Fri, Jan 16

Charisma! Charisma members present their fourth annual performance, celebrating spirituality through music, dance and the spoken word. Fri, Jan 16, 8pm. Also, Sat, Jan 17, 8pm and Sun, Jan 18, 2pm. Free admission, donations accepted. Fess Parker Studio Theater, Santa Clara University, 500 El Camino Real, Santa Clara, 408.554.4015.

Family Concert The Winchester Orchestra of San Jose presents its annual Free Family Concert. Conducted by Henry Mollicone, the performance features music by Franz Liszt and Francis Poulenc. Fri, Jan 16, 8pm, Crossroads Church Auditorium, 1670 Moorpark Ave, San Jose. Also Sun, Jan 18, 7pm, Congregational Community Church of Sunnyvale,
1112 Bernardo Ave, Sunnyvale.
408.269.1905.

Sat, Jan 17

Acoustic Guitar and Vocals Singer-songwriter Philip Rodriguez performans original music and songs from other musicians such as Leonard Cohen and Johnny Cash. Opening act Bev Barnett and Greg Newlon play
"soul-influenced folk-country" harmonies. Sat, Jan 17, 8pm (doors open at 7pm). $10. Espresso Garden & Cafe, 814 S. Bascom Ave, San Jose. 408.298.0808 or
www.espressogarden.com.

California Theatre Center Plays for the whole family. "Bremen Town Musicians," Sat, Jan 17, 11am 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.

Children's Art Workshop Special activities for pre-kindergarteners. "Whirls, Swirls and Twirls," movement as seen through art will be the focus of this month's workshop, which will include a tour of the galleries, storytelling and an art project. Sat, Jan 17, 11:30am-12:30pm. $5-$7. Reservations suggested. Triton Museum of Art, 1505 Warburton Ave, Santa Clara, 408.247.3754.

Peninsula Symphony Cabaret singer Wesla Whitfield joins the symphony for an all-Gershwin program. Sat, Jan 17, 8pm. Call for ticket info. Flint Center, 21250 Stevens Creek Blvd, Cupertino, 650.941.5291 or
www.peninsulasymphony.org.

San Jose Museum of Art Opening day for "Jack Fulton: the Origins of Everything, an exhibit of black-and-white photography. Thru Sep 12. 110 S. Market St, San Jose, 408.294.2787.

Sun, Jan 18

Chinese Music and Dance Chinese Performing Artists of America perform Chinese music and dance. Sun, Jan 18, 2:30pm and 4:30pm. Free. Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro St, Mountain View, 650.903.6000.

Museum Community Day Hands-on art activities, docent-led tours and refreshments marks the opening of a new exhibit, "Americanos: Latino Life in the United States." Sun, Jan 18, 1pm-4pm. de Saisset Museum, Santa Clara University, 500 El Camino Real,
Santa Clara, www.scu.edu/deSaisset

Sunday Series The San Jose Jazz Society presents a series of jazz concerts through March. Featured this week: Pianist Taylor Eigsti's Trio. Sun, Jan 18, 3pm. $10-$15. Palm Room, Hyatt Sainte Claire, Market and San Carlos streets, San Jose, 408.288.7557 or see www.sanjosejazz.org

Wed, Jan 21

Memphis TheatreWorks and North Shore Music Theatre presents the world premiere of a new musical about the birth of rock & roll. Preview night, Wed, Jan 21, 8pm. Also previews Thu, Jan 22-Fri, Jan 23, 8pm. Opening night, Sat, Jan 24, 8pm. Thru Feb 15. $20-$48. Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro St, Mountain View, 650.903.6000 or www.theatreworks.org.

Fri, Jan 23

Pear Avenue Theatre "A Fair Country," a play about an American family in South Africa in the 1980s, opens Jan 23 with an opening night gala. Directed by William Kenney. Thru Feb 8; Thu-Sat at 8pm, Sun at 2pm. $20-$25 opening night gala/$10-$20 other performances. Pear Avenue Theatre, 1220 Pear Ave, Unit K, Mountain View. Call 650.254.1148 or visit www.thepear.org.

Sat, Jan 24

Ballet San Jose Silicon Valley A performance of selections from a production of "Blue Suede Shoes" and previews from the upcoming ballet "Coppelia." A champagne reception follows, with an opportunity to meet Ballet San Jose Silicon Valley artistic director Dennis Nahat and dancers from the company. 6pm. Adults $40, children $20. Jennings Pavilion, Holbrook Palmer Park, Atherton, 650.482.9824.

Ongoing

Dreamgirls American Musical Theatre of San Jose presents the Tony award-winning musical based on the rise to stardom of the Supremes. The show stars American Idol singer Frenchie Davis. Thu, Jan 15-Fri, Jan 16, 8pm, Sat, Jan 17, 2pm and 8pm, Sun, Jan 18, 1pm and 6:30pm, Wed, Jan 21, 2pm and 8pm. Thru Sun, Jan 25. $44.50-$75.50. San Jose Center for the Performing Arts, 255 Almaden Blvd, San Jose, 888.455.SHOW or www.amtsj.org.

Euphrat Museum of Art "Closing the Distance," an exhibit of works by five artists who explore migrations between one continent and another, the connections between those two locales and how those connectons might change over time. A reception will be held Tue, Jan 20, 6pm-8pm, with artist presentations.Thru Feb 5. Hours: Mon-Thu, 10am-4pm. De Anza College, 21250 Stevens Creek Blvd, Cupertino, 408.864.8836 or http://www.deanza.edu/euphrat/.

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.

Listening Hour The San Jose State school of music and dance hosts a regular music series featuring a variety of performances: classical, jazz and world music. Every Tue and Thu, 12:30pm-1:15pm. Concert Hall, San Jose State University, 408.924.4631.

Montalvo Gallery "Inez Storer: Encore Narratives," recent works by Inez Storer. Part of a collaborative exhibit of Storer's works, also at the de Saisset Museum and the San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art. Thru March 7. "Sculpture on the Grounds," a new installation piece created by sculptor Herb Parker during his residency at Montalvo. Thru May 3, 2004. Montalvo, 15400 Montalvo Road, Saratoga, 408.961.5813.

San Jose Museum of Art "Hidden Lives: Eleanor Prager and Don Martin," works from the museum's permanent collection thru Jan. "The Not-So-Still Life: A Century of California Painting and Sculpture." Thru Feb 15. "Keeping Company: A Painter and Three Poets," art inspired by poets . Thru March 14. "Hortus Contemplatonis Nature Morte," an installation by Shirley Alexandra Watts. Thru March 28. "Beyond Tradition: Permanent Collection Photographs," a survey of new and less-recent acquisitions from the museum's permanent collection. Thru Aug 22. 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 and Textiles "Moe Uhani Nani: Contemporary Hawaiian Quilts." Thru Jan 18. San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles, 110 Paseo de San Antonio, San Jose, 408.971.0323 or www.sjquiltmuseum.org.

Triton Museum of Art "Winter Work," the second exhibition in an ongoing series that highlights the works of artists who teach. Thru Feb 15. "New Works by California Artists," oils on linen and pastels on paper by Bay Area artist Bob Gerbracht. Thru Jan. Works by Theodore Wores. Thru February. 1505 Warburton Ave, Santa Clara, 408.247.3754 or www.tritonmuseum.org.

Stanford's Cantor Arts Center "Hudson River School Masterworks," an exhibition of 55 paintings that include works by Thomas Cole, Frederic Church and others. "Print Matters: Explorations With Paper in Contemporary Prints." Ongoing thru Oct. ""Portraits by a Victorian Photographer," photos by Julia Margaret Cameron, which include portraits of Tennyson and Darwin. Thru Feb. 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 Drive), Stanford, 650.723.4177 or www.stanford.edu/dept/ccva.

WORKS/San Jose California Society of Printmakers 90th Annual Members' Exhibition, featuring works by more than 100 printmakers. Thru Jan 31. 30 N. Third St, San Jose, 408.295.8378 or www.workssanjose.org.