Fifty Shades of Grey did for middle-aged women what the Harry Potter series has done for young children: finally made reading fun again. The series has sold more than 30 million copies and has a long-awaited movie adaptation in process. Not since the Twilight series has a work of literature so successfully combined PG-inspired ideas of raunchy sex with mediocre writing below the reading level of a Nancy Drew novel. But hey, it’s hard to argue with those numbers. It’s the kind of success that begs for parody, which 50 Shades! The Musical is happy to provide. The exclamation mark is a refreshing break from more half-hearted attempts at satirical S&M. A hit and earner of a four-star review at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, 50 Shades! The Musical premieres at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday and runs until January 11 at the AT&T Performing Arts Center, 2403 Flora St. Tickets start at $45. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit attpac.org.
Wed., Jan. 8, 7:30 p.m.; Thu., Jan. 9, 7:30 p.m.; Fri., Jan. 10, 7 & 10 p.m.; Sat., Jan. 11, 2, 5 & 8 p.m., 2014