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November 10, 2006
By Hamp Simmons
Special to the Daily Press
I’ll bet Clive Barker never expected to see his name in a headline right next to Dancing Penguins, but this is Santa Monica and the unexpected is only to be expected. Last weekend was an arts and culture marathon and I’m still tired, but as you see, there’s more on the horizon. Janis Ian is coming to town. The Virginia Avenue Project kids are doing improv. Laraine Newman and Melanie Chartoff are revealing secrets. And tap dancing penguins.
It’s gonna be a great weekend!
Julia Gerhardt as a stumping politician — “Winging It!”
Friday and Saturday, at 7 p.m.
Sunday at 3 p.m.
Miles Playhouse
1130 Lincoln Blvd.
Admission: $5 suggested donation, or pay-what-you-can
(310) 264-4224
The Virginia Avenue Project will be presenting its first show of improvised performances at the Miles Playhouse this weekend. This amazing agency uses the performing arts to work with kids in Santa Monica’s Pico Neighborhood. Under their tutelage, 100 percent of Project kids graduate from high school with 90 percent of them going on to college. This is an agency that everyone can support and the performances are true delights.
Laraine Newman and Melanie Chartoff — “Half-Baked”
Friday at 8 p.m.
Main Stage, Santa Monica Playhouse
1211 Fourth Street
(310) 394-9779
Two of Los Angeles’ funniest people — Melanie Chartoff and Laraine Newman — will present their new show “Half-Baked” as a benefit for the Santa Monica Playhouse tomorrow night. It’s a sneak peak at a very special work-in-progress exploring the two women’s lives, which just coincidentally also happen to be works-in-progress.
Janis Ian
Friday at 8 p.m.
McCabes
1310 Pico Blvd. (at 31st Street)
(310) 828-4997
Janis Eddy Fink wrote her first song at age 12, changed her name (can you blame her?) to Janis Ian and recorded her first album in 1965. Her first hit, “Society’s Child” ignited controversy from coast to coast, resulting in the burning of a radio station and the firing of a disc jockey who dared to play the song about an interracial romance. She taught me and a few million others the truth at 17, was the first performer to sing on “Saturday Night Live” and is still making excellent music today.
Find out just how excellent on Friday night, when Ian performs in concert at McCabes.
A Tribute to George Miller — Tap-dancing penguins!
Saturday
Aero Theatre
1328 Montana Ave. (at 14th Street)
American Cinematheque at the Aero Theatre presents a tribute to George Miller on Saturday, kicking off at 10 a.m. with a sneak preview of “Happy Feet!” This animated adventure comedy takes a cue from the documentary film “March of the Penguins,” but this time focusing on the life of Antarctica’s first tap-dancing Emperor Penguin. Miller himself will introduce this screening, followed by a penguin party with penguin stories and refreshments at Every Picture Tells A Story.
And at 7:30 p.m., the tribute continues with screenings of Miller’s nihilistic road-rage sci-fi flicks “Mad Max” and “Mad Max II: The Road Warrior,” neither of which has tap-dancing penguins which, in my humble opinion, would have made them much more entertaining.
Clive Barker and Jane Ray book signings
Saturday, at 5 p.m.
Every Picture Tells A Story
1311-C Montana Ave.
(310) 451-2700
Fantasy author/illustrator Clive Barker introduces the art of his friend, Jane Ray, including remarkable original watercolor work from her book of “Shakespeare’s Romeo And Juliet.” Both Barker and Ray will be signing their books and Barker’s new limited edition prints from Abarat will be on display, as well. Barker promises that there will be no ghouls, monsters, ghosts or evil spirits on hand as they are all resting up from last weekend.
We’re Number One!
Did you know that Santa Monica beat out San Francisco, Seattle and even New York City as the city with the highest proportion of creative workers? More than six times the national average! Learn more about how important arts and culture are to our economy on our web site, Creative Capital.
The elections are finally done, so forget your troubles, come on, get happy! Get your tweed pressed and your best vest and join Janis, or Laraine, or Clive, or George and his tapping penguins for a weekend of fun in Santa Monica.
Hamp Simmons is the cultural affairs coordinator for the City of Santa Monica. Send comments or suggestions for the Palette to artpalette.mailbox@smgov.net.
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