Two Nights, Eight Comics,
Hartford’s Bushnell Center of the Performing Arts offers back-to-back gaggles of stand-ups in the “Kings of Comedy” mold of multiple headliners sharing a stage for a full evening of comedy.
The Festival of Laughs, featuring the alternately sultry and sassy Sommore, the Atlanta-raised comics Bruce Bruce and Earthquake and “Living Biblically” cast member Tony Rock, is Friday, March 30 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $52.50 to $128.50.
The following night, Saturday, March 31 at 8:30 p.m., brings “Se Nos Zafó un Tornillo el Stand Up,” with Fausto Mata (aka Boca de Piano), Aquiles Correa (Carlitos in the “Sanky Panky” film series), Tony Pascual,and Manolo Ozuna all doing stand-up in Spanish. Tickets are $15 to $60. 860-987-5900 and bushnell.org.
‘One Night In Memphis’
The ubiquitous rock musical “Million Dollar Quartet” has changed the way we see the roots-rock icons Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley. Yes, they were iconic solo artists, but they were also fun-loving guys who could happily jam together, despite their clashing egos.
Now there’s a concert event — not a scripted musical — called “One Night in Memphis” that derives from the same real-life night in 1956 when Perkins, The Man in Black, The Killer and The King all jammed together at Sun Studios. This is a 90-minute tribute-band show with much the same set list as “Million Dollar Quartet.” That means some of the greatest classics of early rock and roll, from “Whole Lotta Shakin’” to “Blue Suede Shoes.”
In Waterbury, Alex Swindle will be Elvis, Shawn Barker will be Johnny Cash, Blair Carman will be Jerry Lee Lewis and John Mueller will be Carl Perkins. Bassist Ed Maxwell is also onstage.
“One Night in Memphis” plays at 8 p.m. March 30 at the Palace Theater, 100 E. Main St., Waterbury. Tickets are $42.50 and $60.50. 203-346-2000 and palacetheaterct.org.
