With the AIDS-themed More Life Festival, the Fort Worth Opera and its partners have organized the largest citywide arts collaboration since the biennial decade-centric RetroFest events in the 1990s.
The common idea for 50-plus events of More Life (co-presented by the opera, AIDS Outreach Center, Samaritan House and the Tarrant County AIDS Interfaith Network) is "to educate the community about the wide-reaching impact of HIV/AIDS." Planned events include plays, art exhibits, dance performances and lectures by arts and science organizations
The centerpiece is the opera's staging of Peter Eotvos' Angels in America, which opens tonight at the Scott Theatre. Although a few More Life events have already happened, here's a select list of what's still to come. You can see the full calendar at the More Life Web site.
Events
More Life champagne reception, after the opening of Angels in America. 10:30 tonight in the Back Gallery of the Fort Worth Community Arts Center. Free.
The Fort Worth Library Foundation, the Fort Worth school district and Kids Who Care unveil the children's book Angels at My Door (see accompanying story), with members of the Kids Who Care company reading excerpts and performing songs. 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the Fort Worth Central Library, 500 W. Third St., Fort Worth. Free.
More Life Town Hall meeting, moderated by Tarrant County Commissioner Roy Brooks and featuring a panel of healthcare professionals, educators and people living with HIV/AIDS. East St. Paul Baptist Church, 5300 Oak Grove Road W., Fort Worth. 6:30 p.m. Wednesday. Free.
Q Cinema Gay and Lesbian International Film Festival, May 29-June 7, at the Rose Marine Theater, 1440 N. Main St., and other venues. Screenings include the documentary about Tony Kushner, Wrestling With Angels, 1 p.m. June 1. www.qcinema.org. Prices vary.
Visual Arts
Community Gallery Opening for eight AIDS-themed exhibits at the Fort Worth Community Art Center, which run through May 31. 2-5 p.m. Saturday. Free.
The Fort Worth school district Art Department exhibition "A Host of Angels," with art by elementary and middle-school students at the Central Library and 14 branch libraries, through June 7. Free.
Performing Arts
Fort Worth Opera's Angels in America, May 16-June 7. FWCAC's Scott Theatre. $17-$52. 817-731-0726; www.fwopera.org.
Contemporary Dance/Fort Worth and Stage West collaborate on the original dance/theater work Conjuring Light Quilting Life,choreographed by Dallas' Loris Anthony Beckles and directed by Jim Covault. FWCAC's Sanders Theatre. 8 p.m. Fridays and 3 and 8 p.m. Saturdays, through May 24. $17.50. 817-784-9378.
Teatro de la Rosa performs Rob Bosquez's play Julie From Nowhere, about a 15-year-old girl with AIDS. Scott Theatre. 2 p.m. Saturday. Free.
Open Door Productions presents If It Feels Good, It Must Be Wrong, with comedians Lisa Koch, Roxanne Ward and Vickie Shaw. Scott Theatre. 8 p.m. Saturday. $20-$40.
J.P. Elder Middle School presents mariachi music. FWCAC Veranda. 1 p.m. Sunday. Free.
Fort Worth Poetry Slams presents HIV-themed poetry and spoken-word performances. FWCAC Front Gallery, 4-6 p.m. Sunday and May 25. Free.
Fierce Productions stages the play You Betta Ask Somebody Scott Theatre. 8 p.m. Thursday. $20.
New York-based solo theater artist Jade Esteban Estrada presents A Lullaby for Ryan: The History of HIV/AIDS in America. Scott Theatre. 8 p.m. May 23. $10.
Texas Wesleyan University stages Roger Dieleman's play Waiting for Oprah. FWCAC, Back Gallery. 7:30 p.m. May 23 and 24. Free.
Theatre Arlington performs Readings From the Quilt, monologues related to the AIDS quilt. FWCAC Back Gallery. 2 p.m. May 24. Free.
Sheran Goodspeed Keyton's DVA Productions presents a concert of inspirational music, called Celebration of Life: A Musical Tribute. FWCAC Veranda. 2 p.m. May 25. Free.
Amphibian Stage Productions gives a staged reading of Steven Dietz's play Lonely Planet. Scott Theatre. 8 p.m. May 29 and 30. $10.
Joe Illick and Friends present a full staging of Ricky Ian Gordon's song cycle Orpheus and Eurydice. Scott Theatre. 7 p.m. June 1 and 5. Ticket price TBA.
Jubilee Theatre presents Testimonies, true stories of local people with HIV/AIDS, at Jubilee Theatre, 506 Main St., Fort Worth. 8 p.m. June 2. Free.
Fullproof HIV Ministry, the Fort Worth Academy of Fine Arts, Baker Chapel AME Church and Psalm 169 Productions present a dance work titled Cheza. Tunakaa. Tarajia: Dance. Live Hope. Baker Chapel AME Church, 1050 E. Humboldt St., Fort Worth. 3 p.m. June 8. Free.
More Life Festival
Through June 8 at various venues in Tarrant County
The Fort Worth Community Arts Center, where many events take place, is at 1300 Gendy St.
www.morelifetexas.com/calendar.htm To see more of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.dfw.com. Copyright (c) 2008, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Texas Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.
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