This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Pencil This In: Friday

There's an absinthe bar at the Monte Cristo tonight. / Photo by spacepleb via flickr.
TEEVEE LIVE
Cast and crew from Dancing with the Starstake the stage at Paley Fest tonight. Confirmed guests are dancers Derek Hough, Julianne Hough and Edyta Sliwinska along with judges Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Tonioli. And you never know who else from this season may show up as well. Last time we checked, there were still tickets available.
7 pm // Cinerama Dome @ ArcLight // 6360 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles // $45-$60.
THEATRE *
The History of Bowling is the first play from Blue Zone Productions, a theatre company dedicated to producing professional, quality theatre that nurtures and promotes artists with disabilities. Set on a college campus on the East Coast, the plays is an irreverent romantic comedy between a quadriplegic and epileptic student who are forced to write a PE term paper together because they can't physically participate in the class.
8 pm // NoHo Arts Center //11136 Magnolia Blvd., North Hollywood // $20.
FILM
The Aero Theatre is hosting a George Stevens retrospective. His range of films as a director is impressive, as can be seen in the films selected for the double feature tonight. The first film Shane is one of Hollywood’s best westerns with Alan Ladd as a gunslinger forced out of retirement to help a family of homesteaders under attack by a rancher’s hired guns. The second film A Place in the Sun is a drama starring Montgomery Clift who’s in love with socialite Elizabeth Taylor, but has to deal with consequences from a past affair first.
7:30 pm // Aero Theatre // 1328 Montana Ave., Santa Monica // $10.
GOTHIC
Every Friday night at the Monte Cristo, Ruin Hollywood brings the darkness back: Darkwave, Ethereal, Goth, NeoClassical, Synthpop and Dark 80’s-Alternative-Indie. There’s also an absinthe bar with specials like: $20 Hemmingways aka Death In The Afternoon (Absinthe & Champagne); $25 Bloody Brain (Absinthe, Amaretto, Bailey’s, & Grenadine) $25 Earthquake (Absinthe & Cognac); $25 Summer Isle (Absinthe, Scotch, & Pineapple Juice)
10 pm // Monte Cristo // 3100 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles // $8.
DANCE
"Backhausdance at the Barclay" is an evening of company repertory at the Irvine Barclay Theatre. Backhausdance performers will present three new works, and audience favorite "Sitting on January.
8 pm // Irvine Barclay Theatre // 4242 Campus Drive, Irvine // $20-30.
*Pencil pick of the day
The listed events were chosen by the editors of LAist and brought to you by the
-
Donald Trump was a fading TV presence when the WGA strike put a dent in network schedules.
-
Pickets are being held outside at movie and TV studios across the city
-
For some critics, this feels less like a momentous departure and more like a footnote.
-
Disneyland's famous "Fantasmic!" show came to a sudden end when its 45-foot animatronic dragon — Maleficent — burst into flames.
-
Leads Ali Wong and Steven Yeun issue a joint statement along with show creator Lee Sung Jin.
-
Every two years, Desert X presents site-specific outdoor installations throughout the Coachella Valley. Two Los Angeles artists have new work on display.