Jeff Guinn stops by Murder By The Book to discuss and sign copies of his book about Jim Jones.
Author photo by Jill Johnson
Murder By The Book
6:30 p.m. Thursday, free
Jeff Guinn, the Fort Worth-based, New York Times bestselling author who previously tackled the O.K. Corral, Bonnie and Clyde, and Charles Manson, has now turned his investigative journalist gaze to Jim Jones, the cult leader who (in)famously inspired generations of people to glibly talk about “drinking the Kool-Aid.” Guinn explores the life and times of the Peoples Temple founder in the context of the America that produced him and led to the largest murder-suicide in American history – until September 11, that is. Guinn will discuss and sign copies of the book, which GQ called “a study of good intentions” that is “scarily relevant.”
Sarah Welch's "Holdouts (Process Art)" (2017), will be displayed in the 2017 Artist Studio Program Exhibition.
Sarah Welch
Lawndale Art Center
6 to 8 p.m. Friday, free
It's time to enjoy the fruits of Melinda Laszczynski, Randi Long and Sarah Welch’s labor as the work from their nine-month residency as part of the Lawndale Artist Studio Program is finally revealed. The three women were given non-residential studio space at Lawndale, a monthly stipend and a materials allowance. The exhibit, curated by Contemporary Arts Museum Houston’s Dean Daderko, will be a mix of Laszczynski’s painting and sculpture, Long’s performance-related work, and comix-maker Welch’s illustration. Artist talks begin at 6 p.m. and the exhibit will be on view until June 11.
The Villalobos Brothers bring their "high-octane Mexican fiddling" to Miller for Cinco de Mayo.
Courtesy of Miller Outdoor Theatre
Miller Outdoor Theatre
7:30 p.m. Friday, free
There's no shortage of bar-hopping to be done on Cinco de Mayo, but what about a somewhat more authentic celebration of Mexican culture? This double bill at Miller Outdoor Theatre offers the traditional costumes and
instrumentation of Tlen-Huicani – YouTube their rendition of “La Bamba” for a taste of the son jarocho-style that inspired and catapulted Ritchie Valens to fame in 1958 – and a mix of classical, jazz and Mexican folk music from the Villalobos Brothers, child prodigies and virtuosos who specialize in what Ernesto Villalobos calls “contemporary, high-octane Mexican fiddling.” You can go for margaritas after the show.
A face only a mother could love in the almost-midnight movie showing of Killer Klowns From Outer Space.
Park Circus
Alamo Drafthouse Cinema - Mason
10 p.m. Friday, $5.41
The Chiodo Brothers' 1988 film is the perfect midnight (or in this case, 10 p.m.) movie. It’s campy, it’s colorful and it has a punk rock theme song from The Dickies. Though you may recognize some of the faces – Suzanne Snyder has a few other totally ’80s horror credits (Return of the Living Dead II, anyone?); the perpetually cranky John “Dean Wormer” Vernon, or the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it appearance by Christopher Titus – the Klowns own this show. Whether or not anything ever comes of those sequel rumors, we’ll always have Klownzilla, the king of the popcorn-shooting, cotton candy-cocooning alien clowns – and that counts for something.
