Dark Room Theatre, 2263 Mission; 517-3581, www.darkroomsf.com. $13. Opens Fri/4, 8pm. Runs Fri-Sat, 8pm. Through Nov 26. Tech Slave Productions presents this performance subtitled From Those That Barely Remember.

Exit on Taylor, 277 Taylor; 386-2373, theatreabydos@aol.com. $18-25. Previews Fri/4, 8pm. Opens Sat/5, 8pm. Runs Fri-Sat, 8pm (no shows Nov 25-26). Through Dec 17. Abydos Theater performs Ann and George Crowe's new translation-adaptation of the Pierre Marivaux comedy.

Traveling Jewish Theatre, 470 Florida; 1-866-GOT-FURY, www.foolsfury.org. $10. Opens Thurs/3, 7 and 9pm. Runs Thurs-Sun, 7 and 9pm (works in development run Tues-Wed, 8pm). Through Nov 20. New works rotating in this festival (check Web site for schedule) include The Strange Case of the Jenson Files, by FoolsFURY; The Sewers, by Banana, Bag, and Bodice; Symphony of Frogs, by Mugwumpin; and Solo, by Under the Table.

Thick House Theatre, 1695 18th St; 558-7721, www.killingmylobster.com. $12-17 (opening night and Sat, 10pm, pay what you can). Opens Thurs/3, 8pm. Runs Thurs-Fri, 8pm; Sat, 7:30 and 10pm; Sun, 7pm. Through Nov 20. The sketch comedy troupe opens a new show inspired by "found" and previously written text.

Jon Sims Center for the Performing Arts, 1519 Mission; 554-0402, www.jonsimsctr.org. $10-15. Opens Fri/4, 8pm. Runs Fri-Sat, 8pm. Through Nov 26. This week's plays in this showcase of Asian American theater are Mishima Speaks to Beauty, by Christopher Chen and In the Dark, by Viet Nguyen.

Climate Theater, 285 Ninth St; 621-1503, www.horrorunspeakable.com. $10. Opens Thurs/3, 8pm. Runs Thurs-Sat, 8pm. Through Nov 19. No Nude Men Productions performs Racine's version of the myth, set in 19th-century Europe.

Exit Stage Left, 156 Eddy; 675-5995, www.crowdedfire.org. $18-30. Preview Fri/4, 8pm. Opens Sat/5, 8pm. Runs Fri-Sat, 8pm (no shows Nov 25-26). Through Dec 17. Crowded Fire Theater company performs Chay Yew's drama about a young gay man's crime of passion.

Off-Market Theater, 965 Mission; 338-2467, www.ticketweb.com. $8-12. Opens Fri/4, 7pm. Runs Thurs-Fri and Nov 12, 7pm; Nov 19, 2pm; Sun, 2pm. Through Nov 20. San Francisco State University students and alumni perform Roy Conboy's fresh take on Shakespeare's classic.

Exit Theatre, 156 Eddy; 824-1403, www.cultureworksinc.org. $12-17. Opens Fri/4, 8pm. Runs Fri-Sat, 8pm. Through Nov 19. Performance artist Brian Shapiro presents a new show that looks at how different cultural groups deal with the inherent uncertainty of life.

La Val's Subterranean, 1834 Euclid, Berk; (510) 464-4468, www.impacttheatre.com. $10-15 (Thurs pay what you wish). Opens Fri/4, 8pm. Runs Thurs-Sat, 8pm. Through Dec 10. Impact Theatre performs Sheila Callaghan's new drama about a mother and daughter who have difficulty moving on when the girl's father dies. See 8 Days a Week, page tk.

Ashby Stage, 1901 Ashby, Berk; (510) 841-6500, www.shotgunplayers.org. $10. Opens Tues/8, 8pm. Runs Tues-Thurs, 8pm. Through Nov 17. Shotgun Players Theatre Lab presents Balé Techlorico in this multidisciplinary look at life and death.

Luka's Taproom and Lounge, 2221 Broadway, Oakl; (510) 420-0813, www.womanswill.org. $15-25. Opens Thurs/3, 7pm. Runs Thurs and Sat, 7pm; Sun, 2pm. Through Dec 4. Simultaneously, runs Fri, 8pm, Original Joe's, 144 Taylor, SF. Same phone and price. All-female Shakespeare company Woman's Will performs the Bertolt Brecht-Kurt Weill-Dorothy Lane musical.

Intersection for the Arts, 446 Valencia; 626-3311, www.theintersection.org. $9-15. Thurs-Sun and Nov 21, 8pm. Through Nov 21. Campo Santo + Intersection performs the world premiere of Octavio Solis' play about a real-life "Latino Bonnie and Clyde."

Shelton Theater, 533 Sutter; 433-1226, www.jeanshelton.com. $20-25. Thurs-Sat, 8pm. Open-ended. The Shelton Theater presents Christopher Durang's comedy about therapists and their patients.

Marsh, 1062 Valencia; 1-800-838-3006, www.themarsh.org. $15-22. Opens Sat/5, 8:30pm. Runs Sat, 8:30pm; Sun, 7pm. Through Dec 3. Comedian Will Franken performs his new solo satire.

New Conservatory Theatre Center, 25 Van Ness; 861-8972, www.nctcsf.org. $15-25. Wed/2-Sat/5, 8pm; Sun/6, 2pm. The New Conservatory Theatre Center performs David Pumo's SF Fringe Festival hit, a comedy about gay New Yorkers in love.

Off-Market Theater, 965 Mission; 771-4806, www.unidentifiedsf.org. $20-25. Thurs-Sat, 8pm (also Sat, 10pm). Through Dec 3. Unidentified Theatre Company performs a play about Matt Damon and Ben Affleck (both portrayed by women) in their pre-Good Will Hunting days.

Theatre 39 at Pier 39, Two Beach St; 433-3939, www.menopausethemusical.com. $46.50. Tues-Sat, 8pm (also Wed, 2pm and Sat, 4pm); Sun, 2pm. Open-ended. Jeanie Linders's musical comedy celebrates women who are facing "the change."

Last Planet Theatre, 351 Turk; 440-3505, www.lastplanettheatre.com. $10-18. Thurs-Sat, 8pm; Sun, 2pm. Through Nov 13. Last Planet Theatre performs Matthew Maguine's reimagining of the stepmother-son myth.

Shelton Theater, 533 Sutter; 433-1226, www.jeanshelton.com. $25. Thurs-Sat, 8pm. Through Nov 19. Shelton Theater performs James McClure's comedy about three men, all of whom are involved in "private wars" with themselves.

V Theater, Pier 39; 39-VSHOW, www.vtheshow.com. $24-44. Nightly, 6 and 8pm. Ongoing. A revolving array of variety acts highlight this family-friendly show, originally produced in Las Vegas.

Berkeley City Club, 2315 Durant, Berk; (510) 558-1381, www.centralworks.org. $9-25. Thurs-Sat, 8pm; Sun, 5pm. Through Nov 20. Central Works performs Gary Graves' new play that re-casts characters from The Iliad in a new Middle Eastern conflict.

Berkeley Richmond Jewish Community Center, 1414 Walnut, Berk; (510) 436-5085, www.theatrefirst.com. $10-22. Thurs/3 and Sat/5, 8pm; Sun/6, 7pm. Also: Nov 10-20, Old Oakland Theatre, 461 Ninth, Oakl; Dec 1-4, Traveling Jewish Theatre, 470 Florida, SF. Shows run Thurs-Sat, 8pm; Sun, 3pm. Same phone and price. TheatreFIRST performs Robin Soans' play about ordinary people caught up in the Arab-Israeli conflict.

Altarena Playhouse, 1409 High, Alameda; (510) 523-1553, www.altarena.org. $12-15. Fri-Sat, 8pm; Nov 13, 20, 2pm. Through Nov 26. Altarena Playhouse performs Joe Orton's farcical comedy.

Live Oak Theatre, 1301 Shattuck, Berk; (510) 649-5999, www.aeofberkeley.org. $10. Fri-Sat and Nov 17, 8pm. Through Nov 19. Actors Ensemble performs John Guare's play about a con man who tricks a wealthy New York couple.

Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Theatre, 700 Howard; 978-ARTS, www.ybca.org. Fri-Sat, 8pm; Sun, 7pm. Through Nov 13. $20-50. The company opens their fall 2005 home season with the world premiere of The Moroccan Project.

Dance Mission Theater, 3316 24th St; 273-4633. Sat/5, 7pm; Nov 11-12 and 18-19, 8pm; Sun, 6pm (also Nov 20, 2pm). Through Nov 20. $20-22. This weekend's performers respond to global warming in Meltdown, featuring Dance Brigade, Ferron, Barbara Higbie and Krissy Keefer, and Margie Adam and Labyrinth Project.

ODC Theater, 3153 17th St; 863-9834, www.odctheater.org. Fri-Sat, 8pm; Nov 13, 7pm. Through Nov 13. $16-35. The company celebrates its 25th season wth a retrospective of signature works, plus the world premiere of the night's mascara.

Various Union Square locations; www.retaildance.org. Sat, noon-9:30pm; Sun, noon-4:30pm. Free. Retail store windows and showrooms come alive with works by Bay Area choreographers and companies: Company Chaddick, AXIS Dance Company, Facing East Dance and Music, Counterpointe, Atelier 5, U Dance Electra, Aura Fischbeck, and Run For Your Life...It's a Dance Company.

TJT, 470 Florida; 1-800-got-fury. Tues, 8pm. $10. Through Nov 15. Mia Rovegno directs her piece about urban life, presented by HummingbirgWORKS.

Bayfront Theater, Fort Mason Center, Bldg B, Marina at Laguna; 474-8935, www.improv.org. Fri-Sat, 8pm: "True Fiction Magazine Halloween Shows," $12-15. Sun, 8pm: "Sunday Player Specialty and Micetro," $8.

Empire Plush Room, 940 Sutter; 885-2800, www.empireplushroom.com. Ongoing. Fri-Sat, 11pm. $25. This evening of performance is a "roaring twenties revue."

SF LBGT Communtiy Center, 1800 Market. 861-7067, www.lgcsf.org. Thurs-Sat, 7:30pm. $15. The Lesbian/Gay Chorus of San Francisco performs a musical comedy by playwright June Bonacich about a woman's foray into gay group therapy.

Intersection for the Arts, 446 Valencia; 626-3311, www.theintersection.org. Mon, 7:30pm. $5-15. Naomi Lizuki's work-in-progress adaptation of Hamlet is set in 1980s Oakland.

Jon Sims Center for the Arts, 1519 Mission; 554-0402. Sat, 7:30pm. $7-15. Catch a reading of Cedric Brown's play about a black Cuban man and a black American man in Havana.

Presentation Theatre, USF, 2350 Turk; 422-2186, www.usfperformances.com. Thurs-Sat, 8pm. $5-12. Through Nov 10. Deaf actors Megg Davis and Crom Saunders star in a production of the Shakespear classic that will be performed in American Sign Language and voiced in English.

Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley, Bangcroft at Telegraph; (510) 642-9988, www.calperfs.berkeley.edu. Sat, 8pm; Sun, 3pm. The Beijing People's Art Theatre performs a play by Lao She.

Cobb's Comedy Club 915 Columbus; www.cobbscomedyclub.com, www.ticketweb.com. Wed, 8pm: "All-Pro Comedy Showcase," $10. Thurs-Sun, 8pm (also Sat-Sun, 10:15pm): "Stand Up for Your Rights IV" with Will Durst, Marc Maron, and A. Whitney Brown, $15-20.

1200 Ninth Ave, SF; (415) 504-0060, mike@westcoastvideo.net. "Open Mic Talent Showcase," 7:30pm, free. Starry Plough 3101 Shattuck, Berk; (510) 841-2082. "Berkeley Poetry Slam," 8:30pm, $5-7. 57 Post; (415) 393-0119 ext 192. "Experience," with the Mechanix Poets, 6-7:30pm, free.

16th St at Mission, SF; (415) 255-9881. "CAI Street Arts Workshop," open mic, 9:30pm, free. 2587 International Blvd, Oakl; (510) 533-6629. "Holla Back," open mic, 8:30-10:30pm, donations accepted. 2475 Telegraph, Berk; (510) 526-5985. "Word Beat Reading Series," with featured readers Julia Vinograd and Richard Silberg, 7pm, free. 1187 Franklin, SF; (415) 338-3401, www.sfsu.edu/~poetry. Poetry Center presents Lewis MacAdams and Duncan McNaughton reading, 7:30pm, $5. UC Berkeley, Bangroft at Telegraph, Berk; lunchpoems@berkeley.edu. "Lunch Poems," with featured reader California Laureate Al Young, 12:10pm, free. Pacific School of Religion, 1798 Scenic Ave, Berk; (510) 849-8232, www.psr.edu. "Zero Hour," with poet Ernesto Cardenal, 6:30pm, free.

2800 Third St, SF; (415) 615-9945, www.bcoa.org. "The Audrey and Langston Salon: Our Night, Our Place," with poet Jewelle Gomez and author Marvin K. White, 7pm, free. 333 Bush, SF; (415) 421-0700. "Poetry and Pizza," with Kitchen Sink editors and contributors, 7:30pm, free.

1665 Haight, SF; (415) 864-1978. "Open Mic and Hot Tamales," 5pm, free. 343 Clement, SF; (415) 387-8025. Open mic, 9pm, free. 1320 Addison, Berk; (510) 527-9905, poetalk@aol.com. Bay Area Poets Coalition open reading, 3-5pm, free.

584 Pacific, SF; (415) 905-8837. Tony Vaughan reads, plus open mic, 4-5:30pm, free. 2454 Telegraph, Berk; (510) 845-7852. "Poetry Flash," with Denise Duhamel and Virgil Su‡rez, 7:30pm, $2. 700 Columbus, SF; (415) 392-9290. "A Literary Obsession," open mic with Raucous Rhetoric, 6pm, free.

140 Columbus; 217-8400, www.caffemacaroni.com. "Live at the Purple Onion," open mic hosted by the Kitchenettes, 7-10pm, $5. 2072 San Pablo, Berk; berkeleypoetryexpress@yahoo.com. "Poetry Express" with featured readers, Sandra Gey and Leah Steinberg, 7pm, free. 1200 Ninth Ave, SF; www.lilycat.com. "Remember When," open mic, 7:30pm, free. USF, 2350 Turk, SF; www.sfsu.edu/~poetry. "Robert Creeley: A Memorial Tribute," with featured readers Bill Berkson, Avery Burns, Clark Coolidge, and more, 7pm, free.

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