BYE, BYE AMERICAN PIE: Having risen to movie stardom by sticking his dick where it most certainly didn’t belong, American Pie’s Jason Biggs is taking a similar approach in his attempt to conquer Broadway — as Benjamin (the Dustin Hoffman role in Mike Nichols’s 1967 blockbuster) in a superstar stage production of The Graduate, which also has a couple of fine pieces of pastry in Kathleen Turner as Mrs. Robinson and, as her daughter Elaine, the eternally Clueless Alicia Silverstone. The production makes a pre-Broadway stop at the Colonial Theatre February 20 through March 3. The Colonial’s at 106 Boylston Street, and tickets are $25 to $72; call (617) 931-2787.

IN WITH THE OUTSIDERS: In order of appearance, one oft-institutionalized psychotic Texas bedroom popster and one Boston singer/songwriter whose next album was recorded live in the subway. Who’d have thunk they’d be a Target ad waiting to happen? Daniel Johnston and Mary Lou Lord released a major-label album each in the ’90s, and it wasn’t either’s finest moment. But Lord’s excellent cover of Johnston’s " Speeding Motorcycle " (from about a half-dozen years ago) is suddenly all over the TV; Johnston has returned to performing and touring thanks to some new medication; and Lord’s subway album — to whet appetites for a new studio disc next year — finally captures the singer in her essence. They’ll make a rare above-ground appearance on the same bill at T.T. the Bear’s Place, 10 Brookline Street in Central Square, on November 30. Call (617) 492-BEAR.

NEXT WEEKEND:

Turkey daze

What with the new terror and all, now more than ever we crave the comforting company of family — if only it didn’t involve getting on an airplane. It would not surprise us to learn that reports of hours-long waits, random luggage inspections (hint: leave the carving knife at home this year), and the anxiety of things airborne have persuaded more than a few souls to stick it out in town this Thanksgiving. With that in mind, we offer you our brief guide to surviving the sleepy Turkey Day weekend in Boston, a town within spitting distance of the site of first Thanksgiving and yet is without an official Thanksgiving Day parade.

Museums? Closed. Poolhalls? Open, including our downstairs neighbors, the Boston Billiard Club (617-536-POOL), 136 Brookline Avenue, from noon to 2 a.m.; and Jillian’s (617-437-0300), around the corner at 145 Ipswich Street (at the foot of Lansdowne Street), from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Bowling? Yep: try the Boston Bowl Family Fun Center (617-825-3800), 820 Morrissey Boulevard, open 24 hours a day, even on Thanksgiving. If working up an appetite is a problem, and getting up early isn’t, keep in mind that the Somerville Road Runners (978-235-3397) will be hosting their annual four-mile accredited road race through the streets of Davis Square beginning at 9 a.m. at the Burren, 247 Elm Street, which is also where you’ll find the after-race party. (We suppose this information will be useful to those of you who are looking to skip the running thing in favor of a stiff warm-up drink at 9 a.m. on Thanksgiving morning: the Burren feels your pain.) And for a nightcap, there are — believe it or not — a couple of live-music options. Jam/taping-friendly jazz/blues vet Ron Levy brings his Ron Levy’s Wild Kingdom to the House of Blues (617-491-BLUE), 96 Winthrop Street in Harvard Square. And internationally acclaimed urban folk balladeer Frank Morey holds court at Tír na n-Óg (617-628-4300), 366 Somerville Avenue in Somerville’s Union Square, Somerville.

Of course, the most inviting option might just be to vegetate in front of a moving image, whether at the movies (see under " Wednesday " for new films that are banking on your patronage this weekend) or in the comfort of your home. Your choices, provided you haven’t already put money on the football games? There are the inevitable " marathon " gorges: at 9 a.m., Court TV launches an 18-hour block of Homicide: Life on the Street; and on the FX network, a 14-hour Buffy the Vampire Slayer marathon begins at noon. We can’t help but love the programmers at WBZ, who — faced with the Packers/Lions game on Fox — decided to go with Barbie in " The Nutcracker, " an animated version of the Tchaikovsky classic featuring music by the London Symphony Orchestra, choreography from New York City Ballet, and the voice of Tim Curry.

Of course, the day after Thanksgiving you can check out the real thing — Boston Ballet’s renowned production of The Nutcracker makes its annual appearance at the Wang Theatre, 270 Tremont Street, beginning on Friday and running through December 30. Call (800) 447-7400 for tickets. Getting an early jump on the holidays is what Thanksgiving weekend is all about. On Saturday, at 2 and 8 p.m., Gerald Charles Dickens offers up his third annual theatrical reading of his great-great-grandfather’s A Christmas Carol at the Shubert Theatre, 265 Tremont Street. Call (800) 447-7400. And if laughter is the best medicine, then the political-satire/musical-comedy troupe Capitol Steps is next to Cipro on the list of balms for our times; the former Capitol Hill staffers have the inside track to your funny bone on Saturday at 8 p.m. at Sanders Theatre, between Harvard Yard and the North Yard in Harvard Square. Call (617) 496-2222.

Issue Date: November 15 - 22, 2001

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