THEATER

REVIVING INGE William Inge’s “Come Back, Little Sheba” returns to Broadway, this time under the direction of Michael Pressman. Veteran television actress S. Epatha Merkerson plays Lola Delaney, who once traded on her looks and has now grown slovenly, trapped in an oppressive marriage to an alcoholic chiropractor, Doc, played by Kevin Anderson. When the couple invites a young boarder, Marie (Zoe Kazan), into their cramped home, her assured sexuality sets off a tense dynamic between the married couple. Eric Grode wrote in the January 25 New York Sun, “Mr. Pressman rightly shifts the play’s focus from the proximity of young flesh to the even more galling presence of no longer young flesh — one’s own. Doc’s affection for his young boarder is apparent from their first encounter, but his attentions are as protective as they are predatory.” Tuesday–Saturday, 8 p.m., Wednesday and Saturday, 2 p.m., through Sunday, March 16, Biltmore Theater, 261 W. 47th St., between Broadway and Eighth Avenue, 212-239-6200, $46.50–$91.50.

ART

FRAGILE HISTORY The Asia Society and Museum presents “First Under Heaven: Korean Ceramics from the Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd Collection,” an exhibit of celadon-glazed stoneware of the Korean Goryeo Dynasty (918–1392 CE). Koreans of the period prized the ceramic pieces for use in both royal and Buddhist contexts. The show features bowl-and-saucer sets, vases, and other prized items. Through Sunday, May 4, Tuesday–Sunday, 11 a.m.–6 p.m., Friday, 11 a.m.–9 p.m., Asia Society and Museum, Aron Gallery, third floor, 725 Park Ave. at 70th Street, 212-517-2742, $10, $7 seniors, $5 students, free for members and children under 16.

YOUNG AT HEART Khalif Kelly makes his New York debut with his first solo exhibit, “Recess.” The images recall the artist’s early childhood interactions and the rituals that make those experiences memorable, if a bit awkward. Through Sunday, Wednesday–Sunday, 11 a.m.–6 p.m., Thierry Goldberg Projects, 5 Rivington St., between Chrystie Street and the Bowery, 212-967-2260, free.

DESIGN

YOUR WORLD UP CLOSE The Pratt Manhattan Gallery at the campus of the Pratt Institute presents “My World,” an exhibit of works by seven contemporary British designers. The touring show’s appearance at the gallery marks its only stop in America. “My World” focuses on the growing use of new technologies together with a handcrafted sensibility among some designers in creating everyday objects. Featured designers include Peter Tragg, Danny Brown, and Neutral, the brainchild of Christian Grou and Tapio Snellman, two artists who employ film and animation.

Through Saturday, February 23, Tuesday–Saturday, 11 a.m.–6 p.m., Pratt Manhattan Gallery, 144 W. 14th St., between Sixth and Seventh avenues, 212-647-7778, free.

FILM

AGAINST THE ROPES A screening of “Sweet Dreams” is followed by a Q&A with the documentary’s director, Eric Latek. The film is presented as part of the IFC Center’s “Stranger Than Fiction” series. It tells the story of two Italian-American boxers: Gary “Tiger” Balletto, a seasoned professional who attempts to organize the first-ever boxers’ union in order to obtain benefits and health insurance for fighters, and 19-year-old Derek Fleming, an up-and-comer struggling to establish a fighter’s persona, a disposition that is at odds with his quiet nature. Mr. Latek followed the two men for three years as they pursued their dreams in spite of the daily struggles of working-class life. Tomorrow, 8 p.m., IFC Center, 323 Sixth Ave. at West 3rd Street, 212-924-7771, $15 general, $12 members.

MUSIC

WINDS OF CHANGE The winds department of the Yale School of Music headlines the third concert in the annual “Yale at Carnegie” series. The performance highlights the school’s long tradition in chamber music, and features eight faculty members (among them are members of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center) and six graduate students. The New York-based Sospiro Winds, an alumni ensemble, also performs. Members of the group include oboist James Austin Smith and clarinetist Romie de Guise-Langlois. The evening’s program includes Beethoven’s Quintet for Piano and Winds in E-flat major, Op. 16, and works by Poulenc and Hindemith. Today, 7:30 p.m., Carnegie Hall, Zankel Hall, 881 Seventh Ave. at 57th Street, 212-247-7800, $20–$30 general, $10–$20 students and seniors.

PHOTOGRAPHY

AN EYE ON THE HOMELAND Israeli photojournalist David Rubinger celebrates the opening tomorrow of “Israel Through My Lens,” a retrospective exhibit spanning his 60-year career, at the 92nd Street Y. Born in Vienna in 1924, Mr. Rubinger emigrated to British Palestine in 1939 and developed a passion for photography while serving in the British army’s Jewish Brigade. He became an eyewitness to the history of Israel — first as a news photographer working for the nascent Israeli press and then as a staffer for Time and Life magazines. His photographs are the only ones on permanent display at the Knesset, the site of the Israeli legislature. Mr. Rubinger attends the opening reception and signs copies of his new book, a companion to the exhibit of the same title. On Wednesday, he presents a slide show derived from the book at the New York Public Library. Reception tomorrow, 6 p.m., exhibit through Friday, February 29, 92nd Street Y, Weill Art Gallery, 1395 Lexington Ave. at 92nd Street, 212-415-5500, free; lecture Wednesday, 6:30 p.m., New York Public Library, Mid-Manhattan Library, sixth floor, 455 Fifth Ave. at 40th Street, 212-340-0871, free.

TALK

WE ARE WHAT WE EAT For many New Yorkers, bagels and lox are synonymous with Jewish cuisine. But the boiled, doughnut-shaped piece of bread and the salty salmon are only the tip of the knish where Jewish food is concerned. The author of “Jewish Eating and Identity” (Routledge), David Kraemer, gives the Henry N. Rapaport Memorial Lecture, tracing the rich history and eating habits of Jews. The talk borrows from Mr. Kraemer’s research, which has focused on gastronomic explorations of customs and dietary laws dating back to the Holy Land and Babylonia (Iraq), through 20th-century Germany and Poland, and recent traditions in America. The author also highlights those who broke custom and created their own hybrid traditions. Today, 7:30 p.m., Jewish Theological Seminary, 3080 Broadway at 122nd Street, 212-280-6093, free with reservations.

FUNNY IN FLATBUSH Brooklyn has been enjoying its recent status as a center to rival Manhattan for arts, culture, and covetable real estate. But what about humor? The author of “My New Fighting Technique is Unstoppable” (Riverhead), cartoonist David Rees, hosts “What’s So Funny About Brooklyn?” an evening of laughs and conversation with novelists Gary Shteyngart (“Absurdistan,” Random House), Ed Park (“Personal Days,” Random House), Anthony Winkler (“The Lunatic,” Akashic), and actress Amy Sedaris. The event is featured as part of the Brooklyn Independents Literary series.

Thursday, 7 p.m., Brooklyn Public Library, Dweck Center, Grand Army Plaza at Eastern Parkway, 718-230-2100, free.

STRAIT TALK The New-York Historical Society hosts “New York Magic & Harry Houdini,” a talk led by author Bob Friedhoffer, who discusses Houdini’s most famous feats of escape. Mr. Friedhoffer is joined by magician George Schindler and biographer Kenneth Silverman, the author of “Houdini!!!: The Career of Ehrich Weiss” (Perennial, HarperCollins). The evening’s program concludes with some eye-opening tricks by Mr. Schindler, who is best known for his work with Woody Allen. Refreshments are served. Thursday, 6:30 p.m., New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West at 76th Street, 212-868-4444, $15 general, $10 students and seniors, $8 members.

DRAWINGS

RENAISSANCE MEN Before they painted the ceilings of the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence, there were sketches and planning to be done. “Michelangelo, Vasari, and Their Contemporaries: Drawings from the Uffizi” gathers drawings by Ponteromo, Andrea del Sarto, and Bronzino, all of whom were involved in creating the artworks that decorated the various apartments at the Florentine palace, which served as the home of the Medici dukes in the 16th century. Cosimo I de’ Medici commissioned artist Georgio Vasari to preside over the artistic expansion and direction at the palace. The show comprises nearly 80 sketches; a preparatory drawing by Santi di Toto is above. “[N]ot since the Met’s Leonardo drawing show have so many remarkable and illuminating Florentine drawings been available in New York under one roof,” Lance Esplund wrote in the January 24 New York Sun. Through Sunday, April 20, Tuesday–Thursday, 10:30 a.m.–5 p.m., Fridays 10:30 a.m.–9 p.m, Saturday, 10 a.m.–6 p.m., Sunday, 11 a.m.–6 p.m., Morgan Library and Museum, 225 Madison Ave. at 36th Street, 212-685-0008, $12.

To submit an event for consideration for the Calendar, please wire the particulars to calendar@nysun.com, placing the date of the event in the subject line.