Although the Bay Area reviews were mixed, BETTY Rules with theatre fans. The women rockers BETTY will add two shows July 21 and 28 to their first official plunge into theatre, BETTY Rules: "A Guy From Atlantic Wants to Sign Us!", making its world premiere through July 29 at San Francisco's Magic Theatre. Michael Greif (Rent) directs the autobiographical tale of the girl group's adventures in rock and roll.

Alyson Palmer and sisters Amy Ziff and Elizabeth Ziff, plus a drummer and guitarist, make up the New York band BETTY, performing a mixture of a cappella singing and spoken-word with a techno beat. In their world premiere revue, they visit their best tunes as they tell the fifteen year story of the group's rise to cult stardom. The piece, then named BETTY Play, had a reading at New York's Public Theatre April 16.

BETTY is the final entry in the Magic Theatre's 2000-2001 season, which opened with the world premiere of Sam Shepard's The Late Henry Moss. That production starred Sean Penn, Nick Nolte, Woody Harrelson and Cheech Marin.

Performances began June 20 with an opening July 6. Tickets are $15-$30. The Magic Theatre is located on the third floor of Building D at the Fort Mason Center. For reservations, call (415) 441 8822. The Magic Theatre is on the web at http://www.magictheatre.org.

— By Christine Ehren