THURSDAY

No, this is not a film about people who draw a lot. Tonight, Arts & Lectures presents a screening of “The Charcoal People,” a documentary by Academy Award-winning director Nigel Noble. The film explores the daily life of migrant Brazilian workers who must destroy the Brazilian rainforests in order to survive. The film plays at 7:30 at Campbell Hall. Tickets are $6 general, $5 UCSB students. Also tonight, the Santa Barbara Museum of Art will present a film festival of the works of Michel Gondry, who directed Christmas commercials for the Gap as well as the “Sugar Water” video for Cibo Matto. The event starts at 7:30 and runs through Sunday. Call 884-6427 for more information.

FRIDAY

Ever wanted to know what a slave sounded like? Tonight, the MultiCultural Center presents the Georgia Sea Island Singers. They perform slave songs and spirituals, telling the captivating story of the coastal islands of Georgia, which have preserved the cultural heritage of American slavery. The performance is at 8 in the MCC Theater. Reservations are recommended, so call 893-8411 and arrive early. Also tonight, Theatre UCSB presents its opening of David Mamet’s “Speed-The-Plow.” Performances are May 17-19 and May 21-25. Regular performances are at 8 p.m., Sundays at 2 p.m. at the Performing Arts Theatre. Tickets are $12-$16. Call 893-3535 for more information.

SATURDAY

Okay, normally I don’t like sending people out of town. Today and tomorrow, the California Strawberry Festival is taking place in Oxnard, but get this: Berlin, Men at Work and Christopher Cross are slated to perform this weekend. Admission to the festival is $9/$5 and the festival is from 10-6:30 p.m. at College Park, 3250 South Rose Ave. Tonight, Sings Like Hell presents the Laurie Lewis Trio, who blend bluegrass with western swing, Cajun and Tejano thrown in for good measure. The Laurie Lewis Trio performs at the Lobero Theatre at 8. Tickets are $34.50 in advance, $39.50 the day of. Call 963-0761 for more information.

SUNDAY

You know that thing that wasn’t open for a long time? Today’s your last chance to catch the faculty exhibition of works from the Art Studio Department, College of Creative Studies and Media Arts and Technology Program at the University Art Museum. Many of our best faculty and lecturers are strutting their stuff until today at 5 p.m. For those who want some music for the people, check out the polyrhythmic sounds of Ozomatli, tonight at the Coach House at 8 and 10:30. Ozomatli are a socially aware band playing Grammy-winning urban sounds. The Coach House is at 110 S. Santa Barbara St. Call 965-0789 for more information.

MONDAY

If love can conquer all, then we must all be its slaves. Tonight, Arts & Lectures presents a screening of a new 35-mm print of Jean Cocteau’s “Beauty and the Beast (La belle et la b