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Ribera Arts Review - January 7, 2017

 ‘Threepenny Opera’

Lakeside Little Theatre (LLT) will present National Theatre Live’s HD screening of “The Threepenny Opera” by Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill on Saturday, January 7, 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, January 8, 3 p.m.

The play stars Olivier Award-winner Rory Kinnear, Rosalie Craig and Haydn Gwynne. 

The LLT box office is open one hour before each show. Call 766-0954 or email 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..

LCS Mariachi fest

The Lake Chapala Society (LCS) brings two top U.S.-based mariachi groups to its second Lakeside International Mariachi Fest Saturday, January 7.  Grupo Bella and Mariachi Estrellas de Chula Vista will perform two sets on January 7, from 1-3 p.m. and 4-6 p.m. on the Neill James Patio. Tickets are 200 pesos.   

Viva opera trips

In 2017, Viva la Musica offers bus trips to the Teatro Diana to see Live from the Met Opera presentations. 

The first opera is “Nabucco” by Verdi, featuring Placido Domingo, Saturday, January 7. Other presentations (all on Saturdays) are: “Romeo and Juliet” by Gounod, January 21; “Rusalka” by Dvorak, February 25; “La Traviata” by Verdi, March 11; “Idomeneo” by Mozart, March 25; “Eugene Onegin” by Tchaikovsky, April 22 and “Der Rosencavalier” by R. Strauss, May 13. 

Bus tickets, 400 pesos (500 for non-Viva members), are available at LCS on Thursdays and Fridays, 10 a.m. to noon.

Jocotepec Mexican fare

The Gran Lola from Jocotepec, accompanied by Mariachi Real de Ajijic, will play at Graciany’s, located on the first and second floor of the San Jorge Pasajae in the main Plaza in Jocotepec, Saturday, January 7, 9 p.m. Tickets are 80 pesos, available at the Centro Cultural Ajijic with Beto Rok or call (331) 452-4256.

Sing-a-long

Fun with Music will be singing at Mi Casita assisted living center, Gonzalez Gallo 70 in San Antonio Tlayacapan Wednesday, January 11, 4 p.m.  Anyone wishing to join in may do so. For more information, contact Belva, 766-0156.

LLT

“Death and the Maiden” by Ariel Dorfman is the next production of the Lakeside Little Theatre.  Directed by L.B. Hamilton, assisted by Collette Clavadetscher, the show runs January 13 to 22.

Set in a post-revolution South American country that has only recently returned to democracy, Dorfman’s explosively provocative, award-winning psychological thriller stars Russell Mack, Jacinta Stringer and Paul Kloegman. 

After being named to head a commission to investigate crimes committed by the recently ousted military regime, Gerardo (Russell Mack) finds himself stranded by a flat tire. Good Samaritan Dr. Roberto Miranda (Paul Kloegman) offers the lawyer a ride home.  Upon hearing Miranda’s voice, Gerardo’s reclusive wife, Paulina (Jacinta Stringer), believes him to be the monster who degraded and tortured her years before.

“Death” asks timely and universal questions: Does a civil society have the moral responsibility to avenge the victims of past persecutions? Is personal revenge ever justified? When does the oppressed become the oppressor?

As a special extra, following the show on Saturday, January 14, starting 5:30 pm, there will be a “talk-back” discussion facilitated by Kelly Hayes-Raitt, along with a panel of experts including Carolyn Cothran, Barbara Hildt and Hamilton. This discussion is free and open to the public.  For further details, see www.lakesidelittletheatre.com. 

Tickets will be on sale at LLT’s box office 10 a.m. to noon Wednesdays and Thursdays, and one hour before showtime every day during the show except for Sunday. Curtain is 7:30 p.m. evenings, 3 p.m. for Sunday matinee. Contact: 376-766-0954, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit lakesidelittletheatre.com for more information.

’ATAVISMOS’

An opening reception for local artist Jesus Lopez Vega’s exhibit ‘’ATAVISMOS’’ will be held Saturday, January 7, 3-7 p.m. on the second floor of the Centro Cultural Ajijic.Live music and refreshments. 

Plein air painting

This unique art genre is on display at Galleria Sol Mexicano from January 13-February 5. 

Plein Air, a phrase borrowed from French, describes the act of painting outdoors where the painter reproduces the actual visual conditions seen at the time of the work. This is very different than studio painting where an artist may slowly develop paintings from photos in order to create a certain predetermined look. Plein Air tends to be more direct and visceral as the artist may have only 2-3 hours to attempt to capture the overall mood, feeling or essence of the scene. If done well, the painting can literally vibrate with the energy of life.

Two Painting Exhibitions

Members of the Lake Chapala Painting Guild will host early evening openings on two successive weekends — January 7 at Cultural Center Ajijic, and January 13 at La Pena Santos Rico, Constitution 31 in Ajijic. 

Jazz Greats encore

Tickets for next weekend’s Jazz Greats concerts at the Auditorio de la Ribera are selling like hotcakes! 

Canada’s renowned horn player Guido Basso will lead Mike Murley on sax,  Reg Schwager on guitar, Steve Wallace on bass, Ben Riley on drums and  vocalist  Heather Bambrick in distinct programs scheduled for Saturday, January 14, 7:30 p.m. show and Sunday, January 15, 2:30 p.m. 

Although the auditorium’s center section is already sold out, a limited number of side seats are still available for both shows, priced at 350 pesos per person. For ticket sales information, contact Dawn McGinnis at (376) 766-2030 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.. 

All proceeds support Programa Pro Niños Incapacitados del Lago. Learn more about the charity that helps local children battling serious disabilities and life threatening illnesses at www.programaninos.com.

Bravo! Theatre

Have you ever had a vacation where everything that could go wrong did and everything you expected to happen didn’t? 

On Sunday, January 15, Bravo! Theatre presents “Mr. & Miss Adventure,” a hilarious comedy about a vacation gone awry. Written and performed by Canadian guest artist and seasoned actor Catherine Clarkson, this true story/one-act standup show will have you laughing from beginning to end and leave you wondering how such a series of unfortunate events could possibly occur in just one week. 

One performance only: January 15, 4 p.m. Tickets, 100 pesos, can be reserved 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..

Viva party

Viva la Musica will hold a membership renewal party Sunday, January 15 at the home of Tony and Roseann Wilshere in Ajijic. Viva’s annual general meeting is at 3 p.m., the party begins at 4 p.m. and a concert by Juan Pablo Medeles on violin and Rodrigo Leal on piano will take place at 4:30 p.m. 

Champagne and finger food are free with 2017 Viva membership. All Viva members are welcome. The cost for guests is 100 pesos.

Mexican Extravaganza

Enjoy the color and magic of Mexican culture at the benefit for Cruz Roja Chapala (CRC) coming up Saturday, January 21, 4-7 p.m., hosted by the owners of Rancho Cortijo, located on the western outskirts of Ajijic.

The spectacle will include performances the Ballet Folklorico de Guadalajara, a mariachi band, songstress Lupita Jiménez and a local charro with his high-stepping dancing horse.  The admission donation of 1,500 includes bar drinks, cold cut platters and gourmet desserts. Proceeds go towards paying off the bill for a newly acquired CRC ambulance.

 ‘Mr. Green’ reprise

In January, The Bravo! Theatre will reprise “Visiting Mr. Green,” directed by Jayme Littlejohn and starring Roger Larson and Ken Yakiwchuk. This is an endearing play about the unlikely friendship between an old Jewish man and a young Jewish man – each with a secret.

Show dates are January 21, 27 and 28, at 7:30 p.m., and January 22, 29 and 30, at 4 p.m. Tickets, 250 pesos, available at Diane Pearl Colecciones, Mia’s Boutique 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..

Centro Cultural Antigua Presidencia

High-quality reproductions of pre-hispanic ceramic figures continue on exhibit through next week in the ground floor gallery of Chapala’s Centro Cultural Antigua Presidencia, Avenida Madero at Hidalgo.

Acting workshops

Moderator and facilitator Roseann Wilshere offers six weekly workshops in scene study at Bravo Theatre Monday afternoons, 3 to 5:30 p.m. Her technique is based on the book “Audition” by Michael Shurtle, whose works are based on the methods developed by Russian master Stanislavski. Actors may be at any level from beginner to experienced. Although critique is guided by Wilshere, all the participants are asked to analyze each other’s scenes constructively as an important component of the workshop. The cost per class is 350 pesos. Visitors are welcome to come to watch. To register or for more information, please contact 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.. 

Blue Jay Slim

International recording artist and award-winning blues artist Blue Jay Slim, recently inducted into The Blues Hall of Fame, plays with The Blues Machine at Adelita Bar & Grill in San Antonio on the first and third Saturdays of January, February, and March. He’ll also be playing with Blue Velvet at El BarCo on January 15 and 29, February 26 and March 26.

Stepping Out

Friday, January 6: Adelita Bar & Grill in San Antonio Tlayacapan features Jonathan Guzman and the Rhythm Traffickers. Reservations: 766-0097.

La Mision Restaurant on Rio Bravo in West Ajijic has the Jazz Duet starting 6:30 p.m. Reservations: (376) 108-0887. 

Asuntos Varios, singing a variety of cumbia, reggae and rock & roll plays the Iron Horse in Riberas del Pilar from 9 p.m. 

Latinitos Lounge will keep you dancing from 9 p.m. at The Cave (by Fenix Realty on the lakeside of the Carretera in San Antonio). 

La Bodega Ajijic presents Los Morales. Reservations: 766-1002. 

Jimmy Barto and Paco Casas entertain at Manix Restaurant 7-9 p.m. Reservations: 766-0061. 

Dance to Barba Canelo and Los Piratas, 9 p.m. to midnight at El Camaleon (Constitucion, one block east of Colon). 

Saturday, January 7: The Tall Boys band is reuniting with their rock sets and original tunes at El BarCo in Ajijic. Reserved seating is sold out, but dancing space is still available. Tickets are 200 pesos at the door.

Latinitos Lounge Trio will be playing at the Avocado Club in San Antonio starting 6:30 p.m. 

La Bodega Restaurant & Bar hosts Ricardo y Blanca, starting 8:30 p.m. 

Sunday, January 8: Daniel Cordero plays from 3 p.m. and later Mike Fortier and the Jazz Prophets featuring Patricia Reyes on keyboards, Humberto Saucedo on drums, Juan Ayala on bass begin at the Iron Horse 4:30 p.m.

The Jazz Duet plays at Ocampo 71 starting 7 p.m. Reservations: (376) 108-0862. 

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