Your Weekend: August 23-August 26

THURSDAY

DREAMING OF

PIRATES: CIRCUS

VARGAS’ NEW SHOW

Now the largest circus company in America, the South Bay-based Circus Vargas (fully animal free) returns to Petaluma with a spectacular new show, “Dreaming of Pirates.” Under its iconic big-top tent, this troupe of buccaneer-garbed acrobats, jugglers, clowns, musicians and daredevils take massive nautical-themed risks all weekend long. Thursday, 7:30 p.m.; Friday, 4:30 p.m.; Saturday, 1 p.m.; Sunday and Monday, 6:30 p.m. Petaluma fairgrounds. CircusVargas.com.

FRIDAY

DR. HORRIBLE’S

SING-ALONG BLOG

The teen singers/actors of Cotati’s Music to My Ears training program return to the Phoenix Theater for a live onstage presentation of the cult-favorite web-series “Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog,” the musical story of a would-be supervillain, the woman he loves, and the superhero she loves (and who Dr. Horrible just can’t seem to get rid of). There is strong language and adult themes, so this one is, you know, not recommended for small children. 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. show (doors open 6:30 p.m.), with additional shows on Saturday at 2 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. (doors open 1:30 p.m.). Note: each performance features two alternating casts performing the show in full, twice, with one intermission. It’s a double feature doppelganger extravaganza! $18. ThePhoenixTheater.com.

GHOST OF CALIFORNIA

AND THE HAPPYS

Northern California rockers Ghost of California blend elements of punk, metal, and whatever Depeche Mode is. And they do it with style and rich, melodious power. Opening for them at the Big Easy are The Happys, who do to surf-pop-punk what children to do balloons, which is, of course, to have a lot of fun and wait for the bang. The Big Easy, 128 American Alley. 8 p.m. BigEasyPetaluma.com.

SATURDAY

THRIVE AND

IRIEFUSE

Purveyors of reggae so good they make your heart glad it’s alive (so it can pump the blood you’ll need to dance all night to their insanely upbeat grooves), Thrive joins up with IrieFuse and Clear Conscience for a night of good times and crazy-positive vibes of the musical kind. Mystic Theatre, 21 N. Petaluma Blvd. 8:30 p.m. (doors open at 7:30 p.m.). $13. MysticTheatre.com.

DIRTY RED BARN

With up-tempo Americana-pop worth travelling a thousand miles to hear (if you know their music, you’ll get the reference), the four local guys known as Dirty Red Barn now happily bring their heart-gladdening act to the Red Brick, 20 Second Street. 8 p.m. No cover. RedBrickRestaurants.com.

SUNDAY

SOUTH PACIFIC

In celebration of its 60th anniversary, the original 1958 film adaptation of Rogers & Hammerstein’s “South Pacific” returns to the screen. Starring Mitzi Gaynor, Rozzano Brazi and Ray Walston (Mr. Hand from “Fast Times at Ridgemont High”), the musical is set in the waning days of WWII, and follows the nurses, soldiers and native residents of a small island, as they sing songs, wash their hair, kill time, scheme and scam, fall in love and prepare for a major maritime battle from which only some will return. The film screens at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., and screens again, at those same times, on Wednesday, August 29. Find out more at Cinemawest.com.