8pm MusicRobert Thies, the American prizewinner in...

8pm Music

Robert Thies, the American prizewinner in the 1995 Prokofiev Competition in Russia, has proved since then to be a versatile virtuoso as well as a gifted chamber musician. He returns this week to play Ernst von Dohnanyi’s daunting “Variations on a Nursery Tune” with the Pasadena Symphony, Jorge Mester conducting. Also on this program: Rossini’s “William Tell” Overture and Shostakovich’s 15th Symphony.

Robert Thies and the Pasadena Symphony, Civic Auditorium, 300 E. Green St., Pasadena, 8 p.m. $10 to $64. (626) 584-8833.

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8pm Theater

Sandy is having a bad day. His hillside apartment is seedy; his only means of support is selling home-grown pot; his newly homeless and destitute parents have arrived--in their Rolls-Royce--in- tending to move in; and he can see the flames of the L.A. riots in the Hollywood streets below. Justin Tanner directs Chautauqua Theatre Alliance’s production of Taylor Negron and Lawrence Justice’s newly revised comedy, “Gangster Planet,” starring Negron (“So Little Time” and “The Hughleys”), David Groh, Jeannette O’Connor and Italian comedian Simon N. Butera.

“Gangster Planet,” Egyptian Arena Theatre, 1625 N. Las Palmas Ave., L.A., 8 p.m. Regular schedule: Fridays and Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Sundays, 7 p.m. Ends May 19. $18. (323) 960-8865.

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8pm Dance

Many of us have yearned to throw something at an insufferably self-enchanted performer. But in a uproarious, on-target satire titled “Out of Season or Eating Pizza While Watching ‘Raging Bull,’” David Dorfman gave plastic golf balls to the audience, inviting them to respond to his deliberately transparent attempts at manipulation (“I care about you”) and parodies of confessional performance art. Now he’s back with another multidisciplinary truth or dare piece, “To Lie Tenderly,” along with a newly commissioned work in which his troupe will dance alongside students from the Cal State Long Beach dance department. Golf balls, anyone?

David Dorfman Dance, Carpenter Center for the Performing Arts, Cal State Long Beach, 6200 Atherton St., Long Beach, 8 p.m. $20 (students, seniors) to $25. (562) 985-7000.

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2 & 8pm Movies

Standing in stark contrast to the routine courtroom dramas churned out by Hollywood today is Billy Wilder’s entry in the genre, “Witness for the Prosecution.” Fueled by its triple-reverse surprise ending, the 1958 adaptation (Wilder scripted with Harry Kurnitz) of Agatha Christie’s melodrama provides an acting field day for Tyrone Power as the accused, Marlene Dietrich as his seemingly heartless wife and, especially, Charles Laughton and Elsa Lanchester as a wily barrister and his wilier nurse.

Alex Film Society presents “Witness for the Prosecution,” Alex Theatre, 216 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale, 2 and 8 p.m. $6 to $8.50. (818) 754-8250.

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11:30am Family

Aspiring poets, ages 5 to 17, get out your berets, shades, black turtlenecks and glue-on goatees. For Storyopolis’ “Kid’s Poetry Cafe,” the bookstore and art gallery’s annual celebration of National Poetry Month, all comers are invited to perform their favorite poems, songs, haiku, raps, limericks or interpretive dance moves, original or not. Kathy Kinney, “The Drew Carey Show’s” Mimi, returns as guest reader and host; and critically acclaimed guest poet Kristine O’Connell George (“Little Dog Poems”) will read her work and lead an “instant poetry” project.

“6th Annual Storyopolis Kids’ Poetry Cafe,” Storyopolis, 116 N. Robertson Blvd., Plaza A, West L.A., 11:30 a.m. Free, but reservations advised. (310) 358-2512.

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7pm Movies

The fringe genres of horror, sci-fi, rock ‘n’ roll, Eurotrash, art house, experimental, sexploitation, plus rebel films and midnight movies, come together for Anxiety Films’ first Mini-Shock Film Festival. The seven-hour amalgam of B-movie shorts from independent filmmakers also features rockin’ B-movie bands, prize giveaways and the world premiere of a film with a title that is not suitable for a family newspaper.

Anxiety Films presents the first Mini-Shock Film Festival, the Smell, 247 S. Main St., downtown L.A., 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. $6. (323) 666-2871.

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8pm Pop Music

In some ways, the group Quetzal is an heir to Los Lobos, with its mix of Mexican roots music, folk and rock--and it looks as if the band is also following its forerunner’s example as a social force. Quetzal is spearheading an event called Firetenders, combining music and spoken word in an evening of social and political commentary from L.A.’s ethnic communities.

Firetenders, with Quetzal, John Trudell, Wanda Coleman, Velina Hasu Houston, Jose Montoya, Japan America Theatre, 244 S. San Pedro St., downtown L.A., 8 p.m. $15 to 20. (213) 680-3700.