By Alana Dore, deputy inside editor
Entry of the Week: Sunday, March 1
Although it officially started on Feb. 19, don’t forget to usher in the Year of the Goat with a Lunar New Year celebration of seismic proportions. The Chinese New Year parade in Chinatown will feature lion dances with dancers operating in giant, ornate costumes, drums and fireworks. The parade, comprised of multiple processions, will start at the Chinatown Gate on Beach Street and continue throughout the streets of Chinatown with each procession taking a different path. Be sure to end your celebration by grabbing dim sum at Boston’s famous China Pearl restaurant at 9 Tyler Street. 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.; free.
Thursday, Feb. 26
Little Seer Productions presents “Simon Says” by Mat Schaffer, a theatrical production which explores the scientific links between life and death. Directed by Myriam Cyr, the play depicts one scientist’s study of a young psychic named James who channels an omniscient being that he fondly refers to as Simon. The three-man show aims to guide viewers into a serious conversation about how science plays into the belief behind mortality, fate and free will. Boston Center for the Arts Plaza Theater, 527 Tremont Street; 7:30 – 9 p.m.; $25.
Friday, Feb. 27
The Boston University (BU) Callbacks, a sketch-comedy group formed in 2009, are hosting and competing in a Boston-area,\ sketch-comedy showdown for the ages called Funderdome V: Attack on Sky Juice Citadel. Sketch-comedy is comprised of comedic vignettes exploring a single topic or character. Participating groups including Tufts University’s Major: Undecided, BU’s Slow Children At Play and Brandeis College’s Boris’ Kitchen, have ten minutes to impress the judging audience.Three groups will move on to the second round from which one winner will emerge. Tsai Performance Center, 685 Commonwealth Ave.; 8 – 11 p.m.; $5.
Saturday, Feb. 28
The Guardian calls George Brant’s 2013 fictional play “Grounded” “a must-see,” naming it a Top 10 Play of 2013. This one-woman show starring Celeste Olivia is about how a fighter pilot is kept from the air once her pregnancy is discovered which causes her to question her patriotism. Stick around following the show for a discussion about women in the military with Air Force Veteran Natalee Webb. Presented by the Nora Theatre Company, “Grounded” might be just the thing to put your school stresses into perspective. Central Square Theater, 450 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge; 8 – 10:30 p.m.; $15.
Monday, March 2
Escape the Room, a thrilling and immersive new attraction that literally has you locked inside a room trying to puzzle your way out, has joined USA Network to bring a special experience to the Boston community. For one week only, Escape the Room will offer an themed version of its interactive, team-oriented game to promote USA’s new television show, “Dig.” The event will feature clues, characters and scenarios that give participants a sneak peak at the television show. This event is recommended for anyone who likes puzzles, but not recommended for those with claustrophobia. 33 West Street; times vary; free.
Tuesday, March 3
Stand-up comedian Demetri Martin, best known for his work as a regular performer on “The Daily Show,” is coming to Boston. It’s been a while, but Martin is finally returning to touring. One may remember Martin from his short-lived 2009 show on Comedy Central, “Important Things with Demetri Martin,” or from his more recent Comedy Central special “Standup Comedian,” released in 2012. Martin is best known for his eclectic comedic style, which involves the use of musical instruments, one-liners and drawings on oversized pads of paper. The Wilbur Theatre, 246 Tremont Street; 7:30 – 9:30 p.m.; $37.
Wednesday, March 4
Pascale Lord’s new exhibition A Table ! will open Wednesday at the French Cultural Center to a free reception complete with complimentary French wine. The paintings were inspired by Lord’s childhood and the topics and love shared around the dinner table with her family. These dinner table scenes are commentary on the nature of communication and all are distorted in some way, mirroring the ways in which communication can be disturbed. Stop by the opening to add a little class and culture to your week and leave with insight to bring back to your own dinner table. 53 Marlborough Street; 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.; free.
Photo courtesy Bob Jagendorf, Creative Commons
