ALI WONG
May 19 | Thousand Oaks
Ali Wong is a comedian, writer, actress and director known for her comedy specials Baby Cobra, Hard Knock Wife and Emmy-nominated Don Wong. Wong executive produces and voices Bertie in Tuca and Bertie, co-wrote and starred in Always Be My Maybe and directed Sheng Wang’s Sweet and Juicy. She is also the author of the New York Times Bestseller Dear Girls. Beef, her next project in collaboration with A24, was released April 2023 on Netflix. $56.75-$257. Fred Kavli Theatre at the Bank of America Performing Arts Center, 2100 East Thousand Oaks Boulevard, Thousand Oaks, 805.449.2787, bapacthousandoaks.com.
HOME, I’M DARLING
Through May 21 | Santa Paula
Judy wishes for a simpler time. A time of hats and ties and rotary dial telephones. A time when a wife greets her husband with a martini and a pair of slippers. Just be careful what you wish for. Home, I’m Darling imagines a high-achieving professional, Judy Martin, who rebrands herself as a doting 1950s housewife. A dream come true. But how long can you live a fantasy before reality creeps in? Ultimately the play feels like a love letter to cooperation on any couple’s own terms; a right to choose, but to choose from options that don’t necessarily even exist until you make them up together. Critics have raved about this award winning play. The Guardian declares it “…a timely analysis of the gender divide, which manages to ask important questions about what women might want and how they might successfully find it.” This production stars Kimberly Demmary as Judy, James James as Johnny, Julie Gawkowski Fergus as Fran, Paula Smiech as Alex, Derek Petropolis as Marcus and Poosy Holmes as Sylvia, all under the direction of Sarah Boughton. $22-$24. Santa Paula Theater Center, 125 South Seventh Street, Santa Paula, 805.525.4645, www.santapaulatheatercenter.org.
KATHAK SANDHYA: MEDITATION IN MOTION
May 21 | Thousand Oaks
Kathak dance is one of the oldest dance forms in the world. It began thousands of years ago in the ancient temples in India and later thrived in the courts of Mughal and Hindu royalty. Kathak performances today feature a troupe of many dancers who together paint a delightful tapestry of music, rhythm, expressions, dance, footwork and spins. This production at the Bank of America Performing Arts Center is presented by Northridge’s Kathak Kala Academy and the Indian Performing Art Center. The spectacular performance takes place on Sunday, May 21, at 4 p.m. $25-$35. Scherr Forum Theatre at the Bank of America Performing Arts Center, 2100 East Thousand Oaks Boulevard, Thousand Oaks, 805.449.2787, bapacthousandoaks.com.
SPLASH INTO SUMMER POOL PARTY
May 21 | Camarillo
Come splash into Summer with us! Bring your family, friends or sports team for a fun bonding time in the pool for this fun event in honor of National Water Safety Month. Enjoy an open swim, the water slide, a scuba diving presentation from SC Diving and water safety activities. PizzaMan Dan’s food truck will be onsite. Hosted by the Foundation for Pleasant Valley Recreation and Parks. Tickets are $15, or a Family 4-Pack for $50. PVRPD Aquatic Center, 1030 Temple Avenue, Camarillo, 805.482.1996, www.pvrpfoundation.org/splash-into-summer-poolparty.
DIS CONNECTION: ARTISTS ON DISPLACEMENT
Through May 27 | Camarillo
Dis Connection explores the creative dialog among contemporary artists on the topic of forced displacement. The exhibit includes an inspiring array of artistic materials and practices, large-scale works and never-before-seen installations. Through porcelain and paint, dried plants and plastic, punctured paper, interactive installations and performance art, these artists employ materiality, abstraction and symbolism to excavate and explore the multi-generational trauma of being torn from home and community. Themes of vulnerability, identity, “otherness,” relationship to earth and the body, climate change and political/cultural repression weave through the exhibition. Together, the works find poetic language for loss while revealing images of our common humanity. The exhibition will invite viewers to consider the question, “When a sense of place and home is lost, along with the identity built around it, how do people construct a new place and sense of meaning?” A variety of visual and performing arts events will be offered in conjunction with the exhibit. Studio Channel Islands, 2222 East Ventura Boulevard, Camarillo, 805.383.1368. More information at studiochannelislands.org.
ASIAN AMERICAN PACIFIC ISLANDER FESTIVAL
May 27 | Oxnard
The Oxnard Performing Arts Center is proud to partner with Pinaysphere, a Filipinx Arts Mentorship nonprofit, to present the Second Annual Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Festival on Saturday, May 27, from 12 noon to 5 p.m. at Heritage Square in Downtown Oxnard. The event is in celebration of AAPI Heritage Month which recognizes the contributions and influences of Asian Americans and Pacific Islander Americans to the history, culture and achievements of the United States. OPAC’s event amplifies the narratives of our AAPI community by spotlighting local talent, entrepreneurs, artists and grassroots leaders. Performers include Jaime Kailani, Hula Halau O Puananiha Aheo, Chinese Lion Dancers and much more. Saturday, May 27, 12-5 p.m. Tickets by donation. Heritage Square, 715 South A Street, Oxnard, www.theopac.org.
46TH ANNUAL ART IN THE PARK
May 27-28 | Ojai
Art in the Park is an annual tradition started in 1977 by local artists at the Ojai Art Center to give artists a place to sell their work during Memorial Day weekend. Nestled amongst the oaks in beautiful Libbey Park, a natural setting is created to showcase the rich mixture of works in a variety of mediums. Art in the Park has enjoyed a long tradition of displaying quality art. Presented by the Ojai Art Center, the oldest nonprofit art center in California, the festival attracts artists from near and far. The relaxed atmosphere and approachable artists draws crowds (between 3,000 and 5,000) from Ojai and neighboring communities. This show is free to the public — all are welcome. Saturday and Sunday, May 27 and 28, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Libbey Park, 201 South Signal Street, Ojai, 805.640.1158, ojaiartcenter.org.
THE CHILDREN’S HOUR
Through June 4 | Simi Valley
Set in a girls’ boarding school in a fictional New England town in the 1930s, The Children’s Hour tells the story of two women who own the school who are unjustly accused of homosexual activity by one of their students, Mary Tilford. The outraged community (prompted by the influential Amelia Tilford, an upstanding member of the town – who also happens to be the indulgent grandmother of Mary) encourages parents to quickly withdraw all of their children from the school, causing a witch hunt that ultimately forces the school to close. Not to be defeated, Martha and Karen take the accusations to court in a libel suit and lose, despite the defense having no real foundation for a case (with the exception of Mary’s testimony). Their lives quickly unravel as they become social pariahs and justice comes too late. Presented by Actors’ Repertory Theatre. Mature subject matter; recommended for ages 12+. ARTSpace Black Box Theater, 2956 School Street, Simi Valley, www.actorsrepofsimi.org. For reservations, contact Jan Glasband at jgartdept@sbcglobal.net.
EVENING HARBOR CRUISES
June through October | Ventura
Island Packers presents a special one-hour scenic Evening Harbor Cruise, 6-7 p.m., aboard a 64-foot catamaran in Ventura Harbor on select Saturdays from June through October 2023. The cruise offers guests the opportunity to capture wonderful photography, watch the boats sail by, and view a variety of marine birds and possible harbor seals and sea lions. While on board, guests get a 360-degree view of all Ventura Harbor has to offer and a glimpse of the spectacular waterfront homes in the beautiful Ventura Keys. Plan to visit the restaurants and shops in Ventura Harbor or downtown Ventura before or after your cruise. Seating is available inside the lower cabin and upstairs and the cruise takes visitors through Ventura Harbor and part of the Ventura Keys. A variety of beers and wines, as well as nonalcoholic beverages and snacks, are available for purchase. Fun for all ages! For more info and booking, contact Island Packers at 805.642.1393 or islandpackers.com.
ANDREA VARGAS: ON THE RANCH
Through Sept. 10 | Santa Paula
Andrea Vargas was born and raised on the California coast. Urban environments rich with murals and diversity influenced her early palette and affection for community histories and vibrant illustrations. After she received her BA from the University of California at Berkeley, Vargas began to travel between desert landscapes and coastal cities to paint en plein air. Since then, Vargas has continued to produce artwork and installations that focus on ecological relationships, light and aspects of transformation. Andrea’s work has been exhibited by the Oakland Museum of California, the Ontario Museum of History and Art, the Santa Paula Art Museum, and the Museum of Ventura County. Vargas lives and works in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Also on exhibit through July 9 is Shadow and Light: The Landscape Paintings of Bruce Everett. Santa Paula Art Museum, 117 North 10th Street, Santa Paula, 805.525.5554, www.santapaulaartmuseum.org.
ON THE HORIZON
POP UP ARTS AND MUSIC FESTIVAL
June 2-July 1 | Thousand Oaks
The City of Thousand Oaks will bring its annual Pop Up Arts and Music Festival to Thousand Oaks every Friday and Saturday in the month of June.The festival features “pop-up” public performances at various locations throughout Thousand Oaks. The goal of the festival is to provide residents with an opportunity to actively participate in and enjoy the arts without having to come to the theater. People are encouraged to bring their own chair/blanket, food and drink and come enjoy great entertainment on a summer evening. For full schedule, list of performers and more information, visit bapacthousandoaks.com/show-details/pop-up-arts-music-festival23.
OJAI MUSIC FESTIVAL
June 8-11 | Ojai
The Ojai Music Festival represents an ideal of adventurous, open-minded and open-hearted programming in the most beautiful and welcoming of settings, with audiences and artists to match its aspirations. Now in its 77th iteration, the festival remains a hallmark for groundbreaking musical experiences with a narrative thread guided by a different music director. These annual directors are more than conductors, composers, soloists, or musicians. They are musical thinkers who approach their craft with creativity and responsibility to the present day. For 2023, the musical director is Rhiannon Giddens . Performers include red fish blue fish, Attaca Quartet, Wu Man, Francesco Turrisi and more. For ticket options, full schedule and more information, visit www.ojaifestival.org.
