Best bets: 'Outside Mullingar,' 'Hairy Man' and much music

Renegade goes 'Outside Mullingar'

In "Outside Mullingar," a play by John Patrick Shanley ("Doubt"), Anthony and Rosemary live at neighboring farms in rural Ireland. Love and land feuds are a-swirl in Renegade Theater Company's dark comedy. The play, which was nominated for a Tony Award, was on Broadway for about two months in early 2014.

"Outside Mullingar" stars Jody Kujawa, Julie Ahasay, Jack Setterlund and Jessica Saxton. Mary Fox directs. It's is part of Zeitgeist's "Year of the Womxn."

Renegade Theater Company's "Outside Mullingar" is at 7:30 p.m. March 1-3 and March 7-9 and 2 p.m. March 3 at Teatro Zuccone, 222 E. Superior St. Tickets: $20 general admission, $16 students and seniors at www.zeitgeistarts.com .

Big Wu back with new album

Rock/funk band Big Wu returns with a new album, 14 years after the last - not that they haven't been playing here there and everywhere. The band claims to have played more than 1,700 shows. "We Are Young We Are Old" was recorded in Minneapolis and has all the band's signature extendo dance-in-the-grass moments. The Big Wu has back-to-back shows in Northern Minnesota.

The Big Wu plays at 8 p.m. March 1 at Red Herring Lounge, 208 E. First St. Tickets: $10 at www.eventbrite.com; Big Wu plays at 9:30 p.m. March 2 at Papa Charlie's, 467 Ski Hill Rd., Lutsen, Minn. Tickets: $8 in advance at lutsen.com.

Rethinking radio

Postmodern Jukebox is heading toward 2020 with firm footing in the past with its "Welcome to the Twenties 2.0 Tour." The show, created by Scott Bradlee, reinvents pop songs by artists like Michael Jackson and Britney Spears, songs like "Video Killed the Radio Star" by the Buggles and "Chandelier" by Sia, according to a recent review in the Buffalo (N.Y.) News.

Postmodern Jukebox's "Welcome to the Twenties 2.0 Tour" is at 8 p.m. March 3 at the NorShor Theatre, 211 E. Superior St. Tickets: $59 at www.jadepresents.com , in person at the Duluth Playhouse box office or by calling (866) 300-8300.

Carrie Nation & the Speakeasy plays Spurs

Carrie Nation & the Speakeasy is one of those bands that feels like it leans on the right side of rowdy. The folk-punk group with roots in Kansas includes both banjo and a brass section does a bunch of song-slinging that calls for fast-footwork and beard sweat. Makes sense that they claim both Dust Bowls and barbershop quartets as influences.

Carrie Nation & The Speakeasy plays at 10 p.m. Feb. 28 at Spurs on First, 109 W. First St.

Swamp things

"Wiley and the Hairy Man" is the story of a boy, his dog - and the creepy creature who keeps cropping up. Wiley decides to face his fear in the Tombigbee Swamp. While en route to outwitting the scary Hairy Man, he meets a bunch of other swamp creatures.

Wise Fool's production of "Wiley and the Hairy Man" is at 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays March 1-9 and 2 p.m. March 10 at Lincoln Park Middle School Auditorium, 3215 W. Third St. Tickets: $15-20 adults, $15 students/seniors, $10 children 12 and younger. Sunday matinee is pay what you can. Visit www.wisefooltheater.com .

Rock+Classical

Charles Yang, a violinist with classical roots who also has a way with, say, "Bohemian Rhapsody," will perform with Peter Dugan, a pianist, for Matinee Musicale's upcoming concert.

The Wall Street Journal has described the lineup as "a classical-meets-rockstar duo."

Yang recently won Leonard Bernstein Award. As for Dugan, the San Francisco Chronicle described him as "fearlessly athletic."

Matinee Musicale's Charles Yang and Peter Dugan perform at 7:30 p.m. March 5 at Weber Music Hall. Tickets: $25 at www.matineemusicale.org .