TGIF — SuperShow, Ebb and Flow, and more coming up

If you've ever settled in for the evening with a glass of wine and a good book, you know the inspiration behind a new venture: Books on Tap, a social book club, brainchild of the Cape Girardeau Public Library staff and hosted by Ebb and Flow Fermentations at 11 S. Spanish St. in downtown Cape.

The library has had a book club in the past, adult services director Whitney Burton said.

"We looked at ways to make it more interesting or enticing," Burton said, and she approached chef DeWayne Schaaf, owner of Ebb and Flow. "We're excited to be partnering with someone who's also excited about what we're doing, and hopefully give people a bit more awareness of what he's doing with his business as well."

Schaaf said the book club is right in line with the atmosphere and dynamic he wants to build at Ebb and Flow.

"We wanted to use it as a space of conversation, and I like that they're going to use it as such," Schaaf said of the book club.

In the European tradition, Schaaf said, a bar was certainly a place that served alcohol, but it was more of a community center, a place where patrons could congregate and catch up with one another.

"We're going for a place for people to come in, not be distracted by electronics, and connect person to person," Schaaf said, adding if any other groups of this nature are looking for a place to meet, Schaaf is looking to grow that aspect of the business.

Burton said the revamped book club's first meeting is about getting to know each other and discussing the format.

"The staff member who will run this has a couple of ideas to shake this up," Burton said. "Maybe people wouldn't necessarily all read the same book, but might read from the same genre. But if people want the more traditional book club format, we could do that. We've been brainstorming ideas."

Food and drink will be available for purchase at the event, beginning at 7 p.m. Thursday. The library's Adult Services has more information: (573) 334-5279, ext. 113, or as@capelibrary.org.

Top Picks

Photographer Linda Hutson is this month's featured artist at the Conservation Nature Center, 2289 County Park Drive in Cape Girardeau. Admission is free during regular center hours. More information: (573) 290-5218 or mdc.mo.gov/southeastevents.

Laughing Gas Comedy will host comedians James Johann and Gabe Kea tonight and Saturday. Ticket information at (573) 803-3003 or n2ocomedy.com.

If you're a professional wrestling fan, you're in luck. From 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday, WWE Live: SuperShow is coming to the Show Me Center, 1333 N. Sprigg St. in Cape Girardeau. Scheduled matches include Daniel Bryan vs. Universal Champion "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt, Roman Reigns vs. King Corbin, Seth Rollins vs. Erick Rowan, and SmackDown Women's Champion Bayley and RAW Women's Champion Becky Lynch will also be featured. Doors open at 6 p.m.; parking charges apply. Tickets and more information: showmecenter.biz or (573) 651-5000.

Auditions

R.A.D. Studio's spring performance will be two one-act shows, performed together: "Aesop's Fables: The Musical" by Gerald P. Murphy and "Bastien and Bastienna" by Wolfgang Mozart. Auditions are set for this coming week, on two nights: 7 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday at "The Landing," Centenary United Methodist Church, 300 N. Ellis St. in Cape Girardeau.

Show dates are set for March 27 and 28.

Audition forms are available from the studio. Actors should print and bring a copy to audition. Headshot recommended.

More information: facebook.com/RADstudioscape or radstudioscg@gmail.com.

Looking ahead

Women veterans of any artistic ability level are invited to participate in an art class led by woman veteran artist Yvonne Neal, set for 2 to 4 p.m. Jan. 28 at the Eagles Post 3775, 321 N. Spring St. in Cape Girardeau. This event is organized by the John J. Pershing VA Medical Center.

RSVP Martinie Franks, VA women veterans program manager, at (573) 779-4398, by Jan. 24.