This Weekend in Mill Valley 9/10-12

Mill Valley may not be the most diverse town in the Bay Area, but its event calendar is rarely homogenous. Take this weekend: two slices of drama, one of political comedy, a heaping helping of Tibetan film and photography, a topping of vegetables and fruits to be exchanged at Boyle Park and a knife defense class to slice it all up.

The weekend gets off to a scorching start with the Marin Theatre Company's preview shows of In the Brown and Red Water, the first in the Brother/Sister trilogy of plays from widely hailed playwright Tarell Alvin McCraney. The play, which officially opens Tuesday and runs through Oct. 3, is part of a collaboration between the MTC and the Magic Theatre and the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco, with each company producing one part of the trilogy.

The Curtain Theatre continues its performance of "As You Like It," the Shakespeare play it performed in its first year as part of Mill Valley's millennium celebration in 2000. As always, the Curtain's shows are free and under the redwoods in the Old Mill amphitheater. Shows are Saturday, Sunday and Monday at 2pm, and on weekends at 2pm through Sept. 19. Go here for more info.

In these tough economic times, Jeff Kreisler finds laughter to be the best therapy, and he takes on the world's corporate thieves in Get Rich Cheating, his satirical one-man show tonight at 142 Throckmorton Theatre.

We hope it never comes to it, but if you need to protect yourself against a knife-wielding assailant, Greg LeMoi's self-defense course at the Tam Valley Community Center is your ticket.

At the other end of the peace-violence spectrum, the Throckmorton is hosting Save Tibet - An Evening of Tibetan Films, a night of Tibetan film and photography Saturday evening from 4pm tp 9pm. Joe Mickey, founder of The Tibetan Photo Project, will provide insights and Q&A on the films.

The Marin Open Garden Project Veggie Exchange continues Saturday at 9am in Boyle Park, while the Starduster Orchestra will play a set of big band jazz and swing at the Throckmorton Sunday afternoon at 2pm.

Don't see your favorite organization's event on our calendar? Anyone can post an event or announcement by creating a free account on Mill Valley Patch. Make it happen!