This week’s 5 best bets for arts culture

Clowns have played in everything from circuses to silent movies. Now, comic artist Rob Torres continues the tradition, blending pantomime, slapstick humor and clever tricks in “Room to Play,” which generates laughter from such simple acts as setting the table or taking a photo. “Room to Play” continues at 7 p.m. Friday, 3 and 7 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday in The Smith Center’s Troesh Studio Theater; for tickets ($35-$40), go to thesmithcenter.com.

Bluegrass Festival

The grass is bluer at Centennial Hills Park — at least at Saturday’s free Las Vegas Bluegrass Festival. Run Boy Run, the Blue Canyon Boys, Trout Steak Revival and David Luning lead the musical lineup, or you can explore bluegrass instruments at the Southern Nevada Bluegrass Music Society’s Instrumental Petting Zoo. Children’s activities, a craft market, barbecue and beer also are on the menu from 2 to 8 p.m. Saturday at 7101 N. Buffalo Drive. More details: artslasvegas.org.

Lucia Micarelli

You may know her from TV’s “Treme.” But violinist Lucia Micarelli boasts a wide range of accomplishments, from classical training at Juilliard with string superstars Itzhak Perlman and Pinchas Zukerman to tours with Josh Groban, Barbra Streisand and Chris Botti. She shows off that musical range as she wraps up a two-day stand at Cabaret Jazz at The Smith Center; tickets are $39 to $59 and available at thesmithcenter.com.

‘Nexus’

Student choreographers Doniesha Cunningham, Kaylee Hannig and Ariadna Ramirez explore their life experiences — and their emotional connections to dance — in “Nexus,” a dance concert at 7 p.m. Friday at the Nicholas J. Horn Theater at the College of Southern Nevada, 3200 E. Cheyenne Ave., North Las Vegas. For tickets ($5-$8), visit csn.edu/pac.

Paul Byrom

St. Patrick’s Day has come and gone, but that’s not stopping Paul Byrom — one of the original Celtic Thunder tenors — from performing “The Great Irish Songbook” and more (including Broadway favorites and vintage pop tunes) at 7 p.m. Saturday at Cabaret Jazz in The Smith Center. Tickets are $39 to $55; click on thesmithcenter.com.