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Busy Times on a Quiet Weekend
  
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How to Fill Four Days Off in Downtown
by Ryan Vaillancourt
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES - Thanksgiving weekend can be a slow stretch, and not just because Thursday’s monumental feasting tends to keep people plastered to the couch in front of television reruns. It’s also because lots of people skip town and small businesses revert to constricted schedules.
However, if you find yourself in Downtown Los Angeles this weekend, don’t feel like you have to stay inside. There’s more to do than nosh leftovers and nap. Los Angeles Downtown News has put together a guide for the four-day weekend, with everything from movies to rock and roll to a drag show with a surprising twist.
Thursday, Nov. 26: Whether you’re skipping the Thanksgiving dinner, don’t want to hang around the loft all day while others cook or need a post-meal excursion, a trip to the movies offers a nice escape. This year, for the first time, Downtowners do not need to go far to catch a first-run film in a modern venue.
The Regal Cinemas at L.A. Live has a whopping 14 screens, including one that seats 800 people. The most popular option this weekend will probably be Twilight Saga: New Moon (screening at 1, 1:30, 4, 4:40, 7, 8, 10 and 11:20 p.m.), the second big screen installment from author Stephenie Meyer’s tweeneriffic tale of vampires, werewolves and romance (though not between the vampires and werewolves). Also on the big screen is Old Dogs (at 12:10, 2:30, 4:50, 7:10 and 9:30 p.m.), in which two friends — an unlucky divorcee (Robin Williams) and a fun-loving bachelor (John Travolta) — have their lives turned upside down when they’re unexpectedly charged with the care of 6-year-old twins while on the verge of the biggest business deal of their lives.
Expect plenty of other blockbusters to be showing as well. For a full slate of films, see the Film Listings on page 14.
The Regal Cinema is at 1000 W. Olympic Blvd., (877) 835-5734 or lalive.com
If Hollywood gloss isn’t your thing, the Downtown Independent has an 8 p.m. showing of Mr. Sadman. The film is set in 1990, before the first Gulf War, when Mounir, a sheltered Saddam Hussein body-double, loses his job and moves to Los Angeles. But once the real Saddam invades Kuwait, Mounir learns the truth about the Iraqi dictator and vows to shed his Saddam persona forever. Unfortunately, he doesn’t know how to be anyone else.
At the Downtown Independent, 251 S. Main St., (213) 617-1033 or downtownindependent.com.
Friday, Nov. 27: Make it a museum day: The Museum of Contemporary Art recently turned 30 and is celebrating with the new exhibit Collection: MOCA’s First Thirty Years. The birthday party, attended by the likes (as in the creations) of Jackson Pollack, Ed Ruscha, Mark Rothko and hundreds of other artists continues through May 2010, and you’re invited. The show is housed under two roofs: Works from 1940-1980 reside at MOCA Grand Avenue on Bunker Hill, while pieces created after 1980 are in the Geffen Contemporary in Little Tokyo. At the Geffen, be sure to watch your step so you don’t collide with the battery-powered kid in the gray sweatshirt and jeans riding his tricycle around the museum — a piece called “Charlie” by Maurizio Cattelan.
Be careful though, as the show is overwhelming. You may want to divide it up into two days.
At MOCA Grand Avenue, 250 S. Grand Ave., (213) 626-6222 and the Geffen Contemporary at MOCA, 152 N. Central Ave., (213) 621-1745 or moca.org.
Down in Exposition Park, the California Science Center hosts the traveling exhibition America I Am: The African American Imprint. The show celebrates nearly 500 years of African American contributions to America and the world. Through artifacts, multimedia exhibits and ancillary programs, visitors explore the influence and innovations of African Americans from Harriet Tubman to Tupac Shakur. The show features personal artifacts and innovations of African American artists, activists and inventors and identifies key moments in the evolution of the nation that led to a greater dialogue about African Americans’ experience and future. Children get in free through Nov. 30.
At the California Science Center, 700 Exposition Park Dr., (323) 724-3623 or californiasciencecenter.org.
Saturday, Nov. 28: The Japanese American Cultural & Community Center hosts a holiday concert of traditional music and dance that, when combined, will defy tradition. The show features artists from around the world, including the Shakti Dance Company performing Bharata Natyam, a Southern Indian dance known for its sculptural poses and lavish costumes. Additionally, Halau Keali’I O Nalani will present the graceful movements of Hawaiian dance and Viver Brasil delivers the hip shaking revelry of Afro-Cuban dance. The show is at 8 p.m.
At the Japan America Theatre, 244 S. San Pedro St., (213) 628-3700 or jaccc.org.
Another unusual Saturday night option is at REDCAT, where drag artist Joey Arias continues his run of Arias With a Twist. The show, which continues through Dec. 13, is a sort of cross-dressing fantasy revue featuring the soaring song stylings of Arias and some madcap theatrics conjured by a team of… (get ready) puppeteers. Throughout the show, which starts at 8:30 p.m., director Basil Twist blends macabre nightmares and bizarre premonitions with some truly far out, tentacled costumes. If your octogenarian parents have flown in from out of town for the Thanksgiving weekend, you might want to leave them at home for this one.
At 631 W. Second St., (213) 237-2800 or redcat.org.
Sunday, Nov. 29: During the day, dance, or skate, off your holiday eating over at Downtown On Ice, the Pershing Square skating rink, during the weekly Sunday afternoon concert. This week, singer and bandleader Bobby Rivas provides a live salsa soundtrack for those circling the compact rink in the heart of the Financial District. This salsa veteran started singing at age 4 in El Salvador and hasn’t put down the microphone since. The concert runs from 2-4 p.m., and the ice rink is open from 10 a.m.-10 p.m. (Admission is $6, or $8 including skates).
At 532 S. Olive St., (213) 847-4970 or laparks.org/pershingsquare.
Another daytime option is at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, where Los Angeles Opera debuts The Barber of Seville today at 2 p.m. In this classic, Count Almaviva loves Rosina, who is kept a virtual prisoner in the house of her guardian Dr. Bartolo. Almaviva hires the cunning funnyman Figaro to liberate her, which he does with an array of tricks and disguises.
At the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 135 N. Grand Ave., (213) 972-8001 or laopera.com.
Not ready to end the weekend? Go out with a bluesy punch on Sunday night at the Redwood, where the stage will be home to Candye Kane, aka “The Toughest Girl Alive.” That’s the name of one of the East L.A. native blues queen’s original songs and the title of a soon-to-be-released memoir and play. The proudly full-bodied songstress is backed by a driving rhythm section as she sings your Sunday blues away. She’ll perform at 10 p.m.
At the Redwood, 316 W. Second St., (213) 680-2600.
Contact Ryan Vaillancourt at ryan@downtownnews.com.
page 12, 11/23/2009
©Los Angeles Downtown News. Reprinting items retrieved from the archives are for personal use only. They may not be reproduced or retransmitted without permission of the Los Angeles Downtown News. If you would like to re-distribute anything from the Los Angeles Downtown News Archives, please call our permissions department at (213) 481-1448.
However, if you find yourself in Downtown Los Angeles this weekend, don’t feel like you have to stay inside. There’s more to do than nosh leftovers and nap. Los Angeles Downtown News has put together a guide for the four-day weekend, with everything from movies to rock and roll to a drag show with a surprising twist.
Thursday, Nov. 26: Whether you’re skipping the Thanksgiving dinner, don’t want to hang around the loft all day while others cook or need a post-meal excursion, a trip to the movies offers a nice escape. This year, for the first time, Downtowners do not need to go far to catch a first-run film in a modern venue.
The Regal Cinemas at L.A. Live has a whopping 14 screens, including one that seats 800 people. The most popular option this weekend will probably be Twilight Saga: New Moon (screening at 1, 1:30, 4, 4:40, 7, 8, 10 and 11:20 p.m.), the second big screen installment from author Stephenie Meyer’s tweeneriffic tale of vampires, werewolves and romance (though not between the vampires and werewolves). Also on the big screen is Old Dogs (at 12:10, 2:30, 4:50, 7:10 and 9:30 p.m.), in which two friends — an unlucky divorcee (Robin Williams) and a fun-loving bachelor (John Travolta) — have their lives turned upside down when they’re unexpectedly charged with the care of 6-year-old twins while on the verge of the biggest business deal of their lives.
Expect plenty of other blockbusters to be showing as well. For a full slate of films, see the Film Listings on page 14.
The Regal Cinema is at 1000 W. Olympic Blvd., (877) 835-5734 or lalive.com
If Hollywood gloss isn’t your thing, the Downtown Independent has an 8 p.m. showing of Mr. Sadman. The film is set in 1990, before the first Gulf War, when Mounir, a sheltered Saddam Hussein body-double, loses his job and moves to Los Angeles. But once the real Saddam invades Kuwait, Mounir learns the truth about the Iraqi dictator and vows to shed his Saddam persona forever. Unfortunately, he doesn’t know how to be anyone else.
At the Downtown Independent, 251 S. Main St., (213) 617-1033 or downtownindependent.com.
Friday, Nov. 27: Make it a museum day: The Museum of Contemporary Art recently turned 30 and is celebrating with the new exhibit Collection: MOCA’s First Thirty Years. The birthday party, attended by the likes (as in the creations) of Jackson Pollack, Ed Ruscha, Mark Rothko and hundreds of other artists continues through May 2010, and you’re invited. The show is housed under two roofs: Works from 1940-1980 reside at MOCA Grand Avenue on Bunker Hill, while pieces created after 1980 are in the Geffen Contemporary in Little Tokyo. At the Geffen, be sure to watch your step so you don’t collide with the battery-powered kid in the gray sweatshirt and jeans riding his tricycle around the museum — a piece called “Charlie” by Maurizio Cattelan.
Be careful though, as the show is overwhelming. You may want to divide it up into two days.
At MOCA Grand Avenue, 250 S. Grand Ave., (213) 626-6222 and the Geffen Contemporary at MOCA, 152 N. Central Ave., (213) 621-1745 or moca.org.
Down in Exposition Park, the California Science Center hosts the traveling exhibition America I Am: The African American Imprint. The show celebrates nearly 500 years of African American contributions to America and the world. Through artifacts, multimedia exhibits and ancillary programs, visitors explore the influence and innovations of African Americans from Harriet Tubman to Tupac Shakur. The show features personal artifacts and innovations of African American artists, activists and inventors and identifies key moments in the evolution of the nation that led to a greater dialogue about African Americans’ experience and future. Children get in free through Nov. 30.
At the California Science Center, 700 Exposition Park Dr., (323) 724-3623 or californiasciencecenter.org.
Saturday, Nov. 28: The Japanese American Cultural & Community Center hosts a holiday concert of traditional music and dance that, when combined, will defy tradition. The show features artists from around the world, including the Shakti Dance Company performing Bharata Natyam, a Southern Indian dance known for its sculptural poses and lavish costumes. Additionally, Halau Keali’I O Nalani will present the graceful movements of Hawaiian dance and Viver Brasil delivers the hip shaking revelry of Afro-Cuban dance. The show is at 8 p.m.
At the Japan America Theatre, 244 S. San Pedro St., (213) 628-3700 or jaccc.org.
Another unusual Saturday night option is at REDCAT, where drag artist Joey Arias continues his run of Arias With a Twist. The show, which continues through Dec. 13, is a sort of cross-dressing fantasy revue featuring the soaring song stylings of Arias and some madcap theatrics conjured by a team of… (get ready) puppeteers. Throughout the show, which starts at 8:30 p.m., director Basil Twist blends macabre nightmares and bizarre premonitions with some truly far out, tentacled costumes. If your octogenarian parents have flown in from out of town for the Thanksgiving weekend, you might want to leave them at home for this one.
At 631 W. Second St., (213) 237-2800 or redcat.org.
Sunday, Nov. 29: During the day, dance, or skate, off your holiday eating over at Downtown On Ice, the Pershing Square skating rink, during the weekly Sunday afternoon concert. This week, singer and bandleader Bobby Rivas provides a live salsa soundtrack for those circling the compact rink in the heart of the Financial District. This salsa veteran started singing at age 4 in El Salvador and hasn’t put down the microphone since. The concert runs from 2-4 p.m., and the ice rink is open from 10 a.m.-10 p.m. (Admission is $6, or $8 including skates).
At 532 S. Olive St., (213) 847-4970 or laparks.org/pershingsquare.
Another daytime option is at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, where Los Angeles Opera debuts The Barber of Seville today at 2 p.m. In this classic, Count Almaviva loves Rosina, who is kept a virtual prisoner in the house of her guardian Dr. Bartolo. Almaviva hires the cunning funnyman Figaro to liberate her, which he does with an array of tricks and disguises.
At the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 135 N. Grand Ave., (213) 972-8001 or laopera.com.
Not ready to end the weekend? Go out with a bluesy punch on Sunday night at the Redwood, where the stage will be home to Candye Kane, aka “The Toughest Girl Alive.” That’s the name of one of the East L.A. native blues queen’s original songs and the title of a soon-to-be-released memoir and play. The proudly full-bodied songstress is backed by a driving rhythm section as she sings your Sunday blues away. She’ll perform at 10 p.m.
At the Redwood, 316 W. Second St., (213) 680-2600.
Contact Ryan Vaillancourt at ryan@downtownnews.com.
page 12, 11/23/2009
©Los Angeles Downtown News. Reprinting items retrieved from the archives are for personal use only. They may not be reproduced or retransmitted without permission of the Los Angeles Downtown News. If you would like to re-distribute anything from the Los Angeles Downtown News Archives, please call our permissions department at (213) 481-1448.
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