It’s hot and humid outside but that’s no excuse to stay indoors when there’s so much music to be found outside, and much of it is free. If you’re looking for something a little different, check out the 4th annual Afro-Latino Culture Fest, an event celebrating The Jim Henson Company, or one of the several theatrical pieces premiering this week such as “The People of Pompeii” or “Dead Man.”
Sunset Concerts
Skirball Cultural Center | 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles | July 30 | skirball.org
A band of the so-called “post-rock” movement, Tortoise is set to perform alongside drummer and producer Kassa Overall. There will also be a DJ set by Dave Orlando a.k.a. Boss Harmz. Sunset Concerts are free, with walk-up tickets available on a first-come, first-served basis.
‘Puppet Up!’
Ricardo Montalbán Theatre | 1615 Vine St., Hollywood | July 31 – 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.
Zoo After Dark
LA Zoo | 5333 Zoo Drive, Los Angeles | July 31 | lazoo.org
When the zoo closes, the party starts! The night will feature live music, a silent disco, lawn games, food trucks, and full bars. Pull on your boots and cowboy hats for “Country Line Dancing Night” with live music from Pulp Vixen. General admission: $30.
Golden Hour: Music in the Garden
Norton Simon Museum | 411 W. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena | July 31, Aug. 28 | nortonsimon.org
Purchase light bites and beverages from the Garden Café, pick up drawing supplies and find a spot to relax in the newly renovated Sculpture Garden to enjoy musical styles programmed by musician Masatoshi Sato. On July 31, enjoy music by a north Indian ensemble. The event is free with museum admission. Admission: $20 for adults, $15 for seniors (ages 62 and above), and free for children 18 and younger.
Fourth Annual Afro-Latino Culture Fest
LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes | 501 N. Main St., Los Angeles | Aug. 1 | lapca.org
Free and open to the public, this high-energy, open-air festival will be filled with music, food, art, and community. Throughout the day, enjoy live performances, DJs, cultural activations, artisan vendors, and delicious Afro-Latino and Afro-Caribbean food, and stop by the 21+ Tropical Cocktail Bar to sip Caribbean-inspired cocktails, dance, and soak in the festival atmosphere. While advance RSVP is recommended, entry is subject to capacity. Walk-ins will be accommodated as space permits.
‘The People of Pompeii’
Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum | 1419 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd., Topanga | Aug. 1-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.
KCRW Summer Nights
California African American Museum | 600 State Drive, Exposition Park | Aug. 1 | caamuseum.org
Enjoy music sets by KCRW DJ J.Rocc and guest DJ Monalisa, and step inside the galleries for after-hours access to all of CAAM’s exhibitions. There will also be food trucks and a beer garden. RSVP is free.
Levitt Vibe Pasadena Music Series
Memorial Park | 85 E. Holly St., Pasadena | Aug. 1 | levittvibepasadenamusicseries.com
The Levitt VIBE Pasadena Music Series continues its summer run at Memorial Park with a performance by Leah Ashton, a Los Angeles-based artist with Midwestern roots whose sound provides a mix of soul, jazz, and 60s/70s-style singer-songwriter. Admission is free.
Dîner en Blanc
Aug. 1 | losangeles.dinerenblanc.com/city
Dîner en Blanc returns to Los Angeles after a seven-year hiatus. More than 1,500 guests dressed head-to-toe in chic white will gather at an undisclosed location to dine and dance under the stars for a one-night celebration of food, wine, and fashion. Renowned chef, restaurateur, author, and television personality Todd English — a four-time James Beard Award winner — is curating special dinners for guests who order through Dîner en Blanc. This year, Dîner en Blanc will feature an international theme: Une Soirée Parisienne – La Belle Époque.
‘Acquaprofonda’ A Deep-Sea Opera For Families
Aquarium of the Pacific’s Honda Pacific Visions Theater | 100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach | Aug. 1-9 | 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.
D23 x SFC: ‘Cars’
The Autry Museum | 4700 Western Heritage Way, Los Angeles | Aug. 1 | streetfoodcinema.com
Celebrate the 20th anniversary of “Cars” with photo opps, audience trivia, food trucks, and more. General admission: $23. Reserved section: $29.
‘Two Gentlebots of Verona’
Media Park Downtown Culver City | 9091 Culver Blvd., Culver City | Aug. 1-23 | 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.
‘Back to the Future’
Great Park Live | 250 Corsair, Irvine | Aug. 1 | pacificsymphony.org
Experience the thrill and joy of “Back to the Future” on a big hi-def screen with a full symphony orchestra, conducted by Scott Terrell, performing Alan Silvestri’s musical score live in sync with the movie. Audiences will also be in for an exclusive treat: approximately 20 minutes of brand-new music added by Silvestri to the film’s score especially for a live orchestra presentation. Tickets start at $40.
‘A Conversation With Brian Henson’
The Ricardo Montalban Theater | 1615 Vine St., Los Angeles | Aug. 2 | jimhensonexperiences.com
“A Conversation with Brian Henson” will be an in-person conversation with the Emmy-award winning producer, director, and puppeteer known for projects such as “Labyrinth,” “The Muppet Christmas Carol,” “Muppet Treasure Island,” “Farscape,” and many more. Henson will discuss the evolution of The Jim Henson Company’s puppetry in a presentation filled with Henson history, humor, and of course puppets. Tickets: $79.
Sidney Jacobs Appears
Sierra Madre Playhouse | 87 W. Sierra Madre Blvd., Sierra Madre | Aug. 2 | sierramadreplayhouse.org
The Jazz @ the Playhouse series continues with noted jazz and R&B vocalist and songwriter Sidney Jacobs. Jacobs, hailed for his velvety tone, inventive phrasing, and heartfelt delivery, leads a quartet through a set that blends original music with reimagined standards filtered through a contemporary groove. Tickets: $35.
Astronomy on Tap
Dog Haus Biergarten | 93 E. Green St., Pasadena | Aug. 3 | astronomyontap.org
How do black holes literally tear apart stars? What causes the Sun to erupt and send material into space? Find out during two 20-minute talks and a Q-and-A followed up with interactive, astronomical pub trivia, and guided stargazing with telescopes. This is a free event open to all on the outdoor patio of the Dog Haus Biergarten.
Moonlight Movies on the Beach: ‘A League of their Own’
Granada Beach | 5000 E. Ocean Blvd., Long Beach | Aug. 4 | moonlightmoviesonthebeach.com
Pack up the car with chairs, blankets and snacks and head to the beach for a free movie at sunset. Don’t want to pack food? Local food trucks and kettle corn vendors will be on site.
‘Dead Man’
Atwater Village Theatre | 3269 Casitas Ave., Los Angeles | Aug. 4 | EchoTheaterCompany.com
The Echo Theater Company and Theatre Ghosts present “Dead Man,” direct from its smash hit run at the Hollywood Fringe Festival. In this noir comedy clown mystery written and directed by Ann Noble, a lone private eye investigates a crime everyone wants to forget: it will definitely take more than one clown to figure it out. Somebody’s dead. Somebody must find the killer. Life is easier when everything’s black and white. Except for those pesky greys. Tickets: $20.
Whacked Out Wednesdays
HAHA Comedy Club | 4712 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood | Aug. 5 | tixr.com
Comedy veterans Kym Whitley (“Happy Gilmore 2,” “Next Friday,” “Act Your Age”) and Buddy Lewis (“Martin,” HBO’s “Def Comedy Jam,” BET’s “Comic View”) are offering a platform for up-and-coming comedians. “Whacked Out Wednesdays” will showcase a diverse lineup of emerging comedic talents on stage every first Wednesday of each month.
‘The Comedy of Errors’
Old Zoo in Griffith Park | Aug. 5 – 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.
ONGOING
The Great Clown Bank Show
Atwater Village Theatre | 3269 Casitas Ave., Los Angeles | Through Aug. 1 | openfist.org
Under the cracked neon glow of the Big Top, a wild-eyed, clown-capitalist circus fantasia erupts in a fever-dream spectacle of greed, glitter and grotesque excess. The gleefully deranged story follows the rise of the Greedy family — a scheming dynasty of powder-faced hustlers who transform their tiny carnival cashbox into the most powerful clown bank in America. Tickets range from $26 to $40. Content warning: risqué language and situations; parental guidance is advised for children under 13.
‘The Hour of the Star’
Broadwater Black Box Theatre | 6322 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles | Through Aug. 1 | thehourofthestar.eventbrite.com
Brazilian artist Bruna Fachetti stars in a powerful adaptation of Clarice Lispector’s acclaimed novella The Hour of the Star, a landmark of Brazilian literature. Bringing six characters to life, Fachetti tells the story of Macabéa, a young woman from Brazil’s impoverished Northeast whose quiet existence becomes a profound exploration of identity, invisibility, poverty, resilience, and the universal search for belonging. Tickets: $20.
‘Mexodus’
Pasadena Playhouse | 39 S. El Molino Ave., Pasadena | Through Aug. 2 | pasadenaplayhouse.org
The season’s most award winning Off-Broadway live-looping hip-hop musical and New York Times Critic’s Pick – created and performed by Brian Quijada and Nygel D. Robinson and directed by David Mendizábal with choreography by Tony Thomas – concludes its critically acclaimed run. Playwrights, actors, and musicians Quijada and Robinson tell the story of the Underground Railroad that led south, taking 4,000 to 10,000 enslaved people to seek freedom in Mexico. Tickets start at $40.
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.
‘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. Pay-What-You-Will at the performances on Monday, Aug. 3.
‘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.
‘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.