Jersey Boys, Edmonton pop-rock, Prohibition era jazz, and Zorro: what's on in Calgary this weekend

There's a mini-Edmonton invasion being staged at one of Calgary's venerable musicinstitutions, the King Eddy, this weekend. That's one of a number of major musical opportunities ahead for Calgarians thisweekend, including some Jersey classics at Stage West, Sunday night jazz at Betty Lou's, and even more to follow Monday on New Year's Eve. CBC Producer Tracy Fuller provided a short list on Thursday afternoon's edition of The Homestretch.

Jersey Boys

The story of how Franki Valli and the Four Seasons came to dominate the pop charts in the early 1960's is almost as fantastic as their remarkably melodic music.

When you put the two together, in a well-directed, well-sung and performed production like the stellar show Stage West Theatre has assembled for the latest Calgary production of Jersey Boys, you have musical theatre that's about as good as it can get.

There's even a Sunday brunch show, as well as a New Year's special, which includes a gourmet buffet, champagne, and dancing after the show. Tickets and details online at StageWestCalgary.com.

• New Year's Eve in Calgary All the best places to ring in 2019

Betty Lou's Library

It's one of the city's secret treasures a cocktail bar with a secret entrance that evokes Prohibition era Manhattan. That will be in full force this weekend, whether at Sunday night's concert by Valerie Aimee, or Monday night's special Gatsby themed New Year's Eve special.

Sunday, Aimee will tantalize with a sound that blends everyone from Adele to Alicia Keys. Reservations are recommended, particularly large parties, although walk-ins will be accommodated on a first-come, first-serve basis. Call403.454.4774 to reserve a table, or visit the website here.

Unboxed

What's that old saying that kids often like playing with the box their toys came in more than they like the toy? Telus Spark took that to heart and booked Unboxed, an interactive installation now taking place through Jan. 6, 2019.

"We're piling up one of our galleries with cardboard, scissors, tape, and more so visitors can create and build with unconventional materials," writes Telus communications' Jacqueline Tran.

"We've also built a giant functioning snowglobe made out of recycled material that families can go inside of. This winter wonderland will blow packaging peanuts inside the globe just like a real snowglobe!"

There's also a New Year's Eve special event planned, featuring a kid-friendly countdown to noon, which will involve plenty of explosive hydrogen balloons, and an atrium floor covered in bubble wrap, that revelling kids will have the chance to pop at the appropriate moment.

More information can be foundhere.

King Eddy

Friday night, Calgary's favourite historic blues bar will be taken over by a quartet of Edmonton musicians who form Major Love, a pop rock quintet that brings together singer-songwriter Colleen Brown, multi-instrumentalist Elijah Abrams, and the guys behind the band Scenic Route to Alaska.

They met touring Europe a few years back,and just released a debut album this past August. They're followed Saturday night by Alberta Country Music award nominee Karac Hendriks, who's on the bill at the King Eddy with Tanya Ryan, beginning at 9 p.m.

Zorro: Family Code

What happens to our heroes when their hamstrings and lower backs give out, from too many years spent engaging in death-defying feats of physical wonders? That's what the talented trio ofplaywrights (Rebecca Northan, Christian Goutsis and Bruce Horak) explore in Zorro: Family Code, a theatrical nod to The Incrediblesthat runs at the Martha Cohen Theatre through Dec. 30.

Tyrell Crews is just right as the weary villain Capitan Juan Ramon, who escapes a California prison to return home to the small Spanish village he grew up in, which happens to also be the same small town Zorro (weary but lovable Derek Flores) lives with his two kids.

There's kid-friendly curtain times of 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. throughout the weekend. Visit atplive.comfor more info.

With files from The Homestretch

• MORE CALGARY NEWS| Alberta Ballet's Jean Grand-Maitre joins Order of Canada
• MORE CALGARY NEWS|'Super sponge' seen as absorbent next step in oil spill mitigation
• Read more articles byCBC Calgary, like us onFacebookfor updates and subscribe to ourCBC Calgary newsletterfor the day's news at a glance