“The Last Picture Show: Artists Using Photography,
1960-1982″ attempts epic revelations in its placard
commentaries on and interpretations of individual artists’
work. Forced commentaries aside, however, the photographs
themselves demonstrate the form’s capability to capture
humanity at its most inane moments.

Ennio Marchetto, Italian comedian/quick-change
artist/illusionist began his colorful career as a costume designer
for Carnevale, Venice’s famous spring-time masquerade, but
now he parades his designs onstage in an original show where he
spoofs pop-culture icons.

In their production for Theatrefest 2003, “Felicity is a
Cynical Art,” eight UCLA students have confirmed
Polonius’ sage advice to Laertes in Shakespeare’s
“Hamlet:” “To thine own self be true.”
The “soap operetta,” which opens Thursday night in
Kerckhoff Grand Salon, is the first production of Giovanni Ortega
and Ben Lamoso’s recently formed company, Mezclao, which
translates as “mix” from Spanish.

When Weiko Lin, the UCLA alumnus, playwright and director who
brought to campus the musicals “Parachute Kid” and
“Heavenly Peace,” immigrated to the United States at
age 8 his father remained in their home country, Taiwan.

Amid scraps of construction paper and pictures of Frida Kahlo
and the Mona Lisa, students in an art room at Palms Middle School
eagerly offer their conceptions of plots to Corey Chapman and Lisa
Graff, two fourth-year UCLA students.

Fear is what keeps people from overcoming walls, but fear that
is not overcome becomes society’s walls.
So said Ray Reisler at the opening ceremony of “Choosing
to Participate: Facing History and Ourselves” on Saturday
night.

The Japanese word “kyodo” has two translations:
“family” and “loud children.”
UCLA Kyodo Taiko, a Japanese drumming group which will perform
Jan. 9 at 6 p.m.

In Elizabethan times, Shakespeare’s plays, with their puns
and other linguistic manipulations, appealed to the ear. Today,
Shakespeare’s language challenges the modern ear and often
inhibits understanding of his plays.

In the early 1900s, a woman could not attend a show at the
Downtown Palace Theatre without a male escort.
This weekend, from Nov. 8 to Nov.