WEEKEND ROUNDUP: Big Freedia, Stripsgiving, Roller Derby and more

Heads up, artsy queens. The newly formed Artsong Repertory Theater Company — a group you should add to your keep-an-eye-on list — is debuting this weekend with Dial L For Liebeslieder, a stylish crime drama that seeks to bring obscure forms of classical music to the masses.

Star and group founder Cory O’Niell Walker says the untraditional production breathes new life into Brahms’s romantic “Liebeslider Waltzes” — short songs using German poetry and prose as text and inspiration — by merging it with “the mystery and glamour of 1940s and 50s film noir.” In this case, the film in question is Hitchcock’s 1954 classic Dial M for Murder. Lovers of that era will also recognize the tunes of George Gershwin, which, O’Niell explains, “highlights musical elements of the Brahms’ “Liebeslieder Waltzes” that audiences would not normally be aware of. It also keeps things light, and offers some familiar music for those not as well-versed in classical song.”

The entire program is in German, but he says “familiar archetypal characters help get the audience past the language barrier.” O’Niell plays anti-hero Maurice Baxter, “a wealthy, self-made man who comes from a music family trust fund.” The femme fatale, played by soprano Cara Latham, is his love interest, who just so happens to also be married to his investment banker. (Cue: dum, dum, dummmmm!)

The show starts tonight, Fri., Nov. 1 and runs through Sat., Nov. 2. For more information and ticket links, go here.

Catch the corset-werking Notorious OMG hosting Happy Stripsgiving at Tabu.

FRIDAY

• 12th Street Gym trainer Noe Espinoza leads a monthlong circuit-training course that benefits MANNA
• The Goddess Isis and Notorious OMG host Happy Stripsgiving at Tabu
• Channel your inner roller derby diva at Knock Down, Drag Out
• The Welcoming Committee’s Guerilla Queer Bar series takes over The Plough and the Stars
• It’s CUTN PASTE time at the Bike Stop
• British singer-songwriter Jessie Ware takes the stage at TLA
• Catch Theatre Exile’s Cock, for one more week only

Crazy coifs abound at City of Hope’s annual Fantasy Hair Competition at Voyeur. Photo courtesy of William Thomas Cain.

SATURDAY

• Stir Lounge hosts noFILTER: A no-theme, no-drag and no-genre night of music
• Don’t miss the fierce hair competition at Voyeur Nightclub
• LiCK hosts Vixens and Vagabonds Queer and Kinky Cabaret: Stuffed
• A new Mr. and Miss Northeast Black America will be crowned at William Way
• Last chance to see Curio’s lesbian spin on Romeo & Juliet
• Get steamy at ICandy’s Seductive Saturday

All hail Big Freedia. She’s coming to this month’s NSFW.

SUNDAY

“Queen of Bounce” Big Freedia headlines the NSFW Dance Party