Big Bang

“Please be aware: This show contains the use of a firearm. There will
be a loud shot during the performance.” Placed at the entrance of the Ensemble
Theatre, the warning primes crowds for the action in Sundown Names and Night-Gone
Things, a play by Leslie Lee making its world premiere here. Set in Chicago
in the late ’30s, Sundown Names chronicles the lecherous dealings of
a group of burial insurance salesmen who will trade peace of mind for a piece
of ass any day of the week. Enter Cairo Biggs, a literate young man whose idealism
stands in stark contrast to the wizened opportunism of his colleagues. Cairo
becomes an imperfect beacon of compassion in the play, earnestly admonishing
the other salesmen, who enjoy an uproarious rapport. But his preaching is largely
ineffectual — that is, until the moral lesson of the play arrives…with a
bang. 7:30 p.m. Thursday, June 26; 8 p.m. Friday, June 27; 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Saturday, June 28; 3 p.m. Sunday, June 29. Ensemble Theatre, 3535 Main. For
more information, call 713-520-0055. $15 to $20. — Keith Plocek

Calling All Crankers A professional prankster visits
the Laff Stop
Dane Cook’s comedy takes you back to the awkward intoxication of adolescence.
He jokes about sniffing Magic Markers, snorting Nestlé Quik (in lieu
of speed) and being freaked out by Kool-Aid Man’s eerie “Oh, yeah.” “I don’t
like it when juice wears tights,” he quips. Also on his list of memories are
evil Speak & Spells and rocky Slip’n Slides. Of course, no return to childhood
would be complete without a little crank-calling. Cook plays the Foreign Guy
on Comedy Central’s Crank Yankers, pulling fast ones on unsuspecting
pawns while switching between a barely comprehensible foreign accent and a cocky
American one. 8:30 p.m. Thursday, June 26; 8 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. Friday, June
27, and Saturday, June 28. Laff Stop, 1952 West Gray. For more information,
call 713-524-2333 or visit www.laffstop.com.
$20 to $25. — Keith Plocek

FRI 6/27
Pop Proud The Pernice Brothers bandleader Joe Pernice is refreshingly honest about his
aspirations. “I just wanted to make a pretty and mellow pop record,” he once
said, referring to the band’s first album, Overcome by Happiness. “And
I’m not afraid to use the word pop. There’s nothing shameful about it.”
Pernice wants to make smart, intelligent pop in the vein of Elvis Costello and
Joe Jackson. The difference is that he has no contempt for it (unlike Costello
and Jackson). The songs are earnest, heart-on-your-sleeve affairs, shiny, jangly
and fluid, recalling the best work of the Cure. When the show’s over you’ll
wonder why the Pernice Brothers aren’t superstars. 10 p.m. Friday, June 27.
Fat Cat’s, 4216 Washington Avenue. For information, call 713-869-5263. $7-$10. — Troy Schulze

FRI 6/27
Playing Teacher Young theatergoers who can’t fathom that their teachers have lives outside the
classroom will be fascinated with A Woman’s Work, Ruby Nelda Perez’s
one-woman show. In it, she portrays a middle school student-teacher arriving
home after a long day. Perez reflects upon, among other things, growing up plump
and on welfare. She also seamlessly morphs into several characters, portraying
how they think of her, “la big te-cher.” 7:30 p.m. Friday, June 27. MECA, 1900
Kane. For tickets, call 866-468-7621 or visit www.ticketweb.com.
$5. — Cathy Matusow