Theater: Unfortunately, I remember Ethan Hawke in “Hamlet.” In 2002, the scruffy actor took the title role in a modern-day adaptation of the show, which had him brooding and spouting soliloquies all across Manhattan. While I still haven’t forgiven Mr. Hawke, Rupert Goold’s production of “Macbeth” at the Brooklyn Academy of Music’s Harvey Theater has changed my mind about the repositioning of Shakespeare. Comment.

Sharpen your nails and hide the itching powder — a beauty pageant is coming to Downtown Brooklyn! Comments (1).

Dining: Last summer, Turkish restaurant Alaturka opened on Fifth Avenue in Park Slope. Not long after I finished my last bite of “shwarma,” it closed. In November, Mediterra took its place. Comment.

Music: Blood on the Wall is breaking up. Not like you’d think, however. The band, which until recently only had to schlep across Brooklyn to play a show, is driving across Texas to play a show in Austin, and our cell phone connection is repeatedly dropped. The band returns to the borough on Feb. 22 to play the Music Hall of Williamsburg. Comment.

Theater: “Since there’s no more ‘Gong Show’ on TV,” said Don Ralph, “this is the best there is.” Ralph was speaking about the Feb. 16 “Blowhole Theater Marathon” at Barbes in Park Slope, a night of theater, music and audience participation that prides itself on an offbeat sensibility. Comment.

Theater: It is a play about the city, romance and real estate, but what makes Aaron Landsman’s newest work, “Open House,” truly unique, is its setting: your apartment. Comment.

Waiting in the Wings: Despite the end of the writer’s strike and the return of our favorite television series, live theater is still booming in Brooklyn. From the classics to the cutting edge, theaters across the borough are mounting exciting and innovative productions this season. TV shows will always have reruns, but catching these productions is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Comment.

GO Brooklyn is now interviewing candidates for our spring internship program. If you love arts and entertainment and are enrolled as a graduate or undergraduate student, please send your cover letter, resume and writing samples to GoBrooklyn@BrooklynPaper.com. Comment.