This Month in Houston, August 2010

August 2010

It's hard to imagine that there are only a few weeks of summer left before the start of school. Not to worry though, as there are plenty of fun activities to make the most of the remaining days of summer. You won’t want to miss the annual Theatre District Open House or Houston Restaurant Week which begins on the 1st. If you are willing to brave the heat, there are Tai Chi and Yoga classes at the Houston Arboretum and the Houston Zoo will host their ever popular Photo Day this month. For music lovers, there is the Houston International Jazz Festival and a number of other live music venues taking place around the city this month. Space Center Houston has Start Wars: The Clone Wars and the Museum of Natural Science is showing Hubble 3D and Wild Ocean 3D in their IMAX theatre, as well as wrapping up their Magic exhibit and setting up for the opening of their new exhibit, Secrets of the Silk Road, later this month. The Children's Museum has a long list of fun and cool activities for children this month, and of course, there is a full schedule of events set for Miller Outdoor Theater. No matter what your interests, there is something for everyone this month in Houston!

Dance/Music/Theatre

Alley Theatre (615 Texas Avenue)

Thru August 8th: Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap – Written by the undisputed mistress of thriller genre, The Mousetrap follows a group of strangers – one of whom is a murderer – trapped in a boarding house during a snow storm. Is it the newlyweds, whose rampant suspicions nearly wreck their marriage, or the spinster with the curious background? Perhaps it is the architect, the retired Army major, or the odd man who claims his car overturned in a snow drift? Here’s your opportunity to enjoy every suspenseful moment and unexpected revelation in the longest-running show in theatre history.

Thru August 8th: St. Nicholas, A Vampire Story – In the vampire story, St. Nicholas, Tony Award-winning Irish playwright Conor McPherson weaves a mesmerizing tale about a theatre critic who falls in love with an actress and becomes a servant to the vampires. The New York Times says, “Like the best of fairy tales, spooky campfire recitations and the self –aggrandizing myths spun in barrooms, this shaggy vampire story touches on primal concerns beneath its lurid surface.” Jams Black relates this mysterious narrative in a solo performance. Recommended for mature audiences due to violent sexual content and strong adult language.

August 27th – September 26th: A Behanding in Spokane – Martin McDonagh returns to the Alley with his first play set in America, the outrageously funny A Behanding in Spokane. The mysterious, gun-toting Carmichael has been searching for his missing left hand for decades. Enter two bickering lovebirds with a hand to sell, and a hotel clerk with an aversion to gunfire, and we’re set for an uproarious ride of love, hate, desperation and hope.

August 29th: 17^th Annual Theater District Open House – Experience dance, music and theater! Visit the Alley Theatre, Hobby Center for the Performing Arts, Wortham Theater Center and Jones Hall. Grab an event program when you arrive and check out what’s happening throughout the day. Performances will be offered on stage at all 4 of the Theater District’s venues, tour backstage, dive into the costume trunk, get up close with musical instruments at the instrument petting zoo and ride the Capital One Bank Trolleys from venue to venue all day long. End your day with a free Houston Symphony concert, starting at 4:00 p.m. at Jones Hall.

October 1st – 31st: Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Would Not Grow Up – “All children grow up, except one.” Peter’s sudden arrival into the lives of Wendy, John and Michael is the beginning of a thrilling adventure. Together they embark on a fantastical flight to the Never Land, a magical place of vivid dangers and unsettling beauty. There they meet the Lost Boys, a horde of pirates, and the wickedest villain of all time. This is J. M. Barrie’s rarely produced original fantasy – the inspiration for all other versions – and still, by far, the strangest and best.

November 19th – December 27th: A Christmas Carol – A Ghost Story of Christmas – Houston’s seasonal favorite that the Houston Press described as having “spectacular London sets . . . the inimitable Dickens’ tale – spiced with the usual fog and an unusual twist on the ghosts past, present and future”. This re-telling of Charles Dickens’ classic story, that follows Ebenezer Scrooge’s journey with the three ghostly spirits that visit him on Christmas Eve. The play instills a powerful message about redemption and the spirit of the holiday season, through a dazzling production.

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 5th: Aerosmith 7:30 p.m.

August 6th: Brad Paisley 10:00 a.m.

August 7th: American Idol Live! Tour 2010 7:30 p.m.

August 18th: Jack Johnson: To The Sea Tour 2010 7:30 p.m.

August 20th: Houston Ballet – Three for the Ages 8:00 p.m.

August 21st: The Bud Light Weenie Roast 4:00 p.m.

August 22nd: Goo Goo Dolls 7:00 p.m.

August 27th: Sheryl Crow with Colbie Caillat 8:00 p.m.

September 2nd: Houston Symphony Broadway Showstoppers 8:00 p.m.

September 3rd: Clay Walker 7:30 p.m.

September 4th: Creed 7:30 p.m.

September 5th: John Mayer with Owl City 7:00 p.m.

September 8th: Paramore with Tegan and Sara 6:30 p.m.

September 10th: The Dave Matthews Band 7:00 p.m.

September 11th: Jonas Brothers with Demi Lovato 7:00 p.m.

September 12th: Uproar 3:15 p.m.

September 17th: KISS 6:30 p.m.

September 19th: Stone Temple Pilots with Black Rebel Motorcycle Club 7:00 p.m.

September 22nd: Kings of Leon with The Black Keys and The Whigs 7:30 p.m.

September 24th: Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers with ZZ Top 7:30 p.m.

September 25th: Rush 7:30 p.m.

September 30th: Houston Symphony – The Planets – An HD Odyssey 8:00 p.m.

October 15th: The Nickelback with Three Days Grace and Buckcherry 6:15 p.m.

October 21st: Houston Symphony’s Hocus Pocus Pops 7:30 p.m.

October 22nd: Maroon 5 with One Republic 7:30 p.m.

November 13th: 15^th Annual Children’s Festival 10:00 a.m.

November 14th: 15^th Annual Children’s Festival 12:00 p.m.

for more information, see http://pavilion.woodlandscenter.org

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

Thru August 1st: Rent – The Broadway smash hit finally comes to Hobby and already, the crowds are cheering for the show that turned the theatre world upside down. Follow a year in the life of eight friends living in the dying post-Bohemia of New York City’s East Village at the end of the millennium, and learning to cope with themselves adrift in the chaos of modern life and the ties that bind them all together – young lovers Roger and Mimi reeling from the shadow of AIDS and the fear of betrayal and loss; street performer Angel and the studious, life-affirming Tom Collins, coming together in spite of the disease raving their bodies; with her chronic infidelity through performance art and her partner Joanne wondering if their love can survive; and Mark, the aspiring filmmaker, observing life through his camera without every playing a part. Songs such as “One Song Glory”, “La Vie Boheme”, “Seasons of Love” and “I’ll Cover You” will rock your soul and shake your heart with laughter and tears – by the end of the show, you will come to understand that when it comes to living, there is truly “no day but today”.

August 13th – 15th: Storytime Live! - From the producers of Dora Live and Backyardigans Live, comes a brand new show. Nickelodeon presents their newest, biggest, most exciting live show ever – Storytime Live! Come play along with your favorite preschool pals live on stage. Leap into Fairytale Land with “Dora the Explorer”, journey through Filthingham with “The Backyardigans”, hop into Wonderland with “Wonder Pets” and join the Monkey King’s celebration with “Ni Hao, Kai-lan”. Hosted by Moose and Zee, Nickelodeon’s musical adventure features four of the top-rated preschool shows on television today and is sure to be a hit!

September 8th: Adam Lambert – Adam Lambert’s Glam Nation Tour comes to Houston. Before becoming a front runner in the eighth season of American Idol, vocalist Adam Lambert made his name in the theater world. He parlayed that theater background into a successful multi-month run on American Idol in 2009, followed by standing ovations during the summer long American Idol Tour. Adam’s debut album, For Your Entertainment, has sold over 600,000 copies since making its debut at #3 on the Billboard Top 200 chart in November and Adam’s hit single “Whataya Want From Me” became his first #1 on the Billboard charts.

September 24th: La Dirindina – Ars Lyrica’s season begins with an operatic bon-bon. Mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton stars in Domenico Scarlatti’s comic intermezzo La Dirindina, the only surviving work of its kind from the master of the harpsichord sonata. Also featured: baritone Brian Shircliffe; tenor Joseph Gaines; and the Ars Lyrica ensemble in sinfonias by the Scarlatti family.

October 1st – 10th: Chess – The Masquerade Theatre is proud to announce Chess, as the first production of their 2010-2011 season. An original story by lyricist Tim Rice, Chess centers around the political and personal tensions between an American and a Soviet chess master and the woman caught between them during a world championship match played at the height of the Cold War. Featuring a score by Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus of ABBA fame, the musical has built a strong following since its London premiere in 1986. Songs from the show include: “Anthem”, “I Know Him So Well”, “Someone Else’s Story”, “Pity The Child” and “Heaven Help My Heart”.

October 5th – 17th: Hairspray – It’s 1962 and pleasantly plump Baltimore teen Tracy Turnblad has only one desire – to dance on the popular Corny Collins Show. When her dream comes true, Tracy is transformed from social outcast to sudden star, but she must use her newfound power to vanquish the reigning Teen Queen, win the affections of heartthrob Link Larkin and integrate a TV network – all without denting her “do”!

October 19th – 31st: Shrek The Musical – This performance, based on the Oscar winning DreamWorks film that started it all, brings the hilarious story of everyone’s favorite ogre to dazzling new life on stage. In a faraway kingdom turned upside down, things get ugly when an unseemly ogre – not a handsome prince – shows up to rescue a feisty princess. Throw in a donkey who won’t shut up, a bad guy with a SHORT temper, a cookie with an attitude and over a dozen other fairy tale misfits, and you’ve got the kind of mess that calls for a real hero. Luckily, there’s one on hand . . . and his name is Shrek. Full of new songs, great dancing and breathtaking scenery, Shrek The Musical is a part romance, part twisted fairy tale and all irreverent fun for everyone!

October 21st – 23rd: Fall Mixed Rep – This tantalizing mixed bill features the Houston premiere of an intense duet from Jiri Kylian’s 27’52”, along with the U.S. premiere of Walsh’s Medea and a revival of his Terminus set to a score composed and performed live by Two Star Symphony and presented against a video/painting installation by Nicola Parente.

November 2nd – 7th: Je’Caryous Johnson’s Marriage Material – Esteemed lawyer Koren Lyles has been known to slay hearts, but what happens when each of her past romantic casualties end up at a premarital week-end retreat all together? It’s a date for disaster! Koren has it all and unfortunately far more than she bargained for. Life was good, she was up for partner, and her loving boyfriend, Joey Harris, proposes marriage. Then her life changes when her old flame, Cameron, who is also her boss, professes that he wants to leave his wife for her. Not knowing how to deal with him, she lets Joey persuade her into going to a couples retreat to see if they are ready for marriage. Everything comes tumbling down when her ex fiancé, Michael and her best friend, Jackie are there too . . . engaged! The retreat gets heated when she is forced to deal with her past, Cameron coming to claim her and skeletons that come out of the closet between her and Joey. The week-end turns into a whirlwind as emotions erupt, perceived friendships become fake, secrets are shouted, and old love goes to war with new love!

November 9th – 21st: 9 to 5: The Musical – With music and lyrics by Dolly Parton, this musical tells the story of three unlikely friends who conspire to take control of their company and learn that there is nothing that they can’t do – even in a man’s world. Outrageous, thought-provoking and even a little romantic, it’s about teaming up and taking care of business . . . about getting credit and getting even . . . and it’s about to open in Houston.

November 13th: 1610 Vespers – The 400^th anniversary of Claudio Monteverdi’s monumental 1610 Vespers is being celebrated worldwide in 2010. In November, Ars Lyrica brings its splendor and drama to Houston and Dallas, in collaboration with the critically acclaimed Orpheus Chamber Singers and the Whole Noyse, one of the world’s finest Renaissance wind bands.

November 19th - 28th: The Drowsy Chaperone – The Tony Award-winning musical The Drowsy Chaperone is the second production of The Masquerade Theatre’s 2010-2011 season. To chase his blues away, a modern day musical theatre addict known simply as “Man in Chair” drops the needle on his favorite LP – the 1928 musical comedy, The Drowsy Chaperone. From the crackle of his hi-fi, the musical magically bursts to life on stage, telling the tale of a pampered Broadway starlet who wants to give up show business to get married; her producer who sets out to sabotage the nuptials; her chaperone; the debonair groom; the dizzy chorine; the Latin lover; and a pair of gangsters who double as pastry chefs. Described as “a love letter to musical comedy”, The Drowsy Chaperone hearkens back to the song and dance musicals of yesteryear, and is a surefire crowd-pleaser.

November 24th – December 5th: Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! – Who-Ville comes to Houston this holiday season with the TUTS and Houston premiere of the record-breaking Broadway sensation – How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical. It’s a fun-filled holiday in every respect, featuring charming visuals and a fantastic story everyone knows and loves. Even the crabbiest of Grinches will find their hearts warmed at TUTS this year.

December 10th: Yo Gabba Gabbas! Live! There’s a Party in My City – The live touring show features DJ Lance Rock and everyone’ favorite cast of characters – Muno (the red Cyclops); Foofa (the pink flower bubble); Brobee (the little green one); Plex (the magic robot); and Toodee (the blue cat-dragon). The one of a kind live event includes music, animation, games, singing, dancing and offers audience members of all ages the opportunity to witness their favorite characters come to life with the magic words, “Yo Gabba Gabba!”. Special guests will rock their favorite “Dancey Dance” moves and join the party on stage for the Super Music Friends Show. Legendary rapper Biz Markie will teach kids how to beat box with Biz’s Beat of the Day.

December 14th – 19th: Burn the Floor – The international dance sensation Burn the Floor visits the Hobby Center, direct from its record-breaking run on Broadway! You’ve seen ballroom dance on shows like “Dancing with the Stars” and “So You Think You Can Dance”. Now with Burn the Floor, you will feel, live on stage, all the passion, the drama and the sizzling excitement of 20 gorgeous champion dancers, in a true theatrical experience, a performance with a grace and athleticism that The New York Times calls “dazzling”!

December 31st: Musical Resolutions – This festive program of Musical Resolutions mixes concerti and suites by Bach and Telemann with Handel’s sublime dramatic cantata Apollo e Dafne. Featured soloists include a number of Ars Lyrica favorites: soprano Melissa Givens; bass-baritone Timothy Jones; plus Kathryn Montoya on recorder and Colin St. Martin on Baroque flute. A gala reception with champagne and delectable hors d’oeuvres follows, so make your plans now to spend New Year’s Eve 2010 with Ars Lyrica.

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

Houston Symphony (Jones Hall – 615 Louisiana)

September 3rd – 5th: Broadway Rocks – With show stopping numbers from the latest generation of Broadway musicals like Wicked and Mamma Mia, this concert will have you tapping your toes and dancing in the aisles. Come hear upbeat selections from such high energy shows as The Lion King, Rent and more. Michael Krajewski, conductor; Gay Men’s Chorus of Houston.

September 16th - 19th: Bronfman’s Tchaikovsky 1 – You’ll be inspired by Tchaikovsky’s luscious melodies, performed with passion by giant of the keyboard, Yefim Bronfman. Hans Graf, conductor; Yefim Bronfman, piano. Stravinsky Suite from The Song of the Nightingale; Shostakovich Symphony No.1; Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1.

September 24th – 26th: Wagner’s “Ring” Without Words – An Orchestral Adventure – Take a symphonic journey into a mythical world of gods, giants and heroes in the quest for a magic ring that holds immerse power. Hans Graf, conductor; John Adams Doctor Atomic Symphony; Wagner/Maazel The “Ring” Without Words.

October 1st - 3rd: Joshua Bell’s Mendelssohn – From amazing child prodigy to breathtaking virtuoso, Joshua Bell has performed with every major orchestra worldwide. Marvel as he plays Mendelssohn’s Violin concerto, loved for its romantic spirit and technical fireworks, on the Gibson Stradivarius. Stolen twice from Polish Bronislaw Huberman, this remarkable Stradivarius went missing for 51 years, only to resurface after the thief’s death. Hans Graf, conductor; Joshua Bell, violin; Mendelssohn Scherzo for Orchestra from Octet for Strings; Mendelssohn Violin Concerto; Schubert Symphony No. 9, The Great.

October 22nd – 24th: Chris Botti – Grammy Award winning trumpeter/composer Chris Botti is back by popular demand! His charismatic style has led to four #1 albums. Chris Botti is headed by to Houston to play his sultry versions of your favorites such as “Time to Say Goodbye”, “When I Fall in Love” and “Funny Valentine”.

October 28th – 31st: Beethoven’s Eroica Symphony – Beethoven’s Eroica, threaded with epic drama and revolutionary genius in every note, has changed the rules of the classical symphony forever. Hannu Lintu, conductor; Markus Groh, piano; Salinen Fanfare; Liszt Piano Concerto No. 1.

November 12th – 14th: One O’Clock Swings – Featuring the University of North Texas’ One O’Clock Lab Band – In an unprecedented musical event, the Houston Symphony teams up with the esteemed University of North Texas’ One O’Clock Lab Band to form the biggest band in Texas. This extravaganza will feature songs from jazz greats like Duke Ellington with “Take the A Train”, Count Basie with “Moten Swing” and John Coltrane. Plus, hear standards from the Great American Songbook with songs from Cole Porter and more! Bret Mitchell, conductor.

November 18th – 21st: Bartok’s Miraculous Mandarin – You’ll be enthralled by Bartok’s musical portrayal of greed, lust, crime and the ultimate power of love. Hans Graf, conductor; Augustin Hadelich, violin; Bartok Miraculous Mandarin; Ravel Tzigane for Violin and Orchestrea; Chasson Poeme for Violin and Orchestra; Brahms Symphony No. 3.

November 26th – 28th: Pictures at an Exhibition – Take a stroll through an orchestral gallery of musical paintings. Let your imagination soar through depictions of mythical creatures, ruins, the famous Tuilleries Gardens in Paris and underground catacombs. Finally, find yourself at the Great Gate of Kiev. Susanna Mailli, conductor; Stephen Hough, piano; Ravel Le Tombeau de Couperin; Grieg Piano Concerto; Mussorgsky/Ravel Pictures at an Exhibition.

December 10th – 12th: Very Merry Pops – Back again in 2010 is this much loved holiday tradition, featuring Mike, the Houston Symphony and Chorus. This year, Very Merry Pops promises to be the highlight of your holiday. Bring the whole family to celebrate the season. Michael Krajewski, conductor; Houston Symphony Chorus; Charles Hausmann, conductor.

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

Jones Hall (615 Louisiana)

September 20th: Anthony Bourdain: Up Close and Confidential – Think about what he was willing to reveal in Kitchen Confidential. Then consider what he’s willing to consume on No Reservations. Inhibited? Not really. So you might want to brace yourself for what Travel Channel star Anthony Bourdain will have in store for us when he visits Jones Hall. 8:00 p.m.

October 8th: Omara Portuondo – Next to hand-rolled cigars and arguably the world’s best rum, Cuba is admired for its tantalizing, hip-swaying music. And it’s Omara Portuondo, the island’s musical sweetheart for more than half a century, whose passionate and moving voice helped send this music pulsating beyond Cuba’s shores. She danced and sang at the famed Tropicana Club and even performed with Nat King Cole. As the only female member of the Buena Vista Social Club, Portuondo transcended the landmark album and film with two Grammy Award nominated records of her own, all the while enchanting audiences around the globe with her effervescence and timeless charm. 8:00 p.m.

October 9th: Ira Glass: Radio Stories and Other Stories – Ira Glass remains truly an American original and completely one of a kind. The New York Times calls him “not only a journalist, but also a storyteller who filters his interviews and impressions through a distinctive literary imagination, an eccentric intelligence, and a sympathetic heart”. Now “This American Life” host/producer Ira Glass returns to Houston for an evening that takes audience members behind the scenes of his public radio broadcast. Glass will dissect the process of taking raw materials – monologues, interviews, recorded events – and with careful editing and added music, show how he creates compelling narratives. 8:00 p.m.

October 15th – 16th: MOMIX Botanica – Known internationally for presenting works of exceptional inventiveness and physical beauty, Moses Pendleton’s MOMIX defies categorization as easily as its dancers defy gravity! MOMIX delights audiences around the world and has been celebrated for its ability to conjure up a world of surrealistic images using props, light, shadow, humor and the human body. Now MOMIX returns to Houston with its newest evening-length production, the whimsical and mythical Botanica. With an eclectic score ranging from birdsongs to Vivaldi, Botanica follows the rhythms of the New England seasons, the evolution of the world and the passing of a day. Flowers bloom, go to seed and die; vegetable, animal and mineral – all in human form – combine and metamorphose. “Eye-popping and mind-boggling . . . everything looks magical.” – The New York Times. 8:00 p.m.

October 26th: Drumline Live – This theatrical production, based on the historically black college and university (HCBU) marching band tradition, returns to Houston for one night only with a new show filled with even more great drumline music! The energetic cast has perfected its precision with years of training in marching band programs across the Southern United States. With riveting rhythms, bold beats and ear-grabbing energy, the staged show is a synchronized musical showcase inspired by the 2002 hit movie Drumline. Incorporating original compositions and soul-infused interpretations of popular contemporary hip hop, R&B and classic Motown tunes, the performance also includes hot choreography and athletic feats performed by steppers, the rousing sounds of the great brass tradition and the speed and pulsating force of the drumline. 7:30 p.m.

November 5th: Diavolo – Back by popular demand, Diavolo is more than a dance company – it is an experience of perception, contortion, strength and ingenuity. The Company’s Houston performance will feature Fearful Symmetries, Diavolo’s newest and largest project to date. Commissioned by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association, Fearful Symmetries brings Diavolo founder Jacque Heim’s choreographic vision alongside the stunning orchestral score of the same name, composed by John Adams. The work reveals humanity exploring not how foreign we often feel in our surrounding, but how our fears compel us to arrange and re-arrange the symmetries of nature as we evolve. 8:00 p.m.

November 6th: The 5 Browns – “One family, five pianos and 50 fingers add up to the biggest classical music sensation in years”, said New York Post of The 5 Browns. A youthful quintet of brothers and sisters, each a Juilliard trained virtuoso concert pianist, The 5 Browns swept the classical world in 2005 with the release of their self-titled first recording for RCA Red Seal. The 5 Browns’ latest album and PBS television special focus on timeless music from the cinema. Flawless in precision and steeped in passion, the Browns stun critics and shatter the preconceptions of those who think classical music inscrutable or intimidating. Needless to say, they are a force to be reckoned with. 8:00 p.m.

December 1st: Handel’s Messiah Rocks – Broadway meets rock and roll and baroque music! Handel’s Messiah Rocks brings the Western world’s most famous oratorio and one of the most beloved musical compositions of all time to contemporary audiences with rock music at its center. In three parts, the show explores the Mystery of Faith, the Power of Love and the Hope for Peace through stunning visual effects, an orchestra, a rock band, LOCAL choirs, as well as renowned soloists. The melding of Handel’s original work for orchestra and voice with the contemporary vernacular of rock illuminates the journey of the Messiah. Bring the entire family to experience the Handel’s Messiah for every generation.

for more information, see www.spahouston.org

Toyota Center (1510 Polk Street)

August 21st: Strikeforce 6:30 p.m.

September 4th: Budweiser Superfest Featuring Anthony Hamilton, KEM, Raheem DeVaughn & Jaheim 7:00 p.m.

September 9th: How Sweet the Sound 7:30 p.m.

September 17th: A. R. Rahman’s Jai Ho Concert: The Journey Home World Tour 8:30 p.m.

September 18th: Madea’s Big Happy Family starring Tyler Perry 2:00 & 7:00 p.m.

September 19th: Madea’s Big Happy Family starring Tyler Perry 2:00 & 6:30 p.m.

October 6th: Carrie Underwood 7:30 p.m.

October 8th: Shakira 8:00 p.m.

October 23rd: Vicente Fernandez 8:00 p.m.

November 6th: Justin Bieber 7:00 p.m.

November 10th-14th: Cirque du Soleil: Alegria

November 20th: Roger Waters 8:00 p.m.

December 8th: Andrea Bocelli

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

Wortham Center – Houston Ballet (Texas & Smith)

September 9th – 19th: Body, Soul & Gershwin – Set to Maurice Ravel’s Concerto for Piano in G Major, Stanton Welch’s Tu Tu is a large ensemble classical work in three movements, featuring 22 dancers, outfitted in brilliantly colored tutus and briefs, in a humorous, sexy romp. Inspired by a painting by Norwegian expressionist painter Edvard Munch and English composer Benjamin Britten’s Sinfonia da Requiem with its images of the sea engulfing the land, Jiří Kylián's Forgotten Land suggests the rising waves of a grey sea, the ebb and flow of life and themes of metamorphosis central to human existence. A lavish, crowd-pleasing blockbuster inspired by the movie musicals of Hollywood’s golden age, Mr. Welch’s The Core is a highly theatrical depiction of the Big Apple, incorporating archetypal New York characters with plenty of Broadway flash and dazzle.

September 23rd – October 3rd: Jewels – A ballet in three parts, George Balanchine’s Jewels was premiered by New York City Ballet in 1967 and was hailed as the first plotless full-length ballet. The gems in Jewels pay tribute to three golden ages of dance and also to the beauty of the ballerinas Balanchine adored. Poetic and flowing, Emeralds evokes France, the birthplace of romantic dance. Its ballerinas drift on stage I clouds of tulle, whispering of elegance, fashion and fragrance. Rubies mirrors the carefree spontaneity of America, a throwback to the musical comedies and films Balanchine created soon after he arrived in his beloved adopted country: a sassy, jazz burst of sunshine. Diamonds dazzles as Balanchine’s tribute to the work of Marius Petipa and evokes the grandeur and precision of the Imperial Ballet of St. Petersburg with each shimmering wave of classical elegance.

November 26th – December 26th: The Nutcracker – Featuring glorious scenery and costumes by Tony Award-winning designer Desmond Heeley, Ben Stevenson’s breathtaking production of The Nutcracker is, in the worlds of the Houston Chronicle, “the crown jewel of holiday entertainment”. Set in nineteenth century Germany, the ballet opens at a charming Christmas party at which the mysterious Dr. Drosselmeyer gives his little niece Clara a magical toy that takes her on an unforgettable journey. From the Christmas tree that grows to a towering forty feet in the first act to the cooks who fly magically through the air in the second act, The Nutcracker is sure to enchant audiences of all ages.

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

Wortham Center – Houston Grand Opera (Texas & Smith)

October 22nd – November 5th: Madame Butterfly – At her wedding to Lieutenant B.F. Pinkerton, the Geisha, Cio-Cio-San promises to be his for life; just three years later, abandoned and on the verge of poverty, she and her young son wait with fierce hope for his return. This visually stunning new production by the internationally acclaimed creative team of Director Michael Grandage, Designer Christopher Oram and Lighting Designer Neil Austin draws its inspiration from traditional Japanese art.

October 29th - November 12th: Peter Grimes – the mysterious death of an apprentice ignites the town’s suspicions against the fisherman Peter Grimes. School-mistress Ellen Orford is his only ally. Peter Grimes brings to the stage the human struggle of individual versus the masses against the backdrop of the raging sea. Directed by Tony Award nominee Neil Armfield, this HGO co-production of Britten’s masterpiece garnered enthusiastic accolades at its Australian premiere.

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

DaCamera of Houston (as noted below)

October 2nd: Jordi Savall the Route to the New World: Spain to Mexico – The incomparable early music superstar Jordi Savall makes his long-awaited Houston debut. With La Capella Reial and Hesperion XXI, Savall joins together with the Ensemble Tembembe of Mexico for this unique celebration of mixed musical traditions. Folk and baroque meet in this dialogue between Old Spain, Mexican Baroque and the living Husteca and Jarocho traditions, reflecting African, Spanish and native influences on indigenous Mexican music. With a message of mutual understanding and cultural exchange, Savall brings to life this rich musical heritage with originality and passion. 7:30 p.m. The Wortham Center.

October 19th: Arcanto Quartet – The Arcanto Quartet’s first North American tour takes the ensemble to New York, Houston and other major musical centers. Extraordinary violist Tabea Zimmermann returns to the DaCamera stage following her 2008 debut. These four musical soulmates have captured the chamber music world with their spirited playing fueled by the joy of bringing music to life. 7:30 p.m. The Menil Collection.

October 29th: Tierney Sutton Band - Known for her way with jazz standards, vocalist Tierney Sutton has received two Grammy nominations for Best Vocal Jazz Album, a JazzWeek Award for Vocalist of the Year and consecutive nominations for Jazz Journalists Association Awards. Her CD’s regularly hit #1 spot on jazz radio playlists and garner critical praise through the world. 7:30 p.m. The Wortham Center.

November 2nd: ICE: New Sounds - The International Contemporary Ensemble has been called “one of the most adventurous and accomplished groups in new music” by The New York Times. Four stellar wind players drawn from the ensemble’s 30 dynamic and versatile young performers come to Houston with a cutting edge program of virtuosic works by Reich, Zorn and French experimentalist Philippe Hurel and two pieces by Nathan Davis, featuring acoustic instruments with live computer processing. 7:30 p.m. The Menil Collection.

December 4th: Anat Cohen Quartet Clarinetworks: Benny Goodman and Beyond – Presented in collaboration with the Jewish Community Center. In her first Houston appearance, clarinetist and saxophonist Anat Cohen celebrates the music of the King of Swing. Cohen exploded on the jazz scene with two critically acclaimed records and multiple Downbeat critic’s poll awards. A Jazz Journalists Association Up and Coming Musician of the Year, Cohen has established herself as one of the primary voices of her generation. Cullen Theater, Wortham Center. 8:00 p.m.

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. Performances take place from March through November.

August 1st, 3rd, 5th & 7th: A Midsummer Night’s Dream – One of Shakespeare’s most popular and frequently produced plays. There is a strong belief that Shakespeare wrote Midsummer for a wedding feast. But its mixture of fairies and mortals with some of Shakespeare’s most memorable verse makes this classic a universal favorite. Produced by Houston Shakespeare Festival. 8:30 p.m.

August 4th, 6th & 8th: Much Ado About Nothing – Perhaps Shakespeare’s sunniest comedy, audiences continue to be dazzled by the verbal dexterity of Benedick and Beatrice as they battle and charm each other and finally discover their mutual love. Produced by Houston Shakespeare Festival. 8:30 p.m.

August 10th: Learning about China – Dance of Asian America – Open your eyes to the rich cultural heritage of China through authentic Chinese dances. Classical and folk dances are a precious part of China’s cultural heritage and serve as a wonderful tool for learning about its many various traditions, history and culture. Each dance performed includes authentic Chinese costumes, music and detailed information. This interactive performance involves audience members with dance props and dance movements. Presented by Young Audiences of Houston. 11:00 a.m.

August 10th: Jailhouse Rock – It’s Elvis Week at Graceland, so celebrate the King with Movies at Miller. Elvis Presley stars as Vince Everett, who is serving a one year jail sentence for manslaughter. While in the big house, his cellmate, a former country singer, introduces him to the record business. Everett takes to it so well that he decides to become a singer when he gets out. However, he is quickly disillusioned by the record business. But with the help of a new friend, he decides to form his own label, and soon becomes an overnight sensation. But when he becomes a superstar, will his desire for fame and money cause him to forget the people who got him there? 8:30 p.m.

August 11th: Blue Hawaii – the Elvis celebration continues with the film Blue Hawaii . . Elvis Presley stars as Chad Gates, who has just gotten out of the Army, and is happy to be back in Hawaii with his surfboard, his beach buddies and his girlfriend. His father wants him to go back to work at the Great Southern Hawaiian Fruit Company, but Chad is reluctant. So Chad goes to work as a tour guide at his girlfriend’s agency. Merriment and music follow. 8:30 p.m.

August 12th: Texas, Alive with Music: Paragon Brass Ensemble – View the sweeping pageantry of Texas history through music. From early Spanish exploration and the first settlement by American frontiersmen to the Battle for Independence and the Civil War, music has given voice to the land of Texas. Listen and learn as Paragon Brass traces this epic saga with musical selections relating Texas’ journey from colonization to independent nation to the Lone Star State. Presented by Young Audiences of Houston. 11:00 a.m.

August 12th: Viva Las Vegas – One of Elvis Presley’s most popular films . . . Viva La Vegas is the tale of Lucky Jackson who arrives in town with his car literally in tow, ready for the first Las Vegas Grand Prix – once he has the money to buy an engine. He gets the cash easily enough, but mislays it when the pretty swimming pool manager (Ann Margaret) takes his mind off things. It seems he will lose both the race and the girl, problems made more difficult by rivalry from Elmo Mancini, fellow racer and womanizer. Perhaps some singing will help. 8:30 p.m.

August 13th: Donny Edwards Tribute to Elvis with Fever – Donny Edwards, internationally recognized, award winning Elvis tribute artist, teams up with Fever-the ultimate tribute band, for a night of the memorable music of the King of Rock & Roll. Donny maintains a performance of incredible authenticity as he performs each era of the king’s inspiring career. From the early rock ‘n’ roll years of the 50’s to the 60’s movie hits to the historic 1968 comeback special to the legendary Vegas years of the 1970s. We’re keeping the music alive with this special tribute to Elvis Presley! 8:00 p.m.

August 14th: Keeping the Music Alive – This concert honors some of the greatest entertainers such as Marvin Gaye, Luther Vandross, Barry White, Gerald Levert and funny man Bernie Mac. We may have lost them physically, but the music lives on. 7:30 p.m. Produced by CBA Walker Entertainment.

August 16th: Discover Korea’s Rich Cultural Heritage: Ari Rang Korean Folk Dance Group – Discover Korea, the Land of Morning Calm, through the richness of its dance and music. The performance of Korean classical and folk dances features colorful costumes, traditional music and instruments including exciting drums and vibrant gongs. Interactive components offer the audience a chance to learn traditional dance and drumming. Presented by Young Audiences of Houston. 11:00 a.m.

August 17th: You Don’t Need Words to Tell a Story: Texas Mime Theatre – Character, plot, conflict and setting are Texas Mime’s Theatre’s “silent partners” in this creative program, which combines the art of pantomime with a lesson on the elements of stories. Imagination, wit and surprise mark this engaging program, which presents mime as a highly expressive storytelling medium. Such classic sketches as “The Library”, “The Bakers” and “Fishing” entertain as they educate. Students might find themselves on stage as members of the “orchestra”! Presented by Young Audiences of Houston. 11:00 a.m.

August 17th: Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark – Its adventure movie week at Miller. Harrison Ford stars as Indiana Jones. Renowned archeologist and expert in the occult, Dr. Indiana Jones, is hired by the U.S. Government to find the Ark of the Covenant, which is believed to still hold the ten commandments. Unfortunately, agents of Hitler are also after the Ark. Indy, and his ex-flame Marion, escape from various close scrapes in a quest that takes them from Nepal to Cairo. 8:30 p.m.

August 18th: Indiana Jones & The Temple of Doom – Adventure movie week continues with Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones. Set in 1935, professor, archaeologist, and legendary hero, Indiana Jones is back in action in his newest adventure. But this time he teams up with a night club singer named Wilhelmina “Willie” Scott and a twelve year old boy named Short Round. They end up in a small distressed village in India, where the people believe that evil spirits have taken all of their children away after a sacred precious stone was stolen! They also discover the great mysterious terror surrounding a booby-trapped temple known as the Temple of Doom. The evil Thuggee is beginning to attempt to rise once more, believing that with the power of all five Sankara stones they can rule the world. Now it’s all up to Indiana to put an end to the Thuggee campaign, rescue the lost children, win the girl and conquer the Temple of Doom. All in a day’s work! 8:30 p.m.

August 19th: The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe – The life and death struggle for Narnia brought to life from the page to the stage. The Great Lion takes on his archenemy in the cosmic battle of the ages as the classic literature of C.S. Lewis comes to life on the stage. Join in the triumph of good over evil in this exciting and imaginative production of a famous children’s classic. Presented by Young Audiences of Houston. 11:00 a.m.

August 19th: Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade – Our adventure movie series concludes with the final film of the Indiana Jones trilogy . . . this one starring Harrison Ford and the dashing Sean Connery. Three years after he recovered The Ark of the Covenant, Indiana Jones recovers from treasure hunters an artifact that he found as a kid, the Cross of Francisco de Coronado. Now, in the last Crusade, Jones discovers the history of another biblical artifact called “the Holy Grail”. He also discovers that his father, Henry Jones (Sean Connery) is missing. Jones must find his father who is looking for the Grail. Will Jones become involved in the search of the Holy Grail? He’ll have to fight the Nazis to reach it. 8:30 p.m.

August 20th: The Kashmere Reunion Stage Band – Relive the magic of the glory days of the 60’s and 70’s when the Kashmere Reunion Stage Band was under the baton of the late, great Conrad “Prof” Johnson. High energy, well-choreographed, playing big band standards, R&B, funk, gospel and soul, this band puts on quite a show! Presented by Miller Outdoor Theater. 8:00 p.m.

August 21st: Jazz: A Tribute to the Big Band Era – The Conrad Johnson Foundation will present “A Tribute to the Big Band Era”, featuring Bach’s Inventions as well as the original works by Conrad O. Johnson and other big band greats such as Glenn Miller and Duke Ellington, as performed by the Conrad Johnson Youth Orchestra and the Conrad Johnson All Star Jazz College. 8:00 p.m.

August 27th – 28th: Golden Dragon Acrobats of China – This group represents the best of a time honored tradition that began more than twenty-five centuries ago. They are recognized through the U.S. and abroad as the premiere Chinese acrobatic touring company of today. Presented by Miller Outdoor Theatre. 8:00 p.m.

September 3rd: District D Night at the Movies: Avatar – Join Council Member Wanda Adams as District D and Miller Outdoor Theatre presents James Cameron’s 2009 epic sci-fi film Avatar, rated PG-13 (not appropriate for younger children). 7:30 p.m.

September 4th: Brandenburg in the Park – The Brandenburg Concertos are widely regarded as some of the finest instrumental music of the Baroque. Let Mercury Baroque’s stunning interpretations of four of the six Brandenburg Concertos sweep you into total relaxation. Produced by Mercury Baroque. 8:00 p.m.

September 5th: Bollywood Blast – There are many types of dances in India, from the classical Indian dance forms, which are deeply religious in content to the lively and mirthful Bollywood Dances of India, which are danced just for fun. Produced by Samskriti: Society for Indian Performing Arts. 8:00 p.m.

September 10th & 11th: Fall for Dominic Walsh Dance – Dominic Walsh Dance Theatre will kick-off another stellar season of contemporary ballet with this dynamic program highlighting recent additions to the company’s repertoire, including Walsh’s tour de force adaptation of The Firebird. Produced by Dominic Walsh Dance Theatre. 8:00 p.m.

September 11th: Ballet Folklorio: Revolucion Mexicana – Experience the beauty and traditions of Mexico as AIBF celebrates Hispanic Heritage and commemorates the 100^th anniversary of the Mexican Revolution. Produced by Ambassadors International Ballet Folklorico. 11:00 a.m.

September 14th: Swing, Jive and Pop! Into Dance – Watch dance of all styles and eras explode onto stage to engage, entertain and enlighten students of all ages. Swing into the 30s, tap to “Singin’ in the Rain”, Hand Jive through the 50s and Electric Slide into today! Students participate in an energy filled hour of dance, music, costumes and learn fun historical tidbits of information on fashion, games and toys. Produced by Houston Metropolitan Dance Company. 11:00 a.m.

September 15th: El Grito – Festival de la Independencia – Featuring Ramon Ayala & los Bravos del Norte. Concert celebrating the 200^th Anniversary of Mexico’s independence with performances by Ballet Folklorico Mexico en Danza, Banda la Aventura, Mariachi Azteca, Jose Saldana, Jenne Celine and Alexandra, culminating in a performance by headliner, Ramon Ayala & los Bravos de Norte. Booths and concert open at 6:00 p.m. Produced by Comite Patriotico Mexicano.

September 17th & 18th: 14^th Annual Grand Taiko Festival – Spectacular Japanese Taiko drumming concert filled with high energy movements to the beat of thunderous drums, including the most powerful drum in America. Combined with graceful movements of authentic Japanese classical dancing, and other awesome guest artists, for an evening of family entertainment. Produced by Kaminari Taiko of Houston. 7:30 p.m.

September 24th & 25th: 16^th Annual Week-end of Contemporary Dance – Dance Source Houston presents the 16^th annual Week-end of Texas Contemporary Dance. Tap dance, trapeze work and Tchaikovsky all have a part to play in this thrilling eveing of performances by ten Texas based choreographers and dance companies including: independent choreographers Paola Georgudis, Catalina Molnari, and Leslie Scates. Featured companies include: Frame Dance productions; infinite Moving Ever Evolving (iMME); NobleMotion Dance; Reck Dance Projects; Revolve Dance Company; Suchu Dance; and Vault. Produced by Dance Source Houston. 8:00 p.m.

September 25th: Dance Around the World – Dance Around the World explores the classical dance styles of two cultures. The top students from Houston’s foremost dance academies, Houston Ballet II and Anjali Center for the Performing Arts, will present traditional and contemporary dances from the European and Indian traditions. Exciting dancing, fabulous costumes and beautiful music appeal to audiences of all ages. Produced by Dance Source Houston. 11:00 a.m.

September 27^th – October 1st: The Magic Flute – This updated version of The Magic Flute has all the tunes you love, with a modern technological twist. Don’t miss Mozart’s tale of good vs. evil, set inside a video game – complete with magical cell phones, notorious name brands and an unforgettable Queen of the Byte! Presented by Houston Grand Opera. 11:00 a.m.

October 1st & 2nd: Splendid China V – Dance of Asian America will collaborate with top dancers from China Dancers Association to bring you the most recent and award-winning works from China’s National Lotus Cup Dance Competition. 8:00 p.m.

October 3rd: 1000 Lights for Peace – As the grand finale to Mahatma Gandhi Week, the program will feature a multi-cultural, international dance and music show by children and conclude with a candle-lighting for peace. 5:00 p.m.

October 5th: Bayanihan Philippine National Dance Company – This talented company has performed all over the world, sharing the traditions and culture of the Philippines in a swirl of color and technical prowess. The evening is certain to delight an audience of all ages and cultural backgrounds. Presented by Miller Theatre Advisory Board. 7:30 p.m.

October 7th, 8th & 9th: 31^st Annual Festival Chicano – A cultural celebration of 31 years of Chicano music from Tejano and Conjunto to Mariachi and Orchestra, in one of the oldest ongoing events of its type in the world. Produced by Festival Chicano. 7:00 p.m.

October 9th: Ballet Folklorico: Mosaico Panameno – Experience the beauty and traditions of Mexico as AIBF celebrates Hispanic Heritage and commemorates the 100^th anniversary of the Mexican Revolution. Produced by Ambassadors International Ballet Folklorico. 11:00 a.m.

October 13th: Under the Sea: Becky Valls University of Houston Dance Ensemble – Travel into the depths of the ocean and experience the phenomenal underwater world. Experience the energetic performances of the University of Houston’s Dance Ensemble as they create a science lesson on ocean communities. Their dances take students “into the deep” to explore ocean landscapes, plant life, the species of fish and the power of waves and tides. A crazy choreographed fashion show with audience participation focuses on fish and other marine animals. Presented by Young Audiences of Houston. 11:00 a.m.

October 15th: Classic Albums Live: Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon – Note for note . . . cut for cut . . . using every instrument that it took to record “Dark Side . . .” exactly as you remember it, Craig Martin has assembled a cast of talented singers and musicians who recreate the entire classic rock album during the first set and then perform a selection of “greatest hits” in set 2. Presented by Miller Outdoor Theatre. 7:30 p.m.

October 16th: Dia de la Hispanidad: Day of the Hispanic World – In celebration of the Day of the Hispanic World, the Institute of Hispanic Culture presents a professional theatrical production of Hispanic folkloric music and dance. 7:30 p.m.

October 17th: Donde Jugaron Los Ninos – This concert will launch the 2^nd Annual Latino Environmental Awareness campaign. The objective is to engage our community into joining TBH’s Green Armada to volunteer and join other concerned citizens in ways to promote better air quality. Presented by Talento Bilingue de Houston. 6:30 p.m.

October 18th: All About Dance: HSPVA Concert Dancers – Explore the world of dance and movement with this company of talented young professionals from HISD’s renowned High School for the Performing and Visual Arts (HSPVA), Join the HSPVA Concert Dancers in exploring various dance forms – including ballet, modern dance, jazz and tap – and their distinct characteristics. Discover the complexity of dance, its many forms, and what training is required to become a dancer. Presented by Young Audiences of Houston. 11:00 a.m.

October 19th: Taking It to the Streets Soul Street – They fly through the air with the greatest of ease! They dance en pointe while semi-crouched in high-top sneakers! Soul Street demonstrates the varied styles and discuss the distinctive features and origins of each dance. From Brazil’s Capoiera to New York’s Break Dance and the multi-component form of hip-hop, learn how these styles developed and evolved. In addition to some exciting participatory activities, find out what happens when today’s diverse dance styles meet classical music by 17^th century composer Antonio Vivaldi! Presented by Young Audiences of Houston. 11:00 a.m.

October 21st – 22nd: Benise – The Spanish Guitar – Houston debut! This multi-media spectacle of music and dance from the incomparable Benise takes the audience on an exotic journey through a Parisian café, a flamenco tapas bar in Spain, an Arabian desert, a Venetian masquerade ball and the cobblestone streets of Old Havana. Presented by Miller Theatre Advisory Board. 7:30 p.m.

October 23rd: KPFT One World Music Jam – KPFT has brought music genres from around the world to Miller Outdoor Theatre. This year, KPFT brings the sounds of brass, old and new, from African, Latino, Jazz, European and Asian artists. You’ll hear them all during this jubilant musical marathon which is as diverse and great as Houston. Produced by KPFT Pacifica Foundation. 6:00 p.m.

October 27th: Swing, Jive and Pop! Into Dance – Watch dance of all styles and eras explode onto stage to engage, entertain and enlighten students of all ages. Swing into the 30s, tap to “Singin’ in the Rain”, Hand Jive through the 50s, and Electric Slide into today! Students participate in an energy filled hour of dance, music, costumes and learn fun historical tidbits of information on fashion, games and toys. Produced by Houston Metropolitan Dance Company. 11:00 a.m.

October 29th: Jack and the Beanstalk – Enter an enchanted world of dancing cows, hysterical chickens, a singing harp, magical beans and a Giant who lives in a castle in the sky. Poor Jack can’t seem to do anything right. He sells the cow for the beans, climbs the beanstalk, gets caught trying to steal the Giant’s Golden Goose, and has trouble finding his way back home. By the end of this special tale, the cow is returned, the chicken learns how to lay golden eggs and the silly Giant teaches Jack a valuable lesson about dealing with others. A new musical adaptation, written and directed by Harold J. Haynes. Produced by Express Children’s Theatre. 11:00 a.m.

October 29th: Monsters vs. Aliens – Jumpstart Halloween with a costume contest and this popular DreamWorks 2009 animated film featuring the voices of Reese Witherspoon, Hugh Laurie, Kiefer Sutherland, Stephen Colbert and Paul Rudd. Presented by Miller Outdoor Theatre. 6:30 p.m.

October 30th: Modern Music at the Park – An evening of live performances of today’s new classical music, including Houston composers and work from Latin America. Produced by the Foundation for Modern Music. 8:00 p.m.

October 31st: Dracula – Celebrate Halloween at Miller Outdoor Theatre with this 1931 classic horror film starring Bela Lugosi. Presented by Miller Outdoor Theatre. 7:00 p.m.

for more information, see www.milleroutdoortheatre.org

A.D. Players (2710 West Alabama)

Thru August 29th: Leaving Iowa (large stage) – A story for everyone who has ever revisited memories of youth, Leaving Iowa, follows Don, a middle-aged man who returns home to Iowa in search of a final resting place for his father’s ashes. As he travels across the state searching for the perfect place to scatter the ashes, memories of childhood road trips with his father resurface, and he is finally able to come to peace with his past and present.

September 8th – October 17th: Driving Miss Daisy – Jeannette Clift George reprises the title role along with Wayne DeHart in this audience favorite. When Miss Daisy’s driving skills become questionable, her son graciously hires Hoke as her driver, beginning an unlikely friendship that will last a lifetime. Sprinkled with laughter, this gentle drama spanning half a century is a classic that will delight the entire family.

October 11th – November 13th: Winnie-the-Pooh – Undoubtedly the world’s most loved and revered bear, Pooh has “very little brain” and an endless hunger for honey. But his love for his friends in the Hundred Acre Wood is equally endless. Pooh is always off on a new adventure with Christopher Robin, Piglet, Eeyore and the rest, so come find an adventure all your own with that “silly old bear”!

November 17th – December 31st: A Christmas Unwrapped: A Collection of Holiday Comedies – It’s a Christmas “fund-for-all” when the audience selects the evening’s shows! Each night the cast will perform three of these four touching and hilarious one-act plays, but which ones remains a secret until the audience selects. Surprisingly and uproarious, these holiday treats include a misplaced angel; two lonely retirees; a married couple; and a troupe of actors whose show must go on. All find friendship, joy and the true meaning of Christmas in the unlikeliest of circumstances.

for more information, see www.adplayers.org

Main Street Theatre (2540 Times Blvd.)

September 9th – October 3rd: The Doctor’s Dilemma – by George Bernard Shaw. A doctor who has developed a cure for tuberculosis can take only one more patient. He must decide between a kindly, poor, medical colleague and a charming young artist who is a genius but a scoundrel with a young and vivacious wife (with whom the doctor is somewhat in love). Throughout history and certainly in the present day, there are medical treatments so scarce or costly that some people can have them while others cannot. Who is to decide and on what grounds is the decision made? Shaw examines this very real dilemma with his customary wit and charm. Inspired by a London surgeon who made a fortune convincing people to let him remove their uvula, this play premiered in 1906 at the Royal Court Theatre in London with Harley Granville-Barker as the artist.

September 27th – October 29th: Busytown – Children’s Theatre – Everyone has an important job to do in the hustle and bustle of Richard Scarry’s Busytown. Grocer Cat sells fresh food, Alfalfa and Pig run a farm, and Dr. Lion and his nurse make sure everyone is healthy. There will be lots of giggles and squeals as our youngest audience members meet the citizens of this imaginative world and learn what it means to be part of a community.

November 8th – December 11th: Madeline’s Christmas – “in an old house in Paris that was covered with vines lived twelve little girls in two straight lines.” This charming 1956 classic finds Madeline in a Christmas crisis when all of her schoolmates are sick, including Miss Clavel. Who will run the school? How will the girls get home for the holidays? Madeline must take charge! Madeline’s Christmas is a perfect reminder for audiences of all ages of this wonderful season of miracles.

November 26th - December 19th: The Heidi Chronicles – Wendy Wasserstein’s 1989 Pulitzer Prize-winning play chronicles the glory days of the feminist movement through the character of art historian Heidi Holland. Over a 25 year period – from high school in the mid-sixties through the “having-it-all” era of the late eighties – the experiences of Heidi and her friends and lovers chart the transformative political and social changes of that exhilarating period.

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

Opera in the Heights (1703 Heights Blvd.)

September 23rd – October 2nd: Tales of Hoffmann – Three passions. Three fantasies. Three women. The genius of Offenbach.

November 4th – 13th: Die Fledermaus – Jokes and disguises. A night in Vienna. Waltzes, champagne and plenty of fun.

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

Playhouse 1960 (6814 Grant Road)

Thru August 14th: Inherit the Wind – Per the New York Times, “This is the play that has as its genesis, the events of the famous Scoopes trial. One of the most outstanding drams of our time. The portrait it draws of an explosive episode in American culture, vigorously written by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee, remains as fresh as it ever was. One of the most stirring plays in recent years retains its folk flavor and spiritual awareness in an Arena Stage production. Bursting with vitality . . . literature of the stage!”

September 4th – 26th: Aladdin Jr. – Young Actor’s Theatre

September 9th – 18th: Daddy’s Dyin’, Who’s Got the Will? – Set in a small Texas town in anytime U.S.A., Dyin’ concerns the reunion of a family gathered to await the imminent death of their patriarch, who has recently suffered a physically, as well as mentally, disabling stroke. In essence, however, it is not the story of the impending demise of the father or of the drafting of his will, but of a rebirth of the spirit of the family unit. Without becoming ponderous, losing a sense of humor or pandering to timeworn clichés about Texans or Texas drawls, the story shares many elements of a good summer novel: it’s a fast, delicious, easy read, with funny moments, tense moments, touching moments and characters that you will car about.

October 16th – November 7th: Wizard of Oz – Young Actor’s Theatre

November 26th – December 18th: White Christmas

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

Radio Music Theatre (2623 Colquitt)

Thru August 28th: Fear of Ducks – Back again to the shaded oasis of Precious Trees (Houston’s most planned, planned community) – where the water is a perfect shade of blue and the skies are not cloudy all day. Houston satire reigns as RMT pokes a little fun at our glorious city.

September 2nd – November 20th: You’ll Never Forget the End of the World – The Very Reverend Jiffy Dillard is the most popular T.V. evangelist in the world. His Houston based church is a former football stadium, seating 80,000 people. So when the popular evangelist announces that the end of the world will take place on December 11^th, his followers take him seriously. But talk show host Oaf Monahan, the most powerful woman in show business, is determined to expose Dillard as a fraud and when she brings her show to Houston, the entire world is watching. Adding to the fun, this “Clash of the titans” is sponsored by Houston’s best known furniture salesman, Uncle Dan.

November 26th – January 15th: A Fertle Holiday – It’s the twenty-sixth anniversary of RMT’s first Fertle family comedy. Once again, the Fertles are home for the holidays. Grab you butter pie and make your reservations early. This one sells out fast and it’s your last chance to see it.

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

Stages Repertory Theatre (3201 Allen Parkway)

September 15th – October 10th: Auntie Mame – Before we all knew the popular musical, the world knew our beloved Mame through a riotous stage-play by Jerome Lawrence and Robert Lee. Now for the first time in years, Stages revives the play in a brand new version featuring a zany cast of nine actors, playing over 45 roles. When Patrick Dennis is sent to live with his eccentric aunt, his life becomes a banquet of imagination and wonder. Houston favorite, Sally Edmundson, tackles the role she was born to play as the irrepressible Auntie Mame.

Thru October 17th: The Marvelous Wonderettes – A cotton candy colored, non-stop pop musical blast from the past! At the 1958 Springfield High School prom, we meet the Wonderettes – Betty Jean, Cindy Lou, Missy and Suzy, four girls with hopes and dreams as big as their crinoline skirts and voices to match. As we learn about their lives and loves, the girls perform classic hits such as Lollipop, Dream Lover, Stupid Cupid, Lipstick on Your Collar, It’s My Party, It’s in His Kiss and many more!

November 23rd – January 9th: Panto Pinocchio – Pinocchio is a robot boy with a computer geek dad stuck in a town where everybody just wants to dance. But mischief is afoot when Pinocchio sets off on a journey to find his heart. Will he ever realize his big dream? Will his dad ever find love? Or will the evil Miss Treats lead everyone astray and stop the party once and for all? Hurry, Houston, we need your help right away – Panto is back and wilder than ever! Bring your outside voice “cause it’s time to scream with delight at the high tech hijinx in the funniest Pinocchio every.

for more information, see www.stagestheatre.com or call (713) 527-0123

Wortham Center (Texas & Smith)

November 12th: Buika – 2008 Latin Grammy nominee Concha Buika, who simply goes by Buika, has been hailed as the “Flamenco Queen”. She is the daughter of political refugees from the African nation of Equatorial Guinea and grew up in a gypsy neighborhood on the Spanish island of Mallorca. Her musical sound is a blend of copla, an old-fashioned Spanish song style, flamenco, jazz, Cuban music, soul and blues. Buika makes her Houston debut performing music from her fourth studio album El Ultimo Trago (The Last Sip), a tribute to Mexican ranchera singer Chavela Vargas. 8:00 p.m.

November 17th: Ahn Trio – Born in Seoul and educated at Juilliard, the Ahn Trio has redefined the art and architecture of chamber music, breathing new life into the standard piano trio literature. Sisters Maria (cello), Lucia (piano) and Angella (violin) return to Houston for the first time since 2005 to perform a new program with works by some of the most visionary composers. Over the years they have performed commissioned works from such composers as Michael Nyman, Maurice Jarre, Pat Metheny, Paul Schoenfield, Mark O’Connor, Kenji bunch, Nikolai Kapustin and Paul Chihara. The women have fused their work with that of dancers, including a collaboration with David Parsons Dance Company, as well as DJs, painter, installation artists, photographers, lighting designers, ecologists and even kite makers. The trio’s latest CD, Lullaby for My Favorite Insomniac (released in 2008), made No. 8 on the Billboard charts for 26 weeks in the classical album category. 8:00 p.m.

for more information, see www.houstontx.gov/worthamcenter/boxoffice.htm

Live Music Venues

House of Blues Houston (1204 Caroline Street)

August 3rd: Thrash and Burn Tour 2010 2:30 p.m.

Augst 4th: BUN-B with Live Band 9:00 p.m.

August 5th: Panteon Rococo – Ejercito de Paz Tour 2010 8:30 p.m.

August 6th: Queensryche Cabaret 8:30 p.m.

August 6th: Toology – A Tribute to Tool with Vehement Burn 9:00 p.m.

August 7th: Demon Hunter with Sleeping Giant, Inhale Exhale and A Bullet for Pretty Boy 7:30 p.m.

August 7th: Dommin 6:30 p.m.

August 11th: Something Borrwed, Something Blues Briday & Fashion Show 6:30 p.m.

August 12th: Cyndi Lauper with David Rhodes 8:00 p.m.

August 13th: Pat Benatar featuring Neil Giraldo 8:00 p.m.

August 14th: Frontiers – A Tribute to Journey 9:00 p.m.

August 15th: Corinne Bailey Rae 8:00 p.m.

August 18th: Moenia 8:00 p.m.

August 19th: Rick Derringer & Pat Travers Band 8:00 p.m.

August 20^th: Dr. John & The Lower 911 with Greyhounds 8:30 p.m.

August 21st: Asia 8:30 p.m.

August 25th: Billy Idol 8:30 p.m.

August 27th: Rooney with Disco Curtis and Jokerdeck 7:30 p.m.

August 27th: AC/Dshe & The Iron Maidens 9:00 p.m.

August 28th: Meat Loaf with special guest Pearl 8:30 p.m.

August 28th: You Hang Up featuring Frankie Muniz 9:00 p.m.

September 2nd: Rodrigo y Gabriela 8:00 p.m.

September 3rd: Justin Nozuka with Alex Cuba and Ry Cuming 8:00 p.m.

September 10th: Margaret Cho “Cho Dependent” Tour 8:30 p.m.

September 11th: MTV2 and House of Comedy presents Nick Cannon 8:30 p.m.

September 11th: 1999 – Prince Tribute 9:00 p.m.

September 13th: Crystal Castles 9:00 p.m.

September 17th: The Dan Band 9:00 p.m.

September 20th: The Mike Posner Up in the Air Tour 7:00 p.m.

September 21st: O.A.R. & The Dirty Heads 8:00 p.m.

September 22nd: Stephen Kellogg and The Sixers 7:30 p.m.

September 23rd: Drive-By Truckers 9:00 p.m.

for more information, see www.livenation.com or call (713) 230-1600

Verizon Wireless Theatre (520 Texas Avenue)

August 7th: Kathy Griffin 6:30 & 9:30 p.m.

August 8th: The Wiggles Wiggly Circus 12:30 & 4:00 p.m.

August 13th: The Vonnie Dones Beastmode Summer Jam 5:00 p.m.

August 21st: Natalie Merchant 8:00 p.m.

August 25th: Gordon Lightfoot 8:00 p.m.

September 20th: Pixies 8:00 p.m.

September 24th: An Evening with the Black Crowes 8:00 p.m.

September 25th: Citizen Cope 8:00 p.m.

September 26th: American Carnage Tour: Slayer and Megadeth with Anthrax 7:00 p.m.

October 2nd: Daniel Tosh – Tosh Tour Twenty Ten 7:30 & 10:30 p.m.

October 3rd: The Ultimate Doo Wop Show 7:00 p.m.

October 7th: Vampire Week-end 8:00 p.m.

October 9th: B.B. King with special guest Carolyn Wonderland 8:00 p.m.

October 17th: Straight No Chaser 4:00 & 8:00 p.m.

October 28th: Black Label Berzerkus: Black Label Society, Clutch & Children of Bodom 7:30 p.m.

for more information, see www.livenation.com or call (713) 230-1600

Warehouse Live (813 St. Emanuel Street)

August 1st: Bowling for Soup 8:00 p.m.

August 3rd: New Politics 8:00 p.m.

August 6th: Evans Blue 9:00 p.m.

August 13th: Y&T 8:00 p.m.

August 14th: Pale Video Preview & Concert with Performances by Pale 7:30 p.m.

August 15th: Andre Nickatina 8:00 p.m.

August 16th: Thriving Ivory 8:00 p.m.

August 17th: An Evening with The Maine 7:00 p.m.

August 20th: Screeching Weasel 8:30 p.m.

August 22nd: AftonLive Showcase 6:30 p.m.

August 26th: AftonLive Showcase 6:30 p.m.

August 29th: The Kottonmouth Kings 8:00 p.m.

September 7th: Autolux 9:30 p.m.

September 18th: Rebirth Brass Band 9:00 p.m.

September 18th: Bullet for My Valentine 7:00 p.m.

September 24th: Ludo 7:00 p.m.

October 1st: Bassnectar 9:00 p.m.

October 7th: Two Door Cinema Club 8:00 p.m.

October 8th: Devendra Barnhart and The Grogs 9:00 p.m.

October 10th: School of Seven Bells 9:00 p.m.

October 14th: Vaselines 9:00 p.m.

October 27th: Ra Ra Riot 8:30 p.m.

October 29th: Ghostland Observatory 9:00 p.m.

for more information, see www.warehouselive.com

Museums

Blaffer Gallery (University of Houston campus, entrance 16 off Cullen Boulevard)

Thru August 7th: Tomás Saraceno: Lighter than Air –This summer, Blaffer Gallery presents Tomás Saraceno: Lighter than Air. Organized by the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis and showcasing Saraceno’s installations, sculptures, and photographs made since 2003, the touring exhibition is the artist’s first large-scale museum presentation in the United States. By reexamining the conventions of art and architecture, Saraceno suggests imaginative solutions to complex questions about how we populate and coexist in the world. His architectural proposals use the interdependencies of systems to ponder ecological questions that go beyond the natural world. Specifically, the artist contrives environments that anticipate new socio-cultural platforms for experiencing and interacting with our surroundings.

Thru August 7th: First Take: Jacco Olivier – This is Jacco Olivier’s first solo museum exhibition. It brings together ten works created between 2003 and 2010. Olivier’s luscious filmic vignettes are quiet meditations on painting set in motion. Technically, his work falls into the category of animation. Images are repeatedly reworked and re-photographed to create a narrative that unfolds through a camera-driven progression. Olivier likes to tell a story, but even in his most anecdotal works, the most interesting tale is the story of painting itself. For each work, Olivier repaints the same canvas over and over again, carefully photographing each stage of development. In time, the original image slowly degenerates and finally disappears altogether in the cumulative layers of paint. The final work, the photographic record, thus becomes an animated history of a painting, a slice of time that captures scraps of narrative and memories, and joins them together to form a moving picture with an atmospheric charge enriched by an ambient soundtrack.

August 28th – November 13th: Gabriel Kuri: Nobody Needs to Know the Price of Your Saab – Organized by Blaffer director and chief curator Claudia Schmuckli, this ten year survey is the first solo museum exhibition dedicated to Gabriel Kuri in the U.S. Kuri began his studies at Escuela Nacional de Artes Plásticas in Mexico City, spent four years working in studio of sculptor Gabriel Orozco, and in 1993, moved to London to attend Goldsmith’s College, where he studied with Liam Gillick. He now lives and works in Mexico City and Brussels. Kuri’s spatial and sculptural accumulations combine the social tone of Conceptual Art with the poetry of Arte Povera. His work is a careful investigation into the physical and semantic weight of materials and their sculptural and allegorical abilities to sustain, shape and accumulate meaning.

August 28th – November 13th: Amy Patton – Amy Patton’s first full scale solo exhibition in the U.S. will feature two films, one debuting at Blaffer and a new sculptural installation. Patton’s most recent film is both a filmed theater piece and a documentary on the making of the film itself. It takes Upton Sinclair’s Oil as a point of departure and plays with slippages between the novel’s characters and plot and the experiences of the actors and artist in making the film. The film was commissioned by the University of Houston’s Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts with support from Blaffer and the UK School of Theatre & Dance. For her exhibition at Blaffer, Patton will create an installation around this newly commissioned film and an earlier film, A Satisfied Mind, 2005. Organized by Blaffer Associate Curator, Rachel Hooper, the exhibition will be accompanied by a fully illustrated catalogue with essays by Hooper, and German novelist and artist Ingo Niermann, as well as an interview with Patton by Christina Linden, curatorial fellow at the Center for Curatorial Studies, Bard College.

for more information, see www.hfac.uh.edu/blaffer or call (713) 743-9530

Children’s Museum of Houston (1500 Binz)

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.

Exhibits:

The Invention Convention – Step into a workshop of gadgets and gizmos, where kids create, concoct and construct contraptions and use their imagination to become inventors! Dream up and design in a workshop filled with half-finished contraptions, bins of spare parts, project tables, schematics and various instruments from floor to ceiling. Experiment with LEGO bricks, propellers, magnets, batteries, switches and buzzers through facilitated, hands-on experiments and mini-workshops.

Kidtropolis – This exhibit marks a brand new spot on the map, as a real-life kid metropolis, complete with a skyline, city government, occupations and the systems that make a city work. It’s where kids choose to be whatever they want to be. They will participate in a sophisticated, simulated economy, where they can spend money on items and experiences throughout the city. But, like in real life, they will have to get jobs to earn money and that’s where the KidCard comes in handy! This ATM card has a stipend of 40 Kidtropolis dollars on it. With it, kids can go on a shopping spree of tantalizing items, special art workshops and other cool stuff. They can deposit their paychecks into a kid’s savings or checking account or hit the town for a day out!

Cyberchase – The Chase is On! – Based on Cyberchase, the Emmy award-winning PBS Kids Go! math mystery cartoon, Cyberchase – The Chase is On! Presents math in a fun, kid-friendly environment, allowing children to make use of their critical thinking skills and approach math with an investigative, positive attitude. In the exhibit, children will enter Cyberspace through a special portal to explore favorite cyber sites, including the Control Central, the Grim Wreaker and Poddleville and be greeted by Motherboard, the peace-loving leader of Cyberspace. They will help the CyberSquad protect the virtual universe from the evil Hacker, while exploring math concepts such as place value, algebra, geometry, fractions and probability.

Matter Factory – This exhibition offers a glimpse into the concepts of materials science, including properties of matter and potential uses for different substances and smart materials. With 1,350 square feet of exhibit space, explore how matter matters in our daily lives. Experiment with different properties of matter, test and sort materials based on their properties, and examine unique properties of emerging materials recently developed by scientists.

Flow Works – Dive into the forces and properties of water through waves, vortices and rapids, exploring the fascinating concept of hydropower. This interactive exhibit requires kids to “dip” their hands into it to make it work. An 18 feet tall Cauldron stands in the middle of it all! The more you play, the more it gets filled up with water. Once it’s full, water comes crashing down, making an unstoppable wave of fun and allowing other exhibit components to break their course! Feel the rush of waters through a simulated Flood Plain, stream through an Aquaduct Maze, or serve as the mastermind behind a Hydro Switchboard. Navigate ways in which water’s energy can be stored, released and manipulated and harness the power!

Power Play – Push your limits and discover how your body reacts to a variety of physical challenges in Power Play! This monumental, three story installation lets you leap up and down different levels as you discover new ways to get active. Take it to the next level tracking your heart rate and strength, rating your experience and comparing your performance like a real fitness athlete.

Dragons & Fairies: Exploring Vietnam Through Folktales – This exhibit provides a profusion of hands-on, interactive experiences about the daily life and culture of people in Vietnam. The exhibition includes five “folktale theatres” – partially enclosed structures where families view multi-media presentations of popular folktales. The facades of the theatres will thematically be a part of three distinct regions. In one, visitors explore what life is like in rural areas of Vietnam. In another, visitors experience the “streets” of a city and take part in preparation for Tet Trung Thu – the Mid-Autumn Lantern Festival. In a third, visitors may enter a houseboat and house like those found in Vietnam’s urban and riverside regions and take part in preparation for Tet Nguyen Dan – the Lunar New Year Festival.

Thru September 19th: Secrets of Circles – Ever wonder why a wheel is shaped the way it is, or why a pizza and the sun are both round? Have you noticed that flat circles and three-dimensional globes are found everywhere in nature, from an orange to an eye to a compass? What makes circularity so common and yet so special? Secrets of Circles will answer these questions through activities rich in math, science, engineering and art – because circles are as beautiful as they are functional.

August 1st: Toothy Tanagrams – Solve the toothy riddles to make this puzzle work! Noon – 6:00 p.m.

August 2nd: Marbe Runs – Use your imagination, creativity and some physics to build a marble run that is sure to impress. 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

August 3rd: Shrinky Dinks – You can create beads, charms or figures by reheating the plastic and causing it to shrink to its original size. 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

August 4th: Sudoku Puzzle – Dust off your thinking cap and sharpen your pencil for mental mayhem for the whole family. 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

August 5th: Spin Art – Use everyday machines like record players and salad spinners to create complex and beautiful pieces of modern art. 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

August 7th: I Spy With My Digital Eye – Grab a scavenger hunt list and head out around the museum in search of the items described by the clues. 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

August 8th: Movin’ and Groovin’ Dance Lessons – Learn what it takes to do the salsa or hip-hop dances, and soon you’ll be dancing like a pro. 2:30 – 3:30 p.m.

August 9th: What’s In Your Backpack? – It is back to school time! Look inside the backpacks and be amazed at what you have in there! 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

August 10th: Jewelry Making – Use new materials to create a jeweled masterpiece. 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

August 11th: Full-Size Circle Logic – Join us outdoors for our summer logic competition. 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

August 13th: Bubble Painting – 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

August 14th: We Dig Science – Join us as we all become archaeologists for the day, a type of scientist that looks for hidden artifacts underground. 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

August 15th: Karaoke Extreme – Sing to popular songs complete with costumes/accessories and unleash the rock star inside of you. Noon – 2:00 p.m.

August 16th: Mr. O Demo Show – 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

August 17th: Light Painting – Using a digital camera, come and “paint” a picture using colored lights. 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

August 18th: Sands, Plants and Pants – Come explore the lotus effect, a phenomenon that you have to see to believe. 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

August 19th: Smart Money Game Show – Test your financial I.Q. and answer questions about saving, budgeting, working, the stock market and general money math. 2:30 – 3:30 p.m.

August 20th: Lego Drop – Create a Lego structure that is capable of surviving a 14 foot fall. 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

August 21st: Obstacle Course – Hop, skip and jump through this sidewalk chalk obstacle course in the courtyard. 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

August 22nd: Project Fashionista – Come and design and model clothes you create with the “found items” we provide. Noon – 2:00 p.m.

August 23rd: Balloon Volleyball – Play a game of balloon volleyball with special balloon balls, and see how long you can keep it off the floor. 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

August 24th: Letter Find – Cut out the letters that make words you know and mix up the sizes and fonts to make them more interesting. 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

August 25th: Honey in the Hive – Visitors investigate a honeycomb and then create their own with pattern blocks. 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

August 26th: Color Mixing – Explore the art of colors and how they are created by each other. 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.

August 27th: Design a Ride – Decorate a school bus the way you’d like to see it look when it takes you to school. 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

August 28th: Inventive Origami – Using simple, geometric folds, discover how an ordinary sheet of paper can be transformed into a large variety of objects. 10:30 a.m. & 12:30, 2:30 & 4:30 p.m.

August 29th: Sculpture Studio – Knead, carve and mold dough to create one of a kind sculptures. Noon – 6:00 p.m.

August 30th: Ooey, Gooey Oobleck – Come explore the strange substance that acts like a liquid and a solid. 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

August 31st: Arthur’s Eyes – 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

September 25th: Houston Museum District Day – Don’t miss the chance to enjoy a free day in the Houston Museum district. Board a free shuttle bus at any of 17 participating museums and spend the day exploring and discovering new destinations. All 17 museums will waive their general admission fee to offer the community the valuable opportunity to experience diverse displays of art, science, nature and history. Also featured will be hands-on activities, demonstrations and various performances throughout the day. To see a list of participating museums, go to http://houstomuseumdistrict.org. 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

for more information, see www.cmhouston.org or call (713) 522-1138

Contemporary Arts Museum (5216 Montrose)

August 7th – October 17th: Dance with Camera – Dance with Camera is an exhibition and a screening program that explores the work of a group of artists and dancers who make choreography for the camera. The exhibition features film, video, and still photography that exemplify the ways dance has compelled visual artists to record bodies moving in time and space. The art works in Dance with Camera use the lens as not merely a recording device, but stage and audience simultaneously. The camera creates a unique space for dance; it allows close-ups that bring us near the performer and can move with its subjects, putting the viewer in the heart of the action. The screen program elaborates the show’s theme with iconic dance films, ranging from Busby Berkeley’s Hollywood musicals to Maya Deren’s avant-garde films. Dancing with Camera spans seventy years of art and film and features over thirty artists and filmmakers.

November 6th – January 30th: Benjamin Patterson: Born in the State of FLUX/us – This exhibit is a retrospective of the artist’s oeuvre that spans forty years and includes collage, drawing, sculpture, and music. A founding member of Flux/us, a loose and international collective of artists who employed humor and anarchic energy to revitalize avant-garde, Patterson helped revolutionize the artistic landscape at the advent of the 60s. One of the seminal contributions to the field of contemporary art is Patterson’s reassertion of “gesture as music”, a concept germinated by the Dadaists in the early 1900s. The “spectacle of gesture of music” is rooted within the precepts of Dada, a European and American movement that aimed to upset the state conventions of cultures mired in World War I. As with dada, Flux/us saw the body as material, hence the group’s strong emphasis on the performance practice of Happenings and Actions. Of all the Flux/us artists, it is Patterson, who explores the connection between gesture and music. His professional training in classical music and knowledge of both jazz and Dada enabled him to seamlessly collapse these forms upon themselves to develop new means of composition and performance.

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

The Heritage Society (1100 Bagby)

Thru November 14th: Greetings from Houston: Postcards from the Heritage Society Collections – The city of Houston has changed dramatically over its 174 year history. As Daniel E. Monsanto notes in his Postcard History Series book on Houston, “No better medium expresses the city’s transformation than the postcard. It acts as a chronicle and a window through time. One can view the earliest beginnings of the city, including horse-drawn carts in the streets and grand railway depots, to our first skyscrapers and suburban development”. So much of the history of Houston is contained in The Heritage Society’s collection of over 120 postcards. The variety of images include parks, like our very own Sam Houston Park, familiar structures like the San Jacinto Monument, the Esperson Building and Rice University, and places long gone like the City Auditorium and the Hotel Brazos.

August 19th: The History of Postcards – Hill/Finger Lecture – The Heritage Society Tea Room – 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. Daniel Monsanto is a Houston native and author with a passion for history and a love of postcards. In his presentation on the 19^th, he will discuss the history of postcards and the joy of collecting. He will also use images from vintage and modern Houston postcards to illustrate the growth of the city from a small town to a metropolis. $5 for non-members.

September 16th: Camp Logan – Hill/Finger Lecture – The Heritage Society Tea Room – 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. Local historian and author, Louis Aulbach, will present the September 16^th lecture. He will discuss the history of Camp Logan, a World War I era Army base established in the Houston area in 1917, where 35,000 soldiers lived while they were in military training. Camp Logan served as a base for the 33^rd Infantry Division of the National Guard, as well as other troops. Designed as a “tent camp”, supplemented by 1329 buildings, Camp Logan also included a base hospital, YMCA Hostess House and an extensive library operated by the American Library Association. $5 for non-members.

October 21st: French Town – Hill/Finger Lecture – Heritage Society Tea Room – 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. This lecture will be presented by Denise Labrie, a freelance writer, poet and songwriter who has chronicled the rich history of the Creole families, whose descendants migrated to Houston from Louisiana. These individuals settled in Houston’s 5^th Ward where they established the community known as Frenchtown, founded Our Mother of Mercy Catholic Church, and preserved their rich cultural heritage of Creole food and Zydeco music. Ms. Labrie is the author if several short stories about her heritage as well as three books. “The Louisiana to Houston Connection”, “Parle Creole French: Southern Louisiana Dialect”, and “Reflections: A Poetry Collection”. $5 for non-members.

for more information, visit www.heritagesociety.org

Holocaust Museum Houston (5401 Caroline)

Permanent Exhibit:

Bearing Witness: A Community Remembers: Authentic film footage, artifacts, photographs and documents show life in pre-war Europe, the Nazi move toward the “Final Solution” and life after the Holocaust. The exhibit includes a 1942 Holocaust era railcar and 1942 Danish rescue boat, which both teach the lessons of individual responsibility and how two different populations dealt with evil and injustice.

August 30th: S-21: The Khmer Rouge Killing Machine – Join the Holocaust Museum Houston Cultural Bridges members and the French Consulate in Houston for the film, S-21: The Khmer Rouge Killing Machine. S21 referes to “Monti Santesok S 21”, the main securing office of the Democratic Cambodia of the Khmer Rouge. Nearly 17,000 prisoners were imprisoned, tortured, interrogated and executed there between 1975 and 1979. Only three of them are still alive. This movie attempts to understand the mechanisms behind the methodical application of one of the 20^th century’s most terrifying ideologies. For three years, Rithy Panh and his crew undertook a long investigation, interviewing those who managed to escape their tortures. They convinced them to return to the former S21 building, which has now been converted to a genocide museum to confront the past. Admission is free, but seating is limited and advance registration is required.

Thru August 31st: Examining Restitution: The Bielitz Collection – In March 1938, Austria was incorporated into the German Reich – an event known as the Anschluss. This meant that all anti-Jewish legislation that existed under Nazi Germany also applied to the Jews of Austria. On November 9-10, 1938, now memorialized as Kristallnacht or thee “Night of Broken Glass”, more than 200 synagogues were destroyed and 7,500 Jewish business were looted throughout Germany and Austria. More than 30,000 Jewish men were sent to concentration camps such as Dachau, Buchenwald and Sachsenhausen. The Steiner family escaped the violence of this night, but their heirs spent the next 60 years trying to win restitution for their lost property. The events of November 1938 so frightened the family that they decided to flee to Austria and later fled to England and then the U.S. This exhibit of four documents – the accounting balance sheet for the Bornholmer 19 property; a penalty letter to Bielitz in 1939; an award letter for the Lessingstasse 20 property to Lily Bielitz dated 1951 and an award document for the Bornholmer 19 property to Hedi in 1993 documents the complexities of the restitution process after World War II. Also included are 14 photographs of the property and family members.

Thru October 3rd: Never Let it Rest! An Art Project by Hans Molzberger – Never Let It Rest!" is a documentary art project by contemporary German artist Hans Molzberger relating to the small town of Salzwedel in the Saxony-Anhalt region of Germany during the time of Nazi control. A concentration camp for women was erected in Salzwedel in 1944, as a satellite to Neuengamme. Up to 1,550 women, most of them Jews from Hungary, were imprisoned there. Included in the exhibit is historical documentation of events of the time and an art installation created to address specific issues of persecution, war propaganda and the concentration camps. The exhibit also includes oral testimonies from some of the women who were in the camp and now live in the United States and Israel.

November 5th – April 7th, 2011: Displaced Persons: Photographs by Clemens Kalischer – People have been the focus of freelance photographer Clemens Kalischer’s attention for more than 50 years. This exhibition highlights photographs taken in 1947 and j1948 as displaced persons arrived in New York. “Displaced Persons”, one of Kalischer’s first series and one of his most personal and intimate quietly chronicles the arrival of Holocaust refugees in the United States in the late 1940s, a scene which he was both observer and participant. The exhibition is based on the Kalischer collection owned by Houston attorney Marc Grossberg and from the artist’s own collection.

November 5th – June 5th,2011: Fragile Fragments: Expressions of Memory – This exhibition raises an intriguing question: how is the Holocaust memorialized in the visual arts and how will it be remembered by future generations? The exhibition examines the complex relationship between art and loss as seen from the perspectives of several different female artists – Thea Weiss, Roz Jacobs, Ziva Eisemberg, Nancy Patz and author Susan L. Roth. Each of these artists worked directly with a Holocaust survivor to create their body of work, highlighted in the exhibition.

for more information, see www.hmh.org or call (713) 942-8000

Houston Museum of Natural Science (One Hermann Circle Drive – Hermann Park)

August 27th – January 2nd: Secrets of the Silk Road – Strikingly well-preserved mummies, tall in stature and fair in complexion, have lain in the parched Tarim Basin of western China for 3,800 years. Wearing Western-influenced textiles and possessing surprising technologies and customs, the identity of these extraordinary people is a mystery. This historic exhibition of 150 objects drawn from the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Museum and the Xinjiang Institute of Archaeology in Urumqi, China reveals surprising detail about the people who lived along the ancient Silk Road. For the first time ever, three of the more than 100 Caucasian mummies found and preserved in the western China’s inhospitable desert sands are being presented in the United States. An impressive array of objects are included in the exhibition to represent the full extent of the Silk Road, where lavish goods, technologies and ideas between East and West were adopted and exchanged.

Thru September 6th: Archaeopteryx: Icon of Evolution – Most scientists believe that birds evolved from small therapod dinosaurs. The key step was the development of feathers, turning animals that could walk or climb into animals that could fly. The first fossil discovered with feathers was found in 1861, just two years before Charles Darwin published his theory of evolution. This fossil is known as archaeopteryx and is the earliest bird known to science. Archaeopteryx, which lived over 150 million years ago, is a classic example of an evolutionary link between two groups of animals. As of today, there are only seven known specimens of archaeopteryx. This premier exhibition will present some of the finest known fossils from the late Jurassic period showing life at the time of these first birds. Fossils from the world renowned quarries of Solenhofen, Germany will be featured.

Thru September 6th: Magic: The Science of Wonder – Magic – Illusory feats of wonder that dazzle the eye and confound expectations – has fascinated humanity for centuries. Mesmerized by the masters of illusion who perform this mysterious craft, we’re drawn to the spectacle, curious to discover “how did he do that?” Though their methods are enshrouded in secrecy, magicians combine the art of performance with a variety of scientific disciplines, including math, physics and psychology, to create their dazzling effects and fascinating illusions. With a touch of hocus-pocus and a dash of abracadabra, the Houston Museum of Natural Science pulls a spectacular new exhibition out of its hat—Magic: The Science of Wonder, opening Friday, February 26, 2010. The extraordinary show examines how science and magic are intertwined, tapping into our universal desire to know "How does that work?" Magic is the perfect subject to inspire people of all ages—especially kids—to learn about the science behind the magic, and the world around them. Presenting an array of artifacts connected with legendary performers of the past and present, the exhibition will also feature film and video clips of famous magicians, as well as guest illusionists performing live. At the "University of Magic" inside the exhibition, visitors will have the opportunity to learn a magic trick of their own. Among the many intriguing artifacts to be featured are torches for fire eating; magic lanterns and automatons; Harry Houdini's trademark milk can and water escape trunk; Harry Blackstone's "Zig Zag Girl" prop; Mike Caveney’s linking coat hangers; and items from the acts of Doug Henning, Penn & Teller, and other superstars of magic.

Thru September 6th: Bronze Sculptures of Bob Pack – Fort Bend County is home to over 100 species of birds, many of which can be seen firsthand in the area’s parks and wildlife refuges – or even in your own backyard. Bob Pack of Sugar Land is an avid birder and sculptor who uses bronze to bring these birds to life. View statues of twelve species of birds, hear their calls, and learn of the challenging, but reward, process of casting bronze.

October 1st – February 20th, 2011: Forgotten Gateway: Coming to America Through Galveston Island – From 1845 to 1924, the Port of Galveston was a major gateway to American immigration. This exhibition is the first of its kind to explore Galveston’s legacy as a port of entry on a national scale. It brings to light the little-known, yet rich era of Galveston’s history and importance to the growth of Texas and the American Midwest. While New York’s Ellis Island’s location made it a natural port for Europeans, Galveston attracted a diverse group of people from Europe, Mexico, South and Central America and even Asia. Before the Civil War, it was a major port for forced migration – the sale and transport of slaves from Africa and other points in the United States to Texas. The exhibition highlights enduring themes in the history of immigration, including: the dangers of the journey; making a life in a new land; navigating bureaucracy; confronting discrimination; and becoming an “American”. These trials and tribulations are illuminated through personal stories, dynamic visitor interactive kiosks, engage media pieces, and over 200 original artifacts and documents.

October 8th – February 6th, 2011: Real Pirates: The Untold Story of the Whydah from Slave Ship to Pirate Ship – The slave ship Whydah began her short life in London, England in 1715. Less than two years later, now a pirate ship, she sank to the ocean floor off Cape Cod. Using artifacts recovered from the wreck, Real Pirates reveals the true story behind this vessel – a story more compelling than anything dreamt up by Hollywood. Meet the crew of a real pirate ship that started as a slave ship – and gain insights into the violence and idealism of early eighteenth century piracy. The exhibition features real stories of the people who populated the Atlantic world in the age of slavery and piracy: artisans and traders from West Africa, slave ship captains and their captives, Native American boat pilots, impoverished sailors from all over Europe, and pirates – including women pirates and John King, a boy no more than 11 years old, who “went on the account”. Guests will see over 200 actual Whydah artifacts, such as treasure from more than 54 ships, gold and silver coins from all over the world, Akan gold jewelry, canons, swords, pistols, personal belongings, leg iron moldings from shackles, the ship’s bell and its massive anchor. This exhibition has been organized by National Geographic and Arts and Exhibitions International.

Thru January 9th, 2011: From the Pecos to the Rio Grande – Texas’ Big Bend – located in far West Texas, the region of Texas that is embraced by the big bend of the Rio Grande is one of the most spectacular areas in our country. Founded in 1944, the Big Bend National Park, the grandeur, remoteness, rich history and dramatic ecological diversity have caused it to take on almost mythic status with travelers who find their way there. Houston photographer Michael H. Marvins has made the long drive to Big Bend many times and has captured the heart of the land as presented in this selection from his portfolio and book by the same name.

Planetarium Showings:

Secret of the Cardboard Rocket – Four our youngest visitors and their parents, we’re opening Secret of the Cardboard Rocket, a delightful animated feature. Two children turn an old cardboard box into a rocket and blast-off on an awesome adventure with a close-up tour of each planet – including landings on Venus and Mars, a trip into the stormy clouds of Jupiter and the thrill of dodging particle swarms in the rings of Saturn. See what makes each planet unique and why Earth is such a special place to live. At the story’s end, you’ll discover the Secret of the Cardboard Rocket.

The Dinosaur Prophecy – Long before dinosaurs’ massive extinction 65 million years ago, many individual species simply disappeared. Visit dinosaur graveyards, study their bones, and reconstruct how these creatures lived and died to solve four famous cold cases from the age of the dinosaurs in The Dinosaur Prophecy. Never before have so many types of dinosaurs come to life in full-dome immersive reality. Viewers discover the lives of multiple species of dinosaurs, from the Coelophysis of 205 million years ago to the Allosaurus and Diplodocus of the mid-Jurassic period. Viewers will also see the feathered Sinornithosaurus of China and the T. Rex and Triceratops that survived and thrived until the final extinction of all dinosaurs 65 million years ago.

Passport to the Universe – Explore the wonders of our universe. Narrator Tom Hanks guides an exhilarating flight through the universe and deep into galactic space. After reaching the edge of our known cosmos, the tour takes a virtual shortcut back to Earth – a free fall through a black hole.

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 museum, in partnership with the University of New Hampshire and Evana & 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.

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.

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 an 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.

Life in the Universe – Where is it hiding? 2010 marks the 50^th anniversary of the first experiment to search for extraterrestrial intelligence. In 1960, astronomer Frank Drake used a radio telescope in Green Bank, West Virginia to listen to two nearby stars. He heard nothing interesting, but the idea of searching for life beyond Earth was born. Fifty years of searching for signals and occasional broadcasting of messages has not detected any transmissions that require intelligent alien authors. Either intelligent life is much more rare or short-lived than we expected or we are not looking in the right places with the right tools. Life in the Universe takes a fresh look at this fifty-year-old question, looking forward from the big bang, in search of those special places that might harbor life, including all of the planets in our solar system. It’s a beautiful scenic tour of our universe through the eyes of astronomers looking for clues about the origin of life and the development of intelligence. The vistas are breathtaking from stellar birth clouds like the Orion and Trifid Nebulas to the death throes of Eta Carinae and the mysterious surfaces of nearby planets, their moons and rings. Join the search and enjoy the adventure. Life in the Universe is partially funded though a NASA public outreach grant directed by Dr. George Fox, Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston.

IMAX Theatre Showings:

Hubble 3D – Experience the gripping story – full of hope, crushing disappointment, dazzling ingenuity, bravery and triumph – in Hubble 3D, the seventh awe-inspiring film from the award winning IMAX space team. Vividly captured in IMAX 3D, Hubble 3D recounts the amazing journey of the most important scientific instrument since Galileo’s original telescope and the greatest success in space since the Moon Landing – the Hubble Space Telescope. Audiences will accompany the space walking astronauts as they attempt some of the most difficult tasks ever undertaken in NASA’s history, and will experience up close the awesome power of the launches, the heartbreaking set-backs, and the dramatic rescues of this most powerful story. This film also reveals the cosmos as never before, allowing viewers of all ages to explore the grandeur of the nebulae and galaxies, the birth and death of stars, and some of the greatest mysteries of our celestial surroundings.

Dolphins and Whales 3D – Dive into a new immersive and highly emotional adventure with Jean-Michel Cousteau’s new film. Narrated by Daryl Hannah, this awe-inspiring and entertaining film takes you from the dazzling coral reefs of the Bahamas to the warm depths of the waters of the exotic Kingdom of Tonga, for a close encounter with the surviving tribes of the ocean. Through the powerful theatre medium and stunning images captured for the very first time in 3D, view their lives and habitats as never before. Come so close to wild dolphins and belugas that you will virtually touch them. Witness the profound love of a Humpback mother for her newborn calf, and come eye-to-eye with singing Humpback males. Meet an orca, the mighty King of the ocean, and enjoy a wonderful moment with the gentle manatee. Explore many little known aspects of these fascinating and fragile creatures capable of sophisticated communication and social interaction.

Wild Ocean 3D – Each year an unbelievable feeding frenzy takes place in the oceans of South Africa, as billions of sardines migrate up the Kwazulu-Natal Coast. Wild Ocean 3D captures spectacular breaching whales, feeding sharks, diving gannets and massive bait balls inside and up close on the giant screen. The migration has provided an annual food source for both life in the sea and people living along the African shores for countless generations. The film demonstrates how business, government and the local people have joined forces to protect this invaluable ecological resource. Wild Ocean delves audiences into an epic underwater struggle for survival and reveals the economic and cultural impact the migration has on the coastal communities.

for more information, see www.hmns.org or call (713) 639-4629

Menil Collection (1515 Sul Ross)

Thru August 8th: Leaps into the Void: Documents of Nouveau Realist Performances – Pyrotechnics, exploding pigment, blowtorches, lacerated décollage, and found materials, define the radical gestures of the avant-garde movement, Nouveau Réalisme. Translated as “New Realism,” it was founded by art critic Pierre Restany and artist Yves Klein in Paris in 1960. The circle of artists formally and informally associated with the movement included Niki de Saint Phalle, Jean Tinguely, Martial Raysse, Christo, Mimmo Rotella and Arman, among others. They believed direct and aggressive physical explorations, characterized by a paradoxical emphasis on notions of deconstruction and accumulation, and the use of discarded materials from everyday life in the tradition of Dada, achieved a more truthful understanding of modern society in a moment of rising consumerism. As proclaimed in the First Manifesto of Nouveau Réalisme, “if one succeeds at reintegrating oneself with the real, one achieves transcendence, which is emotion, sentiment, and finally, poetry.” Leaps into the Void draws from the Menil’s strong holdings of work and material from the archives and collection that document through film, photographs and works of art, the movement’s ephemeral and performance-based projects, perhaps most famously epitomized by Yves Klein’s “Leap into the Void.” The photograph by Harry Shunk, capturing the artist hurling himself from a Parisian rooftop, will be exhibited alongside other documents of the jump, including Klein’s publication emulating the Sunday edition of a daily newspaper, which he inserted into newsstands as a guerrilla intervention on the streets of Paris. Archival photo documentation of Jean Tinguely’s self-destructing sculpture that went up in flames in a square in Milan, to commemorate the ten-year anniversary of the founding of Nouveau Réalisme, will also be on display, alongside a 1966 film by Francois de Menil of the construction and deconstruction of HON, a monumental sculpture installed at the Moderna Museet in Stockholm by Niki de Saint Phalle, Jean Tinguely, and Per Olof Ultvedt.

Thru August 15th: Maurizio Cattelan – Contemporary Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan is known for his witty embrace of semantic shifts that result from imaginative plays with materials, objects, and actions. In his work, contradictions in the space between what the artist describes as softness and perversity wage a sarcastic critique on political power structures, from notions of nationalism or the authorities of organized religion to the conceit of the museum and art history. Like the traditions established by Dada and Surrealism, his uncanny juxtapositions uproot stable understandings of the world around us. For Cattelan even the banal is absurd. The exhibition at The Menil Collection, organized by Franklin Sirmans, curator of modern and contemporary art, will be the artist’s first solo show in Texas. The exhibition will focus on recent large-scale works that premiered in Europe in 2007 and will feature sculptures that range in tone from the melancholic and politically contentious to the decidedly irreverent. Cattelan will also realize additional works for the exhibition in response to site visits to The Menil Collection campus and the museum’s world-famous collection of Surrealist works. Significantly, these pieces will also mark the artist’s return to sculpture-based practice. For the last five years his work has largely centered on publishing and curating.

August 13th – October 21st: Objects of Devotion – Drawing on various aspects of the Menil’s permanent collection, “Objects of Devotion” explores the ways in which art supported religious practice in different times and places. Objects ranging from small-scale works of personal nature, such as Byzantine pilgrim ampulae, to a Maya vessel used in ninth century chocolate rituals, to architectural sculpture, including a thirteenth-century Japanese Shinto shrine figure, allow us to consider the various roles to which objects are put in the service of establishing, reinforcing and refining spiritual beliefs.

August 27th – November 28th: Earth Paint Paper Wood: Recent Acquisitions – This exhibition celebrates the ongoing addition of important works of art to the Menil Collection by gift, purchase and bequest. While some of these works have been included in exhibitions over the past several years, many have only rarely been shown, and a number remain unknown to museum visitors. The exhibition showcases the significance and diversity of gifts, including promised gifts and accessions from the last several years. As part of the museum’s ongoing program to realize the Menil Drawing Institute and Study Center, this exhibition will emphasize works on paper from the 20^th century. Generous gifts from the Menil’s trustees, such as the untitled works by Willem de Kooning and Lee Krasner reproduced above, and from other special friends of the museum, will illustrate the breadth of approaches to drawing by modern and contemporary artists. Recent gifts from artists themselves, most notably Claes Oldenburg, demonstrate the close relationship that the Menil enjoys with living artists in its collection. In addition to drawings, the exhibition will feature works in a variety of media – including painting, sculpture and ceramic. The exhibition will reflect on the museum’s philosophy of building on its existing strengths by adding works by artists established within the collection, such as Michael Helzer and Robert Rauschenberg, while introducing new and younger artists, like Suzan Frecon and Robert Gober.

October 22nd – January 30th, 2011: Kurt Schwitters: Color and Collage – The German artist Kurt Schwitters remains one of the most influential figures of the international avant-garde. In the years following the First World War, he coined the term “Merz”, in reference to his ambition to “make connections . . . between everything in the world”. Hoping to unify life and art by incorporating non-art into his work, this pioneer of installation art came closest to his ideal with her Merzbau, a room-size walk-in sculpture constructed of found materials. Placing special emphasis on the significance of color and light in the artist’s work and delving into the relationship between collage and painting, this exhibition will present the first overview in the U.S. of the artist’s oeuvre since the MoMA retrospective in 1985. In addition to full scape reconstruction of the Merzbau, the exhibition will include roughly 100 assemblages, reliefs, sculptures and collages from 1918 – 1947, with emphasis on Mertz works from the 1920s and 1940s.

for more details, see www.menil.org or call (713) 284-8250

Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (Caroline Weiss Law Bldg. @ 1001 Bissonnet and the adjacent Audrey Jones Beck Bldg., 5601 Main)

August 7th – October 31st: Richard Misrach: After Katrina – Just after Hurricane Katrina devastated the city of New Orleans in 2005, photographer Richard Misrach used a tine, 4 megapixel pocket camera to capture messages left behind by evacuees. Some are warnings; some are cries for help or encouragement; some are tallies of loss. Misrach composed a visual narrative that reveals the wrenching anguish of dealing with the aftermath of this horrific storm. Commemorating the hurricane’s fifth anniversary, the exhibition presents 69 photographs that Misrach has generously given to the museum.

Thru August 8th: Light of the Sufis: The Mystical Arts of Islam – This is the first exhibition at the MFAH to be devoted to Sufism, a historic branch of Islam, whose followers seek mystical union with God. The presentation focuses on some of the most important Sufi ideas and practices that found expression through the arts of the Islamic world, beginning with light, which symbolizes both God and enlightenment. Featuring objects that span the 9^th century to the present, Light of the Sufis, includes furnishings used for mosque lighting; attributes and representations of Sufi mystics; illustrated, illuminated and laser-etched manuscripts of Sufi poetry; and contemporary works inspired by Sufi principles and practices. Among the outstanding objects on view are late 19^th century photographs of Sufi dervishes; various examples of kashkuls, or beggar’s bowls; and the aforementioned manuscripts and album folios, containing Sufi poetry. The show also includes a reading space for visitors who would like to learn more about Islamic art and themes in the exhibition.

August 8th – January 30th, 2011: Form Follows Function: Celebrating 10 Years of the American Institute of Architects, Houston Design Collection at the MFAH – In 2000, the MFAH and the Houston chapter of the American Institute of Architects launched a partnership with dual goals; building a world-class collection of objects designed by architects and educating the public about the role that architects play in the design history beyond their buildings. This collaboration – the only one of its kind in the U.S. – resulted in the American Institute of Architects Design Collection at the MFAH. The collection has grown to include over 25 objects. Form Follows Function celebrates the first 10 years of the partnership by displaying highlights from the collection The presentation showcases works by renowned international architects such as Gae Aulenti; Peter Behrens; Marcel Breuer; Frank Gehry; Josef Hoffmann, Gerrit Rietveld; Aldo Rossi; Eliel Saarinen; and Louis Sullivan.

Thru August 29th: The Masterworks of Charles M. Russell: A Retrospective of Paintings and Sculpture – A painter, sculptor and humorist of the American West, Charles M. “Charlie” Russell is familiar to millions around the world. Virtually self-taught, Russell began to paint early in his career as a cowboy. Later on, as a full-time artist, he provided inspiration to Hollywood’s first filmmakers. With first-hand knowledge of cowboys and outlaws, trappers and hunters, Native Americans, and Western wildlife and wilderness, Russell presents an unparalleled view of a bygone American culture, rich in authentic detail and infused with personal passion. This first major retrospective of Russell’s work illustrates that his variety of subject matter and range of expression reveal a much more complex artist than typically recognized, one who was in many ways dedicated to depicting the marginalized peoples – outsiders, prodigals, those on the fringes of society – of the time.

Thru September 12th: Celebrating Cowboy Culture: The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo School Art Program – The MFAH partners with the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo to present Celebrating Cowboy Culture. This exhibition showcases Grand Prix winners of the annual Rodeo art competition over the past 10 years. Created by high school students from 15 independent school districts, the winning works incorporate a variety of media, including pencil, watercolor and pastes. Approximately 300,000 students from 100 school districts and 60 private schools in Houston and surrounding areas enter the competition each year. Entries are narrowed down to about 30,000 for judging, and 50 are chosen at Grand Prix to be auctioned off to raise scholarship money for Texas students.

Thru September 12th: Katsura: Picturing Modernism in Japanese Architecture, Photographs by Ishimoto Yasuhiro – Photographer Ishimoto Yasuhiro (born 1921) is one of the most influential figures in post-World War II Japanese photography. Among his most celebrated bodies of work are the photographs he took during 1953 and 1954 of the legendary 17^th century Katsura Imperial Villa in Kyoto. These images infuse the iconic structure with a modernist Bauhaus aesthetic. The exhibition presents 70 of these photographs, for the first time uncropped and as Ishimoto had originally intended for them to be seen. For the last 50 years these photographs have been known only from the landmark 1960 book Katsura: Creation and Tradition in Japanese Architecture by architect Tange Kenzo with an introduction by Walter Gropius. For that publication, Tange rigorously cropped and sequenced the photographs to promote his agenda in a debate that consumed post-occupation Japan’s cultural elite in the mid-1950s: that the vital relevance and existence of tradition in their efforts to define modernity. Against this backdrop, the exhibition explores the nuanced and complex relationship between architecture and photography, and the profound impact these photographs had on the public’s interpretation of Japanese tradition in modern architecture.

September 12th – December 5th: Drawings from Nature: Landscapes by Liebermann, Corinth & Slevogt – This is the first exhibition in the United States devoted exclusively to the landscapes created by the three leading champions of Impressionist style in Germany: Max Liebermann, Louis Corinth; and Max Slevogt. The exhibition offers an extraordinary glimpse into the creative process and demonstrates the significant role that landscape played throughout the careers of these three artists. Over 40 works are showcased, gathered from 20 museums and private collections in the U.S. and Europe. The selections reveal the artists’ exceptional mastery of the expressive powers of drawing and printmaking.

Thru September 19th: Me. My.Self. Eye. Modern and Contemporary Self-Portraits – This exhibition features modern and contemporary self-portraits from the MFAH collection of prints and drawings. The engaging exhibit illustrates how artists fuse their physical likenesses with their artistic personas to shape the view’s perception. Spanning the last century, the presentation comprises an eclectic group of works on paper ranging from monochromatic dry-point by Max Beckmann to a vibrant, monumental image by Luis Jimenez. Self-portraits are a subgenre of portraiture, which records physical likenesses, celebrates human traits, and commemorates events. Artists have made self-portraits since ancient times, but not until the early Renaissance (mid-1400s) did they begin depicting themselves as either important characters in narratives or as the main subjects. This development coincided with the invention of the mirror, an important tool in the creation of self-portraits. More recently, as exemplified in the exhibition, artists have found increasingly inventive and conceptual approaches to self-portraiture by utilizing photography and digital imagery. The exhibition is organized into four thematic sections that explore artists’ motivations for producing self-portraits: to promote their work; to record physical appearance; to create a narrative; and to express the social status of artists as creative geniuses.

September 19th – January 9th, 2011: Dynasty and Divinity: Ife Art in Ancient Nigeria – This major exhibition presents an in-depth view of the extraordinary corpus of ancient art from the kingdom of Ife. Astonishing works of art were made in Ife, located in what is now southwestern Nigeria, from the 11^th to 15^th centuries. The exhibition brings to Houston over 100 works, most never before displayed outside of Nigeria. Masterpieces include a series of 320 lifelike sculptures in copper allow that represent Ife’s legendary past rulers, who were the forbears of the present king, or ooni, of the still-bustling modern day metropolis of Ife. A complete royal figure, wearing beaded garments and regalia; a mask made of pure copper; and the famed Tada figure were all produced with the lost-wax metal-casting technique. Along with the world-renowned Ife terra-cotta heads – astounding in detail, sensitivity, and beauty – these sculptures have been compared to the finest portraits of the classical ancient world of Green and Rome. The MFAH has the distinction of being the first American venue for this exhibition, which will open in Houston just as Nigeria celebrates the 50^th anniversary of its independence on October 1, 1960.

October 10th – January 17th, 2011: Intimate Settings and Public Spaces: Impressionist and Post-Impressionist Drawings and Prints – Born into a new age of urban culture, social mobility and leisure, the Impressionists captured the era’s rampant prosperity and social change in images of places they inhabited. This exhibition of some 60 works on paper looks at those spaces – both public and private – and the various artistic methods the artists used to captivate their modern world. The public spaces range from fashionable boulevards, avenues and parks to café concerts, theaters, bars and racetracks. While they looked at their changing world, the Impressionists also turned inwards for inspiration, utilizing friends and family as models set within their immediate surroundings. Glimpses of intimate settings reveal daily domestic pastimes; housework and childcare, bedrooms and boudoirs, entertaining and etiquette. The Post-Impressionist artists, working mainly from the 1880s forward, continued to draw from the same subject matter as the Impressionists, but developed different precepts for the use of color, pattern, form and line. This exhibition features work by artists including Pierre Bonnard, Mary Cassatt, Jules Cheret, Edgar Degas, Edouard Manet, Auguste Renoir, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Felix Emile-Jean Vallotton, and Edouard Vuillard.

for more information, see www.mfah.org or call (713) 639-7300

Museum of Health & Medical Science (1515 Hermann Drive)

Thru September 6th: Animation – Explore how art, math, science and technology come together in the exciting world of animation. In Animation’s stimulating and fun environment, visitors will explore the process of animation from concept to finished product – from storyboarding, character design and drawing techniques to movement, timing, filming and sound. Larger than life graphics of popular Cartoon Network characters provide a colorful backdrop to the exhibit, which also explores the history of animation and features a screening room and a cartoon museum. Animation was developed by the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry in collaboration with Cartoon Network.

Opening this Fall: Touch: The Science and Health of the Human Skin – This exhibition is being developed in partnership with the American Academy of Dermatology and will be a 3,000 sq. ft. traveling exhibit that highlights the physiology, function, pathology, and sociology of human skin in a series of fun, engage and educational exhibits. Learn what “type” of skin you have and how it reacts to the environment around you, the pathology and treatment of skin cancer, the art and sociology of tattoos and adornment, and watch a cut heal in super-fast time on a giant hand.

Ongoing: You: The Exhibit - The Health Museum is proud to announce the first new permanent exhibition since its opening in 1996 - You: The Exhibit. This unique gallery immerses visitors of all ages in The World of Tomorrow – reminiscent of the 1939 World’s Fair. Join your fellow museum visitors in a learning environment that allows investigation into the who, what, where, when, and how of YOU. Using the latest multi-media and special effects technology, The Health Museum has created an experience that will take the museum visitor on a journey to explore their physical selves, mental selves and their future selves. The sophisticated media nature of the exhibition encourages group interaction and participation in the exhibition, and visitors are able to leave something of themselves behind to change the experience over time.

Ongoing: The Amazing Body Pavilion – Take a larger than life tour of the human body and learn all about how your organs and bone work. Sit on a giant tooth, ride a bicycle with a skeleton, walk through a giant brain and more.

Ongoing: McGovern 4D Theater: Take a journey into the alien landscape of your own skin with Planet You 3D, the latest 3D movie now showing at the McGovern Theater. Find out all about the creepy, crawly things that live on your body.

for more information see www.mhms.org or call (713) 942-7054

Space Center Houston (1601 NASA Parkway)

Thru September 6th: Star Wars: The Clone Wars – The force will be with you once again as Space Center Houston kicks off another all-new and original Lucas film adventure, beginning on Memorial Day week-end. Star Wars: The Clone Wars is an interactive experience, where visitors can step into their favorite action scene from the Lucas film epic series to face breath-taking challenges and memorable quests such a blazing through the galaxy on a vertical 260 degree loop; joining an intensely fun round of Clone Wars blaster training or testing your strength nearly 20 feet above the ground. Once visitors step through the colossal and colorful portal of Star Wars: The Close Wars, the adventure begins!

Blast Off Theater: Visit the only place in the world where you can personally experience the thrill of launching into space like a real astronaut. It’s not just a movie; it’s the thrill of personally feeling the launch into space – from the rocket boosters to the billowing exhaust. What have visitors said about their trips? “It’s like IMAX in 10D!”. After docking at the International Space Station, guests enter the theatre for an update on current shuttle missions, as well as details on the exploration of Mars. The space program truly comes alive in the Mission Status Center, where Mission Briefing Officers provide live updates on current space flights and astronaut training activities.

Astronaut Gallery: The Astronaut Gallery is an unparalleled exhibit outside Northrop Grumman Theater featuring the world's best collection of spacesuits. Astronaut John Young's ejection suit and Judy Resnik's T-38 flight suit are two of the many spacesuits on display. The walls of the Astronaut Gallery also contain crew photos of every U.S. astronaut who has flown in space.

Space Center Theater. The challenge of President John F. Kennedy, to put a man on the moon by the end of the 60's, had its beginning several decades before the formation of NASA. As the guests have seen in other parts of Space Center Houston, the equipment and the technology have been developing since Robert Goddard's time. This attraction shows the excitement, the commitment and the risks taken by the people who fly in space. Here we can see the evolution of the equipment and the training of the men and women who dreamed to be astronauts. Nearly 300 people have flown in space since the first Mercury rocket took off in May 1961 with astronaut Alan Sheppard, Jr. on board. That first flight lasted only 15 minutes. Contrast that with the May 1992 flight of the Space Shuttle Endeavor, which was 9 days with 7 crew members on board.

Starship Gallery. The journey into space begins with the film “On Human Destiny”. Artifacts and hardware on display in the Starship Gallery trace the progression of America’s Manned Space Flight. This incredible collection includes: an original model of the Goddard Rocket; the actual Mercury Atlas 9 “Faith 7” capsule flown by Gordon Cooper; the Gemini V Spacecraft piloted by Pete Conrad and Gordon Cooper; a Lunar Roving Vehicle Trainer, the Apollo 17 Command Module, the giant Skylab Trainer, and the Apollo-Soyuz Trainer.

The Feel of Space. The Living in Space module simulates what life is like for astronauts aboard the space station. A Mission Briefing Officer gives a live presentation on how astronauts live in space. The presentation uses humor to show how the smallest tasks like showering and eating are complicated by a microgravity environment. A volunteer from the audience helps to prove the point. Beyond the Living in Space Module are 24 part task trainers that use sophisticated computer technology to provide visitors with the experience of landing the orbiter, retrieving a satellite or exploring shuttle systems.

for more information, see www.spacecenter.org or call (281) 244-2148

Sports

Houston Dynamo – Major League Soccer (Robertson Stadium - University of Houston)

August 8th: Houston Dynamo vs. Seattle Sounders @ Seattle 10:00 p.m.

August 14th: Houston Dynamo vs. New England Revolution @ Foxborough 7:00 p.m.

August 21st: Houston Dynamo vs. Chicago Fire 7:30 p.m.

August 28th: Houston Dynamo vs. Colorado Rapids @ Colorado 8:30 p.m.

September 5th: Houston Dynamo vs. San Jose Earthquakes 7:30 p.m.

September 11th: Houston Dynamo vs. Kansas City Wizards @ Kansas City 7:30 p.m.

September 18th: Houston Dynamo vs. Toronto FC 7:30 p.m.

September 25th: Houston Dynamo vs. D.C. United @ Washington D.C. 6:30 p.m.

October 2nd: Houston Dynamo vs. Philadelphia Union @ Philadelphia 3:00 p.m.

October 10th: Houston Dynamo vs. New England Revolution 7:30 p.m.

October 16th: Houston Dynamo vs. San Jose Earthquakes @ San Jose 9:00 p.m.

October 23rd: Houston Dynamo vs. Seatle Sounders 3:00 p.m.

for more information, see www.houstondynamo.com

Houston Aeros – American Hockey League (West Division) (Toyota Center, 1510 Polk)

New season begins in fall.

for more information, see www.aeros.com or call (713) 974-7825

Houston Rockets – National Basketball Association (Toyota Center, 1510 Polk)

Season is complete.

for more information, see www.rockets.com or call (713) 758-7200

Houston Texans Football (Reliant Stadium)

New season begins in fall.

for more information, visit www.houstontexans.com or call 713-629-3700

Houston Astros (Minute Maid Park, 501 Crawford)

August 1st: Houston Astros vs. Milwaukee Brewers 1:05 p.m.

August 2nd: Houston Astros vs. St. Louis Cardinals @ St. Louis 7:15 p.m.

August 3rd: Houston Astros vs. St. Louis Cardinals @ St. Louis 7:15 p.m.

August 4th: Houston Astros vs. St. Louis Cardinals @ St. Louis 7:15 p.m.

August 6th: Houston Astros vs. Milwaukee Brewers @ Milwaukee 7:10 p.m.

August 7th: Houston Astros vs. Milwaukee Brewers @ Milwaukee 6:10 p.m.

August 8th: Houston Astros vs. Milwaukee Brewers @ Milwaukee 1:10 p.m.

August 9th: Houston Astros vs. Atlanta Braves 7:05 p.m.

August 10th: Houston Astros vs. Atlanta Braves 7:05 p.m.

August 11th: Houston Astros vs. Atlanta Braves 1:05 p.m.

August 13th: Houston Astros vs. Pittsburgh Pirates 7:05 p.m.

August 14th: Houston Astros vs. Pittsburgh Pirates 6:05 p.m.

August 15th: Houston Astros vs. Pittsburgh Pirates 1:05 p.m.

August 16th: Houston Astros vs. New York Mets 7:05 p.m.

August 17th: Houston Astros vs. New York Mets 7:05 p.m.

August 18th: Houston Astros vs. New York Mets 7:05 p.m.

August 19th: Houston Astros vs. New York Mets 7:05 p.m.

August 20th: Houston Astros vs. Florida Marlins @ Miami 6:10 p.m.

August 21st: Houston Astros vs. Florida Marlins @ Miami 6:10 p.m.

August 22nd: Houston Astros vs. Florida Marlins @ Miami 12:10 p.m.

August 23rd: Houston Astros vs. Philadelphia Phillies @ Philadelphia 6:05 p.m.

August 24th: Houston Astros vs. Philadelphia Phillies @ Philadelphia 6:05 p.m.

August 25th: Houston Astros vs. Philadelphia Phillies @ Philadelphia 6:05 p.m.

August 26th: Houston Astros vs. Philadelphia Phillies @ Philadelphia 12:05 p.m.

August 27th: Houston Astros vs. New York Mets @ New York 6:10 p.m.

August 28th: Houston Astros vs. New York Mets @ New York 6:10 p.m.

August 29th: Houston Astros vs. New York Mets @ New York 12:05 p.m.

August 30th: Houston Astros vs. St. Louis Cardinals 7:05 p.m.

August 31st: Houston Astros vs. St. Louis Cardinals 7:05 p.m.

September 1st: Houston Astros vs. St. Louis Cardinals 1:05 p.m.

September 3rd: Houston Astros vs. Arizona Diamondbacks @ Phoenix 8:40 p.m.

September 4th: Houston Astros vs. Arizona Diamondbacks @ Phoenix 7:10 p.m.

September 5th: Houston Astros vs. Arizona Diamondbacks @ Phoenix 3:10 p.m.

September 6th: Houston Astros vs. Chicago Cubs @ Chicago 1:20 p.m.

September 7th: Houston Astros vs. Chicago Cubs @ Chicago 7:05 p.m.

September 8th: Houston Astros vs. Chicago Cubs @ Chicago 7:05 p.m.

September 9th: Houston Astros vs. Los Angeles Dodgers 7:05 p.m.

September 10th: Houston Astros vs. Los Angeles Dodgers 7:05 p.m.

September 11th: Houston Astros vs. Los Angeles Dodgers 6:05 p.m.

September 12th: Houston Astros vs. Los Angeles Dodgers 1:05 p.m.

September 13th: Houston Astros vs. Milwaukee Brewers 7:05 p.m.

September 14th: Houston Astros vs. Milwaukee Brewers 7:05 p.m.

September 15th: Houston Astros vs. Milwaukee Brewers 1:05 p.m.

September 17th: Houston Astros vs. Cincinnati Reds 7:05 p.m.

September 18th: Houston Astros vs. Cincinnati Reds 6:05 p.m.

September 19th: Houston Astros vs. Cincinnati Reds 1:05 p.m.

September 20th: Houston Astros vs. Washington Nationals @ Washington 6:05 p.m.

September 21st: Houston Astros vs. Washington Nationals @ Washington 6:05 p.m.

September 22nd: Houston Astros vs. Washington Nationals @ Washington 6:05 p.m.

September 23rd: Houston Astros vs. Washington Nationals @ Washington 3:35 p.m.

September 24th: Houston Astros vs. Pittsburgh Phillies @ Pittsburgh 6:05 p.m.

September 25th: Houston Astros vs. Pittsburgh Phillies @ Pittsburgh 6:05 p.m.

September 26th: Houston Astros vs. Pittsburgh Phillies @ Pittsburgh 12:35 p.m.

September 28th: Houston Astros vs. Cincinnati Reds @ Cincinnati 6:10 p.m.

September 29th: Houston Astros vs. Cincinnati Reds @ Cincinnati 6:10 p.m.

September 30th: Houston Astros vs. Cincinnati Reds @ Cincinnati 6:10 p.m.

October 1st: Houston Astros vs. Chicago Cubs 7:05 p.m.

October 2nd: Houston Astros vs. Chicago Cubs 6:05 p.m.

October 3rd: Houston Astros vs. Chicago Cubs 1:05 p.m.

for more information, see http://houston.astros.mlb.com

College Sports

Rice University – Football

New season begins in fall.

for more information, see http://riceowls.cstv.com/sports

University of Houston – Football

New season begins in fall.

for more information, see http://uhcougars.cstv.com/sports

Parks

Houston Arboretum (4501 Woodway)

Wednesdays – August 4th, 11th, 18th & 25th: Introductory Tai Chi – Tai Chi is a centuries-old Chinese martial art that has evolved into an highly effective form of exercise, regardless of age or physical ability. Tai Chi involves a series of slow, meditative body movements that are excellent for repairing injuries, de-stressing and for learning focus and insights into life’s problems. $15 a session or $45 for calendar month. Registration is required. 5:45 – 6:45 p.m.

Thursdays – August 5th, 12th, 19th & 26th: Yoga on the Way Home - Why fight the traffic? Slow down and relax in the peaceful beauty of the Arboretum during a one-hour yoga session in the Arboretum's classroom overlooking the forest. Cost is $15 per session or $10 a session when registering for the month. Registration is required. 5:45 – 6:45 p.m.

August 21st: Nature Photography: Photographing Butterflies – Butterflies are the flying jewels of the garden. Their colors and shapes brighten our landscape and lure us into trying to capture their image. Yet photographing a butterfly can be a challenge. Join professional photographer Kathy Adams Clark in this class to learn the techniques needed to capture great photos of butterflies. The day begins with an hour inside where students will learn how to use the light meter to get proper exposure, how the shutter speed and aperture work, tips on making the photo look better and a little on butterfly behavior. The remainder of the class will be outside on the Arboretum grounds photographing butterflies. Bring camera, flash, camera manual, plenty of memory/film, and tripod. Bring water, snacks, a hat and sunscreen for personal comfort. The instructor will be Kathy Adams Clark, who is a professional nature photographer, whose work has been published in a variety of national and regional publications, including National Geographic Books, The New York Times, and Sierra. Her photos appear weekly in the Houston Chronicle’s “Wonders of Nature” column. 9:00 – 11:30 a.m. $45 for Arboretum members/ $65 for non-members. This class requires advance registration.

August 22nd: Build Your Own Rain Barrel Workshop – We all know that when it rains, it pours; and with the right rain barrel, some of that rainwater can be saved. By collecting rainwater and storing it in a rain barrel, you’ll not only have water for future use in the garden, but you’ll also reduce your water bill! In this hands-on, make and take workshop, learn how a one-time investment of less than $100 will allow you to harvest over 50 gallons of water from your roof every time it rains. The instructor will be Joe Blanton, the Arboretum’s Conservation Director, who is certified by National Wildlife Federation as a Backyard Habitat Designer. Before joining the Arboretum staff, Joe designed, implemented and/or managed 16 outdoor environmental education classrooms for Urban Harvest and HISD. His latest undertaking has been to become one of the first 100 accredited Green Roof professionals in North America. 2:00 – 5:00 p.m. $75 for members/$95 for non-members. Necessary tools and materials will be provided. Additional barrels and conversion kits will be available for sale at the end of the class for $55. Registration is limited to 25.

Wednesdays – September 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd & 29th: Introductory Tai Chi – Tai Chi is a centuries-old Chinese martial art that has evolved into an highly effective form of exercise, regardless of age or physical ability. Tai Chi involves a series of slow, meditative body movements that are excellent for repairing injuries, de-stressing and for learning focus and insights into life’s problems. $15 a session or $45 for calendar month. Registration is required. 5:45 – 6:45 p.m.

Thursdays – September 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd & 30th: Yoga on the Way Home - Why fight the traffic? Slow down and relax in the peaceful beauty of the Arboretum during a one-hour yoga session in the Arboretum's classroom overlooking the forest. Cost is $15 per session or $10 a session when registering for the month. Registration is required. 5:45 – 6:45 p.m.

September 12th: The Cooking & Music of Bluegrass Country: A Evening with Two Chefs – Two top chefs will host an exclusive night of mouth-watering cuisine and bluegrass harmony on the 12^th from 4:00 – 7:30 p.m. Both are graduates of the Culinary Institute of America – Chefs Adam Paul of Houston and Dan Budd from New York will combine their culinary and musical talents for an intimate dining experience, including demonstrations of techniques used to prepare a dinner with wine and desserts, followed by bluegrass music under the stars. The event is limited to 40, ages 21 and above. Reservations are required by Wednesday, September 8^th. Walking shoes are suggested. The event will be held outside, weather permitting. $185 for members/$225 for non-members. Members receive priority registration. The proceeds help support the Arboretum’s education and conservation programs.

September 15th & 18th: All About Hummingbirds – In this class, we’ll learn about the huge variety of hummingbirds in the Western Hemisphere (over 300 species). Learn about hummingbird migration and the species which occur on the Upper Texas Coast. Examine some of the unusual characteristics that make hummingbirds unique, including their ability to hover in mid-air and to fly backwards, as well as their extreme metabolism. See examples of the many spectacular species found in the tropics, with names like Fiery Topaz, Fork-tailed Woodnymph and Mountain Velvetbreast. The class will also include tips on how to attract hummingbirds to your yard in every season. The Saturday morning field trip will involve studying the hummingbirds at the Arboretum during the height of the fall migration. This class is open to anyone over the age of 10 and family participation is encouraged. The instructor for the class is Bill Eley, who is Program Development Director at the Houston Arboretum and has over 30 years of experience birding the Gulf Coast, Mexico and South America. Bill was involved in four separate scientific expeditions to Peru and has studied many of the tropical hummingbird species found there. 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. on the 15^th; 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. on the 18^th. $30 for members/$40 for non-members. Pre-registration is required.

September 17th & 18th: Tadpole Troopers (ages 3-5) – Wiggly Worms – Come wiggle and jiggle like a worm as we learn how important they are for soil and plants. 9:00 – 10:15 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. – noon. Note that one parent per child is required/allowed. $15 for members/$28 for non-members. Advanced reservations are required.

September 18th: Naturalist Explorers (ages 5-8) – Tremendous Travelers – Some species of birds move households twice a year, traveling thousands of miles in some cases. Discover how these birds accomplish such an incredible trip. 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. $18 for members/$33 for non-members. Advanced reservations are required.

September 18th: EcoTrackers (ages 9-12) – Frequent Flyers – Twice a year, birds migrate to places where there is more food and a warmer climate. Explore how scientists track migrating birds and the challenges the birds face along the way. 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. $18 for members/$33 for non-members. Advanced reservations are required.

October 15th & 16th: Tadpole Troopers (ages 3-5) – Sneaky Spiders – Join us as we sneak a peek at spiders and the webs they make. 9:00 – 10:15 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. – noon. Note that one parent per child is required/allowed. $15 for members/$28 for non-members. Advanced reservations are required.

October 16th: Naturalist Explorers (ages 5-8) – Feathers, Beaks and Feet – Oh My! – Why can’t a hummingbird gobble up a mouse? Why can’t a sparrow catch a fish? Explore how birds are adapted to survive in their habitats. 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. $18 for members/$33 for non-members. Advanced reservations are required.

October 16th: EcoTrackers (ages 9-12) – Amazing Adaptations – Feathers, beaks and feet are all adaptations of birds. Discover how these adaptations help birds to survive in their habitat. 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. $18 for members/$33 for non-members. Advanced reservations are required.

October 30th: ArBOOretum – Over 1,500 visitors came out to the Houston ARboretun for lots of safe fun and educational activities last year and even more are expected this year. The highlight of the event is always the Trick-or-Treat trail, which includes stops along a forest path to learn about animals that live in Houston. Other activities include hay rides, a petting zoo, pony rides, a cake walk, carnival games, face painting, pumpkin decorating and a costume parade.

November 19th & 20th: Tadpole Troopers (ages 3-5) – Snail Trails – We will get slimy as we learn about snails and slugs. 9:00 – 10:15 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. – noon. Note that one parent per child is required/allowed. $15 for members/$28 for non-members. Advanced reservations are required.

November 20th: Naturalist Explorers (ages 5-8) – Chirp, Chirp, Chatter – Birds communicate in many different and unusual ways. Explore some of the ways birds talk with others through songs, calls and displays. 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. $18 for members/$33 for non-members. Advanced reservations are required.

November 20th: EcoTrackers (ages 9-12) – Bird Tweets – Birds are famous for singing, but did you know they also somersault, strut, bow, dance and bring treats to communicate? Explore the interesting ways that birds let others know what’s on their minds. 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. $18 for members/$33 for non-members. Advanced reservations are required.

December 17th & 18th: Tadpole Troopers (ages 3-5) – Marvelous Mud Bugs – Crayfish aren’t really bugs, so why are they called “mud bugs”? We will discover the fun antics of crayfish. 9:00 – 10:15 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. – noon. Note that one parent per child is required/allowed. $15 for members/$28 for non-members. Advanced reservations are required.

December 18th: Naturalist Explorers (ages 5-8) – Feathered Families – From nests to eggs, to fledglings, bird parents are very busy. Come and learn about life in a feathered family. 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. $18 for members/$33 for non-members. Advanced reservations are required.

December 18th: EcoTrackers (ages 9-12) – Eggs to Fledglings – Birds’ eggs are protective life support systems complete with all the nutrients, minerals, and water a growing bird needs to develop. Discover the work parent birds put into hatching their eggs and fledging the baby birds. 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. $18 for members/$33 for non-members. Advanced reservations are required.

for more information, see www.houstonarboretum.org or call (713) 681-8433

Houston Zoo (1513 North McGregor)

Founded in 1922, the ever-evolving Houston Zoo is an exciting recreational destination and a unique educational resource serving 1.4 million guests annually. Set in a lush 55-acre landscape, the Zoo is home to more than 3,100 exotic animals representing more than 500 species. The first Saturday of every month, Houston Zoo Members are invited to enjoy the Zoo an hour earlier and see keepers, grounds crew, and other staff preparing to open the Zoo for the day, including releasing animals from their night holds into their habitats. Members can experience the Zoo before the crowds on these select mornings and start the day off right with a trip to the Zoo. Please note that the Wildlife Carousel, and concessions stands, and cafes will open at 9:00 a.m. The Gift Shop, Aquarium and Natural Encounters will open at 8:00 a.m.

August 7th: Members First Saturday – The Houston Zoo is open at 8:00 a.m. the first Saturday of each month for Members only. Bring your membership card and photo i.d.

August 15th: Member Morning – African Wild Dogs – Member mornings offer you a chance to hear from one of the Zoo’s experts and gain professional insight about a select animal resident or area of the Zoo. Learn from the best in the field about what it really takes to care for the diverse animals that call the Zoo home. Plus, you can enjoy the Zoo before it gets crowded. You will be greeted inside the Zoo’s main entrance and escorted to the exhibit area. Programs begin promptly at 9:15 a.m. and are 45 minutes long.

August 28th: Donuts and Dinos! – Come early at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, July 31^st and wander through the Zoo’s Dinosaurs! Exhibit before normal opening time. Afterwards, attend a special program in the BEC Auditorium presented by Dinosaurs Rock of Texas. Enjoy a 45 minute entertaining dinosaur lecture and touch real dinosaur eggs and dino poop! Dig for fossils and enter to win an authentic prehistoric specimen. 8:30 – 10:30 a.m. $21 for adult members/$16.50 for child members. $25 for adult non-members/$20.50 for child non-members.

August 28th: Photo Day at the Zoo – Photography enthusiasts – come out to the Houston Zoo at 7:00 a.m. on the 28^th and capture images of the Zoo’s animals and lush landscaping 2 hours before normal opening time. Take advantage of the morning light and cooler weather and get memorable shots of some of the Zoo’s early risers as they start their day by getting fed, being bathed and enjoying enrichment. Ticket holders will be treated to a continental breakfast, scheduled animal photo ops and a professional photography presentation. Guests are welcome to stay on the Zoo grounds all day until normally scheduled closing. $30 for adult members/$20 for child members. $40 for adult non-members/$30 for child non-members.

September 4th: Members First Saturday – The Houston Zoo is open at 8:00 a.m. the first Saturday of each month for Members only. Bring your membership card and photo i.d.

September 11th: Member Morning – African Wild Dogs – Member mornings offer you a chance to hear from one of the Zoo’s experts and gain professional insight about a select animal resident or area of the Zoo. Learn from the best in the field about what it really takes to care for the diverse animals that call the Zoo home. Plus, you can enjoy the Zoo before it gets crowded. You will be greeted inside the Zoo’s main entrance and escorted to the exhibit area. Programs begin promptly at 9:15 a.m. and are 45 minutes long.

October 2nd: Members First Saturday – The Houston Zoo is open at 8:00 a.m. the first Saturday of each month for Members only. Bring your membership card and photo i.d.

October 10th: Member Morning – African Wild Dogs – Member mornings offer you a chance to hear from one of the Zoo’s experts and gain professional insight about a select animal resident or area of the Zoo. Learn from the best in the field about what it really takes to care for the diverse animals that call the Zoo home. Plus, you can enjoy the Zoo before it gets crowded. You will be greeted inside the Zoo’s main entrance and escorted to the exhibit area. Programs begin promptly at 9:15 a.m. and are 45 minutes long.

October 13th: Wild Speaker Series – Internationally acclaimed photographer Frans Lanting and videographer and author Chirstine Eckstrom – Frans Lanting has been hailed as one of the great nature photographers of our time. His influential work appears in books, magazines and exhibitions around the world. For more than two decades he has documented wildlife and our relationship with nature in environments from the Amazon to Antarctica. He portrays wild creatures as ambassadors for the preservation of complete ecosystems and his many publications have increased worldwide awareness of endangered ecological treasures in far corners of the earth. Lanting’s work has been commissioned frequently by National Geographic, where he served as a Photographer-in-Residence. His assignments have ranged from a first look at the fabled bonobos of the Congo Basin to a circumnavigation by sailboat of South George Island in the sub-Antarctic. Images from his year-long odyssey to assess global biodiversity at the turn of the millennium filled the February 1999 issue of National Geographic. Lanting’s work also includes profiles of ecological hot spots, stories on Hawaii’s volcanoes, Zambia’s Luangwa Valley, and a series of photo essays on American landscapes. Chiristine Eckstrom is a writer, editor and videographer. She is the author of Forgotten Edens, and is a contributing author of numerous books published by National Geographic, where she worked as a staff writer for 15 years. Assignments have taken her to wild places on all seven continents, and for the past two decades she has worked with her husband and partner, Frans Lanting, on fieldwork from the Amazon to Mongolia. She collaborated with Lanting to write and edit Life: A Journey Through Time, and to realize The Life Project as a traveling exhibition, an interactive website, and a multi-media orchestral performance with music by Philip Glass. She has teamed up with Lanting to produce natural history and photograph books, including Jungles, Penguin, Eye to Eye and Okavango: Africa’s Last Eden.

November 17th: Wild Speaker Series – Carter Smith, Executive Director, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department – A native of Austin, Smith developed his passion for wildlife and the out of doors at a young age while roaming his family’s farm and ranch land interest in Gonzales, Williamson and Edwards counties. He has a wildlife management degree from Texas Tech and a master’s degree in conservation biology from Yale University. He began his professional career in 1992 as a management intern at TPWD, assisting in the Private Lands and Public Hunting programs. As a biologist, he has worked on a variety of research projects ranging from studying moose in the boreal forests of Saskatchewan to pronghorn antelope in far west Texas. He serves on a number of conservation-related boards and advisory councils and was recently named an outstanding alumnus by Texas Tech and the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Prior to his selection as TPWD Executive Director, Carter Smith was with The Nature Conservancy of Texas, serving as state director, where he led a team that protected 250,000 acres.

for more information, see www.houstonzoo.org or call (713) 533-6500

Food & Wine Related Events

Churrascos Westchase Wine Dinner (9705 Westheimer)

August 2nd: Five-course dinner featuring Tilia wines from Argentina. $59 per person (plus tax and gratuity). Open seating. 5:00 – 9:00 p.m.

for more information, call (713) 952-1988

Churrascos River Oaks Wine Dinner (2055 Westheimer)

August 9th: Five-course dinner featuring wines from Chile. $59 per person. Open seating. 5:00 – 9:00 p.m.

for more information, call (713) 527-8300

Americas Post Oak Wine Dinner (1800 Post Oak Blvd.)

August 23rd: Five-course dinner featuring Catena wines from Mendoza, Argentina. $59 per person. Open seating. 5:00 – 9:00 p.m.

for more information, call (713) 527-8300

Americas Woodlands Wine Dinner (21 Waterway Ave., The Woodlands)

August 23rd: Five-course dinner featuring Catena wines from Mendoza, Argentina. $59 per person. Open seating. 5:00 – 9:00 p.m.

for more information, call (713) 527-8300

Churrascos Westchase Wine Dinner