Arts & Events

TUESDAY, JUNE 12 -more-

TheatreFIRST, Oakland’s only resident theater company—and now bereft of their latest home in Old Oakland, will perform Week 31 of Suzan-Lori Parks’ year-long, nationwide 365 Days/Plays project 8 p.m. this Friday night, June 15, at the Temescal Arts Center at 48th and Telegraph in Oakland. -more-

Composer-pianist William Bolcom and mezzo-soprano Joan Morris will make a rare Bay Area appearance 8 p.m. this Thursday (June 14) to present a “Red, White and Blue” Flag Day celebratory version of their popular recitals of American song of the past two centuries, at Piedmont Piano’s San Francisco store at 660 Third St. For information and reservations: (415) 543-9988 or www.piedmontpiano.com. -more-

It may be a drab little brown bird, but the song sparrow has attracted a lot of scholarly attention. The song sparrows of San Francisco Bay alone support a kind of cottage industry. We have four distinct subspecies here, three confined to tidal marshes, the fourth to neighboring uplands. The marsh sparrows, generally smaller and grayer than the upland birds, have adapted to their environment by evolving a higher tolerance for salt water (although their insect prey appears to meet most of their water needs). -more-

TUESDAY, JUNE 12 -more-

Healthy Living -more-

FRIDAY, JUNE 8 -more-

PHOTOS OF MONGOLIA -more-

Actors Ensemble of Berkeley has taken on an ambitious project—Strindberg’s shape-shifting A Dream Play as a site-specific performance, in and around the Berkeley Art Center in Live Oak Park, played during afternoons over the next few weekends. And admission is free. -more-

By KEN BULLOCK -more-

“Brecht is a very challenging ‘Jeopardy’ question,” quipped a deadpan Mike Daisey at the start of the first in his series of four monologues, Great Men of Genius, at the Berkeley Rep thrust stage through July 1. -more-

I just love aphorisms. They’re so … so … one-size-fits-all. No bother with versatility or adjustment for circumstances, just “Time and Tides wait for no man” (but they do wait for women as we all know), “Cast not your pearls before swine” (I like the idea of “casting for swine” although it may not be the right season for swine and I think you need a second set of tackle). “Never throw good money after bad” (now which was the bad money? Let me think). Actually, I think I can say something about the last one. -more-

When we’re in the Fourth Street shopomania neighborhood we’re usually on the way to buying groceries for Shep the snake, though if we get a parking space we might go see if Cody’s still exists, or stop for lunch at Tacubaya. So it’s no surprise I missed Eastern Classics while the store was nearby, and had go read the little A-frame signboard on the corner to see where the enterprise had gone. -more-

FRIDAY, JUNE 8 -more-

According to city spokesperson Mary Kay Clunies-Ross, the city’s web page incorrectly states that there is a budget workshop preceding the regular council meeting on June 12. -more-

As part of an ongoing effort to print stories by East Bay residents, The Daily Planet invites readers to write about their experiences and perspectives on living healthy. Please email your essays, no more than 800 words, to firstperson@berkeleydailyplanet.com. We will publish the best essays in upcoming issues. -more-