Wheels of Good Fortune

SUN 9/5

When you think "classic cars," your mind turns naturally to Elvis Aron Presley and charity. The King was as famous for his generous giving of Cadillacs to people in need as he was for his besequined jumpsuits. So when all the car clubs of St. Louis come together for the eighth annual Wheels in Motion Day (a fundraiser for the National Children's Cancer Society), Elvis will be present in spirit and in body. Steve Davis, the premier Elvis-homage artist of our time, performs his spectacular "Memories of Elvis" show against a backdrop of classic American steel and chrome at Westport Plaza (I-270 and Page Avenue; 314-878-0534 for info). But what's a King without an entourage? Joining Elvis in the spirit of giving are "Tammy Wynette" (a.k.a. Linda Coil) and "John Lennon" (a.k.a. Dan Wallace). That's a whole lotta legends in one place. Fortunately the festivities run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., which is plenty of time to squeeze everything in. Brats, hot dogs and soda are available for a nominal fee (what, no peanut-butter-and-banana sandwiches?), and admission is free for spectators and looky-loos. If you want to register your car for the showcase (and no, the primer-gray Gremlin with chainlink steering wheel is not a classic), that'll set you back $15. Viva los giving, baby. -- Paul Friswold

Closet Cases
Ragged Blade whips it out

The butterflies in the stomach, the trembling hands, the unshakeable feeling of "what-if-they-don't-love-me-after-this": These are the afflictions of a young woman coming out to her parents. The twist? She's straight; her parents are lesbians. And that's just one of the storylines explored in Empty Closets, Ragged Blade Theatre's comedy about a "coming-out workshop." The play, which debuted at St. Louis' PrideFest in 1998, gets revived at St. John's United Methodist Church (Kingshighway Boulevard and Washington Avenue) on Friday and Saturday, September 3 and 4, at 8 p.m. Catch the show for $10 ($8 for students and seniors) before the actors pack their bags for Ohio -- Empty Closetsis Ragged Blade's entry in the upcoming Columbus National Gay & Lesbian Theatre Festival. Call 314-276-8693 for more information. -- Brooke Foster