January 4, Wednesday

Contagious Exchanges If you’re not attending the Reading Through It book club with The Seattle Review of Books and Seattle Weekly at Third Place Books Seward Park, you should be at Mattilda Bernstein Sycamore’s queer literary salon series, which this month features two of the funniest writers in Seattle: poet/essayist Sarah Galvin and essayist/monologuist David Schmader. Hugo House, 1021 Columbia St., 322-7030, hugo house.org. Free. All ages. 7 p.m. PAUL CONSTANT

The Trojan Women In Caroline Bird’s retelling of Euripedes’ classic tragedy, first staged in 2012, the women of Troy are all captives, awaiting the end of the war in a modern-day prison maternity ward where the chorus, here embodied by a single character, is shackled to a gurney and near labor. Things get tense. Slate Theater, 815 Seattle Blvd. S., #140, 257-5658. $20–$30. 7:30 p.m. Ends Jan. 29. MARK BAUMGARTEN

January 5, Thursday

The Expense of a View Reading Polly Buckingham has long been a literary force out of eastern Washington—she helped found StringTown Press and she edits at Willow Springs Books. Tonight she reads from her new story collection with the help of another eastern-Washington gem—Spokane poet Nance Van Winckel, whose most recent collection is a “poetically altered encyclopedia,” which sounds fascinating. Elliott Bay Book Company, 1521 10th Ave., 624-6600, elliottbaybook.com. Free. All ages. 7 p.m. PC

#DefundDAPL Wells Fargo is one of the financial interests backing the Dakota Access Pipeline, which Native activists improbably delayed earlier this year after months of civil disobedience. Those of a like mind can join in and withdraw their money from Wells Fargo to protest profits that threaten our environment. Wells Fargo Center, 999 Third Ave., 350seattle.org/defund-dapl. Free. All ages. 3 p.m.–6 p.m. CASEY JAYWORK

January 6, Friday

This Glittering Republic Reading Seattle poet Quenton Baker hit it big late last year when he debuted his first collection, This Glittering Republic. His poems look at history, race, and intergenerational burdens with a fresh eye. Baker is funny and brilliant and just about the closest thing to a voice of reason you can find in America 2017. Elliott Bay Book Company, 1521 10th Ave., 624-6600, elliottbaybook.com. Free. All ages. 7 p.m. PC

The Three Yells Choreographer Veronica Lee-Baik has an eye for a compelling image and the intelligence to find excellent collaborators for her multimedia works. So chances are good that Giselle Deconstruct, created with lighting designer/ media artist Tristan Roberson and sound composer Brendan Hogan, will find a new and curious approach to the elements of love, betrayal, and suicide, transferred from 19th-century ballet to a contemporary context. Cornish Playhouse, 201 Mercer St., 726-5011, thethreeyells.com. $10–$20. 8 p.m. Fri., Jan. 6–Sat., Jan. 7. SANDRA KURTZ

Woody Sez: The Life & Music of Woody Guthrie Last year marked the 75th anniversary of Woody Guthrie’s brief but hugely productive stint as a songwriter for the Bonneville Power Administration—an anniversary that prompted ample celebration of his enduring canon of original Pacific Northwest folk music. Now comes this play—a broader look at Guthrie’s career, featuring 25 of his most beloved folk songs as performed by David M. Lutken. Seattle Repertory Theatre, 155 Mercer St., 443-2222, seattle rep.org. $17. 7:30 p.m. Ends Jan. 29. DANIEL PERSON

January 7, Saturday

The End of My Career Reading Seattle author Corinne Manning, who just stepped down from her leadership role as founder of The James Franco Review, will appear in conversation with memoirist Martha Glover, whose new book is about investigating workers’-comp claims for the state. The world of work is a troubling, complicated one, and Glover provides a unique perspective. Elliott Bay Book Company, 1521 10th Ave., 624-6600, elliottbaybook.com. Free. All ages. 7 p.m. PC

A Prairie Home Companion It’s been about three months now since Chris Thile took on the seemingly impossible task of replacing Garrison Keillor. But he seems up for the job, and brings the show to a live Seattle audience with a lineup that suggests how he’ll be freshening up the old show. Guests include the Shins, Regina Spektor, and Hari Kondabolu. The Paramount, 911 Pine St., stgpresents.org. $35. 2:45 p.m. DP

January 8, Sunday

Stories From The Saturday Evening Post It seems likely that this year will bring even more magazine closures, and that’s a goddamn shame. This reading of popular Post pieces—in which local performers offer work by P.G. Wodehouse, Robert Heinlein, and Shirley Jackson—ought to demonstrate what magazines at their very best are capable of promoting. Town Hall, 1119 Eighth Ave., 652-4255, townhall seattle.org. $10–$13. All ages. 2 p.m. PC

Ben Hunter and Joe Seamons Two collectors of songs: Seamons is the man behind Timberbound, a collection of Pacific Northwest lumber-camp music; and Hunter and Seamons’ first album, Take Yo Time, is a veritable trip through American musical history. Most important, they make all this sound really good. With Simon Kornelis and Del Ray. Sunset Tavern, 5433 Ballard Ave. N.W., 784-4880. $8. 21 and over. 8 p.m. DP

January 9, Monday

Star Anna and Synergia NW Orchestra Perform Ziggy Stardust Unlike the star that spawned them, tributes to David Bowie seem to be eternal. Many abound to mark his birthday (January 8) and the first anniversary of his passing (January 10). This is the one to catch, though, featuring Seattle singer/songwriter Star Anna performing one of his best with a full orchestra. The Neptune, 1303 N.E. 45th St., 682-1414, stgpresents.org. $18.50. All ages. 7:30 p.m. MB

The Secret Life of Fat Reading Biochemist Sylvia Tara is about to give you a terrific reason to quit your New Year’s resolution before it even begins. The Secret Life of Fat examines the complicated role that fat plays in our lives: We hate it, even though it’s necessary to survive and it’s trying to protect us. Town Hall, 1119 Eighth Ave., 652-4255, townhallseattle.org. $5. All ages. 7:30 p.m. PC

January 10, Tuesday

The Round 140 A regular at Fremont Abbey’s monthly arts melange, Hey Marseilles’ Matt Bishop is a natural at the slightly awkward transitions between artists that mark these events, in that he is both charmingly self-effacing and a fine songwriter. He will likely play songs from his band’s self-titled album while Sienna Burnett recites poetry and a live painter makes a picture. Fremont Abbey, 4272 Fremont Ave. N., 414-8325. $10–$12. All ages. 8 p.m. MB

Salon of Shame We’ve all got some residual shame in us after the godawful mess that was last year. That’s what makes the Salon of Shame so important: It’s like a ritual burning of shame, in which normal Seattleites gather to read their most embarrassing teenage writings. Come—be embarrassed, and then be free. Theatre Off Jackson, 409 Seventh Ave., brownpapertickets.com. $15. All ages. 8 p.m. PC