Theater, comedy and rock on tap this weekend

FRIDAY, JULY 10

Raccoon Creek Bluegrass Festival

Raccoon Creek Bluegrass Festival is a weekend of pickin' that's sure to have you grinnin'. 6 p.m. July 10; 12:30 p.m. July 11.

• $12-$15; weekend ticket $25; ages 12 and under free. Raccoon Creek Music Park, 332 Music Park Path, Dallas. 770-943-2721, www.raccooncreekmusic.com.

Michael McDonald

Longtime "Mad TV" cast member Michael McDonald, best known as the abnormally large and petulant adolescent Stuart, brings his stand-up comedy to town.

• 8 and 10 p.m. July 10; 7, 9 and 11 p.m. July 11; 8 p.m. July 12. $15-$20. The Punchline, 280 Hilderbrand Drive N.E., Atlanta. 404-252-5233, www.punchline.com.

'Bood Knot'

Theatrical Outfit and Kenny Leon's True Colors Theatre Company present "Blood Knot," Athol Fugard's South African drama that features Tom Key and Leon reprising their roles from the acclaimed 1998 production. They play half-brothers — one white and one black — dealing with the corrosive effects of Apartheid in the 1960s.

• July 10-Aug. 2. $15-$35. The Balzer Theater at Herren's, 84 Luckie St. N.W., Atlanta. 678-528-1500, www.theatricaloutfit.org.

'Titus Andronicus'

Shakespeare's bloodiest play, "Titus Andronicus," joins the repertory at Georgia Shakespeare. It's the tale of a Roman general who returns home in triumph with a perilous war trophy — Goth Queen Tamora — which sets in motion a vicious cycle of revenge and retribution.

• July 10-Aug. 2. $15-$45. Georgia Shakespeare at Conant Performing Arts Center, 4484 Peachtree Road N.E. (Oglethorpe University), Atlanta. 404-264-0020, www.gashakespeare.org.

Wallflowers

Roots-rock band the Wallflowers, fronted by Bob Dylan's son Jakob, never returned to the commercial heights of 1996's "Bringing Down the Horse" and the No. 2 hit "One Headlight, " but this sell-out gig demonstrates that the group remains a popular live draw.

• 8 p.m. July 10. $35. Atlanta Botanical Garden, 1345 Piedmont Ave. N.E., Atlanta. 404-876-5859, www.atlantabotanicalgarden.org.

'Fingertips: 21 Short Works Inspired by Our Favorite Band'

"Fingertips: 21 Short Works Inspired by Our Favorite Band" is a festival of theater and multimedia pieces, all under 60 seconds long, inspired by the humorously cerebral alt-rock duo They Might Be Giants.

• 8 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays. Through Aug. 1. $10-$22. Dad's Garage Theatre, 280 Elizabeth St. N.E., Atlanta. 404-523-3141, www.dadsgarage.com.

2009 Essential Theatre Festival

The 2009 Essential Theatre Festival continues with Joan Ackermann's romantic drama, "Ice Glen," about a reclusive poetess who does not want her poems published, and the editor trying to persuade her otherwise.

• July 10-July 31. $15-$22. Essential Theatre at Actors Express, 887 W. Marietta St, Atlanta. 404-607-7469, www.essentialtheatre.com.

SATURDAY, July 11

BluesBerry Festival

It's blues two ways at the BluesBerry Festival, with live music from home-grown blues bands and big batch of locally grown blueberries.

• 10 a.m. July 11. Free. Downtown Historic Norcross, South Peachtree St, Norcross. 770-448-2122, www.NorcrossNow.com.

Randy Travis

The canyon-deep voice of country great Randy Travis will fill the air at the Villages Amphitheatre. His first album, 1986's "Storms of Life, " is still one of the genre's best debuts.

• 8 p.m. July 11. $35- $62.50. Villages Amphitheatre, 301 Lafayette Ave., Fayetteville. 770-460-0686, www.villagesamphitheater.com.

Diana Krull

Canadian jazz singer-pianist Diana Krall's latest album, "Quiet Nights," showcases her range, with selections ranging from standards ("Where or When") to '60s pop ("Walk on By") along with three tunes written by Brazilian master Antonio Carlos Jobim.

• 8 p.m. July 11. Chastain Park Amphitheater, 4469 Stella Drive N.W., Atlanta. 404-733-5012, www.classicchastain.

The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra

The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra spaces out with "Star Wars And More." In addition to John Williams' theme music from "Star Wars," the night includes Holst's "The Planets" and Richard Strauss' "Also Sprach Zarathustra" (used as the theme music for "2001: A Space Odyssey").

• 8 p.m. July 11. $21-$59. Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park, 2200 Encore Parkway, Alpharetta. 404-733-5010, www.vzwamp.com.

Van Son Live

Van Son Live is a four-hour spectacular showcasing the best of Vietnamese tradition and entertainment from a 100-person traveling troupe that includes singers, dancers, comedians and technical and artistic crew.

• 8 p.m. July 11. $28-$78. Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, 2800 Cobb Galleria Parkway, Atlanta. 770-916-2800, www.cobbenergycentre.com.

'Draw+Decal'

"Draw+Decal." An invitational group show featuring 13 artists who embellish clay surfaces with direct illustrations and decal-based image transfer.

• Opening reception 5-9 p.m. July 11. Through Aug. 1. Free. MudFire Clayworks and Gallery, 175 Laredo Drive, Decatur. 404-377-8033,www.mudfire.com.

SUNDAY, July 12

Jay-Z

• Jay-Z is rap royalty, having created some of the hip-hop's defining documents during the past 15 years. Both his 1996 debut, "Reasonable Doubt," and the 2001 album "The Blueprint" are widely acknowledged to be among the genre's masterpieces.

• 7:30 p.m. July 12. Chastain Park Amphitheater, 4469 Stella Dr. N.W., Atlanta. 404-233-2227, www.chastainseries.com.

David Berkeley

• Introspective singer-songwriter and Atlanta resident David Berkeley performs at Park Tavern's "Unplugged In The Park." He's been touring hard behind his third album, "Strange Light," which was released independently (and digitally) last year. It was recently re-released with the promise of better distribution by Thirty Tigers.

• 8 p.m. July 12. Free. Park Tavern, 500 Tenth St. NE, Atlanta. 404-249-0001, www.parktavern.com.