Search results for

From the KPBS/Arts newsletter: Playwright Lauren Gunderson's "dark revenge comedy" is inspired by one line of stage direction in Shakespeare's "The WInter's Tale" and follows a woman, Nan, and an unlikely set of best friends as they plan an over-the-top and, uh, grotesque "exit" from an abusive marriage. Directed by Kira Blaskovich, it's on stage at Coronado Playhouse Aug. 16 through Sept. 8. $24+. —Julia Dixon Evans, KPBS From the organizers: After years of abuse, Nan is finally ready to teach her abusive husband Kyle a lesson. With some assistance by her longtime best friend Simon (acting as her emotional, and actual, cheerleader) and an optimistic stripper named Sweetheart, Nan wants to make Kyle understand what he’s done is wrong before taking her final revenge. They hatch a plan inspired by Shakespeare’s immortal stage direction in The Winter’s Tale: “Exit, pursued by a bear.” With a flair for theatrics, the group tapes a drunk Kyle to a chair and reenact scenes from the couple’s painful past. In the piece de resistance, they plan to cover the room in meat and honey so Kyle will be mauled by a bear. Through this night of emotional trials and ridiculous theatrics, Nan and Kyle are both freed from their past in this dark and smart revenge comedy. Subtitled as “A Revenge Comedy,” Gunderson delivers nothing less, as the fast paced action screams towards Kyle’s fate. As the laughs roll, Gunderson cleverly confronts the issue of domestic abuse but at the same time walks the fine line between painful tragedy and unseemly comedy by examining multiple perspectives of those involved, each flawed, contradictory, and human. Exit, Pursued by a Bear is the first of three plays in the author’s “Shakespeare Cycle”, a series of contemporary comedies based on Shakespeare’s plays. Other plays in the series include Toil and Trouble and The Taming. Ticket Details | Single Tickets: $27 all performances. $3 Active Military, Student & Senior Discounts. Group rates available for parties of 8 or more (pricing will automatically adjust when 8 or more adult tickets are purchased together. Group rates only apply to adult ticket pricing).

The Athenaeum Music & Arts Library welcomes Anne Labovitz for a special presentation of her career, process, recent projects, and exhibition "The Blue Hour." The reception begins at 6 p.m. and is followed by a 6:30 p.m. lecture. Inspired by the blue cast of twilight, Anne Labovitz uses light and its profound meanings in various contexts as the central construct of "The Blue Hour." She aims to respond to today’s world by challenging isolation, loneliness, and disconnection through activating color and light in large-scale works. Labovitz has an extensive international exhibition history and has work in many private and public collections, including the Walker Art Center; Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport; Mayo Clinic; Minnesota Marine Art Museum; International Portrait Gallery, Bosnia-Herzegovina; Växjö Konsthall, Sweden; Isumi City Offices, Japan; the University of Raparin, Rania Iraqi Kurdistan; the City of Petrozavodsk, Russia; and the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library. She is an adjunct professor and mentor in the MFA program at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design.

From the organizers: COLLABORATIVE POETRY: CONNECTION AND RECONNECTION Join us for a wholesome and fun evening of poetry, live music, arts & crafts, and free dinner! Explore the wonders of Mad Libs-style communal storytelling, where the audience and artist can connect with each other and create a new poem in realtime, together. Guest artists: Poetry by Gill Sotu Word Up! Creator and Host Laura Zee Music & Sound by Miki Vale Visual Art by Isabel García Also featuring: Ric Scales Valeria Vega This event is FREE and great for families, first dates, and making new friends. Make sure to RSVP here. Related links: The Old Globe Arts Engagement website | Instagram |Facebook

Opening reception: 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 19 About the exhibition: In his exhibition "The Magician Longs to See," photographer Peter Cochrane presents an alchemical tale about the natural world and humanity, using stories of life, death, and the human desire to preserve. Cochrane draws inspiration from indigenous plants in his home state of California and from the Athenaeum Music & Art Library’s own botanical archives. Darkroom prints and abstractions of roses, pine cones, and other local plantings recreate traces of life that once lived in and around the library, including the Torrey pine that stood as a sentinel for the building’s entrance, and climbing roses proposed by Kate Sessions for a 1921 garden renovation. Cochrane’s interest in horticultural and photographic histories also considers the optical manifestation of the alchemical pursuit—the transformation of lead into gold—through which, working with analog photographic processes, metals, and translations, the artist explores the materiality of elements across humanity’s attempts at preservation. Cochrane returns to his hometown of San Diego for his exhibition. The reception is open to the public. The exhibition will be on view through April 13, 2024. Gallery hours: 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday Related links: Athenaeum Music and Arts Library website | Instagram | Facebook

Bobby Allison, whose life was full of tragedy even as he became one of the most celebrated NASCAR drivers of all time, died on Saturday. The Hall of Famer was 86.

From the organizers: November 11 - December 16 BEST PRACTICE is proud to present "I Get to Have My Own Private Hope," the first West Coast presentation of the work of Yue Nakayama. About the exhibition: "I Get to Have My Own Private Hope" functions as a sequel of an earlier video work Looking for Love (and Job) in which Fish washes up on the shores of a new land in search of Love. The fish - an alien species - encounters a different species (Pigeons) who is looking for a Job. Using a variety of everyday anecdotes, the original film explores migration, job security, and the structure of power and gender in contemporary society. In "I Get to Have My Own Private Hope," Fish and Pigeon go on a quest in search of the meaning of “work” prompted by the news of the extinction of bananas, and rent that is past due. This new video piece further questions today’s work conditions and societal structures through the precarity of Fish’s life and disappearing bananas. About the artist: Yue Nakayama works with video, text, and installation. Her practice is centered on reinterpreting minor histories, memories, and personal anecdotes to stage an absurd intervention that disrupts our social expectations and perceptions. Using narrative as a foundation, her projects encompass diverse topics, with recurring themes including belief systems, power dynamics, and issues surrounding cultural, gender, and societal identities. Her work has been exhibited and screened at museums and film festivals including Onion City Film Festival, IL, White Columns, NY, Diverse Works, TX, Contemporary Art Center New Orleans, LA, Visual Art Center UT Austin, TX, Museum of Fine Arts Houston, TX, and ICA Philadelphia, PA. She is the recipient of the Carol Crow Memorial Fellowship from the Houston Center of Photography, the Programmer’s Award from the Athens International Film Festival, the Arch and Anne Giles Kimbrough Fund from the Dallas Museum of Art, and the Foundation for Contemporary Arts. The fellowships and residencies she has attended include Skowhegan, the Core Program, Vermont Studio Center, OX-Bow, and Lighthouse Works. Her work has been featured in the New York Times, the New Yorker, Peripheral Visions, and Glasstire. She currently lives and works in San Diego, CA where she teaches in the Department of Visual Art at the University of California, San Diego. Related links: Best Practice: website | Instagram

The North County Winds Concert Band, under the direction of Vince Hernandez, performs a concert of Swing Music on Saturday July 13 at 2 p.m. at St Bart’s Episcopal Church in Poway. Music of Glen Miller, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Artie Shaw, Dave Brubeck, and others will be featured. Concert includes a few pieces from the 17 piece North County Winds Big Band! Tickets can be purchased at the door, or on Eventbrite.

“Creative Fridays” is a free monthly meet-up for fun, learning, and artistic exploration. We are located in Old Town, San Diego. Our mission for Creative Fridays is simple: to provide a welcoming space for our creative community to connect, explore, and have a blast while trying out new tools and techniques. Whether you're a previous or new student, friend or local artist, this is a great opportunity to get together, share your tips and tricks, and learn from others, while feeding your creative spirit. What to Expect: - A morning filled with inspiration and creativity. - A "Try Me" station of assorted supplies for you to experiment with. - Discover and learn about exciting new tools and techniques. - An opportunity to mingle with fellow creatives and create new connections. - As a bonus, we will provide coffee and some treats! For more information visit: strengerstudio.com Stay Connected on Facebook and Instagram

Ann Patchett is owning her shortcomings. On Wild Card this week, she opens up about religion and the place that shaped her as much as any person did.

The Soyuzivka Ukrainian Heritage Center, a resort that sits about two and a half hours northwest of New York City, in Kerhonkson, N.Y., provides a place that "feels like another home" for thousands of Ukrainian Americans every year.