Maryland’s Greivis Vasquez {thanks, AP}

1. ACC Tournament
(Thursday-Sunday on RAYCOM and ESPN): If you’re not hardcore enough to travel to Greensboro, N.C., to see if Gary Williams’ Terps can win their first ACC tourney since 2004, I guess you’ll have to tune in on TV. The downside: Duke players won’t be able to hear your boos. MATT VENSEL, B

2. ARTBus Tour
Six hours on a bus is rough, no matter your destination. But we make an exception for the annual Evergreen Museum and Library’s ARTBus, with artist/indie curator Jason Hughes leading an insidery look at the rising stars of Baltimore’s arts scene. Stops include AREA 405 and the H&H Arts Building, and feature artist and gallery owner meet-and-greets and chances to buy artwork. Originates Saturday from Evergreen (4545 N. Charles St., Charles Village) at 9:30 a.m., returns at 4 p.m. $80 (also includes box lunch, snacks and receptions). museums.jhu.edu or 410.516.0341. JORDAN BARTEL, B

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Samrawit Belai (left) and Sydney Kleinberg in “This Girl I Used to Know” {thanks, RICH RIGGINS}

LADIES NIGHTS
Grrl Parts
University of Maryland Baltimore County
Grrl Parts, an annual showcase that used to go by the unfortunate name IN10, specifically commissions new roles for actresses. And they get some juicy parts this time around. Award-winning “Weathertician” explores media power in a future where voters decide the weather; “This Girl I Used to Know,” a provocative retelling of the Arachne myth, is about a hard-edged college student and her mysterious roomie; and darkly comic “The One, the Other,” which shines with playwright Phyllis Nagy’s unique grasp on language. 4 p.m. free performance Thursday for UMBC students, faculty and staff; 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 4 p.m. Sunday. 1000 Hilltop Circle. $10; $5 students. umbc.edu/arts.

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Work by Val Lucas of Bowebox in Ellicott City {thanks, Val Lucas}

handy work ‘American Craft Council Show’
BALTIMORE CONVENTION CENTER
A big reason we love this show (now in its 34th year) is that we in no way could ever glaze a bowl to perfection, knit a scarf anyone will love or design a necklace we’d actually feel good about giving someone.

So, yeah, we don’t attempt anything artistic. This is the chance to live through the craftiness of others.

More than 700 of the nation’s top crafters show off their goods during the four-day show.

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Harvard alum Caitlin Vincent is the founder and general director of The Figaro Project {thanks, CAITLIN VINCENT}

When a city’s arts community is rocked by recession, it takes people such as Caitlin Vincent to keep things going. Vincent, 25, a Seattle native — and Harvard alum — who graduated last year from the Peabody Institute with a master’s in vocal performance, is the founder and general director of The Figaro Project. It’s an opera showcase attempting to thrive in the same atmosphere that led to the bankruptcy of the Baltimore Opera Company last March. Before The Figaro Project’s premiere, a performance of “A Night at the Opera” on Friday, we chatted with Mt. Vernon resident Vincent over e-mail about getting her Project off the ground, writing her own production and why we should (yikes) enjoy opera.

How did The Figaro Project come about?
The Figaro Project was originally conceived as a way to provide performing opportunities to emerging opera singers. Dozens of opera companies have closed recently because of the economic crisis, and young singers have been hit especially hard by the lack of opportunities. Although The Figaro Project was clearly a way to help young vocalists promote their careers, I realized that it was also a chance to fill a void in the current arts scene. I also wanted The Figaro Project to present opera in a way that would be accessible and affordable to everyone.

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The Black Eyed Peas boom boom pow into the future {thanks, Dimitri Danloff}

1. Black Eyed Peas at Verizon Center
They got that boom boom pow, them chickens jackin’ their style. Oh, sorry. The song is just so catchy! Hear it live — and all those other great Black Eyed Peas songs you love! — at the Verizon Center Tuesday night at 7:30. Tickets start at $49.50. AUBREY FORNWALT, B

2. Olympic men’s ice hockey gold medal game
We won’t know who’s playing in this game until later in the week, but there’s a reason that it’s the final gold medal event of the 2010 Winter Olympics: This is the Games’ premier event. Don’t miss it. 3:15 p.m. Sunday, WBAL-21 NBC. MATT VENSEL, B

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nathan a. cooper and christopher ashworth in “playing dead” {thanks, Single carrot}

from russia with love ‘Playing Dead’
SINGLE CARROT THEATRE
There’s a little model U.N. action happening over at Single Carrot.

Working with Towson University and the Center for International Theatre Development’s New Directors-New Voices Project, leading Russian playwrights are setting up shop in Baltimore.

In the Presnyakov brothers’ acclaimed “Playing Dead,” a 30-something slacker makes his living by “playing dead” in not-always accurate police murder reconstructions.

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A scene from “President’s Day”: Abe will honestly kill you {thanks, Chris LaMartina}

Abraham Lincoln: freer of slaves, wearer of hats, splitter of rails … spiller of brains?

In “President’s Day” (premiering 7:30 p.m. Monday at the Charles Theatre), the newest slasher comedy from local filmmakers Chris LaMartina and Jimmy George, a high-school election turns deadly (as it often does) when someone dressed as the 16th president begins dispatching candidates.

Democracy in action!

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Lorie Ros before her “Rusty Musician” performance {thanks, TRACEY BROWN}

The BSO recently invited amateurs to play alongside orchestra musicians as part of its “Rusty Musician” program. Lorie Ros performed in Tuesday’s concert; a second Rusty Musicians performance is Thursday at the Music Center at Strathmore.

As Maestra Martin Alsop raised her baton, a flood of music poured forth as musicians rusty and otherwise played Tchaikovsky’s “4th Symphony.”

The floor of the stage during the Rusty Musicians performance Tuesday trembled from the percussion and timpani sections, and the air vibrated with outpourings from strings and woodwinds as Alsop conducted. I’ve watched the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra play before, but being on stage with them was a whole new animal. It was like the difference between watching Ray Rice catch that perfect pass thrown by Joe Flacco and actually catching the ball yourself. Or in my case, like being tackled by Clint Session after barely completing the pass.

I spent most of the evening avoiding looking into the audience; I have the worst stage-fright imaginable. We rehearsed each piece a couple of times, sometimes section by section. Then we performed.
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Glass Mind Theatre members rehearse for “Brainstorm” {thanks, Glass Mind}

newbie ‘Brainstorm’
GLASS MIND THEATRE CO.
At a time when arts groups are scaling back or vanishing altogether, it’s heartening to find one breaking through.

Enter Baltimore’s new Glass Mind Theatre. Formed last October and composed of young city-based artists and recent college grads, Glass Mind is debuting with an intriguing performance. “Brainstorm” is a collection of short plays based on ideas from the community (concepts had to be submitted in 125 characters or fewer via Twitter, Facebook or e-mail).

The winning six submissions were turned into one-act plays, written just last week by local playwrights including Rich Espey, Julie Lewis and Rain Pryor.

Show your support. It’s needed now more than ever. 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Mobtown Theatre, 3600 Clipper Mill Road, Suite 114, Clipper Mill. $10. glassmindtheatre.com.

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Anna Gloth feels the chill at last year’s Polar Bear Plunge {thanks, The Baltimore Sun}

1. Polar Bear Plunge
Support the Maryland Special Olympics and take a dip in the icy Chesapeake waters during the 14th MSP Polar Bear Plunge. Plunging starts 8 a.m. Saturday at Sandy Point State Park in Annapolis. Go to plungemd.com. BRIAN KRISTA, B

2. b Reader Party
Enjoy a night of free music on b. Head to the 8×10 on Thursday and check out 3 Fifths, the rocky/jammy/bluesy Baltimore band, and the superfly Sticky Mulligan. 8 p.m. Thursday. 8×10, 10 E. Cross St. E-mail “8×10” to contests@bthesite.com with your name and number of tickets. Or text “8×10” to 70701 with the same info. ANNE TALLENT, B

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