Five Reasons to Leave the House This Weekend
The cast of Huntington Theatre Company’s Choice / Photo by T. Charles Erickson
THEATER
Huntington Theatre Company Presents Choice
You may know her best for creating My So-Called Life, but Winnie Holzman is not new to the world of theater. Along with songwriter Stephen Schwartz, she also wrote Wicked—you may have heard of it. Now, Holzman tells the story of journalist Zipporah Zunder, who’s been assigned to investigate a new social phenomenon. What Zunder doesn’t realize is how much this assignment will transform her life and herself. This play twists, turns, and takes apart the emotional layers behind a single choice. “I hope people are leaving the theater and continuing to think about it,” says Madeline Wise, who portrays Zoe in the production. “I hope they’re getting into discussions with their friends, and maybe those discussions get a little heated and they get a little uncomfortable because they’re talking about this subject matter–a woman’s right to choose–in a way that doesn’t settle neatly into the usual pro- or anti-choice conversation that we always have.”
$20+, Thursday, November 12, 7:30 p.m., Friday, November 13, 8 p.m., Saturday, November 14, 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., Sunday, November 15, 2 p.m., Calderwood Pavilion at the Boston Center for the Arts, 527 Tremont St., Boston, huntingtontheatre.org.
Cooking Demonstration at Yale Appliance + Lighting / Photo by Brenda Phan
DEMO
Holiday Cooking Class at Yale Appliance + Lighting
‘Tis the season for eating. Turkey, stuffing, pies of all kinds–the last few months of the year are filled with food. ‘Tis also the season for panicking, if you happen to be one of the many that can’t help but burn every meal you make. Well, worry no more–at Yale Appliance + Lighting, chef Nicole Parmenter will ease all of your holiday cooking woes with a free class. “I want to make this as simple and stress-free as possible,” she says. “I will be covering the basics: how to brine, truss and prep a turkey; basic stuffing with variations; mashed potatoes and gravy.” Attendees don’t need to bring anything and will be sent home with the recipes, a shopping list, and, of course, a litany of newfound kitchen skills. Stop by, and Parmenter will have you trussing turkeys like a pro in no time. Space is limited, so be sure to RSVP.
Free, Saturday, November 14, 11 a.m., Sunday, November 15, 12 p.m., Yale Appliance + Lighting, 296 Freeport St., Boston, eventbrite.com.
A museum visitor touches some of the oldest rocks found on the planet, aged at about 4.25 billion years old / Photo courtesy of the Harvard Museum of Natural History
GEOLOGIC FUN
New England Rocks!
“Where else can you touch a fossil megalodon shark tooth found in Martha’s Vineyard?” asks Wendy Derjue-Holzer, education director at the Harvard Museum of Natural History. Here’s the answer: nowhere. Stop by the Harvard Museum of Natural History to explore the rocks, minerals, and fossils that make up New England, and learn how these were created millions and billions of years ago. A variety of activities make up the special day, ensuring there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Head over to the Science Can Dance! area, where scientists will help you explore geology through dance movements (dance like magma!), or check out some fossils found in our own backyard that date back to before dinosaurs roamed the Earth. Video clips from the new Nova-WGBH series, Making North America, will be playing, and if you have a mineral collection, consider bringing it along, as experts will be there to help you identify the elements. “Even sophisticated grown-ups enjoy bringing in one of [their] inherited grandmother’s rings to have the stones identified by the Boston Mineral Club members,” says Blue Magruder, director of public affairs at the museum.
Regular museum admission rates apply, Sunday, November 15, 1 p.m., Harvard Museum of Natural History, 26 Oxford St., Cambridge, hmnh.harvard.edu.
OLD FAVORITES
Art Garfunkel at the Wilbur
Fans old and new will be excited to hear that Art Garfunkel is making a stop in Boston on his latest worldwide tour. So far this year, he’s packed stadiums from Korea to Ireland to Tel Aviv, and now, he’s on to the Wilbur. His 90-minute show promises to be a mix of solo hits and ever-popular songs from his Simon and Garfunkel days, as well as readings of poetic pieces from his autobiography. Get your ticket and get ready to sing along to some classics.
$50+, Sunday, November 15, 8 p.m., The Wilbur, 246 Tremont St., Boston, thewilbur.com.
Surprise special guest Jonah Ray from Comedy Center at a Standup Sampler event / Photo by Alex Gettlin
COMEDY
Standup Sampler at The Hideout
Take comedians that have appeared on Comedy Central, Last Comic Standing, and Funny or Die. Mix them together. What do you get? The Standup Sampler at The Hideout. That’s right—some of the funniest in the business are coming right here to Faneuil Hall with one goal: to make you laugh. There might even be a special surprise guest (Jonah Ray, who currently has his own TV show on Comedy Central, has previously shown up to perform). Alex Gettlin, co-producer, host of the show, and a standup comic himself, says the Sampler is aptly named, as it does just that—provide you with a variety of comics, meaning that everyone will find something funny. “I think it’s a great way for people to get a taste of different types of comics,” he says.
$5, Sunday, November 15, 8 p.m., The Hideout below Durgin-Park at Faneuil Hall Marketplace, eventbrite.com.
