South Bay arts calendar for March 8 to 14

Friday, March 9
Where talent shines
ACT II’s 32nd annual community variety show, featuring singers from the South Bay area who perform songs from Broadway musicals that became movies, takes place at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, with a 2 p.m. matinee on Saturday, in the Norris Theatre, 27570 Norris Center Drive, Rolling Hills Estates. Tickets, $25 adults; $15 ages 18 and younger. Complimentary wine on opening night. (310) 544-0403 or go to palosverdesperformingarts.com.
Duking it out
Taiko group UnitOne, based in the U.S., collaborates with Miyake Taiko, a group based in Japan. Both sets of drummers have their own style, and they perform at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday in the James Armstrong Theatre, 3330 Civic Center Drive, Torrance. Tickets, $25. Call (310) 781-7171 or go to tgorrancearts.org.
The show must go on
Little Fish Theatre presents “Quartet,” by playwright Ronald Harwood, opening Friday and playing weekends (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday) through April 8 at 777 S. Centre St., San Pedro. Margaret Schugt directs. Story? The return of one of opera’s brightest stars upsets the equilibrium at a home for retired singers. With Mary-Margaret Lewis, Shirley Hatton, James Rice, and Gregg Lawrence. Tickets, $23 to $27 (discounts for senior and patrons 25 years old and under. (310) 512-6030 or go to littlefishtheatre.org.
Preaching what they’re teaching
“Faculty Favorites” is comprised of eclectic operatic favorites, art song gems, and Broadway tunes, and the recital takes placed at 8 p.m. in Marsee Auditorium at El Camino College, Crenshaw and Redondo Beach boulevards, Torrance. Featured singers are Erin Wood and Rhonda Dillon, with accompaniment by pianist Kenner Bailey. Works by Vivaldi, Liszt, Chopin, and Puccini will be sung. Tickets, $10 to $21. Campus parking is three bucks. (800) 832-ARTS or go to centerforthearts.org.

Saturday, March 10
Laugh like a leprechaun
April’s Fools Comedy Improv Troupe takes your suggestions and runs with them (to the nearest pot of gold) at 7:30 p.m. in the Second Story Theatre, 710 Pier Ave., Hermosa Beach. Directed by Doris Usui. Guest performers this month are Becky Chang and Earl Baylon. Tickets, $10 general; $8 seniors (or, for a ticket discount to $8, buy online). (310) 318-1705 or go to AprilsFoolsImprov.com.
Now, if you see it this way…
“Greg Gottsdanker: Imagined Narratives,” a series of mixed figurative paintings from the last decade, opens with a reception from 2 to 6 p.m. at APC Fine Arts Gallery, 1621 Cabrillo Ave., Torrance. Additional gallery artists on view: Ron Libbrecht, Ron Squared, Dinara Djabieva, Beth Shibata, and Milford Zornes. Through March 23. Call (310) 328-0366 or go to apcfinearts.com.
In a supporting role
The El Camino College Symphony Orchestra presents “The Dance” at 8 p.m. in Marsee Auditorium, located on campus at Crenshaw and Redondo Beach boulevards, Torrance. Directed by Dan Teter, the works include “Billy the Kid” by Aaron Copland, “Five Courtly Dances from Gloriana” by Benjamin Britten, “Danzón 8” by Arturo Márquez, and ballet music from “Faust” by Charles Gounod. Tickets, $10. Call (800) 832-ARTS or go to centerforthearts.org.
Family fun fair
Taking place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Volunteer Center, 1230 Cravens Ave., Torrance. And what’s there to look forward to? Carnival games, face painting, crafts, raffle and opportunity drawings, plus prizes as well. The Heart of Helping Fun Fare also teaches kids about volunteering and kindness. Free. Details if you go to volcenter.org/familyfunfair.
Flew the coop?
Los Angeles Ballet is bringing in “Swan Lake” to the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center at 7:30 p.m., but it appears the show is sold out. But one can see if there is a waiting list or if there have been cancellations: (310) 998-7782 or go to losangelesballet.org.
In surreal times we dwell
“Centaur in the Garden,” recent work by Marc Kreisel, opens with a reception from 4 to 7 p.m. in the Los Angeles Harbor College Fine Arts Gallery, 1111 Figueroa Place, Wilmington. Through April 27. Gallery hours are Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call (310) 600-4873, (310) 233-4411, or email ronmon@dslextreme.com.
Raise the skull and crossbones
Gilbert and Sullivan’s “The Pirates of Penzance” is onstage for one night only, at 8 p.m., in the Carpenter Center, 6200 Atherton St., Long Beach. If you’ve dreamed about seeing this early musical (from 1879), here’s your chance. Tickets start at $50. Call (562) 985-7000 or go to CarpenterArts.org.
Save your appetite!
The Torrance Firefighters Association is hosting their 47th Annual Spaghetti Dinner from 4:30 to 8 p.m. in the Ken Miller Auditorium, 3341 Torrance Blvd., Torrance. Tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for children under age eight. Eat all you want, and then eat some more. Proceeds benefit the Alisa Ann Ruch California Burn Foundation Summer Camp for burn patients. (310) 781-7000.
Love found, and forever lost
A co-production of “Orpheus and Eurydice” by Christoph Willibald Gluck, presented by LA Opera and the Lyric Opera of Chicago, is also a first-time collaboration with the Joffrey Ballet, and the opera has six performances at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, beginning Saturday and running through March 25. Tickets start at $15. Details at LAOpera.org.
Bye Bye Love
The Everly Brothers Experience, featuring the Zmed Brothers, Zachary and Dylan, with drummer Burleigh Drummond, recreate the vibe of the legendary pop duo. Taking place at 8 p.m. in the Grand Annex, 434 W. Sixth St., San Pedro. Tickets by calling (310)833-4813 or by going to grandvision.org.

Sunday, March 11
Before gramps was born
“Mostly Music from the Renaissance,” performed by La Mer Consort on authentic instruments with the musicians wearing authentic if not original costumes, takes place at 4 p.m. in the Trinity Lutheran Church, 11th and Rowell, Manhattan Beach. Freewill offering. (310) 378-8750.
Coming in on a high note
The Chamber Orchestra of the South Bay presents “Fabulous Flautists” at 7 p.m. in the Norris Theatre, Rolling Hills Estates. The featured soloist is Denis Bouriakov, principal flutist of the LA. Phil. Conducted by Frances Steiner, the program includes work by Vivaldi, Bach, and then Mozart’s “Flute Concerto No. 2 in D,” along with an adaptation for solo flute of Paganini’s “La Campanella,” with Mr. Bouriakov. Preview talk at 6:45 with Chuck Klaus. Tickets, $63. Call (310) 544-0403 ext. 221, visit mycosb.org, or go to palosverdesperformingarts.com.
Lively and still kicking
The South Bay New Orleans Jazz Club, presenting Dixieland and traditional jazz in a live music format, meets from 1 to 5 p.m. in the Knights of Columbus Hall, 214 Ave. I, in Redondo Beach. The featured band is the Magnolia Street Jazz Band. Admission is $8 for members and $12 for non-members. If you belong to another jazz club, however, it’s $10. Visiting musicians who come to play additional sets admitted free. (310) 376-3591.
Romantic era masterpiece
Glenn Dicterow, former concertmaster of the New York Phil and now USC Thornton faculty member, is joined by pianist Bernadene Blaha and violist Karen Dreyfus, plus cellist Benjamin Lash and violinist Mann-Wen Lo, for a performance of César Franck’s “Piano Quintet in F Minor” at 2 p.m. in the Rolling Hills United Methodist Church, 26438 Crenshaw Blvd., Rolling Hills Estates. Free; donate what you can. (310) 316-5574.
Out of this world
The LunaFest is a film festival that highlights women as leaders in society as illustrated through nine short films by women filmmakers. They films range from animation to fictional drama, and cover topics such as women’s health, body image, relationships, cultural diversity, and breaking barriers. Guest filmmakers Anne Edgar and Megan Brotherton will be present. This event, the 17th annual, begins with a pre-reception from 2 to 2:30 p.m., and then the showing of film goes from 2:30 to 5 p.m., all of it in the Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center, 1935 Manhattan Beach Blvd., Redondo Beach. Tickets, $20, available at https://give.classy.org/lunafest18.

Tuesday, March 13
And on guitar we have…
TJ Brinjak strums away from noon to 1:30 p.m. at Suzy’s Bar & Grill, 1141 Aviation Blvd., at Prospect, in Hermosa Beach. Half of the tip jar goes to the Hermosa Beach Friends of the Park. (310) 379-6171.

Wednesday, March 14
She sees the light
Come to the Katy Geissert Civic Center Library at 7 p.m. to hear LA Opera’s community educators give us the lowdown on Gluck’s “Orpheus and Eurydice,” onstage at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion for six performances. Free. 3301 Torrance Blvd., Torrance. (310) 618-5959 or go to Library.TorranceCA.Gov. ER

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