What to do this weekend: ‘Matthew Bourne’s Romeo and Juliet’

and Los Angeles Times Staff

Jan. 24, 2024 11 AM PT

In case you haven’t heard, I was among the many L.A. Times staffers who received layoff notices this week. This will be my last edition of L.A. Goes Out. Building this popular newsletter has been a treasure and something that I never anticipated in my career. It was exciting to experience and learn about the art landscape of L.A. along with you, finding unexpected pockets of talent in SoCal while diversifying the artists we report on. While it is sad to say goodbye to a paper that I dreamed of working for since I was an undergrad, I am glad that I got to be a part of something like L.A. Goes Out. I’ll miss all your fun replies, support and chance encounters out in the city. I can’t wait to see what is ahead. If you’d like to keep in touch, reach out at [email protected].

Goodbye for now,
Steven Vargas

Weekly Countdown

Two dancers kneeled on the ground, looking at each other.

1. ‘Matthew Bourne’s Romeo and Juliet’
Dance
“Matthew Bourne’s Romeo and Juliet” heads to the Ahmanson Theatre to make its North American premiere. The show revitalizes Shakespeare’s classic tale of forbidden love with a modern twist, taking place in a nondescript institute filled with sanitized, white walls and beds. It allows audiences to craft a narrative of their own, Bourne told The Times. His main inspiration for New Adventures’ revival wasn’t Shakespeare’s script, but rather the beauty of youth.

“I wanted the people in the audience to remember what it was like when they first fell in love,” Bourne said.

The cast influenced the narratives and characters of the show in hopes of crafting an authentic representation of young love, “the real, lusty young thing where you can’t keep your hands off of each other,” he said.

Bourne is known for pushing the boundaries of dance, all the way back to his restaging of Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake” where the leading lovers were two men. This time around, Bourne’s take on “Romeo and Juliet” looks to embrace the energetic side of youth. If you aren’t familiar with the Shakespearean tragedy, that’s all right. His dance theater works don’t require preparatory research. It is all about the lives of today.
📍: Ahmanson Theatre in downtown L.A.
⏰: Running from Sunday to Feb. 25
💲: $35 to $155

2. “POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive”
Theater
The president of the United States turns a PR nightmare into an even worse global crisis. Now it is up to the seven women working behind the scenes for him to pick up the pieces. “POTUS,” a farce about gender and power written by Selina Fillinger, makes its way to the Geffen Playhouse this month following its opening on Broadway in 2022.
📍: Geffen Playhouse in Westwood
⏰: Running until Feb. 18
💲: Starting at $45

A painting of trees made of bold colors.

3. Fernberger Gallery’s Inaugural Exhibition
Visual Art
Emma Fernberger is opening a new art gallery in East Hollywood this weekend with Nicole Wittenberg’s debut solo exhibition in L.A., “Jumpin’ at the Woodside.” The show includes new works that bring vibrant colors out of outdoor landscapes, from twilight skies to bold, swaying trees. The new space will join other recent additions to the L.A. art landscape, including Clearing, David Zwirner, James Fuentes and more.
📍: Fernberger in East Hollywood
⏰: Friday to March 16. Opening celebration from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday
💲: Free

Four people sitting on the floor in a circle with one person standing.

4. ‘N.O.T.E Humanity’
Dance
This weekend’s dance performance at Highways combines the powers of art and technology. “N.O.T.E Humanity” is a two-day showcase of African American science fiction, presenting Stèphen Banks’ “HUMÅN” on Friday and Darrel “Friidom” Dunn’s “Exïstant: The State of Epiic” on Saturday. The shows use performance to dive into the impact of AI, communal support and the realities of existing in a constantly shifting world.
📍: Highways in Santa Monica
⏰: 8:30 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday
💲: $30 to $40

5. ‘New Standards’
Visual Art
Terri Lyne Carrington — a National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master and Grammy-winning drummer/producer — presents her new project, “New Standards” at Royce Hall on Saturday. The performance highlights women composers, bringing in special guests like Ambrose Akinmusire, Ravi Coltrane and Dianne Reeves. The show will provide a vast glimpse into jazz, sharing everything from ballads to experimental compositions.
📍: Royce Hall in Westwood
⏰: 8 p.m. Saturday
💲: $39 to $59

Bonus round: “Border Crossings: Exile and American Modern Dance 1900-1955”

UC Santa Barbara’s Art, Design & Architecture Museum has a new exhibition that celebrates the immigrants and artists of color who catalyzed modern dance. “Border Crossings” shares how war, exile, inequality and injustice shaped the art form and became part of its DNA, highlighting works by legendary dance artists like José Limón, Katherine Dunham and Pearl Primus. The exhibition also includes a series of performances and conversations with the dancers of today.
📍: AD&A Museum in Santa Barbara
⏰: On view until May 5. Gallery open from noon to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday.
💲: Free

On My Mind

People dancing in an open room, dressed in white.

On Saturday, I attended a screening of Manuela Dalle’s “Dancing in A-Yard” at MOCA Grand. The feature documentary follows 10 men in the California prison system participating in a dance program in partnership with CalArts. At the core of the film is the theme of humanity. Layer by layer, the documentary peels back where the men grew up, their familial backgrounds and the circumstances that led them to prison. We see how dance allows them to open up, find joy and break down the mask of masculinity they had adopted to survive. “Dancing in A-Yard” is a beautiful reminder of the power of dance. As the men break out of their shells and create a piece with the help of choreographer Dimitri Chamblas, they reflect on how they have a voice and deserve more than what life handed them.

An abstract photo of two people dancing in a large box.

On Sunday, I saw L.A. Dance Project’s last showcase of its Launch:LA residency program. The performance began with “Sucker Punch,” a three-person immersive dance theater piece by Jamal Kamau White. Audience members wore headsets, and throughout the piece people could switch between three channels with different scores composed by Cinquè Granderson. The narrative was somewhat murky, but it gave the viewer the agency to craft their own storyline with their headsets, switching tracks to alter the tone and relationships on stage. My favorite part was observing the movement language. After an initial swing or spin, the dancer gave gravity the steering wheel to complete the remainder of the movement, creating an organic phrase of dance.

JA Collective, a duo consisting of Jordan Johnson and Aidan Carberry, followed White. Their piece, “I-S-T,” crafted a strong narrative about two people stuck in a box and using a light as a way to physically and mentally escape. The performance was addicting, especially when the performers held a lit lightbulb as they danced, bringing attention to the curve of an arm or the sharp jerk of the torso.

A woman smoking in a dark room with a spotlight on her.

I finished my Sunday with a trip to Pasadena Playhouse for the opening of “Kate,” a one-woman show written by Kate Berlant and directed by Bo Burnham. On the surface, the show is a satire. But there’s more underneath the comedic jabs. From the use of house lights and audience interaction to the impromptu breakdowns of story structure, Berlant shares her love for theater. 📍: Pasadena Playhouse / ⏰: Running until Feb. 11 / 💲: $63 to $162

Go out speed round

An abstract installation of a house made of steel with detailed designs.

Go out before it closes: Marian Goodman Gallery’s exhibition by Cristina Iglesias is coming to a close on Saturday. “Ellipsis” includes experiential pieces that immerse the viewer in a labyrinth or pull inspiration from water to create a frozen vortex. 📍: Marian Goodman Gallery in Hollywood / ⏰: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Through Saturday / 💲: Free

Go out for free: The Common Magazine will celebrate its 26th issue at Skylight Books on Thursday with a special event that includes brief readings of work from the magazine, an artist presentation and a moderated Q&A. Its upcoming publication shares work from seasonal, migrant and immigrant California farmworkers. 📍: Skylight Books in Los Feliz / ⏰: 7 p.m. Thursday / 💲: Free

Go out and learn/craft: Paint Your Noodz is making its L.A. debut this weekend with a pop-up at Melrose Drawing Club that encourages participants to embrace their curves on the canvas. The Nashville-based group partners with Back Bone Society, a woman-founded street-wear collective, for a fundraising event benefiting House of Ruth. 📍: Melrose Drawing Club in Hollywood / ⏰: 2 to 5:30 p.m. Saturday / 💲: $125

Go out with the kids: Discover Cube L.A. is hosting a day of dance that will teach the little ones about the science behind the body. Following a dance showcase, there will be a Q&A with Benita Bike’s DanceArt group and a “try-out-the-moves” session led by the dancers. 📍: Discovery Cube L.A. in Sylmar / ⏰: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday / 💲: $16 to $18

A woman sitting on the floor in a black jumpsuit and fur coat.

Go out on a date: Take your special someone out for a special evening concert by Chaka Khan. The iconic singer known as the queen of funk is headed to the Luckman at Cal State L.A. this weekend to commemorate her 50th anniversary in music. 📍: Luckman Fine Arts Complex in El Sereno / ⏰: 8 p.m. Saturday / 💲: Remaining tickets range from $135 to $260

Go out all day: Spend the day watching new theater at Center Theatre Group’s L.A. Writers’ Workshop Festival, which presents readings of new plays by Amy Berryman, Jasmine Sharma, Inda Craig-Galván, Ramiz Monsef, christopher oscar peña and Issac Gómez. 📍: Kirk Douglas Theatre in Culver City / ⏰: Friday to Sunday / 💲: $15 to $45

Go out all weekend: Dance Camera West returns with a new set of exciting dance films premiering at Barnsdall Art Park. The festival includes a curated selection of 40 films from 20 countries, opening with selected works from guest of honor Javier De Frutos. 📍: Barnsdall Gallery Theatre in East Hollywood / ⏰: Thursday to Sunday / 💲: $15 to $100

Go out and wander: Wander through the American Museum of Ceramic Art’s “Fahrenheit 2024” exhibition, a revival of the museum’s juried show that includes over 80 artists’ best works of art. 📍: American Museum of Ceramic Art in Pomona / ⏰: On view until Sept. 8. Gallery open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday through Sunday / 💲: Free to $14

Go out to the movies: In honor of Holocaust Remembrance Day, the Holocaust Museum is hosting a screening of “Return to Auschwitz: The Survival of Vladimir Munk.” A Q&A with Julie Canepa, a co-author of the film, will follow the screening. 📍: Holocaust Museum L.A. in Fairfax / ⏰: 3 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday / 💲: Free

Go out and laugh: “Prince Harry: Live! At Coachella” is a one-person musical about the inner workings of Prince Harry, pulling from his bestselling memoir “Spare” to imagine what it would be like for him to take on his next title: pop star. 📍: studio/stage in Hollywood / ⏰: 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday / 💲: $10