Night & Day Events

Thursday, October 27
Sheila Sofian's history of innovative animation — five independent short films — recently earned her a Guggenheim Fellowship, which will fund her latest installment, "Truth Has Fallen." But these aren't your typical cartoons. "Secret Rage" is about a tormented man incapable of expressing his emotions; "Survivors" is a 16-minute experimental documentary about domestic violence. We wish we could take credit, but the Los Angeles Film Forum said it best: "One recalls a bit of ... advice about the spoonful of sugar and how it can disguise strong medicine." Sofian, chair of the animation program at the College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita, California, speaks at 7 tonight in Epperson Auditorium at the Kansas City Art Institute (4415 Warwick). Call 816-802-3426 for information.

Friday, October 28
During our trick-or-treating years, we were spoiled by our seamstress mom. We never had to suffer the indignation of a store-bought Strawberry Shortcake costume or a sheet. But Mom doesn't have time to whip up get-ups for us anymore, so we'll check out today's costume sale at Late Night Theatre(1531 Grand, 816-474-4568). In true, understated LNT form, the gang behind Dangerous Dirty Little Liaisons and The Show Formerly Known as Purple Rainare calling it "the mother of all costume sales." Shouldn't that be the Mommy Queerest of all costume sales? The wardrobe closet there has never been plundered, so expect lots of good stuff — though the best of it is probably in wee sizes to accommodate some of the guys' slender frames. But at least there will be go-go boots. Lots of go-go boots. So, fellow costume seekers, start walking. Sale hours are noon to 4 p.m. today and tomorrow.

Saturday, October 29
Halloween party options: You want 'em? We got 'em. Consider Nightmare on Mass Street, KRBZ 96.5's all-ages DJ spectacular (spinners include Factor-E, DJ Fixx and C-Vaughn, among others) at The Granada (1020 Massachusetts in Lawrence, 785-842-1390). Doors open at 10 p.m.; admission is $10 for ages 21 and older ($15 for the underagers). Then there's the Boo Ball, the Good Samaritan Project's cut of the action. Dancing begins at 8 p.m.; tickets are $40 in advance, $50 at the door of the Hotel Phillips (106 West 12th Street; special "Room with a Boo" packages are available). There's also Heaven vs. Hell, the Roller Warriors' battle between good and evil (9 p.m. at the Winnwood Skate Center, 4426 Northeast Winn Road, 816-452-1171), or Mysterioso, Quixotic Performance Fusion's $20 benefit, from 8 to 11 p.m. at Rush Wade Two Studio (2010 McGee). Finally, we offer Halloween on the Hill, Martini Corner's four-bar, all-inclusive blowout. Thirty bucks scores premium liquor, beer and wine from 8 p.m. to midnight (plus food for the first hour — generous, yeah?); pick up tickets at the Velvet Dog (400 East 31st Street, 816-753-9990).

Sunday, October 30
Sundays are always kind of gloomy. The weekend's over, there's all that depressive alcohol swimming around in our bloodstream, and chances are good that, at some point in the past 48 hours, we kissed someone we shouldn't have. Best cure for those low spirits? Shopping. Fill the void, kids ... and fill it up fast! Today's the last chance to score a 20 percent discount just about anywhere in the metro with a Back in the Swing shopping card. It costs $25, and all profits go to assist breast cancer survivors living in Kansas City. Participating retail centers include the Plaza, Brookside, Town Center, Oak Park and Zona Rosa, among many others; call 913-385-2487 or see www.backintheswing.org for a full list.

Monday, October 31
We have more Halloween good times for tonight (you know, the actual day of the holiday). Halloween at the Paragraph starts at 7:30 and fills the Urban Culture Project's Paragraph Gallery (23 East 12th Street) with a spooky variety show, raffles, a costume contest and area performance artists. All this benefits Princess Squid Productions and its upcoming show, Carvings. Pay $10 at the door to mingle with like-minded friends of downtown. See www.urbanculture project.org. Meanwhile, over at Mike's Tavern (5424 Troost, 816-444-3399), Brian Scott and his Nug Life clothing line host another party. We like the Nug Life logo for its sly mixing of gangsta rap, pothead and skate-culture styles. Expect a costume contest as well as clothing giveaways and a sneak preview of the next Nug Life skate video.

Tuesday, November 1
It's high time we witnessed a miracle, damn it. Specifically one by Jesus Malverde. A sort of Robin Hood: Prince of Drug Smugglers for the Mexican state of Sinaloa, Malverde is a mythic hero who might never have lived. Legend has it that he was a bandit killed by the authorities in 1909, but accounts of his life vary — he was a railway worker (or in construction); he was hanged (or shot ... or perhaps betrayed by a friend for the reward). At any rate, he's popular among the impoverished residents of Sinaloa's highlands (a highly, um, trafficked area), and a number of phenomena have been attributed to him. They call the guy a "narco-saint," for crying out loud. Want to know more? Catch a short documentary screening of Jesus Malverde, El Bandito Generoso, Man or Myth, then participate in a discussion with former undercover cops (!) at 8 tonight at Westport Coffee House Theatre (4010 Pennsylvania, 816-756-3222). Admission is $3.