Bare Stage
Bare Stage Theatre presents “Jonas & Barry in the Home” by Norm Foster as its next production February 24 to 26.
Billed as “a lighthearted buddy comedy about living life to its fullest,” the play presents hilarity in the first half, combined with clarity and compassion in the second.
The setting is Gateway Gardens, an assisted living seniors’ residence where Rosie, the director of Life Enrichment, has encouraged her father Barry to move in so she can oversee his health. Barry spends his time taking naps and having dinner with his daughter, and that’s good enough for him. Enter Jonas, who likes to indulge in the finer things in life, like decadent dates and nice clothes, and he sees Barry the curmudgeon as a ‘fixer-upper’. Their antics are funny and healing; Barry is able to give back emotionally both to Jonas and to his troubled daughter.
Sharon Jarvis directs her cast: Peter James, Brian Kaulback and Florette Schnelle.
See the ad on page 4 for information on tickets and location.
Concerts in the Park
• Debby Holiday presents Queens and Kings of Rock, Sunday, February 26 at Steve Balfour’s Concerts in the Park series at the Lake Chapala Society, with shows at 2:30 and 5:30 p.m.
• Jersey Boys, starring Marc Lopez, is on for Sunday, March 12.
Lopez brings his quartet to Ajijic for one day only, featuring four handsome guys singing and dancing to the music of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons!
Shows are at 2:30 and 5:30 p.m.
Tickets, 500 pesos for VIP and 350 for general seating, are available at the LCS office or at lakechapalasociety.com.
Auditions
Bare Stage Theatre auditions for “Later Life” by A. R. Gurney, and directed by Lila Wells, are Wednesday, March 1, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Performances are April 28 to 30.
The play is set in 1993, on the balcony of a high-rise condo overlooking Boston Harbor. There is a party going on behind the scenes and various characters enter and exit the balcony throughout the play.
Actors needed are two men and two women, with special needs as follows: the two main characters, male and female, remain in the scene throughout the performance; the other male actor and female actor will play five different characters each. Actors must be able to play the five parts by changing their voice and mannerisms only (without costumes, make up or props).
Are you up for the challenge? We hope you agree it’s going to be a lot of fun!
To set an audition appointment and receive a script, contact Lila Wells, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Art events
• The Lake Chapala Fine Artists Guild will hold the first art collective exhibition at the newly renovated auditorium in Ajijic, Friday, March 3, 2 to 6 p.m., with a special “Meet the Artists” event from 3 to 5 p.m.; and Saturday, March 4, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The event is being held at the Centro para la Cultura y las Artes de la Ribera, Carretera 168, Ajijic. It is on the south side (lake side) of the street, and has a huge brick facade.
At the Guild’s exhibitions you’ll see only fine art by established, professional artists. The Guild is purposely kept small, with membership by invitation only. New artists who want to join are vetted for the quality of their work. Admission is free, and there’s ample parking. More information at FineArtChapala.com.
• An exhibition of paintings at the Centro Cultural Ajijic opens Saturday, March 4, noon, and will be up through March 16. Painting workshops will be offered (limited places). This is part of “Iguales,” a citizen movement that attempts to join forces to provide opportunities and promote the creative development of people with disabilities and/or special needs.
• Claudia Nery exhibits her art, beginning with an opening Saturday, March 4, 4 to 6 p.m. at Casa del Sol Inn. Javier Mina 7, Ajijic (see story page 24).
Music options
• Latin Matters Quartet performs at Huerto Café in Riberas del Pilar, Saturday, February 25, 1:30 p.m. Cover 150 pesos.
• Erick Andres Gonzalez gives a free guitar concert Sunday, February 26, 12:30 p.m. at the Centro Cultural Gonzalez Gallo in C
hapala. The program will include music by A. Barrios, J.K. Mertz and J.S. Bach, among others.
• Ruth and Max Bloomquist from Muskegon, Michigan will give a concert Tuesday, February 28, at the home of Dan and Cheryl Dover-Laff, Codornices 40, Chapala Haciendas 2. RSVP to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
• Codigo Music interprets rock, country and blues at La Bodega, Thursday, March 2, 6 p.m.
Dance celebration
An afternoon of “Dance Delights” is planned for Saturday and Sunday, March 11 and 12 at Mama’s Musical Bar, Gonzalez Gallo 86 in San Antonio. Featured are A L’air Ballet and Studio, Ajijic Sky Dance, Chapala, Ocodance and more.
The presentation is by Judi Edelen and is a benefit for the Mariachi Pedro Rey school in Ajijic and Turning Point, which provides free classes and education in the art of dance to local children and inspires adults to gain self-confidence and healthy bodies through dance and public performances.
Doors open 5:30 p.m., show time is 6 p.m. Food and drink will be available for purchase. Tickets, 350 pesos, are available at Mama’s or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
British Theatre
Enjoy the best of British theater on a big screen via National Theatre Live at Lakeside Little Theatre. “Straight Line Crazy,” a new play by David Hare and directed by Nicholas Hytner, will be screened Saturday and Sunday, March 11 and 12, 4 p.m.
The play is a searing social critique full of punchy dialogue and exceptional acting from Ralph Fiennes, who leads the cast in Hare’s blazing account of the most powerful man in New York, a master manipulator whose legacy changed the city forever.
For 40 uninterrupted years, Robert Moses exploited those in office through a mix of charm and intimidation. Motivated at first by a determination to improve the lives of New York City’s workers, he created parks, bridges and 627 miles of expressway to connect the people to the great outdoors. Faced with resistance by protest groups campaigning for a very different idea of what the city should become, will the weakness of democracy be exposed in the face of his charismatic conviction?
“Straight Line Crazy” has been met with critical acclaim, including a five-star review from The Guardian. Tickets are available at the box office, or at lakesidelittletheatre.com
Orchestra
The next concerts of the Lake Chapala Orchestra will be Friday, March 31 and Saturday, April 1, 3 p.m. at the Lakeside Presbyterian Church. The program includes Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 and the Bruch Violin Concerto No. 1 featuring Christopher Wilshere as a soloist. Reservations for tickets, 300 pesos, are available at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Cabaret
The Ajijic Cabaret Troupe presents its first show on Sunday, April 2, 7:30 p.m. at El BarCo, as a benefit for Niños Incapacitados.
Doors open 5 p.m. Limited menu until 6:45 p.m., full bar service. Your 600-peso donation includes a glass of bubbly, a meet the players post performance, and an evening of unique entertainment provided by talented local performing artists. Limited to 80 people. Reserve your seats at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. before March 8.