March 13, 2008
Spring Calendar
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http://www.cerritoscenter.com.Sat., March 15
Celebrate Dance 2008. Eight energetic dance companies will perform during this extravaganza featuring myriad dance styles and techniques including modern, ballet, West African, breakdancing and salsa. Audiences will be exposed to new forms and styles as each company dazzles with their unique physicality, staging and interpretation of dance art. "Body Traffic," a new company on the scene, will make their debut alongside the melancholy sounds of the cello. 8 p.m. $17-$35. The Alex Theatre, 216 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale. (818) 243-2539. http://www.celebratedance.org.
Mon., March 17
"Backstage at the Geffen." You don't need a VIP pass to get backstage at this event. All of the hilarity and insanity that goes on behind the scenes of the Geffen's theatrical productions will be on display for all to see tonight. The evening of musical performances, irreverent stories and original works will all focus on the action behind the curtain with Geffen actors, playwrights and directors sharing their most intimate anecdotes. Co-chaired by the incomparable Julie Andrews and the legendary Dick Van Dyke, the event will also be honoring Walt Disney President and CEO Robert A. Iger for his service and Annette Bening for her illustrious acting career and longtime activism. Proceeds from this event will help give community members, public schools and nonprofit organizations access to the Geffen's free theater arts programs in 2008. 6 p.m. Ticket prices vary by sponsorship level, ranging from $300-$10,000. Geffen Playhouse, 10886 Le Conte Ave., Los Angeles. (310) 208-5454. http://www.geffenplayhouse.com.
Thu., March 27
Dance at the Music Center. American Ballet Theatre has returned to perform the beloved "Swan Lake." A romantic tale of love, betrayal and forgiveness offers innovative choreography, lavish costuming and unique sets. With a score by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky and pre-performance discussions by Elizabeth Kaye, author of "American Ballet Theatre: A 25-Year Retrospective," you can be sure to leave with the full American Ballet experience. 6:30 p.m. (pre-performance lecture), 7:30 p.m. (ballet). Through March 30. $25-$115. Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Music Center, 135 N. Grand Ave., Los Angeles. (213) 365-3500. http://www.musiccenter.org/.
"What's the Story?" Festival of New Solo Plays. In its second-annual series, the Powerhouse Theatre presents 15 writers and performers who will display an array of humorous, brave, bawdy and brazen one-man shows. Fresh new plays include Mary DeTienne's "Hell, No! We Won't Go," "How To Avoid Getting Pushed Off the Edge of a Cliff in a Hang-glider Glued Together by Stoners" and Lisa Sandoval's "The Yowling: What We Don't Talk About." 8 p.m. Through April 6. $10-$40. The Powerhouse Theatre, 3116 2nd St., Santa Monica. For tickets and show times, call (310) 450-1312. http://www.whatsthestoryla.com.
Sat., March 29
The Wiggles Live. If your kids haven't heard or seen the wacky kids' musical group The Wiggles, then you haven't done your job as a fun-wielding parent! Experience the craze that has been entertaining young'uns for 16 years. Wiggle your way down to see the colorful group in concert, and your children will be sure to thank you with bright smiles and laughs. Dancing and singing along during the show is highly encouraged. 1:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. Also, Sun. March 30. $22-$40. The Nokia Theatre, 777 Chick Hearn Court, Los Angeles. (213) 480-3232. http://www.nokiatheatrelalive.com.
APRIL
Sun., April 5
"Almost Heaven: Songs of John Denver." Thirty of the legendary singer-songwriters' folksy tunes will be performed in front of visually evocative backdrops of America in the '60s and '70s. Paying tribute to an incomparable American artist, the revue features many John Denver favorites like "Leaving on a Jet Plane," "Calypso" and "Sunshine on My Shoulders," complemented by an interpretive stage set. 3 p.m. $21-$45. Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts, 12700 Center Court Drive, Cerritos. (562) 467-8818. http://www.cerritoscenter.com.
Wed., April 9
"Aurelia's Oratorio" at UCLA Live. In a vibrant display of wild acrobatics, dance, puppetry and stage theater set to chamber music and gypsy-styled jazz, this Cirque du Soleil-inspired stage performance sounds seductive and surreal. Depicting dream, fantasy and adventures through spellbinding visuals, the performance evokes the medieval magic of circus and variety shows. The Guardian said, "A bewitching 70 minutes in which the nightmarish and the dreamy meet and disintegrate in a puff of smoke and the whistle of a train." 8 p.m. Through April 12. $22-$42. UCLA Freud Playhouse, 405 Hilgard Ave., Westwood. (310) 825-2101. http://www.uclalive.org.
Bon Jovi in Concert. Still sizzling after more than 30 years of performing, Jon Bon Jovi will rock out hard with his Grammy Award-winning band, singing old favorites and their latest musical creations. Let your hair down to hits from "Lost Highway," an album paying homage to Nashville. Let Richie Sambora charm you with his guitar, David Bryan woo you on the keyboard and Hector "Tico" Torres knock your socks off on the drums and percussion. 7:30 p.m. $49-$129. Staples Center, 1111 S. Figueroa St., Los Angeles. (213) 480-3232. http://www.ticketmaster.com.
Fri., April 11
"Ziva Sivan: Painting Is Her Home." In light of Israel's upcoming 60th anniversary, an art exhibition at the Skirball will be paying tribute to the late Jerusalem-born artist Ziva Sivan. Working mainly from her ground-floor studio, Sivan created a sanctuary-type atmosphere and used the female nude body as inspiration for much of her art in what she termed "free painting." The exhibition features some of the Israeli artist's best large-scale drawings, paintings, and sculptures meant to express her inventive, experimental use of drawing media. 12-5 p.m., Tue.-Fri. $5-$10. Free on Thursdays. Through June 30. Skirball Cultural Center, 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles, (310) 440-4500. http://www.skirball.com.
Sat., April 12
"Cowboys and Presidents" at The Autry. You may be wondering what cowboy culture has in common with presidential politics. The answer is that throughout history, presidents have used the powerful iconography of the American cowboy to represent themselves and, in turn, others have used the icon to ridicule and bemoan American national politics. Throughout the summer, you'll be able to see how the Autry connects and reveals the intersection of these two national fascinations, made especially relevant in an election year. Tue.-Sun. Through Sept. 7. $5-$9. The Autry National Center, 4700 Western Heritage Way, Los Angeles. (323) 667-2000.
