This weekend breaks bad, as the stars of Breaking Bad hit Houston to introduce the city to their mezcal brand. The city celebrates our Houston Astros with a big bash, and art lovers can help artists in need after the devastating Winter Street Studios fire.

And anyone who's ever needed a drink to get through a Shakespeare production will appreciate a new "smashed" hit comedy — where an actor downs five shots before leading the cast into the show.

Enjoy (responsibly); here are your best bets for the weekend.

Thursday, January 19

Spec's presents Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul of Dos Hombres Mezcal

Any Breaking Bad fans out there? Well, Jesse and Mr. White will be in town! Stars and co-creators of Dos Hombres Mescal Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul will be stopping by the great state of Texas this weekend, for two bottle-signing events in Dallas (on Saturday) and Houston (at Spec’s downtown). Cranston and Paul love engaging with fans and sharing their passion for mezcal, and these bottle signings have been a huge hit in the past. 10 am.

Drift presents Purse Bingo

Drift, one of Houston's most popular sports bars, is holding its first Purse Bingo night this weekend. Purse Bingo is a new take on the classic bingo game where participants who successfully get bingo on their card can win a designer purse. There will be five rounds of bingo where participants can win up to $6,000 in prizes, including a Bottega Veneta or Valentino designer purse. Drift will hold Purse Bingo on the third Thursday of every month, and tickets are available for $25 each. 7 pm.

Paranormal Clique

Paranormal Cirque will expose attendees to a unique creation of combined theatre, circus, and cabaret with a new European-style flare. Cirque Italia is now presenting a brand-new show for a mature audience, with a horror story that features different shades of sexy. No one under the age of 13 will be admitted to the show. Guests aged 13 through 17 must be accompanied by an adult. Through Sunday, January 29. 7:30 pm (6:30 and 9:30 pm Saturday; 5:30 pm and 8:30 pm Sunday).

Friday, January 20

Blaffer Art Museum presents "The Secrecy of Water" opening reception

The Blaffer Art Museum at the University of Houston presents the first solo museum exhibition for Leslie Martinez, as well as monumental video installation "We Are in Hell When We Hurt Each Other," by interdisciplinary artist Jacolby Satterwhite. Martinez creates immersive, spellbinding paintings that explore ideas of place, climate, landscape, and personhood through unconventional methods of applying and interlaying various materials, textures, and hues on canvas. Through Sunday, March 12. 6 pm.

14 Pews presents EO

EO, a gray donkey with melancholic eyes and a curious spirit, begins his life as a circus performer before escaping on a trek across the Polish and Italian countryside in a journey marked by absurdity and warmth in equal measure. With his first film in seven years, legendary filmmaker Jerzy Skolimowski directs one of his most free and visually inventive films yet, placing the viewer directly in the heart and mind of the four-legged protagonist. 7 pm (8 pm Saturday).

The Italian Cultural & Community Center of Houston presents Jewish Life in Rome in Three Chapters: Ghettoization, Emancipation, and Holocaust

The Italian Cultural & Community Center of Houston, in collaboration with the Consulate General of Italy in Houston, will host a lecture about Jewish life in Rome, presented by Marla Stone, to commemorate the victims of the Holocaust. Stone’s lecture will present the history of Jewish life in Rome and the Roman Ghetto, from its inception in 1555 through the current iteration as a fashionable neighborhood in the city’s historic center. 7 pm.

Houston Symphony presents Riots & Scandals Festival: Stravinsky Rite Of Spring

A century after its riotous premiere, The Rite of Spring’s pounding rhythms, propulsive energy, and sheer sonic impact remain an immersive, electrifying experience unlike anything else in all of art. Music director designate Juraj Valčuha leads this groundbreaking masterpiece as part of a two-week spotlight on works that scandalized the artistic establishments of their day. Silvestre Revueltas’s rowdy and relentless Sensemayá opens the concert. 8 pm (2:30 pm Sunday).

Saturday, January 21

2023 Houston Astros FanFest

The Houston Astros are excited to host their annual FanFest, as they celebrate their 2022 World Series Championship and get ready for the 2023 season. FanFest is the official kickoff to the 2023 season and has something fun for the whole family, including autograph sessions, photo opportunities, the World Series trophy, games, and more. All proceeds benefit the Astros Foundation. A limited number of vouchers will be available the morning of the event. Vouchers will appear in the MLB Ballpark app 24 hours prior to the event. 11 am.

Art Fundraiser for Winter Street Studios

Last month, a devastating fire took place at Winter Street Studios, destroying several studios and damaging countless artworks, equipment, and personal belongings. Over 100 artists have been affected and displaced from their studio spaces. This weekend, a pop-up art show and fundraiser will take place at Silver Street Studios Warehouse. The public is invited to come buy artwork to support the artists, while they enjoy beer, snacks, and live music. All proceeds will go to provide stipends to the artists affected by the fire. 11 am.

Hops n' Hot Sauce Festival

The 7th Annual Hops n’ Hot Sauce Festival, featuring fresh beer from SpindleTap Brewery, will include over 70 vendors – from all over the state of Texas and beyond – with hot sauce, salsas, jerky, jams & jellies, pickled products, seasonings, sweets, and more. The event will include a hot pepper-eating contest and spicy food challenge, as well as a silent auction benefiting Addi’s Faith Foundation and Texas Heroes Advocating Autism Research. 11 am.

Brass Jar Productions presents Drunk Shakespeare

Brass Jar Productions will present the Houston production of the “smashed” hit comedy. It begins with one actor drinking five shots of liquor before attempting to lead the cast through a Shakespeare play in under 90 minutes. Pop culture references, improvisation, audience games, a wealth of surprises and liberal departures from the text (with outrageous consequences) make this accessible for anyone who likes a good time. Through Saturday, April 29. 7 pm.

Sunday, January 22

4th Wall Theatre Company presents The Sound Inside

When Bella Baird, an isolated creative writing professor at Yale, begins to mentor a brilliant but enigmatic student named Christopher, the two form an unexpectedly intense bond. As their lives and the stories they tell about themselves become intertwined in unpredictable ways, Bella makes a surprising request of Christopher that neither knows if he can fulfill. Brimming with suspense, Adam Rapp’s riveting play explores the limits of what one person can ask of another. Through Saturday, February 11. 3 pm.

Punk Rock Garage Sale at Equal Parts Brewing

Insomnia Gallery and Deep End Records will be heading to Equal Parts Brewing for the first time for the first Punk Rock Garage Sale of 2023. Skip those big-box retailers and avoid the anxiety of slow shipping times. About 30+ individual vendors will be on hand offering up everything cool – music, art, toys, books, comics, clothing, music gear, and crazy handmade offerings. Willow’s TX BBQ will also be around for a rare pop-up. 1 pm.

NobleMotion Dance presents Coin Toss

NobleMotion Dance’s pre-professional company returns in an evening that will include original works by Lenorris Arnold, Reagan Crandall, Jaiquan Laurencin, and NobleMotion Dance artistic directors Andy Noble and Dionne Noble. Additionally, this concert will feature original choreography by NMD2 company members and a special guest performance by Sam Houston State University. Athletic, generous, fun and communal, Coin Toss highlights the talents of 13 up-and-coming dance artists. 7 pm.

The second weekend of 2023 and the start of lunar new year events sees some cool art and music performances around town — and Captain Kirk. Some local groups and studios host intriguing art shows at Silver Street Studios, the Menil Collection, and Holocaust Museum of Houston.

Music comes via the Central Library, DACAMERA, and Houston Symphony. A groundbreaking, trend-setting movie gets the stage treatment in a New Jack way. And speaking of movies, one of our most treasured pop culture figures, William Shatner, comes town to take space, the final frontier.

Enjoy; here are your best bets for the weekend.

Thursday, January 12

Houston in Harmony: Featuring James Palmer

Come to Central Library and enjoy the melodies performed by James Palmer, a dynamic young musician. A prize winner and finalist in numerous international competitions, Palmer has produced innovative, social media projects such as the “Scriabin Preludes Project” (2019-2020) and the upcoming “What is a Piano Prelude?” series (2022). He is currently a doctoral student at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music, studying with Dr. Robert Roux on full scholarship. 11 am.

Silver Street Studios presents Bogdan Mihai: "Nature Remembered" opening reception

Silver Street Studios will present the most recent solo exhibition from Romania-raised, Houston-based artist Bogdan Mihai. Do you remember how your grandmother always placed things of value on top of a hand-woven doily? Mihai has created a series of images of animal porcelain figurines, each with its own doily created from natural elements. The images remind us all of how we need to treat the natural world we live in with special care and attention. Through Saturday, January 28. 5 pm.

Mezclada Dance Company presents All of the Above

This new, evening-length dance work by Mezclada Dance Company fuses and celebrates a combination of cultures and art forms such as hip-hop culture, Latin culture, and traditional, concert dance styles. Through the practice of fusing these styles together, Mezclada Dance Company hopes to pay homage to the cultures that inspire the performance, while creating a blend of art that will speak to a wide range of audience members. 7:30 pm.

Friday, January 13

Holocaust Museum of Houston presents "Woman, the Spirit of the Universe" opening day

"Woman, the Spirit of the Universe," designed and created by artist Carolyn Marks Johnson, features stunning bronze collars inspired by 23 American heroines who fought bravely and tirelessly for equality. The collars are stitched by hand, using hand-worked cotton and then cast in bronze. For most of us, a collar is simply an adornment for a shirt or dress. In Johnson’s art, a collar symbolizes the struggle to establish women’s rights. Through Sunday, April 2. 10 am.

Czech Center Museum Houston presents Monarch Chamber Players

Monarch Chamber Players is a collective of Houston-based, professional musicians committed to taking classical chamber music out of the concert hall and into accessible community spaces. Monarch concerts provide a space for friends, neighbors, and communities to connect with each other and with the musicians, as well as an informal setting to become more intimately familiar with classical music. 6 pm.

DACAMERA presents Parker Quartet

Inspiring performances, luminous sound, and exceptional musicianship are the hallmarks of the Grammy-winning Parker Quartet. Renowned for its dynamic interpretations and polished, expansive colors, the group has rapidly distinguished itself as one of the preeminent ensembles of its generation, dedicated purely to the sound and depth of their music. The concert will include Bartók's Quartet No. 5, Sz. 102, Mozart's Quartet in E minor, K. 417d [fragment], and Dvořák's Quartet in F Major, Op. 96, “American.” 7:30 pm.

Je'Caryous Johnson presents New Jack City Live

Set to the soundtrack of some of the most classic songs from the film (“I Wanna Sex You Up” better be in this!), this stage production will give audiences an opportunity to experience a classical theater storytelling of their favorite '90s movie – which made action-movie stars out of Wesley Snipes and Ice-T – that can only be experienced the Je’Caryous Johnson way… live on stage. 7 pm (3 and 8 pm Saturday; 3 pm Sunday).

Saturday, January 14

14 Pews presents Ikiru

One of the greatest achievements by Akira Kurosawa, this 1952 film shows the director at his most compassionate—affirming life through an explora­tion of death. Takashi Shimura beautifully portrays Kanji Watanabe, an aging bureaucrat with stomach cancer who is impelled to find meaning in his final days. Presented in a radically conceived, two­-part structure and shot with a perceptive, humanistic clarity of vision, Ikiru is a multifaceted look at what it means to be alive. 7 pm.

Noel Miller: Everything is F#&ked

Noel Miller's biting one-liners and topical social commentary has made him a force to be reckoned with in the comedy world. Between directing, touring, podcasting, music and streaming, Miller's rise has been nothing short of meteoric. In addition to starring in the popular YouTube series That's Cringe, and the comedy duo/podcast Tiny Meat Gang with fellow comedian Cody Ko, Miller has created a successful series on his own, including his format around the hit, British reality show Love Island. 7 pm.

Smart Financial Centre presents William Shatner and Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

Smart Financial Centre will have a night with the one-and-only William Shatner, the original Captain James T. Kirk (and the original T.J. Hooker — for all the ‘80s babies out there). Following a screening of the classic film Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Shatner takes to the stage to share some behind-the-scenes stories from his career, including answering audience questions. A limited number of VIP tickets will be available, which include a post-show photo op with Shatner. 7:30 pm.

Houston Symphony presents Riots & Scandals Festival: Bartók Miraculous Mandarin + Rachmaninoff Third Piano Concerto

Prepare for an extraordinary concert experience when world-renowned virtuoso Yefim Bronfman tackles Rachmaninoff’s lush and legendary Piano Concerto No. 3—one of classical music’s most well-known and beloved masterpieces. And music director Juraj Valčuha leads the orchestra in Bartók’s fearlessly provocative Miraculous Mandarin, part of a two-week spotlight on music that caused an uproar. This combines a gritty urban setting, an explosive musical score, and a lurid plot rife with seduction, lust, and murder. 8 pm (2:30 pm Sunday).

Sunday, January 15

The Menil Collection presents Samuel Fosso: "African Spirits" closing day

Sunday is the last day to catch this exhibition of 14 large-scale, gelatin silver prints from Samuel Fosso’s African Spirits series, self-portraits with Fosso portraying Angela Davis, Martin Luther King Jr., Patrice Lumumba, Malcolm X, and other prominent figures from 20th-century, Black liberation movements. Fosso’s reinterpretations of these historic photographs pay homage to the figures in the original images and raise questions about individuality, celebrity, the media, and the complicated history of representation. 11 am.

POST Houston presents Lunar New Year Celebration

POST Houston is celebrating the Lunar New Year, which welcomes the Year of the Rabbit (Year of the Cat in the Vietnamese Zodiac). During the day, an Asian pop-up market will transform the northern docks at POST Houston into a carnivalesque atmosphere with food vendors serving traditional foods eaten at the Lunar New Year, games, arts and crafts, and other cultural activities. At night, the facility’s X Atrium will host a spectacular party headlined by DJ Phon and MC’ed by Washington Ho of the House of Ho. Noon.

Rothko Chapel presents "Images & Words: Media's Influence on the Struggle for Civil Rights" Annual MLK Birthday Observance

In partnership with the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH) and The Gordon Parks Foundation, the 2023 Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday Observance explores the role of the media in civil rights movements past and present. Inspired by the MFAH’s current exhibition "Gordon Parks: Stokely Carmichael and Black Power," panelists share their work and perspectives on how photographers and journalists shape narratives around social justice movements and leaders. 3 pm.