South Bay arts calendar May 30 – June 2

Thursday, May 30

Chinese dissident

“Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry” is being screened for free from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the Torrance Art Museum at the Cultural Arts Center, 3330 Civic Center Drive, Torrance. Alison Klayman’s film is a portrait of an international artist who was hounded and harassed by his government for his outspoken views. (310) 618-3846 or go to torranceartmuseum.com.

Old stuff is good stuff

The 45th Annual Palos Verdes Antique Show and Sale takes place from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. today (Thursday) and tomorrow, and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, at St. Francis Episcopal Church, 2200 Via Rosa, Palos Verdes Estates. Features exhibitors from up and down California, and there will be patio luncheons, afternoon tea, evening wine and cheese. Admission, $10. Call (310) 375-4617 or go to (and print out a $2 discount admission coupon) stfrancis.org.

Jerry Kotler’s work is on view through tomorrow, Friday, in “Photography Fusion 2013 Showcase,” at the Frame & Art Dept., 950 Aviation Blvd., Suite D, Hermosa Beach. Photo by Gloria Plascencia. (310) 675-4200 or facebook.com/photography/fusion.

Friday, May 31

Rhinoceros man

“Ionescopade,” a musical vaudeville based on the works of Eugene Ionesco, opens at 8 p.m. in the Odyssey Theatre, 2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles. The work is culled from the plays, playlets, and poetry of the “Theater of the Absurd” playwright. Through August 11. Tickets, $30 (except for tomorrow, June 1, where it’s $45). Call (310) 477-2055 or go to OdysseyTheatre.com.

“Grand Hotel,” the 1932 film starring Greta Garbo, Joan Crawford, John Barrymore and Lionel Barrymore, screens at 8:15 tomorrow (Friday) and Saturday, as well as 2:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, in the Old Town Music Hall, 140 Richmond St., El Segundo. Tickets, $10 general; $8 seniors. (310) 322-2592 or go to oldtownmusichall.org.

Saturday, June 1

Shakespeare on the move

South Bay Ballet presents “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” at 2 and 6 p.m. today (Saturday) and 2 and 5 p.m. tomorrow, in the James Armstrong Theatre, 3330 Civic Center Drive, Torrance. Tickets, $22 (but make that $24.50 because of the “handling” fee). Call (310) 781-7171 or go to southballet.org.

Ethereal beings

“The Mythical Realms of Ana Maria Genzon” has its reception for the artist from 7 to 10 p.m. at Gallery 381, located at 381 W. Sixth St., San Pedro. (310) 809-5082.

An opening reception for artist Ana Marini Genzon, second from left, takes place on Saturday from 7 to 10 p.m. at Gallery 381, located at 381 W. Sixth St., San Pedro. Pictured with her, on the left, is the Italian lapidarian Clementino Wyszpolski, with gallery owner Annie Appel to the right and tango instructor Silvia Askenazi next to her. Photo by Gloria Plascencia. (310) 809-5082.

Releasing our wild side

“The Wild Feminine Group Exhibition” opens with a reception from 5 to 10 p.m. at Gallery Azul, 520 W. Eighth St., San Pedro. Sounds primitive and tribal! Performances by Smoky Good at 8 and Rachel Fernandez at 9 p.m. You can email them at galleryazul@sbcglobal.net.

When between books

FluSion, being flautist Lauren Watkins and percussionist Jeff Vaughn, perform at 2 p.m. in the Peninsula Center Library, 701 Silver Spur Road, Rolling Hills Estates. Free. (310) 377-9584 or go to pvld.org.

“Warning you, Julie, keep away from that Montague kid.” Juliet and Lord Capulet in the Encore Entertainers production of “Romeo and Juliet,” staged on Saturday at 2 and 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. in the Rolling Hills Community Center, 735 Silver Spur Road, Rolling Hills Estates. Tickets, $20 general; $17 seniors and children. (310) 896-6459 or go to EncoreEntertainers.org.

Murder and mayhem

“Ambition or Obsession?” is being presented in advance of Long Beach Opera’s production of “Macbeth,” and it (“Ambition…”) takes place at 1 p.m. in the ArtTheatre, 2025 E. Fourth St., Long Beach. This is an afternoon of Verdi and Ernest Bloch (LBO’s “Macbeth” composer) excerpts with Nmon Ford and Suzan Hanson, as well as movie excerpts. Tickets, $20. Call (562) 432-5934 or go to longbeachopera.org.

Didn’t like him much

“Joyce Pensato: I Killed Kenny” opens at the Santa Monica Museum of Art, Bergamot Station G-1, 2525 Michigan Ave., Santa Monica. Through August 17. Call (310)586-6488 or go to smmoa.org.

Get out the telescope

Kentwood Players presents their Kentwood Kids production, “All in the Stars,” written by Mark Billen, at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. (also on June 8 and 15) in the Westchester Playhouse, 8301 Hindry Ave., Westchester. All that’s missing at King Confort’s birthday part is someone to execute! Hmm… Tickets, $10 (or a family four-pack for $35). Call (310) 645-5156 or go to kentwoodplayers.org.

Paddle out, way out

The Pacific Islander Festival takes place at the Aquarium of the Pacific today (Saturday) and tomorrow from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Features cultural excitement and all things Hawaiian, Fijian, Marshallese, Chamoru, Tahitian, Samoan, Tokelau, Tongan, and Maori. Included with regular admission. (562) 590-3100 or go to aquariumofpacific.org.

Sunday, June 2

A musical genius at 200

The Peninsula Symphony celebrates the bicentennial of Richard Wagner’s birth at 7 p.m. in the RollingHillsCovenantChurch, 2222 Palos Verdes Dr. N., Rolling Hills Estates. There’s a 6:15 p.m. pre-concert talk by Maestro Gary Berkson (open to all audience members, just this once). Hao Zhou, winner of the 2013 Edith Knox Performance Competition, is the soloist on Wienaiwski’s “Violin Concerto No. 1,” which follows Karl Jenkins’s “Palladio.” After this there are four selections from Wagner’s “Ring of the Nibelungen – one from each of the four operas that comprise it (“Das Rheingold,” “Die Walküre,” “Siegfried,” and “Die Götterdämmerung.” Free. (310) 544-0320 or go to Pensym.org.