CITIZEN JOSH How about this set-up? “A radical conservative has just been elected to the U.S. presidency, confounding polls and expectations — and now Josh is struggling against his strong desire to curl up in a ball for four years.” Josh Kornbluth actually developed his “Citizen Josh” monologue in response to George W. Bush defeating John Kerry in 2004. He’ll be performing on Saturday, Feb. 25 for Indivisible Berkeley, which promises “a raucous comedy about learning to participate in our democracy (and also windmills).” Saturday, Feb. 25, 8 p.m., Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists, 1924 Cedar St.
BHS SOCCER Berkeley High’s boys’ soccer team has clearly developed a taste for double overtime victories. Last Saturday, they beat Foothill High School 2-1 in double overtime to advance to the NCS championships semifinal. That meant a confrontation with top-ranked San Ramon Valley’s Wolves away. The Yellowjackets had faced the Wolves each of the last four years, and had only grabbed a single victory. This year proved a charm, however. The Jackets again prevailed 2-1 in double overtime. Captain Max Peterson scored the winning goal (photo left: the team celebrating after the win). Next up: a Saturday evening NCS final against third-ranked De La Salle at neutral Dublin High School. OK, it’s not in Berkeley. But how many chances do you get to see a Berkeley team in a championship game (quite a few, actually, but this one should be good). Saturday, Feb. 25, 5 p.m., Dublin High School, 8151 Village Parkway, Dublin.
ARTISTS ANNUAL This weekend marks your last chance to see the Berkeley Art Center’s Annual Exhibition. This year, the exhibition is “Fine Lines and Other Fictions,” curated by Renny Pritikin. Pritikin, a leading figure in the San Francisco Bay Area arts community for decades, is currently Chief Curator at The Contemporary Jewish Museum. Pritikin writes, “I’ve selected seven varied artists whose submissions struck me on one particular Saturday afternoon in early December for their wit or originality, for their rendering skill, or their sheer unapologetic beauty.” Open Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., BAC, 1275 Walnut St.
WORDSMITHS Dedicated to the lyrical muse, the Sunday program by the San Francisco Chamber Orchestra features two singers: mezzo-soprano Lara Nie and tenor Brian Thorsett. Canteloube’s “Songs of the Auvergne” is followed by “The Dream Mechanic,” a newly commissioned work by Berkeley composer Peter Josheff, based on the poetry of Carol Hamilton. Schubert’s Death and the Maiden, arranged by conductor Benjamin Simon allows the orchestra’s string section “to whisper, sing, and shout to one of the most exciting string quartets ever written.” And, if you’re a string player yourself, the orchestra invites you to bring your instrument and join them on stage for an informal reading session. No audition necessary and admission free. Sunday, Feb. 26, 3 p.m., St. John’s Presbyterian Church, 2727 College Ave.
VILLALOBOS BROTHERS No, not the Brazilian composer. Sunday night, the Villalobos Brothers, who grew up in Xalapa, Mexico and are now based in New York City, play their own distinctive version of contemporary Mexican music, drawing inspiration from jazz, rock, classical, and traditional Mexican folk to deliver a message of love, brotherhood, and social justice at the Freight & Salvage. The band features brothers Ernesto, Alberto, and Luis on violin and lead vocals, artistic director Humberto Flores on guitar and back-up vocals, Leo Sherman on bass, and Rosa Avila on drums. The Diana Gameros Trio opens for the Villalobos Brothers. Sunday, Feb. 26, 7 p.m., Freight & Salvage Coffeehouse, 2020 Addison St.
Don’t miss these other events featured on Berkeleyside:
Big Screen Berkeley: Afterimage: Sergei Loznitsa; ‘You’re Killing Me Susana’
Pianist, composer Marcos Silva: Bringing Brazil to the Bay Area
