'Rocky Roast' benefit, stage shows set

Two theatrical fund-raisers and a 24-hour "Slam!" production marathon are among this week's stage offerings.

• THE ROCKY ROAST, an evening of allegedly good-natured ribbing of Salt Lake Mayor Rocky Anderson, will raise funds for Salt Lake Acting Company. The affair is Friday in the Jeanne Wagner Theatre of the Rose Wagner Center, 138 W. Broadway (300 South).

Roasters will include local celebrities Tom Barberi, Pat Bagley, Babs DeLay, Jim Braden and Dani Eyer, with Chris Vanocur as master of ceremonies. Hal Cannon and Phillip Bimstein have written songs for the occasion, and music will be provided by Jerry Floor and his jazz band, the Saliva Sisters and the Radical Cheerleaders.

Drinks and food (described as "heavy hors d'oeuvres") will be served at 7 p.m., with showtime at 8 p.m. A $78 donation includes everything. SLAC suggests "funky chic"-style dress (363-0526 or www.saltlakeactingcompany.org).

• SLAM! is Plan-B Theatre Company's annual exercise in theatrical chaos, with five directors, five playwrights, five designers and 15 actors thrown together to create five 10-minute plays in 23 hours. Hour No. 24 is when an audience gets to see the mysterious results.

The one-time-only performance will be 8 p.m. Saturday in the Black Box Theatre of the Rose Wagner Center, 138 W. Broadway. This year's playwrights are Matthew Ivan Bennett, Cort Brinkerhoff, Jim Martin, Eric Samuelsen and Deborah Threedy. They'll start writing at 8 p.m. Friday night after suggested titles are drawn out of a hat.

Directors are Tony Larimer, Kyle Lewis, Christy Summerhays, Kay Shean and Robin Wilks-Dunn. Performers will be drawn from a 15-actor pool comprised of Aaron Adams, Kirt Bateman, Daisy Blake, Ariana Broumas, Joe Debevc, Susan Dolan, April Fossen, Mark Fossen, Stephanie Howell, Colleen Lewis, Paul Mulder, Lori Reese, Teresa Sanderson, Jason Tatom and Yolanda Wood.

Tickets are $15 (355-2787, www.planbtheatre.org or any ArtTix outlet).

• RIDING THE CYCLE OF HOPE, three fund-raising concerts showcasing more than 20 local performers from Bountiful to Broadway, will help two Wasatch Front actors — Ron Jewett and Jack Kenison — who will both be riding bicycles in charity races during June to collect donations for multiple sclerosis and HIV/AIDS. Jewett and Kenison's goal is to raise a combined $6,000 toward fighting the two diseases.

The local fund-raising efforts include public concerts on Friday, Saturday and May 20 at 8 p.m. in the home of Jack and Sharon Kenison, 4992 S. Quercus Cove.