David Janosik as Sir Toby Belch, Jonathan Conyers as Fabian, Evan Nasteff as Sir Andrew and Aguecheek and Laura Rocklyn as Viola in Quill Theatre's production of "Twelfth Night," playing at Agecroft Hall. (Photo by: Aaron Sutton)
The season of outdoor music and theater is, happily, upon us. Saturday is the official opening for "Twelfth Night," which starts the 18th annual Richmond Shakespeare Festival at Agecroft Hall. In this comedy, a shipwrecked Viola disguises herself as a boy and falls in love with Count Orsino, while also attracting the affections of Countess Olivia. 7:30 p.m. $30. 340-0115 or quilltheatre.org.
Tonight (Friday) and Saturday, the Richmond Ballet will take the stage at Dogwood Dell, where the 60th Festival of the Arts is just getting underway at the outdoor amphitheater in Byrd Park. Ballet company members will perform ‘Windows II’ from Stoner Winslett’s full-length work, "Windows," along with Val Caniparoli’s "Swipe." The evening will begin with students from the Minds In Motion program, Team XXL and students from the School of Richmond Ballet. 8:30 p.m. Free.
Tonight through Sunday, the Latin Ballet of Virginia will perform "Milagros," based on the novel by Richmond author Meg Medina about family, identity and the power of a mother’s love. Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen. $10. 356-3876 or latinballet.com.
Tonight, the blues- and funk-infused Seratones out of Shreveport, Louisiana play Friday Cheers, followed by the New Orleans roots-driven sounds of The Revivalists. Robey Martin recently caught up with AJ Haynes, the Seratones' lead vocalist, to talk about how she finds inspiration in "blessed unrest." $10. 788-6466 or venturerichmond.com.
With your feet still tapping, head over to South Richmond’s Sacred Heart Catholic Church on Saturday for the RVA Latino Festival, celebrating the culture of South and Central America with food, games and dancing. There will also be an opportunity to donate clothing for Ecuador’s earthquake victims. 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Free. 1400 Perry St. 230-4399 or shcrichmond.org.
Saturday evening, the Richmond Symphony plays a free concert under the stars at Pocahontas State Park (though there is a $7 parking fee). The program includes Mendelssohn’s “Italian” Symphony No. 4, selections from John Williams’ "Star Wars Suite," Strauss waltzes, patriotic pieces, and more, led by Associate Conductor Chia-Hsuan Lin. 7 p.m. richmondsymphony.com.
Pieces by Susan Gaible of Shockoe Bottom Clay (Photo by: Jeremy Koslow)
Both Saturday and Sunday, 20 studios in Richmond and surrounding areas will be open for the first RVA Clay Studio Tour, featuring the work of more than 75 artists in a variety of styles. Free. 10 a.m to 5 p.m. 918-7722 or rvaclay.com.
Sunday afternoon at Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, Richmonders will have a chance to meet some well-known authors over a pint at the Biographers International Organization's BIO Book Bash, the conclusion of a conference brought to town with help from Richmond-based author Dean King and RVA native Heath Hardage Lee. Free. Noon to 3 p.m. 2408 Ownby Lane.
Sunday evening, SPARC's performance series pairing students of all abilities with professional musicians continues with "Live Art: Blue" at the Altria Theater. This year's guest performers include Grammy-winning bluesman Keb' Mo'. 5 p.m. $40 to $80. 800-514-3849 or altriatheater.com.
Here's a look at some of the other happenings around town:
EVENTS
Summer Book Sale 6/3-5
Find gently used hard- and soft-cover books at deeply discounted prices at the Virginia Historical Society. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. today through Sunday. Funds raised will be used to support VHS educational initiatives.
Planters Day 6/4
Presented by the Chesterfield Historical Society of Virginia, check out life on a 1860s farm, complete with costumed re-enactors, traditional music, crafts, children’s activities and more. Magnolia Grange, 10020 Iron Bridge Road. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. $1 (kids) $3 (adults). 796-7121 or chesterfieldhistory.com.
STAGE
‘Don’t Cry for Me, Margaret Mitchell’ through 6/4
The humorous and (mostly) true behind-the-scenes story of writing the movie script for “Gone With the Wind.” (See "Deadline Pressure.") $19. 319 N. Wilkinson Road. 262-9760 or cattheatre.com.
‘The Boy from Oz’ 6/15-7/16
Coming soon: Richmond Triangle Players' big musical of the season starts Sunday. It's the mid-Atlantic debut of a musical based on the life of Peter Allen, an Australian songwriter who married Liza Minnelli. $32 and $35. 346-8113 or rtriangle.org.
EXHIBITIONS
‘Ancestor’s Garden’ 6/3-10/28
Artwork by Norfolk-based mixed-media artist Orgia Labidi at anne’s Visual Art Studio. 208 W. Broad St. 644-1368 or facebook.com/visualartstudio.
‘Slices of Life: RVA’ through 6/17
Richmond-area photographers capture life in their hometown. Pine Camp Arts & Community Center. 4901 Old Brook Road. 646-6722 or www.richmondgov.com/parks.
'Phantom Limbs & Deciduous Appendages' through 6/19
The Lady Octavia’s collage illustrations and assemblage pieces, created using vintage paper sources, antique ephemera and oddities is among several new exhibitions at Artspace. Others include the "Sharedspace Invitational," with works by 10 artists selected by Artspace members; "Shifting Focus," featuring digital photography and handmade books by Dawn Gillis; and "Common Ground," showing mixed media works by Richmond artists. 232-6464 or artspacegallery.org.
“Thomas R. Schiff: Virginia 360°' through 6/19
Contemporary photographer Thomas R. Schiff made these 40 panoramic images in Virginia between 2004 and 2013. Virginia Museum of Fine Arts. Free. 340-1400 or vmfa.museum.
‘Cowgirls are Easy to Love’ through 6/19
Visit anne’s Visual Art Studio to see Terry Lynn Smith's figurative oil paintings with attitude. 208 W. Broad St. 644-1368 or facebook.com/VisualArtStudio.
‘Inside Out’ through 7/3
Suzanna Fields’ large, vertical paintings contrast gestural black-and-white mark-making with dense layers and economically incorporated color. Quirk Gallery. 340-6036 or quirkgallery.com.
'Nature Connects' through 9/18
The exhibition of Lego sculptures such as a 7-foot-tall rose and a dragonfly with a 3 1/2 -foot wingspan continues at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden through Sept. 18. Included with regular garden admission of $12. 262-9887 or lewisginter.org.
Butterflies Live! through 10/9
Get up-close and personal as hundreds of butterflies flutter around you in the conservatory. Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden. Included with garden admission, $12 for adults. 262-9887 or lewisginter.org.
‘Faces of Freedom, Stories of Service’ through 11/13
Opening at The Valentine, photographer Mark Mitchell explores how local military veterans’ years of service shaped their lives. 1015 E. Clay St. 649-0711 or thevalentine.org.
‘The Virginia Man’ through 1/29/2017
Stories of respect, responsibility and rebellion are preserved in the wardrobes of prominent and lesser-known Virginians on display at The Valentine. Museum admission is $10. 1015 E. Clay St., 649-0711 or thevalentine.org.
‘First Freedom’ through 3/2/2017
This new Library of Virginia exhibition looks at the revolutionary Virginia legislation that established separation of church and state. 800 E. Broad St. 692-3500 or lva.virginia.gov.
