Cerritos Center for the
Performing Arts

Owned and operated by the city of Cerritos, the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts attracts a wide array of performers, partly because the space can be configured into five different seating arrangements, all appropriate for different types of shows—everything from an opera to a touring Broadway show to a guitar recital.

The center is very family-friendly and always presents a variety of programs for children. It also presents some of the more interesting and out-of-the-mainstream folk and rock music in the area. There are plenty of classical music concerts, too, including the “What Makes It Great?” series, composer Robert Kapilow’s lecture/performances of well known classical pieces.

Visiting

Each season runs from August to May and includes about 150 shows. The performance calendar is announced each spring and is available for downloading on the center’s website.

Performances can fall on any day of the week except Monday. Evening events generally begin at 7:30 or 8 p.m.; Sunday matinees usually start at 3 p.m.

Tickets are available at the box office (Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday noon to 4 p.m.), by phone, and online. Prices vary depending on the performer. Subscriptions are available by series: Dance, Broadway, Recital, Swing, Opera, and Masterworks.

Dining

In the nearby Los Cerritos Center, El Rocoto serves authentic Peruvian fare. It’s crowded and often loud, and the service can be spotty, but it’s worth a visit to try the lomo saltado, sautéed beef with onions, tomatoes, and French fries; the jalea, a heaping mound of deep-fried fish, shrimp, squid, scallops, and octopus; and the alfajores, traditional shortbread cookies.

The Cerritos area is overrun with chain restaurants, and Niko Niko Sushi is one of them, but it’s not mediocre and predictable like most. The décor is clean and simple, the service is top-notch, and the sushi proves a good value for the price – not the best you’ve ever tasted, but tasty and not too expensive.

 A few miles away in Artesia, Little India, a four-block section of Pioneer Boulevard, is lined with good Indian restaurants. Udupi Palace is one of the best; its Northern Indian cuisine is heavy on vegetarian dishes. Not to miss: the dosas, extra large crispy crepes made from rice and wheat flour.