FEBRUARY 1 – 7
“These Shining Lives,” a play by Melanie Marnich, chronicles the strength and determination of four young women to overcome hazardous working conditions at the Radium Dial Co. outside Chicago during the 1920s and ’30s. 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays, Milford Arts Council, 40 Railroad Avenue South; 203-878-6647. milfordarts.org
FEBRUARY 2
Mak Grgić opens the second Connecticut Guitar Festival with a program of music from the avant-garde to the classics of guitar repertoire, including the artist’s own fantasia on Leonard Bernstein’s “West Side Story.” 8 p.m. Westport Arts Center, 51 Riverside Ave.; 203-222-7070. westportartscenter.org
FEBRUARY 3
The Symphony of Westchester’s Young Artist Showcase will highlight concerto competition winners and student composers. 3 p.m., Iona College, Christopher J. Murphy Auditorium, 715 North Ave., New Rochelle; 914-654-4926. thesymphonyofwestchester.org
FEBRUARY 3 – 22
“Form, Fantasy and Experimentation,” an exhibition of paintings by Sam Bartman, explores the artist’s observations and manipulation of materials such as resins, varnishes, automotive paints and artist oil, result in expressionistic works. Times vary, Harrison Public Library, 2 Bruce Ave.; 914-835-0324. harrisonpl.org
FEBRUARY 5
The New York Times op-ed writer Ross Douthat offers a talk on “Crisis or Stasis? The American Empire Under Donald Trump” as part of Fairfield University’s popular “Open Visions Forum” series. 8 p.m., Fairfield University, Quick Center for the Arts, 1073 N. Benson Road; 203-254-4010. quickcenter.fairfield.edu
FEBRUARY 5, 6, 12 & 14
Play With Your Food celebrates Valentine’s Day with three one-act plays read by professional actors, a discussion with the actors and a lunch catered by local restaurants. Noon performances, Feb. 5 and 6, Toquet Hall, 58 Post Road East, Westport; Feb. 12, Fairfield Theatre Company, 70 Sanford St.; Feb. 14, Greenwich Arts Council, 299 Greenwich Ave.; 203-293-8729. jibproductions.org
FEBRUARY 9
New Rochelle Council on the Arts, Westchester Alliance of Black School Educators and the New Rochelle Black History Month Committee present the seventh annual Black History Month Celebration. The event honors Aretha Franklin with song, dance, drama, spoken word and artwork by students in the City School District of New Rochelle. Noon, Whitney Young Auditorium at New Rochelle High School, 265 Clove Road; 914-712-8128. wabseny.com
FEBRUARY 9 and 10
The Stamford Symphony presents Gershwin’s “Porgy and Bess,” performed with the Greenwich Choral Society. The performance will also include several selections of choruses and duets from beloved Italian operas. 8 p.m. Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday, Palace Theatre, 61 Atlantic St., Stamford; 203-325-4466. palacestamford.org
FEBRUARY 10
The Westchester Philharmonic presents a Friends and Family Concert. The philharmonic, led by conductor Rachael Worby, will be joined by tap dancer Savion Glover for a program of works by Copland, Gould, Vivaldi and more. 3 p.m., The Performing Arts Center, 735 Anderson Hill Road, Purchase; 914-251-6200. artscenter.org
The second annual Connecticut Guitar Festival closes with a day of master classes and workshops by guitarists Benjamin Verdery, David Madsen, Joe Kiernan, Drew Pinto and Javier Farias, followed by an Alturas Duo “Pillow Concert.” Workshops from 10 a.m., concert at 3 p.m., Suzuki Music Schools, 246 Post Road East, Westport; 203-227-9474. suzukischools.org
Sweet Honey in the Rock performs its unique mixture of gospel, soul, jazz, blues, spirituals, folk and African chants. 7 p.m., Fairfield University, Quick Center for the Arts, 1073 N. Benson Road; 203-254-4010. quickcenter.fairfield.edu
FEBRUARY 14
Ridgefield Playhouse presents a Valentine’s Celebration with the Grammy Award-winning Kool & The Gang. Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2018, Kool & the Gang has performed continuously for the past 43 years. 8 p.m., 80 E. Ridge Road; 203-438-5795. ridgefieldplayhouse.org
FEBRUARY 15
“The Great Composers” lecture series continues with a celebration of Valentine’s Day, “The Music of Love and Passion.” Pianist and lecturer Michael Boriskin will lead this session, which will explore different kinds of love — romantic, physical, religious, spiritual — in the works of Mozart, Strauss, Mahler, Ravel, Prokofiev, Bernstein and others. 7:30 p.m., Hoff-Barthelson Music School, 25 School Lane, Scarsdale; 914-723-1169. hbms.org
“Alexis Cole’s Valentine’s Day Jukebox” promises to be a romantic night of sultry jazz classics, featuring award-winning vocalist Cole and her trio. The evening will include a set of audience requests, in which specific songs can be dedicated to loved ones. 8 p.m., ArtsWestchester, 31 Mamaroneck Ave., White Plains; 914-428-4220. artsw.org
FEBRUARY 16
WCC Smart Arts presents “Cirque Zuma Zuma,” an African-styled circus show composed of performers from 16 African nations. The show includes aerial acts, Egyptian limbo dances, South African gumboot dances and contortionist feats. 8 p.m., Westchester Community College Academic Arts Building Theatre, 75 Grasslands Road, Valhalla; 914-606-6262. sunywcc.edu/smartarts
FEBRUARY 18
In conjunction with the exhibition “Masterpieces from the Museum of Cartoon Art,” Jenny Robb will speak on “Breaking into the Boys Club: A Whirlwind History of Women and Cartooning,” from the pioneers to those entering the profession in the wake of the women’s liberation movement. 10 a.m., Bruce Museum, 1 Museum Drive, Greenwich; 203-869-0376. brucemuseum.org
FEBRUARY 20
French-American choreographer Carole Alexis and her Ballet des Amériques dance company will bring a varied repertoire to the Tarrytown Music Hall in a new series “Westchester Wednesday Dance.” These midweek evenings of dance offer audience members a break in their workweek routines and the chance to witness original work by the Music Hall’s dance-company-in-residence. 7 p.m., Tarrytown Music Hall, 13 Main St.; 718-309-0437. balletdesameriques.company
A performer from the National Circus Project will present tricks, stunts and juggling to audiences of all ages. 2 p.m., New Rochelle Public Library, 1 Library Plaza; 914-632-7878.” nrpl.org
FEBRUARY 23 and 24
“Radicals in Miniature” by Ain Gordon and Josh Quillen, is Gordon’s theatrical memoir, recalling the electric New York City in which he grew up in the 1960s. 8 p.m. Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday, Fairfield University, Quick Center for the Arts, 1073 N. Benson Road; 203-254-4010. quickcenter.fairfield.edu
FEBRUARY 24
Perren-Luc Thiessen, the 15-year-old pianist from McKinney, Texas, who has been winning numerous local and international competitions, performs works by Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt, Drozdoff, Medtner and Prokofiev. 3 p.m., First Presbyterian Church of Stamford, 1101 Bedford St.; 347-224-7577. fishchurch.org
FEBRUARY 27 – June 30
“Nina Chanel Abney: Royal Flush” offers a 10-year survey of the artist’s work, featuring 30 paintings, watercolors and collages. Her monumental work illustrates the complex social dynamics of contemporary urban life and touches on politics, race, homophobia, celebrity, consumerism and other provocative topics. Noon to 5 p.m., Wednesdays through Sundays, Neuberger Museum of Art, 735 Anderson Hill Road, Purchase; 914-251-6100. neuberger.org
FEBRUARY 28
Victoria Johnson speaks about her best-selling book “American Eden: David Hosack, Botany, and Medicine in the Garden of the Early Republic” about Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr’s personal physician, whose dream to build America’s first botanical garden inspired the young nation. 6:30 p.m., Bartlett Arboretum, 151 Brookdale Road, Stamford; 203-883-4035. bartlettarboretum.org
Presented by ArtsWestchester and the Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County.
