“Blues in the Night,” with musical direction by Abdul Hamid Royal, will begin previews on Wednesday, Feb. 20, at Laguna Playhouse, 606 Laguna Canyon Rd. The show, conceived and directed by Sheldon Epps, will open on Sunday, Feb. 24, at 1 p.m. and runs through Sunday, March 10.
“We are delighted to have the opportunity to move the critically acclaimed Wallis Theatre production to the Laguna Playhouse,” artistic director Ann E. Wareham said.
The cast includes Yvette Cason, Jenna Gillespie, Chester Gregory and Paulette Ivory, and features 26 “hot and torchy” numbers by icons such as Bessie Smith, Duke Ellington, Johnny Mercer, and Harold Arlen.Tickets range from $75-$100 and can be purchased at lagunaplayhouse.com or by calling 949-497-2787
Pacific Symphony Presents “Madam Butterfly”
The Pacific Symphony will present “Madam Butterfly” on Feb. 21, 23 and 26 at Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall. The opera, which centers on a young naïve Japanese geisha who believes that her love for a handsome American naval officer is eternal, is stage directed by Eric Einhorn. Longtime artistic partner Pacific Chorale, led by Artistic Director Robert Istad, will join the Symphony on stage. Soprano Yunah Lee will be performing the lead role of Cio-Cio-San, followed by tenor John Pickle’s performance as Lieutenant B.F. Pinkerton. Tickets start at $71. Doors open at 6:45 p.m. for a 7 p.m. preview talk by KUSC host Alan Chapman, with the show beginning at 8 p.m. To purchase tickets or learn more, visit PacificSymphony.org or call 714-755-5799.
Sir András Schiff to Perform Works by Janáček, Schumann
The Philharmonic Society of Orange County and Soka Performing Arts Center are pleased to present Sir András Schiff in recital at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 24, at Soka Performing Arts Center. Tickets—$60 for adults and $48 for students, seniors, and active military families—may be purchased through the Philharmonic Society at PhilharmonicSociety.org or by calling 949-553-2422, and through Soka Performing Arts Center at PerformingArts.Soka.edu or by calling 949-480-4278.
Annual Lantern Festival Announced
Pacific Symphony and South Coast Chinese Cultural/Irvine Chinese will present a free, fun, family-friendly Lantern Festival commemorating the end of the Lunar New Year from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, March 2, at the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa.
Performances by the Pacific Symphony Chamber Orchestra, the South Coast Chinese Orchestra, Pacific Symphony Youth Orchestra Octet, Lac Hong Performing Art Group, Chinese folk-dance lessons and a ukulele sing-a-long will entertain, along with lantern-making with the Bowers Museum, a petting zoo featuring this year’s animal, the pig, and Chinese knotting classes. Tickets must be reserved in advance through pacificsymphony.org, or by calling 714-755-5799.
‘Cats’ Comes to the Segerstrom
“Cats” will come to Segerstrom Center for the Arts from April 9-14 as part of a North American tour. The show is composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber and based on T.S. Eliot’s “Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats.”
Tickets start at $29 and are available at SCFTA.org, by calling 714-556-2787, and at the box office at 600 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa. The 2 p.m. performance on Saturday, April 13, will include audio description, open captioning and sign-language interpretation.
Celebrity Chef to Participate in Laguna’s Taste of the Nation
The 12th Annual Laguna Beach Taste of the Nation will be held from 2:30-7:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 5, at Montage Laguna Beach, 30801 Coast Highway. The afternoon brings a line-up of great chefs, including Australian celebrity chef Curtis Stone. The culinary event benefits Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry, raising funds needed to end childhood hunger across the U.S.Guests will enjoy bite-sized gourmet delicacies along with fine wines, craft cocktails and desserts. Highlights of the event are a live auction and after-party with more bites and libations. Tickets are $250 per person for general admission from 3-7:30 p.m. or $275 for VIP admission from 2:30–7:30 p.m.Additional information can be found at events.nokidhungry.org/events/laguna-beachs-taste-nation.
