Things to do
“Work Nights” Showcase: Choreographic residents Carly Lave and Alexandre Munz partnered with conservatory students to present new work at this casual, free-of-charge showing. 8 p.m. Wednesday-Friday, April 18-20. S.F Conservatory of Dance, S.F. www.sfconservatoryofdance.org Alt-J: The multitextured British electro-folk trio returns after its appearance at last year’s Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival in Golden Gate Park. 8 p.m. Wednesday, April 18. $54.50. Bill Graham Civic, 99 Grove St., S.F. www.billgrahamcivic.com Takács Quartet: In its last local appearance before the retirement of founding second violinist Károly Schranz, the ensemble plays string quartets by Mozart, Mendelssohn and Dohnányi. 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 18. Herbst Theatre, 401 Van Ness Ave., S.F. www.performances.org
“American Graffiti”:
The 1973 film from George Lucas was shot in the Bay Area — including a sock hop scene at Tamalpais High School. The movie, starring Ron Howard, Charles Martin Smith and Richard Dreyfuss, plays at the historic Art Deco Alameda Theatre as part of the Movie Classics series. Wednesday, April 18. Alameda Theatre, 2317 Central Ave., Alameda. www.alamedatheatres.com
Dashboard Confessional:
The Chris Carrabba-fronted band that returned to the road in 2017 after a five-year hiatus is now on tour in support of “Crooked Shadows,” its first new album in nearly a decade. 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 17. $43.10. The Fillmore, 1805 Geary Blvd., S.F. www.thefillmore.com
“Ministry of Fear”:
The 1944 classic film noir, starring Ray Milland and Marjorie Reynolds. 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 18. Stanford Theatre, Palo Alto. www.stanfordtheatre.com
“The Laramie Project”:
20 years after Matthew Shepard was murdered in Laramie, Wyo., for his homosexuality, Left Coast Theatre Company mounts the groundbreaking work of documentary theater compiled from interviews, conducted in the wake of the hate crime, with the town’s residents. 8 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday, April 18-21. $29.99. Exit Theatre, 156 Eddy St., S.F. http://lctc-sf.org