This weekend’s entertainment options include ice dancing and belly dancing, theatric storytelling and jazz improvising. Plus we’ve got a special non-weekend event on our top-five list. Get the details below.
Metamorphoses at NHTP
Teddi Kenick-Bailey and Blair Hundertmark in Metamorphoses photo by Meghann Beauchamp
Mary Zimmerman’s stage adaptation of Ovid’s “Metamorphoses” features myths familiar and obscure, mysterious and hilarious, horrific and enchanting. The New Hampshire Theatre Project’s production of the show in Portsmouth is directed by Genevieve Aichele and features a cast and crew brimming with local talent. It opens Friday, Jan. 13, and runs through Jan. 29. Show times are Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets are $24-$28, available here.
Ice Dance Show
International skating stars will glide across the ice at Labrie Family Skate during the Seacoast Winter Party on Ice at Strawbery Banke Museum in Portsmouth. Under the direction of Doug Webster, creative director of ABC-TV’s “Shall We Dance on Ice,” the show takes place Saturday, Jan. 14, at 2 p.m. Tickets (which include skating) are $15 for adults, $10 for children, or $40 for families. VIP tickets are also available. Click here for more information.
Belly Dance Showcase
A range of belly-dance styles will be on display at The Dance Hall in Kittery, Maine, this weekend for the venue’s January Thaw: Inter-Coastal Belly Dance Showcase. Organized by local dancer Gina DellaPasqua, the event features a lineup of top belly dancers from around the Northeast. Joining the regional dancers is Amy Sigil from Unmata in Sacramento, Calif. The show takes place Saturday, Jan. 14, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $12-$15, available here.
Jazz at Fury’s
A new series presenting the best in local and regional jazz kicks off this weekend at Fury’s Publick House in Dover. Organized by ubiquitous local musician Stuart Dias, the live shows take place every Sunday from 8-10 p.m., starting with Weird Turn Pro on Jan. 15. Other upcoming acts include the Mike Walsh Group on Jan. 22 and the Eric Klaxton Quintet on Jan. 29. The shows are free; click here for more information.
Boomtown Portsmouth
We’re breaking from tradition to plug an event that is not happening over the weekend. On Tuesday, Jan. 17, RiverRun Bookstore in Portsmouth hosts Rodney Watterson, who will discuss and sign copies of his book, “Boomtown Portsmouth: The World War II Transformation of a Quiet New England Seaport.” Published last month by Piscataqua Press, the book describes a period of frenzied change in the Port City. The free event begins at 6:30 p.m.; more information here.