Out On the Town

THURSDAY, JAN. 30-SUNDAY, FEB. 2 >> “Big Love,” by Peppermint Creek Theatre Co.

It’s common for women to be nervous on their wedding day, but the 50 brides at the heart of this play have a right to take the cake — they’re being forced to marry their cousins. They flee, but, not to be deterred, the husbands-to-be ambush them by helicopter. If you’re curious to see how they’re going to fit all that action onto a theater stage, then you can find out this weekend when Peppermint Creek raises the curtain on “Big Love.” The show is based on Ancient Greek playwright Aeschylus’ script for “The Suppliants,” but this update takes a modern look at gender politics, love and domestic violence. 8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 30-Saturday, Feb 1; 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 2. $15/$10 students and seniors. Miller Performing Arts Center, 6025 Curry Lane, Lansing. (517) 927-3016, peppermintcreek.org.

THURSDAY, JAN. 30 >> Brew & View Series: “Groundhog Day”

Craft beer and existentialist cinema go together like … well, we’re not sure what they go together like, but if you want to find out, you can check out Midtown Brewing Co.’s Brew and View event this Thursday, featuring the 1993 Bill Murray comedy “Groundhog Day.” The event serves as a kickoff of sorts to April’s Capital City Film Festival. There will also be two short films from last year’s Fortnight Film Contest and live music by AKDJ. This is the first of three planned Brew & Views, which will also be held on the last Thursday of February and March. FREE. 7 p.m. Midtown Brewing Co., 402 Washington Square S., Lansing. (517) 977-1349, capitalcityfilmfest.com.

BLACK HISTORY MONTH EVENTS

Jan. 30- Black History Month Opening Ceremony. 5:30-7 p.m. FREE. Dart Auditorium, 500 N. Capitol Ave. Lansing. (517) 483-1546.
Feb. 2- The Giant of Jazz Saxophone. Jazz classics by John Coltrane, Charlie Parker, Sonny Rollins, Dexter Gordon, and more. Featuring guest artist Tom Jones with the LCC Faculty Jazz Quartet (Dennis Therrian, Jon Gewirtz, Ed Fedewa, Mike Daniels). 4 p.m. FREE. Dart Auditorium, 500 N. Capitol Ave. Lansing. (517) 483-1546.
Feb. 4- Black History 101 Mobile Museum. Curated by Khalid el-Hakim, highlights 15 people of African descent who have received the Nobel Peace Prize. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. FREE. Sparrow Professional Building, 1200 E. Michigan Ave., Lansing, third floor atrium.

FRIDAY-SATURDAY, JAN. 31-FEB. 1 >> 12th Annual Mid-Winter Singing Festival

Mid-Michigan has plenty of music festivals, but the Mid-Winter Singing Festival is the only one that makes you — yeah, you — the featured attraction. It has become an annual tradition that has inspired other music festivals to add singing events to their schedules. Starting off the festival at 8 p.m. Friday is a community sing led by Ysaye M. Barnwell, one of the founders of the music group Sweet Honey in the Rock. “She is the goddess of gospel and African-American music,” festival founder Sally Potter said.

The audience is still welcomed to sing with her, but only if you know the words. Rocking out at 11 a.m. Saturday is Lake Effect with a free children’s concert. Tiyi Schippers, Dave Bunce and Family will also perform. Barnwell will teach a workshop noon4:30 p.m. Saturday. Six additional workshops will be held during the afternoon. At 8 p.m., Robin & Linda Williams take the stage along with Joel Mabus for the Saturday night community sing. The Williamses specialize in bluegrass, folk, old-time and acoustic country. Mabus will add his flare of traditional and modern folk music. The sounds of banjo picking, guitar strumming and vocal melodies will fill the room. Lyric sheets will be provided for these performances. “The magical night will be Friday, and the really fun Americana night will be Saturday,” Potter said. “Everybody shows up and sings songs we all know and love.”

East Lansing Hannah Community Center, 819 Abbot Road, East Lansing. Prices and times vary; check singingfestival.com or full details.

FRIDAY, JAN. 31 & SATURDAY, FEB. 1 >> Art & Craft BeerFest

Wet your whistle with 20 exclusive craft beers from Michigan’s Right Brain Brewery. These brews are usually exclusive to Right Brain’s taproom in Traverse City, but the brewery decided to share some samples with local beer lovers. While knocking back your brew on Friday night, you can check out sculptures from local artists through the bottom of your mug; Saturday’s festivities feature local paintings and photography. Acoustic rock, blues and country will give you something to bop your head to. The event’s goal is to expand Michigan’s craft beer awareness while raising money for REO Town’s AA Creative Corridor, formerly known as Art Alley. Tickets sold out last year, so if you’re interested, don’t dilly-dally. 6-10 p.m. Friday, Jan. 31; Saturday, 5-10 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 1, $25-30.VIP tickets get you early entrance and more drink tickets. AA Creative Corridor, 1133 S. Washington, Lansing. artandcraftbeerfest.com.

FRIDAY, JAN. 31 >> Readings by the Broad MSU Writing Residents

Graduate students at MSU will conduct readings to accompany artwork at the Broad Art Museum. Readings will occur one at a time so every story can be heard and each art piece examined. This program allows graduate students to practice a writing style that incorporates art and art history. Themes are used from the upcoming exhibition, “Postscript: Writing After Conceptual Art.” Visitors should meet in the Education Wing of the museum. FREE. 6-7 p.m. Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum, 547 East Circle Drive, East Lansing. (517) 884-3900, broadmuseum.msu.edu.

FRIDAY, JAN. 31 >> Brown Bag presentation

“Our Daily work, Our Daily Lives,” a Brown Bag lecture series at MSU, has been enlightening audiences on such topics for nearly two decades. This Friday, the series continues with “More than a Paycheck: What Occupational Music Reveals about Worker Health,” with guest speaker Ysaye Barnwell. Barnwell is an instrumentalist and vocalist of the Grammy Award-winning band Sweet Honey in the Rock. Co-directed by John P. Beck of the MSU School of Human Resources and C. Kurt Dewhurst of the MSU Museum, the series explores the many facets of the working world and how it shapes us as well as its influence on culture throughout the world. 12:15-1:30 p.m., MSU Library, Room 449W, East Lansing. FREE. (517) 432-3982.