FRIDAY 4.24

A Dark Knight in the Asylum: A Villainous Burlesque

The Slaughterhouse Sweethearts—a Boston-based burlesque troupe known for its signature combination of horror, leather, and rock ’n’ roll—returns with a Batman-themed show that combines the signature antics of familiar villains in a madhouse of variety and circus acts. Who knew Mr. Freeze and Two-Face would ever be caught together stripping onstage? Grab your tickets before they’re gone (last year’s shows sold out!) and prepare for the weirdest boner of your life.

OBERON. 2 Arrow St., Cambridge. $15-20. For more information, visit americanrepertorytheater.org

FRIDAY 4.24

Expanded Animation: New Directions in Chinese Animation

This celebration of the new wave of digital art growing out of China brings together a mix of young visual artists, filmmakers, and experimental animators. Headlined by award-winning Beijing artist Lei Lei, the program will present an array of work, including stop motion, print, collage, painting, and graphic design. The works explore the recent explosion of artistic animation in China, with subjects spanning the personal to the political.

The Institute of Contemporary Art. 100 Northern Ave., Boston. 7pm/all ages/$10, $5 students. icaboston.org

SATURDAY 4.25

15th Annual Open Studios in East Boston

On Saturday and Sunday, artists in residence in East Boston will open their doors to the public to come and experience the projects and current bodies of work they have been cultivating. The neighborhood is hosting a diverse array of fine artists, from the vibrant, urban abstract paintings by Neil Wyatt, to the quirky, sensual sculptures of Jesse Kahn, to Bo Petran’s nihilistic creations. The weekend is a great opportunity to explore new avenues of creativity popping up in a largely unexplored neighborhood.

East Boston Artists. 80 Border St., East Boston. 12-4pm/all ages/FREE. eastbostonartists.org

SUNDAY 4.26

The Art of Life After

This collaborative, inclusive artistic showcase and community event will present original works of visual, written, and performance pieces by local artists, centered on the difficult topic of sexual assault and survival. The organizers, two women of color and sexual violence survivors, hope that the event will spark productive conversation amongst its attendees about how rape affects both individuals and whole communities.

Make Shift Boston. 549 Columbus Ave., Boston. 5pm/no age limit/FREE (donations accepted). missiongallery.org

SUNDAY 4.26

Black Market

Hosted by Boston Hassle, this one-day event will feature more than 75 vendors selling everything the resourceful urban punk could need. Think: artwork, zines, records, body care, baked goods, books, patches, pins, clothes, leather, crafts, astrology readings, and more, all of which was recycled or crafted by hand. Call it your chance to support #BosArts the DIY way. Which is the best way, of course.

Cambridge Community Center. 5 Callender St., Cambridge. 11am/all ages/$1 at door. bostonhassle.com

MONDAY 4.27

THIS OTHER CITY

Nonprofit theatre company Solas Nua presents a staged reading of This Other City by Daragh Carville, an award-winning Northern Irish playwright and screenwriter (Middletown, Cherrybomb). The acclaimed work, set in Belfast, explores the dark and sinister world of human trafficking, juxtaposed with the sleek, metropolitan setting of the seemingly tranquil city—where a thin veil of glamour barely hides the darkness lurking just below the surface.

The Burren. 247 Elm St., Somerville. 7:30pm/all ages/$10 suggested donation. solasnua.org/boston