Page 66 - 2017 Travel Guide to California

PERFORMING ARTS
BY JEFF GREENWALD & LAURIE WEED
On with the Show
California celebrates every flavor of live performance
speare (of course), as well as works by the
likes of Arthur Miller and an annual
Christmas production penned by a late
local resident: Dr. Seuss.
Los Angeles features dozens of small the-
ater companies—such as the Open Fist, the
Actor’s Co-op, the diverse Cornerstone and
the Blank Theater (which hosts the annual
Young Playwrights Festival). The city’s star
attraction is the Center Theatre Group, with
everything from top-shelf classics to cut-
ting-edge solo performances on three
stages: the Mark Taper Forum, the Kirk Dou-
glas Theatre and the Ahmanson Theatre.
San Francisco’s legendary American
Conservatory Theater (A.C.T), the Eureka
Theatre, the Magic Theatre, Z Space and
Aurora are just a few of the city’s beloved
native companies—not to mention the
politically charged San Francisco Mime
Troupe, now in its 59th year. For solo per-
formance, check out both Intersection for
the Arts and The Marsh, which has loca-
tions in San Francisco and Berkeley. A
terrific addition to the Bay Area theater
scene is We Players, “connecting people
with place through site-integrated theatre.”
HOLLYWOOD BOWL
The Hollywood Bowl dates to 1922
and is home to the Hollywood Bowl
Orchestra and summer home for the
Los Angeles Philharmonic. Hundreds
of musical events are held every year
in this amphitheater with its
signature band shell, where a
capacity of 17,500 people can gather
beneath the famous Hollywood sign
on the hill beyond. Above, the USC
marching band performs with the
symphony and fireworks.
Performance is the lifeblood of the arts,
especially in California. From the Barbary
Coast docks to the Paramount studio lots,
drama, dance and music have always been
an indelible part of the “Left Coast” spirit.
The state’s scores of concert halls, sym-
phony orchestras, theaters, jazz clubs,
dance companies, comedy troupes,
cabarets, operas and fringe festivals lay
waste to the notion of spending a quiet
evening (or even an afternoon) at home. A
full accounting is impossible, but here are
some suggestions to consider.
Regional Theaters
San Diego’s venerable La Jolla Playhouse
has seen 26 of its productions move to
Broadway, earning 35 Tony Awards. The Old
Globe Theatre presents the plays of Shake-
64 2017 T R AV E L G U I D E TO C A L I F O R N I A