Calendar Picks and Clicks: July 7-13, 2012

SUN | JULY 8

“HAVA”
L.A. performance artist and avant-garde clown April Hava Shenkman channels the comedy queens of Hollywood’s golden age for advice and wisdom. Follow Shenkman’s pursuit of happiness in this one-woman, cabaret-style performance. Sun. Through July 29. 9-10 p.m. $10. Atwater Crossing, The Platform at ATX Kitchen, 3245 Casitas Ave., Los Angeles. (323) 284-8265. atwatercrossing.com.

MON | JULY 9

“AN EVENING WITH MAYIM BIALIK”
She’s a neuroscientist in real life and plays one on TV. The “Big Bang Theory” actress appears in conversation tonight with Huffington Post senior science writer Cara Santa Maria to discuss acting, the frontiers of brain research and the role of women in science. Mon. 7:30 p.m. Free. Museum of Contemporary Art, 250 S. Grand Ave., downtown. zocalopublicsquare.org.

TUE | JULY 10

LEONARD SLATKIN
The seven-time Grammy winner opens the Tuesday Classics series at the Hollywood Bowl with a performance of Beethoven’s masterpiece “Symphony No. 9,” featuring the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Los Angeles Master Chorale, soprano Rachel Willis-Sørensen, mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke, tenor Gordon Gietz and bass-baritone Christian van Horn. A collaboration with the Getty Center features imagery by video artist Hermon Kolgen inspired by Gustav Klimt’s “Beethoven Frieze,” which will accompany the epic “Ode to Joy” finale. The evening includes contemporary works by composers Anna Clyne (“Rewind”), Anne LeBaron (“American Icons”) and Cindy McTee (“Tempus Fugit”). Tue. 8 p.m. $1-$133. Hollywood Bowl, 2301 N. Highland Ave., Hollywood. (323) 850-2000. hollywoodbowl.com.

WED | JULY 11

LEGENDARY BINGO BASH 2012
Join host Bingo-boy and a fabulous drag queen hostess tonight for Legendary Bingo at Hamburger Mary’s, which benefits National Council of Jewish Women’s Women Helping Children. A full menu and bar provide fuel, and admission includes 10 regular and two grand-prize bingo game cards. Wed. 7-8:30 p.m. $20 (door, cash only). Hamburger Mary’s, 8288 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood. RSVP, (323) 654-8275. ncjwla.org.

THU | JULY 12

BEIT T’SHUVAH CHARITY DESIGN PROJECT
Sleek and stylish renovations at Beit T’Shuvah, a residential addiction treatment center, include newly tiled floors, window treatments and refurbished vintage furniture, among the improvements to its 40-plus bedrooms. Today’s grand reveal and open house invites the community to celebrate the efforts of Designed From the Heart’s founding chair Heidi Bendetson, vice chair Rhonda Snyder and 70 volunteer designers, who donated time, services and money to remodel the recovery center — an extreme makeover that benefits the temporary home for 80 men and women. Hors d’oeuvres served. Thu. 6-9 p.m. Free. Beit T’Shuvah, 8831 Venice Blvd., Los Angeles. (310) 204-6200. beittshuvah.org.

FRI | JULY 13

“LOST IN JOSHUA TREE”
In 2010, poet and real estate broker Ed Rosenthal took off on a two-hour hike in the Mojave Desert, lost his way and spent six days without food and water before being rescued. During tonight’s presentation, Rosenthal uses mixed media to recount his life-changing experience and Cindy Bousquet Harris reads from her collection of poems inspired by Rosenthal’s near-tragedy. Fri. 7:30 p.m. Free. Beyond Baroque Literary/Arts Center, 681 Venice Blvd., Venice. (310) 822-3006. beyondbaroque.org.

“STEPHEN SONDHEIM: IN CONVERSATION”
A masterful composer-lyricist, Sondheim appears in person and shares anecdotes about his life and career with Michael A. Kerker, musical theater director for the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Broadway stars Christine Ebersole and Brian Stokes Mitchell perform some of Sondheim’s most beloved songs. Fri. 8 p.m. $35-$99. Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. (714) 556-2787. scfta.org.

“INTO THE NIGHT: PLAYTIME”
Stay up late with the Skirball to celebrate music and games. Performances include indie folk band Sea Wolf, San Francisco’s synth-rock trio Geographer and KCRW’s DJ Anthony Valadez. Enjoy a museum-wide scavenger hunt, crafts with Julianna Parr of CraftNight at Akbar, balloon art, puppets, board games, experimental video games from UCLA’s Game Lab and a screening of French filmmaker Jacques Tati’s comedic masterwork “Play Time.” A cash bar features signature specialty cocktails. 21 and over. Fri. 9 p.m.-1 a.m. $15 (advance), $20 (door). Skirball Cultural Center, 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles. (310) 440-4500. skirball.org.