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Jul 26 Friday
The Majorie Barrick Museum is fluid about a lot of things, especially how many exhibits it’s showing at any given time -- sometimes it’s one mega-show and a smaller display, sometimes it’s six different presentations. For about six more months, the city’s main contemporary art museum is going with three. Contemporary Ex-Votos -- the de facto headliner show -- pairs traditional Mexican art with works that broadly celebrate LatinX culture; In Relation combines pieces from the Barrick collection with new ones created by local artists to expand the notion of motherhood; and P0RTAL diversifies the hat trick with a showcase devoted to graphic design. As usual for the Barrick, lots of art -- and lots of variety.
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.
Photography has been a pivotal forum for Chinese expression since the 1976 cultural revolution in China. The Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art gives this phenomenon some attention with its current exhibition, which displays 37 works by 14 Chinese artists. And those works cover a wide range of historical and cultural ground, in black and white and color, on print and digitally, from literal depictions to avant-garde treatments. In what is still the unlikeliest of Strip resort attractions, here’s an even unlikelier show that swerves around the city’s escapist tendencies and celebrates the changing reality of people halfway around the world.
A love letter has been written to Las Vegas, but not on a piece of paper. A brand new exhibit, Dear Vegas, showcases the works of various talented local artists. These art forms include not just paintings and photographs, but sculptures and poetry. The exhibition's curator and Las Vegas poet Harrison Bernard Nuzzo chose each piece that he felt was true to capturing the essence — and love — of Las Vegas through its purest, natural forms. Take a drive downtown to see the works of Krista Diamond, Ahmed Naji, Clement Gelly, and many more before the exhibition closes at the end of July. Book ahead of time because viewings do require a set appointment.
If you've not made time to check out Nuwu Art Gallery's newest exhibit, make haste: Friday is the last day you'll be able to do so. Showcasing artwork from Indigenous students from numerous tribes, the closing reception will also offer scrumptious food, live music, and a groovy tie-dye t-shirt event. Having fun and supporting up-and-coming Native artists — this is a clear win-win.
Were you asking for another remake of The Princess in the Pea? Doesn’t matter, because you’re getting one -- and this one turns the fairy tale on its head. Queen Aggravain enacts a law that no marriages can happen until her immature son finds his princess bride -- and the only thing stricter than that are the tests by which she’s judging the princess candidates. Along comes Winnifred the Woebegone, who hails from a swamp and may be as immature as her would-be husband. Does she have a shot? And will a swamp princess even know what a mattress is? Driving the story and dialogue are several humorous songs, thanks to music by Mary Rodgers and lyrics by Marshall Barer, with book credits for Jay Thompson, Dean Fuller, and Marshall Barer. Several famous actors got their first Broadway (Carol Burnett) or television roles (Elliott Guold) thanks to the many adaptations of this adaptation. Get some respite from the July sun and have a laugh.
Shows start on July 12.
Calling all Jane Austen fans! Emma is not only here in Las Vegas, but it's live. Director Troy Heard has managed to adapt and create this piece of literature into a truly immersive experience for all guests. Emma will have you interacting with your favorite characters and listening to live music. Regency fashion (British 19th century) and cottage core attire encouraged, or any attire that will have you fitting the theme and ready to party. General admission covers those 16+ and will have alcohol available for guests 21+. Late entry is not permitted.
Step into the mysterious world of CLUElesque, where a peculiar mansion is the stage for a night of scandalous secrets and unmentionable deeds. Six suspicious guests, unknowingly connected by a shared past, embark on a journey of chaos, laughter, and suspense. As thunder strikes and unexpected characters enter the scene, the plot thickens, and the mystery unravels.
Pay attention: You might hold the key to solving the mystery. The show features live music from a four-piece band.
Abandon takes audiences on a terrifying journey through the life and writings of the Marquis de Sade during his years spent imprisoned in an asylum. Delivered in rapid-fire, wordless vignettes, Abandon is a theatrical experience like no other. Psychological terror, grotesque beauty, and edgy kink collide to create a horror production that will haunt you long after the final curtain.
It's for ages 17 and over, with nudity, sexual themes, violence, and grisly images.
Before there was the 2003 film School of Rock -- featuring a memorable lead performance from Jack Black -- there was a School of Rock afterschool music program that taught kids how to play instruments and perform together (with three locations in Las Vegas alone). That school inspired the movie, which in turn inspired a 2015 musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber (Cats, The Phantom of the Opera), produced for Broadway, London’s West End, a national tour -- and now, our own Super Summer Theater. So pack a picnic basket, grab a blanket, head for the splendor of the Spring Mountain Ranch State Park, and take in the riffage of kids who may one day secure their own Strip residency.
Shows start on July 17 and run every Wed-Sat until August 10.