THURSDAY, April 22
WALKABOUT
Making it Better: Town meeting City Councilor Kevin Lynch and other government officials to discuss community values relating to the environment. Richard Collins of the UVA Institute for Environmental Negotiation moderates. Panel members also include representatives of local environmental groups the Piedmont Environmental Council and the Southern Environmental Law Center. City Council Chambers, 7pm. 243-6421.

TJ Loved to Dig: Peggy Cornett, Monticello's director of gardens and grounds, speaks on "Thomas Jefferson, Gardener" as part of Historic Garden Week. A tour of the Monticello gardens follows. 2pm. Monticello Visitors Center. Free. 984-9822.

Break Out the Cranberry Sauce: A silent auction and traditional turkey dinner highlight a Thanksgiving in Spring fundraiser to benefit On Our Own, Charlottesville's peer-run mental health and housing resource. 6-8pm. $25. Thomas Jefferson Unitarian Church, Rugby Road. Tickets, 979-0067.

FAMILY
Toad Tales: Toads are the topic for today's preschool story time at Barnes & Noble. Storyteller Amanda Petrusich entertains the five-and-under crowd with a reading of Frog and Toad are Friends by Arnold Lobel. 10:30am. Free. Barracks Road Shopping Center. 984-6598.

Which Craft: In celebration of TV-Turnoff Week, Crozet Library invites kids ages 8 and up bring their favorite handwork projects and share it with friends at the library. 3:30pm. Free. In the old train station on Three Notch'd Road. 823-4050.

Turn it Off: Northside Library celebrates TV-Turnoff Week with an after school program for kids in kindergarten and up. They'll read about what happened for one family when the TV was broken-- they got crafty. 4pm. Free. Registration required. Albemarle Square. 973-7893.

Dogwood Daze: Dogwood Festival amusement rides are circling 'round at McIntire Park this week. Ride all night for one price tonight. Opens at 6pm tonight. More details at dogwoodfestival.org.

PERFORMANCE
Swing Swap: The Charlottesville Swing Dance Society hosts this weekly Thursday-night swing dancing session, with an hour of East Coast Swing, an hour of West Coast Swing, and a DJ taking requests. Singles and couples welcome, no partner needed. 7-9pm. Albemarle County Office Building Auditorium, 401 McIntire Road. Free. 980-2744.

WORDS
Greg Orr: The UVA poet reads from his award-winning memoir, The Blessing. Part of the Charlottesville Writing Center / Streetlight book fair. Barnes & Noble, Barracks Road Shopping Center, 7pm. 984-0461.

Ghosts: PVCC Theater performs Lanford Wilson's adaptation of Henrik Ibsen's classic drama. Closes April 18. V. Earl Dickinson Building, 500 College Drive. 7:30pm. $6-10. 961-5376.

The Importance of Being Earnest: Shenandoah Shakespeare presents a new production of Oscar Wilde's comic masterpiece in the Blackfriars Theater. 10:30AM!! 10 S. Market St., Staunton. $10-26. 540-885-5588.

Play About the Baby: Catch this preview of Edward Albee's sinister drama of mind games and manipulation. 100 free tickets available for pickup; call Live Arts for details. $10-15. 8pm. Live Arts Down Stage, 123 E. Water St. 977-4177. See Performance feature.

Two Gentlemen of Verona: Shenandoah Shakespeare presents a new production of the Bard's early comedy in the magnificent Blackfriars Theater. 7:30pm. 10 S. Market St., Staunton. $10-26. 540-885-5588.

Teen Acting Studio: This weekly workshop focuses on opening up the text within a Shakespearean monologue through extensive language work: scanning the verse, exploring rhythm and sound, and working the breath. Students need to bring three sample Shakespearean monologues with them to the first class. Prerequisite: prior Latte acting studio experience or instructor permission. Runs until June 3. 5-7pm. Live Arts, 123 E. Water St. $60 members, $75 general. 977-4177.

PERFORMANCE AND TUNES
Animating Music: UVA's McIntire Department of Music presents a concert and symposium on the intersections between performance and composition. Featuring Tomie Hahn and Curtis Bahn's composition "Pikapika," musicians John D'earth, Dawn Thompson, and Matthew Butner. Tonight's event explores "how ideas of performance determine compositional choices." 3:30pm. Old Cabell Hall. $5-10. 924-3984.

TUNES
John Cowan Band at the Prism: John Cowan, former vocalist and bassist for the band New Grass Revival, returns to the Prism with his latest group, including guitarist Jeff Autrey and banjo player Rex McGee. $25/$20 advance, 8pm.

Jim Waive (country-folk) at the Blue Moon Diner. Free, 8pm (W)

Karaoke Night with DJ Wild Wes at Buffalo Wild Wings. Free, 9pm (W)

Chicken Head Blues Band at Dürty Nelly's. $4, 9pm. (W)

Susan Greenbaum with Amanda French at Gravity Lounge. $5, 8pm.

Thompson/ D'earth and friends (freeform jazz) at Miller's. $4, 10pm. (W)

Robert Jospé (jazz) at Rapture. No cover, 7:30pm. (W)

Satisfaction (dance party) at Rapture. No cover, 10:30pm. (W)

Middle Eastern Belly Dance Class at Rapunzel's Coffee & Books. Free, 6:30pm. (W)

Hogwaller Ramblers (bluegrass mayhem) at Shebeen. No cover, 10pm. (W)

Kait and Thom (modern jazz duo) at Tokyo Rose upstairs. No cover, 9:30pm. (W)

Fair Weather Bums ('60s folk) at Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar. No cover, 9pm.

FRIDAY, April 23
FAMILY
Storybook Dance: Young thespians ages 2-5 can climb on stage at the Virginia Discovery Museum as they sing and dance and bring to life the story of The Little Mermaid. Come in costume if you like. 10:30-11:10am and 11:15-11:55. Included in the price of admission. East end of the Downtown Mall. 977-1025.

Out of Africa: Zokela Seko de Centrafrique, an African family dance group, comes to the Village Playhouse for a dancing and drumming performance. Pizza and drinks included. 5-7pm. $7 children, $5 adults, $3 siblings. 313 Second St. SE, in the rear of the Glass Building. 296-9390. villageplayhouse.net.

Skin Deep: It's not the same old Beauty and the Beast at Old Michie Theatre. This live performance is set in rhymed couplets and staged as an audience participatory English pantomime. 7pm. $7.50. 221 E. Water St. 977-3690. oldmichie.com.

Dogwood Daze: See Thursday, April 22.

WALKABOUT
Art Auction: The Kiwanis Club of Charlottesville hosts a benefit art exhibition and auction featuring wine, cheese, door prizes, and chamber music, all to support the J.T. Graves Memorial Youth Scholarship Fund. $12 ($20/couple). 6:30pm. Holiday Inn, Emmet street. 971-2094 or avenue.org/Kiwanis.

Organ Concert: The Westminster Organ Concert series concludes with a performance of the music of J.S. Bach by Eric Plutz and guest soprano Rachel Barham. Let the organ rattle your fillings, then mingle with the musicians at a post-performance reception. 8pm. Free. 963-4690 or avenue.org/organconcerts.

Gaited Horse Show: Over 100 gaited horses show off their smooth and stylish walking skills at the Virginia Horse Center this weekend, culminating in the Evening of Champions final round at 7pm Saturday. A Saturday auction features gaited breeds. 10am each day. Free. horsecenter.org.

WORDS
Poetry Reading: Poets Cathryn Hankla (Last Exposures: A Sequence of Poetry) and Bill Van Every (Devoted Creatures) read from their work. 7pm. Part of a book fair for the Charlottesville Writing Center and Streetlight magazine. Barnes & Noble, Barracks Road Shopping Center. 984-0461.

Really Warm Fronts: A look at the battles of Normandy and Baghdad. Mortimer Caplin, former Navy Beachmaster at Normandy, 1944, joins Walter Slocombe of the DOD for a retrospective of two major military hot zones. 11am, Miller Center, 2201 Old Ivy Road. 924-0921.

PERFORMANCE
No Shame Theatre: Up for a theatrical nightcap? Join performers at this alternative venue for original material by anyone about anything. The first 15 people who show up get a spot on stage. Or you can just watch the carryings on. Guidelines can be found under "How to No Shame" at noshame.org/charlottesville/. 11pm. Live Arts Up Stage Theater, 123 E. Water St. $5. 977-4177.

The Hills are Alive: &with The Sound of Music, performed at Monticello High School, featuring cameos by local teachers and administrators. 7pm. PVCC's V. Earl Dickinson Building, 500 College Drive. $5-7. 977-7377.

The Improfessionals: Charlottesville's local improv comedy troupe performs in their Nelson County home. 8pm. Rapunzel's Coffee and Books, 924 Front St., Lovingston. $5. 977-9957.

Jazz Ensemble Spring Concert: UVA's Jazz Ensemble, under the direction of John D'earth, presents as their guest artist one of the world's great trumpet players, Rex Richardson. $5-!0. 8pm. Old Cabell Hall. 924-3984.

The Play About the Baby: Catch Live Arts' new production of Edward Albee's sinister drama of mindgames and manipulation. Runs through May 8. $10-15. Arts DownStage, 123 E. Water St. 977-4177. See Performance feature.

Happy Birthday, Shakespeare: Professor Ralph Cohen hosts an evening in honor of the Bard featuring songs, scenes, games, and swordplay, followed by cake and refreshments. Festivities continue with a free concert by Ruffian, a band featuring the alter-egos of nine Shenandoah Shakespeare actors. 7:30pm. Blackfriars Playhouse, 10 S. Market St., Staunton. Free. 540-885-5588.

TUNES
SongSharing IV: Concert to Benefir Ellen Luksch featuring Faster Than Walking, Proutt & McCormick, and Julie Goldman & Kevin Caran at Live Arts Upstage. $7, 8pm.

The Charlottesville Improfessionals at Rapunzel's: Join the comedy troupe for another evening of mirth and merriment. $5, 7:30pm.

John D'earth & friends: Special guest Rex Richardson joins the UVA Jazz ensemble in a show including Thad Jones' "Don't Git Sassy," Bobby Brookmeyer's "ABC Blues," and Charles Mingus' "Fables of Faubus," among others. $10/$5 students. 8pm. Old Cabell Hall.

Eli Cook & the Red House blues band at the Dew Drop Inn. No cover, 9:30pm.

The Zing Kings outside on the Downtown Mall. Free, 11am-3pm. (W)

The Tateres and Scuffletown at Gravity Lounge. $5, 8:30pm.

Vernon Fisher ("romantic side of jazz") at Keswick Hall. No cover, 6:30pm. (W)

Cannonball Coming at Orbit. $3, 10:30pm.

Max Collins (otherwordly guitar) at Shebeen. No cover, 11pm. (W)

Carbon Leaf with The Whiles at Starr Hill. $10, 9pm.

Aleuchatistas and Tulsa Drone at Tokyo Rose. $5, 10pm.

Folkskünde (riff-rock) at Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar. No cover, 9pm.

SATURDAY, April 24
WORDS
Streetlight: A reading of the works of contributors to the Spring edition of Streetlight, the literary journal of the Charlottesville Writing Center. 2pm. Barnes & Noble, Barracks Road Shopping Center. 984-0461.

FAMILY
Dancing in the Streets: The much-anticipated Dogwood Festival Parade winds its way through downtown streets beginning at 10:50am. Marching bands, clowns, floats, and Miss Virginia and the Dogwood Queen too. More details at dogwoodfestival.org.

Whale of a Tale: Did you know that Richmond and I-95 were once totally covered by water? Virginia Museum of Natural History paleontologist Dr. Nick Fraser talks about ancient whales and other marine life that lived in Virginia's coastal waters 14 million years ago. See ancient whale, shark, crocodile, and turtle fossils at Gordon Avenue Library. 10:30am. Free. 1500 Gordon Ave. 982-4605.

Blast Off: Starry-eyed science types can get a close look at the sun without hurting their vision at the annual National Astronomy Day at the Science Museum of Virginia. Build a rocket and blast it off. Touch a meteorite. Find out what your weight would be on the moon. Move a 29-ton model of the Earth with your bare hands. Build a sundial to take home. And lots more. 1-4pm. Included in the price of admission. 2500 W. Broad St., Richmond. 800-659-1727. smv.org.

Survival Challenge: Young adventurers can test their skills as they learn the basics of survival in the wild. Identify plants and animals, use a compass, make a nature journal and collection bag, build a debris hut, and more. This all-day Science Days program includes hands-on science workshops, demonstrations, exhibits, an IMAX® film, and planetarium show. $18 per child. For every six children, one adult chaperon is required. Required adults $9. Additional adults $18. Call 804-864-1447 to register. 2500 W. Broad St., Richmond. 800-659-1727. smv.org.

Flutter By: The butterflies have arrived at the Danville Science Center's Butterfly Station and Garden. Colors fly as the first of this year's Lepidoptera take to the air in their new home. Wander through the gardens, play butterfly games, build a paper caterpillar, and enjoy other hands-on activities. 10am-2pm. Butterfly release is at noon. Open through October 17. Butterfly Station admission is free; donations are appreciated. Science Center admission $3 children, $4 adults. 677 Craghead St., Danville. 434-791-5160. dsc.smv.org.

Yippy Ki-yay: Families can round up the doggies and get into some cowpoke fun at Northside Library with stories, songs, and crafts. 10:30am. Free. Albemarle Square. 973-7893.

Arbor Ardor: Come celebrate Earth Day at Scottsville Library by planting a tree on the library's lawn. Other activities honor our mother earth. 11am. Free. 330 Bird St. 286-3541.

Name Game: A tricky old troll finds his way into a miller's daughter's life in the Old Michie Theatre's latest marionette puppet show, Rumplestiltskin. 11am, 2pm, and 4pm. $5. 221 E. Water St. 977-3690. oldmichie.com.

Dogwood Daze: See Thursday, April 22. Opens at 1pm today.

Skin Deep: See Friday, April 23.

WALKABOUT AND FAMILY
Back to Basics: The Living Earth School brings people closer to the earth with two adult workshops, "The Art of Pine Needle Basketry" and "Introduction to Tracking." Presented by Kate and Hub Knott, who have studied with legendary trackers Tom Brown Jr. and Jon Young. Cost for basket making is $35, tracking is $50. 258 Rocky Bottom Lane, Afton. 540-456-7339. circleofseeds.com.

WALKABOUT
Dogwood Ball: Dance the night away the night at this year's Dogwood Ball. This year the Rhythm Kings from Virginia Beach play Motown, swing, and rhythm & blues, and there's a cash bar and hors d'oeuvres. $15 (tickets at the door and elsewhere). 8pm-midnight. Monticello Events Center. 295-4837 or dogwoodfestival.org.

Basic Peyote: Studio Baboo instructor Louise Smith teaches students to make a pair of elegant tailored earrings while learning one of the most versatile off-loom beading stitches. 10-2pm. 106 Fifth St. 244-2905. To register or for information, studiobaboo.com.

Wanna Buy a Horse?: In the market for a new mount? The Lexington Spring Sale at the Virginia Horse Center is a good place to start looking. 140 paint and quarter horses up for auction. 888-828-7653 or turnbullbrokerage.com or horsecenter.org.

Garden Maintenance Day: The perennial flower gardens at the Nature Conservancy's Charlottesville office demonstrate how various plants help wildlife and water quality in urban areas. Volunteers needed to tend flower beds to get them ready for summer. 10am-4pm. To sign up, contact Scott, or 951-0585.

Trail-Building Workday: Celebrate Earth Day by building a hiking trail in Fortune's Cove in Nelson County. The Nature Conservancy needs volunteers to cut branches, move rocks, and dig the new trail. Sign up: or 951-0585.

Monticello trees: Dig into some local history on a two-hour walking tour that explores the natural history of Monticello's exotic and native trees. 9:30am. Monticello Garden Shop. $10. Registration required. 984-9822.

Wine in the Mountains: Celebrate 11 years of the Wintergreen Winery with wine (of course), food, and live music. 10am-6pm. $5 admission includes a souvenir glass and special discounts. For info, call 361-2519.

Glass art: The Virginia Hot Glass Festival returns for its second year this weekend at Sunspot Studios in Staunton. More than 20 Virginia artists will be on hand to heat, shape, and sell their wares. 540- 885-0678 or sunspots.com. See Walkabout feature.

It's a Bluegrass Spring: Grave's Mountain Lodge in Syria celebrates the arrival of spring with their 13th annual Spring Fling Festival, featuring the Battle in the Blue Ridge bluegrass band competition, craft fair, horseback rides, food, fishing, wine tasting, and more. All day today and tomorrow. Free. 540-923-4231 or gravesmountain.com.

PERFORMANCE
Black Voices: The UVA vocal ensemble presents its spring concert. 8pm. Old Cabell Hall. $5. 924-3984.

The Hills are Alive: See Friday, April 23.

The Play About the Baby: See Friday, April 23 and Performance feature.

Icons: The Richmond Triangle Players in association with Vicarious Productions presents the final weekend of Icons: The Lesbian and Gay History of the World, Vol. 1, directed by Jeff Wills and starring Jade Esteban Estrada. Fielden's Cabaret Theatre, 2033 W. Broad St., Richmond. $12-$14. 804-346-8113.

Master Workshop: Live Arts and Foolery present the first session of Plot and Passion, a material-generation workshop investigating the culture of American melodrama. Bring in all your material; compare, contrast, argue, combine, riff, steal. Prepare a melodrama scene and plotline for the second session on May 1. 1-5pm. $30 for two Saturday sessions. Live Arts, 123 E. Water St. 944-4177.

Big Band Swing: The Swing Club of UVA presents a 1930/'40s big band swing dance. Brooks Tegler's 15-piece big band from D.C. plays music by Krupa, Goodman, Shaw, Dorsey, Miller and others. Lesson at 8pm, dancing 9pm-midnight. Newcomb Hall Ballroom. $15. 979-3346.

The Importance of Being Earnest: Shenandoah Shakespeare presents a new production of Oscar Wilde's comic masterpiece in the magnificent Blackfriars Theater. 10 S. Market St., Staunton. $10-26. 540-885-5588.

Two Gentlemen of Verona: Shenandoah Shakespeare presents a new production of the Bard's early comedy in the magnificent Blackfriars Theater. 7:30pm. 10 S. Market St., Staunton. $10-26. 540-885-5588.

Latin Groove: Studio 206 Belmont presents a new weekly class. Learn salsa, samba, merengue, and other Latin forms of dance in an exercise setting. Dress comfortably for a great workout. 11:15am. Studio 206 Belmont, 505 Monticello Road. $12 drop-in; 5-class card $45. 973-2065.

PERFORMANCE AND TUNES
Charlottesville and University Symphony Orchestra: The orchestra's 29th season draws to a close with the dazzling Sibelius Violin Concerto and Brahms' First Symphony. Pre-concert lecture by Professor Milos Velimirovic 45 minutes before the concert in Minor Hall. Old Cabell Hall. 8pm. $22-orchestra and loge seats, $15-balcony. 924-3984. See Performance feature.

TUNES
The Johnson County Sheriffs at Rapunzel's: "With the energy of the Kingston Trio" describes folk group the Johnson County Sheriffs. Get a little education into just what that means tonight. $5, 7:30pm.

Victor Cabas (blues) at Basic Necessities. No cover, 6:30pm. (W)

Jimmy Fortune at Charlottesville Performing Arts Center. $20, 8pm.

Populist Dancing at Club Rio. $10, 9pm. (W)

Johnny & the Lowdowns CD release party at the Dew Drop Inn. No cover, 9:30pm.

Dr. Bottleneck and Sparky's Flaw at Gravity Lounge. $8, 8pm.

Vernon Fisher ("romantic side of jazz") at Keswick Hall. No cover, 6:30pm. (W)

The 55th Annual Dogwood Festival Ball featuring: The Rhythm Kings at Monticello Event & Conference Center (201 Monticello Avenue Charlottesville). $15, 8pm.

Synthetic: Dance Party with Stroud, Chris Mocella, DJ Lost at Rapture. $5, 10pm.

The Johnson County Sheriffs at Rapunzel's. $5, 7:30pm.

Fair Weather Bums (bluegrass) at Shebeen. No cover, 11pm. (W)

Martin Sexton (soul) with Colleen Sexton at Starr Hill. $15, 9pm.

DJ Night: Rock Dance Party at Tokyo Rose. $5, 10pm.

SUNDAY, April 25
FAMILY
Skin Deep: See Friday, April 23.

Dogwood Daze: See Thursday, April 22. Opens at 1pm today.

WALKABOUT
March for Women's Lives: Reserve your seat today for a hassle-free bus ride to the March in D.C. with other Charlottesville residents. $20, $5 students; some subsidized tickets available. 989-1514.

Wine in the Mountains: See Friday, April 24.

Glass Art: See Saturday, April 24, and Walkabout feature,.

Bluegrass Spring: See Saturday, April 24.

Plant Sale: In celebration of Earth Day, the Ivy Creek Foundation will host its annual Natural History Day and Native Plant Sale at the Ivy Creek Natural Area. 1-3pm. Enviro-fun for the whole family, and a chance to purchase garden-grown native wildflowers and ferns from the Jefferson Chapter of the Virginia Native Plant Society. 973-7772.

Historic garden tours: Stroll through the backyards of some of Staunton's oldest homes with the Beverley Garden Club and help raise money to send local kids to nature camp. Learn about homes, trees, and the city's garden styles along the way, and enjoy tea and cake at the Twelfth Night Inn at the end. 10:30am-12:30 and 1-3pm. $5. 540-885-1733.

At the Pen Park Copa: Discover the music, food, and culture of Brazil as the Brazilian Association of Charlottesville hosts a party in celebration of Brazil's Discovery Day. $5 members, $8 non-members, free under 12. Pen Park Pavilion #3. 760-1056 or .

WALKABOUT AND PERFORMANCE
Grateful Dead-centric Benefit: A spaghetti dinner, a wide-open dance floor, and a day of the good old San Francisco sound, all to benefit the Rockfish Valley Community Center. Alligator, Charlottesville's "All star Grateful Dead Experience," headlines 2-6pm, with Jalapeno Corn Bread playing the dinner show 6-8pm. The spaghetti will be served from 6-7pm for an additional $10 per plate and will include the infamous psychedelic Jell-O. Tickets for this alcohol-free event are $15 at the door. 361-0100.

PERFORMANCE
Sunday Salsa&emdash; Live!: Shake loose your winter cobwebs with a Live! Sunday Salsa featuring Bio Ritmo. The complete salsa dancing experience must be done to live music with the band and dancers sharing and building on one another's energy. Bio Ritmo has energy to share! DJ'd music to warm you up starts at 8pm, Bio Ritmo begins their first set at 9:30pm. The Outback Lodge, 917 Preston Ave. $8. 979-7211.

Dance Benefit: Seed Dance Exchange presents a dance benefit for the Living Education Center for Ecology and the Arts. Performing ensembles include the Zen Monkey Project, Presence Center for Applied Theater Arts, Prospect Dance Group, Kimberly Gladysz and Nature Dances, The Swift Project, Seed Dance Exchange, and others. 3 and 7pm. $7. Live Arts UpStage, 123 E. Water St. 979-2547.

I Vocalisti: Charlottesville Vocal Arts Society (formerly The Opera Society) announces a return engagement of I Vocalisti, performing Brahms' Quartets for Solo Voices. 3pm, Municipal Arts Center, 1117 Fifth St. Ext. Free. 296-2238.

Early Music Ensemble: The music of J.S. Bach and his German and Italian predecessors is featured in this UVA Early Music Ensemble concert. 3:30pm. $5-10. Old Cabell Hall. 924-3984.

Richmond Symphony Orchestra: Today's program includes Tchaikovsky, Brahms, and Shostakovich. 7:30pm. R.E. Lee High School, 1200 N. Coalter St., Staunton. $18, $5 students. 540-886-6186.

The Hills are Alive: See Friday, April 23.

Improv Lab II: Live Arts' resident expert Rush Howell leads this intermediate-level weekly Sunday afternoon workshop in long-form improv. Class runs until May 2. 3-5pm. $50 members, $65 general. Live Arts, 123 E. Water St. 977-4177x100.

Henry IV, Part I: Shenandoah Shakespeare presents a new production of the Bard's best-loved history play in the magnificent Blackfriars Theater. 2pm. 10 S. Market St., Staunton. $10-26. 540-885-5588.

Chamber Music Seminar Concert: UVA's McIntire Department of Music presents a concert of classical chamber works. 8pm. Garrett Hall Commons, UVA Central Grounds. Free. 924-3984.

TUNES
Sparky's Flaw at Gravity Lounge. $5, 7pm.

Irish Music Session at Shebeen. No cover, 3-6pm. (W)

B.C. at Miller's. No cover, 10:30pm. (W)

The Hogwaller Ramblers (bluegrass mayhem) at Escafé. No cover, 10pm. (W)

Stephanie Nakasian and Hod O'Biren at Gravity Lounge. $12/$8 with Student ID, 8pm.

Irish Music Session at Shebeen. No cover, 3-6pm. (W)

B.C. at Miller's. No cover, 10:30pm. (W)

Movie Night: Kill Bill & Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon at Rapture. No cover, 7pm.

MONDAY, April 26
ART
Painters Meet: The Central Virginia Watercolor Guild meets today. Members and guests are encouraged to bring a matted, but not framed, painting for the critique. Visitors are always welcome to attend. 1pm. Thomas Jefferson Memorial Church, 717 Rugby Road.

WALKABOUT
Montpelier Gardens: Tour the renovated landscape arboretum and the two-acre Annie Rogers duPont formal garden at James Madison's former abode. For times and more info, visit montpelier.org.

More on Brown: In recognition of the 50th anniversary of this historic case, Mildred Robinson, UVA law professor, talks about "Voices from the Brown Generation" at the Legal Aid Justice Center, 1000 Preston Ave. Free. 7-8:30pm. 293-5981.

Candidates' Forum: NAACP members and interested members of the public pepper the six City Council candidates with questions relating to African-American affairs in the city. 6-8pm. City Council Chambers.

PERFORMANCE
Vocal Concert: UVA's McIntire Department of Music presents student vocal recitals from the studio of Stephanie Nakasian. 8pm. Garrett Hall Commons. Free. 924-3984.

Virginia Gentlemen: The UVA vocal ensemble performs a charity concert. 8pm. Old Cabell Hall. $5-10. 924-3984.

TUNES
Open Mic Night with Charles Davis at Baja Bean. No cover, signup 8:30pm/9pm. (W)

Jackson Gibson at Coupe DeVille's. No cover, 10:30pm. (W)

George Melvin (piano merriment) at South Street Brewery. No cover, 9:30pm. (W)

Elf power and Zumm Zumm at Tokyo Rose. $5, 10pm.

Travis Elliot (pop) and John Figura at the Virginian. No cover, 10pm. (W)

TUESDAY, April 27
FAMILY
Culture Camp: All members of the adoption community are invited to an adoptive families panel discussing International Heritage Camps and Homeland Tours. A panel of parents who have adopted internationally talk about family culture camps that address a child's birth culture and adoption issues. 7pm. Free. Westminster Presbyterian Church, 190 Rugby Road. 293-5286.

PERFORMANCE
Beth Chandler Recital: UVA's McIntire Department of Music presents a student recital. 8pm. Garrett Hall. Free. 924-3984.

African Drum & Dance Ensemble: The Ensemble presents a celebration of African drumming and dance "from rainforest to nightclub." 8pm. Old Cabell Hall. $5-10. 924-3984.

WORDS
Jihad: Its concept and practice as analyzed by Michael Knapp of the US Army National Ground Intelligence Center. Miller Center, 5:15pm. 2202 Old Ivy Road. 924-0921.

WALKABOUT
Venture Capital: Gilman Louie, president and CEO of In-Q-Tel, the CIA's venture capital organization, speaks at the Darden School's Abbott Center Auditorium 1:30-2:30pm, followed by a public forum on trends in technology, venture capital, and national security. Free, but registration is required. Linda Bowling, 924-4065.

TUNES
Karaoke Night (what you make of it) at Baja Bean. Free, 8pm. (W)

Jamie and Rolland (partial bluegrass mayhem) at the Blue Moon Diner. No cover, 8pm. (W)

Glen Mack at Coupe DeVille's. No cover, 10:30pm. (W)

Mary Lou Lord with Vyktoria Keating (folk) at Gravity Lounge. $12/$10, 8:30pm.

SNUG (funk improv) at Michael's Bistro. $3, 10pm. (W)

The George Turner Trio (jazz, funk) at Orbit. No cover, 10pm.

Thuggery Lounge: The Murder City Beat Jackers (hip-hop, disco, etc.) at Rapture. $5/Ladies Free Before Midnight, 10pm.

Dierks Bentley at Starr Hill. $15, 8pm.

International Improv: Itakura on the wurlitzer, Flinn on drums Eisenbiel on guitar.

WEDNESDAY, April 28
PERFORMANCE
Henry IV, Part I: See Sunday, April 25. Today's show is an early morning show at 10:30am.

Digitalis: UVA's McIntire Department of Music presents a free concert by Digitalis. 8pm. Old Cabell Hall. Free. 924-3984.

The Play about the Baby: See Friday, April 23 and Performance feature.

Country Dance Night: Couples and line dancing at Fry's Spring Beach Club. Dance lesson free with cover. Lesson 7pm, dancing 8-11pm. 2512 Jefferson Park Ave. $7 cover, $4 full-time students; students $2 every fourth Wednesday through May. 977-0491.

Salsa Night: Whether you're mastering the basic step or working on learning some cool new moves, this class will help you reach your next level. No partner necessary. 8-9:30 salsa partnering lesson; 9:30-10 practice. Lesson and practice, $8, $6 students. Berkmar Ballroom, 652 W. Rio Road. 975-4611 or berkmarballroom.com.

The Importance of Being Earnest: See Saturday, April 24. Tonight's show is at 7:30pm.

Berkmar Salsa Night: Learn hot nightclub salsa moves at this weekly Wednesday-night lesson and practice. No partner necessary. 8:00-9:15pm lesson, 9:15-10:00pm practice. Berkmar Ballroom, 652 Rio Rd. West #7. $8, $6 students. 975-4611.

Teen Acting Studio: Designed for the serious teen actor, this weekly workshop will focus on actor's vocal production and physical movement, skills that will then be put to practical use in work with monologues. Students should bring three sample contemporary monologues with them to the first class. $60 members, $75 general. 5:30-7pm. Runs until June 2. Live Arts, 123 E. Water St. 977-4177.

WORDS
Pollster par Excellence: Pew Research Center director Andrew Kohut discusses "The Long and Winding Road to the Presidential Election." Miller Center, 11am. 2201 Old Ivy Road. 924-0921.

WALKABOUT
Bead Basics: Studio Baboo instructor Terri Gable offers a class in bead stringing basics. 5:30-7:30pm. $25 fee includes materials. 106 Fifth St. Downtown Mall. 244-2905.

Scientific Inquiry: Delve into the mysteries of the scientific method with Dr. Francis Macrina as he discusses how scientific discoveries are made. Part of the Funsten Science Lecture Series at the Science Museum of Virginia. 7-9pm. No fee. For info, call 804-864-1400 or visit smv.org.

Ash Lawn Birthday Celebration: Celebrate the 246th birthday of our fifth president, James Monroe, where he would have likely spent it: his house. Ash Lawn Highland is offering free admission for all local residents today including actors in period costume, a special exhibit on Monroe's library, and tours of the plantation's historic gardens. Open 9am-6pm. 293-9539 or ashlawnhighland.org.

Finding Homes for Children: The Rev. W.C. Martin, who has been featured on the "Oprah Winfrey Show" and "48 Hours," led his church in Texas in finding permanent homes for 76 foster children. He received the Essence award in 2000, and is speaking at First Baptist Church at 6:30pm. 979-9631.

FAMILY
Tales for Tots: Books by Audrey Wood entertain the five-and-under crowd at Barnes & Noble's preschool story time. Hear Sally, Sally, King Bidgoods in the Bathtub, and Big Hungry Bear. 10:30am. Free. Barracks Road Shopping Center. 984-6598.

TUNES
Cheesy Trivia with M&M Express at Buffalo Wild Wings. No cover, 8:30pm. (W)

Open Mic Night at Dew Drop Inn. No cover, 8pm. (W)

John Gorka with Paul Curreri (country-blues) at Gravity Lounge. $25/$20, 8pm.

The Mike Rosensky Jeff Decker Quartet (jazz) at Miller's. No cover, 9:30pm. (W)

Jamal Millner and friends at Outback Lodge. Free, 10pm.

Open Jam at Rapunzel's Coffee & Books. Free, 7pm. (W)

Middle Eastern Belly Dance Class at Rapunzel's Coffee & Books. Free, 6:30pm. (W)

Ellen Kovac at South Street Brewery. No cover, 10pm.

Blind Boys of Alabama (gospel-soul) at Starr Hill. $25, 7:30pm.

Kathy Olsen Trio (jazz) upstairs at Tokyo Rose. No cover, 9:30pm. (W)

Jim Davies (acoustic rock and blues) at the Virginian. No cover, 10pm. (W)

THURSDAY, April 29
WORDS
Great Game: Spy craft for Le Carré readers. Former CIA guy Frederick Hitz reads from his new espionage primer. New Dominion Bookshop on the Downtown Mall. 5:30pm. 295-2552. See Words feature.

More April Poetry: In national poetry month's dramatic conclusion at PVCC, Half Moon Bay poetry chapbook editor David Dodd Lee and PVCC's own Charlotte Matthews (A Kind of Devotion) join for an evening of poetry entitled "The Moon and a Tree." 7:30pm. Black Box, V. Earl Dickinson Building, 500 College Drive. 961-5203.

FAMILY
Tales for tots: See Wednesday, April 28.

PERFORMANCE
Swing Swap: The Charlottesville Swing Dance Society hosts this weekly Thursday-night swing dancing session, with an hour of East Coast Swing, an hour of West Coast Swing, and a DJ taking requests. Singles and couples welcome, no partner needed. 7-9pm. Albemarle County Office Building Auditorium, 401 McIntire Road. Free. 980-2744.

Two Gentlemen of Verona: See Saturday, April 24. Tonight there's a post-show Talk Back! Session with the cast at 9:45pm.

Teen Acting Studio: This weekly workshop will focus on opening up the text within a Shakespearean monologue through extensive language work: scanning the verse, exploring rhythm and sound, and working the breath. Students need to bring 3 sample Shakespearean monologues with them to the first class. Pre-requisite: Prior LATTE acting studio experience or instructor permission. Runs until June 3. 5-7pm. $60 members, $75 general. Live Arts, 123 E. Water St. 977-4177.

Jazz on the Lawn: UVA's McIntire Department of Music presents live outdoor jazz. 1pm. Steps of Old Cabell Hall. Free. 924-3984

Lost Classic: Ibby Roberts gives Virginia premiere of a recently discovered concerto attributed to Rossini. The orchestra is the Waynesboro Community Orchestra, Eric Stassen conducting, Susan Black is concert master. The program also includes Schumann's Symphony No. 3, the "Rhenish." 8pm. First Presbyterian Church, 11th & Wayne, Waynesboro. Price TBA. 924-3984.

The Play about the Baby: See Friday, April 23, and Performance feature. Tonight's show is at 7:30pm.

PERFORMANCE AND TUNES
Relay for Life: Singer/Songwriter/Survivor David M. Bailey performs in a Kick Off Concert/Fundraiser for Relay For Life 2004. 7pm. Church of the Incarnation, 1475 Incarnation Drive. Suggested donation $10. 973-2244.

Silent Film Music: The Devil Music Ensemble scores live The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, a classic of German Expressionism that tells the story of a town racked by a string of murders that seem to coincide with the arrival of a stranger, Dr. Caligari. The Devil Music Ensemble performs it live, followed by locals Tulsa Drone, Tone from DC, local kickers Bucks and Gallants, and a final performance of rock by the Devil Music Ensemble. Price TBA. 7pm. Satellite Ballroom behind Plan 9 on the Corner: 979-9999.

PERFORMANCE AND TUNES
Relay for Life: Singer/Songwriter/Survivor David M. Bailey performs in a Kick Off Concert/Fundraiser for Relay For Life 2004. 7pm. Church of the Incarnation, 1475 Incarnation Drive. Suggested donation $10. 973-2244.

Silent Film Music: The Devil Music Ensemble scores live The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, a classic of German Expressionism that tells the story of a town racked by a string of murders that seem to coincide with the arrival of a stranger, Dr. Caligari. The Devil Music Ensemble performs it live, followed by locals Tulsa Drone, Tone from DC, local kickers Bucks and Gallants, and a final performance of rock by the Devil Music Ensemble. Price TBA. 7pm. Satellite Ballroom behind Plan 9 on the Corner: 979-9999.

TUNES
Cerberus Shoal at Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar: Strange as a talking dog, Cerberus Shoal's beautiful world-pop is transfixing, and might lead to an evening of quiet contemplation. $4, 9pm. See Tunes feature.

Jim Waive (country-folk) at the Blue Moon Diner. Free, 8pm (W)

Karaoke Night with DJ Wild Wes at Buffalo Wild Wings. Free, 9pm (W)

Pre-Relay Kick Off Concert/Fundraiser for Relay For Life 2004 at Church of the Incarnation, 1475 Incarnation Dr. Suggested donation $10, 7pm.

Chicken Head Blues Band at Dürty Nelly's. $4, 9pm. (W)

Eileen Edmonds at Gravity Lounge. $5, 8:30pm.

Thompson/ D'earth and friends (freeform jazz) at Miller's. $4, 10pm. (W)

Robert Jospé (jazz) at Rapture. No cover, 7:30pm. (W)

Satisfaction (dance party) at Rapture. No cover, 10:30pm. (W)

Middle Eastern Belly Dance Class at Rapunzel's Coffee & Books. Free, 6:30pm. (W)

Hogwaller Ramblers (bluegrass mayhem) at Shebeen. No cover, 10pm. (W)

Sharif CD Release Party at Starr Hill/ $8/$6 advance, 9pm.

Kait and Thom (modern jazz duo) at Tokyo Rose upstairs. No cover, 9:30pm. (W)

Upcoming and Ongoing
WORDS
Come into the Library: Ash Lawn-Highland exhibits rarely seen selections from James Monroe's collection of 3,000 late 18th- and early 19th-century French and English volumes. Open daily through April 30, 10am-6pm. 293-9539.

ART
The Piedmont Pastelists: Artists group meets the second Monday of the month in the classroom at Michael's Craft Store in Barracks Road Shopping Center. 1pm. 974- 6010.

FAMILY
Roots and wings: The Living Earth School brings kids closer to the earth with their summer residential youth camps. Three programs &emdash; Earth Roots (ages 8-11), Ancient Ways (advanced camp for ages 8-13), and Wilderness Quest (8-day backpacking trek for ages 12 and up) &emdash; are designed to help children get back to their roots and learn the philosophy of living close to the earth. These camps teach survival skills and much more. They are personal growth oriented, educational, and down right fun. Enrollment limited and fills fast, so register as soon as possible. Applications available on-line. 258 Rocky Bottom Lane, Afton. 540-456-7339. circleofseeds.com.

River Ramble: Call now for your tickets to join one of the James River Rambler railroad excursions happening on May 8 and 22 and June 5. This popular train ride wanders through the rolling hills and deep forests of Buckingham County from Dillwyn along the historic Buckingham Branch rail line. Choose from a 90-minute or 3.5-hour tour. Sponsored by the Old Dominion Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society. Call between 10am-4pm on Saturdays, 1-4pm on Sundays: 800-451-6318. odcnrhs.org.

Moving Heaven and Earth: Kids aren't the only things in constant motion. At the Virginia Discovery Museum the earth and its movement is the subject of the Back Gallery exhibit that explores Patterns, Cycles, and Change. Kids can move the planets, create a rainstorm, and journey through the seasons through May 16. Free with museum admission. East end of the Downtown Mall. 977-1025.

Martian Chronicles: The Virginia Discovery Museum gets into the Mars mania with a new display in the Discovery Corner. Maps, globes, artifacts, and new NASA images let earth-bound explorers probe the Red Planet. Included in the price of admission. East end of the Downtown Mall. 977-1025.

Filling the Void: Stella is a black hole. Stella bats her lilac eyelashes and reminisces about her glory days as a giant star, how she explodes and becomes a black hole, and about the mysteries she still keeps to herself in the Science Museum of Virginia's multimedia planetarium show Black Holes now through June 13. Included in the price of admission. 2500 W. Broad St., Richmond. 800-659-1727. smv.org.

World Beat: Discover how rhythm and movement link different cultures, locations, and musical traditions in the new IMAX film "Pulse: A Stomp Odyssey" at the Science Museum of Virginia. Two long-time Stomp performers guide visitors through grand landscapes and cultural celebrations in Brazil, South Africa, Spain, England, Japan, India, the United States, and various countries in Africa to learn how people from around the world experience music and dance. Runs through July 16. Call or see website for schedule and cost. 2500 W. Broad St., Richmond. 800-659-1727. smv.org.

WALKABOUT
Bocce and Brunch: This and every Sunday through June, the Spruce Creek Gallery in Nellysford hosts their popular ãBrunch and Bocce.ä Enjoy a catered brunch, and then try to figure out what this whole bocce thing is all about. Reservations required. For info, call 361-1859.

Downtown Tours: The Albemarle-Charlottesville Historical Society offers walking tours of historic downtown Charlottesville every Saturday at 10am. Tours leave from the McIntire Building across from Lee Park and cover over 250 years of community history in one hour. $3 suggested donation. For info, call 296-1492.

Visit Montpelier: Montpelier offers two outdoor walking tours each Saturday, one focusing on the plantationâs slave community, and another on the more recent duPont estate. Afterwards, go behind the scenes and see rooms that are not regularly open to the public and areas of the house that are under renovation. Offered every half-hour from 10:30am-4pm. montpelier.org/>montpelier.org for more info.

Single Mothers' Support Group: Safe environment for women dealing with the challenges of raising children on their own. Facilitated by Deborah Frazer, LCSW. Nominal fee required, negotiable according to the needs of group participants. Pre-registration interview required. Child care available. 6:30-8pm. Focus Women's Center. Grady Avenue. 293-2222.

Women in Change: Support group allows women experiencing personal issues of transition to meet in a supportive and confidential setting, facilitated by Betsy Cochran, LPC. 7-8:30pm. Fee and pre-registration interview required. Focus Women's Center. Grady Avenue. 293-2222.

ART LIST
The Second Street Gallery presents two shows running through May 1. In the Main Gallery, view the language-inspired art of Kay Rosen's "New Word Order," including "Blurred," a 37-foot-long site-specific piece. In the Dové Gallery, experience "You Kill Me," an installation investigating the nature of romance, by D'nell Larson. City Center for Contemporary Arts, corner of Second and Water streets. 977-7284.

The University of Virginia Art Museum presents "A Taste for Grace: Italian Prints from the 15th through 18th Centuries," which continues through August 15. In addition, the museum features Carrie Mae Weems' "The Jefferson Suite" through May 23. Also on view: "Exploring Identy: Work by Southern Jewish Women Artists," featuring pieces by Jan Aronson, Marcia R. Cohen, Johanna Drucker, Linda Gissen, and Alyssa C. Salomon, through April 25, plus "American Collage," including work by Andy Warhol, Adja Yunkers, and Robert Motherwell, among others, through August 24. 155 Rugby Road. 924-3952.

Java Java displays the work of St. Anne's-Belfield School students Ji-Hyae Kim and Maggie Wilson through May 1. Town Side Shopping Center, Ivy Road. 220-2534.

During April, the Gravity Lounge features "Safari," recent photographs of Kenya by Jeff James. 103 S. First St. 977-5590.

The Virginia Photography Club presents its first public exhibition at Michael's Bistro. The show will be up through May 10. 1427 University Ave. 242-0139.

The Renaissance School hosts its fifth annual student art show. 406 E. Main St. on the Downtown Mall. 984-1952.

The Piedmont Pastelists offer an exhibition of members' work at Michaels Arts and Crafts through May 2. Barracks Road Shopping Center. 977-3506.

The Kluge-Ruhe Collection of Aboriginal Art presents "Family Business: Kinship in Australian Aboriginal Art" through June 5. 400 Worrell Drive, Peter Jefferson Place. 244-0234.

"Dalgliesh Unframed," a show of pastel and oil paintings by Betsy Dalgliesh, is on display at Angelo through April 30. 220 E. Main St. on the Downtown Mall. 971-9256.

During April, view "Fusion," a show of paintings, collage, and tapestry by artists Doris deSha, Nancy deJarnette Frye, Joan Griffin, Anne Warren Holland, and Sylvia Thompson, at C'ville Coffee. 1301 Harris St. 979-4402.

Spencer's 206 shows work by Lisi Stoessel during April. 295-2080.

At the C&O Gallery, view "On the Water," paintings by John Howard, through April 30. Next door to the C&O Restaurant, 511 E. Water St. 971-7044.

Nature Visionary Art shows "New Work by Matt Sesow!" through May 1. 110 Fourth St. 296-8482. See Art feature.

During April, CODG presents "Play of Light," an exhibition of paintings and photographs by Leslie Allyn, Dana Grant, and Clare Zusky. 112 E. Main St., under the Jefferson Theater. 242-4212.

View the Central Virginia Watercolor Guild's 2004 Members Exhibition, featuring 67 paintings by 33 members, at the Albemarle County Courthouse, through April 30. McIntire Road. 296-8484.

The Dave Moore Studio features works by Dave Moore and several Richmond artists. Hours vary, so call first. 414 E. Main St. (under The Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar). 825-1870.

David Cochrane's abstract/geometric paintings and Matisse- and Picasso-influenced portraits are on view at the architectural firm of Stoneking/Von Storch. Also on display are photographs by Sarah Hormel-Everett and paintings by Priscilla Whitlock. Fifth and Water streets. 295-4204.

Les Yeux du presents Edie Read's "Figured" in its downstairs gallery through May 3. Upstairs, view Stanley Woodward's "Spring Flowers" through April 30. 115 S. First St. 973-5566.

Thomas Jefferson Memorial Church features an exhibition of "nuptial paintings" and clay sculptural wall relief by Linda Cappacione. 717 Rugby Road. 293-8179.

Leo Charre shows his paintings at the Mudhouse in April. 213 W. Main St. on the Downtown Mall. 984-6833.

L'étoile Restaurant displays paintings by local artists Barry Gordon and Malcolm Hughes. Gordon's abstract works feature interiors and everyday objects; Hughes portrays landscapes in the Impressionist style. 817 W. Main St. (across from the Amtrak Station). 979-7957.

Take a stroll through the 57 acres of Virginia's first-ever Sculpture Park, located on the grounds of Baker-Butler Elementary School. 2740 Proffit Road. 974-7777x1402.

Paintings by Gloria Mitchell are on display at The Artful Lodger, 1807 Seminole Trail. 970-1900.

During April, Virginia Paul's "Maine Islands and Beyond," a series of landscapes inspired by the artist's travels, is on view at Art Upstairs. 316 E. Main St., above The Hardware Store, on the Downtown Mall. 923-3900.

"Art and the Natural World," an exhibit featuring science themes, is on display at the Science and Engineering Library's new reading room. The exhibit is a highlight of the library's grand opening in Clark Hall, and will be up through the academic year. The exhibit features work by UVA art faculty. 924-3628.

The Charlottesville-Albemarle Art Association is exhibiting the work of Betty Brubach, Blake Hurt, Phyllis Frame, Amy Howard, Coy Roy, Judith Ely, and Karen Jaegerman Collins on the upper level mezzanine of the Charlottesville Airport through May 2. 295-2486.

Jerry O'Dell's paintings and stained glass creations are on view at Blue Ridge Glass & Crafts. 1724 Allied St. 293-2876.

During April, The McGuffey Art Center presents Kristin Onuf's "Shades," an exhibition of gelatin plate monotypes, as well as "Three Painters," featuring still lifes by Pattye Leggett, seascapes by Robin Braun, and figural paintings by Rick Weaver. "Cat Women," drawings and paintings by Bob Anderson, is also on view. In addition, fourth- and fifth-year UVA students present a group show on the theme "Collage." 201 Second St. NW. 295-7973.

Transient Crafters displays "Beeswax Luminaries: Capturing Nature's Radiance," a series of luminaries created by Lauren Amacher of "Hive," during April. 118 W. Main St. on the Downtown Mall. 972-9500.

The Bozart Gallery presents "2D by 1," a series of Charlottesville-centered paintings by Tom Walsh, through April 30. 211 W. Main St. 296-4669.

Selected landscapes by Richard Crozier are on view at Hotcakes through May 2. Barracks Road Shopping Center. 295-6037.

Martha Jefferson Hospital presents a show entitled "The Creative Process" through June 4. 459 Locust Ave. 982-7000.

Radar

The Arts Center in Orange presents oil paintings by Lou Schellenberg through May 15. 129 E. Main St., 540-672-7311, .

Sun's Traces Gallery displays baskets by Charlotte LaRoy (featured in The Fiber Arts Design Book), as well as clay works by Paula Brown-Steedly, handmade paper by Rebecca Humphrey, and weaving by Barbara Gentry and Pat Hoover. Barboursville. 540-832-7044.

The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts presents "Bonjour, Monsieur Corbet! The Bruyas Collection from the Musee Fabre, Montpelier," and "Van Gogh and Gauguin: An Artistic Dialogue in the South of France," through June 13. Also on view: "Best Friends: Portraits of Sydney and Francis Lewis," a series of portraits by a range of artists, including Chuck Close and Andy Warhol, through July 11. 2800 Grove Ave. 804-924-2704.

Ombra's Café displays "Recent Still Lifes," oils by painter Vidu Palta, through April. 5773 The Square, Crozet. 296-4669.

The Front Street Gallery presents "Natural Bridges," drawings and paintings by Jim Langer, through April 30. 773 Front Street, Lovingston. 434-263-8526.

Sunspots Studios in Staunton offer live glassblowing demonstrations every day by master glassblower Phillip Nolley and art glass artist Minh Martin, both in residence. Corner of Lewis and Middlebrook streets in downtown Staunton, across from the train station. 540-885-0678. See Walkabout feature, page 38.

The Artisans Center of Virginia presents work by sculptor and potter Susan Coville during April. 601 Shenandoah Village Drive (exit 94 off I-64), Waynesboro. 540-946-3294.

During April, Caffé Bocce displays paintings by Lindsay Michie Eades. 330 Valley St., Scottsville. 286-4422.

Sybil Heerdegan's acrylic paintings are on view during April at Harrisonburg's John Clore Gallery in the Wachovia Bank lobby. Corner of E. Market St. and Mason. 540-810-2777.

FEATURES/FEATURES/FEATURES
ART
Much to say: Sesow's visual chatter
BY LAURA PARSONS
Brace yourself. Maybe even toss back a stiff drink before you go. Because to encounter Matt Sesow's paintings is to enter a maelstrom. Undiluted primary colors fly off the wall, blinding, dazzling. Frenetic lines thrash violently. And Sesow's disturbing, distorted images needle and jab.

The experience can be overwhelming-- especially when presented as a pulsating floor-to-ceiling mosaic of expressionism, as it is at Nature Visionary Art. But stay with it, and a strange vocabulary of images emerges: figures with missing limbs, coffee cups with stitches, crosses, odd cartoon rabbits. What is going on in this guy's head?

"A lot of these paintings are about me," says Nebraska native Sesow, who lost his left arm to an airplane propeller at age 8. When he began painting 19 years later, Sesow discovered a therapeutic means for grappling with issues arising from his childhood trauma.

"I would call it negative emotion I hadn't dealt with before," he says.

In "Baby's First Step," a blue-hued toddler in green overalls balances unsteadily, one foot lifted, as a shirtless, seated boy, with missing feet, looks on from the side. Sesow explains that it's a reversal of his childhood experience. In this fantasy, he is the physically whole center of attention, while his brother-- in real life a gifted athlete-- sits on the sidelines.

In addition to autobiographical explorations, Sesow often expresses his reactions to current events. For instance, Saddam Hussein and personified figures of Israel and Palestine figure in two of his paintings.

Other references are less obvious. "A Basic Human Right, a Human Need," depicts a flat, bluish green head, the edge of its eye and the side of its nose charged with yellow above red lips and gritted teeth. Sesow explains he painted this image while listening to Pacifica Radio's report of Aristide's removal by U.S. forces from Haiti.

The rawest paintings on display-- heads scribbled with intensity against yellow, black, or red backgrounds-- are Sesow's most recent. "I'm trying to get a little more energetic, a little more aggressive," he says, adding that his heroes are Bacon, De Kooning, and Basquiat.

Sesow paints a full eight-hour day and often churns out 12 or more works in a session. Among his current projects is a portrait series of every G.I. killed in Iraq.

Viewing the current wall of Sesow's work is like eavesdropping on the artist's ongoing argument with the world. With paint he shouts down and wrestles with his tangled personal and political issues. And we get to watch wide-eyed.

WORDS
Spy clichés: Falling for the honey-trap
By ELIZABETH KIEM

The first thing you need to know about Frederick P. Hitz's new book The Great Game is that it's not about the Hindu Kush. The phrase, usually a reference to imperial adventurists mucking about in Central Asia, is here reserved solely for espionage.

Hitz, a former inspector general of the CIA, draws on spy cases from fiction and reality to see how they stack up. Covert activities are discussed via The Spy Who Came in from the Cold and the Bay of Pigs; recruitment is studied through the words of George Smiley and real-life spycatcher Dewey Clarridge; and for the motivations of turncoats, we hear from both Kim Philby and Graham Greene.

Hitz promises that with a few exceptions, the truth is stranger than fiction.

To his credit, the book does provide a handful of outlandish details. (My favorite is the "acoustic kitty" mobile listening device to be attached to the feline of the house.) But overall, the author is too focused on the organization of his materials to allow the stories to test their own strangeness. Perhaps this is to be expected of an intelligence operative turned college professor.

Even when dealing with the juicy themes endemic both to spy novels and Cold War embassies worldwide, Hitz is relentlessly academic. It's odd to read of a state department official's "expensive appetite for heterosexual sadomasochistic sex" couched in terms of "controlled circumstances under which the Soviets &applied the 'honey trap'" and "the disparate cultural vulnerabilities of the two sides during the Cold War."

The bottom line is that if I were Robert Hanssen, or Aldrich Ames or Oleg Penkovsky, I'd pick Alan Furst to immortalize me over Hitz any day.

Still, The Great Game raises some relevant concerns. Hitz reminds us of the furor over perceived breaches of civil liberties and abuse of power by the intelligence agencies in the mid-'70s. The revelations, he writes, proved that "Americans were being victimized by the very forces they had unleashed to counter the Communist threat."

Many fear we are right back there today, minus the Communists. But Hitz correctly points out that Osama bin Laden (more Dr. No than Jamal Ramlawi) poses a very different challenge for our spies. Today we're asked if creating a secret police is the best route to improved intelligence.

Maybe the 9/11 commission should call Rudyard Kipling to the stand.

Frederick P. Hitz reads from The Great Game: The Myth and Reality of Espionage at New Dominion Bookstore on the Downtown Mall. Thursday, April 29, 5:30pm. Ask him to use lots of "bafflegab."

FAMILY
Happy trails: Walkways for wheels
BY LINDA KOBERT

Diehard outdoor types may decry the resurfacing of the Rivanna Greenbelt trail near Riverview Park as another attempt at taming wild places ["Pave Paradise? Greenbelt trail asphalted" News, April 15], but those who must get around on wheels see this development as one of their only paths into paradise.

The Greenbelt trail meanders along the river through surprisingly secluded and mercifully flat terrain that parents with babies in strollers, young children just learning to ride a bicycle, and wheelchair-dependant nature lovers can really roll with. It's one of the few nature trails around town that's really suited to this purpose.

"You have to be careful on some trails," mothers Lisa and Tanya told me as they strolled their six-month-old baby boys around the half-mile paved loop at Pen Park. "Your wheels have to be really sturdy if you go on some of those gravel trails."

Wood chips or unimproved paths would be out of the question for these moms who, despite the hilliness of Pen Park's fitness and nature trail, enjoy its wide, paved path where they can stroll side-by-side and chat.

Ivy Creek Natural Area has a stroller-friendly walking path, too, that takes a mostly flat route through varied scenery for nearly a mile. Pet lovers must leave their four-legged friends at home, however (seeing-eye dogs are the exception). Bikes and roller blades are a no-go here, too.

Saunders-Monticello Trail, which wanders slowly up the Thomas Jefferson Parkway at no more than a five-percent grade, is another ideal walking trail for wee ones on wheels. Damage to a boardwalk over Carter Mountain Road caused by Hurricane Isabel, however, has closed the trail from that point to the top of the mountain since last fall. Trail manager Matt Sensabaugh says construction is nearing completion on the damaged boardwalk, and by mid- to late May, high rollers and others will be able to make their way all the way to the Monticello entrance.

Still, the 1.2-mile stretch from the trailhead to the damaged section continues to be a wonderful wander along tightly packed crushed-stone paths and boardwalks through secluded woods. A loop of trail circles the pond, and another spur winds up (yes, it's steep) to Carter's Overlook where on a clear day you'll think you can see forever. Pets are allowed on the paths but not on the boardwalks, and they must be on a leash.

Access to Rivanna Greenbelt is at the end of Chesapeake Street. Pen Park is on Pen Park Road off Rio. Ivy Creek Natural Area is on Earlysville Road (Rt. 743). 973-7772. Saunders-Monticello Trail is part of the Thomas Jefferson Parkway. Trailhead and parking is on Rt. 53 at Rt. 20.

WALKABOUT
Glowing goo: Glass festival shapes up
BY TIM SPRINKLE

How interesting is glass? Considering that it's found in everything from bathroom mirrors to Crate and Barrel goblets, not very. But add a little color to the equation-&endash; bend, twist, and coax it into some wild and fantastic new shapes-&endash; and you're looking at a different beast altogether.

Do all that, apply your skills to all sorts of useful and beautiful objects, and manipulate a red-hot ball of syrupy goo with a crowd watching, and glass becomes downright entertaining.

That's the general idea behind the Virginia Hot Glass Festival, the only art show in the state devoted to the molten glass craft, being held this weekend at Sunspots Studios in Staunton. The festival, now in its second year, brings together more than 20 of the finest hot glass artisans in Virginia for a weekend of demonstrations, workshops, and an all-around celebration of the glassworker's art.

More than just an art fair, these practitioners blur the line between craft and art-- creating lamps, vases, and other household object that are as wildly original and creative as stand-alone art pieces.

Fans of glass art will find a bit of everything here: live demonstrations of glass blowing, lampworking, sand casting (in which molten glass is poured into a moist sand mold), slumping (a technique of molding warm glass into bowls, glasses, and other popular shapes), and fusing (the practice of blending different pieces of glass into dramatic swirls of color). After watching the artists ply their trade, you can buy the pieces directly from them. Proceeds from the sale of objects made during the Festival will benefit the Staunton Augusta Arts Center.

"There's really no place else in Virginia where people can see hot glass being shaped like this," says Caroline Sheridan, event organizer with Sunspots Studios. "This is a unique opportunity to see many different kinds of hot glass art all in one place.

Besides," she says, "where else can people see 2000-degree balls of glass being shaped into amazing works of art?"

Sunspots Studios is located near Staunton's historic train depot, five minutes from I-81 and I-64, in the Klotz Building at 202 S. Lewis St. 9-6pm Saturday, 9-5pm Sunday. Free. Info: Caroline Sheridan, 540-885-0678 or sunspots.com.

PERFORMANCE
Waaaa!: Playful play about a baby
BY STEPHEN BOYKEWICH there any one of us who didn't dream as a child of being plucked out of our ordinary life by rich glamorous parents who would adopt us as their own and whisk us off to an island fortress where we could eat pizza every day, have dessert before dinner, and where the social studies teacher we had a crush on would be in a special room only we had the key to, wearing something from the naughty pages of the Sears catalog?

Well, the details aren't the important part.

Edward Albee, author of The Play About the Baby, which opens at Live Arts this weekend, had a childhood almost that fantastical. Barely two weeks old, he was adopted into a semi-legendary and very wealthy vaudeville family. When he was five, mom and pop were sending him to see Broadway shows in the family Rolls. Little Edward got himself kicked out of quite a few schools and eventually drifted into the bohemian Eden of mid-century Greenwich Village. Something clicked at the age of 30: plays started to pour out of him. He's 76 now, and they haven't stopped yet.

The Play About the Baby is one of Albee's most recent works-- it premiered in 2001-- but it recalls elements of many of his classics, including Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, his biggest popular success and the subject of a 1966 screen adaptation. In Woolf, a bitter, aging academic couple devastate two newlyweds (and each other) over the course of an increasingly drunken and vicious evening. It's a lot more fun than it sounds.

Baby also focuses on an innocent young couple and the havoc their older counterparts wreak on them, but it's a far more playful, and in some ways more unconventional, play. The artifice of the stage is acknowledged at every turn. The man and woman are called Man and Woman; the boy and girl, Boy and Girl. The characters delight in odd stories and verbal games-- until Man and Woman decide to start a much darker, nastier game.

Baby is directed by longtime Live Arts collaborator Boomie Pedersen, who was most recently seen on the stage in the theater's production of Copenhagen. Baby is latest in a powerhouse season that has included new works by David Mamet, Michael Frayn, Stephen Adly Guirgus, and will come to a spectacular conclusion this May with a production of Angels in America: Millennium Approaches.

Whatever happened to the days when community theaters strained to pull off Arsenic and Old Lace?

The Play About the Baby opens Friday, April 23-24, and shows April 28-May 2, and May 4-8. All shows at 8pm, except Thursday night shows at 7:30pm and the May 2 matinee at 2pm. Tickets $10-15. Live Arts DownStage, 123 E. Water St. 977-4177.

TUNES
Eclectic crew crowds TBTB

Published April 22, 2004, in issue #0316 of the Hook

April 29 will find two worthy events competing for the same chunk of your evening-- the performance of Cerberus Shoal at Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar, and the evening of music at the Satellite Ballroom behind Plan 9 featuring the Devil Music Ensemble's live score for the silent German Expressionist horror film The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari.

Next week I will be previewing the latter, but this week the former catches the limelight. If you've already decided to go to hear Devil Music, perhaps I can convince you otherwise (and then back next week).

Forming in 1994 as a punk outfit, Cerberus Shoal has seen many changes in genres, which might account for the large number of members the group has had (its present incarnation boasts six). From punk to pop to far-out rock to the world-folk of their newest album, Bastion of Itchy Preeves, the group has been a sort of sonic mood ring, changing at the whims of its oldest members, guitarist Caleb Mulkerin, bassist and vocalist Chriss Sutherland, and drummer Tom Rogers.

Bastion of Itchy Preeves begins with "Grandire," an instrumental of cascading wind chimes and synthesizer, building to a tumultuous peak somewhere around five minutes into the piece. Clanging, careening squeals, and roaring (not unlike how I imagine hell sounds to those in the observation gallery) fill your head with a sonic mishmash of textures and noises, all centering on a few notes.

"A Cloud No Bigger than a Man's Head," track two, begins with simple four-note xylophone riff, coupled with a constant tinkling background, as if a bike bell was being controlled by the whims of the wind. Powerfully plucked electric/acoustic guitar and bass provide a two-note background drone until 90 seconds into the piece, when a noticeably cheap (Casio perhaps) synthesizer plays the song's melody line. And then, at 2:24, the magic happens: to a simple, slow melody, a chorus of voices sing in unison lines like "Never saw what makes sense," and "Women are package deals."

The only possible comparison I might be able to drag up from the depths of my musical subconscious is The Flaming Lips, but Cerberus Shoal sounds much more foreign-- as if, by chance, some group as isolated as the Tibetan monks had decided to make a pop album. Further on in the album, there's a strong reliance on repetition-- open, airy instrumental pieces, and what sounds like a vocoder-- the device Peter Frampton made famous. "Baby Gal," my favorite tune on the disc, sounds like a chant you can imagine being sung during a death procession in the Middle Ages.

The Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar is a pretty eclectic locale all by itself. Add in Cerberus Shoal and you have an evening where your sense of time, space, and what music should sound like just might take a leave of absence.

Cerberus Shoal at Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar, April 29. $4, 9pm.

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