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indianapolisrecorder.com Arts & Culture Friday, January 31, 2025AfiSectionBy CHLOE McGOWAN%u00a0chloegm@indyrecorder.comWelcome back to the February edition of our Community Arts Calendar. This month, we%u2019re celebrating Lunar New year, Black History Month, Groundhog Day, Valentine%u2019s Day and National Black Literacy Day.The Recorder put together a list of a few family-friendly events, love-related outings and celebrations of Blackness going on in and around Indianapolis this month.Saturday, Feb. 1Community Sing: Celebrating the Black Experience %u2014 FreeButler University is kicking off Black History Month by inviting the community to join together in song, celebrating the history and legacy of Black music.events.butler.edu/event/community-sing-celebrating-the-black-experienceJoyful Solidarity, featuring Sirena Huang, Violin %u2014 $35-$45Co-produced with the International Violin Competition of Indianapolis, Sirena Huang will join the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra for an evening of unforgettable music.icomusic.org/concerts/joyful-solidarity-featuring-sirena-huang-violin/Lunar New Year Celebration %u2014 $10Family and friends are invited to celebrate the Year of the Snake, featuring performances by the Chinese-American Performing Arts, fireworks, paper art and lantern making and fan painting.eventbrite.com/e/lunar-new-year-celebration-yearof-the-snake-tickets-1131261917849%u201cFlex%u201d by Candrice Jones %u2014 $15-$45Candrice Jones%u2019 small-town comedy play %u201cFlex%u201d is set in 1997. A tight-knit Lady Train basketball team in rural Arkansas is on track to win State, but off-court tensions may get in the way of big-league dreams.summitperformanceindy.comFriday, Feb. 7%u201cColor & Contrast%u201d %u2014 FreeOpening the gallery for February%u2019s First Friday, the artist co-op is hosting the opening of Mirvia Sol Eckert%u2019s %u201cColor & Contrast,%u201d an exhibition highlighting the beauty found in both bright and moody colors.fullcirclenine.comFirst Friday Art Show, New Horizons %u2014 FreeIndiana Landmarks is hosting the opening of New Horizons, a group art exhibit curated by Indianapolis artist Clayton Hamilton highlighting Black history.indianalandmarks.org/event/first-friday-art-shownew-horizonsFirst Friday at the Factory Arts District %u2014 FreeEnjoy live music and dance, food and beverage, explore wood and metal shops and shop for art as studio artists open their doors during First Friday at the Factory Arts North.%u00a0factoryartsdistrict.comStutz First Friday Open Studios %u2014 FreeCelebrate First Friday with the studio artists at the Stutz, featuring a night of open studios and locally made art, fashion, handmade goods and creativity for the whole community.thestutz.com/events/first-friday-open-studios-1-zfzfjSunday, Feb. 9Seeds of Freedom %u2014 $3Asante Art Institute of Indianapolis is bringing %u201cSeeds of Freedom: The Spiritual Roots of the American Civil Rights Movement%u201d back to the Indiana State Museum in honor of Black History Month.indianamuseum.org/programs/public-performanceMonday, Feb. 10JazzTalk: A Conversation with Don Was %u2014 FreeJoin Don Was, a Grammy Award-winning music industry professional, for a conversation about his early years, musical collaborations and current tour as bassist and leader of the Pan-Detroit Ensemble.thecenterpresents.orgTuesday, Feb. 11Guest Composer Anthony Davis Concert %u2014 FreeComposer Anthony Davis will perform a free concert for UIndy students, faculty and guests, featuring crossover classical-jazz chamber works and a baritone aria responding to the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre.news.uindy.edu/events/guest-composer-anthony-davis-concert/Friday, Feb. 14Romance & Remembrance %u2014 $26.95This one-night-only event captures the spirit of both Valentine%u2019s Day and Black History Month as guests are invited to explore Benjamin Harrison%u2019s historical home, accompanied by live music, poetry readings, a selection of wine and refreshments.benjaminharrisonpresidentialsi.ticketspice.com/romance-and-remembranceSoul in the Language of Love! %u2014 $30Join Stephanie Allen-Stevenson as she shares the music of Anita Baker, Aretha Franklin, Jill Scott, Stevie Wonder and in a Valentine%u2019s themed performance.artsforlawrence.org/events-1/soul-in-the-languageof-loveSunday, Feb. 16Indiana Wind Symphony: Lift Every Voice %u2014 $22A special concert honoring Black History Month and the contributions of Black composers with internationally acclaimed Soprano Angela Brown.%u00a0thecenterpresents.orgR&B Lovefest starring Jefi rey Osborne and Friends %u2014 $55Butler University is hosting Jeffry Osborne, After 7, Jon B and Keke Wyatt for R&B Lovefest.butlerartscenter.org/performances/jeffrey-osbornePeanut Butter & Jam: Epiphany Dance Collective %u2013 West African Drum and Dance %u2014 $10 per child; free for adultsChildren and adults are invited to go an interactive journey of West African dance and music, learning the steps onstage alongside Epiphany Dance Collective.thecenterpresents.orgSunday, Feb. 23Black Youth Author Fair %u2014 FreeIn celebration of Black History Month and National Black Literacy Day, Indy Reads is hosting a panel for published young Black authors to share and discuss their works.indyreads.org/event/black-youth-author-fair/Qupid Pride Skate %u2014 General admissionJoin Indy Pride for an evening of fun featuring skating, music, laughter and love as part of the organization%u2019s Frost: A Queer Winter Event Series.indypride.org/event/qupids-pride-skatePlease note: Admission and ticket prices listed are general and before taxes/fees.Contact Arts & Culture Reporter Chloe McGowan at 317-762-7848. Follow her on X @chloe_mcgowanxx.By CHLOE McGOWAN%u00a0chloegm@indyrecorder.comI%u2019m still thinking about %u201cKing James%u201d but probably not for the reason you think.The play was good. I%u2019ll start with that so there is no confusion about what kind of review this is. The play was good, the actors were fantastic and received a standing ovation. %u201cKing James%u201d was funny and tense and had a heartwarming ending.%u201cKing James%u201d by Rajiv Joseph, directed by Jamil Jude, follows Matt (Quinn M. Johnson) and Shawn (Enoch King), two men who meet and become friends over their shared love of LeBron James. The story follows their lives over a period of 12 years and has scenes that take place in 2004, 2010, 2014 and 2016. It%u2019s onstage at the Janet Allen Stage at the Indiana Repertory Theatre now through Feb. 9.%u201cKing James%u201d %u2014 which is a nod to basketball legend LeBron James %u2014 takes place on a basketball court style thrust stage with two distinct settings: a dingy wine bar in Cleveland and an oddity store named %u201cArmands.%u201d The Cleveland skyline hangs above the stage, and a montage of audio clips introduce each quarter by setting the proverbial and real stage with soundbites of pop culture, sports and politics as a projected scoreboard keeps track of the years.It%u2019s a small stage and a small set designed to be intimate; it%u2019s intentional in bringing you into a story that takes place in a very real, recognizable world.Having said that, I feel like %u201cKing James%u201d left something to be desired, but that%u2019s not necessarily a bad thing.The play was heavily marketed as being about male friendship, brotherhood and the %u201cunwavering bond%u201d Matt and Shawn share over LeBron James. However, the play I saw was about two men who became friends because of a shared common interest %u2014 and a sick pair of season tickets to a Cavaliers games.%u00a0Matt is a spoiled, upper-middle-class white man, and in 2004, the Cleveland wine bartender needs some fast cash after a terrible business investment falls through. He offers a pair of courtside season tickets to the Cavaliers during LeBron James%u2019 rookie season. Shawn, a Black man who%u2019s never been to a game and works three jobs to make his dreams come true, is the interested buyer.After some back and forth, the two young men agree on a price. But without anyone to take to the games, Shawn ultimately decides to share the tickets with Matt.Over the next six years, their friendship blossoms %u2026 sort of.Despite having built a rapport over six years%u2019 worth of Cavaliers games, the following three quarters of the show reveal that Matt and Shawn are deeply jealous and resentful of one another, don%u2019t take time to understand or support each other and frequently cross personal and financial boundaries in each other%u2019s lives.Of course, they joke and laugh and play around, but they really don%u2019t connect emotionally; they don%u2019t share any interests beyond basketball. There is no accountability or compassion for one another, and when issues arise, they exit stage left instead of actually confronting the problem.Matt and Shawn are both likeable in their own ways, and each has redeemable qualities, but the pair are awkward with each other, seemingly disconnected %u2014 even about basketball sometimes. Legacy and success are brought up a lot, so is money and privilege, and race and bias are talked about without actually talking about it.Through the course of the play, their conflict is fueled by individual faults. Shawn maintains a closer relationship with Matt%u2019s father and mother than he does with Matt and frequently leaves his friend in the dark about his career and personal life. However, Matt, often impulsive and insensitive in his approach, uses newfound financial success to %u201cbuy%u201d Shawn%u2019s attention before backtracking as soon as they disagree about something.Eventually, this escalates when Matt (white %u2014 and probably autistic) tells Shawn that LeBron James %u201cshould have known his place%u201d in reference to him leaving for the Miami Heat and then later returning to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Shawn does hit him with a %u201cWhat is that supposed to mean?%u201d but the conversation went only in circles and no resolution was reached.In the end, %u201cKing James%u201d begs the question of whether or not a shared love of basketball is enough to sustain a friendship through all of life%u2019s hardships, a changing political climate and ongoing racial tension. You%u2019ll want to stay to the end to find out.%u201cKing James%u201d is onstage now at the Janet Allen Stage at the Indiana Repertory Theatre till Feb. 9. Tickets start at $25. For more information, visit irtlive.com.Contact Arts & Culture Reporter Chloe McGowan at 317-762-7848. Follow her on X @chloe_mcgowanxx.Community Arts Calendar: Celebrate Valentine%u2019s Day, Black History Month, Lunar New Year and more this FebruaryREVIEW: The friendship in IRT%u2019s %u2018King James%u2019 left something to be desiredMatt (Quinn M. Johnson) and Shawn (Enoch King) in the IRT%u2019s 2025 production of %u201cKing James.%u201d (Photo/Zach Rosing)