Stage listings are compiled by Guardian staff. Performance times may change; call venues to confirm. Reviewers are Robert Avila, Rita Felciano, and Nicole Gluckstern. Submit items for the listings at listings@sfbg.com. For further information on how to submit items for the listings, see Picks. For complete stage listings, see www.sfbg.com.
THEATER
ONGOING
Brian Copeland’s The Jewelry Box … A Genuine Christmas Story Marsh San Francisco, 1062 Valencia, SF; www.themarsh.org. $20-50. Fri/28, 8pm; Sat/29, 5pm. Copeland remembers his Oakland childhood in this family-friendly holiday show.
Crones for the Holidays Stage Werx, 446 Valencia, SF; www.crackpotcrones.com. $20. Sat/29, 3 and 8pm; Sun/30, 3pm. A Coupla Crackpot Crones (a.k.a. playwrights and actors Terry Baum and Carolyn Myers, collaborators as far back as the Lilith Women’s Theater Collective in the 1970s) roll out a series of vignettes, stories, spontaneous poetry, at least one sing-a-long (the priceless “12 Days of Family Insults”), and other sundry subversions in this amusing, endearingly earthy, and politically conscious show directed by Joan Mankin. These women may be aging but they’re still raging. (Avila)
Foodies! The Musical Shelton Theater, 533 Sutter, SF; www.foodiesthemusical.com. $30-34. Fri-Sat, 8pm. Open-ended. AWAT Productions presents Morris Bobrow’s musical comedy revue all about food.
Forking II: A Merry Forking! Christmas TJT, 460 Florida, SF; www.pianofight.com. $30. Thu/27-Sun/30, 8pm. PianoFight presents the return of playwright Daniel Heath’s 2011 holiday-themed Forking play, his brand for a play that allows audiences to vote by applause on the direction of the plot at certain junctures, or forks, in the narrative. There are weaker moments and some throwaway ideas, but not many: this is a solid comedic outing, whose 10-member cast (including a memorable cameo by PianoFight cofounder Rob Ready) is capable, versatile, and fun as they serve Heath’s witty, well-proportioned script. (Avila)
The Golden Girls: The Christmas Episodes Victoria Theatre, 2961 16th St, SF; www.trannyshack.com. $30. Thu/27-Sat/29, 8pm; Sun/30, 7pm. The Victoria is once again a time capsule taking appreciative audiences back to the 1980s, to watch television through the magic of drag performance. Local luminaries Pollo Del Mar, Cookie Dough, Heklina, and Matthew Martin reprise their seasonal roles as TV’s Golden Girls, in back-to-back Christmas episodes that come complete with a soundscape of impossibly cheerful period commercials literally singing the praises of “processed cheese spread” and the like. (Avila)
Hedwig and the Angry Inch Boxcar Playhouse, 505 Natoma, SF; www.boxcartheatre.org. $25-35. Wed-Sat, 8pm (also Sat, 5pm). Through Jan 26. Boxcar’s popular production of John Cameron Mitchell’s glam-rock musical returns, starring a rotating cast of Hedwigs.
Hysterical, Historical San Francisco: Holiday Edition Alcove Theater, 414 Mason, Ste 502, SF; www.thealcovetheater.com. $25-40. Thu/26-Mon/31, 9pm. Comedian Kurt Weitzmann takes on San Francisco history, adding some holiday flair along the way.
The Marvelous Wonderettes New Conservatory Theatre Center, 25 Van Ness, SF; www.nctcsf.org. $27-46. Wed-Sat, 8pm; Sun, 2pm. Through Jan 13. New Conservatory Theatre Center performs Roger Bean’s 1950s pop-hit musical.
“A Minor Cycle: Five Little Plays in One Starry Night” NOHspace, Project Artaud, 2840 Mariposa, SF; www.theatreofyugen.org. $10-30. Wed/26-Thu/27, 7pm; Fri/28-Sat/29, 8pm; Sun/30, 1pm. Theatre of Yugen presents the world premiere of five one-act plays based on tales of childhood, interpreted though traditional Japanese artistry.
The Santaland Diaries Eureka Theatre, 215 Jackson, SF; www.combinedartform.com. $20-50. Wed/26-Sat/29, 8pm. David Sinaiko performs David Sedaris’ holiday comedy, presented by Combined Artform.
Scrooge: The Haunting of Ebenezer Boxcar Theatre Studios, 125A Hyde, SF; www.boxcartheatre.org. $16. Wed/26-Sat/29, 8pm; Sun/30, 5pm. Jeff Garrett stars in a solo take on the Dickens classic, presented by Boxcar Theatre.
BAY AREA
Acid Test: The Many Incarnations of Ram Dass Marsh Berkeley, 2120 Allston, Berk; www.themarsh.org. $15-50. Thu-Fri, 8pm; Sat, 5pm. Extended through Jan 5. Lynne Kaufman’s new play stars Warren David Keith as the noted spiritual figure.
Big Bubbly Holiday Spectacle with Louis Pearl, the Amazing Bubble Man Marsh Berkeley, 2120 Allston, Berk; www.themarsh.org. $8-50. Sun and Wed/26-Sat/29, 11am. Through Jan 6. Holiday-themed, kid-friendly show with bubble whisperer Louis Pearl.
Big River TheatreWorks, 1305 Middlefield, Palo Alto; www.theatreworks.org. $23-73. Wed/26, 7:30pm; Thu/27-Sat/29, 8pm (also Thu/27 and Sat/29, 2pm); Sun/30, 2 and 7pm. TheatreWorks performs the Tony-winning musical based on Mark Twain’s Huck Finn stories.
Woyzeck Ashby Stage, 1901 Ashby, Berk; www.shotgunplayers.org. $23-35. Wed-Thu, 7pm; Fri-Sat, 8pm; Sun, 5pm. Through Jan 27. Shotgun Players presents Tom Waits, Kathleen Brennan, and Robert Wilson’s tragic musical, based on an unfinished 1837 play by Georg Büchner.
PERFORMANCE/DANCE
“Cynic Cave” Cinecave (beneath Lost Weekend Video), 1034 Valencia, SF; facebook.com/cyniccave. Sat/29, 8pm. $10. “Mission Pisition Live” with Kate Willett and Matt Lieb.
“Lea DeLaria Live!” Victoria Theatre, 2961 16th St, SF; www.therhino.org. Mon/31, 7 and 9pm. $30-35. The jazz singer-comedian performs for New Year’s Eve.
“San Francisco Magic Parlor” Chancellor Hotel Union Square, 433 Powell, SF; www.sfmagicparlor.com. Thu-Sat, 8pm. Ongoing. $40. Magic vignettes with conjurer and storyteller Walt Anthony.
“Tarantino X-Mas’ Bayfront Theater, B350 Fort Mason Center, SF; www.improv.org. Fri/28-Sat/29, 8pm. $20. Improvised holiday entertainment, QT-style. *