This Week:

March 13Nnenna Freelon, in concert, 8pm, $45, Smothers Theatre, Pepperdine University, 24255 PCH, Malibu, 310.506.4522.An Evening with Matthew Mars and Friends, art opening 7pm, music and poetry with Mars, members of the group Clear, singer Molly Bryant, and poets Amelie Frank and Ellyn Maybe, 8pm, $5-$7, Beyond Baroque, 681 Venice Blvd., Venice, 310. 822.3006.Charles Messier & the Faint Fuzzies, 8pm, preceded by The Night Sky Show 7pm, $5 or $9 for both shows, John Drescher Planetarium, SMC, 1900 Pico Blvd., 310.434.4223.Doran Marold, Frank Lane, paintings, reception 7-11pm, through March 20, Buckwild Gallery, 12804 Venice Blvd., LA, 310.399.0171.The Secret of Roan Innish, a movie about Ireland for St. Patrick’s Day, 3pm, free, MLK Jr. Auditorium, Santa Monica Main Library, 601 Santa Monica Blvd., 310.458.8600.Donald Sultan: Recent Works on Paper, reception 6pm, Greenfield Sacks Gallery, Bergamot Station, 310.264.0640. Working, musical based on the book by Studs Terkel, presented by Kentwood Players, 8pm Fridays-Saturdays, 2pm Sundays, through April 18, $20, Westchester Playhouse, 8301 Hindry Ave., Westchester, 310.645.5156.March 13-14Amour, Where Are You? dance theatre piece, conceived and choreographed by Nathalie Broizat, also pieces by Alexis Hunt and Marnie Castor, 8:30pm, $15-$20, Highways Performance Space, 1651 18th St., 310.315.1459.March 14Allied Artists Paint-out, sponsored by Allied Artists of the Santa Monica Mountains and Seashore, 9:30am-1:30pm, free, Solstice Canyon, take PCH to Corral Canyon Rd.(near Union 76 gas station), meet at upper parking lot, 310.338.0333. Bella Mahaya Carter, poetry, 7pm, $5-$15 donation, Church In Ocean Park, 235 Hill St., 310.828.3951.Karen Florek, Desert Reflections, Jasmine Swope, Palladium Prints, reception 5-8pm, through April 11, VeniceArts Gallery, 1702 Lincoln Blvd., Venice, 310.392.0846.Global Migration and the Challenge of Development, lecture with Ali Modares, PhD., 4pm, free, Culture of Peace Resource Center, 606 Wilshire Blvd., 310.260.8900.Grassroots Acoustica, Hootmasters Edition, pre-show meet and greet 4:30pm, sound check spotlight 6pm, main show 7pm, free, donation requested, Talking Stick Coffee Lounge, 1411-C Lincoln Blvd., Venice, 310.450.6052.Los Angeles Marathon Kids®, 10am, UCLA Drake Track & Field Stadium, WW, MarathonKIds.org.Mods n’ Hogs, a fundraising event for SOS (Share Our Strength) with art, music, and a celebration of all things Mod or Biker-oriented, 7-11pm, $25-$30, come dressed as a Mod or a biker, 4161 Lincoln Blvd., MDR, strength.org.The Secret Garden, play based on the classic children’s novel, through April 11, 8pm Fridays-Saturdays, 2pm Sundays, $18-$23, Morgan-Wixson Theatre, 2627 Pico Blvd., 310.828.7519. Seeing Is Believing, art by Vik Muniz, Ed Ruscha, Andy Warhol, Richard Pettibone, and Elaine Sturtevant, reception 5-7pm, through May 16, Ikon Ltd., Bergamot Station, 310.828.6629.Sonya Sones discusses and signs Violet and Winston, 3pm, free, Diesel, A Bookstore, Brentwood Country Mart, 226 26th St., 510.653.9965.Amy Uyematsu and Gary Gach, poetry, 7:30pm, $5-$7, Beyond Baroque, 681 Venice Blvd., Venice, 310. 822.3006.March 14-15Los Angeles Ballet, performing George Balanchine’s Violin Concerto and Prodigal Son, 7:30pm Saturday, 2pm Sunday, The Broad Stage, 1310 11th St., 310.998.7782. Cut! Film Festival, screenings and audience panels, $45-$80, Aero Theatre, 1328 Montana Ave., cutfilmfestival.org.Dan Zanes, family music, 11am and 2pm Saturday, 11am-Sunday, $15-$25, Royce Hall, UCLA, WW, 310.825.2101.March 15I Love A Good Story…For Kids! the kids’ edition of the monthly storytelling series, with Bianca, Chloe, Devon, Garret, Rowan, and singer/songwriter Corey Leland, 4pm, $10, Westside Eclectic, 1323-A Third Street Promenade, 310.850.8814.Los Angeles Urban Haiku Workshop with Gary Gach, walking tour of Venice to inspire the writing of haiku, 2-5:30pm, $50, Beyond Baroque, 681 Venice Blvd., Venice, 310. 822.3006.Surfrider Volunteer Training Day, 10am-1pm, Hostelling International HI-Los Angeles/Santa Monica, 1436 2nd St., 310.393.9913, surfriderwlam.org.Gustafer Yellowgold, children’s music show, 11am, $8, McCabe’s Guitar Shop, 3101 Pico Blvd., 310.828.4497.March 16Buzzards Steal Your Picnic, film by Terri Sarris about musician Frank Pahl, also other music films, 6pm, free, 7Dudley Cinema at The Talking Stick, 1411-C Lincoln Blvd., Venice, 310.450.6052.Leigh Curran, poet, playwright, and director of the Virginia Avenue Project, speaks at the Mary Pickford Entertainment Speakers Series, 7pm, free, screening room, SMC Academy of Entertainment & Technology, 1660 Stewart St., 310. 434.3777.Memories to Memoirs: Going Deeper, a healing workshop with Rachel Ballon, four Mondays through April 6, 7-9pm, $50, UnUrban Coffeehouse, 3301 Pico Blvd., 310.452.1439. March 17Arctic Tale, documentary about a polar bear and a walrus, 7pm, free, Fairview Branch Library, 2101 Ocean Park Blvd., 310.450.0443.Chamber Music Palisades Presents Music of Ravel, Gaubert, Martinu and Beethoven, 8pm, $25, St. Matthew’s Parish, 1031 Bienveneda, PP, 310.459.2070.Conversation about California’s Future with San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom, 7pm, free, Santa Monica High School, South Gymnasium, 601 Pico Blvd., 415.516.1252.Culture In The Canyon: Tracking Mountain Lions In Our Mountains, with Dr. Ray Sauvajot, 7:30pm, free, Woodland Hall, Temescal Gateway Park, 15601 Sunset Blvd., PP, 310.858.7272.How Acupuncture Works, with Edsel Tan, 7:30pm, free, Tao of Wellness, 1131 Wilshire Blvd., Ste. 300, 310.917.2200.Moving Hearts, Irish band, 8pm, $15-$56, Royce Hall, UCLA, WW, 310.825.2101.Santa Monica Canyon Civic Association, meeting, 7pm, free, Gallery Room, Rustic Canyon Recreation Center, 601 Latimer Rd., 310.454.4448.Spring Sprinkles, storytelling and puppet show for children ages 3-7, 3:30 and 4pm, free, Ocean Park Branch Library, 2601 Main St., 310.392.3804.St. Patrick’s Day Fundraiser for McKinley School, with Paula Poundstone and Bobby Collins, 7pm, $30, Shutters on the Beach Hotel, 1 Pico Blvd., 310.828.5011. March 18Elayne Alexander discusses and signs her Postcard History Series book Venice, 6:30pm, free, Venice-Abbot Kinney Memorial Library, 501 S. Venice Blvd., Venice, 310.821.1769.A Collection of Ideas-Hip-Hop Saves Lives, hip hop and recording artists of the High School for Recording Arts, Minnesota, 7pm, free, Santa Monica Museum of Art, Bergamot Station, 310.586.6488. The Shadow Catcher, by Marianne Wiggins, this year’s Santa Monica Citywide Reads book, is discussed by the Book Group, 7pm, free, Montana Branch Library, 1704 Montana Ave., 310.829.7081.March 19Chick Corea & John McLaughlin Five Peace Band with Christian McBride, Kenny Garrett & Vinnie Colaiuta, 8pm, $15-$80, Royce Hall, UCLA, WW, 310.825.2101.Simon Njami, African art curator, lecture, 7pm, free, Fowler Museum at UCLA, WW, 310.825.4288.