From a festival of new plays to a Wynton Marsalis concerto to an apple festival in Sonoma, there is a lot to see and do in the Bay Area this weekend and beyond. Here’s a partial rundown. Who doesn’t love sneak peaks at works on the way (here’s where we don’t confess how much time we spend watching moving trailers on YouTube)? In the world of theater, one of best forums for this returns this week, with TheaterWorks’ Silicon Valley’s acclaimed annual Festival of New Works.
Having hosted more than 70 world premiere productions over its 53 seasons, Palo Alto-based Theatreworks is considered one of the leading troupes in the country for new works. And its annual festival, now in 21st year, is a big part of that. For the next 10 days, the event will offer a readings of four emerging works, plus a variety of special events and gatherings.
Among the readings are “Five & Dime,” a musical based on the classic play “Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean,” featuring nationally acclaimed transgender performer Shakina; “Hysterical,” Molly Bell’s rollercoaster ride of solo show; “Lieberling,” a dramedy focusing on two novelists, one Cambodian and one German; and “A Driving Beat,” featuring a hip-hop-fueled mother-son road trip. Friday through Aug. 18; Lucie Stern Theatre, Palo Alto; $25 single tickets, $60-$65 festival passes; theatreworks.
org. New works and old favorites continue to highlight the classical music calendar: here are the even.