Weekend Preview Weekend Preview (May 28, 2003)

Brett Colby and Layna Chianakas star in West Bay Opera's production of "La Perichole."

The Peninsula Women's Chorus will perform on Saturday at Grace Lutheran Church in Palo Alto.
Thursday

"A Pair of Comic One-Acts," "We Had a Very Good Time" and "High Drive," will be presented tonight at 8 p.m. at the Pear Avenue Theatre, 1120 Pear Ave. in Mountain View. Performances will take place Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m.; Sunday, June 1 at 7 p.m.; Sunday, June 8, at 2 p.m. The production will run through June 8. Tickets are $10-$15. For more information call (650) 254-1148 or visit www.thepear.org.

"The Secret Garden" will be presented through June 21 at the Bus Barn Theatre, 97 Hillview Ave. in Los Altos. Performances are Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m.; Sundays, June 8 and 15 at 3 p.m. Tickets are $22 for Thursdays through Saturdays; $17 for Sundays. Group discounts and subscription rates are available. For reservations or additional information, call (650) 941-0551 or visit www.busbarn.org.
Friday

"La Perichole" will be presented by West Bay Opera tonight at 8 p.m. at the Lucie Stern Theater, 1305 Middlefield Road in Palo Alto. Additional show times will be Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. Composed by Jacques Offenbach, with libretto by Henry Meilhac and Ludovic Halevy, "La Perichole" will mark a West Bay Opera premiere. Tickets are $42, with a special $21 youth ticket (for those under 18) for Sunday matinees only. For tickets or more information, please call the West Bay Opera box office at (650) 424-9999, Monday - Friday, 1 to 6 p.m., or visit www.wbopera.org. Tickets may also be purchased at the Holt Building, 221 Lambert Ave. in Palo Alto.

The Stanford Improvisors (SImps) will perform tonight and Saturday at 8 p.m. at Stanford's Pigott Theatre, located inside Memorial Auditorium. The Simps will present their latest improvised comedy show, "Must See TV: Simpcom." There will be a 10 p.m. late show (surprise format). Tickets are $10 general, $6 students. Save a dollar by using the online coupon. (Late shows are $5 for all seats, free if you came to the 8 p.m. show.) Tickets can be purchased at the door, or by calling (650) 804-1428 for reservations. For more information visit http://www.stanford.edu/group/simps.

The Foothill College Repertory Dance Company will present its 17th annual Spring Dance Concert tonight and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at Smithwick Theatre, 12345 El Monte Road, Los Altos Hills. Director Bubba Gong will debut the premiere of "Fp2P: From Puccini to Prince," an epic modern jazz suite. To purchase tickets call (650) 948-4444.

Paintings by DeWitt Cheng and Mark Grim, along with prints and paintings by Andrew Totman, will be on exhibit through July 10 at the Center for Integrated Systems and Terman Engineering Art Spaces, located on the Stanford campus. Exhibit hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. Admission is free. For more information call (650) 725-3622 or visit http://cis.stanford.edu/~marigros.
Saturday

The Palo Alto Performances Series presents BAC Hand Slam tonight at 8 p.m. at the Art Center Auditorium, 1313 Newell Road in Palo Alto. The group is an ensemble that performs works by Bay Area composers; many composers on tonight's program will be from the Palo Alto area. Tickets are $12 general; $10 students and seniors, and will only be available at the door. For more information please call (650) 463-4940.

The Peninsula Women's Chorus will perform tonight at 8 p.m. at Grace Lutheran Church, 3149 Waverley St. in Palo Alto. The program will feature rhythmic works from Mexico, Colombia, Cuba, Venezuela, Australia, Africa and North America. Tickets are $18 general; $15 seniors and students. Tickets may be purchased at the door or through the Stanford Ticket office, (650) 725-ARTS. For more information call (650) 327-3095 or visit www.pwchorus.org.

Art 21 presents its first annual Spring Student Art Show today at the gallery, 539 Alma (corner of Hamilton Avenue) in Palo Alto. Art work will be accepted today from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; a reception will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. tonight. Submissions will be accepted from students who attend Gunn or Palo Alto High School or Stanford University. For more information call (650) 566-1381 or visit www.art21.us/events

"Spatial Forms," featuring paintings by John Mancini, will be on view through May 30 at Gallery Europa, 535 Bryant St. in Palo Alto. The gallery is open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday; 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday. For more information

"Unlikely Saints," a new exhibition of paintings by Palo Alto Greg Brown, will be on view through Sept. 7 at the Palo Alto Art Center, 1313 Newell Road. The gallery is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday also from 7 to 9 p.m.; Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. For more information call (650) 329-2366.
Sunday

Peninsula Pops Orchestra presents "Comedies, Cartoons and Other Mayhem" today at 2:30 p.m. at Spangenberg Theatre, located on the Gunn High School campus, 780 Arastradero Road in Palo Alto. Tickets are $12 adults; $10 seniors; $8 students; free for children under 11 accompanied by an adult. For more information or to purchase tickets in advance, call (650) 856-8432 or visit www.peninsulapops.org or e-mail peninsulapops@yahoo.com

El Camino Youth Symphony will present its Symphony Spring Finale tonight at 7:30 p.m. at Spangenberg Theatre, 780 Arastradero Road in Palo Alto. Cellist Tickets are $8/$5. For more information call (650) 327-2611 or visit www.ecys.org.

"Bach's Legacy: Sons of Bach" a concert of choral and instrumental works by J.C. Bach, C.P.E. Bach, J.C.F. Bach, W.F.E. Bach, and P.D.Q. Bach, will be presented by Soli Deo Gloria and Orchestra Gloria today at 3:30 p.m. at St. Mark's Episcopal Church, 600 Colorado Ave. in Palo Alto. Tickets are $20/$15; free for K-12 students. To receive an advance purchase discount, call (415) 447-9823 or order online at www.sdgloria.org.

"Pattern," will be on view through spring at the Palo Alto Junior Museum and Zoo, 1451 Middlefield Road in Palo Alto. Admission is free. The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, call (650) 329-2111 or visit www.pajmzfriends.org.
Theater

Reviews of new productions by the Pear Avenue Theatre and Bus Barn Theatre.
Opera

A review of West Bay Opera's new production, "La Petrichole."
Eating Out

A round-up of local ice cream parlors.