Top picks

‘TL;DR: Thelma Louise; Dyke Remix’

Theater | Moxie Theatre and Diversionary Theatre, two of San Diego’s most beloved and adventurous small theaters, are joining forces to produce this world-premiere musical. Playwright and lyricist EllaRose Chary and composer and lyricist Brandon James Gwinn take the iconic and tragic friendship of Thelma and Louise and turn it into the beginning of an anthemic, queer empowerment story.

Chary said they wanted to answer one question when it comes to diverse representation: “Why do strong female characters always gotta die?” In this musical, the collaborators set out to flip the script — beginning with the moment our iconic road trip characters plummet off the road into the Grand Canyon, except this time they survive.

“We’re not going to do that same thing again, and we’re not going to bury our gays, and we’re not going to bury our strong women, and we’re not going to cancel our queer television shows after one season. We’re gonna get to see what happens next,” Chary said.

There’s a “riot grrrl” band, with the musicians serving as full-fledged characters on stage. For the world premiere, Sophia Araujo-Johnson is “T” and Sara Porkolob is “L.” Directed by Sherri Eden Barber.

Details: Event information. On stage May 9 through June 2. Diversionary Theatre, 4545 Park Bvld. #101, University Heights. $25-$70.

Richard Keely: ‘Lookout’ and more at Bread and Salt

Visual art | This Saturday is Barrio Art Crawl, so in addition to a massive block party and self-guided art tour along Logan Avenue, you can skip over a few streets to Bread and Salt for several new art exhibits throughout many of their galleries, plus a panel discussion in the Brick Room event space.

Influential local sculptor, installation artist and educator Richard Keely will open a new solo show at Bread and Salt’s main gallery. Keely’s work is industrial, minimalist and geometric, with lots of suspended or mounted circular shapes. I’ve also lost count of the number of times Keely’s name has come up in interviews over the years as an influence on students and emerging artists.

Opening at Best Practice is Tijuana photographer Monice Arreola’s “Echoes of Abandonment: Photographs of Utopia,” which is a series of photography chronicling abandoned housing projects in Tijuana.

At Athenaeum Art Center, the San Diego State University Art Council Scholarship Exhibition will be on view, spotlighting the work of five student artists. And Max Daily’s always-delightful and always-strange “Oslo Sardine Bar” will be set up in the Not An Exit gallery.

Details: Event information. 5-8 p.m. Saturday, May 11. Bread and Salt, 1955 Julian Ave., Logan Heights. Free.

Peel Lit Reading: Akari Komura, Ilana Waniuk, Amy Sara Carroll, Ana Carrete and Adam Strauss

Books, Poetry | This new local indie reading series continues with a new slate of writers and performers. In addition to poets and writers Amy Sara Carroll, Ana Carrete and Adam Strauss, the reading will feature Akari Komura, an interdisciplinary artist, writer and composer, who will perform with violinist Ilana Waniuk. This reading series held its first two events at the now-closed Lang Books in North Park, but will now be at Libélula Books.

Details: Event information. 7 p.m. Saturday, May 11. Libélula Books, 950 S 26th St., Barrio Logan. Free.

GI Film Festival San Diego: ‘Westermann: Memorial to the Idea of Man If He Was an Idea’

Film, Visual art | The GI Film Festival San Diego presents a screening of a 3D documentary feature about the life and work of H.C. (Cliff) Westermann, surrealist artist, marine … and acrobat. The documentary is narrated by Ed Harris.

I will moderate a panel discussion after the film, which screens at the Museum of Photographic Arts at San Diego Museum of Art in Balboa Park. Panelists include Steve Dilley, executive director and founder of The Veterans Art Project, and Diana Donaldson, an artist, art collector and friend of Westermann.

Details: Event information. 5:30 p.m. Friday, May 10. MOPA@SDMA, 1649 El Prado, Balboa Park. $10.

‘Latine Entretejida / Interwoven’

Visual art | Visions Museum of Textile Arts, an always-free fiber arts space in Liberty Station, will show a new multi-part exhibition with work by four Latina textile artists Irma Sofia Poeter, Olivia Arreguin, Marisa Raygoza and Mely Barragán. It’s a designated World Design Capital event.

The artists will be on-site for the public opening reception and will participate in a panel discussion.

Work by Carolina Betancourt will be added to the “Latine Entretejida” exhibit in late July.

Details: Event information. Opens with a reception and artists’ talk 1-2 p.m. Saturday, May 11. On view May 11 through Oct. 5. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday; and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Visions Museum of Textile Arts, 2825 Dewey Road, Suite 100, Liberty Station. Free.

Bodhi Tree Concerts: ‘The Falling and the Rising’

Music, Theater, Opera | Zach Redler and Jerre Dye’s opera, cut from San Diego Opera’s recent season due to budgetary reasons, will now have its San Diego premiere thanks to Bodhi Tree Concerts. The opera is the story of a soldier’s imagined dreamscape as she’s stuck in a coma, and is informed by extensive interviews with veterans at Walter Reed Medical Center. Musical direction is by Karen Keltner and stage direction is by Kym Pappas.

Details: Event information. 7 p.m. Friday through Sunday, May 10-12 at Point Loma Assembly, 3035 Talbot St., Point Loma. $25-$60.

San Diego New Music: ‘The Sounds of Community’

Music | Woodwind performer, conductor and professor Ellen Weller will be spotlighted at this San Diego New Music production. Weller will be supported by a bunch of local stars in classical and experimental, improvisational music, including trumpeter Stephanie Richards, percussionist Nathan Hubbart, bassist Mark Dresser, violinist Kris Apple and more. They’ll perform Weller’s “1918” for “piano, winds and community” — that means you, the audience. Before the show, audience members will be given a color-coded sticker and taught a sound to make, and when to make it.

Details: Event information. 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 10. Athenaeum Music and Arts Library, 1008 Wall St., La Jolla. $12-$30.

More local art and culture

The Hill Street Country Club and Queer Surf Present: ‘Gaza Surf Club’
Film | “Gaza Surf Club” is a 2016 documentary that followed a group of surfers in Palestine for five years. In partnership with Queer Surf, The Hill Street Country Club will host a screening along with Palestinian food for sale. Event information. 6:30 p.m. Thursday, May 9. The Hill Street Country Club, 530 S. Coast Hwy., Oceanside. $0-$10 donation-based.

La Jolla Music Society Community Arts Open House
Music, Dance, Family | The La Jolla Music Society will open their doors to the public this weekend for a series of mini performances and workshops in music and dance, plus artmaking activities for kids. Drummers Without Borders, Alyssa Junious, Malashock Dance and more will appear throughout the event. Event information. 1-5 p.m. Saturday, May 11. La Jolla Music Society, 7600 Fay Ave., La Jolla. Free (RSVP required).

‘Next to Normal’
Theater | Brian Yorkey and Tom Kitt’s 2010 Pulitzer-winning play “Next to Normal” explores the complicated impact on a mother’s long battle with bipolar disorder on a seemingly typical family. Oceanside Theatre Company’s production, directed by Frankie Errington. Event information. May 10 through May 26. Sunshine Brooks Theatre, 217 N Coast Hwy., Oceanside. $20-$50.

‘Kuchipudi’: Traditional Indian Dance Performance for Children
Dance, Family | Kuchipudi is a type of traditional South Indian dance that’s both athletic and rooted in folklore and storytelling. This kid-centered event includes a performance, artmaking activities and Indian food. Event information. 2 p.m. Saturday, May 11. Mission Valley Branch Library, 2123 Fenton Pkwy., Mission Valley. Free. 

SAN DIEGO (May 8, 2024) – San Diego Wave FC (3-3-1, 10 points) defeated the Utah Royals FC (1-6-1, 3 points) 2-0 at Snapdragon Stadium on Wednesday night.

In the 33rd minute, San Diego was awarded a free kick that forward María Sánchez stepped up to take. The Mexican National Team captain’s inswinging ball found the feet of midfielder Kimmi Ascanio. The 16-year-old volley deflected off a Utah player and was found by the Video Assistant Review to be a handball in the box. Forward Jaedyn Shaw scored the penalty for the first goal of the match and her second of the season.

San Diego continued to apply the pressure on the attack in the second half and were awarded in the 77th minute when forward Makenzy Doniak scored her second of the season. Shaw intercepted a ball near the midfield line and slotted a perfectly paced ball to an ongoing Doniak. The veteran took a first-time left-footed shot that found the far post corner to double the Wave’s league.

Next on the schedule: San Diego Wave FC hosts NJ/NY Gotham FC on Sunday, May 12 at Snapdragon Stadium in the club’s AAPI Night, presented by Mostra Coffee. The match will be broadcast on NWSL+ with kickoff slated for 4:30 p.m. PT. Tickets for the match are available here.

Social: Twitter – @sandiegowavefc | Instagram – @sandiegowavefc | Facebook

Notes:

• The Wave win marked the first time in club history the team has earned three straight home wins at Snapdragon Stadium.
• Forward Jaedyn Shaw earned her second goal of the season off a penalty kick in the 33rd minute. The penalty marked Shaw’s first NWSL penalty in her career and her 11th professional goal for Wave FC. At 19 years, 170 days, Shaw is the second-youngest player to take (and score) a regular season penalty in NWSL history.
• Forward Makenzy Doniak scored her second goal of the season. It marked her eighth goal for San Diego and her 15th NWSL regular season goal.
• Shaw’s assist on Doniak’s goal in the 77th minute marked the first time the 19-year-old has both scored and assisted in a match.
• Defender Sierra Enge earned her first start and appearance of the regular season. The Cardiff-native played the entire match for her hometown club.
• Forward María Sánchez made her first Wave FC start, playing 70 minutes. The Mexican National Team captain was acquired via trade from Houston Dash on April 20.
• Melanie Barceans (hip), Abby Dahlkemper (thigh), Naomi Girma (thigh), Sofia Jakobsson (lower leg), Kristen McNabb (red card) and Alex Morgan (lower leg) were unavailable for today’s match.

Box Score:
San Diego Wave FC 2:0 Utah Royals FC

Scoring Summary:
SD – Shaw (Penalty) (2) 35’
SD – Doniak (2) (Shaw, 2) 78’

Misconduct Summary:
UTA – Monaghan 35’ (Caution)
UTA – Pogarch 37’ (Caution)
UTA – Foederer 51’ (Caution)
SD – Westphal 79’ (Caution)
SD – Colaprico 88’ (Caution)
UTA – Senator 90’ (Caution)

San Diego Wave FC: GK Sheridan ©, D Westphal, D Enge, D Wesley, D Lundkvist, M Shaw (McCaskill 86’), M Colaprico, M Ascanio (van Egmond HT), F Jones (Bennett 63’), F Carusa (Ali 63’), F Sánchez (Doniak 70’)

Subs not used: GK Beall, GK Messner, D Torpey

Utah Royals FC: GK Haught, D Pogarch (Tagliaferri 83’), D Griffits, D Del Fava, D Flynn, M Cluff (Vasconcelos HT), M Henry, M Foederer (Gray 90’), F Monaghan (Burns 83’), F Senator, F Betfort (Tucker 69’)

Subs not used: GK Roque, D Nyberg, D Merrick, F Mozingo

Attendance: 10,289

Stats Summary: SD / UTA
Shots: 9 / 9
Shots on Target: 3 / 1
Saves: 1 / 1
Corners: 1 / 4
Fouls: 6 / 14

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California native Allison Mann of Socal Aquatics Association will remain in-state to swim for the San Diego State University Aztecs. Mann, who hails from Orange, California, is currently a senior at Villa Park High School. 

I’m excited to finally announce my verbal commitment to swim and study at San Diego State University!!! I’m so grateful for this opportunity. Thank you to my family, friends, Villa park and Socal Aquatics for the support through this process. Can’t wait to be a part of the Aztec family in 2024!

At the 2023 CA/NV Speedo Sectionals, Mann posted best times and top 10 finishes across most of her primary events. She placed 3rd in the 50 in a 23.18, 2nd in the 100 fly in a 54.17, 4th in the 100 free in a 50.44, and 5th in the 200 fly in a 2:00.60. She was a few tenths off her PB in her 200 free, which she had established the week before at Speedo Winter Junior Championships–West, swimming a 1:51.32 to place 10th. 

Mann had a stellar long course season leading up to senior year as well, as she lowered her long course bests by significant margins at the 2023 USA Futures Championships in Sacramento (LCM). There, she swam times of 2:06.01 in the 200 free to drop 2.17 seconds, 1:01.56 in the 100 fly to drop 1.49 seconds, and 26.61 in the 50 free to shave 0.08 off her previous best. 

Top SCY Times:

• 200 Fly – 2:00.60
• 100 Fly – 54.17
• 100 Free – 50.44
• 50 Free – 23.18
• 200 Free – 1:50.84

San Diego State, a member of the Mountain West Conference (MWC), are the reigning MWC Champions. The Aztecs have won seven championships in the past 12 years and set a conference record high point total last year with 1,638 points. At last year’s meet, Mann’s best times would have qualified her for the A final in the 100/200 fly and 100 free, and the B final in the 50/200 free, displaying just how impactful she will be when she arrives on campus. Mann will join a training group that has immense sprinting depth, as the Aztecs placed 1-2-3-4-8 in the 50 free and 1-2-4 in the 100 free last year. 

Compared to last year’s roster, Mann’s 50 free ranked 6th, her 200 fly ranked 3rd, her 100 fly ranked 4th, her 200 free ranked 5th, and her 100 free ranked 5th.

SDSU looks to further their dominance with a loaded incoming class, as Mann will join Alex Downing, Eva Allan, Kaydence Bispo, and Liv Peebles in the Aztecs’ class of 2028. 

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