Antonia Cereijido
covers arts, culture and entertainment for LAist’s on-demand team.
Published May 22, 2024 5:15 AM
Water from the Colorado River flows through the All American Canal Hydro-Electric Plant Drop 4, eventually reaching the Imperial Valley, approximately 80 miles downstream from the plant.
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Zaydee Sanchez
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LAist
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Topline:
“Imperfect Paradise: The Gen Z Water Dealmaker”is about JB Hamby, the 28-year-old lead negotiator for California who is in charge of protecting the state’s access to Colorado River water during the worst drought ever on the waterway.
Negotiating skills are going to become increasingly important in the future, as climate change complicates our access to — and the availability of — resources like water.
In Part 4 of our series, Victoria Medvec, author of Negotiate Without Fear and professor at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, joins host Antonia Cereijido to break down what lessons she thinks we can learn by looking at the negotiations around the Colorado River.
Among those lessons:
Reduce egocentric bias: Medvec says that one of the biggest mistakes she sees in negotiations is when people only focus on their own needs and do not take into consideration what the other party or parties’ interests are. She says that she’s seen Hamby move from an egocentric position to a more open one and thinks it's a good strategy.
Broaden the issues at the negotiating table: If you are negotiating around really contentious issues, sometimes it’s better to bring new issues to the table that can help get you leverage on the issues you care about most. Medvec uses the hypothetical example of bringing in something like education around the river to offset the pressure around how much water each state is allotted.
Make the first offer: It's really important to lead the conversation and not to follow. Medvec also recommends to “go in with multiple offers rather than a single offer. And I mean multiple offers all at the same time. Because doing that will allow … a stronger starting point advantage with a stronger anchor.”
Highlight gain to maintain the status quo, highlight loss to move off: If you are happy with the current status of things, you have to highlight how things are stable. For instance, there was a lot of rain last year and so for the states that use Colorado River water and are happy with their access, they should highlight that it was a year of stability. However, if you want terms to change drastically, you have to create a sense of urgency. This could mean pointing to how climate change has greatly depleted the amount of water in the Hoover Dam where Colorado River water is collected.
And lastly, know your opponent’s worst case scenario: “Sometimes people don't want a deal," Medvec says. "People sometimes want an impasse and they're engaging to distract. They're not engaging to get to agreement.” She suggests you ask yourself, “What is their best outside alternative? What happens if we don't get an agreement to them? And what does it mean for them?” That way you know if you’re wasting your time.
How can I listen? Here's Part 4:
New episodes of Imperfect Paradise: The Gen Z Water Dealmaker publish Wednesdays wherever you get your podcasts, on LAist.com, and on broadcast at LAist 89.3 the following Sunday.
Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Long Beach) speaks at a lectern near the Adelanto detention center.
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Julia Barajas
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LAist
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Topline:
Conditions at the Adelanto ICE Processing Center have improved but serious concerns remain, according to Rep. Robert Garcia, who represents Long Beach, and other members of Congress who visited the facility Friday.
Improvements to water: Rep. Norma Torres of Pomona, who has visited Adelanto in an oversight capacity 25 times, said the only improvement she saw this time was that the facility installed water filtration systems in response to a July court order requiring ICE to ensure people held there have access to clean drinking water 24 hours a day.
Remaining issues: At a news conference immediately following the visit, the representatives described unsanitary conditions in the showers and kitchen areas, food that looked inedible and inadequate access to medical care.
The visit was unannounced: Garcia, the highest-ranking Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, said officials at the facility kept the delegation waiting in the lobby for half an hour before starting the tour, despite a recent court order requiring the Trump administration to grant elected officials access to immigration detention facilities. “We should have been allowed to visit immediately,” Garcia said. “That is the law.”
Conditions at the Adelanto ICE Processing Center have improved, but serious concerns remain, according to Rep. Robert Garcia, who represents Long Beach, and other members of Congress who visited the facility Friday.
At a news conference immediately following the visit, the representatives described unsanitary conditions in the showers and kitchen areas, food that looked inedible and inadequate access to medical care.
Improvements to water
Rep. Norma Torres of Pomona, who has visited Adelanto 25 times in an oversight capacity, said the only improvement she saw this time was that the facility installed water filtration systems in response to a July court order requiring ICE to ensure people held there have access to clean drinking water 24 hours a day.
Garcia told LAist he would leave it up to the independent monitors appointed by the court to determine if the facility was fully complying with the order. The monitor overseeing overall conditions at the facility released its first report, containing 12 recommendations for improvement, earlier this month. The federal government recently purchased the facility from the GEO Group Inc. for $950 million. GEO Group is still under contract to run day-to-day operations there.
The visit was unannounced
Garcia, the highest-ranking Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, said officials at the facility kept the delegation waiting in the lobby for half an hour before starting the tour, despite a recent court order requiring the Trump administration to grant elected officials access to immigration detention facilities.
“We should have been allowed to visit immediately,” Garcia said. “That is the law.”
Garcia and other representatives said it appeared the facility had been cleaned just before the tour started. The representatives also said they were not allowed to speak with people detained at the facility because ICE officials said they were conducting a point-in-time count and people were confined to their cells.
What’s next?
The representatives said they will take recommendations back to the oversight committee and plan to continue unannounced visits to immigration detention centers, including Adelanto. Should Democrats take control of the House of Representatives in November, Garcia and other representatives said they will increase oversight of the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement. Attorneys representing people held at Adelanto in a class-action lawsuit have asked the court to enforce the July order requiring improvements to the facility based on the independent monitor’s first report and reports from people detained there.
Libby Rainey
has been tracking how L.A. is preparing for the 2028 Olympic Games.
Published October 16, 2026 2:33 PM
The Los Angeles City Council unanimously voted in late March to research what it would take to create a Bureau of Police Oversight, moving accounting and audit roles out of the police department and into the controller’s office.
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Kevin Winter
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Getty Images
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Topline:
Los Angeles City Controller Kenneth Mejia says his office issued a subpoena to Olympics organizing committee LA28 Friday, demanding it hand over documents detailing its finances, contracts and budgets for venue construction projects.
Why now: The move comes after LA28 failed to include a detailed list of its contracts in its recent budget report to the city, despite a contract requiring their disclosure.
Details on the deal: The Games Agreement between the city and LA28 requires the committee to submit the name, type, amount, term and purpose of each contract it has entered into worth more than $1 million. It also requires the organizing committee to give updates on venue improvements, including schedules and budgets.
Read on… for more about why this is a rare move from a city controller.
In a rare move, Los Angeles City Controller Kenneth Mejia on Friday said his office issued a subpoena to Olympics organizing committee LA28, demanding it hand over documents detailing its finances, contracts and budgets for venue construction projects.
The Games Agreement between the city and LA28 requires the committee to submit the name, type, amount, term and purpose of each contract it has entered into worth more than $1 million. It also requires the organizing committee to give updates on venue improvements, including schedules and budgets.
The controller issued a request for those details in a letter to LA28 in August, but said he turned to legal action because the organization still hasn’t satisfied its obligations. The city of Los Angeles is the financial backstop for the Games, and will be on the hook for cost overruns if LA28 doesn’t turn a profit.
“The Controller’s Office completed a review of all LA28 documents within the City’s possession and determined that the financial documents requested are either incomplete or wholly absent,” Mejia’s office wrote in a news release issued Friday.
The controller's office told LAist Friday that it worked with the city attorney on the LA28 subpoena and that it "has the full support and backing of the City Attorney’s office."
LA28 did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
There is precedent for city controllers issuing subpoenas, but they’re not common.
Former City Controller Ron Galperin told LAist that he only issued a subpoena while he was in office one time.
“It’s a power that controllers don’t necessarily exercise a lot, but when it’s the right time, it’s an important tool,” he said.
City officials have seen some of the documents Mejia is demanding, but only in passing. Sharon Tso, Chief Legislative Analyst and a top Games negotiator for the city, told a city council committee last month that she had seen a list of LA28's contracts in a meeting, but that the city didn't have hard copies due to concerns that public disclosure could harm negotiations sponsor deals.
After city councilmembers demanded to see the contracts, Tso and City Administrative Officer Matt Szabo requested LA28 submit its contracts. Tso told LAist in an email Friday that they were still waiting on LA28's response.
LAist has reached out to the mayor’s office for comment.
Keep up with LAist.
If you're enjoying this article, you'll love our daily newsletter, The LA Report. Each weekday, catch up on the 5 most pressing stories to start your morning in 3 minutes or less.
The Norte Fire near San Clemente on Friday afternoon.
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Alert California
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UC San Diego
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Topline:
A brush fire near San Clemente spread to 250 acres Friday, prompting evacuation orders as flames threatened structures.
What we know so far: The Norte Fire broke out around 11:30 a.m. near Portico Del Norte and Eminencia Del Norte, San Clemente, and was 0% contained as of 1:30 p.m., according to Cal Fire. The fire was reportedly affecting homes in the area of Avenida Calita, Via La Mirada, and Via De Agua in San Juan Capistrano, with evacuations ordered for San Juan Zones 4, 5 and 10, and San Clemente Zones 12 and 13. Television news footage showed multiple homes on fire. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Read on ... for more on evacuations and weather conditions.
This is a developing story and will be updated. For the most up-to-date information about the fire you can check:
Six homes burned in the Norte Fire, which broke out Friday in the San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano areas. The fire spread to more than 460 acres and forced evacuations, Orange County Fire Authority Chief T.J. McGovern said at a news briefing Friday evening.
Who’s under evacuation orders
The evacuated areas are San Juan Capistrano Zones 4, 5 and 10 and San Clemente Zones 12 and 13.
Shelters in the area — the San Juan Capistrano Community Center and the San Clemente Community Center (addresses below) — have space and will accept small pets, said Justin Chevalier, chief of police services for San Clemente.
Chevalier said police would maintain “high visibility” as a deterrent to anyone wanting “to take advantage of the situation.”
How fast the fire moved
Due to weather and topography, this fire moved fast,” McGovern said. “It was a wind-driven event.”
The fire ignited around 11:30 a.m. near Portico Del Norte and Eminencia Del Norte in San Clemente, according to Cal Fire. The Orange County Fire Authority received a call at 11:33 a.m. and sent crews that were already on standby, McGovern said.
“When the call came in, we had a robust response already ready to go from the air and the ground, and I can tell you — that made a difference,” he said.
Injuries and containment
No residents were hurt, but two firefighters were injured and were being treated at a local hospital, McGovern said.
The fire, which was at 465 acres Friday night, was 0% contained as of 6:45 p.m. About 400 firefighters were working the fire, with 400 more on the way, and crews planned to stay on the fire line overnight, McGovern added.
Fire weather across Southern California
Other fires have broken out across Southern California amid gusty winds and dry conditions, including the Bryson Fire in the Santa Monica Mountains above Malibu. Red flag warnings are in effect through Saturday, according to National Weather Service, with cooler weather and a chance of light rain expected over the next few days.
The basics
Acreage: 465 acres as of Friday night
Containment: 0%
Structures destroyed/impacted: At least six homes
Deaths: None
Injuries: 2 firefighters injured and receiving treatment at a local hospital
Personnel working on fire: Multiple helicopters and water-dropping aircraft, along with ground crews
A performer with Puro Corazon dances at the Día de los Muertos Festival at Placita Olvera in 2025.
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Steve Saldivar
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The LA Local
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Topline:
Boyle Heights Beat rounded up a list of mostly free events on L.A.’s Eastside and downtown to celebrate the cherished cultural holiday.
Why it matters: Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a time to honor the memory of loved ones who have died. The holiday’s most beloved traditions include building ofrendas at home or visiting cemeteries to decorate the graves of those who have departed.
What to expect: The celebration, widely observed in Mexico and other Latin American countries, also brings colorful, vibrant events to Los Angeles. On or before Nov. 1 and 2, cempasúchil-covered altars, intricately designed sugar calaveras and pan de muerto will spring up.
Read on... for your guide on events on the Eastside.
Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a time to honor the memory of loved ones who have died. The holiday’s most beloved traditions include building ofrendas at home or visiting cemeteries to decorate the graves of those who have departed.
The celebration, widely observed in Mexico and other Latin American countries, also brings colorful, vibrant events to Los Angeles. On or before Nov. 1 and 2, cempasúchil-covered altars, intricately designed sugar calaveras and pan de muerto will spring up.
We’ve rounded up a list of mostly free events on L.A.’s Eastside and downtown to celebrate the cherished cultural holiday.
Oct. 17: Día de los Muertos at El Sereno Community Arts
El Sereno Community Arts presents its 17th annual Día de los Muertos community celebration with a day full of activities for the whole family. The event will feature free arts and culture programming, community altars, live musical performances and food from local vendors. The festival will also feature artwork and handmade catrinas made from the arts center’s community workshops.
More information: Check their Instagram page here.
Oct. 17: What We Carry: East L.A. to Palestine at Tonalli Studio
Ofelia Esparza stands by an altar at Tonalli Studios on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025.
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Carol Martinez
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Boyle Heights Beat
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Tonalli Studio will open its Día de los Muertos exhibition and ofrenda to showcase how land, home and family are threatened today. What We Carry tells the stories of resilience across generations from the communities of East L.A. to Palestine. Guests are invited to add names, prayers or written statements to this year’s “East L.A. to Palestine” ofrenda.
More information: Check their Instagram page here.
Oct. 18: Paint and Sip at Cafe Niña
Join the beloved coffee spot for a morning decorating a miniature altar to add to your ofrenda at home. Each ticket will include your choice of a coffee or matcha, a paint set with a miniature ofrenda and a light brunch. Tickets are limited, so be sure to grab yours through their Instagram page.
More information: Check their Instagram here to purchase a ticket.
Oct. 18: Crafting Party at Benny Boy Brewing
Benny Boy Brewing is hosting its 4th Annual Día de los Muertos Crafting Celebration, featuring sugar skull decorating sessions. There will be an assortment of crafting materials to choose from and additional items include a clear box to display your completed sugar skull, ribbon, cempasuchil flowers and a customized tealight candle. Guests can purchase a small or large skull and get free face-painting. Please note that the event is for guests 21 and over.
More information: Visit their Instagram or purchase tickets here.
Oct. 24: Calavera LGBTQ+ Festival by Latino Equity Alliance
A catrina is pictured with a Pride flag at the Calavera LGBTQ Street Festival.
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Courtesy of LEA
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The Latino Equity Alliance will celebrate its annual Calavera LGBTQ+ Festival with an evening of drag and musical performances, dancing, community resource booths and an altar. In collaboration with the Get Out the Vote Initiative, the festival will also feature a free, nonpartisan, L.A. County Mobile Voting Center located outside the venue for the public to access.
More information: Visit their webpage to purchase tickets
Oct. 24 – Nov. 2: Día de los Muertos at Gloria Molina Grand Park
For 10 days, Gloria Molina Grand Park will transform into an exhibition space honoring cultural traditions through art, community altars and remembrance. Kicking off the festivities with an opening ceremony, attendees can enjoy live musical performances from El Río, Grupo Bella, Anaís Azul, and Mariachi Arco Iris de Los Angeles. The celebration will honor indigenous roots by including a sacred processional and blessing from Ohtli Yollotl Collective. Guests can explore up to 17 unique altars from local artists and organizations on display and are encouraged to contribute to the event’s designated community altar by leaving a photo, note, or memento in remembrance of a loved one. This year’s theme is “The Power of One” and is curated by artist Consuelo G. Flores. Guests will be able to participate in family-friendly activities, including free face painting, sugar skull workshops and wellness offerings from community partners.
Cost: Free
When: Opening ceremony: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24. Noche De Muertos Closing Celebration: 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 1. 10-day exhibition displays open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.
Oct. 25: Family Day at LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes
Young dancers at Día de los Muertos Family Day at LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes in October, 2024.
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Courtesy of LA Plaza
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For an afternoon full of family-friendly activities and entertainment, LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes welcomes attendees to participate in this year’s community celebration. Featuring three workshops that explore traditional practices, including painting skull masks, flower accessories and herb bundles. Food from Tamales Veracruz y Más and Sammy’s Elotes y Más will be available for purchase. This year’s celebration will feature a number of live entertainment acts, including Banda Filarmónica Los Alebrijes, Grupo Folklórico Princesa Donaji, and Los Elejidos de Asís de los Muertos. LA Plaza encourages guests to contribute to their Ofrenda Comunitaria.
In partnership with Youth to the People, Las Fotos Project is hosting its bi-monthly community wellness day with a Día de los Muertos celebration. The event will feature family-friendly activations like art-making, including their signature vela decorating station, calavera or catrina face painting, a community ofrenda, and a stylized portrait station. Guests can enjoy light bites and beverages and explore the free clothing swap station and community resources available, including special guest Soluna to discuss their free mental health resources. In partnership with Polo’s Pantry and Saticoy Food Hub, there will also be fresh produce available while supplies last.
Beginning Oct. 24, SuperNova Thrift invites the community to take part in the making of their Día de los Muertos altar. People are encouraged to bring a photocopy of their loved ones with their name, a letter, drawing, or memory, flowers, and small nonvaluable offerings. Participants are also welcome to join by being a helping hand in the making of the altar. The altar will be open for viewing at the storefront from Oct. 27 to Nov. 2, with three special days of remembrance.
More information: Check their Instagram page here.
Oct. 30: 1st Street Community Block Party
A child dances folkorico at Día de Muertos 1st Street Community Block Party on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025.
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Luis Cano
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Boyle Heights Beat
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The 1st Street Collective, a hub for the businesses along Boyle Heights’ 1st Street corridor, is back with its Día de Muertos Community Block Party at Mariachi Plaza. This year’s celebration will feature music, dancing, family-friendly activations and local vendors. Enjoy free face painting, live art installations, performances, a community altar and more for people of all ages.
More information: Visit their Instagram page here.
Nov. 1: Día de los Muertos at Plaza de la Raza
A truck is decorated at Plaza de La Raza’s Dia de los Muertos celebration in 2024.
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Boyle Heights Beat
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Join Plaza de la Raza’s annual outdoor community celebration, which will include hands-on workshops, musical entertainment, art and local vendors. Attendees can join a variety of crafting workshops, from calaca puppet making to papel picado, alebrije making, and flower making with altarista Ofelia Esparza and family. Attendees can also walk through a vendor marketplace and explore the artwork and altar installations that will feature over 25 participating artists. Live performances include members of Ozomatli, El Mariachi Manchester, Danza Divina de Los Angeles, Tiny Tots Folklorico, Plaza de La Raza Mariachi and Folklorico students, and Folkor Pasión Mexicana.
The Boathouse Gallery will also be open for its “El Velorio” exhibit, featuring original work from over 200 local artists and curated by Superchief Gallery, Irene Hernandez and Manny Martinez. The exhibit will be on display from Oct. 10 to Nov. 7.
Nov. 6 – 8: Every Altar Begins with a Story by Colibri Dance Theatre & Casa 0101 Theater
This Día de Los Muertos, a contemporary theatrical dance production takes center stage at Casa 0101. Presented by the Colibri Dance Theatre, the performance will be full of stories of love, family, resilience, joy, grief, forgiveness and strength. In this showcase, an altar comes to life as told through the eyes of CUENTOS characters “La Catrina,” “El Catrin,” “Alebrije,” and “Calacas.” Attendees can experience a night of movement, music, and poetry that honors Día de Muertos traditions and cultural practices.
Cost: $23 – $29, including special ticket prices for Boyle Heights residents, students/seniors, and group ticket purchases.
When: 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6, and Saturday, Nov. 7, and 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 8
More information: Visit their webpage to purchase tickets.
Nov. 7 : Cafecito + Little Piñata Workshop
Join this community collaboration between Healing in Spanglish and Little Piñata Guy for a mini piñata workshop to dedicate and honor loved ones. Each attendee ticket includes coffee from Anhelo Coffee, Pan de Muerto by Repostería Aguilar, and materials to create your own mini piñata. Spend your morning remembering your loved ones and crafting with community. Tickets are limited.
Nov. 7: Día de los Muertos at Self Help Graphics & Art
Dancers perform Danza Azteca at Mariachi Plaza during a procession for the Self Help Graphics & Art Día de los Muertos celebration.
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Courtesy of Self Help Graphics & Art
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To round out their monthlong community art workshops and events, Self Help Graphics and Art will host its 53rd Annual Día de los Muertos celebration. This year’s celebration is in partnership with the Smithsonian Folklife Festival and the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Latino. The communal gathering will begin with a procession at 2 p.m. at Mariachi Plaza led by Danza Azteca Chicomecoatl and will end on the corner of 1st Street and Anderson Street, outside Self Help Graphics, for the festivities. Attendees can shop through the “Muertos Market,” featuring local artists and artisans, local food vendors, Self Help Graphics prints for sale, face painting, and arts activities for all ages. The celebration will also include a main stage for live musical performances from Extra Ancestral, Chulita Vinyl Club L.A., Jimetta Rose and the Voices of Creation, La Santa Cecilia, The Red Alibi, Mendez High School Mariachi, and headliners, Los Lobos.
More information: To register and reserve your spot, visit the webpage here.
* Event will take place outside on the Anderson Street side
Nov. 7 – 8: Floricanto’s Fiesta de Día de los Muertos
The Floricanto Center for Performing Arts and Danza Floricanto will host a Día de los Muertos-themed showcase for its 24th annual program. For one weekend only, the Center will be transformed into a cemetery, and a series of characters, including the show’s guide “La Catrina,” will lead audiences through an evening of storytelling and dance. The showcase will feature themes of love, death, mental illness, teen pregnancy and immigration. Show doors open 30 minutes before showtime.
Cost: General admission pre-sale: $15, $20 at the door
VIP seating presale only:Children ages 5 to 10 years old $10 *child tickets only sold at box office
