THEATER

Oct 10–Nov 17
Wicked
Oz’s good witch and bad witch return for the first time since 2009 with a stellar touring production of the Broadway musical. Based on the novel by Gregory Maguire, Wicked introduces us to the backstory of the Wicked Witch of the West, known to friends and family, simply, as Elphaba. Paramount Theatre, $40–$160.

Oct 12–Nov 11
Ramayana
With a cast of 14 in 30-plus roles, ACT Theatre brings to life one of India and Southeast Asia’s greatest epics: the tale of the hero Rama on a quest to save his wife from an evil, 10-headed king. ACT Theatre, $15–$55.

DANCE

Oct 12–14
Amy O/tinyrage: Made in Seattle
Longtime Velocity Dance teaching artist Amy O’Neal leads a “solo nonverbal lecture” of modern dance moves that breaks down her influences, from hip-hop and classical to Janet Jackson and Cyndi Lauper. It’s cheekily subtitled “The Most Innovative, Daring, and Original Piece of Dance/Performance You Will See this Decade.” Velocity Dance Center, $15–$18.

Oct 12–21
Men in Dance: The Ninth Festival of Against the Grain
“As the minority in this profession, men have sometimes struggled to find their voice,” reads the Men in Dance mission. Not when MID is involved. Now in its ninth iteration, the Against the Grain festival spotlights local male choreographers and dancers such as Whim W’Him’s Olivier Wevers and former Hubbard Street dancer Jason Ohlberg alongside touring artists. Broadway Performance Hall, $20–$27.

GASTRONOMY

Oct 12
Arcade Lights
Sample the Northwest’s finest artisan foods, from seafood to beer to ice cream, as Pike Place buskers provide a soundtrack for your noshing. And the food is paid for with tokens. Tokens! Arcade Lights is basically Chuck E. Cheese for sophisticated grownups. Proceeds support the Market Foundation. Pike Place Market, $25–$30.

FILM

Oct 11
17th Seattle Lesbian and Gay Film Festival: Opening Night
The 17th annual SLGFF opens on National Coming Out Day with a dark comedy by one of TV's most popular out-and-proud actors: Chris Colfer, who plays Kurt Hummel on Glee. Colfer writes and stars in Struck By Lightning, about a high school senior and wannabe journalist who blackmails his foes—"meathead jocks, drama club gays, a mean-girl cheerleader (Sarah Hyland, Modern Family), a spooky goth chick (Ashley Rickards, Awkward)"—into writing for his school magazine. Seattle Cinerama, $15–$33.

CONCERTS

Oct 13
Kris Orlowski
Seattle Singer-songwriter Kris Orlowski and composer-violinist Andrew Joslyn are joined by a 17-piece orchestra to celebrate the release of their new EP, Pieces We Are. Triple Door, $20–$25.

Oct 13
Bob Dylan
Let’s be honest: Dylan is hard to listen to these days. Even his hardcore disciples admit his gravely vocals are now borderline indecipherable. But it’s Bob freakin’ Dylan, so we’ll listen to him mumble “Like a Rolling Stone” to the end of time. KeyArena, $63–$104.

Oct 12–Nov 4
Earshot Jazz Festival
While it’s been said that jazz is about the notes the performers don’t play, we also like to revel in all the sweet ones they let loose. This year’s Earshot Jazz Festival lineup includes composer and minimalist icon Philip Glass, the Vijay Iyer Trio (the best jazz group of 2012, according to DownBeat magazine), and the exuberant amateurs of the Garfield High School Jazz Band. Visit website for prices, schedule, and venues.

Oct 12
Macklemore and Ryan Lewis
The Seattle rapper and DJ-producer celebrate the release of The Heist, their long-awaited debut album of socially conscious rap laid over piano, trumpets, and dance-club beats. They’re already local favorites; but this could be the year they get their national due. WaMu Theater, Sold Out.

Oct 12
Rodriguez
SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't seen Searching for Sugar Man, one of this year's most lauded documentaries, the fact that this concert exists takes away some (all?) of the film's drama. The show, celebrating Light in the Attic Records' 10th anniversary, also features opening sets by Michael Chapman and Donnie and Joe Emerson. Showbox Market, Sold Out.

VISUAL ART

Oct 11–Jan 13
Elles: Women Artists from the Centre Pompidou, Paris
At the center of Puccini’s opulent Imperial City is one of the most formidable princesses in opera, Turandot, who orders the death of every suitor she faces. Soprano Lori Phillips shares the stage on opening night with Italian tenor Antonello Palombi, as the one suitor who may tame the wild beauty. McCaw Hall, $25–$241.

OPERA

Oct 13–27
Seattle Opera's Fidelio
Beethoven’s only opera isn’t just a dramatic two-act prison break; it’s a rich story of love in the face of tyranny and oppression. German soprano Christiane Libor makes her U.S. opera debut as Leonore, a devoted wife who poses as a man to get inside the jail where her husband, Florestan, languishes as a political prisoner. McCaw Hall, $25–$205.