Priority list includes Bloomington’s world-class Lotus Fest, John Cleese, more

Lotus Festival

The annual take-over-most-of-downtown musical festival includes acts from around the world, effectively reminding audiences how narrow their musical experiences have been. The fact that you probably haven’t heard of any of them shouldn’t keep you from experiencing this smartly curated fest, where you can sample string music from Sweden, tar and setar tunes from Iran, throat singers from Russia, and much more. Sept. 28-Oct. 1 Bloomington Details

Kristin Chenoweth

The star of “Wicked,” “On the Twentieth Century,” and more headlines the annual gala benefitting the Center for the Performing Arts. The event also includes a celebration of the latest Songbook Hall of Fame honorees, including Mitzi Gaynor, Ella Fitzgerald. And lyricist Ray Gilbert. Michael Feinstein presides. Sept. 30  Center for the Performing Arts  Details

John Cleese
The comedy legend makes an appearance for what promises to be a rollicking Q&A session following a screening of “Monty Python and the Holy Grail.” Don’t be the person who inevitably asks, “What is the air-speed velocity of an unladen swallow?” Oct. 1 IU Auditorium,  Bloomington Details

Also this week

Krzysztof Urbanski and pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet open the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra season with works by Gershwin and Tchaikovsky Sept. 29-30.

Storefront Theatre of Indianapolis makes its debut with “Infinity,” Sept. 29-Oct. 15 at IndyFringe.

The Kurt Vonnegut Memorial Library celebrates the release of the new book “Vonnegut Complete Stores” at the Indiana State Library Sept. 27.

Santino Fontana from TV’s “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” plays the Cabaret at Indiana Landmarks Center Sept. 29.