This week’s best theater premiers include a new music-theater piece at the JCC, cabaret at The Dark Room and a super speedy improv competition from BATS.

What happens when a cartoonist and composer collaborate? Well in the case of Ben Katchor (cartoonist) and Mark Mulcahy (composer), the result is Up From the Stacks, a music-theater piece with live vocalists, musicians and projected animation. It all goes down this Thursday at Jewish Community Center’s Kanbar Hall.

Also this Thursday, hop on the Trainwreck Cabaret at The Dark Room Theater. The variety show puts a modern twist on 1950s entertainment. Expect puppetry, sword-swallowing and loads of burlesque!

On Friday, make your way to Fort Mason’s Bayfront Theater for Super Scene, a BATS improv competition. The competition will feature six directors creating their own improvised stories, and ultimately the audience gets to choose which story wins.

• Tag: ben katchor, cabaret, jewish community center, kanbar hall, mark mulcahy, musicals, SF Art, sf performance, sf performing arts, SF Theater, the dark room theater, trainwreck cabaret, up from the stacks