The Actors Ensemble of Berkeley presents Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” from Aug. 22 to Sept. 7. Credit: Jane Shamaeva

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🎭 The Berkeley Actors Ensemble’s Summer Season continues with Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” a production adapted and directed by Michael R. Cohen with Ben Prusiner that leans into the madcap spirit of the Bard’s tangled skein of love stories. Saturdays-Sundays, Aug. 22-Sept. 6 (and Monday Sept. 7), 4 p.m. John Hinkel Park. FREE (donation requested and reservations highly recommended)

🧵 Games of Berkeley is hosting a Hobbit-inspired cozy craft night, where you can bring your own craft to complete or buy one at the store (options include origami, needle felting, coloring books and more). Snacks will be available to munch on. Thursday, Aug. 20, 4-7 p.m. 2510 Durant Ave. FREE

🔪 Put your thinking caps on at “Murder… at the Winery,” an immersive improv-meets-murder-mystery show where two amateur podcasters uncover the death of a winery heiress, and audience members will help them narrow down the culprit from a list of suspects while enjoying wines from Hammerling Wines. Friday, Aug. 21 and Saturday, Aug. 22, 7 p.m. 1350 Fifth St. $67-160

🎶 Berkeley guitarist and arranger Tony Corman’s Morchestra returns to Ashkenaz with his talent-packed 16-piece band and the supremely suave vocalist Nicolas Bearde, delivering a repertoire that ranges from bebop to Earth, Wind & Fire. Friday, Aug. 21, 8 p.m. Ashkenaz. $20-$25

🖼️ The ACCI Gallery debuts its newest exhibition “Zone 0,” where artists and gardeners explore how to decorate home gardens without compromising wildfire resilience efforts in Berkeley and California. Exhibition runs from Aug. 22 through Sept. 27. 1652 Shattuck Ave. FREE

🀄 Whether you’re a mahjong master or want to learn for the first time, come join an open session of Hong Kong/Canto Mahjong. Mahjong coaches will be available to teach the game to beginners, and up to four tables will be available for experienced players. Saturday, Aug. 22, 1-4 p.m. Central Library. FREE

📚 The Berkeley Poetry Festival presents Poetry Takes Root, a fundraiser featuring poetry readings by Natasha Dennerstein, Jennifer Hasegawa and James Cagney, as well as music, tarot readings, refreshments and prizes. Proceeds will go towards the festival’s expansion of programs and opportunities to support poets and their audiences. Saturday, Aug. 22, 2-4:30 p.m. FREE (donations encouraged) 

🌙 Enjoy the remaining hours of summer evenings at Fourth Street’s Berkeley Nights, a night market featuring local makers, live music, lawn games and beginner line dancing lessons. Saturday, Aug. 22, 2-6 p.m. 1919 Fourth St. FREE

🖌️ Berkeley artist Yazmin Shi Shi Madriz, well-known for community centered murals, tattoos, photography, and print making, leads a presentation on mural art organized by the Berkeley Public Library that includes a stroll to the nearby mural “Sacred Waters Run Deep” on University Avenue and Bonar Street. Saturday, Aug. 22, 2 p.m. Library’s West Branch. FREE

📚 East Bay author Lexie Sharabianlou will talk about her debut novel “The Blue Moon Cafe & 24-Hour Occult Emporium,” a tale of a magical witness protection program and a sorceress-in-training, in conversation with Maggie Tokuda-Hall. Saturday, Aug. 22, 7 p.m. Mrs. Dalloway’s Books. FREE (registration recommended)

🖌️ Inspired by her love for the arts, “A Very Laufey Day” encourages fans of Grammy-winning jazz-pop singer Laufey to explore museums, bookstores and other art venues on Sunday, Aug. 23. Berkeley fans are in luck — the Doug Adams Gallery is on the official Laufey Day itinerary, where you can explore their latest exhibition “MFA 5: What Hands Remember.” Exhibition runs through Sunday, Aug. 23. Gallery is open on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. 2400 Ridge Road. FREE

🍷 Have some refreshments under the summer sun at the West Berkeley Art and Wine Walk, with natural wine by Tessier Winery, art and food vendors, an open mic contest, a kids zone and a clothing swap. Sunday, Aug. 23, noon-6 p.m. 1335 Fourth St. FREE

🎸 Not Loud Concerts presents Country Boogie Night, a double bill with Rebecca Roudman’s rollicking Dirty Cello and the Alex Lucero Band, a hard-hitting Americana soul outfit. Sunday, Aug. 23, 7 p.m. Gilman Brewing. $20

🎥 Filmmaker Poh Si Teng’s documentary “American Doctor” follows three American physicians— Palestinian, Jewish, and Zoroastrian—who’ve volunteered in besieged hospitals in Gaza and, upon returning home, fight for the patients and colleagues they left behind. A Q&A with the director follows the screening. Monday, Aug. 24, 6:30 p.m. Rialto Cinemas Elmwood. $17.25

🎭 Adapted from August Strindberg’s “Miss Julie,” Terry Guest’s “Miss Thang!” relocates Strindberg’s titular character from Sweden to a New Orleans mansion owned by a wealthy Creole patriarch in this Shotgun Players-commissioned work about madness, longing, and escape via the sweat and ritual of Black club culture. Monday-Wednesday, Aug. 24-26, 7 p.m. Shotgun Players. $20

🎵 “Night of Mystic Union,” hosted by the Sacred Music Fellowship, will bring together Jewish Mizrahi and Sephardic song into conversation with Turkish Sufi devotional music. Through voice, oud, frame drum, sacred dance and Sufi whirling, the evening will explore the shared modal melodies, devotional poetry, and rhythmic traditions of these cultures through performance, communal singing and movement. Tuesday, Aug. 25, 7 p.m. 2820 Seventh St. $25

🎤 The UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism hosts the panel discussion “Reporting on AI: Ethics, Accountability and Human Impact” with journalists and Pulitzer grantees Garance Burke, Khari Johnson and Lam Thuy Vo, moderated by journalist and UC Berkeley Lecturer Jamil Smith. Wednesday, Aug. 26, 4 p.m. Logan Multimedia Center at North Gate Hall. FREE (with registration)

🗓️ See more things to do in Oakland and Richmond. And check out our big list of affordable things to do anytime in Berkeley. Sign up for our weekly arts and culture newsletter, The Scene.

If there’s an event you’d like us to consider for this roundup, email us at the-scene@berkeleyside.org. The deadline to submit events for Around Berkeley is end-of-day Monday. If there’s an event that you’d like to promote on our calendar, you can use the self-submission form on our events page.

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