1. Launching at Porchlight February 29 is BEST MUSICAL! A Completely Improvised Musical Comedy! Conceived by Machete performer and former Second Citier Matthew Loren Cohen, the cast improvs options for “Best Song from a Musical” off of audience suggestions. The audience votes for at the end of the first act, and the one that wins get a fully-fledged production during act 2.  

2. And The Convert opens at the Goodman on February 25. Written by Danai Gurira, it’s “the first of Gurira’s cycle about Zimbabwe and the Zimbabwean identity.” They’re co-producing the production with McCarter Theatre Center and Center Theatre Group. 

3. News from Black Ensemble Theater: They’ve extended The Jackie Wilson Story through March 18, and they’ll have a Valentine’s Day performance (title: For Lover’s Only (And For People Who Love Themselves) with some of their old standbys doing their thang; Rick Stone, Dawn Bless, RaShawn Thompson, Lyle Miller, Melanie McCullough, David Simmons, Theo Huff, Katrina Miller, Lawrence Williams, Rueben Echoles, Carrie Abernathy, Stori Johnson and Daryl Brooks. It’s at 7:30, and expect to hear covers of Al Green,  Otis Redding and Etta James at their second floor “Love Club”. A $125 ticket for a couple ($65 for a single) gets you free flowing champagne. 

4. Chicagoan comedian Ever Mainard performed a bit about rape (which is funnier than it sounds) and it is doing quite well on the internet. This performance is from the Chicago Underground Comedy on January 31.

5. How To Do Everything producer Blythe Haaga has teamed up with Allison Yolo (these are real names, I believe) to do some sketch at Stage 773. It’s called “Here Goes” and “is a habitually silly, occasionally dark take on the world we live in.” This is just a guess, but if you’ve ever heard Blythe’s segment “Free Blythe” on the podcast, you might get a sense for what this will be like (which is, very funny and potentially with free hot dogs). Every Tuesday at 8 pm during February.

Questions? Tips? Email kdries@wbez.org.