The Bay Area is a hub of artistic expression, attracting artists, writers and musicians from around the globe to live, work and create. We highlight some of the offerings here.
• “Weightless”: Bay Area alt-rock band the Kilbanes created this beautiful, adventuresome and heartbreaking musical inspired by Ovid’s “Metamorphoses.” After a successful San Francisco debut last year and a recent run in New York, the 75-minute show is playing at ACT’s Strand Theater through this weekend. Tickets are $25-$65; 415-749-2228, www.act-sf.org.
• CAAMfest: This annual film festival presented by the Center for Asian American Media runs May 9-19 in theaters in San Francisco and Oakland, with more than 100 feature films and documentaries ranging from wacky comedies like “Babysplitters” to Bay Area TV newsman Rick Quan’s new documentary on the late San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee. Most film screenings cost $13-$14; special event prices vary; caamfest.com/2019/.
• San Francisco String Trio: The talented threesome — violinist Mads Tolling, guitarist Mimi Fox and bassist and singer Jeff Denson — released a heralded album in 2017 re-imagining the Beatles’ “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.” The trio will perform that work in a Mother’s Day (May 12) show at Livermore Valley Performing Arts Center in Livermore; $20-$50; 925-373-6800, lvpac.org.
• “Songs of Lear”: From Warsaw, Poland, comes the Song of the Goat Theatre, a troupe known for turning classic stage works into passionately delivered song cycles. The company performs its take on “King Lear” May 11 and 12 at UC Berkeley’s Zellerbach Hall, presented by Cal Performances. Tickets are $35; 510-642-9988, calperformances.org.
• “Doris Day Festival”: Because it’s our life’s mission to get as many people as possible humming “Que Sera, Sera,” we leave you with this film series running through May 23 at Palo Alto’s Stanford Theatre. This weekend’s entries are “The Pajama Game” and “Calamity Jane.” Screenings run May 10-12; $5-$7; stanfordtheatre.org.