The Prom
Playhouse on the Square
Friday, August 18 -– September 17
I know it’s not exactly prom season, and I assume you’re not exactly in the age group to be going to prom. So if it weren’t for these two things — plus the fact that you and I are virtually strangers — I’d ask you to prom anytime. Alas, that just doesn’t seem to be in the cards for us. Still, that doesn’t mean you can’t attend The Prom — as in Playhouse on the Square’s latest production.
In The Prom, a group of Broadway stars, lamenting their days of fame, come to the rescue when a student is refused the opportunity to bring her girlfriend to the prom in the town of Edgewater, Indiana. What ensues is a magnificent evening that inspires the audience to rely on their loved ones and develop a deeper understanding of them.
You can buy tickets ($25) to the show here or by calling the box office at (901) 726-4656. Performances run August 18th through September 17th, Thursday–Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. A pay-what-you-can performance is Thursday, August 24th.
Sinfonietta Memphis
Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception | Friday, August 18, 7:30 p.m.
Scheidt Family Performing Arts Center | Saturday, August 19, 7:30 p.m.
If we were to go to prom together, I bet we’d get into some serious treble together. But for now, we’ll leave the treble-making to Sinfonietta Memphis, who this weekend will be performing Joseph Haydn’s fresh and spritely Symphony No. 6 “The Morning” and Louise Farrenc’s dramatic and stormy Symphony No. 3 in G minor. The ensemble, led by three young guest conductors (Brendan Barker, Matthew Clarke, and Ryan Fellman), will have two free shows, one on Friday at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception and the other on Saturday at the Scheidt Family Performing Arts Center.
Photography by NordWood Themes on Unsplash
National Day of Photography Celebration
Cossitt Library
Saturday, August 19, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
I know we have no need for prom photos, but I can really picture us making a picture-perfect pair. Can’t you? But a picture-perfect day sounds just as nice, and what better way to have a picture-perfect day than to celebrate the National Day of Photography at the Cossitt Library.
For the free celebration, the branch will be transformed into a large-scale photography space, from the front patio all the way to the second floor. Some of the featured exhibitions are: detailed and fun selfie stations, back-to-school pictures, pet portraits, a Polaroid station, artist booths, an exhibition on the history of photography, and more. You can also learn about specialized equipment that can digitize older media, such as old photos, VHS tapes, and the like, and watch as a large-scale photo printer does its magic. There will also be miniature photo workshops throughout the branch. Dos Hermanos Kitchen will also have food for sale from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.!
Ballet Memphis
Ballet Memphis Open House
Ballet Memphis
Saturday, August 19, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Just because we aren’t going to prom, doesn’t mean we can’t boogie the weekend away. In fact, Ballet Memphis is having a dance extravaganza this weekend with a free open house.
From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., the company’s building will be activated with classes, chances to learn about Pilates, new Ballet Memphis tees, a balloon arch, food truck, Inclusive Dance, performances by the Beyond Technique Advanced students and Dance for Parkinson’s, an Intro to Tap class, open company rehearsal, and MORE! See Instagram (@balletmemphis) for details.
Calida Rawles, United States, b. 1976, Thy Name We Praise, 2023, acrylic on canvas, 72 x 108 inches. Terra Foundation for American Art and Spelman College Museum of Fine Art co-acquisition in honor of Mary Schmidt Campbell, Ph.D., 10th President of Spelman College
“Black American Portraits”
Memphis Brooks Museum of Art
On display through January 7, 2024
Listen, I know I’m not your prom date or what-have-you, but can I just say you’re truly a work of art? I’d say they should hang a picture of you at the Brooks, but it seems that they’re full, especially now that they’ve opened a new exhibition, “Black American Portraits.”
With over 129 portraits, this exhibition centers Black-American subjects, sitters, and spaces, focusing on feelings of joy, love, and power. It’s truly a sight to take in, so you best get there fast. Read more about it here.
P.S. The Brooks has free admission on Saturdays at 10 a.m. to noon.
P.P.S. This Saturday guests can enjoy the Jazz in the Galleries: Saturday Series, where you can enjoy jazz in the galleries from noon to 2 p.m., included in admission.
