Best Bets

Movies

Director Mira Nair (“Salaam Bombay”) arranges “Monsoon Wedding,” an Indian comedy in which tradition collides with contemporary culture. An upper-middle-class Punjabi family in New Delhi prepares for nuptial celebrations as guests from around the world converge. With Lilete Dubey, above left, and Naseeruddin Shah. Opens Friday.

Theater

Morality is a rare and easily compromised commodity, power is all, and political and legal hypocrisy are the norm in the Southern waterfront setting for Rubicon Theatre Company’s adaptation of the 1946 musical “Beggar’s Holiday,” the only full musical score that Duke Ellington wrote for Broadway. Based on John Gay’s 18th century work “The Beggar’s Opera,” this version is adapted by Dale Wasserman from John Latouche’s original book. Jazz singer Carl Anderson plays MacHeath; Broadway veteran Alaina Reed Hall plays Jenny, and Sharon McNight plays Mrs. Peachum. Opens Friday at the Laurel Theatre in Ventura.

Dance

Southland fans of Pilobolus Dance Theatre can see the company’s newest work, “The Brass Ring” (commissioned by the 2002 Winter Olympics), in two venues over the weekend, along with other repertory. On Saturday, the company performs the Olympic piece with “Walklyndon” and “Davenen” at the California Center for the Arts in Escondido. Next Sunday, the company moves to the Carpenter Performing Arts Center at Cal State Long Beach for a program that also includes “Tsu-ku-Tsu” and “Symbiosis.”

Pop Music

It takes more than business as usual to attract the convergence of star power in L.A. on Tuesday. In this case, it’s the Recording Artists Coalition, which aims to make musicians’ relations with the recording industry more performer-friendly. The coalition makes its point on Grammy Eve with concerts by the Eagles, Billy Joel, John Fogerty, Stevie Nicks and Sheryl Crow (the Forum in Inglewood); Beck, Eddie Vedder and Mike Ness (the Wiltern in L.A.); Dixie Chicks, Trisha Yearwood, Emmylou Harris and Dwight Yoakam (Universal Amphitheatre in Universal City); and Weezer, the Offspring and No Doubt, with Gwen Stefani, right (Long Beach Arena).

Jazz

Veteran sax man David “Fathead” Newman comes to town to celebrate his birthday with a five-nighter starting Wednesday at the Jazz Bakery in Culver City. In Hollywood, drummer Dave Weckl leads his band Tuesday through Sunday at Catalina Bar & Grill.

Video

Jason Mewes and Kevin Smith star in “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back,” the final chapter in the comic adventures of the stoner duo. Smith, the writer, director and producer, introduced the characters in his first film, “Clerks.” They returned in “Mallrats,” “Chasing Amy” and “Dogma.” This time they travel to Hollywood. The raunchy comedy arrives Tuesday on VHS and DVD.