Hot Picks 04.18.24

Thursday, April 18

The Voice

You need not worry whether Marielle Rose Murphy will do the likes of Strauss and Schubert justice. The real question is whether the opera greats are really worthy of her powerful soprano vocals. After all, the Carmel native is just off a season at New York’s Metropolitan Opera – “The Met,” to those in the know – where she was a standout in Verdi’s Un Ballo in Maschera. At the SandBox, in addition to Strauss and Schubert, Murphy performs pieces by Rachmaninoff, Gounod, Ellstein… OK, people – not everyone is recognizable by their last name, you know. Anyhow, these Gounod and Ellstein guys are probably good. Murphy is definitely great. She is accompanied on piano by Alana Murphy, her equally talented sister. [DF]

7pm Thursday, April 18. SandBox, 440 Ortiz Ave., Sand City. $25-$40; free/ages 18 and under (with ticketed adult). sandboxsandcity.com.

Friday, April 19

Earth Day, Birthday

John Muir, who immigrated to America with his family from Scotland in 1849, when he was still a teenager, is one of the most influential naturalists in human history. For one, we can thank Muir for the creation of Yosemite National Park, which preserved one of the most beautiful places on Earth, and sparked a preservation movement in the country as the Industrial Revolution was changing civilization, often at the expense of natural treasures. But we know little about his relationship with the woman he married in 1880, Louie Wanda Strentzel, who ultimately managed Muir’s ranch in Martinez while he was off in the Sierra or somewhere else. This event, hosted by the Pacific Grove Public Library Friends and Foundation to celebrate both Earth Day and Muir’s birthday, features P.G.’s Poet-in-Residence Barbara Mossberg regaling visitors with poems – songs – that imagine the relationship between Louie and a man whose words and deeds changed the world. Also, cake will be served. [DS]

5:30pm-7pm Friday, April 19. Pacific Grove Public Library, 550 Central Ave., Pacific Grove. Free. pglibraryfriends.org.

Editor's note: The above Hot Pick has been corrected to include the correct surname of P.G.'s poet in residence, Barbara Mossberg.

Queer Bonfire

Waves, sand, a bonfire and warm weather are the perfect mix for a day at the beach. Monterey Peninsula Pride is organizing its first LGBTQIA+ beach bonfire at Asilomar State Beach. Enjoy the sunset, spend time with other LGBTQIA+ community members and allies and warm up with a fire and cozy blanket. “We’re privileged by the beauty in our area. I thought that would be a great way to bring our community together,” says Nick Zafiratos, MPP’s communication and marketing chair. Zafiratos says MPP is organizing monthly LGBTQIA+ events to venture beyond Pride month and bring the community together year-round. Bring your own snacks, drinks, blankets and chairs. Prepare to clean up completely; this is a leave-no-trace event. All ages are welcome. [CJ]

7pm Friday, April 19. Asilomar State Beach (in Pebble Beach across from Asilomar Conference Grounds), Pacific Grove. Donations encouraged. peninsulapride.org.

Shrek Time

Shrek is back, this time as a musical by Santa Catalina School. Based on the Oscar-winning smash hit film, Shrek The Musical, brings all the beloved characters you know to life on stage and proves there’s more to the story than meets the ears. The original Shrek was written as a Disney movie by screenwriter Ted Elliott, who gave us also Aladdin, Pirates of the Caribbean, and such. Throw in a short-tempered bad guy, a cookie with an attitude, and over a dozen other fairy-tale misfits, and you’ve got the kind of mess that calls for a real hero. Luckily, there’s one on hand – and his name is Shrek, who proves that beauty is truly in the eye of the ogre. The performance will be followed by a father-daughter weekend event; for participants, tickets are included with event reservations. [AP]

7:30pm Friday-Saturday, April 19-20; 2pm Sunday, April 21; 12:45pm Friday, April 26. Santa Catalina School, Performing Arts Center, 1500 Mark Thomas Drive, Monterey. $15. 655-9366, santacatalina.org/tickets.

Saturday-Sunday, April 20-21

Flower Power

Spring has sprung, and that means wildflower season on the Central Coast of California. You can trek all over, up hills and through valleys, to take in the diversity of blooms – or you can let the dedicated team of volunteers with the Monterey Bay chapter of the California Native Plant Society do that hard work, and instead come to see their incredible annual display. Expect upwards of 600 flower specimens shown in jars of water with cards identifying the species. Meet the experts who have helped collect flowers from this year’s incredible superbloom and absorb their passion – and learn to identify a native plant or three. [SR]

10am-5pm Saturday-Sunday, April 20-21. Carmel Woman’s Club, San Carlos and 9th, Carmel. $5 suggested. chapters.cnps.org/montereybay/wildflower-show.

Saturday, April 20

Earth Love

The economy and culture of Salinas, situated in the so-called Salad Bowl of America, are rooted quite literally in the Earth. Earth Day presents an opportunity not to toil at agriculture, but instead to celebrate the planet that nourishes us. Amor Salinas is an initiative to make the city a beautiful, inviting place and hosts an Earth Day festival for all ages. Expect crafts, environmental education (of course), live music and performance, food trucks and a chance to be part of a community that relies on environmental resources in order to thrive. Resiliency of the planet and of the community are inherently linked, and this event is an invitation to uplift and celebrate both. [SR]

Noon-3pm Saturday, April 20. Central Park, 420 Central Ave., Salinas. Free. 758-7166, karinas@ci.salinas.ca.us, cityofsalinas.org.

Take a Waltz

Fans of Dancing With the Stars take note: You too can learn how to gracefully turn across a dance floor performing the original ballroom dance, the Viennese waltz. When it was first introduced in Vienna in the late 1700s it was considered quite scandalous, but it soared to popularity anyway and in 2017 UNESCO placed the dance on its world heritage list. If you want to learn the Viennese waltz, the Chautauqua Hall Dance Club has you covered. They’re offering a one-hour lesson in the ballroom dance style, followed by an evening of social dancing. Twirl your night away with other dancers – no partner required to come with you. [PM]

6-7pm lesson, 7-9pm social dancing, Saturday, April 20. Chautauqua Hall, 16th Street and Central Avenue, Pacific Grove. $10. chdanceclub@gmail.com, pgdance.org.

Monday, April 22

Express Yourself

For many, the arts are a way to express emotions that aren’t always easy to share verbally. Whether it’s paintbrush to canvas or pen to paper, feelings pour out to visualize the emotions of the artist. Young artists are invited to explore this further during Sol Treasures’ expressive drawing and painting workshop. Led by Sol Treasures Executive Director Jeff Hinderscheid and instructor Nica White, the workshop, geared toward young people ages 14 and older, will teach participants on the range of techniques to express themselves through art. The basics of sketching, as well as experimenting with colors and textures, are some of the techniques that will be demonstrated. It’s a great opportunity for budding artists and those looking to discover their creative talents. [EC]

4-6pm Monday, April 22. Sol Treasures, 519 Broadway St., King City. $15; free/local students with an invitation. 386-1381, soltreasures.com.

Wednesday, April 24

Exploring Africa

Meet the Eloquent Suri of Ethiopia and their exquisite adornment traditions. Learn about their passion for preserving their culture and language. Scotts Valley photographer Mark Overgaard was moved by the Suri people on his first visit to their area in 2019. They live in the country’s southwest corner, and are a proud and resilient people. Their land is remote, located in semi-arid plains, valleys and foothills. The whole population is around 20,000 people; most of them are shepherds. Discover Suri-created illustrated stories of life and their intimate communion with nature, drawn from literacy primers. The exhibit will be on display in Middlebury Institute of International Studies until May 31. In addition to the exhibit, Overgaard gives a talk at MIIS on April 24, inviting the public to dive deeper. [AP]

12:15-1:30pm Wednesday, April 24. Middlebury Institute of International Studies, McCone Atrium Gallery, 499 Pierce St., Monterey. Free. 647-4123, middlebury.edu/institute.

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