Some of the best, most innovative theatrical work is produced by San Diego’s small theaters. Many are “homeless,” or “gypsy,” companies, with no regular venue. Recognizing that, La Jolla Playhouse artistic director Christopher Ashley instituted a resident theater program that so far has hosted Mo’olelo Performing Arts Company, MOXIE Theatre, San Diego Asian American Repertory Theater, Eveoke Dance Theatre and Teatro Máscara Mágica. Circle Circle dot dot (CCdd) begins its 2014-15 La Jolla Playhouse residency Sept. 12 with a new work titled “Red Planet Respite,” written and developed (during a residency at Arizona State University) by CCdd artistic director Katherine Harroff in collaboration with Soroya Rowley. Set on Mars in 2044, the work concerns the first vacation resort on the red planet. “Red Planet Respite” runs through Sept. 28. For reservations, go to circle2dot2.com. Augie’s No Match for Crab
Crab is the star and a subtle scene-stealer. Through Sept. 14 in the Old Globe Theatre’s outdoor Lowell Davies Festival Theatre, you’ll witness a lovely production of Shakespeare’s “Two Gentlemen of Verona” as part of the Globe’s Summer Shakespeare Festival, replete with a beautiful, fairy tale set by John Arnone, the most laid back Crab the Dog ever seen (yes, even more relaxed than you were, Augie), and a meticulously cut, well-acted script, for which credit is due to veteran director Mark Lamos. See it or be sad. It runs at 8 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays. For more, visit theoldglobe.org or call (619) 23-GLOBE. Doing the Dass Happy Dance
La Jolla theater entrepreneurs Dori Salois and Robert Salerno couldn’t be more pleased over their Vantage Theatre production of Lynne Kaufman’s “Be Here Now: the Journey of Ram Dass,” which starred the amazing Warren David Keith and played Aug. 15 to 17 at Ocean Beach Playhouse. All four performances in the 80-seat theater were sold out, and now Vantage is “exploring other avenues to remount the production.” Subscribe Now: Athenaeum Chamber Music
Athenaeum Music and Arts Library announces its 25th-anniversary Barbara and William Karatz Chamber Music series of eight concerts, set to begin at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 28, with magnetic and expressive Italian baritone Luca Pisaroni. Pisaroni’s recent performances include the title role in “Le Nozze di Figaro” at Covent Garden and Caliban in the Metropolitan Opera’s pastiche titled “The Enchanted Island,” seen in high definition throughout the land.
Additional Karatz concerts are set for Thursday, Nov. 20, with pianist Adrian Liu; Wednesday, Dec. 3, with The New Trio; Friday, Jan. 16, with Calidore String Quartet; Monday, Feb. 2, with pianist Alexandre Tharaud; Tuesday, Feb. 10, with pianists Gustavo Romero and Massimo Somezi (four-hands concert); Wednesday, March 18, with violinist Jennifer Koh; and Sunday, April 12, with Neave Trio.
All concerts begin at 7:30 p.m. at the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library, Joan & Irwin Jacobs Music Room, 1008 Wall St., La Jolla. To reserve series or individual tickets, go to ljathenaeum.org/chamberconcerts or call (858) 454-5872. Scholarship goes to binationally raised lad
José Antonio Partida, 19, of Coronado and Mexico City, is one of only 16 students to receive an Emerging Artist Scholarship through the Robert Redford/Milagro Initiative Scholarship Program. In the announcement made by Santa Fe (N.M.) University of Art and Design, Redford said, “I look forward to seeing all that these students accomplish at Santa Fe University of Art and Design, as it’s clear they have bright futures ahead of them.” Partida’s study area is film. “My favorite authors are Gabriel Garcia Márquez and José Emilio Pacheco,” he said. “Both have inspired me with stories that someday I would like to film.” Watch out, Santa Fe. Partida has a third-degree black belt in tae kwon do.