Weekend Events

Broadway moves to Augusta
By Laura Perry

Augusta gets top-billing with a mishmash of performances this weekend—the circus, the opera, the theater, and… Jerry Springer. Paine College dresses to impress tonight at their Annual Scholarship Masked Ball complete with a six-part Funk band. You can’t beat that!

Friday, February 8th
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus
10:30 a.m.
James Brown Arena
The Circus is “Fully Charged” in Augusta this weekend and the first show was last night. Even the circus is getting into a theme of high energy with animal trainer Tabayara and his ferocious tigers, rearing stallions and humungous elephants. You’ll be on the edge of your seat! In addition to this morning, there are plenty of opportunities for big top action all weekend including tonight at 7 p.m., Saturday at 11 a.m., 3 p.m., and 7 p.m., and then Sunday at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. Tickets are $37, $31, and $11. Call 706-262-4573 or visit www.augustaentertainmentcomplex.com.

Beer Tasting
5-8 p.m.
Wine World
This beer tasting includes nine featured beers from Michigan, Maine, Colorado, North Carolina, and Germany. A $2 rebate is available with purchase of 6 bottles of featured beers. There is a $5 entry fee, and no reservations are needed. Find the beer list at www.wineworldsc.com or call 803-279-9522.

2013 Old House Fair
6-8 p.m.
Sacred Heart Cultural Center
Historic Augusta holds the two-day Annual Old House Fair this weekend. Tonight’s key note reception features Pratt W. Cassidy, Jr., director of the Center of Community Design, Planning and Preservation in the College of Environment and Design at U.G.A. Saturday schedule is 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. The $10 two-day admission includes information about rehabilitation and maintaining older homes from experienced preservation-minded service providers. For more details, call 706-724-0436 or visit www.historicaugusta.org.

13th Annual Scholarship Masked Ball
7 p.m.
Paine College Heal Complex
Con Funk Shun is the featured entertainment for this year’s masked ball, and Paine says this six-part band is among the heroes of Funk with inventive horn arrangements, romantic ballads, and dance-party hits. Tickets are $100 with proceeds benefiting a Paine College scholarship fund. Call 706-821-8233 or check out www.paine.edu.

GRU Opera Ensemble in “The Medium”
7:30 p.m.
Maxwell Performing Arts Theatre
This wildly dark opera takes you to the parlor of Medium Madame Flora for what should be her standard evening of fakery, but even this medium couldn’t predict these unexpected turns of tragic events. An additional Saturday 7:30 p.m. performance is also included. The program is not suitable for children. Ticket prices are $10 (general admission), $7 (seniors 60 and older), $5 (GRU faculty and staff), and free to GRU students with valid I.D. Get more information at www.gru.edu

“Gruesome Playground Injuries”
8:00 p.m.
Le Chat Noir
With a simple stage, the acting is what this play is made of. In a stationary manner, this darkly humorous performance follows the decades-spanning relationship of two made-for-each-other masochists who, between them, manage to slice, bloody, bruise and/or mutilate most parts of the human anatomy. True love!! Playwright Rajiv Joseph was the winner of the 2009 Whiting Writers’ Award, the Vineyard Theatre Paula Vogel Award, and the 2009 Kesselring Fellowship. There is an additional show on Saturday night, also at 8 p.m. Find more info at www.lcnaugusta.com or call the La Chat Noir box office at 706-722-3322.

Saturday, February 9th
1st Annual Voice for a Cure 5K Run/Walk
9:30 a.m.
Lake Olmstead
Augusta’s own Lillie J. Tanksley Foundation for Ovarian Cancer, founded in memory of Ms. Tanksley after her death, donates care packages to women newly diagnosed with ovarian cancer, patients undergoing chemotherapy, and works in association with the Lydia Project of Augusta. For further details, go to www.lilliejtanksleyfoundation.com and make your donation at www.active.com/donate/lillievoice4acure5k

Paine College Homecoming Parade
11:00 a.m.
Route= Dyess Park to Paine College
The parade fee is $25 per entry and includes dance groups, cheerleading groups, school groups and clubs. Mr. and Miss Homecoming are two of the parade’s biggest highlights. Miss Nelshannae Farmer hales from Los Angeles and she’s a Psychology major with emphasis on counseling. Mr. Dawayne R. Duke, Jr. comes to Augusta from Washington, DC and he focuses on broadcast announcing and public relations as a Media Studies major. The parade is followed by the 4:00 Homecoming Basketball Game vs. Albany State University at Paine’s new HEAL Complex. Call 706-396-8167 or go to www.paine.edu/homecoming for more info.

3rd Annual Fat Saturday Pub Crawl
4:00 p.m. (register)/ 7:00 p.m. (start)
Pizza Joint Patio
Take a tour of downtown Augusta with 19 stops on this year’s Pub Crawl. Wear your favorite Mardi Gras attire, get your passport stamped at all 19, and turn it in for a chance to win prizes. The crawl ends the evening at Metro. Passports are $10 and include a free t-shirt. Find more details at www.facebook.com/FatSaturday

Sunday, February 10th
The Price is Right Live
7:00 p.m. (Doors open at 6 p.m.)
Bell Auditorium
This hit interactive stage show gives contestants pulled right from the audience the chance to “Come on Down” to win appliances, vacations and even new cars by playing classic games from television’s longest running and most popular game show. This performance might not have Bob Barker or Drew Carey, but it’s got someone maybe even a little better – Jerry Springer! Ticket prices are $35, $40, and $45. Call (706) 722-3521 for tickets. You Might Also Like: