LA Weeklyfri 3/13
The decadence of disco meets the delights of a sit-down dinner party at Courtney “Fruit Fly” Nichols' new bimonthly Disco Dining Club. The party girl and scene scribe kicked off her social concept in chic fashion last month at Cliff's Edge, where several dozen select, dressed-up denizens enjoyed fierce vinyl DJs and fine specialty dishes. This month, the soiree takes over a new space with chef Bernhard Mairinger providing the menu, drink pairings by Barkin'Kitchen and unlimited oyster bar from Shucks Oysters. DJ Carlos Morales spins Studio 54 beats, and other musical surprises are promised. This celebration of conspicuous consumption is pretty exclusive — limited seating is available. Eyeboogie Studios, 180 Glendale Blvd., downtown; Fri., March 13, 8 p.m.-12:30 a.m.; $80 includes food, drink, entertainment, tax and tip. discodiningclub.com. —Lina Lecaro
Do you watch Dancing With the Stars? Do you know your rumba from your mambo? Don't care? Either way, Second City alums and hosts Inessa Frantowski and Sarah Hillier bring their Toronto show, Dancing With Comedians, to L.A. for the first time and invite you to watch their comedian friends do “impressions” of popular dances for a panel of very tough judges. Performers include three couples, White Women (Upright Citizens Brigade's all-male, all-black improv group) and other guests. UCB Franklin, 5919 Franklin Ave., Franklin Village; Fri., March 13, 11:45 p.m.; $5. (323) 908-8702, franklin.ucbtheatre.com. —Siran Babayan
Everyone's an achiever at Lebowski Fest, the annual fan blowout that celebrates the essential, crucial magnificence of the Coen brothers' 1998 cult-classic movie The Big Lebowski. On day one there's a party featuring Tenacious D's Kyle Gass and his band, plus, of course, a screening of the original 35mm print of the film. On day two there's the traditional unlimited bowling party with costumes, trivia, vendor booths, games and hardest- and farthest-traveled contests. Screening and Kyle Gass Band: Saban Theatre, 8440 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills; Fri., March 13, 8 p.m.; $25. Bowling party: Fountain Bowl, 17110 Brookhurst St., Fountain Valley; Sat., March 14, 8 p.m.; $25. lebowskifest.com/fests/lebowski-fest-la. —John Payne
sat 3/14
The body of a dead art curator isn't even cold before the start of Watson Adventures' Murder at the Getty Scavenger Hunt, during which participants discover a trail of clues connected with secrets hidden away in works at the Getty. You'll gather a team to divine the answers to those clues, embroiling you in the greed, lust, pride, revenge and treachery (circle one or more) behind the acquisition of a painting by Leonardo da Vinci. Bret Watson, a writer, editor and stand-up comedian, started these scavenger hunts in the early '90s, and they're now regular events in cities nationwide. Getty Center, 1200 Getty Center Drive, Brentwood; Sat., March 14, 4:30 p.m.; $22. (310) 440-7300, watsonadventures.com. —David Cotner
What does pi — 3.14, the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter — have to do with a secret comedy show/dance party? There's no better way to celebrate Pi Day (March 14, aka 3/14) than with a pie-themed edition of CRAVE, which we named Best Underground Westside Comedy Club in 2013. After spending some time in Silver Lake, comedian Alex Hooper's Alice in Wonderland–themed comedy show, Enter the Rabbit Hole, returns to the Westside, featuring L.A. comedians Ian Karmel, Hampton Yount, Marcella Arguello, Josh Androsky, David Gborie, Ever Mainard and Mike Gamms, plus DJs to the nth degree and, most importantly, free pie until midnight. That's when it stops being Pi Day, y'all. RSVP at purple33.com for location info; Sat., March 14, 9 p.m.; $25 in advance, $35 at the door. eventbrite.com/e/crave-enter-the-rabbit-hole-tickets-15960372905. —Sascha Bos
In a time before television, before the Internet and long before podcasts, it was the radio that dominated in-home entertainment. Actors, singers and musicians broadcast over-the-top theatrics via the airwaves — along with fabulous advertisements and ancillary serial stories. L.A.'s Fake Radio crew of quirky characters has been re-creating these retro amazements for live audiences for years, with witty panache — and this time, you get to sing along. Its presentation of Lux Theater's 1950 Wizard of Oz live radio play broadcast comes with lyric sheets in the unlikely event that you need them — but you'll need to bring your own ruby slippers. Steve Allen Theater, 4773 Hollywood Blvd., Los Feliz; Sat., March 14, 5 and 8 p.m.; $20. (323) 666-4268, trepanyouse.org. —Shana Nys Dambrot
Harry Dean Stanton in Repo Man
sun 3/15
Pritzker Prize–winning architect Thom Mayne and his firm, Morphosis, create internationally acclaimed buildings from a Culver City headquarters that reflects the firm's sculptural, layered aesthetic. For three decades, L.A.'s site-specific maven Heidi Duckler and her ensemble of dancers, musicians and other artists have taken audiences on revelatory tours of local cultural destinations ranging from historic jails to laundromats. For Space Opera, Morphosis opens its doors to Duckler and her cohorts, who lead audiences on an interactive exploration of movement and architecture, both arts that organize things in space. Starting in the parking lot, the action moves through Morphosis' expansive interior and ends in the garden courtyard. Wear comfortable shoes. Morphosis, 3440 Wesley St., Culver City; Sun., March 15, 5 p.m.; Sun., March 22, 2 & 5 p.m.; $25-$50. (818) 784-8669, heididuckler.org. —Ann Haskins
The argument over whether or not the Internet has economically screwed creative folks is as old as, well, the Internet. Scott Timberg probes this debate in his new book, Culture Crash: The Killing of the Creative Class. In a conversation with Janet Fitch (White Oleander), Timberg discusses his book, which looks at how technology, new media and the economy have relegated once-employed artists to freelancers who can scarcely earn a middle-class living. (Timberg can relate; he was laid off as an L.A. Times arts reporter in 2008.) The L.A.-based writer has contributed to The New York Times, GQ, Salon and this very publication, co-edits the anthology The Misread City: New Literary Los Angeles and blogs for ArtsJournal. Skylight Books, 1818 N. Vermont Ave., Los Feliz; Sun., March 15, 5-6 p.m.; free, book is $26. (323) 660-1175, skylightbooks.com. —Siran Babayan
Can't decide between a movie or a concert? Tonight you can take in both. The Regent Theater launches its Double Feature series with Alex Cox's punk sci-fi classic Repo Man. Catch Emilio Estevez as Otto, who trades in the flannel shirt for a blazer when he gets sucked into the exciting world of car repossession. Harry Dean Stanton plays Bud, the slick repo pro who teaches Otto the ins and outs of the business as they drive past an assortment of downtown Los Angeles locations. Stanton will perform live following the screening. Concert-only tickets also are available. The Regent, 448 S. Main St., downtown; Sun., March 15, 7 p.m. (movie), 9 p.m. (concert); $13-$20, 18+. theregenttheater.com. —Liz Ohanesian
mon 3/16
A Week of French-Language Cinema celebrates the Francophile in us all, kicking off with films from Belgium paired with Belgian beer. The animated Aya de Yopougon from Ivory Coast follows, as well as films from Switzerland and Quebec. It all culminates on closing night with films from France: animated short Sweet Cocoon and Mélanie Laurent's Respire. And it wouldn't be complete without a wine tasting courtesy of the French Consulate. Théâtre Raymond Kabbaz, Le Lycée Français de Los Angeles, 3261 Overland Ave., West L.A.; Mon., March 16-Sat., March 21., 7:30 p.m.; free with rsvp.trk@lyceela.org (indicate number of seats and days). (310) 836-3464, theatreraymondkabbaz.com. —Tanja M. Laden
tue 3/17
Nothing like a little light reading: Kevin Sessums discusses and signs I Left It on the Mountain: A Memoir, about his realization, at age 53, that all that anonymous empty sex and abuse of various substances — interspersed with stints as a writer for Vanity Fair and Interview — had left him more or less a hollow husk of a human being. After conquering Mount Kilimanjaro and wandering the world, he realized that he could either keep cratering or get over his incredible power trip and try to change his ways. Book Soup, 8818 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood; Tue., March 17, 7 p.m.; free, book is $25.99. (310) 659-3110, booksoup.com. —David Cotner
Why do bagpipers always walk when they play? To get away from the noise! Longtime Molly Malone's bagpipe presence Thomas Allen will be on hand to play the standards from the bagpipe songbook in this yearly manifestation of all things Irish and green. All the hits are here, including “When Irish Eyes Are Smiling,” “The Wearing of the Green” and “Garryowen.” If you talk to Allen about jazz bagpiper Rufus Harley, he'll probably play you anything you want — maybe even some Eire Supply. He'll be followed by the dulcet Irish tones of the Rambling House Band, Talkback, Rap Scallions and The McNaughstys. Molly Malone's Irish Pub, 575 S. Fairfax Ave., Mid-Wilshire; Tue., March 17, noon; $10. (323) 935-1577, mollymalonesla.com. —David O'Cotner
wed 3/18
The Freewaves organization takes a unique approach to supporting independent video and new-media art programming, putting together spectacular works for events at venues from the L.A. Art Show to the Getty Center — and coming up at L.A. Weekly's own Artopia in April. But with Long Live L.A., it brings it to the doctor's office. Made by teams of contemporary artists and local students, this slate of 30 original short videos engages with our city's policy regarding mental health and addiction issues, and will be playing at clinics and on public health websites, as well as out-the-window.org/videos. You can see them all at tonight's launch party and artists panel. Mercado la Paloma, 3655 S. Grand Ave., downtown; Wed., March 18, 7-9 p.m.; free. (323) 871-1950, freewaves.org. —Shana Nys Dambrot
thu 3/19
In the Hammer Forum Terror in the Name of Islam, onetime British diplomat and counterterrorism expert Richard Barrett opens the mind of Undercover Jihadi author Mubin Shaikh to reveal why mild-mannered Muslims can become radicalized. Canadian-born Shaikh ran away and joined the extremist circus after 9/11 but finally got over it and volunteered to help the Canadian Security Intelligence Service fight terrorism. Tonight is that rare and illuminating evening of conversation about the conflict with insight from someone who's actually seen both sides. Hammer Museum, 10899 Wilshire Blvd.; Westwood; Thu., March 19, 7:30 p.m.; free. (310) 443-7000, hammer.ucla.edu. —David Cotner
If you're worried that someone you love will never change, or if you're curious about the mechanics of repetition on the mind, author Gretchen Rubin (known for The Happiness Project) will explain it all when she presents her new book, Better Than Before: Mastering the Habits of Our Everyday Lives. She believes the answer to the question “How do we change?” is that ever-present double-edged sword called habit. She'll explore this issue in conversation for Live Talks L.A. with KCRW's Lisa Napoli. William Turner Gallery, Bergamot Station, Gallery E-1, 2525 Michigan Ave., Santa Monica; Thu., March 19, reception 6:30 p.m., doors 8 p.m.; $20 general, $30 reserved, $43 includes book, $95 includes pre-event reception, book and reserved seating. (310) 453-0909, livetalksla.org. —David Cotner
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