UCLA PRESENTS THE BEST in arts and culture, community events, sports and entertainment. From exhilarating athletics to fabulous film screenings, April offers some amazing experiences. For more UCLA events, visit community.ucla.edu.
APRIL 24 | NOON
Botany Brown Bag with Dr. Kate Eisen
Ever taken a walk around the neighborhood, seen a pink flowering herb and thought “that must be the Clarkia genus in the plant family Onagraceae, a species native to western North America”? No? Well, now is the time to start. The Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Garden continues its hit series “Botany Brown Bag” with an edition focused on the Clarkia flower, deemed “one of California’s most charismatic genera.” Kate Eisen, a Los Angeles expert on the native plant, will guide you through the garden and tell you everything you need to know about the Clarkia’s evolutionary and ecological history. Soon, you’ll be overflowing with facts on one of California’s most prolific wildflowers. Make sure to bring your lunch and RSVP for free here.
APRIL 2 | 12:30 P.M.
Lunchtime Art Talk on William Leavitt
Step away from your desk and add some art to your Wednesday lunch break. Every week, the Hammer Museum at UCLA’s expert curatorial department leads free, insightful and short discussions about artists. Whether you brown-bag it or get it to-go, Lunchtime Art Talks are a great way to spice up your hump day and learn about the Hammer’s interesting and extensive collection. April’s session is focused on the work of William Leavitt, a conceptual artist known for his critiques of the Los Angeles entertainment industry through his paintings, installations and photographs. Curatorial assistant Jennifer Buonocore-Nedrelow will walk you through the exhibit, explaining some of Leavitt’s works, and will then lead a conversation about the artists. No RSVP necessary.
APRIL 6–JUNE 8
Girlhood has been called a “before time” — free from adulthood’s burdens. Cinema has long confined girlhood to familiar and reductive narratives centered on male validation. Beyond Barbie, the next series from the UCLA Film & Television Archive, seeks to redefine girlhood coming-of-age stories, showcasing mostly women filmmakers from the United States, Europe and Asia who challenge stereotypical notions of this formative time of life. These films prioritize self-discovery and agency, exploring myriad girls’ psyches through work that is complex, vibrant and inherently cinematic. The Beyond Barbie series is composed of six screenings starting April 6 at the Billy Wilder Theater at the Hammer Museum; the inaugural screening features the 2015 psychological portrait The Fits, a drama about an 11-year-old tomboy experiencing seizure-like “fits” who is suddenly thrust onto a fierce dance team. Check the schedule to learn more about the subsequent screenings.
APRIL 10 | 7:30 P.M.
Poetry Reading: Rosanna Warren
Poet, literary critic, translator, classicist, painter and biographer (the list goes on) Rosanna Warren believes that “all things are full of gods.” Well-versed in lyric poetry, she is considered one of the most vibrant poets of the 21st century and a foremost expert on the works of the famed 20th century French poet Max Jacob. In 2020, Warren released two books: a comprehensive and moving biography of Jacob, and So Forth, her own volume of lyric poetry. In this reading at the Hammer, Warren brings her passion for Jacob’s historic works in combination with her own poetic works to assert how the beauty of poetry extends beyond bodily existence. This event, like the Hammer Museum itself, is free.
APRIL 13 | 11 A.M.
Watch 5 billion years pass in 90 minutes, from the asteroid that changed Earth’s angle to the sun to the present-day profusion of life. Earth is a 2007 BBC documentary following the journeys made by three essential, global and familial species: Arctic polar bears, African bush elephants and the humpback whale. Blending wonder and warning, Earth reframes our natural world through the lenses of these three animal families to explore the fragile dynamics that sustain life on our planet. One of the most expensive nature documentary productions in the history of filmmaking, Earth revolutionized wildlife filming and, two decades later, is still considered one of the most cutting-edge documentaries of the 21st century. Bring family, friends and fellow natural world enthusiasts to the Billy Wilder Theater to celebrate Earth Month. Like all UCLA Film & Television Archive events, this screening is free, with no RSVP required.
STARTING APRIL 16
The Geffen Playhouse’s newest showing is Furlough’s Paradise: Cousins Sade and Mina were once inseparable. Now, the only thing that brings them back to their rural hometown is the funeral of their mother and aunt. The once identical cousins are in very different places: Sade is on a three-day furlough from prison, while Mina has built a successful but stressful life on the West Coast. As Sade and Mina navigate the deaths of their mothers and the disappointments in their lives, they feel Sade’s furlough clock ticking. With limited time and funerals looming, the cousins are forced to confront issues they’ve long avoided and regain some semblance of connection. Written by the seminal and award-winning playwright a.k. payne, Furlough’s Paradise is a gripping exploration of family, freedom and healing, even in the oddest and most painful of circumstances. Come to the Geffen Playhouse to see it youself and get your tickets here.
APRIL 17 | 8 P.M.
Eiko Otake (b. 1952) grew up in postwar Japan before moving to New York in 1976; Wen Hui (b. 1960) pioneered contemporary dance in China during the Cultural Revolution before working in Europe. These two independent female artists may have grown up light years apart — culturally and geographically — but their dance, choreography, performance and cinematic practice has collided as they both explore one topic: the body. Combining their skills in dance, performance and film, Otake and Wen Hui made the award-winning documentary No Rule Is Our Rule (2020), about how their bodies hold personal memories. That project led them to create What Is War, a performance work using their unique choreography, experimental performance and projected video to portray Otake and Wen Hui’s personal memories from postwar Japan and the Chinese Cultural Revolution. To see how these two artists support and absorb each other’s stories, get tickets here.
APRIL 27–28
Archive Treasures: UCLA AMIA Student Chapter Takeover
The Association of Moving Image Archivists (AMIA) is a vital nonprofit network of international professionals dedicated to preserving, cataloging and exhibiting moving images. The first AMIA chapter was founded in 2000 at UCLA, with original and new members still contributing to the mission of the UCLA Film & Television Archive. The archive is now thrilled to inaugurate a new, public-facing collaboration with the passionate UCLA students who have most recently joined the association. For two days, the Billy Wilder Theater is all theirs as the students get to curate their own program of short- and long-form films from the archive’s collection around two unique themes: union activism and self-narration in New York City. Come see for yourself what the next great generation of archivists, preservationists and film fanatics have put together; no RSVP needed.
APRIL 5 | ALL DAY
Rafer Johnson and Jackie Joyner-Kersee Invitational
Enjoy one of the few home meets hosted at UCLA’s Drake Stadium, right in the heart of campus. Top athletes from across the country come to compete in every event; from the high jump to the hammer throw, the 100-meter dash to the mile, track and field has all-day events to take in. Check out the schedule to find your favorite contests.
APRIL 12 | 5 P.M.
Men’s Volleyball vs. Brigham Young
The 2024 and 21-time NCAA national champions need your help! Come to the “Pack Pauley Match” and join your fellow Bruin fanatics in an effort to break the attendance record for men’s volleyball. Grab some discounted $10 tickets and bring your family and friends. Watch UCLA (hopefully) beat the Brigham Young University Cougars and set a new attendance record!
APRIL 17 | 2:30 P.M.
Sun, sand and world-class beach volleyball — what more could you ask for? How about the top two teams in the NCAA and your favorite crosstown rivalry? UCLA and University of Southern California beach volleyball have been neck and neck for the past decade. Four out of the past five seasons it’s been the Bruins and the Trojans as winner and runners-up at the NCAA championship. Needless to say, both teams are seeking an advantage over the other as they ramp up for the 2025 championship on April 23. Come see the battle of the season, all for free, at Sunset Canyon Recreation Center’s Mapes Beach on campus.
APRIL 19 | 1 P.M.
It’s a tale as old as time: UCLA is once again top 10 in the nation. This time it’s the women’s water polo team. The Bruins have a perfect regular season record, with only a few losses at the Triton Invitational Tournament last February. One of the few teams it lost to? USC. (Oh, them again.) But the Bruins have a few things on their side: a top ranking in the Big Ten and the NCAA, a home pool advantage and an electric crowd to cheer them on. Come to the Spieker Aquatic Center to be a part of it all; no ticket necessary.
APRIL 25–27 | 6 P.M.
The start of spring is best spent near a baseball diamond. UCLA baseball takes on Penn State University all weekend at Jackie Robinson Stadium. Come early on Friday to get a coupon for a free meal at Fat Sal’s; come Saturday for surprise giveaways and “Team Day” celebrations; come Sunday with all the diminutive athletes for “Athletics for Youth” day and stay late to watch the kids run the bases. Still not convinced? Tickets are $8 for youth and $16 for adults (not counting the popcorn and peanuts, of course).
THROUGHOUT APRIL
Don’t miss the fun of UCLA Watch Parties. Connect with other Bruin faithful at bars and restaurants all around the country while watching plenty of UCLA games and sports events. Visit the Bruin watch party page to find a gathering near you, and come and cheer on UCLA alongside other fans.
APRIL 9 | 6:30 P.M.
EmPower Hour Book Talk: Smart Girl with La’Tonya Rease Miles, M.A. ’99, Ph.D. ’04
How do our stories shape our successes? Alumni Diversity Programs & Initiatives proudly presents an EmPower Hour Book Talk with La’Tonya “LT” Rease Miles, a first-generation college graduate, higher education thought leader and author of Smart Girl: A First-Gen Origin Story. More than a memoir, Smart Girl is a “love letter to the first-gen experience,” exploring identity, resilience and the power of storytelling in shaping educational and professional journeys. Miles will talk about Smart Girl, share insights from her own path, discuss the nuances of the first-gen experience and highlight ways we can better support first-gen students and alumni. This event is geared toward educators, students and allies who want to foster inclusive learning environments and foster multiple pathways to college success.
APRIL 17 | 9 A.M.
Alumni Scholars Club Locks of Love
Join the Alumni Scholars Club for their annual Locks of Love Event. The James West Alumni Center will be transformed into a cutting-edge hair salon, providing free haircuts for those donating at least 8 inches of hair to women and children who have suffered from medical hair loss. Come get a free haircut for a great cause!
APRIL 30 | NOON
Build a Resilient Career: Harness Your Unique Strengths and Transferable Skills
Resilience is the key to success in today’s ever-changing job market. This workshop will guide you in identifying your unique strengths, leveraging your transferable skills and embracing growth opportunities. You’ll gain practical strategies to adapt, excel and explore diverse career paths, from side gigs to entrepreneurship. Participants will learn the three pillars of flexible career growth: how to tap into your strengths; how to become a lifelong and adaptable professional; and how to expand career horizons. RSVP here for free.
