The week before Thanksgiving is bursting with options, from the grand opening of a new comedy venue, to creative dance, to a journalism legend. This is Beyond Essentials.

The Sam Rich Lecture Series and Hinckley Institute of Politics welcome journalistic icon Bob Woodward (pictured)—who helped break the Watergate cover-up for the Washington Post—to Kingsbury Hall on Nov. 16, 7:30 p.m., for a conversation on the state of American journalism moderated by Doug Fabrizio. Balcony tickets are still available at $10 here.

The distinctive classical creations of the Salty Cricket Composers Collective will once again be showcased at the winter performance Melange at the Sugar Space Arts Warehouse (132 S. 800 West), Nov. 16, 7:30 p.m.  The program will include cello soloist Noriko Kishi performing audience-favorite commissions.

Mythbusters alumni Kari Byron, Tory Belleci and Grant Imahara come to the Eccles Theater (131 S. Main St.) with Down the Rabbit Hole, a live stage show inspired by their Netflix White Rabbit Project investigating weird events from history and pop culture. The performance is Nov. 18 at 8 p.m.; tickets are $30-$165, available here.

Wiseguys Comedy Club marks the opening of a brand-new location in West Jordan's Jordan Landing complex (3763 W. Center Park Dr., West Jordan, 801-463-2909) with three terrific shows. On Nov. 16, Marcus & Guy Siedel bring their popular comedy-impression show to the venue. Nov. 17 sees comedian Matt Bellassai perform his show Everything Is Awful and Other Observations. And Nov. 18 offers headliner, Geek Show Podcast crew member and former City Weekly Best Comedian winner Jay Whittaker.

Wasatch Contemporary Dance heads back to the Jazz Age for Blue Skies, an immersive performance set in a 1920s nightclub (played by the Underground Social Hall, 65 N. University Ave., Provo). Performances are Nov. 17 (2 p.m., 5:30 p.m. & 8 p.m.) and Nov. 18 (2 p.m., 5 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.). Tickets are $10.50 - $18, available here.