FRIDAY, JULY 21 

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 

Sydney B. Mitchell Iris Society Annual Bearded Iris Rhizome Auction at 7:30 p.m. at 666 Bellevue Ave., Lakeside Park, Oakland. 277-4200. 

“Venezuela Rising” A documentary at 7 p.m. at Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists’ Hall, 1924 Cedar St. at Bonita. Donation$10. 528-5403. 

“State of Denial” A film on living in South Africa with HIV, at 7:30 p.m. at 464 Van Buren at Euclid, Oakland. Sponsored by Friends of African Film. www.friendsofafricanfilm.com 

Berkeley Folk Dancers Community Classes and Teacher Workshop, ages 8 and up, Fridays through Aug. 18 at 7:45 p.m. at Live Oak Park, 1301 Shattuck Ave. Cost is $10-$15 for five classes, $5 drop-in.  

Stagebridge Story Workshop with local storytellers from 10 a.m. to noon at Arts First Oakland Center, 2501 Harrison St., Oakland. Bring a bag lunch. Cost is $10. 444-4755.  

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

SATURDAY, JULY 22 

Sassafras Shotgun Players Annual Silent Auction Fundraiser at 6 p.m. at The Hillside Club, 2286 Cedar St. Tickets are $40 and include dinner. 841-6500. 

Sydney B. Mitchell Iris Society Bearded Iris Rhizome Sale From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Rockridge Mall, Broadway at Pleasant Valley Rd., Oakland. Free growing instruction and advice from the experts. 277-4200. 

Butterfly Bonanza Work Party Join us to create a new pathway in the butterfly garden at the Tilden Nature Center, Tilden Park, from 10 a.m. to noon. Dress for sun and dirt. 525-2233. 

Peach Tastings and Cooking Demonstrations from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m at the Saturday Berkeley Farmer’s Market, Center St., at MLK, Jr. Way. 548-3333. 

Wonders of Watersheds Learn about the waterways in our community from 3 to 4:30 p.m. at Tilden Nature Center, Tilden Park. 525-2233. 

Striding into the Sunset An evening hike in Miller Knox from 7 to 9 p.m. on a 2.5 mile loop over varied terrain to see great views. Bring a snack to share. Call for meeting place 525-2233. 

Canoe and Kayak Race for the Treasure beginning at 8 a.m. at Jack London Aquatic Square, Oakland. Registration is $32-$40 for adults, $15 for teens. For registration forms please visit www.calkayak.com/events.cfm#998 or call 893-7833.  

60th Anniversary of the 1946 Oakland General Strike Commemoration at 6 p.m. at the Oakland YMCA, 1515 Webster St., at 15th St., with Evelyn and Val Schaaf and Earl Watkins, who participated in the strike; Gifford Hartman’s multi media presentation and a documentary. 415-751-1572. 

Oakland Heritage Walking Tour of the Waterfront Warehouse District from 10 a.m. to noon. Meet at the intersection of 3rd and Franklin Sts. Cost is $5-$15. 763-9218.  

Walking Tour of Old Oakland Uptown to the Lake to discover Art Deco landmarks. Meet at 10 a.m. in front of the Paramount Theater at 2025 Broadway. For reservations call 238-3234. 

Greenway Getaway A moderate hike along the Ohlone Greenway in El Cerrito, from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Sponsored by the Greenbelt Alliance. Reservations required. 415-255-3233. www.greenbelt.org 

“Lift Off” Emeryville Picnic Celebrating Schools & Community at noon at Emery Secondary School Athletic Field, 4727 San Pablo Ave. www.emeryusd.k12.ca.us 

El Cerrito Historical Society Annual Potluck Picnic at Huber Park at noon. All welcome to attend. Please bring a main course, salad, or dessert. 526-7507, 525-1730. 

37th Anniversary of the Flight of the Apollo 11 lunar landing mission on the USS Hornet. Family activities and ship tours will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visitors will have the opportunity to participate in mission briefings, see airplanes lifted to the flight deck, and sit in a fighter jet cockpit. Pier 3, 707 W. Hornet Avenue, Alameda. Cost is $6-$14. www.uss-hornet.org 

“The United States and Iran: Nuclear Proliferation, Terrorism, and Regime Change” with Prof. Stephen Zunes, USF, at 7 p.m. at Home of Truth Center, 1300 Grand St., Alameda. Sponsored by the Alameda Public Affairs Forum. Donations accepted. www.alamedaforum.org 

“The Code and the Challenge of Learning to Read It” a multimedia presentation on the reading crisis in our country from 9 a.m. to noon at Laney College Theater, 900 Fallon, Oakland. To register call 685-0186. www.childrenofthecode.org/oakland 

Berkeley Higashi Honganji Buddhist Temple Summer Bazaar, Sat. from 4 to 8 p.m. and Sun. from noon to 6 p.m. at 1524 Oregon St. at Sacramento. Japanese food, children’s games and homemade crafts. 843-6933. 

Support Shattuck Cinema Workers as they rally for a fair contract at 2 p.m. in front of Shattuck Cinemas. www.iww.org 

Oakland Zoomobile Meet some wild animals at 2 p.m. at the Kensington Library, 61 Arlington Ave. 524-3043. 

Berkeley History Center Walking Tour: “Explore the New Berkeley City College Building” is postponed to August. 848-0181. www.cityofberkeley.info/histsoc 

Vegetarian Cooking Class: Burgers and Backyard Bites from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at First Unitarian Church of Oakland, 685 14th St. at Castro. Cost is $45 plus $5 food/materials fee. Registration required. 531-COOK.  

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

Writing for Personal (R)evolution a workshop with Aimee Suzara at 10 a.m. at Epic Arts Studios, 1923 Ashby Ave. For ages 17 and up. Cost is $25-$50 sliding scale. 520-2486. 

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 23 

Bay to Barkers Dog Walk and Festival from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Cesar Chavez Park at the Berkeley Marina. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. and costs $25 in advance or $30 on day of event. Benefits the Berkeley East Bay Humane Society. 845-7735, ext. 13. www.berkeleyhumane.org 

Ridgeline Ramble on Sobrante Ridge A 3.5 mile hike up and down through oak and bay woodland, chaparral and grassland habitats, from 9 a.m. to noon. Meet at the Coach Drive Staging Area. 525-2233. 

Brooks Island Voyage Paddle the rising tide across the Richmond Harbor Channel to Brooks Island from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. For experienced boaters who can provide their own canoe or kayak and safety gear. For ages 14 and up with parent participation. Cost is $20-$22. Registration required. 636-1684. 

Help Restore Cerrito Creek from 10 a.m. to noon. Wear shoes with good traction, long pants and sleeves. Meet at Creekside Park, south end of Santa Clara St., El Cerrito, just north of Albany Hill. 848-9358. www.fivecreeks.org 

Oakland General Strike Walk Meet at 2 p.m. at the fountain at Latham Square, where Broadway & Telegraph converge. The walk will revisit the sites that sparked the “Work Holiday” that shut the East Bay down. Co-sponsored by Laney College Labor Studies and the Flying Picket Historical Society. 464-3210. 

Oakland Heritage Walking Tour of Rockridge Arts and Crafts from 2 to 4:30 p.m. Meet at the pillars on the corner of Broadway and Rockridge Blvd. Cost is $5-$15. 763-9218.  

Progressive Democrats of the East Bay Potluck BBQ from noon to 4 p.m. at Codornices Park, Euclid Ave. at Eunice St., across from the Berkeley Rose Garden. We’ll bring the drinks and charcoal. Please bring something for the grill or something to share. 636-4149. 

“Diamonds are for Africa Forever!” a documentary about the local poverty in Sierra Leone at 2 p.m. at Parkway Theater, 1834 Park Blvd., Oakland. 625-1106.www.apscuhuru.org 

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

Writers’ Workshop on “Yoga and the Art of Making Your Words Come Alive” with Gail Sher at 5 p.m. at Black Oak Books. 486-0698.  

Free Hands-on Bicycle Clinic Learn how to repair flats from 10 to 11 a.m. at REI, 1338 San Pablo Ave. 527-4140. 

Free Sailboat Rides from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Cal Sailing Club in the Berkeley Marina. Bring change of clothes, windbreaker, sneakers. For ages 5 and up. cal-sailing.org  

“Local Medicinal Herbs and Your Health” Workshop with local herbalist Joshua Muscat, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Berkeley Eco-House, 1305 Hopkins St. Bring small pots and hand shovels. Cost is $15 sliding scale. 547-8715. 

Summer Sunday Forum: Peaceable Kingdom a video on animals at 9:30 a.m. at Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley, 1 Lawson Rd., Kensington. 525-0302, ext. 306. 

Berkeley City Club free tour from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at 2315 Durant Ave. Donations welcome. 848-7800 or 883-9710. 

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

Tibetan Buddhism “Opening to the Dharma: What We are Learning” at 6 p.m. at the Tibetan Nyingma Institute, 1815 Highland Pl. 843-6812.  

MONDAY, JULY 24 

“Conflict Resolution: Parents and Teens” with Susan Frankel, MFT and Jan McClain at 2:30 p.m. at Elephant Pharmacy, 1607 Shattuck Ave. 549-9200. 

“For Teens: No Pressure!” with Joan Hitlin, MFA at 7 p.m. at Elephant Pharmacy, 1607 Shattuck Ave. 549-9200. 

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

World Affairs/Politics Discussion Group for people 60+ years old at 10:15 a.m. at the Albany Senior Center, 846 Masonic Ave. Cost is $3. 524-9122.  

Berkeley CopWatch organizational meeting at 8 p.m. at 2022 Blake St. 548-0425. 

TUESDAY, JULY 25 

Tuesdays for the Birds Enjoy the early morning birding at Arrowhead Marsh, Martin Luther King Shoreline. Bring water, sunscreen, binoculars and a snack. Call for meeting location or to borrow binoculars. 525-2233. 

Peach Tastings from 2 to 7 p.m at the Tuesday Berkeley Farmer’s Market, Derby St., at MLK, Jr. Way. 548-3333. 

Cycle Touring: Tips for Paring Down Your Load at 7 p.m. at REI, 1338 San Pablo Ave. 527-4140. 

Berkeley PC Users Group meets at 7 p.m.at 1145 Walnut St. near the corner of Eunice.  

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

Red Cross Blood Drive from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Leapfrog, 6401 Hollis St., Emeryville. To make an appointment call 1-800-GIVE-LIFE.  

Raging Grannies of the East Bay invites new folks to join us from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. to sing, help plan our next gig, or write outrageously political lyrics to old familiar tunes, at Berkeley Gray Panthers office, 1403 Addison St., in Andronico’s mall. 548-9696. 

Berkeley Camera Club meets at 7:30 p.m., at the Northbrae Community Church, 941 The Alameda. 548-3991.  

St. John’s Prime Timers meets at 9:30 a.m. at St. John’s Presbyterian Church, 2727 College Ave.845-6830. 

WEDNESDAY, JULY 26 

Four Short Films on Housing, Jobs and Unions at 7:30 p.m. at Humanist Hall, 390 27th St., Oakland. Donations of $5 accepted. 

“The Revolution Will Not Be Televised” A documentary about the failed coup against President Hugo Chavez in Venezuela, at 1:30 p.m. at the North Berkeley Senior Center, 1901 Hearst Ave. Sponsored by the Berkeley Gray Panthers. 548-9696. 

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 

Bayswater Book Club meets to discuss “Godless” by Ann Coulter 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 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. 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.  

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

Breema Clinic Open House from 6 to 8 p.m. at 6201 Florio St., Oakland. 428-1234.  

THURSDAY, JULY 27 

Cee Cee Weeks Day Tree Planting and Potluck from noon to 3 p.m. at Ohlone Park on Hearst Avenue by the McGee Play area. Join us to Plant a Tree in Honor and Memory of Cee Cee Weeks the Disability and Indian Rights activist and share a potluck lunch. 482-8284. 

“Introduction to Community Organizing” Learn how grassroots community power wins campaigns, at 7 p.m. at the Ecology Center, 2530 San Pablo Ave. RSVP to 848-0800 ext. 307. 

Teen Science Fiction/Fantasy Book Club will discuss “The Blue Girl” at 4 p.m. at Claremont Branch Library, 2940 Benvenue. 981-6133. 

Healthy Sun Practices with Dr. Lani Simpson at 7 p.m. at Teleosis Institute, Upstairs Unit B, 1521B 5th St. 558-7285. 

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. Services available in Berkeley, Oakland, Richmond. Free. 665-1501. 

Child Care Food Program is available without charge to all children enrolled in The Berkeley Unified School District, Early Childhood Education progam, based on income eligibility guidelines. Please call for details 644-6358. 

CITY MEETINGS 

Parks and Recreation Commission meets Mon., July 24, at 7 p.m., at the North Berkeley Senior Center. 981-5158.  

Zero Waste Commission Mon., July 24, at 7 p.m., at 1201 Second St. 981-6368.  

City Council meets Tues., July 25, at 7 p.m in City Council Chambers. 981-6900.  

Civic Arts Commission meets Wed., July 26, at 6:30 p.m. at the North Berkeley Senior Center. 981-7533.  

Disaster and Fire Safety Commission meets Wed., July 26, at 7 p.m., at the Emergency Operations Center, 997 Cedar St. 981-5502.  

Energy Commission meets Wed., July 26, at 6:30 p.m., at the North Berkeley Senior Center. 981-5434.  

Mental Health Commission meets Wed., July 26, at 6:30 p.m. at 2640 MLK Jr. Way, at Derby. 981-5213.  

Planning Commission meets Wed., July 26, at 7 p.m., at the North Berkeley Senior Center. 981-7484.  

Police Review Commission meets Wed., July 26 , at 7:30 p.m. at the North Berkeley Senior Center. 981-4950. 

The Berkeley Alcohol Policy Advocacy Coalition was misidentified in Tuesday’s Daily Planet. While nonprofit organizations participate in the coalition, BAPAC itself is not a nonprofit organization, as stated in the article.

FRIDAY, JULY 21 

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.  

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

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. 

Berkeley Rep “Ennio” A comedy written and performed by Ennio Marchetto, at 2015 Addison St. Tickets are $20-$45. 647-2949. www.berkeleyrep.org 

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” the musical based on the 1984 film 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 

Impact Theatre “House of Lucky” Written and performed by Frank Wortham, Thurs.-Sat. at 8 p.m. at La Val’s Subterranean, 1834 Euclid Ave., through Aug. 26. Tickets are $10-$15. 464-4468. 

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

COMEDY 

Bay Area Comedy Festival with Free Hooch Comedy Troupe at 8 p.m. at The Ashby Stage, 1901 Ashby Ave. Cost is $15. 595-5597. 

FILM 

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

Friends of African Film “State of Denial” A film on living in South Africa with HIV, at 7:30 p.m. at 464 Van Buren at Euclid, Oakland. www.friendsofafricanfilm.com 

Janet Gaynor: A Centennial Celebration “Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans’” at 7 p.m. and “7th Heaven” at 9 p.m. at the Pacific Film Archive. Cost is $4-$8. 642-0808.  

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. 

Alameda Civic Light Opera “Jesus Christ Superstar” Fri. and Sat. at 8 p.m., Sun. at 2 p.m. at Kofman Auditorium, 2200 Central Ave., Alameda. Tickets are $27-$31. 864-2256.  

Steve Oda and Anubrata Chatterjee North Indian music at 8 p.m. at the Hillside Club, 2286 Cedar St. Cost is $10-$15. 845-1350. 

Bullet in Your Head, Re Ignition at 9 p.m. at Blakes on Telegraph. Cost is $10. 848-0886. 

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

The Chant Down Band, roots, dub and dancehall reggae, at 9:30 p.m. at Ashkenaz. Cost is $12. 525-5054.  

Pam & Jeri Show at 8 p.m. at Caffe Trieste, 2500 San Pablo Ave., at Dwight. 548-5198.  

Golden Bough, Celtic-American, at 8 p.m. at Freight and Salvage. Cost is $18.50-$19.50. 548-1761. 

Loosewig: the Ben Fajen Quartet at 9 p.m. at Downtown. 649-3810.  

The Ross Hammond Trio and Regina Pontillo, jazz, at 7:30 p.m. at Nomad Cafe. 595-5344.  

Jerry Hannon, The Jitters, Dao Strom at 9:30 p.m. at The Starry Plough. Cost is $5. 841-2082.  

Capitalist Casualties, Skarp, Voetsek at 8 p.m. at 924 Gilman St. Cost is $7. 525-9926. 

Boca do Rio at 8 p.m. at Jupiter. 848-8277. 

Her Grace the Dutchess Tom Jonesing at 8:30 p.m. at the Uptown Nightclub, 1928 Telegraph. Cost is $10. 451-8100.  

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

SATURDAY, JULY 22 

EXHIBITIONS 

“Man’s Best Friend” Opening reception for the artists at 3 p.m. at Montclair Gallery, 1986 Mountain Blvd., Oakland. Your well-socialized canine friend is welcome to attend. 339-4286. 

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 

Shotgun Players “Ragnarok: The Doom of the Gods” Sat. and Sun. at noon at John Hinkle Park. Free, with pass the hat donation after the show. 841-6500. www.shotgunplayers.org 

Women’s Will “Twelfth Night” at 1 p.m. at Mosswood Park, Oakland. Free. 420-0813.  

COMEDY 

Bay Area Comedy Festival with Kasper Hauser and Ali Wong at 8 p.m. at The Ashby Stage, 1901 Ashby Ave. Cost is $15. 595-5597. 

FILM 

Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum “The Train Wrecker,” “Big Moments from Little Pictures” at 7:30 p.m. at 37417 Niles Blvd., Fremont. Cost $5. 494-1411.  

Janet Gaynor: A Centennial Celebration “Sweet Angel” at 6:30 p.m. and “Lucky Star” at 8:50 p.m. at the Pacific Film Archive. Cost is $4-$8. 642-0808.  

READINGS AND LECTURES 

Rhythm & Muse with Juan Sequeira & Maria Chavez at 7 p.m. at Berkeley Art Center, 1275 Walnut St. 644-6893. 

Storytelling Swap, hosted by Kathy Dana, at 7:30 p.m. at the Frank Bette Center, 1601 Paru, Alameda. Free, donations accepted. 523-6957. 

Poems About Alameda, open reading hosted by Mary Rudge, Poet Laureate of Alameda at 2 p.m. at Aroma Restaurant, 2337 Blanding Ave., Alameda. 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Starlight Circle Players at 8 p.m. at Berkeley Fellowship, 1924 Cedar St. at Bonita. Donation $5-$20. 841-4824. 

Manuel Suarez and Manny y Mano de Orula at 9 p.m. at La Peña Cultural Center. Cost is $12-$15. 849-2568.  

Full on Flyhead, The Animal Underground at 8:30 p.m. at the Uptown Nightclub, 1928 Telegraph, Oakland. Cost is $10. 451-8100.  

Tom Rigney & Flambeau at 9 p.m. at Ashkenaz. Cajun dance lesson at 8 p.m. Cost is $15. 525-5054. www.ashkenaz.com  

Stuart Rosh and John Craigie, singer song-writers, at 7:30 p.m. at Nomad Cafe, 6500 Shattuck Ave. 595-5344.  

Austin Lounge Lizards at 8 p.m. at Freight and Salvage. Cost is $18.50-$19.50. 548-1761. 

Sir Juette, Nasty Breeze at 9 p.m. at Blakes on Telegraph. Cost is $8-$10. 848-0886.  

Danny Lubin-Laden & Brama Sukarma at 8 p.m. at the Jazz- 

school. Cost is $10. 845-5373.  

Caroline Chung Trio at 9 p.m. at Downtown. 649-3810.  

Gaucho at 9:30 p.m. at Albatross, 1822 San Pablo Ave. Cost is $3. 843-2473.  

October Allied, The Jimmys, The 500’s at 9:30 p.m. at The Starry Plough. All ages show. Cost is $5. 841-2082.  

CJ Boyd Sexxxtet at 8 p.m. at Jupiter. 848-8277. 

Eskapo, Deathtoll, Worhorse at 8 p.m. at 924 Gilman St. Cost is $6. 525-9926. 

SUNDAY, JULY 23 

EXHIBITIONS 

Berkeley Art Center Annual National Juried Exhibition Opening reception and awards at 2 p.m. at 1275 Walnut St. Exhibition runs to Aug. 26. 644-6893.  

THEATER 

Women’s Will “Twelfth Night” at 1 p.m. at Dimond Park, Oakland. Free. 420-0813.  

FILM 

Janet Gaynor: A Centennial Celebration “Tess of the Storm Country” at 5:30 p.m. at the Pacific Film Archive. Cost is $4-$8. 642-0808.  

READINGS AND LECTURES 

“Edge of Desire: Recent Art in India” Guided tour at 2 p.m. at Berkeley Art Museum, 2626 Bancroft Way. Cost is $4-$8. 642-0808. 

UC Extension Student Reading at 4 p.m. at Cody’s Books on Fourth St. 559-9500. 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Berkeley Opera “The Girl of the Golden West” at 2 p.m. at Julia Morgan Center for the Arts. Tickets are $15-$40, available from 925-798-1300.  

Midsummer Mozart Festival Program 1, at 7 p.m. at First Congregational Church, 2345 Channing Way at Dana. Tickets are $30-$60. 415-627-9145.  

“Pins and Needles” a concert version of the 1937 musical, with Laborfest and Opera Non Troppo at 7:30 p.m. at La Peña Cultural Center. 849-2568.  

“In Celebration of Swimming” with Agua String Quartet and others at 7 p.m. at Live Oak Park Community Center, 1301 Shattuck St, near Eunice. Donation $10, benefits city pool passes for homeless youth. 548-9050. 

Starlight Circle Players at 4 p.m. at Berkeley Fellowship, 1924 Cedar St. at Bonita. Donation $5-$20. 841-4824. 

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

Tango Number 9 at 8 p.m. at Anna’s Jazz Island, 2120 Allston Way. Cost is $10. 841-JAZZ.  

Americana Unplugged: Dark Hollow Band at 5 p.m. at Jupiter. 655-5715. 

Wailing Junk Symphony for the Most High, Brazilian-West African Gospel Junk-Jazz at 4 p.m. at Ashkenaz. Cost is $12, $8 for teens and musicians with proof of instrument. 525-5054.  

MONDAY, JULY 24 

CHILDREN 

Yolanda Rhodes, multicultural tales with music and movement at 7 p.m. at the Temescal Branch of the Oakland Public Library, 5205 Telegraph Ave. 597-5049. 

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

THEATER 

Everyday Theatre “Dreaming in a Firestorm” by Tim Barsky at 8 p.m. at Oakland Metro, 201 Broadway at 2nd St. Tickets are $12-$20. 644-2204.  

EXHIBITIONS 

“Black and White Editorial Portraits” by Phyllis Christopher. Artist reception at 6:30 p.m. at Berkeley Public Library, Central Catalog Lobby, 2090 Kittredge St. Exhibition runs through Aug. 27. 981-6241. 

“Creation Ground,” paintings by Diane Williams and Chuck Potter, sculpture by Ari Lyckberg. Reception at 3 p.m. at the Community Art Gallery, Alta Bates Summit Medical Center, 2450 Ashby Ave. 204-1667.  

READINGS AND LECTURES 

Michael Spiro introduces his new book “The Conga Drummer’s Guidebook” at 7:30 p.m. at La Peña. Cost is $10. Demonstration at 4 p.m. 849-2568.  

Scott Nadelson reads from his collection of stories “The Cantor’s Daughter” at 7:30 p.m. at Black Oak Books. 486-0698.  

Richard Hooper on “The Crucifixion of Mary Magdalene – The Historical Tradition of the First Apostle, and the Ancient Church’s Campaign to Suppress It” at 7 p.m. at Barnes & Noble, 2352 Shattuck Ave. 644-3635. 

Poetry Express with Pablo Rosales at 7 p.m. at Priya Restaurant, 2072 San Pablo Ave. berkeleypoetryexpress@yahoo.com 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

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

Musica ha Disconnesso, acoustic Italian music, at 7 p.m. at Caffe Trieste, 2500 San Pablo Ave., at Dwight. 548-5198.  

Bill Bell and the Jazz Connection at 8 and 10 p.m. at Yoshi’s. Cost is $10. 238-9200.  

TUESDAY, JULY 25 

EXHIBITIONS 

“Paul Robeson: The Tallest Tree in Our Forest” Tues.-Sat., noon to 5:30 p.m. at The African-American Museum, 659 14th St., Oakland. Exhibition runs to Aug. 26. 637-0199. 

FILM 

Screenagers: Documents from the Teenage Years “Our Song” at 7:30 p.m. at the Pacific Film Archive. Cost is $4-$8. 642-0808. www.bampfa.berkeley.edu 

READINGS AND LECTURES 

The Story Quilters with tandem storytellers Cynthia Restivo and B.Z. Smith at 7 p.m. at the Albany Library, at 1247 Marin Ave., Albany. 526-3720, ext. 17. 

Shelly Jackson reads from her novel of conjoined twins “Half Life” at 7 p.m. at Cody’s Books on Fourth St. 559-9500. 

Charles Burack will discuss D. H. Lawrence’s Language of Sacred experience: The Transfiguration of the Reader at 7:30 p.m. at Black Oak Books. 486-0698. www.blackoakbooks.com 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Creole Belles with Andrew Carriere at 8:30 p.m. at Ashkenaz. Cajun dance lesson at 8 p.m. Cost is $9. 525-5054. www.ashkenaz.com 

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

Jazz Jam with Michael Coleman Trio at 8:30 p.m. at the Uptown Nightclub, 1928 Telegraph, Oakland. Free, bring your instrument. 451-8100. www.uptownnightclub.com 

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

Los Mocosos at 8 and 10 p.m. at Yoshi’s at Jack London Square. Cost is $10-$14. 238-9200. www.yoshis.com 

Jazzschool Tuesdays, a weekly showcase of up-and-coming ensembles from Berkeley Jazz- 

school at 8 p.m. at Jupiter. 848-8277. 

WEDNESDAY, JULY 26 

FILM 

Donde acaban los caminos at 7 p.m. at La Peña Cultural Center. Cost is $6. 849-2568. www.lapena.org 

International Working Class Film & Video Festival at 7 p.m. at Fellowship of Humanity Hall, 370 27th St. near Broadway, Oakland. Cost is $5. 

READINGS AND LECTURES 

Starling Lawrence introduces “The Lightning Keeper” at 7:30 p.m. at Mrs. Dalloway’s Literary and Garden Arts, 2904 College Ave. www.mrsdalloways.com 

“Writing Teachers Write” student/teacher readings at 5 p.m. at Nomad Cafe, 6500 Shattuck Ave. 595-5344. www.nomadcafe.net 

David Skibbens will read from his tarot mystery “High Priestess” at 7:30 p.m. at Black Oak Books. 486-0698. www.blackoakbooks.com 

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 www.starryploughpub.com 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Roy Zimmerman in “Faulty Intelligence” An evening of satirical songs, Wed. and Thurs. at 8 p.m. at The Marsh Berkeley, 2118 Allston Way. 800-838-3006. www.themarsh.org  

Roger Sears Quintet at 8 p.m. at Anna’s Jazz Island, 2120 Allston Way. Cost is $7. 841-JAZZ. www.AnnasJazzIsland.com 

Jules Broussard, west coast swing, at 8:30 p.m. at Ashkenaz. Dance lesson at 8 p.m. Cost is $9. 525-5054. www.ashkenaz.com 

Emote Jargin, Wordsmith, Aral at 9 p.m. at Blakes on Telegraph. Cost is $8. 848-0886. www.blakesontelegraph.com 

Deep Hello at 8 p.m. at Jupiter. 848-8277. 

Matt Heulitt at 8:30 p.m. at the Uptown Nightclub, 1928 Telegraph, Oakland. Cost is $5. 451-8100. www.uptownnightclub.com 

Orquestra America, salsa, at 9:30 p.m. at Shattuck Down Low, 2284 Shattuck Ave. Salsa dance lessons at 8 p.m. Cost is $5-$10. 548-1159.  

Edgardo & Candela, salsa dance celebration at 8 and 10 p.m. at Yoshi’s at Jack London Square. Cost is $10-$14. 238-9200. www.yoshis.com 

THURSDAY, JULY 27 

FILM 

Beyond Bollywood “Throne of Death” at 7:30 p.m. at the Pacific Film Archive. Cost is $4-$8. 642-0808. www.bampfa.berkeley.edu 

READINGS AND LECTURES 

“Edge of Desire: Recent Art in India” Guided tour at 12:15 p.m. at Berkeley Art Museum, 2626 Bancroft Way. Cost is $4-$8. 642-0808. 

Kristin Luker on “When Sex Goes to School” at 7:30 p.m. at Mrs. Dalloway’s Literary and Garden Arts, 2904 College Ave. www.mrsdalloways.com 

Ry Beville, translator, discusses Japanese poet Nakahara Chûya at 7:30 p.m. at Pegasus Books Downtown, 2349 Shattuck Ave. 649-1320. 

Chris Ballard describes “The Butterfly Hunter: Adventures of People Who Found Their True Calling Way Off the Beaten Path” at 7 p.m. at Cody’s Books on Fourth St. 559-9500. 

Justine Shapiro, filmmaker, will discuss her film “Promises” and her Globe Trekker television series, at 7:30 p.m. at Black Oak Books. 486-0698. www.blackoakbooks.com 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Summer Noon Concert with Patricio Angulo Latin Trio at the Downtown Berkeley BART station. Free. www.downtownberkeley.org 

Bill Tapia, ‘ukulele jazz improvisation, at 8 p.m. at Freight and Salvage. Cost is $20.50-$21.50. 548-1761. www.freightandsalvage.org 

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

Earthquake Weather, Leopold and his Fiction at 9:30 p.m. at The Starry Plough. Cost is $5. 841-2082. www.starryploughpub.com 

Los Pinguos at 8 p.m. at La Peña Cultural Center. Cost is $8-$10. 849-2568. www.lapena.org 

Pheeze Phee, Poach Stevens, Usual Suspects at 10 p.m. at The Ivy Room, 858 San Pablo Ave. Cost is $7. 524-9220. www.ivyroom.com 

Kenny Burrell, 75th Birthday celebration at 8 and 10 p.m. at Yoshi’s at Jack London Square, through Sun. Cost is $26-$30. 238-9200. www.yoshis.com 

Selector: Subnautic at 8 p.m. at Jupiter. 848-8277. 

Two retrospectives starting today (Friday) at Pacific Film Archive will illuminate the work of actress Janet Gaynor and director Frank Borzage, both sterling talents in their day but unjustly overlooked in ours.  

Janet Gaynor worked as an usherette at San Francisco’s Castro Theater soon after it opened in 1922 before heading to Hollywood to work as an extra. Within a few years she not only found her way into starring roles but established herself as one of the industry’s top talents, appearing in some of the era’s best movies and along the way earning herself the Best Actress Oscar at the first Academy Awards in 1929. 

“Janet Gaynor: A Centennial Celebration,” running through Aug. 13, is actually a touring exhibition put together by the Louis B. Mayer Foundation and the UCLA Film and Television Archive. It features her first supporting roles and the three starring performances that earned her the Academy Award, as well as a selection of her sound-era work, including 1937’s A Star is Born. 

Gaynor’s signature role was something of a waif, a wide-eyed innocent, fragile but with great moral strength. In a sense, she was like the second coming of “America’s Sweetheart,” Mary Pickford, both of whom were beloved by audiences for their down-to-earth style and pixie-like charm. Gaynor managed to take seemingly limited roles and imbue them with an expressiveness that demonstrated virtue and nobility as well as a delicate vulnerability.  

Her most celebrated role is in Sunrise, the first American film by German director F.W. Murnau. Murnau had made a name for himself as one of Germany’s top directors with films as disparate as the horror masterpiece Nosferatu, the Expressionist classic The Last Laugh, and a cinematic retelling of Faust. In America, his varied interests would lead him to further expand his repertoire, directing “women’s pictures” and even documentaries. It is precisely this wide-ranging virtuosity that has caused him to be overlooked by history, as there are few consistent threads running throughout his career to cement his identity in the public consciousness.  

With Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans, Murnau brought Germanic technique and a palpable European sensibility to American commercial filmmaking. The film is celebrated for its roaming camerawork, its evocative set design, its emotional range and fable-like qualities. It is considered one of the finest films of the silent era, and Gaynor’s performance is one its greatest virtues. 

The movie concerns a young country couple whose happy home is threatened when the husband is tempted by a footloose city flapper. Murnau sets up dichotomies that are almost allegorical: between city and country, love and lust, virtue and temptation. It is melodrama raised to the level of poetry, a fable of love, devotion and redemption. 

Some of the performances may seem a bit dramatic to modern eyes, but that is part of the scheme: We’re not simply looking at a couple, we are looking at “two humans,” at archetypes, at people who serve more as symbols that as characters.  

Gaynor’s performance, however, is subtle and at times profound. Her graceful, demure character undergoes dramatic changes, from loving and devoted to wounded and disillusioned, to frightened, endangered and mistrustful to redemptive, forgiving and strong. Her supple face and soulful eyes somehow manage to convey a range of thoughts and emotions that pages of dialogue could only suggest.  

Gaynor easily made the transition to talkies, her voice matching the public perception of her character, and her career remained steady through the mid-’30s, a span that included a series of 12 films with co-star Charles Farrell, including Street Angel (1928), Lucky Star (1929), Delicious (1931), and a remake of Pickford’s Tess of the Storm Country (1932). 

Tonight’s screening of Gaynor’s first pairing with Farrell, Seventh Heaven, marks an overlap with another PFA series looking back at the career of director Frank Borzage. 

Borzage captured, perhaps better than any other director, the euphoria of romance. His films may at times seem too sentimental, but they are remarkably effective, using the simplest of themes, strategically repeated, to make the heart skip a beat. With a skillful blend of light humor and sincere emotions, Borzage’s films manage to be quite stirring.  

PFA will present “Frank Borzage’s Philosophy of Desire,” a selection of films spanning both the silent and sound eras, through Aug. 23. 

The strengths of Borzage’s work are readily evident in Seventh Heaven: His street scenes are evocative; his interiors are convincing, self-contained worlds unto themselves; his simple themes are threaded throughout each scene; and his actors know their characters well and hit all the right notes. Some of the film’s most notable moments are the shots of the couple walking up the stairs, a scene that is hardly subtle (seven flights to heaven) but certainly charming as the waif timidly follows her benefactor; the humble abode itself, small but warm and inviting, a cozy ramshackle studio beneath the stars, the rent for which would keep a Berkeley landlord in the chips for years to come; and the joy that lights up Gaynor’s face when Farrell finally allows her to stay. Borzage is a master of tone, never losing his grip on the atmospheric and emotional details. 

The film may be a bit long, considering its slight and somewhat predictable plot line, but it punches through its mundane source material with strong moments of poignancy and drama. Its fault lies with the fact that Borzage is not content to simply leave those moments alone. Genuine moments that would best be played simply and unfettered are instead restated, emphasized so emphatically that too often the moment is robbed of its emotional power.  

If you intend to see the film and don’t want its conclusion revealed, read no further, for many of Borzage’s virtues and vices are perfectly embodied in the film’s final scenes, and they cannot be discussed without giving too much away. 

One of the loveliest but flawed moments in Seventh Heaven provides a perfect example of all that is right and wrong with Borzage’s technique. After Charles Farrell makes his way through the throngs of celebrants in the streets and climbs the seven flights of stairs, he bursts through the door and calls out the name of his beloved. She stands just a few feet away, across the room, and we see his hands reach for her. At that point, Borzage cuts to a shot from behind Gaynor, and we look over her shoulder as she runs to embrace Farrell. In an example of masterful direction, we see that as Gaynor runs to him, Farrell’s eyes do not follow but stay fixed just above the camera, and the realization dawns on us that he has lost his sight. This is superb filmmaking, with details revealed artfully through blocking, direction and editing. 

They can’t leave it there, however. The characters then take a few seconds to restate the obvious, drumming it into us with redundant intertitles when a simple reaction closeup of Gaynor’s beautifully expressive face could have done the job much more effectively.  

But these are minor quibbles. Borzage worked in a time when such displays of emotion were more acceptable and when subtlety was not often rewarded in commercial moviemaking. His characters were wholesome and pure, with their hearts on their sleeves, overcoming tragedy by the transformative power of love.  

The coming of World War II would puncture a hole in that world view, as a new sense of irony and detachment would brand Frank Borzage’s work as nostalgic, sentimental and out of date. And, as with Janet Gaynor, the simplicity and directness of his work would lead to decades of neglect and a lack of appreciation.  

JANET GAYnOR: A CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION 

July 21-Aug. 13. 

FRANK BORZAGE’s philosophy 

of desire 

July 21-Aug. 23. 

2575 Pacific Film Archive, Bancroft Ave. Visit www.bampfa.edu for a complete schedule of screening or see the Planet's Arts Calendar for daily showtimes..

If you’re a soccer fan still looking for a way to get the poisonous image of Zinedine Zidane’s head-butt out of your mind, the solution may have arrived in the form of a new documentary. Once in a Lifetime: The Extraordinary Story of the New York Cosmos tells the story of soccer’s arrival in the United States in the late 1970s, when media mogul Steve Ross set out to make the “the beautiful game” a national phenomenon. 

The film opens today at the Lumiere Theater in San Francisco. It’s as yet unclear whether it will come to the East Bay, so the Lumiere engagement may be the only chance to see it before it goes to DVD. 

In the mid 1970s, Ross and a few partners created the North American Soccer League. At the time, soccer was a virtually unknown sport in America, and there wasn’t a single player of professional caliber in the country. 

They knew they’d need a successful franchise in New York in order to get the league off the ground, and to make that franchise successful they would need to attract a marquee name.  

As fate would have it, the greatest player to ever play the game, the Brazillian legend Pelé—winner of a record three World Cup championships—had just announced his retirement from Santos, the Brazillian league team where he had spent his entire career. After tense negotiations, they managed to lure Pelé to the New York Cosmos, telling him that if he chose to play for a European team all he could win was another championship, whereas if he played for the Cosmos he could win an entire country.  

Pelé took the offer and began a second career, which continues to this day, as the game’s greatest ambassador, using his charm, charisma and unparalleled skills to spread the gospel of football.  

What ensued was a circus of soccer, media relations and mayhem that consumed the city of New York and took the world of American sports by storm for several years. The documentary features interviews will the major players in this drama (with the notable exception of Pelé himself), and while some—the less talented American players, at least—are humble and good-natured and still thrilled to have been a part of history and to have shared the field with the great Pelé, it would seem that several others have managed to transfer their competitive energies from the playing field to the pages of history as each tries to put his own particular stamp on the story of the Cosmos.  

This is not a calm, dignified documentary of talking heads respectfully and calmly stating the facts; these are men with axes to grind, and it makes for compelling viewing.  

The story that emerges is one of great drama, great humor, and great potential gone unmet. For the Cosmos, and the North American Soccer League along with it, eventually imploded. The last straw was Ross’ unsuccessful bid to bring the 1986 World Cup to America. When FIFA, soccer’s governing body, instead awarded the tournament to Mexico, NASL and Cosmos executives felt it was a death knell for the game in America, a missed opportunity for FIFA to open up the game’s only remaining unconquered market.  

In the wake of FIFA’s decision, the NASL folded and the tremendous inroads made by Pelé, Franz Beckenbauer, Giorgio Chinaglia and the rest of the New York Cosmos vanished in the dust.  

Just a few years later the United States would qualify for the World Cup for the first time in 40 years, making a respectable showing at the 1990 tournament in Italy. And in 1994, the World Cup finally made it to America, paving the way for the founding of a new league, Major League Soccer. But the momentum had been lost; soccer is still touted in America more for its potential rather than its achievements. It’s an ongoing battle, a struggle to instill within a largely indifferent public the excitement and drama that swelled to a crescendo for a brief, glorious moment in the summer of 1977. 

Once in a Lifetime:  

The Extraordinary Story of the New York Cosmos 

Directed by Paul Crowder and John Dower. Featuring Pelé, Franz Beckenbauer, Giorgio Chinaglia, Henry Kissinger, Mia Hamm. Narrated by Matt Dillon. 

Starts today at the Lumiere Theater, 1572 California St. at Polk Street, San Francisco.  

(415) 267-4893.

The metamorphoses of Madonna, or Elton John changing fashions and overburdening specs ... Judy Garland as Dorothy, belting out “Over The Rainbow” while absent-mindedly petting a pinwheel-headed Toto ... and just how does a paraplegic Venus De Milo line-dance to Zorba The Greek ? 

Ennio Marchetti doesn’t pose any questions—and he’s running too fast onstage even to pose, most of the time—in his eponymous one-man extravaganza of lip-sync and quick-change, Ennio, at Berkeley Rep’s Roda Stage. 

Like riffling through a dealer’s pack, all face-cards, Ennio materializes 50 figures out of pop culture’s photo-ops with breakneck speed, each accoutered in front-panelled regalia, each as thin as a playing card. In record time, he’s staged a sideshow anthology of an all-star Vegas gala, a witty resumé of music video-bites, and left his audience gasping for the breath to keep laughing. 

Ennio’s rubberfaced silliness keeps them laughing through a nonstop 90-minute show, here on a limited run, ending this Sunday. A Venetian who went from espresso mechanic to Carnival costumer, he debuted his two-dimensional tour-de-force at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, playing Morrissey’s Meltdown Fest and scoring a command performance for the Queen of England—as well as the moniker, “the human paper-doll.” 

Ennio’s costumes and masks are billed as origami but are different in texture (and technique) from the Japanese original. Folded, painted paper, they’re more like sandwich boards or mobile stand-up cut-outs—paper-dolls indeed. And Ennio himself is the animator, sprinting and hoofing it through a spectrum of changes as he litters the breadth and depth of the Roda with his spent fashion plate costumery, while he continually morphs into yet another icon or diva.  

The sound system never stops, either, pumping out high-powered heads of the hits of the past half century. The audience becomes clap-happy with recognition as Ennio tears through the pages of Variety, morphing from Frankenstein to Frank (Sinatra) to daughter Nancy, whose boots are made for walkin’ pretty much like the stiff-legged strut of Boris Karloff, though garnished with Big Hair. 

An Indian dancer goes Nashville, then Motown ... Diana Ross is somehow reincarnated as Shiva in a shower of testifying paper arms ... Cleopatra charms her asp with an alto sax. 

And there are one-man duets: Ella folding up from Louis Armstrong’s shoulders in a kind of leapfrog cover that brings Louis to his knees—or Dolly Parton laboring uphill to her “Tennessee Mountain Home” astride her mule—or a pop-up trio, as the tuneful heads of the missing two Three Tenors spring out from the girth of Pavarotti’s gargantuan lapels. 

But Ennio’s at his best with the Divas, whether pop, country or opera, or from the silver screen, as a highlight proves to be his entrance in a big, sleeveless suit. Turning down the sound on his Walkman, pulling an invisible cord for “lights out,” he’s suddenly under the covers, unfolding from his suit like a wash-and-wear Murphy bed, which then morphs into Marilyn’s famous dress (and breasts) from The Seven-Year Itch, as Ennio lip-synchs “I Want to Be Loved by You,” momentarily exiting in a shower of paper valentines, then back in the spotlight as Mona Lisa in a rocking, revolving frame, grimacing in lieu of the famous smile to “She’s Got It.” 

It’s fast, funny, and paper-thin, though unstoppable, even when the record skips, the CD becoming an echo-chamber. There are a few flashes of silly-putty sculptural expression reminiscent of Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca sending up the pretty faces of the entertainment world.  

But Ennio’s created a small niche all of his own with professional cleverness. If nothing else, he’s created one of the few drag acts for family consumption. 

Ennio 

Through Sunday at the Berkeley Rep, 2015 Addison St. $20-$45. For more information, call 647-2949 or see www.berkeleyrep.org. 

Photograph Courtesy of Berkeley Repertory Theatre 

Ennio Marchetto creates 50 characters such as Marilyn Monroe, using only paper and music.