Thursday, Nov. 14
“Orwell’s Ghosts: Wisdom and Warnings for the Twenty-First Century” from 4 to 5:30 p.m. in the lower level conference room at Adolphus Busch Hall, 27 Kirkland St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. American University professor Laura Beers critiques the ways George Orwell’s writings are currently used and abused in political debate. Boston University professor Arianne Chernock joins. Information is here.
ArtsThursdays: “The place where the creek goes underground” exhibition talk at 5 p.m. at Fay House at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, Harvard University, 10 Garden Street, west of Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. Artist Anthony Romero, scholar Deanna Ledezma and artist Josh Rios discuss their long collaboration and shared history, including in the region between South-Central Texas and Northern Mexico explored in the exhibition. Includes a launch party for the exhibition’s publication. Information is here.
Mandy Rosengren’s “The 12 Pack” exhibition opening reception from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Aeronaut Brewing, 14 Tyler St., near Union Square, Somerville. Free, but RSVP. The Somerville engineer and artist depicts the shift of humans from hunters to shoppers with “reimagined hunters’ trophies” created from wire and (discarded) soda tabs. On display through Jan. 6. Information is here.
Oral History Initiative: On the Fag Rag Collective (1971–1987) from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts, lower level, 24 Quincy St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. Celebrate the radical Boston-based collective, its gay national, gay male political-literary journal and its constellation of poets, writers, activists and anarchists. Writer Raymond Foye moderates. Information is here.
Riverside Naturalists: Readying for Winter from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Mass Audubon Nature Center at Magazine Beach, 668 Memorial Drive, Cambridgeport (also Nov. 21). Free, but register and adults only. Explore flora, fauna and fungi and the connections between them and us during two guided walks per month: one on the seasonal changes and the other on nature journaling (documenting observations – no art experience required). Information is here.
FoodxClimate Boston Networking Mixer from 6 to 8 p.m. at Remnant Brewing, 2 Bow Market Way, Union Square, Somerville. Free. The intersection of food systems and climate crisis is the background for this first Boston-area event by a national nonprofit. Information is here.
After Dark Series: Junk from 6 to 9 p.m. at The MIT Museum, 314 Main St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. $10 to $20 and 21-plus. The art and the science of junk: Rock music performed on bicycles; fashion and design from chopsticks and banana crop waste; a Footwear Collective special installation; and kintsugi-inspired collage making from MIT campus “junk.” Plus, Peter Mui from Fixit Clinic talks about designing for durability. Dumplings from Mei Mei and brews from Aeronaut are available for purchase. Information is here.
Actors’ Shakespeare Project presents “Emma” at 7 p.m. at the Multicultural Arts Center, 41 Second St., East Cambridge (and continuing through Dec. 15). $25 to $64. Kate Hamill’s radical adaptation of Jane Austen’s Regency-era novel about matchmaking features screwball antics and fourth-wall breaking meta-theatrics. Directed by Regine Vital. Information is here.
Kris Adams with Greg Hopkins and friends from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at The Mad Monkfish, 524 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. $25. The vocalist performs with the trumpeter and fellow Berklee College of Music educator supported by other faculty and alums. Information is here.
Union Improv Festival at 7, 8:30 and 10 p.m. at The Rockwell, 255 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville (and continuing through Nov. 16). $12 to $15, or $96 for a three-day pass. Improv comedy from Boston, New York City, Chicago, Rhode Island, Florida and more, with a lineup of multiple comics for each time slot. Information is here.
Blues Union November Classes and Dances from 7 to 11 p.m. at Dance Union, 16 Bow St., Union Square, Somerville (and continuing Nov. 21). $10 to $25. This month offers a musicality lesson at 7 p.m. and a beginner lesson at 8 p.m., with two hours of social dancing at 9 p.m. Wear shoes that allow you to pivot; no need to bring a partner. Masks required. Information is here.
Comedian Cristela Alonzo at 7:30 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Spring Hill, Somerville. $28 to $35. The American actor, stand-up comedian, writer and producer – and creator and star of the ABC sitcom “Cristela” prepares for her third Netflix comedy special after “Lower Classy” and “Middle Classy.” Information is here.
JazzBoston presents Jazz All Ways: Rio Night featuring Mark Walker at 7:30 p.m. at Regattabar, 1 Bennett St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $20 to $30. Special guest vocalist and guitarist Luciano Antonio joins the Grammy- and Latin Grammy–winning drummer, composer, bandleader and educator with Ian Coury (mandolin), Sergio Brandão (guitar), Maxim Lubarsky (piano), Oscar Stagnaro (bass) and Paul Lieberman (flute and sax). Information is here.
“Galileo’s Daughter” at 7:30 p.m. at Central Square Theater, Cambridge, 450 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge (and continuing through Dec. 8). $27 to $103. Jessica Dickey’s play alternates between Tuscany of the present day and the 1600’s. A writer on the brink of divorce travels to Florence to research a trove of revelatory letters written to Galileo by his daughter Marie Celeste. Information is here.
Castalian String Quartet at 7:30 p.m. at the Longy School of Music, 27 Garden St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $72 to $104. In their Celebrity Series debut, this quartet-in-residence at the University of Oxford unveils a diverse repertoire of classical music, including works by Schubert, Kurtág, Coleridge-Taylor and Beethoven. Information is here.
BT ALC Big Band performs at 7:30 at Sally O’Brien’s, 335 Somerville Ave., Union Square, Somerville (and every second Thursday). Free. Make some space for this 18-piece original funk, soul, hip-hop, jazz big band. Information is here.
“Water by the Spoonful” play performance at 8 p.m. at Theatre@First, Unity Somerville, 6 William St., Somerville (and continuing through Nov. 16). $20 to $25. In Quiara Alegría Hudes’ play, Elliot, an Iraq veteran, and his cousin, Yaz, plan their beloved activist aunt’s funeral while Elliot’s mother, a recovering addict, finds hope and purpose. (Masks are required for this performance.) Information is here.
Friday, Nov. 15
Emerging Tech Forum: “More Automation, Better Jobs” from 3:30 to 5 p.m. at The MIT Museum, 314 Main St., Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free with museum admission. A panel with automation specialists from industry and academia discuss how technologies can make jobs better – and where they might make work worse. Information is here.
JazzBoston Jazz Jam from 5 to 7 p.m. at The Phoenix Landing, 512 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge (and the first and third Friday of every month). Free and all ages. An opportunity for intermediate and advanced musicians to collaborate directly with a house band of area professionals and educators. This time, Alejandra Gomez leads. Information is here.
Haitian photographer Daniel Morel’s “Regards sur le Vodou” exhibition opening reception from 5 to 7 p.m. at the cafe at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Spring Hill, Somerville. Free. Morel has documented the culture, history and people of his native Haiti for many years, with his photographs appearing in The New York Times, Vanity Fair and The Wall Street Journal and winning him awards and grants. He’s also a film producer and book author. Information is here.
Tag sale fundraiser from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at Friends Meeting House, 5 Longfellow Park, near Harvard Square, Cambridge (and continuing Nov. 16). Free. Held semiannually, the Material Aid and Advocacy Program’s sale features good- to new-quality vintage and contemporary clothing, shoes, accessories, jewelry, antiques, linens and more. Information is here.
Masterclass with cellist Alexander Baillie from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at First Church in Cambridge, 11 Garden St., Harvard Square. Free. The internationally recognized British cellist is in town to perform at the Elgar Cello Concert at the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra’s all-British concert Nov. 17. Information is here.
Parker Quartet at 6:30 p.m. at Harvard’s John Knowles Paine Concert Hall, 3 Oxford St., just north of Harvard Square, Cambridge, and Harvard Yard. Free, but RSVP. A program featuring works by Brahms, Adams, Cheung and Mahler tied together by themes of nature, ecopoetics and heritage. Quartet members violinist Daniel Chong, violinist Ken Hamao, violist Jessica Brodner and cellist Kee-Hyun Kim are joined by mezzo soprano Fleur Barron with poetry readings woven through the program by Arthur Sze and Victoria Chang. Information is here.
“Synth-Tember: A Synthesis of Art + Science” exhibition closing party at 7 p.m. at New Alliance Gallery, 438R Somerville Ave., in Ward 2 near Union Square, Somerville. Free. Last chance to view this suite of performances and works. Cambridge Day’s Claire Ogden wrote, “The artists here have a winning combination of creative thinking and technical execution, each turning their respective hardware and software into something sublime.” Information is here.
Actors’ Shakespeare Project presents “Emma” (continued) at 7 p.m. at the Multicultural Arts Center, 41 Second St., East Cambridge. $25 to $64. Information is here.
Bread and Puppet Theater’s “The Possibilitarian Imperative Everything Show & Gray Lady Cantata #9” at 7 p.m. at Friends Meeting House, 5 Longfellow Park, near Harvard Square, Cambridge. $20, but no one turned away for lack of funds. This double bill focused on hope and the “thousand alternatives” to war is on tour from Vermont to Atlanta and includes puppets large and small, music, up-to-the-minute politics and “spectacles not to be missed” plus a serving of the troupe’s famous sourdough rye bread with aioli. Information is here.
Rob Sheffield reads from “Heartbreak Is the National Anthem: How Taylor Swift Reinvented Pop Music” at 7 p.m. at First Parish Cambridge Unitarian Universalist, 3 Church St./1446 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $10, or $38 with book. This Harvard Book Store-sponsored event includes a friendship bracelet-making kit with every ticket. Information is here.
“Broadening the Narrative: RPGs Beyond Western Fantasy” panel discussion from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Side Quest Books & Games in Bow Market at 1 Bow Market Way, Union Square, Somerville. $15. How game runners, game designers and players can broaden the typical narrative of fantasy tabletop role-playing games into something more inclusive, diverse, representative and dynamic. Information is here.
Union Improv Festival (continued) at 7, 8:30, 10 and 11:30 p.m. at The Rockwell, 255 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville. $12 to $15, or $96 for a three-day pass. Information is here.
Night Games: An Indoor Night Market from 7 p.m. to midnight at The Garage, 36 John F. Kennedy St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free entry and all ages. Open Market’s first-ever indoor night market – part of a new weekly series – includes an arcade (in collaboration with DX Arcade); vintage and sustainable apparel to streetwear; artwork, jewelry and artisanal goods; light refreshments from Topo Chico and Red Bull; and a soundtrack from DJ Mez.Wav. Information is here.
“Galileo’s Daughter” (continued) at 7:30 p.m. at Central Square Theater, Cambridge, 450 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. $27 to $87. Information is here.
Comedian Leslie Liao at 7:30 p.m. at Somerville Theatre’s Crystal Ballroom, 55 Davis Square. $34. Liao’s experiences as a single Chinese-American woman living in Los Angeles have yielded a relatable, introspective and matter-of-fact style humor. Information is here.
The Asian American Playwright Collective Playfest 7 from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at The Foundry, 101 Rogers St., East Cambridge (and continuing Nov. 16). $20 to $30. Eight new works by playwrights who also just happen to be Asian American. A moderated Q&A follows. Information is here.
“Water by the Spoonful” play performance (continued) at 8 p.m. at Theatre@First, Unity Somerville, 6 William St., Somerville. $20 to $25. Information is here.
Lakou Mizik at 8 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Spring Hill, Somerville. $35 to $40. This Haitian roots band formed in the wake of that country’s devastating 2010 earthquake, selling acclaimed albums and putting on mystical, dance-inducing live performances. Boston’s Rara Bel Poze opens. Information is here.
“Assassins” at 8 p.m. in La Sala de Puerto Rico in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Stratton Student Center, 84 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge (and continuing through Nov. 23). $10 to $20. Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman’s one-act historical “revusical” lays bare the lives of nine individuals who assassinated or tried to assassinate the President of the United States. Produced by the MIT Musical Theatre Guild. Information is here.
FaMLE (MIT Laptop Ensemble) from 8 to 9:30 p.m. at Killian Hall in the Hayden Library Building at 160 Memorial Drive at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge. Free. A collaborative music performance exploring emerging digital musical practices and using a variety of software and hardware instruments. Information is here.
Saturday, Nov. 16
TEDx Boston: Planet Action Summit 2024 from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on the MIT campus at three venues: CSAIL Stata Center, the MIT Museum and the MIT Sloan School of Business (and continuing Nov. 17). Free, but register. At this campuswide event aimed at producing actionable climate solutions, innovators and speakers present more than 60 talks in a dozen categories, including the wisdom of the natural world, building resilient communities, restoring soils, ice literacy (lessons from the poles), new forms of energy, rethinking finance, tools for scaling climate solutions and more. Information is here.
Tag sale fundraiser (continued) from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Friends Meeting House, 5 Longfellow Park, near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. Information is here.
Tai Chi Under a Tree from 10 to 11 a.m. at Joan Lorentz Park at 449 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge (in front of the Cambridge Main Library). Free. Explore qigong warmups and the elements of tai chi with Ellen DeGenova. No experience necessary; a seated option is available. Information is here.
“Rock, Lock and Ya Don’t Stop” from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at The Foundry, 101 Rogers St., East Cambridge. $30. A daylong event celebrating two early forms of street dance with a panel discussion, workshops, battles and a jam. An afterparty in Boston follows until midnight. Presented by Rock Dance Network and Beantown Lockers. Information is here.
Cambridge LGBTQ+ visionaries walking tour from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. meeting near the rainbow benches outside Cambridge City Hall, 795 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square (also Nov. 17). $44 to $49 (under age 18 free). Learn about many of the “firsts” in LGBTQ+ organizing and the rights movement from guide Kimm Topping by visiting historic sites and exploring the stories of early activists. Information is here.
Native American Heritage Celebration Weekend from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Museum of Science, 1 Science Park, Boston, on the Cambridge border (and continuing Sunday). For free museum admission, redeem online code NAHM24. A tribute of Indigenous communities with guest speakers, workshops, cultural performances and area groups, plus free evening screenings of “Indian Horse,” a drama about the dark history of Canada’s Residential Schools, and free regularly scheduled Mugar Omni Theater films (Nov. 16 only). Information is here.
Poet Orlando Watson on “The Power of Presence” from 2 to 3 p.m. at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Kresge Auditorium, 48 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge. Free. A masterclass with the senior director of programming at the August Wilson African American Cultural Center, where he manages the Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival. Watson performs at the annual Herb Pomeroy memorial concert in the same venue at 8 p.m. Information is here.
“Galileo’s Daughter” (continued) at 2 and 7:30 p.m. at Central Square Theater, Cambridge, 450 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. $27 to $103. Information is here.
“Water by the Spoonful” play performance (continued) at 3 p.m. at Theatre@First, Unity Somerville, 6 William St., Somerville. $20 to $25. Information is here.
Union Improv Festival (continued) at 4, 5:30, 7, 8:30, 10 and 11:30 p.m. at The Rockwell, 255 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville. $12 to $15, or $96 for a three-day pass. Information is here.
Harvard A Capella Jam at 7 p.m. at Sanders Theatre, 45 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. $10 to $20. The Harvard Callbacks, LowKeys and Radcliffe Pitches perform a cappella. Information is here.
Harvard Ballet presents “Dawn” at 7 p.m. at Loeb Drama Center, 64 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge (and continuing through Nov. 22). $10 to $15. The student-run organization chose the program’s title for its optimism and for the exciting new works, reimagined classical repertoire and new professional opportunities on the horizon. Information is here.
The Sarasa Ensemble presents “East-West” from 7 to 9 p.m. at Friends Meeting House, 5 Longfellow Park, near Harvard Square, Cambridge. $10 to $30. A program that looks at how the sounds of the near Orient influenced Europe in a potpourri of Baroque and 20th-century music. Includes works by Lully, Rameau, Ali Ufkî Bey, Biber, Bartók, Kodály, and Vivaldi. Information is here.
The Asian American Playwright Collective Playfest 7 (continued) from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at The Foundry, 101 Rogers St., East Cambridge. $20 to $30. Information is here.
Drummer Nate Smith at 8 p.m. at Somerville Theatre’s Crystal Ballroom, 55 Davis Square. $30 to $35. The three-time Grammy-nominated drummer, composer and producer has picked up even more fame from his popular viral videos. Information is here.
“Juventas at 20” at 8 p.m. at the Multicultural Arts Center, 41 Second St., East Cambridge. $1 to $36. The official 20th anniversary celebration revisits special moments in Juventas history with works by some of its most beloved composers, who live in today’s world and respond to our time. Information is here.
“Assassins” (continued) at 8 p.m. in La Sala de Puerto Rico in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Stratton Student Center, 84 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge. $10 to $20. Information is here.
Harvard Pops Orchestra’s “LolliPOPS: Sweet Dreams!” at 8 p.m. at Harvard’s Lowell Lecture Hall, 17 Kirkland St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $10 to $15. The student-run symphonic orchestra’s repertoire ranges from popular music to film and show tunes and classical. Each show has a plot and features student singers and actors – this one’s about two college seniors landing an sweet internship at a candy factory. Information is here.
Esh Circus Arts Fall Student Show from 8 to 9:30 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Spring Hill, Somerville. $12 to $25. Adult and youth students show off their circus skills. Information is here.
Oriana Consort presents “Portraits in Song: A Choral Gallery” from 8 to 9:30 p.m. at University Lutheran Church, 66 Winthrop St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free to $25. The 30-member Oriana performs choral works celebrating notable personae (actual, fictional or even metaphorical), including pieces by Benjamin Britten, Claudio Monteverdi, Ivor Davies, Thomas Weelkes, Rosephanye Powell and Walter Chapin. Information is here.
Seventeenth Annual Herb Pomeroy Memorial Concert: “All Possibilities” with Marquis Hill from 8 to 10 p.m. at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Kresge Auditorium, 48 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge. Free to $15. Guest artist Marquis Hill performs arrangements especially for this concert with the MIT Festival Jazz Ensemble and Vocal Jazz Ensemble directed by Frederick Harris to celebrate “the father of jazz at MIT.” Hill gives a free masterclass in the same venue at 3 p.m. Information is here.
Sunday, Nov. 17
TEDx Boston: Planet Action Summit 2024 (continued) from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the MIT campus at three venues: CSAIL Stata Center, the MIT Museum, and the MIT Sloan School of Business. Free, but register. Information is here.
Cambridge LGBTQ+ visionaries walking tour (continued) from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. meeting near the rainbow benches outside Cambridge City Hall, 795 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square. $44 to $49 (under age 18 free). Information is here.
Jigsaw puzzle competition at 12:30 p.m. at Aeronaut Brewing, 14 Tyler St., near Union Square, Somerville. $30 per team and 21-plus. The brewery allows up to six members on each team to finish a 500-piece puzzle, with a $100 Aeronaut gift card prize. The evening also includes a puzzle swap of used (but complete) puzzles. Information is here.
Harvard Ballet presents “Dawn” (continued) at 1 p.m. at Loeb Drama Center, 64 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $10 to $15. Information is here.
Foraging for Nuts from 1 to 2:30 p.m. at Mass Audubon Nature Center at Magazine Beach, 668 Memorial Drive, Cambridgeport. Free, but register and adults only. Explore the tree canopy and ground to find out why nuts are so important to the health of a habitat and discover the animals who eat oak acorns, linden nutlets, honey locust pods and more (and which humans can use too). Information is here.
“Assassins” (continued) at 2 p.m. in La Sala de Puerto Rico in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Stratton Student Center, 84 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge. $10 to $20. Information is here.
“Galileo’s Daughter” (continued) at 2 p.m. at Central Square Theater, Cambridge, 450 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. $27 to $95. Information is here.
“Speed Bumps, and Other Things Jesus Wouldn’t Have Wanted” one-act dramedy play at 2:30, 4:30, 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. at the Hasty Pudding Institute, 45 Dunster St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $5 and 13-plus. A show about grief, intimacy and friendship that’s double-cast, with the intent of creating conversation around how even identical experiences with grief can manifest differently. Information is here.
Masterworks Chorale presents Handel and Telemann at 3 p.m. at Sanders Theatre, 45 Quincy St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. $5 to $50. Coronation and funeral music in poignant contrast: Georg Frideric Handel’s four powerful, poised and dramatic anthems for the 1727 coronation of George II are capped by “Hamburgische Trauermusik,” an instrumental work by Georg Philipp Telemann written for the funerals of two mayors of Hamburg. Kevin Leong directs. Information is here.
“Of Trolls and Men: Music from 18th Century Norway” with Duo Maresienne from 3 to 4 p.m. at the Somerville Museum, 1 Westwood Road, in the Spring Hill neighborhood. $25 to $30. Olav Chris Henriksen (Baroque guitar and English guitar) and Carol Lewis (viola da gamba) perform folk songs, fairytale tunes and dances from the mountains of Norway, as well as art music from the cities, with sonatas and suites by Schenck, Storm, winding and others. Information is here.
Kathak Khelna Indian classical dance and music concert from 3 to 4:30 p.m. at The Foundry, 101 Rogers St., East Cambridge. $15 to $50. Anjali Nath and Labonee Mohanta perform solo and in duet accompanied by Nitin Mitta (tabla) and Hirak Modi (harmonium). Information is here.
Johann Sebastian Bach’s 1724 Chorale-Cantata Cycle from 4 to 6 p.m. at Harvard Memorial Church, 1 Harvard Yard, Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The Harvard University Choir, the Harvard Baroque Chamber Orchestra and the Harvard-Radcliffe Collegium Musicum’s concert celebrating the 300th anniversary of the second cantata cycle Bach penned as part of his duties as Leipzig’s Thomaskantor. Information is here.
Cambridge Symphony Orchestra presents “Reflection” from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Kresge Auditorium, 48 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge. $20 to $30. The CSO is joined by the Choirs of UMass Lowell, under director Jonathan Richter, and the Nashoba Valley Chorale, under director Anne Watson-born, for a double header of British music: Ralph Vaughan Williams’ “Dona Nobis Pacem” and Gustav Holst’s “The Planets.” Information is here.
Harvard Square Book Circle from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Faro Café, 5 Arrow St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. For Harvard Book Store’s monthly book discussion group, Faro Café extends its hours (and espresso-making). This time: “Trust” by Hernan Diaz. (This event was scheduled originally for Sept. 24.) Information is here.
Bruno Råberg Tentet from 6:30 to 7:45 p.m. at Lilypad, 1353 Cambridge St., Inman Square, Cambridge. $15. To promote the CD release of “Evolver,” the bassist-composer presents a concert with his 10-piece group and special guests acclaimed pianist Kris Davis and saxophonist Walter Smith III. Information is here.
“Further Reflections in the Sonic Laboratory” from 6 to 8 p.m. at St. Augustine’s African Orthodox Christian Church, 137 Allston St., Cambridgeport. Free. Using material from St. Augustine’s oral history archive, the composer, musician and visual artist Forbes Graham creates a new sound bath for listeners to reflect, relax, contemplate, learn and appreciate the work of past Afro-Diasporic communities. Information is here.
Actors’ Shakespeare Project presents “Emma” (continued) at 7 p.m. at the Multicultural Arts Center, 41 Second St., East Cambridge. $25 to $64. Information is here.
Sadie Gustafson-Zook and Julie Williams at 7 p.m. at Club Passim, 47 Palmer St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $20 to $22. Gustafson-Zook’s May album “Where I Wanna Be” is followed this November by her EP “What I Pushed Below.” Williams released her EP “Tennessee Moon” with its girl-crush single “just friends?” in October. Information is here.
Happy Landing performs at 7 p.m. at The Rockwell, 255 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville. $20 to $25. Alt-folk from an Oxford, Mississippi, band on the tail end of a fall tour. Information is here.
Jason Wade at 8 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Spring Hill, Somerville. $35 to $40. Solo show by the lead vocalist and guitarist for the rock band Lifehouse. Information is here.
Monday, Nov. 18
Paul Pierson on “Stronger Together: Investigating the Democratic Party’s “Long Coalition” from noon to 1:15 p.m. in the Allison Dining Room at the Taubman Building, Harvard Kennedy School, 15 Eliot St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free, but email for building access. The “Partisan Nation” co-author and director of the Berkeley Economy and Society Initiative examines how Democratic leaders have managed the often distinctive and not infrequently conflicting concerns of affluent white suburban voters and (often less affluent and more urban) voters of color. Information is here.
Frank Lehman on “Blown Kisses: How Film Composers Ruin Romantic Tension” from noon to 1:30 p.m. at Varis lecture hall in the Granoff Music Center, Tufts University, 20 Talbot Ave., Medford. Free. For this colloquium, the Tufts associate professor discusses how composers for film and screen media have long appreciated the power of music to disrupt scenes of amorous passion, and describes the wide arsenal of techniques and tricks used. Information is here.
Pollinator Biodiversity and Climate Citizen Science opportunity from 2 to 3 p.m. at Fresh Pond’s Lusitania Meadow at 615 Concord Ave., Cambridge (and every Monday) Free. Get training to help with Earthwise Aware’s national research surrounding the impact of climate change on the life cycles of plants, insects and more. Information is here.
Music Speaks: Blue Sunrise from 2 to 3 p.m. in Somerville Public Library East Branch, 115 Broadway. Free, but register. Violinist Joshua Peckins plays music from Bach to Blues, Ysaÿe’s famous “sunrise sonata” and traditional Norwegian Hardanger fiddle music. Spoken stories about the composers, too. Information is here.
P.J.E. Peebles reads from “The Whole Truth: A Cosmologist’s Reflections on the Search for Objective Reality” at 6 p.m. in Hall C at the Harvard Science Center, 1 Oxford St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free, or $24.38 with book. During this event co-sponsored by the Harvard Book Store, the Nobel-winning physicist and Princeton University professor discusses his meditation on the ongoing quest for objective reality in natural science. Information is here.
O’Neill Branch book group from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Cambridge Public Library O’Neill Branch, 70 Rindge Ave., North Cambridge. Free. November’s title: “Island Queen” by Vanessa Riley. Information is here.
Queer Book Club from 6:30 to 7:45 p.m. in the auditorium of the Somerville Public Library, 79 Highland Ave., Central Hill (and the third Monday of every month). Free, but register. This month’s title: “One Night in Hartswood” by Emma Denny. Information is here.
Sci-fi/Fantasy Book Club at 7 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 1815 Massachusetts Ave., Porter Square, Cambridge (and held monthly through December). Free, but register. This month’s selection: “The Tainted Cup (Shadow of the Leviathan #1)” by Robert Jackson Bennett. Information is here.
Joy Buolamwini reads from “Unmasking AI: My Mission to Protect What is Human in a World of Machines” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The Algorithmic Justice League founder discusses uncovering “the coded gaze” of encoded racial and gender bias, discrimination and exclusion in tech. Author and musician Amanda Palmer and activist Evan Greer join. Information is here.
Elan Mehler Trio from 7 to 8 p.m. at Lilypad, 1353 Cambridge St., Inman Square, Cambridge (and every Monday). $15. The jazz pianist and composer who’s released 11 albums performs with Max Ridley and Dor Herskovits. Information is here.
J. Rob Swift and Rasul Mowatt discuss the forthcoming “The City of Hip-Hop: New York City, The Bronx and a Peace Meeting” from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Pappalardo Lab (room 050) of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Building 3, also known as The Maclaurin Buildings, 33 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge. Free, but register. The legendary turntablist and North Carolina State University professor (and 25-year DJ) talk about their book, take audience questions and present a live DJ set. Information is here.
“Sustainable Brew: How the Alcohol Industry Impacts Climate Change” panel discussion at 7:30 p.m. in the blue wing at the Museum of Science, 1 Science Park, Boston, on the Cambridge border. Free with preregistration and 18-plus. The cofounders of Earth Cups, along with members of the Boston Beer Co. and Black Earth Compost teams, discuss the harm of cheap red plastic beer cups and tout the closed loop circle of drinking beer from compostable cups that actually get composted. Demonstrative bar opens at 7 p.m. Information is here.
Tuesday, Nov. 19
Thomas Kleine-Brockhoff on “New President, Old Continent: What the U.S. Elections Mean for Europe” from 4 to 5:15 p.m. at Adolphus Busch Hall, 27 Kirkland St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The director of the German Council on Foreign Relations discusses how the outcome of the U.S. presidential election affects the transatlantic relationship. Information is here.
Vladimir Kara-Murza on “The Real Life Gulag” from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Tsai Auditorium at the Center for Government and International Studies, South Concourse, 1730 Cambridge St., Harvard Square. Free, but register. The Russian political activist describes his 11 months in solitary confinement in the Siberian prison before being released during the Aug. 1 prisoners’ swap. Russian investigative journalist, political scientist, author, radio host and visiting scholar Yevgenia Albats joins. Information is here.
Alan Lightman reads from “The Miraculous from the Material: Understanding the Wonders of Nature” at 6 p.m. in Hall C at the Harvard Science Center, 1 Oxford St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free, or $38.25 with book. The internationally bestselling author and public television host discusses his illustrated exploration of the science behind the universe’s most stunning natural phenomena, captured in 36 full-color photos and lyrical personal essays. He’s joined during this event co-sponsored with the Harvard Book Store by Harvard’s Melissa Franklin. Information is here.
Pianist Fabian Almazan at 6 p.m. in Killian Hall in the Hayden Library Building at 160 Memorial Drive at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge. Free. A masterclass with the two-time Grammy-nominated Cuban-American pianist and composer and founder of Biophilia Records. Information is here.
Board game night for adults from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Cambridge Public Library Valente Branch, 826 Cambridge St., Wellington-Harrington, Cambridge. Free, but register. Play Ticket to Ride, Catan, Scrabble, chess, checkers, Boggle, Bananagrams and more, or bring a board game to play with others. Pizza and beverages provided. Information is here.
Movement, Rhythm and Voice from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at The Foundry, 101 Rogers St., East Cambridge. $17 to $20. Sophie Leurent shows how to dance joyfully and expressively to live drumming while connecting mind, body and spirit with easy movements and repetitions inspired by Haitian choreographer Herns Duplan and 20th century American choreographer-anthropologist Katherine Dunham. Information is here.
Outdoor pub sing from 6 to 8 p.m. at The Growing Center, 22 Vinal Ave., near Union Square, Somerville. Free. Anyone is welcome to lead in drinking songs, sea chanteys and anything with a singable chorus. There will be a propane fire pit and marshmallows to toast; other snacks are welcome. Information is here.
An Evening with Feng Zhang at 6:30 p.m. in the blue wing at the Museum of Science, 1 Science Park, Boston, on the Cambridge border. Free with preregistration. For this National Academy of Sciences Richard Lounsbery lecture, Zhang discusses his current work exploring biological diversity with Insoo Hyun, director of the Museum’s Center for Life Sciences. Special pre-program reception for all attendees at 5:30 p.m. Information is here.
O’Connell Branch Adult Book Group from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Cambridge Public Library O’Connell Branch, 48 Sixth St., East Cambridge. Free. October’s title: “Poet Warrior” by Joy Harjo. Information is here.
Julius Garvey reads from “Justice for Garvey: Look for Me in the Whirlwind” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The surgeon and lecturer with more than 50 years’ tenure in the medical field discusses his essay collection about the life and work of his father, the Jamaican-born political activist Marcus Mosiah Garvey (1887-1940), and his influence on current social justice movements. Northeastern University’s Régine Michelle Jean-Charles joins. Information is here.
Great Books Book Group from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Curious George Room of the Cambridge Main Library, 449 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge. Free, but register. This time it’s Benjamin Franklin’s Science Writings. Information is here.
Fifth Annual “Voices Unheard: Real Adoptee Stories” from 7 to 9:30 p.m. at The Rockwell, 255 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville. $15 to $20 and 18-plus. A public forum of expression through storytelling by adult adoptees. Sponsored by Boston Post Adoption Resources. Information is here.
Acrobatic Conundrum presents The Circus of Second Chances at 7:30 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Spring Hill, Somerville (also Nov. 20). $20 and all ages. Emma Curtiss, Melissa Knowles and Terry Crane’s dada circus romp features “rope acrobatics, Cyr wheel, hand balancing, live baking and clown.” Information is here.
Bluesy Tuesy Social Dance from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. at the New England Science Fiction Association clubhouse at 504 Medford St., Magoun Square, Somerville (and every Tuesday). $5 to $25. This weekly partner blues dance event includes a lesson for beginners in the first hour. No partner required. Information is here.
Just Friends from 10:15 p.m. to midnight at Lilypad, 1353 Cambridge St., Inman Square, Cambridge. $10. Lola Miller and Aidan Siemann’s unique combination of voice and saxophone brings new perspective to the jazz duo’s repertoire of standards and original compositions. Information is here.
Wednesday, Nov. 20
Robin Wall Kimmerer reads from “The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World” at 7 p.m. at First Parish in Cambridge Meeting House, 3 Church St./1446 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square. $32 with book. During this Harvard Book Store event, the “Braiding Sweetgrass” author asks “How can we learn from Indigenous wisdom and the plant world to reimagine what we value most?” Harvard history professor Tiya Miles, author of the National Book-winner “All That She Carried,” joins. Information is here.
Acrobatic Conundrum presents The Circus of Second Chances (continued) at 7:30 p.m. at Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Spring Hill, Somerville. $20 and all ages. Information is here.
“Galileo’s Daughter” (continued) at 7:30 p.m. at Central Square Theater, Cambridge, 450 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. $27 to $87. Information is here.
Streetwise speaker series at 6 p.m. at Aeronaut Brewing, 14 Tyler St., near Union Square, Somerville (and every third Wednesday). Free. Co-sponsored by the Somerville Bicycle Advisory Committee and Somerville Alliance for Safe Streets. This month features Alan Wright, bicycle and climate activist who travels nationwide on his bike. Information is here.
“Navigating the Transatlantic Relationship in a Changing World” panel from 4 to 5:15 p.m. in the lower level conference room at Adolphus Busch Hall, 27 Kirkland St., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The Boston-based consuls general of France, Germany, Greece, Spain and Turkey assemble to discuss election outcomes, shifts in public opinion and ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and Europe. Information is here.
Poets Chloe Garcia Roberts and Mia You from 7 to 8 p.m. at Grolier Poetry Book Shop on 6 Plympton St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $5 to $10, but register. With an introduction by Anna V. Q. Ross. Information is here.
Plant walk from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. at The Growing Center, 22 Vinal Ave., near Union Square, Somerville. Free. Stroll the neighborhood with clinical herbalist Mo Katz-Christy to discover local plants, botany and medicinal uses. Information is here.
“Russia’s Gamble: The Domestic Origins of International Assault February 2022” lecture from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at the Center for Government and International Studies, South Concourse, S354, 1730 Cambridge St., Harvard Square. Free, but register. University of Helsinki’s Vladimir Gel’man explores the origins of Russia’s assault on Ukraine and explains its failure to achieve its objectives. Information is here.
MIT Neurotech symposium from 9:30 a.m. to 6 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. Six talks by neurotechnology pioneers whose cutting-edge innovations are changing the face of neurobiological research from molecules to cognition. Plus, short talks by junior MIT researchers. Information is here.
Wednesday Night Creative Writing Group from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the community room at the Cambridge Main Library, 449 Broadway, Mid-Cambridge. Free, but register. Writers of all experience levels are invited to join a casual, peer-supported writing group. Bring short in-progress or completed pieces of any genre. Information is here.
“Being Physical: How Proximity Can Foster a Resilient Society” forum from 1 to 6 p.m. at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Samberg Conference Center, 50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge (and continuing Nov. 21). $10 to $185. During this Senseable Forum on Future Cities, 20 panelists discuss how sharing physical space in cities, even with other species, fosters the necessary moderation to forge alliances and build bridges between diversity and similarity to create a more resilient, healthy society. Information is here.
Jazz and Contemporary Music Art Ensemble performs at 7 p.m. at the Longy School of Music, 27 Garden St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free to $20. Led by saxophonist Charlie Kohlhase, the JCM Art Ensemble studies and plays the music of two South African musicians and composers, Johnny Dyani and Abdullah Ibrahim. Information is here.
The Environment Forum: Emanuele Coccia on “How Different Species Build Cities” at 5:30 p.m. in Emerson Hall, Room 105, 29 Quincy St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The associate professor at the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales in Paris argues the solution to climate change lies in designing cities more radically: extending the culture of urban congestion to a culture of species congestion and biodiversity density. Information is here.
Robin Chandler’s “Medicine Joy! Re-Writing Mixed Identity” art exhibition gallery talk from 6 to 8 p.m. at Multicultural Arts Center, 41 Second St., East Cambridge. Free. The artist discusses works from her current exhibition which reflect living among diverse global communities (especially Brazil and South Africa) and as a person of color raised in Cambridge in the 1950s. Information is here.
Julian Velard at 8 p.m. at Club Passim, 47 Palmer St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $23 to $25. A modern-day Paul Shaffer with a piano-driven singer-songwriter sensibility and razor-sharp comedic timing. Information is here.
Busty and the Bass at 8 p.m. at The Sinclair, 52 Church St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $23. The Canadian-American soul-jazz collective formed as schoolfellows in Montreal more than a decade ago and have partnered with artists such as George Clinton, Macy Gray and Earth Wind & Fire. Their latest album is “Forever Never Cares.” Information is here.
Thursday, Nov. 21
“Being Physical: How Proximity Can Foster a Resilient Society” forum (continued) at 10 a.m. at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Sensesable City Lab (216) in Building 9, also known as the Samuel Tak Lee Building, 105 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge. $10 to $185. Information is here.
“A Rural Agrarian Reckoning: Multigenerational Farmers Seeking to Repair Soil, Agriculture and Rural America Itself” lecture from noon to 1 p.m. in the multipurpose room at Curtis Hall, Tufts University, 474 Boston Ave., Medford, near the Medford/Tufts MBTA station. Free. Sydney Giacalone describes multigenerational farmers and ranchers across the United States who questioning some practices. Also via Zoom. Information is here.
Walking Tour of Harvard’s Psychedelic History from 5 to 7 p.m. meeting in front of the Center for the Study of World Religions, 42 Francis Ave., in the Baldwin neighborhood near the Somerville border, Cambridge. Free, but register. Learn about the heroes, felons, fugitives and academics related to the interest in psychoactive drugs at Harvard from the 1940s through the 1960s during this 2-mile traipse through related sites. Led by Jeffrey Breau and Paul Gillis-Smith of the Psychedelics and Spirituality program at the Center. Information is here.
Celebrate Native American Craft Brewers with ArtsThursdays from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Harvard Museum of Natural History, 26 Oxford St., in the Baldwin neighborhood near Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free, but an RSVP is appreciated. Explore the art of craft beer making with a talk (from 6 to 7 p.m.) by the founders of Bow & Arrow Brewing based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and the executive director of the Beer Culture Center in Chicago. Enjoy beer-themed activities, local beers for purchase and a free raffle to win museum gifts and membership. Information is here.
Manaswi Mishra on the Steina: Playback exhibition from 5:30 to 6 p.m. at MIT’s List Visual Arts Center, 20 Ames St., Building E-15, Kendall Square, Cambridge. Free, but register. The graduate student demonstrates a radical way of using voice and gesture to shape music using AI models to better understand the playful works in the exhibition by the pioneering media artist. Information is here.
Poets Nick Laird and Robyn Schiff from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the Thompson Room of Harvard University’s Barker Center, 12 Quincy St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. A reading and Q&A from the authors with an introduction by Professor Stephanie Burt. Also via livestream. Information is here.
Keke Palmer’s “Master of Me” tour at 6:30 p.m. at First Parish in Cambridge Meeting House, 3 Church St./1446 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square. $40 with book preorder. During this Harvard Book Store event, the Emmy award-winning multi-hyphenate entertainer talks with actor and producer Yara Shahidi. Information is here.
Palaver Strings presents “Ready or Not Revisited” at 7 p.m. at the Longy School of Music, 27 Garden St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free to $20. The Portland, Maine, string ensemble-in-residence celebrates the groundbreaking visions of women, queer, trans and nonbinary composers from the medieval period to the present with selections by Jessie Montgomery, Hildegard von Bingen, inti figgis-vizueta, Tanner Porter, Sato Matsui, Leilehua Lanzilotti, Pétalo Seslar and Lili Boulanger. Information is here.
Lowry Pressly reads from “The Right to Oblivion: Privacy and the Good Life” at 7 p.m. at Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. Free. The Stanford University political science lecturer argues that privacy isn’t simply a right to be protected but a tool for making life meaningful, and deepens our relationships with others as well as ourselves. Harvard’s Michael Sandel, author of “The Tyranny of Merit and Democracy’s Discontent,” joins. Information is here.
Poets Nadia Colburn and Carrie Bennett at 7 p.m. at Porter Square Books, 1815 Massachusetts Ave., Porter Square, Cambridge. Free. Colburn’s new collection “I Say the Sky” finds splendor and astonishment in a natural world – and a human world – that is deeply troubled yet still majestically beautiful. Bennett’s “The Mouth is Also a Compass” are “feminist poems of apocalyptic adventure … meticulously rendered” (says Nathalie Handal). Information is here.
Actors’ Shakespeare Project presents “Emma” (continued) at 7 p.m. at the Multicultural Arts Center, 41 Second St., East Cambridge. $25 to $64. Information is here.
Harvard Ballet presents “Dawn” (continued) at 7 p.m. at Loeb Drama Center, 64 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $10 to $15. Information is here.
Poets Diana Cao, Perry Janes and Margaret Ray from 7 to 8 p.m. at Grolier Poetry Book Shop on 6 Plympton St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. $5 to $10, but register. With an introduction by Arielle Kaplan. Information is here.
Blues Union November Classes and Dances (continued) from 7 to 11 p.m. at Dance Union, 16 Bow St., Union Square, Somerville. $10 to $25. Information is here.
“Galileo’s Daughter” (continued) at 7:30 p.m. at Central Square Theater, Cambridge, 450 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge. $27 to $95. Information is here.
The Thanksgiving Play at 7:30 p.m. at Arrow Street Arts, 2 Arrow Street, Harvard Square, Cambridge (and continuing through Dec. 15). $45. In Larissa FastHorse’s “rambunctious, wild and fearless play” serving up “a steaming side dish of uniquely American hypocrisy,” four politically correct performers come together to create a new take on the traditional holiday pageant. Tension ensues as the group struggles to reenvision history without ruffling any feathers. Directed by Tara Moses (Seminole Nation of Oklahoma/Mvskoke). Information is here.
Paul Sutter’s Carnival of Science presents “Staying Sane in a Changing World” at 7:30 p.m. in the blue wing at the Museum of Science, 1 Science Park, Boston, on the Cambridge border. $15 and 18-plus. A collective of scientists and artists bring a fun, fast-paced, approachable show exploring climate change, resiliency and the solutions being developed to save the planet. Information is here.
Laura Jinn and Tatum Gale’s “Termites Tour” with Lavagxrl and Battlemode from 7:30 to 10 p.m. at Lilypad, 1353 Cambridge St., Inman Square, Cambridge. $10. Jinn and Gale write, sing and produce electronic alt pop; Lavagxrl’s style is playful beats, flourishes of strange electronica and unexpected synth shifts; and Battlemode’s dynamic electro-pop incorporates the glitchy 8-bit chiptune sounds that accompanied adolescent days spent playing Game Boys. Information is here.
“La Vida es Sueño/Life is a Dream” play at 8 p.m. at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s W97 Theater, 345 Vassar St., Area II, Cambridge (and continuing through Nov. 23). Free. Pedro Calderón de la Barca’s classic play is often thought of as the “Hamlet” of the Spanish-speaking world. This fresh and visceral adaptation investigates what is real and what is not real in an emotionally explosive new way. Information is here.
Third Thursdays jazz with Dave Bryant and Friends at 8 p.m. at Harvard-Epworth United Methodist Church, 1555 Massachusetts Ave., near Harvard Square, Cambridge. $10. This month, the keyboardist and composer presents improvised world music with Carnatic vocalist Srinivasan Raghuraman, Mike Rivard (bass and sinter), Upasak Mukherjee (tabla) and Shivaraj Natraj (mridangam). Information is here.
“Assassins” (continued) at 8 p.m. in La Sala de Puerto Rico in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Stratton Student Center, 84 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge. $10 to $20. Information is here.
A stronger
Please consider making a financial contribution to maintain, expand and improve Cambridge Day.
We are now a 501(c)3 nonprofit and all donations are tax deductible.
Please consider a recurring contribution.