From Martin Luther King to the Goblin Queen, both reality and fantasy reign this week in New Haven.
Monday, January 8
Canines and amphibians team up for this week’s Manic Mondays show at Cafe Nine (250 State St, New Haven; 203-789-8281). The headliner, the Funky Dawgz Brass Band, plays “a mix of traditional New Orleans R&B, original music and today’s top hits with a brass twist,” while the opener, Tracy Jo & The Toads, plays “blues and gritty soul brought together as true rock ’n’ roll.” Admission is free if you RSVP by 2 p.m. today or $5 if you don’t.
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Tuesday, January 9
Tuesdays and Thursdays through February 15, from 6 to 8 p.m., the city is offering free 18+ badminton at Mauro-Sheridan Magnet School (191 Fountain St, New Haven). “All skill levels are welcome,” and since it’s a drop-in program, you don’t need to register. You do, however, need to bring your own racquet.
Wednesday, January 10
Ahead of MLK Day next week, Sterling Memorial Library (120 High St, New Haven; 203-432-1775) opens a new exhibit, The Kings at Yale, today. Highlighting “visits to Yale by Martin Luther King Jr. (1959 and 1964) and Coretta Scott King (1969)”—Martin came first to deliver a lecture on integration and later to receive an honorary degree, while Coretta, Martin’s then-widow, was awarded a fellowship—the exhibition features “reproductions of records,” including photographs, surrounding the Kings’ visits. This week, with Yale still on winter break, the library’s hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Thursday, January 11
With its next three-day production, opening tonight at 8, Yale Cabaret (217 Park Street, New Haven; 203-432-1566) continues to earn its reputation as the city’s most transgressive theater. Starring Alex Vermillion (also the play’s creator) and Chelsea Siren, For Your Eyes Only promises “a live, interactive evening of pleasure” and insight modeled after camming, an increasingly popular activity in which people view intimate acts online via webcams. Though no explicit warning is given, it seems fair to expect some level of nudity during the play, whose tag line reads: “Clothing optional. Curiosity required.” Tickets cost $20, with discounts for students and Yale faculty/staff.
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Friday, January 12
During its regular 2 p.m. Friday Movie Matinee screening, Ives Main Library (133 Elm St, New Haven; 203-946-8130) is showing the classic crime drama On the Waterfront (1954), a Best Picture-winner starring Marlon Brando, who won for Best Actor, and Eva Marie Saint, who, in her big-screen debut, won for Best Supporting Actress.
Later, at College Street Music Hall (238 College St, New Haven; 877-987-6487), “melody-minded, breezy, free-spirited, literate pop” act Guster headlines an 8 p.m. bill opened by infectiously dancey duo Mates of State and hockey-obsessed rock band The Zambonis. $35-40.
Saturday, January 13
At Three Sheets (372 Elm St, New Haven; 475-202-6909), the foodie dive bar’s monthly “Art in the Back, Music in the Front” series proceeds with a “Goblin Queen’s edition.” Said queen is Sara Hope Hill, “a local artist specializing in fine ceramic dolls and marionettes” (like the one pictured above) who’s performing her first public puppet show—“20 minutes of light, sound, motion and emotion,” she says—at 9 p.m. or so. As for the music, it’s provided by two area bands: Jacques Le Coque, playing “Replacements-style garage pop with a lot more youth and a very Velvet-y Underground warmth,” and Alethea, which goes darker and harder.
Sunday, January 14
The Peabody Museum’s annual two-day celebration of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Legacy of Environmental and Social Justice” commences at noon. Featuring “world-class performances, community open mics and educational activities for visitors of all ages,” today’s itinerary goes until 4 p.m., while tomorrow’s lasts from 10 a.m. to 4. Free. 170 Whitney Avenue, New Haven. (203) 432-8987.
Written by Dan Mims. Image provided courtesy of Sara Hope Hill. Readers are encouraged to verify times, locations and prices before attending events.
