Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
Available On Air Stations
Watch Live

KPBS Midday Edition

San Diego's Top Weekend Events: Jay Gatsby, Sean Penn And Branford Marsalis

A photo from Septime Webre's "The Great Gatsby."
Courtesy of California Ballet Company
A photo from Septime Webre's "The Great Gatsby."
San Diego's Top Weekend Events: Jay Gatsby, Sean Penn And Branford Marsalis
San Diego's Top Weekend Events: Jay Gatsby, Sean Penn And Branford Marsalis GUEST:Nina Garin, editor/producer, KPBS/Arts Calendar

>> This is KPBS Midday Edition . I am worried Cavanagh. The transformation of American classic, the member of the royal family of American jazz and Academy award-winning actress stretching his wing and getting them burned. Some of the events this weekend in San Diego. Joining me is KPBS calendar editor Nina. In hello. >> The American classic is the great ASPI from the page to the ballet stage, the novel by F Scott it's Gerald like California ballet. How does it work? >> It works really well. That is a complex book, and a lot of language to muddle through. When you do it as a dance, you get to the bones of the story, all drama, and only motion. >> The California ballet staged in 2015. Is it the same? >> Yes. It is the same. The steps are the same, but the show is elevated. The California ballet dancers have continued to grow, and added new members. It is run by Jared Nelson. He was in the original version, now the artistic director for California ballet. He has danced almost all of the roles and he knows this ballet intimately. >> You have seen the preview last night, how did you like it? >> I love it. I am impressed with the level of dancing. It has gotten better than the time it was here in 2015. It is telling a great story, and there are beautiful [ Indiscernible ], a lot of fun party scenes, and even if you are not into ballet, this is one that is great to get into. You still have the classical movements. But you also have contemporary. You are doing the Charleston, and is a great time. >> You brought a bit of music that gives us a feel for the show. Here is music from the ballet by Billy Novix, loosing competitors. >> [ Indiscernible ] [ Music ] >> The great one be lines through Sunday. Next we will talk about a different kind of a novel. One written by Academy award winning Sean Penn. Tell us why you are talking about this. >> Sean Penn wrote a novel called honey. I do not know what it means. The book is like an aging entrepreneur, who is very cranky, hates teams and hates his wife. He happens to be a government contract killer who targets senior citizens. There is a lot more, but just to get a feel for the novel. I read a sentence. I hope I can get through it. While the privilege patronize this pickle to the inequality of equals, Bob smells a assault in right brain narcissist. >> So this book has been savaged by critics. >> Yes it has. The language is very dense in the amount of alliteration, to post the headline. Sean Penn is the novelist that must be stopped. The Washington Post says what is Sean Penn thinking? Then your time says, what have you done this time? >> He will be in San Diego this weekend for two different appearances, talking about the book. Who is the audience for this? >> Definitely people who love Sean Penn. And if you like the alliteration. >> Sean Penn will read from his book Saturday at the University of San Diego. >> Finally, [ Indiscernible ] is coming to camp. They may be remembered as the band leader with Jay Leno on the Tonight Show. >> He was the original band leader. He is also the brother of trumpeter went in Marsalis, and. >> He comes from a world jazz family. He is in San Diego for a classical musical performance. >> He's here with highways and byways, presented by [ Indiscernible ]. This includes a world premiere by a young composer from Chicago, named Conti. The music is a quintet for string orchestra and saxophone called the Berlin steel. >> Let's listen to the classical saxophone. This is from his album creation. >> [ Music ] >> He performs with the contrast quartet and art of the [ Indiscernible ] Sunday at the music box in little Italy. I have been speaking with editor Nina Garin. Thank you.

It's a literary weekend with a ballet inspired by "The Great Gatsby" and a book reading by actor Sean Penn, plus musician Branford Marsalis returns for a classical music concert.

California Ballet's "The Great Gatsby"

Dance

California Ballet brings back Septime Webre's "The Great Gatsby."

Advertisement

Webre's contemporary ballet adaptation fuses live music, narration, singing, contemporary and classical dance, tap and more to bring to F. Scott Fitzgerald's iconic story to life.

The show features live music by jazz band Billy Novick and the Blue Syncopators, and stars Zachary Guthier as Jay Gatsby, Reka Gyulai as Daisy Buchanan and Trystan Merrick as Tom Buchanan.

Go early: the Zzymzzy Quartet, a San Diego swing band inspired by Django Reinhardt and the American Songbook, will be performing before the ballet beginning at 6:30 in the theater lobby on Friday and Saturday nights.

Details: 7:30 p.m. Friday; 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday; 2:30 p.m. Sunday. San Diego Civic Theatre, 1100 Third Ave., downtown. $22.50 to $112.50.

A promotional photo of actor and author Sean Penn.
Taylor Jewell/Invision/AP
A promotional photo of actor and author Sean Penn.

Advertisement

Sean Penn

Books

Academy Award-winning actor Sean Penn will be in San Diego to promote his novella, "Bob Honey Who Just Do Stuff."

The story is about an aging entrepreneur who also happens to be a government contract killer. There's a lot more to it, and critics are comparing the book to a fever dream because the plot is all over the place.

The book is filled with dense prose and an unsettling amount of alliteration. But you can hear Penn read from his writing at two separate events: D.G. Wills Books and the University of San Diego.

Details: 2 p.m. Saturday at D.G. Wills Books, 7461 Girard Ave., La Jolla. Free; (858) 456-1800. 5 p.m. Sunday at University of San Diego, 5998 Alcala Park. $26; find tickets to Sean Penn.

A promotional photo of musician Branford Marsalis.
Palma Kolansky
A promotional photo of musician Branford Marsalis.

Branford Marsalis with Art of Élan

Music

Art of Élan presents "Highways & Byways," a one-night-only concert that features jazz artist Branford Marsalis along with Kontras Quartet.

The idea behind this concert is to take listeners to exciting and unexpected places through music. Marsalis will perform a world premiere commissioned piece called "Beg, Borrow or Steal" by acclaimed Chicago composer Dan Visconti.

The evening also features music by Kontras Quartet and San Diego's Art of Élan.

Details: 7 p.m. Sunday. Music Box, 1337 India St., Little Italy. $25 to $55; find tickets.

San Diego's Top Weekend Events: Jay Gatsby, Sean Penn And Branford Marsalis