Aasif Mandvi, MODERN FAMILY's Steven Levitan, THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR and More Set for 2014-15 Arts & Ideas at JCCSF

The Jewish Community Center of San Francisco (JCCSF) takes pride in announcing the 2014-15 Arts and Ideas Season; an exciting line-up of today's acclaimed writers, food experts, renowned scientists and thinkers, as well as fascinating entertainers. Theatrical and musical highlights in the first half of the season include The Magnetic Fields' Stephin Merritt, rock icon Amanda Palmer and actor Richard Chamberlain.

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San Francisco Stand-Up Comedy Competition Preliminary Round
Saturday, Sept. 20, 8 pm
A chance for audiences to catch some great comedic talent on the way up! Hundreds apply, but just a few dozen wisecrack their way into the competition. Competition alums who've gone on to become household names include W. Kamau Bell, Louis C.K., Dana Carvey, Ellen DeGeneres, Patton Oswalt and Robin Williams. Tkts: $25 - $35

Jewish Women's Theatre presents The Art of Forgiveness
Sunday, Sept. 21, 5 pm
This compilation of moving performances deals with sibling rivalry, betrayal, ex-husbands, a German's plea for forgiveness and one woman's ability to forgive herself after a horrible accident. Thought-provoking, funny and inspiring. Tkts: $30 - $35

Stephin Merritt A Conversation and Concert
With Pop Music Critic, Aidin Vaziri, San Francisco Chronicle
Tuesday, Oct. 7, 7 pm
The Magnetic Fields' songwriter and poet, Stephin Merritt has ten albums to his credit, including 69 Love Songs, which Rolling Stone named one of the 500 best albums of all time. His first book 101 Two-Letter Words, channels his passion for Scrabble into poems featuring all the two-letter words allowed in the game. The conversation with Aidin Vaziri will be followed by an intimate musical performance. Tkts: $25 - $35

The Daily Show's Aasif Mandvi
Saturday, Oct. 11, 8 pm
Indo-British-Muslim-American Daily Show correspondent Aasif Mandvi opens up in his new memoir No Man's Land about identity issues, climbing a ladder of brown-skinned stereotypes to Hollywood success, and how he finally came to own his Brown. Mandvi is also an accomplished stage, television and film actor. Tkts: $25 - $35

San Francisco Comtemporary Music Players present
Australian Harpist Alice Giles Alice in Antarctica
Sunday, Oct. 12, 7 pm
Harpist Alice Giles commemorates the First Australasian Antarctic Expedition of 1911 - 14, using harp, voice, visual and audio material. Works include old favorites and those by contemporary Australian composers, plus the premier San Francisco appearance of the Blue Camac Harp. Tkts: $12 - $30

Lil Buck and Jason Yang - Performance and Conversation
Monday, Oct. 13, 7 pm
Memphis jook dancer Charles "Lil Buck" Riley, who's appeared with Yo-Yo Ma and Cirque du Soleil, joins violinist Jason Yang, with whom he appeared on Madonna's MDNA Tour and on The Colbert Report. This is a JCCSF exclusive performance followed by a conversation with the two artists. Tkts: $30 - $45

Modern Family's Steven Levitan with Barbara Lane
Modern Family co-creator and executive producer Steven Levitan has been making television hit comedies for two decades. His credits include Frasier, Wings, The Larry Sanders Show, Just Shoot Me (creator) and Greg the Bunny. His numerous honors include eight Emmys, a Peabody and a Comedy Writer of the Year Award. Tkts: $25 - $35

Alice Russell in Concert
Thursday Oct. 23, 8 pm
British singer Alice Russell's powerful, emotive voice has taken her on a journey from funk to soul to R&B, with collaborators and fans ranging from David Byrne to Gilles Peterson to Massive Attacks' Daddy G. Her sultry Breakdown was chosen for the trailer for Madmen's final season. She celebrates the release of her new album at Kanbar Hall. Tkts: $25 - $35

Deborah Slater Dance Theatre presents Line of Beauty
Friday, Oct. 24, 1:15 and 4 pm & Saturday, Oct. 25, 11:15 am and 1 pm
This 15-minute dance improvisation, accompanied by live music, is inspired by the architecture of the JCCSF's Pottruck Family Atrium and Diane Ackerman's A Natural History of the Senses. The dance is built of choreographed solos, duets, trios and quartets, but the arrangement changes with each show. Atrium performance: FREE

Bob Odenkirk
Sunday, Oct. 26, 7 pm
Emmy-winning comedy writer, producer and actor and Saturday Night Live veteran Bob Odenkirk (sleazy attorney Saul Goodman on Breaking Bad, co-star of Nebraska, and co-creator and star of Mr. Show) has a new book of comedy writings, A Load of Hooey. Tkts: $25 - $35

Daytime Family Program
Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia presents
The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Other Eric Carle Favorites
Saturday, Nov. 1, 2 pm & 5 pm
Three beloved tales by award-winning author and illustrator Eric Carle come alive through the magic of black light and fanciful puppets. Included are The Very Hungry Caterpillar - the book sells somewhere every 30 seconds -- Little Cloud and The Mixed-Up Chameleon. This beautiful adaptation is for ages 3 and up. Tkts: $15 - $20

San Francisco Dance Film Festival in association with Alonzo King LINES Ballet
Presents Clips and Conversation Frederick Wiserman and Alonzo King
Sunday, Nov. 7, 5 pm
Renowned filmmaker Frederick Wiseman captured the ephemeral world of dance in three extraordinary documentaries - Ballet, La Danse and Crazy Horse. Excerpts from these films will be followed by a conversation between Wiseman and LINES Ballet's Alonzo King, who explore the unique relationship between dance and film. Tkts: $25
($85 Patron Tickets includes reserved seating and post event private reception)

Amanda Palmer
Thursday, Nov. 20, 7 pm
Alt-rock icon and ukulele queen Amanda Fu#*#*g Palmer, known for pushing boundaries in both her art and her lifestyle, made international headlines when she raised nearly $1.2 million via Kickstarter to finance her album Theatre Is Evil. Her new book, The Art of Asking, is a guide for creative people, or anyone who just wants to learn to ask for what they need. Tkts: $25 - $35

Zion 80 Jewish Afrobeat
Saturday, Nov. 22, 8 pm
Jon Madof's ten-piece band plays Jewish melodies, from Shlomo Carlebach to John Zorn, incorporating the intensity of Afrobeat funk master Fela Kuti. This is essential Jewish music for the 21st century! Tkts: $30 - $40

Pamela Rose presents Wild Women of Song
Thursday, Dec. 4, 8 pm
Pamela Rose, backed by her (mostly) all-gal swinging band, shares new songs, stories and archival photos of the vibrant and feisty women who helped create American Popular Song including Memphis Minnie, Ma Rainey, Maria Grever, Peggy Lee and more. Tkts: $25 - $35

Richard Chamberlain with Jan Wahl
Friday, Dec. 5, 7 pm
Iconic TV actor Richard Chamberlain starred in Dr. Kildare in the 1960s and such mini-series as Shogun, Wallenberg, The Thorn Birds, The Bourne Identity and Centennial. An active environmentalist, his paintings are shown at galleries in California and on Maui. He will be interviewed by Bay Area's own Jan Wahl. Tkts: $25 - $35

Kaki King in Concert The Neck is a Bridge to the Body
Friday, Dec. 12, 8 pm
Guitar goddess Kaki King and visual designers Glowing Pictures partner to create The Neck is a Bridge to the Body, an immersive audio-visual performance, bursting with mesmerizing guitar technique, mind-altering projections and consciousness-lifting ideas. Tkts: $25 - $35

Coming up in 2014:

• Jewish Life in American Cinema with Ruthe Stein and Peter L. Stein - 1/11, 3/1, 3/29. & 4/26
• Geoffrey Marcy Finding New Worlds - 1/15
• Mark Cantor's Giants of Jazz on Film - 1/17, 2/21, 4/25
• Circus Bella - 1/25
• Rabbi Andrew Sacks - 2/4
• Suzanne Vega in Concert - 2/19
• The Enchanting Neil Gaiman with Michael Chabon - 3/12
• Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra - Italian Baroque Music from the Jewish Ghetto - 3/27
• Duniya Dance and Drum Company - 4/10 & 11
• DINO-Light - 4/12

Subscription tickets will be available from July 28, and single tickets go on sale August 18. For tickets to all events including discounts for JCCSF members, please call the Box Office at 415/292-1233 or visit www.jccsf.org/arts.

Located at 3200 California Street, the JCCSF has been serving the Bay Area since 1877 with programs that help individuals and the community to flourish. The JCCSF presents world-class cultural events, a state-of-the-art fitness center, outstanding preschools and after-school enrichment, and hundreds of inspiring educational, recreational and social programs. The JCCSF is also the publisher of 3200 Stories located at www.3200stories.org, featuring stories of discovery on the arts, wellness, food, family, contemporary Jewish identity and practice, and unique perspectives on the world.