His production casts women as defense attorney Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Daniel Kaffee (the lead role played by Tom Cruise in the movie, portrayed here by Maris Cozart), the judge and one of the Marines accused of murder, and actors of color as the high-ranking Marine officers the defense butts up against in trying to uncover the truth. Can Kaffee, in fact, handle the truth? You’ll have to head over to Walnut Creek to find out. Details: Oct. 21-29; Ballet School Performing Arts Studio, 1357 North Main St., Walnut Creek; $15-$20; www.otherothertheatre.com.

Got weekend plans? You do now! Here are seven awesome options, from rollicking Irish ballet shoes 26mm gold plated, rhinestone and light blue enamel 3d dance charms - 0422 music shows — to get you in the mood for St, Patrick’s Day, of course —  to a beloved YA novel come to life, and a jaunt to a chocolate cafe where the European-style sipping chocolate is beyond decadent, Here we go, Mini corn dogs, maxi corn dogs, chili cheese corn dogs and tornados? We’re not even sure what a tornado dog is but bacon and nacho cheese are involved, so of course we want one, So will you, Explore all the deliciously creative riffs on the carnival classic this Saturday, when SoMa Streat Food Park hosts the Great SF Corn Dog Festival, complete with an all-you-can-drink craft beer booth, food carts and a mustard art competition, Hot diggity..

Thursday, April 12 – Saturday, April 14, 7:30pm. Sunday, April 15, 7:00pm. The brightest light bringing Portugal’s soul-baring fado music to new audiences is Ana Moura, a singer devoted to the tradition-bound style that marries poetry about love and loss to sumptuously plaintive melodies. Jazz & Social Justice. Artists and songs of protest, hope, resistance, and social consciousness from throughout history to the present day. Samora Pinderhughes & Jaimeo Brown. Thursday, April 19, 7:30pm.

Submit your item through our website at events.contracostatimes.com or email your item to alamedanews@bayareanewsgroup.com, Type “calendar ballet shoes 26mm gold plated, rhinestone and light blue enamel 3d dance charms - 0422 item” in the subject line, Please submit your item two weeks before event date, First Friday Family Film Series, Catch a screening of Disney’s PG-rated “Maleficent” starring Angelina Jolie is screened at the monthly First Friday Family Film Series, 7 p.m, Oct, 2, Alameda Free Library, 1550 Oak St., Alameda, Free, 510-747-7777, www.alamedafree.org..

The Balanchine production that Gabay refers to is a 1954 version of The Nutcracker created by legendary choreographer George Balanchine for the New York City Ballet. That production is often credited as a major influence in the ballet becoming an annual holiday tradition in the United States. The Nutcracker had its debut in Russia in 1892, but it wasn’t regularly performed during the holiday season until the 1960s, when productions became widespread in the U.S. and Canada. From Hoffmann’s story “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King” comes the major framework of the plot that ballet audiences everywhere will recognize. A girl (Marie) is celebrating Christmas Eve with her brother, sister, parents and family friend, Drosselmeyer, an eccentric old man who builds mechanical wonders. During the Christmas party, Marie discovers a nutcracker under the tree and takes an instant liking to it. Her brother breaks it, and Marie stays up till midnight tending to the doll. At the witching hour, the toys come to life and Marie is caught in the middle of an epic battle between the Nutcracker, leading troops of toys, against an army of mice led by the Mouse King. After Marie helps the Nutcracker defeat the mice–a fight that takes place over several nights in the original story–the Nutcracker turns into a prince and takes Marie to visit the enchanted candy kingdom over which he is the ruler, and invites her to become queen of the land.