Welcome back to The To-Do List, where Daily Memphian staffers suggest their favorite events and activities for the coming week. 

This week, a Circuit Playhouse production tells the story of Stalin’s body doubles, the Brooks launches a new happy hour and Memphis songwriters take the Halloran stage.

Happy Hour at the Brooks: Vinyl Voices with WYXR at the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, Thursday:

Jared “Jay B.” Boyd, WYXR program manager, will join two WYXR DJs for a new happy hour event at the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art on Thursday, Jan 8. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian file)

The Memphis Brooks Museum of Art kicks off a new weekly happy hour event this Thursday. WYXR DJs David Swider (host of “New, New Soft Shoe) and Lauren Veline (host of “Light Rotation Radio”), plus WYXR program manager Jared “Jay B.” Boyd, will take turns spinning tracks from their personal vinyl collections while sharing the stories behind the music. And it wouldn’t be happy hour without cocktails and small bites, so expect those, too. 5:30-8 p.m. Free with registration. 1934 Poplar Ave. Click here for more information. — Bianca Phillips

Memphis Songwriters Series at the Halloran Centre, Thursday:

Raneem Imam (pictured) will join Hannah Blaylock and Rice Drewry at the Memphis Songwriters Series on Thursday, Jan. 9. (Brad Vest/ Special to The Daily Memphian file)

This ongoing series, hosted by Memphis songwriting ace Mark Edgar Stuart, pairs Stuart each time with a trio of others to take turns showcasing their work. This edition features country songwriter Hannah Blaylock, Memphis veteran Rice Drewry and Arab-American pop/R&B artist Raneem Imam. $10. 7 p.m. See here for more info. — Chris Herrington

‘Six Men Dressed Like Joseph Stalin’ at Circuit Playhouse, opening Saturday:

The second winner of the 2023 NewWorks@TheWorks Playwriting Competition, “Six Men Dressed Like Joseph Stalin,” is based on actual historical events. Joseph Stalin, the controversial leader who led the Soviet Union from 1924 until his death in 1953, was known to have body doubles. The play focuses on two of these men, Alexei Dikiy and Felix Dadaev. “We’re really struck by how dynamic a script it is,” said NewWorks Director Savannah Miller. “There’s a lot of humor, and there’s also this surrealist element that was very, very intriguing to the people on our (NewWorks) panel.” Running through Jan. 26. The show was supposed to open on Friday but has been delayed due to snow. Times vary. See here for more information. 51 Cooper St. — Alys Drake

Meshell Ndegeocello at Germantown Performing Arts Center, Saturday:

Meshell Ndegeocello will perform at the Germantown Performing Arts Center on Saturday, Jan. 11. (Courtesy GPAC)

Songwriter, poet and bassist Meshell Ndegeocello is an 11-time Grammy nominee, including wins in both R&B and jazz categories, whose latest album, “No More Water: The Gospel of James Baldwin,” plays tribute to the great novelist and essayist. 8 p.m. Tickets range from $39 to $87. See here for more info. — Herrington

‘Shanghai Express’ at the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, Sunday:

Director Josef von Sternberg and star Marlene Dietrich formed one of the signature partnerships of 1930s cinema. “Shanghai Express,” about a group of train passengers held hostage by a warlord during the Chinese Civil War, is considered one of their best. This local screening, however, is inspired more by Dietrich’s co-star, Anna May Wong, the first Asian woman to have a significant on-screen career in American film. The screening will be followed by a discussion between Dr. SunAh Laybourn, a sociology professor at the University of Memphis, and Katie Gee Salisbury, who wrote “Not Your China Doll,” a recent biography of Wong. 2 p.m. $5, $3 for students. 1934 Poplar Ave. See here for more info. — Herrington

Mahogany Chamber Music Series presents ‘Hope’ in Crosstown Theater, Sunday:

Artina McCain

University of Memphis associate professor of piano Artina McCain’s Mahogany Chamber Series champions underrepresented voices in classical music. This upcoming concert centers on Martin Luther King Jr.’s ideal of “beloved community.” Conceived by Harvard philosophy professor Josiah Royce, King’s version calls for a community free of poverty, hunger and hate. The Chamber Series concert includes works by Margaret Bonds, Jake Haggie, Joseph Joubert and two world premieres commissioned by Armand Hall, who serves as conductor. Performing will be soprano Kearstin Piper Brown, Artina McCain on piano, Martin McCain on bass trombone and the Mahogany Ensemble. Click here to read more about the Mahogany Chamber Series. 2:30-4 p.m. $20 advance; $30 door; $10 for students. 1350 Concourse Ave. — Elle Perry

Ikea Grand Reopening Community Celebration, Wednesday:

Ikea will celebrate its recent remodal with a celebration on Wednesday, Jan. 15. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian file)

If you’ve been in Ikea lately, you may have noticed changes are afoot. Memphis’ Scandinavian furniture superstore has been remodeled in a way that’s supposed to make it easier to run in, get your Huvudroll (frozen meatballs) and your Svalstjärter (duvet cover) and get out. Yes, that’s right. During the celebration, the first 200 Ikea Family members (that’s their loyalty club) will get free gift cards, guests can meet HGTV star Carmeon Hamilton and there will be musical performances by Joseph Boyd and Tonya Dyson, the Trezevant High band and the Arlington High orchestra. There’s also a scavenger hunt and face painting for kids. 11 a.m.-1 p.m. 7900 Ikea Way. Click here for more information. — Phillips

Kwame Alexander’s ‘How Sweet the Sound’ book signing, in conversation with IMAKEMADBEATS at Memphis Listening Lab, Wednesday:

Kwame Alexander’s “How Sweet the Sound” is a guide to the history of Black American Music, illustrated by Charly Palmer. It includes artists like Louis Armstrong, James Brown, Robert Johnson, Whitney Houston, Jimi Hendrix, Lauryn Hill, Billie Holiday and Kendrick Lamar. Alexander, a poet, educator and author of 40 books, includes the back story on the musicians and the music they created. Alexander is the author of “The Undefeated,” a poetry book illustrated by Kadir Nelson, which won the Caldecott Medal, and Emmy-winning writer of the “Crossover” TV series, based on his Newberry-Medal winning novel. At Novel, Alexander will be in conversation with James “IMAKEMADBEATS” Dukes, music producer and founder of the Unapologetic multimedia label. 6 p.m. The free event is full, but additional attendees will be admitted on a first-come, first-serve basis, space permitting. 1350 Concourse Ave, Ste 269. More info here. — Perry

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