Theater
‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’ Peninsula Youth Theatre adapts Lewis Carroll’s classic tale of a young girl who falls through a rabbit hole and lands into a world of fantasy. Feb. 14-15; times vary. $13. Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro St., Mountain View. pytnet.org
‘Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type’ Palo Alto Children’s Theatre presents “Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type,” a comedic musical based on Doreen Cronin’s beloved children’s book. Through Feb. 16; dates and times vary. $14-$16; discount for children. Palo Alto Children’s Theatre, 1305 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto. cityofpaloalto.org
‘Father, Daughter, and Holy Ghost’ Written and performed by Barbara Brady, “Father, Daughter, and Holy Ghost” is a comedic solo show dedicated to Brady’s own family and explores familial relationships under a household of an eccentric patriarch. Feb. 15-16; times vary. $10-$30; discount for seniors and students. Portola Valley Theatre Conservatory, 945 Portola Road, Portola Valley. pvtc-ca.org
‘Oslo’ Winner of the 2017 Tony Award for Best Play, “Oslo” tells the true and widely unknown story of how a Norwegian diplomat and her husband planned and orchestrated top-secret meetings between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization, culminating in the historic 1993 Oslo Accords. Through Feb. 16; dates and times vary. $20-$38. Bus Barn Theatre, 97 Hillview Ave., Los Altos. losaltosstage.org
‘The Pianist of Willesden Lane’ TheatreWorks Silicon Valley presents “The Pianist of Willesden Lane,” a true story about a young Jewish pianist escaping Nazi-occupied Austria at the outset of World War II. Concert pianist Mona Golabek recounts her mother’s poignant saga of hope and resilience to illustrate the power of music. Through Feb. 16; dates and times vary. $25-$55; discounts available. Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro St., Mountain View. theatreworks.org
Concerts
Mozart’s ‘Requiem’ In collaboration with the Mozart Society of America and American Bach Society’s joint conference, the Stanford Chamber Chorale, directed by Stephen M. Sano, presents Robert Levin’s edition of Mozart’s “Requiem in D Minor.” Feb. 15-16; times vary. $13-$23; discount for seniors and students. Bing Concert Hall, 327 Lasuen St., Stanford. events.stanford.edu
Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra Joined by Nola Richardson, James Reese, and Cody Quattlebauma, conductor and harpsichordist Richard Eggar performs music by Bach. Feb. 12, 7:30-9:30 p.m. $17-$120; discounts available. Bing Concert Hall, 327 Lasuen St., Stanford. live.stanford.edu
Music
‘Macbeth’ West Bay Opera stages Giuseppe Verdi’s four-act opera, “Macbeth,” based on one of Shakespeare’s greatest plays about the human thirst for power. Feb. 14-23; dates and times vary. $35-$92; discount for students and seniors. Lucie Stern Theatre, 1305 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto. wbopera.org
Nathalia Music Children’s bilingual songwriter Nathalia engages families in an interactive musical performance with themes like space exploration to cruising down the Amazon River. Feb. 16, 2-3 p.m. Free. Belle Haven Branch Library, 413 Ivy Drive, Menlo Park. menlopark.org
Talks & Lectures
Ballroom Cultural Series Filoli’s Ballroom Cultural Series features nine unique events ranging from live music to interactive performances. This upcoming Sunday, Woodside-Atherton Garden Club Plant Collections Fellow Terry Huang talks about the curious sex lives of plants. Feb. 16, 3-5 p.m. $30. Filoli Gardens, 86 Canada Road, Woodside. filoli.org
Is it LD, ADHD, anxiety, or all of the above? The Children’s Health Council and Common Ground Speaker Series join forces to discuss learning and attention differences as well as anxiety and depression. Feb. 12, 7-9 p.m. Free. Menlo School, 50 Valparaiso Ave., Atherton. chconline.org
Kevin Fedarko and Peter McBride Wallace Author Kevin Fedarko and photographer/filmmaker Peter McBride talk about their adventure through an 800-mile hike of the Grand Canyon. Feb. 18, 8 p.m. $23-$43. Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro St., Mountain View. tickets.mvcpa.com
Museums & Exhibits
A Gift of Art from Marilyn F. Symmes Marilyn F. Symmes’ gift to the Cantor Arts Center is an eclectic selection of prints and drawings highlighting different ways of thinking about artworks as both images and objects. Through May 18, 2020; times vary; closed Tuesdays. Free. Cantor Arts Center, 328 Lomita Drive, Stanford. museum.stanford.edu
‘Cointraptions’ “Cointraptions: Classic Coin-Operated Machines” explores what life was like before the era of credit cards with classic coin-operated machines, including gambling devices, a mutoscope, vending machines and more. Through Feb. 16; Friday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Free. The Museum of American Heritage, 351 Homer Ave., Palo Alto. moah.org
‘Left of Center’ “Left of Center” exhibition seeks to show how modes of art-making that originated on the West Coast decisively changed the topography of American modernism. Through Sept. 20, 2020; times vary; closed Tuesdays. Free. Anderson Collection, 314 Lomita Dr, Stanford. events.stanford.edu593
‘The Melancholy Museum’ Mark Dion, known for his work on the history of museums and their collections, will delve into the original Stanford family collection to create a cabinet of curiosities for the 21st century. Ongoing. Free. Cantor Arts Center, 328 Lomita Drive, Stanford. museum.stanford.edu
‘My Climate. Your Climate. Their Climate.’ Cafe Zoe showcases Barbara Coll’s nature photography and Colleen Sullivan’s monoprint artworks in the local artists’ collaborative exhibition, “My Climate. Your Climate. Their Climate.” Through Feb. 29; times vary. Free. Cafe Zoe, 1929 Menalto Ave., Menlo Park. cafezoehub.com
‘Outside Looking In’ “Outside Looking In: John Gutmann, Helen Levitt, and Wright Morris” presents work by three American photographers in The Capital Group Foundation Photography Collection at Stanford University who used the camera to observe the public lives and private spaces of others. Through April 26; times vary; closed Tuesday. Free. Cantor Arts Center, 328 Lomita Drive, Stanford. museum.stanford.edu
‘Process and Pattern’ Memory, history and making collide in the work of contemporary artists McArthur Binion, Charles Gaines, Julie Mehretu and Analia Saban. Through Feb. 17, 2020; closed Tuesdays, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. Anderson Collection, 314 Lomita Drive, Stanford. events.stanford.edu
Richard Diebenkorn See an intimate and interactive installation of famed Bay Area artist Richard Diebenkorn’s paintings and sketchbooks that shed light on the artist’s process, including his shift from figurative to more abstract work. Ongoing; times vary; closed Tuesdays. Free. Cantor Arts Center, 328 Lomita Drive, Stanford. museum.stanford.edu
‘The Square Show’ “The Square Show” is a group exhibition of 6 inch by 6 inch works ideal for gift-giving and new collectors. Through Feb. 28, 10:30 a.m.-4 p.m.; closed Sundays. Free. Portola Art Gallery, 75 Arbor Road, Menlo Park. portolaartgallery.com
‘Surf Sequence’ “Surf Sequence” explores Ansel Adams’ relationship with water in different forms with a series of spontaneously captured surf images. Through May 18; times vary. Free. Cantor Arts Center, 328 Lomita Drive, Stanford. events.stanford.edu
Dance
‘Giselle’ Dragon Theatre uses the canonical ghost-filled ballet story, “Giselle,” for a unique performance of aerial dance, ballet and butoh. Feb. 13-15; times vary. $25-$30; discount available. Dragon Theatre, 2102 Broadway St., Redwood City. dragon.vbotickets.com
Film
‘Buena Vista Social Club’ From the streets of Havana to the stage of Carnegie Hall, “Buena Vista Social Club” is a documentary that explores a forgotten generation of Cuba’s greatest musical talents. Feb. 18, 6 p.m. Free. Oshman Hall, McMurtry Building, 355 Roth Way, Stanford. live.stanford.edu
‘Ruby Bridges’ Menlo Park Library screens a docudrama about the New Orleans school desegregation crisis of 1960, “Ruby Bridges.” Feb. 13, 2:30-4 p.m. Free. Menlo Park Library, 800 Alma St., Menlo Park. menlopark.org
Lessons & Classes
English Conversation Club Practice and work with volunteer tutors to develop English language skills. Feb. 17, 19, 7-9:30 p.m. Free. Menlo Park Library, 800 Alma St., Menlo Park. menlopark.org
Health & Wellness
Windhover Tour Open for public tours every Saturday, the Windhover building is a meditative space built with the intention of promoting mental and spiritual well-being. Saturdays; Ongoing, 11:00 a.m.-noon. Free. Cantor Arts Center, 370 Santa Teresa St., Stanford. museum.stanford.edu
Outdoor Recreation
Greenhouse Tours Docents guide visitors through Filoli’s historic greenhouses, and talk about its plant collections as well as its past and present uses. Through Feb. 23; Fridays and Sundays, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. $15. Filoli Gardens, 86 Canada Road, Woodside. filoli.org
Birds of Bedwell Bayfront Park During this one to two hour hour beginner’s bird walk, visitors may see wintering ducks, shorebirds, egrets, hawks, and little brown birds. Bring binoculars. Through March 14, 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Free. Bedwell Bayfront Park, 1600 Marsh Road, Menlo Park. facebook.com
Mushroom Hike Learn how to spot mushrooms on the forest floor and about the fungi growing on Filoli’s nature preserve through this 90-minute hike. Through Feb. 22; Saturdays, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. $15. Filoli Gardens, 86 Canada Road, Woodside. filoli.org
Community Groups
Valentine Craft Week Create a Valentine’s Day card or any type of art to give to a special someone using provided materials. Feb. 12-13, 3-5 p.m. Free. Menlo Park Library, 800 Alma St., Menlo Park. menlopark.org
Author Events
Peggy Orenstein and Donnovan Somera Yisrael Author Peggy Orenstein and health educator Donnovan Somera Yisrael talk about the sexual lives of young men, sharing how they can understand and negotiate the new rules of physical and emotional intimacy. Feb. 12, 7:30-8:30 p.m. $20-$40. Kepler’s Books, 1010 El Camino Real, Menlo Park. keplers.org
Conor Dougherty Oakland-based New York Times journalist and author Conor Doughtery explores the state of Bay Area’s housing crisis in his new book “Golden Gates: Fighting for Housing in America.” Feb. 19, 7:30-9 p.m. $7-$33. Kepler’s Books, 1010 El Camino Real, Menlo Park. keplers.org
John Billheimer Local author John Billheimer visits the Mystery Readers Group to share his new book, “Primary Target,” the sixth addition to his Owen Allison mystery series. Feb. 19, 7-9 p.m. Free. Downstairs Program Room, Menlo Park Library, 800 Alma St., Menlo Park. menlopark.org
Louise Gluck Colloquium Former Poet Laureate of the United States and Pulitzer prize-winner Louise Gluck leads a seminar as Stanford University’s Mohr Visiting Poet. Feb. 19, 11 a.m.-noon. Free. Margaret Jacks Hall, Stanford University, 450 Jane Stanford Way, Stanford. events.stanford.edu
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