Naked Stage
The Naked Stage Readers’ Theatre will present two one-act plays Friday to Sunday, August 24-26. Johan Dirkes, Fred Koesling and Jayme Littlejohn appear in “The Proposal” by Anton Chekhov, directed by Randy Warren; while Johanna Labadie and Ken Yakiwchuk appear in “The Exquisite Hour” by Stewart Lemoine, directed by Jean Llewellyn.
Tickets are 100 pesos. Reservations are by email 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..
The Naked Stage is on the Carretera in Riberas, across from the Catholic church and in front of the Baptist church. Parking available in the lot of the Baptist church.
Curtain rises 4 p.m. Box office and bar open at 3 p.m.
CCA anniversary
The Centro Cultural Ajijic celebrates its 13th anniversary Friday to Sunday, August 24-26. An expo and sale of crafts, herbs and independent design will be open each day from 10 a.m. through the evening hours.
Friday, from 7 p.m., three bands play: Charales K (ska-reggae), MandLaguna (reggae) and The Waynes (rock). On Saturday, an aerial dance exhibition begins on the esplanade at 5 p.m., followed by Duo Quetzal at 6 p.m., puppet show La Cucaracha Titeres at 7:30 p.m. and the Boppin’ Royals (rockabilly) at 8:30 p.m. Sunday sees Danzon Ajijic take the floor at 6:30 p.m. and the Ballet Folclorico Jocotepec at 7:30 p.m.
Western wear recommended
The Ol’ Country Boys are back at the Spotlight Club in San Antonio on Saturday, August 25, 8 p.m.
Piano & guitar recital
Enjoy a recital by Duo Quetzal, Eddie Lara on guitar and Sofia Ramirez on piano, at the Centro Cultural Ajijic, Saturday, August 25, 6 p.m. They will perform works by Debussy, Rodrigo, Coste, Grieg, Ponce and Arnold. Tickets, 100 pesos (120 pesos on the day of the event), are available at CCA.
Live theater on screen
Lakeside Little Theatre presents “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time,” an HD recording of the live production at the National Theatre in London, Saturday, August 25, and Sunday, August 26, 4 p.m. This critically acclaimed production directed by Marianne Elliot (“Angels in America,” “War Horse”) has astonished audiences around the world and received seven Olivier and five Tony Awards. Tickets, 250 pesos, are available Wednesday and Thursday, 10 a.m. to noon, at the LLT box office or one hour before curtain.
Ukulele singalongs
Club Ukulele de Laguna presents Summer Singalong: Songs We Love To Remember, under the direction of Lynn Bassinger, Monday, August 27, 4 p.m. at Maria Isabel Restaurant in Ajijic.
The club will be singing dozens of songs you know and love, such as “Crazy,” “King of the Road,” “With A Little Help From My Friends,” etc. Also on tap is a special guest performance by Eduardo Garcia, Club Ukulele’s co-founder and first music director of the academy, who is now a professional ukulele instructor in Vancouver, Canada, and has performed with most of the legends in the ukulele world.
Nearly 100 children have passed through the academy’s ukulele program since its inception in 2015. Instruments are starting to show wear and tear and several need to be replaced. Five classes are held every week: beginners, intermediates, advanced, and at the Love In Action and Hope House home shelters. The most promising students receive special tutoring through the Chuck Candy Scholarship Fund. All of this requires funding, and all of the donations come from those generous folks who attend Club Ukulele’s singalongs and concerts. While there is no admission fee for the singalong, they will pass the hat at intermission.
Singers wanted
Los Cantantes del Lago director Timothy G. Ruff Welch is looking for singers for this coming concert season who want to work hard and enjoy themselves through music. Rehearsals are Tuesdays and Thursdays, 3-5:30 p.m.
Welch is also the director of the choir at St. Andrew’s Anglican Church and the Coro de Zapopan professional choir. Information: loscantantesdellago.com. Go to the Come Join Us page and fill out the the Join Us form.
Viva opera gala
Thursday, August 30, Viva la Musica will present an opera gala matinee concert at St. Andrew’s Anglican Church in Riberas del Pilar. The show will commence with a champagne and canape reception in the garden at 3:30 p.m. The Jalisco Opera Company will perform a varied program of operatic music commencing with the Overture to Rossini’s “The Italian Woman in Algiers.” This is followed by arias and duets from three Mozart operas: “Don Giovanni,” “Cosi fan tutte” and “The Magic Flute.” Two arias from Bizet’s “Carmen” will close the first half of the program.
The orchestra will open the second half of the program with “Vals Triste’ by Jean Sibelius. The ensemble Vals de Musetta from “La Boheme” by Puccini with the quartet from Rigoletto by Guiseppe Verdi and arias from “Cinderella” by Rossini and Gianni Schicchi by Puccini will complete the set.
The six opera singers in the group are accompanied by a chamber orchestra consisting of piano, violin, viola, cello, flute, clarinet, bassoon and French horn to produce a truly rich and dramatic sound.
Tickets, 400 pesos, are available from Diane Pearl, Mia’s Boutique and the Lake Chapala Society on Thursday and Friday 10 a.m. to noon.
Mariachi Festival bus trip
The Lake Chapala Society is taking a bus to the 22nd annual International Mariachi Festival, Thursday, August 30, where a free concert will be held at the Forum Mall in Tlaquepaque. The bus leaves the sculpture at La Floresta at 4 p.m. Tickets are 370 pesos for LCS members and 470 pesos for non-members.
Film Aficionados
Lake Chapala Society members can take advantage of Film Aficionados screenings each Thursday, 2 p.m. On August 30, “King of Masks” (1996, China), will be shown. Wang is an aging street performer whose son died from an illness at age 10. Wang aches for a male heir to pass on his rare art. One night he is sold a young boy by a slave trader posing as the boy’s father. One of China’s great films, based on a true story (100 minutes).
Classical guitar
Luis Angel Medina gives a guitar recital at the Centro Cultural Gonzalez Gallo, Friday, August 31, 7 p.m. He will play classical pieces by some of the great guitar masters, including L. Brouwer, Sainz de la Maza, Sor, Piazzolla and Castelnuovo-Tedesco. Entrance is 100 pesos.
LLT kick-off
Lakeside Little Theatre (LLT) is planning a live auction at their annual members kick-off party September 1. The auction is to raise funds for the upcoming five-million-peso planned renovation. They are asking for contributions of high and moderate value art, jewelry and household goods for the event.
Contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for details. Drop off times are Wednesday and Thursday, August 29 and 30.
Spain/Mexico & art
The first annual Ibero-American Art Encounter: Mexico-Spain is up at the Centro Cultural Gonzalez Gallo in Chapala. The Spanish artists include Isabel Monfort, Maria Esther Florez, Pilar Xercavins, Joaquin Falco, Damace David and Gamar Jose Garcia Martinez. From Mexico are Veronica Jimenez, Jose Luis Malo, Carlos Alberto Sanchez, Victor Mora, Enrique Chiu and Javier Malo. The Mexican curator of the touring show is Martin Andrade and the Spanish curator is Gorgonio Sanjuan.
Cortazar celebration
Sixteen artists celebrate the life of Argentine novelist and short-story writer Julio Cortazar at the Centro Cultural Ajijic. Cortazar combined existential questioning with experimental writing techniques in his works. The artworks are up through August 30.
Fall Viva bus trips
Viva plans three “Live at the Met” bus trips to see opera on the big screen at Teatro Diana Saturdays in Guadalajara. October 13: “Aida” by Verdi; November 3: “Samson and Delilah” by Saint Saens; and December 15: “La Traviata” (The Fallen Woman) by Verdi. Tickets, 450 pesos for members, 550 pesos non-members, are available at the LCS ticket area, Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m. to noon or by calling (376) 766-1801.
Also this fall, Viva will make eight trips to performances by the Jalisco Philharmonic Orchestra (JPO), the Ballet de Jalisco and a live opera presentation. September 23: “Carmen” and “Bolero” with the Ballet de Jalisco; October 7: Piazolla’s “Four Seasons” (JPO); October 14: Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 1 (JPO); October 25: Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No. 2 (JPO); November 4: Mahler’s Symphony No. 7 (JPO); November 27: Live opera “Turandot” by Puccini, featuring Oksana Kramereva, Riccardo Massi and the Zapopan Municipal Chior and JPO; December 9: JPO puts on a Baroque Fest with music by Vivaldi, Geminiani, Gabrieli, Bach and Lully; December 13: Ballet de Jalisco performs the “Nutcracker.”
Information on times and ticket prices are at at the LCS ticket area, Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m. to noon or by calling Rosemary Keeling, (376) 766-1801.