5 Things

What do you get when you cross two shows, a basketball game, gallons of beer, and some hours of your time spent helping out your community? I think you know where this is going.

January 17, 2013; 7:09 AM • by Susan Howson

What do you get when you cross two shows, a basketball game, gallons of beer, and some hours of your time spent helping out your community? I think you know where this is going.

1. NT Live: The Magistrate

‘Allo guv’na! ….Or whatever it is that we think English people say. Those crazy treacle-eaters with their loos and lorries and queues and bobbies! They’re always doing such polite things, like filming their National Theatre’s production of Arthur Wing Panero’s The Magistrate and beaming it across the puddle so that we can see the entire production live! And that’s not all, English actor John Lithgow will be…wait a second. That dude is about as English as I am, which is to say, “maybe a little.” Anyway, these live production dealios are quite good. It’s quality stuff without you having to spend an arm and a leg on airfare.

• Thurs. Jan. 17 • 2:00 PM & Sat. Jan. 19 • 7:30
• Camp Concert Hall, Booker Hall of Music, University of Richmond
• Adults – $14, see site for other ticket pricing

2. VSU vs. VUU in the Freedom Classic

The Freedom Classic pits Virginia State University’s basketball team with that of Virginia Union University’s, and whomever wins gets to honor MLK, JR. But it’s not all just fun and games. It’s fun and drumlines! The Freedom Classic celebrates similarities and differences between the two schools, and don’t try to figure out what they are. It’s about the freedom of not having to figure anything out. The noise of cheering and sneakers squeaking across a floor should be enough for you, hmm?

• Sun. Jan. 20 • 4:00 PM
• The Coliseum, 601 E. Leigh St.
• $20-$25

3. Lerner and Loewe’s Camelot

Oh ho ho, Virginia Opera, you’ve really done it this time. It’s really, really hard to say no to a big, juicy musical like Camelot. But what you can say about it is that the rain may never fall until after sundown and by 9:00 PM the moonlight must appear. So basically, you’ve got a limited time to see this monarch of all musicals sung by bona fide belters. In short there’s simply not a more congenial spot…too bad that spot will only be congenial for one day only. Camelot skips town after only one night. Hey, take it up with the opera.

• Sun. Jan. 20 • 2:30 PM
• Landmark Theatre. 6 N. Laurel St.
• $35-$100

4. 2013 RVANews Beer Dinner

You’ve got to experience this to believe it. It is as if someone unhinged your jaw and blew beer bubbles into your stomach. That’s how it feels to eat a thousand courses of Ipanema food and then a matching thousand servings of beer. Very disconcerting for the wine drinkers among us, but you can start to lean over towards the sudsy side by procuring yourself a ticket to our annual beer dinner. Just one ticket gets you six courses with expertly paired beers to accompany them. Only problem…those tickets are no longer available. But hear me out, anything can happen, when it’s RVANews Beer Dinner time. So bother your friends and take it to the ‘nets–maybe you can buy a ticket off someone who can’t go because something of the utmost important came up. It’s the only explanation.

• Sun. Jan. 20 • 6:30 PM
• Ipanema Cafe, 917 W. Grace St.
• $58

5. Do Something Helpful

MLK did a lot for everyone. It’s time to ask yourself what you can do to give back to your community. HandsOn Greater Richmond has tons of opportunities, and we’ve even covered one or two ways to occupy yourself this weekend that will help you support the arts. Don’t take this holiday lightly–use your off hours (if you got ‘em) to think about how you can spread a message of love and equality.

• Mon. Jan. 21 • Doors open at 9:00 PM
• Strange Matter, 929 W. Grace St.
• $8

January 17, 2013 7:09 AM 0