photograph courtesy collage dance
RISE
Cannon Center for the Performing Arts, 255 N. Main
Saturday-Sunday, February 19th-20th, various times
Every two years, when the Winter Olympics roll around, I have to ask myself, What’s that red-haired guy’s name? The one who skis? Or, wait, does he snowboard? Oh, Shaun White. And I remember his name for about two weeks and then the next Olympics roll around and we go through this process all over again. But some things that return after a two-year hiatus are a bit more memorable than Shaun White’s name (no offense to Mr. White). Take for instance, Collage Dance’s return to the stage after two years off.
With performances on Saturday and Sunday, the dance company’s latest production features Kevin Thomas’ iconic ballet RISE, which is inspired by the legacy and contributions of civil rights leaders, as well as performances of Ulysses Dove’s Vespers and Geoffrey Holder’s Dougla, ballets that also explore the Black experience. Tickets ($10-$50) can be purchased online. Livestream tickets are available.
photograph by abigail morici
“Andy Warhol: Silver Clouds”
Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, 1934 Poplar
Open through May 15th
Not all of us can reach for the gold, and most would happily settle for silver, even if that’s the foil wrapping around a Hershey’s Kiss. We all love a little shine and a little glamor, and folks like Andy Warhol know that — hence his 1966 “Silver Clouds,” a show where large silver rectangular balloons float around a room, reflecting light on every surface. Brooks has replicated this very show in an interactive exhibition, where these silver objects, made of metallic Scotchpak, are designed for a gentle human touch, unlike the Olympic silver medals, which are far too valuable and sentimental for any of us plebeians to hold. But hey, don’t let your lack of medals stop you from playing an Olympic-worthy (but delicate) game of Don’t Let the Balloon Touch the Ground.
And Brooks has a few more tricks up its sleeve with a few other dazzling exhibitions: "Andy Warhol: Little Red Book," which features Polaroids taken by the artist; “Due South: Ke Francis and Hoopsnake Press,” which showcases bound books and loose illustrations that exemplify Ke Francis’ work as a narrative artist living and working in the South; and the "2022 Mid-South Scholastic Art Awards Exhibition," which honors exemplary art by students in 7th through 12th grades and closes this weekend.
Photogray by bill simmers / courtesy playhouse on the square
Torch Song
Playhouse on the Square, 66 S. Cooper
Performances through Sunday, February 20th, various times
As the Olympics prepare to extinguish the Olympic flame, Playhouse on the Square also faces its closing weekend of Torch Song. And, no, this play does not have anything to do with the Olympic torch, but instead follows Arnold Beckoff on an odyssey in New York to find a husband, a child, and a pair of bunny slippers that fit, but a visit from his overbearing mother reminds him that he needs one thing more: respect.
Tickets for the show can be purchased online.
photograph courtesy EV memphis
Love Light Orchestra Album Release Concert
Germantown Performing Arts Center, 1801 Exeter Road
Friday, February 18th, 8 p.m.
Hands-down, without a shadow of a doubt, the two best sports to watch in the Winter Olympics are figure skating and ice dancing. I have just been informed that, yes, there’s a difference between figure skating and ice dancing. Do I know the difference? Absolutely not. Does that take away from the enjoyment in watching these athletes? Again, absolutely not. After all, these sports check off all the boxes: great costumes, a little bit of gossip-worthy drama between athletes, and decent music (for the most part). If the music stands out the most to you, then you’ll want to check out Love Light Orchestra’s concert, where there’ll be nothing but great music, celebrating the release of the band's latest album Leave the Light On. With a preference for the grand, orchestral sound of mid-twentieth-century blues, the album taps into the nostalgic recesses of your mind, all the while keeping you in the present moment. Tickets ($20-$35) can be purchased online.
photograph courtesy elmwood cemetery
African-American History, Memphis, and Elmwood Cemetery
Elmwood Cemetery, 824 S. Dudley
Sunday, February 20th, 2 p.m.
Though February has brought the Olympics, the month also marks Black History Month. In honor of the occasion, Elmwood Cemetery is hosting an hour-long, seated, indoor presentation on the rich, diverse African-American history found at the cemetery. From the men and women of the Civil Rights Movement to novelists and business leaders to a nun being considered for sainthood, this presentation touches on some of Elmwood’s most memorable guests. Register online. The cost is $20 per person, and all proceeds benefit Elmwood.
