JIa Doughman and Christian Lebano star in “Opus.” Photo by Ed Krieger

Classical music mavens and theater enthusiasts alike will savor “Opus,” an insightful look into the emotions and angst of a string quartet at the Fountain Theatre. The play was so successful in its July run that it has been extended through August.

The temperamental members of the fictional Lazara String Quartet are preparing for a high profile performance at the White House when the mercurial but brilliant violist—and former lover of the lead violinist—disappears.  Tensions rise when his replacement, a brilliant young woman in her first professional gig, joins the all male group. The individuals’ volatility clashes with the group’s desire to produce a flawless, harmonious performance.   The ensuing action is at times hilarious, at times poignant.

This production  is the Los Angeles premiere of Opus which received numerous awards when it made its 2007 debut in Philadelphia with subsequent performances in New York City.

Playwright Michael Hollinger, a classically trained violist, describes the play as “an exploration into group dynamics,  people working together to create something greater than the sum of their parts.”   These emotions are particularly heightened in small ensembles.

Director Simon Levy has skillfully drawn out the different personalities of the five characters without resorting to clichés.   The capable cast of Daniel Blinkoff, Cooper Thornton, Jia Doughman, Gregory G. Giles and Christian Lebano deftly interpret their complex, high-strung characters creating a counterpoint that complements the intricate chamber music they appear to perform.

The set, designed by Frederica Nascimento provides a pleasing backdrop to the drama.   The play runs without intermission for about 90 minutes.

“Opus,” through August 29th at the Fountain Theatre, 5060 Fountain Ave.  Performances: Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays at 8 p.m.; Sundays at 2 p.m.  $25 Thursday, Friday; $30 Saturday, Sunday.  Special rates for students and seniors. Reservations: www.FountainTheater.com or (323) 663-1525.

BOOKS

‘Here at the Beginning’ and Other Stories

This installment of the New Short Fiction Series, Los Angeles’ longest-running spoken-word series, features work by the author Andrea Seigel. Guest performers include Alex Boling, Niki Breitfeller and C.C. Pulitzer. Tickets are $10 in advance, $15 at the door.

L.A. Municipal Art Gallery at Barnsdall Art Park,
Sun., Aug. 8th, 7 p.m.
4800 Hollywood Blvd., East Hollywood.
Info: (323) 662-7900
www.newshortfictionseries.com

Hot Summer Nights

Each Saturday night this month, Skylight will stay open until midnight, giving book lovers a chance to squeeze in extra hours of literary enjoyment. The nights will feature snacks, music (some of it live), art and other assorted fun. August 14th will also feature a birthday tribute to the late author Charles Bukowski on what would be his 90th birthday; the party begins at 8 p.m.

Skylight Books,
Sat., Aug. 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th, 9 p.m.-midnight.
1818 N. Vermont Ave., Los Feliz.
Information: (323) 660-1175;
www.skylightbooks.com

Laura Skandera Trombley

The Autry’s Women of the West division welcomes renowned scholar Laura Trombley, who has written numerous articles and books about the beloved author Mark Twain, the latest of which is Mark Twain’s Other Woman. Trombley will discuss the unknown side of the legendary author. Trombley is also the president of Pitzer College. Free with museum admission (adults $9, students and seniors $5, children 3-12 $3, children under 3 free).

Autry Museum of the American West,
Sun., Aug. 8th, 2 p.m.-3 p.m.
4700 Western Heritage Way, Griffith Park.
Information: (323) 667-2000;
www.theautry.org

COMMUNITY

North New Hampshire Block Party

This inaugural neighborhood get-together encourages community members to come out and get to know their neighbors. The festivities include a live jazz quartet, a cake walk and other games, an inflatable bounce house, and a potluck. Guests are encouraged to bring dishes to share; hot dogs and beverages will be provided.

Hollywood Lutheran Church,
Sun., Aug. 15th, 1 p.m.-6 p.m.
1733 N. New Hampshire Ave., Los Feliz.

Micheltorena Street Elementary School transforms into a flea market the last weekend of every month.

Silver Lake Art Craft and Vintage

On the last Saturday and Sunday of every month, this eclectic flea market springs up, showing off vintage clothing, collectibles, arts, crafts and more. Those who work up an appetite shopping can breathe easily, as there will also be a “food truck block party” on the premises.
Micheltorena Street Elementary School,
Sat.-Sun., Aug. 28th-29th, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
1511 Micheltorena St., Silver Lake.
Info: (323) 467-0623;
www.silverlakeartcraftvintage.com

KIDS & FAMILIES

Children’s Festival of the Arts

The Hollywood Arts Council presents the 25th annual Children’s Festival of the Arts. The festival features live entertainment, kid-friendly workshops, face painting, arts and crafts, special appearances from beloved cartoon characters, and more.

Paramount Pictures,
Sun., Aug. 8th, noon-4:30 p.m.
5555 Melrose Ave., Hollywood.
Information: (323) 871-2787;
www.hollywoodartscouncil.org

MOVIES

‘All About Eve’

Cinespia’s al fresco summer movie series continues with this screening of Joseph L. Mankiewicz’s classic film All About Eve (1950), starring Bette Davis as a fading Broadway star and Anne Baxter as her scheming disciple. A DJ will spin music before and after the screening. Showtime is 9 p.m. Tickets are $10 (available at the gate).

Hollywood Forever Cemetery,
Sat., Aug. 7th, 7:30 p.m.
6000 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood.
Information: www.cinespia.org

Free Movie Tuesdays

Silver Lake’s new library isn’t just a place to check out books; it’s also a place for community events, such as this weekly movie-screening series. Call for specific movie selections.

Silver Lake Branch Library, Tues., Aug. 10th, 17th, 24th, 31st, 5:30 p.m.
2411 Glendale Blvd., Silver Lake.
Information: (323) 913-7451,
www.lapl.org MUSIC & DANCE

Al Green and the Pointer Sisters

Al Green, the legendary soul singer behind such iconic songs as “Let’s Stay Together” and “I’m Still in Love With You,” will perform an evening of old favorites as well as new hits. He’ll be joined by R&B divas the Pointer Sisters.

Tickets are $30-$110.
Greek Theatre, Sat., Aug. 21st,
7:30 p.m.
2700 N. Vermont Ave., Los Feliz.
Information: (323) 665-5857;
www.greektheatrela.com

Gustavo Dudamel conducts his first Los Angeles opera this month. Photo by Anna Hult.

Dudamel Conducts ‘Carmen’

Gustavo Dudamel, the dynamic new music director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, will conduct this concert production of Georges Bizet’s Carmen. It marks his first opera in Los Angeles. In addition, a number of rising stars will perform, including Natascha Petrinsky in the title role and Yonghoon Lee as Don José. Tickets are $10-$156.

Hollywood Bowl, Sun., Aug. 1st, 7:30 p.m.
2301 N. Highland Ave., Hollywood Hills.
Information: (323) 850-2000;
www.hollywoodbowl.com

‘Iron’

C. Derrick Jones and Nehara Kalev, better known as the husband-and-wife team Catch Me Bird, present their newest piece of work, Iron. The show, which combines dramatic aerial artistry and athletic dancing, is inspired by their own marriage. Guests are encouraged to arrive early to picnic in the plaza and enjoy performance installations, sculptural art and interactive surprises. Gates open at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $25-$45 ($12 for students and children).

Ford Amphitheater, Fri. Aug. 13th, 8:30 p.m.
2580 Cahuenga Blvd. East, Hollywood Hills.
Information: (323) 461-3673;
www. fordamphitheater.org

THEATER

‘Medea’

Euripides’ ancient Greek tragedy demonstrates that hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. After Medea is betrayed and cast aside by her husband, Jason (of the Argonauts), she becomes consumed by her own desire for vengeance. This production, directed by Travis Terry, brings new dimension to the play with a modern setting. Tickets are $20 ($18 for students and seniors).

Knightsbridge Theatre, Aug. 6th-29th, Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m., Sun., 6 p.m.
1944 Riverside Drive, Silver Lake.
Information: (323) 667-0955;
www.knightsbridgetheatre.com

‘Much Ado About Nothing’

This summer marks a new chapter for the Independent Shakespeare Company, whose free outdoor performances at Barnsdall Park grew so popular a new venue was needed. The ISC’s new Griffith Park Shakespeare Festival this month features Much Ado About Nothing. The Bard’s romantic comedy features not one but two couples navigating the ups and downs of love, plus a cast of misfits, gossipmongers and interlopers.

Griffith Park Old Zoo, Thurs.-Sun., Aug. 5th-29th, 7 p.m.
4730 Crystal Springs Drive, Griffith Park.
Information: (818) 710-6306;
www.iscla.org ]]> http://www.losfelizledger.com/2010/07/events-calendar-august-2010/feed/ 0 http://www.losfelizledger.com/2010/07/eastside-eye-getting-organized/ http://www.losfelizledger.com/2010/07/eastside-eye-getting-organized/#comments Wed, 28 Jul 2010 05:18:01 +0000 admin http://www.losfelizledger.com/2010/07/eastside-eye-getting-organized/

I’m a paper pack rat. I clip articles from newspapers and magazines. I hold onto press kits and I probably have every birthday and holiday card that anyone has ever sent me. I also have a lot of stuff I call “vintage belongings.”

Evidently my obsession is inherited: my cousin recently sent me boxes of old pencils, cigar boxes and buttons to sell at the Silver Lake Art Craft & Vintage flea market.  However, her loose buttons revealed to me the depth of my keepsake clutter:  not only do I have all of my loose buttons but I also have my grandmother’s button jar and some from my mother. (They are vintage!)

Although I didn’t grow up in the Great Depression, I’ve managed to internalize the ethos of that era. I’m a saver though I don’t go far as to carefully save the twine that comes around the Los Angeles Times as my kids’ great grandma Helen did. I am really trying to mend my ways (Good thing I have all those buttons!).  And although I don’t think I’m a candidate for A&E s’ Hoarders, I don’t want to watch the show to find out.

For some time I have been de-accessing accumulated stuff, and in April I took a class on organizing paperwork taught by Beth Zeigler in Echo Park. She blogs about organizing (http://bneato.blogspot.com) and also writes about the subject for Apartment Therapy.

At her Bneato Bootcamp, class participants are asked to bring a box of paperwork they need to organize. I was genuinely surprised that other people showed up on a Saturday afternoon with their boxes—glad to know I’m not the only one dealing with the problem. We made file labels, file folders per her system but most importantly discussed what kind of records to keep and what to throw out. My favorite part of the class: shredding years of bills (I also have boxes of old bills, receipts and insurance policies). Shredding was incredibly satisfying.

Once I came home, I was inspired to go through my files, chucking bags of paperwork. There is certainly a Feng Shui effect to de-cluttering: clearing out my office and desk and attic files genuinely made me more productive. I made files and folders for my son—we have an annual summer project of organizing his room. I’m really trying to break the pack rat cycle, though I did notice that he has tickets from every movie and concert he’s ever attended.

For more information on upcoming Bneato Bootcamp sessions go to bneato.com

Pick for August 2010

Dennis Hopper Double Standard at MOCA’s Geffen Contemporary

Painter and film director Julian Schnabel was the guest curator for MOCA’s retrospective of actor/director/painter/photographer Dennis Hopper’s artworks.

Beginning in the late 50s, Hopper was fascinated by the art world—photographing many of its star artists—like Andy Warhol, Robert Rauschenberg and Roy Lichtenstein—as well as chronicling his varied life from viewing bullfights in Mexico to Civil Rights marches.

More than 200 works are on display. Don’t miss Schnabel’s ingenious display of Hopper’s black-and-white photographs.
www.moca.org