COVID watch list: Keanu Reeves, Sterling K. Brown, Cesar Chavez

Sterling K. Brown, left, Keanu Reeves and César Chávez

By Matt CooperListings Coordinator

March 25, 2021 5:27 PM PT

A star-studded cultural satire, a 10-film survey of Afrofuturism and salute to a legendary labor organizer lead our rundown of this weekend’s online concerts, theater, art and other programming for your viewing consideration, all times Pacific.

“The Thanksgiving Play”
Keanu Reeves, Bobby Cannavale, Heidi Schreck and Alia Shawkat star in a reading of Native American playwright Larissa FastHorse’s satirical fable about white actors trying to stage a culturally sensitive Thanksgiving pageant at an elementary school. Part of the “Spotlight on Plays” series presented by Broadway’s Best Shows. Available on demand through Monday. $15. broadwaysbestshows.com

“Tango: The Musical by Sergei Tumas”
Center Theatre Group streams this Broadway-style dance revue featuring the music of Argentine tango composer Astor Piazzolla. 5 and 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 1 and 5 p.m. Sunday. $10. centertheatregroup.org

“The Anonymous Lover”
Los Angeles Opera kicks off a partnership with streaming platform Marquee TV with a filmed version of its 2020 staging of this chamber opera by 18th century Black composer Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges. On demand beginning Saturday. $8.99 per month; $89.99 per year; seven-day free trial available. marquee.tv

“Afrofuturism: Blackness Revisualized”
All Arts streams short and full-length films that explore the blending of African culture with elements of science fiction and fantasy in art, music, literature and cinema. Featured actors include Emmy winner Sterling K. Brown. 7 p.m. Friday; available through Dec. 31. Free. allarts.org

Zakir Hussain and Masters of Percussion
The Indian tabla virtuoso and ambassador-at-large for world music returns in this virtual concert presented by the Center for the Art of Performance at UCLA. 7 p.m. Friday; available on demand afterward. Free; donations accepted. Register at online.cap.ucla.edu

“This Bitter Earth”
North Hollywood’s Road Theatre Company kicks off its 2021 season with Harrison David Rivers’ drama about a Black playwright and his white boyfriend, who’s also a Black Lives Matter activist. 5 and 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 7 p.m. Sunday; other dates through April 25. $25. roadtheatre.org

“Backhausdance With(in) OCMA: Mesh”
Dancers perform in the galleries of the Orange County Museum of Art’s temporary space OCMAExpand. The site-specific work in this film has been choreographed by company founder Jennifer Backhaus. 5:30 p.m. Sunday. Free. ocma.art

“Crossing Our Red Sea — The Passover Edition”
Actors from the Braid in Santa Monica explore the relevance of the holiday for Jewish people around the world in this salon-style show. 7 p.m. Thursday. $18. eventbrite.com

“COVID fan Tutte”
Pacific Opera Project presents the company’s pandemic-themed update of Mozart’s musical rom-com, filmed during a drive-in performance in Camarillo in November. Sung in English. 5:30 p.m. Friday; available on demand afterward. pacificoperaproject.com, youtube.com, facebook.com

“Pasadena Presents”
Pasadena Symphony’s spring season continues with a program that includes Grieg’s Piano Concerto featuring pianist Hsin-I Huang, plus works by Finzi and Elgar. 4 p.m. Saturday; on demand for 48 hours. Free. pasadenasymphony-pops.org, youtube.com

“And Still We Rise!”
The Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Festival’s annual showcase for female solo performers returns in virtual form. 7 p.m. Thursday-Tuesday. Opening night, $25; all other program, $15; series pass, $90. lawtf.org

“The QuaranTeen Comedy Show”
Young participants in a recent workshop for aspiring stand-up comics step onto the virtual stage in this showcase co-presented by L.A.-based Company of Angels and the youth-outreach program Legacy L.A. 5 p.m. Saturday. Free. youtube.com, facebook.com

“Images of César E. Chávez”
Veteran photographer Oscar Castillo shares stories behind photos of the labor organizer and civil rights activist. Presented by LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes. 7 p.m. Friday; on demand afterward. Free. Register at lapca.org; past programs archived programs at facebook.com, youtube.com and lapca.org

“Close Quarters”
Violinist Gil Shaham joins members of Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra for Boulogne’s Violin Concerto No. 9 in a new installment of LACO’s multimedia-enhanced virtual concert series. Pre-concert talk, 5:30 p.m. Friday; performance, 6:30 p.m.; on demand afterward. Free; donations accepted. laco.org, youtube.com, facebook.com

“Lazy Kinda Free”
Chance Theater in Anaheim presents a one-night-only livestream performance of B.J. Tindal’s drama about a grad student coping with anxiety and depression while also caring for her two younger siblings. 7 p.m. Friday. $10-$25. chancetheater.com

“The Orpheum Circuit Tour: Three Headliners of Magic and Mystery”
Felix Jones, Simone Turkington and Chris Herren perform in this Zoom show to benefit the Beverly Hills-based Theatre 40. 7 p.m. Sunday. $25. theatre40.org

“Art Break”
The Getty explores depictions of labor in artworks from the museum’s collections in the debut installment of this Zoom series. With L.A.-based artist Rodrigo Valenzuela and Getty curators Idurre Alonso and Arpad Kovacs. Noon Friday. Free. Register at getty.edu

“Music for Flute and Piano”
L.A.-based Kaleidoscope Chamber Orchestra presents flautist Catherine Gregory and pianist David Kaplan in a program of works by Prokofiev, Debussy, Caroline Shaw and others. Noon Saturday. Free. youtube.com

“HERstory”
L.A.-based Towne Street Theatre marks Women’s History Month with a live Zoom reading of new short plays and monologues. 4 p.m. Sunday. Pay what you can. townestreetla.org

Our recurring coronavirus-era arts-viewing recommendations are posted every Thursday.