Going, going …
Catch these events before they disappear after this weekend:
“Frankie and Johnny in the Claire de Lune”
THEATER|Real-life couple Emily Paton Davies and Tom Borrillo reunite onstage for Terrence McNally’s bittersweet comedy tracing the unlikely romance that develops between two middle-aged losers beyond their one-night stand. (Note: nudity, profanity).|ENDS SATURDAY|Final performances 7:30 p.m. today and Saturday at the Phoenix Theatre, 1124 Santa Fe Drive. $15-$19; 303-300-2210 or paragontheatre.com.
“Cat on a Hot Tin Roof”
THEATER|Two companies, two Tennessee Williams scripts, separated by two decades. The first, by the Vintage Theatre, uses Williams’ first Broadway script, and closes this weekend. The Aurora Fox staging (with 1971 rewrite) opens April 13).|ENDS SUNDAY| 7:30 p.m. today and Saturday, 2:30 p.m. Sunday at the Buntport Theater, 717 Lipan St. $15-$20; 303-839-1361 or vintagetheatre.com.
Friday
Hot sampling
DANCE|Mixed repertoire programs give audiences the best chance to sample a dance company’s offerings, which is why David Taylor Dance Theatre’s “Contemporary Classics” is so exciting. The one-night-only performance features a world premiere (new artistic director James Wallace’s “The Forgotten”), excerpts from “Carmina Burana,” “Piano and String Quartet No.1,” “Mobile” and others.|7:30 tonight|Kenneth King Arts Center, Auraria Campus, 855 Lawrence Way, $8-$16, 303-558-2473, ccd.edu.
Saturday
Jack and Jill
BENEFIT LUNCHEON|The Denver Chapter of Jack and Jill of America is part of a national organization of African-American families that promotes cultural, educational and social enrichment for children. The group hosts its 50th Anniversary Celebration luncheon to honor the founding Denver members. The keynote will be delivered by motivational speaker Patricia Russell McCloud.| 11:30-2 p.m. Saturday| Denver Marriott City Center, 1701 California St.; $50; 303-355-4283
The Weekend
Rock legends
MUSICAL ART|The upscale Hotel Monaco may seem an odd stop for rock’s biggest legends, but this weekend the posh environs will host “1967: A Visual Concert Tour.” The traveling exhibition and sale includes art and handwritten lyrics by Jimi Hendrix, Jefferson Airplane’s Grace Slick, the Rolling Stones’ Ron Wood and Janis Joplin. Sebastian Krüger also will display portraits of the Rolling Stones. Prices range from $200 to $40,000.|11 a.m.-8 p.m. today-Saturday; noon- 6 p.m. Sunday |1717 Champa St., suggested donation benefits Dress for Success; 303-296-1717 or art1967.com.
Gypsy flamenco
DANCE AND MUSIC|The dulcet strains of folk and bluegrass typically fill the halls of Swallow Hill, but tonight the folk music association will host René Heredia’s “Gypsy Flamenco Fire,” featuring 10 spicy dancers from Colorado’s Flamenco Fantasy Dance Theater. This family-friendly musical event also features rising artist La Churumbela, who performed as the lead gypsy dancer in Opera Colorado’s “Carmen.”| 8 p.m., today-Saturday| 71 E. Yale Ave.; $21; 303-777-1003, swallowhill.com or reneheredia.com.
Brahms
SYMPHONIC MUSIC| Jeffrey Kahane has canceled his appearances as piano soloist this weekend with conductor laureate Marin Alsop and the Colorado Symphony because of a bout with severe hypertension. But the concerts will go on with Christopher O’Riley, an internationally known artist, as a substitute in Brahms’ Piano Concerto No.1. The program will be broadcast live at 7 p.m. Saturday on these Colorado Public Radio stations: KVOD 90.1-FM in Denver, KCFP 91.9-FM in Pueblo, KRKS 94.7-FM in Colorado Springs, KPRE 89.9-FM in Vail and KPRU 103.3-FM in Delta.|7:30 p.m. today and Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday|Boettcher Concert Hall, Denver Performing Arts Complex, 14th and Curtis streets; $15-$67.50; 303-623-7876 or coloradosymphony.org.
Four choirs
CHORAL MUSIC|The Arvada Center Chorale will team with four other Front Range choirs for “A Chorale Festival: In Praise of Music.” Taking part will be the Legacy Chorale from Legacy High School in Broomfield, St. Jude Catholic Church’s Children’s Choir in Lakewood and CU Alumni Choir in Denver. The eclectic program will range from Ralph Vaughan Williams to Andrew Lloyd Webber.| 7:30 p.m. today and 2 p.m. Saturday|Main Stage Theater, Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities, 6901 Wadsworth Blvd.; $15; 720-898-7200 or arvadacenter.org/concerts.
The week
Faculty gets down
DANCE|DanceWorks, CU-Boulder’s annual faculty dance concert, showcases new works by guest artists Rennie Harris, Gabriel Masson and others, plus faculty choreographers Nada Diachenko, Michelle Ellsworth and Onye Ozuzu. Unfamiliar with them? No worries. Both the nationally renowned guest artists and faculty mix exciting hip-hop moves and daunting duets with restrained solos and interdisciplinary pieces. In other words, something for everyone.|8 p.m. Thursday-March 17, 2 p.m. March 18|Charlotte York Irey Theatre, CU-Boulder campus, $6-$10, 303-492-8181 or cutheatre.org.
River of color
ART|Teens from the Colfax Community Network and Escuela Tlatelolco have worked with Denver artist Lauri Lynnxe Murphy to create a 30-foot wall installation titled “Flow.” When completed, it will consist of more than 600 cast components joined together in a river of color, texture and form. The show will be on view through April 7.|Opening reception, 5:30-8 p.m. Thursday|PlatteForum, 1610 Little Raven St., Suite 125; free; 303-893-0791 or platteforum.org.
Two of Verdi’s
OPERA|It is impossible to imagine Italian opera without the magical works of Giuseppe Verdi. The next installment of Opera 101 will offer previews of two of his creations, which will be presented later this year by Opera Colorado and Central City Opera – “Un ballo in maschera (A Masked Ball)” and “La Traviata.” In addition to a lecture, members of the Opera Colorado Outreach Ensemble will perform excerpts from each work.|6 p.m. Tuesday| Denver Central Library, 10 W. 14th Ave. Parkway; free; 303-292-6700 or 303-778-1500 or operacolorado.org or centralcityopera.org.
