A guide for arts and cultural entertainment for the entire family

Visual Arts

Chuck Close, Up Close: See the work of American photorealist and screenprinter Chuck Close up close at Buckhead’s Alan Avery Art Company. Opens March 7. Free. alanaveryartcompany.com

Romare Bearden: A Black Odyssey: Romare Bearden’s collage and watercolor series at the Carlos Museum bridges the classical mythology of Homer and African-American culture. January 24 through 26 features free live readings of “The Odyssey” by Atlanta actors and special guests. Closes March 9. $6 to $8. carlos.emory.edu

Once The Musical

Following in the Bartrams’ Footsteps: Atlanta History Center’s Kenan Research Center exhibits contemporary botanical art and maps depicting the plants discovered by the Bartram family while exploring the American colonies from the 1730s to 1790s. Opens March 19. Free. atlantahistorycenter.com

Undertone: Orly Genger’s ambitious Modernist knotted rope sculptures decorate SCAD Atlanta’s Gallery See, along with a selection of recent drawings and cast wall sculptures. Closes March 23. Free! scad. edu

Blind Handshake: This solo exhibit at Marcia Wood Gallery features works by David Humphrey, whose paintings, sculptures and drawings have been known by critics for their “surreal sexiness, postmodern snap and painterly discrimination.” Closes March 29. Free. marciawoodgallery.com

SCORE: Artists in Overtime: The Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia (MOCA) explores the parallels between art and sports – strategy, timing and spectators – in this exhibit featuring paintings, installations and design objects. Closes March 29. Free. mocaga.org

Splendor: The Work of Jim Waters: Forty-five reflective 16-point stars are displayed in the High’s latest exhibition of this Atlanta-based artist who uses the reflective properties of light to create color. Tuesday through Sunday. $12 to $19.50. high.org

Stars Fall on Atlanta: The Premiere of Gone With the Wind: Get a closer look at the events surrounding the 1939 world premiere of “Gone With the Wind” in Atlanta at this special exhibition at the Margaret Mitchell House. Daily. $8.50 to $13. gwtw. org

Performing Arts

Once: Winner of eight 2012 Tony Awards including Best Musical, “Once” at the Fox Theatre tells the story of a Dublin street musician who’s about to give up on his dream when a beautiful young woman takes an interest in his haunting love songs. March 4 through March 9. $30 to $75. broadwayinatlanta.com

We’ll Always Have Paris: Robert Spano and Jeffrey Khaner reunite to present the ASO debut of Jonathan Leshnoff’s Flute Concerto along with a Paris-themed program of Ravel, Debussy and Mozart. March 6. $24 to $75. atlantasymphony.org

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street: Capitol City Opera presents Stephen Sondheim’s chilling and suspenseful masterpiece musical of murderous barber-ism and culinary crime at the Conant Performing Arts Center at Oglethorpe University. March 7 through March 9. $30 to $40. ccityopera.org

St. Vincent: Following a year-long sold-out tour and a critically acclaimed album collaboration with David Byrne of the Talking Heads, St. Vincent returns on the heels of releasing her self-titled album in February. March 8. $25 to $28. tabernacleatl.com

Faust: In Gounod’s operatic retelling of the famous legend, an elderly scholar sells his soul to the devil Méphistophélès for a chance to seduce the beautiful Marguerite. March 8 through March 16. $26 to $140. atlantaopera.org

So Coco: Theater meets fashion in this view behind the runway inspired by fashion icon Coco Chanel played by Park Krausen at The Goat Farm Arts Center. March 13. $35 to $50. theatredureve.com

Shrek the Musical: Shrek the ogre leaves his home to rescue a princess in this family-friendly one-act show inspired by the popular book and film. Closes March 16. $20 to $35. alliancetheatre.org

Rachmaninoff Vespers: Immerse yourself in the awe-inspiring sonorities of Rachmaninoff’s striking chords as Atlanta Master Chorale performs this timeless work. March 15. $25 to $30. atlantamasterchorale.org

Maple and Vine: This play at Actor’s Express follows a 30-something New York couple struggling in their marriage until they meet a man who offers an alternative lifestyle – a planned community dedicated to living every minute of every day as if it were 1955. Opens March 19. $15 to $40. actors-express.com

Modern Choreographic Voices: See the works of some of today’s most sought-after contemporary choreographers, including Ohad Naharin, Alexei Ratmansky and Tara Lee, in the Atlanta Ballet’s production at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre. March 21 through March 23. $20 to $120. atlantaballet.com

Bach Birthday Bash with the Georgia Boy Choir: Atlanta Baroque Orchestra invites the Georgia Boy Choir to Peachtree Road United Methodist Church for a concert of Bach’s great masterworks in celebration of his 408th birthday. March 22. $10 to $25. atlantabaroque.org

Race: In this new play from David Mamet, two high-profile lawyers — one black, one white — are called to a court case where blatant prejudice is as disturbing as the evidence at hand. Closes March 23. $15 to $50. truecolorstheatre.org

Weather Rocks!: From a newsroom in the clouds, five energetic meteorologists tell the audience all about the weather with sunny melodies ranging from rock to gospel in this en”lightening” puppetry musical. Closes March 23. $16.50. puppet.org

Tanz Farm Series 3: The third of four shows in the gloATL Tanz Farm series features a performance by Austin McCormick and Company XIV at The Goat Farm Arts Center. March 27 through March 30. $15 to $25. gloatl.com.