THE ESSENTIAL A&E PICKS FOR FEB 16 - 22 

New World Shakespeare Company: Macbeth
"Oh if I were a man," laments Lady Macbeth in William Shakespeare's famous tragedy Macbeth—and according to Megan Chase, co-director of New World Shakespeare Company's production, that sensibility of "how strict gender roles shape and drive the actions of the characters" is part of what makes it an ideal choice for helping support the Utah transgender community.

For more than a decade, New World Shakespeare Company has made it a point of emphasis to encourage non-traditional casting by age, race, gender and body type in its productions—"to give everyone the chance to inhabit the roles and tell the stories that have survived the test of time," as their press release puts it. Additionally, the company chooses to focus on a particular charity appropriate to the theme of the play; for Macbeth, that charity is the National Center for Transgender Equality.

"Gender roles and trans issues are currently at the forefront of culture wars," Chase says. "The health and safety of trans gender individuals are under threat across the country. Here in Utah, we see this with recent, disgraceful banning of gender affirming healthcare for trans youth. With this in mind, we felt it was important to bring attention to trans rights at this critical moment."

New World Shakespeare Company's Macbeth runs through Feb. 19 at St. Paul's Episcopal Church (261 S. 900 East), with performances Feb. 16-18 at 7:30 p.m. and Feb. 19 at 3 p.m. Tickets are $20; masks are required throughout performances, and attendees are requested to be fully vaccinated. Visit newworldshakespeare.com for tickets and additional event information. (Scott Renshaw)

• Courtesy Photo

The Future of Refugees in Utah Symposium
The issue of immigration remains a political football, often tangled up in thinly-veiled racism, Islamophobia and other anxieties. Yet there remains a (sometimes deliberately) confusing conflation between legal immigration from refugee populations and illegal immigration, often making it difficult to focus on the real challenges of people coming to America with language and cultural barriers, and how they can best be fully integrated into local communities.

The Utah Council for Citizen Diplomacy presents "The Future of Refugees in Utah Symposium," an event welcoming global experts to address real questions involving refugee resettlement. With a focus on the vetting process of refugees, the benefits refugees contribute to host communities, and how host communities and refugees can work together to strengthen integration and opportunity, this symposium is a unique opportunity to bring people together to hear about the latest research and policy initiatives, examine the intersectionality of these topics, and explore possible solutions.

Scheduled speakers include: Sarah Cross, U.S. State Department Deputy Assistant Secretary for Population, Refugee and Migration; Eskinder Nagash, President and CEO of U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI); Jennie Murray, President and CEO of National Immigration Forum; and Aden Batar, Director of Migration and Refugee Services at Catholic Community Services.

The Future of Refugees in Utah Symposium takes place at the Utah Cultural Celebration Center (1355 W. 3100 South, West Valley City) on Thursday, Feb. 16 from 1 p.m. – 5: 30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public, but registration is required. Visit utahdiplomacy.org for a link to registration, and additional event information. (SR)

• Courtesy The Blocks SLC

All-Star Weekend Activities
In case you're not particularly attuned to the sports, the Feb. 17-19 weekend marks a pretty big national showcase for Salt Lake City, as the (still for the time being) Vivint Arena and the Utah Jazz play host to the 2023 NBA All-Star Game and its attendant festivities. Even if you don't have tickets to any of the big showcases—the main game or any of its secondary events like the Rising Stars Game or Skills Challenge—there are still ways to get into the spirit of the thing.

Among the officially NBA-sponsored side events is the GRIT Rail Jam, scheduled for Feb. 17-18 at the Gateway's Olympic Legacy Plaza. Focused on snowboarding in an urban environment, a Rail Jam showcases athletes jumping up and sliding down handrails, walls or ledges that plunge down concrete steps or other city architecture. Competitors will be judged based on overall impression through crowd engagement and level of difficulty for the tricks. Visit nba.com/jazz for more information.

Meanwhile, Downtown SLC presents Central at the Gallivan Plaza (200 South and Main St.) Feb. 17-19 from 1 p.m. – 10 p.m. daily. The all-ages event provides a showcase of local music, food and art, including immersive sculptural installations, food trucks, S'more pits for making your own treats, and live music performances. Also at The Gateway, Gallery X (33 N. Rio Grande St.) features art-exhibits, kid-friendly interactive experiences, celebrity guests and science & technology workshops; for the evenings of Feb. 17-18, it will become a lavish nighttime experience. Visit thegalleryexperience.com for tickets and additional information. (SR)