From Tony Award-winning plays to Kevin Hart’s comedic tour, check out the top performances and plays in Orange County this June.
Edited by Whitney Lauren Han.
“Clybourne Park”
June 6-24. A spinoff of Lorraine Hansberry’s groundbreaking drama A Raisin in the Sun, this Tony- and Pulitzer Prize-winning satire examines race and real estate in a fictional Chicago neighborhood. See website for show times and prices. Laguna Playhouse, 606 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach, 949.497.2787. lagunaplayhouse.com
UCI Symphony Orchestra: “A Season of Joy”
June 8. The UCI Symphony Orchestra presents a concert that will feature George Gershwin’s Cuban Overture and Joseph Haydn’s Symphony No. 104, “London.” The Symphony will also present the world premiere of a newly composed jazz piano concerto 18 Points of Coincidence by UCI Music professors Christopher Dobrian and Kei Akagi. Ticketholders are invited to join Maestro Tucker for a pre-concert conversation starting at 7:00 pm in the theatre. 8 p.m. $20 GA; $17 seniors, groups of 10+, UCI faculty and staff; $7 UCI students and children under 17. Irvine Barclay Theatre & Cheng Hall, 4242 Campus Dr., Irvine, 949.854.4646. arts.uci.edu
‘Til Death Do Us Part
June 11, 18. After teaching about the saints, venial sins and limbo at previous shows, Sister’s Late Nite Catechism 3 offers hilarious lessons on the sacraments of marriage and last rites. Laguna Playhouse, 606 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach, 949.497.2787. lagunaplayhouse.com
“A Hero’s Life”
June 14-17. Praised by the Los Angeles Times, premier violinist Anne Akiko Meyers joins the Pacific Symphony Orchestra to perform Lauridsen’s ethereal “O Magnum Mysterium” and Ravel’s rhapsodic “Tzigane.” Then, concertmaster-designate Dennis Kim will be featured in “A Hero’s Life” (Ein Heldenleben), Strauss’ autobiographical tone poem depicting confidence, unrest, the battle of life, love and serenity. 8 p.m. $25+. Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, 600 Town Center Dr., Costa Mesa, 714.556.2787. scfta.org
Pacific Dance
June 14-17. Students from award-winning Pacific Dance showcase their talents in their annual concert. Various styles of dance including classical ballet, lyrical, modern, jazz and tap will be performed in this family-friendly performance. Th-F 7 p.m., Sa-Su 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. $23. Irvine Barclay Theatre & Cheng Hall, 4242 Campus Dr., Irvine, 949.854.4646. thebarclay.org
38th Baroque Music Festival
June 17-24. Grab your friends and attend five individual concerts within a eight-day period at this annual music festival. Guests will watch stylistically authentic performances of works from the Baroque period at various locations in Corona del Mar. Performances include “Parisian Divertissements,” “Bach and the French Style,” “Stylus Phantasticus,” Les Petits Concerts and Festival Finale: Handel’s Orlando. Wine and Waters reception follows each performance. $30-$50. 949.760.7887. bmf-cdm.org
“The Color Purple”
June 19-24. Based on Alice Walker’s 1982 novel and the 1985 Warner Brothers motion picture, this Tony Award-winning musical brings a soulful score of jazz, gospel, ragtime and blues to the story of a young woman’s journey to love and triumph in the American South. Segerstrom Hall, 600 Town Center Dr., Costa Mesa, 714.556.2787. scfta.org
Grand Concert 2018
June 23. Witness the talented musicians of the South Coast Youth Symphony Orchestra (SCYSO) and the La Paz Intermediate School Music Program perform at the annual Grand Concert. The program includes scores such as Edvard Grieg’s “March of the Trolls,” George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” and Aram Khachaturian’s “Masquerade Suite.” 7 p.m. $35+. Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, 600 Town Center Dr., Costa Mesa, 714.556.2787. scfta.org
Kevin Hart at FivePoint Amphitheatre
June 23. Have a laugh with actor and comedian Kevin Hart during his Irresponsible Tour at this new concert venue, FivePoint Amphitheatre. Doors open 7 p.m. See website for prices. 14800 Chinon, Irvine, 949.988.6800. fivepointamphitheatre.com
Casa Theater
June 28-29. The course of true love never runs smoothly in Shakespeare’s comical story of magic and romance A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Performed by the Southern California Shakespeare Festival Guild, this play revisits an enduring tale with a striking new production. 7 p.m. $20-$25. Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens, 415 Avenida Granada, San Clemente, 949.498.2139. casaromantica.org
Liza Minnelli and Michael Feinstein: In Conversation and Performance
June 30. Great friends off stage and on, three-time Tony recipient Liza Minnelli and the master of the Great American Songbook Michael Feinstein come together to reminisce about Minnelli’s legendary career with conversation, clips from her many iconic films and songs. 7:30 p.m. $49+. Segerstrom Hall, 600 Town Center Dr., Costa Mesa, 714.556.2787. scfta.org
“The Color Purple” photo by Matthew Murphy, 2017.
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