Winter Blast
The annual weekend event dedicated to frosty fun returns to downtown Royal Oak’s Centennial Commons this month, offering live music, ice skating, ice sculptures, a zip line, food trucks, kids’ activities, and even a medieval village. Jan. 31-Feb. 2 No cost. Centennial Commons, 221 E. 3rd St., Royal Oak; winterblast.com.
Rod Wave
The singer, songwriter, and rapper first gained widespread fame when his 2019 rap-soul single “Heart on Ice” went viral on TikTok. Wave has gone on to release a new album every year since then, racking up more than 21 billion streams and going toe to toe with Taylor Swift on the Billboard charts in the process. He’ll promote his latest album, 2024’s Last Lap, when he makes a stop at Little Caesars Arena this month. Feb. 1. $64.50+. Little Caesars Arena, 2645 Woodward Ave., Detroit; 313presents.com.
Twyla Tharp Dance: Diamond Jubilee
Emmy Award-winning dancer, choreographer, and author Twyla Tharp celebrates the 60th anniversary of her eponymous dance company with a tour featuring her critically acclaimed work Diabelli, which is set to Beethoven’s notoriously complex Diabelli Variations. The show also features Slacktide, a collaboration between Tharp, composer Philip Glass, and Grammy Award-winning Chicago-based quartet Third Coast Percussion. Feb. 1-2. $30. Detroit Opera House, 1526 Broadway St., Detroit; detroitopera.org.
Kelsea Ballerini
Best known for her chart-topping 2015 single “Love Me Like You Mean It,” the five-time Grammy Award nominee will celebrate the release of her newest album, Patterns, when she embarks on a national tour with fellow country artists MaRynn Taylor and Maisie Peters. Feb. 4. $45.50+. Little Caesars Arena, 2645 Woodward Ave., Detroit; 313presents.com.
Clue
Inspired by both the enduring board game and the 1985 film starring Eileen Brennan, Tim Curry, and Christopher Lloyd, this hilarious stage production dares audience members to try to solve its central mystery as the characters navigate blackmail, murder, and a host of high jinks at Boddy Manor. Feb. 4-9. $50+. Fisher Theatre, 3011 W. Grand Blvd., Detroit; broadwayindetroit.com.
Come from Away
Based on a true story, this Tony Award-winning musical follows events in the small town of Gander, Newfoundland, after more than 7,000 airplane passengers and crew members were forced to land there on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001. The passengers find themselves embraced as honorary Newfoundlanders by the town’s welcoming residents, forming enduring friendships as they prepare to return home and face the reality of the terrorist attacks. Feb. 11-16. $45+. Fisher Theatre, 3011 W. Grand Blvd., Detroit; broadwayindetroit.com.
Kairos
Ann Arbor’s Theatre Nova will host the world premiere of this new play by Lisa Sanaye Dring. Gina and David find their newly official union tested when a revolutionary medical procedure offers to extend life indefinitely for a small group of patients, leaving the newlyweds to grapple with the weight of love and commitment in a postmortality world. Feb, 14-March 16. $30. Theatre Nova, 410 W. Huron St., Ann Arbor; theatrenova.org.
Father John Misty
Maryland songwriter and vocalist Joshua Tillman dabbles in folk, indie rock, and pop music styles as Father John Misty, a stage persona known for eccentric live performances and satirical, tongue-in-cheek lyricism. He received widespread acclaim with his 2015 concept album I Love You, Honeybear, which explored his relationship with his wife. Feb. 18. $59+. The Fillmore, 2115 Woodward Ave., Detroit; livenation.com.
Justin Timberlake
The singer, songwriter, actor, and former ’NSync member will promote his newest album, Everything I Thought It Was on his Forget Tomorrow World Tour. The release marked Timberlake’s sixth consecutive Billboard Top 5 album in the U.S., with lead singles “Selfish” and “No Angels” marking a return to dancehall form for the artist. Feb. 20. $99+. Little Caesars Arena, 2645 Woodward Ave., Detroit; 313presents.com.
Jessica Kirson
A fixture of New York City’s hottest comedy clubs, this veteran comedian has appeared on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, The View, and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Kirson is also a regular contributor on The Howard Stern Show, where she produces and stars in hilarious prank phone calls. Feb. 22. $34.50+. Royal Oak Music Theatre, 318 W. 4th St., Royal Oak; royaloakmusictheatre.com.
Rinaldo
Handel’s classic baroque opera about a knight’s quest gets a modern-day spin in this riveting production directed by Louisa Proske. While recovering from surgery in a hospital room, a boy finds himself swept away in a fairy tale world of sorcerers, monsters, and magic. As he battles mythical beasts in his mind as the brave knight Rinaldo, the young girl in the bed next to his fights for her life in the real world. Feb. 22-March 2. $30+. Detroit Opera House, 1526 Broadway St., Detroit; detroitopera.org.
Border Crossing: Cirque du Soleil
The legendary Montreal-based entertainment company, will return to Windsor, Ontario’s WFCU Centre Feb. 27-March 2 for five performances of its insect-inspired production Ovo. Crickets, ladybugs, spiders, flies, and butterflies engage in acrobatic feats as they dance, flit, play, and fight amid a vibrant, nature-inspired set that aims to evoke the magical world hidden beneath our feet. Performers don stunningly detailed costumes — some of which reportedly took more than 75 hours each to craft — as they move to a unique, funk-laden score performed by a live seven-piece band. Audiences can also expect incredible props, including a 30-foot mechanical flower that blooms and changes as the performance progresses. $44+ for children; $54+ for adults. WFCU Centre, 8787 McHugh St., Windsor, Ontario; wfcucentre.evenue.net.
This story originally appeared in the February 2025 issue of Hour Detroit magazine. To read more, pick up a copy of Hour Detroit at a local retail outlet. Our digital edition will be available on Feb. 10.
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