Theater
BELLS ARE RINGING. Rivertown Repertory Theatre, 325 Minor St., Kenner, 468-7221. Kick off the season with this musical comedy about an answering service girl of a thousand characters, specifically altered for each client. Gloria Fallo directs Cynthia Owen, Greg Di Leo and others. Tickets $22 adults, $20 students/seniors, $12 children. Performances 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, 2:30 p.m. Sunday, through Sept. 30.
GEORGE M! Le Petit Theatre du Vieux Carré, 616 St. Peter St., 522-2081. The life of George M. Cohan comes to life in this production of the towering giant of the American musical stage. Performances of Cohan's memorable songs include Over There, You're a Grand Old Flag and Give My Regards To Broadway. Tickets $26. Performances 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday.
HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH. Shim Sham Club, 615 Toulouse St. 299-8932. All Kinds of Theatre and Running With Scissors have extended the off-Broadway collaboration by actor/singer John Cameron Mitchell and musician Stephen Trask. Richard Read and Carl Walker direct Flynn De Marco as Hedwig, the "internationally ignored song stylist." Tickets $20 adults, $15 students. Performances 8:30 p.m. Friday-Sunday, through Sept. 30.
LATE NIGHT 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 Thursday and Sunday; $25 Friday and Saturday. Performances 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, 1:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. Sunday. Open run.
LOVE, SEX, AND THE IRS. Carlone's Dinner Theatre, 100 N. Labarre Road, Metairie, 838-9906. Two guys pass themselves off on paper as married and enjoy the tax benefits for years. Suddenly, the IRS sends an investigator to determine the sex of "Leslie." John Brooks directs Kris Shaw, Jim Chimento and Stocker Fontelieu. Tickets $42.22, includes buffet and show. Performances 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday.
PARTY. The Barn at Cowpokes, 2240 St. Claude Ave., 947-0505. This offbeat look at gay life takes place at a gathering of friends who work their way into a game similar to "Truth or Dare" called "Facts and Fantasies." The game brings stories and fantasies, and a little stripping. Call for ticket info. Performances 8 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Sunday, 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. Saturday, through Oct. 21.
THE SONGS OF AL JOLSON. Le chat noir, 715 St. Charles Ave., 581-5812. Jolson, considered one of the greatest entertainers of the 20th century, comes to life in this staging of his music. Harry Mayronne Jr. and Chris Domroe Wecklein join a team of musicians to recreate some of Jolson's most noted moments. Tickets $16. Performances 8 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday.
WAITING FOR GODOT. The A.R.K., 511 Marigny St., 722-8234. The newly formed Guerilla Theatre presents Samuel Beckett's classic. Michael L. Williams Jr. directs Kevin Fricke, L.S. Monseu and Tristan Codrescu. Tickets $12 general public, $10 students and seniors. Performances 8 p.m. Friday, 9 p.m. Saturday. (Reviewed in this issue.)
art
A Gallery For Fine Photography 322 Royal St., 568-1313 -- Orotones by Edward S. Curtis, Norman Edson and James Barton; photos from the 1933 Chicago World's Fair, through September.
Academy Gallery New Orleans Academy of Fine Arts, 5256 Magazine St., 899-8111 -- Memorial show for Bettina Steinke and Don Blair, through Oct. 2.
Ariodante 535 Julia St., 524-3233 --Wooden objects by Jim Charbonnet, Joey Hitchcock, Thomas Irven and Peter Ward, through September.
ART HOUSE 129 N. Hampshire St., 892-8650 -- Juried group show, through October.
Arthur Roger Gallery 432 Julia St., 522-1999 -- Portraits: Black Male, paintings by Willie Birch; paintings by James Barsness, sculpture by Neil Harshfield, through September.
Barrister's Gallery 1724 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd., 525-2767 -- Women Without Walls, group show of work by five female artists, through September.
Bassetti Fine Art Photographs 233 Chartres St., 529-9811 -- Large photographs by Dan Ragland and Dornith Doherty, through September.
brunner Gallery 522 N. New Hampshire St., Covington, 893-0444 -- Cybernaut Series, paintings by Charles Blank; wood sculptures by Marlowe McGraw, through Oct. 6.
Bryant Galleries 316 Royal St., 525-5584 -- Paintings by Dean Mitchell, through September.
CAMERON JONES 2127 Magazine St., 524-3119 -- Group show featuring 12 local artists, through September.
Carol Robinson Gallery 840 Napoleon Ave., 895-6130 -- Connections, steel works by Eric Sarbach, through September.
cole pratt gallery 3800 Magazine St., 891-6789 -- Contemporary Realism, paintings by Charles Carraway, Christine Cozie, Ed Dyer and Glennray Tutor, through Sept. 29.
Contemporary Arts Center 900 Camp St., 523-1216 -- 2001 Louisiana Open, through September.
DELGADO FINE ARTS GALLERY 615 City Park Ave., 483-4512 -- The Anatomy Lesson: Flesh and Blood, Body and World, paintings by Judith Burks, through Sept. 27.
dIllard University Art Gallery Cook Fine Arts and Communication Center, Collier Conference Center, 816-4711 -- Female Evolution, prints by Addie Dawson-Euba, through September.
d.o.c.s. 709 Camp St., 524-3936 -- Glass and metal sculpture by Andrew Katz, paintings by Isabella Natale, through Oct. 4.
ERTH GALLERY 8311 Oak St., 865-8126 -- Architerra, new ceramics by Mark Derby, through Sept. 21.
EVANS GALLERY 3815 Magazine St., 897-2688 -- Paintings by Kelly Jones, line drawings by Mark Willems, through September.
fort isabel gallery 401 N. Columbia St., Covington, 892-1841 -- Watercolors by Phil Hubbell, through Oct. 13.
GALLERY GORGON 2042 Magazine St., 2nd floor, 529-5350 -- Works by Maggie McEleny and Terrence Osborne, through September.
GALERIE LAFItTE 533 St. Louis St., 524-0105 -- Group show featuring works by Jordan Idanov and Gustavo Duque, Lionel Milton, sculpture by Arthur Silverman, through September.
Galerie Simonne Stern 518 Julia St., 529-1118 -- Paintings by Chris Guarisco, Ron Bechet, and Monica Zeringue, through September.
Hanson Gallery 229 Royal St., 524-8211 -- Preview of new paintings by Charles Thysell, through October.
Heriard-Cimino Gallery 440 Julia St., 525-7300 -- Mixed media on canvas works by Maureen Dougherty, through September.
hickory street gallery 71561 Hickory St., Abita Springs, 892-8618 -- Group show of contemporary fiber artists of Louisiana, through September.
HUBER HOUSE GALLERY 1522 St. Charles Ave., 561-0628 -- New paintings by Marie-Noel Ghesquiere and Sun Sun Yip, through September.
IBERMUNDO ART GALLERY 604 Julia St., 588-9797 -- Paintings by Colombian artist Jesus Calle, through September.
INDUSTRIAL ELEMENTS 517 Rue St. Louis, 581-1155 -- Mardi Gras bead exhibit by Emen Levy, through October.
jim blanchard STUDIO & DESIGN 608 Julia St., 522-4815 -- Where Is Sainte Marie?, watercolors by Jim Blanchard, through September.
JOHN PRODUCT GALLERY 2027 Magazine St., 581-5280 -- Illusionary Space: Faces in the City, paintings by Lisa C. Soto, through September.
Jonathan Ferrara Gallery 841 Carondelet St., 522-5471-- The Black and White show, group exhibit featuring works in black and white, through September.
LeMieux Galleries 332 Julia St., 522-5988 -- Icons and ICONvicts, paintings and ceramics by Francie Rich and Simone Mollere, through Sept. 29.
Marguerite Oestreicher Fine Arts 720 Julia St., 581-9253 -- Sewn fabric works by Gina Philips, through September.
mario villa gallery 3908 Magazine St., 895-8731 -- New talent exhibition featuring paintings by John Castillo, ceramics by Daniel Engle, photography by Kent Hardouin, and glass pieces by Fifi Laughlin, through September.
Morgan West studio/gallery 3326 Magazine St., 895-7976 -- New Orleans paintings by Dick Johnson, through September.
neighborhood gallery 1410 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd., 524-8800 -- Our Art Is our Music, group show featuring Sheila Alson, Peggy Young, Ronald Jones, and Raymond Gaines, through Oct. 5.
Newcomb Art Gallery Tulane University, 865-5328 -- Los Perdidos, works on canvas and paper by Judith McCrea, through Oct. 5.
N.O. School of Glassworks & Printmaking Studio 727 Magazine St., 529-7277 -- Summer Gardens, exhibit featuring floral beads by Andrew Pollack, enameling by Cathy deYoung, monoprints by Miriam Martin, through September.
RIVERBEND GALLERY 1000 S. Carrollton Ave., 862-0111 -- New Orleans jazz prints and poster tiles by Tommy Thompson, through September.
RIVERTOWN FINE ARTS GALLERY 409 Williams Blvd., Kenner, 468-7231 -- Works by Polly Johnson and Brenda Delle, through Nov. 7.
Stella jones gallery Bank One Center, 201 St. Charles Ave., 568-9050 -- Dream Variations, paintings and works on paper by Huey-Lee Smith, through September. (Reviewed in this issue.)
STEVE MARTIN STUDIO/GALLERY 624 Julia St., 566-1390 -- The Cock, the Pig and the Pussycat, paintings by Ashley Longshore; sculpture and paintings by Steve Martin.
Sylvia Schmidt Gallery 400A Julia St., 522-2000 -- The Spirit of Nature, paintings by Bruno Andrade; small works by Sylvia Schmidt, through September.
waiting room gallery 904 Pauline St., 949-1805 -- Wire and Paint, wire sculpture by Elizabeth Keithline, abstract paintings by Ron D'Amico, through Oct. 20.
Wyndy Morehead FIne Arts 3926 Magazine St., 269-8333 -- Works on canvas and paper by Sandi Seltzer Bryant, through Oct. 2.
spare spaces
LOUISIANA PIZZA KITCHEN 95 French Market Place, 522-9500 -- Photographs by J. Georgie Friedman, through Oct. 15.
museums
New Orleans Museum of Art 1 Collins Diboll Circle, City Park, 488-2631 -- Collecting the Collected: Five Years of New Photography Acquisitions, through Sept. 23; From Myth and Reality: Animals in Japanese Edo-Period Painting, through Nov. 25; Sam Doyle: Heart and Soul, through September.
OGDEN MUSEUM OF SOUTHERN ART 603 Julia St., 539-9600 -- Treasures From the Amistad Collection, group show of paintings, drawings and sculpture by African-American artists, through Sept. 29.
books
Tuesday 11
BRUCE SPIZER. Octavia Books, 513 Octavia St., 899-READ. Local author will sign and discuss his books, The Beatles' Story on Capitol Records Part One and Part Two, and The Beatles' Records on Vee-Jay Records. Free admission. 5:30 p.m.
BOOK CLUB. Barnes & Noble Booksellers, 3721 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, 455-4929. Contemporary fiction group will read White Teeth by Zadie Smith. Free admission. 7 p.m.
Thursday 13
IVAN SOLOTAROFF. Bookstar1818, 414 N. Peters St., 523-6411. Author signs copies of Last Face You'll Ever See: The Private Life of the American Death Penalty. Free admission. 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Friday 14
BUDDY DILIBERTO. DeVille Books, Framing and Prints, 344 Carondelet St., 525-1846. Local author and radio personality will sign copies of When the Saints Came Marching In. Free admission. Noon to 1:15 p.m.
Saturday 15
BOOK CLUB. Octavia Books, 513 Octavia St., 899-READ. General book club will discuss No Great Mischief by Alistair Macleod. Free admission. 10:30 a.m.
BOOK SIGNING. Barnes & Noble Booksellers, 3721 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, 455-4929. Celebrate some of New Orleans' newest and most talented authors at this multi-author signing. Authors include Poppy Z. Brite, Christine Wiltz, Christine Holden and Brian Altobello. Free admission. 11 a.m.
FRED STARR. Octavia Books, 513 Octavia St., 899-READ. Local author will sign and discuss his book, Inventing New Orleans. Free admission. 1 p.m.
BRUCE SPIZER. Borders Books Music & Cafe, 3131 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, 835-1363. Author will sign and discuss his book, The Beatles' Story on Capitol Records, Part One and Two, and participate in Borders Beatles Bash. Free admission. 4 p.m.
Monday 17
MARTHA GRIMES. Garden District Book Shop, 2727 Prytania St., 895-2266. Author signs copies of The Blue Last. Free admission. 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
