See Hear Do: So Long, Summer

One can imagine the frustration of most fathers trying to enjoy a day off in front of the TV, only to be pulled and prodded by their children to go out and play. But the family in Bluey’s Big Play is Australian, so the dad figure is very aw-shucks about the disruption. And that tracks with the whole ethos of Bluey, the upbeat children’s television show that’s become an international phenomenon. The show’s stage production is coming to Las Vegas, its characters represented by large-scale puppets and its immersive elements more in line with a Strip show than a traditional play. A great way to introduce your children to the big stage.

Synchronized swimming displays and diving feats in Las Vegas have pretty much been limited to aquatic Strip production shows such as Le Rêve and O. But the City of Las Vegas thought families might enjoy the type of show that was once the domain of American amusement parks, especially as the Summer Olympics — the most notable way to witness synchronized swimming and diving — winds down. Show your kids the real thing, and hit the dollar store for eye patches and hook hands; this show’s pirate-themed.

Anyone that’s visited the Springs Preserve (or is up on their local history) has learned about the site’s earliest significance as Springs Rancho. And John Howell, formerly of North Carolina, owned half that development. He’s one of eight people listed in the 1870 Census for the Las Vegas area, and he’s recognized as the first Black landowner in the valley. Howell also owned a freight business, and he was a gold prospector and rancher as well. We talk a lot about the people who built Las Vegas, but we don’t talk enough about John Howell. Fortunately, Southern Nevada Water District’s Nathan Harper will rectify that in this presentation about the life and legacy of a true pioneer.

There’s no better Company than Stephen Sondheim’s and George Furth’s – literally. They’re back in Vegas to exercise their award-winning musical comedy for the city. In fact, the production has already collected multiple Tony Awards, even directed by the Tony Award-winning Marianne Elliott herself. Company provides a whole 165 minutes exploring the fickleness of modern adulthood on each of the various nights it’s here. So mark your calendars and bring a friend to laugh with.

 
Shows start August 20.

Upon entering Sahara West’s huge Studio gallery, you’re immediately greeted by giant letters spelling out “EVERYTHING.” That about sums up Miguel Rodriguez’s expansive exhibit, though it’s the only thing he’s spelling out. Visitors are invited to apply their own sentiments and perspectives to Rodriguez’s collection of sculptures and paintings. The representations in And Another One may be personal — Rodriguez says the works are largely informed from his “lived experience,” and his fascination with science, current events, and pop culture — but they express enough ambiguity for their onlookers to find their own connections. From two group pieces featuring four hippos on wheels, squaring off like in a popular children’s game, to a giant black-heart wall piece, to a bust leaking what looks like lava through every facial orifice (title: “Everything is Fine, Just Fine”), And Another One is playful and colorful and occasionally sardonic, which might be the perfect tone for our suburban art spaces.