What to Do This Weekend

Victor’s Picks: Kathleen Turner, Carrie Underwood, Alicia Keys and more women who'll brighten your weekend

Welcome to the much-anticipated debut of Spring. After you’ve strolled Kelly Drive and picnicked in the park, I’ve got some great going-out suggestions. And it’s fair to say that, this weekend at least, the ladies are in charge.

Kathleen Turner — as in the deeply-voiced actress from Body Heat, Romancing The Stone, and War of the Roses — makes a big splash in Philadelphia Theatre Company’s Red-Hot Patriot: The Kick-Ass Wit Of Molly Ivins, Ivins being the late Texan journalist to whom Turner bears a striking resemblance. The show begins tonight. And, oddly enough, this first performance is your best chance to score seats, as the Saturday and Sunday shows are very nearly sold out. But if you do go tonight, know that most of the seats available ($46) are in the first few rows. So bring roses. Lots and lots of roses. This woman is a star. [SIGNUP]

Atlantic City welcomes two very different gal performers: country babe Carrie Underwood and the ever-changing (and I don’t mean that in a good way) Alicia Keys. Underwood, who is, without a doubt, the most popular of the American Idols (what the hell happened to you, Adam Lambert?) sashays into Boardwalk Hall tonight, and I was pleased to find out that she’s only charging $35-$55 for the pleasure of seeing her, though tickets are scarce. Ms. Keys, on the other hand, thinks that you’ll pay $75-$150 to get into her show at the Taj. And, apparently, you will, since the evil Ticketmaster seems to have run out. So call your casino host.

But the true Hail Mary shows for the weekend are Taylor Swift at Wachovia and Joanna Newsome at First Unitarian Church. As for Swift, I know for a fact that there are a lot of stressed out parents out there who are about to shower their girls with the latest tween must-have-gifts, since they waited until the last minute and are now searching around frantically for tickets to tonight’s hoedown. You might get lucky with some very last minute ticket releases, but the only way to know is to keep checking ComcastTix. And the excruciatingly lovely Joanna Newsom plays two shows at First Unitarian Church, but unless you’re willing to pony up the $50 that seats are commanding on Craigslist (though there is one silly soul selling for face value), you’re going to miss it.

But if you’re not up for going out, you might pick up a copy of Lisa Scottoline’s just-released legal thriller Think Twice, though you’ll undoubtedly finish it in a few hours, so check back once you’re stir crazy and looking for something to do. If you didn’t catch her area appearances this week (if you’re playing hooky, there’s a 12:30 p.m. signing today in Bryn Mawr), don’t worry. She’ll be back soon. Check here for a complete schedule.

And of miscellaneous interest: MANNA benefit Shut Up & Dance featuring the PA Ballet; nostalgia lives on with The Muppet Movie (for more film suggestions, check out Aaron Mettey’s Friday Movie Blog on The Philly Post); and Sting and Cyndi Lauper tickets go on sale, so don’t miss out. — Victor Fiorillo