Weekend Arts Agenda: Nobody: The Story of Bert Williams comes to Hapeville Performing Arts Center April 07 2016

Plus, author Desiree Cooper comes to the Hammonds House Museum to discuss her book.

Photo credit:

The Academy Theatre
and Impact Theatre Atlanta team up to bring Robert C. Jones’ inspirational play, Nobody: The Story of Bert Williams, to the Hapeville Performing Arts Center, Fri., April 8, at 8 p.m.

Directed by Brenda Porter and starring Michael Mario Good (above), the play follows the life of Bert Williams, the first African-American to ever star on Broadway, with his 1902 comedy In Dahomey. During a time when whites played African-Americans roles using “blackface,”  Williams helped break the barrier, and introduced his well-known character, Mr. Nobody. 
Nobody: The Story of Bert Williams runs thru April 24. 


ON FRIDAY

›› Molly Sawyer, an Atlanta-native sculptor, debuts her new exhibit, Adrift, at the Mason Fine Art Gallery, Fri., April 8, from 6-9 p.m. as part of a group exhibit. Adrift, a collection of wall-hung art that infuses organic with the man-made, is primarily made of driftwood Sawyer collected from the beaches of Maine and the Hudson River. 


ON SATURDAY

›› Cultural critic and author Valerie Boydand Pulitzer nominated journalist Desiree Cooper, author of Know the Mother, stops by the Hammonds House Museum Sat., April 9, at 3 p.m. for artist talks. Know the Mother, a collection of short stories, explores the lives of women searching for their identities as mothers, daughters, and wives, while addressing issues of racism and sexism. 

ON SUNDAY 

›› The Felicia Penzell Weber Jewish Community High School, in collaboration with Tri-Cities High School Visual and Performing Arts Magnet Program, presents a two-night performance of Cinderella the Enchanted to the Marcus Jewish Community Center’s Morris & Rae Frank Theatre Sun., April 10, at 4 p.m., and Mon., April 11 at 6 p.m. 

As part of the Weber School’s Arts in April series, a month-long celebration of theater, music, dance, and literary and visual art, students work alongside professional artists, including performing arts director-in-residence Hilda Willis, visual artist-in-residence Cheryl Myrbo, dance specialist Jai McClendon Jones, and music director Drew Cohen

ALSO THIS WEEK/ONGOING
Beauty and the Beast at the Center for Puppetry Arts (Thurs. April 7, at 10 and 11:30 a.m., and runs thru Sun., May 22.)
Serial Black Face at Actor’s Express (Thurs., April 7, at 8 p.m., and runs thru Sun., April 24.)
DREAMGIRLS at Atlanta Lyric Theatre (Fri. April 8, at 8 p.m., and runs thru Sun., April 24.)
Atlanta Dogwood Festival at Piedmont Park (Fri., April 8, from noon-11 p.m., Sat., April 9, 10 a.m.-11 p.m., and Sun., April 10, from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.)
Allegory of Spring at Woodruff Park (Sat. April 9, from noon-1 p.m.)
Allegory of Spring at Eyedrum Art & Music Gallery (Sat., April 9, at 9 p.m.)
Alton Brown Live: Eat Your Science at the Fox Theatre (Sat. April 9, from 7:30-9 p.m.)
Making Space Writing Group at Charis Books (Mon., April 11, from 7-8:30 p.m.)
Property Brothers Artist Talk at Marcus Jewish Community Center Atlanta (Wed., April 13, at 7:30 p.m.)