5 Things: Films, plays, musicals, cover bands, and flowers

If you’re craving 90s music, I have a solution. If you’re craving Motown music, I have a solution. If you’re craving music related to ballet dancers explaining the legend of the poinsettia, I have a solution.

January 7, 2016; 12:50 PM • by Rachel Marsh

Photo by Joan Marcus, 2014.

1. Sixth Annual Israeli Film Festival

Oh, you love films? And you love festivals? And you love learning more about the history and culture of Israel? Well! Have I got good news for you! This weekend, the Weinstein JCC is hosting their annual Israeli Film Festival. They’re showing four films throughout the weekend, some of them featuring war, some of them featuring marriage, some of them featuring mystery, all of them featuring great stories.

• Thursday, January 7th and Sunday, January 10th • film times vary
• Weinstein Jewish Community Center, 5403 Monument Avenue
• $12

2. Motown the Musical

Just hearing the word “Motown” makes me want to groove, and I don’t think that’s even something I know how to do. This musical is filled with all of those oldies that you privately jam out to in your car, like “I Heard It Through the Grapevine,” and “My Girl.” And they’re all delivered by energetic, talented, and heavily bell-bottomed singers that look like they’ve never needed sleep in their entire lives. Here’s our official review.

Warning: Side effects of this musical may include the uncontrollable urge to purchase platform shoes, or try to figure out how to comb your hair into an afro.

• Through Sunday, January 10th • see site for times
• Altria Theater, 6 N. Laurel Street
• $38 – $88

3. Quill Theatre Presents Stupid F**king Bird

I mean, WHAT is worse when you’re at the beach and those darn seagulls won’t leave you and your snacks alone?! Pretty much nothing. The good news is, this play has nothing to do with seagulls, but is more of a satirical and emotional look on artists and their place in the world. Plus the word “metatheatrical” is in the play’s website description, so, I’m already intrigued.

• Through Saturday, January 30th • 8:00 PM
• Richmond Triangle Players, 1300 Altamont Avenue
• $20 – $30

4. Music!

4a. Saved by the 90s: a Party w/ Bayside Tigers

Remember those songs you used to listen to on your portable tape player? While playing with a Bop-It and staring at your lava lamp? Well, this weekend, Bayside Tigers is bringing you those 90s hits that we all know and love, live in concert. Think Alanis, Britney, the Boys: both Backstreet and Beastie, Blink182, Spice Girls, and many, many, many more. So throw on some parachute pants or a skort, grab a scrunchie, and relive the great music originally played by those bands whose posters you used to hang over your lip-shaped telephone.

• Saturday, January 9th • 8:00 PM
• The National, 708 E. Broad Street
• $12.50, or $15 at the door

4b. Tribute to The Band–Featuring The THE BAND Band

The THE BAND Band is, as you can probably guess from their name, a tribute to the late and great 60’s group, THE BAND. If their musical performance is as meta as their band name, it could be a very interesting show.

• Saturday, January 9th • 8:00 PM
• The Tin Pan, 8982 Quioccasin Road
• $25

5. Legend of the Poinsettia

Have you always wondered why poinsettias are such a staple to the Christmas season? OK, neither have I. But now that I’ve posed the question, aren’t you wondering now?? The Latin Ballet of Virginia is putting on a ballet about the legend that surrounds this notorious holiday flower. Spoiler alert, it’s something about how a little girl was able to turn weeds into poinsettias. Which is perhaps just a legend, but isn’t that probably way more interesting than the real story?

• Saturday, January 9th • 7:30 PM
• The Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen, 2880 Mountain Road
• $15, or $20 at the door

January 7, 2016 12:50 PM · in Fan of the Fan, Near West End News, and more 0