8 best things to do in L.A. including the Sting musical ‘The Last Ship’

Cultural offerings this weekend start with Sting in the musical “The Last Ship,” Pacific Symphony’s Lunar New Year celebration, the dance company A.I.M by Kyle Abraham and the Václav Havel drama “Largo Desolato.” Pacific Opera Project is back with a pair of one-acts, Los Angeles Master Chorale performs a new live score for a silent-era classic, and singer-songwriter King Princess struts her stuff at the Wiltern. And if the high price of museum admission has got you down, we have good news for you.

Set sail with Sting

A working-class community confronts the demise of England’s shipbuilding industry in “The Last Ship.” British rocker Sting costars in this musical he cocreated with music from his 1991 album, “The Soul Cages.” Ahmanson Theatre, 135 N. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. 8 p.m. Wednesday-Friday, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, 1 and 6:30 p.m. Sunday; other dates through Feb. 16. $35-$145. (213) 972-4400. centertheatregroup.org

Year of the Rat

Welcome the Lunar New Year with Pacific Symphony. Carl St. Clair leads the orchestra, along with Pacific Chorale and a cohort of guest musicians, vocalists and dancers, in a Year of the Rat celebration that includes Li’s “Spring Festival” Overture and Zhang’s “Peking Opera Medley” plus works by Beethoven, Vivaldi and others. Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. 8 p.m. Saturday. $28 and up. (714) 755-5799. pacificsymphony.org

Movin’ and groovin’ in Long Beach

A.I.M by Kyle Abraham performs a trio of the choreographer’s most popular works — “Drive,” “Show Pony” and “The Quiet Dance” — plus a restaging of Trisha Brown’s avant-garde 1976 work “Solo Olos.” Carpenter Performing Arts Center, 6200 E. Atherton St., Long Beach. 8 p.m. Saturday. $55. (562) 985-7000. carpenterarts.org

This Czech won’t bounce

A political dissident suffers a long, dark night of the soul as he awaits his imminent arrest in “Largo Desolato.” Czech writer turned politician turned President Václav Havel penned this semiautobiographical Cold War-era drama, with an English-language translation by playwright Tom Stoppard. City Garage, Bergamot Station, Building T1, 2525 Michigan Ave., Santa Monica. 8 p.m. Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday; other dates through March 1. $20, $25; Sundays: pay what you can, at the door only. (310) 453-9939. citygarage.org

Two for the price of one

To kick off its 10th season, Pacific Opera Project pairs “Gianni Schicchi,” Puccini’s one-act comic opera about a well-off family fallen on hard times, with “L’enfant et les Sortilèges,” Ravel’s fantasy tale about a misbehaving boy whose toys magically come to life. Occidental College, Thorne Hall, Thorne Road, L.A. 3 p.m. Saturday; other dates through Feb. 2. $15-$60. (323) 739-6122. pacificoperaproject.com

A royal audience

King Princess, the singer-songwriter turned viral sensation turned indie pop darling known for sensitive ballads and gender-queer anthems, holds court at the Wiltern in support of her debut album, “Cheap Queen.” The Wiltern, 3790 Wilshire Blvd., L.A. 7 p.m. Friday-Saturday. $35-$106. wiltern.com

For those keeping score

Los Angeles Master Chorale performs “House of Cards” composer Jeff Beal’s new score to accompany a screening of “Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans,” F.W. Murnau’s classic 1927 silent melodrama. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. 7 p.m. Sunday. $29 and up. (213) 972-7282. lamasterchorale.org

Art for art’s sake

No money? No problem! Dozens of local museums, including the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Bowers Museum, the Japanese American National Museum and the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, will be waiving admission fees this Saturday as part of the 15th annual Museums Free-for-All. socalmuseums.org