WEDNESDAY
JANUARY 21
Art
AMY O'NEILL
The prologue to "Ojo de Dios" is a series of drawings of fountains designed for the 1964 World's Fair. "Peace Through Understanding," indeed. What follow are "protective" 3-D glasses (put them on) and a fully functional Cold War fallout shelter, complete with air filters, ducts, freeze-dried-food cans, and a glorious psychedelic explosion of luminescent disks made from the lids. The gallery calls this "a scenario of desperate improvisation." It's also pure residual paranoia raised to orange alert. LEVIN
Through Saturday, Spencer Brownstone Gallery, 39 Wooster Street, 212.334.3455
Film
'EMPATHY'
Rife with provocative symptoms, poet Amie Siegel's serious, playful essay on the art and craft of psychoanalysis is blatantly several films in one—psychological melodrama, historical essay, and shrink verité. The friendliest of the interviewed analysts recounts the pleasure of watching women walk in and lie down on his couch. How did watching the movie make me feel? Interested, amused, and um, empathetic. HOBERMAN
Opens today, Film Forum, 209 West Houston Street, 212.727.8110
Music
TWISTA
What's the (onetime) fastest rapper in the world to do? Loved by Puffy and Jay-Z, Twista has yet to establish himself on a national level, although his 1996 Adrenalin Rushsteadily sells almost 2,000 units a month, one of hip-hop's top catalog albums. His current radio hit, "Slow Jamz," makes it sound more like Twista's guesting on Kanye West's song than the other way around, but such is the fate of the man whose tongue just won't quit. Expect high-profile guests who won't need subtitles. With T-Cole. CARAMANICA
At 9, S.O.B.'s, 204 Varick Street, 212.243.4940
Theater
'THE PARROT'
A street urchin, a prince, and, naturally, a parrot are the key figures in the Italian folktale that's the source of the Talking Band's latest work, a musical with text by Paul Zimet and music by Ellen Maddow. Renoly Santiago, known to theatergoers for his stint uptown in Paul Simon's Capeman, preens his feathers in the title role. FEINGOLD
Previews begin tonight, opens February 4, the Flea, 41 White Street, 212.352.3101
'SUITCASE'
Melissa James Gibson, whose [sic] was well received by the press despite the typographic confusions engendered by her work's title, ventures again into the uncertain world of Gen X'ers with this study of two women who endlessly postpone finishing their dissertations. Daniel Aukin directs; the cast includes Colleen Werthmann, Jeremy Shamos, and [sic]'s Christina Kirk. FEINGOLD
Previews begin tonight, opens Friday, SoHo Rep, 46 Walker Street, 212.868.4444
THURSDAY
JANUARY 22
Music
CEX+BABY+SUFJAN STEVENS+DENISON+ LANDING+WITMER
An hors d'oeuvres tray for the indie rocker, this show offers a sampling of Pitchfork-approved subgenres. Cex has abandoned IDM and hip-hop in favor of NINdustrial, at least for now; Stevens's star is rising due to an acclaimed orchestral-pop concept album about the state of Michigan; Baby is Craig (Shudder to Think) Wedren's electro-r&b project; Landing play hypnotizing drone rock; Witmer is an Elliott Smith-style singer-songwriter. With Ezra Reich. PHILLIPS
At 8:30, Knitting Factory, 74 Leonard Street, 212.219.3006
BILL CHARLAP
The elegant pianist has recently found ways to have his somewhat common trio setting yield a somewhat unusual approach to give and take. But he's always had a way with solo situations, too—check the simple grace of "Skylark" on his last disc. He's a canny improviser who disdains flash and reveres touch, unconsciously blending John Lewis and Roland Hanna. This stretch of solo shows is a sharp booking. MACNIE
Tonight through Sunday at 9 and 11, Smoke, 2751 Broadway, 212.864.6662
'MARSALIS MUSIC SHOWCASE'
Branford's imprint has a damn good batting average so far. It finds Harry Connick Jr. forsaking croonery for pianistics. It finds Doug Wamble working a blues-swing nexus on his guitar. It finds alto saxophonist Miguel Zenón bursting with Puerto Rican riddims and New York energy. And it finds the head honcho's foursome ramming the mainstream with their truly rad chops. They all participate in this round-robin affair. MACNIE
Through Saturday at 9 and 11, Birdland, 315 West 44th Street, 212.581.3080
Photo
ARNIE ZANE
Before he and Bill T. Jones formed their dance partnership, Zane was a photographer with, not surprisingly, a feel for images of the body. The early-'70s pictures gathered here, all seductively small, are as much about identity as physicality, and include a number of self-portraits, along with portraits and nude-figure studies of Jones and other friends. Quirky, intimate, and deliberately unmoored in time, these might be pictures from an extended and unexpectedly inviting family album. ALETTI
Through February 7, Paula Cooper Gallery, 521 West 21st Street, 212.255.1105
Theater
'THE MYSTERIES'
Incoming artistic director Brian Kulick inaugurates his regime at Classic Stage Company with his own assemblage of texts from the beginning of Western drama—the medieval church plays known as "mysteries"—to the present. It's a good choice—the theater's been struggling through rough financial times, and a prayer or two won't do it any harm. FEINGOLD
Opens today, CSC, 136 East 13th Street, 212.677.4210
FRIDAY
JANUARY 23
Dance
NEW YORK CITY BALLET
People who speak in hushed tones about George Balanchine's impact on ballet tend to overlook the fact that he made his reputation, and his living, choreographing musical comedies for decades before he founded his blue-chip troupe. Celebrating the lighter side of his genius, Broadway director-choreographer Susan Stroman contributes to the centennial celebration a new ballet, Double Feature, with a cast of 70, and music by Irving Berlin and Walter Donaldson, orchestrated by Doug Besterman and arranged by Glen Kelly. ZIMMER
