at Thick House
Just in time to coincide with current events in North Korea (ahem) comes the world premiere of Gadget, a multimedia theatrical event based on images of and interviews with the people who built the first atomic bomb. Creator David Szlasa teams up with guest artists Sara Shelton Mann (choreography), Sherwood Chen (dance) and DJs Ralph Cutler, Kerowack and DJ Excess in a fusion (or is it fission?) of text, video, music and dance, all under the development wing of Z Space.
Playing October 13 through 29

13 Steps at Exit Cafe
We assume that "illusionist" is the preferred term nowadays for magicians, but in any case, Christian Cagigal is one of the Bay Area's best. If you haven't caught his act at the SF Fringe or the Exit before, now's your chance. 13 Steps is an evening of "close-up" illusion, theatre and mind-reading. Says Cagigal, "With close-up magic, you don't just watch the show, you are the show." Uh, just make sure there aren't any knives around.
Playing October 13 through 28

Death of a Salesman at Actors Theatre of San Francisco
For those craving good ol' classic American theatre, head no further than Actors Theatre of San Francisco and Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman, featuring the tragic Willy Loman, a traveling salesman who begins to lose his grip on reality. The play has been labeled an attack on the pursuit of the American Dream at any cost. Like we need another reminder that it's dead.
Playing October 13 through December 16

Photo of the atomic bomb courtesy of thisisgadget.com.

For more stage options, check out the listings at the Guardian, the Express, the SF Weekly, and the calendar on Theatre Bay Area's website.

Gadget