Powhatan is strapping in for a rodeo this weekend. Other exciting events hitting the bull’s-eye in the days ahead are a “Clue”-inspired murder mystery event at The Poe Museum, a launch party for the Kasama Collective and RVA Music Night during Friday Cheers on Brown’s Island. Plus there’s a thought-provoking documentary screening at The Byrd Theatre, a cabaret show at Richmond Triangle Players, and a concert from Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears at The Broadberry. Enjoy!
We need to talk about Karen
The name Karen has been popularized in recent years as a term for entitled and casually racist white women, and the concept is also the subject of a 2022 documentary that asks women to explore their own racism and complicity in white supremacy. A screening of “Deconstructing Karen” will be held at The Byrd Theatre, Thursday, May 25, at 6 p.m. A discussion will follow with Saira Rao and Regina Jackson, authors and co-founders of the conversation event organization Race2Dinner. The talk will be moderated by Ashley Williams, who owns Shockoe Bottom wellness shop and community space The Well Collective. Tickets are $35 and include a copy of Rao and Jackson’s book, “White Women: Everything You Already Know About Your Own Racism and How to Do Better.” All proceeds support The Well Collective’s programming.
—Nicole Cohen, Arts & Entertainment Editor
You ALL had a motive
Was it Professor Plum in the library or Colonel Mustard in the billiards room? Whodunit? It’s all very cloak-and-dagger at The Poe Museum’s “Clue” Murder Mystery Unhappy Hour on May 25 from 6 to 9 p.m. Solve the case while enjoying live music, grazing on tasty small plates by Tiny Vegan and sampling a selection of Benchtop Brewing craft beers in the museum’s Enchanted Garden. It’s all accompanied by mesmerizing musical performances by IONNA, whose songs range from dusty desert country to ’80s synth-pop, and Shera Shi, fronted by singer-songwriter Britt O’Neil, whose powerful voice lends itself to R&B, blues and indie rock. A miserable time will be had by all. Admission is $12 per person.
—Susan Morgan, R•Home Managing Editor
Georgia on Our Minds
Maybe you saw cabaret chanteuse and satirist Georgia Rogers Farmer in “Lies My Martini Told Me,” “The Real Housewife of Chesterfield County” or in assorted stage productions where she holds forth with a variety of wry observations in story and song. I always enjoy her performances, filled with entendre and occasional poignant moments. She’s sometimes cheesy and often hilarious, and can she belt a tune or what? Her newest performance is a three-night run of “Belle of the Balls,” 8 p.m., May 25-27, at Richmond Triangle Players. Tickets are $45.
—Harry Kollatz Jr., Senior Writer
Cheers to That
There are few things I like more than live music, and if I can enjoy a summer evening outside at the same time, it’s my idea of bliss. So, I’m especially glad to see that Venture Richmond’s Friday Cheers concert series has returned to Brown’s Island. There are shows each Friday in May and June — this week is RVA Music Night, featuring Butcher Brown (pictured above), Celler Dwellers, and Cassidy Snider & The Wranglers — and tickets are $10 in advance, $15 at the gate. An assortment of food and beverage vendors are on-site every week.
—Mindy Kinsey, Editorial Director
A Taste of Honey
Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears first burst onto the indie scene from Austin, Texas, in the late 2000s with James Brown-inspired R&B belters including “Sugarfoot,” and several solid albums followed. While his last official release was the 2020 single “Five Dollars,” Lewis has hit the road again and makes a stop Friday, May 26, at The Broadberry before heading down to the Rooster Walk Music & Arts Festival in Martinsville the next day. The music starts at 8 p.m. with the Meadows Trio as the opening act, and tickets are $20.
—Mark Newton, News Editor
Better Together
Drawing influence from the Filipino verb “to be together,” or “to join,” “kasama” implies unity and collaboration. So, when Richmond transplants Aubriel Rivera and Roxanne Atienza were looking to name their soon-to-launch group that amplifies Asian American and Pacific Island culture through creative events and experiences, the word aligned beautifully with their vision. Hosting its inaugural party on May 26 at Vasen Brewing Co., Kasama Collective will bring together AAPI-owned small businesses, creators and entrepreneurs. Check out Filipino-inspired food truck and Market on Meadow purveyor Auntie Ning’s, local bakery Amusing Maria, Tosha Jihn’s Minhwa-inspired art and goods, and more. Fun fact: Maria Goethals of Amusing Maria is a contributing author for “The New Filipino Kitchen: Stories and Recipes From Around the Globe.”
—Eileen Mellon, Food Editor
Hang in There
Eight seconds may only seem like the blink of an eye, but ask any bull rider, and they will tell you it can feel like an eternity when you’re trying to cling to the back of a twisting, jumping 1,500-pound bull. Bull riding is one of the main draws of Powhatan Bullnanza, held at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 27, at Powhatan County’s Rocky Oak Farm, but spectators can also watch the very definition of speed with cowgirl barrel racing, cuteness overload with kids mutton bustin’, and precision and teamwork in action with the roping competitions. Tickets are $15 in advance or $20 at the gate (free admission for kids 5 and under).
—Laura McFarland, Lifestyle Editor
Other Suggestions
- The new exhibition “Sign Spotting” opens at The Valentine on May 25 and continues through May 31, 2024.
- The Richmond Symphony partners with the Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia for a Big Tent concert in Jackson Ward’s Abner Clay Park on May 27 (rain date May 28).
- Yes, And! Theatrical Co.’s performances of “The Light” continue through May 27 at Firehouse Theatre.
- An interactive exploration of human space travel, “Space: An Out-of-Gravity Experience” opens at the Science Museum of Virginia on May 27 and runs through Sept. 4.
- Daydream Fest is two days of music, vendors, and food and beverages at Main Line Brewery, May 28 and 29.
River City Roundup is Richmond magazine’s weekly compilation of the best things to see, do and experience in the region, compiled by our editors. Get each week’s installment directly in your inbox every Monday by subscribing to our e-newsletter.
