From “Prisoner” to the Stanford Wind Ensemble, here’s what’s happening this week in arts and life.
Film
The Cary Grant Festival is in full swing at the Stanford Theatre in downtown Palo Alto. Stop by the theatre this week to catch “The Awful Truth” and “Hot Saturday” this Friday through Sunday. Non-Grant offerings during the week include “Bluebeard’s Eighth Wife” and “High, Wide and Handsome.”
Student film group Cardinal Studios will be hosting screenings of its first production, “Prisoner,” from May 20-23. Screenings will be followed by a Q & A with the directors. Support student arts on campus! Reserve your free tickets here.
Lastly, “Wild Tales” and “Far from the Madding Crowd” will be screening at the CinéArts in Palo Alto, though if you haven’t checked out George Miller’s exceptional feminist action thriller, “Mad Max: Fury Road,” it’s worth the trip to Redwood City.
Theater
While this week is not the busiest week in the Stanford Theater scene, next week should be very exciting, with the much-anticipated production of “Evita” opening in Memorial Auditorium May 28. In preparation for Evita, TAPS guest lecturer Jean Graham-Jones will be delivering two talks about the show, “Performing Evita’s many, many lives” at 11 a.m. and “Translating Argentina to US stages” at 5:15 p.m., both of which are free and will be held in Pigott Theater.
Additionally, the Freeks Theater is putting on “Bacchae,” which, according to the Freeks’ website, “translates Euripides’ classical tragedy into an immersive rave experience.” This production, which runs from May 20 to May 23 and begins on the Cantor Arts Center’s front steps, looks like it will be wildly creative and incredibly fun.
Music
If you haven’t yet attended an event in the beautiful Bing Concert Hall, this is a great week to take in performances from students and professionals alike. This evening at 7:30 p.m., the Stanford Jazz Orchestra, an award-winning group dedicated to honoring the tradition of big-band music, is holding their spring concert. On Wednesday night, a trio of Broadway veterans will deliver a concert honoring the songs of Stephen Sondheim, the legendary musical-theater composer. And on Friday, don’t miss the Stanford Wind Ensemble as they play a selection of traditional and contemporary pieces. The Jazz Orchestra and Wind Ensemble shows are free with a Stanford University ID.
Next Saturday, May 23, Cardinal Calypso will be holding an outdoor concert at 4 p.m. on the lawn behind Manzanita Dining. Come out to enjoy a student ensemble whose enthusiasm and skill shines through in their percussion-centered repertoire.
This Tuesday, look out for new album releases by Brandon Flowers, frontman of the Killers, and Hot Chip, an introspective electronic band hailing from Britain. “The Desired Effect” will be Flowers’ second full-length solo release, while Hot Chip’s “Why Make Sense” has garnered early positive reviews.
Visual arts
Philz Coffee on Forest Avenue is currently hosting an exhibition of work by Bay Area art collective Animal Spirit Design entitled “Spirits on Forest.” The works on display feature a range of colorful, contemporary renditions of various wildlife. Grab a cup of coffee and ogle at the dazzling limited edition prints lining the walls of the cafe.
Starting on May 22, the Cantor Arts Center will be exhibiting a series of works by Italian masters such as Michelangelo and Gianlorenzo Bernini. The exhibition will feature nearly 100 rarely seen drawings dating from the the early Renaissance to early Modernism.
Contact the Arts and Life Editor at arts ‘at’ stanforddaily.com