Worth A Look Worth A Look (April 29, 2005)

Music

Stanford Savoyards

The Stanford Savoyards will present Gilbert & Sullivan's "Iolanthe" tonight at 8 p.m. at Stanford's Dinkelspiel Auditorium. The comic opera centers on the fairy Iolanthe, who dared to love a mere mortal -- a violation that resulted in her banishment. Now pardoned after 25 years, she assists her grown son, Strephon, a shepherd, who loves Phyllis, a ward of the Court of Chancery. Find out what happens when mistaken identities, a horde of angry fairies and a well placed "spell" have their effect on Parliamentary politics.

Additional show times are April 30 at 8 p.m. and May 1 at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 general; $10 seniors; $8 student sand will be available by phone or in person from the Stanford Ticket Office at 650-725-2787. For more information please visit www.stanford.edu/group/savoyards.

Theater

"The Belle of Amherst"

"The Belle of Amherst" will open tonight at 8 p.m. at the Pear Avenue Theatre, 1220 Pear Avenue, Unit K in Mountain View. Written by William Luce, the play is a solo-performance piece based on the life and writings of Emily Dickinson. Additional show times are Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. The production will be repeated at similar times the weekend of May 5-8. Tickets are $10-$20 ($25 for the opening-night gala). For more information call (650) 254-1148 or visit www.thepear.org.

Music

Tom Chapin

Tom Chapin will perform Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. at Foothill College's Smithwick Theatre, 12345 El Monte Road in Los Altos Hills. This family concert is recommended for children ages 4 and up. Tickets are $15 ($17 at the door). Proceeds will be donated to Music For Minors, which provides music-education classes in elementary schools throughout San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, as well as to other groups. All seats are reserved and may be purchased at www.peopleofnote.org or by calling (408) 255-8322. Group rates are available.

Theater

"Zombie Prom"

"Zombie Prom" will preview tonight at 8 p.m. at the Lucie Stern Theatre, 1305 Middlefield Road in Palo Alto. Presented by Palo Alto Players, the production is a zany musical send-up of 1950s and "B" horror films. It will officially open on Saturday at 8 p.m. and run through May 15. Regular show times are 8 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and 2:30 p.m. on Sundays.

Tickets are $22 for Sunday performances; $24 for Wednesday and Thursday performances; $25 for Friday evenings; $27 for Saturday evenings; $29 for Saturday's opening-night performance. Students and seniors receive a $3 discount for Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday performances. For tickets please call (650) 329-0891. For more information please visit www.paplayers.org.

Art

"On the Edge"

"On the Edge: Contemporary Chinese Artists Encounter the West" will run through May 1 at Stanford's Cantor Arts Center. The exhibition explores the artists' position in the art world and China's position in the world. The Cantor Arts Center is located off Palm Drive, at Lomita Drive and Museum Way. It is open Wednesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday until 8 p.m. Admission is free. Docents will give free tours of the exhibition on Thursdays at 12:15 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m.

Theater

TheatreWorks New Works Festival

TheatreWorks will present its "New Works Festival" through May 1 at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts (Second Stage), 500 Castro St. In addition to Regina Taylor's off-Broadway musical, "Crowns," the festival will also feature staged readings of three new musicals: "Wheelhouse" (May 1 at 5 p.m.), from alternative rock trio Groove Lily, whose play "Striking 12" appeared at TheatreWorks last December; original funk musical "The Funkentine Rapture" (April 29 at 8:30 p.m. and April 30 at 5 p.m.), created by Ben Blake and Lee Summers, who starred in the original Broadway cast of "Dreamgirls;" and "Piece" (April 30 at 8:30 p.m. and May 1 at 2 p.m.) from Tara Smith and Scott Alan.

In addition two comedies will be given staged readings: Bay Area writer Firoozeh Dumas ("Funny in Farsi") will premiere her solo show "Laughing Without an Accent" (April 29 at 6 p.m.),and Janet Allard will present her NASCAR comedy, "Vrooommm!" (April 30 at 2 p.m. and May 1 at 8 p.m.).

Festival tickets are $15 general admission; $10 for TheatreWorks subscribers and members. "Crowns " tickets are $20-$50. The "Vrooommm!" production will be free, with seating subject to availability. For more information please call (650) 903-6000 or visit www.theatreworks.org.

Art

Philippine art

Stanford Art Spaces will showcase a "Philippine Art Exhibit," featuring works by 14 Philippine artists, through June 23.

The Center for Integrated Systems Art Spaces is located on the Stanford University campus. Admission is free. The center is open weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information please call (650) 725-3622 or visit http://cis.stanford.edu/~marigros.

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