a r t s + e n t e r ta i n m e n t
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM February 3, 8 p.m. and February 4, 2 p.m. In conjunction with CSN’s annual SchoolFest, the Utah Shakespeare Festival Tour will present two performances of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” $10-$12. Nicholas J. Horn Theatre
SHOWGIRL FOLLIES: LIFE IN FEATHERS AND RHINESTONES February 4, 7 p.m. and February 5, 3 p.m. This celebration of the iconic Las Vegas showgirl features authentic showgirls, sumptuous costumes, stand-up comedy and stirring singing. Contemporary music and choreography modernize the show. $15-$18. Starbright Theater in Summerlin
RAINBOW COMPANY YOUTH THEATRE’S “UNCOVERING NEVADA’S PAST” February 17-18, 7 p.m. and February 18-19, 2 p.m. This new chapter in Nevada’s history overflows with colorful characters and
captivating music that will entertain the entire family. $3-$7. Historic Fifth Street School. www.artslasvegas.org
Fundraisers COLORS OF LUPUS “UNMASKING LUPUS” GALA February 11, 6 p.m. Honoring those who live courageously with this often misunderstood disease. Cocktails, silent auction and a dinner buffet. $75. Treasure Island. www.colorsoflupusnevada.org
4TH HANDS ACROSS THE ARTS BENEFIT: A RAISIN IN THE SUN February 25, 7:30 p.m. and February 26, 2 p.m. In celebration of Black History Month, the Ira Aldridge Theatre Company and the CSN Performing Arts Center present their performance of “A Raisin in the Sun,” written by Lorraine Hansberry and directed by Walter Mason. $15-$20, includes a post-show reception. CSN’s Nicholas J. Horn Theatre
A scene from Rebecca Loyche’s “Still Life” short video series
Moving pictures A passel of smartly curated new art spaces have populated downtown’s Emergency Arts over the past few months, but the recently opened Multiplexer (520 E. Fremont Street. Info: www. multiplexerspace.wordpress.com.) is unique for its serious engagement with its Fremont Street locale. Founded and directed by multi-media artist David Sanchez-Burr, Multiplexer emphasizes video, including what Sanchez describes as “the detritus and artifacts of video technology and its relationship to changes and shifts in history, from analog to digital, broadcasts, video art and home videos.” He recognizes video as the preeminent medium of our age, finding fascination in its technological permutations that are reflective of broader social and technological shifts. So how does this relate to Fremont Street? Video art has always had an antagonistic relationship to its mass media counterparts, historically television, and Sanchez’s philosophical take on video offers an alternative to the spectacle of the Fremont Street Experience video canopy. The work in Sanchez’s space will deconstruct and examine a medium that, in its conventional applications, administers a one-directional flow of information to a passive (or, in the case of the Fremont Street Experience, partying) consumer. As Sanchez puts it, the Fremont Street Experience is “both a technological inspiration and an unsettling reminder of the power media wields.” The downtown art scene is more provocative and thoughtful than ever, and, as Multiplexer shows, is offering art that is for and about the city itself. — Kirsten Swenson
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