DANCE

Oct 10–13
UW Chamber Dance Company Concert
While it only stages one concert a year, the UW Chamber Dance Company remains essential for preserving the modern dance canon. Works by Doris Humphrey, Twyla Tharp, and Zvi Gotheiner performed in this year’s production, In Gender, explore gender roles and cross intrinsic boundaries that exist in traditional dance. Meany Hall, $20.

THEATER

Thru Oct 13
The Wizard of Oz
Timeless tunes like “Over the Rainbow” and “We’re Off to See the Wizard” have always made The Wizard of Oz prime musical theater fodder. So when Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice teamed up to write new songs for a 2011 London revival of Dorothy’s journey, it seemed like an embarrassment of riches. Even for longtime fans, this’ll be a fresh trip down the Yellow Brick Road. Paramount Theatre, $25–$105.

Thru Oct 26
Carrie: The Musical
What’s the first thing anyone thinks of when they hear the name Stephen King? That’s right: musical theater. Carrie: The Musical went down in history one of the biggest flops in Broadway history during its premiere run in 1988, but a 2012 Off-Broadway revival of King’s tale of a tormented teenage girl with telekinetic powers gave this kitschy, unconventional show a second life. Moore Theatre, $18–$35.

CONCERTS

Oct 11
Overseas
Constantly being a downer can be draining. Thankfully, melancholy local singer-songwriter David Bazan gets some help being a bummer in his new band Overseas. Fellow singer-songwriter Will Johnson of Centro-matic splits the lead singing duties on the group’s self-titled debut album. Overseas heads to Neumos for its first-ever Seattle show. Neumos, $15.

Oct 12
Reykjavik Calling
KEXP once again teams up with Iceland Air to host a concert that mixes Iceland's top musicians with some of Seattle's best talent. The Icelandic offerings include the sunny pop of Sin Fang and Borko, and Hermigervill's far out dance floor beats. On the Seattle side, this year's edition features Kithkin's wild rock, Vox Mod's lush electronic realms, and Kaylee Cole's powerful vocals. Neumos, free.

Oct 12
La Luz
There are a number of reason why Seattle doesn’t seem like the ideal breeding ground for surf rock: Lack of consistent sunshine, lack of yearlong warmth, and, oh yeah, lack of surfing. But La Luz has managed to put a distinctly Seattle spin on the sound, mixing an element of dark smokiness into the surf rock formula. The ladies head to the Crocodile for a record release party for their debut LP It's Alive. The party features Dude York and a dance off complete with judges and prizes. The Crocodile, $8.

VISUAL ART

Thru Oct 12
Gala Bent
Geometry and whimsy collide in Gala Bent's abstract art. The Seattle painter uses gouache, watercolor, and graphite to find beauty in chaos, whether a furry half-creature is feeling Gnawed and Frayed, or we're all lost in Contemplation in Exile. G. Gibson Gallery, free.

Thru June 29
Hometown Boy: Liu Xiaodong
Who says you can't go home? After 30 years away from his native Jincheng, an industrial town in northern China, renowned plein air painter Liu Xiaodong returns to observe and reflect on the life he once knew. The landscape is familiar, but the people have changed. Seattle Asian Art Museum, $7.

SPECIAL EVENTS

Oct 12
Bezos Center for Innovation Opening
History always requires forward progress. Almost a year into MOHAI’s stay in its new South Lake Union home, the museum gets a new 4,000-square-foot permanent fixture, thanks to a $10 million donation from Amazon’s Jeff Bezos. The Bezos Center for Innovation connects visitors with Seattle’s trailblazers through interactive exhibits that showcase the past and give a glimpse of future innovation. $14; children free.

BOOKS & TALKS

Oct 11
Malcolm Gladwell
Journalist and pop sociologist Malcolm Gladwell has made it his undeclared mission to explain the fascinatingly unexpected in his best-selling books The Tipping Point, Outliers, and Blink. And on October 11 he comes to Seattle to talk about his book David and Goliath, in which he examines how, time and time again, underdogs in all walks of life turn their disadvantages into advantages. Benaroya Hall, sold out.