Like a Prayer

Danny Magner and Jason Brown stumble onto the stage, passing a jug of booze back and forth and sloppily strolling about in drunken rhythm. They’re the Lurch brothers in FrenetiCore’s Sacred Harp, and they surely live up to their surname. Billed as a Southern gothic morality play, The Sacred Harp centers on an interracial love affair between Green Girl (Lindsey McGill) and Andre Johnson (Darrell Joe). When the two first meet, they dance together in exuberant passion, only to discover the white townsfolk aren’t too pleased with their burgeoning love. After all, this is a town in thrall to an evil evangelist who preaches about fire and brimstone to a soulless mass.

Yes, this is a modern dance performance with Christian overtones, but no,
it’s nothing like Footloose. Rebekah French’s choreography and Robert
Thoth’s score keep the story moving along gloriously, tacitly teaching the lesson
that true symbolism is only conflated by words. If you really want to make a
point, all you have to do is dance. 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, August 27 and
28. Barnevelder Movement/Arts Complex, 2201 Preston. For information, call 713-540-7634
or visit www.barnevelder.org. $10.
— Keith Plocek

No Nirvana
Catch the Scattered Pages
at the Rhythm Room

Though the band’s bassist-vocalist is named Kurt Coburn, the Houston-bred
Scattered Pages have much more in common with the soft, lush sounds of the Flaming
Lips or Belle & Sebastian than the grunge icon. On SP’s 2003 full-length debut,
Meet the Americant, Coburn and bandmates Brandon Hancock (lead vocals,
guitar) and Andy McWilliams (drums) create a soft-spoken sonic landscape full
of quirky characters and settings also akin to Ray Davies and Village Green-era
Kinks (complete with the occasional faux British enunciation). Fans of orchestral
pop will like numbers including “Americant,” “Rachel,” “My Negative” and “The
Unthinkable.” And when the band does turn up the volume on a couple of tracks
— as in “Discotheque” — the effect is jarring. 9 p.m. Friday, August 27. 1815
Washington Avenue. For information, call 713-863-0943 or visit www.rhythmroomhouston.com.
$10. — Bob Ruggiero

Shubert Dip

If you’re the type of person who sees every action as a personal affront —
from full service at the gas pump to civil wars in Africa — then Jimmy Shubert
is your kind of comedian. He fits neatly into the comedic spectrum somewhere
between Colin Quinn (who’s more self-deprecating) and Michael Savage (who’s
more likely to burst a blood vessel). Shubert’s targets include such little-used
fodder as homosexuals, airport security and Muslims. And then he rounds it out
with talk about flatulence and body hair — worthy topics both. 8:30 p.m. Thursday,
August 26; 8 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, August 27 and 28. Laff
Stop, 1952 West Gray. For information, call 713-544-2333 or visit www.laffstop.com.
$12.50 to $16.50. — Julie Ramey

Don’t Cry for Her

FRI 8/27

To some, Eva Peron was a savior. To others, she was a fake. Either way, the onetime first lady of Argentina makes for a good story. This weekend, the sharply dressed, enigmatic heroine takes the stage at the Crighton Players’ rendition of Evita. 8 p.m. Friday, August 27. Through September 12. 234 North Main in Conroe. For information, call 936-441-7469 or visit www.crightonplayers.org. $10 to $17. — Steven Devadanam