Arts

With recommendations ( • ) by Brian J. Barr, Gavin Borchert, Sara Brickner, Mark D. Fefer, Sandra Kurtz, John Longenbaugh, and Brian Miller. 

September

17 Richard Russo Author of the Pulitzer-winning Empire Falls and Bridge of Sighs (among other novels), he begins Seattle Arts & Lectures' fall series. Benaroya Hall, www.lectures.org.

18 Paul Auster Man in the Dark plagues his book-critic protagonist with murder, death, illness, and car crashes. Seattle Public Library, www.spl.org.

18 The Snow Project Allison Van Dyck continues her investigations of dance and video. The Lawrimore Project, www.thesnowproject.com.

• 19–Oct. 4 Seattle Dance Project Following their debut show last year, SDP directors Tim Lynch and Julie Tobiason have brought together a trio of choreographers (Wade Madsen, Eva Stone, and Olivier Wevers) for Project Orpheus, a multi-level narration of the classical tragedy. Each choreographer has taken on a different part of the work, telling the story of reunion and loss from a unique dance perspective.—S.K. A Contemporary Theatre, www.seattledanceproject.org.

21–22 12 Minutes Max Our old colleague Steve Wiecking, now at Seattle Metropolitan, curates the first monthly performance gumbo of the fall. On the Boards.

22 Bernard-Henri Lévy Left in Dark Times: A Stand Against the New Barbarism is the latest from the stylish, slightly outré French intellectual. Town Hall, www.townhallseattle.org.

24 Irvine Welsh The Scottish novelist (Trainspotting) turns to pulpy Florida-set crime fiction in a new page-turner called—what else?—Crime. Elliott Bay Book Co., www.elliottbaybook.com.

• 24–27 SketchFest New artistic director Andrew Connor not only knows funny, but as half of the celebrated Cody Rivers Show, he is funny, with a brisk energy and offbeat absurdism. His lineup features a bracing mix of out-of-town acts, including L.A.'s Slow Children Crossing (a multicultural troupe with a political bent), Chicago's Hey You Millionaires (three guys with a taste for the dark and twisted), and Vancouver, B.C.'s Assaulted Fish (pan-Asian absurdists). Among the locals are Pork-Filled Players, All American Push-Up Party, The Entertainment Show (familiar from the People's Republic of Komedy and Laff Hole), and of course the Cody Rivers boys. —J.L. Theatre Off Jackson, www.sketchfest.org.

• 25–Oct. 5 All Tharp PNB showcases Twyla Tharp's choreography and singular musical intelligence with programs set to Sinatra, Brahms, and Vladimir Martynov (the latter two are new pieces). The choreographer also appears in person Sept. 18 at McCaw Hall for a presentation on her work. Pacific Northwest Ballet, www.pnb.org.

• 25–27 Big Bang This fall kickoff series is always a great show, with three evenings of the best Seattle dance can offer, but this year it's even more of a must-see, as Velocity gets ready to leave its original home at the Odd Fellows Hall for a new venue. It's a fundraiser, yes, but more important it's a show of support for a very important resource in the dance community. —S.K. Velocity Mainspace Theater, www.velocitydancecenter.org.

• 25–28 Decibel Festival This four-day celebration of electronic sound is steadily becoming one of the biggest, baddest electro-festivals in the United States. Each year, artists come from all over the world to perform, many of whom, like Berlin-based group Jahcoozi or London-based The Bug (with Warrior Queen), have never played Seattle before. But that's not to neglect our own local talent; Kadeejah Streets, Lucy Bland, the Baltic Room regulars of Oi VAY!, and buckets of other Seattle DJs will represent our town. Go dance, go chill, or go bliss out at one of the audiovisual showcases, but do go. —S.B. Various locations, www.dbfestival.com.

• 25–28 Symphony of a Thousand Three choirs, eight soloists (including Seattle's own Jane Eaglen), and an orchestra that's huge even by Mahler's standards: his Symphony No. 8, his grandest and least angst-ridden work, doesn't require quite 1,000 musicians, but they'll sound like it. Gerard Schwarz conducts this setting of Goethe to celebrate Benaroya Hall's 10th anniversary. —G.B. Benaroya Hall, www.seattlesymphony.org.

25 The War Party Timely! A female politician must come to terms with secrets from her past in this West Coast premiere of Vince Delaney's drama. Seattle Public Theater.

• 26–Nov. 8 All the King's Men Intiman completes its five-year "American Cycle" with a dramatized adaptation of Robert Penn Warren's masterful novel about the rise and fall of a Huey Long–like politician, witnessed by a reporter who gets a good look inside the sausage factory of gubernatorial politics. With songs by master satirist Randy Newman, this is one of those sprawling epics that we see far too infrequently in these days of small-cast, high-concept shows. Local favorite John Procaccino is the monstrous, and monstrously entertaining, Willie Stark.—J.L. Intiman Theatre, www.intiman.org.

26–Oct. 5 Simple Measures This innovative chamber-music series explores the intersection of music and politics through Shostakovich's Piano Quintet. Various venues, www.simplemeasures.org.

27–29 KEXP's Shake the Shack Rockabilly Ball A three-day event that includes a car show, more than 20 live acts, and a reunion by rockabilly gods Johnny and The Blades. The Tractor Tavern, kexp.org.

• 27 Blue Scholars/Hieroglyphics Well, two full-length albums, three EPs, and one Democratic convention later, the Blue Scholars have gone international. Seems sort of funny that a self-identified Communist would perform for the establishment, but who could turn down the DNC? The Blue Scholars tour with three of the Hieroglyphics, Souls of Mischief, Casual, and Pep Love (sorry guys, no Del this time), in support of spring release Butter & Gun$, an EP that carries on the Scholars' tradition of condemning the status quo to some of the bangin'est beats in the nation. With Musab,Prince Ali, Tanya Morgan.—S.B. Showbox at the Market.