fri 6/3

MUSEUMS

The House of Ella

The “Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing: How the Apollo Theater Shaped American Entertainment” exhibition is a great way to remember how 75 years fly by in a flurry of perfect moments. The Apollo began as a burlesque hall, transformed during the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s and ’30s to its ceaseless role as energizing conduit for great African-American entertainment, featuring everyone from Ella Fitzgerald to Sammy Davis Jr., Duke Ellington to Redd Foxx, James Brown to Louis Armstrong and the Jackson Five. Featured artifacts: James Brown’s cape and jump suit, Michael Jackson’s fedora, Cab Calloway’s baton and tap dancer Peg Leg Bates’ peg leg (!). While It’s Showtime at the Apollo! Turned people around the world on to the Apollo as it melted minds through late-night TV viewing (“With the outrageous fun of Amateur Night!”) during the ’80s and ’90s, it’s no longer just for African-American entertainment; lately the likes of Vivian Girls and She & Him have graced the stage, which is regularly swept of lousy acts by the theater’s very own broom-armed “executioner.” California African American Museum, 600 State Drive, Exposition Park; open daily; thru Sept. 4; free. (213) 744-7432, caam.ca.gov. —David Cotner

FILM FESTIVAL

Indiest Indie Film Fest in the Whole Indie Land

Not a week goes by that there’s not some film festival taking place in Los Angeles, even if it’s just in a small storefront somewhere. But as we gear up for two of the city’s biggest, glitziest festivals (Los Angeles Film Festival later this month; Outfest in July), it’s worth setting aside time to check out Dances With Film, which bills itself as “the last truly independent film festival.” Celebrating its 14th anniversary this year, Dances sets itself apart from the festival pack by eschewing celebrity-driven films and the hype-driven bazaar atmosphere that defines so many film festivals. While we weren’t able to preview any of this year’s lineup by our deadline, several titles caught our eye as promising: Documentary Hip Hop Maestro, which tracks composer Geoff “Double G” Gallegos and his 70-piece hip-hop/funk/jazz orchestra as they navigate small L. A. clubs and hole-in-the wall joints in their quest to score a gig at Walt Disney Concert Hall; Close Up, in which a recovering addict and struggling actor tries to salvage his relationships with his wife and daughter after falling off the wagon; and Days Together, in which a single woman whose friends are all settling down and raising families takes off on a road trip with a male drummer who’s trading in the musician’s life for something more stable. Also piquing interest: The Deposition, Love’s Kitchen and Morning. Sunset 5, 8000 Sunset Blvd.; June 2-9; $12; dances withfilms.com. —Ernest Hardy

sat 6/4

BENEFIT CONCERT

Los Nice Guys

Here’s a benefit of the “very special” variety: Stories & Songs With David Hidalgo and Louie Pérez of Los Lobos. The old high school pals will tell tales of growing up in East L.A. for the “stories” portion, followed by an extremely rare musical performance of Hidalgo’s and Pérez’s solo songs. It’s to raise funds for About Productions’ upcoming Evangeline, The Queen of Make-Believe (based on the Los Lobos song “Evangeline”) for the company’s educational programs for at-risk youth. Cheech Marin gives an introduction, and you can even go home with a limitededition, commemorative poster created by Pérez. Los Angeles Theatre Center, 514 S. Spring St., dwntwn.; Sat., June 4, 8 p.m.; $25-$1,000; aboutpd.org. —Libby Molyneaux

CLASSICAL

Field Trip

Once dubbed a “postminimalist enfant terrible,” the passionately inventive David Lang has finally, according to no less than The New Yorker, “solidified his standing as an American master.” He is the composer of spellbinding visionary works like the Pulitzer Prize–winning opera Little Match Girl Passion; Lang’s oeuvre is complex, moody, intellectually probing and irresistibly hypnotic. This week Long Beach Opera presents David Lang and His Music, a meet-and-greet with Lang, who talks about his life and music and his ingenious opera-theater crossover work, The Difficulty of Crossing a Field, which, in typically Langsian fashion, defies simplicity. Based on an Ambrose Bierce story about an Alabama planter who supposedly vanished while crossing a field in 1854, The Difficulty of Crossing a Field becomes a mystery that challenges our perception of what, exactly, reality is. The event includes an interview with Lang by LBO artistic and general director Andreas Mitisek and a Q&A with the audience, along with selections from Difficulty performed by the cast. (LBO presents the opera’s Southern California premiere on June 15.) And, true to LBO’s commitment to the unusual concert experience, “audience members will sit on the stage and watch the performance below them.” Long Beach Playhouse, 5021 E. Anaheim St., Long Beach; Sat., June 4, 2 p.m.; $30. (562) 432-5934, longbeachopera.org/tickets. —Mary Beth Crain

DANCE

These Things Are Fun, and Fun Is Good

Dr. Seuss meets street dance as Culture Shock opens the Ford Amphitheatre summer dance series with WHICH-a-WAY? Taking their inspiration from Seuss’ Oh, the Places You’ll Go!, Culture Shock’s artistic directors Diane Palaganas and Ritchie Ramirez have assembled a cast of 65 dancers to tell the tale of a boy’s fantastical journey to destinations such as the Alone Place and Fun and Fame Land. Guest choreographers contributing to the effort include Beau Fournier from Fanny Pak, Audry Benson, Ray Basa, Michael “Bboy Mpact” Lor and Elm Pizarro of Boogiezone and Breed. Jon “Enerjon” Asperin directs the team of Djs mixing tracks as the onstage dance action kicks off another summer of dance at the Ford Amphitheater, 2580 Cahuenga Blvd. East; Sat., June 4, 8:30 p.m.; $25, $15 students, $12 children. (323) 461-3673, fordtheatres.Org/en/events/details/id/218. —Ann Haskins

CHILDREN’S THEATER

The Play’s the Thing, Kids

Do you believe that subversive theater should be available and comprehensible to people of all ages? Do you think your 7-yearold is overdue an introduction to the works of the Bard? L’Enfant Terrible, a collection of theater people committed to introducing the wee ones to Shakespeare’s “hilarious tragedies,” presents Los Angeles’ inaugural Fun Family Festival of Tragedy. “Whether you are young at heart or a hard-hearted youngster, say goodbye to your old expectations of children’s theater,” they say. With an emphasis on emotion and familial drama rather than death, four of Shakespeare’s masterworks are smooshed out in kiddie-friendly form, becoming MacBeth and the Monster, King O’Leary, Hamlet: Prince of Puddles and Titus the Clownicus. Adults performing as kids, for kids are but miniature adults. Sunday audiences are invited to participate in a free theater workshop. Bootleg Theater, 2220 Beverly Blvd.; Sat.-Sun., noon & 2 p.m.; thru June 26; $17, students $10. (213) 389-3856, lenfantterrible.org. —Skylaire Alfvegren

sun 6/5

FESTIVAL

Locals only

Who is Charles Lummis? None other than the 19th-century newspaperman, Native American rights advocate and all-around bon vivant who built the stone home in Mount Washington known as El Alisal, today the HQ of the Historical Society of Southern California, and this weekend’s home base for the sixth annual Lummis Day arts festival. After the morning’s opening readings by poet Steve Kowit and actress Dale Raoul, the events shift to Heritage Square, where three stages spotlight the musical talents of Dub 8, Brasil Brazil, Gingger Shankar, La Santa Cecilia and the Delgado Brothers; dance performances by Cypress Park Folklorico, Ballet Coco and the Cleary Irish Dancers; and the poetry of Wanda Coleman, accompanied by jazz guitarist Joe Calderon. Suzanne Lummis, director of the Los Angeles Poetry Festival, hosts this eponymous tribute to her granddad. Lummis Home, 200 E. Avenue 43, Mount Washington; Sun., June 5, 10:30 a. m.; then at Heritage Square Museum, 3800 Homer St.; 12:30-7 p.m.; free. Lummisday.Org. —Derek Thomas

CLASSICAL

Imbibe the Vibes

Cabernet and cabaret? Well, sort of. If you didn’t get to experience last year’s Wine and Wheels event, you’re in time for the second annual installment. Third Wheel, a kick-butt woodwind trio with a talent for not only performance but also savvy marketing, presents an afternoon of new music, fine wine and schmoozing with the artists and composers. The program features world premieres from Pacific Symphony hornist Jim Taylor and film composer Seth Shafer, along with Kyle Hovatter of SFNewMusic, whose trio, “Geary Noctivagant,” is dedicated to the ensemble, and works by L.A.-based Adrienne Albert, known for her “whimsy and playfulness,” and Independent Music Award nominee Jenni Brandon. It all takes place in the intimate performance space of “artisan wine and slow-food enthusiasts” Fancifull Gift Baskets, and remember — the more you drink, the better any music tends to sound! Fancifull Gift Baskets, 5617 Melrose Ave., Hlywd.; Sun., June 5, 4 p.m.; $20 in advance, $25 door. (323) 466-7654, fancifullgiftbaskets.com. —M.B.C.

mon 6/6

COMEDY FESTIVAL

This Headline Was Entirely Improvised!

Stephen Colbert, Tina Fey, Mike Myers, Amy Poehler — nearly every great comic today worth his salted beer nuts has learned the fine art of improvisation at Improv Olympic. If you’re fast on your feet, like the element of surprise and play well with others, the funny folks at iO West invite you to take part in the ninth annual Los Angeles Improv Comedy Festival. Sketch and improv shows, even an improv musical, feature seasoned performers from all over the country and the Great White North, as well as TV heavyweights like Drew Carey; E! Host and Community’s Joel McHale; The Office’s Angela Kinsey and Kate Flannery; and Conan writers. (Carey will be a return guest of The Armando Show, which revolves around a celeb taking audience suggestions.) And if you’d like to improve your improv skills, there are more than 80 workshops on such subjects as “The Art of Mimicry and How It Leads to Nuclear War,” “Improvise Naked” and “Play to the Height of Your Stupidity.” As always, the fest’s centerpiece is the Del Close Advancement of Improv Award — named after the iO founder — this year handed out to improv group Beer Shark Mice (think David Koechner, also of The Office and Saturday Night Live). IO West Theater, 6366 Hollywood Blvd., Hlywd.; Mon., June 6, 8 p.m.-mid.; thru June 11; $5-$25. (323) 962-7560, west-festival.Ioimprov.com. –Siran Babayan

tue 6/7

TALK

Open Mouths, Open Minds

“In those days, artistic success was not dollar-driven,” Bob Neuwirth said of the early 1960s scene. “If you had something to say, [that] was the way people were rated.” Though this is not the prevailing litmus test here in the 20-Worst Century, some continue to demand more than lowest common denominators. And so it is with Neuwirth. The painter, sculptor, filmmaker, musician and bon vivant is always provocative. While his current retrospective, “Overs & Unders: Paintings by Bob Neuwirth, 1964–2009,” continues at Track 16, tonight he’ll exercise his skills as thinker, raconteur and wit, and submit to questions from Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist David Felton in a public conversation. Net proceeds support Southern California Public Radio, KPCC 89.3. For those in desperate need of smart, here’s an oasis. Track 16 Gallery, Bergamot Station, 2525 Michigan Ave., Bldg. C1, Santa Monica; Tues., June 7, 8 p.m.; $20. Reception with Neuwirth and Felton from 6:30 to 7:30; $95. (310) 264- 4678, livetalksla.org . —Michael Simmons

SEX PODCAST

The Cliterati

You might think sex chatter in a comic book store revolves around what Batgirl looks like naked (and you’d be right), but Sex Nerd Sandra is on a mission to transform those dorkgasm fantasies into reality. As part of Chris Hardwick’s Nerdist empire, Pleasure Chest sexologist Sandra Daugherty debuts her NSFW podcast at Meltdown Comics, live, in person, and chock-full of dick- and clitspeak. Sandra is, after all, the blogger who once affectionately referred to that sensitive underside at the tip of the penis as the “clittiest part of the man-clit.” And how! Sandra’s been “geeking out on sex knowledge since age 12,” and nowadays she spreads her pleasure-positive message by providing G-spot road maps on her blog and self-testing masturbation devices on YouTube. She’s my hero! Meltdown Comics, 7522 Sunset Blvd., Hlywd.; Tues., June 7, 8 p.m.; $10. (323) 851-7223, meltcomics.com. —D.T.

thu 6/9

MUSEUMS

Time Plays Itself

After a celebrated, exhausting, exhilarating and well-attended all-night screening of Christian Marclay’s The Clock, the epic video work, now in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s permanent collection, plays inside the museum lobby through July 31. While critical debate rages as to whether this 24-hour motion picture is a collage made of film or a film in its own right, really it’s a durational experience infusing postmodernism with a giddy sense of joy and wonder, which that muchmocked artistic movement rarely demonstrates. Lasting exactly 24 hours, the piece is always synched to the real time of day. It is constructed of thousands of individual clips from movies, television shows and art videos lasting between mere seconds and several minutes each — and each depicting the exact, real time through dialogue and/or image, down to the second. It is an epic feat of research and patient craftsmanship; its segues are moving and witty despite the wild diversity of narrative and language, not to mention the pure fun of playing name-that-movie. Most importantly, the story moves forward, along the way addressing the differences between real and represented time, and the underlying armature of social rituals concerning when we eat, drink, fornicate and duel, and ultimately doing what all great art does: showing the familiar world in a strange new way. LACMA, 5905 Wilshire Blvd.; Mon.-Tues., Thurs., 11 a.m.-8 p.m.; Fri., noon-9 p.m.; Sat.-Sun., 11 a.m.-8 p.m.; closed Wed.; thru July 31; $15, $10 seniors & students. (323) 857- 6000, lacma.org. —Shana Nys Dambrot

COMEDY

So Thrilling! So Adventurous!

Rabid fans of The Thrilling Adventure Hour have made it a superhot ticket.

Described as “a sophisticated comedy sprinkled with aff ectionate homage to 1940sera radio,” the show, created by Ben Acker and Ben Blacker, features a slew of regulars — including Paul F. Tompkins, Paget Brewster, Busy Philipps, John DiMaggio and James Urbaniak — in spiff y clothes, with special guests doing a staged comedy à la old-timey radio. Blacker — or was it Acker? — was kind enough to answer some questions via email.

L.A. WEEKLY: People are addicted to The Thrilling Adventure Hour. Why do you think that is?

BEN BLACKER: There are a couple of reasons, I think. On initially attending the show or listening to the podcast, people really respond to actors they know from television or comedy doing things we’re unused to them doing. Like seeing Paget Brewster, who plays a very grim, gun-wielding federal agent (or something) on Criminal Minds, have fun playing a tipsy socialite in our “Nick and Nora of the supernatural” piece. Or guest stars like Ed Helms or Patton Oswalt or Nathan Fillion play space cowboys. Well, maybe we’ve seen Nathan do that in the past.

But I think then what happens is that, as in any good fiction, people get invested in the characters. Certainly Acker and I have. We care about what happens to Sparks Nevada, Marshal on Mars. It’s part of what makes writing it such fun. While the show is accessible to a new audience, coming in with a knowledge of the characters certainly deepens and enhances the experience.

Any enticing hints about the June 4 show?

We hope you like body-switching! Also in “Sparks Nevada,” the ex-girlfriend of both Sparks and Croach — his faithful Martian companion — returns. Which means Busy Philipps is back in the show!

What’s been the highlight of doing the show?

Certainly getting to work with such a ridiculously talented troupe of actors and musicians. We knew, six years ago, that Paul F. Tompkins and Paget Brewster would deliver the goods every time. But watching and working with the folks we pulled from Second City, like Marc Evan Jackson and Mark Gagliardi, has been such fun. Th ese guys are stars. I can’t say enough good things about everyone in our regular crew — Craig Cackowski is our secret weapon. All of them make us laugh so much.

And of course it’s been a lot of fun getting the opportunity to work with guest stars, from comics we’ve always liked, such as Dana Gould and Nick Kroll, to actors we grew up watching on TV.

We were particularly starstruck by Julia Duffy!

If you were to stop doing it suddenly, what do you think the fans’ reactions would be?

We can’t stop. Paget won’t allow it. In all seriousness, even if we were inundated with actual, paying work, we’d fi nd a way to continue doing The Thrilling Adventure Hour in some capacity. The podcast, available on iTunes, has opened up all sorts of new possibilities.

Largo at the Coronet, 366 N. La Cienega Blvd.; Sat., June 4, 8:30 p.m.; $25. (310) 855-0350. —Libby Molyneaux

wed 6/8

Make Us Laugh, Funny Boy! Andrés du Bouchet

You may know Andrés du Bouchet as “Fat Jesus” from Conan, where he’s a writer, or from the numerous other characters he’s played on the show. Among his many credits, he ran the popular Giant Tuesday Night of Amazing Inventions and Also Th ere Is a Game in NYC before moving to L.A. With his booming voice, du Bouchet is more about characters than jokes — but he’s still about jokes, too, which he’ll prove as he tapes his comedy CD over two nights at the incredibly loud Bar Lubitsch.

L.A. WEEKLY: Andrés du Bouchet — what kind of fancy-pants name is that? Are you related to the poet?

ANDRÉS DU BOUCHET: It’s a very French last name, and a very Spanish first name. Incidentally, my middle name is Mario, which is very Italian. In conclusion, I am from New Jersey. And I don’t know if I’m related to the poet André du Bouchet or not, but I wouldn’t be surprised.

Who do people say you look like?

That’s a great question, because last Friday someone told me I looked like Jack Black, and then the very next day someone else told me that I looked like Sean Connery. I think people are just trying to put “Fat James Bond” into words.

What Conan skit are you most proud of?

“Gravy Boat Lighthouse.”

What’s Andy Richter really like? Do you think you’re funnier?

He’s an incredibly upbeat, fun, irreverent guy. If he takes anything seriously, he’s never shown it around me. I would say that 99. 9 percent of the time, Andy is 100 percent funnier than me, but during that 0.1 percent I am 250 percent funnier than he is.

Who are your comedy heroes?

My list would probably be very similar to most of my ilk, but the names I’d put up at the top are Monty Python, the 1984-85 cast of SNL, Steve Martin, Chuck Jones, Douglas Adams and Will Ferrell.

What’s your favorite thing about living in L.A.?

The weather.

What do you hate the most about it?

The fact that every single person you meet is also in, or was in, or wants to be in showbiz.

If you had a sitcom about your life, what would it be about and what would it be called?

It would be about the 10 years I spent living in New York City, working crappy day jobs and performing comedy at night. It would be called Ben & Jerry’s at 4 a.m.

How much do you and the Conan writers goof off ?

All the time. But sometimes the goofing off is just goofing off, and sometimes the goofing off gets put on TV.

Bar Lubitsch, 7702 Santa Monica Blvd., W. Hlywd.; Wed., June 8, 10 p.m.; also at the Josh & Josh Show, Th urs., June 9, 8:30 p.m.; free. (323) 654-1234. —L.M.