IN THE ARTS

Gypsy jazz invades Saturday

The fourth annual DjangoFest will be Saturday at the Forum Theatre, 650 Laguna Canyon Rd.

The festival celebrating the king of gypsy swing, Django Reinhardt, will include concerts featuring Gonzalo Bergara and Stephane Wrembel at 3 p.m. and featuring the Tommy Davy Trio, Pere Soto and the John Jorgenson Quartet Quintet at 8 p.m.

Guitar workshops with master artists will be available Saturday and Sunday.

Tickets are $32 to $38 per show. For more information, call (877) 352-6463 or visit www.djangofest.com.

Free writing workshop at beach

Trina Belanger will host a free writing workshop on “Uncovering Strengths and Gifts” from 9 to 11 a.m. May 17 on Main Beach; meet by the lifeguard tower.

The guided self-discovery retreat previews a course offered this summer through Laguna Beach Community Services, “Refresh and Rest, Then Travel On.”

Call (602) 703-5308 or e-mail [email protected] to register.

Belanger also will hold a free writing workshop at Latitude 33 Bookshop from 6 to 8 p.m. June 18.

Park Avenue Players present “Our Town”

Coming off the highly successful run of West Side Story, the Laguna Beach High School drama department will perform the classic play “Our Town” by Thornton Wilder at 7:30 p.m. nightly from May 14 to 17 at the Artists’ Theatre, 625 Park Ave.

The show is directed by Amanda Hastings and produced by Mark Dressler, with veteran actor and former Laguna Beach Playhouse director Doug Rowe appearing as the State Director.

For more information or tickets, call (949) 497-7769.

Artist holds Abstrotica event

Laguna Beach artist Jonathan Edward Luczycki held an opening reception in April for his “Abstrotica” paintings, which mix abstract and erotic elements, at the Wicked Garden restaurant and bar in Dana Point, where he also conducted a live artist demonstration.

For more information on the artist, visit www.luczycki.blogspot.com.

Fashion designer prepares charity events

Laguna-based fashion designer Katharine Story will support multiple Planned Parenthood events during May.

Story is known for her “hippie chic” and bohemian fashion designs.

Kicking off the month-long events was an underwriter dinner last night where Story’s latest fashions were shown by various models, including “The Real Housewives of Orange County’s” Tammy Knickerbocker.

On May 15, Story will host a party store at 226 Ocean Ave., where she will auction an original “condom-designed dress” in support of Planned Parenthood. The condom dress will be on display from May 12 to 17.

All proceeds from the silent auction will benefit Planned Parenthood and its upcoming gala event, the Haute Wired Ball, to be held May 30. In addition, 15% of all purchases made during the event will be donated to Planned Parenthood.

World premiere to debut at Playhouse

The Laguna Playhouse will present the World Premiere of “Alexandros,” a comedy by award-winning playwright Melinda Lopez, from May 27 to June 29.

The production was commissioned by the Playhouse and is directed by David Ellenstein.

In the comedy, Abuela, the matriarch of a Cuban-exile family living in Miami in 1974, is turning 75. Much-married Maritza and her teenage daughter, Marty, have driven in from Texas. Live-at-home single son Tio hopes everything will go smoothly.

However, as the punch flows, the sky turns stormy and Eric the handsome gardener arrives, the party unravels. Meanwhile, Alexandros, Abuela’s bad-tempered pooch, becomes the catalyst for an emotional meltdown in which closet doors open, truths tumble out and the bonds of family love are reasserted.

“Alexandros” is by the author of “Sonia Flew,” which was staged at The Laguna Playhouse during the 2006-2007 season.

Tickets are $25 to $65; for more information, call (949) 497-2787 or visit www.Laguna Playhouse.com.

Museum makes new acquisition

The Laguna Art Museum Board of Trustees recently voted to accept a major painting by Jeff Peters, “Juniper Oil,” into the museum’s collection.

Lou Rohl, president of the Museum Board, calls the acquisition of “Juniper Oil” a reaffirmation of the museum’s role in supporting important work by local artists. Peters, a graduate and current teacher of the Laguna College of Art & Design, resides in Laguna Beach, where he is represented by the Peter Blake Gallery.

“Juniper Oil” will be on exhibition in the downstairs gallery of the museum through June 1.

For more information, visit www.laguna artmuseum.org.