Calendar

JANUARY 2001

3, 10, 17, 24, 31 (Wed.)

HIV Testing. The Montrose Clinic offers free confidential HIV testing and counseling every Wednesday, 6-9 pm @ the Houston Lesbian & Gay Community Center, 803 Hawthorne. Center: 713/524-3818. Clinic: 713/830-3000. Please note: Free & confidential HIV/AIDS testing is also available from 2—4 pm on the 10th & 24th in Conroe at Northwoods AIDS Coalition, 1414 South Frazier, Ste. 106. More info: 936/441-1614.

5 (Fri.)

Screen Gems. Premiering in January, the first Friday Movie Night program will feature double bills with a gay or camp spin. The features this month salute Cary Grant & Paul Newman, two January birthday boys and legendary leading men. The 1938 comedy Bringing Up Baby stars Grant (rumored to have been more than roomies with stunning Randolph Scott ... hmm) and gay fave Katharine Hepburn. Newman, an avowed gay rights supporter, smolders in the 1958 Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, based on gay writer Tennessee Williams’s play and co-starring gay champion Elizabeth Taylor and that famous slip. Complimentary popcorn will be served. The $4 admission includes one free soft drink; additional beverages will be available at a nominal cost. 7 pm @ the Houston Lesbian & Gay Community Center, 803 Hawthorne, 713/524-3818.

6—9 (Sat.—Tue.)

Bible Abuse. Dr. Rembert Truluck, author of Steps to Recovery from Bible Abuse, will present a workshop on the book title, Saturday, 10 am—3 pm; preach at 9 & 11 am services on Sunday; and present a seminar on "Why Religion Has Failed" on Tuesday, 7—8:30 pm. Truluck has a doctor of theology from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and was a Southern Baptist pastor for 20 years. He was also a professor of religion at Baptist College in Charleston, South Carolina, for eight years. He has MCC clergy credentials. All programs will be held at Resurrection MCC Church, 2025 West 11th Street. Copies of Truluck’s book may be ordered from Resurrection Inspirations bookstore by callling 713/861-9149, ext. 116.

9, 11, 16, 18 (Tue. & Thu.)

FreshStart. Wanna quit smoking? FreshStart consists of four 11/2-hour sessions held during a two-week period and range from 12—15 persons. Participants must pre-register with a $20 deposit, which is refunded after completion of all four classes. 6—7:30 pm @ 6301 Richmond. To register or for more info on smoking cessation methods, call the American Cancer Society at 713/266-2877..

9—14 (Tue.—Sun.)

A Tuna Christmas. The holidays may be over, but laughing till you pee is never out of season. Join the Tuna characters as they attempt to cope with the traumas & dramas of the holiday season. Master comedians Joe Sears and Jaston Williams portray all 24 denizens of Texas’ third-smallest town, where the Lion’s Club is too liberal and Patsy Cline never dies. Tickets $11—$36 (Tue.—Thu.) and $28—$48 (Fri.—Sun.). 8 pm, Tue.—Fri.; 2 & 8 pm, Sat.; 2 & 7 pm, Sun. @ Galveston’s Grand 1894 Opera House, 2020 Postoffice, 409/765-1894.

11 (Thu.)

For Art’s Sake. The ongoing partnership between the Houston Lesbian & Gay Community Center and the Positive Art Workshops continues with the 3rd annual installation of photographs by artists living with HIV/AIDS. Positive Art Workshop Exhibition, which opened in December at the Glassell School of Art features black-and-white Polaroids accompanied by text written by the artists. The January 11 reception honors the artists and Patrick Palmer, who recently marked the 10th anniversary of the weekly art program he began. 7 pm @ the center, 803 Hawthorne. More info: 713/524-3818.

12 (Fri.)

Elvis Lives! Elvis Aron Presley has another birthday on Jan. 8, and Comedy-Sportz-Houston is here to celebrate. The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll will be honored with games & suggestions straight from Graceland. And if you dress up like the King, they’ll knock $2 off your admission price! (The young Elvis only, please ...they don’t want to disgust anyone.) If you’re unfamiliar with ComedySportz-Houston, they are an improvisational comedy troupe. 7:30 & 10 pm @ Lambert Hall, 1703 Heights Blvd. Admission is $10. Info/reservations: 713/868-1444.

12 (Fri.)

Borders Beatles Fest II. Featuring the Complete Idiot’s Guide to the Beatles, Borders is hosting another Beatles trivia contest to coincide with a January Beatles movie release. 7 pm @ Borders, 3025 Kirby at W. Alabama. More info: 713/524-0200.

12—14 (Fri.—Sun.)

The Canadian Brass. It’s the 30th anniversary of the world-renowned ensemble whose appeal & popularity bridges the gap between musicians & audiences through education & humor. Tickets $22—$76. Fri. & Sat. at 8 pm, Sun. at 7:30 pm @ Jones Hall, 615 Louisiana. More info: 713/224-7575 or visit www.houstonsymphony.com.

13 & 14 (Sat. & Sun.)

Sound and Fury. Ten years after its invention, the cochlear implant is still as controversial as ever. The device, which allows those who are deaf to hear, is hailed by some as a miracle of modern science, while the deaf community sees it as the death of their culture. This profoundly moving documentary presents both sides of this fiery issue by focusing on the Artinian family, a microcosm of this raging debate, and how the hearing brother decides to implant his deaf son with the device, and how his deaf brother refuses to accept it for his children. Hailed by the New York Times as a "powerful, insightful, important, and emotionally wrenching" film, Sound and Fury raises profound questions about cultural identity within and outside the community. $5 (students/seniors $4). 7 & 9 pm both nights @ Rice Media Center, University Blvd. & Stockton Dr., entrance #8. Info: 713/348-4853 or visit www.ruf.rice.edu/~cinema.

14 (Sun.)

The Warden. If you don’t remember Ally Sheedy’s award-winning performance in High Art (or if you simply missed the 1998 film), her character was a drug-induced lesbian and a rather depressing and weak one at that. (FYI: Sheedy’s real mom is a lesbian.) Then in 1999, she went stage-bound as Hedwig, a German transsexual rock singer, in the acclaimed off-Broadway musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch. • No drugs, lesbianism, transsexualism, or singing for Sheedy in the title role of her new TNT original film The Warden. Her character, Helen Hewitt, is "strong at times, weak at times," Sheedy says, "and all around just a very complex character, which is what drew me to the role." • When the film begins, Hewitt is an assistant warden at a women’s correctional institution, and she is struggling to balance the demands of her job and her troubled marriage. When a riot breaks out and one inmate is killed at a neighboring all-male, maximum-security prison, Hewitt is called in to help deal with the aftermath. She is soon appointed the first female warden at the institution. • "When she gets to the prison," Sheedy says, "the story becomes twofold. There is the issue of her dealing with the prison being out of control. The secondary issue is my character grappling with her own ambition, and the question always looms as to whether she is doing things for the right reasons or is she letting her ambition get in the way and influence her decisions. There is the outer conflict of the prison that always exists as well as her inner conflict." Hewitt also faces unexpected obstacles, including a staff who doesn’t think she is up to the job and superiors who don’t want her to succeed. "From the research that I’ve done and from what I’ve learned," Sheedy says, "the job of a warden is 24 hours a day, seven days a week. A warden is always on call, even if they are doing the job properly." Try juggling that with a relationship and a child. • Not knowing who to trust, Hewitt plows forward with the murder investigation, risking her life and her career not only to uncover the murderer but also to expose a scandalous cover-up within the corrections system. • The Warden, which co-stars Lindsay Crouse (nominated for an Academy Award for Places in the Heart and for an Emmy for Between Mother and Daughter), premieres on TNT at 7 p.m. with encores at 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. –Blase DiStefano

14 (Sun.)

Marathon. The 29th annual Compaq Houston Marathon begins and ends in front of the George R. Brown Convention Center and passes through many of Houston’s ethnically diverse neighborhoods. Approximately 7,000 runners are expected for the 26.2-mile race. Divisions include open, masters, and wheelchair categories for men and women. 7:15 am is the wheelchair start; 7:30 starts the Compaq run; and 7:45 starts a Houston Cellular 5K fun run. The website address for the marathon is www.compaqhoustonmarathon.com. Marathon hot line is 713/957-3453; 5K hot line is 713/957-3757.

18 (Thu.)

Ready, Set, Power Date. Single, available gay men sit in facing rows. At the sound of a bell, they begin chatting up their neighbors. After seven minutes elapse, each man moves to a different guy. Voila! Every man finds multiple, if brief, opportunities to connect in a single evening. Men may continue any relationships as they wish. That’s the essence of Power Dating for Men. A tad unorthodox, yes. But no doubt more expeditious than an average night on Pacific Street. $5. 6:30 pm @ the Houston Lesbian & Gay Community Center, 803 Haw-thorne, 713/524-3818.

19 (Fri.)

For the Boys. The overwhelming response to author Harold Kooden’s recent lecture on Golden Men: The Power of Gay Midlife has inspired the formation of the Hawthorne Men’s Club. This new group will meet the third Friday of every month to continue the discussion of thriving at all ages and explore other topics, both significant and diverting. A guest speaker will start the evening, and plenty of social time will follow. Light snacks will be served. 7 pm @ the Houston Lesbian & Gay Community Center, 803 Hawthorne, 713/524-3818.

19 (Fri.)

Pablo Ziegler Quintet for New Tango. The pianist for Astor Piazzolla’s New Tango Quintet for more than a decade, Pablo Ziegler is the inheritor of the Nuevo Tango legacy: the fusion of classical music, jazz, & traditional tango, the urban music of Buenos Aires. Ziegler brings the improvisatory element to the fore in his powerful, passionate music. 8 pm @ Wortham Center’s Cullen Theater, 500 Texas Ave. Tickets ($27—$37) are available by calling Da Camera Music Center at 713/524-5050 or online at www.culturefinder.com.

20 (Sat.)

Absolutely Fabulous. The gala that is "Absolutely Fabulous & Off the Wall" returns to benefit AIDS Foundation Houston’s (AFH) programs & services with WB39 Cares for Kids. The ‘70s- retro-theme gala will honor Jackson Hicks for his outstanding & endless contributions throughout the Houston community. In addition, there will be a raffle for a Volkswagen "Love" Bug, and guests will have the opportunity to bid on "celebrity pillows." The pillows have been decorated and signed by such celebrities as Grace Slick, Janet Leigh, Anne Rice, and Jerry Hall. 8 pm @ JAGS at the Decorative Center. More info: Kimberly Fisher at 713/623-6796, ext. 278, or visit www.aidshelp.org.

20 (Sat.)

2001: A Dance Odyssey. Post-holiday slump got you down? Cheer up, dress up, and show up ready to boogie at the Millenium Dance. A local DJ will spin tunes, and disco balls will cast glittering light over the crowd. Partiers can enjoy cake and punch, both spiked and unspiked. $10 donation benefits programming throughout the month. 8 pm @ the Houston Lesbian & Gay Community Center, 803 Hawthorne. More info: 713/524-3818.

20 (Sat.)

Jekyll & Hyde. The ultimate story of true love and the epic battle between good and evil, this powerhouse musical will make you "mad" with luscious songs. Tickets $14.50—$55. 3 & 8 pm @ Galveston’s Grand 1894 Opera House, 2020 Postoffice, 1-409-765-1894.

20 & 21 (Sat. & Sun.)

Easy Rider. Considering the low budget (under $400,000) and the controversial nature of the ‘60s counterculture it depicts, the initial success of Easy Rider, directed by Dennis Hopper in 1969, was quite surprising. What isn’t surprising is the continued appeal of the film classic, which depicts two Harley-Davidson-riding misfits (Peter Fonda & Dennis Hopper) speeding and smokin’ their way through a conformist & corrupt America. Jack Nicholson has a memorable role as an ACLU lawyer that the pair encounters on their ride. 7:30 pm on Sat. and 7 pm on Sun. in the Museum of Fine Arts’ Brown Auditorium, 1001 Bissonnet. $5 admission ($4 students/seniors). More info: 713/639-7531.

21 (Sun.)

Supper with the Family. Bring your favorite prepared dish the 3rd Sunday of every month for Dinner at the Center. This regular potluck supper will provide a convivial, chosen-family atmosphere for chatting, gossiping, and, of course, noshing. Call ahead to indicate what dish you will bring. 6 pm @ the Houston Lesbian & Gay Community Center, 803 Hawthorne. For more info: 713/524-3818.

22 (Mon.)

Celebrating 1-Year Anniversary. Bering Support Network's gayDAR members, friends, and visitors are invited to celebrate their 1st anniversary. GayDAR (Dream*Affirm*Restore) is a wellness community of 22 to 35-year-old GLBT persons interested in making healthy connections & personal growth. GayDAR meets on Mondays at Bering Memorial UMC, 1440 Harold St., Room 218, at 7 pm. To RSVP/more info: Russ at 713-526-1017, ext. 206 or e-mail rbmumc@clearsail.net.

27 & 28 (Sat. & Sun.)

Cab Calloway’s Legacy of Swing. Jazz singer and bandleader Cab Calloway was the King of Swing. From "Minnie the Moocher" to "Blues in My Heart" to "St. James Infirmary," Big Band 2001 salutes the music of Mr. Hi-De-Ho himself, as performed by his daughter Chris Calloway. Tickets $14.50—$26. 2 & 8 pm on Sat. and 2 pm on Sun. @ Galveston’s Grand 1894 Opera House, 2020 Postoffice, 1-409-765-1894.

28 (Sun.)

Super Duper. Looking for a big-screen television for Super Bowl-watching? The Houston Lesbian & Gay Community Center will turn on its hulking set for gridiron fans or people who just like to watch the commercials (or the cheerleaders ... or the men in tight white pants...). Bring your favorite snacks to share with fellow fans. "Survivor" enthusiasts may want to linger after the game for the premiere of the Australian outback saga. 5:25 pm estimated kickoff time @ the center, 803 Hawthorne. For more info: 713/524-3818.

29 (Mon.)

Follies. Back by popular demand, a production of Stephen Sondheim and James Golman’s Follies featuring an all-star Houston cast of more than 30 actors with an on-stage chorus will be presented for one night only. • Set in 1971 at the fictitious Weisman Theatre on the eve of its demolition, Follies tells the "first and last reunion" of the Weisman girls, performers in impresario Dimitri Weisman’s Follies, staged annually in the years between the two world wars. This theatrical engagement was first presented in August at Ovations to critical and audience raves. • Follies director and Alley Theatre resident company actor Paul Hope has reassembled a dream team of local thespians representing three generations of actors who have graced Houston stages over five decades. "I always wanted to do a project with a great number of people from Houston’s theatrical community," says Hope, who produced the original production. "I just started calling the people I’d considered for the fantasy cast I always put together in my head." Hope’s fantasy cast became a reality when his core ensemble jumped at the opportunity to reunite with their peers in this landmark musical about a reunion of entertainer; some had not seen each other in 30 years. • 8 p.m. @ the Alley Theatre, 615 Texas Ave. A limited number of VIP tickets–including admission to the performance and a post-show party with the cast–will be sold for $50 each. All other seats are $35. Tickets may be purchased at the Alley Theatre box office or by calling 713/228-8421. • Proceeds from ticket sales will benefit the Center for AIDS: Hope and Remembrance Project, founded in 1995 as the first, and remains the only, AIDS organization exclusively providing treatment and research information to persons with HIV/AIDS, their caregivers, and healthcare providers in the greater Houston area. The center acts as a catalyst for the creation and the establishment of innovative HIV/AIDS research in Houston and advocates for the entire affected population, ensuring that Houston’s regional needs are factored into the national, and now international, dialogue about HIV/AIDS.

31 (Wed.)

Commemorating Roe v. Wade. Frank McCourt, winner of the 1997 Pulitzer Prize for Angela’s Ashes, is the featured speaker for the Planned Parenthood’s annual pro-choice luncheon. The event commemorates the 28th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the U.S. Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion. McCourt will read excerpts from his book and share childhood memories. Noon in the Westin Galleria Ballroom, 5060 W. Alabama. For tickets ($50)/more info: 713/831-6519.

PLANNING AHEAD FOR FEBRUARY

Feb. 2 (Fri.)

Impressionist Visions. In this concert, Da Camera, the producer & presenter of innovative ensemble music, explores historical parallels between Impressionism in music & painting. In addition to piano sketches by Liszt, Debussy, & Ravel, the program includes Fauré’s Piano Quartet in C Minor and Debussy’s Sonata for Flute, Viola and Sharp. 8 pm @ Wortham Center’s Cullen Theater, 500 Texas Ave. Tickets ($22—$33) are available by calling Da Camera Music Center at 713/524-5050 or online at www.culturefinder.com.

Feb. 5 (Mon.)

Inspirational Teachers: Short Films includes Christopher Mitchell’s film Mr. Jinnah: The Making of Pakistan. The film tells the forgotten story of Quaid-I-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah, who believed in human rights, women’s rights, minority rights, and the rule of law. No One Believes the Professor, directed by Farjad Nabi, introduces audiences to Professor Sahid, a man living in the borderlands between genius and madness. 7 pm in the Museum of Fine Arts’ Brown Auditorium, 1001 Bissonnet. $5 admission ($4 students/seniors). More info: 713/639-7531.

Feb. 7 (Wed.)

A Little Day Music. Da Camera’s free lunchtime performance series features the Marian Anderson String Quartet. Da Camera encourages concertgoers to bring & enjoy their lunches while listening to the music. Noon in the Grand Foyer of Wortham Theater Center, Texas at Smith. Info: 713/524-7601, ext. 15.

Feb. 9 & 10 (Fri. & Sat.)

All Clytemnestra on the Western Front. Michelle Spencer’s reorganized version of Homer’s epic poem is a tour de force one-woman show. In A Techno-Feminist Reconstruction of the Illiad, the narrative unfolds as the homebound Clytemnestra has video phone conversations with Agamemnon, Helen, Penelope, & Aegisthus–all of whom are played by Spencer. DiverseWorks, 1117 East Freeway. Info: 713/335-3445.

Feb. 16—18 (Fri.—Sun.)

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Share in the magic, power, & passion of one of America’s best-loved & most-revered dance companies. With a well-earned reputation as one of the most acclaimed international ambassadors of American culture, this new tour showcases premieres, new productions of vintage works, and their signature work, Revelations. Presented by Society for the Performing Arts at 8 pm @ Jones Hall, 615 Louisiana. Tickets ($15-$40) are on sale now. Call 713/227-4SPA (4772).

PLANNING AHEAD FOR JUNE!

5—10 (Tue.—Sun.)

Royal Dame. We know that this is a bit early to inform you of an event that won’t take place till June, but this is not just any event. Dame Edna: The Royal Tour makes its way to Houston for what promises to be one helluva hilarious week. Tickets won’t go on sale till probably the end of April, but stay tuned to OutSmart so that you can get the best seats in the castle ... uh, house ... to see the straight married man dressed in "royal" drag.

PERFORMING ARTS

• Born Yesterday. A hard-boiled millionaire hires a tutor for his brassy mistress, only to realize the girlfriend and the tutor have fallen in love. Fridays, Saturdays, & Sundays, Jan. 19—Feb. 10, @ the Country Playhouse, 12802 Queensbury, 713/467-4497.

• Camp Logan. A theatrical drama based on the 1917 courts-martial and execution of 19 black soldiers, Camp Logan delves into the world of the early military and discovers men who are sleeping with the enemy. It probes into the lives of the black soldiers who rose up in arms against the discrimination they encountered in 1917 while stationed at Houston’s Camp Logan. This gripping drama reveals how war gives rise to unlikely heroes. Jan. 26—Feb. 27 @ The Ensemble Theatre, 3535 Main Street, 713/520-0055.

• Equus. Winner of the 1975 Tony Award for Best Play and named by the Drama League as one of the top 10 plays of the 20th century, Equus is a powerful examination of hypocrisy, sexuality, & the nature of worship by the celebrated author of Amadeus, Peter Shaffer. When a psychiatrist investigates what would drive a 17-year-old boy to savagely blind six horses with a metal spike in a stable in rural England, he finds himself face to face with his own personal demons. Jan. 12—Feb. 10 @ the Alley Theatre, 615 Texas Ave. Tickets to preview performances are $19—$35; tickets to performances on or after the Jan. 17 opening range from $32—$49. Tickets can be purchase at the Alley box office or by calling 713/228-8421.

• Eyes for Consuela. The Houston premiere of Sam Shepard’s Eyes for Consuela begins with a disheveled, middle-aged Henry waking from a nightmare into the dreamlike reality of remote Mexico, a torpid limbo. Henry is a lost soul from the American middle-class who has abandoned his wife in snowbound Michigan and finds himself alone in a vine-shrouded "hotel" among lizards, snakes, & ghosts. Tickets $14 (students/seniors $10). Fridays & Saturdays at 8 pm, Sundays at 2 pm, Jan. 19—Feb. 24 @ Actors Theatre of Houston, 2506 South Boulevard, 713/529-6606.

• Fiddler on the Roof is back on tour with Theodore Bikel as Tevye, the humble milkman who struggles to preserve his family traditions in the face of a changing world; Bikel has played the role of Tevye over 1,600 times in his career. Winner of nine 1965 Tony Awards and the recipient of the 1965 New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Musical, Fiddler opened on Broadway on Sept. 22, 1964; a generation later, it remains the ninth longest-running show in Broadway musical history. Jan. 23—28 @ Jones Hall, 615 Louisiana. Tickets ($30—$55) can be purchased at all Ticketmaster outlets and online at Ticketmaster.com; to charge by phone, call 713/629-3700. Please note: The 2:00 matinee on Saturday, January 27, will be captioned for the hearing impaired; the TDD# for tickets is 1-800-755-6244.

• Houston Grand Opera (HGO) revives its delightful production of Mozart’s Cosi fan tutte. Two couples are manipulated and tricked by the crafty old Don Alfonso and a maid into believing that their lovers cannot be faithful. • HGO also presents its first performance of Borodin’s Russian epic, Prince Igor. Set in 12th-century Russia, Igor Sviatoslavich leaves his wife in the care of her brother and sets out with his army against a Tartar tribe from Central Asia. Prince Igor & his son are captured in battle, but the prince is assured that he is a guest and not a captive. • Cosi fan tutte runs Jan. 19—Feb. 10; Prince Igor runs Jan. 26—Feb. 11. • Each opera: $22—$200; tickets available by phone at 713/227-ARTS, in person at the Wortham Ticket Center (in the Wortham lobby), or online at www.houstongrandopera.org. Both operas: Wortham Center’s Brown Theater, Texas at Smith.

• Old Wicked Songs. Stephen Hoffman, a young pianist troubled by artistic block, travels to Vienna and enlists he help of an elderly singing instructor to help him return to the stage. The student-teacher relationship evolves, though not without conflict, as Stephen and his instructor, Josef Mashkan, clash not only over musical style & technique but religion & history. Ultimately, Stephen’s journey of self-discovery & rejuvenated passion for music help the instructor come to terms with his own past. Jan. 19-Feb. 11 @ Stages Repertory Theatre, 3201 Allen Parkway. More info: 713/52-STAGE.

• The Soft Dances. By women, about women, but for everyone, Soft Dances traverses the female experience through dance & theater. Driven by the creative talents of Myrna Renaud, Soft Dances will include the use of spoken & sung words in Spanish, Portuguese, & English. Choreographer, writer, designer, composer, & director Renaud will work in complete collaboration with her three invited performers Rosa Cuellar Juarez, Sandy Dunn, & Luci Dabney. "These are the women who have nurtured my way in the past 23 years of my Texas experience," says Renaud. The evening length dance/theater piece will be about friendship, maturity, freedom, ambition, spirituality, & more, according to Renaud. Residency: Jan. 14—Feb. 4. Performances: Friday & Saturday, Feb. 2 & 3, 8 pm @ DiverseWorks, 1117 East Freeway. More info: 713/355-3445.

• Visiting Mr. Green. The elderly retired Mr. Green wanders into traffic and is almost hit by a 29-year-old coporate executive. The young man is charged with reckless driving and given a community-service sentence of helping Mr. Green once a week for six months. Parental discretion. Jan. 12—Feb. 17 @ The Little Room Downstairs Theater, 2326 Bissonnet, 713/522-LRDS (5737).

PERFORMING ARTS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

• The Courage of Mandy Kate Brown. Follow the journey of a young slave girl traveling the famous Underground Railroad as her courage creates a bridge between two warring countries. For 1st—8th grades. Jan. 27—Mar. 3 @ Stages Repertory Theatre, Allen Parkway at Waugh Drive, 713/52-STAGE.

• Emily Saves the Houston Symphony. The imaginative & fun Platypus Theatre is back by popular demand with a new program & zany puppets. Find out how Emily restores musical order out of chaos! For children ages 4 to 13 and their families. Sat., Jan. 13 (10 am with pre-concert activities beginning at 9 am; and 11:30 am with post-concert activities beginning following the concert) @ Jones Hall, 615 Louisiana. Tickets: $13 adults, $8 children in reserved seating (main floor, box seats, & grand tier), and $8 adults, $4 children in general admission seating (mezzanine & balcony).

RADIO

• After Hours Saturdays, midnight to 3 am. Featuring the QMZ (Queer Music Zone) with Jimmy Carper. KPFT 90.1 FM.

• Lesbian & Gay Voices Mondays, 8-10 pm. Features, news, music, interviews, reviews, and commentary. KPFT 90.1 FM, 713/526-4000.

ART/PHOTOGRAPHY

• Art Classes for People With HIV: The Art League of Houston is offering free art classes for people with HIV. The ongoing course meets every Thursday & Friday from 1-4 pm at the Art League, 1953 Montrose. Mixed media projects for the artist and non-artist. Constructive art-making in a relaxed atmosphere. Focus is on the healing power of art. More info: 713/523-9530. The Museum of Fine Arts Houston is offering free art classes for those with HIV/AIDS. Patrick Palmer begins his 9th year offering art instruction. Abstract painting, linoleum-cut greeting cards, & ceramics are some of the media offerings for the fall semester. Class is limited to 16. Everything is free, even lunch! The classes meet at the Glassell School of Art every Friday, 1—4 pm, 5101 Montrose Blvd., room 202. For more info: 713/639-7500 or 713/526-1118.

• Art-o-mat. DiverseWorks joins a network of sites throughout the U.S. serving as hosts for a national project known as Art-o-mat. Artists T. Clark Whittington and George Doles III, residents of the tobacco town of Winston-Salem, founded the Art-o-mat project in 1997. Their mission was to create an outlet where artists can expose their names & works to people who would otherwise not see it. They worked under the premise that art should be progressive, yet personal & approachable. What better way to do this than with a heavy cold steel machine? Whittington has refurbished an old cigarette vending machine specifically for DiverseWorks. The group Artists In Cellophane, as well as Houston-based artists, have filled the machine with original works of art that can be yours to keep for a mere $3—$5. The machine will be refilled with new art monthly. DiverseWorks will keep it filled to meet your demand. Through June 2001 @ DiverseWorks, 1117 East Freeway, 713/223-8346.

• Humanoid is a whimsical, colorful, strange presentation of works by 12 artists whose art is inspired by, although not necessarily representative of, the human form. Flesh, orifices, body parts, & other-worldly characters inhabit the works. Somehow, skewed realism, bulbous abstraction, melodrama, vibrating colors & patterns, and melancholy find common ground through shared carnality & wry wit. Jan. 12—Feb. 24 @ Diverse-Works, 1117 East Freeway, 713/223-8346. Opening reception: Friday, Jan. 12, 5—7 pm.

• Pleasurscape is a new installation by award-winning designer Karim Rashid, who is internationally recognized as one of the most innovative designers working today. His vision for the future is one where furniture & space merge. Jan. 25—Feb. 25 @ Rice University Art Gallery, campus entrance 1 at the intersection of Main Street & Sunset Blvd. The opening reception on Jan. 25 (5:30—7:30 pm) will feature Rashid at 6 pm. Refreshments will be served. More info: 713/348-6069.

• Postive Art. The photographs in this exhibition were taken by participants in the Positive Art Workshops of the Glassell School of Art. The workshops target adults who are HIV positive. Participants were encouraged to make images and keep journal entries that revolved around issues of self or that described a sense of place. The resulting work is a fascinating insight into the lives, feelings, thoughts, & poetry of people who have been afflicted by HIV. The exhibition travels from its December home at the Glassell School of Art to its new home at the Houston Lesbian & Gay Community Center and is scheduled to go up the first week of January and will probably hang around till the spring at the center, 803 Hawthorne, 713/524-3818.