Thu, Feb 27

Cinequest Opening Party Celebrate the opening of the Cinequest film festival with a special screening of "The Movie Hero," followed by a party with the filmmakers. Screenings held 8pm at Camera Three, 288 S. Second St, San Jose and 8:30pm at Camera One, 366 S. First St, San Jose. Party follows at Blake's Steakhouse, 17 N. San Pedro St, San Jose. Tickets are $50. For tickets call 408.295.FEST or www.cinequest.org.

The Music Man Children's Musical Theater San Jose presents the favorite musical. Opening night 7pm. Also plays Fri, Feb 28, 7pm, Sat, March 1, noon, 4pm and 8pm, Sun, March 2, 1pm. Closes Sun, March 2, 5pm. $11-$15. Montgomery Theatre, San Carlos and Market streets, San Jose, 408.288.5437 or www.cmtsj.org.

Russell Banks Writer Russell Banks, author of "Affliction," "The Sweet Hereafter," and "Cloudsplitter," discusses and reads from his works. Book signings follow both events. Discussion, noon. Free. Spartan Memorial Church, San Jose State University. Reading, 7:30pm. Free. School of Music and Dance Concert Hall, San Jose State University, 408.924.4600 or www.sjsu.edu/depts/litart.

Fri, Feb 28

Firehouse Reading Series Poetry Center San Jose kicks off its Firehouse Reading Series featuring an open reading and a tour of PCSJ's new home at the Markham House. Light refreshments will be served. 7pm-10pm. No admission charge, but RSVP required. Firehouse at History Park San Jose, 1650 Senter Rd, San Jose, 408.292.3254.

LINES Ballet Alonzo King's LINES Ballet presents an 20th anniversary celebration performance. 8pm. Also plays Sat, March 1, 8pm. Closes Sun, March 2, 7pm. $15-$25. Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro St, Mountain View, 650.903.6000.

SCU New Music Festival Two concerts featuring the works of composer Alvin Singleton. 8pm. Also March 1, 8pm. $5-$10. Music and Dance Building, Santa Clara University, 408.554.4429.

Triton Museum of Art The opening day for three new exhibits: "Jessica Dunne: Synchronized Lights," monotypes, canvases and aquatints, thru May 25; "Gary Snifer: Calafia," collages, drawings and poetry inspired by Catalonian art, thru June 1; "Bay Area Glass Institute," glass art, thru June 1. 1505 Warburton Ave, Santa Clara, 408.247.3754 or www.tritonmuseum.org.

Sat, March 1

California Theatre Center Theater for children and families. "Miss Nelson Is Missing." 11am. Saturdays thru March 15. $11.50-$12. Sunnyvale Community Center Theatre, 550 E. Remington Dr, Sunnyvale, 408.245.2978 or www.ctcinc.org.

San Jose Museum of Art "Tino Rodriguez: The Darkening Garden/El Jardin al Anochecer." The first solo museum exhibition for emerging San Francisco artist Tino Rodriguez. Opening day. Ongoing thru July 13. 110 S. Market St, San Jose, 408.294.2787.

San Jose Youth Symphony A concert featuring the winners of the 2002 Young Artists Competition. The junior and senior orchestras will perform selections from Tchaikovsky, Bernstein, Kabalevsky and Debussy. 3pm. San Jose Center for the Performing Arts, 255 Almaden Blvd, San Jose, 408.885.9220 or www.sjys.org/concerts.html.

Symphony San Jose Silicon Valley "Midwinter Symphonies featuring guest conductor Yasuo Shinozaki. Works by Beethoven, Sibelius and Karen Tanaka. 8pm. $25-$68. San Jose Center for the Performing Arts, 255 Almaden Blvd, San Jose, 408.288.2800.

Tapestry Arts Fundraiser The annual fundraiser for Tapestry in Talent features an art treasure hunt, silent and live auctions and a buffet. 7pm-10:30pm. 30 advance, $35 at the door. Bankers Club, 8 S. First St, San Jose, 408.494.3590 or www.tapestryintalent.org/Treasure_Hunt.htm.

Sun, March 2

Babak and Pedram Falsafi Classical guitarists Babak and Pedram Falsafi will perform as part of St. Luke's evensong concert series. The performance follows a traditional evensong (sung evening prayer). 4pm. Freewill offerings accepted. St. Luke's Episcopal Church, 20 University Ave, Los Gatos, 408.343.2195.

Classical Vienna II The San Jose Chamber Music Society presents the music of classical Vienna performed by the Vienna Piano Trio. 7pm (preconcert talk at 6:15pm). $17-$30. Le Petit Trianon, 72 N. Fifth St, San Jose, 408.286.5111 or www.sjchambermusic.org.

Gallery Talk and Poetry Reading San Francisco artist Tino Rodriguez discusses his works, which appear in the new exhibition "The Darkening Garden" and poet Francisco Alarcon will read from his new collection of poems, "From the Other Side of Night." 3pm. $5 nonmembers, free to members. San Jose Museum of Art, 110 S. Market St, San Jose, 408.294.2787.

Palm Room Sunday Jazz Series The San Jose Jazz Society sponsors a series of Sunday afternoon jazz concerts. The San Jose Jazz Society Septet performs this week. 3pm-5pm. $15. Hyatt Sainte Claire, 302 S. Market St,
San Jose, 408.288.7557 ext. 2328 or www.sanjosejazz.org.

Robert Greenberg A program featuring American music in the 1920s and 1930s. Sun, March 2, 2pm. Carriage House Theatre, Villa Montalvo, 15400 Montalvo Rd, Saratoga, 408.961.5858 or www.villamontalvo.org.

Wed, March 5

The Legacy Codes TheatreWorks presents the world premiere of a drama inspired by the story of nuclear weapons scientist Wen Ho Lee. Preview night, 8pm. Also previews Thu, March 6-Fri, March 7, 8pm. Opens Sat, March 8. Ongoing thru Sun, April 6. $20-$43. Lucie Stern Theatre, 1305 Middlefield Rd, Palo Alto, 650.903.6000.

Les Miserables American Musical Theatre of San Jose presents the hit musical based on the novel by Victor Hugo. 8pm. Ongoing thru Sun, March 23. $39.50-$68.50. San Jose Center for the Performing Arts, 255 Almaden Blvd, San Jose, 888.455.SHOW.

Ongoing

Culture Clash in AmeriCCa San Jose Repertory Theatre presents performance group Culture Clash and a show which offers the group's unique perspective on Silicon Valley. Thu, Feb 27-Fri, Feb 28, 8pm, Sat, March 1, 3pm and 8pm. Closes Sun, March 2, 2pm. $28-$40. San Jose Repertory Theatre, 101 Paseo de San Antonio, San Jose, 408.367.7255 or www.sjrep.com.

Eating Dis Order, Eating Dat Order 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. $20-$25. Held over thru March 1. Theatre on San Pedro Square, 29 N. San Pedro St, San Jose. Call 408.283.0200.

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.

On the Twentieth Century Foothill Music
Theatre presents a quirky romp about the denizens of the theater world on a luxurious passenger train in the 1930s. Thu, Feb 27-Sat, March 1, 8pm, Sun, March 2, 2pm. Ongoing thru Sun, March 16. $10-$20. Foothill College Studio Theatre, 12345 El Monte Rd, Los Altos Hills, 650.948.4444.

San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art "Bytes and Pieces: The Art of Contemporary Collage," featuring the work of 15 artists who explore new interpretations of collage using digital and video media. Ongoing thru April 5. San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art, 451 S. First St, San Jose, 408.283.8155 or www.sjica.org.