Johnny’s List of Quirky Boston Events: 02/28/07
Hi everyone,
Here’s what’s Wickit Kool and coming up this week.
The weird event of the week has got to be the Boston Massacre Re-enactment, March 1-5, one of those American Revolutionary War things Bostonians love. These events all take place near the Old State House in Boston. Friday 11 & 2, there is a short play about the event. Then Sat 11:30 & 2:30 another play, Trial of the Century, with a re-enactor of will-become-president John Adams. Then Monday March 5th, Meet Paul Revere at 5:30pm or 7:30pm, and the actual re-enactment is at 8pm. I believe what will happen is a few british troops will fire into a crowd, killing 5 people. Shouldn’t take long to re-enact! http://www.bostonhistory.org/exhibcal.p
Also in the Where Does Johnny Find This Stuff category, the U.S.S. JFK is a battleship that is being decommissioned after serving as recently as in the 2nd Gulf War. They’re opening it up to tourists before giving it the heave-ho. March 1-5, North Jetty, Marine Industrial Park, 660 Summer St, Boston, MA. I could not actually find a website for this, but the Marine Park is at http://www.bostonmarineindustrialpark.c
The MIT Chorallaries Bad Taste Concert is this Saturday, March 3. It’s an a capella concert where the audience gets to throw toilet paper. It’s a lot of fun, filled with crass humor, but a couple of things get in the way. Unfortunately, the lines are long, making it a diluted event (invest 4 hours to see a 2-hour concert). That being said, I’ve been to this annual concert and it’s always great but dangerous fun, like a mosh pit. MIT room 10-250. Arrive early for seating. 11pm.
Last week I went to Kaiju, but didn’t give the Web address. It’s http://www.kaihu.com. It was fun to be a volunteer, and the event was fun too, but serious geek warning. Spending three hours watching guys in anime-style or Japanese Godzilla-style costumes wrestle is not for the non-geek at heart. I enjoyed it but felt after about an hour “OK I get the concept”, and didn’t feel I needed to see the rest. Check the website for updates on new shows.
Also geeky, InterCon is I believe the largest live roleplaying convention in New England. It is March 2-4 in Chemlsford, http://www.interactiveliterature.org/G/
I’m a fan of modern dance, so this one caught my attention. It’s the Charles River Dance Festival, March 3-4, http://www.dancecomplex.org/performance
Boston Ballet is having a special night called New Visions, “an evening of ballet that will have you on the edge of your seat”. March 1-4, Boston. http://www.bostonballet.org/season/perf
Speaking of high class, catch three operas in three days at the Cutler Majestic Theatre, which is run by Emerson College. Carmen, Madame Butterfly, and La Boheme are all being performed March 2-4 by a visiting group. Boston. http://www.maj.org. 800-233-3123. 3/2 La Boheme, 3/3 Carmen, 3/4 Madame Butterfly, by Teatro Lirico D’Europa.
The Special Olympics is holding their Winter Games, Mar 2-4 in Worcester, and they are always looking for volunteers and spectators. http://www.specialolympicsma.org/ev
The Central Massachusetts Flower Show is March 2-4, at the DCU Center in Worcester. Same place as the monster truck rally last month. I haven’t been to this one, but I did go to the New England Flower Show once and it was surprisingly good. Lots of dioramas and real artwork made from flowers. http://www.centralmaflowershow.com
Another more like a marketing event is the AAA Travel Marketplace. I don’t know about you, but when I see an all-expense one-week trip to Egypt for $600, I don’t shout for joy, I am deeply troubled and looking for the scam. Going to the AAA event, you’ll be able to both see the deals and ask questions. March 2-4, Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA.
One more marketing event, twice a year it’s “Boston Restaurant Week”, which is when pricey restaurants lower their prices and reach out to the rest of us. http://www.restaurantweekboston.com
A musical, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, is running, Mar 6-11, with I believe the original broadway cast. I actually saw this on broadway in NYC last year, my date hated it but I thought it was fun. Let’s just say the more you like opera, the less you want to see this. But if you liked the movie, or even briefly considered seeing SPAMalot, you’ll like it. Yes, it is based on the movie of the same name with Steve Martin and John Cleese, who are not in the theatre show. Opera House, Boston, MA. 617-931-2787.
It’s time for the First Friday celebrations again. They are all basically a mix of cocktails, social mingling, and looking at gallery art wondering what you can afford. March 2. MFA First Friday, http://www.mfa.org/calendar/sub.asp?k
Recurring stuff, the Museum of Science Boston has two great exhibits now, one on Animation, featuring evil monkeys, and one on Darwin, who connected evil monkeys to humans. The MOS has a great IMAX film too about Hurricaine Katrina. http://www.mos.org. Also A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the ballet adaptation, closes March 3, http://www.bcaonline.org. Oliver Twist thru Mar 24, http://www.amrep.org. No, this is not “Oliver!” but another production. Orson’s Shadow runs through Mar 18.
Heads up, Elton John performs 3/22, in Rhode Island, http://www.ticketmaster.com/venue/8231
-Johnny