You know the remix-as-artistic-trope is here to stay when Shakespeare gets the treatment. Gihieh Lee and Aaron Jefferies blend the words of the Bard with the beats of today in Shakespeare: The Remix. Shayla is frustrated by school and writes for solace; the ghost of Shakespeare appears and they combine their skills to create something new and inspiring. Call it "Shake-Hop." Or maybe "Hip-Speare." Give it a year and Diddy'll be all over it. But for now, the Saint Louis Black Repertory Touring Company presents Shakespeare: The Remix at 10 and 11 a.m. on Wednesday and Thursday (November 2 and 3) at the Mildred Bastian Theater on the St. Louis Community College-Forest Park campus (5600 Oakland Avenue; 314-534-3807). Admission is $7.
Thursday, November 3
Hey, remember Halloween? Sure you do. And if you're like us, you haven't had your fill of it yet. Phyllis Galembo's photographs, currently on display at the Philip Slein Gallery (1319 Washington Avenue; 314-621-4634) in the show Dressed for Thrills, are of Halloween but aren't Halloween-centric, if you catch our drift. You can enjoy them anytime, unlike, say, Christmas carols or Easter Peeps. Galembo photographs vintage Halloween costumes in a portraiture style, as if they were actual faces. Something about her tight head shots and eerie lighting makes her subjects seem a little too real; is she revealing the spirit trapped in the mask, or is the viewer merely projecting something into those plastic, soul-less eye holes? And why is that Buddy Beatnik mask leering so seductively? Ah, questions for the therapist, no doubt. The Philip Slein Gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. today, and the show is up through November 19.
Friday, November 4
There was a logjam on election day this past year, and as a result Mr. Night spent the better part of an hour admiring a densely wrought painting by Sarah Giannobile in the hallway of a certain library. Giannobile's works reward the deep gaze; her abstract paintings are built of layers upon layers, creating pools of shape and color that suffuse the canvas. Mark-making tells the story in her paintings, as broad swaths of color peek out from beneath lattices and filigrees of delicate line work. All in all, not a bad thing to lose oneself in for an hour or a day. Sarah Giannobile, New Paintings, a selection of her new work, opens with a 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. reception at Hoffman LaChance Fine Art (7533 Forsyth Boulevard, Clayton; 314-960-5322 or www.hoffmanlachancefineart.com). Take the whole three hours to enjoy the work; you'll need every minute.
Saturday, November 5
Raise your hand if you're sick of feeling inadequate all the time; now raise your hand if you'd like to be perfect. Who wouldn't? You'd always be right during arguments (a big bonus), and nothing would ever be your fault again (an even bigger plus). While reading Night & Day can't make you perfect, it can get you a little closer to achieving your lofty aspirations, especially if you follow Ms. Day's orders and head over to the Junior League of St. Louis Holiday Mart (314-569-3117 or www.jlsl.org). This shopping extravaganza is held at the St. Charles Convention Center (1 Convention Center Plaza, St. Charles) Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. (November 5 and 6). Merely showing up at the Mart and paying your $7 entry fee helps out the Junior League (and virtually flawless folks always want to assist good causes). But more important, while there, you can purchase gifts for every single person on your holiday list! You could be done with your holiday shopping before Thanksgiving! Don't thank Ms. Day now; thank her when everyone's jealous of your recently overcome procrastination disorder.
Sunday, November 6
Change can be quite upsetting for those at Night & Day Global Industries. We constantly fight even the slightest vending-machine rearrangement with every bone in our bodies, so when we found out that the Center of Creative Arts (COCA) was renovating and expanding its current building (524 Trinity Avenue, University City), we were in a state of panic. Ms. Day rocked back and forth completely inconsolable, and Night refused to change his clothes (it was a rough time in the office). But once we heard that COCA would be celebrating the opening of its new space during Imagine Weekend with some COCA alumni and native St. Louisans, we began to calm down. See, while we're always upset when talented people like guitarist Ty Citerman (of gutbucket) and magician Andrew Goldenhersh leave St. Louis, we're thrilled to have them return -- and get things back to how they used to be. Watch these two and others perform (beginning at 1 p.m.), and take part in the new building's other free festivities today during the open house. For more information call 314-725-6555 or visit www.cocastl.org.
Monday, November 7
There are two kinds of people in the world: those who like football, and those who hate the sport. Unfortunately, there is no middle ground on this very important issue. The good news is that Lemmons (5800 Gravois Avenue; 314-481-4812 or www.myspace.com/lemmons) embraces the opposing groups with its Monday Night Football ongoing watch party. So football's on TV -- what could the haters have to gain? A free pizza buffet from 8 to 11 p.m.! Everyone loves pizza! (Of course, "everyone" includes the football fans who get to eat the food, too, so this night is doubly good for them.)
Tuesday, November 8
Mike Patton's legion of fans, rejoice! The premier dirty crooner of the art-rock world finally gets his big-screen debut in Steve Balderson's long-awaited Firecracker at 7:30 p.m. at the Tivoli Theatre (6350 Delmar Boulevard, University City; 314-862-1100 or www.dikenga.com). The scrappy little-movie-that-could stars Patton in two roles, along with Karen Black, Jane Wiedlin and a couple of big-name sideshow freaks (The Enigma and George the Giant among them). Balderson's film concerns Jimmy (Jak Kendall), a nice young man in rural Kansas who is emotionally ground down by his older brother (Patton) and very religious mother. When the carnival comes to town, the lights and glamour inspire Jimmy to dream of a better life with the friendly Sandra (Karen Black), who is also a prisoner of her own life. Needless to say, when carnivals and repressed people mix, bad things happen. Tickets are $10 and are available at the box office.
