Saturday
What is she, a clown to you? Actually, yeah. Former Ringling Bros. Circus clown and cancer survivor Jonna Tamases turns to comedy to tell her survival story in “Jonna’s Body, Please Hold.” She performs her funny one-woman show tonight at the Odyssey Theatre.Runs through Sept. 28. 8 p.m. (Thursday-Saturday), 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. (Sunday). $22.50. 2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd., West Los Angeles. (310) 477-2055.
Sunday
Vanessa Paloma is a one-woman band performing “Sephardic Songs of the Sea” today at the Workmen’s Circle. Paloma’s soprano will mingle with medieval harp, sinfonia, guitarrita and percussion in this program of old Ladino music with lyrics that use the sea as a metaphor.4 p.m. $8-$10. 1525 S. Robertson Blvd., Los Angeles. (310) 552-2007.
Monday
If you’ve got some free time today, the LisaKudrow/Damon Wayans culture-clash comedy “Marci X” has just landed in theaters.In a story some are describing as “JAP Meets Rap,” a young lady of the Jewishpersuasion must take over her father’s hard core rap music label. While we’veheard it’s equal parts “Legally Blonde,” “Bringing Down the House” and oy vey,we’ll leave it to you to decide.
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Tuesday
The name may have changed, but the players are still thesame. What was once Doctober is now InFACT, but the International DocumentaryAssociation’s theatrical documentary showcase still highlights some of the best.This week, it takes over the Arclight, screening films like “Sunset Story” and”Love in an Elevator,” which both focus on the elderly, and “Milton Rogovin: TheForgotten Ones,” about the celebrated Jewish photographer. Runs Aug. 22-28.$9-$11 (individual tickets), $85 (festival pass). 6360 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood.(213) 534-3600, ext. 7438.
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Wednesday
The discovery of a little-known Holocaust story becamethe source of inspiration for conductor Murry Sidlin. In 1944, about 150starving prisoners of Terezin concentration camp performed Verdi’s Requiem fortheir fellow prisoners and Nazi guards. After much research and interviews withthe few remaining survivors, Sidlin set about creating a performance tributethat would tell the story. His “Defiant Requiem: Verdi at Terezin” combines theorchestral music and choral singing of Verdi’s original work with video clips ofSidlin’s interviews, dramatic reenactments, archival film and narrative. It airson PBS tonight. 8 p.m. www.kcet.org
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Thursday
The Anti-Defamation League kicks off its Dream Dialogue Youth Program’s “Faces of L.A.” photo exhibit with a reception at MTV Networks this evening. The program is aimed at bringing together a diverse group of young people to develop teen leadership skills and have them collaborate on a social-action project of their choosing. The latest group has chosen to document cultural diversity with “Faces of L.A.”6:30 p.m. Free (high school students with I.D.), $100 (adults). 1633 26th St., Santa Monica. R.S.V.P., (310) 446-8000, ext. 241.
Friday
One more documentary this week. “The Weather Underground” hits the Nuart Theatre today. Directed by Sam Green and Bill Siegel, the doc follows the story of the controversial group The Weathermen, a splinter group of the Students for a Democratic Society formed in 1969. Engaging in militant actions as a means towards ending racism, the Vietnam war and inequalities in America, the Weathermen planned and executed numerous bombings, placing them on the FBI’s Most Wanted list and sending them into hiding with a new name — the Weather Underground. The film includes extensive archival material as well as recent interviews with many of the group’s original members.$7-$9.25. Landmark’s Nuart Theatre, 11272 Santa Monica Blvd., West Los Angeles. (310) 478-6379.
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