmodern anxiety. A suspenseful and mysterious exploration of the deep relationship between memory and identity. Learn more...

Golden Thread Productions presents ReOrient 2009 - The First Ten Years. The annual festival of short plays exploring the modern Middle East celebrates its tenth anniversary with two separate programs and nine total plays. Comedies and dramas feature topics including love, international relations and the clash between the Middle East's modern culture and its ancient traditions. See below for a full schedule. Learn more...

Fun-derful Holidaze is a fun-filled performance show for the entire family from beloved Bay Area clown Unique Derique. Derique will be joined by Prescott Clown Circus theater alumni, youth jugglers, a hambone body music team and hip-hop dancers for a program that will have audience members laughing and dancing throughout the holiday season. Learn more...

Dan Hoyle's tings dey happen is an award-winning adventure story about the year Hoyle studied oil politics in Nigeria, the "new Middle East" of oil security. Traveling alone through the swamps of the Niger Delta, he befriended militants, warlords, prostitutes and diplomats. Dan plays them all in this solo performance, which just completed a tour of Nigeria, sponsored by the U.S. State Department. Learn more...

Master storyteller Brenda Wong Aoki presents Return of the Sun. This unique and colorful version of the Japanese legend of Amaterasu, the Sun Goddess features Indian, Afro-Peruvian, Mayan and Korean dance companies alongside Aoki, whose style is based on Japan's Noh and Kyogen drama. Learn more...

The Great Broadway Sing-Along mixes performance with audience participation in an evening of classic show tunes. Producer Ellie Mednick and an outstanding cast perform well-known songs by Rodgers & Hammerstein, the Gershwins, Porter, Sondheim and Berlin, from hit shows like West Side Story, Mary Poppins, Hair and Billy Elliot. This popular event is suitable for the whole family. Learn more...

Caramella Skin Couture combines traditional European skin and body care with the latest advances in facial therapy and body sculpting. The spa offers a variety of luxurious, effective treatments. Learn more...

The Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, Asia's oldest symphony orchestra, celebrates their 130th anniversary at Zellerbach Hall. They'll pplay Rachmaninoff's Second Piano Concerto with staggeringly talented young soloist Yuja Wang. The program also includes works by Mussorgsky and Qigang Chen. Learn more...

Traditionally handsome Tom falls for Helen, a bright, funny, sexy woman who also happens to be plus-sized. Pressured to explain his new relationship to his perplexed friends, Tom must come to terms with his own preconceived notions about the importance of conventional beauty. Neil LaBute's funny, poignant play continues a trilogy that began with The Shape of Things. Learn more...

The Marsh presents Don Reed in East 14th: Tales of a Reluctant Player. This hilarious and poignant solo show is the story of Reed's boyhood in 1970s Oakland, torn between his strict, church-going mother's upbringing and his admiration of his father, a pimp. East 14th was an Off-Broadway hit, nominated for two 2008 NAACP Theatre Awards. Learn more...

Martha, the daughter of the college president, much to the consternation of her husband, George, a "forty something" professor of history, invites an ambitious young academic and his naive wife for late night drinks. Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? is a dark brilliant comedy about the private lives and painful secrets of the two couples, written by three-time Pulitzer Prize winner Edward Albee. Learn more...

The San Francisco 49ers host the Detroit Lions at Candlestick Park. The 49ers' offense is led by star running back Frank Gore; the Lions feature quarterback Matthew Stafford, the top pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, as well as electrifying wide receiver Calvin Johnson. Learn more...

Dwight Howard, Vince Carter and the defending Eastern Conference Champion Orlando Magic make their only trip to Oracle Arena this season, taking on the hometown Golden State Warriors. The Warriors feature rookie Stephen Curry, alongside veterans Monta Ellis and Stephen Jackson. Learn more...

The San Francisco Lyric Chorus presents What Sweeter Music, a program of selections from BBC Magazine's "Top 50 Christmas Carols." The program ranges from Renaissance and Baroque music to joyous 20th-century works by Poulenc and Britten. The program closes with the world premiere of new Music Director Robert Train Adams' Christmas Fantasy. Learn more...

Shopping! The Musical is a new musical comedy revue by award-winning writer Morris Bobrow about everyone's second favorite (in some cases, favorite) activity. Hilarious songs and sketches about the frustrations, annoyances and occasional joys of shopping -- how men and women do it, dealing with customers, clerks and store environments, shopping online and on TV and other familiar situations. Learn more...

The hilarious holiday satire about a job as a department store Christmas elf returns to San Francisco for an 8th year. Based on bestselling author David Sedaris' legendary biographical account of working as the costumed Crumpet the Elf at a New York Macy's, Santaland Diaries has become a holiday staple since being adapted into a one-man stage show. Learn more...

There's no better way to spend a beautiful Sunday morning/afternoon than cruising the picturesque SF Bay! Hornblower Cruises presents a wonderful 2-hour cruise, featuring a delicious brunch and champagne. Learn more...

This hit-filled R&B revue at J'LaChic Theatre 39 traces a narrated musical journey from the early days of Motown to the classic soul sounds of today. The songs of Stevie Wonder, the Temptations, the Four Tops, Smokey Robinson, Diana Ross and more are performed by Bay Area trio Top Shelf, accompanied by female vocalists and dancers. Learn more...

Unwind with a Happy Hour Cruise. Set sail with drinks and snacks on a classic 1950s motor vessel which recalls the glory days of the Barbary Coast. Cruise the City's beautiful waterfront and the Bay Bridge and enjoy the views. Your ticket includes two drinks and snacks. Learn more...

The Golden State Warriors host the Indiana Pacers at Oracle Arena. The high-scoring Warriors feature Monta Ellis and rookie Stephen Curry, while the Pacers' Danny Granger is one of the NBA's top scorers. Each ticket includes a voucher good for a hot dog, chips, and soda at the game. Learn more...

For the fourth straight year, Un-Scripted Theater Company presents Let It Snow!, a two-hour, completely improvised holiday musical filled with Broadway-style singing and dancing. No two shows are the same, since the audience will suggest locations and themes that will be incorporated into each performance. Learn more...

BATS Improv presents A Very Merry Murder Mystery. This seasonal version of their popular Improvised Murder Mystery show is a tale of murder at a holiday party. A talented team of improvisors creates the entire show on the spot, based on audience suggestions. Learn more...

Two couples enjoy an evening of nonsensical conversation in a comedy considered to be one of the classics of absurdist theater. The first play penned by Eugène Ionesco, The Bald Soprano takes place in the home of the Smiths, a traditional London couple who have invited the Martins over for dinner. Their increasingly odd banter is anything but traditional, however. Learn more...

BATS Improv presents It's A Wonderful Improvised Life. Every night, they'll create an all-new improvised holiday tale in the style of the classic film It's a Wonderful Life. Audience suggestions fuel a heartwarming story of love, courage and redemption. Learn more...

Beautiful Thing is the story of two working class London teenage boys who fall in love, the shy Jamie and the charming and handsome next door neighbor, Ste. The boys' attraction to one another is quickened by Ste's difficult home life and the well-meaning intentions of Jamie's mother. Her love and patience are tested as she finds out the truth about the boys' unexpected relationship. Learn more...

After winning more awards than any other show at the 2009 SF Fringe Festival, William Bivins' Pulp Scripture brings the Good Book back to life. These stories ripped from the Old Testament include tales of incest, drunkenness, human sacrifice and crowds of horny Sodomites. Pulp Scripture are the Bible stories they didn't teach you in Sunday school. Learn more...

The SF Playhouse presents She Stoops to Comedy, a playful, gender-bending show by one of New York's most innovative writer/performers, David Greenspan. Set in a summer-stock production of Shakespeare's As You Like It, actress Alexandra Page schemes to woo back her estranged female lover by playing Orlando (who everyone knows is a man) opposite her lover's Rosalind. A bevy of unexpected romances ensue. Learn more...

The Richmond/Ermet AIDS Foundation of San Francisco presents the One Night Only Holiday Cabaret benefit show. The evening will feature performances by the cast of Wicked, Broadway star Lucie Arnaz, Tony nominee Sharon McNight, actress Patty Duke, Motown group Top Shelf, cabaret artist Leanne Borghesi, American Idol contestant RJ Helton, and more. Learn more...

Stateless weaves a century of German, Jewish and African American history with contemporary hip-hop music, beat-box vocal rhythms and vaudeville. The play is inspired by the true story of co-writer Dan Wolf's family history, beginning with his great-grandfather, who was part of a singing group responsible for one of the most popular songs in German history. Learn more...

Enjoy a beautiful sunset on the water and then return to the shimmering city lights while enjoying a delicious dinner prepared fresh onboard by Hornblower's chefs. Spend the rest of the cruise dancing to live music. The trip includes a four-course dinner, cash bar, live band, and breathtaking bay views. Learn more...

The Marsh presents Ann Randolph's Loveland. The award-winning solo performer (Squeeze Box) has been compared to the late Gilda Radner by Mel Brooks. In this hilarious, deeply moving show, Randolph plays a women taking the greatest journey of her life: a trip from Los Angeles to Ohio. Learn more...

Marin Theatre Company presents a comedy about an unlikely couple -- and the end of the world. In Boom, written by Marin native Peter Sinn Nachtrieb, Jo answers an ad placed by Jules, who fears the apocalypse is coming and seeks a partner to help him repopulate the species. That he's gay and she hates babies is the least of their problems. Learn more...

Rick Evans, whose San Francisco Architecture Walking Tour is a long-running hit on Goldstar, presents his newest tour. The Chinatown Walking Tour is a two-hour journey through this famous neighborhood, presenting fascinating facts about its history and architecture. Covering legendary and obscure landmarks, the tour is designed to fascinate and inform visitors and locals alike. Learn more...

Discover the rich history of San Francisco architecture. Rick Evans' two-hour tour is loaded with secret gems and hidden jewels of the city! In addition to learning about the history of the architecture in the Financial District, you'll also see the city's newest skyscrapers, as well as hidden outdoor spaces that can only be found on foot. Learn more...

Thrillpeddlers celebrate the 40th anniversary of the gender-bending drag troupe The Cockettes with this psychedelic musical inspired by sin soaked Old Shanghai and Busby Berkeley movie musicals from Hollywood's Golden Age. Learn more...

Born in Canada to Indian parents, Sugar Sammy has become a top international comedy star with his hilarious and clever insights on multicultural society. He's opened for comics including Dave Chappelle and George Lopez, and has recorded stand-up specials for HBO Canada and Showtime Arabia. Learn more...

Punch Line Comedy Club presents their SF Comedy Showcase. See a lineup of the Bay Area's top stand-up comics, many of whom have appeared on late-night television, Comedy Central, and more. Learn more...

Sample the wines of Napa and Sonoma Wine Country on a full-day tour. The Wine Lover's Tour is a semi-private, semi-customizable tour, which will visit 4 to 6 wineries. Lunch and wine tasting fees are not included in the price. See the More Details section for more information. Learn more...

High jinks abound in Cole Porter and Moss Hart's smart, cheeky and ultra-moderne 1935 hit. The Royal Family of a "fictional European country" abandon the throne to go off on an adventure. Parody versions of recognizable 1930s celebrities (Noel Coward, Elsa Maxwell, Johnny Weissmuller, Ginger Rogers) show the disguised monarch and family the time of their royal lives. Learn more...

Jennifer Jajeh brings her comedic solo show about life as a single, Catholic, Palestinian-American woman to San Francisco. In I Heart Hamas: And Other Things I'm Afraid to Tell You, Jajeh recounts a trip back to her parents' hometown in the West Bank while weaving in an honest and funny examination of topics from dating to politics to identity. Learn more...

The late Harry Chapin penned over two dozen songs for this progressive musical retelling of the Gospels of Matthew and John, transported to modern day, rural Georgia. Based on the book by civil rights activist Clarence Jordan, Cotton Patch Gospel uses a rousing bluegrass score -- performed by a one actor playing scores of roles, a live bluegrass band and three stunning singers. Learn more...

Beer lovers of all kinds are invited to a fun filled afternoon of beer tasting featuring unique European- and American-styled beers and ales, served by beautiful "ambassador" models dressed in specially designed sexy costumes with an around-the-world theme. This will be a unique opportunity to discover new and exotic beers while gauging stylistic differences against your own preferences. Learn more...

Come see where the Bay Area's theatre pros go to play on their night off. Now in its 16th season, PlayGround presents staged readings of six original short plays written by top Bay Area emerging playwrights, inspired by a single topic and performed by leading local directors and actors. Learn more...