FRIDAY, JULY 14 

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

Tilden Tots A nature adventure program for 3 and 4 year olds, each accompanied by an adult (grandparents welcome)! We will study buterflies from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at Tilden Nature Center, Tilden Park. Cost is $6-$8. Registration required. 636-1684. 

Bastille Day Ball with Baguette Quartette at 9 p.m. at International House, 2299 Piedmont Ave. Waltz classes at 7 p.m. Cost is $10-$20. www.baguettequartette.org 

Bastille Day for Children with stories and activities celebrating French Independence Day from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Habitot Children’s Museum, 2065 Kittredge St. Free. 647-1111. 

Stagebridge Story Workshop with local storytellers on Fridays in July from 10 a.m. to noon at Arts First Oakland Center, 2501 Harrison St., Oakland. Bring a bag lunch. Cost is $10 per workshop, or $25 for the series. 444-4755. www.stagebridge.org 

Kol Hadash Family Pot Luck at 6 p.m. at the Albany Senior Center, 846 Masonic Ave. RSVP with food choice to info@kolhadash.org 

SATURDAY, JULY 15 

César Chávez Celebration with cultural performances, speakers and informational tables, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Berkeley Farmers’ Market, Center St. at Martin Luther King, Jr. Way. 548-3333.  

Fire Operations 101 The public is invited to observe Fire Dept. trainings from 1 to 4:30 p.m. across from the Double Tree, 200 Marina Blvd., Berkeley Marina. 

Fresh Tracks: Natural and Cultural History of Tilden Park Walk the watershed from creek to ridge, on a sometimes steep 2.5 mile loop hike, followed by lunch provided by Wente Restaurant. Cost is $20-$32. Registration required. 636-1684. 

Help Restore Cerrito Creek from 10 a.m. to noon. Wear shoes with good traction and clothes that can get dirty. Meet at Creekside Park, south end of Santa Clara St., El Cerrito, just north of Albany Hill. All ages welcome; light or heavy tasks. 848-9358. www.fivecreeks.org 

Wetlands Restoration in Oakland Volunteers needed to tend to the native wetland plants by removing non-native plants, collecting native plant seeds and helping with site monitoring and continuing shoreline clean-up, from 9 a.m. to noon at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Regional Shoreline, Oakland. RSVP to 452-9261 ext. 109.  

California Historical Radio Society “Live! At KRE” from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the grounds of the old KRE radio station building near Aquatic Park. Cost is $5, children under 12, free. For directions see www. 

CaliforniaHistoricalRadio.com 415-821-9800.  

62nd Anniversary of the Port Chicago Explosion Ceremony at 10 a.m. at the Concord Naval Weapons Station. RSVP required for shuttle service leaving at 9 a.m. from the parking lot by the Weapons Station’s main gate on Port Chicago Hwy. 925-838-0249. 

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. 

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. For reservations, call 238-3234.  

Oakland Heritage Walking Tour of Uptown Art Deco from 1 to 3 p.m. Meet in from of the Mary Bowles building, 1718 Telegraph Ave. Cost is $5-$15. 763-9218.  

Friends of the Albany Library Book Sale including children’s books, magazines, records, DVDs and a special “treasure hunt” section, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at 1247 Marin Ave., Albany. For more information, or to volunteer for the sale, call 526-3720, ext. 16. 

Building Healthy Communities Through Food A community workshop on increasing access to healthy foods and making change in our communities, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at EcoVillage Farm Learning Center, 21 Laurel Lane, Richmond. For directions see www.ecovillagefarm.org/directions.htm 310-822-5410.  

Produce Stand at Spiral Gardens Food Security Project from 1 to 6 p.m. at the corner of Sacramento and Oregon St. 

Non-Ansethetic Teeth Cleaning for Dogs and Cats from noon to 4 p.m. at RabbitEARS, 303 Arlington Ave. behind ACE Hardware. For an appointment call 525-6155.  

Create Habitat By the Bay Join our restoration project on the south Richmond shoreline near the Bay Trail, from 9 a.m. to noon. Tools, gloves, and light refreshments are provided. Youth under 18 need signed permission from a parent or guardian. To register call 665-3689.  

Bay Street Arts and Music Festival Sat. and Sun. from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Bay Street, Emeryville. www.baystreetemeryville.com 

“California Wild” An introduction to wild animals for children at 10:15 a.m. at the Golden Gate Branch of the Oakland Public Library, 5606 San Pablo Ave. 597-5023. 

Seminar on C.S. Lewis’s “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” Envisioning Christian Concepts from the Novel with Margaret McBride Horwitz, Professor of Literature, New College, Berkeley, from 9 a.m.to 1 p.m. at First Covenant Church, 4000 Redwood Rd., Room 103, Oakland. www.lewissociety.org 

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, JULY 16 

Breakfast Aboard the Red Oak Victory Ship from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Berth 6, 1337 Canal Blvd., Richmond. Cost is $6, children under 6 free. 237-2933. 

San Francisco Mime Troupe “Godfellas” at 2 p.m. at Lakeside Park, Lakeside Drive at Lake Merrit, Oakland. www.sfmt.org 

Community Labyrinth Peace Walk at 3 p.m. at Willard Middle School, on Telegraph Ave. between Derby and Stuart. Everyone welcome. Wheelchair accessible. 526-7377. 

Dynamite History Walk in Point Pinole Discover the park preserved by dynamite on a flat easy-paced 3 mile walk from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Registration required. 525-2233. 

Bike Tour of Oakland Explore Oakland on a leisurely two-hour tour. Meet at 10 a.m. at the 10th St. entrance of the Oakland Museum of California. Participants must be over twelve years old and provide their own bikes, helmets and repair kits. Free, but reservations required. 238-3514. 

Oakland Heritage Walking Tour of Oakland’s Cable Railways from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Meet at the former Cox Cadillac Showroom, 2500 Harrison St. at Bay Place. Cost is $5-$15. 763-9218. 

East Bay Atheists with David Seaborg on “Global Warming: The Most Important Issue of the 21st Century” at 1:30 p.m. at Berkeley Public Library, 3rd flr meeting room, 2090 Kittredge St. 222-7580. 

Health Care for All Californians A presentation on SB 840 by Karen Arnstead at 1 p.m. at Humanist Hall, 390 27th St., Oakland. http://healthcareforall.org 

Pool Party Open House with free swimming, live music, and demonstrations of synchronized swimming, diving and stroke techniques, and a pot luck BBQ, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the King School, Hopkins and Colusa. Sponsored by the City of Berkeley and United Pool Council. 548-9050. 

New Farmers’ Market in Kensington, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the parking lot behind ACE Hardware at 303 Arlington Ave. at Amherst. 528-4346. 

Summer Sunday Forum: Millenium Development Group of the UN Association with Enra Rahmanoie at 9:30 a.m. at Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley, 1 Lawson Rd., Kensington. 525-0302, ext. 306. 

Treating Allergies Naturally at noon at Elephant Pharmacy, 1607 Shattuck Ave. 549-9200. 

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

Tibetan Buddhism with Joleen Vries on “The Nyingma Mandala in the West” at 6 p.m. at the Tibetan Nyingma Institute, 1815 Highland Pl. 843-6812.  

MONDAY, JULY 17 

“Access is Everything: If it is public information, why can’t we get to it?” with Dan Noyes, Center for Investigative Reporting, Barbara Newcombe, author of Paper Trails, and Barbara Snider, Santa Cruz Public Libraries, at 7 p.m. at Berkeley Public Library, 2090 Kittredge St. 981-6107, 548-1240 (TTY). 

Center for Independent Living Relationship Workshop on family planning for disabled youth age 14-22 at 3 p.m. at 2539 Telegraph Ave. Registration required. 841-4776 ext. 128 or email movingon@cilberkeley.org 

East Bay Vivarium An introduction to insects, lizards, amphibians and reptiles at 7 p.m. at the Golden Gate Branch of the Oakland Public Library, 5606 San Pablo Ave. 597-5023. 

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 $3. 524-9122. 

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

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

Stress Less Seminar at 7 p.m. at New Moon Opportunities, 378 Jayne Ave., Oakland. Free, but registration required. 465-2524. 

TUESDAY, JULY 18 

Angels in the Wilderness with author and wilderness survivor Amy Racina at 7 p.m. at REI, 1338 San Pablo Ave. 527-4140.  

American Red Cross Blood Services Volunteer Orientation at 6 p.m. For information call 594-5165.  

“Long-Term Health Care Insurance” with Phil Epstein from HICAP at 1 p.m. at North Berkeley Senior Center. 981-5190. 

“Trigger Point, Spray and Stretch Therapies” a video at noon at the Maffley Auditorium, Herrick Campus, Alta Bates Summit Medical Center, 2001 Dwight Way. 644-3273. 

Family Storytime at 7 p.m. at the Kensington Library, 61 Arlington Ave. 524-3043. 

Discussion Salon on Global Warming: Have We Passed the Tipping Point Or Will Technology Save Us At The Last Minute? at 7 p.m. at 1414 Walnut by Rose. 

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. 548-3991. www.berkeleycameraclub.org 

WEDNESDAY, JULY 19  

Walking Tour of Old Oakland “New Era/New Politics” highlights African-American leaders who have made their mark on Oakland. Meet at 10 a.m. at the African American Museum and Library at 659 14th St. 238-3234.  

Blood on the Border Readings Commemorating the Sandinista Revolution at 7 p.m. at Niebyl-Proctor Library, 6501 Telegraph Ave., Oakland. 595-7417. 

Spanish Revolution Anniversary Celebration at 7 p.m. at AK Press Warehouse, 674-A 23rd. St., Oakland. 208-1700. 

Labor Fest: Four Short Films on unions around the world at 7 p.m. at Humanist Hall, 390 27th St., Oakland. Donation $5.  

Read with Berkeley Free copies of “Funny in Farsi” by Firoozeh Dumas will be given away at 1 p.m. at Berkeley Public Libraries, for a community reading project. First come, first served. 981-6139. 

Red Cross Blood Drive from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at BART/MTC Metro Center Auditorium, 101 Eighth St., Oakland. To make an appointment call 464-6237. 

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

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

Sleep Seminar at 7 p.m. at New Moon Opportunities, 378 Jayne Ave., Oakland. Free, but registration required. 465-2524. 

JumpStart Networking Share information with other entrepreneurs at 8 p.m. at A’Cuppa Tea, 3202 College Ave. at Alcatraz. Cos tis $10. 652-4532. 

Fresh Produce Stand at San Pablo Park from 3 to 6:30 p.m. in the Frances Albrier Community Center. 848-1704.  

THURSDAY, JULY 20 

Family Fun in the Garden for ages 5 and up accompanied by an adult, from 10:30 a.m. to noon at the UC Botanical Garden, 200 Centennial Drive. Cost is $14-$18 for one adult and child. Registration required. 643-2755. 

Transportation Needs in South/West Berkeley Community meeting to identify priority needs at 7 p.m. at the South Berkeley Senior Center, 2939 Ellis St. 981-5170. 

The MGO Democratic Club will discuss the possible sale of OUSD property and future governance of the District after the departure of State Administrator Randolph Ward at 7 p.m. at 110 41st St., Oakland. 531-6843. www.mgoclub.org 

Teen Science Fiction/Fantasy Book Club will discuss the role of food in Brian Jacques’ Redwall series, at 4 p.m. at Claremont Branch Library, 2940 Benvenue. 981-6133. 

“Wanki Lupia Nani: The Children of the River” A documentary on Nicaragua, 1985-1988, at 7 p.m. at La Peña Cultural Center. 

Simplicty Forum with Alex Goldman on “Focusing First on the Inside” at 6:30 p.m. at Berkeley Public Library, Claremont Branch, 2940 Benvenue Ave. 

“Full Moon Feast” with food activist Jessica Parker at 7:30 p.m. at Elephant Pharmacy, 1607 Shattuck Ave. 549-9200. 

Avatar Metaphysical Toastmasters Club meets at 6:45 p.m. at Spud’s Pizza, 3290 Adeline at Alcatraz. Free, all are welcome. jstansby@yahoo.com 

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. 

ONGOING 

Energy Saving Program for Residents CYES is running its 7th annual summer program, providing direct-installation of CFLs, retractable clotheslines, showerheads, and more. This year they have also received funding to provide attic insulation at approximately 75% off the retail price. Services available in Berkeley, Oakland, Richmond. Free. 665-1501. 

Medical Care for Your Pet at the Berkeley East Bay Humane Society low-cost veterinary clinic. 2700 Ninth St. For appointments call 845-3633.  

CITY MEETINGS 

Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board meets Mon., July 17, at 7 p.m. in City Council Chambers, Pam Wyche, 644-6128 ext. 113.  

City Council meets Tues., July 18, at 7 p.m in City Council Chambers. 981-6900. www.ci. 

berkeley.ca.us/citycouncil 

Citizens Humane Commission meets Wed., July 19, at 7 p.m., at the North Berkeley Senior Center. Katherine O’Connor, 981-6601.  

Commission on Aging meets Wed., July 19, at 1:30 p.m., at the South Berkeley Senior Center. William Rogers, 981-5344.  

Commission on Labor meets Wed.,July 19, at 6:45 p.m., at the North Berkeley Senior Center. Delfina M. Geiken, 981-7550.  

Design Review Committee meets Thurs., July 20, at 7:30 p.m., at the North Berkeley Senior Center. Anne Burns, 981-7415.  

Downtown Area Plan Advisory Commission meets Wed., July 19, at 7 p.m. at the North Berkeley Senior Center. 981-7487. 

Human Welfare and Community Action Commission meets Wed., July 19, at 7 p.m., at the South Berkeley Senior Center. Kristen Lee, 981-5427.  

Human Welfare and Community Action Commission meets Wed., July 19, at 7 p.m., at the South Berkeley Senior Center. Kristen Lee, 981-5427.  

Transportation Commission meets Thurs., July 20, at 7 p.m., at the South Berkeley Senior Center. Peter Hillier, 981-7000.  

School Board meets Wed., June 21, at 7:30 p.m., in the City Council Chambers. 644-6320.

An article in the June 30 Berkeley Daily Planet incorrectly stated the name of the president of the Berkeley Property Owners Association as Michael Wilson. The correct name is David Wilson.

FRIDAY, JULY 14 

THEATER 

Actors Ensemble of Berkeley “Night of the Iguana” Fri. and Sat. at 8 p.m. at Live Oak Theater, 1301 Shattuck Ave. at Berryman, through Aug. 12. Tickets are $12. 649-5999. www.aeofberkeley.org 

Ambitious Theatre Company “As You Like It” Fri. and Sat. at 8 p.m. and Sun. at 2 p.m. at Altarena Playhouse, Alameda. Tickets are $8-$15. 800-838-3006. www.altarena.org 

Aurora Theatre “Permanent Collection” Wed.-Sat. at 8 p.m., Sun. at 2 and 7 p.m. at 2081 Addison St., through July 30. Tickets are $28-$45. 843-4822. www.auroratheatere.org 

Berkeley Rep “Ennio” A comedy written and performed by Ennio Marchetto through July 21 at 2015 Addison St. Tickets are $20-$45. 647-2949.  

California Shakespeare Theater “Restoration Comedy” 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 July 30. Tickets are $15 and up. 548-9666. www.calshakes.org 

Central Works “The Inspector General” a new comedy, Thurs., Fri., and Sat. at 8 p.m., Sun. at 5 p.m. at the Berkeley City Club, 2315 Durant Ave., through July 30. Tickets are $9-$25. 558-1381. 

Contra Costa Civic Theater “Footloose” at 8 p.m. Fri. and Sat., and Sun. at 2 p.m. at Contra Costa Civic Theater, 951 Pomona Ave., El Cerrito, through August 5. Tickets are $12-$20. 524-9132. www.ccct.org 

Crowded Fire Theater Company “We Are Not These Hands” Thurs.-Sat. at 8 p.m., Sun. at 7 p.m. through July 16 at The Ashby Stage, 1901 Ashby Ave. Tickets are $10- $20. www.crowdedfire.org 

Kids Take the Stage “Annie” Fri. at 7:30 p.m., Sat. at 2 and 7:30 p.m., Sun. at 7:30 p.m. at Chabot College Arts Center, 25555 Hesperian Blvd., Hayward. Tickets are $10-$20. 864-7061. 

Masquers Playhouse “The Fantasticks” Fri. and Sat. at 8 p.m., Sun. at 2:30 p.m. at 105 Park Place, Point Richmond, through July 22. Tickets are $18. 232-4031.  

Pinole Community Players “Oliver!” the musical, Fri. and Sat. at 8 p.m., at the Community Playhouse, 601 Tennent Ave., Pinole, through July 15. Tickets are $14-$17. 724-3669.  

Woodminster Summer Musicals “Ragtime” Fri.-Sun. at 8 p.m. at Woodminster Amphitheater in Joaquin Miller Park, 3300 Joaquin Miller Rd., through July 16. Tickets are $21.50-$34.50. 531-9597.  

EXHIBITIONS 

“The Light and the Dark” Group photography show. Reception at 6 p.m. at ACCI Gallery, at 1652 Shattuck Ave. Show runs to Aug. 19. 843-2527. www.accigallery.com 

FILM 

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

READINGS AND LECTURES 

Gautam Malkani introduces his new novel “Londonstani” at 7 p.m. at Cody’s Books on Fourth St. 559-9500. 

John Curl and Matundu Makalani read their poems at 7 p.m. at the Frank Bette Center, 1601 Paru, Alameda. Free, donations accepted. 523-6957. 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

The Crucible Fire Arts Festival “Twisted Fiery Circus” performances and installation art at 8 p.m. at 1260 7th St., Cost is $25-$30. Oakland. 444-0919. www.thecrucible.org 

Alameda Civic Light Opera “Jesus Christ Superstar” Fri. and Sat. at 8 p.m. at Kofman Auditorium, 2200 Central Ave., Alameda. Tickets are $27-$31. 864-2256. www.aclo.com 

Bastille Day Ball with Baguette Quartette at 9 p.m. at International House, 2299 Piedmont Ave. Waltz classes at 7 p.m. Cost is $10-$20. www.baguettequartette.org 

Son De Madera at 8 p.m. at La Peña Cultural Center. Cost is $12-$15. 849-2568. 

Sublime Remembered at 9:30 p.m. at Blakes on Telegraph. Cost is $10. 848-0886.  

Cressman-Stinnet Quintet at 8 p.m. at the Jazzschool. Cost is $10. 845-5373.  

Frankye Kelly & her Trio at 8 p.m. at Anna’s Jazz Island. Cost is $10. 841-JAZZ.  

Minkus, Minus Vince, Speakeasy, Protocol at 8:30 p.m. at Ashkenaz. Cost is $9. 525-5054.  

Atmos Trio at 8 p.m. at Caffe Trieste, 2500 San Pablo Ave., at Dwight. 548-5198.  

Sisters Morales at 8 p.m. at Freight and Salvage. Cost is $18.50-$19.50. 548-1761.  

Yaelisa & Caminos Flamencos at 9 p.m. at Downtown. 649-3810.  

The Nomadics, jazz, at 7:30 p.m. at Nomad Cafe, 6500 Shattuck Ave. 595-5344.  

Culann’s Hounds, The Trespassers at 9:30 p.m. at The Starry Plough. Cost is $7. 841-2082.  

Walken, Ragweed, A Sleeping Irony, 100 Suns at 8 p.m. at 924 Gilman St. Cost is $5. 525-9926. 

Bay Balasters at 9:30 p.m. at Shattuck Down Low. Cost is $7. 548-1159.  

Flux, Al Howard and the K23 Orchestra at 9 p.m. at the Uptown Nightclub, 1928 Telegraph, Oakland. Cost is $9. 451-8100. 

Zoe Ellis, soul, funk, jazz, at 8 p.m. at Jupiter. 848-8277. 

Hiroshima at 8 and 10 p.m., through Sun. at Yoshi’s, through Sun. Cost is $20-24. 238-9200.  

SATURDAY, JULY 15 

EXHIBITIONS 

“Bay Area Hot Spots” Representations of Bay Area experiences and locations by a variety of artists. Reception at 7 p.m. at Fourth Street Studio, 1717-D Fourth St. 527-0600. 

THEATER 

Everyday Theatre “Dreaming in a Firestorm” by Tim Barsky at 8 p.m. at 2232 MLK, Oakland. Tickets are $12-$20. 644-2204. www.everdaytheatre.org 

Women’s Will “Twelfth Night” Sat. and Sun. at 1 p.m. at John Hinkle Park. Free. 420-0813. www.womanswill.org 

FILM 

A Theater Near You “Antonio Gaudí” at 6:30 p.m. “The Passenger” at 8:10 p.m. at the Pacific Film Archive. Cost is $4-$8. 642-0808.  

READINGS AND LECTURES 

“Future Tense” Gallery Talk by Taro Hattori, Kathryn Kenworth Srdjan Loncar, and Daniel Ross at 2 p.m. at Kala Art Institute, 1060 Heinz Ave. 549-2977. www.kala.org 

Robert L. Allen will lead a panel discussion on “The Port Chicago Mutiny” followed by a performance of the “Port Chicago” jazz suite by the Marcus Shelby Jazz Orchestra, at 4:30 p.m. at Pittsburg High School, Creative Arts Building, Little Theater, 250 School St., Pittsburg. For tickets call 925-642-7321. 

Thomas Crum and BJ Gallagher read at 7:30 p.m. at Black Oak Books. 486-0698.  

Rachel McGee Beck reads from her latest poems at 2 p.m. at Oakland Public Library, Lakeview Branch, 550 El Embarcadero. 238-7344. 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Berkeley Opera “The Girl of the Golden West” at 8 p.m. at Julia Morgan Center for the Arts. Tickets are $15-$40, available from 925-798-1300.  

The Crucible Fire Arts Festival “High Voltage Chaos” performances and installation art at 8 p.m. at 1260 7th St., Oakland. Cost is $25-$30. 444-0919. www.thecrucible.org 

From Pa to the Bay at 8 p.m. at La Peña Cultural Center. Cost is $7-$10. 849-2568.  

Robin Gregory & her Trio at 8 p.m. at Anna’s Jazz Island. Cost is $10. 841-JAZZ.  

West African Highlife Band with the Shumba Marimba Youth Ensemble at 9:30 p.m. at Ashkenaz. Cost is $15. 525-5054. 

Jane Lui and Linh Nguyen at 7:30 p.m. at Nomad Cafe, 6500 Shattuck Ave. 595-5344. 

Laura Love Duo with Jen Todd, Afro-Celtic, at 8 p.m. at Freight and Salvage. Cost is $18.50-$19.50. 548-1761.  

Three the Hard Way, Opio, Scarub at 9 p.m. at Blakes on Telegraph. Cost is $12-$15. 848-0886. 

Danny Mertens Trio at 8 p.m. at the Jazzschool. Cost is $10. 845-5373. www.jazzschool.com 

Nick Brown, classical guitar, at 8 p.m. at Spuds Pizza, 3290 Adeline St. All ages. Cost is $7-$10. 558-0881. 

Ron Thompson & the Resistors at 9 p.m. at the Uptown Nightclub, 1928 Telegraph, Oakland. Cost is $10. 451-8100.  

Open Space Project, Plum Crazy, 7th Direction at 9:30 p.m. at The Starry Plough. Cost is $6. 841-2082.  

CV1 at 8 p.m. at Jupiter. 848-8277. 

Lights Out, Ceremony, Short Fuse, Phantom Pains at 8 p.m. at 924 Gilman St. Cost is $7. 525-9926. 

SUNDAY, JULY 16 

CHILDREN 

Classic Shorts for Children “The Red Balloon,” “The White Seal” and “A Cricket in Times Square” at 11 a.m. at Julia Morgan Center for the Arts, 2640 College Ave. Donation $5.  

THEATER 

San Francisco Mime Troupe “Godfellas” at 2 p.m. at Lakeside Park, Lakeside Drive at Lake Merrit, Oakland. www.sfmt.org 

FILM 

A Theater Near You “The Death of Mr. Lazarescu” at 5:30 p.m. at the Pacific Film Archive. Cost is $4-$8. 642-0808.  

READINGS AND LECTURES 

Susan Dinkelspiel Cerny on Berkeley’s architectural heritage, at 4 p.m. at Mrs. Dalloway’s, 2904 College Ave. 704-8222. 

“Bancroft Library at 100” Gallery talk at 2 p.m. at Berkeley Art Museum, 2626 Bancroft Way. Cost is $4-$8. 642-0808. 

Poetry Flash with Mark Turpin at 3 p.m. at Diesel, 5433 College Ave. 653-9965. 

Norma Barzman reads from “The End of Romance: A Memoir of Love, Sex, and the Mystery of the Violin” at 7:30 p.m. at Black Oak Books. 486-0698.  

Island Literary Series with poet Miguel Algarin at 3 p.m. at Anna’s Jazz Island. Cost is $3. 841-JAZZ. 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Oakland Jazz Choir at 2 p.m. at Chapel of the Chimes, 4499 Piedmont Ave., Oakland. Tickets are $35, includes reception following concert. 228-3207. 

John Renbourn, folk-baroque guitar, at 8 p.m. at Freight and Salvage. Cost is $19.50-$20.50. 548-1761.  

Americana Unplugged, Rita Hosking, bluegrass and oldtime showcase, at 5 p.m. at Jupiter. 655-5715. 

La Nueva Trova Alterlatina, at 7:30 p.m. at La Peña Cultural Center. Cost is $5. 849-2568.  

Frederick Hodges, international café music, at 2 p.m. at Ashkenaz. Cost is $10. 525-5054. www.ashkenaz.com 

Adrian West at 11 a.m. at Nomad Cafe, 6500 Shattuck Ave. 595-5344.  

MONDAY, JULY 17 

CHILDREN 

Rafa Cano, Spanish sing-along for children at 10:30 a.m. at PriPri Cafe, 1309 Solano Ave., Albany. Free. 528-7002. 

Willy Claflin and Friends with storytelling, music and puppets at 7 p.m. at the Rockridge Public Library, 5366 College Ave. 597-5017. 

Juggler Marcus Raymond with magic and fun at 7 p.m. at the Temescal Branch of the Oakland Public Library, 5202 Telegraph Ave. 597-5049. 

READINGS AND LECTURES 

Geoffrey Nunberg explains “Talking Right: How the Right Turned Liberalism into a Tax-Raising, Latte-Drinking, Sushi-Eating, Volvo-Driving, New York Times-Reading, Body-Piercing, Hollywood-Loving, Left Wing Freak Show” at 7 p.m. at Cody’s Books on Fourth St. 559-9500. 

Story Tells, a storytelling swap, with Ed Silberman at 7 p.m. at Barnes and Noble, Jack London Square, Oakland. 238-8585. 

Poetry Express with Linda Zeiser, editor of the East Bay lesbian anthology “What We Want From You” at 7 p.m., at Priya Restaurant, 2072 San Pablo Ave. berkeleypoetryexpress@yahoo.com 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Tommy Emmanuel at 8 p.m. at the Roda Theater. Cost is $22.50-$23-50. 548-1761.  

Blue Monday Jam at 7:30 p.m. at the Uptown Nightclub, 1928 Telegraph, Oakland. Cost is $5. 451-8100.  

9th Annual East Bay Blues Review at 7:30 p.m. at Yoshi’s at Jack London Square. Cost is $20. 238-9200. 

TUESDAY, JULY 18 

CHILDREN 

Kathleen Rushing of Bingo Schmingo, interactive songs and stories, suitable for the entire family at 7 p.m. at The Albany Library, 1247 Marin Ave. 526-3720, ext. 17. 

FILM 

Nicaraguan Film Festival at 7 p.m. at La Peña Cultural Center. Cost is $5. 849-2568.  

Screenagers: Documents from the Teenage Years “Thirteen” at at 7:30 p.m. at the Pacific Film Archive. Cost is $4-$8. 642-0808.  

READINGS AND LECTURES 

John Hamamura introduces his novel “Color of the Sea” on the Japanese-American experience at 7 p.m. at El Cerrito Library, 6510 Stockton Ave. 526-7512. 

Bruce Jenkins introduces his biography “Goodbye: In Search of Gordon Jenkins” at 7:30 p.m. at Black Oak Books. 486-0698.  

T. C. Boyle introduces his new novel “Talk Talk” at 7 p.m. at Cody’s Books on Fourth St. 559-9500. 

Cecil Brown introduces his new novel “I, Stagolee” at 7 p.m. at Rountrees, 2618 San Pablo Ave.  

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Bruce & Lloyd’s Tri Tip Trio at 8:30 p.m. at Ashkenaz. Cost is $9. 525-5054.  

Gjallarhorn, innovative Nordic sounds, at 8 p.m. at Freight and Salvage. Cost is $17.50-$18.50. 548-1761.  

Ellen Hoffman Trio at 8 p.m. at Anna’s Jazz Island. Cost is $5. 841-JAZZ.  

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

Jazz Fourtet at 7 p.m. at Caffe Trieste, 2500 San Pablo Ave., at Dwight. 548-5198.  

Jazzschool Tuesdays at 8 p.m. at Jupiter. 848-8277. 

WEDNESDAY, JULY 19 

FILM 

Nicaraguan Film Festival at 7 p.m. at La Peña Cultural Center. Cost is $5. 849-2568.  

Labor Fest: Four Short Films on unions around the world at 7 p.m. at Humanist Hall, 390 27th St., Oakland. Donations of $5 accepted. 

Global Rhythms on Screen “Ombres” at 7:30 p.m. at the Pacific Film Archive. Cost is $4-$8. 642-0808.  

READINGS AND LECTURES 

Blood on the Border Readings Commemorating the Sandinista Revolution at 7 p.m. at Niebyl-Proctor Library, 6501 Telegraph Ave., Oakland. 595-7417. 

Café Poetry hosted by Paradise at 7:30 p.m. at La Peña. Donation $2. 849-2568.  

George Lakoff discusses “Whose Freedom? The Battle Over America’s Most Important Idea” at 7:30 p.m. at First Congregational Church, 2345 Channing Way at Dana. Donation of $10 suggested. 559-9500. 

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 

Berkeley Opera “The Girl of the Golden West” at 7:30 p.m. at Julia Morgan Center for the Arts. Tickets are $15-$40, available from 925-798-1300.  

Roy Zimmerman in “Faulty Intelligence” satirical songs, Wed.-Fri. at 8 p.m. at The Marsh Berkeley, 2118 Allston Way, through July 27. 800-838-3006.  

Calvin Keys Trio at 8 p.m. at Anna’s Jazz Island. Cost is $6. 841-JAZZ.  

Whisky Brothers at 9 p.m. at Albatross, 1822 San Pablo Ave. 843-2473.  

Orquestra La Verdad, salsa, at 9:30 p.m. at Shattuck Down Low. Cost is $5-$10. 548-1159.  

Rachel Efron at 8 p.m. at Jupiter. 848-8277. 

Kapakahi, Crash Landing, Cold hot Crash at 9 p.m. at Blakes on Telegraph. Cost is $8. 848-0886.  

Tish Hinojosa at 8 p.m. at Freight and Salvage. Cost is $18.50-$19.50. 548-1761.  

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

THURSDAY, JULY 20 

EXHIBITIONS 

“Chukes-Sculptor” Opening reception at 5:30 p.m. at Joyce Gordon Gallery, 406 14th St., Oakland. Exhibition runs to Aug. 26th. 465-8928. 

FILM 

Nicaraguan Film Festival at 7 p.m. at La Peña Cultural Center. Cost is $5. 849-2568.  

Beond Bollywood: “Palace of the Winds” with neo-Benshi performance by Summi Kaipa at 7:30 p.m. at the Pacific Film Archive. Cost is $4-$8. 642-0808. www.bampfa.berkeley.edu 

READINGS AND LECTURES 

Jane Powell introduces “Bungalow Details: Interior” at 7:30 p.m. at Mrs. Dalloway’s Literary and Garden Arts, 2904 College Ave. www.mrsdalloways.com 

“Jewish Artists and Their Role in Mid-Century Abstract Art” at 6:30 p.m. at the Magnes Museum. Cost is $6-$8. Reservations encouraged. 549-6950, ext. 345. 

Robert Scheer on “Playing President: My Close Encounters with Nixon, Carter, Bush I, Reagan, and Clinton and How They Did Not Prepare Me for George W. Bush” at 7 p.m. at Cody’s Books on Fourth St. 559-9500. 

Joseph Barry Gurdin reads from his memoir “Border of Lilies and Maples” at 7:30 p.m. at Black Oak Books. 486-0698.  

Elline Lipkin and Sandra Lim, poets, at 7:30 p.m. at Pegasus Books Downtown, 2349 Shattuck Ave. 649-1320. 

Word Beat Reading Series with Jan Steckel and Diane Frank at 7 p.m. at Mediterraneum Caffe, 2475 Telegraph Ave. 526-5985. 

COMEDY 

Bay Area Comedy Festival with The Un-Scripted Theater at 8 p.m. at The Ashby Stage, 1901 Ashby Ave. Cost is $15. Three-day pass is $35. 595-5597. 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Summer Noon Concert with Upside Down and Backwards at the Downtown Berkeley BART station. Free.  

Big Lou’s Polka Casserole at 9 p.m. at Ashkenaz. Cost is $9. 525-5054.  

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

Bob Kenmotsu Quartet at 8 p.m. at Anna’s Jazz Island. Cost is $8. 841-JAZZ.  

Travis Jones & Friends at 7 p.m. at Caffe Trieste, 2500 San Pablo Ave. 548-5198.  

The Prids, Sueco at 9:30 p.m. at The Starry Plough. Cost is $5. 841-2082.  

Bobby Hutcherson with Miguel Zenon, Renee Rosnes, and Rufus Reid at 8 and 10 p.m., through Sun. at Yoshi’s, through Sun. Cost is $16-$26. 238-9200.  

Femi, Fiyahwata, Fanatix at 10 p.m. at The Ivy Room, 858 San Pablo Ave. Cost is $7. 524-9220. 

Wayward Monks at 8:30 p.m. at the Uptown Nightclub, 1928 Telegraph, Oakland. Cost is $5. 451-8100. 

Summer is the time for Shakespeare in America, and, whether outdoors or in, The Bard’s elusive sense combines best with the fragrance of the season in the comedies. 

Arclight, a new theater company, has given that combination a new spin with a staging of As You Like It in a French Neo-Classical setting that adds the light touch of a Watteau landscape, peopled with courtiers and clowns. 

Directed by founder David Koppel, himself an actor who’s been seen with TheatreFIRST and in Altarena’s fine Death of a Salesman last winter, this is Arclight’s first sally onstage, and, surprisingly, the first production of Shakespeare at Altarena in its venerable seven decades of diverse productions. 

In this comedy of exile healed by love, a verbal sleight of hand renders the Forest of Arden, where the deposed Duke (David C. McGaffney) makes his primitive refuge into a rustic utopia with his faithful entourage, into Ardennes, where the disaffected go to make merry in the perverse freedom of their displacement. 

Arriving in disguise, are the sister-like pair Rosalind (Shannon Nicholson) and Celia (Amy Wares), daughter of the deposed Duke and her friendly cousin, whose father, the usurper, has banished Rosalind. They are accompanied by truant court fool, Touchstone (Mike Nebecker). 

Their transition from playful, fairy-like ladies of the court in powdered wig and gown to lowly attire is one of the magic touches of this play, and this production.  

Unknown to them, a lad dispossessed by his older brother, Orlando (Jeremy Forbing), who attracted Rosalind’s passion in a brief glimpse during a wrestling match at court, has also fled to the forest, attacking the Duke’s camp for food only to find it freely given. 

Orlando becomes Ganymede’s student in love, after he papers the trees of the forest with extravagant verses to Rosalind. 

Among the Duke’s companions is melancholy Jaques (excellently played by James Hiser), who laughs dryly and well at all he perceives. 

Adding to the diverse (and whimsical) sensibilities of the forest creatures is the constant flow of music, both from a hidden ensemble above, led by Adrienne Chambers, playing French 18th century airs on strings, flute and French horn and the fine voice of Maureen Quintana as Amiens (and a Courtier), singing the great, evanescent songs The Bard has made the soul of the play. The songs are the play’s very meaning, along with the acid and ironic truths about life and love his clowns have license to utter playfully amid the romantic fervor of the principals. 

This cast of 14, many of them young players, is very game and sprightly, complemented by the designers (Hilma Kargoll for sets, Robert Anderson for lighting, Maya Attai and Noor Manteghi for the sumptuous costumes). 

Scene and costume changes from court to forest are made in full view of the audience, another magic touch, as the shadows of the leaves seem to turn in the light to music, and pillars become tree trunks, courtiers rustics—and, as Jaques so famously declaims, “All the world’s a stage.” 

AS YOU LIKE IT 

Through July 23 at the Altarena Playhouse. $8-$15. For more information, call (800) 838-3006, or see www.altarena.org. 1409 High St., Alameda.

“Them that’s got will get/Them that’s not will lose ...” Billie Holiday in all her lyric glory, and all her degradation, has been subject for more than a few portrayals over the years. 

The movies she was in herself and performance footage can be compared to any, including the most widely seen, and off-key, Diana Ross vehicle, Lady Sings the Blues (better for Richard Prior’s portrayal of her accompanist). 

But, whether on screen or live onstage, each show faces the same problem: how to portray Holiday’s inimitable voice and manner, as well as how to present her sad, scandal-ridden life. 

Lady Day in Love, C. J. Verburg’s play presented by the Fellowship Theater Guild at the Fellowship Church in San Francisco, neatly skirts the moralisms that start piling up at any survey of Holiday’s history by referring to incident and anecdote mainly to place the characters in their setting, to give a touch of backstory. All the action takes place at a rehearsal in New York sometime in the ‘40s, and at a club date a few years later. 

And the difficulty of portraying Billie the singer and the woman has been taken solved by the presence of vocalist Kim Nalley (who’s also proprietor of Jazz At Pearl’s in North Beach), who not only sings 15 of Lady Day’s numbers wonderfully, but manages to convey something of the sense of her character, by turns demure and tough, as much through suggestion as through any kind of overly studied scheme.  

This kind of Impressionism lends a subtle radiance to a play of vignettes, involving just three dramatic characters, directed by Courtney Brown. The truly original hook is to have the action (Billie’s romantic attachment to Harlem-to-Paris wandering club promoter Jimmy Monroe, ably portrayed by Ed L. Gillies III) framed by her mother, Sadie Fagan (played wonderfully by Lady SunRise, “The Jazz Angel”), who’s skeptical about Jimmy’s intentions, due to her own failed marriage to a roving jazzman—a good part of the cause of her daughter’s woes. 

“My, oh my, we had some good times in Baltimore!” Sadie enthuses. 

“And some bad times,” counters Billie. “They sent me to the reformatory. I got raped.” 

Sadie, dubbed The Duchess by tenor titan Lester Young, as he named Billie Lady Day (and Billie called him Prez, president of the saxophone), introduces herself by the title to Jimmy when he shows at Billie’s rehearsal: “She’s a Lady, so I got to be a Duchess. That’s what Lester Young say.” 

And so Jimmy kisses her hand and gives his name as Winston Churchill. Back in the Big Apple since the War cut short his self-lauded Paris peregrination, he’s pursuing Billie despite The Duchess’  

motherly meddling. 

Sadie’s not exactly a welcome stage mother or moralizer. 

“She might be a Catholic, but she sure as hell ain’t no saint,” her daughter informs Jimmy on the sly. Jimmy makes it a point to charm The Duchess; a high point of the play’s reached when Kim belts out “Give me a pigfoot/And a bottle of beer” as Jimmy and Sadie dance, arm in arm, then facing each other and getting down, while Billie struts, flanking them. 

The second act, in the club, is introduced by Sadie, speaking to the audience, resplendent in silver lame’ turban and pearl gray gown. It gradually comes out she’s speaking from the other world. When Billie comes onstage, a little bit unsteadily, she tells the audience she still keeps a table reserved for her mother. Sadie’s told the audience of her slide with Jimmy into addiction. Jimmy, now her estranged husband, stumbles in, the only one who can see The Duchess, whom he accosts. 

“I can sing in Carnegie Hall. I can sing in a kid’s show. But I can’t sing where they serve juice. How ‘bout that?” Billie Holiday’s glory and decline have seldom been shown so directly or with as much humanity. 

It’s a straightforward show with as many twists and turns as Billie’s tragic life. And then there are the songs. Kim Nalley shows Billie’s range, as well as her own (and she’ll be singing Nina Simone’s music soon at Yoshi’s). 

The other stars of the show have few lines, but underpin the heart of the play: Kim’s own faithful accompanist, T. Hall, playing Billie’s pianist Bobby, and, in the club scenes, Ned Boynton (oft of Downtown Restaurant) on guitar and bassist Dana Stevens sitting in. 

There are more than a few moments it’s easy to see why, according to Randy Weston, that the only ornament in Thelonious Monk’s spartan practice room was a photo of Lady Day on the ceiling, where he could look up to her as he played.  

LADY DAY IN LOVE 

8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 3 p.m. Sundays through Aug. 12. $33. For tickets, call (866) 811-4111.  

Fellowship Theater Guild, 2041 Larkin St., San Francisco. For more information, call (415) 305-3243.

To be a silent movie fan is to live with a mixture of excitement and despair. It is estimated that more than 80 percent of all films from the silent era are lost, either destroyed by Hollywood studios during the transition to talkies or simply lost to the ravages of time. Original negatives and nitrate prints eventually succumb to chemical decomposition, disintegrating into piles of dust. And what has been lost is not limited to Hollywood movies; documentaries, social films, political films, home movies—a vast trove of footage documenting our social history has simply vanished. 

The pain of the loss is often compounded by the fact that sometimes a tiny fragment of a film survives, a shred of footage just long enough to hint at the treasures that have disappeared. Sometimes a single reel of a six-reel feature; sometimes a trailer or even just a fragment of a trailer; sometimes still photos, either from the set or from a publicity campaign; and sometimes just a press release or a review, or maybe just an entry in a studio logbook.  

But now and then a discovery is made and a film is miraculously found again, having been mislabeled in a studio vault, in the archives of a private collector, or tucked away in some musty basement or in the dark corner of a forgotten storage closet. These are hardly optimal conditions for the storage of such fragile cultural documents; nitrate requires strict climate control in order to ensure its preservation. But sometimes a miracle occurs and a long-forgotten movie survives in remarkable condition. 

And so it is with two new DVD releases from Milestone Film and Video: Beyond the Rocks and Electric Edwardians.  

Beyond the Rocks is one of the most sought-after of lost silent-era movies, not so much because of its quality as the simple fact that it featured two of the biggest stars of the day: Gloria Swanson and Rudolph Valentino. It was rare for two such prominent actors to appear in the same film; the logic at the time was that either one could draw a huge audience, so why waste the money on two astronomical salaries when just one would suffice? 

A minute-long fragment survived to taunt historians for nearly eight decades, with hope of its recovery fading with each passing year. And then one day it appeared. 

An eccentric Dutch collector passed away in 2000, and among the assorted artifacts he kept in several storage facilities were dozens of rusted film canisters. The films were donated to the Netherlands Film Museum, and there archivists began sorting through the cans to see what they contained. Eventually a reel of Beyond the Rocks was discovered, and, some time later, another reel, until, in 2004, the complete movie was finally pieced together. 

The film was restored and released in 2005, making its way from Holland to New York, to Los Angeles, and finally, in November, to the Castro Theater, where it was screened as a special presentation of the San Francisco Silent Film Festival. (The festival runs today through Sunday at the Castro and was previewed in this space last Tuesday).  

The movie is, for the most part, a light and silly entertainment, a nonsensical Hollywood blockbuster that places its glamorous stars in a series of melodramatic situations in exotic locales. The screenplay is the work of Elinor Glyn, a popular novelist of the day. It was Glyn who wrote the book It and, in a brilliant cross-marketing campaign, proclaimed starlet Clara Bow the embodiment of the sexual allure referred to as “It,” sending both Bow and the ensuing movie into the box office stratosphere. 

Though the discovery and restoration of Beyond the Rocks is good news, its significance pales in comparison to the recent discovery of the work of Sagar Mitchell and James Kenyon, released under the title Electric Edwardians.  

Mitchell and Kenyon were filmmakers in early 20th century Britain, contracted by traveling showmen to film everyday folks in small towns and cities in anticipation of a fair or circus coming to town. Advertisements would be posted informing the locals that, for just a few pence, they could come to the fair and see themselves and their friends and neighbors on the screen.  

To Mitchell and Kenyon, and to their employers, these were throwaway films. They were simply part of a marketing gimmick, a way to lure paying customers. But a few years ago, several drums filled with film canisters were discovered in a basement due for demolition, and in those cans were the original negatives of several dozen Mitchell and Kenyon films.  

One commentator on the DVD describes the films as containing “infinite surprises in a finite space.” It is an apt description, for these films are not polished productions, but are simply snapshots of an era, with the camera merely catching a glimpse of the passing parade of everyday life. A fictional character only exists insofar as he is on the screen; he ceases to exist once he moves beyond the frame. But the Mitchell and Kenyon films feature real people; they are not posing for posterity, they are simply going about their lives, and those lives do not end once they pass through and beyond the frame. Watching these films is like cupping your hands in a rushing stream and capturing just a small sample, just a fleeting glimpse, of the life rushing by.  

The faces are both mysterious and familiar: workers, athletes, children and adults. We see children who will one day become parents and then grandparents and great-grandparents, who will one day be remembered only as faded, foreign photographs in a dusty, dog-eared album; we see men flooding out of factories; we see merchants sweeping the sidewalk; we see regiments of uniformed young boys marching in parades, boys who, in just a few short years, will likely be sent to the battlefields of the Great War. Thousands of faces pass before us, anonymous lives lived and forgotten. But here in the films of Mitchell and Kenyon they live and breathe; they smile, wave, grimace, and walk on by, some curious, some indifferent, some silly, some sober. 

All of these films have their particular charms, from the hundreds of faces pouring out of a factory, to the faces of curious children gaping or grinning at the sight of the camera, to the pensive faces of spectators at a soccer match, to the quaint entertainments of long-forgotten performers. But among the most fascinating films are the ones shot from streetcars, with Mitchell and Kenyon and their camera passing unnoticed through cities and towns, capturing footage of quiet, everyday moments: a man walking alone along the sidewalk; women stopping to chat on a street corner; horse-drawn carriages navigating traffic at an intersection.  

Eighty-five minutes worth can be a lot for one sitting, but select one among the several categories of films and give it your full attention. It’s a rewarding time capsule; the flood of images, accompanied by poignant scores by In the Nursery, provide a genuinely moving experience.