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    Calendar Closeup

    Weekly guide to Houston: Five (plus) don't-miss events, including dog party & imaginative dance

    Joel Luks
    Apr 3, 2015 | 12:01 pm

    On the schedule this weekend are a musical perfect for blondes with brains, a dance performance with edge, an outdoorsy afternoon in the park, a doggy party and a kosher-style repast featuring one of CultureMap's own provocateurs.

    HITS Theatre presents Legally Blonde - The Musical

    The film that taught everyone the legal implications of deactivating the immonium thygocolate at a wet T-shirt contest or while trying to get away with murder gets a musical makeover in this production by HITS Theatre. It's cute, it's pink and it's totally full of memorable numbers that will have you doing the bend and snap as though sorority phone trees didn't exist — preposterous.

    The skinny: Through April 11, 8 p.m.; Miller Outdoor Theatre; free admission, tickets are available for covered seating.

    FrenetiCore Dance presents "Dancing with the Machine"

    You can always count on FrenetiCore Dance to imagine performances that are both challenging aesthetically yet accessible to those who've never been to a dance show before. "Dance with the Machine" is no exception, an evening inspired by steampunk, science fiction, enlightenment and good versus evil.

    The skinny: Through April 4; Frenetic Theater; tickets start at $16.

    Bayou Greenway Day 2015

    With the forecast calling for mild temps and sunny skies, Simon says it's Houston's best time of the year for enjoying the lovely outdoors. In that spirit, Bayou Greenway Day 2015 offers guests to walk, bike, run, stroll, play and paddle to and fro Fonde Park, Spurlock Park and Mason Parks while enjoying the paths and trails between them. Organizations such as Recipe for Success, East End Management District and The Bayou Preservation Association and others will be onsite with activities suitable for the whole family.

    If you need to burn calories because of eating too many Cadbury eggs or too much matzah at seder, say hi to my friends at FiTMiX Houston by participating in one of the free Zumba classes.

    The skinny: Saturday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.; Brays Bayou Greenway; free event.

    Sixth Annual Doggy Party on the Plaza

    Houston PetTalk Magazine hosts this fabulous showcase of everything for which dog lovers and their owners would metaphorically roll over. In addition to a myriad vendors catering every imaginable dog need, the event features costume and look-a-like contests, a parade with decorated floats, rescue groups and more.

    The skinny: Saturday, noon-5 p.m.; CityCentre; free event.

    Staff writer and resident gourmand Eric Sandler's pick: A Hunky Dory Seder

    Eric says: "When Jewish people gather to celebrate Passover and tell the story of the Exodus from Egypt, they ask, 'why is this night different from all other nights?' On Saturday night at the Kipper Club, you'll find a different Seder than any other in Houston. Hunky Dory chef Richard Knight, a man with a pig tattoo on his arm, will offer his own take on the classic meal that's still kosher style: No pork, no shellfish and no courses that mix meat and dairy.

    "I'll be there, too, telling the Passover story and guiding you through the ritual of the Seder. I know the food will be great; I just hope I live up to my part. The four cups of wine will definitely help."

    The Skinny: Saturday, 7 p.m.; Kipper Club; tickets are $100.

    Hunky Dory chef Richard Knight, a man with a pig tattoo on his arm, will offer his own take on Passover seder.

    Kipper Club Richard Knight
    Courtesy photo
    Hunky Dory chef Richard Knight, a man with a pig tattoo on his arm, will offer his own take on Passover seder.
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    Musical theater veteran joins prominent Houston company

    Holly Beretto
    Dec 9, 2025 | 1:30 pm
    Stages Theater Valerie Rachelle headshot
    Courtesy of Stages
    Stages has named Valerie Rachelle as its new associate artist director.

    A Houston theater company is adding an accomplished artist to its ranks. Stages announced that Valerie Rachelle will be the company’s new associate artistic director beginning in January 2026.

    For more than a decade, Rachelle has been artistic director of the Oregon Cabaret Theatre in Ashland, Oregon, where she oversaw artistic vision and operations. That theater specializes in musical theater performances offered in a cabaret setting.

    Rachelle comes to Houston with a career spanning nearly 30 years as a director and choreographer. She has extensive experience in developing new musicals and plays for regional theaters and opera companies across the United States, including the Tony Award-winning Oregon Shakespeare Festival, the Utah Shakespeare Festival, and Sierra Repertory Theatre. She was appointed to her position at Stages following a nationwide search.

    “I’m beyond thankful for this opportunity to join this incredible company, and I’m excited to be a part of a creative entity that has a strong mission and vision as Stages,” Rachelle said in a statement.

    In her role with Stages, she will support artistic director Derek Charles Livingston with season planning and casting; liaise with artists, press, and staff; and coordinate day-to-day operations for the artistic department. She will also assist with crafting educational materials, direct and choreograph productions, and serve as the primary liaison with theatrical unions.

    “We are thrilled to welcome Valerie to Stages in this role,” said Livingston. “I have seen her work as a director and director choreographer — she's excellent. Those skills combined with her experience as a theatre artistic director and manager only further fortify Stages' commitment to artistic excellence and community engagement.”

    Born and raised in Eugene, Oregon, Rachelle began her career as a dancer and apprentice ballerina with the Eugene Ballet Company before earning her BFA in acting from California Institute of the Arts. She received her MFA in Directing from the University of California, Irvine. She has held teaching and directing positions at numerous institutions, including the University of Southern California, Southern Oregon University, Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts, and others. She has also served as a mentor through Statera Arts, an organization dedicated to gender equity in the arts.

    Rachelle teaches musical theater, auditioning, and singing at Southern Oregon University when she isn’t on the road as a freelance director and choreographer. She’s also a classically trained singer and toured the world with her parents and their illusionist show as a child.

    “Joining the team that has a long-standing reputation of excellence in theater is an honor,” Rachelle added.

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