Thu, Sep 11

Noises Off San Jose Repertory Theatre opens its season with the popular farce about a bad play. Preview night, 8pm. Opens Fri, Sep 12, 8pm. Also plays Sat, Sep 13, 3pm and 8pm, Sun, Sep 14, 2pm and 7pm, Tue, Sep 16-Wed, Sep 17, 8pm. Thru Oct 5. $18-$52. San Jose Repertory Theatre, 101 Paseo de San Antonio, San Jose, 408.367.7255 or www.sjrep.com.

Talking Art The San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art presents the first in a series of monthly salon-style discussions focusing on issues of importance to the Bay Area artistic community. Tonight's discussion is: "The Gallery Game," an exploration of the gallery system and the structure of the art world through the eyes of art dealers. Every second Thu, 6pm-7pm (schmoozing), 7pm-9pm (discussion). Free to SJICA members/$5 nonmembers. San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art, 451 S. First St, San Jose, 408.283.8155.

Fri, Sep 12

Bye Bye Birdie Sunnyvale Community Players present a 1950s comic musical about the trouble a teen idol's publicity stunt causes a small town. Opening night, 8pm. Also plays Sat, Sep 13, 8pm, Sun, Sep 14, 2:30pm. Thru Oct 5. $13-$18. Sunnyvale Community Center Theatre, 550 E. Remington Drive, Sunnyvale, 408.733.6611 or www.sunnyvalecommunityplayers.org.

Chris Botti and Brian Culbertson Jazz trumpeter Botti and versatile jazz composer Culbertson perform. Fri, Sep 12, 8pm.$30-$60. Garden Theatre, Villa Montalvo, 15400 Montalvo Rd, Saratoga, 408.961.5858.

Funny Girl American Musical Theatre of San Jose opens its season with a musical about the life of entertainer Fanny Brice. Preview night, 8pm. Opens Sat, Sep 13, 8pm. Also plays Sun, Sep 14, 1pm and 6:30pm, Tue, Sep 16-Wed, Sep 17, 8pm. Thru Sep 28. $44.50-$75.50. San Jose Center for the Performing Arts, 255 Almaden Blvd, San Jose, 888.455.SHOW or www.amtsj.org.

Sat, Sep 13

Triton Museum of Art Opening day for "New Works by California Artists: Ron Guzman." Opening reception and gallery walk: Thu, Sep 25. Thru Nov 9. 1505 Warburton Ave, Santa Clara, 408.247.3754 or www.tritonmuseum.org.

Sun, Sep 14

Art Museum of Los Gatos A reception for an exhibit of whimsical multimedia sculptures by Richard Knight. 1pm. Exhibit runs thru Sep 26. Tait and Main streets, Los Gatos, 408.354.0071

Jackson Browne The legendary singer-songwriter presents a special fundraiser for Ronnie Lott's All Stars Helping Kids and Montalvo's Education and Outreach. 4pm. $60-$300. Garden Theatre, Villa Montalvo, 15400 Montalvo Rd, Saratoga, 408.961.5858.

Los Gatos-Saratoga Community Concerts The Community Concert association opens its 56th season with a performance by the San Jose Brass Quintet Plus One. The group will perform music ranging from baroque to Dixieland. 2:30pm. $20 ($5 students). Los Gatos High School Auditorium, High School Court and Main Street, Los Gatos, 408.377.1106 or 408.356.5698.

Triton Museum of Art Opening reception for "A Woman's Place," an exhibit of works by the South Bay Area Women's Caucus for Art. 1pm-3pm. Thru Sep 29 at the Rose Shenson Community Art Gallery at the Triton. 1505 Warburton Ave, Santa Clara, 408.247.3754 or www.tritonmuseum.org.

Ongoing

Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story San Jose Stage Company presents a play that tells the story of early rock & roll legend Buddy Holly, featuring Holly's music. Thu, Sep 11-Sat, Sep 13, 8pm, Sun, Sep 14, 2pm, Wed, Sep 17, 8pm. $28-$38. Extended thru Sep 28. San Jose Stage Company, 490 S. First St, San Jose, 408.283.7142 or www.sanjosestage.com.

d.p. Fong Galleries "N-Style Fashion" blown glass artworks by Todd Kobashi. Thru Sep 30. 371 S. First St, San Jose, 408.298.8877.

Don Pasquale Opera San Jose presents Donizetti's well-loved opera buffa about an old man who gets taught a lesson in love with a sham marriage. Fri, Sep 12-Sat, Sep 13, 8pm, Sun, Sep 14, 3pm, Tue, Sep 16, 8pm. Thru Sep 27. $43-$63. Montgomery Theatre, Market and San Carlos streets, San Jose, 408.437.4450 or www.operasj.org.

Japanese American Museum "1942: Luggage From Home to Camp." Thru June 2004. Tue-Fri, 11am-3pm, Sun, 11am-2pm. 535 N. Fifth St, San Jose, 408.294.3138 or www.jamsj.org.

Keeble & Shuchat "Hakone Gardens," photographs by Cheryl Pope. Thru Oct 13.
Mon-Sat, 9am-5:30pm. 290 California Ave, Palo Alto.

A Midsummer Night's Dream The Shady Shakespeare Theatre Company presents Shakespeare's magical romantic comedy.
Fri, Sep 12-Sun, Sep 14, 7pm. Thru Sep 14. Free (parking $4). Sanborn Skyline County Park, 16055 Sanborn Road (off Highway 9), Saratoga, 408.298.0649 or see www.shadyshakes.org.

Montalvo Gallery "Bean Finneran: Arcs in Time," an exhibition of site-specific installations in ceramic sculpture by artist Bean Finneran. Thru Nov 2. Regular gallery hours are Wed-Sun, 1pm-4pm. Montalvo Gallery, Villa Montalvo, 15400 Montalvo Rd, Saratoga, 408.961.5813.

San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art "Introductions South," a group show of works by emerging artists. Thru Sep 20. Also: "I'm the Pretty One," a nighttime installation by Kerry Loewen, thru Oct 25, and "Dwellings," a nighttime installation by Tracy Snelling. Thru Sep 20. Tue-Fri, 10am-5pm, Sat, noon-5pm. Closed Sun and Mon. 451 S. First St, San Jose, 408.283.8155 or www.sjica.org.

San Jose Museum of Art "Keith Carter: Poet of the Ordinary," an exhibit of black-and-white photography. Thru Sep 14. "Bean Finnerean Installation," sculptures of thousands of hanmade clay cylinders (thru Oct) and "Hidden Lives: Eleanor Prager and Don Martin," works from the museum's permanent collection (thru Jan 2004). "Collection Highlights," an exhibit of works from the museum's permanent collection. Thru Fri, Sept 12. Walking tours of public art in downtown San Jose. Docents lead four different 45-minute tours, which alternate weeks. Rain cancels tours. Every Mon thru Sep 29, noon. Meet at the museum. Tue-Sun, 11am-5pm, Fri, 11am-10pm, closed Mon. 110 S. Market St, San Jose, 408.271.6840 or www.sjmusart.org.

San Jose Museum of Quilts "Under Cover: Political Expressions in Traditional Quilts," an exhibition which focuses on traditional American quilts that give voice to political viewpoints or support political movements or social causes. Museum admission $4-$5. Thru Oct 26. Tue-Wed, Fri-Sun, 10am-5pm, Thu, 10am-8pm. San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles, 110 Paseo de San Antonio, San Jose, 408.971.0323 or www.sjquiltmuseum.org.

Stanford's Cantor Arts Center "Print Matters: Explorations With Paper in Contemporary Prints." Ongoing thru Oct. "The Changing Garden: Four Centuries of European and American Art." Thru May 2004. The center also features free docent-led tours of the Stanford campus' outdoor art collection. Two different tours are offered, one on the first Sun of the month, the other on the third Sun of the month. Both tours begin at 2pm. Tours are held rain or shine on an ongoing basis. Wed-Sun, 11am-5pm, Thu, 11am-8pm. Cantor Arts Center, Stanford University, Museum Way (off Palm Dr), Stanford, 650.723.4177 or www.stanford.edu/dept/ccva.

Triton Museum of Art An exhibit of abstract works by Mike Henderson. Reception: Thu, Sep 18, 6pm-8pm. Thru Nov 2. "New Works by California Artists: Ev Thomas." Thru Sep. Works by Theodore Wores. Thru Feb 2004. Mon-Wed, 11am-5pm, Thu, 11am-9pm, Fri-Sun, 11 am-5pm. 1505 Warburton Ave, Santa Clara, 408.247.3754 or www.tritonmuseum.org.