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Pencil This In: UglyRhino's Play 'Mindspin' Opens, Audio-Visual Projects at hm157 and 'John Dies at the End'
There's a midnight screening of 'John Dies at the End' at Cinefamily tonight. (Photo courtesy of Magnet Releasing.)
TGIF! Here’s what’s happening today in LA: the NY-based UglyRhino presents its first site-specific, interactive theater production in LA; Chef Rick Bayless signs his latest cookbook at Red O; the Semi-permanent design conference continues through the afternoon; and there’s an evening of audio-visual projects and music at hm157. Read on for all the details.
ART
The Brooklyn-based theater company, UglyRhino, specializes in site-specific, interactive theater. For the first time, the company leaves NYC to produce the new play Mindspin at the Red Loft in DTLA. Mindspin focuses on the complex relationship of two women that blurs friendship, work and creative collaboration. Then a man enters the picture and stirs up the whole pot. The audience interacts with the performers and the sets in the production, and are even served a cocktail during the show by the actors. Mindspin opens tonight at 9 pm. Tickets: $20 and includes two curated cocktails. The show runs Fridays and Saturdays through March 30.
COOKBOOK SIGNING
Chef Rick Bayless celebrates the release of his newest cookbook Frontera: Margaritas, Guacamoles, and Snacks ($24) with a book signing at Red O Restaurant today from 4-7 pm. The signing takes place during the restaurant’s Street Food Social Hour, with Bayless debuting some new spring dishes on the menu.
DESIGN CONFERENCE
Semi-Permanent, a leading design/art conference that started in Australia in 2003, opened its first LA edition this morning at The Montalban Theater. The agenda includes speaker presentations, exhibitions and an after-party, united under the umbrella of creativity. There’s still time to catch a few speakers including Jeffrey Deitch, Deitch Projects & MOCA Director, the exhibitions and party. Tickets: $70-$300
Dioscuri Part II from billygoat on Vimeo.
FILM + VIDEO*
Tonight, L.A. RECORD, Fever and hm157 present an evening of audio and visual experiences with artists billygoat (who combine stop-motion art films original music), the folky, ambient sounds of Sea Of Bees, the vocal harmonies of Dirt Bird and the lo-fi pop sound of Bloody Death Skull. Tickets: $10. RSVP required to attend the event at hm1157. Doors at 8 pm.FILM
John Dies At The End is described by Cinefamily as a “horror flick that's a cross between Buckaroo Banzai, Donnie Darko and Scott Pilgrim.” Directed by Don Coscarelli (Phantasm, The Beastmaster and Bubba Ho-Tep) the film focuses the drug "Soy Sauce," which promises an out-of-body experience with each hit. Scheduled to appear tonight after this midnight screening are co-stars Chase Williamson and Rob Mayes for an audience Q&A. Tickets: $12/free for members
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Other events of note:
> Dude, it’s the Lebowski Fest this weekend.
> The UCLA Festival of Preservation opens tonight and runs through March 30, screening indies, film noir, television and short films;
> S.O.E., a new play by by Jami Brandli has its LA premiere Saturday at Atwater Village Theatre’s Speakeasy.
*Pencil pick of the day
Want more events? Follow me on Twitter (@christineziemba). Or follow Lauren Lloyd—who takes care of Pencil on Wednesdays (@LadyyyLloyd).
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