There is no shortage of things for BYU students to do the evening of Friday, Feb. 14. Whether you have a sweetheart, you’re hoping to meet someone or you’d rather forget about the holiday altogether, Provo has something for everyone this Valentine’s Day.
Performances
Hamlet
BYU’s Young Company is performing a skateboard-themed version of Shakespeare’s tragic play Hamlet on Valentine’s Day at 7 p.m. in the Nelke Theatre. The play, which was adapted and directed by BYU professor Teresa Love, features modern context with the original Shakespearean dialogue. Tickets are $8 and can be purchased from the Harris Fine Arts Center box office or through the BYU Arts website.
Living Legends
Living Legends will perform their annual show in the de Jong Concert Hall on Friday at 7:30 p.m. According to the BYU Arts website, Living Legends “captures the essence of ancient and modern culture in a panorama of Latin American, Native American, and Polynesian song and dance.” Tickets are $13 for the public and $9 per student and can be purchased at the box office or online.
Deep Love: A Ghostly Rock Opera
For a slightly spookier Valentine’s Day celebration, Velour Live Music Gallery is hosting a rare performance of “Deep Love: A Ghostly Rock Opera.” Critically acclaimed by The New York Times, the show tells the story of a widow named Constantine who is haunted by her deceased husband’s undying love. The plot unfolds “entirely through continuous, haunting music; blending traditional melodies with rock and roll,” according to the event’s Facebook page.
There will be two performances, a seated show at 6:30 p.m. and a standing show at 9:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 for the earlier show and $15 for the later show and can be purchased via Velour’s website.
“Funeral attire is recommended,” the event page says.
Facets of Love
BYU Opera will present its annual Opera Scenes performance on Feb. 14 at 7:30 p.m. in the Madsen Recital Hall. The performance will include some of the most iconic love scenes from opera repertoire, including music from Mozart, Puccini, Strauss and Leonard Bernstein.
Additionally, this year’s performance will include scenes written by student composer CJ Madsen from “He Shall Prepare a Way” — a full-length opera based on the first seven chapters of the Book of Mormon. Tickets can be purchased at the Harris Fine Arts Center box office or online at byuarts.com.
Cougarettes in Concert
This year’s Cougarettes in Concert carries special significance as Jodi Maxfield prepares for retirement after 30 years as the dance team’s head coach and artistic director.
“What you see (the Cougarettes) do at a typical basketball game is only a small portion of what they’re capable of doing,” Maxfield said. “That’s why we love presenting our concert every year, it gives us the opportunity to really display all of the artistry and genres that they excel in.”
The show will begin at 7:30 p.m. at the Covey Center for the Arts in Provo. Tickets are $15 for the public and $12 for students and can be purchased via a link on the BYU Cougarettes Instagram page.
Parties
Love Struck
Night Owl Utah is throwing a semi-formal Valentine’s Day dance party at the Bright Building, a popular wedding and event venue in downtown Provo. The party goes from 9 p.m. to midnight and music will be provided by DJ Suspence. Tickets are $9 per person or $15 per couple and can be purchased via a link in Night Owl Utah’s Instagram page.
Traffic Light
Provo’s weekly dance party venue, Afuego Friday, is throwing a Valentine’s Traffic Light dance party for singles and couples alike on Feb. 14. According to the official event page, guests will be given colored pins and glow sticks according to their relationship status: green means single, yellow means “maybe” and red means taken.
The event promises ballads throughout the night and chocolate and roses for the first 100 ladies to arrive. Doors open at 9:30 p.m. and tickets are $12 and can be purchased from Afuego’s website.
The Heartbreaker
Provo Social, a local event and party planning group, is throwing a college dance party at the Experience Event Center. According to the event’s webpage, the party will feature dancing, DJs, energy drinks, speed dating and date-night giveaways. Guests are encouraged to wear pink, red or white. General admission tickets are $10 and VIP entrance is $20, which includes free energy drinks and access to the VIP stage. Tickets can be purchased on Nightout.com.
Other Festivities
The Music Man
The 1962 film adaptation of Meredith Willson’s classic Broadway musical, “The Music Man,” will be shown on the evening of Valentine’s Day as part of the Harold B. Lee Library’s Winter Film Series. The film stars Shirley Jones as Marian the Librarian and Robert Preston as Harold Hill. Free and open to the public, the showing to celebrate “Love Your Library Week” starts at 7 p.m. in the Alice Louise Reynolds Auditorium on the first level of the HBLL.
LOVEBUGS at FatCats
Provo’s FatCats is offering a Valentine’s Day special all day on Feb. 14. Until 9 p.m., guests receive one game of bowling, shoe rental, unlimited soft drinks, a holiday treat and a raffle ticket for $12. A craft table will also be set up where guests can make a valentine for The Children’s Hope Foundation or Support Our Troops. From 9 p.m. to 1 a.m., guests pay $14 for an hour of bowling plus all of the earlier deal’s treats and add-ons.
Reservations are required and can be made on the event’s Eventbrite webpage.
Chef Alexander Pop-Up
Fine French cuisine will be served for one weekend only by Chef Alexander, an Orem native who has recently returned from Paris after working and training at a restaurant called Maison under one of Paris’s most iconic chefs, Sota Atsumi. The Valentine’s Pop-Up will take place in Alexander’s childhood home, transformed to look and feel like Paris’s Maison.
“Food enjoyed at its highest level also includes a breathtaking union of art, music and above all, the warm feelings of home and family,” Alexander said. The 8-course dining experience costs a flat rate of $50 per person. the menu and reservations can be found at Eventbrite.com.
Ginormous Book Signing
Over 100 authors will gather on the evening of Valentine’s Day for “the ginormiest of the ginormous book signings,” the event’s Facebook page says. The event is part of the Life, the Universe and Everything Symposium and will feature authors signing books as well as books for sale. The event will be held at the Utah Valley Convention Center and is free and open to the public.
