Special events
Mountaintop Removal Open Mic Night — sponsored by Heine Bros. and Kentuckians For The Commonwealth, free, 7-9 p.m., Jan. 7, Heine Brothers Coffee, 3060 Bardstown Rd, 396-5457, www.heinebroscoffee.com/.
Cabo Wabo Benefit — 16th Annual Coat Party, benefit for Center for Women and Families, includes live music and more, 8 p.m., $10, Jan. 10, Mellwood Arts Center, 1860 Mellwood Ave, 895-3650, www.cabowabo.org.
Centennial Celebration — hosted by Louisville Visual Arts Assoc., debut of “The Year of the Visual Arts,” 5:30 p.m., Jan. 13, The Water Tower, 3005 River Rd, 896-2146, www.louisvillevisualart.org.
Visual Arts
“Art in the City” — exhibit showcases work from a variety of Mellwood Arts Center artists, Jan. 7-Feb. 8, Louisville Free Public Library, 301 York St, 574-1611, www.lfpl.org.
“Heroes and Villains” — new work by artists C.M. Laster and Grace Kelly Laster, Jan. 7-Jan. 27, Pigment Gallery at Mellwood Arts & Entertainment Center, 1860 Mellwood Ave, 895-3650.
“Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness” — exhibit extended, American art from the Yale University Art Gallery, Jan. 7-Jan. 18, Speed Art Museum, 2035 S Third St, 634-2700.
Marvin Finn: A Retrospective — public art exhibit of the work of Martin Finn, Jan. 7-Jan. 31, Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft, 715 W Main St, 589-0102, www.kentuckyarts.org.
Mountain Top Removal Photo Show — photo exhibit, Jan. 7, Heine Brothers Coffee, 3060 Bardstown Rd, 396-5457, www.heinebroscoffee.com/.
PYRO @ Five — a showcase of fine art including fiber, painting, photography and more, Gallery at ATL, Jan. 7-Jan. 25, Actors Theatre, 316 W Main St, 584-1205, www.actorstheatre.org.
“Form, Not Function: Quilt Art at the Carnegie” — features contemporary art quilts in national juried exhibit, Jan. 9-March 7, Carnegie Center for Art & History, 201 E Spring St, (812) 944-7336, www.carnegiecenter.org.
“Les Femmes Avant” — new paintings by Quincy Owens, Jan. 9-Feb. 4, Tim Faulkner Gallery, 815 E Market St, 381-1314.
“Playing with Fire” — a showcase of 10 resident artists, Jan. 9-Jan. 31, Flame Run, 828 E Market St, 584-5353, www.flamerun.com.
“Remembering the Forties” — featuring artifacts and memorabilia from 1940-49, Jan. 9-March 25, Jeffersontown Historical Museum, 10635 Watterson Trl, 261-8290.
“Varied Nature of Beauty and Art” — paintings by Kentucky artist Sallie Clay Lanham, Jan. 9-Jan. 16, Gallery at The Brown, Fourth and Broadway, 583-1234, www.brownhotel.com.
Art Auction — auction of abstract paintings by Bowling Green artist Carlos Elzy Johnson to benefit Oak Davis Production film company, 7 p.m., Jan. 9, Dublin’s Cellar, 942 Baxter Ave, 583-2969, www.dublinscellar.com.
Artist Julia Christensen — features her book “Big Box Reuse” and accompanying photographic exhibit, Jan. 9-Jan. 30, The Green Building, 732 E Market St, www.thegreenbuilding.net/.
Artist Penny Sisto — “Rude, Crude and Lewd” exhibit features more than 20 pieces of work that illustrates themes exposing social injustices of women, war and sexuality, Jan. 9-Jan. 23, uzoMa Gallery, 1813 Frankfort Ave, 895-9805, www.uzoma.org.
Artists Stephanie Potter & James Southard — exhibit of photography, drawings and prints, Jan. 9-Feb. 14, Zephyr Gallery, 610 E Market St, 585-5646, www.zephyrgallery.com.
“Envisioning Peace” — mixed media by artist Jeanne Tessier, Jan. 11-Feb. 15, Spalding University – Huff Gallery, 853 Library Ln, 585-7111, www.spalding.edu/.
Performing arts
“Match Games” — Actors Theatre presents an evening of short plays about love, dating and marriage, Jan. 7-Feb. 7, $23-$44, Actors Theatre of Louisville, 316 W Main St, www.actorstheatre.org.
“Squabbles” — presented by Derby Dinner Playhouse, fast-paced comedy written by Marshall Karp, various times, Jan. 7-Feb. 15, $32-$42, Derby Dinner Playhouse, 525 Marriott Dr, (812) 288-8281, www.derbydinner.com.
“Pulp” — presented by Pandora Productions, a steamy, lusty send-up to 1950s lesbian pulp fiction, 7:30 p.m. (Sun. matinees at 2 p.m.), Jan. 8-Jan. 18, $15-$17, The Henry Clay Building, 604 S Third St, 515-2489, www.PandoraProds.org.
“Seussical the Musical” — presented by Clarksville Little Theatre, Jan. 9-11, Jan. 15-17, $12-$15, Clarksville Little Theatre, 301 E Montgomery Ave, (812) 283-6522, www.clarksvillelittletheatre.org.
Improvapalooza 9 — featuring Louisville Improvisors, Stephanie Courtney, IndyProv and Improv Nashville, 8 p.m., Jan. 9-Jan. 10, $15, Kentucky Center for the Arts, 501 W Main St, 584-7777, www.louisvilleimprov.com.
“Warm & Cozy” improv — presented by Nannie Tharp Experience, Jan. 10, $5, Mom’s Music, 1900 Mellwood Ave, 897-3304, www.thenannietharpexperience.com.
Auditions/contests
Call for Playscripts — Juneteenth Legacy Theatre seeking scripts from KY writers for 10th Annual Juneteenth Jamboree of New Plays, June 5-20, for info e-mail [email protected], Jan. 7-March 15.
Derby City Film Festival — accepting submissions from local filmmakers for ongoing monthly film series at the Vernon Coffee Roaster, free, 454-7801 or [email protected], Jan. 7-Dec. 31.
Sacred Heart School for the Arts — open auditions for instrumental ensemble for students in grades 6-12, be prepared to play a short solo, 4-7 p.m., Jan. 9, Sacred Heart School for the Arts- Angela Hall, 3105 Lexington Rd, 897-1816.
Clarksville Little Theatre — auditions for Stephen Sondheim’s “Assassins,” adults only, need 11 men, 5 women, Jan. 10, 1 p.m.; Jan. 12, 7 p.m., Clarksville Little Theatre, 301 E Montgomery Ave, (812) 283-6522, www.clarksvillelittletheatre.org.
Books
InKY Reading Series — featuring memoir by Mickey Hess and poetry by Kelly Moffett, with music by Adam Moseley, 7 p.m., free, Jan. 9, Rudyard Kipling, 422 W Oak St, 636-1311.
Author Carl Brown — reads and discusses his latest, “Bethlehem Baby,” 4 p.m., Jan. 11, Carmichael’s Bookstore, 2720 Frankfort Ave, 896-6950.
Author Alice Schroeder — discusses her book “The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life,” free, 7 p.m., Jan. 13, Louisville Free Public Library, 301 York St, 574-1611, www.lfpl.org.
Film
Iranian Film Festival — presented by UofL’s Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies, “The Color of Paradise,” 2 p.m., free, Jan. 11, Speed Art Museum, 2035 S Third St, 634-2700.
“Shut up and Sing” — free, 7:30 p.m., Jan. 12, Ray’s Monkey House, 1578 Bardstown Rd, 459-4373.
Music
“A Tribute to Oscar” — Principal Pops Conductor Bob Bernhardt leads Louisville Orchestra through Academy Awards, Jan. 8, 6:30 p.m., Brown Theatre; Jan. 10, 7:30 p.m., Ogle Center, IUS, $20-$26, Brown Theater, 315 W Broadway, 562-0100, www.louisvilleorchestra.org.
“ABBAmania” — Louisville Orchestra performs ABBA classics with Toronto cover band ABBAmania, 8 p.m., Jan. 9, $25-$70, Louisville Palace, 625 S 4th St, 583-4555, www.louisvilleorchestra.org.
Lectures
“House of Abraham: Lincoln and the Todds” — Dr. A. Glenn Crothers leads discussion on the book by Stephen Berry, 3:30 p.m., Jan. 7, The Filson Historical Society, 1310 S Third St, 635-5083, www.filsonhistorical.org.
“Creation of Sacred Space in Byzantine Palestine/Arabia” — presented by Karen Britt, luncheon talk, noon, University Club, Jan. 8, $14, University of Louisville.
“India, Energy and Global Warming” — featuring special guest Ron Somers, president of U.S.-India Business Council, presented by World Affairs Council, lunch provided, noon, Jan. 8, $27-$35, Vincenzo’s Restaurant, 150 S Fifth St, 580-1350, www.WorldKentucky.org.
“Our History in the time of Milk” — presented by Fairness Campaign and Friends of LGBT Services, lecture offers insights into the struggle for LGBT rights, 7 p.m., Jan. 13, Ekstrom Library, Univeristy of Louisville (Belknap Campus), www.louisville.edu.
Panel Discussion on Mountaintop Removal — presented by Environmental Club at Saint Xavier High School, speakers include Tom Fitzgerald, Stephen George and more, 7 p.m., free, Jan. 15, Saint Xavier High School, 1609 Poplar Level Rd, www.saintx.com.