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Who doesn’t like having friends? They’re great! So great, in fact, that Ramón Esquivel’s play for younger audiences is all about how to make friends. Luna follows Soledad, a daughter of migrant farm workers whose nomadic life makes stable friendships a difficult prospect. Though books, the stars, and her namesake – aka, the moon – keep her company, the play centers on Soledad’s meeting two peers who, much like her, are searching for connection. Bring the kids to this wonderful stage production directed by Mateo Hernandez, but be warned if you’ve got fidgeting young folks: This here play’s an hour without intermission. – James Scott

Organized by arts nonprofit Big Medium, this self-guided tour splits its focus between two weekends: Nov. 9-10, art studios west of I-35 open their doors to the public, while Eastside galleries shine Nov. 16-17.

This new exhibit soothes the body and soul with interactive sculptural installations. Run your fingers through sand and gaze into metallic pools evoking the Swahili-Indian Ocean. Watch videos, sense sonic vibrations, and meditate in VR. Pakistani artist Hiba Ali uses the phrase “digital somatics” to describe how her works lead people on a body-processing journey using digital art. Now more than ever, it’s time to immerse yourself in Ali’s lullaby. – Eden Shamy

All free human beings with an independent will are invited to enjoy Austin Shakespeare’s rendition of Charlotte Brontë’s gothic romance. Hopefully there’s no secret wives in the Rollins’ attic…

Austin Opera opens their 2024-25 season with an operatic adaptation of this Richard Condon political thriller. Mark Diamond stars, with AO debuts from Mary Dunlevy and Rachel Blaustein among other talents.

One thing I’ve loved about newer theatre or museums is the space given for land acknowledgement – statements about the ancestral roots of the space being used. Space that was not always ours, but taken. The Blanton’s latest exhibit tackles that question, but pushes the boundaries. It’s not just about what Native America was, but what it can be. Curator and lauded artist Wendy Red Star has assembled nine other Native artists to create a rich exploration of what life in America is today. Shown through a variety of mediums, something is guaranteed to resonate with the audience. Whether it’s the photos, paintings, videos, or multimedia works is up to you. – Cat McCarrey

This sweet opportunity comes to us from the Downtown Austin Alliance, the Pease Park Conservancy, and Ride Bikes Austin – so we know it's a damned good thing indeed. Take the self-guided Art & Parks Tour to explore the best of what Downtown Austin art and parks have to offer through this selection of curated murals, artworks, and green spaces. You can sign up anytime, so click that URL and get ready to learn the most vibrantly visual parts of your city soon – live and in person.

That's right: Cap City Comedy Club, the longtime cornerstone of Austin's comedy scene for nearly four decades is at a new venue in the Domain. And here's Valerie Lopez with a closer look at what's in store for the scene via the venue. Click for details!

The California-based artist, known for combining visual art and industrial design, uses media including photography, sculpture, simple machines, and more to explore both the art world and corporate culture and other themes during this exhibition’s six-decade span. While tackling often serious subject matter, Cheng’s work retains a sense of playfulness on display at the Jones Center. Get a first look of the collection at the public opening reception Friday at 6pm. – James Renovitch

This local treasure of a venue, run by those Contemporary Austin folks who also bring us the Jones Center shows Downtown, is all about the outdoors – which is perfect for these trickily navigated times of ours, n'est-ce pas? Recommended: Stop by and breathe in the air, enjoy the lawns and gardens and the many examples of world-class sculpture arrayed across the property, and (as Frankie used to say) r-e-l-a-x.

Use your smartphone to access self-guided tours of the outdoor public art sited by UT's award-winning Landmarks program any time you feel like it. BONUS: There's also a free, docent-led tour starting at Marc Quinn's "Spiral of the Galaxy" (1501 Red River) on Sun., Jan. 8, 11am.

Ceci n’est pas une exposition d’art: 100 years since its inception, and Surrealism is still getting under our skin with its dream illogic and witty non sequiturs. Featured artists include Hans Bellmer, Leonora Carrington, Max Ernst, René Magritte, Wifredo Lam, Man Ray, and Dorothea Tanning.

Enter the fascinating world of illusions in this new venue that boasts a stunning array of intriguing visual, sensory, and educational experiences among new, unexplored optical wonderments.

Trinidad-born artist Nicole Awai’s work centers around “the ooze.” What is the ooze, you ask? Both material and metaphorical, it encompasses the viscous media Awai uses, like synthetic polymers, and evokes the blurred boundaries of cultural, historical, and personal identity that she references in her work. “Awai’s practice ‘overflows’ traditional boundaries as it often interweaves elements from her Caribbean heritage with broader themes of globalization and diaspora,” writes Phillip A. Townsend, curator of UT’s Art Galleries at Black Studies. Awai’s work has referenced history ranging from Civil War monuments at UT-Austin and Grand Army Plaza in New York to Trinidadian folklore about the La Brea tar pits in Los Angeles, all while “foregrounding the transformative potential of the ooze,” writes Townsend. – Lina Fisher

The diverse lineup of hilarious, always surprising improv shows continues, with Pgraph and Maestro and the Big Bash and more, for the most unexpected delights of in-person entertainment.

Time to upgrade from your Ansel Adams wall calendar and instead appreciate the legendary landscape photographer’s black & white pictures of the American West where they belong – on a gallery wall.