TUESDAY, MAY 30 

Public Hearing on Creeks Ordinance at 6 p.m. at Longfellow School Auditorium, 1500 Derby St. 981-6900. 

A Year of Greening Albany An afternoon mixer celebrating Albany’s environmental movement at 3:30 p.m. at Albany City Hall, 1000 San Pablo Ave. 

City and County Resources for Older Adults at 1:30 p.m. at the Albany Library, 1247 Marin Ave. 526-3720. 

National Senior Health & Fitness Day with speakers, information booths on massage therapy, fitness testing, arthritis prevention, dentistry, and more, plus entertainment from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Salem Lutheran Home, 2361 East 29th St., Oakland. Free. 534-3637.  

Raging Grannies of the East Bay invites new folks to come join us the 2nd and 4th Tues, of each month, from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. to sing (any voice will do), help plan our next gig, or write outrageously political lyrics to old familiar tunes, and have fun at Berkeley Gray Panthers office, 1403 Addison St., in Andronico’s mall. 548-9696. 

Family Story Time at 7 p.m. at the Kensington Branch Library, 61 Arlington Ave., Kensington. Free, all ages welcome. 524-3043. 

Tuesday Tilden Walkers Join a few slowpoke seniors at 9:30 a.m. in the parking lot near the Little Farm for an hour or two walk. 215-7672, 524-9992. 

Free Handbuilding Ceramics Class 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at St. John’s Senior Center, 2727 College Ave. Also, Mon. noon to 4 p.m. at the South Berkeley Senior Center. Materials and firing charges not included. 525-5497. 

Berkeley Camera Club meets at 7:30 p.m., at the Northbrae Community Church, 941 The Alameda. Share your digital images, slides and prints and learn what other photographers are doing. Monthly field trips. 548-3991. www.berkeleycameraclub.org 

St. John’s Prime Timers meets at 9:30 a.m. at St. John’s Presbyterian Church, 2727 College Ave. We offer ongoing classes in exercise and creative arts, and always welcome new members over 50. 845-6830. 

Brainstormer Weekly Pub Quiz every Tuesday from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Pyramid Alehouse Brewery, 901 Gilman St. 528-9880.  

WEDNESDAY, MAY 31 

“Palestinian Lesbians Speak Out from the Occupation” at 7 p.m. at Berkeley Friends Church, 1600 Sacramento St. at Cedar. Donation $10-$20. Sponsored by Bay Area Women in Black. www.bayareawomeninblack.org 

Walking Tour of Oakland Chinatown Meet at 10 a.m. at the courtyard fountain in the Pacific Renaissance Plaza at 388 Ninth St. Tour lasts 90 minutes. Reservations can be made by calling 238-3234. www.oaklandnet.com/walkingtours 

“American Dictators” A documentary by Alex Jones on the election of 2004 and the degeneration of our political process at 7:30 p.m. at Humanist Hall, 390 27th St., Oakland. Donations of $5 accepted. 

Bayswater Book Club meets to discuss “American Theocracy” by Kevin Phillips at 6:30 p.m. at Barnes and Noble, El Cerrito. Also organizing meeting to become a Democratic Central Committee Chartered Club. 433-2911. 

The Berkeley Lawn Bowling Club provides free instruction every Wed. and Sat. at 10:30 a.m. at 2270 Acton St. 841-2174.  

Walk Berkeley for Seniors meets every Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. at the Sea Breeze Market, just west of the I-80 overpass. 548-9840. 

Fresh Produce Stand at San Pablo Park from 3 to 6:30 p.m. in the Frances Albrier Community Center. Sponsored by the Ecology Center’s Farm Fresh Choice. 848-1704. www.ecologycenter.org 

Stitch ‘n Bitch Bring your knitting, crocheting and other handcrafts from 6 to 9 p.m. at Caffe Trieste, 2500 San Pablo Ave. 548-5198. 

Berkeley Peace Walk and Vigil at the Berkeley BART Station, corner of Shattuck and Center. Sing for Peace at 6:30 p.m. followed by Peace Walk at 7 p.m. www.geocities.com/ 

vigil4peace/vigil 

THURSDAY, JUNE 1 

“Remembering Faith Fancher” A benefit for the Breast Health Center at Alta Bates Summit at 6 p.m. at Scott’s Seafood Restaurant in Jack London Square. For ticket information and reservations call 204-1667. 

“Cat Training & Behavior: Yes You Can!” A lecture at 7:30 p.m. at Borders Books in Emeryville. 644-0729. www.openpaw.org 

Helmet Safety Day Decorate helmets and compete in a toddler rodeo from 5 to 7 p.m. at Habitot, 2065 Kittredge St. Cost is $5-$6. 647-1111. 

World of Plants Tours Thurs., Sat. and Sun. at 1:30 p.m. at the UC Botanical Garden, 200 Centennial Drive. Cost is $5. 643-2755. http://botanicalgarden.berkeley.edu 

FRIDAY, JUNE 2 

Impeachment Banner Fridays at 6:45 to 8 a.m. on the Berkeley Pedestrian bridge between Seabreeze Market and the Berkeley Aquatic Park, ongoing on Fridays until impeachment is realized. www. Impeachbush-cheney.com 

City Commons Club Noon Luncheon with Kim Marienthal Realtor and Board Member of “Liveable Berkeley.” Luncheon at 11:45 a.m. for $13.50, speech at 12:30 p.m., at the Berkeley City Club, 2315 Durant St. For information and reservations call 526-2925 or 665-9020.  

“Postcard from Cuba” A report-back from the Berkeley Palma Soriano Sister City delegation on their recent trip to Cuba at 7 p.m. at the Neibyl-Proctor Library, 6501 Telegraph Ave. Donation $5-$20. 717-9663. 

Red Cross Blood Drive from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Tilden Room, MLK Student Union, 5rd floor, UC Campus. To make an appointment call 1-800-GIVE-LIFE. www.BeADonor.com  

Berkeley Chess School classes for students in grades 1-8 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. A drop-in, rated scholastic tournament follows from 7 to 8 p.m. at 1581 LeRoy Ave., Room 17. 843-0150. 

Berkeley Chess Club meets Fridays at 8 p.m. at the East Bay Chess Club, 1940 Virginia St. Players at all levels are welcome. 845-1041. 

Women in Black Vigil, from noon to 1 p.m. at UC Berkeley, Bancroft at Telegraph. 548-6310, 845-1143. 

SATURDAY, JUNE 3 

Spring Faire at Washington Elementary School with face painting, boat races, obstacle course, Indian floor art, book exchange, food and performan- 

ces, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 2300 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, enter on McKinley. 486-1742.  

National Trails Service Day with REI from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Tilden Park. Children 14 and older welcome, but must be accompanied by an adult if under 18. Pre-registration required. 527-4140. 

Berkeley History Center Walking Tour: “The Lorin: Kindred Spirit or Conquest?” led by Dale Smith, from 10 a.m. to noon. Cost is $8-$10. 848-0181.  

Walking Tour of Old Oakland around the restored 1870s business district. Meet at 10 a.m. in front of G.B. Ratto’s at 827 Washington St. Tour lasts 90 minutes. Reservations can be made by calling 238-3234. 

Berkeley Farmers’ Market’s Family Fun Festival from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Saturday Berkeley Farmers’ Market, Civic Center Park, Center St. at Martin Luther King, Jr. Way. Performances, information and activity booths. 548-2220, ext. 227. 

Emergency Preparedness Class on Disaster First Aid from 9 a.m. to noon at 997 Cedar St. Free, but registration required. 981-5506.  

Report-Back from Berkeley’s Sister City in Cuba at 7 p.m. at Casa Cuba, Niebyl-Proctor Library, 6501 Telegraph Ave., Oakland. Suggested donation $5-$20. 717-9663. 

E-Waste Recycling Sat. and Sun. from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the main parking lot of the El Cerrito City Hall. Accepted items: computers/computer components, televisions, VCR & DVD players, toner cartridges, printers, fax machines, copiers, telephone equipment, cell phones and MP3 players. Not accepted are: appliances, batteries, paints, pesticides, etc. 1-888-832-9839.  

Youth Empowerment Day to stop “Pushouts” from School into Prison with community leaders and entertainment at 6 p.m. at McClymonds Educational Complex, 2607 Myrtle St., West Oakland. 225-8491. 

Social Responsibility Summit & Community Microbusiness Fair from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at International Community School, 2825 International Blvd. at 29th St., Oakland. 540-7785, ext. 314. 

Kid’s Garden Club for ages 7-12 to explore the world of gardening, from 2 to 4 p.m. at Tilden Nature Area, Tilden Park. Cost is $6-$8, registration required. 636-1684. 

Toddler Nature Walk for toddlers and their grown-up friends to look for reptiles, at 10:30 a.m. at Tilden Nature Area, Tilden Park. 636-1684. 

Summer Pond Exploration to capture and release dragonfly nymphs, mayfly niads and other aquatic wonders, from 2 to 3 p.m. at Tilden Nature Area. 636-1684. 

East Bay Atheists with a video of Richard Dawkins, Oxford University Professor of Evolutionary Biology, on ways to address the arguments of Creationists against evolution, at 2 p.m. at Berkeley Public Library, 2090 Kittredge St. 222-7580.  

California Writers Club with winners of the Fifth Grade Writing Contest at 10 a.m. at Barnes & Noble, Jack London Square. 272-0120.  

“Making Gardens Works of Art” at 3 p.m at Mrs. Dalloway’s Literary and Garden Arts, 2904 College Ave. 704-8222. 

Adult Learning Festival with information on learning opportunities, performances and author readings and fun for the whole family, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Lakeside Park, Lake Merritt, Oakland. 879-8131. www.AdultLearningFestival.com 

Sick Plant Clinic UC plant pathologist Dr. Robert Raabe, UC entomologist Dr. Nick Mills, and their team of experts will diagnose what ails your plants from 9 a.m. to noon at the UC Botanical Garden, 200 Centennial Dr. 643-2755.  

“In Service to the World” A talk with Peace Corps Volunteers at 2 p.m. at the Oakland Public Library, West Auditorium, 125 14th St. 238-3134. 

Pre-School Storytime for 3-5 year olds at 11 a.m. at the Albany Library, 1247 Marin Ave. 526-3720, ext. 17. 

Free Garden Tours at Regional Parks Botanic Garden Sat. and Sun. at 2 pm. Regional Parks Botanic Garden, Tilden Park. Call to confirm. 841-8732.  

Around the World Tour of Plants at 1:30 p.m., Thurs., Sat. and Sun. at UC Botanical Garden, 200 Centennial Drive. 643-2755.  

Car Wash Benefit for Options Recovery Services of Berkeley, held every Sat. from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Lutheran Church, 1744 University Ave. 666-9552. 

SUNDAY, JUNE 4 

“A Taste of Albany” tastes from menus at over 20 different restaurants on Solano Ave. in Albany, music by 20 Jazz Groups, Cable Car rides, children’s entertainment, and Arts & Crafts, from 1 to 6 p.m. Sponsored by the Albany Chamber of Commerce. 525-1771. tasteofalbany.com  

Informational Forum on Immigration from 1 to 3 p.m. at St. Joseph the Worker School, 2125 Jefferson St. Sponsored by Berkeley Organizing Congregations for Action. www.berkeleyboca.org 

Beginning Biological Art and Illustration for Youth, ages 9 and older from 2 to 4 p.m. at Oakland Museum of California, 10th and Oak Sts. Reservations required. 238-3818. 

Welcome Home the Butterflies Help weed and plant the Butterfly Garden in Tilden Park from 1 to 3 p.m. Dress to get dirty and bring garden gloves if you have them. 525-2233. 

Build It Green Home Tour of Alameda and Contra Costa Counties, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tour book costs $15. 845-0472.  

Alameda Architectural Society 2006 Preservation Awards with Woody Minor on “The History of Measure A” at 7 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church, corner of Santa Clara Ave. and Chestnut St., Alameda. 986-9232. 

Free Hands-on Bicycle Clinic Learn how to keep your bike in excellent working condition through safety inspections, from 10 to 11 a.m. at REI, 1338 San Pablo Ave. 527-4140. 

Free Garden Tours at Regional Parks Botanic Garden in Tilden Park Sat. and Sun. at 2 p.m. Call to confirm. 841-8732. www.nativeplants.org 

Lake Merritt Neighbors Organized for Peace Peace walk around the lake every Sun. Meet at 3 p.m. at the colonnade at the NE end of the lake. 763-8712. lmno4p.org 

Sunday Summer Forum: Towards a More Just World with Dr. Lola Vollen on her work with exonerated prisoners at 9:30 a.m. at Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley, 1 Lawson Rd., Kensington. 525-0302, ext. 306. 

Tibetan Buddhism with Sylvia Gretchen on “The Art of Happiness” at 6 p.m. at the Tibetan Nyingma Institute, 1815 Highland Pl. 843-6812.  

MONDAY, JUNE 5 

Public Hearing on UC Berkeley’s Building Plans for the 451,000 gross square foot Southeast Campus Integrated Projects at 7 p.m. in the Anderson Auditorium, Haas School of Business, UC Campus. 642-7720. www.cp.berkeley.edu 

Art Making at Schoolhouse Creek Join Friends of Five Creeks and environmental artist Zach Pine to make ephemeral art using found materials at the mouth of Schoolhouse Creek, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Photographs of works will be exhibited as part of “Art to Action on Berkeley Creeks.” Free, but enrollment limited; register 708-5528. zpine@aol.com 

Kensington Library Knitting Club, the “Castoffs” meets at 7 p.m. at 61 Arlington Ave. All ages and levels of experience welcome. 524-3043. 

World Affairs/Politics Discussion Group for people 60+ years old meets at 10:15 a.m. at the Albany Senior Center, 846 Masonic Ave. Cost is $2.50. 524-9122. 

Berkeley CopWatch organizational meeting at 8 p.m. at 2022 Blake St. Join us to work on current issues around police misconduct. 548-0425. 

TUESDAY, JUNE 6 

Remember to Vote Today 

“Pack Light, Pack Right” Tips for comfort on the trail at 7 p.m. at from 10 to 11 a.m. at REI, 1338 San Pablo Ave. 527-4140. 

Tuesday Tilden Walkers Join a few slowpoke seniors at 9:30 a.m. in the parking lot near the Little Farm for an hour or two walk. 215-7672, 524-9992. 

Berkeley Camera Club meets at 7:30 p.m., at the Northbrae Community Church, 941 The Alameda. Share your digital images, slides and prints and learn what other photographers are doing. Monthly field trips. 548-3991. www.berkeleycameraclub.org 

Berkeley Discussion Salon on “Travel and Favorite Vacations” at 7 p.m. at the BRJCC, 1414 Walnut St. at Rose. Please bring snacks to share, no peanuts please. 

St. John’s Prime Timers meets at 9:30 a.m. at St. John’s Presbyterian Church, 2727 College Ave. We offer ongoing classes in exercise and creative arts, and always welcome new members over 50. 845-6830. 

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 7 

Walking Tour of Old Oakland around Preservation Park to see Victorian architecture. Meet at 10 a.m. in front of Preservation Park at 13th St. and MLK, Jr. Way. Tour lasts 90 minutes. Reservations can be made by calling 238-3234. www.oaklandnet.com/walkingtours 

“Earthlings” a documentary on the industries which rely on animals for profit at 7:30 p.m. at Humanist Hall, 390 27th St., Oakland. Donations of $5 accepted. 

“Girl, I’ve Been Through A Lot ...” Poetry workshop for girls age 13 to 17 at 4 p.m. at Oakland Public Library, Room 219, 125 14th St. 238-3134. 

Classes in English and Citizenship offered by the Oakland Adult Education program Mon.-Fri. from 6 to 9 p.m. Free. Register at Lincoln Elementary School, 225 11th St., room 205. 879-8131. 

American Red Cross Blood Services Volunteer Orientation at 10 a.m. in Oakland. We need your help with blood drives all over the East Bay. For more information, please call 594-5165.  

Red Cross Blood Drive from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Oakland State Building, 2nd floor, 1515 Clay St. To make an appointment call 1-800-GIVE-LIFE. www.BeADonor.com  

Swami Khecaranatha Kundalini Yoga Talk at 7 p.m. at Sacred Space Yoga Sanctuary, 816 Bancroft at 6th. Free. 486-8700.  

“Organizing Your Time and Energy” at 6 p.m. at The Breema Clinic, 6201 Florio St., Oakland. 428-1234.  

The Berkeley Lawn Bowling Club provides free instruction every Wed. and Sat. at 10:30 a.m. at 2270 Acton St. 841-2174.  

Walk Berkeley for Seniors meets every Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. at the Sea Breeze Market, just west of the I-80 overpass. Everyone is welcome, wear comfortable shoes and a warm hat. 548-9840. 

Fresh Produce Stand at San Pablo Park from 3 to 6:30 p.m. in the Frances Albrier Community Center. Sponsored by the Ecology Center’s Farm Fresh Choice. 848-1704.  

Berkeley Peace Walk and Vigil at the Berkeley BART Station, corner of Shattuck and Center. Sing for Peace at 6:30 p.m. followed by Peace Walk at 7 p.m. www.geocities.com/ 

vigil4peace/vigil 

CITY MEETINGS 

City Council Special Meeting Public Hearing on Creeks Ordinance, Tues., May 30, at 6 p.m. at Longfellow School Auditorium, 1500 Derby St. 981-6900. 

Housing Advisory Commission meets Thurs., June 1, at 7:30 p.m., at the South Berkeley Senior Center. Oscar Sung, 981-5400. www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/ 

commissions/housing 

Landmarks Preservation Commission meets Thurs. June 1, at 7:30 p.m., at the North Berkeley Senior Center. Gisele Sorensen, 981-7419. www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/commissions/landmarks 

Public Works Commission meets Thurs., June 1, at 7 p.m., at the North Berkeley Senior Center. Jeff Egeberg, 981-6406. www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/commissions/publicworks 

Creeks Task Force meets Mon. June 5, at 7 p.m. the North Berkeley Senior Center. Erin Dando, 981-7410. www.ci. 

berkeley.ca.us/planning/landuse/Creeks/default.html 

Council Agenda Committee meets Mon. June 5, at 2:30 p.m., at 2180 Milvia St. 981-6900. 

www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/ 

citycouncil/agenda-committee 

Peace and Justice Commission meets Mon., June 5, at 7 p.m., at the North Berkeley Senior Center. Manuel Hector, 981-5510. www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/ 

commissions/peaceandjustice

TUESDAY, MAY 30 

FILM 

A Theater Near You “Mouchette” at 7:30 p.m. at the Pacific Film Archive. Cost is $4-$8. 642-0808.  

READINGS AND LECTURES 

Terri Jentz reads from “Strange Piece of Paradise” at 7:30 p.m. at Cody’s Books on Telegraph. 845-7852.  

Tell it on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Julia Morgan Theater, 2640 College Ave. Tickets are $8-$12.  

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Unconditional Theatre’s Political Dialogues Dramatic reading of ballot measures at 8:30 p.m. at Epic Arts, 1923 Ashby Ave. Cost is $5-$10. 644-2204.  

Zoyres Eastern European Wild Ferment at 7 p.m. at Mama Buzz Cafe, 2318 Telegraph Ave., Oakland. Cost is $3-$7. 

Courtableu at 8:30 p.m. at Ashkenaz. Cajun dance lesson at 8 p.m. Cost is $5. 525-5054.  

Ellen Hoffman and Singers’ Open Mic at 8 p.m. at Anna’s Jazz Island, 2120 Allston Way. Cost is $5. 841-JAZZ.  

Randy Craig Trio, jazz, at 7:30 p.m. at Caffe Trieste, 2500 San Pablo Ave., at Dwight. 548-5198.  

Jeff Gauthier Goatette, Nels Cline at 8 and 10 p.m. at Yoshi’s at Jack London Square. Cost is $10-$14. 238-9200.  

WEDNESDAY, MAY 31 

FILM 

Arab Women Film Festival “Souha Surviving Hell” at 7 p.m. at La Peña Cultural Center. Cost is $5-$10. 849-2568.  

A Theater Near You “The Weeping Meadow” at 7 p.m at the Pacific Film Archive. Cost is $4-$8. 642-0808.  

READINGS AND LECTURES 

Scott Anderson reads from his novel of expats and diplomats, “Moonlight Hotel” at 7:30 p.m. at Cody’s Books on Telegraph. 845-7852.  

Berkeley Poetry Slam with host Charles Ellik and Three Blind Mice, at 8:30 p.m. at The Starry Plough. Cost is $5-$7. 841-2082. 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Music for the Spirit for Memorial Day at 12:15 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church of Oakland, 2619 Broadway. 444-3555. 

Loose Wig Jazz Quartet at 8 p.m. at Anna’s Jazz Island. Cost is $5. 841-JAZZ.  

Voci Women’s Vocal Ensemble “Aphrodesia” at 7:30 p.m. at The Marsh, 2118 Allston Way. Tickets are $20-$50. 800-838-3006. 

justGO! Concert Music and cultural smorgasbord at 5:30 p.m. at Berkeley City Club, 2315 Durant Ave. 540-8136.  

David M’Ore Band, blues, rock, at 8:30 p.m. at Ashkenaz. Cost is $9. 525-5054.  

Gorilla Math, 2 Cape May, Earthquake Weather at 9 p.m. at Blakes on Telegraph. Cost is $8-$10. 848-0886.  

Orquestra Sensual at 9:30 p.m. at Shattuck Down Low. Cost is $5-$10. 548-1159.  

Sol Spectrum at 8 p.m. at Jupiter. 848-8277. 

The Other, Lebowski at 8 p.m. at the Uptown Nightclub, 1928 Telegraph, Oakland. Cost is $5. 451-8100.  

Steve Baughman, Alec Stone Sweet at 8 p.m. at Freight and Salvage. Cost is $17.50-$18.50. 548-1761.  

Fareed Haque Group at 8 and 10 p.m. at Yoshi’s at Jack London Square. Cost is $10-$16. 238-9200. 

THURSDAY, JUNE 1 

EXHIBITIONS 

“Expect Respect: The Power, Joy, and Dignity of Being a Woman” Group show opens at Prescott-Joseph Center for Community Enhancement, 920 Peralta St, Oakland. 835-8683.  

FILM 

7th Annual Berkeley High School Film Festival at 6 p.m. at the Florence Schwimley Little Theater, on Allston between Milvia and MLK. Tickets are $8 adults, $5 students The festival will feature documentary, fiction, and experimental works from students at Berkeley High School.  

Against Indifference: The Cinema of Krzysztof Kieslowski Kieslowski’s First Films at 5:30 p.m. at the Pacific Film Archive. Free first Thursday screening. 642-0808.  

READINGS AND LECTURES.  

Frederick Crews reads from “Follies of the Wise: Dissenting Essays” at 7:30 p.m. at Black Oak Books. 486-0698.  

Word Beat Reading Series with Buford Buntin and Priscilla Caretto at 7 p.m. at Mediterraneum Caffe, 2475 Telegraph Ave. 526-5985. 

Nomad Spoken Word Night at 7 p.m. at Nomad Cafe, 6500 Shattuck Ave. 595-5344.  

MUSIC AND DANCE 

The Potentials and the MLK, Jr. Middle School Band at 7:30 p.m. at Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School Auditorium, 1781 Rose St. Contributions appreciated. Fundraiser for the King Jazz Band. 644-6280. 

Voci Women’s Vocal Ensemble “Aphrodesia” at 7:30 p.m. at The Marsh, 2118 Allston Way. Tickets are $20-$50. 800-838-3006. 

Eve Decker at 8 p.m. at Freight and Salvage. Cost is $17.50-$18.50. 548-1761.  

Tangria Jazz Group at 8 p.m. at Anna’s Jazz Island, 2120 Allston Way. Cost is $5. 841-JAZZ.  

JL Stiles, Lindsay Mac at 9:30 p.m. at The Starry Plough. Cost is $6. 841-2082. 

New West Guitar Quartet at 8 p.m. at Downtown. 649-3810.  

This Charming Band: The Smiths Tribute at 8:30 p.m. at the Uptown Nightclub, 1928 Telegraph, Oakland. Cost is $6. 451-8100.  

Bill Frisell New Quartet at 8 and 10 p.m., through Sun. at Yoshi’s at Jack London Square. Cost is $16-$26. 238-9200.  

FRIDAY, JUNE 2 

THEATER 

Altarena Playhouse “You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown” at 8 p.m. Fri. and Sat., 2 p.m. Sun. 1409 High St., Alameda, through June 11. Tickets are $12-$15. 523-1553.  

Berkeley Rep “The Glass Menagerie” at 8 p.m. at the Thrust Stage, 2025 Addison St. Tickets are $59. Runs through June 18. 647-2949.  

Berkeley Rep “The Miser” at 8 p.m. at the Roda Theater, 2015 Addison St. Tickets are $53. Runs through June 25. 647-2949. www.berkeleyrep.org 

East Bay Improv at 8 p.m. at Spud’s Pizza, 3290 Adeline St. Cost is $7. 597-0795.  

Shotgun Players “King Lear” Thurs.-Sun at 8 p.m. at the Ashby Stage, 1901 Ashby Ave. to June 18. Tickets are $15-$30, reservations suggested. 841-6500. www.shotgunplayers.org 

EXHIBITIONS 

Janine Brown & Lucy Traber 2005 Members’ Showcase Winners. Reception at 2 p.m. at Berkeley Art Center, 1275 Walnut St. 644-6893. 

New Work by Chris Russell and Kari Morris Reception at 7 p.m. at Boontling Gallery, 4224 Telegraph Ave., Oakland. 

“Possibilities” Paintings by Donna Mendes, “Disassembly” figurative paintings by Marty McCorkle, and “Celebrating the Body Through Art” work by Nancy Ballard at Esteban Sabar Gallery, 480 23rd St., at Telegraph. www.estebansaber.com 

FILM 

Against Indifference: The Cinema of Krzysztof Kieslowski “Decalogue 3 and 4” at 7 p.m. “Decalogue 5 and 6” at 9:15 p.m. at the Pacific Film Archive. Cost is $4-$8. 642-0808.  

READINGS AND LECTURES 

Mona Lee will show slides and talk about her book “Humbler Than Dust: A Retired Couple Visits the Real India by Tandem Bicycle” at 7:30 p.m. at Black Oak Books. 486-0698.  

Eduardo Galeano shares his new book, “Voices of Time: A Life in Stories” at 7:30 p.m. at the First Congregational Church, 2501 Harrison, at 27th St., Oakland. Tickets are $10-$12. 415-255-7296, ext.253.  

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Oakland Opera “X, The Life and Times of Malcolm X” at 8 p.m. at Oakland Metro Opera House, 201 Broadway. Tickets are $32-$36. 763-1146. 

Ruth Botchan Dance Company and Shahrzad Dance Company “Bridges: A Concert Bridging Jewish and Persian Cultures” Fri. and Sat. at 8 p.m., Sun. at 2 p.m at Western Sky, 2525 Eighth St. Tickets are $15-$18. 848-4878.  

Harry Best and Shabang and Tom Rigney and Flambeau at 5:30 p.m. at Park Place and Washington Ave., Pt. Richmond. 237-9375.  

Los Nadies & Tere Estrada at 8 p.m. at La Peña Cultural Center. Cost is $10-$12. 849-2568.  

Sony Holland and her Trio at 8 p.m. at Anna’s Jazz Island. Cost is $7. 841-JAZZ.  

Eve Decker at 8 p.m. at Freight and Salvage. Cost is $17.50-$18.50. 548-1761.  

The Ravines and Ronnie Cato, singer-songwriters, at 7:30 p.m. at Nomad Cafe, 6500 Shattuck Ave. 595-5344.  

Matthew Sperry Memorial Festival with Daniel Popsickle, Black Cat Duo and Dot Dot Dot at 9 p.m. at The Starry Plough. Cost is $10. 841-2082.  

Look Back and Laugh, This is my Fist, Army of Jesus at 8 p.m. at 924 Gilman St. Cost is $5. 525-9926. 

L.A.E., Ranch Hand Brown at 9 p.m. at Shattuck Down Low, 2284 Shattuck Ave. Cost is $5. 548-1159.  

Bill Frisell New Quartet at 8 and 10 p.m., through Sun. at Yoshi’s at Jack London Square. Cost is $16-$26. 238-9200.  

SATURDAY, JUNE 3 

EXHIBITIONS 

East Bay Open Studios Sat. and Sun. For maps and times see www.proartsgallery.org 

“Duane Cramer Works, 10 years in the making” Black and white photography. Reception at 6 p.m. at FLOAT 1091, Calcot Place, Unit#116, Oakland. 535-1702.  

Photography by Russ Greene at Nomad Cafe, 6500 Shattuck Ave. Exhibition runs through June. 595-5344.  

THEATER 

California Shakespeare Theater “The Merry Wives of Windsor” at the Bruns Amphitheater, 100 Gateway Blvd., Orinda. Tues.-Thurs., 7:30 p.m., Fri.-Sat. at 8 p.m., Sun. at 4 p.m. through June 25. Tickets are $15 and up. 548-9666. www.calshakes.org 

FILM 

Superfest International Disability Film Festival from 12:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. at La Peña. Cost is $5-$20. For schedule and access accomodations call 845-5575. 849-2568.  

Against Indifference: The Cinema of Krzysztof Kieslowski “Decalogue 7 and 8” at 6:30 p.m. “Decalogue 9 and 10” at 8:45 p.m. at the Pacific Film Archive. Cost is $4-$8. 642-0808. www.bampfa.berkeley.edu 

READINGS AND LECTURES 

Heather Lende introduces “If You Lived Here, I’d Know Your Name” at 7:30 p.m. at Cody’s Books on Telegraph. 845-7852.  

Bay Area Poets Coalition Open Poetry Reading from 3 to 5 p.m. at Strawberry Creek Lodge, dining hall, 1320 Addison St. Park on the street, not in Lodge parking lot. Free. 527-9905, poetalk@aol.com 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Berkeley World Music Festival featuring African, Latin American, Celtic, Indian music from noon to 9 p.m. Sat. and Sun. along Telegraph Avenue. www.telegraphberkeley.com 

Oakland Opera “X, The Life and Times of Malcolm X” at 8 p.m. at Oakland Metro Opera House, 201 Broadway. Tickets are $32-$36. 763-1146. 

“A Special Evening of Harp Music” with Bay Area Youth Harp Ensemble, Pleiades Harp Ensemble, and Triskela Harp Trio at 8 p.m. at St. Mary Magdalen Church, 2005 North Berryman St. Tickets are $7-$15. 548-3326. 

Donna Lerew, violin, and Lynn Schugren, piano, at 8 p.m. at Berkeley Piano Club, 2724 Haste St. Tickets are $15-$20. 848-4088. 

The Moon Town Schmatts Bassoon Ensemble at 8 p.m. at Trinity Chapel, 2320 Dana St. Tickets aare $8-$12. 549-3864  

Voci Women’s Vocal Ensemble “Aphrodesia” at 7:30 p.m. at The Marsh, 2118 Allston Way. Tickets are $20-$50. 800-838-3006. 

GTS, Ojada at 8 p.m. at the Uptown Nightclub, 1928 Telegraph, Oakland. Cost is $10. 451-8100.  

Alice Stuart & the Formerlys at 8 p.m. at Freight and Salvage. Cost is $18.50-$19.50. 548-1761.  

Los Mapaches at 8 p.m. at La Peña Cultural Center. Cost is $5-$10. 849-2568.  

Dangerous Rhythm, Tim Fox at 9:30 p.m. at Albatross, 1822 San Pablo Ave. Cost is $3. 843-2473. www.albatrosspub.com 

The Snake Trio at 8 p.m. at Anna’s Jazz Island, 2120 Allston Way. Cost is $7. 841-JAZZ.  

Greg Pratt at 8 p.m. at Spuds Pizza, 3290 Adeline St. Cost is $7 per family. 558-0881. 

Karen Blixt at 8 p.m. at the Jazz 

school. Cost is $15. 845-5373. www.jazzschool.com 

Fred Randolph Trio at 9 p.m. at Downtown. 649-3810.  

Mayim and Katherine Peck, singer-songwriters, at 7:30 p.m. at Nomad Cafe, 6500 Shattuck Ave. 595-5344. www.nomadcafe.net 

The Chantigs, Everest, Fainting Goats at 9:30 p.m. at The Starry Plough. Cost is $5. 841-2082. www.starryploughpub.com 

Second Opinion, The Helm, Hit Me Back, Robot Eyes at 8 p.m. at 924 Gilman St. Cost is $5. 525-9926. 

SUNDAY, JUNE 4 

EXHIBITIONS 

“Tilden and Beyond” Paintings by Mary Robinson. Reception at 2 p.m. at Tilden Park Environmental Center, Tilden Park. 525-2233.  

“My America: Art from The Jewish Museum Collection 1900-1955” opens at at 2 p.m. at Magnes Museum, 2911 Russell St. Cost is $6-$8. 549-6950. 

FILM 

Superfest International Disability Film Festival from 12:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. at La Peña. Cost is $5-$20. Reception at 6 p.m. For schedule and access accomodations call 845-5575. 849-2568. www.lapena.org 

“The Cosmology of Words ... The Journey from Griot to Rapper” A documentary by Christina Abram-Davis at 6 p.m. at Blakes on Telegraph. Fundraiser for the Jamaica Study Abroad program July 2006 of the Merritt College Ethnic Studies Department. Donation $10. nefetertinaproductions@yahoo.com 

Against Indifference: The Cinema of Krzysztof Kieslowski “Decalogue 1 and 2” at 1:30 p.m. “Decalogue 3 and 4” at 3:45 p.m. and “Decalogue 5 and 6” at 7 p.m. at the Pacific Film Archive. Cost is $4-$8. 642-0808. www.bampfa.berkeley.edu 

READINGS AND LECTURES 

Alameda Architectural Society 2006 Preservation Awards with Woody Minor on “The History of Measure A” at 7 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church, corner of Santa Clara Ave. and Chestnut St., Alameda. 986-9232. 

Julie Gamberg reads from her book of poems “The Museum of Natural History” at 4:30 p.m. at Black Oak Books. 486-0698. www.blackoakbooks.com 

Maxine Rose Schur reads from “Places in Time: Reflection on a Journey” at 1 p.m. at Mrs. Dalloway’s Literary and Garden Arts, 2904 College Ave. 704-8222. 

Robert Greenfield will present “Timothy Leary: A Biography” at 7:30 p.m. at Black Oak Books. 486-0698.  

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Berkeley World Music Festival featuring African, Latin American, Celtic, Indian music from noon to 9 p.m. Sat. and Sun. along Telegraph Avenue. www.telegraphberkeley.com 

Oakland Civic Orchestra “An Afternoon in Vienna” at 4 p.m. at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 114 Montecito Ave., near Lake Merritt, Oakland. Admission is free. www.oaklandnet.com/parks/programs/civicorchestra 

Piedmont Choirs Spring Sing at 3 p.m. at Farnsworth Theater, Skyline High School, Oakland. 547-4441. 

Oakland Opera “X, The Life and Times of Malcolm X” at 8 p.m. at Oakland Metro Opera House, 201 Broadway. Tickets are $32-$36. 763-1146. 

Galax Quartet Adagios and other movements at 7 p.m. at Loper Chapel, Dana at Durant. Tickets are $10. 601-1370.  

Twang Cafe with The Whoreshoes, early honky tonk country and Kemo Sabe, modern camp fire songs at 7:30 p.m. at at Epic Arts, 1923 Ashby Ave. Cost is $5-$10.  

Voci Women’s Vocal Ensemble “Aphrodesia” at 4 p.m. at The Marsh, 2118 Allston Way. Tickets are $20-$50. 800-838-3006. 

Falso Baiano Choro Band at 8 p.m. at Anna’s Jazz Island. Cost is $10. 841-JAZZ.  

Marc Cary’s Focus Trio at 4:30 at the Jazzschool. Cost is $12. 845-5373.  

Peter Mulvey at 8 p.m. at Freight and Salvage. Cost is $17.50-$18.50. 548-1761.  

Sam Misner & Megan Smith at 11 a.m. at Nomad Cafe, 6500 Shattuck Ave. 595-5344.  

Verse, Crime in Stereo, Guns Up at 5 p.m. at 924 Gilman St. Cost is $7. 525-9926. 

MONDAY, JUNE 5 

READINGS AND LECTURES 

Judy Jones reads from “Bones of the Homeless” at 7:30 p.m. at Moe’s Books, 2476 Telegraph Ave. 849-2087. 

Actors Reading Writers “English Eccentrics,” stories by Alan Bennett and P.G. Wodehouse at 7:30 p.m. at Berkeley City Club, 2315 Durant Ave.  

Poetry Express with Avotcja and Ramon Pinero at 7 p.m. at Priya Restaurant, 2072 San Pablo Ave.  

Christopher Robin and JC read their poems at 7 p.m. at Pegasus Bookstore, 2349 Shattuck Ave. 

Leonard Pitt talks about “Walks Through Lost Paris: A Journey Into the Heart of Historic Paris” at 7:30 p.m. at Black Oak Books. 486-0698.  

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Peter Hallifax and Julie Jeffrey, viols. The Complete Published Works of Forqueray, one suite each morning for five days, through Fri. at 11 a.m. at Loper Chapel, Dana at Durant. TIckets are $7-$10, $25-$35 for the series. 220-1195. 

The Sitka Trio at 1 p.m. at Trinity Chapel, 2320 Dana. Tickets are $15. 559-4670. 

Longy School of Music at 4 p.m. at St. Joseph of Arimathea Chapel, 2316 Bowditch Ave. Tickets are $10-$15. 978-853-2700. 

Coro Ciconia “What is a Motet?” Learn as you sing at 5:30 p.m. at Loper Chapel, Dana and Durant. Tickets are $12. 843-0450.  

La Foolia “The History of Western Music” at 7:30 p.m. at the Berkeley Piano Club, 2724 Haste St. Tickets are $15. 601-9631.  

DeLaMuse Songs of Dowland, Sances, Monteverdi & Caccini at 8 p.m. at Trinity Chapel, 2320 Dana St. Tickets are $10-$15. 831-566-3207.  

Blue Monday Jam, NC Connection at 8 p.m. at the Uptown Nightclub, 1928 Telegraph, Oakland. Cost is $5. 451-8100.  

Yoshida Brothers at 8 and 10 p.m. at Yoshi’s at Jack London Square. Cost is $20. 238-9200. 

Polish director Krzysztof Kieslowski made The Decalogue, a series of 10 one-hour films based on the Ten Commandments, for Polish television in 1988. Since that time it has rarely been screened commercially, other than in a handful of film festivals. 

Pacific Film Archive is providing a rare opportunity to see these great films on the big screen, and over a series of just a few days, which is essential for retaining the mood of the work as a whole. The screenings are part of a larger career retrospective spanning the late Kieslowski’s impressive career.  

Each film in The Decalogue is a separate and distinct creation, though they are all of a piece, united by theme and tone. It can be seen as a novel in the form of a series of short stories, like Sherwood Anderson’s Winesburg, Ohio; each film can be appreciated individually, yet together they create a unique and self-contained world, with shared locations and characters establishing each drama as part of a larger framework, as part of the larger drama of humanity.  

The notion of a series of films based on the Ten Commandments may sound tedious, suggesting an overly intellectual and theoretical approach to the medium. Like Kieslowski’s Colors Trilogy—Blue, White and Red, each film deriving its theme from the symbolism of the French flag—it may give the impression that the director is more interested in themes than characters. But Kieslowski is not that sort of director and The Decalogue is not that sort of project. 

This not an intellectual exercise; these are not merely illustrations of the Commandments. Rather, Kieslowski uses the Commandments as a springboard, a starting point for an examination of universal themes and crises.  

Each film in the series is like a finely crafted short story, containing in one hour a remarkably efficient and emotional narrative with fully realized characters and relationships. Each has a plot but the focus is on the people and on the complex web of decisions and relationships that constitutes each life. Much of the action takes place without dialogue. Kieslowski trusts his script, his actors, his cinematographers (a different one for each film), and he trusts his own skills as a director, allowing this collaboration of talents to convey the necessary information with subtlety and grace. Together they find the telling details, those crucial moments and actions that bring a character sharply into focus for the audience and make clear the conflicting emotions that cloud each moral dilemma. 

Decalogue 1, for example, features a professor addressing his class from behind a vast lectern while his young son sits among the students. A point-of-view shot demonstrates the feelings of the son as he watches his dad from behind the framework of a projector, catching glimpses of his father as a sort of God-like being holding forth on the rules of the universe. Later, when the grieving father walks into a church and destroys an altar, Kieslowski does not overplay the visual parallel between the altar and the lectern, but rather keeps his camera focused on the man and his emotions. The juxtaposition is there for those who wish to see it and it adds a layer of meaning to the story, but Kieslowski does not belabor the point, for it is not necessary in the comprehension and appreciation of the film.  

In Decalogue 2 a woman is shown destroying a house plant and breaking a drinking glass out of what seems like sheer perversity. Kieslowski does not explain her actions, but the suggestion seems to be that she is girding herself for the destructive act of having an abortion. 

Decalogue 3 features a woman reestablishing contact with her former lover. They are both married and have recently ended their illicit affair, but she draws him out on a mad search for her phantom husband, visiting jail cells and empty subterranean parking garages in the middle of the night. The staging again suggests something deeper at work, as though the man is being forced to venture into the netherworld of his guilty conscience before declaring to his wife, in the closing shot, that he will not be venturing out at night anymore. 

Decalogue 5 takes a darker turn with a story of murder and capital punishment. A young man senselessly attacks an older man and a young defense attorney is later assigned the case. Much of the film is shot in a dark sepia tone, while the perimeter of the frame is often shrouded in a murky haze, suggesting the nebulous morality of state-sanctioned execution and the vague boundaries that distinguish it from murder.  

Another example of Kieslowki’s technique is in Decalogue 9, where a man learns of his infertility and returns home to break the news to his wife. As they ride together in an elevator, they are engulfed in darkness, with shafts of light briefly illuminating one and then the other. Kieslowski has subtly shown us the rift between them; they are individuals now, not a couple, alone in darkness and unified only by her hand reaching through the blackness to touch his face, to establish contact across the gulf that is widening between them. 

It’s not all darkness and brooding however. Decalogue 10 concludes the series on a more humorous note, as two brothers are reunited by their estranged father’s death and find themselves becoming obsessed by his stamp collection. This film is not without its serious themes and moments of suspense and anxiety, but is leavened with a dark humor not seen in the previous pictures. 

And all throughout these films run two more unifying threads, one conspicuous and one quite subtle. The first is the recurring appearance of a mysterious young man with a piercing gaze who observes the action but never takes part. He seems to play the role of a sort of mute Greek chorus, offering a silent commentary on the tragedy and absurdity of the dramas playing out before us. The other is the recurring sound of barking dogs, usually somewhere off in the distance and often at crucial moments—a lonely but portentous refrain, suggesting that damnation looms beyond each moral quandary. 

There was a time when camera technique meant something, when acute angles or a shaky handheld camera signified something about character or plot. But the language of cinema has become diluted of late, with directors using every flourish and every gimmick imaginable, like a sort of pyrotechnic display: all flash and spectacle but with little substance. in contrast, Kieslowski subjugates his technique to the film, keeping the camera always at the service of the story.  

Orson Welles once said that a movie should not reveal all its secrets in a single viewing. We view paintings more than once; we read stories and novels more than once; we listen to a piece of music over and over again throughout our lives. Why should movies not be the same way? Kieslowski seems to adhere to this maxim, creating small but dense portraits of people at crucial turning points in their lives. His films can be seen once and enjoyed, but a second and third viewing reveals the rich, textured layers of his creations, films that lay rooted in modern reality but speak eloquently and timelessly of universal truths. 

THE DECALOGUE (1988) 

Directed by Krzysztof Kieslowski. 

Written by Krzysztof Piesiewicz and Kieslowski. 

Playing June 1-3 and repeated June 4-11 at at Pacific Film Archive. Discounted tickets for the entire series are available. 2626 Bancroft Way. www.bampfa.berkeley.edu.

In June of 1945, General George S. Patton, Jr. returned from Germany to his native Southern California for a triumphant homecoming. Patton’s welcome included a parade and a movie star-studded celebration at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Never known to shy away from the limelight, he exulted in playing the war hero to the cheering crowds. 

Yet, despite his love of publicity, Patton was exceptionally discreet about one stop on his itinerary. On June 11, he paid a visit to the Huntington estate in San Marino and presented for safekeeping in the Huntington Library a packet of documents he had brought from Germany. 

The documents Patton gave to the library were originals of the 1935 Nuremberg Laws, bearing the signature of the Fuehrer himself, Adolf Hitler. The most infamous section of this Nazi legislation, named the “Blood Law,” prohibited marriage and sexual intercourse between Jews and “pure-blooded” Germans. Jews were further forbidden to employ in their household “pure-blooded” German females under the age of 45. 

The “Blood Law” may appear relatively mild compared to later Nazi atrocities. However, since it legally decreed Jews to be an inferior race, historians consider it a critical initial step on the hellish road to the Holocaust. 

Before the year was over, Patton was dead. Back in Germany, he was fatally injured in a freak auto accident, succumbing Dec. 21, 1945. Disregarding the obvious historical importance of the Nuremberg originals handed to them by Patton, the Huntington waited 54 years until they publicly divulged the existence of the documents in their possession. 

Why were the Nuremberg Laws secreted in the Huntington vaults for more than a half-century? Anthony M. Platt’s book, Bloodlines: Recovering Hitler’s Nuremberg Laws, from Patton’s Trophy to Public Memorial, published earlier this year, focuses on the quest for the answer to this question. 

I won’t spoil the book for prospective readers by giving that answer here. But I will reveal that the hunt by Tony Platt, a Sacramento State professor since 1977, and his co-researcher, Cecilia E. O’Leary, to unravel the Huntington-Nuremberg mystery is a fascinating account covering much unexpected ground. 

Describing the origins of the “Blood Law,” Platt reviews the disgraceful record of eugenic sterilization in California in the early 1900s. And he examines the close ties between California’s pre-WWII eugenics advocates and their German counterparts, who furnished the Nazis with the intellectual rationalization for their racial policies. 

Among the California eugenicists, Platt and O’Leary discovered, were quite a number of Huntington Foundation trustees, perhaps the most prominent being Nobel laureate and Caltech leader, Robert Millikan. Platt additionally provides evidence of George Patton’s extreme racist and, in particular, anti-Semitic views. 

Bloodlines also tells the story of the three American soldiers who located the Nuremberg originals in a small town German bank safe. And it details the saga of Henry Edwards Huntington , who, for all his faults, gave us as a legacy a magnificent library, museum and garden. 

There’s Platt’s personal tale as well. Raised in a secular Jewish home in Manchester, England, he felt his greatest kinship as an adult in the left activist community. And Platt, a controversial criminology professor at UC Berkeley in the early 1970s, notes that what prejudice he’s directly experienced in life was primarily related to his politics. Nonetheless, he discloses, in the process of researching and writing Bloodlines, surprising emotions connected to his own Jewish heritage surfaced. 

In 1999, when the Huntington finally informed the world they held originals of the Nuremberg Laws, they also announced they would entrust the documents on permanent loan to the Skirball Cultural Center. About four miles north of the Getty Center in Los Angeles, the Skirball has as its primary mission the recounting of the “Jewish people’s journey, culminating with their history in the United States.” Appropriately, the Nuremberg Laws are now there on display, as part of its core exhibit: “Visions and Values: Jewish Life from Antiquity to America.”  

Reading Tony Platt’s book, I promised myself I’d visit both the Huntington complex and the Skirball Center on my next trip down south. That trip recently took place. En route to the Huntington with a friend, I pulled off the freeway for a brief tour of Old Pasadena, the city’s historic district. 

When we returned to our rental car, to our dismay, a rear tire was totally flat. The cause soon became apparent. Weirdly, a huge nail was spiked straight through the tire’s inside wall. Visions of crazed Pasadena eugenicists fresh in my mind from Platt’s Bloodlines, I joked to my friend that some lunatic anti-Semite must have hammered the nail into our tire. 

“He spotted us together,” I told her, “and since I clearly look Jewish and you clearly do not, he decided to send me a little message.” 

Standing in front of the “Blood Law” the following day at the Skirball and staring at Hitler’s signature, my joke didn’t seem funny anymore. 

BLOODLINES: RECOVERING HITLER’S NUREMBERG LAWS, FROM PATTON’S TROPHY TO PUBLIC MEMORIAL 

By Anthony M. Platt with Cecilia E. O’Leary 

Paradigm Publishers, 240 pages, $18.95 (paper; hardcover also available)

Somewhere between writing and producing, Stephanie Weisman and her performance piece, Aphrodisia, ended up in The Marsh. 

This is where the tale gets sticky. Because the marsh is, first of all, a real one in Delaware; then, it’s also The Marsh, “a breeding ground for new performance,” the project Weisman founded in 1989 for theatrical development and showcasing solo performances that have blossomed into Marshes in San Francisco, Berkeley and affiliates in the North Bay—and also refers to the poem and resulting performance piece finally receiving its premiere at the Berkeley Marsh on June 1 that Weisman first wrote almost 20 years ago about her experience on that Delaware marsh ... that led to her founding of The Marsh. 

Weisman, who originally hails from Newburgh, N.Y., was trained as a singer until the age of twelve. She attended the State University of New York at Buffalo as both undergrad and graduate student, teaching small press publication and editing the Black Mountain 2 poetry review, with poet Robert Creeley (who died last year) as advisor. 

“He was my mentor,” Weisman said. “We met weekly for three years, and he taught me everything I needed to know about the creative process. I didn’t really have a theatrical background, but teaching small press publishing—providing the tools and venue, showing that everybody can publish, setting up collaboration—gave me what I needed to be a producer.” 

But Weisman’s own work was always on hold. 

“I was not much into sending my own work out,” she said. “Joan Murray, a poet friend of mine, finally came to my house and took the manuscript of Dancemasters to the Buffalo Literary Center—and I got a State Council Award. I made it into a performance, and produced it myself, did the posters and postcards, got the people and filled the house. I felt I was a natural producer, but had no experience. ... Someone said, in advance of the performance, ‘So what’re you doing about lights?’ and I said, ‘What?’ Turned out she liked to do the lights.” 

After 11 years at Buffalo came Weisman’s illuminating experience—three months living on the marsh. 

“It was the first time in my life when I could just sit and do nothing but write,” she said. “I was living with an artist who saw technique and aesthetics on the same level, and was interested in life cycles, which we had all around us on the marsh, and always talked about. The house was up on stilts, and the water came up underneath when there were storms. It was fall, nobody was around. After an urban life, I was so affected by the elements, the migration of birds—yet out on the beach I’d see military jets flying overhead from Dover, and really saw that planes came from people watching birds.” 

After moving to Berkeley in 1988, and having another peak experience “getting my voice back” with the Roy Hart Theatre in France, Weisman founded The Marsh and her own creative plans went on hold. 

Then, not long ago, she found herself singing the text to Aphrodisia. Composer Ellen Hoffman worked with her to annotate and arrange the melody into a choral piece with chamber music for cello, bassoon, violin and clarinet. The finished piece is performed by Deborah Gwinn, with Ellen Webb’s choreography danced by Damara Vita Ganley, and sung by Voci women’s vocal ensemble, conducted by Jude Navari, with lights by Joan Arhelgar. 

Another triumph of collaboration, like the many that Weisman has guided through The Marsh. 

“Even my husband, Richard DiLeo, built the sets,” she said. “I needed a landscape architect—it’s a marsh, right? And the show’s been put together from an original that was only 12 minutes long. The first act is a set of women’s choral pieces throughout history. It’s a vision of the whole process—from coal to diamonds. Coming from an Eastern European Jewish background, the future is the hardest thing to conceive of. What I came to understand from the experiences Aphrodisia is all about is that time really is a continuum. And that’s what The Marsh is all about: it might be the best idea in the world, but how do you do it? What does it take?” 

APHRODISIA 

7:30 p.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, 4 p.m. Sundays through June 10 at The Marsh Berkeley in the Gaia Arts Center, 2118 Allston Way. For more information see www.themarsh.org or call (415) 826-5750.