Freebie of the week: Bay Area actor, writer and comedian Brian Copeland is known for weaving humorous, if pointed, tales from his life, from being part of a Black family settled in a white suburban town, to the pressure of trying to find the perfect present for someone you love. One of his most popular and acclaimed shows, returning to Berkeley for a free performance this week, centers on a harrowing time in Copeland’s life. “The Waiting Period” recalls a period when he was drowning in depression and considering taking his own life. The title is a reference for the 10 days that someone who has purchased a gun must wait before obtaining the weapon. As is typical for a Copeland show, “Waiting Period” blends laughs and poignancy in compelling storytelling that reveals a lot about life and hooks audiences’ attention. Copeland also sees “The Waiting Period” as a message to those experiencing depression that they aren’t alone, and problems do get better. It’s one reason why he regularly performs the 70-minute show for free. He’s doing it at 7 p.m. Friday at the Marsh in Berkeley as well as on June 8 and June 15. Copeland’s planning to perform it again at The Marsh in San Francisco, though the dates have not yet been announced. More information is at themarsh.org/.
Another freebie: When it comes to piano recitals, sometimes four hands can be more impressive than two, as the pair by the felicitous name of Piano Duo Amabile will demonstrate so on Saturday evening, playing in the St. Paul’s Concert Series in Walnut Creek. Hyekyeong Hannah Cho collaborates with Young Woong Cho in a program called “Lebensstürme” (“Storms of Life”) of music by Maurice Ravel, Felix Mendelssohn, J.S. Bach and Franz Schubert, whose A-minor piece gives the concert its title. The concert is at 7 p.m. in St. Paul’s Episcopal at 1924 Trinity Ave. No admission charge is required, but donations are more than welcome to keep the series going for the community. (The average donation is $10-$20.) The performance also is offered in a free live stream, as are previous series presentations. For more details, visit stpaulswc.org.
An era ending: Conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen’s days as music director of the San Francisco Symphony are winding down to an end, but he has programmed some ultra-exciting pieces to mark his impending departure. This weekend, one of the exhilarating highlights will be Igor Stravinsky’s invigorating dazzler of a ballet score, “The Firebird,” commissioned from the young, relatively obscure composer by the risk-taking impresario Sergei Diaghilev in 1910 to be the very first original piece for his emerging Ballets Russes in Paris. Its debut caused a sensation and set the 27-year-old composer on the path to international fame. Opening the program is the six-minute “Chorale,” by Salonen’s friend and countryman, the great Finnish composer Magnus Lindberg, followed by Alban Berg’s last composition, the Violin Concerto, with German artist Isabelle Faust taking the solo role. Performance times are 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday in San Francisco’s Davies Hall. Find tickets, $49-$199, at sfsymphony.org.
‘Parade’ marches back: “Parade,” a touring production of the show by Alfred Uhry (book) and Jason Robert Brown (music and lyrics) lands this week at the Orpheum Theatre in San Francisco for a 2½-week run. The newly relevant musical centers on the real-life events in 1913 in Georgia, when Jewish American businessman Leo Frank was convicted in a questionable case of raping and murdering a 13-year-old girl. He was eventually lynched by an angry, bloodthirsty mob after his death sentence had been commuted by a governor who sensed a miscarriage of justice. The case, which drew intense, sensational press coverage and was credited with whipping up antisemitism and racial tensions in Georgia, certainly speaks to what many decry as a growing wave of anger and racial and religious intolerance in the U.S. today. Regardless, the show has plenty of its own merits. It debuted in 1998 and scored nine Tony nominations (winning for best book and best original score). A 2023 Broadway revival was also well-received, winning a Tony for best revival of a musical. The touring 2½-hour show plays through June 8 at the Orpheum; tickets are $70-$239; go to www.broadwaysf.com.
Punk pride: What the world needs now is more acclaimed men’s choirs singing punk songs. The good news: Such a concert is in the offing this week. And beloved Bay Area drag star Peaches Christ will be there, too! The show by the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus promises a “raucous, rowdy, no-holds-barred evening of queer punk brilliance” featuring classics from such artists as Green Day, Sex Pistols, the Ramones and more. Organizers say the setlist also will underscore the “queer subcultures” that helped define the early punk movement. Edwin Outwater conducts the performance, which also includes, according to promoters, “moody lighting, loud amps, and ice-cold beer!” In other words, expect lots of good, silly fun along with truly talented singers. The show is at 8 p.m. Thursday at the Chan National Queer Arts Center, 170 Valencia St., San Francisco. Tickets range from $26-$103; go to www.sfgmc.org.
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