Exhibitions

Through December 20th, Thrive, at DiverseWorks

Notions of time play through the work of 16 notable artists in Thrive, an exhibition organized in conjunction with a conference at University of Houston: “Gender, Creativity and the New Longevity.”  The exhibit and accompanying programs are a co-presentation of DiverseWorks and Women’s Studies program at University of Houston.  Artists include Elia Arce, Laura Bennett, Ellen Berman, Suzanne Bloom, Joanne Brigham, Kathy Hall, Roberta Harris, Rachel Hecker, Mary Jenewein, Lauren Kelley, Charles Mary Kubricht, Lynn Randolph, Debra Rueb, Toby Topek, Kelli Vance and Dee Wolff.  

Reviews:  Houston Chronicle by Douglas Britt | Greater Houston Weekly by Virginia Billeaud Anderson

DiverseWorks, 1117 E. Frwy, www.diverseworks.org

Plays

Through December 21, The Gate of Heaven  

Asian Pacific American Heritage Association (APAHA) & Nova Arts Project present The Gate of Heaven. Written by playwrights Lane Nishikawa and Victor Talmadge, The Gate of Heaven is a compelling story of friendship and tolerance between two men of diverse backgrounds, Japanese-American soldier Kiyoshi “Sam” Yamamoto and Leon Ehrlich, an East European Jew rescued by Yamamoto from the Dachau concentration camp at the end of the Second World War.

The Gate of Heaven runs through December 21.  Tickets range from $15 to $30.  For ticket information, call 713-623-4033 or purchase tickets online. 
 
Reviews: The Houston Press by D.L. Groover | Houston Chronicle by Everett Evans.

Music 

Trio Angelico @ Rothko Chapel, Friday, December 19, 7 pm

Trio Angelico’s three distinctive voices — Sonja Bruzauskas, mezzo soprano; Jennifer Keeney, flutist; and Anita Kruse, pianist/composer — combine to form a unique, passionate sound that resonates with comfort and warmth.  This evening they present a Song Salon program inspired by the topic of Angels, with music composed about angels and pieces based on various spiritual texts referencing these elusive messengers of God.  Dean Dalton joins the Trio to comment on the music.  Free.

Rothko Chapel, 1409 Sul Ross, www.rothkochapel.org.

 Trio Angelico’s three distinctive voices—Sonja Bruzauskas, mezzo soprano; Jennifer Keeney, flutist; and Anita Kruse, pianist/composer—combine to form a unique, passionate sound that resonates with comfort and warmth. In the spirit of the holiday season, Trio Angelico presents a Song Salon program inspired by the topic of Angels, with music composed about angels and pieces based on various spiritual texts referencing these elusive messengers of God. Radio personality Dean Dalton joins the Trio to comment on the music.

Two Star Symphony @ Rudyard’s Pub, Saturday, Dec. 20th, 10:30p.

The Two Star Symphony Christmas Extravaganza!
Featuring an extended lineup and playing a variety of rarely-performed original works including selections from  UH musical The Good Woman of Setzuan, excerpts from the Dominic Walsh Dance Theater’s ballet “Titus Andronicus”, and highlights from John Duboise’s “The Gashlycrumb Tinies”! Finally, prepare yourselves for the world premiere of our Ministry interpretation - this is a new work, commissioned by Ministry - where they take Ministry’s classic song “Just One Fix,” and make it their own!

Film

-Join MFAH Films and the Houston Film Critics Society as the Best Films of 2008 are announced at an awards presentation.  A reception will follow in the museum’s galleries.

Saturday, December 20, 4 pm, Museum of Fine Arts Houston Brown Auditorium Theater, FREE.  www.mfah.org/films.

 

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Save all of your holiday shopping for Thursday, December 18 (tonight!), when Langford Market and Houston Young People for the Arts host a holiday happy hour.

Drop by for a drink*, listen to some live tunes* and pick-up a last-minute gift for someone on your list (or yourself!). In some cases, this may not be last-minute, so get it all done at once!

25% of sales will go to HYPA, so all of your purchases are guilt-free!

*no purchase necessary

When:  Thursday, December 18, 5 pm to 9 pm

Where: Langford Market, Rice Village, 2517 University Blvd.

What:  Shopping, drinks, music! 25% of tonight’s sales will go to Houston Young People for the Arts

 

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Ever since I met Ryan Geiger and Whit Adams at a DiverseWorks gala (all I remember is Whit had what was supposed to be chocolate smeared across his mouth and wearing Leiderhosen), I have enjoyed seeing his work progress.  Especially since one piece contains one of my fave people in the world, Sarah Bray.

Ryan along with Miguel Avila, Gabriela Trzebinsky and Lillian Warren will be featured at the opening reception tonight at Rudolph Projects Art Scan Gallery, 1836 Richmond.

Opening Wednesday December 17, 5:30 - 8pm
4 Scenarios
Miguel Avila, Ryan Geiger,
Gabriela Trzebinski, Lillian Warren
Work on view through February 9, 2009
New Gallery Hours : Thursday - Saturday 11 - 5pm
and by appt email info@rudolphprojects.com
or call 713-807-1836

www.rudolphprojects.com

Pay-What-You-Want Night for Catastrophic Theatre’s Spirits to Enforce

You can read the Houston Chronicle review or check out some of the highlights including: “A triumph… awesome… inspired… fascinating… packed with fresh writing… [from] one of the most original voices in American theater today… a Catastrophic Theatre Christmas miracle… If you see one show this month that has absolutely nothing to do with the holidays, it should be Spirits to Enforce.”

Arts Houston magazine also had some wonderful things to say too!

To read more about the play visit Catastrophic Theatre’s website.

Get a space held by calling 713-880-5216 for tonight’s performance or you can check it out on any other night (runs through this Saturday) for only $15!

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Get Your Tickets to HYPA’s Fire + Ice Gala HERE 

Openings

Friday, 5:30p - 8 p:  Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, Hot Glass, Cool Collections / Environments = Form + Space, 4848 Main Street

Don’t Miss:  Hot Glass Demos by Pablo Soto & Sean Albert at Houston Studio Glass (610 Jackson Hill) on Sunday, December 14, 2 pm.  Free.

Dance, Dance, Dance

December 11-13, Travesty Dance Group: Portables - Travesty Dance Group has been hailed for its “fresh and wacky choreography”  (BACKSTAGE NYC),”lush music and moves” (Dance Source Houston), and its “coherence, humor and exuberant dancing” (CoolCleveland.com).  Portables, an evening of dance featuring seven brand new works by choreographer/Houston Director Karen Stokes. Each of the dances differ in atmospheres and thematic content, ranging from humorous and delightful, to mysterious and soulful. The concert will take the audience on a rich dance journey, ending with a joyful leap into the holiday season with Stokes’ Ode to Mozart: “Sorbet!”  Tickets: $10-$26.50. For tickets visit http://www.thehobbycenter.org/ or 713-315-2525.

More Performing Arts

Friday, December 12 and Saturday, December 13, 7:30 pm.  Houston Grand Opera Studio Annual Showcase.  The diverse program includes music from Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia, Bizet’s Carmen, Donizetti’s Don Pasquale, Mozart’s La Clemenza di Tito, Jake Heggie’s Dead Man Walking, Strauss’s Capriccio, Verdi’s Don Carlo and Puccini’s La Bohème.  Single tickets for Studio Showcase are $35 and include a light buffet reception that will follow the performance. http://www.houstongrandopera.org/ or 713-228-6737.  University of St. Thomas - Jones Hall.

Saturday, December 13, 8 pm, Mercury Baroque: Magnificat.  This popular Bach piece, Mary’s prayer after learning she will give birth to the Son of God, is from the Gospel of St. Luke. A joyous musical celebration for the holidays, the Magnificat is energized by the distinctive sound of period instruments, a Mercury choir, and five soloists.  Tickets $25-52.  Wortham Theater Center. 

For The Holidays

Friday, December 12, 7 to 10 pm:  East End Christmas. Celebrate the Season… East End Style!  Join your friends at the Orange Show Center for Visionary Art for East End Christmas, a free community Christmas party and celebrate the season “East End” style. It’s a festive evening of mariachi music, tamale tastings and holiday treats. Sip hot toddies and enjoy live music and a special appearance by Chingo Bling. Houston’s favorite holiday hero Pancho Claus (pictured) will be stopping by with his Lowrider posse to collect gifts for needy children.  Free but guests are asked to bring one new, unwrapped toy.  Orange Show, 2402 Munger, http://www.orangeshow.org/.

Saturday, December 13, Lights in the Heights.  It’s time once again for the best neighborhood Christmas festival in Houston, Lights in the Heights 2008.  The Woodland Heights neighborhood is one of the oldest and most historic in Houston. The neighborhood was one of the earliest in the United States to be linked together via a community email list, and its active civic association sponsors an annual “Lights in the Heights” celebration each December, in which 14 blocks of two parallel streets are lit by luminaria and closed to motor vehicles.  The celebration features hot beverages, live music and carriage rides, and attracts visitors from all across the city.  The festival, which was born almost two decades ago as a way for neighbors to get to know each other, has ballooned into one of the most anticipated events in the Heights community, and this year, organizers say, should be no different.  Free.  For directions, visit here.

Don’t Miss:  Musiqa Houston and holiday revelers are invited to participate by bringing their boomboxes to the corner of Norhill and Bayland on Saturday, December 13th between 5-6 p.m. Each participant will receive a CD that is a separate “voice” in the piece, as well as a free T-shirt. Participants will then join the “Lights and the Heights” parade, creating a vibrant sound collage. The parade begins promptly at 6 p.m.  p.s.  bring some batteries for you old schoolers.

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