Culture Shock

You cannot avoid art this week. I would even dare you to try, if I countenanced such things. This first weekend of December is possibly one of the Albuquerque art scene's busiest of the year, so stuff yourself on the fruit of inspiration.

Hellcab for Cutie

Christmastime, with its emphasis on the profundity of human connection, is probably going to depress the hell out of you at some point. However, there's no need to feel so lonely all alone. Mother Road Theatre Company brings you Hellcab, a play by Will Kern that follows a Chicago cabbie and his fares on Christmas Eve. This intricate portrait of humanity's flawed beauty is guaranteed to be 100 percent “Swan Lake”-free. Directed by Vic Browder and staged at The Filling Station, the show runs through Dec. 21 with shows on Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at both 6 and 9 p.m. (with pre- and post-show offerings of music, beer, wine and Chicago dogs), and Sundays at 2 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5's opening reception will start at 7 p.m., replete with food and wine. Tickets are $15. See motherroad.org for more details.

Art Is for Squares

The Harwood Art Center is about one thing, and that's pure good times for your eyeballs. While heading there for an event is always a good bet, the 12 x 12 fundraiser on Friday, Dec. 5, is a sure thing. Pieces created by a host of artists (all measuring 12 x 12 inches, of course) will be revealed to the public starting at 6 p.m., and every last one will sell for $144 (get it?) with proceeds going to Harwood's programming. Slap on your gladrags and shake a tail feather to the provided entertainment while consuming finger foods and estimating how many 12 x 12 pieces your walls can hold. harwoodartcenter.org.

WOW—That's Demeaning!

Burque's Women of the World Poetry Slam Championships are being held at the Outpost Performance Space on Saturday, Dec. 6. My initial reaction to this was, Holy Betty Friedan! Will the Pulitzers soon seperate prizes by gender, announcing the creation of the Best Book by Someone with a Uterus category? I realize that this is an international event, created by Women For Women Poetry Slam Competitors with the intent to carve out a space in the slam community for more women's voices. What, then, does this say about the slam community that such an event has to exist? Ponder this question and more as you support these talented competitors in their battle to determine who represents Albuquerque at the world finals in Detroit. Tickets are $10, $5 members. The Outpost Performance Space is located at 210 Yale SE. Call 268-0044 or go to outpostspace.org for more details. I now await your barrage of e-mails.