Hot Picks 04.10.25

 Thursday, April 10-Saturday, April 19

Rhapsody On Stage

They have taken the guitars. All of them. The pianos, too. In fact, the ruling Globalsoft corporation has emptied the world of all musical instruments. This is the future run by an all-powerful oligarchy with Killer Queen as its CEO. But their world is about to be rocked by a rebellious musical group, the Bohemians. When two resistance fighters,

Scaramouche and Galileo, join the group, they unleash the freeing power of rock ’n’ roll. “The show is live, dangerous and more than anything else: It rocks,” guitar great Brian May said of the music-filled production We Will Rock You. It is directed by Todd Siff. It is staged by the MPC Theatre Company. The music is written by – you probably guessed by now. Yes, by Queen. [DF]

7pm Thursdays-Saturdays, April 10-19; 2pm Sunday, April 13 and Saturday, April 19. Morgan Stock Stage, Monterey Peninsula College, 980 Fremont St., Monterey. $10-$25. 645-1360, mpc.edu.

 Thursday, April 10

Sit Down For StandUp

Tom Thakkar fashions himself as a comedian… or is he a criminal? He poses the question on his website, and even includes an alleged quote from his mom: “Tom asked me to borrow $30,000, a gun and a shovel. He’s my favorite comedian!” With such glowing praise from his biggest fan, you will laugh – but whether that laughter is genuine or nervous is an open question. You be the judge when Thakkar brings his show to Carmel for the XYZ Comedy Series. He’s a regular at New York comedy clubs, and has appeared in Comedy Central specials and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, along with other shows and podcasts. Thakkar’s goofy-but-dark comedy will make you question the type of person you are when you laugh along with him. [EC]

8pm Thursday, April 10. Sunset Cultural Center, San Carlos Street and 9th Avenue, Carmel. $35-$59. 620-2048, sunsetcenter.org.

 Friday, April 11

Fashion Forward

Dress… for a cause. The Celebration of Life fashion show honors cancer survivors and raising funds for the American Cancer Society’s research and patient services; many of the models walking in the show are cancer survivors themselves. The event regularly draws over 500 guests who come to watch the show, participate in auctions, and dine – in style. The attire this year is Derby Festive (think: big hats!). All proceeds help ensure that vital information and services remain available to cancer patients and survivors. Come celebrate fashion, creativity, community and a great cause. [KR]

10:30am-2:30pm Friday, April 11. Monterey Conference Center, 1 Portola Plaza, Monterey. $200 and up. celebrationofLife@cancer.org, acsmontereycelebration.org.

To the Beat

For local jazz fans, this band needs no introduction. For the jazz-curious, here’s all you need to know about the Latin Jazz Collective: Band leader/drummer John Nava is a force, not just on stage keeping the rhythm going, but also backstage, keeping this seven-member ensemble rocking local stages for years, including standing-ovation crowds at the Monterey Jazz Festival. Expect Latin inflections, big brass, and grooves that will get you up out of your chair and onto the dance floor. [SR]

7pm Friday, April 11. Wendi Kirby Music, 550 Hartnell St., Unit F, Monterey. $45. wendikirbymusic.com.

 Saturday, April 12

Lands and Sea

The Pacific Ocean – the world’s largest body of water – has shaped cultures for centuries. Its weather, its flora and fauna, its vast distances that separate its islands and surrounding continents. Nonprofit Palenke Arts’ second annual Moonflower Festival is a celebration of those disparate, related cultures, with dancing, drumming and more. These Asian American, Asian and Pacific Islander cultures, both separated and united by water, melt together this Saturday in Seaside. [DS]

11am-2pm Saturday, April 12. Palenke Arts, 1713 Broadway Ave., Seaside. Free. 899-9909, palenkearts.com.

Sound Minds

The Sand City Art Park comes alive with a concert to raise awareness, and money, to tackle critical issues impacting our social fabric: mental health, substance abuse and homelessness, the three of which are often intrinsically linked. Nonprofit Community Human Services hosts this free, donations-encouraged concert – titled “Banding Together” – to help fund its programs. The lineup features local bands SEA.LVL, The Rudians and Yosal Mariachi Banda, with live art by Paul Richmond. It’s six hours of good vibes, music, food trucks and drinks from Other Brother Beer and Brewbus831. Mental health has never felt more important. [DS]

Noon-6pm Saturday, April 12. Sand City Art Park, 525 Ortiz Ave, Sand City. Free ($30 donation encouraged). 658-3811, chservices.org/banding.

Out Loud

A quest into deep emotions, reflections and imagination is happening at Tor House – and you’re invited to join four Latino/Chicano poets, including Monterey County Poet Laureate Rachelle Escamilla, Manuel Paul López, M.K. Chavez and Darrell Dela Cruz in that journey. They will use the power of their words and voices to provoke and inspire attendees, sharing their inner thoughts, feelings and worldviews. The event is titled “Contemporary Latinx Poets and Robinson Jeffers,” spanning centuries and styles. [CJ]

3-4:30pm Saturday, April 12. Robinson Jeffers Tor House Foundation, 26304 Ocean View Ave., Carmel. $15. 624-1813, torhouse.org.

Having a Ball

Monterey Bay FC welcomes Colorado Springs to Cardinale Stadium on Saturday, April 12. The Union are riding a four-game unbeaten streak after battling to a 0-0 draw at Detroit last week. MBFC enters the weekend holding second place in the USL Championship Western Conference, just two points behind San Antonio in the top spot. [DF]

7pm Saturday, April 12. Cardinale Stadium, 4111 2nd Ave., Seaside. $22-$92. 324-2560, montereybayfc.com.

 Saturday, April 12-Sunday, April 13

Whale Days

There are whale festivals around the world, from Alaska through South Africa to Australia. But Whalefest Monterey claims to be different from all of them because of art and science elements that have been part of the local traditions. The location of this family-friendly, two-day oceanfront event is Old Fisherman’s Wharf and Custom House Plaza, where the heart of Monterey tourism beats. The festivities include interactive marine-themed exhibits, a symposium with experts, music, whale skeletons and more. Science aside, enjoy a calamari cooking demo and an abalone race. [AP]

10am-5pm Saturday and Sunday, April 12-13. Old Fisherman’s Wharf and Custom House Plaza, Monterey. Free. 238-0777, whalefestmonterey@gmail.com, whalefest.org.

 Sunday, April 13

Zen Time

Writer D Allen divides his time between the Monterey Peninsula and Oaxaca, Mexico. This former philosophy teacher and firm Zen-believer wrote The World Cannot Be Broken: Looking for shelter and finding wonder in the lives we have, a nonfiction book about refugees (literal and figurative) seeking, and hopefully finding, shelter. Allen will talk and sign copies of his book at this event. “Meditation – an uncomplicated and accessible kind – is the ground from which everything in the book has taken shape,” Allen wrote in the preface. [AP]

1-2:30pm Sunday, April 13. River House Books, 208 Crossroads Blvd., Carmel. Free; book available for sale. 626-2665, thecrossroadscarmel.com/shopping/river-house-books.

Time Passages

We admit it. We know nothing about the remarkable wave of migration from Spain through California and on to Hawaii that took place between 1907 and 1913. Why that particular span of time? No idea. For that, there’s the documentary Pasaje a Hawaii 1907-1913 (yes, bilingual). But the folks at Lighthouse Cinema aren’t content to just show an interesting film. Before the screening, Albert Marques treats guests to a flamenco guitar performance. After the film there is a Q&A session with the experts. And throughout, there’s a silent auction. The evening benefits the Spanish Hawaiian Heritage Association. [DF]

5pm Sunday, April 13. Lighthouse Cinema & Event Center, 525 Lighthouse Ave., Pacific Grove. $25-$35. 641-0747, lighthousecinema4events.com.

 Wednesday, April 16

All the Ladies

A bunch of local female writers are coming to the Carmel Woman’s Club to talk about their work for an authors night, the first event in a new creative series. The author – a poet, a writer or a storyteller – has to be a member of the club, but one doesn’t have to be a member to attend. The authors presenting their work at this inaugural session are Kathleen Ambro, Cheryl Beller, Jill Cody, Diane Danvers Simmons, Dawn Dull, Kathryn Gualtieri, Dana Schwartz, Barbara Siebenrick, Deborah Smith, Flo Speck, Kirsten Tarman and Lisa Crawford Watson. That means a lot of voices and ideas. [AP]

5-7pm Wednesday, April 16. Carmel Woman’s Club, San Carlos Street and 9th Avenue, Carmel. Free. 624-2866, carmelwomansclubca.org.

Welcome to Tehran

Under the Skin of the City is a 2021 award-winning Iranian film directed by Rakhshan Bani-Etemad, known as the First Lady of the Iranian cinema; her movies are a bold exploration of everyday life in Iran. This particular film tells the story of young people fighting for their future in times when so many educated and ambitious Iranians decide to leave their oppressive country. Known for her commitment to social justice, Bani-Etemad addresses subjects such as women’s role in the society, politics, poverty and more. A talk with the director follows. [AP]

6-8pm Wednesday, April 16. CSUMB, building 504, room 1401, 100 Campus Center, Seaside. 582-3000, info@documentaryvoices.org, csumb.edu.

Not So Civil

Civil war is terrible to live – or die – through. Families and communities are torn asunder, towns and generations are scarred. The defeated are brutalized. A nation can be plunged into fascism (which, we shouldn’t have to point out but clearly need to, is a bad thing). Yet all of this makes for a gripping novel. What We Tried to Bury Grows Here by Julian Zabalbeascoa is a story of resistance and the fraught existence of two characters in 1930s Spain. He comes to Monterey Peninsula College as part of the school’s guest author series, to talk about his novel and sign copies after. [DF]

7pm Wednesday, April 16. Monterey Peninsula College Library, 980 Fremont Ave., Monterey. $10 (cash or check only). 646-4000, mpc.edu.

HOT PICKS by Sloan Campi, Erik Chalhoub, Dave Faries, Celia Jiménez, Pam Marino, Agata Popęda, Katie Rodriguez, Sara Rubin and David Schmalz.