APRIL

4 (with screenings throughout April)

People Who Love Barbra Are the Luckiest People in the World. Encore’s documentary series, "The Directors," features a woman director this month–only the second woman to be selected throughout the three years the series has been running. After focusing on such disparate directors as Robert Wise (West Side Story) and Spike Lee, the series turns to the celebrity director so beloved for her acting roles and just for her presence in life–Barbra Streisand. No other female director can claim to have produced and starred in the films they direct. • Barbra Streisand has directed three feature films: Yentl (1983), The Prince of Tides (1991), and The Mirror Has Two Faces (1996). (The other featured woman director, Martha Coolidge, directed more than a dozen films, including Rambling Rose with Laura Dern and Robert Duvall and Introducing Dorothy Dandridge.) But even though she’d never directed before, the Hollywood Foreign Press (Golden Globe) voted Yentl Best Film and Barbra Best Director of 1983–the only woman ever even nominated. • The Prince of Tides and The Mirror Has Two Faces were critically less well received. The Prince of Tides received multiple Academy nominations but no wins, other than Nick Nolte for best supporting actor. Likewise, the only Oscar recognition received by The Mirror Has Two Faces was for Lauren Bacall as best supporting actress. • The normally media-shy Barbra sits for a lengthy interview for this episode and she does not disappoint. She is frank and open in conversation about her directing and acting careers. The control issue comes up and she handles it deftly. She does fidget with her turtleneck to the point of distraction, though. Yes, Barbra, you have beautiful hands. The usual laudatory comments from friends and peers are included (Pierce Brosnan, Mimi Rogers, Brenda Vacarro, ad nauseum) and are of little real interest. Toward the end of the hour, however, Marvin Hamlisch adds his comments and they provide a fascinating glimpse into Barbra’s musical gifts, as well as some insight into her own attitude toward that unparalleled voice. • Encore plans a birthday celebration for Barbra on April 24 with a screening of The Main Event and The Way We Were. The Barbra Streisand episode debuts April 4 on Encore and screens a dozen more times during April. –John W. Stiles

4, 11, 18, 25 (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 1—3 pm on the 11th & 25th in Conroe at Northwoods AIDS Coalition, 1414 South Frazier, Ste. 106. More info: 936/441-1614.

7 (Sat.)

Socially New. The Southeast Area Gays and Lesbians (SEAG&LS) is a new social group for the GLBT community from the southeastern part of Houston & surrounding localities. Throughout every month, there will be activities such as movie nights, dinners out, brunches, day trips, plays, or whatever members may want to do in a group setting. For details of today’s event or upcoming socials: Del at 281/998-7319 or e-mail at SEAGLS@PRODIGY.NET.

7 & 8 (Sat. & Sun.)

Bernadette Peters. When Broadway’s greatest diva launches into song, it’s an invitation to walk straight (or gaily) into her heart. With her oversized little-girl voice & her riveting stage presence, the quintessential queen of Broadway is nothing less than a musical meltdown. Tickets range from $37—$85. Don’t miss Broadway’s greatest diva on Saturday at 9 pm and Sunday at 2 pm @ Galveston’s Grand 1894 Opera House, 2020 Postoffice. For more info: 800/821-1894 or www.thegrand.com.

10 (Tue.)

Evan Parker & Susie Ibarra. Two of the leading artists in the world of improvised music collaborate for a first-time duo performance. A pioneer of the European "free music" scene, British saxophonist Parker has reinvented his instrument. He takes the most extreme developments of John Coltrane & Albert Ayler as a starting point and goes out from there. Multiple lines rapidly unfold & collide in a continuous development that often sounds like two or three instruments playing at once. Ibarra is one of the premiere jazz artists of the younger generation. She was raised in Clear Lake, heard her calling as a jazz drummer at a concert by the Sun Ra Arkestra, and studied under the great Milford Graves. She is a mesmerizing player–her rich sounds vary from hypnotic polyrhythm to a thunderous maelstrom. She is both highly sensitive & fiercely assertive. Tickets $20 ($10 students/seniors, $15 members). Presented by DiverseWorks at 8 pm @ Hamman Hall on the Rice University campus, Rice Blvd., entrance 14. For 24-hr. reservations: 713/335-3445.

12 (Thu.)

A Child Is Waiting. Family to Family Adoption Services, a licensed nonprofit adoption agency, is dedicated to find loving homes for thousands of orphans. They are sponsoring a free workshop for prospective adoptive parents seeking more info about adopting children from the U.S., China, Russia, Bulgaria, Guatemala, Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru, Honduras, Colombia, Vietnam, Korea, & India. Single men & women and couples from 25 to 65 years old are eligible to adopt. A free info packet will be given to each person. 6:30—8:30 pm in the board room @ Bellaire Hospital, 5314 Dashwood. More info: 713/249-5941.

12 (Thu.)

ComedySportz-Houston’s Healing With Humor Match will benefit the SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) Alliance Greater Houston chapter. 7:30 pm @ Lambert Hall, 1703 Heights Blvd. at 17th St. Admission is $10 with all proceeds going to SIDS Alliance and reservations are recommended. Reservations/more info: 713/680-0713.

14 (Sat.)

Painting Easter Eggs. DiverseWorks will be at Whole Foods to help take part in CommUNITY Giving Day. Bring the kids to meet the Easter bunny and paint eggs. Local artists (including Jama Shelton) will be on hand to help kids create that "perfect" Easter egg. Whole Foods will donate a percentage of the store’s net profit of the day to DiverseWorks. 10 am—4 pm @ Whole Foods on Kirby. More info: 713/223-8346 or www.diverseworks.org.

14 (Sat.)

Thai New Year Party! Join Asians & Friends Houston (A&FH) in celebrating the new year at 7:30 pm. A&FH is a nonprofit social group for gay & lesbian Asians and anyone interested in furthering their understanding of the gay and lesbian cultures of Asia. For location or for more information: 713/626-6300 or www.AsiansAndFriendsHouston.com.

14 (Sat.)

Jungle IX. Join the members of Bayou City Boys Club as they present their annual Easter weekend. Tickets are $40 advance; $50 door; and $25 student (available at the door only and must be 21 or over with a valid student ID). Tickets are available online at www.bayoucityboysclub.org or in advance at Basic Brothers and on the day of the event at Lobo Bookstore. The new venue is the Space City Entertainment Center at 3301 Polk. Beneficiaries are the Arrow Project, WAM Foundation, Kolbe Foundation, Assistance Fund, Buyers Club Inc., and Center for AIDS.

16 & 17 (Mon. & Tue.)

Stefon Harris Quartet. Vibraphonist & composer Stefon Harris has been heralded as "one of the most important young artists in jazz" by The Los Angeles Times. 7:30 pm @ the Menil Collection, 1500 Sul Ross. Tickets ($25) are available by contacting Da Camera Music Center, 1427 Branard, at 713/524-5050.

20—22 (Fri.—Sun.)

The Joffrey Ballet of Chicago performs two works by company co-founder Gerald Arpino: Viva Vivaldi and Secret Places; Antony Tudor’s Lilac Garden; and Laura Dean’s Creative Force. Presented by Society for the Performing Arts at 8 pm @ Jones Hall, 615 Louisiana. Tickets ($15-$50) available by calling 713/227-4SPA (4772) or at Ticketmaster outlets.

21 (Sat.)

A/V Geeks Rides Again. Skip Elsheimer, founding geek of Raleight, North Carolina’s A/V Geeks, returns to Aurora Picture Show with more fabulously bizarre educational & training films from his 8500+ film collection. 9 pm on Sat., 3 pm on Sun. @ Aurora Picture Show, 800 Aurora (which crosses the 6500 block of N. Main), 713/868-2101 or www.aurorapictureshow.org.

21 (Sat.)

Out of Depression. Here’s a class that will define the emotional & physical factors of depression, determine your potential vulnerability to depression, identify causes, and focus on healthy choices & effective coping skills for management of depression. 10 am—noon; $25. Registration: 713/529-4414. Info: Denise O’Doherty at 713/524-952.

21 & 22 (Sat. & Sun.)

Houston Masterworks Chorus marks its first concert with Craig Hella Johnson as music director, with two performances of Bach’s St. Matthew Passion. 7:30 pm on Sat., 7 pm on Sun. @ Grace Presbyterian Church, 10221 Ella Lee. Tickets ($25) are available by calling 713/529-8900.

22 (Sun.)

Share Our Strength’s Taste of the Nation is a gala afternoon of wine & food tastings from Houston’s best restaurants, caterers, & chefs. Seventy percent of funds raised go to agencies located in Houston (The End Hunger Network & The Houston Food Bank). Ten percent goes to rural area agencies within Texas. Three percent go to national and 17 percent to international hunger relief agencies. One hundred percent of the revenue from all ticket & table sales is distributed to hunger relief agencies. $65 per person, $100 Host Committee ticket. Tables are $1,250, $2,500, & $5,000. Sponsorships begin at $5,000. The event takes place from 4—7 pm on the Meadow at The Houstonian Hotel Club & Spa, 111 N. Post Oak Lane. Tickets/info: 713/547-8624.

22 & 29 (Suns.)

Several Dancers Core presents Fieldwork Showcase, showing new work produced out of a 10-week Fieldwork workshop. April 22 at 7 pm @ Rebecca Lodge, 1404 Allston in the Heights. Tickets are $5 and are available at the door. The following Sunday, April 29, at 4 pm, CORE Performance Company presents an evening of mixed repertory to be performed at the Multicultural Education and Counseling through the Arts (MECA), 1900 Kane St. This event is free and open to the public. More info: 713/862-5530.

24 & 25 (Tue. & Wed.)

Fiesta Frenzy. It’s Fiesta time in San Antonio, so if you’re in the River City on either of these two days, be sure to check out "Fiesta Frenzy," a madcap review consisting of musical & dance numbers, female impersonations, and lesbian & gay stand-up comedy performers. 8 pm @ RiverCenter Comedy Club, 849 East Commerce, 210/299-1420. More info: San Antonio Gay & Lesbian Community Center at 210/732-4300.

27—29 (Fri.—Sun.)

Fine Arts at Fire Station. What’s your inclination? Artistically speaking, that is. Whatever it is, there should be something to your liking at this Fine Arts Home Show. The artists included in this year’s spring show are: Jo Alcalde/Leslie Ravey (furniture), Marisa DeLeon (tile art), Ann Feldmeir (pottery), Eugene Fitzwater (wood), Michael Gilbert (metal sculpture), Sue Hains (leather), Kip Holms (photography), Emily Kiewel (pottery), Debbie Little-Wilson (mixed media), Benito and Doris Loera (mesquite & cedar wood), Glenn Lyles (oil paintings), Gloria Marie (mixed media), Kiki Neumann (reclaimed wood), Virginia Oehike (batik), Maxine Price (painting), and Margaret Sanchez (pottery). • Where: Heights Fire Station Community Center, 12th @ Yale in the Heights, 713/868-3988. • When: Fri., Apr. 27 (preview and reception, 6—9 p.m.); Sat., Apr. 28 (10 a.m.—6 p.m.); Sun., Apr. 29 (noon—5 p.m.). • Cost: No admission charge.

27—29 (Fri.—Sun.)

Reel Pop at the Museum of Fine Arts is presented in conjunction with Pop Art: U.S./U.K. Connection currently on view at the Menil Collection. • Fri., Apr. 27, 7:30 pm: Happenings: One and Two is a documentation of two of Pop artist Claes Oldenburg’s series of "Happenings," held in a store on East Second St. in 1962 New York. This film will be followed by the short Pat’s Birthday, which spends a day in the country with Oldenburg & the Ray Gun Theatre Players. • Fri., Apr. 27, 8:30 pm & Sat., Apr. 28, 9:30 pm: Suits: Clothes Make the Man is an entertaining travelogue from the unique perspective of Houston’s own Art Guys: Michael Galbreth & Jack Massing. The two cross the U.S. wearing Todd Oldham suits covered in advertising logos. Transforming commercial culture into a year of wearable performance art, the "Suits Project" connects directly to the Pop Art sensibility. The Art Guys will attend the screening & introduce the film. • Sat., Apr. 28, 7:30 pm & Sun., Apr. 29, 7 pm: Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? was recently selected for the Library of Congress’s 2000 National Film Registry. Tony Randall plays Rockwell Hunter, an ad executive who hires a voluptuous movie star, played by Jayne Mansfield, to promote Stay-Put Lipstick ("For those oh-so-kissable lips!"). • Tickets $5 (MFAH members, seniors, students $4). Films are screened in the Brown Auditorium in the museum’s Caroline Wiess Bldg., 1001 Bissonnet. For more info: 713/639-7515 or www.mfah.org. Please note that "Reel Pop" continues into May: Michelangelo Antonioni’s Blow-Up plays May 5 (7:30 pm) & 6 (7 pm); Kenneth Anger’s & Bruce Conner’s films are featured in "Shorts of the Sixties" on May 5 (9:30 pm); and Lana Jokel’s Andy Warhol hits the screen on May 6 (6 pm).

28 (Sat.)

Liz Lerman Dance Exchange. With guest artists from our city alongside Lerman’s multi-talented dancers, Society for the Performing Arts has commissioned Houston’s own "In Praise of Family Legends" combining dance, music, & words to celebrate the spirit, strength, & vibrancy of our important family histories. 8 pm @ Wortham Center’s Cullen Theater. Tickets ($22-$32) available by calling 713/227-4SPA (4772) or at Ticketmaster outlets.

28 (Sat.)

Bering Spring Festival. Activities include a pancake breakfast ($5), a rummage sale, silent auction, children’s carnival, and health fair. 7 am—2 pm @ Bering Memorial United Methodist Church, 1440 Harold. For more info: 713/526-1017.

28 (Sat.)

Art Car Parade. Over 250 creations roll along the streets of downtown Houston celebrating the freewheeling spirit of creativity. A fun-filled spectacle for all ages, the annual parade lifts off at 11:30 am @ Allen Parkway at Taft. For more info: 713/926-CARS.

28 (Sat.)

Galveston Gazing. International Kite Fest–View power parachutes, kite surfing, & kite demonstrations by internationally-known aerial kite performers. 10 am—6 pm @ East Beach. $5 per car. More info: 409/766-7774 or 409/762-3930. Galveston Artwalk, which is held every six weeks, is an evening (6—9 pm) of the visual arts in historic downtown Galveston. It’s free & open to the public, and the trolley will provide free transportation during opening. More info: 409/763-2403.

28 (Sat.)

Marilyn Horne. The mezzo-soprano is one of America’s most accomplished artists and has been called "the Star Spangled Singer" and "the Heifetz of singers." She has celebrated 26 years as a leading lady of the Metropolitan Opera and was recently honored for her 39 seasons with the San Francisco Opera. This program will include works by Copland, Gershwin, & Stephen Foster, and Broadway hits. 8 pm @ Jones Hall, 615 Louisiana. Tickets ($30—$70) are available in person at Jones Hall, by phone at 713/224-7575, or online at www.houstonsymphony.org.

PLANNING AHEAD

May 2 (Wed.)

A Little Day Music. Da Camera’s free lunchtime performance series features the Gotham String Quartet. Named one of the "ensembles of the future" by Chamber Music Magazine, the quartet is currently participating in the graduate program in ensemble music at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music. Noon in the Grand Foyer of Wortham Theater Center, Texas at Smith. Info: 713/524-7601, ext. 15.

May 4—6 (Fri.—Sun.)

Village Fair/Music Festival. A League City tradition for 47 years, this three-day hometown event features a barbecue cookoff, carnival rides, live auctions, & entertainment. Walter Hall Park on Highway 3 in League City. For ticket/event schedule information, visit www.lcvillagefair.com.

May 5 (Sat.)

Lift for Life. In a united effort to raise funds for Camp Hope (a project of AIDS Foundation Houston), fitness trainers & their clients will come together in this 1st annual event. This fundraiser provides clients the opportunity to train their fitness instructors while raising funds for Camp Hope’s children who are infected with HIV/AIDS. 2—5 pm @ Healthspan, 1111 West Loop South. If you would like to participate in this event, contact Ken Belveal at 713/862-6371 or e-mail at kbelveal@houston.rr.com.

May 5 (Sat.)

Houston Arts. This free outdoor event features talented visual & performing artists in a celebration of Houston’s vibrant multicultural art scene. Included: original artwork, interactive demonstrations, exhibits, and live musical & dance performances. 10 am—6 pm @ Uptown Park on Post Oak Blvd. & Loop 610. Info: 713/297-6282 or www.uptownparkhouston.com.

May 5 (Sat.)

Celebrating Patronage. Throughout history, the generosity of patrons–from Beethoven’s beloved Archduke Rudolph to the legendary American patronesses Jeanette Thurber & Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge–has transformed the cultural landscape. Da Camera closes the season with Dvorak’s "American" Quartet, Beethoven’s "Archduke Trio," and the String Quartet in B Minor by Sergei Prokofiev–three chamber music masterpieces that would not exist without the patrons who commissioned them. 8 pm @ Wortham Center’s Cullen Theater. Tickets ($22—$33) are available by contacting Da Camera Music Center at 713/524-5050 or online at www.ticketmaster.com.l

May 18—20 (Fri.—Sun.)

The Desert Hearts Women’s Festival is a gathering of women in nature celebrating who they are as women of pride. This 10th women’s festival takes place on a secluded, wooded ranch in the scenic Texas Hill Country, 50 miles NW of San Antonio. Choose your sight in the woods, along the creek, or on the sunny ridge. Camping, comedy, and live music will keep you busy, plus daytime fun and games and the market place for shopping. Come alone or bring a gang. Tickets may be purchased by personal check, or MC or VISA. Early purchases really help the festival: $55 if order is postmarked by Apr. 15; $65 if postmarked by May 15 (credit card or money order if postmarked after May 1!); $75 cash at the gate. Tickets will be mailed to you along with camping hints & a map. Adult women only. Sorry, no children or pets allowed. For more info or to make special arrangements if arriving before noon or after 8 pm on Fri.: 830/796-7001 or 830/796-7446. E-mail: beaux2@indian-creek.net. Mail checks to: DHWF, 10101 Hwy173 N, Bandera, TX 78003.

May 24—June 7

Houston’s Annual Gay & Lesbian Film Festival. At press time Hedwig & the Angry Itch, which will not be commercially released in Houston until July, was scheduled to play at the MFAH on May 24; the festival was scheduled to coordinate this screening with their opening gala on May 25. Paragraph 175 will be screened three times! And though we haven’t seen these films, the titles appear very interesting: Gaea Girls, Vampire Lovers, Live Nude Girls Unite!, and Forever Bottom. Info: www.hglff.org, and pick up OutSmart’s May issue.

PERFORMING ARTS

) The American Plan. In the summer of 1960, a troubled young girl’s dreams of love are shattered by her mother’s definition of happiness. $20 Friday & Saturday, $15 Sunday. Apr. 2—30 @ The Little Room Downstairs Theater, 2326 Bissonnet, 713/522-5737.

) All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten is a play with music based on the book by Robert Fulgham. Six actors play numerous young & old characters in a series of charming vignettes. It is a play about finding the extraordinary in the ordinary. Through Apr. 28 @ The Company Onstage, 536 Westbury Square. Tickets $12. Info: 713/726-1219.

) The Baltimore Waltz centers around Anna, an unmarried schoolteacher diagnosed with ATD (Acquired Toilet Disease), a fatal malady with a high-risk factor for elementary schoolteachers. Tickets $14 (students/seniors $10). Through Apr. 28 @ Actors Theatre of Houston, 2506 South Boulevard, 713/529-6606.

) Bed, Boys and Beyond is a musical revue that explores the confusing, poignant, & often hilarious lives of five men searching for love & acceptance while facing the challenges of being gay in today’s society. 8 pm, Apr. 6—May 26 @ Theatre New West, 1415 California (on ground floor of Sonoma Restaurant bldg.). Tickets $20. Reservations: 713/394-0464. Info: 713/522-2204.

) Chesapeake. One man goes chewing after a senator’s ass. Tickets $20 & $22. Through Apr. 22 @ Theater LaB, 1706 Alamo. More info: 713/868-7516.

) The Civil War. Grammy Award-winning country music singer Larry Gatlin stars in this sweeping musical of love & life, inspired by the passion & turmoil of the men & women who defined a nation. Tickets ($30—$55) are available at all Ticketmaster locations & online at www.ticketmaster.com, or at 713/629-3700.Presented by Society for the Performing Arts, Apr. 10—15 @ Jones Hall, 615 Louisiana.

) Dinner with Friends. Two 40-something couples & long-time friends who expect "to grow old & fat together, the four of us," are jolted by the news that one couple plans to divorce. Through Apr. 6—May 5 @ the Alley Theatre, 615 Texas Ave. Tickets are $32—$49 (previews $19—$35) and can be purchased at the box office or by calling 713/228-8421.

) Eating Crow is a comedy about a young man who sets out to reverse his fortune through flattery. Tickets $20 & $25. Apr. 19—May 19 @ Main Street Theater in Rice Village, 2540 Times Blvd. Reservations/more info: 713/524-6706.

) Home. Samm-Art Williams, the creator of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Frank’s Place, once again masters the art of winning an audience with laughter & tears. This simple & endearing story affirms that home is both a place & a state of being. Many will identify with the central character’s search for fulfillment, acceptance, & love, only to discover that and more in the South, when he returns "home." Through Apr. 24 @ The Ensemble Theatre, 3535 Main Street. Ticket prices/more info: 713/520-0055.

) Houston Grand Opera (HGO). Verdi’s monumental music drama Don Carlo, though set in 16th-century Spain & France during the time of the Inquisition, explores a myriad of conflicts that are as relevant today as they ever were–church vs. state, parent vs. child, lover vs. rival, Catholic vs. Protestant, liberal idealism vs. established authority. Apr. 20—May 5. • Daniel Catán’s Florencia en el Amazonas details the journey of the legendary diva Florencia Grimaldi & her fellow passengers on a boat ride down the Amazon. Apr. 28—May 13. • Both operas @ Wortham Center’s Brown Theater, Texas at Smith. Tickets ($22—$200) are available by phone at 713/227-ARTS, in person at the Wortham Ticket Center (in the Wortham lobby), or online at www.houstongrandopera.org.

) Lou Tells a Big One is another original comedy featuring the "Single Fertle Family" from Dumpster, Texas. Uncle Al is opening a new Honky Tonk, Bridgette Fertle is about to reaveal the actual father of her baby, someone in town has won $85 million in the lottery, & Lou has lied his way into a mess that just might cost him everything. Through May 5 @ Radio Music Theatre, 2623 Colquitt. Admission is $15, and reservations are required. 713/522-7722.

) The Mauist. Bobbindoctrin Puppet Theater’s new work is a full-length puppet play. The story involves a small native community on a fictional South Pacific island. The plot consists of the trickster god Maui, a volcano, a radical American splinter of the Protestant Church, and the vast confidence that is Western colonialism. Through May 6 @ DiverseWorks, 1117 East Freeway. 24-hour ticket line: 713/355-3445.

) Picnic. William Inge’s Pulitzer Prize-winning romantic drama/comedy plays Apr. 27—May 13 @ Galveston’s Strand Theatre, 2317 Ships Mechanic Row. For more info, call 409/763-4591 or 877-STRAND9 or visit www.galveston.com/strandtheatre.

) Red, White & Tuna. Superstars Joe Sears & Jaston Williams invite you to join them again for another satirical ride into the hearts & minds of the polyester-clad citizens of Tuna, Texas’ third-smallest town. Tickets $11—$48. Apr. 10—15 @ Galveston’s Grand 1894 Opera House, 2020 Postoffice, 800/821-1894.

) Steel DRAGnolias (aka Steel Magnolias). Talk about a twist! Everybody's favorite six Southern belles grace Ashland St. Theatre Co.'s stage in this hysterical & famous play by Robert Harling. These "ladies" proclaim their strength through love, laughter, tears, high-heels, big hair, and testosterone! Theater like you've never seen it before! 11 pm, Fridays & Saturdays, through Apr. 14. Tickets $12, with discounts for students/seniors. Special rates for season tickets & groups of 8 or more. Ashland St. Theatre Co., 2610 Ashland St. in the Heights. Reservations/info: 713-426-3019.

PERFORMING ARTS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

) The Clown That Ran Away. Take a magical journey with Dodo, the runaway clown, as he searches for new experiences. He finds them at Frumpkin’s Doll Shop, which has the world’s finest & wackiest dolls loved by both girls & boys. Saturdays at 11 am & 1:30 pm, through April 28 @ The Company Onstage, 536 Westbury Square. Tickets $6. Info: 713/726-1219.

) Noonie’s Masterpiece in Purple. A little girl learns the value of her own creativity when the painters Picasso, van Gogh, & O’Keefe encourage her to trust her talent and participate in a school art contest. For kindergarten—6th grade. Tickets $8. Through Apr. 21 @ Stages Repertory Theatre, Allen Parkway at Waugh Drive, 713/52-STAGE.

) The Wave is based on real-life events in a Palo Alto, California, high school in 1969 and the fascist movement that disrupted an entire community. Through Apr. 12 @ Main Street Theater’s Chelsea Market location, 4617 Montrose. Recommended for 6th—12th grades & their families. Tickets are $9.50 (adults) & $7.50 (children, students, seniors). Reservations/info: 713/524-6706.

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 @ DiverseWorks, 1117 East Freeway, 713/223-8346.

) Drawings in Space. New York-based Sharon Louden is paired with Chicago-based Kathleen McCarthy in an exhibition sure to heighten the senses. Both artists create three-dimensional installations, doubling as spatial line drawings that shift & change in compelling ways. Louden’s concentration on gesture & form places figures within a frame or specific space. McCarthy deconstructs space in ways that are at once highly intricate & pristinely minimal. Through Apr. 21 @ Diverse-Works, 1117 East Freeway, 713/223-8346.

) Face to Face is the theme of the Watercolor Art Society of Houston’s (WASH) membership show, which can be viewed 10 am—3 pm, Tuesdays—Fridays, Apr. 3—27. The public is invited at no charge. The gallery is located at 1601 West Alabama. For more info: 713/942-9966.

) 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 is scheduled to hang around till the spring at the Houston Lesbian & Gay Community Center, 803 Hawthorne, 713/524-3818.