Sips & Stories: Women in Mexican Art History
MOLAA | 628 Alamitos Ave., Long Beach | Aug. 6 | arttrippin.com
Grab a drink, find a seat, and enjoy an evening lecture series led by art historian Dr. Megan Lorraine Debin on the histories of women artists. The first installment will cover “Women, goddesses, and authority in ancient Indigenous Mexico.” Snacks will be provided, and drinks will be available for purchase. Single evening ticket: $45.
Sunset Concerts
Skirball Cultural Center | 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles | Aug. 6 | skirball.org
Annie and the Caldwells play powerful disco soul and will be joined by The Campbell Brothers and DJ Sonrisita. Sunset Concerts are free, with walk-up tickets available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Chinatown First Fridays
920-970 Chung King Road, Los Angeles | Aug. 7 | instagram.com/chinatownfirstfriday/
Chinatown is staying open late from 6 to 10 p.m. with art galleries, shopping, restaurants, bars, and two night markets.
‘Box of Hope’
Sierra Madre Playhouse | W. Sierra Madre Blvd., Sierra Madre | Aug. 7-8 | sierramadreplayhouse.org
Choreographed by Versa-Style Street Dance Company Founders/Co-Artistic Directors Jackie “Miss Funk” Lopez and Leigh “Breeze-Lee” Foaad, “Box of Hope” (2nd Edition) celebrates the company’s 20th anniversary as a hip hop and street dance ensemble. The tribute also honors some of the individuals who have helped shape the global street dance culture that embraces hip hop, house, popping, locking and more, among them Rennie Harris, Damita Jo Freeman, and Toni Basil, who are still active today, as well as those who have passed on, including Stephen “Twitch” Boss and Marjory Smarth. Tickets: $12 -$35.
LAAS Star Party
Mount Wilson Observatory | 100 Mt Wilson Circle Road, Mt Wilson | Aug. 7 | mtwilson.edu
Join Mount Wilson Observatory and the Los Angeles Astronomical Society at this free star party where the public can look through telescopes. The Star Party will be held in the upper parking lot. This event does not give access to the 60 inch or 100 inch telescopes. The Observatory grounds will be closed and star party visitors will only be allowed in the upper lot, lower lot, and cafe area.
Arboretum Summer Nights Concert Series
LA County Arboretum and Botanic Garden | 301 N. Baldwin Ave., Arcadia | Aug. 7 | arboretum.org
Come and enjoy American swing music from Jonathan Stout, food trucks, vendors, crafts, and lawn games. Advance online reservations are recommended for non-members. Concert tickets include garden admission. Tickets: $18 for non-member adults, $14 for non-member seniors, and $8 for non-member children.
Cinespia: ‘The Mummy’ (1999)
Hollywood Forever Cemetery | 6000 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles | Aug. 8 | cinespia.org
Picnic at Hollywood Forever Cemetery as DJ sets bring the block party to life, and enjoy classic movie treats. There will also be a free photo booth. Tickets start at $24.
Salsa & Bachata Night at Rodeo 72
Rodeo 72 | 7012 Walnut Grove Drive, Whittier | Aug. 8 | cielo.dance
You don’t need a partner. Just show up at 6:30 p.m. with your dancing shoes on for a free beginner-friendly salsa lesson. Then enjoy social dancing from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m.
The Improvised Shakespeare Company
The Ford | 2580 Cahuenga Blvd. East, Los Angeles | Aug. 8 | theford.com
The Improvised Shakespeare Company creates a brand new, fully improvised Shakespearean masterpiece in front of the audience. Tickets start at $39.
Levitt Vibe Pasadena Music Series
Memorial Park | 85 E. Holly St., Pasadena | Aug. 8 | levittvibepasadenamusicseries.com
The Levitt VIBE Pasadena Music Series continues its summer run at Memorial Park with a performance by Jessica Fichot, her accordion, toy piano, and fiery band. Admission is free.
Tradition in Motion: Mask and Sound ft Pamyua + Insun Park & Generals
Grand Performances | 350 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles | Aug. 8 | grandperformances.org
Pamyua brings traditional Korean rhythms paired with contemporary gospel, R&B, funk and masked dancing to Cal Plaza. RSVP for free.
Sunday Afternoon Concerts in the Dome
Mount Wilson Observatory | 100 Mt Wilson Circle Road, Mt Wilson | Aug. 9 | mtwilson.edu
Enjoy an evening of jazz under the vaulted dome of the 100-inch telescope. A reception with light refreshments will be held outside the dome at 4 p.m. Tickets: $65.
Rose Bowl Flea Market
Rose Bowl | 1001 Rose Bowl Drive, Pasadena | Aug. 9 | rgcshows.com
Hunt for vintage treasures from more than 2,500 vendors. Regular admission: $12.
RiverFest
LA State Historic Park | 1315 N. Spring St., Los Angeles | Aug. 9 | support.folar.org
This free open-air environmental arts and community festival celebrates the culture, history, and people that shape the LA River with local artists, live performances, an environmental art gallery and a marketplace.
‘How to Train Your Dragon’ in Concert
Hollywood Bowl | 2301 N. Highland Ave., Los Angeles | Aug. 9 | hollywoodbowl.com
Experience the adventures of Hiccup and Toothless as the film’s musical score is performed live to the picture.
Summertime! with Bob Baker Marionettes and Kate Micucci
The Ford | 2580 Cahuenga Blvd. East, Los Angeles | Aug. 9 | theford.com
Keeping the spirit from its Coachella debut, Bob Baker Marionette Theater returns with a variety show, including musical tunes to dance along to. Don’t miss pre-concert activities and participatory artmaking. Tickets start at $13.
Carey Frank
Sierra Madre Playhouse | W. Sierra Madre Blvd., Sierra Madre | Aug. 9 | sierramadreplayhouse.org
Organist Carey Frank summons the soul of jazz on the Hammond B3 organ and is joined by guitarist Nadav Peled and drummer Jake Reed. Frank leads the trio through songs spanning rock, pop, folk, and soul, reinventing them through the lens of jazz improvisation and the unmistakable sound of the Hammond B3 organ. Tickets: $35.
‘Phantom of the Opera’
Segerstrom Hall | 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa | Aug. 12-30 | scfta.org
The Phantom of the Opera returns with its iconic score that includes “The Music of the Night,” “All I Ask of You,” “Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again,” “Masquerade” and its unforgetable title song. Tickets start at $74.
ONGOING
‘Puppet Up!’
Ricardo Montalbán Theatre | 1615 Vine St., Hollywood | Through Aug. 9 | puppetup.com
“Puppet Up!” is a night of outrageous, off-the-cuff comedy for adults featuring 80 of the MISKREANT puppets brought to life by a cast of world-class puppeteers from The Jim Henson Company. Based on suggestions from the audience, the team of expert puppeteers creates two-shows-in-one: the improvised puppet action projected live on screens above the stage, with the puppeteers racing around below in full view of the audience. The show also features recreations of classic pieces originally created by Jim and Jane Henson, and Frank Oz, that haven’t been seen by live audiences in decades. Tickets begin at $49.
‘Acquaprofonda’ A Deep-Sea Opera For Families
Aquarium of the Pacific’s Honda Pacific Visions Theater | 100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach | Through Aug. 9 | longbeachopera.org
Long Beach Opera’s Education team presents the return of “Acquaprofonda” in collaboration with the Aquarium of the Pacific — a free, family-friendly, half-hour opera adventure about courage, kindness, and protecting our planet. Italian for “deep water,” Acquaprofonda follows Serena, a fearless girl who lives by the sea, as she discovers a mysterious whale sick from plastic pollution. With the help of a wise sailor, she inspires her father to stand up against the local factory harming the ocean — and learns that one small voice can make big waves. Reservations are required for everyone.
‘Two Gentlebots of Verona’
Media Park Downtown Culver City | 9091 Culver Blvd., Culver City | Through Aug. 23 | theactorsgang.com
Buena Vista Branch Library | 300 N. Buena Vista St., Burbank | Aug. 29-30 |
The Actors’ Gang’s annual tradition of Free Shakespeare in the Park for Families returns with a new production -”Two Gentlebots of Verona” – a one-hour adaptation of William Shakespeare’s play “Two Gentlemen of Verona.” When two best friends, Val and Proteus, travel to Culver City, their bond is put to the test. They both fall for the same robot, Silvia Dot Matrix, prompting betrayal, disguises, and a journey down a road towards forgiveness that leads them back to their friendship. This is a free event, and early registration is recommended.
Sawdust Art Festival
935 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach | Through Sept. 6 | sawdustartfestival.org
Discover handmade artwork from more than 180 local artists, enjoy live music, art demonstrations, take a glassblowing or mosaic class (among many offered), and soak in Laguna Beach’s beautiful scenery. Single day ticket: $12.50 for adults, $10.50 for seniors, $5.50 for children.
‘The Comedy of Errors’
Old Zoo in Griffith Park | Through Sept. 6 | indieshakes.org
Two small-town pals find themselves lost and fumbling through a Mediterranean port city. Surrounded by a medley of languages, cultures, and unfamiliar rules, the duo stumbles through mishaps, mayhem, and mistaken identities, only to run into the last people they expect. Admission: free.
‘Romeo and Juliet’
Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum | 1419 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd., Topanga | Through Sept. 26 | theatricum.com
Co-directors Ellen Geer and Willow Geer have set their “Romeo and Juliet” in New York City during the tumultuous Gilded Age, a period marked by stark social inequality and rampant industrialization. Through this lens, the famous love story becomes not just a tragedy, but a powerful warning about the costs of division, hatred and fear. Tickets to performances range from $15 to $63. Children 4 and under are free.
‘Waiting in the Wings’
Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum | 1419 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd., Topanga | Through Oct. 3 | theatricum.com
Set in “The Wings,” a charity home for retired actresses, Noël Coward’s 50th play is a witty portrait of nine opinionated, funny, difficult and full of life women, each of whom once basked in public admiration — but who must now learn to face old age together, long after the curtain has fallen. A tribute to the theater that evokes the lives of aging stars, their lingering jealousies and the enduring power of friendship, Waiting in the Wings is a meditation on community and forgiveness. Old grievances linger here like half-remembered roles, but Coward suggests that bitterness is heavy to carry, and that reconciliation, no matter when, can be liberating. Tickets to performances range from $15 to $63.
‘The People of Pompeii’
Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum | 1419 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd., Topanga | Through Oct. 4 | theatricum.com
Weeks after the Palisades Fire narrowly spares their Topanga home, Carlos and Vera invite friends over for a celebratory dinner party meant to restore a sense of normalcy. But as the night descends into EDM-fueled chaos, chocolate mushrooms and brutally honest confrontations, the myth of communal harmony begins to crack wide open. At once hilarious and deeply uncomfortable, The People of Pompeii dissects performative progressivism, gentrification, race, class and the uneasy social dynamics between longtime canyon residents and wealthy newcomers searching for authenticity as Topanga becomes increasingly trendier and more elite. Tickets to performances range from $15 to $63. The performance on Monday, Aug. 31 is Pay-What-You-Will (available online the week of the performance or pay cash at the door) and features a 30-minute pre-show discussion, beginning one hour before curtain, at 6:30 p.m.
‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’
Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum | 1419 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd., Topanga | Through Oct. 10 | theatricum.com
Set against the natural backdrop of Topanga’s woods, this production requires no elaborate set design to conjure Shakespeare’s enchanted forest brimming with magic, mischief and romance. Audiences of all ages will be enchanted by the whimsical entanglements of four lovers, a troupe of bumbling actors, and the mischievous fairies who meddle with them. Tickets to performances range from $15 to $63. Children 4 and under are free. Pay-What-You-Will at the performances on Wednesday, Aug. 12.
‘WASHOKU | Nature and Culture in Japanese Cuisine’
Japan House LA | 6801 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles | Through Oct. 18 | japanhousela.com
This landmark exhibition explores the core elements, evolution, and cultural significance of washoku, a UNESCO-recognized intangible cultural heritage.
‘Treasure Island’
Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum | 1419 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd., Topanga | Through Oct. 3 | theatricum.com
In this re-imagining of the novel by Theatricum artistic director Ellen Geer, a young man’s romantic dream of pirates on the high seas becomes a harrowing reality. Tested at every turn, young Jim Hawkins faces each challenge with courage, trusting in a moral compass strong enough to triumph — and to discover the true treasure: a life lived with integrity and purpose. Tickets to performances range from $15 to $63. The performance on Monday, Aug. 10 is Pay-What-You-Will (available online the week of the performance or pay cash at the door) and features a 30-minute pre-show discussion, beginning one hour before curtain, at 6:30 p.m.
‘Marilyn Monroe: Hollywood Icon’
Academy Museum | 6067 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles | Through Feb. 28 | academymuseum.org
“Marilyn Monroe: Hollywood Icon” will celebrate Marilyn Monroe as a visionary actor and image-maker, examining the many facets of how she created and shaped her public image in the context of the classical Hollywood studio system. The pink satin gown will be on view in the exhibition, located on Level 3 in the Rolex Gallery. General admission tickets for the museum’s exhibitions are $25 for adults, $19 for seniors (age 62+), and $15 for students.
‘Studio Ghibli’s Ponyo’
Academy Museum of Motion Pictures | 6067 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles | Through March 21 | academymuseum.org
The Academy Museum presents Studio Ghibli’s Ponyo, celebrating the artistry of Studio Ghibli and the hand-drawn animation behind the 2008 film. The exhibition features over 100 original materials from Studio Ghibli, including art boards, posters, an animation desk, and hand drawings by Hayao Miyazaki, many on display in North America for the first time. Curated by Jessica Niebel with assistant curator Emily Rauber Rodriguez. The museum is open six days a week, closed on Tuesdays. Tickets $15–$25; film screenings $5–$10.