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CALENDAR
INCLUDES
•
April 2000
• Planning Ahead for May
• Performing Arts
• Theater for Young People
• Radio
• Art/Photography
APRIL 2000
5,
12, 19, 26
(Wed.)
HIV Testing. The Montrose Clinic is offering 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.
6
(Thurs.)
Girls With Guitars are Kelly Wallin & Ferryn
Martin, a local duo who is increasingly establishing
a more national presence. Taylor Guitars (California)
writes of the two, “This singer-songwriter acoustic
duo from Houston has a knack for lush, spirited vocals
that resemble the Indigo Girls in the way their distinctive
timbres harmonize. And it’s not only the union
of their voices, but the graceful way their vocals ride
their guitar rhythms, that make their music so inviting.”
This promises to be a special evening showcasing not
only the GWG’s music & energetic chemistry
with their audience, but also a taste of something new
as the GWG’s introduce their special guests, Small
Potatoes, to Houston audiences. Jacquie Manning &
Rich Prezioso regularly spellbind audiences from coast-to-coast
with skillful instrumentation, tight harmonies, great
songs, & an electric repertoire. Tickets $8. Help
pack the house at this smoke-free dinner show at 8:30
pm @ McGonigel’s Mucky Duck, 2425 Norfolk, 713/528-5999.
6
(Thurs.)
What Lesbians Do. Community advocates Maria Minicucci
& Deborah Bell will moderate the second in a series
of monthly workshops dealing with lesbian sexuality
& controversial issues in the lesbian community.
This workshop, “The Vagina Monologues,” will
deal with the female anatomy, enhancing sexual arousal
& responsiveness, and safer sex issues for women.
Is it hot in here, or is it just us? Workshops are open
to all adult lesbian & bisexual-identified women,
singles as well as couples. A capacity crowd of more
than 50 women attended the first workshop in March.
7-9 pm @ the Houston Lesbian & Gay Community Center,
803 Hawthorne. Info: 713/524-3818.
7
(Fri.)
American Cowboy. Director Kyle Henry, a Rice
& UT graduate, will introduce his 1997 film American
Cowboy during two screenings. This 52-minute film
is a personal portrait of Gene Mikulenka, a gay professional
rodeo cowboy. As Mikulenka recovers from a broken leg,
his three-month journey to the 1996 International Gay
Rodeo Association finals parallels personal & professional
challenges. 7:30 & 8:45 p.m. @ the Museum of Fine
Arts, Brown Auditorium, 1001 Bissonnet. Tickets are
$5 (MFA members, seniors, & students with I.D. $4).
More info: 713/639-7531.
7
& 8, 14 & 15 (Fri. & Sat.)
Madison, as I imagine it. In a triumphant return
to Houston, the John Jasperse Company brings a new evening-length
dance about the strange beauty of irregularity, imperfection,
spaciousness, & possibility. Created in a largely
abstract field defined by images, motion, sound, light,
& architecture, Madison examines the problems
faced in relating to the world, the awkwardness of communication,
& the use of the imagination to find moments of
lightness within circumstances that might seem bleak
at first glance. 8 pm @ DiverseWorks, 1117 East Freeway
(off N. Main at Naylor). Tickets $15 ($10 students,
$8 members). 24-hr. reservations: 713/335-3445.
7-9
(Fri.-Sun.)
Historic Heights Home & Garden Tour. Kicking
off this year’s tour will be the annual Candlelight
Tour and Dinner on Friday. From 6-8 pm guests can enjoy
a self-guided preview of the six homes. Then round out
the evening with dinner, dancing, & a silent auction
downtown in the Great Hall of what was originally the
First National Bank Building (now the Franklin Lofts
Building) located at 210 Main Street. Six expressive
homes in one of Houston’s hottest residential &
historic areas will be on display during the tour on
Saturday & Sunday. The tour offers examples of diverse
architectural styles ranging from Queen Annes &
Craftsman Bungalows to an Italian Revival home. The
homes, representing the exciting restoration & new
construction efforts taking place within this turn-of-the-previous-century
community, will be open each day from noon-6 pm. Metro
trolleys will be available to carry those on the tour
from house to house. Tickets: Harold’s in the Heights
(350 W. 19th), Yale Street Gift and Grill (2100 Yale),
and Buchanan’s Native Plants (11th St. at Oxford).
Tickets can be purchased at each of the homes on the
days of tour. Advance tickets: $13 for all homes; day-of-tour
tickets: $15. Single home tickets: $4. Ticket prices
include Metro trolley transportation. Info: 713/861-4002,
ext. 3, or www.houstonheights.org.
8
(Sat.)
Da Camera Goes to the Zoo! Da Camera of Houston
continues its free family series at the Houston Zoo
with a concert by the Anderson String Quartet. Named
for legendary singer Marian Anderson, the Anderson String
Quartet is an acclaimed ensemble of young black musicians
who have performed at the Library of Congress, New York’s
Alice Tully Hall, and for Da Camera of Los Angeles.
An hour prior to the concert, Da Camera sponsors a “musical
instrument petting zoo,” where children have the
opportunity to see, touch, & play instruments featured
in that day’s performance. The concert is free
with paid admission to the Houston Zoological Gardens
($2.50 adults, $2 seniors, & 50¢ children 3-12;
children 2 and under free). 1-2 pm musical instrument
petting zoo, 2 pm concert @ George R. Brown Education
Center at the Houston Zoological Gardens, Hermann Park,
1513 N. MacGregor Dr. Info: Da Camera Music Center 713/524-5050
or George R. Brown Education Center 713/284-8300.
8
& 9, 15 & 16 (Sats. & Suns.)
The Houston International Festival spotlights Brazil.
Seven entertainment zones—African, American, Kids,
International, Latin, Texas, “Zona Brazil”—highlight
1,500 regional, national, & international performers.
There’s Chase Road to Rio, which features the sights
& sounds of Rio de Janiero and the Carmen Miranda
Cabaret; Habitat Brazil, which explores the beauty of
the world’s largest tropical country; Intertnational
Markets, which include an outdoor art gallery &
shopping experience offering eight markets featuring
works from 600 artists from all over the world; International
Food, which brings together flavors from around the
world; and much more. It all takes place in 20 downtownHouston
blocks, including city parks, plazas, & streets.
More info: 713/654-8808 or visit www.hif.org.
10
(Mon.)
Luis Miguel is one of the most established Latin
performers on the scene today. He has sold over 35 million
albums worldwide and has been awarded four Grammy Awards,
the first when he was only 15 years old. He has released
more than 15 albums since debuting in 1982 at the age
of 12. Miguel has sold out five consecutive dates at
Radio City Music Hall and was the first Latin artist
to sell out Madison Square Garden. Now he is coming
to Houston’s Compaq Center for an evening of old
favorites and new. Tickets ($45-$100): Ticketmaster
outlets (Kroger, Fiesta, & Foley’s) or charge
by phone at 713/629-3700.
12
(Wed.)
Write On, Women. All women writers at every level
are invited to participate in the organizational meeting
for the Women’s Writing Group, a new collective
of “women committed to support, encourage, &
cajole each other in our creative process,” according
to Maria Minicucci, who is leading the effort to form
the group. 7 pm @ the Houston Lesbian & Gay Community
Center, 803 Hawthorne. Info: 713/524-3818 or drmeam@cs.com.
FYI: The writing group, Montrose Writers Project, which
is open to poets, fiction writers, dramatists, &
nonfiction writers, both published & not yet published,
men & women, now meets at the center every Saturday,
3-4:30 pm.
12
(Wed.)
Free Mammograms for women over the age of 50
who have an income of less than $15,780 per year. The
goal of this program is to help women get necessary
screening for early detection of breast cancer. Women
can call 713/522-3976 to schedule an appointment. Mammography
is provided by M.D. Anderson LifeCheq Cancer Prevention
Program at Planned Parenthood, 3601 Fannin (between
Holman & Alabama).
13
(Thurs.)
Anne Perry. Eat with the author at lunchtime,
or have her sign your book that evening. The luncheon
takes place at 11:30 am @ The Briar Club (Timmons at
Westheimer). Tickets are $22, available only at Murder
by the Book, and only until April 11. The event includes
complimentary valet parking; luncheon (with cash bar);
talk and Q&A from Anne Perry; book signing (Perry’s
latest books will be on sale at the event). The store
book signing takes place at 6 pm at Murder by the Book,
2342 Bissonnet; it’s free and open to the public.
More info: 713/524-8597.
13
(Thurs.)
Celebrate National Volunteer Week. Lend your
mind & spirit to the cause. Check out this monthly
volunteer meeting and learn ways you can serve your
community and meet other interesting people. 7 pm @
the Houston Lesbian & Gay Community Center, 803
Hawthorne. Second monthly meeting at noon on Sat., April
15. Info: 713/524-3818. FYI: National Volunteer Week
is April 9-15. The Points of Light Foundation sponsors
National Voluneer Week. To read more, visit pointsoflight.org/programs/program_nvwintro.html.
14
(Fri.)
Beethoven. Da Camera continues its exploration
of Beethoven and the Concept of Time with a concert
of two of the composer’s late string quartets,
featuring the renowned Juilliard String Quartet. 8 pm
@ Wortham Center’s Cullen Theater, 500 Texas. Tickets
($22-$33) are available by contacting the Da Camera
Music Center, 1427 Branard, 713/524-5050 or online at
www.culturefinder.com. Tickets for students/seniors
are half price with ID.
14
(Fri.)
Smokin’ Hair Day. The local trio Smokin’
Hair Day will rock the house (well, the back deck) at
the Houston Lesbian & Gay Community Center’s
big benefit bash of the season. At the same time, the
Houston Press will hold one of its Romance Events, where
those looking for love can submit free ads for the newspaper
personals section. $10 ticket includes food & drink.
6-9 pm @ the Houston Lesbian & Gay Community Center,
803 Hawthorne, 713/524-3818.
14
& 15 (Fri. & Sat.)
Relay for Life. Walkers & runners will go
around the clock in the battle against cancer during
the American Cancer Society’s 24-hour Relay for
Life. Teams & individuals participate by soliciting
a flat donation prior to the event and can win prizes
for their efforts. Teams of 10-15 participants set up
campsites, enjoy live music, games, contests, &
great food while cheering on their teammates. A special
lap will be held for cancer survivors. A luminary ceremony
takes place honoring cancer survivors and remembering
those who lost the fight against cancer. The event will
be held at Rice University West Stadium Lot. Other dates/sites
include Mar. 24-25: Humble/Kingwood (Humble Arena);
and Mar. 31-Apr. 1: Pasadena/SE Harris (San Jacinto
College); Conroe (Montgomery College); and Katy (Katy
VFW Park). More info: 713/266-2877.
14
& 15
(Fri. & Sat.)
The Texas Tap Ensemble presents its spring concert,
"Life Is Like a Train." The concert will showcase
the dancing, singing, & acting talents of the ensemble,
which is made up of Houston-area children from the ages
of 8-18. Friday at 8 pm, Saturday at 2 & 8 pm @
Heinen Theatre (corner of Austin & Holman) on the
Houston Community College campus. Info: 713/686-9184.
15
(Sat.)
Celebrate Earth Day at Houston Arboretum & Nature
Center. Activities include • Arboretum “Home
Tour”: explore the arboretum to learn where urban
creatures set up housekeeping; • Puppet Shows:
“Walking Lightly on the Earth”—find out
what you can do to take care of our planet; • Earth-Friendly
Games: amphibians in peril, wormtastic!; • Worm
Compost Starter Kits: take home a mini-compost kit while
supplies last; recycle your kitchen waste into terrific
plant food!; • Composting Demonstrations: find
out how easy it is to be good to the earth and feed
your flowers; • Native Plant Sale: ask experts
your native plant questions as you pick up native plants
to enhance your personal habitat; • and much more!
10 am-4 pm @ Houston Arboretum & Nature Center,
4501 Woodway Dr., 713/681-8433.
18
(Tue.)
Home Buying 2000. At this free Home Buyer’s
Seminar valued at $125, prospective home buyers can
learn the steps involved in the home-buying process,
pre-qualify for loans, etc. All attendees receive a
free credit report. 6:30 pm @ American Title Company,
2323 South Shepherd, #850. Seating is limited; must
register by calling 713/523-9009, ext. 119.
21
& 22 (Fri. & Sat.)
Imitation of Life. In this 1959 film, Lana Turner
stars as a single mother who puts her acting career
ahead of her daughter (Sandra Dee). Their black maid
(Juanita Moore) is devoted to her own daughter (Susan
Kohner), but that relationship is jeopardized when the
girl discovers she can “pass for white.” A
complicated romantic situation eventually leads the
actress to realize how little she knows her child. Also,
this is one of Troy Donahue's earlier films; he plays
the prejudiced boyfriend of Kohner's character. One
of German expatriate Douglas Sirk’s finest films,
Imitation of Life was Universal Pictures’ highest-grossing
movie until Steven Spielberg’s Jaws (1975).
7:30 pm @ the Museum of Fine Arts’ Brown Auditorium,
1001 Bissonnet (use Main St. entrance). Dr. Sandra Frieden,
who has taught film classes at UofH for 18 years, introduces
Saturday’s screening & discusses important
elements of the film. General admission is $5; museum
members, seniors (55+), & students with ID $4. Info
line: 713/639-7531; website www.mfah.org.
22
(Sat.)
Bayou City Boys Club, Inc. (also known as BCBC)
announce the eighth annual Easter weekend fundraiser,
Jungle Lust VIII. The beneficiaries of this year’s
event will be The Assistance Fund, The Houston Challenge
Foundation, Montrose Clinic/Next Step Program, The Montrose
Counseling Center, Steven’s House, and WAM Foundation.
“We are very excited to expand the scope of our
fundraising efforts,” said Dan McFarland, co-chair
of the springtime party. “We are including new
HIV/AIDS organizations that we have not benefited before
in our eight years doing Jungle Lust.” Leading
this year’s frenzy is DJ Joe Gauthreaux of New
Orleans’ OZ. His incredible mix of music continually
keeps the Bourbon Street crowds dancing till dawn, and
he plans to do the same for BCBC and its supporters.
BCBC is a nonprofit organization. Its mission statement
is to raise money for Houston-area HIV/AIDS service
providers, research, and education. Since its inception
eight years ago, BCBC events have contributed more than
$500,000 to various organizations in the Gulf Coast
region. “The expenses of this wildly fun dance
event are completely underwritten by supporters of BCBC,”
said Allen Glander, BCBC president. “There is no
paid staff or overhead. We are a completely volunteer
organization. That allows us to give away all of the
proceeds from the ticket sales.” Tickets ($25-$45)
available at Lobo Bookstore and Basic Brothers. 9 pm
@ The Polo Club, 8552 Memorial Dr. For more info: www.bayoucityboysclub.org.
22
(Sat.)
Hammers and Bows, a classical chamber music group
with pianist Rodney Waters and string players of the
Houston Symphony, will perform a concert to benefit
the AIDS Benevolence Fund of the Metropolitan Community
Church of the Resurrection and AIDS Foundation Houston.
Their first concert in September was a huge success,
and this one promises to rival that one. Performers—Sophia
Silivos & Andy Kauffman, violin; Rita Porfiris &
Joan DerHovsepian, viola; and Kevin Dvorak & Christopher
French, cello—offer Debussy’s Violin Sonata,
Hindemith’s Viola Sonata Op. 11 No. 4, and Korngold’s
rarely heard String Sextet. Admission is by voluntary
donation. 8 pm @ First Unitarian Universalist Church,
5200 Fannin at Southmore. Info: Vickey Gibbs at MCCR,
713/861-9149, or Rodney Waters at 713/461-7280.
22
& 29 (Sats.)
Ray Hill reprises Ray Hill & the Sex Police
and Ray Hill and Love, both performances benefiting
the Houston Lesbian & Gay Community Center. If you
missed either show, now’s your chance to correct
your error in judgment. Sex Police plays Saturday,
April 22, and Love plays Saturday, April 29,
both at 7:30 p.m. @ Houston Lesbian & Gay Community
Center, 803 Hawthorne, 713/524-3818. Tickets are only
$15, whether reserved in advance or at the door.
23
(Sun.)
Bunnies on the Bayou. From the simple beginnings
of a last-minute Easter party at an apartment complex
with 40 guests, Bunnies has grown into a nationally
recognized event with thousands of guests. In the past
three years, over $100,000 has been given to local gay-related
charities. Dan Meador returns as DJ. Recommended donation
is $20. 2-7 pm, Wortham Plaza, 600 Texas Ave. More info:
www.bunnies.org.
25
(Tue.)
Millennium Marcher Reception honors the local
heroes preparing to head to D.C. for the Equality March.
Ensure your place in history: The assembled marchers
will pose for a group snapshot that will be donated
to the Gulf Coast Museum and Archive for Gay, Lesbian,
Bisexual, and Transgendered History. 6-8 pm @ the Houston
Lesbian & Gay Community Center, 803 Hawthorne, 713/524-3818.
28-30
(Fri.-Sun.)
Lawndale Art Center’s 5th Annual 20th Century
Modern Market is the only antiques show of its kind
in the Southwest, exclusively featuring design of the
20th century. This year’s market features a dozen
specialist dealers from around the country, offering
a variety of media including furniture, glass, ceramics,
metalwork, textiles, objets d’art, & fashion.
Friday, 6-9 pm: benefit preview party & sale; Saturday,
10 am-5 pm; Sunday, 11 am-4 pm. Tickets: preview party
$25 (guarantees admission throughout the weekend); $5
general admission. Lawndale Art Center, 4912 Main Street,
713/528-5858. On Tuesday, April 25 at 7 pm, Lawndale
sponsors a free lecture in conjunction with the market:
“Modern Houston” slide lecture by Stephen
Fox, architectural historian & fellow of the Anchorage
Foundation.
29
(Sat.)
Orchestra X, Houston’s 2nd-largest professional
orchestra & opera presenter, continues its Chamber
Series with a free percussion concert. 2 pm @ Diverse
Works, 1117 East Freeway (I-10 at N. Main). Info: Orchestra
X at 713/225-6729 or www.orchestrax.org.
29
(Sat.)
Galveston Beach Clean-up. This is the 2nd year
that the Houston Outdoor Group (HOG) will help in cleaning
up the East Beach area. 8:30 am-noon, then lay out on
the beach. For details: 713/KAMP-OUT.
29
(Sat.)
Millennium Medical Marijuana March 2000 (in Washington,
D.C.). Noon: rally at Lafayette Park; 3 pm: MMMM 2000
march (patients & activists); 4-8 pm: Medical Rights
Rally and Concert at Henry Bacon Ball Field (speakers
& entertainment TBA). Info: 310/453-2700 or www.santamonica215.com.
29
& 30 (Sat. & Sun.)
The Equality Rocks Concert and the Millennium March
on Washington. Join Garth Brooks, Melissa Etheridge,
Ellen DeGeneres, Anne Heche, Kristen Johnston, Nathan
Lane, kd lang, and the Pet Shop Boys on Saturday at
the Equality Rocks concert for the new century celebrating
equal rights for all @ Robert F. Kennedy Stadium, Washington,
D.C. For tickets, call 800/551-SEAT; tickets also available
at all Ticketmaster locations or online at www.ticketmaster.com.
Also, visit www.melissaetheridge.com for more info.
Then on Sunday, join the same celebrities with thousands
of LGBT people, our friends, & our families for
the Millennium March on Washington at The National Mall,
Washington, D.C. For more info, visit the Millennium
March on Washington’s website at www.planetout.com.
29
& 30 (Sat. & Sun.)
Educational Film Selections From A/V Geeks. “Have
7500 educational films. Will travel.” Skip Elsheimer
of Raleigh, North Carolina’s AV/Geeks comes to
Houston with two programs from his amassed collection
of education films. Skip spent most of the ’90s
collecting film from school & government auctions.
Known as the A/V Geek, he now hosts monthly screenings
of education films & filmstrips that all share a
common theme, like safety or personal hygiene. Saturday
at 7 & 9 pm, Sunday at 3 pm @ Aurora Picture Show,
800 Aurora Street. Suggested donation $5 or pay what
you can. More info: 713/868-2101 or www.aurorapictureshow.org.
Read about A/V Geeks in “A/Ventures into Geekdom”
at http://triangle.city search.com/E/F/RDUNC/0000/13/44/.
PLANNING
AHEAD FOR MAY
May
3
(Wed.)
A Little Day Music. Da Camera of Houston’s
free lunchtime performance series, “A Little Day
Music,” continues with a performance by the Fischer
Duo. Da Camera encourages concert-goers to bring &
enjoy their lunches while listening to the music. Noon
in the Grand Foyer of the Wortham Theater Center, Texas
at Smith. Info: 713/524-7601, ext. 15.
May
4 (Thu.)
Hot Pink Ribbons 2000. The Pink Ribbons Project,
Dancers in Motion Against Breast Cancer presents its
2nd benefit Rosa Caliente (Hot Pink Ribbons 2000) featuring
The Art Guys, Bang Group, Mark Dendy, Hope Stone Dance,
Houston Ballet, Jackie Smith & Divinity, Sandra
Organ Dance Company, Suchu Dance, and Texas Tap Ensemble.
Tickets ($50) include a post-performance champagne and
dessert reception. Tickets/info: 713/526-1907, ext.
2.
May
5
(Fri.)
The Musical World of Thomas Mann. In its season
finale, Da Camera of Houston presents the conclusion
of its exploration of Beethoven and the Concept of Time.
The program features readings from Mann’s Dr.
Faustus, The Magic Mountain, and other works &
songs by Schubert, Brahms, Wolf, Mahler, Pfitzner, &
Wagner. Tickets ($22-$33) are available by contacting
the Da Camera Music Center, 1427 Branard, at 713/524-5050
or online at www.culturefinder.com. Students/seniors
half price with valid ID.
May
6 & 7
(Sat. & Sun.)
Community Yard Sale. Start planning now to browse
the vendor booths at the outdoor Montrose marketplace.
Or reserve a booth to sell your wares. An indoor book
sale will attract bibliophiles. 8 am-5 pm both days
@ the Houston Lesbian & Gay Community Center, 803
Hawthorne. Info/booth rates: 713/524-3818.
May
6, 7, 13, 14
(Sats. & Suns.)
Calling All Queens and Fairies! Have you ever
wished you could escape back in time 500 years to a
15th-century village for a few weeks? The Texas Renaissance
Festival will be holding auditions for its 26th annual
living history event at the festival grounds in Plantersville,
Texas. The festival is looking for street characters,
jugglers, female pirates, peasant farmers, barbarians,
rakes, fops, fools, fairies, and ladies in waiting,
among other period characters. Special emphasis will
be given to applicants with Spanish-speaking ablilities
to fill the Spanish court, including the role of the
Spanish Queen Catherine of Aragaon. Auditions are by
appointment only by calling Jeff Baldwin at 800/458-3435
to set up a time. For a free audition brochure or more
info: www.texrenfest.com and click on jobs@trf.
May
14 & 27
(Sun. & Sat.)
Rainbow Deep Sea Fishing. With the Federal Red
Snapper ban lifted on April 21, the Rainbow Fishing
Club has scheduled five 12-hour trips on the 85-foot
New Buccaneer, which takes 100 people and is the largest
& finest party boat in Galveston. Reservation deposits
are $20, with the total cost $65. Non-fishers pay only
$30, and kids 12 & under $40. The boat supplies
all fishing equipment & bait, has a grill &
cook and a large sundeck. No license is needed. To reserve
a spot/to get a club newsletter: 713/523-6381. Non-club
members welcome. June trips take place on Saturday &
Sunday, June 24 & 25.
May
26-29
(Fri.-Sun.)
The 2000 AALA Roundup is a Los Angeles AA conference
with Al Anon participation organized by lesbian &
gay members of both fellowships. Participants will enjoy
a four-day celebration of dignity, unity, & recovery.
The annual event features marathon meetings, workshops
on specific aspects of recovery & spirituality,
speaker meetings, dances, an AA banquet & show,
and an Al Anon brunch & show. The 2000 convention,
held over the U.S.-observed Memorial Day weekend, offers
participants not only a unique experience in 12-step
program recovery but also convenient access to the most
popular tourist attractions in L.A. The cost (at the
door) is $40. (A discount is available for advance registration:
if postmarked by May 1, 2000, the cost is $30.) No one
will be turned away for lack of funds. Interested participants
may obtain registration info by writing to AALA Roundup,
8424A Santa Monica Blvd., #824, Los Angeles, CA 90069;
by calling 213/896-1490; or by visiting www.aa-la.org.
May
26-June 4
(Fri.-Fri.)
4th Annual Houston Gay & Lesbian Film Festival.
At press time, films had not been confirmed, but see
our May issue for a pullout with a complete schedule
of films, descriptions, photos, dates, & times.
Plan now to keep that week open to see a slew of gay
films @ Angelika Film Center, Aurora Picture Show, DiverseWorks,
Landmark Theatres, Museum of Fine Arts, & Rice University
Media Center.
PERFORMING
ARTS
Agnes
of God.
Mystery surrounds a young nun, Sister Agnes. How did
she come to have a baby in a cloistered convent and
how did that baby come to be murdered? A court-appointed
psychiatrist, a protective Mother Superior, & Sister
Agnes are forced to reexamine the meaning of faith &
the commitment of love before the mystery is solved.
8 pm, April 28-June 2 @ The Company Onstage, 536 Westbury
Square. Tickets $10 (seniors/students $8). Info/reservations:
713/726-1219.
Ain’t
Misbehavin’ is the bright, sassy “Fats”
Waller musical revue. Along with Louis Armstrong, Waller
was one of the first authentic black superstars. Recreating
the atmosphere of a sultry, smoky, 1930s Harlem nightclub,
this play fills the air with great music. The wailing,
stompin’ five-piece band and the three females
& two males singin’ & dancin’ bring
to life Waller’s famous songs. The Great Caruso
Dinner Theater, 10001 Westheimer near Gessner. Dinner
& show: $29.95 (Wed., Thurs., & Sun.); $34.95
(Fri. & Sat.). For reservations: 713/780-4900.
As
Bees in Honey Drown
is the critically acclaimed off-Broadway hit by Douglas
Carter Beane, the author of To Wong Foo, Thanks for
Everything, Julie Newmar and founder of New York’s
Drama Dept., a breeding ground for some of New York’s
hottest talents (including Nicky Silver, author of The
Food Chain). This hilarious story of a young novelist
seduced by an offer at instant fame from the producer/socialite
Alexa Vere de Vere parodies the contemporary media and
the hype that very often highlights style over substance.
April 28-May 28 @ the Alley Theatre, 615 Texas Ave.
Tickets to preview performances are $23; tickets to
performances on or after May 3 are $37-$42. Tickets
are available at the Alley box office or by calling
713/228-8421.
The
Hothouse.
From the pen of one of the century’s major playwrights,
Harold Pinter’s 2nd full-length play was withheld
by him for more than 20 years, only to garner rave reviews
in its recent productions. The play is set in an unnamed
government institution peopled by typically bizarre,
sinister, & fascinating characters. “How lucky
we are to have this new/old play before us at last!”
(New Yorker) April 7, 8, 14-16 @ University of Houston
School of Theatre (take the Cullen exit off I-45; go
south on Cullen to entrance #16; free parking in lot
16B). Tickets are $11 (students $5) and are available
by calling 713/743-2929.
Houston
Grand Opera
mounts its historic 25th world premiere with eminent
American composer Carlisle Floyd’s Cold Sassy
Tree. Renowned Australian film director Bruce Beresford,
who created memorable slices of American life in Driving
Miss Daisy and Tender Mercies, will bring
to life rural Georgia’s Cold Sassy Tree.
Two weeks after his wife dies, opinionated town leader
Rucker Lattimore marries a beautiful young “Yankee,”
Love Simpson, setting off a storm of controversy. The
story is told through the eyes of his 14-year-old grandson.
April 14-May 6. • Houston Grand Opera will finish
its season with its first-ever production of Verdi’s
earliest masterwork Nabucco. Taken from the biblical
text of Nebuchadnezzar, it follows the Babylonian king
as he storms Jerusalem and takes the Hebrews captive.
April 29-May 14. • Both @ Wortham Center’s
Brown Theater, Texas at Smith. Tickets ($22-$182) are
available by calling 713/227-ARTS, at the Wortham Ticket
Center in the lobby of the center, or online at www.
houstongrandopera.org.
If
the Good Lord’s Willing and the Creek Don’t
Rise
is a warm comedy that explores family relationships.
$9 ($8 students/seniors; matinees all seats $7). April
14-May 13 @ Theatre Suburbia, 1410 W. 43rd. More info:
713/682-3525.
The
Importance of Being Earnest.
This masterpiece by Oscar Wilde may be the most famous
of all comedies. In the playwright’s own words,
“The first act is ingenious, the second beautiful,
and the third abominably clever.” 8 pm, through
April 8 @ The Company Onstage, 536 Westbury Square.
Tickets $10 (seniors/students $8). For more info/reservations:
713/726-1219.
Killer
Karaoke or Twenty Hundred and One: A Space Oddity.
Enter the glittering & cutthroat arena of the professional
karaoke singer in Mystery Cafe Houston’s world
premiere show! Someone is stalking the contestants of
the Gulf Coast Regional Semi-Final Three Steps Before
National Silver Microphone Karaoke Competition, and
it’s up to you to find out who. Even if you feel
that there is enough pain & suffering in the world
without karaoke, Killer Karaoke provides enough fun,
thrills, & sing-along-able songs to keep you laughing
& humming long after the evening’s over! Every
Friday & Saturday night, 7:30 pm (8 pm curtain)
@ Prima Pasta & Seafood, 2710 Richmond (‘tween
Kirby & Buffalo Spdwy). Tickets are $38.95 and include
salad, choice of entree, dessert, coffee, tea, milk,
gratuity for dinner service & tax, plus the show.
Tickets: 713/944-CLUE (2583).
The
Memory of Water.
This irreverent new comedy brings together three sisters
for their mother’s funeral. They believe they share
a common past: a seaside childhood of disputed bicycles,
injured cats, Mum’s cocktail dresses & perfumed
advice. But where does reality end and family myth begin?
Why has war broken out in their mother’s bedroom,
and why is Vi, so recently deceased, still with us?
This bittersweet comedy about memory & loss is funny,
poignant, & acutely observed. April 12-May 7 @ Stages
Repertory Theatre, 3201 Allen Parkway, 713/52-STAGE.
The
Play About the Baby.
In an extraordinary coup, the Alley Theatre is producing
the U.S. premiere of a major new work by America’s
preeminent playwright Edward Albee. The Play
is terrifying, funny, & enigmatic, and it’s
Albee’s first since his 1994 Pulitzer Prize-winning
Three Tall Women. Part puzzle, part vaudeville,
The Play will be directed by the playwright and
will feature Tony Award-winner Marian Seldes (now in
off-Broadway’s The Torch Bearers) and Tony
nominee Earle Hyman (off-Broadway’s Driving
Miss Daisy) in a new production. April 7-May 6 @
the Alley Theatre, 615 Texas Ave. Tickets to preview
performances are $19-$35; tickets to performances on
or after April 12 are $32-$49. Tickets are available
at the Alley box office or by calling 713/228-8421.
Spike
Heels.
Pygmalion goes awry in this contemporary comedy of manners
which explores sexual harassment, misplaced amour, &
the possibility of a four-sided love triangle. The combatants
are a sexy, volatile young woman and three Boston Back
Bay types—a writer, a lawyer, & a fiancée
in sensible shoes. The ending is happy and laughter
abounds. Tickets $14 ($10 students/seniors). Through
April 22 @ Actors Theatre of Houston, 2506 South Blvd.
More info: 713/529-6606.
Spirit
North. In an exploration of the complex issue
of race loyalty, a lawyer defends a young man accused
of murder. The lawyer’s conscience is challenged
when his wife expresses outrage at her husband for playing
the “race card” in defending a “thug.”
Tickets $14-$19. Through April 30 @ The Ensemble Theatre,
3535 Main Street. Info/reservations: 713/520-0055.
Things
You Shouldn’t Say Past Midnight: A Comedy in Three
Beds
is a bedroom comedy that consists of the antics, quarrels,
& questions of three pairs of lovers. The dialogue
is rapid-fire and the laughs naughty & nonstop.
8 pm, Friday & Saturday, April 7 & 8 @ Ashland
St. Theatre Co., 2610 Ashland, 713/426-3019. Tickets
$15.
Triptych.
Cary & Bernard are breaking up. Cary decides to
see how the other half lives and stretches his heterosexual
legs with Rosemary, a woman he meets at a publishing
lecture. Meanwhile, gym brat Bernard falls hard for
Dennis, who whisks him off to the suburbs to become
his “wife” (think June Cleaver played by Joan
Crawford with a martini cart). Transvestism, bisexuality,
runaway mothers, erotic strangulation, & the art
of repotting house plants are just a few of the specimens
under inspection in this hilarious & thought-provoking
comedy. Tickets $12-$15. Through April 8 (Fridays, Saturdays,
& Mondays at 8 pm) @ The Little Room Downstairs
Theater, 2326 Bissonnet (between Greenbriar & Kirby),
713/523-0791.
Zombies
from the Beyond (a Musical).
A camp musical of life in the ‘50s when Cold War
hysteria & the space race were the top subjects
of concern & talk. At the fictional Milwaukee Space
Center in 1955 life is jeopardized when a flying saucer
lands, piloted by Zombina, a buxom alien bent on procuring
he-specimens to repopulate her planet. Can the stalwart
men of Milwaukee survive brainwashing by a musical menace
from another world who gives new meaning to “stratospheric”
soprano? Taking its cue from pulp movies popular at
the time, it brings the 1950s nostalgically & hilariously
to life with a tuneful, toe-tapping score. April 12-May
28 @ Theater LaB Houston, 1706 Alamo. Tickets ($20-$22)
available by calling the box office at 713/868-7516.
THEATER
FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
The
Firebird: A Russian Fairy Tale.
The magical firebird lends his magic to a young squire
whose adventures include a mysterious river, life-sized
lobsters, a powerful white horse, & a beautiful
princess. The rich Russian culture will be reflected
in the authentic costumes, music, & dance. Through
April 22 @ Stages Repertory Theatre, 3201 Allen Parkway.
Tickets are $8 and can be purchased at the box office
or by calling 713/52-STAGE. All seats are reserved.
Winnie
the Pooh.
Join the fun with Pooh’s forest friends Eyore,
Kanga & Roo, Rabbit, Owl, and his very dear (even
if he is human) friend Christopher Robin. Through April
8 @ The Company Onstage, 536 Westbury Square. Saturdays
at 11 am & 1:30 pm. Tickets are $5. Reservations
strongly recommended. For info/reservations: 713/726-1219.
RADIO
After
Hours
(Radio) Saturdays, midnight to 3 am. Featuring the QMZ
(Queer Music Zone) with Jimmy Carper. KPFT 90.1 FM.
Lesbian
& Gay Voices
(Radio) Mondays, 8-9 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.
Clubs
of Bamako
is an exhibition of 16 black & white photographs
of the nightclub scene in Bakamo, Mali, in the 1960s
& ‘70s, by Malian photographer Malick Sidibé.
The photos will be shown with 11 life-size sculptures.
The late ‘50s & early ‘60s marked the
end of colonial rule for much of Africa. With this new
freedom came a reexamination of the basis for national
& cultural identities that were hybrids of African
& Western influences. Sidibé’s photographs
capture the vibrancy of this transitional moment. Through
April 16 @ Rice University Art Gallery (campus entrance
1 at the intersection of Main St. & Sunset Blvd.,
turn left at end of entrance road, and proceed straight
ahead to visitor parking). More info: 713/348-6069.
Kim
Coffman,
Houston’s social photographer, will be exhibiting
his Favorite Roll of 1999, a series of photos that capture
life, one frame at a time. After more than a decade
of documenting Houston society at charity balls, galas,
& restaurant openings as a part-time endeavor, Coffman
put away his mortgage banking badge for his camera—full-time.
Coffman’s photos have captured the comings &
goings, antics & shenanigans of Houston’s most
fashionable & powerful residents, and have appeared
in Houston Lifestyle, Inside Houston, My Table, Town
& Country, and Polo magazines, as well
as The Houston Chronicle. Through May 30 @ Rojas
Gallery, 610 W. Alabama (at Audubon Place). Proceeds
from the exhibit will benefit the Houston Food Bank
and H.A.T.C.H. (Houston Area Teen Coalition of Homosexuals).
More info: 713/334-1786.
Cycles
of the Sun.
In the blink of an eye, visitors can be worlds away,
immersed in ancient cultures, as the Museum of Natural
Science presents Cycles of the Sun: Festivals of Northern
Mexico by award-winning photographer George O. Jackson
Jr. These 50 photographs provide valuable insight into
the Mexican people’s relationship with nature,
showing their creative abilities through festival art.
Through Aug. 13 @ Houston Museum of Natural Science
(in the Albert & Ethel Herzstein Gallery of Special
Exhibitions on the Second Floor), One Hermann Circle
Dr. For more info: 713/639-4629 or www.hmns.org.
Energy
Dreams.
Lark Kaskie’s artwork is described as warm and
sensual, exuding love. An artist, teacher, author, &
speaker, Kaskie has studied in Texas, Holland, Greece,
California, New York, and this past summer in Tuscany,
Italy. She creates her art in multimedia: oil, ink,
acrylic, gouache, pastel, & clay. The continuing
theme throughout the works is one of flow, warmth, &
movement, at times provoking, exciting, & always
with a dreamlike energy! April 4-May 10 @ Mo Mong Restaurant,
1201 Westheimer, 713/524-5664. A reception for Kaskie’s
artwork will be held at Mo Mong on April 4 from 7-9:30
pm.
Expressions
of Frustrated Wishes.
Tricia Sweeney’s series of photographs deals with
sensuality of family relationships, psychological frustrations,
& domestic violence. The photographs are hung in
series & grids to suggest psychological narratives
and to enhance the contrast between stillness &
implied motion. Sweeney is an Out Smart staff layout
artist and photographer. Through April 15 @ Lawndale
Art Center, 4912 Main St., 713/528-5858.
H2O.
Marsha Harris’ recent works in watermedia show
how much water plays a role in our lives. This show
is concurrent with Watermedia 2000. Through May 6 @
Archway Gallery, 2013 W. Gray in the River Oaks Shopping
Center. More info: 713/522-2409.
Inhale,
a special two-week site-specific installation by Kate
Petley, incorporates the use of large latex weather
balloons inflated to a diameter of approximately six
feet. Suspended throughout the room, these skin-like
spheres invite touch & discovery as visitors move
among them. The body is evoked as a container of air
& experience. Issues of fragility & its influence
on the human condition surface as the balloons gently
move in proximity to the viewer. Visually dramatic,
Inhale will initially overtake the gallery, changing
as the balloons randomly & slowly deflate. April
29-May 13 @ DiverseWorks, 1117 East Freeway, 713/223-8346.
Opening reception is 6-8 pm on Friday, April 28.
Irving
Penn, A Career in Photography
presents works from every stage of Penn’s 50-year
career, from his trendsetting fashion photography for
Vogue magazine & his well-known work as a
celebrity portraitist to travel photography & still
lifes. Personal projects also highlight the exhibition,
including a series of nudes made in 1949-1950 and an
extensive series of ethnographic studies from such places
as Peru, New Guinea, & Morocco. Through June 4 @
the Museum of Fine Arts, 1001 Bissonnet, 713/639-7300.
One
Thing Leads to Another.
Similar to his East Texas dwelling in the middle of
nowhere, Charles Stagg’s installation provides
a spiritual & surreal environment constructed from
materials that surround his secluded home. This unique
installation consists of materials such as trees &
cement to create towering swirls & curls that climb
to varying heights. April 7-May 13 @ DiverseWorks, 1117
East Freeway, 713/223-8346. Opening reception: 5:30-7:30
pm, Friday, April 8.
Richie
Vegas: A Psycho Memoir
is a selection of drawings from Austin artist Richard
Alexander’s copious series that explores the psychological
intricacies of schizophrenia. This exhibit will continue
through three separate rotations of the artist’s
distinctive works in hopes of making available as many
images as possible from the narrative collection that
Alexander hopes one day to publish in book form. Through
April 15 @ Lawndale Art Center’s new Micro Gallery,
4912 Main Street, 713/528-5858.
Dick
Wray.
Art League Houston announced Wray as Texas Artist of
the Year 2000 and will honor him in April. Wray’s
work reflects his ongoing observations & interpretations
of media & society; he mixes painting with technologically
based media and continues to create complex imagery
which dominates the aesthetic & theoretical basis
of his vision. There’s an exhibition opening with
a reception for him on Friday, April7, 6-8 pm. Following
is a dinner-dance gala which will be held at Vine Street
Studios in downtown Houston. Tickets are $75 and are
available by calling Art League Houston at 713/523-9530.
The exhibition will remain on view through April 29.
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