March Events OPENERS

JAPANESE TREASURES



Most historians agree that the golden age of Japanese culture occurred during the two and a half centuries when that country was ruled by what amounted to a series of military dictators-all members of the same remarkable family, the Tokuga-was. The treasures produced during this extraordinarily fruitful artistic period are the subject of The Shogun Age, the first blockbuster exhibit to visit the new Dallas Museum of Art. The show includes some 300 objects-paintings, scrolls, calligraphy, furnishings, musical instruments, masks and implements for the tea ceremony-selected from Tokyo’s Tokugawa Museum, the astonishing repository of objects acquired by the Tokugawa family during its Sho-gunate. Also included are possessions of the daimyo (feudal lords) from as early as the mid-14th century. Taken together, these objects represent the epitome of Japanese achievement and taste.

Unlike Western artists after the Renaissance, Japanese artists and their patrons didn’t distinguish between objects intended for use and those intended for contemplation. The interplay between these two-the utilitarian and the aesthetic-gives all the objects in the exhibit an extraordinary richness. Calligraphy on a deed recording property settlements, for example, is as expressive as the brushwork on any painting; a sword is as elegant a piece of sculpture as a carved Buddha.

None of these precious works have been allowed outside of Japan before, and the exhibit is making only one other stop in the United States (at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art) before moving on to Munich and Paris.

March 18-27 at the Dallas Museum of Art, 1717 N. Harwood. Fri-Wed 11-6, Thur 11-9. 922-0220.

-Ken Barrow



GISELLE DANCES INTO SPRING



Aside from The Nutcracker, the Dallas Ballet hasn’t had many full-length ballets in its repertoire. George Skibine produced Coppelia during his years as artistic director, but the ballet never was the big draw that the company hoped for. This season, however, Flemming Flindt has introduced at least one evening-long work, the very impressive Toreador.

This month, the company presents Flindt’s version of Giselle, that staple of romantic ballet and a true test for both a ballerina and a corps de ballet. Both Adolphe Adam’s delicate score and the fairy tale of the spritelike heroine driven mad by separation from her lover still have a powerful hold. The choreography, based on that of Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot, ought to showcase the very strong female segment of the company. The production itself, borrowed from the Boston Ballet, may test the limits of the renovated Majestic Theatre, which should nonetheless house it splendidly. Maybe Giselle is the romantic blockbuster that the Dallas Ballet has wanted for so long.

March 15 & 16 at 8 p.m., March 17 at 2 & 8 p.m. and March 18 at 2 p.m. at the Majestic Theatre, 1925 Elm. Tickets $25-$5. 744-4430.

-Tony White



A SALUTE TO MUSIC MASTERS



Forty-one years ago this month, a new show opened at the St. James Theatre on Broadway. It was Okla homa!, the first collaboration between composer Richard Rodgers and lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II. For the next two decades, the pair charmed the world and made theatrical history with a string of hits, including Carousel, South Pacific, The King and I, Flower Drum Song and The Sound of Music.

The Dallas Symphony salutes Rodgers and Hammerstein March 2 with a SuperFops concert featuring the First Broadway Quartet, a vocal team whose individual experiences range from TV commercial jingles to Fidelio with Leonard Bernstein. The quartet, which includes soprano Bonnie Murray, mezzo-soprano Anita Darian, tenor Gene Bullard and baritone Robert Trehy, will join conductor Kirk Trevor for an evening of favorite Rodgers and Hammerstein songs, duets, overtures and interludes performed with the full orchestra. The SuperPops series continues with vocalist Helen Reddy’s performance March 23.

Rodgers and Hammerstein salute: March 2 at 8 p.m.; Helen Reddy: March 23 at 8 p.m. Both concerts at Fair Park Music Hall. Tickets $18-$8. 692-0203.

-Wayne Lee Gay



D’s Openers include this month’s theater, music, film, sports, art, dance, enlightenment and recreation events, as well as a list of the top nightlife establishments in Dallas. These listings are updated and supplemented each month. They have nothing whatso ever to do with paid advertising.

All events listings should be addressed to the Openers editor and must be received at least two months before publication.

Credit card notations: MC/MasterCard, V/Visa, AE/American Express, DC/Diners Club, CB/Carte Blanche. “All credit cards” in dicates that all five cards are accepted.



ART



Edvard Munch. This master printmaker and pioneer modernist explored love and death in woodcuts, etchings and lithographs that merge eroticism and terror. Through March 25 at the Meadows Gallery. Meadows School of the Arts. SMU. Mon-Sat 10-5, Sun 1-5. 692-2516.

Spanish Photography. The Delahunty’s staff recently went to Spain, and it has returned with a number of rare 19th-century albums featuring landscapes, building views and – rarest of all – scenes from inside the Royal Armory. March 3-Apnl 11 at Delahunty, 2701 Canton. Tue-Sat 10-5. 744-1346.

Gisela-Heidi Strunck. Traditional sailor’s skills of knotting, drilling, wrapping and cutting plus the warmth of such traditional materials as wood, rope, clay and cast paper combine to give these sculptures an unexpected strength and grace. March 3-Apnl 14 at Nimbus Gallery, 1135 Dragon. Mon-Fri 10-5, Sat 11-4. 742-1348.

Giuseppe Penone. An odd. poetic power marks these works by an Italian artist who has collaborated with such natural forces as growth and decay to produce a potato shaped like an ear, pared a wooden beam down to reveal the young sapling inside and made a 40-foot drawing of the inside of his own eyelid. Through March 18 at Fort Worth Art Museum, 1309 Montgomery, Fort Worth. Tue 10-9, Wed-Sat 10-5, Sun 1-5. (817) 738-9215.

James Dowell. Long hours of intense scrutiny allow this Texas-born painter to imbue such commonplace things as architectural fragments and the view from his apartment window with a striking clarity and eloquence. Through March 15 at DW Gallery, 3200 Main. Tue-Sat 11-5. 939-0045.

Joyce Tenneson. This artist prints her negatives on hand-sensitized paper and restricts tones to the lightest grays, producing photographic prints with the delicacy of pencil drawings. Through March 3 at Afterimage, the Quadrangle, 2800 Routh. Mon-Sat 10-5:30. 748-2521.

The Lane Collection. American art came of age between 1913 and 1950 when a group of American originals that included (among others) Arthur Dove, Georgia O’Keeffe, John Marin, Stuart Davis and Arshile Gorky developed a truly indigenous style. Through March 4 at Amon Carter Museum, 3501 Camp Bowie, Fort Worth. Tue-Sat 10-5, Sun 1-5:30. (817) 738-1933.

Polly Little. Anguished figures play out lonely dramas amid the stark landscapes in this Dallas artist’s big, colorful canvases. The show is paired with an exhibit of glittery, gaudy glass wall pieces by Austin artist Susan Stinsmuehlen. Through March 8 at Mattingly Baker, 3000 McKinney. Tue-Fri 10-6, Sat 11-5. 526-0031.

Sandy Stein. Working in Texas limestone and exploring basic architectural elements such as the wall and the column, this local artist has revived the much-neglected art of stone sculpture. March 3-April 20 at Foster Goldstrom, 2722 Fairmount. Tue-Sat 10:30-5:30. 744-0711.



Church’s Landscapes

Frederic Edwin Church wasn’t America’s first great landscape painter (that distinction belongs to his teacher, Thomas Cole), but he was one of the first artists to paint a new kind of American landscape: sublime, glorious, grander than life. The Early Landscapes, 1845-1854, an exhibition at the Amon Carter Museum, surveys 25 paintings and 20 oil and pencil sketches of New England scenery, produced during a period in which Church was beginning to reach beyond the mere description of the landscape to an evocation of its power. March 9-April 29 at Amon Carter Museum, 3501 Camp Bowie, Fort Worth. Tue-Sat 10-5, Sun 1-5:30. Free. (817) 738-1933.



THEATER



Brighton Beach Memoirs.

In 22 years, Neil Simon has created no less than a score of hit comedies, including “Barefoot in the Park” and “The Odd Couple,” rightly earning the distinction “prolific.” His latest work, a semi-autobiographical account of a Depression-era family living in New York, has been praised by critics for its humanity and intelligence. It has both, and it’s also very funny. This Majestic Broadway Series production should be solid. Feb 28-March 4 at the Majestic Theatre. 1925 Elm. Tue-Fri at 8 pm, Sat at 2:30 & 8 pm, Sun at 2:30 & 7:30 pm. Tickets $23.50-$18.50; available at Ticketron outlets or at the Dallas Theater Center box office. 526-8857.

Blues in the Night

The national touring company of Broadway’s Blues in the Night brings Delia Reese to the Majestic Theatre this month for three nights of sultry song. This musical revue of jazz and blues, which received a Tony nomination this year for Best Musical, is produced by M2 Entertainment Co. of New York. Set in a seedy Chicago hotel in 1938, the story focuses on three lonely women whose songs lament the men they have loved and lost. March 23-25 at the Majestic Theatre, 1925 Elm. Fri & Sat at 8:15 p.m., Sat & Sun matinees at 2:30 p.m. Tickets $18-$5; available at Ticketron outlets and at the Majestic Theatre box office. 265-2646.



Fool for Love. Actor/playwright Sam Shepard knows how to leave the grit on modern love. In this crackling tete-à-tête, two lovers battle for power and affection in a motel room on the edge of the Mojave Desert. The scheduling of this play confirms the freshness of the “new” Dallas Theater Center. March 13-April 22 at the Frank Lloyd Wright Theater, Dallas Theater Center, 3636 Turtle Creek Blvd. Tue-Thur at 8 pm, Fri at 8:30 pm, Sat at 4 & 8:30 pm, Sun at 2:30 pm. Tickets $14.50 & $13 Fri & Sat evening; $12.50 & $11 Tue-Thur, Sat matinee & Sun. 526-8857.

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. Dallas Repertory Theatre continues its 15th season with this irresistible musical by Larry Gelbart, Burt Shevelove and Stephen Sondheim. The play fuses Latin comedy with vaudeville schtick as it follows the adventures of Pseudolus, a Roman slave who wants his freedom. The mixed theatrical forms blend together to create a minor modern masterpiece. “Morals tomorrow, comedy tonight!” Through March 11 at Dallas Repertory Theater, NorthPark Center, Park Lane at N Central Expwy. Wed-Sat at 8:15 pm, Sun at 3 pm. Tickets $10 Fri & Sat: $8 Wed & Thur; $9 Sun. 369-8966.

Master Harold. .. and the boys. During its respectable Broadway run, Athol Fugard’s tautly written play about racism was nominated for three 1982 Tony Awards, including Best Play. The story chronicles the maturing of Master Harold (a teen-age boy) and his changing friendship with the two black men who work for his father in a South African tearoom. Zakes Mokae, who won a Tony for Best Featured Actor for his role as one of the “boys,” comes to Dallas with this touring production. Feb 29-March 25 at the Plaza Theatre, 6719 Snider Plaza. Tue-Sun at 8:15 pm, Sat matinee at 4 pm, Sun matinee at 2:30 pm. Tickets $18 & $16 Fri & Sat; $14 & $12 Tue-Thur; $12 & $10 Sat matinee and Sun. 363-7000.

Standing on my Knees. Historically, the voices of madness and of the Muse have, at times, been indistinguishable. In “Standing on my Knees,” playwright John Olive examines the faint line between insanity and art as embodied in a schizophrenic young poet named Catherine. While on the tranquilizer Thorazine, Catherine can cope with life; without it, she can write, but can’t cope. Patrick Kelly directs. March 7-April 15 at Stage #1, Greenville Avenue Theatre, 2914 Greenville. Wed-Fri at 8:15 pm, Sat at 5:30 & 9 pm, Sun at 7 pm. Tickets $10 Fri & Sat; $8.50 Wed-Thur & Sun. 824-2552.

The Wake of Jamey Foster. Mississippi hasn’t been the same since Beth Henley got hold of it. In this play, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of “Crimes of the Heart” lays Jamey Foster to rest, which riles his loved ones- and others-who are left behind. Jamey, after all, wasn’t the nicest of men. and a few things need to be aired. Through March 18 at Theatre Three, the Quadrangle, 2800 Routh. Tue-Sat at 8:15 pm, Sun at 2:30 & 7 pm. Tickets $13.50 Fri & Sat; $11 Tue-Thur & Sun. 871-3300

Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? When Edward Albee’s play first opened in 1963, audiences were riveted by what, amazingly, is still a shocking and compelling drama. This theater milestone focuses on a marriage held together by hatred, loss and maybe something more. March 15-April 21 at New Arts Theatre, 702 Ross at Market. Wed & Thur at 8 pm, Fri & Sat at 8:30 pm, Sun at 2:30 & 7:30 pm. Tickets $10.50 Fri & Sat; $7.50 Wed, Thur & Sun. 761-9064.



MUSIC



American Guild of Organists. The Dallas chapter’s recital series continues with guest artist Larry Smith, head of organ studies at Indiana University, performing Dupre’s Prelude and Fugue in B, Handel’s Concerto in B-flat major (Fuller edition), Distler’s Orgelsonate and Jongen’s Sonato Eroica. March 30 at 8:15 pm at University Park Methodist Church, 4024 Caruth. Tickets $6,821-3450.

BL Lacerta. Electronics expert David Behrman joins Dallas’ improvisatory chamber ensemble March 23 at 8 pm at Bath House Cultural Center, 521 East Lawther. Tickets $6.50. 328-8427.

Cliburn Foundation Concerts. March 13: The Arden Trio presents Haydn’s Trio in G, Mendelssohn’s Trio in C minor and Ravels Trio in A minor at 8 pm at the Kimbell Art Museum, 3333 Camp Bowie, Fort Worth. Tickets $10. March 27: Soprano Kathleen Battle performs music by Handel, Schubert, Liszt and Faure at 8 pm at Ed Landreth Auditorium, University at Cantey, Fort Worth. Tickets $16-$5. (817) 738- 6509.

Dallas Chamber Music Society. The Fitzwilliam Quartet performs Borodin’s Second Quartet, Shostakovich’s Quartet No. 8 and Beethoven’s Quartet, Op. 135. March 26 at 8:15 pm at Caruth Auditorium, Owen Arts Center, SMU. Tickets $6. 526-7301; 521-3831.

Dallas Chamber Orchestra. A “Basically Bach” evening features J.S. Bach’s Orchestral Suite No. 1 and Concerto for Three Harpsichords along with CPE. Bach’s Oboe Concerto. March 11 at 7 pm at Caruth Auditorium, Owen Arts Center, SMU. Tickets $8. 826-6974

Dallas Civic Music Association. March 7: Soprano Benita Valente, clarinetist Richard Stolzan and pianist Cynthia Raim appear in recital. March 28: Pianist Alfred Brendel appears in recital. Both concerts at 8:15 pm at McFarlin Auditorium, SMU. Tickets $25-$4.526- 6870.

Dallas Classic Guitar Society. Andres Segovia, one of the great musicians of our time, appears in recital March 11 at 4 pm at McFarlin Auditorium, SMU. Tickets $22-$8. 265-0789.

Dallas Public Library. Sunday afternoon concerts continue this month. March 4: the Schmitt Duo (piano and French horn) and pianist Tanya Gille. March 18: soprano Joan Tallis and harpsichordist Janet Hunt. March 25: pianist Madge Waterston Hunt. All concerts at 3 pm. March 6: Voices of Change presents a lunch-time concert at 12:10 pm. All events are free and are presented in the auditorium of the Central Public Library, 1515 Young. 749-4235.

Dallas Symphony Orchestra. March 1 & 3: Hiroyuki Iwaki conducts Richard Strauss’ “Ein Hildenleben,’ and Henryk Szeryng performs Beethoven’s Violin Concerto at 8:15 pm. March 8 & 10: Cellist Nathaniel Rosen performs Prokofiev’s Sinfonia Concertante under conductor Eduardo Mata in a program also featuring Ravel’s Sheherazade Overture and Tchaikovsky’s Fourth Symphony at 8:15 pm. March 16-18: Conductor Uri Segal leads a concert featuring Hindemith’s Symphonic metamorphosis on themes by Weber, Mozart’s Flute Concerto in G (with soloist Jean-Pierre Rampal) and Schumann’s Second Symphony, Fri & Sat at 8:15 pm and Sun at 2:30 pm. March 30-April 1: Mata returns to the podium for the closing concerts of the month, conducting Buxtehude’s Chaconne (arranged by Chavez), Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante in E flat and Brahms’ Symphony No. 4 in E minor, Fri & Sat at 8:15 pm and Sun at 2:30 pm. All concerts at Fair Park Music Hall. Tickets $15-$6. 692-0203.

Fitzwilliam Quart

The Fitzwilliam Quartet, a British-based ensemble that has made its reputation playing Russian music, appears this month as part of the Dallas Chamber Music Society’s annual subscription series. The ensemble has attained international prominence with its performances of all 13 of Dmitri Shostakovich’s String Quartets. For its Dallas concert, the Fitzwilliam will play Shostakovich’s Eighth Quartet as well as Borodin’s Second and Beethoven’s Op. 135. March 26 at 8:15 p.m. in Caruth Auditorium, Owen Arts Center, SMU. Tickets $6. 526-7301, 521-3831.



Dallas Symphony SuperPops. March 21: Kirk Trevor conducts a concert with the First Broadway Quartet at 8 pm. March 23: Helen Reddy appears with the orchestra at 8 pm. All concerts at Fair Park Music Hall. Tickets $18-$8. 692-0203.

Fort Worth Opera. Verdi’s “Un Ballo in Maschera” stars soprano Gilda Cruz-Romo, tenor Ermanno Mauro, baritone William Justus and mezzo-soprano Bianca Berini under the baton of conductor Richard Buckley and the stage direction of Sarah Ventura. March 9 at 8 pm and March 11 at 2:30 pm at Tarrant County Convention Center, 1111 Houston, Fort Worth. Tickets $30-$5. (817)731-0833.

Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra. March 2 & 3: The symphony presents a “Stars and Stripes Forever” concert at 8 pm. Tickets $18-10. March 13: Trumpeter Steve Weger will be the soloist with the Fort Worth Chamber Orchestra under John Giordano at 8 pm at Ed Landreth Auditorium, University at Cantey, Fort Worth. Tickets $12-$8. March 25 & 26: Giordano leads a “Starship Encounters II” Pops concert featuring movie themes and popular classics at 8 pm at Tarrant County Convention Center, 1111 Houston, Fort Worth. Tickets $18-$10. March 31 & April 1: Pianist Christian Blackshaw joins the Fort Worth Symphony for Schumann’s Concerto in A minor in a concert also featuring Rossini’s Tancredi Overture and Dvorak’s Symphony No. 6, conducted by Giordano, Sat at 8 pm and Sun at 3 pm at Tarrant County Convention Center. Tickets $15-$5. (817)926-8831.

Meadows School of the Arts. March 1: Lloyd Pfautsch conducts the SMU Choir. March 2: Howard Dunn conducts the SMU Wind Ensemble. March 5: Music by faculty composers Donald Erb and Jack Waldenmaier is presented in recital. March 6: A Mu Phi Epsilon concert features pianist Cheryl House. March 7: Anshel Brusilow conducts the SMU Symphony with cellist Lev Aronson in music by Brahms, Bloch and Beethoven. March 19: Voices of Change, SMU’s resident chamber ensemble, presents music by Walden-maier, Kraft and Smith; tickets $8. March 27: SMU Perspectives presents music by Davidovsky, Knab, Husa, Messiaen, Carter and Berio. March 29: Howard Dunn conducts the Symphonic Band. Unless otherwise noted, all concerts are at 8:15 pm in Caruth Auditorium, Owen Arts Center, SMU, and admission is free. 692-2628.

Texas Baroque Ensemble. The Dallas-based ensemble presents “Les Folies Francoises,” featuring music of Marais, Rameau and Couperin performed on authentic 18th-century instruments and reproductions. March 17 at 8:15 pm at St. Stephen United Methodist Church, 2520 Oates Drive, Mesquite. Tickets $5; $2.50 for students and senior citizens. 278-2458.



DANCE



Meadows School of the Arts. SMU’s Dance Division presents its annual spring program, “Dance ’84.” Choreographed by faculty members, guest choreographers and students, SMU’s dance productions traditionally feature a lively mix of styles and high-quality performances. March 30&31 at 8:15 pm and April 1 at 2:15pm at the Bob Hope Theatre, Owen Arts Center, SMU. Tickets $5. 692-2573.

Fort Worth Ballet. After an auspicious start with its own company this season, the Fort Worth Ballet contin-ues its tradition of bringing in first-rate visiting companies. This month, the company hosts the Houston Ballet and its admirable production of Tchaikovsky’s “The Sleeping Beauty.” Far and away the best company in Texas, the Houston Ballet has already taken this new staging (choreographed by Ben Stevenson) on a tour of Europe and the United States. Undoubtedly, the Houston Ballet’s marvelous soloists, such as Janie Parker, will make the evening another triumph for this dance organization that is one of Texas’ real treasures. March 23 & 24 at 8 pm at Tarrant County Convention Center Theatre, 1111 Houston, Fort Worth. Tickets $21 -$4.50; available at Central Ticket Agency. (817) 335-9000; metro 429-1181.

FILM

University of Texas at Dallas. March 2: “Victor/Victoria” at 7:30 & 9:45 pm. March 7: “An American Werewolf in London” at 7:30 & 9:15 pm. March 9: “Mon Oncle” at 7:30 & 9:30 pm. March 21: “Betrayal” at 7:30 & 9:30 pm. March 23: “Days of Heaven” at 7:30 & 9:15 pm. March 28: “Alexander Nevsky”at 7:30 & 9:30 pm. March 30: “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan” at 7:30 & 9:30 pm. Showings at Kusch Auditorium, Founders North Building, UTD, Richardson. Tickets $2; $1 for persons under 18 or 65 and older. 690-2945.

USA Film Festival. The 14th annual USA Film Festival premieres more than 30 new movies and offers workshops and seminars with filmmakers and celebrities. In the festival’s Director’s Retrospective, films by a selected director will be screened, each followed by an on-stage discussion and seminar with the director. The festival also includes the “Best of Texas Film and Video Showcase,” which focuses on the best films produced in Texas; and the “National Short Film/Video Competition,” from which the finalists will be chosen and screened. March 23-31 at the Inwood Theater, Inwood at Lovers Lane. Tickets $10-$4 for individual events; $85 for festival pass. For complete film schedule, call 760-8575.



SPORTS



Dallas Mavericks. Reunion Arena. Home game tickets $8, $6 & $4; available at Rainbow-Ticketmaster outlets, Sears stores and the Reunion Arena box office. Games start at 7:35 pm. 658-7068.

March 2 vs Kansas City

7 vs Cleveland

9 vs Los Angeles

10 vs Golden State

14 vsSan Diego

21 vs Atlanta

23 vs Houston

24 vs Denver

Texas State Golden Gloves Tournament. The 48th annual tournament hosts nearly 100 amateur boxers battling for state titles in 12 weight classes. March 13-17 at Will Rogers Coliseum, 1 Amon Carter Square, Fort Worth, Tue-Fri at 7 pm, Sat at 7:30 pm. Tickets $6-$2. (817)336-1313.

Virginia Slims of Dallas. Hana Mandlikova, Pam Shriver and Wendy Turnbull are among the players scheduled to compete in the 1984 Virginia Slims of Dallas tennis tournament. The tournament, which will benefit the Maureen Connolly Brinker Foundation, hosts the top women players in the world competing for $150,000 in prize money. March 19-25 at Moody Coliseum, SMU. Call 750-8362 for times and ticket prices.



ENLIGHTENMENT



Kennedy Symposium. “The Kennedy Administration: An Appraisal” brings several members of John F. Kennedy’s administrative team to SMU March 29 & 30 for a retrospective of the Kennedy years. Arthur Schles-inger Jr., special assistant to Kennedy and author of “A Thousand Days,” presents the keynote address March 29 at 8 pm at McFarlin Auditorium, SMU. The symposium will also include panel discussions on domestic affairs and foreign policy. Free. Call 692-3325 for discussion times and information.

Noble Planetarium. The Fort Worth Museum of Science and History celebrates the 25th anniversary of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) with “The Dream is Alive.” a program about NASA’s achievements in space exploration, documented with slides and film footage. Weekends through March 25 at Noble Planetarium, Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, 1501 Montgomery. Sat at 11 am, 2 & 3 pm; Sun at 2 & 3 pm. Tickets $2. (817) 732-1631.

SMU Distinguished Lecture Series. Columnist/ author/TV personality William F. Buckley Jr. will present the third lecture of this four-part series March 27 at 8 pm at McFarlin Auditorium, Owen Arts Center, SMU. Call 692-2339 for ticket prices and information.

SMU Women’s Symposium. The 19th annual symposium, “The Politics of Power and Conscience: Shaping Our Political Process” will focus on the responsibilities of the voter in a democracy and will include three lectures alternating with related workshops. Principal speakers include Jody Powell, ABC political analyst and former White House press secretary; Dr. Ruth Love, general superintendent of the Chicago School District and former director of the national Right to Read program; and Marie Ragghianti. former chairman of the Tennessee Board of Pardons and Paroles. Feb 29 & March 1 at Umphrey Lee Student Center, SMU. Tickets $25. 692-2720. Call for times and information.

Temple Shalom Arts Forum. The Arts Forum celebrates its 12th year with a three-part lecture series, which begins March 8 at 8 pm with a lecture by television news analyst Bill Moyers. Temple Shalom, Hillcrest at Alpha. Series tickets $24. 661-1810.

University Lecture Series. The series, sponsored by Dedman College, is an outreach program whose purpose is to acquaint Dallasites with SMU’s educational resources. This month’s series is “Four Great Cities of Spain,” which will explore the romance, history and beauty of four Spanish cities as seen through the eyes of SMU history professor Luis Martin, a native of Spain. March 21 -April 11 at 7:15 pm Wed; tuition $40. All lectures at R.L Thornton Alumni Center, 3000 Daniel. 692-2532.



RECREATION



Tri Delta Charity Antiques Show. More than 60 prominent antiques dealers will exhibit and sell their diversified collections, all displayed in specially decorated room settings. A preview party, lectures, a collector’s booth and guided tours also will be offered. The show benefits the Charles A. Sammons Cancer Center at Baylor University Medical Center, the Dallas County Heritage Society and the Delta Delta Delta Endowed Scholarship Fund of SMU. March 8-11 at the Center Hall, Dallas Convention Center. Thur-Sat 11 am-9:30 pm, Sun noon-6 pm. Tickets for show $4 in advance, $5 at the door; for lecture, $5; for tours, $2. Tickets available at Rainbow-Ticketmaster or from Delta Delta Delta alumnae. 233-4055.



NIGHTLIFE

ENTERTAINMENT/DANCING



Boardwalk Beach Club. This place is a pleasant (if fast-paced) mixture of opposites. The club’s drawing card is Fifties and Sixties music, but patrons are mostly under-30 singles. Next to the South Seas mural on one wall, space has been cleared for a dance floor, but strangely enough, hardly anyone dances. Drinks are pretty solid here, but the snail-like service may hamper your enjoyment of them. (6332 La Vista. 823-5340. Daily 5 pm-2 am. MC, V, AE.)

Confetti. One man’s eclecticism is another man’s clutter, and this may be the most eclectic bar in Dallas. Dangling bicycles, zigzag neon and poster-plastered walls reveal a theme bar that couldn’t decide on a theme. If you can dig your way through the crowd, you’ll discover two flashy dance floors, several well-manned bars-maybe even Mr. or Ms. Right. Music ranges from Fifties doo-wah to Eighties do-whatever. (5201 Matilda off Lovers Lane. 369-6969; 369-6977. Mon-Thur 4:30 pm-2 am, Fri 4:30 pm-4 am, Sat 7 pm-4 am, Sun 7 pm-2 am. Weekend cover: S3. All credit cards.)

Packard’s. This Old Town dance club, which takes its name from the classic automobile, is flashy, large and swingles-soaked. Packard’s features a wide-open dance floor, lots of fluorescent colors and pop music mixed with Fifties and Sixties tunes. (Old Town, Suite 403, Greenville at Lovers Lane. 361-9517. Mon-Fri 4 pm-2 am. Sat & Sun 7 pm-2 am. Happy hour: Mon-Fri 4-9 pm. Weekend cover: $3. MC, V, AE.)

Poor David’s Pub. After considerable deliberation, Poor David moved his hole-in-the-wall folk music establishment from its longtime McKinney Avenue location to the lights of Lowest Greenville. But he didn’t leave behind his commitment to solid live music: Kerr-ville Folk Festival regulars, including legendary folk singers Odetta and Tom Paxton, appear often, as do Steve Fromholz, Shake Russell and John Vandiver. We miss the coffeehouse look of mismatched tables and dinette chairs, but the new version still retains much of Poor David’s old flair. (1924 Greenville. 821-9891. Mon & Wed-Sat 4 pm-2 am, Tue & Sun 7 pm-2 am. Cover varies. No credit cards.)

Popslcle Toes. Go here to listen to the live and lively jazz, funk and rock ’n’ roll, not just to hear it. Granted, you’ll have trouble hearing anything else, but that’s okay, because the music is great. Don’t be disappointed; Popsicle Toes isn’t a place to be “seen,” although this jazz-oriented club attracts a spirited, sincere-looking dance crowd. (5627Dyer. 361-0477. Tue-Sun 8 pm-2 am. Closed Mon. Happy hour: Fri 4-7 pm. MC, V, AE.)



NIGHTLIFE

DRINKING



Le Louvre. Dark and dimly lit, Le Louvre is a pictureperfect setting for a discreet rendezvous. The heavy curtains block the prying rays of the Texas sun, and martinis and strong highballs take the place of tutti-frutti drinks. An added bonus: The happy-hour buffet is always spread with hors d’oeuvres, from sautéed meatballs to fix-your-own tacos. (The Corner Shopping Center, 9840 N Central Expwy. 691-1177. Sun-Thur 6-11 pm,Fri & Sat 6-11:30 pm. Happy hour: Mon-Fri 4-8 pm. All credit cards.)

The Lounge. This semi-art deco, semi-hi-tech retreat in the lobby of the Inwood Theatre is separated from the movies and moviegoers by a wall of water and its own outside door. But the Lounge is sans ceiling, which allows patrons to share the view of the ocean-motif mural that floats high above the theater lobby. This is a wonderful place to discuss films-or just about anything-at great length. (5460 W Lovers Lane. 350-7834. Sun-Wed 5 pm-1 am, Thur-Sat 5 pm-2 am. Happy hour: Mon-Fri 5-7 pm. AE, DC, CB.)



FORT WORTH NIGHTLIFE



Billy Bob’s Texas. Bigger does not always mean best, and that’s quite evident at the world’s largest honky-tonk. Of course, this novelty club has a lot going for it: two restaurants, 42 bar stations, a reaf bull-riding arena and several shops. But when there’s a concert going on, Billy Bob’s is the last place you’d want to be – unless, of course, you’re partial to being trampled by thousands of people (the club can hold 6,000), and you don’t mind paying a two-digit admission charge that affords you a view of the rafters. (2520 N Commerce in the stock yards. Metro 429-5979. Mon-Sat 9:30 am-2 am, Sun noon-2 am. Reduced cover charge Mon-Sat 4-8 pm. MC. V, AE.)

The Blue Bird. Even when the band’s not playing,you’ll feel like dancing at The Blue Bird: The jukebox isthe best in Fort Worth. But then, the patrons of this near-Southside club don’t want that to get around; they knowa good thing when they’ve found it. The club is packednearly every weekend, with regulars dancing to the infectious rhythm of Robert Ealey and the Bluesblasters.This is rhythm and blues at its finest, but sssshhh! (5636Wellesley. (817) 732-6243. Fri & Sat 7 pm-2 am. No credit cards.)