What To Do This Weekend: Men in Masks and Wigs

Perhaps G Philly intern Alexander Kacala put best this week when he screamed, “There’s so much fun shit going on this weekend!” Below, I do my best to round up all the fun shit into one, neat little package. Drink lots of fluids and grab some shut-eye when you can; it’s gonna be a whirlwind!

TONIGHT:

Amanda Schoonover in Mauckingbird's The Bad Seed.

Actor/director/producer  Matthew Smith will be in town today to talk about his latest film, Out in the Open. The documentary takes a look at bullying in the LGBTQ community, culling commentary from folks like Carson Kressley, Greg Louganis and Josh Strickland. 6 p.m., free, Attic Youth Center, 255 S. 16th St.

The William Way Center is playing home to LocalArtsLive Showcase: Ancient Instruments and New  Music. The cultural event will feature arias performed by singers from the Center City Opera Theater, a contemporary harp performance by Elizabeth Morgan-Ellis and electronically enhanced percussion by Adam Vidiksis. 7:30 p.m., free, William Way Community Center, 1315 Spruce St.

Penn’s all-male collegiate comedy troupe Mask and Wig celebrate 125 years of donning wigs and dresses in tonight’s opening of the group’s original comedy “Beautopia: A Face Odyssey.” The show follows a delivery boy who gets frozen in a chunk of ice, only to thaw many years later to find that “all of the world’s problems have been solved, and that he isn’t remembered for anything at all.” The band includes gay instrumentalist Ryan Dew.Starting tonight, Mauckingbird Theatre Company will present a weekend-long staged reading of Maxwell Anderson’s camp classic The Bad Seed, starring Amanda Schoonover as the braided-pigtail-wearing devil child. Martha Graham Cracker hosts. Fri.-Sun., Jan. 25-27, $10-$15, Off-Broad Street Theater, 1636 Sansom St.8 p.m., $15-$30, The  Mask and Wig Club, 310 S. Quince St.

Shake it like it’s 1996 again at tonight’s Human Rights Campaign-benefitting Flashback Friday: 80s and 90s Party. 9 p.m., $8, Sisters Nightclub, 1320 Chancellor St.

What’s sexier than a man in long johns? A roomful of men in long johns! NSFW Dance Party invites all to sport their hottest wintertime undies at their first bash of 2013, Thermal: Brief Encounters and Long Johns. 10 p.m., $5, Fluid Nightclub, 613 S. Fourth St.

You’ll wanna wear something a little spiffier than your thermals for this one: Stimulus is hosting its third annual, upscale Winter Wonderland Ball to benefit the William Way Community Center. 10 p.m., $10-$15, Voyeur, 1221 Saint James St.

SATURDAY:

Aiden James performs this weekend at Tin Angel.

Canadian lesbian twin singers Tegan and Sara are part of the lineup for today’s Radio 104.5 Winter Jam in NoLibs. Also on the bill is Matt and Kim, Walk the Moon, Twenty One Pilots and June Divided. It’s gonna be cold as balls out there, but maybe you can dance around a lot to stay warm. Or stop PYT for a stiff whiskey. Noon, free, Piazza at Schmidts, 1015 N. Second St.

If you’re looking for something a little warmer, Philly singer-songwriter Aiden James is performing in a cozy venue tonight in Old City. 7:30 p.m., $15, Tin Angel, 20 S. Second St.

The godmother of all of this weekend’s festivities is the grand opening of Devotion, the mega club formerly known as Shampoo. The occasion is being marked by the Nightlife Gay-sponsored monthly dance party, SuperStar, and a performance by pop diva Neon Hitch. G Philly will be there representing, so be sure to say “Heyyyyyyy!” 9 p.m., $20-$55, Devotion Nightclub, 417 N. Eighth St.

Sugar Town is celebrating its 12th anniversary with a concert that benefits this summer’s Ladyfest — the first one in Philadelphia for 10 years. Juliet Hope Wayne will play MC for the lineup of performances by lady-fronted groups Radiator Hospital, Bike Crash and Batty. 10 p.m., $7-$10, Kung Fu Necktie, 1250 N. Front St.

SUNDAY:

After such a busy Friday and Saturday, you might want to plan on sleeping all day today so you can get beauty-rested up for the launch of Noel Zayas‘ Gorgeous. The “high-profile, luxury-lifestyle” soiree gathers local artists, fashion-y types and musicians at one sparkly, trades-show-like event that benefits City of Hope. Among those participating is Philly fashion houses, Boyds, Joan Shepp and Carmelita Couture; hair and makeup geniuses Marcos Matos and Susan Sorrell; and artists Denise Fike and Bridget Meyers. You better pull out something nice from the closet for this one. 7 p.m., $25, Ritz Carlton, 10 Avenue of the Arts.

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