MAY IN LA: GETTY'S "EMERGENCE", GEFFEN'S "EMERGENCY"

Being wordsmiths with a word jones, we couldn't resist two current events that are not only high caliber but highly similar in venue name and work title: Emergence at the Getty and Emergency at the Geffen.

Bill Viola's Emergence is at the Getty Center until June 15th. Getty Museum - 1200 Getty Center Drive - Los Angeles (Brentwood area) - Bill Viola's video installation Emergence (source: Metromix).

Meanwhile, at the Geffen Playhouse, the one man show Emergency is having its West Coast Premiere and runs until May 25th. Award-winning artist Daniel Beaty portrays a cast of 40 characters who all respond to a stunning phenomenon. A slave ship rises out of the Hudson River in front of the Statue of Liberty sending the nation into a whirlwind of emotion and exploration in this solo tour de force featuring slam poetry, multi-character transformation and song. In his critically acclaimed one-man show, Beaty takes us on our own 400-year journey in order to see a clear picture of where we stand now. Through the character's various testimonies on identity and personal freedom, Emergency weaves a stirring commentary on modern black life. Performance Schedule: Tuesday – Thursday: 7:30 pm, Friday: 8:00 pm, Saturday: 4:00 pm & 8:30pm, Sunday: 2:00 pm & 7:00pm. Ticket Price $35.00-$74.00. (source: Geffen Playhouse website).