thursday, march 7
The Collective
The National Comedy Theatre’s long form show. Like the regular shows, each Collective performance is completely improvised and is based entirely on audience suggestions. Performances feature five of NCT’s experienced main stage cast members improvising a full-length play around a single theme or storyline, from scratch.
National Comedy Theatre, 3717 India Street in the Mission Hills, 7:30 p.m., tickets from $10, 619-295-4999, nationalcomedy.com
friday, march 8
Malashock Dance 25th Season Celebration Benefit Concert
Malashock Dance, a leader in contemporary dance and arts education since 1988, continues its 25th anniversary season with a Celebration Benefit Concert March 8 and 9 at the Birch North Park Theatre. The concert, which celebrates the organization’s 25 years of exemplary arts programming, features the work of John Malashock, founder and artistic director, who teams with renowned pianist Gustavo Romero for an intimate music and dance collaboration to piano suites by Czech composer Leos Janacek. The beautiful and emotional selections are a perfect pairing for Malashock’s choreographic short stories. Also on the program is a re-staging of Fathom: The Body as Universe, Malashock’s hugely successful 2006 collaboration with Japanese artist Junko Chodos.
The Birch North Park Theatre, 2891 University Ave. in San Diego, 8 p.m., general admission tickets from $27, 619-260-1622, malashockdance.org
saturday, march 9
Not a Still Life
A new independent film by award winning filmmaker, Roberta Cantow, Not A Still Life takes a close look at a man, described by the filmmaker as “one of the odd birds of the universe.” A man who does not fit the mold. He is Steve Stone, a complex mass of contradictions, with a compassionate heart, an exuberant spirit and the cravings of mysterious desire. Devout in his Judaic faith and desire for spiritual transcendence, deeply committed to human and animal rights activism, yet also in possession of an explosive temper and a proclivity for anonymous sex, mourning for decades the death of the love of his life from AIDS. As he struggles to hold onto the home and the business he inherited from his love, the conflicts and predicaments he experiences exemplify so many of the complexities of the human heart.
The North County LGBTQ Resource Center, 510 North Coast Highway in Oceanside, 7-9 p.m., donations accepted, 760-994-1690, originaldigital.net/notastill-life/
sunday, march 10
Synesthesia: Manifestations of Energy : paintings by Ellen Salk and sound by Christopher Adler
Pulsating with energy and tension, Ellen Salk’s abstract paintings reference her interest in science, elemental forms, entropy, Minimalism and Abstract Expressionism. In collaboration with experimental sound artist Christopher Adler, Salk has designed an immersive installation that explores the vibrational quality of her images. Designed in response to Salk’s work, the 1 hour music loop by Adler heightens the viewer’s senses eliciting a meditative and spiritual experience.
Oceanside Museum of Art, 704 Pier View Way in Oceanside, 1-4 p.m., general admission $8, 760-435-3720, oma-online.org
monday, march 11
Creating A Storm: Sakura Fubuki – featuring Diana Carey
Diana Carey, aka “d. goth,” began painting and exhibiting professionally in the late 1990’s. Initially known for her fresco paintings on broken stones and her poetry, Diana moved into large scale canvas paintings incorporating the Pollock, gestural technique of throwing, dripping, and splattering paint with brushes and sticks. Many of her works are over 8ft tall. Diana was intrigued by Pollock’s style because it was initially difficult to understand. What appeared to be simple and random turned out to be challenging. She describes her finished work as being no more chaotic than the connecting particles that make up existence itself.
Japanese Friendship Garden 2215 Pan American Place in Balboa Park, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. (last admission at 3:30pm), entrance fee $4 adult, 619-232-2721, niwa.org
tuesday, march 12
A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder
Former Old Globe Co-Artistic Director Darko Tresnjak returns to direct this world premiere musical of merriment and murder. When Monty Navarro finds out he is ninth in line to inherit a dukedom, he decides to eliminate the other eight heirs standing in his way – all played by one incredible actor. This witty music hall comedy explores how low we’ll go to make it to the top.
Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage, Old Globe Theatre, Conrad Prebys Theatre Center in Balboa Park, 7 p.m., tickets from $39, 619-234-5623, theoldglobe.org
wednesday, march 13
For Love – a compilation of work by Paul Cava
The photo-driven collage work of Paul Cava is elegant and sensual. Works are precious, engaging, emotional reflections on our most primal urges and natural fears. The duality of truth, even existence, plays out in frames that address life and death, love and loss, desire and attainment, male and female, among others. Cava presents opposites as merely two ends of the same thread; with dignity and grace Cava exposes the most raw, the most painful beside the most delicate and joyful moments of our shared human experience.
jdc Fine Art, 2400 Kettner Blvd. #208 in San Diego, 11 a.m.- 5 p.m., 619-985-2322, jdcfineart.com