Courtesy photo Zombie Joe's Underground Theatre Group will present a free performance of Edgar Allen Poe's "The Black Cat" at 3 p.m. Saturday during the NoHo Scene celebration. Shaun-Mathieu Smith, Ana Rey and Chase Mallen, from left, will star in the dark, scary tale.

Take an acting class. Watch a dance contest. Grab some deeply discounted vintage clothes. Check out scenes from a hit musical. Listen to a jazz quartet.

Even if you did all of the above Saturday during the NoHo Scene celebration, you would have missed out on dozens of activities.

North Hollywood's arts district, aka NoHo, has long been known for its nearly two dozen theaters, considered one of the densest gathering of playhouses west of Chicago. But even though the area is also packed with art galleries, restaurants, shops and clubs, it largely remains in the shadow of trendier L.A. locales such as West Hollywood.

The NoHo Scene event rose up out of the ashes of the NoHo Theater and Arts Festival. Although the 14-year-old festival was popular, organizers canceled it this year because of growing concern that it was focusing too much on outside vendors and entertainment and not enough on what NoHo itself had to offer.

That won't be a problem with NoHo Scene, organizer Nancy Bianconi said, because the all-day event is specifically designed to boost the area's profile.

"I wanted to brand this area as a unique arts district," Bianconi said. "I want people new to the area to be introduced to all we have to offer, so they will return regularly."

NoHo Scene will be centered around the intersection of Lankershim and Magnolia boulevards, where several of the local theaters will have information booths set up to tell visitors about their upcoming seasons. There will be an outdoor stage with live entertainment, including a dance contest judged by Shane Sparks, a judge on TV's "So You Think You Can Dance?"

"We'll also have a contest with eight artists, each creating a work in front of the crowd that depicts what NoHo means to them," Bianconi said. The audience will choose a winner.

Several theaters are offering free performances and acting classes throughout the day.

Ed Begley Jr. will present highlights from "Cesar & Ruben," a musical that he's written and directed that examines the life and times of labor leader Cesar Chavez, at 1 p.m. Saturday at the NoHo Arts Center, 11136 Magnolia Blvd. Much of the story is told through conversations that Chavez had with Los Angeles Times reporter Ruben Salazar. The show is in production through Nov. 4. Visit www.cesarandruben.org for information.

Zombie Joe's Underground Theatre Group, a NoHo mainstay for seven years, will perform its family-friendly production "Dynamite Kablammo" at 1 p.m., to be followed at 3 p.m. by a scary dramatization of Edgar Allan Poe's "The Black Cat" that's geared for adult audiences.

"This is our third incarnation of a Poe tale," said Zombie Joe, who really goes by that name. "We do the text, word for word, and the eight actors bring it to life. We have found that Poe aficionados, even if they aren't into theater, enjoy our productions of his work."

If children are attending, Bianconi suggests one of several arts or acting workshops, which welcome beginners. Above all, she wants visitors — young and old alike — to explore the area and see what it has to offer.

"What is great about NoHo is how it's a unified district," Bianconi said. "It's not just theaters or art galleries. It's our shops, too. Many of our vintage shops are filled with clothes from famous designers of the '50s and '60s, and the shops are offering great discounts all day. There are also wonderful places to eat.

"It's all close together, but we are having a double-decker bus with tour guides if you want to get around that way. In one day, you'll be able to see how much we have here and why NoHo is worth the short trip."

— E-mail freelance columnist Jeff Favre at jjfavre@yahoo.com.