Arts: Best Bets

Edward Pramuk sees a special connection between art and jazz. He taught in the LSU School of Art for 35 years and, though he retired in 2000, still exhibits works, many of which celebrate jazz legends such as Billie Holiday, Miles Davis, Duke Ellington and Wynton Marsalis. His exhibition, “Seeing Music,” offers paintings, collages and mixed-media works at LSU’s Museum of Art. The pieces run alongside “An Eye on Jazz,” photographs by the famed jazz photographer Herman Leonard, who spent many years capturing images of musicians in New Orleans, New York City, Paris and elsewhere. Both collections are on view until July 14. lsumoa.org

JUNE 2: The first Sunday of the month means free entry to the LSU Museum of Art, Louisiana Art & Science Museum, the USS Kidd and the State Museum (which is always free, by the way).

JUNE 14-23: Playmakers of Baton Rouge heads down the yellow brick road with a production of The Wizard of Oz at the Reilly Theatre. playmakersbr.org

JUNE 25-30: Swine Palace tackles Shakespeare’s dark comedy The Merchant of Venice at the Studio Theatre inside LSU’s Music & Dramatic Arts building. swinepalace.org

JUNE 29: Baton Rouge Gallery’s Movies & Music on the Lawn series continues with the silent film The General coupled with an original score performed by Righteous Buddha. batonrougegallery.org