Five Reasons to Leave the House This Weekend
Photo by Lois Greenfield
PERFORMANCE ART
Maureen Fleming
Described as “movement poetry,” Maureen Fleming’s performances combine elements of dance with multimedia visuals and live music, exploring themes of transcendence and metamorphosis. In this piece, entitled B. Madonna, Fleming presents a meditation on miracles, using her body to create intricate moving sculptures. She’ll be accompanied by a live pianist, and the show will also feature three-dimensional video projections, original accordion music, and Taiko drumming.
$40, Friday and Saturday, 8 p.m., Institute of Contemporary Art, 25 Harbor Shore Drive, icaboston.org.
Photo by Jean Hangarter
MUSIC
Jazz Week
Did you know April is Jazz Appreciation Month? Celebrate with a full week of music around the city, organized by JazzBoston. Now in its 11th year, the 2017 festival is dedicated to Fred Taylor, longtime entertainment director at Scullers Jazz Club and legendary figure in the Boston jazz scene. Including a mix of free and ticketed events, the week’s schedule will have dozens of venues swinging and scatting up a storm.
Prices vary, April 21-30, various locations, jazzboston.org.
Photo courtesy of Society of Arts + Crafts
ART FAIR
CraftBoston
Say goodbye to the same old factory-produced items decorating your home. The CraftBoston Spring show offers truly unique, handcrafted pieces from 90 artists around the country, including everything from wearable art to functional kitchenware. Produced by the Society of Arts + Crafts, the show is a celebration of contemporary craft with the goal of supporting the craft economy. For the diehard craft fans, the weekend kicks off with Makers in the Round, a preview party gala benefitting the Society.
$15, April 21-23, Cyclorama, 539 Tremont St., societyofcrafts.org.
Photo by Mary Ellen Matthews
JOKE CITY
Women in Comedy Festival
Boston’s about to get a whole lot funnier, as the brightest women in comedy descend for a week of antics and belly laughs. Featuring comedians like Sasheer Zamata, Aparna Nancherla, and Nicole Byer, the festival includes a mix of stand-up, improv shows, panel discussions, and live podcast tapings, as well as workshops and parties. If you’re willing to venture a little further outside the city, don’t miss Rachel Dratch headlining an improv sketch show in her hometown of Lexington.
Prices vary, April 19-23, various locations, wicf.com.
Photo by Bill Manley
BOOK FESTIVAL
Bookish Ball & Shakespeare’s Birthday Celebration
Celebrate the birth of the Bard with an afternoon full of Shakespeare-themed events. Start off with a Sonnet Slam, read by local tour guide and actor Daniel Berger-Jones, followed by “Shakespearean Mad Libs,” which let you emulate the famous poet and create your own sonnets. Indulge in cake and ice cream before watching scenes from Romeo and Juliet performed by members of the Actors’ Shakespeare Project. While you’re there, don’t forget to check out the abundance of bookstores in the area and maybe even take home a Shakespearean work of your own.
Free, Saturday, 2-6 p.m., Harvard Square, harvardsquare.com.
