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Events Sep 20, 2023
Kasper Holten's production of "Don Giovanni," pictured in a performance at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. | Photo by ©Bill Cooper / ROH
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Sept. 22
Notte Italiana: An Eataly After Hours Experience
Eataly | 10250 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90067 | Sept. 22 | eataly.com
Say ciao to summer during this after-hours festival where you’ll enjoy tasting stations featuring late-night Italian bites, cocktails, Italian wines, craft beer and live entertainment, dancing, and photobooths.
BeachLife Ranch
Redondo Beach | 239 N. Harbor Drive, Redondo Beach, CA 90277 | Sept. 22-24 | beachliferanch.com
Surf and country culture collide at this three day music festival featuring stars like Jack Johnson, The Avett Brothers, The Doobie Brothers, Wynonna Judd, Brad Paisley, Chris Isaak and more
Castle Dark
Castle Park | 3500 Polk St.,Riverside, CA 92505 | Sept. 22 – Oct. 29 | castlepark.com
Visitors will be transported to their worst nightmare as Castle Park in Riverside transforms into the terrifying and spine-tingling annual haunt experience debuting six all-new haunt experiences. For the guests seeking more treats than tricks, Castle Park’s family-friendly, daytime Dia de Los Muertos event invites families to join in the fun every Saturday and Sunday, from noon to 5:30 p.m. beginning Sept. 29 through Oct. 29.
Imaginarium
Ontario Mills | 1 Mills Circle, Ontario, CA 91764 | Sept. 22 – Nov. 5 | eventbrite.com
Step into10 immersive light experiences with music synchronized to moving lights.
Hobbit Day
The Midnight Hour | 1101 San Fernando Road, Los Angeles, CA 91340 | Sept. 22 | dice.fm
Go on an adventure to The Midnight Hour and watch a screening of “The Lord of The Rings: The Fellowship of The Ring (Extended Edition),” and enjoy Hobbit-themed snacks and shopping options.
Family Fridays Movie Nights: ‘Turning Red’
The Huntington | 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino, CA 91108 | Sept. 22 | huntington.org
Pack a picnic or buy some concessions there before relaxing on the magical grounds of The Huntington and watching Mei Lee struggle with adolescence and turn into a giant red panda.
‘Under The Oaks’
Will Geer Theatricum Botanicu | 1419 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd., Topanga, CA 90290 | Sept. 22 | theatricum.com
Enjoy an evening of contemporary classical masterworks with an interdisciplinary twist showcasing composers Juri Seo (“Respiri”), George Crumb (“Voice of the Whale”) and Olivier Messiaen (“Quartet for the End of Time”). “The Horizons of Time” will also feature Berber Heerema and Mia Barcia-Colombo on cello; Nic Gerpe on piano; Maia Jasper White and Madeline Falcone on violin; Micah Wright on clarinet; Sarah Wass on flute; and dancer Colleen Hendricks.
Sept. 23
2023 Rosemead Moon Festival
Valley Boulevard between Ivar to Walnut Grove avenues, Rosemead, CA 91770 | Sept. 23 | cityofrosemead.org
The free night market in celebration of the Moon Festival will feature more than 100 vendors selling food and merchandise, live performances, games, prices and an auction.
Free Entrance Days In The National Parks
All National Park Service sites | Sept. 23, Nov. 11 | nps.gov
All National Park Service sites that charge an entrance fee will offer free admission to everyone during five days this year. In California, 11 parks will be waiving their fees: Cabrillo National Monument, Death Valley National Park, Joshua Tree National Park, Lassen Volcanic National Park, Lava Beds National Monument, Muir Woods National Monument, Pinnacles National Park, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, and Yosemite National Park.
Ruben & Clay. Twenty Years | One Night
Arcadia Performing Arts Center | 188 Campus Drive, Arcadia, CA 91007 | Sept. 23 | arcadiapaf.org
American Idol stars Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken boast an impressive musical legacy that includes 12 albums, four Billboard Music Awards, one American Music Award, and two Grammy nominations. “We are honored to bring two iconic ‘American Idol’ favorites to Arcadia. As our first show since before the pandemic, it’s beyond exciting to be back, offering world-class entertainment to our community,” stated Jim Romo, chairman of the Arcadia Performing Arts Foundation Board.
‘Don Giovanni’
Dorothy Chandler Pavilion | 135 N. Grand Ave., Los Angeles CA 90012 | Sept. 23 – Oct. 15 | laopera.org
In the heat of the moment, the notorious Don Giovanni (aka Don Juan) murders the father of one of his conquests, unwittingly unleashing an ominous force from beyond the grave that can’t be stopped. Accustomed to getting away with anything and everything, he must now face the music as years of cruelty and debauchery come due. Grammy Award-winning baritone Lucas Meachem stars in the title role of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s masterpiece.
Clay Festival & Marketplace
LA County Arboretum | 301 N. Baldwin Ave., Arcadia, CA 91007 | Sept. 23-24 | arboretum.org
The American Ceramic Society of Southern California wil display works by local artists and demonstrations.
‘Selena’
The Ford | 2580 Cahuenga Blvd. E, Los Angeles, CA 90068 | Sept. 23 | streetfoodcinema.com
The Ford and Streetfood Cinema are partnering for this special screening of “Selena” featuring Selena-inspired musical performances.
A Conversation With John Lithgow
Irvine Barclay Theatre | 4242 Campus Drive, Irvine CA 92612 | Sept. 23 | thebarclay.org
Multiple award-winning actor, musician, and author John Lithgow reflects on his iconic career and the roles that made him a household name.
Ramon Ayala, Banda Machos And Alex Arellano
Santa Fe Springs Swap Meet | 13963 Alondra Blvd., Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670 | Sept. 23 | eventbrite.com
Modelo presents Ramon Ayala, Banda Machos and Alex Arellano in concert.
Cosmic Nights
San Bernardino County Museum | 2024 Orange Tree Lane, Redlands, CA 92374 | Sept. 23 | museum.sbcounty.gov
Marvel at the awe-inspiring celestial bodies above as the San Bernardino Valley Amateur Astronomers lend their telescopes to attendees. Museum galleries will be open during the event.
Central Avenue Jazz Festival
Central Avenue between MLK Boulevard and Vernon Avenue, Los Angeles, CA | Sept. 23 | centralavejazzfest.com
This free festival hosted in the Ninth District will feature four pavilions offering art experiences and health resources, three stages of live music, food and a marketplace.
‘The Hip Hop Celebration: 50th Anniversary Series’ Kickoff
Recreation Park | 4900 E. 7th St., Long Beach, CA 90804 | Sept. 23 | longbeach.gov
The kickoff event will be a celebration for all ages, featuring music, an engaging panel discussion with industry experts, special guest appearances, and a teen dance competition. Following this event, the Hip Hop Celebration will continue with a five-week workshop series tailor-made for tweens and teens.
10th International Mariachi Women’s Festival
San Gabriel Mission Playhouse | 320 South Mission Drive, San Gabriel, CA 91776 | Sept. 23 | missionplayhouse.org
Celebrating “Canciones del Corazón,” performers will include mariachi and jarocho harpist Natsumi Imamura from Japan; Mariachi Innovación Mexicana from Guadalajara, Mexico; Mariachi Rosas Divinas from Dallas, Texas; Grupo Bella, Ballet Folklórico de Los Ángeles; and headliners Mariachi Divas.
Monrovia Chamber Beer, Wine & Music Festival
Monrovia Library Park | 321 S. Myrtle Ave., Monrovia, CA 91016 | Sept. 23 | monroviacc.com
Showcasing the area’s best brew masters and wineries, the festival will also food and great entertainment.
Public Star Party
Griffith Observatory | 2800 E. Observatory Road, Los Angeles, CA 90027 | Sept. 23 | griffithobservatory.org
Gaze at the summer sky as local telescope groups to share their telescopes and knowledge.
‘The Travelers’
The Los Angeles Theatre Center | 514 S. Spring St., Los Angeles CA 90013 | Sept. 23 – Oct. 15 | latinotheaterco.org
Humorous and poignant, “The Travelers” takes place in a monastery alongside Highway 99 in Grangeville, California, population 496 and home to migrant workers. When a stranger stumbles in with a gunshot wound, he is nursed by the brothers of the 936-year-old Carthusian Order — even as the Archdiocese is cutting financial support, casting a shadow. Funny and heartfelt, filled with ritual and absurd touches, “The Travelers” explores the brothers’ struggles against poverty and the complexities of human connection.
Duarte’s 66th Anniversary City Picnic
Encanto Park | 751 Encanto Parkway, Duarte, CA 91010 | Sept. 23 | accessduarte.com
The City of Duarte is celebrating its 66th anniversary with live music, a “Splash Zone” for kids to cool down, delicious food for sale, a beer garden, free rides and games, inflatable attractions, boutique vendor booths, and a classic and custom car show.
‘Birds Of North America’
Odyssey Theatre | 2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles CA 90025 | Sept. 23 – Nov. 19 | odysseytheatre.com
In this funny, poignant and nuanced two-hander set against the background of nature and climate change, John and Caitlyn scan the skies over a backyard in suburban Maryland looking for elusive birds, even as the years go by and both they and the world around them change in small and vast ways. Birds of North America takes a close look at the relationship of a father and daughter over the course of a decade as they struggle to understand the parts of one another that defy understanding.
Metro Bike Share Community Ride: Chicanx Art Tour of DTLA
Union Station West Portal | 834 N. Alameda St., Los Angeles, CA 90012 | Sept. 23 | eventbrite.com
Take a bike ride through downtown Los Angeles and learn about Chicano/a/x history and communities through public art.
Moonlight Sonata
Pasadena City Hall | 100 Garfield Ave., Pasadena, CA 91101 | Sept. 23 | pasadenasymphony-pops.org
The black tie optional gala will feature performances by the Pasadena Symphony and POPS, and members of the Pasadena Youth Symphony Orchestra. The band The Mixtape will close the night with a dance. Single tickets are $300.
909 Open Market
119 W. 2nd St., Pomona, CA 91766 | Sept. 23 | 909openmarket.com
Head to the 909 Open Market for some food, shopping and music.
818 Night Market
Mission Hills Christian Church | 14941 Devonshire St., Mission Hills, CA 91345 | Sept. 23 | instagram.com/p/CxVlkSErcwy/
Stop by from 5-10 p.m. and do a little shopping from small vendors, get a bite to eat and enjoy some music.
Sept. 24
Dino Fest
Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County | 900 Exposition Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90007 | Sept. 24 | nhm.org
Celebrate dinosaurs and every version of their existence by learning from world-renowned paleontologists, seeing rare specimens from the museum’s collections, engaging with hands-on activities, exploring Dinosaur Hall and the exhibit “L.A. Underwater,” and shopping dinosaur-inspired merchandise.
‘UNIDAD: Gay & Lesbian Latinos Unidos’ Screening
LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes | 501 N. Main St., Los Angeles, CA 90012 | Sept. 24 | eventbrite.com
Join PBS SoCal and LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes for a screening event of “UNIDAD: Gay & Lesbian Latinos Unidos,” chronicling the story of the Los Angeles area’s first major Queer Latin@ organization. The celebration will also include a pop-up from Queer Mercado, Tirzah’s Mexi-Terranean, music and a conversation with the filmmakers and community organizers.
OC Record Show
UFCW Union Hall | 8530 Stanton Ave., Buena Park, CA 90620 | Sept. 24 | ocrecordshow.com
Music aficionados, collectors and vinyl lovers are invited to find some new treasures.
KCRW Festival
Hollywood Bowl | 2301 N. Highland Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90068 | Sept. 24 | hollywoodbowl.com
Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, who are celebrating the 30th anniversary of their hit “Matador,” will be joined by Los Auténticos Decadentes, who also meld rock with influences from ska, cumbia and various other genres.
Sept. 25
Spotlight: JP Saxe
The Grammy Museum | 800 W. Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90015 | Sept. 25 | universe.com
JP Saxe discusses his new album “A Grey Area” with Rolling Stone’s Tomás Mier. The discussion will be followed by a live performance.
Country Line Dancing
The Pour House | 405 S. Myrtle Ave., Monrovia, CA 91016 | Sept. 25 | eventbrite.com
Put on your cowboy boots for line dancing starting at 6 p.m. If you’re not familiar with line dancing, there are lessons starting at 7 p.m. for $8. There are also pool tables, music, drinks and food.
Sept. 26
‘Under The Skin’
Musco Center for the Arts | 415 N. Glassell, Orange, CA 92866 | Sept. 26 | muscocenter.org
Pulitzer Prize finalist Linda Villarosa will discuss and sign copies of “Under the Skin,” her new book revealing the structural and social inequities in the American healthcare system that lead to higher rates of illness and shorter lifespans among Black individuals, compared to their white counterparts.
Mike Epps
Brea Improv | 180 S. Brea Blvd., Brea, CA 92821 | Sept. 26-27 | improv.com
Actor and comedian Mike Epps, currently starring in Netflix’s “The UpShaws,” performs will have you laughing and roaring during his standup routine.
Sept. 27
Rock, Paper, Scissors: Metalachi
Argyros Plaza |600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, CA 92626 | Sept. 27 | scfta.org
Get over that midweek hump with a free party! The night kicks off with a DJ spinning hit after hit en Español, then Metalachi hits the stage to get everyone rocking and dancing. The night will also feature food trucks and hands-on arts activities for all ages.
Peter Asher & Albert Lee
Covina Center for the Performing Arts | 104 N. Citrus Ave., Covina, CA 91723 | Sept. 27 | eventbrite.com
As one half of Peter & Gordon, Peter Asher had ten Top 40 hits. Albert Lee has been called “the ultimate virtuoso” by Eric Clapton. And now both bring their decades-long experience in the music industry and talents to Covina.
Sept. 28
Boney Island
Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County | 900 Exposition Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90007 | Sept. 28 – Oct. 31 | nhm.org
Created by “The Simpsons” producer Rick Polizzi, Boney Island returns with ghoulishly glowing light installations, skeletons performing rope tricks, shadow puppetry, artistic performances, fossils, live animal presentations, trick-or-treating, critters and plants of all sizes in the gardens and much more.
Shaqtoberfest
The Queen Mary | 1126 Queens Hwy., Long Beach, CA 90802 | Sept. 28 – Oct. 31 | shaqtoberfest.com
The immersive festival returns with haunted trails, live entertainment, themed bars and lounges, carnival rides, food and more.
International Plumeria Conference
Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden | 301 N. Baldwin Ave., Arcadia, CA 91007 | Sept. 28 – 30 | ipc2023.com
Plumeria growers and fans won’t want to miss the opportunity to learn from expert speakers, workshops and panels. There will also be plenty of fun during the reception, lunches, a luau, lei making and plumeria grove tours.
Knott’s Spooky Farm
Knott’s Berry Farm | 8039 Beach Blvd., Buena Park, CA 90620 | Sept. 28 – Oct. 29 | knotts.com
The park transforms for some spooky, family-friendly fun during the day as kids are encouraged to trick-or-treat around the town of Calico and enjoy seasonal shows.
Montebello Night Market
Behind parking lot of Wells Fargo Bank | 777 W. Whittier Blvd,, Montebello, CA 90640 | Sept. 28 | montebelloca.gov
Entertainment and vendors selling farmers market items, homemade goods, arts, crafts and food will gather from 6-9 p.m.
Ongoing
‘Macbeth’
Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum | 1419 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd., Topanga CA 90290 | Through Sept. 23 | theatricum.com
There’s no better place to call up the spirits than Theatricum’s outdoor amphitheater, carved into the rustic hillside and surrounded by the Topanga woods.
‘Man Of La Mancha’
Rose Center Theater | 14140 All American Way, Westminster, CA 92683 | Through Sept. 23 | rosecentertheater.com
Inspired by Miguel de Cervantes’ literary masterpiece “Don Quixote,” this Tony Award-winning Broadway musical takes you on an unforgettable adventure into the mind of an aging, eccentric knight-errant.
‘Disney’s Aladdin’
Pantages Theatre | 6233 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028 | Through Sept. 23 | broadwayinhollywood.com
The breathtaking theatrical production of one of Disney’s most beloved musicals will wow with vivid colors and magnificent sets, not to mention the music.
‘Wander Through Wonderland’
Shakespeare Club of Pasadena | 171 S. Grand Ave., Pasadena, CA 91105 | Through Sept. 24 | feverup.com
This 90-minute, first-of-its-kind theatrical immersive experience will let you walk right into the magical world of Lewis Carroll’s Wonderland featuring Alice and friends with all its characters and wonders. Enjoy an activities studio, 25-foot magical teapot amusement, and a performance featuring Alice and friends. Wonderland guests will also have the option to attend a whimsical Mad Hatter Tea catered by San Marino Café.
‘The Bluest Eye’
A Noise Within | 3352 E Foothill Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91107 | Through Sept. 24 | anoisewithin.org
Three young Black girls in 1940s Ohio strive to make sense of love, sisterhood, abuse and hate. Faced with constant ridicule and abuse, 11-year-old Pecola Breedlove blames her dark skin. If only she had blue eyes… surely love would follow?
Visions2030: Earth Edition
California Institute of the Arts | 24700 McBean Parkway, Valencia, CA 91355 | Through Sept. 24 | eartheditionfestival.la
Dreams and reality intertwine in this festival of eco-consciousness featuring immersive experiences, Dream Domes, goat yoga, indigenous storytelling, art experiences, live music, food, sound baths, and much more.
The Other Art Fair
Barker Hangar | 3021 Airport Ave., Santa Monica, CA 90405 |Through Sept. 24 | theotherartfair.com
Combining affordable and original artworks from more than 100 independent artists, the fair aims to make art accessible and accessible. There will also be immersive installations, performances, DJs, and cocktails.
Burbank International Film Festival
Burbank | Through 24 | burbankfilmfest.org
The festival will feature 130 film screenings at AMC 16, a celebrity Q-and-A, a panel discussion, and a closing night gala and awards ceremony at Burbank Marriott Convention Center with Tim Burton as the evening’s special guest.
‘Les Misérables’
Segerstrom Hall | 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, CA 92626 | Though Oct. 1 | scfta.org
Set against the backdrop of 19th century France, “Les Misérables” tells an enthralling story of broken dreams and unrequited love, passion, sacrifice and redemption – a timeless testament to the survival of the human spirit.
‘The Sound Inside’
Pasadena Playhouse | 39 S. El Molino Ave., Pasadena, CA 91101 | Through Oct. 1 | pasadenaplayhouse.org
Not everything is as it seems behind the ivy-covered walls of Yale, where an unlikely bond leads to an unthinkable favor. Writing professor Bella Baird is looking for answers, but a fateful encounter with a mysterious student could lead to life-changing consequences for both of them.
‘Queen Margaret’s Version of Shakespeare’s War of the Roses’
Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum | 1419 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd., Topanga CA 90290 | Through Oct. 1 | theatricum.com
“Queen Margaret’s Version of Shakespeare’s War of the Roses” is a new edit of Shakespeare’s best-known history plays — Henry VI Parts I, II and III and Richard III — compiled by Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum Artistic Director Ellen Geer. Dubbed the “British Game of Thrones” and Shakespeare’s “First Boxed Set” by British director Trevor Nunn, the Bard’s War of the Roses follows 30 years of bitter infighting between the rival Lancaster and Plantagenet dynasties as they battle for power and the crown of England. Geer puts the focus on the women in court as they watch the bloody wars take the lives of their fathers, husbands and sons.
‘Living In A Wildlife Corridor’
Descanso Gardens | 1418 Descanso Drive, La Cañada Flintridge, CA 91011 | Through Oct. 1 | descansogardens.org
Included in the price of admission to the gardens, “Living in a Wildlife Corridor” is an interactive and immersive exhibit spotlighting our natural surroundings through the lens of photographers, the canvases of local artists, and through the stories and wisdom of the Tongva people.
‘Elephant Shavings’
Odyssey Theatre | 2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles CA 90025 | Through Oct. 1 | odysseytheatre.com
The stage is set for drama, humor and absurdity when one member of a theater’s acting ensemble finds herself challenged to confront the common dreams we have about the nature of reality. “It’s part existentialist thriller, part ghost story,” says Odyssey Theatre Ensemble artistic director Ron Sossi. “The theater functions as a character in the play, as does Sepulveda Boulevard, which is just outside the exit door and covers an ancient footpath used by the Gabrieleno Tongva people.”
Anaheim Fall Festival Art Show
Downtown Anaheim Community Center | 250 E. Center St., Anaheim, CA 92805 | Through Oct. 3 | instagram.com/p/CwA3w5iJp9i/
Marvel at original works from some Anaheim Fall Festival artists.
‘A Perfect Ganesh’
Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum | 1419 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd., Topanga CA 90290 | Through Oct. 7 | theatricum.com
Five-time Tony Award-winning playwright Terrence McNally turns the pilgrimage tradition on its head in his magical, poetic, Pulitzer Prize nominated play, “A Perfect Ganesh.” Theatricum’s wooded stage takes us from teeming Mumbai to the Chittaurgahr Pass, Jodhpur, the Ganges, the burning ghats of Varanasi and the Taj Mahal, as two upper-middle class friends from Connecticut travel to India with heavy baggage in tow, reeling from loss and personal demons. Manifest in their fellow travelers, the benevolent, elephant-headed Hindu god Ganesha is everyone and everywhere. Fluid in his power to assume any guise, at peace with all things, Ganesha — god of wisdom, prudence, acceptance, love and “remover of obstacles” — is the spiritual center around which the play spins, drawing upon the tragic and the comic, the beautiful and the deplorable, until a breathtaking release arrives for both women at his hands.
‘The Right Is Ours!’
Sierra Madre Playhouse | 87 W. Sierra Madre Blvd., Sierra Madre, CA 91024 | Through Oct. 8 | sierramadreplayhouse.org
“The Right Is Ours!” is about the extraordinary friendship of two women, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony, whose efforts spurred the creation of the Women’s Suffragist Movement, and the impact of that relationship on the suffragist movement and women getting the right to vote.
‘Walking In Space’
Theatre West | 3333 Cahuenga Blvd., West Los Angeles, CA 90068 | Through Oct. 8 | theatrewest.org
In 1972, there was no Betty Ford Clinic. When the prescription drug-addicted, single mother of an upper-middle class Jewish family in suburban Baltimore finally hits rock-bottom, it falls on her children to take control. Inspired by true events, this fictionalized, autobiographical tragicomedy is an affectionate portrait of four siblings who arm themselves with fierce tenacity, good humor, and their love for one another to save their mother — and themselves.
‘Latinos: Driving Prosperity, Power, and Progress in America Hispanic Heritage Month’
San Bernardino County Museum | 2024 Orange Tree Lane, Redlands, CA 92374 | Through Oct 15 | museum.sbcounty.gov
Organized and curated in partnership with the Inland Empire Latino Art Association, the exhibit features works by 21 Inland Empire artists focusing on contributions of the Hispanic community in the U.S.
‘This Is Not A True Story’
The Los Angeles Theatre Center | 514 S. Spring St., Los Angeles, CA 90013 | Through Oct. 15 | latinotheaterco.org
Tired racist tropes are upended as fictional worlds collide with modern reality. Julia Cho, Zandi de Jesus and Rosie Narasaki star as three Asian “tragic heroines”: Cio-Cio from “Madame Butterfly,” Kim from “Miss Saigon,” and Kumiko/Takako from the 2015 film, “Kumiko the Treasure Hunter.” Each is trapped in a loop she can’t control — until they work together to claim agency over their lives and forever break the cycle.
‘How It’s Gon’ Be’
Atwater Village Theatre | 3269 Casitas Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90039 | Through Oct. 23 | echotheatercompany.com
With adulthood looming in the distance, Jahaan and his friends are enjoying the last precious moments of summer vacation. When Jahaan’s father returns after a year away, the world stops spinning for a moment — and lines are drawn in the sand. How It’s Gon’ Be is a slice of one Black boy’s life during the summer he becomes a man — and an artist.
‘Blood At The Root’
Atwater Village Theatre | 3269 Casitas Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90039 | Through Oct. 28 | openfisttheatre.my.salesforce-sites.com
Infused with hip-hop music and movement, Blood at the Root sheds light on escalating tensions between Black and White students at a Louisiana high school, delving into the double standard often applied to racially charged situations.
Angel Of Light
Los Angeles Theatre | 615 S. Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90014 | Through Oct. 31 | feverup.com
Walk through a French baroque-style movie palace where Old Hollywood has come back to life, curses swirl through the air, and demonic possessions are as numerous as the ghosts roaming the halls.
‘Freud On Cocaine’
Whitefire Theatre | 13500 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks, CA 91423 | Through Nov. 4 | whitefiretheatre.com
Taken from Sigmund Freud’s own words as documented in his book, “Cocaine Papers,” this new comedy revolves around Freud, a respected doctor, a loving husband, a devoted father — and a drug addict. Fact: Freud used up to a gram of cocaine daily for at least a decade. Fact: Freud touted cocaine as a panacea for pain, exhaustion, low spirits, depression and morphine addiction. Fact: Merck Pharmaceuticals offered Freud free “product” in exchange for his continued research into its medical use. Fact: Freud slipped cocaine into the love letters he mailed to his German finacée, keeping their engagement secret from his future mother-in-law. Fact: Freud convinced his fellow doctor and best friend, Ernst von Fleischl-Marxow, to use cocaine to control Ernst’s addiction to morphine after a painful accident. Fact: While treating patient Emma Eckstein for the “nasogenital” cause of her hysteria, Freud and another doctor cauterized Eckstein’s nose with a gram of cocaine, nearly killing her after three surgeries.
‘Printed In 1085: The Chinese Buddhist Canon From The Song Dynasty’
The Huntington | 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino, CA 91108 | Through Dec. 4 | huntington.org
The Huntington will exhibit for the first time the oldest printed book in its collection, “The Scripture of the Great Flower Ornament of the Buddha.” The exhibit will show the connection between religion and China’s printmaking, which had been practiced centuries before the first use of movable metal type in Europe.
‘Kara Walker: Cut To The Quick’
USC Fisher Museum of Art | 823 Exposition Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90089 | Through Dec. 9 | fisher.usc.edu
The career-spanning exhibition presents Kara Walker’s powerful and provocative images that employ contradictions to critique the painful legacies of slavery, sexism, violence, imperialism, and other power structures, including those in the history and hierarchies of art and contemporary culture. A leading artist of her generation, Walker works in a range of mediums, including prints, drawings, paintings, sculpture, film, and the large-scale silhouette cutouts for which she is perhaps most recognized.
‘Journeys Continued: LA Communities Through The Eyes Of Artists’
Los Angeles Union Station | 800 N. Alameda St., Los Angeles, CA 90012 | Through Dec. 31 | art.metro.net
In “Journeys Continued: LA Communities Through the Eyes of Artists,” 12 featured pieces focus on a specific area, neighborhood or city Metro serves within greater Los Angeles and will be on view in the Passageway Art Gallery, between Union Station East and West.
‘Graphic Design In The Middle Ages’
Getty Center | 1200 Getty Center Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90049 | Through Jan. 28, 2024 | getty.edu
Experimental design was a core component in the creation of medieval books. The people who produced them, from the scribe who wrote out the text to the artist who painted the images, were some of the world’s first graphic designers. They planned both individual pages and whole books, devising unique strategies for each work. The manuscripts on view explore the many ways in which words and images were designed to work together on the page, not just to communicate the content of the text but also to challenge, surprise, and delight readers
‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT): Secrets Of The Sewer’
Discovery Cube Los Angeles | 11800 Foothill Blvd., Sylmar, CA 91342 | Through Feb. 19 | discoverycube.org
Families will be transported to the underground home of the crime-fighting heroes to see what really happens in their secret hideaway. This full-scale installation will take visitors into the Turtles’ lair, allowing them to learn team-building and problem-solving skills, as well as some Turtles-approved ninja moves in a role-play environment.
Shakira, Shakira: The Grammy Museum Experience
The Grammy Museum | 800 W Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90015 | Through Winter 2024 | grammymuseum.org
If you’ve had “Las mujeres ya no lloran, las mujeres facturan” stuck in your head the last few weeks then you’ll want to stop by this exhibit honoring the multi-Grammy Award-winning and Latin Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter, producer, dancer, philanthropist and international icon. The exhibit explores the artist’s musical evolution, from her origins as a Latin rock-loving singer-songwriter in Barranquilla, Colombia, to a global superstar whose catalog spans multiple genres, from bhangra and bachata to rock and reggaetón. The exhibit features interactives, artifacts from Shakira’s personal archive, three original films, handwritten lyrics, costumes, guitars and more.
‘In Our Time: Prints By R.B. Kitaj’
Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens | 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino, CA 91108 | Through March 4, 2024 | huntington.org
“In Our Time: Prints by R.B. Kitaj” explores the intersection between literary and visual arts, lays bare social and political issues that were important to the artist, and provides information about the art of screen printing. The newly acquired works depict hyperrealistic replicas of well-loved book covers—and some of the prints even show torn and stained covers.
