Weekend Forecast

TODAY

Piping up, mightily

The Los Angeles Philharmonic continues to show off the new Walt Disney Concert Hall pipe organ this weekend with Strauss’ mighty “Also Sprach Zarathustra.” The work rises to a now-familiar climax, thanks to Stanley Kubrick’s film “2001: A Space Odyssey.” Also on tap: the premiere of James MacMillan’s “A Scotch Bestiary.”

L.A. Philharmonic, Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., L.A. 8 p.m. $15-$125.

(323) 850-2000.

* Through Saturday

FRIDAY

Son makes choices

“The Inheritance” dramatizes the eternal struggle of human values to survive within the corporate infrastructure. Ulrich Thomsen stars as Christoffer, a young man who leaves the family steelworks to run a restaurant in Stockholm, but is summoned back to Copenhagen after his father commits suicide. Taking control of the company forces Christoffer to make difficult decisions and set aside personal happiness.

“The Inheritance,” unrated, opens Friday exclusively at Laemmle’s Music Hall, 9036 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, (310) 274-6869.

SATURDAY

Perez piece premieres

Postmodern dance pioneer Rudy Perez presents the premiere of “Double Play” on Saturday in the Pasadena City College men’s gymnasium as part of the Tender Land Festival. Performed by the Rudy Perez Performance Ensemble, the work is a collaboration with ensemble member Stefan Fabry, composer Jeff Boynton and dramaturge Strawn Bovee, who’ll be directing excerpts from the writings of Gertrude Stein. Stein is most famous, perhaps, for the phrase “A rose is a rose is a rose” (from “Sacred Emily”). But clearly, after 40 years of creative and often groundbreaking choreography, a Perez is a Perez is a Perez.

Rudy Perez Performance Ensemble in “Double Play,” men’s gymnasium, Pasadena City College, 1570 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. 5 p.m. Saturday. Free. (626) 793-8171.

Smooth jazz sax players

Saxophonists headline each day of the WaveFest, the annual celebration of smooth jazz sponsored by the Wave 94.7 (KTWV-FM). The lineup at the Greek Theatre is topped by Dave Koz on Saturday and Boney James on Sunday. Joining Koz on Saturday’s program will be balladeer Roberta Flack, the tandem of pianist-composer David Benoit and guitarist Russ Freeman, and singer-saxophonist Mindi Abair. Sunday’s show includes singer Brian McKnight, guitarist Marc Antoine and singer-guitarist Paul Brown.

WaveFest, Greek Theatre, 2700 Vermont Canyon Road, L.A. 5 p.m. $24.50-$129.50. (323) 665-1927.

* Saturday and Sunday

Vonnegut’s dark comedy

Actors’ Gang opens its 2004-05 season with Kurt Vonnegut’s first published play, “Happy Birthday, Wanda June,” a dark domestic comedy originally produced in 1970 as a Vietnam War protest. In this modern morality tale, inspired by Homer’s “The Odyssey,” stage and TV veteran William Russ plays big-game hunter Harold, and Leah Harrison plays his wife.

“Happy Birthday, Wanda June,” Actors’ Gang Theatre, 6209 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood. Opens Saturday. Runs 8 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays; ends Dec. 4. $25.

(323) 465-0566 Ext 15.

SUNDAY

Ride for autism

The original Easy Rider himself, Peter Fonda will lead a parade of motorcycles in the Easy Ride for Autism, from Marina Del Rey to Newport Beach, to raise funds for the Autism Society of America. At the ride’s end in Newport Beach, K-Earth 101 DJ Brian Beirne will host a concert by the classic rock group, the Kingsmen.

Easy Ride for Autism, Bartel’s Harley-Davidson, 4141 Lincoln Blvd., Marina del Rey (ending at Newport Dunes Resort, 1131 Back Bay Drive, Newport Beach). 9 a.m. registration, 10 a.m. ride on Sunday. $40 includes ride, concert and lunch; $10 concert only.

(818) 505-1104.

Jin’s words

In 1989, Chinese writer Ha Jin, then a literature student at a U.S. university, saw the televised images of the 1989 student massacre Tiananmen Square and thought twice about returning home. Since his immigration, he has produced critically acclaimed story collections, poetry and novels, including the National Book Award-winning novel, “Waiting.” Wordtheatre presents a brunch with Jin, followed by readings of his short stories by actors Ming Na and Michael Paul Chan. The author will also read from his new novel “War Trash.”

Brunch with Ha Jin, Lunaria, 10351 Santa Monica Blvd., West Los Angeles. 11 a.m. Sunday. $30. (310) 398-9999, Ext. 1, or www.wordtheatre.com.