A Zombie love story, but not the one you’re thinking of
Freya Grunden
THEATER
“La Zombiata”
Friday through Sunday
Davis Square Theater
255 Elm St., Somerville
$15-$40, 800-838-3006
In the spirit of “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies” comes this zombie-ridden rewrite of Verdi’s “La Traviata” from Whole Tone Opera — because, if you don’t want to eat their brains, it’s not love. Of course, you can only do that to your own lover once, so perhaps it’s best to let the performers in this show simulate it for you.
“Pippin”
Through Sunday
Boston Opera House
539 Washington St., Boston
$20-$150, 866-523-7469
This new production of the classic existentialist musical “Pippin” got the Tony for Best Revival in 2013. Directed by the American Repertory Theater’s Diane Paulus, it re-imagines the traveling performers who invite the audience into the story as a circus troupe, played by Les 7 Doigts de la Main. Their impressive stunts reflect Pippin’s ambition to become extraordinary.
“The Testament of Mary”
Through February 28
Arsenal Center for the Arts
321 Arsenal St., Watertown
$36, 617-923-8487
New Repertory Theater presents this play by Irish writer Colm Tóibín, in which the four evangelists to whom the Gospels are traditionally attributed visit the Virgin Mary to ask for her perspective on the last days of Christ. Some Christians may find that perspective disturbingly unorthodox, but those interested in alternative interpretations of the story of Jesus will find much to chew on.
COMEDY
Broad Appeal
Thursday, 7:30 p.m.
Center for Arts at the Armory
191 Highland Ave., Somerville
$5, 617-718-2191
This monthly evening of standup comedy reverses the usual comedy gender ratio, featuring mostly women. As far as the comedy style, they offer this exhortation: “Artists, nerds, and weirdos rejoice!” Christa Weiss is your host, and the headliner is New York’s Emma Willmann. Other comics include Katie McCarthy, Phoebe Angle, Ben Keefe, Ted Pettingell, James Creelman and Srilatha Rajamani.
Mortified’s Doomed Valentine’s Day Show
Thursday, 7 p.m.
Coolidge Corner Theater
290 Harvard St., Brookline
$12-$18, 617-734-2500
At this event, full-grown adults read their most embarrassing and silly teenage diary entries about love — not that teenage diaries are really about anything else, of course. They share not only their angsty tirades, but song lyrics, drawings and poetry. More proof that anyone who passes with perfect grace through adolescence is a freak and should not be trusted.
GOING OUT
Booty Vortex’s Pre-Valentine’s Day Disco Party
Saturday, 10 p.m.
Johnny D’s
15 Holland St., Somerville
$15, 21+, 617-776-2004
The venerable venue Johnny D’s in Davis Square is closing, and this is their last Valentine’s Day event. Goodbyes are hard, but the persistent thud of local 10-plus member disco act Booty Vortex will make it easier, just like it makes dancing easier—that’s why disco was so huge for a decade or so — that plus the fact that spinning mirrored balls are cool.
DANCE
Urbanity Dance: NEXT
Friday and Saturday
Green Street Studios
185 Green St., Cambridge
$22, 617-572-3727
Urbanity Dance, named Best Dance Troupe of 2015 by Boston Magazine, presents works from their emerging talents, including Alexander Davis, Kara Foote, Genevieve Mudd and Colleen Roddy and Jacob Regan, plus a piece from guest outsider Jessica Pearson. The company, which describes its aesthetic as “hyperathletic,” promises “an unforgettable night of raw dance.”
MUSIC
Never Shout Never
Friday, 6:30 p.m.
The Paradise
967 Comm. Ave., Boston
$18, all ages, 800-745-3000
Despite the Hot Topic fashion sense of Never Shout Never frontman Christofer Drew, there’s very little punk in his band’s sound — many songs are driven acoustic instruments, even ukulele, rather than electric guitars. They’ve released a remarkable seven albums of catchy, lyrically sincere pop since 2010, establishing Drew as one of his genre’s most prolific and consistent songwriting talents.
Lee Fields and the Expressions
Friday, 9 p.m.
The Sinclair
52 Church St., Cambridge
$15-$18, 18+, 800-745-3000
There’s no shortage of nostalgic tributes to the glory days of soul, but Lee Fields is actually from those days—the 65-year-old singer isn’t paying tribute to soul, he’s just continuing to make it, as he’s been doing since 1969. This un-fake-able authenticity has won praise for his three most recent albums on the Brooklyn label Truth and Soul.
Mini Dresses
Sunday, 8 p.m.
Middle East Upstairs
472 Mass. Ave., Cambridge
$10, 18+, 866-777-8932
All the genre tags we could lay on local band Mini Dresses—bedroom pop, lo-fi, shoegaze, dream pop—are so ubiquitous presently that they’re almost meaningless, so let’s just say their crystalline female harmonies, their wobbly-steady dual guitar melodies and their eerily romantic (or is it romantically eerie?) vibe set them comfortably above their innumerable bedroom-dwelling peers.
Vellumsound: Love Letters
Sunday, 2 p.m.
Museum of Fine Arts
465 Huntington Ave., Boston
$25, 800-440-6975
If you’re looking for something more traditionally romantic, here’s a string quartet performing love-themed pieces including “Selections from Cypresses (Echo of Songs) for String Quartet” by Antonin Dvorák, “Intimate Letters” by Leoš Janácek and “Love Letters” by Carter Pann. The performance will be paired with passionate correspondences from famous artists and musicians.
OUTDOORS
Snowball Fight on Boston Common
Saturday, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Boston Common
Boston
Free
All local college students are invited to participate in this bigass snowball fight. You can get out your scholarly stress, and you might just make some new friends—or you can just nail a bunch of strangers with your expert lobs. Date is subject to change—check the Facebook event page—but considering the recent deluge, snow availability shouldn’t be an issue.
FOOD
Anti-Valentine’s Day Celebration
Friday, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
South Street Diner
178 Kneeland St., Boston
Prices vary, 617-350-0028
Plenty of restaurants are having Valentine’s promotions, but the South Street Diner has elected to corner the other market—the love-jaded, the happily single and anyone else for whom Valentines Day don’t meant a thing. They’ll be offering all-you-can-eat pancakes and a drink called “Bleeding Heart Punch.” Why not replace the joys of love with a sugar rush?
ART
Herman James: the Amoeba and the Duck
Through March 11
Brookline Arts Center
86 Monmouth St., Brookline
Free, 617-566-5715
Herman James doesn’t stick to one style, moving between the charmingly weird pop surrealism of works like “The Duck Takes Charge!”, more “message” works such as his series of “loaded landscapes” addressing climate change, and more abstract works with trippy, off-kilter patterns that have an odd effect on the eye. It’s enough variety for several artists, but it all comes from one exceptional mind.
BOOKS
Ben Ratliff
Tuesday, 7 p.m.
Harvard Book Store
1256 Mass. Ave., Cambridge
Free, 617-661-1515
This author, a music critic for the New York Times, will discuss his new book, “Every Song Ever”, with the Globe’s Steve Smith. Ratliff suggests a new way of music appreciation in the age of overwhelming digitally-available variety, privileging the listener’s direct, unmediated experience and categorizing music based on aspects like speed or mood rather than along traditional genre lines.
