BRIEFLY IN ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

Art Escapes continue into March

Laguna Outreach for Community Arts continues its Art Escapes Monday workshop series into March with the teachings of Jacquie Moffett and Mada Leach.

On March 5 and 12, Moffett will teach a two-week outdoor watercolor painting class in the Aliso Creek Inn’s canyon area; the first week will involve site sketching and planning a painting, and the second will develop the sketches into a watercolor under Moffett’s instruction.

On March 19, Leach will lead a hands-on class in papermaking and casting papers into molds; students will take home both paper and casts.

The following week, she will demonstrate and lead a workshop in marbleizing and in creating paste papers for collage projects.

Classes are held at the Aliso Creek Inn, 31106 So. Coast Highway, from 9 a.m. to noon. There is a $35 per class fee, which includes materials; space is limited to 12 students per class.

Pre-registration is required to guarantee a space; call (949) 363-4700 for more information.

Gallimaufry to hold auditions

Gallimaufry Performing Arts will be holding auditions for two upcoming productions — the musical concert “Harlem Renaissance” and the play “Six Degrees of Separation” — March 10 and 11 at the Boys & Girls’ Clubs of Laguna Beach, located at 1085 Laguna Canyon Road.

Male and female dancers are sought for “Harlem Renaissance,” a musical concert with song and dance from the 1910s to 1930s. The show will feature Tony Award-nominated actress Jonelle Allen and a live jazz orchestra presenting the music of Eubie Blake, Fats Waller and Duke Ellington.

Produced and directed by Steve Josephson, with choreography by Ellen Prince, the production will begin rehearsals on March 12. Performances run April 13 and 14 at the Clubhouse Three Auditorium in Laguna Woods and April 28 on Laguna’s Main Beach. Dance auditions will be held at 2 p.m. March 11 (doors open at 1:30 p.m. for warm-up). Wear clothing that allows movement.

Actor auditions for “Six Degrees of Separation” are by appointment only, and will be held March 10 at 10 a.m. Directed by Steve Josephson, the production will begin rehearsals March 14 and will perform April 27-29 at the Forum Theatre in Laguna Beach.

Actors are asked to be familiar with either the play or movie, prepare a two-minute or less monologue and be prepared to read from the script. Sides (script excerpts) will be available; please bring current picture and resume; nonunion actors only.

Call (949) 499-5060 for an appointment, which will be given on a first-come, first-served basis. For additional information on each show, call the number above or visit www.gallimaufry.info.

Flutist, guitarist to perform at gallery

The duo of flutist Susan Fries and classical guitarist Richard Glenn will perform in the First Sundays series at 3 p.m. March 4. They will play works by Vivaldi, Telemann, Giuliani, Mozart, deRoxlo, Tarrega, Demillac, Poulenc and Ibert.

First Sundays is a free afternoon of music and art presented by Laguna Beach Live! and the Laguna College of Art & Design, 2222 Laguna Canyon Road in Laguna Beach.

The College Art Gallery will not be open as it prepares for the annual Color It Orange exhibition.

Fries performs in chamber ensembles, symphony, opera and ballet orchestras. She has performed with the Detroit Symphony and Philadelphia Lyric Opera; has toured with American Ballet Theatre and New York City Opera; participated in benefit concerts with members of the Metropolitan Opera; played numerous European concert tours; and soloed on Hollywood film and television soundtracks.

Fries will be joined by classical guitarist Glenn, who specializes in early music and is a member of the Harmonia Baroque Players. Glenn teaches at Concordia University and has taught guitar and lute in the greater Southern California region for more than 20 years.

The series continues through May; a schedule is available online at www.lagunabeachlive.org.

Chinese artist depicts Yi people

Li Dongming’s “Since Life’s Beginning” exhibition will debut March 10 at Mandarin Fine Art Gallery, where it will run through April 30.

Dongming’s paintings depict the lives of the Yi people of a remote mountain in China.

The opening reception will be held from 6 to 9 p.m., March 10, at the gallery, 1294 So. Coast Highway. To RSVP, call (949) 376-9608 or e-mail info@mandarinfineart.com

Buddhist sculpture lecture Sunday

Rohrer Fine Art will host Asian Art expert Meher McArthur, who will give a lecture at 1:30 p.m. Sunday on the Buddhist sculpture of Gandhara.

Early in the first millennium AD, Gandhara, the region of present-day Pakistan and Afghanistan, was the birthplace of some of the earliest images of Buddha. A blend of converging cultures — including Indian, Aryan, Bactrian, Persian and Greek — led to the development of a unique artistic style.

Using the examples of Gandharan sculpture on display at Rohrer, McArthur will illustrate the development and characteristics of this historic art.

An RSVP is required for the lecture, as seating is limited; e-mail Jennifer@rohrerfineart.com or call (949) 494-8200.

‘Clay and Play’ workshop at Festival

The Festival of Arts, 650 Laguna Canyon Road, will offer the second in a series of ceramics workshops from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., March 10.

The workshop will be led by 32-year festival exhibitor Walter Reiss, who stretches and distorts clay, resulting in highly manipulated objects and forms.

During the “Clay and Play” workshop, Reiss will present various hand-building ceramic techniques suitable for students of any level.

The ceramic workshop is $50 plus materials; for reservations, call (949) 494-1145, ext. 206.