TUESDAY, AUGUST 8 

Tuesday is for the Birds A tranquil early morning walk in Point Isabel. Meet at 7 a.m. at the Rydin Rd entrance. Bring water, sunscreen, binoculars and a snack. 525-2233. 

“Outlaws of America: The Weather Underground and the Politics of Solidarity” with author Dan Berger at 7 p.m. at AK Press Warehouse, 674A 23rd St., Oakland. 208-1700. 

”Alien” a screening to benefit the Zapatistas at 9:15 p.m. at Parkway Theater, 1834 Park Blvd., Oakland. Cost is $7. www.speakeasytheaters.com 

Civil Liberties Film Series “Dissent” from the ACLU “Freedom Files” TV series, with guest speaker Jim Chanin, civil rights attorney, at 7 p.m. at the Richmond Library Community Room, 325 Civic Center Plaza. 620-6561. 

Horray for Herps Meet some unusual animals aboard the Zoomobile of the Oakland Zoo at 11 a.m. at the Elmhurst Branch of the Oakland Public Library, 1427 88th Ave. 615-5727. 

“Backpacking in the High Sierra” A slide presentation with Brandon Andre at 7 p.m. at REI, 1338 San Pablo Ave. 527-4140. 

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

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

St. John’s Prime Timers meets at 9:30 a.m. at St. John’s Presbyterian Church, 2727 College Ave. We welcome new members over 50. 845-6830. 

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 9  

Full Moon Walk at John Miur National Historic Site See nocturnal animal and plant life and walk the same trail John Muir walked with his daughters. For reservations and details of meeting time and location, call 925-228-8860. 

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. Tour lasts 90 minutes. Reservations can be made by calling 238-3234. 

Cease Fire: Words and Music Against the Siege of Lebanon and Palestine at 7:30 p.m. at La Pena Cultural Center. Donation $10. 849-2568.  

Community Conversations on the Crisis in the Middle East with Molly Freeman of Brit Tzedek at 7:30 p.m. at JGate in El Cerrito, near El Cerrito Plaza and BART. 559-8140.  

“The Day the Earth Stood Still” Science-fiction film from 1951 at 7:30 p.m. at The Fellowship of Humanity, 390 27th St., Oakland. Donation $5. www.HumanistHall.net 

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

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

Stress Less Seminar at 6:30 p.m. at 378 Jayne Ave., Oakland. Free, but registration required. 465-2524. 

Berkeley Peace Walk and Vigil at 6:30 p.m. at the Berkeley BART Station. www.geocities.com/vigil4peace/vigil 

THURSDAY, AUGUST 10 

“Citizenship, Civic Activity and Political Engagement” An evening with Steven Hill, Carol Pott, and Arthur Blaustein at 7:30 p.m. at Black Oak Books. 486-0698.  

Predators and Their Prey Meet the animals at 10:15 p.m. at the Lakeview Branch of the Oakland Public Library, 550 El Embarcadero. 238-7344. 

Richmond Southeast Shoreline Area Community Advisory Group meeting at 6:30 p.m. at Richmond Convention Center, Bermuda Room, 403 Civic Center Plaza at Nevin and 25th St. 540-3923. 

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

East Bay Macintosh Users Group meets to discuss Windows on a Mac at 6 p.m. at Expression College for Digital Arts, 6601 Shellmound, Emeryville. www.ebmug.org 

Urban Renaissance High School Open House from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at 967 Stanford Ave., Oakland. 302-9199.  

FRIDAY, AUGUST 11 

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 

Berkeley Folk Dancers Community Classes and Teacher Workshop, for ages 8 and up, at 7:45 p.m. at Live Oak Park, 1301 Shattuck. Cost is $5. 

Ballroom Dancing every Friday at 8 p.m. at the Veterans Memorial Building, 200 Grand Ave., Oakland. Live band and refreshments. Cost is $10. 925-934-9129. 

SATURDAY, AUGUST 12 

Oakland Heritage Walking Tour Along “The River MacArthur” from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Meet at the Farmer’s Market, Splash Pad Park, corner of Grand Ave. and Lake Park. Cost is $5-$15. 763-9218.  

Walking Tour of Oakland City Center Meet at 10 a.m. in front Oakland City Hall at Frank Ogawa Plaza. Tour lasts 90 minutes. Reservations can be made by calling 238-3234. 

Mini-Farmers in Tilden A farm exploration program, from 10 to 11 a.m. for ages 4-6 years, accompanied by an adult. We will explore the Little Farm, care for animals, do crafts and farm chores. Wear boots and dress to get dirty! Fee is $6-$8. Registration required. 636-1684. 

Sushi for the More Adventurous Learn the history of this ancient cuisine, and make and taste some exotic varieties, at 11:30 a.m. at Tilden Nature Area. Parent participation required for 8-10 year olds. Cost is $25-$40. Registration required. 636-1684. 

“Persons of Interest” A documentary on the post 9-11 detention of Muslim-Americans at 6 p.m. at Berkeley Fellowship Hall, 1924 Cedar St. 

Chabot Observatories: A View to the Stars Exhibition celebrating the 123-year history of the observatories opens at Chabot Space and Science Center, 10000 Skyline Blvd. 336-7300. 

Walking with Faith A Walk for the Cure in honor of Faith Fancher who died of breast cancer. Registration for the walk begins at 9 a.m. at Oakland’s Middle Harbor Shoreline Park. 834-4142. www.faithfancher.org 

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

Great War Society, East Bay Chapter meets to discuss the Italian Army before and at the beginning of WWI, at 10:30 a.m. at 640 Arlington Ave. 527-7118. 

Spiritwalking: Aqua Chi(TM) at 10 a.m. at the Berkeley High Warm Pool. Cost is $5.50, $3.50 seniors & disabled. Bring your own towels. 526-0312. 

Yoga for Peace at 9:30 a.m. at Ohlone Park, MLK at Hearst. Bring a yoga mat, warm blanket, and peace sign.  

Adult Fast Pitch Softball every Sat at noon. For location call 204-9500.  

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, AUGUST 13 

“Chickens and Ducks in Your Garden” Learn how to care for these garden pets and get eggs and fertilizer as payback! Children welcome. From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Berkeley Eco-House, 1305 Hopkins St. Cost is $15 sliding scale, no one turned away. 547-8715. 

Toddler Nature Walk for 2 to 3 year olds to look for reptiles at 10:30 p.m. at Tilden Nature Area. 525-2233. 

Summer Pond Plunge Search for nymphs and naiads, salmander larvae and sideswimmers, for ages 4 and up at 2 p.m. at Tilden Nature Center, Tilden Park. 525-2233. 

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  

“Quilt Sharing” Bring a quilt for identification and dating with Julie Silber at 1 p.m. at the Oakland Museum of California, 10th and Oak Sts. Cost is $5-$8. 238-2200. 

Pancake Breakfast Aboard the Red Oak Victory Ship in Richmond Harbor, 1337 Canal Blvd. Cost is $6, children under 5, free, and includes a tour of the ship. 237-2933. 

Summer Sunday Forum with Lynn Tingle, founder of the Milo Foundation, an animal sanctuary, at 9:30 a.m. at Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley, 1 Lawson Rd., Kensington. 525-0302, ext. 306. 

Oakland Heritage Walking Tour of The Redwoods of Oakland from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Cost is $5-$15. For experienced hikers. Reservations required. 763-9218.  

“Flexible Healing” A free class on proper breathing, range of motion, and relaxation at 1:30 p.m. at Liberty Hill Church, 9th and University Ave. 390-8644. 

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

Tibetan Buddhism with Jack Petranker on “Breaking through Limits: Time, Space and Freedom from Conditioning” at 6 p.m. at the Tibetan Nyingma Institute, 1815 Highland Pl. 843-6812.  

MONDAY, AUGUST 14 

Summer Science Week for ages 9 to 12, covering biology and other natural science topics from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mon. - Fri. in Tilden Park. Cost is $160. Registration required. 636-1684.  

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. 

Sisters of Song Poetry Workshop for girls age 13-19 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Mon.-Fri. and BRJCC, 1414 Walnut St. Cost is $50. 848-0237, ext. 130. 

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. 

CITY MEETINGS 

Waterfront Commission meets Wed., Aug. 9, at 7 p.m., at 201 University Ave. Cliff Marchetti, 981-6740.  

Zoning Adjustments Board meets Thurs., Aug 10, at 7 p.m., in City Council Chambers. Mark Rhoades, 981-7410.  

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 BUSD Early Childhood Education progam, based on income eligibility guidelines. Please call for details, 644-6358. 

TUESDAY, AUGUST 8 

CHILDREN 

Colibri, an interactive journey through the music of Latin America, at 7 p.m. at the Albany Library, 1247 Marin Ave. 526-3720, ext. 17. 

NATya Indian Dance Storytelling through dance at 7 p.m. at the Rockridge Branch of the Oakland Public Library, 5366 College Ave. 597-5017. 

FILM 

Civil Liberties Film Series “Dissent” from the ACLU “Freedom Files” TV series, with guest speaker Jim Chanin, civil rights attorney, at 7 p.m. at the Richmond Library Community Room, 325 Civic Center Plaza. 620-6561. 

Screenagers “Thirteen” at 7:30 p.m. at the Pacific Film Archive. Cost is $4-$8. 642-0808. www.bampfa.berkeley.edu 

”Alien” a screening to benefit the Zapatistas at 9:15 p.m. at Parkway Theater, 1834 Park Blvd., Oakland. Cost is $7. www.speakeasytheaters.com 

READINGS AND LECTURES 

Dan Berger on “Outlaws of America: The Weather Underground and the Politics of Solidarity” at 7 p.m. at AK Press Warehouse, 674A 23rd St., Oakland. 208-1700. 

Leigh Raiford, Steven Estes, Kathryn Nasstrom talk about “The Civil Rights Movement in American Memory” at 7:30 p.m. at Black Oak Books. 486-0698. www.blackoakbooks.com 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Brazuca Brown and Southwest Nomadic, Brazilian, Gypsy, Reggae at 8:30 p.m. at Ashkenaz. Dance lesson at 7:30 p.m. Cost is $10. 525-5054.  

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

Salif Keita at 8 and 10 p.m. at Yoshi’s at Jack London Square. Cost is $30. 238-9200.  

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

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 9 

THEATER 

California Shakespeare Theater “The Merchant of Venice” opens 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 Sept. 3. Tickets are $15 and up. 548-9666. 

FILM 

“The Day the Earth Stood Still” Science-fiction film from 1951 at 7:30 p.m. at The Fellowship of Humanity, 390 27th St., Oakland. Donation $5. www.HumanistHall.net 

Janet Gaynor “The Young in Heart” at 7:30 p.m. at the Pacific Film Archive. Cost is $4-$8. 642-0808.  

READINGS AND LECTURES 

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

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 

Cease Fire: Words and Music Against the Siege of Lebanon and Palestine at 7:30 p.m. at La Pena Cultural Center. Donation $10. 849-2568. 

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

Roy Zimmerman in “Faulty Intelligence” An evening of satirical songs, Wed.-Fri. at 8 p.m. at The Marsh Berkeley, 2118 Allston Way, through Aug. 24. 800-838-3006.  

Michael Coleman Trio Jazz Jam at 8:30 p.m. at the Uptown Nightclub, 1928 Telegraph, Oakland. 451-8100.  

Tropical Vibrations at 9:30 p.m. at Ashkenaz. Cost is $10. 525-5054. www.ashkenaz.com 

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

Los, Jeff Henderson at 9 p.m. at Blakes on Telegraph. Cost is $8. 848-0886.  

Julio Bravo at 9:30 p.m. at Shattuck Down Low. Salsa dance lessons at 8 p.m. Cost is $5-$10. 548-1159.  

Salif Keita at 8 and 10 p.m. at Yoshi’s at Jack London Square. Cost is $30. 238-9200.  

THURSDAY, AUGUST 10 

FILM 

Beyond Bollywood “The Terrorist” at 7:30 p.m. at the Pacific Film Archive. Cost is $4-$8. 642-0808.  

READINGS AND LECTURES 

“Citizenship, Civic Activity and Political Engagement” An evening with Steven Hill, Carol Pott, and Arthur Blaustein at 7:30 p.m. at Black Oak Books. 486-0698.  

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Summer Noon Concert with BabShad Jazz at the Downtown Berkeley BART station. Free.  

Kris Delmhorst, songcrafter, at 8 p.m. at Freight and Salvage. Cost is $18.50-$19.50. 548-1761.  

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

The Hot Toddies, Skeleton Television, The Nomad at 9:30 p.m. at The Starry Plough. Cost is $5. 841-2082. 

Pete Escovedo Orchestra at 8 and 10 p.m., through Sun. at Yoshi’s. Cost is $15-$24. 238-9200. 

FRIDAY, AUGUST 11 

CHILDREN 

Stage Door Conservatory “42nd Street” at 7:30 p.m., Sat. and Sun. at 5 p.m. at Julia Morgan Center for the Arts, 2640 College Ave. Tickets are $10-$15 at the door. 

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 

California Shakespeare Theater “The Merchant of Venice” 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 Sept. 3. Tickets are $15 and up. 548-9666. www.calshakes.org 

Encore Theatre Company and Shotgun Players “The Typographer’s Dream” at 8 p.m. at The Ashby Stage, 1901 Ashby Ave., through Sept. 3. Tickets are $15-$30. 841-6500. www.shotgunplayers.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. 

Woodminster Summer Musicals “The King and I” Fri.-Sun. at 8 p.m., through Aug 13 at Woodminster Amphitheater in Joaquin Miller Park, 3300 Joaquin Miller Rd., Oakland. TIckets are $21.50-$35.50. 531-9597. 

EXHIBITIONS 

“Sculpture by Armando Ramos” on display at the Sculpture Court, 1111 Broadway, Oakland, through Nov. 1. 238-6836. 

FILM 

Frank Borzage “Man’s Castle” at 7 p.m. and Kenji Mizoguchi “Sisters of the Gion” at 8:45 p.m. at the Pacific Film Archive. Cost is $4-$8. 642-0808. www.bampfa.berkeley.edu 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

La Orquestra La Moderna Tradition at 9 p.m. at La Peña Cultural Center. Cost is $12. 849-2568. www.lapena.org 

Bong, Suburban Plight, The Know How at 9 p.m. at Blakes on Telegraph. Cost is $8-$10. 848-0886. www.blakesontelegraph.com 

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

Save the Albany Shoreline Benefit Concert with the Funky Nixons, Carol Ginsberg & The Old Time Fiddle Band and many others at 8 p.m. at Ashkenaz. Donation $15-$25. 525-5054. www.ashkenaz.com 

Free Peoples, jazz, at 8 p.m. at Caffe Trieste, 2500 San Pablo Ave., at Dwight. 548-5198.  

“Crazy In Love with Patsy Cline” with Lavay Smith, Carmin Getit and Ingrid Lucia at 8 p.m. at Freight and Salvage. Cost is $18.50-$19.50. 548-1761. www.freightandsalvage.org 

Brian Melvin Quartet at 9 p.m. at Downtown. 649-3810.  

Five Dollar Suit and Peter Maybarduk at 7:30 p.m. at Nomad Cafe, 6500 Shattuck Ave. 595-5344. www.nomadcafe.net 

The Flux, Bolivar Zoar at 9:30 p.m. at The Starry Plough. Cost is $8. 841-2082. www.starryploughpub.com 

Fleshies, Rock ‘N’ Roll Adventure Kids at 8 p.m. at 924 Gilman St., an all-ages, member-run, no alcohol, no drugs, no violence club. Cost is $65. 525-9926. 

Loop Station, Why R Boys? at 9 p.m. at Shattuck Down Low, 2284 Shattuck Ave. Cost is $8. 548-1159.  

Wayward Monks at 8 p.m. at Jupiter. 848-8277. 

Pete Escovedo Orchestra at 8 and 10 p.m., through Sun. at Yoshi’s at Jack London Square. Cost is $15-$24. 238-9200.  

SATURDAY, AUGUST 12 

EXHIBITIONS 

Art: Recycled and Found A group art show. Reception at 6 p.m. at Expressions Gallery, 2035 Ashby Ave. 644-4930. 

THEATER 

San Francisco Mime Troupe “Godfellas” Sat. and Sun. at 2 p.m. at Live Oak Park, Shattuck & Berryman. 415-285-1717. 

Shotgun Players “Ragnarok: Doom of the Gods” Sat. and Sun. at 4 p.m. at John Hinkle Park, through Sept. 10. Free, with pass the hat donation after the show. 841-6500.  

FILM 

Frank Borzage “No Greater Glory” at 6:30 p.m. and “Little Man, What Now?” at 8:10 p.m. at the Pacific Film Archive. Cost is $4-$8. 642-0808.  

“Persons of Interest” A documentary on the post 9-11 detention of Muslim-Americans at 6 p.m. at Berkeley Fellowship Hall, 1924 Cedar St. 

READINGS AND LECTURES 

Rhythm & Muse with Misha Ferguson and others at 7 p.m. at Berkeley Art Center, 1275 Walnut St., between Eunice & Rose Sts. Free. 527-9753. 

Dramatically Speaking A performance of the poem “The Shooting of Dan McGrew” at 9 p.m. at the Kaiser Building, 1950 Franklin St. RSVP required. 581-8675. 

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Crosscut, vintage blues, rock, and original music, at 9 p.m. at Eli’s Mile High Club, 3629 Martin Luther King, Oakland. Cost is $10. 654-4549. 

Santero at 9 p.m. at La Peña Cultural Center. Cost is $7. 849-2568. www.lapena.org 

Edessa and Near East & Far West at 9 p.m. at Ashkenaz. Turkish dance lesson at 8 p.m. Cost is $11-$13. 525-5054.  

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

Dayna Stephens Quartet at 8 p.m. at Jupiter. 848-8277. 

Phil Marsh, at 8 p.m. at Freight and Salvage. Cost is $17.50-$18.50. 548-1761.  

Ghost Next Door, Age of Agression, Scripted at 9 p.m. at Blakes on Telegraph. Cost is $8-$10. 848-0886.  

Mark Little Duo at 9 p.m. at Downtown. 649-3810. 

Old Puppy, rock, at 10 a.m. at Nabalom Bakery, 2708 Russell St. 845-BAKE. 

British Invasion #3 with The Hoo, The Rave Ups, The Sun Kings at 8 p.m. at the Uptown Nightclub, 1928 Telegraph, Oakland. Cost is $15. 451-8100.  

SUNDAY, AUGUST 13 

FILM 

Janet Gaynor “The Johnstown Flood” at 5:30 p.m. at the Pacific Film Archive. 642-0808.  

READINGS AND LECTURES 

“Samplings 2006: A Festival of Textiles” with quilt artist Julie Silber discussing her work at 3 p.m. Bring a quilt for dating from 1 to 2 p.m. at the Oakland Museum of California, 10th and Oak Sts. Cost is $5-$8. 238-2200.  

Nicole Galland reads from “Revenge of the Rose” at 7:30 p.m. at Black Oak Books. 486-0698. www.blackoakbooks.com 

Mimi Luebbermann on “The Heirloom Tomato Cookbook” at 4 p.m. at Mrs. Dalloway’s Literary and Garden Arts, 2904 College Ave.  

MUSIC AND DANCE 

Steve Taylor-Ramirez at 7:30 p.m. at Prism Café, 1918 Park Blvd., Oakland. Donations accepted. 251-1453.  

David Grisman Bluegrass Experience at 8 p.m. at the Roda Theater. Cost is $29.50-$30.50. 548-1761.  

Americana Unplugged: AJ Roach at 5 p.m. at Jupiter. 655-5715. 

Nate Lopez at 11 a.m. at Nomad Cafe, 6500 Shattuck Ave. 595-5344. www.nomadcafe.net 

MONDAY, AUGUST 14 

CHILDREN 

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

READINGS AND LECTURES 

Jared Bernstein discusses “All Together Now: Common Sense for a Fair Economy” at 7:30 p.m. at Black Oak Books. 486-0698.  

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

MUSIC AND DANCE 

City Concert Opera presents Handel’s “Il trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno” on period instruments at 7:30 p.m. at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 2300 Bancroft Way. Tickets are $10-$20. 415-334-7679.  

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

SFJazz Young Composers Project at 8 and 10 p.m. at Yoshi’s. Cost is $10. 238-9200.

The Typographer’s Dream, Encore Theatre Company’s production of Adam Bock’s play, at Ashby Stage in collaboration with the Shotgun Players (Bock’s closely associated with both troupes), opens with absence that’s sketchily filled in with some undreamlike folderol.  

A long, empty table faces the audience, with three nameplates on it, reading “Typographer,” “Ethnographer,” “Stenographer.” On the long table and a side table are purses, coffee cups, Kleenex, stacked extra cups. There’s pounding at a side door. A couple comes in and talks inaudibly, then leaves. The woman, with a rollaround travel bag, reappears, disappears again, reappears once more, switches chairs at the table, and sits down behind “Ethnographer.” She’s joined by a man in a suit, who sits behind the “Stenographer” plate. There’s a series of light checks, with the crew apologizing for glitches. Fingers tap, there’re nervous smiles and much impatient body language. Finally, a door slams out in the lobby of the theater; a bicycle comes in, as the panelists stare, and are joined by The Typographer (apparently), who sits down with her helmet still on, disgorging her bag and banging its contents on the table. 

Scarcely a word—and the audience has been smiling, then tittering, finally laughing. 

The three introduce themselves by profession, then begin to engage in a kind of verbal leapfrog—less a round robin presentation or conversation than overlapping monologues that seem at once to vie with each other and yet be almost oblivious.  

Each relates anecdotes, professional in-jokes (with all the attendant chagrin), musings and random thoughts about work. Personal history begins to get mixed in; confessions are enacted (or re-enacted). The shifting “presentations” become loopier and loopier, until asides and distractions become the main attraction—unless you can say, oxymoronically, that a kind of featuring of Attention Deficit Disorder becomes the primary focus, with a lot of personal psychology spilling over from something like Freudian slippage of these absolutely banal in-public “talks”—that sound more like the characters talking to themselves. 

Scenes from private life are summoned up and performed by the participants, pinch-hitting for each other’s Significant Other. Finally, it all comes loose, with the conservatively dressed, primly mannered Ethnographer, who’s been pitching the importance of Geography versus Social Studies, lip-syncing and dancing wildly to a disco number, expressing all that pent-up emotion—just as disheveled as these professionals have gradually rendered the properly institutional set (James Faeroon’s design). 

The audience relates to all this in a way slightly reminiscent of that film of a conversation about the death of conversation, My Dinner with Andre—it’s interesting to see what catches different spectators’ attentions. On opening night, one audience member (who turned out to be a business school student) grinned raptly through The Stenographer’s routines (including his fetishism as he describes and fondles a court reporter’s machine), while two young ladies laughed uproariously with recognition at The Ethnographer’s flattest, most deadpan academic truisms.  

The trio—Aimee Guillot as Margaret (yes; they have names) The Typographer, Jamie Jones as Annalise The Ethnographer and Michael Shipley as Dave The Steno (who’s really a court reporter, but thinks it best to be introduced otherwise)—all execute well, “execute” being the operant term, as they sometimes seem to be a bundle of professional functions and tics (both characters’ and actors’), syncopated by apperception. Their sense of ensemble, even while ignoring each other, is good, and the timing (on the beat, but accented by the chiming of three different internal clocks) is impeccable—as directed by Anne Kauffman. 

Adam Bock has an ear for the banal and an eye for the insouciant. He’s cleverly set up the tableau of the play as a triptych in which the colors and motifs run together. And the designers (including lights by Chris Studley) have made it look just right.  

But in the end there’s less than meets the eye, just as the playwright strives, without appearing to strive, to lift his work above appearances. The play’s a comic tour-de-force in form, not so much developed from its basic material of verbal and physical mannerisms as by putting these basic materials into a conceptualized scheme, then offhandedly moralizing on them through the hapless characters. Not quite a human puppet show, it’s more a sitcom in abstract, going through the same changes as comedy sketches, less Harold Pinter than Bob Newhart; not “playing against the changes” as per Coleman Hawkins’ dictum, as much as running through the scales with the same head. 

The Typographer’s Dream offers an intriguing possibility of playing against “dead air,” as in broadcast, of realizing a music onstage of white noise from crossed “Strindbergian” monologues that plucks a kind of virtual dialogue from the most colorless narrative. Western theater begins with the dream of a discourse in the overtones of Euripides’ (and Plato’s) dialogues. This Dream is more a daydream, the glare of light in a tunnel, reverse of the old LBJ cliche—but is there just more bright light at the end of it? A problem in contrast: maybe the playwright neglected a fourth, even more self-conscious character: The Videographer. 

THE TYPOGRAPHER’S DREAM 

Presented by Encore Theater Company and the Shotgun Players. 8 p.m. Wednesday- 

Sunday through Sept. 3. $15-$30. Ashby Stage, 1901 Ashby Ave. 841-6500. www.shotgunplayers.org.