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Home / Events / Fun things to do in SoCal this week: Oct. 13-19

Fun things to do in SoCal this week: Oct. 13-19

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Ghost and ghouls. Hayrides and classic cars. New book releases and cultural celebrations. Whatever you’re into, there’s something for you to do in SoCal.

Oct. 13

ArtNight Pasadena

Pasadena | Oct. 13 | cityofpasadena.net

Twenty cultural institutions open their doors to the public for free from 6-10 p.m. In addition to art, the night will feature music, entertainment and food trucks.

Haunting Ghost Tours

Heritage Square Museum | 3800 Homer St., Los Angeles, CA 90031 | Oct. 13 | eventbrite.com

Explore the haunted history of Heritage Square in this guided walking tour featuring family history, stories of ghosts and sightings, and examples of ghost hunting instruments.

Shindig Show With Craig Robinson & Darrell Hammond

The Ice House | 24 N. Mentor Ave., Pasadena, CA 91106 | Oct. 13 | showclix.com

Jimmy Shin will be joined by Craig Robinson from the “Office” and Darrell Hammond from “SNL,” among other comedians. 

‘Rocky Horror Picture Show’

Argyros Plaza | Oct. 13 | 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, CA 92626 | scfta.org

Dress up, sing along, and do the time warp again and again at this outdoor film screening of the cult classic. Miss Clair Voyance and her sinister sisters kick off the festivities with “Hallo-Queen Spook-tacular!” drag show. The first 200 guests will receive prop bags.

Fall-O-Ween

Heritage Hill Historical Park | 25151 Serrano Road, Lake Forest, CA 92630 | Oct. 13-15 | ocparks.com

Tour the decorated historical grounds during special hours and take your picture at a variety of fall and Halloween-themed photo opportunities. Try to find your way through the hay maze and complete a scavenger hunt for goodies at this free, family-friendly event.

50th Los Angeles Korean Festival

Seoul International Park | 3250 San Marino St., Los Angeles, CA 90006 | Oct. 13-15 | eventbrite.com

Celebrate Korean culture with scrumptious food, performances, activities, shopping for goods straight from Korea, music, and dancing.

Drive-In Movie Night In Glendale

Electric Dusk Drive-In | 236 N. Central Ave., Glendale, CA 91203 | Oct. 13-14 | eventbrite.com

As great as the traditional movie theatrical experience can be, there’s something extra special about a classic drive-in. This weekend, pick from two double-features: “Friday the 13th” and “Nightmare on Elm Street” on Friday or “The Nightmare Before Christmas” and “Edward Scissorhands” on Saturday.

Oct. 14

2nd Annual Latino Heritage Day

Rancho Cordillera Del Norte | 18904 Nordhoff St., Northridge, CA 91324 | Oct. 14 | museumsanfernandovalley.blogspot.com

This free celebration of Latino heritage will feature live music, food vendors, arts and crafts, games, and cultural programming. 

Old Town Fall Festival

Library Park | 321 S. Myrtle Ave., Monrovia, CA 91016 | Oct. 14 | cityofmonrovia.org

Old Town will be filled with free activities including fall crafts, photo opportunities, a pet costume contest, and music. There will also be hay wagon rides and trackless train rides for $2 per person. Stop by the fire station from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for their free open house. 

Hay wagon rides at the Old Town Fall Festival. | Photo courtesy of Old Town Monrovia via Facebook

Classic American Cars And Live Painting Franklin Canyon Park In Beverly Hills

Franklin Canyon Park | 2600 Franklin Canyon Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90210 | Oct. 14 | theautry.org

Hosted by The Autry Museum, the event will feature an exploration of the artist loop around Franklin Canyon Lake, meeting artists from The Autry’s “Masters of the American West” exhibition and the California Art Club as they paint plein air, cocktails, lunch and classic cars. Single tickets start at $125 and include entry to the event plus one complimentary Friend level Autry membership.

‘Rent: The Musical’

Long Beach Playhouse | 5021 E. Anaheim St., Long Beach CA 90804 | Oct. 14 – Nov. 18 | lbplayhouse.org

The Tony Award-winner from Jonathan Larson has been a mainstay of American pop culture since its debut is simultaneously inspirational and heartbreaking.

Halloweekend

City Hall | 400 S. Vicentia Ave., Corona, CA 92882 | Oct. 14 | coronaca.gov

The Civic Center is getting a spooky makeover for an evening of free trick or treating, games, activities, staged photo opportunities, scare areas, costume contest and a movie. If you get hungry, food trucks will be on site selling delicious treats. 

Lit Fest

Beer Thug Brewery | 4400 E. Gage Ave., Bell, CA 90201 | Oct. 14 | eventbrite.com

The festival will feature Latinx authors, artists, and performers.

Street Food Cinema: ‘Halloween’

The Autry Museum | 4700 Western Heritage Way, Los Angeles, CA 90027 | Oct. 14 | streetfoodcinema.com

Dress up your pup, pack some blankets and invite your friends for an evening rewatching the film that spawned a film franchise. Show up before the movie to hear indie rock band Box Dreams perform or to grab food and snacks from Eagle Rock BBQ, Gooey Center Bakery, Nibble Night, THICC Burger, or The Twist Churro.

Art Walk & Roll Festival 2023

Culver City Arts District | Oct. 14 | culverciyartwalk.com

Gather your family and friends for this free festival featuring live music, artists, food trucks, mural making, beer gardens, activities and visit local galleries, eateries and shops. Parking in the area is limited so it’s suggested that you ride Metro as rides will be free all day Saturday and the Culver City Station is a short walk from the festival.

Long Beach Zombie Walk & Halloween Party

Shoreline Village | 429 Shoreline Village Drive, Long Beach, CA 90802 | Oct. 14 | shorelinevillage.com

Get your zombie costume ready (What you wear to the office will also suffice since it’s practically the same thing.) to walk, or stumble along, the parade of the undead down Shoreline Village. Then join the party featuring live music, dance floors, and themed drinks and meals. Kids can enjoy face painting, pumpkin carving stations, haunted house tours and trick-or-treating.

‘Indigenous Futurism’

The Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art & Culture | 3581 Mission Inn Ave., Riverside, CA, 92501 | Oct. 14 – Feb. 18 | riversideartmuseum.org

“Indigenous Futurism” features paintings, works on paper, sculpture and videos viewed through an indigenous lens by 18 all-femme artists from across California.

Downtown Art Walk

Downtown Long Beach | 100 W. Broadway, Ste. 120, Long Beach, CA | Oct. 14 | downtownlongbeach.org

Featuring three hubs, the Art Walk provides plenty of opportunities to support local artists, business and explore four exhibits showcasing international posters, street murals, the works of Carl Aldana, and Arts Council for Long Beach’s Professional Artist Fellows.

Lila Downs: Dos Corazones Día De Muertos

The Soraya | 18111 Nordhoff St., Northridge, CA 91330  | Oct. 14 | thesoraya.org

Remember loved ones you’ve lost and embark on a musical journey throughout Mexico with folk singer Lila Downs and ballet folklórico performers. 

Lila Downs. | Photo courtesy of Segerstrom Center for the Arts

Second Saturday ArtWalk

Downtown Pomona | 119 W. Second St., Pomona, CA 91766 | Oct. 14 | downtownpomona.org

ArtWalk features art, interactive activities, vendors, music, food, entertainment and more. In celebration of Halloween, wear your best costume to win cash prizes and trick-or-treat to your heart’s delight. 

Halloween Nature Crawl

San Dimas Canyon Nature Center | 1628 Sycamore Canyon Road, San Dimas, CA 91773 | Oct. 14 | instagram.com/p/CwiZDUyPFcF/

Dress up to win because there will be costume contests for kids and adults, goodies, raffles, vendors, a pumpkin patch, crafts, a Great Horned Owl release, a Halloween maze and wildlife exhibits.

South Gate Art Walk

South Gate Museum & Art Gallery | 8680 California Ave., South Gate, CA, 90280 | Oct. 14 | cityofsouthgate.org

The third annual South Gate Art Walk will have local artists and vendors, and activities for all to enjoy.

Partial Solar Eclipse Viewing

Griffith Observatory | 2800 E. Observatory Road, Los Angeles, CA 90027 | Oct. 14 | griffithobservatory.org

The Griffith Observatory is hosting a public event from 8-11 a.m. featuring solar telescopes staffed by Observatory staff and local volunteers to allow visitors with safe viewing options. Admission to the event is free.

Oct. 15

CicLAvia—Heart Of LA

Los Angeles | Oct. 15 | ciclavia.org

The streets of LA will be closed to cars, allowing residents to explore the city by walking, cycling, dancing, skateboarding, running or jogging. Make your own adventure by mapping out places to eat, shop and visit. 

Back To The Origin

Pasadena Civic Auditorium | 300 E. Green St., Pasadena, CA 91101 | Oct. 15 | universe.com

According to event organizers, “Back to the Origin weaves a tale of prophecy, encouraging individuals to delve into their inner conscience, collaborate for global peace and sustainability, and ultimately enhance personal growth.”

Silent Sundays Series: ‘The Hunchback Of Notre Dame’ (1923)

San Gabriel Mission Playhouse | 320 S. Mission Drive, San Gabriel, CA 91776 | Oct. 15 | missionplayhouse.org

Travel back in time to the reign of King Louis XI as Lon Chaney assumes the role of Quasimodo, a man treated as an outcast and exiled to the Cathedral. American Theatre Organ Society Organist of the Year Mark Herman will accompany the film on the Playhouse’s Mighty Wurlitzer theater pipe organ. Tickets are $12 online.

Pomona Swap Meet & Classic Car Show

Fairplex | 2075 Fairplex Drive, La Verne, CA 91750 | Oct. 15 | fairplex.com

Hundreds of vendors selling car parts and accessories will be joined by restored classic cars on display. General admission is $15, cash only. Fairplex Parking is credit card only, $17 per vehicle.

Oct. 16

Angel City Jazz Fest + Vernacular: Intergenerational Improvisation Night

Art Share L.A. | 801 East 4th Place, Los Angeles, CA 90013 | Oct. 16 | eventbrite.com

Veteran and emerging musicians performing eight 30 minute sets as duos and trios.

Country Line Dancing

The Pour House | 405 S. Myrtle Ave., Monrovia, CA 91016 | Oct. 16 | 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.

Oct. 17

‘Ain’t Too Proud: The Life And Times Of The Temptations’

Segerstrom Hall | 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, CA 92626 | Oct. 17-29 | scfta.org

Featuring the Grammy-winning songs and Tony-winning moves, “Ain’t Too Proud” follows The Temptations’ extraordinary journey from the streets of Detroit to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The story of how they met, the groundbreaking heights they hit, and how personal and political conflicts threatened to tear the group apart as the United States fell into civil unrest is set to the beat of the group’s treasured hits, including “My Girl,” “Just My Imagination,” “Get Ready,” “Papa Was a Rolling Stone” and many more.

Cast of “Ain’t Too Proud.” | Photo courtesy of SCFTA

Lidia Bastianich Discusses ‘Lidia’s From Our Family Table To Yours’

Pasadena Presbyterian Church | 585 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91101 | Oct. 17 | eventbrite.com

Lidia Bastianich has shared traditional Italian family recipes on TV for years and in her latest book, the first since the death of her mother, she shares the recipes she cooks for loved ones. 

Oct. 18

‘Deathtrap’

Beverly O’Neill Theater | 330 E. Seaside Way, Long Beach, CA 90802 | Oct. 18 – Nov. 5 | ictlongbeach.org

Ira Levin’s comedy thriller follows a writer in the middle of a dry spell as he, with the help of his wife, attempts to claim a student’s masterpiece as his own.

El Sereno Oktoberfest

El Sereno Night Market | 4899 Huntington Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90032 | Oct. 18 | elserenochamber.com

Wednesday night just got more exciting as El Sereno Night Market brings you food, music, prizes and a beer garden to enjoy.

Vadym Kholodenko In Recital

The Soraya | 18111 Nordhoff St., Northridge, CA 91330 | Oct. 18 | thesoraya.org

Cliburn gold medal-winner Vadym Kholodenko performs a diverse program featuring Beethoven, Handel, Liszt and Thomas Adès.

Oct. 19

Line 666: A Halloween Storytelling Event

The Autry Museum in Griffith Park | 4700 Western Heritage Way, Los Angeles, CA 90027 | Oct. 19 | theautry.org

The experimental variety show will weave together short films, poetry, puppetry and scary stories to take you on a journey through the history of a phantom train that haunted the Old West. Tickets are $10 for non-members and include access to the museum.

Senior Dance Moonlight Glamour

Grapevine Arbor | 324 S. Mission Drive, San Gabriel, CA 91776 | Oct.19 | sangabrielcity.com

Feel young again at this fun and free Great Gatsby/ Masquerade-themed dance for older adults. RSVP by Oct. 12.

‘Reina De Los Angeles’

Forest Lawn Museum | 1712 S. Glendale Ave., Glendale, CA 91205 | Oct. 19 – Feb. 11 | forestlawn.com

Featuring the work of LA-native Nydya Mora, the photography exhibit celebrates the Virgen de Guadalupe and Mexican culture in Los Angeles. An opening reception for “Reina de Los Angeles” and “Shaping Gravity: Abstract Art Beyond the Picture Plane” will include complimentary drinks and hors d’oeuvres, live music, and remarks from the curators and will be free and open to the public by RSVPing by Oct. 15.

LatinXoxo

Musco Center for the Arts | One University Drive, Orange, CA 92866 | Oct. 19 | muscocenter.org

Migguel Anggelo breaks away from gender expectations in the Latinx community and artistic limits. Anggelo’s story is told through theater, comedy, physical movement, and music spanning pop and boleros.

Landis Haunted Maze

Gary D. Schultz Black Box Theatre | 4800 Magnolia Ave., Riverside, CA 92506 | Oct. 19-21 | rccboxoffice.com

Presented by the Riverside City College Theatre Department, the student-created haunted maze will provide plenty of spooks.

Ongoing

‘Hadestown’

The Ahmanson Theatre | 135 N. Grand Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90012 | Through Oct. 15 | centertheatregroup.org

The eight-time Tony Award-winning musical about two intertwining love stories — that of young dreamers Orpheus and Eurydice, and that of King Hades and his wife Persephone — invites audiences on a hell-raising journey to the underworld and back.

Nathan Lee Graham and company in the “Hadestown” North American Tour playing at Center Theatre Group / Ahmanson Theatre Oct. 3 through Oct. 15, 2023. | Photo by T Charles Erickson

‘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.

‘Don Giovanni’

Dorothy Chandler Pavilion | 135 N. Grand Ave., Los Angeles CA 90012 | Through 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. 

‘The Travelers’

The Los Angeles Theatre Center | 514 S. Spring St., Los Angeles CA 90013 | Through 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.

Oktoberfest

Fairplex | 1101 W McKinley Ave. Pomona, CA 91768 | Through Oct. 21 | fairplex.com

Don your lederhosen or dirndl to enjoy Bavarian music, savor authentic German food and dance Der Ententanz (the Chicken Dance). Domestic brews and specialty cocktails will also be poured. 

Long Beach Oktoberfest

855 Elm Ave., Long Beach, CA 90813 | Through Oct. 22 | longbeachoktoberfest.org

Don’t waste miles on flights to Bavaria when you can savor authentic German beer and food in Long Beach. Festmeister Hans und Die Sauerkrauts will provide musical entertainment, performances and games from the main stage. 

‘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.

“Blood at the Root” ensemble. | Photo by Amanda Weier

The Vampire Circus 

The Montalbán Theatre | 1615 Vine St., Hollywood, CA 90028 | Oct. 28-31 | thevampirecircus.com

Unlike any other, The Vampire Circus brings chills along with the thrills. Inspired by the creativity of Tim Burton and the acrobatics of Cirque Du Soleil, the circus features a mix of theater, dance and gymnastics.

Cal Poly Pomona Pumpkin Fest

Cal Poly Pomona | 4102 S. University Drive, Pomona, CA 91768 | Through Oct. 29 | cpp.edu

Weekends this fall, head to Cal Poly where you’ll find Pumpkin Hill, two corn mazes, a petting farm, a sunflower maze, a cow train, antique-tractor-pulled hay wagon rides, duck races, live music, farming demonstrations, food and craft vendors, a country fair area and much more.

Knott’s Spooky Farm

Knott’s Berry Farm | 8039 Beach Blvd., Buena Park, CA 90620 | Through 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.

Castle Dark

Castle Park | 3500 Polk St.,Riverside, CA 92505 | Through 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 Día de Los Muertos event invites families to join in the fun every Saturday and Sunday, from noon to 5:30 p.m. through Oct. 29.

The Haunted Harvest

Frosty’s Forest & Pumpkin Patch | 14861 Ramona Ave., Chino, CA 91710 | Through Oct. 29 | frostysforest.com

Go back in time to a haunted Blockbuster in 1997 where Notflix Killer wants to show you how much he hates late fees. There will also be five other haunted houses along the corn maze.

‘Cindy & The Disco Ball: The Musical’

Garry Marshall Theatre | 4252 W. Riverside Drive, Burbank, CA 91505 | Through Oct. 29 | garrymarshalltheatre.org

This retro retelling of the Cinderella story whisks us back to the sun-kissed days and lava lamp-lit nights of 1976 with an original musical score that blends the sounds of disco rhythms and Broadway musical magic. Cindy Fontaine (Saylor Bell Curda of “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series”) is a teenager determined to be heard in the high school scene after being left to deal with a messed-up family life when her father is away in Vietnam. Cindy’s cosmic guide through this coming-of-age musical is a fabulously magical Soul Sister (Cloie Wyatt Taylor of “Partners In Rhyme”) who gives new meaning to making an entrance. When the LA County school district threatens to cut arts funding, Cindy and the students at Pacific Palisades High have to beat the clock (that’s about to strike midnight) to save the arts.

Carved

Descanso Gardens | 1418 Descanso Drive, La Cañada Flintridge, CA 91011 | Through Oct. 29 | descansogardens.org

As you stroll through the captivating displays, you’ll be amazed by luminous jack-o’-lanterns, fallen tree sculptures and whimsical installations, including Tom&Lien Dekyvere’s glow-in-the-dark Rhizome installation in the Rose Garden Labyrinth and giant carved pumpkins under the Rose Pavilion. Don’t miss the expanded Día de los Muertos ofrenda altar, providing guests with a place to meditate and remember loved ones. The pumpkin house, hay maze, and fall food offerings will all be back to round out the fun.

Filled with jack-o’-lanterns, statues, and more, the Pumpkin Forest brings out the best of Halloween at Carved. | Photo: © Descanso Gardens

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.

Boney Island

Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County | 900 Exposition Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90007 | Through 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.

Boney Island. | Photo courtesy of NHMLAC

Shaqtoberfest

The Queen Mary | 1126 Queens Hwy., Long Beach, CA 90802 | Through Oct. 31 | shaqtoberfest.com

The immersive festival returns with haunted trails, live entertainment, themed bars and lounges, carnival rides, food and more.

Riverside County Scare & Pumpkin Festival

Riverside County Fairgrounds | 46350 Arabia St., Indio, CA 92201 | Through Oct. 31 | datefest.org

Visiti “San Fantazma,” the fictional town hosting a pumpkin patch, a community ofrenda, a haunted house, Cantina Calacas offering spirits and seasonal treats, and more.

Lights Out

Fairplex | 1101 W McKinley Ave. Pomona, CA 91768 | Through Oct. 31 | fairplex.com

Walk through a haunted county fair full of the undead, monsters and carnage. Fearplex will feature mazes, esports, zombieball, interactive frights, vendors, and themed food. You can even purchase a combo ticket to indulge in brews at Oktoberfest after the fear-inducing fun. 

Pumpkin Palooza

Discovery Cube Orange County | 2500 N. Main St., Santa Ana, CA 92705 | Through Oct. 31 | discoverycube.org

The not-so-frightfully delightful event features two floors of fun, including an interactive dance party that includes a giant 20-foot projection-mapped DJ named “Jack-o-Lynn” spinning, bumper cars, life-size corn mazes, and activities like making glow-in-the dark slime, learning about the size of pumpkins using “pi”, and testing your speed with a marble run race.

Nights Of The Jack

King Gillette Ranch | 26800 Mulholland Highway, Calabasas, CA 91302 | Through Oct. 31 | nightsofthejack.com

Head into the Santa Monica Mountains for this immersive nighttime light show. Pick up a hot cider or seasonal cocktail before heading to the trail or carving your pumpkin.

‘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.

‘Love Among The Ruins’

El Portal Theatre | 5969 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood, CA 91601 | Through Nov. 5 | elportaltheatre.com

JoBeth Williams (“Poltergeist,” “The Big Chill”) and Peter Strauss (“Rich Man, Poor Man,” “The Jericho Mile”) star in the hilarious, romantic courtroom classic. In this newly reinvented version, Jessica Medlicott (Williams), once a great actress, is now a beautiful and wealthy widow. She is accused of “breach of promise” by a handsome young Naval officer who claims she promised to marry him. Her only hope may be the greatest barrister at the Old Bailey, Sir Arthur Granville Jones (Strauss). Jessica is no ordinary client and the sparks that fly as she drives Sir Arthur to distraction keeps the audience guessing, laughing and crying until the very end.

Imaginarium

Ontario Mills | 1 Mills Circle, Ontario, CA 91764 | Through Nov. 5 | eventbrite.com

Step into10 immersive light experiences with music synchronized to moving lights.

‘The Engagement Party’

Geffen Playhouse | 10886 Le Conte Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90024 | Through Nov. 5 | geffenplayhouse.org

The champagne is on ice, the hors d’oeuvres are perfectly arranged, and the table is exquisitely set. At a swank Park Avenue apartment, a young couple is celebrating their engagement with an intimate gathering of family and friends. When a glass of wine is spilled, the night takes an unexpected turn, unleashing a spiraling sequence of events and revelations that will irrevocably change their lives.

‘Birds Of North America’

Odyssey Theatre | 2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles CA 90025 | Through 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.

The Fans Strike Back

Santa Monica Art Museum | 1219 3rd Street Promenade, Santa Monica, 90401 | Through Nov. 30 | fansstrikebackexhibition.com

Star Wars fans won’t want to miss this exhibit featuring more than 600 official items collected by fans including costumes, life-size figures, sculptures, collectables, lightsabers and much more.

‘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.

‘Narcisa Hirsch: In Relation’

USC Fisher Museum of Art | 823 W. Exposition Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90089 | Through Dec. 9 | fisher.usc.edu

Displaying eight recently digitized films by Narcisa Hirsch, a pioneer of Argentinian experimental cinema who started working in the 1970s with delicate mediums such as Super8 and 16mm film, the exhibition focuses on the relational quality inherent in Hirsch’s work, demonstrated by techniques of translation, adaptation, and experimentation between her films and other artistic media (dance, literature, music, painting, graffiti, and performance), as well as between her work and that of other artists.

‘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.

“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT): Secrets Of The Sewer” exhibit. | Photo courtesy of DCLA

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. 

‘Hip-Hop America: The Mixtape Exhibit’

The GRAMMY Museum | 800 W. Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90015 | Through Sept. 4, 2024 | grammymuseum.org

The 5,000-square foot installation delves deep into the multifaceted world of hip-hop through expansive exhibits on hip-hop music, dance, graffiti, fashion, business, activism, and history, providing visitors with an immersive experience that explores the impact and influence of hip-hop culture. On display will be an incredible array of artifacts including the Notorious B.I.G.’s iconic red leather pea jacket, LL Cool J’s red Kangol bucket hat, and more. Additionally, a Sonic Playground features five interactive stations that invite visitors of all ages to unleash their creativity through DJing, rapping and sampling.

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