Weekly Scenes & Screens: 11/18
Houston Zoo’s annual holiday light show Zoo Lights has returned for its 2020 season. Sip hot chocolate while you walk through tunnels of lights and visit Santa’s workshop from 5:30-10:30 p.m. until Jan. 10. Timed entry tickets must be purchased in advance online at houstonzoo.org/events/zoolights/, and face masks must be worn at the zoo.
Rice Cinema and Visual and Dramatic Arts department will continue their outdoor movie series this Saturday, Nov. 21 with a screening of “The Wizard of Oz.” Bring your chairs, blankets and snacks to Lot 6 (behind the Rice Media Center) by 6:45 p.m., and the movie will start at 7 p.m. In order to observe COVID-19 restrictions, you must RSVP for the event in advance at bit.ly/3py1anp.
The Center for African and African American Studies and the Department of Visual and Dramatic Arts will continue their visiting artist lecture series this Thursday, Nov. 19 at 2:30 p.m. with a talk from interdisciplinary artist Sondra Perry. Register for the Zoom webinar at bit.ly/3pyMJzp.
NEW MFAH BUILDING OPENING
The highly anticipated Nancy and Rich Kinder Building will have its grand opening on the Museum of Fine Arts Houston campus this Saturday, Nov. 21. The building will feature new international collections of modern and contemporary art, which you can visit for free Nov. 21-25 when you reserve a timed-entry ticket online.
More from The Rice Thresher
5th annual Houston Latino Film Festival displays Latinx diversity, tackles timely issues
The 5th annual Houston Latino Film Festival, which ran from March 19-28, featured films from all over Latin America and the United States, highlighting and promoting Latinx culture to the Houston community. The festival, which was canceled last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, showcased its selection of both feature and short films over virtual streaming platforms and in-person drive-in theater venues.
Texas on his mind: Remembering the literary legacy of Larry McMurtry
Prolific novelist, screenwriter and Rice University alumnus Larry McMurtry died at his home in Archer City, Texas on March 25, 2021. McMurtry’s novels are known for their striking realism and ability to present the complexities of life in Texas. As an author, McMurtry gained international acclaim and a particularly devoted Texan following. Many of the novels he penned could be considered Texan and Western classics, all written on a typewriter — a method he held onto despite the rising popularity of computers during the digital age. In memory of McMurtry — who proclaimed himself a “minor regional novelist” despite his widespread and enduring acclaim — here are a few of his most influential works that capture his lasting impact on the literary world.
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