Friday, July 12
Out the back door
“Escape to Paradise” is an island dance performance, transporting us to visions of grass skirts and warm sand, and it’s taking place at 7:30 tonight, plus 2 and 7:30 p.m. tomorrow, in the James Armstrong Theatre, 3330 Civic Center Drive, Torrance. Tickets, $10.50. Call (310) 781-7171.
Take a drive
“Sunset Boulevard,” one of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s lesser-performed musicals, opens at 8 p.m. in the Carpenter Center, 6200 E. Atherton St., Long Beach. Presented by Musical Theatre West, it plays weekends through Sunday, July 28. Tickets begin at $20, with a $3 service fee added to each ticket. (562) 856-1999 ext. 4, or go to musical.org.
Movie night
“Under the Tuscan Sun” screens at 8 p.m. in the Warner Grand Theatre, 478 W. Sixth St., San Pedro, as part of the Friday Night Feature Films series that screens on the second Friday of the month. Coming up: “Les Miserables” on August 9 and “The Devil Wears Prada” on Sept. 6. Tickets, $6 at the door or $4 if you go to Tuscansun.brownpapertickets.com.
Let’s take a trip
“Crystal Fairy,” from Sebastián Silva, screens for two weeks at the Nuart Theatre, 11272 Santa Monica Blvd., W. Los Angeles. Two very different people end up traveling in Chile, and the film is about the gifts we can receive when we stop reaching for them. (310) 281-8223 or go to LandmarkTheatres.com.
Saturday, July 13
History at your fingertips
The Redondo Beach Historical Society’s “Biennial Home Tour” takes place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and it’s a self-guided (or self-driven) tour that features a collection of local historic homes, a church bake sale, an art show, plus valuable discounts at local businesses. Tickets, $20 right now and $25 on Saturday. (310) 465-7149 or go to redondohistorical.org.
All that glitters…
“L.A. Shine,” new work by Mark Metzner, goes on view, with a reception from 5 to 11 p.m., at Gallery Azul, 520 W. Eighth St., San Pedro. The show consists of street-influenced paintings, with fine art sensibilities, on wood panels, canvas, paper, and vinyl figurines. At 8 p.m. there’s a spoken work performance by Tommye Lee Ray. Through August 24. More info if you contact galleryazul@sbcglobal.net.
Surf’s Up!
The South Bay Boardrider’s Club is hosting its first surf party from 5 to 10 p.m. All ages. Tickets, $10 members, $15 non-members; kids enter free. South Bay retro-chic attire suggested. More at southbayboardriders.com.
Go Greek!
The South Bay Greek Festival features music, games, dancing, and the best Greek food in town. It takes place from 12 noon to 10 p.m. today (Saturday) and from 12 noon to 9 p.m. on Sunday. Where? 722 Knob Hill, Redondo Beach.
Eaten by a plant
Kentwood Players are holding auditions for the comedy rock musical “Little Shop of Horrors” from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. today and tomorrow (Sunday) from 6 to 9 p.m., with callbacks on Monday from 7 to 10 p.m., at the Westchester Playhouse, 8301 Hindry Ave. W. Los Angeles. The show will run from Sept. 13 to Oct. 19. To find out what you need to know and to bring, contact littleshop@kentwoodpalyers.org.
Sunday, July 14
Light of heart
The South Bay New Orleans Jazz Club presents Dixieland and traditional jazz in a live music format, and they’re meeting today from 1 to 5 p.m. at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 214 Ave. I, Redondo Beach. Today’s featured band is the Revelation Jazz Band. Cost, $7 members and $9 non-members (musicians who come to play additional “sets” admitted free). Call (310) 376-2591.
Lasso that sound
The Doo-Wah Riders perform country music from 5 to 7 p.m. at Polliwog Park in Manhattan Beach. Free. Next Sunday: Scott Whyte.
Light of foot
South Bay Ballet presents the first in a lecture series called “The New York Ballet World,” with Clinton Luckett, ballet master with American Ballet Theater, at 4:30 p.m. in the Lauridsen Ballet Centre, 1261 Sartori Ave., Torrance. Price, $25. More at southbayballet.org.
Upcoming
Eat, drink, and listen
“Evening Under the Stars with Kenny G,” the 27th Annual Gourmet Food and Wine Festival, takes place on Saturday, July 20, from 6 to 9:30 p.m., on the grounds of Honda Headquarters, 700 Van Ness Ave., Torrance. Benefits the Torrance Memorial Medical Center. (310) 540-5858 or go to TorranceMemorial.org. ER
- “Sunset Boulevard,” the 1950 film directed by Billy Wilder and starring Gloria Swanson and Erich von Stroheim, screens at 8:15 on Friday and Saturday, plus 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 g to OldTownMusicHall.org.
