The Essential A&E Picks for March 16-22 

FRIDAY 3.17
Salvador Dalí: The Argillet Collection
How often do you get a chance to see a genuine Salvador Dalí piece? Or meet someone who knew him? Madame Christine Argillet's father, Pierre, was Dalí's publisher and friend for five decades, and she brings a collection of the artist's original etchings, tapestries and watercolors from her personal collection to Old Towne Gallery in Park City.

In addition, Argillet is scheduled to attend the gallery March 17-19. Her stories of spending time around the famed Spanish surrealist are engaging and enlightening. "He worked rapidly, joyfully singing," she recalls in a phone interview. "Abstract shapes would fill with ideas. People would be surprised—his works were very carefully composed." Dalí was known for eccentric behavior, and she says her father "followed his most extravagant ideas."

The collection includes works from Dalí's Suites—a series of images including "Mythologie," "Les Hippies," "Goethe's Faust" ("Marguerite" from the "Faust" series is pictured) and "Poemes Secrets d'Apollinaire" spanning an era from the 1930s to 1970s. The work changed from the highly detailed images of the '30s through the '60s, when he sometimes completed a work in 30 minutes. In the '70s, as his eyesight was failing, some lines were unfinished, but his sense of humor remained intact. "It's interesting to see how Dalí changes himself," Argillet notes.

Unlike the iconic works everybody knows, these reveal a more delicate, intimate side of Dalí. She notes that it's also a tribute to her father's relationship with him, which helped facilitate these pieces: "The alchemy was quite magical." (Brian Staker)
Salvador Dalí: The Argillet Collection @ Old Towne Gallery, 580 Main, Park City, 435-655-3910, through March 22, free, RSVP required, oldtownegallery.com

FRIDAY 3.17
SONDER
Six years in the making, the SONDER dance-party/theater experience takes the term "breaking the fourth wall" to a whole new level. Attendees take a self-directed tour of the venue, exploring from room to room as they watch the show unfold.

The immersive nature of the production is meant to elicit an introspective response about how we create private and public images of ourselves. Director-choreographer Graham Brown aims to juxtapose public experiences, like partying with your friends, with the more private, intimate experiences we have at home. It's about the different ways we represent ourselves in different environments. Brown's research question from the beginning has been, "Do you see yourself in it?"

Brown attended interactive theater performances in New York City that inspired the contemporary dance and relatable characters found in SONDER. "I would describe the experience for the audience as a sort of a magical abstract reality," he says.

The production occupies three floors of the open-concept space that is the historic Eagles Hall building, which has mostly sat vacant since it closed as a nightclub. "It's a dream come true," Brown says of the venue. "I mean, it's a building that I have admired and been curious about from the time I moved to Utah 10 years ago."

Tickets are projected to be sold out before the show's run ends. "Come and bring your friends," Brown says, "and you'll all walk out the door at the end of the night with a totally different story, and having had a totally different experience because that's the design of it." (Lauren Gutierrez)
SONDER @ Eagles Hall, 404 S. West Temple, 801-613-0582, March 17-27, 8 & 10 p.m., $14-$20 pre-sale, $19-25 day of show, sonderslc.com

SATURDAY 3.18
Salt Lake Comic Con FanX
Get ready to see superheroes, Disney princesses and a whole lot of Jedi on Trax this weekend because the fourth annual Comic Con Fan Xperience is here.

If this sentence strikes dread into your heart as you think of the additional riders crowding your commute home, take comfort that this convention is one day shorter than past years. And if you're a fan of FanX, you can take comfort that tickets for this spring's nerdy celebration are around 65 percent of the normal cost. But no matter where you stand, FanX is set to showcase dozens of high-profile celebrities like parody songwriter Weird Al Yankovic and actor Verne Troyer.

The biggest celebrity draw this year is likely Stan Lee, the legendary comic book writer and former president and chairman of Marvel Comics (also known as that old man in every Marvel movie). His appearance at the con is notable not only because he's a legend among superhero and comic lovers, but also because this year marks his last tour of the con circuit. The DC movie universe's Aquaman and upcoming Justice League co-star Jason Momoa (pictured) also represents for the superhero enthusiasts.

While all shows and fandoms represented receive hours of paneling and celebrity autograph and photo-op events, one focus of this year's convention is the now-30-year-old classic film The Princess Bride. In addition to panels featuring guest cast members Wallace Shawn, Cary Elwes and Chris Sarandon, there are smaller fan panels to discuss the film. The Princess Bride also plays in the nearby Gateway Megaplex theater both days of the convention at 9 p.m. (Kylee Ehmann)
FanX 2017 @ Salt Palace Convention Center, 100 S. West Temple, 801-953-1967, March 17-18, 10 a.m.-8 p.m., $21.25-$175, saltlakecomiccon.com

SATURDAY 3.18
St. Paddy's Day Celebrations
Each March, people get excited when they start seeing green—and not just blooming trees and grass when spring arrives. I'm talking about St. Patrick's Day, when you see kids dressed up in orange beards, elfin ears and green clothing looking Leprechaun-ish. Sounds scary for a person who's seen the early '90s movie, but can you resist their cuteness?

You can celebrate the holiday with the Hibernian Society of Utah, which puts on the annual St. Patrick's Day parade in Salt Lake City. The family-friendly event starts at The Gateway, and moves to the grand ballroom of the Pacific Union Station on the north side of the mall for the Siamsa festival of traditional Irish food, dancing and music.

If that's not enough for you, Acadamh Rince Irish Dancers present An Irish Evening at the Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center on Friday and Saturday. Not only would you be having fun with Irish music, dancing and stories, but you'd also be helping support the International Rescue Committee in Salt Lake City, which receives all profits from the show. Partying for a good cause? Sign me up!

This holiday might be associated with bar-hopping and binge drinking, but for those who'd rather indulge in Irish culture than Irish whiskey, you can find out what makes us want to celebrate in the first place at one of these events. Don't forget the green. (Sulaiman Alfadhli)
St. Patrick's Day Parade and Siamsa @ The Gateway, 400 W. 100 South, 801-467-6268, March 18, 10 a.m., free, irishinutah.org

An Irish Evening @ Rose Wagner Center, 138 W. 300 South, 801-355-2787, March 17-18, 7 p.m., $8-$13, artsaltlake.org