Best of the Week (Sept. 29-Oct. 6): 'Ethiopian Dreams' circus, Nick Cave, Branford Marsalis, Scarecrow Festival, Bach sons, Clairo, more

Circus Abyssinia's "Ethiopian Dreams" has oodles of primal joy. Its feats of daring and dexterity are ooh-some and aah-some. There are no circus freaks — but lots of freakish talent, and a score of Ethiopian music. Contortionists bend their bodies into shapes that make them seem boneless. Acrobats somersault effortlessly through the air. Mesmerizing jugglers use their heads, noses and feet. One wonders more than once: How did they come up with that trick?

Rohan Preston

7 p.m. Thu.-Fri.; 2 & 5 p.m. Sat.-next Sun. Ends Oct. 20. Children's Theatre Company, 2400 3rd Av. S., Mpls. $15-$71, 612-874-0400 or childrenstheatre.org.

Darkly gothic Australian rock legend Nick Cave has surprised fans and critics alike with his "Conversations" tour, a rare solo outing in which he is taking questions from the audience, telling stories behind his songs and playing a decent and assorted allotment of them, too. It seems the imposing and enigmatic songwriting genius is suddenly being personable and forthcoming. Adding even more intrigue, news came last week that he and the Bad Seeds have a new album dropping Friday.

Chris Riemenschneider

8 p.m. Tue. Pantages Theatre, Mpls. Sold out.

Now that Northrop's mighty 1932 Aeolian-Skinner pipe organ has been restored, the University of Minnesota is featuring it in a series of adventurous concerts. The first pairs Jean-Willy Kunz, organist for the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal, with saxophonist/composer Branford Marsalis, of New Orleans' remarkable jazz family, who besides his own chart-topping work has performed with the New York Philharmonic and Sting and led the "Tonight" show band. Their repertoire will include classical and jazz pieces.

7:30 p.m. Tue. Northrop, Mpls. $21-$45, northrop.umn.edu.

The scary, funny, quirky and maybe a little bit weird Scarecrow Festival at Emma Krumbee's is underway. Visitors to Emma's Apple Orchard can view more than 100 of the handmade creations and grab a bite at Emma's restaurant that serves up hearty and homey meals and desserts. Pick apples, grab a pumpkin to carve and enjoy attractions including a corn pit, a tombstone forest, tractor rides and more.

Melissa Walker

10 a.m.-6 p.m. daily. Ends Oct. 28. Emma Krumbee's Orchard & Farm, Belle Plaine. $7, emmakrumbees.com/scarecrow-festival.

A tap-dance show takes on systemic racism in "Melanized," produced by tapper Davon Suttles in a coproduction with Keane Sense of Rhythm. Suttles, who grew up in north Minneapolis, is joined by dancers, vocalists and musicians performing gospel, R&B and a percussive vocal technique called konnakol as he explores red­lining, police brutality and concentration camps, as well as what's beautiful about living as a person of color.

7:30 p.m. Thu.-next Sun. Hennepin Theatre Trust, 900 Hennepin Av. S., Mpls. $20, tapcompany.org/melanized.

The Lyra Baroque Orchestra's new season starts with a program led by baroque legend Jaap ter Linden, where cellist Eva Lymenstull and harpsichordist Jacques Ogg play concertos by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (son of Johann Sebastian Bach). Sinfonias by another Bach son, Wilhelm Friede­mann Bach, and Johann Gottlieb Janitsch are also included.

Terry Blain

7:30 p.m. Fri., Mount Olive Lutheran Church, Rochester; 7:30 p.m. Sat., Sundin Hall, Hamline University, St. Paul. $5-$30, lyrabaroque.org.

Another fast-rising bedroom pop artist of the Billie Eilish and Khalid variety, 21-year-old Boston area native Claire Cottrill, aka Clairo, took off in 2017 with the lightly adamant track "Pretty Girl," which spawned a purported bidding war. Her debut album for the Fader label, "Immunity," falls somewhere between Eilish and Snail Mail on the sonic scale, with soft-bobbing, lo-fi guitar pop and a little electronic ambience. London electro-pop singer Beabadoobee opens.

7:30 p.m. Wed. Varsity Theater, Mpls. $41-$140, 15 & older, ticketmaster.com.

Minnesota Chorale's Bridges program aims to take choral singing into local neighborhoods, and this year's project culminates in a concert entitled "A Million Dreams in Minneapolis." South African ensemble 29:11 and youth and adult singers from the Minnesota State Baptist Convention Choir and Bethlehem Baptist Church are among those participating.

T.b.

4 p.m. (youth) & 7:30 p.m. (adult) Sat. Bethlehem Baptist Church, 720 13th Av. S., Mpls. Freewill donation; mnchorale.org.

Farmers have nurtured healthy pumpkins to mammoth proportions, and will enter them in the giant pumpkin weigh-off competition during the Celebrate the Harvest festival at Gale Woods Farm. Also ready for a friendly match are border collies and their handlers, participating in the Star of the North sheepherding trial. Other fall-themed activities include a wagon ride, cooking demonstrations and animal meet-and-greets.

9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Sat. Gale Woods Farm, Minnetrista. Free, threeriversparkdistrict.org.