To most of us, the word “opera” conjures up bored and wealthy patrons, in black tie or pearls, suffering through incomprehensible screeches: in short, nothing like a good time.

She wants a new car. And in getting a new car, she finds a new life.

Though it has been 37 years since Moses Pendleton, co-founder of Pilobolus Dance Theater, created MOMIX, the company of self-described dancer-illusionists, they continue to be in a league of their own in terms of true dance innovation, as proven in their recent performance of “Opus Cactus” at the Wharton Center in Lansing.

There is no art form better suited to expressing romantic love than classical ballet. And in “Wild Sweet Love,” Grand Rapids Ballet’s glorious season opener, the company shows its range and skill as an ensemble as well as tremendous individual artists exploring the many facets of romance and ballet itself.

Sunday night, the Grand rapids theater community rallied together for the last Grand Awards at Fountain Street Church. Coming out dressed to the nines, loud and full of joy, everyone was there to have a good night.

Seats were filled at the opening night Wednesday of “The Most Spectacularly Lamentable Trial of Miz Martha Washington” - or “Miz Martha” for short - produced by Ebony Road Players, Grand Rapids’ self-proclaimed black theater company.

After nearly every song in a musical there’s a bit of an applause, normally a few seconds at most. At last night’s performance of Love Never Dies, its title song earned far more than just a few seconds, and rightfully so.

The Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestra brought to life its second classical performance of the season on Friday night.

Before Broadway musicals were spectacles full of pyrotechnics or made meaningful critiques through a social justice lens or turned popular jukebox hits into extended dance parties, they were pretty, lovely, dreamy, funny escapes for a certain theater-going audience who wanted such things. They were full of big dance numbers and pretty costumes and silly characters who sang songs that made patrons leave the theater humming to themselves, maybe even a little lighter in step.

To be audience to “iLuminate: the most fun you’ll ever have in the dark” is to know you’re in the presence of a gimmick. But as far as gimmicks go, it is pretty fun.