Thu, Oct 31

Billy Collins The U.S. Poet Laureate will have a discussion and book signing Thu, Oct 31, noon, at the Spartan Memorial Chapel, and will also give a reading Thu, Oct 31, 7:30pm, at the School of Music and Dance Concert Hall. Both events free. San Jose State University, San Jose. For more information, call 408.924.4489.

Jazz at Hakone Gardens Presented by the San Jose Jazz Society. Third Thu of each month. 5-9pm. Free. Hakone Gardens, 21000 Big Basin Way, Saratoga. Call 888.726.5673.

Katia Kabonova Lecture The San Jose Opera Guild's fall lecture series will continue with a lecture on Leos Janacek's Katia Kabonova by Michael Beckerman, a UC-Santa Barbara music professor. 10am. Guild members free/$10 guests. Los Gatos History Club, 123 Los Gatos Blvd, Los Gatos. For more information, call 408.378.4823.

Fri, Nov 1

The Canadian Storm Six artists from Canada, including Lennie Gallant, Glenn Graham, The Ennis Sisters, Kendra MacGillivray, Mary Jane Lamond and Vishten. 8pm. Also Sat, Nov 2, 8pm, and Sun, Nov 3, 7:30pm. $25-$30. Montalvo, Carriage House Theatre, 15400 Montalvo Rd, Saratoga, 408.867.4311 or www.villamontalvo.org.

In Flux The Latin/ska/reggae/rock band Firme will headline. 7-10pm. Free to Museum members/$7 non-members. San Jose Museum of Art, 110 S. Market St, San Jose, 408.271.6840 or www.sjmusart.org.

Miss Saigon Presented by American Musical Theatre of San Jose. 8pm. Also Sat, Nov 2, 8pm, and Sun, Nov 3, 1pm and 6:30pm. Ongoing until Sun, Nov 17. $39.50-$62. Center for the Performing Arts, 255 Almaden Blvd, San Jose. For more information, call 888.455.SHOW (7469) or visit www.amtsj.org.

Sat, Nov 2

Burn the Floor Featuring world champion dancers from 15 countries exploring 10 dance styles—including tango, cha cha and waltz—juxtaposed with street and industrial dance. 8pm. $37-$62. Flint Center, 21250 Stevens Creek Blvd, Cupertino, 408.864.8816 or www.flintcenter.com.

California Theatre Center Family Season "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day." 11am. $11.50-$12. Sunnyvale Community Center Theatre, 550 E. Remington Dr, Sunnyvale. For more information, call 408.245.2978 or visit www.ctcinc.org.

El Camino Youth Symphony The 40th season opener will include performances of Brahms' Variations on a Theme of Joseph Haydn, Smetana's Ma Vlast: Vltava, Stravinsky's L'Oiseau de feu (Firebird) Suite and Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante. Sat, Nov 2, 7:30pm. $5-$8. Messiah Lutheran Church, 1835 Valota Rd, Redwood City. Also Sun, Nov 3, 7:30pm. $5-$8. Spangenberg Theater at Gunn High School, 780 Arastradero Rd, Palo Alto. For more information, visit www.ecys.org or call 650.327.2611.

Live at the Plaza Dia de las Muertos—Chicano Groove Festival and Carnival. 4pm-midnight. $18-$20. Mexican Heritage Plaza, 1700 Alum Rock Ave, San Jose. For more information, visit www.mhcviva.org.

Sun, Nov 3

Beyond Manzanar Artists Tamiko Thiel and Zara Houshmand will talk to visitors about their installation Beyond Manzanar, which contrasts the experiences of Japanese-Americans during World War II and the more contemporary situations of Iranian-Americans. Topaz, San Jose resident Dave Tatsuno's film about the Topaz, Utah Japanese-American internment camp, will also be screened. 3pm. Free. San Jose Museum of Art, 110 S. Market St, San Jose, 408.271.6840 or www.sjmusart.org.

Faculty Recital Series Tian-En Yu will give a piano recital and perform pieces by Bach, Mendelssohn, Ginastera and Chopin. Presented by the Santa Clara University Department of Music. 7:30pm. $5-$10. Santa Clara University Recital Hall, Santa Clara. For more information, visit www.scu.edu/cpa or call 408.554.4015 or 408.554.4429.

Peninsula Pops Orchestra Conductor Kim Venaas presents the Pops' season premiere, "Simply the Best!" Joining the Pops is vocalist Peter Vilkin, who will perform "Beautiful Maria of My Soul" from the movie The Mambo Kings, the '40s favorite "Guilty" and more. 2:30pm. $8-$12. Spangenberg Theater at Gunn High School, 780 Arastradero Rd, Palo Alto. For more information, visit www.peninsulapops.org or call 650.856.8432.

San Francisco Symphony With Jiri Belohlavek as conductor and Ivan Moravec on piano. 2pm. $25-$50. Flint Center, 21250 Stevens Creek Blvd, Cupertino, 408.864.8816 or www.flintcenter.com.

Ongoing

Eating DisOrder, Eating DatOrder Theatre on San Pedro Square presents a new comedy about America's obsession with food and cooking. Wed-Sat, 8pm (cocktails at 7pm), and Sun, 2pm. San Pedro Square, San Jose. For ticket information, call the box office at 408.283.0200.

Mrs. Warren's Profession George Bernard Shaw's banned play is the inaugural production of Mountain View's new Pear Avenue Theatre. Directed by Jeanie Forte. Thu, Oct 31-Sat, Nov 2, 8pm, and Sun, Nov 3, 2pm. Until Sun, Nov 10. $10-$15. Pear Avenue Theatre, 1220 Pear Ave, Mountain View, www.thepear.org or 650.254.1148.

San Jose Museum of Art "Parallels and Intersections: Art/Women/California, 1950-2000—Part I." Ends Nov 3. Tue-Sun, 11am-5pm, Fri, 11am-10pm, closed Mon. 110 S. Market St, San Jose, 408.294.2787.

Stanford's Cantor Arts Center "Salviati at Stanford: Venetian Glass of the 1890s." 120 Venetian glass vessels from the collection of 19th-century glassware given to Stanford University in 1903 by the celebrated Venetian firm Salviati & Company, including all the techniques, styles and colors that have made the Venetian island of Murano famous since the Renaissance. Guest curator: Carol Osborne. Ends Dec 29. "Contemporary Reflections of Venetian Glass." This small exhibition, selected by guest curator Patrick Maveety, includes work by the Italian maestro Lino Tagliapietra and his American contemporaries, such as Dale Chihuly. Ends Dec 29. Free. Cantor Arts Center, Stanford University, Museum Way (off Palm Dr), Stanford, 650.723.4177 or www.stanford.edu/dept/ccva.

The Wind Cries Mary San Jose Repertory Theatre presents the world premiere of Philip Kan Gotanda's new play, set in San Francisco in 1968, when California's Asian American intellectuals were first finding a political voice. Directed by Eric Simonson. Thu, Oct 31-Fri, Nov 1, 8pm, Sat, Nov 2, 3pm and 8pm, Sun, Nov 3, 2pm and 7pm, and Tue, Nov 5, 8pm. Ongoing until Sun, Nov 17. $20-$48. San Jose Repertory Theatre, 101 Paseo de San Antonio, San Jose, 408.367.7255 or www.sjrep.com.

Upcoming

Faust Opera San Jose presents Charles Gounod's 1859 version of Faust. Performed in French with English titles. Sat, Nov 9-Sun, Dec 1. $40-$58. Montgomery Theater, Market and San Carlos Sts, San Jose. For more information, call 408.437.4450 or visit www.operasj.org.

Kiss Me Kate West Valley Light Opera Association presents Cole Porter's musical version of Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew. Directed by Steven Lambert. Sat, Nov 9-Sat, Dec 7. $18-$22. Saratoga Civic Theater, 13777 Fruitvale Ave, Saratoga. For more information, visit www.wvlo.org or call 408.268.3777.

There Once Was a Princess... Abhinaya Dance Company of San Jose presents its fall concert, featuring tales of princesses from mythology, literature and contemporary tunes. Sat, Nov 9, 7pm. $10-$45. Mexican Heritage Theater, 1700 Alum Rock Ave, San Jose. For more information, visit www.abhinaya.com or call 408.983.0491.