Literacy is Key: A Book and Author Affair, sponsored by the Memphis Alumnae Association of Kappa Kappa Gamma, will be held Thursday, Jan. 30, at 11 a.m. at the Holiday Inn University of Memphis, 3700 Central Ave. The program will feature W. Bruce Cameron, Joshilyn Jackson and Molly Crosby. Tickets start at $45; proceeds benefit First Book Mid-South. Visit memphiskkg.org.

Playhouse on the Square will present “Monty Python’s Spamalot” Friday, Jan. 24, through Feb. 16 at Playhouse, 66 S. Cooper St. Buy tickets at playhouseonthesquare.org.

The Greater Memphis Chamber Small Business Council will hold its 2014 program launch luncheon Friday, Jan. 24, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Hilton Memphis, 939 Ridge Lake Blvd. Author and Fidelum Partners founder Chris Malone will present “The HUMAN Brand: How we relate to people, products and companies.” Cost is $40 for members and $45 for nonmembers. Email sevans@memphischamber.com or call 543-3524.

The Buckman Performing Arts Center at St. Mary’s School will present Cuban timba group Tiempo Libre on Friday, Jan. 24, at 8 p.m. at Buckman, 60 Perkins Road Extended. Visit buckmanartscenter.com.

Germantown Performing Arts Center will host South African gospel group Ladysmith Black Mambazo as part of its World Stage series Friday, Jan. 24, at 8 p.m. at GPAC, 1801 Exeter Road. Buy tickets at gpacweb.com.

C.H. Nash Museum at Chucalissa will hold a volunteer day Saturday, Jan. 25, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the museum, 1987 Indian Village Drive. Volunteers help sort artifacts, landscape gardens and trails, and more. Email kjthmpsn@memphis.edu or call 785-3160.

The University of Tennessee-Martin will present a “Retirement Your Way” workshop Saturday, Jan. 25, and Feb. 1 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Collierville Public Library, 501 Poplar View Parkway. Cost is $59 for two people and includes both sessions and instructional materials. RSVP at utm.edu/departments/ecos/nondegree.php or 731-881-7082.

The Booksellers at Laurelwood will host Rick DeStefanis, author of “The Gomorrah Principle,” for a discussion and book signing Saturday, Jan. 25, at 2 p.m. at the bookstore, 387 Perkins Road Extended. Visit thebooksellersatlaurelwood.com.

Memphis Symphony Orchestra will present Tchaikovsky “Pathetique,” part of the First Tennessee Masterworks Series, Saturday, Jan. 25, from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the Cannon Center for the Performing Arts, 255 N. Main St. Buy tickets at memphissymphony.org.

A2H will host Memphis singer-songwriter Mark Edgar Stuart in concert Saturday, Jan. 25, from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the A2H art gallery, 3009 Davies Plantation Road. Suggested donation is $20 and includes hors d'oeuvres, wine and beer. RSVP to christinab@a2h.com or 372-0404.

Germantown Performing Arts Center will host jazz pianist Jonathan Batiste in concert Saturday, Jan. 25, at 8 p.m. at GPAC, 1801 Exeter Road. Buy tickets at gpacweb.com.

Memphis Symphony Orchestra will present Tchaikovsky “Pathetique,” part of the First Tennessee Masterworks Series, Sunday, Jan. 26, from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Germantown Performing Arts Center, 1801 Exeter Road. Buy tickets at memphissymphony.org.

Memphis Rotary Club will host its Rotary Large Club Conference welcome dinner, featuring sportscaster Dick Enberg, Sunday, Jan. 26, at 7 p.m. at The Peabody, 149 Union Ave. A limited number of tickets are available to the public for $175. RSVP to Taylor Hughes at taylor@memphisrotary.org.

The Tennessee Beta Unit of Parliamentarians will meet Monday, Jan. 27, at 5:45 p.m. at the Poplar-White Station branch library, 5094 Poplar Ave. The meeting is open to anyone interested in learning about parliamentary law and “Robert’s Rules of Order.” Call 324-5184.

Memphis Rotary Club will meet Tuesday, Jan. 28, at noon at The Peabody, 149 Union Ave. Rebecca Skloot, author of “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks,” will present the keynote. A limited number of tickets are available to the public for $50. RSVP to Taylor Hughes at taylor@memphisrotary.org.

Tennessee Shakespeare Company will present “Romeo and Juliet” Tuesday, Jan. 28, and Thursday, Jan. 30, at 7 p.m. at the Germantown Performing Arts Center, 1801 Exeter Road. Buy tickets at tnshakespeare.org.

Rhodes College will present “Monsieur Lazhar” as part of the Tournees French Film Festival Tuesday, Jan. 28, at 7 p.m. in the Blount Auditorium in Buckman Hall on campus, 2000 North Parkway. Cost is free. Visit rhodes.edu/tournees for upcoming films.

The Orpheum Theatre will present “Wicked” Wednesday, Jan. 29, through Sunday, Feb. 16, at the theater, 203 S. Main St. Visit orpheum-memphis.com or call 525-3000 for showtimes and tickets.

Talk Shoppe will meet Wednesday, Jan. 29, from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. at DeVry University, 6401 Poplar Ave., sixth floor. The topic is “Mastermind Principle: Based on the book ‘Think and Grow Rich’ by Napoleon Hill.” Cost is free. Visit talkshoppe.biz or call Jo Garner at 482-0354.

The American Red Cross will host a blood drive Wednesday, Jan. 29, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Anthem Career College, 5865 Shelby Oaks Drive. The Red Cross is in urgent need of blood types O, A negative and B negative, and platelets. Visit redcross.org for eligibility guidelines and appointments.

B.I.G. for Memphis, a business interest group that connects Memphis Police colonels and business leaders, will meet Wednesday, Jan. 29, from 9:45 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Phelps Security, 4932 Park Ave. Virginia Stallworth, associate director of the Memphis Child Advocacy Center, will discuss child sexual abuse prevention and response. Visit phelpssecurity.com.

Rhodes College will present “La Pirogue” as part of the Tournees French Film Festival Wednesday, Jan. 29, at 7 p.m. in the Blount Auditorium in Buckman Hall on campus, 2000 North Parkway. Cost is free. Visit rhodes.edu/tournees for upcoming films.

Christian Brothers University will host a panel discussion titled “Let’s Talk About Race” Thursday, Jan. 30, at 1 p.m. in Spain Auditorium at CBU, 650 East Parkway S. A diverse panel of CBU students will discuss their lives, share insights and dispel myths. Cost is free. Visit cbu.edu.

Ardent Studios will host a music industry mixer Thursday, Jan. 30, at 5:30 p.m. at Ardent, 2000 Madison Ave. The event is open to musicians, students, producers, engineers and other music industry service providers. Visit ardentstudios.com.

Rhodes College will host a lecture by Robert Mankoff, cartoon editor for The New Yorker, Thursday, Jan. 30, at 7 p.m. in the Blount Auditorium in Buckman Hall on campus, 2000 North Parkway. The lecture will offer an insider’s look at the craft of cartooning and what makes a good cartoon work. Cost is free. Visit rhodes.edu.

The American Red Cross will host a blood drive Friday, Jan. 31, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Support Solutions, 5909 Shelby Oaks Drive, suite 100. The Red Cross is in urgent need of blood types O, A negative and B negative, and platelets. Visit redcross.org for eligibility guidelines and appointments.

The Buckman Performing Arts Center at St. Mary’s School will hold an opening reception for “Spirit. Mind. Courage. Anger: Mixed media works by Carol DeForest and Tim Andrews” Friday, Jan. 31, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Buckman, 60 Perkins Road Extended. Visit buckmanartscenter.com.

The South Main Art Trolley Tour will be held Friday, Jan. 31, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the South Main Historic Arts District. Email info@southmainmemphis.net.