Fri, April 30

Circus Chimera A traveling circus troupe that performs acrobatics, aerial acts, precision juggling and more for children of all ages. 7:30pm. Also May 1, 1:30pm, 4:30pm and 7:30pm and May 2, noon, 3pm and 6pm. $10-$22. Mexican Heritage Plaza, 1700 Alum Rock Rd, San Jose, 888.ONE.RING.

Elvin Bishop Downhome blues guitarist. 8pm. $30-$35. Carriage House Theatre, 15400 Montalvo Rd, Saratoga, 408.961.5858 or www.villamontalvo.org.

Hamlet San Jose State University Department of Television, Radio, Film and Theatre presents Shakespeare's classic tragedy. April 30-May 1, 7pm. Thru May 8. $10-$15. University Theatre, Fifth and San Fernando streets, San Jose, 408.924.4552.

New Century Chamber Orchestra The orchestra concludes its season with a program of Grieg, Shostakovch and Mendelssohn. 8pm. $28-$39. First United Methodist Church, 625 Hamilton Ave, Palo Alto, 415.357.1111 or www.ncco.org.

Sabrina Fair Tabard Theatre Company presents a romantic comedy about a chauffeur's daughter who grows up, gets educated and impresses the sons of her father's employer. Fri, April 30, 8pm; Sat, May 1, 3pm and 8pm. Thru May 8. $10-$15. 590 Shawnee Lane, San Jose, 408.979.0231 or www.tabardtheatre.org.

Sat, May 1

Anything Goes Gala TheatreWorks presents its annual costumed fundraising gala. Guests will enjoy cocktails, a sit-down dinner, dancing and a live auction which features exclusive items such as Broadway backstage tours and a chance to meet Liam Neeson. $250 per person. TheatreWorks Menlo Park Scene Shop, 1110 Hamilton Court, Menlo Park, 650.463.7152 or www.theatreworks.org

Poetry Center Workshops Poetry Center San Jose hosts poetry workshops focusing on music and metaphor with Sally Ashton. May 1 and 8, 10am-11:30am. $25 per class; $40 for both. Payment due with registration. History Park, 1650 Senter Rd, San Jose, 408.378.7536 or www.pcsj.org.

Silicon Valley Open Studios The 18th annual self-guided tour of local artist studios kicks off the first of three weekends of tours of artists' studios throughout the South Bay. May 1-2 features studios in Campbell, Gilroy, Los Gatos, Milpitas, Morgan Hill, San Jose, San Martin, Santa Clara, Scotts Valley and others. For more information or a directory of artists, visit www.svopenstudios.org.

Sun, May 2

CD Release Concert Featuring Brian Bensing and Jeff Pelletier on flute and Marja Mutru on piano performing works by Gary Schocker, J.S. Bach and Franz Doppler. 7pm. $10 per person/$5 students/$20 family. Unitarian Universalist Church, Palo Alto, www.brianbensing.com.

In the Olde Barbershop A performance of barbershop quartet singing featuring the Peninsulaires Chorus, the 2002 Far Western District Small Chapter Chorus Champions, and Q, the 2003 Far Western District Quartet Champions. 3pm. $11.50-$21.50. Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro St, Mountain View, 408.866.6458 or www.barbershop-harmony.org.

Ramona Quimby Theater for families. 1pm and 3pm. $8-$16. Carriage House Theatre, 15400 Montalvo Rd, Saratoga, 408.961.5858 or www.villamontalvo.org.

Saratoga Rotary Art Show An art show featuring works by more than 175 professional artists, live entertainment, food and drink and a children's area. Partial proceeds from art sales benefit local charities. 9am-5pm. West Valley College, 14000 Fruitvale Ave, Saratoga, www.saratogarotary.org.

Saratoga Symphony The all-volunteer 50-piece orchestra performs Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 1 with pianist Julia Greer, Jacob's Fantasia on the Alleluia Hymn and Hadyn's St. Nicolai Mass with St. Andrew's choir. 3pm. Free. St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, 13601 Saratoga Ave, Saratoga.

Sunnyvale Singers The choir, a community choral group of 50 members, performs "Can't Buy Me Love," a special spring concert directed by Asa Stern. 3pm. Sunnyvale Church of the Nazarene, 636 W. Fremont Ave, Sunnyvale. $10 adults/$8 seniors or children. 408.738.2145 or www.sunnyvalesingers.com

Young Musicians of the Bay Area Series The Community School of Arts and Music presents a performance by guest artists from Jazzschool Berkeley's Advanced Jazz Workshops. 4pm-5:40pm. Free. 230 San Antonio Circle, Mountain View, 650.917.6800 or www.arts4all.org.

Tue, May 4

Cabaret Showcase San Francisco cabaret artists Tammy Nelson and Phillip Williams perform, with Ed Goldfarb on piano. Followed by an open mic. Every Tue, 8pm. $10 (students $5). Theatre on San Pedro Square, 29 N. San Pedro St, San Jose, 408.283.0200 ext 15 or www.tosps.com.

Wed, May 5

Jazz Jams The San Jose Jazz Society presents a weekly jam night for anyone who would like to perform on stage with a professional band. Children under 21 accompanied by an adult are welcome. Wed, 8pm-11pm. $5. Waves Smokehouse and Saloon, 65 Post St, San Jose, www.sanjosejazz.org.

Ongoing

Approaching Zanzibar The Pear Avenue Theatre presents a play about a family that learns some lessons about life while on a road trip to visit an elderly relative. April 29-May 1, 8pm; May 2, 2pm. Thru May 9. $10-$20. Pear Avenue Theatre, 1220 Pear Avenue, Mountain View, 650.254.1148 or www.thepear.org.

Dare to Dream Arts Council Silicon Valley presents a multimedia exhibition of student artworks. Thru Aug 1. de Saisset Museum, 500 El Camino Real, Santa Clara, 408.554.4528.

Fiddler on the Roof Sunnyvale Community Players presents the beloved musical about life in a small Russian village. Thu, April 29, 7:30pm. Fri, April 30-Sat, May 1 8pm. Closes Sun, May 2, 2:30pm. $13-$18. Sunnyvale Community Center, 550 E. Remington Dr, Sunnyvale, 408.733.6611 or www.sunnyvaleplayers.org.

Macbeth Renegade Theatre Experiment presents Shakespeare's tragedy about a power-mad Scottish noble. Thu, April 29-Fri, April 30, 8pm. Closes Sat, May 1, 8pm. $12-$18. City Lights Theatre, 529 S. Second St, San Jose, 408.351.4440 or www.renegadetheatre.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.

Montalvo Gallery "Ming Fay: Money Tree and Monkey Pods," an installation of sculpture by renowned Chinese artist Ming Fay. Thru June 20. Also: "Sculpture on the Grounds," a new installation piece created by sculptor Herb Parker during his residency at Montalvo. Thru May 3, 2004. Montalvo Gallery, Villa Montalvo, 15400 Montalvo Rd, Saratoga, 408.961.5813.

Rosicrucian Museum "Rare Books of the Rosicrucian Library," an exhibit of a variety of rare books on a number of subjects, including scientific and religious volumes, some dating back 400 years. Thru Aug 15. Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum, 1342 Naglee Ave, San Jose, 408.947.3636 or www.egyptianmuseum.org.

San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art "The Art of Exchange: Stuttgart-San Jose," a collaborative exchange between the ICA and the Walter Bischoff Gallery in Stuttgart, Germany. Thru June 4. Also "Collaboration and the Creative Process," artists' books by Manuel Neri and Mary Julia Klimenko. Also on display, as part of the Night Moves series (on display nightly in the gallery windows): "Air Drill" by Shannon Wright, thru June 4. San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art, 451 S. First St, San Jose, 408.283.8155.