Hot Tickets

Hot Tix

Marin Sardy

BENEFIT
Celebrate April Fool’s Day with Wise Fool New Mexico’s band of merry pranksters at the circus-arts group’s first ever Feast of Fools, a fund-raising dinner theater in six acts, April 1 at The Railyard Restauraunt (6–9 pm, 530 S Guadalupe). Bringing together giant puppets, stilt walkers, aerial surprises, and more, Wise Fool’s acrobats and dancers thrill while you chill—and dine on the six-course menu created by Chef Louis Moscow. Tickets: $65–$100; $1,500/sponsorship table; 505-989-3396, wisefoolnm.org

DANCE
Dancers with power, presence, and traditional Maori tattoos come together on The Lensic’s stage April 1 (7:30 pm, 211 W San Francisco), when contemporary dance company Black Grace performs for the first time in Santa Fe. A New Zealand–based company known for combining modern movement with traditional Pacific dance and the values of an ancient culture, this all-male troupe bases its creative impetus on three key Samoan principles: integrity, perseverence, and humility. From these ideas, founder/choreographer Neil Leremia has used the human body to transform the complex history of a Pacific Rim nation into dynamic new forms of expression. Coming off its 2007 Grass Roots Tour on home soil, the company is now on
a coast-to-coast North American tour. Tickets: $20–$58, 505-988-1234, ticketssantafe.com

MUSIC
A “little orchestra” with big-time style, Pink Martini’s jazzy Latin/French lounge/golden-age Hollywood sound blends the romance of days gone by with a contemporary attitude and experimentation. The band plays at The Lensic May 15 (7:30 pm,
211 W San Francisco), where lead singer China Forbes’s crooning vocals and the nine-piece band’s swinging beats are sure to shake things up. Tickets: $42–$58, 505-988-1234, ticketssantafe.com
EVENTS
April 1 Voices Against the War. Thirty percent of this anti-war-themed art show’s sales, from 25 Santa Fe artists’ work, goes to Veterans for Peace. Through Apr 20. Reception Mar 28, 5–7 pm, New Concept Gallery, 610 Canyon, 505-795-7570

April 2 “Green” Coffee with Mayor Coss. Topics relating to sustainability in building and energy use are up for discussion at this community forum with David Coss. 9:15–10:30 am, City Council Chambers, City Hall, 200 Lincoln, 505-955-6046

April 2 Readings and Conversations: Taha Muhammed Ali with Peter Cole. An Arabic writer and a translator of Arabic and Hebrew texts discuss their work in the context of the Arab-Israeli conflict. 7 pm, $3–$6, The Lensic, 211 W San Francisco, 505-988-1234, ticketssantafe.com

April 2–3 Pastels and the Landscape. Maggie Muchmore takes you outdoors to capture the views with oil pastels en plein air. 1–4 pm, $60–$70/day, O’Keeffe Education Annex, 123 Grant, 505-946-1039, okeeffemuseum.org

April 4 Life After. Mary Zaremba’s contemporary still-life photographs capture the oft-overlooked beauty of dried flowers. Through Apr 26. Reception 5–8 pm, Matrix Fine Art, 3812 Central SE, #100-A, Albuquerque, 505-268-8952

April 4 Spring Group Show. Four new gallery artists’ work includes Marlene Rose’s Buddha sculptures, Ronald Layport’s nature-inspired vessels, and Tomas Lasansky’s haunting portraits. Through Apr 17. Reception 5–7:30 pm, Manitou Galleries, 123 W Palace, 505-986-0440

April 4 ROOMS. An interior-design exhibition makes use of tribal art, folk art, antiques, and textiles in contemporary living spaces. Through Apr 30. Reception 5–7 pm, Traveler’s Market, 153-B Paseo de Peralta, 505-989-7667

April 4 New Works by David K. John. This award-winning artist’s recent paintings continue his exploration of Native American spiritual themes. Through May 30. Reception 2–6 pm, Kiva Fine Art, 102 E Water, 505-820-7413

April 5 Claudia Quintet. Grammy-nominated composer John Hollenbeck’s groundbreaking jazz ensemble. 9 pm, $5–$15, High Mayhem Studios, 1703-B Lena, 505-501-3333, highmayhem.org

April 5 Friend or Foal. Dry Heat Photography’s one-day fundraising show benefits animal sanctuaries for wolves and horses. Reception 12–6 pm, Art Gallery 66, 373 North Camino del Pueblo, Bernalillo, 505-730-8576

April 6 Dr. John. This New Orleans musician’s rich oeuvre expresses and celebrates the spirit of his home town. 7 pm, $29–$69, The Lensic, 211 W San Francisco, 505-988-1234, ticketssantafe.com

April 9 Takacs Quartet and Joyce Yang. Four strings and a piano star play Haydn, Beethoven, and Schumann with intensity and grace. 12 pm, $20–$70, The Lensic, 211 W San Francisco, 505-988-1234, ticketssantafe.com

April 11 Spring Sanctuary. Painter Jamie Kirkland’s new landscapes celebrate the pastoral tradition in fresh, elegant compositions. Through Apr 24. Reception 5–7 pm, Winterowd Fine Art, 701 Canyon, 505-992-8878

April 11 Sandy Voss and Connie Enzmann-Forneris. Weavings by two masters of the craft combine innovative techniques and new materials. Through Apr 30. Reception 5–7 pm, Marigold Arts, 424 Canyon, 505-982-4142

April 12 Zest Fest. Benefiting Santa Fe New Music, this party brings together new music, food and drink, and door prizes for culture lovers. 5:30–8:30 pm, $40, BOX Gallery, 1611 Paseo de Peralta, 505-474-6601, sfnm.org

April 12 Snap Crackle Pow! “Boy gang” drawings blend fine-art conception with bizarre and ironic subject matter. Through May 31. Reception 6–8 pm, 516 Arts, 516 Central SW, Albuquerque, 505-242-1445

April 12–13 Who Am I? Develop a deeper sense of self at this inquiry with meditation, art-making, and exercises developed by Ramana Maharshi. 9–5, $125, Academy for the Love of Learning, 505-995-1860, aloveoflearning.org

April 13 Bernstein, Sondheim and Friends. Santa Fe Symphony Orchestra plays musical-theater favorites, including tunes from On the Town and West Side Story. 4 pm, $18–$65, The Lensic, 211 W San Francisco, 505-988-1234, ticketssantafe.com

April 17 Walking Under the Great Mountain. Writer Natalie Goldberg leads a walk near Pedernal Peak and into Mabel Dodge Luhan’s property, discussing its history and artistic appeal. Reservations: $120–$135, O’Keeffe Education Annex, 123 Grant, 505-946-1039, okeeffemuseum.org

April 17 The Mikado. Britain’s Carl Rosa Opera Company recreates this classic Gilbert & Sullivan opera in its original 1885 production style. 7:30 pm, $30–$85, The Lensic, 211 W San Francisco, 505-988-1234, ticketssantafe.com

April 18 David Hidalgo and Louie Perez. Members of Los Lobos perform Latin-infused guitar music in an intimate acoustic concert. 7:30 pm, $27–$42, The Lensic, 211 W San Francisco, 505-988-1234, ticketssantafe.com

April 18 5 x 5 and One of a Kind. Concurrent shows display five printmakers’ work beside Tony Soulié’s gritty contemporary mixed-media photographs. Through Jun 7. Reception 5–7 pm, Zane Bennett Contemporary Art, 435 S Guadalupe, 505-982-8111

April 18 Constant Horizons. Joan Bohn’s abstract oils record interior journeys in new works of three ongoing series. Through May 5. Reception 5–7 pm, Hunter Kirkland Contemporary, 200-B Canyon, 505-984-2111

April 18 Emerging Talent. A group show brings together five emerging ceramists with strikingly different styles and outlooks. Through May 17. Reception 5–7 pm, Santa Fe Clay, 1615 Paseo de Peralta, 505-984-1122

April 18–20 Three Minute Film Festival. This quirky short-film showcase celebrates experimental cinema from Santa Fe and beyond. Opening Night Gala: April 18, 8 pm, $20; screenings: call for showtimes, $9; The Screen, College of Santa Fe, 1600 St. Michael’s, 505-473-6494, 3mff.com

April 18–20 Louder Than Words. Moving People Dance Company’s pre-professional students strut their stuff in this mixed repertory of choreographic delights. 7:30 pm Fri and Sat, 2 pm Sun, $20, James A. Little Theater, 1060 Cerrillos, 505-438-9180, movingpeopledance.org

April 18–20 Global Green Indigenous Film Festival. Santa Fe’s newest inaugural film festival addresses global environmental issues that affect Native communities around the world. $5–$10/film, $75– $115/all-access pass. Details: 505-242-2175, ntec.org/filmfestival.htm

April 19 Nuestra Musica. This sonic showcase brings the best nuevomexicano musicians in this region together to demonstrate the diversity of its traditions and range of influences. 7 pm, $10, The Lensic, 211 W San Francisco, 505-988-1234, ticketssantafe.com

April 19 Music of Kaija Saariaho. This year’s annual coproduction by Santa Fe New Music and the Santa Fe Opera features a renowned contemporary Finnish composer’s newest song cycle. 7 pm, $20, Santa Fe Opera, U.S. 84/285, Exit 168, 505-474-6601, sfnm.org

April 19–20 Los Alamos Studio Tour. Artists demonstrate their techniques during this open studio tour. 10–5, free; for a map: Fuller Lodge, 2132 Central, Los Alamos, 505-662-9331, artfulnm.org/last.html

April 22 Mike Doughty’s Band. The former leader of Soul Coughing, Doughty is a singer/songwriter who’s again found success with lyrics that detangle our ties to the modern world. 7:30 pm, $18–$23, Santa Fe Brewing Co., 27 Fire Place, 505-988-1234, ticketssantafe.com

April 22 Skin Deep: Evolution of Human Skin and Skin Color. The School of American Research brings anthropologist Nina Jablonski to lecture on this perennially relevant topic. 7 pm, free, The Lensic, 211 W San Francisco, 505-988-1234, ticketssantafe.com

April 24–26 100 Years of American Music & Dance. National Dance Institute’s annual student production fuses song, dance, and history. 6 pm Thu, 5 and 7 pm Fri, 3 pm Sat; Gala dinner performance 5:30 pm Sat; $10–$15, The Dance Barns, 1140 Alto, 505-983-7661, ndi-nm.org

April 25 The Doors. Sandra Duran Wilson’s paintings on reclaimed doors examine change and the passage of time. Through May 14. Reception 5–7 pm, Artistas de Santa Fe, 228-B Old Santa Fe Trail, 505-982-1320

April 25–27 Couples Workshop. Practice communicating effectively and turn conflicts into opportunities. 6:30–9:30 pm Fri, 8:30–6:30 Sat and Sun, $755/couple, Santa Fe Center for Relationships, 7 Avenida Vista Grande B-7 #257, 505-466-2464, santaferelationships.com

April 26 Keep Santa Fe Beautiful Plaza Cleanup. Volunteers from area businesses help make the Plaza beautiful once again, just in time for summer. Info: Keep Santa Fe Beautiful, 505-955-2215

April 26–27 Rio Rancho Studio Tour. Pick up a map at Haynes Park or Vista Park, then head to artists’ studios in this fourth annual showcase of painting, jewelry, and more. 10–5 Sat, 10–4 Sun, free, 505-994-4199

April 27 Music for the Royal Fireworks. Santa Fe Pro Musica and flute soloist Carol Redman perform Handel, Bach, and Rameau. 3 pm, The Lensic, 211 W San Francisco, 505-988-1234, ticketssantafe.com

May 2 FracSHARD: New Works in Clay. Ceramist Patrick Shia Crabb creates dramatic clay pieces by breaking them into shards and then reconstructing them. Through Jun 1. Reception 5:30–7:30 pm, Patina Gallery, 131 W Palace, 505-986-3432

May 2 The Art of Zuni Pueblo. This exhibition of historic Pueblo pottery and jewelry coincides with the release of the exhaustive new survey volume The Pottery of Zuni Pueblo. Through May 31. Reception 4–6 pm, Adobe Gallery, 221 Canyon, 505-955-0550

May 2 BLUE. Ethnographic and contemporary art involving blue includes everything from indigo textiles to glass lamps. Through May 31. Reception 5–7 pm, Traveler’s Market, 153-B Paseo de Peralta, 505-989-7667

May 2–11 Willy Wonka. Pandemonium Productions’ spring performance stars kids ages 8 to 16 in this classic story about a fantastical candy factory. 7 pm Fris and Sats, 2 pm Suns, $10, James A. Little Theater, 1060 Cerrillos, 505-988-1234, ticketssantafe.com

May 3–4 Battlefield New Mexico: The Civil War and More. See what military drills and camp life were once like at a dramatization that puts you face-to-face with Union and Confederate soldiers. 10–4, $7, El Rancho de las Golondrinas, 334 Los Pinos, 505-471-2261, golondrinas.org

May 6 Leo Kottke. An acoustic-guitar wizard known for his elaborate fingerpicking techniques and influenced by all forms of American roots music, Kottke is a musician’s musician. 7:30 pm, $22–$40, The Lensic, 211 W San Francisco, 505-988-1234, ticketssantafe.com

May 9 Two Great Apes Painting. African drumming, treats, and side-by-side video footage of chimpanzees and children creating art raises funds for Save the Chimps, a transfer of 152 former lab chimps to a permanent home. 5:30–8 pm, free, Cloud Cliff Bakery, 1805 Second, 505-466-0007

May 11 Comic Art Indigéne. MIAC’s new show pairs a 13th-century pictograph with comic art by contemporary Native artists, from Ryan Huna Smith to Rose Simpson. Museum of Indian Arts and Culture, 710 Camino Lejo, 505-476-1250, indianartsandculture.org

May 16 Rrake Quartet and Sun Spits Cherries. Renowned new-music maestro Chris Jonas plays a double feature with his New Mexico band following his New York ensemble. 9 pm, $5–$15, High Mayhem Studios, 1703-B Lena, 505-501-3333, highmayhem.org

May 16 Viridis. Installation artist Anne Cooper’s work deals with natural media, like living grass and beeswax. Through Jun 20. Reception 5–8 pm, Artspace 116, 116 Central SW, Suite 201, Albuquerque, 505-245-4200

May 16 David Mann. The newest works by this painter of classic Western subject matter are precisely rendered and rife with narrative tension. Reception 5–7 pm, Altermann Galleries, 225 Canyon, 505-983-1590

May 17 Henry Grimes and Oluyemi Thomas Duet. An influential jazz bassist returns after abandoning his instrument decades ago, playing one Santa Fe show on his comeback tour. 9 pm, $5–$15, High Mayhem Studios, 1703-B Lena, 505-501-3333, highmayhem.org

May 17–18 The GreenBuilt Tour. Visit sustainable homes selected by the U.S. Green Building Council, in this self-guided tour of eco-friendly homes and businesses in Santa Fe, Albuquerque, and Taos. 10–4; details and guidebook: 505-227-0474, greenbuilttour.net

May 18 The Santa Fe Century. This organized ride brings bicycling enthusiasts of all skill levels out onto the historic Turquoise Trail for a 25-, 50-, or 100-mile spin. 7 am, $18, St. Vincent Regional Medical Center, 455 St. Michael’s, 505-982-1282, santafecentury.com

May 18 Beauty’s Legacy: Families of Pueblo Women Artists. Descendants of great New Mexico Pueblo artists share insights about tradition and the creative process. 1 pm, Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, 2401 12th NW, Albuquerque, 866-855-7902, indianpueblo.org

May 22–25 Liberation Through Yoga and Buddhism. Learn the principles of Eastern philosophies at this weekend retreat with guided yoga, meditation, and discussion. $475–$525, Upaya Zen Center, 1404 Cerro Gordo, 505-986-8518, upaya.org

May 22 Georgia O’Keeffe and Ansel Adams: Natural Affinities. This show reveals similarities in two of this region’s best-loved artists’ aesthetic explorations of the West. Through Sep 7. Reception 9 am, Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, 217 Johnson, 505-946-1000, okeeffemuseum.org

May 23–25 Taos Spring Arts Celebration. Join this annual community fête with a chef-prepared dinner, group show, and painting demonstrations. Collectors’ Dinner: May 23, 5:30–10 pm, $125; Reception Gala: May 24, 5–8 pm, $20; Paint Out: May 25, 1–5 pm, free; El Monte Sagrado Resort, 317 Kit Carson, Taos, 800-845-4173, taosgalleryassoc.com

May 23 Jeri Ledbetter: New Works. Neutral in tone but gripping in effect, these abstracts layer expressive lines over beige washes. Through Jun 20. Reception 5–7 pm, Darnell Fine Art, 640 Canyon, 505-984-0840

May 24 Serving for Women’s Health Services. Play tennis to benefit this nonprofit in a round-robin competition that matches you up against players of the same level. 11–1, luncheon 1–2:30 pm, $1,000/player, Las Campanas Spa & Tennis Center, 90 Clubhouse Drive, 505-955-9491

May 24 Olivier Mosset. Mossett’s crisp abstract serigraphs rely on blocks of color to create impact. Through Jul 5. Reception 5–7 pm, Zane Bennett Contemporary Art, 435 S Guadalupe, 505-982-8111

May 24 POP Femme: Sugar Coated Strange. Current works by women artists in contemporary surrealist and graphic-arts-based styles undo and rearrange our preconceptions. Through Jun 25. Reception 5–7 pm, POP Gallery, 133 W Water, 505-820-0788

May 31 At Home on the Rio Grande. Artist Clarence Medina captures Northern New Mexico in gemlike small oil paintings. Reception 3–5 pm, Farnsworth Gallery, 133 Paseo del Pueblo Norte, Taos, 575-758-0776

Hot Tickets and Events are compiled and edited by Marin Sardy. Please send press information and images for upcoming events to .