‘Under the Oaks’
Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum | 1419 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd., Topanga | Sept. 3-24 | theatricum.com
The annual Under the Oaks salon series, featuring performance and music every Thursday in September, is back. Tickets: $35.
Broadway Gamble Ramble
The Gamble House | 4 Westmoreland Place, Pasadena | Sept. 3 | lineagepac.org
Journey through the house in small groups, encountering a curated series of live performances that weave together dance, theatre, and narrative. Flash sale generaL: $28.22.
‘Songs My Mother Taught Me’
Sierra Madre Playhouse | 87 W. Sierra Madre Blvd., Sierra Madre | Sept. 4 | sierramadreplayhouse.org
Yu&Sung Duo, featuring violinist YuEun Kim and pianist Sung Chang, celebrates the music and moments that stay with us throughout our lives with a chamber music program. Embracing a trajectory of human emotions and experiences, the program begins with “Love,” illustrated by the first movement from César Franck’s Sonata for Violin and Piano in A Major; “Joy,” spotlighting the fourth movement from Antonin Dvořák’s Sonatina in G Major; “Reflection,” conveyed through Clara Schumann’s Three Romances for Violin and Piano; and “Challenge,” portrayed by Sergei Prokofiev’s “Dance of the Knights” from “Romeo and Juliet.” Tickets: $12-$35.
Orange International Street Fair
Historic Old Towne Orange | Sept. 4-6 | optevents.org
Enjoy food from around the world, live entertainment on 8 stages, arts and crafts, vendors, and family-friendly fun. Admission: free.
Brandon Flowers
The Ford | 2580 Cahuenga Blvd. East, Los Angeles | Sept. 4 | theford.com
Brandon Flowers celebrates the release of his new solo album, “Thrasher.”
KCRW Summer Nights with The Autry Museum Of The American West
Autry Museum of the American West | 4700 Western Heritage Way, Los Angeles | Sept. 4 | events.humanitix.com
Summer isn’t over yet! Explore the museum after hours and then hit the dance floor with a special vinyl guest DJ set from Wooden Wisdom, the DJ duo of Elijah Wood and Zach Cowie, and sets from KCRW DJs SiLVA & Alejandro Cohen. This free party will also feature food and drinks.
‘Winter’s Bench’
24th Street Theatre | 1117 W. 24th St., Los Angeles | Sept. 5-Oct. 25 | 24thstreet.org
Actress Anne Gee Byrd, joined onstage by flutist Shih-wei Wu, stars in the world premiere of “Winter’s Bench,” a lyrical and deeply human new play by Olivier Award-winning British playwright Mike Kenny. Set in a park where only one ancient tree remains, Winter’s Bench follows Gladys, an elderly woman who has spent a lifetime believing the tree spoke to her when she was a child, and who waits, even now, to hear its voice again. Tickets range from $10 to $24 with Monday performances offered on a pay-what-you-can basis.
¡Viva La Tradición! LA’s Mujeres Divinas with Las Colibrí, Mariachi Las Catrinas & Grupo Bella
The Ford | 2580 Cahuenga Blvd. East, Los Angeles | Sept. 5 | theford.com
Las Colibrí revive the romance of early mariachi with their all-string sound and rich vocal harmonies. They are joined by Mariachi Las Catrinas and Grupo Bella, led by Grammy-winning vocalist and composer Vanessa Ramirez.
Long Beach Greek Fest
5761 E. Colorado St., Long Beach | Sept. 5-7 | lbgreekfest.org
Experience authentic Greek food, traditional music, dance, and cultural exhibits. General admission: $5. Children 12 and under: free.
‘Samyōga – A Confluence of String, Wind & Rhythm’
Sierra Madre Playhouse | 87 W. Sierra Madre Blvd., Sierra Madre | Sept. 5 | sierramadreplayhouse.org
The mesmerizing sounds of Indian Veena (plucked string instrument), bansuri (bamboo flute), and percussive tabla blend seamlessly in this program of classical Indian ragas. Samyōga – from the Sanskrit samyoga (संयोग), meaning “coming together”- features an afternoon of Hindustani classical music, the living classical tradition of North India. Tickets: $12-$35.
KCRW Summer Nights at NoHo Arts District
Noho Arts District | 11136 Magnolia Blvd., North Hollywood | Sept. 5 | events.humanitix.com
Taking over the corner of Lankershim and Magnolia Boulevard, the last event in the KCRW Summer Nights lineup will feature the electropop rhythm and blues of LA-based singer Madison McFerrin, and sets from KCRW DJs Peanut Butter Wolf and LUXXURY. RSVP: free.
Levitt Vibe Pasadena Music Series
Memorial Park | 85 E. Holly St., Pasadena | Sept. 5 | levittvibepasadenamusicseries.com
Los Angeles-based Latin funk and salsa ensemble La Verdad will perform. Admission is free.
Cinespia: ‘Josie and the Pussycats’
Hollywood Forever Cemetery | 6000 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles | Sept. 5 | 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 $31.02.
Salvy Festival
Pershing Square | 532 S. Olive St., Los Angeles | Sept. 5 | eventbrite.com
Celebrate Salvador Independence Day with food, music, and culture. General admissions: $23.18 (adults) and $12.51 (children 3-11).
The Disney Mansion Ghost Tour
4053 Woking Way, Los Angeles | Sept. 5 | hauntedoc.com
Led by renowned Disney historian Dusty Sage, publisher of MiceChat.com, take a rare, candlelit journey through Walt Disney’s 12-room residence. You’ll explore ornate living spaces while uncovering tales of tragic former residents, unsolved mysteries, and paranormal sightings. Tickets: $125.
Brandon Coleman Ensemble
Sierra Madre Playhouse | 87 W. Sierra Madre Blvd., Sierra Madre | Sept. 6 | sierramadreplayhouse.org
Jazz keyboard maestro Brandon Coleman leads the Brandon Coleman Ensemble through a program of original compositions infused with improvisational dialogue and rhythmic drive, merging his deep jazz sensibility with electronic texture and soulful grooves to create a sound that is both expansive and immediate. Tickets: $35.
‘Clue’
The Ahmanson Theatre | 135 N. Grand Ave., Los Angeles | Sept. 8-12 | centertheatregroup.org
Murder and blackmail are on the menu when six mysterious guests assemble at Boddy Manor. Tickets start at $37.95.
‘The Visit’
Pasadena Playhouse | 39 S. El Molino Ave., Pasadena | Sept. 9-Oct. 4 | pasadenaplayhouse.org
In “The Visit,” when the richest woman in the world returns to her struggling hometown, she’s ready and willing to rescue it from ruin… on one condition. In this haunting, twisted, and truly grotesque comedy, an entire community is forced to confront an unthinkable question: how far are you willing to go for a billion dollars?
ONGOING
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.
‘Conscience’
Beverly O’Neill Theater | 330 E. Seaside Way, Long Beach | Through Sept. 13 | ictlongbeach.org
At a time when fear and political intimidation silenced many voices in Washington, Sen. Margaret Chase Smith chose to speak. On June 1, 1950, the Republican senator from Maine became the first to publicly rebuke Sen. Joseph McCarthy on the Senate floor, condemning his tactics in a speech that became known as the “Declaration of Conscience.” Tickets are $56 on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and $59 on opening night and at Sunday matinees.
‘Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom’
A Noise Within | 3352 E. Foothill Blvd., Pasadena | Through Sept. 20 | anoisewithin.org
Set during a 1927 recording session in Chicago, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom transforms an ordinary afternoon into a volatile clash over race, art, power and ownership. As legendary blues singer Ma Rainey battles white producers determined to control both her music and her career, ambitious trumpeter Levee dreams of a future beyond the band. Their competing visions ignite tensions that build toward one of Wilson’s most devastating finales. Saturday, Sept. 12 at 7:30 p.m. is “Black Out Night,” an opportunity for an audience self-identifying as Black to experience the performance together; tickets include a post-show reception (non-Black-identifying patrons are welcome to attend, or to select a different performance). Post–performance conversations with the artists will take place every Friday (except the preview) and on Sunday, Sept. 6. GalaPro closed captioning is available at select performances, courtesy of the Perenchio Foundation. Tickets start at $41.75.
‘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.
‘Enemy of the People’
Odyssey Theatre | 2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles | Through Sept. 27 | odysseytheatre.com
Director Bart DeLorenzo brings Henrik Ibsen’s “Enemy of the People” squarely into the 21st century with a new adaptation that thrusts the play’s central conflicts—between public health and economic survival, individual conscience and collective will—into sharp contemporary focus.When Dr. Tom Stockmann discovers that the waters of the local hot springs are contaminated, the solution seems obvious: shut them down before more people are harmed. But protecting public health comes with a devastating price. As financial interests, political expediency and public opinion collide, Stockmann finds himself branded not a hero, but an “enemy of the people.” Tickets to performances are $35. Discounted tickets are available for seniors ($27) and students ($15). A $3 fee will be added to each ticket purchased with a credit card.
‘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.
‘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.
‘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.
‘Hold Each Other’s Hands: Trans Mutual Aid 1966 – 1996’
OXY ARTS | 4757 York Blvd., Los Angeles | Through Dec. 5 | oxyarts.oxy.edu
“Hold Each Other’s Hands” chronicles a history of mutual aid led by transgender and gender expansive people. This exhibition explores how people with various relationships to gender nonconformity have worked together to develop inventive mutualistic models to create communities. With archival installations, contemporary artworks, featured speakers, and community programming, “Hold Each Other’s Hands” holds space for expansive thinking and public dialog around collectivity, co-existence, and care.
‘Instante/revelación: Moments in Mexican Photography’
Getty Center | 1200 Getty Center Drive, Los Angeles | Through Jan. 3 | getty.edu
“Instante/revelación: Moments in Mexican Photography” brings together a selection of works by 13 influential photographers, tracing Mexican photography from the late 1920s to the mid-2010s. This bilingual exhibition offers a nuanced portrait of Mexico’s visual culture. Spanish-language guided tours will also be offered monthly throughout the exhibition.
‘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.
