Looking for a way to escape from this weekend’s forecast of bitter cold? You’re in luck — nothing warms the soul like a little theater and a retrospective look at fashion. Jared Bowen shares his top picks in Boston’s art scene this weekend.
Presented by Underground Railway Theater, playing at the Central Square Theater through Feb. 3.
This play is set entirely in the last evening of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s life. It takes us to Memphis, and into room 306 at the Lorraine Motel on April 3, 1968. King had just returned from giving a speech to a group of sanitation workers in which he talks about having been to the mountaintop — and having seen the promised land.
The play provides a nuanced portrait of an oft-venerated man — the audience sees King with holes in his socks, learns that he has smelly feet, and even witnesses allusions to philandering. “The Mountaintop” portrays King as a man in despair; he is not reaching the audiences he had hoped for, and he is wondering what his future might hold.
Into the midst of King’s despair enters a hotel maid, Camae, who has come to deliver coffee. But after the saucer has been set down, the two embark on a philosophical conversation about the leader’s future, legacy, and family.
This play is staged extremely well, and stars two incredibly talented actors — Kami Smith as Camae and Maurice Parent as King. In their hands, the story becomes one of examining your own frailties and searching for ways to build your own future. The production’s poignant ending looks at Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s legacy since his death by projecting images on stage. It is incredibly compelling, but it could have perhaps been less frenetically rendered.
Presented by Broadway in Boston, playing at the Boston Opera Housethrough Feb. 3.
The creators of the musical “Sister Act” undertook a big challenge. The play, which is based on the famed 1992 film starring Whoopi Goldberg, has to channel Goldberg and incorporate song — all while balancing comic relief with the play’s dark subject matter.
The play, which is set in the 1970s, follows Deloris Van Cartier, a woman who dreams of being a lounge singer. Unfortunately, her dreams are cut short when she witnesses a murder committed by her boyfriend. To avoid being his next victim, Deloris must go undercover in a convent.
At times, the balance between humor and the macabre becomes tense — like the musical number about how Deloris’ boyfriend is going to disembowel her. But despite the contrast, the play becomes a truly fun and inspiring production to watch. If you can wait patiently through the play’s rocky start, you’ll see the light at its end.
Hats: An Anthology by Stephen Jones
On exhibit at the Peabody Essex Museumthrough Feb. 3.
This exhibit by British milliner to the stars Stephen Jones is a light-hearted breath of fresh air for all those interested in fashion. Jones got his start in the 80s, working with icons like Boy George. When he realized that he wasn’t a master tailor, Jones took to making hats — and he never looked back.
Jones curated this exhibition of 250 hats, which was originally on view at London’s Victoria & Albert museum. The chapeaux on display range from a 900-year-old headpiece to the elegant hat of Empress Eugenie, wife of Napoleon III, to one worn by a more modern icon, Sarah Jessica Parker.
Don’t leave without seeing the Schiaparelli and Salvador Dalí shoe hat. The hat is one of only two in the world, and it is truly not to be missed.
