From the cultural legacies of black radio and French writers to physical theater and psychology, there's something for just about everyone in this week's offerings by Bay Area theaters.

at The Marsh Berkeley
W. Allen Taylor didn't know who his father was until he graduated from Ohio State University with a degree in communications and a reputation as a popular campus DJ. Only then did his mother tell Taylor that he unknowingly followed in the footsteps of his father, Bill Hawkins, Cleveland's first black DJ (and the highest-rated DJ in 1950s Cleveland, to boot). Having only met his father once, Taylor now pieces his life together in the professional premiere of his solo show, which is based on interviews he conducted with people who knew his father and includes a rich history of black radio. When Taylor performed this piece as a work-in-progress on NPR in 1999, there was no recordings of Hawkins and very little information about him. But today, a recording has surfaced, and the story continues to unfold in Taylor's intimate and heartfelt show.
Playing through January 28

Photo of W. Allen Taylor by Averie D Cohen.

Walkin' Talkin' Bill Hawkins…In Search of My Father