Haute Highlights
24-Hour Musical
Sunday, UCLA Ackerman Grand Ballroom, 8 p.m.
Usually, theater shows take months to prepare. Actors must memorize lines, the stage blocking must be choreographed, the set must be built and the list goes on and on.
So what happens when you give a cast and crew exactly 24 hours to complete a production from start to finish?
You can find out this Sunday when the Hooligan Theatre Company and UCLA’s ACT III Theatre Ensemble put on the 24-Hour Musical. The show abides by a few specific rules: The musical chosen must be well-known, fun and have a big cast, and the cast and crew must not know anything until exactly 8 p.m. the night before.
It’s a formula that should lead to a lot of laughs, both purposeful and unintended. And though the show is in enemy territory, the 24-Hour Musical looks to be a great, lighthearted way to round out your weekend — and it benefits No Limits, a local charity that empowers hearing-impaired children through theater.
Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination
Ongoing Exhibition, Ends April 15
Between the 3-D re-release of The Phantom Menace and the highly anticipated Volkswagen Star Wars-themed Superbowl commercial (cue “the barkside”), Star Wars fever is catching on.
Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination is a testament to the enduring legacy of George Lucas’ brainchild.
The scientific exhibition poses the question as to whether these fantastical technologies could exist in the real world. Specifically it delves into humanoid robots, landspeeders and X-wing Starfighters, oh my!
Additionally, the exhibition allots audience participation with a vast assortment of interactive activities. You can experiment with robotics, try your hand at steering a hovercraft, witness costumes and props from the epic series itself and play with droid and landspeeder technology.
Star Wars: Where Science Meets Imagination is now on display at the Discovery Science Center in Santa Ana (a bit of a trek but well worth the drive) and tickets cost around $15.
Pay tribute to one of USC’s most prestigious alums and explore this fascinating, interactive and intergalactic world.
The Loved One screening
Saturday, Egyptian Theatre, 7:30 p.m.
When it was first released in October 1965, The Loved One claimed to be “the motion picture with something to offend everyone.” If you’re into some seriously black humor, this rare screening at the Egyptian Theatre should be the perfect Saturday evening event to attend.
Based on a satirical 1948 short novel, The Loved One takes a hilariously off-color look at the funeral business in Los Angeles. The story follows young Englishman Dennis Barlow (played by theater and film vet Robert Morse, now on Mad Men), who flies to the United States to visit his Hollywood-based uncle, Sir Francis Hinsley (John Gielgud).
Things go awry when Hinsley is suddenly fired: he commits suicide, and Barlow is left to — figuratively — clean up the mess.
The screening is followed by a moderated discussion with Morse, cinematographer Haskell Wexler and others; admission is $11.
George Harrison: Living in the Material World
Ongoing Exhibition, Ends March 25
Any Beatles fans out there?
The Grammy Museum’s exhibition, George Harrison: Living in the Material World, offers you the opportunity to reclaim a piece of your favorite foursome.
The museum, which recently showcased the talented and popularly acclaimed Bob Marley, pays tribute to one of music’s greatest contributors. The exhibition includes a mélange of rare photographs and footage available for public viewing.
A range of items from Harrison’s personal collection will be on display: Harrison’s guitars used during his career as a Beatle and a soloist, costumes, pictures (shot by Harrison himself) and handwritten lyrics of “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” and “Living in the Material World.”
Tickets run for $12.95 and the exhibition was extended through Mar. 25 due to popular demand — evidently it’s a must-see.
George Harrison: Living in the Material World provides a comprehensive, in-depth look into Harrison’s creative life. Don’t miss out “Because” there’s definitely “Something” special about “This Boy” and this exhibition.