Arts & Culture

Critic’s Picks: Four don’t-miss South Sound arts events

The cast of “Water by the Spoonful,” a new play at the University of Washington Tacoma.
The cast of “Water by the Spoonful,” a new play at the University of Washington Tacoma. Courtesy

‘Water by the Spoonful’ at UWT

University of Washington Tacoma collaborates with community actors and director Marilyn Bennett to put on the Pulitzer-winning “Water by the Spoonful.” The second in a trilogy by Quiara Alegria Hudes, it’s about a Puerto Rican veteran of the Iraq War who struggles to recover from trauma and addiction.

7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday. $10. Cherry Parkes Building, Room 007, UWT, 1922 Pacific Ave., Tacoma. tinyurl.com/lobc6lx, tacoma.washington.edu.

253 Short Film Fest

Thirty-one teams of filmmakers (including an 11-year-old) were given 72 hours to make a movie that’s under 253 seconds and contains a required line, object or location. The result? The Grand Cinema’s 253 Short Film Fest, screening Friday (May 12) with door prizes, photo booth, audience voting, beer and pizza.

6 p.m. Friday. $15 general; $13 members. Urban Grace, 902 S. Market St., Tacoma. 253-593-4474, grandcinema.com.

New Muses’ ‘Peer Gynt’

You may have heard of “Peer Gynt” by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen, but you’ve probably never seen it like this. New Muses Theater, with Niclas Olson at the helm, offers the classic tale in two parts. “Youth” follows Peer as he sows his wild oats around the villages and fjords, meets a troll and falls in love. “Revenant” sees the hero grown into a successful businessman whose vanishing fortune leaves him stranded in the African desert. See both or just one.

“Youth”: 8 p.m. Friday (May 12), May 19; 2 p.m. Sunday and May 21. “Revenant”: 8 p.m. Saturday, May 18 and 20; 7 p.m. Sunday and May 21. $15; $10 student and Ibsen Pass (both plays purchased). Dukesbay Theater, 508 Sixth Ave., Tacoma. Tickets for “Youth”: peergyntyouth.bpt.me; “Revenant”: peergyntrevenant.bpt.me.

Alchemy skate art

Catch local art on skate decks in “The Art of Alchemy,” a one-night showcase to benefit the nonprofit that helps Tacoma skaters aid the wider community. Presented by Spaceworks, and featuring live screenprinting by Shroom Brothers.

5 p.m. May 18. Free. 1120 Creative House, 1120 Pacific Ave., Tacoma. 253-237-4281, alchemyskate.org, spaceworkstacoma.com.

Rosemary Ponnekanti: 253-597-8568, @rose_ponnekanti

This story was originally published May 11, 2017 at 5:18 AM with the headline "Critic’s Picks: Four don’t-miss South Sound arts events."

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