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Your weekly guide to Houston: Five (plus) don't-miss events — some are out-of-this-world

Lets launch into 2014 with a series of out-of-this-world events — literally. This week, feel what it's like to defy gravity, explore the world of sound, see the result of two dissimilar concepts coming together in art, eat for a good cause and laugh while learning to look at life a tad differently.

Houston Symphony Young Professionals Backstage hosts "Moon Walk" plus The Planets and The Earth

Goose bumps from blast off to orbit — that's how I felt when images of NASA's space explorations poetically weaved to narrate an abstract story of the vastness of the cosmos alongside powerful classical music. Filmmaker Duncan Copp's meticulous visual essay is remarkable as a stand-alone work, but when coupled with music by Gustav Holst, Richard Strauss and John Adams, the experience will leave you breathless.

Enjoy this fast ride with young professionals with a penchant for the finer things in life. Houston Symphony YPB's "Moon Walk" adds socializing fun to an enterprising multimedia project that has earned the Houston Symphony worldwide recognition.

The skinny: YPB event is on Saturday, 7 p.m.; Jones Hall and the Houston Club; tickets are $45. Concert is on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday; tickets start at $22.

DiverseWorks presents SonicWorks

Let's keep the aural theme going, shall we? With this exhibition, DiverseWorks goes beyond the genre of tuneful music to survey the world of sound — the medium of sound and the materials used to create it. The avant-garde presenter's curators have amassed a collection of installations and interactive works by well-known artists — such as locals The Art Guys, David Dove and Damon Smith plus international talent — that play with elements ranging from traditional to bizarre. What else would you expect from DiverseWorks?

SonicWorks will also present weekly live performances as part of DiverseWorks on Wednesday series.

The skinny: Opening reception is on Friday, 7 p.m.; DiverseWorks; free event.

Fresh Arts presents Seismic Atlas

Off we go from sound to movement, courtesy of Fresh Arts, a friendly army of art advocates that do their part to nurture local artists. What you'll find in the Winter Street Studios gallery is a number of large drawings by Katie Mulholland and Darcy Rosenberger, curated by Sapphire Williams, that somehow marries two concepts: The movement of the planet's tectonic plates with the organic rhythms of the human body.

How? I have no idea — but that's part of the excitement of discovering new art and new aesthetics.

The skinny: Friday, 6 p.m.; Fresh Arts; free event.

Galveston Restaurant Week

I hear that the weather is supposed to return to manageable levels this weekend. Perhaps an excuse to leave your igloo in search of a sniff of ocean life? Let's hope the forecasted rain holds off as Galveston Restaurant Week kicks off on Sunday, an opportunity to gallivant around the island sampling the fruits of the area's culinary stars.

Participating restaurants will offer special multi-course menus. You may be enticed by Number 13 Prime Steak and Seafood's crawfish stuffed beignets and 24-hour short ribs, or Brick House Tavern + Tap's cider pork chop . . . plus the recipes of 30 some other eateries.

Don't be afraid to take a break from your New Year's healthy eating resolution. Feel good about the calories as proceeds benefit the Galveston County Food Bank.

The skinny: Sunday through Jan. 25; Various restaurants in Galveston; prices range from $10 to $40.

Houston Premieres film screening: The Pervert's Guide to Ideology

Doesn't the title tickle your funny bone? It's often said that there's brilliance within the absurd, and you'll find plenty of that in this 2012 British documentary that deconstructs pop culture by suggesting what may be hidden in such films as The Sound of Music, Jaws, Taxi Driver and Titanic; products such as candy and Coca-Cola; Soviet and Nazi propaganda; and heck, mix in Beethoven's "Ode to Joy" for fun.

The main man of the film, Slovene philosopher and psychoanalyst Slavoj Žižek, isn't the type to shy away from expressing his views — no matter how quirky they may be. Watch the trailer here. Expect to be amused and bemused.

The skinny: Sunday, 5 p.m.; Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; general admission tickets are $9.

A scene from Houston Symphony's HD Odyssey — The Earth.

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Musical theater veteran joins prominent Houston company

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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