Arts and Entertainment Calendar

JAZZ

The Final Blast

The marathon S.F. Jazz Festival closes with a bang this weekend with three promising shows: a blowout block party Friday night on 11th Street between Folsom and Harrison featuring Charlie Hunter's trio, Alphabet Soup and 20 otherbands playing a bracing mix of bop,. funk, soul and hip-hop; revolutionary saxophonist Ornette Coleman's mind-bending music Saturday night at the Masonic Auditorium; and Branford Marsalis' splendid quartet at the Masonic on Sunday night, on a bill with outer- edge San Francisco saxophonist Sonny Simmons, the world's greatest street musician.

SAN FRANCISCO JAZZ FESTIVAL (864- 5449).

CLASSICAL MUSIC

Who Is Sylvia?

Classicial music fans have no need to ask that question after Sylvia McNair's stunning San Fancisco Opera debut as Titania in Britten's "Midsumer Night's Dream" two years ago. Now, in her Bay Area recital debut, the American soprano will offer songs by Andre Previn to texts by author Toni Morrison, as well as music by Mozart, Schubert, Purcell, Bizet and Debussy. The recital is likely to demonstrate why McNair is one of the most exciting new voices in opera today.

SYLVIA McNAIR, 8 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 16, Herbst Theatre, 401 Van Ness Avenue (392-4400).

COMEDY

Oh, Suzanne

You don't have to be a lesbian to split your sides at the comedy of Szanne Westenhoefer, but you do have to be prepared for the fact that the lady with the acres of wrinkled blond hair gives new meaning to the word "out" as it applies to public performers. Of course, there are other out comics (not to mention a few out-again, in-again types like Ms. Bernhard), but what sets Westhenhoefer apart is that she is crashing into the mainstream without compromising a thing, as she demonstrated amply in her recent HBO comedy special, taped in San Francisco.

SUZANNE WESTENHOEFER, 7:30 and 10 p.m., Friday, Nov. 18, Great American Music Hall, 859 O'Farrell Street (885-0750).

POP MUSIC

Buy American

Highlighted in the current "Generation Next" issue of "Rolling Stone," the Bay Area's American Music Club is one of the hottest group's in the pop scene. They're in fine style on their latest CD, "San Francisco," featuring Mark Eitzel's mesmerizing droning vocals but with a new emphasis on pop. They may still be considered a cult group, but signs indicate American Music Club is about to break out in a big way.

AMERICAN MUSIC CLUB 9 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 12-13. Great American Music Hall, 859 O'Farrell Street (885- 0750); 9 p.m., Monday, Nov. 14, the Edge, 260 California Avenue, Palo Alto (324-EDGE).

Rolling Thunder

Some of the biggest and best names in pop music are getting together this weekend in a show to benefit Thunder Road, the acclaimed drug rehabilitation program for teenagers in the East Bay. Among those on hand will be Steve Miller, Robert Cray, Joe Satriani, Joan Baez, Fabian, Robben Ford and the Collins Kids. Highlighting the event will be a roast of Bill Graham Presents prexy Gregg Perloff. Reserved tickets are $100 and general admission tix are $25. A good time for a good cause.

THUNDER ROAD BENEFIT SHOW, 8:30 p.m., Saturday Nov. 12, Bimbo's 365 Club, 1025 Columbus at Chestnut (510-762-BASS or 408 998-BASS).

Chrissie's Field

After a four-year hiatus from the CD bins, the Pretenders came back in classic style this year with "Last of the Independents," proving that even with some personnel changes, the group remains as powerful as ever. But, of course, for many, the Pretenders is Hynde, an X-girl before the term was coined and one of the great voices in rock. She's just recorded a phone-in duet with Frank Sinatra on the follow-up to his first "Duets" album, but you don't have to dial long distance to hear the real thing on stage this month.

THE PRETENDERS, with Material Issue, 8 p.m., Wednesday and Thursday, Nov. 16-17, Warfield Theater, 982 Market Street (775- 7722).

DANCE

Love Story

Set to Prokofiev's passion-filled score, Ronn Guidi's production of "Romeo and Juliet" returns to the original Shakespeare play for inspiration and restores some of the details omitted from other dance interpretations. Acclaimed by audiences and critics alike, the Oakland production went on to a successful national tour. In addition to Guidi's choreography, the production features sets by Ron Steger, costumes by Cathrine Thiele and lighting by Robert Klemm.

ROMEO AND JULIET, by Oakland Ballet, with choreography by Ronn Guidi set to music by Sergei Prokofiev, 8 p.m., Friday andSaturday, Nov. 11-12; 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 13, Zellerbach Hall, UC-Berkeley (510-642-9988).

A Case of Vertigo

Canada's acclaimed O Vertigo dance company visits the Bay Area next week with the evening- length work "La Chambre Blanche," set in an eponymous white room which ironically both confines and liberates the dancers. Led by artistic director Ginette Laurin, O Vertigo's style is characterized by a careening, body-hurling movement graced by touches of humor and passionate sensuality.

LA CHAMBRE BLANCHE, by O Vertigo, choreography by Ginette Laurin, original music by Michel Drapeau, 8 p.m., Thursday- Saturday, Nov. 17-19, 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 20, Cowell Theater at Fort Mason (392-4400).

FAMILY FUN

Ice Scream

Since taking over the Ice Capades last year, skating great Dorothy Hamill has polished away all the tarnish and replaced it with dazzling theatricality. This year, she brings her company back to the Bay Area with a new production of "Hansel, Gretel, the Witch and the Cat," based on two fairy tales by the Brothers Grimm. Hamill herself will dance the role of the Evening Star, and no doubt she'll be the star of the evening.

HANSEL, GRETEL, THE WITCH AND THE CAT, 7:30 p.m., Thursday-Saturday, Nov. 17-19; 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 18; 1 and 5 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 20, San Jose Arena, 525 West Santa Clara Street, San Jose; Tuesday-Saturday, Nov. 22-26; 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 26; 1 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 27, Oakland Coliseum, 7000 Coliseum Way, Oakland; (408-998-BASS or 510- 762-BASS).

Friday: Nov. 11, 1994