Unique Highlight:
Atlanta has quickly become one of country’s most loved and popular family travel destinations, and the addition of the new Legoland Discovery Center opening in March of this year will heighten the choices that families and hobbyists will have in our beloved city.
The attraction will include a 4D cinema, Lego rides and exhibits. This weekend you can watch the competition vie for the job of Master Model Builder at the new Legoland Discovery Center Atlanta.
First auditions take place in front of a panel of judges at the Atlanta Marriott Buckhead Hotel from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Jan. 7. Final 10 will compete at Phipps Plaza from 2-4 p.m. Jan. 8
Source: Atlanta Access
FRIDAY
Stage: “Becky’s New Car” introduces audiences to Becky Foster, a modern day American everywoman stuck in middle age and middle management with no prospects for change. It’s the latest production from Georgia Ensemble Theatre and runs through Jan. 22 at the Roswell Cultural Arts Center.
Music: Pianist Dejan Lazic joins Robert Spano and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra for Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5 (“Emperor”). The orchestra also performs Elgar’s Symphony No. 1. Performances at 8 p.m. Jan. 5-7 at Atlanta Symphony Hall.
Stage: “The New Adventures of the Gingerbread Man,” from Atlanta’s All Hands Productions, weaves together several well-known folk tales. Catch it at the Center for Puppetry Arts through Jan. 22.
Stage: “The Kindness of Strangers” compiles seven short plays by five Atlanta writers that explore the life of Tennessee Williams and the themes of his work. It runs Jan. 6-8 at Lionheart Theatre Company in Norcross, then moves to the Academy Theatre in Avondale Estates Jan. 12-15.
Performing arts: “Odysseo” is an equestrian ballet that is a lavish blend of multimedia and performing arts. From one of the co-founders of Cirque du Soleil, the show just extended its run under the big tent near Spring and 8th streets through Jan. 15. Check out our review of the show.
Holiday: The Atlanta Botanical Garden celebrates the holiday season with Garden Lights, Holiday Nights, a dazzling show that features nearly 1 million lights crafted into displays inspired by nature. The show runs through Jan. 7.
Exhibition, religion: “Passages” is a traveling exhibition of the world’s largest private collection of rare biblical texts and artifacts. It continues at the Perimeter Expo in Dunwoody through May 13.
Holiday: “Winter Wonderland: Celebrations & Traditions Around the World” explores the ways different cultures mark the season, It continues through Jan. 8 at Fernbank Museum of Natural History.
History: “Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing: How the Apollo Theater Shaped American Entertainment” is a multimedia exhibition that spotlights the New York City landmark’s powerful impact on the entertainment business. It continues through March 4 at the Atlanta History Center.
Visual art: The High Museum of Art explores some of the highlights of the art of the 20th century with “Picasso to Warhol: Fourteen Modern Masters.” The show runs through April 29. See our review.
SATURDAY
Stage: Atlanta Shakespeare Company continues its chronological run through the Bard’s comedies with a preview of “The Merchant of Venice” on Jan. 7 (all tickets $15). The show continues through Jan. 29 in repertory with “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” at the New American Shakespeare Tavern in Atlanta.
Music: Singer-actor Mike Geier and his Kingsized Orchestra keep the memory of the King alive with “Elvis Royale,” one of their annual tributes. These Presley-themed evenings are among the city’s most entertaining shows of the year. At 8:30 p.m. Jan. 7 at Variety Playhouse.
Music: Olivia Tremor Control began in Louisiana, but the psychedelia-infused indie rock outfit has been an Athens institution since the early 1990s. The band plays the EARL on Jan. 7.