Wilshire Theatre

The Great American Children's Theatre of Wisconsin is in town again for a 10-day stop at its home away from home, the Wilshire Theatre in Beverly Hills, with a capable and often captivating production about a spunky, red-headed orphan. "Annie"? Nope, it's the 1908 L.M. Montgomery classic "Anne of Green Gables."

"New York City," the third song on Christopher Owens' debut solo album "Lysandre," is kind of an opposite-universe version of Lou Reed's "Walk on the Wild Side" that zips along a major-key melody with a mix of hope and devastation. That blend has been the hallmark of Owens' writing since his time fronting the indie-rock band Girls, and while his work on his own isn't much of a departure it broadens the range that made him a troubadour of millennial drifters and those who love them. Wilshire Ebell Theatre, 4401 West 8th St., L.A. Fri. 7 p.m. $23. http://www.ticketmaster.com .

Billy Crystal will bring his one-man memory play, "700 Sundays," to the Wilshire Theatre in Beverly Hills from Jan. 6 to Feb. 18. The show, written by Crystal with additional material by his friend Alan Zweibel, centers on his family, recounting memories of growing up on Long Island and mixing with jazz notables.

In houses and apartments across L.A., people are gathering together to practice a little-known, but growing, devotional ritual called kirtan. Somewhere between a singalong and a group meditation, kirtan (KEER-tan) is a call-and-response spiritual practice that has roots in Indian religions, including Buddhism, Hinduism and Sikhism. It was introduced to America in 1923, at a performance in Carnegie Hall. Since then, it has transitioned from an exotic performance to a common practice.

'S Canceled: " 'S Wonderful," a Gershwin revue that had been slated for four weeks at the Wilshire Theatre beginning Aug. 18, has been canceled. Refunds will be issued at point of purchase.

* Copenhagen (Wilshire Theatre, 8440 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, [213] 365-3500, [714] 740-7878). Michael Frayn's drama revisits the 1941 meeting between physicists Niels Bohr (Len Cariou, above left) and Werner Heisenberg (Hank Stratton), under the watchful eye of Bohr's wife (Mariette Hartley). What was discussed? Frayn offers a many possibilities in a drama pondering the uncertainty principles ruling us all. Tue.-Fri., 8 p.m.; Sat., 2 and 8 p.m.; Sun., 2 and 7:30 p.m. Ends Jan. 6.

Delay: The Nov. 12-16 run of David Talbert's "The Fabric of a Man" at the Wilshire Theatre in L.A. has been postponed in order to provide more time to put together a national tour in early 2004, a spokesman for the show said. Refunds are available at the point of purchase. * Reshoot: Renny Harlin, director of "Driven," "Cliffhanger" and "Die Hard 2," has been recruited to reshoot some scenes of "Exorcist: The Beginning," studio sources confirm.

The mind-bending theatrical European circus spectacular "Cirque Ingenieux," featuring internationally acclaimed strongmen, contortionists, jugglers, aerialists and illusionists who perform as part of a little girl's fantasy adventure, comes to the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts. Review, Page XX. * "Cirque Ingenieux," Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts, 12700 Center Court Drive. Tonight through Friday, 7 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 2 and 7 p.m. $20-$45.

The longer "Grease!" runs, the more baffling is the secret of its longevity. The road company now at the Wilshire Theatre is an extension of the 1994 Tommy Tune production (which Jeff Calhoun directed and choreographed). Outfitted with a garish set and sensibility but nary a human moment, this 1972 " '50s" rock musical is now being aimed cynically at the dollars of nostalgia-prone baby boomers and their TV-addicted offspring.

* The Harlem Globetrotters play their unique style of basketball at 7 p.m. next Thursday at Staples Center, 1111 S. Figueroa St., downtown L.A. $11-$75. (213) 480-3232. * Rosanna Gamson/Worldwide presents the premiere engagement of "Rita Goes to Hell" March 1-4 at Highways Performance Space, 1651 18th St., Santa Monica. $15. (310) 315-1459. * The Swiss mime troupe Mummenschanz performs "Next" Wednesday-March 4 at the Irvine Barclay Theatre, 4242 Campus Road, Irvine. $17-$35. (949) 854-4646.

Scan any list of the Dems' biggest givers and money-raisers and you'll find the names of Haim and Cheryl Saban, but their most recent cause is a decidedly local one with deep roots in their hometown: restoration of the landmark Wilshire Theatre in Beverly Hills. The media mogul and his wife have agreed to donate $5 million to restore the historic theater's proscenium and orchestra area as well as to refurbish the marquee, which will soon display the name "Saban Theatre."

The Wilshire Theatre in Beverly Hills has launched an inaugural three-show subscription season, opening Feb. 29-March 2, 2008, with the return of "Forever Tango," Luis Bravo's dramatic revue tracing the history of the tango with an Argentinian cast. A stop by the first U.S. national tour of "Whistle Down the Wind" follows April 22-27, featuring music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Jim Steinman, who wrote songs for Meat Loaf.

Gild an old chestnut, and what have you got? A glitzy chestnut. It may look pretty, but the faint aroma of mold lingers. Surely, the producers of "Legends!," now playing a brief engagement at the Wilshire Theatre as part of a limited tour, must have realized that the late James Kirkwood's showbiz comedy was hardly the stuff of deathless drama. But they seem to have thought that if they bedizened the show with enough sheer glitter, then the audience would devour the chestnut with a silver spoon.

Billy Crystal will bring his one-man memory play, "700 Sundays," to the Wilshire Theatre in Beverly Hills from Jan. 6 to Feb. 18. The show, written by Crystal with additional material by his friend Alan Zweibel, centers on his family, recounting memories of growing up on Long Island and mixing with jazz notables.

Temple Shalom for the Arts has begun the purchase of the Wilshire Theatre in Beverly Hills, hoping to turn it into a cultural center akin to the 92nd Street Y in New York. Rabbi David Baron said the congregation has raised about $1 million of the $2 million needed for the down payment and initial renovations of the 1,953-seat facility. He hopes escrow will be completed by mid-July.

The ever-fertile topic of relationships has, in recent years, yielded such laugh-along battles of the sexes as "I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change" and "Maybe Baby, It's You." David E. Talbert attempts something similar in "Love on Lay-A-Way," playing through Sunday at the Wilshire Theatre. Sometimes funny, sometimes serious, the show peels away the walls of a Philadelphia apartment building to observe the relationships inside.

In a neighborhood distinguished by vintage elegance, the grande dame of genteel grace can be found at the southwest corner of Wilshire and Lucerne boulevards. For good reason, too. Women built the Wilshire Ebell Theatre. And for more than three-quarters of a century, women have operated it as a cultural centerpiece for Los Angeles. The 1,270-seat hall and its 48-foot stage is one of the busiest in Southern California.

Delay: The Nov. 12-16 run of David Talbert's "The Fabric of a Man" at the Wilshire Theatre in L.A. has been postponed in order to provide more time to put together a national tour in early 2004, a spokesman for the show said. Refunds are available at the point of purchase. * Reshoot: Renny Harlin, director of "Driven," "Cliffhanger" and "Die Hard 2," has been recruited to reshoot some scenes of "Exorcist: The Beginning," studio sources confirm.