Sam's Best Bets for upcoming entertainment

Some suggestions for this weekend and next couple of weeks around Carson City and elsewhere. Check entries in the daily Nevada Appeal for more details, but this should be enough for planning this weekend and the next several. Also, see nevadaappeal.com for updates of video games, movie news, TV shows or specials, musical events and reviews.

Sam Bauman, entertainment editor

- U.S. audiences will be able to watch performances of one of the most prominent American opera companies, the San Francisco Opera, at local movie theaters. The Bigger Picture will release San Francisco Opera performances of Giacomo Puccini's "Madama Butterfly, "Saturday and Sunday, April 19-20; Monday and Tuesday, April 21-22. The opera will be screened at the Galaxy Theater behind the Fandango Casino on North Carson Street at noon.

- George Winston, he of the romantic piano, appears at the Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts in Reno July 20 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $32 in advance, $35 on show date. Tickets are the Pioneer Center.

- America's most beloved musical, "Annie," is back in 30th anniversary tour, giving a whole new generation the chance to experience this classic musical about never giving up hope. The timeless tale of Little Orphan Annie will be coming to the Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts in Reno for five performances from April 18-20.

Performance schedule is Friday April 18, 8 p.m.; Saturday April 19, 2 and 8 p.m.; Sunday April 20, 1 and 6 p.m.

Tickets at the Pioneer Center box office, online at www.pioneercenter.com or by phone at (877) 840-0457. Ticket prices range from $40 to $80 and are subject to service charges. Groups of 20 or more should call 686-6600.

- Slot Machines: The Fey Collection from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Nevada State Museum, 600 N. Carson St. In the South Changing Gallery, held over by popular demand. Call 687-4810, ext. 239 or 245.

- The CCAI Courthouse Gallery, 885 E. Musser St., will show artist Galen Brown's free show, "Waves: Line and Rhythm." The show will continue through May 23. See www.rts-initive.org. The gallery is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

- Starz Entertainment's Weekly Hot Items List:

Saturday, April 19, Starz Saturday Premiere

"Ratatouille "(Brad Garrett, Janeane Garofalo, John Ratzenberger) 9 p.m. on Starz

This is the rat you want to find in the kitchen! The hilarious story of a French three-star chef " he just happens to be a rat " who finds a human cooking partner and a restaurant that needs help. An animated delight from Pixar.

Sunday, April 20, "Queens of the Screen"

A new double-feature of films featuring the favorite actresses of yesterday and today airs on RetroPlex each Sunday night through May.

- 8 p.m. "The King and I" (Deborah Kerr, Yul Brynner, Rita Moreno); 10:20 p.m. "Separate Tables "(Deborah Kerr, David Niven, Burt Lancaster)

- At the casinos:

The Gin Blossoms play at John Ascuaga's Nugget in Sparks at 8 p.m., Friday April 18 for a calm $32. Call (800) 648-1177.

Blue Oyster Cult will rock at Harrah's Lake Tahoe Friday night at 8 p.m. Tickets are $32, call 356-3300. Creedence Clearwater Revisited brings its boisterous music to the Silvery Legacy in Reno Friday at 9 p. m. Tickets are $40-$60 at 325-7401. Folk rockers Tegan and Sara will appear at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno Friday at 9 p.m. Tickets are $27.50, call (800) 648-3568.

A Tribute to Nat King Cole is at the Peppermill in Reno Saturday at 8 p.m. Jazzman Phillip Manuel does the singing and he's got quite a voice, sings with symphonies. Tickets are $35 at 689-7145.

At Crystal Bay, Lotus and guest Gram Rabbit appear Saturday at 9 p.m. This is a fine show and worth the drive. Tickets are $35 for the 8 p.m. performance. If all the bad economic news is getting you down, maybe some comedy is what you need. Try Horace B. Sanders and Chris Curtis at the Silver Legacy through Sunday (325-7401) for $15.95. Harry Basil and Don McEnery are at the Improv at Harveys through Sunday, $25, (800) 427-8397. And the lineup at Tahoe Comedy North in Crystal Bay is Collin Moulton, Debbie Lockhat and Kellen Erskine Tuesday, $15, call 833-6330.

And in a class of its own, "Yesterday " a Tribute to the Beatles" plays at the Horizon in Stateline at 8:30 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday at 8:30 p.m. A special Sgt. Pepper shows has been added for 10:30 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $22, cll 588-6211.

At the Carson Nugget it's Tracy Bing through Sunday, with Bahama moving in Tuesday. No cover. Carson Station offers the Mike Baker Band through Saturday, Hookastew opens Tuesday.

At the Grand Sierra for those up to it, there's a porn party with Ron Jeremy and Clear Blue 22 and Chris Costa. Call 789-2285 for details.

"FloorPlay" is a hot dance show at the Eldorado in Reno these days. Natch, it's an offspring from the TV dance shows without the name dancers. But reportedly it "mixes a youthful flair with the sensual and the physical chemistry of ballroom and Latin dancing." It's probably the bast show the Eldorado has hosed in a long time. Even if you don't dig ballroom dancing, this is great fun. Tickets are $29.95 to $43.95 at 786-5700. Believe it or not, Greg London's "Icons" is still playing at Harrah's Reno. Quick costume changes are the key to this show. Call 788-2900, tickets are $29.95-$39.95.

- Documentary Channel will feature the television premiere of two of John Huston's rarely seen war documentaries, "Let There Be Light" and "The Battle of San Pietro," on Monday April 21 as part of its new Monday night "Primetime Premieres" programming block.

DOC will begin the evening with a 30-minute original "DocTalk" special at 7 p.m., which examines three new war documentaries showcasing the current war crisis in Iraq, including "The War Tapes," "No End in Sight," and "Body of War."

Immediately following "DocTalk," the network will air the exclusive primetime telecasts of the Huston documentaries, "The Battle of San Pietro" and "Let There Be Light," at 7:30 p.m. and 8 p.m.,

DOC will end the programming block with an epilogue of Huston interviews entitled "John Huston: War Stories" at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

- Contact Sam Bauman at 881-1236 or Sbauman@nevadaappeal.com.