Halfway to Dawn

Billy Strayhorn's partnership with Duke Ellington, spanning nearly thirty years, resulted in quite a few jazz standards if not household-name status for Strayhorn. But the composer of "Take the A Train" and "Chelsea Bridge" gets his due in David Roussève's Halfway to Dawn, a multimedia dance exploration of Strayhorn's life in Harlem. Video art, biographical text, and expressionistic physical theater spill Strayhorn's story across the stage. Catch the New Orleans premiere this weekend at the Contemporary Arts Center. 7:30 pm Friday and Saturday; 2 pm Sunday. $30; $25. cacno.org.