You're confronted with dark, bitter reality every day, from the moment you get on Muni to your last sweep of Twitter before you drift off to sleep at night. Tonight, take a break from real life with Sleeping Cutie: A Fractured Fairy Tale Musical, which is pretty much what it sounds like: a musical based on a fairy tale.

When a woman's Madoffesque dad is sent to prison, he sets his daughter up with a series of suitors—but she has other plans. "Is the story realistic?" the play's promoters ask. "No way. This is a musical!" they respond, with refreshing candor.

Tonight is the first preview night of the world premiere of this musical, which was developed and commissioned by Playground, San Francisco's noted incubator for playwrights. It runs until May 11, so even if you can't make it tonight, you have a multitude of other opportunities. Keep in mind that Thursdays are "Pay-What-You-Can at the door" (subject to availability), otherwise tickets range from $30-$40.

What: Sleeping Cutie: A Fractured Fairy Tale Musical
When: 8 PM (runs through May 11, details here)
Where: Thick House, 1695 18th Street between Arkansas and Carolina Streets
Cost: $30, buy tickets here, but Thursdays are pay-what-you-can at the door (subject to availability).