The ’Vous
Museum of Science & History
Friday, May 17, 7 p.m.
Hey! Hey! Hey! Do you know what’s happening this weekend?!? I’m assuming you don't, which is why you turned to this “Five Things To Do In Memphis This Weekend.” Sure I could tell you about the two barbecue festivals happening this weekend, but you already know about that — didn’t you read the Flyer’s cover story this week?
Or, I could tell you about another barbecue-forward event — a screening of The ’Vous documentary, which is about the world-famous Memphis barbecue institution and celebrity attraction The Rendezvous as it faces unprecedented change as the legendary waiters retire and family business moves into a third generation. A Q&A and tasting will follow the screening. Tickets are $12/adults, $10/seniors (60+), and $10/youth (3-12). Purchase tickets here.
But what I really, really, really want to tell you is that it’s my birthday weekend! Woohoo!
Sketches for costume designs by Jennifer Gillettecapture Beale Street, circa 1915.
La bohème
Scheidt Family Performing Arts Center
Friday, May 17, 7:30 p.m. | Saturday, May 18, 7:30 p.m.
Yes, dear reader, it’s true 25 years ago my parents gave birth to me — the same year that such hits as Cher’s “Believe,” Shania Twain’s “That Don’t Impress Me Much,” and Britney Spears’ “… Baby One More Time” graced Billboard’s Top 100. Songs, if I dare to say, that will leave a lasting legacy as much as, say, Giacomo Puccini’s La Boheme.
La bohème, if you’re into opera, is the most popular work in the history of Opera Memphis, and it’s returning this weekend but this time in a brand-new production set in an era when WC Handy and William Grant Still rubbed elbows on Beale Street. Read more about the production in Alex Greene’s article here.
Tickets for the performance ($42-$95) can be purchased here. Pre-Show Packages and Post-Show Reception tickets are also available for $15 here. Pre-Show Packages include a pre-stamped La bohème costume design postcard, a pocket tissue pack, two drink tickets, and priority seating for the 6:30 p.m. pre-show talk. Post-Show Reception includes the chance to meet some of the artists involved in creating the show, a simple cookie bar, and two drink tickets.
Arrive an hour before showtime and warm up your opera experience with the pre-show talk, where Opera Memphis’ artistic team provides insights into the opera’s themes, music, and production. These informal talks will enhance your appreciation of all our operas and are free to all ticket holders.
photography by sean moore
The Hot Wing King
Circuit Playhouse
Through June 2
Apparently, on my birthday (pre-birth) on May 19th in 1962, Marilyn Monroe sang “Happy Birthday” to JFK, whose birthday was on May 29th (not the 19th). Now, I’m no history buff, but I know that was a very juicy moment that happened onstage that folks still gossip about today. And another juicy moment will occur onstage this weekend 62 later — but the folks onstage want you to keep on talking about their show long after it’s done.
As Circuit Playhouse describes their production by Katori Hall, “A searing new comedy, The Hot Wing King follows a group of friends as they prepare for the ‘Hot Wang Festival’ in Memphis, TN. As Cordell and his beau Dwayne embark on their journey to win the ‘crown,’ they find their way through their personal struggles and relationships, figuring out the true meaning of community.”
Tickets are $25 and can be purchased here. Performances are Thursdays to Saturdays at 8 p.m. with Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. through June 2.
photography courtesy experience memphis gardens
Experience Memphis Gardens: Cooper-Young Garden Walk
Cooper-Young Historic District
Saturday-Sunday, May 18-19, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
Anne Boleyn was beheaded on my birthday in 1536. That’s unpleasant, sorry. You know what is pleasant? Gardens. And lots of them. This weekend, you can embark on the first garden tours of the Experience Memphis Gardens citywide garden walk with the Cooper-Young Garden Walk. The two-day event will feature over 100 gardens, speakers, musicians, and garden vendors throughout the vibrant, historic neighborhood. Tickets for the CY Garden Walk will also get you into the other 250-plus amazing gardens throughout the Greater Memphis area that are a part of the monthlong Experience Memphis Gardens tour. And they cost only $26 for 26 days of fun. Learn more about the event here.
photography by abigail morici
“Understory” Opening Reception
Brantley Ellzey’s Summer Studio
Sunday, May 19, 2-6 p.m.
Since it’s my birthday, I’m gonna let Alicja Trout explain her new show opening at Brantley Ellzey’s Summer Studio in her own words:
“‘Understory’ is a blend of nature’s calming bliss and the maelstrom of inner-city rock ‘n’ roll. Each piece portrays serenity with hints of unrest and chaos lying just beneath the placid surface. These bucolic landscapes invite the viewer to float into the picture, drift by wavy trees or a forest fox, and absorb elements of nature’s creative design. As with a diorama in a natural history museum, the viewer is transported into a scene both natural and artificial. Sheltering tree limbs comfort and calm like a protective parent. The innocent creature ignores our gaze and, although the river may be an unnatural color or the trees may be void of leaves, the small forest dweller feels at ease in the understory — satisfied just to be.
“This body of work displays my love and fascination for the natural world and my fear that we will lose it to inharmonious human development. Trees, sky, and animals are my protagonists. They represent all the sweetness and beauty of our planet and what’s at stake. My intense color palette reinforces this notion while also paying tribute to the colorful heyday of Memphis musical history - an important part of why this city is cherished by me and so many others.”
You can see “Understory” by appointment through June 2.
