Comedian Russell Peters (“Outsourced”) opens a string of sold-out shows at Cobb’s Comedy Club.
City activities
Center stage: The 2007 Best of PlayGround Festival opens. Tonight’s program features seven short plays written by emerging local playwrights. [8 p.m., Zeum Theater, 221 Fourth St.]
Symphonic evening: The San Francisco Symphony, conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas and featuring guest baritone Thomas Hampson, performs music by Copland, Mahler and R. Strauss. [8 p.m., Davies Hall, 201 Van Ness Ave.]
Literary events
Carlo Petrini: The Slow Food founder lectures and signs copies of “Slow Food Nation: Why Our Food Should Be Good, Clean and Fair.” [6 p.m., Cowell Theater, Fort Mason Center]
Oakley Hall: The novelist discusses “Love and War in California.” [7 p.m., Books Inc., 601 Van Ness Ave.]
Lectures
Women’s Health Summit: “Universal Health Care Is a Woman’s Issue” is the theme. [9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., First Unitarian Universalist Church, 1187 Franklin St.]
‘Art for the Environment’: Series continues with a program focusing on how art, urban planning and ecology can collaborate in mutually beneficial ways. [Noon, Commonwealth Club, 595 Market St.]
At the public library
Kundirana: The teen singing sensations and goodwill ambassadors from the Philippines perform. [10 a.m., Main Library, Koret Auditorium, 100 Larkin St.]
Make a Mother’s Day gift: Participants should bring a photo of themselves for use in this after-school crafts project. [3 p.m., Western Addition Branch, 1550 Scott St.]
At the colleges
Chinese performing arts: Beijing-opera star Jacie Wang choreographs highlights from well-known plays. [7:30 p.m., SFSU, Little Theatre, Creative Arts Building, 1600 Holloway Ave.]
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