Catch them when they're young ... and cheap. Many singers in the Santa Fe Opera's Apprentice Program have gone on to impressive national careers. Actually, this season, eight former SFO apprentice singers have come back to Santa Fe to perform principle roles in main stage productions.

Thane Kenny

Lonely Planet at the Vortex Theatre

On some days, Carl works as a reporter for a supermarket tabloid. On others, he's the official plant waterer for a corporation. On still others, he's a crime scene investigator, an art restorer or a technician at an auto glass repair shop.

Steven Michael Quezada wrote and performs in Homeless , a play opening this weekend at the National Hispanic Cultural Center.

National Hispanic Cultural Center

When Albuquerque native Steven Michael Quezada moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting and comedy, he couldn't land a gig or find an agent. He thought no one wanted to talk to a skinny Chicano from Albuquerque. He wondered if he might be on his way to becoming homeless, and he sat down to write a play about this fear. Quezada's play, Homeless, was first performed in Albuquerque 10 years ago, and it's likely Quezada's commentary on society's pressures and expectations are still relevant. The play is not only written by Quezada—he's also the actor. Homeless opens on Thursday and runs through August 7. Thursday through Saturday shows are at 8 p.m. and Sunday matinees are at 2 p.m. $10 general, $8 students/seniors/NHCC members. Tickets are available at Ticketmaster and the NHCC box office. For more info, call 724-4771 or got to nhcc.org.

Peace: The Monologues will be performed by teenage girls from Israel and Palestine on Thursday, July 21, at the Sweeney Center in Santa Fe.

Sweeney Center

Sixteen teenage girls from Israel and Palestine have been attending a peace camp this month in Glorietta. Supported by Project Life Stories/Project World Stories and Creativity for Peace, the girls have been using art and dialogue to develop life stories through a therapeutic monologue process. On Thursday, July 21, the girls will present their autobiographical monologues to an audience. Photographs of the girls—who are Muslim, Christian and Jewish—and their artwork will also be presented. Music will be by Donald Rubinstein. The Sweeney Center is at 201 W Marcy in Santa Fe. $15 general, $25 for seats in the first 10 rows. Tickets are available at the Lensic box office, (505) 988-1234. For more information, call (505) 466-0007.

Godless liberals might not like to admit it, but it's impossible to deny that religion has been responsible for many and possibly even most of humanity's most impressive artistic achievements. You can argue that the Big Guy doesn't exist, but you can't legitimately argue that belief in Him—or She or Them, depending on your particular bent—hasn't led to some astounding creations. The ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. The pyramids. The Hagia Sophia. The Pieta. Chichén Itzá. And those are just a few of the more obvious works of timeless genius. Trust me, it's a long list.

Canadian author Deborah Jackson holds a science degree and is a skilled writer with an impressive imagination. That said, her debut adult science fiction novel, Ice Tomb, clearly adheres to the sensibility of modern fiction publishing. That sensibility, interchangeable with big budget Hollywood, requires the plot to undergo more twists than the dough in an apple strudel. While diverting, this can tax the suspension of disbelief and runs the risk of insulting the intelligence of your readers, unless they happen to be so entertained by the plot acrobatics that they don't snap to the believability factor.