If you go out in public, remember to follow social distancing guidelines (at least six feet between you and anyone else), wash hands often and thoroughly, and wear a face mask.

Women of Broadway: Vanessa Williams

In the final concert in the Women of Broadway series, which Theater Under the Stars has been streaming, stage and screen star Vanessa Williams takes the virtual stage live from the Shubert Virtual Studios on Manhattan’s West Side. In addition to sharing personal stories and answering fan questions in a live Q&A, the multi-Emmy, Grammy and Tony nominee will sing material from her lengthy catalogue—which ranges from her 1998 debut album, The Right Stuff, to 2009's The Real Thing, and also includes the pop cover of the Oscar-winning “Colors of the Wind” from Disney’s Pocahontas—as well as Broadway numbers and other pop and jazz hits.  

Dec 5. $30. Online. More info and tickets at my.tuts.com.

7th Annual Islamic Arts Festival 

The oldest and largest continuously running festival of Islamic arts in the country is back, and this time, it’s gone virtual. In addition to displaying more than 40 artists' works at the online, this year’s annual Islamic Arts Festival features a variety of interactive events. Watch artists Muhammad Zaman and Nizar Macnojia paint life-sized murals before your eyes; learn all about the enchanting technique of Turkish ebru, or paper marbling, where patterns are created on water then transferred to paper as if by magic; and tune in for story time with Benyam Van Hattum, as he shares traditional stories from far-off lands. There will also be panel discussions, henna and calligraphy lessons, and a screening of part of PBS’s documentary Islamic Art: Mirror of the Invisible World.

Dec 5–6. Free. Online. More info at islamicartssociety.org. 

An Early American Christmas

Mercury Chamber Orchestra will take listeners back in time, giving them a taste of past Christmases from across the Americas of old. The journey begins on the edge of the Saint Lawrence River in snowy Québec City before moving south to the folky hills of the Appalachian Mountains and then ending on the Gulf Coast in the French cultural hub of New Orleans.

Dec 5. $20. Online. More info and tickets at mercuryhouston.org.

Silent Revolutions: Italian Drawings from the Twentieth Century

The U.S.’s first large-scale survey of 20th century Italian drawings, Silent Revolutions features 70 drawings from famed artists like Umberto Boccioni, Lucio Fontana, Jannis Kounellis, and Maria Lai, among others. And it’s not just a variety of artists; the drawings cover a range of highly influential artistic movements that were revolutionary for their time, from Futurism to Spatialism and Arte Povera. Exhibition works will be augmented with several drawings from the Menil’s own collection. While American audiences are quite familiar with artists of the Italian Renaissance, they’re typically less familiar with Italian creators from the 20th century, making this exhibition an artistic feast and an amuse-bouche of art history in one.  

Thru Apr 11, 2021. Free. Menil Drawing Institute, 1412 W. Main St. 713-525-9400. More info at menil.org.

Holiday at the Hope's: A Christmas Mixtape

Stages fan-favorites Ben Hope and Katie Baron Hope (2018’s Ring of Fire and 2011’s Hank Williams: Lost Highway) are ringing in the holidays with a special radio play celebration inspired by their real-life experience as first-time homebuyers. As you would expect from musicians as talented as the Hopes, the adorable couple will be performing holiday favorites while also sharing stories about their own families’ traditions during this special time of year.

Thru Dec 13. $25. Online. More info and tickets at stageshouston.com. 

And don’t forget about all those other holiday events, including the Alley Theatre's free virtual production of A Christmas Carol, available Dec 4–27!