Arts & Entertainment Calendar
A regional roundup of events of special interest to Asian Americans

Regions: Northern Calif., Southern Calif., Rest of the West, East Coast

Bamboo Masterworks The Asian Art Museum presents over 100 Japanese baskets from the Lloyd Cotsen collection from March 1 through March 7. The exhibit offers a rare opportunity to view the extraordinary beauty, intricate craftsmanship, as well as the historical and cultural importance of this unique art form. (Asian Art Museum, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco. For more information call 415-379-8800.)

Global Me Darlene Nguyen-Ely’s Journey, which commemorates the artist’s immigration to the United States from Vietnam, will be on display through Feb. 27. The exhibition also includes self-portraits of 14 other artists. (Washington Square Gallery, 1821 Powell St., San Francisco. 415-291-9255.)

Jade This exhibition explores the technical aspects of jade production and the Chinese love for one of the most treasured and admired materials in East Asian culture. On view through March 19. (Asian Art Museum, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco. 415-379-8801.)

Japanese Woodblock Prints Prints by Hasui Kawase, Hiroshi Yoshida and Toshi Yoshida will be on display through March 6 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The gallery is closed on Tuesdays. (The Ren Brown Collection Gallery, 1781 Highway One, Bodega Bay. 707-875-2922.)

Latinesque Artists Diogenes Ballster, Will Combs, Flora Goldberg and Yeung Ha will present works that focus on Latin themes and palletes from March 5 until March 26 on Wednesdays and Thursdays from noon to 8 p.m. and Friday through Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. (Washington Square Gallery. 1821 Powell St., San Francisco.)

A Thousand Cranes The California Academy of Sciences presents the works of photographer Wu Shao-Tung. The exhibition will run through Jul. 30. (Golden Gate Park, San Francisco. 415-750-7145.)

Dance
Bay Area Follies Produced by choreographer and dancer Gil Chun, this dance extravaganza will feature tap, ballroom, country-western and hula on March 12 at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tickets are $5-7. (Alice Arts Center. 1428 Alice St., Oakland.)

Events
Celebrating Women The Japanese American Historical Society’s 10-year anniversary “Celebration of Strength & Diversity: Japanese American Women, will honor Hawaii Congresswoman Patsy Mink on Feb. 26. at 6:30 p.m. at the Grand Hyatt at Union Square. (For more information, call NJAHS at 415-921-5007.)

Cherry Blossom Festival The annual Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival will take place over the weekends of April 8-9 and April 15-16. A taiko drum performance and martial arts and tea ceremony exhibitions will highlight the event. (Japantown, Webster and Post Streets, San Francisco. 415-563-2313.)

Dinosaurs 2000 Lawrence Hall of Science presents this exhibition featuring 16 lifelike robotic dinosaurs through June 4 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission is $2-6, free for children under 3. (Lawrence Hall of Science, University of California, Berkeley. 510-642-5132.)

Elements of Fashion The Square and Circle Club, America’s oldest Chinese women’s community service organization, will present a luncheon and fashion show on March 4 at noon at the Fairmont Hotel to benefit the Chinatown YMCA Building Renovation and Self-Help for the Elderly Autumn Glow Residential Care Home. Tickets are $75 per person. (For more information, call 415-522-9612.)

Mien Cultural Arts Festival On March 25, the East Bay Center for the Performing Arts will sponsor this festival, which includes performances by Mien Legends, a resident performing ensemble that combines music, dance, ceremonial divination and storytelling. The event is free. (Veterans Memorial Hall, 968 23rd St., Richmond. 510-234-5624.)

Rape of Nanking Exhibit Photos that document Japan’s atrocities against Chinese civilians during World War II will be on display through Feb. 29, Monday through Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (City College of San Francisco, 50 Phelan Ave., San Francisco. 415-452-5543.)

Spring Japanese Food Festival The Sacramento Buddhist Church Women’s Association and Adult Buddhist Association will hold its annual food festival on March 12 from 10:30 a.m to 3 p.m. (Sacramento Buddhist Church, 2401 Riverside Blvd., Sacramento. 916-446-0121.)

Film
Shabondama Elegy This film by provocative and controversial filmmaker Ian Kerkhof is a vibrant love story about two outcasts in Japan. It stars Thom Hoffman and Japanese porn actress Mai Honisho and features an original soundtrack by Yoshihide Otomo. March 17 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $6. (Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, 701 Mission St., San Francisco. 415-978-ARTS or visit www.yerbabuenaarts.org on the Web.)

Music
Asian American Orchestra Jazz, Asian, African, and Latin music come together in a concert featuring the Asian American Orchestra on Feb. 26 at 7:30 and 9:30 pm. Tickets are $13 advance and $15 at the door. (338 9th St., #290, Oakland. For more information call 510-208-6086.)

Asian Improv Saxophone Summit Jazz at the Intersection presents this trio-Francis Wong, Jeff Chan and Hafez Modirzadeh-on March 7 at 8 p.m. ticket are $12-15. (Intersection for the Arts, 446 Valencia St., San Francisco. 415-626-3311.)

P’ansori The Asian Art Museum will offer an opportunity to hear p’ansori, a traditional Korean musical storytelling. The show features artist Chan E. Kim. (Asian Art Museum. Golden Gate Park, San Francisco. 415-379-8800.)

The Women’s Philharmonic Apo Hsu will conduct Peanuts & The No. 1, featuring cellist Sharon Robinson on Feb. 26 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20-36. (Yerba Buena Center for the Performing Arts, 700 Howard St., San Francisco. 415-392-4400.)

Readings/Lectures
An Afternoon with National Book Award Winners The University of San Francisco Center for the Pacific Rim and the Kiriyama Pacific Rim Book Prize will sponsor a discussion to honor Ha Jin, author of Waiting and John Dower, author of Embracing Defeat: Japan in the Wake of WWII on Feb. 26 at 3 p.m. Tickets are $7.50 for adults and $5 for seniors and students. (USF Ira and Lenore S. Gershwin Theatre, 2350 Turk St., San Francisco. 415-422-5984)

Arts of Japan This lecture series covers the development of Japanese art from the Heian period to the 20th century. Friday mornings, 10 a.m.-12 p.m., through April 28. (Society for Asian Art, Asian Art Museum, San Francisco. 415-379-8805.)

Da Chen Author of Colors of the Mountain, Chen will talk about his family’s experiences during China’s Cultural Revolution, on March 9 at 7:30 p.m. (A Clean Well-Lighted Place for Books. 601 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco. 415-441-6670.)

Daughters of China In celebration of Women’s History Month on March 25, Meihong Xu, author of Daughter of China will discuss growing up in China, coming to the United States and the impact her life has had on her work. The discussion begins at 1 p.m. and ends at 2:30 p.m. Following that will be a book signing from 2:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. (San Francisco Main Library, Koret Auditorium, Larkin and Grove Streets, San Francisco. 415-557-4277.)

David Wong Louie Author of the The Barbarians are Coming, Wong Louie will speak on March 11 at 7:30 p.m. (A Clean Well-Lighted Place for Books. 601 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco. 415-441-6670.)

Japanese Bamboo Baskets: Masterworks of Form & Texture Lloyd Cotsen will share his insights March 1 at 6:30 p.m. on the pieces he has collected for the Bamboo Masterworks exhibit, on view at the museum March 1-May 7. Admission is free. (Society for Asian Art, Asian Art Museum, San Francisco. 415-379-8805.)

Theater
The Good Guys: An American Tragedy The Theatre of Yugen presents this multimedia drama about a 1991 hostage incident involving three Vietnamese American brothers in Sacramento. Developed and directed by Miko Lee and Michael Edo Keane. April 13-22. (Theater Artaud, 450 Florida St., San Francisco. 415-621-7797.)

The Language of Angels Campo Santo and Intersection persent the world premiere of Naomi Iizuka’a The Language of Angels, a triptych of ghost plays about brutal murder, the myth of memory and the unraveling of time. Runs Thursdays through Sundays through March 13. Tickets are $9 to $15. (Intersection Theater 446 Valencia, between 15th and 16th Streets, San Francisco; for more information call 415-626-3311.)

Lift Every Voice A series that clebrates African American History Month will feature Vanessa Shaw in Marian Anderson: A Credit to the Race and Roger Guenveur Smith in Federick Douglas Now. Shows run through Feb. 27, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. Tickets are $20. (Lorraine Hansberrry Theater, 620 Sutter St., San Francisco. 415-474-8800.)

Arts
Gods and Goblins Paintings of foolish monkeys, wrestling gods, playful goblins and humorous caricatures make up this first major West Coast exhibit of folk art from Otsu, Japan. Ongoing. (Pacific Asia Museum, 46 N. Los Robles Ave., Pasadena. 626-449-2742.)

Migration of Faith Tibetan Buddhist art from the Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s permanent collection, featuring 23 rare manuscripts and paintings, will be on display through Sept. 4. Admission is $7. (Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 5905 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles. 213-857-6000.)

Pohaku Barbara Lai Bennett presents her collection of collages, inspired by Hawaiian culture, from March 3 through April 2. (Highways Performance Space. 1651 18th St., Santa Monica. 310-453-1755.)

Dance
Hae Kyung Lee and Dancers This internationally touring company will present their world premier Distant Memory, as well as a solo by Lee on March 3 and 4 at 8:30 p.m. (Highways Performance Space. 1651 18th St., Santa Monica. 310-453-1755.)

Mediated Asians In the Flesh DAncer Mari Fujita and imporvisational band Pinhole combine Kabuki-based movement with abstract and natural sounds to explore restrictions and expansions between Eastern and Western notions of beauty. (Highways Performance Space. 1651 18th St., Santa Monica. 310-453-1755.)

Music
Folk Rock With a Kick John Cho, Jenny San Angel and Gertie Meza will perform on March 5, 19 and 26 at 8:30 p.m. (Highways Performance Space. 1651 18th St., Santa Monica. 310-453-1755.)

Readings/Lectures
Pacific Asia Museum Thursday Evening Lecture Series Curator Meher McArthur will speak on objects in the museum’s permanent collection every Thursday from now through April 6. Free with museum admission. (Pacific Asia Museum, 46 North Los Robles Ave., Pasadena. Museum admission is $5, free for children under 12. 626-449-2742.)

Theater
Hereandnow The Japanese American Cultural and Community Center will present the performing arts company on March 11. Tickets are $16. (Japan America Theatre, 244 South San Pedro Street, Los Angeles. 213-680-3700.)

The Legacies of Asian Pacific America Alison Del La Cruz and Jayvee Mai will perform monologues based on their experiences as Asian Americans. (Highways Performance Space. 1651 18th St., Santa Monica. 310-453-1755.)

Arts
APA Veterans Exhibition “A Different Battle: Stories of Asian Pacific American Veterans” traces the lives of APAs who served in the U.S. military often under harsh conditions, even within the ranks. This exhibit closes April 9. (Wing Luke Asian Museum, 407 Seventh Avenue South, Seattle. For more information call 206-623-5124.)

Mountain Patterns: Survival of Nuosu Culture in China Patterned clothing, silver jewelery and lacquered wood utensils will be on display at this exhibit featuring the handiwork of the mountain-dwelling Nuosu people of Southwestern China. The exhibit runs March 2-Sept. 4; admission is $2.50-5.50. (Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, NE 45th St. and 17th Ave., University of Washington, Seattle. 206-543-7907.)

Paul Horiuchi Honored An exhibition celebrating the art of the late Paul Horiuchi will be on view from March 9 through June 11. (Seattle Art Museum. 1400 E. Prospect St., Volunteer Park, Seattle. Visit their Web site at www.SeattleArtMuseum.org.)

Events
Year of Korea The Seattle Asian Art Museum presents a series of exhibitions and programs throughout the year to celebrate Korean art and culture. (For more information, call 206-654-3100 or visit www.SeattleArtMuseum.org on the Web.)

Film
Multi-Directions in Asian American Film The second film in the series of three is titled “Within/Beyond.” It is part of a repertoire of films that represent the diversity and complexity of our Asian Pacific American community, showing March 16 from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Seating is limited. (Ethnic Cultural Center at the University of Washington, 3931 Brooklyn Avenue Northeast. For more information call 206-623-5124.)

Sheer Realities: Clothing and Power in Nineteenth-Century Philippines This exhibition displays the nineteenth-century clothing and accessories of the elite Mestizos (mixed-race Filipinos) juxtaposed with that of the indigenous peoples of the archipelago. On view Feb. 23-April 22, this exhibition is part of a larger celebration of Philippine culture in New York City sponsored by the Asia Society. (Grey Art Gallery, New York University, 100 Washington Square East. 212-517-ASIA or visit www.asiasociety.org on the Web.)

Events
Auction William Doyle Galleries will present their Asian Works of Art Auction on March 20 beginning at 2 p.m. Approximately twenty paintings from the collection of Chen Xiang Mei (Mme. Anna C. Chennault) by modern Chinese masters such as Aixuan, Ou HaoNian, Ye Zuibai, Huang Junbi, Li Keran and Ye Gonshao. Also featured will be Japanese screens from the 18th and 19th centuries; Chinese Tang, Song, Ming and Qing ceramics; Korean ceramics. (William Doyce Galleries. 175 East 87th St., New York City. 212-427-2730.)