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Events in February 2023
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February 10, 2023
“D & D Adventures”: Sylvan Factory.
“Salt: Dispersed”: University Musical Society Digital Presentation.
Jan. 17–Feb. 13. Online presentation of this very personal monologue by performance artist Selina Thompson which premiered at the 2017 Edinburgh festival. At once dramatic, sad, and comic, it’s about a journey she made by cargo ship to retrace the triangular route of the transatlantic slave trade. Salt is Thompson’s response to being both British and a descendant of a people enslaved by the British. Anytime from Jan. 17 until Feb. 13. For URL, go to ums.org/performance/salt-dispersed, or preregister to be reminded. Free. 764–2538.
“Stargazing with Your Sweetheart”: Washtenaw County Parks & Recreation Commission Adult Date Night.
Naturalist Kelsey Dehring points out the constellations in the winter sky and tells their stories. Followed by treats and cocoa beside a fire. 7–8 p.m. & 8–9 p.m., Independence Lake County Park Beach Center Pavilion, 3200 Jennings, Whitmore Lake. $10 per couple, plus $6 (nonresidents, $10) vehicle entry fee. Preregistration required at parksonline.ewashtenaw.org. Registration # IL461100. For more info, contact Julie at shonerj@washtenaw.org.
Magic: The Gathering: Sylvan Factory.
Every Mon.–Wed., Fri., & Sat. All invited to play various forms of the collectible card game Magic: The Gathering. Wed. 5–8 p.m.: Casual Commander, the most popular form of the game, free. Fri. 6:30–10 p.m.: Magic rotating draft, cost varies. Sat. noon–3 p.m.: Intro to Magic: The Gathering, free. Sat. 6–10 p.m.: Commander Pods, casual groups of 4 players, free. Mon. 6:30–10 p.m.: Power Cards, $10. Tues. 6–9 p.m.: MTG Pauper, a fun and fast format for all skill levels, $5. Prizes paid in store credit. Various times. Sylvan Factory, 2459 W. Stadium. info@sylvanfactory.com, 929–5877.
Preschool Storytimes: AADL.
Every Mon.–Fri. Half hour program of stories and songs for kids ages 2–5 (with caregiver). Mon. 10:30 a.m. (Pittsfield), Tues. 11 a.m. (Downtown & Malletts Creek), Wed. 10:30 a.m. (Malletts Creek), Thurs. 11 a.m. (Traverwood & Pittsfield), Fri. 1 p.m. (Westgate), and Tues., Feb. 21, 7-7:30 p.m. (Westgate).
U-M Museum of Natural History Planetarium & Dome Theater.
Every Fri.–Sun. & Feb. 20. Three different audiovisual planetarium shows suitable for all ages. Sea Monsters (11:30 a.m.) follows a curious dolichorhynchops (an extinct species of marine reptile) as she travels through the most dangerous oceans in history. The Sky Tonight (12:30 & 2:30 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. Mars: One Thousand One (1:30 p.m.) tells the story of what humans might face with the first manned journey to Mars. Also, at 10:30 a.m. on Feb. 11, Did an Asteroid Really Kill the Dinosaurs? looks at cosmic collisions across the solar system including the 6-mile-wide asteroid that hit the earth 66 million years ago. Various times, MNH, 1105 North University. $8. Limited capacity. 764–0478.
Rise and Shine Exercise: Pittsfield Township Senior Center.
“Investigate Labs”: U-M Natural History Museum.
Coffee & Conversation: Pittsfield Township Community Center.
Chime Concert: Kerrytown Market & Shops.
Tai Chi: U-M Turner Senior Wellness Program.
U-M Center for Southeast Asian Studies Lecture Series.
Feb. 3 & 10. Talks by visiting scholars. Feb. 3: Universitas Gadjah Mada (Indonesia) anthropology professor Realisa Masardi on “Refugee Youth Agency in Flux: Active and Passive Waiting in Transit Country Indonesia.” Feb. 10: Financial Times Tokyo correspondent Antoni Slodkowski on “Massacre in Myanmar: How Two Reporters Uncovered a Rohingya Mass Grave—and the Price They Paid for It.” Noon, 1010 (Feb. 3) & 110 (Feb. 10) Weiser Hall, 500 Church. For livestream preregister at umich.edu/cseas. Free. 615–4059.
“Blood, Fat, and Fear in 17th–Century Travelogues”: U-M Medieval and Early Modern Studies Department Winter Lecture.
Duplicate Bridge: Ann Arbor City Club.
Every Thurs., Fri., & Tues. All invited to play ACBL-sanctioned duplicate bridge (Fri. & Tues.) or a 499er game for players with no more than 499 ACBL master points (Thurs.). 1–4 p.m. or so (arrive by 12:45 p.m.), City Club, 1830 Washtenaw Ave. $6 per person. If you plan to come without a partner, email kahanae@yahoo.net or ronmeade@comcast.net beforehand.
U-M Interdisciplinary Committee on Organizational Studies Speaker Series.
Feb 10 & 17. Talks by U-M and visiting scholars. Feb. 10: U-M psychology professor Mari Kira on “Moving Past the Barriers: Experiences of a Good Life and Meaningful Career among Resettled Refugees in Germany and the U.S.” Feb. 17: University of North Carolina management professor Brianna Caza discusses the career paths of professional gig workers in “Losing the Plot? How Narrative Identity Challenges Affect Independent Scientists’ Progression, Thriving, and Resilience.” 1:30–3 p.m., 220 Ross Business School, 701 Tappan. Free. icos.umich.edu.
“Talk Therapy and the Shrinking Science of Conversation”: U-M Anthropology Department Roy A. Rappaport Lecture.
U-M anthropology professor Michael Lempert discusses the challenges faced by social scientists studying small-scale social interactions like face-to-face conversations. Second in a series of 5 monthly lectures on the history of scale in the social sciences. 3–5 p.m., Rackham Assembly Hall, 915 W. Washington. Free. 764–7274.
U-M Center for South Asian Studies Lecture Series.
Feb. 10 & 17. Talks by visiting scholars. Feb. 10: Columbia University Hindi & Urdu professor Rakesh Ranjan on “Teaching Hindi in the United States: Strengths and Challenges.” Feb. 17: University of Munich anthropology professor Sahana Udupa on “Digital Influencers and the Business of ‘Data Tested’ Campaigns in India.” 4:30–6 p.m., 110 Weiser Hall, 500 Church. Free. 764–0448.
“Drop-in Screen Printing: Black History Month Edition”: Ann Arbor District Library.
Paxton Spangler Septet: Blue LLama Jazz Club
Lifelong buddies RJ Spangler & T-bone Paxton started working together in 1980 with a very popular band around Detroit called the Sun Messengers. Award-winning musicians, the PAXTON-SPANGLER BAND performs great songs by Fats Waller, Hoagie Carmichael, Leonard Cohen, Hank Williams, Earl King, Duke Ellington, The Stylistics, Roy Ayers, Nat King Cole and of course, Louis Jordan.
314 S. Main St ,Ann Arbor. Pre-Pay Restaurant Week Menu+Show at opentable.com $50. hello@bluellamaclub.com bluellamaclub.com 734-372-3200.“An Evening for Sarah”: U-M Black Scholars in Dance.
Performance by this U-M student ensemble of dance majors and nonmajors in honor of Sarah Collins Rudolph, the lone survivor of the infamous 1963 Birmingham church bombings. A longtime civil rights activist, she is in attendance for the program. 7 p.m., doors open at 6 p.m., U-M Dance Bldg. Performance Studio Theatre, 1000 Baits, North Campus. Free; limited capacity so arrive early. brooketa@umich.edu.
“Annual Creature Courtship”: The Creature Conservancy.
Feb. 10, 11, & 14. Frank but fun presentation on methods of seduction and reproduction in the animal kingdom. Conservancy staffers also show off some live animals, including a black swan, African crested porcupine, and more. Adults only. 7–9 p.m., Creature Conservancy, 4950 Ann Arbor–Saline Rd. $45 includes small bites and alcoholic beverages. Preregistration required at TheCreatureConservancy.org. 929–9324.
“Queer Night”: U-M Museum of Art.
All invited to join curators, musicians, and visiting artists for an evening of activities and live music including an art-making workshop with Philadelphia-based artist Marcellus Armstrong, a nontraditional tarot reading, and a performance by the Out Loud Chorus, a local ensemble of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people and their friends. Also, a chance to view art. Refreshments. 7–10 p.m., UMMA, 525 S. State. Free. 764–0395.
“Stick Fly”: EMU Theatre Department.
Feb. 10–12 & 17–19. Fraser High School drama teacher Randy Stewart, an EMU grad, directs EMU drama students in Detroit native Lydia Diamond’s witty 2006 comic drama about a Black family gathering on otherwise all-white Martha’s Vineyard during which adult children, their new love interests, and their parents argue about family secrets, privilege, and race. Suggested for mature audiences. 7 p.m. (Fri. & Sat.) & 2 p.m. (Sun.), EMU Legacy Theatre, 124 Judy Sturgis Hill Bldg., Ypsilanti. Tickets $7–$18 in advance at emich.ludus.com & at the door. 487–2282.
“What the Fact?”: Booksweet Bookshop Banned Book Club.
All invited to discuss Dr. Seema Yasmin’s timely book about the importance of media literacy. While not itself banned, the book helps identify, interpret, and combat the misinformation and disinformation that are part of book banning efforts. 7–8 p.m., Booksweet, Courtyard Shops, 1729 Plymouth Rd. Mask policy follows CDC guidelines. Free. Register at bit.ly/febbannedbookclub. Shopbooksweet.com.
Mary Santora: Ann Arbor Comedy Showcase.
Feb. 9–11. Cleveland-based stand-up comic with a conversational, easily relatable style who delivers jokes about dating, junk food habits, and Midwest working class life. Preceded by 2 opening acts. Alcohol is served. 7:15 p.m. (Thurs.–Sat.) & 9:45 p.m. (Sat.), 212 S. Fourth Ave. $18 ($13 Thurs.) reserved seating in advance at aacomedy.com before 5 p.m. the night of the show; $20 ($15 Thurs.) general admission at the door. 996–9080.
“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”: Michigan Theater.
(Michel Gondry, 2004). Acclaimed romantic sci-fi drama, written by Charlie Kaufman, about a couple who undergo a procedure to have each other erased from their memory after their relationship has turned sour. Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet. Followed by discussion led by U-M psychology, neuroscience, & biomedical engineering professor Omar Ahmed. 7:30 p.m., tickets $10.50 unless otherwise noted (children under 12, students, seniors age 65 & older & U.S. veterans, $8:50; MTF members, $8) in advance online (recommended) & at the door. For updated schedule, see MichTheater.org.
“Moby Dick! The Musical”: Ann Arbor Musical Theater Works.
Thurs.–Sun., Feb. 9–19. Ron Baumanis directs local actors in this high-camp 1990 West End (London) hit about a theatrical adaptation of Melville’s Moby-Dick by an all-girls school staged in a swimming pool to hilarious effect. With a pop-rock score and book by Robert Longden and Hereward Kaye. Adult material; ages 13 years and up only. 7:30 p.m. (Thurs.-Sat.) & 2:30 p.m. (Sun.), Children’s Creative Center stage, 1600 Pauline St. Tickets $25 at annarbormusicaltheaterworks.com 546–5087.
“The Language Archive”: Theatre Nova.
Every Fri.–Sun., Feb. 3–26. Carla Milarch directs this Michigan premiere of Julia Cho’s whimsical 2010 romantic comedy about a man obsessed with documenting the dying languages of far-flung cultures even as his own capacity to communicate, along with his marriage, is deteriorating. 2 p.m. (Sun.), 7:30 p.m. (Fri. & Sat.), & 3 p.m. (Sat.), Theatre Nova, 410 W. Huron St. Mask & proof of vaccination required. Tickets $22 ($10 for kids under 17) in advance at theatre-nova.ticketleap.com and (if available) at the door. 635–8450.
“Human Error”: Purple Rose Theatre Company.
Every Wed.–Sun., Feb. 3–Mar. 18. Lynch Travis directs the Michigan premiere of Ohio-based playwright Eric Pfeffinger’s political comedy about a liberal couple trying to start a family whose fertilized embryo is accidentally implanted in the uterus of a small-government-supporting NRA cardholder. Cast: Henrí Franklin, Alex Leydenfrost, Kristin Shields, Kevin Theis, and Meghan VanArsdalen. 3 p.m. (Wed., Thurs., & Sat.), 8 p.m. (Thurs.–Sat., except Feb. 9), & 2 p.m. (Sun.), Purple Rose Theatre, 137 Park St., Chelsea. Tickets $21–$52 in advance at PurpleRoseTheatre.org and by phone, and (if available) at the door. Discounts available for students, seniors, teachers, military personnel, and groups. 433–7673.
Brno Philharmonic: University Musical Society.
Dennis Russell Davies directs the signature orchestra of Brno, the Czech Republic’s second-largest city that was once home to composer Leoš Janáček. The UMS Choral Union joins the orchestra for Janáček’s Glagolitic Mass, a hymn to the Czech nation, and students from the U-M Symphony Band join in the 25-player brass fanfares in Janáček’s Sinfonietta. Also, Pulitzer-winning U-M professor emeritus William Bolcom’s Humoresk for Organ and Orchestra. Preceded at 7 p.m. in the lower lobby by “The Society for Disobedient Listeners,” an “anti-lecture” presented by Chicago-based music writer and violist Doyle Armbrust. 8 p.m., Hill Auditorium. Mask required if Washtenaw County is in the CDC’s high-risk category. Tickets $14–$72 (students $12–$20) in advance at ums.org, the Michigan League, and (if available) at the door. Info: 764–2538.
Riverside Swings: Riverside Arts Center.
"Your Name": State Theatre.
Feb. 10: (Makoto Shinkai, 2016). Animated romantic fantasy about a high school boy and girl who suddenly and inexplicably begin to swap bodies. Japanese, subtitles. 9:30 p.m. Tickets $10.50 unless otherwise noted (children under 12, students, seniors age 65 & older & U.S. veterans, $8:50; MTF members, $8) in advance online (recommended) & at the door. For updated schedule, see MichTheater.org.
