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

August 13, 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.

The Doobie Brothers play Mansfield's Xfinity Center Aug. 15. AL WAGNER/INVISION/AP

Thursday

Premiering this weekend, Spike Lee’s latest joint, “Highest 2 Lowest,” gets 4 stars from Globe film critic Odie Henderson.

Friday

Boston native and former “Mad Men” actor John Slattery stars in the latest adaptation of John Grisham’s “The Rainmaker,” premiering on USA.
Catch a free screening of “Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit” at the Kendall/MIT Open Space in Cambridge.
Listen to the music as The Doobie Brothers take the stage at the Xfinity Center, along with the Coral Reefer Band.
Put on your dancing shoes as the Boston Salsa Fest returns for three days of workshops and showcases, Friday through Sunday.

Saturday

The Jamaica Plain PorchFest turns 10 this weekend, with a variety of performers taking over residences in the neighborhood.
Dorchester rapper Cousin Stizz takes the mic at the Paradise Rock Club.
Rock out at MGM Music Hall at Fenway as The Black Keys come to town, with opener Gary Clark Jr.
The African Festival of Boston returns for its 15th year with two days of fun Saturday and Sunday, featuring art, music, food, and more.

Sunday

Check out the Upstairs at Hennesey’s for a special improv showcase hosted by Alexis Cristaldi.
Vincent Neil Emerson and Kassi Valazza team up for an evening of country and folk at The Sinclair in Cambridge.

Ongoing

Playwright Nilaja Sun’s production “No Child …” continues at the Gloucester Stage Company through Aug. 23.
Presented by Broadway in Boston, “The Wiz” brings the yellow brick road to Citizens Opera House through Aug. 24.
The exhibition “Isamu Noguchi: Landscapes of Time” runs at the Clark Art Institute through Oct. 13.

Last Chance

See the selections from the 31st annual Juried Members’ Exhibition at the Griffin Museum of Photography through Sunday.

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.

The Doobie Brothers play Mansfield's Xfinity Center Aug. 15. AL WAGNER/INVISION/AP

Thursday

Premiering this weekend, Spike Lee’s latest joint, “Highest 2 Lowest,” gets 4 stars from Globe film critic Odie Henderson.

Friday

Boston native and former “Mad Men” actor John Slattery stars in the latest adaptation of John Grisham’s “The Rainmaker,” premiering on USA.

Catch a free screening of “Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit” at the Kendall/MIT Open Space in Cambridge.

Listen to the music as The Doobie Brothers take the stage at the Xfinity Center, along with the Coral Reefer Band.

Put on your dancing shoes as the Boston Salsa Fest returns for three days of workshops and showcases, Friday through Sunday.

Saturday

The Jamaica Plain PorchFest turns 10 this weekend, with a variety of performers taking over residences in the neighborhood.

Dorchester rapper Cousin Stizz takes the mic at the Paradise Rock Club.

Rock out at MGM Music Hall at Fenway as The Black Keys come to town, with opener Gary Clark Jr.

The African Festival of Boston returns for its 15th year with two days of fun Saturday and Sunday, featuring art, music, food, and more.

Sunday

Check out the Upstairs at Hennesey’s for a special improv showcase hosted by Alexis Cristaldi.

Vincent Neil Emerson and Kassi Valazza team up for an evening of country and folk at The Sinclair in Cambridge.

Ongoing

Playwright Nilaja Sun’s production “No Child …” continues at the Gloucester Stage Company through Aug. 23.

Presented by Broadway in Boston, “The Wiz” brings the yellow brick road to Citizens Opera House through Aug. 24.

The exhibition “Isamu Noguchi: Landscapes of Time” runs at the Clark Art Institute through Oct. 13.

Last Chance

See the selections from the 31st annual Juried Members’ Exhibition at the Griffin Museum of Photography through Sunday.

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.