photograph courtesy germantown community theatre
Falsettos
Germantown Community Theatre / June 5 – 21
A longstanding Broadway classic is coming to the GCT stage! In this beloved musical, Marvin, our neurotic and recently adrift protagonist, has just left his wife Trina and son Jason to move in with his lover, Whizzer, though not without growing pains. With all parties set adrift in the wake of their respective splits, they must not only reconcile what their “correct” roles should be in each other’s lives, but also navigate how they see themselves. Amid identity crises, relationship strife, bar mitzvah planning, and the looming threat of a mysterious sickness, Marvin, Trina, Jason, and Whizzer ultimately discover what truly matters to them, what constitutes a family, and who they want their family to be. Falsettos is both humorous and heartfelt in equal measure, and remains unafraid to tackle themes of Jewish identity, gender roles, societal expectations of family dynamics, and the shadow of the AIDS crisis in the early 80s. See it before it’s gone and grab tickets here.
photograph courtesy BPAC
Music by the Lake
Bartlett Performing Arts & Conference Center / Friday, June 12, 6 p.m.
What’s the recipe for a perfect summer evening? How about live music and food trucks by the lake at sunset? Grab your picnic blankets and lawn chairs and head down to the BPACC’s spacious lawns, where you’ll have beautiful views of their lake, the sunset, and the night’s entertainers. Acclaimed tribute band Almost Elton John & the Rocketmen will set the soundtrack for the evening, channeling Elton John’s signature sound through frontman Jerred Price. Various food trucks will also be in attendance for those seeking dinner and snacks during the show, including BBQ X, Donna’s Kettle Corn, Let’s Be Frank, Mempops, The Dulce Wagon, and the Fiesta Wagon. Attendance is free, and if you like this weekend’s event, be on the lookout for a second Music by the Lake on June 26th, featuring the band Almost Famous!
Lemonade Stand Day + The Big Squeeze Food Truck Festival
Various Locations / Saturday, June 13
This Saturday is all about connecting with your community! Starting at 10 a.m., young entrepreneurs interested in learning how to manage and support a business will man “lemonade stands” all over Germantown, fundraising for a charity of their choice. Half of their proceeds will go toward the Germantown Education Foundation, while the other half goes to their chosen charity. Later, starting at 6 p.m., come by the Germantown Performing Arts Center for the Big Squeeze Food Truck Festival, where live music and food trucks await! Featured food trucks include Tacotitlan, Smoke & Toast, BBQ X, Bay’s Wings and Things, Radiant Lemonade, Marble Slab Creamery, and Mempops. Landslide, a local Fleetwood Mac tribute band, will also be playing a set full of classic Fleetwood Mac favorites. Finally, an awards ceremony will also take place during the event to recognize lemonade stands in the categories of the Most Money Raised, Best Decorated Stand, and Most Neighborhood Participation, with a $500 microgrant prize for the neighborhood that hosted the most stands. It’s a great day to get out and support your local charities and businesses — check here for a map of lemonade stands, and click here to get tickets to the Big Squeeze Food Truck Festival!
Juneteenth Benefit Concert
Unity Church (9228 Walnut Grove Road) / Sunday, June 14, 1 p.m.
Want a way to make music education more accessible in Memphis? Come stop by the Juneteenth Benefit Concert! Featuring live musical, dance, and poetry performances, the concert both celebrates cultural pride for Juneteenth and uplifts the contributions of its creatives. It’s hosted by and in support of Classical Melodies Inc., a nonprofit organization devoted to making classical vocal music accessible to underserved and underrepresented communities, “[dispelling]” stereotypes,” and “[sharing] Classical music with EVERYONE, not just the elite.” If you can’t make it Sunday, the organization will also be hosting a Spaghetti Extravaganza dinner and fundraiser Saturday night. Get your tickets for the concert here (), and the spaghetti dinner here.
photograph courtesy dixon gallery & gardens
Debbie Likley Pacheco: Living in Layers
Dixon Gallery & Gardens / June 14 – September 27
A new exhibition has come to the Dixon — Debbie Likley Pacheco’s Living in Layers! A mixed-media portraiture artist, Pacheco utilizes both digital software and physical art materials, including paper, paint, and wax, to create abstract, layered compositions. Pacheco studied design at the University of Memphis before pursuing a career in advertising as an art director — until about twenty years ago, when she shifted her focus to painting and creating her own art. Her current exhibition, Living in Layers, draws heavily on the people and architecture of New York City, featuring shots of elegant building facades and passerby that are then rendered by Pacheco into hazy, soft-edged portraits that dynamically capture their subjects mid-movement. The exhibit opens this Sunday and runs through the end of September, so you’ll have plenty of time to visit — and revisit! — Living in Layers. Be sure to also look out for other events at the Dixon featuring Pacheco and her work, including a Meet the Artist on June 18th and a Munch and Learn on September 23rd.
