5 things to do this weekend, including a Black queer play and a free day at the Gardner Museum

We’ve successfully made it through the first month of 2025! It may have felt a little long and challenging with oaths of temporary sobriety and fulfilments of New Year's Resolutions, but we did it. Now is a great time to celebrate with some local arts events, and there’s plenty happening this weekend, from a Black queer play to a valentine craft crawl.

Head to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum for free this Thursday. Along with a walkthrough, guests can celebrate Lunar New Year. Artist and educator Rayna Lo will teach attendees how to create intentional traditional Chinese calligraphy characters. U-NA and ALMA VATYA will perform a fusion of Korean traditional and American Delta blues music. Shuo Zhang will play the erhu, a Chinese two-stringed bowed instrument. Gabrielle Niu, assistant curator of the collection and exhibitions, will give a gallery talk on the museum’s Asian art collection. The events will run from 3-9 p.m., so if you’ve never seen the Gardner in the dark, now is your chance!

The Theater Offensive will present Black, queer, horror, love story “The Best Part of the Night is Black” this weekend. The play follows a couple in their seemingly haunted one-bedroom apartment as they navigate grief and loss. After the show on Friday, there will be a story circle where Black queer and trans community members will share their own stories of discovering love after loss. Following Saturday’s performance, playwright UGBA will chat with Paul Glass and Charles Evans — a couple who were separately at The Stonewall Riots — about “the resilience of Black Queer relationships navigating HIV/AIDS and beyond.” Tickets are free.

Tess Saoirse Dance Company and Collective Moments Dance Company come together to present a show navigating difficult and timely topics, including mental health, neurodiversity, negative self-talk and suicide. The show at The Dance Complex has been in the works for two years with separate dance pieces that connect to the larger themes. Tickets are $25 to $35. Those who cannot attend in person can purchase livestream tickets for $15 to $20. [Check out our winter dance guide for more performances.]

Crafters and anyone who loves a hands-on activity can head to Newton for crafting events happening at businesses across the city. Attendees can make slime palettes with glitter, heart confetti and pinks and reds at Creation Station for $22. Guests looking for something sweet can decorate fresh fortune cookies at Third Space Kitchen for $20. The Auburndale Community Library will host free valentine card-making. Visit All Over Newton’s website for a full list of participating businesses.

The Beacon Hill Civic Association and the Museum of African American History will host a night dedicated to abolitionist and author William Cooper Nell. Educator and storyteller Regie Gibson will engage in spoken word surrounding Cooper Nell’s dedication to the education and freedom of Black Americans while Eastern Mass. Youth Ensemble and City Strings United sing spirituals and contemporary works connecting past and present social movements. Tickets are $7 for kids and $15 for adults.