PREVIEWS NOVEMBER EVENTS

Brecht/Weill at Theatre Three

Excitement may well prevail when Theatre Three presents the 1929 Bertolt Brecht/Kurt Weill musical, Happy End, this month. For Brecht has the peculiar power of enlisting people in his support as for a political cause, and few performances of his work go without an attendant flurry of banner-waving and festivities (and back-room arguments). Now, it must be admitted that Happy End is not one of Brecht’s best scripts; in fact, one writer has advanced the notion (which sounds preposterous until you have read the script) that it resembles a cross between Bernard Shaw’s Major Barbara and Frank Loesser’s Guys and Dolls. The story has to do with a set of Chicago gangsters and Salvation Army gals, the former having their troubles with making money and the latter with saving souls. Careful readers will discern familiar Brechtian touches here and there: something faintly fantastic about the basic situation, suggestions that the gangsters are simply unregenerate capitalists, and occasional anticipations of Brecht’s later St. Joan of the Stockyards. But it is not for his text that anyone will see the show, but rather for what always draws audiences to musicals: the songs.

They are not the usual sort (Brecht’slyrics, for instance, could almost standon their own as poetry), but they areappealing in their novelty. The characteristics of Weill’s music have beenpointed out before – its colorfulblending of German cabaret music andAmerican lyrical jazz, its sometimescrazy instrumentation (accordions andHawaiian guitars alongside the usualstrings and horns), its various disturbing harmonies and peculiarmelodies – but one must simply hearsuch numbers as “The Bilbao Song”and “Surabaya Johnny” to understandwhy this show was revived after beingnearly forgotten for 30 years after itspremiere. It’s always dangerous topredict success in advance forBrecht/Weill shows; they are in manyways far removed from the Americanmusical tradition, and their individualqualities are difficult to catch (asSMU’s Threepenny Opera demonstrated last year). But if anyonecan pull it off, Theatre Three can; itsannual end-of-summer musical revueshave shown an ability to handle non-current styles. Happy End opens Nov.21; for ticket information call 748-5191. -John Branch



Optical Illusions At DMFA

If you like 3-D movies, or get a kick out of optical illusions, don’t miss the upcoming Bridget Riley Exhibition at the DMFA (Oct 25-Nov 26). Op Art has been described as a cross between light sculpture and color field painting, although a homelier analogy is that it’s like going to the State Fair after a three-martini lunch. Its subject is perception and the psychological impact of light and color. Flat geometric shapes, mathematically organized, are arranged on a canvas in such a way as to create hallucinatory, morning-after-the-night-before effects. Surfaces shimmer, colors bleed into one another, afterimages appear and disappear. Stand close to a Bridget Riley painting and you know that the red dot at the center is quivering; move back and the dot stands still but the diagonals start making odd wave-like motions. Here is art that requires the participation of the viewer to be complete. It exists on the retina, so to speak; its content is the experience of looking. In Bridget Riley’s work there is virtually no direct representation, and she disclaims any interest in the popular notion of a work of art as a unique act by an individual artist. Her paintings are usually executed by assistants, supported by the most sophisticated modern technology. Op Art has been around in some form for centuries, of course. Renaissance painters loved to experiment with perspective, and Delacroix was a pioneer in the study of color theory. But no one has achieved the dazzling effects of Bridget Riley. It’s a treat to have so many of her works together in one place. -David Dillon

DSO Displays Is Own Stars

Every symphony orchestra worth a toot has its share of stars tucked away in the strings, brasses, and woodwinds. They get to take bows before the rest of the crew rises, but that’s about all you ever hear or see of them. That is, until somebody cooks up some chamber ensembles composed for this cream of the crop.

As it happens, the Dallas Symphony has plucked some of its first-desk players for just such a series. While the Opera bumps the rest of the Orchestra off the Music Hall stage, these folks repair to Caruth Auditorium for two November concerts. Their first recital (Nov. 11) will feature members of the DSO’s brilliant woodwind section playing duets, trios, and quintets by Berg, Telemann, Poulenc, Ibert, Milhaud, and Reicha. At the second concert (Nov. 18) you can hear Beethoven, Shostakovich, and Mendelssohn trios performed by Ron Hudson (second concertmaster), Marion Davies (cello), and Jo Boatright (piano).

– Willem Brans



Brazil on Stage, Texas on Film

Ever since it took up residence last year in a derelict ballroom at the corner of Main and Exposition, Manhattan Clearing House has been a different kind of theater, lmprovisational in style, with a strong emphasis on multi-media performances, it has attempted to fill the void between classical theater and supper club entertainment. Well, the local dinner theaters have fallen on hard times, but to everyone’s surprise Manhattan Clearing House has just launched its second season. Last year it staged six plays, including an intriguing adaptation of Brecht’s St. Joan of the Stockyards called Joan in Meatland, and hosted the city’s first contemporary dance festival. This season, during the Brazilian Fortnight (Oct. 19-28), it will present Roberto Athayde’s Miss Mar-garida’s Way, which was secured from hesitant producers by Charles S. Ney, the Brazilian consul, and presumably the glamor of Neiman-Marcus. In keeping with its policy of supporting local artists and performers, Manhattan Clearing House will also hold a film festival (Nov. 9-18) featuring the work of Texas filmmakers. Among thefilms already selected are GaryMcDonald’s A Case of Rapture andOm-Me, Om-My, and Tim McCanlies’Clone and Claude et Nicole. The callhas gone out to film departments at allarea colleges, and the organizer of thefestival, Gary Biewanga, expects toshow about a dozen films. After thescreenings the filmmakers will be present to discuss their work, and, whoknows, there may even be a rhumba ortwo. -David Dillon



Watts Performs A Schubertiad

This year is the 150th anniversary of Schubert’s death, an occasion that Dallas Civic Music will mark with an all-Schubert program played by Andre Watts. For those who like their musical history neat, Schubert is a puzzle: No longer Classical, not quite Romantic, his music doesn’t fall into traditional niches. But Schubert has never been hard to love. His friends supported him, and later admirers idealized him as the archetypal hand-to-mouth Bohemian artist. The essential quality of his music is the “Schubertian” mixture of pathos, joy, and lyric melody. Perhaps no other composer communicates deep feeling as directly and guilelessly as Schubert.

During his life, Schubert’s friends used to gather in Vienna coffeehouses for “Schubertiads,” at which he played his compositions and they danced. In his “Celebration of Schubert,” Andre Watts is playing Schubertiads on an eight-month U.S. tour that includes a stop in Dallas on November 6. Watts’s career has soared ever since he subbed for Glenn Gould on two days’ noticeand played the Liszt Second Concertowith Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic – all this when he wasstill 16! Ungimmicky and exquisitelymusical, his playing now ranks withthat of the four or five great pianistsof our time, and the all-Schubert program should be one of the high pointsof the fall music season. It includes theopulent Sonata in D Major (Opus 53),a work of great vitality that has anunearthly lyrical slow movement andgets more and more “Schubertian” asit nears the Finale. The other big workis the Sonata in A minor (Op. Post.143), a dramatic early venture whosestark and brooding quality harks backto Beethoven. He’ll also play the Impromptu in B-flat (Op. 142, No. 3),the familiar “Rosamunde” Variations,and several of the Moments Musicaux,Op. 94 (Nos. 5, 6, 3, and 2). This isbound to be a Schubertiad you won’twant to miss. – Willem Brans

A Texas Maverick

For several decades J. Frank Dobie was the only writer whose name was inevitably associated with Texas by almost any American. School children from Minnesota to Maryland to Maine pored over Dobie’s tales of lost silver mines, of dusty cattle drives, of Indian lovers and warriors, in the “Regional Life” section of their seventh grade readers.

Dobie devoted 50 years of energetic intellectual life to discrediting the simplistic generality of the myth of the West. His efforts were large and his methods impeccable: He substituted particulars, in all their strange and varied richness, for the shadowy outlines of the general. He answered Hoot Gibson with The Longhorns, Tonto with Coronado’s Children, Trigger with The Mustangs. Ironically, somewhere along the way he became “Mr. Texas” and something of a myth himself.

Now Lon Tinkle’s biography, An American Original: The Life of J. Frank Dobie (Little, Brown, & Co., $10), restores the man to us, not as a hazy archetypal Texan, but as an “American original.” With a tone of love, respect, occasional wry amusement, and constant appreciation, Tinkle brilliantly re-creates the Dobie who valued his own independence above all other assets, who deliberately set out to be a maverick and make it pay.

What Dobie called independence may have been called something harsher by others: by the stuffy senior members of the University of Texas English department, out-maneuvered and forced to accept Dobie, without a Ph.D and on his own terms, as a colleague; by the Austin police department when Dobie preferred to go to jail rather than to pay a small parking ticket; by the board of regents at the university who fired him after 30 years. Even his devoted but analytical wife once wrote, “I should say that in Frank, pig, charging bull, and mule together make a half, and that the other half is humanity at the very finest.” To Tinkle’s credit, An American Original, in a natural and non-schematic manner, endeavors to portray both halves realistically, and to suggest the vitality their uneasy equilibrium created in Dobie over the 75 years of his life.

Tinkle acquaints us with a “Mr. Texas” who loved the whole world: “He longed to live in Santa Fe, when he first saw it, for ’the rest of his life’; he felt the same way about the Basque country in France, about spots on the Mediterranean, about desert Mexico, about California, about rural England, about life on oceangoing liners, about the Dobie ranch, about Austin, Texas – to which he always longed to return from his vagabonding yet purposeful wanderings.”

Hemmed in by outworn proprieties and relentless loyalties, Dobie never became a great writer. His work, as valuable as it is to an understanding of the real West, rarely suggests the complexity of the man himself. This biography does.

-Jo Brans



Ray Charles In His Own Voice

The subtitle of Brother Ray (Ray Charles and David Ritz, Dial, $9.95) is “Ray Charles’ Own Story.” Other people have had their say: Now the man himself will tell “the whole truth.” The outline of the story is familiar: Raised in Georgia by two women, both of them his father’s ex-wives, Ray Charles Robinson (he dropped the last name in his teens to avoid confusion with the boxer) started playing boogie-woogie at three by sitting in the lap of a local piano player and imitating his chords and licks. At age six he went inexplicably blind in a matter of weeks and was sent to a state school where he learned to tinker with machines and studied the rudiments of music theory. Orphaned at 15, he went out in the world on his own, obviously talented and already a tough musician, begging gigs from Tallahassee to Seattle.

Throughout the Fifties, blacks were his main audience. Like other black musicians on the road in the South, he fought, with mixed success, the Jim Crow laws. As both laws and music began to change the country, his songs won acceptance from white audiences. Major recording contracts came his way, he built his own company, and now he enjoys, apparently without ostentation, the rewards of pop success.

The success story is not unalloyed. He’ has three children by two wives, neither of whom could tolerate for long his life on the road and his addictions to drugs and other women. The book recalls the 17-year daily heroin habit that he finally kicked cold turkey after getting busted in Boston. The scene in which he realizes that his loyalties are divided among his family, his career, and drugs is the most heartfelt and powerful in the book. Ray Charles admits that various women bore him five other children, all of whom he supports. Two of these women sued him successfully for more child support than he was willing to pay; and he confirms the complaints of friends and sidemen that he is stingy and self-protective. To his credit, Charles tells this part of his story with no apology, self-pity, or self-aggrandizement.

The unique quality of this book is not so much the story as it is the language of the telling. As the “other author,” David Ritz (a former D Magazine contributing editor) says,”Ray Charles’s speech is in his music. Talking comes first.” The book is written in a modified Black English, a slangy, raunchy street language that at times drops into banality but often reaches for lyricism. It comes from a voice that influenced entertainers from Pat Boone to the Beatles, and helped change the music millions of people listen to. In Brother Ray the voice of all the songs recounts the life that went into them.

– Willem Brans

Mickey Mouse Grows Up

Mickey Mouse will be 50 years old Nov. 18. To celebrate the occasion the Walt Disney Studios and NBC are throwing a party the next day honoring the world’s most famous rodent.

No arguing – Mickey deserves the celebration. During a half century in show business he’s done it all. He still performs live before millions every year at Disneyland and Walt Disney World, he’s had his own television series, millions belong to his fan club, and he’s starred in more than 120 films. Without a single acting lesson he’s played just about every role imaginable – straight drama, westerns, comedies, mysteries. He’s played an inventor, a giant-killer, a plumber, a riverboat captain, a pilot; he’s traveled to the Middle East and won an Olympic gold medal. He can sing, dance, even lead an orchestra.

Since 1953 Mickey has been in semi-retirement. That was the year he made his last film, The Simple Things. The eternal optimist with the big black ears, the red shorts, and white gloves is now a company symbol, representing Walt Disney enterprises at its theme parks.

Mickey was conceived – not out of lust, but out of desperation – during a train ride from New York to Los Angeles. His father, Walt Disney, had just left behind his first star, Oswald the Rabbit, the casualty of a copyright fight, and was staring at certain bankruptcy unless he came up with a new star – quick.

And so the mouse. At first his name was to be Mortimer, but Lillian Disney said that Mortimer Mouse was pompous. Mickey was more down to earth. His first two films, Plane Crazy and Gallopin’ Gaucho, were not exactly hits – no one would release them. Mickey Mouse didn’t become a star until he spoke. His squeaky voice was Disney’s, and Disney made time to do Mickey’s voice through 1946.

Mickey made his debut Nov. 18, 1928 at New York’s Colony Theatre in Steamboat Willie. The rest, as they say, is history. During his first decade, Mickey starred with Minnie Mouse and his pals Pluto, Donald Duck, Peg-leg Pete, Goofy, and Clarabelle Cow in 90 cartoons.

The 90-minute birthday party on NBC traces the little guy’s life. Helping out will be Burt Reynolds, Mel Brooks, Anne Bancroft, Sally Field, Gregory Peck, Elton John, Dick Clark, Bruce Jenner, Joe Namath, Raquel Welch, Gerald Ford, and Charo.

Of course, there will be clips from Mickey’s screen triumphs, including his first black and white films and his partin Fantasia as the sorcerer’s apprentice.Watch the program in color becausethe first seven minutes of one of thegreatest cartoons ever made, BraveLittle Tailor, will be shown. It’s a raretreat. -Charles Schreger



The Cowboys’ Big One

This month’s pickings in the gridiron goldmine are rather slim, but there are a few nuggets of interest. On the Cowboy ledger, The Big One is the Thanksgiving Day bash in Texas Stadium against the Redskins. Like all remaining Cowboy games, this one is sold out, and scalper prices are likely to be high. So if you’re not holding tickets already, enjoy it on the tube with a little cranberry sauce. The SMU Mustangs will throw their mania at the Aggies of A&M on November 4 and against the Razorbacks of Arkansas on November 25. If you’ve been moved enough by Mustang Mania to make a trip to the Cotton Bowl, the Arkansas game offers a look at one of college football’s very finest. If it’s the Texas Longhorns you want, they’ll be in Amon Carter stadium on November 18 to chew on TCU.

For a good taste of a different kind of football, there’s a big rugby tournament scheduled for the weekend of November 18 and 19. Preliminary plans call for 16 men’s teams and 8 women’s teams from around the Southwest to scrum it up at Harry Moss Park (on Greenville Avenue near Meadow Road) for all-day matches beginning at nine in the morning. Ruggers are noted for their post-game festivities, so you might just latch on to a good party while you’re at it.

And the venerable Dallas Black Hawks move into the heart of their hockeyseason with a full slate of home games.The liveliest battle will likely be onSaturday night, November 11, againstthe arch-rival Fort Worth Texans, lastyear’s CHL champions and long-timeBlack Hawk nemesis. The teams -and their fans – have never liked eachother, and in spite of new Black Hawkpersonnel, that doesn’t figure tochange. -David Bauer

MOVIES



Some of these films haven V opened in Dallas yet, but they should sometime in November. Commentary is by Charles Schreger.

Autumn Sonata. Ingmar Bergman has written and directed one of his most painful, claustrophobic, and relentless films. Also one of his best. Ingrid Bergman and Liv Ullman are sublime as a mother and daughter discovering together that each has for years deeply resented the other.

The Big Fix. Mysteries and thrillers are returning to Hollywood. Some are conventional; others, like this one, have a contemporary twist. Richard Dreyfuss, in his first film since The Goodbye Girl, is Moses Wine, a gumshoe with a rathole for an apartment, a cynical disposition, a broken marriage, an oversupply of wisecracks, and a case so complicated Philip Marlowe couldn’t navigate all the detours. The twist here is that Dreyfuss’ cynicism began when he was a Berkeley radical. Roger Simon, who wrote the screenplay from his own novel, and director Jeremy Paul Kagan extend this comedy-thriller beyond escapism.

Boys From Brazil. Nazis, clones, Laurence Olivier and Gregory Peck. At first an odd mixture, but director Franklin J. Schafner (Pat-ton) blends them into a generally taut thriller based on Ira Levin’s bestseller. Peck, for once playing the villain, is Dr. Josef Mengele, a Nazi war criminal with a frightening plan. The performances should keep you engaged although the film needs trimming and the resolution is a disappointment. Also stars James Mason, Lilli Palmer, and Uta Hagen.

Days of Heaven. Three nomads, Richard Gere, Brooke Adams, and Linda Manz, drift into the life of a wealthy wheat farmer at the turn of the century in Terrence Malick’s brilliant new work, his first since Badlands. The photography by Nestor Almendros and Haskell Wexler is breathtaking. And the acting – listen to the rhythm of Manz’s narration – appears effortless. This is an American art film of the highest order, poignant, funny, and wise. Don’t miss it.

Death on the Nile. Old fashioned, well plotted, stylized movies are still alive: Here’s proof. Peter Ustinov is Agatha Christie’s witty and logical Belgian sleuth, Hercule Poirot, in Egypt on the trail of murder, intrigue, a wealthy heiress, and a stolen lover. Everyone on board a Nile steamer – including Bette Davis, Mia Farrow, Angela Lansbury, Jack Warden, George Kennedy, and Maggie Smith – is a suspect. Don’t tire yourself trying to outsmart Poirot. Sit back and enjoy the lovely settings, the wonderful characterizations, and the witty dialogue. This is the followup to Murder on the Orient Express, and at last Hollywood has made a sequel superior to the original.

Eyes of Laura Mars. Faye Dunaway is a trendy fashion photographer with mysteriously accurate premonitions foretelling a series of murders. A New York police lieutenant, Tommy Lee Jones, gets assigned to the case and becomes an element in the mystery. Despite good performances by Brad Dourif and Rene Auberjonois, as well as Dunaway and Jones, this thriller lacks an essential ingredient – a clever resolution.

Girlfriends. Melanie Mayron is natural and affecting as a young New York photographer struggling with professional insecurities and a disintegrating friendship. Full of wonderful touches and real people, this is Claudia Weil’s first feature. The script by Vicki Polon is a gem. With excellent, subtle performances by Anita Skinner, Eli Wallach, Bob Balaban, and Christopher Guest.

Goin’ South. Whenever the credits show more than two screen writers for one movie, watch out. This is the oddest western since The Missouri Breaks, which also starred Jack Nicholson. Nicholson, doubling as director, does a pretty fair Gabby Hayes imitation for about 30 minutes. John Belushi made a wrong turn following a Saturday Night Live sketch and wound up as a Mexican sheriff.

Go Tell the Spartans. The time is 1964, and America’s military involvement in Vietnam is strictly “advisory.” Burt Lancaster, commander of a jungle outpost, is ordered to send his raw troops on an ill-fated mission. The performances are fine, and Wendell Mayes’s straightforward script rings psychologically and historically true. However, looking at the drama with 15 years of hindsight, the question arises: Who do you root for? This is a war movie with no heroes. Ted Post shot this picture in Southern California, but managed to make it look convincingly like Southeast Asia. Impressive newcomers include Craig Wasson, Evan Kim, Jonathan Goldsmith, and Joe Ungar.

Grease. Alan Carr and Robert Stigwood bring the long-running Broadway musical to the screen with a marvelous cast and an uninspired director. Not even Randal Kleiser’s facility for placing the camera in exactly the wrong place can diminish John Travolta’s screen magnetism. He’s a sexy, vital Movie Star. And a great dancer. Travolta gets good support from Olivia Newton-John, Stockard Channing, and Jeff Conaway.

Heaven Can Wait. With this delightful remake of the 1941 classic Here Comes Mr. Jordan, Warren Beatty becomes Hollywood’s first quadruple threat since Charlie Chaplin. Beatty produced, co-wrote (with Elaine May), codirected (with Buck Henry), and stars as a naive Los Angeles Rams quarterback prematurely summoned by the Man Upstairs. He returns to earth in a new body – a millionaire industrialist who is the object of a murder plot. Also stars Dyan Cannon, Charles Grodin, Julie Christie, and Jack Warden.

Hooper. Burt Reynolds, the 1970s Cary Grant, continues to hone his casual wise-guy screen persona. This time he’s the world’s greatest stunt man in danger of losing his crown. Brian Keith once held the title, and Jan-Michael Vincent, finally in a role equal to his talents, is the heir apparent. There are lots of barroom fights, car crashes, and fancy stunt work plus a touching story about aging. Co-stars the wonderful Sally Field.

Interiors. Woody Allen has delivered on a long-standing promise: He’s written and directed a serious drama. The performances by E. G. Marshall, Maureen Stapleton, Marybeth Hurt, Kristin Griffith, Geraldine Page – and, to a lesser extent, Diane Keaton and Richard Jordan – are marvels. So are Allen’s direction and Gordon Willis’s moody and artful photography. The story, however, about the psychological crises of a wealthy, cerebral New York family, is artificially claustrophobic – the kind of tale Allen likes to satirize. It’s bold and interesting, but too self-consciously profound.

Jaws 2. No, it’s not as scary as the original. Nonetheless, this sequel, which should have been titled “Beach Blanket Jaws,” has its thrills. Richard Dreyfuss and Robert Shaw are unavailable, so Roy Scheider, still chief of police in the Cape Cod resort community, battles the maneater alone. This time you see more of the shark, and he likes to nibble on teenagers.

National Lampoon’s Animal House. John Belushi is a slob – a gross, belching, beer drinking animal named Bluto. He’s a fairly typical member of the Delta House fraternity. Co-produced by the chairman of the National Lampoon magazine, Matty Simmons, this comedy set at a college in 1962 will not win any awards for subtlety. But if you like your humor in broad strokes and aren’t easily offended, you’ll enjoy this one.

Paradise Alley. This is Sylvester Stallone’s third Rocky. He began with the original Philadelphia schlub turned heavyweight contender, then Rocky as union organizer in F.I.S.T.. and now the wrestling Rocky as if rewritten by Damon Runyon. It’s an old-fashioned rags to riches story with a plot begging to be forgiven. In a nice twist, Stallone, who also wrote and directed, gives the Rocky role to the hulking Lee Canalito; Sly plays the scheming brother. Stallone’s still a one-note actor, but in this movie he displays a charming comic presence.

Slow Dancing in the Big City. The role of a Jimmy Breslin-ish columnist was the chance of a lifetime, and Paul Sorvino proves how deeply he can penetrate a character. This is the movie that will make him a star. Director John Avildson (Joe, Rocky) and Anne Ditchburn, a dancer making her screen debut, make sizeable contributions, but it’s Sorvino’s picture. The plot is hokey and implausible. Bring at least two hankies for the final 15 minutes when Ditchburn dances her heart out for the columnist she loves.

Return from Witch Mountain. The folks at the Walt Disney studios seem to spend most of their time inventing plots calling for levitation. Two youngsters visiting from another planet do the trick in this sequel to Escape to Witch Mountain. Bette Davis and an evil scientist (Christopher Lee) greedily try to harness the young aliens’ power. Even in a mediocre Disney film like this one, Davis is fun to watch. The kids and their earthly pals are not.

Somebody Killed Her Husband. Bad news on two fronts. First, for lovers of suspense, this is the flattest thriller of the year. Lamont Johnson’s direction of Reginald Rose’s rather clever murder mystery has about as many suprises as a decaying corpse. And for the millions of Farrah Fawcett-Majors haters, more bad news: she can act. Farrah is perky – all right, vivacious – as the unhappy wife of an ambitious insurance executive who rudely shows up one night with a knife in his back. Farrah and her new boyfriend, a wisecracking toy salesman played by Jeff Bridges, are innocent, but will the police buy that? Nice cameos by Tammy Grimes and John Woods, but the deliciously perverse scenes – oh, what Alfred Hitchcock would have done with them – just lie there.

Watership Down. Certainly the only way to turn Richard Adams’s fable of a group of rabbits who abandon their doomed city for a new home and freedom was to animate it. Then again, there was no burning need to make a movie of Adams’s novel. Martin Rosen, who had never made an animated film, produced, wrote, and directed. Nice try, but no carrot.

A Wedding. Robert Altman is an innovative director who takes a chance. Sometimes he fails. That’s what happened with this film. As the title says, it’s about a wedding – with about four dozen characters and as many subplots. Supposedly it’s a comedy, but Altman’s sense of humor is strictly sixth grade. Carol Burnett is the mother of the bride, Mia Farrowis the bride’s sister, Geraldine Chaplin is chiefof protocol, Lillian Gish plays the groom’smother, Vittorio Gassman is the groom’sfather. And so on. The complications mountas the minutes pass – slowly.

Who is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe?Why anyone would cast the altogether obnoxious George Segal in a beer commercial, letalone a tasty thriller like this, is beyond explanation. But he’s here, and that irrepressiblemugging almost spoils your appetite for thispicture. Robert Morley offsets this film’ssingle liability with his urbane wit. It’s adelicious performance. Three master chefs aremurdered in this glossy suspense film setagainst the backdrop of European gourmetdining; while you may guess who did it, youwon’t walk away hungry.



FILM SERIES

History and Development of American Art. Tuesdays at 7. Nov 14: Politics and Art Between the Wars, works of Ben Shahn, Stuart Davis, Thomas Hart Benton, and Grant Wood; Art for the Masses deals with the federal arts projects of the Thirties. Nov 21: Abstract Expressionism, the works of Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning, and Mark Rothko; The Fifties: Painting and Sculpture at Mid-Century. Works of Jasper Johns, Alexander Calder, Robert Rauschenberg, and Louise Nevelson. Nov 28: The Sixties deals with the emergence of the commercial image in American art and techniques and media available to the contemporary artist; The Visual Tradition after Two Hundred Years features interviews with several contemporary artists who discuss the current state of art in America and what the future may hold. Free. Amon Carter Museum theater. 3501 Camp Bowie, Fort Worth. (817) 738-1933.

Italian Neo-Realism: Films of the Forties. Four films by noted directors documenting the postwar resurgence of Italy’s film industry. Nov 4: Ossessione (Obsession), Luchino Visconti, 1942. Nov 11: Paisan, Roberto Rossellini, 1946. Nov 18: Sciuscia (Shoeshine), Vittorio de Sica, 1948. 1:30 pm. Kimbell Art Museum, Will Rogers Rd West, Fort Worth. (817) 332-8451.

Manhattan Clearing House. Nov 9-18. Two weekends of films by Texas filmmakers. $2.50. Thurs-Sat at 8:15. 2420 Main. 651-1153.

Muhammad Ali: Skill, Brains, Guts. Nov 4 at 3. Videocassette program. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library / Learning Center, 2922 Forest. 421-4171.

University of Texas at Dallas. Nov 1 at 7:30 Rashomon. Nov 3 at 7:30 & 9:30: The Last Detail. Nov 8 at 7:30 & 9:50: David Copper-field. Nov 10 at 7:30 & 9:30: Bringing up Baby. Nov 15 at 7:30: Dr. Zhivago. Nov 17 at 7:30& 9:50: They Were Expendable. Nov 22 at 7:30: L’Avventura. Nov 24 at 7:30, 9:00 & 10:30: Yellow Submarine. Nov 29 at 7:30 & 9:30: Cleo from 5 to 7. $1. Founders North Auditorium. Floyd and Lookout, Richardson. 690-2945.

USA Film Festival: A Tribute to Charlton Heston. Nov 3, 4 at 7:30. Charlton Heston, on a national tour to promote his soon-to-be-released autobiography, The Actor’s Life: 1956-1976 will appear on stage each night to discuss his career and the motion picture industry and comment on three films. Friday night: Will Penny, with Mr. Heston on stage before and after the film. Sat night: Khartoum and Soylent Green, with Mr. Heston speaking between the films. Bob Hope Theatre, SMU. $5 by mail: U.S.A. Film Festival, P.O. Box 3105, SMU, Dallas, TX 75275 or at the door. 692-2979.



THEATER



Because of our early deadlines, our recommendations are based on what we know of the plays and the track records of the companies presenting them. Commentary is by John Branch.

The Adventures of Brer Rabbit. Nov 3 & 4, 10 & 11. $2 children, $3 adults. Fri at 7, Sat at 2. Casa Manana, 3101 W. Lancaster, Fort Worth. (817) 332-6221.

Cabaret. Thru Dec 31. Chastity Fox is a clever, though at first sight unlikely, choice for the role of Sally Bowles. $4-$6.50. Wed-Sat at 8, Sun at 2:30. New Arts Theatre Company, 2829 Northwest Hwy. 350-6979.

Celebration. Nov 29-Dec 2 at 8. The second-most famous musical by Tom Jones (book and lyrics) and Harvey Schmidt (music); not quite up to their first (The Fantasticks). University Theatre, North Texas State University, Den-ton. (817) 788-2428.

Cristabel. Nov 30-Dec 16. Described as “an erotic tragedy” by Charles Dee Mitchell, who conceived and directed it, this play is loosely based on a Coleridge poem, and it does much of its work through dance and expressive gesture rather than dialogue (it’s recommended for adults, by the way). The company performing it is doing its best to take Dallas theater in a genuinely new direction, and its efforts are usually successful. $2.50. Thurs-Sat at 8:15. Manhattan Clearing House, 3420 Main. 651-1153.

Company. Thru Nov 12. This musical about love and marriage did not prove as revolutionary as was first thought, but Stephen Son-dheim’s sophisticated score is in a class of its own. It’s an ambitious undertaking for this group, whose facilities are a bit cramped. $3.50-$4. Thurs-Sat at 8, Sun at 2. Theatre Onstage, 2120 McKinney. 651-9766.

Count Dracula. Nov 10-11, 16-18 at 8:15. As we know from other recent productions, the Count simply refuses to be laid to rest, and still has a few thrills to offer. Arlington Community Theatre. 2800 S. Center, Arlington. 261-8295.

The Day the Whores Came Out to Play Tennis. Nov 8-11 at 8:15. Arthur Kopit, like many another young American playwright, has not consistently fulfilled the promise of his early work (Oh Dad, Poor Dad); in this case, he is shooting at an easy target, the country club set. $2.50, $1.50 students and children. Studio Theater, North Texas State Unieersity, Demon. (817) 788-2428.

Death of a Salesman. Nov 8-11 at 8:15. $2.50, $1.50 students and children. Studio Theater, North Texas State University, Den-ton. (817) 788-2583.

Fiddler on the Roof. Nov 3-19 at 8. Undoubtedly one of the loveliest of recent musicals, but after so many productions, its charm begins to wear a little thin. $3, $2.25 students, $1.50 children. Northlake College Performance Hall, 2000 Walnut Hill Lane, Irving. 255-4705.

The Glass Menagerie. Nov 16-Dec 17. Musicals are the specialty of the Dallas Repertory Theatre, but after that the company seems most comfortable with Tennessee Williams. $4.75, $3.75 students and over 65. Thurs-Sat at 8:15, Sun at 3. Dallas Repertory Theatre, NorthPark Shopping Center. 369-8966.

Happy End. Nov 21-Dec 23. The story, about gangsters and Salvation Army lasses, is downright silly in places, but the songs make this show the equal of the other collaborations between Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill. (For more information, see p. 30.) $5.50 Tues-Thurs at 8 and Sun at 2:30 & 7; $6.50 Fri & Sat at 8:30. Theatre Three, The Quadrangle, 2800 Routh. 748-5191.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Thru Nov 18. The Randolph Tallman-Stephen Mackenroth rock musical version of Shakespeare’s comedy has been given some new songs. $4 Mon, $6.25 Tues-Thurs and Sat matinee, $7.50 Fri & Sat. Tues-Fri at 8, Sat at 8:30; matinees Wed at 1:30 & Sat at 5. Dallas Theater Center, 3636 Turtle Creek. 526-2610.

Much Ado About Nothing. Nov 28-Dec 10 at 8. Despite the youthful casts, SMU’s Shakespeare productions, at their best, are better than anyone else’s; there’s always something to marvel at. $4. Theatre SMU, Margo Jones Theatre, Southern Methodist University. 692-2573.

Oedipus the King. Thru Nov 4 at 8:15. UD’s unassuming theater program has produced more than its share of surprises, though Greek tragedy may be a bit too demanding. $1.50. Margaret Jonsson Theater, University of Dallas, 3113 University Ave, Irving. 438-1123, ext. 314.

Othello, the Moor of Venice. Nov 10-11, 16-18 at 8; 12 & 19 at 1:30 and 7:17. $3-$3.50. UTA Theatre, University of Texas at Arlington Fine Arts Bldg. (817) 273-2164.

Peter Pan. Nov 12, 19, & 26 at 2 pm. The musical version of James Barrie’s fantasy-adventure. $2.50. Junior Players Guild, Haymarket Theatre, 12215 Coit Rd. 241-4619.

The Robber Bridegroom. Nov 29-Dec 2 at 8:15. A sort of bluegrass musical (book and lyrics by Alfred Uhry, music by Robert Waldman) based on a Eudora Welty story. University Theater, North Texas State University, Denton. (817) 788-2583.

The Royal Family. Nov 9-13, 15-18. About the Barrymores; written by George S. Kaufman and Edna Ferber. $4 weekdays & Sun; $4.50 Fri & Sat. Performances at 2:15 and 8:15. Fort Worth Community Theatre, William Edrington Scott Theatre, Amon Carter Square. (817) 738-6509.

The Shadow Box. Thru Nov 11. Michael Cristofer’s award-winning play in a stunning production. $5.50 Tues-Thurs at 8, Sun at 2:30 & 7; $6.50 Fri & Sat. Theatre Three, The Quadrangle, 2800 Routh. 748-5191.

The Snow Queen. Nov 24-Dec 17. For children. 7:30 pm Fri, 10 am & 2 pm Sat, 2 pm Sun. $1.75. Theatre Onstage. Trinity Center, 2120 McKinney (at Pear) 651-9766.

A Texas Trilogy. Nov 28-Jan.13. Preston Jones’s wonderful plays in revival. Dallas Theater Center. 526-2610.

Uncle Vanya. Nov 2-5, 9-12 at 8. One of Chekhov’s four great plays (rescheduled from last month). $3, $2 students. University Theater, University of Texas at Dallas, 690-2982.

West Side Story. Nov 2-4, 9-11 at 8:15; Nov 5 at 2. Certainly Leonard Bernstein will be remembered as much for this music as for anything else he’s written. $2. Performance Hall, Mountain View College, 4849 W. Illinois. 746-4132.



MUSIC



The Barber of Seville. Nov 3 at 7:30, Nov 5 at 2 and Nov 8 at 8. In Italian, conducted by Nicola Rescigno, directed by Italo Tajo. The cast will feature Marilyn Home as Rosina, tenor Rockwell Blake as Count Almaviva, baritone Sesto Bruscantini as Figaro, bass Fernando Corena as Dr. Bartolo, bass Paolo Montarsolo as Don Basilio, and baritone John-Paul Bogart as Fiorello. $3.50-23.00. Dallas Civic Opera. 3000 Turtle Creek Plaza. 528-3200.

Manuel Barrueco. Nov 1at 8:15. At 26, the Cuban-born virtuoso is already being compared to masters like Segovia. At this recital, sponsored by the Dallas Society for the Classical Guitar, Barrueco will play Bach’s Fourth Lute Suite, Granados’ “Spanish Dances,” and works by Albeniz and Brouwer. $3.50. Caruth Auditorium, SMU. 823-3123 or DSO Box Office.

Concert and University Bands. Nov 2 at 8:15. Dr. Robert Winslow, conductor. Free. Music Recital Hall, North Texas State University. Denton. (817) 788-2530.

Dallas Brass and Woodwind Octet. Nov 5, 7-8:30. The last of three chamber music concerts sponsored by the Dallas County Heritage Society. On the grounds of Old City Park. Bring a picnic. 1717 Gano. 421-5141.

Dallas Symphony Orchestra Chamber Music. Nov 11 & 18 at 8:30. Featuring distinguished solo artists of the Dallas Symphony. $5. DSO Box Office, Titche’s NorthPark. 692-0203.

Dallas Symphony Orchestra Radio Marathon. Nov 17, 7 am-Nov 19, midnight. 51 hours broadcast live from the NorthPark Mall on WRR-FM radio. Gifts will be on display. Supporting stations: KVIL, KNUS, KLIF, WFAA, KRLD, & KOAX. 826-7000.

Bob Dylan. Nov 24 at 8. Tarrant County Convention Center Theatre. 526-5400 for ticket information.

Early Music Consort of SMU. Nov 12 at 4. Directed by Larry Palmer. Free. Christ Episcopal Church. 534 West 10th at Llewellyn. 941-0339.

Fort Worth Symphony. Nov 5 at 3 and Nov 7 at 8. John Giordano conducting, with Yo Yo Ma, cellist. $2-8. Tarrant County Convention Center Theatre. Nov 21: Texas Little Symphony Series. $5. Kimbell Art Museum, Will Rogers Rd West. Fort Worth. (817) 921-2676.

Fort Worth Opera Guild Preview. Eugene Conley, Resident Artist at NTSU who made his debut at the Met as the Duke in Rigoleiio, will sing selections from that opera Nov 5 at 2, Arlington Community Center music room, sponsored by the Fort Worth Opera Guild and the Arlington Fine Arts League. Nov 12 at 2 in the solarium of the Fort Worth Art Museum, sponsored by the Fort Worth Opera Guild. (817) 478-2006.

Highlander Chorale. Nov 12 at 7. The Chorale performs Bach’s “Jesu Meine Freude,” Britten’s “Rejoice in the Lamb,” and a selection of spirituals. Free. Highland Park Presbyterian Church. 3821 University Blvd. 526-7457.

Billy Joel. Nov 18 at 8. $7-8. Dallas CountyConvention Center Arena. Rainbow Tickets, 521-3670.

A Masked Ball. Nov 17 at 8. Nov 19 at 2, and Nov 21 at 8. In Italian, conducted by Angelo Campori. Starring Renata Scotto, Bianca Berini, Ruth Welting, Beniamino Prior, Renato Bruson, Nicola Zaccaria, Harry Dworchak, John-Paul Bogart. $3.50-23. Dallas Civic Opera. Music Hall at Fair Park. 528-3200.

Aldo Mancinelli. Nov 17 at 8:15. A guest piano recital featuring sonatas by Scarlatti, Schumann’s Symphonic Etudes, Op. 13, Chopin’s Fantasy in F minor, Barber’s Sonata, Op. 26, and works by Debussy. $1-2.50. Caruth Auditorium, SMU. 692-3342.

Carlos Montoya. Nov 7 at 8. $6. Texas Hall, University of Texas at Arlington. 273-2963.

Mu Phi Epsilon and Dallas Museum of Fine Arts Sunday Concert Series. Nov 5: Franklin Washburn, violin, and Marvin Gross, piano. Nov 12: Linda Heffner, soprano. Nov 19: Robert C. Smith, piano, and Lynda Smith, soprano. Nov 26: Megan Meisenbach, flute. Free. 5 pm in the Museum Auditorium. Fair Park. 421-4188.

NTSU Symphony and Chamber Orchestra. Nov 9 at 8:15. Music Recital Hall, North Texas Sate University, Denton. (817) 788-2530 for reservations.

The O’Jays. Nov 3 at 8. $7-8. Dallas Convention Center Arena. Rainbow Tickets, 521-3670.

One O’Clock Lab Band. Nov 21 at 8. $4, $2 students and faculty. North Texas State University Coliseum. Denton. (817) 788-2530 for reservations.

Piano Solo Competition. Nov 18-19. 500 students from throughout the state. Free. Performance Hall, Mountain View College. 4849 West Illinois. 746-4114.

Requiem. Nov 5 at 7:30. Durufflé’s sublimely peaceful version of the Requiem Mass performed by the chamber singers and orchestra of Highland Park United Methodist Church. Free. Child care for the very young by reservation. In the Sanctuary, Highland Park Methodist Church. 3301 Mockingbird. 521-3111.

Richardson Symphony Orchestra. Nov 7 at 8. The Symphony plays Mousorgsky’s Night on Bald Mountain, Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 23 in A Major, and Chopin’s Concerto No. 2 and Grand Polonaise. Pianist Robert Guralnick is featured. Season tickets only. $15, $35 for family. Richardson High School Auditorium, 1250 Belt Line, Richardson. 234-4195.

Richland College Performing Arts. Nov 7: Richland Brass Ensemble. Nov 14: Richland Chorus and First United Methodist Church of Garland. Peaceable Kingdom by Randall Thompson. Nov 21: Lu Martinez, mezzo-soprano. Nov 28: Joan Davies’s string quartet. All performances Richland College Performance Hall, 12:30 pm. 12800 Abrams. 746-4494.

Rigoletto. Nov 17 at 8 and Nov 19 at 2:30. In Italian, with Richard Fredericks and Faye Robinson, directed by Bliss Hebert, conducted by Rudolf Kruger. $4-17. Student / teacher discounts in some sections. Fort Worth Opera. Tarrant County Convention Center Theatre. (817) 731-0833.

St. Mark’s Boys’ Choir. Nov 5 at 5. The Boys’ Choir will sing the traditional Anglican service of Evensong in the school chapel. Free. St. Mark’s School, 10600 Preston. 363-6491.

SMU Fall Festival-Music of the Twenties. Nov 5: Mezzo-soprano Barbara Moore sings songs by Cole Porter, Ives, Fats Waller, Handy, and Williams, accompanied by David Karp, who also plays three Gershwin Preludes, Copland’s Passacaglia, and Schubert’s Moments Musicaux. Nov 19: “A Schubert Evening” performed by SMU Choir conducted by Lloyd Pfautsch, featuring sacred and secular songs for women’s, men’s, and mixed voices. $1-2.50. 8:15 in Caruth Auditorium, SMU. 692-3342.

Texas Traditional Music Series. Sundays at 2:30 through Nov. Authentic performances of Anglo, Black, Chicano, Cajun, Czech, and German music. Tickets $3.50, must be purchased prior to the day of performance. Amon Carter Museum, 3501 Camp Bowie, Fort Worth. (817) 738-1933.

Voices of Change. Nov 27 at 8:15. “Paris Yesterday and Today.” Twentieth century French music, including Ida Gotkovsky’s Clarinet Concerto, Messiaen’s Quartet for the End of Time (first Dallas performance), Ravel’s Chansons Madécasses, and Delmas’ Sonata for Rule, Cello, and Harp. $1-3.50. Caruth Auditorium, SMU. 692-3342.

Andre Watts. Nov 6 at 8:15. “Celebration of Schubert.” Dallas Civic Music. McFarlin Auditorium, SMU. 369-2210.

Youth Orchestra of Greater Fort Worth. Nov 14 at 8. $2, $1 students. Orchestra Hall, 4401 Trail Lake Drive. Fort Worth. (817) 923-3121.



CLUBS



Andrew’s. One of Dallas’s better bars, impeccably crafted with paneled walls, hardwood floors, and antique furniture. Best features are the outdoor courtyard and the bargain drinks, its worst the occasional folk music. Happy Hour, daily until 7. Mon-Fri, 11-2; Sat and Sun, noon-2. AE, MC, V. 3301 McKinney. 526-9501.

Bagatelle. One of the best places for jazz listening, it’s also a comfortable, dimly-lighted bar with low couches and music that doesn’t prevent conversation. Thurs-Sat, Paul Guerrero’s jazz combo; Sun and Mon, vocalist Nancy Paris and guitarist Chris DeRose; Tues and Wed, vocalist Jeanne Maxwell and pianist Charles Prawdzick. Entertainment Thurs, 9-1; Fri and Sat, 9-1:30; Sun and Mon, 8:30-11:30; Tues and Wed, 8:30-12:30. Bar hours: Thurs, noon-1; Fri and Sat, noon-2; Sun-Wed, noon-12. All credit cards. Reservations Fri and Sat. 4925 Greenville. 692-8224.

Chelsea Corner. A little over-ferned and antiqued, but well-designed enough to permit you to find a quiet corner and escape from both the collegiate clientele and the folk singers, if you wish. Excellent drinks – they serve Johnny Walker Red off the bar, and Happy Hour lasts from 11:30-8 every day. Mon-Fri, 11:30-2; Sat, 12-2; Sun, 1-2. AE, MC, V. 4830 McKinney. 526-9327.

Faces. Dallas’s showcase club for “progressive country,” the “Austin sound,” or whatever you want to call it. Lots of Austin-based regulars mixed with an occasional national name that’s not in the country mold (like Elvis Costello), some rock, and a few blues and jazz performers. A beer-drinking, good-time crowd in a mock-rustic, nouveau honky-tonk setting. Cover varies, about $l-$3.50. Dancing. Daily, 8-2. No credit cards. 4001 Cedar Springs. 522-7430.

Granny’s Dinner Playhouse. Dinner shows nightly; late shows Fri and Sat; Sun cocktail matinee. Through Nov: “Bottoms Up ’79.” Dinner shows: Wed, Thurs, Sun, $11.50. Fri & Sat, $13.50. Late show Sat, $8. Tues special: $9.75. 12205 Coit. 239-0153.

Greenville Bar & Grill. Billed as Dallas’s oldest bar, brought back to life as a neighborhood gathering spot for Lakewood / East Dallas. A comfortable place to drink, talk, and munch burgers. Nov 5. Cornetist Jim Cullum of Jim Cullum’s Happy Jazz Band from San Antonio. Every Thurs & Sun: Hall Baker and the Gloom Chasers, 9-Mid. Food 11-mid. No Cover. 2821 Greenville. 823-6619.

Ichabod’S. The best of the Greenville Avenue bar/disco/restaurants, a long, elliptical place with tiered seating all around. Good drinks and service; always crowded. Daily, 5-2. All credit cards. Old Town in the Village. 691-2646.

J. Alfred’s. A good spot for an afternoon beer, but the mixed drinks are mediocre. Usually no place to sit during Happy Hour, when it’s packed with surly-looking regulars. No credit cards. Mon-Sat, 11-2; Sun, 12-2. 4217 Oak Lawn. 521-3741.

Jason’s. The decor is obnoxiously funky-chic and the service cavalier, but the diverse and excellent entertainment – usually jazz – more than compensates. Nov 12: David Fathead Newman. Nov 3, 4, 17, 18: James Marsh & the Executives. Nov 24 & 25: Bill Tillman and Moments Notice. The Robert Sanders Quartet plays every Wed, Just Us jazz quartet every Thurs. Mon 11-1, Tues-Sat 11-2, Sun 5-1. AE, MC, V. 2916 N Hall. 528-0100.

Joe Miller’s. The media people bar, and probably not much fun for non-regulars. The smallness and plainness of the bar are offset by Miller’s personality as well as by his two-ounce, well-iced drinks. Mon-Fri, noon-2 am. AE, MC, V. 3531 McKinney. 521-2261.

Longhorn Ballroom. Nov 3: Gene Watson. Nov 18: Jana Jae of “Hee Haw.” Dewey Groom, Al Harvey and the Texas Longhorns play nightly. Wed-Sun, 9-2 am. Cover varies. All credit cards. Reservations. 216 Corinth. 428-3128.

Old Plantation. A predominantly gay disco, but also a place where straights can mingle unhassled. The sound system is incredible; the music, non-stop mainline disco. No credit cards. $2 cover Fri and Sat, $1 Sun-Thurs. Sun-Thurs, 8-2; Fri and Sat, 8-4. 1807 N Harwood. 651-1988.

Overtake Bellringer. The best straight disco in town, usually jammed with serious dancers and hustlers in their late 20s and early 30s. The help is a little surly, liable to make up dress restrictions on the spot when the place is too crowded; there’s usually not much seating, so go only if you just want to boogie. The Beg-ger, across the street, attracts Saturday Night Fever types, But it’s often less crowded. Daily, 11-2. AE, MC, V. 9525 Overtake. 350-5541.

Papillon. An over-rated restaurant with an under-rated bar, an attractive place raised slightly above the dance floor. Big enough to let you ignore the Beautiful People if you wish; usually quiet; with touch-dancing music late in the evening. Mon-Fri, 11:30-2; Sat and Sun, 6-2. All credit cards. 7940 N Central. 691-7455.

Railhead. Tommy Loy’s Upper Dallas Jazz Band makes this plush and pleasant bar the place to hear jazz on Sunday and Monday nights. Loy fronts a quartet playing jazz standards on Mondays, and a six-piece band playing Dixieland on Sundays. Tues-Sat, 5-1:30; Sun and Mon, 5-about 12. AE, MC, V. 6919 Twin Hills. 369-8700.

Recovery Room. Tucked away in a seedy shopping center, this club makes up for its lack of atmosphere with the jazz of Marchel Ivery and Robert Sanders. A place for serious listening and technique-observing by both would-be and accomplished musicians. The likes of Buddy Rich and Woody Herman’s band have been known to drop in when in town. 4036 Cedar Springs. 526-1601.

San Francisco Rose. A bright, laid-back place, adorned with a lot of greenery, a few couches, and wingback chairs. Salads, sandwiches, and soups are all pretty ordinary, but as a bar, it’s an appealing place, particularly on a dreary day. Mon-Sat, 11:30-2: Sun, noon-2. AE, MC, V. 3024 Greenville. 826-2020.

Stoneleigh P. A made-over drugstore with terrific burgers, featuring dark rye buns and provolone. There’s a jukebox with everything from classical to country, and a browsing-encouraged magazine rack. Mon-Thurs 11:15 am-midnight, Fri and Sat till 1 am, Sun 12-12. 2926 Maple. 741-0824.

Strictly Ta-Bu. The 40’s are alive and well in this neighborhood bar and restaurant, from the pink flamingo mural to Benny Goodman on the tape system. A comfortable, dimly-lighted club with separate dining and listening areas, it attracts an eclectic clientele of all garbs and predilections to hear mainstream jazz standards. Fri, Sat at 9:30 pm: Rich Mat-teson & Jack Peterson band. Tues-Thurs at 9:30: Ed Hagan & Friends. No cover. MC, V. Mon-Thurs, 5-1; Fri, 5-2; Sat, Sun, 6-2. 4111 Lomo Alto. 526-9325.

Texas Tea House. A get-down country place, with dancing in the beer garden outside. Cover varies. They serve only Longnecks, Spanada, and Old Milwaukee on tap. No credit cards. Tues-Sat, 8-2. 3042 Kings Rd. 526-9171.

Top of the Dome. The only bar in town with several views of the Dallas skyline. Daily, 11-2. All credit cards. $1.50 for the trip up. Reunion Tower, 301 Reunion. 651-1234.

Venetian Room. A fancy and expensive mock-up of the Doge’s Palace, this supper club attracts those couples who appreciate the semi-formal dress requirements and who like to foxtrot to an orchestra before the show. The cover is usually $10 and up a head, and worth it only when you know the performer gives a dynamite show. The service reminds one of Brennan’s – friendly and attentive at its best, lackadaisical and downright surly at its worst. Oct 30-Nov 11: Patti Page. Nov 13-25: Kay Stevens. Nov 27-Dec 9: Rita Moreno. 2 shows nightly except Sunday; $6-18. AE, DC, MC, V. Fairmont Hotel, Ross & Akard. 748-5454.

Whiskey River. Decorated in rustic Western style and resembling a corral, it usually features – what else? – progressive country acts. Cover varies. Daily, 8 pm-2. AE, MC, V. 5421 Greenville. 369-9221.



ART



MUSEUMS

Children’s USA Show. Nov 3-17. Weekdays, noon-5. The Gallery, North Texas State University An Building, Denton. (817) 788-2583.

Dallas Museum of Fine Arts. Through Nov 26. Bridget Riley: 120 works from 1959 to the early Seventies. For more information see p. 30. Tues-Sat 10-5, Sun 1-5. Fair Park. 421-4188.

Fort Worth Art Museum. Nov 3-Dec 31. Target Collection of American Photography. Tues-Sat 10-5, Sun 1-5. 1309 Montgomery. (817) 738-9215.

Kimbell Art Museum. Through Nov 16. “Tour and Tea Series.” Forty-minute gallery tours conducted by Kimbell docents on “Faces and Places” from the medieval period through the 20th century, followed by tea and coffee. Nov 1 & 2: The 18th century. Nov 8 & 9: The !9th century. Nov 15 & 16: The 20th century. Nov 11-Dec 17: William Hogarth’s major prints, depicting everyday life in mid-18th century England. Tues-Sat 10-5, Sun 1-5. Will Rogers Rd. West, Fort Worth. (817) 332-8451.

Southwestern Print, Drawing and Photography Exhibition. Through Nov 26. Juried exhibition of Texas artists. Tues-Sat 10-5, Sun 1-5. Dallas Museum of Fine Arts, Fair Park. 421-4188.

GALLERIES

Adelle M. Fine Art. Through Nov. Off-loom weavings by Mary Ruth Smith and fabric art by Florence Barry. 3317 McKinney. 526-0800.

Altermann Art Gallery. Through Nov. Group showing of Western, wildlife, and Americana art. Mon-Fri 9-5, Sat by appt. 2504 Cedar Springs. 745-1266.

Collectors Covey. Through Dec 1. Wildlife art by Gary Swanson, Robert Abbett, Herb Strasser, and David Hagerbaumer. Mon-Sat 10-6. 15 Highland Park Village. 521-7880.

Cushing Galleries. Through Nov 4. Works by Gerson Leiber. Mon-Sat 10:30-4:30. 2723 Fairmount. 747-0497.

Delahunty Gallery. Through Nov. Recent works by William Wiley. Tues-Sat 11-5. 2611 Cedar Springs. 744-1346.

DW Co-op. Nov 6-30. Ceramics by Yoshi Schranil and lithographs and quilts by Cecil Day. Tues-Sat 11-5. 3305 McKinney at Hall, second floor. 526-3240.

500 Exposition Gallery. Nov 19-Dec 17. Photographic work by Susan Walton, director of the Allen Street Photography Gallery. Tues-Sat 10-5, Sun 1-5. 500 Exposition Ave. 828-1111.

Florence Art Gallery. Nov 12-Dec 31. Rodelle Karpman: works in oils, sculptures in bronze, and collage in tissue. 2500 Cedar Springs. 748-6463.

Gallery 13. Nov 20-Dec 29. Wall-hung sculpture including painted balsa wood structures, assemblages of found objects, and cold cast acrylic sculpture by members of the Artists’ Coalition of Texas. KERA/Channel 13, 3000 Harry Hines Blvd. 744-1300.

Gibson-Bryant Fine Prints. Through Nov. Prints and maps of the 16th through 20th centuries. Wed-Sat 11-5. 2723 Routh. 744-3474.

Master of Fine Arts Candidates’ Show. Nov 27-Dec 1. Weekdays, noon-5. The Gallery, North Texas State University Art Building. Demon. (817) 788-2583.

Oura Art Gallery. Through Nov. Paintings by Jennie Haddad, sculpture by David Mc-Cullough, and paper casts by Michael Tichan-sky. 839 Exposition. 823-6287.

Phillips Galleries. Through Nov. Paintings by Renee Theobald. 2517 Fairmount. 748-7888.

Quadrangle Galleries. Through Nov 11. Watercolors by Henry Gasser. Mon-Sat 10-5:30. 2800 Routh. 748-9488.

Stewart. Nov 18-Dec 1. French impressionists of the 19th and 20th centuries. Pierre Gaston Rigaud, Edmond Petitjean, Ernst Le Villian, Paul Morchain, Francoise Gilot. Tues-Sat 10-5. 12610 Coit Rd. 661-0213.

Texas Art Gallery. Through Nov. Contemporary western artists. 1400 Main. 747-8158.

Williamson. Nov 5-30. Paintings by Dorothy Keith. Mon-Sat 11:30-5:30. 3408 Milton. 369-1270.



ENLIGHTENMENT



COURSES

Creative Flower Arranging. Nov 13-Dec 4. Mon 6:30-8:30. Richland College. 12800 Abrams. 746-4494.

Dallas Civic Garden Center. Nov 11, 9-noon: Bulb workshop & seminar. Instruction on bulb planting and bulb sale. Free. Nov 15, 9-noon: Plant taxonomy. $2 members, $5 non-members. Dallas Civic Garden Center auditorium. First & Forest Aves, Fair Park. 428-7476.

Gift Wrapping. Nov 8-Dec 6. Wed, 5:30-7:30. $12. Richland College, 12800 Abrams. 746-4494.

Insurance for the Small Business. Nov 9, 9-5. Conference sponsored by the Dallas Chamber of Commerce. $45. Dunfey’s Royal Coach, Ballroom I. 3800 W Northwest Hwy. 651-1020 ext 141.

Interior Decoration for the Holidays. Nov 4, 9-12. Festive table settings and centerpieces, interior holiday decoration, distinctive and unusual tree decorations, and outside decorations ideas. $10. Mountain View College. 4849 West Illinois. 746-4114.

Microwave Cooking. Nov 11. 9 am-3 pm. $12. Richland College. 12800 Abrams. 746-4494.

Reading sessions. Programs to teach parents to help their children become better readers, presented by a group of reading specialists. Especially oriented toward parents of children age 3-9. Nov 9 & 16 at 7: Park Forest Branch, 3421 Forest Lane. 241-1434. Nov 11 & 18 at 2: Walnut Hill Branch, 9495 Marsh Lane, 357-8434. Nov 2 & 9 at 7: Lakewood Branch, 6121 Worth. 821-5128.

Relaxation Through Massage. Six session course in the techniques of Swedish massage. Begins Nov 1, 7:30-9:30. Central YWCA, 827-5600. Couples $20, Singles $12. 4621 Ross. Begins Nov 6: Irving YWCA, $15, 3600 Northgate, 252-8683.

Thanksgiving Holiday Arrangements. Nov 4, 9-12. Thanksgiving arrangements for your table, mantle, fireplace, or coffee table. $10. Mountain View College. 4849 West Illinois. 746-4114.

Vegetarian Cooking. Nov 2-Dec 4. Thurs, 7-9:30. $35. Richland College, 12800 Abrams. 746-4494.



LECTURES



William F. Buckley, Jr. Nov 29 at 8. $4. University Center, University of Texas at Arlington. 273-2963.

Virginia Johnson. Nov 2 at 12:15. “The Pleasure Bond: Sex Roles in American Society.” Free. Performance Hall, Richland College, 12800 Abrams. 746-4494.

Maggie Kuhn. Nov 30 at 12:15 and 8 pm. A member of the Gray Panthers speaks on “Aging.” Performance Hall at Richland College. 12800 Abrams. 746-4494.

Wilma Rudolph. Nov 16 at 12:15 and 8 pm. “The Importance of Sports Training During Youth” by a former Olympic track star. Free. In the Performance Hall at 12:15, gym at 8. Richland College. 12800 Abrams. 746-4494.

Gail Sachson. Nov 8: The author of Ask Me About Jackson Pollock, an artbook for children ages 4-10, will discuss “Art as a Language for Preschoolers.” Richardson-Northlake PTA. Nov. 11: “Pompeii and Circumstance – Wall Murals.” $4. Ages 5 & 6. Dallas Museum of Fine Arts.

Barbara Seaman. Nov 9 at 12:15. A leader of the women’s health movement speaks on “Female Health Problems.” Free. Mezzanine at Richland College. 12800 Abrams. 746-4494.



MUSEUMS



Age of Steam. Several retired trains and a Dallas streetcar are parked on a siding at Fair Park for a walk-through trip into a sadly departed era of transportation. $1. Tours offered Sun only, 11-5. Fair Park. 823-9931.

Amon Carter Museum. Through Nov 16: “Bo’ Jou Neejee! Profiles of Canadian Indian Art.” Artifacts offering a comprehensive look at the art and social life of the major Indian tribes of Canada east of the Rocky Mountains. Main gallery. Through Nov 19: Fugues and photographs by Caroline Vaughn. Reception gallery. Throughout Nov: “Photography and the West.” Over 100 works copied from premier photographers of the 19th century West by photographer Bill Current. Mezzanine gallery. Throughout the winter: Selections from the permanent collection will be shown on a rotating basis, including works by Georgia O’Keefe, Winslow Homer, Thomas Moran, and others. Gallery tours of the collection daily. 3501 Camp Bowie, Fort Worth. (817) 738-1933.

Dallas Museum of Natural History. Through /Vov 26. ” Wonders of the Sea,” Exhibit of sea-shells from around the world. Free. Mon-Sat 8-5, Sun and holidays 1-5. Fair Park. 421-2169.

Fort Worth Zoological Park. Daily 9-5:30. Collection includes live animals with an aquarium, herpetarium & tropical bird house. Thru Nov: “A Place for Life,” multi-media visual program every half hour starting at 1 pm in the Education Building. Forest Park. 2727 Zoological Park, Fort Worth. (817) 870-7050.

Fair Park Aquarium. This Fair Park institution is showing its age badly, but the kids will probably be captivated by the variety of underwater creatures on show. Free. Mon-Sat 8-5; Sun, holidays 1-5. Fair Park. 428-3587.

Forest Park Aquarium. Daily 9-5. Forest Park, Fort Worth. (817) 870-7050.

Forest Park Zoo. One of the largest in the Southwest. Daily 9-5. Forest Park, Fort Worth. (817) 923-4637.

Fort Worth Botanic Gardens. Daily 8 am-11 pm. Japanese Gardens, Tues-Fri 10-4, Sat 10-5, Sun 1-5; last ticket sold an hour before closing. $1 over 12. 3320 Botanic Garden Dr, Fort Worth. (817) 870-7686.

Fort Worth Museum of Science and History. Planetarium, live animal room, and halls dedicated to geology, paleontology, and Texas history. Mon-Sat 9-5, Sun 2-5. Free except planetarium: adults $1.50, under 12 75C. No one under 6 admitted. 1501 Montgomery, Fort Worth. (817) 732-1631.

Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge. 3,300 acres, great place for families. Free tours. Mon-Fri 8-5; Sat, Sun 9-5. Lake Worth. (817)237-1111.

Garden Center. The attractive solarium is one of Dallas’s most interesting places for a retreat on either a very hot or very cold day, when you can think green thoughts in the green shade of tropical flora. The outdoor garden paths change with the seasons, of course. Free. Mon-Fri 10-5; Sat, Sun 2-5. Fair Park. 428-7476.

Health and Science Museum. Through Nov: Planetarium shows: “Mark Twain,” Sat and Sun at 2:30 and 3:30; “Scouting with the Stars,” Mon-Fri at 4, Sat at 1. $1.25, 75￠ under 11. Fair Park. 428-8351.

Marsalis Park Zoo. Literally for the birds. Although the mammals are the usual restless zoo creatures in cages that seem too small for them, the bird collection is one of the country’s best and certainly the most colorful attraction at this pleasantly laid-out zoo. The reptile house is not for people who get squeamish at the sight of a garter snake, but it’s one of the most interesting sections of the zoo. 75￠; children under 12 free if accompanied by adult. 9-6 daily. 621 E Clarendon. 946-5154.

Museum of Natural History. Although the displays are unimaginative for the most part, and the dioramas of animals of this region are in need of refurbishing, the fossilized remains of prehistoric creatures continue to awe the crowds. Free. Mon-Sat 8-5; Sun, holidays 12-6. Fair Park. 421-2169.



EVENTS



Community Showcase. Performances by various arts groups. Brown bag lunches invited. Nov 7: Marrakesh Dancers, a Middle Eastern dance troupe. Nov 14: Contemporary Chorale of Richland Community College. Nov 21: “Greatness from Greece and Rome,” presented by Dr. Anne Bromberg from Dallas Museum of Fine Arts in conjunction with Pompeii exhibit. Nov 28: “Pompeii Lives,” presented by Dr. Bromberg. All shows at 12:15. Dallas Public Library. 1954 Commerce. 748-9071 ext 287.

Cook Children’s Hospital Bazaar. Nov 17, 11 arn-7 pm. Fund-raising bazaar on the hospital patio. 1212 W Lancaster, Fort Worth.

Dallas PhotoShow International. Nov 30-Dec 3. Displays, photo gallery, film workshops, lectures, modeling and fashion shows, camera diagnostic clinic, entertainment, and doorprizes. $3.50. Thurs & Fri 5-10, Sat noon-9, Sun noon-6. Market Hall. 2200 N. Stemmons. 630-6552.

Judaica Exhibit. Nov 8-30. Books lent by Dr. Harvey Richman and articles from the Texas Centennial. First level, Central Library. 1954 Commerce. 748-9071 ext 280.

Lakewood Home Tour. Nov 18, 10 am-4 pm. Five homes on tour; proceeds to benefit the Lakewood Elementary School playground. $3.50 at Lakewood Bank and Trust. 6323 La Vista.

Moods of the Weather. Nov 3 & 4. Fall Flower Show by members of the North Dallas Garden Forum. Free. Walnut Hill Recreation Center. 10011 Midway Rd.

Positive Thinking Rally. Nov 16. Featuring Paul Harvey, Art Linkletter, Norman Vincent Peale, and Zig Ziglar. 1-9 pm in Moody Coliseum, SMU. $10-15. 647-4001.

Richardson Women’s Club Holiday Home Tour, Bake Sale, Country Store, and Sweet Shop. Nov 18, 19. Four area homes decorated by top Dallas designers; Bake Sale, Country Store and Sweet Shop in Richardson Women’s Club House. $2 advance, $2.50 at the door. 2001 E Campbell Rd. 234-1927. Richland College Community Service Tour. Nov 4 & 5. San Antonio and Wurstfest at New Braunfels. $60. 746-4444.



PLACES



Audubon Sanctuary, Mountain Creek Lake. A local favorite of herpetologists, fossil hunters, bird watchers, and botanists. On the south end of Mountain Creek Lake.

Bachman Lake Park. Woodland and grassland area with many bird species. Bounded by Lemmon, Cochran Chapel, and Northwest Highway.

Dallas County Historical Plaza. A landscaped, open city block, the focal point of which is the John Neely Bryan house, built in 1841, the first in Dallas. Main, Market, and Elm.

Farmer’s Market. The municipal market, selling Texas-grown and some out-of-state produce. On Sunday mornings, everybody in town seems to be here. The only drawbacks are the scanty parking and people who insist on driving into the barns; just ignore the carbon monoxide fumes and concentrate on the plentiful pickings, usually available at considerable savings. Daily 7 am-8 pm. 1010 S Pearl. 748-2082 or 670-4433.

Greenhills. An 800-acre nature preserve offering tours of the nature trails, experimental stations in the morning and swimming after lunch (bring your own). Owned by Fox & Jacobs. On Danieldale near Cedar Hill. Call ahead. 295-1955.

John Fitzgerald Kennedy Plaza. A sacred place with a simple cenotaph surrounded by open green space. Designed by Philip Johnson, architect of the Fort Worth Water Gardens and Dallas’s Thanks-Giving Square. Commerce, Market, and Main.

Kiest Park. Area abounding with fossils and a wide variety of wildlife. Kiest and South Hampton.

L. B. Houston Park and Nature Area. Inhabited by beavers, opossum, gray foxes, and other wildlife. On Tom Braniff off Route 144 near Texas Stadium.

Old City Park. Restored 19th-century buildings, including a mansion, museum, church, and store. Lunch is available Tues-Fri, 11:30-1:30. Open Tues-Fri, 10-4; Sat and Sun, 1:30-4:30. Adults $1; under 12 and over 65, 50￠. 1717 Gano. 421-5141.

Reunion Tower. Dallas’s newest landmark provides a spectacular view of the city from the revolving observation deck. Open from 11 to 2 am daily; the elevator ride costs $1.50. Reunion Plaza.

Samuell East Park. Virgin prairie land populated by a large variety of prairie birds; it also contains a farm museum. 1-20 south to Belt Line, 1/2 mile north on the service road.

Six Flags Over Texas. Entertainment park with rides and attractions, including a double-loop roller coaster. Till November 26, open Sat 10-mid, Sun 10-8. One-price admission $8.50 per person, children under 3 free. Parking $1. 3 1/2 miles NE of SR 360, just south of I 30. 461-1200.

Swiss Avenue. Dallas’s first historic district, a tree-lined boulevard of residences built in the early to mid-I900s, representing 16 architectural styles, including Prairie Style, Italian Renaissance, and Georgian Revival.

Thanks-Giving Square. A purposely sacred space in the middle of downtown, framed by three brass bells at one entrance and a spiralling chapel at another. Its genius loci derives from architect Philip Johnson’s sensitivity to the sights and sounds of water, from the quiet trickle of the reflecting pools to the roar of the “Great Fountain.” Mon-Fri, 10-5; Sat, Sun, and holidays, 1-5. Bryan, Ervay, and Akard.



SPORTS



Cricket – Dallas County Cricket Club. Every Sunday at 2 at the Cedar Pub, 5738 Cedar Springs, 351-9388.

Football – Dallas Cowboys. Texas Stadium. $6, $10. 369-3211.

Nov 19 vs. New Orleans Saints, 1 pm

Nov 23 vs. Washington Redskins, 2:30 pm

Football – SMU Mustangs. Cotton Bowl, 1:30 pm. $8 reserved, $2 general admission. 692-2901.

Nov 4 vs. Texas A&M

Nov 25 vs. Arkansas

Football – TCU Horned Frogs. Amon Carter Field, 2 pm. $8-9 reserved, $4 general admission, $2 high school & under. (817) 921-7967.

Nov 11 vs. Texas Tech

Nov 18 vs. Texas

Football – North Texas State Eagles. Fouts Field in Demon, 7:05 pm. $1-$6. (817) 788-2662.

Nov 4 vs. So. Mississippi

Nov 11 vs. Northeast Louisiana

Nov 18 vs. Memphis State

Football – UT-Arlington Mavericks. Cravens Field in Arlington, 7:30 pm. $5 reserved, $4 general admission, $2 high school and under. (817) 273-2261.

Nov 4 vs. Northwest Louisiana

Hockey – Dallas Black Hawks. Fair Park Coliseum, 7:30 pm $3-$6. 823-6362.

Nov 3 vs. Oklahoma City

Nov 4 vs. Kansas City

Nov 9 vs. Tulsa

Nov 11 vs. Fort Worth

Nov 17 vs. Tulsa

Nov 18 vs. Kansas City

Nov 24 vs. Salt Lake City

Nov 25 vs. Oklahoma City

Polo – Willow Bend Polo Club. Matches Sunday afternoons (call for times), weather permitting. Farm Rd. 544, 1 1/2 miles west of Preston Rd. Admission $2.50, children under 12 free. 248-6298.

Rugby – Dallas Harlequins, Dallas Rugby Club, Our Gang Rugby Club. Sunday afternoons (and occasional Saturday afternoons) at Glencoe Park (N Cen Expwy at Martel) and at Harry Moss Park (Greenville near Meadow). For information, call 651-0129 days, 324-5817 nights.

Nov 4 Harlequins vs. Dallas Rugby Club, Glencoe

Nov 18 & 19 Our Gang 16-team tournament, Moss Park, beginning 9 am.

Thoroughbred Horseracing – Louisiana Downs. Through November 26. Beginning Nov 1, post time is 12:45. Racing Wednesday through Sunday, except Nov 22 and 23. Grandstand $1, Clubhouse $2.50. Highway 80 East in Bossier City, Louisiana. Call toll-free (800) 551-8622.



KIDSTUFF



Mickey Mouse’s 50th Birthday Party. Nov 18 at 3. Everyone invited. Forest Green branch, Dallas Public Library. 9015 Forest. 231-0991.

The Adventures of Br’er Rabbit. Nov 3, 4, 10, & 11. $2 children, $3 adults. Fri at 7, Sat at 2. Casa Mariana, 3101 W Lancaster, Fort Worth. (817) 332-6221.

American Indian Center. Nov 18 at 3. Dance and music by children from the American Indian Center of Dallas. Pleasant Grove branch, Dallas Public Library, 1125 South Buckner. 398-6625.

Discover Dallas. Field trips for elementary school children to learn about history, culture, and interesting places in Dallas. Six Saturdays, beginning Nov 4. 11 am-2 pm. $15. Park North YWCA, 4525 W. Northwest Hwy. 357-6575.

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. Through Dec 2. Kathy Burks Marionettes perform each Thurs, Fri, and Sat, 10:30, 1:00, and 4:00. $1.25. Haymarket Theatre at Olla Podrida. 12215 Coit. 233-1958.

Peter Pan. Nov 12, 19, 26 at 2 pm. Themusical version of James Barrie’s fantasy-adventure. $2.50. Junior Players Guild,Haymarket Theatre, 12215 Coit Rd. 241-4619.

The Snow Queen. Nov 24-Dec 17. 7:30 pmFri, 10 am & 2 pm Sat, 2 pm Sun. $1.75.Theatre Onstage, in Trinity Center, 2120McKinney (at Pearl). 651-9766.