10-12 THU-SAT • THEATER Happy Birthday, Wanda June — In 1970, Kurt Vonnegut Jr. temporarily gave up writing fiction to explore playwriting. The result was a solitary quirky satire about the warped universe in which most of Vonnegut’s characters famously reside. In the play, lead character Harold Ryan (a missing war hero) and his sidekick Looseleaf Harper have been in the jungle for seven years. Harold’s wife, believing him dead, has moved on to two new suitors: a hippie and a vacuum cleaner salesman, meanwhile his son clings to his father’s legacy. When he returns home unannounced, the strange times ensue. Check out this unique play at the Arena Stage (1501 Frieze Building, 105 S. State St., Ann Arbor). Call 734-764-6800 for more information.
11-12 FRI-SAT • MUSIC Ralph Peterson Quartet — It’s a good weekend to give the drummers some. For instance, there’s Ralph Peterson leading a quartet, featuring new trumpet sensation Jeremy Pelt, pianist Gary Schunk and bassist Marion Hayden. Peterson’s a fluid swinger whose arrangements of Thelonious Monk and Ornette Coleman, to name a few, are all about rhythmic delight; ditto his original compositions. At the Harlequin Café (8047 Agnes in Detroit’s Indian Village). Call 313-331-0922. Meanwhile drummer Jim Black of New York’s downtown scene plays at Detroit Art Space on the 12th with fellow downtowner Andrew D’Angelo on sax and Iceland’s Hilmar Jensson on guitar. That’s at 101 E. Baltimore, Detroit; call 313-598-4695.
11 FRI • MUSIC Detroit Music Awards — We all need a little attention and a deserved pat on the back once in a while. This week the Detroit Music Awards will play host to many of Detroit’s favorite acts for an evening of appreciation and accolade. From Best Gospel Album to Best Rock Act, the awards presentation and scheduled entertainment are a tapestry of Detroit’s eclectic music scene. With performances from the Black Bottom Collective (pictured), Hemigod, Calvin Cooke, Liz Larin and more, the DMAs are a hot ticket for those who love a show! At the State Theatre (2115 Woodward Ave., Detroit). Call 313-961-5450 for further information or visit www.detroitmusicawards. com for details.
11-12 FRI-SAT • FILM A Three Stooges Festival — Who couldn’t use a good laugh right about now? With a simple eye poke, a face slap and a ridiculous situation, the Three Stooges have managed to tickle audiences’ collective funny bones for 75 years. And in celebration of this auspicious anniversary, the Historic Redford Theater proudly presents six of the Stooges’ best 20-minute films as part of their A Three Stooges Festival. Check it out at the historic Redford Theater (17360 Lahser, Detroit) and see why the laughs are as uproarious as ever. Call 313-383-0133 for details.
13 SUN • MUSIC Omar w/ Rhian Benson — Local promoters Bump Detroit follow up last month’s extraordinary performance by Philly crooner Donnie with an appearance by UK soulchild Omar at their “Instant Vintage” series. A torchbearer of the British acid jazz scene, Omar flirted with R&B crossover success in the late ’90s, then faded from sight (on these shores, at least). Reports are that he’s reinvigorated his classic sound of hip-hop- and jazz-inflected soul and that his live act is deep, deep, deep. Expect a crowded dance floor when he takes the stage with fellow Londoner Rhian Benson. At Fifth Avenue Downtown inside Comerica Park (2100 Woodward Ave., Detroit). Call 248-353-2892 for ticket information.
