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August 2008
Summer is in full swing this month.
Summer camps are winding down and the new school year begins at the end of the
month for Houston area schools. Take
time to enjoy concerts at Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion or Miller Outdoor
Theater, which will be hosting the Houston Shakespeare Festival . The Houston
Texans kick off their pre-season games this month at Reliant Stadium.
Don't miss Houston Restaurant week August 11th – 17th.
It's an opportunity to enjoy a three-course gourmet meal, while helping to
benefit End Hunger. The Houston
International Jazz Festival and first annual Houston Music Festival take place
this month, as do the Annual Houston Home Show, which will be showcased
this month at George R. Brown Convention Center.
Whatever your interests, there's something for everyone this month in
Houston!
Holidays
August 1st: Air Force Day
August 3rd: Friendship Day
August 4th: Coast Guard Day
Dance/Music/Theatre
Alley Theatre
(615 Texas
Avenue)
July 1st – August 3rd:
Agatha Christie’s The Unexpected Guest
-
In dense fog near the South Welsh coastline, a stranger runs his car into a
ditch and arrives at a nearby house. Inside, he finds the murdered body of a
former big-game hunter. The dead man’s wife is near the body with a gun in her
hand. Is she guilty or is she protecting someone? Appearances are sure to
deceive in this twisty mystery. Guardian review of the 1958 premiere said, "At
the end [Agatha Christie] heard the kind of applause that has given her
Mousetrap a record six-year run."
for more information, see
www.alleytheatre.org
or call (713) 228-8421
Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
(The Woodlands)
Surrounded by a lush forest, The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion is an outdoor
amphitheater that provides the Greater Houston region with an array of
performing arts and contemporary entertainment in a setting of unparalleled
beauty.
August 1st:
MercyMe 7:30 p.m.
August 2nd:
John Mayer with Colbie Caillat & Brett Dennen 7:00 p.m.
August 8th:
Kid Rock & Lynyrd Skynyrd with Reverend
Run 6:00 p.m.
August 14th:
Sheryl Crow with
James Blunt and Tools & the Maytals 7:00 p.m.
August 15th: Dave Matthews Band with Eli Young Band
7:00 p.m.
August 17th:
Lyle Lovett with Asleep at the Wheel
7:00 p.m.
August 23rd:
The Metal Masters with Judas Priest, Heaven and Hell,
Motorhead and Testament 5:30 p.m.
August 24th:
Projekt Revolution 2008 with Linkin Park, Chriss
Cornell, The Bravery and Ashes Divide 2:00 p.m.
August 27th: Houston Symphony - Zoot Suit Symphony
8:00 p.m.
August 29th:
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers with Steve Winwood
7:00 p.m.
August 30th:
Gypsy Kings 8:00 p.m.
for more information,
see
www.pavilion.woodlandscenter.org
Hobby Center for the Performing Arts
(800 Bagby @ Walker)
August 9th - August 10th: The Backyardigans Live! -
Nickelodeon’s backyard friends, The Backyardigans, come to life for
preschoolers in their brand-new live show, The Backyardigans Live! The Tale of
the Mighty Knights! Join Knights Uniqua and Tyrone as they embark on a quest to
protect King Pablo’s unpredictable egg. Along the way, Grabbing Goblin Austin
and Flighty Fairy Tasha join the medieval mayhem as the runaway egg hatches feet
and makes an unexpected dash all the way up to Dragon Mountain! The
Backyardigans will need the audience's help to face a mighty dragon and return
the egg to the king. The Backyardigans Live! will have the entire family
singing, dancing and laughing along to songs of courage, friendship and the
power of imagination.
Thru August 3rd: Little Women - Based
on Louisa May Alcott's own family experiences (and novel), Little Women follows
the adventures of Jo, Meg, Beth and Amy March as they grow up in Civil War
America. The beloved story of the March sisters is timeless and deals with
issues as relevant today as when they were written. Now, this wonderful
narrative has been brought to life as an exhilarating new musical filled with
glorious music, dancing and heart. Little Women embodies the complete theatrical
experience, guaranteeing a night filled with laughter, tears, and a lifting of
the spirit. This powerful score soars with the sounds of personal discovery,
heartache and hope -- the sounds of a young America finding its voice.
Thru August 2nd: Forever Plaid - This
deliciously goofy revue centers on four young, eager male singers killed in a
car crash in the 1950s on the way to their first big concert, and now
miraculously revived for the posthumous chance to fulfill their dreams and
perform the show that never was. Singing in the closest of harmony, squabbling
boyishly over the smallest intonations and executing their charmingly outlandish
choreography with over-zealous precision, the “Plaids” are a guaranteed smash,
with a program of beloved songs and delightful patter that keeps audiences
rolling in the aisles when they're not humming along to some of the great
nostalgic pop hits of the '50s.
for
more information, see
www.thehobbycenter.org
or call (713) 315-2525
Houston Symphony
(Jones Hall – 615 Louisiana)
August 29th - 31st: Swing! with Big Bad Voodoo Daddy -
Put on your zoot suit and travel back to the '40s as swing revival
band Big Bad Voodoo Daddy transports you to the fedora styling era of big bands
and night clubs. You might recognize the band from the movie Swingers or
for their high-energy hits such as "Go Daddy-O" and "Jump, Jive and Wail".
Hear these songs along with the music of Cab Calloway, plus the Symphony's
performance of tunes like Louis Prima's "Sing, Sing, Sing" and Count Basie's
"One O'Clock Jump". 8:00 p.m.
:for more information, see
www.houstonsymphony.com or call (713) 224-7575
Society for the Performing Arts - Jones Hall
(615 Louisiana)
New season begins October 2008.
for more information, see
www.spahouston.org
Toyota Center
(1510
Polk Street)
August 2nd:
The Unforgettable Tour 9:00 p.m.
August 3rd:
The Wiggles Live! 1:30 & 5:00 p.m.
August 16th:
Nine Inch Nails 8:00 p.m.
August 24th:
American Idols Live! 2008 7:00 p.m.
for more information, visit www.houstontoyotacenter.com
or call (866) 4HOUTIX
Warehouse Live
(813 St. Emanuel Street)
August 1st: Rainchild 8:00
p.m.
August 2nd:
Candlebox 7:00 p.m.
August 5th:
Nellie McKay 8:00 p.m.
August 6th:
Jane Frequency 7:00 p.m.
August 7th:
Jon McLaughlin 7:00 p.m.
August 8th:
Brooke Fraser 7:30 p.m.
August 9th:
I'm So Hood 8:00 p.m.
August 10th:
Kingdom of Sorrow 7:00 p.m.
August 11th:
Wild Sweet Orange 7:00 p.m.
August 12th: The Hush Sound 6:00 p.m.
August 14th:
Sick Puppies 7:00 p.m.
August 15th:
Harwin 7:00 p.m.
August 17th:
Ozeal : Studemont Project : Aiyh 7:00 p.m.
August 19th:
Astra Heights 7:00 p.m.
August 21st:
Melvins 8:00 p.m.
August 22nd:
Reggie & the Full Effect 7:00 p.m.
August 23rd:
Honeybrowne 8:00 p.m.
August 24th:
Matt Pryor 6:00 p.m.
August 25th:
Nas 8:00 p.m.
August 29th:
Octopus Project 8:00 p.m.
August 31st:
Anthony Green 6:00 p.m.
for more information, see
www.warehouselive.com
Wortham Center – Houston Ballet
(Texas & Smith)
Season begins in September 2008.
for more information, see
www.houstonballet.org
or call (713) 227-ARTS
Wortham Center – Houston Grand Opera
(Texas & Smith)
Season begins in October 2008.
for more information, see
www.houstongrandopera.org
or call (713) 228-6737
DaCamera of Houston
(Wortham Theatre Center – Texas @ Smith unless otherwise noted)
Season begins in October 2008.
for more information, see
www.dacamera.com
Miller Outdoor Theatre
(Hermann Park)
Located on nearly eight acres in the heart of Hermann Park, Miller Outdoor
Theatre is the only free open-air theatre of its kind in the United States. It
is a home away from home for some of Houston's most dynamic arts organizations
such as HITS Unicorn Theater, Houston Grand Opera, the Houston Ebony Opera
Guild, Festival Chicano, Houston Symphony, Theatre Under The Stars (TUTS) and a
host of other multi-cultural groups and theater companies. Every performance in
our March to November season is free.
August 1st – 9th:
Houston Shakespeare Festival - Julius Caesar
-
The “virtuous murderer” Brutus uses assassination to rid the world of a
dictator, only to be embroiled in civil strife, revolution and social upheaval.
Produced by Houston Shakespeare Festival. 8:30 p.m.
August 2nd – 10th:
Houston Shakespeare Festival - Cymbeline
- Alternately characterized as a romance, tragicomedy and as a
comedy of forgiveness, Shakespeare’s play depicts a tyrannical king who repulses
a virtuous daughter and rewards the vicious members of his family with
predictably unhappy consequences. Produced by Houston Shakespeare
Festival. 8:30 p.m.
August 15th – 16th:
Ain’t Misbehavin’
- Exhilarating musical revue of songs by the legendary Fats Waller,
a major figure in the “Harlem Renaissance” of the 1920s and 1930s.
Hear favorites such as “Honeysuckle Rose,” “Mean to Me,” “Your Feet’s Too
Big,” and, of course, the great title tune. Produced by The Ensemble
Theatre.
August 19th:
The Thin Man
- Everyone's favorite society sleuths, Nick and Nora Charles
(unforgettably played by William Powell and Myrna Loy) work their way through
murder, mayhem and martinis, all with great flair and ample wit.
Presented by Miller Outdoor Theatre. 8:00 p.m.
August 20th:
A Day at the Races
- The Marx Brothers - Groucho, Chico and Harpo - in one of their
funniest. Groucho is Dr. Hugo Z. Hackenbush, who struggles to keep a sanitorium
open with the aid of Chico, Harpo and a misfit racehorse. Presented by
Miller Outdoor Theatre. 8:15 p.m.
August 21st:
Some Like it Hot
-
Widely considered the funniest movie ever made. 1920's musicians Jack Lemmon and
Tony Curtis hide from the Mob by putting on dresses and heels and playing with
an all-girl band. Marilyn Monroe is the band's ditzy singer, the delectable,
Sugar Kane. Presented by Miller
Outdoor Theatre. 8:15 p.m.
August 22nd:
Jazz: A Tribute to the Big Band Era
-
Featuring original works by the late Conrad Johnson and other big band greats
such as Glenn Miller and Duke Ellington, performed by the Conrad Johnson Youth
Orchestra, the Young Adult Orchestra and the Conrad Johnson Jazz Heritage
Orchestra. Produced by the Conrad
Johnson Music and Fine Arts Foundation. 8:00 p.m.
August 23rd:
Keeping the Music Alive
- Concert event pays tribute to popular recording artists Luther
Vandross, Gerald Levert and Barry White, who have made a significant impact not
only on ethnic communities but the musical world in general.
Details to be announced. Produced by CBA School of Arts and
Walker Entertainment Group.
August 24th:
Women in Jazz
- Jazz and R&B great Freda Payne, performs her acclaimed
“Tribute to Ella Fitzgerald.”
Also on the bill will be vocalist Carolyn Blanchard in a salute to Dinah
Washington. Produced by the Community Music Center. 7:30 p.m.
August 29th:
Porgy and Bess
- A concert version of excerpts from the great George Gershwin
opera, which features such classics as “Summertime,” “It Ain’t Necessarily So,”
and “Bess, You Is My Woman Now.”
Produced by Houston Ebony Opera Guild. 8:00 p.m.
for more information, see
www.milleroutdoortheatre.org
A.D. Players
(2710
West Alabama)
Thru August 31st:
Smoke on the Mountain Homecoming –
Don’t miss this all new southwest
premiere! In this ALL NEW
production, Mount Pleasant Baptist Church welcomes the Sanders Family for an
unforgettable reunion. It’s October
1945, and the Sanders Family is reuniting for the first time in four years at
Mount Pleasant (where everything still smells like pickles). Dennis Sanders is
home from the war and ready to step into the pulpit as Reverend Oglethorpe
answers a call to go preach in Texas, with a very pregnant June in tow. The
family has grown, but some things never change. Expect the ongoing Bible battle
between the Reverend and Vera, loads of laughs, and more Bluegrass Gospel than
you can tap your toes to!
for more information,
see
www.adplayers.org
Main Street Theater
(2540 Times Blvd.)
August 30th - September 21st:
Third
September 30th – October 25th:
If You Give a Pig a Party - If
you give a Pig a party, she’s going to ask for some balloons. When you
give her the balloons, she’ll want to decorate the house. THEN she’ll want to
invite ALL her friends to a party, and then THEY will want to have a sleepover,
with pillows and PJ’s and….! All of Laura Numeroff’s beloved characters –
the Mouse, the Moose, the Pig and even her latest character, the Cat -- are
on-hand for this delightful and rollicking musical.
for more information, see
www.mainstreettheater.com
or call (713) 524-6706
Opera in the Heights
(1703 Heights Blvd)
September 25th – October 11th:
Madame Butterfly by Giacomo Puccini -
A clash of cultures in an exotic locale is the backdrop for this
story of the gentle geisha and the American naval officer. Everyone will feel
the sorrow of “Poor Butterfly,” betrayed and abandoned to some of the most
heartfelt music ever written.
November 6th – 22nd:
Two Faces of Donizetti by Gaetano Donizetti
- Enjoy two helpings of Donizetti’s most delicious music tonight: both comedy
and tragedy are served with the magic of melody as only a master of bel canto
can. Act I of Lucia di Lammermoor
will be presented in concert form, and then Don Pasquale will be fully staged in
its entirety.
for more information, call (713) 861-5303 or see
www.operaintheheights.org
Playhouse 1960
(6814 Grant Road)
Thru August 3rd:
Grease - It's 1959 and Rydell
high is filled with rebellious, thrill-loving students. In the midst of this
scene, Sandy Dumbrowski enters as the new girl in school. It turns out that she
and the leader of the Burger Palace Boys gang, Danny Zuko, have had a brief love
affair the summer before. While Sandy stresses to her new classmates the
emotional attachment she and Danny had, Danny stresses the physical aspects of
their relationship. As the show goes on, the students at Rydell High have to
deal with love, gang violence, teen pregnancy, and friendship. In the end, Sandy
and Danny resolve their differences and end up happily together. Dancing in the
show involves 1950s jazz styles .
August 22nd – September 12th:
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof by Tennessee
Williams - Cat on a Hot Tin Roof is a story of an affluent Southerner, Big
Daddy Pollitt, who is dying of cancer. The family gathers at the Mississippi
mansion for his birthday, aware that this may be his last. Big Daddy does not
know, however, because the family doctor, eldest son Gooper, and his wife, Mae,
decide to keep the fact concealed from him. Two other family members join the
clan for the party, Brick, the youngest Pollitt, and his beautiful wife, Maggie.
August 23rd – September 14th:
The Royal Bachelor by Martin A. Follose -
Chaos and hilarity ensue in this hysterical spoof of several popular reality
TV shows! When poor King Evian uses his last dying words (as he falls out the
window) to pass royal succession not to greedy Prince Daft but to Yokel, a
foolish hillbilly, everyone agrees Yokel needs a wife to help him run the
kingdom. Reminiscent of The Bachelor, his staff brings in eligible young ladies
to vie for the new king?s hand, including Agatha Peabody, a high-society matron;
Priscilla Tradewells-Ayers-Hollander-Morley, a four-times-married gold digger;
Sally Valley, a ditzy cheerleader from L.A.; Crushin? Kanisha, a New York City
gangster-type; and Jane Claxton, a true-hearted cowgirl from Texas. You'll love
being involved as the five ladies are tested on their abilities in true American
Idol fashion (no talent necessary, of course!), followed by a Survivor
challenge. Of course, Yokel has other problems to deal with?the price of
gasoline has skyrocketed, jobs are being outsourced overseas, the stock market
has tumbled and his self-appointed personal advisor Frederick Pilfer is busy
draining the royal treasury. Worst of all, the vengeful prince hatches a slew of
unsuccessful, hair-brained assassination plots against the new king. Your
audience will be rolling in the aisles by the time Yokel sorts through the
contenders to find his true love and save his kingdom from ruin!
for more information,
see
www.playhouse1960.com
or call (281) 587-8243
Radio Music Theatre
(2623
Colquitt)
Thru November 15th:
Electile Dysfunction - What's so funny
about a presidential election? Come
to RMT and find out as we take a zany look at national politics through the eyes
of the residents of Precious Trees (Houston's most planned community).
for more information, see
www.radiomusictheatre.com
or
call (713) 522-7722
Stages Repertory Theatre
(3201 Allen Parkway)
Thru August 31st:
Always…Patsy Cline - Based
on a true story, this tribute to the legendary country music singer and her
friendship with devoted Houston fan Louise Seger is rich with down-home country
humor and includes 27 of Cline's unforgettable hit songs.
September 3rd – 28th:
Unbeatable
A Bold New Musical - Book by Eric
Coble - Tracy Boyd is a high-powered, type-A workaholic whose speed and
efficiency give her superhero status—until she ignores a lump in her breast for
almost a year. In the trial of her life, Tracy finally confronts her greatest
fear: living. Based on the journals of a real-life breast cancer survivor,
Unbeatable celebrates hope, laughter and the courage to live every moment.
for more information,
see
www.stagestheatre.com
or call (713) 527-0123
Verizon Wireless Theatre
(520 Texas Avenue)
Verizon Wireless Theatre is the source in downtown Houston for the best in live
entertainment. From rock to country, comedy to musicals, they offer everything
you want in an entertainment venue. Verizon Wireless Theater puts on over
one hundred events every year.
August 1st:
The No Fear Music Tour Featuring Bullet For My Valentine
7:30 p.m.
August 6th:
Seether with Red, SafetySuit
8:00 p.m.
August 8th:
Bow Wow 8:00 p.m.
August 10th:
Houston Roller Derby Ring of Fire
5:00 p.m.
August 20th:
Steely Dan 8:00 p.m.
August 28th:
Tokio Hotel 8:00 p.m.
August 29th:
Toadies 8:00 p.m.
for more information, see
www.livenation.com
or call (713) 230-1600
Museums
Blaffer Gallery
(University of Houston campus, entrance 16 off Cullen Boulevard) Thru August 2nd: Charles "Teenie" Harris: Rhapsody in Black and White - Rhapsody in Black and White is part of a collaborative project between Blaffer, the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts, DiverseWorks, and the Society for the Performing Arts (SPA). Co-curated by world-renowned choreographer Ronald K. Brown and leading photographic arts expert Deborah Willis, it features the work of African-American photojournalist Charles "Teenie" Harris, who worked at the Pittsburgh Courier from 1936 to 1975. The exhibition is organized in conjunction with Brown's major new choreographic work, One Shot, which will be presented by DiverseWorks and SPA at downtown's Wortham Theatre Center on Saturday, May 10. One Shot was inspired by "Teenie" Harris's photographs, housed at the Carnegie Museum of Art, which encompass the world's largest image archive of African-American life. Leading up to the exhibition and performance, Brown will conduct teaching residencies at the University of Houston and will work with elementary school children in the Third Ward at Project Row Houses' after-school program. Thru August 2nd: 2008 Houston Area Exhibition - The 2008 Houston Area Exhibition, selected by Blaffer Gallery curator Claudia Schmuckli, not only introduces artists who are young or new to the Houston community, but it also offers more seasoned artists the opportunity to develop new work and to be seen in a fresh light. The issues put forth in the works in the exhibition vary, but what connects all of the artists is an active engagement with ideas and concerns that define life in this particular contemporary moment – be it as an individual, a society, or a nation. Held every four years, the Houston Area Exhibition takes the pulse of contemporary art made in Houston to offer a snapshot of what matters to artists in the here and now.
September 13th – November 15th:
Damaged Romanticism: A Mirror of Modern Emotion - This exhibition surveys a
strand of contemporary art that puts the emotions front and center without
falling back on the do-or-die finality of classic Romanticism. Forming neither a
style nor a school in the traditional sense, its works embody an attitude or
outlook that shares a constellation of sentiments forged in often heartbreaking
disappointment but never resigned to the social conditions that precipitated the
pain and failure. Suffering, tragedy, and misunderstanding form the soil out of
which the works in Damaged Romanticism spring, making a place, as they grow, for
hope. This hope has nothing to do with the unattainable platitudes of idealism,
but is, on the contrary, pragmatic, even pedestrian, in its groundedness in the
gritty vicissitudes of the real world. Stubborn optimism takes the place of
dreamy utopianism in Damaged Romanticism. In this sense it embodies an aftermath
aesthetic. At the heart of these works is the recognition that virgin births are
fantasies, that blank slates are not found but actually involve lots of often
violent erasing, and that starting fresh is more like starting over, often with
more psychological baggage than one would choose to begin with. F. Scott
Fitzgerald’s claim that American lives have no second acts does not apply to the
works in Damaged Romanticism, all of which are built on the knowledge that
rebirth grows out of experiences of things gone horribly wrong.
Damaged Romanticism: A Mirror of Modern Emotion was organized for Blaffer
Gallery, the Art Museum of the University of Houston, by Terrie Sultan,
Director, The Parrish Art Museum (former Director of Blaffer Gallery); David
Pagel, Assistant Professor of Art Theory and History at Claremont Graduate
University; and Colin Gardner, Professor of Critical Theory and Integrative
Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. The exhibition and
publication are made possible, in part, by the Elizabeth Firestone Graham
Foundation, the Cecil Amelia Blaffer von Furstenberg Endowment for Exhibitions
and Programs, the Barbro Osher Pro Suecia Foundation, Ellen and Steve Susman,
Continental Airlines, and the Consulate General of the Federal Republic of
Germany.
September 13th – October 18th:
Celebutants, Groupies, and Friends: A
Photographic Legacy from the Andy Warhol Foundation - From 1970 through
1987, Andy Warhol took scores of Polaroid and black-and-white photographs, the
vast majority of which were never seen by the public. These images often served
as the basis for his commissioned portraits, silk-screen paintings, drawings,
and prints. In 2007, to commemorate its twentieth anniversary, the Warhol
Foundation launched the Andy Warhol Photographic Legacy Program. Designed to
give a broad public greater access to Warhol's photographs, the program donated
Warhol's original Polaroids and gelatin silver prints to museums across the
country, including 149 to the UH University Art Collection. Celebutants,
Groupies, and Friends: A Photographic Legacy from the Andy Warhol Foundation at
Blaffer Gallery will showcase the outstanding group of photographs that the
university has added to their collection and will contextualize the images
within Andy Warhol's artistic practice and tell the stories behind the
captivating pictures.
for more information, see
www.hfac.uh.edu/blaffer
or call (713) 743-9530
Children’s Museum of Houston
(1500 Benz)
The Children’s Museum of Houston offers a wonderful array of ongoing exhibits,
created to inspire children’s imaginations and help them to learn through
curiosity and hands-on activities and experimentation.
August 7th – 13th:
Go for the Gold WonderWeek! - Children's Museum of Houston
celebrates the Olympic spirit! Race
for the prize with the Children's Museum of Houston at our Go for the Gold
WonderWeek! With the Summer Olympics underway, we have many activities planned
to celebrate the event. Challenge your physical and mental strength and look
forward to the gold medal awaiting you at the end of the journey!
August 9th:
Ribbon Dancer Olesya Webb –
Don’t miss the opportunity to see ribbon dancer Olesya Webb mesmerize our
visitors with her energetic dance moves, all connected with ribbon!! 2:00
- 2:30 p.m.
August 16th:
Guitarist Leah White – Join the
Museum’s favorite singer as she once again performs for our visitors with her
vibrant, original and fun music.
You’ll be singing and dancing right along with her.
2:00 – 2:30 p.m.
August 21st – 26th:
Summer Countdown WonderWeek! -
Children's Museum of Houston prepares you for school with math!
It is almost time for school to start! The Children's Museum of Houston
will prepare you for the classroom with our Summer Countdown WonderWeek! Math
relates to so much in our world today and you will see how with various
mind-stimulating activities. Get ready for school – and fun – this week!
August 23rd:
Big Jim’s Tangy Tunes – Join
museum staff and visitors as once again, Big Jim performs his original, fun
music, that just happens to also be educational!
Kid TV
- The Adler-Sarofim KID-TV Studio Lights! Camera! Action! Think your child might
be the next Matt Lauer or Barbara Walters? Let them show their stuff on camera
in this exhibit, which teaches kids and parents what television is like behind
the scenes. KID-TV includes a dramatic backdrop of downtown Houston, video
cameras, props and costumes, a teleprompter, a story board activity, a sound
booth with a computer sound generator, director's board and cut-out figures of
multi-cultural men and women who explain the different jobs in video production.
KID-TV is sponsored by Sarofim Trust Co.
Think Tank -
In this hands-on, minds-on exhibit, kids will get to explore different thought
processes and learn how effective problem-solving can boost self-confidence.
After meeting the Think Tank Guides (Carlos, Felicia, Rosie and Isaac), you can
jump right into solving the riddles...or you might want to put on custom-made
thinking caps and lounge in the thinking chairs to get those brainstorming
juices flowing. Either way, inventive, "outside the box" thinking is sure to
occur!
Tot Spot -
Tot Spot is the place to bring your newborn, toddler and two-year-old.
It’s where play is learning and learning is play for children from birth to
thirty-six months. The eye-catching bubble machine is a first stop, but
not the last as tots crawl, cruise or walk throughout the exhibit which has four
distinct areas. These areas promote exploration, discovery,
experimentation and wonder.
for more information,
see
www.cmhouston.org or
call (713) 522-1138
Contemporary Arts Museum
(5216
Montrose)
August 2nd – October 5th:
Sam Taylor-Wood - A leading artist of her generation, Sam
Taylor-Wood came to prominence in the mid-1990s as one of the YBA’s (Young
British Artists), the British art movement that propelled the likes of Damien
Hirst and Tracey Emin to celebrity status for their provocative and sensational
works. Taylor-Wood has since become renowned for deftly manipulating the
signature media of our age—photography, film, and video—into compelling
psychological portraits that tap into the ethos of our times. Organized by the
Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland, this is the first major museum exhibition
of Taylor-Wood’s work in the United States.
July 18th – September 28th:
Perspectives 162: Snow - Perspectives 162: Snow features
installation works by Los Angeles-based, conceptual artist Allie Bogle and
Houston-based photographer Libbie Masterson. For this exhibition, both Bogle and
Masterson have created immersive environments in which viewers are invited to
either engage in playful interaction or quiet meditation. In their respective
works, each artist speaks to landscape, but with a particular articulation that
questions the viewer’s perception of what is natural and what is man-made. The
subtext of their work points to larger social issues surrounding contemporary
society’s disconnection from nature and its simultaneous desire to “recreate”
the natural, even as it thaws into a spectacle of artificiality. A
Perspectives-format catalogue accompanies this exhibition and features an essay
written by curator Valerie Cassel Oliver, a checklist of featured works, and
biographical and bibliographical information on the artists.
October 18th – January 4th:
Cinema Remixed & Reloaded: Black Women
Artists and the Moving Image since 1970 - Collaborating with The Spelman
College Museum of Fine Art, Cinema Remixed & Reloaded is the first exhibition to
examine the critical contributions of black women film and video artists to the
field of contemporary art. Featuring projections, installations, interactive
CD-ROM projects, experimental film and video work the exhibition spans across
generations and geographic boundaries to present work by more than 40 artists.
Works by established artists who began working with the medium in the 1970s such
as Adrian Piper, Carroll Parrott Blue, Senga Nengudi, Julie Dash, and Howardena
Pindell, are presented along side of works created by mid-career and emerging
artists such as Carrie Mae Weems, Lorna Simpson, Bernie Searle, Kara Walker,
Marìa Magdelena Campos-Pons, Elizabeth Axtman, , Zoë Charlton, Jessica Ann Peavy,
Tracey Rose, Lauren Kelley, Lauren Woods, and Xaviera Simmons. A significant
catalogue co-published by The Contemporary Arts Museum Houston and Spelman
College Museum of Fine Art, accompanies this exhibition and functions as an
essential reader on the subject of black women artists and the moving image
since 1970.
for more information, see
www.camh.org or call (713) 284-8250
The Heritage Society
(1100
Bagby)
June 10th – Sept. 28th:
Interwoven Traditions: The Spiritual Journey from African to African
American - This exhibit discusses how Africans were able to use their
spiritual beliefs, which sprang largely from classical African religions, to
both survive slavery and create their own unique African American culture.
Interwoven Traditions, which features many hidden African spiritual symbols
found on archeological excavations of plantations in Texas, Louisiana, and South
Carolina, is co-curated by Kenneth L. Brown, Ph.D. and Carol McDavid, Ph.D.,
with assistance from the Levi Jordan Plantation Historical Society and the Texas
Historical Commission, who has loaned the artifacts for the exhibit.
August 5th – September 28th:
Snapshots of Houston History from
the Bob Bailey Studios Collection - The Heritage Society will expand the
calendar exhibit and fill the walls of the gallery with vintage photos from all
around Houston from the 1920s-1960s.
August 21st:
Hill/Finger Noontime Lecture - Houston Cinema - David Welling will be the
speaker. The Heritage Society Tea Room. 12:00 - 1:00 p.m.
September 18th:
Hill/Finger Lecture Series - Houston and Harris County's Hispanic
Heritage - Commissioner Sylvia R. Garcia will be the speaker. The
Heritage Society Tea Room. 12:00 - 1:00 p.m.
September 27th:
The Best Little Workshop in Texas
For Teachers of Texas History - A professional development workshop for
teachers of middle school Texas history.
for more information, visit
www.heritagesociety.org
Holocaust Museum Houston
(5401
Caroline)
Permanent Exhibit:
The Permanent Exhibit is personalized with the testimony of Houston-area
survivors who lived through a genocidal war that inflicted mass death on
unprecedented numbers of innocent civilians. The exhibit begins by carrying
visitors back to pre-war Europe and revealing the flourishing Jewish life and
culture there. Authentic film footage, artifacts, photographs, and documents
expose Nazi propaganda and the ever-tightening restrictions on Jews in the
steady move toward the "Final Solution." Visitors learn of the horrific
conditions within the Nazi-imposed ghettos, the special mobile killing units
that murdered thousands, and the industrialization of death at complexes like
Treblinka, Chelmno, and Auschwitz-Birkenau. Thru August 17th: Take Me - In conjunction with the exhibition "Darfur: Photojournalists Respond," Holocaust Museum Houston is pleased to display an original work by Houston artist Saul Balagura that vividly embodies the despair that refugees in Darfur are currently facing. The work is accompanied by a poem, also written by Balagura with the same title. Please note: This exhibit is open for viewing in the Laurie and Milton Boniuk Resource Center and Library from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Thru August 17th: Darfur: Photojournalists Respond - As World War II ended, the world beat its collective chest defiantly and proclaimed it would “never forget” the genocide of the Holocaust so that it could “never again” be repeated. The world – as history has proven – has a short memory. The Holocaust was not the world’s first genocide and it has not been the last. Today, in the Darfur region of western Sudan, the world is confronted with human suffering on a scale difficult to imagine. Thru August 31st: Escaping Their Boundaries: The Children of Theresienstadt - Located about 40 miles north of Prague in the Czech Republic, Terezin was built in 1780 as a military fortress and garrison town. When Nazi Germany occupied Czechoslovakia in 1941, the town was turned into a ghetto where Jews were gathered before they were sent further east to the extermination camps. The German name for this ghetto was Theresienstadt. During its existence, more than 12,000 children were imprisoned in Theresienstadt. A group of dedicated adults made it their goal to care for the children, not just by taking care of the children’s physical needs but by taking on the role of teacher. It is clear from the children’s drawings, diaries and clandestinely produced magazines that the children had an understanding of what was happening around them. This exhibit will explore the ability for children to transcend their physical boundaries through art and writing. The exhibit will feature more than 40 objects on loan from Beit Theresienstadt in Israel, including collages, drawings, diaries, magazines, games and marionettes, many of which have never before been on display.
September 26th - February 1, 2009:
Dr. Seuss Wants You! - "Dr.
Seuss," whose real-life name was Theodor Seuss Geisel, is best known for his
children’s books written under the “Dr. Seuss” pen name, but he was a life-long
cartoonist and served as chief political cartoonist for the New York newspaper
PM from 1941-1943, a period in which the Nazi regime prospered – prompting more
than 400 editorial cartoons from Geisel. His work continues to inspire people of
all backgrounds and ages to think and care about the fate of humanity.
October 20th - February 8, 2009:
A One-Man Army: The Art of Arthur Szyk - Arthur Szyk (1894-1951) was
described by Eleanor Roosevelt as a "one-man army," using art as a weapon to
garner support for the social and political issues in which he believed. Szyk
believed his art could make a difference in the world and became one of the 20th
century’s most important political propagandists. “A One-Man Army: The Art of
Arthur Szyk” will highlight the private collection of Gregg and Michelle
Philipson, and will include loans of important works from the U.S. Holocaust
Memorial Museum and the United States Naval Academy Museum.
for more information, see
www.hmh.org
or call (713) 942-8000
Houston Museum of Natural Science
(One Hermann Circle Drive)
Thru August 24th:
Geopalooza! A Hard Rock Anthology
- Spotlighting all manner of the Earth’s natural treasures in a groovy
environment, Geopalooza! A Hard Rock Anthology is the ultimate rock experience.
On view throughout the summer, this special exhibition is a rockhound’s
psychedelic dream made reality. Marvel at massive amethyst and citrine geodes
taller than a person jammed with gleaming purple and golden crystals. Admire an
array of huge mineral crystals, including a gargantuan gypsum crystal from
Mexico’s “Cave of Giants,” home of the largest crystals ever found. Gaze upon
intricately crystallized slices of petrified wood, some more than five feet
across, from the Museum’s popular Zuhl Collection. Admire an amazing collection
of fossils, including trilobites with astonishingly delicate antennae perfectly
preserved. See meteorites, moon rocks, and a stunning selection of fluorescent
rocks that glow in every color of the rainbow. Select your own geode and see it
cracked open as you become the first living thing to behold its contents.
Thru September 1st:
Leonardo da Vinci: Man, Inventor,
Genius - Leonardo da Vinci was one of the greatest geniuses the world has
ever known. More than 500 years ago,
Da Vinci designed flying machines, robots, submarines, underwater breathing gear
and solar powered industries. This
remarkable internationally acclaimed exhibition displays over 60 models of Da
Vinci's famous machines, inventions and designs based on ancient codices.
Thru September 1st:
Antique Roses: Pink Ladies and
Crimson Gents - Gardeners know Lady Banks as a spring-blooming rose whose
delicate yellow or white blossom cascade through trees and over roofs.
But the real Lady Banks (1758-1829) was a charmer too.
The devoted wife of Sir Joseph Banks, Great Britain’s famous botanist,
she was her husband’s cataloguer, librarian and secretary, an extraordinary
hostess, and a major collector of porcelain.
The photographic exhibit will present beautiful images of common and
not-so-common antique roses accompanied by stories of the intriguing and
historic characters behind their names.
September 6th – January 18, 2009:
Echoes in the Ice - Echoes in
the Ice offers a unique look at the aspirations, motivations and experiences
that have shaped heroic and sometimes eccentric Arctic and Antarctic explorers,
from 16th century privateer Martin Frobisher to Captain Cook, Roald Amundsen,
and Admiral Byrd. It is particularly
relevant exhibition given the great interest in global warming and its effect on
the Polar Regions. The history of
these regions was created by the exploits of these intrepid explorers. Inspired
by film montage and web design, visual artist and filmmaker Rik van Glintenkamp
melds archival imagery, original writings and reproductions of personal
memorabilia into mixed-media collages of polar explorations spanning almost four
centuries. The work is a dynamic
visual experience that has informed and awed audiences throughout the United
Kingdom, Germany, and North America.
September 12th – February 22, 2009:
Body Worlds 2 & The Brain –
Gunther von Hagens’ Body Worlds 2 & The Brain – Our Three Pound Gem: The
Original Exhibition of Real Human Bodies is a new exhibition featuring more than
200 real human body specimens, including more than 20 whole bodies; healthy and
unhealthy organs; and body parts and slices; all preserved through a remarkable
process called spastination.
Subtitled “the Three Pound Gem”, the show features findings in neuroscience on
brain development and function; brain disease and disorders; and brain
performance and improvement.
Invented by physician and anatomist Dr. Gunther von Hagens, plastination is a
method for extracting bodily fluids and soluble fat from speciments, and
replacing them, through vacuum forced impregnation, with reactive resins and
polymers. As a result of this
process, visitors to Body Worlds will actually see inside the human body, learn
how it works and how it can be affected by disease and lifestyle choices.
September 19th - September 7, 2009: Dinosaur Mummy CSI:
Cretaceous Science Investigation - The Houston Museum of Natural Science, in
association with the Judith River Foundation, will develop and tour a world
premiere exhibition featuring Leonardo, the most perfectly fossilized
plant-eating dinosaur ever discovered—with almost all of his skin still intact.
Dinosaur Mummy CSI: Cretaceous Science Investigation opens Sept. 19, 2008.
“Leonardo’s discovery was groundbreaking for the world of paleontology
because it provided extensive detail regarding what plant-eating dinosaurs
actually ate – details that could only be theorized before,” said Joel A.
Bartsch, president of the Houston Museum of Natural Science. “We’re thrilled to
present Leonardo to the public for the first time at the Houston Museum of
Natural Science, where they can get up close and personal with the real
Leonardo, the best preserved, plant-eating dinosaur mummy fossil ever
discovered.” Following its premiere
in Houston, the exhibition will tour nationally, with a replica of Leonardo; the
real Leonardo will only be on display in Houston. The tour schedule will be
announced at a later date.
Recent Addition to the Permanent Exhibit: Lester & Sue Smith Gem Vault - Intensely hued
jeweled masterpieces float wondrously in utter darkness, embodying the ultimate
combination of natural perfection and flawless artistic execution. Don't
miss the chance to see this exciting new permanent exhibit.
Planetarium Showings:
Ice Worlds -
Ice Worlds is a tour of the icy landscapes of our solar system – especially our
home planet Earth. In Ice Worlds audiences explore the critical relationship
between ice and life – a tale of friend and foe, enabling, challenging,
supporting and adapting – that has developed over millions of years.
The Earth is a dynamic planet with a global climate that is always
changing. One of the most dramatic changes occurs each year as ice turns to
water and returns to ice once again. The amount of ice trapped over land in the
polar regions also determines sea level and the amount of solar energy absorbed
by the planet as bright reflective ice transforms into dark absorbing oceans.
With funding from the National Science Foundation, the Houston Museum of Natural
Science, in partnership with the University of New Hampshire and Evans &
Sutherland Corporation, has developed Ice Worlds to showcase worlds sculpted and
transformed by ice throughout the solar system, including our ice planet Earth.
The interplay of life and ice on Earth – from microbes to humans – raises
questions about the ice worlds of our solar system. Will they have microscopic
life? Will they be suitable for humans to explore? Can they help us understand
Earth’s changing polar habitats and protect their pristine beauty? For answers,
Ice Worlds explores the two poles of Earth and the other ice worlds nearby. Ice
Worlds opens during the 4th International Polar Year, when thousands of
scientists from over 60 nations are exploring and researching the polar regions.
The show is also designed to feature their latest discoveries.
Zula Patrol -
From the far reaches of space, from the bright orange planet Zula, comes the
Zula Patrol. When their weather-collecting pet Gorga runs away, the Zula Patrol
chases him all the way to our solar system. Here they learn all about the
weather on Earth and other planets while trying to save Gorga from the villain
Dark Truder. This cartoon feature is perfect for pre-K through 2nd grader and
their families.
Secrets of the Sun -
Secrets of the Sun is an intimate look
at the Sun’s role in the life of our solar system. From nuclear forces churning
at the heart of the Sun, to mass ejections of solar material into surrounding
space, audiences experience the power of the Sun and its impact on the
planets—and ultimately life on Earth. The full-dome full-movie traces the life
cycle of the Sun, going back to its beginning and moving forward in time to its
eventual death. “Secrets of the Sun is dramatic, beautiful, and very timely, as
our understanding of the Sun empowers our energy future and challenges human
exploration of the moon and planets,” said Dr. Carolyn Sumners, HMNS Curator of
Astronomy.
U2 Matinee –
This summer, the Planetarium lauches a new music entertainment show
featuring one of the greatest bands of the last two decades.
U2 is the first ever full-dome production featuring U2’s timeless
classics and modern hits, set to lighting and animation effects, using the
latest in full-dome computer immersion.
Songs include “With or Without You”, “Where the Streets Have No Name” and
“Vertigo”.
Night of the Titanic -
A great tragedy unfolds in the icy North Atlantic. Weather, ice, the sun, and
human error all contribute to the sinking of this unsinkable ship. Experience
the Titanic's last day to find out what went terribly wrong and discover how
changing Arctic ice can prepare us for tomorrow.
U2 Concert -
This summer, the Planetarium launches a new music entertainment show featuring
one of the greatest bands of the last two decades. U2 is the first ever
full-dome production featuring U2's timeless classics and modern hits, set to
lighting and animation effects using the latest in full-dome computer immersion.
Songs include “With or Without You”, “Where the Streets Have No Name”, and
“Vertigo”.
Starry Night Express
- Audiences can practice finding constellations, planets, the moon, meteor
showers and the Milky Way band. Then the show will drop into a star party
led by Laurence Fishburne. From his country setting, the show takes
audiences through the solar system and into the Universe. Breathtaking
images from the Hubble Space Telescope hover and combine to show the life cycle
of stars. Audiences experience the eventual collision of our Milky Way
Galaxy with the neighboring Andromeda Galaxy as visualized by the Space
Telescope Science Institute. Then visitors plunge down and sweep through
the gigantic Valles Marineris canyon, simulated by the Centre for Astrophysics
and Supercomputing at Swinburne University of Technology, using the latest data
from the Mars Global Surveyor.
Black Holes
- The attraction of Black Holes is more than just gravitational. these
mysterious graveyards of dead stars have fascinated generations. The
Planetarium's new feature explores the history, physics and mystery of black
holes. Narrated by actor John de Lancie, this space adventure features
rich, expansive panoramas and incorporates several of the latest scientific
theories about how black holes are formed and where they are hiding now.
Witness the bending of light, the skewing of perception, and the dizzying
descent into a black hole. This show incorporates some of the most
visually stunning three dimensional effects ever created for the planetarium.
Add to that a sound effects track and 5.1 surround sound mix by George Lucas'
Skywalker Sound Studios and you have an incredible sensory experience.
Earth’s Wild Ride –
A grandfather and granddaughter watch a solar eclipse from scenic
cliffs overlooking their moon colony.
Conversation leads to contrasts between the moon, the only home the
granddaughter knows and the Earth, where the grandfather has spent most of his
life. Through his stories, the
grandfather takes audiences on a wild canyon ride, to the ice age winter with a
woolly mammoth, and to the time when the dinosaurs lived and died.
Each experience begins with a telescope view of the dynamic Earth in
stark contrast with the unchanging lunar landscape.
Earth’s Wild Ride is like many tales shared by grandparents over the
centuries, except “the old country” is really another planet – always visible
from the moon base, but totally unlike the granddaughter’s world.
Adventure and appreciation for home fill this 20 minute journey back to
the Earth.Dark Side of the Moon – Pink
Floyd’s legendary album returns, using all of the capacities of the Museum’s
high-definition, full-dome video system.
Fantastic sound and incredible images create an unforgettable experience.
It’s not just a laser show, it’s a totally new digital revolution in
sight and sound – surrounding you, immersing you, losing you in the Dar Side of
the Moon. This unique video
experience is provided by Starlight Productions.
IMAX Theatre Showings:
Dinosaurs 3D -
Dinosaurs 3D will take audiences on an unprecedented and unique 3D journey into
the world of the largest known dinosaurs and, in the process, explore some of
the great paleontological discoveries of modern time.
Deeply rooted in science, the film carries the audience through the lives
of Giganotosaurus and the Argentinosaurus. The action is exciting and the
landscape is out of this world.
Galapagos 3D -
An amazing immersive cinematic experience, Galapagos delves deep into the
largely unknown waters surrounding this famous volcanic archipelago to explore
the natural wonders of a realm that is truly a living natural science
laboratory.
Grand Canyon Adventure 3D -
Set against the immense backdrop of the majestic
Grand Canyon, Grand Canyon Adventure will take IMAX Theatre audiences on an
exhilarating river-rafting adventure down the Colorado River in the company of a
team of explorers who are committed to bringing awareness to global water
issues. How do we balance our needs
with nature’s? How do we provide enough freshwater for everyone who needs it,
not only along the Colorado River, but also everywhere on our planet?
for more information, see
www.hmns.org or call (713) 639-4629
Menil Collection
(1515 Sul Ross) Thru August 10th: Max Neuhaus: Circumscription Drawings and A New Sound Installation - Max Neuhaus belongs to a generation of artists whose work changed the parameters and transformed the experience of art in the 1960s. A pioneer in the use of sound in contemporary art, he coined the term “sound installation” to describe his practice based on the creation of unique sounds for specific locations. As opposed to the temporal experience of hearing a piece of music, his work presents sound as a continuous material used to engage our perception of the physical space around us. Through the invisible medium of sound, Neuhaus alters the way we apprehend the world. He has said, “We sense the size and nature of the space around us with our ears as well as our eyes. Our culture is so visual, though, that we tend to forget about the aural side of things. ”In addition to his work with sound, Neuhaus has long been engaged |