Top picks | Live music picks | More weekend arts and culture
Top picks
'Derecho'
Theater | Director Delicia Turner Sonnenberg brings the world premiere of Noelle Viñas play, "Derecho," to the La Jolla Playhouse, after the play was developed in the Playhouse's DNA New Works Series. The story takes place in the Virginia/D.C. area, where powerful storms threaten the character's tenuous peace, literally and figuratively. Eugenia, a hopeful politician, has to find a way to reconnect with her sister Mercedes. The sisters embody notions of storminess in very different ways.
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Viñas, who grew up in Virginia after immigrating from Uruguay as a child, said that the seed was planted for this play when she was visiting home from college. A massive storm struck her parents' neighborhood, downing huge trees in their backyard. It started with dialogue between two sisters, inspired by her own relationship with her siblings and the Latina community she grew up with. But she shelved the fragment of a draft for years, until presenting it at the Bay Area Playwrights Festival in 2020 — where director Delicia Turner Sonnenberg first heard it.
In Spanish, "derecho" means right, or straight and lawful. It also refers to a dangerous windstorm, and Viñas said the complexity of language adds layers of meaning.
"What I was sort of interested in as a playwright is this poetic name for a storm that's sort of talking about: what is it to try to come in from the storm to your own people — in this case a community of Latinos. What does that mean? If there's a political storm outside, and a metaphorical storm of the relationship between the two sisters, and a literal storm? So it kind of plays like triple duty, the metaphor does. And what does safety mean? Because it does mean different things to different people who have different privileges," Viñas said.
"Derecho" is currently in previews and officially opens this weekend.
Details: On stage July 23 through Aug. 18. La Jolla Playhouse, 2910 La Jolla VIllage Dr., La Jolla. $25-$75.
Max Lofano and Joshua Moreno: 'Slow Dance'
Visual art | Curated by Lizzie Zelter and Jacqueline Marino, this new two-person exhibition at Two Rooms Gallery in La Jolla features the always-striking work of artists Max Lofano and Joshua Moreno. While both artists are known for their installation and site-specific work, this exhibit shows off their experimentation with other media like film, sculpture and drawing.
Details: Opens with a reception from 6-8 p.m. on Friday, July 26 and is on view through Aug. 30. Two Rooms Gallery, 5560 La Jolla Blvd., Ste. D, La Jolla. Free.
Charles McPherson's 85th Birthday Celebration
Music, Jazz | Legendary local jazz saxophonist Charles McPherson will celebrate his 85th birthday at Lou Lou's Jungle Room this Saturday, supported by fellow jazz greats Gilbert Castellanos (whose birthday happens to be the next day), Rob Thorsen, Randy Porter and Tyler Kreutel.
Tickets are running low for the early show, but there are plenty left for the 10 p.m. show. And this fantastic showcase will be worth sleeping in the next day.
Details: 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. Saturday, July 27. Lou Lou's at the LaFayette Hotel, 2225 El Cajon Blvd., North Park. $54.
SummerFest
Music, Classical | While opening night of La Jolla Music Society's annual SummerFest is sold out, you can still find a few tickets to the remaining performances this weekend.
On Saturday evening, chamber musicians and a few small ensembles will perform a program of six works, ranging from Saint-Saëns and Schubert to contemporary Thomas Adès and Martin Butler. Butler's piece "Dirty Beasts" is inspired by Roald Dahl. An actor will narrate during the music.
On Sunday afternoon, fest regular Tessa Lark returns to perform work by Leoš Janáček, Beethoven and more from Thomas Adès.
Details: 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 27; 3 p.m. Sunday, July 28. SummerFest runs through Aug. 24. Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center, 7600 Fay Ave., La Jolla. $48-101+.
Nancy Blum: 'Gathered' and Kenneth Capps: 'Cycloids/Drawings'
Visual art | "Gathered" is a solo exhibition of artist Nancy Blum's intricate, vivid drawings on black paper. Blum uses graphite and colored pencils to create fantastical, geometric designs that hint at the strange entities found in either outer space or the bottom of the ocean. This exhibit is on view at Quint Gallery’s 7722 Girard space, and opens Saturday with a daytime reception.
Across the way at Quint’s 7655 Girard gallery, Kenneth Capps' "Cycloids/Drawings" exhibit will feature his abstract steel sculptures and a set of drawings on paper and steel.
Details: Reception is 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, July 27. On view through Aug. 31. Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Quint Gallery, 7722 Girard Ave., La Jolla.
Mojalet Summer Series: H2O Dance Company's 'Jubilee'
Dance, Contemporary dance | Choreographer Rebekah Brown's H2O Dance Company will perform a series of works presented by Mojalet Dance. I recently had a chance to see H2O perform these dances, and the dancers and choreography are vibrant, energetic and expressive. I especially enjoyed "Jubilee," a suite of dances set to music by composer Oliver Davis.
Details: 7 p.m. Saturday, July 27; and 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Sunday, July 28. The Vine Arts Village @ Oaks North Plaza, 12540 Oaks North Dr., Rancho Bernardo. $16-$21.
Marcos Ramírez Erre: 'Mirage: El orden de los factores y los riesgos de la ilusión'
Visual art | Tijuana-born Marcos Ramírez Erre is well-regarded for his site-specific sculpture and installation art, particularly art themed around the U.S.-Mexico border. He recently opened a two-part exhibit at The Front Arte y Cultura gallery curated by Sara Solaimani, with works in the gallery plus a massive outdoor installation. The outdoor work is a three-story platform set up at some nearby open space at 125 Cypress Dr. The art on view inside the gallery ranges from photography and video works to sculptures.
"Mirage" is not Erres' first solo show at the Front — that was 17 years ago, and it was the San Ysidro gallery's first ever exhibition.
Details: On view through Sept. 7, 2024. Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, or by appointment. 147 W. San Ysidro Blvd., San Ysidro. Free.
San Diego Comic-Con
Pop culture | Where to begin? If you're considering tackling Comic-Con or the plethora of offsite events in the downtown area, check out our handy dandy Comic-Con page for panel recommendations, artists to watch, offsites and more. My must-dos every year: grabbing yet another crocheted cactus from the Toshworks booth; taking in some short films in the Children's Film Festival on Sunday; checking out the literacy panels at the concurrent, no-badge-required Comic Conference for Educators and Librarians at the downtown library; and making some time to aimlessly people-watch downtown.
Details: Wednesday through Sunday, July 24-28. San Diego Convention Center, 111 Harbor Dr., downtown. Badges are sold out, but offsite programs are generally free.
Chicano Con
Pop culture | This four-day festival of Latinx art, stories and culture is hosted by Border X Brewing in Barrio Logan. Friday evening is the launch party of A+, or Avenida Productions, a new English-language streaming platform. During the day on Saturday (12-6 p.m.), you'll find kid-friendly activities and free comics. Saturday evening (6 p.m. to midnight) is the ticketed VIP event with a panel of Latinx creatives, including Jorge Gutierrez, Miguel Puga and Lalo Alcaraz. While most of the programming is Friday and Saturday, it's bookended with discounts at the brewery for cosplay and Comic-Con badges on Thursday and Sunday. Thursday also features live music from the band Planetarius.
Details: July 25-28. Brewery hours are 4-9 p.m. on Thursday; 12-11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday; and 12-8 p.m. on Sunday. Border X Brewing, 2181 Logan Ave., Barrio Logan. $0-$23.18.
TranscenDANCE: 'Illuminate: Moving Towards Freedom'
Dance, Contemporary dance, Family | Youth arts organization TranscenDANCE will present their summer showcase, "Illuminate: Moving Towards Freedom." The dances are site-specific for the Balboa Park area and St. Paul's Cathedral, choreographed by Viviana Alcazar, Keomi Tarver and Seiha Vor and performed by the talented youth dancers in the program. Poet Miesha Rice and the Voices of Our City Choir will also perform.
Details: 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, July 25-27. St. Paul's Episcopal Cathedral, 2728 Sixth Ave., Banker's Hill. $23.18. https://www.eventbrite.com/o/transcendance-53798218743
Live music picks
* Indicates local act
Thursday:
- Spiritual Cramp, Ultra Q and Cold Gawd at Casbah (rock/punk, indie/shoegaze)
- Quasi (playing entirety of 1998 "Birds" album) and Jeffrey Lewis at Soda Bar (rock)
- Fermenters*, Secret Fun Club* and more at Che Cafe (metal/rock, experimental/noise)
Friday:
- Songwriter Sanctuary: Aaron Bowen, Mariela and Angel René Wilson at Normal Heights United Church
- Vice Algae*, Hauntu* and Witch Face* at Tower Bar (alt/goth)
- The Palms, Marlon Funaki and Lucia Zambetti at Soda Bar (pop)
- Ana Brown and Cumbia Machin* at Corazon del Barrio (cumbia, reggaeton)
- DLMT and Hollywood Principle* at Quartyard (house/electronic)
Saturday:
- Zack Oakley*, Soul Seller and more at Casbah (rock/folk/psychedelic)
- Cracker and Trouble in the Wind* at Belly Up (rock)
- Meridian Brothers, Spacehall Sound Machine* and Brian Ellis* at Corazon del Barrio (Latin, dance, psychedelic)
Sunday:
- Urban Heat, GVLLOW and Delores Galore at Casbah (darkwave/post-punk/goth, electronic/pop/R&B)
- Afro Sound Wave: David Montoya, Oscar P, Danni G and more at Quartyard (house/afrobeat)
More weekend arts and culture picks
| Event | Date | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19th Annual SDSU Art Council Scholarship Exhibition | This event is in the past. | Athenaeum Art Center | |
| The Athenaeum's 25th Annual Summer Festival 2024: Gustavo Romero Plays Frédéric Chopin | This event is in the past. | Athenaeum Music & Arts Library | |
| 'Don't Dress For Dinner' | This event is in the past. | North Coast Repertory Theatre | |
| Mean Girls: High School Version | This event is in the past. | Casa del Prado Theatre | |
| Civita Park Summer Band Festival | This event is in the past. | Civita Park Band Shell | |
| Kelvin Lopez: 'Casa de las Flores' | This event is in the past. | J. Walcher Communications | |
| 'Scintillation,' an Art Exhibition | This event is in the past. | The San Diego Watercolor Society | |
