Art Market
The Ajijic Society of the Arts (ASA) Art Market, featuring more than 50 local artists and artisans will be held Saturday, March 18, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Garden of Dreams boutique hotel. Free admission, live music, food and drink.
Free guitar recital
Rafael Rivera Gonzalez gives a free guitar recital Sunday, March 19, 12:30 p.m., at the Centro Cultural Gonzalez Gallo in Chapala.
The program features works by Bach, Beethoven, Agustin Barrios, Tárrega, Rodrigo and Brouwer, among others.
Bare Stage Theatre
“Steel Magnolias” by Robert Harling is one of the most popular and most performed plays since its premiere in 1987. It opened Off Broadway at NYC’s WPA Theatre and has since been performed all around the United States and on international stages with great success. The popular film version was released in 1989.
The play is set over three years of Saturday mornings at Truvy’s beauty salon, where a group of friends meet to exchange recipes and gossip while having their hair done. We first meet them on Shelby’s wedding day and almost every significant gathering day or event that follows. We’ve all laughed and shed tears following their journey but as the title suggests, the female characters are as delicate as magnolias but as tough as steel. And boy, ain’t that the truth!
Magnolias has been produced so often and performed by so many great actresses from North America: Shirley MacLaine, Sally Fields, Olympia Dukakis, Rosemary Harris, Carole Cooke, Francis Sternhagen, Christine Ebersol and Julia Roberts, to name a few. Alfre Woodard and Phylicia Rashad, among other greats, were cast in the all-black 2012 movie version. Shelby launched Nicole Kidman’s professional career on stage.
The Bare Stage production is directed by Rosann Balbontin, who directed the June 2022, “Scenes From American Life” by A.R. Gurney and “It’s a Wonderful Life, A Radio Show.” Her cast of fine local actors are: Pamela Johnson, Val Jones, Pam Landon, Anne Swanson, Maxanne Swanson and Roseann Wilshere.
Show dates are Friday, through Sunday, March 24 to 26. Curtain at 4 p.m. Tickets are 200 pesos. Reserve 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..
Bare Stage is located at #261 on the mountain side of the Carretera in Riberas del Pilar across from the Catholic Church. Doors and bar open at 3 p.m. Seats are held until 3:50 p.m.
LLT season 58 closer
The Lakeside Little Theatre’s next production is “33 Variations,” by Moises Kaufman, and directed by Suki O’Brien. Show dates are March 24 to April 2; weekday evening shows at 7:30 p.m. and weekend matinees at 4 p.m. (no show on Monday, March 27).
One of Ludwig van Beethoven’s most enigmatic compositions is at the heart of “33 Variations,” a compelling and thoughtful drama by Moisés Kaufman. The play with music follows a musicologist who believes she will not live out the year but is determined to discover why Beethoven dedicated three years of his own declining life writing 33 variations on another composer’s mediocre waltz. On this, the 200th anniversary of Beethoven’s composition, the play moves from the present to the past and back again as she discovers powerful truths about Beethoven, about herself, and about her relationship with her mysterious daughter.
The cast are Diana Rowland, M.A. Bruneau, Ricardo Del Toro, Rob Stupple, Ken Yakiwchuk, Randy Warren and Donna Burroughs. The ensemble is comprised of Chris L’Ecluse, Jutta McAdam and Deborah Elder. Rodrigo Leal Murillo is the pianist.
Tickets are 350 pesos at the LLT website, or the LLT box office one hour before curtain on all performance days or Wednesdays and Thursdays, 10 a.m. to noon the week before the show opens and the week of performance.
Flamenco Jazz
The Flamenco Jazz Collective performs Friday, March 24, 6:30 p.m. at the Centro para la Cultura y las Artes de la Ribera.
Some of Mexico’s most innovative artists unite Mexican jazz and flamenco to create a mix of styles reminiscent of nuevo flamenco from the 1960s and 1970s of Paco de Lucia and Camaron de la Isla.
Paulina and her brother Mario Ruíz dance, Soleá Gollás sings, Emilia Gálvez is on cajon, Sofia Ramírez on piano, Gilberto Ríos on bass and Eleazar Soto on saxophone.
Tickets, 200 pesos, are available at voyalteatro.com and at the box office on the day of the show.
Ajijic Museo de Arte
“Our Italian Hill towns,” an exhibit of watercolors by Elaine Frenett and Maloy Murdock, opens Friday, March 31, 3 p.m. AMA is at Calle Privada Flores Magon 3, in west Ajijic.
Concerts at the Lake
A Night of Divas is scheduled Wednesday, March 22, 5:30 p.m. at the remodeled Auditorio de la Ribera, as a benefit for the Lake Chapala Society.
If you love divas and amazing music this is the show for you. Meghan Murphy presents a tribute to her favorite divas: Judy, Liza, Barbara, Bette, Tina and more, accompanied by Brett Rowe on piano.
Broadway World describes Murphy as “Statuesque in her stilettos, Big Red is a towering inferno of talent … sexy, sultry and spellbinding … a pied piper in red sequins.”
Kevin Anthony and Diana Villamonte come together for the first time at Lakeside for a powerhouse second act to this night of divas. Individually, each has wowed audiences in Ajijic in the past, but this is a very special one-night-only show together, filled with POP, R&B, disco and plenty of soul.
Tickets, 500 pesos VIP and 350 pesos general seating, are available at lakechapalasociety.com.
Cabaret
The Ajijic Cabaret Troupe presents its first show, 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, an evening of unique entertainment provided by local talented performing artists. Reserve your seats 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..
Bravo Theatre
The Wizard of Oz, a sing-a-long performance, is the next production of the BRAVO! Theatre. Click your heels and return to your childhood with a cherished classic movie favorite. An imaginative reading by some of your favorite actors … and with your participation. Brush off your flying monkey wings and your ruby slippers for the costume contest, with prizes, and a 50/50 raffle, Four performances: April 13 and 14 at 6:30 p.m. and April 15 and 16 at 4 p.m. Tickets, 400 pesos, are available at Kinda Bazar, Mia’s Boutique and via 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..