Van Morrison's show originally scheduled tonight at the Meyerson has been canceled, as the artist cited severe exhaustion in advance of two Dallas dates (dallasnews.com).
PLACE ITEM IN BAGGING AREA: Notice those stapled paper bags at the front of Kroger, Tom Thumb and Albertson's stores as you contemplated whether or not $2 is too much for an in-season Haitian mango? The bags are filled with food that needs to end up on the shelves of the Tarrant Area Food Bank and the North Texas Food Bank after you purchase them and drop them in the donation box at checkout. Known as the Souper Bowl of Caring, this campaign is set during the hardest time of the year for these charities as the holidays end but winter continues. Even if you forego the bag and just donate $1 at the register, you'll make four meals a reality for hungry people near you.
WHALE OF A CHALLENGE: The biggest item of news today in this space: author and scholar Dr. Matt Bondurant claims he'll make Moby Dick exciting at the Winspear. What in Herman Melville's molasses ocean would make him attempt such a thing? The opera based on the novel opens April 30 at the theatre, so, naturally, The Dallas Opera puts Bondurant in his professorly post once a month, where he'll attempt to change perceptions of the novel book-club style with a stubbornness befitting Captain Ahab. The Dallas Opera camp assures comers they don't even have to read the book before attending if they haven't already been forced to. 6:30PM. Call 214.443.1044 to RSVP.
QUICK DRAW: Apparently, Dr. Sketchy is not the only character offering recreational, alcohol-fueled figure drawing classes. That peace child Mellow Mushroom collected a warm-up model, a mainstage model, art supplies from Asel Art Supply and prizes to put on a Drink and Draw live art class every Monday at the Fort Worth location of his pizza shop. Pencils out at 6PM.
