|
|
|
By Day
|
"Growing Pretty": Purple Rose Theatre Company.
"Treasure Island": Wild Swan Theater.
"Exits and Entrances": Performance Network Professional Season.
 Thursday
May, 2008
 6-7 a.m.
May Day Dancing:
Ann Arbor Morris Dancers. All invited to celebrate this traditional holiday with outdoor singing and boisterous, jingly morris dancing. "We like to rise when the sun she rises," organizers say.
U-M Nichols Arboretum (meet at cement benches near Geddes Rd. entrance gate). Free. 747-8138.
8:00 a.m.
"Spring Migration Walk in Nichols Arboretum":
Washtenaw Audubon Society Every Thursday, April 10-May 29. All invited to join club members for a
walk through the Arb to look for resident birds and early migrants, which begin
arriving in earnest toward the end of April
Meet at the cul-de-sac at the end of Riverview off Geddes. Free. 994-3569.
9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
"No Bills Day":
Washtenaw County Bar Association Young Lawyers Section. Free 20-minute consultations with local attorneys on just about any kind of legal matter, from family law and landlord-tenant relations to civil rights and criminal law. Also, free literature on small claims court procedures, tenants' rights, home safety, domestic violence, sale and purchase of real estate, and more. In celebration of Law Day.
Ann Arbor Community Center, 625 N. Main. Free. Appointments are strongly recommended, but walk-ins are fitted in as time permits. 996-3229.
9 a.m.
"Jackson County Brunch Ride":
Ann Arbor Bicycle Touring Society. Every Thursday. Moderate-paced ride, 25-50 miles, along the less traveled roads of scenic Jackson County.
meet at Cavanaugh Lake Park, Cavanaugh Lake Rd., Waterloo Recreation Area, 3.2 miles west of Chelsea. Free. 994-5908.
9-11:45 a.m.
"Mother Goose Day":
Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission. Infants to 5-year-olds (accompanied by a caregiver) invited for games, coloring, goose crafts, storytime, and snacks.
Meri Lou Murray Recreation Center, 2960 Washtenaw. $4. 971-6355.
10:00 a.m. & 12:30 p.m.
"Treasure Island":
Wild Swan Theater. April 30 & May 1-4 . This award-winning local children's theater presents local playwright Jeff Duncan's fast-paced, lively adaptation of the Robert Louis Stevenson children's classic, complete with sword fighting and historically accurate female pirates. (The May 4 performance is followed by a pirate-themed party with $1 carnival games and food.) Suitable for kids in grades K-7. As with all Wild Swan productions, the performance is interpreted in American Sign Language. Audio description and backstage "touch" tours are available by prearrangement for blind audience members. Cast: Hilary Cohen, Sandy Ryder, Michele Trame-Lanzi, Justin Vidovic, Jeremy Salvatori, and Kevin Stacy. Live music by David Mosher.
Washtenaw Community College Morris Lawrence Bldg. Towsley Auditorium, 4800 E. Huron River Dr. Tickets $12 (children, $8; lap passes for kids age 2 & under, $3) in advance and at the door. 995-0530.
10-11:30 a.m.
"Information Technology and Its Effects on Us":
U-M Osher Lifelong Learning Institute Distinguished Lecture Series. Every Thursday, April 17-May 22. A series of 6 lectures by U-M and visiting scholars. Today: former U-M School of Public Policy policy development and education director Virginia Rezmierski discusses "Personal Identity: Elements, Use, Theft, and Protection." Also this month: U-M laboratory research scientist Klaus-Peter Beier discusses "Virtual Reality: The Technology and Its Applications" (May 8), Feld Entertainment creative development vice-president (and former U-M music professor) Jerry Bilik discusses "Pixels versus Pixies: Information Technology and Its Influence on the Creative Process in Entertainment" (May 15), and U-M vice-provost for academic information John King discusses "How Information Technology Is Changing Learning at the U-M" (May 22).
Best Western Executive Conference Center, 2900 Jackson Rd. $45 (members, $30) for the 6-lecture series. Memberships are $15 a year. Preregistration required. 998-9351.
10-10:30.
Preschool Storytimes:
Ann Arbor District Library. Stories and songs for kids age 2 & up (accompanied by an adult). Note: These storytimes are also offered at the Pittsfield Branch (May 1, 7-7:30 p.m., & May 2, 10-10:30 a.m.).
AADL Northeast Branch, Plymouth Mall. Free. 327-4200.
10 a.m.
"Spring Unfolding Ride":
Ann Arbor Bicycle Touring Society. Every Thursday. Beginner-friendly slow-paced ride, 10-15 miles, around Ann Arbor neighborhoods to explore the delights of local gardens, parks, and cafes.
meet at Gallup Park Canoe Livery, 3000 Fuller Rd. (west side of Huron Pkwy.). Free. 971-5763.
10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Thursday Lunch Bunch:
Jewish Community Center. Every Thursday. A weekly program of activities primarily for seniors. May 1 is also a birthday celebration for those age 80 & older. The weekly program begins at 10 a.m. with "Fitness Fun" ($4), a 60-minute exercise program led by Maria Farquhar. At 11 a.m., a Current Events discussion group hosted by Heather Dombey. At 1 p.m., a cultural or educational program. Today: "The Four Treasures," a talk by U-M Museum of Art docent Bobbie Levine on the Chinese concepts of the 4 treasures (tools of the artist) and the 4 formats (hand and hanging scrolls, fans, and album leafs). Also this month: UMMA docent Kaaren Strauch Brown discusses "The Silk Road" (May 8), UMMA docent Sue Frazier discusses "The Transition from Medieval to Renaissance Worldviews" (May 22), and UMMA docents Sue Frazier and Ina Sandalow discuss "American Landscapes of the 19th Century" (May 29). On May 15, the group takes a trip (reservations required) to the Michigan Theater to see the Jewish Film Festival screening at 2 p.m. of the documentary Six Days (see listing). The day concludes at 2:15 p.m. with a meeting of the Senior Literary Group , a book discussion group led by U-M Dearborn English professor emeritus Sidney Warschausky. Also, at noon, a homemade dairy lunch ($3 with reservation, $4 without reservation and for nonseniors).
JCC, 2935 Birch Hollow Dr. (off Stone School Rd. south of Packard). Free. 971-0990.
11 a.m.
Children's Storytime:
Barnes & Noble. Every Wednesday & Thursday. Storytelling programs and craft activities for kids.
(Thurs.) & 6:30 p.m. (Wed.), Barnes & Noble, 3235 Washtenaw. Free. 973-1618.
Noon-3 p.m.
ACBL Bridge:
Ann Arbor Senior Center. Every Thursday. All seniors age 50 & older invited to play ACBL-sanctioned duplicate bridge. No partner required.
Cobblestone Farm barn, 2781 Packard. $5. 769-5911.
Preschool Storytimes:
Ann Arbor District Library. Stories and songs for kids age 2 & up (accompanied by an adult). 7-7:30 p.m.,
AADL Pittsfield Branch, 2359 Oak Valley Dr. between Scio Church Rd. and Ann Arbor-Saline Rd. Free. 327-4200.
12:10 p.m.
Gifts of Art:
U-M Hospitals. May 1, 8, 15, 22, & 29. Performances by area and guest artists. Today: avant-folk group and toy instrumentalists Little Bang Theory. Also this month: the Choral Connection (see 31 Saturday listing) previews its vintage American pop show (May 8), the Madrigals perform Baroque to contemporary music (May 15), the violin-piano duo Kaleidoscope performs works by Beethoven, Brahms, Franck, Kreisler, and others (May 22), and pianist Jerry Perrine performs ragtime, blues, and boogie-woogie (May 29).
U-M Hospital lobby, 1500 E. Medical Center Dr. (off Fuller). Free. 936-ARTS.
"Growing Pretty":
Purple Rose Theatre Company. Every Wednesday-Sunday (except May 7) through May 31, and May 6 & 27. See review, left. Michelle Mountain directs the world premiere of Carey Crim's coming-of-age tale about a girl who dreams of becoming a supermodel. When her mom steals the love of her life, the girl has to navigate, alone, the difficult path of becoming an artist. The cast features Stacie Hadgikosti, Brian Ogden, Grant Krause, Rhiannon Ragland, Matt Gwynn, and Hugh Maguire. 8 p.m., Purple Rose Theatre, 137 Park St., Chelsea.
Tickets $25 (Wed. & Thurs.), $30 (Sat. & Sun. matinees), & $35 (Fri. & Sat. eves.) in advance and at the door. 433-7673.
"The Year My Parents Went on Vacation":
Michigan Theater Foundation. (Cao Hamburger, 2006.) Brazilian drama, set against the backdrop of the 1970 World Cup and a repressive dictatorship, about a boy left in a Jewish and Italian neighborhood with his grandfather, who dies just after the departure of the boy's parents, who are political activists forced into hiding. Portuguese, Yiddish, German; subtitles.
Times TBA, Michigan Theater. $8.50 (children, students, seniors, & veterans, $6.75; MTF members, $6). 668-TIME.
2 p.m.
Socrates Cafe:
Ann Arbor Senior Center. Every Thursday. All seniors age 50 & older invited to join a discussion of ethics that draws on the Socratic method of questioning underlying assumptions.
Ann Arbor Senior Center, 1320 Baldwin. Free. 769-5911.
5-7 p.m.
"Yappy Hours":
DogmaCatmantoo. Every Thursday. All invited to join a casual group discussion about pets and pet-related issues. Bring your pet. Snacks.
DogmaCatmantoo, 208 N. Fourth Ave. Free. 929-0022.
5-7 p.m.
"Phonics Things":
Barnes & Noble. Educator, writer, and artist Brian Kissman, a former Belleville elementary school principal, presents and discusses his new reading primer that pairs reproductions of 80 original oil paintings with narrative poems. Some of the paintings used in the book are on display.
Barnes & Noble, 3235 Washtenaw. Free. 973-1618.
6 p.m.
"Chelsea Ride":
Ann Arbor Bicycle Touring Society. Every Thursday. Slow/moderate-paced ride, 20-30 miles, to either Dexter, Grass Lake, Munith, Stockbridge, or the Waterloo Recreation Area.
meet at the north side of Aberdeen Bike & Fitness, 1178 S. Main, Chelsea. Free. (517) 285-6830.
6 p.m.
Board Game Night:
Get Your Game On. Every Thursday. All invited to bring their own favorite board game or play one of the store's.
Get Your Game On, 709 Packard. $5. 786-3746.
6:30 p.m.
Ann Arbor Front Runners.:Every Tuesday & Thursday. Gay, lesbian, and straight runners invited to choose a distance of 3-5 miles to run with Front Runners members.
meet at Furstenberg Park, off Fuller Rd. across from Huron High School. Free. 741-1763.
6:30 p.m.
Annual Banquet:
Huron Hills Lapidary & Mineral Society. Screening of Mining for Rhodochrosite , a film about mining for this vibrant pink rock in Colorado. Bring a dish to pass for a potluck dinner; beverage and table service provided.
West Side United Methodist Church social hall, 900 S. Seventh St. Free. 665-5574.
6:30-7:30 p.m.
"Playgroups for Babies":
Ann Arbor District Library. Play group for kids up to 24 months, accompanied by an adult. No older siblings.
AADL Malletts Creek Branch, 3090 E. Eisenhower (between Stone School & Packard). Free. 327-4200.
6:45 p.m.
"Thursday Evening Ride":
Ann Arbor Bicycle Touring Society. Every Thursday. Fast/moderate-paced 25-mile ride around northeast Ann Arbor that includes some good chances to improve your climbing skills.
meet at the Fuller Pool parking lot, Fuller Rd. Free. 996-9122.
7-10 p.m.
Milonga:
Club de Tango. Tango dancers of all levels and styles invited. No partner needed. Bring flat, smooth-soled shoes. The program begins with a 30-minute beginners lesson.
Pittsfield Grange, 3337 Ann Arbor-Saline Rd. (1'da2 mile south of I-94), Saline. $5. 936-8181.
7 p.m.
Spring Concert:
Dance Body. May 1 & 2. A showcase of choreography in a variety of dance idioms by members of this all-city company, directed by Deborah Sipos-Roe, of students from Community, Pioneer, and Huron high schools. Also, a performance by the award-winning Community High School Jazz Band, directed by Mike Grace.
Community High School. $8 (students, $5; family, $20) at the door only. 994-2021.
7 p.m.
"Howl's Moving Castle":
Waters Place Borders (Hiyao Miyazaki, 2004). Oscar-nominated Japanese anime love story of an 18-year-old girl, cursed into an old woman's body, and a wizard who can see through the curse.
Borders, 3140 Lohr Rd. Free. 997-8884.
7 p.m.
"Pride and Prejudice":
The Home School Connection Thespian Society. May 1 & 2. Becky Faraj, a homeschool mother with a degree in drama, directs a cast of area homeschooled teens in Jon Jory's fast-paced adaptation of Jane Austen's durably popular 1813 novel about an independent, gracious, and sharp-minded young woman - with 4 sisters and an overbearing matchmaking mother - whose good sense and determination not to be undone meet their match in a handsome but mysterious young man. Stars Hannah DeRocher, Katie Erickson, David Raney, Tony Corrazol, Joe Perotta, and Rebecca Zahm.
Whitmore Lake High School, 8877 Whitmore Lake Rd. $3 (family, $15) in advance, $4 at the door. 484-3497.
7 p.m.
"Food Sensitivities & Intolerances":
Plum Market. Talk by local naturopath Diana Christoff Quinn. Recipes included.
Plum Market lounge, Maple Village. Free. 827-5000.
7-9 p.m.
"Foods from Our Australian Pantry":
Zingerman's Delicatessen. Zingerman's staff member Vanessa Sly discusses and offers taste samples of Australian olive oils, vinegars, native spices, honey, and curry pastes.
Zingerman's Next Door (upstairs), 422 Detroit St. $20 in advance, $25 at the door. 663-3354.
7-8 p.m.
"Spiritual Inquiry":
Interfaith Center for Spiritual Growth. Every Thursday. All invited to join a group discussion. The program begins with a short presentation.
Interfaith Center for Spiritual Growth, 704 Airport Blvd. Donation. 327-0270.
7 p.m.
ACBL Bridge:
Ann Arbor City Club. Every Thursday. All invited to play ACBL-sanctioned duplicate bridge. No partner required.
Ann Arbor City Club, 1830 Washtenaw. $5. 761-6691.
7 p.m.-midnight.
Ann Arbor Go Club.:Every Sunday & Thursday. Players of all skill levels invited to play what's regarded as the world's most difficult board game. No partner necessary. Boards and stones provided.
Espresso Royale, 322 S. State. Free. 417-5547.
7-8:30 p.m.
"Knees: The Weak Link! What Can I Do to Prevent Knee Injury and Stay Active Despite a Painful Knee?":
U-M Bone and Joint Injury Prevention and Rehabilitation Center. Talks by BJIPRC director Ron Zernicke, U-M retired football coach Lloyd Carr, U-M orthopedic surgery department chair Jim Carpenter, U-M MedSport director Ed Wojtys, and U-M kinesiology professor Riann Palmieri Smith.
Four Points Sheraton Grande Ballroom, 3200 Boardwalk. Free. 930-7070.
7-8 p.m.
"Asthma and Allergies Arrested":
Whole Foods Market. Local chiropractor Mark Perlmutter discusses natural remedies for treating asthma and allergies.
Whole Foods Cooking & Lifestyles Classroom, 3135 Washtenaw. Free. 975-4500.
7:30 p.m.
McDowell Writing Awards Performances:
Greenhills School. A variety show of poems, stories, plays, and essays written and performed by middle and high school students who won awards in this spring's writing contest. Preceded by a showcase of student artwork.
Greenhills School Campbell Center for the Performing Arts, 850 Greenhills Dr. Free. 769-4010.
7:30-9:30 p.m.
Tartan & Thistle Scottish Country Dancers.:Every Thursday. Instruction for intermediate-level dancers in a wide range of traditional and contemporary Scottish dances, followed by social dancing. Soft-soled shoes recommended. Refreshments.
the barn at Gretchen's House V, 2625 Traver (off Nixon). $5. 769-4324, 426-0241.
8 p.m.
"Arms and the Man":
Michigan Classical Repertory Theatre. May 1-4, 8-11, & 15-18. Charles Jabour directs local actors in George Bernard Shaw's popular satiric comedy, set during the 1885 Serbo-Bulgarian war, about a naively romantic young aristocratic woman who falls in love despite herself with a hard-boiled Swiss mercenary who would rather carry chocolates than guns. Arms offers a humorous critique of sentimental idealism in war and love. Stars Brittany Filek-Gibson, Audra Lord, Luna Alexander, Josh Hamilton, Jared Heeren, Gary Regal, and Joseph Fournier.
Riverside Arts Center, 76 N. Huron, Ypsilanti. Tickets $18 (students & seniors, $15; groups of 6 or more, $12 each; Thurs., pay what you can) in advance and at the door. 214-6600.
8 p.m.
"A Few Good Men":
Ann Arbor Civic Theatre. May 1-4. Andrew Ballnik directs Aaron Sorkin's drama about the trial of 2 marines for complicity in the death of a fellow marine that turns on the question of whether illegal orders should be followed. Stars Carl Ellison, James Brown, David Renken, Wendy Ascione, and Sam Zwetchkenbaum.
U-M Walgreen Drama Center Arthur Miller Theatre, 1226 Murfin, North Campus. Tickets $20 ($17, students & seniors; $13, Thurs.; $10 for students on Fri. & seniors on Sun.) in advance. 971-2228.
8 p.m.
"Exits and Entrances":
Performance Network Professional Season. Every Thursday-Sunday, April 24-June 1. David Wolber directs the renowned South African playwright Athol Fugard's recent autobiographical drama, set in the mid-1950s, about his life-changing friendship with the legendary Afrikaans actor Andre Huguenet, known at one time as the Laurence Olivier of South Africa. Set during apartheid, the play explores the nature and power of the theater through the mutually sustaining relationship that develops between an idealistic young actor and an older actor struggling to find meaning and dignity at the end of his career. According to New York Times critic Charles Isherwood, the play "movingly speaks of theater's potential to shape lives in enduring ways, even as it acknowledges the evanescence of the art form." Stars Robert Grossman and Kevin Young.
Performance Network, 120 E. Huron. Preview tickets: whatever you can afford to pay (Apr. 24), $20 (Apr. 25 & 27 and May 1), and $28 (Apr. 26). May 2 opening night tickets: $42 includes reception. After May 2: $30 (Thurs. & Sat. matinee), $35 (Fri. & Sun.), and $42 (Sat. eve.). $3 discounts available for seniors age 60 & over, $10 discounts available (except Sat. eve.) for students. Tickets available in advance at performancenetwork.org & by phone, and at the door. Half-price student rush tickets & $10 tickets for age 16 & under available 1 hour before showtime. For reservations, call 663-0681; to charge by phone, call 663-0696.
8 p.m.
Nick Gaza:
Ann Arbor Comedy Showcase. May 1-3 . A veteran guest performer in TV sitcoms, Gaza is a very funny and playfully irreverent stand-up comic who bills himself as "The Laziest Working Man in Show Business," sometimes even performing in PJs. Preceded by 2 opening acts. Alcohol is served; the Friday & Saturday early shows are nonsmoking.
old VFW Hall (below Seva restaurant), 314 E. Liberty. $7 (Thurs.) & $10 (Fri. & Sat.) reserved seating in advance, $9 (Thurs.) & $12 (Fri. & Sat.) general admission at the door. 996-9080.
8-9 p.m.
Puppetry Improv:
Dreamland Theater . Every Thursday. The Dreamland puppet troupe uses marionettes, rod puppets, and other forms of puppetry in an improv performance inspired by current events, audience suggestions, and "whatever strikes our fancy."
Dreamland Theater, 26 N. Washington St., Ypsilanti. Pay what you can. 657-2337.
8 p.m.
Bitch & the Exciting Conclusion and Ferron:
The Ark. Double bill featuring women's music stars from different generations who tonight perform both separately and together. Bitch is an inventive performance artist who sets her culturally and politically contentious postbeat lyrics to wildly offbeat, heavily percussive, and partly improvised music that she performs on electric violin, ukulele, and bass guitar. The Advocate calls her music "a torrid brew of sexually and politically charged spoken-sung lyrics, stripped-down instrumentation, and assorted tribal-edged percussion." She performs with her band, the Exciting Conclusion. Ferron is a veteran Canadian singer-songwriter who sings in a clear, passionate alto with a spiky conversational edge and writes searching personal songs with hauntingly beautiful melodies and lyrics as taut and reverberant as the emotions they express. She has a new CD, Border, that longtime fan Bitch produced.
The Ark, 316 S. Main. Tickets $17.50 in advance at Herb David Guitar Studio, the Michigan Union Ticket Office, & all other Ticketmaster outlets; and at the door. To charge by phone, call 763-TKTS.
9 p.m.
Renaissance Dances:
Bedlam. Every Thursday. Beginning to experienced dancers invited to try English country dances, 15th- and 16th-century Italian dances, bransles, pavanes, almans, and more. Instruction provided. Wear comfy clothes and shoes.
Michigan League Room D. Free. 971-1809.
|
|
|
