AUGUST attractions

Ready, Set, Spike!



IF YOU STILL FREQUENT HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENTS, pining away for your days of glory, or if you’ve got young, aspiring spikers or spikettes in your family, then come out to Spikefest ’95, the largest amateur grass volleyball tournament in the Southwest. Watch the 3-on-3 competitions, test your serving speed at the Speed Spike, and home-in at the Accuracy Serve. All you have to do is bring a donation of warm clothing and/or nonperishable items for the Metrocrest Social Service Center and it’s ready, set, spike! August 5 and 6. 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Trinity Christian Academy, 17001 Addison Road, Addison. Information: 214-443-2665.

Paint It Black



ONE OF THE FINEST Exhibitions ever mounted of 20th-century African-American art comes to the Modem Art Museum of Fort Worth. The Studio Museum in Harlem: 25 Years of African-American Art celebrates important contributions to American culture made by artists such as Fred Brown, Valerie Maynard, Ed Clark, and Betye Saar. It’s a good place to ponder the question of just what it is that makes a painting or a sculpture uniquely “African-American,” given the obvious influences of mainstream abstract art on many of these artists. August 13-October 1. Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday, 11 am.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, noon-5 p.m. Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, 1309 Montgomery Street, Fort Worth. Information: 817-738-9215.

Man or Monster



JEFFREY DaHMER. TED BUNDY. THE BOSTON Strangler. Jack the Ripper. Everyone knows these names, because people have always had a fascination with mankind’s dark side. If you savor the chilling dualities of the evil alter-ego, be there when Dallas Summer Musicals presents Jekyll and Hyde, a musical adaptation of the story of a doctor’s experiment that turned him into the terror of 19th-century London. August 18-19. Tuesday through Saturday, 8p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 2 p.m. Music Hall, Fair Park, Dallas. Tickets: 214-373-8000.

The Boys are Back in Town

AS August debuts, owner Jerry Jones, Coach Barry Switzer, and Troy and the hoys kick off their 1995 pre-season by, we hope, defeating the LA. Raiders. Will injuries, agents, and oil-drenched dancers keep the Cowboys number two-or worse? The slogan–and you heard it here first-“Three out of four? Who could ask for more?” August 5. 8 p.m. Texas Stadium, 2401 East Airport Freeway, Irving. Information: 579-5000.

Feline Festival



No Morris the cat, calmly eating his 9 Lives. No Garfield, scarfing down a huge plate of lasagna. The Dallas Zoo’s Big Cat Weekend does not imply “big” as in big on TV. Transport yourself to icy lands while you gaze at the exotic snow leopard. Dream about being on safari as you pass by the stately lions. Let the kids play furry feline by making their very own big cat masks. A pun-fect idea. August 12 and 13. 1 a.m.-3 p.m. Dallas Zoo, 621 East Clarendon, Dallas. Information: 214-946-5154.

ART & ARTIFACTS…26

DANCE…28

FAIRS & FIESTAS…29

HOME & GARDEN…29

KIDSTUFF…29

LECTURES…30

MUSIC…30

SPORTS…30

THEATER…31

Attractions lists selected events of interest to D readers. Organizations wishing to submit information about upcoming events should send a full description to: D Magazine, Attractions, 12200 Ford Road Suite 260, Dallas, Texas 75234. The deadline is the first Friday of the month two months before publication. Information must include the event’s title, address, phone number, date(s), hours, admission fees, a description, plus the phone number of the person to be contacted for additional derails. No information will be taken over the phone. Listings are published free of charge.



ART & ARTFACTS

AFRICAN-AMERICAN MUSEUM. Bob Blackburn’s Printmaking Workshop: Artists of Color. Seventy artists of color associated with New York City’s Harlem Printmaking Workshop, which pioneered the notion of providing space and facilities to artists solely for creating and producing prints. The exhibit includes an array of techniques and formats from lithographs, mezzotints, photo etchings, silk-screens, and engravings. Through August 13. Connections: African Vision In African American Art. Through July 28, 1996. Tuesday-Friday, noon-5 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, 1 p.m.-5 p.m. African American Museum, 3536 Grand Avenue, Fair Park, Dallas. Information; 214-565-9026.



AMON CARTER MUSEUM. Nature Observed, Nature Interpreted: 19th Century American Landscape Drawings and Watercolors. The exhibit features a survey of nineteenth-century American landscape drawings, from summary graphite sketches to vivid watercolors to full oil sketches. Through September 3. Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, noon-5 p.m. Amon Carter Museum, 3501 Camp Bowie Boulevard, Fort Worth. Information: 817-738-1933.



ARLINGTON MUSEUM OF ART. Evocative Objects. From bronzed hair braids to miniature towers made of sugar cubes, various artists use malleable and evanescent materials to make works exemplifying the fragile beauty found in today’s society. Through August 12. Wednesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Arlington Museum of Art, 201 West Main Street, Arlington. Information: 817-275-4600.



BATH HOUSE CULTURAL CENTER. Community of Interest. Jeffery C. Golman, recent grant recipient of The Texas Photographic Society, exhibits black-and-white documentary photos depicting local nonprofit organizations and the people behind them. August 5-26. Museum hours are Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Bath House Cultural Center, 521 East Lawther Drive, Dallas. Information: 214-670-8749.



BIBLICAL ARTS CENTER. Georges Roualt : Miserere Series. Organized by Christians in the Visual Ans, this exhibit features the early 20th century works of framed engravings, photographs of images from the Brooklyn Museum, and a colored aquatintfrom the Fleur de Mal Series. August 2-Septemher 24. Tuesday-Saturday, 10a.m.-5p.m.;Sunday, 1 p.m.-5 p.m. The Biblical Arts Center, 7500 Park Lane, Dallas. Information: 214-691-4661.



DALLAS MUSEUM OF ART. Selections From The Patsy R. and Raymond D. Nasher Collection. From the abstract visual form of an Aramaic chant to randomly shaped sculptures fabricated from painted aluminum, the exhibit features mixed media relief sculpture, geometric solid forms, prints by jasper Johns, and work by Israeli artist Micha Ullman. Ongoing. The Prints Of Roy Lichtenstein. Exhibit includes 90 landmark prints ranging from his first pop image through works of the 1990s. Through August 20. Gold of Mycenae. A rare collection of ancient Mycenaean gold featuring gold rosettes, ornaments, head necklaces, and rings. Through August 1. American Hooked Rugs. Tracing the evolution of rug hooking techniques and designs from the 19th and 20th centuries, this comprehensive collection features examples of architectural, geometric, animal and floral patterns. Through December 31. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday 11 a.m.-4 p.m.; Thursday 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Saturday, Sunday, and holidays, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Dallas Museum of Art, St. Paul at Woodall Rodgers, Dallas. Information: 214-922-1200 or 214-922-1355.



DALLAS MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY. Wildlife Photographer of the Year. An international traveling exhibit of 80 to 90 wildlife photographs featuring the winners of the BBC’s annual wildlife photography competition. Through August 5. The museum is open Monday-Saturday, 9 a.m-5 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Dallas Museum of Natural History, Fair Park, Dallas. Infonnation: 214-421-DINO.



DALLAS PUBLIC LIBRARY. From Clay Tablet To Compact Disc traces the history of the book from itsearliest origins to the present. Through October 1. Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, 1 p.m,-5 p.m. ]. Erik Jonsson Library, 1515 Young at Ervay, Dallas. Information: 214-670-1400.



FORT WORTH MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND HISTORY. Behind the Seams: The Science of Fashion. A behind-the-scenes exhibit of the textile industry as influenced by technology, displaying clothing from various historical fashion periods such as a Victorian-era wedding dress, a 1950s net petticoat, paper dresses from the 1960s, and bell bottom slacks with an accompanying black vinyl Nehru jacket from the 1970s. The museum offers visitors hands-on activities and interactive videos. Through September 4. Monday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Tuesday-Thursday 9 a.m.-8 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 9 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sunday noon-8 p.m. Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, 1501 Montgomery Street, Fort Worth. Information: 817-654-1356.

KIMBELL ART MUSEUM. The Art of Collecting: Thirty Years in Retrospect. Commemorating the founding of the Museum collection 30 years ago, the exhibit focuses on acquisitions in both European and Asian art as well as African, Mesoamerican, and ancient Mediterranean cultures. Specific paintings include works by Fra Angelico, El Greco, Rubens, Cezanne, Matisse, and on long-term loan, Miro, Leger, and Picasso. Through September 3. Landscape in the Age of Rembrandt: Masterpieces from the Albertina. A Dutch collection of 17th-century landscape drawings. Through September3. Tuesday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Friday, noon-8 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday noon-5 p.m. Kimbell An Museum, 3333 Camp Bowie Boulevard, Fort Worth. Information: 817-332-8451.



MODERN ART MUSEUM OF FORT WORTH. The Studio Museum in Harlem: 25 Years of African-American Art. Organized in 1993 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Studio Museum in Harlem, this exhibit features neatly four dozen paintings, drawings, prints, and sculptures highlighting the important contributions made by African-American artists in the past 25 years. August 13 through October 1. Museum hours are Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, noon-5 p.m. Modem Art Museum of Fort Worth, 1309 Montgomery Street, Fort Worth. Information: 817-738-9215.



SMU MEADOWS MUSEUM. Wendy Ewald: Retratos y Suenos/Portraits and Dreams, Photographs by-Mexican Children. Eighty black-and-white and color photographs of children from Mayan villages in Chiapas and the colonial town of San Cristobal de las Casas. Through August 6. Monday. Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Thursday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sunday, 1 p.m.-5 p.m. Meadows Museum, SMU campus, Dallas. Information: 214-768-2516 weekdays; 214-768-2740 weekends.



DANCE

NEW YORK CITY TROUPE. TCU’s New Century Danscene presents Creach/Koester Dance Company in an athletic, energetic, and explosive performance of modern dance. August 26. 8 p.m. Ed Landreth Auditorium, Texas Christian University campus, South University Drive at Cantey, Fort Worrh. Information: 817-335-9000.



DANCE FESTIVAL. The largest free dance extravaganza in North Texas features outdoor performances by the Dancers Unlimited Repertory Company, Dallas Black Dance Theatre, Ballet Dallas, Anita N. Martine: Ballet Folklorico, and student/faculty ensembles from Booker T. Washington High School tor the Performing and Visual Arts. August 31-September 3. 8:15 p.m. Artist Square, next to the Meyerson Symphony Center, downtown Arts District, Dallas. Information: 214-953-1985.



WILD KINGDOM. Dancers Unlimited performs a modem dance event inspired by the format of television nature shows revealing human beings in their “habitats,” “dens” and “hunting grounds.” August 3-26. Wednesdays-Saturdays, 8 p.m. McKinney Avenue Contemporary, 3120 McKinney Avenue, Dallas. Tickets: 520-ARTS.



FAIRS & FIESTAS

RINGLING BROTHERS AND BARNUM & BAILEY CIRCUS. Celebrating 124 years of town-to-town, three-ring entertainment, the Greatest Show on Earth features the usual ferocious felines, human cannonballs, high-wire walkers, acrobatic tumblers, and the silly antics of the clowns. August 2-13, Tuesday-Thursday, 7:30 p.m.; Friday, 2:30p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m., 3;30 p.m., 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, 1 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. (bilingual). Reunion Arena, 777 Sports Street, Dallas. Tickets: 214-373-8000 or 214-647-5700. Information: 670-1395.



VISIONS: THE WOMEN’S EXPO. A two-day expo dedicated to informing, inspiring, and educating women features workshops led by community leaders, shopping, fashion shows, cooking demonstrations, health consultations, and financial and career advice. August 26 and 27. Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. INFO-MART, 1950 Stemmons Freeway, Dallas. Information: 214-523-0650.



TASTE OF IRVING. Local restaurants serve up a variety of tastes in the 8th annual palate-pleasing festival benefiting the Irving Healthcare Systems Emergency Department. August 12. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Irving Mall, south court and the fountain court, 183 and Belt Line Road, Irving. Information: 214-579-4390.



HOME & GARDEN

NARI HOME IMPROVEMENT & GARDEN SHOW. From spas to floor tile to landscaped yards and how to finance it all, this annual show offers patrons the latest in products and decorating trends in over 350 exhibits. August 25-27. Friday, 3 p.m.-8 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; Sunday 10 a.m.- 6 p.m. DallasConvention Center, HallsC&D,650 South Griffin, Dallas. Information: 214-964-1853.



CACTUS & SUCCULENTS SOCIETY EXHIBIT. The prickly and the exotic comprise an exhibit featuring over 50 different varietiesof cacti and other succulent types of desert plants. Experts from area societies are on hand to answer questions to show oil’ the usual and the unusual in their collections and how best to care for these beautiful desert plants. August 5. Open daily, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. The Dallas Arboretum, 8525 Garland Road, Dallas. Information: 214-327-8263.



KIDSTUFF

GATEWAY GALLERY. Family Sunday. Artists help families develop their own techniques as they create original works of art inspired by the exhibition “The Prints of Roy Lichtenstein.” Also, children talk about their real or imaginary vacations in “Getting Away From It All.” August 1-12. Tuesday-Saturday (Friday excluded), 1 p.m.-3:30 p.m. Gateway Gallery, Dallas Museum of Art, St. Paul at Woodall Rodgers, Dallas. Information: 214922-1251.



THE SCIENCE PLACE. The Science Place hosts a behind-the-scenes tour showing how the special effects in movies are accomplished. “SFX2: The Art and Science of Movie Magic” includes robots, models, and animation from such block-busier movies as Batman, Wizard of Oz, Return of theJedi, and Mrs. Doubtfire. Through September 4. Monday-Sunday, 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Fair Park, Dallas. Information: 214-428-5555, extension 343 or 344.



ONCE UPON A MATTRESS. The Garland Civic Theatre’s Children on Stage series stages a musical comedy based on the fable of “The Princess and the Pea.” August 5 and 6. Saturday, 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, 2 p.m. Performing Arts Center. 300 North 5th Street, Garland. Tickets: 214-205-2790. Information: 214-349-1331.



BIG CAT WEEKEND. To focus attention on endangered big cats, the Dallas Zoo presents the sixth annual “Purina Big Cat Weekend” featuring children’s activities, costumed characters, and special presentations. The event is free with regular zoo admission. August 12 and 13, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Dallas Zoo, 621 East Clarendon, Dallas. Information: 214-946-5154.



LECTURES

1995 UWSA NATIONAL CONFERENCE. It’s either a three-day conference in which elected official:? and lay persons ponder the nation’s pressing problems and narrowing options, or Ross Perot’s cattle call for ’96 GOP presidential hopefuls. Eager pols at press time include Newt Gingrich, Boh Dole, Dick Gephardt, Phil Gramm, Par Buchanan, Sam Nunn, Dick Armey, and Arlen Specter. August 11-13. 9 a.m. Registration on August 11. Dallas Convention Center, 650 South Griffin Street, Dallas. Information: 214-960-9100.



LOOKING FOR ARCHEOLOGY. The Dallas Museum of Natural History conducts a one-day field trip to an archeological site at a local lake where participants have the opportunity to help assess the area for future investigation. Some boating and shallow wading is required and participants should dress accordingly and bring a sack lunch. August 5. 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Dallas Museum of Natural History, Fair Park. Dallas. Information and Registration: 214-421-3466, extension 202.



ART TALK; CONVERSATIONS WITH ART. Members of the Dallas Museum of Art’s PM docent program conduct discussions designed to give participants a new perspective on looking at and talking about art. Symbolism, August 3; If Chairs Could Talk, August 10; Isms, August 17; Every Picture Tells a Story, August 24; 1 Don’t Get It: What is Minimalism? August 31. All lectures begin at 7 p.m. Participants should meet at the Visitor Services Desk in the Atrium. Dallas Museum of Art, St. Paul at Woodall Rodgers, Dallas. Information: 214-922-1200.

MUSIC

RICHARDSON COMMUNITY BAND CONCERT. A lawn concert entitled “Come Rain or Shine” features a mix of the band’s favorite marches, show melodies, and big band sounds in their summer finale. August 13. 7 p.m. Free. Richardson Civic Cenrer, 411 West Arapaho at Central Expressway, Richardson. Information: 214-348-6381.



TWILIGHT CONCERT. The Irving Community Concert Band performs a “Tribute to Texas Music.” August 10. 7:30 p.m. Free. Victoria Park Pavilion, Northgate and Pleasant Run Roads, Irving. Information: 214-252-7558.



PICNIC IN THE PARK CONCERT. Jazz fills the air as the Cindy Horstman Jazz Trio performs along with [he Really Big Show featuring The Party Dolls in an outdoor concert. August 5. 6 p.m. Boh Woodruff Park, 2601 San Gabriel, Piano. Information: 214-578-PARK.



DALLAS INTERNATIONAL YOUTH ORCHESTRA. An evening of young musicians performing classics such as Mozart and some Chinese compositions on flute, harp, and piano. August 4. 8 p.m. Meyerson Symphony Center, 2301 Flora, Dallas. Information: 214-783-9488.



SUMMER JAM. Unplugged musicians and visitors garher in the open-air gazebo to the strummings and pickings of bluegrass, folk, Celtic, country, classical, and mountain music. Patrons may bring lawn chairs, and children can entertain themselves on the playground or with the resident farm animals. August 19. 7 p.m.-11 p.m. Fairview Farms, Central Expressway at Parker, exit 30, Piano. Information: 214-424-2254.



MUSIC IN THE ATRIUM. The Dallas Museum of Art hosts a series of free musical performances: August 3, Dom Ambrose Trio (jazz); August 10, Daniel de Cordoba Fiesta Flamenca (Spanish flamenco music and dance); August 17, Ira Bassett Trio (jazz); August 24, TBA; August 31, Steve Sonday Trio (jazz). 6 p.m. In the Atrium, Dallas Museum of Art, St. Paul at Woodall Rodgers Freeway, Dallas. Information: 214-922-1200.



SPORTS

TEXAS RANGERS. The Texas Rangers play ball in their second season at their new home. Home games:

August 8 Detroit 7:35 p.m.

August 9 Detroit 7:35 p.m.

August 10 Detroit 7:35 p.m.

August 11 Toronto 7:35 p.m.

August 12 Toronto 7:05 p.m.

August 13 Toronto 7:05 p.m.

August 15 Milwaukee 7:05 p.m.

August 16 Milwaukee 7:05 p.m.

August 21 Minnesota 7:05 p.m.

August 22 Minnesota 7:05 p.m.

August 23 Minnesota 7:05 p.m.

The Ballpark in Arlington, 1000 Ballpark Way, Arlington. Information: 817-273-5100.



DALLAS COWBOYS. America’s Team begins another championship season at Texas Stadium. First home game: August 5, Los Angeles Raiders, 8 p.m., Texas Stadium, 2401 East Airport Freeway, Irving. Information: 579-5000.



SPIKEFEST. The largest amateur grass volleyball tournament in the Southwest featuring 3-on-3 competition on more than 70 grass courts, benefiting the Metrocrest Social Service Center, celebrates its sixth year of spike action. In addition to the ongoing games, new sub-events “Speed Spike” and “Accuracy Serve” test players’ skills and measure their serving speeds. August 5 and 6. 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Admission fee is a donation of warm clothing and/or non-perishable items to the Metrocrest Social Service Center. Trinity Christian Academy, 17001 Addison Road, Addison. Information: 214-443-2665.



MESQUITE CHAMPIONSHIP RODEO. Bucking bulls, daredevil clowns, high-flying broncos, steer wrestlers, barrel racers, and professional cowboys. Through September 30. Friday and Saturday evenings. Gates open at 6:30 p.m.; rodeo begins at 8 p.m. Mesquite Arena, LBJ at Military Parkway, Mesquite. Information: 214-285-8777.



THEATER

KISS ME KATE. The Irving Community Theatre stages the Cole Porter musical about a pair of ex-spouses who duel offstage and on stage as they portray the lead characters in Shakespeare’s “Taming of the Shrew,” August 4-5. Friday and Saturday, 8 p.m. Irving Arts Center, Dupree Theater, 3333 North MacArthur, Irving. Tickets: 214-252-ARTS.



THE COW PATTYS. A Casa Mariana production of a one-of-a-kind musical comedy act combining home-on-the-range parody with the vocals of a beauty shop quartet. Through August 27. Thursday and Friday, 8 p.m.; Saturday, 5 p.m.-9 p.m.; Sunday, 2 p.m. Casa’s Theatre On the Square, 109 East Third, Fort Worth. Tickets and information: 817-332-2272.



A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM. The Piano Repertory Theatre pays homage to Shakespeare with the staging of the irreverent farce about four love-struck teenagers who cross paths with a mischievous fairy who possesses a magic potion capable of making them fall in love with the first thing they see. Through August 6. Friday and Saturday, 8:15 p.m.; Sunday, 2:15 p.m. ArtCentre Theatre, 1028 15th Place, Historic Downtown Piano, Piano. Tickets: 214-422-7460.



LOUDA, FASTA, FUNNYA. Pegasus Theatre presents an evening of disaster-prone drama-on purpose! From sets collapsing to actors risking public humiliation and bad reviews, this play takes a behind-the-scenes look at how terror can till the actors while they wonder what will go wrong next. Through August 26. Thursday through Saturday, 8:15 p.m.; Sunday, 7 p.m. 3916 Main Street, Dallas. Reservations: 214-821-6005 or 214-787-1500.



2 HOURS OF SEX FOR ONLY $8. The Unnamed Comedy Troupe presents a series of sketches, songs, and improvs dealing with topics of love, lust, and male-female relationships in the ’90s. Through August 2. Wednesdays at 8:30. The IMPROV, 4980 Belt Line Road, Addison. Reservations: 214-404-8501.



WOMEN IN THEATRE FESTIVAL. The New Horizons Theatre Company stages a multicultur-al festival of plays written by and about women celebrating women’s voices in theatre. Some of the plays featured are “Final Placement,” about a social worker and her dealings with a woman whose child was put up for adoption; “The Man At the Door,”a black comedy, and “Conversations with God and Other Women We’ve Known,” a collage of monologues by local women playwrights. August 9-26. Thursday and Friday, 8 p.m.; Saturday, 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. Bath House Cultural Center on White Rock Lake, 521 East Lawther, Dallas. Information: 214-504-6385.



JEKYLL AND HYDE. The Dallas Summer Musicals stages the classic thriller by Robert Louis Stevenson in which a mild-mannered doctor creates a hideous alter ego that terrorizes 19th century London. August 8-19. Tuesday through Saturday, 8 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 2 p.m. Music Hall , Fair Park, Dallas. Information and tickets: 214-373-8000.



THE NERD. Theatre Arlington stages the comedy about an aspiring architect who recounts how his life was saved in Vietnam by a fellow ex-GI he never met-until he is surprised by the unexpected visit of his rescuer, who then overstays his welcome. Through August 19. Thursday through Saturday, 8:15 p.m. Theatre Arlington, 305 West Main Street, Arlington. For information and tickets: 817-275-7661.



MY FAIR LADY. Casa Manana Theatre brings to life the Lerner and Loewe musical classic of the Cockney girl and what she goes through to becomes a lady. August 8-20. Tuesday through Friday, 8 p.m.; Saturday, 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.; Sunday, 2 p.m. Casa Manana Theatre, 3101 West Lancaster, Fort Worth. For information and tickets: 817-332-2272.



THE COCONUTS. Theatre Three presents a revival of the old Marx Brothers escapades as they attack the Florida Real Estate Boom in the 1920s and find Margaret Dumont, jewels, lovers, and confused hotel guests. August 12-September 10. August 12, 8:15 p.m.; August 13, 2:30 p.m., 7:30 p.m.; August 14, 8:15 p.m. The remaining weeks’ showtimes are Tuesday-Saturday, 8:15 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 2:30 p.m.; Sunday, 7:30 p.m. Theatre Three, 2800 Routh Street, Dallas. Tickets: 214-871-3300.



MURDER ON THE NILE. The Richardson Theatre Centre presents the Agatha Christie classic of murder, intrigue, and the savvy know-how of Hercule Poirot. August 31-October 7. Thursday-Saturday, 8 p.m. Richardson Theatre Centre, 718 Canyon Square, Richardson. Information: 214-699-1130.



SONGS OF LOVE. Naked Mirror Productions presents six short plays dealing with different aspects of love from first love through love of country to the abiding love of a long-married older couple. All plays are the works of playwright Romulus Linney. August 10-September 3. 8:15 p.m. Swiss Avenue Theatre Center, 2700 Swiss Avenue, Dallas. Reservations: 214-680-4466.