All Over Albany

Stuff to do this weekend

Hibernation is for the bears.

You've got a whole weekend in front of you, so if you're looking for something to do, check out our list after the jump. Planning something that isn't on the list? Tell us about it.

And whatever you're up to, have a great weekend.

Potted Potter
Potted Potter continues this weekend at at Proctors, a two-man stage show parody of the Harry Potter story. "All seven Harry Potter books in seventy hilarious minutes." Blurbage:

Potted Potter takes on the ultimate challenge of condensing all seven Harry Potter books (and a real life game of Quidditch) into seventy hilarious minutes. This fantastically funny show features all your favorite characters, a special appearance from a fire-breathing dragon, endless costumes, brilliant songs, ridiculous props and a generous helping of Hogwarts magic!

A NYT reviewer said the show's "flavor is Monty Python meets vaudeville." Friday-Sunday various times - $45 and up

Theater

Race
Race -- David Mamet's drama about three attorneys, two black and one white, charged with defending a man accused of a crime against a black woman -- opens this weekend at Capital Rep. The production stars local actor/director Kevin Craig West. Friday at 8 pm, Saturday at 3 pm and 8 pm and Sunday at 3 pm $20-$60

Dracula
Director Steve Fletcher presents Dracula at Curtain Call Theatre. Friday at 8 pm, Saturday at 8 pm and Sunday at 3 pm - $23.

Comedy

Spontaneous Broadway
Mop and Bucket Company's Spontaneous Broadway season opens on Friday night, underground at Proctors. Using only suggestions from the audience, the improv company makes up an entire Broadway musical. Friday 8 pm - $14 Adults, $6 Students & Seniors

More improv
Mop & Bucket opens a weekly short form improv comedy show on Saturday night at The Comedy Works on Northern Blvd. in Albany. Think Whose Line is it Anyway. 8 pm - $15-$20.

Wine and Dine for the Arts
The Albany Chefs' Food and Wine Festival runs through Saturday. Events include tastings, a rising star chefs event, the slider slam, and a barista competition. Tickets are available on online -- but some events are already sold out, be sure to check.

Hattie's 12th Annual Mardi Gras
Hattie's is hosting its annual Mardis Gras party at the Canfield Casino in Saratoga. New Orleans-style menu by Chef Jasper Alexander, along with music, dancing, a silent auction and more. Funds benefit the NYC Ballet at SPAC. Saturday 6pm - 10pm - $100

Monster Jam
A "date with destruction" -- Monster Jam -- is back at the TU Center this Friday and Saturday. Big trucks, lots of crushing. 7:30 pm - $22 and up / some $12 kids seats

Roller derby
The Albany All Stars open a new season Saturday against the Assault City Roller Derby (Syracuse) at the Washington Ave Armory. Hot Cousin will be playing during intermissions. first whistle at 7 pm - $10 ahead / $12 at the door / kids under 12 $4

Hockey
+ The RPI men's hockey team has two games this weekend at Houston Field House: Friday vs Colgate (a special Autism Awareness game), and Saturday vs Cornell. both games 7 pm
+ The Union men's team also has two home games lined up -- an inverse of RPI's weekend slate: Friday vs Cornell, and Saturday vs Colgate. both games 7 pm

Music

Friday: Jesse Cook at The Egg
New-school flamenco/jazz guitarist. 8 pm - $29.50

Friday: Sgt Dunbar and the Hobo Banned at Valentine's
Release show for a new EP -- Sgt Dunbar plans to release a new EP each month this year. With: Bear Grass, Breakfast in Fur. 9 pm -

Friday: Lake Street Dive at Helsinki Hudson
"A string band with soul." 9 pm - $15 ahead / $18 day of

Friday: Brother Sun at Caffe Lena
Trio of folk veterans. With: Robin O'Herin. 8 pm - $18

Friday: Jimkata at Red Square
Electro-rock. 8 pm

Saturday: Brown Bird at Helsinki Hudson
Indie folk/roots duo. With: Joe Fletcher. 9 pm - $12 ahead / $15 day of

Saturday A Far Cry at Troy Music Hall
A self-conduction orchestra of 17 young professional musicians that, according to the New York Times "brims with personality or, better, personalities, many and varied. 8 pm - $15-$39

Sunday: Joe Lovano Us Five at The Egg
Ace jazz saxophonist with a band that includes Esperanza Spalding. 7:30 pm - $29.50

Sunday: Pierce and Grace Pettis at Caffe Lena
Father and daughter, contemporary folk. 7 pm - $18

Museums
If you're looking to get out of the house and see something different, you've got some great local options at museums.

State Museum
+ This weekend is the last chance to see the "1934: A New Deal for Artists" exhibit. There are tours on Saturday at 1 pm and 3 pm.

+ Curator of birds Jeremy Kirchman is giving a walking tour of the museum's large bird collection Sunday from 1-2 pm.

Phoenix
If you go to MASS MoCA, look for the new exhibit "Xu Bing: Phoenix," which opened in late December.

MiSci
This is the last weekend to catch the model train exhibit at MiSci (formerly The Schenectady Museum) and you can catch a planetarium show while you're there. You can only see the trains from noon to 3 pm.

Someday is Now
A new exhibit featuring work by Corita Kent opens at the Tang Museum at Skidmore on Saturday. The Tang is open noon-5 pm on Saturday and Sunday.

Art or Evidence
This show at the Mandeville at Union College features the work of international photojournalist Gilles Peress, from the conflicts in Northern Ireland, Iran, Rwanda and Bosnia. Here's more on the exhibit. 10 am to 6 pm Friday through Sunday. Free.

Movies
The Saratoga Film Forum is screening Holy Motors this weekend. This quirky film by director Leos Carex has been described as a "crazy-beautiful reverie about movies, love, the love of movies, and the inevitability of human melancholy." French with English subtitles. Friday at 7:30 pm and Sunday at 3 pm at the Saratoga Arts Center $7; $5 for Film Forum members and students.

See the Oscar nominees
You can see most of the best picture nominees here in the Capital Region right now. Hey, treat yourself to a double feature. And get the big popcorn.

Ice skating
With cold but sunny conditions, this should be a great weekend to hit the ice skating rink at the ESP. Regular hours are 11 am-8 pm. Here are other ice skating spots around the Capital Region.

From Scratch Club swap
The popular From Scratch Club food swaps are starting back up for the new year. There's a swap in Troy on Sunday -- and a few spots have opened up for swappers. There are also a handful of "swap curious" tickets available. Tickets are free, but there's a $4 suggestion donation to help cover event costs. 4-6 pm

Volunteer
For many people this will be a three day weekend, and President Obama has declared Martin Luther King Day a national day of service. If you're looking for ways you can serve your community this weekend, here's a website that might help.

Brunch
There are lots of great options for catching up with friends over a boozy brunch on a cold winter morning/afternoon -- a few current favs --Iron Gate, City Beer Hall, Cafe Madison.

Sold out
+ The Festival of Manliness at Brown's is sold out.
+ The Carl Bernstein talk at the Carey Center is sold out.

Capital Rep, Proctors, and Troy Music Hall advertise on All Over Albany. AOA is a media sponsor for the Albany All Stars.

photo: Geraint Lewis