Community at a glance

    Today The Dallas Symphony Orchestra announces Performance Preludes, aimed at enhancing the concert experience by hearing the stories behind the music. Music historians, authors and educators talk about the music and composers, including little known facts and anecdotes about the repertoire. Guests, such as composers, artists and conductors, are likely to drop in. The discussions, free to ticket holders, will be at the Morton H. Myerson Symphony one hour before each concert: at 7 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and 1:30 p.m. Sundays in Horchow Hall. For information and performance dates, visit the orchestraÕs Web site or call 214-871-4000.

Today-Sept. 7 Circle Theatre presents Over the River and Through the Woods, a new comedy by Joe DiPietro. A young manÕs decision about his future sparks an eruption of unsolicited advice, matchmaking, general meddling and unending food from his four Italian-American grandparents, who provide all the guilt, love and exasperation that comes with being a member of any family. Single ticket prices are $15-$30 with discounts offered. Show times are Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 4 and 8:30 p.m. For more information and reservations, contact Circle Theatre.

Today-Sept. 28 The Pocket Sandwich Theatre presents Stars and Spies Forever: Cloak and Dagger II, by Rodney Dobbs and George Gagliardi. A musical comedy, Cloak returns to foil the Nazi attempts to sabotage the Manhattan Project during the final years of World War II. Show times are Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 7 p.m. Ticket prices are $6-$14, depending on night of attendance. For information or reservations, visit the theater online.

Today-Sept. 29 Seuss!, an interactive exhibit, opens at the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History. The exhibit celebrates the whimsical rhymes, memorable characters and rich tradition of silliness and make-believe of Dr. Seuss. The exhibitÕs word and letter games use the approaches established by the Dr. Seuss books to help children hone early reading skills. Admission for Seuss! is included with the museumÕs regular exhibits admission: $7 for adults, $6 for seniors and $5 for children 3-12. For more information, call 817-255-9300.

Today-Sept. 30 September at the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History will be a special time for senior visitors. Seniors can take advantage of discounted pricing during the month. All visitors ages 60 and over will receive childrenÕs pricing to the Omni Theatre, exhibits and Noble Planetarium. Seniors can also purchase combination tickets at childrenÕs prices, plus groups of 20 or more can get the childrenÕs group rate if reserved two weeks in advance. Contact the museum at 817-255-9300 for more information.

Today-Dec. 8 Mondrian, 1892-1914: The Path to Abstraction will be exhibited at the Kimbell Art Museum. This is the first exhibit devoted to Piet MondrianÕs early career, from his student years in Holland as a painter of romantic landscapes to his emergence as an artist of international renown in cosmopolitan pre-World War I Paris. The exhibition features more than 100 paintings and drawings and reveals how one of the greatest painters of the past evolved toward abstraction while drawing upon his roots. The Kimbell Art Museum is the only U.S. venue for this exhibition. For more information, contact the Kimbell Art Museum at 817-654-1034.

Today-fall semester The TCC-NE Playhouse announces its season, which includes a performance schedule change, for the fall semester. Productions will open Wednesday as opposed to Tuesdays. Show times are 8 p.m. Wednesdays-Saturdays with 2 p.m. matinees Saturdays and Sundays. For more information, visit www.geocities.com/neplayhouse.

Sept. 6-29 The Hip Pocket Theatre will stage Beyond Blue Hole by Johnny Simons. Music will be performed by the Lake Rats. The Hip Pocket Theatre performs in an outdoor setting just minutes from downtown Fort Worth. Curtain times are 8:15 p.m. Ticket prices are $12 for adults on Friday and Saturday and $10 on Sunday; prices for senior citizens and students are $10 Friday and Saturday and $8 Sunday; children 12 and under are admitted for $8 Friday and Saturday and $6 Sunday. For more information on this performance and/or reservations, contact the Hip Pocket Theatre at 817-246-9775.

Sept. 7 The Fort Worth Art Dealers Association (FWADA) will present its 24th annual Fall Gallery Night 2-9 p.m. The FWADA provides artistic community awareness and education and consists of independent art galleries, private dealers, non-profit exhibition spaces, museums and university galleries in Fort Worth and surrounding areas. Twelve member FWADA galleries and museums will feature an array of art. One of the exhibits, at the Art Corridor on TCC-SE, will include large and intimate-scale photographs by Fort Worth Star-Telegram photographer Tom Pennington taken during a three-month sojourn immediately following Sept. 11. Gallery Night includes specialty shops, art galleries and restaurants. This free event marks the beginning of the Fort Worth social season. For more information, call 817-737-9566 or visit www.fwada.com or www.fwculture.com.