Wednesday-Thursday • 27-28
Erasing 8
ISSUES & LEARNING
Erasing 8: Perspectives of Detroit and Its Suburbs is a developmental theater and visual arts project whose aim is to bridge the gap between Detroit and the suburbs. Eight Mile Road is much more than a busy thoroughfare — it’s a well-known barrier that divides southeast Michiganders according to race and socioeconomic status. Erasing 8’s goal is to inspire residents from both sides of Eight Mile to move past the fear, misconceptions and biases, and to start building a harmonious community. 7 p.m., Wednesday, July 27, at the Detroit Repertory Theatre, 13103 Woodrow Wilson, Detroit; and 7 p.m., Thursday, July 28, at Roeper Upper School, Birmingham. Call 313-494-4363 for more info. Suggested donation, $5.
Thursday • 28
Terry McMillan
LITERATURE
Terry McMillan has covered a lot of ground. Her breakout novel, Waiting to Exhale, breathed rarefied confidence into an entire generation of underappreciated housewives, while How Stella Got Her Groove Back reminded them of their sexual selves. Her latest novel, The Interruption of Everything, is the McMillan-perfect tale of Marilyn Grimes, a wife and mother of adult children who, through a series of bold reinventions, devises a new plan for her future. McMillan will sign copies of her new novel at 12:30 p.m. at Borders Books, 5601 Mercury Dr., Dearborn; 313-271-4441; and at 7 p.m. at the Oak Park Library, 14200 Oak Park Blvd., Oak Park; 248-691-7480. Shoppers can get a 20 percent discount on The Interruption and a guaranteed spot in line for the Oak Park Library book-signing if they buy it at Book Beat, 26010 Greenfield Rd., Oak Park; 248-968-1190.
Thursday • 28
As You Like It
THEATER
The Water Works Theatre Company’s annual Shake-speare in the Park series is always a hoot. This year, the ambitious thespians take on the Bard’s romantic comedy As You Like It. Conceived by Terry Carpenter of the Meadow Brook Theatre Ensemble, this modern-retro adaptation pits “hippies” against “squares” in a fun-filled production that has the look and sound of the ’60s. Thursday-Sunday at Starr Jaycee Park, 1101 W. 13 Mile Rd., Royal Oak; 248-399-3727, waterworkstheatre.com. Ends Sunday, Aug. 7.
Friday-Saturday • 29-30
Lafayette Gilchrist
MUSIC
The Music According to Lafayette Gilchrist was one of 2004’s most auspicious jazz debuts. As we here at MT said of the Vernon Reid-produced disc: “Imagine pianist Billy Preston in the FBI witness protection program; he hides out in the Wash-ington, D.C., go-go scene and then the jazz underground; he invents an unlikely pseudonym to go with his new style: a sort of twisted, funky, neo-juke-joint avant-gut-bucket.” Geoff Himes of The Washington Post wrote that the muscular grooves, real melodies and sophisticated harmonies should put Baltimore’s young local hero onto the world jazz map. Detroiters get their first chance to hear Gilchrist close up this weekend, playing solo, at the Harlequin Cafe, 8047 Agnes St., Detroit; 313-331-0922.
Friday-Saturday • 29-30
Bat Fest
FUN FOR ALL
We’ll resist the temptation to suggest you go “batty” at this year’s Bat Fest and get straight to the point: Attendees will enjoy an educational, entertaining and fun-filled event for the whole family. Festivities begin at 7 p.m., Friday, July 29, with a presentation by Janell Cannon, author of the children’s book Stellaluna, a heartwarming tale of a baby bat, and continue on Saturday, July 30, with many interactive activities, including a chance to see live bats from around the globe. Cranbrook Institute of Science, 39221 Woodward Ave., Bloomfield Hills; 248-645-3245.
Saturday • 30
West Side Story
FILM
Bring a box of tissues, a hankering for kitsch and a love of movie musicals to downtown Detroit’s Campus Martius Park this weekend. As part of Comcast Movie Night, moviegoers can enjoy the much-loved classic, West Side Story, in the balmy comfort of downtown’s newly beautified outdoor commons. The movie starts at dusk on Woodward Avenue between Fort Street and Michigan Avenue; 313-962-0101, campusmartiuspark.com.
Saturday-Sunday • 30-31
Third Annual Life-Affirming Rock ’n’ Roll Garage Sale
SHOPPING/FUN FOR ALL
A slew of local rockers from such bands as the Paybacks, the Hentchmen and the Sirens will offer scads of old records, vintage clothing, rock ’n’ roll T-shirts, furniture and music equipment at the Third Annual Life-Affirming Rock ’n’ Roll Garage Sale. It’s much more than a front-yard rummage sale, it’s a way of life. Stock up on various cool sundries and get schmoozing at 418 E. Cambourne St., Ferndale.
Sunday & Tuesday • 31 & 2
The Good, the Bad & the Ugly
FILM
In the ’60s, spaghetti Westerns elevated the cowboy flick to epic proportions. One of the finest examples of this phenomenon is The Good, the Bad & the Ugly, a tale of honor, greed, murder and revenge. And it stars Clint Eastwood. Enough said. 3 p.m., Sunday, July 30; and 7 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 2, at the Michigan Theater, 603 E. Liberty, Ann Arbor; 734-668-8163.
Monday • 1
Historic Houses of Worship Tour
FUN FOR ALL
Since 1972, the Detroit Historical Society has acquainted metro Detroit with many of the city’s most fascinating old homes, buildings and landmarks — many of them churches. Starting Monday, Aug. 1, the Historical Society will offer tours of some of the city’s most impressive houses of worship, including Christ Church Detroit, Holy Redeemer Roman Catholic, St. Hedwig and others. You don’t have to be a Christian to appreciate the ornate beauty and craftsmanship of these buildings. Tours leave at 10 a.m. from the Detroit Historical Museum, 5401 Woodward Ave., Detroit; 313-833-7937.
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