Here is a list of new plays, Critics’ Choices, etc. for Oct. 13-20. Capsule reviews are by Charles McNulty (C.M.), Philip Brandes (P.B.), F. Kathleen Foley (F.K.F.), Margaret Gray (M.G.) and Daryl H. Miller (D.H.M.).

Openings

Dear One: Love & Longing in Mid-Century Queer America Staged reading of Josh Irving Gershick’s fact-based epistolary drama. A Noise Within, 3352 E. Foothill Blvd., Pasadena. Sun., 1:30 p.m. $10-$20. (626) 356-3121. anoisewithin.org

Fritz Coleman’s Defying Gravity The comic and local weatherman performs a benefit show. Garry Marshall Theatre, 4252 W. Riverside Drive, Burbank. Sun., 3 p.m. $50. (818) 955-8101. garrymarshalltheatre.org

Story Pirates Musical sketch comedy show for ages 5 and up. Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, Promenade Terrace, 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills. Sun., 11 a.m. $Free. (310) 746-4000. TheWallis.org

The Living Room Series Staged reading of Susan Ferrara’s “The Fall.” The Blank’s 2nd Stage Theatre, 6500 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood. Mon., 8 p.m. $15 suggested donation. (323) 661-9827. theblank.com

The Who’s Tommy Benefit concert-staged performance of the Tony-winning rock musical. La Jolla Playhouse, Mandell Weiss Theatre, 2910 La Jolla Village Drive, La Jolla. Mon.,t 7:30 p.m. $500-$1000. LaJollaPlayhouse.org

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Center Theatre Group Library Play Reading Series “Cosas Pequeñas y Extraordinarias” by Daniela Arroia and Michaela Gramajo; performed in Spanish. Benjamin Franklin Library, 2200 E. 1st St., L.A. Tue., 6 p.m. Also at Malabar Library, 2801 Wabash Ave., L.A. Wed., 6 p.m.; and Robert Louis Stevenson Library, 803 Spence St., L.A. Thu., 6 p.m. Free. CenterTheatreGroup.org

The Second City’s Greatest Hits (Vol. 59) Current company members revisit some of the storied Chicago-based comedy troupe’s classic routines. Musco Center for the Arts, Chapman University, 1 University Drive, Orange. Wed., 7:30 p.m. $25-$48. (844) 626-8726. muscocenter.org

The Bench, A Homeless Love Story Writer-performer Robert Galinsky explores homelessness and the AIDS crisis in the 1980s in this fact-based solo drama. Hudson Guild Theatre, 6539 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood. Thu., 8 p.m.; ends Nov. 19. $20. onstage411.com

Betty Buckley The Tony winner performs in this intimate cabaret show. Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Samueli Theater, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. Thu.-Sat., 7:30 p.m. $89 and up. (714) 556-2787. scfta.org

Little Women Brand new stage adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s beloved novel about the hopes and dreams of four sisters living with their mother during the Civil War. Sierra Madre Playhouse, 87 W. Sierra Madre Blvd., Sierra Madre. Thu.-Fri., 8 p.m.; Sat., 2:30 and 8 p.m.; next Sun., 2:30 p.m.; ends Nov. 3. $15-$30. (626) 355-4318. sierramadreplayhouse.org

Los Angeles Diversity in Comedy Festival Fourth annual four-day festival presented by the Second City features stand-up, improv, workshops, panels and more; with the Prima Doñas, the Black Pantherettes, the Katydids, et al. Various locations. Starts Thu.-ends next Sun. Various times and prices; passes, $80, $100. secondcity.com

A Night With Janis Joplin Bio-musical celebrates the legendary 1960s rock singer. The Saban Theater, 8440 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills. Thu., 8 p.m. $38-$98. wheremusicmeetsthesoul.com

Tarantina This burlesque show inspired by the films of Quentin Tarantino gets a “From Dusk Til Dawn”-style, Halloween-themed makeover. Club Bahia, 1130 Sunset Blvd., L.A. Thu., 8:15 p.m. $25-$300. tarantinashow.com

Without Walls (WOW) Festival This biennial presented by La Jolla Playhouse returns with a series of site-based and interactive performances by local companies, international guest artists and others. Arts District, Liberty Station, San Diego. Starts Thu.; ends next Sun. Free to $20. lajollaplayhouse.org

The Cockfight Play A gay man meets a woman and falls in love with her in Mike Bartlett’s comedy. The Beverly Hills Playhouse, 254 S. Robertson Ave., Beverly Hills. Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m.; next Sun., 7 p.m.; ends Nov. 17. $25. (323) 348-4979. crimsonsquare.org

Death With Dignity … Comes in a Milkshake A therapist’s office is overrun by patients with all manner of issues in this new drama from Sam Henry Kass. Theatre 68, 5112 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood. Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m.; ends Nov. 16. $25. Theatre68.com

Dracula Radio-style presentation of the Bram Stoker terror tale about a Transylvanian vampire loose in London. Long Beach Shakespeare Company, Helen Borgers Theatre, 4250 Atlantic Blvd., Long Beach. Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m.; next Sun., 2 p.m. $12.50. (562) 997-1494. LBShakespeare.org

Gravity and Other Myths The acrobatic troupe from Australia performs. Irvine Barclay Theatre, 4242 Campus Drive, Irvine. Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m. $25-$100. (949) 854-4646. thebarclay.org

Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill Jazz great Billie Holiday performs in a rundown bar in Philadelphia in 1959 near the end of her life in Lanie Robertson’s drama with music; for ages 16 and up; contains adult language and situations. International City Theatre, Long Beach Performing Arts Center, 330 E. Seaside Way, Long Beach. Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m.; next Sun., 2 p.m.; ends Nov. 3. $47, $49; opening night only, $55, $125. (562) 436-4610. InternationalCityTheatre.org

LGBTQ+ Live! The Short+Sweet Hollywood Festival presents three distinct programs of short plays. Marilyn Monroe Theatre, 7936 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood. Fri., 7 p.m.; Sat., and next Sun., 2 and 7 p.m.; next Mon., 7 p.m. $20. Sweet-Tix.com

Love Connie 2: Electric Boogaloo Drag artists John Cantwell and Kelly Mantle return in this send-up of 1970s and ’80s women-in-prison exploitation flicks. The Cavern Club at Casita Del Campo, 1920 Hyperion Ave., L.A. Fri., 9 p.m.; next Sun., 7 p.m.; ends Oct. 27. $25. (800) 838-3006. brownpapertickets.com

Heather McDonald The comic and podcaster performs. Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, Scherr Forum Theatre, 2100 Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks. Fri.-Sat., 7:30 p.m. $29. (800) 745-3000. ticketmaster.com

The Music Man Broadway’s Adam Pascal heads the cast of 5-Star Theatricals’ staging of the classic Meredith Wilson musical about a con man who tries to swindle the good people of a small Iowa town. Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, Kavli Theatre, 2100 Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks. Fri., 8 p.m.; Sat., 2 and 8 p.m.; next Sun., 2 p.m.; ends Oct. 27. $35-$83. (800) 745-3000. 5startheatricals.com

My Favorite Suicide Saudade Theatre presents Portuguese playwright Mickaël de Olivera’s new apocalyptic fable; for ages 16 and up. 905 Cole Theatre at Anthony Meindl’s Actor Workshop, 905 Cole Ave., L.A. Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m.; next Sun., 7:30 p.m.; ends Nov. 3. $20. saudadetheatre.org

Take Me Nocturnal Fandango presents this immersive, Halloween-themed solo theatrical experience. Time and venue announced to ticket holders upon purchase. Starts Fri.; ends Oct. 27. $155. nocturnalfandango.org

Witkacy / Two-headed Calf Polish avant-garde playwright Stanislaw Ignacy Witkiewicz is celebrated in this U.S. premiere co-presented by CalArts Center for New Performance and Warsaw’s Studio Teatrgaleria. REDCAT, 631 W. 2nd St., downtown L.A. Fri.,-Sat., 8:30 p.m.; next Sun., 3 p.m.; ends Oct. 25. $22-$32. (213) 237-2800. redcat.org

Things to do

Between Riverside and Crazy L.A. premiere of Stephen Adly Guirgis’ Pulitzer Prize-winning comedy-drama about a widowed former cop and his recently paroled son sharing a rent-controlled New York City apartment. The Fountain Theatre, 5060 Fountain Ave., L.A. Sat., 8 p.m.; next Sun., 2 p.m.; ends Dec. 15. $25-$45. (323) 663-1525. FountainTheatre.com

Buried Child Dark secrets are revealed when a young man and his girlfriend pay an unexpected visit to his family’s farm in Sam Shepard’s Pulitzer Prize-winning drama. A Noise Within, 3352 E. Foothill Blvd., Pasadena. Sat., 8 p.m.; next Sun., 2 p.m.; ends Nov. 23. $25 and up; student rush, $20; group discounts available. (626) 356-3121. anoisewithin.org

Conversations ’Bout the Girls Towne Street Theatre presents by Sonia Jackson’s drama about customers at a small-town lingerie shop as part of its “Autumn Nights” series. Stella Adler Academy of Acting and Theatre, 6773 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood. Sat., 8 p.m.; next Sun., 4 p.m. $10; packages available. townestreetla.org

Dirty Tricks W/ The New Bad Boys of Magic Daniel Donohue and Eric Siegel mix magic and comedy; ages 21 and up only. The Three Clubs, 1123 Vine St., Hollywood. Sat., 8 p.m. $10. badboysmagic.com

Ghosted! by Roz Drezfalez Live! The drag artist and podcaster shares the stage with special guests in this Halloween-themed show. The Cavern Club at Casita Del Campo, 1920 Hyperion Ave., L.A. Sat., 8 p.m. $20. (800) 838-3006. brownpapertickets.com

I Never Saw Another Butterfly A Jewish child who survived the Holocaust shares her story in Celeste Raspanti’s drama. Laguna Playhouse, 606 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach. Sat., 1 and 5 p.m.; next Sun., 1 p.m.; ends Oct. 27. $15-$25; group discounts available. (949) 497-2787. lagunaplayhouse.com

Lila Downs’ Día de Muertos: Al Chile The Grammy-winning vocalist is joined by Grandeza Mexicana Folk Ballet Company and Mariachi Femenil Flores Mexicana for a celebration of Mexico’s Day of the Dead. Ford Theatres, 2580 Cahuenga Blvd. East, Hollywood. Sat., next Sun., 8 p.m. $35-$70. (323) 461-3673. FordTheatres.org (Also at Segerstrom Center in Costa Mesa, Oct. 27)

The Music of Brian Gallagher Broadway veterans including Megan Hilty and Carly Hughes perform songs by the singer-songwriter and guitarist. The Colony Theatre, 555 N. 3rd St., Burbank. Oct. 19. Sat., 8 p.m. $45, $60. (866) 811-4111. colonytheatre.org

1984 The Actors’ Gang revives its 2006 stage adaptation of Orwell’s classic novel about life in a totalitarian dystopia. The Actors’ Gang Theater, 9070 Venice Blvd., Culver City. Sat., 8 p.m.; ends Dec. 7. $25-$50; Thursdays, pay what you can. (310) 838-4264. TheActorsGang.com

Ravenswood Manor Justin Sayre’s campy mix of horror and soap opera, told in 12 stand-alone episodes over the course of six weeks. Celebration Theatre, 6760 Lexington Ave., L.A. Sat., 8 p.m.; next Sun., 2 p.m.; ends Nov. 24. $30, $40. (323) 957-1884. celebrationtheatre.com

Something Rotten! Musical Theatre West opens its 67th season with the West Coast regional-theater premiere of this musical comedy about two brothers in 16th-century London looking to create a show to compete with Shakespeare’s plays. With Davis Gaines. Carpenter Center for the Performing Arts, 6200 E. Atherton St., Long Beach. Sat., 8 p.m.; next Sun., 1 p.m.; ends Nov. 3. $20 and up. (562) 856-1999. musical.org

Wicked Lit X8 Unbound Productions presents excerpts from eight of its site-specific terror tales in this fundraiser. Mountain View Mausoleum and Cemetery, 2300 N. Marengo Ave., Altadena. Sat., 6:30, 7:30, 9 and 10 p.m. $50. (323) 332-2065. wickedlit.org

Gene Kelly: The Legacy Patricia Ward Kelly, the entertainment legend’s widow, shares stories from his life and career. La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, 14900 La Mirada Blvd., La Mirada. Next Sun., 2 p.m. $25-$46. (562) 944-9801. lamiradatheatre.com

Critics’ Choices

Almost Famous Spun from Cameron Crowe’s autobiographically inspired 2000 film about a teenage rock journalist’s freewheeling sentimental education while on the road with an up-and-coming band, this new musical (with original music by Tony winner Tom Kitt complementing the selection of 1970s rock classics) is as shimmering as a stadium of lighters during a Led Zeppelin encore. Crowe has adapted his Oscar-winning screenplay into the musical’s book, which preserves much of what was so appealing about the film without insisting on perfect fidelity. What is perfectly distilled is the chaotic, communal spirit of ’70s rock in a musical that seems destined to conquer Broadway. (C.M.) The Old Globe, 1363 Old Globe Way, San Diego. Sun., next Sun., 2 and 7 p.m.; Tue.-Wed., 7 p.m.; Thu.-Fri., 8 p.m.; Sat., 2 and 8 p.m.; ends Oct. 27. $70 and up. (619) 234-5623. TheOldGlobe.org

Andy Warhol’s Tomato In this deftly staged debut, Vince Melocchi’s two-hander imagines an encounter in 1946 Pittsburgh between 18-year old Warhol (only an aspiring commercial artist at that point) and a blue-collar barkeep harboring secret dreams of becoming a writer. Carefully researched factual accuracy notwithstanding, the play isn’t so much a biographical portrait as a touching exploration of cultural division bridged by a fundamental human need to create. (P.B.) Pacific Resident Theatre, 703 Venice Blvd., Venice. Sun., next Sun., 3 p.m.; Thu.-Sat., 8 p.m.; ends Oct. 27. $25-$34. (310) 822-8392. pacificresidenttheatre.com

In Circles David Schweizer directs a tantalizing revival of this 1967 work created by composer Al Carmines, a seminal figure in the off-off-Broadway movement, from Gertrude Stein’s 1920 “A Circular Play.” The austerity of this playful collage of wordplay is unusually amiable when set to music: Imagine Dr. Seuss as a cubist poet with a taste for avant-garde performance and a love for old-fashioned musical showmanship. The game cast and sharp design keep us in the eternal present, which was Stein’s theatrical goal in jettisoning all that we’ve come to expect from theater: definable character, linear dialogue and developing plot. What’s left is a shimmering sensibility that gambols freely in a new age. (C.M.) Odyssey Theatre, 2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd., West L.A. Sun., next Sun., 2 p.m.; Wed., Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m.; ends Nov. 10. $32-$37; discounts available; $10 tickets on select dates. (310) 477-2055. www.OdysseyTheatre.com

Little Shop of Horrors If “Sweeney Todd” and “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” mated, the offspring would look something like “Little Shop of Horrors,” the off-off-Broadway camp-thriller musical by Howard Ashman and Alan Menken that became a long-running off-Broadway hit in the 1980s. This new revival, directed by Mike Donahue, finds more realism than usual in this over-the-top doo-wop-infused tale about a clerk at a flower shop who makes a pact with a carnivorous, talking plant (powerfully voiced by “Glee’s” Amber Riley) that promises fame, fortune and romantic bliss for the price of his soul and flora world domination. The touching leads, George Salazar as Seymour, the nerdy flower shop drone with an unusual horticultural flair, and Mj Rodriguez (“Pose”) as Audrey, the delicate co-worker he would like to rescue from a malignant relationship, draw out the full humanity of their characters. (C.M.)The Pasadena Playhouse, 39 S. El Molino Ave., Pasadena. Sun., next Sun., 2 and 7 p.m.; Tue.-Fri., 8 p.m.; Sat., 2 and 8 p.m.; ends Oct. 20. $25 and up. (626) 356-7529. pasadenaplayhouse.org

Here is a list of classical music performances in L.A. for Oct. 13-20:

Camera Lucida Chamber music by Shostakovich, Bartok and Bridge. Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Samueli Theater, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. Sun., 8 p.m. $38 and up. (949) 553-2422. PhilharmonicSociety.org

Dudamel Conducts Music from the Americas Gustavo Dudamel leads the LA Phil in Chávez’ Symphony No. 2, “Sinfonía India”; the world premiere of Esteban Benzecry’s “Universos infinitos” piano concerto with pianist Sergio Tiempo; and Copland’s “Rodeo” and “Fanfare for the Common Man.” Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. Sun., 2 p.m. $72-$222. (323) 850-2000. laphil.com

The Every Person’s Guide to the Orchestra Music appreciation with KUSC’s Alan Chapman. Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Samueli Theater, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. Sun., 3 p.m. $15 and up. (949) 553-2422. PhilharmonicSociety.org

The Light in the Piazza LA Opera presents Renée Fleming, Dove Cameron and Brian Stokes Mitchell in the Craig Lucas-Adam Guettel romantic musical about a woman and her daughter on vacation in Florence, Italy in 1953. Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 135 N. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. Sun., next Sun., 2 p.m.; Thu.-Fri., 7:30 p.m.; Sat., 2 and 7:30 p.m.; ends Oct. 20. $29 and up. (213) 972-8001. LAOpera.org

Los Angeles Violoncello Society Works by Halsey Stevens, Andrew Norman, Tom Flaherty, Kristapor Najarian, and more. Sun., 4 p.m. Crossroads School, Roth Hall, 1714 21st St., Santa Monica. Free. lacello.org

Nicole’s Favorites Jouyssance Early Music Ensemble marks 20 years under artistic director Dr. Nicole Baker with a program of works by Tallis, Monteverdi and others. St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 122 S. California Ave., Monrovia. Sun., 4 p.m. $15-$25. (800) 838-3006. brownpapertickets.com

Restoration Concerts The New Hollywood String Quartet plays pieces by Beethoven, Schumann and Purcell. South Pasadena Public Library, Community Room, 1115 El Centro St., South Pasadena. Sun., 4 p.m. $20. (626) 799-6333. friendsofsopaslibrary.org

Second Sundays at Two Violinist Ken Aiso and pianist Valeria Morgovskaya plays pieces by Beethoven, De Falla and Ravel. Rolling Hills United Methodist Church, 26438 Crenshaw Blvd., Rolling Hills Estates. Sun., 2 p.m. Free. (310) 316-5574.

Beethoven 250 Six-day festival marking Beethoven’s 250th birthday showcases the composer’s string quartets; with the Calidore String Quartet, the Viano String Quartet, et al. Various times, Mon.-Sat. The Colburn School, Thayer Hall and Zipper Hall, 200 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. $15, $30; festival passes, $126; some free events. (213) 621-1050. colburnschool.edu

The Academy of St. Martin in the Fields Chamber Octet Pieces by Brahms, Korngold and Mendelssohn, plus a new work by composer-in-residence Sally Beamish. Musco Center for the Arts, Chapman University, 1 University Drive, Orange. Tue., 7:30 p.m. $33-$63. (844) 626-8726. muscocenter.org

Jonathan Biss The pianist performs works by Beethoven, in an intimate setting with all seating on stage, in two concerts with distinct programs. Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts, 18111 Nordhoff St., Northridge. Tue.-Wed., 8 p.m. $76 and up. (818) 677-3000. TheSoraya.org

Glendale Noon Concerts Pianist Brendan White plays solo works by L.A. composers Todd Mason, Mark Robson, George N. Gianopoulos and Stephen Cohn. Glendale City Church, 610 E. California Ave., Glendale. Wed., 12:10 p.m. Free. (818) 244-7241. glendalenoonconcerts.blogspot.com

Los Angeles Percussion Quartet The ensemble celebrates its 10th anniversary. Boston Court, 70 N. Mentor Ave. Pasadena. Thu., 8 p.m. $20-$30. (626) 683-6801. BostonCourtPasadena.org

The Los Angeles Virtuosi Orchestra Season opener includes Vivaldi’s Gloria in D with choir members from West High School and Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 2 featuring violinist Tina Chang Qu. West High School Performing Arts Center, 20401 Victor St., Torrance. Thu., 7 p.m. $15, $20. (310) 533-4299. gofan.co

Tchaikovsky’s Pathetique Pacific Symphony performs the composer’s Symphony No. 6 plus John Williams’ “Tributes! For Seiji” and Ravel’s “Tzigane” featuring violinist and concertmaster Dennis Kim. Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. Thu.-Sat., 8 p.m. $25 and up. (714) 755-5799. PacificSymphony.org

Rod Gilfry in Concert The operatic baritone perform in this new cabaret-style show. Boston Court Pasadena, 70 N. Mentor Ave. Pasadena. Fri., 8 p.m. Sold out; wait list available. (626) 683-6801. BostonCourtPasadena.org

Salonen Conducts Tchaikovsky & Bartók Conductor laureate Esa-Pekka Salonen returns to lead the LA Phil in Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto featuring violinist Daniel Lozakovich, Bartók’s Concerto for Orchestra and the premiere of his new orchestral work “Castor.” Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., L.A. Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m. $64-$209. (323) 850-2000. laphil.com

Things to do

Autumn 20: 20 Years in Culver City Culver City Symphony performs Brahms’ Symphony No. 2, Von Weber’s “Der Freischütz” Overture and Saint-Saëns’ Piano Concerto No. 2 with pianist Malvyn Lai. Robert Frost Auditorium, 4401 Elenda St., Culver City. Sat., 7:30 p.m. $10, $20; K-12, free with paying adult. culvercitysymphony.org

Bridge to Everywhere The L.A.-based chamber ensemble performs contemporary by local composers Derrick Spiva, Jr., Reena Esmail, Juan Pablo Contreras and James Waterman. Boston Court Pasadena, 70 N. Mentor Ave., Pasadena. Sat., 8 p.m. $20-$30. (626) 683-6801. BostonCourtPasadena.org

Dia de los Muertos Celebration Pacific Symphony and its youth orchestra mark the holiday in this kid-friendly presentation. Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. 10 and 11:30 a.m. $15 and up. (714) 755-5799. PacificSymphony.org

The Interludes Pianist Lukasz Yoder and soprano Roksana Zeinapur perform. First Lutheran Church & School, 2900 W. Carson St., Torrance. Sat., 3 p.m. Free. (310) 316-5574. palosverdes.com

Magnificent Mozart This entry in the Third@First series includes pianist Junko Ueno Garrett performing Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 9 plus the composer’s Requiem featuring the church’s Chancel Choir and guest vocalists. First United Methodist Church, 500 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. Sat., 7:30 p.m. Free; donations accepted. thirdatfirst.org

Pasadena Symphony Music director David Lockington and the orchestra open their season with Brahms’ Symphony No. 1, the world premiere of Sydney Wang’s “P (is for Play)” and Bruch’s Violin Concerto No. 1 with violinist Tessa Lark. Ambassador Auditorium, 131 S. St. John Ave., Pasadena. Sat., 2 and 8 p.m. $35 and up. (626) 793-7172. pasadenasymphony-pops.org

American Youth Symphony Season opener includes Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6, “Pastoral,” plus Joan Tower’s “Sequoia” and Sibelius’ Violin Concerto with violinist Gallia Kastner. Royce Hall, UCLA, 10745 Dickson Court, Westwood. Next Sun., 7 p.m. Free. (310) 470-2332. AYSymphony.org

Bela Fleck, Zakir Hussain, Edgar Meyer Banjo player Fleck, tabla player Hussain and bassist Meyer perform. Soka Performing Arts Center, 1 University Drive, Aliso Viejo. Next Sun., 3 p.m. $35- $75. (949) 480-4278. soka.edu

Javier Camarena The Mexican tenor makes his LA Opera recital debut with bel canto favorites by Bellini, Donizetti and Rossini plus songs and arias from the Spanish-language repertoire. Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 135 N. Grand Ave., L.A. Next Sun., 2 p.m. $14-$109. (213) 972-8001. LAOpera.org

Camerata Pacifica Chamber works by Copland, Harbison, Crumb and Bolcom. Museum of Ventura County, 100 E. Main St. Ventura. Oct. 20. Next Sun., 3 p.m. $58. (805) 884-8410. cameratapacifica.org (also in San Marino, Oct. 22; L.A., Oct. 24; Santa Barbara, Oct. 25)

Equal Sound Presents Thereminist Carolina Eyck and Sarah Belle Reid The duo performs to commemorate the release of their new double album “Elegies for Theremin & Voice.” Civic Center Studios, 207 S. Broadway, Suite 1, downtown L.A. Next Sun., 7 pm. $12-$20. eventbrite.com

LA Phil with Esa-Pekka Salonen Bartók’s Concerto for Orchestra, the O.C. premiere of Salonen’s “Castor,” and Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto in D featuring violinist Daniel Lozakovich. Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. Next Sun., 3 p.m. $48 and up. (949) 553-2422. PhilharmonicSociety.org

LACMA’s Sundays Live Ciaramella Early Music Ensemble performs. St. James’ in the City, 3903 Wilshire Blvd., L.A. Next Sun., 6 p.m. Free. (323) 857-6234. lacma.org

Organic Jacaranda launches its new organ series with organist Ty Woodward, et al., performing works by Duruflé, Dupre, Alain, Hovhaness and Ives. First Presbyterian Church, 1220 2nd St., Santa Monica. Next Sun., 2 p.m. $10, $55. jacarandamusic.org

Santa Monica Symphony The orchestra launches its 75th season with Weber’s Overture to “Oberon,” Gershwin’s ‘An American in Paris” and Dvorak’s Cello Concerto in B Minor featuring cellist Robert deMaine. Santa Monica High School, Barnum Hall, 600 Olympic Blvd., Santa Monica. Next Sun., 7: 30 p.m. Free. (310) 395-6330. smsymphony.org

Step/Lively Rachel Worby’s Muse/Ique orchestra presents musical exploration of shoes. Athletic Garage Dance Center, 121 Waverly Drive, Pasadena. Next Sun., 7 p.m. For members only. (626) 539-7085. muse-ique.com

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Here is a list of dance performances in L.A. for Oct. 13-20:

The Firebird Festival Ballet Theatre presents the one-act Stravinsky ballet based on a Russian folk tale. Irvine Barclay Theatre, 4242 Campus Drive, Irvine. Sun., 2 p.m. $35-$45. (949) 854-4646. thebarclay.org

L.A. Dances Two-month festival, with three distinct programs, features classic and contemporary works by Kyle Abraham, Bella Lewitzky, Benjamin Millepied and others. L.A. Dance Project, 2245 E. Washington Blvd., L.A. Sun., Thu.-next Sun., 8 p.m.; ends Nov. 24. $45. (213) 422-8762. ladanceproject.org

Pacific Ballet Dance Theatre Goes Broadway! Celebration of classic musicals including “Chicago,” “West Side Story” and “The Phantom of the Opera.” Alex Theatre, 216 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale. Sun., 5 p.m. $55-$125. (818) 243-2539. https://alextheatre.org

Terra Firma Closing night for L.A. Contemporary Dance Company’s new immersive multimedia-enhanced work includes a post-show celebration. Stomping Ground L.A., 5453 Alhambra Ave. L.A. Sun., 6 p.m. $150. lacontemporarydance.org

La Bayadère Mariinsky Ballet and Orchestra performs this classic romantic tragedy about a temple dancer in India. Segerstrom Hall, Segerstrom Center for the Arts, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. Wed.-Fri., 7:30 p.m.; Sat., 1 and 7:30 p.m.; next Sun., 1 p.m. $39 and up. (714) 556-2787. scfta.org

The Day Ballet star Wendy Whelan, cellist Maya Beiser, choreographer Lucinda Childs and Pulitzer Prize-winning composer David Lang join forces to explore the passage of time and the transit of the soul in this new collaborative work presented by CAP UCLA. Royce Hall, UCLA, 10745 Dickson Court, Westwood. Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m. $28-$99. (310) 825-2101. cap.ucla.edu

Inferno & Burlesque American Contemporary Ballet opens its season with reprises of these works; contains nudity. The Metropolis, 877 S. Francisco St., Suite C-6, L.A. Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m.; ends Nov. 2. $45-$500. acbdances.com

Things to do

casebolt and smith The duo of Liz Casebolt and Joel Smith present “close,” a new dance work about the healing power of music. Marsee Auditorium, Center for the Arts at El Camino College, 16007 Crenshaw Blvd., Torrance. Sat., 8 p.m. $10, $22. (310) 329-5345. universitytickets.com

Louise Reichlin & Dancers / Los Angeles Choreographers & Dancers The company marks its 40th anniversary a program that includes “The Tennis Dances,” “Invasion” and the L.A. premiere. of “A Jewish Child’s Story.” Barnsdall Gallery Theatre, Barnsdall Art Park, 4800 Hollywood Blvd., L.A. Sat.-next Sun., 4 p.m. $20-$40; discounts available. (800) 838-3006. brownpapertickets.com

Nrityagram Dance Ensemble The classical dance troupe from India performs. Luckman Fine Arts Complex, Cal State LA, 5151 State University Drive, L.A. Sat., 8 p.m. $30-$50. (323) 343-6600. luckmanarts.org

The Patchwork Girl of Oz Multimedia-enhanced, family-friendly fable presented by Louise Reichlin & Dancers / Los Angeles Choreographers & Dancers. Barnsdall Gallery Theatre, Barnsdall Art Park, 4800 Hollywood Blvd., L.A. Sat., next Sun., 2 p.m. $8, $16. (800) 838-3006. brownpapertickets.com

Works 2019 — 10 Years and Counting! Nancy Evans Dance Theatre celebrates its 10th anniversary with new pieces including a collaborative multimedia work. ARC (A Room to Create), 1158 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. Sat., 8 p.m.; next Sun., 4 p.m. $20, $25. (323) 363-0830. nancyevansdancetheatre.com

We recently received our new Global Entry card after having our interview at LAX upon returning from an international trip.

In the future, I would skip getting Global Entry and use the Mobile Passport app. You save the $100 for five years, plus the time you spend for the Global Entry process. The app is free, and similar to Global Entry in that upon your arrival from an international trip, there is a separate line for Mobile app with no waiting.

We used this application and got through the entry process at LAX before our friends who had Global Entry.

If you want TSA PreCheck, which gives you expedited passage through airport security, you can still get that for $85 for five years.

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Joanne Kennedy
Camarillo

Real ID

Thanks for the consistent reports about Real ID. Because my brother may be getting married in Pennsylvania and my driver’s license doesn’t expire until 2022, I broke down and made an appointment with the California Department of Motor Vehicles for a Real ID.

I had The Times articles cut out and filed away, plus I had, through the reporting on these stories, additional information about all the forms of ID and proof of citizenship required. The DMV also requested that I fill out an application online.

When I got to the DMV and the lane for people with appointments, they stopped taking people with appointments to take people in other lines. Delays aside, when I got to my DMV official for review of my documents, she said: “Finally, someone who knows how to follow directions.” All I could think of was the reporting in the L.A. Times.

Just be mindful that they do not accept credit cards; it’s cash or debit card only.

F. Phillips
Woodland Hills

::
I have enjoyed reading the Travel section for many years, especially those stories written by Catharine Hamm.

The one on Global Entry slowdown was right on [On the Spot, Sept. 29]. I know because I have been waiting more than six months for my renewal card. I paid my $100 and filled out all the forms online. I have tried calling and calling to no avail. I was told to keep calling. In doing that, it is impossible to reach a live person.

In that article, Hamm gives a website (ttp.cbp.dhs.gov) to check for your application status. That too is a joke. I could not find the status of my application. I cannot believe this government program could be so [messed] up.

If anyone can tell me how to get my entry card, please do.

Seymour Strauss
Los Angeles

Companies that harvest human organs, bones and other parts have worked their way into government morgues across the country to gain access to more bodies. The companies’ procurement teams often are taking body parts before coroners are able to conduct an autopsy, even in the midst of sensitive investigations such as possible homicides.

A Times Investigation

Full Coverage

The procurement companies say there has never been a case in which a death investigation has been harmed by the procurement of body parts. Yet The Times found more than two dozen such cases in just two Southern California morgues. Reporters found nearly as many other cases across the country.

At least one murder prosecution has been dropped, civil lawsuits have been thwarted and families have been left without answers of why their loved ones died. At times, investigators could not look for abuse or violent injuries because bones and skin were already gone. A possible police-involved death remains unsolved.

Here are some other key findings:

An industry shaped a law

The number of flawed investigations has increased after the industry that trades in human body parts helped write legislation that required coroners to “cooperate” with the companies to “maximize” the numbers of organs and tissues harvested for transplant. The companies’ lobbyists then helped push the legislation into law in many states.

The new laws made it harder, and in some states, impossible for coroners to stop the procurement of body parts if they believed it would harm their investigation.

To pass the laws, the companies’ lobbyists pointed to published research papers that concluded body parts could be taken before the coroner’s autopsy with no harm to the death investigation. The Times found the papers were co-written by industry executives and others with ties to the companies.

Medical examiners and coroners were outraged in 2007 when the procurement companies helped write the laws. The forensic officials said they had been shut out of discussions where the legislation was drafted. Since then, the procurement companies have tried to soothe that anger. The companies are now among the biggest funders of gatherings of the nation’s death investigators, often paying for cocktails, dinners and rounds of golf.

It’s not just about lifesaving organs

The procurement companies said the laws were needed to increase the number of organs available for patients waiting for transplants. Yet it has done far more to grow the amount of bone, skin, fat and other human parts sold by the biotech industry, including for cosmetic fixes.

The sale of Americans’ body parts around the globe is now a multibillion-dollar business, in which less than half a teaspoon of ground skin can fetch $434. That product and more are used by cosmetic surgeons to plump lips, cheeks and other parts.

You may not get to decide

Even if you have not signed up to be a donor, the companies can harvest your parts when you die if they can persuade your grieving family to allow it.

When you die, a procurement company will be quickly notified. Hospitals must report every death to the companies for possible harvesting. Many companies now also know immediately about deaths outside of hospitals through connections to government computers in county morgues. At times, the companies have contacted families, asking them to agree to procurement, while the body is still at the death scene.

Some families say they feel the companies misled them into agreeing to procurements. Some say they were not told the donation of organs or tissues could harm the coroner’s ability to determine the cause of death.

Coroners rely on the companies

Coroners are increasingly dependent on the companies’ procurement teams to document injuries from violence or accidents even though the employees have little professional training in forensic science.

The companies have 24-hour access to many county morgues, raising questions about whether evidence could be tainted.

The Times found several suspicious deaths that may have been caused by violence or accidents that were not reported to coroners by procurement companies or the hospitals working with them. Failure to report such deaths is illegal under California law. It’s impossible to know how many other unnatural deaths may have never been reported.

Some procurement companies have tried to keep their work in the county morgues secret. Several worked with coroners in at least two California counties to try to keep The Times from reviewing how procurements were affecting coroner autopsies. Reporters instead combed through death records previously obtained from the coroners to find and review cases in which body parts were harvested.

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The fleeting sight of Stoney Point, a collection of flaky sandstone boulders north of Los Angeles, spurred a teenage Royal Robbins to hop off a freight train and get climbing. It was the ‘50s, and the legendary rock climber saw his destiny in those cliffs.

“I went there often because I could picture the future, which was big mountains, and this was a way of getting to the big mountains,” Robbins told an outdoors writer during a return visit in 2012. “And so I would go to Stoney and develop myself, develop my strength and my abilities in ways I never knew I could do.”

Robbins, who grew up in Southern California, went on to pioneer ascents on many big-wall routes, including Yosemite’s Half Dome and El Capitan in the 1960s.

Stoney Point, more than half a century later, despite the graffiti and broken glass, continues to awaken and inspire new generations of rock climbers, now drawn from cushy indoor gyms rather than passing trains.

Climbing book author Damon Corso, 39, understands the allure of the rocks — and the value of learning bouldering, top-roping and lead climbing in a safe, indoor setting.

“Go to a gym, see if you enjoy it, rent the equipment, get instruction for cheap, and then take your skills outdoors,” says Corso, who taught his wife to climb indoors. “You can probably make the transition outside quickly.”

Fabi Chillino grew up in the flatlands of western Germany and didn’t touch real rock until he had three years of climbing on plastic handholds indoors under his belt. Now he’s a professional climbing guide based in San Diego who takes climbers on routes from Joshua Tree to the Sierra.

“I still go to gyms to train,” Chillino says. “But getting outside in the sun on real rock is what I love to do and share with others.”

Here are a handful of Southern California’s outdoor hot spots that offer good starter routes for beginners and challenges for experts. You can go with a group or a guide, or take a class with a pro.

Chatsworth

Stoney Point Park is L.A.’s go-to outdoors gym for climbing with ropes and bouldering without ropes. The beginner boulders are relatively small (around 15 feet tall), and climbers usually place crash pads on the ground to cushion falls.

The rock is sandstone, which Corso said can be flaky and prone to breaking off for several days after it rains. A classic starter climb here is the Three Pigs route on the popular Boulder 1, where crowds gather most days of the week. Kodas Corner and Powerglide are less crowded but more difficult routes.

Info: Stoney Point Park (laparks.org/park/stoney-point) is on Topanga Canyon Boulevard between Chatsworth Street and the 118 Freeway. Look for Boulder 1 on the left as you enter the gate; other climbing routes are farther inside the park.

Calabasas

Malibu Creek State Park in the Santa Monica Mountains has a rich cinematic history, providing a dramatic backdrop for movies such as “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” (1969) and 1970s TV shows “Planet of the Apes” and “MASH.” Most of the land for the state park was donated by Bob Hope, adding later purchases from then-actor Ronald Reagan and 20th Century Fox.

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From the top of the rocks, you’ll take in sweeping views of the surrounding mountains all the way to the Pacific Ocean. A good warm-up climb is a route called Chopping Block, which you’ll find just beyond the main creek crossing in what’s called the Stumbling Blocks area. This relatively gentle ascent of 75 feet starts atop a large tumbled block. You’ll find a good midrange climb, Planet of the Apes, on the wall of the same name, which also rises about 75 feet.

If you really want to test your mettle, go to the difficult Ghetto Blaster route on the Ghetto Wall, a 60-foot ascent that starts on a steep apron of rock and leads to a good under-cling hold (imagine lifting a table) for moving laterally and then ascending.

Info: Malibu Creek State Park (malibucreekstatepark.org), 1925 Las Virgenes Road, Calabasas; parking costs $12 per day. Expect to walk to climbing spots; it’s about a three-quarter-mile hike from the parking lot to the rocks.

Malibu

Point Dume State Beach is one of the most scenic places to climb in L.A. County. It’s a volcanic monolith with some conglomerate sprinkled in that juts out from the Malibu coast and rises about 70 feet above the ocean and a sandy beach. Novices and intermediates come because it’s a great place to learn the basics of roped climbing. The rock face can get crowded on weekends, however, so a midweek visit may be a better idea.

Bonus: From December to March, you might see migrating gray whales while you’re halfway up a route.

One of the best starter climbs is called Arete, which ascends around 65 feet, and has fun edges and small pockets that often allow climbers a hold of only one to three fingers. Center Route is a midrange climb that requires more technical skills and balance to ascend along a depression in the wall on thin flakes and edges.

Info: Point Dume State Beach is at Cliffside Drive and Birdview Avenue in Malibu.

Angeles National Forest

Horse Flats offers something a little more lofty, as in 6,200 feet, well over a mile above Los Angeles. It has huge granite boulders and excellent opportunities for climbing.

One of the best warm-up climbs is Thin Crack, a 15-foot ascent in the Main Area to the left of the popular B1 Boulder. You start on a large block in the main crack and layback climb up the crack about 15 feet, all the way to the top where there are lots of granite protrusions to grab onto. To get there, you’ll need to hike about three-quarters of a mile on the Mt. Hillyer Trail from the campground.

More difficult is the B1 Face, which starts on a large flake and makes long moves right to another flake and then finally up to a few sloping crimps (small holds). The final move to a large hold on the lip of the boulder leads to an easy “mantle” maneuver. Total height is around 14 feet. The harder test piece, the Sword of Damocles, follows a sloping right arete (corner) and requires a huge jump to the top lip. Bring your crash pad because many good climbers miss this move and come plummeting down.

Info: Head to Horse Flats Campground (bit.ly/horseflats), a 29-mile drive north from La Cañada Flintridge on the Angeles Crest Highway, to Santa Clara Divide Road. Take the road and drive three miles south.

Valyermo

Devil’s Punchbowl Natural Area is often described as one of the county’s hidden gems. Nestled into the northern foothills of the San Gabriel mountain range, this park is blessed with white sandstone strata, pushed skyward by the geologic activity of the San Andreas fault and other nearby fault lines.

Climbers who want to work on their slab technique might want to give this beautiful spot where the high desert meets the mountains a try. Some of the popular routes in the natural area include Tenacious, Velcro and Water Cracks, all of which are on a large north-facing formation on the south side of Devils Punchbowl called Very Direct Wall. There are many single-pitch routes here as well as several multipitch routes. The wall is easy to find; it’s the first big rock you’ll see on the trail into the South Area. It rises directly from the south side of the creek.

Info: 28000 Devil’s Punchbowl Road; bit.ly/devilspunchbowlclimbs

Westlake Village

Echo Cliffs is tucked into an inner valley in the Santa Monica Mountains. The volcanic and conglomerate rocks draw lots of climbers who take on numerous and varied routes, from short and easy to long and technical, with vertical faces and steep overhangs.

A nice warm-up for the day is Miss Pacman, which you’ll find in the Grotto as you descend off the main trail into the canyon. Starting to the right of a tree, this route climbs up the middle of the block about 45 feet, following good pockets and flakes. Next to it is the appropriately named Game Boy. Nearby on the same cliff is Java Wall, which hosts some of the nicest endurance vertical climbs in the canyon.

Climbers have to hike about 45 minutes to find these routes, but it’s worth it.

Info: To get to Echo Cliffs (bit.ly/echocliffsclimb) from Yerba Buena Road, take the Mishe Mokwa Trail and follow the streambed to the climbing areas.

HOW TO GET STARTED

Being a rock star at your climbing gym doesn’t mean you can go it alone in the outdoors. REI, which offers climbing classes and stocks lots of gear, recommends these steps to start out. Learn more at bit.ly/REIrockclimbingbasics

▶ Find a qualified guide — at outdoor stores that offer classes and training, local climbing associations or indoor gyms.

▶ Identify the type of climbing you want to try, such as bouldering or top-rope climbing, which involves ropes and fixed anchors.

▶ Make sure you have the right gear, such as clothing, helmet, rock-climbing shoes, etc.

▶ Choose a route you want to conquer that’s equal to your skill level.

FUJISAWA, Japan — 

Rescue efforts for people stranded in flooded areas were in full force Sunday after a powerful typhoon dashed heavy rainfall and winds through a widespread area of Japan, including Tokyo.

Typhoon Hagibis made landfall south of Tokyo on Saturday and moved northward.

The typhoon left seven people dead, 15 missing and more than 100 people injured, according to public broadcaster NHK. The numbers were growing, underlining the damage from Hagibis, which means “speed” in the Philippine language of Tagalog.

News footage showed a rescue helicopter hovering in a flooded area in Nagano prefecture after an embankment of the Chikuma River broke, plucking people from the second floor of a home submerged in muddy waters.

Several other rivers had also overflowed, including Tama River near Tokyo, according to NHK.

Authorities warned that the risk of mudslides remained.

Some train service in the Tokyo area, much of which had halted, resumed in the early morning, although other lines were undergoing safety checks and were expected to start later in the day.

The World Rugby Cup match between Namibia and Canada, scheduled for Sunday in Kamaishi, northern Japan, was canceled as a precautionary measure for safety reasons.

An earthquake shook the rain-drenched area shortly before the typhoon made landfall in Shizuoka prefecture on Saturday evening. The U.S. Geological Survey said the magnitude 5.3 quake was centered in the ocean off the coast of Chiba, near Tokyo, and was fairly deep, at 37 miles. Deep quakes tend to cause less damage than shallow ones.

Forecasters had said that the typhoon was expected to be Japan’s worst in six decades.

“Be ready for rainfall of the kind that you have never experienced,” said meteorological agency official Yasushi Kajihara, adding that areas usually safe from disasters may prove vulnerable.

“Take all measures necessary to save your life,” he said.

Kajihara said people who live near rivers should take shelter on the second floor or higher of any sturdy building if an officially designated evacuation center wasn’t easily accessible. He also expressed fears that disaster may have already struck in some areas.

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Hagibis advanced north-northwestward with maximum sustained winds of 90 mph Saturday evening, according to the meteorological agency. It was traveling toward Tokyo and northern Japan at 22 mph.

The storm brought heavy rainfall in wide areas of Japan all day ahead of its landfall, including in Shizuoka and Mie prefectures, southwest of Tokyo, as well as Chiba to the north.

Heavy rain caused rivers to swell, flipped anchored boats and whipped up a dangerous surge along the coast, flooding some neighborhoods and leaving people to wade in ankle-deep water amid floating cars.

In Shizuoka, one of two men who went missing in the Nishikawa River was rescued, Gotemba city official Fumihiko Katsumata said. Firefighters said the two men were working at a river canal to try to control overflowing water when they were swept away.

Yusuke Ikegaya, a Shizuoka resident who evacuated ahead of the storm, said he was surprised that the nearby river was about to overflow in the morning, hours before the typhoon made landfall.

“In the 28 years of my life, this is the first time I’ve had to evacuate even before a typhoon has landed,” he said.

Authorities also warned of mudslides, common in mountainous Japan.

Shiroyama dam in Kanagawa prefecture, also southwest of Tokyo, and three other dams may release some of their waters, which were nearing limits, NHK reported. An overflowing dam is likely to cause greater damage, so releasing some water gradually is a standard emergency measure.

About 17,000 police and military troops were called up, standing ready for rescue operations.

The typhoon disrupted a three-day weekend in Japan that includes Sports Day on Monday. Qualifying for a Formula One auto race in Suzuka was delayed. The Defense Ministry cut a three-day annual navy review to a single day on Monday.

All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines grounded most domestic and international flights at the Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya airports. Central Japan Railway Co. canceled bullet train service between Tokyo and Osaka except for several early Saturday trains connecting Nagoya and Osaka. Tokyo Disneyland was closed, while Ginza department stores and smaller shops throughout Tokyo were shuttered.

A typhoon that hit the Tokyo region in 1958 left more than 1,200 people dead and half a million houses flooded.

Four people were killed and three others were wounded in an early Saturday shooting at an illegal gambling club in New York City, police said.

The six men and one woman were shot just before 7 a.m. inside a building in the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn.

Chief of Detectives Dermot Shea said four men were dead at the scene and the others were taken to hospitals with injuries that were not life-threatening.

The victims, who have not been identified, ranged in age from 32 to 49, Shea said at a briefing near the shooting. Two may have lived out of state and the rest were from neighborhoods throughout Brooklyn, Shea added.

One additional person was injured fleeing.

No arrests have been made, and police do not know the motive for the shootings, Shea said. He said two guns were recovered at the scene and more could be found.

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Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Twitter that the city “awoke to senseless gun violence.”

The Democrat added, “I’ve said it before and I’ll say it until I can’t anymore: we have an epidemic of gun violence that spares no community — and it won’t stop until we get guns off our streets once and for all.”

The shooting was the second mass killing in New York in a week in a city that has seen a marked drop in homicides in recent years. Four homeless men were beaten to death by another homeless man Oct. 5 in Manhattan’s Chinatown. In 2000, there were more than 600 homicides in the city. Last year, there were fewer than 300.

A sign on the building where the bloodshed occurred says Triple A Aces. Shea said there was “evidence of gambling” including cards and dice inside.

The gambling operation was unlicensed but police had not previously received any complaints about the location, Chief of Patrol Rodney Harrison said.

Crime scene tape surrounded the building Saturday morning and investigators in white jumpsuits could be seen going in and out.

The block where the shots rang out has empty storefronts and boarded-up buildings as well as renovated town houses.

MEXICO CITY — 

Mexican authorities on Saturday thwarted the latest caravan of migrants attempting to head north from southern Mexico with the hope of reaching the United States.

Some 2,000 migrants from various nations — including Central American and African countries, Haiti and Cuba — set off on foot in the predawn hours from the southern Mexican city of Tapachula.

It was the first such caravan since early 2019, as Mexico — under pressure from the Trump administration to curb U.S.-bound migration thorough its territory — has cracked down on Central Americans and others seeking to reach the United States.

On Saturday, the northbound caravan met a phalanx of Mexican authorities, including National Guard and federal police units along the highway at a point about 25 miles north of Tapachula. The enforcement presence prompted almost half the caravan members — including many women and children — to surrender to Mexican immigration authorities.

Those detained were to be transported to a detention facility in Tapachula and attended to in a “personal manner,” Mexican immigration authorities said in a statement. Those detained would have an opportunity to apply for refugee status or other legal status in Mexico, authorities said.

While many caravan participants surrendered, others scattered and veered from the highway at the point where authorities blocked the northbound route and sought to continue their journey on side roads, circumventing the enforcement cordon.

Thousands of migrants seeking to reach U.S. territory — more than 1,000 miles to the north — have been stuck in Tapachula for months as Mexican officials have been hesitant to hand out visas allowing them to continue north. Most entered Mexico from Guatemala. The migrants stranded in Tapachula are mostly Central Americans but include others from the Caribbean, South America, Africa and Asia.

Mexico has responded to pressure from the Trump administration to curb third-country migration by bolstering enforcement in southern Mexico and posting National Guard troops along northbound highways and along entry routes on the Guatemalan border. The Mexican effort has contributed to a sharp reduction of migrants arriving to the U.S. border in recent months, U.S. authorities say.

Mexico has also accelerated detentions and deportations of undocumented migrants in response to White House threats to impose tariffs on Mexican goods exported to the United States.

Last year, as thousands of migrants began to head north in caravans from Central America, Mexico initially did little to block the northbound odyssey. Trump denounced the caravans as an “invasion” and threatened economic retaliation against Mexico if it did not do more to deter the migration.

The government of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who took office Dec. 1, has yielded to White House pressure to crack down on northbound migration via Mexican territory. Trump has praised Mexico’s efforts to help implement his hard-line immigration strategy.

Special correspondent Juan de Dios in Tapachula and Cecilia Sanchez in The Times’ Mexico City bureau contributed.

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Watch Maddison Brown channel old Hollywood glamour in this light-hearted video for Vogue and Piaget166891

Covered head to toe in sparkling jewels by Piaget, Australian actor Maddison Brown explores what life would be like as an old Hollywood star in this humorous video.

• 04 Oct 2019

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10th Oct 2019

“Thanks for coming, by the way, to my humble abode,” says Australian actor Maddison Brown as she greets the camera in-character as an old Hollywood starlet. “I love coming home and spending time in Australia, I love spending time in my garden, it really is my sanctuary,” she shares as she trims the hedges in the grounds of her Sydney mansion, while dripping in Piaget jewellery

While it’s easy to imagine the model-turned-Dynasty star in this setting, enjoying an off-duty moment in diamond earrings, in fact, Brown is playing a part. With more than 442,000 followers on Instagram and a season of a cult TV show up her sleeve, Brown is surprisingly down to earth, and yet, that’s what makes this video all the more fun. Having settled into her role as Kirby Anders on Dynasty, Brown has proved no role is too difficult for her to immerse herself in and so we invited her to take this to the next level, exaggerating her own story of success in Hollywood in this daring video.

“Fans of mine include the likes of Marlon Brando, Meryl Streep, Jack Nicholson,” she rattles off. “People often do tell me that I’m talented and my response is always I would never say that I’m talented, I would say that I’m very talented,” Brown adds, demonstrating one of her many talents as she plays a grand piano with her Piaget timepiece on show.

As Brown knows, Piaget is a classic brand born out of the late 1800s and has been at home in the wardrobe of glamorous Hollywood stars for centuries. The Swiss luxury watchmaker and jeweller, founded in 1874 in La Côte-aux-Fées, has just released its new timepiece collection, Limelight Gala, inspired by one of its historic watches from the golden age of Hollywood — the 1960s — and reimagined for the modern woman. Brown perfectly encapsulates this iconic style, accessorising her timepiece — and her many outfits — in this video with Piaget’s Possession and Sunlight collections. These pieces speak to a sense of timelessness, something Brown channels with her natural beauty and her radiance both on and off screen. In particular, Brown favours the hoop earrings from the Sunlight collection, which are set with 90 diamonds that are designed to shimmer to emulate the look of the sun reflected on water.

Brown’s own rise to fame has been swift and so it’s easy to imagine her encapsulating this glamour and the essence of celebrity — but this video proves there might just be more to her than meets the eye.

“You’re still here? Let’s wrap it up,” Brown says in scene-stealing fashion. Watch the light-hearted video above and prepare to channel your own inner starlet in picture-perfect Piaget pieces.