• Sharon Kain

RDT: Compass
One of the compelling features of a repertory dance company is its ability to put together a program that represents a sweep of history in the art form. Experiencing classic works provides a glimpse into great work that still remains vital, while premieres and more recent work can offer the excitement of new discovery. This week, Repertory Dance Theatre offers a program titled Compass that takes audience members on an artistic journey that spans more than 80 years of choreography.

Steps in the Street, created by legendary choreographer Martha Graham in 1936, was inspired by the threat of European fascism in that year, following Graham's refusal of an invitation to the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games cultural events. Also on the bill is Bebe Miller's 2019 original RDT commission Event, an exploration into relationships fitting into the choreographer's observation that "I love to watch people. We are all movers. ... As a choreographer, I want to communicate who we are together as humans." Rounding out the program is Ihsan Rustem's world-premiere piece Hallelujah Junction, which the Zurich-based choreographer identifies as a celebration of being able to be back together again after the separations of the COVID pandemic.

Compass runs at the Rose Wagner Center Jeanné Wagner Theater (138 W. 300 South) Nov. 18-20 at 7:30 p.m., with tickets $30. For those unable to attend in person, an on-demand virtual performance will be available on Nov. 26. Face coverings will be required for all in-person attendees. Visit rdtutah.org for tickets and additional event information. (Scott Renshaw)

• Eric Hobbs

Hasan Minhaj: The King's Jester
When you make the kind of impression that Hasan Minhaj has, it's hard to remember that he's only been performing for a little over a decade, and only became reasonably well known in 2014, after he joined The Daily Show as the last new correspondent hired before Jon Stewart's departure. But subsequently, he carved out a space that's deeply rooted in his identity and the things that matter to him.

His 2017 Netflix special Homecoming King, which recorded the one-man show he had been touring for two years, allowed him to share personal stories of confronting racism as a person of color, and living with the expectations of immigrant parents. In 2018, his series Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj also came to Netflix, allowing him to explore topics ranging from economic inequity to voting rights. And his role headlining the 2017 White House correspondents' dinner allowed him to unload on the absent then-president. Minhaj is once again out on the road with a new one-man show, titled The King's Jester. It's a chance to be reminded that he's less a stand-up comedian than he is a storyteller—and, at his roots, a truth-teller.

Hasan Minhaj brings The King's Jester to the Eccles Theater (121 S. Main St.) on Friday, Nov. 19 at 7 p.m., with tickets $45 - $95. Proof of vaccination or negative COVID test is required of all attendees, and this event will be a phone-free experience that will require all smart devices to be sealed in locked pouches during the performance. Visit live-at-the-eccles.com for tickets and additional event information. (SR)

• Courtesy Photo

Alton Brown Live: Beyond the Eats
There has been nothing conventional about Alton Brown's journey to becoming one of the most recognizable faces in the foodie world. Creating entertainment was always part of his life plan, but for a while it seemed like he would be doing it behind the camera, including work as a cinematographer on music videos like R.E.M.'s "The One I Love." But in the mid-'90s, he got a wild hair about what he saw as the disappointing quality of cooking shows on television, and enrolled at the New England Culinary Institute to get the background knowledge required to create his own show.

In 1998, Good Eats was born, bringing a more scientific sensibility to TV cooking, along with Brown's genially professorial demeanor. More than 20 years later, Brown's gigs have included 16 seasons of Good Eats in various incarnations, hosting Food Networks' Iron Chef America and winning James Beard and Peabody awards for his work.

He's also figured out a way to translate his success to the stage, as he launches his third national tour, Alton Brown Live: Beyond the Eats. Like in his previous live shows, Brown will combine his culinary knowledge with a format that feels almost like a variety show, featuring a little music, a little weird science, a little audience participation and plenty of entertainment. The tour stops at the Eccles Theater (131 S. Main St.) on Saturday, Nov. 20, with performances at 3:30 p.m. and 8 p.m., tickets starting at $25. Proof of vaccination or negative COVID test is required of all attendees. Visit live-at-the-eccles.com for more info. (SR)