4 things to check out this weekend

Go see a play or two

Two plays will be featured at the University of Tennessee this weekend. Homebound: A Play for Nobody debuts Friday, Feb. 7 at 8 p.m. in the Clarence Brown Theater. Written by UT student, Brock Ward, this play tells the story of a girl who struggles with mental illness and looks to overcome the challenges that it presents. The Whipping Man, a play about a Jewish Confederate soldier who finds his home in ruins after the Civil War, will be showing at 7:30 p.m. in the Carousel Theater. Both plays will also hold performances on Saturday and Sunday.

Support the Vols against South Carolina

Coming off a heartbreaking 64-60 loss from Vanderbilt, the University of Tennessee Men’s basketball team returns home to play South Carolina at 3 p.m. on Saturday in the Thompson Boiling Arena. Currently, the Volunteers stand at 14-8 overall and 5-4 in the SEC as the battle for a spot in the NCAA tournament continues.

Cultivate Your Artsy Side at First Friday

Love is in the air at this month’s first Friday. The Tennessee Theatre will feature a backstage tour and a photo booth with Valentine’s Day props and costumes where guests can take pictures with their loved ones. Other exhibits include “Afghanistan: Unordinary Lives”, a collection of photographs that show what life was like in this country from 2003 to 2009 and various paintings by Christi Shields, a local Knoxville artist, will be shown. For a full list of galleries, visit http://knoxvillefirstfriday.com/.

Watch weiner dogs race on the ice

It will probably be as cute as it sounds. These Daschunds will take a ride on the ice when the Knoxville Ice Bears take on the Pensacola Ice Flyers Sunday, Feb. 9, at 7:30 p.m. at the Knoxville Civic Colosseum. Prizes will go to the doggies with the best skating skills.

Edited by Nichole Stevens