L.A.’s 9 best bets for weekend culture: free dance in DTLA, Weezer with the L.A. Phil
A free dance festival in Chinatown, the reopening of LACMA’s Modern art galleries, the L.A. premiere of “An Octoroon” and a Weezer concert with the Los Angeles Philharmonic lead our short list for in-person and virtual arts-and-culture offerings this weekend.
SoCal in-person events
Ebb & Flow: Chinatown
Heidi Duckler Dance’s site-specific festival returns to DTLA as company members and guest artists give socially distanced outdoor performances of works inspired by our connection to the natural world. The two-day event also features music and visual arts, including augmented-reality works that audience members can view on their phones. Los Angeles State Historic Park, 1245 N. Spring St., downtown L.A. 1 to 2:30 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. Free; donations accepted. heididuckler.org
“An Octoroon”
The Fountain Theatre stages the Los Angeles premiere of MacArthur fellow Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ darkly comic, Obie-winning 2014 fable. The playwright uses a 19th century melodrama by Dion Boucicault as a vehicle to explore issues of race in America today. The Fountain Theatre outdoor stage, 5060 Fountain Ave., L.A. Previews begin Friday at 7 p.m. but are nearly sold out. Tickets for the regular run, June 18-Sept. 19, are $25-$45, with some pay-what-you-can seats for Monday nights; advance purchase recommended. fountaintheatre.com
The Fountain in East Hollywood will mount Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ acclaimed satire ‘An Octoroon’ on an outdoor stage. Target opening: June.
Pop Up Arts & Music Festival
Thousand Oaks and TOArts launch a slate of outdoor summer-evening shows at various locations around the city, with a weekend’s worth of socially distanced performances. New West Symphony gets the ball rolling at 7 p.m. Friday at Triunfo Park (980 Aranmoor Ave.). At 7 p.m. Saturday, performers from 5-Star Theatricals take the stage in a family-friendly musical revue (Northwood Park, 3620 Avenida Verano). At 7 p.m. Sunday, Conejo Valley Youth Orchestra (Oakbrook Park, 2787 Erbes Road) performs. Other shows are June 12-13 and 25-26. Free; registration required. RSVP at bapacthousandoaks.com.
LACMA’s Modern Art
Pining for a Picasso? Beginning Sunday, visitors once again will have access to a portion of the museum’s extensive Modern art holdings, newly relocated to the Broad Contemporary Art Museum, a.k.a. BCAM, on the LACMA campus. The revamped galleries also feature new interpretive texts and audio tours, a 30-minute film and a soundtrack inspired by the works on view. Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 5905 Wilshire Blvd., L.A. Closed Wednesdays. $10-$25; ages 12 and younger are free; timed-entry tickets required. (323) 857-6010. lacma.org
What can you see at the Broad, La Brea Tar Pits Museum, LACMA, California Science Center, Grammy Museum and beyond? Here’s a quick rundown.
Streaming
“Show of Titles”
A bevy of Broadway’s biggest names — including Tony winners Patti LuPone, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Glenn Close, Kelli O’Hara and Lea Salonga — belt out the title tunes from classic musicals in this livestream presented by Center Theatre Group. 4 p.m. Sunday; available on demand through June 17. $29. centertheatregroup.org
Weezer with the L.A. Phil and YOLA
Led by frontman Rivers Cuomo, local alt-rock band Weezer shares the stage with members of the L.A. Phil and Youth Orchestra Los Angeles in a performance captured at Walt Disney Concert Hall for the L.A. Phil’s “Sound/Stage” series. 10 a.m. Friday; available on demand for 30 days. Free. soundstage.laphil.com
“Ballerina Boys”
This recent installment of the PBS series “American Masters” profiles Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, the all-male ballet company known for its comedic, gender-bending performances. Available anytime. Free. allarts.org
“Becoming Dr. Ruth”
Emmy and Tony nominee Tovah Feldshuh portrays the Holocaust survivor turned sex therapist, author and TV personality in this solo bio-drama. Present by North Coast Repertory Theatre in Solana Beach. Anytime on demand through July 4. $35, $54. northcoastrep.org
“Ouanga”
UCLA Film & Television Archive presents a 2015 restoration of this rarely seen black-and-white 1935 horror drama filmed in Haiti and Jamaica and featuring former stage actress and civil-rights activist Fredi Washington as a Black female plantation owner/voodoo priestess. Includes a post-screening discussion. 4 p.m. Thursday; available on-demand through June 24. Free. cinema.ucla.edu
Our recurring coronavirus-era arts and culture recommendations are posted every Thursday.
Make the most of L.A.
Get our guide to events and happenings in the SoCal arts scene. In your inbox once a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
The biggest entertainment stories
Get our big stories about Hollywood, film, television, music, arts, culture and more right in your inbox as soon as they publish.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
