A Cherry Tree Grows in Brooklyn If you've never experienced the annual CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, you're missing one of the city's most beautiful and spirit-enhancing natural wonders. The Japanese Garden becomes a Little Kyoto as thousands of Japanese-Americans assemble to picnic (in the festival tent or BBG cafe) and marvel at the 220 flowering cherry trees. To whet your appetite further, the garden is offering a special cocktail, the Hanami: cherry-blossom essence and plum wine (available at EN Japanese Brasserie in Manhattan when you present your ticket stub). April 29 and 30, the Sakura Matsuri festival will include over 60 events devoted to Japanese culture. So who needs the Mall in D.C. anyway? (Steve Weinstein)
Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Eastern Parkway, Flatbush or Washington Aves., B'klyn, 718-623-7200, www.bbg.org.
BUD LITE You can always count on STEPHEN PETRONIO's choreography to be both brainy, sensual and surprising: his collaborators have included Laurie Andersen, Lou Reed and Yoko Ono; a recent series was strikingly costumed by fashion designer Tara Subkoff/Imitation of Christ.
His upcoming Joyce Theater performance is no exception. Last year's tantalizing Bud, a tough yet sensitive male duet, has been expanded into the four-part Bud Suite, set to four of Rufus Wainright's recent songs-a work that Petronio says is "all about physical partnership." The world premiere of Bloom is put to an original Wainwright score and ventures into choral music, with a live performance by the 44-member Young People's Chorus of New York City. "I wanted to do a piece about the transition from one state to the next-particularly from unrealized to realized-and I wanted the vibe of youth about it, so I asked for a score that involved the choir," Petronio says. (Susan Reiter)
April 18?23. Joyce Theater, 175 8th Ave. (at W. 19th St.), 212-242-0800; Tues.-Sat. 8; Sun. 2, & 7:30, $40.
Worship Whirl When the WHIRLING DERVISHES come to town, reverence, spirituality and ceremony reign.
First, a red post is placed at center stage, and a circle of sheepskins is placed around it, representing an imaginary circle of enlightenment. The musicians and dancers (the latter with their arms folded in a position of humility, or niyaz) slowly enter the stage, bowing before the post in silence, then taking their respective places around it. Finally, the Sheikh enters the hall, and the signal is given for the performance to begin.
Handling the vocals is AHMET OZHAN, who has been the general director of the Istanbul Historical Turkish Musical Ensemble since 1991. Considered one of his country's top Sufi music performers, Ozhan represents like no other in numerous festivals in Asia and other continents, performing classical and mystic (Güldeste) music at home and, now, NY. (Ernest Barteldes)
April 15. Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center (Columbus Ave. at 65th St.), 212-696-1060; 8, $20-$100.
Women-lovin'-Women go Solo Chalk it up to our memoir-hungry culture, but solo shows are everywhere these days. Not only that, they're all women! And (gulp) all lesbians! Could it be that our creative, comedic lesbian pals have all made it to the big time? SANDRA BERNHARD (right) is doing her schtick (even if it's a little tired) in her latest rock/comedy spectacle, Everything Bad & Beautiful. Unfortunately, she decided to leave out her best bits (Mariah Carey wallops and vitriolic political rants) in favor of more personal revelation about her private life (her child and lover in particular) and the employ of bicoastal domestic help for her LA/NYC homes (it's such a hard-knock life for her!).
Through May 28. Daryl Roth Theatre, 101 E. 15th St. (betw. Union Square East & Irving Pl.), 212-239-6200; Tues.-Fri. 8, Sat. 7 & 10, Sun. 7, $35-$60.
Although ostensibly more open about her sexuality, MARGA GOMEZ (left) keeps it much more brisk and light in Los Big Names, her tale of growing up with her Cuban father and Puerto Rican mother (demi-celebrities Uptown) in Washington Heights. "A typical family" with a dream, Gomez channels her father and mother as well as an amazingly scandalous Kathleen Turner impression into a beautiful and hilarious essay honoring her parents' gift for entertaining.
Through May 14. 47th St. Theatre, 304 W. 47th St. (at 8th Ave.), 212-239-6200; Mon., Wed.-Fri. 8, Sat 2 & 8, Sun. 3 & 7, $45.
Most impressive and least formulaic is LISA KRON's Well (right) on Broadway, which technically isn't a one-woman performance since it involves other characters. "It's like a solo show with other people in it," she explains to her mother, played by the outstanding Jayne Houdyshell. It's one of those times when condensing a storyline ("a play about illness and wellness") does nothing for the reality of the performance experience. Kron has created an endearing and funny meta-theatrical experience with a soul, something that can and should be seen by everyone. (Jerry Portwood)
Longacre Theatre, 220 W. 48th St. (betw. Broadway & 8th Ave.), 212-239-6200; Tues. 7pm, Wed. 2 & 7, Thurs.-Fri. 8, Sat. 2 & 8, Sun. 3, $26.25-$86.25.
PAINTBALL: at last, The Movie Blackballed's big attraction is that it features actors from The Daily Show, SNL, Mad TV and a whole bunch of folks from the Upright Citizens Brigade. At heart, though, it's just another one of those "band of misfits faces impossible odds in a sporting event" movies, like The Bad News Bears or Dodgeball. But instead of baseball, football or bobsledding, the sport in question here is paintball.
Well, why not? Hollywood has made a stab at every other adolescent-or, more to the point, post-adolescent-activity. So I guess this stupid time waster had to have its moment in the sun.
The mockumentary, subtitled The Bobby Dukes Story, tells the story of Dukes (Rob Corddry), the greatest paintball player the world has ever known, who disappears for 10 years after he wiped, that's right: Dukes was caught cheating.
When he returns home hoping to recapture the old glory, he finds that no one's quite forgiven him yet. It's a spoof of sports movies as much as a scrappy sports flick itself. Can't say as I laughed a whole lot, but you might. (Jim Knipfel)
April 13-26. Two Boots Pioneer Theater, E. 3rd St. (at Ave. A), 212-591-0434; 9. $9.