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Events Oct 18, 2023
Silverado Days. | Photo courtesy of City of Buena Park via Facebook
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There are more festivals in SoCal this week than I could fit in this calendar. Read on for a taste of what you can do in SoCal this week.
Oct. 20
Silverado Days
William Peak Park | 7225 El Dorado Drive, Buena Park, CA 90620 | Oct. 20-22 | silveradodays.com
Raising funds for local charities, Silverado Days will feature food vendors, arts & crafts booths, carnival rides, a car show, games, various contests, music and entrance is free.
Azusa Golden Days Festival
Memorial Park | 320 N. Orange Ave., Azusa, CA 91702 | Oct. 20-22 | azusaca.gov
The culmination of weeklong festivities will feature carnival rides, live musical performances, food, and games.
Fall-O-Ween
Heritage Hill Historical Park | 25151 Serrano Road, Lake Forest, CA 92630 | Oct. 20-22 | 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.
Maya La Feria Internacional De Culturas
68526 Ave Lalo Guerrero, Cathedral City, CA 92234 | Oct. 20-22 | mayalaferia.com
Immerse yourself in the beautiful indigenous culture of the Maya people. The festival will have traditional food, music, performances and crafts; hands-on activities, workshops, and much more.
Drive-In Movie Night In Glendale
Electric Dusk Drive-In | 236 N. Central Ave., Glendale, CA 91203 | Oct. 20-22 | eventbrite.com
As great as the traditional movie theatrical experience can be, there’s something extra special about a classic drive-in. This weekend, the drive-in will show “Child’s Play” on Friday and a witchy double feature on Saturday featuring “Hocus Pocus” and “The Craft.” For Sunday, dress up your pup for a special screening of “Frankenweenie” with goodie bags by Just Food For Dogs, a raffle, dog costume contest, and trunk or treating.
Sloth Soirée
La Brea Tar Pits | 5801 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90036 | Oct. 20 | tarpits.org
This free event with RSVP gives guests the opportunity to see unique specimens from La Brea Tar Pits’ and NHM’s collections, meet a sloth, and enjoy various activities, pop-ups, panels and book signings.
‘SHE’
Kiki & David Gindler Performing Arts Center | 110 E. Broadway, Glendale, CA 91205 | Oct. 20 – Nov. 20 | antaeus.org
Resilient and ever-optimistic, 13-year-old SHE Sojourner Freeman overcomes her stifling small-town existence by re-imagining her reality through poetry. Her dreams take flight when she’s presented with the opportunity to attend the prestigious Vanguard Academy.
Halloween Family Night
Aquarium of the Pacific | 100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach, CA 90802 | Oct. 20 | aquariumofpacific.org
Dress up and explore the aquarium at night. At the entrance you’ll get a goodie bag and scavenger hunt.
Landis Haunted Maze
Gary D. Schultz Black Box Theatre | 4800 Magnolia Ave., Riverside, CA 92506 | Oct. 20-21 | rccboxoffice.com
Presented by the Riverside City College Theatre Department, the student-created haunted maze will provide plenty of spooks.
Oct. 21
Playhouse Family Play Day
Pasadena Playhouse | 39 S. El Molino Ave., Pasadena, CA 91101 | Oct. 21 | pasadenaplayhouse.org
Join this free street party full of entertainment and fun events tailored to people of all ages including arts and crafts stations, face painters, balloon animal artists, food trucks, and more. Pasadena Playhouse will also be featuring children’s musicians, dance, and circus acts. The day will include headliner Rachel Bloom (“Trolls,” “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend,” “Reboot”) with performances by Books and Cookies, Pasadena Conservatory’s Young Musicians, Dallys Newton Circus Performer, DrumatiX Dance and Creative Percussion, and more.
18th Annual Taste Of Soul Family Festival
3800 Crenshaw Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90008 | tasteofsoulla.com
This street festival is shutting down Crenshaw with five stages for live musical performances, delicious food, vendors, and celebrity guests.
Fall Arts Crawl
South Pasadena | Mission Street & Fair Oaks Avenue, South Pasadena, CA 91030 | Oct. 21 | southpasadena.net
Enjoy another free night on the town featuring live music, a beer garden, art activities, vendor pop-ups, gallery exhibits, discounts and more.
‘The Cowards’
The Village at Ed Gould Plaza | 1125 N. McCadden Place, Los Angeles, CA 90038 | Oct. 21 | lalgbtcenter.org
After Hours Theatre Company and the Los Angeles LGBT Center co-present “The Cowads,” Ryan O’Connor’s adaptation of Noel Coward’s classic play “Hay Fever.” In this unapologetically queer version, the four members of a dysfunctional chosen family unit have each invited a surprise guest to their Provincetown, Massachusetts home for the weekend. What ensues is a biting, wicked comedy in which a batch of wildly unpleasant people make for uproarious entertainment.
CraftoberFest
Rose Bowl Stadium | 1001 Rose Bowl Drive, Pasadena, CA 91103 | Oct. 21 | rosebowlstadium.com
Sample brews from more than 50 craft brewers from Southern California and indulge in food influenced by Oktoberfest.
Glendora Pumpkin Festival
Centennial Heritage Park | 725 E. Mauna Loa Ave., Glendora, CA 91740 | Oct. 21 | cityofglendora.org
From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. visit the pumpkin patch, hay jump and petting zoo, and enjoy games, archery and yummy food. This event will have a free shuttle at City Hall that will drive event goers over to Centennial Heritage Park since there is limited parking. Admission is $3.
Howl-O-ween Festival
El Dorado Nature Center | 7550 E. Spring St., Long Beach, CA 90815 | Oct. 21 | longbeach.gov
Enjoy a hare-raising adventure trick-or-treating along the Nature Center trails, hear spine tingling tales from the South Coast Storytellers, meet animal education groups, and crafts, face painting and bounce houses at the Ohhh-possom Patch. Food will be available for purchase at onsite food trucks. Parking for the event is free and a $5 donation per entry to Partners of Parks Friends of El Dorado Nature Center is encouraged.
Día De Los Muertos On Main St.
Main St., El Monte, CA 91731 | Oct. 21 | fb.me/e/6KGCotuGq
Take the whole family to this all-day event featuring altars, processions, face painting, live entertainment, activities for childrens, vendors, ballet folklórico, mariachis, art exhibits, food, and evening concerts.
‘Gospel And The King: Elvis Presley And The Music Of Salvation’
The First Congregational Church of Los Angeles | 540 S. Commonwealth Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90020 | Oct. 21 | muse-ique.com
“Gospel and The King” simultaneously tells the story of the development of the gospel musical genre and the reach gospel music has had on rock and roll by examining the significance of gospel on 20th century music giant Elvis Presley.
Street Rods Forever Monrovia Car Show
Old Town Monrovia | Oct. 21 | fb.me/e/165kYmScB
Appreciate restored classic cars and visit the various restaurants and business along Myrtle Avenue.
Tchaikovsky 4
Ambassador Auditorium | 131 S. St. John Ave., Pasadena, CA 91105 | Oct. 21 | pasadenasymphony-pops.org
Brett Mitchell leads the orchestra for Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 4 and Armenian violinist Diana Adamyan performs Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto.
serpentwithfeet: ‘Heart Of Brick’
The Ford | 2580 Cahuenga Blvd E, Los Angeles, CA 90068 | Oct. 21 | theford.com
serpentwithfeet’s experimental electronic music explores passion and love between gay Black folks so tenderly. He joins with MacArthur “genius” fellow Wu Tsang and choreographer Raja Feather Kelly to present “Heart of Brick,” a theatrical dance and musical performance that tells the story of two men finding themselves and falling in love in a gay dance hall—and captures the multi-generational spirit of the Black queer community.
Glendale Annual Fall Festival
Pacific Community Center | 501 S. Pacific Ave., Glendale, CA 91205 | Oct. 21 | glendaleca.gov
Join the City of Glendale to celebrate fall with food trucks, carnival games, arts & crafts, a bounce house, a pumpkin patch, a photo station, and a climbing wall.
The Original Farmers Market Fall Festival
The Original Farmers Market | 6333 W. 3rd St., Los Angeles, CA 90036 | Oct. 21-22 | farmersmarketla.com
Celebrate fall with a pumpkin patch, farm animals, fall-themed games, live music, kids crafts, and photo opps.
‘Befok (Or The Desperate Attempt To Impress Iñárritu)’
Odyssey Theatre | 2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles CA 90025 | Oct. 21 – Nov. 5 | odysseytheatre.com
Academy Award-winning director Alejandro González Iñárritu’s movies mean a lot to both writer/performer Asta Leigh, and to her new force-of-nature character, South African-born Lola Luvv. Lola swore she’d be a world-renowned actress by the age of 40, but that’s in seven days and she’s no closer to her goal than when she moved to Hollywood. She still walks dogs and cleans up their monster shits. After catching a glimpse of Iñárritu at the Alta Dena WholeFoods, Lola’s convinced it’s a sign she’s destined to play the lead in his new TV show “The One Percent.” What follows is a manic ride of determination, desperation, ketamine and chickens, where the only thing at stake… is her life. The show is truly “befok,” an Afrikaans word that can mean a number of things: crazy, awesome, angry, cool, or simply “not right in the head.” For anyone who’s pursued a career in Hollywood, it’s a word with which they can identify — and it certainly applies to Lola.
Oct. 22
P-22 Day Festival
Griffith Park | 4730 Crystal Springs Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90027 | Oct. 22 | savelacougars.org
Free and open to the public, the eighth annual festival will feature interactive displays, immersive experiences, exhibits, and experiences like learning to plant your own pollinator garden.
‘Ofrenda’
Musco Center for the Arts | 415 N. Glassell St., Orange, CA 92866 | Oct. 22 | muscocenter.org
Celebrate Día de Los Muertos with dancing from Ballet Folklórico de Los Ángeles, and music from Mariachi Garibaldi de Jaime Cuéllar, led by three-time Grammy award-winner Jimmy Cuéllar.
Calabasas Pumpkin Festival
Juan Bautista de Anza Park | 3701 Lost Hills Road, Calabasas, CA 91301 | Oct. 22 | cityofcalabasas.com
Get your tickets to enjoy the inflatable rides and games, live music, contests, dance parties, and a bug and reptile show. There will also be a marketplace, new pumpkin dishes to try, and a massive pumpkin patch.
11th Annual San Pedro Día de los Muertos Festival
Downtown San Pedro | 398 W. 6th St., San Pedro, CA 90731 | Oct. 22 | discoversanpedro.org
This free, family-oriented event will feature live entertainment including a performance by Mariachi Divas de Cindy Shea, a beer garden, delicious foods, crafts for kids, an altar contest exhibition, traditional dances and more.
Oct. 23
‘The I Missed You Tour’
Honda Center | 2695 E. Katella Ave., Anaheim, CA 92806 | Oct. 23 | hondacenter.com
Winner of the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, Adam Sandler brings his standup routine to the Honda Center.
Country Line Dancing
The Pour House | 405 S. Myrtle Ave., Monrovia, CA 91016 | Oct. 23 | 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. 24
Trick Or Treat Village
LA County Parks | Oct. 24-31 | parks.lacounty.gov
LA County Parks are transforming into spooky villages full of game booths, free candy, live concerts, costume contests, dances, movie nights, pumpkin carvings, scary stories, carnival games and more. Check online for dates and times at your local park.
‘The Runaways’
Los Angeles Central Library, Mark Taper Auditorium | 630 W. 5th St., Los Angeles, CA 90071 | Oct. 24 | instagram.com/p/CyWaiXru4Q5/
Pianist Rosa Torres-Pardo and mezzosoprano Anna Tonna will engulf the audience in a musical fusion between New York and Spain.
Oct. 25
Royal Court Joins Very Happy Halloween
Kidspace Children’s Museum | 480 N. Arroyo Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91103 | Oct. 25 | kidspacemuseum.org
Members of the 2024 Royal Court of the Pasadena Tournament of Roses will join the throng of little witches and wizards at the Most Adorable Parade in Pasadena at 3:30 p.m. In addition to the Halloween parade, children can join the Court to learn some mind-blowing facts about snakes and even meet one up close. They can craft fanciful accessories in the Costume Shoppe together, race each other around the trike track, or build a rockin’ roadway in Ramps & Rollers.
Día De Los Muertos Festival
Olvera Street | 845 N. Alameda St.. Los Angeles, CA 90012 | Oct. 25 – Nov. 2 | olveraevents.com
Celebrate the lives of those who have died at this weeklong festival featuring a nightly procession, community altars on display, and entertainment.
Oct. 26
‘Spring Awakening’
East West Players | 120 Judge John Aiso St., Los Angeles CA 90012 | Oct. 26 – Nov. 19 | eastwestplayers.org
In 1891 Germany, repressed, adolescent students stumble into adulthood as clumsily as they do into each other’s arms. With obstinate parents unwilling to guide them, young Melchior and Wendla explore their desires for each other, while Melchior’s dear friend Moritz fumbles dangerously through his own coming-of-age. This generation-defining musical is a rock anthem to all the “guilty ones,” poignantly exploring the dark, passionate, and twisting journey from adolescence to adulthood.
Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band
Musco Center for the Arts | 415 N. Glassell St., Orange, CA 92866 | Oct. 26 | muscocenter.org
The 18-piece jazz orchestra will have you enthralled with their vibrant blend of big-band swing from the ‘30s and ‘40s and contemporary funk and jazz.
Akram Khan Dance Company’s ‘Jungle Book Reimagined’
BroadStage | 1310 11th St., Santa Monica, CA 90401 | Oct. 26-28 | broadstage.org
Both mesmerizing and haunting, this new spin on an old classic reinvents the journey of young Mowgli. Looking through the eyes of this iconic character as a refugee caught in a world devastated by the impact of climate change, the bold movement, startling animation, and video and sound design bring a new sense of urgency to Akram Khan’s reinterpretation.
The 323 Food And Flea
Hilda L. Solis Learning Academy | 319 N. Humphreys Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90022 | Oct. 26 | instagram.com/the323foodandflea
Don’t miss the opening of this new community night market featuring food, games, live music, prizes and a free movie night.
Ongoing
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.
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.
‘Fear Of Heights’
Odyssey Theatre | 2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles CA 90025 | Through Oct. 29 | odysseytheatre.com
Kevin Flynn’s grandfather, a tough, Irish steelworker, may have been unafraid to perch precariously on a steel beam high above the New York skyline — but young Kevin finds himself dreaming of the bright lights of Hollywood instead. In this funny, moving autobiographical solo show, the former professional soccer player and current award-winning stand-up comedian, actor, writer, producer and television host examines the American experience through the lens of his Irish immigrant family.
‘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.
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.
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.
‘Deathtrap’
Beverly O’Neill Theater | 330 E. Seaside Way, Long Beach, CA 90802 | Through 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.
‘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.
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’
A Noise Within | 3352 E. Foothill Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91107 | Through Nov. 12 | anoisewithin.org
When two pairs of mixed-up lovers and a troupe of amateur players stumble into the forest of feuding fairies, reality is upended as chaos and mischief abound. Anything can and does happen in this tumultuous, dreamlike world.
‘Rent: The Musical’
Long Beach Playhouse | 5021 E. Anaheim St., Long Beach CA 90804 | Through 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.
‘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.
‘Methusalem Or The Eternal Bourgeois’
The Actors’ Gang Theater | 9070 Venice Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232 | Through Dec. 16 | theactorsgang.com
In the play, the oldest man in the world, Methusalem, is a ruthless businessman with a troubled wife and robotic son who finds his daughter seduced by a revolutionary that would overturn his empire. Part dialogue, part dream, the play includes bizarre and surrealistic imagery, including anthropomorphic paintings, silent films, talking ids and superegos, and a bear rug coming to life to lead an animal revolution.
‘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.
‘Reina De Los Angeles’
Forest Lawn Museum | 1712 S. Glendale Ave., Glendale, CA 91205 | Through 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.
‘Indigenous Futurism’
The Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art & Culture | 3581 Mission Inn Ave., Riverside, CA, 92501 | Through 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.
‘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.
‘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.
