Are we ready for some catnip cabaret?
1 Meow Meow: Anyone who caught the popular cabaret/theater/comedy performer — real name: Melissa Madden Gray — during her Berkeley Rep run in 2014 or her San Francisco Symphony Soundbox show in 2015 know what an odd treat one of her shows can be. Weaving dance, commentary, theater and song together to stunning, strange and sometimes hilarious effect, Meow Meow is a unique brand of entertainment. She comes to Davies Symphony Hall in San Francisco on Saturday to perform with Pink Martini founder Thomas M. Lauderdale, who will accompany her on piano, bass and drums and no doubt assist on comic relief as well.
DETAILS >> 8 p.m.; $15$69; 415-864-6000, sfsymphony.org.
2 Elvenplay: The Japanese multimedia dance company is known for its spellbinding show incorporating iPads, dancing drones and mapping technology in the kind of virtual/physical presentation that you likely won’t see anywhere else. The outfit comes to San Jose’s Hammer Theater Center on Saturday, as part of the venue’s new ArtTech series.
DETAILS >> 7 p.m.; $29-$46; 408-924-8501, www.hammertheatre.com.
3 “Red Speedo”: Lucas Hnath’s gripping morality play centers on a world-class swimmer whose dreams are threatened by a scandal involving performanceenhancing drugs. Center Repertory Company is presenting the West Coast premiere of the play.
DETAILS >> In previews Friday through Sunday; main run is Tuesday through Feb. 24; Lesher Center for the Arts, Walnut Creek; $40-$56; 925-943-7469, www.centerrep.org.
4 L.A. Dance Project: The outfit headed by Benjamin Millepied, who famously choreographed the Darren Aronofsky film “Black Swan” (and later married its star, Natalie Portman) comes to Stanford’s Memorial Auditorium Friday and Saturday to perform three works, including Millepied’s own “Hearts & Arrows.”
DETAILS >> Presented by Stanford Live; 7:30 p.m. both performances; $27$80; live.stanford.edu.
5 Peking Acrobats: This renowned troupe returns to Berkeley to indulge us with an eye-popping production that includes acrobatics, juggling, gymnastics, daredevil cycling and more, plus those gorgeous costumes.
DETAILS >> Presented by Cal Performances; 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday; Zellerbach Hall, UC Berkeley; $30-$76; 510-642-9988, calperformances.org.
6 “Noises Off”: Michael Frayn’s playwithin-a-play farce about a dysfunctional theater troupe involved with a doomed production is presented by Pacific Coast Repertory Theatre.
DETAILS >> Saturday through Feb. 11; Firehouse Arts Center, Pleasanton; $19-$41; 925-931-4848, www.firehousearts.org.
7 Jasper String Quartet: The award-winning Philadelphia foursome comes to San Jose’s Trianon Theatre Sunday with tenor Nicholas Phan to perform works by Schubert and Britten.
DETAILS >> Presented by San Jose Chamber Music Society; 7 p.m.; $34-$49; www.sjchambermusic.org.
8 Paul Dresher: The Bay Area avant-garde composer and musician brings his Electro-Acoustic Band to San Francisco’s Z Space performance complex to perform the world premiere of Ned Rothenberg’s Terry Riley-inspired “Beyond C.” The evening includes a performance by the boundary-pushing group Living Earth Show.
DETAILS >> 8 p.m. FridaySaturday; $14-$22; www. zspace.org.
9 “An American in Paris”: This classic Gene Kelly-Leslie Caron film, featuring that sumptuous score by Ira and George Gershwin, gets a screening at Livermore’s Bankhead Theater on Wednesday.
DETAILS >> 7 p.m.; $5; 925373-6800, lvpac.org.
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“The Moonrisers”: This play performed by the theater company of the same name features four philosophically-minded homeless people seeking to determine if the moon is real.
DETAILS >> Friday through Feb. 3; Phoenix Theatre, San Francisco; $20, two for $30; www.phoenixtheatresf.org.