Thursday, Nov. 12
Can’ Do
You know Cannery Row? No, not the Steinbeck classic. We’re talking about the more forgettable 1982 film starring Nick Nolte as Doc and Debra Winger as the love interest/prostitute, based on both Cannery Row and Sweet Thursday, but with some mystery thrown in. Monterey Public Library shows the film, followed by a discussion – which could be quite interesting. After all, the story goes that Raquel Welch was originally cast in Winger’s role but was fired from the set, sued the studio and won. Because of her antics, Welch never worked in movies again. And that’s just one point of interest. How’s this for another: MGM’s head of production called the script brilliant, but the project “beyond the reach” of the rookie director. Or this: Much of it was filmed in a sound studio. [DF]
4-7pm Thursday, Nov. 12. Monterey Public Library, 625 Pacific St., Monterey. Free. (831) 646-3933, monterey.gov/library.
Love Letter
You may not have heard of singer Perla Batalla, but chances are you have heard of Leonard Cohen, the revered Grammy-winning Canadian poet, songwriter and singer, who rose to international fame for his songs, including “Hallelujah,” his most famous tune, covered by over 200 artists. Cohen died 10 years ago but his legacy is being carried on by Batalla, who toured with Cohen for two decades. Her tribute album to Cohen, Bird on the Wire, was created with his blessing and mentorship. She followed up with a second album, A Letter to Leonard Cohen: Tribute to a Friend. Batalla brings her show featuring Cohen’s songs to the intimate space of Studio 105. [PM]
7pm Thursday, Nov. 12. Studio 105, Sunset Center, 908 San Carlos St., Carmel. $75. (831) 620-2048, sunsetcenter.org.
Thursday-Sunday, Nov. 12-15
Yas Queen
Six: Teen Edition is a The Tony Award-winning musical that reimagines the six wives of Henry VIII as a modern pop concert, with each queen stepping up to the microphone to reclaim her own story. The production involves 12 York School students sharing the six roles. “The message lands differently when it comes from high school students,” said York Performing Arts Director Spencer Williams. “This cast has worked with a performer who has lived inside this show professionally, and they’ve brought that same standard into every rehearsal. Audiences are going to see a pop concert, not a school play.” [AP]
7pm Thursdays-Saturdays; 2pm Sundays, Nov. 12-Nov. 22. Gatanaga Theatre at York School, 9501 York Road, Monterey. $22; $17/students, faculty; free/Nov. 12. our.show/sixinmonterey.
Friday, Nov. 13
Smart Aleck
The sultan of satire and subtle humor, David Sedaris, is a master of riding the line between silly and serious. With more than a dozen story and essay collections under his belt, Sedaris has covered copious topics from quitting smoking in the “When You Are Engulfed in Flames” essay “The Smoking Section,” a fan favorite, to navigating his sexuality, obsessive-compulsive tics, secret planets, voyeuristic spiders, aging, family dynamics and beyond. The essays in his latest work, titled The Land and Its People, were dubbed “among the best of his career” by Publishers Weekly. [AS]
7pm Friday, Nov. 13, Sunset Center, 908 San Carlos St., Carmel. $55-$115. (831) 620-2048, sunsetcenter.org.
Friday-Saturday, Nov. 13-14
Quilt Collective
Art is fun, especially when people collaborate with others to create a community project. Another bonus: reusing and recycling materials along the way. Last Chance Mercantile at ReGen Monterey is a pro at the latter. This event brings art and community into the mix. Attendees will create a hand-made quilt using discarded materials, needles and thread. Artist Emily Birmingham leads the effort, and demonstrates traditional quilt-making skills. All skill levels are welcome to participate. Materials are provided. [CJ]
10am-3pm Friday-Saturday, Nov. 13-14. Last Chance Mercantile, 14201 Del Monte Blvd., Salinas. Free. (831) 264-6900, lastchancemercantile.org.
Friday-Sunday, Nov. 13-15
Lettuce Curtain
The curtain rises on the so-called “Lettuce Curtain,” giving viewers a chance to see the story of the housing crisis and its effect on Salinas Valley farmworkers. About 20 Hartnell College students take part in the bilingual play La Cortina de la Lechuga. Written by Cristal González Ávila, who has directed several plays throughout Monterey County, the play brings a story about daily struggles of the Latino community into the spotlight. It’s directed by Luis xago Juárez, produced by River Navaille and features multimedia by Alfredo Avila, including live projected translations for language accessibility in both English and Spanish. [RH]
7:30pm Fridays-Saturdays, 2pm Sundays, Nov. 13-22. Hartnell College Theatre Arts Building K, Room 116, 411 Central Ave., Salinas. $20; pay-what-you-can option. linktr.ee/hartnelltac.
Role Play
William Shakespeare may have been one of the most creative people of his time, but even that creativity had limits. For instance, he never wrote about Hamlet battling an army of orcs. Audiences can take Shakespeare’s iconic characters to places he never imagined with Dungeons and Shakespeare on the Paper Wing Theatre stage. It’s a mashup of the epic tabletop game Dungeons & Dragons and the English writer’s greatest characters, where the audience becomes the player, helping guide the adventure for the performance. Maybe Juliet rebuffs Romeo and instead becomes a sword-wielding badass. The choice is yours. [EC]
7:30pm Friday-Saturday, Nov. 13-14; 3pm Sunday, Nov. 15. Paper Wing Theatre, 711 Cannery Row (second floor), Monterey. $28. (831) 905-5684, paperwing.com.
Saturday, Nov. 14
Restore and Reuse
Before you toss that jacket with a broken zipper or ditch the toaster that only browns on one side of the bread, consider bringing those items to the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History Repair Fair. Community experts will be on hand to teach you just how to fix such pesky problems, along with other fixes like darning holey socks and getting a bike rolling again. In these days of high prices, learning how to repair clothing and household items is a great way to save money – it’s also a fantastic way to keep items out of the local landfill. [PM]
10am-2pm Saturday, Nov. 14. Museum of Natural History, 165 Forest Ave., Pacific Grove. Free. Education@PGMuseum.org, pgmuseum.org.
Have Mercy
You might feel like you’re ascending when you listen to the Aria Women’s Choir’s “Where Mercy Dwells: Sacred Songs for Women’s Voices” performance. Composed of women singers from the Central Coast, Aria Women’s Choir performs sacred masterworks, jazz, musical theater and contemporary choral music. From the dark and dramatic O virtus Sapientiae to the hurried intensity of Elijah Rock!, their performance offers a captivating array of music. If you can’t make it, a tip: Their rehearsals are free to attend on Tuesdays from 7pm-9:30pm. [CO]
3pm Saturday, Nov. 14. First United Methodist Church, 915 Sunset Drive, Pacific Grove. $29; $24/ seniors, veterans; $13/youth 18 and under. (831) 760-8824, ariamonterey.org.
Run For It
These young runners might look like they’re coming out of nowhere, speeding on by – but they’re celebrating the culmination of an eight-week session of Girls On The Run Central Coast programming, focused not just on physical activity but developing life skills and friendships for third- through fifth-graders. Unlike other 5Ks, this one is not timed. It’s a noncompetitive event focused on the joy of collective activity, and you can join in the magic of crossing the finish line. The evening kicks off with a celebration in which you can learn about the achievements of participating girls, and help empower the next generation. [SR]
5-8pm Saturday, Nov. 14. Breaker Stadium track at Pacific Grove High School, 615 Sunset Drive, Pacific Grove. $25/race registration; $10/ages 12 and younger. gotrcentralcoast.org.
Be Cool
Anyone who has seen the Quentin Tarantino film Pulp Fiction knows exactly what Fonzie does, and that’s “be cool.” Although not the Henry Winkler character from Happy Days, the Davis-based band Fonsie (not to be confused with Fonzie) will grace the stage of 6th Avenue Studios in Seaside for a night of rock and emo featuring a lineup of other California groups including Blazed from Fresno, 2th from Salinas, Little Critter from San Jose and the Santa Cruz- and Salinas-spawned band Phone Booth. [AS]
6:30pm Saturday, Nov. 14. 6th Avenue Studios, 4420 6th Ave., Seaside. $10. (831) 200-3432, 6ave.studio.
Power Chords
There’s nothing like wickedly fast solos and hard-hitting riffs to get the crowd pumping and heads banging. Salinas metal band Placate headlines a lineup of fellow Salinas Valley rockers Vice in Vanity and Note to the Void, along with Living in Silence, hailing from San Jose. Placate roared onto the scene in 2019, founded by vocalist and guitarist Samuel Tinoco Vasquez, banded together by their love for Metallica and heavy metal music. All ages are welcome to rock with some of the region’s finest purveyors of metal. [EC]
7pm Saturday, Nov. 14. The Beerded Bean, 210 Main St., Salinas. $10. (831) 202-0966.
Flac is Back
Is that cumbia? Or is it punk rock? The answer: It’s both when Flaco El Jandro comes to town. He returns to Monterey County after a year of accolades and international travel with Chuck Prophet. Though he’s been gaining more and more momentum throughout his career, it’s always fun to see him return to his roots. This time, he’ll be at Palenke Arts with los Perros Callejeros, an organization that’s become quintessential for uplifting Latino artists like him. The evening promises a collection of what El Jandro calls “rockmánticas y cumbiapunk.” If you’ve seen him before, you know what he means. And if you haven’t, it’s worth the ticket price to learn. [SC]
7:30pm Saturday, Nov. 14. Palenke Arts, 1713 Broadway Ave., Seaside. $25. (831) 899-9909, palenkearts.com.
Sunday, Nov. 15
Three’s a Charm
Here’s three reasons why you might want to go see Time for Three: One, their combination of vocals and strings are tingling and fill out their music in a way that would make you surprised to learn it’s just a trio featuring Nicolas “Nick” Kendall and Charles Yang on the violin, and Ranaan Meyer on the double bass, with all of them providing vocals. Two, their music is joyful and jumping, with some improv and some rehearsed. It’ll keep you on your feet. Three, in the spirit of being not just one thing, they blend classical, jazz, Americana and contemporary music. They are not just one thing. [CO]
3pm Sunday, Nov. 15. Sunset Center, 908 San Carlos St., Carmel. $45-$60. (831) 625-9938, carmelmusic.org.
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