THURS 5.7

Video Game Night at Trident

Indulge your inner nostalgic nerd at this throwback game night co-hosted by books and pancakes purveyor Trident Cafe and Bit Fest, a Boston-based company that hosts pop-up events for video game lovers. Trident’s second-floor cafe will be packed with retro arcade games as well as a few classic consoles. The time to defend your Pac-Man high score has come.

Trident Booksellers and Cafe. 338 Newbury St., Boston. 7pm/all ages/FREE. bostonbitfest.com

FRI 5.8

The House Slam: Featuring Roya Marsh

Since 2014, the cafe/community space Haley House has hosted a high-energy, no-holds-barred bi-monthly poetry slam that brings together a diverse group of artists in a welcoming, safe space. This week’s featured poet is an award-winning author and teacher who brings together her passion and spirituality onstage and “wields a saber of light that will penetrate those dark pockets of prejudice, injustice, and hurt that lay buried deep within each of us.”

Haley House Bakery Cafe. 12 Dade St., Roxbury. 6:30pm/18+/FREE. haleyhouse.org

SAT 5.9

Jad Abumrad, Gut Churn

When we say the word “innovation”—a term tossed off every time one turns around these days—what do we really mean? MacArthur Fellowship recipient and NPR Radiolab co-host Jad Abumrad wants to find out. In this eclectic lecture event, Abumrad combines more than three years of scientific research, personal revelation, and artistic storytelling to examine the role of discomfort and uncertainty in the ever-challenging creative process.

Sanders Theatre. 45 Quincy St., Cambridge. 8pm/all ages/$40-60. For more information, visit celebrityseries.org

SAT 5.9

Boston Theater Marathon XVII

The Boston Theater Marathon features 50 separate 10-minute plays by 51 emerging and established local New England playwrights, produced by 50 Boston-area theatres in just 10 magical, intense hours. Besides fostering an environment of collaboration and community among artists, producers, and directors, the BTM allows audiences the opportunity to be exposed to the exciting works that are taking form right in their own backyards.

Boston Center for the Arts. 539 Tremont St., Boston. 12pm/all ages/$25, $35 door. For more information, visit bostonplaywrights.org

SUN 5.10

Together Boston 2015

The city’s annual festival of music, art, and technology kicks off its weeklong run with two events on Sunday. A “Synthfest” hosted at Berklee College of Music, is exactly what it sounds like—a room full of synths for folks to check out, play with, and talk about! Then at 8pm, Middlesex Lounge will host the festival’s Opening Party, headlined by Manchester-based artist Andy Stott and Boston electronica stars André Obin and DJ WON’T.

For full schedule and venue information, and to purchase tickets, visit togetherboston.com

TUES 5.12

CHEAP SEATS 29

Boston’s only omni-genre variety show returns, showcasing the most diverse assortment of comedians, thespians, dancers, poets, and visual and conceptual artists the city has to offer. The word “artist” is used loosely here—sit down at a show, and you never quite can tell what you’ll see. As always, the heart of CHEAP SEATS is a spirit of freedom and reckless originality, so if anything else, you’ll leave with a radically altered notion of what constitutes performance.

Cambridge YMCA Theater. 820 Mass Ave, Cambridge. 7pm/all ages/$5.