Weekend Roundup
Find the best Los Angeles things to do for the weekend of 4.27.12
MUSIC + DANCE
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
Apr. 26-27. A month into their explosive world tour behind the new album “Wrecking Ball,” Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band hit Los Angeles with their Wrecking Ball tour before heading to Europe for the summer. This is the first E Street Band tour without legendary saxophone player the “Big Man” Clarence Clemons, who passed away last year. His nephew Jake Clemons joins the band in his place on saxophone for the tour. L.A. Sports Arena, 3939 S. Figueroa, L.A. ticketmaster.com
Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet
Apr. 27-28. Known for its thrilling strength and captivating skill, the 15-member New York-based Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet interprets work from today’s most innovative choreographers in modern dance. Both performances lead with the west coast premiere of Simply Marvel from the Netherlands’ Regina van Berkel. Friday’s show follows with Crystal Pite’s Grace Engine and Alexander Ekman’s Hubbub; while Saturday’s performance offers Ekman’s Tuplet and Hofesh Shechter’s Violet Kid. UCLA Live, UCLA Campus, Westwood, 310.825.4401. uclalive.org
Upright Cabaret’s Rhythm of the Night
Apr. 29, May 5-6. Stars from from American Idol to Broadway sing hits of Ricky Martin, Gloria Estefan and Santana against an exciting multimedia background. Expect to hear favorites like Livin’ La Vida Loca, Shake Your Bon-Bon, Rhythm Is Gonna Get You, Anything for You, Smooth, Let It Shine, and more, performed by Oliver award-winner Lesli Margherita, American Idol’s David Hernandez, Lexi Lawson (Rent, In the Heights), and Rogelio Douglas, Jr. (In the Heights, The Little Mermaid). Show runs in La Mirada (Apr. 29), Thousand Oaks (May 5) and Hollywood (May 6). uprightcabaret.com/events
EVENTS
Eric Idle’s What About Dick
Apr. 26-29. Famed Monty Python cutup Eric Idle assembles a cast of comedic heavy hitters like Russell Brand, Billy Connolly, Tim Curry, Eddie Izzard, Tracey Ullman and more to perform live at this comedy event featuring songs written by Idle and John du Prez. Orpheum Theatre, 842 South Broadway, downtown. ticketmaster.com
Pasadena Doo Dah Parade
Apr. 28. The eccentric alter-ego to the Tournament of Roses Parade was named by Readers Digest as “America’s Best Parade,” and was featured in the book 50 Places You Must Visit Before You Die! See the “Disco Drill Team,” beer-boosting rockers “Drunk in the Garage,” “Kinetic Pastry Science Mobile Muffins,” “Human Pool Balls,” “Petroleum Bonaparte” and more. 11 a.m. Colorado Blvd. (between Altadena and San Gabriel Blvds.), Pasadena. pasadenadoodahparade.info
Metro Expo Line Opening Celebration
Apr. 28. LA Metro debuts its Expo Line this weekend. Celebrate along the rail line with live music, on-stage karaoke, dance and other entertainment. Food trucks will also be along the route from downtown to the new La Cienega/Jefferson station. Metro also offers free rides Apr. 28-29. metro.net
Brit Week 2012
Apr. 24-May. 7. The annual celebration that highlights the links between Los Angeles and the UK offers a dynamic week of events including a live Art Battle Apr. 26, between four notorious names in the London and Los Angeles street and graffiti art scenes; National Theatre Life broadcast of She Stoops to Conquer on Apr. 29; an evening with Piers Morgan May 4; and many other events. britweek.org/2012
World City at the Music Center
Apr. 28. The world comes to the Music Center with this free performance and art-making workshop series that celebrates artistic traditions from around the globe. Ragamala Dance performs Sacred Earth fusing two rich and ancient Indian visual art traditions – Warli mud paintings and Kolam rice flour drawings–with Bharatanatyam, the classical dance of Southern India. The choreography invokes a deep connection to the Earth, celebrating the on-going, ever-renewing cycle of life. 135 N. Grand Ave., downtown, 213.972.4396. musiccenter.org/worldcity
The Art of Cooking
Apr. 27. Royal/T Culver City’s playful 10,000-square-foot Japanese pop art-inspired space and “cosplay” maid café—will presents a new food-and art-themed exhibit that explores all types of food. Curated by Hanne Mugaas, the exhibit showcases food-inspired abstract paintings, digital prints, and fashion created with a touch of artistic wit will be on display by renowned artists who obsess, explore, and celebrate food in their work, including Kenny Scharf, Olaf Breuning, B.Wurtz, Pierre Bismuth, and Wayne Thiebaud. Muggas’ brother, Petter Mugaas Joakimsen is a chef who will be lending his talent to creating concept dishes at the opening reception. 8910 Washington Blvd., Culver City, 310.559.6300. royal-t.org
Transmission LA: AV Club curated by Mike D
Through May 6. Mike D of the Beastie Boys curates an exhibition at MOCA that features a mixture of contemporary art, design, music, film and food. During the festival find art, concerts, DJ nights, performances, installations, and dine at an outdoor pop-up restaurant from Chef Roy Choi (Kogi) who will feature a different menu of original cuisine during the weekend. Also find an interactive coffee bar curated and designed by Robert McKinley. Geffen Contemporary, MOCA, 152 N. Central Ave., downtown, 213.626.6222. moca.org
Sesame Street
Apr. 28-29. Combining street art, fashion and the stars of your favorite childhood entertainment, lifestyle brand Neff Headwear and The Seventh Letter artist collective have teamed up to launch Sesame Street: An exhibit inspired by the iconic television show’s characters featuring work from forty renowned street artists including: Revok, Rime, Mr. Cartoon, Madsteez, Pose, George Thompson and many more. Known Gallery, 441 North Fairfax Ave., L.A. theseventhletter.com
EAT | DRINK
Marisqueria Menu at Red O
Continuing his California take on Mexican cuisine, Rick Bayless heads for the sea for inspiration on Red O’s new menu. The Marisqueria menu includes Mexican raw bar items and ceviches, like the grand seafood platter that bursts with dungeness crab, Carlsbad mussels, Mazatlan blue shrimp, and oysters. It also offers a variety of ceviches, including the Green Ceviche with Crunchy Chorizo featuring fresh Pacific yellowtail ceviche, spicy roasted tomatillos, avocado, lime, homemade chorizo crunch, and tomatillo-tequila pickle. Mains include northern Alaskan halibut with a smoky Oaxacan pasilla chile sauce, Main lobster poached with butter and banana leaves and wood-grilled Mazatlan blue shrimp. 8155 Melrose Ave., L.A., 323.655.5009. redorestaurant.com
Sadie
Hollywood hotspot enlists chef Mark Gold (Eva) to unveil a new menu that features seasonally fresh ingredients with a home-cooked approach. Sous vede pork belly arrives with a potato emulsion and yuzu kasha; while a Schaner Farms duck egg (pictured) is slow cooked to a perfect texture and served with brown butter and asparagus. Mains include Sadie’s fried chicken, udon noodle linguini and clams, wild alaskan halibut and more. Accompany the new menu with an expertly crafted cocktail from the mind of Giovanni Martinez. Our faces are the Kentucky Ninja (Japanese single malt whimsy, bourbon, lemon, lavender honey) and White Monk (white pepper and cardamom-infused vermouth, silver tequila, Castilian bitters, Benedictine rise). 1638 N. Las Palmas, Hollywood, 323.467.0200. sadiela.com
Capon Dinner at Locanda del Lago
Apr. 26. Executive Chef Gianfranco Minuz “hatches” a five-course meal for the restaurant’s ongoing Morso della Bestia, or ”Bite of the Beast,” monthly dinner series. The free-range, hormone-free poultry will serve as the centerpiece of this seasonal “beak-to-tail” feast, prepared with influences from rustic Northern Italian recipes and traditions. $48/pp. 7 p.m. 231 Arizona Ave., Santa Monica, 310.451.3525. LagoSantaMonica.com
Step Into Spring Happy Hour at L’Ermitage Beverly Hills
Saturdays and Sundays. The reverse happy hour at L’Ermitage Beverly Hills features menu specials like torn pasta with spring peas, shallots and guanciale; tuna tartare “springroll” with shiso, caviar and karashi-su miso; and cocktails such as the southern gentleman with bourbon, peach liqueur, mint and lemon bitters. 9-11 p.m. 9291 Burton Way, Beverly Hills, 310.385.5302. lermitagebh.com
Live at Artisan House
Spend your Sundays and Mondays stylishly dining on artisan fare, crafted cocktails, as well as wine cheese, charcuterie. Sundays feature the tunes of the Icy Hot Club, who skillfully conjures 1930s gypsy jazz in the style of Django Reinhardt; while Mondays offer the eclectic sounds of the Campfire Trio, who collaborate to play everything from Radiohead to Paul Simon. Sundays: 2:30-6:30 p.m.; Mondays 7-11 p.m. Artisan House, 600 South Main St., downtown, 213.622.6333. artisanhouse.net
THEATER
The Heiress
Apr. 24-May 20. Catherine Sloper, who stands to inherit a fortune from her ailing physician father, is a plain-looking young woman living under his malevolent scrutiny, as well as his well-meaning but cold-hearted demeanor. Dr. Sloper disapproves of Catherine’s passionate suitor Morris Townsend, certain that the penniless young man has proposed marriage to win Catherine’s inheritance. Catherine’s too much in love to consider this potential betrayal. Pasadena Playhouse, 39 S. El Molino Avenue, Pasadena, 626.356.7529. Save 20% on tickets by purchasing them through this link: pasadenaplayhouse.org
The Convert
Through May 19. The Center Theatre Group commissioned Obie Award-winning playwright Danai Gurira to write this powerful new play about a teenage girl in colonial southern Africa torn between family and faith. Kirk Douglas Theatre, 9820 Washington Blvd., Culver City, 213.628.2772. centertheatregroup.org
Good People
Through May 13. Nominated for a 2011 Tony Award for Best Play, Pulitzer Prize winner David Lindsay-Abaire’s Good People takes an affectionate look at the ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’ through the eyes of characters who won’t be ignored. Geffen Playhouse, 10886 Le Conte Ave., Westwood, 310.208.5454. geffenplayhouse.com
The Bungler
Through May 27. The Bungler is comic genius. Moliere’s first romp written in verse, and one of the greatest hits of his lifetime. This rarely produced gem is a non-stop cavalcade of wily servants, dim-witted young lovers and avaricious old men on a bumbling, tumbling, tackling, wild and woolly ride. A Noise Within, 3352 East Foothill Blvd., Pasadena, 626.356.3100 x1. ANoiseWithin.org
Antony and Cleopatra
Through May 13. Shakespeare’s seminal tragedy is based on larger-than-life figures caught up in an empire-shattering dance of lust, love, politics and war. “Its appeal is the fascinating relationship between Antony and Cleopatra, who love each other deeply but in a way that is not sustainable… Because of their flaws, we can identify with the lovers and see a part of ourselves in them,” muses director Julia Rodriguez-Elliott. A Noise Within, 3352 East Foothill Blvd., Pasadena, 626.356.3100 x1. ANoiseWithin.org
