MONDAY, NOVEMBER 4
BOOKS Brightest Young Thing’s “Death Becomes Us” true-crime festival starts officially on Friday, but get a preview of the weekend’s events at an authors’ panel and signing at Politics & Prose at Union Market. Hear from three writers: Maureen Callahan (American Predator follows serial killer Israel Keyes), Sarah Weinman (The Real Lolita explores the 1948 abduction of Sally Horner), and Carolyn Murnick (whose memoir The Hot One investigates her childhood best friend’s murder). Free, 7 PM.
FILM The documentary Desolation Center shares the story of guerilla music and art performances in Southern California in the early 1980s. The film intersperses interviews with performances by Sonic Youth, the Minutemen, and Einstürzende Neubauten, and more; these “outsider” performances inspired later festivals like Burning Man and Lollapalooza. The film will screen at the Hirshhorn and afterwards, director and event organizer Stuart Swezey will participate in a Q&A session. Free, 6 PM.
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 5
MUSIC A handful of singer-songwriters are teaming up (again) as the Lantern Tour to bring music and advocacy together. The Lantern Tour II features acoustic performances by Emmylou Harris, Jackson Browne, Steve Earle, Patty Griffin, the Mastersons, Thao Nguyen, and David Pulkingham at the Warner Theatre to help support families at the southern U.S. Border via the Women’s Refugee Commission. $103-$253, 8 PM.
BOOKS Busboys and Poets on 14th Street is continuing its “A.C.T.O.R.” series (A Continuing Talk on Race) with author Ibram X. Kendi talking about his book, How to Be an Antiracist. In describing antiracist ideas, Kendi shines a light on all forms of racism and how we can fight them in our society. Kendi will be in conversation with AJ Head, who moderates the A.C.T.O.R. program at Busboys and Poets. $27 (includes a signed copy of the book), 6 PM.
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 6
THEATER In the comedy White Pearl, a leaked ad for a Singaporean company’s skin whitening cream wreaks havoc, leading employees to search for the culprit. With themes of toxic corporate culture and racism, the play shows the business trying to get ahead of the viral video before it makes breaking news in the US. White Pearl runs through December 8 at Studio Theatre. $20-$97.
THEATER The one-woman autobiographical play 140 LBS: How Beauty Killed My Mother centers the playwright and performer Susan Lieu uncovering the truth about her mother, who died after complications from plastic surgery, as she explores both her mother’s history and ideals of beauty. 140 LBS runs for two nights at Joe’s Movement Emporium; Thursday’s show will be followed by a post-show talkback with the artist moderated by Dr. Jia Li Liu, postdoc fellow and lecturer at the University of Maryland’s Asian American Studies Program. Through November 7. $25, 7 PM.
