MUSIC
Dar Williams (pictured above) began her career out of college as stage manager for the Opera Company of Boston in 1990, but she moonlighted as a singer-songwriter on the New England coffeehouse circuit. By 1993, she had released her first album and has since evolved into one of the brightest voices in modern folk music. Her 12th studio album, I’ll Meet You Here, was recorded during the pandemic and the common thread of the songs is the need to meet life where it meets you. Williams performs Wednesday at Eddie’s Attic at 7:30 p.m. Masks are required when not eating or drinking. $36-$42.
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The “Music 4 The Soul” tour makes a stop Saturday at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre in a concert that features R&B icons The New Stylistics (featuring original Stylistics lead singer Russell Thompkins Jr.), Peaches and Herb, the Delfonics, Bloodstone and Enchantment. The original Stylistics broke out of the Philadelphia soul scene with such hits as “Betcha by Golly, Wow” and “You Make Me Feel Brand New.” Masks are not mandated, but strongly recommended. Tickets start at $55.
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BOOKS
Author and journalist Neely Young will discuss his book, Georgia Made: The Most Important Figures Who Shaped The State In The Twentieth Century, on Wednesday at The Atlanta History Center’s Author Talks series. Young, a native of Cedartown, was the CEO of the Morris Newspaper Corporation and has served as a curator for the Georgia Historical Society. The talk will be an in-person event; masks are required. Tickets start at $5 for members, $10 for non-members.
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ART+DESIGN
Remember how Alice follows the white rabbit down the rabbit hole and discovers an inverted world that challenges who she is and what she knows? That’s the starting point for Teresa Bramlette Reeves’ exhibit at Whitespace, but she explores another kind of challenging journey – the transition to old age. She’ll be late relates a loose narrative of a woman entering this new world and wondering if escape is an option. As Alice notes about her own adventure: “How puzzling all these changes are!” Through January 22. Masks required.
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You never know what to expect from the wildly successful street artist, philanthropist and prankster Banksy, but we are sure of one thing: The Art of Banksy: Without Limits at Underground Atlanta will close January 16. The exhibit features more than 150 works: prints, videos, sculptures, a few originals, and some of Banksy’s most recognizable murals reproduced on the Underground walls by street artists from Atlanta and beyond. Masks encouraged.
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The Zuckerman Museum of Art will reopen Tuesday with Walk in Beauty, an exhibition highlighting works by Native American artists from the permanent collection, alongside prints produced by Crow’s Shadow Institute of the Arts [CSIA]. Known for its contemporary printmaking, CSIA is located on the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation in Oregon. The exhibit title refers to the Diné (Navajo) dictum “walk in beauty,” which translates to creating beauty and harmony. Masks are encouraged, but not required.
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DANCE
Core Dance continues its innovative outdoor video series REEL Art with work by Adam Larsen, a documentary filmmaker and projection designer. The fun part of these mini-films is that they are streamed onto the windows of the Core Dance studios in Decatur by the square, creating an otherworldly feel. Larson set his video to Charles Ives’ “The Unanswered Question.” Core Dance’s Sue Schroeder did the choreographic direction; Erik Thurmond is the dance artist. Advance registration is encouraged. Walk-ups will be welcomed if space allows. Social distancing practices will be enforced. 133 Sycamore Street. Nightly from Friday through February 18.
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THEATER
The Omicron variant-fueled Covid-19 surge caused some Atlanta holiday shows to close early and first-of-the-year productions, including Actor’s Express’ Intimate Apparel, to be postponed. But one safe bet (in every way) for early 2022 is the Alliance Theatre Anywhere virtual production of The Curious Cardinal. Seen from the comfort of your own home, this Theatre for the Very Young series show doesn’t even require a mask to be worn. The 18-minute animated short stars the title bird who remains in Georgia all year, exploring seasonal changes. He may bicker with blue jays in spring and outwit mischievous squirrels in summer, but the majesty of the state’s natural habitat is the true winner of this free presentation. Through May 31.
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The next show on the boards at Atlanta Shakespeare Tavern is The Comedy of Errors, opening Saturday. Featuring two sets of twins and one major case of mistaken identity, the comedy promises to take “Shakespearean funny to such slap-happy heights, you’ll be dizzy with laughter.” Honestly, given all that’s going on in the world, we’d be good with a few fizzy laughs and some frothy beer. If any Comedy of Errors performance has to be canceled due to Covid exposure, actors (with negative test results) instead will perform an abridged version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. For this Shakespeare Out of Hat production, the thespians will pull their roles out of a chapeau just before showtime. Through February 6. Proof of vaccination and masks required.
