5 SoCal shows to see in person, plus the best culture streaming this weekend
This week we have five interesting in-person events you can check out, from Ventura to Westminster, plus a bevy of online offerings with Mary-Louise Parker, Eric McCormack, Esa-Pekka Salonen and “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” star Vincent Rodriguez III. Add in South Coast Repertory’s Pacific Playwrights Festival and two celebrations of Filipino culture, and you’ve got our weekend list of cultural offerings for your viewing consideration. All times are Pacific.
SoCal in-person events
“The Way Forward”
The Colburn School premieres a filmed celebration of music and dance with composer-conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen, pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet and the Calidore String Quartet. Thayer Hall, Colburn School, 200 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. 8 p.m. Saturday. $25; advance purchase required. colburnschool.edu
“Celebration Spectrum”
The Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health kicks off a monthlong “We Rise” festival of outdoor installations and online events with an audiovisual exhibition by dozens of local artists in Grand Park this weekend. Copresented by the Music Center. 200 N. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. Saturday through May 31. Free. whywerise.la
“Benita Bike’s DanceArt Outdoor Dance Show”
The local company gives an interactive al fresco performance. 10 a.m. Saturday. Tierra del Sol Foundation, parking lot, 9919 Sunland Blvd., Sunland. Free; no walk-ins allowed. To RSVP, email benita@danceart.org with the requested number of tickets.
Yächtley Crëw
This tribute band dedicated to the soft-rock sounds of the 1970s and ’80s performs a drive-in concert. Ventura County Fairgrounds, 10 W. Harbor Blvd., Ventura. 8:30 p.m. Saturday. $69 and up; four people per car maximum; advance purchase required. concertsinyourcar.com
“The Rose Concert Series: Evita”
In-person musical revue features songs from Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s hit Broadway musical about Eva Perón, former Argentine first lady. Rose Center Theatre, 14140 All American Way, Westminster. 7 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. $17, $20; advance purchase required. rosecentertheater.com
The Hammer and Huntington biennial, ‘Mesopotamia’ at the Getty Villa, Wayne Thiebaud, Yoshitomo Nara, butterflies and the Disney archives: exhibitions at SoCal’s reopened museums.
Streaming
“The Baltimore Waltz”
Eric McCormack and Tony winner Mary-Louise Parker headline a reading of Paula Vogel’s Obie-winning 1992 comedy about siblings who travel to Europe in search of a cure for one’s terminal illness. Part of the “Spotlight on Plays” series presented by Broadway’s Best Shows. 5 p.m. Thursday; available on demand through 3 p.m. Monday. $15. broadwaysbestshows.com
“Titanique: The Maiden Voyage Concert”
The 1997 disaster flick “Titanic” and Céline Dion, who belted out the movie’s theme song, are spoofed in a one-night-only performance of this musical parody streamed live from Le Poisson Rouge nightclub in New York’s Greenwich Village. 4:30 p.m. Sunday. $29 and up. titaniquemusical.com
“On This Side of the World”
Musical Theatre West in Long Beach presents a virtual show with selections from Paulo K. Tiról’s new sung-through musical about the lives of Filipino Americans. With “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” actor Vincent Rodriguez III. 7 p.m. Saturday. Free. musical.org
“Bakunawa: Opera of the Seven Moons”
REDCAT streams the world premiere of Filipina American soprano and sound artist Micaela Tobin’s experimental opera film inspired by a tale from Philippine mythology. 8:3o p.m. Saturday. $8-$15. redcat.org
“GrahamFest95”
Martha Graham Dance Company wraps its 95th season with a three-day livestreamed festival featuring classic works by Graham, a closing night cocktail party and more. 3 p.m. Friday, 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday, 8:30 a.m., noon and 1:30 p.m. Sunday. $14-$40; season pass, $95. marthagraham.org
“Black Feminist Video Game”
A biracial teen with autism tries to win the heart of his crush in this interactive digital drama by Panamanian American poet and playwright Darrel Alejandro Holnes. Presented by Center Theatre Group and the theater artists collective the Civilians. 5 p.m. Thursday-Sunday; available on demand from 9 p.m. Sunday through May 9. $10. centertheatregroup.org
“Billy Budd”
Los Angeles Opera streams its 2014 production of Benjamin Britten’s musical adaptation of the Herman Melville novella about a young British sailor in conflict with a cruel superior officer. Available on demand. Free. laopera.org
“Virtually ABBA”
This musical revue saluting the 1970s-’80s Swedish pop group behind hits including “Waterloo” and “Dancing Queen” presents three livestreamed performances. 10 a.m., 2 and 6 p.m. Saturday; on demand afterward. $15. stellartickets.com
“Unfinished”
The Los Angeles Philharmonic’s “Sound/Stage” series continues with artistic and music director Gustavo Dudamel leading Schubert’s Symphony No. 8, “Unfinished,” in a performance filmed at the Hollywood Bowl. 10 a.m. Friday; available for 30 days. Free. laphil.com
The L.A. Phil’s artistic leader has been appointed music director in Paris, where he will join one of the most celebrated opera companies in the world.
“Eastside Noir”
Local troupes Impro Theatre and Company of Angels join forces to improvise a show inspired by classic film noir tropes and Los Angeles history in this one-night-only livestream event. 8:15 p.m. Saturday. Free. improtheatre.com
“Pasadena Presents”
Pasadena Symphony’s spring season continues with a virtual program that includes Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 3 featuring pianist Valentina Lisitsa, plus works by Ravel, Wagner and Debussy. 4 p.m. Saturday; available on demand for 48 hours. Free. pasadenasymphony-pops.org, youtube.com
“The Story of My Life”
Chance Theater in Anaheim launches its 23rd season with a virtual production of this musical about two longtime BFFs. 7 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays through June 6. $25, $49. chancetheater.com
“Skirball Stages”
This concert series presented by the Skirball Cultural Center in Brentwood concludes its spring season with a virtual night of Caribbean music featuring Yosmel Montejo and Vox Sambou. On demand after 8 p.m. Saturday. Free. youtube.com
“The Importance of Being Earnest: Live in HD”
L.A. Theatre Works streams a filmed version of Roundabout Theatre Company’s 2011 Broadway production of Oscar Wilde’s classic rom-com. David Hyde Pierce hosts, and Alfred Molina takes part in a chat at intermission. On demand Saturday through May 31. $15. latw.org
“The Politics of Street Vendors in Los Angeles”
The Los Angeles County Museum of Art streams this three-part series of documentary shorts as a companion piece to “¡Vendedores, Presente!” It’s artist Ruben Ochoa’s contribution to the virtual project “LACMA × Snapchat: Monumental Perspectives.” Available on demand beginning noon Saturday; new episodes drop May 22, June 12. Free. lacma.org
Five augmented reality artworks launched Tuesday push the conversation on representation and historical accuracy in monuments.
“The Patchwork Girl of Oz”
Louise Reichlin & Dancers/Los Angeles Choreographers & Dancers streams their take on the fantastical tales of author L. Frank Baum’s tale. On demand through May 12. Free. vimeo.com
“Slow Food”
International City Theatre in Long Beach streams Wendy Macleod’s comedy about a married couple celebrating an anniversary at a Greek restaurant in Palm Springs. On demand Thursdays-Sundays only through May 16. $30 per household. ictlongbeach.org
“Carmen.maquia”
Ballet Hispánico streams a performance of choreographer Gustavo Ramírez Sansano’s Picasso-inspired update of Bizet’s romantic tragedy. On demand through 2 p.m. Saturday. $18 per device. macb-internet.choicecrm.net
Pacific Playwrights Festival
This annual showcase presented by South Coast Repertory in Costa Mesa gets underway virtually this year with a filmed reading of “Covenant,” playwright York Walker’s supernatural fable about a blues musician who may or may not have struck an infernal bargain with the devil himself. On demand through Sunday; festival concludes June 27. $19 per reading; festival pass for all five readings is $80. scr.org
David Garrett
The L.A. Phil cellist and Cal State Long Beach faculty member plays pieces by Bach and Max Reger in this virtual recital. On demand beginning Saturday. Free; donations accepted for cello students at CSULB. youtube.com (Link will be functional starting Saturday.)
“Saturday Explorer Series”
L.A.’s 24th Street Theatre kicks off this kid-friendly series of four livestream performances with storyteller Al Bostick sharing two tales from African folklore. 12:30 p.m. Saturday. $10; series pass, $24. 24thstreet.org
Our recurring coronavirus-era arts and culture recommendations are posted every Thursday.
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