theater
CHRISTMAS LAGNIAPPE. Le chat noir, 715 St. Charles Ave., 581-5812. Nouveau Vaudeville presents a new family musical holiday celebration by Dean Fransen about a new toy that threatens to ruin Santa Claus' North Pole Inc. Featuring the music of Dean Fransen and Jason Marsalis. Special guest appearances include Mayor Marc Morial and Harry Connick, Sr. Tickets $12-$18. Performances 8 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday.
GRENADINE McGUNKLE'S DOUBLEWIDE CHRISTMAS. Shim Sham Club, 615 Toulouse St., 606-9903. Running With Scissors presents a hilarious holiday musical comedy about a dysfunctional family get-together in a trailer park, featuring tunes by Tom Lehrer and Adam Sandler. Stars Dorian Rush, Flynn De Marco, Bob Edes, Debbie Davis and others. Tickets $12-$15. Performances 8 p.m. Saturday-Sunday.
HOBOS. St. Mark's Street Academy, 3911 General Pershing St., 469-6532. Ethiopian Theater presents a new work about the lives of three elderly homeless men who live on the streets of New Orleans. Chakula Cha Jua and Adella Gautier direct Lloyd Joseph Martin, Harold Evans, and Jomo Kenyatta Bean. Tickets $10 adults, $8 seniors and students. Performances 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday, through Jan. 6.
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 $21 Thursday and Sunday; $26 Friday and Saturday. Performances 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, 1:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. Sunday. Open run.
art
Venues preceded by an asterisk are celebrating opening receptions this week. Call each space for information.
A Gallery For Fine Photography 322 Royal St., 568-1313 -- George S. Zimbel: Photographs 1951-2001, through December; Snaps, photographs by Elliot Erwitt, through Feb. 1.
ABITA ART GALLERY 72078 Maple St., Abita Springs, (985) 867-3323 -- New work by John Akers, through December.
Anglade-barthelemy Gallery 818 Royal St., 524-5926 -- Group show by gallery artists, through December.
Ariodante 535 Julia St., 524-3233 -- Holiday ornament and gift show, through December.
Arthur Roger Gallery 432 Julia St., 522-1999 -- Paintings by Luis Cruz Azaceta, through December.
Barrister's Gallery 1724 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd., 525-2767 -- Considering Evidence, paintings by Myrtle Von Damitz III, through December.
Bryant Galleries 316 Royal St., 525-5584 -- A Celebration of Light, group show by gallery artists, through December.
CAMERON JONES 2127 Magazine St., 524-3119 -- Group show by 12 local artists, featuring metal sculpture and mobiles by George Ufford, through December.
CARABAUX GALLERIES 3646 Magazine St., 894-1588 -- Reminisce, oil pastels by Neal Lange, through December.
Carol Robinson Gallery 840 Napoleon Ave., 895-6130 -- Exhibition by gallery artists, through December.
cole pratt gallery 3800 Magazine St., 891-6789 -- Paintings by Paul Tarver and Susan Downing-White, through December.
Contemporary Arts Center 900 Camp St., 523-1216 -- Seeing Is Believing, photographs by Vik Muniz; Cultural Fusion, group show featuring works by Kimberly Dummons, Clifton Faust, Theresa Herrera, Edie Tsong, through Dec. 30.
DELGADO FINE ARTS GALLERY 615 City Park Ave., 483-4512 -- Seeing Around the Periphery, paintings by Ellen Burgin; Trail Signs, recent paintings by Amie Oliver, through Jan. 10.
d.o.c.s. 709 Camp St., 524-3936 -- Paintings by Pamela K. Neeley; ceramic sculptures by Sam McCarty, through Jan. 3.
du Monde Gallery 318 Royal St., 523-0078 -- New work by Linda Lesperance, through December.
ERTH GALLERY 8311 Oak St., 865-8126 -- Out of the Frying Pan, ceramics by Alex and Cindy Williams, through Jan. 30.
GALLERY CARROLL 4817 Prytania St., 861-8838 -- Paintings by Richard Benz, Carroll Becker, MacDonald Eaton and Carroll Becker, through December.
GALLERY HOUSE 1110 Antonine St., 895-7583 -- Paintings by Page Davis, through December.
GALERIE LAFItTE 533 St. Louis St., 524-0105 -- Spiritual Realism, sculptures by Karen Cauvin Eustis; new oil paintings by Jordan Ivanov, through December.
Galerie Simonne Stern 518 Julia St., 529-1118 -- Paintings by Simon Gunning, through Jan. 2
Hanson Gallery 229 Royal St., 524-8211 -- Group show by gallery artists, including Peter Max, through December.
Heriard-Cimino Gallery 440 Julia St., 525-7300 -- Assemblages and drawings by Audra Kohout, through December.
HUBER HOUSE GALLERY 1522 St. Charles Ave., 561-0628 -- New works by Pam Walsh, Alan Fensin and Paul Harshaw, through December.
IBERMUNDO ART GALLERY 604 Julia St., 588-9797 -- Paintings by Colombian artist Jesus Calle.
J. Pierre fine art gallery 1562 Magazine St., suite 5, 586-1997 -- Paintings, sculptures and monoprints by Jamar Pierre, through January.
JOHN PRODUCT GALLERY 2027 Magazine St., 581-5280 -- Group Show, through Feb. 2.
Jonathan Ferrara Gallery 841 Carondelet St., 522-5471 -- Elaborating on the Ordinary, paintings and drawings by Matthew Cox, through December.
Kurt E. Schon 510 St. Louis St., 524-5462; 523 Royal St., 523-5902 -- Featuring The Fugitive, 1873 painting by Daniel Ridgway Knight chosen for exhibition in the French Salon, through December.
LeMieux Galleries 332 Julia St., 522-5988 -- Choirs of Angels, drawings by Mary Lee Eggart; Portals, digital prints by Debra Howell, through December.
THOMAS MANN GALLERY/ gallery i/o 1812 Magazine St., 581-2113 -- Tiaras Will Be Worn, group show of tiaras, through December.
Marguerite Oestreicher Fine Arts 720 Julia St., 581-9253 -- Collection of Quiet, paintings by Drew Galloway, through Dec. 29.
mario villa gallery 3908 Magazine St., 895-8731 -- New landscapes by Lisa DiStefano, through December.
McINNIS fine art 404 Chartres St., 581-3608 -- December Daze, new oil paintings by Nicki Flynn, through December.
Newcomb Art Gallery Tulane University, 865-5328 -- Materials of Africa: African Art from New Orleans Collections, through Feb. 17.
N.O. School of Glassworks & Printmaking Studio 727 Magazine St., 529-7277 -- Festival of Angels, group show, through December.
RARE BEAUTY 3650 Magazine St., 891-9009 -- Antique prints of New Orleans; local and international maps, through December.
RIVERTOWN FINE ARTS GALLERY 409 Williams Blvd., Kenner, 468-7231 -- Recent works by gallery artists, through Jan. 2.
SOREN CHRISTENSEN 400 Julia St., 569-9501 -- Root Series, paintings by Sheila Stott Gourlay, through December.
Stella jones gallery Bank One Center, 201 St. Charles Ave., 568-9050 -- Paintings by Ronald Walton, through December.
STEVE MARTIN STUDIO/GALLERY 624 Julia St., 566-1390 -- Photography by William Greiner; paintings and sculpture by Steve Martin, through December.
Sylvia Schmidt Gallery 400A Julia St., 522-2000 -- Devouring Beauty, new work by Cornel Rubino; Cocktails, Desserts, and Cookies, works by Carolyn Fernandez, through December.
waiting room gallery 904 Pauline St., 949-1805 -- Commuting Textiles, wall pieces by Oliver, through Jan. 26.
Wyndy Morehead FIne Arts 3926 Magazine St., 269-8333 -- Paintings by Mary Engel and Andy Nasisse, through December.
museums
New Orleans African-American Museum of Art, Culture and History 1418 Gov. Nicholls St., 527-0989 -- Holiday exhibit and expo featuring a suite of Kwanzaa paintings by Roy Ferdinand, African-American dolls, and seven themed Christmas trees, through December.
New Orleans Museum of Art 1 Collins Diboll Circle, City Park, 488-2631 -- Magnificent Marvelous Martele, silver exhibition, through Jan. 13.
NEW ORLEANS PUBLIC LIBRARY 219 Loyola Ave., 596-2567 -- A Career in Jazz: The Photography of Herman Leonard, through Jan. 15.
OGDEN MUSEUM OF SOUTHERN ART 603 Julia St., 539-9600 -- Then & Now: 1941-2001, exhibition of Southern artists' work on war and peace, through Jan. 18.
old u.s. mint 400 Esplanade Ave., 568-6990 -- Sight of Music, exhibit spotlighting diverse visual works on the theme of music, through April 2002.
books
Thursday 27
BOOK CLUB. Barnes & Noble Booksellers, 3721 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, 455-4929. Science fiction group will read The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester. Free admission. 7 p.m.
