Thu, March 18

Celtic Fiddle Festival Three top fiddlers, one from Scotland, one from Ireland and one from France's Brittany, perform Celtic music. 7:30pm. $30-$35. Carriage House Theatre, 15400 Montalvo Rd, Saratoga, 408.961.5858 or www.villamontalvo.org.

Love & Taxes Theatre on San Pedro Square presents monologist Josh Kornbluth's comic one-man show about tax debt and romantic relationships. Opening night, 8pm. Also plays Fri, March 19, 8pm, Sat, March 20, 3pm and 8pm, Sun, March 21, 3pm. $25-$30. 29 N. San Pedro St, San Jose, 408.283.0200 or www.TOSPS.com.

MACLA "Quirky, Odd and Out of Sorts," an exhibit featuring five artists from the Caribbean reacting to stereotypes. Thru May 1. 510 S. First St, San Jose, 408.998.ARTE or www.maclaarte.org.

Music and Conversation Concert Series New klezmer clarinetist David Krakauer, of the Klezmer Madness! ensemble, will perform and discuss his music. 12:30pm-1:20pm. Free and open to the public. Concert Hall, San Jose State University, San Jose, 408.924.1166.

Wonder of the World City Lights Theatre Company presents a comedy by David-Lindsay Abaire. Thru March 18-Sat, March 20, 8pm, Sun, March 21, 7pm. Thru April 10. $15-$28. City Lights Theater, 529 S. Second St, San Jose, 408.295.4200 or www.cltc.org.

Fri, March 19

Asian American Film Festival The San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival comes to San Jose for a weekend of screenings and events. Opening reception at d.p Fong Galleries in downtown San Jose, Fri, March 19, following 7pm screening. Films and other events held Sat, March 20-Sun, March 21. For tickets, call 408.998.2277 or for more information, visit www.naatanet.org/festival.

March Serenades The Winchester Orchestra of San Jose, under guest conductor Anthony Quartuccio, presents a program of Tchaikovsky and Mozart, with soloists Eileen Wickemeyer, flute, and Stephanie Janowski, harp. $5-$15. Fri, March 19, 8pm, at Crossroads Church Auditorium, 1670 Moorpark Ave, San Jose. Also, Sun, March 21, 7pm, at Congregational Community Church of Sunnyvale, 1112 Bernardo Ave, Sunnyvale, 408.269.1905.

Number the Stars The Peninsula Youth Theatre presents a drama based on Lois Lowry's Newbery Award-winning novel of friendship and courage during the Holocaust. 9:30am and 11am. Also Sat, March 20, 11:30am and 1:30pm. $5-$6. Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro St, Mountain View, 650.903.6000 or www.pytnet.org.

Sat, March 20

California Theatre Center Plays for the whole family. "The Hobbit," Sat, March 20, 11am, 2:30pm and 7:30pm. $11 advance/$12 at the door. Sunnyvale Community Center Theatre, 550 E. Remington Drive, Sunnyvale, 408.245.2978 or www.ctcinc.org.

Cinderella A play for the whole family, presented by American Family Theatre. 11am and 1pm. $8-$16. Carriage House Theatre, 15400 Montalvo Rd, Saratoga, 408.961.5858 or www.villamontalvo.org.

Fur Ball The Humane Society Silicon Valley invites animal lovers to a fundraising gala featuring hors d'oeuvres and a vegetarian dinner, a silent auction, live music and dancing and an awards presentation. 7pm-11pm. $75 per person. 901 Ames Ave, Milpitas, 408.727.3383 ext 883 or www.hssv.org.

Irish Ceili Dance With music by the San Jose Ceili Band. Ceili dancing is a social style of dance done purely for fun. Sat, March 20 (and every third Sat), 7:30pm-10:30pm. $10 adults/kids free. Trinity Cathedral, 81 N. Second St, San Jose, 408.885.0811 or www.doves.demon.co.uk/ceili

Murder at the Mayer A fundraising dinner event. Explore crime scenes, discover clues and work to solve a mystery set in the Louis B Mayer Theater. The event concludes with a sit-down dinner served on the theater's stage. $65. Mayer Theater, Santa Clara University, 500 El Camino Real, Santa Clara, 408.554.4015 or www.scu.edu/cpa.

Poetry Center Events Poetry Center San Jose hosts a weekend of educational events and readings. Poet Elizabeth Robinson, on the MFA faculty of the University of San Francisco, leads a workshop, "Poetry as Play: Lively Ways of Generating New Poems." Sat, March 20, 9am-5pm. $125 nonmembers/$100 members. Later in the day, Robinson will read from her works. Sat, March 20, 7:30pm. $7 nonmembers/$5 members/$3 students and seniors. Flash fiction writer Chris Fink will read from his works at a "Firehouse Reading," which will be followed by an open reading. Sun, March 21, 2pm. Free admission. Events take place at various facilities at History Park, 1650 Senter Rd, San Jose, 408.292.3254 or www.pcsj.org.

Rounding Third San Jose Repertory Theatre presents a play about two little league coaches trying to cope with fatherhood. Preview night 8pm. Also previews Sun, March 21, 2pm and 7pm, Wed, March 24, noon and 8pm. $18-$52. San Jose Repertory Theatre, 101 Paseo de San Antonio, San Jose, 408.367.7255 or www.sjrep.com.

Spring Benefit Concert The De Anza College Women's Choir, the Choraliers and the Union Sanctuary Choir perform a benefit for the Bill Wilson Center. 4pm. Voluntary contributions accepted. Union Church of Cupertino, 20900 Stevens Creek Blvd, Cupertino.

Sun, March 21

Count Basie Orchestra The big band founded by the swing legend Count Basie performs 1940s favorites. 7pm. Call for ticket information. Heritage Theatre, 1 W. Campbell Ave, Campbell, 408.866.2797.

Life Orchestra The Life Orchestra, comprised of young musicians, performs classical music as well as Chinese folk music. 3pm. $10 donation. Foothill Presbyterian Church, 5301 McKee Rd, San Jose, 408.258.8133.

Montalvo Gallery Opening day for "Ming Fay: Money Tree and Monkey Pots," an installation of sculpture by renowned Chinese artist Ming Fay. Reception and artist talk: Sun, March 21, 2pm. Montalvo Gallery, 15400 Montalvo Rd, Saratoga, 408.961.5813.

Newport Jazz Festival Allstars The San Jose Jazz Society presents a concert of modern jazz greats that includes Jeremy Pelt, Cedar Walton, Howard Alden, Lew Tabackin and Peter Washington. 7pm. $30-$35. Carriage House Theatre, Villa Montalvo, 15400 Montalvo Rd, Saratoga, 408.288.7557 or www.sanjosejazz.org.

Silicon Valley Woodwind Quintet The quintet closes out the San Jose Museum of Art's Winter Classical Music Series. 2pm.
$5-$10. San Jose Museum of Art,
110 S. Market St, San Jose, 408.294.2787
or www.SanJoseMuseumofArt.org.

Sunday Series The San Jose Jazz Society presents a series of jazz concerts through March. Featured this week: the Dave Ellis Ensemble. $10-$15. Palm Room, Hyatt Sainte Claire, Market and San Carlos streets, San Jose, 408.288.7557 or see www.sanjosejazz.org

Ursula Oppens The Steinway Society the Bay Area presents acclaimed pianist Ursula Oppens performing a program of Beethoven, Scriabin, Lou Harrison and Ravel. Oppens has received numerous awards, including the first prize at the 1970 Busoni International Competition. 7pm. $15-$25. Le Petit Trianon, 72 N. Fifth St, San Jose, 408.246.4200 or www.steinwaythebayarea.com.

Young Musicians of the Bay Area Classical pianist George Lu performs at the first of a new series of concerts featuring local young musicians. 4pm. Free. Community School of Music & Arts, 230 San Antonio Circle, Mountain View, 650.917.6800 or www.arts4all.org.

Mon, March 22

Saratoga Community Band The 85-member band performs a program of overtures, marches, popular music, Broadway and light classics. 7:30pm. Free. Saratoga Civic Theatre, 13777 Fruitvale Ave, Saratoga, www.Saratogaband.org.