8 best things to do in L.A. and O.C. on Leap Day weekend: Ballet BC, Ebersole, Chaplin
It comes around only once every four years, so get out and enjoy this Leap Day weekend with some culture — perhaps Ballet BC’s “Romeo + Juliet” in Northridge, Broadway great Christine Ebersole in Beverly Hills, a musical salute to Charlie Chaplin in Irvine and Los Angeles Ballet’s Balanchine program in Santa Monica. The Industry presents its new opera at Los Angeles State Historic Park, New West Symphony’s Holocaust remembrance plays in Thousand Oaks and Camarillo, Danza Floricanto/USA celebrates the stories of immigrants in downtown L.A. and musical-theater duo jackbenny brings its sibling shenanigans to Cal State Los Angeles.
Wherefore art thou Romeo?
In Ballet BC’s “Romeo + Juliet,” the Vancouver-based company updates Prokofiev’s take on Shakespeare’s star-crossed lovers with new choreography by Medhi Walerski. Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts, 18111 Nordhoff St., Northridge. 8 p.m. Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday. $39 and up. (818) 677-3000. TheSoraya.org
Manifest Destiny
The Industry, the experimental opera company led by artistic director Yuval Sharon, challenges the traditional narrative of the founding of America in the new work “Sweet Land.” Los Angeles State Historic Park, 1724 Baker St., downtown L.A. 8 p.m. Saturday, 5:30 and 8 p.m. Sunday; other dates through March 15. $75-$110; opening night $250. sweetlandopera.com
Cabaret queen
“An Evening with Christine Ebersole” finds the two-time Tony winner (“42nd Street,” “Grey Gardens”) sharing the stage with “Grey Gardens” composer Scott Frankel for a night of show tunes, standards and more. Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, Bram Goldsmith Theater, 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills. 7:30 p.m. Friday. $39-$125. (310) 746-4000. TheWallis.org
Balanchine act
Los Angeles Ballet is back with “Balanchine Black & White.” This stripped-down salute to George Balanchine includes the legendary choreographer’s works “Concerto Barocco,” set to the music of Bach, and “Agon” and “Apollo” set to music by Stravinsky. The Broad Stage, 1310 11th St., Santa Monica. 7:30 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday, 6 p.m. Friday (followed by the company’s annual gala at 8:30 p.m.). $62-$114. losangelesballet.org
Tribute to ‘The Tramp’
Violinist Philippe Quint salutes a legendary silent-era film star in “Chaplin’s Smile: A Musical Tribute to Charlie Chaplin.” This multimedia offering includes movie clips plus music by Chaplin, Debussy, Stravinsky, Brahms and Gershwin. Irvine Barclay Theatre, 4242 Campus Drive, Irvine. 8 p.m. Friday. $45-$75. (949) 553-2422. philharmonicsociety.org
Never forget
New West Symphony is joined by a cohort of singers and actors for “Duet of Remembrance: Dreams,” the first entry in a two-part concert series commemorating the Holocaust. 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, Fred Kavli Theatre, 2100 Thousand Oaks Blvd. Also 3 p.m. Sunday at Rancho Campana Performing Arts Center, 4235 Mar Vista Drive, Camarillo. $30-$120. (866) 776-8400. NewWestSymphony.org
‘Immigrant Stories’
L.A.-based Mexican folk dance troupe Danza Floricanto/USA celebrates the contributions of immigrants to their local communities in the full-length work “Immigrant Stories — An American Journey Told Through Dance.” Rosenthal Theatre, Inner City Arts, 720 Kohler St., downtown L.A. 8 p.m. Saturday, 5 p.m. Sunday. $10-$25. (323) 261-0385. danzafloricantousa.org
A leap at the Luckman
L.A.-based sibling musical-theater duo Jack and Benny Lipson — a.k.a. jackbenny — returns with “And on the 366th Day,” a Leap Day offering of original songs and show tunes. The Luckman Fine Arts Complex, Intimate Theatre, Cal State L.A., 5151 University Drive. 8 p.m. Saturday. $25. (323) 343-6600. luckmanarts.org
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