Arts Briefs

Maria Costa Presents: Macho Men and the Women Who Love Them

As part of the Grand Valley State University Intercultural Festival, Latina performer Maria Costa will bring her award-winning one woman show “Macho Men and the Women Who Love Them” to the Grand River Room in Kirkhof on Friday. Costa is a performer, writer and producer who has toured nationally and worldwide with her theatrical comedy show. The show features Costa transforming herself into a number of outrageous comic characters and showcases Latin life through a unique and diverse perspective. She’s made appearances on prime-time shows like Ugly Betty and is set to receive a star on the Motown Walk of Fame alongside Kid Rock and Aretha Franklin. The show will take place from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Kent Philharmonia Orchestra Concert

The St. Cecilia Music Center will be hosting the Spring Concert performed by the Grand Rapids Community College Concert Choir under the direction of Stephen Barton.Members of the orchestra bond under the commonality of performing great music from composers of both the past and present. This year’s spring concert follows Beethoven Symphony No. 9 and will feature Antonina Chekhovskaya, Katherine Jannakos, Brysien Beer and William Bokhot. The event will be hosted at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for students/seniors and children 10 and under are free. For more information and to order tickets, visit www.kentphil.org.

Vince Morris at Dr. Grins

Comedy veteran Vince Morris will be gracing the stage at Dr. Grins inside The B.O.B. this weekend, bringing his dangerously funny humor along with him. Morris has made various appearances on shows like Comic View, Def Comedy Jam, Late Late Show and has his own half hour Comedy Central special. He has also performed overseas for the US troops in such places as Baghdad, Kuwait and Afghanistan. His comedy appeals to a wide range of audiences thanks to his ability to switch from dirty to squeaky clean. Morris will be at The B.O.B. Friday through Sunday with tickets ranging from $5 to $15. To order tickets, visit https://20-monroe.seatengine.com/venues/dr-grins.

The Light in the Piazza

Craig Lucas’ book, The Light in the Piazza will be coming to life on stage at the Actors’ Theatre in Grand Rapids. The show follows Margaret Johnson who is touring the Tuscan countryside with her daughter Clara when a gust of wind blows her daughters hat towards the feet of a handsome Florentine. The encounter of fate sparks a romance between the two, but Clara is not what she appears to be. The show will be directed by Kyle Amanda Dutkiewicz with music direction by Charles Hutchins. The show will take over the theatre tonight until Saturday, with another showcase on March 26-28. All shows begin at 8 p.m. For more information and to order tickets, visit http://actorstheatregrandrapids.org/the-light-in-the-piazza.

Chilly Blues

It’s that time of year again. The 3rd annual Chilly, Blues & Brews will be hosted at The B.O.B. on Saturday. Events will include a chili cook-off, hot pepper eating contest, live blues music, Michigan craft beer and more. The event is sponsored by B-93 and celebrates a blend of flavors, from local Michigan microbreweries to classic chili tastes. will begin at 11 a.m. until midnight. This is a family-friendly event, open to the public at no cover charge. A portion of the proceeds will go to MSU Gran Fondo Skin Cancer Research. For more information, visit www.thebob.com/events/chili-blues-brews.php.