Thursday, March 3 – Sunday, March 6
Violet, a long-underrated musical by bookwriter Brian Crawley and Tony-winning composer Jeanine Tesori (Fun Home; Caroline, or Change), is seeing a resurgence in popularity following a successful 2014 Broadway production starring Sutton Foster as the title character. Violet, a young woman who was disfigured in a childhood accident, dreams of a being transformed through the power of faith, and boards a bus from her tiny home in Spruce Pine, North Carolina to Tulsa, Oklahoma, convinced that a televangelist can heal her and make her beautiful. Andrew Russell directs and Alice Gosti choreographs the musical, which runs through April 3. –Gemma Wilson
ArtsWest
Thursday, March 3
Who else but Seattle’s art uber-visionary Greg Lundgren would mount an exhibit on the moon? That’s the idea behind Giant Steps, a massive group exhibition and competition exploring what the first artist residency on the moon might look like. For the event, King Street Station is being transformed into a simulated lunar playground, featuring (we’re guessing by the extensive lineup of Seattle artists) both hare-brained and elegant propositions for installations in or around our lovely little satellite. $10,000.00 first prize based upon originality, conceptual strength and feasibility. Giant Steps will be up through April 3. –Amanda Manitach
King Street Station
Thursday, March 3
The Northwest Film Forum kicks off a month-long retrospective of films by director Wim Wenders with his 1984 Cannes Palme d’Or winner, Paris, Texas. The movie’s quiet poignancy sticks with you, partly due to the sparse eloquence of Sam Shepard’s dialogue (ably adapted by L.M. Kit Carson) and partly due to how Wenders frames landscapes of worn, melancholy beauty—especially Harry Dean Stanton’s weathered, magical face. –Tony Kay
Northwest Film Forum
Thursday, March 3
With a local-rock stable of acts to die for, Neumos’ Bowie Night sold out handily, but if you let that ship sail, you can still get your Thin White Duke tribute fix immediately downstairs with Bowie Night at Barboza. The roster’s equally imaginative and unmissable, and unlike its upstairs neighbor, it’s not sold out. Yet. –Tony Kay
Barboza
Thursday, March 3 – Sunday, March 6
In 2013 Sammy Obeid completed a run of performing standup 1000 nights in a row, setting a world record. He explained his secret in the New York Times profile that marked his accomplishment: “I’m a robot.” Obeid’s comedy does tend to the analytical—think word jokes and extended analogies—but he’s also got the kind of approachability and stage chops one must necessarily develop from completing such a test of endurance. He also has a massive volume of killer one-liners borne out of his rock-ribbed devotion to the craft. –Brett Hamil
Comedy Underground
Friday, March 4 – Saturday, March 5
Behold the beautiful weirdness of Genre Bender! Ten of the city’s most compelling artists were commissioned last fall to work in pairs, across creative disciplines, and create five all-new performance pieces that can only be seen this weekend. The show will remain a mystery until the curtain goes up on Friday—but let’s just say I saw some rehearsals late last week and I had the CHILLS. Don’t miss the magic of Markeith Wiley + Erik Blood, Alice Gosti + Timothy White Eagle, Tessa Hulls + Kyle Loven, Jody Kuehner + Keira McDonald, Justin Huertas + Beth Fleenor! $20 advance tickets here. —Leah Baltus
Cornish Playhouse at Seattle Center