5 things to do this weekend, including the musical 'Swept Away' and Japan Festival Boston

For those looking for activities that will take them on a journey, look no further than these recommendations. SpeakEasy Stage’s production of “Swept Away,” a musical about sailors lost at sea, packs a punch, and the annual Japan Festival comes to Boston Common this weekend, lighting up the park with delicious bites, educational workshops and performances. Finally, you’ll have the opportunity to catch the last few days of “A Khmer Swan Lake,” a reimagining of the classic ballet steeped in Cambodian history and tradition. These events and more, below.

On Earth Day, the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum in Lincoln invites creative minds to visit and imagine unique works of art in recognition of our planet and natural environment. You’ll use “unexpected materials” to explore themes of renewal and sustainability. The session, which runs from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., centers around the work of artist Silvia López Chavez, and participants will make mini murals, experimenting with collage and geometric patterns. Tickets for members cost $5, while tickets for nonmembers cost $10. And if you’re looking for more ways of getting in touch with our ecosystems today, the Trustees of Reservations also hosts an Earth Day wildflower walk at Bartholomew’s Cobble in Sheffield, as well as a lecture on Native American and environmental art at the Crane Estate.

Set in the late 19th century, the story of four shipwrecked whalers off the coast of New Bedford will exhilarate audiences at SpeakEasy Stage. Directed by Jeremy Johnson, the musical “Swept Away” features “hauntingly beautiful” songs from folk rock band The Avett Brothers, who first shared most of these tunes on their 2004 album “Mignonette.” The crew of sailors will undergo an odyssey, learning about and confronting “brotherhood, morality and the cost of survival.” Tickets range in price, depending on the performance, with the option of a pay-what-you-can ticket for $17.25 (including a convenience fee). [Check out our spring theater guide for more productions to watch this season.]

The ICA brings New York-based choreographers Rashuan Mitchell and Silas Riener for two performances of “Open Machine,” which they consider an “experiment.” As the dance artists explore the ways that human and machine intelligence relate to each other, they occasionally blur “the boundaries between public and private perceptions.” Vocalist Charmaine Lee and electronic musician Mas Ysa created the score audiences will hear behind the movement, and Jesse Stiles developed the media design. Tickets cost $30 for ICA members and $40 for nonmembers. [Check out our spring dance guide for more performances to catch this season.]

Join two days of revelry celebrating the Japan Festival outdoors on Boston Common, and enjoy a welcome dose of food, music, cosplay fashion shows, workshops and Japanese culture. The event began in 2012, held as a way of commemorating the 100th anniversary of cherry trees being gifted from Tokyo to Washington, D.C. Delicious bites from Tsurumen, Hokkaido Ramen Santouka, Lady M Cake Boutique and more will be available. Attendees also have an opportunity to experience the Taka Ochi Band, a calligraphy performance from Hiroko Watanabe and a Cosplay Death Match. There will be workshops in flower arranging, a Japanese tea ceremony, a Japanese poetry card game and a JAL origami plane-making session. The festival runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and while the event is free, attendees can purchase a Quick Food Pass for $40, allowing them to skip food lines three times (a Premium Quick Food Pass, which can be used infinitely, costs $100).

Angkor Dance Troupe presents a unique and groundbreaking performance that takes the narrative of the “Swan Lake” ballet and reinterprets it. In this original production, the Lowell-based Cambodian performing arts organization integrates both Western ballet and Cambodia’s Robam Kenore traditional dance style, rooted in Indian Hinduism and Buddhism. Staged at Merrimack Repertory Theatre, the show’s ending “trades Western tragedy for transcendence.” The story of love and sacrifice channels the struggles experienced by Cambodian/Khmer genocide survivors. Tickets range from $27 to $87, depending on the seat selection.