Local Notes

This month's "Briefs and Shorts" program from Kanawha Players features IMPROV, as the No Pants Players present an evening of improvisational comedy at the Charleston Ballet (822 Virginia Street E.). They promise to drag audience members up on stage so they can force them to become part of the show. A fun night of comedy is promised for all. It's five bucks at the door, and the program is held this Thursday, following the Art Walk downtown. This is the kind of quirky entertainment that Charleston could use more of, so why not give it a shot.

It is a bit distressing that they're going from "Briefs and Shorts" to "The No Pants Players." These budget cuts in the arts are disgraceful. Seriously, though, they will be selling "Briefs and Shorts" shorts, 10 dollars a pop, for those you who want to show you support of the local scene by running around in shorts. In January.

This weekend the big Auto show hits the Civic Center. While it's cool to get an advance look at all the new models of cars, and some folks will be enthralled at the new assortment of pickup trucks to choose from, the real kick is the concept cars, like the Chrysler Phaeton and the Dodge Slingshot. Even if these really cool cars never make it into production, it's still neat to see what Hot Wheels will look like in a couple of years.

I've been meaning to mention Rick Lee's Blog for some time now. Rick is a Charleston-based photographer who posts a steady stream of beautiful and intriguing images. In addition to his fine photography, Rick is also an accomplished pastel artist. His work is currently on display at the Taylor Books Annex Gallery, alongside works by my fellow Gazzblogger Charles Hamilton, and my old GI Joe collecting buddy, Eric Pardue, among other area artists. The Taylor Annex Gallery is a hidden gem downtown, and well worth checking out the next time you're picking up reading material or caffeinated beverages. The last time I popped in, they were blasting Sinatra over the gallery speakers. You can't beat that!