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L.A. Phil’s 100th birthday bash: Your quarantine must-watch of the day

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Couldn’t score a ticket to the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s big 100th birthday bash in October? Or you did but would like to relive the experience? You’re in luck.

The PBS series “Great Performances” is presenting “LA Phil 100,” an episode showcasing the orchestra’s centennial celebration. The gala concert featured Music and Artistic Director Gustavo Dudamel and his predecessors, conductor laureate Esa-Pekka Salonen and conductor emeritus Zubin Mehta. The wide-ranging program includes works by Wagner, Ravel, Stravinsky and Lutoslawski, and all three conductors shared the stage for the world premiere of Daníel Bjarnason’s “From Space I Saw Earth.”

You can watch the episode, for free, at 8:30 p.m. Friday on local PBS station KOCE as well as at pbssocal.org; it also will be streamable Friday night and afterward on the PBS app.

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There are other ways to engage with a little culture during your coronavirus quarantine. We’ll keep sharing picks for streaming concerts, online musicals, virtual art exhibitions and more. Here’s Friday’s list, all times Pacific.

“The King and I”
Playbill hosts a watch party for a filmed version of the Lincoln Center Theater revival of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical. The production stars Ken Watanabe and Tony winner Kelli O’Hara. 5 p.m. Friday; available for 48 hours. Free. broadwayhd.com. (Viewers can follow along for trivia and giveaways on the Twitter accounts @Playbill and @RnH_Org and on Instagram @rodgersandhammerstein)

“La Bohème”
Legendary tenor Luciano Pavarotti and soprano Renata Scotto star in the Metropolitan Opera’s 1977 production of the Puccini favorite about artistic types scraping by in Paris. Available 4:30 p.m. Friday to 3:30 p.m. Saturday. Free. metopera.org

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“Gruesome Playground Injuries”
Rose Byrne (“Mrs. America”) headlines a live reading of Rajiv Joseph’s comedy-drama that follows two childhood friends over three decades. 5:30 p.m. Friday. Free. youtube.com

NHM First Fridays Connected: The Future Is Now
The online version of the Natural History Museum’s monthly salon series includes a panel discussion of the future of architecture moderated by The Times’ Patt Morrison, plus a dinosaur quiz and a performance by La Santa Cecilia vocalist La Marisoul. 5 p.m. Friday. Free; requires Zoom. Register at nhm.org

“The Shape of Things”
Tony winner Lena Hall (“Hedwig and the Angry Inch”) headlines a live reading of Neil LaBute’s dark comedy about an unassuming college student who falls for a beguiling art major. 4 p.m. Friday. Free; $5 recommended donation, with proceeds benefiting the Actors Fund. theshapeofthingsactorsfund.com

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Crazy Woke Asians Virtual Comedy Festival
Asian American comics and singers perform in this three-night variety show split into 60- to 90-minute segments. 5:30 to 11 p.m. Friday, 3 to 11 p.m. Saturday, 5 to 10 p.m. Sunday. $10 per segment; unlimited access, $75. crazywokeasians.com

“Hitler’s Tasters”
Four young German women are enlisted to sample the Nazi leader’s food to make sure it hasn’t been poisoned in Michelle Kholos Brooks’ dark comedy, filmed during the play’s run at the Electric Lodge in Venice in March. $15. eventbrite.com

“The Groundlings 45th Anniversary Show: Night 1”
Alumni including Mindy Sterling (“Austin Powers”) and Phil LaMarr (“MadTV”) are featured in this 2019 performance at the sketch-comedy school and theater in Hollywood. $5 for a 48-hour rental from 3 p.m. Friday through 3 p.m. Sunday. vimeo.com

Virtual Fringe Cabaret
The Hollywood Fringe Festival hosts an online variety show featuring comedy, music, dance and more. 8 p.m. Friday. Free. youtube.com

Offstage With the Los Angeles Master Chorale
Artistic director Grant Gershon and associate conductor Jenny Wong chat with acclaimed theater artist Peter Sellars in this new installment. 5 p.m. Friday; available anytime afterward. Free. lamasterchorale.org

Each day’s recommendations are indexed in the same place where our regular event listings (sigh) used to post.

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