To director Brandt Blocker, the hit musical revue FIVE GUYS NAMED MOE finds its true theatrical home in New Orleans. Despite having a smashing 1990 debut in London and later touring the United States extensively -- including a traveling production locally at the Saenger Theatre -- the work in his estimation belongs here. "The show is not so much a piece of theater as it is a New Orleans party," Blocker explains. Opening with three shows this weekend at Le Petit Theatre du Vieux Carré (616 Saint Peter St., 522-2081), Five Guys Named Moe is a musical built on the jump and sway of the whimsical jump-blues bandleader Louis Jordan, a favorite of the swing and big-band era. Blocker, a Big Easy Entertainment Award-winner as a director, remembers his parents going to see Jordan at the Fairmont Hotel's Blue Room, and believes Jordan's music and the play itself, performed with an all-African-American cast, is a perfect fit in New Orleans. "The music is so relevant to New Orleans, as it combines the styles of swing, R&B, jazz," Blocker says. "And we feel blessed to have such talent on the stage, folks rooted here in the community. Our cast represents the ethnicity and style of the music." Darrin Nelson plays the lead role of Nomax, who struggles as his woman leaves him, and he's out of money when it reaches 5 a.m. and five guys suddenly pop out of his radio. No Moe, Big Moe, Eat Moe, Four-Eyed Moe and Little Moe all appear and begin to soothe Nomax's soul with the comfort of Jordan's music. The local flavor is palpable: Leo Jones, a NORD theater veteran, plays No Moe; Roscoe Reddix Jr., a NOCCA faculty member whom Blocker calls "one of the city's brightest young talents," plays Big Moe; and Troy R. Poplous, who sings with the New Orleans Opera Association and Loyola's music department, plays Eat Moe. Rendell DeBose (as Four-Eyed Moe) and Terry Tywon Morgan (Little Moe) round out the cast. Backing up the actors will be a six-piece band onstage, performing 26 of Jordan's tunes, including "Caldonia," "Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby," "Choo Choo Ch'Boogie," and "Let the Good Times Roll." The show will be performed 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 2 p.m. Sunday, and runs through Feb. 2. Tickets range from $22 to $26; for tickets or more information, call 522-2081 or visit www.lepetittheatre.com. -- Frank Etheridge

Evan Christopher CD-release party 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 8 Snug Harbor, 626 Frenchmen St., 949-0696 Clarinetist Evan Christopher celebrates the release of his new CD with two shows Wednesday at Snug Harbor. Much like trumpeter and peer Duke Heitger, clarinetist Evan Christopher treats the trad jazz genre with reverence, but plays with such fire and fearlessness that he makes even the oldest standards sound brand new. His new CD, Clarinet Road, Volume 1: The Road to New Orleans, is the ultimate proof of that, as Christopher stokes chestnuts like "Way Down Yonder in New Orleans" and "Struttin' With Some BBQ" 'til they're maximum temperature. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Christopher has a light and lyrical touch on ballads such as "If I Could Be With You." Most impressively, Christopher gets extra spunky on a number of string-band tracks, paying tribute to the likes of Louis Cottrell's classic sides with guitarist John Rankin and mandolinist John Eubanks. The personnel for Christopher's CD-release show was unconfirmed at press time, but it's bound to be stellar regardless, as Christopher's a proven leader who's taking the clarinet back into the forefront of the trad scene. Admission $12. -- Scott Jordan

"From Russia with Love" 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 9 Mahalia Jackson Theatre, Armstrong Park, 523-6530 The Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO) is using the fourth installment in the Classics series to highlight various works from the ranks of the great Russian composers. For the "From Russia with Love" program, the LPO will be joined by two guest artists. John Morris Russell will guide the performance as conductor. Russell spent much of the 1990s as the conductor for the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra before taking the helm of the Windsor Symphony Orchestra in 2001, becoming just the fifth conductor in the distinguished troupe's 55-year history. Joining Russell is Terence Wilson, a twentysomething pianist whose reputation has been built in part on his critically acclaimed live performances. The night's program includes Kabalevsky's "Colas Breugnon Overture," Khachaturian's "Piano Concerto" and Tchaikovsky's "Symphony No. 5." Tickets range from $11 to $52 and are available through the LPO (523-6530, or visit www.lpomusic.org). -- Etheridge

Hank Williams III & Assjack 10 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 9 The Howlin' Wolf, 828 S. Peters St., 522-WOLF Hank Williams III is the same age as his grandfather was when he died in the back seat of a Cadillac 50 years ago, but this "honky tonk hell billy" shows no signs of burnout. Not content to merely rest on the strength of his legacy, Hank III is a gifted songwriter who is determined to make his own mark on music. Drumming in his father Hank Williams Jr.'s band at age 10, he went on to play in punk bands, namely Buzzkill, before striking out on his own in his 20s. And his solo act, far from traditional, is a live music phenomenon in its own right. Williams' standard show consists of two sets: the first a stream of politically incorrect country-rock that cuts no corners on quality, the second a 45-minute flood of speed-metal scorchers. Last year saw the release of his second album, Lovesick, Broke, and Driftin', a self-produced collection that he recorded in less than two weeks. Admission $15. -- Cristina Diettinger

Romeo & Juliet 7:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday, Jan. 10-11 Tulane University, Dixon Hall, 865-5105 The Shakespeare Festival at Tulane continues its ninth season with two performances of the Bard's classic Romeo & Juliet, his famous tale of the two star-crossed lovers against the backdrop of a family feud that bears continual re-telling. (Broadway and movie versions are as varied as West Side Story and Baz Luhrmann's hip 1996 flick.) Directed by Aimee K. Michel, the work features Michael Salinas as Romeo and Andrea Frankle as Juliet. The cast is rounded out by Danny Bowen as Lord Capulet, Lara Grice as Lady Capulet and Benvolio, Daniel LaForce as the prince, Gavin Mahlie as Friar Lawrence and Tybalt, and Tony Molina as Mercutio, Friar John and Lord Montague. Tickets are $20 for adults; $15 teachers, seniors and Tulane staff, and $7 students and theater workers; there is a "buy three get one free" discount offered on tickets. The Saturday, Jan. 10, show features a pre-show reception from 6 p.m. until curtain; tickets for the reception and show are $30. -- Etheridge

The Women 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, Jan. 10-11; 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 12; through Jan. 26 Rivertown Repertory Theatre, 410 Minor St., Kenner, 468-7221 Veronica Oliver, Jennifer Pagan and Brittney Werner are but a few of The Women this weekend at Rivertown Rep. A true renaissance woman at a time when few were allowed, Clare Boothe Luce was not only a woman of letters (author, editor, playwright, journalist) but also a congresswoman and diplomat during a career that spanned the first half of the 20th century. We would be hard pressed to find a keener contemporary eye on the female condition than Luce, who packed all those thoughts into her 1936 comedy, The Women. A bittersweet comedy at that, The Women skewers the metropolitan trappings that suffocate women and pit them against one another. Anyone who caught the Stage on Screen airing of the Roundabout Theatre's 2001 stage production earlier this year enjoyed a dazzling ensemble cast featuring Cynthia Nixon, Kristen Johnston, Jennifer Tilly and Jennifer Coolidge. Rivertown's presentation features its own feisty all-female cast including Hope Weiss, Claudia Baumgarten and Jennifer Pagan. Tickets are $20 for adults, $18 seniors 55-older and students, $10 kids 6-12; pre-performance buffet catered by Messina's $16 -- David Lee Simmons

Bust featuring Rebecca Barry 2 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 18 Blue Nile, 532 Frenchmen St., 948-2583 Saxophonist Rebecca Barry has gigged in bands from the brassiest to the jazziest, including sousaphonk outfit All That and her own straight-ahead trio. Her latest concoction focuses on the funk, which is what she does best. Bust pulls together a hodgepodge of local musicians into one solid unit. Iris May Tango drummer Kevin O'Day holds down the back beat with his signature stripped-down style, adding fancy buzz rolls in all the right places. Guitarist Rene Dufourc, also of Iris May Tango, provides riffs and funky fills. Bass player Dave Stover rounds out the rhythm section, and DJ Proppa Bear fills in with sampled beats. Barry's sax and vocals soar over sets of original funky dance music, with a few well-chosen covers from masters like Stevie Wonder. A new downtown late-night staple, Bust now holds the regular 2 a.m. slot on Saturday nights at the Blue Nile. Admission TBA. -- Diettinger

Milonga Tango 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 12 Blue Nile, 532 Frenchmen St., 948-2583 After a hiatus lasting several months, the Milonga Tango band is back on the local scene with a new early Sunday evening slot at the Blue Nile. The eight-piece chamber group celebrates a repertoire that spans the life of the tango style, from its turn-of-the-century inception through its 1930s heyday. From its first few expositions, royalty and clergy condemned and forbade tango for the sultry style of dancing that it encouraged. Still, the music and the dance flourished the world over right up into the middle of the century. Tango's exotic melodies and well-placed accents are still a delight to dancers. Known as the "Argentinian samba," typical tangos feature minor modes, skipped beats and well-placed accents, inciting sharp, sexy poses and pauses. Playing transcribed versions of standards from the '20s and '30s as well as originals in similar style, Milonga provides the musical backdrop for risque dance floor behavior. Admission TBA. -- Diettinger

Dave Alvin & the Guilty Men 9 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 12 The Parish at House of Blues, 225 Decatur St., 529-BLUE Singer-songwriter Dave Alvin has always had a special affinity for New Orleans, which isn't surprising considering that Alvin had the good sense to hire New Orleans saxophone legend Lee Allen to wail in his former band, the Blasters. Alvin built his rep in the Blasters, a take-no-prisoners West Coast roots-rock bar band that tore through the American songbook and their own smart originals with the force of a wrecking ball. Alvin eventually went on to a solo career that's also yielded some memorable highlights, thanks to superb gritty albums like King of California and Blackjack David. Alvin's current tour should find him rejuvenated and in fine form; he recently reunited with his brother Phil Alvin for the first Blasters tour in more than a decade, and his own band, the Guilty Men, know a thing or two about rocking the house. Tickets $10. -- Jordan

Naked on the Floor CD-release party 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 12 Snug Harbor, 626 Frenchmen St., 949-0696 The brainchild of right-brain guitar virtuoso Jonathan Freilich, Naked on the Floor makes music that's usually more subversive than sexy. On the 11-minute-plus "Possible Reflections (On Your Most Humorous Fears After Leaving the Haunted House)" from the band's new debut CD, Freilich veers from marching lines to blues bends, saxophonist Tim Green blows some low-end buzzing that sounds like flies on acid before breaking into hard bop, and the whole ensemble roars back in like some gonzo circus band. Freilich is capable of moments of delicate beauty, too, as his melody and beautiful fills on "The Little One" serve as a springboard for equally tender solos from saxophonist Tim Green and trombonist Rick Trolsen, two gifted musicians capable of executing and contributing to Freilich's artistic vision. The closing track, "Reward for Big Man Morricone," is a nifty little shuffle with spotlight time given to James Singleton's superb bass playing. Naked on the Floor's high-wire musical act gets even more daring on stage, making this CD-release performance high musical drama. Admission $12. -- Jordan

The Golden Age of Costume Design Through August Presbytere, Louisiana State Museum, Jackson Square, 568-6968 As soon as the old year ends, the buildup to Mardi Gras begins. This year the local tradition of costuming is celebrated in The Golden Age of Costume Design at the Presbytere. The brainchild of Mardi Gras historian and float designer Henri Schindler, author of the spectacular new picture book of the same name, the exhibit provides a rare look at the golden age of masking in the late 19th and early 20th centuries when Mardi Gras designers such as Charles Briton, Bror Anders Wikstrom and Carottta Bonecaze set the tone with eye-popping watercolor designs that could hold their own against anything the French symbolist painters had to offer. With such otherworldly themes as the 1896 Elves of Oberon ball, Visions in Marble, or the 1932 Krewe of Mystery ball, A June Night on the Moon, the seven Mardi Gras artists featured here had no end of ideas to work with in creating their opulently surreal concoctions. -- D. Eric Bookhardt