Tim’s Picks: Be Mine edition
What’s your Valentine’s pleasure this weekend? An Impractical Joker, a ‘Psycho Beach Party,’ drag, dinner theater and chamber music.
Thanks today for ongoing help from Based in Lafayette sponsor Long Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Lafayette. For tickets and details on all the shows and events, go to longpac.org.
By Tim Brouk / For Based in Lafayette
Joe Gatto, 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 13, Long Center for the Performing Arts, 111 N. Sixth St., Lafayette — Joe Gatto is most known for his years of laughs as part of television shows “Impractical Jokers” on truTV and “The Misery Index” game show on TBS. Gatto and his crazy cohorts are familiar faces on your screens, usually cackling in front of a television monitor displaying one of their realtime undercover stunts. These funnymen slay live, too. Over the years, the Jokers have sold out many a show, including performances at Madison Square Garden and London’s O2 Arena. Now on a solo excursion, Gatto’s standup performances have garnered steam, and the 48-year-old has stayed busy offstage co-hosting the podcast “Two Cool Moms,” writing the children’s book “Where’s Bearry?” and his autobiography “The Dogfather — My Love of Dogs, Desserts and Growing up Italian,” working for anti-bullying causes, and advocating for homeless dogs with his nonprofit organization, Gatto Pups and Friends. $26.04-$67.45. Tickets.
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“Psycho Beach Party,” 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, Feb. 13-15, and Feb. 20-22, 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 16, and Feb. 22, Civic Theatre of Greater Lafayette, 313 N. Fifth St., Lafayette — Civic Theatre’s strong season is cruising right along with the dark comedy “Psycho Beach Party,” opening Thursday and surfing into Valentine’s weekend. Part 1950s psychodrama, part Frankie and Annette beach movie, and part 1980s slasher, “Psycho Beach Party” is an experience. Afterall, audience members must be at least 18 years old to see it at Civic. The play debuted in 1987 and a film version was made in 2000 starring Lauren Ambrose. Purdue Theatre produced it waaaaay back in 2003 in a venue that no longer exists. It’s awesome to see Civic take on the show and breathe new life into the horror beach play for landlocked Lafayette. “Psycho Beach Party” stars Paul Harrison as Chicklet, a teenager desperate to fit in with their new Malibu surfer friends but split personalities — including the dangerous Ann Bowman — keep getting in the way. $15-$24. Tickets.
Valentine’s Day Drag Show, 9 p.m. Friday, Feb. 14, Knickerbocker Saloon, 113 N. Fifth St., Lafayette — Bodacious and beautiful queens return to downtown Lafayette to give Valentine’s Day a royally needed boost in energy with glamourous lewks, wild moves and outrageousness. Lafayette’s own Veronica Fox and Anita Schwanz will be joined by Alexis, Aniah and Sinacian for a drag show that awesomely falls on actual Valentine’s Day. There’s no cover, but bring many dollars to tip the performers.
“86’ed,” 5 and 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15, Duncan Hall, 619 Ferry St., Lafayette — It’s dinner and a show, and the show is about dinner in “86-ed,” Lafayette Dinner Show’s second murder-mystery event. This whodunnit takes place at Don’s Steakhouse, where the staff and guests are all suspects. Was it the wait staff gossip Grace (played by Sara Powell), the conveniently “off-duty” Inspector Collins (Xander Haan) or even Don (Drew Smith) himself? It’s up to the audience to decide in this comedic murder-mystery that is a cut above the rest — in more ways than one. $50 and $60. Tickets.
Mary Heller and Allen McCullough, 4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 16, St. John’s Episcopal Church, 600 Ferry St., Lafayette — The Tippecanoe Chamber Music Society will present the world premiere of Purdue’s Allen McCullough’s newest composition. The assistant professor of music’s “First String Quartet” will be performed by an all-star team of husband-and-wife violinists Alfred and Colette Abel (Lafayette Symphony Orchestra and Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra), violist Amy Brandfonbrener and cellist Kristen Yen this weekend. Also on the program, local longtime pianist Mary Heller will team up with other musicians for renditions of Brahms’ “Piano Trio in C Major” and “Duo No. 1 for Violin and Viola” by Mozart. The musicians will also celebrate the life of Tippecanoe Chamber Music Society co-founder Konstantin Jakimow, a top cellist in the area who died in 2023. His contributions are still being felt and are evident in the strong programming the Chamber Music Society has presented in the years since. $15, free for students. Tickets.
Tim Brouk is a longtime arts and entertainment reporter. He writes here (almost) weekly, tracking things to do for Based in Lafayette.
Thanks, again, for ongoing help from Based in Lafayette sponsor Long Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Lafayette. For tickets and details on all the shows and events, go to longpac.org.
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