theater
THE BLACK AND WHITE BLUES. Le Chat Noir, 715 St. Charles Ave., 581-5812. A musical comedy documenting the cuisine culture of New Orleans, told from the viewpoint of waiters and waitresses. Writer Ricky Graham directs Russell Hodgkinson, Jorindas Junius and others. Tickets $22, Mondays $18.50. Performances 7:30 p.m. Monday, 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, through Sept. 7.
COLD READ. Le Chat Noir, 715 St. Charles Ave., 581-5812. "Theater for writers" continues with John Barber returning to read I Want My Mummy, the third installment in his series about detective Padlock Jones. Free admission, one-drink minimum. Performance 6 p.m. Wednesday
EARL LONG IN PURGATORY. Covington Center, Fuhrmann Auditorium, 317 N. Jefferson St., Covington, 835-6002. Revival of the one-man show tracing the rise and fall of Louisiana political legend Earl K. Long. Stars John McConnell with original music by Spencer Bohren, script by Jason Berry and directed by Perry Martin. Tickets $25. Performances 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday.
FAME: THE MUSICAL. Southern Repertory Theater, Canal Place, third floor, 598-3800. Summer Stages Children's Theater production of the wildly popular 1980s movie and television show about dance school students in New York City. Cynthia Owen directs. Tickets $12 adults, $10 children ages 10 and under. Performances 7:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday, through Sept. 1.
GALATOIRE'S MONOLOGUES. Le Chat Noir, 715 St. Charles Ave., 581-5812. Times-Picayune columnist Chris Rose leads readings by local personalities of more than 150 letters responding to the firing of one of Galatoire's old-line waiters. Tickets $11. Performance 9 p.m. Wednesday.
LAST OF THE RED HOT LOVERS. Carlone's Dinner Theater, 100 N. Labarre Road, Metairie, 838-9906. Sandy Roads Productions' presentation of Neil Simon's comedy returns. Dane Rhodes directs Jerry Lee Leighton, Jennifer Pagan, Ann Casey and Stacey Talliancich. Tickets $37 with dinner, $26.50 with coffee/dessert. Performances 8:15 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday, through Aug.31 (meals precede performance).
LATE NIGHT CATECHISM. Le Petit Theatre du Vieux Carre, 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. Friday and Saturday, 1:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. Sunday. Open run.
OUT DA BOX! North Star Theatre, 347 Gerard St., Mandeville, (985) 626-1500. Return engagement of Ricky Graham's musical revue featuring songs and comedy sketches that reflect a local point of view. Graham directs Becky Allen, Sean Patterson and Heidi P. Junius. Tickets $24. Performances 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, through Sept. 14.
ROMEO AND JULIET. W French Quarter courtyard/Bacco, 316 Chartres St., 522-2426. Courtyard holds new twists on Shakespeare classic performed with Colonial Mexican wardrobes and interactive performance that moves the audience around the property. Directed and performed by Mikko Presents theater troupe. Tickets $15, includes hors d'oeuvres from Bacco, or $30 for hors d'oeuvres plus two-course meal and glass of wine. Performances 7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 19 and 26.
SEX, LIES AND JUDICIAL MISCONDUCT: THE TRIAL OF ANGELO. Le Chat Noir, 715 St. Charles Ave., 581-5812. The Shakespeare on Trial series continues, this time with the audience as jury weighing a case for "solicitation of a nun for prostitution" against Angelo (Danny Bowen) in Measure for Measure. Featuring actors, Loyola School of Law students and district court judges. Produced by Kara Hadigan, Dane Rhodes and Michael Sullivan. Tickets $11, law students with ID $8. Performance 8 p.m. Tuesday.
THE VISITATION. Tulane University, McWilliams Hall, Lagniappe Stage, 286-0321. Storer Boone Award-winning playwright Jim Fitzmorris (With Malice Towards All) explores corruption in New Orleans four decades ago. Buzz Podewell directs Gavin Mahlie, Mark McLaughlin, Robert Pavlovich, Karen Kaia-Livers and Amy Alvarez. Tickets $10 at the door. Performances 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, through Aug. 30-31.
art
Venues preceded by an asterisk are celebrating opening receptions this week. Call each space for information.
811 GALLERY 811 Howard Ave., 524-3872 -- Paintings and sculpture by Franco Alessandrini, through August.
A GALLERY FOR FINE PHOTOGRAPHY 322 Royal St., 568-1313 -- Photos by Edward Curtis, through Aug. 30; photos by Marion Post Wolcott, through Sept. 15.
ABITA ART GALLERY 72078 Maple St., Abita Springs, (985) 867-3323 -- Watercolors by Roma Quartana and Roy Robinson, through Sept. 10.
ARIODANTE 535 Julia St., 524-3233 -- Jewelry by Tom McCarthy, through Aug. 30.
ARTHUR ROGER GALLERY 432 Julia St., 522-1999 -- Paintings by Michael Willmon and photographs by Luca Missoni, through August.
AXELLE FINE ARTS GALERIE ROYALE 709 Royal St., 299-1666 -- Recent works by Jacques Godin, Michel Delacroix and Andre Bourrie, through August.
BARRISTER'S GALLERY 1724 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd., 525-2767 -- Displaced, group show of documentary photographs of New Orleans housing projects, through August.
BASSETTI FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHS 233 Chartres St., 529-9811 -- Photos by Shelby Lee Adams.
BERGERON STUDIO & GALLERY 516 Natchez St., 522-7503 -- Legacy of C. Bennette Moore, black-and-white photographs, through August.
BOGDANOFF GALLERY 936 Royal St., 299-1500 -- Visage Collection, new frescoes by Steve Bogdanoff, through August.
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 August.
CAROL ROBINSON GALLERY 840 Napoleon Ave., 895-6130 -- Group show of gallery artists including Noah Saterstrom, through August.
COLE PRATT GALLERY 3800 Magazine St., 891-6789 -- Watercolors by Christine Cozic, through August.
CONTEMPORARY ARTS CENTER 900 Camp St., 523-1216 -- When Time Stands Still, photos by David Halliday; Southern Contemporary, group show of works from the Ogden Museum of Southern Art.
DELGADO FINE ARTS GALLERY 615 City Park Ave., 483-4048 -- Wardell Picquet: Works on Paper, through Aug. 29.
D.O.C.S. 709 Camp St., 524-3936 -- Art and Soul, works by Brian Petro and Sally Barbier, through Sept. 5.
GALERIE ECLAT 3116 Magazine St., 896-2307 -- Abstractions, sculptures by Jenny Authement, paintings by Ann C. Reynolds and Karen Laborde, through August.
GALERIE LAFITTE 533 St. Louis St., 524-0105 -- Paintings by Gustavo Duque, Christina Juran and Jordan Ivanov; sculptures by Karen Cauvin Eustis; metal furniture by Herman Kron, through August.
GALERIE SIMONNE STERN 518 Julia St., 529-1118 -- Paintings and sculpture by Bill Dunlap, Carolyn Evans, and Claude Black, through August.
GALLERIES AT THE SAULET 1420 Annunciation St., 586-9800 -- Three-dimensional works by John Zeringue; mixed media on paper by Eduardo Exposito; paintings by Caprica Joseph and Jordan Ivanov, through August.
HANSON GALLERY 229 Royal St., 524-8211 -- Group show of gallery artists including Peter Max, Joanna Zjawinska, Frederick Hart and M.L. Snowden, through August.
HERIARD-CIMINO GALLERY 440 Julia St., 525-7300 -- Paintings by Brian Novatny, sculpture by Jane Manus, through August.
HUBER HOUSE GALLERY 1522 St. Charles Ave., 561-0628 -- Pen-and-ink drawings by Glen Dietrich, through August.
JONATHAN FERRARA GALLERY 841 Carondelet St., 522-5471 -- Paperwork, group show featuring works on paper, through August.
KURT E. SCHON 510 St. Louis St., 524-5462; 523 Royal St., 523-5902 -- Works by mid-19th century Impressionists, and Barbizon, Academic and Salon paintings, through August.
LALLYBROCH 240 Pelican Ave., Old Algiers Point, 362-2226 -- Group show of ARTinA artists, through August.
LEMIEUX GALLERIES 332 Julia St., 522-5988 -- Right Here, paintings and drawings by Leslie Staub, through September.
MARGUERITE OESTREICHER FINE ARTS 720 Julia St., 581-9253 -- New portraits by Alexander Stolin, through September.
MARIO VILLA GALLERY 3908 Magazine St., 895-8731 -- Group show of gallery artists, through August.
NEIGHBORHOOD GALLERY 1410 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd., 524-8800 -- We Are All in This Together, group show, through August.
N.O. SCHOOL OF GLASSWORKS & PRINTMAKING STUDIO 727 Magazine St., 529-7277 -- Epicurean Delights in Art, through August.
RHINO GALLERY Canal Place, third floor, 523-7945 -- Group show from the Dirty Girls (clay artists from Alabama), through Sept. 7.
RIVERBEND GALLERY 1000 S. Carrollton Ave., 862-0111 -- New Orleans photographs by Karin Kaplow, Risha Cupit-Beezins, and Benjamin Goubly.
RIVERTOWN FINA ART GALLERY 322 Williams Blvd., Kenner, 468-7224 -- New art by Saralee Keating and Jan Wilken, through Sept. 4.
SOREN CHRISTENSEN 400 Julia St., 569-9501 -- Playing God, paintings by George Marks, through August.
SPACE GALLERY 4528 Magazine St., 897-9119 -- Helena Moreno, paintings by Spencer Livingston, through August.
STEVE MARTIN STUDIO/GALLERY 624 Julia St., 566-1390 -- New works on paper by Steve Martin, through August.
SYLVIA SCHMIDT GALLERY 400A Julia St., 522-2000 -- Images of Water, group show, through Sept. 25.
*WAITING ROOM GALLERY 904 Pauline St., 949-1805 -- Paintings and shadowboxes by Columbian artist Soco Ocampo, through Oct. 26.
WILLIAMS & JOSEPH GALLERY 713 Royal St., 566-7009 -- Photographs by Christopher Porche West, through August; recent work by Barrett Debusk, through October.
WYNDY MOREHEAD FINE ARTS 3926 Magazine St., 269-8333 -- Group show of gallery artists, through August.
spare spaces
1896 O'MALLEY HOUSE BED AND BREAKFAST 120 S. Pierce St., 488-5896 -- Past and current paintings by Ralph Chabaud, through August.
DANTE'S KITCHEN 736 Dante St., 861-3121 -- Photography exhibit featuring work by Cheryl Gerber, Sarah Essex, Eugenie Uhl and David Spielan, through Sept. 28.
museums
HISTORIC NEW ORLEANS COLLECTION 533 Royal St., 523-4662; Williams Research Center, 410 Chartres St., 598-7171 -- A Visible Presence, a Legacy of Service: 275 Years of the Ursulines in New Orleans, through Dec. 14.
NEW ORLEANS AFRICAN-AMERICAN MUSEUM OF ART, CULTURE AND HISTORY 1418 Gov. Nicholls St., 527-0989 -- Louisiana Art for Louisiana Places, group photography show, through Aug. 28.
books
Wednesday 21
WISDOM DHARMA CIRCLE. Borders Books, Music & Cafe, 3131 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, 835-1363. Weekly reading and discussion group focused on Buddhist teachings, now discussing The Daodejing of Laozi. Free admission. 7 p.m. (call 394-2207 to verify meeting dates and times).
Friday 23
JULIE SMITH. Bookstar, 414 N. Peters St., 523-4617. Author signs Louisiana Bigshot. Free admission. 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Saturday 24
JULIE SMITH. Borders Books, Music & Cafe, 3131 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, 835-1363. Author presents novel Louisiana Bigshot. Free admission. 1 p.m.
JUDY COLLIER. Borders Books, Music & Cafe, 3131 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, 835-1363. Author signs Quit Kissing My Ashes, A Mother's Journey Through Grief. Free admission. 2 p.m.
Monday 26
CHILD DEVELOPMENT DISCUSSION GROUP. Borders Books, Music & Cafe, 3131 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, 835-1363. Weekly reading and discussion group for parents and educators, currently discussing A Mind at a Time by Dr. Mel Levine. RSVP at least 24 hours in advance by calling 889-2769. Free admission. 7 p.m.
