Guide To The Best April 2017 Events & Activities In Los Angeles
Rooftop Cinema Club 3rd Season
Ricardo Montalban Theatre
1615 Vine St.
Los Angeles, CA 90028
www.rooftopcinemaclub.com
Elevated outdoor screening experience Rooftop Cinema Club is back for its 3rd season atop the Ricardo Montalban Theatre. Every Tuesday - Saturday Rooftop Cinema Club screens a different film, ranging from new releases to cult classics. Grab a drink from the rooftop bar, sit back in a comfy deck chair, don your own wireless headset, and enjoy.
Reykjavík Festival
Walt Disney Concert Hall
111 S Grand Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
www.laphil.com
Esa-Pekka Salonen and Daníel Bjarnaso have curated a month long festival of music, art, and film to highlight the creativity and close-knit artistic community of Reykjavík. The festival kicks off April 7 with "Opening Night: Made in Iceland," featuring established and emerging acts from the the Icelandic music scene, and a pre-concert beer pop-up. Other festival highlights include performances by Sigur Ros April 11, 13, and 14, a Contemporary Iceland show on the 9th, and Johann Johannsson April 15. During the festival, a new installation by Icelandic artist Shoplifter will be in BP Hall, and Icelandic film "Driving at the Speed of the Nordic Sun" will be continuously screened in the Keck Auditorium.
Visit "The 14th Factory"
440 N. Ave 19
Los Angeles, CA 9003
www.the14thfactory.com
Three acres of empty industrial warehouse space downtown have been transformed into a monumental, multiple-media art and documentary experience. Hong Kong-based British artist Simon Birch and his collaborators have turned the space into 14 interlinked workspaces for manufacturing their art, which includes video, sculpture, painting, and performance pieces. An underlying theme of celebrating creative diversity and overcoming obstacles as a global society runs through the works.
See "Absinthe"
Spiegelworld Tent at L.A. LIVE's Event Deck
1005 Chick Hearn Ct.
Los Angeles CA 90015
www.AbsintheLA.com
Step inside the adult-playground that is the Spiegelworld Tent, grab a drink or two at the bar, and get ready for some good old fashioned debauchery. Inspired by the absinthe-filled cabarets of late 19th century, "Absinthe" is part circus, part burlesque, and all entertaining. Sexy and talented performers from across the globe mix comedy and jaw-dropping moves just feet away from audience members at this 18+ show.
See "An American in Paris"
Pantages Theatre
6233 Hollywood Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90028
(800) 982-2787
www.hollywoodpantages.com
The magic and romance of Paris touches down in Los Angeles as the Tony Award-winning musical "An American in Paris" hits the Pantages stage. Earning more awards than any other musical in the 2014-15 Broadway Season, the show features the songs of George and Ira Gershwin, and tells the story of an American soldier who decides to stay in Paris after World War II. He and his friends imagine a brighter postwar future, including a mysterious French ballerina he meets.
Visit The Easter Bunny
The Grove & The Americana at Brand
Children of all ages are welcome to The Grove and The Americana at Brand to visit the Easter Bunny at the Bunny Bungalow. Visitors can either schedule an appointment ahead of time, or drop in to get those Facebook-worthy photos taken. The Easter Bunny will also be at The Promenade at Westlake April 8-15.
LA Opera: "The Tales of Hoffmann"
Dorothy Chandler Pavilion
135 N. Grand Ave.
Los Angeles, CA, 90012
www.laopera.org
Offenbach's final masterpiece comes to life as Vittorio Grigolo and the LA Opera perform "The Tales of Hoffmann." At the urging of his drinking buddies, poet E.T.A. Hoffmann offers a booze-fueled recounting of the women he has loved and lost. The recollection sets the plot into motion as we meet each fascinating, half-remembered woman. The mood-setting, atmospheric score is conducted by Placido Domingo.
Attend Dodgers Opening Day
Dodger Stadium
1000 Vin Scully Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(866) 363-4377
www.dodgers.com
It's time for Dodger baseball! It's opening day, as the Los Angeles Dodgers take on the San Diego Padres. Pitcher Clayton Kershaw ties the record as he makes his seventh consecutive Opening Day start. Arrive early to get your magnet schedule and root for the boys in blue.
Sci-Fi At Union Station Presents: "Blade Runner"
Union Station
888 N. Alameda St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
www.unionstationla.com
Tonight kicks off a new screening series that highlights Los Angeles as the backdrop for sci-fi cinema. "Blade Runner," the 1982 film that portrays a dystopian Los Angeles where Blade Runners are assigned to assassinate illegal androids, includes iconic scenes shot in Union Station's Historic Ticketing Hall. Admission is free on a first-come, first-served basis, and tonight's show includes an introduction by former LA Times entertainment reporter and "Classic Hollywood" specialist Susan King.
The Mystery of our Human Story
The Eli & Edythe Broad Stage
1310 11th St.
Santa Monica, CA 90401
(310) 434-3200
www.thebroadstage.com
The National Geographic Live series continues at the Broad stage with "The Mystery of Our Human Story" featuring Paleoanthropologist and National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Lee Berger. During a trip to South Africa, Berger and his team of "underground astronauts" uncovered a trove of bones, revealing new information about the way our primitive human ancestors operated. Hear how the dramatic events unfolded, and take part in a post-show Q&A with Berger.
FantaSea: Where Magic Lives
The Queen Mary
1126 Queens Hwy.
Long Beach, CA 90802
(800) 437-2934
www.queenmary.com
FantaSea returns for a second year to the Queen Mary for a day packed with unbelievable magic by some of today's top celebrity magicians. A spell will be cast throughout the ship's salons and decks, transforming them into The Hocus Pocus Parlor, Wizard Alley, The Cauldron, and The Secret Circle Study. Roaming magicians, close-up parlor performances, Abracadabra Brunch, Mysteries of Magic Dinner Show, and more are all part of the celebration.
Los Angeles Beer Festival
Los Angeles Center Studios
450 S Bixel St.
Los Angeles, CA 90017
www.drinkeatplay.com
Enjoy over 200 beers from 80 breweries, live music, a dueling piano bar, and more at the 9th annual LA Beer Festival. General and VIP admissions are available, and all tickets include beer samplings. Food will be sold separately from some of LA's favorite food trucks.
Moving the Divine: A Dance Performance by Rahul Acharya
Norton Simon Museum
411 W Colorado Blvd.
Pasadena, CA 91105
(626) 449-6840
www.nortonsimon.org
Award-winning dancer Rahul Acharya explores India's Odissi dance tradition tonight in a dance performance at the Norton Simon Museum. The neo-classical form has deep roots in devotion as well as tradition, including that in which a sculpture can come to life. The performance is inspired by works in the Norton Simon Museum's South Asian collection, and is free with admission.
The Portals Project at Grand Park
Grand Park
200 N. Grand Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
www.grandparkla.org
For two weeks, Germany, Mexico, and Jordan are just a gold shipping container away. Grand Park in Downtown LA is hosting an event that gives Angelenos the chance to to have a face-to-face conversation with people around the world about life, family, or anything else. Each shipping container portal is equipped with immersive audio and video technology, and is staffed by a Portal Curator who will translate during the chat. Sign up for an appointment and gain a new perspective on communities around the world.
Los Angeles Zoo's "Big Bunny's Spring Fling"
Los Angeles Zoo
5333 Zoo Dr.
Los Angeles, CA 90027
(323) 644-4200
www.lazoo.org
The zoo's annual "egg-citing" Spring Fling event is back, offering visitors a chance to celebrate the season with fun activities for the whole family. In addition to photo ops with "Big Bunny," guests can examine eggs of different animals, get their faces painted, enjoy musical entertainment, and meet other characters roaming the zoo. A hands-on Bubblemania experience, Dance Block Party, and a bunny EGG-ucation Station round out three days of fun.
Easter Sunday Champagne Brunch & Family Fun
The Queen Mary
1126 Queens Hwy.
Long Beach, CA 90802
(800) 437-2934
www.queenmary.com
Hop aboard the Queen Mary, where a full day of Easter fun awaits. After the ship's legendary Easter Sunday Champagne Brunch, the whole family can visit the bunny and friends petting zoo, take part in an Easter egg hunt, score a balloon animal, and more. The Easter Bunny will also be there to pose for a special family photo op.
Earth Day L.A.
Grand Park
200 N. Grand Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
www.grandparkla.org
Grand Park is teaming up with the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and The Music Center to celebrate Earth Day (April 22) a few days early. The fourth annual event will help attendees learn how to live clean and go green in the city we love. Educational workshops, sustainable gardening tours, live music, food trucks, and tree giveaways are all part of today's line-up of green activities.
16th Annual Dance Media Film Festival
Various Locations
www.dancecamerawest.org
This year's annual Dance Media Film Festival once again offers something for everyone, showcasing forms of dance ranging from modern to tap to hip-hop to ballet. The public event explores dance through film and live performances. Opening Night takes place at UCLA's Royce Hall with International Shorts, followed by a Celebration of UCLA Dance: 1962-2017, Featured Documentaries, screenings that include a West Coast Premiere, a Family Film Day, and sunset performances and film screenings on the Santa Monica Pier.
Museum Of Ice Cream Opening Day
2018 E 7th Pl.
Los Angeles, CA 90021
www.museumoficecream.com
I scream, you scream, we all scream for the opening of the Museum of Ice Cream! Originally from New York, the museum has made its way to the Arts District in Los Angeles, ready to treat guests to a hands-on ice cream-themed experience. Interactive highlights include a ten thousand banana "banana split," mint "grow house," a melted popsicle jungle, and the pièce de résistance, a swimmable sprinkle pool filled with one hundred million sprinkles. Oh, and of course there will be ice cream too.
21st Annual Grand Butterfly Release
Kidspace Museum
480 N Arroyo Blvd.
Pasadena, CA 91103
(626) 449-9144
www.kidspacemuseum.org
Kidspace Children's Museum is celebrating spring and Earth Day by releasing over 700 butterflies into the wild. Along with the 2pm release on Saturday and Sunday, various activities will take place throughout the weekend. Imagine yourself as a butterfly at "Butterfly World," create butterfly puddlers and feeders, and enjoy a special musical performance by children's music group Just Kidding. The museum is also hosting Caterpillar Adoption Days on weekends prior to the event so you can BYOButterfly for the release.
LA OPERA: "Tosca"
Dorothy Chandler Pavilion
135 N. Grand Ave.
Los Angeles, CA, 90012
www.laopera.org
Known as one of opera's bloodiest, most intense dramas, "Tosca" is the story of a prima donna trapped between lovers. The fiery opera singer finds herself pulled by her love for her rebel lover, and a lusting, treacherous police chief. Explosive conflict between the three intense characters culminates in a hair-raising conclusion that answers the question: how far would you go to save the one you love.
Attend The Los Angeles Times' 22nd Annual Festival of Books
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA
www.latimes.com
Bookworms rejoice! The largest literary festival in the nation is back at the USC campus, packed with authors and celebrity guests. Bryan Cranston, Dave Grohl, Kelly Oxford, and Nancy Silverton are just a few of the names on the roster for this year's festival. Along with ten outdoor stages featuring everything from cooking to poetry, Center Theatre Group will perform songs from "Into the Woods," a street-art-style mural will be created, and hundreds of exhibitors will have books and merchandise for sale.
Malibu Wines Sustainable Wine + Dinner
Los Angeles Zoo
5333 Zoo Dr.
Los Angeles, CA 90027
(323) 644-4200
www.lazoo.org
Tonight's Sustainable Wine + Dinner at the LA Zoo continues the zoo's spotlight on their commitment to conservation and sustainability. Sit on the terraces of the zoo's Mahale Mountains and enjoy wine from LA's own Malibu Family Wines along with seasonally inspired farm-to-table dinner. The evening's "Happy Trails" theme explores the biodiverse region of the Santa Monica Mountains, and the migration paths for the native wildlife.
Springfest Redondo Beach
Aviation Park
1935 Manhattan Beach Blvd.
Redondo Beach, CA 90278
www.nrbba.org
Four days of fair fun are in store in the South Bay. The annual community event offers carnival rides, a kid's zone and petting zoo, food court, and gourmet food trucks. Springfest admission is free, and promises fun for the whole family.
Tom Gun LIVE: A Maverick's Homage
The Regent
448 S. Main St.
Los Angeles, CA 90013
www.tomgunlive.com
From the team that brought you Point Break Live comes an interactive show that brings you to the brink of the Danger Zone. Tom Cruise is celebrating his birthday by reprising his role as Maverick, but he's running late, so it's up to six lucky audience members to play the leading role. Come dressed to impress as your favorite character Cruise has portrayed, and get ready for karaoke sing-alongs, dance-offs, paper airplane battles, and more.
Cinespia Presents: "The Godfather Part II"
Los Angeles Theatre
615 S Broadway
Los Angeles, CA 90014
www.cinespia.org
Gussy up in your best formal attire and head to the beautiful Los Angeles Theatre for a screening of an American classic. Al Pacino and Robert De Niro star in the Academy Award winning film about the Corleone crime family and their rise to fame. The movie palace will be transformed into a 1950s Vegas resort with live music, full bars, dancers, DJs, and casino games. The event is 21+.
Taste of the Eastside
Los Angeles River Center and Gardens
570 W Ave 26
Los Angeles, CA 90065
www.tasteoftheeastside.com
The eastside neighborhoods of Silver Lake, Echo Park, Eagle Rock, Los Feliz, and beyond are a treasure trove of evolving and diverse cuisine. Taste of the Eastside invites you to come taste for yourself, as you sample eats from over two dozen restaurants offering up their best. Local breweries, wineries, and distilleries will also be on hand to help you wash it all down. General Admission and VIP (with early entry) tickets are available.
Rock for HARK, featuring Three Dog Night
Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel
7000 Hollywood Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90028
healingartsreachingkids.org
The non-profit organization Healing Arts Reaching Kids (HARK) brings healing and coping techniques to children with illnesses and injuries through creative experiences. Tonight the organization holds its inaugural Rock for HARK Charity event benefitting Children's Hospital Los Angeles, featuring legendary rock group Three Dog Night. Along with the band, celebrity guests Scout Compton, Jane Lynch, and 10 players from the LA Kings are expected to come together for this great cause.