March 2020 Culture Calendar

March 2020 Culture Calendar

Posted on February 27, 2020

Endangered: Exploring California’s Changing Ecosystems
Thru Mar. 8
Curated by Danielle Deery, Endangered focuses on artworks that address the wonder and destruction of flora and fauna throughout California. An interactive and educational contemporary art exhibition, Endangered brings greater awareness to the current environmental issues in California. artcenter.org

Hurricane Diane
Thru Mar. 8
Theater fans have little time left to see an unconventional new comedy, one The New York Times describes as an “astonishing new play,” in the Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, part of the Conrad Prebys Theatre Center in The Old Globe complex in Balboa Park. Titled Hurricane Diane, the story’s mix has elements of the Greek god Dionysus and the four real housewives from New Jersey, causing New York magazine to hail the unusual comedy as “hilarious and full of keen observation and profound human affection.” The playwright is Pulitzer Prize finalist Madeleine George. theoldglobe.org

Bouguereau & America
Thru Mar. 15
The San Diego Museum of Art presents an exhibition featuring nearly 40 paintings by the popular French academic artist William-Adolphe Bouguereau (1825–1905). sdmart.org

The Outsider
Thru Mar. 15
The Outsider is a razor-sharp, hilarious satire of modern American politics and an inspirational tribute to democracy. Overflowing with clever plot twists portraying the contemporary political climate, Paul Slade Smith’s (Unnecessary Farce) play is a funhouse mirror, held up to reflect our often confounding governmental system. northcoastrep.org

Fly
Thru Mar. 29
Wendy’s life is about to change forever when she meets a boy named Peter, a pirate named Hook, and a beguiling crocodile who’s much more than meets the eye. In this thrilling look at J.M. Barrie’s novel Peter Pan, a whole new Neverland comes to life with a percussive score, dynamic choreography, and aerial acrobatics. Consider making a reservation at La Jolla Playhouse’s onsite restaurant James’ Place, just steps away from the theatre. lajollaplayhouse.org

Illumination: 21^st Century Interactions with Art + Science + Technology
Thru May 3
San Diego Art Institute presents a regional showcase featuring the groundbreaking work of San Diego’s resident art, science, and technology communities that use the arts to humanize, interpret, and add relevance to challenging research. sandiego-art.org

Illusion: The Magic of Motion
Thru Jan 2021
Illusion: The Magic of Motion fools visitors’ eyes with hands-on devices that bring still photography to life. Visitors will see for themselves how video came about through centuries of scientific and artistic explorations. Props like shadow puppets and animation displayed on iPads showcase the light, optics, and perception that play into the illusion of motion. The collection features 35 artworks from 60 artists. mopa.org

Country Sensation Lee Brice
Mar. 5
Grammy nominee and double Academy of Country Music Award winner Lee Brice performs for one-night only at the California Center for the Arts, Escondido at 7:30pm in the Concert Hall. Brice is known for his six radio singles that hit Number One on the charts including: “A Woman Like You,” “Hard To Love,” “I Drive Your Truck,” “I Don’t Dance,” “Drinking Class,” and “Rumor.” artcenter.org/event/country-star-lee-brice

Ovo from Cirque du Soleil
Mar. 5-8
Cirque du Soleil returns to San Diego with the show Ovo, after having toured in arenas all over North America, Europe, and South America since April 2016. The production will be presented at Viejas Arena (at San Diego State University) for 7 performances only. Ovo, meaning “egg” in Portuguese, is a headlong rush into a colorful ecosystem teeming with life, where insects work, eat, crawl, flutter, play, fight and look for love in a non-stop riot of energy and movement. When a mysterious egg appears in their midst, the insects are awestruck and intensely curious about this iconic object that represents the enigma and cycles of their lives. The cast is comprised of 52 performing artists from 14 countries specializing in more than ten different high-level acrobatic acts such as foot juggling and Icarian games, hand balancing, contortion, aerial straps, slackwire, Russian cradle, and a signature final act mixing trampoline, tumbling, and rock-climbing. cirquedusoleil.com/ovo

House of Joy
Mar. 5-29
Set in the 17th century, in a place like Delhi, India, House of Joy spins the tale of Hamida, one of the elite female bodyguards in the emperor’s imperial harem. When faced with an impossible ethical quandary, Hamida goes against everything she believes and risks her life to help abused Queen Mariyam escape the heavily guarded harem. sdrep.org

OH! San Diego
Mar. 6-8
Architecture lovers and San Diego history buffs will rejoice in Open House San Diego, an opportunity to visit hidden gems and architectural treasures throughout Downtown, Bankers Hill, Balboa Park, Barrio Logan, Point Loma, La Jolla, and Coronado with behind the scenes tours of more than 90 iconic buildings. From churches and inns to museums and other public buildings, both guided and self-guided tours are scheduled throughout the weekend. A highlight this year will be a walking tour of Coronado, visiting the Coronado Museum of History & Art, Wizard of Oz author L. Frank Baum’s home, and ending at the Hotel del Coronado. Some sites are exclusive to specific dates and some walking tours require reservations, so be sure to check the San Diego Architectural Foundation’s website for specifics. sdarchitecture.org

Rosanne Cash
Mar. 7
Poway Center for the Performing Arts presents the legendary Rosanne Cash, whose music spans multiple genres including folk, pop, rock, blues, and Americana. Rolling Stone has described Cash as “One of the most ambitious and literary songwriters of her generation.” After ruling the ’80s country charts with a blend of tradition and pop songs tinged with heartache, Cash veered into more introspective art songs. In 2015, she was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. powayonstage.org

“Made in America” Concert
Mar. 7
The North Coast Symphony Orchestra presents a concert featuring America-themed compositions and composers at the San Dieguito United Methodist Church in Encinitas. The performance will include the New World Symphony by Antonín Dvořák and will feature pianist Byron Chow performing Piano Concerto No. 1 by Edward MacDowell. The orchestra will also present the premier of Implied Architecture, a piece by NCSO cellist Jordan Kuspa. northcoastsymphony.com

La Jolla Playhouse Gala
Mar. 14
La Jolla Playhouse’s stunning annual event, chaired this year by Playhouse Board Chair Lynelle Lynch, supports the organization’s new play development, education, and outreach programs, as well as programs benefiting military families. The evening will feature performances by Tony Award nominee Jenn Colella, star of the Playhouse-born Broadway hit Come From Away. The gala will also include sneak peek performances from upcoming productions in the playhouse’s 2020/2021 season, including Lempicka and Bhangin’ It. gala@ljp.org, lajollaplayhouse.org

Little Women
Mar. 14-Apr. 19
Louisa May Alcott’s classic novel of the March sisters is beloved by generations of readers. Now her heartfelt story of Jo March and her three distinct sisters, Meg, Beth, and Amy, comes to the stage in a brand-new version that honors the spirit of Alcott’s original while freshly interpreting it for a new era. theoldglobe.org

Art in the Evening
Mar. 15
The Timken Museum of Art will feature Jean Stern, who will speak about “Art and Art Collecting: A Personal Perspective.” Stern is Senior Curator of California Impressionism at the Institute and Museum of California Art, University of California, Irvine, and is a nationally recognized authority on California Impressionism. timkenmuseum.org

Due to the unfolding novel coronavirus (COVID-19) spread, the Women & Science event at Salk has been canceled and will be rescheduled at a later date. Additional information will be posted at salk.edu and salk.edu/events/public-events in the near future.

Women & Science Design and Discovery Showcase — cancelled
March 18 | Salk Institute for Biological Studies
Event chair Priscilla Wood Balikian and honorary chairs Tina Simner and Linda L. Chester present an evening of fabulous food and stimulating conversation. The Salk Institute Women & Science program’s special spring event will focus on nutrition, healthy aging, and cutting-edge neurological discoveries. From 4:30-7pm, learn ways to optimize health with scientific presentations from Salk scientists, and a panel discussion and cooking demonstration from celebrity chefs, the Pollan family: Tracy, Dana, and Lori Pollan, and their mother, Corky. Tracy will highlight some of the benefits she and her husband, Michael J. Fox, have experienced from eating a mostly plant-based diet. salk.edu/designdiscovery

Dorrance Dance Sound Space
Mar. 19-20
Wild about tap dancing? If you’re not, you will be when you see and hear Dorrance Dance Sound Space, showcased by the La Jolla Music Society. This high energy showstopper is scheduled for the Baker-Baum Concert Hall, within the Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center. Michelle Dorrance, founder of Dorrance Dance, is an acclaimed tap dancer and an innovative leader, having been heralded by The New Yorker as “one of the most imaginative tap choreographers working today.” To her, tap dancing is an exceptional art form, with its imaginative movements and sounds of the feet. Acoustics of space are captured through tap, bringing an exciting art tradition to a younger generation. ljms.org

Meet & Greet Brunch
Mar. 22
Two La Jolla icons have joined forces to welcome guests eight years old and up to experience Peter and Wendy’s Neverland like never before. The Lodge at Torrey Pines has partnered with La Jolla Playhouse to host a meet and greet brunch, featuring performances by cast members in their latest musical, Fly. For an elevated experience, theater lovers can enjoy a Play & Stay room package that includes an overnight stay for two at The Lodge, the brunch, and two tickets to Fly at La Jolla Playhouse. lodgetorreypines.com/fly-musical

The Homecoming
Apr. 8-May 3
Often regarded as Harold Pinter’s most enduring play, this masterwork of family warfare is set in an all-male household that relies on fantasy and one-upmanship for its very existence. This toxic but familiar pattern is disrupted when a long-absent son returns with his new wife. Suitable for mature audiences only. northcoastrep.org

San Diego Polo
April 11
The San Diego Polo Club is hosting its second high goal polo match at the Del Mar Race Track followed by an après polo concert party. The fast action, 10- goal polo match will feature Team Argentina versus Team San Diego at 3pm followed by the trilingual top ’40s band Puro Feeling performing on stage in the paddock at 5pm. sandiegosurfpolo.com

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1
Apr. 17-18
Harry, Ron, and Hermione face their latest set of challenges and foes both new and old as the seventh film comes to Copley Symphony Hall at Jacobs Music Center, projected on a giant screen and accompanied by the San Diego Symphony Orchestra. sandiegosymphony.org

La Jolla Concours d’Elegance
Apr. 17-19
The jewel of San Diego welcomes back the La Jolla Concours d’Elegance, presented by LPL Financial and Pacific Sotheby’s International Realty, to showcase more than 250 spectacular automobiles from all over the world. This year, Ettore Bugatti’s legacy will be commemorated as the featured marque. This year is also the 110th anniversary of the first Bugatti automobile.Guests at the Sunday Concours will be able to view the original prototype Bugatti. The event will also celebrate the Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing as a sub-marque in 2020; a variety of these unique cars will also be on display along the Pacific Ocean. Proceeds from the event will go toward funding the La Jolla Historical Society. In addition, local community nonprofits will receive a portion of the proceeds. 619.233.5008, lajollaconcours.com

Heart of a Child Concert
Apr. 25
Resounding Joy presents the ninth annual Heart of A Child concert to benefit the Ariana Miller Healing Notes program, which provides no-cost music therapy to children battling a serious illness at Rady Children’s Hospital. Dr. Jeff and Anita Miller lost their daughter, Ariana, to heart disease 12 years ago. Her love of music and seeing how she benefited from music therapy while hospitalized inspired them to help bring this to other children. Last year, music therapy brightened the lives of more than 850 children. The concert at The Conrad showcases San Diego’s premier young musical talent. resoundingjoyinc.org, theconrad.org

SDMA: A Young Girl Defending Herself against Eros, William Adolphe Bouguereau (French, 1825 – 1905); about 1880; Oil on canvas; 81.6 × 57.8 cm (32 1/8 × 22 3/4 in.); 70.PA.3

The Outsider: Photo by Aaron Rumley

House of Joy: Photo by Peggy Ryan

Illumination: Shining Palimpsest, Young Joon Kwak, photo by Andreas Tagger

MOPA: Flora, Eric Dyer, 2018, © Eric Dyer, Courtesy of the artist and Ronald Feldman Gallery, New York