5 Things

We’re getting really good at cramming more than our allotted number of things into these crazy summer weekends.

August 6, 2015; 11:57 AM • by Susan Howson

Photo by: Rosmarie Voegtli

1. First Fridays

Some could argue that this is the last First Friday of summer, so it’s probably wise to go stroll around. Notable this month: Mama J’s has a new spot, a pretty cool looking exhibit at New Normal Apparel, and, of course, the final week of 1708’s 10 x 10 series, featuring BridgePark.

2. Don’t You Wish That We Were Dead

Films! Films! Films! It’s so long until Film Festival Season is upon us (but man, what a good thing to look forward to during the dreary winter, eh?). In the meantime, the James River Film Society has graciously brought us Don’t You Wish That We Were Dead, about U.K. punk pioneers, The Damned. I enjoy the title of this film for two reasons: 1) It properly uses the subjunctive tense! and 2) It is nice and rhythmic to say, like “I believe that we will win!” And honestly, could be used as a follow-up, when our soccer team does not win. Anyway, thanks JRFS. This is a documentary that’s gotten lots of buzz and without you, we would have had to wait a long time to see it.

  • Saturday, August 8th and Sunday, August 9th • 8:00 PM
  • Visual Arts Center, 1812 W. Main Street
  • $7

3. The Ongoing Parade of Festivals

Festmonth continues, as this weekend brings the Filipino Festival, the Richmond Jazz Festival at Maymont, and…the mother of all festivals, the Watermelon Festivals. We learned many things about the latter from a fake Richmonder, who has an interesting nostalgic take on the whole thing.

  • Filipino: Friday, Saturday; Jazz: Friday, Saturday; Watermelon: Sunday
  • Just click on those links above for locations, or see it all in one spot. Oh, RVANews! You da best!
  • Jazz is $30-$160, the other two are free

4. Find Your Family History at the Library of Virginia: Getting Started

The Library of Virginia is like a living, breathing, seething, gasping beast ready to spring at you with its teeth bared and its claws holding…a bunch of useful resources! This Saturday, they’ll get you started by helping you scrape the surface of the grand genealogy pursuit that starts to claw at our imagination the older we get (my mom told me that when I was a cranky teen and now I believe her). It’s a pretty amazing treasure trove that you probably drive by all the time and don’t think to visit, and it’s time we all learned what to do with it. Also, their gift shop is the best in the city, according to me.

  • Saturday, August 8th • 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM
  • Library of Virginia, 800 E. Broad Street
  • $25 ($20 for members)

5. A Ton of Stuff at TheatreLAB

Sometimes I am overwhelmed by the sheer number of things that TheaterLAB accomplishes. Not only are they wrapping up The Altruists, (here’s a review from GayRVA that calls it “nearly perfect), but they’re also pitting that cast against the Psycho Beach Party cast in a lip sync battle this Friday (you can stop by on your First Friday ramble!), AND, to benefit a fund that helps theater-folk through personal crises, they present a songfest entitled Cacophony, which will probably sound much better than its title would suggest.

  • All weekend! See links above for details
  • The Basement, 300 E. Broad Street
  • Various prices and donations!

Bonus Thing: South Pacific

We’ve discussed this before, but South Pacific wraps up its run this weekend, and as it is one of my favorite shows, I urge you to fill your empty nights with the sounds of Rodgers and Hammerstein. Do you hear it calling you? “Here am I, your special island. Come to me…come to me…”

  • Through Sunday, August 9th • various times
  • November Theatre, 114 W. Broad Street
  • $60 with various discounts available
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Susan Howson

Susan Howson is managing editor for this very website. She writes THE BEST bios.

August 6, 2015 11:57 AM · in , , and more 0

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