Arts: Best Bets

The journey is often as interesting as the destination. The Louisiana Art & Science Museum’s new exhibit opening this month features three artists with unique ways of creating art, two of whom will demonstrate their processes for visitors this month and next. Sculptor Jason Hackenwerth uses brightly colored balloons to build huge structures reminiscent of biological forms. He’ll be at LASM Oct. 6-10 constructing the second of two pieces for the space, and the public will be able to watch during regular hours.

New Orleans-based Heather Hansen extends herself over massive canvases, twisting her body around to draw looping, mandala-like designs. She will be at the “Art After Hours” program Nov. 4, discussing her work and creating a new piece.

The third artist, Holton Rower, uses a slow pouring technique to create kaleidoscopic shapes on plywood using up to 50 gallons of paint. Examples of all three artists’ works will be on display in “Art in Action: Inflate. Draw. Pour” starting Oct. 4. The exhibit is in conjunction with the Baton Rouge components of the Prospect.3 New Orleans art biennial that begins this month. Read more about the local exhibitions on the next page. lasm.org

OCT. 1-12: Swine Palace offers up a stage version of the Gothic classic Frankenstein, just in time to get you in the spooky mood for Halloween. swinepalace.org

ENDING OCT. 5: Thanks to increased interest in the production, Theatre Baton Rouge extended the run of Mary Poppins into early October. theatrebr.org

OCT. 16: The Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra opens its Masterworks season with a focus on the Romantic era in music, featuring guest violinist Yevgeny Kutik. brso.org

OCT. 23-26: New Venture Theatre, which recently joined the Manship Theatre full-time as its in-house theater company, presents an adaptation of the musical Choir Boy. newventuretheatre.com

STARTING OCT. 24: Theatre Baton Rouge takes on the Broadway musical Spring Awakening, with music by Duncan Sheik. The production continues through Nov. 2.

OCT. 28: Baton Rouge Ballet Theatre offers up a performance from the long-running Dance Theatre of Harlem. batonrougeballet.org

UNTIL OCT. 30: On view at Baton Rouge Gallery are works by artist members Rosemary Goodell (painting), Amy James (photography) and Craig McCullen (glasswork). batonrougegallery.org