April Staff Picks

Spring (and its art) is here!

April showers, before they bring May flowers, bring a whole new season of exhibitions, performances, and events all over the greater Boston area. What will you venture out for?

What We’re Recommending:

AUDREY SERAPHIN

Mokoomba | Presented by World Music/CRASHarts

April 12

“I’ll never forget watching Mokoomba perform at CRASHFest last year. I couldn’t believe that this talented group had come all the way to chilly, February Boston from Zimbabwe, but I’m glad they did. And now they’re back so you can experience them, too! Highly energetic Mokoomba is known for dancing across the stage and into the audience’s hearts. Don’t miss this rare musical treat that is basically guaranteed to make you stand up and cheer.”

JOHN BECK

Chinatown Presents: No-No Boy | Presented by Pao Arts Center

April 13

“I had the pleasure of watching Julian Saporiti, the creator and performer of the No-No Boy project, at Company One’s season launch party in the fall. He’s an incredible singer and songwriter, lending his musical talents to telling the stories of Asian-American communities, including his own. Developed from his doctoral research as well as his personal history, Saporiti’s No-No Boy combines musical performance with projections of photos and films from across eras. I can’t wait to see him perform in the lovely Pao Arts Center this month.”

RYAN IMPAGLIAZZO

National Theatre Live: All About Eve | Presented by Coolidge Corner Theatre

April 18

All About Eve, the story of aging Broadway star Margo Channing and her ambitious young fan Eve Harrington, immortalized on screen in 1950 by icons Bette Davis and Anne Baxter, has been adapted for the stage and is currently being brought to life on the West End by leading ladies Gillian Anderson and Lily James. Lifting the curtain on a world of jealousy and ambition, this new production by the groundbreaking director Ivo van Hove asks why our fascination with celebrity, youth, and identity never seems to get old. But there’s no need to search for London flight deals to experience this potent production that Time Out calls ‘absolutely one of those I was there moments’. The wonderful folks at National Theatre Live will be broadcasting a performance right to the comfort of Brookline’s Coolidge Corner Theatre. So, order a martini (or a milkshake) and prepare for a night you’ll never forget as long as you live.”

REBECCA WALLIS

Third Thursdays: S.O.U.L.S. (Sharing Our Unique Life Stories) | Presented by Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum

April 18

“This is embarrassing to admit, but I’ve never actually been to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. It’s a brilliant classical institution, but I’ve never gone — until now. I vow to make a pilgrimage to Isabella’s paradise on Thursday, April 18 to support artists of color in advance of BAMS Fest. If you also live under a rock, now’s the time for you to come, too.”

DAVID COSTA

Sylvia | Presented by Theater UnCorked

April 18 -21

Sylvia by A.R. Gurney is one of my favorite plays.  It’s about a middle-aged man who finds purpose and love in his life through an exuberant canine named Sylvia.  Being 45 years old and having my pup Stella as my constant companion, I can relate.  Greg’s marriage begins to get a little ‘ruff’ when his wife Kate becomes jealous of his relationship with Sylvia.  Sylvia is basically about a love triangle.  One of the members of the triangle just happens to be a dog. Anyone who owns a dog, is in a relationship, or just likes to laugh, will love Sylvia.”

CHAD SIROIS

black odyssey boston | Presented by Central Square Theater and The Front Porch Arts Collective

April 25 – May 19

“After an incredibly successful reading as a part of their inaugural season, Front Porch is back at Central Square Theater to bring a new version of Marcus Gardley’s black odyssey to life. black odyssey boston resets the retelling of Homer’s classic epic in our city on the hill, and features a cast of veteran Boston actors, each one more talented than the next. After Front Porch’s IRNE-nominated production of Breath & Imagination at Lyric Stage Company kicked off their season with such fanfare, I’m sure this play will be another hit.”

OLIVIA DUMAINE

Indecent | Presented by Huntington Theatre Company

April 26 – May 25

“Paula Vogel is one of my favorite playwrights, and seeing this Tony Award-winning production is something I’ve been looking forward to for almost a year. Censorship is a seemingly always relevant topic, particularly in the arts, and this production dives headfirst into the risks that can present. Inspired by the original controversial production of God of Vengeance, this play is simply full of love — for one another, for the theatre, and for life.”

CATHERINE PETERSON

Nigra Sum Sed Formosa; I am Black but Beautiful | Presented by Handel & Haydn Society and Castle of our Skins

April 27

“This collaboration fills my heart with such joy. Boston’s oldest music organization and one of its newest will be putting on a groundbreaking concert in Roxbury this month. Recently named one of The ARTery 25, Castle of our Skins Artistic & Executive Director Ashleigh Gordon is directing the concert with talented artist-educators Jennifer Kane and Reginald Mobley. I know this beautiful, free event has been a long time in the making, so I can’t wait to be there to support two incredible organizations at once. I hope you’ll join me there!”

Check out all these picks and more on the ArtsBoston Calendar.

What arts or cultural event are you most excited for this month? Let us know on Twitter by tweeting us, @artsboston!

Want weekly recommendations on what to see and do in Boston?

Pictured above: the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum courtyard in full bloom. 

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