Get Out: Mardi Gras and Musicals

We’re not in New Orleans, but that doesn’t mean we don’t know how to celebrate Fat Tuesday. Cranberry Patch has searched high and low for your lineup of weekend party events. Now the only question is, Do you have your Mardi Gras beads ready?

1.  The Boys Next Door

When/Where:  1:30 p.m. Sunday at The Comtra Theater on Route 19 in Cranberry Township.

Why Go: Be entertained for a good cause. The play is about four mentally disabled men who live in a group home. Proceeds benefit the Mental Health Association of Butler County.

Price: $15 for advance tickets and $20 at the door.

2.  Kids Night In – Parents Night Out

When/Where: 7 to 10 p.m. Friday at the  on Rochester Road.

Why Go: You deserve a night of fun ... and so do the kids. Adults will celebrate Mardi Gras with margaritas. Children, kindergarten through fifth grade, will have pizza, a craft, a game in the gym, a movie and some Wii time. Whew! We’re exhausted just thinking about it. Participants are welcome to dress in Mardi Gras finery, but sneakers are a must.

Price: $10 for residents and $15 for nonresidents.

3.  Ice-Skating Show

When/Where: 7 p.m. Monday, March 14, at the North Park Ice Rink in the North Hills. There also will be a show, Monday, March 7, at the South Park Ice Rink.

Why Go: You learned the moves, now show them off. The Allegheny County Parks Department will play host to a free ice-skating show featuring park instructors' students showcasing their new skills.

Price: Free

 4.  Little Shop of Horrors

When/Where: 7:30 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. Sunday at .

Why Go: To see the talented Seneca Valley students sing to a carnivorous plant in the school's version of the campy classic.

Price: $6 to $8.

5.  Mardi Gras at the Hotel Saxonburg

When/Where: 7 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday at The Hotel Saxonburg on historic Main Street in Saxonburg.

Why Go: Break out the beads! The hotel is celebrating Mardi Gras with Cajun cuisine and live Dixieland music.

Price: The cost of food and drinks.