South Bay arts calendar for Jan. 11 to 17

The LA Art Show opens with a premiere party on Wednesday night (Jan.10), with general show hours Thursday, Jan.11 to Sat. Jan. 13, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sun. Jan. 14 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. It takes place at the Los Angeles Convention Center, South Hall, 1201 S. Figueroa St., Los Angeles. Opening night is $125 and up. General admission, one day tickets are $30 for Thursday through Sunday. Pictured, international pop artist Pandemonia, who presents her special exhibition “Flash Bulb.” She’ll pose and perform, and you can even take a selfie with her. For more information, go to laartshow.com

The LA Art Show opens with a premiere party on Wednesday night (Jan.10), with general show hours Thursday, Jan.11 to Sat. Jan. 13, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sun. Jan. 14 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. It takes place at the Los Angeles Convention Center, South Hall, 1201 S. Figueroa St., Los Angeles. Opening night is $125 and up. General admission, one day tickets are $30 for Thursday through Sunday. Pictured, international pop artist Pandemonia, who presents her special exhibition “Flash Bulb.” She’ll pose and perform, and you can even take a selfie with her. For more information, go to laartshow.com

“Toyetic” features Chuck Hohng, John T. Quinn, and Ross Bonfanti, and it’s an exhibition focusing on artworks inspired and informed by the toy industry. The opening is Friday with a reception from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Manhattan Beach Art Center. Through April 1. Call (310) 802-5440 or email infombac@citymb.info

Friday, January 12
Are you toying with me?
“Toyetic” is an exhibition focusing on artworks inspired and informed by the toy industry, and the three-person show features Chuck Hohng (showing a series of bears that resemble children’s teddy bears), John T. Quinn (Director of Character Art for Disney Consumer Products), and Toronto-based artist Ross Bonfanti (he works with concrete and mixed media). It opens with a reception from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Manhattan Beach Art Center, 1560 Manhattan Beach Blvd., Manhattan Beach. Through April 1. Call (310) 802-5440 or email infombac@citymb.info.

Tall, dark leading man
“King Kong,” the 1933 classic with Fay Wray, screens at 8:15 p.m. on 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.

They play, you pay
A fundraiser for the Hermosa Kiwanis Club takes place from 6 to 10 p.m. and features local bands 1034, The Mailmen, The Cavities,and Nightmare Enterprises. It’s an all-ages event and takes place at the Kiwanis Club, 2515 Valley Dr., Hermosa Beach. Cover, $5; doors open at 5 p.m. To learn more, email 1034band@gmail.com.

“The Crucible,” Arthur Miller’s allegory of the McCarthy Hearings by way of the 1692 Salem Witch Trials, opens at 8 p.m. on Friday at the Westchester Playhouse. Performances, Friday through Sunday. Closes Feb. 17. Post-show talks on Jan. 28, Feb. 4, and Feb. 11. Tickets, $20, less $2 for seniors and students. Pictured, Daniel Kruger, Harold Dershimer, and Brad Halvorsen. Photo by Shari Barrett. (310) 645-5156 or go to kentwoodplayers.org

Good versus evil
“The Crucible,” Arthur Miller’s play about the 1692 Salem Witch Trials (an allegory of events form the 1950s McCarthy Hearings), opens at 8 p.m. at the Westchester Playhouse, 8301 Hindry Ave., Westchester. Performances, Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. through Feb. 17. Post-show talks on Jan. 28, Feb. 4, and Feb. 11. Tickets, $20, less $2 for seniors and students. (310) 645-5156 or go to kentwoodplayers.org.

Hosted by local punk band 1034, a fundraiser for the Hermosa Kiwanis Club takes place from 6 to 10 p.m. on Friday at the Kiwanis Club on Valley Drive in Hermosa. Also playing: The Mailmen, The Cavities, and Nightmare Enterprises. Cover, $5. All-ages. Email 1034band@gmail.com

Each one a treat
“Pick of the Vine,” the annual cornucopia of short plays now in its 16th season, opens at 8 p.m. in Little Fish Theatre, 777 S. Centre St., San Pedro. Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. Special talkback performance on Jan. 21. Through Feb. 17. Tickets, $23 on opening night; thereafter $27 general and $25 seniors. (310) 512-6030 or go to littlefishtheatre.org.

Saturday, January 13
Tradition, with a twist
Mostly Kosher is a Jewish cultural revival band performing post-klezmer beats and Yiddish refrains. They perform at 8 p.m. in the James Armstrong Theatre, 3330 Civic Center Drive, Torrance. Tickets, $48; $33. Call (310) 781-7171 or go to torrancearts.org or mostlykosher.com.

April’s Fools Comedy Improv Troupe presents “Bringing in the New Year” at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday in the Second Story Theatre, Hermosa Beach. Audience suggestions turned into comedy on stage. Tickets, $10 general; $8 seniors. (310) 318-1705 or go to AprilsFoolsImprov.com

New year, new laughs
April’s Fools Comedy Improv Troupe presents “Bringing in the New Year” at 7:30 p.m. in the Second Story Theatre, 710 Pier Ave., Hermosa Beach. Directed by Doris Usui and Lloyd Leifer. Audience suggestions are turned into comedy on stage. Tickets, $10 general; $8 seniors. (310) 318-1705 or go to AprilsFoolsImprov.com.

The odd couple
Deanne Stillman, author of “Blood Brothers: The Story of the Strange Relationship between Sitting Bull and Buffalo Bill,” discusses her book at 2 p.m. in the Katy Geissert Civic Center Library, 3301 Torrance Blvd., Torrance. (310) 618-5959 or go to Library.TorrranceCA.gov.

Stop and look up
“Above, Below and Away,” sky paintings by Jon Ng, are on view at Studio 347, located at 347 W. Seventh St., San Pedro. Artist reception today from 4 to 7 p.m., with an artist’s talk scheduled for Feb. 17 at 3 p.m.

Afraid of heights? “King Kong” (1933) screens Friday through Sunday in the Old Town Music Hall, El Segundo. Tickets, $10 general; $8 seniors. (310) 322-2592 or go to OldTownMusicHall.org

Country music star
Five-time Grammy-winner Wynonna Judd brings her “Roots and Revival Tour” to town with an 8 p.m. performance in the Norris Theatre, 27570 Norris Center Drive, Rolling Hills Estates. Tickets start at $125. Call (310) 544-0403 or go to palosverdesperformingarts.com.

Going on view Tuesday, “Pastels in Pieces” (on view through July 29 at the Getty Museum) explores how 18th Century pastel artists pieced together multiple sheets in order to create large, continuous surfaces for their work. Pictured, “Head of a Young Woman” (1779), by Adélaïde Labille-Guiard. Collection of the J. Paul Getty Museum

Satirizing politics
The Capitol Steps present “Orange is the New Barack” at 2 and 8 p.m. in the Carpenter Center, 6200 Atherton St., Long Beach. The political-musical-satire group puts the goings-on in Washington, D.C., in a new and amusing light. Tickets start at $50. Parking is $8. Call (562) 985-7000 or go to CarpenterArts.org.

An uplifting musical comedy
Auditions take place on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Sunday from 6 to 9:30 p.m. for “Sister Act,” based on the 1992 film and featuring music by Alan Menken (“Beauty and the Beast,” “Little Shop of Horrors,” etc.). Auditions at the Westchester Playhouse, where it will be staged by the Kentwood Players from March 16 through April 21. Ben Lupejkis directs. It’s a non-union, non-paid production. Curious? Email SisterAct@kentwoodplayers.org.

Sunday, January 14
Dixieland, traditional jazz
The South Bay New Orleans Jazz Club meets from 1 to 5 p.m. in the Knights of Columbus Hall, 214 Avenue I, Redondo Beach. The featured band is Corey’s Dixie Bop. Admission, $8 members, $12 non-members, but $10 if you’re a member of another jazz club. (310) 376-2591.

Mozart will inspire you
“Amadeus,” part of the National Theatre Live Series, screens at 2 p.m. in the James Armstrong Theatre, 3330 Civic Center Drive, Torrance. This is not the motion picture, but a stage version of Peter Shaffer’s play. Tickets, $17.50. Call (310) 781-7171 or go to torrancearts.org.

Pianist Robert Thies plays at 2 p.m. on Sunday in the Rolling Hills United Methodist Church. Thies won the Gold Medal at the Second International Prokofiev Competition in St. Petersburg, Russia, in 1995. Free, donations appreciated. (310) 316-5574

Accomplished performer
Pianist Robert Thies plays at 2 p.m. in the Rolling Hills United Methodist Church, 26438 Crenshaw Blvd., Rolling Hills Estates. Thies won the Gold Medal at the Second International Prokofiev Competition in St. Petersburg, Russia, in 1995. Free, donations appreciated. (310) 316-5574.

Tuesday, January 16
Express yourself… in film
Jon Fitzgerald, author of “Filmmaking for Change,” talks about his book and “cause cinema” at 7 p.m. in {pages} a bookstore, 904 Manhattan Ave., Manhattan Beach. This event is in collaboration with South Bay Cares. RSVPs are appreciated. (310) 318-0900 or go to pagesabookstore.com.

Pastels in Pieces
This exhibition (on view through July 29 at the Getty Museum) explores how 18th Century pastel artists pieced together multiple sheets in order to create large, continuous surfaces for their work.

Let’s talk about…
“Lincoln in the Bardo,” by George Saunders. Erin Schoonover leads a discussion about this prize-winning novel from 6:30 to 7:30 in the second floor conference room of the Redondo Beach Main Library, 303 N. Pacific Coast Hwy, Redondo Beach. Free. (310) 318-0675 or go to redondo.org/library.

Tommy Castro & The Painkillers have a new album on Alligator Records. “Stompin’ Ground” has a lot of energy and plenty of searing, soulful blues-rock. Tonight (Thursday) they’re at The Rose in Pasadena, and on Friday at The Coach House in San Juan Capistrano (after that, in Agoura Hills and Santa Clarita). Photo by Peggy DeRose. More info at alligator.com

Wednesday, January 17
Back to the 19th century
The Grammy Award-winning Parker Quartet performs Mendelssohn’s “Quartet in E minor, Op. 44, No. 2” and Beethoven’s “String Quartet in B flat major, Op. 130” with “Grosse Fuge, Op. 133” at 8 p.m. in the Campus Theatre, El Camino College, Crenshaw and Redondo Beach boulevards, Torrance. Tickets, $10 to $24. Call (800) 832-ARTS or go to centerforthearts.org. ER

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