GET READY, SET, PLAN FOR FALL ARTS EXPLOSION

HERE’S A BIT of advice. Before reading any further, find that social planner.

You’re certainly going to need it as you browse through this special edition of Sunday A&E, our annual preview of the Bay Area arts and entertainment scene.

Although fall doesn’t officially start until later this month, the arts and entertainment scene isn’t paying attention, with numerous high-profile events kicking into gear this week. There’s Madonna at the Arena in Oakland. There’s the San Francisco Symphony season opener, not to mention the San Francisco Opera gala. And closer to home, for some especially those who don’t like dealing with that cursed Caldecott Tunnel there’s the Center Rep season opener, “Dear Liar,” at the Dean Lesher Regional Center for the Arts in Walnut Creek.

And that’s only what’s on tap for this week!

There’s much more headed our way through the end of November. And to help organize and even prioritize, the A&E staff consisting of Tony Hicks on popular music, Pat Craig on theater, Georgia Rowe on classical music, Vera H-C Chan on dance and Elizabeth Sivesind on exhibits has assembled a list of “must-see” events for you to consider.

In addition, we’ve decided to present you with as many options as possible in the form of a fall calendar, listing Bay Area arts and entertainment events through the end of November. Ahhh, now there’s where those social planners will come in especially handy. In order to make room for this, we’ve put on hiatus one of our most popular features the Big Calendar. It and the Looking Ahead calendar will return next week.

Enjoy!