Usually there are a multitude of good choices for weekend entertainment in Louisville. But this weekend is a little bit quieter.
There are a few Mardi Gras celebrations you can hit up (Louis's The Ton features Billy Goat Strut Revue, whose singer -- full disclosure -- is WFPL News Producer Laura Ellis). You can catch up on Acting Against Cancer's production of "American Idiot," or you can check out Actors' Theatre's family-friendly "Peter and the Starcatcher." All solid choices.
I've got a couple of offbeat options, if you want to try something different.
To hear some of the most enthusiastic and irony-free musicians you could ever find, head to the Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts on Friday or Saturday for performances by the Kentucky All-State choruses, orchestra and bands. These are high schoolers from across the state who have made it through a rigorous and competitive audition process, and who have spent all week in Louisville preparing a challenging concert. These kids are so psyched to be there. (I speak from experience: I was in All-State Chorus as a teenager.) The audience will be full of excited family and friends, which also guarantees a fun crowd. Do yourself a favor and check out the future of music-making.
If you'd like to take your kids (or, what the heck, your neighbor's kids) out for some culture, the Louisville Free Public Library has some bite-sized portions of productions that will later be seen on a larger scale. Kentucky Opera is gearing up for its production of "Showboat" with a family program called "Exploring the River Region," which introduces kids to the music and history of the steamboat era. (Saturday: Westport Library at 10:15 a.m., Highlands-Shelby Park Library at noon, and Fern Creek Library at 2 p.m.)
You can also catch a two-actor version of "Romeo and Juliet" from Kentucky Shakespeare on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. at the Highlands/Shelby Park library (other library locations in the coming weeks). Wondering how they'll do this complex, sprawling, family-feuding play with only two actors? Me, too. See you there.
(Also, I hear there's a sportsball thing happening Sunday.)
