Books & Talks

Sat, Jan 20
Claudia Castro Luna
Seattle's inaugural Civic Poet and now Washington State's Poet Laureate shares her newest book Killing Marías, a powerful collection addressing women killed or otherwise disappeared in Juárez. Elliot Bay Book Company, Free

Classical & More

Thu, Jan 18
Itzhak Perlman
Easily the most famous violinist of his generation, Perlman debuted on The Ed Sullivan Show at 13. Since then, the virtuosic, Juilliard-trained Israeli American has lent his talents to presidential inaugurations, dinners with royalty, and professional sporting events—becoming a public ambassador to the art form. $125–$159

Concerts

Sat, Jan 20
Rise Up: A Hamilton Tribute
Next month, Hamilton descends upon Seattle. So expect 2018 to kick things off with a host of peripheral events celebrating the landmark Broadway show. Practice singing along to “The Room Where It Happens” and “The Schuyler Sisters” with Rise Up, a Hamilton tribute band playing all the hits alongside singer-songwriter Hilary Scott. Columbia City Theater, $10

Comedy

Jan 20 & 21
Lewis Black
The longtime Daily Show contributor has been angry through five presidential terms. But our current administration really gets him going. Black says, “My country is now living at the intersection of reality and satire.” Moore Theatre, $32.50–$82.50

Special Events

Sat, Jan 20
Seattle Women's March 2.0
Last year, over 120,000 people marched on Seattle, joining the massive nationwide protest in response to Donald Trump's inauguration. It's been a year since our new president took office, and lo and behold we still have a lot to protest. The Women's March 2.0 again aims to make a powerful statement against violence and bigotry in Trump's America. Begins at Cal Anderson Park, Free

Theater

Thru Jan 27
Così Fan Tutte
Mozart’s Italian language opera plays out like a misguided viral YouTube prank: Two friends decide to test the fidelity of their respective fiancées by attempting to seduce them in disguise. What could possibly go wrong? This contemporary adaptation of Così Fan Tutte— meaning “All Women Do It” makes for an insightful laugh riot. McCaw Hall, $25–$200

Thru Feb 11
Two Trains Running
It’s 1969, a crucial moment in the civil rights movement, and Memphis, the protagonist of Two Trains Running, just wants to hold on to his restaurant amid gentrification efforts in his Pittsburgh neighborhood. Playwright August Wilson explores this era from the perspective of African Americans trying to carve out a life as urban migration creates new forms of segregation. Seattle Repertory Theatre, $22–$80

Visual Art

Thru Feb 4
Alison Marks: One Gray Hair
As an indigenous Tlingit artist, Alison Marks pushes back on the notion that native artists should perform their identities uniformly through what can comfortably be labeled “native art.” In her first solo museum exhibition, Marks creates paintings, sculpture, garments, and digital art that reflects the Tlingit aesthetic while using nontraditional materials and techniques. Frye Art Museum, Free

Thru June 17
Seattle on the Spot: The Photographs of Al Smith
There is perhaps no better visual documentarian of twentieth century African American life in Seattle than Al Smith. The prodigious photographer shot everything in his day: street scenes, festivals, marches, sporting events, and the night clubs that used to line the Central District in the 1940s. But it wasn’t until the 1980s when his work started to be recognized as a vital historical record (an exhibition or book on the history of jazz in Seattle is bound to feature a Smith photograph). The new MOHAI exhibition offers the largest gathering of Smith’s work to date; an excellent entry point into an often overlooked swath of Seattle history. MOHAI, Free–$19.95