Weekend Warm-Up: February 1 – 3

My recommendations for something to do this weekend.

While this is the last weekend of Wicked at the Aronoff, this is opening weekend of the Know Theatre’s Topdog/Underdog.

"Topdog/Underdog tells the story of two brothers, Lincoln and Booth, who, abandoned by their parents, have had to depend upon each other for survival since they were teenagers. Now in their 30s, the brothers struggle to make a new life, one that will lead them out of poverty. Lincoln, a master of the con game three-card monte, has abandoned a life of crime for a more respectable job impersonating Abraham Lincoln at an arcade. Booth, on the other hand, earns his living as a petty thief, one who wishes to emulate his older brother’s success by learning how to throw the cards."

(As an aside, the much anticipated – at least by me – Fringe Festival website will not be updated until March but artists will be notified of acceptance on February 1. Announcement of the official lineup is expected March 18.)

It is also the opening weekend of Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park’s Crime and Punishment.

"Before Law and Order, there was Crime and Punishment. In this heart-racing 90-minute adaptation, two elderly women are found murdered and a detective must rely on the information provided by their penniless young neighbor to solve the investigation. A thrilling psychological drama, Dostoevsky’s timeless masterpiece gets a stark, bracing and stunningly theatrical re-visioning in which just three actors portray the novel’s key characters. Journey into the mind of a criminal and his search for redemption."

Then Cincinnati Pops presents Cirque de la Symphonie February 1 – 3 at Music Hall. It is "high-flying action and amusing circus antics" set to the music of the Pops. It sounds pretty interesting. I totally want to go.

"Juggler Vladimir Tsarkov, ‘The Red Harlequin,’ and contortionist Elena Tsarkova, ‘The Lady in White,’ will amaze concertgoers with their juggling mastery and acrobatic prowess. Aerial artist Alexander Streltsov will soar through the air, displaying his natural strength and artistic expression. And strongmen Jarek and Darek, national hand-balancing champions and veteran Cirque du Soleil performers who have captivated audiences around the world, will perform jaw-dropping routines."

Add in the Super Bowl and I just have way too much going on this weekend.