A lot of things happen in Hart Park but what about a hoedown? That’s the question at Gaslight Melodrama Theatre with its new show, “Hoedown in Hart Park.”

Don’t let the Italian dialogue and operatic-style music intimidate you. "The Light in the Piazza," opening this weekend at The Empty Space, speaks the international language of love.

Great theater draws audiences into its stories, and Ovation aims to offer a captivating experience with its production of "Once."

Young performers prepare to head down the path of truth with the upcoming production of "Life School Musical" on Tuesday.

The talented art students of the Kern High School District have another chance to shine in the latest student art show at the Bakersfield Art Association Art Center.

What can you expect from a theatrical production of "The Wizard of Oz"?

We all know the presidents but how much do we know the women who stood behind them? Bakersfield Community Theatre’s “Tea for Three: Lady Bird, Pat & Betty” takes a look at three first ladies at a critical time for them in the White House.

For this First Friday of 2022, the Bakersfield Art Association is offering two exhibitions celebrating our community in different ways. 

There’s no telling what to expect in “The Mystery of Irma Vep,” a spoof of Gothic melodramas opening at Stars Playhouse.

Fresh off the sold-out run of Disney's "The Little Mermaid," director Frank Sierra is back at work casting for the upcoming "On Your Feet! The Story of Emilio and Gloria Estefan," which will also run at Stars Theatre Restaurant.

Art is meant to be enjoyed and shared, but sometimes that is easier said than done. 

The holidays aren't the only reason to celebrate this month for Spotlight Dance Academy. The local dance organization is also recognizing more than 10 years in operation with its "Beautiful Memories and New Beginnings" performance on Wednesday.

If you thought your family’s holiday dinner was endless, prepare for Thornton Wilder's version. This weekend, Stars Playhouse will present the playwright's "The Long Christmas Dinner" as well as two of his other shorter pieces.

If you haven’t had a chance to see "On the Edge: Los Angeles Art, 1970s — 1990s, from the Joan and Jack Quinn Family Collection" at the Bakersfield Museum of Art, take heart. The groundbreaking exhibition of artists who defined the L.A. art scene has been extended to run until April 2.

It is an exciting time of firsts at South High School as the theater department gets ready for its first Spartan production of the school year.

The Bakersfield Art Association and the Kern High School District have teamed up to highlight student work with a program that kicks off this Saturday.

For decades, "The Nutcracker" has been a local holiday tradition. While audiences see the dancers’ hard work pay off on stage, they may not realize the skilled hours put in behind the scenes with busy hands. Each year, dozens of costumes must be repaired or replaced to prepare for the annual…

Load up on the candy and maple syrup-topped spaghetti: "Elf" is coming to town by way of Ovation Theatre.

Prepare for a night at the opera by way of Cal State Bakersfield with "An Evening of Opera Scenes" on Thursday.

Wish you could be part of her world? Join Ariel and all of her friends when "The Little Mermaid" opens this weekend at Stars Theatre Restaurant.

In a season of in-your-face holiday cheer, Bakersfield Community Theatre is offering the lesser-known tale "Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus."

When is a holiday show not just a holiday show? When it’s part of an extravaganza. Gaslight Melodrama returns with its popular annual event offering "My Big Fat Country Christmas.”

On Thursday, the Bakersfield Museum of Art continues its celebration of its biggest art exhibition with an artist symposium featuring nine of the artists featured in the current show.

A larger-than-life adventure heads to The Empty Space this weekend with the opening of "Big Fish."

Audiences of all ages will enjoy laughs and lessons from "Noodle Doodle Box," a tale of friendship coming this weekend to the Dore Theatre at Cal State Bakersfield.

Age is just a number when it comes to the cast of Stars Theatre Restaurant's latest show. That's because everyone in "Wrinkles" is 55 or older.

Restaurants face so many challenges these days with staffing but do you ever think much about the actual staff? The back-of-house workers get their moment center stage in "My Mañana Comes," opening this weekend at Stars Playhouse.

Artist David Gordon aims to show viewers "Where Peace Lies" with his latest show, but the answer is simple: Pine Mountain Club. The small mountain town's Artworks Community Gallery is featuring the artist's work.

Giving Greek tragedy a modern spin is the Virtual Repertory Theatre Collective, which will present the trilogy "The Oresteia" this weekend via Zoom.

Each year, the Bakersfield Museum of Art concludes its season of Art After Dark with a surrealist masquerade. This week’s event is even more surreal thanks to the screening of “Steven Arnold: Heavenly Bodies” about the multimedia artist who was also a protege of Salvador Dali.

Back in the theater for their first, live full-length performance in nearly two years, the Centennial High School Advanced Theatre students are presenting the iconic Tony- and Pulitzer-winning musical "A Chorus Line" starting this week.

The Bakersfield Museum of Art announced the winners from this year's Via Arte Italian Street Painting Festival, which took place last weekend at The Marketplace.

With so many unknowns in the world these days, it might be nice to enjoy a good whodunit with some resolution — and laughs to boot. Amateur detectives can begin the investigation this weekend with "Clue" at Ovation Theatre.

College years can be tough on any young adult, but the challenges facing many first-generation students can be unique. Often the first in their families to pursue higher education, they balance the demands of family and heritage with courses and work. That journey is explored in the new show…

Don't let those how-to books fool you: There is no simple formula for creating original works. Having creative friends can make the difference, as "Girls Kill Nazis" playwright James Kopp learned a few years ago.

After a modified event last year, Via Arte returns to The Marketplace this weekend with more artists — of all ages — to honor the tradition of Italian street painting.

When an 8-foot-tall, 800-pound bronze roadrunner is unveiled outside the Icardo Center at CSUB on Thursday, families of the region will receive a gift that will last generations: a stunning piece of public art created by one of the most acclaimed sculptors in the United States.

If the idea of heading out for a night of live theater fills you with joy, embrace the spirit and head to "Godspell," which opens Friday at Stars Theatre Restaurant. 

Master entertainer and magician Kenrick "Ice" McDonald returns to perform in Bakersfield on Monday as part of the "Celebrities of Magic" series.

After an 18-month absence of in-person performances, Bakersfield Community Theatre is ready to launch its 94th season on Friday with the premiere of "Deathtrap."

Even if the temperatures rise again this weekend, we’ve had a real taste of fall weather and we’re ready for it. Art is all around downtown Bakersfield for this First Friday. 

Like many fascinating stories, this one starts with two dynamic women. One a nexus of the California contemporary art scene and the other a passionate advocate for the arts in her hometown. Both are united by a desire to celebrate what defines the California art scene.

Unlike Fight Club — where the first rule is not to talk about it — the Kern Shakespeare Festival is taking the opposite approach: Tell everybody about it.

Whether you always pitied those "Poor Unfortunate Souls" or just wanted to live "Under the Sea," Stars Theatre Restaurant has a role for you.

On Saturday, more than 1,000 museums — including two in Bakersfield — across the country will offer free admission as part of a campaign to promote the value of cultural experiences.

When monsters take the stage at Gaslight Melodrama this weekend, there’s no need to fear — they’re bringing the laughs. Just in time for the Halloween season, the theater presents “The Mummy Knows Best,” a comedic adventure of classic Universal monsters.

If anyone can find beauty and meaning in a time of uncertainty, it would surely be artists. Along with guiding burgeoning artists, instructors at Bakersfield College have found time to create their own works, which are on display now at the Wylie and May Louise Jones Gallery.

If you're not feeling OK these days, that's perfectly OK. And there are people and local programs ready to help. That's part of the message that Kern Behavioral Health & Recovery Services is sharing through its everGREEN mural project, which will have its first unveiling on Friday.