Sometimes you gotta fight fire with fire. So as the summer-like temperatures heat up the city, the New Orleans Dance Collective matches the sizzle with LADIES, TRAMPS, VIRGINS AND VAMPS. This modern-dance work, courtesy of the partnership between New Orleans Dance Collective and the New Orleans Ballet Association (NOBA), offers femmes fatale dancing to the choreography of Monique S. Moss. Her Jezebel piece, which won the 2000 Classical Arts Award for best choreography, is but one of the offerings, as well as another that features the Soul Rebels Brass Band. Now that's dance, New Orleans style! Moss presents her work Friday and Saturday at the Contemporary Arts Center (900 Camp St., 528-3805). This continues a hot streak from Moss, who is easily one of this city's hottest young choreographers. She's been ubiquitous in recent years, and has been rewarded accordingly. She's presented pieces for New Orleans Dance, the New Orleans Dance Collective, Confederacy of Dances, and Moving Stories. More recently, she spent time in South Africa as part of a Fulbright Hays Fellowship, and has danced with just about every dance group in the city. So it's only fitting that this evening is the first in which she is presenting all of her own work. Other femmes include Nicole Boyd, Gabrielle Pickard, Sara Duax, Michelle Gibson, Joanie Mullen, Mina Estrada, Dance Collective Artistic Director Barbara Hayley and yes, Moss herself. Eddy Villata and Roscoe Reddix also will perform. Tickets are $8 for CAC members and NOBA subscribers, $10 non-members, and can be purchased through NOBA (522-0996) or at the CAC. -- David Lee Simmons

La Nuit 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 14 Loyola University, Roussel Hall, 6363 St. Charles Ave., 568-0770 Though his work is often focused on the worst elements of humanity, there is little doubt that writer and Nazi-hunter Elie Wiesel created amazing art in his works documenting the Holocaust. With an oft-quoted philosophy that "To live through a catastrophe is bad; to forget is worse," Wiesel earned the Nobel Peace Prize in 1986. In a national tour sponsored by the Alliance Francaise and the French Embassy, La Nuit comes to town as a one-man performance piece, with the stage adaptation of Wiesel's text served in narrative form by Alain Mottet, member of the theater company Comedie Francaise and long-time friend of Wiesel. Directed by French director Claude Vajda and in French with English subtitles, La Nuit contains all the vivid imagery indicative of Wiesel's work. Tickets are $15 general public, $10 Alliance Francaise members, $5 students. -- Frank Etheridge

Saturday Night Fever 8 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, May 14-18; 2 p.m. Thursday, Saturday-Sunday, May 16, 18-19 Saenger Theatre, 143 N. Rampart St., 524-2490 Stay alive with Saturday Night Fever this week at the Saenger. Saturday Night Fever has enjoyed success and popularity in waves that parallel the career of the actor it helped spawn -- both the film and star John Travolta began as cutting-edge hip, then became trite and lame, and ultimately wound up as retro-cool. Another parallel is that they've both stayed with us; evidenced now with the Broadway musical version taking the stage at the Saenger for eight performances. The story follows the ambition of gritty, Brooklyn-born Tony Manero, consumed with making it big in the bright lights of Manhattan. However, we all know the plot is a minute detail; the Bee Gees' soundtrack is what the work is known for, that and some groovy dance steps that helped launch the disco craze. All the hits are here, including "Stayin' Alive," "Night Fever" and "Jive Talkin.'" In a cast of 33, Richard H. Blake assumes the lead as Tony, with Jeanine Meyers playing love interest Stephanie Mangano. Tickets range from $34 to $60 and are available through Ticketmaster (522-555) and at the Saenger box office. -- Etheridge

Enrique Chia 8 p.m. Wednesday, May 15 University of New Orleans, Recital Hall For years, Cuban-born Enrique Chia has been one of the gatekeepers of Latin American piano music, logging 27 recordings that dedicate a lot of work to piano solos. So soothing is his music that it's often used as background for stress relaxation. This time around, Chia's work will be used to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Instauration of the Republic of Cuba (May 20). His new CD, Enrique Chia y Su Publico en Vivo, features live recordings of various concerts with previously unrecorded music by Chia. Sponsored by the Comite Gestor, Chia's performance with his band will include an evening of boleros, rhumbas, tangos and other Latin American songs as well as some from the United States. Call 279-6237 or 895-4227 for ticket info. -- Simmons

Cyndi Lauper 8 p.m. Thursday, May 16 House of Blues, 225 Decatur St., 529-BLUE If Cyndi Lauper hadn't turned to adult contemporary pop in the mid-80s, she could have led hordes of adoring fans to total girl-empowerment before the Spice Girls were out of grammar school. Instead, she deserted us after one party-girl theme song and a cheeky masturbation anthem. Now kissing 50, Cyndi's enjoyed a long career of comeback efforts, each less successful than the one before it. Nonetheless, she's held on to a cult fan base that devoutly proclaims the merits of bombs like 1993's Hats Full of Stars and, her latest, 1998's Christmas compilation Merry Christmas, Have a Nice Life. Rumor has it she's once again going on tour with Cher this year, but for now, we get to re-up on a solid evening of candy-colored '80s pop. So get a tulle skirt, some plastic jewelry, dye your hair 40 colors, and rock out to Cyndi. Tickets $30. -- Cristina Diettinger

Hurlyburly 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, May 16-18; through June 1 Le Chat Noir, 715 St. Charles Ave., 581-5812 Dave Rabe describes his 1984 stageplay, Hurlyburly, as "one huge personality at war with itself." Indeed, conflict permeates the play, between men and women, men and men, and men with themselves. Having directed an earlier Rabe work up in North Carolina, Dane Rhodes apparently has a feel for Rabe's ideas and has assembled an interesting cast for this presentation. Christopher Lee, Christian Middleton, Jesse Meriweather, comedian WildBill, Genevieve Hardison and the inimitable mikko will tackle the lows and lowers of this sometimes difficult piece. Anthony Drazan brought the play to the screen in 1998 (starring Kevin Spacey, Sean Penn, Meg Ryan and Chazz Palminteri) with very mixed results, unable to transcend its stage trappings. Let's see how Rhodes and company tackle this one. Tickets $18 general admission, $15 Thursdays, and $10 students and industry personnel. -- Simmons

Pardon! Pardon! 8 p.m. Friday-Sunday, May 17-19 Zeitgeist Multi-Disciplinary Arts Center, 1724 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd., 525-2767 Is there nothing René Broussard won't try? The founder and driving force behind Zeitgeist, and accomplished performance artist and filmmaker, takes a decided turn right with this latest project. This time around, Broussard (director of The Fatboy Chronicles series of growing up overweight and gay) took his camera to the town of Gheens to explore the curious custom of the Cajun Mardi Gras Chase. According to tradition, men young and old dressed in ghoulish garb and carrying switches cram pickup trucks and chase the town's kids to "beat the sinful stuff out of them so they can be clean for the Lent," as the release quotes. The kids have two options: drop to their knees and plead "Pardon! Pardon!" or force their pursuers to chase them and taunt them. The punchline: The kids love it. Tickets $6 general admission, $5 students and seniors, $4 Zeitgeist members. -- Simmons

Fleshies 9 p.m. Friday, May 17 Dixie Taverne, 3340 Canal St., 822-8268 Those who say they don't make 'em like they used to never ran into the buzz-saw punk rock of Oakland's Fleshies, whose screw-it attitude belies their actual ability to play tight two-minute bursts of fury. No wonder Alternative Tentacles/Dead Kennedys founder Jello Biafra fell in love them after a live show and immediately scooped them up to record their debut CD, Kill the Dreamer¹s Dream. The product of countess East Bay punk-rock outfits, Fleshies feature the spastic antics of lead singer Johnny Pseudonym (the most recent of several nicknames, fittingly enough), who if not confined by skin would splatter all over the place with an energy that often leads to onstage (and off-stage) nudity. But the proof is in their music; Fleshies take their few chords and bleed them dry, changing gears on a whim and taking potshots at everyone from cops ("Fat Cops") and Orwellian nightmares ("Yes, I'm Starting Shit") to sell-out Democrats ("Locofoco Motherf--ker") and even themselves ("South Miami Beach"). Admission $5. -- Simmons

Rick James 9 p.m. Friday, May 17 House of Blues, 225 Decatur St., 529-BLUE Between the golden age of funk in the '70s and the genesis of rap's rule in the '80s, black dance music hit a lull. Luckily, Rick James filled the void for Motown Records with straight-up, wacky funk-punk that bridged the funk-rock gap. Part of his appeal was his pimped-out wardrobe, extravagant lifestyle, and an unapologetic penchant for eroticism. Not surprisingly, the elements that set him up as an icon of cultural taboos also brought him drug addiction and jail time, and he was unable to reap the benefits of the Rick James revival when MC Hammer morphed "Super Freak" into "U Can't Touch This" in 1990. And though he claims his life is significantly mellower since he cleaned up and settled down in the mid-90s, it's unlikely that his stage presence will reflect his new demeanor. Tickets $38.50. -- Diettinger

Broadway & Barbecue 5 p.m. Sunday, May 19 Treasure Chest Casino, Williams Boulevard at Lake Pontchartrain, Kenner Though rarely mentioned in the same breath, the smoky flavors of barbecue and the star-studded power of Broadway, in some quirky way defying quick and concise explanation, represent the finer things in life. And they also represent a solid fundraiser, as the Jefferson Performing Arts Society (JPAS) several years ago kicked off the now-annual Broadway & Barbecue event. Initially created to raise funds for JPAS' orchestra "pit," (pun intended) the success and fun of the first year prompted its continuation. A number of performers from New Orleans and across Louisiana are enlisted for the entertainment, including Nancy Ross, Kris Shaw and Steve Coenen. The Treasure Chest Casino prepares the barbecue and all the trimmings, and guests have a chance to win their own cochon de lait party. Tickets are $40; the event is general admission with limited seating available. Call JPAS at 885-2000 for reservations or more information. -- Etheridge

Steve Earle 9 p.m. Sunday, May 19 House of Blues, 225 Decatur St., 529-BLUE Steve Earle gets sidetracked at House of Blues on Sunday. Like his spiritual predecessors Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard, Steve Earle's always shown an uncompromising commitment to his craft, popular opinion be damned. Earle brought swaggering Southern rock back into prominence with his late-80s albums like Guitar Town, and he's bucked trends ever since. He emerged from rehab in 1995 with the spare and beautiful acoustic album Train a Comin¹, collaborated with bluegrass legend Del McCoury for the 1999 CD The Mountain, then took a razor-edged psychedelic turn with 2000's Transcendental Blues. Earle's currently performing acoustic solo shows, which promise further soulful proof of his myriad inspirations, as heard on his new CD, Sidetracks. This collection of b-sides and covers shows Earle's restless musical spirit roaming far and wide, covering songs like Nirvana's "Breed," Little Feat's "Willin'," and the Chamber Brothers' "Time Has Come Today." Tickets $22.50. -- Scott Jordan

Wayne Maureau CD-release party 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. Sunday, May 19 Snug Harbor, 626 Frenchmen St., 949-0696 Drummer Wayne Maureau belongs to the large talent pool of New Orleans sidemen who play in relative anonymity, but help power the vibrant live-music scene. Maureau works in a variety of settings, from the Brazilian jazz of saxophonist Wayne Moore's Brassiliance to the swing and R&B of Guitar Vic and the Slicktones, and he's also an educator at Tulane and Delgado. On his new CD, Sidewalk Safari, Maureau shows his affinity for worldbeat-tinged jazz, of the straight-ahead and smooth varieties. Saxophonist Tony Dagradi and keyboardist Larry Sieberth are the primary musical voices on the album, setting the template for Maureau's original songs and reworked favorites. The John Coltrane classic "My Favorite Things" gets a subtly percolating Latin groove, while the title track is powered by Dagradi's cool sax lines. Dagradi and Sieberth join Maureau on the bandstand tonight, as the versatile sideman gets a chance to show his chops as a bandleader. Tickets $12. -- Jordan

Miss Starrdust Louisiana Continental Pageant 10 p.m. Sunday, May 19 735 Club, 735 Bourbon St., (985) 649-1468 If beauty is in the eye of the beholder, then the Miss Starrdust Louisiana Continental Pageant will definitely be a sight to see. This second annual event serves as a preliminary round of the national Miss Continental Pageant held in Chicago in September and features some of the region's top "female illusionists" showing (most of their) stuff. Contestants run through the usual gauntlet: talent, evening wear, swimwear, beauty, personal interview, and question-and-answer. Miss Candis Cayne, the reigning Miss Continental 2001, will be on hand to present the title, while Miss Rikki Starr will serve as mistress of ceremonies. Admission $10. -- Simmons

Storytelling 7:30 p.m. Monday, May 20 Canal Place Cinemas, 581-5400 There is never a lack of strong opinion for the work of director Todd Solondz, who seems to have the market cornered on confrontational dark comedies (and commentary). Where Welcome to the Dollhouse ripped the New Jersey teenage wasteland of his youth, 1998's Happiness broadened its target scope to everyone in sight. Now comes Storytelling, a controversial (according to the very mixed reviews) look at art criticism -- and apparently criticism of his own work. And, judging from the reviews, if you thought Happiness had its uncomfortable moments, you ain't seen nothing yet. (Is that the point?) This presentation continues the New Orleans Film Festival's (NOFF) ongoing series of films that might not otherwise hit our humble movie-going market. The film offers another ensemble cast featuring frequent New Orleans visitor John Goodman, Selma Blair, Paul Giamatti and Julie Haggerty. Tickets $7 general admission, $6 NOFF members. -- Simmons

Charles Fritchie: Recent Bronze Sculpture Through May d.o.c.s. gallery, 709 Camp St., 524-3936 The relationship between art and art lovers is mysterious. Is it a product of the intellect, the desire for a good investment, or is it all based on personal chemistry? Clearly, personal chemistry plays a role, but what if the artist is also a chemist? Charles Fritchie, a veteran chemist with a doctorate from Cal Tech, intends to find out. In recent years he has turned his attention to bronze, concrete and polymer resins, not in a test tube, but in the human forms that have characterized sculpture since the days of the pharaohs. If the results seem personal, Fritchie says "Sculptors automatically insert their personalities and the spirit of their times in their work. I reflect the individuals around me, in the context of the 21st century. We are physically and culturally different from ancient peoples, and I hope my works are a faithful transcription of my time." -- D. Eric Bookhardt