Now Playing

The Aliens: Two young men in a New England town meditating on music, philosophy, drugs, and Bukowski find a disciple behind a coffeehouse. Tuesdays-Saturdays. Through May 5. $20-$70. SF Playhouse, 533 Sutter (at Powell), 677-9596.

Audium 9: Spatial electronic orchestrations and sound sculptures. Early arrival is advised. Fridays, Saturdays, 8:30 p.m. $20. Audium-Theatre of Sound-Sculptured Space, 1616 Bush (at Franklin), 771-1616.

Theatresports: Featuring BATS Improv team. Fridays, 8 p.m. Through March 23. $17-$20. Bayfront Theater, 16 Marina (at Laguna), 474-6776.

Beach Blanket Babylon: Steve Silver's musical revue spoofs pop culture with extravagant costumes. Wednesdays-Sundays. $25-$130. Club Fugazi, 678 Green (at Powell), 421-4222.

Becoming Grace: Solo performance by Naomi Newman. March 22-25. $10-$20. The Jewish Theatre, 470 Florida (at Mariposa), 292-1233.

Big City Improv: Actors take audience suggestions and create comedy from nothing. Fridays, 10 p.m. $15-$20. www.bigcityimprov.com. Shelton Theater, 533 Sutter (at Powell), 433-3040.

A Bright Room Called Day: A play by Tony Kushner about a woman who protects her circle of creative and activist friends from the Nazis' rise to power in 1930s Berlin. Thursdays-Sundays; Through April 8. Through April 1. $20-$32. Gough Street Playhouse, 1620 Gough (at Bush).

The Business: A Comedy Show: Sketch and stand-up comedy. Wednesdays, 8 p.m. $5. Dark Room Theater, 2263 Mission (at 18th St.), 401-7987.

Certitude and Joy: Operatic take on mothers who kill their children during psychotic episodes. Sun., March 25, 8 p.m. $25-$35. Bindlestiff Studio, 185 6th St. (at Howard), 255-0440.

Chinese Ballroom Improv Show: Improv comedy show. Sat., March 24, 8:30 p.m. $5. The Phoenix Theatre, 414 Mason (at Post), 989-0023.

Clayton and Gomes: Buddy Cops: Spoof of a TV cop show in which two partners solve a murder. Fridays, Saturdays. Through March 24. $20. Dark Room Theater, 2263 Mission (at 18th St.), 401-7987.

Computer Face: Kirk Read's one-man show. Starting March 23. Fridays, Saturdays, 8 p.m. Through March 31. $10-$20. 885-4006. The Garage, 975 Howard (at Sixth St.), 885-4006.

Will Durst's Elect to Laugh: A comedy sketch chasing down the presidential election cycle. Tuesdays. $15-$35. The Marsh Theater, 1062 Valencia (at 22nd St.), 826-5750.

Hot Greeks: An ancient Greek tragedy meets a modern-day football comedy meets theater of the absurd in this remake of a play by San Francisco's Cockettes. Thursdays-Saturdays, 8 p.m. Through May 5. $30-$69. The Hypnodrome, 575 10th St. (at Bryant), (800) 838-3006.

Improvised Shakespeare: Audiences chooses the title of every performance. Improv actors then create an original story in the style and language of the Bard. Saturdays, 8 p.m. Through March 24. $17-$20. Bayfront Theater, 16 Marina (at Laguna), 474-6776.

It's All the Rage: Solo performance by Marilyn Pittman about a murder-suicide in her family. Through April 14. $15-$50. The Marsh Cafe and Gallery, 1070 Valencia (at 22nd St.), 826-5750.

Julius Caesar: Adaption of the Shakespeare. Saturdays, Sundays. Through April 1. $10-$35. Buriel Clay Theater, 762 Fulton (at Webster), 762-2071.

Kipling Hotel: Don Reed's solo show. Saturdays, Sundays. Through May 6. $20-$50. The Marsh Berkeley, 2120 Allston (at Shattuck), Berkeley, (510) 704-8291.

The Laramie Project: 10 Years Later: Members of the Tectonic Theatre Project return to Laramie a decade after the killing of gay college student Matthew Shepard to gauge the tragedy's effect on the town and its people. Wednesdays-Sundays. Through April 29. New Conservatory Theatre Center, 25 Van Ness (at Market), 861-8972.

A Lie of the Mind: A family drama by Sam Shepard. Through April 14. $15-$35. Boxcar Playhouse, 505 Natoma (at Sixth St.), 776-1747.

Maurice: An aristocratic Englishman declares his love for a male friend during a time when homsexuality is outlawed in Britain. Wednesdays-Sundays. Through April 7. $25-$45. New Conservatory Theatre Center, 25 Van Ness (at Market), 861-8972.

Merchants: No Nude Men Productions' story of two sisters caught in various quagmires while pursuing financial stability and career satisfaction. Thursdays-Saturdays. Through March 24. $5-$20. Exit Stage Left, 156 Eddy (at Taylor), 673-3847.

Monday Night Marsh: Musicians, actors, performance artists, and others stage works in progress. Mondays. $7. The Marsh Theater, 1062 Valencia (at 22nd St.), 826-5750.

Octopus's Garden: Play about ethical quandaries involving a same-sex couple, a kid, and the biological father. Saturdays, 8 p.m. Through April 7. $20-$25. Alcove Theater, 414 Mason (at Geary).

The Real Americans: Dan Hoyle's one-man show. Fridays, Saturdays. Through April 14. $25-$50. The Marsh Theater, 1062 Valencia (at 22nd St.), 826-5750.

The Rita Hayworth of This Generation: Story of Carmelita Cristina Rivera, a queer Latina performer whose passion, power, and heartache drive her to gamble everything and move to Las Vegas. Saturdays, Sundays, 8 p.m. Through April 7. $12-$20. Shotwell Studios, 3252A 19th St. (at Folsom), 920-2223.

Secret Improv Society: Underground improvisational theater. Saturdays, 10 p.m. $15. Shelton Theater, 533 Sutter (at Powell), 433-3040.

Shopping! The Musical: Songs and sketches about shopping. Fridays, Saturdays, 8 p.m. $23-$29. www.shoppingthemusical.com. Shelton Theater, 533 Sutter (at Powell), 433-3040.

Some Thing: Art drag night with craft table. Fridays. $5. The Stud, 399 Ninth St. (at Harrison), 863-6623.

Tony 'n' Tina's Wedding: Saturdays, 7 p.m.; Fridays, 7 p.m. $88.50-$115.50. www.tonyandtinasanfrancisco.com. Imperial Palace, 818 Washington (at Grant), 956-9888.

True West: First in a series of repertory plays by Sam Shepard. Through April 7. $15-$35. Boxcar Theatre Studios, 125A Hyde (at Golden Gate).

Waiting for Godot: Beckett's minimalist play. Thursdays-Saturdays. Through April 14. $20-$32. SF Playhouse, 533 Sutter (at Powell), 677-9596.

Waiting Period: Solo performance about depression by actor, playwright, author and talk show host Brian Copeland. Fridays, Saturdays. Through April 27. $20-$50. The Marsh Theater, 1062 Valencia (at 22nd St.), 826-5750.

What About Ben?: Written by Lee Brady. Thursdays, 7:30 p.m.; Sundays, 7 p.m. Through April 1. $30. The Thick House, 1695 18th St. (at Arkansas), 401-8081.