All Over Albany

Stuff to do this weekend

Cabin Fever? No excuses. Yeah, we know. It's cold. But there's a ton of stuff to do in the CR this weekend. So suck it up, put on your long johns and have some fun. Here's our weekly list of stuff that looked good to us, but if you've got another idea, bring it on.

Albany All Stars Roller derby
The Empire Skate Troopers take on the Jersey Shore Roller Girls at the Washington Avenue Armory on Saturday Night. Doors Open at 6pm, Bout starts at 7pm.

Full frontal puppet nudity
If you need a good laugh, Avenue Q is at Proctor's until Sunday. Tickets range from $20 to $60.

One man Star Wars
Yep, you read that right. Our inner geeks just have to see this. This guy--Charles Ross--does a one man Star Wars trilogy. He plays everyone from R2 to Obi-Wan to Vader-- with no props. Not even a light saber! There are a bunch of shows tonight through Sunday. $25.

Movies
The nominations are out and it's time to check the Oscar winners off your list. Frost/Nixon just opened at The Spectrum. They're also showing Slumdog Millionaire.

Not nominated, but possibly worth a look this weekend--JCVD. The Saratoga Film Forum is showing this meta flick that takes you inside the mind of Jean Claude Van Dam. Think John Malcovich with more muscle. $6.

Wing Wars
The Capital Region's chicken wing smackdown is this weekend in Troy. From bbq to buffalo, restaurants from all over the region will compete at for the "best wings" title at the Franklin Plaza ballroom. $20 gets you in on the action. Here's more info.

Learn to make pasta
Forno Bistro in Saratoga is offering classes in pasta making this weekend. Saturday and Sunday at 11am. $35

Jewlery Making
Stay warm and get crafty with a free jewelry-making class at Lotus Beads in Delmar on Friday from 6-8. You can bring or buy your own materials. This weeks lesson--wire-wrapped earrings.

Ice-skating
It's still only a buck (plus skate rental if you need it) to ice-skate at Albany's Swinburne Park. The rink's open from 3-10 p.m. Friday, and from 12:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m/10 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

See a play
There's some pretty good theater going on in the Capital Region right now.
Capital Repertory Theatre's Biggest Little International Play Festival began this week with the regional premiere of The Oxford Roof Climbers Rebellion. It's a fictionalized story of the friendship of poet Robert Graves and T.E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) that began at Oxford University after WWI. There's pre-show entertainment and post-show champagne and dessert on Friday.

There's also "The Dining Room" at Curtain Call Theatre in Latham. It's A.R. Gurney's look at all the things that happen around one dining room table.

And The Actor's guild in Saratoga Springs is getting good reviews for their production of Wendy Wasserstein's "The Heidi Chronicles." You can catch it Saturday and Sunday at The Dee Sarno Theater at the corner of Broadway and Spring Street in the Spa City. $15

Beware! The Other Head of Science
The Goodship folks and Revolution Hall have set up another great night of music tonight with The Restys, Barons in the Attic, Face Removal Services and Beware! The Other Head of Science and others. Things get underway at 8:30. The whole night is only $5.

Don't Worry Be Happy
Yeah, that's the song Bobby McFerrin will always be known for, but he's a super talented musician and improviser. He'll be improvising and making music at EMPAC Sunday night at 8. Tickets range from $15 to $50 depending on where you want to sit and whether you're part of the RPI community.

Also at EMPAC this weekend, new music--from the 17th century. Apparently when Galileo and the 17th century Italian scientists were doing their radical thing, musicians were at it too. The new early-musical ensemble Quicksilver presents a concert of avant-garde music from the 1600's tonight at EMPAC. Tickets range from $5 to $15.

photo: Flickr user Sebastien.b