Black History Month begins, step shows and big-name comedians | Top 10 events this week
February 1, 2016
Colonial Williamsburg’s “Let Freedom Ring: A Call to Heal a Nation”
Colonial Williamsburg kicks off Black History Month with a ceremony at 10 a.m. Monday at First Baptist Church, one of the nation’s oldest black churches, that will culminate in the first ringing of its restored, long-silent bell to kick off the commemoration of its 240th anniversary. Descendants of Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings, as well as the Rev. Jesse Jackson and the family of civil rights pioneer Rosa Parks will be in attendance. Members of the public can watch a free live video feed of the ceremony at the Kimball Theatre at 424 West Duke of Gloucester St. in Merchants Square.
A Concert for Hope and awards gala will be held 7 p.m. Monday, with the event hosted by Danny Glover and includes performances by Dionne Warwick, songwriter and performance artist Valerie Simpson and Grammy award-winner Esperanza Spalding and the Hampton University Choir. Attendance to the gala is by invitation only.
2. Virginia Symphony Orchestra’s “Sinatra Centennial” in Newport News and Norfolk
Steve Lippia, whose sound is evocative of young Sinatra, Bobby Darin and Harry Connick Jr., performs “I’ve Got You Under My Skin,” “The Lady is a Tramp,” “Just the Way You Are” and more with the Virginia Symphony Orchestra 8 p.m. Friday at the Ferguson Center and 8 p.m. at Chrysler Hall. Tickets start at $25 for each show and are available at virginiasymphony.org.
3. Hometown comedians Wanda Sykes, Jay Pharoah return to Hampton Roads this weekend
Portsmouth native and Hampton University alum Wanda Sykes comes to Chrysler Hall in Norfolk at 8 p.m. Friday, while Saturday Night Live cast member Jay Pharoah of Chesapeake makes an appearance at the Norva 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Go to sevenvenues.com for tickets to Sykes’ show, which start at $38, and thenorva.com for tickets to Pharoah’s, which start at $20. See story on front page of Ticket section.
4. Stand Your Ground for Peace step show at Hampton High
Stand Your Ground for Peace step show, at Hampton High School auditorium at 4 p.m. Saturday. Doors open at 3 p.m. Local R&B singer K’bana Blaq is emcee. Fundraiser for Parents Against Bullying. Admission is a $10 donation in advance, or a $12 donation at the door. Info: pabva.com or 757-329-2859.
5. Jackson Browne at the Sandler Center for the Performing Arts
Singer-songwriter Jackson Browne plays the Sandler Center 8 p.m. Friday after an appearance scheduled for earlier this month was canceled due to illness. Previously purchased tickets for that show will be honored Friday. Tickets start at $63 and are available at 757-385-2787 or at sandlercenter.org.
6. Children’s performances in Newport News and Virginia Beach
“My Imaginary Pirate,” a play about a boy at a new school and his adventures with the title character, will be showing at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Saturday at the Peninsula Community Theatre. Meanwhile, the Sandler Center hosts Virginia Symphony Orchestra’s “Blast Off! A Symphony in Space” 3 p.m. Sunday as the Bay Youth Symphony Orchestra plays alongside NASA-provided projections of the solar system. Tickets for “My Imaginary Pirate” are $7 and are available at pctlive.org, while tickets for “Blast Off!” start at $12 and are available at sandlercenter.org.
7. Gymnastics competition at the Hampton Coliseum
The 2016 World Class Invitational amateur gymnastics competition takes place Saturday and Sunday. Events start at 8 a.m. each day. Tickets are $10 for adults, $6 for seniors and children ages 4-17 and free for children 3 and under. For more, visit worldclassgym.com or hamptoncoliseum.org.
8. Hampton Arts League Open Members Exhibition at the Charles H. Taylor Arts Center
View art by many of the Hampton Arts League’s 400 members, to include drawing, painting, printmaking, photography, crafts, sculpture and watercolor, by established and new artists. Exhibit opens Saturday and runs through March 13. Open reception takes place 2:30-5 p.m. Sunday. Cash awards, awards of merit and honorable mentions will be chosen by artist and art educator Christi Harris.
9. Last chance to see “The Women” at the Little Theatre of Norfolk
The play, about a wealthy socialite who finds out her husband is having an affair and tries to ignore it until her problems become fodder for the gossipers in her circle, has its final run this weekend. Shows at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $18 for adults, $15 for students, military and seniors, and $9 for youth 17 and under. Info: ltnonline.org.
10. Film screening about the Carter and Cash legacy in country music at the Ferguson Center
“The Winding Stream: The Carters, the Cashes and the Course of Country Music” traces the influence of the Carters and the Cashes in country music from the 1920s to present day 7 p.m. Tuesday at Ferguson Center for the Arts’ Music & Theatre Hall. Part of center’s On Screen/In Person Film Series. Visit fergusoncenter.org for tickets ($5) and to watch the trailer.
