Northwestern Arts in November

Block Cinema will screen new and recent films and a revered classic in November. A Nov. 9 matinee screening of “Before You Know It,” a new documentary by PJ Raval about the lives of several LGBT elders, will be co-presented with Reeling: The Chicago LGBT International Festival. It will include an in-person visit by the director. Film events

Calorie-free, pre-Thanksgsiving international treats await new music lovers Nov. 3 when Germany’s Ensemble Recherche performs a program launching its residency at Northwestern University’s Institute for New Music on the Evanston campus. Israel’s MultiPiano ensemble will perform Nov. 19. Music events

A comical Tony Award-winning musical about an angst-filled spelling championship, and performances of a Jane Austen classic are among the November productions at the Theatre and Interpretation Center (TIC) at Northwestern University. For young audiences, TIC is staging a family musical based on a Newberry Honor Book with an anti-bullying message. Theatre and dance events

Discussions with leading figures in the global, national and Chicago art worlds will take place at Northwestern University’s Mary and Leigh Block Museum of Art this November. Visual art events

Film

All films will be screened in the James B. Pick and Rosalyn M. Laudati Auditorium at the Mary and Leigh Block Museum of Art, 40 Arts Circle Drive, on Northwestern University’s Evanston campus.

Unless otherwise noted, general admission to Block Cinema is $6 for the general public or $4 for Block Museum members, Northwestern faculty, staff and students, students from other schools with valid IDs and individuals 65 and older. Quarterly passes are $20. Tickets are available one hour before show time. For more information, call the Block Cinema Hotline at (847) 491-4000 or visit the Block Cinema online.

Block Cinema

The New Documentaries series spotlights important historical, contemporary and political issues. In addition to the Nov. 9 screening of PJ Raval’s  “Before You Know It,” on Nov. 14, Block presents  “Let the Fire Burn,” a documentary exploring the controversial 1985 bombing of the African American group MOVE’s headquarters by Philadelphia police. The series concludes Nov. 22 with Sophie Fiennes’ “The Pervert’s Guide to Ideology,” in which philosopher Slavoj Zizek dissects everything from corporate coffee to Nazi aesthetics.

In the recurring Revivals and Rediscoveries series, Block Cinema will screen American and international films -- from revered classics to more obscure works -- that deserve a second look. On Nov. 15, Block will present one of the more bizarre and unforgettable examples of American independent cinema, Trent Harris’ “The Beaver Trilogy.” Sean Penn and Crispin Glover portray “Groovin' Gary,” a real-life Olivia Newton-John superfan.

Two recent films in the Contemporary Independents series focus on characters struggling to connect meaningfully with others. Screening Nov. 7 is “It Felt Like Love,” by new director Eliza Hittman, a coming-of-age story about a teenager’s awkward attempts to gain sexual experience. Jem Cohen’s “Museum Hours,” about the unlikely friendship between a museum guard and a museum visitor, is a subtle, powerful celebration of the restorative power of art. It will be screened Dec. 6.

Contemporary Independents, “It Felt Like Love,” 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 7, -- free for Northwestern students -- (Eliza Hittman, 2013, United States, DCP, 82 minutes). In director Eliza Hittman’s debut feature, newcomer Gina Piersanti gives a nuanced performance as lonely 14-year-old Lila whose confused longings for love, romance, acceptance and adventure lead her dangerously astray. She fixates on an older boy and is soon drawn into a world she’s not prepared for. Hittman’s sensitivity to the awkwardness, humiliations and colliding feelings of adolescence gives her coming-of-age story a powerful and honest edge. Director Eliza Hittman will attend the screening.

New Documentaries, co-presented with Reeling: The Chicago LGBT International Film Festival, “Before You Know It,” 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9 (PJ Raval, 2013, United States, video, 110 minutes). By documenting the lives of three gay men, “Before You Know It” explores the issues faced by seniors in the LGBT community. The facts are sobering, especially regarding unequal access to social services and health care, but director PJ Raval’s documentary focuses on how individuals and communities work to lessen the discrimination and create new models of support and affirmation. Through the lives of 70-something widower Dennis, who came out late in life and has embraced his cross-dressing, LGBT activist Ty, who longs to marry his partner, and gay bar owner Robert, we see that the fears, joys and realities of aging are universal. The screening is co-sponsored by the Senior Programs at Center on Halsted; Northwestern’s departments of radio, TV, film and gender and sexuality studies, and The Sexualities Project at Northwestern (SPAN). Director PJ Raval will attend the screening, which will be followed by a panel discussion.

A special admission price will apply. No Block Cinema passes or vouchers will be accepted. More information on this screening and a complete festival lineup can be found at Reeling Film Festival online.

New Documentaries, “Let the Fire Burn,” 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 14 (Jason Osder, 2013, United States, video, 95 minutes). First-time director Jason Osder’s riveting new documentary sheds light on the 1985 bombing of the African American group MOVE’s headquarters by Philadelphia police. The bombing, and resulting fire, killed five children and six adults and destroyed an entire neighborhood. Using archival materials, including court recordings, home movies and television broadcasts, Osder looks at the tragedy and captures MOVE members’ frustrations and the impatience and confusion of authorities. “Let the Fire Burn” is a raw and vital film about the consequences of mutual mistrust and a reminder of a fading pivotal moment in the pursuit of racial justice.

Revivals and Rediscoveries, “The Beaver Trilogy,” 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 15 (Trent Harris, 2000, United States, video, 83 minutes). One of the most original examples of American independent cinema, “The Beaver Trilogy” is three-films-in-one. The first, filmed in 1979, is a documentary portrait of Beaver, Utah resident, would-be-celebrity, and Olivia Newton-John super-fan “Groovin’ Gary.” The second and third parts, filmed in 1981 and 1985, are dramatic re-enactments and interpretations of Gary’s life, featuring performances by Sean Penn (1981) and Crispin Glover (1985) as Gary. A cult film that is equal parts strange and poignant, the film was the subject of a segment on Ira Glass’ radio show, “This American Life.”

New Documentaries, “The Pervert’s Guide to Ideology,” 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 22 (Sophie Fiennes, 2013, United Kingdom and Ireland, DCP, 136 minutes). In this entertaining sequel to the critically acclaimed “The Pervert’s Guide to Cinema” (2006), Slovene cultural critic and philosopher Slavoj Zizek holds forth in his own unmistakable and infectious style. He speaks on the nature, construction and function of ideology, using examples from two dozen films (including “The Sound of Music, “Taxi Driver,” West Side Story,” “Jaws” and “Titanic”) and expands his investigation to encompass Coke, Kinder Eggs, Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy,” Starbucks, and politics and political ideology. Zizek provides an intellectual thrill ride that is stimulating, dizzying and never boring.

Music

Concert ticket prices are indicated in two ranges: the first for the general public and the second for full-time students with IDs. Northwestern faculty and staff with a valid WildCARD receive a 15 percent discount off the general public ticket price.

For more information, call the Pick-Staiger Concert Hall office at (847) 491-5441. To order tickets, call (847) 467-4000 or visit Pick-Staiger Concert Hall online.

All November programs listed below are open to the public. They take place on the University’s Evanston campus at Pick-Staiger Concert Hall, 50 Arts Circle Drive; Lutkin Hall, 700 University Place; Alice Millar Chapel, 1870 Sheridan Road; or Cahn Auditorium, 600 Emerson St., as noted.

Symphonic Band: Bach and Beyond, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 1, Pick-Staiger Concert Hall. Timothy J. Robblee will conduct a program of music written or inspired by Bach, including his Fantasia in G, works by Grainger and Scott McAllister’s exuberant “KRUMP.” Tickets are $6 for the general public and $4 for full-time students with IDs.

Northwestern University Chamber Orchestra, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 2, Pick-Staiger Concert Hall. Robert G. Hasty will conduct a program that includes Stravinsky’s Suite No. 1 for Small Orchestra, Shostakovich’s Ballet Suite No. 3, Bach’s Overture from Suite No. 2 in B Minor, featuring flute soloist John Thorne, and Haydn’s Symphony No. 101 in D Major (“The Clock”). Tickets are $6 for the general public and $4 for full-time students with IDs.

Ensemble Recherche, 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 3, Lutkin Hall. Founded in 1985 and based in Freiburg, Germany, the nine-member Ensemble Recherche has premiered more than 500 works by composers Wolfgang Rihm, Hector Parra, Brice Pauset, Gerard Pesson and others. Their concert opens the group’s Institute for New Music residency at the Bienen School. The program includes Helmut Lachenmann’s “Allegro sostenuto,” Georg Friedrich Haas’ “Nach-Ruf…ent-gleitend” and the U.S. premiere of Brian Ferneyhough’s “Liber Scintillarum.” Tickets are $8 for the general public and $5 for full-time students with IDs.

Mark Sparks Flute Master Class, 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 5, Lutkin Hall. Principal flutist of the St. Louis Symphony, Sparks has made guest appearances with the New York Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. He is an artist-faculty member of the Aspen Music Festival and School, where he is principal flutist of the Aspen Chamber Symphony. Admission is free.

Ensemble Recherche: Student Composition Concert, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 7, Lutkin Hall. Ensemble Recherche concludes its Institute for New Music residency with world premieres of works by Bienen School graduate student composers. The program is supported by a grant from the Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation and by the Goethe-Institut Chicago. Admission is free.

Brass Faculty and Student Recital, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 7, Pick-Staiger Concert Hall. Bienen School faculty trumpet player Robert Sullivan, hornist Gail Williams, trombonist Michael Mulcahy and tuba player Rex Martin and brass students will perform a program that includes music for double quintet. Tickets are $8 for the general public and $5 for full-time  students with IDs.

Kids Fare, Brasstacular!, 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 9, Pick-Staiger Concert Hall. The brilliant and bold sounds of trumpets, trombones, horns and tubas will fill Pick-Staiger as Gail Williams leads the Bienen School of Music Brass Ensemble. The hourlong program is for children ages 3 to 8. Tickets are $6 for the general public and $4 for children and full-time students with IDs.

Percussion Ensemble, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9, Pick-Staiger Concert Hall. Bienen School faculty member She-e Wu will conduct a program of eclectic rhythms. Tickets are $6 for the general public and $4 for full-time students with IDs.

Evening of Brass, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 12, Pick-Staiger Concert Hall. Faculty member Gail Williams will conduct an evening of music written and arranged for brass ensemble. Tickets are $6 for the general public and $4 for full-time students with IDs.

Symphonic Wind Ensemble, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 15, Pick-Staiger Concert Hall. Faculty member Mallory Thompson will conduct a program that includes Arthur Bird’s Serenade for Wind Instruments and Ingolf Dahl’s Sinfonietta. Tickets are $6 for the general public and $4 for full-time students with IDs.

Pianist Ralph Votapek, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 16, Lutkin Hall. Winner of the Naumburg Award and the inaugural Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, Votapek has appeared with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Boston Pops, Philadelphia Orchestra, New York Philharmonic and San Francisco Symphony. A Northwestern alumnus, he was the featured soloist at Pick-Staiger Concert Hall’s dedication in 1975. He is professor emeritus of piano at Michigan State University. His program will include Haydn’s Sonata in A-flat Major, H. 46; Schumann’s “Kreisleriana” and Chopin’s Fourth Ballade in F Minor, Op. 52. He also will perform Bill Doerrfeld’s “A Definite Possibility,”Nikolai Kapustin’s “Andante,” and Ravel’s “Jeux d'eau” and “La Valse.” Tickets are $8 for the general public and $5 for full-time students with IDs.

Concert Band, 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 17, Pick-Staiger Concert Hall. Students from across the Northwestern campus will present a concert of band standards conducted by Daniel J. Farris. Tickets are $6 for the general public and $4 for full-time students with IDs.

Baroque Music Ensemble: The Virtuosic Baroque, 7 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 17, Alice Millar Chapel. Student soloists and violinist David Douglass will be featured in Handel’s Concerto a due cori No. 1 and arias and duets from Handel’s operas. The program will include music by Telemann, Zelenka and others and will be conducted by Stephen Alltop. Tickets are $8 for the general public and $5 for full-time students with IDs.

MultiPiano: A Keyboard Celebration, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 19, Lutkin Hall. Launched in 2010 at Tel Aviv University, the MultiPiano Ensemble is comprised of students Daniel Borovitzky, Berenika Glixman and Nimrod Haftel-Meiri as well as their teacher, Tomer Lev. MultiPiano has performed throughout Israel and toured Asia, Latin America and South America. They have been praised for their “technical purity” and “polished, powerful and stylized interpretations.” This program features arrangements for two pianos -- for two to eight hands -- of music by Mozart, Smetana, Ravel, Rossini and others. Tickets are $8 for the general public and $5 for full-time students with IDs.

Northwestern University Jazz Orchestra: Artistry in Rhythm -- The Music of Stan Kenton, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 19, Pick-Staiger Concert Hall. The Jazz Orchestra will pay tribute to the sounds of Stan Kenton with a program featuring both favorite and obscure works, including “The Peanut Vendor,” “Kentonova,” “Opus in Pastels” and “Intermission Riff.” The program will be conducted by Victor Goines and Christopher Madsen. Tickets are $6 for the general public and $4 for full-time students with IDs.

Northwestern University Saxophone Ensembles, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 21, Pick-Staiger Concert Hall. Timothy McAllister will conduct a diverse program highlighting the distinctive voice of the saxophone. Tickets are $6 for the general public and $4 for full-time students with  IDs.

Horn player Gail Williams and pianist Nolan Pearson, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 21, Lutkin Hall. Principal horn of the Grand Teton Music Festival Orchestra, a faculty member of Swiss Brass Week, and for two decades a member of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Gail Williams has performed with the San Antonio Symphony, the New World Symphony and other major orchestras. She will be joined by pianist and Bienen School alumnus Nolan Pearson, 2012 winner of the Claire Rosen and Samuel Edes Foundation Prize for Emerging Artists. Their program includes John McCabe’s “The Goddess Trilogy,” Adam Roberts’ “Chimera” and Elliott Carter’s “Two Thoughts About the Piano.” Tickets are $8 for the general public and $5 for full-time students with valid IDs.

Saxophonist Timothy McAllister, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 22, Lutkin Hall. McAllister recently appeared as soloist with the Albany Symphony, Detroit Chamber Winds and Strings, Royal Band of the Belgian Air Force, United States Navy Band and Boston Modern Orchestra Project. Since 2001 he has performed in major chamber music series nationwide as soprano saxophonist of the Prism Quartet. In August he was the featured soloist in the world premiere of John Adams’ Saxophone Concerto at the Sydney Opera House. His program includes music by Adams, Babbitt, Roshanne Etezady, Carter and Albright. Pianist Elizabeth Ames and faculty clarinetist Steven Cohen will also perform. Tickets are $8 for the general public and $5 for full-time students with IDs.

Sounds and Sweet Airs: Scenes from Shakespeare, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 22, and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 23, Cahn Auditorium. Michael M. Ehrman will direct an evening of excerpts from operas and musicals based on the works of William Shakespeare. The program includes music from “Falstaff,” “The Merry Wives of Windsor,” “Romeo and Juliet,” “Hamlet,” “Otello,” “West Side Story,“ “The Boys from Syracuse” and “Kiss Me, Kate.” Tickets are $10 for the general public and $6 for full-time students with IDs.

Northwestern University Symphony Orchestra, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 23, Pick-Staiger Concert Hall. Conducted by faculty member Robert G. Hasty and graduate students Jiang Xie and Chia-Hsuan Lin, the program will feature Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Capriccio espagnol,” Stravinsky’s “Scherzo fantastique” and Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 11 in G Minor (“The Year 1905”). Tickets are $8 for the general public and $5 for full-time students with IDs.

Women’s Chorus, 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 24, Lutkin Hall. Christopher Windle will conduct a program of works for treble voices, centered on the music of Benjamin Britten. Tickets are $6 for the general public and $4 for full-time students with IDs.

Philharmonia: Inspired by Folk Music, 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 24, Pick-Staiger Concert Hall. Robert G. Hasty will conduct the Philharmonia in a performance of Bartok’s “Rumanian Folk Dances,” Vaughan Williams’ “English Folk Song Suite” and Dvorak’s Symphony No. 8 in G Major. Tickets are $6 for the general public and $4 for full-time students with IDs.

University Singers: For the Love of Text, 7:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 25, Pick-Staiger Concert Hall. Emily Ellsworth will conduct a program of poetic works adapted by major composers in completely different, but equally beautiful, musical styles. Tickets are $6 for the general public and $4 for full-time students with IDs.

Theatre and Dance

Mainstage Productions

“The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” music and lyrics by William Finn, book by Rachel Sheinkin, conceived by Rebecca Feldman, additional material by Jay Reiss, directed by Adam Goldstein, 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 25; 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26; 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 27; 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 31; 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 1; 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 2; 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 3; 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 7; 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 8; 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9; and 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 10, at the Josephine Louis Theater. Do you have what it takes to win … or, even tougher, to fit in? Directed by Northwestern alumnus Adam Goldstein, this funny and touching Tony Award-winning musical takes audiences right into the pressure cooker of the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Under the bright lights, six young overachievers must use their dictionary-thick knowledge of obscure words and the unexpected guidance of lovable ‘bee’ officials to learn that winning isn’t everything and that champions come in all shapes and sizes. In addition, there will be Northwestern community members as guest spellers invited to participate on the fun during the live performance. The roster of guest spellers includes: Oct. 26, Dan Linzer, Northwestern University Provost; Oct. 27, U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky; Oct. 31, Tracey Gibson-Jackson, assistant director of student theatre organizations; Nov. 1, Emily Allard, Northwestern Wildcats softball player; and Nov. 9, Charles Kellom, director of multicultural student affairs. Post-show discussions moderated by Northwestern Ph.D. candidate Bethany Hughes will also take place at select performances. Discussion topics and guest participants include: Oct. 25, "How We Made This Show" with the cast and show director Adam Goldstein; Oct. 27, "Excellence & Pressure" with the cast and three-time National Spelling Bee contestant Alex Benjamin and Northwestern Wildcats softball player Emily Allard; and Oct. 31, "Expectations & Opportunities" with the cast and Devin Moss, director of Northwestern University's LGBT Resource Center, and Alison May, assistant director of Northwestern's Office of Services for Students with Disabilities. Tickets are $30 for the general public; $27 for seniors over 62 and Northwestern faculty and staff and educators; and $10 for full-time students (at the door) or $5 tickets exclusively for full-time Northwestern students on advance purchase. Discounts are available for groups of eight or more.

“Pride and Prejudice,” adapted by Joseph Hanreddy and J.R. Sullivan, directed by Jessica Thebus, 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 15, 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 16; 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 17; 7:30 p.m. Thursday Nov. 21, 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 22; 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 23; and 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 24, at the Ethel M. Barber Theater. Lively Elizabeth Bennet encounters interfering parents, squabbling sisters, snobbish aristocrats and her own prejudices on her way to the alarming realization that she is in love with a man she professes to despise. Directed by Jeff-nominated Northwestern University faculty member Jessica Thebus and adapted by Joseph Hanreddy, former Milwaukee Repertory Theater artistic director and Chicago director J.R. Sullivan, Jane Austen’s classic novel sparkles with dancing, romance and wit. Post-show discussions will follow the Nov. 15 and Nov. 21 performances. On Nov. 21, in partnership with The League of Chicago Theater's popular “Theatre Thursday” series, a special one-of-a-kind theatre experience will immerse show patrons in 19th century England and the world of Jane Austen. The evening will begin at 6:30 p.m. with a reception in the lobby featuring an English tea menu and wine courtesy of City Winery. An in-depth post-show discussion with members of the cast and other creative team members will be moderated by Diane Capitani, director of the Writing Center and affiliate faculty in writing and theology at the Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary at Northwestern and a member of the Jane Austen Society of North America. Pride and Prejudice” is sponsored by a generous grant from The Alumnae of Northwestern University. Tickets are $25 for the general public; $22 for seniors over 62 and Northwestern faculty and staff and educators; and $10 for full-time students (at the door) or $5 tickets exclusively for full-time Northwestern students on advance purchase. Discounts are available for groups of eight or more.

Imagine U

“The Hundred Dresses,” by Ralph Covert and G. Riley Mills, based on the book by Eleanor Estes, directed by Rives Collins, 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 1; 2 p.m. Saturday Nov. 2; 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 3; 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 8; 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9; and 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 10, at the Hal and Martha Hyer Wallis Theater. Wanda Petronski claims to have 100 beautiful dresses at home – although she wears the same faded dress to school every day. Maddie Martin joins the rest of the kids at Franklin Elementary School, teasing Wanda for speaking strangely, having a funny last name and living in the wrong part of town. When the teasing gets out of hand, Maddie has a tough decision to make. Based on the Newbery Honor Book by Eleanor Estes and directed by acclaimed Northwestern faculty member Rives Collins (“The Secret Garden,” “How Can You Run With A Shell On Your Back?”), this musical adaptation asks: would you have the courage to stand up for someone, even if it means standing alone? Single tickets are $10 for adults; $8 for children under 18; and $5 exclusively for full-time Northwestern students on advance purchase or  $10 at the door. Discounts are available for groups of eight or more.

National Theatre Live

“Othello,” by William Shakespeare, directed by Nicholas Hytner, 7 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 5, at the Josephine Louis Theater. The National Theatre presents a new production of Shakespeare’s celebrated play about the destructive power of jealousy. Olivier Award-winning actor Adrian Lester (“Henry V” at the National Theatre, BBC’s Hustle) takes the title role. Playing opposite him as the duplicitous Iago is fellow Olivier Award-winner Rory Kinnear (“The Last of the Haussmans,” “James Bond: Skyfall”). Single tickets are $20 for the general public; $16 for Northwestern faculty and staff (phone and in-person only) and $10 for full-time students with valid IDS at Will Call. Discounts are available for groups of eight or more.

“Frankenstein” (reprise), by Nick Dear, directed by Danny Boyle, 7 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 12 (sold out) and 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 13, at the Josephine Louis Theater. National Theatre Live’s 2011 broadcast of Frankenstein returns to cinemas as part of the National Theatre's 50th anniversary celebration. Oscar-winner Danny Boyle (“Trainspotting,” “Slumdog Millionaire”) directs a sensational production with Benedict Cumberbatch (“Star Trek: Into Darkness,” BBC’s “Sherlock”) and Jonny Lee Miller (“Trainspotting,” CBS’s “Elementary”) alternating roles as Victor Frankenstein and his creation. The Nov. 12 broadcast will feature Benedict Cumberbatch in the role of the Creature and Jonny Lee Miller in the role of Frankenstein. On Nov. 13, Miller is the Creature and Cumberbatch portrays Frankenstein. Single tickets are $20 for the general public; $16 for Northwestern faculty and staff (phone and in-person only) and $10 for full-time students with valid IDS at Will Call. Discounts are available for groups of eight or more.

“Macbeth,” by William Shakespeare, directed by Rob Ashford, 7 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 19, at the Josephine Louis Theater. NT Live broadcasts Manchester International Festival’s electrifying production of “Macbeth,” with Kenneth Branagh (“My Week With Marilyn,” “Hamlet”) as Macbeth, and Alex Kingston (“Doctor Who,” “ER”) as Lady Macbeth. Directed by Laurence Olivier- and Tony award winner Rob Ashford (“Anna Christie” at the Donmar Warehouse, “Thoroughly Modern Millie” on Broadway) and British Academy of Film and Television award winner Kenneth Branagh, the production of Shakespeare’s tragic tale unfolds within the walls of a deconsecrated Manchester church. Single tickets are $20 for the general public; $16 for Northwestern faculty and staff (phone and in-person only) and $10 for full-time students with valid IDS at Will Call. Discounts are available for groups of eight or more.

Department of Performance Studies

“Fiber of Time,” 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 15, and 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 16, Alvina Krause Studio, 1920 Campus Drive, Northwestern University, Evanston campus. Using classical and contemporary theories of memory as inspiration, “Fiber of Time” enacts and critiques these theories while exploring the relationship between memory and fiber. Performers use expressive movement and text to investigate the intersections of personal memory, cultural memory and the human body. Directed by Jade C. Huell, it is presented by Northwestern’s department of performance studies. Admission is free and open to the public.

Dance

“Jump Inside: A second preview of our 25th Anniversary Season,” 8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 7, and 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 8, Ballroom Studio, Marjorie Ward Marshall Dance Center, 10 Arts Circle Drive, Northwestern University’s Evanston campus. This behind-the-scenes evening with the Emmy Award-winning Jump Rhythm Jazz Project dance company features two premieres, including artistic director Billy Siegenfeld’s “When Little Enough is Good Enough” and a historic revival of “Too Close for Comfort.” Tickets are $20 for the general public and $10 for full-time students with IDs (advance purchase only). Single tickets and tickets for groups of eight or more are available through the Theatre and Interpretation Center box office at (847) 491-7282.

Visual Art

Block Museum of Art

Department of Art Theory and Practice Visiting Artist Talk: Mark Dion, “Illuminating Explication of Complex Peripatetic Endeavors,” 6:30 to 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 1, Block Museum. Dion will speak about his work, which examines how dominant ideologies and public institutions shape our understanding of history, science and environment. Dion’s work is featured in the upcoming “The Way of the Shovel: Art as Archaeology” at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago. This program is free and open to the public.

Mark Dion: Krypto-Zoologist, noon to 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 2, Chicago History Museum, 1601 N. Clark St., Chicago. Dion, whose work frequently mines -- and mimes -- museums, joins Lisa Granziose Corrin, the Ellen Philips Katz Director of the Block Museum, in a discussion of his work. This program is presented by the Block Museum in partnership with the Chicago Humanities Festival (CHF) and Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago. It is part of CHF’s Richard Gray Visual Art Series. Tickets are $5 for teachers and students; $10 for the general public. Get tickets at the CHF.

Kaplan Artist-in-Residence Lecture and Screening, John Neff: Pleasure and Disciplines of Daily Life, 5:15 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 6, Pick-Laudati Auditorium, Block Museum of Art, 40 Arts Circle Drive. Neff is a Chicago-based artist and curator whose photos were presented in a spring 2012 solo exhibition at The Renaissance Society at the University of Chicago. Neff also has shown his work at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, the Hyde Park Art Center and Golden Gallery. The program is organized by Northwestern’s Alice Kaplan Institute for the Humanities and cosponsored by the departments of art history and art theory and practice. It is free and open to the public.

“The Locational Turn: Reflections from Chicago on dOCUMENTA in Kassel, Alexandria, Banff and Kabul,” 5:15 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 13. For dOCUMENTA (13), artistic director Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev revolutionized the exhibition by locating the project in four sites around the world -- choosing not only places renowned for international art, but zones of conflict and sociopolitical transformation. Along with being sited in Kassel, Germany, the project took place in Alexandria, Egypt; Banff, Canada; and Kabel, Afghanistan. This “locational turn” raised questions of globalization, as well as the conceptual complexity of organizing something at once worldwide and singular.

Speaking to the context of these multiple sites, Christov-Bakargiev will be in conversation with a group of leading Chicago-based artists and critics, including: Claire Pentecost, professor of photography at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago; Brian Holmes, professor of philosophy at the European Graduate School; Michael Rakowitz, professor in the department of art theory and practice at Northwestern University; Dieter Roelstraete, Manilow Senior Curator at the Museum of Contemporary Art; Lori Waxman, instructor in art history, theory and criticism and new arts journalism at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago; Kristina Buch, artist; and Titus Wonsey, Huguenot House Builder in Training for Theaster Gates.

Participants will respectively speak to dOCUMENTA from the perspective of curator, participant and visitor. The program will be moderated by Susy Bielak, the Block Museum of Art’s associate director of engagement/curator of public practice.

Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev, a curator, author and researcher, is the Edith Kreeger Wold Distinguished Visiting Professor at Northwestern University. Christov-Bakargiev is teaching in the department of art theory and practice for three consecutive fall quarters beginning this fall 2013. This is the first of a series of joint presentations in conjunction with her appointment for the department of art theory and practice and the Block Museum.                                                                                             

The Block Museum of Art’s galleries are closed this fall. They will reopen in mid-January with two new winter 2014 exhibitions. “The Left Front: Radical Art in the ‘Red Decade,’ 1929-1940,” in the Main Gallery, Jan. 17 through June 22, 2014, will revisit a moment in American history when a group of artists embraced the motto “art as a social weapon,” dedicating their work and practice to activism. “Steichen| Warhol: Picture Fame,” in the Alsdorf Gallery, Jan. 17 through April 6, will examine the photographic legacies of Edward Steichen (1879-1973) and Andy Warhol (1928-1987), artists who shaped the way we envision celebrity, fame and glamour.

Dittmar Memorial Gallery

The Dittmar Memorial Gallery, Norris University Center, 1999 Campus Drive, Evanston campus, is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Admission is free. The gallery focuses on ethnic cultural art, art by emerging artists, art by or about women, artwork by Northwestern art students and traveling art shows.

“Away From Home” by Eun-Kyung Suh, Sept. 9 to Oct. 20, Dittmar Memorial Gallery.

J. Thomas Pallas, “The Institute for Encyclopedic Amalgamation,” Oct. 25 through Dec. 10, Dittmar Gallery. J. Thomas Pallas is the editor-in-chief of The Institute for Encyclopedic Amalgamation (IEA), a repository and sanctuary for abandoned encyclopedia sets. In this exhibition, visitors have a chance to interact with tomes of knowledge that, once ubiquitous, are now often considered obsolete. Throughout the show, visitors will get to participate in making a new IEA volume by contributing source material culled from the sets on display in the gallery. The exhibition is free and open to the public.

One Book One Northwestern

All of the following November 2013 One Book One Northwestern events are free and open to the public. Unless noted, reservations are not required.

Screening of “Girls Rising,” 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 11, Northwestern University’s Thorne Auditorium, Law School, 371 E. Chicago Ave., Chicago campus, and repeated 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 12, McCormick Auditorium, Norris University Center, 1999 Campus Dr., Evanston campus. The film spotlights the strength of the human spirit and the power of education to change girls and the world.

Dinner at Dittmar, “Aspects of Seasonal Hunger and Nutritional Health,” 5:30 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 13, Dittmar Memorial Gallery, Norris University Center, 1999 Campus Drive, Evanston campus. The panel discussion relates to this year’s One Book selection, “The Last Hunger Season” by Roger Thurow. It will be moderated by Northwestern’s William Leonard, professor of anthropology. The program includes a light dinner and conversation. RSVP is required to onebook@northwestern.edu.

Conference, Agricultural Innovation in Africa: Gendered and Non-gendered Paradigm Shifts, 4 to 5:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 18, Program of African Studies Conference Room, 620 Library Place, Evanston campus. Anita Spring, professor emeritus, University of Florida, will lead the discussion.

“Visions of Change” student photo exhibit, Monday, Nov. 18 through Friday, Nov. 24, NU Galleria, Norris University Center, 1999 Campus Drive, Evanston. The exhibit is sponsored by Northwestern’s Dittmar Memorial Gallery.

Dinner at Dittmar, “What Happened after Roger Flew Home: Inside Stories from Kenya,” 5:30 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 21, Dittmar Memorial Gallery, Norris University Center, 1999 Campus Dr., Evanston. The themed dinner and discussion is part of One Book One Northwestern. The discussion will be led by Brian Hanson, interim director of Northwestern’s Buffett Center for International Relations and Comparative Studies. RSVP is required to onebook@northwestern.edu.

University Library

Exhibitions at Northwestern University Library at 1970 Campus Drive, Evanston campus, is open to the public daily from 8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Members of the Northwestern community with a valid WildCARD can visit during all open library hours. Admission is free. For more information, call (847) 491-7658.

“Past, Paper, Scissors: Scrapbooks from the Northwestern University Library Collections,” through Jan. 3, 2014, Main Library. In an era of Facebook and Instagram, it’s important to recall that once we collected our own histories by pasting them into scrapbooks. ”Past, Paper, Scissors” explores history at Northwestern and beyond through the photos, clippings, ticket stubs, faded flowers and dance cards in scrapbooks of a bygone era. The exhibit is free and open to the public.

“Alexander Hesler’s Picturesque Evanston,” through Jan. 3, 2014, corridor linking Northwestern University’s Main and Deering Libraries, Evanston campus. The new digitized exhibit showcases historic photos of Evanston by 19th century regional photographer Alexander Hesler (1823-1895). The exhibit celebrates Evanston’s 150th anniversary with a selection of 40 images from “Picturesque Evanston.” Each plasma screen highlights an aspect of Evanston’s past, including gracious homes, tree-lined streets, schools and churches, and the early Northwestern campus. Many of the buildings pictured are now gone, but a few remain, including University Hall, the Frances Willard House and the Methodist Church. The exhibit was curated by librarian Janet Olson and the staff of the Northwestern University Archives. Images were digitized by the library’s digital collections department and the installation was done by the library technology department. See an online version of the exhibit at the University Library website.