October 6, 2006
It’s a good weekend to live in Santa Monica — not that there’s ever a bad weekend to live in Santa Monica — but this one is definitely above average. Why? That’s simple, in only three short days, we’ve got smart and sophisticated British comedy, insightful yet raucous forays into the life of a thoroughly modern Latina, youth dance workshops that will stretch the boundaries of space and time, wondrous paintings, free classical music and the absolute best, most effective Saturday morning alarm clock on the planet.
Trust me, you won’t want to sleep through this weekend.
Hilarity is inevitable when British comedy duo David Beeler and Tom Konkle return to the Santa Monica Playhouse. Dave and Tom’s “A Tribute To Dave and Tom” is a rollicking send-up of self importance. This evening promises in advance to be a cloying, wistful, brazenly maudlin affair. Dave and Tom present a look back at the comedy sketches, characters, and monologues that made the eponymous comedy team the corpses that they are today.
Monty Python fans, along with anyone who ever got a good chuckle out of Peter Cook and Dudley Moore, would be well served to make their reservations now for this premier work.
Dave and Tom’s: A Tribute To Dave and Tom
Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 7 p.m.
Through October 29
Santa Monica Playhouse
1211 4th Street
310 394-9779 x 2
Highways takes a look at contemporary Latina life when Cristina Nava performs “Rocks in my Salsa,” written by Nava and conceived and directed by Monica Palacios. Palacios is a well known solo performer, while Nava is an accomplished actress in both theatre and film. Together, these two women have created a work that is both delightful and profound.
Rocks in my Salsa
Friday and Saturday
Oct. 6-7
8:30 p.m.
Highways Performance Space
1651 18th Street at the 18th Street Arts Center
310 315-1459
Terrence Rogers Fine Arts presents a new series of paintings by Mitchell Johnson, Color, Context and Perception. Come revel in the sumptuous colors of these wonderful paintings. For years, Johnson’s paintings of the landscape have highlighted the shapes and colors punctuating the hills and fields, and these paintings mark a distinct transition from his earlier work.
Color, Context and Perception
Terrence Rogers Fine Art
Oct. 7-Nov. 4
Opening Reception: Saturday, Oct. 7, 4 p.m.
1231 Fifth Street
(310) 394-4999
info@trogart.com
Budding Katherine Grahams and up-and-coming Nijinskys, along with young Einsteins and Carl Sagens, should definitely be at Virginia Avenue Park on Saturday for Donna Sternberg & Dancers’ free workshops examining the concepts of time and space through movement. Children will participate in structured improvisations and create and perform their own dances. Workshop One focuses on kids from age 6-8 from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m., and Workshop Two will work with kids age 9-12, from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Funded through a grant from the Santa Monica Cultural Affairs Division, these workshops are a fun and educational way for children to learn about dance and science while exploring their own creativity.
Rage To Know Workshops
Virginia Avenue Park
Thelma Terry Building
2200 Virginia Avenue
Registration: (310) 458-8688 or dsdancers@earthlink.net.
Don’t miss this week’s Wake Up With The Waves concert on the Pier, when Ben and Stephanie from the Village Arts Center will lead a drum circle with authentic African rhythms. Whether you bring your own drum or borrow one of theirs, you’ll learn there’s nothing quite like a good drum circle to wake you up on a Saturday morning!
African Drums and Dance
Saturday, Oct. 7
9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Santa Monica Pier
And to finish off the weekend, join your friends and neighbors at the free Santa Monica Symphony performance on Sunday afternoon. There’s no better way to introduce newcomers to classical music than to bring them to these enriching concerts. The evening starts with a lecture by Raymond Knapp, which provides listeners with a solid background on the music to be performed. Sunday’s lineup includes pianist Max Levinson on a bill that includes Dvorák’s Carnival Overture, Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 20 and Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 9.
Santa Monica Symphony
Sunday, Oct. 8, at 7:30 p.m.
Santa Monica Civic Auditorium
1855 Main Street
Santa Monica Conservency Landmark Tour
I often drive by Santa Monica’s amazing architectural treasures and yearn to know what lies beyond their front doors. Finally, I’m getting a chance to find out — without resorting to trespassing! Next weekend, I’m going to hop aboard the Santa Monica Conservancy’s Landmarks Bus Tour. This excursion will get me thoroughly acquainted with our city’s architectural heritage as local architectural historian Ken Breisch lets me peek inside many of Santa Monica’s fascinating historic sites.
The tour includes landmark homes on Adelaide Drive, the luxurious Georgian, Embassy and Casa del Mar hotels, and classic apartment buildings such as the Charmont and the Sovereign. Join me, the tickets are $25 for SMC members; $30 for nonmembers; $40 for a tour ticket and first-time membership. What a deal!
Santa Monica Conservancy Bus Tour
2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Oct. 15
(310) 485-0399
events@smconservancy.org
Well, that wraps it up for this week’s Palette. Santa Monica’s Cultural Affairs Division is still working away on the development of a new map for the future of the arts and culture in our city — Creative Capital. Thanks to everyone who has participated in workshops and surveys so far.
Please check our web site for news about the plan and to learn ways that you can participate in drafting this important document.