This week in Wichita: What’s going on April 8-14

Gridiron, the annual stage show put on by local journalists that pokes fun at local and national newsmakers with sketches, songs and satire, opens Thursday and runs through April 16. The “Saturday Night Live”-style performances, which will take place on the Orpheum Theatre stage, parody news events from the past year to raise money for journalism scholarships. It’s put on by the Kansas Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, and this year, the Saturday-night show will include a food truck rally in the parking lot north of the Orpheum. The theme is “The Farce Awakens,” and cast members include Wichita Eagle veteran Bonnie Bing and KNSS radio host Ted Woodward.

Details: Doors open 7 p.m., show time 8 p.m. Thursday-April 16, Orpheum Theatre, 200 N. Broadway. $24-$32. wichitagridiron.com

A modern-day spin on “Mister Rogers Neighborhood,” “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood” is an animated children’s show that also has a live touring show. It will make a stop at Wichita’s Orpheum Theatre on Saturday. The television series has been nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award and won the 2015 Parent’s Choice Gold Award. The live show, an interactive musical, will be centered around the themes of friendship, helping others and celebrating new experiences.

Details: Doors open 2 p.m., show 3 p.m. Sat., Orpheum Theatre, 200 N. Broadway. $30-$40. 316-263-0884, www.wichitaorpheum.com

Although Willie Nelson won’t be joined by buddy Merle Haggard, who was originally scheduled to join Nelson for this concert before Haggard’s death earlier this week, Nelson will still take the stage on Tuesday at Hartman Arena. Nelson, a country music legend known for hits like “On the Road Again” and “Mamas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys,” will be joined by Jamey Johnson and Americana artist Ryan Bingham. During his six-decade career, Nelson has released more than 200 albums and has been nominated for six Grammys.

Details: Show 7 p.m. Tue., Hartman Arena, 8151 N. Hartman Arena Drive. $35-$125. 316-744-8880, www.hartmanarena.com/events

Comedian and actor Adam Ferrara, known for his roles on “Rescue Me,” the U.S. version of “Top Gear” and “Nurse Jackie,” will be in Mulvane on Thursday performing his stand-up routine, which consists of relatable observations from everyday life. Ferrara has been nominated twice for best male stand-up comedian by the American Comedy Awards and has filmed three specials with Comedy Central.

Details: Doors open 6:30 p.m., show 7:30 p.m. Thu., Kansas Star Casino Event Center, 777 Kansas Star Drive, Mulvane. $20-$30, 21 to enter. 316-719-5000, www.kansasstarcasino.com/events/adam-ferrara

Friends University’s Concert Choir will perform “The Music of Nature,” an ode to nature and mankind. Rolaine Hetherington, director of the Friends University Concert Choir, will lead the show, which will include music from Charpentier and Copland.

Details: Doors open 7 p.m., show 7:30 p.m. Mon., Sebits Auditorium, 2100 W. University St. $9, $6 for seniors and students. 316-295-5677, www.friends.edu/events/concert-choir-concert/

The 46th annual watch and clock show and sale is on Saturday, and antiques fans and collectors will fill the Sedgwick County Extension Center for the event, which will feature various watches, clocks, fountain pens, pocket knives, music boxes and other antiques. Bubba’s Nekked BBQ will be selling food during the event.

Details: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat., Sedgwick County Extension Center, 7001 W. 21st St. North. Admission $2. 620-782-3531, www.wawcc.com

The Wichita Symphony Orchestra will be joined by its chorus, the Friends University Singing Quakers and four operatic soloists, including opera star Samuel Ramey, for a 200-voice-strong performance of Verdi’s “Requiem” this weekend. It’s the last classics concert the symphony will perform this year. A free concert talk, in which concertgoers can learn more about the music being performed, will happen one hour prior to show time in the Century II Concert Hall.

Details: Doors open 6:45 p.m., show 8 p.m. Sat., doors open 1:45 p.m. show 3 p.m. Sun., Century II Concert Hall, 225 W. Douglas. $10-$67. 316-267-7658, wichitasymphony.org/events/verdi-requiem

Get a taste of the big city with the Heart of America Men’s Chorus performance of “Curtain Up! A Salute to Broadway.” The show, put on by the 30-plus-member chorus, will include songs from famous Broadway shows like “Jersey Boys,” “Pirates of Penzance” and more.

Details: Doors open 6:30 p.m., show 7 p.m. Sat., doors open 4 p.m., show 4:30 p.m. Sun., Newman University, 3100 W. McCormick. $15, $5 for students. 316-708-4837, hoamc.org

Jazz fans and film buffs will gather Sunday at the Wichita Art Museum for live music paired with a rare film screening of a documentary about midcentury jazz. The museum is partnering with the Wichita State University Jazz Festival and the Tallgrass Film Association for the event, which will include live jazz and a screening of “The Jazz Loft According to W. Eugene Smith,” a documentary that highlights the height of bebop jazz through the eyes of Smith, a Wichita native who moved to New York to record and photograph jazz musicians in the 1950s and 1960s. Brunch available for purchase.

Details: Brunch 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sun., Muse Cafe, 1400 Museum Blvd. Film screening 2 p.m., free admission. 316-268-4973, www.wichitaartmuseum.org

From dark country to kinetic punk, the Yawpers, a Denver-based trio, cover a range of genres. The group is making a stop in Wichita on its tour promoting its newest album, “American Man.” Concertgoers can expect the Yawpers to perform some of their hits, like “Doing It Right, “Burdens” and “Deacon Brodie.”

Details: Doors open 8 p.m., show 10 p.m. Fri., The Elbow Room, 1507 E. Pawnee. $8.

The Sunflower Cluster Dog Show is actually three shows in one location and draws entries from across the U.S. More than 110 breeds of dogs will be shown during the five days, from the Affenpin to the Yorkshire terrier. Admission is free.

Details: 9 a.m.-finish Fri.-Mon., Kansas Pavilions, 1229 E. 85th St. North, Valley Center

This story was originally published April 8, 2016 at 9:04 AM with the headline "This week in Wichita: What’s going on April 8-14."