Daily e-Edition
Evening e-Edition
Sign up for email newsletters
Sign up for email newsletters
Daily e-Edition
Evening e-Edition
Trending:
Strings are doing some interesting things on Connecticut stages this week.
A quartet of members of the Hartford Symphony Orchestra are interpreting works by James Brown and Chaka Khan at the Thomas Hooker Live venue in the old Colt building in Hartford. Connecticut Virtuosi is doing its 10th immigration-themed “We the People” concert at Hartford’s First Presbyterian Church with guest violinist Adrian Sylveen, and pop/hip-hop violin sensation John Violinist is at The Bushnell.
Not to be outdone, ACT of CT is staging “Fiddler on the Roof” in Ridgefield.
It’s also a good week for comedy duos. The movie characters Jay and Silent Bob are at both the Ridgefield Playhouse and Infinity Music Hall in Hartford, while newlyweds Natalie Cuomo and Dan Lamorte team up for more jokes after they do their separate stand-up sets at Space Ballroom.
Connecticut Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra offers the 10th installment in its ongoing concert series “We the People: Immigrant Stories in Music.” This time the composers include Respighi, Ferrari and Brahms. The violin soloist is Adrian Sylveen and the conductor is Damiano Tognetti. Feb. 2 at 3 p.m. $28, $19.50 seniors. bushnell.org.
The latest of many (unauthorized) Taylor Swift tribute acts hitting the road following the end of Swift’s own “Eras” tour is Taylor Nation featuring Melody Ebner. The show covers all the phases of Swift’s pop career. Feb. 2 at 4 p.m. $37-$101. mohegansun.com.
Singer/songwriter Chuck Prophet is on tour with members of ¿Qiensave?, the band that helped him record his latest album “Wake The Dead.” Feb. 2 at 7 p.m. $36. thekate.org.
For Westport Country Playhouse’s latest “Script in Hand” playreading event, the script is “Back Talk” by Rob Ackerman, starring Kathy Fitzgerald, Francis Jue, Sharaé Moultrie, David T. Patterson and Ariela S. Nazar-Rosen. The comedy concerns the inner monologues of a plumber and real estate developer as they fall in love. Feb. 3 at 7 p.m. $30; $25 WCP subscribers and Encore Club members. westportplayhouse.org.
A gospel music institution for over 85 years, the current lineup of The Blind Boys of Alabama sings on Feb. 4 at 7:30 p.m. $73. thekate.org.
Members of the Hartford Symphony Orchestra — violinists Simon Bilyk and Candy Lammers, violist Michael Wheeler and cellist Peter Zay — play soul classics from the likes of James Brown, Beyoncé and Chaka Khan in chamber quartet versions. Feb. 4 at 7:30 p.m. hartfordsymphony.org.
The ‘90s British shoegaze band Slowdive reunited in 2014 and has released two albums since then. The band is on an international tour with digicore artist Quannnic as the opening act. Feb. 4 at 8 p.m. $53.96-$74.56. collegestreetmusichall.com.
An inspired pairing of two acclaimed singer-songwriters, the prolific Dan Bern (whose work has ranged from political songs to children’s songs to the Johnny Cash parodies in “Walk Hard”) and Jeffrey Gaines (“Hero in Me,” “Shake It Off” and many other great songs) pair up at The Kate on Feb. 5 at 7:30 p.m. $33. thekate.org.
The comedy duo of Jay and Silent Bob, a.k.a. Jason Mewes and Kevin Smith, famous from several of Smith’s films starting with “Clerks,” are on a live tour saucily titled “Aural Sects.” They’re at two Connecticut venues this week: Feb. 4 at 8 p.m. at Infinity Music Hall Hartford ($51.54-$72.16; infinityhall.com) and Feb. 5 at 7:30 p.m. at Ridgefield Playhouse ($61-$71; ridgefieldplayhouse.org).
Electric blues guitarist Toronzo Cannon released his sixth album on the respected blues label Alligator Records, “Shut Up & Play,” last year. Cannon’s at The Kate on Feb. 6 at 7:30 p.m. $37. thekate.org.
Country star Cole Swindell, whose hits include “Single Saturday Night” and “Forever to Me,” is at Mohegan Sun Arena on Feb. 6 at 7:30 p.m. $71.10-$319.20. mohegansun.com.
ACT of CT stages the classic musical by Joseph Stein, Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick, based on the short stories of Sholem Aleichem. The new production is directed by ACT’s artistic director Daniel C. Levine. Feb. 6 through March 9. Performances are on Thursdays at 7 p.m., Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 2 and 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. There is no Saturday matinee on Feb. 8. $72-$82. actofct.org.
Hartford area entertainer and entrepreneur June Archer of Eleven28 Entertainment hosts his latest “Hot Chocolate Soul” revue of music, comedy and poetry. Feb. 7 at 8 p.m. in The Bushnell’s Autorino Great Hall. $39.50. bushnell.org.
Two iconic vocalists of the 1980s and ‘90s are at Mohegan Sun Arena on Feb. 7 at 8 p.m.: Poison’s Bret Michaels and Sugar Ray’s Mark McGrath. Besides their rock bands personas, both have had solo careers and hosted TV and radio shows. $53.66-$457.85. mohegansun.com.
The reliable comic voice of Eddie Griffin of “Malcolm & Eddie” and “Undercover Brother” fame is at Foxwoods’ Great Cedar Showroom on Feb. 7 at 7:30 p.m. $44.20-$210.95. foxwoods.com.
The Broadway musical “The Cher Show” will be returning to Connecticut later this month. For a more stripped-down, solo tribute to the singular single-named songstress, Lisa McClowry’s one-woman concert show, “The Beat Goes On,” is at the Warner Theatre in Torrington on Feb. 7 at 7:30 p.m. $36-$67. warnertheatre.org.
Dulcé Sloan, who appeared on Trevor Noah’s “The Daily Show” and in the movie “Chick Fight,” does three shows at the Funny Bone Comedy Club in Manchester on Feb. 7 at 7 p.m. and Feb. 8 at 6:30 and 9 p.m. $32. hartford.funnybone.com.
John Violinist, who brings hip-hop, R&B, soul and pop styles as well as classical to his violin playing, performs on Feb. 8 at 7:30 p.m. at The Bushnell’s Belding Theater on his love-themed “The Rose Experience” tour. $55-$75; $100 VIP package. bushnell.org.
Stand-up comedians Natalie Cuomo and Dan Lamorte enjoy being on the road together — so much that after they each do separate sets, they combine with a duo routine. Their chemistry isn’t just comedic; the couple got married last year and are on their “Funnymoon” tour. This appearance on Feb. 8 at 8 p.m. at Space Ballroom was originally scheduled for November but postponed until now. $32.34-$43.14. spaceballroom.com.
The hugely popular Taiwanese pop/rock duo of Yu Chiu-hsin and Yen Chih-li known as Power Station (not to be confused with the ‘80s British supergroup) does a special 11:30 p.m. show on Feb. 8 at Mohegan Sun Arena. $100.95 – $245.15. mohegansun.com.
Copyright © 2025 Hartford Courant
English 
Français