Comedy central It's another big comedy weekend in the Twin Cities. The hottest ticket is Martin Lawrence, whose film "Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son" apparently was so bad it sent the star back to the stand-up stage for his first tour in years. Tickets for Saturday's show at the State Theater are scarce, so fans obviously missed him. (8 p.m. Sat., $57-$77, hennepintheatre trust.org)

The always funny Mary Mack is at Acme this week for her annual headlining gig. Known for her Minnesota-centric observations and folk humorist shtick, Mack is a Twin Cities treasure. (8 & 10:30 p.m. Fri.-Sat., $15, acmecomedycompany.com)

Minnesota comedy godfather Louie Anderson is back in the 'burbs with a show at the Waconia Event Center (8 p.m. Fri., $30, scotthansen.com). And let's not forget about the little guys, especially when they're doing big things: Comedian Christopher Cannon brings his "Comics for Courage Laff-a-thon" to a South St. Paul VFW hall Saturday. Part of the proceeds goes to the Wounded Warrior Project. (7 p.m. Sat., Gallagher-Hansen VFW Post 295. $13, comicsforcourage.org)

Republic of beer Hot on the heels of his successful remake of the Aster Cafe, Matty O'Reilly is taking over Preston's Urban Pub this weekend. The 7 Corners bar will be renamed Republic, with an opening expected in mid-May.

He's partnering with an old high school buddy, Rick Guntzel, a former exec at Jacob Restaurant Group, which owns Nye's and the Jake's restaurant chain. Their first move: cutting out the obnoxious parts of Preston's college-bar roots. Say goodbye to the plastic beer signs and 100-ounce fish bowls of blue liquor. Republic will be a boutique beer bar emphasizing locally sourced, contemporary pub food.

"The bones are there for the place to be quite cool," O'Reilly said. Most prices will stay below $10. He'll pack the 32 existing taps with local brews, plus "the cream of the crop" from Belgium and Germany. And he'll keep the huge patio, which seats 160. O'Reilly's other spots, the Aster (at St. Anthony Main) and 318 Cafe (in Excelsior), are famous for their live music. He'd like to offer something more toned down here -- maybe solo or duo singer/songwriters -- but he hasn't secured the proper licensing yet. www.republicmn.com

Cider Week at the Tap Move over craft beer, hard cider is on the rise too. The folks behind the Town Hall Tap love the fruity fermented beverage so much the bar is putting on a Cider Week. Starting Monday, the Tap will have about a dozen rare ciders available on tap, in the bottle and in a cask.

"There's an emerging 'cider geekism,' if you will," said Town Hall brewer Mike Hoops. Ciders are known for their light and refreshing taste. Some are sweet, while others are quite dry -- like a white wine. The Tap will feature rare ciders from Crispin; a keg from Iron River, Wis., and several European varieties. The bar will offer sample platters containing four 5-ounce glasses. Check the Town Hall Tap Facebook page for more info. May 2-6. 4810 Chicago Av. S., Mpls. 612-767-7307.