Food, festivals & Family | Music | Theater & Dance | Literature and Ideas | Visual Arts
{September 24
Something to give you paws
What happens when a gay couple adopts a homophobic dog? That’s the premise of No Labels, a musical comedy by L.A. Walker. But while there are plenty of laughs and riffs, it’s a comedy with heart and soul, exploring the harm done by labeling, stereotyping, and discrimination. See page 42 for an interview with Walker. (AK) 4p, Windmill Library, free, lvccld.org
{October 6
Music to your ears
If your Las Vegas-born kids think Broadway is a pizza, fix that quick with a trip to the library. The Young People’s Guide to Broadway will instill some cultural sense into young thespians, with highlights from the famous New York drag’s legendary history. Because Chicago isn’t just a pizza either. (KT) 7:30p, Summerlin Library Performing Arts Center, $30-$50, americandance.biz
{October 14
Bollywhat?
Step into the world of Indian dance in this flair-full sampling of Bharata Natyum classical moves, once performed by women to honor the gods. And yes — hold onto your flash mob — there will be Bollywood. (KT) 2p, Whitney Library, free, 702-507-4010
{October 20-Novermber 5
TTYL
Everyone is talking about the thing that happened to Chloe after the party last Saturday. The problem is, she can’t remember what it was. Set in a Midwestern high school in the age of social media overload, Good Kids by Naomi Iizuka asks viewers to choose a side — and question what that side says about them. (KT) Various times, Black Box Theatre, $14.75-$16.50, unlv.edu
{October 20-Novermber 5
Bye-bye, birdie
Why use zombies when birds can spark societal breakdown and the chaos that ensues? Based on a short story that inspired the famous Hitchcock film, Birds by Conor McPherson is an unsettling look at what happens when animals attack. (KT) Various times, Mainstage at Las Vegas Little Theatre, $21-$24, lvlt.org
{October 28-29
Dancing in the street
Get down with Motown in Detroit ’67, in which two siblings turn their basement into an after-hours hangout. Everything’s swell until a mysterious woman shows up, causing the proverbial record to skip. (KT) 2p, West Las Vegas Library, free, 702-507-3980
{November 2-18
Dark comedy
Race and comedy are a dangerous mix, but playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ goes for it in An Octoroon, set in the post-war slave era, which makes things even tougher to pull off. (KT) Majestic Repertory Theater, times and ticket prices TBA, majesticrepertory.com
{November 4-5
Also, he is your father
Charles Ross doesn’t need your help. No, seriously. The one-man actor turned heads portraying Star Wars all by his lonesome, and now he takes on everyone’s favorite flying rodent/hero in Dark Knight: A Batman Parody. Get to it, Alfred. (KT) 3p, Clark County Library on 11/4, Windmill Library on 11/5, free, lvccld.org
{November 7-9
Ring of fire
This isn’t hula-hoops — it’s expressive Native American hoop dancing by seven-time world champion Derrick Suwaima Davis, who will share his culture, history and, of course, his hoop moves. (KT) Various times; various library branches, lvccld.org
{November 8
Grammar snob
A famous English professor takes a red pen to her life when she’s diagnosed with terminal ovarian cancer in W;t, a smart, Pulitzer Prize-winning play about a life’s work and how semi-colons should be used, dammit. (KT) Various times, The Usual Place, 100 S. Maryland Parkway, $30, apublicfit.org
{November 11-12
Too much tutu!
Why go for one ballet when you can have three? In Nevada Ballet Theatre’s Classic Americana, enjoy the classic “Serenade,” the modern “Company B” and the American-themed Russian production “Western Symphony” for two performances only. (KT) Various Times, Reynolds Hall at The Smith Center, $29-$139, nevadaballet.org
{November 14
Dance is magic! No, literally
If you like Cirque du Soleil, you’ll love MOMIX, a company of dancer-illusionists who are every bit as impressive as they sound. Dance plus magic?! Come on! In “Cactus Opus,” the troupe will pay homage to the American Southwest with vibrant costumes, inventive props and stunning visuals. (KT) 7p, The Smith Center, $19-$69, thesmithcenter.com
{December 1-9
Lions and tigers and bears … oh, hi
I know blurbs aren’t supposed to be about the author, but I can recite the entire “Munchkinland” part of Wizard of Oz, and it’s basically my only talent. It’s also why I’m definitely showing up for Dorothy, Toto and tornadoes in this all-ages take on the Emerald City. See you there. In ruby slippers. (KT) Various times, Charleston Heights Art Center, $5.50, 702-507-3980
{December 2-3
Up next on Lifetime
Shakespeare plays invented the irresistible formula soap operas follow: a splash of deceit, and cup of betrayal and a flaming 150-proof bottle of omfg-he-did-what?! Urban Noir delivers these top-notch ingredients to your door in its rendition of Othello, a favorite for its spicy, struggle-rich themes. (KT) Various times, West Las Vegas Library, free, 702-507-3980
{December 16
Holiday cheers
Do the high notes in your Christmas carols break glass? They will at Christmas at the Opera, a 90-minute birthday party for Baby Jesus that busts out favorites from La Boheme, Werther and Amahl. (KT) Time TBD, Charleston Heights Art Center, 800 Brush St., $10, sincityopera.com
I SENSE A THEME
Who are you? Are you your sexuality, your body, your tastes, your generation? These plays consider the nature of identity and the interplay of our private and public selves.
September 29-October 8
Coming out to the game
Can gay men play baseball? Of course they can. But what happens when a beloved NY Empires star comes out? How will fans react? That’s the real question in Take Me Out, a thoughtful play by Richard Greenberg. (KT) Various times, Judy Bayley Theatre, $27.50-$33, unlv.edu
October 5-29
Monster versus maker
It isn’t Frankenstein’s fault that he’s dumb and ugly, but fault isn’t considered when his creator casts him into a cruel world where he finds himself friendless, desperate and determined to make a grim deal with his dad in this updated take on a classic by Nick Dear. (KT) Various times, Cockroach Theatre, prices TBA, cockroachtheatre.com
November 2-19
Pills or bills?
Even flower children have to grow up. That’s the sad truth in this 1967 London-based play, Love Love Love, which focuses on The Beatles’ free-wheeling “me” generation, who eventually trade in sex and drugs for lawns … and yawns. (KT) Various times, Cockroach Theatre, tickets not yet on sale, cockrocktheatre.com