Look Ahead: The hottest Seattle events for February 2018

“Hamilton”! Miranda Lambert! “Swan Lake”! From author André Aciman to artist Zohra Opoku, local events in February run the gamut from A to Z. To help you plan your February, our arts writers recommend some of the most intriguing.

 

Books

Jojo Moyes

The story of Louisa Clark, who charmingly fell in love in “Me Before You” (made into a 2016 movie) and “After You,” continues in British novelist Moyes’ latest romance, “Still Me.” Like the first two, it’s sure to be a best-seller.

7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 6; Third Place Books, 17171 Bothell Way N.E., #A101, Lake Forest Park; presentation free, ticket required for signing line (available with pre-purchase of “Still Me”); 206-366-3333, thirdplacebooks.com

 

Leif Whittaker

In 1963, “Big Jim” Whittaker was the first American climber to summit Mount Everest; decades later, his son Leif wrote a memoir, “My Old Man and the Mountain,” about growing up in his legacy. The book was a finalist for the 2017 Washington State Book Awards.

7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 7; Third Place Books, 17171 Bothell Way N.E., #A101, Lake Forest Park; free; 206-366-3333, thirdplacebooks.com

 

Bob Roth and David Lynch

Yes, that David Lynch. Roth is the author of “Strength in Stillness: The Power of Transcendental Meditation”; he’s joined by the Oscar-nominated filmmaker (“Blue Velvet,” “Mulholland Drive”) for an introduction and discussion of transcendental-meditation techniques.

7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 14; Temple De Hirsch Sinai, 1441 16th Avenue, Seattle; $5; 206-652-4255, townhallseattle.org

 

Colson Whitehead

Finally out in paperback on Jan. 30, Whitehead’s 2016 novel of the pre-Civil War American South, “The Underground Railroad,” won a coveted literary doubleheader: the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award.

7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 15; Benaroya Hall, 200 University St., Seattle; $20-$80; 206-621-2230, lectures.org

 

Dave Eggers and Mokhtar Alkanshali

Eggers is the author of “The Circle” and “A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius”; Alkanshali, a Yemeni-American man who dreams of reviving the art of Yemeni coffee, is the subject of Eggers’ new nonfiction work, “The Monk of Mokha.”

7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 16; Broadway Performance Hall, 1625 Broadway, Seattle; $37 (includes copy of book); 888-377-4510, strangertickets.com

 

Tavi Gevinson

A style blogger since 2008 — when she was 11 years old — Gevinson is now the editor of Rookie, an online magazine for teenage girls. She’s here with “”Rookie on Love,” a collection of essays from the magazine.

6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 17; University Book Store, 4326 University Way, N.E., Seattle; free (purchase of book required for signing line); 800-335-7323, ubookstore.com

 

Rose McGowan

McGowan, an actor and activist who was one of the first women to publicly accuse Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein of sexual assault, comes to Seattle Arts & Lectures with her new memoir, “Brave.”

7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 20; Temple de Hirsch Sinai, 1511 E. Pike St., Seattle; $45-$145 (includes copy of book); 206-621-2230, lectures.org

 

Ruth Ozeki

Ozeki, whose most recent novel was the Man Booker Prize finalist “A Tale for the Time Being,” will speak about the art and craft of writing as part of Hugo House’s “Word Works: Writers on Writing” series.

7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 23; Washington Hall, 153 14th Ave., Seattle; $15; 206-322-7030, hugohouse.org

 

Jamie Morton

What would you do if you discovered that your dad had written a porn novel? If you’re Morton, you make a podcast out of it — called, natch, My Dad Wrote a Porno. Morton and podcast mates James Cooper and Alice Levine come to town for a live performance; there’s also a best-selling book, which encompasses both the original novel and the commentary around it.

8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 24; Moore Theatre, 1932 Second Ave., Seattle; $35; 800-982-2787, stgpresents.org

 

André Aciman

Aciman’s 2007 coming-of-age debut novel, “Call Me By Your Name,” became a lovely movie last year. His most recent novel, “Enigma Variations,” just came out in paperback and is another story of a passionate man’s search for love.

7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 26; Elliott Bay Book Co., 1521 10th Ave., Seattle; free; 206-624-6600; elliottbaybook.com

 

Robin Oliveira

A Seattle author, Oliveira will introduce her third novel, “Winter Sisters,” a historical drama/literary thriller about two girls lost in a snowstorm in 19th-century Albany, New York.

7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 27; Elliott Bay Book Co., 1521 10th Ave., Seattle; free; 206-624-6600, elliottbaybook.com

Moira Macdonald: mmacdonald@seattletimes.com

Classical music

“Morlot Conducts Strauss”

Seattle Symphony is intriguingly pairing the world premiere of Pulitzer and Grammy winner David Lang’s “symphony without a hero” with Strauss’ “Ein Heldenleben [A Hero’s Life].” Music director Ludovic Morlot conducts this program of musical anti-hero and hero.

7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 8, and 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 10; Benaroya Hall, 200 University St., Seattle; $31-$97; 205-215-4747, seattlesymphony.org

 

“Celebrate Asia”

Seattle Symphony’s 10th annual “Celebrate Asia” concert features conductor DaYe Lin as headliner in a program of famous Japanese, Chinese, Korean and Indian composers and performers. Pre- and post-concert entertainment will showcase the rich musical traditions of Seattle’s Asian communities.

4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 11; Benaroya Hall, 200 University St; $31-$97; 206-215-4747, seattlesymphony.org

 

Danish String Quartet

This gifted young foursome (three Danes, one Norwegian) offers two great quartets by Bartok and Beethoven, and in between, their own feisty and distinctively gorgeous arrangements of Nordic folk tunes (from their “Last Leaf” recording, my current obsession).

7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 14; Meany Theater, University of Washington; $40-$48 (kids 5-17 free, two per paying adult); 206-543-4880, meanycenter.org

 

Garrick Ohlsson in Recital

The President’s Piano Series at Meany Theater brings back this prizewinning pianist, one of the true greats of his generation and a huge audience favorite. Expect a level of technique and finesse that may make you gasp.

7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 16, Meany Theater, University of Washington; $50-$58 (kids 5-17 free, two per paying adult); 206-543-4880, meanycenter.org

 

Byron Schenkman and Friends

Bass-baritone Ian Pomerantz makes his Seattle debut in this chamber program devoted to Handel cantatas (including “From the War of Love”). Also on tap: Italian baroque works, with harpsichordist Byron Schenkman joining violinists Andrew Fouts and Ingrid Matthews, plus cellist Elisabeth Reed.

7 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 18; Nordstrom Recital Hall at Benaroya Hall, 200 University St., Seattle; $10-$42; 206-215-4747, seattlesymphony.org

 

“Beatrice & Benedict”

Seattle Opera’s first production of this Berlioz rarity (based on Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing”) is an unmissable collaboration with ACT Theatre, as part of Seattle’s citywide Shakespeare celebration. Ludovic Morlot conducts.

Feb. 24-March 10; Marion Oliver McCaw Hall, 321 Mercer St., Seattle; $25-$308; 206-389-7676, seattleopera.org

Melinda Bargreen: mbargreen@gmail.com

Dance

“The Analogy Trilogy”

Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company explore the wars we fight within ourselves through the lives of three characters; the first two are real people, whom Jones interviewed, the other is quasi-fictional. Each night is a different section of the trilogy, focusing on a different character.

Feb. 1-3, Meany Center for the Performing Arts, University of Washington, Seattle; $57-$65; 206-543-4880, meanycenter.org

 

“Swan Lake”

There’s a reason this tale of swan women and evil spells has been around more than a century: Done right, it’s utterly electric — and unexpectedly heartbreaking. Pacific Northwest Ballet’s strong lineup of principal ballerinas stand ready to tackle one of the hardest jobs in ballet: the fiendishly demanding double role of Odette/Odile.

Feb. 2-11, Marion Oliver McCaw Hall, 321 Mercer St., Seattle; $30-$190; 206-441-2424, pnb.org

 

“Sgt. Pepper at 50: Pepperland”

Mark Morris just turned 11 — and was living in Seattle — the summer the Beatles’ “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” was released in the U.S. For the album’s 50th anniversary, Morris and composer Ethan Iverson (of jazz mavericks The Bad Plus) created a tribute with new arrangements of its songs (the audacity!) and new, “Pepper”-inspired pieces, performed by the Mark Morris Dance Group. Both Morris and Iverson made their reputations as rigorous artists in rarefied mediums (contemporary dance, avant-garde jazz), but both know how to dance on the border between gravitas and pop.

Feb. 16-18, Moore Theatre, 1932 Second Ave., Seattle; $42.50-$72; 800-982-2787, stgpresents.org

Moira Macdonald: mmacdonald@seattletimes.com; Brendan Kiley: bkiley@seattletimes.com

 

Movies

Tickets are already on sale for the following movies:

“Fifty Shades Freed”

Um, happy Valentine’s Day? The S&M-in-Seattle trilogy, based on the novels by E.L. James and starring Dakota Johnson, Jamie Dornan and a lot of heavy breathing, comes to a conclusion.

Opens Feb. 9 at numerous theaters; see fandango.com

 

“Black Panther”

This long-awaited Marvel superhero film stars Chadwick Boseman in the title role, alongside Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Martin Freeman and “Get Out’s” Daniel Kaluuya; Ryan Coogler (“Creed”) directs.

Opens Feb. 15 at numerous theaters, including Cinerama and Pacific Science Center Boeing IMAX; see fandango.com

 

Noir City 2018

Seattle International Film Festival’s annual foray into the shadowy world of film noir includes 18 hard-boiled classics, most of them newly restored and all introduced by the Czar of Noir, Eddie Mueller. Among the titles in this year’s event: “The Maltese Falcon,” “Shadow of a Doubt,” “Mildred Pierce,” “The Blue Dahlia,” “The Big Sleep” and many more.

Feb. 16-22 at SIFF Cinema Egyptian; full series pass $150, individual tickets $15, siff.net

Moira Macdonald: mmacdonald@seattletimes.com

 

Music

Miranda Lambert

After the country-pop queen’s marriage to Blake Shelton dissolved in 2015, Lambert went on a creative tear, knocking out her ferocious double album, “The Weight of These Wings,” which Grammy voters somehow overlooked for best country album.

7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 1; Tacoma Dome, 2727 E. D St.; $40-$60; 253-272-3663, tacomadome.org

 

Katy Perry

It’s a down year for the shark-dancing pop star, whose latest album earned middling reviews and was (rightfully) snubbed by the Grammys. But at least it birthed guilty pleasure jam “Swish Swish” — unabashed club-ready candy featuring Nicki Minaj and Duke Dumont. Carly Rae Jepson opens.

7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 3; Tacoma Dome, 2727 E. D St., Tacoma; $57-$200; 253-272-3663, tacomadome.org

 

Destroyer

Vancouver’s master of indie-rock noir Dan Bejar blends smooth jazz, soft rock and occasional ’80s synths suggesting a “Stranger Things” binge on his 12th solo album, “ken,” inspired by “English youth music.”

8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 8; Neptune Theatre, 1303 N.E. 45th St., Seattle; $19; 206-682-1414, stgpresents.org

 

Bermuda Triangle

Alabama Shakes’ leading lady, Brittany Howard, steps out with a new side project, making its Seattle debut.

8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 8; Crocodile Café, 2200 Second Ave., Seattle; $25; 206-441-4618, thecrocodile.com

 

“One Classy Night in Seattle”

This star-studded event brings together ace cowbell clunker Will Ferrell, Brandi Carlile, Mike McCready and Red Hot Chili Pepper Chad Smith for a night of musical conversation benefiting Cancer for College. Sounds like the unlikely supergroup will jam a few covers, too.

8 p.m. Monday, Feb. 12; Moore Theatre, 1932 Second Ave., Seattle; $75-$225; 206-682-1414, stgpresents.org

 

Shame

Perhaps too aggressive to catch Next Big Thing tags, the young U.K. post-punks’ debut makes good on the buzz from their reportedly raucous live shows.

8 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 20; Chop Suey, 1325 E. Madison St., Seattle; $10-$12; all ages; 206-538-0556, chopsuey.com

 

Margo Price

One of the most thrilling voices in modern country music, Price followed her drinkin’ and fightin’ debut with another set of throwback country tunes, “All American Made.” This time she’s picking bar fights with the patriarchy (“Pay Gap”) and “Cocaine Cowboys” from New York, L.A. and (ouch) Seattle who are “all hat.”

8 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 25; Neptune Theatre, 1303 N.E. 45th St., Seattle; $20; 206-682-1414, stgpresents.org

 

Tune-Yards

Art-pop extraordinaire Merril Garbus is back with her long-awaited fourth album, “I Can Feel You Creep Into My Private Life,” another polyrhythmic musical kaleidoscope. 8:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 26; Showbox, 1426 First Ave., Seattle; $35; all ages; 206-628-3151, showboxpresents.com

Michael Rietmulder: mrietmulder@seattletimes.com

 

Theater

“Peerless”

Getting into college can be murder — literally. In Jiehae Park’s take on “Macbeth,” two Asian-American sisters apply for one “affirmative action” slot at “The College.” When a one-sixteenth Native American classmate gets it instead, they decide to kill him. The San Diego Union-Tribune described “Peerless” (directed for ArtsWest by Sara Porkalob), as “suitably spooky” and “fitfully funny.”

Through Feb. 11; ArtsWest, 4711 California Ave. S.W., Seattle; $17-$38; 206-938-0339, artswest.org

 

“Frost/Nixon”

The final hour of “Frost/Nixon” — Peter Morgan’s play about the climactic, on-camera showdown between British TV personality David Frost and a just-resigned Richard Nixon — might be the must-see theater moment of the season. Two of Seattle’s best actors, Amy Thone as Nixon and Alexandra Tavares as Frost, stare and glare, dodge and feint while their various assistants and aides freak out behind the cameras.

Through Feb. 17; Strawberry Theatre Workshop at 12th Avenue Arts, 1620 12th Ave., Seattle; $10-$36; 800-838-3006, strawshop.org

 

“Vanishing Point”

Three women, three disappearances: Amelia Earhart (the famous aviator), Agatha Christie (the famous mystery novelist) and Aimee Semple McPherson (the infamous megachurch evangelist). This musical by Liv Cummins and Robb Hartman throws the three headline-generating events into one blender exploring crisis and mystique.

Through Feb. 25, Seattle Public Theater, 7312 W. Green Lake Drive N., Seattle; $17-$34, 206-524-1300, seattlepublictheater.org

 

“Hamilton”

After what seems like an eternity of anticipation, the crazy-popular musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda is finally coming to Seattle. You know the drill: a multiethnic, hip-hop/R&B-inflected tour through the life of Alexander Hamilton (with musical influences from Ja Rule to Destiny’s Child) that has electrified the theater world and jolted U.S. culture into a newfound obsession with early U.S. history.

Feb. 6-March 18, Paramount Theatre, 911 Pine St., Seattle; sold out but there will be $10 day-of-performance lottery tickets (details to be announced), and resale tickets are also available; ticketmaster.com

 

“The Journal of Ben Uchida: Citizen 13559”

Popular playwright Naomi Iizuka (“Polaroid Stories,” “36 Views”) writes the story of a 12-year-old Japanese-American boy who winds up in a World War II-era internment camp and has to wrestle with the thorny issues of hate, belonging and exile.

Feb. 8-March 4, Seattle Children’s Theatre, 201 Thomas St., Seattle; $15-$40; 206-441-3322, sct.org

 

“The Maltese Falcon”

Book-It and Café Nordo team up for a multicourse food-and-theater adaptation of Dashiell Hammett’s detective novel starring Kjerstine Rose Anderson (Brigid O’Shaughnessy), Arlando Smith (Sam Spade), Brandon Felker (Dundy) and others, plus a live band.

Feb. 8-April 1; Nordo’s Culinarium, 109 Main St., Seattle; $99; book-it.org

Brendan Kiley: bkiley@seattletimes.com

Visual Art

Zohra Opoku: “Harmattan Tales”

German and Ghanaian artist Opoku uses photography and textiles to create eerily gorgeous work that spills out of what looks like a grainy, black-and-white past and into your immediate, physical present, with colorful threads hanging off individual portraits. The effect is both unsettling and magnetic.

Through March 17; Mariane Ibrahim Gallery, 608 Second Ave., Seattle; free; 206-467-4927, marianeibrahim.com

 

Tavares Strachan: “Always, Sometimes, Never”

In 2006, conceptual artist Strachan trekked to the Alaskan Arctic with a team of technicians to cut out a multi-ton block of ice, ship it to his hometown in the Bahamas and keep it cool using a solar-power system. Sound contradictory? It is. Strachan builds on contradictions: what belongs where, who identifies as what. His “Always, Sometimes, Never” will bring sculpture and projected lights to pools of water at Frye Art Museum; according to the museum, the installations will echo “the ways in which Seattle has been shaped geographically and culturally by its rainfall and waterways.”

Jan. 27-April 15; Frye Art Museum, 704 Terry Ave., Seattle; by donation; 206-622-9250, fryemuseum.org

 

“Figuring History: Robert Colescott, Kerry James Marshall, Mickalene Thomas”

Seattle Art Museum brings an exhibitionof three U.S. artists who re-imagine art history and racial representation. Iconic paintings, from “Washington Crossing the Delaware” to “Les Demoiselles d’Avignon” — Picasso’s “primitivist” depiction of women in a brothel — are refracted through a contemporary African-American lens. This is art and art as critique all at the same time.

Feb. 15-May 13; Seattle Art Museum, 1300 First Ave., Seattle; $14.95-$24.95; 206-654-3210, seattleartmuseum.org

Brendan Kiley: bkiley@seattletimes.com