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. 4:30 p.m. Saturday. Open run.
AN INFINITE ACHE. True Brew Theatre, 200 Julia St., (866) 468-7630 -- Ren&233; J.F. Piazza directs Edward Simon and Kathryn DiStefano in David Schulner's two-character play about the major events that affect a relationship. Tickets $15 adults. 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 6 p.m. Sunday, through Aug. 8.
ANNIE GET YOUR GUN. Gallier Hall, Ty Tracy Theatre, 705 Lafayette St., 565-7860 -- Melissa Lyons directs Irving Berlin's comedy about Annie Oakley, the star of Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show. Starring Ashleigh Hoppe, Dwayne Sepcich Jr., Colleen Robinson and others. Tickets $10. 8 p.m. Thursday-Friday, 4 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, through Aug. 15.
THE COMEDY OF ERRORS. Tulane University, Lupin Theatre, 865-5105 -- Gary Rucker directs The Shakespeare Festival at Tulane's Intern Training Program production of the Bard's comedy about mistaken identity. Stars Elizabeth Bigger, Brendan Bowen, Ryan Bruce and others. Tickets $12 adults; $10 children 12-under, students, seniors, Tulane faculty and staff. 7:30 p.m. Wednesday-Friday, 1:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday.
DOGS! Southern Rep Theatre, The Shops at Canal Place, 333 Canal St., third floor, 835-6002 -- Perry Martin directs 14 young singers, dancers and actors in Christina Hamlett's musical about a litter of canines at a New Orleans animal shelter. Starring Skylar Cibulski, Arianna Adams, Melvin Claverie and others. Tickets $14 adults, $10 children under 12. 7:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday, through Aug. 8.
GIVE MY REGARDS TO BROADWAY. Playmaker's Theater, 19106 Playmakers Road, Covington, (985) 893-1671 -- Judy Krogsgard directs Shubert Fendrich's musical about a man trying desperately to put on a Broadway show. Starring Teddy Boone, Roy Harrison, Lacy Chavers and others. Music by George M. Cohan, with choreography by Jennifer Harageones Patterson. Tickets $15 adults, $10 students, free for military personnel in uniform. 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday.
JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT. St. Augustine's Episcopal Church, 3412 Haring Road, Metairie, 887-4801 -- Scott Sauber and Frannie Rosenberg direct Andrew Lloyd Weber and Tim Rice's production about Joseph's brothers and his escape from Egypt. Starring Scott Sauber, Heather Hoerner, Drew Lambert and others. Tickets $12 reserved seating, $7 general, $3 children 7-under for Saturday matinee. 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, 2:30 p.m. Saturday.
THE LITTLE PRINCE, THE MUSICAL. UNO Downtown Theatre, 621 Carondelet St., 598-3800 -- Summer Stages Children's Theater presents Rick Cummins' and John Scoullar's production, based on Antoine de St. Exup&233;ry's classic about the relationship between a downed aviator and a mysterious boy. Kevin Charpentier directs Randy Maggiore (as the aviator) with Garrison Linn and Alex Watters alternating as the Little Prince. Tickets $12 adults, $8 children 12-under. 7:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday, through Aug. 8.
LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD-THE WHOLE STORY. True Brew Theatre, 200 Julia St., (866) 468-7630 -- Rene' J.F. Piazza directs Sarah Fontenelle (as Little Red Riding Hood), Chris Latzke, Kevin Songy and others in this designed-for-adults parody of the original fairy tale. Presented by Piazza Productions. Tickets $10 adults, $8 children and students. 2 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, 7:30 p.m. Monday.
THE MATCHMAKER. North Star Theatre, 347 Gerard St. Mandeville, (800) 924-5538 -- Lori Bennett directs Thornton Wilder's comedy set in the 1890s about a rich widower who employs a matchmaker to find him a suitable wife. Starring Sandy Landry, Craig Paretti, Jane Catalanello, Ed Morvant and Steven Marlbrough. Tickets $22 adults, $18 seniors, $10 students. 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday.
THE PRINCESS AND THE PEDDLER. The Parishioner Center, 6500 Kawanee Ave., Metairie, 467-4423 -- St. Philip Neri Summer Drama Camp presents this adaptation of Mark Twain's classic, The Prince and the Pauper, about an ordinary girl who becomes a princess and the adventure that follows when she meets the real princess. Stacy Taliancich directs Jackie Coughlin, Julieanne Natal, Jenna Whittaker and others. Tickets $6 adults, $3 children. 7 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday.
THE QUEEN OF BINGO. Tony Mandina's Restaurant Theatre Room, 1915 Pratt St., Gretna, 835-6002 -- Dine and laugh with Jeanne Michel's and Phyllis Murphy's comedy about two fiftysomething sisters who play bingo in a Catholic church hall. Starring Becky Allen, Sandy Bravender, Doris Methe and Jerry Leighton. Tickets $39.50, includes dinner and show. 7 p.m. Friday.
SORDID LIVES. Le Chat Noir, 715 St. Charles Ave., 581-5812 -- Running With Scissors presents Del Shores' 'black comedy about white trash' about a dysfunctional family's reaction to the death of its matriarch. Richard Read and Flynn De Marco direct Elizabeth Pearce, Rob Thomas, Ricky Graham and others. Tickets $17. 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 6 p.m. Sunday. Final weekend.
ZOMBIE PROM. Jefferson Performing Arts Center, 400 Phlox St., Metairie, 885-2000 -- Jayme McDaniel directs John Dempsey's and Dana P. Rowe's rock opera about Bruce Landry, a high school senior who commits suicide by jumping into a nuclear power plant after his girlfriend breaks up with him. Starring Jonny Warner and Stacey Asaro. Tickets $12 adults, $10 seniors, $8 students. 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday.
workshop
RIVER REGION DRAMA GUILD WORKSHOP. River Region Performing Arts and Cultural Center, 15146 River Road, Good Hope, 904-1129 -- Workshop, designed for beginning and experienced actors ages 10-18, will cover creative improvisations, narrative poetry, observation, self-confidence and more. Anyone interested in attending the workshop on scholarship should call. 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday, Aug. 2 to Friday, Aug. 5.
comedy
MARTINE'S. 2347 Metairie Road, Metairie, 289-6529 -- Wednesday: comedy open mic night, 8 p.m.; Friday-Saturday: Running Funny presents New Orleans Ladies of Comedy featuring Amanda Hebert of Late Nite Catechism, Jodi Borello and Melanie Rucker with emcee Louie Duet, 9 p.m.
TRUE BREW CAFE. 200 Julia St., 524-8441 -- Tuesday: open mic comedy, 8 p.m.; Saturday: Brown!, improv comedy, 11 p.m. class COMEDY CLASS. 289-6529 -- Six-week comedy course with instructor/comedian Jodi Borello, beginning Wednesday, Aug. 11. Participants will develop five minutes of comedic material and perform in front of an audience. Enrollment limited; must be 21 years old.
art
galleries
ALEXANDER & VICTOR FINE ART. 312 Royal St., 586-7555 -- Jamaal B. Sheats: The Art of Repousse, through Saturday.
ASHE CULTURAL ARTS CENTER. 1712 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd., 569-9070 -- What's Going On: Visual Artists Address Black on Black Violence, group show organized by Willie Birch, through August.
AXELLE FINE ARTS GALERIE ROYALE. 709 Royal St., 299-1666 -- New paintings by Jean-Daniel Bouvard, through Saturday.
BOCKMAN DESIGN. 4513 Magazine St., 891-8785 -- French Funck, X-rated Kewpie doll series by Zella Funck; early 20th century paintings and drawings by Pierre Boucherie, Batrice Carebul, Andre Meaux St. Marc, and Cecile Scherner; fine contemporary art glass by New Orleans' Center Glass, through Sept. 25.
city arts studios. 555 S. Galvez St., 821-5243 -- Sculptures by Luis Colmenares, plus works in various media by Robin Durand, Chad Moore, Scot Evert and other artists.
CONTEMPORARY ARTS CENTER. 900 Camp St., 528-3805 -- Technology-driven art exhibits Picturing Music: The Art of Jack Ox and Nouveau Techno: New Media Installations by Sylvie Blocher, Claude Closkey & Matthew Laurette, through Sept. 19.
D.O.C.S. 709 Camp St., 524-3936 -- Group show of new and previously exhibited works from artists shown in the last 10 months, through Aug. 5.
HANSON GALLERY. 229 Royal St., 524-8211 -- New paintings by Christian Vey and works by gallery artists Adrian Deckbar, Steve Taylor, Peter Max and Frederick Hart, through Saturday.
HERIARD-CIMINO GALLERY. 440 Julia St., 525-7300 -- New paintings by Anastasia Pelias, through Saturday.
GALERIE SEVERN. 3501 Severn Ave., Metairie, 888-5361 -- Original watercolors by Gerald Bienvenu, through Aug. 6. Meet the artist 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Thursday.
KURT E. SCHON. 510 St. Louis St., 524-5462; 523 Royal St., 523-5902 -- European 18th and 19th century oil paintings by artists from the French Salon and the Royal Academy, and French Impressionists since 1978.
LEMIEUX GALLERIES. 332 Julia St., 522-5988 -- New oil paintings by Billy Solitario, through Saturday. (Reviewed in this issue.)
LIONEL MILTON GALLERY. 1818 Magazine St., 522-6966 -- Paintings and other works by Lionel Milton.
MAGAZINE STREET GALLERY. 5207 Magazine St., 897-5330 -- The Strength of Flowers, recent paintings by Phyllis Springen, through Saturday.
MARTIN LUKE GALLERY. 4535 Magazine St., 896-9198 -- Oil paintings by Martin Luke and metal sculpture by Luis Colmenares and Scot Evert.
MYSTIC BLUE SIGN GALLERY. 2212 Magazine St., 525-4691 -- Group show of paintings, prints and posters by gallery artists, through Saturday.
NEIGHBORHOOD GALLERY. 1410 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd., 524-8800 -- Political cartoons by John Slade, through Aug. 6.
New orleans GLASSWORKS and PRINTMAKING STUDIO. 727 Magazine St., 529-7277 -- Tropical Heatwave, etchings by April Smart, fireworks block prints by Sean Star Wars, hand-bound books by Rachel Fontenot, through Saturday.
RADICI GALLERY. 527 Julia St., 596-2144 -- Selected works of photography and art graffiti pieces.
ST. TAMMANY ART ASSOCIATION. 320 N. Columbia St., Covington, (985) 892-8650 -- The Robert Bruno Collection, restored photographs depicting scenes of New Orleans and the Northshore, through Aug. 8.
STEVE MARTIN STUDIO/GALLERY. 624 Julia St., 566-1390 -- Expanding Boundaries, group exhibition of new conceptual art, through Saturday.
VENUSIAN GARDENS. 2601 Chartres St., 943-7446 -- Luminous art and neon sculpture by Eric Ehlenberger. museums AMERICAN-ITALIAN MUSEUM & RESEARCH LIBRARY. 537 S. Peters St., 522-7294 -- Hand-painted and -lettered plaques by artist Franco Alessandri, photographs, and memorabilia.
GERMAINE CAZENAVE WELLS MARDI GRAS MUSEUM. Arnaud's Restaurant, 813 Bienville St., 523-5433 -- Exhibit featuring costumes, Carnival memorabilia and vintage photos from 1937-1968, open during restaurant hours.
HISTORIC NEW ORLEANS COLLECTION. 533 Royal St., 523-4662 -- Portraits After 1803, portraits and stories of people who lived in Louisiana in the 50 years following the Louisiana Purchase; Saving Wednesday's Child, items from the Children's Bureau Archives revealing how the organization dealt with child abuse, labor and neglect, at the Williams Research Center (410 Chartres St., 598-7171) through Oct. 1; From Louis XIV to Louis Armstrong: A Cultural Tapestry, more than 100 objects illustrating Louisiana's history and culture, on display in the HNOC's Williams Gallery and at the Williams Research Center through Oct. 9.
LOUISIANA MUSEUM OF AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY. St. Augustine Church Hall, 1210 Gov. Nicholls St., 586-1919 -- The Historic 1811 LA Slave Revolt; The Slave Castles of West Africa; Chapter Two/Conveying History: Following the Ancestors' Slave Trails, through Friday with special museum hours.
LOUISIANA STATE MUSEUM'S PRESBYTERE. 751 Chartres St., 568-6968 -- Crown Jewels of Carnival, royal jewels from the 1870s to the 1930s, assembled by Mardi Gras designer Henri Schindler, through Dec. 5.
NEW ORLEANS HISTORIC TRAIN GARDEN AT CITY PARK. New Orleans Botanical Garden, City Park, 482-4888 -- Miniature replicas of New Orleans architectural styles crafted from botanical bits, plus small-scale trains and streetcars, all in garden setting. Permanent exhibit is included with regular admission to New Orleans Botanical Garden.
NEW ORLEANS MUSEUM OF ART. 1 Collins Diboll Circle, City Park, 488-2631 -- In Celebration of Light: Photographs From the Collection of Cherye R. and James F. Pierce, featuring works by Ansel Adams, Diane Arbus, Robert Mapplethorpe, Henri Cartier-Bresson and Minor White, through Aug. 15; The Collector's Eye: The Louis S. Harris Collection, glass exhibition including works by Tiffany and Gall&233;, through Sept. 12; From Another Dimension, works on paper by sculptors, through Sept. 19; Idle Pursuits: Celebrations of Leisure in Edo-Period Painting, through Jan. 4, 2005.
OGDEN MUSEUM OF SOUTHERN ART. 925 Camp St., 539-9600 -- The Story of the South: Art and Culture 1890-2003, Chapter One, museum collection of Roger Ogden, on permanent exhibit; Looking Back/Looking Forward: A 20th Anniversary Re-Evaluation of the Art and Culture of the 1984 Louisiana World's Exposition, series of art exhibitions and symposia focusing on the 'New Orleans World's Fair,' featuring photographs by Joshua Paillet in the Contemporary Photography Gallery, through December; Richard Jolley: Sculptor of Glass, works spanning two decades, shown in the Contemporary Southern Art Gallery through Sept. 24.
SYDNEY AND WALDA BESTHOFF SCULPTURE GARDEN. New Orleans Museum of Art, 1 Collins Diboll Circle, City Park, 488-2631 -- Five-acre outdoor collection of modern and contemporary sculpture, free and open to the public. call for artists
3 RING CIRCUS. 1638 Clio St., 569-2700 -- 3 Ring Circus and The Big Top Gallery seek submissions from artists, writers and theater troupes for art show and events to be held in September. All entries should comment on the show's theme, 'Money.' Each visual art submission should include up to three slides or digital images on CD; each musical submission should include up to three songs on a cassette tape or CD; poetry, prose, plays and puppet shows should be submitted by mail or email. Entry fee is $10 per three works. Call or visit www.3rcp.com for more information. The deadline for submissions is Aug. 15.
NO DEAD ARTISTS. Jonathan Ferrara Gallery, 841 Carondelet St., 522-5471 -- Submissions are sought for the ninth annual open juried exhibition, scheduled for the month of September. All work must be mailed in 35mm slide format and must be for sale, subject to standard gallery commission. Entrance fee is $25. Applications are available at the gallery or online at www.jonathanferraragallery.com. The deadline for submissions is Aug. 13.
A STUDIO IN THE WOODS. 13401 River Road, 392-5359 -- Applications are being sought from visual artists, writers and composers seeking residencies at the only live-in artists' community in the Deep South. Call or visit www.astudiointhewoods.org for more information.
SUMMER ART CAMP. Contemporary Arts Center, 900 Camp St., 528-3805 -- Four one-week sessions now open to kids ages 6 through 13. For information, call Marie Lamb at the CAC or email mlamb@cacno.org.
special events
FAMILY DAY AT THE COLLECTION. Historic New Orleans Collection, 533 Royal St., 523-4662 -- A celebration of the exhibition From Louis XIV to Louis Armstrong: A Cultural Tapestry, featuring riverboat Capt. Clarke Hawley, Chief Alfred Doucette of the Flaming Arrows Mardi Gras Indians, and book signings of Cajun Comiques: Historic Louisiana, An Illustrated History for Kids of All Ages by Guy N. Faucheaux and Wallace P. Faucheaux. 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. $5 admission for adults, free for children.
HOT OFF THE PRESS! KIDSMART BENEFIT. Arthur Roger Gallery Project Space, 730 Tchoupitoulas St., 522-1999 -- Exhibit and auction of unframed works on paper to benefit KID smART, featuring works by more than 30 local and nationally known artists. Preview 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday, auction 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday. $25 admission goes toward the purchase of an artwork.
NOMA NIGHTS. New Orleans Museum of Art/ Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden, 1 Collins Diboll Circle, City Park, 488-2631 -- Both venues remain open from 12:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Thursdays, with concerts, film screenings and other events offered periodically.
books
Tuesday 27
JULIE SMITH. Octavia Books, 513 Octavia St., 899-7323 -- Edgar Award-winning author will sign Louisiana Lament, a detective's journey through a not-so-genteel New Orleans environment while investigating the murder of a once-renowned female socialite and patroness of the arts. Free admission. 7 p.m.
Wednesday 28
TRIVIA NIGHT. Barnes & Noble, 3721 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, 455-4929 -- Test your knowledge of book and author trivia from a variety of categories, such as children's literature, classics and non-fiction from the new Trivial Pursuit Booklover's Edition. Free admission. 7 p.m.
Saturday 31
ANNE BUTLER. Sam's Club, 3900 Airline Drive, Metairie, 831-2911; Sam's Club, 455 31st St., Kenner, 467-9677 -- Owner of Butler Greenwood Plantation and author of Audubon Plantation Country Cookbook will sign her cookbook composed of heirloom recipes, family legends, historical facts, vintage photographs and humorous anecdotes. Free admission. Noon to 2 p.m. in Metairie, 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. in Kenner.
