MINING MAMET: Stage West is currently presenting the area premiere of David Mamet’s November. In the comedy, a president seeks re-election as his first term seems to be crumbling around him. The play debuted during George W. Bush’s second term, and there are questions as to which real-life politicos the characters are based on. But Dana Schultes, who directs the show at Stage West, says any resemblance to real-life is purely coincidental. “I cannot and have not patterned this person after George Bush or Barack Obama or any living president. This is a purely fictional person,” she tells theaterjones.com. “It can’t be denied that there are things that lend themselves to a Bush parallel, but I think it is actually stronger if you take that out of play. If you draw parallels to other presidents in history, that’s great. But if you look at it as a political, satirical commentary on our presidential institution, I think it plays well on its own.” See for yourself through July 24.

A PREVIEW OF JPG: We’ve got to wait until November to get a look at “The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk.” Until then, the exhibition is taking up residence at Montreal’s Musée des Beaux-Arts. And judging from a recap of the show’s preview party, the Canadians are gaga for Gaultier. The designer himself is taking it all in stride. “Retrospective’ sounds like a funeral,” he said. “And I don’t feel dead yet!”

STILL GOING STRONG: Artist Will Barnet celebrated his 100th birthday last month. And to honor him, the Amon Carter Museum of American Art is staging “Will Barnet: Relationships, Intimate and Abstract, 1935-1965.” Not familiar with Barnet? Check out Gaile Robinson’s walk through his career before you go.