August 2019 Culture Calendar

Posted on August 1, 2019

The Tale of Despereaux

The acclaimed PigPen Theatre Co. brings its one-of-a-kind theatrical and musical inventiveness to Kate DiCamillo’s beloved Newbery Medal–winning modern fable. Despereaux is a courageous mouse who dreams of becoming a knight. He sets off on a noble quest that will take him down into dungeons and up to the heights of a castle tower to rescue a beautiful human princess — but the dark-hearted rat Roscuro has other ideas. Thru Aug. 11, theoldglobe.org

Rock of Ages

In the madness of the legendary 1908s Sunset Strip rock music scene, aspiring rock star Drew longs to become the next big thing, and longs for fresh-off-the-bus newcomer Sherrie, a Kansas kid with stars in her eyes. This musical comedy features rock hits from Styx, Journey, Bon Jovi, Whitesnake, and many more. Thru Aug. 25, cygnettheatre.com

Dogfight

Coronado Playhouse has mounted its production of Dogfight, a powerful musical adapted from the 1991 film. There is a moral to the story. Hint: As part of the marine “Dogfight” tradition, which man can pick the ugliest date? In this romantic and entertaining show, one in which the rules of the game are revised, the takeaway is that compassion wins over cruelty. The music is gorgeous, the work of Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, a team that went on to write scores for such stage musicals and films as Dear Evan Hansen, La La Land, and The Greatest Showman. Dogfight won the Lucille Lortel Award for Best Musical in 2013. Thru Aug. 25, coronadoplayhouse.com

Electric Picnic

Roman de Salvo is a contemporary American sculptor whose work infuses the everyday with surprising effect and intrigue. As part of the Timken Museum of Art’s summer artist-in-residence program, de Salvo will create the Electric Picnic sculpture based on the picturesque, Rococo-era, Blindman’s Buff (1775-80) by Jean Honoré Fragonard, which is part of the museum’s permanent collection. Thru Aug. 25, timkenmuseum.org

Carlsbad Music Festival

Adventurous music invades the seaside Village of Carlsbad for the 16th annual Carlsbad Music Festival, which will take place in both indoor and outdoor venues throughout the village with the festival hub at St. Michael’s by-the-Sea. All concerts are free to the public, though some venues have limited capacity, with packages available with reserved seating and VIP perks. Aug. 2-4, carlsbadmusicfestival.org

The Art of Dr. Seuss Collection

EC Gallery will share a compelling selection of artworks from The Art of Dr. Seuss Collection. Visitors may explore and acquire works from Dr. Seuss’s best-known children’s books, as well as The Secret Art of Dr. Seuss, a mind-expanding collection based on decades of artwork, which Dr. Seuss created at night for his own personal enjoyment. Each of these Estate-Authorized limited editions has been adapted and reproduced from Theodor Seuss Geisel’s original drawings, paintings, or sculptures. Additionally, each work bears a posthumously printed or engraved Dr. Seuss signature, identifying the work as an authorized limited edition commissioned by the Dr. Seuss Estate. Aug.3-18, ecgallery.com

A Weekend With Pablo Picasso

A Weekend With Pablo Picasso finds the artist living in France in 1957 at the height of his celebrity and facing an unexpected high-profile commission to crank out six paintings and three vases over the course of a single weekend. Picasso has grudgingly allowed a group of art students — the audience — to stay at his home/studio while his family is away, a serviceable premise allowing writer/performer Herbert Siguenza to directly engage the audience with jokes, stories, and insights into the artistic life culled from Picasso’s interviews and writings. Aug. 9-25, newvillagearts.org

Nikigator on Vacation

Mingei International Museum and NTC Foundation Art in Public Places Committee are bringing Mingei’s beloved large-scale sculpture Nikigator to Arts District Liberty Station for an extended “vacation” from her Balboa Park home. This sculpture will provide an interactive experience for visitors. Special activities are being planned to take place during ArtWalk @ Liberty Station to celebrate the return of Nikigator, including a collaborative mosaic project in which families can create a colorful gator-shaped mosaic using gemstones, tiles, and other recycled materials.The work was created by the late French-American self-taught artist, Niki de Saint Phalle (1930-2002), who spent her final years in La Jolla making large-scale sculptures covered with mirrors, glass, and polished stones. Beginning Aug. 10, artsdistrictlibertystation.com, mingei.org

Romeo and Juliet

Verona’s Montague and Capulet families have been feuding for ages, and whenever they meet, violence breaks out. But when Romeo glimpses Juliet across a crowded dance floor, something different happens. Can star-crossed love survive in a world of rivalry and rage? With a plot featuring a masqued ball, sleeping potions, and all-out brawling in the street, wrapped in a text full of soaring poetry, it’s no wonder Romeo and Juliet has inspired countless adaptations. Aug. 11-Sept. 15, theoldglobe.org

Tenderly — The Rosemary Clooney Musical

Tenderly is based on the life of Rosemary Clooney, who was hailed as America’s favorite girl singer. In this exhilarating and inspiring new musical biography, it offers a fresh, personal, and poignant picture of the woman whose unparalleled talent and unbridled personality made her a legend. We learn both the story of her successes on film, radio, and TV, as well as her personal struggles. The show features many of her signature hits, including “Hey There,” “Tenderly,” and “Come On-A My House.” Aug. 15-25, northcoastrep.org

The Tale of Despereaux: Photo by Jim Cox     Electric Picnic:  Photo courtesy of Quint Gallery ©2019 Philipp Scholz Rittermann     The Art of Dr. Seuss Collection: Yawning Cat, Theodor Seuss Geisel, authorized state edition, image courtesy of Dr. Seuss Estate     Tenderly: photo by Dan Carmody