Links to theater and stage organizations within this section:

| theater openings |

Emily Dickinson Opens Fri 8pm; continues Sat 8pm; Sun 2:30pm. Emily Dickinson (1830-1886) was an American lyrical poet, and an obsessively private writer—only seven of her some 1800 poems were published during her lifetime. Dickinson withdrew from social contact at the age of 23 and devoted herself in secret into writing. Marie Avant brings Dickinson’s mysterious genius to life in the penultimate installment of the Staff Players’ American Authors Series. $16; $12/students, seniors and the military; $6/children 12 and under. The Indoor Forest Theatre. Mountain View and Santa Rita, Carmel. 624-1531. Ends 2/13.

The Magician’s Nephew Opens Fri 8pm; continues Sat 8pm; Sun 2pm. The Magician’s Nephew, like all of the Narnia plays, is adapted from C.S. Lewis by the famous children’s theater playwright, Aurand Harris. It tells the story of Digory and Polly, magic rings, travel between worlds and the coming of Queen Jadis, the witch and the creation of Narnia. As is common to all of C.S. Lewis works, as well as to the plays of Harris, it is a tale with a moral. Director Mark Englehorn believes that the moral of The Magician’s Nephew might be that “evil is committed by people who lack the ability to find fault in themselves. They consider that to be a weakness. The young hero, Digory, finds that his ability to find fault with himself —and correct it—is actually a great strength.” $15; $12/young adult (ages 16-20); $9/children (15 and under). 646-4213 or www.Ticketguys.com. Ends 2/27.

The Vagina Monologues Opens Thu 8pm; continues Fri-Sat 8pm. Based on interviews conducted by Eve Ensler with women, about the most private part of their anatomy, The Vagina Monologues is an Obie Award-winning masterpiece which gives voice to women’s deepest fantasies and fears, guaranteeing that no one who reads it will ever look at a woman’s body, or think of sex, in quite the same way again. CSUMB’s production is student-run, student-directed, and features student actors. $15; $10 CSUMB faculty and staff; $7 CSUMB student with ID. CSUMB’s World Theater on Sixth Avenue. 582-4580. Ends 2/12.

| theater ongoing |

Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune Fri-Sat 8pm; Sun 3pm. Johnny’s a hopeless romantic. Frankie’s no optimist about love. With the radio as their soundtrack, the short-order cook and the waitress ponder how they ended up in bed on their first date and debate whether love feeds or starves you. Contains partial nudity and adult themes. $17; $15/seniors. The Fox Theatre, 243 Main Street, Old Town Salinas. 675-0521. Ends 2/20.

Shooting of General Anesthesia Fri-Sat 8pm. The story of a local mercury mine, a sinister confederate spy, a plot twisting telegram and the murder of none other than Union Colonel Olly Northgate on a secret mission for President Lincoln. $14; $13/seniors; $8/students; $6/active military. The Barbary Coast Theatre. 320 Hoffman at Lighthouse Ave. Monterey. 655-4992. Ends 2/26.

| auditions | workshops |

Ariel Theatrical’s 2005 Spring Conservatory Ongoing auditions by appointment for three programs: Beginning, ages 5 to 8; Intermediate, ages 6 and up; Accelerated, ages 7 and up. Productions are Tikki Tikki Tembo, Wonderland and The Hobbit. Call Gail Higginbotham at 775-0976.

Forest Theater Guild Auditions Zorba/The King and I: 2/12 and 2/13, 10am-12pm and 2-4pm, Church of the Wayfarer, Seventh and Lincoln Ave, Carmel. 626-1681.

MPC Theatre Company A Midsummer Night’s Dream; The Mouse That Roared: 2/26 and 2/27. Annie; Putting It Together: A Sondheim Revue; The Day John Lennon Died; Robin Hood: 3/5 and 3/6. Contact Gary Bolen at 646-4085 or gbolen@mpc.edu.

The Western Stage SpringFest 2005 TWS’s annual festival of classes offers a wide variety of short 5-week courses in everything from musical theatre to acting. TWS is also offering the use of its studio and staff to groups who would like to develop their original projects. Classes are for ages 9 to adult. Contact Melissa Chin Parker at 755-6987 or Jeff McGrath at 755-6988.