Briefs: Family fun, comics convention and more
Folk art
MUSEUM SPOTLIGHTS
FAMILY TRADITIONS
Father’s Day provides an ideal launch date for “Family Flowers/Flores Familiares,” a Nevada State Museum exhibit showcasing the intricate and colorful embroidery of Las Vegas folk artist Romeo Siguenza and his family.
Developed by the Nevada Arts Council’s folklife program, the display includes traditional costumes and lavishly embroidered clothing passed down through the Siguenza family.
“In Mexico, embroidery is a family vocation,” Siguenza says. “You put the cloth in a big hoop, and everyone from the 7-year-old child to the 90-year-old grandmother sits around it and embroiders.”
Born on the isthmus of Tehuantepec, Siguenza’s collection highlights the meaning and significance of colorful symbols embroidered on handmade clothing from Oaxaca and neighboring states.
A free reception, from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, will celebrate the exhibit, which continues through 2013 at the Nevada State Museum, 309 S. Valley View Blvd., adjacent to Springs Preserve.
The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Fridays through Mondays; general admission is $9.95 for Nevada residents and free for 17 and younger. More information is available by calling 702-486-5205 or visiting www.nevadaculture.org.
Family fun
MARIONETTES BRING
‘ALADDIN’ TO LIFE
Coming soon to a library near you: a magical marionette adventure with “Aladdin.”
The most popular tale from “A Thousand and One Nights” follows Aladdin as he thwarts an evil sorcerer, discovers a magic lamp, befriends a powerful genie — and, of course, saves a princess.
Traditional music and intricate costumes showcase storytelling from ancient Far East cultures — and spotlight the artistry of Kevin Menegus and Fred C. Reilly, who build and perform with the hand-crafted marionettes.
Monday through June 22, free performances of “Aladdin” will be presented at a dozen Las Vegas-Clark County Library District branches: 10:30 a.m. Monday, West Las Vegas Library, 951 W. Lake Mead Blvd.; 1 p.m. Monday, Summerlin Library, 1771 Inner Circle Drive; 4:30 p.m. Monday, Las Vegas Library, 833 Las Vegas Blvd. North; noon Tuesday, Windmill Library, 7060 W. Windmill Lane; 4 p.m. Tuesday, Whitney Library, 5175 E. Tropicana Ave.; 1 p.m. Wednesday, Rainbow Library, 3150 N. Buffalo Drive; 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Enterprise Library, 25 E. Shelbourne Ave.; 11 a.m. Thursday, Clark County Library, 1401 E. Flamingo Road; 4 p.m. Thursday, Sunrise Library, 5400 Harris Ave.; 10:30 a.m. Friday, June 21, West Charleston Library, 6301 W. Charleston Blvd.; 4 p.m. Friday, June 21, Centennial Hills Library, 6711 N. Buffalo Drive; and 10:30 a.m. Saturday, June 22, Sahara West Library, 9600 W. Sahara Ave.
For more information on the performances, call 702-507-3459 or go to the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District’s website at www.lvccld.org; background on the Fratello Marionettes is available at www.fratellom.com.
Cabaret
‘CAST PARTY’ POPS
AT CABARET JAZZ
He’s getting his party together and taking it on the road.
Jim Caruso’s Cast Party — a weekly fixture at New York’s legendary Birdland — visits The Smith Center’s Cabaret Jazz on Wednesday.
Pianist Billy Stritch joins the fun while Caruso oversees an impromptu variety show featuring local entertainers — and audience members willing to step up to the microphone and serenade fellow partygoers.
In New York, Cast Party attendees have included stars from Liza Minnelli to Donny Osmond, Jon Bon Jovi to Tony Bennett, while Caruso’s traveling party has visited the East and West coasts and multiple points in between.
The party starts at 9:30 p.m. Wednesday in Cabaret Jazz at The Smith Center, 361 Symphony Park Ave. For tickets ($20-$30), call 702-749-2000 or go online to www.thesmithcenter.com.
Variety
SENIORS SHOW OFF
‘SASS WITH CLASS’
You’re never too old to strut your stuff, as veteran cast members of Las Vegas Follies’ “Sass With Class” demonstrate this weekend at the Starbright Theater in Summerlin.
Created by Rich Rizzo (whose credits include Bally’s long-running “Jubilee!”), the all-senior revue features impersonators Frankie Kein and Manuel Arte, burlesque performer Bambi Jones, magician Angelica and dancer Gino Venezio, a former “Splash” cast member, along with dancers and showgirls.
“Sass With Class” will be presented at 7 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at the Starbright Theater, 2215 Thomas Ryan Blvd. For tickets ($15 for Summerlin residents, $17 for nonresidents), call 702-240-1301; more information is available at www.lasvegasfollies.com.
Comics convention
MARVEL FOUNDER
HEADLINES EVENT
Stan Lee may be the founder of the Marvel Comics universe, which includes superheroes such as Iron Man, Spider-Man, the X-Men and the Avengers. But he comes down to earth to meet with comics fans this weekend at the 2013 Amazing Las Vegas Comic Con, Friday through Sunday at the South Point .
Comic book artist Jim Lee (Marvel’s “X-Men,” DC Comics’ “Superman” and “Batman”) also is expected to attend, along with dozens of other comic book artists and writers.
The convention also features panel discussions, costume contests, a video game arena and vendors buying, selling and trading collectibles.
The event runs from 3 to 8 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday at the South Point, 9777 Las Vegas Blvd. South. One-day admission is $25 Friday and Sunday and $35 Saturday; three-day passes are $50 and VIP passes are $150. (Children under 10 are free with paid adult admission.) For tickets, call the South Point box office (702-797-8055) or go online to www.AmazingLasVegasComicCon.com.
Theater
FRINGE FEST
ENCORES FAVES
Encore performances of three Best of Fringe winners — chosen from 12 short plays presented at the fourth annual Vegas Fringe Festival — will be staged Friday and Saturday at Las Vegas Little Theatre.
Playwright Ernie Curcio is represented by two of the three productions: Cockroach Theatre’s “Sudoku: The Musical,” about the puzzle of romance, and Mountain Mama Thespians’ “Moil Beside the Rock,” set in 1860s California.
Rounding out the evening of winners: the mystery spoof “Dick Johnson 2: Private Eyes,” presented by Poor Richard’s Players.
Performances will be at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday at Las Vegas Little Theatre, 3920 Schiff Drive. For tickets ($20), call 702-362-7996 or visit www.LVLT.org.
— By CAROL CLING
