George Méliès movies and a Betsabeé Romero exhibition: L.A. arts and culture this weekend
April has arrived, and the Times' arts and culture staff is abuzz about all the Broadway shows, world-class art and concerts heading to Los Angeles in the coming months.
Among the season's many anticipated offerings: 'Realms of the Dharma: Buddhist Art Across Asia' at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and 'Queer Lens: A History of Photography' at the Getty Museum, chosen by art critic Christopher Knight; Evgeny Kissin at Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Ojai Music Festival, selected by classical music critic Mark Swed; and 'White Rabbit, Red Rabbit' at the Fountain Theatre and 'Hamlet' at the Mark Taper Forum, noted by theater critic Charles McNulty.
Peruse The Times' full list of picks, which also includes hot tickets in pop music and comedy. As for this weekend, Essential Arts has you covered. I'm Ashley Lee, here with my fellow Times staff writer Jessica Gelt with things to see and news to read.
'The Endless Spiral: Betsabeé Romero''The memories and cultures of migrants are often lost when they leave or are forced away from their homes,' Betsabeé Romero told Times contributor Gordon Cole-Schmidt last year. 'But I want them to feel a sense of pride in their origins in Latin America and beyond.'
The Mexican artist's immersive, six-part exhibition, which 'pays tribute to those who have no place of refuge, those whose lives are a circle of running from violence and barbarism, interrupted only by political and economic borders,' has arrived at the Museum of Latin American Art after debuting to 'baying crowds' in Venice. It is on view through Sept. 21. Museum of Latin American Art, 628 Alamitos Ave., Long Beach. molaa.org
'Vilna: A Resistance Story'Holocaust Museum L.A. and the Ebell of Los Angeles are presenting a one-time performance of a new musical about Vitka Kempner, the 19-year-old Jewish girl who inspired the Jewish resistance movement in the Vilna ghetto during the Holocaust. Directed by Hannah Ryan, the piece features a klezmer-influenced pop score by Kevin Cloud and a book by Lisa Kenner Grissom, with additional story by Allison Cloud. The performance, taking place Sunday at 3 p.m., is free with online RSVP. Wilshire Ebell Theatre, 4401 W. 8th St., L.A. ebellofla.org
'Right in the Eye''George Méliès built the first movie studio in Europe and was the first filmmaker to use production sketches and storyboards,' wrote former Times staff writer Susan King. 'Film historians consider him the 'father of special effects' — he created the first double exposure on screen, the split screen and the dissolve. Not to mention that he was one of the first filmmakers to have nudity in his films — he was French, after all.'
This live concert 'Right in the Eye,' designed by Jean-François Alcoléa, doubles as a soundtrack to a montage of silent films by Méliès, who made more than 200 short movies at the very dawn of the cinema. The multimedia production showcases 12 titles, with the intricate score performed by a trio of musicians on a wide array of instruments. Tonight's event at the Aero Theatre begins at 7:30 p.m. Aero Theatre, 1328 Montana Ave, Santa Monica. americancinematheque.com A second local performance takes place Sunday afternoon at 1:30 p.m., La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, 14900 La Mirada Blvd.
— Ashley Lee
FRIDAY🎼 Chineke! Orchestra The Philharmonic Society of Orange County presents the European ensemble and trumpeter Aaron Azunda Akugbo in a concert featuring works by Avril Coleridge-Taylor, Haydn and Samuel Coleridge-Taylor.8 p.m. Segerstrom Center for the Arts, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. philharmonicsociety.org
🎞️ David Lynch Tribute The UCLA Film & Television Archive presents all seven episodes of 'On the Air,' the 1957-set series created by Mark Frost and David Lynch after 'Twin Peaks,' with Frost in person along with actors Ian Buchanan and Nancye Ferguson.7:30 p.m. Billy Wilder Theatre, UCLA Hammer Museum, 10899 Wilshire Blvd., Westwood. cinema.ucla.edu
🎭 Swipe Conceived and directed by Jon Lawrence Rivera, this solo nonverbal play about an older gay man living alone in L.A. — where tech and youth dominate the culture — features four actors playing the role in repertory.8 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays; 7 p.m. Sundays-Mondays, through April 21. Los Angeles LGBT Center, 1125 N. McCadden Place, Hollywood. playwrightsarena.org
🎭 Ulysses New York-based theater ensemble Elevator Repair Service performs the James Joyce novel.8 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 1 p.m. Saturday. UCLA McGowan Hall Little Theater, 245 Charles E. Young Drive E. cap.ucla.edu
SATURDAY🎞️ Bombshell The UCLA Film & Television Archive screens the 1933 screwball comedy starring Jean Harlow followed by a conversation between former Times film critics Kenneth Turan and Justin Chang about Turan's new book, 'Louis B. Mayer and Irving Thalberg: The Whole Equation.'7:30 p.m. Billy Wilder Theatre, UCLA Hammer Museum, 10899 Wilshire Blvd., Westwood. cinema.ucla.edu
🎤 Judy Collins The Grammy-winning singer draws on her more than 50 albums of folk, rock, show tunes, standards and original compositions.7 p.m. Sunday. The Grammy Museum, L.A. Live, 800 W. Olympic Blvd., Ste. A245; 6:30 p.m. Sunday. Bank of America Performing Arts Center, Fred Kavli Theatre, 2100 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd. judycollins.com
🏛️ Robert Irwin in Los Angeles The first California exhibition of the artist's works since his death in 2023 focuses on 1960-71, the most prolific period of his career as he shifted from object-based art to more nonrepresentational works.10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, through June 7. Pace Gallery, 1201 S. La Brea Ave. pacegallery.com
🎨 Rachel Jones New paintings from the London-based artist explore fundamental question of the body in the exhibit 'Dark-Pivot.' 6 p.m. Saturday, opening reception. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, through May 10. Regen Projects, 6750 Santa Monica Blvd. Los Angeles. regenprojects.com
🎸 The Linda Lindas The local rockers swing through town on their North American tour.,7 p.m. Tuesday, The Glass House, 200 W. 2nd St., Pomona; 7 p.m. The Novo, 800 W. Olympic Blvd. thelindalindas.com
🎭 The Paper Escaper Terrapin Puppet Theatre tells the story of Benny, a pop-up-book character determined to break free from the constraints of his pages and a disillusioned illustrator, in a free Spring Family Fest event.11 a.m. and 2 p.m. The Wallis, Lovelace Studio Theater, 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills. thewallis.org
🎭 You Are Cordially Invited to the End of the World! Zi Alikhan directs Keiko Green's cheeky comedy about a man and his family facing a terminal diagnosis.Through May 3. South Coast Repertory, 655 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. scr.org
SUNDAY🎼 Terence Blanchard The Academy Award-nominated composer and jazz trumpeter performs highlights from his two operas, 'Champion' and 'Fire Shut Up in My Bones,' with the E-Collective, Turtle Island Quartet and vocalists Justin Austin and Adrienne Danrich.7 p.m. Sunday. The Soraya, 18111 Nordhoff St., Northridge. 8 p.m. April 12. Soka Performing Arts Center, 1 University Dr., Aliso Viejo. terenceblanchard.com
🎞️ Capote A 35mm screening of Bennett Miller's 2005 biopic of the author and bon vivant for which star Philip Seymour Hoffman won an Oscar, with screenwriter Dan Futterman in person.7:30 p.m. Academy Museum, 6067 Wilshire Blvd. academymuseum.org
🎼 🎹 Double Trouble Tesserae presents musicians Julian Perkins and Ian Pritchard for a program of works for double harpsichord, including Bach's Concerto in C Minor for Two Harpsichords, BWV 1060, and C.P.E. Bach's F Major.3 p.m. Calvary Presbyterian Church, 1050 Fremont Ave., South Pasadena. tesseraebaroque.org
🚲 🚶♀️ 🏃🏿♂️➡️ Koreatown Meets Hollywood Join walkers, runners, cyclists and skaters for CicLAvia's 59th car-free open streets event, a 4.75-mile trip along Vine Street, Santa Monica and Wilshire boulevards and Western Avenue.9 a.m.-4 p.m. ciclavia.org
🖌️ Line, Form, Qi: Calligraphic Art From the Fondation INK Collection Experimental works by artists including Fung Ming Chip, Gu Wenda, Inoue Yūichi, Lee In, Henri Michaux, Nguyễn Quang Thắng, Qiu Zhijie, Tong Yangtze, Wang Dongling, Wei Ligang and Xu Bing.Through Oct. 19. Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Resnick Pavilion, 5905 Wilshire Blvd. lacma.org
🎞️ Play It As It Lays The West Coast premiere of the 4K restoration of Frank Perry's 1972 adaptation of Joan Didion's novel, arguably the best cinematic exploration of Didion's style and worldview, a portrait of L.A. ennui.7:30 p.m. Aero Theatre, 1328 Montana Ave. Santa Monica. americancinematheque.com
🎼 Sacred Spaces The Los Angeles Master Chorale 'explores that divine spark through music' with a program that includes works by Anton Bruckner, Alice Parker, Moses Hogan and Hyo-Won Woo, as well as Morten Lauridsen's 'O Magnum Mysterium.'5 p.m. Sunday. All Saints' Episcopal Church, 504 N. Camden Drive, Beverly Hills; 7:30 p.m. April 11. St. Andrew Catholic Church, 311 N. Raymond Ave., Pasadena. lamasterchorale.org
In a new executive order, titled 'Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History,' President Trump accused the Smithsonian Institution of propagating 'divisive, race-based ideology' and said that his administration would end federal funding for exhibitions and programs based on racial themes that 'divide Americans.' The order, which directs Vice President JD Vance to remove 'improper ideology' from the Smithsonian's 19 museums and the National Zoo in Washington, D.C., also seeks to restore Department of the Interior public monuments and statues that were removed or changed since 2020 'to perpetuate a false reconstruction of American history, inappropriately minimize the value of certain historical events or figures, or include any other improper partisan ideology.'
The beloved indie filmmaker Jim Jarmusch opened his second formal art exhibition, 'Some More Collages,' at L.A.'s James Fuentes gallery. The work is a continuation of Jarmusch's obsession with collage, which he's been creating for decades. His first show was in New York in 2021, and he's ramped up his presence in the art world since then. Times contributor Renée Reizman caught up with Jarmusch for a Q&A about his journey as a visual artist.
It's been 20 years since Times columnist Steve Lopez first spotted a man named Nathaniel Anthony Ayers trying to play a tune on a violin with two strings in downtown's Pershing Square. Lopez wrote a story about Ayers' journey from Juilliard prodigy to a difficult life on the streets of Los Angeles, and what followed was nothing short of remarkable. The alliance forged by Ayers and Lopez drew attention to the mental health crisis affecting unhoused people in urban areas, and resulted in Lopez's book 'The Soloist' (later adapted into a movie), as well as appearances by Ayers at Disney Hall, the Hollywood Bowl and Dodger Stadium. Lopez looks back on the history of this rich friendship in a new column.
Times staff writer Kaitlyn Huamani interviewed actor Alden Ehrenreich about his passion project, a live theater venue in Cypress Park called the Huron Station Playhouse, which celebrated its soft opening last fall. 'Ehrenreich wanted a place where art could be produced without the pressure of commercial success,' Huamani writes of the actor, who keeps a busy schedule traveling the world to film major productions including Disney+'s upcoming Marvel miniseries 'Ironheart.'
Jacob Jonas the Company announced its 10th-anniversary season, titled 'From Scratch.' First up are two new site-specific dance performances presented as part of an organic work-in-progress called 'Gardening,' Saturday and Sunday at Franklin Canyon Park's Sam Goldman Amphitheater in Beverly Hills. Five additional programs and performances are on the schedule, including Jonas' first work since surviving cancer — a trilogy titled 'Keeping score.' The full season lineup and ticket information can be found here.
Otis College recently released its 2025 Report on the Creative Economy. One key finding notes, 'Fine arts continue to shine as California remains a fine arts education powerhouse.' However, 'Of the nine sectors that comprise the creative economy, three saw payroll expansion in the past year, including: film, TV and sound; Fine arts performance and institutions (fine arts); and managers, independent artists, performers. Speaking to the extended lethargy in the industry, only three creative economy sectors have added employment in the state since 2019: fine arts; managers, independent artists, performers; and new media.' Read the full report, here.
— Jessica Gelt
Jessica Chastain as an aspiring gallerist and Adam Driver as a gifted artist? Sold, indeed.
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