Want to get your culture on this weekend? Our recommendations include “The C.A. Lyons Project” at the Alliance Theatre, winner of the 2015 Alliance/Kendeda National Graduate Playwriting Competition. Pictured (from left): Juel D. Lane, Francesca Harper, James Brown III, Tiffany Denise Hobbs and Danielle Deadwyler. Photo: Greg Mooney.
RECOMMENDED
Les Misérables. THROUGH MARCH 1. The revolution returns — if you can get a ticket. Aurora Theatre reprises its 2013 hit, winner of five Suzi Bass awards (including best musical), with most of its original cast. Check the website for sellouts before you make plans. $30-$50. 8 p.m. Wednesday-Friday; 2:30 + 8 p.m. Saturday; and 2:30 p.m. Sunday. 128 E. Pike St., Lawrenceville. Free, covered, attached parking in city of Lawrenceville deck at 153 E. Crogan St. Details, tickets HERE or at 678.226.6222.
Silent Sky. EXTENDED THROUGH MARCH 8. Make this a must-see. Decatur-born, San Francisco-based playwright Lauren Gunderson (Exit, Pursued by a Bear; Emilie: La Marquise Du Chatelet Defends Her Life Tonight; the award-winning I and You) makes her Theatrical Outfit debut with this luminous script about real-life American astronomer Henrietta Leavitt (1868-1921), who must deal with dismissive male colleagues and family disapproval as she fights to understand the stars. Elizabeth Diane Wells, as Leavitt, leads a wonderful cast. $20-$35. Through March 1. 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday; 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Also at 2:30 p.m. Feb. 21 + 28. Balzer Theater at Herren’s, 84 Luckie St. N.W. Tickets, details HERE or at 678.528.1500. Ticket discounts at PoshDealz.com. (Pictured: Elizabeth Diane Wells as Leavitt, left) and Deadra Moore as her funny, brutally honest Scottish co-worker Williamena Fleming. Photo by BreeAnne Clowdus)
THIS WEEKEND ONLY
Men in Motion. SATURDAY-SUNDAY. Described as bold, athletic and inspirational. This annual performance by Moving in the Spirit features works old and new that blend hip-hop, contemporary dance and martial arts to prove that real men do dance. Highlights include two new works by guest choreographers Greg Catellier of Catellier Dance Projects and Blake Dalton of Crossover Movement Arts. $12; $8 age 13 and under. 6 p.m. Saturday; 3 + 5 p.m. Sunday. The Beam Theatre, 750 Glenwood Ave. S.E. Details, tickets HERE or at 404.624.5295.
Midori. TONIGHT + SATURDAY. One of today’s greatest violinists joins the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra for Schumann’s Violin Concerto. Also on the program: Mendelssohn’s Overture to A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the Prelude and “Good Friday Spell” from Wagner’s Parsifal and the Prelude to Wagner’s Die Meistersinger. Music director Robert Spano is on the podium. $29-$104. 8 tonight; 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Atlanta Symphony Hall, Woodruff Arts Center, 1280 Peachtree St. N.E. Details, tickets HERE or at 404.733.5000.
NEW THIS WEEKEND
Anne Frank: Within and Without. THROUGH MARCH 8. The piece celebrates the life of the Holocaust victim, acting as a meditation on hope and all that is good in humankind. Told with tabletop and marionette puppets. Recommended for middle and high school students as well as adults. Talkbacks follow every show. $25. 11 a.m. Wednesday-Thursday; 11 a.m. + 8 p.m. Friday; 8 p.m. Saturday; and 5 p.m. Sunday. Center for Puppetry Arts, 1404 Spring St. N.W. Details, tickets HERE or at 404.873.3391.
LAST CHANCE
Bad Jews. THROUGH SUNDAY. A comedy with bite first developed by playwright Joshua Harmon during an Actor’s Express residency. Cousins clash over religion and everything else when thrown together for a family funeral. Check the website for ticket availability before you go. $20-$32 (parking $5). 8 tonight-Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday. King Plow Arts Center, 887 W. Marietta St. Tickets, details HERE or at 404.875.1606. (Pictured: Wyatt Fenner. Photo by BreeAnne Clowdus)
fml: how Carson McCullers saved my life. THROUGH SUNDAY. 7 Stages presents Sarah Gubbins’ story about a lesbian teenager’s struggle to avoid being noticed, survive bullying and embrace one teacher’s determination to provide hope. Inspired by Carson McCullers’ The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter. $18 + $22.50. 8 tonight-Saturday; 5 p.m. Sunday. Additional show at 2 p.m. Saturday. Post-show talk tonight. 1105 Euclid Ave. N.E. Details, tickets HERE or at 404.523.7647.
Jane, the Fox and Me (Jane, renard, et moi). THROUGH SUNDAY. Théâtre du Rêve (Theatre of the Dream) tells the story of a young girl struggling with her self-image, who finds solace in Jane Eyre and a visiting fox. Adapted from the graphic novel, with animated projections and sound. Runs about 35 minutes, followed by a 25-minute talkback on empathy and bullying behavior. $5-$15. Performance in English at 2 p.m. Sunday. Performance in French at 10 a.m. Saturday. 7 Stages, 1105 Euclid Ave. N.E. Tickets HERE. For details, email info@tdratl.org or call 404.875.3829.
Tuck Everlasting. THROUGH SUNDAY. A young girl dreaming of adventure meets a family with a fascinating secret, a chance encounter that changes them all forever. A world premiere musical at the Alliance Theatre, based on Natalie Babbitt’s 1975 novel. The script, direction and choreography are by a team of Tony Award winners and nominees. For ages 10 and up. $21-$60. 7:30 p.m. tonight; 8 p.m. Friday; 2 + 8 p.m. Saturday; and 2:30 + 7:30 p.m. Sunday. Alliance Theatre mainstage, Woodruff Arts Center, 1280 Peachtree St. N.E. Details, tickets HERE or at 404.733.5000. For more on the show, see this ENCORE FEATURE. (Pictured: The ballet finale. Photo by Greg Mooney)
NOW PLAYING
4000 Miles. THROUGH MARCH 1. A quirky dramatic comedy from playwright Amy Herzog about a 91-year-old grandmother and her 21-year-old grandson, who become roommates after he travels around the country by bicycle. A 2013 Pulitzer Prize finalist and winner of the 2012 Obie Award for best new off-Broadway play. Mary Lynn Owen and Barrett Doyle play the unlikely roommates. $20-$30. 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday; 2:30 p.m. Sunday. At Aurora Theatre. Harvel Lab, 128 E. Pike St., Lawrenceville. Free, covered, attached parking in city of Lawrenceville deck at 153 E. Crogan St. Details, tickets HERE or at 678.226.6222. (Pictured: Mary Lynn Owen and Barrett Doyle. Photo by Chris Bartelski)
The C.A. Lyons Project. THROUGH MARCH 6. Winner of the 2015 Alliance/Kendeda National Graduate Playwriting Competition. Playwright Tsehaye Hébert combines dance and theater to tell a story set in the 1980s, about the founder of a dynamic African-American dance company, who becomes ill, and three female dancers, who must handle the fallout. Note: Contains brief nudity. $38. 7:30 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday; 8 p.m. Friday; 2:30 + 8 p.m. Saturday; and 2:30 + 7:30 Sunday. Alliance Theatre, Hertz Stage, Woodruff Arts Center, 1280 Peachtree St. N.E. Details, tickets HERE or at 404.733.5000. For more on the playwright, see this ENCORE FEATURE and the blue box on this page.
Detroit ’67. THROUGH MARCH 8. It’s 1967 in Detroit, and Motown is the sound. Chelle and brother Lank turn their basement into a late-night hot spot to make ends meet but, when their feelings erupt so does much of the city, and they find themselves in the midst of Motor City’s historic riots. Playwright Dominique Morisseau won a 2014 Kennedy Center award for her drama, and street cred from The New York Times, which called it “crackling with humor.” True Colors Theatre at the Southwest Arts Center, 915 New Hope Road. Details, tickets HERE or at 877.725.8849. For more, see this ENCORE FEATURE. (Pictured: Tinashe Kajese and E. Roger Mitchell)
StinkyKids the Musical. THROUGH MARCH 8. Synchronicity and Aurora theaters partner to present this family musical based on the Britt Menzies books and characters. Britt, Max, Hannah, Jen, Johnny and Billy plan to visit the new MegaJumper 3000, but the situation gets sticky when Britt wakes up with gum in her hair. $10-$40. 7:30 p.m. Friday; 1 + 4 p.m. Saturday; and 2 + 5 p.m. Sunday. Synchronicity Theatre at Peachtree Pointe, 1545 Peachtree St. N.E. Details, tickets HERE or at 404.484.8636.
Wicked. THROUGH MARCH 8. The musical blockbuster returns to the Fox Theatre for a third time. As you may know, long before Dorothy dropped in, two other girls met in the Land of Oz. One — born with emerald-green skin — was smart, fiery and misunderstood. The other was beautiful, ambitious and popular. See how these two unlikely friends became the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good. $33 and up. 7:30 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday (also at 1 p.m. today only); 8 p.m. Friday; 2 + 8 p.m. Saturday; and 1 + 6:30 p.m. Sunday. Also at 1 p.m. Fox Theatre, 660 Peachtree St. N.E. Details, tickets HERE or at 855.285.8499
LOOKING AHEAD
Rigoletto. FEB. 28-MARCH 8. Verdi’s story of lust, vengeance and sacrifice returns in a new co-production with The Atlanta Opera, Boston Lyric Opera and Omaha Opera. The tragic story revolves around the licentious Duke of Mantua, his hunchbacked court jester Rigoletto and Rigoletto’s beautiful daughter, Gilda. Sung I Italian with English supertitles. $26-$140. 7:30 p.m. Tuesday; 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday; and 3 p.m. Sunday. Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, 2800 Cobb Galleria Parkway. Details, tickets HERE or at 404.881.8885.
Witches Night Off. MARCH 2. Cast members of Wicked, now at the Fox Theatre, use their Monday night off to perform in support of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and Joining Hearts of Atlanta. The performers kick off their Oz-ian roles to sing and dance for you. Includes live and silent auctions (backstage visits at the Fox with the company are among items up for bid). The Wicked folks are joined by Tony Award sinner Jennifer Holliday. $35; $20 students with ID; VIP $100. 7:30 p.m. Ferst Center for the Arts on the Georgia Tech campus, 349 Ferst Drive N.W. Details, tickets HERE or at 404.894.9600.
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Kathy Janich, Encore Atlanta’s managing editor, has been seeing, working in or writing about the performing arts for most of her life. Full disclosure: She is affiliated with Synchronicity Theatre listed above. Please email: kathy@encoreatlanta.com.
