WEST SIDE STORY
I like to be in America at Houston’s Museum of Fine Arts

Rival gang leaders Richard Beymer (top) and Russ Tamblyn (bottom) … uh, fight it out.

WEST SIDE STORY could be titled GAY SIDE STORY ... if you dig deep enough. First, Leonard Bernstein wrote the songs; though the now-deceased composer never yelled "I’M GAY," his homosexuality has been widely discussed. Second, choreographer Jerome Robbins died without ever discussing his homosexuality. Third, lyricist Stephen Sondheim doesn’t really discuss his homosexualtiy, but it was made obvious in his biography. Fourth, writer Arthur Laurents is gay. Fifth, actress Rita Moreno was one of the first celebrities to do a benefit for AIDS, and she performed on the first RSVP gay cruise with a show (when asked in the February issue of OutSmart if she would kiss a woman for a role, she said, "Of course I would!"). Sixth, let’s go ahead and mention that rumor about Natalie Wood’s husband Robert Wagner (allegedly bisexual) and the fact that Wood seriously dated gay actor Raymond Burr. Seventh, just take a look at that photograph! • Now, forget about all the "gay" stuff ... West Side Story is just a damned good film. The 1961 musical stars Wood, Richard Beymer, Moreno, George Chakiris, and Russ Tamblyn, and it takes place in the late 1950s in the Upper West Side of New York City, with street gangs, racial strife, inner-city problems, juvenile delinquency ... sounds like 2001. Bernstein’s songs are amazing, and Robbins’s choreography is exceptional. West Side Story won 10 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director (Robert Wise and Robbins), Best Supporting Actress (Moreno), and Best Supporting Actor (Chakiris). • 7 p.m., Sat. & Sun., Dec. 15 & 16 in the Museum of Fine Arts’ Brown Auditorium, 1001 Bissonnet. Tickets $5 (students/seniors/members $4). For more information: 713/630-7515 or www.mfah.org. –Blase DiStefano

THE BLUE ANGEL
Marlene Diectich can’t help falling in love again at Rice Cinema

Marlene Dietrich (with top hat) as Lola Lola and to her right is Rosa Valetti as Guste.s

MARLENE DIETRICH ignites the silver screen with her sultry performance as Lola Lola, the star attraction at The Blue Angel, a seedy nightclub in a small German port town. Confiscating from his rowdy students a postcard featuring the famed cabaret singer, Professor Rath (Emil Jannings) visits The Blue Angel to scold Lola for debasing the morals of his young male students. However, the professor soon finds himself helplessly in love with the sadistic temptress, resulting in a scandal that leaves him unemployed. Marrying Lola and becoming a performer in her traveling troupe, Rath is forced to play the clown, a painful reminder of his relationship with Lola. When an opportunity arises for the troupe to return to The Blue Angel, the former professor is forced to go onstage with Lola where he is humiliated by his former students and townsmen. • Featuring Dietrich's famed German version of "Falling in Love Again," The Blue Angel single-handedly launched the careers of Dietrich and director Josef von Sternberg, resulting in a mutually productive partnership that would yield a total of six mesmerizing productions. • Rice Cinema presents this exclusive Houston engagement of the Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau Stiftung's newly remastered director's cut struck from the original negative material. Also included is Dietrich's screen test for the role that would make her a star. (The Blue Angel [Der Blaue Engel]: 1930; 106 min.; BW; Germany, in German with English subtitles.) • 7 & 9:15 p.m., Wed.-Sun., Dec. 12-16 at Rice Cinema (University Blvd. @ Stockton). Tickets are $5 (students/seniors $4). For more information: 713/348-4853 or www.ruf.rice.edu/~cinema. –Kristian Salinas

DECEMBER CALENDAR

3, 10, 17 (Mon.)

Ab Fab. At press time, the last three of the six new episodes of Absolutely Fabulous were scheduled to air on the first three Mondays of this month at 8 pm on Comedy Central. Repeats were scheduled to air on Saturdays at 2 pm (the 8th, 15th, & 22nd). For more info: www.comedycentral.com.

5 (Wed.)

Free Pap Tests. Planned Parenthood of Houston and Southeast Texas is giving free pap tests for cervical cancer at its 10 clinics. All women are welcome and encouraged to make an appointment by calling 713/831-6540.

5, 12, 19, 26 (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 2-5 pm on the 12th in Conroe at Northwoods AIDS Coalition, 1414 South Frazier, Ste. 106. Info: 936/441-1614.

9 (Sun.)

Anniversary Party. Bocados Restaurant is gearing up with a fresh new look for its 4-year anniversary party & benefit for the Sept. 11 disaster fund. All are invited to attend this annual event held at Bocados, 1312 W. Alabama. For time/more info: 713/523-5230.

11 (Tue.)

Deadline. Today is the deadline for your OutSmart Calendar submissions for our January issue. You can fax them by dialing 713/522-3275 or e-mail them to calendar@outsmartmagazine.com.

13 (Thu.)

Family to Family Adoption, a nonprofit licensed agency, is offering free seminars on adopting a child in less than a year. They currently have programs in the U.S., China, Vietnam, Russia, Bulgaria, Guatemala, & other countries. They work with single men, women, & couples 25-65 years of age. Everyone will be given a free info package. 6:30-8:30 pm @ Bellaire
Medical Center (boardroom), 5314 Dashwood. Info: 281/342-4042.

HOLIDAY EVENTS IN DECEMBER

HOLIDAY THEATER

• All About Christmas Eve. Is Santa's new helper Yves a helpful North Pole groupie or a conniving upstart? Close-harmony ensemble Quoz presents the new one-act musical. Songs include "I Wish Your Inner Child Would Grow Up." 8 pm, December 18-20, @ Theatre New West, 1415 California. Tickets are $15. Reservations: 713-394-0464.

• Black Nativity by Langson Hughes. The power of this holiday classic is two stories fueled by glorious gospel music and dance. The first story, set in Bethlehem, recreates the splendor of the first Nativity and birth of Christ. The second story is set today in Harlem, New York, where the congregation gathers for an eventful Christmas Eve service at the Harlem River Drive Full-Gospel Church. There deacons, elders, young professionals, the faithful and old, and young at heart drawn by the light of Christmas move audiences to laugh, shout, and make a joyful noise. Through December 30 @ The Ensemble Theatre, 3535 Main St., 713/520-0055.

• A Christmas Carol. This ambitious production incorporates projections & other contemporary techniques to create the nightmarish dream world that Dickens originally described in 1843. Through December 30 @ the Alley Theatre, 615 Texas Ave. Tickets to preview performances before Dec. 11 are $37-$50; tickets to performances on or after Dec. 11 are $39-$54. Tickets can be purchased at the Alley Theatre box office or online at www.alleytheatre.org, or by calling 713/228-8421.

• A Christmas Memory is Truman Capote’s heartwarming tale of the love between a young boy and his elderly "Aunt Sook," played by Bettye Fitzpatrick (who graced OutSmart’s September 1997 cover). Tickets are $7. December 7-22 (all performances are at 12:15 or 1:30 pm–there are no evening performances) @ Christ Church Cathedral’s Latham Auditorium, 1117 Texas Ave. (parking available in the Alright lot across San Jacinto from the cathedral). Reservations: 713/222-2593, ext. 335.

• The Christmas Show. Described by the Houston Press as "the funniest punk performance-art band ever to emerge from the underground art scene’s primordial gatherings." Slump (Keith Reynolds and Cathy Power) has created an outrageous new work just in time for the holidays. DiverseWorks’ stage will be transformed into a demented North Pole complete with elf monkey/sweat shop laborers, colossal paintings of a drunk Frosty the Snowman, and perverted reindeer. This show will "bring joy into people’s hearts. It is a celebration, a great work of art, and a therapy session all wrapped into one," says Slump. Adults only. 9 pm, Fri. & Sat., December 7 & 8, at DiverseWorks, 1117 East Freeway. Tickets $12 (members $10, students/seniors $8). 24-hour reservations: 713/335-3445.

• A Fertle Holiday chronicles the Fertle family’s trouble-ridden reunion as they attempt to entertain their rich relatives from San Diego. It doesn’t help that the Fertle family lives in Dumpster, Texas. Suitable for all ages. Thursdays & Fridays at 8:30 pm, Saturdays at 8 & 10:30 pm, through January 12 @ Radio Music Theatre, 2623 Colquitt. Desserts, munchies, champagnes, wines, beers, cappuccino, & soft drinks are available for purchase throughout the show. Admission is $16, reservations are required, & tickets must be purchased in advance at the theater or by calling the box office at 713/522-7722.

• Merry Christmas, Stregna Nona. It’s Christmastime in Italy, and Stregna Nona wants to prepare her annual Christmas feast. But her young apprentice Bambalona needs to return to the village the help her father run the local bakery. Never fear, Big Anthony is available! As the weeks pass, Big Anthony’s clumliness threatens to ruin all the plans. If Stregna Nona refuses to use her magic pasta pot during Christmas, there will be not be food for the feast. Find out how Big Anthony saves the day in this poignant, musical holiday treat. Recommended for pre-kindergarten through 4th grade. Main Street Theater at Chelsea Market, 4617 Montrose Blvd. For more info on family performances (December 1, 8, & 15): 713/524-6706. Info on school bookings (through December 20): 713/524-7998. More info: www.mainstreet theater.com

• Rudolph Rides Again. Santa has left Mrs. Santa’s favorite elf, Alvin, in Houston on Christmas Eve. Elvis, Santa’s tallest elf, suggests that Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer come out (no, that kind of coming out) of retirement & make the trip to find his missing friend. Join Elvis & Rudolph as they search for Alvin and meet up with silly burglars. 11 am & 1:30 pm on Saturdays, through January 5, 2002, @ The Company Onstage, 536 Westbury Square. Tickets are $6. Reservations recommended: 713/726-1219.

• The Toys That Take Over Christmas. For the 5th season, EarlyStages presents this play that celebrates the joy of human kindness and the comfort of love & affection. It’s the story of Sunny, a rag doll that is transformed into a walking, talking, life-sized doll after the toymaker sprinkles her with magic dust. She meets and becomes friends with the other toys in the shop: a fashion doll, a French clown, and two soldiers. Director Chesley Krohn says of Toys, "For years audiences have valued this play as a reminder that although intolerance & impatience sometimes challenge our capacity for kindness & understanding, love & compassion win in the end." Through December 22 at Stages Repertory Theatre, 3201 Allen Parkway. The play has been so popular that Stages is offering evening performances for the first time. Tickets are $8. More information/reservations: 713/527-0123; www.stagestheatre.com.

• A Tuna Christmas. Your holiday season couldn’t possibly be complete without Tuna. Celebrating their 12th anniversary in Galveston, A Tuna Christmas returns this year for eight perfomances. This laugh-filled special is best described as "a longhorn version of The Night Before Christmas." It stars original cast members and Tony nominee, Joe Sears, and Jaston Williams, who portray all 24 denizens of Texas’ third-smallest town "where the Lion’s Club is too liberal and Patsy Cline never dies." Tuna is no turkey! Tickets range from $11-$48 (and worth every penny). December 11-16, Tues.-Fri. evenings at 8 pm; Sat. at 2 & 8 pm; and Sun. at 2 & 7 pm, at Galveston’s Grand 1894 Opera House, 2020 Postoffice, 409/765-1894; www.thegrand.com.

HOLIDAY DANCE

• Houston Ballet. Return to the magical state of wonder you experienced as a child with this production of The Nutcracker. Set in 19th-century Germany, the ballet opens at a Christmas party where the mysterious magician Dr. Drosselmeyer gives his niece a magical toy that takes her on an unforgettable journey. Tickets are $11.50-$76.50. Through December 30 @ the Wortham Theater Center, Texas at Smith streets.

HOLIDAY MUSIC

• Cowboy Christmas. Turn back the clock to the wild west days and enjoy an encore performance of Cowboy Christmas with Michael Martin Murphey ("Wildfire" and "Geronimo’s Cadillac"), who will again perform cowboy poetry, western songs, & other holiday hoedown jams, all mixed with his cracker-barrel ideas & homespun humor. On Saturday, December 8, Murphey performs at 8 pm in Wortham Center’s Cullen Theater. Tickets range from $10-$35; charge by phone at 713/629-3700 or purchase tickets online at www.spahouston.org. Murphey also appears in Galveston on Saturday, December 22. Tickets range from $14.50-$55. 8 pm @ Galveston’s Grand 1894 Opera House, 2020 Postoffice, 409/765-1894. Info: www.thegrand.com.

• Early Christmas. This baroque music on period instruments includes Christmas carols by various composers from England, France, Germany, and Nouvelle France; Michel Corrette’s Symphonie de Noel #4 in d minor; and Alessandro Scarlatti’s O di Betlemme altera. Friday, December 14, at 8 pm @ Virginia Stuller Tatham Fine Arts Center, St. John’s School, 2401 Claremont Lane. Tickets/info: 713/498-4853, e-mail Mercury@houston.rr.com; www.MercuryBaroqueEnsemble.org.

• Jubilation. It’s the Gay Men’s Chorus of Houston’s (GMCH) annual holiday concert with special guest Annalee Jefferies of the Alley Theatre. Soar with Randol Bass’s Gloria, revel in the hilarious "What-If Carols," & indulge in a bit of nostalgia with "A Cup of Christmas Tea." This show shines with songs of light & traditional carols with an audience sing-along. Tickets at the door are $18 ($15 in advance from members; through Box Office Tickets at www.boxofficetickets.com or 800/494-8497; or at the GMCH website at www.gmch.org). December 8, 9, & 11. Sat. at 8 pm, Sun. at 3 pm, & Tue. at 8 pm @ Bering Memorial United Methodist Church, 1440 Harold. Info: 713/521-SING (7464), option 2; e-mail: tickets@gmch.org; website: www.gmch.org; mail: GMCH, P.O. Box 541004, Houston 77254-1004.

• A Very Merry Pops. Now a Houston holiday tradition, Michael Krajewski (Houston Symphony principal pops conductor) celebrates the season with a new program filled with holiday fun, including the spirited holiday sing-along and the cheerful tale of The Night Before Christmas narrated by Houston’s own Steve Smith. Thurs. & Sat., Dec. 13 & 15, at 8 pm, and Sunday, December 16, at 7:30 pm. Tickets ($22-$76) are available at all Ticketmaster outlets or by calling 713/224-7575. Tickets can also be purchased online at www.houstonsymphony.com.

HOLIDAY SPIRITUAL

• Follow the Star is the Christmas musical at 9 and 11 am on Sunday, December 9, and at 4 pm on Sunday, December 16. • Monday, December 24, brings the Christmas Eve services at 6:30 pm (directed to children and families), 8:30 pm, and 10:30 pm. • Resurrection MCC, 2025 W. 11th, 713/861-9149; www.resurrectionmcc.org.

• Handel’s Messiah is the concert for the Christmas portion of the service on Sunday, December 9, at 10:50 am. • Christmas Eve Candlelight Services are at 7 and 11 pm on Monday, December 24. • Bering Memorial United Methodist Church, 1440 Harold at Mulberry, 713/526-1017; www.beringumc.org.

• Love Came Down at Christmas will be the special Christmas music on Sunday, December 16, at 9:30 am. • On Monday, December 24, the Christmas Eve service begins at 6 pm. • Covenant Church, 4949 Caroline, 713/668-8830; www.covenanthouston.org.

• Seasonal Changes is an evening of Advent lessons and carols, which will be offered during an informal eucharist service on Sunday, December 16, at 6pm. • "Considering Christmas" includes excerpts from "For the Time Being: A Christmas Oratorio" by W.H. Auden at an informal eucharist service on Sunday, December 30, at 6 pm. • St. Stephen’s is an open, inclusive church welcoming doubters and folks who resonate with the Christian story but can't sign on to a checklist of traditional beliefs. St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, 1805 W. Alabama, 713/528-6665; www.ststephenshouston.org.

• Yule Celebrations begin on Sunday, December 16, at 6 pm with a Yule Feast, in which everyone shares potluck holiday food; 8 pm rings in the Yule Festival, welcoming winter with a revue of seasonal music (while the adults enjoy the Yule Fest, toddlers through teens will be treated to displays of African-American, Jewish, pagan, Buddhist, and Native American holiday traditions); then at 9:30 pm, everyone joins in the Yule Drumming. • On Monday, December 24, at 8 pm is the Christmas Eve Candlelighting. • And on Monday, December 31, at 6 am is the World Peace Meditation, which is an hour of ceremony, prayer, & meditation followed by a continental breakfast. • Creative Life Spiritual Center, 5326 Spring-Stuebner, #200, Spring, Texas, 281/350-5157; www.creativelife.org.

HOLIDAY MISCELLANEOUS

• Bayou Bend Collection and Gardens, the American decorative arts wing of the Museum of Fine Arts, celebrates the yuletide with seasonal decorations. This year’s theme is "A Nation and Its Traditions." Eight rooms on the first floor of Bayou Bend, the former home of Houston philanthropist Ima Hogg, will be decorated to reflect seasonal events. The scenes include Christmas in the 17th century as it was celebrated by French refugees in America, a family party disrupted by an unruly crowd in 18th-century Boston, a card party in 18th-century Virginia, and Thanksgiving as it was observed in George Washington’s day. Philadelphia Hall will reflect the Colonial Revival style of 1930 to 1950 with a 12-foot Christmas tree decorated with 2,000 ornaments. Bayou Bend is located at One Westcott St. in central Houston. Throughout December. Dates, times, admission fees vary. Info: 713/639-7750, www.mfah.org.

• Christmas Tree Show. After this holiday season, a pine tree decorated with colorful ornaments & strings of lights may not be your only idea of a Christmas tree. A group of local artists challenge that conventional image with the works they create from a variety of materials from women’s shoes to plastic buckets to ceramics. They will line Sesquicentennial Park along Buffalo Bayou through New Year’s Day. Info: Buffalo Bayou ArtPark at 713/520-0152.

• Heights Holidays. The 19th Street merchants present their annual holiday bash, "At Home in the Heights for the Holidays." Enjoy food & refreshments, strolling carolers, live bands, horse-drawn carriages, & Santa Claus. 19th Street stores feature fashions for men & women, original works of art, fun & unique gifts, home & loft furnishings, imported elements, & a vast assortment of antiques. 6-10 pm on Friday, December 7. Shops are located on 19th Street between Shepherd & Yale, exit from I-10 or Loop 610.

• Ice-skating Outdoors. Continuing the downtown Houston holiday tradition, the Dynegy IcePlaza has transformed the area in front of the Wortham Theater into a winter wonderland. The rink is open seven days a week, and hours vary through January 6, 2002. It’s located in Houston’s Theater District in the 500 block of Texas Ave., adjacent to the Wortham Center & Sesquicentennial Park, across from Bayou Place. Admission is $7, and skate rental is an additional $2 (tax included). Skating sessions last two hours. More info: 1-800-4-HOUSTON.

PLANNING AHEAD FOR JANUARY

January 11 (Fri.)

Margaret Cho. This past fall, the one and only Cho hit the road with her new comedy concert tour, "The Notorious C.H.O." She describes the material in this show as raw and raunchy. Is that somehow different from her previous show, "I’m the One That I Want"? No matter, we’re gonna be there. The proud recipient of a Lambda Liberty Award, Margaret Cho won the first-ever GLAAD Golden Gate Award for being "an entertainment pioneer who has made a significant difference in promoting equal rights for all, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity." Call Aerial Theater box office or Ticketmaster for tickets ($29- $46.50) or visit www.cc.com. Need more Cho? Visit www.margaretcho.com.

PLANNING WAY AHEAD

November 2-9, 2002 (Sat.-Sat.)

2002 Sydney Gay Games. The Houston Montrose Athletic Association with Mark Hoyer of American Express Travel will be the resource contact for the Houston contingent that will be going to the games. Hoyer has worked out a travel package that includes discounted hotel & flight rates. Visit the 2002 Sydney Gay Games website at www.sydney2002.org.au for more info about the events & registration. For reservations: Mark at 713/365-6266 (reservation cost $210).

PERFORMIING ARTS (DECEMBER)

• Cats. The original production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cats opened at the New London Theatre in the West End in 1981. Eight years later, it celebrated both its birthday & another important milestone: It had become the longest-running musical in the history of the British theater. It is also one of the most successful musicals the world has ever seen and has played to packed houses around the world. See it on its first national tour following its recent record-breaking Broadway run. Dec. 25-30 @ Jones Hall. Tickets ($30-$55) are available at Ticketmaster locations, online at www.ticketmaster.com, or charge by phone at 713/629-3700.

• For Marrieds Only. The historic Strand Theatre in downtown Galveston will return to innocent days of a 1930s honeymoon night, a time when sex was considered "for marrieds only." The comedy is set on a wedding night near the end of the Great Depression when a very proper young bride brings a doctor-prescribed marriage manual to her honeymoon and insists on doing her wedding night "by the book." Texas Theatrical Productions decided to bring the comedy to Galveston as a "Save Our Strand" benefit to help the theater through what has been a difficult financial year. 8 pm, Dec. 21 & 22. Tickets are $20 (adults) & $15 (seniors/students). Reservations/info: the Strand at 409/763-4591.

• Into the Woods is Theatre Under The Stars’ premiere production that offers a fairy tale with a twist. Written by Stephen Sondheim & James Lapine, it intertwines familiar fairy tales with an original story about a baker & his wife. In the first act, the characters set out to achieve their "happily ever after" through familiar routes-Cinderella captures the Prince’s heart at the ball; Jack encounters giants after climbing the beanstalk; Little Red Riding Hood escapes from the wolf; and Rapunzel lets down her hair & escapes with a prince. The baker & his wife move through their stories while pursuing their own goal–ingredients for a magic potion that will remove the curse put on them by the witch next door. Those ingredients are a slipper as pure as gold, which the baker’s wife gets from Cinderella; a cow as white as milk, which is gotten from Jack in exchange for the magic beans; a cape as red as blood, which is gotten from Little Red Riding Hood; and hair as yellow as corn, which they get from Rapunzel. The ingredients are gathered, and the spell works, stripping the witch of her power, but restoring her beauty. At the end of Act I, all characters are poised to live "happily ever after." Act II, however, explores what "happily ever after" really means! December 4-16 @ Arena Theatre, 7326 Southwest Frwy. Tickets ($18-$57), which can be purchased by calling 800-678-5440, are also available at TUTS Tix, 2600 Southwest Frwy, at the Arena box office, or at any Ticketmaster outlet. Tickets can also be bought & printed online using TUTS’ E-Ticket System at www.tuts.com.

• Lilies of the Field. Homer Smith, an ex-GI, takes a drive through the American Southwest searching for purpose. Meanwhile, a group of German-speaking nuns hope to realize their dream of building a chapel. When their lives collide, they discover rewards far greater than they ever thought possible. Tickets are $12 (students/seniors $10). Through Jan. 12, Fridays & Saturdays at 8 pm @ The Company Onstage, 536 Westbury Square, 713/726-1216. Reservations recommended.

• Marriage Can Murder takes place at the wedding of Stephanie & Phil. A scheming lawyer, a hallucinating best man, & a sister fresh from the psycho ward further complicate matters. To say nothing of the dead body on the floor. This Mystery Café production plays @ Prima Pasta restaurant, 2710 Richmond. Reservations are required. For more info: 713/944-CLUE or www.mystery cafehouston.com.

• Romance/Romance. This sophisticated musical celebrates straight courtship, love, & fidelity in two different centuries as lovers discover the timeless truths of romantic relationships. Through Dec. 30 @ Stages Repertory Theatre, 3201 Allen Parkway. Tickets ($32-$42) are available at the Stages box office or by calling 713/527-0123 or at www.stagestheatre.com.

• Saint Nicholas. Sex, vampires, & theater critics ... a jaded Irish theater critic falls for a beautiful young actress in one of the plays he is reviewing. There follows a macabrely funny and chilling story of lust, entrapment, & blood. This play is not a Christmas play and is suggested for mature audiences. Tickets are $22 (Sundays $20). Through Dec. 22 @ Theater LaB Houston, 1706 Alamo (just off the 2100 block of Houston Ave.), 713/868-7516.

• She Loves Me. This unconventional love story tells the tale of a man & woman (coworkers) in a fragrance shop in the 1930s, who each fall in love by correspondence–without knowing that it is to each other. Tickets are $19 (students/seniors $17). Through Dec. 15 @ The Country Playhouse, 12802 Queensbury, 713/467-4497.

RADIO (DECEMBER)

• After Hours. Saturdays, midnight to 3 am. Featuring the QMZ (Queer Music Zone) with Jimmy Carper. KPFT 90.1 FM, 713/526-5738.

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

ART/PHOTOGRAPHY (DECEMBER)

• Curiously Strong. Started in 1998, the Altoids Curiously Strong Collection of contemporary art is a showcase for some of the most talented, emerging visual artists working in America today. The collection, comprised of work in a variety of media including photography, video, mixed media, sculpture, painting, & digital art, represents innovation & risk-taking not often seen in corporate collecting strategies. DiverseWorks rounds out a national tour of this exhibition before the works become a part of the permanent collection of the New Museum of Contemporary Art (New York). Dec. 7-Jan. 5 @ DiverseWorks, 1117 East Freeway. Opening reception: Friday, Dec. 7, 6-8 pm. For more info: 713/335-3445.

• Iggi Green: Dreams of Other Nightmares. Seattle-based artist Iggi Green presents us with a dark collection of meticulously crafted fabric figures that are adorable, charming, & jarringly frightening. Green sculpts her cast of characters our of fur, beads, buttons, taxidermy or cast resin eyes, and antique scraps of fabric sewn tightly over wire armatures. Her figures include grotesque & misshapen human forms, menacing animals & monsters, and animated plants & vegetables which shimmy & shake to melodies provided by music boxes hidden in the work. The hand-sewn quality of Green’s sculpture is intentionally evident, and the overarching social commentary is inescapable. Green’s nightmares come to life in this exhibition that promises to engage, terrify, & ultimately delight. Dec. 7-Jan. 5 @ DiverseWorks, 1117 East Freeway. Opening reception: Friday, Dec. 7, 6-8 pm. More info: 713/335-3445.

• Ikasu, a new installation by Liga Pang, will transform the Rice Gallery with a room-sized sculptural form composed of a delicate mesh fashioned by hand from bamboo twigs. With the assistance of four of her Japanese students, Pang worked full-time over the course of an entire month to painstakingly assemble the fragile curtain of bamboo twigs. To obtain the twigs, Pang & her assistants carefully dismantled over 100 large brooms of the type traditionally used in Japan for sweeping outdoor gardens. Pang’s transformation of dead, brittle bamboo twigs into things of exquisite beauty is embodied in the title of the exhibition, Ikasu, a Japanese word that means "to give life to." The exhibit will be on view through Dec. 9 @ Rice Univeristy Art Gallery (in the main academic quadrangle of the Rice campus). For more info: 713/348-6069 or www.rice.edu/ruag.

• Master Drawings from the Cleveland Museum of Art. The works range in date from the 15th century to 1965, and include especially important works by Italian artists of the 16th century and French artists of the 18th & 19th centuries. Raphael, Michelangelo, Picasso, Matisse ... just to name a few. Through Jan. 6 in the Museum of Fine Arts’ Audrey Jones Beck Building, 5601 Main St. More info: 713/639-7379. TDD/TYY for hearing impaired: 713/639-7390.

• Raw Abstractions are works on canvas from contemporary abstract painter Michelle Y. Williams. The exhibition will run through January @ La Stada Restaurant, 322 Westheimer. There will be an opening reception for Williams at La Strada from 7-11 pm on Wed., Dec. 5.