Film Noir, author events, music and mental health (with pets) are our featured events in Reno this week. Author Shaun Griffin will be at Sundance Books for a talk, and Reno Improv has a sketch comedy starting this week and into April.

There are plenty more listings on our calendar. Are you hosting an event? Get it published here (free and paid options are available) to be considered for next week’s events preview column. 

Confirm events with venues before attending in case of schedule changes or cancellations. This Is Reno is not responsible for the accuracy of calendar listings, as we do not write or edit them.

Sponsored events

• Expedition Dinosaur: Rise of the Mammals. The Wilbur D. May Center’s latest exhibit is part two of last year’s Expedition Dinosaur. It features fan-favorite stations and brand-new animatronics and experiences. This exhibit is not to be missed and makes for the perfect field trip or a way to spend a winter day.
• The Quality of Life at Reno Little Theater. From award-winning writer Jane Anderson comes this “magnetic work of theater” (The San Francisco Chronicle) filled with compassion and humor. Dinah and Bill, a devout, church-going couple from the Midwest, are struggling to keep their lives intact after the loss of their daughter. 

Editor’s picks

1. Author Event Shaun Griffin at Sundance Books & Music. Writer Shaun Griffin will read from his new memoir, “River Ask Me Why: Into the West on Two Wheels.” The book is a meditation on fathers and sons, water and land in the American West.
2. Wheatus (Acoustic): Dirtbags Across America at The Holland Project. Born and bred on an island as densely populated as Montreal without any of the culture, Brendan Brown did what Andrew Carnegie did: he beat the odds. Taking the unprecedented decision to form a band in New York City at 22, Brendan took his father’s nickname of “wedus” and his mother’s penchant for rare fabrics and formed Wheatus.
3. Pets and Mental Health. Join partners from SPCA of Northern Nevada to learn how pets can help support your mental health and meet a selection of adorable dogs and cats available for adoption.
4. I’m Sorry: A Sketch Comedy Revue. Reno Improv presents I’M SORRY – A Sketch Comedy Revue on Saturday, March 30, April 6, 13 & 20.
5. Film Noir: Lost in the Shadows–Nightmare Alley. Film Noir, literally “dark film,” is a cinematic style that describes some Hollywood films made in the 1940s and 1950s. Films made in this style are usually black and white, distinguished by pronounced shadows, notable lighting effects, and a dark, pessimistic tone.