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The To-Do List: ‘Our Town,’ ‘The Mountaintop’ and ‘Mirror’
 
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Welcome back to The To-Do List, where Daily Memphian staffers suggest their favorite events and activities for the coming week.

This week’s picks are heavy on theater and film, but we’re also celebrating Dolly Parton, Betty White and Mark Twain. Plus, now’s the right time for a tell-all. 

“Our Town” at Theatre Memphis, through Jan. 30:

Theatre Memphis will perform Thornton Wilder’s “Our Town” through Jan. 30. (Patrick Lantrip/Daily Memphian file)

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Thornton Wilder’s frequently revisited 1938 Pulitzer Prize-winning drama tells the tale of ordinary citizens in the fictional small town of Grover’s Corners, New Hampshire, including love, birth, marriage and death. Kell Christie directs the Theatre Memphis version. $25. 2 p.m. matinee shows; 7:30 p.m. evening shows. 630 Perkins Extended. Click here for more information— Elle Perry

“Mirror” at Crosstown Theater, Thursday:

There are art films and there are art films. “Mirror,” a 1975 work by Russian director Andrei Tarkovsky, earns the emphasis. Every 10 years, the British film magazine “Sight & Sound” conducts an international poll of critics and filmmakers to name the greatest films of all time. The next poll is due sometime this year. For now, we have the 2012 poll, where “Mirror” was named the world’s 19th greatest film by critics and the ninth greatest by directors. I’ve seen it, but I’ll confess that it’s been at least 20 years and I don’t really remember much about it. Only enough to say it’s an enigmatic, nonlinear narrative, a kind of impressionistic series of memories, tracking its central character — a man perhaps close to the Tarkovsky himself — from childhood to early middle age. Crosstown Arts offers a rare chance to see a restored version of the film on a big screen.  $5. 7:30 p.m. 1350 Concourse Ave. See here for more info. — Chris Herrington

Playwright Katori Hall attends the Broadway premiere of her play " The Mountaintop" in New York on Oct. 13, 2011. (AP Photo/Louis Lanzano, File)

Katori Hall’s “The Mountaintop” at Hattiloo Theatre, Friday through Feb. 13:

Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright — and Memphis native — Katori Hall’s Olivier Award-winning play comes to Memphis’ Black repertory theater. “The Mountaintop” reimagines the night before Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination at the Lorraine Motel. $25 student/senior citizen/military admission; $30 general admission. Times and dates vary. Click here for more information. — Perry

Spillit Slam: The Right Time at Black Lodge Video, Friday:

Spillit events are a must-attend for storytellers. Here’s the format: Several attendees are picked to tell a true, personal story relating to the night’s theme — in this case, “the right time” — in about seven minutes before the rest of the live audience. After 10 attendees tell their stories, the audience will pick the winner. $10 at the door. 7-10 p.m. 405 N. Cleveland St. Click here for more information.— Perry

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Actress Betty White posed for a portrait on the set of the television show "Hot in Cleveland" in 2010. White died from a stroke on Dec. 31, 2021, at the age of 99. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles, File)

Dolly Parton and Betty White Birthday Bash at Wiseacre OG, Saturday:

The Memphis brewery is celebrating the births of Dolly Parton (January 19) and the late Betty White (January 17) with a dual-party. Wiseacre will be releasing its Snowbeard Barleywine (both on draft and in cans for the first time). This event features a Parton/White costume contest around 4:30 p.m. with promises of a Wiseacre LED sign for the first-place winner and a 6-pack of beer for second-place. There are also promises of music from the TN Screamers from 3-6 p.m. The N!hsay Food Truck, which describes its food as combining Cajun and Asian flavors, is slated to be on hand for the festivities. Free admission. 1-10 p.m. 2783 Broad Ave. Click here for more information. — Perry

Creative Aging’s Senior Arts Series: Joyce Cobb & Ron Jewell (as Mark Twain) at Theatre Memphis, Wednesday:

Creative Aging Mid-South offers musical performance, art workshops and employment opportunities targeted to senior citizens. In this edition, singer Joyce Cobb and her band will accompany Ron Jewell as he portrays Mark Twain with music from the Mississippi River region. There will also be stories and anecdotes from Twain’s works. Tickets are available online; a limited amount of $5 tickets are available at the door. 1:30-3:30 p.m., 630 Perkins Extended. Click here for more information, including how to reserve accessible seating. — Perry

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