What to Do This Weekend: Theater
Not that this should be a reason to go see live theater, but you know, the movie pickings lately have been kind of sparse (though we did like Sideways). And really, why would you go to the movies when there are so many enticing theater options out right now? As usual, there are the big commercial productions (hey, Little Shop of Horrors is probably our favorite Broadway musical, but even that can't drag us to see it in what's probably an overblown -- and most certainly an overpriced -- stage production). But worry not: there are many great options, from the big nonprofit spaces down to the bargain basements.
Click the link below to go to our recommendations:
The Real Thing at A.C.T.
The Guardian loved this production. The last time we saw this play it was at the Lesher Center in Walnut Creek a few years ago. That production was pretty good, but as Robert Avila says in his review (scroll down the page), no one does Tom Stoppard like Carey Perloff and her A.C.T. actors (full disclosure: we used to work at A.C.T., so we've seen our share of Stoppard/Perloff collaborations, though we're kicking ourselves that we had missed Arcadia back in '95). The Real Thing closes this weekend.
Rush Limbaugh in Night School at the Marsh
Ben Franklin: Unplugged at the Magic
Two favorite Bay Area solo performers doing their thing: Charlie Varon with the tenth-anniversary revival of Limbaugh and Josh Kornbluth with Franklin. If you've never seen either one perform live, you owe it to yourself to check it out. We've seen Kornbluth both live on stage and in the movie version of one of his monologues, and we definitely like him better live. (Except for that one time when he was in line for a Southwest flight at the Oakland airport, where he was, frankly, a little sour to an admirer, but we've seen his work, so what did we expect?)
Avant GardARAMA! at the Exit
If you like your plays experimental, then Cutting Ball Theater has your ticket. This is an evening of five short plays by Richard Foreman, Heiner Müller, Suzan-Lori Parks, Mac Wellman, and the director of the show, Rob Melrose. Hell, even if you don't like your plays experimental, this is the way to see avant-garde theater: if you don't like a particular play -- and this will happen in any collection of short plays, experimental or not -- all you gots to do is hold your breath and it'll be over soon enough, sure to be followed by something you'll like better. Not for nuthin', but if you need another reason to see this show, it features one of SFist's favorite young local actors, Ryan Oden. He's damned funny (though we don't know how funny the plays in this show either are or are supposed to be).
Not a Genuine Black Man at the Marsh
KGO radio personality and stand-up comic Brian Copeland has garnered raves from all the local publications for his solo show about growing up in racist hotbed San Leandro. The show has been so popular that it's now in its seventh incarnation. How did we miss this previously? It closes next weekend, so we're going to have to miss it once again, but you shouldn't. We'll be keeping our eyes peeled for the next production. Please let there be an eighth!
Meanwhile, Back at the Super Lair... at La Val's Subterranean
Of course, we can't give a rundown of the cool local offerings without mentioning the production that this writer is involved with (full disclosure and all that good stuff). Though we are ethically obligated to note that this show wasn't so much SFist Eve's glass of beer, the comedy about four not-so-superheroes has been a hit with the Oakland Tribune, the Daily Cal, and, just published yesterday, the East Bay Express. But Impact's artistic director does appreciate SFist Eve's honesty as a reviewer, and she'll totally be inviting her back to see the company's next offering, a lesbian Othello. In the meantime, why don't you catch Super Lair?
For more stage options, check out the listings at the Guardian, the Express, and the Weekly.