MUNICH (AP) — The head brewmaster for Weihenstephan, the world’s oldest brewery, has a secret: He really likes alcohol-free beer.
Even though he’s quick to say he obviously enjoys real beer more, Tobias Zollo says he savors alcohol-free beer when he’s working or eating lunch. It has the same taste but fewer calories than a soft drink, he said, thanks to the brewery’s process of evaporating the alcohol.
“You can’t drink beer every day — unfortunately,” he joked last week at the Bavarian state brewery in the German town of Freising, about 30 kilometers (20 miles) north of Munich.
Zollo isn’t alone in his appreciation for the sober beverage. Alcohol-free beer has been gaining popularity in recent years as beer consumption shrinks.
AP correspondent Shelley Adler reports alcohol-free beer is gaining in popularity, even at Oktoberfest.
At Weihenstephan, which was founded as a brewery in 1040 by Benedictine monks, non-alcoholic wheat beer and lager now make up 10% of the volume. The increase over the last few years, since they started making alcohol-free drinks in the 1990s, mirrors the statistics for the rest of Germany’s beer industry.
“The people are unfortunately — I have to say that as a brewer — unfortunately drinking less beer,” Zollo said Friday, the day before Oktoberfest officially started. “If there’s an alternative to have the crisp and fresh taste from a typical Weihenstephan beer, but just as a non-alcoholic version, we want to do that.”
Even at Oktoberfest — arguably the world’s most famous ode to alcohol — alcohol-free beer is on the menu.
All but two of the 18 large tents at the festival offer the drink through the celebration’s 16 days. The sober beverage will cost drinkers the same as an alcoholic beer — between 13.60 and 15.30 euros ($15.12 and $17.01) for a 1-liter mug (33 fluid ounces) — but save them from a hangover.
“For people who don’t like to drink alcohol and want to enjoy the Oktoberfest as well, I think it’s a good option,” Mikael Caselitz, 24, of Munich said Saturday inside one of the tents. “Sometimes people feel like they have more fun with alcohol, which is not a good thing because you can also have fun without alcohol.”
He added: “If you want to come and drink alcohol-free beer, nobody will judge you.”
This year marked the first time an alcohol-free beer garden opened in Munich. “Die Null,” which means “the zero” in German, served non-alcoholic beer, mocktails and other alcohol-free drinks near the city’s main train station this summer but was scheduled to close a few day before Oktoberfest opened.
Walter König, managing director of the Society of Hop Research north of Munich, said researchers have had to breed special hops varieties for alcohol-free beer. If brewers use the typical hops for alcohol-free beer, the distinct aroma gets lost when the alcohol is reduced during the brewing process.
But customers don’t care about that, König said Friday as he prepared for Oktoberfest.
“They only want to know that what they are tasting is as good as traditional beers with alcohol,” he said.
MUNICH — The head brewmaster for Weihenstephan, the world’s oldest brewery, has a secret: He really likes alcohol-free beer.
Even though he’s quick to say he obviously enjoys real beer more, Tobias Zollo says he savors alcohol-free beer when he’s working or eating lunch. It has the same taste but fewer calories than a soft drink, he said, thanks to the brewery’s process of evaporating the alcohol.
“You can’t drink beer every day — unfortunately,” he joked last week at the Bavarian state brewery in the German town of Freising, about 31 kilometers (19.26 miles) north of Munich.
Zollo isn’t alone in his appreciation for the sober beverage. Alcohol-free beer has been gaining popularity in recent years as beer consumption shrinks.
At Weihenstephan, which was founded as a brewery in 1040 by Benedictine monks, non-alcoholic wheat beer and lager now make up 10% of the volume. The increase over the last few years, since they started making alcohol-free drinks in the 1990s, mirrors the statistics for the rest of Germany’s beer industry.
“The people are unfortunately — I have to say that as a brewer — unfortunately drinking less beer,” Zollo said Friday, the day before Oktoberfest officially started. “If there’s an alternative to have the crisp and fresh taste from a typical Weihenstephan beer, but just as a non-alcoholic version, we want to do that.”
Even at Oktoberfest — arguably the world’s most famous ode to alcohol — alcohol-free beer is on the menu.
All but two of the 18 large tents at the festival offer the drink through the celebration’s 16 days. The sober beverage will cost drinkers the same as an alcoholic beer — between 13.60 and 15.30 euros ($15.12 and $17.01) for a 1-liter mug (33 fluid ounces) — but save them from a hangover.
“For people who don’t like to drink alcohol and want to enjoy the Oktoberfest as well, I think it’s a good option,” Mikael Caselitz, 24, of Munich said Saturday inside one of the tents. “Sometimes people feel like they have more fun with alcohol, which is not a good thing because you can also have fun without alcohol.”
He added: “If you want to come and drink alcohol-free beer, nobody will judge you.”
This year marked the first time an alcohol-free beer garden opened in Munich. “Die Null,” which means “the zero” in German, served non-alcoholic beer, mocktails and other alcohol-free drinks near the city’s main train station this summer but was scheduled to close a few day before Oktoberfest opened.
Walter König, managing director of the Society of Hop Research north of Munich, said researchers have had to breed special hops varieties for alcohol-free beer. If brewers use the typical hops for alcohol-free beer, the distinct aroma gets lost when the alcohol is reduced during the brewing process.
But customers don’t care about that, König said Friday as he prepared for Oktoberfest.
“They only want to know that what they are tasting is as good as traditional beers with alcohol,” he said.
Mayor Dieter Reiter officially started Oktoberfest at noon Saturday when he inserted the tap into the first beer keg, signaling the 189th start of the festival. Thousands of beer lovers celebrated in the Munich fairground as the first to clink their mugs during the world’s largest folk festival.
Servers immediately began ferrying trays — each carrying up to 8 glass mugs — to tables. Revelers started clinking their mugs and taking deep gulps of beer in the stuffy heat of the tent.
The celebration runs through Oct. 6 in 18 large tents covering the Theresienwiese fairground.
This year’s festival includes stepped-up security in the wake of a deadly knife attack in Solingen, a city roughly 470 kilometers (292 miles) northwest of Munich. The violence on Aug. 23 left three people dead and eight more wounded, and the Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack, without citing evidence. As a result, organizers added metal detectors to the security lineup for the first time in Oktoberfest’s history, but said there were no concrete threats.
Tens of thousands of people lined the streets early Saturday to watch the opening parade as others raced to claim tables inside the tents. They gossiped, played cards and walked around the fairgrounds to check out the food options and amusement park rides to kill time before they could start drinking.
Revelers sprinted through the fairgrounds at 9 a.m. as soon as the entrances opened, despite security officers’ attempts to keep the procession orderly. They laughed despite the morning chill — someone could be heard shrieking “why are we running!” — and raced to get in line again, but this time to be first inside the tents.
Some 6 million visitors are expected over the festival’s 16 days — up to 600,000 each day — and can expect to shell out between 13.60 and 15.30 euros ($15.12 to $17.01) for a 1-liter mug of beer (33 fl oz). This year’s prices are roughly 3.87% more than in 2023.
Mikael Caselitz, 24, was born and raised in Munich and has attended Oktoberfest for years. He said everyone should travel to Munich for the festival at least once in their lives.
“It can get really crowded and disgusting when people puke on the side of the road,” he joked, “but overall it’s a really fun experience.”
Ollie Standen woke up at 6 a.m. to get in line early for Oktoberfest, where the beer starts flowing at noon. The 21-year-old from England is in Munich this year for a university exchange program and a local friend told him he had to join the festivities. He said he’s looking forward to trying different German beers that aren’t usually found in the United Kingdom.
“It’s a great German tradition and I’m excited to be here,” he said.
The first Oktoberfest was held Oct. 17, 1810 to celebrate the marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria to Theresa of Saxony. The venue, a meadow on the edge of Munich at the time, was called “Theresienwiese” to honor the bride. While that name remains, the start date has moved up to September, when the temperatures in Bavaria are usually warmer.
KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) — Nepal’s monthslong festival season began on Tuesday with tens of thousands of devotees pulling a wooden chariot with a young girl revered as a living goddess.
Families gathered for feasts and lit incense for the dead at shrines. Men and boys in colorful masks and gowns representing Hindu deities danced to traditional music and drums, drawing throngs of spectators to Kathmandu’s old streets.
The Indra Jatra festival marks the end of the monsoon and rice farming season and signals the dawn of fall. It’s celebrated mostly by the Newar community, the native residents of Kathmandu. It is also known as the festival of deities and demons and especially honors Indra, the Hindu god of rain.
The Lakhe, a demon adored for divine might, performs during Indra Jatra, a festival that marks the end of the rainy season in Kathmandu, Nepal, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Niranjan Shrestha)
Devotees gather to watch the annual Indra Jatra festival that marks the end of the rainy season in Kathmandu, Nepal, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Niranjan Shrestha)
Devotees perform a traditional elephant dance during Indra Jatra, a festival that marks the end of the rainy season in Kathmandu, Nepal, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Niranjan Shrestha)
The masked dancers, one of the highlights of the ceremony, can be fearsome, entertaining and awe-inspiring, depending on the performers’ movements.
Kumari, a young girl who is revered by both Hindus and Buddhists in Nepal as a living goddess, left her temple palace and was driven around the center of the capital in a wooden chariot pulled by devotees, who lined up to receive her blessing. Among the spectators were President Ram Chandra Poudel, officials and diplomats.
The weeklong Indra Jatra precedes months of other festivals in the predominantly Hindu nation. They include Dasain, the main festival, and Tihar, or Diwali, the festival of lights, in November.
Living goddess Kumari reacts as she is being carried during Indra Jatra, a festival that marks the end of the rainy season in Kathmandu, Nepal, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Niranjan Shrestha)
Devotees use foam spray as they dance during Indra Jatra, a festival that marks the end of the rainy season in Kathmandu, Nepal, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Niranjan Shrestha)
Masked dancers perform during Indra Jatra, a festival that marks the end of the rainy season in Kathmandu, Nepal, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Niranjan Shrestha)
Devotees play traditional drums during Indra Jatra, a festival that marks the end of the rainy season in Kathmandu, Nepal, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Niranjan Shrestha)
The Lakhe, a demon adored for divine might, performs during Indra Jatra, a festival that marks the end of the rainy season in Kathmandu, Nepal, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Niranjan Shrestha)
Masked dancers perform during Indra Jatra, a festival that marks the end of the rainy season in Kathmandu, Nepal, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Niranjan Shrestha)
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — An explosion that injured six people at the Kansas State Fair was caused by a canned food item that got too hot when stored near a food warmer, investigators said Wednesday.
The explosion happened Tuesday night at a concession trailer called the Fry Shack. Authorities said two people were hospitalized after the explosion and fire. Both were treated for cuts and were discharged later Tuesday.
Four others reported injuries but did not seek medical treatment.
The cause of the fire was determined by investigators with the Kansas State Fire Marshal’s Office and the Hutchinson Fire Department.
The 10-day state fair draws about 350,000 people each year. It concludes Sunday.
TORONTO (AP) — Pro-Palestinian protesters disrupted an opening night screening at the Toronto International Film Festival, chanting “Stop the genocide!” during opening remarks.
At the screening for the David Gordon Green comedy “Nutcrackers” on Thursday evening, four protesters walked down the center aisle of the Princess of Wales Theatre, carrying signs and flashlights while shouting criticism of festival sponsor Royal Bank of Canada. “Cut ties with RBC,” they yelled.
Cameron Bailey, festival director, was speaking at the podium on stage when the protest began. He tried to maintain order, urging the protestors, “We are here to start the festival.” Numerous crowd members booed the protesters.
The protest lasted for a handful of minutes before the demonstrators were ushered out by security. Several attendees posted videos online of the episode.
Representatives for the festival didn’t respond to requests for comment.
In a statement, RBC said: “We respect the right of individuals to make their voices heard, but it’s unfortunate to see activist groups attempting to co-opt this important cultural event. Protestors targeting corporate sponsors are shifting attention from the work of artists and weakening support for essential arts and cultural programs.”
The bank added: “The humanitarian crisis in Israel and Gaza continues to have a devastating impact and we feel deeply for everyone who is affected.”
At last year’s TIFF, a campaign called RBC Off Screen also protested the festival sponsor. An open letter to TIFF urged the festival to reconsider its relationship with RBC. Signees included Mark Ruffalo, Rachel McAdams and Joaquin Phoenix. They criticized the bank’s funding of the oil and gas industry.
VENICE, Italy — Five years after “ Joker ” won the top prize at the Venice Film Festival, director Todd Phillips can’t help but be a little nervous about returning with its sequel.
“Joker: Folie à Deux,” one of the festival’s most anticipated films of the 81st edition of the festival, premiered Wednesday and theatergoers at the Sala Grande theater gave the movie and stars Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga an 11-minute standing ovation.
“It feels right, it feels correct to be back in Venice. It felt like the logical launching off point for us,” Phillips said ahead of the premiere. “On this one I’m a little more nervous. It’s a lot easier to come into something as the insurgent rather than the incumbent.”
A sequel was more a joke than an inevitability to Phillips and Phoenix while making the first movie. For one, Phoenix is not the kind of actor to jump at a “franchise.” But then an idea emerged to explore the music that Phoenix’s character, Arthur Fleck, is hearing in his head. It would have to be as bold, unexpected and audacious as the first, they thought.
That first film had resonated in a way that no one quite expected: It made over $1 billion at the box office and won Phoenix the best actor Oscar. One of its fans was Gaga, who said that it “really deeply moved me” and showed her something she had never seen before.
The streets outside the Sala Grande theater were packed with Gaga fans hoping to catch a glimpse of her on the red carpet. Gaga arrived wearing a Christian Dior Haute Couture gown and an elaborate Philip Treacy headpiece that was evocative of a funeral veil.
“Joker: Folie à Deux” finds’ Phoenix’s Arthur Fleck institutionalized and awaiting trial for his crimes. The last film ended after he shoots late night host Murray Franklin (Robert De Niro) on live television, which has made him a God to a certain set, including Gaga’s Harley Quinn who he meets in a different ward. The two fall immediately in love and take to song to express themselves.
Both Phoenix and Gaga sang live for the film, with a pianist just off camera who, she said, felt like another actor in the scene in a way.
“For me it was kind of about unlearning technique and forgetting how to breathe and allowing the song to come completely out of the character,” Gaga said. “It gives the characters a way to express what they need to say.”
Phoenix, who initially balked at the idea of singing live, added: “Part of the joy at least for me was taking these songs that were standards and trying to find a way that they were specific to the characters.”
They also learned various choreography over the course of months for several different numbers, including a waltz in the rain. But even with the training and practice, they said, things had a tendency to change in the moment.
“We all really thrived in the moment and in the chaos of it all,” Gaga said. “We had to find it every day. What was the truth of the scene, what was the honest moment.”
She added: “You can learn a song, learn a routine for a dance … but that’s not always the most honest thing to do on camera.”
Phoenix recently made headlines for leaving a Todd Haynes film several days before it was to start shooting. He declined to elaborate on the situation, saying it wouldn’t be fair to the other creatives involved who were not available to comment. He also said he didn’t want to focus on the weight he lost to play Arthur Fleck. During the press tour for the last film, he regretted speaking about it so much.
Gaga made a grand entrance to the Lido on Wednesday several hours before the red-carpet premiere. Fans and photographers clamored around the docks outside of the Excelsior Hotel hoping to catch a glimpse of her arriving. She popped her head out of the private water taxi, alongside Phillips and Phoenix, as fans nearby shouted “Gaga! Gaga! Gaga!” in unison.
On the dock, she blew kisses to the excitable fans, stopped to sign several autographs, and accepted flowers from one eager onlooker. She wore an elegant black Dior Haute Couture dress, beret and sunglasses offsetting her blonde hair.
In a festival lineup full of major Hollywood stars, including the likes of Angelina Jolie, George Clooney and Brad Pitt, Gaga is in a class of her own with her knack for creating a memorable red carpet moment.
Six years ago, for “A Star Is Born,” she made a splash playing the part of the movie star — and gave the festival some of its most iconic shots in recent memory. Remember her perched on the side of the private water taxi in that black Jonathan Simkhai bustier dress, blowing kisses to fans and photographers? Or her show-stopping pale pink feathered Valentino Couture gown that seemed to pop even more against the rainy backdrop?
Reviews for the new film will be out in a few hours, which could dictate the trajectory of the film for months to come and whether or not it is once again an Oscar contender or another billion-dollar box office hit.
Before hitting the red carpet, the Hollywood stars reflected on reuniting, the rise of streaming and Clooney’s New York Times op-ed urging President Joe Biden to end his reelection bid.
Asked about the impact of his piece, Clooney said he’d not yet had to answer that question.
“The person who should be applauded is the president who did the most selfless thing anyone’s done since George Washington,” Clooney said. “All the machinations that got us there, none of that’s going to be remembered. And it shouldn’t be. What should be remembered is the selfless act.”
Clooney continued: “It’s very hard to let go of power. We know that. We’ve seen that all around the world. For someone to say, I think there’s a better way forward? All credit goes to him.”
Most of the discussion was focused on the film, however, an old school action thriller directed by Jon Watts, in which they play lone wolf fixers unhappy to have been hired for the same job to cover up a bloody mess involving a district attorney (played by Amy Ryan).
The film will have a limited theatrical release, starting Sept. 20, before hitting Apple TV+ on Sept. 27. Apple TV+ acquired “Wolfs” in a competitive bidding war, beating out both traditional studios and rival streaming services.
Deadline reported in 2021 that the understanding was that it would come with a robust theatrical release, something the stars may have also forfeited money to ensure, the trade publication said. Then, several weeks ago the streamer announced different plans: Theatrical would be limited. Streaming would be quick.
Clooney confirmed that they did forfeit some of their salaries to guarantee a theatrical release and that it’s a “bummer” that it won’t be wider than a few hundred theaters.
“We would have liked it, we wanted it. That’s why Brad and I gave some of our money back,” he said, adding that a report in the New York Times overestimated the dollar amount of their salaries by millions.
Far from being anti-streaming, however, Clooney said that everyone is simply finding their way during this revolution. There are bumps and mistakes, but there’s also much more opportunities for actors, he said.
“Streaming, we need it, our industry needs it,” Clooney said. “They also benefit from having films released … and we’re figuring it out, we haven’t gotten it figured out yet.”
Producer and Plan B executive Jeremy Kliner, who has worked with Pitt for over 20 years, said that they make films believing in their shelf lives, and that they’re doing something worthwhile.
Pitt added: “I think we’ll always be romantic about the theatrical experience but at the same time I love the existence of streamers … it’s a delicate balance. It’ll right itself.”
Though both regulars at the picturesque festival on their own, with Clooney’s premieres including “Gravity” and “Good Night and Good Luck,” and “Ad Astra” and “The Assassination of Jesse James…” among Pitt’s, only once have they walked the carpet together. No, it wasn’t for an Ocean’s film. It was in 2008, for the premiere of “Burn After Reading,” the madcap Coen brothers’ farce in which they share one memorable scene.
“In ‘Burn After Reading’ I got the extreme pleasure of shooting him in the face and I thought maybe we’d try it again 15 years later,” Clooney said with a laugh.
The two teased one another about each other’s age and relevance, with Clooney joking that Pitt is 74 and lucky to be working at his age. (Clooney, for the record, is 63. Pitt is 60.)
Pitt was waiting for a good idea to reunite with Clooney on screen and thought the idea of two cleaners who think they’re the best sounded fun. Their years of working together made their banter, and overlapping dialogue, natural to do.
“As I get older, just working with the people that I just really enjoy spending time with has become really important to me,” Pitt said.
When they got the script, they said Watts hadn’t specified who was playing which part so Pitt and Clooney got on the phone and figured it out for themselves.
Pitt arrived at the festival just days apart from his ex, Angelina Jolie, who received praise for her turn as opera singer Maria Callas in Pablo Larraín’s “Maria” and left Italy for another festival soon after.
Pitt and Jolie had been romantic partners for a decade when they married in 2014. Jolie filed for divorce in 2016, and a judge declared them single in 2019, but the divorce case has not been finalized with custody and financial issues still in dispute. Several weeks ago, a Los Angeles court granted a petition from the third-eldest child of the former couple to legally change her name from Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt to Shiloh Nouvel Jolie.
The film’s director, who catapulted from indies to the Tom Holland Spider-Man films, said in a director’s statement that this film is him trying to get back to street level after “seven years of swinging from skyscrapers and jumping through multiverse portals.” He was unable to speak about the film with his stars after testing positive for COVID-19.
“He flew all the way here and then he got COVID,” Clooney said. “So now we’re all going to get it.”
Opera Philadelphia is lowering all tickets to $11 under new general director Anthony Roth Costanzo, establishing a “pick your price” model aimed at widening the company’s audience.
Costanzo announced Tuesday the company has raised $7 million since June 1 when he replaced David Devan, who retired after 13 seasons. The money addressed debt and enabled the new model, in which people can pay more than the minimum if they want to.
“This is chapter one of a long-term turnaround story,” Costanzo said. “Creating a new place for opera in our current time requires risk. It doesn’t require doubling down on safe choices, and that’s going to mean that we have to enable failure.”
Costanzo, a 42-year-old countertenor with an active singing career on the world’s top stages, took over ahead of a 2024-25 season trimmed to nine performances, down from 30 in 2018-19, the last season before the coronavirus pandemic, and 16 in 2022-23. Tickets for this season originally were priced at $30-$300.
“Every dollar you spend over $11 helps to not only support the opera, but support the people who want to come to the opera,” Costanzo said. “It will certainly represent a decrease in income from ticket sales. But it will represent an increase in contributed revenue and I believe also in the future in foundation revenue and hopefully corporate revenue.”
Opera Philadelphia sold 14,211 tickets last season at an average of $85.77, resulting in 13% of the company’s revenue. In the 2022-23 season, 17,464 tickets were sold at an average of $78.32, also bringing in 13% of revenue.
This season’s schedule at the Academy of Music, which has about 1,800 full-view seats, includes three performances of Missy Mazzoli’s “The Listeners” beginning with its U.S. premiere on Sept. 25, two performances Joseph Bologne’s “The Anonymous Lover” starting Jan. 31 and four performances of Mozart’s “Don Giovanni” opening April 25. The company scrapped its innovative season-opening festival as part of budget cutting.
Costanzo spoke with Henry Timms, the outgoing president of New York’s Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, which since 2022 has relied on a choose-what-you-pay model starting at $5 for many events during its “Summer for the City” schedule.
Costanzo said the past model had been predicated on including popular titles such as Bizet’s “Carmen,” intended to spur ticket sales.
“We market to the people who can afford $150 tickets. That changes the feel of the marketing. It changes the demographics of who we market to and where we market,” Costanzo said. “Ticket price and selling tickets becomes a real focal point of how we create art form in our time. And I think that’s a shame. I think it limits us and hinders innovation and progress.”
VENICE, Italy — Some of Hollywood’s biggest stars are getting ready to descend on the Venice Film Festival this week, from George Clooney and Angelina Jolie to Lady Gaga and Brad Pitt.
But while the allure of A-listers on those picturesque docks is a welcome return to form after last year’s lower-wattage edition amid the strikes, the spotlight that matters most will be on their films. Along with Cannes, Venice — which runs from Aug. 28 through Sept. 7 — is one of the most glamorous launching pads for awards season. The films that do well on the Lido will be dominating the conversation until the Oscars in March.
In this year’s lineup, there’s both big Hollywood fare (“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” and “Horizon: An American Saga—Chapter 2” to “Wolfs”) and a vast array of intriguing films from auteurs around the world. At festivals, the best thing is to keep an open mind and see as much as possible — you never know what might hit. In the meantime, though, here are 10 films to get excited about at Venice.
No matter which side of the “Joker” discourse you were on five years ago, the fact that all involved would bring the sequel back to Venice to play in competition is promising. “Joker: Folie à Deux” doesn’t need the festival buzz, after all. The first film made over $1 billion and was nominated for 11 Oscars. Venice chief Alberto Barbera told Deadline that it’s completely different from the first, a dystopian musical that is “one of the most daring, brave and creative films in recent American cinema” and “confirms Todd Phillips as one of the most creative directors working at the moment.” It’ll be in theaters Oct. 4.
Chilean filmmaker Pablo Larraín is not to be ignored when he makes a film about a famous woman with a tragic narrative (see: “Spencer,” “Jackie”). This time he’s teamed with screenwriter Steven Knight (“Peaky Blinders”) and Jolie to bring opera singer Maria Callas back to life in “Maria.” The soprano was a tabloid fixture, perhaps most famous for her affair with Aristotle Onassis, who would end up leaving her for another of Larraín’s tragic women: Jacqueline Kennedy. Callas died in 1977, at age 53, but remains one of classical music’s bestselling artists. “Maria” is playing in competition and seeking distribution.
Luca Guadagnino returns to Venice with “Queer,” an adaptation of the William S. Burroughs novel, starring Daniel Craig in a performance that Barbera has called “career defining.” It follows an American expat to Mexico City on a quest for a drug. There, he encounters all sorts of characters and develops an obsession with a young man. The novel was written in the early 1950s, a sort of companion piece to “Junkie,” but not published until 1985. Others have attempted to adapt it before, including Steve Buscemi and Oren Moverman. “Queer” is also seeking distribution.
Pedro Almodóvar’s English-language debut, with Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton starring? We barely even need a description to get excited about that, which is probably good because details are vague. He’s said that it’s about an imperfect mother and a resentful daughter who are estranged because of a “profound misunderstanding.” In addition to tackling subjects like war, death, friendship and sexual pleasure, Almodóvar said, “it also talks about the pleasure of waking up to birds bringing a new day at a house built on a natural reserve in New England.” It’ll also make a stop at the New York Film Festival before a December release.
Dutch filmmaker Halina Reijn made the wildly fun “Bodies Bodies Bodies,” so we’re especially curious what “Babygirl” holds. The erotic thriller stars Nicole Kidman (who 25 years ago came to Venice with “Eyes Wide Shut”) as a powerful CEO who begins an affair with a younger intern played by Harris Dickinson (“Triangle of Sadness,” “The Iron Claw”). Antonio Banderas also co-stars. A24 plans a December theatrical release.
This 3 1/2-hour drama from filmmaker Brady Corbet follows architect László Toth (Adrien Brody) and his wife Erzsébet (Felicity Jones) on a decadeslong journey as they flee Europe following World War II and attempt to set up a life in America. There, Toth meets industrialist Harrison Lee Van Buren (Guy Pearce), who commissions him to design a modernist monument, changing their lives for better and worse. Corbet (“Vox Lux”) is not always going to be a filmmaker for everyone, but he’s never not interesting. “The Brutalist” is seeking distribution in the U.S.; Universal is distributing internationally, though no release date has been set.
There are quite a few innovative offerings in the nonfiction space: Errol Morris’ “Separated,” about the Trump administration’s border policy; Asif Kapadia’s future-looking “2073”; “Pavements,” Alex Ross Perry’s hybrid doc about the Stephen Malkmus band; and Andres Veiel’s “Riefenstahl.” But only one made it to the main competition: Wang Bing’s “Youth (Homecoming),” the conclusion to his verité documentary trilogy in which he followed migrant workers in Zhili, China’s textile factories across five years. It’s seeking distribution.
Georgian filmmaker Dea Kulumbegashvili’s sophomore film is about Nina, an OB-GYN working in rural Georgia who also performs abortions, despite the laws of the country. When a newborn dies in her care, an investigation fuels rumors about her morality and professionalism. Three years after the abortion drama “Happening” snagged the top prize at Venice, the buzz is that this will be one of the breakouts. Kulumbegashvili’s debut, “Beginning,” about the bombing of a Jehovah’s Witnesses church, made waves on the festival circuit in 2020. “April,” which is seeking a U.S. distributor, is also set to play at TIFF and the New York Film Festival.
Jude Law produced and stars in this 1980s-set crime thriller about a white supremacist group who his FBI agent character suspects is tied to a series of crimes in the Pacific Northwest. Nicholas Hoult plays the group’s charismatic leader in the Justin Kurzel-directed film, to be released in theaters in December.
This is not a film, but this series coming to AppleTV+ on Oct. 11 is from Alfonso Cuarón, who wrote and directed the seven-episode psychological thriller starring Cate Blanchett and Kevin Kline. Blanchett plays a journalist who discovers she’s a character in a novel that reveals her dark secret.
SOLINGEN, Germany — German police said early Sunday that a 26-year-old man turned himself in, claiming to be behind the deadly Solingen knife attack that left three dead and eight wounded at a festival marking the city’s 650th anniversary.
Düsseldorf police said in a joint statement with the prosecutor’s office that the man “stated that he was responsible for the attack,” adding he had been arrested before, but didn’t provide details. “This person’s involvement in the crime is currently being intensively investigated,” the statement said.
On Saturday the Islamic State militant group claimed responsibility for the attack, without providing evidence. The extremist group said on its news site that the attacker targeted Christians and that he carried out the assaults Friday night “to avenge Muslims in Palestine and everywhere.” The claim couldn’t be independently verified.
Officials had earlier said a 15-year-old boy was arrested on suspicion he knew about the planned attack and failed to inform authorities, but that he was not the attacker. Two female witnesses told police they overheard the boy and an unknown person before the attack speaking about intentions that corresponded to the bloodshed, officials said.
People alerted police shortly after 9:30 p.m. local time Friday that a man had assaulted several people with a knife on the city’s central square, the Fronhof. The three people killed were two men aged 67 and 56 and a 56-year-old woman, authorities said. Police said the attacker appeared to have deliberately aimed for his victims’ throats.
Solingen, a city of about 160,000 residents near the bigger cities of Cologne and Düsseldorf, was holding a “Festival of Diversity” to celebrate its anniversary. It began Friday and was supposed to run through Sunday, with several stages in central streets offering attractions such as live music, cabaret and acrobatics. The attack took place in front of one stage.
The festival was canceled as police looked for clues in the cordoned-off square.
The IS militant group declared its caliphate in large parts of Iraq and Syria about a decade ago, but now holds no control over any land and has lost many prominent leaders. The group is mostly out of global news headlines.
The Getty Center’s “On Thin Ice – Dutch Depictions of Extreme Weather” includes “A Winter Scene with Two Gentlemen Playing Colf; Hendrick Avercamp (Dutch, 1585–1634); Pen and brown ink and translucent and opaque watercolor; Getty Museum; 2008.13” on exhibit through Sept. 1. (The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles)
Here is a sampling of things to do in the San Fernando Valley and the greater Los Angeles area.
EVENTS
Ventura County Fair: The fair — celebrating its 150th anniversary — runs today-Aug. 11. Fair hours: noon-12 a.m. daily. Commercial and exhibit buildings and the barn close earlier. Check the website for “early bird” online fair admission and season passes; regular admission is $20; $15 ages 65 and older and ages 6-12 (venturacountyfair.org/fair/hours-and-days/). Carnival wristband are an extra fee. Check the website for PRCA Rodeo show times, $8 or $10 (rodeo tickets are additional and are good only for a specific time and date). Concerts are free with fair admission, but there is a VIP ticket option for purchase (venturacountyfair.org/fair/entertainment/). Parking is limited onsite. Check parking and shuttles here: venturacountyfair.org/fair/parking-shuttles. Ventura County Fair Grounds, 10 W. Harbor Blvd, Ventura. venturacountyfair.org
Prosperity Market’s Black Business Scavenger Hunt: Take part in the 4th annual event to discover Black-owned businesses included restaurants, services and stores, Aug. 1-25. More than 100 Black-owned businesses in the Los Angeles area are taking part. Text #BBSH24 to 323-417-0465 to participate and earn points by texting the unique code for each business you visit. A pop-up finale market and block party and winners of the scavenger hunt will be revealed, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sept. 1 (parking lot of Hilltop Coffee + Kitchen, 4427 W. Slauson Ave., Los Angeles). www.instagram.com/prosperity.market. www.prosperitymarketla.com/. Details on the event: www.prosperitymarketla.com/pages/events
Music Center’s Dance DTLA: Have fun learning new dance steps when expert dance instructors provide lessons and DJs spin the tunes, 7-11 p.m. on Fridays Aug. 16. Schedule: Samba, Aug. 2; Hip-Hop, Aug. 9; Disco, Aug. 16. Lessons are free. Food and beverages will be available for purchase. Check the website for instructors and DJs. Dances are subject to change. Check the website for parking or taking the Metro. Jerry Moss Plaza at the Music Center, 135 N. Grand Ave., Los Angeles. www.musiccenter.org/dancedtla
National Night Out Against Crime and Drugs – Mission Hills: Neighbors in the Los Angeles Police Department Mission Community Police Station area gather together at a block party to meet-and-greet the senior lead police officers, learn about crime prevention and safety tips, and enjoy music by DJ Bobby Arias, raffle prizes and free food, 5-7 p.m. Aug. 6. Bring a blanket or lawn chair for seating. Bring a picnic dinner. No pets allowed. Brand Park, 15121 Brand Blvd. Betty Ley, 818-401-3272. Details on the flyer: www.mhnconline.org/event/national-night-out-6/
National Night Out with Burbank Police Department: Meet Burbank police officers, view police vehicles, community exhibitors, refreshments and giveaways, 5:30 p.m. Aug. 6. Johnny Carson Park, 400 Bob Hope Drive. Burbank Police Department, Community Resource Officers, 818-238-3235. www.facebook.com/BurbankCA/
National Night Out – Northridge: Event includes community resources booths, a police vehicle display, a children’s bouncy house, popcorn and a screening of “Sing 2” (2021), 6 p.m. Aug. 6. Event is cosponsored by Los Angeles City Councilmember John Lee’s office and Los Angeles Police Department Devonshire Community Police Station. Northridge Recreation Center, 18300 Lemarsh Ave. (at Reseda Boulevard). See the flyer: www.facebook.com/LAPDDevonshire/
National Night Out – Valley Village: Neighborhood Council Valley Village holds an event with music, food, raffles and a “Glow Stick” walk, 6 p.m. Aug. 6. Bring your own glow stick. Also, nonperishable food to be collected, and then donated to the North Hollywood Interfaith Food Pantry (no glass bottles). Valley Village Park, 5000 Westpark Drive. Maribel Ulloa-Garcia, 818-759-8204 or email: maribelugncvv@gmail.com. www.myvalleyvillage.com.
Nisei Week Japanese Festival: The 82nd Nisei Week events include special cultural activities, entertainment and exhibits throughout Little Tokyo, Aug. 10-18. The Grand Parade, 4 p.m. Aug. 11. Festival map: https://niseiweek.org/festival/#map. 213-687-7183. Email: info@niseiweek.org. niseiweek.org
The “Natsumatsuri Family Festival” — at the Japanese American National Museum — includes cultural performances, activities and crafts, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Aug. 10. Free. Location, 100 N. Central Ave., Los Angeles. Details: www.janm.org/events/2024-08-10/2024-natsumatsuri-family-festival
Also, the Japanese American Community and Cultural Center (244 S. San Pedro St., Los Angeles) has a schedule of activities, Aug. 10-18. The JACCC presents the “Plaza Festival” — Aug. 17-18 — that includes entertainment, food and shopping, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Aug. 17; and on the second day, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Aug. 18, a “Taiko Gathering,” with local Japanese drum groups. Details on the Aug. 10-18 schedule at the JACCC: jaccc.org/events/82nd-annual-nisei-week-jaccc/
Nisei Week Japanese Festival winds up with a closing ceremony and “Ondo Street Dance Party,” 3:45-7 p.m. Aug. 18 (First Street between Central Avenue and San Pedro Street). niseiweek.org
Grand Parade – Nisei Week Japanese Festival Grand Parade: The parade includes traditional Japanese taiko drum performers, local community groups, high schools, elected officials and representatives, and the newly crowned 2024 Nisei Week queen and court, 4 p.m. Aug. 11. Grand marshal is David Ono, KABC-7 news anchor, and the parade marshal is actress Amy Hill. The route begins at Central Avenue; on Central and heading west on Second Street; turning north on San Pedro Street; turning east on First Street; turning south and ending on Central Avenue. 213-687-7183. Email: info@niseiweek.org. niseiWeek.org. niseiweek.org/events/grand-parade/
The Big ‘I Do’ Wedding Experience – City of Santa Clarita: If you’re engaged to be married (or planning to propose), register by Aug. 16 to be a part of the City of Santa Clarita’s event in which multiple couple exchange their wedding vows, at the same time, and followed by a group wedding reception on Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14, 2025. Couples who register will automatically be entered in a raffle to win a custom wedding dress or suit. 661-651-0823. Read the details and register: santaclarita.gov/weddings
Wings Over Camarillo Air Show: The event includes aerial performances, a classic car and motorcycle show, vintage and present-day military aircraft display, a STEM pavilion and a “Veterans Hangar,” 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Aug. 17-18. Air show performances begin at noon. All ticketing is online. Admission, for one day and plus fee $30; $20 for active military with ID; $10 ages 6-16 (details and to purchase general admission here: tinyurl.com/mshrb8my). General admission ticket holders need to bring a blanket or chairs for seating (no personal umbrellas or tents; also, the viewing area is at the “East Ramp” only). VIP Chalet tickets (seats and VIP parking) $170 for Aug. 17 or $160 for Aug. 18; $90 for ages 3-12 for VIP Chalet tickets (see details and to purchase: tinyurl.com/4es28r25). No dogs or pets are allowed. Details on attending here: https://wingsovercamarillo.com/public-notice). Camarillo Airport, 555 Airport Way. Updates: www.facebook.com/WingsOverCamarillo. www.wingsovercamarillo.com
ART
ReflectSpace Gallery: New: “(Be)Longing: Asian Diasporic Crossing.” Gallery hours: 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday-Saturday; 1-6 p.m. Sunday. Exhibit runs through Sept. 22. The gallery is inside the Glendale Central Library, 222 E. Harvard St. 818-548-2021. reflectspace.org. www.reflectspace.org/post/be-longing
ONGOING ART
Babst Gallery: “Athena LaTocha” and “Sarah M. Rodriguez.” Gallery hours: noon-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday; and by appointment. Exhibits run through Aug. 3. Location, 413 S. Fairfax Ave., Los Angeles. 424-600-2544. babstgallery.com/
Brand 52 – Juried Exhibition of Works on Paper: The 52nd annual show includes 102 artworks — 1,574 artworks were entered for this year’s show, the largest number submitted, and also the largest number to be chosen to be exhibited. The art was submitted by artists from across the United States and curated by art critic and curator Shana Nys Dambrot. Gallery hours: 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday-Saturday. Exhibit runs through Aug. 9. Exhibit catalogs for sale: www.associatesofbrand.org. Brand Library and Art Center, 1601 W. Mountain St., Glendale. 818-548-2051. www.brandlibrary.org
Michael Kohn Gallery: “Chiffon Thomas: Progeny.” Gallery hours: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday-Friday; 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday. Exhibit runs through Aug. 17. Location, 1227 N. Highland Ave., Los Angeles. 323-461-3311. www.kohngallery.com
David Kordansky Gallery: Three new exhibits at the gallery: “Curated by Rashid Johnson: Bruts,” a group show (tinyurl.com/3fdvp2wu); “William E. Jones: Saturn Comes Again (tinyurl.com/bzmfkbf2); “Simphiwe Mbunyuza: Intlombe” (tinyurl.com/338wj6d7). Gallery hours: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. Exhibits run through Aug. 24. Location, 5130 W. Edgewood Place, Los Angeles. 323-935-3030. davidkordanskygallery.com
Artist Co-Op 7: “Touch of H’art,” interpretations of the natural world by local artists — Susan Ahdoot, Selina Cheng, Beverly Engelberg, Cheryl Mann, Debbi Saunders, Joi T. Wilson. Show is curated by artist Helen Kim. Gallery Hours: 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Friday; 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday; closed on Sunday and holidays. Exhibit runs through Sept. 27. Encino Terrace, lobby gallery, 15821 Ventura Blvd. (between Densmore and Gloria avenues), Encino. Artist Co-op 7 contact, Jeanne Hahn, 818-885-8306 or jeannehahn@aol.com. www.co-op7.org
Visual Journey – Artist Co-Op 7: A virtual exhibit from 12 members of the group, through Sept. 30. The exhibit is held in conjunction with the San Fernando Valley Arts & Cultural Center. https://www.co-op7.org. View the exhibit here: www.sfvacc.org/
BOOKS
Book Soup: Chris Nashawaty discusses and signs “The Future Was Now – Madmen, Mavericks, and the Epic Sci-Fi Summer of 1982, 7 p.m. Aug. 1. David Alexander discusses his photography book “Pictures of Time,” 7 p.m. Aug. 2. Moon Unit Zappa discusses “Earth to Moon: A Memoir,” 7 p.m. Aug. 22 (ticketed event, $37.73, for admission and book; event is at the Beverly Hills Public Library, 444 N. Rexford Drive; www.booksoup.com/event/moon-unit-zappa). Location, 8818 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood. 310-659-3110. www.booksoup.com
Diesel, A Bookstore: Jessica Knoll (“Bright Young Women”) and Sarah Pekkanen (“House of Glass”) discuss and sign their books, 6:30 p.m. Aug. 6. Free seating is limited at the outdoor events. Purchase a book in advance to reserve a seat (click on the website’s tab for the author’s date). Location, 225 26th St., Santa Monica. 310-576-9960. www.dieselbookstore.com
Jay Ellis in Conversation with Issa Rae: Malik Books presents a book release event for Ellis’ “Did Everyone Have an Imaginary Friend (or Just Me)? Adventures in Boyhood,” 7 p.m. Aug. 13. Reservations required. Admission $60.52 (includes second-level seating and a sign book); VIP admission $92.52 (includes floor seating, signed book and backstage after-party). Also, an add-on option for the backstage after-party, $28.52 (must also purchase a general admission ticket). Location, The Miracle Theatre, 226 S. Market St., Inglewood. malikbooks.com. Details and to purchase admission on Eventbrite: tinyurl.com/yu58xcch
An Evening with Nancy Pelosi: The former speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives discusses her new book “The Art of Power,” 7:30 p.m. Aug. 15. Tickets $44.52 for admission-only; $68 for admission and book. Books must be picked up at the program. Books will not be held or mailed. No refunds. Wilshire Ebell Theatre, 4401 W. Eighth St., Los Angeles. ebellofla.org/event/the-ebell-of-la-writers-bloc-speaker-emerita-nancy-pelosi-08-15-24/
CHARITY/FUNDRAISER/VOLUNTEER
Brody Stevens Festival of Friendship Walk and Softball Game: A fundraiser for Comedy Gives Back, an organization that provides help for comedians who need mental health or addiction services/treatment, Aug. 17. The Friendship Walk – 1.5 miles around Reseda Recreation Center (between the pond and the baseball field) – begins with check-in or day-of-event registration, 1-2 p.m.; walk takes place, 2 p.m. A post-walk rally includes guest speakers, comedians, music and food trucks. The “star-studded” comedians vs comedians softball game, 5 p.m. (at the Dodgers Dreamfield Little League field behind Brody’s bench. The late stand-up comedian, who died in 2019, attended Reseda High School. Walk entry fee $40 in advance; $50 on Aug. 17. Location, 18411 Victory Blvd., Reseda. Information about Comedy Gives Back, www.comedygivesback.com. Details and to register for the walk (or give a donation): https://givebutter.com/BrodyStevensWalk
Community Bingo Night: American Legion Post 288 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1614 in La Crescenta host the 12th annual Bingo Night fundraiser for veterans’ programs in the local area, 6 p.m. Aug. 18. Doors open, 4:30 p.m. Admission $25 (food available for purchase and the event includes raffles). Purchase tickets in advance from members of the AL Post 288 or VFW Post 1614. Also, from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday at the Crescenta Valley Weekly Newspaper, 3800 La Crescenta Ave., La Crescenta. Location, Healy Hall at Holy Redeemer Catholic Parish, 2361 Del Mar Road, Montrose (enter Healy Hall from Briggs and Mayfield avenues). Dick Clubb, 818-384-5761.
Brody Stevens 818 Festival of Friendship Comedy Show: The late comedian is remembered with humor and love, 7:30 p.m. Aug. 18. Minimum age: 21. Tickets $35.05 and up (Tickets: https://www.showclix.com/event/818-2024) . Two-drink minimum. Proceeds go to Comedy Gives Back mental health programs. Comedy Store, Main Room, 8433 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles. https://thecomedystore.com/calendar/the-main-room/
DINING
Brew at the L.A. Zoo: The Los Angeles Zoo holds the event with samples of beers, DJs (Tyler Boudreaux, Raul Campos, Johnny Hawks), the band Arena, and food for purchase, 6:30 p.m. Aug. 3. Minimum age to attend: 21 (must show a valid ID). Tickets $75; VIP $175 (includes early entry at 6 p.m.; a lounge area with drinks and food; animal keeper talks; other perks when choosing a VIP ticket). Purchase standard tickets in advance to avoid lines; also, no VIP tickets available at the door. Details on beers and other beverages: tinyurl.com/yc47phtw. Facts about the event: tinyurl.com/49kkse87. Location, 5333 Zoo Drive, Los Angeles. www.lazoo.org. https://lazoo.org/plan-your-visit/special-experiences/brew2024/
Smorgasburg Los Angeles: The outdoor food and drink market has an “Ice Cream Alley” vendor area, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Aug. 4 (and all other Sundays through Sept. 1). Check the website or Facebook for vendors. Free admission. No pets allowed at this venue. Row DTLA, 777 S. Alameda St., Los Angeles. la.smorgasburg.com and www.facebook.com/SmorgasburgLA/
Charles Phoenix – Southern California in Kodachrome: The pop culture author and entertaining lecturer presents a retro slideshow of 1950-1960s cultural scene through Kodachrome slides, 7 p.m. Aug. 7. The Getty Center offers this mid-century lecture for free (an advance ticket is required) or watch online on Zoom (register in advance for the link). Details and to register for in-person or the Zoom link: tinyurl.com/3xrc2ree. About Charles Phoenix: https://charlesphoenix.com/. Getty parking: www.getty.edu/visit/center/parking-and-transportation. The Getty Center, 1200 Getty Center Drive (at North Sepulveda Boulevard), Los Angeles. 310-440-7300. www.getty.edu.
Distinguished Speaker Series of Southern California: The 2024-25 season of speakers: Trevor Noah, Oct. 15; Malcolm Gladwell, Nov. 19; Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Jan. 14; Pete McBride and Kevin Fedarko, Feb. 11; Zanny Minton Beddoes, April 22; Emily Chang, May 6. Subscription packages on sale for the series, $210 and up (no single tickets are sold). Programs begin at 7:30 p.m. and there will be a question and answer session. Details and information for the Long Beach, Pasadena and Redondo Beach location talks: www.speakersla.com/faq/. Bank of America Performing Arts Center, Kavli Theatre, 2100 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks. 805-449-2787. bapacthousandoaks.com. www.speakersla.com/locations/thousand-oaks/
Canoga Park Farmers Market: A certified market, 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Saturdays. Rain or shine. Location, 7248 Owensmouth Avenue, between Sherman Way and Wyandotte Avenue. www.instagram.com/mainst.canogaparkfarmersmarket
El Nido Farmers Market – Pacoima: El Nido Family Centers and the City of Los Angeles present the market, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays. Location, Pacoima Family Source Center, 11243 Glenoaks Blvd. www.elnidofamilycenters.org/farmers-market
Encino Farmers Market: ONEgeneration presents the market, 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Sundays. Location, 17400 Victory Blvd. (between Balboa Boulevard and White Oak Avenue). Farmers market manager, 818-708-6611 or email: farmersmarket@onegeneration.org. www.onegeneration.org/farmers-market/
Good Times Farmers Market: 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Sundays. Los Angeles Valley College, parking lot A, 5800 Fulton Ave. (at Burbank Boulevard), Valley Glen. Email: goodtimesfarmersmarket@gmail.com. Instagram: tinyurl.com/mrxcaxrn
NoHo Summer Nights Movie – Valley Cultural Foundation: “Barbie” (2023, 8 p.m. Aug. 10 (valleycultural.org/event/2024-noho-movie-barbie/). Free. Bring a blanket or low-back lawn chair for seating. Upcoming: “Coco” (2017), Aug. 24. North Hollywood Recreation Center (behind the North Hollywood Amelia Earhart Public Library), 11455 Magnolia Blvd. Check upcoming movies and concerts here: https://valleycultural.org/concerts-events/noho-summer-nights/.
MUSEUM
Academy Museum of Motion Pictures: Ongoing special exhibits: “Outside the Mainstream,” through Aug. 4. “Shifting Perspectives: Vertical Cinema,” through Aug. 4. “John Waters: Pope of Trash,” through Aug. 4. “Significant Movies and Movie Makers,” three exhibits through Jan. 4, 2026: “Casablanca,” “Boyz n the Hood,” and Lourdes Portillo.” Hours: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday and Monday. Admission $25; $19 ages 62 and older; $15 students, age 18 and older with ID; free for ages 17 and younger. Location, 6067 Wilshire Blvd. (corner of Fairfax Avenue), Los Angeles. 323-930-3000. academymuseum.org
African American Firefighter Museum: Artifacts, fire apparatus, pictures and stories about African American Los Angeles firefighters. Hours: timed entry admission, 1, 2 and 4 p.m. on Sunday (make a reservation on Eventbrite here: tinyurl.com/4dx5xxhk). Donation. Location, 1401 S. Central Ave., Los Angeles. 213-744-1730. https://www.aaffmuseum.org/
Autry Museum of the American West: Museum hours: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Friday; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. Admission $18; $14 ages 62 and older, and ages 13-18 and also students older than 18 with ID; $8 ages 3-12 (theautry.org/visit). Location, 4700 Western Heritage Way, Los Angeles. theautry.org
Bolton Hall Museum: Hours: 1-4 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. Free admission; $5 donation is appreciated. Bolton Hall Museum, 10110 Commerce Ave., Tujunga. 818-352-3420. Email: llhs@boltonhall.org. www.facebook.com/boltonhallmuseum and www.boltonhall.org
California African American Museum: Ongoing special exhibits: “Tatyana Fazlalizadeh: Speaking to Falling Seeds,” through Aug. 3. “Paula Wilson: Toward the Sky’s Back Door,” through Aug. 18 (caamuseum.org/exhibitions/2024/paula-wilson-toward-the-sky-s-back-door). Also, “Simone Leigh,” a traveling exhibit, co-presented with the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (artwork to be presented at both museums), through Jan. 20, 2025 (caamuseum.org/exhibitions/2024/simone-leigh). Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday; 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. Free admission. Parking $20 before 5 p.m.; $24 after 5 p.m. (in Exposition Park). Location, 600 State Drive, Los Angeles (in Exposition Park). 213-744-7432. www.caamuseum.org and www.facebook.com/CAAMinLA/
California Science Center: Ongoing special exhibit: “Leonardo Da Vinci: Inventor. Artist. Dreamer.,” through Sept. 2 (californiasciencecenter.org/exhibits/leonardo-da-vinci-inventor-artist-dreamer). Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. Admission is free to the center’s permanent galleries, but there is a charge for special exhibits. Admission to the “Leonardo Da Vinci” exhibit: $22.95 ages 18-64; $20.95 ages 65 and older and students ages 13-17 with ID; $15.95 ages 3-12; (timed tickets are required for special exhibits, and also the Imax Theater; californiasciencecenter.org/visit). Location, 700 Exposition Park Drive, Los Angeles. californiasciencecenter.org
Craft Contemporary: Ongoing special exhibits: “Kyungmi Shin: Origin Stories” (www.craftcontemporary.org/exhibitions/kyungmi-shin-origin-stories) and “3B Collective: Highway Hypnosis,” with artwork from members of the Los Angeles-based 3B Collective — Adrian Alfaro, Aaron Douglas Estrada, Alfredo D. Diaz, Alexa Ramírez Posada, Oscar Magallanes, Rubén Ortiz-Torres — (www.craftcontemporary.org/exhibitions/highway-hypnosis). Both exhibits run through Sept. 8. Hours: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday. Admission $9; $7 ages 65 and older and students; free for ages 12 and younger. Location, 5814 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles. www.craftcontemporary.org
Discovery Cube Los Angeles – Sylmar: Ongoing special exhibit: “Expedition: Dinosaur!” through Sept. 2. The Discovery Cube has ongoing exhibits that aim to make science fun for children. Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. Admission $18 ages 15-61; $17 ages 62 and older; $16 ages 3-14. Location, 11800 Foothill Blvd., Sylmar. www.facebook.com/TheDiscoveryCube and www.discoverycube.org
The Getty Center: Ongoing special exhibits: “The Book of Marvels – Wonder and Fear in the Middle Ages,” through Aug. 25. “On Thin Ice – Dutch Depictions of Extreme Weather,” through Sept. 1. Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Friday and Sunday; 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday. Free admission but a timed-ticket admission is required (tinyurl.com/yu6fsv3s). Parking $25 (www.getty.edu/visit/center/parking-and-transportation). Location, 1200 Getty Center Drive (at North Sepulveda Boulevard), Los Angeles. 310-440-7300. www.getty.edu
The Getty Villa: Ongoing special exhibits: “Picture Worlds: Greek, Maya, and Moche Pottery,” through July 29 (www.getty.edu/art/exhibitions/picture_worlds). “Sculpted Portraits from Ancient Egypt,” through Jan. 25, 2027. Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday-Monday. Free admission, but a timed-entry reservation is required. Parking $25. Location, 17985 Pacific Coast Highway, Pacific Palisades. www.getty.edu/visit/villa/
Grammy Museum: Ongoing special exhibits: “Roxy: 50 and Still Rockin’,” through Sept. 2 (grammymuseum.org/event/50andstillrockin). “Hip-Hop America: The Mix Tape Exhibit,” through Sept. 4 (grammymuseum.org/exhibit/hip-hop-america-the-mixtape-exhibit). Hours: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday, Wednesday-Friday and Sunday; 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday. Admission $18; $15 ages 65 and older; $12 ages 5-17 and college students with ID. Location, 800 W. Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles. 213-725-5700. grammymuseum.org
Italian American Museum Los Angeles: Ongoing special exhibit: “Louis Prima: Rediscovering a Musical Icon,” through Oct. 13 (tinyurl.com/mrrb4pbh). Hours: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday. Admission free; donations requested. Location, 644 N. Main St., Los Angeles. 213-485-8432. www.iamla.org
Japanese American National Museum: Ongoing special exhibits: “Giant Robot Biennale 5,” an exhibit of art by Sean Chao, Felicia Chiao, Luke Chueh, Giorgiko, James Jean, Taylor Lee, Mike Shinoda, Rain Szeto, Yoskay Yamamoto (co-presented by Eric Nakamura, founder of Giant Robot), through Sept. 1. “J.T. Sata: Immigrant Modernist,” photography exhibit by the late James Tadanao Sata (1896-1975), through Sept. 1. Hours: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Wednesday and Friday-Sunday; noon-8 p.m. Thursday; closed on national holidays (www.janm.org/visit). Admission: $16; $9 ages 62 and older and children; free for ages 5 and younger (timed advance tickets are recommended). Location, 100 N. Central Ave., Los Angeles. 213-625-0414. Facebook: www.facebook.com/jamuseum and janm.org
La Brea Tar Pits and Museum: Museum hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily, except closed on the first Tuesday of the month and national holidays. Admission $15; $12 ages 62 and older and students ages 13-17; $7 ages 3-12; free for ages 2 and younger, but a ticket is required (tarpits.org/plan-your-visit/la-brea-tar-pits-buy-tickets). Parking $18. Location, 5801 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles. 213-763-3499. tarpits.org/
LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes: Permanent exhibits: “LA Starts Here!” “Calle Principal: Mi México en Los Ángeles.” Hours: noon-5 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday. Free admission. Location, 501 N. Main St., Los Angeles. www.lapca.org
Los Angeles County Museum of Art: Ongoing special exhibits: “Dining with the Sultan: The Fine Art of Feasting,” through Aug. 4. “Vincent Valdez and Ry Cooder: El Chavez Ravine,” through Aug. 11. “Ed Ruscha/Now Then,” through Oct. 6. Hours: 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Tuesday and Thursday; 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. Plan your visit information here: bit.ly/2P3c7iR. Admission $23; $19 ages 65 and older and students ages 18 and older with a valid ID; free for ages 17 and younger (reserving/purchasing an advance, timed-entry online is recommended; these prices are for residents of Los Angeles County with an ID). Location, 5905 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles. 323-857-6010. www.lacma.org
Martial Arts History Museum: Hours: 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday. Admission $12; $5 ages 6-17. Location, 201 N. Brand Blvd. (corner of North Brand and Wilson Street; use entrance at 111 Wilson St.), Glendale. 818-245-6051. www.facebook.com/martialartshistorymuseum. martialartsmuseum.com/
Museum of Contemporary Art: Hours: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Wednesday and Friday; 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Thursday; 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. Admission is free but an advance online timed-entry ticket is required. Special exhibits are $18; $10 seniors and students; free for ages 11 and younger. Locations: the Geffen Contemporary at MOCA, 152 N. Central Ave., Los Angeles; MOCA Grand Avenue, 250 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles. 213-633-5351. www.moca.org/visit
Museum of the San Fernando Valley: Hours: 1-5 p.m. Tuesday; 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. Free admission; donations appreciated. Rancho Cordillera del Norte, 18904 Nordhoff St. (southwest corner of Nordhoff and Wilbur Avenue), Northridge. 818-347-9665. themuseumsfvnow.org/
Natural History Museum Los Angeles County: Ongoing special exhibit: “Butterfly Pavilion,” through Aug. 25. Admission to this special exhibit is $8 by a timed ticket (30-minute time slot) and also, a general museum admission is required (nhm.org/plan-your-visit/nhm-buy-tickets). Hours: 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday-Monday (closed on Tuesday). Admission $18; $14 ages 62 and older and ages 13-17; $7 ages 3-12; free for ages 2 and younger, but a ticket is required. Location, 900 Exposition Blvd., Los Angeles. nhmlac.org
Petersen Automotive Museum: Ongoing special exhibits: “Eyes on the Road: Art of the Automotive Landscape,” through Nov. 2024. “Best in Low: Lowrider Icons of the Street and Show,” through April 2025. “GM’s Marvelous Motorama: Dream Cars from the Joe Bortz Collection,” 6 concept cars from the 1950s, through March 2026 (www.petersen.org/gms-marvelous-motorama-exhibit). Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. Admission $21; $19 ages 62 and older; $13 ages 12-17; $12 ages 4-11. Location, 6060 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles. 323-930-2277. www.petersen.org
Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum: Ongoing special exhibit: “Star Wars and SDI: Defending America and the Galaxy,” through Sept. 8. Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily (except Thanksgiving Day, Christmas and Jan. 1). Admission: $25; $22 ages 62 and older; $18 ages 11-17; $15 ages 3-10 (purchase online here: tinyurl.com/mry5ne9h). Location, 40 Presidential Drive, Simi Valley. www.reaganfoundation.org
Skirball Cultural Center: Ongoing special exhibit: “Wild Things Are Happening: The Art of Maurice Sendak,” through Sept. 1 (www.skirball.org/museum/wild-things-are-happening-art-maurice-sendak). Hours: noon-5 p.m. Tuesday-Friday; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. Closed for Jewish and national holidays (www.skirball.org/visit). Admission $18; $13 seniors, full time students with ID and ages 2-17 www.skirball.org/visit). Admission for the “Noah’s Ark at the Skirball” is an extra charge and by a timed-entry (purchase online). Location, 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles. 310-440-4500. skirball.org
Valley Relics Museum: Take a trip down San Fernando Valley memory lane, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Aug. 3-4 (see website for other dates). Admission $15 and up. The museum is located at 7900 Balboa Blvd., Hangar C3 and C4, entrance is on Stagg Street, Van Nuys. Purchase tickets at the door or online. 818-616-4083. www.facebook.com/valleyrelics and valleyrelicsmuseum.org
Wende Museum of the Cold War: Ongoing special exhibits: “Undercurrents I: Stories, Symbols and Sounds,” through Sept. 15. (wendemuseum.org/exhibition/undercurrents-i/). “Visions of Transcendence: Creating Space in East and West,” through Sept. 15 (tinyurl.com/2ef586nh). Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday-Sunday (wendemuseum.org/about-us/visit). Free admission. Location, 10808 Culver Blvd., Culver City. 310-216-1600. 310-216-1600. Email: visit@wendemuseum.org. wendemuseum.org
MUSIC
Waahli – Sunset Concerts at Skirball Cultural Center: 8 p.m. Aug. 1. Doors open, 6:30 p.m., for exploring museum exhibits, and for purchasing food and beverages. Free walk-up tickets; first-come, first-served. Parking $20 (no street parking). Upcoming: Vagabon, Aug. 8; DJs Jauretsi and TossTones, Aug. 16. Location, 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles. 310-440-4500. skirball.org. www.skirball.org/programs/sunset-concerts-el-laberinto-del-coco
Anna Kovaleva and Elena Kovaleva: The pianist and violinist, respectively, perform a recital, 1 p.m. Aug. 3. Platt Branch Library, 23600 Victory Blvd., Woodland Hills. 818-340-9386. Details: tinyurl.com/yj64u5v2
Concerts at Warner Park – Valley Cultural Foundation: Wanted, a tribute to the band Bon Jovi, with emerging artist Saticöy, Aug. 4 (valleycultural.org/event/2024-wanted-bon-jovi-tribute/). Emerging artists perform, 5:30 p.m., followed by the headliner (concerts end at 8:30 p.m.). Upcoming: ABBA-LA, a tribute to ABBA, with emerging artist Tomorrow’s Tigers, Aug. 11 (valleycultural.org/event/2024-abba-la/). Free admission (bring your own blanket or low-back chair for seating). Or: $20 VIP seat; $35 VIP seat and paid parking (purchase in advance). Parking: event parking begins at 4 p.m. (see the website for address and more information). See more concerts at Warner Park on the website. Warner Park, 5800 Topanga Canyon Blvd., Woodland Hills. 818-888-0822. www.valleycultural.org
Concerts in the Park – Chumash Park: Blank Space, music of Taylor Swift, 6 p.m. Aug. 4. Upcoming: The Yacht Groove, Aug. 18. Free admission ($2 suggested donation). Bring a blanket or low-back lawn chair for seating. Food available for purchase or bring a picnic. Location, 5550 Medea Valley Drive, Agoura Hills. Click on Events: www.agourahillscity.org/department/community-services-parks-recreation
Reggae on the Mountain XII – The Homecoming: The line up includes Steel Pulse, Don Carlos, Marlon Asher, Empress Akura, Quinto Sol, Neighborhood Orchestra, Mestizo Beat, Irie Nature and Jah Faith, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Aug. 17. There will be a children’s area, beverage, food and non-food vendors. Bring a low-back chair for seating. No animals allowed. Purchase tickets in advance: $90.74; VIP $272.60. Topanga Community Club, 1440 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd., Topanga. Information on attending, parking, shuttles and map: www.reggaeonthemountain.com/info. Updates: www.facebook.com/reggaeonthemountainfestival. www.reggaeonthemountain.com
THEATER
The Grown-Ups: Baby Teeth present the Los Angeles premiere of a play by Skylar Fox and Simon Henriques about a group of summer camp counselors who have decisions to make when an emergency occurs, 7:30 p.m. Aug. 3 and 8. Minimum age: 13. The play is performed outdoors around a campfire. Tickets $25. Location, Hollywood Lutheran Church, 1733 N. New Hampshire Ave., Los Angeles. Details and to purchase tickets on Eventbrite: tinyurl.com/h2enj7uj
ONGOING THEATER
A Midsummer Night’s Dream: The play by William Shakespeare, 7:30 p.m. Aug. 1. Show runs 7:30 p.m. Aug. 8, 15 and 29; 7 p.m. Sept. 2; 3:30 p.m. Sept. 8; 7:30 p.m. Sept. 23. Tickets: upper tier (general seating), $32; $20 ages 62 and older and students; $15 ages 5-15; lower tier, assigned seats $48; $35 ages 62 and older and students; $15 ages 5-15; also, $60 premium seating. Parking $10 in the lot; or, for free along Topanga Canyon Boulevard. Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum, 1419 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd., Topanga. 310-455-3723. theatricum.com/a-midsummer-nights-dream/. www.theatricum.com
The Winter’s Tale: The play by William Shakespeare, 7:30 p.m. Aug. 2. Show runs 7:30 p.m. Aug. 10 and 16; 3:30 p.m. Aug. 24; 3:30 p.m. Sept. 7 and 15; 7:30 p.m. Sept. 30. Tickets: upper tier (general seating), $32; $20 ages 62 and older and students; $15 ages 5-15; lower tier, assigned seats $48; $35 ages 62 and older and students; $15 ages 5-15; also, $60 premium seating. Parking $10 in the lot; or, for free along Topanga Canyon Boulevard. Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum, 1419 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd., Topanga. 310-455-3723. theatricum.com/the-winters-tale. www.theatricum.com
Wendy’s Peter Pan: A retelling of J.M. Barrie’s play “Peter Pan,” by Ellen Geer, 7:30 p.m. Aug. 9. Show runs 7:30 p.m. Aug. 18 and 25; 7:30 p.m. Sept. 1, 8, 14, 21, 28; 7:30 p.m. Oct. 4. Tickets: upper tier (general seating), $32; $20 ages 62 and older and students; $15 ages 5-15; lower tier, assigned seats $48; $35 ages 62 and older and students; $15 ages 5-15; also, $60 premium seating. Parking $10 in the lot; or, for free along Topanga Canyon Boulevard. Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum, 1419 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd., Topanga. 310-455-3723. theatricum.com/wendys-peter-pan/. www.theatricum.com
Tartuffe – Born Again: The play by Molière, translated from the original French and adapted by Freyda Thomas, 7:30 p.m. Aug. 4. Show runs 7:30 p.m. Aug. 11; 3:30 p.m. Aug. 18 and 25; 7:30 p.m. Aug. 30; and other dates through Oct. 13. Tickets: upper tier (general seating), $32; $20 ages 62 and older and students; $15 ages 5-15; lower tier, assigned seats $48; $35 ages 62 and older and students; $15 ages 5-15; also, $60 premium seating. Parking $10 in the lot; or, for free along Topanga Canyon Boulevard. Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum, 1419 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd., Topanga. 310-455-3723. theatricum.com/tartuffe-born-again/. www.theatricum.com
Submit calendar listings at least two weeks in advance to holly.andres@dailynews.com. 818-713-3708.
Gabbi Beauvais, as Peter Pan, and Quinnlyn Scheppner, as Wendy, in “Wendy’s Peter Pan” at Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum on various dates through Oct. 4 in Topanga. (Photo by Ian Flanders/Courtesy of Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum)
Here is a sampling of things to do in the San Fernando Valley and the greater Los Angeles area.
EVENTS
Wizard of Oz – 85th anniversary celebration: The Museum of the San Fernando Valley presents an outdoor screening of the 1939 movie, 8:15 p.m. July 11. The museum’s event begins with a program by Elaine Horn, a Judy Garland-as Dorothy in the “Wizard of Oz” impersonator, 6:15 p.m., plus a raffle and silent auction of “Wizard of Oz” movie memorabilia. Prepaid tickets $10 ages 12 and older; free for ages 11 and younger. Bring a blanket for lawn seating. The event is a fundraiser for the museum. Rancho Cordillera del Norte, 9015 Wilbur Ave. (at the corner of Nordhoff Street), Northridge. 818-754-4400. Email: themuseumsfv@gamil.com. Details and to purchase tickets: tinyurl.com/5ewtctbf
Music Center’s Dance DTLA: Have fun learning new dance steps when expert dance instructors provide dance lessons and DJs spin the tunes, 7-11 p.m. on Fridays through Aug. 16. Schedule: Reggaeton, July 12; Colombian Cumbia, July 19; Line Dance, July 26; Samba, Aug. 2; Hip-Hop, Aug. 9; Disco, Aug. 16. Lessons are free. Food and beverages will be available for purchase. Check the website for instructors and DJs. Dances are subject to change. Check the website for parking or taking the Metro. Jerry Moss Plaza at the Music Center, 135 N. Grand Ave., Los Angeles. www.musiccenter.org/dancedtla
Lotus Festival in Echo Park – People and Culture of the Philippines: The 43rd festival, celebrating the cultures of Asia and the Pacific Islands, focuses this year on the Philippines, noon-9 p.m. July 13 and noon-8 p.m. July 14. Event includes artisan and boutique booths, art demonstrations, community booths, the host country’s pavilion, dragon boat races and food. Free admission. The “Lights of Dreams Water Lantern Festival” requires a ticket in advance; information and cost on Eventbrite here: tinyurl.com/38xjvenw. Echo Park Lake, 751 Echo Park Ave., Los Angeles. 213-485-5027. https://culture.lacity.gov/event/43rd-lotus-festival/2024-07-13/. www.laparks.org/lotusfestival
Valley Vibes Market – Autry Museum of the American West: The outdoor event includes handcrafted items marketplace, music, a bar and food trucks, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. July 14. Free admission and parking. Location: Autry Museum of the American West, 4700 Western Heritage Way, Los Angeles. https://theautry.org/events/family-activities/valley-vibes-market
The Gentle Barn: Visit rescued farm animals while supporting the organization’s ongoing mission to care for these animals, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. July 14 (and other Sundays). Reservations, by a timed-entry, are required in advance. Also, check the website’s calendar for special tour options and programs. Admission $26.50 ages 13 and older; $16 ages 2-12. Location, 15825 Sierra Highway, Santa Clarita. https://www.gentlebarn.org/california/
Oxnard Salsa Festival: A celebration of the condiment, the music and the dance — the festival returns after 5 years — plus a marketplace of beverage, food and retail vendors, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. July 27-28. See the website for bands and their schedule. Admission $9.98 ages 13 and older; free admission for ages 12 and younger. General admission price includes live entertainment, access to beverage, food and vendor market (does not include salsa tasting). The “Salsa Tasting Lounge” ($28.98, includes festival entry, salsa tasting and additional perks). See the website for a VIP admission option. Plaza Park, 500 S. C St., Oxnard. oxnardsalsafestival.com
ART
Brand 52 – Juried Exhibition of Works on Paper: The 52nd annual show includes 102 artworks — 1,574 artworks were entered for this year’s show, the largest number submitted, and also the largest number to be chosen to be exhibited. The art was submitted by artists from across the United States and curated by art critic and curator Shana Nys Dambrot. Gallery hours: 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday-Saturday. Exhibit runs through Aug. 9. Exhibit catalogs for sale: www.associatesofbrand.org. Brand Library and Art Center, 1601 W. Mountain St., Glendale. 818-548-2051. www.brandlibrary.org
Visual Journey – Artist Co-Op 7: A virtual exhibit from 12 members of the group, through Sept. 30. The exhibit is held in conjunction with the San Fernando Valley Arts & Cultural Center. https://www.co-op7.org. View the exhibit here: www.sfvacc.org/
ReflectSpace Gallery: “(Be)Longing: Asian Diasporic Crossing.” Opening reception, 6:30 p.m. July 27. Gallery hours: 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday-Saturday; 1-6 p.m. Sunday. Exhibit runs through Sept. 22. The gallery is inside the Glendale Central Library, 222 E. Harvard St. 818-548-2021. reflectspace.org. www.reflectspace.org/post/be-longing
Babst Gallery: “Athena LaTocha” and “Sarah M. Rodriguez.” Gallery hours: noon-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday; and by appointment. Exhibits run through Aug. 3. Location, 413 S. Fairfax Ave., Los Angeles. 424-600-2544. babstgallery.com/
Michael Kohn Gallery: “Chiffon Thomas: Progeny.” Gallery hours: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday-Friday; 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday. Exhibit runs through Aug. 17. Location, 1227 N. Highland Ave., Los Angeles. 323-461-3311. www.kohngallery.com
Artist Co-Op 7: “Touch of H’art,” interpretations of the natural world by local artists — Susan Ahdoot, Selina Cheng, Beverly Engelberg, Cheryl Mann, Debbi Saunders, Joi T. Wilson. Show is curated by artist Helen Kim. Gallery Hours: 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Friday; 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday; closed on Sunday and holidays. Exhibit runs through Sept. 27. Encino Terrace, lobby gallery, 15821 Ventura Blvd. (between Densmore and Gloria avenues), Encino. Artist Co-op 7 contact, Jeanne Hahn, 818-885-8306 or jeannehahn@aol.com. www.co-op7.org
BOOKS
Book Soup: Carol Mitchell discusses “What Start Bad a Mornin,’” 7 p.m. July 11. Mateo Askaripour discusses his novel “This Great Hemisphere,” 7 p.m. July 12. Carol Conners, with Steve Bergsman, discuss and sign “Elvis, Rocky & Me,” 7 p.m. July 15. Adam Sass discusses “Cursed Boys and Broken Hearts,” 7 p.m. July 16. Ruth Madievsky discusses “All-Night Pharmacy,” 7 p.m. July 17. Book Soup, 8818 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood. 310-659-3110. www.booksoup.com
Diesel, A Bookstore: Deborah Stoll discusses and signs “Drop in: The Gender Rebels Who Changed the Face of Skateboarding,” 6:30 p.m. July 18. Sarah Manguso discusses and signs “Liars,” 6:30 p.m. July 23. Andrea Freeman discusses and signs “Ruin Their Crops on the Ground: The Politics of Food in the United States, from the Trail of Tears to School Lunch,” 6:30 p.m. July 24. Free seating is limited at the outdoor events. Purchase a book in advance to reserve a seat (click on the website’s tab for the author’s date). Location, 225 26th St., Santa Monica. 310-576-9960. www.dieselbookstore.com
Markar Melkonian: Discusses and signs “The Wrong Train: Notes on Armenia Since the Counterrevolution,” 7 p.m. July 19. Presented by Abril Bookstore. Location, Center for Armenian Arts, 250 N. Orange St., Glendale. 818-243-4112. www.abrilbooks.com
Autobooks-Aerobooks: Dave Wolin discusses and signs Ascot Chronicles — The People Who Made it Happen,” 11 a.m.-3 p.m. July 20. Location, 2900 W. Magnolia Blvd., Burbank. 818-845-0707. www.autobooks-aerobooks.com
Friends of the North Hollywood Amelia Earhart Regional Branch Library used book sale: The group holds the sale, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. July 20. Members of the Friends of the North Hollywood Amelia Earhart Library get a members-only preview sale, 9:30 a.m.-11 p.m. (join at the door to become a member; yearly membership $10; $5 seniors). Cash or check only. Location, 5211 Tujunga Ave. 818-766-7185. www.lapl.org/branches/north-hollywood
Ken Khachigian: California attorney, political consultant and speechwriter discusses his book “Behind Closed Doors – In the Room with Reagan & Nixon,” 6 p.m., followed by a booksigning, 7 p.m. July 30. Register in advance to attend and pre-purchase the book online (only books bought at the Ronald Reagan Library Museum store will be eligible for the booksigning). Location, 40 Presidential Drive, Simi Valley. www.reaganfoundation.org. Details, register and pre-purchase the book: tinyurl.com/bd6jm65n
COMEDY
Fritz Coleman: The “Unassisted Residency” show, 3 p.m. July 21. Tickets $35; $45 for cocktail table seating (must purchase two tickets for this option). Upcoming show: Aug. 18. El Portal Theatre, 5269 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood. 818-508-4200. www.fritzcolemancomedy.com. elportaltheatre.com/fritzcoleman.html
Dance at the Odyssey: A dance mini-fest by choreographers whose dances confront personal and social concerns and issues. “You Live in My Spine” by choreographer Leah Zeiger, 8 p.m. July 11. “Bounded By Intervals” by Kaia Makihara and hasten dance, 8 p.m. July 12. “Rupture” by TORRENT and Caitlin Javech, and “As If Everything Was Perfect” by Gianna Burright, 2 and 8 p.m. July 13. “Degagez, il n’y a riena voir” by Hélène Bouboulis, and “Calling from the Void” by Genna Moroni and G.U.M., 2 p.m. July 14. Tickets $25. Odyssey Theatre, 2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles. 310-477-2055, Ext. 2. odysseytheatre.com. Details: tinyurl.com/2b6u2h7u
Louise Reichlin & Dancers: Performances of “Heart, Part I,” Metro Transformation, Gotta Get Up!” and “Reboot! Reboot!” and “Urban and Tribal Dances” (all six dances in the latter set — Batida, Wedding, Alone, War, Remembrance, Together — have been re-imagined), preview 7 p.m. July 12; 2 p.m. July 13-14. Tickets $25. Location, The Ivy Substation, 9070 Venice Blvd., Culver City. 213-458-3066. lachoreographersanddancers.org/news
Joan Jonas, Mirror Piece I and II (1969/2024) – The Getty: Fifteen dancers use synchronized choreography while holding mirrors, 4 p.m. July 13-14. The dance is part of the Getty’s “Ever Present” performance series. The dance is free, but a timed-entry reservation to the Getty Center is required. The dance is staged outdoors at the Getty Center’s Arrival Plaza. Parking $25 (www.getty.edu/visit/center/parking-and-transportation). Location, 1200 Getty Center Drive (at North Sepulveda Boulevard), Los Angeles. 310-440-7300. www.getty.edu. Details: tinyurl.com/5rn4pwhk
DINING
DineLA Restaurant Week Summer 2024: Participating restaurants offer a special lunch/dinner menu, July 12-26. Reservations are recommended. Meal times and prices vary by restaurant (restaurants offer set prices for lunch/dinner; $15, $25, $35, $45, $55, $65+). Beverages, tax and tip are extra charge. Facts: www.discoverlosangeles.com/dinela/FAQ. Find list of restaurants by cuisine, neighborhood, price and dining option (indoor or outdoor): www.discoverlosangeles.com/dinela
Canoga Park Farmers Market: A certified market, 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Saturdays. Rain or shine. Location, 7248 Owensmouth Avenue, between Sherman Way and Wyandotte Avenue. www.instagram.com/mainst.canogaparkfarmersmarket
El Nido Farmers Market – Pacoima: El Nido Family Centers and the City of Los Angeles present the market, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays. Location, Pacoima Family Source Center, 11243 Glenoaks Blvd. www.elnidofamilycenters.org/farmers-market
Encino Farmers Market: ONEgeneration presents the market, 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Sundays. Location, 17400 Victory Blvd. (between Balboa Boulevard and White Oak Avenue). Farmers market manager, 818-708-6611 or email: farmersmarket@onegeneration.org. www.onegeneration.org/farmers-market/
Good Times Farmers Market: 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Sundays. Los Angeles Valley College, parking lot A, 5800 Fulton Ave. (at Burbank Boulevard), Valley Glen. Email: goodtimesfarmersmarket@gmail.com. Instagram: tinyurl.com/mrxcaxrn
Academy Museum of Motion Pictures: Ongoing special exhibits: “Outside the Mainstream,” through Aug. 4. “Shifting Perspectives: Vertical Cinema,” through Aug. 4. “John Waters: Pope of Trash,” through Aug. 4. “Significant Movies and Movie Makers,” three exhibits through Jan. 4, 2026: “Casablanca,” “Boyz n the Hood,” and Lourdes Portillo.” Hours: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday and Monday. Admission $25; $19 ages 62 and older; $15 students, age 18 and older with ID; free for ages 17 and younger. Location, 6067 Wilshire Blvd. (corner of Fairfax Avenue), Los Angeles. 323-930-3000. academymuseum.org
African American Firefighter Museum: Artifacts, fire apparatus, pictures and stories about African American Los Angeles firefighters. Hours: timed entry admission, 1, 2 and 4 p.m. on Sunday (make a reservation on Eventbrite here: tinyurl.com/4dx5xxhk). Donation. Location, 1401 S. Central Ave., Los Angeles. 213-744-1730. https://www.aaffmuseum.org/
Autry Museum of the American West: Museum hours: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Friday; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. Admission $18; $14 ages 62 and older, and ages 13-18 and also students older than 18 with ID; $8 ages 3-12 (theautry.org/visit). Location, 4700 Western Heritage Way, Los Angeles. theautry.org
Bolton Hall Museum: Hours: 1-4 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. Free admission; $5 donation is appreciated. Bolton Hall Museum, 10110 Commerce Ave., Tujunga. 818-352-3420. Email: llhs@boltonhall.org. www.facebook.com/boltonhallmuseum and www.boltonhall.org
California African American Museum: Ongoing special exhibits: “Tatyana Fazlalizadeh: Speaking to Falling Seeds,” through Aug. 3. “Paula Wilson: Toward the Sky’s Back Door,” through Aug. 18 (caamuseum.org/exhibitions/2024/paula-wilson-toward-the-sky-s-back-door). Also, “Simone Leigh,” a traveling exhibit, co-presented with the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (artwork to be presented at both museums), through Jan. 20, 2025 (caamuseum.org/exhibitions/2024/simone-leigh). Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday; 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. Free admission. Parking $20 before 5 p.m.; $24 after 5 p.m. (in Exposition Park). Location, 600 State Drive, Los Angeles (in Exposition Park). 213-744-7432. www.caamuseum.org and www.facebook.com/CAAMinLA/
California Science Center: Ongoing special exhibit: “Leonardo Da Vinci: Inventor. Artist. Dreamer.,” through Sept. 2 (californiasciencecenter.org/exhibits/leonardo-da-vinci-inventor-artist-dreamer). Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. Admission is free to the center’s permanent galleries, but there is a charge for special exhibits. Admission to the “Leonardo Da Vinci” exhibit: $22.95 ages 18-64; $20.95 ages 65 and older and students ages 13-17 with ID; $15.95 ages 3-12; (timed tickets are required for special exhibits, and also the Imax Theater; californiasciencecenter.org/visit). Location, 700 Exposition Park Drive, Los Angeles. californiasciencecenter.org
Craft Contemporary: Ongoing special exhibits: “Kyungmi Shin: Origin Stories” (www.craftcontemporary.org/exhibitions/kyungmi-shin-origin-stories) and “3B Collective: Highway Hypnosis,” with artwork from members of the Los Angeles-based 3B Collective — Adrian Alfaro, Aaron Douglas Estrada, Alfredo D. Diaz, Alexa Ramírez Posada, Oscar Magallanes, Rubén Ortiz-Torres — (www.craftcontemporary.org/exhibitions/highway-hypnosis). Both exhibits run through Sept. 8. Hours: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday. Admission $9; $7 ages 65 and older and students; free for ages 12 and younger. Location, 5814 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles. www.craftcontemporary.org
Discovery Cube Los Angeles – Sylmar: Ongoing special exhibit: “Expedition: Dinosaur!” through Sept. 2. The Discovery Cube has ongoing exhibits that aim to make science fun for children. Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. Admission $18 ages 15-61; $17 ages 62 and older; $16 ages 3-14. Location, 11800 Foothill Blvd., Sylmar. www.facebook.com/TheDiscoveryCube and www.discoverycube.org
The Getty Villa: Ongoing special exhibits: “Picture Worlds: Greek, Maya, and Moche Pottery,” through July 29 (www.getty.edu/art/exhibitions/picture_worlds). “Sculpted Portraits from Ancient Egypt,” through Jan. 25, 2027. Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday-Monday. Free admission, but a timed-entry reservation is required. Parking $25. Location, 17985 Pacific Coast Highway, Pacific Palisades. www.getty.edu/visit/villa/
Grammy Museum: Ongoing special exhibits: “Roxy: 50 and Still Rockin’,” through summer 2024 (grammymuseum.org/event/50andstillrockin).”Shakira, Shakira: The Grammy Museum Experience,” through summer 2024. “Hip-Hop America: The Mix Tape Exhibit,” through Sept. 4. Hours: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday, Wednesday-Friday and Sunday; 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday. Admission $18; $15 ages 65 and older; $12 ages 5-17 and college students with ID. Location, 800 W. Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles. 213-725-5700. grammymuseum.org
Italian American Museum Los Angeles: Ongoing special exhibit: “Louis Prima: Rediscovering a Musical Icon,” through Oct. 13 (tinyurl.com/mrrb4pbh). Hours: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday. Admission free; donations requested. Location, 644 N. Main St., Los Angeles. 213-485-8432. www.iamla.org
Japanese American National Museum: Ongoing special exhibits: “Giant Robot Biennale 5,” an exhibit of art by Sean Chao, Felicia Chiao, Luke Chueh, Giorgiko, James Jean, Taylor Lee, Mike Shinoda, Rain Szeto, Yoskay Yamamoto (co-presented by Eric Nakamura, founder of Giant Robot), through Sept. 1. “J.T. Sata: Immigrant Modernist,” photography exhibit by the late James Tadanao Sata (1896-1975), through Sept. 1. Hours: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Wednesday and Friday-Sunday; noon-8 p.m. Thursday; closed on national holidays (www.janm.org/visit). Admission: $16; $9 ages 62 and older and children; free for ages 5 and younger (timed advance tickets are recommended). Location, 100 N. Central Ave., Los Angeles. 213-625-0414. Facebook: www.facebook.com/jamuseum and janm.org
La Brea Tar Pits and Museum: Museum hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily, except closed on the first Tuesday of the month and national holidays. Admission $15; $12 ages 62 and older and students ages 13-17; $7 ages 3-12; free for ages 2 and younger, but a ticket is required (tarpits.org/plan-your-visit/la-brea-tar-pits-buy-tickets). Parking $18. Location, 5801 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles. 213-763-3499. tarpits.org/
LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes: Permanent exhibits: “LA Starts Here!” “Calle Principal: Mi México en Los Ángeles.” Hours: noon-5 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday. Free admission. Location, 501 N. Main St., Los Angeles. www.lapca.org
Los Angeles County Museum of Art: Ongoing special exhibits: “Painting in the River of Angels: Judy Baca,” through July 21. “Dining with the Sultan: The Fine Art of Feasting,” through Aug. 4. “Vincent Valdez and Ry Cooder: El Chavez Ravine,” through Aug. 11. “Ed Ruscha/Now Then,” through Oct. 6. Hours: 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Tuesday and Thursday; 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. Plan your visit information here: bit.ly/2P3c7iR. Admission $23; $19 ages 65 and older and students ages 18 and older with a valid ID; free for ages 17 and younger (reserving/purchasing an advance, timed-entry online is recommended; these prices are for residents of Los Angeles County with an ID). Location, 5905 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles. 323-857-6010. www.lacma.org
Martial Arts History Museum: Hours: 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday. Admission $12; $5 ages 6-17. Location, 201 N. Brand Blvd. (corner of North Brand and Wilson Street; use entrance at 111 Wilson St.), Glendale. 818-245-6051. www.facebook.com/martialartshistorymuseum. martialartsmuseum.com/
Museum of Contemporary Art: Hours: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Wednesday and Friday; 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Thursday; 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. Admission is free but an advance online timed-entry ticket is required. Special exhibits are $18; $10 seniors and students; free for ages 11 and younger. Locations: the Geffen Contemporary at MOCA, 152 N. Central Ave., Los Angeles; MOCA Grand Avenue, 250 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles. 213-633-5351. www.moca.org/visit
Museum of the San Fernando Valley: Hours: 1-5 p.m. Tuesday; 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. Free admission; donations appreciated. Rancho Cordillera del Norte, 18904 Nordhoff St. (southwest corner of Nordhoff and Wilbur Avenue), Northridge. 818-347-9665. themuseumsfvnow.org/
Natural History Museum Los Angeles County: Ongoing special exhibit: “Butterfly Pavilion,” through Aug. 25. Admission to this special exhibit is $8 by a timed ticket (30-minute time slot) and also, a general museum admission is required (nhm.org/plan-your-visit/nhm-buy-tickets). Hours: 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday-Monday (closed on Tuesday). Admission $18; $14 ages 62 and older and ages 13-17; $7 ages 3-12; free for ages 2 and younger, but a ticket is required. Location, 900 Exposition Blvd., Los Angeles. nhmlac.org
Petersen Automotive Museum: Ongoing special exhibits: “Eyes on the Road: Art of the Automotive Landscape,” through Nov. 2024. “Best in Low: Lowrider Icons of the Street and Show,” through April 2025, see details on the exhibit (www.petersen.org/best-in-low-exhibit). “GM’s Marvelous Motorama: Dream Cars from the Joe Bortz Collection,” 6 concept cars from the 1950s, through March 2026 (www.petersen.org/gms-marvelous-motorama-exhibit). Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. Admission $21; $19 ages 62 and older; $13 ages 12-17; $12 ages 4-11. Location, 6060 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles. 323-930-2277. www.petersen.org
Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum: Ongoing special exhibit: “Star Wars and SDI: Defending America and the Galaxy,” through Sept. 8. Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily (except Thanksgiving Day, Christmas and Jan. 1). Admission: $25; $22 ages 62 and older; $18 ages 11-17; $15 ages 3-10 (purchase online here: tinyurl.com/mry5ne9h). Location, 40 Presidential Drive, Simi Valley. www.reaganfoundation.org
Skirball Cultural Center: Ongoing special exhibit: “Wild Things Are Happening: The Art of Maurice Sendak,” through Sept. 1 (www.skirball.org/museum/wild-things-are-happening-art-maurice-sendak). Hours: noon-5 p.m. Tuesday-Friday; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. Closed for Jewish and national holidays (www.skirball.org/visit). Admission $18; $13 seniors, full time students with ID and ages 2-17 www.skirball.org/visit). Admission for the “Noah’s Ark at the Skirball” is an extra charge and by a timed-entry (purchase online). Location, 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles. 310-440-4500. skirball.org
Valley Relics Museum: Take a trip down San Fernando Valley memory lane, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. July 13-14 (see website for other dates). Admission $15 and up. The museum is located at 7900 Balboa Blvd., Hangar C3 and C4, entrance is on Stagg Street, Van Nuys. Purchase tickets at the door or online. www.facebook.com/valleyrelics and valleyrelicsmuseum.org
Wende Museum of the Cold War: Ongoing special exhibit: “Undercurrents I: Stories, Symbols and Sounds,” through Sept. 15. (wendemuseum.org/exhibition/undercurrents-i/) Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday-Sunday (wendemuseum.org/about-us/visit). Free admission. Location, 10808 Culver Blvd., Culver City. 310-216-1600. 310-216-1600. Email: visit@wendemuseum.org. wendemuseum.org
MUSIC
The American Music of Joplin and Copland: Violinist Paul Stein discusses the musicians and performs, 3:30 p.m. July 13. Granada Hills Branch Library, 10640 Petit Ave., Granada Hills. 818-368-5687. www.lapl.org/whats-on/events/american-music-joplin-and-copland
Concerts at Warner Park – Valley Cultural Foundation: Foreigner Unauthorized, a tribute to the band Foreigner, with emerging artist Abby Berman, July 14 (valleycultural.org/event/2024-foreigner-unauthorized). Emerging artists perform, 5:30 p.m., followed by the headliner (concerts end at 8:30 p.m.). Upcoming: Twisted Gypsy – Fleetwood Mac Reimagined, with emerging artist Paper Citizen, July 21 (valleycultural.org/event/2024-twisted-gypsy-fleetwood-mac); Red Corvette, a tribute to Prince, with emerging artist Timothy J. Wilson; Wanted, a tribute to the band Bon Jovi, with emerging artist Saticöy, Aug. 4. Free admission (bring your own blanket or low-back chair for seating). Or: $20 VIP seat; $35 VIP seat and paid parking (purchase in advance). Parking: event parking begins at 4 p.m. (see the website for address and more information). See more concerts at Warner Park on the website. Warner Park, 5800 Topanga Canyon Blvd., Woodland Hills. 818-888-0822. www.valleycultural.org
El Laberinto del Coco – Sunset Concerts at Skirball Cultural Center: The group, founded in 2017 by percussionist Hector “Coco” Barez, brings the sound of bomba from Puerto Rico, 8 p.m. July 18. Doors open, 6:30 p.m., for exploring museum exhibits, and for purchasing food and beverages. Free walk-up tickets; first-come, first-served. Parking $20 (no street parking). Upcoming: Bab L’ Bluz, July 25; Waahli, Aug. 1; entertainer to be announced, Aug. 8. Location, 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles. 310-440-4500. skirball.org. www.skirball.org/programs/sunset-concerts-el-laberinto-del-coco
NoHo Summer Nights – Valley Cultural Foundation: The Roaries, the band’s repertoire of 7 decades of music, and emerging artist, the band Smitten, 7-9:30 p.m. July 20 (valleycultural.org/event/2024-noho-concert-the-roaries). Upcoming: Element Band, Aug. 3; Blank Space, Aug. 17. Free admission. Bring a blanket of low-back lawn chair for seating. North Hollywood Recreation Center, 11455 Magnolia Blvd. (behind the North Hollywood Amelia Earhart Regional Branch Library). valleycultural.org. valleycultural.org/concerts-events/noho-summer-nights/
THEATER
Tartuffe – Born Again: The play by Molière, translated from the original French and adapted by Freyda Thomas, opens 7:30 p.m. July 13. Show runs 7:30 p.m. July 20 and 27; 7:30 p.m. Aug. 4 and 11; and other dates through Oct. 13. Tickets: upper tier (general seating), $32; $20 ages 62 and older and students; $15 ages 5-15; lower tier, assigned seats $48; $35 ages 62 and older and students; $15 ages 5-15; also, $60 premium seating. Parking $10 in the lot; or, for free along Topanga Canyon Boulevard. Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum, 1419 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd., Topanga. 310-455-3723. theatricum.com/tartuffe-born-again/. www.theatricum.com
Wendy’s Peter Pan: A retelling of J.M. Barrie’s play “Peter Pan,” by Ellen Geer, 7:30 p.m. July 14. Show runs 7:30 p.m. July 21 and 26; and other dates through Oct. 4. Tickets: upper tier (general seating), $32; $20 ages 62 and older and students; $15 ages 5-15; lower tier, assigned seats $48; $35 ages 62 and older and students; $15 ages 5-15; also, $60 premium seating. Parking $10 in the lot; or, for free along Topanga Canyon Boulevard. Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum, 1419 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd., Topanga. 310-455-3723. theatricum.com/wendys-peter-pan/. www.theatricum.com
ONGOING THEATER
The Ghee Ghee Pik: The Group Rep presents the world premiere of a play by Suzy London about what may happen when artificial technology is implanted in a human’s brain, 7 p.m. July 11; 4 p.m. July 13; 7 p.m. July 14. Tickets $30; $25 seniors and students. The play is performed on the second floor stage (not wheelchair accessible due to no elevator). Lonny Chapman Theatre, 10900 Burbank Blvd., North Hollywood. 818-763-5990. www.thegrouprep.com
A Midsummer Night’s Dream: The play by William Shakespeare, 7:30 p.m. Aug. 1. Show runs 7:30 p.m. Aug. 8, 15 and 29; 7 p.m. Sept. 2; 3:30 p.m. Sept. 8; 7:30 p.m. Sept. 23. Tickets: upper tier (general seating), $32; $20 ages 62 and older and students; $15 ages 5-15; lower tier, assigned seats $48; $35 ages 62 and older and students; $15 ages 5-15; also, $60 premium seating. Parking $10 in the lot; or, for free along Topanga Canyon Boulevard. Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum, 1419 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd., Topanga. 310-455-3723. theatricum.com/a-midsummer-nights-dream/. www.theatricum.com
The Winter’s Tale: The play by William Shakespeare, 3:30 p.m. July 13. Show runs ////// other dates through Sept. 30. Tickets: upper tier (general seating), $32; $20 ages 62 and older and students; $15 ages 5-15; lower tier, assigned seats $48; $35 ages 62 and older and students; $15 ages 5-15; also, $60 premium seating. Parking $10 in the lot; or, for free along Topanga Canyon Boulevard. Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum, 1419 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd., Topanga. 310-455-3723. www.facebook.com/Theatricum. www.theatricum.com
Submit calendar listings at least two weeks in advance to holly.andres@dailynews.com. 818-713-3708.
BELÉN, Peru — In the heart of Peru’s Amazon region, a poor Indigenous community put aside the trials and tribulations of everyday life and celebrated an international film festival with works from countries with tropical forests.
Many who attended the 10-day event had never seen a movie on the big screen, and the one used for the festival was itself unique due to the area’s geography.
“The festival aims to be a tribute to the jungles of the world and its people, to the Indigenous communities, in which we believe lies the answer to the challenges and destruction that forests face now that everyone is talking about climate change,” Daniel Martínez-Quintanilla, co-executive director of the festival that ends Sunday, said.
Life in the community of Belén revolves around water. Houses and businesses are built on stilts because rains regularly lead to monthslong floods. Families own canoes to move around, but children who lack one sometimes use large plastic containers instead.
So, members of the Muyuna Floating Film Festival — muyuna in the Quechua language means “a whirlpool formed in mighty rivers” — set the screen on a 10- meter (33-foot) high wooden structure, allowing residents to enjoy the films from their canoes or the windows of their homes.
“For the first time, we are getting to know these settings that are bringing us to this community,” said Belén resident Jorge Chilicahua, a 60-year-old farmer who raises chickens and plants cassava, corn and vegetables to meet his family’s needs. He has never been to a movie theater.
Much of the population of Belén comes from rural areas of the Peruvian Amazon and are part of various Indigenous groups, including the Kukama, Yagua and Bora, that migrated in search of better economic, educational and health opportunities. Their challenges abound.
People fish by making holes in the wooden floors of their houses, which forces mothers to keep a watchful eye over their children who do not yet know how to swim so that they don’t fall into the water and drown. Health authorities have reported malnutrition and diarrhea are common due to lack of drinking water.
Martínez-Quintanilla said the event included films from Thailand, Brazil, Taiwan, Panama and other countries with tropical forests, as well as others made by young Peruvians.
The works screened included the Peruvian animated short film “The Engine and the Melody,” which tells the story of an ant that fells Amazonian trees and a cicada that manages to regenerate the forest by playing a prodigious flute — until everything changes when a forest fire occurs.
NEW YORK — Like a political convention held amidst an intra-party rift, Thursday night’s PEN America gala was a call for unity, dialogue and a renewed sense of mission at a time when PEN’s priorities have been called into question.
“Our assembly is disassembling,” PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel acknowledged Thursday night. “People of good intention and staunch conviction are wracked by a wrenching conflict. We are haunted by destruction, death and suffering that has caused some to question PEN America’s words, deeds and purpose.”
The literary and human rights organization has faced ongoing criticism over its response to the Israel-Hamas war, with hundreds of writers alleging that PEN showed limited concern over the suffering of Gaza residents and the deaths of Palestinian writers and journalists. PEN has already canceled its spring awards ceremony after dozens of nominees withdrew and its World Voices festival after hundreds signed an open letter saying they wouldn’t participate.
Some had wondered if the gala would take place, but the event is the organization’s major annual fundraiser, with more than $2 million coming in from Thursday’s event, and key donors remained. All five major New York publishers — Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, HarperCollins, Hachette Book Group and Macmillan — were listed as sponsors, along with organizations ranging from Bloomberg and Barnes & Noble to the National Basketball Association and the David Geffen Foundation.
“There was zero discussion about us not attending,” Simon & Schuster CEO Jonathan Karp told The Associated Press on Thursday.
Many attendees had to clear three checkpoints before entering the American Museum of Natural History; if dissenters were inside, they were not speaking out. Nossel received a standing ovation, and she was among several speakers who emphasized common PEN goals such as opposing book bans and the imprisonment of writers, including Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich in Russia. PEN President Jennifer Finney Boylan stated that PEN America was “determined to amplify the voices of all writers at risk — from Israel to Ukraine, from Palestine to Russia, from Florida to Texas.”
Seth Meyers, the evening’s host, joked about the “super chill and laid back” moment for PEN. One honoree, Paul Simon, consoled with words and music. Simon, this year’s winner of PEN’s Literary Service Award, brought an acoustic guitar to the stage, and performed a gentle, even fragile version of his 1973 classic about a generation’s strife and exhaustion, “American Tune.”
“There are songs that can inhabit two eras and speak truth to both,” he said, adding that the “mood today is uncomfortably similar to those days.”
Wall Street Journal publisher Almar Latour was presented the Business Visionary Honoree Award and dedicated much of his speech to Gershkovich, saying he was being held in Russia simply for doing his job and noting the hundreds of other journalists in similar peril worldwide. “The grim reality is that there are scores of Evans everywhere,” he said.
Authors at the gala included Candace Bushnell, Jay McInerney and Andrew Solomon, a former PEN president who joined Salman Rushdie, Jennifer Egan and other onetime PEN officials in publishing a letter in April urging “writers to keep faith in the community that we have built together so that PEN America can continue to evolve in ways that serve and elevate the writers as a vital force within society.”
Around 650 were in attendance, roughly 100 less than 2023, according to PEN. Some who came acknowledged ambivalence.
“I won’t say it didn’t occur to me about whether I should go,” said novelist Dinaw Mengestu, a PEN vice president who has been highly critical of the organization. “But I feel it’s important that we can continue to move forward and try and learn and change.”
Protests against PEN have continued, and writers have publicly clashed. On Thursday night, around 20 protestors stood in front of the museum, calling out names of Palestinian civilians killed and chanting “Shame!” as gala attendees arrived. Earlier this month, Author-journalist and PEN board member George Packer condemned what he called the “authoritarian spirit” of PEN critics, alleging in The Atlantic they were pressuring others not to back the organization. Mengestu responded on Instagram by alleging that Packer’s essay “perverts and distorts the legitimate and necessary criticisms against PEN” and trivializes the Gaza war.
Last week more than a dozen writers who withdrew from PEN events held a benefit reading at a church in downtown Manhattan, with proceeds going to We Are Not Numbers, a youth-led Palestinian non-profit in Gaza that advocates for human rights. When the opening speaker, Nancy Kricorian, referred to the PEN cancellations, audience members shouted and clapped. Another speaker, writer-translator and “World Voices” co-founder Esther Allen, criticized PEN for continuing with the fundraising gala while calling off the awards and World Voices.
“The priorities could not be clearer,” she said.
Two honors Thursday night were dedicated to those under siege in the U.S. and abroad.
PEN’s Freedom to Write Award, for imprisoned dissidents, was given to journalist Pham Doan Trang of Vietnam. Accepting on her behalf, her friend Quynh-Vi Tran praised Trang as a “symbol of bravery and perseverance, inspiring countless young people to envision and strive for a Vietnam where freedom and human rights are upheld.”
PEN’s Courage Award was presented to Georgia election workers Ruby Freeman and her daughter, “Shaye” Moss, both of whom faced violent threats after President Donald Trump falsely accused them of manipulating ballots for the 2020 election.
“I still struggle with fear. It has a way of just rearing its head and interrupting my life. I would love for it to stop, but what I want most is for people to understand the truth that has been buried beneath so many lies,” Moss said.
“But here tonight, with all of you, I’m filled with hope again.”
HOUSTON — Nine of the 10 wrongful death lawsuits filed after a deadly crowd surge at the 2021 Astroworld music festival have been settled, including one that was set to go to trial this week, an attorney said Wednesday.
Jury selection had been set to begin Tuesday in the wrongful death suit filed the family of Madison Dubiski, a 23-year-old Houston resident who was one of 10 people killed during the crowd crush at the Nov. 5, 2021, concert by rap superstar Travis Scott.
But Neal Manne, an attorney for Live Nation, the festival’s promoter and one of those being sued along with Scott, said during a court hearing Wednesday that only one wrongful death lawsuit remained pending and the other nine have been settled, including the one filed by Dubiski’s family.
Noah Wexler, an attorney for Dubiski’s family, confirmed during the court hearing that their case “is resolved in its entirety.”
Terms of the settlements were confidential and attorneys declined to comment after the court hearing because of a gag order in the case.
“Mr. Scott is grateful that a resolution has been reached without the need for a trial,” said Ted Anastasiou, a representative for the rapper. “The confidential agreement will honor Madison Dubiski’s legacy and promote improvements for concert safety.”
After Dubiski’s death, her family started a foundation called Pink Bows that’s focused on improving safety at outdoor concerts and similar events.
The one wrongful death lawsuit that remains pending was filed by the family of 9-year-old Ezra Blount, the youngest person killed during the concert. Attorneys in the litigation were set to meet next week to discuss when the lawsuit filed by Blount’s family could be set for trial.
“This case is ready for trial,” Scott West, an attorney for Blount’s family, said in court.
But Manne said he and the lawyers for other defendants being sued were not ready.
State District Judge Kristen Hawkins said she planned to discuss the Blount case at next week’s hearing along with potential trials related to the injury cases filed after the deadly concert.
Hawkins said that if the Blount family’s lawsuit is not settled, she is inclined to schedule that as the next trial instead of an injury case.
More than 4,000 plaintiffs filed hundreds of lawsuits after the concert. Manne said about 2,400 injury cases remain pending.
The announcement that nearly all of the wrongful death lawsuits have been settled came after the trial in Dubiski’s case was put on hold last week. Apple Inc., which livestreamed Scott’s concert and was one of the more than 20 defendants being sued by Dubiski’s family, had appealed a court ruling that denied its request to be dismissed from the case. An appeals court granted Apple a stay in the case.
In the days after the trial stay, attorneys for Dubiski’s family settled their lawsuit with all the defendants in the case, including Apple, Scott and Live Nation, the world’s largest live entertainment company.
At least four wrongful death lawsuits had previously been settled and announced in court records. But Wednesday was the first time that lawyers in the litigation had given an update that nine of the 10 wrongful death lawsuits had been resolved.
Lawyers for Dubiski’s family as well as attorneys representing the various other plaintiffs have alleged in court filings that the deaths and hundreds of injuries at the concert were caused by negligent planning and a lack of concern over capacity and safety at the event.
Those killed, who ranged in age from 9 to 27, died from compression asphyxia, which an expert likened to being crushed by a car.
Scott, Live Nation and the others who’ve been sued have denied these claims, saying safety was their No. 1 concern. They said what happened could not have been foreseen.
After a police investigation, a grand jury last year declined to indict Scott, along with five others connected to the festival.
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Follow Juan A. Lozano: https://twitter.com/juanlozano70
A judge in Texas is set to hear arguments Monday in rap star Travis Scott’s request to be dismissed from a lawsuit over the deadly 2021 Astroworld festival in Houston.
Scott headlined the concert during which 10 people were killed as authorities and festival organizers responded to a massive crowd surge and tried to shut down the show.
Last week, the judge dismissed lawsuits against hip-hop guest performer Drake along with several other individuals and companies involved in the show.
Attorneys for Scott, whose real name is Jacques Bermon Webster II and is also known as “Cactus Jack,” write in the motion to dismiss that he is a performer and had no role in providing security or crowd management for the festival.
“Performers are not expected to render special protection to the audience, nor to safeguard them from the rest of the crowd,” the motion said. “Performing artists, even those who engage in certain promotional activities, have no inherent expertise or specialized knowledge in concert safety measures.”
The motion said Scott followed instructions and ended the show after a performance by Drake by performing one final song because it was feared that an abrupt ending could have led to riots, panic and chaos in the crowd.
“Thus, due care also required taking the time to end the show properly, so that the crowd would feel satisfied and leave peacefully,” according to the document.
After an investigation by Houston police, no charges were filed against Scott and a grand jury declined to indict him and five other people on any criminal counts related to the deadly concert.
Those killed, who ranged in age from 9 to 27, died from compression asphyxia, which an expert likened to being crushed by a car.
The first trial from the lawsuits is scheduled for May 6.
Some of the lawsuits filed by the families of the 10 who died and hundreds who were injured have been settled, including those filed by the families of four of the dead.
PARIS — Angry farmers were back in Paris on their tractors in a new protest Friday demanding more government support and simpler regulations, on the eve of a major agricultural fair in the French capital.
Dozens of tractors drove peacefully into Paris carrying flags from Rural Coordination, the farmers’ union that staged the protest. The protesters then posed with their tractors on a bridge over the Seine River with the Eiffel Tower in the background, before heading towards the Vauban plaza in central Paris, where they all gathered for the demonstration.
The latest protest comes three weeks after farmers lifted roadblocks around Paris and elsewhere in the country after the government offered over 400 million euros ($433 million) to address their grievances over low earnings, heavy regulation and what they describe as unfair competition from abroad.
“Save our agriculture,” the Rural Coordination said on X, formerly Twitter. One tractor was carrying a poster reading: “Death is in the field.”
The convoy temporarily slowed traffic on the A4 highway, east of the capital, and on the Paris ring-road earlier on Friday morning.
French farmers’ actions are part of a broader protest movement in Europe against EU agriculture policies, bureaucracy and overall business conditions.
Farmers complain that the 27-nation bloc’s environmental policies, such as the Green Deal, which calls for limits on the use of chemicals and on greenhouse gas emissions, limit their business and make their products more expensive than non-EU imports.
Other protests are being staged across France as farmers seek to put pressure on the government to implement its promises.
Government officials have held a series of meetings with farmers unions in recent weeks to discuss a new bill meant to defend France’s “agricultural sovereignty,” and which will be debated in parliament this spring.
The government’s plan also includes hundreds of millions of euros in aid, tax breaks and a promise not to ban pesticides in France that are allowed elsewhere in Europe. French farmers say such bans put them at an unfair disadvantage.
Cyril Hoffman, a cereal producer in the Burgundy region and a member of the Rural Coordination, said farmers now want the government to “take action.”
He said his union is advocating for exempting the farming industry from free trade agreements.
“They can make free trade agreements but agriculture should not be part of them, so we can remain sovereign regarding our food,” Hoffman said. “Only in France do we let our farming disappear.”
French President Emmanuel Macron planned to visit the Paris Agricultural Fair on Saturday, though his office appeared to have removed his agenda a previously scheduled “big debate” with farmers and members of environmental groups at the event.
The president will meet with farmers’ unions before the fair’s opening, his office said late Friday.
Yet France’s major farmer’s union, the FNSEA, said Friday its board decided not to participate in the debate because “conditions for a peaceful dialogue are not met.” The FNSEA staged another protest in Paris, near the site of the fair, on Friday afternoon.
The Paris Agricultural Fair is one of the world’s largest farm fairs, drawing crowds every year.
COMANESTI, Romania — Centuries ago, people in what is now northeastern Romania donned bear skins and danced to fend off evil spirits. That custom is today known as the Dancing Bears Festival, drawing crowds of tourists every December.
Hundreds of people of all ages, clad in bear costumes, dance every year around Christmas to the deafening beat of drums and roam villages and towns. The highlight of this year’s festival falls on Dec. 30, with bear-clad dancers descending on the town of Comanesti, in eastern Romania, for the finale.
Visitors come from as far as Japan to see the spectacle, featuring lines of people in costumes with gaping bear jaws and claws marching and dancing. Giant red pompom decorations are usually added to the furs. Some of the “bears” jokingly growl or pretend to attack the spectators.
Locals say the custom dates back to the pre-Christianity era when people believed that wild animals staved off misfortune or danger. Dancing “bears” visited people’s homes and knocked on their doors to wish them good luck and a Happy New Year.
“The bear runs through our veins, it is the spirit animal for those in our area,” said Costel Dascalu, who started taking part in the festival when he was 8. At the time, Romania was still under communist rule and the festival was relatively low-key.
“I want to keep the tradition alive,” the 46-year-old added. When the holiday season approaches, he joked, “our breath smells like bears, and we get goose bumps when we hear the sound of drums.”
Residents are happy that the tradition has lived on after many Romanians left the region in the 1990s to look for better jobs in Western Europe.
Brown bears are widely present in Romania’s traditions and culture, and the animals can often be seen by mountain roads and in forests. Excessive bear hunting prompted the authorities to issue a ban in 2016.
Participants in the festival say most of the bear skins they use as costumes have been preserved for generations and treated with great care.
Wearing a full-sized bear fur isn’t easy: Including the head and claws, the costume could weigh up to 50 kilograms (110 pounds). The most expensive bear skins can cost some 2,000 euros ($2,200), according to local media.
Greta Gerwig, actor, writer and film director, notably for the blockbuster “Barbie,” will preside over the jury of the 77th Cannes Festival in May, the first American female film director to be named jury president, the festival announced Thursday
PARIS — Greta Gerwig, actor, writer and film director, notably for the blockbuster “Barbie,” will preside over the jury of the 77th Cannes Film Festival in May, the first American female director to be named jury president, the festival announced Thursday.
At 40, Gerwig is also the youngest person to take on that role since Sofia Loren, who headed the Cannes jury in 1966 at age 31, the festival noted in a statement.
“I’m overwhelmed, enthusiastic and touched with humility,” the statement quoted Gerwig as saying. “I can’t wait to discover what voyages await us!” She described Cannes as “the pinnacle of what the universal language of movies can be.”
Festival officials, too, were excited, about their choice for jury president for the May 14-25 festival on the French Riviera, a premiere film extravaganza.
“This is an obvious choice, since Greta Gerwig so audaciously embodies the renewal of world cinema, for which Cannes is each year both the forerunner and the sounding board,” said festival president Iris Knobloch and general delegate Thierry Frémaux.
Gerwig also marks “an era that is breaking down barriers and mixing genres, and thereby elevating the values of intelligence and humanism,” they added.
One other American woman has led the Cannes jury: Olivia de Haviland in 1965. Unlike Gerwig, the actress never directed movies.
Gerwig began her career as an actress before moving into writing movies, then co-directing and finally flying solo in the director’s chair, notably with “Lady Bird” in 2017 — nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Director, followed by “Little Women,” then “Barbie,” released last July. There, she transformed the famous Barbie doll into a living young woman, raucously exploring sexism and women’s independence.
“An international cultural phenomenon, Barbie is the biggest success of the year and has made Greta Gerwig the most bankable female film director in history,” the statement by the Cannes Festival said.
Swedish filmmaker Ruben Östlund headed last year’s festival.
The rest of the jury has yet to be announced. Films competing in the 2024 film festival are to be unveiled in mid-April.
