In The Arts

Comedian Rita Rudner coming to Playhouse

Comedian and New York Times best-selling author Rita Rudner will perform in a three-day stand-up show, "Rita Rudner: Act 3," at the Laguna Playhouse.

Rudner performs at 7 p.m. Aug. 24 to Aug. 26.

The show also will feature the musical elements of Orange County singer Sasha Evans, according to a press release.

"Our summer at the Laguna Playhouse wouldn't be complete without the return of Rita Rudner and her first-class brand of comedy," Playhouse Artistic Director Ann E. Wareham said in a statement. "With the inclusion of local singer-songwriter Sasha Evans, we'll pump up the volume a bit for this year's engagement. It will be a fine and fabulous evening of entertainment!"

Tickets are $65 and $55, and can be bought at http://www.lagunaplayhouse.com or by calling (949) 497-2787.

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Festival's next discussion on film and video

The Festival of Arts will host its "Art Talk: A Lecture Series" from noon to 1 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday, discussing video and film as an art form, according to a press release.

Festival of Arts exhibitor and videographer Rick Graves will lead an expose on the evolution of video arts on Tuesday. Martin Betz, director of exhibits for the Festival, and editor Russell Sasaki will join the discussion.

James Irvine Swinden, president of the Irvine Museum, will discuss the museum's history and how it assembled its collections on Thursday.

"Video art and filmmaking is wide open right now," Graves said in a statement. "Video is totally accessible to everyone, from children to seniors. If you have a story in you, all the technology and opportunity is there to go tell it through video, even with the most modest budget."

Art Talk is free with Festival admission. For more information, call (949) 494-1145 or visit http://www.LagunaFestivalofArts.org.

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Festival's foundation awards grant to community band

The Laguna Community Concert Band was given a $5,000 grant for 2012 from the Festival of Arts Foundation to help support the band's growth, education of its members and to assist in the band's scholarship program for local high school students, according to a news release.

The band was formed in 1998 with eight members from the Laguna Beach Recreation Department. It now counts 65-plus members in its ensemble, according to the press release.