THE SECOND TUESDAY LECTURE SERIES: GEORGE HODGMAN’S “BETTYVILLE” | The life-altering tale of gay New Yorker George Hodgman’s trip to Paris happens not in the City of Light, but in a city of little more than 1,200. Disorienting curves along the road Hodgman is forced to navigate are played for laughs in “Bettyville,” a memoir that begins as the unemployed fiftysomething magazine editor takes a challenging new assignment: return to Paris, Missouri, and become the primary caretaker for his aging mother. Wit is the North Star throughout this tale of secrets and silences in a small southern town, as forced familiarity breeds a new level of understanding between mother and son (that is, if the self-professed “Joan Crawford of eldercare” doesn’t snap and go from “Terms of Endearment” to “In Cold Blood”). Find out for yourself, when the author reads from “Bettyville” and discusses life since it hit the bestseller list — as Hodgman takes his place in the pantheon of presenters who’ve stood behind the podium of The LGBT Center’s Second Tuesday Lecture Series. Running since 1985, its guests have represented the arts, academia, and politics. Of particular note: Larry Kramer’s March 1987 appearance, during which he spoke about the AIDS Crisis. “Thus beginning,” notes The Center, “ACT-UP, the largest direct action AIDS organization in the world.” The Bureau of General Services — Queer Division (a bookstore based at The Center) will on hand to sell copies of “Bettyville,” making a heartfelt author inscription an easy score.
Tues., Mar. 8, at 7 p.m. at The LGBT Center (208 W. 13th St., btw. Seventh Greenwich Aves.). Suggested donation: $10. To RSVP (suggested, not required), visit gaycenter.org/second-tuesday or call 212-620-7310. Also visit secondtuesday.org and bgsqd.com.
ANDREW ONDREJCAK’S “ELIJAH GREEN” | With a narrative inspired by Swedish playwright August Strindberg’s early 20th century work “A Dream Play” and a visual aesthetic that recall Flemish Renaissance painter Pieter Bruegel’s lush scenes of peasant village life, multi-disciplinary artist Andrew Ondrejcak’s “Elijah Green” has a divine spirit observing the unremarkable but interconnected lives of contemporary mortals. Along with choreography by John Jasperse, writer/director Ondrejcak’s visual language for “Green” is driven by costumes created in collaboration with Alba Clemente and artisans from the United Nations’ Ethical Fashion Initiative. The resulting pieces include Maasai beaded neckpieces (Kenya), mud-dyed fabrics (Mali), hand-forged metal jewelry (Haiti), and woven textiles (Burkina Faso) — all combined with donated fabrics from brands such as Carolina Herrera and Vivienne Westwood, as worn by a multi-generational, international cast of 12, ranging in age from 11 to 72.
Thurs.–Sat., Mar. 10–12 & 17–19, at 8 p.m. at The Kitchen (512 W. 19th St., btw. 10th & 11th Aves.). For tickets ($20, $15 for students, seniors), visit thekitchen.org or call 212-255-5793, x11.
HIGH LINE OPEN STUDIOS TOUR | They’ve already done their spring cleaning, and managed to put some new stuff up on the walls — now it’s your chance to go from casual looky-loo to serious art collector, and give your own thinkspace an aesthetic upgrade.
This self-guided tour of the West Chelsea arts district gives participants the rare chance to gain insight into the creative process of over 40 artists, while providing the opportunity to purchase work directly from their studio.
Free. Sat., Mar. 5 & Sun., Mar. 6, 12-6 p.m. Self-guided tours begin at the West Chelsea Arts Building (526 W. 26th St., btw. 10th & 11th Aves.), where you can pick up a map that identifies all participating studios. Maps also available at the Westbeth artists building (55 Bethune St., corner of Washington St.). Visit highlineopenstudios.org and westbetharts.org.
––BY SCOTT STIFFLER
