TOP picks: May 12-18

Monday | May 12

Monday Margaritas and Movies: Raising Arizona

Every Monday night, the Belmont hosts Monday Margaritas and Movies, a combination of their popular Moonlight Cinema series and their Margarita Mondays. Enjoy drink specials (read: cheap margaritas) while watching a movie on the big screen. Tonight’s movie is the Coen brothers’ cult classic Raising Arizona, starring Nicolas Cage and Holly Hunter.

7pm | FREE

The Belmont
305 W 6th St • Austin, TX 78701

Tuesday | May 13

Sunny Sweeney

Longview-born Sunny Sweeney just might be the next big country music star to come out of Austin. In a few short months, Sweeney vaulted from a no-name struggling musician to weekly gigs and a shared headline with Dwight Yoakum. The Stateman’s Michael Corcoran says, “Her sound is something like Loretta Lynn, Miranda Lambert and Kasey Chambers all rolled into one, with a sprinkling of Dolly Parton on top.” Tonight she’ll be performing the tracks from her album Heartbreaker’s Hall of Fame.

7pm | Call for price

The Saxon Pub
1320 S Lamar Blvd • Austin, TX 78704

Wednesday | May 14

Sarah Thyre, author of Dark at the Roots, at BookPeople

Upright Citizens Brigade alum, author, and actress Sarah Thyre will be at BookPeople tonight to discuss her memoir Dark at the Roots. Dark at the Roots chronicles Sarah’s lifelong attempts to live up to her nickname, “Family Liar,” her adolescence, and her experience growing up in backwoods Louisiana.

From her website:

Whether it is small Sarah accidentally going “poddy” in the garage during a game of hide-and-seek, medium-sized Sarah surviving a fishing trip with her volatile father, or full-sized Sarah unwittingly stealing a car from her boyfriend’s employer, in Dark at the Roots grown-up Sarah shares each story with self-effacing sincerity and a seemingly invincible sense of humor.

7pm | FREE

BookPeople
603 N Lamar Blvd • Austin, TX 78703

Thursday | May 15

Unplugged at the Grove: Ray Wylie Hubbard

Unplugged at the Grove, one of Austin’s most anticipated free annual music series, is taking place at Shady Grove every Thursday night until June 26. Each week showcases a different Austin talent. Tonight’s performer is Ray Wylie Hubbard, one of the fathers of Texas music.

7pm | FREE

The Shady Grove
1624 Barton Springs Rd • Austin, TX 78704

Friday | May 16

Kat Edmonson Jazz Quintet

You may have seen Kat around town — she usually has a couple of gigs per week at places like Lamberts and Z’tejas. But don’t let that make you think she’s some cheesy lounge singer. Kat, along with her band, are smooth and sexy — and hearing them do their thing at the equally smooth and sexy Elephant Room is the perfect way to spend Friday night if you’re looking for something romantic.

8pm | Cover charge

Elephant Room
315 Congress Ave • Austin, TX

Saturday | May 17

O. Henry Pun-Off

Tonight is the 31st annual O. Henry Pun-Off. Founded in honor of the pun-loving author and poet O. Henry in 1978, the O. Henry Pun-Off pits 32 punsters against each other for the title of “Punniest in Show.” Each contestant will perform a 90-second pun sets and then, in the “Punslinger” battle, they’ll pair up and pun on a given topic. For more information, check out punpunpun.com. Register to compete here.

12pm–5pm | FREE

O. Henry Museum
409 E 5th St • Austin, TX 78701

Sunday | May 18

Snow White

This one’s for the kids, but adults are welcome, too: The Scottish Rite Children’s Theater presents Snow White. It’s the story we all know, but this production asks for a little help from the little ones in the audience to help the story unfold.

2pm | $3–$10 | 472-7247 for tickets

Scottish Rite Children’s Theatre
207 West 18th St • Austin, TX