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Observer Editor

Every Fri. & Sat. Feb. 28–Apr. 26. Retro date night in the planetarium & dome theater; a laser show to the soundtrack of the hits of legendary British rock band Queen. 6, 7, & 8 p.m., U-M MNH, 1105 North University. $10, preregistration required by calling (734) 764–0478.

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Every Fri.–Sun. Three different audiovisual planetarium shows suitable for all ages. Sea Monsters (noon) follows a curious dolichorhynchops (an extinct species of marine reptile) as she travels through the most dangerous oceans in history. The Sky Tonight (1 & 3 p.m.) is an exploration of the current night sky, with tips on how to find the cardinal directions, constellations, and planets on your own. Black Holes (2 p.m.) features high-resolution visualizations to bring the current science of black holes and other cosmic phenomena to the screen. Noon, 1, 2, & 3 p.m., U-M MNH, 1105 North University. $8 in the gift shop. Limited capacity. lsa.umich.edu/ummnh, (734) 764–0478.

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Every Mon.–Wed., Fri., & Sat. All invited to play various forms of the collectible card game Magic: The Gathering (MTG). Sat. (6 p.m.): Casual Commander Pods. Mon. (6:30 p.m.): Just Another Modern Monday. Powerful cards for experienced players, with prizes. $10. Tues. (6:30 p.m.): MTG Pauper. A fun and fast format for all skill levels. $5. Wed. (5 p.m.): Casual Commander. The most popular form of the game. Free. Wed. (6:30 p.m.): MTG Standard Showdown. Play with competitive tournament rules. $10. Fri. (6:30 p.m.): Friday Night Magic. Cost varies. For groups of 4 players. Free. Various times, Sylvan Factory, 2459 W. Stadium. Various costs. sylvanfactory.com, (734) 929–5877.

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March 6–9. Connor Thomas Rhoades directs local actors in Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman’s dagger of a 1990 Tony-winning semi-revue that uses the device of a fairground shooting gallery to depict a group of successful and would-be presidential assassins from John Wilkes Booth to Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme. “Without exactly asking that the audience sympathize with some of the nation’s most notorious criminals, this show insists on reclaiming them as products, however defective, of the same values and traditions as the men they tried to murder,” wrote one New York Times reviewer. Sondheim’s score draws from, and subverts, popular music of the various depicted eras. Mature themes. 7 p.m. (Thurs.–Sat.) and 1 p.m. (Sun.), Riverside Arts Center, 76 N. Huron St., Ypsilanti. Tickets: $20 ($18, students and seniors) at horizonpa.yapsody.com and at the door.

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Mar. 7–9. Alex Moore directs young actors in grades 3–8 in a school version of David Lindsay-Abaire’s 2008 musical based on the 2001 animated Shrek film and its sequels about a young ogre learning to navigate a world that shuns him because of his looks. The Jeanine Tesori score includes such favorites as “Story of My Life,” “Travel Song,” and “Freak Flag.” 7 p.m. (Fri. & Sat.) & 2 p.m. (Sun.), Washington Street Education Center, 500 Washington St., Chelsea. $10 online at chelseaareaplayers.org, and (if available) cash at the door.

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Every Thurs.–Sun., Feb. 27–Mar. 16. Matt Bogart directs this local professional company in the Michigan premiere of Paul Gordon’s 2015 musical based, of course, on Jane Austen’s first published novel. It’s about the financially strapped Dashwood sisters—cool and deliberate Elinor and emotional Marianne—and their efforts to balance detachment and passion in their quest for suitable husbands. The show won the Chicago 2015 Jeff Award for best new musical. Gordon, who penned 80s country pop tunes that include “Friends and Lovers” and “Next Time I Fall” for singers like Juice Newton and Eddie Rabbitt, composed the score. The cast includes Jessica Grové, Chelsea Packard, and Matt Bogart. 7:30 p.m. (Thurs. Feb. 27 & Mar. 13, Fri. & Sat.), 2 p.m. (Sat. & Sun.), & 3 p.m. (Thurs., Mar. 6), Encore Maas Main Stage, 7714 Ann Arbor St., Dexter. Tickets $43.50–$60.50 (youth under 18, $31.50) in advance at theencoretheatre.org (with $3.50 fee) and, if available, at the door. (734) 268–6200.

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Every Wed.–Sun., Feb. 6–Mar. 9. Rhiannon Ragland directs the Michigan premiere of Ohio playwright Eric Pfeffinger’s philosophical comedy about a Chicago woman who is called to Blissfield (IN) to deliver the eulogies for 14 distant relatives she’s never met—all killed in a single fireworks explosion. While in Blissfield, she makes a strange, deep connection with the mortuary receptionist. The Berkshire (MA) Eagle praised the script as a “gentle, enormously insightful comedy.” Adult language and subject matter. 7:30 p.m. (Thurs.), 8 p.m. (Fri. & Sat.), 3 p.m. (Wed., Thurs., & Sat.), & 2 p.m. (Sun.). Purple Rose Theatre, 137 Park St., Chelsea. Tickets $31.50–$52.50 in advance at purplerosetheatre.org and by phone, and (if available) at the door. Discounts available for students, seniors, teachers, military personnel, and groups. (734) 433–7673.

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Every Thurs.–Sun., Feb. 14–Mar. 16. Briana O’Neal directs the Michigan premiere of Ma-Yi Theater Company (NYC) resident playwright Lisa Sanaye Dring’s drama about a budding romantic relationship tested by a new medical procedure that grants immortality to a chosen few. As Gina and David fall in love, they must grapple with new questions about commitment when mortality is removed from the equation. 8 p.m. (Fri.–Sat.) & 2 p.m. (Sun.), Theatre Nova, 410 W. Huron St. Mask required at Thurs. performances to protect immunocompromised patrons. Tickets $30 (students with ID, $5) in advance at theatrenova.org & at the door. (734) 635–8450. 

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