5 things to do this weekend, including Firelei Báez at the ICA and nasturtiums at the Gardner

What’s the secret to dressing for fall and spring in New England? Layers. And what’s the secret to making plans during this time of year when it could be sunny one moment and a snowy-rainy mix the next? Options. Luckily, that’s what we have to offer. From the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum’s annual tradition of bringing the outdoors indoors to an artist talk to a rare Monday event, you’re going to have more choices than you can possibly fit into a single weekend. Here’s the roundup.

Flowers can invigorate a museum. I was reminded of this earlier this year when I attended the Worcester Art Museum’s annual “Flora in Winter” program, and for many, seeing the hanging nasturtiums is an annual trip to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum for this reason. The tradition started back in the early 1900s when the museum’s founder adorned the courtyard with the plants for Easter and her birthday, April 14. Nasturtiums are native to South America, and it’s a big undertaking to make this tradition a reality each year. Aside from the greenery, there’s also an exhibit of fantastical works by Rabiq Shaw that runs through May 12 and a Thursday night concert with Fabiola Mendez of The 2021 ARTery 25. The museum is open daily (except on Tuesdays) and access to the courtyard where the nasturtiums hang is included in the general admission. [If you want to learn more about how the museum pulls off this annual show, check out an excerpt from a recent deep dive in WBUR’s Weekender newsletter.]

WBUR’s Arts and Culture team took a field trip on Tuesday to get a sneak peak of the Firelei Báez exhibit at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston. It’s a mid-career retrospective for the artist who has made a name for herself around the world over the last 15 years. Locals may remember her previous installation at the ICA Watershed in 2021, a large sculpture that enveloped guests with its massive scale. The pieces featured in this exhibit bring together decades of Báez’s work and show how she as an artist challenges narratives surrounding colonialism in Africa and the Caribbean. Báez will be at the museum on Thursday evening for a free artist talk at 7 p.m. Visitors can reserve tickets online starting at 10 a.m. Thursday morning. [Explore the rest of our spring art exhibit recommendations here.]

Didn’t you hear? Monday’s the new Sunday, at least for this weekend’s list of things to do, so we've included HellaBlack Live Mixtape on April 8 in our roundup. A well-crafted mixtape can bring together a collection of otherwise unrelated material and make something more than the sum of its parts. For the sixth year, the Boston Center for the Arts is using this mixtape concept to convene a collection of creatives celebrating Black artistry. It’s an interdisciplinary performance featuring dance, art, spoken word, music and more. The event starts at 5:30 p.m. with a local vendor market, including clothing and accessories from One Dope Queen and bee products from Kept Fresh. The performance begins at 7 p.m. and runs until around 9 p.m. The space will remain open for drinks and more time with the vendor market. Additionally, if you’ve never been to the BCA Cyclorama, this is a perfect opportunity to take in fascinating, old Boston architecture. Tickets cost $35. [WBUR's Arielle Gray has more on the return of #HellaBlack here.]

Actor Anthony Rapp grew up on the stage. By the time he was a teenager, he had already performed on Broadway to critical acclaim. He was 22 years old and a Starbucks barista in the 1990s when he auditioned for “Rent.” Maybe you’ve heard of it. In “Without You,” Rapp tells a 90-minute story of his life, including his time in the original Broadway cast of the show that would become an international juggernaut. He’s joined by a five-piece rock band for a performance that includes songs from “Rent” as well as Rapp originals. For those who enjoy a little behind-the-scenes storytelling, “Without You” at the Calderwood Pavilion offers a glimpse into the actor's personal and professional journey. Tickets start at $60.

A university film professor once told me that a good score can’t make a bad movie much better, but it can take a very good movie and make it great. This film series at the Coolidge Corner Theatre is inspired by one of the great composers, Ennio Morricone, who scored films such as “The Good, The Bad and the Ugly” and other spaghetti westerns. Morricone is the subject of a new documentary, with showtimes at the Coolidge, and this “What’s the Score?” series is in celebration of the film’s release. The program started earlier this week and continues through the month. On Sunday, catch the 1988 film “Cinema Paradiso,” with music composed by Morricone and his son. It’s about a filmmaker who returns home for the funeral of a childhood friend who worked as a projectionist in the local movie house. It’s a good pick for those who like films about films. Later in April, “Rocky,” “Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back,” “Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence,” “The Shining” and more screen. [Want more film recommendations? Check out our spring film festival guide here.]