South Bay art calendar for August 9 to 15
The Torrance Theatre Company presents “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” at the James Armstrong Theatre in Torrance. The musical satirizes 1960s big business and what it held sacred. Performances, Saturday at 8 p.m., Sunday at 2 p.m., plus August 18, 19, 24, and 25. Tickets, $35, with select discounted tickets for $25. Call (310) 781-7171 or go to TorranceCA.gov/TCACTickets
Romantic, touching tale
Gardner McKay’s “Sea Marks” opens at 8 p.m. in Little Fish Theatre, 777 S. Centre St., San Pedro. Richard Perloff directs, and the cast features Bill Wolski and Andrea Gwynnel, he as a rough-hewn fisherman and she as an employee in a book publishing firm. Performances are Thursdays, Wednesdays, and most Sundays, through August 30. Tickets, $27 general; $15 seniors; and $15 for those 25 and under when using the code word “Hipster.” (310) 512-6030 or go to littlefishtheatre.org.
Elvis vs. Elviss, or “A Fight for the Soul of Rock ‘n’ Roll,” takes place Friday evening at St. Rocke in Hermosa Beach, and features local Elvis Presley tribute band Graceband plus Elviss Simmons & The Memphis Strutters, the latter doing Kiss arrangements dressed as Elvis. Surely a surreal evening is in store. Doors at 6 p.m. Tickets, $15. Call (310) 372-0035 or go to saintrocke.com
Unstoppable!
“Mamma Mia!” the story of a young woman’s quest to learn the identity of her father on a Greek island, is onstage at the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center, 1935 Manhattan Beach Blvd., Redondo Beach. Show times are Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. plus Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets, $25 to $105. Call (714) 589-2770 ext. 1, or go to 3dtheatricals.org.
Bard at the beach
Shakespeare by the Sea rolls into Polliwog Park, 1601 Manhattan Beach Blvd., Manhattan Beach, with “The Winter’s Tale” at 7 p.m. on Friday, returning on Saturday (also at 7 p.m.) with “The Merry Wives of Windsor.” Free; but donations appreciated. (310) 217-7596 or go to shakespearebythesea.org.
Kissing the King
Elvis vs. Elviss, or “A Fight for the Soul of Rock ‘n’ Roll,” takes place at St. Rocke, 142 Pacific Coast Hwy, Hermosa Beach, and features Graceband (the local 12-piece big band Elvis tribute group) and the 10-piece Elviss Simmons & The Memphis Strutters. The latter does Kiss arrangements, dressed as Elvis but with Kiss makeup. The groups will try and outdo one another with raging music and Elvis antics. Doors at 6 p.m. Tickets, $15. Call (310) 372-0035 or go to saintrocke.com.
April’s Fools Comedy Troupe presents “Impractical Foolishness & Improv of Doom!!” at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday in the Second Story Theatre, Hermosa Beach. The audience throws out suggestions and the cast turns them into funny stuff. Tickets, $10 general; $8 seniors. (310) 318-1705 or go to AprilsFoolsImprov.com
Room at the top
The Torrance Theatre Company presents “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” at the James Armstrong Theatre, 3330 Civic Center Drive, Torrance. It’s a musical satire of 1960s big business and all it held sacred. Performances, Saturday at 8 p.m., Sunday at 2 p.m., plus Saturday, August 18, at 8 p.m.; Sunday, August 19, at 2 p.m.; Friday, August 24, at 8 p.m., and Saturday, August 25, at 8 p.m. Tickets, $35, with select discounted tickets for $25. Call (310) 781-7171 or go to TorranceCA.gov/TCACTickets.
The English Beat performed last Sunday at the pier in Hermosa Beach. “They were a complete surprise and very entertaining,” says Synneve Andrena, who took this photo. “The crowd loved it!” This Sunday Sashamon performs from 5 to 8 p.m., with Big Head Todd and the Monsters on Aug. 19 and Venice on Aug. 26
April’s Fools Comedy Troupe presents “Impractical Foolishness & Improv of Doom!!” at 7:30 p.m. in the Second Story Theatre, 710 Pier Ave., Hermosa Beach. The audience throws out suggestions and the cast turns them into funny stuff. Or at least that’s the idea. Tickets, $10 general; $8 seniors. (310) 318-1705 or go to AprilsFoolsImprov.com.
Shop and pop
Del Amo Fashion Center’s Summer Music Series presents Michael Physick & Band performing from 2 to 4 p.m. in the Village Park lawn area, just outside the AMC Theaters, in Torrance.
Sunday, August 12
Working like a dog
Hard Day’s Night, playing all your Beatle favorites, headlines the Manhattan Beach Concerts in the Park series, playing from 5 to 7 p.m. on Sunday at Polliwog Park. It’s free. (310) 802-5448 or go to citymb.info/concerts
Back to the basics
The South Bay New Orleans Jazz Club meets from 1 to 5 p.m. in the Knights of Columbus Hall, 214 Avenue I, in Redondo Beach. Everybody’s welcome! Admission, $8 members; $12 non-members; and $10 if you belong to another jazz club. Visiting musicians who come to play admitted free. The featured band is Nanette and Her Hotsy-Totsy Boys. (310) 376-2591.
Wednesday, August 15
The Bard goes to college
Shakespeare by the Sea brings the wagons to the Sculpture Garden of Cal State University, Dominguez Hills with “The Winter’s Tale” at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, and coming back on Thursday, August 16 (also at 7 p.m.) with “The Merry Wives of Windsor.” Free; but donations appreciated. The school is located at 1000 E. Victoria St., Carson. (310) 217-7596 or go to shakespearebythesea.org. ER