D4 | Preview Houston | March 19-25, 2021 | PreviewHouston.

com

1. ‘Genius: Aretha’
National Geographic’s “Genius”
series set out to present untold
stories about some of the
PREVIEW
world’s brilliant thinkers, artists
and doers. Its latest subject is
P I C KS
Aretha Franklin, one of the
greatest song stylists of the
20th century. The Queen of
Soul will be played by the bril-
liant Cynthia Erivo (who could
be seen recently in “The Out-
sider”) and her story told over
eight episodes.

Details: Begins airing March 21

on National Geographic, with
episodes streaming a day later
on Hulu.
Andrew Dansby

2. Nathan Quick
Already an accomplished gui-
tarist, Nathan Quick found

plenty of time to write lyrics
during his time working on an
offshore oil rig. When he was
back on solid ground, he’d start
to pair them with music, and
the results find a great space
between roots rock, soul and
blues and country music. His
most recent album is “The
Other Side,” from 2018, but
he’s been working on a new
album and should have an
armful of new tunes to show-
case.
When: 9:30 p.m. Saturday
Where: McGonigel’s Mucky
Duck, 2425 Norfolk
Details: $120 for a table of
four, $30 for virtual ticket;
713-528-5999, mcgonigels.com
Andrew Dansby
3. ‘Zach Snyder’s
Justice League’
Fans of director Zach Snyder
have been salivating for his
new edit of the critically lam-
basted 2017 superhero action
film, “Justice League.” Coming
in at just over four hours —
twice the length of its original
release — “ZSJL” (often re-
ferred to as “The Snyder Cut”)
is supposed to fill in a lot of
holes in this superhero jam
session featuring Batman,
Superman, Wonder Woman,
1.
Aquaman and The Flash. After
the death of his daughter, Sny-
der left in the middle of pro-
duction of “Justice League” and
Joss Whedon stepped in to
finish it. Now, Snyder has taken
it back and refashioned it in his
image. We’ll see if it was worth
the effort.
Details: Streaming on HBO
Max.
Cary Darling
4. 5th Annual Houston
Latino Film Festival
Last year, the pandemic hit just
as the Houston Latino Film
Festival was about to get un-
derway. This year, it returns but
in a different form: at drive-ins
and online. Showing this week-
end at the Moonstruck Drive-In
are “Siudy Entre Mundos/50
Performances of the American
Dream” (8 p.m. March 19, a
documentary that tells the
story of the Miami-based Siudy
Flamenco Dance Theater
(SFDT); the Mexican drama
National Geographic
“Summer White” (9:50 p.m.
March 19, a teenager’s life is
changed when his mother
brings home her boyfriend to
3.
live with them), the documen-
tary “The Condor and the Ea-
gle” (8 p.m. March 20, four
Indigenous leaders trek from
Canada to the Amazon to unite
the peoples of North and South
America and to find the mean-
ing of “climate justice”) and the
Guatemalan horror film “La
Llorona” (10:05 p.m. March 20).
When: March 19-29; Moon-
struck Drive-In screenings be-
gin at 8 p.m. March 19-20
Where: Moonstruck Drive-In,
100 Bringhurst; Best Little Warner Bros. Pictures
Drive-In, 310 North St.
Details: $30 per car; $15 video anecdotal humor may be clean the pandemic. Let’s just say
on demand; houstonlatinofilm- but that doesn’t mean it’s not he’s not a fan of any of them.
festival.org hilarious. In his latest Netflix Bargatze may not be on the
Cary Darling special, “The Greatest Average cutting edge but he’s still pretty
American,” he riffs on every- sharp.
5. Nate Bargatze, ‘The
thing from COVID-19 and Chuck
Greatest Average American’ Details: Streaming on Netflix
E. Cheese to working out during
Nate Bargatze’s self-effacing, Cary Darling
 PreviewHouston.com | March 19-25, 2021 | Preview Houston | D5

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CONCERTS
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EVIEW

While some venues have

welcomed live performers ROZY
back to their stages, most
are still following COVID-19
guidelines, including re-
duced capacity, social dis-
tancing and masks.

FRIDAY

TWO TONS OF
STEEL
Country, punk and rock
stalwart from Texas. 7 p.m.
at McGonigel’s Mucky
Duck, 2425 Norfolk; 713-
528-5999.
SLIM THUG WILL PERFORM
HAYDEN HADDOCK
Texas country. 8:45 p.m. at
AT T E X A S S M O K E B R E A K .
Dosey Doe Breakfast, BBQ
& Whiskey Bar, 2626 Re-
search Forest B, The Jamaal Ellis / Contributor Christy Flores
Woodlands; 832-823-4414.

BLUE WATER ROZY

HIGHWAY BAND
Roots rock. 8:30 p.m. at
Dosey Doe Big Barn, 25911
Interstate 45 N., The
Woodlands; 281-367-3774.
SATURDAY
MONTE WARDEN
Singer and songwriter. 7
p.m. at McGonigel’s Mucky
Duck, 2425 Norfolk; 713-
528-5999.
NATHAN QUICK
BAND
Houston blues, rock and
more. 9:30 p.m. at McGoni-
gel’s Mucky Duck, 2425
Norfolk; 713-528-5999.
JOSH FULLER
Texas country. 8:45 p.m. at
Dosey Doe Breakfast, BBQ
& Whiskey Bar, 2626 Re-
WA D E B OW E N
Courtesy photo
search Forest B, The
Woodlands; 832-823-4414. JONATHAN TYLER
Texas rock. 8:15 p.m. at The
Heights Theater, 339 W.
TEXAS SMOKE
BREAK 19th; 214-272-8346.
A comedy and music gath-
REBEL YELL: A
ering on the White Oak
TRIBUTE TO BILLY
lawn with Larry June, Slim
Thug, Le$, Devin the Dude IDOL
and more. 6 p.m. at White Everything you need to
Oak Music Hall, 2915 N. know is in the title. 8 p.m.
Main; 713-237-0370. at Rockefeller’s, 3620
Washington; 713-862-
4070.
Houston rock band fronted
by sisters Zoe and Molly
Flores opens for Adelita’s
Way. 7 p.m. at Warehouse
Live, 813 St. Emanuel;
713-225-5483.
WEDNESDAY
WADE BOWEN
A standout in the Texas
country genre. 8 p.m. at
Dosey Doe Big Barn, 25911
Interstate 45 N., The
Woodlands; 281-367-3774.
THURSDAY
CARI HOUSTON
Austin singer-songwriter. 7
p.m. at McGonigel’s Mucky
Duck, 2425 Norfolk; 713-
528-5999.
joey.guerra@chron.com
D6 | Preview Houston | March 19-25, 2021 | PreviewHouston.com
1. Houston Chamber
Choir
The Grammy-winning
Houston Chamber Choir
presents an intriguing and
far-reaching program titled
“A Time to Journey In-
ward.” One of the pieces
performed, “Solitude” by
English composer James
Whitbourn, will be the
composition’s American
premiere. Looking toward
popular vocal music, the
choir will also present a
rearranged “The Sound of
Silence” by Simon and
Garfunkel. And closing the
performance will be the
“Dona Nobis Pacem”
movement of “Mass in B
minor” by Johann Sebas-
tian Bach, who with sturdi-
er DNA or alien technology
would turn 336 on March
21.
When: 2 p.m. Sunday
Details: $9.99 for the
show, $40 for a season
subscription; houston-
chamberchoir.org.
Andrew Dansby
2. Aaron Diehl
No matter what Aaron
Diehl chooses to play, he
does so with a deep
knowledge of the form and
feel for the music. He’s
likely best known for a
decade of jazz recordings
he’s made and for accom-
panying star vocalist Cec-
ile McLorin Salvant. But
he’s also made multiple
appearances with the New
York Philharmonic. For this
livestream show, Diehl
presents a fascinating and
diverse program, including
Mary Lou Williams’ “Zodi-
ac Suite,” Aaron Copland’s
“Piano Blues No. 4” and
Dick Hyman’s “Etudes for
Jazz Piano.”
When: 7 p.m. Tuesday
Details: free, registration
required at dacamera.com
Andrew Dansby
A R T S P I C KS 4. Musical Storytellers: Winds
of the Houston Symphony
Houston Symphony gives the
stage to its woodwind, brass
and percussion sections. Under
Pops conductor Steven Reineke
they will be playing the music of
John Williams and more.
When: 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday,
2:30 p.m. Sunday; 8 p.m. Satur-
day will be livestreamed
Where: Jones Hall, 615 Louisi-
ana
Details: $29-$99; $20 (liv-
estream); houstonsympho-
ny.org
Cary Darling
1.
5. ‘No Visual Distancing
Please’
Marco Maggi’s sixth solo show
at Sicardi | Ayers | Bacino fea-
tures nine works created over
the past year. “No visual dis-
tancing please …” features mi-
croscopic detailing and in-
credibly fine incisions into paper
that invite the viewer to take a
closer look, representing the
closeness — or, lack thereof —
brought on by the global pan-
demic.
When: March 25-May 15
Where: Sicardi | Ayers | Bacino
1506 W. Alabama
Amber Elliott
Courtesy photo
3.
3. Bisong Art Gallery
Wayne Bell will give an artist
talk about his work “W.A-
2.
.T.E.R.: What Are the Expec-
tations After Rebirth” next
week at an event that also
honors gallery owner Carla
Bisong, who runs the Bisong
Art Gallery. Bisong will be
recognized for operating the
city’s longest-running, Black,
female-owned commercial
art gallery by Harris County
Commissioner Rodney Ellis.
When: 5 p.m. Monday
Where: Bisong Art Gallery,
1305 Sterrett
Andrew Dansby
Maria Jarzyna Quy Tran

EVEN AFTER 2,500 YEARS,
‘MEDEA’ IS STILL RELEVANT
Some of his colleagues across
the country have said they plan to
“hibernate” until the pandemic
subsides. But more than a year
after its last full house, Alley The-
atre artistic director Rob Melrose
can’t imagine his company doing
such a thing.
“It definitely hasn’t been a wast-
ed year at all,” he says. “It’s been
really productive. A lot of positive
stuff has come out of a very chal-
lenging time.”
Seizing a chance to reexamine a
very old production with fresh eyes,
the Alley will present Euripides’
“Medea,” directed by Melrose, as
part of its all-digital spring season
— presented free of charge to the
public — from March 19 to April 11.
As with many workplaces, the
theater found itself navigating the
pandemic through a succession of
virtual meetings. Melrose took
note of the numbing effect of so
much screen time, which has
spilled over into more than a few
Zoom-like theatrical productions,
so he dusted off this millennia-old
tragedy that still packs a wallop.
“I felt like what people are miss-
ing is drama, with a capital D, and
emotion, and intensity,” he says.
“So I thought, what’s the play that
could cut through the screen and
make you feel like you were really
seeing something that really just
grabbed you by the throat?
“I think this version really deliv-
ers on that,” he adds.
B Y C H R I S G R AY | CO R R ES P O N D E N T
ELIZABETH BUNCH AND CHRIS HUTCHISON
S TA R I N A L L E Y T H E AT R E ’ S “ M E D E A . ”
“Medea” is as dark as it is an-
cient. Passionate and cunning, the
title character is a sorceress from
the Black Sea kingdom of Colchis,
where she helped the adventurer
Jason capture the Golden Fleece
and then married him. Exiled to
Corinth, the setting of the play, the
couple have been raising two
young sons; “Medea” opens, how-
ever, as Jason has left his wife for
the princess Glauce. Medea’s fury
over her betrayal sets in motion a
bloody chain of events echoed in
modern times by the Susan Smith
and Andrea Yates murders.
“It just hits you on really visceral,
elemental level that makes you
say, ‘Hey, it doesn’t matter that this
was written 2,500 years ago,’ ”
PreviewHouston.com | March 19-25, 2021 |
T H E AT E R
says Melrose. “It still packs a punch
today that goes across millennia,
which is pretty amazing.”
The role is catnip for actresses.
“Medea” has secured Tonys for
three separate performers, most
recently the late Diana Rigg in
1994. Lars von Trier directed a
version for Danish television early
in his career, and legendary diva
Maria Callas headlined a 1969
French-Italian film. Here, the role
falls to Elizabeth Bunch, a veteran
member of the Alley’s Resident
Acting Company. (Playing Jason is
fellow company member Chris
Hutchison, Bunch’s husband.)
“Medea herself is an actor, and
she’s hiding things and she’s fool-
ing people and she’s manipulating
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people,” says Melrose. “So for an
actress like Elizabeth Bunch, it’s
really fun because Medea’s such a
great actor that, to play a character
who is constantly shifting her
focus and shifting her actions,
shifting her objectives, it’s really
fun for a really great actor to play.
Elizabeth just did a marvelous job
with it.”
To further illustrate his point,
Melrose alludes to a pivotal mo-
ment in the play: when Aegeus,
ruler of Athens, shows up in Cor-
inth seeking a remedy for infertility.
Medea immediately senses an
escape from her predicament.
“First of all, she turns on the
charm and kind of seduces him;
and then she tries to get his sym-
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ALLEY THEATRE:
“EURIPIDES’ MEDEA”
When: March 19-April 11
Where: Online via
alleytheatre.org
Details: free
pathy and brings him closer, and
then she gets him to agree to take
her to Athens,” says Melrose.
“You kind of watch her in this
terrible state, and then the minute
an opportunity comes to get out of
there, she zeroes in on Aegeus and
totally manipulates him,” he adds.
“It’s fun to watch because she’s
really, really good at it.”
Translated here by Mary-Kay
Gamel, a professor of classics at
University of California, Santa Cruz,
“Medea” balances its dominant
themes of betrayal and revenge
with probing commentary about
Greek society’s treatment of wom-
en and outsiders. To Melrose, the
title character recalls Shake-
speare’s Richard III, with one im-
portant difference.
“You’re never really on Richard’s
side because he’s horrifying from
the beginning,” he says. “Medea is
so sympathetic that, by the time
the play ends, you feel like you’ve
really been taken on a ride with her
because for so much of the play
you were just 100 percent with
her.”
Chris Gray is a Galveston-based
writer.
D8 | Preview Houston | March 19-25, 2021 | PreviewHouston.com
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IT’S A GUY THING
As planned, Tamara Saviano’s
film “Without Getting Killed or
Caught” debuted in March at the
South by Southwest Film Festi-
val. Admittedly, the documentary
about legendary songwriter Guy
Clark arrived one March later than
expected, screening at the festi-
val beginning earlier this week.
But such is the nature of labors of
love during a pandemic: After
spending several years and
$650,000 to make
the film, Saviano
last year decided
to pull it back in
and release it
when she felt she
Saviano could more confi-
dently recoup
costs for her investors and get the
film to the broadest possible
audience.
So having made its festival
debut, “Without Getting Killed or
Caught” can be seen for a more
modest ticket price during a
series of special screenings that
begin next week. Kessler Presents
— which owns The Heights The-
ater in Houston and the Kessler
Theater in Dallas — will present
the first on March 23. After a
series of virtual events, the movie
will have an outdoor screening in
Austin on May 19 before its world-
wide on-demand release at the
end of May.
To talk to Saviano about the
film — which possessed such a
strong pull that she enlisted her
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B Y A N D R E W DA N S B Y | STA F F W R I T E R
“WITHOUT GETTING KILLED
OR CAUGHT”
What: Screening followed by
discussion with Rodney Crowell
When: 7 p.m. March 23;
available through video on
demand in late May
Details: $25; for tickets and to
find future screenings, visit
withoutgettingkilledorcaught.com
/tickets
husband, video operator Paul
Whitfield, to co-direct — is to find
two complicated tales tangled
together. There’s the documenta-
ry’s content, a continuation of
work she did writing Clark’s biog-
raphy several years ago. The
songwriter — capable of being
both gruff and tender — insisted
she present both the bad with
the good in his thorny life and
career.
Saviano similarly had a hot/
cold relationship with the film. It
was a sentimental project, but it
also produced a series of head-
aches, some of which linger.
“I have no problem talking
about that side of it, I will not shy
away,” she says. “If anybody
wants to make a film, I’m here to
SONGWRITERS GUY CLARK AND SUSANNA CLARK tell you, please know the reality
of it. If I knew what I know now
before going in, there’s no (exple-
tive) way I’d have done this. Not a
chance.”
Uncovering an
undiscovered life
Marshall Fallwell / “Without Getting Killed or Caught” Among the greatest snares

particular to a music documenta-
ry is the sea of music licensing,
footage licensing, publishing fees,
musician’s union fees and photo
fees. The scroll of minutia requir-
ing permissions and payments is
extensive. While some Clark fans
want a DVD of the film, pressing
and distributing a physical copy
of “Without Getting Killed or
Caught” would cost Saviano
another $80,000.
“I don’t have any more money,”
she says. “If I get all my investors
paid back, we can think about
that.”
So why all the fuss for a mu-
sician whose broad name recog-
nition remains a murmur?
Well, that’s part of the point of
“Without Getting Killed or
Caught.” Clark’s renown grew in
his last years — he died in 2016 at
age 74 — but he remains a fringe
figure in the history of country
music, though he’s widely consid-
ered one of the great songwriters
of the past 100 years. “Without
Getting Killed or Caught” serves
as a soulful introduction to a
songwriter who never made con-
cessions in his stories in exchange
for success. Clark was a hero and
mentor to writers, such as Rodney
Crowell, Lyle Lovett and Steve
Earle, who found wider renown.
He had songs covered by Brad
Paisley, Ricky Skaggs, Kenny
Chesney and numerous other
stars.
In addition to documenting
Clark’s work, “Without Getting
Killed or Caught” captures a
mercurial love story between him
and wife Susanna Clark, a story
that begins and ends with trage-
dy. Two thorny creative types
stumbled through a messy life
together and apart.
“It’s funny to hear Guy talk
about it, saying she was the love
of his life,” Saviano says. “He
called it a ‘mythical love story.’ ”
But that assessment contains
PreviewHouston.com | March 19-25, 2021 |
Prigg, a friend of his grandmoth-
er’s, who would inspire “Despera-
dos Waiting for a Train,” one of
Clark’s most beloved and endur-
ing songs. In Rockport, Saviano
says, “He lived this idyllic upper-
middle-class existence but
worked on shrimp boats and with
carpenters. So he had all these
interesting experiences in two
very different places.”
Susanna likened Houston’s
’60s folk scene to that in New
York’s Greenwich Village. But the
couple ended up in Nashville,
which seemed a more viable base
of operation for two songwriters.
In Nashville, Clark created
albums that rarely seemed to
please him, even though they
were full of songs that awed a
small crowd of listeners. Though
“Without Getting Killed or
Caught” never teeters toward
tawdry, its characters make clear
that Susanna Clark and Van
Zandt had a soulmate’s connec-
tion unique to them, leaving Guy
Clark on the periphery. When Van
Zandt died on New Year’s Day
1997, Susanna took to her bed
Marshall Fallwell / “Without Getting Killed or Caught” and never really emerged. She
The documentary “Without Getting Killed or Caught” focuses on was homebound as Clark finally
the relationship between Guy Clark and wife Susanna Clark.
enjoyed renown for his body of
a barbed punchline best left to music being pushed on radio. She work. This dynamic hardwires the
viewers. Suffice to say Guy and had hit songs cut by other mu- film with a gentle tragedy.
Susanna Clark cared for the tools sicians (including Emmylou Har-
of their trades in markedly differ- ris) before her husband did, and The crow’s call
ent ways that say a lot about anyone who has gazed upon the When Susanna died, Clark
each of them. cover art for Willie Nelson’s “Star- gave her journal and the audio
Saviano wrote some narration dust” album has seen her visual recordings she’d made in the ’70s
for the film from Susanna’s point work. to Saviano. Houston artist Mel
of view, with actor Sissy Spacek As with her book, Saviano Chin provides some wonderful
filling the role of Susanna, who went deep into Clark’s life prior to animation in the film for mo-
died in 2012. his arrival in Houston in the ments that have audio and no
“She wasn’t a shadow figure in mid-1960s, where he found a folk video.
this story,” Saviano says. scene that included other mu- “He never went through them
sicians, such as Townes Van himself,” Saviano says. “He said
Difficult love story Zandt. He was born in Monahans whatever was there was Susan-
When the Clarks moved to and raised in Rockport, “two na’s truth. It was her reality. And
Nashville, their home became a places you just wouldn’t believe he wasn’t the kind of person
gravitational center for smart and could be in the same state,” says who’d sweep things under the
outsider songwriters who fell Saviano. rug. That’s one of the things I
beyond the bounds of the country She offers background on Jack loved about him. He was fully
Preview Houston | D9
confident in his being a flawed
human being, just like all of us
are. To make it tidy would be a
sham.”
The film winds to a close with
a beautiful take on the days after
Clark’s death by friend Jo Harvey
Allen, an actor/writer/artist. I’ll
leave the thought for viewers
rather than spoiling it. When Clark
died, he stipulated that he want-
ed his ashes presented to Jo
Harvey’s husband, Terry Allen, a
friend and a great songwriter and
visual artist from Lubbock. His
wish was that Allen would work
the ashes into a sculpture.
“What a jerk thing to do to
somebody,” Allen told me at the
time. “It was his last (expletive)
you to me.”
That piece makes an appear-
ance in “Without Getting Killed or
Caught.” Clark loved crows, so his
remains carry on in “Caw Caw
Blues,” which resides at the Wit-
liff Collections at Texas State
University in San Marcos.
The title, a bird’s cry, is the sort
of thing that haunts Saviano still.
She spent hundreds of hours with
Clark in his last years, thousands
of hours talking to friends and
family and doing research for the
book and film.
“When this film was done, I
didn’t ever want to hear his name
again,” she says, laughing. “My
time in Guy Clark’s world was
over, and I was ready to move on.
But now I’ve had a year break
from making it. And I’m able to
appreciate how lucky I was to be
the one to go on this journey with
him. His last years, he was so sick
and in so much pain. So it was
this long, painful goodbye, where
a tight circle of friends circled
around him tightly. And I now
have bonds with those people.
We’re all involved in keeping
Guy’s spirit alive and with us.”
andrew.dansby@chron.com
D10 | Preview Houston | March 19-25, 2021 | PreviewHouston.com
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IN A TIME OF MACRO ANXIETY
On the heels of the pandemic’s
one-year anniversary, timely sto-
ries of perseverance and persis-
tence will grace the virtual opera
stage.
Beginning March 22, Houston-
based librettist Kendra Preston
Leonard and Portland, Ore., com-
poser Lisa Neher will present the
One Voice Project Virtual Micro
Opera Festival, expanding upon
the minimally available repertoire
for unaccompanied voice and
further increasing the genre’s
accessibility to all.
Over the course of five days, a
handful of world premieres, each
lasting approximately five min-
utes, will be released via YouTube.
The films will feature five ac-
claimed opera singers from across
the country — soprano Audrey
Yoder, tenors Hugo Vera and Zach
Finkelstein, and mezzo-sopranos
Margaret O’Connell and Neher —
each of whom recorded them-
selves with some form of cine-
matic motion that fittingly trans-
lates the story within their re-
spective text into a dynamic visu-
al experience. The
pay-what-you-can series — dona-
tions from which will support the
artists involved — will culminate
with an online talk-back and
reception, hosted by Gina Morga-
no of the “Practice Parlour” pod-
cast.
“The arts, in general, are really
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B Y L AW R E N C E E L I Z A B E T H K N OX | C O R R ES P O N D E N T
LISA NEHER IN COSTUME
FOR “MOMENTUM 2.”
important at all times, but espe-
cially for us right now because
they allow us to imagine other
kinds of worlds,” says Leonard,
who trained as a cellist through
graduate school before the debil-
itating pain of lupus caused her to
transition into her now 20-plus-
year career as a musicologist.
“They allow us to understand the
experiences of other people. They
give us insight into how the world
works, how it’s worked in the past
and where we hope we’re going in
Mike Newman
the future.”
About seven years ago, Leon-
ard felt pulled to become more
creatively involved in new music,
which she had previously special-
ized in as a performer, so she
reached out to composer Jessica
Rudman, with whom she created
a song cycle from a set of poems
she wrote about Lady Macbeth,
as well as an opera libretto on the
life of Marie Curie. In doing so, her
various passions coalesced, and
she was hooked, later meeting
Neher within the active new mu-
sic community on Twitter. Given
the geographical distance be-
tween them, the women have
fully embraced the new normal of
virtual collaboration, even con-
ducting rehearsals with the sing-
ers over Zoom.
Although each of their five
micro operas tell stand-alone
narratives, they are tied together
by an overarching theme of resil-
ience in the face of adversity.
Three of them, in particular, in-
clude messages of social justice
and female empowerment, de-
tailing obstacles faced by real-life
heroines in history, such as Al-
berte-Barbe d’Ernécourt, a noble-
woman who defied gender norms
and took up arms to defend her
property during the Thirty Years’
War.
“Par for the Course” and “Mo-
mentum,” on the other hand,
recount the impact of two female
sports icons — Mildred Ella “Babe”
Didrikson Zaharias, an athletic
marvel and founding member of
the LPGA for whom a Beaumont
museum is dedicated, and Kath-
rine Switzer, the first woman to
officially run the Boston Mara-
thon, respectively.
These three micro operas are
bookended by two pandemic-
related works, the first of which
follows a teacher who moves to a
new city in the midst of the CO-
THE ONE VOICE PROJECT
VIRTUAL MICRO OPERA
FESTIVAL
When: Opera releases: 7 p.m.
daily, March 22-26; Zoom talk-
back: 7:10 p.m. March 26
Where: youtube.com/LisaNeher
Details: Pay what you can;
make a donation to @Lisa-Neher
on Venmo or
lisanehermusic@gmail.com on
PayPal in support of the artists.
Registration:
forms.gle/Ks8HZN193bQ72URUA
; register to receive a link for each
micro-opera premiere and to
RSVP for the talk-back.
VID-19 restrictions. The other
portrays a singer mourning the
loss of performance, and while
the storylines differ, they will both
take the audience on an emotion-
al and relatable journey of finding
hope and optimism in a time of
anxiety and despair.
“We are telling stories about
everyday people and people that I
think a lot of audiences can relate
with,” Leonard says. “I really be-
lieve that, as an artist, I have a
responsibility to try to leave the
world a better place than it was
when I came into it, and I think
that by creating opera and by
addressing the concerns that
people have right now can be part
of that.”
Lawrence Elizabeth Knox is a
Houston-based writer.

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INSTAGRAM ART LESSONS
DRAW A CROWD
Illa Gaunt understands that the art world
can be intimidating. There’s so much to
learn — the key players, the various move-
ments and the terminology. It’s a lot for
younger generations to process, which is
why Gaunt hosts weekly art history lessons
on Instagram: Because if you post it, millen-
nials will come.
Her 13,000 and counting followers
(@_ig_art) wake up every Sunday morning
to a new curriculum-style Instagram story.
Sometimes the subject is a person, such as
Robert Indiana, the preeminent artist
whose best-known work was the word
“LOVE” arranged in a square with a tilted
letter “O.” Other times it’s topical, like art at
the White House.
“That one was shared a lot because of
this tumultuous time in our history,” Gaunt
says. “It was something uplifting. And bipar-
tisan.”
The topics vary, though the timing and
approach are consistent.
“It’s easy to digest for someone who
might not know much about art history,”
she explains. “People are drawn to the fact
that there’s much story behind an image.
Sometimes that gets lost — the relation-
ships between artists and little anecdotes
about their lives.”
When Gaunt, who has 15 years of art
advisory and collection management under
her belt, began crafting Sunday art lessons
two or three years ago, the response was
overwhelmingly positive. Followers would
send her direct messages saying how they
would look forward to posts every week. A
few would even grab a coffee before set-
tling in for “class.”
ART
B Y A M B E R E L L I OT T | STA F F W R I T E R
A R T C O N S U LTA N T I L L A G A U N T
“Obviously there’s no monetary gain. And
I don’t know anything about algorithms, but
Sunday felt like a good time. That’s when
people slow down and take time to view
them,” Gaunt says. “It’s hard work to make
them look simple and easy.”
She spends three days preparing each
art lesson. The writing starts on Fridays.
Saturdays are for perfecting the PowerPoint
presentation-style slides, though because
this is Instagram, hers are curated and
expertly filtered.
Gaunt’s favorite stories to tell are of the
PreviewHouston.com | March 19-25, 2021 |
Jenny Antill
women behind the scenes who took cura-
torial risks and went against the grain. She
muses that without Peggy Guggenheim, we
may not have had Jackson Pollock; and
without Gertrude Stein we might not know
the name Pablo Picasso.
She’ll often post the biography of a
single artist. The key is to make each one
concise and specific. Take David Hockney:
Why does he paint pools and what’s the
story behind them?
Conversations with a client might also
spark an idea. “It gives me insight about
Preview Houston | D11
what might be missing from the art history
canon.”
Her day job is helping the next generation
of Texas’ patrons tell stories with their
personal art collections. Gaunt is responsi-
ble for installing Oliver Jeffers’ “For All We
Know” in the soon-to-open pink dining
room at the restaurant March. She also
worked with former Texans wide receiver
DeAndre Hopkins to place a piece by Deb-
orah Roberts in his Houston home.
“Looking back as a child, the pieces that
stuck with me are from my aunt’s house,
she had a house full of contemporary art, I
still think about them,” Gaunt recalls. “Just
because you have traditional furniture
doesn’t mean you have to have traditional
art. A collection can be it’s own entity within
your home — a source of pride and intrigue.”
The goal is for clients to collect work by
artists they’re interested in and forge a
lasting relationship. She wants to debunk
the misconception that art is purely dec-
orative. And expensive.
“You don’t have to spend a lot of money.
There are so many emerging artists out
there, and Houston has a great art scene,”
Gaunt says, pointing to some of her favorite
local talents, including Natasha Bowdoin,
Joseph Havel and the Hiram Butler Gallery,
which often hosts a family-friendly open
house on Sunday, complete with a taco
truck.
It’s worth mentioning that Gaunt’s Sun-
day art lessons are also free of charge —
though you may want a notepad and a
fresh cup of coffee.
amber.elliott@chron.com
D12 | Preview Houston | March 19-25, 2021 | PreviewHouston.com
BY JENNIFER KIMREY
F R EELA N C E W R I T ER
This spring, Galveston is
offering a range of events
where families can play, eat,
explore and socialize. From
festivals to competitions,
tours to celebrations, the city
is welcoming back social
events with safety measures
in place to bring a sense of
normalcy and tradition —
and a lot of fun — back to
the island.
Courtesy of Galveston Island Convention & Visitors Bureau “Galveston welcomes and
supports new special events
The Memorial Hermann 70.3 Ironman Triathlon is in the community, but many
set for April 11. of the special events that
happen here have become
tradition. Residents look
GALVESTON: forward to attending and
volunteering for many of
Spring brings back
these events, and they help
to make this tight-knit com-
munity even closer,” said
outdoor events Michael Woody, Galveston
Island Convention & Visitors
Bureau’s chief tourism offi-
cer. “For Houstonians, we
know they look forward to
getting some island time,
too. Many plan their trips —
where they’ll eat, where
they’ll stay — around some
of these special events.
These visits help to foster
great family memories.”
Galveston Family Beach
Challenge
Giant battleships, huge
bean bags and limbo show-
downs are coming to Stew-
art Beach for the return of
the Galveston Family Beach
Challenge. The challenge,
which will take place from 11
a.m. to 3 p.m., will trans-
form a portion of Stewart
Beach into a gigantic obsta-
cle course, allowing families
to compete in life-size ver-
sions of classic favorites like
giant Jenga and dominoes,
sack races and sandcastle-
building. Set for May 9, June
13, July 11 and Sept. 5 at
Stewart Beach. Registration
is free, but participants must
be 8 and older. For more
information, visit galves-
tonchallenge.com.
Memorial Hermann
70.3 Ironman Triathlon
The Memorial Hermann
70.3 Ironman Triathlon
brings some of the nation’s
finest athletes to the island
as they compete in a 1.2-mile
saltwater swim in Offats
Bayou followed by a 56-mile
bike course along the Gulf
Coast and a 13.1-mile run.
April 11, beginning at Moody
Gardens’ Palm Beach, 8928,
1 Hope Boulevard in Galves-
ton. Spectating is free. For
more information, visit
ironman.com/im703-texas.
FeatherFest
As one of the nation’s top
locations for birding, Galves-
ton Island will host the
annual FeatherFest birding
and nature photography
festival.
“FeatherFest representa-
tives let us know that they
have reworked the event.
Attendees will meet at the
site — there will be no buses
or festival headquarters, no
in-person workshops, no
on-site registration and no
social events,” Woody said of
the event’s safety measures.
“Field trips are limited to no
more than eight registrants.
Everyone will be masked
from start to finish, even
outside, and safe distancing
will be observed. All regis-
trants agreed to these safety
protocols and checked a box
acknowledging them during
the registration process.”
It will be on April 15-18 at
various locations around
Galveston Island. Registra-
tion is $25 for non-Galveston
Island Nature Tourism
Council members. For more
information, visit galveston-
featherfest.com.
25th Annual
Grand Kids Festival
Celebrating its 25th year,
the Grand Kids Festival will
finally take place after hav-
ing to be cancelled last year
due to the pandemic. The
event is hosted by The
Grand 1894 Opera House
and is designed to introduce
children and families to the
arts. The free event features
three blocks of activity
booths showcasing a variety
of unique, hands-on activ-
ities for families. Slated for
May 1 along Postoffice
Street, between 20th and
23rd Streets. Admission is
free. For more information,
visit grandkidsfestival.com.
47th Annual Galveston
Historic Homes Tour
The 47th Annual Galves-
ton Historic Homes Tour
returns the first two week-
Tour continues on D14
 PreviewHouston.com | March 19-25, 2021 | Preview Houston | D13

Ramón Ayala Festival For information, call

713-514-7147. To buy tickets,
visit online at http://
set for this Saturday ramoayalafest.com/.

The Accordion King ers of norteño music. Ayala

Ramón Ayala Festival will
be held Saturday, March
20, from 5 p.m. until mid-
night at the Humble Civic
Center, 8233 Will Clayton
Parkway, in Humble.
The audience can enjoy
this festival of fun for the
entire family with food,
drinks, activities, music,
celebration of Mexican
culture with norteño mu-
sic.
Ramón Ayala recorded
several albums and contin-
ues to be a singer remem-
bered as one of the found-
has won and has been
nominated for several
Grammy awards. In 2001
he was awarded with an
American Grammy award
for the album “En vivo… El
hombre y su música”.
Ayala has also been award-
ed two Latin Grammys for
the albums “Quémame los
ojos” and “El número cien”.
Ramón Ayala y sus
Bravos del Norte are: Fi- Courtesy photo
dencio Ayala, José Luis The Ramón Ayala
Ayala, Mario Marichalar, Festival is a celebration
David Laure y Raúl Ro- of Mexican culture with
sales. norteño music.

Visit Dickens on Cypress

Creek Christmas Market
The Dickens Market will be held on
Friday and Saturday, Nov. 12 and 13 from 9
a.m. to 4 p.m.
The market is an 85-booth market,
inside and out, at Cypress Creek Christian
Church. Booths are comprised of crafts,
antiques, holiday wares and food. Enter-
tainment, from local elem choirs and
Chorale members, is provided.
Admission to the market is free to the
public. The market is sponsored by the
Cypress Creek Community Chorale. For
more information, visit
www.cypresscreekchorale.cc.

ArtWalk
a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday,
10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Visitors can escape to the
returns to country and enjoy the fine
art, cool country breezes

Fayetteville and a bit of history while

ArtWalk 2021 returns
to Fayetteville on May 1-2.
This annual event is held
on the historic square in
the charming community
that lies between Houston
and Austin.
The event features
regional artists, gourmet
foods, wine tastings, mu-
sic and, also, activities for
the children. The hours
are Saturday, May 1, 10
discovering that perfect
painting or fine craft, meet
the artists and enjoy shop-
ping in a relaxed atmo-
sphere. While there, visi-
tors can step into ARTS’
gallery and view the works
of nationally known pastel-
ist, Rita Kirkman in her
solo exhibit, Kindred Spir-
its.
For information, call
979-378-2113 or visit online
at www.artsforruraltexas
Photo courtesy of ArtWalk .org.
D14 | Preview Houston | March 19-25, 2021 | PreviewHouston.com

Explore the great outdoors Palooza, Sip and Stroll, Drink & Draw
class, Bingo on the Lawn, and several
Owl Prowl events.

at Houston’s venues Christine Mansfield, senior manag-

BY VALERIE SWEETEN
F R EELA N C E W R I T ER
Spring is here, and so is the oppor-
tunity to embrace the beautiful Hous-
ton scenery at some of our unique
parks and trails throughout the city.
The Clay Family Eastern Glades,
the newest section of Memorial Park
offers a vast expanse to explore.
With 100 acres of open space, 2.5
miles of trails, a 5.5-acre central lawn,
and a 5.5-acre Hines Lake with wet-
lands and boardwalks, visitors can
spend an entire day here. In addition,
there are pavilions, picnic areas,
benches, and bike racks to relax.
The Houston Zoo is open to guests,
who reserve a time slot online for their
assigned arrival time. Online reserva-
tions are required for all guests and
members.
Tickets are not sold at the gate.
Guests can stay until closing time with
last entry at 4 p.m. The Wildlife Car-
ousel and venues such at the Wor-
tham World of Primates, Natural
Encounters, Reptile & Amphibian
House, Bug House, and the Gorilla
Arrival Building await, as well at the
Giraffe Feeding Platform.
Shutterstock
Houston offers a variety of
parks and outdoor spaces to
enjoy.
The Houston Arboretum and
Nature Center has activities planned
throughout the season.
In March, participate in their Native
Plant Gardening on March 20, or the
Sip and Stroll on March 25, and reju-
venate your home space with their
Spring Plant Sale on March 26-27.
Then in April, enjoy Botany for Begin-
ners on April 3 or Gardening for Bees
on April 24, and also Family Conser-
vation Day, April 10 and their Earth
Day Celebration on April 17.
In May, it’s a very busy month with
their Arboretum BioBlitz, Plant-a-
er of Marketing and Development for
the Houston Arboretum, said they’re
excited to be offering in-person and
virtual programming.
“From visitor favorites to new of-
ferings, there are great opportunities
for everyone to get outside and enjoy
Houston’s wonderful spring weather,”
Mansfield said.
Another great venue to visit is the
Houston Botanic Gardens that fea-
tures specialty gardens focusing on
the Woodland Glade, Global Collec-
tion, the Culinary Garden, and Pine
Grove. There are also Natural Ecosys-
tems, such as Stormwater Wetlands to
Coastal Prairies. There is also the
Susan Garver Family Discovery Gar-
den to explore.
Find waterwalls and gorgeous
walkways to indulge in among the
grounds of the gardens.
“The newly completed water walls
and gathering table in the Culinary
Garden add to the multi-sensory
appeal,” said Claudia Gee Vassar,
president and general counsel of the
Houston Botanic Garden. “We are
excited to see this unique centerpiece
to the Culinary Garden now flowing
as the Garden springs to life after a
most unusual winter.”

Tour historic homes

Tour from page D12

ends in May, celebrating Galveston’s architectural

history through tours of privately owned homes.
The annual tour gives guests the opportunity to
walk through history as they learn about the
Shutterstock
people and stories behind iconic Galveston archi-

Enjoy Chappell Hill’s

tecture and residences. May 1-2 and 8-9.
Ticket prices will be announced mid-March.
For additional information, visit galvestonhisto-

Bluebonnet Festival ry.org.

13th Annual Galveston Island Beach Revue

The Official State of Texas
Bluebonnet Festival will take
place at downtown Chappell
Hill on Saturday, April 10, from
9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday,
April 11, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The event is sponsored by
Chappell Hill Historical Soci-
ety. Visitors can enjoy food,
live music, family fun, as
well as arts and crafts.
Admission is free.
For more information,
visit online at www.chap-
pellhillhistoricalsociety-
.com.
The 13th annual Galveston Island Beach Revue
is the island’s official kick-off to summer.
“The Beach Revue will feature ticketed admis-
sion with guests reserving vintage-themed
‘pods,’” Woody said.
Set for May 14-15. Ticket prices will be an-
nounced mid-March. For more information, visit
galvestonhistory.org.

‘THE COURIER’ DELIVERS
DARK, COMPLEX SPY THRILLER
Dominic Cooke’s 1960s spy
thriller “The Courier” unfolds as
expected, until it doesn’t. Based
on the true story of British busi-
nessman Greville Wynne and the
daring acts of espionage he un-
dertook during the Cold War, the
film is a swift, if perfunctory ren-
dition of midcentury spy movie
tropes. The color palette? Desat-
urated. The villains? One-dimen-
sional. But then, it zigs when it
might zag (unless you’re already
familiar with Wynne’s life story),
and “The Courier” becomes
something much more dark,
complex and moving.
Benedict Cumberbatch stars as
Wynne, an almost happy-go-
lucky English businessman. He
cheerily loses at golf as a part of
his dealmaking, and is cozily
married to Sheila (Jessie Buckley)
and father to Andrew (Keir Hills).
When an acquaintance (Angus
Wright) invites him to lunch with
an American “consultant” (Rachel
Brosnahan, in a wig and demean-
or that can only be described as
“Tracy Flick-ish”), the two gently
press him into “service” for Great
Britain, and he’s shocked. “I can’t
believe I’m having lunch with
spies!” Wynne sputters.
His mission, should he choose
to accept it (not that there’s
much of a choice), is to travel to
Moscow under the guise of busi-
ness deals to collect images from
B Y K AT I E WA L S H | T R I B U N E N E W S E R V I C E
B E N E D I C T C U M B E R B AT C H S TA R S I N “ T H E C O U R I E R . ”
Colonel Oleg Penkovsky (Merab
Ninidze), a high-ranking Soviet
officer who has grown wary of
Nikita Khrushchev’s (Vladimir
Chuprikov) threatening at nuclear
war. He’s willing to betray his
country to save his family — and
the world — risking a surely brutal
death if he’s caught.
The first two-thirds of the film
are your standard-issue spy thrill-
er. It’s hard to tell if it’s the script
PreviewHouston.com | March 19-25, 2021 |
REVIEW
by Tom O’Connor, or the edit, but
the story feels overly condensed,
yet baggy. Much of the action and
exposition unfolds in montage,
relying on genre-familiar story
beats. Cumberbatch plays Wynne
as both a quick study and a bit of
a pushover; a few well-placed
words about nuclear bombs are
enough to get him on the plane to
Moscow. But Wynne and Penkov-
sky seem to actually enjoy each
• F
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Roadside Attractions
other’s company, whether weep-
ing at “Swan Lake” or doing the
twist to the Chubby Checker hit in
a London nightclub. They bond
over love for their families and a
hope to keep them safe, pressed
into this strange situation by that
all-consuming desire.
Ninidze slowly emerges as the
heart and soul of “The Courier.”
He plays Penkovsky as a warm,
charming, cultured man, who
Preview Houston | D15
I
EW
•
F
I
L
EV
“THE COURIER”
Rated PG-13: for violence, partial
nudity, brief strong language, and
smoking throughout
Running time: 111 minutes
Where: Opens March 19 through-
out Houston.
H H H ½ (out of 5)
cares deeply for those he keeps
close, including Wynne. Penkov-
sky explains to young Andrew
over dinner that it’s not the peo-
ple of these countries who hate
each other, but the politicians,
and “The Courier” prioritizes the
very specific human connection
between Penkovsky and Wynne,
almost to the detriment of cap-
turing the full tension of the Cu-
ban missle crisis that comes to a
boil.
The drab gray color scheme of
“The Courier” might be genre-
appropriate, but it’s profoundly
depressing to look at, as people
and buildings and streets all
blend into one muddy hue. The
aesthetic sharpens into some-
thing stark and hellish as the
story takes a turn into the dehu-
manizing realities of the Soviet
regime. It’s in these last moments
of “The Courier” that things finally
snap into place, crystallizing the
message that individuals might
grasp some power within the
complicated machinery of poli-
tics.
D16 | Preview Houston | March 19-25, 2021 | PreviewHouston.com
MICHELLE OBAMA GIVES
‘WAFFLES + MOCHI’ PIZAZZ
“Waffles + Mochi,” a food-
themed series for children of all
ages that began streaming Tues-
day, comes from Barack and
Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground
Productions — one of the first
products of a big slate of pro-
grams for Netflix that the former
president hopes “won’t just enter-
tain, but will educate, connect
and inspire us all.”
It’s no surprise to find them
here. The White House may be a
bully pulpit, but Netflix is what
the world watches; likewise, it’s
no surprise that the streamer
would want the world’s foremost
power couple in its luxury stable.
Both Obamas are quite media
savvy, and television is an in-
strument they’ve played expertly
in unexpected ways: POTUS
out-snarking Zach Galifianakis on
“Between Two Ferns” to sell the
Affordable Care Act; FLOTUS
demonstrating Mom Dances with
Jimmy Fallon on “The Tonight
Show.”
While Barack has been pod-
casting with Bruce Springsteen —
“The Renegades: Born in the
USA,” over on Spotify — Michelle,
as “Mrs. Obama,” runs a toy-town
supermarket, where she oversees
a talking shelf (Taleia Gilliam, as
Shelfie) and a talking mop (Diona
Elise Burnett, as Steve) and tends
a rooftop garden where she may
be typically found in the company
of an officious bee named Busy
B Y RO B E RT L LOY D | LOS A N G E L ES T I M E S
F O R M E R F I R ST L A DY M I C H E L L E O B A M A
I S F E AT U R E D I N “ W A F F L E S + M O C H I . ”
(Jonathan Kidder).
Co-created by Jeremy Konner
(“Drunk History”) and Erika Thor-
mahlen, on whose 2006 inde-
pendent pilot “What’s Cooking
With Waffles and Mousemeat”
the present series would seem to
be based, “Waffles + Mochi” isn’t
formally innovative, like “Teletub-
bies” or “Wonder Pets,” but rather
a well-balanced mix of familiar
ingredients: a fanciful set, docu-
mentary visits to far-flung places,
real kids being real, comical or
calming adults, and puppets.
As to our puppet heroes: Waf-
fles is the child of a Yeti and a
frozen waffle, a furry thing with
waffles for ears; Mochi (Russ
Walko, puppeteer; Piotr Michael,
voice) is a strawberry mochi ball.
TELEVISION
(No one will attempt to eat either
of them, except for Jack Black,
who mistakes Mochi for a soup
dumpling.) A squishy ovoid with
eyes and a (sometimes animat-
ed) mouth, who speaks only in
meeps and purrs, Mochi is actu-
ally the more expressive of the
two, and looks adorable in a crash
helmet or wearing spectacles.
They come from the Land of
Frozen Food, “where ice cream
never melts and dreams, well,
they get frozen too.”
But they watch Julia Child on
television and long for something
more, and something more to eat.
As luck would have it — there is
no more substantial rationale — a
truck belonging to Mrs. Obama’s
grocery store gets stuck outside
Netflix
their house one day, and they
stow away to the snowless city,
there to meet new friends and
learn about nonfrozen food.
Each episode has a different
subject (corn, rice, tomatoes,
potatoes, eggs and so on) and a
similar structure. A problem aris-
es, possibly of the puppets’ own
making — they have poured salt
all over the chocolate chip cook-
ies, or broken the last jar of pick-
les in the store. After chatting
with (or avoiding) “Mrs. O,” as she
is sometimes called, they set off
in their flying, talking MagiCart to
learn something or fix a problem.
They visit other lands, for real,
including Italy, Peru and Japan —
the budget is on the screen — to
cook alongside famous chefs and
“WAFFLES + MOCHI”
Rated: TV-Y
Where: Streaming on Netflix
H H H H (out of 5)
interview food experts, including
LA Times food writer Lucas Kwan
Peterson. There may be a car-
toon, sometimes featuring the
Taste Buds (voiced by Kate Ber-
lant and John Early). And then
they return, report and repair (if
necessary) and earn a merit
badge. Each episode comes with
a kind of moral, too, suggested by
the subject — potatoes will tell
you something about inner beau-
ty, pickles are about patience, salt
prompts a conversation about
moderation.
It’s not only a kids’ show, but
what might be called a Cool Kids
show — Lyric Lewis plays the
store’s baker, named Baker;
Rashida Jones guests as Cheryl
from the cheese counter; Ba-
rack’s old interlocuter Zach plays
a stock boy and Gaten Matarazzo
of “Stanger Things” plays an
electrician; Common helps Waf-
fles and Mochi discover their
roots.
And finally, there is Lionel
Ritchie, turning up for the season
finale.
“Are you here to give us a
sweet jam?” asks Mrs. O.
“Well I brought some apricot,”
he replies.
And everybody dances.
 PreviewHouston.com | March 19-25, 2021 | Preview Houston | D17

IE
• F

W
W

•
IE

F
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V
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P PR
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EV
IEW • FILM

B Y CA R Y D A R L I N G
STA F F W R I T E R

Here are some of the new films

being released in theaters or for
streaming, rental or purchase
this week. NEW FILMS
“City of Lies”
Johnny Depp and Forest Whitak-
er are detectives investigating
the deaths of The Notorious
B.I.G. and Tupac Shakur.
Rated R. Opens March 19
throughout Houston; begins
streaming March 19 on various
platforms.

“Five” J O E L M c H A L E A N D K E R RY B I S H É
This collection of five short sub-
jects chronicles the lives of wom-
en in five countries — Croatia, S TA R I N “ H A P P I LY. ”
India, Lebanon, Brazil and the
U.S. — who have started busi-
nesses to support their commu-
CUTLINE TAG WITH DUMMY TEXT. CUTLINE TAG WITH DUMMY TEXT. CUTLINE TAG WITH DUMMY TEXT.

nities.
Unrated. Begins streaming March
19 at mfah.org/virtualcinema.
“The Courier”
Benedict Cumberbatch and
Rachel Brosnahan star in this
true Cold War-era story of British
spy Greville Wynne and his ef-
forts infiltrate the Soviet Union
during the Cuban missile crisis.
Rated PG-13. Opens March 19
throughout Houston.
“Happily”
In this dark romantic comedy,
Tom and Janet find their marital
bliss rocked by a mysterious
stranger and a trip with friends
who may not be so friendly. Joel
McHale and Kerry Bishé (“Halt
and Catch Fire”) star.
Rated R. Begins streaming March
19 on various platforms.
“Jathi Ratnalu”
Telegu-language comedy from
India about three newly freed
prisoners.
Unrated. Playing at Cinemark
Tinseltown 290 and Star Cinema
Grill Vintage Park, Houston; Star
Cinema Grill, Richmond; Star
Cinema Grill, Missouri City.
Common Well Media
“Last Call” Kong” at the end of the month,
Jeremy Piven stars as a developer Alamo Drafthouse is showing this
who has to decide whether to tear 1975 film in which Godzilla takes
down or restore his family’s bar. on Mechagodzilla and Titanosau-
Rated R. Opening March 19 at Star rus.
Cinema Grill, Richmond; Star Rated G. Opens March 19 at Ala-
Cinema Grill Springwoods, Spring. mo Drafthouse LaCenterra, Katy.
“Mohan Kumar Fans” “They Say It Can’t Be Done”
Malayalam-language comedy- Documentary follows four entre-
drama from India about a su- preneurial companies tackling
perstar and his driver. such issues as hunger, organ
Unrated. Opening March 19 at Star transplant shortage, climate
Cinema Grill, Richmond. change and ocean sustainability.
Unrated. Begins streaming March
“Mosagallu”
23 on various platforms and
Telegu-language drama from
Apple TV.
India about an I.T. scam. Cinema Tropical
Unrated. Playing at Star Cinema “My Darling Supermarket” “Zack Snyder’s
Grill, Richmond; Star Cinema Grill, Justice League”
Missouri City. ShowBiz Cinemas, Baytown. “Seaspiracy” This is Zack Snyder’s four-hour,
Documentary about the dangers directors-cut version of the 2017
“My Brother’s Keeper” “My Darling Supermarket” DC Comics superhero film “Jus-
A returning veteran struggles with marine life faces because of
Portuguese-language documen- tice League” with Ben Affleck, Gal
post-traumatic stress and his faith human activity.
tary from Brazil set among the Gadot and Henry Cavill.
in God in this drama. Unrated. Begins streaming March
workers of a large supermarket.
Rated PG-13. Opens March 19 at 24 on Netflix.
Unrated. Begins streaming March Rated R. Streaming on HBO Max.
Studio Movie Grill Pearland; 19 through mfah.org/virtualcine- “Terror of Mechagodzilla”
ShowBiz Cinemas, Kingwood; cary.darling@chron.
ma. To get you ready for “Godzilla vs.
D18 | Preview Houston | March 19-25, 2021 | PreviewHouston.com

WORD SLEUTH JUMBLE DAILY CROSSWORD

Find the listed words in the diagram. They run in all directions — forward,
backward, up, down and diagonally. ©2021 King Features Syndicate Inc.
ACROSS 49 Easy to pick up 28 More than
1 Scrape remnant 53 Rascals competent
Thursday’s unlisted SHORT -- 5 Get off topic 54 Come in 29 Tool in the
clue: REPUBLIC. 10 Hurly-burly 56 Blintz topping Portland Timbers’
Friday’s unlisted clue 13 Natural feeling 57 Larry O’Brien logo
hint: A SHORT — 14 Sharing word Championship 30 Bakery containers
SHIRT. 15 Like the top stripe Trophy org. 31 Copier tray abbr.
of a pride flag 58 Mobile device for
16 Analytical the unhip? 32 Eighth-grade subj.,
And sweet
Circuit diagrams of 60 Swampy spot often
Leash Tuesday rush 61 Get-go 33 Modernist
List hour traffic in 62 “Cupcake Wars” 34 Enjoyed a lot, with
Notice Paris? fixture “up”
Orders 18 “I’ve heard 63 Some replacement 35 Chemistry class
Range enough, thanks” sites, for short measurement (it’s
Selling
19 Amazed feeling 64 Greeted wordlessly 5 for this puzzle’s
Shrift
20 Apt rhyme for 65 Forms a union grid)
Sightedness
“sincerely” 39 Book after Joel
21 Port SSE of Sana’a DOWN 40 It may be gross
Stories
22 Sports shoe 1 Shrub often toxic 41 Simona who won
Tempered feature 2 Pub __
Time ago 24 “Hurrah!” 3 Feel the same way Wimbledon in
Version 25 Code opener 4 Board companion 2019
Wave 26 SoCal team 5 Mist 42 Prefix with Pen
28 One of two tarot 6 Headwear for kid- 46 Channel for reality
card groups lit’s Fancy Nancy show fans
30 Deli favorite with a 7 Comeback 47 Backspace over
SUDOKU CRYPTOQUIP floral garnish? 8 In some pain 48 Broadcast
Complete the grid so that every row, column and 3x3 box contains 34 30-day mo. 9 “I’d be glad to” 50 Trees of a kind,
The Cryptoquip is a substitution cipher in which one letter
the numbers 1 to 9. ©2021 King Features Syndicate, Inc. stands for another. If you think that X equals O, it will equal
36 N.J. town across 10 Buyer and seller of often
O throughout the puzzle. Single letters, short words and from northern oils 51 Improved
words using an apostrophe give you clues to locating vowels. Manhattan 11 Conduct 52 Typical winter
Solution is by trial and error. 37 “... __ he drove out 12 Frigga’s husband highs at the
©2021 King Features Syndicate, Inc. of sight”: Moore 14 Notable period
38 Rodent that’s a 17 Luggage summit of Mt.
Broadway star? attachment Washington
43 Charm 21 Aqueduct support 53 Facts and figures
44 Take advantage of 23 __ mode 54 Teal relative
45 Japanese noodle 25 Strasbourg-born 55 Nov. honoree
46 Leaves for dim Dadaist 58 Barnyard mom
sum 27 Schedule for later 59 Method

place, I’d say they are thinking things true.

©2021 Conceptis Puzzles, Dist. by King Features Syndicate, Inc. ANSWER: If people believe doubtful events actually took

YESTERDAY’S ANSWERS 2021 WORLD BASEBALL

CLASSIC

By Mark McClain ©2021 Tribune Content Agency 3/19/21


What
to watch
FRIDAY
March 19, 2021
All times Central. Start times can vary based
on cable/satellite provider. Confirm times on
your on-screen guide.
The Falcon
and the Winter Soldier
Disney+  New Series
The latest live-action series entry in the MCU
finds Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan
reprising their respective roles from the
Captain America and Avengers films as Sam
Wilson, aka the Falcon, and Bucky Barnes,
aka the Winter Soldier. The pair, who came
together in the final moments of Avengers:
Endgame, team up on a global adventure that
tests their abilities and their patience. Also
returning from the films for this six-episode
series are Daniel Bruhl as the villainous
Zemo and Emily VanCamp as Sharon Carter.
The series introduces Wyatt Russell as
John Walker, who in the comic books is the
superhero U.S. Agent.
Sky Rojo
Netflix  New Series
This Spanish action/crime drama from the
creators of Money Heist is similarly filled with
action, dark humor and pure adrenaline. Coral
(Veronica Sanchez), Wendy (Lali Esposito) and
Gina (Yany Prado) go on the run in search of
freedom while being chased by Romeo (Asier
Etxeandia), their pimp, and his henchmen.
CATCH A CLASSIC
Texas Crime
TCM, beginning at 7 p.m.
Classic crime dramas set in the Lone Star
State are the focus of tonight’s triple
feature on Turner Classic Movies. The
lineup begins with The Houston Story
(pictured) (1956), a film noir directed by
William Castle about a Texas oil driller who plot after his boss (Dan Hedaya) discovers
schemes to steal millions of dollars’ worth that the bartender is having an affair with
of oil. Gene Barry, Barbara Hale and Edward the boss’ wife (Frances McDormand in her
Arnold star. Next, a terrific cast including feature-film debut).
Together, the women embark on a frantic,
chaotic journey during which they must face
dangers of all kinds and live every second as
if it were their last while strengthening their
friendship and discovering the most important
thing: that together they are stronger and
have more options to recover their lives.
Country Comfort
Netflix  New Series
Katharine McPhee leads this comedy as an
aspiring country singer who becomes a nanny
for a widower and his five children.
NCAA Men’s Basketball
Tournament: First Round
CBS, TBS, TNT & truTV, beginning at
11 a.m. Live
With the First Four games finished, the NCAA
Men’s Basketball Tournament begins in
earnest with first-round action from venues in
the Indianapolis area today and tomorrow on
CBS, TBS, TNT and truTV.
Double Cross
With Blake Griffin
truTV, 4:30 p.m.  New Series
NBA star Blake Griffin conspires with people
who are tired of being the victim of pranks
to help them get some sweet revenge on
their unsuspecting prankster in an ultimate
double cross. “These pranks aren’t cruel in
nature, and they’re not malicious ... they’re
just fun,” Griffin tells us. “Given everything
that’s going on, people need a distraction and
entertainment and to be able to have fun and
see these elaborate pranks and have a laugh.”
Deadly Excursion:
Kidnapped From the Beach
LMN, 7 p.m.  Original Film
The sequel to 2019’s Deadly Excursion, this
Marlon Brando, Jane Fonda, Robert
Redford, E.G. Marshall and Angie Dickinson
headlines Arthur Penn’s The Chase (1966),
a neo-noir drama that chronicles how the
escape of two convicts from prison affects
the inhabitants of a small Texas town.
Tonight’s final film is Blood Simple (1984),
the fantastic debut movie from writers/
directors Joel and Ethan Coen. The neo-noir
follows a Texas bartender (John Getz) who
finds himself in the middle of a murder
PreviewHouston.com | March 19-25, 2021 |
‘Double
Cross With
Blake
Griffin’
TURNER ENTERTAINMENT NETWORKS INC.
film finds mother-daughter duo Samantha
(Samaire Armstrong) and Ellie (Alexandria
DeBerry) embarking on another family
vacation in Florida cautiously believing
their kidnapping saga is behind them.
Unbeknownst to them, the men behind their
original kidnapping have been keeping tabs
on them and are ready to complete the
job that was previously foiled. Also stars
Corin Nemec, Matt Cedeno, David Meza and
Jonathan Bouvier.
Everything but the House
HGTV, 8 p.m.  New Series
I’m not sure if my dad’s taxidermied cobra
vs. mongoose is worth much, but I could
easily find out if I sold it via the online
marketplace Everything but the House. In
this new show, EBTH pros come to you to
sniff out treasures and auction them off.
“(These experts) don’t mind taking the time
to do research on even the most obscure
items,” says host Lara Spencer. Of a $5
yard-sale mushroom chair, Spencer says,
“Midcentury furniture collectors got into a
bidding war for this purple thing!” Final sale:
$600.
COLUMBIA PICTURES
ACES ON BRIDGE
By Bobby Wolff
At several tables in the 2019
Gold Coast Congress, North-
South reached an apparently
hopeless heart game, but a
friendly spade lead allowed
them to discard two club losers.
At one table, declarer next
called for the heart jack. When
it held, he had no further
problems. He played a second
trump, and East could score no
more than his three remaining
trumps one way or another.
However, all East had to do
was win the first heart and
force declarer in clubs. When
declarer ruffs, he has the choice
of playing a second trump (in
which case the hand falls to
pieces since he is tapped out)
or trying a cross-ruff.
But now, the absence of decent
heart intermediates in dummy
means the heart five will lose
out to the heart six at some
point. If the defenders had
found this play, declarer would
have been kicking himself,
since his critical error was that
he did not lead a low trump
from dummy at trick three!
If the heart five is played at
trick three, East wins and forces
declarer. But then South simply
plays three top diamonds and
ruffs two diamond winners
LEAD WITH THE ACES
©2021 Dist. By Andrews McMeel Syndication for UFS
LOOKING BACK
1962: Bob Dylan’s first
album, titled “Bob Dylan,”
was released by Columbia
Records.
1977: the series finale of
“Mary Tyler Moore” aired
on CBS-TV, ending the
situation comedy’s seven-
season run.
1993: Supreme Court
Justice Byron R. White
announced plans to retire.
(White’s departure paved
the way for Ruth Bader
Ginsburg to become the
court’s second female
justice.)
Preview Houston | D19
in dummy with intermediate
trumps. Declarer ends up with
five plain winners and scores
five of his six remaining trumps
separately. However, you
could sell me on the idea that
you are supposed to go after
diamonds at trick three. If West
has shown long spades, that
line is not likely to lose. If West
ruffs in, declarer can overruff.
Now the remaining trump spots
are good enough to ensure 10
tricks.
ANSWER: Bid three spades.
With good trumps and a fit for
partner’s clubs, you may decide
you have a shot at game. An
invitational three spades should
get the job done, however.
Admittedly, much will depend
on how the two hands mesh,
specifically partner’s hearts. But
your partner will know trump
honors and aces are good news.
Do not bid your partner’s hand
for him by either signing off or
bidding game.
BIRTHDAYS
Today’s Birthdays:
Actor Renee Taylor is 88.
Actor Ursula Andress
is 85. Singer Clarence
“Frogman” Henry is 84.
Singer Ruth Pointer (The
Pointer Sisters) is 75. Actor
Glenn Close is 74. Actor
Bruce Willis is 66. Actor-
comedian Mary Scheer
is 58. Playwright Neil
LaBute is 58. Actor Connor
Trinneer is 52. Rock
musician Gert Bettens (K’s
Choice) is 51. Rapper Bun
B is 48.