Goldstar

Berkeley Playhouse's Youth Company Teen Ensemble (grades 6-10) perform three-time Tony-winning musical Urinetown, a hilarious tale of corruption and revolution in a time when water is worth its weight in gold. A terrible water shortage, caused by a 20-year drought, has led to a government-enforced ban on private toilets, and a malevolent company profits by charging people to use public toilets. A hero emerges and plots a revolution to free everyone. Learn more...

An exquisite period piece of Americana, The Ballad of Baby Doe is based on a real-life story of love, honor and politics, set against the boom times in Colorado in the 1880s when silver was king. Douglas Moore's lush score depicts this riches-to-rags epic through lyricism of irresistible beauty, soaring arias and rousing chorus scenes. Learn more...

Ross Dance Company celebrates the Gospel in the 2009 Bay Area Praise Dance Festival. This showcase of Northern California's top religious dance groups features performers from Covenant Worship Center, The Way Christian Center, Fame Praise Dance Ministry, and many more. Learn more...

San Francisco's Pocket Opera presents Donald Pippin's translation of Rossini's The Barber of Seville, the first chapter of The Marriage of Figaro. Aided by the ever resourceful Figaro, the impassioned Count Almaviva sets out to rescue lovely Rosina from the tightened clutches of irascible old Doctor Bartola. Learn more...

Kung Pao Kosher Comedy presents The Color of Funny: A Multi-Culty Comedy Show. This diverse showcase features a half-dozen comics of varied nationalities, ethnicities, and sexual orientations. Hosted by Lisa Geduldig, the show's comics include Diane "The Pine Sol Lady" Amos, Dhaya Lakshminarayanan, Mimi Gonzalez, and Joe Nguyen. Learn more...

San Francisco's Pocket Opera presents the premiere of Donald Pippin's new translation of Moniuszko's The Haunted Manor, a buoyant and colorful comedy, by a composer revered in Poland as second only to Chopin. Pippin's distinctive and elegant English renderings of well-known and rarely performed operas are considered among the finest in the world. Learn more...

Children of all ages can experience the classic Alice in Wonderland story in a new way in this circus adaptation filled with clowns, acrobats, jugglers and musicians. Created by Cirque Du Soleil's Jeff Raz, Wonderland follows Alice's wild adventures as she encounters the caterpillar, the white rabbit and the dreaded Queen of Hearts while searching for a way home. Learn more...

La Favorita soars to lyrical heights in this new translation of Donizetti's powerful Spanish-tinged story of love thwarted. What starts with betrayal, ends in triumph. By combining Donald Pippin's incomparable English version with his narrative flair, using minimal scenic elements and a pocket-sized philharmonic on stage along with the singers, Pocket Opera is theater for the heart and mind. Learn more...

One of America's top living short story writers, Tobias Wolff (This Boy's Life) is known for exhibiting a sharp-edged sense of humor coupled with an exploration of moral ambiguity. For the second time, Word for Word has adapted three of the author's stories for the stage, this time drawing from his most recent collection, Our Story Begins. Learn more...

Set in the fantastical science fiction universe of H.G. Wells and Jules Verne, David Scott Marley's sparkling English adaptation of The Tales of Hoffmann returns to Berkeley Opera. Populating this pre-electric industrial "steampunk" world is the tortured poet Hoffmann telling stories of his past loves, taking flights of fancy powered by steam, elaborate clockworks and magic where the science leaves off. Learn more...

Offenbach's La Belle Helene tells the inside story, somehow overlooked by Homer, of how, with the help of that capriciously relentless goddess of love, Venus, Prince Paris of Troy succeeded in seducing beautiful Helen. By combining Donald Pippin's incomparable English version with his narrative flair, using minimal scenic elements and a pocket-sized philharmonic on stage along with the singers, Pocket Opera is theater for the heart and mind. Learn more...

Based on Roald Dahl's delectable book, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Willy Wonka Jr. is brimming with yummy surprises and tantalizing twists in music, staging and direction. From Berkeley Playhouse Youth Company. Learn more...

Everyone's favorite zany redhead is moving back to her childhood home, Villa Villa Kula. With her father lost at sea, Pippi returns with her monkey, Mr. Nilson -- and her pet horse, of course. The townsfolk think she needs to be taught and tamed, but Anneka and Tommy, her next door neighbors, are pretty sure Pippi is the one with the lesson plans. Learn more...

Active Arts Theatre for Young Audiences presents a musical version of the award-winning novel How I Became a Pirate. When a band of pirates needs a new crew member, young Jeremy Jacob jumps at the chance. There he learns that treasure is to be found not only on a pirate ship, but also at home. Learn more...

Active Arts Theatre for Young Audiences presents The Emperor's New Clothes a musical by Ahrens and Flaherty, the team that created Ragtime and Seussical, performed by a cast of professional adult actors. Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's familiar tale, The Emperor's New Clothes tells the story of a 14-year old boy destined to become the next emperor. Learn more...

Frank Olivier's Twisted Cabaret and Pandemonium Vaudeville Show makes an appearance in the Bay Area. Olivier, a Berkeley native, has toured all over the world, and his show is a fast-paced, funny, and astounding tour de force featuring 12 hilarious acts -- knife-throwing, magic and contortion to fire-eating, juggling, dancing girls and more -- all performed by Olivier himself. Learn more...

Based on Louisa May Alcott's cherished novel about family life and love, Little Women traces the adventures of sisters Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy growing up in trying times during the Civil War. For ages 6 and up. Learn more...

Enjoy hot cocoa, fruitcake and a tender reading by Thomas Lynch of Truman Capote's short story A Christmas Memory. Capote's charming memoir is about the friendship between a boy and his elderly cousin, and their adventures while gathering ingredients for their holiday fruitcakes. Local singing sensation Tamika Nicole will also perform with Tal Ariel, then lead the audience in an uplifting sing-along. Learn more...

The beloved children's story of James and the Giant Peach comes to life on stage with this production from Active Arts Theatre for Young Audiences. James is an orphan with terrible aunts for guardians. But when he befriends human-like bugs who live inside a giant peach, he goes on a magical journey. Recommended for ages 5 and up. Learn more...

This multimedia modern dance concert is an exciting blend of choreography and original music--and is also the result of a community outreach program of dance workshops that Lineage held last year. Video footage from the workshops form the backdrop of this professional dance show, conveying what it feels like to dance at every age--and why we're connected to the "universal language of dance." Learn more...

The iconic play by Arthur Miller, Death of a Salesman, comes to life in new and fascinating ways when Traveling Jewish Theatre envisions the troubled Willy Loman as a first-generation American Jew. Miller himself was Jewish, and by filtering Salesman through that light, the classic play blossoms in new and thought-provoking dimensions. Learn more...

This annual international women's celebration at Berkeley features talented musicians, dancers and drummers, with performances of a Think Outside the Box Off Broadway Show. Hosted by Dr. Annie Sprinkle, movie star turned Ph.D. educator and author. This is a fundraising event for Global Women Intact. Learn more...

Ring in the new year at Johnny Steele's Hilarity Hoedown and Jocularity Jamboree. The two-hour variety show, hosted by Steele, former host of shows at both LIVE 105 and KRON/Bay TV, will feature stand-up comedy, sketches, live music, kooky surprises, and perhaps someone putting an eye out. Starring sketch team The Meehan Brothers, Geoff Bolt, best known for his long running TV commercials with former SF 49er Steve Young, and Micheal O'Brien, one of San Francisco's top voice actors. Learn more...

Join The Sippy Cups, the Bay Area's freshest family performance troupe for a Halloween Bash! Kids are encouraged to come in costume for a Halloween Costume Parade. The pop-rock band The Sippy Cups play cool tunes drawn from The Beatles, The Velvet Underground, Pink Floyd, Bowie, and more. It's a party atmosphere with a circus performer, puppets and audience participation. Learn more...

Traveling Jewish Theatre culminates its multi-year, international collaboration with the world premiere of Blood Relative, exploring the shared and competing narratives of Jews and Arabs. Learn more...

Frank Olivier's latest creation is a hilarious madcap mod-vod tour de force. The multi-talented Olivier pulls off an unparalleled theatrical & comedic feat by performing every act of a full scale, offbeat variety thrill show featuring 12 different twisted vaudeville characters. It's a well-orchestrated evening of demented fun. Learn more...

Traveling Jewish Theatre presents The Bright River, a hip-hop retelling of Dante's Inferno by traditional storyteller, Tim Barsky, featuring a live soundtrack performed by some of the best hip-hop and klezmer musicians in the Bay Area. Learn more...

Dybbuk, the classic tale of love and possession, in a stunning new adaptation from the Traveling Jewish Theatre; at the Julia Morgan Theater. Learn more...

Newman's "Fall Down Get Up" reverberates with hope, humor & humanity -- a great way to celebrate National Women's History Month in March -- at the Julia Morgan Theater. Learn more...