SATURDAY
Look and help
SCULPTOR’S STUDIO|You can check out the studio of Denver sculptor Ed Dwight, best known for his evocative bronzes of jazz figures such as Miles Davis, and contribute to a good cause. Proceeds will go to the Colorado Ghana Children’s Fund, which helps send kids in Ghana to school.|5-7 p.m., Saturday|3824 Dahlia St.; $20 donation suggested; 303-341-4140.
Irish quintet
CELTIC MUSIC|Lúnasa, a quintet named for an ancient Celtic harvest festival, brings together five of Ireland’s top musicians, including bassist Trevor Hutchinson and flutist Kevin Crawford. The group is touring in support of its sixth album, Sé.|5:30 p.m. Saturday, all ages|Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St.; $26.25 reserved, $21 general admission, $15.75 students; 303-786-7030 or bouldertheater.com.
Finnish jazz
JAZZ|How about a little jazz with a Finnish twist? Rajaton, an a capella sextet, was formed in the Scandinavian country in 1997. The vocal group performs jazz renditions of their own songs as well as well as standards by John Lennon and others.|7:30 p.m., Saturday|Augustana Lutheran Church, 5000 E. Alameda Ave.; $30 general public, $20 seniors and $10 students; 866-464-2626 or ticketswest.rdln.com.
Political gags
THEATER|The Capitol Steps is a troupe of former congressional staffers- turned-comedians from Washington D.C. Billed as “a welcome break from partisan politics prior to this year’s midterm elections,” it benefits the Cherry Creek Rotary Foundation. Targets include Mel Gibson, Martha Stewart and Donald Rumsfeld.|8 p.m., Saturday| Paramount Theater, 1631 Glenarm Place; $22-$49; call 303-830-TIXS or go to ticketmaster.com.
Native Hip-Hop
MUSIC|Join hip-hop and visual artists for an evening of performance as a fundraiser for “NVision for the Next 500!” Culture Shock Camp and Rhythm Vision will headline the music for the event, aimed at promoting development of American Indian youth and young adult leadership. NVision also supports Indian art, culture, education, and multi-media.|9 p.m. Saturday, VIP events begin at 7 p.m.|Republic of Boulder, 1095 Canyon Blvd., Boulder; $10, VIP packages start at $30; 303-895-0995
THE WEEK END
Captivating “Giselle”
BALLET|The Colorado Ballet has compiled a touching, technically sound production on the grand scale that “Giselle” demands. This revival honors the venerable conventions of the 165- year-old classical choreography of Jules Perrot and Jean Coralli and simultaneously infuses the work with a sense of dynamism and vitality.|Through Oct. 15; performances this weekend at 7:30 p.m. today, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday|Ellie Caulkins Opera House, Denver Performing Arts Complex, 14th and Curtis streets; $27-$113; 303-837-8888 or coloradoballet.com or ticketmaster.com.
See Boulder studios
ART|More than 4,000 people are expected to make 65,000 studio visits this weekend and next as part of Boulder’s Open Studios. More than 140 artists, working in myriad styles and media, are taking part in the annual open house. A guidebook is available for $16.|Noon to 6 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, and Oct. 14 and 15|Studios in and around Boulder; free; 303-444-1862 or openstudios.org.
All Mendelssohn
SYMPHONIC MUSIC|It will be all Mendelssohn all the time during this weekend’s set of three Colorado Symphony’s concerts. The program will include the composer’s Symphony No.5, “Reformation,” and Violin Concerto in E minor with guest soloist Joo Young Oh.|7:30 p.m. today and Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday|Boettcher Concert Hall, Denver Performing Arts Complex, 14th and Curtis streets; $15-$67.50; 303-623-7876 or coloradosymphony.org.
Lakewood Cider Days FALL FESTIVAL|Few things say fall better than harvest festivals, and Lakewood’s got just the ticket. The 31st annual Cider Days Festival features exhibits, tractor pulls, children’s rides and of course, gallons of cider. Vintage presses will turn apples into liquid gold while festivalgoers watch. Bring your own apples or purchase by the gallon at one of the booths. | Saturday-Sunday|Lakewood Heritage Center, 801 S. Yarrow St.; 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; $6 adult, $3 child, 303-987-7850.
THE WEEK
Comic musical revue THEATER|The Playwright Theatre presents a special performance of its campy hit musical “The Big Bang.” This 90-minute comic musical revue is staged as a backers’ audition for an $83.5 million, 12-hour stage history of the world from creation to present. In between are 18 musical numbers portraying Adam and Eve, Attila the Hun, the building of the pyramids and more. |7:30 p.m. Monday|2119 E. 17th Ave.; $20; 303-499-0383 or playwrighttheatre.com.
Scandinavian modern
FILM|You can’t have a film series on modernism without getting to controversial Swedish great Ingmar Bergman. To film students, Bergman is synonymous with thoughtful, gloomy, arty filmmaking; to some mainstream moviegoers, the Swede represents ponderous self-indulgence. Tom Delapa will help you sort it out by screening Bergman’s 1966 film “Persona” for his fall “Modernism and the Movies” series. Liv Ullmann plays a famous actress stricken mute during a performance, who recuperates at seaside with a nurse; the film explores states of identity and consciousness.|7 p.m. Tuesday.|Starz FilmCenter at the Tivoli; $8 public, $7 members; 303-820-3456
