May 2008

 

 

This month promises not shortage of fun things to do around town.  You won't want to miss the chance to see the Astros play a home game (remember there are fireworks after the game on Friday nights).  The always fun and funky Art Car Week-end and Parade will be taking place this month, as will the Galveston Historic Home Tour.  Hobby Center will be presenting The Drowsy Chaperone later this month and you won't want to miss the Pompeii exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts.  Get ready for the many Cinco de Mayo celebrations around town and take your appetite to  Pasadena and enjoy the Strawberry Festival.  Finally, with all the pretty weather, find excuses to spend as much time outside as possible - take a run around Memorial Park, enjoy the many productions that will be feature this month at  Miller Outdoor Theater, spend a day at the Houston Zoo or explore Discovery Green, which is now open downtown.  Whatever your interests, there is something for everyone this month in Houston.

Holidays

May 1st:         National Day of Prayer

May 11th:       Mother’s Day

May 17th:       Armed Forces Day

May 26th:       Memorial Day

 

Dance/Music/Theatre

 Alley Theatre   (615 Texas Avenue)

Thru June 1st:   The Gershwins' An American in Paris - The wild and hilarious new musical comedy The Gershwins’ An American in Paris takes us on a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the legendary movie-musical. Reuniting Ken Ludwig, George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin – the team behind the Broadway smash Crazy For You – this new American musical tells the story of Michel Gerard, the greatest music hall singer in Paris. When Michel fails to turn up at Monumental Pictures’ Paris studio for the filming of a new musical, Studio Head LB sends his practical, no-nonsense secretary, Rebecca Klemm, to find the missing star – and when the legendary Parisian crosses swords with the indomitable American, nothing short of fireworks ensue. Don’t miss this blissful prequel to the famous movie, featuring some of the best-loved songs written by George and Ira Gershwin including: “’S Wonderful,” “They All Laughed,” “Stairway to Paradise” and many more.

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

May 2nd:         Kanye West  7:00 p.m.

May 3rd:         The Guess Who  7:00 p.m.

May 4th:          Rogers Water, Dark Side of the Moon  8:00 p.m.

May 10th:        Up with People  7:30 p.m.

May 16th:        Houston Symphony Spanish Nights  8:00 p.m.

May 17th:        Radiohead  7:30 p.m.

May 20th:        The Police  7:30 p.m.

May 21st:        Houston Symphony Let’s Dance  8:00 p.m.

May 22nd:       Iron Maiden  7:00 p.m.

May 24th:        Boni’s presents “Rhythm Nation”  6:30 p.m.

May 29th:        Westfield High School Graduation  7:30 p.m.

May 30th:        Spring High School Graduation  7:30 p.m.

May 31st:        Steve Miller Band  7:30 p.m.

for more information, see www.pavilion.woodlandscenter.org 

 

Hobby Center for the Performing Arts   (800 Bagby @ Walker)

May 6th – 18th:  The Wedding Singer - It’s 1985 and you’re invited to The Wedding Singer, where every night is a totally rad reception for Robbie Hart and friends, until he’s left at the altar. Based on the hit film, the Tony Award nominated, The Wedding Singer has been called “Awesome! Audiences haven’t had this much fun since ‘Mamma Mia’” (Jess Cagle, WCBS TV/People Magazine). The Wedding Singer takes us back to a time when hair was big, greed was good, collars were up and a wedding singer sporting a mullet might be the coolest guy in the room. Don't miss the party!

May 17th:  Around the World - Now in its fourth season, Musiqa’s celebrated multi-media program has been performed for over 10,000 students in the Houston Independent School District. Don't miss the public performances of this acclaimed program that has delighted children of all ages and musical backgrounds. Includes subtitles, so that the children can follow along and sing with the lyrics. Featuring Richard Belcher, cello; Karol Bennett, soprano; Leone Buyse, flute; Andrea Moore, percussion; Maureen Nelson, violin; Rod Waters, piano; and Michael Webster, clarinet. Narrated by Susan Koozin. Lighting design by Thom Guthrie.

May 20th – June 1st:  The Drowsy Chaperone - Get ready to be transported to a magical, wonderful world!  A world where the critics are in awe, the audiences are in heaven and the neighborhood is buzzing with excitement. Welcome to The Drowsy Chaperone, the new musical comedy that is swooping into town with tons of laughs and the most 2006 Tony Awards of any musical on Broadway!  It all begins when a die-hard musical fan plays his favorite cast album, a 1928 smash hit called "The Drowsy Chaperone," and the show magically bursts to life. We are instantly immersed in the glamorous, hilarious tale of a celebrity bride and her uproarious wedding day, complete with thrills and surprises that take both the cast (literally) and the audience (metaphorically) soaring into the rafters.

for more information, see www.thehobbycenter.org or call (713) 315-2525

 

Houston Symphony  (Jones Hall – 615 Louisiana)

May 1st – 4th:  Mahler's Resurrection Symphony - Feel the power of Mahler’s ultimate work.  The Second Symphony covers a vast panorama of style and emotion.  You’ll encounter one of the most breathtaking and moving endings in all of music.  Mahler’s Second is a symphony of enormous scope.  You’ll hear a massive orchestra and chorus, two soloists and organ. It takes such a broad landscape for this drama of death and resurrection.  Experience the magnitude of Mahler’s ideas in a concert of intense emotion.

May 9th – 11th:  Mozart's 4th Violin Concerto - Delight in Mozart’s Fourth Violin Concerto, a dazzling work that showcases the instrument’s expressiveness. You’ll encounter fanfares, graceful melodies, and both whimsical and rollicking humor. Yet you’ll also hear exquisite craftsmanship and glowing beauty.  Also experience the beauty and joy of Schumann’s Third Symphony.  It was called the “Rhenish” Symphony because Schumann wrote it during his tenure as conductor in Düsseldorf on the famous Rhine River.  Schumann claimed that the history and spirit of that noble river and its people ran through his mind as he composed the work.

May 15th - 18thRodrigo's Guitar Concerto - The Concierto de Aranjuez was Joaquin Rodrigo's first attempt in the concerto genre; it quickly became and has subsequently remained the most popular and recognizable of his works.  Written for solo guitar and orchestra, it reveals the composer's great affinity for those two mediums, as well as his reverence for the long-standing traditions of Spanish Classical music.  A creative innovator linked to the great romantic tradition of the past, guitarist Eliot Fisk is one of the most exciting and unique artists before the public today.  Known worldwide for his adventurous repertoire and willingness to take art music into unusual venues (including schools, senior centers and even prisons!) he belong as his great mentor Andres Segovia once wrote "at the top line of our artistic world."

May 23rd - 25thPink Martini - The cosmopolitan group Pink Martini has delighted audiences everywhere with their refreshing blend of classical, jazz, Latin and Parisian cabaret music.  You've heard their music in films and television shows including The Sopranos and The West Wing.  Now don't miss their long awaited Houston debut.

for more information, see www.houstonsymphony.com or call (713) 224-7575

 

Jones Hall  (615 Louisiana)

May 2nd:  Spanish Harlem Orchestra - The Grammy Award-winning Spanish Harlem Orchestra (SHO) brings its razor-sharp “salsa dura”—the exciting fusion of Caribbean rhythms and big-band sound —to Miller Outdoor Theatre on Friday, May 2nd at 8pm. Since their arrival in 2000, SHO has established itself as a standard bearer of contemporary Latin music. Directed by world-renowned pianist, arranger, and producer Oscar Hernández, the 13-member, all-star ensemble of alumni from the great salsa bands of Tito Puente, Ruben Blades, Celia Cruz and others has reintroduced the classic sounds of New York City Salsa to music lovers worldwide. Come swing to the salsa sounds of Spanish Harlem Orchestra’s big band and join us at 7pm for a salsa dancing contest!

May 10th: One Shot - Praised as “one of the most profound choreographers of his generation” by The New York Times, Ronald K. Brown and the award winning Evidence, A Dance Company blend African, modern, ballet, and contemporary dance styles to tell stories of the African Diaspora. In the company’s newest work, One Shot, Brown was inspired by the beauty, sense of community, and legacy captured by the great African-American artist, photographer, and Pittsburgh native, Charles “Teenie” Harris, nicknamed “One Shot.”  Considered one of the largest photographic collections of an urban African-American community, Teenie captured the spirit of African-American life in Pittsburgh from 1936-1975. His work ranged from photos of everyday people in the city to photos of soldiers, jazz legends, baseball teams, and pivotal events in the city’s civil rights movement. Brown comments, “Teenie’s images inspired me to discover the story inside and behind the photos.” One Shot delves into the essence of family, hope, dignity, and celebration at the heart of Teenie’s art in seven sections: “First Glance,” “Bellows,” “Free Spirits,” “The Meeting Room,” “Faith & Decadence,” “Poinciana,” and “The Crossroads.” A seamless fusion of traditional African dance with contemporary choreography and spoken word, One Shot is both a profound reflection of African-American history and universal in theme and resonance. SanDiego.com said of the work, “expressive and intensely focused, the dancers conveyed a sense of the divine and mutual respect.” One Shot premiered at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut on September 14, 2007.

for more information, see www.spahouston.org  

 

Toyota Center  (1510 Polk Street)

May 18th:       Alicia Keys  7:30 p.m.

for more information, visit www.houstontoyotacenter.com or call (866) 4HOUTIX

 

Warehouse Live   (813 St. Emanuel Street)

May 1st:         Will Hoge with Green River Ordinance, J.J. Worthen and the Jud Johnson Band  8:00 p.m.

May 2nd:        Meat Beat Manifesto and Raz Mesinai's Badawi   9:00 p.m.

May 2nd:        Tower of Power  11:00 p.m.

May 5th:         The Idan Raichel Project  8:00 p.m.

May 8th:         The Whigs with What Made Milwaukee Famous  and The Dead Trees  9:00 p.m.

May 9th:         Houston Palestine Film Festival Presents DAM, D.J. Rhyme, H.I.S.D., Mohammad Al-Farra from PR and You Will Know Us From The Trail of Blook  12:00 a.m.

May 10th:       Pennywise with Strung Out and Authority Zero  7:30 p.m.

May 11th:       Apocalyptica with DJ Elron Hubbard and The Conspiracies  9:00 p.m.

May 12th:       Ryan Cabrera  8:00 p.m.

May 16th:       Northern State with American Princes  9:00 p.m.

May 23rd:       Forever The Sickest Kids with Metro Station, The Cab, The Maine and Danger Radio  6:30 p.m.

May 25th:       Mooney Monday with Las Imagenes Ocultas, Desmond Zavalla II and Brown V's Board  8:00 p.m.

May 30th:       Dresden Dolls with Smoosh  9:00 p.m.

May 31st:       Patrice Pike/Sky Blue 72 with Liviya Compean  8:30 p.m.

for more information, see www.warehouselive.com 

 

Wortham Center Houston Ballet (Texas & Smith)

May 22nd – June 1st:  Three Classics, Five Tangos - Three prolific and internationally acclaimed choreographers present their own interpretations of the classical idiom. Stanton Welch’s Falling is danced by five couples to the music of Mozart. Canadian-born James Kudelka will employ his distinctive choreographic style to create a new work specifically for company dancers. The piece will feature costumes by the Canadian designer Denis Lavoie. Completing the program is Hans van Manen’s Five Tangos, a unique mix of the power and sensuality of tango and the cool abstraction of classical ballet.

for more information, see www.houstonballet.org or call (713) 227-ARTS

 

Wortham Center Houston Grand Opera (Texas & Smith)

Thru May 1st:  Puccini: La Bohème - Sung in Italian with English surtitles - Love and heartbreak meet on the Left Bank of Paris, as four young bohemians test the boundaries of friendship and art. Ana María Martínez ("a lovely singer [and] a beautiful musician." - Newsday) and Garrett Sorenson ("[who] inhabited Alfredo with an attractive, Italianate sound and promising acting...: - Los Angeles Times), who triumphed in last season's Don Giovanni at HGO, take the stage with studio artist Albina Shagimuratova and alumni Joshua Hopkins and Nikolai Didenko. James Robinson's enchanting setting of Puccini's verismo tour-de-force, a co-production of Houston Grand Opera, The New York City Opera, and Glimmerglass Opera, returns to HGO. 

Thru May 9th:   Billy Budd - Accusations of mutiny and an accidental death leave sailor Billy Budd in danger of hanging for murder. Britten's masterful setting of Hermann Melville's towering novel - adapted by E.M. Forster and Eric Crozier - illuminates a journey through "the straits of hell". Baritone Daniel Belcher ("vocally and physically agile, bright voiced and moving - New York Times), bass Phillip Ens ("whose thunderous bass embodies the ominous threat posed by Claggart" - Marin Independent Journal) and tenor Andrew Kennedy as Vere ("immaculate sense of style and his keen musical and verbal intelligence" - The Times, U.K.) lead this powerful ensemble cast. HGO Music Director Patrick Summers conducts; Neil Armfield's acclaimed version, a co-production of Welsh National Opera and Opera Australia ("Under no circumstances to be missed" - The Guardian, U.K.) launches HGO's multi-year Britten series.

for more information, see www.houstongrandopera.org or call (713) 228-6737

 

DaCamera of Houston   (Wortham Theatre CenterTexas @ Smith unless otherwise noted)

May 3rd:  After Einstein - Music and the Relativity of Time - DaCamera's final chamber music concert is inspired by one of the 20th century's greatest thinkers, physicist Albert Einstein.  A passionate amateur violinist, Einstein played Mozart's chamber works throughout his life.  This program presents the great scientist's beloved Mozart, represented by the popular Clarinet Quintet, alongside Messiaen's Quartet for the End of Time, which transports the audience to a spiritual dimension far beyond ordinary time.  The ensemble includes David Shifrin, clarinet, for Houston Symphony celllist Desmond Hoebig and Sarah Rothenberg, piano.  The San Francisco Chronicle calls David Shifrin's playing "a revelation in just how beautifully the clarinet can be played".  One of the only two wind players to have been awarded the Avery Fisher Prize since the award's inception in 1974, Mr. Shifrin is in constant demand as an orchestral soloist, recitalist and chamber music collaborator.

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.

May 2nd:  Ritmo Latino - The Houston premiere of the Spanish Harlem Orchestra, the Grammy-award winning 13-member salsa and Latin music band.

May 3rd:  APAHA Heritage Festival - The Asian/Pacific American Heritage Association celebrates the culture, food, arts, and heritage of Houston’s Asian communities. 

May 4th:  Cinco de Mayo - Annual Mexican celebration featuring artists from Mexico, mariachis, folkloric dances, and more. Produced by Comité Patriotico Mexicano.

May 5th – 9th:  Sleeping Beauty - Sleeping Beauty has never experienced winter until the mysterious Winter Fairy appears. Presented by Opera to Go! , this classic fairy tale comes alive in a vocal adaptation of Tchaikovsky’s luminescent ballet score.  Produced by Houston Grand Opera.

May 9th – 11th:  Madame Butterfly - A classical ballet adaptation, set to Puccini’s magnificent score, of the memorable love story of the beautiful geisha Cio-Cio San and American Lt. Pinkerton. Produced by Houston Ballet.

May 16th – 17th:  The Refuge - Encore presentation of the acclaimed oratorio which chronicles the stories of immigrants from 7 different communities who made the journey to Houston in search of a new home and better life. Produced by Houston Grand Opera.

May 22nd – 25th:  Dancin’ in the Street … Motown & More Revue - Explosive soul music revue featuring the legendary music of the Motown era.  Produced by Midtown Arts Center/BACE Productions.

May 30th:  Tribute - The MECA Mariachis and the Dallas Black Dance Theatre combine forces for an energetic cross-cultural performance. Produced by MECA.

May 31st:  Best in Ten - The Sandra Organ Dance Company will reprise the best of its decade of contemporary ballet commissioned and choreographed by founder Sandra Organ. Included will be Jose Limon’s “There Is a Time,” featuring member’s of Houston’s contemporary dance community, as well as members of Dallas Black Dance Theatre. 

for more information, see www.milleroutdoortheatre.org  

 

A.D. Players  (2710 West Alabama)

Thru June 1stThe Heiress - When shy Catherine falls in love with a penniless but charming young man, her father's rigid control over her is threatened. Who will control her life and love? Based on Henry James’ novel, Washington Square, The Heiress is a classic theater piece which has delighted film and theater audiences with its story of authority confronted by romance.

Thru May 24thThe Emperor’s New Clothes - When the Emperor needs a new outfit, two shady weavers promise him magic clothes that are invisible to those unfit for their position. As people realize they cannot see anything on the loom, they must decide whether or not to tell the Emperor the truth. Will anyone be brave enough to tell it like they don't see it?

for more information, see www.adplayers.org   

 

Main Street Theatre   (2540 Times Blvd.)

Thru May 23rd James and the Giant Peach - After his parents' tragic death by rhinoceros , James is sent to live with his horrible aunts, Spiker and Sponge. The contents of a magic bag transform an old peach tree into a portal to adventure, and James is able to escape his miserable existence.  He makes new friends with a host of fantastical creatures and travels across the ocean on a Giant Peach to New York City .  James and the Giant Peach is a classic tale of friendship and a masterpiece of children's literature.

May 10th – June 8th:  Present Laughter - Garry Essendine, an aging matinee idol, may be teetering reluctantly towards middle age but everyone, both male and female, is infatuated with him. Flamboyant and witty, wearing a silk dressing gown and equipped with the requisite cocktail, his life is one long performance in which he can never be himself. About to set off on an extended tour of Africa , Essendine is visited by practically everyone he knows, including his ex-wife/manager, lawyer, secretary, butler, business partners, an admiring young playwright and a recent one-night stand. An acknowledged self-portrait of the playwright himself, Present Laughter is a marvelously comic exaggeration of the life that whirled around Coward in his heyday.

for more information, see www.mainstreettheater.com or call (713) 524-6706

 

Opera in the Heights   (1703 Heights Blvd)

No performances scheduled during May.

for more information, call (713) 861-5303 or see www.operaintheheights.org    

 

Playhouse 1960   (6814 Grant Road)

Thru May 10th:  Leading Ladies - In this hilarious comedy by the author of LEND ME A TENOR and MOON OVER BUFFALO, two English Shakespearean actors, Jack and Leo, find themselves so down on their luck that they are performing "Scenes from Shakespeare" on the Moose Lodge circuit in the Amish country of Pennsylvania. When they hear that an old lady in York, PA is about to die and leave her fortune to her two long lost English nephews, they resolve to pass themselves off as her beloved relatives and get the cash. The trouble is, when they get to York, they find out that the relatives aren't nephews, but nieces! Romantic entanglements abound, especially when Leo falls head-over-petticoat in love with the old lady's vivacious niece, Meg, who's engaged to the local minister. Meg knows that there's a wide world out there, but it's not until she meets "Maxine and Stephanie" that she finally gets a taste of it. 

Thru May 11th:  Mulan, Jr. - Travel back to the legendary, story-telling days of ancient China with this action-packed stage adaptation of Disney’s Mulan. The Huns have invaded, and it is up to the misfit Mulan and her mischievous sidekick Mushu to save the Emperor! Mulan Junior is a heart warming celebration of culture, honor and a fighting spirit. The score includes favorites like “Reflection,” “Honor to Us All” and “I’ll Make a Man Out of You” as well as new songs that will get your audience up on its feet! 

May 16th - May 31st: Barrymore by William Luce - Christopher Plummer won a Tony for his portrayal of John Barrymore in the acclaimed Broadway production of this work by the master of one character biographies for the stage. Each act begins with a stunning entrance onto a stage that the 60 year old legendary actor has rented to prepare for a comeback performance of Richard III. Barrymore jokes with the audience, spars with an offstage prompter, reminisces about better times and does delicious imitations of his siblings Lionel and Ethel. 

for more information, see www.playhouse1960.com or call (281) 587-8243

 

Radio Music Theatre   (2623 Colquitt)

Thru May 10th: Young & Fertle - It's Class reunion time at Central High for Bridgette and Justicena.  Join them and the rest of the gang from Dumpster as they stroll down memory lane.  Doc Moore and all the Fertles will be there, so make your reservations now.

May 15th – 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 planned community).

for more information, see www.radiomusictheatre.com or call (713) 522-7722

 

Stages Repertory Theatre   (3201 Allen Parkway)

May 16th – June 1st:  Mr. Marmalade - In this grown-up play about playing grown-up, Lucy is a precocious four-year-old with an alarmingly adult imagination. Her imaginary friend Mr. Marmalade comes accessorized with cell phone, personal assistant and a very busy schedule, and when he misses their tea-party date (again), Lucy throws him over for the suicidal five-year-old next door. In a disturbingly funny whirlwind of food fights, porno mags, tea sets and coke habits, Lucy enacts a wild vision of adult dysfunction seen through a child's eyes.

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.

May 3rd:        Chelsea Handler with Heather McDonald   8:00 p.m.

May 18th:       Houston Roller Derby May Massacre   5:00 p.m.

May 25th:       Jagermeister Music Tour featuring Type O Negative, Hatebreed with 3 Inches of Blood, and Destro   7:30 p.m.

May 28th:       Return to Forever with Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke, Al DiMeloa,  and Lenny White  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)

May 10th – August 2nd:  Charles "Teenie" Harris: Rhapsody in Black and White - Rhapsody in Black and White is part of a collaborative project between the Blaffer Gallery, 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.

May 10th –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.

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.

Thru May 11th:  The Magic School Bus Kicks Up A Storm - The Magic School Bus™ sweeps into town on Saturday, March 8 with the debut of the exhibit The Magic School Bus™ Kicks Up A Storm…just in time for Spring Break!  Join Ms. Frizzle™—the irrepressible teacher with a taste for adventure, her sidekick, Liz—the lizard, and a school bus that changes into just about anything, in an exploration about weather phenomena!  Visit the Walkerville Weather Center where you’ll watch and interpret LIVE weather data over the Internet and post it on the Local Weather Board. Then, try your hand at being the weatherman “live” from the Frizzle News Network (FNN-TV) studio.  Find out what causes lightning and why it takes a few seconds later to hear thunder. Why do we have seasons? What causes tornadoes and hurricanes? The Magic School Bus™ will put the pedal to the metal answering these questions in an engaging and exciting ride!Be sure to bring your camera for meet and greets with Ms. Frizzle™ or Liz! Don’t delay…we predict a delightful and fun forecast!

May 8th – 14th:  Birds of a Feather Flock Together - Have you ever seen flocks of birds flying over the Houston skies from late February through May? Learn more about different migratory birds that travel through Texas and Houston to nest during Birds of a Feather WonderWeek. Explore the miraculous anatomy of birds and how they’re able to fly. Use chopsticks to capture enough pretend worms and bugs to feed a chick. Because birds can’t necessarily see the glass in windows, decorate a bird to tape to your window to warn real birds there’s danger ahead! Plus, on May 10, join Mary Anne Weber, education director from the Houston Audubon Society, as she brings live birds, spotlighting their amazing beauty and skills.

May 22nd – 28th:  Race Into Summer - Tick-tock! The clock is ticking and summer is just around the corner. Buckle up for an exciting ride during our Race into Summer WonderWeek. Fulfill your need for speed participating in our weeklong races: set up runs of dominoes and time how long they take to topple, build a pictured structure before time runs out, race different-sized Slinkys down a ramp, send balloon rockets up high, learn about robotics as you construct, program and lead a robot through an obstacle course or participate in a relay! Codwell Elementary String Orchestra will present popular musical selection on violin on May 22 and D-Young Artist Ensemble performs May 24.

Farm to Market - Kids will be shopping 'till "the grown-ups" drop all while learning all about nutrition, money-management and more in Farm to Market. Kids can start out by clocking-in, donning an apron and then proceed to the cash registers or even the real-life scanners to serve as a cashier or stock person. As food is scanned, not only will the kids learn how much they are spending, but also what part of the food pyramid the food comes from.  Or, should they prefer to shop, kids will want to start at the ATM to get their shopping money, pick up a grocery list and GO! They can shop through the bakery, produce, meat and dry goods departments to fill a recipe and even use coupons-- just like Mom and Dad might do.  Adjacent to the market, kids can mosey on down to the farm where they can milk a robotic cow or see live chicks. If they're lucky, they'll even get to see some hatching! Kids can also explore the worm farm, take a virtual reality journey on the back of a bee, and get decked out in aprons, hats or bonnets to take care of the barn, gathering 'eggs' from the chicken coop and more.  Farm to Market is sponsored by Randall's Food Markets

How Does It Work? - Did you ever wonder why you can't see in the dark? Or how your wireless telephone worked? Or even what really happens when you turn the ignition in your car? This multi-level exhibition challenges you to ask and discover the answers to your own science questions with tons of hands-on, investigative experiences.  You will explore light and color and can even become part of the exhibit with Light Warehouse, see what makes a car go with the '66 Mustang in Auto Alley, watch your messages be sent via fiber-optics and check out the history of communication in Phone Zone or challenge yourself to discover something new in the Science Station. You can even lift yourself 5 feet into the air to see how pulleys can make life a lot easier with the Kid Lift.  Then, step into a whimsical factory from the future in The Matter Factory, a new area in the How Does It Work? exhibit. Kids will develop the understanding that everything is made up of material or matter. They will learn that molecules and atoms are the building blocks of matter as they investigate materials and solve factory problems. 

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)

Thru May 11th Perspectives 160: Dawoud Bey - Since 1992 Chicago-based photographer Dawoud Bey has been working exclusively on large-scale portraits of American teenagers. These photographs reveal the individual character of members of this age group. In his recent work Bey, made in high schools around the country, Bey has included texts that the subjects have written about themselves. For Bey, the creation and presentation of these portraits and texts allows for a more complex and nuanced representation than the photographic portrait alone. This exhibition marks the artist’s debut at the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston.

May 10th – July 20th:  The Old Weird America - Greta Pratt - This will be the first museum exhibition to explore the widespread resurgence of folk imagery and history in American contemporary art. Curated by Contemporary Arts Museum Houston senior curator Toby Kamps, the exhibition illustrates the relevance and appeal of folklore to contemporary artists, as well as the genre’s power to illuminate ingrained cultural forces and overlooked histories. The exhibition borrows its inspiration and title—with the author’s blessing—from music and cultural critic Greil Marcus’ 1997 book examining the influence of folk music on Bob Dylan and The Band’s seminal album, The Basement Tapes.  The Old, Weird America will feature approximately 75 recent paintings, sculptures, drawings, photographs, installations, and video works from nearly 20 artists and collaborative groups, including Eric Beltz, Jeremy Blake, Sam Durant, Barnaby Furnas, Brad Kahlhamer, David McDermott and Peter McGough, Aaron Morse, Cynthia Norton (a.k.a. Ninny), Greta Pratt, Dario Robleto, Allison Smith, Kara Walker, and Charlie White. The exhibition will be accompanied by a 200-page fully-illustrated catalogue that will provide cultural and historical context through essays by Kamps and other writers and cultural historians. It will also contain reproductions of the exhibited work, as well as biographical and bibliographical information on each artist.

May 16th – July 13th:   Perspectives 161: Tim Lee - Vancouver-based artist Tim Lee uses video, photography, and performance to put himself in the place of icons of popular culture. He makes low-tech photographic self-portraits as hockey player Bobby Orr scoring a winning goal or rocker Neil Young playing a famous concert, creates multi-screen video installations showing him playing the bass, guitar, and drum parts of “Louie, Louie” or rapping all three parts of a Beastie Boys song, and restages well known moments from art and film history with him as protagonist. Like a Walter Mitty for the information age, Lee assumes the roles of Sunday philosopher, anthropologist, and ethnomusicologist to dissects and reenvision revealing aspects of popular culture, film, and music. By reenacting rituals of pop culture that are usually the domain of established practitioners or experts in a deadpan, just-competent-enough style, Lee uses absurd seriousness to blur the boundaries between the ridiculous and the sublime.   Tim Lee was born in Seoul, Korea, in 1975 and lives and works in Vancouver. He received an MFA from the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, in 2002. He has had solo exhibitions at Cohan and Leslie, New York, Lisson Gallery, London, and Or Gallery and the Western Front, Vancouver. His works have been included in the Prague Biennial, 2003, and group exhibitions at the Power Plant Gallery, Toronto, Folly Gallery, Lancaster, England, and Consolidated Works, Seattle.

for more information, see www.camh.org or call (713) 284-8250

 

The Heritage Society