SATURDAYArt AppreciationHave you been wanting to check...

SATURDAY

Art Appreciation

Have you been wanting to check out the burgeoning Valley theater scene or some other local arts offering but didn’t know where, when, who or how much? This Saturday, you have a chance to try something on for size without having to spend money.

Throughout Los Angeles County,over 100 arts organizations will be participating in the “L.A. Countywide Arts Open House.” Designed to raise awareness of the arts and humanities, the open house is being coordinated by the Los Angeles County Music and Performing Arts Commission.

Spokeswoman Linda Chiavaroli says the event is like an arts smorgasbord.

“The goal is to show the diversity of the arts in Los Angeles by making them available free of charge on a given day,” she said. “All disciplines are included.”

The NoHo district in North Hollywood is one of six major centers throughout the county participating in the open house. Most of the offerings are happening at the Lankershim Arts Center.

Organizations represented include the Synthaxis Theatre Company, the Road Theater Company, the Los Angeles Printmaking Society, Flights of Fantasy Story Theatre, Los Angeles Music Theatre Company, the Martin Dancers, Skitzo’s sketch comedy group and the Nowakowsky Chorale.

Last year’s events drew over 35,000 people. Some of the events require reservations.

* “L.A. Countywide Arts Open House” will be held Saturday. Call the open house 24-hour hotline (213) 688-ARTS or the Lankershim Arts Center, 5108 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood, (818) 761-8838.

SUNDAY

Harp Music

Renowned harpist Patrick Ball comes to the Sylvia Woods Harp Center on Sunday with a new one-man show he’s written about 18th-century Irish harpist Turlough O’Carolan.

O’Carolan was a blind harpist and composer who spent his life traveling throughout Ireland.

Hundreds of his melodies have survived, and California-born Ball has become one of the premiere interpreters of O’Carolan’s music today. Four of Ball’s seven albums are dedicated to O’Carolan’s music.

“His melodies are downright irresistible,” Ball says. “They’re not jigs or reels or rebel ballads. [O’Carolan’s] biggest influence was Italian baroque music--Vivaldi and Corelli.”

“O’Carolan heard this music and just went nuts,” Ball adds. It’s the Irish flavor to Italian music; it was a perfect combination for me.”

The play is a departure from Ball’s usual concert format. He’s proud of the play he has written with theater veteran Peter Glazer, but less so of his acting.

“I know I wouldn’t give Al Pacino heart palpitations,” he said, “but I know I can do it.”

* Patrick Ball performs “O’Carolan’s Farewell to Music” at 7 p.m. Sunday at Sylvia Woods Harp Center, 915 N. Glendale Ave., Glendale. Tickets are $16-$18. Call (818) 956-1363.

MONDAY

All She Wants to Do

Her music might not be available at your local Wal-Mart, but you can hear Sheryl Crow on Monday at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza.

After years of working as a backup singer for people such as Eric Clapton, Don Henley, Michael Jackson and others, Crow debuted in 1993 with the album “Tuesday Night Music Club,” which sold almost 4 million copies and garnered three Grammys.

* Sheryl Crow sings at 8 p.m Monday at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, 2100 Thousand Oaks Blvd. Tickets are $24-$41. Call (805) 449-ARTS or Ticketmaster (805) 583-8700 or (213) 480-3232.