LAST CHANCE
Provenance, Kevin Peterson’s series of acrylic and oil paintings that depict children in urban landscapes framed by walls of graffiti, through August 6, C.A.V.E. Gallery, 1108 Abbot Kinney Boulevard, 310.450.6960, cavegallery.net
Celia and Wally Gilbert: Beans and Bands, paintings by Celia and C-prints by Wally, both based out of Cambridge, Mass., through August 10, Wednesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Schomburg Gallery, Bergamot Station, 2525 Michigan Avenue, E3A, 310.453.5757, schomburggallery.com
THIS WEEK
Friday August 5
Dave Meltzer and Julie Rogers, $7, 7:30 p.m., Beyond Baroque, 681 Venice Boulevard, 310.822.3006, beyondbaroque.org
Dog Days of Summer Sale at Gracie, SMMoA’s shop, is the hot spot for unique, fun, and artistic items from all over the world. Cool off and enjoy major markdowns on GRACIE’s exceptional gifts during the Dog Days of Summer Sale. The courtyard in front of the museum will be bursting with shopping activities, 2525 Michigan Avenue, 310.586.6488
The Magic Meathands, comedy-improv ensemble performs an hour of entirely made-up hilarity, based on audience suggestions and participation, $10, 8 p.m., Westside Comedy Theater, 1323-A Third Street Promenade, 310.451.0850, westsidecomedy.com, magicmeathands.com
Genius From a Blue Collar Neighborhood, a solo play with music, written and performed by Maria Menozzi, directed by Che’Rae Adams, 8 p.m., $25 at the door, $20 in advance, Main Stage at Santa Monica Playhouse, 1211 Fourth Street, 818.623.7018
Benny Goodman: Adventures in the Kingdom of Swing, see this definitive story of Benny Goodman, with rare performance and rehearsal footage, interviews with family and friends, and video of the cultural icon recounting his own life, part of the High Noon Film Series, free, 12 p.m., Fowler Museum at UCLA, fowler.ucla.edu
Saturday August 6
Poets From New Mexico, featuring Corrie Greathouse, Jessica Helen Lopez, Cassandra Love, and Gina Marselle, $7, 4 p.m., Beyond Baroque, 681 Venice Boulevard, 310.822.3006, beyondbaroque.org
Villa Aurora Composers Karin Wetzel and Michael Maierhof, $7, 7:30 p.m., Beyond Baroque, 681 Venice Boulevard, 310.822.3006, beyondbaroque.org
Gay Summer Rick: Series in Fog and Sun, an exhibit of new works by Malibu painter Gay Summer Rick that depicts beautiful local scenes in the presence of a growing fog, free, 6 to 10 p.m., Bleicher/Golightly Gallery, 1431 Ocean Avenue
Dog Days of Summer Sale at Gracie, SMMoA’s shop, is the hot spot for unique, fun, and artistic items from all over the world. Cool off and enjoy major markdowns on GRACIE’s exceptional gifts during the Dog Days of Summer Sale. The courtyard in front of the museum will be bursting with shopping activities, 2525 Michigan Avenue, 310.586.6488
Brain Fitness: a Workshop, presented by Sara Beck, a brain fitness/memory enhancement teacher at the Venice Skills Center, learn how to strengthen your brain and improve your focus and concentration, free, 3 p.m., Main Library’s Multipurpose Room, 601 Santa Monica Boulevard, 310.458.8600, smpl.org
Sunday August 7
Jazz on the Lawn, free jazz concert every Sunday in August, Theo Saunders and Intergeneration, 5 to 7 p.m., Santa Monica City Hall
Free First Sunday Open Reading, hosted by Billy Burgos, 5 p.m., sign-up at 4:45 p.m., Beyond Baroque, 681 Venice Boulevard, 310.822.3006, beyondbaroque.org
The Puppeteer of Havana, Roberto, a puppeteer from Havana, hopes that a festival manager invites him and his puppets to Oslo. His dream turns into an obsession and his family starts doubting his mental state, directed by Wolf Hermsen, $7, 8 p.m., Beyond Baroque, 681 Venice Boulevard, 310.822.3006, beyondbaroque.org
Dog Days of Summer Sale at Gracie, SMMoA’s shop, is the hot spot for unique, fun, and artistic items from all over the world. Cool off and enjoy major markdowns on GRACIE’s exceptional gifts during the Dog Days of Summer Sale. The courtyard in front of the museum will be bursting with shopping activities, 2525 Michigan Avenue, 310.586.6488
Monday August 8
Cobranauts and FawnHawk, long form comedy improv teams in action, free, 9 p.m., Westside Comedy Theater, 1323-A Third Street Promenade, 310.451.0850, westsidecomedy.com
Tuesday August 9
Open Mic, Come workshop your three to five minute stand-up bit, showcase a new sketch, or show a short video. Videos must be in DVD format. Sign-ups are at 9:45 p.m., show starts at 10 p.m., $1, Westside Comedy Theater, 1323-A Third Street Promenade, 310.451.0850, westsidecomedy.com
Science Journalist Reinhard Kargl, presentation about his recent flight on SOFIA, NASA’s brand new airborne observatory, learn how this complex and unique aircraft works, what astronomers will experience on board, why this kind of astronomy can only be done while flying high in the stratosphere, and what questions about the universe SOFIA will help to answer, free, 7:30 p.m. Santa Monica Amateur Astronomy Club, SMAAC.org, at New Roads School, 3131 Olympic Boulevard, 310.495.7595
Wednesday August 10
Punk House, weekly cutting edge stand-up show hosted by Ed Galvez, every week features a hot new set of headlining comics as well as hardcore up and comers plus selected musical guests, $8, 9 to 10:30 p.m., Westside Comedy Theater, 1323-A Third Street Promenade, 310.451.0850, westsidecomedy.com
Lost Voices Making History, documentary film screening on the Albanian Human Rights Project’s preservation of testimonies of former Albanian political prisnors during the communist regime, free, with Rose Dosti, former L.A. Times columnist, featuring 15-minute film with actual testimony of survivors who tell their harrowing experiences, followed by a question and answer session, 12 to 1 p.m., Santa Monica Family YMCA, DeWing Room, Senior Center, Second Floor, 1332 Sixth Street, 310.393.2721
Thursday August 11
The Jam, weekly improv show where anyone in the audience is invited to jump on stage and try their hand at improv, free, 11 p.m., Westside Comedy Theater, 1323-A Third Street Promenade, 310.451.0850, westsidecomedy.com
