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July 2010
Summer has arrived and unfortunately,
so has the heat! But not to worry,
as there are plenty of things to do this month in Houston – both indoors and
out. You won’t want to miss
the many celebrations around town for 4th of July - three of the larger
celebrations being Freedom Over Texas (downtown), the Houston Symphony and
fireworks at Miller Outdoor Theater and a day early (3rd), the Houston Symphony
at Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion (The Woodlands). Ringling Brothers,
Barnum & Bailey Circus will be in town this month at Reliant Park. If you
are looking for indoor activities, visit Space Center Houston for Star Wars: the
Clone Wars, the Museum of Natural Science for their Magic and Fabergé exhibits, as well as their IMAX movie
Hubble 3D. The Alley will have Agatha Christie's The Mousetrap onstage.
Wicked will be onstage at Hobby Center. Of course, there is a full
schedule of events set for Miller Outdoor Theater and don't miss the chance to
cheer the Astros on at MinuteMaid Park.
No matter what your interests, there is
something for everyone this month in Houston!
Holidays
July 4th: Independence
Day
Dance/Music/Theatre
Alley Theatre
(615 Texas Avenue)
July 8th – 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.
July 15th – 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.
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.
July 3rd:
Houston Symphony’s Star-Spangled Salute
8:00 p.m.
July 24th:
Robert Plant & The Band of Joy
8:00 p.m.
July 31st:
Jonas Brothers with Demi Lovato
7:00 p.m.
August 5th:
Aerosmith 7:30 p.m.
August 6th:
Brad Paisley 10:00 a.m.
August 7th:
American Idol 7:30 p.m.
August 12th:
Christina Aguilera with Leona Lewis
7:30 p.m.
August 15th:
Lilith with Sarah McLachlan, Miranda Lambert, Norah Jones, Court Yard
Hounds, Corrine Bailey Rae and Brandi Carlile
2:30 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 22nd:
Goo Goo Dolls 7:00 p.m.
August 27th:
Sheryl Crow 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 7:00 p.m.
September 8th:
Paramore with Tegan and Sara
6:30 p.m.
September 10th:
The David Matthews Band with Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears
7:00 p.m.
September 12th:
Uproar 3:15 p.m.
September 22nd:
Kings of Leon 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 21st:
Houston Symphony’s Hocus Pocus Pops
7:30 p.m.
November 13th:
15th Annual Children’s Festival
10:00 a.m.
for more information, see
http://pavilion.woodlandscenter.org
Hobby Center for the Performing Arts
(800 Bagby @ Walker)
Thru July 25th:
Wicked – Back in Houston by
popular demand, Wicked, the winner of 35 major awards, including a Grammy and
three Tony awards. Long before that
girl from Kansas arrives in Munchkin land, two girls meet in the Land of Oz.
One – born with emerald green skin – is smart, fiery and misunderstood.
The other is beautiful, ambitious and very popular.
How these two grow to become the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda, the
Good Witch, makes for “the most complete and completely satisfying new musical
in a long time” (USA Today).
July 22nd – 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!
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”!
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 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.
for more information, see
www.thehobbycenter.org
or call (713)
315-2525
Houston Symphony
(Jones Hall – 615 Louisiana)
July 4th:
ExxonMobil: A Star Spangled Salute
– This concert is part of the Summer Symphony Nights series and will take
place at Miller Outdoor Theatre.
Enjoy the ever-popular 1812 Overture – complete with booming cannons and the
Texas Tenors, who will join the performance to sing patriotic favorites.
This celebration concludes with a magnificent display of fireworks,
provided by the City of Houston through the Miller Theatre Advisory Board.
Michael Krajewski, conductor.
8:30 p.m.
July 10th:
Houston Chronicle Dollar Concert –
Enjoy the Houston Symphony in Jones Hall for $1 per ticket as Music
Director, Hans Graf, continues this summer tradition of over 50 years.
The concert also celebrates the talent of first prize winner of the Ima
Hogg Young Artist Competition.
July 17th:
The Planets – An HD Odyssey, plus
Star Wars – If you missed the sold out January world premiere of The Planets
– An HD Odyssey, or you want to relive the experience, now is your chance.
This must see multi-media event combines a film of the latest HD
planetary images projected on a giant screen over the stage paired with a live
performance of Gustav Holst’s The Planets by the Houston Symphony.
Plus, enjoy the celestial inspired work of John Williams as the orchestra
performs selections from all time favorites: Star Wars, E.T. and Close
Encounters of the Third Kind!
July 22nd:
The Music of Queen – Houston
Symphony patrons enjoyed sold-out summer performances of The Music of Led
Zeppelin and The Music of Pink Floyd.
Now join us and conductor Brent Havens for an evening dedicated to the
timeless music of Queen. Singer
Brody Dolyniuk captures the sound and essence of Freddie Mercury while the full
orchestra provides the power and harmony for a full rock concert experience,
including rock concert lighting and sound.
This concert will feature music from albums such as Classic Queen, A
Night at the Opera, Sheer Heart Attack, Jazz, News of the World, A Kind of Magic
and The Works.
July 24th:
Distant Worlds: Music from Final
Fantasy – Don’t miss this Houston premiere of the highly anticipated
multi-media concert experience.
Distant Worlds: Music from Final Fantasy, conducted by Arnie Roth, will take you
through the extensive musical catalog of every game in the Final Fantasy series
as the video of the games are projected on a large screen above the orchestra.
Fan favorite composer, Nobuo Uematsu and conductor Arnie Roth will be
available for a post concert Q & A session from the stage.
The 2010-2011 Season begins in September.
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 surrealistc 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.
for more information, see
www.spahouston.org
Toyota Center
(1510 Polk Street)
July 1st:
Aventura 8:00 p.m.
July 3rd:
A. R. Rahman 8:30 p.m.
July 16th:
Michael Bublé 8:00 p.m.
July 25th – 26th:
Lady Gaga 8:00 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
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 JazzWeeek 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.
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.
July 1st:
Starlight Movie Night – Forbidden
Planet – Since the 1956 science fiction classic “Forbidden Planet”, which
introduced Robby the Robot and inspired Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry and
countless space explorers of the past and present.
8:30 p.m.
July 2nd:
Starlight Movie Night – Apollo 13 –
View free NASA exhibits on the history and future of human space flight and
touch a moon rock (6:00 – 8:00 p.m.).
Then at 8:30 p.m., see Apollo 12, the inspiring true story of the women
and men of NASA mission control who heard “Houston, we have a problem”, and
replied “Failure is not an option”.
July 4th:
Summer Symphony Nights:
Independence Day – the Houston Symphony, led by Principle Pops Conductor,
Michael Krajewski, presents a rousing musical salute to Independence Day.
Tchaikovsky’s stirring 1812 Overture and a selection of American
favorites, followed by a fantastic fireworks display.
8:30 p.m.
July 13th – 18th:
Little Shop of Horrors – Little Shop of Horrors tells the story of
Seymour, a timid and nerdy sales clerk at the seedy Mushnik’s Skid Row Florists,
barely in business in lower Manhattan.
He achieves fame and fortune after he discovers an exotic plant named
Audrey II, a giant man-eating plant who demands to be fed.
A Greek chorus of hip soul singers narrates the thriller with a score in
the 1960s style of rock and roll, doo-wop and Motown.
Audrey’s appetite grows to gigantic proportions as the cast rapidly
diminishes. This show promises to be
an audience favorite! Produced by
TUTS. 8:15 p.m.
July 20th:
Colombian Bicentennial Celebration
Concert – This concert features the Symphonic Student Band of Neira,
Columbia, who will be playing traditional Colombian music, as well as popular
tunes. Colombians throughout the
world will be celebrating the 200th anniversary of their
independence, and Colombians and friends of Colombia Houston will be joining in
by attending this concert. The
symphony is composed of students between the ages of 6 and 17 years, who are
from an area in Colombia that has been highly marginalized and has served as a
center of recruitment and insurgent activity for armed groups.
Rather than engage in unlawful activity, they have chosen music as an
alternative. Presented by the
Consulate General of Colombia.
July 20th:
Children’s Hilltop Festival: Three
Billy Goats Gruff – All the three billy goats want to do is get across the
bridge so that they can eat the grass on the other side, but there’s a grumbly,
grouchy, bully of a troll under the bridge, who is determined not to let them
pass. A rollicking musical
production by Kevin M. Reese, directed by Alex Gardner.
Produced by Express Children’s Theatre.
11:00 a.m.
July 21st:
The True Story of the Tortoise and
the Hare – A roving reporter just happens to be in the forest looking for a
breaking story when she stumbles upon what appears to be the true story of the
Tortoise and the Hare. Young
Henrietta Hare is looking for someone to race and Grandpa G, the Tortoise is
happy to oblige. An original musical
adaptation by Kevin M. Reece, directed by Vincent Victoria.
Produced by Express Children’s Theatre.
11:00 a.m.
July 22nd:
The Three Little Pigs – A
bilingual (Spanish/English) show about three brothers, one messy, one a
daydreamer, and the last, who always has a plan for the future.
They are Pig Scouts, the pride of youthful swinedom, and they must set up
camp to earn their merit badges.
Now, who is that unfamiliar scout master who will be judging their work?
It’s the Wolf, Big Bad, to be specific.
That’s who! Presented by
Express Children’s Theatre. 11:00
a.m.
July 23rd:
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 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.
July 30th:
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.
July 31st:
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 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.
for more information, see
www.milleroutdoortheatre.org
A.D. Players
(2710 West Alabama)
July 9th – 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.
The 2010 – 2011 Season begins in September.
for more information, see
www.adplayers.org
Main Street Theatre
(2540 Times Blvd.)
September 5th – October 11th:
The House of Spirits – The play is told from the point of view of
the youngest of three generations of women, Alba, whose swirling memories –
frightening and amusing, lyrical and fantastic – illuminate the stage as she
records her family’s history and ultimately finds the strength to recover her
own story. MST’s production will be
the English-language premiere of this play which critics call “a tumultuous and
supernatural family saga that restores the story’s vibrant magical realism.”
The House of Spirits charts the rise and fall of the Trueba family in an
un-named Latin American country (reminiscent of Chile).
The piece spans the 1920s through the 1970s, as the country moves through
enormous sociopolitical changes that culminate in a devastating dictatorship.
November 7th – December 27th:
The Last Night of Ballyhoo –
It’s December of 1939, and the world is facing great challenges, but the Frietag
household in Atlanta is consumed with more immediate matters, such as a world
premiere of Gone with the Wind and whether or not Lala will secure a date for
Ballyhoo, the Jewish social event of the season.
The author of Driving Miss Daisy turns a sharply amused eye on matters of
assimilation and prejudice, identity and romance, in this rich portrait of a
family struggling to know its place.
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)
July 23rd – 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 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.
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.
for more information, see
www.radiomusictheatre.com
or call (713) 522-7722
Stages Repertory Theatre
(3201 Allen
Parkway)
July 14th – August 29th:
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!
September 17th – 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.
for more information, see
www.stagestheatre.com
or call (713) 527-0123
Wortham Center
(Texas & Smith)
July 2nd – 3rd:
Shen Yun Performing Arts – the response to Shen Yun’s productions
has been phenomenal. Laughter, tears
and standing ovations are a common sight.
In its inaugural 2007 season, the company performed for some 200,000
people. The following year, in 2008,
the number swelled to over 500,000 and continued to climb in 2009 with an
audience of some 800,000. Shen Yun
has already graced many of the world’s greatest stages – don’t miss your chance
to see them live in Houston
July 16th – 25th:
Gilbert & Sullivan Society of Houston – Two eccentric poets
“out-poet” one another to win the love of a simple milkmaid while surrounded by
throngs of love sick maidens (whose soldier boyfriends are none too happy about
the situation). The rapier wit of
W.S. Gilbert and the timeless music of Sir Arthur Sullivan combine to prove that
Patience isn’t just a virtue, it’s a comic opera.
July 17th:
Mariachi Vargas Concert – The Mexico City based Mariachi Vargas de
Tecalitlan has been performing for 110 years and more than five generations.
The group is made up of some of the best vocalist and musicians in the
world. 7:30 p.m.
for more information, see
www.houstontx.gov/worthamcenter/boxoffice.htm
Live Music Venues
House of Blues Houston
(1204 Caroline Street)
July 1st:
DJ Earworm with Fo Sho & Tell
9:00 p.m.
July 2nd:
Kermit Ruffins
8:00 p.m.
July 3rd:
Nevermind – A Tribute to Nirvana
9:00 p.m.
July 3rd:
Led Zeppelin 2 – A Tribute to Led Zeppelin
9:00 p.m.
July 4th:
Miyavi: Neo Tokyo Samurai Black World Tour
8:30 p.m.
July 6th:
Hole with Foxy Shazam
8:30 p.m.
July 8th:
He Wears Black – A Tribute to Johnny Cash
8:30 p.m.
July 9th:
Rio – The Live Tribute to Duran Duran
9:00 p.m.
July 9th:
Cadillac Sky
9:00 p.m.
July 10th:
Monsters of Rock Tribute Night
8:00 p.m.
July 16th:
Bob Schneider
8:00 p.m.
July 17th:
The Toadies
8:30 p.m.
July 18th:
The Australian Bee Gees Show
8:00 p.m.
July 21st:
Phosphorescent
8:00 p.m.
July 24th:
Blue October – Acoustic
9:00 p.m.
July 30th:
An Evening with Perpetual Groove
9:00 p.m.
July 30th:
Rhymin N Stealin’ – The Original
Beastie Boys Tribute Band 9:30 p.m.
July 31st:
Ottmar Lieber & Luna Negra
8:00 p.m.
August 3rd:
Thrash and Burn Tour 2010
2:30 p.m.
August 5th:
Panteon Rococo – Ejercito de Paz
Tour 2010 8:30 p.m.
August 6th:
Queensryche
8:30 p.m.
August 7th:
Demon Hunter with Sleeping Giant,
Inhale Exhale and A Bullet for Pretty Boy
7:30 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 21st:
Asia
8:30 p.m.
August 25th:
Billy Idol
8:30 p.m.
for more information, see
www.livenation.com
or call (713) 230-1600
Verizon Wireless Theatre
(520 Texas Avenue)
July 17th:
Weird Al Yankovic
8:00 p.m.
July 27th:
Cool Tour 2010
4:30 p.m.
July 28th:
Alejandro Sanz
8:00 p.m.
July 31st:
Melissa Etheridge
8:00 p.m.
August 7th:
Kathy Griffin
6:30 p.m.
August 8th:
The Wiggles Wiggly Circus
12:30 & 4:00 p.m.
August 21st:
Natalie Merchant
8:00 p.m.
for more information, see
www.livenation.com
or call (713) 230-1600
Warehouse Live
(813 St. Emanuel Street)
July 2nd:
Psychedelic Furs with She Wants Revenge
8:30 p.m.
July 3rd:
Pinhed
6:30 p.m.
July 6th:
Thrice
7:30 p.m.
July 8th:
Mates of State
9:00 p.m.
July 10th:
Pinhed
6:30 p.m.
July 20th:
Silversun Pickups
8:30 p.m.
July 21st:
Streetlight Manifesto
7:30 p.m.
July 22nd:
Ratt
9:00 p.m.
July 23rd:
Secondhand Serenade
7:30 p.m.
July 24th:
Saving Abel
9:00 p.m.
July 25th:
Keane
7:00 p.m.
July 28th:
Scream It Like You Mean It! Ft
Silverstein 5:00 p.m.
August 1st:
Bowling for Soup
8:00 p.m.
August 13th:
Y&T
8:00 p.m.
August 17th:
An Evening with The Maine
7:00 p.m.
August 20th:
Screeching Weasel
8:30 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, which 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.
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.
July 3rd:
Obstacle Debacle Challenge –
Hop, skip and jump through this sidewalk chalk obstacle course.
11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
July 5th:
Light Up Shades – Stay cool in
the summer as you create your own glowing sunglasses that will keep your summer
looking bright, even at night. 10:30
a.m. & 12:30, 2:30 & 4:30 p.m.
July 6th:
Shrinky Dinks – Create your own
beads, charms and decorations by reheating plastic objects to their original
size. Mom and Dad remember this
classic activity. 11:00 a.m. – 1:00
p.m.
July 7th:
Tutu for You! – Learn the
technique for making fabulous tutus.
11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
July 8th:
Make Your Own Chinese Yo-Yo –
You’ll have hours of fun playing with this classic toy.
10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
July 9th:
Sink or Float – Explore the
mysteries of destiny by testing objects to see if they sink or float.
10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
July 10th:
Jump Rope Jamboree – Let’s see
how fast you can go, how slow you can go and any other cool jump roping
techniques that you might have.
11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
July 12th:
Chemical Magic – Experiment
with acids and bases as you make a rainbow using common household products.
10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
July 13th:
Jewelry Making – Use new
materials to create a jeweled masterpiece.
11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
July 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.
July 15th:
Printmaking: Design and Make Relief
Prints – Use your imagination to design plates and prints.
11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
July 16th:
Paper Choppers – Make your own
helicopter. Soar to new heights with
your very own paper helicopter, decorated to fly in style.
10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
July 17th:
Doodle Machines – Using an
electric motor, you will invent a device that will move along a piece of paper
and leave a unique mark. 10:00 a.m.
& 12:30, 2:30 & 4:30 p.m.
July 18th:
Chalk Drawings – Sketch and
blend brightly colored chalk on dark surfaces to create vibrant drawings.
Noon – 6:00 p.m.
July 19th:
Jitters Critters – Use real
electric motors to invent a creature that moves by jittering around the table.
10:30 a.m. & 12:30, 2:30 & 4:30 p.m.
July 20th:
Light Painting – Using a
digital camera, come and “paint” a picture using colored lights.
11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
July 21st:
Rock and Roll Ice Cream – Get
your freeze on as you shake, rattle and roll your way to an icy treat you make
yourself! 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
July 22nd:
Be a Forensic Scientist – Dust
for fingerprints, analyze tire track patterns and conduct a chromatography test
to catch criminals. 2:30 – 3:30 p.m.
July 23rd:
Lego Drop – See if your Lego
creation is capable of surviving a 14 foot fall.
11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
July 25th:
Extreme Karaoke – Sing to
popular songs complete with costumes/accessories and unleash the rock star
inside of you! 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.
July 26th:
Secret Coding – Make a cipher
wheel to encrypt your messages and keep them safe from discovery.
10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
July 27th:
Cyanotypes – Create your own
Cyanotype – a type of photograph printed on UV sensitive paper.
11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
July 28th:
Dusting for Fingerprints – Try
your hand at dusting for fingerprints and see if you can lift a clean
fingerprint just like a forensic detective.
10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
July 29th:
Seashells by the Seashore – Dig
the seashells and the sea animals out of the sand or listen to the sounds of the
ocean. 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
July 30th:
Blinky Bugs – Using a button
battery and LEDs, build creatures whose eyes flask only when their antenna move.
10:30 a.m. & 12:30, 2:30 & 4:30 p.m.
July 31st:
Parachute Play – Join us for
great fun to work up a sweat and play games!
11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
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.
for more information, see
www.cmhouston.org
or call (713) 522-1138
Contemporary Arts Museum (5216 Montrose)
Thru July 11th:
Perspectives 170: Cruz Ortiz – San
Antonio-based artist Cruz Ortiz employs a broad range of media—prints,
paintings, sculptures, video, installation, and performance—to talk about life,
love, and the struggle for equality. Through his alter ego the Spaztek, a
post-punk, post-Chicano holy fool who continually throws himself into quixotic
quests for romance and self-realization, Ortiz uses humor and heart to call for
companionship and community. For his first in-depth museum exhibition, Ortiz
will present a selection of the Spaztek’s work, including a hybrid siege tower
and performance platform on the CAMH front lawn, a tent city in the gallery, and
launch a guerilla art campaign in Houston’s neighborhoods. Born in Houston in
1972, Ortiz received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with a concentration in
printmaking from the University of Texas at San Antonio
Thru July 25th:
Hand + Made: The Performative
Impulse in Art and Craft – This exhibition features twenty artists who innovatively expand
the traditions of art and craft through the incorporation of performance. The
exhibition features a series of on- and offsite performance events, including
crochet nights at the Museum in which visitors are invited to crochet works from
an installation created by Sheila Pepe, a performance of Anne Wilson’s Wind-Up:
Walking the Warp, and a series of public events around the city in which
Gabriel Craig creates small articles of jewelry for those he encounters. A
complete schedule of dates and locations will be available on the Museum’s
website. Participating artists include B Team, Conrad Bakker, Nick Cave, Cat
Chow, Gabriel Craig, Lauri Faggioni, Theaster Gates, Cynthia Giachetti, T. Ryan
Gothrup, Sabrina Gschwandtner, Lauren Kalman, Christy Matson, James Melchert,
Yuka Otani, Sheila Pepe, Michael Rea, Anne Wilson, Saya Woolfalk, and Bohyun
Yoon.
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.
for more information, see
www.camh.org
or call (713) 284-8250
The Heritage Society
(1100 Bagby)
Thru July 3rd:
A Tejano Son of Texas – This traveling
exhibit tells the life story of legendary Texas Tejano Jose Policarpio “Polly”
Rodriguez. The display begins at the start of his new life in the State of
Coahuila y Texas, Mexico and continues through Polly’s experiences as a young
boy, gunsmith and surveyor as well as addressing his military and Texas Ranger
service and his ranching and public office records. The exhibit concludes with a
description of his years as a Methodist minister.
July 13th – October 24th:
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.
July 15th:
Hill/Finger Lecture: Behind the
Battle/Financing the Texas Revolution – The audience will be treated to a
visual journey through the financial instruments used by the Provisional
Government of Texas (1835-1836) and how it relates to the dramatic events which
enabled Texas to gain her independence from Mexico.
This powerful presentation puts the audience at the epicenter of the fund
raising efforts for the rebel government and reveals the inner workings of a
precarious financial system. The
issuance of promissory notes kept the revolutionary government afloat until the
dramatic funding of a lifesaving loan from land speculators in New Orleans in
April 1836. It offers a surprising
revelation about the role which land speculation and money played in the present
day location and the founding of the City of Houston.
The real story behind a legendary part of American history, The Paper
Republic tells the story of a debt crisis eerily similar to the headlines today.
Noon – 1:00 p.m.
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.
July 10th, 11th, 15th, 17th, 22nd & 24th:
The Laramie Project – Theatre New West, in conjunction with the Holocaust
Museum Houston, presents “The Laramie Project”, a compelling theatrical
production based on interviews with members of the Laramie, Wyoming community
after Matthew Shepard, a young, gay student at the University of Wyoming was
kidnapped, savagely beaten and left hanging on a fence to die in October 1998.
Five weeks later Moises Kaufman and fellow members of the Tectonic
Theater Project in New York City went to Laramie, and over the course of the
next year, conducted more than 200 interviews with people of the town.
From these interviews, they wrote the play “The Laramie Project”, a
chronicle of the life of the town of Laramie in the year of the murder. When the
play was first produced in 1998, it was the most produced play in America, both
by regional theaters and at colleges and universities.
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 refers 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 20th 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.
for more information, see
www.hmh.org
or call (713) 942-8000
Houston Museum of Natural Science
(One Hermann Circle Drive – Hermann Park)
Thru July 25th:
Faberge: Imperial Jeweler to the
Tsars – Discover the spectacular designs of Carl Faberge, a master goldsmith
and legendary jeweler who is still celebrated for his inventive design and
meticulous craftsmanship.
Perhaps best known for the Imperial Easter Eggs created for the
Russian Royal family, the House of Faberge also fashioned jewelry and luxurious
gifts for many ruling families of Europe as well as other wealthy patrons.
Marvel at exquisite objects produced by the Fabergé workshop at its peak,
including personal gifts to the Tsar and Tsarina, an extravagant tiara,
magnificent "fire-screen" picture frame, and the famed Nobel Ice Egg, a stunning
piece that is one of the few Imperial-styled eggs in private hands. From
elegantly simple to breathtakingly ornate, the jewelry, clocks, picture frames,
boxes and eggs in this collection were thoughtfully selected to exemplify
extraordinary materials and workmanship.
In recent years, the McFerrin Collection has become one of the world’s
most important private collections of Fabergé. While many of the pieces in this
collection have been featured individually in other exhibitions and publications
over the past 60 years, this event marks the first time that the McFerrin
Collection has been presented for public display. Highlights of the exhibition
include: Empress Josephine’s tiara, the Nobel Ice Egg, Fire Screen Picture
Frame, Nicholas II Presentation Snuff Box, The Wedding Clock, and the personal
cigarette case of Nicholas II.
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.
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.
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
50th 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.
Bugs 3D
– Bugs 3D! follows the life cycles of a mantis
and a butterfly, from their birth to their inevitable encounter in the
rainforests of Southeast Asia, where predator meets its prey.
Bugs 3D! stars Papilio, a butterfly, and Hierodula, a praying
mantis, who live in an abandoned hut by a river, surrounded by lush tropical
foliage and a supporting cast of other intriguing and extraordinary insects.
Meet Papilio, a caterpillar that undergoes one of nature’s miraculous
transformations in her short life span of eight weeks, and Hierodula, a praying
mantis who embarks on an extraordinary hunting journey through the rainforest.
Along the way, meet a host of other fascinating insects: Leaf Cutter Ants, Rhino
Beetles, an aggressive Spiny Katydid, an Orchid Mantis, and the aptly-named
Thorn Bug, in addition to scorpions, tarantulas, frogs, lizards and a colony of
3 million bats which consume two and half tons of bugs every night! Along the
way, we meet a host of other insects, which, in various deceptive guises, which
also inhabit the rich, green and humid world: Leaf Cutter Ants that consume 20%
of the rainforest’s leaves; Rhino Beetles battling for the attention of a
female; the Trilobite Beetle hiding his tiny head under amour plating; a Scale
Bug disguised as a ball of fluff; an aggressive Spiny Katydid; an Orchid Mantis
which resembles the flower and the Thorn Bug, identical to a thorn. In addition,
scorpions, tarantulas, frogs, lizards and a colony of three-million bats which
consume two and half tons of bugs every night, skitter across the screen, some
magnified 250,000 times their normal size.
for more information, see
www.hmns.org
or call (713)
639-4629
Menil Collection (1515 Sul Ross)
Thru July 25th:
Steve Wolfe on Paper – Steve Wolfe was
born in Pisa, Italy in 1955 and lives and works in San Francisco, California.
For the last twenty years, Wolfe has created objects and drawings of astounding
craft and visual presence that investigate intersections among material culture,
intellectual history, and personal and collective memory. Wolfe’s art represent
objects of cultural mass dissemination—books and records. Rather than the
ordinary depiction of books on canvas or another two-dimensional framing device,
Wolfe’s painted objects employ the tradition of trompe l’oeil, the trick
of the eye. Tattered books and worn album covers are meticulously produced to
convey the mark of time and handling, and often literally fool the eye on first
inspection. The tears, creases, and basic wear point to human contact and become
metaphors of enlightenment and culture. Indebted to Pop Art, Wolfe’s optical
strategy manifests an updated approach to craft. But while the patina of time is
crucial to Wolfe’s art, perhaps what is most interesting about the collection is
its sense of autobiography. Wolfe’s work is conceived and made with both
personal history and personal touch, and suggests an almost erotic
representation of the fact that one can fall in love with that which is
ephemeral (ideas, music). For Wolfe, it is not just any book that necessitates
scrupulous handmade reproduction with wood, ink, paper, lithography and paint.
His carefully considered subjects include reproductions of books by Gertude
Stein, Pablo Picasso, Raymond Chandler, Frank O’Hara, Marcel Duchamp, and James
Joyce, thus creating a portrait of the artist as a perpetual student. This
exhibition will focus on the artist’s works on paper, some of which are purely
drawn, but most of which combine aspects of drawing, collage and printmaking.
The artist’s transformation of common objects requires the viewer to re-think
what they mean as such, placing emphasis on craft and the handmade to transform
the common into the uncanny and the sublime.
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.
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)
Thru July 5th:
The Allure of Nature: 19th
Century Landscape Drawings from the MFAH Collection – Nature was alluring to
artists of the 19th century as they sought a realistic rendering of
the outdoors captured in their plein-air (made in the “open air”)
sketching. While the 18th
century art market favored idealized landscapes and accurately rendered
topographical views of precise locales, there was a rising prestige in the 19th
century for landscapes that sought a more personal response.
Modern naturalism emerged in the 1830s as part of a general rebellion in
the arts fostered by a new spirit of individualism and opposition to confining
moral and aesthetic tenets. The
progressive generation, notably the Barbizon School (named for the village of
Barbizon near the Forest of Fontainbleau in France), sought to emphasize the
landscape as a primary subject matter, rather than the traditional Academic
practice of using landscapes as the backdrop for history paintings or portraits.
They were influenced by 17th century Dutch artists and their
English contemporaries, such as John Constable, who looked at native
surroundings for inspiration.
Thru July 18th:
Liquid Lines: Exploring the Language of
Contemporary Metal –Artists have utilized metal in their creative endeavors
for centuries. The material has an
extraordinary ability to simultaneously convey fluidity and solidity, as well as
stasis and motion. In recent
decades, contemporary artists have investigated new ways to manipulate metal in
expressive compositions, resulting in elegant and dynamic objects.
Liquid Lines surveys the innovative range of metal art in the MFAH
collections. Furniture, jewelry,
hollowware, and sculpture highlight the optical and flowing properties of metal
achieved through techniques such as casting, constructing, forging and
hand-raising.
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 9th 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 19th 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.
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 17th 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.
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.
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.
Ongoing:
Surviving: The Body of Evidence –
This seasonal exhibit will help you to learn more about the adaptations species
make to survive their environments and find out how humans have evolved over
millions of years.
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)
July 1st: Houston Dynamo
vs. Toronto FC @ Toronto 6:00 p.m.
July 10th:
Houston Dynamo vs. Columbus Crew
7:30 p.m.
July 24th:
Houston Dynamo vs. Columbus Crew @ Columbus
6:30 p.m.
July 31st:
Houston Dynamo vs. New York Red Bulls
7:30 p.m.
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.
Sept. 5th:
Houston Dynamo vs. San Jose Earthquakes
7:30 p.m.
Sept. 11th:
Houston Dynamo vs. Kansas City Wizards @ Kansas City
7:30 p.m.
Sept. 18th:
Houston Dynamo vs. Toronto FC
7:30 p.m.
Sept. 25th:
Houston Dynamo vs. D.C. United @ Washington D.C.
6:30 p.m.
for more information, see
www.houstondynamo.com
Houston Aeros – American Hockey League (West Division)
(Toyota Center, 1510 Polk)
Season is complete.
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)
Season is complete.
for more information, visit
www.houstontexans.com or call 713-629-3700
Houston Astros (Minute Maid Park, 501 Crawford)
July 1st: Houston Astros
vs. San Diego Padres @ San Diego
9:05 p.m.
July 2nd: Houston Astros vs.
San Diego Padres @ San Diego 9:05
p.m.
July 3rd: Houston Astros
vs. San Diego Padres @ San Diego
7:35 p.m.
July 4th: Houston Astros
vs. San Diego Padres @ San Diego
3:05 p.m.
July 6th: Houston Astros
vs. Pittsburgh Pirates 7:05 p.m.
July 7th: Houston Astros
vs. Pittsburgh Pirates 7:05 p.m.
July 8th: Houston Astros
vs. Pittsburgh Pirates 1:05 p.m.
July 9th: Houston Astros
vs. St. Louis Cardinals 7:05 p.m.
July 10th:
Houston Astros vs. St. Louis Cardinals
6:05 p.m.
July 11th:
Houston Astros vs. St. Louis Cardinals
1:05 p.m.
July 16th:
Houston Astros vs. Pittsburgh Pirates @ Pittsburgh
6:05 p.m.
July 17th:
Houston Astros vs. Pittsburgh Pirates @ Pittsburgh
6:05 p.m.
July 18th:
Houston Astros vs. Pittsburgh Pirates @ Pittsburgh
12:35 p.m.
July 19th:
Houston Astros vs. Chicago Cubs @ Chicago
7:05 p.m.
July 20th:
Houston Astros vs. Chicago Cubs @ Chicago
7:05 p.m.
July 21st:
Houston Astros vs. Chicago Cubs @ Chicago
1:20 p.m.
July 23rd:
Houston Astros vs. Cincinnati Reds
7:05 p.m.
July 24th:
Houston Astros vs. Cincinnati Reds
6:05 p.m.
July 25th:
Houston Astros vs. Cincinnati Reds
1:05 p.m.
July 26th:
Houston Astros vs. Chicago Cubs
7:05 p.m.
July 27th:
Houston Astros vs. Chicago Cubs
7:05 p.m.
July 28th:
Houston Astros vs. Chicago Cubs
1:05 p.m.
July 30th:
Houston Astros vs. Milwaukee Brewers
7:05 p.m.
July 31st:
Houston Astros vs. Milwaukee Brewers
6:05 p.m.
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.
for more information, see
http://houston.astros.mlb.com
College Sports
Rice University – Baseball
Season complete.
for more information, see
http://riceowls.cstv.com/sports
University of Houston – Baseball
Season complete.
for more information, see
http://uhcougars.cstv.com/sports
Parks
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.
July 3rd:
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.
July 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.
for more information, see
www.houstonzoo.org
or call (713) 533-6500
Food & Wine Related Events
Churrascos Westchase Wine Dinner
(9705 Westheimer)
July 5th:
Five-course dinner featuring wines from Brazil.
$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)
July 12th:
Five-course dinner featuring wines from Brazil.
$59 per person. Open seating.
5:00 – 9:00 p.m.
for more information, call (713) 527-8300
Reynold’s Family Estate Wine Dinner – Brennan’s
(3300 Smith
Street)
July 14th:
Don’t miss the chance to enjoy this six course menu, paired with Reynold’s
Family Estate wines and enjoy the chance to visit with Steve Reynolds. 6:30 –
9:30 p.m. $175 per person (plus tax
and gratuity)
for more information, call
(713) 522-9711
For additional information on wine tasting events at local wine shops
around town, see:
www.localwineevents.com
Central Market Cooking School (Westheimer @ Weslayan)
July 1st:
Teen Boot Camp: Grilling Basics – for ages 13-17 – 10:00 a.m. –
Central Market Cooking School Staff
July 12th:
Kids Camp: Finger Foods – for ages 5-8 – 10:00 a.m. – Central
Market Cooking School Staff
July 13th:
Kids Camp: Wrap ‘N Roll – for ages 5-8 – 10:00 a.m. – Central
Market Cooking School Staff
July 14th:
Kids Camp: Mama Mia – for ages 5-8 – 10:00 a.m. – Central Market
Cooking School Staff
July 15th:
Kids Camp: Mama’s Little Dumpling – for ages 5-8 – 10:00 a.m. –
Central Market Cooking School Staff
July 19th:
Kids Camp: South of the Border – for ages 9-12 – 10:00 a.m. –
Central Market Cooking School Staff
July 20th:
International Noodle Celebration – for ages 9-12 – 10:00 a.m. –
Central Market Cooking School Staff
July 21st:
Kids Camp: Pot Stickers & Dumplings – for ages 9-12 – 10:00 a.m. –
Central Market Cooking School Staff
July 22nd:
Kids Camp: Pizza Party – for ages 9-12 – 10:00 a.m. – Central
Market Cooking School Staff
for more information, see
www.centralmarket.com
or call (713) 993-9860
Other Events
Buffalo Bayou Walking Tour (Architecture Center of Houston – 315
Capital Street, Suite 120)
First Saturday of every month: Architecture Center Houston, with the cooperation of the
Buffalo Bayou Partnership invite you to stroll along Buffalo Bayou Parkway for
an overview of downtown Houston’s history and architecture from its beginnings
in 1836 to the efforts to revitalize the central city today. Docents will
lead you on this two hour tour. Reservations are not required, but are
appreciated. There is a 20 person limit. 10:00 a.m. – noon – weather
permitting. $15 per person (cash and check only)
for more information, see
www.aiahouston.org
or call (713) 752-0314
Downtown Green Market: Central City Co-op
(Discovery
Green, 1500 McKinney)
Sundays, all year round: Year round co-op and
farmer’s market offers the freshest organic produce and products. Noon - 4:00
p.m.
for more information
see
www.centralcityco-op.org/discoverygreen
or call (713) 400-7336
St. Arnold’s Brewery Tour and Beer Tasting
(Saint Arnold Brewery, 2522 Fairway Park
Drive)
Saturdays, all year round:
St. Arnold’s, Texas’ oldest craft
brewery, holds public tours every Saturday. Tour lasts approximately 35 minutes
and guests are welcome to stay for a free tasting. Guests are allowed to bring
snacks or lunch and may bring six-pack carriers for recycling. All attendees
receive a souvenir tasting glass.
Admission for the tour is $5. 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
for more information, see
www.saintarnold.com
Michael Peterson: Evolution/Revolution – Houston Center for
Contemporary Craft
(4848 Main
Street)
Thru July 2nd:
This is an exhibition of elegant and bold wood sculptures by the
Texas-born artist. The exhibition
follows the unique trajectory of the wood sculptor’s 20 year career, including
the evolution from his early lathe-turned bowls to his current revolutionary
sculptures, which are devoid of the lathe.
Over 30 sculptures, inspired by the geographic environment of the Pacific
Northwest, will be on view.
for more
information, call (713) 529-4848 or go to
www.crafthouston.org
Audubon Society of Houston
(Discovery Green – downtown Houston)
July 3rd:
Explore the world of bats and other fascinating creatures that come when
the sun goes down. Meet some
nocturnal creatures and learn about their adaptations for nocturnal living.
This free event takes place from 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. at the Discovery Green
Houston Public Library Express Morgan Reading Room.
for more
information, see
http://www.houstonlibrary.org/hpl-express-discovery-green
Freedom Over Texas
(Eleanor Tinsley Park – downtown Houston)
July 4th:
The Mayor’s official July 4th celebration – Freedom Over Texas
with fireworks presented by Shell Oil.
The highlight of Freedom over Texas is the fireworks – a stunning display
– spanning Buffalo Bayou, west of Sabine Bridge and along Allen Parkway.
The fireworks are combined with specially choreographed music with
unrivaled pyrotechnic artistry.
Bring the entire family for a day of fun and festivities while we celebrate our
nation’s birthday.
for more
information, see
www.freedomovertexas.org
Fourth of July – Summer Symphony Nights
(Miller Outdoor Theatre)
July 4th:
The Houston Symphony, led by Principle Pops Conductor Michael Krajewski,
presents a rousing musical salute to Independence Day.
Hear Tchaikovsky’s stirring 1812 Overture and a selection of American
favorites followed by a fantastic fireworks display.
8:30 p.m.
for more
information, see
http://www.milleroutdoortheatre.com
July 4th BIG Backyard Barbecue
(LaCenterra at Cinco Ranch, Katy)
July 4th:
The July 4th BIG Backyard Barbecue is back!
This event kicks off at 5:30 p.m. (runs til 9:30 p.m.) and includes live
entertainment, great food, a fabulous fireworks display and much more.
for more
information, see
http://lacenterra.com
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus
(Reliant Park)
July 5th – 25th: Ringling Bros. and
Barnum & Bailey presents Zing Zang Zoom, an interactive and high-energy circus
extravaganza filled with non-stop action. Zing Zang Zoom is a modern celebration
of circus tradition so spectacular and innovative that it could only have been
imagined by The Greatest Show on Earth.
for more
information, see
http://www.ringling.com
Manga Art 101 (Discovery Green – downtown Houston)
July 10th:
Lynn Pauls will cover a variety of aspects in the manga art world,
including a brief history of the style, the basics of manga, open questions and
answer session and troubleshooting discussions, as well as some advanced
techniques. The event is free from
2:00 – 3:00 p.m. at the Discovery Green Houston Public Library Express Morgan
Reading Room.
for more
information, see
http://www.houstonlibrary.org/hpl-express-discovery-green
Naked – Houston Center for Contemporary Craft
(4848 Main Street)
July 10th – September 4th: Naked highlights the
work of five contemporary ceramists: Charles Birnbaum, from New York City, NY;
Lindsay Feuer, from Philadelphia, PA; Heather Knight, from Ashville, NC;
Jennifer McCurdy, from Vineyard Haven, MA; and Kamila Szczesna, from Galveston,
TX. Each of these artists works in
all-white porcelain, using no colored glazes to decorate their objects, so the
material, form and surface of each piece become the primary focal points.
This stripped-down or “naked” body of work reveals the sublime qualities
of porcelain: delicate, translucent, smooth and full of possibility.
for more
information, see
http://crafthouston.org
ArtHouston 2010 (galleries throughout the city)
July 11th:
The ArtHouston 2010 summer event encompasses exhibitions at 36 galleries
throughout the city. This day-long
event will display a wide range of work: realist to abstract paintings,
sculpture, mixed media constructions, works on paper, collage and photography.
The event introduces new artists and celebrates the careers of
established ones. Most exhibitions
will continue through July.
for more
information, see
http://www.arthouston.com/arthouston/home.html
2010 Summer Harvest
(Messina Hof Winery – Bryan, Texas)
July 16th – August 15th: Messina Hoff, the
fastest growing, award-winning Texas winery is celebrating its 33rd
anniversary and the harvest of the vines.
Harvest is a time when guests can experience the century old tradition of
making wine by picking and stomping of the grapes.
Wine lovers, including special guests and local celebrities will roll up
their sleeves and pants and partake in the first phase of winemaking with the
Messina Hof Family. After guests
hand-pick the grapes, the fun of squashing begins.
Not only will they get their feet wet, they will be rewarded for their
hard work with a Harvest Cuisine Dinner prepared by the award-winning culinary
team of Messina Hof’s The Vintage House Restaurant.
In addition, there will be Murder Mystery Dinners and Harvest Vintner
Dinners during this period of time.
See the website for additional details.
for more
information, see
http://www.messinahof.com/harvest10.html
Larry Gatlin & The Gatlin Brothers Concert
(Sam Houston Race Park)
July 17th:
Over 50 years ago, Larry, Steve and Rudy Gatlin, collectively known as
Larry Gatlin & The Gatlin Brothers, started singing in their hometown of
Abilene, Texas and from there went on to make music history.
Over the course of a four decade career that has taken the Gatlin
Brothers from dusty Texas stages to White House performances, from Broadway to
Grammy Awards and to the top of the country charts, there has been one unifying
element – music. There’s no harmony
quite as pure as family harmony. The
band solidified their place as one of country music’s most notable acts and at
this stage, the Gatlins have the best of both worlds – families and fans, plenty
of work both as individuals and together.
for more
information, see
http://www.theshowgrounds.com
Rodney Atkins Concert (Sam Houston Race Park)
July 24th:
Country superstar Rodney Atkins signed on Curb Records and released two
Top 40 singles in 2002. In 2003, the single “Honesty (Write Me a List)” climbed
into the Top 5, and Curb finally released his debut album, Honesty.
However, his real breakthrough came in 2006 when his catchy single “If
You’re Going Through Hell (Before the Devil Ever Knows)”, gradually climbed to
No. 1 on Billboard’s country airplay chart and eventually was named Billboard
Magazine’s country song of the year.
for more
information, see
http://www.theshowgrounds.com
Andrea Dezsö’s New Installation: Rice University Art Gallery
Thru August 8th: Andrea Dezsö,
Professor at Parsons The New School of Design, will create her first ever
site-specific installation for her exhibition at Rice Gallery.
Dezsö will create a series of irregularly shaped windows into which
viewers can see an imaginary lunar landscape inspired by the Apollo 13
expedition. Dezsö’s exhibition will
explore “how not being able to go somewhere physically opens the possibility to
epic mental odysseys, and how we can stuff empty spaces full with rich imaginary
worlds, then move in.”
for more
information, see
http://ricegallery.org
The Paper Runway – Houston Center for Contemporary Craft
(4848 Main Street)
Thru September 4th: The Paper Runway is a
juried exhibition of nearly 50 stunning works of paper clothing and accessories
by artists from the U.S. and around the world.
Featuring everything from handcrafted evening gowns to men’s vests,
jewelry made from magazine pages and a suit made from lottery tickets, each
garment-inspired artwork is created from different types of paper.
Materials range from recycled cotton rags and coffee filters to various
handmade papers, created from fibers like abaca (banana leaf) and kozo (mulberry
bark). The featured works encompass
a dazzling array of patterns, textures, colors and exquisite detail.
Some pieces would look right at home on the couture runways of Paris;
others are inspired by the wild beauty of nature.
Some pieces are whimsical and innovative and others have a deeply
personal story to tell. You’ve never
see fashion quite like this.
for more
information, see
www.crafthouston.org
Dinosaurs at The Houston Zoo
(Hermann Park)
Thru September 6th: Journey back in time
to the days when giant, fearsome dinosaurs ruled the earth and mighty T-Rex was
king of the land. This summer, don’t
miss Dinosaurs, at the Houston Zoo.
This animatronic Land of Dinosaurs will feature 10 primeval lost creatures,
including the fish-eating Baronyx, the fast-moving Dilophosaurus, and the swamp
lizard Dimetrodon. Also appearing
daily will be the well-armored Euoplocephalus, the crested Parasaurolophus, the
spiked Stegosaurus and even a nest full of baby dinos.
There is an addition $2 charge per person on top of the regular Zoo
admission.
for more
information, see
www.houstonzoo.org
Animation Featuring Cartoon Network at The Health Museum
Thru September 6th: Explore how art,
math, science and technology come together in the exciting world of animation,
featuring Cartoon Network.
Experiment with 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.
Appropriate for all ages.
for more
information, see
www.thehealthmuseum.org
Forgotten Gateway: Coming to America through Galveston Island
(Moody Gardens - Galveston)
Thru September 11th: This exhibit
chronicles the Port of Galveston’s largely forgotten history as a major gateway
to American immigration from 1845 to 1924.
Forgotten Gateway builds on a growing scholarly and public interest in
the history of migration patterns to America and Galveston’s place as one of the
nation’s top immigrant ports in that history.
Long before Ellis Island processed its first immigrant, Galveston was a
port of entry for hundreds of thousands of immigrants.
While the New York counterpart made it a natural port for Europeans,
Galveston attracted a diverse group of people from Europe, Mexico, South and
Central America and even Asia. The
exhibit highlights enduring humanities 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 American.
These trials and tribulations are illustrated through personal stories,
dynamic visitor interactive kiosks, engaging media pieces and more than 200
original artifacts and documents.
The exhibit originated from a comment a 10th grader made on a
heritage trip to Ellis Island. “Why
do we need to go to New York?” asked the student.
“My grandparents came through Galveston.”
for more
information, see
www.moodygardens.org
Monumental Sculpture Exhibition of Works by Bernar Venet
(Hermann Park)
Thru October 31st: Texan-French Alliance
for the Arts (TFAA) presents the nine-month exhibition of sculptures by the
internationally renowned French artist Bernar Venet.
Fifteen monumental sculptures have been sited by the artist and McClain
Gallery of Houston in eight locations throughout scenic Hermann Park.
The sculptures are made of cor-ten steel, stand up to 30 feet high and
weigh up to 25,000 lbs. (12 tons).
for more
information, see
http://www.texanfrenchalliance.org
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