Things to do in and around Seattle May 15-21.
MOVIES
‘The Meddler’
Lorene Scafaria’s charming comedy follows a loving yet thoroughly exasperating New Jersey mother (played by Susan Sarandon) who moves to Los Angeles to be near her daughter (Rose Byrne). The film, says movie critic Moira Macdonald, accomplishes something rare: “The characters seem not like types chosen from a screenwriting manual but like people we might know, with quirks and feelings and flaws and hearts.” Now playing at several theaters. For showtimes, see Page H6. For the full 3.5-star review, go to seattletimes.com/movies.
‘Viva’
Ireland’s entry in the Oscar race for best foreign-language film was this Havana-set tale of a gentle hairdresser (Hector Medina) who dreams of becoming a drag performer. Now playing at Sundance Cinemas (21+); in Spanish with subtitles. For showtimes, see Page H6. For John Hartl’s three-star review, go to seattletimes.com/movies.
TV
‘NCIS’
It’s season finale time for this popular, long-running procedural starring Mark Harmon. 8 p.m. Tuesday, May 17, on CBS.
‘All the Way’
Bryan Cranston reprises his Tony Award-winning role in Robert Schenkkan’s adaptation of his play about President Lyndon B. Johnson’s first year in office. 8 p.m. Saturday, May 21, on HBO.
FOOD
Free Scoop Day at Cupcake Royale
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Just to help Seattle in “keeping it sweet,” Cupcake Royale’s giving away ice cream on Thursday, May 19, from 5 to 7 p.m. — free scoops at the Ballard, Capitol Hill, Queen Anne and downtown locations, plus free mini ice-cream sandwiches in Madrona and West Seattle. Sweet, indeed! Location info at cupcakeroyale.com.
FESTIVALS, COMMUNITY
Syttende Mai 17th of May Festival
Ballard’s annual Norway Constitution Day celebration draws thousands of spectators for the big parade with marching bands, Norwegian-American groups, drill teams and classic cars, 6 p.m. Tuesday, plus children’s events and free admission all day at Nordic Heritage Museum, 3014 N.W. 57th St., Seattle, and accordions, Norwegian choruses and other entertainment, 2-5 p.m. Tuesday, Bergen Place, 5420 22nd Ave. N.W., Seattle (17thofmay.org/).
‘Star Trek: Exploring New Worlds’
EMP is marking the 50th anniversary of “Star Trek” with display of artifacts, set pieces and props from the television series and films illustrating the impact of Star Trek on culture, society, arts and technology and fashion, May 21 through Feb. 27, 2017, $21-$30; Star Trek Landing Party opening event with appearance by Denise Crosby (Tasha Yar in “ Star Trek: The Next Generation”), costume parade, dance party, 7:30 p.m. May 20, $22-$36; EMP Museum, 325 Fifth Ave. N., Seattle (206-770-2700 or empmuseum.org/).
U District Streetfair
Opening the summer street fair season with arts, crafts, food vendors and music along University Way, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. May 21, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. May 22, Seattle (udistrictstreetfair.org/).
POP MUSIC
Beyoncé
Bey is on a roll, the political edge of “Formation” followed by the personal pain of her new visual album, “Lemonade.” Ostensibly about her marital troubles with Jay Z (with whom she played Safeco Field two years ago, amid persistent rumors of an impending split that never happened), “Lemonade” also hints at a global empathy for the pain of black women, generally. Praise for the album has been massive, even from Adele, who recently asked her fans from the stage, “How is it even possible that she only ever gets better?” How, indeed? 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 18, at CenturyLink Field, 800 Occidental Ave. S.; $45-$590 (800-745-3000 or ticketmaster.com).
LITERARY EVENTS
Frances McCue
Writer, poet and teacher McCue, who helped found Richard Hugo House (now known as Hugo House), will read a long poem to be included in a “Where the House Was” documentary about the writing center’s history and transformation. She’ll be joined by writer Rebecca Brown and cellist Lori Goldston. 7:30 p.m. Thursday May 19 at Hugo House, 1634 11th Ave., Seattle; free (206-322-7030 or hugohouse.org).
Skagit River Poetry Festival
Head north to beautiful La Conner for this annual event, held at various venues in the area. It runs from Thursday May 19 to Sunday May 22. For the complete lineup call 360-399-1550 or go to skagitriverpoetry.org.
THEATER
‘To Savor Tomorrow’
Seattle’s Cafe Nordo, home to tasty food theater, has a new comedy on the manifest: “To Savor Tomorrow,” described as a 007-ish production of “Russian spies, vintage airliners, sexy stewardesses, dashing agents,” served up with a four-course meal and ‘60s-style cocktails. through June 10, Nordo’s Culinarium, 109 S. Main St.; $65-$105 (800-838-3006 or cafenordo.com).
‘A Rap on Race’
In 1970, African American author James Baldwin and white anthropologist Margaret Mead recorded an epic — and sometimes awkward — conversation about race in the U.S. and national identity in general. Choreographer Donald Byrd and writer/actor Anna Deavere Smith have used the text of that exchange as a jumping-off point for “A Rap on Race,” a combination of dance and theater — Byrd plays Baldwin — set to “The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady” by jazz virtuoso Charles Mingus. Through May 22 at Seattle Repertory Theatre, 155 Mercer St., Seattle; $20-$40 (206-443-2222 or seattlerep.org).
‘My Name is Asher Lev’
Playwright Aaron Posner is making the rounds in Seattle with his “Stupid F#@*ing Bird” (an update of Chekhov’s “The Seagull”) at ACT Theatre and now “My Name is Asher Lev” with the smaller (but mighty) New Century Theatre Company. Seattle Times critic Misha Berson writes that NCTC’s “somber” staging of the play, based on a novel by Chaim Potok and directed by Sheila Daniels, tells the story of a budding young artist growing up in a “passionately Hasidic home in Brooklyn during the 1950s.” Through May 21, New Century Theatre Company at 12th Avenue Arts, 1620 12th Ave, Seattle; $15-$40 (800-838-3006 or wearenctc.org).
CLASSICAL MUSIC
Sci-Fi at the Pops
Principal pops conductor Jeff Tyzik will lead Seattle Symphony in a program of tunes from science fiction films and television including the music of “Star Wars,” “Star Trek” and “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.” 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday (May 20-22), Benaroya Hall, 200 University St., Seattle; tickets from $30 (206-215-4747 or seattlesymphony.org).
Kirkland Choral Society
The KCS closes its season with a program of music by Ola Gjeilo, including the world premiere of “Glory,” commissioned by the society. Music by the Norwegian-born and Juilliard-educated Gjeilo has been performed around the globe, and has been praised for its accessibility to singers and listeners alike. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 21, Bastyr University Chapel, 14500 Juanita Drive, Kenmore; $15-$20 (800-838-3006 or kirklandchoralsociety.org).
VISUAL ARTS
Andrea Joyce Heimer
Trouble and trauma are the bedrocks of Heimer’s paintings and drawings, but she approaches her subject matter with a surprising sense of play. Heimer specializes in paint, pencil and watercolor on paper and boards, and writes elaborate titles that read like sentence-long short stories: “The Boys Showed Off in the Courtyard and Their Muscles Gleamed Like Buttered Bread,” for example, or “It Was At the Schwartz’s Garage Sale My Mother Purchased the Shirt That Would Become My Lucky One For the Next Three Months & Seven Days.” Tuesdays-Saturdays through May 28 at Linda Hodges Gallery, 316 First Ave. S., Seattle; free (206-624-3034 or lindahodgesgallery.com).
‘Edvard Munch and the Sea’
“Edvard Munch and the Sea” is a small but exquisitely mounted show featuring one painting, 25 prints and one Andy Warhol spin on Munch’s “The Scream.” The exhibition zeros in on Munch’s visual obsession with water. “Female energy dominates the show,” writes Seattle Times critic Michael Upchurch. “In his lithograph ‘On the Waves of Love,’ water currents and a woman’s long, floating hair merge with strange psychosexual power, while in a pair of lithographs … a man and woman are drawn together by both swirling elements in the seaside setting and the ensnaring tendrils of the woman’s hair (Munch’s love life was not exactly happy).” Tuesdays-Sundays through July 17 at Tacoma Art Museum, 1701 Pacific Ave., Tacoma; $12-$14, third Thursdays free 5 p.m.-8 p.m. (253-272-4258 or tacomaartmuseum.org).