What was I thinking when I planned a trip out of state for the weekend of the Anchorage Symphony's season opener? Arts writer fail. The good news is there's plenty going on this weekend for those of you who will be in state, including high school students posing as Elizabethan-era zombies and a few last chances to see some great plays.
Anchorage
"The Lion King" has finally vacated the Atwood Concert Hall, which means it's time for the Anchorage Symphony to launch its 2009-2010 season. Opening night will feature guest artists PercaDu, a Middle Eastern percussion duo, as well as Verdi's "Sicilian Vespers" overture and Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 4. Tickets, $20 to $42, are available at CenterTix, (907) 263-2787. True classical music wonks won't want to miss maestro Randall Fleischer's free "lunch and learn" program, Friday from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. at the Z.J. Loussac Public Library. Fleischer will be offering a "low-key introduction to the music and personalities" featured on the opening night program.
This is the last weekend to catch "Terra Nova" at the University of Alaska Anchorage; UAA describes it as a "potent theatrical hallucination" of the final moments of Sir Robert Falcon Scott on his doomed attempt to beat Ronald Amundsen to the South Pole in 1912. "Terra Nova" repeats Friday, Oct. 23 and Saturday, Oct. 24 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 25 at 3 p.m. on the main stage at UAA's Fine Arts Building. Tickets, $13 and $18, are available at CenterTix, (907) 263-2787; for student, faculty and staff discounts or season subscriptions, contact the UAA Fine Arts box office at (907) 786-4849.
Also at UAA, catch an exhibit of pulp fiction illustrations from the 1920s, '30s and '40s, currently on display at the Kimura Gallery in the Fine Arts Building. The Kimura gallery is open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The exhibit runs through Friday, Oct. 30.
Those of us who grew up in Alaska remember what it was like to try to coordinate moon boots with a Halloween costume and have to navigate four-foot snow berms while trick-or-treating. Today's kids have a warmer alternative: Trick or Treat Town, the annual indoor event, will be held Friday at Saturday at the ACS Garage, 600 Telephone Ave. Trick or Treat Town features live entertainment, games and (of course) lots of candy, and proceeds benefit educational programs at the Anchorage Museum. Advance tickets, $7, are available at the museum and online; $10 tickets are available at the door, but quantities are limited. Details and session times are posted on the Anchorage Museum's web site.
Seward
Dick Reichmann's play "The Big One: A Chronicle of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill," will hit the road for the last time this weekend, traveling to Seward for one performance, Saturday, Oct. 24 at 7 p.m. at Seward High School. Tickets will be available at the door, with discounts for Seward Arts Council members. For more information, contact the Seward Arts Council.
Fairbanks
Get a head start on your holiday shopping at the Fairbanks Potters Guild's Winter Arts Faire and silent auction, Friday, Oct. 23 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday, Oct. 24 from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Dog Mushers' Hall, Mile 4 Farmers' Loop Rd. Up for sale: photography, jewelry, baskets, wood art, cards, mixed media pieces, and of course, lots and lots of pottery crafted by more than a dozen local potters.
Zombies meet Shakespeare? I'm in. West Valley High School is presenting "William Shakespeare's Land of the Dead," a mash-up of Shakespeare plays and classic zombie movies in which the undead attack the Globe Playhouse near the end of the 16th century. Maybe it's just a clever way to get teenagers interested in Shakespeare, but who cares? It sounds awesome. "William Shakespeare's Land of the Dead" goes up Thursday, Oct. 22 and repeats Friday, Oct. 23 and Saturday, Oct. 24 at the West Valley High School theater. All shows are at 7 p.m. Tickets, $7 for adults and $5 for students, are available at the door.
As always, check out the Alaska Dispatch calendar for more of what's happening all over the state, and log in to share your own performances, exhibits and events with other readers.
Contact Maia Nolan at maia_alaskadispatch.com.