Performing Arts : Featured Stories

Failure is a part of life. It's unavoidable, and -- when it comes to our creative endeavors -- it's often even necessary. Yet the word itself is a taboo. People are afraid to share their failures with the world. But not the Failure Support Group. They'll be at Baltimore's 8th Annual Transmodern Festival this month, and they want to expose failure. The more gruesome, the better. Because only once we talk about our failures can we learn from them and help others learn from them, too.

It's one of the east coast's largest comedy venues and it's growing fast -- right here in Maryland. Owner Andrew Unger has positioned Magooby's Joke House for an impressive run.

It's that back-to-school time of year with colleges and universities around the city welcoming the class of 2014. It's hard enough for new students to find their way around campus, much less around a new city. So, we've come up with a guide that'll help the newbies -- and even returning students -- get around town to grab a bite or have some fun.

We've rounded up three choice entertainments this week that'll take you from Thursday through the weekend! A contest pitting local chefs against one another to create the best app around, a dance performance from the Baltimore Song Project, and a weekend of yucks and improvisations at the Creative Alliance.

This week it's a performance Wednesday by students from the 58 real-life Schools of Rock located around the U.S. Ranging in age and background, these amazing All-Stars play over 60 dates a year at theaters, festivals and the nation's top music venues. On tap this weekend is Open Space Arts' Summer Playwrights' Festival held at the group's outdoor theater in Reisterstown, MD.

It's a great week for pint-sized partiers and crab lovers. Center Stage will become Party Animal central with a carnival pre-show and rock-n-roll show. Baltimoreans (heck all of Maryland) loves blue crabs. To celebrate its first anniversary, the B&O American Brasserie is hosting its first annual Crab Bash. Seven chefs competing to create the best crab dish -- and it's all for a good cause! Sounds like a good time!

Now that Artscape has come and gone, it's time to focus your attention on other artistic pursuits. There's Whartscape, of course, but if you'd like to try something with air conditioning step on over to the BSO as the orchestra celebrates two sons of Baltimore -- Frank Zappa and Philip Glass -- while showcasing Baltimore beatboxer, Shodekeh. We've also compiled a list of the areas outdoor movie venues for those who love watching great flicks under the stars.