The acclaimed French-trained Guinean contemporary circus troupe Circus Baobab makes its US debut as part of the SF Int'l Arts Festival, performing The Jumping Drum, a fable about globalization and family, complete with acrobatics, stilt-walking, and African music. 5:30 p.m., $30, Project Artaud Theater (450 Alabama, x Mariposa). They're here through Sunday, and you may find it intriguing to learn that tomorrow's performance is in French. That's them on the YouTube above. Other events:......

We had a brief moment last summer when we felt like delving into fame whorism. As of right now, mere hours before our television debut, we're wondering why--and we're on the verge of a breakdown. We certainly don't think we'll be as smooth tonight on Check Please! Bay Area as friend of SFist, Burritophile Dan Johnson, was on Bay Area Backroads last Saturday. We're not experts; we just like to eat....

When God Winked opens The Marsh's new space in Berkeley....

Why is it that when people do readings, they get that weird This-American-Life tone in their voice? And what is it about the quality of polite clapping at bookreadings that makes it sound so poignant? Contemplate these thoughts as you hear your favorite local authors starting tomorrow and going all next week in San Francisco's local literary festival, Litquake. ...