Arts & Events
Around & About Theater: Jovelyn Richards' 'Strippin' Down to Story;' The SF Mime Troupe at Cedar-Rose Park; 'Willy Wonka' at Julia Morgan
Oakland storyteller Jovelyn Richards stages an expanded version of the piece she debuted at the East Bay Media Center in Berkeley, 'Stripping Down to Story,' about the pride of the Harlem Renaissance, Diane, aka Stardust, showing it all in the back alley striptease club in NYC, including the tattooed pictures that begin speaking to her during the black-outs ... Jovelyn holding forth, with musical accompaniment in her inimitable style, supplied by Mike Wilson, sax, and Dexter Rogers, keyboards. Friday-Saturday at 8, this weekend only, The Garage, 715 Howard at Fifth, San Francisco, part of the Resident Artist Workshop (RAW). $10-$20 (cash) at the door, $15 brownpapertickets.com in advance. (415) 518-1517; 975howard.com
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"Pity the poor 1%" ... The SF Mime Troupe, to celebrate their 53rd season--and another cliffhanger campaign and vote--perform their latest, 'For the Greater Good, or The Last Election,' based on the 19th century melodrama 'The Poor of New York,' showing the POV of the sad "Godzillionaires" embroiled in this economic mess ... this weekend--1:30 (music) & 2 (show), Saturday & Sunday, Cedar-Rose Park, Berkeley, between those two streets, near Chestnut or Ordway, FREE ... Michael Gene Sullivan directs SFMT favorites Velina Brown, Lisa Hori-Garcia, Keiko Shimosato Carreiro, Victor Tomai & newcomer Reggie D. White. Pat Moran leads the combo. (Future local dates, 1:30-2 p. m. starts, unless noted): July 21, Mosswood Park, Oakland; August 1, Lakeside Park, Oakland (6:30, 7 p. m.); August 4-5, Live Oak Park, Berkeley; August 23, Montclair Ballfield, Oakland (6:30-7 p. m.); August 25-26, Willard Park, Berkeley. sfmt.org
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Berkeley Playhouse will stage the musical, 'Roald Dahl's Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory,' July 14-August 19, at the Julia Morgan Theater, 2640 College Avenue. Elizabeth McKoy directs a cast that includes East Bay singer Vernon Bush, featured vocalist with SoVoSo and the Glide Ensemble. Thursdays, 7 p. m.; Saturdays, 2 & 7; Sundays, 12 & 5. (A special Wednesday night show July 28 at 7). $17-$35. 845-8542, extension 317; brkeleyplayhouse.org
