San Diego's Top Weekend Events: Deftones, Swans And 'Wicked'

This is Kate PBS midday edition. I'm Maureen Cavanagh our weekend preview takes a big tent view of events this week from hardrock to Swan Lake and of course something wicked this way comes. Joining me is Kate PBS arts calendar editor Nina Garenne. Nina welcome. Thank you. The Wicked Witch of the West is back. Wicked is in San Diego for almost a month at the Civic Theatre. Remind us about this musical. This musical takes place a long time before Dorsey arrives in Oz. So you get a really different perspective on the Wicked Witch. Here she's actually named Elphaba and she's a bright and feisty student and she forms an unlikely bond with the popular Glynda. We know her as the good witch. So when they're at school injustices begin happening and Elphaba has to kind of pick loyalties. And so what we think is wicked is really just a matter of perspective. Wicked is celebrating a really unusual anniversary this month. Yeah it's pretty rare. It's 15 years on Broadway. The original cast had Idina Menzel Kristin Chenoweth and Joel Grey. It has become an international hit. It's been translated into Japanese Spanish German Dutch. A lot of other languages. Earlier this week NBC had an anniversary special devoted just to wicked when the musical first premiered though it received mixed reviews. Why do you think that it's become so popular and really resonated with people. I think that everyone just really likes an underdog story and we're so used to seeing Elphaba as like the evil witch. And I think just having that new perspective on a familiar story is something that people like. Plus it has a collection of songs that are now iconic. And recently it's becoming a little more politically relevant. Well let's listen to a song from Wicked. This is defying gravity performed by Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth and Lee. Accepting. Them. So. Once. In this production who will be playing Elphaba and Glinda. Jackie burns will be playing Elphaba and she has performed the role on Broadway and on tour. I'm think maybe more than any other actor out there. And Carol Lindsay will be Glinda and she's also performed it on Broadway and on tour. The musical is here through November 25th. Now I hear there's going to be a lottery for just the musical is here through November 25th. And I hear there's going to be a lottery for discount tickets. Yeah. Because it's so popular tickets can get pricey and it's not affordable for everyone. But there are going to be 25 dollar orchestra seats. You show up two and a half hours before the show and you write your name and then 30 minutes later winners will be picked. You do need to be present to win. Have a photo I.D. and pay in cash. OK. Wicked will be at the San Diego's Civic Theatre through November 25th. There's a new festival making its debut in San Diego. Tell us about Dia de los Deftones DIA Della Deftones is a festival curated by Chino Moreno of the band The Deftones. The band is kind of like a dark metal band though they reach kind of a wide collection of music fans. Now before we talk more about the festival let's hear a bit of the Deftones. This is passenger. So will the festival be mostly metal and hard rock. Well it's coming from metal and rock but it represents kind of the creative and artistic side. And so the lineup is going to be a little bit of hip hop. They have future the star from Atlanta Mike Shinoda from Linkin Park is going to be doing a solo set and then they'll be the up and coming punk and hip hop and pop groups throughout the day. Also one of your favorite local bands is performing. Yeah one of my absolute favorite Rocket From The Crypt. So what else should people know about the festival. So it happened that Petco Park in the park. It's all ages and for beer fans there is going to be a DIA. The Deftones beer available only at the festival. It's a Mexican lager by belching Beaver Dia de los Deftones happens Saturday at Petco Park and there is a lot of dance apparently happening this weekend. But we're going to focus on one in particular City Ballet's Tchaikovsky spectacular City Ballet is going to pay tribute to the Russian composer. He's known as like a composer for great ballets. You also did The Nutcracker but they're going to be honoring him through Swan Lake. They'll be a focus on that play in particular. So it's not the whole ballet though not the whole Swan Lake. No it'll be Act II which is kind of what you think when you think of Swan Lake it's when print sink freed is up the lake and he counters the mysterious swans and then you'll also see the famous Black Swan podded which has a really difficult ballet choreography so if you're a fan of ballet you like that let's listen to music from Swan Lake from act to. What else will people see on stage. So that's the classical side we're also going to be able to see the contemporary side through Chai celebration that is performed to the seasons and a large cast will be performing the 12 sections of the music. That's one for each month and that will be choreographed by Elizabeth Westridge Nina would you say this ballet would appeal to someone who doesn't necessarily always like to go to the ballet. I would say it does because the music is of course Tchaikovsky and his music is just out there in your self conscious I feel like you're going to be hearing it a lot during Christmas from a nutcracker. So I think if you not if you're not really a fan of dance you will like the music and it will be performed by a life orchestra. City Ballet is Tchaikovsky spectacular happens tonight through Sunday at Spreckels theatre and I've been speaking with PBS arts calendar editor Nina Guera. Nina thank you. Thanks have a good weekend