Highly Recommended
Tonight! North By Northwest (1959) 70mm — Hitchcock directs Cary Grant. But here’s all you need to know. Crack special effects editor and film buff nonpareil Mary Walter puts this in her Top 10. That’s good enough for me. Thurs 7:30pm, Aero Theatre, Santa Monica, $12-17.
Theatricum Botanicum — Founder Will Geer’s daughter Ellen is directing The Winter’s Tale, one of Willie the Shake’s last, a tragi-comedy in five acts. She also directs Wendy’s Peter Pan, which by title alone sounds like great fun. Molière’s vision: how do you stop an invasive cultish worm who uses lies of biblical proportion to wind his way into your family life, your town, your city, your country? Through the brilliant storytelling of Molière and Freyda Thomas’ clever adaptation in rhyming couplets, we watch a southern family in the 1980s begin to recognize a taker in their midst in the form of televangelist, Tartuffe. Hilarious mayhem ensues as they recognize the danger, rise up, and remove the culprit. Winter Fri 7:30pm. (Pay What You Will ticket pricing for this performance), Tartuffe Sat 7:30pm, Peter Pan Sun 8pm (prologue discussion with the cast at 6:30pm before the performance on July 21, Pay What You Will ticket pricing), $15-60.
Hot Club of Los Angeles — You can go to the Cinema Bar any Monday night, 9-11:30pm, for more than a decade now, and hear these hot players run through Django Reinhart-style ‘30s jazz. This amazing ensemble is a treasure, just over the border from SM. Mon 9pm, Cinema Bar, Culver City, no cover.
Apocalypse Now (1979) 70mm – Special loan from George Eastman Museum, Martin Scorsese Collection. Coppola directs Samohi Dad Martin Sheen, Brando, deep into the heart of darkness. Epic in so many ways. Tues 7:30pm, Aero Theatre, Santa Monica, $15, AC members only.
Recommended
"Wild Things Are Happening: The Art of Maurice Sendak" — Now you can see them much bigger than a page in a book. This is the first complete retrospective of his art since his death in 2012, and includes his work in many areas of the arts. 7/18-9/1, Skirball Museum, admission price? Parking fee — call for info and hours.
The Substance of Fire — It’s always exciting when the Ruskin Group mounts a new production, because their track record is so exceptional. Over 20 years they have built a reputation for attracting stellar talent in actors, directors, writers and musicians. More importantly, a reputation for presenting an evening of theatre that makes you think and moves you, sometimes profoundly. This one stars Rob Morrow and Marcia Cross, both with extensive credits and awards for stage, film and TV. Go soon, you may well want to return, and take friends. Fri, Sat 8pm, Sun 2pm, Ruskin Group Theatre, SM Airport, $25-40.
Mozart Under the Stars, Zubin Mehta, LA Phil, Pinchas Zuckerman — OK, no Dude, this is his tango night, but a gorgeous evening at the Bowl with our old friend, the still amazing legendary conductor Zubin Mehta, an overture then the Violin Concerto No. 3 with the exquisite Zuckerman, and come back after intermission for The "Jupiter" Symphony (No. 41). We’re not in Kansas, Toto. Tues 8pm, Hollywood Bowl, $17-186.
Zoot Suit (1981) 70mm — Most Angelenos don’t know much about this cultural phenomenon beyond the dashing duds, but we should. Especially the 1943 Zoot Suit Riots. This quasi-musical may not be a documentary but it is a pretty entertaining way to catch up on local history. Wed 7:30pm, Aero Theatre, Santa Monica, $12-17.
All-Beethoven, LA Phil – Still no Dude, it’s his pick up basketball night, but — we have Ludwig!! Lotsa Lydwig! An overture, a triple concerto, then back after intermission to take the Fifth. Turn off your TV and elevate. Next Thurs 8pm, Hollywood Bowl, $15-186.
X – Who are the iconic LA rock bands? The Doors certainly, The Beach Boys. The Byrds. C,S,N&Y, GnR, RHCP,RATM. Black Flag, Metallica. Eagles? I would enthusiastically add Love to that list, but there is still one left out. A very important one. That perhaps encapsulates six decades of LA rock more than anyone, and is still going strong, still touring, still recording. Did you run down the alphabet trying to remember, then finally came to… X? Same four, since 1977. Billy Zoom plays from a stool now instead of legs splayed apart Chuck Berry-style, but he still rocks it as do all his bandmates. I’ve always said, before you die, you must hear X play before an LA crowd. This is your chance, in a great venue. Next Thurs, Fri, Regent Theater, LA, $72-154.
Coming Attractions (also Recommended): Wild Things Are Happening: The Art of Maurice Sendak, Skirball, 7/18-9/1; Theatricum Botanicum — Tartuffe-Born Again 7/20, 27 — "The Winter’s Tale" 7/19, 28 — Wendy’s Peter Pan 7/21, 2; Hot Club of Los Angeles, Cinema Bar, 7/22, 29; The Substance of Fire, Ruskin Group Theatre, 7/19, 20, 21, 26, 27, 28, 8/2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 16, 17, 18, 23, 24, 25, 30, 31, 9/1: Ziggy Marley, Bellwether, 7/20; Mozart Under the Stars, Zubin Mehta, Pinchas Zuckerman, Hollywood Bowl, 7/23; Apocalypse Now 70mm, Aero Theatre, 7/23; Zoot Suit 70mm, Aero Theatre, 7/24; All-Beethoven, LA Phil, 7/25; X, Regent Theater, 7/25, 26; Michael Franti & Spearhead, Greek, 7/26; Dwight Yoakam, Mavericks, Greek, 7/27; Lake Street Dive, Greek, 7/27; Lawrence of Arabia, 70mm, Aero Theatre, 7/27, 28; Outlaw Fest: Willie, Bob, Mellancamp. Hollywood Bowl, 7/31; UB40, English Beat, Inner Circle, Greek, 7/31; Schumann & Bruch, LA Phil, Hollywood Bowl, 8/1; Theatricum Botanicum’s Annual Gala, Echoes In The Forest, 8/3; Mavis Staples, Norah Jones, Greek, 8/4; Reggae Night XXII: Damian and Stephen Marley, Hollywood Bowl, 8/4; Hives, Foo Fighters, BMO Stadium, 8/9; Jon Batiste, Greek, 8/10; Wailing Souls, Levitt Pavilion, 8/10; Alanis Morisette, Joan Jett & Blackhearts, Kia Forum, 8/10; Pretenders, Foo Fighters, BMO Stadium, 8/11; Herbie Hancock Head Hunters 50th, H0llywood Bowl, 8/14; 10CC, Theatre at Ace Hotel, 8/15; Lila Downs, Marina del Rey summer concert series, 8/17; All-Dvořák with Midori, LA Phil, Hollywood Bowl, 8/20; Gary Clark Jr., Hollywood Bowl, 8/21; Ghostland Observatory, Teragram Ballroom, 8/24; Ash Grove Alumni, McCabe’s, 8/25; Dudamel & Yunchan Lim, Hollywood Bowl, 8/29.
Charles Andrews has lived in Santa Monica for 38 years and wouldn’t live anywhere else.
