Arts Briefs: Academy revives ‘Of Mice and Men’

Theater

ACADEMY REVIVES

‘OF MICE AND MEN’

The Las Vegas Academy’s “Of Mice and Men” will hit the road soon — but not before a final showcase Friday at the academy’s home theater.

Last fall, adjudicators from the Educational Theatre Association — an honor society for high school drama students and teachers — saw the academy’s production of John Steinbeck’s Depression-era drama and chose the production as one of six main stage presentations.

“Of Mice and Men” marks the academy’s eighth visit to the Thespian Festival at the University of Nebraska.

“It’s a very intense and satisfying experience to tour a show to Thespian Festival,” director John Morris says. “Thespians are the best audience, and the spirit of camaraderie and cooperation is infectious. Plus, we have to get it ready for performance again and to raise money to help us travel.”

The academy’s reimagined “Of Mice and Men” pays special attention to the book’s language, reflecting the author’s intent “to write a novel that could be played from the lines, or a play that could be read.”

The academy’s “Of Mice and Men” concludes its revival run at 7 p.m. in the Lowden Theater for the Performing Arts, located at Ninth Street and Clark Avenue. Reserved seats are $15; tickets may be purchased online at lvacademytheatre.org. Student rush tickets ($10) are available at the door; for more information, call 702-855-9729.

Music

ENSEMBLE PLAYS

‘LEAF IN THE WIND’

Chinese musician Linhong Li joins the Firenze String Ensemble Saturday for “A Leaf in the Wind: Music From China and Beyond,” which is part of the Winchester Cultural Center’s World Vibration Concert Series.

The concert itinerary includes Chinese and classical music, with violinist Rebecca Ramsey, cellist Moonlight Tran and harpist Kim DeLibero — all members of the Las Vegas Philharmonic — joining Li, who will play the six-stringed pipa during the concert. (She also achieves a flutelike effect by blowing over a leaf.) Rounding out the performers: Haiyue Zhang, Li’s husband, who will play another lutelike Chinese instrument, the ruan.

The concert begins at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Winchester center, 3130 S. McLeod Drive. For tickets ($10 in advance, $12 the day of the show), call 702-455-7340 or visit www.ClarkCountyNV.gov/parksregistration.

Theater

ASYLUM STAGES

‘CHERRY, LEMON’

An unlikely friendship sparks Asylum Theatre’s “Cherry, Cherry, Lemon,” which continues through Sunday at downtown’s Art Square Theatre.

In Keri Healey’s play — a two-character, one-musician comedy-drama about erotic malaise — a twist of fate brings together an awkward woman and a party girl. Kim Glover and April Needham play the unlikely friends; guitarist Arles Estes composes and performs the musical accompaniment for the production, directed by Sarah O’Connor.

“Cherry, Cherry, Lemon” continues at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at the Art Square Theatre, 1025 First St. For tickets ($20), call 702-604-3417 or visit www.asylumtheatre.org.

Art

LONDON EVENT

COMES TO LV

The “Maps, Mazes and Mysteries” continue this weekend as the performance and installation art event dubbed “London Biennale in Las Vegas” moves to the homes of local artists.

Founded in 1998 by London-based conceptual artist David Medalla, the London Biennale has expanded with satellite events in Paris, Rio de Janeiro, Rome, Berlin, New York, Boston — and Las Vegas.

In keeping with the artist-initiated structure of the events, the free local component takes place at the homes of local artists, who will produce maps, mazes and mysteries in keeping with the theme. In Las Vegas, artists Justin Favela, David Ryan, Jevijoe Vitug and JK Russ are creating map works, while Anthony Bondi, Shelbi Schroeder, Matthew Couper, Yasmina Chavez and Javier Sanchez are creating mazes; Scott Grow, Kady Monroe-Tracey, Cara Seymour and Giorgio Guidi are devising the project’s mysteries.

The London Biennale event continues from 7 to 9 p.m. Saturday at artist David Ryan’s studio and from 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday at the artist-run Casa; for venue addresses , RSVP to mattcouper@hotmail.com. Additional information on the event is available online at www.londonbiennale2014.tk.

Theater

DE ALBA CHANNELS

GARLAND AT ONYX

Judy Garland died June 22, 1969.

But the Hollywood legend lives again this Sunday, June 22, when singer and impressionist David de Alba returns to the Onyx Theatre with another Garland tribute, “A Lonely Stage.”

A fixture at San Francisco’s Finocchio Club, the award-winning de Alba will salute Garland with a newly revised show that honors Garland’s concert and movie successes, including her long-running on-screen partnership with the late Mickey Rooney.

“A Lonely Stage” begins at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Onyx Theatre, 953 E. Sahara Ave. For tickets ($17-$20), call 702-732-7225 or visit www.onyxtheatre.com.

Family fun

LIBRARIES HOST

AUSSIE PROGRAM

Australia may be a 15-hour plane ride from Las Vegas (or more, depending on your destination), but the “Land Down Under” is as close as a Southern Nevada library next week with “Didgeridoo Down Under.”

The high-energy, Australian-themed program combines music, culture, science, puppetry and comedy in a show geared toward the whole family.

Free “Didgeridoo Down Under” begin at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Sahara West Library, 9600 W. Sahara Ave. Free shows continue at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the West Charleston Library, 6301 W. Charleston Blvd.; and at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Windmill Library,7060 W. Windmill Lane.

Thursday’s performance schedule: 11:30 a.m. at the Clark County Library, 1401 E. Flamingo Road; 3 p.m. at the Whitney Library, 5175 E. Tropicana Ave.; and 6:30 p.m. at Centennial Hills Library, 6711 N. Buffalo Drive.

For more information, call 702-507.3459 or visit www.lvccld.org.

Music

PERRICO AND BAND

PLAY CABARET JAZZ

Most nights, you can catch David Perrico at the Stratosphere, fronting “Pin-Up’s” house band.

Tuesday night, however, the trumpeter and his Pop Evolution band have a new gig — at The Smith Center’s Cabaret Jazz.

Perrico’s 20-piece band, which features Naomi Mauro on vocals, specializes in transforming pop, rock, R&B and soul tunes by marrying modern pop to styles of the past. They’re so good at it, they earned a 2013 Best of Las Vegas nod from the Review-Journal staff as best lounge performers.

David Perrico — Pop Evolution will perform at 10 p.m. Tuesday in Cabaret Jazz at The Smith Center for the Performing Arts, 361 Symphony Park Ave. For tickets ($20-$30), call 702-749-2000 or visit www.thesmithcenter.com.

— By CAROL CLING