Can’t Miss Alabama: Popular musicals, concerts, other shows
The Tony Award-winning ‘Six the Musical’ will take the BJCC Concert Hall stage through Feb. 16. (Joan Marcus)
American Theatre Guild presents ‘Six the Musical’
From Tudor queens to pop icons, the six wives of Henry VIII take the microphone to remix 500 years of historical heartbreak into a celebration of 21st-century girl power. “Six” includes flashing lights, strobe effects, theatrical haze and loud music throughout. The Tony Award-winning, electrifying new musical was written by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss. The production is part of the 2024-25 Broadway in Birmingham Series and will take place at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex (BJCC) Feb. 11-16. Buy tickets at broadwayinbirmingham.com, bjcc.org and ticketmaster.com. For more information about “Six,” visit sixonbroadway.com.
The Tony Award-winning ‘Six the Musical’ will take the BJCC Concert Hall stage through Feb. 16. (Joan Marcus)
Katt Williams’ Heaven on Earth Tour
With a career spanning more than 20 years, comedian Katt Williams will perform Saturday, Feb. 8, at the BJCC. Williams has performed thousands of sold-out shows and has starred in small-screen roles and major box-office hits. The show begins at 8 p.m.
Black History Month events and attractions
Black History Month offers multiple entertainment and educational opportunities:
- The Legacy Sites consist of The Legacy Museum, The National Memorial for Peace and Justice and the Freedom Monument Sculpture Park in Montgomery. Link here for the sites’ operating hours.
- Civil Rights Landmarks Driving Tour in Huntsville. To book a tour, call 256-658-6900.
- Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- The Scottsboro Boys Museum, open Wednesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Scottsboro.
- Southern Museum of Flight, open Tuesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Birmingham.
- Africatown Heritage House, open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Mobile.
- Rosa Parks Museum, open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., in Montgomery.
Mobile Symphony Orchestra
Just days before the international holiday for romance, the Mobile Symphony Orchestra (MSO) offers a musical Valentine with modern romance Saturday, Feb. 8, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Feb. 9, at 2:30 p.m. at Mobile’s historic Saenger Theatre. The concert is a thrilling blend of Philip Glass’ contemporary timpani concerto with Prokofiev’s dynamic “Romeo and Juliet.” MSO’s principal timpanist Laura Noah is one of the featured soloists, along with the acclaimed Peter Ferry. Tickets can be purchased online at mobilesymphony.org, by phone at 251-432-2010 or at the symphony box office.
UAB events
Performances include:
- Feb. 7: A Night with the Aeolians. The Alabama Symphony Orchestra (ASO), conducted by Maestro Carlos Izcaray, joins forces with The Aeolians of Oakwood University under the direction of Jeremy Jordan. Students who comprise The Aeolians come from all disciplines and connect through the power of music. In a poignant closing concert of the 2025 Momentum Symposium, the ASO and Aeolians partner in celebrating Black history with Birmingham native Brian Nabors’ original composition “Concerto for Hammond Organ, Orchestra, Vocal Quartet and Chorus.” The featured soloist will be Reginald Jackson, Ph.D., UAB assistant professor of music and director of the UAB Gospel Choir. This free concert is the culminating event for ASO’s Momentum Symposium, an immersive and collaborative event designed to empower and inspire the next generation of music professionals.
- Feb. 8: Ruben Studdard sings Luther Vandross. “American Idol” winner Studdard teams up with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra and conductor Dr. Henry Panion III in this salute to pop superstar Vandross. With orchestrations by Panion, the show provides a rare chance to enjoy top hits, such as “Superstar,” “A House is Not a Home,” “Power of Love,” “Here and Now,” “So Amazing” and “Stop to Love.”
For upcoming shows on the UAB campus calendar, visit calendar.uab.edu. For events at the Alys Stephens Center and its arts organization partners ArtPlay, AEIVA and Arts in Medicine, as well as the ASO and events presented by the departments of music and theater, visit alysstephens.org/events.
The Aeolians of Oakwood College will perform with the Alabama Symphony Orchestra at ASO’s 2025 Momentum symposium Feb. 7. (contributed)
Alabama Shakespeare Festival presents ‘The Watsons Go to Birmingham’
Ten-year-old Kenny chronicles the events of a fateful summer for the Watson family of Flint, Michigan. Momma and Dad decide it’s time for Kenny’s teenage brother to have a lengthy stay with strict Grandma Sands in Birmingham, and the family heads south — toward a deadly, defining moment in American history. On Feb. 8, at 12:45 p.m., there will be a free behind-the-scenes look at the work on stage and the art of theatre. The production is underway through Feb. 23. The elevator is out of service. For more information, contact the Alabama Shakespeare Festival Box Office in Montgomery at boxoffice@asf.net or call 334-271-5353.
Kami-Con
Birmingham is set to welcome more than 10,000 attendees for Kami-Con, a three-day convention that celebrates Japanese culture, gaming, anime, comics, television and movies. Celebrating its 16th year, Kami-Con is Feb. 7-9 at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex. Known for its immersive and interactive experience, Kami-Con will feature a packed schedule of events, including fan panels, live music performances, fashion shows, gaming tournaments, wrestling exhibitions and dodgeball matches. This year’s theme, Kami-Con: Starfall, brings a lineup of celebrity guests including Disney animator Gary Trousdale and renowned voice actors AmaLee, Brandon McInnis and “My Hero Academia” cast members. Fans can also meet Rodger Bumpass, the Emmy-nominated voice behind Squidward in “SpongeBob SquarePants” among musical artists such as DemonDice, TeddyLoid and The Living Tombstone.
