ANA KHAN’S THINGS TO DO
The Big Bounce America
The world’s largest touring inflatable event offers an action-packed day out that’s suitable for all ages. From a toddler-friendly house and a giant obstacle course to a competitive sports arena and more. When: Today-Sunday Where: SaberCats Stadium, 2055 Mowery Details: $22 and up; thebigbounceamerica .com
Foodieland
The multicultural festival at NRG Park features live music, games and over 185 vendors serving diverse cuisines. Originating in California and inspired by Asian open-air night markets, the event has expanded to all major Texas cities. When: 3-10 p.m. today, 1-10 p.m. Saturday-Sunday Where: NRG Park, 3 NRG Parkway
Details: $6, free for ages 5 and younger; bit.ly/49GUZ72
Galveston Steampunk Festival
Steampunk fans unite at this three-day festival blending Victorian tech with retrofuturism. Friday’s festivities include a pub crawl on the Strand, Saturday offers live music, special performances, costume contests and games. Sunday features Galveston home tours and an evening ghost walk. When: 6-9 p.m. today, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday Where: Galveston Railroad Museum, 2602 Santa Fe, Galveston Details: $15 and up; galvestonsteampunk.com
Miller Outdoor Theatre
On Friday, Miller Outdoor Theatre presents “Alice,” produced by Open Dance Project. On Saturday, experience the international hit “360 Allstars,” featuring BMX, basketball, breakdancing, acrobatics, drumming and more.
When:
8 p.m. today-Saturday Where: 6000 Hermann Park Drive Details: Free; miller outdoortheatre.com
Night Light
The annual Night Light art showcase returns to Tony Marron Park for a third year. Organized by Aurora Picture Show and Buffalo Bayou Partnership, this year’s event will feature the premiere of the collaborative animated film “HomeBayou,” as well as visual art along the Buffalo Bayou East waterfront.
When:
8-10 p.m. Saturday
Where: Tony Marron Park, 808 N. York Details: Free; buffalobayou.org
Hermann Park Conservancy Kite Festival
The Hermann Park Conservancy Kite Festival offers a day of fun and kite-flying at Hermann Park. Attendees can enjoy live music, a DJ, interactive games, face painting and other activities.
When:
10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday
Where: Miller Hill and Jones Reflection Pool
Details:
Free; hermannpark.org
Here are six events recommended for the coming week.
The Cavemen
In just six years, the Cavemen have breathed new life into the high-life genre. Hailing from Lagos, brothers Kingsley Okorie (bass) and Benjamin James (drums) have created their own variation on the Ghanaian music they call Highlife Fusion. Theirs is a mix of Afrobeat, jazz, soul and funk delivered with a bristling energy on their albums “Roots” and “Love and Highlife.” They’re a band on the rise and look poised to be a major festival draw in the near future. In the meantime, this Houston show offers the opportunity to see the Cavemen in the historic and recently renovated Eldorado Ballroom.
When: 7 p.m. Wednesday Where: Eldorado Ballroom, 2310 Elgin
Details:
$25; theeldoradoballroom.com
Rickie Lee Jones
Take any song and run it through Rickie Lee Jones and you get something both familiar and radiantly new. Jones’ instant-classic debut album is 45 years old and still serves as a trailhead for what came after: a jazzy, folky hybrid. So no big surprise, then, that Jones found her way to the classic jazzy/pop songwriters of yesteryear. Her latest is “Pieces of Treasure,” which finds Jones running through classics penned by the Gershwins, Jule Styne, Harold Arlen and Jimmy Van Heusen. When: 8 p.m. Wednesday Where: Heights Theater, 339 W. 39th
Details: $34; theheightstheater.com
Ensemble Modern
For the first time, Germany’s Ensemble Modern — true to its name, a group dedicated to performing the work of modern composers — will perform in Texas. The group has assembled a program around “The Seven Deadly Sins,” the musical theater work created in 1933 by Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht. Also on the bill will be works by Arnold Schoenberg, Hanns Eisley and Erich Wolfgang Korngold. Though the creators and performers involved in “Seven Deadly Sins” all hail from Germany, the story launches from and returns to confines much closer to Houston, as its two sisters begin and end their journey in Louisiana.
When: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday Where: Hobby Center, 800 Bagby
Details: $41-$71; 713-524-5050, dacamera.com
Novuyo Rosa Tshuma
Five years ago, Novuyo Rosa Tshuma made a bracing debut with her novel “House of Stone” while working on a Ph.D. at the University of Houston’s creative writing program. Late last year, she put out her second novel, “Digging Stars.” Her first novel was a story of survival amid genocide set in Zimbabwe. “Digging Stars,” true to its title, mixes the terrestrial and the celestial, as the daughter of an influential scientist, who carries forward his radical research into Indigenous study and modern study of astronomy. Tshuma will read from “Digging Stars,” followed by a conversation about writing fiction through a scientific lens with Houston physician and author Dr. Ricardo Nuila, whose “The People’s Hospital” was a standout book last year. When: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday Where: McGovern Centennial Gardens, Hermann Park, 1700 Hermann Drive
Details: Free; inprinthouston.org
Mike Birbiglia
Some six decades ago, Bob Newhart changed the sound of comedy with an album that veered away from rimshot one-liners. Mike Birbiglia similarly changed the game with his “Sleepwalk With Me” show, which was full of jokes but threaded into a long-form story. Birbiglia has since found gold in his narrative comedy, much of which springs from a self-deprecating assessment of various anxieties. His latest show is “Please Stop the Ride,” which he brings to town this week.
When: 7 p.m. Thursday Where: Cullen Performance Hall, University of Houston, 4300 University
Details: $45-$115; 713-227-4772, performingartshouston.org
Black Crowes
At least 25 musicians have their name appear as one-time members of the Black Crowes. But the band’s constants are as they were: brothers Chris and Rich Robinson, who founded the group 40 years ago. The Crowes were one of the more unlikely success stories in 1990, making music dialed into influences like the Faces and Leon Russell rather than taking the glam rock path into hair metal. Despite a lot of turnover, some sibling squabbles and a twisted road, the brothers appear to have found a peaceful and productive space that yielded the new “Happiness Bastards,” their first new album in 15 years.
When: 8 p.m. today
Where: 713 Music Hall, 401 Franklin
Details: $35-$135; livenation.com
‘Automorphosis’ and ‘Dugout Dick’
14 Pews is screening two documentaries. “Automorphosis” is about the art-car movement, while “Dugout Dick”is a portrait of a hermit in Idaho who lives in caves along the Salmon River.
Unrated. Films begin screening at 7 p.m. Saturday at 14 Pews, Houston.
‘Brandy Hellvilee & the Cult of Fast Fashion’
Documentary about a woman named Brandy Hellville who had the perfect Instagram image, but it was one that hid a lot of pain.
Rated TV-14. Screens 8 p.m. Tuesday on HBO; begins streaming Tuesday on Max.
‘Bray Wyatt: Becoming Immortal’
WWE superstar Bray Wyatt is the subject of this documentary.
Unrated. Streaming on Peacock.
‘Chinatown’
Roman Polanski’s classic 1974 mystery-thriller, set in 1930s Los Angeles, starring Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway.
Rated R. Screens 7 p.m. today at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.
‘Dogman’
This thriller from French director Luc Beeson (“The Professional”) chronicles the life of a very strange man and his dogs. Caleb Landry and Christopher Denham star.
Rated R. Playing at Regal Greenway, Houston; Alamo Drafthouse, Katy.
‘Epic Trails’
Animated French film about a mouse whose home in ancient Greece is threatened by Poseidon.
Rated PG. Playing throughout Houston.
‘Family Star’
Telugu-language film from India about a young man juggling several life issues.
Unrated. Playing throughout Houston.
‘Femme’
George McKay (“1917”) and Nathan Stewart-Jarrett star in a drama in which a gay man, a recent victim of a homophobic attack, encounters his attacker in a gay sauna and plots revenge.
Rated R. Playing at AMC Gulf Pointe 30, Houston; AMC Willowbrook 24, Houston; AMC Deerbrook 24, Humble.
‘The First Omen’
Horror-thriller in which a young American woman in Rome discovers a plot to bring about the birth of evil incarnate. Nell Tiger Free, Sonia Braga and Bill Nighy star.
Rated R. Playing throughout
Houston.
‘How to Date Billy Walsh’
Romantic comedy about two childhood friends and the transfer student who comes between them. Nick Frost and Lucy Punch star.
Unrated. Streaming on Prime.
‘Monkey Man’
Dev Patel directs and stars in this action film in which a man, whose mother was killed by crooked politicians, seeks revenge.
Rated R. Playing throughout Houston.
‘Música’
New Jersey is the home of a large Brazilian immigrant community, and it’s the setting of this romantic comedy about two young people, one of whom has synesthesia, who fall in love.
Rated PG-13. Streaming on Prime.
‘Parachute’
Love story focusing on a woman recently released from rehab who struggles in a new relationship. Courtney Eaton and Thomas Mann star.
Unrated. Playing at Studio Movie Grill, Pearland.
‘The Peasants’
Award-winning Polish film set in 19th-century Poland in which a young woman bucks tradition by trying to forge her own path.
Rated R. Screens 5 p.m. Sunday and April 14 at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.
‘Scoop’
Rufus Sewell and Gillian Anderson star in this drama that tells the story of how the BBC got the interview with Prince Andrew in which he talked about his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Rated TV-14. Streaming on Netflix.
‘Someone Like You’
After his best friend dies, a young man goes on the hunt for her secret twin sister. Sarah Fisher and Jake Allyn star. Based on the bestseller by Karen Kingsbury.
Rated PG. Playing throughout Houston.
‘Wicked Little Letters’
Olivia Colman and Jessie Buckley star in a comedy about people in a small, conservative English town who suddenly start receiving ribald, profane letters. The townspeople try to track down the person sending them.
Rated R. Playing throughout Houston.
‘Wild Wheels’ and ‘Driving the Dream’
Two documentaries about art cars.
Unrated. Films begin screening at 7 p.m. today at 14 Pews, Houston.
‘The Wizard of Oz’
The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston debuts a new outdoor setting for films with a showing of the 1939 classic starring Judy Garland.
Rated G. Screens 8 p.m. Saturday at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.