Future events
local “The Wizard of Oz,” a play, will be presented at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 28, at Uniontown High School. All proceeds will benefit Fayette Friends of Animals, a no-kill shelter. Tickets are on sale now. To purchase a ticket, call 724-437-1965.
Auditions for the upcoming production of “Johnny Cash: the Man in Black” are being held at the Geyer Performing Arts Center in Scottdale. The show will be performed Sept. 6-9. Vocal skills are a must. Guitar skills are preferred but not necessary. Experience in performing with a live band also is helpful. Those auditioning should come prepared to sing at least one Johnny Cash song of his/her own choice. Tapes are permissible but must be instrumental only. Auditions will be held by appointment at the Geyer Performing Arts Center. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call the Geyer at 724-887-0887 or e-mail Christina@geyerpac.com.
Actors and Artists of Fayette County will present “Girls of the Garden Club,” a two-act comedy by John Patrick, at the Geyer Performing Arts Center in Scottdale on May 31 and June 1-3. Auditions will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday and Tuesday in the Geyer auditorium. These auditions, which consist of reading a short scene from the script, are open to the public. There are roles for 17 women, including a 16-year-old girl, and two men, one non-speaking adult and one 15-year-old boy. Stage experience is helpful but not necessary. All roles are open. Evening rehearsals will begin on Monday, April 23. A rehearsal schedule will be announced at that time. Ron Bronson will direct the show.
Flatwoods Productions announced that ongoing auditions for men and women of all ages are still needed for the following shows: “Gypsy,” “Radio Gals,” “Drop Dead,” “42nd Street” and “Bridge to Terabithia.” Also needed are children of all ages for most of these shows in various roles. Men and women ages 14 through adult are still needed as tap dancers. Classes will be held weekly to prepare everyone for the show. To schedule an appointment to audition, call 724-785-6896.
“Little Women” will be presented May 11-13 by Flatwoods Productions in the Curfew Grange, located at the corner of Route 201 South and Buena Vista Road across from the cemetery in Flatwoods. Shows are performed for three performances – two evenings at 8 on May 11-12 with 2 p.m. Sunday matinee on May 13. Dinner is available for an extra charge with all three shows at 6:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, May 11-12, and 12:30 p.m. on Mother’s Day, May 13. Dinner theater requires a reservation. Group rates also are available. Call 724-785-6896 or visit the Web site at fptheater.com.The Greater Uniontown Children’s Choir will hold rehearsals from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday at the Third Presbyterian Church, 425 Union St., Uniontown. Rehearsals will continue through May. The choir has performed at the state Capitol in Harrisburg and the Maryland Children’s Choir Festival. In addition to the annual concert, the choir performs for annual holiday events at Nemacolin Woodlands, Nemacolin Castle, Christian Klay Winery and private parties. The choir is open to children who like to sing from the Fayette/Greene County area in grades four through senior high. Boys must have unchanged voices. For more information, call 724-938-1348.
The PovertyNeck Hillbillies will perform a benefit concert for All Saints Regional School at the State Theatre Center for the Arts in Uniontown on April 27. The concert begins at 7 p.m. The opening acts are Vanessa Campagna and Camry Uhazie. Tickets are available at the State Theatre by calling 724-439-1360. Changes on “Dinner for Two” with the PovertyNeck Hillbillies are available at All Saints Regional School at 724-583-2141. Chances also are being sold for an autographed guitar by the PovertyNeck Hillbillies.
Zach Ellsworth and the band “Unwritten” will perform at 8 p.m. Friday, April 27, at the GIG Coffee House in Fairchance. The band’s original music can be described as inspired pop, rock and blues. The band has just announced a date for its record release concert. It will be held at 6:30 p.m. May 19 at Mt. Moriah Baptist Church in Smitfield. Admission is free, and the public is invited. For more information, visit www.myspace.com/zachellsworth or call 724-317-9757.
The Glenn Miller Orchestra will play at 7 p.m. May 19 at the State Theatre Center for the Arts in Uniontown. The event is sponsored in part by National City Bank. Back at the theater by popular demand, the legendary Glenn Miller was one of the most successful of all the dance bandleaders back in the swing era of the 1930s and ’40s. Under the direction of Larry O’Brien, the 19-member band continues to play many of the original arrangements that have been delighting Miller fans for decades. For more information or to purchase tickets, call the State Theatre box office at 724-439-1360.
The Uniontown Downtown Business District Authority has announced the 2007 Storey Square Summer Concert Series. This popular downtown event will be held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Mondays. Storey Square is located on Main Street next to the State Theatre Center for the Arts. The concert series begins on June 4 and continues through Aug. 27. The concerts are free to the public, and a local restaurant will be serving food and refreshments at a cost. For this event to be successful, the Downtown Business District Authority is searching for sponsorships for this event. Anyone who would like to sponsor a performance is asked to call the Downtown Business District Authority at 724-430-2926.
The Beesontown Singers of Fayette County continue its search for adult singers for the new spring season. Experience choral singers who want to sing good choral literature are encouraged to make an appointment for an audition as soon as possible.
The Beesontown Singers rehearse for two hours each Sunday evening in Uniontown and present two public performances annually.
It is the only auditioned choral ensemble in the tri-county area and the membership is limited to achieve a good choral balance. Rehearsals will begin in late February to prepare for a mid-May concert. Interested singers should apply as soon as possible by calling 724-557-1119 or by sending a letter of application to Beesontown Singers, 20 Dunbar St., Uniontown, Pa. 15401.
The Greater Uniontown Chorale will begin rehearsals for the spring term on Monday at the Third Presbyterian Church on Union Street, Uniontown. Rehearsals will begin at 7 p.m.
All questions may be directed to Richard McCoy at 724-437-6400. Music selected will represent the history of Broadway.Frank L. Melega Art Museum, Upper Floor in the Flatiron Building Heritage Center, 69 Market St., Brownsville, will present “Treasures Found!” through May 5. The museum will debut recently discovered artworks of Frank L. Melega. For more information, call the museum at 724-785-9331 or e-mail info@barcpa.org for the latest weekday and weekend hours.
Gallery MD, located at 502 S. Pittsburgh St., Connellsville, has reopened. Regular hours are noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The gallery features works of art by local and regional artists. Call 724-626-2117.
Local artist Seth A. LeDonne will display 50 of his latest paintings at the Vulcan Hall Gallery at California University of Pennsylvania from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday. Food and drinks will be offered to those attending. Whether at his apartment or at the art studio on the Cal U campus, LeDonne, 19, spends much of his time painting as he pursues a bachelor of fine arts degree. He explores a wide variety of subjects in his paintings, touching on family life, America, patriotism and everyday experiences. LeDonne is a native of Uniontown and has paid tribute to his hometown by including several depictions of familiar Uniontown sights, such as Phil’s Cornerstore and the Canton Restaurant.
Join Nature’s Garden columnist Susan Brimo-Cox for a workshop designed to encourage artistic creativity inspired by nature. “Nature as Art” will be held May 4-6 at Touchstone Center for Crafts in Farmington. The workshop is not just for artists. Anyone can enjoy translating their love of gardening and nature into expressions of art, too. Participants will explore the wooded campus for spring ephemerals and search for other elements in the natural environment to stir their artistic creativity. Participants are asked to bring their camera, pencils and paints. They can try their hand at nature painting, nature stenciling and more. There is a tuition charge, plus a small materials fee. Lodging is available. For more information and to register, call 800-721-0177 or visit the Web site at www.touchstonecrafts.com.
Patrick Daugherty, area artist and educator, will teach two six-week art courses, Painting In Oils and Acrylics and Drawing from Life Course, at Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus. Painting In Oils and Acrylics will begin April 27 and end June 1. The Drawing from Life Course will start on April 28 and end of June 2. Both courses have three-hour sessions from noon to 3 p.m. Courses are open to beginners and experienced artists. Painting beginners will receive a step-by-step program of painting exercises to develop basic skills and to understand color. The drawing course offers a variety of styles and materials and is designed for all levels. More information can be obtained by e-mailing Daugherty at Patrick@patrickdaugherty.com, calling 724-245-6120 or visiting his Web site at patrickdaugerty.com. To register, call the Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus, Continuing Education Office, at 724-430-4211.64 Crayons at Jozart Studios, 333 Second St., California, invites local writers to submit short plays, from eight to 15 minutes running time, for possible production as part of the 2007 season at California Community Theatre. The plays will be read and judged by members of the 64 Crayons Writing Workshop. Final decision on production rests with the CCT Board of Directors. Manuscripts will be accepted from now through Tuesday. No more than two plays will be considered per playwright. A readers’ fee of $5 for one play or $8 for two will be charged, but playwrights will receive a share of the performance proceeds for any play produced by CCT. The fee will be waived if the author joins the Writers’ Workshop and participates in the production process. For more information, call Dr. Fred Lapisardi at 724-938-9730 or e-mail him at 64crayons@jozartstudios.com.
S.S. Cyril & Methodius Church, located at 50 Morgantown St., Fairchance, will host an indoor spring craft/vendor show on Saturday, May 12. Exhibit hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There is an admission charge. Free door prizes will be awarded throughout the day. Food and beverage items will be available for purchase. Exhibitor’s space is still available. Call Carol Budinsky at 724-439-8343 or Kathryn Baranek at 724-569-1006.
“Under the Tuscan Sky,” an evening of dining and dancing, will be held Saturday, April 28, at St. John the Evangelist Gymnasium, 50 Jefferson St., Uniontown. Various food stations will feature Italian cuisine. Music will be provided by the Brass Knuckles Band. The event is sponsored by the Jefferson Club. Tickets are available. Call 724-439-1267 for reservations. All proceeds will benefit St. John the Evangelist Church.
Uniontown Senior Citizens’ Monthly Dance titled “Swing Into Spring” will be held from 7 to 10 p.m. Monday at the Uniontown VFW Post 47, West Main Street, Uniontown. The Dave Dahl Orchestra will perform. The event will feature square, round, line dancing, polkas, waltzes and other dances. Refreshments and door prizes are planned by the committee. Pete Porreca is commander of VFW Post 47. Kassie DeWalt is dance chairperson. The public is invited.
Larry Lohr’s second memorial golf outing benefiting the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation will be held Friday, May 18, at the Pleasant Valley Country Club. Sponsorship opportunities will be available at various price ranges. Registration/continental breakfast will be held from 7:45 to 8:45 a.m. followed by a shotgun start at 9 a.m. Complimentary beverages will be served on the golf course. A steak dinner will follow. Prizes will be given away. Any donations of golf balls, golf bag items, gift certificates and other prizes are welcome. For registration or more information, call Lohr’s daughter, Cindy Jesso, at 724-547-5427.
Actors & Artists of Fayette County’s first annual reunion fund-raiser will be held at 4 p.m. Sunday, April 29, at Hugo’s Restaurant, located at 687 National Pike, West Brownsville. There is a cost for adults and children. A family-style dinner will include salad, roast beef, maple ham, chicken, potatoes, vegetables, dessert soft drinks and coffee. A cash bar will be available. Memories from past shows will be shared. Anyone who has something he or she would like to share but cannot attend are asked to send them to Dottie David at 1201 Ridge Blvd., Connellsville, Pa. 15425 or call her at 724-628-5508.
Nemacolin Castle on Front Street, Brownsville, will hold events during the National Road Festival from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 19-20 and ghost tours only from 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday, May 19.
St. Therese Church Cookbook with familiar and traditional recipes “like Grandma used to make” is available for sale. To place an order or for more information, call St. Therese Faith Formation Center at 724-437-1957 or Linda at 724-439-4036.
Geezers’ Book Shop, now operating as 64 Crayons at Jozart’s Studios, has resumed Tuesday writing workshops from 7:30 to 10 p.m. at 333 Second St., California, located above the Dollar General store. Instead of concentrating on a single genre as in past years, the current group agreed that fiction, creative, non-fiction, poetry, plays, film scripts and songs may be presented for discussion. There is no charge for these sessions. For more information, call 724-938-9730 or e-mail 64crayons-@jozartstudios.com.
A cookbook with a forward by award-winning chef Joe Carei of Caileigh’s Restaurant in Uniontown is available at the State Theatre Center for the Arts in Uniontown. The cookbook is full of recipes and historic photographs of “The Grand Old Lady of Main Street.” They are available in the theater box office from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and at all performances. Call 724-439-1360 to place a mail order. There is a cost for the cookbooks.
The Friends of the Uniontown Public Library are selling New Geneva Stoneware as a fund-raiser. The three styles offered, each inscribed “Fayette County,” are a mini jug, a mini crock and a pencil jar and are available in the Pennsylvania Room on the second floor of the library. The Friends also are selling hoagie tickets, which can be purchased at the first floor circulation desk. All funds raised directly will benefit the Uniontown Public Library.
A cash bash will be held at the Smock Volunteer Fire Hall to benefit Curfew Recreation Center, also known as Flatwoods pool, on Saturday, May 5. Doors will open at 2 p.m., and drawings start from 3 to 7 p.m. Raffles, 50/50 drawings and much more will be offered. For more information or for advanced tickets, call Michelle at 724-529-7603 or Romanee at 724-736-2805.
The “Carpathian Cookery” cookbook, now in its 12th printing, having sold more than 10,000, is again available for sale. The 330-page cookbook now has a new look and features a protective plastic cover and includes sections on Christmas customs and recipes, Easter customs and recipes, traditional Rusyn foods, other ethnic dishes and many other recipes of St. John’s parishioners. Many paska and kolachi recipes, as well as meatless dishes and Lenten recipes, suitable for the great fast as well as the pre-Christmas fast. There is a cost for the cookbook. For more information, call 724-438-6027.
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West Virginia Public Theatre announces its audition schedule for the upcoming Morgantown auditions for its 2007 summer season. Non-equity and equity auditions will be held from 1 to 7 p.m. Sunday at the Falbo Theatre in the WVU Creative Arts Center. Production rehearsal and performance dates for the productions of “Sweet Charity,” “The Odd Couple,” “Funny Girl,” “Aida,” “A Chorus Line” and “The Full Monty” are June 8 through Aug. 5. Rehearsals will be held at the Creative Arts Center, and all performances are held at the Lyell B. Clay Concert Theatre in the WVU Creative Arts Center. To audition, individuals are expected to come prepared to sing 32 bars of an up-beat tempo and ballad. And, if auditioning for “The Odd Couple,” prepar a one-minute comic monologue. Also, bring the proper clothes and shoes for a possible dance callback. Anyone wanting to audition should call the West Virginia Public Theatre office at 304-291-4117 to schedule an appointment prior to the audition date.”The Monongahela Railway, Its History and Operation, 1903-1993,” a 212-page book with more than 300 black and white pictures and 24 maps of the system, is available at Brownsville Chamber of Commerce, 325 Market St., Fayette Chamber of Commerce, Uniontown Library, Flatiron Building, Nemacolin Castle in Brownsville, New Salem and Fairchance pharmacies and Hobbies & Stuff in Connellsville.
The Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania will hold its 77th annual State Convention from Sunday through Wednesday at the Sheraton Station Square in Pittsburgh. Members and non-members are encouraged to attend to enjoy a variety of events and educational opportunities. Dr. Allan Armitage, one of the world’s foremost horticulturalists, will be the keynote speaker at the dinner and program on Monday. The convention also features floral designs from across the country, as well as local horticultural celebrities. A tour with the Parks Conservancy and a behind-the-scenes tour of the Chihuly glass installation at Phipps Conservatory are two of the off-site activities planned. A schedule and registration information can be obtained online at www.pagardenclubs.org or by calling 412-498-8750.
Tree of Life Congregation, located at 242 S. High St., Morgantown, W.Va., will host an Israel Fair from 3 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, April 25. A team of tour Israelis will present the sights, smells tastes and sounds of Israel. There will be Israeli food to eat, Israeli music for listening and dancing, arts and crafts projects for children and adults, so visitors will feel that they have had a complete Israeli experience. There also will be Israeli items, such as jewelry, T-shirts and music for sale. For more information, call Rabbi David Feder at 304-292-7029.
The Pittsburgh Irish Festival is moving to a new location. The festival will take place Sept. 7-9 at the Amphitheatre at Sandcastle, 1000 Sandcastle Drive, West Homestead. The event will feature Glengarry Bhoys, David Munnelly Band, Maken & Spain Brothers and more musical acts. For more information, call 412-422-1113 or visit the Web site at www.pghirishfest.org.
Fort Allen Antique Farm Equipment Association will hold its sixth annual Blacksmith Hammer-In and Plow Days from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, April 28-29 at 911 Porter Ave., Scottdale. The event will feature blacksmithing demonstrations, farming equipment demonstrations, antique engines, sawmill, shingle mill, antique tractors and equipment displays. Carpenter’s Battery, a living history Civil War encampment, also will be featured. There is an admission charge. For more information, call 724-836-3625.
Hoedown round and square dancing, slow dancing, polkas, line dancing and clogging will take place at the following dates and locations: 7 to 10 p.m. Friday, April 27, at the Haydentown Community Center; and 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. Saturday, April 28, at the Long Branch Community Grange off Old Route 88 in Elko. There is a small donation for each person. The Dave Dahl Trio will provide music and figure calling.
Pittsburgh Wine Festival 2007 will be held from 5 to 9 p.m. Thursday in the East and West Club Lounges at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh. For details and ticket information, call 412-281-2681 or visit www.pittsburghwinefestival.com.
Flenniken Public Library, 102 E. George St., Carmichaels, will offer preschool story hour every Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. The library also will offer after-school tutoring for students in kindergarten through high school. A state-certified teacher runs the program. Sessions are customized to fit each child’s learning style. For more information, call 724-966-5263.
The California Area Public Library will be open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, noon to 4 p.m. Fridays and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays.
Story hour for preschool children will be held at 10:30 a.m. every Thursday. Visit the library’s Web site at www.calpublib.org, and click on the “story hour” link or call the library at 724-938-2907.