Visual arts
Ongoing.Photography. After retiring from teaching in 1985, Todd Walker devoted himself to some of the most daring and innovative experimentation of his already successful career. He ventured into the nascent world of digital photography, which he had begun exploring in 1981. The fruits of those investigations are showcased through April 12 in “Critical Encounters” at the Sandra Phillips Gallery, 744 Santa Fe Drive. Free. 303-573-5969 or . Kyle MacMillan
Ongoing. Photography. Time is running out to enjoy what must be one of the largest assemblies of photography ever shown in Denver. In conjunction with the national conference of the Society for Photographic Education earlier this month, more than 50 photo exhibits are taking place in galleries and other art spaces across the metro area. This celebration of the medium is titled “It’s a Beautiful Place: A Month of Photography.” For a complete list of shows, consult . Kyle MacMillan
Ongoing.Original prints. A rich cross-section of works produced during the early decades of the 20th century is on view in “Good Impressions: American Master Prints of the 1920s, ’30s and ’40s.” Included are examples by such well-known artists as Thomas Hart Benton, Stuart Davis, Childe Hassam, Edward Hopper, Elie Nadelman and Grant Wood. This engaging, museum-quality exhibition runs through April 13 at the Mizel Arts & Culture Center’s Singer Gallery, 350 S. Dahlia St. Free. 303-316-6360 or . Kyle MacMillan
Movies
Thursday.Documentary event. Doug Pray drills down deep into subcultures that capture his generous imagination, from DJ culture (“Scratch”) to Seattle’s grunge scene (“Hype”) to an eccentric family living on the edge — of the shore — in “Surfwise,” which played at last year’s Starz Denver Film Festival. Pray will be in town with his latest, “Big Rig,” a ride crisscrossing America with its long-haul truckers. Join him for a one-time screening, a Q&A and reception. Thurs, April 3, 7 p.m., Starz FilmCenter at the Tivoli, Ninth Street at Auraria Parkway, $6-$9.50, 303-820-3456. Lisa Kennedy
Music
Tonight. Rock. To some, Ace Frehley was Kiss. The famous lead guitarist is now touring solo — sans fireworks- spewing guitar — and he has a date tonight at the Ogden Theatre. Tickets: $26-$30. More: ., 303-830-8497. Ricardo Baca
Tonight. Contemporary classical music. The 10 members of Colorado College’s Bowed Piano Ensemble pluck, strum and manipulate the strings of a grand piano in a variety of ways, producing startlingly unexpected and striking sounds. This unusual group will perform at 7:30 and 8:30 p.m. today as part of “Untitled No. 13 (Riff),” a multifaceted event running 6 to 10 p.m. at the Denver Art Museum, West 13th Avenue between Broadway and Bannock Street. It is free with regular museum admission. Students get two- for-one admission. 720-865-5000 or . Kyle MacMillan
Tonight. Opera. For a taste of opera at an unbeatable price, it’s hard to top a free program at 7:30 tonight at St. John’s Episcopal Cathedral, 1350 Washington St. The Opera Colorado Outreach Ensemble — six singers and an accompanist — will present a program of best-loved arias and excerpts, with a little background commentary along the way. 303-831-7115 or . Kyle MacMillan
Monday. Piano pop. A Fine Frenzy is Alison Sudol, and while her radio-friendly music is memorable, it’s her voice that sticks in your head. She and her piano will take over the Bluebird Theater on Monday. Tickets: $13.50-$15. More: ., 303-830-8497. Ricardo Baca
Tuesday. Indie rock. Vampire Weekend was the biggest buzz band at SXSW (the Spin mag cover helped), and while the band’s understated Afropop-light approach to indie rock doesn’t dazzle, it is literate and entertaining. They play a sold-out show Tuesday at the Bluebird Theater. More: ., 303-830-8497. Ricardo Baca
Dining
Ongoing. Thai.Every neighborhood has at least one Thai restaurant, but not every neighborhood has one as good, and good-natured, as Englewood’s Taste of Thailand. Fresh, tasty dishes are assembled with a light hand, and spice is applied with precision, not abandon. Lunch specials every day. 504 E. Hampden Ave, Englewood, 303-762-9112. Tucker Shaw
Dance
Today-Saturday. Modern dance. Head to the Lakewood Cultural Center tonight and Saturday to catch the eclectic new show from Hannah Kahn Dance Company, one of Denver’s first modern-dance troupes. “Infusion and Other Dances” presents five dances — two of them premieres — ranging from the playful “Dashes and Bolts” to the more pointed “Punctuation.” $13-$18. 303-87-7845 or . John Wenzel
Comedy
Saturday-Sunday. Stand-up. Between a failed sitcom and a couple of drunken traffic stops, Tracy Morgan seemed in brief danger of flaming out entirely. But the “Saturday Night Live” alumnus has found a comfortable home on NBC’s “30 Rock” and in flicks like today’s “Superhero Movie,” turning his barely hinged persona into something more palatable and unpredictably hilarious. Saturday-Sunday at Comedy Works. $30. 303-595-3637 or . John Wenzel
Thursday. Improv. The basement of the Wynkoop Brewing Co. seems an appropriate place for Impulse Theater, particularly since the improv theater turns legal drinking age on Tuesday. The company, which has performed more than 5,000 shows since 1987, will celebrate its 21st anniversary by resuming its improv shows on Thursday and introducing its first- ever open-mic show on April 6. $16- $18. 303-297-2111 or . John Wenzel
