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Best of All Possible Revisions

With input along the way from Lillian Hellman, Dorothy Parker and Stephen Sondheim (among others), Leonard Bernstein’s much-polished Candide takes Voltaire’s satire to the stage. Lyric Opera San Diego opens its 30th season with the popular comic operetta, September 26–October 28 at Birch North Park Theatre. 619-231-5714; lyricoperasandiego.org.

What Light in Yonder Theater Breaks?

Adam Guettel’s romantic Light in the Piazza shines at Lamb’s Players Theatre in Coronado, taking the journey to Italy through November 2. 619-437-0600; lambsplayers.org.

Scary Good Time

Get into the Halloween spirit with a visit to one of these local haunts: The Scream Zone at the Del Mar “Scaregrounds” (858-755-1161, ext. 2855; sdfair.com/screamzone) features a Haunted Hayride, House of Horror and a Chamber of Chills, September 28 and 29 and October 5-7, 12-14, 18-21 and 24-31; the Haunted Hotel in the Gaslamp District and the Haunted Trail in Balboa Park (619-696-SCARE; hauntedhotel.com) put a seriously spooky spin on San Diego landmarks, September 28–October 31 (closed Monday and Tuesday except October 27 and 28).

Ladies and Locker Rooms

The Old Globe Theatre has a double-header this month, with Clare Boothe Luce’s classic The Women (through October 26) and Itamar Moses’ baseball-centered Back Back Back (through October 26). 619-234-5623; theoldglobe.org.

And the Piano Loves You Too

Irving Berlin’s music is celebrated in grand style with I Love a Piano, tickling the ivories——and a fancy or two——at the Welk Resort Theatre in Escondido through November 9. 760-749-3448; welktheatre.com.

Free Ride

Throughout October, Hornblower Cruises & Events invites kids 12 and younger to cruise San Diego Bay for free. Each paying adult ($20 for a one-hour cruise or $25 for two hours) can receive up to two complimentary kids’ tickets. The narrated Harbor Cruise highlights more than 50 famous sites of the Big Bay, including the Coronado Bridge, Star of India and military ships. 619-686-8700; hornblower.com.

Leeches and Beetles and Snails, Oh My!

The slime trail leads to the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center’s “Animal Grossology” exhibit, opening September 27 and celebrating the icky, sticky and stinky critters among us. 619-238-1233; rhfleet.org.

Food for Thought

Local chefs Bernard Guillas (Marine Room), Sam “The Cooking Guy” Zien and Isabel Cruz host the Center for Community Solutions’ fourth annual Chef Showdown, a culinary competition in the style of the popular TV show Iron Chef, at the NTC Promenade in Point Loma on October 2, 6-9 p.m. Patrons dine on tastes from more than 20 of San Diego’s finest restaurants at the benefit event, held in honor of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. 858-272-5777, ext. 120; ccssd.org.

Front and Center

The San Diego Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Community Center celebrates 35 years of service to the county’s LGBT and HIV communities with a festive black-tie gala, October 11 at Paradise Point Resort & Spa on Mission Bay. The anticipated sell-out event includes a cocktail reception, dinner and program. Tickets go for $150 (general) and $300 (VIP). 619-692-2077; thecentersd.org/gala.

On Point

Liaoning Ballet, one of China’s best-known professional ballet troupes, performs classical and modern Chinese works in “The Elegant Ballet Galaxy,” October 23 at the California Center for the Arts, Escondido (800-988-4253; artcenter.org) and October 25 at the San Diego Civic Center Theatre (619-570-1100; sdcivic.org). Tickets range from $30 to $75. sino-china.com.

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