Baton Rouge area arts and cultural events for April 26 | Entertainment/Life

‘A Refugee’s Origin’

The Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge’s Shell Gallery will open “A Refugee’s Origin by K.T.Ho” on April 27 at the Cary Saurage Community Arts Center, 233 St. Ferdinand St. The show runs April 27 through May 29, and there will be a reception at 6 p.m. May 1.

The show is a mixed media exhibit exploring Vietnamese Diaspora, colonial legacy and survival.

Admission is free. Visit artsbr.org/shell-gallery.

At Sullivan Theater

Tickets are on sale for Sullivan Theater’s production of Ray Cooney’s farcical comedy, “Run for Your Wife,” opening May 1 on its stage at 8849 Sullivan Road, Central.

Tickets are $28-$34. Visit sullivantheater.com.

Deadline approaching

Time is running out for photographers to submit their best shots to the Louisiana State Parks 2027 Calendar Photo Contest. The deadline is May 1 for amateur and professional photographers’ submissions.

Winning images that capture and share the natural beauty, wildlife, outdoor adventure and rich history found across Louisiana’s State Parks and State Historic Sites will be featured in the official 2027 Louisiana State Parks promotional calendar. The grand prize winner will receive a $1,000 Louisiana State Parks gift card and have their photo featured on the calendar cover. Twelve additional winners will each receive a $250 gift card and be showcased throughout the calendar.

For more information, visit lastateparks.com/2027-calendar-photo-contest.

At the Old Mansion

The Old Governor’s Mansion, 502 North Blvd., will host “Baton Rouge: The Road to Statehood,” a presentation by Natasha Whitton, at 5:30 p.m. April 30. Whitton is an associate professor of English and humanities at Baton Rouge Community College and was selected as a faculty fellow by The Great Questions Foundation.

The lecture will be delivered on the 214th anniversary of Louisiana’s statehood, and will explore how Baton Rouge has become the political, cultural and economic center it is today.

Admission to the museum is free. visit laogm.org.

At Baton Rouge Symphony

Tickets are on sale for the next performances in Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra’s “Concerts in the Cosmos” series, “Vibrant Voyages: A Concert in the Cosmos Exploring Land, Sea, and Space,” at 7:30 p.m. on both April 29 and April 30 in the Pennington Planetarium at the Louisiana Art & Science Museum, 100 S. River Road.

Tickets are $40-$60. Visit brso.org. 

At Mid City Civic Theatre

Tickets are on sale for Mid City Civic Theatre’s inaugural production, Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing,” opening June 12 on its stage at 7155 Florida Blvd.

Tickets are $20-$40. Visit midcitycivic.org.

Dance concert

Tickets are on sale for LSU’s 2026 Dance Concert and Physical Theatre Showcase at 7:30 p.m. May 1-2 at the Shaver Theatre in the LSU Music & Dramatic Arts Building, Dalrymple Drive.

Tickets are $12-$17. Visit lsu.edu/cmda/events/index.php.

At Playmakers

Tickets are on sale for Playmakers of Baton Rouge’s production of “Newsies Jr.,” opening June 3 in the Reilly Theatre, 10 Tower Drive, LSU campus.

Tickets are $20-$30. Visit playmakersbr.org.

NASA camp at LASM

Registration is open for the Louisiana Art & Science Museum’s NASA Astro Camp for students in the fifth through eighth grades set for July 8-10 at the museum, 100 S. River Road.

Cost is $325. A $75 nonrefundable deposit due at booking. Visit lasm.org.

Take XII festival

Tickets are on sale for LSU’s Take XII Film Festival at 2:30 p.m. May 3 in the Shaver Theatre in the LSU Music & Dramatic Arts Building, Dalrymple Drive.

Tickets are $12. Visit lsu.edu/cmda/events/index.php.

Presence Fest

Presence Fest, a community-driven arts and worship experience, will take place from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. May 30 in Scotlandville Plaza, 8551 Scotland Ave. The Presence Fest brings together live gospel music, visual art and local entrepreneurship in one immersive outdoor environment.

Admission is free. Visit presencefest.com.

Astronomy Day

The Louisiana Art & Science Museum, 100 S. River Road, will host Astronomy Day from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. May 3, with programming inspired by Astronomy Day and a special focus on mythology and stories found in the stars. Admission is free, along with a special $5 rate for unlimited shows at the Irene W. Pennington Planetarium.

The museum also is showing “Then, and Now, and Always: The Art of Nick Bustamante,” through July 19 in its SoupCon Gallery.

Visit lasm.org.

At the Old Capitol

Louisiana’s Old State Capitol, 100 North Blvd., is showing “Bought For A Song: A Young Nation Expands,” featuring the Louisiana Purchase agreement, signed by Napoleon Bonaparte, through July 11. This exhibit is on loan from the National Archives in celebration of America’s 250th anniversary. 

The museum also is showing “Japanese War Brides: Across A Wide Divide,” through June 13, exploring the story of more than 45,000 Japanese women who immigrated to the United States after World War II and how their bold passage reshaped communities across the country.

Admission is free to all events. Visit louisianaoldstatecapitol.org.

Shakespeare Festival

The Louisiana Shakespeare Company’s second annual Louisiana Shakespeare Festival will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 9 at Capitol Park Museum, 660 N. 4th St.

Admission is free. Visit lashakes.org.

Acadian exhibit

The Council for the Development of French in Louisiana is supporting Franco Fine Arts Exchange and its upcoming group exhibition, “Acadian Looking Glass,” through May 31 at Cité des Arts, 109 Vine St., Lafayette.

The show features work by more than 15 Acadian artists representing Acadiana, the United States and Canada.