Looking for Something to Do? Free Pasadena Events November 30 to December 6

Here are arts and entertainment events scheduled Saturday, Nov. 30, to Friday, Dec. 6.

All events are free, so take a look -- and don't you dare say there's nothing to do in Pasadena!

Children 5 to 12 are invited to read books to gentle, well-trained dogs at Barks and Books Monday, Dec. 2, at 1 p.m. at San Rafael Branch Library. Barks and books continues at various branch libraries throughout December.

Tuesday Musicale of Pasadena presents a concert Tuesday, Dec. 3, at 12:30 p.m. in the Donald R. Wright Auditorium at Central Library. Selections will include Beethoven's Piano Trio in D Major performed by Eve Lubin on piano, Katie Boyle on violin and Margery Fain on cello; Brahms's Sonata in F Minor performed by Geraldine Keeling on piano and Emily Denney on clarinet; Debussy's Children's Corner Suite performed by pianist Louise Earhart; and mezzo-soprano Adrien Raynier performing selections from Bach's Christmas Cantata and Magnificat in D Major.

The first Tuesday of every month is Free Family Night at Kidspace Children's Museum. On Tuesday, Dec. 3, from 4 to 8 p.m., art education students from Cal State LA will guide children and families as they create special projects with paper.

Berman Board is an ongoing exhibition at Armory Center for the Arts through Jan. 12 that considers the future of 11 objects that originated from regions and cultures across Africa, Asia, Oceania and North America. On Wednesday, Dec. 4, from 7 to 9 p.m. Fiona Connor and Neil Doshi, two of the project leaders, will present recorded interviews with people in and around Los Angeles about being stewards of a non-institution collection. After this listening session, the recordings will become part of the Berman Board archive.

Young children are invited to hear Sergei Prokofiev's "Peter and the Wolf" performed by the Kaleidoscope Chamber Orchestra Thursday, Dec. 5, from 10 to 11 a.m. in Caltech's Beckman Auditorium (#91 on this map). In the narrated story about a boy and his animal friends setting out to capture a wolf, against the wishes of his grandfather, each character is assigned a different musical instrument or class of instruments, and Peter himself is represented by the entire orchestra.

"Meghe Dhaka Tara" (The Cloud-Capped Star) (1960, NR, Hindi with English subtitles) starring Supriya Choudhury and Anil Chatterjee will be shown Thursday, Dec. 5, at 6:30 p.m. at USC Pacific Asia Museum. A selfless young woman sacrifices her own happiness to provide for her uncaring, unappreciative family. Free popcorn will be available. RSVPs are encouraged.

The Christmas tree-lighting celebration signaling the beginning of the holiday season in the Playhouse District is Thursday, Dec. 5, at 7 p.m. in the courtyard at the Pasadena Playhouse, with live music, a performance by the Bob Baker Marionette Theater and perhaps even some snow! If you bring a new, unwrapped toy to donate to the Spark of Love Toy Drive, you'll receive a complimentary cup of hot chocolate or coffee.

"The House Without a Christmas Tree" (1972, NR) starring Jason Robards and Mildred Natwick will be shown Friday, Dec. 6, at 1 p.m. in the Scott Pavilion at the Pasadena Senior Center. A man embittered by the death of his wife is enraged when his young daughter wins a Christmas tree at school, so she attempts to soften his heart. You do not have to be a member of the Pasadena Senior Center to attend, but you do have to be 50 or older.

The lighting of the Christmas tree at Pasadena City Hall is a holiday tradition! Come to the festivities Friday, Dec. 6, from 5 to 7 p.m. for light refreshments, a visit from Santa, crafts for kids, live performances by local school and community groups and much more. Be sure to snap a photo with the Ho-Ho-Ho man himself in Santa's Village. Mayor Terry Tornek will flip the switch to light the tree at 6 p.m. Back by popular demand, the Pasadena Police Department's own Lt. Rodney D. Wallace and Sgt. Glenn Thompson will serve as emcees. If you can, bring a new, unwrapped toy for the annual Spark of Love Toy Drive. 

The first Friday of every month is Free Admission Night at the Norton Simon Museum. On Friday, Dec. 6, from 5 to 8 p.m. enjoy the exhibitions By Day & By Night: Paris in the Belle Époque and Beyond the World We Know: Abstraction in Photography plus everything else the museum has to offer.

SAVE THE DATE!

Holidayfest on South Lake Avenue Saturday, Dec. 7, from noon to 5 p.m. will feature Santa's Village, holiday crafts for kids, cookie decorating, strolling carolers in costume, a scavenger hunt, live music, giveaways and more.

Photo credits: AV Daily News, Kidspace Children's Museum, Armory Center for the Arts, Little Golden Books, Pasadena Playhouse, CBS Television Network, City of Pasadena, Heath Ceramics.

Looking for Something to Do? Free Pasadena Events Nov. 23 to 29

Here are free arts and entertainment events scheduled Saturday, Nov. 23, to Friday, Nov. 29.

All events are free, so take a look -- and don't you dare say there's nothing to do in Pasadena!

The Caltech Glee Club and Chamber Singers will present "Thanksgiving: Celebration of Country, Beauty and Good Life" featuring music from the English Renaissance, Italian Baroque and an array of American folk songs Saturday, Nov. 23, at 8 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 24, at 3 p.m. in Ramo Auditorium at Baxter Hall (#77 on this map). Parking in Caltech lots and garages is free on weekends. 

The Pasadena Doo Dah Parade -- the twisted sister of that other parade -- will feature a memorable cast of eccentrics, pundits, bands and merrymakers, many in or on inventive and zany art cars and floats Sunday, Nov. 24, beginning at 11 a.m. on Colorado Boulevard between Altadena Drive and San Gabriel Boulevard. Bring a lawn chair and plan on arriving by about 10 a.m. to claim your spot on the sidewalk. I'll be at the reviewing stand at the southeast corner of Colorado Boulevard and Vinedo Street (in front of Poo-Bah Record Shop and The Colorado Bar), so swing by and say howdy! (Yep, that's me in the photo above.)

"Solas" (Alone) (1999, R, Spanish with English subtitles) starring María Galiana and Carlos Alvarez-Nóvoa will be shown Monday, Nov. 25, at 1 p.m. in Studio on 4th (fourth floor) at Central Library. María cannot stand her father's authoritarian ways and moves from the Spanish countryside to the city, becomes pregnant and is joined by her mother. Her recluse neighbor begins to come out of his shell, and these three lost souls try to give each other the strength to start over. The screening will be followed by an audience discussion. This event is for adults 18 and older. 

"A Time to Remember" (2003, TV-PG) starring Dana Delany and Doris Roberts will be shown Wednesday, Nov. 27, at 1 p.m. in the Donald R. Wright Auditorium at Central Library. A struggling artist who is a single mother and the black sheep of her wealthy family returns home for Thanksgiving and finds her imperious mother is still more concerned about what people will think than what people may be like inside, and it may be impossible to reconcile because her mother is in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease.

Happy Thanksgiving from my home to yours!

Photo credits: Caltech, Terry Miller, Maestranza Films, Alpine Medien Productions, Black Orchid Resort.

Looking for Something to Do? Free Pasadena Events November 16 to 22

Here are arts and entertainment events scheduled Saturday, Nov. 16, to Friday, Nov. 22.

All events are free, so take a look -- and don't you dare say there's nothing to do in Pasadena!

Third@First presents Stephen Pierce and Junko Ueno Garrett performing piano for four hands Saturday, Nov. 16, from 4 to 5 p.m. at First United Methodist Church. Selections will include Mozart's Sonata, Schubert's Deutscher mit zwei Trios und zwei Landler, Schuman's Bilder aus Osten, Poulenc's Sonata and Barber's Souvenirs.

Berman Board is an ongoing exhibition at Armory Center for the Arts through Jan. 12 that considers the future of 11 objects that originated from regions and cultures across Africa, Asia, Oceania and North America. On Saturday, Nov. 16, from 4 to 6 p.m. voice actor Nell Doshi will orate the various documents used to catalog the Berman Board collections. The documents provide further information and context by describing elements such as purchase history, media type, formal qualities and more.

Soprano Diana Diaz, accompanied by pianist Esther Liu, will perform American and British songs of World War I Sunday, Nov. 17, at 2:30 p.m. in the Donald R. Wright Auditorium at Central Library. Selections will include George M. Cohan's "Over There," Irving Berlin's "O, How I Hate to Get Up in the Morning," Frederick Weatherly's "Roses of Picardy," Zo Elliott's "There's a Long, Long Trail" and more.

The Baseball Reliquary presents "A Swinging Centennial: Jackie Robinson at 100" featuring legendary cornetist Bobby Bradford's jazz suite "Stealing Home" and the Donavan/Muradian Jazz Quintet Sunday, Nov. 17, at 7 p.m. at Boston Court. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m.

An LA Opera community educator will share insights into the upcoming production of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's 1791 German opera "The Magic Flute" Monday, Nov. 18, at 1 p.m. in the Scott Pavilion at the Pasadena Senior Center. One of the most iconic operas of all time, the fairy tale is about a prince who sets out with a magic flute, magic bells and the assistance of a bird catcher to rescue the daughter of the Queen of the Night from the supposedly dark lord Sarastro, but all is not as it seems. You do not have to be a member of the Pasadena Senior Center to attend, but you do have to be 50 or older.

The Screening Mimis Film Discussion Group presents "White Squall" (1996, PG-13) starring Jeff Bridges and Scott Wolf Tuesday, Nov. 19, at 1:30 p.m. in the Scott Pavilion at the Pasadena Senior Center. Teenagers from a prep school for boys take a trip aboard the brigantine ship Albatross in 1960 captained by a grizzled seafarer. The long voyage combines classroom work, character-building and adventure, and the boys experience a life-altering event that foreshadows their ultimate fate. The film is based on true events. The Screening Mimis Film Discussion Group features a provocative movie the first and third Tuesday of every month, preceded by a presentation about the film's hidden history and followed by a lively discussion. Free popcorn will be available. See the trailer here. You do not have to be a member of the Pasadena Senior Center to attend, but you do have to be 50 or older.

The Syrinx Quintet woodwind ensemble will perform works ranging from the Renaissance era to contemporary and popular genres Wednesday, Nov. 20, from 12:10 to 12:40 p.m. for the popular Music at Noon recital series at Pasadena Presbyterian Church.

"Follies in Concert" (1985, NR), the PBS Great Performances concert version of Stephen Sondheim and James Goldman's landmark Broadway musical, will be shown Wednesday, Nov. 20, at 1 p.m. in the Donald R. Wright Auditorium at Central Library. The Weismann Follies showgirls reunite one last time before their old theater is torn down, and they sing and dance through old numbers while confronting past regrets and misplaced hopes. See a trailer here.

The Pasadena Conservatory of Music Guitar Orchestra will perform Wednesday, Nov. 20, at 7 p.m. in the conservatory's Barrett Hall. 

Families of all ages are invited to take part in theater games and improv Thursday, Nov. 21, at 3:30 p.m. at Hill Avenue Branch Library. Clown around and play games that enhance focus and listening skills.

Sej Saraiya, a documentary and cultural conservation photographer and filmmaker, will share her experiences documenting ritual and spirituality in her home country of India Thursday, Nov. 21, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the USC Pacific Asia Museum. She has traveled to the deep interiors of Asia to capture portraits that tell stories of cultures on the brink of extinction. Click here to RSVP for your free tickets.

SAVE THE DATE!

The Pasadena Doo Dah Parade -- the twisted sister of that other parade -- will feature a memorable cast of eccentrics, pundits, bands and merrymakers, many in/on inventive and zany art cars and floats, Sunday, Nov. 24, beginning at 11 a.m. on Colorado Boulevard between Altadena Drive and San Gabriel Boulevard. Bring a lawn chair and plan on arriving by about 10 a.m. to claim your spot on the sidewalk. 

Photo credits: Stephen Pierce, Junko Ueno Garrett, Armory Center for the Arts, Take Two Records, Pomona College, The New York Times, DMQ-Donavan/Muradian Quintet, LA Opera, Hollywood Pictures, Syrinx Quintet, PBS, Converse College, Edmond Fine Arts Institute, Sej Saraiya.

Looking for Something to Do? Free Pasadena Events November 9 to 15

Here are events scheduled Saturday, Nov. 9, to Friday, Nov. 15.

All events are free, so take a look -- and don't you dare say there's nothing to do in Pasadena!

Dave Nufer, program developer and docent with Pasadena Heritage and Los Angeles Conservancy, will show connections among Mexican, Mission, Moorish, Spanish and Spanish Colonial Revival architectural styles in Pasadena Saturday, Nov. 9, at 3 p.m. in the Donald R. Wright Auditorium at Central Library.

The second Sunday of every month is Free Admission Day at USC Pacific Asia Museum. On Sunday, Nov. 10, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. experience traditional Indian music, create your own instrument, enjoy a live performance by the Raga Essence Ensemble (Dayita Datta and Jyoti Prakas), tour galleries, bring the kids for a special storytime and more.

The Caltech-Occidental Wind Orchestra concert will include H. Owen Reed's "La Fiesta Mexicana" plus works by Frank Ticheli, John Barnes Chance and John Mackey Saturday, Nov. 9, at 8 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 10, at 3 p.m. in Ramo Auditorium at Caltech's Baxter Hall (#77 on this map). Parking in Caltech lots and structures is free on weekends. 

The Crown City Symphony will perform Gluck's overture to "Iphigenia in Aulis," Tchaikovsky's "Variations on a Rococo Theme for Cello and Orchestra" with cellist Elizabeth Elliott and Tchaikovsky's "Little Russian" Symphony No. 2 in C Sunday, Nov. 10, at 2 p.m. at First Baptist Church of Pasadena.

In honor of Native American Heritage Month, Flights of Fantasy Story Theatre presents "Bird Songs," tales from the Gabrielino, Cahuilla, Juanero and Chumash people, Tuesday, Nov 12, at 10:30 a.m. at Santa Catalina Branch Library. This program is for children ages 5 to 12. There are additional presentations at other branches throughout the month.

Classical guitarist Hugo Nogueira, accompanied by pianist Ekaterina Bessmeltseva, will perform Wednesday, Nov. 13, from 12:10 to 12:40 p.m. for the popular Music at Noon recital series at Pasadena Presbyterian Church.

"Suez" (1938, PG-13) starring Tyrone Power and Loretta Young will be shown Wednesday, Nov. 13, at 1 p.m. in the Donald R. Wright Auditorium at Central Library. In the midst of international political upheaval and forbidden love, an engineer who is the son of a French nobleman conceives the idea of a canal in Egypt that would connect the Mediterranean and Red Seas. The film is based on true events.

Mozart's masterpiece  "Die Zauberflöte" (The Magic Flute) is one of the most beloved and most performed operas of all time. While the coloratura arias of the Queen of the Night and the comic antics of the birdcatcher Papageno are familiar to many, few know the story of the man without whom none of this would exist: Emanuel Schikaneder. LA Opera Community Educator Ray Busmann's multimedia presentation will shine a light on this unsung hero -- and one of the most important men of 18th century theater -- Wednesday, Nov. 12, at 2 p.m. in room 113 at the Pasadena Conservatory of Music. Click here for free tickets.

The Great American Songwriters series continues with "They Blended Broadway and Vienna: Alan J. Lerner and Frederick Loewe" Thursday, Nov. 14, at 2 p.m. in the Scott Pavilion at the Pasadena Senior Center. Join pianist Bob Lipson and commentator/vocalist Don Snyder as they feature songs from Lerner & Loewe's hit Broadway musicals "My Fair Lady," "Camelot," "Gigi" and more. You do not have to be a member of the Pasadena Senior Center to attend, but you do have to be 50 or older.

At the next open forum of PasadenaPhotographicArts Thursday, Nov. 14, at 7 p.m. at Armory Center for the Arts, four Los Angeles-area photographers will present and discuss some of their themed works: Ralph Acosta will present and discuss "Trabajadores de la Habana"; Nelida Dotan will present and discuss "Music Houses Around the World"; Morgan Lieberman will present and discuss "How One Camp is Working to Make Burning Man More Accessible" and Terrence Rorie will present and discuss "People Places and Things." 

"Yesterday" (2019, PG-13) starring Himesh Patel and Lily James will be shown Friday, Nov. 15, at 1 p.m. in the Scott Pavilion at the Pasadena Senior Center.  A struggling singer-songwriter's dreams of fame are fading rapidly in his tiny English seaside village, but after a freak accident during a mysterious global blackout, he discovers The Beatles never existed and finds himself the only person on earth who knows their music. You don't have to be a member of the Pasadena Senior Center to attend, but you do have to be 50 or older.

On Friday, Nov. 15, at 3:30 p.m. in the Scott Pavilion at the Pasadena Senior Center, MUSE/IQUE guest performing artists will showcase Elvis Presley and his roots in gospel that led to early rock hysteria. You do not have to be a member of the Pasadena Senior Center to attend, but you do have to be 50 or older. A limited number of complimentary tickets to MUSE/IQUE's Nov. 17 GRACE/LANDING concert will be available to people who register in advance at the Welcome Desk for the Nov. 15 event and attend.

Photo credits: Active Rain, Curbed LA, Caltech-Occidental Wind Orchestra, Crown City Symphony, RT, Hugo Nogueira, Ekaterina Bessmeltseva, Twentieth Century Fox, Architectural Resources Group, Lincoln Center Theater, Now Playing Utah, Uris Theater, Morgan Lieberman, Decibel Films, MUSE/IQUE.

Looking for Something to Do? Free Pasadena Events November 2 to 8

Here are events scheduled Saturday, Nov. 2, to Friday, Nov. 8.

All events are free, so take a look -- and don't you dare say there's nothing to do in Pasadena!

Children ages 5 to 12 are invited to read books to gentle, well-trained dogs at Barks and Books Monday, Nov. 4, at 1 p.m. at San Rafael Branch Library. Barks and Books continues at various library branches throughout the month. The program makes reading fun, boosts reading confidence and encourages respectful, humane treatment of animals.

In honor of Native American Heritage Month, Flights of Fantasy Story Theatre presents "Bird Songs," tales from the Gabrielino, Cahuilla, Juanero and Chumash people, Tuesday, Nov. 5, at 10:30 a.m. at San Rafael Branch Library and 4 p.m. at Lamanda Park Branch Library. This program is for elementary school-aged children. There will be additional presentations at other branches throughout the month.

The first Tuesday of every month is Free Family Night at Kidspace Children's Museum. On Tuesday, Nov. 5, from 4 to 8 p.m., celebrate literature and storytelling while learning bookmaking techniques, telling a classic tale using shadow puppets, enjoying folktales from around the world told by storyteller Michael McCarty and spinning with glowing hula hoops.

Pianist Michael Sellers will perform classical works Wednesday, Nov. 6, from 12:10 to 12:40 p.m. for the popular Music at Noon recital series at Pasadena Presbyterian Church. 

"Quiz Show" (1994, PG-13) starring Ralph Fiennes and John Turturro will be shown Wednesday, Nov. 6, at 1 p.m. in the Donald R. Wright Auditorium at Central Library. The producer of a popular television game show pays a winning contestant to lose in favor of the opponent, then the producer persuades his staff to provide the new winner with the answers for future shows, leading to a federal investigation. The film is based on true events. See the trailer here.

Children ages 8 to 12 are invited to find buried treasure and solve clues just like the characters in the book "The Parker Inheritance" by Varian Johnson Thursday, Nov. 7, at 3:30 p.m. at Hill Avenue Branch Library. Wear comfortable shoes you don't mind getting dirty. To sign up for this event, call (626) 744-7264. To sign up for Young Readers League, call (626) 744-4066, option 6.

"Aladdin" (2019, PG) starring Will Smith and Mena Massoud will be shown Friday, Nov. 8, at 1 p.m. in the Scott Pavilion at the Pasadena Senior Center. A street urchin who frees a genie from a lamp soon has his wishes granted and is transformed into a charming prince, but an evil sorcerer becomes obsessed with securing the lamp for his own sinister purposes. See the trailer(s) here. You do not have to be a member of the Pasadena Senior Center to attend, but you do have to be 50 or older.

The Pasadena Community Orchestra will perform Edvard Grieg's "In Autumn Overture," Percy Grainger's "Irish Tune from County Derry," Malcolm Arnold's "Four Scottish Dances" and Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky's "Violin Concerto" with violin soloist Aubree Oliverson Friday, Nov. 8, at 8 p.m. at First Church of the Nazarene.

Photo credits: RT, Inkwell Arts, Michael Sellers, Hollywood Pictures, Better Reading, Walt Disney Pictures.