Reykjavik Festival
April 1-17. The Los Angeles Philharmonic’s music festival, curated by Esa-Pekka Salonen and Daníel Bjarnason, spotlights the dynamic music scene in Iceland’s capital. Expect a wide range of performances from classical to rock and electronic. The festival kicks off Saturday with a youth concert from Maximus Musicus, which promises to take listeners on a journey exploring the music and the great outdoors of Iceland. 111 S. Grand Ave., downtown, 323.850.2000. laphil.com
Into the Woods
April 4-May 14. This reinvention of James Lapine and Stephen Sondheim’s fairy-tale musical about the power of wishes finds the acclaimed Fiasco Theater ensemble revisiting classic songs like “Children Will Listen” and “Giants in the Sky.” Ahmanson Theatre, 135 N. Grand Ave., downtown, 213.628.2772. centertheatregroup.org
Chuck Prophet
April 13. San Francisco-based singer/songwriter and guitarist Chuck Prophet describes his new album Bobby Fuller Died For Your Sins as “California Noir.” He says, “the state has always represented the Golden Dream, and it’s the tension between romance and reality that lurks underneath the surface in all noir films and paperbacks, and that connects these songs.” Join him for a conversation on his new music followed by a special performance in the Grammy Museum’s Clive Davis Theatre. $15. Doors 7:30 p.m., show 8 p.m. 800 W. Olympic Blvd., downtown. grammymuseum.org
Sigur Rós
April 13-15. As part of its Reykjavík Festival, Walt Disney Concert Hall hosts Iceland’s Sigur Rós for three nights. 111 S. Grand Ave., downtown, 323.850.2000. laphil.org
Block Party
Opening April 14. This celebration of the Los Angeles theater scene spotlights three recent productions from local theater companies, each of which plays for two weeks. Failure: A Love Story runs from April 14-23; Citizen: An American Lyric opens April 28. Kirk Douglas Theatre, 9820 Washington Blvd., Culver City, 213.628.2772. centertheatregroup.org
M.A.R.S. Festival
April 14-23. This new festival features over 35 local and internationally established contemporary musicians, as well as performance and visual artists. Check website for lineup, schedule and tickets. Art Share LA, 801 E. 4th Place, downtown; Angel City Brewery, 216 Alameda St., downtown. festivalmars.com
Archduke
Opening April 25. The Mark Taper Forum hosts the world premiere of Pulitzer Prize finalist and Obie Award winner Rajiv Joseph’s new play about a group of young men and their unlikely path to terrorism at the onset of World War I. Mark Taper Forum, 135 N. Grand Ave., downtown, 213.628.2772. centertheatregroup.org
Absinthe
Through April 23. The wild Las Vegas show—in its sixth sold-out year at Caesars Palace—arrives in LA for a limited engagement. Inspired by the absinthe-drenched cabarets of late 19th-century Europe, this adult-themed cocktail of circus, burlesque and vaudeville stars performers who mix comedy with strength, balance and danger. Ages 18 and above. Check website for schedule. $49-$129. L.A. Live Event Deck, 1005 Chick Hearn Court, downtown. absinthela.com
Plasticity
Through April 10. The multilayered, multimedia theatrical event aims to take audiences on an often comedic tour of the collective unconscious. Ovation Award-winning co-writers Alex Lyras and Robert McCaskill (The Common Air) team with Grammy Award-nominated composer Ken Rich, visual artist Corwin Evans and two-time Emmy Award-winning editor/producer Peter Chakos (The Big Bang Theory) to examine how the brain is able to rewire and heal itself. In it, a comatose man recreates his identity by delving deeply into his memories, while hovering family members and loved ones (all played by Lyras) divide into scheming camps over grave neurological decisions. Hudson Theatre, 6539 Santa Monica Blvd., L.A., 323.960.7787. plasticitytheplay.com
An American in Paris
Through April 9. Based on the 1951 Oscar-winning film of the same name, this Broadway musical earned four Tonys. Follow Jerry and Lise’s post-WWII love story, set to songs by George and Ira Gershwin. Pantages Theatre, 6233 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, 323.468.1770. hollywoodpantages.com