theater
AMAZING PLACE, THIS NEW ORLEANS. True Brew Theatre, 200 Julia St., 945-6789. Roberts Batson's solo performance that brings to life the history and characters that helped shape the story of New Orleans based on his Scandal Tours. Tickets $20. Performances 5 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
BIRTHDAY BASH FOR THE BARD. Le Chat Noir, 715 St. Charles Ave., 581-5812. Celebrate Shakespeare's birthday with actors performing their favorite pieces from the Bard's portfolio. Stars Luis Q. Barroso, Ann Casey, Lynn Toal and others. Tickets $13. Performance 8 p.m. Tuesday.
COLD READ. Le Chat Noir, 715 St. Charles Ave., 581-5812. Theater for writers features "mini-Mad Poets Express" with Jimmy Ross, Paul Heckler and Utalina Faith. Free admission, one-drink minimum. Performance 6 p.m. Wednesday.
DIALOGUES OF THE CARMALITES. University of New Orleans, Thrust Theatre of the Performing Arts Center, 280-7469. Three-act opera tells the story of 16 Carmelite nuns guillotined by French Revolutionaries in 1794. Directed by Denise Ozden. Tickets $8 general, $5 students and seniors. Performances 8 p.m. Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 2:30 p.m. Sunday.
DINAH WAS ... Southern Repertory Theatre, Shops at Canal Place, third floor, 522-6545. Musical biography of jazz and blues singer Dinah Washington, the "Queen of the Blues." Tommye Myrick directs Sandra Anderson Richards, Tynisa Palmer, Daniel Laforce and others. Tickets $20 and $25. Performances 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday.
DRIVING MISS DAISY. Oak Alley Plantation, Vacherie, (800) 442-5539. Alfred Uhry's Pulitzer Prize-winning play about the relationship between an aging Jewish widow and her black chauffeur in the pre-civil rights South. Tickets $25-$35. Performances 7:30 p.m. Saturday, 1:30 p.m. Sunday, through May 11.
EARL LONG IN PURGATORY. True Brew Theatre, 200 Julia St., 524-8440. One-man show that looks at Earl Long's unique personality as told by author Jason Berry and musician Spencer Bohren. Perry Martin directs John McConnell. Tickets $21. Performances 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday, through May 26
GOODNIGHT IRENE. Anthony Bean Community Theater, 1333 S. Carrollton Ave., 862-PLAY. Biography of the legendary blues guitarist Lead Belly. Anthony Bean directs Chris Thomas King. Tickets $18 general, $16 students and seniors. Performances 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 8 p.m. Sunday (special Sunday time for Jazz Fest), through May 5.
HELLO, DOLLY. Riverdale Middle School Stage, 3900 Jefferson Hwy., 733-2130. Riverdale Theatre Arts presents this Broadway musical comedy, featuring a cast and crew of students in grades 6-12. Tickets $7 adults, $5 children. Performances 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.
HELL'S BELLES. Cowpokes Theatre Space, 2240 St. Claude Ave., 606-9903. Running With Scissors' latest production finds an unsuspecting wounded Union soldier in the midst of a group of naughty Confederate schoolgirls. Richard Read and Flynn De Marco direct; Brian Peterson and Flynn De Marco star. Tickets $12-$15. Performances 8 p.m. Friday through Sunday. (Reviewed in this issue.)
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 through Saturday, 1:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. Sunday. Open run.
OUR TOWN. Delgado Community College, Third Floor, Drama Hall, Building 1, City Park, 483-4817. Thornton Wilder's classic about small-town America. Janet Shea directs Mia Smith, Stu Miller, Ciera Payton and others. Tickets $7 general, $5 students, faculty and staff. Performances 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
PINOCCHIO -- THE WHOLE STORY. East Jefferson High School Auditorium, 400 Phlox Ave., Metairie, 738-5680. René J.F. Piazza's collaboration with Janell Wattigny, Becky Hale, Shanon Muhleisen, Earl LaMartiniere and Mat Grau provides another take on the Carlos Collodi classic. Tickets $3. Performances 7:30 Wednesday, April 24; 7:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday, April 26-27; 2 p.m. Sunday, April 28.
THE PRINCESS WHO COULDN'T CRY. Rivertown Repertory Theatre, 325 Minor St., 468-7221. A princess who couldn't cry and a jester who couldn't laugh learn about handling situations with the right attitude and making the most of life's struggles. Chip Stelz directs Lara Grice, Gary Rucker and others. Tickets $10 adults, $8 child. Performance 2 p.m. Sunday.
SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK, LIVE! Le Petit Theatre du Vieux Carré, 616 St. Peter St., 522-2081. Popular kids cartoon offers musical numbers and lessons in history, science and language. Brandt Blocker directs C. Patrick Gendusa, Aimeé Fortier, Bryan Wagar and others. Tickets $8. Performances 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
SHAKESPEARE ON TRIAL. Le Chat Noir, 715 St. Charles Ave., 581-5812. Using the audience as the real-life jury, Shakespeare's MacBeth, played by veteran actor Dane Rhodes, is tried against a team of Loyola law students and a district court judge in a mock trial. Tickets $13, $9 law students with ID. Performance 10 p.m. Wednesday.
SKETCHES FOR THE WITCHING HOUR. Le Chat Noir, 715 St. Charles Ave., 581-5812. Three new sketches by Rob Tsarov center on some unusual characters. Tsarov directs Greg DiLeo, Veronica Russell, Chris Lee and others. Tickets $11. Performances 8 p.m. Thursday and 11 p.m. Friday.
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 -- Photos by Henri Cartier-Bresson, through July 14.
ABITA ART GALLERY 72078 Maple St., Abita Springs, (985) 867-3323 -- Spring Blooms, new work by Louisiana artists, through April.
ACADEMY GALLERY New Orleans Academy of Fine Arts, 5256 Magazine St., 899-8111 -- Ceramics by Jo Ann Greenberg, paintings by Kate Samworth, through May 11.
ARIODANTE 535 Julia St., 524-3233 -- Eggstraordinary Journey, painted eggs by Paul Wirhun, through April.
ARTHUR ROGER GALLERY 432 Julia St., 522-1999 -- Glass work by Dale Chihuly, through May 25. (Reviewed in this issue.)
BARRISTER'S GALLERY 1724 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd., 525-2767 -- Lenin: Busted, group show, through May 27; assemblage work by John Greco and Matjames; paintings by Dimitri Fouquet, through April.
BERGERON STUDIO & GALLERY 516 Natchez St., 522-7503 -- Lost Plantations: late 1880s-1960s stereoviews and lithographs; black and white photography by C.F. Weber and Frances Benjamin Johnson, through April.
BRUNNER GALLERY 215 N. Columbia St., Covington, (985) 893-0444 -- Spring for Art, featuring wood sculpture by Rick Brunner and paintings by Linda Dautreuil.
CALLAN GALLERY 3506 Magazine St., 899-8782 -- New collection of 19th and early 20th century French Impressionist and post-Impressionist paintings, through May.
CAMERON JONES 2127 Magazine St., 524-3119 -- Group show by 12 local artists including George Ufford, Marcel Flisiuk, Ruth Marie Wright, and Chris Clark, through April.
CARABAUX GALLERIES 3646 Magazine St., 894-1588 -- Paintings by Kathy Sizeler, through April 27.
CAROL ROBINSON GALLERY 840 Napoleon Ave., 895-6130 -- Landscapes by Robert Malone, through April.
COLE PRATT GALLERY 3800 Magazine St., 891-6789 -- Landscapes by Danna Ruth Harvey; Cut Flowers, monotypes by Barbara Brainard, through April.
CONTEMPORARY ARTS CENTER 900 Camp St., 523-1216 -- Digital Louisiana, group show featuring recent computer-processed prints, photographs, and interactive art by Louisiana artists, through June 9.
CRESCENT GALLERY 531 Wilkinson Row, 525-5255 -- Paintings by Martha Guthrie and Roy Pfister, through April 25.
D.O.C.S. 709 Camp St., 524-3936 -- New sculpture by Badette Wattigny, through April.
EVANS GALLERY 3815 Magazine St., 897-2688 -- Paintings of marsh scenes by Carolyn Pelligrin, through April.
*FRENCHY GALLERY 319 Royal St., 561-5885 -- New abstract paintings by Frenchy, works by Steve Lowery.
GALLERY CARROLL 4817 Prytania St., 861-8838 -- New work by August Martens, George and JoAnn Saucier, Carroll Becker, MacDonald Eaton, and Eva McDaniel, through April.
GALLERY INFERNO 3336 Magazine St., 891-1006 -- Recent paintings by Jeremy Willis, through May 2.
GALERIE SIMONNE STERN 518 Julia St., 529-1118 -- Paintings and drawings by Randy Asprodites, through April.
HANSON GALLERY 229 Royal St., 524-8211 -- New work by MacKenzie Thorp, through April.
HERIARD-CIMINO GALLERY 440 Julia St., 525-7300 -- New paintings by Colombian artist Luis Roldan, through April.
JOHN PRODUCT GALLERY 2027 Magazine St., 581-5280 -- The black-and-white photographs of Bob Compton, through May.
JONATHAN FERRARA GALLERY 841 Carondelet St., 522-5471 -- Seventh annual N.O. Dead Artists, juried exhibition of New Orleans art today, through April 23.
KURT E. SCHON 510 St. Louis St., 524-5462; 523 Royal St., 523-5902 -- Collection of paintings of children by artists from the Royal Academy, through April.
LALLYBROCH 240 Pelican Ave., Old Algiers Point, 362-2226 -- Group show of New Orleans architecture, through May.
LEMIEUX GALLERIES 332 Julia St., 522-5988 -- Embossed monoprints by Brandon Graving, through April 30.
MARGUERITE OESTREICHER FINE ARTS 720 Julia St., 581-9253 -- Digging for Pearls, recent drawings and sculpture by Jennifer Odem, through April 27. (Reviewed in this issue.)
MARIO VILLA GALLERY 3908 Magazine St., 895-8731 -- Legacy of Printmaker J.L. Steg, through April 30.
NEIGHBORHOOD GALLERY 1410 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd., 524-8800 --Dedicated to the Second Line, paintings by Sheila Alson, through May 6.
N.O. SCHOOL OF GLASSWORKS & PRINTMAKING STUDIO 727 Magazine St., 529-7277 -- Triangle Book Arts Exhibition, featuring book art from Chicago Book Arts, New York Book Arts and New Orleans Book Arts; glass musical instruments by Josh Cohen, through April 30.
*PELIGRO 305 Decatur St., 581-1706 -- Works by visiting Colorado artist Pard Morrisox.
POET'S GALLERY 3113 Magazine St., 899-4100 -- Altared Images, group show of artists' interpretations of altars, through May 18.
RIVERBEND GALLERY 1000 S. Carrollton Ave., 862-0111 -- New Orleans photographs by Penny Baker and Risha Cupit-Berzins, through April.
SOREN CHRISTENSEN 400 Julia St., 569-9501 -- Necessary Sculptures, paintings by Mark Bradley-Shoup, through April.
*SOUTHWEST DESIGNS 230 Chartres St., 522-4345 -- Works by Navajo artist R.C. Gorman and Taos, N.M., artist Joseph Sparks.
*STELLA JONES GALLERY Bank One Center, 201 St. Charles Ave., 568-9050 -- Congo Square Poster exhibit with artist James Denmark, through May 11.
STEVE MARTIN STUDIO/GALLERY 624 Julia St., 566-1390 -- Acrylic paintings by John Kaine, through April.
SYLVIA SCHMIDT GALLERY 400A Julia St., 522-2000 -- Figures and Still Lifes, paintings by Robert Hausey, through April 30.
VINCENT MANN GALLERY 713 Bienville St., 523-2342 -- Paintings and lithographs by Francoise Gilot, paintings of the French countryside by Luc Didier, through May.
WAITING ROOM GALLERY 904 Pauline St., 949-1805 -- Snooks Jazz, jazz-inspired collage paintings by Margo Kren, through May.
WYNDY MOREHEAD FINE ARTS 3926 Magazine St., 269-8333 -- Paintings by Eric Abrecht, through April.
spare spaces
CAFE DEGAS 312 Esplanade Ave., 945-5635 -- In Character, portraits by Andrea Tomasovsky, through May 13.
INTERNATIONAL HOUSE 221 Camp St., 533-9550 -- Mixed-media assemblages by Christopher Porche West, through May 10.
SCOT J. EVERT 725 Port St., 948-9490 -- Seven, the latest installment in the Phoenix sculpture series from local artist Scott Evert. Reception 7 p.m. Saturday, April 27.
museums
NEW ORLEANS MUSEUM OF ART 1 Collins Diboll Circle, City Park, 488-2631 -- Southern Graphics Council Printmakers Emeritus, 1978-2002, through June 23; O Say Can You See: Great American Photographs from NOMA; The Sport of Life and Death: the Mesoamerican Ballgame, through April 28.
OGDEN MUSEUM OF SOUTHERN ART 603 Julia St., 539-9600 -- Art in the South: Recent Acquisitions and Projects, through April.
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
Wednesday 24
FOURTH WEDNESDAY GROUP. Barnes & Noble Booksellers, 3721 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, 455-4929. Book club discusses The Good Soldier by Ford Maddox Ford. Free admission. 7 p.m.
Thursday 25
JIM GRIMSLEY. Faulkner House Books, 624 Pirate's Alley, 524-2940. Author reads from Boulevard. Free admission. 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
NOCCA FACULTY READING. Maple Street's Old Metairie Book Shop, 200 Metairie Road, Metairie, 832-8937. Fiction and poetry readings by NOCCA faculty, including Anne Gidleson, Brad Richard, Ed Skoog, and Andy Young. Free admission. 7 p.m.
Saturday 27
LAURA JOH ROWLAND. Garden District Book Shop, 2727 Prytania St., 895-2266. Author signs The Pillow Book of Lady Wisteria. Free admission. 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
LOUISIANA AUTHORS. Barnes & Noble Booksellers, 3721 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, 455-4929. Meet C.C. Lockwood (Discovering Louisiana), Joan Garvey and Mary Lou Widmer (Louisiana: The First 300 Years), and Barbara Sillery (The Haunting of Louisiana). Free admission. 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.
JACKLYN SONNIER HIRSHBERG. Barnes & Noble Booksellers, 3721 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, 455-4929. Author signs Nicky the Swamp Dog. Free admission. 3 p.m.
BILL MALONE. Octavia Books, 513 Octavia St., 899-7323. Author lectures and signs Don't Get Above Your Raisin': Country Music and the Southern Working Class. Free admission. 7:30 p.m.
