Thursday, March 28

Attorney Debbie Hines reads from “Get Off My Neck: Black Lives, White Justice and a Former Prosecutor’s Quest for Reform” from 3:30 to 4:40 p.m. at the MIT Welcome Center, 292 Main St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. The former Baltimore prosecutor describes how Black people are targeted and criminalized by prosecutors, and offers concrete and hopeful solutions for justice reform. MIT’s Daniel Hastings joins in conversation. Information is here.

“Britain After Brexit” lecture from 4 to 5:15 p.m. at Adolphus Busch Hall, 27 Kirkland St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. Brexit reflected a surprising turn in British politics, ushering in many changes. Anand Menon, the director of the think tank UK in a Changing Europe, discusses Brexit’s possible effects on the outcome of Britain’s elections this fall. Information is here.

Edible Insects and More! from 5 to 9 p.m. at Harvard Museum of Natural History, 26 Oxford St., in the Baldwin neighborhood near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free, but RSVP. Sample a variety of prepared edible insects with the founder of Little Herds, explore the new “Ants and Termites” exhibit, meet members of the Cambridge Entomological Club, hold a live Madagascar hissing cockroach, make insect-inspired art rubbings and enjoy a cash bar and raffle. Information is here.

Harvard Art Museums at Night from 5 to 9 p.m. in the Calderwood Courtyard at Harvard Art Museums, 32 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. Wander the new exhibit “Future Minded: New Works in the Collections” and browse the shop during this recurring event while enjoying sounds from DJ C-Zone and snacks and drinks for purchase from Mama O’s Bakery and Aeronaut Brewing. Information is here.

The Eybler Quartet presents “All the Feelings: The Embodiment of Passion in the String Quartet in the 18th Century” at 6 p.m. at Harvard Memorial Church, 1 Harvard Yard, Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The quartet shares their process exploring the emotional content of Mozart’s “Dissonance” string quartet. The Mahindra Humanities Center’s Suzannah Clark joins in conversation. Information is here.

Sarah Boyer reads from “Coming Out, Becoming Ourselves: Lesbian Stories from the Boston Daughters of Bilitis, 1969–1999” from 6 to 8 p.m. in the community room at the Cambridge Main Library, 449 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge. Free. Twenty-one interviews with members of the country’s first lesbian civil and political rights organization – founded in 1955 as a secret society – are included in this new book. Information is here.

“Storytime” open juried photo show opening reception from 6 to 8 p.m. at the CAA@Canal Gallery, 650 E. Kendall St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free. The exhibition of work by New England photographers runs through May 24. Juried by Sherri Littlefield. Information is here.

Library Community Pint Night from 6 to 10 p.m. at Remnant Brewing, 2 Bow St., Union Square, Somerville. Free. Books and media are for sale, and $1 for every pint sold goes toward supporting the Friends of the Somerville Public Library. Information is here.

“Generative AI, Imitation, Style and the Eternal Return of Precedent” lecture from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Gund Hall, 42 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. How generative artificial intelligence poses urgent questions for design professionals, with context from architectural historian and critic Mario Carpo. Information is here.

Make Your Own Eclipse Viewer from 6:30 to 8:30 at Somerville Public Library, 79 Highland Ave., Central Hill. Free and all ages, but register. Bring a shoebox or cereal box and learn how to create a safe way to view the sun during the solar eclipse. Information is here.

Public observatory night from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. in Phillips Auditorium at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden St., Neighborhood 9 near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free and 14-plus, but register. Two 15-minute nontechnical lectures on the topic of stars followed by telescopic observing from the observatory roof. Information is here.

“Unfurled: Paintings by Gilmore Tamny” opening reception at 7 p.m. at Aeronaut Brewing, 14 Tyler St., near Union Square, Somerville (and running through May 2). Free. The Somerville artist, writer and musician produces artworks that explore the mystery of life one rabbit, oak tree, fox, cloud, squirrel or moonlit night at a time. Information is here.

Jean Trounstine reads from “Motherlove” at 7 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 25 White St., Porter Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. These stories of mothers of children who kill are fictional but drawn from more than 30 years of experience with prisoners and their families. Copies of the book are free with a suggested charitable donation. Information is here.

Lisa Ko reads from “Memory Piece” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The author of “The Leavers” discusses her new novel about girls whose friendship matures and changes from the predigital 1980s to the art and tech subcultures of the 1990s and to a strikingly imagined portrait of the 2040s. Asako Serizawa, award-winning author of “Inheritors,” joins in conversation. Information is here.

Countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo presents “Don’t Look Back” from 7 to 10 p.m. at Harvard’s John Knowles Paine Concert Hall, 3 Oxford St., just north of Harvard Square, Cambridge, and Harvard Yard. Free, but register. A multidisciplinary evening with music of Mozart, Gluck and Handel and film of the original music manuscripts in New York’s Morgan Library by Pix Talarico, conceived by the Grammy-winner as part of his Myths festival presented with the Metropolitan Opera. Information is here.

Blues Union March Dances (continued) from 7 to 11 p.m. at Dance Union, 16 Bow St., Union Square, Somerville. $10 to $25. Information is here.

“Beyond Words” (continued) at 7:30 p.m. at Central Square Theater, Cambridge, 450 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. $24 to $78. This performance is followed (at 9:45 p.m.) by a talkback with the cast and creative team as they discuss the process of bringing the career of bird-training scientist Irene Pepperberg to life on stage. Information is here.

The Berklee Niki Ensemble performs from 7:30 to 10 p.m. at Lilypad, 1353 Cambridge St., Inman Square, Cambridge. $10. The student-led ensemble presents 12 songs by Niki, arranged for rhythm section, horns, strings and vocalists, to showcase the diversity of Asian American culture through one piece of it: the music of the admired Indonesian singer-songwriter pop star. Information is here.

The Clements Brothers perform at 8 p.m. at Club Passim, 47 Palmer St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $20 to $25. Identical twins guitarist George and bassist Charles Clements toured with the grassroots Lonely Heartstring Band before joining up with drummer Mike Harmon to blend their voices in music with roots, rock, bluegrass, jazz and classical influences. Information is here.

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Friday, March 29

Poet Terrance Hayes reads 5 to 6:30 p.m. at Killian Hall, 14W-111, in the Hayden Library Building at 160 Memorial Drive at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Free. The New York University professor and award-winning poet and literary critic appears as part of MIT professor Joshua Bennett’s public humanities project, The People’s Poetry Archive. Information is here.

Penny Guisinger reads from “Shift: A Memoir of Identity and Other Illusions” at 7 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 25 White St., Porter Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. The author of “Postcards from Here” reaches for quantum physics, music theory, planetary harmonics and more to make sense of why she feels like the same person she’s always been even though her life story went from straight-married-woman-with-children to queer. The poet Charles Coe, author of the forthcoming “Charles Coe: New and Selected Works,” joins in conversation. Information is here.

Rachel Lyon reads from “Fruit of the Dead” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The author of “Self-Portrait with Boy” discusses her new novel, a modern-day reimagining of the myth of Persephone and Demeter that explores love, control, obliteration and America’s own late capitalist mythos. Elizabeth Gonzalez James, author of “The Bullet Swallower,” joins the conversation. Information is here.

Westbound Train’s First Annual Swing-a-Ling, with guests Vic Ruggiero (of the Slackers) and The Macrotones at 7 p.m. at Sonia, 10 Brookline St., Central Square, Cambridge. $20 and 18-plus. The Boston ska band tours the Northeast, performing with various friends. Information is here.

The Cavedogs perform with special guests The Shellye Valauskas Experience at 7 p.m. at The Burren, 247 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville. $25 to $30 and all ages. The ’80s alternative rock band from Boston plays with the power pop group from New Haven. Information is here.

Urbanity Underground and the Junior Apprentice dancers present “Revive” at 7 p.m. at Multicultural Arts Center, 41 Second St., East Cambridge (and continuing Saturday). $25 to $50. Dance showcase by Urbanity Dance’s second company, made up of accomplished dancers who work in non-performance fields – financial analysts, medical students, lawyers, tech specialists, etc. – and its apprentice level of talented high school students interested in pursuing dance careers. Information is here.

A Cappella with the Radcliffe Pitches, the Harvard Veritones and the Harvard Lowkeys from 7 to 10 p.m. at Sanders Theatre, 45 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. $10 to $20. The three groups, founded in 1975, 1985 and 1999, respectively, composed a mashup name for the night that strikes a contemporary chord: “Pitch Better Have My Money: A Veri-Low Bank Balance.” Information is here.

Farren, Sophia Pratt and Cordelia Fox perform from 7 to 10 p.m. at Lilypad, 1353 Cambridge St., Inman Square, Cambridge. $10. Three pensive Berklee singer-songwriters and their full bands stretch folk music toward styles ranging from psychedelic and 20th century soul to electronic sounds and indie rock. Information is here.

The Ben Wendel Group performs at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. at Regattabar, 1 Bennett St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $30, with student discounts for the 9:30 p.m. show). The saxophonist and Grammy nominee mixes unconventional covers with originals with band members Taylor Eigsti (piano), Harish Raghavan (bass) and Obed Calvaire (drums). Information is here.

“Beyond Words” (continued) at 8 p.m. at Central Square Theater, Cambridge, 450 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. $24 to $78. Information is here.

See You at Rogers and Dead End Deluxe perform at 8 p.m. at The Jungle, 6 Sanborn Court, Union Square, Somerville. $10. A “69th-wave post-emo power-pop punk band” followed by a group that’s “equal parts Guns n’ Roses, Rolling Stones, AC/DC and Social Distortion.” Information is here.

Castle of our Skins presents “Love and Justice,” the music of Adolphus Hailstork at 8 p.m. at the Longy School of Music, 27 Garden St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free to $20. The Black arts institution presents chamber music from composer Hailstork, who worked with the student performers. Includes a pre-concert talk at 7 and a post-concert reception (held in the Wolfinsohn Room). Information is here.

Fatoumata Diawara performs at 8 p.m. at Somerville Theatre’s Crystal Ballroom, 55 Davis Square. $40 to $48. Boldly modern yet respectful of her Malian roots, the singer and guitarist writes songs that blend Wassoulou traditions with international influences, covering subjects as respect, love, migration, family and how to build a better world. Information is here.

Detention: Stand-Up in a Speakeasy at 8 and 10 p.m. at the Cambridge Community Center, 5 Callender St., Riverside (and every Friday and Saturday through April). $15 to $24 and 21-plus. Head to the basement, grab a $4 beer or seltzer and enjoy this comedy show created by Ryan Howe, who also runs the Duck Duck Goofs comedy showcase underground at the Cantab Lounge. (As of May 3, Detention moves to permanent digs in Somerville’s Prospect Hill neighborhood, will be 18-plus and offer Wade BBQ and drinks.) Information is here.

The Orleans Kids perform for Boston Swing Central from 8 to 11:45 p.m. at Q Ballroom, 26 New St., Fresh Pond, Cambridge. $14 to $23. This social partner dance with live music includes a lesson for beginners in the first hour. No partner required. Information is here.

Superstition Friday from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. at ManRay, 40 Prospect St., Central Square, Cambridge (and the fifth Friday of every month). $15 and 19-plus. A hefty handful of Boston and Providence, Rhode Island, DJs, including DJ Jimmy Rossi Jr. of Avoxblue, bring the best in goth, industrial, post punk, dark wave, dark electro, cold wave and more. No dress code. Information is here.

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Saturday, March 30

Danehy Park Parkrun at 9 a.m. at Danehy Park, 166 New St., Cambridge. Free, but register your first time. Fun and friendly 5k community event every Saturday. Walk, jog, run, volunteer or spectate. Information is here.

Hitmakers Symposium: “The New Age of Hip-Hop” from noon to 8 p.m. at Harvard Law School, 1515 Massachusetts Ave., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. Daylong event highlighting the intersection of the music business, law and artistry with industry panels, a talent showcase and networking, sponsored by Harvard Law’s Recording Artists Project and Boston’s Putinwork management company. Information is here.

“Queen of Katwe” film screening from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Cambridge Main Library, 449 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge. Free. Mira Nair directed this 2016 biopic about Ugandan chess prodigy Phiona Mutesi, tracing her journey from the slums of Katwe to the upper echelons of the chess world. Information is here.

Let’s Go to the Moon! A moon exploration workshop from 2 to 3 p.m. at the Cambridge Main Library, 449 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge. Free and all ages. NASA solar system ambassador and retired teacher Benadette Manning on the phases of the moon, its role in the upcoming solar eclipse and space exploration missions to it. Information is here.

Reclaiming Folk: A Celebration of People of Color in Folk Music from 2 to 4 p.m. in the auditorium at Somerville Public Library, 79 Highland Ave., Central Hill. Free, but register. Massachusetts singer-songwriters Naomi Westwater, Lydia “LovelySinger” Harrell and Anju sing songs in a round, then each will play original songs and one traditional folk song by a musician of color. A 30-minute talk back and Q&A follow. Information is here.

“Beyond Words” (continued) at 3 and 8 p.m. at Central Square Theater, Cambridge, 450 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. $24 to $78. The evening performance is preceded (at 7 p.m.) by a conversation with Shigeru Miyagawa, an expert in the evolution of languages. Information is here.

“Body as Protest” exhibition opening reception from 4 to 6:30 p.m. on the second-floor exhibit space of Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville. Free. Five activist artists use photography, mixed media and painting to explore self-expression and resistance using protest as a form of community and liberation. Curated by Flor Delgadillo, the exhibition runs through May 28. Information is here.

Bridget Seley Galway exhibition opening reception and poetry reading from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at CultureHouse, 64 Union Square, Somerville. Free. The painter’s colorful works will be up through April 19. Several poets, including Galway, will read poetry starting at 7 p.m. Treats will be available. Information is here.

Bagong Kulturang Pinoy Battle of the Bands at 6:30 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville. $30 to $45 and all ages. Six local Filipino bands and musicians showcase their talents and battle it out for a top prize of $1,000. Funds raised benefit children’s literacy initiatives in the Philippines. Information is here.

Tyr, Trollfest, Aether Realm and The Dread Crew of Oddwood perform at 6:30 p.m. at The Middle East Downstairs, 480 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. $25 to $30 and all ages. A clanking of swords with Faroese folk metal, melodic death metal, Norwegian Balkan Metal and Celtic metal. Information is here.

Urbanity Underground and the Junior Apprentice dancers present “Revive” (continued) at 7 p.m. at Multicultural Arts Center, 41 Second St., East Cambridge. $25 to $50. Information is here.

The Cavedogs perform with special guests Gymnasium at 7 p.m. at The Burren, 247 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville. $25 to $30 and all ages. The ’80s alternative rock band from Boston plays with the power pop/rock group from Boston. Information is here.

Max G. Maxus Guselschikov and the DostAevsky Project perform from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Museum of Modern Renaissance, 115 College Ave., between Davis and Powder House squares, Somerville. $30 to $65. The violinist and composer performs instrumental melodies within the museum’s colorful cathedral-like Grand Hall along with accordionist Daria Krasotkina, pianist Marina Makarova and drummer Garik Bagdagulyan. Information is here.

Boston Art Song Society presents “Silent Noon: The Songs of Ralph Vaughan Williams” from 7:30 to 9 p.m. at Somerville Music Spaces, 1060 Broadway, Suite C101B, Somerville. $25 to $30. An exploration of the understated elegance and splendor of the English song tradition with baritone Dana Whiteside, tenor Ethan DePuy and pianist Julia Carey performing Williams’ “Songs of Travel,” “On Wenlock Edge” and “Five Mystical Songs.” Information is here.

Inner Magic with Jonathan Vale from 7:30 to 9 p.m. at Lilypad, 1353 Cambridge St., Inman Square, Cambridge. $20. A highly interactive evening of magic and mind reading that blends storytelling, philosophy and psychology. Information is here.

The New World Jazz Composers Octet presents “The Next Stage” from 7:30 to 9:20 p.m. at Regattabar, 1 Bennett St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $20 to $30. This eight-member band performs new music composed by Berklee College of Music faculty. Information is here.

Sofar Sounds concert from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. at Lamplighter CX, 110 N. First St., North Point, Cambridge. $30 and 21-plus. You buy the tickets but won’t know who’s playing until they take the mic. Promised are two to three short sets from “incredible performers from all musical genres and sometimes even spoken word, comedy or dance.” Information is here.

Sona Jobarteh Band performs at 8 p.m. at the Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square. $40 to $58. Jobarteh plays the kora, a West African stringed instrument, accompanied by an electric Afropop band. Information is here.

“Music for Troubled Times” choral concert at 8 p.m. at Sanders Theatre, 45 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. $10 to $25. Harvard-Radcliffe Collegium Musicum’s concert features Joseph Haydn’s Missa in Angustiis; Joel Thompson’s “Love Songs from Lonely Letters,” a celebration of Black, queer love and joy; and works by Felix Mendelssohn, Alice Parker and Palestrina, as well as selections of Renaissance music by Collegium Underground. Information is here.

Lincoln Durham performs from 8 to 11 p.m. at The Rockwell, 255 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville. $15 to $20 and 21-plus. “A Southern-gothic one-man-band with a heavy amped edge” whose music “harkens back to Son House and Fred McDowell, infused with the edge and angst of punk and darkened from the influences of Tom Waits and Nick Cave.” Information is here.

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Sunday, March 31

“Menus-Plaisirs Les Troisgros” film screening at noon and 5 p.m. at Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square. $12 to $14. Acclaimed director Frederick Wiseman explores the rarefied world of the family operating the Michelin three-star restaurant La Maison Troisgros for four generations. (“Menus-plaisirs” translates to “small pleasures.”) Sponsored by the Independent Film Festival Boston. Information is here.

Game Day at the New England Science Fiction Association from noon to 10 p.m. at 504 Medford St., Magoun Square, Somerville. Free. A variety of board, card and role-playing games for all tastes and abilities are available for nonmembers twice a month. Or bring your own game and teach others. Masks optional this time. Information is here.

Blooms and Brews: A Spring Vendor Pop-up Market from noon to 4 p.m. at Aeronaut Brewing, 14 Tyler St., near Union Square, Somerville. Free. Sip and shop from nearly 20 local vendors selling flowers, sweets, body care products, art, fiber arts and more. Information is here.

“Beyond Words” (continued) at 2 p.m. at Central Square Theater, Cambridge, 450 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. $24 to $78. Information is here.

“A Confucian Confusion” film screening from 7 to 10 p.m. at Harvard Film Archive at The Carpenter Center, 24 Quincy St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $5 to $10. Directed by Edward Yang, this satirical comedy with biting wit and a romance negotiates the coexistence of Confucianism with capitalism and democracy. Information is here.

The Klezmer Klub and Emily Sclar perform from 7:30 to 9 p.m. at Lilypad, 1353 Cambridge St., Inman Square, Cambridge. $15 to $20. High energy folk fusion, and Emily Sclar brings a six-piece band and plays a set of creative violin covers. Information is here.

Winona Fighter performs at 8 p.m. at The Rockwell, 255 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville. $15 to $17 and 18-plus. The Nashville pop-punk band goes from The Knitting Factory in New York to The Rockwell, then tours the country. Information is here.

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Monday, April 1

Jane Kamensky reads from “Candida Royalle and the Sexual Revolution: A History from Below” at 6 p.m. in the lecture hall at the Cambridge Main Library, 449 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge. Free, or $37.19 with book. During this event co-sponsored with the Harvard Book Store, the award-winning author of “A Revolution in Color” discusses her book about Candice Vadala, aka the feminist adult-movie producer Candida Royalle, written using never-before-studied materials from Royalle’s remarkable archive now at Harvard. Information is here.

A/V Comedy Club from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at The Foundry, 101 Rogers St., East Cambridge. Free, but not kid-friendly (material runs PG-13 to R). Drop in to watch interactive stand-up bits with PowerPoint slides and (occasionally) music. Information is here.

Mark Cecil reads from “Bunyan and Henry; Or, the Beautiful Destiny” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The debut novel of the host of “The Thoughtful Bro” podcast reinvents the folk hero myth into a richly imaginative modern fable that wrestles with the American dream’s idealism and cruel underbelly. Emmy-winning investigative reporter for Boston’s WHDH-TV Hank Phillippi Ryan joins in conversation. Information is here.

The Rockwell is Not a Joke Fest with Jack Tucker at 7 p.m. at The Rockwell, 255 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville. $25 to $40 and all ages. Six nights of comedy. This time, an hour of high-energy, absurdist, stand-up comedy from the brain of Stamptown creator Zach Zucker. Information is here.

Picture + Panel: Travel, Bicycles and the Open Road with Lucy Knisley and Tessa Hulls from 7 to 8 p.m. at Aeronaut Brewing, 14 Tyler St., near Union Square, Somerville. Free to $15 and 21-plus. The monthly confab of graphic novel creators sponsored by Aeronaut, Porter Square Books and the Boston Comic Arts Foundation pairs the creator of “Stepping Stones” and “Apple Crush” with the adventure-loving author of the graphic memoir “Feeding Ghosts.” Queers on Wheels founder Sandy Capecelatro moderates. Information is here.

Chess Night from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Somerville Public Library, 79 Highland Ave., Central Hill (and continuing monthly). Free, but register. Players of all skill levels are welcome, and chess sets are provided. Information is here.

“The Old Oak” film screening at 7:30 p.m. at Apple Cinemas Cambridge, 168 Alewife Brook Parkway, Cambridge Highlands near Alewife and Fresh Pond. $12. A village is divided when a pub owner compassionately welcomes Syrian refugees relocating to a barely thriving former mining community in northern England. Directed by Ken Loach and written by Paul Laverty, the social parable is part of the Belmont World Film’s 22nd International Film Series. Information is here.

“Tufts Composers: Fusion Recipes for Fools” concert from 8 to 10 p.m. at Distler Performance Hall, Tufts University, 20 Talbot Ave., Medford. Free. Tufts faculty composer/conductor/pianist David Coleman’s “Sonata Con Fusion,” with new works by Tufts composers rounding out this evening of musical sleight-of-ear. Information is here.

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Tuesday, April 2

“The Debate over ‘Understanding’ in AI’s Large Language Models” lecture from 4 to 5:30 p.m. in Singleton Auditorium (3002) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Building 46, also known as the Brain and Cognitive Sciences Complex, 43 Vassar St., Cambridge. Free. The Santa Fe Institute’s Melanie Mitchell discusses whether large pretrained language models can be said to “understand” language – and the physical and social situations language encodes – and describes arguments on both sides of the debate. Information is here.

“Gaza: ‘Can Anyone Hear Us?’” lecture from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Building E-51, also known as the Tang Center, 70 Memorial Drive, Cambridge. Free. Sara Roy, associate of Harvard’s Center for Middle Eastern Studies specializing in the Palestinian economy, explores some of the historical and defining dynamics that have led to the current war with a focus on the pivotal role of civil society. Information is here.

“Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project” film screening and poetry reading from 5 to 8 p.m. at Harvard Art Museums, Menschel Hall, 32 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. After the screening of the 2023 documentary, the literary icon and revered social justice activist reads from her own poetry, with an introduction from the current poet laureate of San Francisco, Tongo Eisen-Martin. The Woodberry Poetry Room co-sponsors this event. Information is here.

Susan Lieu reads from “The Manicurist’s Daughter” at 6 p.m. The Brattle Theatre, 40 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $12, or $35 with book. During this Harvard Book Store event, the award-winning author, playwright and performer of “140 LBS: How Beauty Killed My Mother” discusses her memoir about her family, refugees from the Vietnam War. Information is here.

Ursula Villarreal-Moura reads from “Like Happiness” from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the lecture hall at the Cambridge Main Library, 449 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge. Free, but register. A searing debut about the complexities of gender, power and fame told through the story of a young woman’s destructive relationship with a legendary writer. “The Bullet Swallower” author Elizabeth Gonzalez James joins in conversation during this event co-sponsored with Porter Square Books. Information is here.

Science on Stage: “Song of Extinction” play performance from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at The MIT Museum, Gambrill Center, 314 Main St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. $5 to $15. E.M. Lewis’ play about the science of life and loss, eco-extinction and human resilience involves a musically gifted high school student and his biology teacher. A conversation with paleobiologist and evolutionary ecologist Richard J. Knecht follows. Information is here.

Daniel Bernard Roumain performs at 7 p.m. at the Longy School of Music, 27 Garden St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free to $20. Longy’s artist activist-in-residence performs and discusses his approach over the course of his career and about using music as a form of social engagement. Information is here.

Dope Labs Unplugged and in person at 7 p.m. in the Mugar Omni Theater at the Museum of Science, 1 Science Park, Boston, on the Cambridge border. Free, but register and 18-plus. Podcast hosts Titi and Zakiya return live to the museum to trending topics under the microscope, unveiling the science hidden in plain sight. Followed by a Q&A. Information is here.

Steven Hahn reads from “Illiberal America: A History” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The author of “A Nation Under Our Feet” describes how Americans have long been animated by values competing with those in the Declaration of Independence, and that the illiberal will of the community often protects itself by excluding perceived threats. Harvard Kennedy School’s Matthew W. Stirling Jr. joins in conversation. Information is here.

The Rockwell is Not a Joke Fest Mystery Show at 7 p.m. at The Rockwell, 255 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville. $15 to $20 and all ages. Six nights of comedy. This time, a mystery comedy show. Information is here.

Great Books Book Group from 7:15 to 9 p.m. in the Curious George Room at the Cambridge Main Library, 449 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge. Free, but register. This time: “Heart of Darkness” by Joseph Conrad. Information is here.

Smut Slam from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville (and the first Tuesday of every month). $10 suggested donation. An open mic invites participants to tell five-minute, real-life dirty stories. The top three slammers win sexy swag from Good Vibrations. Kat Sistare hosts. Information is here.

BroadBand A Cappella performs at 8 p.m. at Club Passim, 47 Palmer St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $23 to $25. “Harmony at a higher bandwidth” is the Boston-area group’s signature, creating “a distinctive treble sound on even the most complex arrangements.” Information is here.

Laugh Giraffe Comedy Show at 8 p.m. at Union Tavern, 345 Somerville Ave., Union Square, Somerville (and every Tuesday). Free, but reserve your space. Standup comedy showcase. Information is here.

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Wednesday, April 3

Matthew Strassler reads from “Waves in an Impossible Sea: How Everyday Life Emerges from the Cosmic Ocean” at 6 p.m. at the Harvard Science Center, 1 Oxford St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free, or $34 with book. The Harvard physics professor tells startling and profound tales of elementary particles, human experience and empty space. Information is here.

Cookbook Book Group: Indonesian from 6 to 7 p.m. at Cambridge Public Library Boudreau Branch, 245 Concord Ave., Observatory Hill in Neighborhood 9. Free, but register. All cooking levels are welcome at this potluck; bring a dish (or your thoughts) to share and discuss with other cooks. This time choose any recipe from the books “Coconut & Sambal,” “Fire Islands” and “The Indonesian Table.” Information is here.

“Housing The Nation” panel discussion from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at The MIT Museum, 314 Main St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. $5 to $15. The editors of the new “Housing the Nation: Social Equity, Architecture and the Future of Affordable Housing” and contributing MIT faculty present and take audience questions. Information is here.

Sage Intergenerational LGBTQ+ Dinner from 6 to 8 p.m. in the community room of the Cambridge Main Library, 449 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge. Free, but register. The first Sage Table hosted by Cambridge’s LGBTQ+ Commission involves a dinner with tables arranged for conversation guided by facilitators. All ages, identities, abilities, caretakers, parents and guardians welcome. Information is here.

Death Café from 6 to 8 p.m. at CultureHouse, 64 Union Square, Somerville. Free. There’s no agenda or themes to this type of gathering; attendees direct their own discussion of death “to increase awareness of death with a view to helping people make the most of their (finite) lives.” Facilitated by Natalie Sew and Nova Reilly. Tea, coffee and cake will be available. Information is here.

Opening reception for Basel Abbas and Ruanne Abou-Rahme’s exhibition “Only sounds that tremble through us” and Hana Miletić’s exhibition “Soft Services” from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the List Visual Arts Center, 20 Ames St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. Abbas and Abou-Rahme’s brings a sound and video installation; Miletić’s first U.S. solo exhibition involves delicate, brightly colored textile weavings of idiosyncratic shapes inspired by her own photography of temporary building repairs. Information is here.

Richard Sennett on “Stages and Streets: Where Performances Happen and Why They Happen Where They Happen” from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Gund Hall, 42 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The author and academic began life as a professional cellist, then became a writer on cities, combining architecture with the social sciences. His new book “The Performer: Life, Art and Politics” puts together the strands. Information is here.

Becca Rothfeld reads from “All Things Are Too Small: Essays in Praise of Excess” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The Washington Post book critic pleas for obsession, gluttony and ravishment in all domains of life, from literature to romance, and insists that imbalance functions as a catapult that transforms our stagnant beliefs and identities. She’s also against decluttering. Harvard professor and staff writer for The New Yorker James Wood joins in conversation. Information is here.

The Rockwell is Not a Joke Fest with Liz Glazer at 7 p.m. at The Rockwell, 255 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville. $20 to $25 and all ages. Six nights of comedy. This time, the New York–based standup comedian, actor and writer Liz Glazer, the most recent winner of the Boston Comedy Festival (she’s in town hosting Round 5 of 2024’s festival). Information is here.

Samantha Harvey reads from “Orbital” at 7 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 25 White St., Porter Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. The English author’s sixth novel deftly snapshots one day in the lives of six women and men from different countries on a final space station mission orbiting Earth. Novelist, essayist and fiction writer Jamie Quatro joins in conversation. Information is here.

“Planting for Climate Resilience” lecture from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Cambridge Main Library, 449 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge. Free. Grow Native Mass hosts Andrea Berry, executive director of the Wild Seed Project in Southern Maine, for its Evenings with Experts series focused on what home gardeners and landscapers can do to bring more biodiversity to their gardens and sites. Information is here.

“Spring Awakening” musical at 7:30 p.m. at Loeb Drama Center, 64 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge (and continuing through April 6). $10 to $15. Themes of sexual awakening, youth revolt and self-discovery got this German play banned in 1891. Steven Sater adapted it for Broadway with Duncan Sheik’s rock score in 2006, and it won eight Tony awards. It was revived on Broadway in 2015. A film reuniting the show’s cast 15 years later played on HBO in 2022. Now it’s spring 2024, and the Harvard-Radcliffe Dramatic Club reawakens it. Information is here.

“Beyond Words” (continued) at 7:30 p.m. at Central Square Theater, Cambridge, 450 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. $24 to $78. Information is here.

Reality Gays present the “If You Can Dream It…” Tour at 7:30 p.m. at Somerville Theatre’s Crystal Ballroom, 55 Davis Square. $35. Southern queens Jake Anthony and Matt Marr dish on reality shows about lonely hearts. Information is here.

Revels Pub Singalong with David Coffin at 7:30 p.m. at The Burren, 247 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville. $25 to $35 and all ages. The Revels artist-in-residence and acclaimed baritone chantey man, who’s recorded four solo CDs, leads an evening of chanteys and sea songs, exploring their history and traditions, as part of the Burren’s Brian O’Donovan Legacy Series. Information is here.

Fifth Annual MIT Music and Theater Arts Playwright’s Lab reading at 8 p.m. at MIT Music and Theater Arts, 345 Vassar St., in the MIT/Area II neighborhood, Cambridge. Free, but RSVP to save your spot. A five-week festival of staged readings featuring the work of the writers in the Playwrights Lab. Tonight: “Collateral” by Alayo Oloko, about two friends whose jobs ask them to compromise their values. Information is here.

No Boundaries Big Band presents jazz and contemporary music at 8 p.m. at the Longy School of Music, 27 Garden St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free to $20. Longy’s jazz orchestra performs from its rotating repertoire. Information is here.

Violinist Rob Flax’s Boom Chick Trio performs at 8 p.m. at Club Passim, 47 Palmer St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $18 to $20. The award-winning jazz and improvisational violinist, composer and powerhouse vocalist has formed a supergroup featuring Slava Tolstoy on guitar and Max Ridley on bass for even more energetic music and three-part harmony vocals. Information is here.

“Crypt” Night at 9 p.m. at ManRay, 40 Prospect St., Central Square, Cambridge (and every Wednesday in April). $7 to $10 and 19-plus. DJ Arcanus mixes old-school goth and industrial. Creative attire encouraged. Information is here.

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Thursday, April 4

Next in Science series: James Webb Space Telescope from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Knafel Center of the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, Harvard University, 10 Garden St., west of Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. A discussion on the exciting early results in understanding the universe and importance of engaging the public with astronomy. Four speakers include researchers and professors from Germany; Austin, Texas; and Boulder, Colorado; plus a Science News astronomy writer. Harvard astronomy professor Edo Berger moderates. Information is here.

Lesley Leadership Series with artist Cicely Carew from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Lesley University’s University Hall, 1815 Massachusetts Ave., Porter Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. This Lesley MFA grad and arts educator created an ethereal but almost three-ton sculpture for the Prudential Center (“Ambrosia”) and chromatic installations in Peloton’s New York storefront windows. She was one of six Boston artists chosen to interpret the word tzedek, Hebrew for justice, as part of the “Be the Change” public arts exhibit in Boston’s Fenway neighborhood. Information is here.

Writers Speak: Nigerian novelist Chigozie Obioma in conversation at 6 p.m. in the Fong Auditorium of Boylston Hall, Harvard Yard, Cambridge. Free. Obioma’s novels have been shortlisted for The Booker Prize, and his “The Road to the Country” will be published in June. An associate professor at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, he’s also the program director of the Oxbelly writers retreat. Harvard’s Maya Jasanoff, author of “The Dawn Watch: Joseph Conrad in a Global World,” joins in conversation during this Mahindra Center event. Information is here.

S. Fey reads from “decompose” from 6 to 7 p.m. at The Harvard Coop, 1400 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The Los Angeles–based trans writer’s debut poetry collection explores pruning our past to make room for future growth, the expanse we are offered through the crush of heartbreak, discovering family beyond our original home and finding new meaning in our own name. Harvard professor Morgan Ridgway joins in conversation. Information is here.

Actor-artist Paulina Alexis in conversation from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Harvard Art Museums, Menschel Hall, 32 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The fourth annual lecture of the Harvard University Native American Program features Paulina Alexis, who played Willie Jack in the TV series “Reservation Dogs” and is a member of the Stoney tribe of the Alexis Nakota Sioux Nation. Information is here.

Intro to Upcycling from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Cambridge Public Library Central Square Branch, 45 Pearl St. Free, but register. Ninawa Zero Waste Clothes shows you have to make a fashion statement and be environmentally conscious too, by upcycling your clothing into something new. Bring a cotton shirt you no longer wear (and don’t mind tearing up). Information is here.

Hana Miletić discusses her “Soft Services” exhibition from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Bartos Theater, 20 Ames St., Building E-15, atrium level, Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. The artist describes the role photography plays in the creation of her textile works in conversation with Providence College professor E.C. Feiss. Information is here.

Bubbles & Bites: Second Annual Celebration of Youth Arts from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at 650 E. Kendall St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. $65. Fundraiser for the Community Art Center celebrates youth arts and honors Cambridge’s Janet Moses, NBC10 Boston anchor Latoyia Edwards, Central Square BID’s Michael Monestime and youth change makers Naejaleihs Pierre and Rachab Yewendwossen. Features live music and a “Taste of the Port” with local bites from neighborhood chefs. Information is here.

Rebecca Mahoney reads from “The Memory Eater” and James Kennedy reads from “Bride of the Tornado” at 7 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 25 White St., Porter Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. The YA authors are in Boston hosting the April 6 screening of the “90-Second Newbery Film Festival” of kid filmmakers who create weird short movies that tell the entire stories of Newbery-winning books in about 90 seconds. Information is here.

The Rockwell is Not a Joke Fest with Jacob Williams at 7 p.m. at The Rockwell, 255 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville. $20 to $25 and all ages. Six nights of comedy. Tonight, New York City comedian Jacob Williams makes insightful, rapid-fire jokes on personal struggles such as making friends, dating, family drama and the various hilarious pitfalls of following one’s dreams. Information is here.

Michael Ponsor reads from “Point of Order” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The senior U.S. District judge and author of “The Hanging Judge” and “The One-Eyed Judge” discusses his third novel featuring a gripping mystery set in the real-life world of a federal court. Information is here.

Bow Market Comedy Festival with Drew Dunn/LGBTQA shows at 7 and 9 p.m. at Upstairs at Bow, 1 Bow Market Way, Union Square, Somerville. $20. Four nights of comedy, each with a different lineup of local comedians, plus drinks; Howling Wolf Productions created this inaugural event. Tonight: Drew Dunn and Friends (7 p.m.) and The LGBTQA Show (9 p.m.) Information is here.

“Beyond Words” (continued) at 7:30 p.m. at Central Square Theater, Cambridge, 450 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. $24 to $78. This performance is followed (at 9:45 p.m.) by a discussion with Diana Reiss and Aniruddh Patel about marine animal cognition and the evolutionary foundations of musicality in animals. Information is here.

“Spring Awakening” musical (continued) at 7:30 p.m. at Loeb Drama Center, 64 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $10 to $15. Information is here.

Born to Die: A Tribute to Lana del Rey at 7:30 p.m. in the Charles Hayden Planetarium at the Museum of Science, 1 Science Park, Boston, on the Cambridge border. $25 and 18-plus. Niki Luparelli’s tributes often sell out (she’s done them for Bowie, Blondie and Pink Floyd, among others). This time she’ll be backed by an 11-piece orchestra, including a string quartet and harp. Cash bar and light bites before the show. Information is here.

La Tragédie de Carmen at 7:30 p.m. at Arrow Street Arts, 2 Arrow Street, Harvard Square, Cambridge (and continuing April 6 and 7). $20 to $50. The Boston Opera Collaborative presents this Peter Brook adaptation of Bizet’s classic “Carmen” featuring a 15-piece chamber orchestra led by new music director Ken Yanagisawa. Information is here.

Atomic Comedy Indie Night from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the café at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville. Free, but register. An independently produced monthly improv show featuring new and veteran local talent. Information is here.

Pianist Cooper-Moore and drummer Francisco Mela present “Music Frees Our Souls” from 7:30 to 10 p.m. at Lilypad, 1353 Cambridge St., Inman Square, Cambridge. $15 to $18. An exquisite free-jazz duet between “a great, overlooked pianist” from New York and “Boston’s most in-demand jazz drummer.” Information is here.

Reverend Kristin Michael Hayter performs at 8 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville. $25 to $30. The avant-garde singer and pianist, formerly known as Lingua Ignota, released the concept album “Saved!” in 2023 exploring a fictionalized conversion to Pentecostalism. Information is here.

Arin Ray performs at 8 p.m. at Somerville Theatre’s Crystal Ballroom, 55 Davis Square. $20 to $35. The Cincinnati-born R&B musician on his “Phases” tour has written songs for Chris Brown, John Legend and Rick Ross. Information is here.

Candlelight: Pink Floyd concert at 9 p.m. at First Church in Cambridge, 11 Garden St., Harvard Square. $33 to $59 and 8-plus. The Rasa String Quartet, illuminated by glowing candles, plays a dozen classics from the English rock band. Information is here.