Three-day forecast

ART

Illustrator to the ‘stars’ of fiction

Illustrator Barry Moser has had the privilege of drawing some of the biggest “celebrities” in his field: the Headless Horseman, the Cheshire Cat, Frankenstein’s monster and the Wizard of Oz. Every Picture Tells a Story gallery has collected woodcut prints, watercolors and some of the more than 200 books for adults and children that Moser has illustrated.

Barry Moser, Every Picture Tells a Story, 1311-C Montana Ave., Santa Monica. Opens Saturday and continues Mondays-Saturdays, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Ends Oct. 17. (310) 451-2700.

JAZZ

Marsalis plays tonight

Grammy-winning jazz saxophonist Branford

Marsalis performs tonight at Descanso Gardens. Like his younger brother, trumpeter-composer Wynton Marsalis, Branford Marsalis makes musical forays into classical as well as jazz material. And he’s worked with such pop acts as the Grateful Dead, Sting and Bruce Hornsby. Many people know him best for his short tenure in the early 1990s as Jay Leno’s “Tonight Show” musical director. This concert is the first in Descanso’s new evening concert series. The Indigo Girls will perform Sept. 26.

Branford Marsalis, Descanso Gardens, 1418 Descanso Drive, La Canada Flintridge. Tonight, 7 p.m. $35-$40. (866) 468-3399.

EVENTS

Yachts mean big business

As it says on its Web site, “the Lido isn’t for everyone -- it’s an upscale show specifically for the buyers and sellers of big boats.” The 25th annual Lido Yacht Expo features nearly 200 vessels 26 feet and larger, including many multimillion-dollar luxury yachts, on display in the water. Booth exhibits are limited to serious marine products and services, such as financing, insurance and equipment -- no mops, food processors or vacuum cleaners -- geared toward owners of large vessels. See www.goboatingamerica.com.

25th annual Lido Yacht Expo, Lido Marina Village, Via Lido and Newport Boulevard, Newport Beach. Thursday, noon-7 p.m.; Friday, 11 a.m.-7 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. $10, 12 and younger free. (949) 757-5959.

POP MUSIC

Darkness descends

Old metal -- with its leaden riffage, ringing arpeggios and vocals you thought Freddie Mercury took with him to the great stadium in the sky -- is resurgent, and, really, could it possibly sound any more tired than nu-metal? The Darkness, a sneery foursome from Suffolk, has wailed its platinum debut album, “Permission to Land,” to No. 1 in Britain. They bring their little-bit-mindless but certainly-not-spineless act to the Sunset Strip on Monday night.

The Darkness, Roxy Theatre, 9009 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood. Monday, 8 p.m. $10. (310) 278-9457.

MOVIES

Drawing attention

Like a veritable circus of cinematic sparkle, “The Animation Show” rolls into town, exhibiting pleasures and surprises from the animated spectrum. Mike Judge (“Beavis & Butt-head” and “King of the Hill”) and Don Hertzfeldt (“Rejected”) present their own work alongside forgotten classics, recent Academy Award nominees and the latest in computer animation.

“The Animation Show,” unrated, opens Friday exclusively at the Regent Showcase, 614 N. La Brea Ave., Hollywood. (323) 934-2944.

COMEDY

Jeni will improvise

Richard Jeni’s rapid-fire commentary on the human condition has ensured him regular stand-up work at clubs and corporate gatherings, as well as the chops to write and star in four “HBO Comedy Hours,” including “Platypus Man” and “A Good Catholic Boy.” After performances earlier this year at the Irvine Improv and the Ice House in Pasadena, the Brooklyn native makes his final Southland stop of the year, with seven shows in four days at the Brea Improv.

Richard Jeni, Brea Improv, 120 S. Brea Blvd., Brea. Today, 7 p.m.; Friday, 8:30 and 10:30 p.m.; Saturday, 7, 9 and 11 p.m.; Sunday, 7 p.m. $20-$22. (714) 482-0700.

THEATER

A ‘Rough’ opening

“Rough Crossing,” Tom Stoppard’s adaptation of Ferenc Molnar’s “Play at the Castle,” tells the story of a 1930s musical comedy writing team and a young speech-impaired composer, who are trying to meet a tight deadline for a new work during a four-day trip across the Atlantic on an ocean liner.

“Rough Crossing,” Old Globe Theatre, 1363 Old Globe Way, Balboa Park, San Diego. Opens Today. Runs Tuesdays-Wednesdays, Sundays, 7 p.m.; Thursdays-Saturdays, 8 p.m.; Saturdays-Sundays, 2 p.m.; ends Oct. 26. $19-$52. (619) 239-2255.

ART

Paint the town red

This will truly be a night to remember: The Los Angeles County Museum of Art is opening its doors tonight and inviting the public to two of its most prestigious exhibitions: “French Masterworks” and “Modigliani & the Artists of Montparnasse.” The All Night Party at LACMA begins at 9 p.m. and continues until 7 a.m., with live music, food, prizes and absolutely no admission fees, providing a unique opportunity for Angelenos to celebrate art.

The All Night Party at LACMA, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 5905 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles. Tonight, 9 p.m.-7 a.m. Free. (323) 857-6010.

WORDS

It’s time to read

More than 175 authors, poets, actors and spoken-word artists join booksellers, literary organizations and vendors for West Hollywood’s annual book fair, Fall Into Reading. Actresses Marlee Matlin and Carol Channing, along with authors Janet Fitch, Kelly Lange, Michael Datcher, Trey Ellis and others, will be among participants.

Fall Into Reading, West Hollywood Park, 647 N. San Vicente Blvd., West Hollywood. Sunday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Free parking at the Pacific Design Center, 8687 Melrose Ave., West Hollywood. (323) 848-6422.

MUSIC

A salute to Americans

Known as the “cellist without borders,” Matt Haimowitz delighted local and national audiences last year by taking Bach’s Suites for Unaccompanied Cello into clubs that usually present rock or jazz acts. In his current “Anthem” tour, he’s concentrating on music by American composers, including Jimi Hendrix, whose version of the National Anthem gives Haimowitz the title of his tour.

Matt Haimowitz, Genghis Cohen, 704 N. Fairfax Ave., L.A. Friday, 8:30 and 10 p.m. $20. (323) 653-0640.