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.

BULLSHOT CRUMMOND

Lafayette Community Theatre, 529 Jefferson St., Lafayette, LA, 318.2325.1532. LCT continues its 15th season with this full-out farce created by Ron House, Diz White, John Neville-Andrews, Alan Shearman and Derek Cunningham and directed by Sally Anspach Robinson. Thurs., Fri., & Sat, 8 pm, thru Feb. 22.

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.

FAUST

Wortham Center, 510 Preston, Houston, TX, 713.227.ARTS; 1.800.828.ARTS The Houston Grand Opera pairs two of the opera world's newest stars, lyric soprano Veronica Villarroel and tenor Ramon Vargas, with one of HGO's time-honored productions, Earl Staley's 1985 painterly interpretation of Faust, to take another compelling look at the Faustian legend. HGO's Music Director Vjekoslav Sutej conducts the HGO orchestra. 7:30 pm, Jan. 31, Feb. 2, 5, 8, 11, 14 & 15.

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.

BEETHOVEN AND BLUE JEANS

Orpheum Theatre, 120 University Place, 504.523.6530. The Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, under Klauspeter Seibel's baton, present Beethoven's Leonore Overture No.3, Strauss's Death and Transfiguration and Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 4. Jan. 30, 7:30 pm, Feb. 1, 8 pm.

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.

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.

IN THE WINGS

A WALK IN THE WOODS

CAC, 900 Camp St., 504.523.1216 or 504.522.5252. The CAC and Bright Star Productions present Lee Blessing's play about two nuclear arms negotiators, directed by Perry Martin and starring Randy Cheramie. Thur.-Sat., 7:30 pm, Sun, 3 pm, Feb. 27-Mar. 23.

JACKIE O

Wortham Center, 510 Preston, Houston, TX, 713.227.ARTS; 1.800.828.ARTS Houston Grand Opera's Houston Opera Studio presents the world premiere of a new two act chamber opera by Michael Daugherty and Wayne Koestenbaum and directed by Nicholas Muni with musical direction by Christopher Larkin.Mar. 14, 8 pm, Marc. 16, 2 pm.

JAZZ TAP ENSEMBLE OF LOS ANGELES

Mahalia Jackson Theatre of the Performing Arts, 801 N. Rampart St., 504.522.0996. The New Orleans Ballet Association presents this unique company under the artistic direction of Lynn Dally which has brought tap dance to the concert stage, inventing original tap dances with live jazz music since 1979. Saturday, March 1, 7:30 pm.

MAN OF LA MANCHA

Saenger Theatre, 143 N. Rampart St., 504.522.5555 or 800.488.5252. Broadway Series at the Saenger presents Robert Goulet as the Errant Knight with the Impossible Dream, Don Quixote de la Mancha, in the musical written by Dale Wasserman, Mitch Leigh and Joe Darion. March 11-16.

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.

THE SECRET GARDEN

Mahalia Jackson Theatre of the Performing Arts, 801 N. Rampart St., 504.522.0996. The New Orleans Ballet Association presents the Oakland Ballet s production of Frances Hodgson Burnett's children's classic created by Artistic Director Ronn Guidi. Sat., March 22, 7:30 pm.

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.