WEEKEND FORECAST

TODAY

THEATER

Revisiting ‘Hippolytos’

Director Stephen Sachs stages poet and classicist Anne Carson’s new translation of Euripides’ ancient tragedy “Hippolytos,” based on the Greek myth about a woman’s doomed love for her stepson. Paul Moore and Linda Purl head the cast; music is by composer David O. Staged outdoors, the play runs in conjunction with the exhibition “Enduring Myth: The Tragedy of Hippolytos and Phaidra.”

“Hippolytos,” Getty Villa, 17985 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu. Opens 8 p.m. today. $38. (310) 440-7300. www.getty.edu

Runs 8 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays. Ends Sept. 30.

FRIDAY

EVENTS

Your ship has come in

The Ocean Institute’s 22nd annual Tall Ships Festival will offer a wide variety of family fun, including a parade of vessels entering Dana Point Harbor (viewable from shore or, for an extra charge, onboard), ship tours and a chance to participate in one of the nautical cannon battles planned over the weekend. This annual gathering of tall ships, one of the largest on the West Coast, will also have sea chantey concerts and other live music performances, arts, crafts, storytelling, maritime displays, living history demonstrations, food and other attractions

Tall Ships Festival, Ocean Institute, 24200 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point, 5 to 7 p.m. Friday. Festival admission, $5 to $8; ship rides range from $25 to $55, reservations required. (949) 496-2274; www.tallshipsfestival.com

* Also 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

MUSIC

A country influence

Willie Nelson is no stranger to orchestral arrangements, but this is the first time he’s brought his panoramic view of pop to the Hollywood Bowl stage with the backing of the Los Angeles Philharmonic (conducted by pop orchestrator par excellence David Campbell). After two nights of that, Nelson joins Ryan Adams (his collaborator on his upcoming album) and Neko Case in an installment of the summer’s world music series.

Willie Nelson, Hollywood Bowl, 2301 N. Highland Ave. L.A., 8:30 p.m. Friday. $5 to $145. (323) 850-2000.

* Also 8:30 p.m. Saturday.

* Also Sunday, 7 p.m., with Ryan Adams and Neko Case. $5 to $120.

THEATER

Challenging status quo

“Nothing Sacred,” Canadian playwright George F. Walker’s seriocomedy based on Ivan Turgenev’s novel, “Fathers and Sons,” follows a young rebel in 1860s Russia who seeks to overturn sacredly held principles of the establishment. Martin Benson directs.

“Nothing Sacred,” South Coast Repertory, Segerstrom Stage, 655 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. Opens 8 p.m. Friday. $28 to $60, except the 2:30 p.m. performance this Saturday is pay-what-you-will. (714) 708-5555; www.scr.org* Runs 7:30 p.m. Sundays and Tuesdays, 8 p.m. Wednesdays to Saturdays; 2:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays; ASL-interpreted for the deaf, 2:30 p.m. Oct. 7. Ends Oct. 8.

DANCE

Imagine the possibilities

Orange County’s award-winning contemporary ensemble, Backhausdance, presents an evening of works by Jennifer Backhaus in the Martha B. Knoebel Dance Theatre at Cal State Long Beach. Featured pieces are “Love and Other Impossibilities” to recordings by Pink Martini and the brand new “eXit.” Percussionist Erik Leckrone created the original score for “eXit” and will perform it with the company.

Backhausdance, Martha B. Knoebel Dance Theatre, Cal State Long Beach, 6200 Atherton St., Long Beach. 8 p.m. Friday. $20 (students, seniors) and $25. (714) 639-1657; www.backhausdance.org.

* Also 8 p.m. Saturday.

MOVIES

Jumbled connections

“Mutual Appreciation,” Andrew Bujalski’s follow-up to “Funny Ha Ha,” continues the director’s exploration of inertial angst of twentysomethings trying to connect, this time focusing on a would-be musician (Justin Rice), the unrequited attentions of a female radio DJ (Seung-Min Lee) who champions his work, and his shared attraction with the girlfriend (Rachel Clift) of his best bud (Bujalski).

“Mutual Appreciation” opens Friday exclusively at the Sunset 5, 8000 Sunset Blvd. (323) 848-3500; Playhouse 7, 673 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. (626) 844-6500.

SATURDAY

BOOKS

50 years of recipes and knowledge

Macaroni and cheese is the epitome of blah, right? Not so, according to Bon Appetit, the 50-year-old magazine dedicated to retooling old staples. Forget about your nephew’s mac made with orange powder; think bleu cheese, celery and red peppers. “The Bon Appetit Cookbook,” edited and presented by editor-in-chief Barbara Fairchild, is stuffed with more than 1,200 recipes, plus test-kitchen secrets and photos, from the magazine’s sophisticated but accessible repertoire.

Barbara Fairchild, Dutton’s, 447 N. Canon Drive, Beverly Hills. 3 p.m. Saturday. (310) 281-0997.

ART

From L.A., with effect

Patricia Faure Gallery opens the season with two L.A.-based artists. Painter Andy Moses commemorates his 20-year working relationship with gallery owner Faure with a series of large abstract landscapes on concave and convex canvases. Alongside Moses’ exhibition is “Frank’s Drawings: Eight Museums by Gehry,” a selection of drawings by starchitect Frank O. Gehry from some of his major projects, including the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain, the Samsung Museum of Modern Art in Seoul and the Art Gallery of Ontario in Toronto.

“Andy Moses” and “Frank’s Drawings: Eight Museums by Gehry,” Patricia Faure Gallery, Bergamot Station, 2525 Michigan Ave. B7, Santa Monica. Opens Saturday. (310) 449-1479.

* Hours: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. Ends Oct. 14.

SUNDAY

JAZZ

Adding adventure

The Great American Songbook -- with its multitude of tunes by Gershwin, Berlin, Porter, Ellington, Kern and others -- has long been the foundation of the jazz repertoire. But times are changing. Singer Carmen Lundy and the New Songbook Artists are dedicated to creating compositions that open new musical pathways while retaining a firm connection with tradition. And with the quality and experience in the ensemble’s lineup of players, the results should be both far-reaching and adventurous. Among the other headliners: pianists Robert Glasper and Billy Childs, trombonist (and conch shell innovator) Steve Turre, guitarist Phil Upchurch, alto saxophonist Bobby Watson and a cluster of all-star rhythm players.

Carmen Lundy and the New Songbook Artists, Ford Amphitheatre, 2580 Cahuenga Blvd. East, Hollywood. 7 p.m. Sunday. $30; $12 (children). (323) 461-3673.

MUSEUMS

A driven art form

In the last 15 years, April Greiman staged a number of drive-bys through Asia, Europe, the Middle East and North America. Armed with her camera and while in motion, the L.A.-based computer artist and graphic designer captured images -- many from her car -- of people, architecture and natural landscapes. The exhibition “Drive-by Shooting: April Greiman Digital Photography” features 25 large-scale prints suspended throughout the ceiling of the Pasadena Museum of California Art’s main gallery.

“Drive-by Shooting: April Greiman Digital Photography,” Pasadena Museum of California Art, 490 E. Union St., Pasadena. Opens Sunday. $4 to $6. (626) 568-3665.

* Hours: Noon to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays. Ends Oct. 8.

WEDNESDAY

THEATER

Coping with a big loss

The West Coast premiere of “Rabbit Hole,” David Lindsay-Abaire’s exploration of loss and redemption, opens the Geffen’s 2006-07 season. When a suburban couple faces an unthinkable loss, the entire family must try to navigate through the debris of shattered lives and pick up the pieces. After opening on Broadway, “Rabbit Hole” was nominated for five Tonys, including best play.

“Rabbit Hole,” Geffen Playhouse, 10886 Le Conte Ave., Westwood. Opens 7:30 p.m. Wednesday. $35 to $69. (310) 208-5454, www.GeffenPlayhouse.com

Runs 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays to Thursdays, 8 p.m. Fridays, 4 and 8:30 p.m. Saturdays; 2 and 7 p.m. Sundays. Ends Oct. 22.