We truly have some amazing places to be entertained along the Hollywood (s) arts corridor. Have you had the chance to check out the beautifully redone Ford Theatres?
Well, our advice is GO! Summer may be over but the Ford Theatres’ 2017 season continues through October. There is such a rich selection of shows that you will go back often. You’ll get world-class performances in an intimate setting and an all-new picnic terrace and café with epic views. For an unforgettable night under the stars, the place to be is the Ford.
Angel City Jazz Fest
Sunday, October 1, 6PM
PRESENTED BY ANGEL CITY ARTS
For its 10-year anniversary, the Angel City Jazz Festival presents a special tribute to innovative jazz pianist and composer Thelonious Monk in celebration of his centennial. Monk’s impact on today’s jazz cannot be overstated – virtually every living jazz musician has been deeply influenced by his radically original music. The celebration kicks off with “Thelonious Monk’s Afro-Cuban Dream,” adding the clave to Carmen McRae’s “Carmen sings Monk,” featuring Dee Dee Bridgewater on vocals, Brian Lynch on trumpet, Conrad Herwig on trombone, Manuel Valera on piano, Ruben Rodriguez on bass, Richie Flores on conga and Robby Ameen on drums. The final part of the program reimagines Monk DJ style, with performances by DJ Logic, Mark de Clive-Lowe, Deantoni Parks and Steve Lehman slicing and sampling Monk through John Beasley’s own MONK’estra records.
Artistic Director: John Beasley
La Sorgente: Arias Inspired by the Poetry of Pope John Paul II
Sunday, October 8, 7:30PM
COMPOSED AND CONDUCTED BY VICTOR VANACORE
PRESENTED BY BACK EAST ENTERTAINMENT
Grammy winner, composer, arranger and conductor Victor Vanacore will lead a world-class orchestra and well-known tenor soloists in the world premiere of La Sorgente, a concert of 10 neo-classical arias composed to the poems of Pope John Paul II.
The Hubble Cantata
Wednesday, October 11, 8PM
The Ford Theatres, in association with LA Opera, present the West Coast premiere of The Hubble Cantata, an unprecedented live experience that pushes the boundaries of art and science. An astrophysicist searches for his wife in the stars. As the cosmos unfolds before him, the birth, life and death of a star echo the couples’ loss of their child. With stunning images from the Hubble Space Telescope, the space-inspired cantata culminates in a five-minute virtual reality film that launches the audience into an immersive voyage through the Universe. Starring Nathan Gunn and Jessica Rivera, this hour-long, cantata features music by composer Paola Prestini, libretto by Royce Vavrek and Eliza McNitt’s virtual reality film, Fistful of Stars. Through his narration, New York Times best-selling author and eminent astrophysicist Dr. Mario Livio places the characters’ story within the grand scheme of the cosmos.
Music directed by Julian Wachner. Gunn and Rivera are joined in performance by members of the LA Opera Orchestra, LA Opera Chorus and Los Angeles Children’s Chorus.
For the virtual reality portion of the performance, cardboard headsets will be provided, expertly created by The Endless Collective, a leading VR FX firm, with a 360-degree soundscape developed by Arup, the global leaders in acoustics and sound design. This mesmerizing live experience, co-produced by Beth Morrison Projects and National Sawdust in association with Arup, reflects Livio’s poignant themes and the powerful realization that humans discovered, explored and continue to expand the understanding of the Universe, and man’s place in it.
Join us before the show! At 7:30 p.m. in the amphitheatre, Dr. Livio and Griffith Observatory Curator Dr. Laura Danly hold a preshow discussion.
The Hubble Cantata received its World Premiere at the 2016 BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival. Eliza McNitt’s Fistful of Stars premiered at SXSW, was an official selection at Hot Docs and was featured at the Next VR Library at the Cannes Film Festival.
Part of the IGNITE @ the FORD! series, made possible through the generous support of LA County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl. Proceeds benefit the Ford Theatre Foundation.
Bang on a Can All-Stars: Road Trip
Saturday, October 14, 8PM
MUSIC BY MICHAEL GORDON, DAVID LANG & JULIA WOLFE
Celebrating 30 years of Bang on a Can, founders Michael Gordon, David Lang and Julia Wolfe return to the collaborative spirit of the group’s origins with an all-new collection of tunes to inspire inventiveness, free expression and possibility. This world premiere production is performed by New York’s electric Bang on a Can All-Stars and directed by Michael Counts, with stunning scenic design by projection artist CandyStations. Road Trip is a tribute to journeys – physical, emotional and spiritual – and the people who make them. “There is a road, no simple highway.”
Part of the IGNITE @ the FORD! series, made possible through the generous support of LA County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl. Proceeds benefit the Ford Theatre Foundation.
JAM Session: Drum Circle
Monday, October 16, 7PM
FREE – Reservations recommended; space is limited.
Take a rhythmic journey with Christopher Ramirez in this evening of interactive group drumming. Using a variety of percussion instruments, you’ll discover the joy of collectively creating beats and sounds with friends old and new. As an added bonus – Yankuititl Aztec Dance Group will make the stage come alive as they dance to the beats created. Drums provided by Remo Drums.
Wear comfortable clothes and shoes. JAM Sessions are participatory while also centered on movement and music. All JAMs are FREE. All ages and skill levels are welcome.
See you at The Ford!
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