From Treeline to Jazz Series, theater and more, 23 can't-miss fall arts events in Columbia

Back to school, back to lights and color and sound.

The fall arts calendar in Columbia mirrors — and stokes — the flurry of activity across our college town. Nearly every night, you could find an author to hear, a play to take in, art to absorb or a concert to rattle you, body and soul.

Looking ahead, here are just 23 of the many worthy events on approach. Know this is a scratching of the surface — some arts groups have yet to finalize their fall calendars and, in Columbia, it's impossible to list every event in one spot.

But this should offer a taste of the riches to come, and stir enough curiosity to root out great experiences wherever they're found.

September: Treeline Music Fest, Ani DiFranco and more

Sept. 5-Oct. 19: OK, Computer at Columbia Art League Taking its name from the iconic Radiohead album, this exhibit will find CAL artists offering visual response to an artwork title randomly selected for them by an AI generator. Visit https://columbiaartleague.org/ to learn more.

Sept. 9: Mo Jazz Music Festival at Rose Park This annual event provides a delightful, diverse celebration of jazz in its many permutations. Scheduled to appear: Lao Tizer Quartet, Jonathan Scales Fourchestra, Dawn Weber and Good Company, The Bel-Airs and Samantha Fierke. Admission is free. Visit https://rosemusichall.com/ for more details.

Sept. 11: Frank Turner and the Sleeping Souls at The Blue Note On "The Never Ending Tour of Everywhere," as Turner has billed his latest run, the British songwriter draws on a deep catalog created at the intersections of punk ethos and folk-rock fine print, righteous anger at the state of the world and radical affection for its inhabitants. Tickets are $30-$45. Visit https://thebluenote.com for more.

Sept. 13: Ani DiFranco at The Blue Note Over the course of 30-plus years, DiFranco has cemented her place as a true folk music icon, an artist whose unforced intimacy and wide-angle lens endear her to fans. Kristen Ford shares the bill. Tickets are $30-$50.

Sept. 17: Tim Armacost Quintet at Murry's Saxophonist Armacost kicks off the 2023-24 "We Always Swing" Jazz Series season in earnest with two sets. Armacost's dynamic band includes vibraphonist Joe Locke and drummer Rudy Royston. Tickets are $20-$50. Visit https://www.wealwaysswing.org/season/2023-2024/ for more.

Sept. 20-24: "Thoughts of a Colored Man" at the University of Missouri Keenan Scott II's play uses dialogue, slam poetic styles and music to survey the lives of several Black men across generations. Tickets are $15. Visit https://theatre.missouri.edu/ for more.

Sept. 22: "Whose Live Anyway?" at Jesse Auditorium Known for their spur-of-the-moment comedy skills on shows like "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" accomplished performers Ryan Stiles and Greg Proops bring ace comics Joel Murray and Jeff B. Davis into the fold for this improv show. Tickets are $54-$64. Visit https://concertseries.missouri.edu/.

Sept. 23-Nov. 11: Contemporary Modernism at The Montminy Gallery This exhibit pairs artist Daniel Eggart and local legend Sharyn Hyatt-Wade. Visit https://www.themontminygallery.org/ for more.

Sept. 26: Colony House at The Blue Note The Nashville-area band specializes in anthemic indie rock and — to hear them tell it on their latest record "The Cannonballers" — "Landlocked Surf Rock." Lunar Vacation shares the bill. Tickets are $22-$48.

Sept. 26: Steve Wiegenstein at Skylark Bookshop Among our state's most capable contemporary writers, Wiegenstein will launch his latest novel, "Land of Joys," an early 20th-century story of the Ozarks, the World's Fair, and the dangerous prospect of a place not staying the same. Visit https://www.skylarkbookshop.com/ for more.

Sept. 29-Oct. 1 Treeline Music Fest at Stephens Lake Park In its first year under its new moniker, the festival formerly known as Roots N Blues presents a dynamic lineup featuring the likes of Japanese Breakfast, Salt-N-Pepa, Robert Cray, Muna, Jo Dee Messina, Sierra Ferrell and more. Visit https://www.treelinemusicfest.com/ for remaining ticket options.

Sept. 29-Oct. 8: "Bright Star" at Arrow Rock Lyceum Theatre Penned by the very gifted duo of Steve Martin (yes, that one) and Edie Brickell, this bluegrass musical tells a World War II-era love story. Tickets are $20-$49. Visit https://lyceumtheatre.org/ for details.

October: Stand-out standup comedy, Samara Joy and 'Fall Rhapsody'

Oct. 6: Rachel Feinstein at The Blue Note The veteran standup kicks off a strong month of comedy shows with her consistently incisive wit. Tickets are $25.

Oct. 8: Grace Potter at Rose Park Rock, pop and soul unite in the remarkable voice of this Vermont native, whose latest record, "Mother Road," dropped earlier this month. Standout duo The Cactus Blossoms shares the bill. Tickets are $39.50-$44.50.

Oct. 13: Odyssey Chamber Music Series "Fall Rhapsody" at First Baptist Church Columbia's exquisite chamber series pairs recent works by Sergei Gavrilov and Paul Seitz with more canonical pieces by Bartok and Aram Khachaturian in the intimate, autumnal program. Tickets are $5-$20. Visit https://www.odysseymissouri.org/ for more.

Oct. 13-15, 19-22 "Girlfriend" at Talking Horse Productions With songs from power-pop legend Matthew Sweet, this musical revolves around Midwestern kids figuring out what's next post-graduation. Tickets are $18-$20. Visit https://www.talkinghorseproductions.org/ for more.

Oct. 15: Bobcat Goldthwait at The Blue Note From the "Police Academy" franchise and cult movie classics like "Shakes the Clown" to his decades-long standup career, Goldthwait remains one of our great, howling American comedians. Tickets are $25-$45.

Oct. 24: Samara Joy at Missouri Theatre The freshly-minted two-time Grammy winner — for best new artist and best jazz vocal album — will enjoy her long-awaited Columbia debut in a rescheduled Jazz Series date. Tickets are $10-$40. Visit https://www.wealwaysswing.org/season/2023-2024/ for more.

Oct. 25-29: GreenHouse Theatre Project presents "Threepenny Opera" The talents of Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill come together in this 1920s masterwork. With direction from MU's David Crespy and the site-specific vision of GreenHouse's Elizabeth Braaten Palmieri, the show promises to dazzle and get under the skin. Visit https://www.greenhousetp.org/ for details as the show gets closer.

Oct. 26-29: "An Enemy of the People" at Stephens College Arthur Miller's Ibsen adaptation focuses on a doctor whose concerns about his town's medicinal springs might make him, well, exactly what the title says. Tickets are $15. Visit https://www.stephens.edu/ for more.

November: August Wilson, Columbia Experimental Music Festival and beyond

Nov. 2-5: Columbia Experimental Music Festival at various venues CEMF consistently packs a terrific array of inventive artists into just a few days. This year, Columbia can sit under the spell of Sun Ra Arkestra, James Brandon Lewis Trio, SUMAC, Kalia Vandever and more. Visit https://dismalniche.squarespace.com/cemf to learn about a variety of ticket options.

Nov. 2-5, 9-12 and 16-19: "The Piano Lesson" at Columbia Entertainment Company Here's a rule to live by: Always avail yourself of a chance to see an August Wilson play. This Pulitzer winner, part of Wilson's Pittsburgh Cycle, eavesdrops on a sibling debate over what to do with the family piano. Tickets are $12-$20. Visit https://www.cectheatre.org/ for more.

Nov. 30: Marcus King at The Blue Note The Grammy-nominated South Carolina native has become an ascendant talent on the blues-rock scene, finding fresh ways to unspool tradition forward. Meg McRee shares the bill. Tickets are $35-$50.

Aarik Danielsen is the features and culture editor for the Tribune. Contact him at adanielsen@columbiatribune.com or by calling 573-815-1731. He's on Twitter @aarikdanielsen.

This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: From rock to jazz to rich theater, 23 fall arts events in Columbia