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Picture this, Reader: A freshly 14-year-old James opening birthday gifts in the middle of Peter Piper Pizza. (Even though I KNOW there is a location in Austin, in case you’re unaware, PPP is an arcade/pizza eatery similar to ye olde Chuck E. Cheese.) My best friend at the time gets me the hottest two-disc DVD any teen could want: eight-Oscar-winner Amadeus. His reasoning? “I saw it and I thought you might like it.” Guess what? I love Amadeus. A beautiful tale of terminal hater-ation, the film lays out Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s life story through narration by contemporary composer Salieri – played by a red-hot F. Murray Abraham delivering side-eyes that’d melt the flesh off a lesser adversary. But gleeful giggling Mozart as played by Tom Hulce can’t be taken down by a mere look. His great weakness is an all-timer: daddy issues. – James Scott

Regine Malibiran is a woman of passion. She pours her soul into every project she undertakes – creative and entrepreneur, activist and advocate. Now as the founder of forth space productions, she has taken all of her passion and experience to forge a path for artists to express their truths fearlessly and with the support of forth space, whose mission and name derive from the “sociological concept of the fourth space as a realm where meaning is made and all the potential that lies between here and forward.” “BUMUO,” from the Tagalog for “whole,” is an exhibition that centers the strength and artistic brilliance of the Filipino community. Six artists tell the connective story of the Philippines, reclaiming their history, rejecting the manipulation of the colonizers who inhabited their home for four centuries, and building a future of healing and empowerment. On view through July 27. – Cy White

A lucky few may have already seen the “Sonder” show at Davis, but if you haven’t, please rush to the reception this Saturday. It’s a perfect time to bask in a wealth of styles and mediums. Dissect the surreal landscapes of Garrett Middaugh and Isabel Stensland. Lose yourself in the hypnotic shapes of Lisa Beaman and Joseph Hammer. Marvel at the intricate details in sculptures by Dana Younger and John Sagar. Sigh at Denise M. Fulton’s brightly impressionist nature paintings. And those are just small portions of artists represented! There’s something for every artistic taste, so gorge yourself on Davis’ impeccable buffet of beauty. – Cat McCarrey

Parents talk about “summer slide,” where kids get lazy and sluggish, losing any academic momentum. I posit there’s an adult summer slide, where we forget how to be alert, how to look for inspiration. Cue gallerist Kevin Ivester. He’s curated a slice of the current Austin art scene at ICOSA on view through Aug. 3 – opening reception on July 5. His vision of what’s out there is colorful, bold, and requires active viewership. The pieces are full of architectural lines echoing Austin’s ongoing construction of self: three-dimensional forms taking up space, exerting themselves in a changing landscape. Ivester’s outlook features a bevy of Austin’s best, but they have one thing in common – they’re surprising works that demand thought. It’s not homework, it’s a jolt of needed energy with this “Summer Break.” – Cat McCarrey

We’re in that liminal space of summer, where life is lush and blooming, right before it succumbs to death by heat. Big Medium’s curator Coka Treviño has collected an exhibit full of garden scenes representing that magical explosion of garden growth. In her own words, it’s a way “to forget how heavy it feels to be a human.” There’s constant discovery in the wide variety of works, from dozens of artists like the established Dawn Okoro and up-and-comers MuthaGoose. Join the opening reception this Friday to view interpretations of glorious greenery. – Cat McCarrey

School’s out for summer! And out forever, at least in Beyond August Productions’ Exit Strategy. The story of a run-down high school finishing up its final year before eradication, Exit Strategy follows students and staff on the edge of displacement. Education is a hellscape in the best of times. One can only imagine the anarchy within a school on the brink of annihilation. In cases like that, does anything matter? Get ready to test those limits with Exit Strategy, showing the humor and madness in dire circumstances. – Cat McCarrey

For the rest of this month and into the next, Flatbed Press, local bastion of multiple originals, is putting you on to the next gen of Austin printmakers. For the third year in a row, this annual exhibition features work from students receiving a printmaking degree from any college in the Austin area, including UT, ACC, St. Edward’s, Texas State, and Southwestern. The work ranges from traditional to experimental, both in form and process. Hot tip: While you’re there, make sure to step out of the gallery and check out the working press portion of the building. – Lina Fisher

It’s the second coming of surrealism at Ivester Contemporary. Josias Figueirido aptly updates the legacy of Dalí and Chagall with his vivid dreamscapes. His exhibit presents spirit guides Piri the Dreamer and Flying Coyote in increasingly absurd settings, smoothly bubbled characters possessing hypnotic shininess. Paintings of them hang in eerily vivid flashe paint, existing harmoniously beside their animated counterpoints in an immersive, interactive reality. It’s the wondrous love child of Cartoon Network and modernism. You don’t want to miss it.: – Cat McCarrey

Pop music got a sapphic shock when Chappell Roan finally broke into the mainstream with her album The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess. No industry plant here; just pure goofy girlie drag queen fun – which’ll reign supreme at this “unapologetic party” hosted by event peeps What the Dance. Local cowboy DJ BoyFriend sets down the Stetson for the night and puts on the pop girlies: Chappell, boygenius, Reneé Rapp, MUNA, Kacey Musgraves, you name it. So come “Hot to Go” in pink glitter and wear your dancing shoes – this event’s gonna be a “Femininomenon.” – James Scott

It’s all fun and games until art imitates life – then it’s even MORE fun and games! The local comedy crewmates of ColdTowne take this new Broadway hit and give it an Austin welcome. With Kat Williams and Kyle Romero in starring roles, direction by Matt Alspaugh, music by Ritika Bhattacharjee, and choreo by Sarah J. Bartholomew, comedy and musical theatre fans will delight alike in this onstage silliness. Catch a show or two during its run that lasts through July 20. – James Scott

It’s an established fact that dinosaurs are cool for everyone – kids, grownups, and in-betweens – so is there a more perfect event than this, the No. 1 dino experience in North America? Jurassic Quest combines elements of a natural history museum with an adventure park to create an unforgettable and educational outing for all ages. Expect to find huge rideable animatronics, bounce houses, fossil digs, dino crafts, tons of photo ops, and even lifelike baby Triceratops and Camarasaurus replicas to meet. It’s like getting to go to Jurassic Park without the risk of getting eaten by a T. rex! – Kat McNevins

From nonbinary interdisciplinary theatre designer, dancer, and choreographer Desmond Kendra Wiley comes an immersive and interactive dance experience. The collaboration between Wiley and Dougherty Arts Center was developed by and for Austin’s nonbinary community. Integrated into the show through text are responses by nonbinary folks to an informal survey about their lived experiences. People of any gender identity are invited to join the celebration of identity, authenticity, and queerness as well as donate $10 for entry. Comfortable clothes are the suggested attire. – Jasmine Iman Wright

First Alanis, and now her sister in feminine angst Sarah McLachlan? It’s like 2024 is forcing me to relive all my unfulfilled Lilith Fair dreams! You can’t just toss the angelic majesty of Sarah Everloving McLachlan in my face and expect me to be emotionally okay! This woman is another in a long line of examples of women who have withstood the tests of time, apathy, and disrespect to build a formidable career without chipping too much of her soul away in the process – not an easy feat for a woman, in particular. This tour celebrates 30 years since the album that started her breakthrough journey. While it would be a few more years until the States would catch up with her native Canada to embrace her angelic powerhouse vocals and heartrending songwriting (1997’s Surfacing), Fumbling Towards Ecstasy set the stage for a career that would help to elevate so many others. – Cy White

Careful what you wish for: That’s the warning at the heart of sci-fi classic Stalker. For his final Russian film, Andrei Tarkovsky asked brothers Arkady and Boris Strugatsky to adapt their 1972 novel Roadside Picnic about a three-man pilgrimage to a mysterious Room in a bizarre place known as the Zone. The midpoint between War and Peace and Jeff VanderMeer’s Annihilation, its haunting imagery and subtle terrors will make you question what it is you really want – unless what you want is a ticket for this unmissable classic. – Richard Whittaker

In Link & Pin’s Summer Exposure series, they’re presenting three artists for two weeks each. Kicking it off are Jan Pomeroy, Denise Elliott Jones, and Kristy Battani. Their work perfectly complements each other, exhibiting worlds full of vibrant colors and rich, evocative texturing. Play along with their vivid sightscapes this Thursday, in conjunction with East Austin Arts District’s Third Thursday walks. Or wait for the artist reception on Saturday, for wining and dining and art aplenty. – Cat McCarrey

It often feels like the fate of a short film after festival season is ignominious anonymity at the whim of some streaming platform’s algorithm. Luckily, Utah’s Sundance Film Festival is giving these short but sweet delights more time on the big screen. The touring selection of seven miniature wonders includes three award-winners from this year’s festival: Spanish class war satire “The Masterpiece” (Short Film Grand Jury Prize), Japanese interspecies rom-com “Pisko the Crab Child in Love” (Special Jury Prize for Directing), and sexy insect comedy “Bug Diner” (Jury Award: Animation).: – Richard Whittaker

Calling all lovers of intergenerational family tales – maybe a niche crowd, but definitely a good one. Zach presents to you The Lehman Trilogy, winner of five Tony Awards. One of those Tonys? Best Play. Decide whether it deserved the honors, all while following the infamous Lehman family from their arrival in America through the 1900s until their infamous financial firm (spoiler alert) collapsed in 2008. If you miss Succession but wished it had just a smidgen more early 20th century immigration struggle and concrete financial crisis, you’ve got to check this out. – Cat McCarrey

Hoo-wee! Does anything feel better than a dip in the pool during a hot Texas summer? While some among us may be privileged to own private watering holes, most of us get to enjoy the great Austin PARD’s work at the 44 public aquatic facilities to choose from this summer. You’ve got regional, neighborhood, and community pools; a wading pool; splash pads; and the crown jewel: Barton Springs. Check austintexas.gov/pools-splashpads for up-to-date info on which pools are open, what their entry fee is, and whether you have what it takes to be a public pool lifeguard. Now, outta the way if you don’t wanna get wet: I’m gonna do a cannonball! – James Scott

Thanks to Seventies funk band War, the word “lowrider” often calls to mind the unforgettable sax riff of the band’s 1975 No. 1 single. But lowrider can mean a snazzy customized car with hydraulics or a person who works on such a vehicle, and the culture around these cars has strengthened Mexican American communities in the Southwest since the Forties. Learn more about them at this exhibit featuring an interactive touchscreen mural, cars and bikes on display, and stories about the people who make lowriding a community. A member reception takes place May 18. – Kat McNevins

Vessel: a container that holds things. Vessel: a person infused with a quality. What quality? Any. Feel free to interpret it yourself when basking in Diane Chiyon Hong’s exhibit “Vessels – Handle with Care.” Her architectural sketches, part function, part form, part object, part person, part humor but all thought-provoking, currently grace the halls of the Asian American Resource Center. It’s Asian American Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Month, so why not pay the AARC a visit. I mean, if not now, when? – Cat McCarrey

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!