ON THE BOARDS
by GEORGE PATTERSON, New Orleans

...AND THE BALL AND ALL

True Brew Theatre, 200 Julia St., 504.522.2907. Now in its second year, this comic masterpiece, written and directed by Ricky Graham, concerns the problems of the members of the fictitious all-female Krewe of Terpsichore, when the treasurer absconds with the ball money. The cast includes local favorites, led by the indomitable Becky Allen as the dominating ball captain, with costumes and wigs by Roy Haylock. Produced by Trish Denmark and Fred Nuccio, it will have an open-ended run. Fri., 8 pm; Sat., 6 & 9 pm; Sun., 3 & 7 pm.

ANGELS IN AMERICA -- A Gay Fantasia on National Themes --

CAC's Freeport McMaRon Theatre, 900 Camp St., 504.528.3800; 504.522.5555; 504.566.0241; 504.897.2466. The first of two parts, "Millennium Approaches", of Louisianian Tony Kushner's award-winning epic drama about AIDs and politics in Ronald Reagan's America makes its New Orleans debut under the auspices of Matt Borel and Bruce Condie in association with the Dog & Pony Theatre Company. Directed and designed by John Grimsley, it features local actors Michael Arata, Kathy Randels, Gavin Mahlie, Russell Hodgkinson, Kenneth Raphael, Francine Segal, Barbara Tasker and Mark McLaughlin who portrays Roy Cohn. Thurs. - Sat., 8 pm, Sun., 2 pm, Jan. 3-19.

ANGELS IN AMERICA, Part II, Perestroika

CAC's Freeport McMaRon Theatre, 900 Camp St., 504.528.3800; 504.522.5555; 504.566.0241; 504.897.2466. A dramatic reading of the second part of Tony Kushner's epic drama about AIDS in the Reagan years, will be presented one time only, January 18, 1 pm.

DEATHTRAP

Saenger Theatre, 143 N. Rampart St., 504.522.5555 or 800.488.5252. Elliott Gould, Mariette Hartley and Douglas Wert star in a revival of this classic comedy thriller by Ira Levin, in its pre-Broadway tour. The original Broadway production played 1,800 performances and was nominated for four 1978 Tony Awards, which spawned the motion picture starring Michael Caine, Dyan Cannon and Christopher Reeve. Tues. - Sat., 8 pm, Wed. & Sat., 2 pm, Jan. 7-12.

HOT STUFF -NEW ORLEANS STYLE!

True Brew Cabaret, 200 Julia St., 504.522.2907. The fast-paced, New Orleans satirical revue starring and written by New Orleans' premiere musical comedy couple, Becky Allen and Ricky Graham. Fri., 10:30 pm.

LOUISIANA PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA

Orpheum Theatre, 120 University Place, 504.523.6530. Guest conductor Maxim Shostakovich, with trumpeter Cheryl Hollinger, and the incredible LPO perform Prokofiev's Classical Symphony, Haydn's Concerto for Trumpet and Orchestra and Shostakovich's Symphony No. 15. Thurs, Jan 16, 7:30pm; Sat, Jan. 18, 8 pm.

PHILADANCO

Mahalia Jackson Theatre of the Performing Arts, 801 N. Rampart St., 504.522.0996. With stunning virtuosity, Philadanco fuses modern, jazz, ballet and African dance into an immensely sophisticated style of its own. This enormously gifted company returns to N. O. with a sizzling array of works by such noted choreographers as Alvin Ailey & Donald Byrd. Under the artistic directorship of Joan Myers Brown, it plays Sat., Jan. 11, 7:30 pm. One performance only.

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST

Le Petit Theatre du Vieux Carre, 616 St. Peter St., 504.522.2081. Oscar Wilde's campy comedy of manners is directed by Stocker Fontelieu and features Leon Contavesprie, Vatican Lokey, Lara Grice, Gemma Denmark, Abby Lake, Pauline Prelutsky and Walter Bost. Bill Walker designs the sets; Trish McLain, the costumes, and scenic artistry is by Edward R. Cox. Thurs. - Sat., 8 pm; Sun., 2 pm, thru Jan. 26.

THE WIZ

NORD Theatre, Gallier Hall, 504.565.7860. Ty Tracy directs Rahsaana Ison as Dorothy in this Tony Award-winning musical adaptation of L. Frank Baum's The Wizard of Oz, with choreographer Leo Jones as the Wizard, Joshua Powell as the Scarecrow, Mitch McMurren as the Tinman, Alex Reed as the Lion and a cast of 55 ranging in age from 4 to 40 who are featured as the yellow brick road, tornado, wind, crows, poppies, mice, kalidahs, flying monkeys, wizettes, winkies, quadlings, munchkins and Emerald City denizens. Bob Bruce supplies the costumes; Gloria Fallo, the music. Thurs. -Sat., 8 pm; Sun., 2 pm, thru Jan. 19.

IN THE WINGS

LOUISIANA PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA

Orpheum Theatre, 120 University Place, 504.523.6530. Klauspeter Seibel conducts the orchestra and guest artists Ellen Shade, soprano; John David De Haan, tenor; and, Louis Lebherz, bass in a concert of Weber's Overture to Der Freischutz, Liszt's Les Preludes and Wagner's Die Walkure Act I. Jan 2l, 7:30 pm & Jan.22, 8 pm.

MISS SAIGON

Mahalia Jackson Theatre of the Performing Arts, Armstrong Square, 504.522.5555; 800.488.5252. The Broadway Series at the Saenger Theatre presents the Louisiana premiere of producer Cameron Mackintosh's London and New York blockbuster musical, with music by Claude-Michel Schonberg and lyrics and book by Alain Boublil (creators of Les Miserables.) and Richard Maltby, Jr., directed by Nicholas Hytner, at the Theatre of the Performing Arts, since the Saenger's stage facilities are not large enough to house, among other things, the show's famous helicopter. With musical staging by Bob Avian, Miss Saigon reunites members of the Les Miserables design team: John Napier on sets, David Hersey on lights and Andreane Neofitou and Suzy Benzinger on costumes. May 7 - 25.

SALOME

Wortham Center, 510 Preston, Houston, TX, 713.227.ARTS; 1.800.828.ARTS. The Houston Grand Opera presents Richard Strauss' tragic opera under the direction of Canadian filmmaker Atom Egoyan, who makes his operatic debut with a contemporary, chillingly psychological profile of the obsessive princess. Starring acclaimed German soprano Hildegard Behrens, Mr. Egoyan's stark, angular production uses tools of the electronic age to probe the psychological undercurrents that cause the characters' recurring bloodlust. With Neil Rosenshein as Herod, Katherine Ciesinski as Herodias and Richard Paul Fink as Jokanaan, and conducted by Christoph Eschenbach, this new production debuts Jan. 23, 7:30 pm and plays Jan. 26, Feb. 1, 4 & 7.

STOMP

Saenger Theatre, 143 N. Rampart St., 504.522.5555 or 800.488.5252. A huge Off Broadway hit, this 90 minute "journey of rhythm ...a modern vaudeville revue with a rock n' roll heart" boasts a cast of eight young men who imaginatively utilize everyday objects to create a show of rhythm, percussion and choreographed mania. Beginning Feb. 28.