Eddie Collins and Jerry Lee Leighton co-star as warring brothers in True West at le chat noir.

ALL THE WORLD’S A BAR.Le chat noir, 715 St. Charles Ave., 581-5812. Bill Dykes brings to life four desperate but hilarious characters in a one-person show. Tickets $10. Performances 11 p.m. nightly, through April 27.

THE ALTAR OF DEAD WOMEN. Zeitgeist Multi-Disciplinary Arts Center, 1724 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd., 525-2767. Teatro de la Psychomachia presents Vanessa Skantze’s new solo performance. Tickets $6-$8. Performance 8 p.m. Tuesday.

BLOOD BROTHERS. Carlone’s Dinner Theater, 100 N. Labarre Road, Metairie, 838-9906. Willy Russell’s tale of fraternal twin brothers, parted at birth only to be reunited by fate. Starring Ann Casey, Leslie Giglio, Jonathan Frick and Nic Young. Lunch and dinner included in ticket prices. Tickets $39.50. Performances 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 2:30 p.m. Sunday.

CAMILLE. A.R.K. Theatre, 511 Marigny Street, 944-0771. Theatre troupe Running with Scissors presents this look at Dumas’ 1852 story of Marguerite Gautier, Lady of the Camellias, a hooker who meets a dashing young man who offers to take her away from her current life. Complications ensue with an emotionally charged ending. Starring Flynn De Marco, Veronica Oliver and Jim Jeske. Tickets $12-$15. Performances 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday.

COLD READ. Le chat noir, 715 St. Charles Ave., 581-5812. Readings of scripts and other works. Call to submit scripts. Free admission. 6 p.m. Wednesday.

CIRQUE DE LA CONQUISTA. Contemporary Arts Center, Bank One Theater, 900 Camp St., 528-3800. Tristan Codrescu directs this Mayan Circus drama based on a 16th century ritual drama danced by the Mayan Indians of Highland Guatemala. Music composed by Patrick Mackey and starring Barret O’Brien and Michael Smith. Tickets $6, $10, $12. Performances 8:30 p.m. Friday, 5 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday.

LATE NITE CATECHISM. Le Petit Theatre du Vieux Carré, Directors Studio, 616 St. Peter St., 522-2081. The “Sister” teaches an adult catechism class and alternately rewards and chastises her students. Amanda Hebert stars. Tickets $20 (Thu. & Sun.) and $25 (Fri. & Sat.). Performances 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, 1:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. Sunday. Open run.

MADAMA BUTTERFLY. Mahalia Jackson Theatre of the Performing Arts, 801 South Rampart St., 529-2278. Puccini’s classic tale of a young geisha and her love of an American soldier comes to life with Liping Zhing in the role of Cio-Cio San. Tickets $30 to $100. Performances 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Saturday.

MIMAR. Zeitgeist Multi-Disciplinary Arts Center, 1724 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd., 525-2767. Momar Youth Theatre, the troupe from Bosnia and Herzegovina, performs this play that addresses the issue of building the bridges between people. $5 donation. Performance 8 p.m. Wednesday.

PAX BOSNESIS. Zeitgeist Multi-Disciplinary Arts Center, 1724 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd., 525-2767. Momar Youth Theatre presents a performance that speaks about the war in Bosnia through personal, lived experiences of its performers. $5 donation. 7 p.m. Thursday.

ROACH OPERA. Le chat noir, 715 St. Charles Ave., 581-5812. Humorous original monologues and sketches focused on the political landscape of New Orleans, Louisiana and the nation. Starring Chris Champagne, Ken Ferguson, Raphaelle O’Neil, Peter Orr, Jimmy Ross and Mike Smith. Tickets $15, $10 late show. Performances 8 p.m. Tuesday-Wednesday, 11 p.m. Saturday.

TRUE WEST. Le chat noir, 715 St. Charles Ave., 581-5812. Sam Shepard’s popular play about two warring brothers is the first production of Big Shoulders Theatre Company. Stars Eddie Collins, Jerry Lee Leighton, Nancy Hammons and Jan Chimento. Directed by Jennifer Tuttle. Tickets $20. Performances 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, through April 28.

A Gallery For Fine Photography 322 Royal St., 568-1313 — Vintage photogravures by Karl Blossfeldt, through May 1.
Academy Gallery New Orleans Academy of Fine Arts, 5256 Magazine St., 899-8111 — New works by Barry Bailey and Victoria Ryan, through May 1.

Ariodante 535 Julia St., 524-3233 — Angels and Altars, new work by Sister Ann Roddy; glass by Gene Koss, through April.

Arthur Roger Gallery 432 Julia St., 522-1999 — Paintings by Elmore Morgan Jr., photographs by Debbie Fleming Caffery, glass by Gene Koss, through April.

ARTRESSA GALLERY 1528 Jackson Ave., 524-0100 — Lamps by William Evans, collage by Denise Bain, mixed-media by Gigi Robert, photographs by Meg Reilly, through April.

Barrister’s Gallery 1724 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd., 525-2767 — Exploring Assemblage in New Orleans, group show of 35 local artists.

Bassetti Fine Art Photographs 233 Chartres St., 529-9811 — Further South, new photographs by Jack Spitzer, through May.

brunner Gallery 522 N. New Hampshire St., Covington, 893-0444 — New clay work by Thom Kitredge and Yvonne Hegney, drawings by Jeannine McCammeron, mixed-media works by Sarah Ashe, through May 5.

Bryant Galleries 316 Royal St., 525-5584 — Scenes of the Quarter, pastels by Allan Flattman; recent works by Juan Medina, through April.

Carol Robinson Gallery 840 Napoleon Ave., 895-6130 — Cast glass by Gail Paradise, through April.

cole pratt gallery 3800 Magazine St., 891-6789 — New paintings by Daniel Piersol, sculpture and mixed-media work by Wayne Amedee, through April.

Contemporary Arts Center 900 Camp St., 523-1216 — Chelsea Rising, exhibit spotlighting new works from New York’s Chelsea district, through June 9.

d.o.c.s. 709 Camp St., 524-3936 — Limbo, new paintings by New Orleans painter Keith Perelli, through May 3.

GALERIE AVANCE 4202 Magazine St., 899-3995 — Nudes and Spiritual Beings, paintings by Michael Landry, through April.

GALLERY GORGON 2042 Magazine St., 2nd floor, 529-5350 — Works by Terrance Osborne and Maggie McEleney, through April.

GALERIE LAFItTE 533 St. Louis St., 524-0105 — Group show featuring Gustavo Duque, Evert Ban Hemert, and Caprica Joseph, through April.

Galerie Simonne Stern 518 Julia St., 529-1118 — Paintings by Margaret Evangeline, sculpture by Manuel Neri, through April.

Heriard-Cimino Gallery 440 Julia St., 525-7300 — Divergent Views, group show, through April.

HUBER HOUSE GALLERY 1522 St. Charles Ave., 561-0628 — New works by Kuni Tripathy, through April.

IBERMUNDO ART GALLERY 604 Julia St., 588-9797 — Works by Columbian artist Cecelia Vargas, through April.

Jonathan Ferrara Gallery 841 Carondelet St., 522-5471 — No Dead Artists, juried exhibit featuring works by contemporary New Orleans artists, through April.

LeMieux Galleries 332 Julia St., 522-5988 — Sculpture by John Bond, through April.

Marguerite Oestreicher Fine Arts 720 Julia St., 581-9253 — Recent paintings by Gary Komarin, through April 28.

neighborhood gallery 1410 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd., 524-8800 — She Is the Root, exhibition of gallery female artists, through April.

N.O. School of Glassworks & Printmaking Studio 727 Magazine St., 529-7277 — Illuminated Music in Glass, works by Gary Denesse; new wall hangings by Catherine DeYoung, hand-bound books by Eli Hansen, etchings by Miriam Martin, through April.

POSITIVE SPACE GALLERY 2022 Magazine St., 522-9344 — the Beauty, the Beast, the Music — New Orleans, photographs by Bob Compton, through April.

RIVERBEND GALLERY 1000 S. Carrollton, 862-0111 — New Orleans jazz scenes by Tommy Thompson, through April.

Sylvia Schmidt Gallery 400A Julia St., 522-2000 — Transition, paintings and works on paper and canvas by Karen Stastny, through April 30.

THOMAS MANN GALLERY 104 Magazine St., 581-2113 — Teapot show, April 25, group show by various artists.


spare spaces
WORLD TRADE CENTER No. 2 Canal St. — Theatre of the Psyche, paintings by Deborah Crosby, through April 20.

museums
NEW ORLEANS MUSEUM OF ART 1 Collins Diboll Circle, City Park, 488-2631 — Scattered Petals: Flowers in Edo-Period Japanese Painting, through April.