Jackie Greene, 9 p.m., Friday, Gothic Theatre, 3263 S. Broadway, Englewood. Tickets start at $20. Information: gothictheatre.com. Details: Jackie Greene has come a long way since cruising the open stage circuit in Sacramento as a teenager. Since the release of his first solo album “Gone Wonderin’” in 2002, Greene has established himself as a skilled songwriter and lyricist. His show at the Gothic Theatre this weekend will likely combine the intimacy of a coffeehouse performance with the professionalism of an accomplished recording artist. Greene will hit Denver as a solo artist after backing up the Black Crowes on an international tour in 2013.
“American Mixtape,” Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Garner Galleria Theatre, Denver Center for the Performing Arts, 1101 13th St., Denver. Tickets start at $36. Information: 303-893-4100 or denvercenter.org. Details: The Second City improv troupe out of Chicago is legendary. Just look at a brief list of the company’s successful alums from the past 50 years: Dan Aykroyd, Tina Fey, John Candy, Steve Carell, Stephen Colbert, etc., etc. The Second City theater is a go-to source for cast members for “Saturday Night Live,” and it has trained some of the most successful comedians of the past five decades. With that in mind, it’s always a treat to catch the young troupe members when they’re still in their formative stages. The upcoming “American Mixtape” touring show will spotlight some of the Second City’s most promising young members. The show about dating, romance and love will offer Denver audiences a glimpse of performers who very well may be headed for an international stage.
“Lobby Hero,” Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Vintage Theatre, 1468 Dayton St. Tickets start at $26. Information: 303-856-7830 or vintagetheatre.com. Details: There’s something exciting about seeing a gritty cop thriller play out live on stage. The taut drama “Lobby Hero” by Kenneth Lonergan adds a more immediate dimension to the run-of-the-mill detective story. When it debuted in 2001, critics raved about the show’s intriguing plot and compelling characters. The show revolves around Jeff, a security guard drawn into a high-stakes murder investigation. The case draws in a wide cast of players, including a young rookie cop who has to drill down beyond loyalties and procedure to get to the heart of the case. The nuanced plot would fit into any number of popular TV cop shows, but the difference here is format. It’ll be tough for audiences watching the case unfold on the Vintage Theatre stage not to feel invested.
Colorado Renaissance Festival, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, 650 W. Perry Park Ave., Larkspur. Tickets for adults are $19.95, children ages 5-12 are $9. Information: 303-688-6010 or coloradorenaissance.com. Details: Colorado’s long-running renaissance festival has attracted tens of thousands of visitors thanks to its knights, maidens, kings, queens and torso-
sized turkey legs. The fair runs on weekends through June and July but today is the festival’s opening day and it’s worth jousting traffic to get to the festival this weekend. (See what we did there?) The festival consistently wins awards for being family friendly and fun every year, and considering it’s in Larkspur is just the right drive from the metro area to escape the mania without being too far away.
“Discovery Zone,” Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Denver Museum of Nature and Science, 2001 Colorado Blvd., Denver. Information: 303-322-7009 or dmns.org. Details: The new Discovery Zone exhibit at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science is all about making learning immediate for young visitors. The new exhibition includes a Dinosaur Gulch section, an interactive water feature, a science kitchen and an outdoor clubhouse-themed performance area. The space on the museum’s second level combines outdoor exhibition space with indoor displays, and it all opens this month. That combination is bound to engage the interest of the youngest museumgoers. Admission prices start at $13.