Curtain Calls: March performing arts performances

Performances coming to San Diego this month include Dancing with the Stars Live, Chaps!, Balanchine Masterpieces and The Illusionists.

3.4: Dancing With the Stars Live: A Night to Remember

The ABC dance series trades the small screen for the live stage during the Escondido visit of this national tour, showcasing such TV faves as Jenna Johnson and Britt Stewart.

California Center for the Arts, Escondido, 340 N. Escondido Blvd., Escondido, 800.988.4253, artcenter.org

3.5-4.14: Chaps!

British humor meets twangy country tunes in the musical comedy about a bunch of BBC types who find themselves posing as singing cowboys for a radio broadcast.

Lamb’s Players Theatre, 1142 Orange Ave., Coronado, 619.437.6000, lambsplayers.org

3.6-4.20: Angels in America

Cygnet will stage both parts of Tony Kushner’s American masterwork, a Pulitzer Prize-winning chronicle of our country in the time of the AIDS crisis.

Cygnet Theatre, 4040 Twiggs St., Old Town, 619.337.1525, cygnettheatre.com

3.8-10: Balanchine Masterpieces

The City Ballet Orchestra accompanies performances of three key works by the late dance giant: Apollo, Rubies From Jewels and The Four Temperaments.

City Ballet, Spreckels Theatre, 121 Broadway, downtown, 858.272.8663, cityballet.org

3.9-10: POP Tour 2019: Light Years Away

Laura Schellhardt’s story of fifth-graders in space is the latest Playhouse-commissioned piece for the youth-minded Performance Outreach Program tour, which lands back in La Jolla for two days of public performances.

La Jolla Playhouse, 2910 La Jolla Village Dr., La Jolla, 858.550.1010, lajollaplayhouse.org

3.21-4.21: Hedwig and the Angry Inch

Diversionary has cast the gender non-binary actor Jeremy Wilson in the title role of this brash, funny and hard-hitting rock musical about a bruised but indomitable singer; the show marks its 20^th anniversary this year.

Diversionary Theatre, 4545 Park Blvd., University Heights, 619.220.0097, diversionary.org

3.22-4.28: Life After

Globe artistic chief Barry Edelstein directs the American premiere of the rising writer-composer-lyricist Britta Johnson’s musical about a teenage girl looking for answers after losing her father.

Old Globe Theatre, Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage, 1363 Old Globe Way, Balboa Park, 619.234.5623, theoldglobe.org

3.28-4.14: Mr. and Mrs. Fitch

The small but gutsy Backyard Renaissance – just named to a second term as La Jolla Playhouse’s resident theater company – puts up Douglas Carter Beane’s biting saga of two aging gossip columnists.

Backyard Renaissance at Moxie Theatre, 6663 El Cajon Blvd., Rolando District, backyardrenaissance.com

3.30-4.7: Carmen

The opera returns to composer Georges Bizet’s durable favorite – a story of love, jealousy and betrayal set in 19^th-century Spain. Ginger Costa-Jackson takes on the title role.

San Diego Opera, San Diego Civic Theatre, 1100 Third Ave., downtown, 619.533.7000, sdopera.org

3.30: Dance Gallery

Emerging choreographers take the spotlight in this mixed-rep program, directed by longtime San Diego Ballet artistic leader Javier Velasco.

San Diego Ballet, White Box Live Arts, 2590 Truxtun Rd., No. 205, Liberty Station, 619.294.7378, sandiegoballet.org

3.30: The Empire Strips Back: A Burlesque Parody

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, sexy Stormtroopers and scantily clad Droids performed a seductive striptease set to music from artists like INXS and Run DMC. Okay, maybe that isn’t exactly how the beloved movie franchise went, but this theatrical take combines song and dance, troupe routines and comedy for an experience that’s out of this world.

Click here to enter to win a pair of tickets to The Empire Strips Back: A Burlesque Parody.

Balboa Theatre, 868 Fourth Ave., downtown
619.570.1100, empirestripsback.com

3.30: The Illusionists — Live From Broadway

The ever-popular touring magic show materializes in Temecula, featuring six top-flight illusionists who stand poised to pull tricks, stunts and “acts of breathtaking wonder” out of their hats. (It’s unclear if there’s also a bunny in there somewhere.)

Pechanga Resort & Casino, 45000 Pechanga Pkwy., Temecula, 888.810.8871, pechanga.com