Sylvia

Thru March 3 | Houston Ballet

Turns out the Greek gods have love affairs, too, and their entanglements can prove even more dramatic than our own. That's the foundation of Stanton Welch's world premiere that follows Sylvia, Artemis, and Psyche as they battle for love—all amid costume and scenic design by Jerome Kaplan and set to Léo Delibes' famous score.

Tickets from $25. Wortham Center, 501 Texas Ave. 713-227-2787. More info and tickets at houstonballet.org.

Oscar Shorts at the MFAH

Feb. 22–March 3 | MFAH

This is your last chance to knock out the less-buzzy short films before filling out your ballot for Sunday's Academy Awards. MFAH Films compiled the nominees in three categories—documentary short, live-action short, and animated short—for three separate screenings.

Tickets $9. Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, 1001 Bissonnet St. 713-639-7300. More info and tickets at mfah.org.

Rachel Phillips: Ghost Light Theaters

Feb. 23 | Catherine Couturier Gallery

Back in ye olde days, it was common to leave a single "ghost light" illuminated in an empty theater to, you know, give the ghosts ample light to perform. It's a fascinating tradition, and California artist Rachel Phillips presents this series of Art Deco-inspired tabletop lanterns featuring original, interchangeable pictorial slides. 

Free. 2635 Colquitt St. 713-524-5070. More info at catherinecouturier.com.

BARC in the Park

Feb. 23 | Stude Park

Impulsive animal lovers should steer clear of Stude Park this Saturday, where BARC will be out in full force offering dogs for same-day adoption. You'll be able to meet, walk, and visit with the pups in the park before making the decision, and, if the dog is spayed/neutered, you can take them home for as little as $20 (or, in some cases, free).

Free. Stude Park, 1031 Stude St. 713-229-7300. More info via Facebook.

Comedy for Musicians but Everyone is Welcome

Feb. 24 | White Oak Music Hall

Fresh off the Season 3 premiere of IFC's Documentary Now!, comedian-musician Fred Armisen brings an updated version of his Netflix comedy special, Standup for Drummers, to White Oak. The Saturday Night Live and Portlandia alum is sure to make you laugh with classic characters like Weekend Update's Garth, but there will also be plenty of guitar, too. Of course, you will have to skip the Oscars to make it, but given the award ceremony is shaping up to be a host-less snoozefest, we can pretty much guarantee Armisen will be the better bet.

Tickets $30. White Oak Music Hall, 2915 Main St. 713-237-0370. More info and tickets at seetickets.us.