
	Apr 4, 2014

SAGA of the 21st Century Girl: A Rock Opera Thriller

Friday, April 4, Saturday, April 5 & Sunday, April 6 |

Berkeley Central's Osher Studio | 2055 Center St. |

General: $25, Student: $20

First Look Sonoma and ROCKIT Opera are presenting three performances of the world premiere of composer/librettist (and Berkeley local) Sheli Nan's SAGA of the 21st Century Girl: A Rock Opera Thriller. The new opera stars Crystal Philippi as a disturbed young girl struggling to cope with her self-absorbed mother (Valentina Osinski) and gutless father (Jo Vincent Parks) and their dysfunctional home. Portraying various aspects of the predatory impulse are the Shadows, both hilarious and genuinely frightening, portrayed by Alexis Lane Jensen and John Duykers. SAGA is recommended for mature audiences. Buy tickets online HERE.

Berkeley Public Library Branch Out Celebration

Join filmmakers Toby McLeod and Jessica Abbe, for a screening of "Islands of Sanctuary" documentary, narrated by Graham Greene, on the efforts of Native Hawaiians to restore the island of Kaho'olawe after 50 years of military use as a weapons testing range, and of Aboriginal Australians to resist the destructive effects of a mining boom. The filmmakers will discuss their project, in conversation with Alison Owings, author of Indian Voices.

Original compositions with infectious extended grooves are guaranteed to set your body in motion at this special after-hours event with Nigeria's legendary guitar master and singer Adesoji "Soji" Odukogbe and his Afrobeat band, featuring guitars, percussion and horns. Soji was the lead guitarist for the late Fela Anikulapo Kuti's world renowned Afrobeat band. The concert is complemented by the Central Library's exhibition "African Roots of Jazz" featuring the paintings of Charles Curtis Blackwell.

More Branch Out Events at Berkeley Central Library:

Thursday, April 10 | Celli@Berkeley | 12:00 - 1:00 pm |

5th floor Art & Music, Berkeley Central Library | 2090 Kittredge St. | FREE

Cider Summit Berkeley

Saturday, April 26 | 12:00 - 6:00 pm

Civic Center Park | Center St at Martin Luther King Jr. Way | $25 in advance / $30 at the door

Join us for the inaugural Cider Summit Berkeley featuring over 90 hard ciders from around the region and around the world! The owners and cidermakers will be on hand to inform and guide guests through the samplings which will be available in 4-ounce portions. The event will also feature specially selected food pairings from Whole Foods, a "Dog Lounge" hosted by the Berkeley Humane and an event store featuring Cider Summit t-shirts and other merchandise. Purchase tickets in advance HERE. The event benefits Berkeley Ecology Center & the Institute for Myeloma & Bone Cancer Research. Presented by Whole Foods Market.

		Lectures & Literary Events Friday, April 4 \| Mary Roach Author Reading & Book Signing \| 7:30 pm \| Pegasus Bookstore Downtown \| 2349 Shattuck Ave. \| FREE Saturday, April 5 \| Author Reading of "Cafe Le Whore and Other Stories" by Moazzam-ahmed Sheikh \| 3:00 - 5:00 pm \| Eastwind Books of Berkeley \| 2066 University Ave. \| FREE Monday, April 7 \| Labor and Health: Working Toward a Healthier Food Chain Panel Discussion \| 3:00 - 5:00 pm \| Goldman Theater, The David Brower Center \| 2150 Allston Way \| FREE Sunday, April 13 \| Philosophy Talk with Ken Taylor & John Perr: "Anatomy of a Terrorist" \| 12:00 - 1:30 pm \| The March Cabaret \| 2120 Allston Way \| FREE Sunday, April 13 \| Philosophy Talk with Ken Taylor & John Perr: "Art and Obscenity" \| 3:00 - 4:30 pm \| The March Cabaret \| 2120 Allston Way \| FREE

		Berkeley Startup Cluster Events Thursday, April 10 \| Innovate Berkeley Dinner with Leah Hunter of Fast Company \| 6:15 - 9:15 pm \| HUB Impact Berkeley \| 2150 Allston Way Suite 400 \| General admission: $35; HUB Impact members: $30 \| Buy tickets online HERE Wednesday, April 16 \| INFUSION Lunch with Jenny Tillotson on Wearable Stress Sensors \| 12:00 - 1:00 pm \| Berkeley Repertory Theatre \| 2025 Addison St. \| FREE; optional $5 lunch provided \| RSVP for lunch Wednesday, April 16 \| Innovate@Berkeley Startup Fair & Pitch Competition \| 5:30 - 9:00 pm \| Hotel Shattuck Plaza \| 2086 Allston Way \| General admission: $10; Students: FREE

		Assemblymember Nancy Skinner's Town Hall on the California Budget Thursday, April 10 \| 7:00 - 8:30 pm Ed Roberts Campus \| 3075 Adeline St. \| FREE and open to the public Assemblymember Nancy Skinner invites you to a Budget Town Hall to find out what budget priorities are important to you! As Chair of the Assembly Budget Committee, Assemblymember Skinner has a significant role in helping shape California's budget and she needs your help. Should we increase investment in education, safety net services or environmental protection? Pay down debt? Or save for a rainy day? Next 10, a non-profit organization, will lead an interactive 'Budget Challenge' so you can weigh in on what California's budget priorities should be.

		Berkeley Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee: New Energy Conservation Ordinance Monday, April 7 \| 12:00 - 1:30 pm Berkeley Chamber of Commerce \| 1834 University Ave. \| FREE & Open to the Public An energy conservation ordinance and fee may be imposed on your business by the City of Berkeley. City leaders want to hear what you think! Come to hear how you can help make the ordinance fair and affordable and help save the planet at the same time. Change and costs coming. Be part of the planning and discuss requirements and costs. Speakers will be Berkeley's Energy Program Manager, Neal DeSnoo and the Sustainability Coordinator, Billi Romain. Bring your lunch and your curiosity to the conference room at the Berkeley Chamber.

email: info@downtownberkeley.com web: downtownberkeley.com Tel: 510.549.2230