Culture Scene: July 10-16

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Derrick Brent II, from left, Jason Carmichael and Dennis Spears, as Nat King Cole, star in the Ensemble Theatre's production of
Derrick Brent II, from left, Jason Carmichael and Dennis Spears, as Nat King Cole, star in the Ensemble Theatre's production of "I Wish You Love," about troubles famed singer Nat King Cole faced in 1957 when he starred in his own TV music/variety show. Photo: Gary Fountain, Freelance / Copyright 2014 by Gary Fountain
Derrick Brent II, from left, Jason Carmichael and Dennis Spears, as Nat King Cole, star in the Ensemble Theatre's production of
Derrick Brent II, from left, Jason Carmichael and Dennis Spears, as Nat King Cole, star in the Ensemble Theatre's production of "I Wish You Love," about troubles famed singer Nat King Cole faced in 1957 when he starred in his own TV music/variety show. Photo: Gary Fountain, Freelance / Copyright 2014 by Gary Fountain
Mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato performs in the Metropolitan Opera's production of
Mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato performs in the Metropolitan Opera's production of "The Enchanted Island," which includes music by Antonio Vivaldi, George Frideric Handel and others. Photo: Ken Howard/Metropolitan Opera / KenHoward-2011
Mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato performs in the Metropolitan Opera's production of
Mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato performs in the Metropolitan Opera's production of "The Enchanted Island," which includes music by Antonio Vivaldi, George Frideric Handel and others. Photo: Gaetan Bernard
Bernhardt Wall's
Bernhardt Wall's "Following Sam Houston, 1793-1863" is among prints on view at the Heritage Society through Aug. 2. Photo: Printing Museum Houston / ONLINE_YES
Galen Cheney's painting
Galen Cheney's painting "Ride" is among works on view in the inaugural exhibition at Gray Contemporary. Photo: Gray Contemporary / ONLINE_YES

Theater

Fallen Angels: Noël Coward's comedy about two dissatisfied wives who - learning that a mutual former flame will be paying a visit - giddily plot intrigue while their passionless husbands are away playing golf. 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, 8 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays, 3 p.m. Sundays, through Aug. 3; Main Street Theater, 2540 Times; $20-$39; 713-524-6706, mainstreettheater.com.

I Wish You Love: Dominic Taylor's play with music presents an intimate portrait of famed singer Nat King Cole, during the struggle to keep his groundbreaking 1950s TV variety series on the air. 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, 8 p.m. Fridays, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturdays, 3 p.m. Sundays, through July 27; Ensemble Theatre, 3535 Main; $19-$44; 713-520-0055, ensemblehouston.com.

Pete 'n' Keely: Revue-style musical about 1960s singing sweethearts, who can't stand each other, reunited for a TV special. 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, 8 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays, 3 p.m. Sundays, through Aug. 31; Stages Repertory Theatre, 3201 Allen Parkway; $21-$64; 713-527-0123, stagestheatre.com.

Xanadu: Douglas Carter Beane scripted this campy stage adaptation of the 1980 movie musical about a muse (the kind from Greek mythology) who inspires a street artist. 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, 8 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays, 3 p.m. Sundays, through July 20; Stages Repertory Theatre, 3201 Allen Parkway; $21-$64; 713-527-0123, stagestheatre.com.

The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas: Carol Hall, Peter Masterson and Larry L. King's musical about the last days of a Texas bordello. Opens Tuesday, 8:15 nightly through July 20; Theatre Under The Stars production at Miller Outdoor Theatre, Hermann Park; reserved seat tickets are available at the box office on the day of performance; 832-487-7102, milleroutdoortheatre.com. FREE

Spaghetti Code: Abby Koenig's comedy about a woman so desperate to have a baby that she convinces her husband and best friend to procreate. 7:30 p.m. Saturdays-Mondays, through July 28; Horse Head Theatre Co., at P.J.'s Sports Bar, 614 W. Gray; $20; horseheadtheatre.org.

Brooklyn: Musical about a waif from Paris who journeys to Brooklyn to find her father. 8 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays, through July 19; Bayou City Theatrics, at the Kaleidiscope, 705 Main; $30; BayouCtyTheatrics.com.

All My Sons: Arthur Miller's tragic drama about a factory owner whose sale of defective airplane parts during World War II has far-reaching ramifications that eventually threaten his own family. 8 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays, through July 19; the Company Onstage, 536 Westbury Square; 713-726-1219, companyonstage.org.

Oleanna: David Mamet's blistering serio-comedy depicts a college student, her middle-aged male professor and their monumental miscommunication demonstrating that men and women, especially of different generations, really are from different planets. 8 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays through July 19; also, 2 p.m. July 12; Queensbury Theatre production, at Spring Street Studios, 1824 Spring; $20, queensburytheatre.org.

High Standards: Musical revue celebrates the Great American Songbook with works by Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, George and Ira Gershwin and others. 8 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays, through July 26; also, 2 p.m. Sunday and July 20; Music Box Theatre, 2623 Colquitt; $35-$45; 713-522-7722, musicboxmusicals.com.

Pump Boys and Dinettes: Country-fried off-Broadway revue depicts the easygoing guys and gals of a roadside gas station diner. 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, 8 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays, 3 p.m. Sundays, through Aug. 3; Texas Repertory Theatre Co., 14243 Stuebner Airline; $35; 281-583-7573, texasreptheatre.org.

Les Misérables: Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schonberg's musical based on Victor Hugo's epic novel. 7:30 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays, 3 p.m. Sundays, through Aug. 3; Houston Family Arts Center, 10760 Grant; $20; 281-685-6374, houstonfac.com.

Classical

Houston Symphony: Guest conductor Fabien Gabel leads the group in works by Maurice Ravel and Dmitri Shostakovich, and clarinetist Lin Ma, winner of the 2014 Ima Hogg Competition, solos in Carl Maria von Weber's Concerto No. 2. 8 p.m. Thursday; Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion, 2005 Lake Robbins, The Woodlands; $15 orchestra seating, free mezzanine and lawn; 281-363-3300, woodlandscenter.org. 8 p.m. Saturday, closing the orchestra's Day of Music spotlighting jazz, popular, world-music and other groups; Jones Hall, 615 Louisiana; free; 713-224-7575, houstonsymphony.org.

Round Top Music Festival: The festival orchestra and conductor Christoph Campestrini close the annual event with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 23, featuring festival founder James Dick, and Richard Strauss' "Also Sprach Zarathustra." 7:30 p.m. Saturday; Festival Concert Hall, 248 Jaster, Round Top; $20-$30; 979-249-3129, festivalhill.org.

Opera

The Enchanted Island: The Metropolitan Opera encores its 2012 pastiche of music by Antonio Vivaldi, George Frideric Handel and others, with a libretto inspired by Shakespeare's "The Tempest" and "A Midsummer Night's Dream"; the cast includes mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato, a product of Houston Grand Opera Studio. 7 p.m. Wednesday; Houston Marq*E Stadium 22, 7620 I-10 W.; Memorial City Mall, 310 Memorial City Way; Cinemark 18 Webster, 20915 I-45 S., Webster; Towne Center, 21440 Kurkendahl, Spring; Cinemark at Market Street, 9595 Six Pines, Spring; $12.50; fathomevents.com.

Gilbert and Sullivan Society of Houston: The group's signers perform excerpts from the comedy duo's "The Sorcerer" as a preview of their production of the little-known show, which opens July 18. 7 p.m. Thursday; McGonigel's Mucky Duck, 2425 Norfolk; 713-528-5999, mcgonigels.com. FREE

Art museums

Art Car Museum: "Kindred Spirit," works about heritage and spirituality by more than 30 Texas artists, through Oct. 26; 140 Heights; 713-861-5526, artcarmuseum.com. FREE

Art League Houston: Rosine Kouamen's "Aujourd'hui, Causons Avec Nos Aieux: Intimate and Foreign"; Peter Lucas' "Jump Cut"; and Jo Ann Fleischhauer's "Sexual Selection," through July 26; 1953 Montrose; 713-523-9530, artleaguehouston.org.

Asia Society Texas Center: "Transcendent Deities of India," works by the Raja Ravi Varma Press, Manjari Sharma and Abhishek Singh, through Sept. 14; $5; 1370 Southmore; 713-496-9901, asiasociety.org/texas.

Blaffer Art Museum: "Francesca DiMattio: Housewares," painting and sculpture; and "Candice Breitz: The Woods," video installation, through Aug. 30; 120 Fine Arts Building, University of Houston, 4800 Calhoun; 713-743-9521, blafferartmuseum.org. FREE

Contemporary Arts Museum Houston: "More Real Than Reality Itself," through Sept. 21; "Trenton Doyle Hancock: Skin and Bones," through Aug. 3; 5216 Montrose; 713-284-8250, camh.org. FREE

DiverseWorks: "Six of one, half a dozen of the other," group exhibition of projects supported by the Idea Fund, through Aug. 9; 4102 Fannin, No. 200; 713-223-8346, diverseworks.org. FREE

Fresh Arts: "Transitional Artifacts," site-specific installation by the Center for Imaginative Cartography & Research (Emily Halbardier and Erik Sultzer), opens Friday, through Aug. 22; 2101 Winter, Winter Street Studios, B11, 713-868-1839, fresharts.org.

Galveston Artist Residency: "2013-2014 Artists in Residence: John Hodany, Autumn Knight and Joe Joe Orangias," through July 26; 2521 Ships Mechanic Row, Galveston; 409-974-4446, galvestonartistresidency.org.

Heritage Society: "Following General Sam Houston, 1793-1863," prints by Bernhardt Wall, through Aug. 2; 1100 Bagby, 713-655-1912, heritagesociety.org. FREE

Holocaust Museum Houston: "Life: Survivor Portraits," through Oct. 12; and "The Rescuers: Picturing Moral Courage," through Aug. 31; 5407 Caroline; 713-942-8000, hmh.org. FREE

Houston Center for Contemporary Craft: "La Frontera" and "Sandie Zilker," through Sept. 7; "Taking Shape: Celebrating the Windgate Fellowship," through Aug. 30; 4848 Main; 713-529-4848, crafthouston.org. FREE

Houston Center for Photography: "32nd Annual Juried Membership Exhibition," opens 6 p.m. Friday, through Sept. 7; 1441 W. Alabama; 713-529-4755, hcponline.org. FREE

Lawndale Art Center: "The Big Show," opens 6:30 p.m. Friday, through Aug. 9; 4912 Main, 713-528-5858, lawndaleartcenter.org.

MECA: "Bernardo Diaz: Writing on the Wall," through Friday; 1900 Kane; 713-802-9370, meca-houston.org. FREE

Menil Collection: "fresh: Haim Steinbach and Objects From the Permanent Collection," through Aug. 31; "A Thin Wall of Air: Charles James," through Sept. 7; "Memories of a Voyage," through Sunday; 1533 Sul Ross; 713-525-9400, menil.org. FREE

Museum of Fine Arts, Houston: "Houghton Hall: Portrait of an English Country House," through Sept. 21; "Charles Marville: Photographer of Paris," through Sept. 14; "Soto: The Houston Penetrable," through Sept. 1; "Alexander Archipenko: The Berlin Drawings," through Aug. 17; $7.50-$15; 5601 Main; 713-639-7300, mfah.org.

Printing Museum: "The Artist's Eye: Three Houston Artists Collect Prints" and "Russell Maret: Interstices and Intersections, or An Autodidact Comprehends a Cube," through Sept. 6; 1324 W. Clay; 713-522-4652, printingmuseum.org. FREE

Station Museum of Contemporary Art: "Collective Reaction," works by Democracia, Adel Abidin, Hito Steyerl, Prince Varughese Thomas, Mohammed Al-Shammarey and Maura Sheehan, through Aug. 17; 1502 Alabama; 713-529-6900, stationmuseum.com. FREE

Rice Gallery: "Crossing the Farther Shore," by Dinh Q. Le, through Aug. 28; 6100 Main; 713-348-6069, ricegallery.org. FREE

University Museum: "Playing by Dragon Rules," works by Abidemi Owolonira and Gregory Michael Carter, through Sunday; 3100 Cleburne, Texas Southern University; 713-313-1164; umusetsu.org.

Galleries

A Summer Selection: Group show of gallery artists, through Aug. 10; DesignWorks Gallery, 2119A Postoffice, Galveston; 409-766-7599.

Beyond Graphite: Group show of diverse drawings curated by Catherine Anspon, through July 25; G Gallery, 301 E. 11th; 713-822-4842, ggalleryhouston.com.

Lisa Bick: "Wax and Fire" and "Stephanie Mercado: There, Here, Now" open 6 p.m. Saturday, through Aug. 16; Hooks-Epstein Galleries, 2631 Colquitt; 713-522-0718, www.hooksepsteingalleries.com.

Catherine Colangelo: "Ocular Rhythms," opens 6 p.m. Saturday, through Aug. 16; McMurtrey Gallery, 3508 Lake; 713-523-8238, mcmurtreygallery.com.

Dialogues: Inaugural show featuring works by Ron Buffington, Galen Cheney, Jeffrey Cortland Jones and Myungwon Kim, opens 6 p.m. Friday, through Aug. 9; Gray Contemporary, 7026 Old Katy Road, Suite 253, 713-632-4425, graycontemporary.com.

Martin Durazo: "Territory" and and "Owen Drysdale: Plinth" open 6:30 p.m. Friday, through Aug. 30: Barbara Davis Gallery, 4411 Montrose; 713-520-9200, barbaradavisgallery.com.

Elinor Evans: "Some Truths to Learn From Leaves," opens Saturday, through Aug. 9; Moody Gallery, 2815 Colquitt, 713-529-9911, moodygallery.com.

Nancy Ellison: "Altered Egos," through Aug. 29; Decorative Center Houston, 5120 Woodway, Suite 107; 713-961-9292, decorativecenter.com.

Embrace the Masses: Prints by Jim Dine, James Rosenquist, Rufino Tamayo and Andy Warhol, through Saturday; the Mission, 4411 Montrose; 713-874-1182, themissionprojects.com.

First Year Anniversary Show: Antique traditional African masks, through Aug. 16; Gallery Jatad, 1517 Blodgett; 832-657-4328, galleryjatad.com.

Houston Founders at City Hall: William Reaves Fine Art presents works by legacy artists, co-presented by the Mayor's Office of Cultural Affairs, through Oct. 1; City Hall Rotunda, 901 Bagby; 713-521-7400, reavesart.com.

Impressions 2014: PrintMatters membership exhibition, through July 30; West Loop Gallery, Houston Community College Southwest, 5601 West Loop S., southwest.hccc.edu.

Ink and Image: Group show of prints, through Thursday; Archway Gallery, 2305 Dunlavy; 713-522-2409, archwaygallery.com.

Andrew Masullo: New paintings, through July 26; Texas Gallery, 2012 Peden; 713-524-1593, texgal.com.

Pressed: "Prints From Latin America" and "Marta Chilandron & Graciela Hasper: Dialogues" open 6 p.m. Thursday, through Aug. 30; Sicardi Gallery, 1506 W. Alabama; 713-529-1313, sicardigallery.com.

Pythagorean Nightmares: Works in Plexiglas and wood by Aldon Mines, through Aug. 22, Heritage Plaza, 1111 Bagby, artsbrookfield.com.

Kaneem Smith: "Experimental Monoprints" opens 6 p.m. Friday, through Aug. 15; Devin Borden Gallery, 3917 Main; 713-529-2700, devinborden.com.

Snail Trail: Ceramics and mixed media by Scott Rosenberg, opens 6 p.m. Friday, through Aug. 9; Zoya Tommy Contemporary, 4411 Montrose; 713-523-7424, zoyatommy.com.

Suga: Experimental and traditional prints by Rabéa Ballin, Delita Martin, Ann Johnson and Lovie Olivia, through July 19; BlueOrange Contemporary, 1208 W. Gray; 713-527-0030, blueorangehouston.com.

Superstition: Works by John Jenkins, opens 5 p.m. Saturday, through Aug. 9; Nicole Longnecker Gallery, 2625 Colquitt; 713-591-4997, longneckergallery.com.

The Texas Aesthetic VII: Works by contemporary Texas regionalists, through Saturday; William Reaves Fine Art, 2313 Brun; 713-521-7500, reavesart.com.

Three Thousand Times, Each Hour, A Different Terrain: "Recent works by Titus Kaphar, Wardell Milan and Demetrius Oliver" and "Inga Kerber: Cliché of a Flower Bouquet" open 6 p.m. Friday, through Aug. 16; Inman Gallery, 3901 Main; 713-526-7800, inmangallery.com.

Tradition and Translation: Works by Mari Omori and Masaru Takiguchi, through July 30; Arts Brookfield, Total Plaza, 1201 Louisiana; 713-336-2280, artsbrookfield.com.

Cy Twombly: "Prints," through July 26; Hiram Butler Gallery, 4520 Blossom; 713-863-7097, hirambutler.com.

Jerry Uelsmann: "Untitled," retrospective of images by a master of pre-Photoshop manipulation, through Aug. 31; Catherine Couturier Gallery, 2635 Colquitt, 713-524-5070, catherinecouturier.com.