This week, The Stranger‘s arts critics have recommended the best events for you in every discipline: From a free reading with Jesse Eisenberg and Sherman Alexie to the ‘Mo-Wave Music and Arts Festival to a Cherdonna performance. See them all below, and, if that’s still not enough, check out our complete Things To Do calendar. Want this in your inbox every week? Subscribe to the Stranger Things To Do newsletter.
MONDAY
READINGS & TALKS
Garth Risk Hallberg
Hallberg’s work has appeared in The New York Times and Best New American Voices 2008, and he just released his first novel, City on Fire, to wide critical acclaim. The novel tells the story of the intersecting lives of characters and a detective who tries to figure out what they had to do with a shooting in Central Park.
FOOD & DRINK
Dine Around Seattle
This month, many restaurants are serving $33 three-course dinners and $18 three-course lunches. See the full list of participating restaurants here.
MUSIC
Mac Miller
Despite the odds, Miller’s come up with a surprisingly coherent and refreshingly low-stakes album for the sensitive bro in all of us.
Barrio Roots
Everybody in art is always talking about Mexico City as a contemporary shangri-la. So what’s going on there? Here’s a glimpse of one group of works by five artists living there. The show closes on Thursday.
FILM
Manhattan
Jen Graves says, “Anyone who can’t live without the arts shouldn’t live without seeing this movie.” Plus, see it on Tuesday for just 99 cents.
Fantastic Mr. Fox
The 2009 animated film featuring George Clooney and Meryl Streep will play at Central Cinema until Tuesday.
Tab Hunter Confidential
“If you would like to sit down and have a cup of coffee for 90 minutes with a former Hollywood teen idol, I invite you to this portrait of a man, as mostly narrated by the man.” -Jacob Lichty
Victoria
Sebastian Schipper’s film unfurls in real time in a single 138 minute take, telling the story of a former piano prodigy from Madrid now working and partying in Berlin, during a very eventful night in her life.
TUESDAY
FILM
I AM THOR!
Vancouver-born bodybuilding champ Jon Mikl Thor also started a heavy-metal band called THOR in the early ’80s. Tonight, you can see the documentary of his life and watch the 61-year-old play a live set.
Rodrigo Valenzuela: Prole
Prole is a an experimental short film from Rodrigo Valenzuela currently playing at the Frye until Sunday as part of the Genius exhibition.
SHRIEK: A Women of Horror Film & Discussion Series
This week at Scarecrow, watch Candyman and discuss the role of its female characters.
ART
BEGR, HAEL, and DAKS: No Peace Just Us: Art Primo
Today’s the last day to see this graffiti exhibition at Art Primo.
THEATER
Mr. Burns, A Post-Electric Play
ACT Theatre’s Simpsons-inspired play that prompts comparison to the creation of Christianity is on its final week.
MUSIC
Shocking Pinks
New Zealand’s Shocking Pinks’ new album “peddles a melancholy pop that beautifies your frown,” according to Dave Segal.
WEDNESDAY
FILM
HUMP! Film Festival
The second week of The Stranger and Portland Mercury‘s amateur porn festival starts today at On the Boards. Each of this week’s screenings is hosted by Dan Savage and is 21+.
The Cockettes
David Weissman and Bill Weber’s documentary follows the ’70s ensemble of hippies that decked themselves out in gender-bending drag and tons of glitter.
Head
A psychedelic, surrealist, plotless film about the Monkees.
Nasty Baby
“Nasty Baby (starring Kristen Wiig, Sebastián Silva, and Tunde Adebimpe) is the perfect movie for Seattle’s very wet and practically dayless season.” -Charles Mudede
ART
Pae White: Command-Shift-4
“Command-Shift-4, the keystroke sequence for capturing an image on a Mac computer, is the title of this enormous installation that you traverse with your body and your eyes, by LA-based artist Pae White. There’s so much to see, and so little material used—the effects are entrancing.” -Jen Graves
Sondra Perry
INCA presents Sondra Perry’s first solo exhibition, featuring a 2010 piece called “Red Summer” and a 2015 video called “Lineage for a Multiple-Monitor Workstation: Number One.”
READINGS & TALKS
David Sedaris
The witty, self-deprecating, hilariously judgmental David Sedaris is visiting Seattle and speaking at The Washington Center today and Benaroya Hall on Sunday.
An Evening with Michelle Visage
Third Place Books presents Michelle Visage in person for the release of her new book The Diva Rules: Ditch the Drama, Find Your Strength, and Sparkle Your Way to the Top. She will appear in conversation with Seattle’s Jinkx Monsoon, winner of season 4 of RuPaul’s Drag Race.
John Richards
KEXP host and producer John Richards (John in the Morning) puts on the annual “Mom Show,” a musical tribute to those who have died, including his own mother.
MUSIC
A$AP Rocky
To call this bill stacked would be an understatement. What we’re seeing here is a mix-and-match of top-tier modern rappers, from the screwed NY/Dirty South homage of A$AP Rocky to the Eminem-/Neptune-worshipping tunes of Tyler, the Creator.
Divine Intervention: The Music of Joni Mitchell
Tonight, a reputable group of local musicians will attempt to tackle the searching and cryptic works of Mitchell, an admirable endeavor no matter the result.
THURSDAY
FILM
Polyester
John Waters’ 1981 black comedy starring Tab Hunter, Divine, Edith Massey, and Mink Stole is playing at Grand Illusion.
THEATER
The Haus of Keebler Presents: Tainted Tales
The Haus of Keebler wants to reenact and enliven your favorite old stories and fairy tales. They also want to “take those stories and taint the memories of them that you have held so dear.”
Festen
New Century Theatre’s family drama about the false cheeriness of families continues its run at 12th Avenue Arts, this week through Sunday.
Sgt Rigsby & His Amazing Silhouettes: The Ballad of Karla Fox
A new “super intense and really dark psychological thriller/shadow puppet show” about a fox that learns about the evil in the world after her parents die in an accident.
ART
Capitol Hill Art Walk
The monthly art walk on Capitol Hill!
‘Mo-Wave Art Exhibit Opening
The queer music and arts festival ‘Mo-Wave kicks off with a free show at Vermillion, featuring a performance from Mal DeFleur and music from DJ Ozma.
Susanna Bluhm: Forty by Forty
Calpyte Gallery is only open once a month during the Capitol Hill Art Walk, and Susanna Bluhm will hold an opening and closing reception for her exhibit Forty by Forty this month.
zoe | juniper: We Were.
As part of the Frye’s Genius exhibition, the Seattle-based dance and visual arts team that won the Stranger Genius award in 2013 will perform.
COMEDY
Eugene Mirman
Excellent and weird comedian Eugene Mirman (who performs the voice of Gene on the also excellent and weird TV show Bob’s Burgers) deserves to be witnessed live.
MUSIC
Earshot Jazz Festival: Wayne Horvitz and Three New Ensembles
This year, the Earshot Jazz Festival devotes three events to mark Seattle keyboardist/composer Wayne Horvitz’s 60th birthday and his crucial contributions to our local jazz scene—in the club he owns. Tonight is the third one.
Action Potential
“When an artist from Germany’s Raster-Noton label hits Seattle, it’s imperative that you prioritize seeing him (ja, it’s usually a male).” -Dave Segal
The Orwells and Dude York
“The snarliest and snarkiest” garage-rock Orwells join Seattle’s “supersmart, supercharged Dude York, who rock harder than Nicolas Cage and Sean Connery blowing up shit on Alcatraz.” -Kathleen Tarrant
Timmy’s Organism
“Now, I know we all hafta work tomorrow, but when we get action THIS kickass, you just gotta say FUCK IT and be ‘tired’ all day tomorrow! Headliners Timmy’s Organism promise to bring the sweaty, the heavy, and the hard-rockin’ hesher action.” -Mike Nipper
Warren G
OG rapper/producer Warren G comes back to Seattle, with his smoothness and swag in tow.
Gesaffelstein
“The Parisian’s popular enough to play Coachella, but his music’s far from LCD fodder for the young and naïve. Rather, Gesaffelstein creates techno that sounds huge, but contains very few elements to achieve that booming immensity.” -Dave Segal
FOOD & DRINK
City Fruit 5th Annual Cider Taste Fundraiser
“City Fruit is a fantastic organization that teaches Seattleites how to care for their fruit trees, harvest the bounty, and make sure the fruit goes to people with limited access to food and fresh produce. Tonight you have a chance to help out City Fruit simply by getting tipsy on ciders from local companies.” -Angela Garbes
FRIDAY
QUEER
‘Mo-Wave Music Festival
The queer music festival kicks off with a blistering night of rap, rock, and hot, hot beats, with Cakes Da Killa and the Seth Bogart Show headlining. See Saturday’s schedule here.
READINGS & TALKS
Jonathan Lethem in Conversation with David Shields
“MacArthur fellow Jonathan Lethem and James Franco fellow David Shields share similar interests at similar times. Both are great conversationalists, in their own peculiar ways, who aren’t afraid to bust open entrenched ideologies and explore taboo subjects.” -Rich Smith
Jesse Eisenberg with Sherman Alexie
Did you know Jesse Eisenberg is not just an actor, but also an author, playwright, and contributor to The New Yorker and McSweeney’s? He’ll talk about his debut story collection, Bream Gives Me Hiccups, with Sherman Alexie.
Poetry & Music Salon #4
Catch some Ginsberg, Whitman, Sappho, and Shakespeare “brought to life” by New City Theater.
Karen Finneyfrock and Roberto Ascalon
Young adult author Karen Finneyfrock and poet Roberto Ascalon will read new works.
DANCE
Emergence
After its success in 2013, Pacific Northwest Ballet brings back Crystal Pite’s mind-bending Emergence, which begins with a single dancer hatching, and then metamorphosing into a stageful of swarming, clicking, hissing dancers.
Cherdonna Shinatra, Patron Saint of Velocity
Stranger Genius Cherdonna Shinatra stars in this Frye performance, a preview of what will premiere during Velocity Dance Center’s 20th anniversary season.
ART
Study of Time and Motion: connect/reposition
During this multidisciplinary performance at the Georgetown Steam Plant, viewers are encouraged to think about how the body moves us forward.
FILM
Taxi
“Iranian director Jafar Panahi made two masterpieces in the previous decade, The Circle (2000) and Offside (2006). In 2009, Panahi made his support of the Green Movement known, and this eventually landed him in prison. Though he is now free to move about Iran, he can’t leave the country. In his latest movie, Taxi, Panahi drives a cab around Tehran.” -Charles Mudede
MUSIC
Katie Kate and Erik Blood
A few things to pique your interest: both artists are Genius nominees, there will be free beer courtesy of Naked City Brewing, and the performance will be filmed for a show called Band in Seattle.
Micachu and the Shapes
“It isn’t often that pop instincts and experimental techniques converge in the same band, but London trio Micachu & the Shapes embrace an instinctual approach to music-making.” -Kathy Fennessy
Sturgill Simpson
“Alongside artists like Chris Stapleton and Whitey Morgan, Simpson is part of a new cadre of musical cowboys who are less interested in romance and glitz than their better-funded counterparts. Not only is Simpson the most popular of the bunch, but he’s probably the most distinctive songwriter as well.” -Joseph Schafer
SATURDAY
ART
Matthew Offenbacher: The V&A
Today is the final day of the Veronica exhibition featuring ceramic “transitional objects,” like a squirrel holding a wine glass.
Books Bridge Our Senses/Los Libros Conectan Nuestros Sentidos
Local writers Catalina M. Cantú, Raúl Sánchez, and Seattle Civic Poet Claudia Castro Luna read works in both Spanish and English, inspired by Pablo Helguera’s Librería Donceles and accompanied by live music.
Georgetown Art Attack
Once a month, the art that resides in the tiny airport hamlet of Georgetown ATTACKS all passersby. In more literal terms, it’s the day of art openings and street wonderment.
Abbey Arts Tenth Anniversary Party
Abbey Arts’ ten-day event culminates in this gigantic party, featuring “food, drinks, art making, games, photo booth, Art Raffle, Family Hour, and more.”
QUEER
Coco’s Guide to a Somewhat Happy Life
Join Miss Coco Peru, star of stage, screen, and phone for an evening of enlightening comedy and musical extravagance as she answers the question most frequently put to her: “Coco, what is the secret to a happy life?”
JAKE Talks
In the “Joyfully Awaken to Knowledge and Empowerment” series, a diverse array of speakers, artists, and filmmakers present their talents and life experiences in order to inspire the queer community. This edition centers around the idea of “home.”
Cucci’s Critter Barn
Hosted by Cucci Binaca, Critter Barn has already made itself known for some wild drag from the likes of Amoania, Hellen Tragedy, Mona Real, Menorah, and Cookie Couture. 21+
FOOD & DRINK
Latvian Center Christmas Bazaar
Lots of specialty Latvian (and Christmas) foods, plus handmade goods like decorative pillows, dolls, toys, and ceramics, and more.
MUSIC
Primal Scream and the Cult
“Scottish band Primal Scream’s long, chameleonic career’s sure had its share of highs and lows, but mostly the former.” -Dave Segal
Nik Turner’s Hawkwind
“So Hawkwind. You may have heard the name, but have you heard the music? Because it’s pretty damn good.” -Joseph Schafer
SUNDAY
FILM
Ikiru
An unremarkable bureaucrat is diagnosed with cancer and decides to live life to the fullest in this 1952 Akira Kurosawa film, playing for free at Scarecrow.
READINGS & TALKS
David Sedaris
The witty, self-deprecating, hilariously judgmental David Sedaris’ second reading this week is tonight at Benaroya Hall.
Jonathan Lethem & Friends Present Best American Comics 2015
The guest editor of Best American Comics 2015 moderates a panel with local contributors Jim Woodring, Megan Kelso, and Peter Bagge. A reception and book signing follows.
Mañana Today: Immigration Reform and the Living Wage
Immediately after the Sunday matinee of My Mañana Comes, ArtsWest will host a panel discussion about the major themes of the performance.
MUSIC
RVIVR
“Shellshag are an exceptional force to witness live. A solid DIY mainstay for nearly two decades, the two-piece/couple have been managing to exude pure punk-rock energy into every corner of whatever basement, small bar, or illegal venue they perform in.” -Bree McKenna 
