28 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY MARCH 13-19, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com Send ideas to calendar@montereycountynow.com HOT PICKS LIVE FROM PARADISE UC Santa Cruz’s African American Theater Arts Troupe is known as the only one of its kind in the University of California system, offering performances to bring visibility and understanding of African American culture through performance. The group arrives in Seaside to present Paradise Blue by playwright Dominique Morisseau. The drama- and musicfilled story follows jazz club owner Blue in 1949 Detroit, who must choose between selling his club, leaving behind his demons, or sticking with it to help others fulfill their dreams. The production is made possible thanks to a grant from the Monterey Peninsula Foundation. [EC] 7-9pm Saturday, March 15. Oldemeyer Center, 986 Hilby Ave., Seaside. Free. 8999909, palenkearts.com. Monday, March 17 FAST FEET A new era of Irish dance is here— Celtic tap. This dynamic style honors the traditions of Irish dancing while fusing them with the fast-paced rhythms of tap. With St. Patrick’s Day is just around the corner, Velocity Irish Dance is coming for a celebratory show. First debuting on Broadway in 2018, the show delivers an electrifying performance backed by a diverse group of musicians—including a DJ—blending old and new. The duo features James Devine, a Guinness World Record holder for the Fastest Feet in the World, and five-time world champion Irish dancer David Geaney. [KR] 7:30pm Monday, March 17. Sunset Center, San Carlos Street at 9th Avenue, Carmel. $40-$79. 620-2048, sunsetcenter.org. Tuesday, March 18 SAFARI STORY HOUR James Currie got hooked on birding as a kid when, in his native city of Cape Town, South Africa, he saw a black eagle swoop down and sink its talons into a hyrax, which the eagle then carried aloft. After years studying various African languages and wildlife conservation, Currie became a safari guide for over a decade before ultimately becoming a media personality, hosting the TV shows Birding Adventures and Aerial Assassins, which aired on NBC Sports and Nat Geo, respectively. He’s also written books, and consulted on the film The Big Year, a 2011 birdwatching comedy starring Steve Martin, Owen Wilson and Jack Black. But at this event Currie will be focused on stories from his years as a safari guide, whether it be encounters with a lion, humorous moments with birds or the plight of Africa’s male elephants, whose tusks are ever-sought by poachers. It should be memorable—Currie is an entertainer and he’s got plenty of stories. [DS] 6-7:15pm Tuesday, March 18. Hopkins Marine Station, 120 Ocean View Blvd., Pacific Grove. Free. hopkinsmarinestation.stanford.edu. Hot Picks by Sloan Campi, Erik Chalhoub, Dave Faries, Celia Jiménez, Pam Marino, Agata Popęda, Katie Rodriguez, Sara Rubin and David Schmalz. Paradise Blue is a play produced by UC Santa Cruz’s African American Theater Arts Troupe. The play comes to Seaside courtesy of nonprofit Palenke Arts. STEVE DIBARTOLOMEO MARCH 15 & 16, 2025 JAYCE OGREN, MUSIC DIRECTOR GRIEG / SIBELIUS / MONTGOMERY SUNSET CENTER, CARMEL montereysymphony.org
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