The American

Jack is an assassin that has had enough of the hard life—tired of constantly moving and being on the run, the American spy retreats to the Italian countryside after a particularly nasty job in Sweden. In Italy, Jack escapes into the quaint confines of a quiet medieval town, where he takes an assignment to build a weapon for Mathilde, a secretive contact of his. As time passes, Jack becomes involved in an affair with the beautiful Clara—but as their relationship progresses, their fling turns into love, a love that is seemingly innocent and free of danger. But Jack may be in more danger than he thinks if he lets complacency get the best of him. With beautiful film work and an uncharacteristically restrained performance from George Clooney, The American isn’t your typical spy movie—but it’s still worth a watch.

Takers

Takers is the tale of a group of notorious criminals who make a living by seamlessly pulling off bank robberies—and they haven’t been caught yet. But when the crew attempts to pull of a final bank heist that involves more money than they have ever attempted to deal with before, their reputations—and their freedom—are put at stake by a hard-hitting detective who won’t rest until he has them all behind bars. Featuring a cast of all-stars such as Matt Dillon, Chris Brown, Paul Walker, Hayden Christensen, Idris Elba, and T.I., Takers is a fast-paced action movie with enough grit and action to keep you on the edge of your seat. But be warned—don’t expect anything too groundbreaking—this film delivers pure entertainment, and not much else.

Going the Distance

Erin and Garrett meet in a bar over breakfast the morning after Garrett has just had a nasty breakup with his girlfriend. Bonding over beer and banter, the two hit it off immediately, sparking a six week long summer romance that takes them through every nook and cranny of the Big Apple. But when it’s time for Erin to leave for San Francisco and Garrett to stay behind for his job in NYC, neither of the two want the relationship to end. So with Erin on the West Coast and Garrett on the East, the two stay together—and stay in touch—through texts, calls, and e-mails, much to the chagrin of Garrett’s friends and Erin’s protective older sister. But despite the naysayers, the unlikely couple may just have found the real thing—now, can they make it last? With humor that somehow manages to be both witty and raunchy, a lighthearted belief in the power of true love, and the sweet chemistry between Drew Barrymore and Justin Long, Going the Distance is a romantic comedy that is sure to leave you smiling.

Photos from David Shankbone and nicogenin via flickr

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La Jolla Playhouse

2910 La Jolla Village Drive
La Jolla, CA 92037
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Limelight: The Story of Charlie Chaplin

September 7 – October 17

From the gritty streets and smoky music halls of London to movie screens across the world, Limelight goes behind the camera to show how Charlie Chaplin found soaring success and later fell from grace. Limelight provides a moving and delightful close-up on the man who changed motion pictures forever.

Notes From Underground

September 17 – October 17

Having resigned his position as a civil servant to live in isolation, the underground man holes up in a squalid traffic office cluttered with discarded equipment and wet snow. Obsessively reliving old wounds and spurning any chance at affection, the man begins a descent into madness that is at times heartbreakingly funny, at times disquieting, but always unforgettable.

The Solana Beach Theater

987 Lomas Santa Fe Dr., Ste. D
Solana Beach, CA 92075
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September 4 – September 26

Head for “Becky’s New Car,” a comedy of midlife crisis and catharsis. Written by award-winning Steven Dietz, this frothy, poignant and fresh new comedy is a perfect side trip from the daily woes of modern life. Forty-something Becky Foster has a decent job at an auto dealership, a solid husband, and a freeloading psychmajor son living in her basement. Her life is pleasant enough, but through a twist of fate Becky gets to test drive an exciting new life.

Lamb’s Players Theatre

1142 Orange Avenue
Coronado, CA 92118
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September 2 – September 19

The oft-revived “Smoke on the Mountain” moves to the company’s Coronado home theater. The hilarious gospel celebration is about The Great Depression coming to an end. The Sanders Family Singers are back on the road again and of course the bus just broke down, the twins are fighting again, Uncle Stanley’s fresh out of prison, and sister June still can’t really sing. After this night, Mount Pleasant Baptist Church will never be the same.

Moonlight Stage Productions

1250 Vale Terrace Drive
Vista, CA 92084
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September 8- September 25

The Vista company stages “Miss Saigon,” the Vietnam-set love story that became famous on Broadway (where it opened in 1991) and on tour for the helicopter that lands on stage. The story is based on Puccini’s “Madame Butterfly.”

Welk Resorts Theatre

8860 Lawrence Welk Dr.
Escondido, CA 92026
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September 9 – October 17

This revival of the Old Globe-spawned musical “The Full Monty” is based on the movie about struggling laborers who start up a strip act.

Onstage Playhouse

291 3rd Avenue
Chula Vista, CA 91910
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September 10 – October 9

The Chula Vista company stages “The Country Club” by Douglas Carter Beane, the book writer for the Broadway musical “Xanadu” as well as the playwright behind a number of frequently produced non-musical plays.

Scripps Ranch Theatre

10755-F Scripps Poway Pkwy  #187
San Diego, CA  92131
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September 11 – October 9

The company opens its season with “Social Security,” a family comedy that debuted on Broadway in the mid-’80s. The season starts with a hilarious adult comedy by Andrew Bergman about the shattering of yuppie bliss, the timelessness of romance and an aged Jewish mother who turns her children’s lives upside down in the nicest way. Preview Night is Friday, September 10 and Opening Night is Saturday, September 11.

Old Globe Theatre

Balboa Park
El Prado, between the San Diego Museum of Art and the Museum of Man
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September 14 – November 7.

“Brighton Beach Memoirs” and “Broadway Bound” launch the theater’s winter season. Scott Schwartz who directed “Lost in Yonkers” for the Globe earlier this year (and was production supervisor on the recent Globe show “Golda’s Balcony”), directs the two works from Simon’s “Eugene trilogy,” centered on Brooklyn boy Eugene Morris Jerome.

September 25 – October 31

“Welcome to Arroyo’s” goes up on the Globe’s White Theatre second stage. Playwright Kristoffer Diaz was a Pulitzer finalist this year for “The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity”; Jaime Castañeda directs his hip-hop-infused piece about a brother and sister and the legacy of a family bodega.

New Village Arts

2787 State St
Carlsbad, CA 92008
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September 23 to October 31.

“Into the Woods,” the first musical in NVA’s 10-season history. James Vasquez directs with an 18-member cast.

San Diego Repertory

79 Horton Plaza
San Diego, CA 92101-6144
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September 25 – September 17

South African playwright (and San Diego-area resident) Athol Fugard’s “The Road to Mecca” is centered on a reclusive widow creating art in a remote village. Miss Helen is a reclusive widow who has created her own “Mecca” by meticulously decorating her home and front yard with a cacophony of candles, mermaids, wisemen, peacocks and pyramids. The neighbors can’t stop wondering “why?” Into Helen’s quiet life enters a young teacher with a secret agenda and a local clergyman with a plan to get Helen to sign away her home and her freedom. The trio clashes in a battle for Helen’s soul and her future.

Piranha 3D

Directed by Alexandre Aja, Piranha 3D tells the tale of a group of strangers celebrating their Spring Break at Lake Victoria, a small, quiet town that turns into a hub of debauchery for 50,000 teenagers each year. When an unexpected underwater tremor cuts the festivities short and sets free droves of prehistoric, man-eating fish, it is up to these 9 individuals to band together to stay alive. Starring Elisabeth Shue, Jerry OConnell, Ving Rhames, Adam Scott, Richard Dreyfuss, Christopher Lloyd, Kelly Brook, Jessica Szohr (Gossip Girl), and Steven R. McQueen (The Vampire Diaries), Piranha 3D delivers just what every horror film enthusiast wants—plenty of gore and tons of thrills. Don’t expect great special effects though (if you’ve seen the trailer you know why…)

Vampires Suck

The tagline for this film essentially says it all: “From the guys who couldn’t sit through another vampire movie!” Writers Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer direct this obvious spoof of contemporary teen romance movies—namely, the Twilight films. Becca, a young, angst-ridden teenage girl, is torn between her love of two different boys, one a werewolf and one a vampire. On top of this, she must deal with her overbearing father, and be there for her friends as they all deal with their individual teenage dramas. The film comes to a head when everyone’s problems collide at the high school prom. With ridiculous hyperbole and just plain goofy humor, Vampires Suck is sure to please anyone who is, well, tired of vampire movies. But beware—the comedy isn’t exactly high caliber.

The Switch

Starring Jennifer Aniston and Jason Bateman, this offbeat comedy depicts the ridiculous story of Kassie (Jennifer Aniston), a young, fun-loving single woman who decides that it is finally time to have her own baby. So, with the help of a turkey baster, a generous sperm donor (Patrick Wilson), and a little do-it-your-self spirit, Kassie gets pregnant. Little does she know, however, that her quirky best friend Wally (Jason Bateman) switched the donor sperm with his own—making him the baby’s real father. When Wally comes to visit 7 years after the baby’s birth, Kassie begins to think it’s strange how well her son’s quirks resemble her old best friends’…Hilarity ensues.

Nanny McPhee Returns

If you’re looking for something to take the kids to see this weekend, look no further than Nanny McPhee Returns, the heartwarming sequel to 2005’s Nanny McPhee. The film tells the story of a small family, composed of Mrs. Isabel Green (Maggie Gyllenhaal), her two daughters, and her son, living in a scenic valley while Mr. Green is in the military overseas. Everything is running beautifully for the happy family until, one day, two spoiled cousins arrive for a visit and turn the family’s peaceful life into a chaotic mess. Cue Nanny McPhee (Emma Thompson), who arrives on the Green’s doorstep one day offering her services as a caretaker for the children. Through the use of magic, the benevolent babysitter teaches the children important life lessons and earns their trust. With a plethora of  heartwarming scenes and an educational plotline, this movie is a good bet for the kids this weekend.

Each of these films offers a little something different, so whether you feel like a romantic comedy or a scary movie that will leave you with the shivers, the box office has you covered this weekend. Happy viewing!

Photos from chesi-fotos cc and popculturegeek.com via flickr and nehrams2020 via wikimedia commons

This year’s film festival is being sponsored by the Leichtag Family Foundation, and presented by the San Diego Center for Jewish Culture at the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center, Jacobs Family Campus.

Guest Speakers

In addition to the film, there will be a featured speaker following the screening–, Astronaut Garrett Reisman, the first Jewish crew member on the International Space Station. He will be discussing events that led to the filming of “An Article of Hope.”

The film’s director, Dan Cohen will also participate in a discussion session. The evening will conclude with a Q&A session with Reisman, the film’s director, Daniel Cohen, and its producer, Christopher Cowen.

More on the Subject

On Feb. 1, 2003, the space shuttle Columbia broke up above Texas. Its seven astronauts from around the world, including Col. Ilan Ramon, the first Israeli astronaut, all perished.

Also destroyed was an artifact that had survived the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp during the Holocaust – the small Torah scroll that Colonel Ramon carried into space.  “An Article of Hope” explores the journey of the Torah from pre-World War II Europe, to Israel, and then into space.

Reisman, a native of New Jersey, earned his Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from the California Institute of Technology in 1997 and was selected by NASA as a Mission Specialist in 1998. He was a back-up crew member for Expedition 15 and joined Expedition 16 aboard the International Space Station for a short time before becoming a member of Expedition 17.

Reisman sent a greeting from space to the people of Israel during the celebration of Israel 60th Independence Day in May 2008. He returned to Earth in June 2008 on board STS-124 on the space shuttle Discovery. Reisman was also a member of the STS-132 mission that traveled to the International Space Station aboard the space shuttle Atlantis from May 14 to 26.

Tickets are $11.25 for Jewish Center members and $13.25 for non-members.

For tickets or information, call (858) 362-1348 or visit www.lfjcc.org/sdjff.

Photo courtesy of NightRPStar via flickr

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

This quirky and visually compelling film, based on an Oni Press comic book by Bryan Lee O’Malley, features Michael Cera as the young Scott Pilgrim, a 23-year old rocker who pretty much has it made—he’s got the cute high school girlfriend, the band (Sex Bob-ombs) no job, and plenty of time to waste. That is, until a certain Miss Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) knocks the breath out of Scott’s lungs and the normalcy out of his abnormal life.

The path to Scott’s roller-blading, package-delivering love isn’t going to be easy however—Ramona’s seven evil exes don’t exactly relish the thought of her with another man. In order to win the girl, Scott is forced to embark on a quest and do battle with each of Ramona’s past boyfriends. But can this slacker turned knight-in-shining-armor get the girl? Or will he ruin his perfect life in the process? With brilliant graphics, witty repartee, and old-school gamer references, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is a sure crowd-pleaser and a must-see this weekend.

The Expendables

An action-packed throwback to the old school adventure movie, The Expendables tells the tale of a band of mercenaries, led by the skilled Barney Ross (Sylvester Stallone) who head to South America on a mission to assassinate a ruthless dictator for the mysterious Mr. Church. But once the team of gun-toting, dynamite-strapped bad-asses reaches their location, they find themselves trapped in a web of deceit and lies, and must overcome their differences and the obstacles thrown in their way if they want to get out alive. Full of high-octane thrills and of course, tons of explosions, The Expendables will appeal to the fan of the old-school die-hard action movie.

Photos from Paul Lowry and splashing via flickr

After a painful and emotionally scarring divorce, Liz sets off to find her destiny, stepping outside of her comfort zone and embarking on a journey around the world—a journey that begins as an escape and gradually transforms into a quest to find herself and true fulfillment. In Italy, her first stop, Liz learns the art of loving herself, her body, and of course, good food. As she works her way through virtually every ristorante, trattoria, cantina, and cucina in Italy, Liz unwittingly learns to stand on her own two feet—and discovers new friends, a new life, and an old inner strength that she didn’t know she had. The trip continues through India, where Liz learns the power of prayer and spirituality in a Hindu ashram, and Bali, where she suddenly and unexpectedly stumbles upon the meaning of true love.

In an uplifting tale of devastation, loss, self-discovery, and inner peace, “Eat, Pray, Love” is the ultimate feel-good tear-jerker with a slight dash of comedy thrown in for good measure. Starring rom-com queen Julia Roberts and an all-star cast including the likes of James Franco and Javier Bardem, “Eat, Pray, Love” is sure to please and inspire. The film comes to theaters everywhere this Friday, August 13^th.

Photo from bandita via flickr

The “In the Heights”  musical is about a small, but dynamic community in New York’s Washington Heights. The neighborhood is always alive with the sun shining down, people running through the streets finding some shade, and a hot breeze blowing through the brick buildings.

Washington Heights is full of culture and tradition that is seen across the state of New York. They cherish their culture and where they have all come from. And the inspiring stories that surround the Washington Heights streets are bigger than life itself.

The story follows the lives of characters, chronicling their hopes, dreams, and aspirations. The love the community shares for one another can not be missed, and it makes this musical stand apart from all others that have hit the Broadway stages. The Washington Heights community embraces what they are given, and will go above and beyond for each other.

“In the Heights” expresses more than just a one-dimension story, but rather a range of stories that any audience member can relate to; a love story, a self-discovery, and a community becoming one. You will have no problem finding your own personal connection in this charismatic and exciting musical.

The cast brings these stories alive with their powerful voices and thrilling choreography. You will not be let-down! Hearing soft melodies intertwine with the rapping and smooth voice of Joseph Morales, you will surely want to stay put in your seat.

The Entertainer spoke with one of the cast members about her role in this heart-warming musical. Natalie Toro has been on stage since she could remember, “I performed at the Apollo Theatre when I was little with a 5-piece band.” Now she is on the stage playing the role of Camille, a mother and wife in the Washington Heights community.

Toro explained her feelings towards such a one-of-a-kind musical. “The audience can really connect with the musical because of its amount of love and community feeling.”

This Tony Award winning musical has been touring the country since its debut in 2008 and made a stop in San Diego for a limited time at Civic Theater. The critically acclaimed musical is touring across the country now. You won’t want to miss the astounding voices, the incredible choreography, and the captivating story of Washington Heights!

For dates and show times of upcoming shows at the Civic Theater and the Balboa Theater, check out: http://www.sandiegotheatres.org/eventstickets/

For more information on the musical, check out the “In the Heights” website: http://www.intheheightsthemusical.com/

To learn more about Natalie Toro, go to http://www.natalietoro.com/

Despicable Me

This animated flick, which borrows its inspiration from cartoon greats such as Looney Tunes, Disney, and Pixar, is sure to be a hit with kids and adults alike. If you’re looking for a fun, family friendly flick that packs a sentimental punch and also has a darkly humorous little bite to it, Despicable Me definitely delivers.

Pierre Coffin and Chris Renaud direct this tale starring Gru (voiced by Steve Carell), a sinister little man who delights in all things wicked. Armed with all manner of guns and rays, plotting away in the secret hideout hidden under his rickety suburban home, Gru devises the ultimate heist: to steal the moon. What he doesn’t count on, however, are the three little orphaned girls he encounters: Margo, Edith, and Agnes. These three darlings turn out to be the biggest challenge Gru has ever faced when they decide his future for him—to be their new Dad. With beautiful animation and a hilarious cast featuring the voices of Steve Carell, Jason Segel, Russell Brand and Kristen Wiig, Despicable Me is sure to please.

Inception

Better take that bathroom break before you get inside the theater—you’re not going to want to miss a second of this plot. Directed by the legendary Christopher Nolan and starring the talented Leonardo DiCaprio as Dom Cobb, Inception introduces a world of corporate espionage and intrigue in which technology can be harnessed to enter the mind. Cobb’s business is extraction, or the art of stealing valuable secrets from the subconscious when the mind is in its most vulnerable dream state—a distinction which not only makes him the world’s most skilled thief, but also the most demanded.

While his ability has granted him a coveted status in the world of subterfuge, it has also cost him his life and everything he ever loved. Now he’s offered a chance to get his life back—pull off one last job. But instead of extraction, Cobb and his crew must accomplish the impossible and plant an idea in a dreamer’s mind—inception. If they succeed, they will all be free of their burdensome life forever. But if they fail, the consequences will be dire—and the dangerous enemy that appears to destroy their efforts wants just that.

With visually stunning effects, brilliant acting, and layers upon layers of intricately woven plotwork, Inception is a must-see for movie-lovers everywhere. It comes to theaters this Friday, July 16th!

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice

Made by the creators of the “National Treasure” franchise, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice is a bit of lighthearted summer fun for those who are feeling a more breezy moviegoing experience. Balthazar Blake (Nicolas Cage) is a modern-day Manhattan sorceror, struggling to protect the city from his arch-nemesis, Maxim Horvath (Max Molina). Needing a little help in his endeavors, Blake recruits Dave Stutler (Jay Baruchel), a seemingly average Joe who actually has a great potential for magic hidden inside of him. Blake plays Stutler’s mentor, giving him a problem-riddled short version of a sorceror’s training, and together the two combat the forces of evil. With entertaining effects and a simple storyline, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice is sure to please the kids—adults may want to scan the other movies playing in theaters this weekend.

Photos from ammy.lou, chaubaby, and popculturegeek.com via flickr

• The Twilight Saga: Eclipse: Don’t miss out on the third film of the Twilight Saga. Despite the fairly negative reviews, Eclipse still claims the #1 spot in the box office, meaning that “Twi-hards”,“Team Jacob” and “Team Edward” are remaining faithful to the series with the hope that the film is not as bad as the reviewers claim.
• The Last Airbender: Based on the Nickelodean hit series “Avatar,” The Last Airbender is the first of a projected trilogy. The film succeeded in assuming the #2 spot in the box office, just after Eclipse, and enchants the audience with an abundance of dazzling visual effects. This film is for those who loved and could not get enough of the animated series.
• Toy Story 3: If you grew up watching Toy Story and Toy Story 2, then Toy Story 3 is a must. This film explores a topic that many refuse to consider: what happens to your childhood memories and artifacts when you can no longer live in your childhood? What happens when you must leave it all behind? This movie provides a touching remembrance of the loving relationship between Andy and his toys—a final chapter that Toy Story lovers would hate to miss!
  
  

  Photo from coolinsights via Flickr

• Grown Ups: “Boys will be boys… some longer than others.” Five friends reunite after 30 years for a Fourth of July weekend, all having moved on with their lives. The five, now adults, along with their families, gather at a lake house only to discover that nothing has really changed. This movie is hilarious and a great “friends forever” film that you and your pals can all enjoy.
  
• Knight and Day: The always stunning Tom Cruise and the forever beautiful Cameron Diaz join forces in this comedy about a normal woman and a seemingly normal man, who in reality is a secret agent. Their two lives become tangled as they embark on an entertaining, action-packed mission to stay alive.
• Karate Kid Jackie Chan is the new “Mr. Miyagi” (named Mr. Han in this version) and Jaden Smith is the new “Karate Kid” in this remake of the 1984 film, The Karate Kid. Chan and Smith succeed in giving a stellar performance, and provide the audience with an inspirational and touching story about passion and perseverance. Produced by Will and Jada Pickett Smith, this is a film for children and adults alike.

All of the hype that was created around the film did get people to line-up at the theaters, but left

Photo from Anime.com.br via Flickr

everyone wanting to walk-out half way through the movie. The film’s box office success this past holiday weekend shows that the dedicated fans of the animated series were hoping for something spectaclar. The film raked in $40 milllion and fell in the number 2 spot, right behind the summer hit, “The Twilight Saga: Eclipse.”

But the numbers don’t reflect the disappointment that the viewers expressed after watching a film filled with more narration and dialogue, than meaningful cinematography.

“The Last Airbender” is based upon the Nickelodeon animated series, “Avatar: The Last Airbender.” The show aired on television for three seasons and is going to be made into a triology. The elements of magic and martials arts were put into real-life action when Nickelodeon teamed up with Paramount Pictures to create the triology in 2007. M. Night Shyamalan jumped on board when he became interested in the animated series, and wanted to be a part of the film’s creation.

Without spoiling the whole entire triology, the story is based in a magical world that is divided into four nations: water, fire, earth, and air. These nations begin to conflict and only one can bring peace to the feud-Aang. He is the last Avatar that has the ability to manipulate all four elements and will be hopefully be able to restore the peace between the dueling nations. So, what can we expect from Aang? Or more importantly, what can we expect from M. Night Shyamalan and the next two installments? I guess we will have to wait and see.

Photo from Anime.com.br via Flickr

The original film was set in a suburban house right here in San Diego. Katie and Micah, the couple that are the only two actors that appear in the film, had settled in their new home and began their lives together. Little did Micah know, Katie had a haunting past from childhood that involved this very “demonic” presence that the film is based upon.

The film was shot primarily in the house and at night when the most activity occurred. Throughout the film, you see dark shadows moving in the background and foot steps running along the floor. You hear quiet whispers from outside the bedroom door and Katie screaming. The simplicity of the film makes a viewer feel as though they are in the house with the Katie and Micah.

The look and feel of Paranormal Activity 2 will hold the same as the first film. The official trailer for Paranormal Activity 2 has hit the web and gives us a little sneak peak of what is to come; a baby sleeping, a frightened dog hearing noises, and an “empty” kitchen. Just don’t be surprised if you are jumping out of your seat while watching it.

Check out the official trailer of Paranormal Activity 2: http://www.paranormalmovie.com/

Photo from tsmall via Flickr

Tickets are now being sold for “Eclipse” as it is set to hit theaters nationwide on June 30. It will be playing in normal theaters as well as IMAX.

The pandemonium over the movie has been evident ever since the first trailers of “Eclipse” were released months ago. Fans and non-fans alike are looking forward to how the love story of Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) and Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) plays out.

The love story has captured the attention of people from all different walks of life; teenage girls, college students, and even moms. Needless to say nothing can express the craze that has defined the Twilight Sage since its debut in 2008. And with the new release of the third installment of the saga coming to the screen there seems to be “twilight-fever.”

In the previous movie “New Moon” we saw the love triangle between Bella, Edward and Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner) begin to cause a dangerous stir in the plot. The love of vampire Edward was instantly natural and overwhelmingly strong for Bella, but she has grown much closer with werewolf and friend, Jacob. The movie concluded with the decision that Edward would change Bella into a vampire, but only after they are married.

The new movie is filled with action packed scenes between the new rise of blood thirsty vampires that have begun killing innocent people in Seattle, Wash. Edward and his family join forces with the werewolf’s in order to stop the murders. But the love triangle continues when Jacob finds out about Bella and Edward’s engagement. Bella then discovers she has deeper feelings for Jacob.

“Eclipse” is being released only seven months after the previous movie, “The Twilight Saga: New Moon” which grossed over $709 million in the box office last November.

The series is that of four books by Stephenie Meyer, “Eclipse” being the third.“Eclipse” was at the top of the charts of bestselling books in 2008, shortly after it was released in August 2007. There have been more than 4.5 million copies sold of the third book alone.

San Diego has joined in on the chaos and is participating in something very special. In-light of the release of the film and the fans that have turned this book series into a phenomenon, it has been released by Summit Entertainment will be hosting a special event in twelve cities across the nation.

San Diego has been announced as one of the twelve cities partaking in “Twilight Night” on June 26th! The event will be held at Park at the Park in Downtown San Diego off of 10th and K Street, and will start at 6:00 p.m.

“Twilight Night” will include an outdoor screening of “Twlight” and “New Moon” along with a special sneak peak of the “Twilight Saga: Eclipse.” This night will be filled with special cast member appearances and activities such as, a red carpet and a photobooth that are both provided by Moviefone. And for those that can not make this special engagement, Moviefone is streaming it live online at: www.moviefone.com/twilightnight.

The event is on a first-come basis, so start pitching those tents and camping out because you won’t want to miss this.

Other events taking place in San Diego before the movie’s big debut are:

• Nordstrom and Summit Entertainment invite fans to meet select cast members of “Eclipse” on Sun. June 27 at Nordstrom in the Fashion Valley Mall, San Diego.
• June 29 is the advanced screening of the movie. Tickets available at Nordstrom with purchase of $50 or more.
• Watch the previous movie before the new one : “The Twilight Saga: New Moon” double features at select AMC and Regal theaters in San Diego June 29.

The next installment, “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn” is already being buzzed about. It is the fourth book, but is said to be split into two parts for the movie. “Breaking Dawn” is scheduled to be released in November 2011.

To find out more information visit: www.eclipsethemovie.com

Contributing Writer: Bianca Puopolo.

*Photo from Alfredituzz :B via Flickr

After last weekend’s release of Sex and the City 2, though, the decade-old franchise has fielded widespread criticism for something other than the costume changes. Not only has the sequel fielded criticism for its utter lack of timeliness (as it turns out, watching Carrie Bradshaw and co. strut down 5^th avenue in $500 Manolo Blahniks was a lot easier on the eyes back when Uncle Sam was actually running a surplus), but also for its blatantly stereotyped depiction of life in the Middle East.

For those who have yet to plunk down $9.75 for the two-and-a-half-hour glimpse at the high life: this follow-up to the original 2008 film adaptation finds the ladies on an all-expense-paid trip to Abu Dhabi. Yet writer-director-producer Michael Patrick King — evidently not content to accept Samantha’s insistence upon bearing cleavage as culture clash enough—takes the girls’ clichéd American inconsideration to new heights.

Tired pun after tired pun (Bed, Bath and Bedouin? Really, Carrie?) grates on for so long that it’s no wonder the United Arab Emirates Media Council made a public statement against the film’s portrayal of the region. Filming, for what it’s worth, didn’t even take place in Abu Dhabi, but thousands of miles away in the North African nation of Morocco — making any bid at cultural sensitivity all the cheaper.

While Sex and the City has certainly never purported to be any kind of purveyor of political correctness, there’s still a certain degree of social responsibility that any film of this degree of popularity ought to maintain—but King, evidently, doesn’t value that sort of responsibility over a “Lawrence of my Labia” joke. Insulting humor or not, though, it’s sad for this onetime diehard fan to see just how far the mighty have fallen. I guess Carrie and her partners in crime were never cut out for responsible, recession-era comedy.

Iron Man 2 premiered on Friday May 7 to the excitement and joy of Marvel Comics fans all around.

Six months after the first Iron Man movie, the world now knows that Tony Stark, played by Robert Downey Jr., is the mysterious Iron Man. With his Iron Man armor, Stark has negotiated peace with the major super powers of the world. He has also fulfilled his father’s dream by opening the “Stark Expo” and showcasing his latest inventions that will benefit the world. While the government and public is pressuring him to divulge his technology to the military, Stark refuses because he is afraid that the information will leak and get into the wrong hands. Along with Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) and James “Rhodey” Rhodes (Don Cheadle), Stark creates new alliances while confronting other powerful forces.

Check out the official trailer for Iron Man 2 below.

Also coming out in select theaters this weekend is the documentary Babies (also known as Bebes). This documentary takes you into the lives of four babies from Mongolia, Namibia, San Francisco, and Tokyo, and takes you through the journey of the earliest stages in life that you probably don’t remember living through yourself. From baby breaths to baby steps, this film will give you a glimpse of childhood and motherhood in an interesting way.

Along with Iron Man 2 and Babies, other feature films coming out this weekend include Casino Jack and the United States of Money, Happiness Runs, Mother and Child, and OSS 117: Lost in Rio. A Nightmare on Elm Street still holds the box office’s #1 spot since its release on April 30, 2010. This horror film tells the story of a group of teenagers who are all being stalked by the killer Freddy Krueger. They can run while they’re awake, but it’s during their sleep that they are worried about.

Pulling in $92,000,000+, How to Train Your Dragon is the #2 movie in the box office. This action/comedy animation is fun for movie watchers of all ages. As you watch the scrawny teenage viking Hiccup prove himself as a fighter to the people of Berk, while befriending an injured dragon he names Toothless, you’re almost guaranteed to leave the theaters wanting a pet dragon of your own.

For local San Diego theaters and showtimes, click here.

*Photo from kevitivity via Flickr.

The Tony Award nominations were announced Tuesday and “Memphis,” a rock and roll musical that premiered at the La Jolla Playhouse in 2008 and later moved to Broadway, was nominated for eight Tony Awards.

The musical was among the top nominees with only three other plays, “Fela!” ,”La Cage Aux Folles” and “Fences”, earning more nominations. “Memphis is nominated for Best Musical and Christopher Ashley, the Playhouse’s artistic chief, is nominated for Best Director.

Top honors for “Memphis” also include nominations for Best Performance by a  Lead Actor for Chad Kimball whose fellow nominees include “Frasier” star Kelsey Grammer and “Will and Grace” star Sean Hayes. Montego Glover is nominated for Best Performance by a Lead Actress along with Catherine Zeta-Jones, both Kimball and Glover stared in the La Jolla production of “Memphis”.

Other nominations for “Memphis” include Best Book for a Musical, Best Original Score, Best Costumes and Best Orchestrations. “Memphis” was developed at the La Jolla Playhouse and moved to Broadway last October. The musical features music and lyrics by David Bryan from Bon Jovi and has been compared to “Dreamgirls” and “Hairspray.”

The 2010 Tony Awards are getting a little extra attention this year thanks to the amount of movie stars dominating many of the award categories. Jude Law, Liev Schreiber, Christopher Walken and Denzel Washington are all nominated for the Best Actor in a play Tony. Scarlett Johansson is nominated for Best Featured Actress for her role in the play “A View From the Bridge.” Green Day’s “American Idiot” is nominated for Best Musical and received nominations in two other categories. “Fela!” was produced by Jay-Z and Will Smith and is tied for the most nominations with “La Cage Aux Folles”, with 11 nominations.

The Tony Awards will air live on CBS on Sunday, June 13th from Radio City Music Hall, a host has yet to be announced. The awards show was hosted by Neil Patrick Harris last year and featured a now infamous performance by Bret Michaels where he was hit in the head by a moving piece of scenery.

Be sure to tune in this year to see if local nominees for “Memphis” take home any awards.

*Picture from Tomas Fano via Flickr

Noel was a significant figure in the development of American theater, having led the Globe from its earliest days as a community organization to an internationally renowned institution. Over his more than 70-year career at the Globe, Noel directed more than 200 works, produced an additional 270 productions and created innovative and influential theater programs. In 2007, Noel received the National Medal of Arts – the nation’s highest honor for artistic excellence – by President George W. Bush in a ceremony at the White House.

Noel had been in failing health but remained active through his unflagging support of live theatre. A memorial service to be held at The Old Globe will be announced at a later date.

“Craig Noel was among the last of a generation of artistic visionaries who established the first resident theater companies beyond the confines of Broadway,” said Globe Executive Producer Lou Spisto. “He dedicated his life to his art and singlehandedly made theater the center of San Diego’s cultural life. A pioneer in the national theater movement and theater education, his work had both regional and national impact. Craig was always in service to something bigger than his own artistic ego. For Craig it was his artists, his city and, ultimately, theater. He was the singular creative force behind The Old Globe for decades and I will always be grateful for the rare privilege and opportunity to have had Craig’s close counsel and sweet friendship over these past seven years.”

“It seems impossible to contemplate a landscape without Craig Noel in it,” said the Globe’s Artistic Director Emeritus, Jack O’Brien. “One of the originals, one of the giants of the regional industry, and, indeed, perhaps the lone survivor, when one lists the likes of Angus Bowmer, Bill Ball, Nina Vance, Eva Le Gallienne, and the other giants gone on before him that bestrode the mid-part of the last century, and who paved the way for so many of us to follow. He was my benign father; not the austere authority of John Houseman, nor, indeed, the colleague Ellis Rabb proved to be; instead, he led by witty, loving example – never needlessly confronting, never challenging, always nurturing, always supportive, and always, always charmingly funny. That is not an easy posture to maintain in our industry. He always said of the Globe, that it was his cathedral: indeed, it was! Spirituality, which is the heartbeat of the theatre, was his birthright and his shining sword: there was never another like him – nor, I am certain, will there ever be.”

Born on August 25, 1915 in New Mexico, Craig Noel moved to San Diego as a child. He began his association with the Old Globe in 1937 as an actor and later as a director. After fighting in the 37th Infantry for the liberation of the Philippines, Noel served in post-war Japan as director of the Ernie Pyle Theatre (Tokyo’s largest performance venue which Special Services operated for the entertainment of American forces) before returning to civilian life as one of two junior directors for 20th Century Fox alongside Orson Welles.

Noel returned to lead the Old Globe Theatre in 1947 and created one of nation’s most successful not-for-profit arts organizations, overseeing the expansion of the Globe to a Tony Award-winning three-theatre complex. In 1949, he launched the San Diego National Shakespeare Festival and ten years later guided the Globe from community to professional status, establishing the first full Actors’ Equity company in California. In the early 1960s, Noel developed an audience for new plays with seasons he programmed at the La Jolla Museum of Contemporary Art, exposing local audiences to such playwrights as Samuel Beckett, Eugene Ionèsco, Luigi Pirandello, Bertolt Brecht and Edward Albee. The success of that series led to a new play series at the Falstaff Tavern, later renamed Cassius Carter Centre Stage. In 1984, the Globe was the ninth theatrical institution selected to receive the Regional Theatre Tony Award.

Noel played an instrumental role in the careers of many theatre artists – including three-time Tony Award-winner Jack O’Brien, whom he hired as Artistic Director in 1981. Scores of distinguished American actors, including many who became well known to wider audience such as such as Marion Ross, David Ogden Stiers and Kelsey Grammer, have worked with Noel throughout the years and consider him their mentor.

His passion for arts education fueled many innovative programs, including the Globe Educational Tours in 1974, the renowned Master of Fine Arts graduate acting program (in conjunction with University of San Diego) in 1987, and Teatro Meta, the award-winning, bilingual playwriting program that served thousands of young people in the San Diego’s public schools, in 1983.

Noel’s many honors include the California Governor’s Award for the Arts, the Conservator of American Arts Award from the American Conservatory Theater, the University of Arizona Alumni Association’s Outstanding Citizen Award, the San Diego Union-Tribune’s list of 25 persons who shaped the city’s history, San Diego’s Living Treasure Award and the aforementioned National Medal of the Arts. The San Diego Drama Critics Circle named its annual honors the “Craig Noel Awards for Excellence in Theatre.” He was also the founder of the California Theatre Council and a former vice president of the California Confederation of the Arts.

Noel’s contributions to the American theatre – both locally and nationally – are beyond measure. He enriched the larger community through his support and encouragement of playwrights, actors and artists and through the nurturing of an entire generation of citizens who have become today’s theatregoers and supporters of the arts. Craig Noel was a guide, mentor and ally to virtually every professional theater endeavor in San Diego’s contemporary history and will be deeply missed.

The Zero Hour was developed at PlayLabs, New Dramatists, New York Theatre Workshop and O’Neill Playwrights Conference. O and Rebecca want love to be all they need, but the fact that Rebecca has not yet come out to her mother is threatening their happiness. Meanwhile, Rebecca’s classroom teachings of the Holocaust are seeping into her evening subway rides, in this tour-de-force with two actresses playing all the roles.

Madeleine George is a playwright, fiction writer, and teacher. She is a founding member of the OBIE-Award-winning theater company 13P (Thirteen Playwrights, Inc.), a collective of playwrights devoted to producing their own plays on their own artistic terms. For many years Madeleine taught writing at New York University. She has also taught writing, in various forms, at Bard College, Barnard College, SUNY Purchase, the University of Rochester, a half-dozen New York City public schools, and a variety of correctional and alternative-to-incarceration facilities, including the Office of the Brooklyn DA, the Women’s Prison Association, and Riker’s Island. She is currently site director of a college program at a prison for women in Manhattan.

Started in 1986, the mission of Diversionary Theatre is to produce plays with gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender themes that portray characters in their complexity and diversity both historically and contemporarily.

The Zero Hour is part of Diversionary’s Queer Theatre – Taking Center Stage play development program. The program honors the ideas, the energy and commitment people have made to tell LGBT stories.

Tickets for the reading are now on sale through the Diversionary Theatre Box Office. General admission tickets are $12 ($9 for Diversionary subscribers). Call the Box Office at (619) 220-0097 or visit the website at www.diversionary.org.

An intriguing and powerful display, filled with desperation and love, a family’s soul emotionally unravels in Lee Blessing’s Independence. Opening March 5, this is the first dramatic play of the season for PowPAC, Poway’s Community Theatre.

The story focuses on a mother and her three daughters in the small town of Independence, Iowa. It’s the lifelong home of mother, Evelyn Briggs. Her oldest daughter, Kess, is a university professor in Minneapolis, but she has come home at the request of her sister, Jo who is concerned for her mother’s mental health. Kess feels the need to distance herself from her family because of the rejection of her lifestyle by her mother. Jo, Evelyn’s live-in caregiver, an incurable romantic and longtime virgin, has now become pregnant; while Sherry, salty-tongued and amoral, wants only to finish high school so she can leave home for good. As reconciliation seems out of reach, family members realize they must seek their own independence to survive.

Director Jay Mower says audiences will find Independence very compelling. “It tackles difficult issues inherent in all families but possibly amplified in this one. Their particular challenges include a Mom who is “a little off,” an older daughter who returns home temporarily, trying to “save” the family, a middle daughter who seems to exist solely to sacrifice herself to the care of her mother, and a youngest daughter who is wild, and can’t wait to leave the town and her Mom for good.”

The cast of Independence includes Dee Kelley as Evelyn, the mother, Kaly McKenna as Kess, the oldest daughter, Krysti Litt as Jo, the middle daughter, and Maleia Gruber as Sherry, the youngest daughter.

Mower says patrons will find it memorable, “This play represents a powerful microcosm of four people trapped in a sort a prison, each desperate to escape to their own personal ‘independence.’ Audience members may see aspects of their own family dynamics. The performances are compelling and honest.”

“Directing this play has been personally enriching. I love plays that make you think, and reveal the psychosocial complexities that are inherent in all human interactions. I love directing psychological dramas and the exploration of dysfunctional relationships,” says Mower.

Poway’s Community Theatre, now in its 28th season, offers a cozy and intimate setting to truly watch first-class performers. The theatre is located upstairs in the Lively Center at 13250 Poway Road in Poway. For easier access, an elevator with additional parking is available behind the building.

Independence
Presented by PowPAC, Poway’s Community Theatre
March 5-28
Tickets: $15

Lively Center, 13250 Poway Road (In Poway)
Box Office: (858) 679-8085
Online: www.powpac.org

• PowPAC is offering special $10 tickets for the Saturday, March 6 at 8 p.m., and Sunday, March 7 at 2 p.m. performances only.

With a nod to George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion and the fairy tale Cinderella, the play is set under the dazzling lights of a French winter garden and centers on twin brothers. When one brother thinks his twin is entering a loveless marriage, he plans an evening of charades to save his sibling. What follows is a night of mistaken identities and misguided love affairs with unexpectedly happy results. Filled with charm and sparkling wit, Ring Round The Moon is a lavish romp where fairy-tale dreams come true.

Written by one of the 20th’s century most gifted authors, Jean Anouilh, the play was adapted for the English stage by playwright Christopher Fry. Jason Heil directs the production that features: Howard Bickle, Mary Bogh, Danny Campbell, Jim Chovick, Jill Drexler, Frances Gercke, Annie Hinton, Hannah M. James, Jessica John, Ralph Johnson, Ryan Hunter Lee, Veronica Murphy, and Francis Anita Rivera. Also featured in the cast are Don Evans and Hannah James.

Fry adapted Anouilh’s original French play L’invitation au chateau. The original premiered in Paris in 1947, with the English version debuting in 1949. Ring Round The Moon has been enjoying recent revivals in New York, London and Australia.

Ring Round The Moon
Presented by Moonlight Stage Productions
March 4-21
Tickets: $ 21-$29

AVO Playhouse, 303 Main Street (In Vista)
Box Office: (760) 724-2110
Online: www.moonlightstage.com

V-Day San Diego 2010 presents a collection of theatre presentations this week, including the spellbinding, funny and almost unbearably moving The Vagina Monologues.

V-Day is a global movement to end violence against women and girls that raises funds and awareness through benefit productions of Playwright/Founder Eve Ensler’s award winning play The Vagina Monologues and other artistic works.

In 2009, more than 4,200 V-Day benefit events took place produced by volunteer activists in the U.S. and around the world, educating millions of people about the reality of violence against women and girls. To date, the V-Day movement has raised more than $70 million and educated millions about the issue of violence against women and the efforts to end it, crafted international educational, media and PSA campaigns, launched the Karama program in the Middle East, reopened shelters, and funded over 11,000 community-based anti-violence programs and safe houses in Democratic Republic Of Congo, Haiti, Kenya, South Dakota, Egypt and Iraq.

V-Day was named one of Worth magazine’s “100 Best Charities” in 2001 and Marie Claire’s “Top Ten Charities” in 2006. The ‘V’ in V-Day stands for Victory, Valentine and Vagina. For more information about the V-Day movement, visit www.vday.org

Until the Violence Stops screening

Until the Violence Stops features playwright and activist Eve Ensler in a powerful film that documents how The Vagina Monologues grew into an international grassroots movement called V-Day to stop violence against women and girls. In 2002, 800 cities around the world participated in V-Day by staging benefit performances of The Vagina Monologues. Until the Violence Stops shows women from Harlem to Ukiah, California; from the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation to the Philippines and Kenya, uniting and courageously revealing their intimate and deeply painful experiences with abuse ranging from rape to female circumcision.

Director Abby Epstein takes us on a poignant journey into the hearts of women and includes revealing testimonies from men, who expose social and cultural attitudes that perpetuate the pervasive violence against women. In emotionally charged interviews and performances, everyday women and celebrities – like Rosie Perez, Salma Hayek, Tantoo Cardinal, Jane Fonda, and Lisa Gay Hamilton – embrace their bodies, reconcile their past, and bond together to break the silence that surrounds abuse.

More than just testimonies and performances, Until the Violence Stops is a film about empowerment and the importance of dialogue in the healing process. A celebration of women reclaiming their bodies and lives, this moving documentary leaves us with hope that change can happen.

• Monday, March 1, 2010
  Lobby events begin at 6 p.m.
  Film begins at 7:30 p.m.

Diversionary Theatre, 4545 Park Blvd. (In Hillcrest)
Tickets: $10
Box Office: 619-245-4958
Online: innermisisonproductions.org

The Vagina Monologues

Presented by InnerMission Productions and benefiting The Center for Community Solutions.

• Wednesday, March 3 at 8 p.m.
• Friday, March 5 at 8 p.m.
• Saturday, March 6 at 8 p.m.

Diversionary Theatre, 4545 Park Blvd. (In Hillcrest)
Tickets: $20
Box Office: 619-245-4958
Online: innermisisonproductions.org

The Vagina Monologues

Presented by and benefiting Bella Luna Educational Foundation.

• Friday, March 5 at 8 p.m.
• Saturday, March 6 at 8 p.m.
• Sunday, March 7 at 2 p.m.

Moxie Theatre, 6663 El Cajon Blvd., Suite N (In Rolando)
Tickets: $25
Box Office: (619) 328-1466
Online: bellalunaeducationalfoundation.com

The MENding Monologues

In addition to the three benefit performances of The Vagina Monologues, V-Day San Diego 2010 presents a benefit production of The MENding Monologues. InnerMission Productions, in partnership with Triad Productions, is producing the second year of The MENding Monologues in San Diego, directed by Brendan Cavalier.

• Thursday, March 4 at 8 p.m.
• Saturday, March 6 at 2 p.m.
• Sunday, Match 7 at 2 p.m.

Diversionary Theatre, 4545 Park Blvd. (In Hillcrest)
Tickets: $20
Box Office: 619-245-4958
Online: innermisisonproductions.org

It is 1936 and Boy Willie arrives in Pittsburgh from the South in a battered truck loaded with watermelons to sell. He has an opportunity to buy some land down home, but he has to come up with the money right quick.

He wants to sell an old piano that has been in his family for generations, but he shares ownership with his sister and it sits in her living room. She has already rejected several offers because the antique piano is covered with incredible carvings detailing the family’s rise from slavery. Boy Willie tries to persuade his stubborn sister that the past is past, but she is more formidable than he anticipated.

August Wilson won his second Pulitzer Prize for this haunting drama. 

The Piano Lesson
Presented by Cygnet Theatre
Jan. 30 – Feb. 28
Tickets: $28-$46

Old Town Theatre, 4040 Twigg Street (In Old Town Historic Park)
Box Office: (619) 337-1525
Online: CygnetTheatre.com

Performed in Italian with English translations above the stage, La bohème tells the story of friends Rodolfo and Marcello who share a studio in Paris’s Latin Quarter. Rodolfo has fallen in love with his neighbor, Mimì, while Marcello is in love with Musetta, his ex-girlfriend and an unrepentant flirt. Tensions flare and relationships are challenged; Marcello and Musetta over his jealousy and Rodolfo and Mimì over the fact that she is very sick and Rodolfo is too poor to take care of her properly. The story takes a tragic turn when Mimì’s health worsens and Rodolfo realizes even love is not a strong enough force to delay the inevitable.

One of the greatest love stories ever told features some of the greatest music ever composed including the famed “Musetta’s Waltz” and the melodic “Mi chiamano Mimì” (“They call me Mimì”).

Last performed by San Diego Opera in 2005, La bohème features the exciting Company debut of Polish tenor Piotr Beczala as Rodlfo. One of the world’s leading tenors, Beczala dazzled audiences last season in the Metropolitan Opera performance of Lucia di Lammermoor and returns to the Met to sing Rodolfo immediately after these performances in San Diego.

Making a Company debut is exciting young soprano Ellie Dehn who sings Mimì in these performances. San Diego’s very own soprano, Priti Gandhi, will make her important role debut as Musetta. American baritone Jeff Mattsey will sing Marcello. Rounding out the cast are American bass-baritone Alfred Walker as Colline, American baritone Malcolm Mackenzie as Schaunard and American bass-baritone Scott Sikon taking on the double roles of Alcindro and Benoit. San Diego Opera’s resident conductor Karen Keltner will lead from the podium and stage director E. Loren Meeker will make her Company directing debut.

Audiences familiar with this opera are already enthusiastically welcoming Anja Harteros and Piotr Beczala to San Diego for these performances, while those new to opera will see why La bohème is one of the most popular operas in the entire repertoire.

La bohème
San Diego Opera’s 45th International Season
Saturday Jan. 30, 7pm
Tuesday Feb. 2, 7pm
Friday Feb. 5, 8pm
Sunday Feb. 7, 2pm
Tickets: $35-$210

San Diego Civic Theatre, 3rd and B Street (In Downtown San Diego)
Box Office: (619) 533-7000
Online: sdopera.com

The Coronado Playhouse is throwing a party – a Wild Party – and everyone is invited!

The setting is New York, and the year is 1928. Queenie and Burrs, a vaudeville dancer and a vaudeville clown, have reached a tumultuous point in their three year relationship. Eager for something – anything – to restore the spark to their once red-hot romance, Queenie hatches a plan to throw a party to end all parties.

The guest list is a mixed bag of characters all living on the edge and things seem to going quite well, until Queenie’s best friend and rival Kate shows up with the handsome and mysterious Mr. Black. As the party rages on and sparks begin to fly between Queenie and Black, tension mounts and tempers flare. The situation soon spins out of control and the explosive conclusion will have you on the edge of your seat and leave you breathless!

Anchored by a pulsating jazz score that won Andrew Lippa the 2000 Drama Desk Award for Best Music, The Wild Party also won the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Off-Broadway Musical of the 2000 season.

• Caution: This show is intended for mature audiences

Wild Party
Presented by Coronado Playhouse
Jan. 29 – March 6
Tickets: $20-$25 (dinner packages also available)

Coronado Playhouse, 1835 Strand Way (In Coronado)
Box Office: (619) 435-4856
Online: coronadoplayhouse.com

My Year Of Living Anxiously

Drawing on the diaries her father kept for 63 years (documenting, among other things, Keefe’s own raucous youth) and letters from her mother, and research from doctors, Keefe weaves generational perspectives on real-life events and traumas while she reveals her growing respect for her parents as the diaries and letters expose the storm of parenthood that they weathered. This work contains Keefe’s trademark wisecracking humor and wacky sensibility as well as touching revelations.

My year of Living Anxiously has been performed as a staged reading at the North Coast Repertory Theatre in Solana Beach and in Missoula and Whitefish, Montana.

Keefe has toured extensively as a solo performer with her pieces, Lifeafterbirth, Life Before Sex, Life Before The Crisis And The Crisis, and in Staying Married, her collaboration with Charlie Oates. Her work has been seen in theatres and festivals in North America, Europe and the Pacific including the Dublin Theatre Festival (Ireland), The Wellington Fringe (New Zealand), the Victory Theatre (Los Angeles) and the Post Theatre Company (New York).

My Year Of Living Anxiously is directed by Kim Rubenstein who recently directed Savannah Disputation at the Old Globe theatre, and co-stars Eva Barnes (UCSD voice and speech professor).

My Year Of Living Anxiously
Presented by San Diego Repertory Theatre
Through Feb. 2
Tickets: $20

Lyceum Theatre, 79 Horton Plaza (in downtown San Diego)
Box Office: (619) 544-1000
Online: www.sdrep.org

The diner is hot and the music is even hotter as Lamb’s Players Theatre brings back its popular rockabilly musical revue, Pump Boys and Dinettes, opening Jan. 28 at the Horton Grand Theatre.

Drive a ways outta town, and you’ll come to a filling station run by Jim and L.M. Across the blacktop is the Double Cupp Diner, operated by Rhetta and Prudie Cupp. To look at it, you wouldn’t know that this little stop on Highway 57 is where all the action is. But trust us, once the boys get that guitar and bass fiddle revved up, you won’t want to be anywhere else.

Packed with hummable, hilarious songs like “Be Good or Be Gone,” “Tips,” and “The Night Dolly Parton Was Almost Mine,” it’s a foot-stomping good time that will make you want to order a big slice of cherry pie and a second cup of coffee, before you hit the road in search of life’s simple pleasures.

Created by John Foley, Mark Hardwick, Debra Monk, Cass Morgan, John Schimmel and Jim Wann, this is the Lamb’s Players third time with the popular production, having produced it twice before, in 1994 and in 2005. Directed by Deborah Gilmour Smyth, the cast for 2010 includes Season Duffy, Jim Mooney, Leonard Patton, Oliver Shirley, Nick Spear, and Marci Anne Wuebben.

Pump Boys and Dinettes
Presented by Lamb’s Players Theatre
Jan. 28 – March 14
Tickets: $26 – $48

Horton Grand Theatre, 444 Fourth Ave. (In Downtown San Diego)
Box office: (619) 437-0600
Online: lambsplayers.org