Playhouse Village Association

Boston Court: The Night of the Iguana
2025-09-14 14:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Boston Court Pasadena, 70 N. Mentor Ave., Pasadena, CA, 91206, United States
Tennessee Williams’s rarely staged The Night of the Iguana tells the story of the Reverend T. Lawrence Shannon, a defrocked minister now conducting guided tours through Mexico on the verge of a nervous breakdown. As he struggles with his connection to God and yearns to escape his own tortured existence, he is surrounded by two equally imperfect women, one of whom offers him sensuality, the other spirituality as a means of easing his tormented soul. Taking place over the course of one turbulent night at the Costa Verde hotel on the verge of a world war, the play asks what constitutes escape, what bargains are we willing to make with ourselves, and how much we yearn for real human connection – especially when we’re at the end of our rope.

Ice House Comedy: The Ice House All-Star Comedy Show
2025-09-14 17:00 - 21:00 | Ice House Comedy Club, 24 N Mentor Ave, Pasadena, CA, 91106
Ice House Comedy presents The Ice House All-Star Comedy Show. All-Star Comedy Show and Live Auction. LIVE IN THE LEGENDARY ROOM! Ice House doors open at 5pm. Show Starts at 7pm. 18+ with a 2-item minimum per seat.

Vroman's Bookstore: Zoe B. Wallbrook, in conversation with Elise Bryant, discusses & signs History Lessons
2025-09-15 19:00 - 20:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
A college history professor must solve her superstar colleague’s murder before she becomes the next target in this funny, romantic debut mystery, perfect for readers of Janet Evanovich, Kellye Garrett, and Ali Hazelwood.
As a newly minted junior professor, Daphne Ouverture spends her days giving lectures on French colonialism, working on her next academic book, and going on atrocious dates. Her small world suits her just fine. Until Sam Taylor dies.
The rising star of Harrison University’s anthropology department was never one of Daphne’s favorites, despite his popularity. But that doesn’t prevent Sam’s killer from believing Daphne has something that belonged to Sam–something the killer will stop at nothing to get.
Between grading papers and navigating her disastrous love life, Daphne embarks on her own investigation to find out what connects her to Sam’s murder. With the help of an alluring former-detective-turned-bookseller, she unravels a deadly cover-up on campus.
This well-crafted, voice-driven mystery introduces an unforgettable crime fiction heroine.

Vroman's Bookstore: D.J. Waldie discusses & signs Elements of Los Angeles: Earth, Water, Air, and Fire
2025-09-17 19:00 - 20:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
In Elements of Los Angeles: Earth, Water, Fire, Air, acclaimed essayist D.J. Waldie continues his singular meditation on Los Angeles: a place of contradictions, dreams, and disquiet. With uncommon clarity and emotional depth, Waldie considers Los Angeles as a place of both promise and disillusionment, of civic memory and strategic forgetting, of natural beauty and environmental fragility. Each of the four classical elements forms the basis for a profound and poetic reassessment of the city’s image, exploring topics as diverse and resonant as the unlikely history of the Hass avocado, the St. Francis Dam disaster, an endurance contest that saw a young woman buried alive, and the sound of Vin Scully’s voice carried across the summer air.

Ice House Comedy: Garth Reynolds
2025-09-17 20:00 - 21:30 | Ice House Comedy Club, 24 N Mentor Ave, Pasadena, CA, 91106
Ice House Comedy presents Garth Reynolds. Live In The California Room! Ice House doors open at 6:30pm. Show starts at 8pm. **21+ only with a 2-item minimum per seat.**

Oh LA LA - The Floral Studio
2025-09-18 16:00 - 18:00 | OH LA LA — Restaurant & Bakery, 921 E Colorado Blvd, Pasadena, California, 91101, United States
Oh La La welcomes Kaylyn from @truevinestudio on September 18, 4PM–6PM 🌸. Kaylyn will guide guests in creating elevated, one-of-a-kind bouquets, showcasing her signature floral style. Participants will enjoy sips and snacks while designing, then take home a custom arrangement along with a beautiful vessel to keep.

Vroman's Bookstore: Chip Jacobs discusses & signs Later Days
2025-09-18 19:00 - 20:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
In an evocative follow-up to his Los Angeles-Times bestselling Arroyo, Chip Jacobs returns with a gripping tale of brotherhood, recklessness, and last-ditch redemption against the backdrop of a Southern California prep school in gender upheaval.
As the elite, all-boys institution transitions to coed, transforming the place from suburban Lord of the Flies to soap-operatic play, two unlikely friends–Luke Burnett and Denny Drummond–alternate rescuing the other from self-destruction and home lives gutted by loss and distracted parents. Eager to maximize their era as God-like Seniors at Stone Canyon Prep, the pair and their classmates act invincible. They commandeer Bob’s Big Boy and wander the secret world beneath Caltech, meeting a charismatic Nobel Prize physicist in the process. They sweat destiny-making S.A.T.s, grapple with fallout when two boys fall for the same girl, and watch in horror as a playoff basketball game is upended by the chemistry lab. Just when our heroes barely graduate, en route to prized universities, their bond is severed by a wild gunshot that will haunt them for decades.
Twenty years later, Luke is a hard-charging journalist with an imploding career, while Denny is a visionary software engineer on the verge of a breakthrough–until a terminal diagnosis rewrites any happy ending. Their reunion forces both to confront the worst of themselves, a luminous female classmate who predicted her own death, and exactly how they squandered the potential Stone Canyon draped around them. As Denny’s time runs short, Luke races to make peace with his failures in a world shorn of the magic his teachers once heralded. In a final act of reckoning, with the famous Elizabeth Kubler-Ross in the mix, fate offers them one last chance to heal the other by confronting mortality and pleading for goodbyes slippery before.
Later Days is a powerful exploration of the ties that bind and break us. Perfect for readers drawn to fierce, flawed friendships, the currency of forgiveness, and the raw beauty of life skimming its edge. With rich insight into the secret histories of the late-seventies Pasadena area, and the psychological baggage of growing up in the shadows of “Great Men,” father, Jacobs second novel is as emotionally resonant as it is intellectually sharp.

Institute of Culinary Arts: Open house
2025-09-19 18:00 | Institute of Culinary Arts, 521 East Green St, Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
A passion for cooking, baking, or business can lead to an exciting culinary career. Whether the goal is to open a restaurant, become an artisan baker, or make plant-based cuisine a profession, ICE’s diploma programs provide the perfect way to get started.
Staff and instructors are available to share details about programs in Culinary Arts and Restaurant & Culinary Management. Attendees will also have the chance to get answers to questions about admissions and the financial aid process, watch a Chef-Instructor demonstration, and even apply for school. High school seniors may complete the Wonderlic 12-minute examination for entry into the High School Scholarship Competition.
Applicants should be prepared to provide a copy of their high school diploma or official college transcript along with the $85 application fee (payable by credit or debit card). The online application for ICE – Los Angeles is available at ice.edu/apply.
ICE’s Career Training catalog can also be downloaded for free.
FAQ
Do I need to register in advance?Yes.
How can the organizer be contacted with questions?Email: LAsupport@ice.eduPhone: (888) 718-CHEF
LocationICE – Los Angeles is located at 521 East Green Street in Pasadena, CA, in the historic Playhouse District. The campus is 20 minutes north of downtown LA and within easy walking distance of several bus lines and metro rail stations. Complimentary parking is offered at 40 South Oakland in Pasadena. Guests should pull a parking ticket upon arrival at the garage and bring it inside for validation. Once parked, attendees can walk to 521 East Green Street and check in with the receptionist.

Vroman's Bookstore: TICKETED - Chris Colfer discusses & signs Roswell Johnson Saves the Galaxy!
2025-09-19 18:00 - 19:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
Guardians of the Galaxy meets The Land of Stories in this sequel to Roswell Johnson Saves the World! Packed with humor, heart, and action, the second book in this adventure series will take middle grade readers on another epic journey, this time, to save the galaxy!
Something very strange is happening in our galaxy. People, spaceships, and whole stars are disappearing without a trace. The Milky Way Galactic Alliance can’t explain the bizarre phenomena, prompting Roswell and his alien friends to solve the mystery themselves. Along the way, Roswell discovers new technology that puts our entire solar system in grave danger, and he learns he’s closer to the problem than he ever thought possible.

Ice House Comedy: Laugh Bombs
2025-09-19 21:45 - 23:15 | Ice House Comedy Club, 24 N Mentor Ave, Pasadena, CA, 91106

Institute of Culinary Education LA Health-Centered Culinary Arts Open House
2025-09-20 10:00 | Institute of Culinary Arts, 521 East Green St, Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
Your passion for cooking, baking or business could lead to an exciting culinary career. Whether you dream of opening a restaurant, becoming an artisan baker or making plant-based cuisine your profession, our diploma programs are the perfect way to get started. Talk to staff and instructors about our programs in Culinary Arts and Restaurant & Culinary Management. You’ll also have the chance to get answers to all your questions about the admissions and the financial aid process, watch a Chef-Instructor demonstration and apply for school. High school seniors may complete the Wonderlic 12-minute examination for entry into our High School Scholarship Competition.
If you plan to submit your application, please be prepared to provide a copy of your high school diploma or official college transcript as well as the $85 application fee (payable by credit or debit card). The online application for ICE – Los Angeles can be found at ice.edu/apply. ICE’s Career Training catalog can be downloaded for free here. FAQ Do I need to register in advance? Yes. How can I contact the organizer with any questions? LAsupport@ice.edu. (888) 718-CHEF Location As a reminder, we are located at 521 East Green Street in Pasadena, CA. The campus is in the historic Playhouse District of Pasadena, 20 minutes north of downtown LA and within easy walking distance of several bus lines and metro rail stations. For your convenience, we offer complimentary parking at 40 South Oakland in Pasadena. Please pull a parking ticket once you arrive to the parking garage and bring it in with you for validation. Once you park, please come around to 521 East Green Street and check in with the receptionist.

Institute of Culinary Education Los Angeles Pastry and Baking Open House
2025-09-20 10:00 - 12:00 | Institute of Culinary Arts, 521 East Green St, Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States

Vroman's Bookstore: Ashlee Yates reads from & signs The Stink
2025-09-20 11:00 - 12:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
Our life is perfect until one day a new smell enters our home, PEE EWW! This playful children’s book follows an English Bulldog as he navigates life with his new very stinky baby sister. A heartwarming tale about home life changes shown through quirky illustrations and vivid language.
Perfect for parents to read to their kids or for kids to read to their pets. The perfect addition to any child’s bookshelf!

Archetype Yoga: Bookclub: Exalted by Anna Dorn
2025-09-20 11:30 - 12:30 | Archetypa Yoga, 638 e colorado ave, pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
At Archetype Yoga, we invite our students to evolve beyond the mat. Join our community to focus on one book to read per month. We’ll meet every month to discover, gain insights and learn together. Our focus will be a deep dive into the world of wellness and movement. Come join in on the fun and get rewarded for reading with studio discounts.
August Book of the Month: Exalted by Anna Dorn
Check out our Instagram for our latest pick- @archetypeyoga or email us at hello@archetype.yoga. for more information.

Vroman's Bookstore: Leslie Adame, in conversation with Tamika Burgess, presents & signs Chloe Vega and the Agents of Magic (Chloe Vega and the Agents of Magic #1)
2025-09-20 13:00 - 14:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
A new Latinx middle grade fantasy debut where a secret magical academy, an evil sorcerer, and a powerful, coveted gem awaits one girl in her quest to reunite her family. Perfect for fans of Claribel A. Ortega and B. B. Alston!
Twelve-year-old Chloe Vega’s biggest fear is that her undocumented parents will be detained by immigration. That is, until she learns that her parents are actually part of a secret magical society…and that the suspicious looking police officers who have been hanging around their block are henchmen for an evil sorcerer determined to settle a decades-old score.
Just when Chloe discovers that she has powers, too, her parents are kidnapped. In order to rescue them, she’ll need to harness her abilities at an elite academy, run by the very agency who exiled her parents from the magical world.
Finding herself in the center of a magical war that might destroy everything she has ever known, Chloe can’t shake the feeling that the Agents of Magic are hiding secrets. With her parents’ lives hanging in the balance, she must uncover who is truly on her side and fast to save her family–and the world itself.

Pasadena Heritage: Playhouse Village Twilight Walking Tour
2025-09-20 18:30 - 20:00 | Pasadena Heritage, The Blinn House 160 N Oakland Ave, Pasadena, 91101, United States
Join Pasadena Heritage a twilight walking tour of the Playhouse Village Historic District, which traces Pasadena’s eastward expansion during the 1920s and 1930s, when the city transitioned from an agricultural hub to a thriving tourist destination. Shaped by the construction of the grand Civic Center, this area features a variety of architectural styles and several notable landmarks, including the Pasadena Playhouse itself.
The tour will last approximately 1.5 hours and cover a walking distance of about 1 mile. Please note, for the comfort of all guests, dogs are not permitted on Pasadena Heritage walking tours.

Ice House Comedy: Jetski Johnson, Jamie Kaler, Dvontre Coleman
2025-09-20 19:00 - 20:30 | Ice House Comedy Club, 24 N Mentor Ave, Pasadena, CA, 91106
Ice House Comedy presents Jetski Johnson, Jamie Kaler, Dvontre Coleman. LIVE IN THE LEGENDARY ROOM! Ice House doors open at 6:30pm. Show Starts at 7pm. **18+ with a 2-item minimum per seat.**

Ice House Comedy: Home By 9 Comedy Show
2025-09-20 19:30 - 21:00 | Ice House Comedy Club, 24 N Mentor Ave, Pasadena, CA, 91106
Ice House Comedy presents Home By 9 Comedy Show. LIVE IN THE CALIFORNIA ROOM! Ice House doors open at 6:30pm. Show starts at 7:30pm. **21+ only with a 2-item minimum per seat in showroom.**

Ice House Comedy: The Shin Dig Show
2025-09-20 21:00 - 22:30 | Ice House Comedy Club, 24 N Mentor Ave, Pasadena, CA, 91106
Ice House Comedy presents The Shin Dig Show. LIVE IN THE LEGENDARY ROOM! Ice House doors open at 3:30pm. Show Starts at 9pm. **21+ with a 2-item minimum per seat.**

Ice House Comedy: Scott Blugrind & Friends
2025-09-20 21:30 - 23:00 | Ice House Comedy Club, 24 N Mentor Ave, Pasadena, CA, 91106
Ice House Comedy presents Scott Blugrind & Friends. LIVE IN THE CALIFORNIA ROOM! Ice House doors open at 6:30pm. Show Starts at 9:30pm.
**21+ only with a 2 item minimum per seat in the showroom**

Vroman's Bookstore: An Afternoon with author & director Andrew Davis
2025-09-21 14:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
The director of Holes, Under Siege, A Perfect Murder, and the Academy Award nominated hit The Fugitive joins us for a discussion about his films and his debut novel Disturbing the Bones, co-authored with Jeff Biggers, which features subjects & themes that reverberate throughout his filmography.
Cover of Disturbing the Bones with a picture of author Andrew Davis and at the bottom it says TICKETED
An Afternoon with author & director Andrew Davis
The director of Holes, Under Siege, A Perfect Murder, and the Academy Award nominated hit The Fugitive joins us for a discussion about his films and his debut novel Disturbing the Bones, co-authored with Jeff Biggers, which features subjects & themes that reverberate throughout his filmography.
About the book
A propulsive debut political thriller set in the aftermath of a global nuclear weapons crisis—from the acclaimed filmmaker of The Fugitive and an award-winning journalist . . .
“A knife-edged investigation that morphs into a political thriller about a world on the brink. An ingenious page turner.” —Michael Mann
A plot to disrupt a global peace summit in Chicago collides with a civil rights case breakthrough at a mysterious archaeological site . . .
Chicago detective Randall Jenkins has not been back home to the historic Civil Rights hotspot of Cairo, Illinois since the disappearance of his mother, a well-known journalist, several decades ago. That all changes the day Dr. Molly Moore, an ambitious young archaeologist in the national spotlight for her groundbreaking high-tech discoveries, uncovers a set of strange bones at a huge 12,000-year-old site at a highway construction project. With retired military general and contractor William Alexander breathing down her neck to cover up the dig, Molly and Randall soon find themselves in the middle of a wild military conspiracy.The detective and archaeologist’s entwined family mysteries suddenly thrust them into the central position as the only people who can ensure the safety of the ongoing Chicago global peace summit. They must take on the rogue general who views any disarmament agreement as a clear and present danger to the United States. The fate of global peace and the lives of Molly and Randall hang in the balance.
About the authors
Andrew Davis, raised on the southside of Chicago, is the acclaimed director and screenwriter of numerous films, including Holes, Under Siege, Code of Silence, A Perfect Murder, and The Guardian, and whose landmark film, The Fugitive, chosen in 2020 by Los Angeles Times readers as the ultimate summer film, was nominated for seven Academy awards including Best Picture.
Jeff Biggers is an American Book Award-winning historian, journalist and playwright. Based part-time in Italy since 1989, he is the recipient of the David Brower Award for Environmental Reporting, the Foreword Magazine Book of the Year for Travel Writing, a Lowell Thomas Award for Travel Journalism, and other honors. Author of ten books of cultural history and investigative reporting, his work has appeared in the New York Times, The Atlantic Monthly, Salon.com, and on National Public Radio and Public Radio International.

Pasadena Walking Tours: Pasadena After Hours
2025-09-21 17:30 - 19:30 | Ice House Comedy Club, 24 N Mentor Ave, Pasadena, CA, 91106
The area now known for the Pasadena Hotel & Pool and the Ice House was once one of Pasadena’s liveliest spots for “Nite-Life.” On this walking tour, we’ll explore the Catalina Villas neighborhood and step back to a time when, within just a few blocks, you could play mini golf, go bowling, catch a film at an ornate movie palace, and spend the evening in one of several now-forgotten nightclubs – complete with dance floors, live music, or even a “Harmony Hostess.” Along the way, we’ll uncover spectacular residential gems and long-lost amusements that once lit up this eastside entertainment strip.

Vroman's Bookstore: Vroman’s on Screen - Tim Greiving, in conversation with Matt Gourley, discusses & signs John Williams: A Composer’s Life
2025-09-25 19:00 - 20:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
John Williams is one of the most important film composers of all time, having almost singlehandedly revived the Hollywood symphonic scoring tradition and helped restore the livelihood of American orchestras through the popularity of film music programming. His film music, in the words of director Oliver Stone, “came to stand for the American culture.”
In John Williams: A Composer’s Life, the first biography of the composer, author Tim Greiving offers an engaging account of a man whose body of work is well-known but whose personal life has consistently remained very private. Williams wrote the memorable scores and hummable themes for a staggering number of popular touchstones across multiple generations–among them Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Jaws, E.T., Jurassic Park, Schindler’s List, and the Harry Potter series–and earned more Oscar nominations than any individual artist in the history of the motion picture Academy. He also composed dozens of concerti, fanfares, and other concert works and was a national presence as music director of the Boston Pops for more than a decade. He inspired countless children to pursue a career in the orchestra and won the respect of the classical community worldwide. Seeking to understand what drove Williams’s musical productivity and its effects on the lives of those close to him, Greiving delves deeply into the composer’s decades-long career, uncovering countless new stories and revelations. Throughout, he analyzes and describes Williams’ film scores, recalling them primarily in narrative and emotional terms rather than purely musicological ones, and in doing so emphasizes one of Williams’s principle strengths: his musical storytelling.
With unprecedented interview access to Williams and those close to him, Greiving presents the definitive portrait of a beloved but famously private doyen of twentieth-century pop culture. Featuring 175 exclusive interviews–including with Steven Spielberg, Oliver Stone, George Miller, Mia Farrow, Hans Zimmer, Yo-Yo Ma, session musicians, family members, and friends–John Williams: A Composer’s Life is the first and last word on the great court composer of the cinema age, the musical conductor of our collective memory.

Vroman's Bookstore: Robert Oventile and Contributors read from, discuss & sign The Canyon
2025-09-26 19:00 - 20:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
Through poems and photos, The Canyon meditates on Eaton Canyon, a unique ecosystem nestled adjacent Pasadena and Altadena, California.
In January 2025, the Eaton Fire devastated the canyon, along with parts of Altadena and Pasadena. The Canyon reflects on the resilience of this environment, recalling how its wildlife, plants, and terrain rebounded after the 1993 Kinneloa Fire. Shaped by fire and now increasingly by human-driven climate change, Eaton Canyon is part of a larger story-one that climate scientists place within the evolving Earth System.
A celebration of Eaton Canyon’s beauty and endurance, The Canyon invites readers on a journey through an ever-changing landscape.
About the Author and the Photographers
Susan Hopkins has been an Eaton Canyon Docent Naturalist since 2018 and a UC California Naturalist since 2019. Susan’s passion is taking long in duration, very short on distance hikes in Eaton Canyon. The slower you go, the more you see. She is also a nature gossip.
Edgar McGregor is a meteorologist and environmentalist living in Southern California. He takes daily walks at Eaton Canyon to pick up litter, speak about environmental issues, and monitor changes to the park. He specializes in forecasting Santa Ana windstorms and aided in warning the Altadena community in the days before the 2025 Eaton Fire.
Tom Mills is an amateur nature and wildlife photographer who is one of many volunteer docents at the Eaton Canyon Natural Area. Born and raised on the North Shore of Long Island, N.Y., Tom relocated to California in 1988 and has lived in Pasadena, California with his wife, Simone, for over thirty years. Tom is also a member of the Pasadena Audubon Society, with whom he also volunteers his time and photographs for use in the Society’s publications.
Robert Savino Oventile hikes Eaton Canyon regularly. He is coauthor with Sandy Florian of Sophia Lethe Talks Doxodox Down (Atmosphere, 2021).

Ice House Comedy: The Shin Dig Show
2025-09-26 21:30 - 23:00 | Ice House Comedy Club, 24 N Mentor Ave, Pasadena, CA, 91106
Ice House Comedy presents The Shin Dig Show. LIVE IN THE LEGENDARY ROOM! Ice House doors open at 6:30pm. Show Starts at 9:30pm.
**21+ with a 2 item minimum per seat.**

Vroman's Bookstore: Dr. Haleh Massey discusses & signs Say Something, Poupeh Babaee!: A Graphic Novel
2025-09-27 11:00 - 12:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore
Poupeh needs to speak up for her parents at an embassy interview-the problem is that she’s been rendered mute! Smile meets New Kid in this funny, heartwarming, poignant graphic novel about the toll immigrating to the United States takes on a kid’s mental health.
Poupeh Babaee is an Iranian girl sent to live with her relatives in the United States. Although Poupeh understands and speaks English, the stress of entering a new school in a foreign land renders her mute, and she is diagnosed with selective mutism. Worse yet, a travel ban–which labels Iran a “dangerous country”–has barred her parents from entering the US! Poupeh must now overcome her selective mutism to advocate for her parents during an interview with an embassy consular officer if she ever wants to see them again.
Uplifting and engaging, Say Something, Poupeh Babaee! depicts the healing power of therapy, friendship, and familial bonds. This is a message of hope to all the awkward, overwhelmed immigrant children struggling to find acceptance.

Vroman’s on Screen - Stephen Rebello, in conversation with Alonso Duralde, discusses & signs Criss-Cross: The Making of Hitchcock's Dazzling, Subversive Masterpiece Strangers on a Train
2025-09-27 15:00 - 16:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
For the very first time the tense and drama-filled story of the making Alfred Hitchcock’s Strangers on a Train is revealed as author Stephen Rebello takes readers deep into the shadows and light of one of the most subversive, corrosively funny, and beloved suspense thriller masterworks.
As entertaining as it is to watch Strangers on a Train, so too is the previously untold backstory that packs all the suspense, drama, and twists of a thriller. After all, what are the hallmarks of a great Hitchcock movie? A larger-than-life, complex cast of characters, each with something to prove, lose, or hide. Check. Tremendous risk, outsized conflict, and emotion as those men and women confront challenges off the set. Check. Feuds, deceptions, unlikely alliances, and double-crosses. Check. Coming off a 5-year-string of flops, Alfred Hitchcock gambled big on adapting Patricia Highsmith’s debut novel, which critics called “preposterous” and “unconvincing,” in addition to “unsavory,” and “sick” (1950s code words for “gay” and “perverted”). Each step of the production was fraught with battles, but Hitchcock masterfully stayed two steps ahead of his opponents as he fought to bring his vision to life. Strangers on a Train became not only a creative high-water mark and box-office smash for Hitchcock, but also kicked off his unmatched decade of classics including Dial M for Murder, Rear Window, Vertigo, North by Northwest, and Psycho.
Richly documented, meticulously researched, and stylishly written, Criss-Cross is more than an authoritative film book. It is a portrait of an especially politically paranoid, misogynistic, and homophobic era in America, a time of dramatic transition in the entertainment industry, and a day of reckoning for Alfred Hitchcock and a few other talents with whom he made a dark, resonant, and prescient work of art.

Boston Court: Pianist Aron Kallay
2025-09-27 20:00 | Boston Court Pasadena, 70 N. Mentor Ave., Pasadena, CA, 91206, United States
Boston Court Pasadena invites you to an evening of live music with pianist Aron Kallay. The Grammy®-nominated artist and Piano Spheres Core Artist will perform works that journey through the depths of love, the shadows of loss, the turbulence of conflict, and the joy of renewal. The program features music by Beethoven, Prokofiev, Liszt, Messiaen, Brahms, and more.

Ice House Comedy: Sean Porter and friends
2025-09-27 21:30 - 23:00 | Ice House Comedy Club, 24 N Mentor Ave, Pasadena, CA, 91106
Ice House Comedy presents Cyrus and Friends. LIVE IN THE CALIFORNIA ROOM! Ice House doors open at 6:30pm. Show Starts at 7:45pm.
**21+ only with a 2 item minimum per seat in the showroom**

Vroman's Bookstore: Joss Richard, in conversation with Elissa Sussman, discusses & signs It’s Different This Time
2025-09-29 19:00 - 20:00 | Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA, 91101, United States
In this sweeping, second-chance romance, a twist of fate forces two former roommates back into their beloved New York City brownstone where they must confront the events that led to their estrangement–and the unresolved feelings lingering between them.
Reeling from the cancellation of her hit TV show, June Wood has nothing left to lose when a mysterious email lures her back to the New York City brownstone she once called home before she moved to Los Angeles. Thanks to a clause in the former owner’s will, she and her old roommate, Adam Harper, now own the multimillion-dollar property–or at least they will in a month, once all the paperwork is signed.
Four weeks, then June can return to her life in LA and forget about New York City and everything she left behind. Sure, the fact that June and Adam are estranged and haven’t even spoken in five years, and that their friendship didn’t exactly end on good terms might complicate matters, but this is an opportunity of a lifetime.
As the autumn leaves fall around them, through shared meals and late-night conversations, old wounds and long-buried sparks resurface, and it becomes strikingly clear: June and Adam have unfinished business. Confronted with the consequences of their choices years before, they must now navigate the minefield of their past the best way they know how: together. Second chances are always a risk, but maybe, if they get it right and are finally honest with each other and with themselves, it could be different this time.
