ThisWeekInSoCal.com

During the week leading up to the 84th Academy Awards ceremony, the Academy will once again present public events celebrating this year’s nominees. READ MORE for complete schedule.

This exhibition showcases the films, archives, and vision of Kenneth Anger (b. 1927, Santa Monica, California; lives and works in Los Angeles), one of the most original filmmakers of American cinema.

California has its own unique style—from furniture and cars to Barbie and Ken! Check out clean and cool designs in the exhibition California Design to see beachwear, ceramics, jewelry, and even an Airstream aluminum trailer! Then create your own “California look” in artist-led workshops.

A performance of the Tony Award-winning musical “Memphis,” about a white high-school dropout in 1950s Tennessee who becomes a disc jockey in order to promote the music of a black singer he’s fallen for.

Jokes fly and hidden agendas unfold as two vastly different generations of characters tip-toe the delicate dance of social politics, pitting race against real estate at the crux of two seminal events — 50 years apart — in the same north Chicago house.

The Beverly Hills Wine Festival™ 2012 is the most prestigious wine festival in all of the United States. This is the only wine festival of its size that donates all of its proceeds to a great cause. The event benefits the LA Animal Alliance, Pets to Patriots and all the LA city and Los Angeles county animal Shelters.

The world premiere of a gritty and savagely humorous live-on-stage action adventure that is part theater and part graphic novel. In Furious Theatre Company’s bold exploration of the way junk news and media hype thwart the best efforts of real life heroes, no good deed goes unpunished when teen illustrator Josh Jackson transforms into a superhero – only to face mortal consequences for his actions in an epic battle of good vs. evil. (Mature audiences)

Born in Nizhny-Novgorod, Russia, pianist Svetlana Smolina has performed with orchestras and in recitals worldwide. Some recent notable solo appearances with orchestras include Mariinsky Philharmonic at Carnegie Hall, New York Philharmonic at Avery Fischer Hall, St. Petersburg Philharmonic, Orchestra National de France, Odessa and Nizhny Novgorod Philharmonic, Pittsburgh Symphony, New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, with iPalpiti in Walt Disney Concert Hall, and numerous others.

Using their signature Hyper-theatrical style combining puppetry, music, video projections, and innovative prop design, the award-winning Rogue Artists Ensemble brings this popular book’s lovable characters and beautiful stories to life on stage.

Shukree Hassan Tilghman, a 29-year-old African-American filmmaker, sets out on a cross-country campaign to end Black History Month. He stops in various cities, wearing a sandwich board, to solicit signatures on his petition to end the observance. He explains that relegating Black History Month to the coldest, shortest month of the year is an insult, and that black history is not separate from American history.

The acclaimed “Racing Dreams” chronicles the experiences of three adolescents competing in the World Karting Association, which has been a breeding ground for such NASCAR racers as Jeff Gordon and Danica Patrick.

Curated by Professor Patricia Harter. Conceived and directed by Perry Daniel. Presented in collaboration with the Geffen Playhouse and the LA Unified School District. Featuring the undergraduate actors from the department of theater Performing at the Geffen Playhouse, and touring throughout schools in LAUSD.

Persian classical music vocalist Homayoun Shajarian performs at Royce Hall accompanied by the Hesar Ensemble. A group of the most dexterous Iranian musicians, in recent years the main focus of the ensemble has been on polyphonic music and Iranian forms, while also maintaining a rapport with international music.

The Artist’s Image at Craig Krull Gallery will focus on one aspect of McMillan’s artistic practice, his photographic portraiture of artists. This exhibition demonstrates his inventive techniques at creating a persona rather than a mere likeness. Concurrently, the gallery will present an exhibition of photographs from the 1960s by Dennis Hopper.

They’re celebrating their 41st anniversary this year and hope you’ll be able to join them for BOTH fun-packed weekends. Read More to link to the The Calendar of Events, which provides you with a daily listing of all that’s going on, including location, time and a short description of the event.

Every year, The Genesis Awards pays tribute to the major news and entertainment media for producing outstanding works that raise public awareness about animal issues. DreamWorks’ Academy Award-nominated “War Horse,” Twentieth Century Fox’s “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” and “Rio,” and Alcon Entertainment’s “Dolphin Tale” lead the eclectic field of 58 nominees.

Much more than a concert, this is a unique musical love story told entirely through a masterful selection of the greatest songs ever written for the stage. Funny, passionate, intimate and utterly unforgettable, this is an evening no fan of musical theater–or of two of the most acclaimed performers of our time–can afford to miss.

Haunting and Hilarious: a 16 year old girl ages 7 times faster then normal. Self-absorbed parents. A scam artist, aunt. Twists and turns ultimately provide the joy to the girls last days. Written by David Lindsay-Abaire. Starring Katharine Ross. Directed by Graeme Clifford.

Make the most of your OUTDOORS experience in the Santa Monica Mountains. Read More to link to the events calendar and search for National Park Service programs in the recreation area near you.

Enjoy the mountains, meadow, and an ocean overlook as the moon lights our way. Bring a flashlight and meet at upper parking lot. Rain cancels. Reservations required: 310-317-1364. $4 parking fee.

Join the community for the 39th Annual Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast on Saturday, March 3rd at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel with keynote speaker, Joni Eareckson Tada. Every year this is a great way to not only pray for the mayor, the larger city of Los Angeles and it’s leaders, but support World Impact with vital funds as they continue to minister to the inner-city of LA.

Inspired by Anton Chekhov’s classic The Cherry Orchard, playwright Tanya Saracho charts a Mexican family’s experience as their way of life is threatened by encroaching drug cartels and economic upheaval. Set in present-day Northern Mexico and infused with Spanish, Spanglish and Espanglés. West Coast premiere.

Haunting and Hilarious: a 16 year old girl ages 7 times faster then normal. Self-absorbed parents. A scam artist, aunt. Twists and turns ultimately provide the joy to the girls last days. Written by David Lindsay-Abaire. Starring Katharine Ross. Directed by Graeme Clifford.

The March to the Madness for 2012 starts with four days of explosive win-or-go home action! Secure your seats now for this non-stop, in-your-face college hoops frenzy!

Miller’s gripping tale of corporate greed versus social responsibility remains as electrifying today as when first presented in 1947, but producer Joseph Stern and director Cameron Watson have upped the ante, presenting this non-traditionally cast version as the third play in a trilogy examining race in America through the lens of different playwrights.

Restoration, and learn how to make your landscape sustainable using locally native, California plants. Using natives conserves water and eliminates the need for pesticides, which harm beneficial insects and other animals and reduces the exposure to toxic substances. Learn which landscape quality native plants will work best in your yard.

Watch this FREE Sailing event from the Belmont Pier. 90 Races over five days – Daily Noon to 5pm. ‘Sail and Savor’ Tasting Event – Friday night. Finals on Sat 3/31 with Vendor Expo. Sponsored by Friedmans. Follow ‘Read More’ link for more details…

There is one classroom of students at Madison School that no one wants to teach, a classroom affectionately known as the “Brat Trap.” After the students scare off yet another substitute teacher, the principal decides that she is fed up and talks the students into joining a brand new program at their school: “Students in Space.”

The streets of Los Angeles’ Miracle Mile will once again resonate with the sounds of finely tuned V-8s when the Petersen Automotive Museum celebrates the 80th Anniversary of hot rodding’s most popular car, the 1932 Ford, during Deuce Week in March 2012. Exciting events each day of Deuce Week include tours to other automotive museums, private collections, and hot rod shops, a round table discussion and dinner with hot rodding’s biggest heroes, a silent auction, book signings, and a concert with legendary rock musicians.

Korean pianist Joyce Yang offers Rachmaninoff’s Third Piano Concerto, one of the repertoire’s most powerful, most demanding and most popular works. Rossini’s “Semiramide” is seldom performed in full, but the overture and arias have received constant acclaim. “The Miraculous Mandarin” is Bartok at his most colorful and dramatic.

The perennial children’s classic comes to vivid life in a rare, live-action, British film adaptation. Stellar performances by renowned comedic and musical talents, inventive production design and costumes, as well as original songs, grace this production, which frames Alice’s adventure as a journey of self-discovery through a strange and wonderful world.

UCLA Film & Television Archive and the Hugh M. Hefner Classic American Film Program present “Spencer Tracy: That Natural Thing.” “Captain Courageous” (1937), Directed by Victor Fleming followed by: “Boys Town” (1938), Directed by Norman Taurog.

Silent film on the big screen, with sounds from the magnificent Skinner Organ filling Royce Hall. Acclaimed organist and Fulbright scholar Steven Ball — widely known for his aptitude in silent-film composition — sets a live score to Tillie’s Punctured Romance, which film historians believe may be the first full-length comedy ever.

The Frederick R. Weisman Museum of Art, Malibu, will debut its new exhibit “The Epic and the Exotic: 19th Century Academic Realism from the Dahesh Museum of Art”. In the 19th century, the great academies of Europe represented a continuation of the grand tradition of European classical art. By emphasizing idealized forms, perfect detail, and noble subjects inspired by history, these official art schools stressed rigorous technical training.

we have assembled photographs by each of our 10 artists which are most symbolic of the city of Los Angeles. Some are its buildings familiar to most of us, some are its beach areas and piers, some are museums and other public places, some are murals and street art, but they all are uniquely “L. A.”, and could be considered as the city’s icons. Since each of the photographers in the project group has their own individual approach to their art, the exhibited images show a wide diversity of techniques and represent a composite view.

The life of the Buddha in his own words — the evolution of his thought, his triumphs, and the rarely portrayed tragedy at the end of his life. John C. Reilly directs the West Coast premiere of Evan Brenner’s moving and enlightening one-man play, Buddha: Triumph & Tragedy In The Life Of The Great Sage.

DIGITAL DARKROOM features the work of 17 artists from around the world that explore the intersection of art and technology. The artists come from a range of backgrounds, each specializing in fine art, commercial art, portraiture, still life, fashion, architectural or other types of photographic and illustrative expression.

The Trisha Brown Dance Company circles the globe dancing on the stages of landmark opera houses, on rooftops, in galleries and museums, on walls and while floating on water. The repertory has grown from solos to operas, from 10 seconds to evening-length, from a singular vision to massive collaboration.

Works in this exhibition illustrate a range of media produced in Burma (Myanmar), Cambodia, Sri Lanka, and Thailand from the eighteenth century to the present. They represent the Buddha in a variety of forms, as figures in his previous births, as the Buddha with monks and lay worshippers, and as symbols, such as the Buddha’s footprints.

Enjoy a playful introduction to art with Family Art Stops, a half-hour, hands-on gallery experience geared for families.

Held each Saturday and Sunday on campus (Adams Ave. parking lot) from 8 AM to 3 PM.