East Bay arts scene fills fall with music, theater and more

One of the best things about living in the East Bay is the blessed ubiquity of arts year-round. Ah, but autumn and its abundances! This transitional season of harvest and cooling climes downright begs for artful outings. On stages and in spaces throughout the region, our local artists and deep thinkers bring dynamic performances, fresh perspectives and a cornucopia of exciting entertainment. Let’s open our minds and calendars for the feast of fancies we’ve gathered as a preview below.

THEATER

Blending circus arts, live music, lavish dining and immersive storytelling, The Soiled Dove vows once again to transport audiences into another time and place. Presented by the Vau de Vire Society, this reimagined waterfront Big Top production features the return of legendary singer, activist, author and cultural icon Joan Baez in an entirely new role. Sept. 4-Oct. 10 at Alameda Point’s Radium Runway; thesoileddove.com.

Berkeley Rep presents The Cook, directed by David Mendizábal (All My Sons, Mexodus) and written by Cuban-American playwright, television producer and educator Eduardo Machado. Fleeing to Miami during the Cuban Revolution, an aristocratic family entrusts their Havana mansion to their cook, Gladys, who faithfully guards it for 40 years. When the family’s daughter eventually returns, Gladys realizes she sacrificed everything for a bond that was long forgotten. Sept. 4-Oct. 11 at Peet’s Theatre, 2025 Addison St., Berkeley, berkeleyrep.org.

Directed by Matt M. Morrow, CenterREP’s revised classic, The Glass Menagerie, explores “the cost of personal freedom, the depth of sibling bonds and the consequences of seeking the truth.” Deserting his family in a 1930s St. Louis slum, Tom is consumed by guilt. He must investigate what led him to abandon his family—and perhaps his soul. Sept. 6-27 at Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek, centerrep.org.

In Shotgun Players’ The Fall Show, created by Erika Chong Shuch and Charles Mee, an older couple’s unexpected romance unfolds through memory and movement, blending comfort and conflict. Chaos erupts and tenderness persists in an intimate examination of longlasting love. Sept. 25-Oct. 25 at Ashby Stage, 1901 Ashby Ave., Berkeley; shotgunplayers.org. 

Just in time for spooky season, CenterREP presents a 90-minute, gender-bending, fast-paced theatrical spoof of Bram Stoker’s gothic horror novel. The nationally acclaimed hit Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors is a tale told by five actors performing nearly 20 characters, turning a dark and bloody classic into a tour de force of unhinged, madcap comedy. Oct. 25-Nov. 15 at Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek; centerrep.org.

Another production by Berkeley Rep, Covenant takes place in a small Georgia town, where “superstitions and rumors abound.” When former local Johnny returns as a charismatic blues musician suspected of having made a deal with the devil, hidden secrets surface to consume the entire community. Hailed by The New York Times as “a striking Southern Gothic work,” York Walker’s play explores the fine line between truth, myth and belief. Nov. 6-Dec. 13 at Peet’s Theatre, 2025 Addison St., Berkeley; berkeleyrep.org. 

Cal Performances presents visionary South African artist William Kentridge’s The Head & the Load, with music composed and conceived by Philip Miller with Thuthuka Sibisi. Through dance, projection, speech, song, shadow play, costume and music, the production chronicles the untold history of the more than 2 million Africans who labored, fought and died during World War I. Nov. 12-15 at Henry J. Kaiser Center for the Arts, 10 10th St., Oakland; calperformances.org.

COMEDY

Good Medicine: A Night of Live Native Stand-Up returns to Oakland Museum for the fourth year featuring the best and brightest Native comedians across North America. Hosted and produced by comedian Jackie Keliiaa (Netflix), this year’s showcase includes Brian Bahe (CBS), Cheyenna Sapp (Acting Good), and Marc Yaffee (Showtime). Pre-show food available from Wahpepah’s Kitchen, with a Native artisan market. Guests are welcome to bring their own food and picnic blanket. 6-10pm Sept. 12 at OMCA Garden, 1000 Oak St., Oakland; museumca.org.

It’s Margaret Cho, everybody! Berkeley Rep presents an unfiltered evening of comedy from the comedic icon and native San Franciscan. In her new show, Choligarchy, Cho goes back to her roots as a political comedian. “I’m so frustrated with the state of the union and I know the only weapon I have is humor,” she writes on her website. “I want to fight fascism with everything I have. This will be my most blistering and brutally honest show yet!” As she continues to tackle difficult subjects with sensitivity and razor-sharp insight, she’s also fired up to tear down racism, homophobia and sexism. “We have to fight for what we have now, because if we wait any longer, it might be too late to save ourselves.” Sept. 15-19 at Roda Theatre, 2015 Addison St., Berkeley; berkeleyrep.org.

MUSIC

A Grammy-winning string quartet founded in Budapest, Hungary, and now based in Boulder, Colorado, Takács Quartet returns to Berkeley with pianist Jeremy Denk, along with the ensemble’s newest member, cellist Mihai Marica. The program features a work by Berkeley native Gabriela Lena Frank—who this year won both the Pulitzer Prize for Music and was named Composer of the Year by Musical America—that explores the extravagant delusions of Cervantes’ Don Quixote. Oct. 11 at Zellerbach Hall, 101 Zellerbach Hall, Berkeley; calperformances.org.

Berkeley Symphony presents Inheritance, led by maestro Kent Nagano in a program tracing J.S. Bach’s enduring legacy. The concert features Mendelssohn’s The Hebrides (Fingal’s Cave) and Symphony No. 5, the world premiere of Alex Nante’s Vater Unser, and pianist Mari Kodama on Mendelssohn’s Piano Concerto No. 1. Oct. 18 at Henry J. Kaiser Center for the Arts, 10 10th St., Oakland; berkeleysymphony.org.

Legendary American folk singer, songwriter and activist Judy Collins returns to Berkeley with Sweet Judy Blue Eyes: The Farewell Tour. The retrospective concert looks back on her six-decade-long career and pays tribute to the generations of artists she’s influenced. Oct. 18 at Zellerbach Hall, 101 Zellerbach Hall, Berkeley; calperformances.org.

Steve Reich at 90: A Birthday Celebration features Bang on a Can All-Stars and Ensemble Signal. Over 20 virtuosos unite for a one-night mini-festival honoring American composer Steve Reich’s 90th birthday with seminal and award-winning works. The performance features the Pulitzer-winning Double Sextet alongside the West Coast premiere of In All Your Ways. Oct. 24 at Zellerbach Hall, 101 Zellerbach Hall, Berkeley; calperformances.org.

The Complete Philip Glass Piano Etudes is a marathon tribute to the influential composer in his 90th year. Featuring pianists Timo Andres, Aaron Diehl, Daniela Liebman, Jason Moran and others. Nov. 20 at Zellerbach Hall, 101 Zellerbach Hall, Berkeley; calperformances.org.

As part of its Illuminations: “Innocence & Experience” programming, Cal Performances presents Jason Moran and the Harlem Hellfighters in James Reese Europe and The Absence of Ruin. This multidisciplinary work honors James Reese Europe, the Black composer and bandleader who helped popularize jazz in France during World War I. Blending jazz, a seven-piece horn section and visuals by Bradford Young, the performance explores memory and legacy in Black culture. Nov. 21 at Zellerbach Hall, 101 Zellerbach Hall, Berkeley; calperformances.org.

MUSEUMS

Featuring artworks across diverse historical periods, Some Particular Heaven: Ideas of Utopia in the BAMPFA Collection is a yearlong exhibition that invites visitors to explore spiritual, social, environmental and political possibilities. Rooted in the pursuit of social justice, it presents utopia as an ongoing project toward a future where all can thrive. Now through July 11 at Berkeley Art Museum & Pacific Film Archive, 2155 Center St., Berkeley; bampfa.org.

In September, the Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) opens its special exhibition, BeHere/1942: A New Lens on Japanese American Incarceration (Sept. 18-Dec. 27 at Great Hall), as explored by Japanese artist Masaki Fujihata through historic photographs, immersive installations and augmented reality experiences. Plus, Friday Nights at OMCA continues through October with live performances, DJ sets, dance lessons, hands-on activities, educator events and late-night access to galleries. And Spotlight Sundays returns on Sept. 20 with a screening of the documentary Alice Street, accompanied by performances from Malonga Arts Dance and Drums and a conversation exploring “community, cultural resilience and anti-displacement work in Oakland.” 1000 Oak St., Oakland; museumca.org.

DANCE

Cal Performances presents the North American premiere of The Australian Ballet: Oscar^© by Christopher Wheeldon, inspired by the literary legacy of Oscar Wilde. The performance explores themes of romance, sacrifice and forbidden love, interspersed with references to Wilde’s life and stories. Joby Talbot’s orchestral score is performed live by the Berkeley Symphony Orchestra. Sept. 25-27 at Zellerbach Hall, 101 Zellerbach Hall, Berkeley; calperformances.org.

Guinean multidisciplinary artist Yamoussa Bangoura leads Cirque Kalabanté in WOW (World of Words), a high-energy spectacle fusing traditional African movement and music with Montreal circus arts. Exploring the magic of shared respect and cultural transmission, this dynamic performance offers an uplifting visual experience for the whole family. Nov. 28-29 at Zellerbach Hall, 101 Zellerbach Hall, Berkeley; calperformances.org.

FILM

In conjunction with her residency at UC Berkeley as the Avenali Chair in the Humanities and Pajus Distinguished Visitor, BAMPFA presents a retrospective celebrating acclaimed French filmmaker Alice Diop. Through eight documentaries and her debut fiction feature, Saint Omer, Diop offers intimate, rigorous portrayals of lives in the Paris suburbs. Sept. 3-18 at BAMPFA, 2155 Center St., Berkeley; bampfa.org.

BAMPFA also presents a selection of the early films of Jean-Luc Godard in conjunction with a poster exhibition. The posters were commissioned by Tom Luddy and designed by American painter and graphic artist Gvido Augusts on the occasion of Godard’s first visit to Berkeley in 1968. Sept. 5-Nov. 19 at BAMPFA, 2155 Center St., Berkeley; bampfa.org.

An extensive retrospective of Martin Scorsese Pictures offers an in-depth look at Scorsese’s cinematic vision. The 11 films screening this fall—from Mean Streets (1973) to GoodFellas (1990)—“launched Scorsese’s career and established him as one of the important cinematic voices of his generation,” notes film curator Kate MacKay. Sept. 5-June 2027 at BAMPFA, 2155 Center St., Berkeley; bampfa.org.

BAMPFA’s long-running experimental film series Alternative Visions returns with 10 programs highlighting historical and contemporary works by dozens of artists, covering topics from AI to queer pioneer Barbara Hammer and conflict perception. Featuring guest appearances by filmmakers and archival screenings, including a program of films made by members of the Oakland-based Black Hole Collective Film Lab, the fall lineup offers an expansive look into boundary-pushing cinema. Sept. 9-Nov. 18 at BAMPFA, 2155 Center St., Berkeley; bampfa.org.

The 24th Oakland International Film Festival spans 11 days across multiple Oakland venues—including the Grand Lake Theater and Northeastern University’s Jeannik Méquet Littlefield Concert Hall. Presented by Oakland Film Society, this major festival features independent features, documentaries, shorts, industry panels and Q&As. Sept. 9-19; oaklandfilmfestival.org.

The 15th Annual Fist Up Film Festival showcases radical and independent social-justice cinema. Oct. 1-4 at La Peña Cultural Center, 3105 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley; fistup.tv/fistupfilmfestival.

TALKS

Michael Pollan explores the nature of human consciousness in his latest book, A World Appears: A Journey into Consciousness, through diverse scientific and philosophical perspectives. He will discuss these complex ideas and the intersection of consciousness and psychedelics with renowned neuroscientist Christof Koch. Oct. 13 at Zellerbach Hall, 101 Zellerbach Hall, Berkeley; calperformances.org.

Angela Davis in Conversation with Poulomi Saha: I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free features activist, author and icon Angela Davis reflecting on Nina Simone’s famous anthem. Davis will examine how the song’s themes offer fresh ways to imagine freedom within our current social context. The event concludes with a discussion moderated by Poulomi Saha, associate professor of English and chair of critical theory at UC Berkeley. Oct. 28 at Zellerbach Hall, 101 Zellerbach Hall, Berkeley; calperformances.org.