Thursday:
You’ve heard about the magic that is Cirque du Soleil, and now you can get a chance to see it for yourself, with Cirque Dreams. Based on the same circus-as-theater concept that Cirque du Soleil made popular, the show features everything from jugglers to acrobats and contortionists to clowns. This captivating show is produced by Neil Goldberg, the same man who produced the Cirque Ingenieux, the Cirque show that was performed in Atlantic City. Tickets are $19 to $50 and it is playing at San Diego Civic Center. The show runs through Jan. 11; showtimes vary. For more information, call (619) 570-1100.
Friday:
Kick off the first weekend of winter quarter the right way when Associated Students present TGIF with Flogging Molly. The band blends traditional Irish music with punk rock to create a sound that you won’t find anywhere else. Inspired by bands like the Dubliners and the Pogues, Flogging Molly takes Irish music and puts a whole new spin on it with wild, energetic live shows that will be sure to wake you up after a long first week. Local San Diego punk group Agent 51 opens. The show begins at 8 p.m. in Price Center Plaza, and is free for all UCSD students with valid ID. For more information, call (858) 534-5259.
For those interested in a unique form of dance, be sure to check out the 11th Annual Nations of San Diego International Dance Festival. Featuring dancers from countries around the world, the festival, put on by the San Diego Dance Alliance, is a way to promote dance in San Diego. The show runs through Jan. 18 at Mandeville Auditorium. Tickets are $15 to $25. For more information, call (619) 230-8623.
Saturday:
The Five Lesbian Brothers, a New York theater collective, is giving San Diego a dose of dark comedy with “”Brave Smiles Š Another Lesbian Tragedy.”” This production features an all-female cast of five and tells stories of 17 lesbian icons that are so over-the-top tragic that the comedy writes itself. The play opened in 1990 and stars Melissa Fernandes, Robin Christ, Wendy Waddell, Alison Riley and Jeanine Marquie. The show is playing at Diversionary Theatre and runs through Feb. 28. Tickets range from $22 to $30. For more information, call (619) 220-0097.
Relive the glory days with SoCal’s Fu Manchu. This early-1990s rock band gives listeners a flashback to the heavy guitar riffs of the 1970s, with music influenced by Layne Staley and Black Sabbath. If you’ve been missing the sounds of stoner, alternative metal, be sure to check out the show at The Casbah. The show starts at 8:30 p.m., and tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door. For more information, call (619) 232-4355.
Sunday:
If you’re a movie buff, you’ve probably heard of composer Henry Mancini’s filmwork from the 1950s until now. Mancini’s film compositions include the “”Pink Panther,”” “”Colombo,”” and “”Thorn Birds”” theme songs. With the help of Mancini’s daughter, audiences will see video clips of Mancini and the movies he helped bring to life through his music. The tribute begins at 2 p.m. at California Center for the Arts, Escondido. Tickets are $34 to $44. For more information, call (800) 988-4253.
What would you do if you met a man who promised rain? Find out in “”The Rainmaker,”” N. Richard Nash’s most famous piece. The play, which starred Katharine Hepburn and Burt Lancaster in the 1956 film version, is the story of Lizzy Curry, a Kansas farm girl who is worried about becoming a dried up old spinster, until she meets Starbuck, a con man who promises rain to the drought-suffering town. “”The Rainmaker”” is playing at North Coast Repertory Theatre through Feb. 15. The show begins at 8 p.m., Thursday through Saturday, and 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Sundays. For more information, call (858) 481-1055.
Tuesday:
Relive some of Hollywood’s classic moments with “”Forbidden Hollywood.”” This amusing show parodies movie blockbusters, such as “”Titanic”” and “”Forrest Gump,”” as well as such celebrities as Barbara Streisand and Liza Minelli. Incorporating the movie plots along with crazy celebrity antics, “”Forbidden Hollywood”” is a musical show that will leave movie buffs and gossip geeks laughing. The play runs through Jan. 25 at California Center for the Arts, Escondido. Show times are 7:30 p.m., Tuesday through Friday, and 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Tickets are $35. For more information, call (760) 839-4138.
Wednesday:
Prepare for a night of finger-snapping oldies when the Temptations come to San Diego. Performing at Sycuan Casino, the group is one of Motown’s legendary acts, with songs like “”My Girl,”” “”Cloud 9,”” and “”The Way You Do The Things You Do.”” The fine-tuned harmonies and in-step choreography help the Temptations retain their role as the definitive male group of the 1960s. The show begins at 8 p.m. Tickets are $40. For more information, call (619) 445-6002, ext. 1139.
What is there to say about Dave Matthews that hasn’t already been said? The alternative rocker is back on the road ‹ this time without his band. Though he is solo, Matthews is definitely not alone, with special guests Emmylou Harris, Tim Reynolds and Trey Anastasio, among others. Matthews plays at Cox Arena in an acoustic and electric show. Tickets are $52.50. The show begins at 7 p.m. For more nformation, call (619) 594-0429.
