Chronicle the stage plays I see in 2009.

The Coverlettes are three women who pretend to be Supremes hand-me-downs and perform girl-band songs of the ‘60’s with a liberal dose of Motowned-up Christmas songs. Delightful.

This was an amazing thing, a plotless, dialogue-free Cirque du Soleil-type of performance on the Berkeley Rep stage. I loved it.

This isn’t so much a parody of The Nutcracker as a reimagining. I don’t care for ballet, however, so I found it muchly boring. I was clearly outvoted, as the entire Zellerbach Auditorium audience greeted it enthusiastically.

I saw this in Berkeley last night. Intriguing although maddening.

I saw this in Berkeley last night. Intriguing although maddening.

This was playing at the tiny Altarena Playhouse in Alameda. It’s the story of a nerdy guest who comes to stay and is impossible to deal with. It was mildly entertaining.

This was at the open-air theatre in Orinda, outside San Francisco.

I must say, I’ve never seen a play use a skateboard and a ukelele. Quite inventive.

It’s just hard to appreciate theatre when it’s 49 degrees.

Brief Encounter is a series of scenes by Noel Coward, rather thin in story, but it’s fantastically staged by A.C.T. in San Francisco. They very wisely partnered with Knee-High Productions, which uses visual artistry and technology to wow the senses. (Also puppets.)

Nice venue, but I just didn’t care for this little musical.

I saw this tonight at the Aurora Theatre in Berkeley, where every seat is close and wonderful. The play is about two couples and their relationships. Pretty funny, rather insightful.