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The Boston Globe's The Big To-Do Short Cuts

October 22, 2025

Welcome to the Wednesday edition of the Big To-Do: Short Cuts, our midweek round-up of what’s going on around Boston, as selected by Boston Globe critics and writers.

Boston’s first Affordable Art Fair takes place Oct. 23-26, showcasing thousands of original paintings, sculptures, photographs, and prints by local to international artists with prices starting at $100. Pictured here: Rich Mothes, "'87 Lions," 2022. Oil, acrylic on canvas. RICH MOTHES AND CHASE YOUNG GALLERY

Thursday

Filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos teams up with Emma Stone again for the new film “Bugonia,” opening in theaters.
Ethan Hawke stars in the new biopic “Blue Moon” about lyricist Lorenz Hart, from director Richard Linklater.
Jeremy Allen White trades in “The Bear” for The Boss and stars in the new biopic “Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere.”
The Affordable Art Fair hits SoWa Power Station Thursday through Sunday, featuring a showcase of contemporary and reasonably-priced works for sale.

Friday

Magdalena Bay brings their spin on futuristic pop to MGM Music Hall at Fenway.
“Tina: The Tina Turner Musical” hits the stage at Emerson Colonial Theatre Friday through Sunday.

Saturday

The Boston Book Festival is back this weekend, with Pulitzer Prize-winning author Geraldine Brooks appearing as a keynote speaker on Saturday.
Cambridge’s The Comedy Studio celebrates its one-year anniversary with a lineup of laughs, featuring Eugene Mirman, Alex Giampapa, and more comedy stars.

Sunday

Float over to HBO on Sunday night for the premiere of “IT: Welcome to Derry,” a new prequel series based on Stephen King’s novel “IT.”
Halloween fun takes over the Greenway and Boston Public Market as part of a pumpkin stroll, including cookie decorating, crafts, and other free, family-friendly activities.
Catch a free screening of John Carpenter’s “The Thing” at The Substation in Roslindale.

Ongoing

The GlobeDocs Festival continues with in-person screenings running through Sunday.
Looking for more King-inspired entertainment? Check out the Merrimack Repertory Theatre production of “Misery” at the Nancy L. Donahue Theatre in Lowell through Nov. 2.

Last Chance

“300 Paintings,” a 90-minute one-man show presented by the American Repertory Theater, ends its run at Harvard’s Farkas Hall on Saturday.
Presented by Actors’ Shakespeare Project, “Macbeth” wraps its stay at the Mosesian Center for the Arts in Watertown on Sunday.

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Thanks for reading our new Wednesday newsletter. Keep an eye out for Friday's regular Big To-Do email written by Marie Morris. Send comments to arts@globe.com.

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Welcome to the Wednesday edition of the Big To-Do: Short Cuts, our midweek round-up of what’s going on around Boston, as selected by Boston Globe critics and writers.

Thursday

Filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos teams up with Emma Stone again for the new film “Bugonia,” opening in theaters.

Ethan Hawke stars in the new biopic “Blue Moon” about lyricist Lorenz Hart, from director Richard Linklater.

Jeremy Allen White trades in “The Bear” for The Boss and stars in the new biopic “Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere.”

The Affordable Art Fair hits SoWa Power Station Thursday through Sunday, featuring a showcase of contemporary and reasonably-priced works for sale.

Friday

Magdalena Bay brings their spin on futuristic pop to MGM Music Hall at Fenway.

“Tina: The Tina Turner Musical” hits the stage at Emerson Colonial Theatre Friday through Sunday.

Saturday

The Boston Book Festival is back this weekend, with Pulitzer Prize-winning author Geraldine Brooks appearing as a keynote speaker on Saturday.

Cambridge’s The Comedy Studio celebrates its one-year anniversary with a lineup of laughs, featuring Eugene Mirman, Alex Giampapa, and more comedy stars.

Sunday

Float over to HBO on Sunday night for the premiere of “IT: Welcome to Derry,” a new prequel series based on Stephen King’s novel “IT.”

Halloween fun takes over the Greenway and Boston Public Market as part of a pumpkin stroll, including cookie decorating, crafts, and other free, family-friendly activities.

Catch a free screening of John Carpenter’s “The Thing” at The Substation in Roslindale.

Ongoing

The GlobeDocs Festival continues with in-person screenings running through Sunday.

Looking for more King-inspired entertainment? Check out the Merrimack Repertory Theatre production of “Misery” at the Nancy L. Donahue Theatre in Lowell through Nov. 2.

Last Chance

“300 Paintings,” a 90-minute one-man show presented by the American Repertory Theater, ends its run at Harvard’s Farkas Hall on Saturday.

Presented by Actors’ Shakespeare Project, “Macbeth” wraps its stay at the Mosesian Center for the Arts in Watertown on Sunday.

Sign up here to get The Boston Globe’s latest food stories delivered to your inbox once a week.

Thanks for reading our new Wednesday newsletter. Keep an eye out for Friday's regular Big To-Do email written by Marie Morris. Send comments to arts@globe.com.