Must List: 'Familiar,' MoPOP's 2018 Pop Conference, Bacon and Beer Classic

MUST SEE

Familiar
(4/27–5/20) Actress Danai Gurira may be known for her roles as Michonne on The Walking Dead and Okoye in Black Panther, but her skill as a playwright—notably for her 2015 play Eclipsed, about female sex slaves to a rebel leader in Liberia—has generated its share of acclaim. (Eclipsed was nominated for multiple awards and won, among others, the 2016 Tony for Best Costume Design in a Play.) In this coproduction with Minneapolis’ Guthrie Theater, Gurira weaves a tale about a Zimbabwean family in Minnesota preparing for the marriage of their oldest daughter; the Rep promises “layers of complexities rooted in the search for a sense of belonging.” Times and prices vary. Seattle Repertory Theatre, Seattle Center, 155 Mercer St.; 206.443.2222; seattlerep.org

Photo via Bacon and Beer Classic’s Facebook

MUST LOVE BACON

Bacon and Beer Classic
(4/28) This delicious festival features more than 30 bacon-infused dishes by local chefs and more than 100 brews from regional breweries, all for you to eat and drink to your heart’s content, literally. Sip on exclusive and limited edition brews while munching on a landjaeger from Bavarian Meats or an apple bourbon bacon fritter from Rodeo Donut while watching (or participating?) in the bacon eating contest. Upgrade to a VIP ticket and get access to a donut wall, pork belly tastings and more. Plus: Our Dining & Lifestyle editor, Chelsea Lin, will be there as a beer tasting judge. 12 p.m.–7 p.m. $59–$115. Safeco Field, SoDo, 1250 First Ave. S; baconandbeerclassic.com

MUST DISCUSS

2018 Pop Conference
(4/26–4/29) Attention music nerds! If you haven’t heard of MoPOP’s annual Pop Conference, you are missing out. Started in 2002, the conference gathers music artists, lovers and everyone in between to discuss the hot topics in popular music. This year’s theme is music and gender, featuring some heavy discussions, including a keynote panel on the #MeToo #TimesUp movement and activism in music. Your ticket includes access to all four days of the conference and to the opening night reception. Hear what music gurus have to say at talks titled, “Genre and Gender,” “Hip-Hop For and By Women,” and “Counterculture Feminisms.” Times vary. $25–$28. MoPOP, Seattle Center, 325 Fifth Ave. N; 206.770.2700; mopop.org

Photo by Michael Brunk

MUST EXPERIENCE

An Octoroon
(4/19–5/13) If the weirdly antique terminology of the title gives you pause—it refers to a person who is one-eighth black—that’s because this is a contemporary deconstruction of Dion Boucicault’s melodrama The Octoroon, which packed ’em in in Dickens’ day. Through copious use of fourth-wall breakage and white-, red- and blackface, this 2014 play from Washington, D.C.–based playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins has concocted a provocative theatrical experience that uses the form’s conventions to comment on racial issues. It’s another show in ArtsWest’s season-long exploration of outsiders. Times and prices vary. ArtsWest Playhouse and Gallery, West Seattle, 4711 California Ave. SW; 206.938.0963; artswest.org

Photo by John Vicory

MUST READ

Independent Bookstore Day
(4/28) About 20 local independent bookstores in the Seattle area are participating in the fourth annual observance of this national holiday. On April 28, you can pick up the independent bookstore passport and use it to collect stamps during the celebration as proof of visits. Those who have their passports stamped at three or more stores will receive a coupon good for a one-time, 30 percent-off discount at any of the participating bookstores. Last year, more than 300 people made it to all 19 indie bookstores! Will bookworms break the record this year? Times and locations vary. Free. seattlebookstoreday.com