Future events
local The Geyer Performing Arts Center of Scottdale has announced auditions for the musical “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.” Auditions for actors, singers and dancers will be held at two different venues. On Sunday, auditions will be held at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, North Gallatin Avenue, Uniontown, from 3 to 6 p.m. On Monday, auditions will take place at the Geyer Performing Arts Center, 111 Pittsburgh St., Scottdale, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Rehearsals will begin during March in Uniontown with performances slated at the Geyer Performing Arts Center on April 19-22. The production staff for “Forum” will include Brad Henry, music director; Ginny Tanner, choreographer; and Bill Dreucci, director. For more information, call 724-557-1119.
Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” will be presented at Brownsville Area High School at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, March 2-3, and 2 p.m. Sunday, March 4. Reservations and tickets are available by calling 724-785-8200.
“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.
“Tap City – On Tour” will be presented at 8 p.m. March 10 at the State Theatre Center for the Arts in Uniontown. It is sponsored in part by The Producers Unit. “Tony Waag’s Tap City” showcases the best of the New York City Tap Festival, founded in 2001 by Waag and the late Gregory Hines and produced by the American Tap Dance Foundation. The show features an international cast of legendary tap veterans, cutting-edge ensembles and up-and-coming hoofers backed by a live jazz combo. Tickets are available by calling the State Theatre box office at 724-439-1360 or toll free at 800-397-2554.
“Lost In Yonkers” will be performed at 8 p.m. March 31 at the State Theatre Center for the Arts in Uniontown. Wolford and Lenore Swimmer and Josh and Maria Swimmer will sponsor the show. “Lost in Yonkers” is Neil Simon’s touching story and Pulitzer Prize-winning play of an eccentric New York family in crisis in the summer of 1942. For more information or to purchase tickets, call the State Theatre box office at 724-439-1360.
64 Crayons at Jozart, 333 Second St., California, in cooperation with the California Community Theatre, plans performances of six new short plays on March 22-25. The program “Danse Macabre,” features winning plays submitted by local writers for the fall 2006 playwriting competition. They include Pamela Murphy’s “Howard’s Finale,” Phil Coleman’s “Going Overboard,” Cindy’s Bartolotta’s “Number 31,” Diana Man’s “Beef Stew,” Andrea Kremposky’s “Cursed Play” and Fred Lapisardi’s “October Leaves.” The California Community Theatre plans productions of Bill Bennett’s adaptations from Chekhov in April, a second round of different 64 Crayons Writing Workshops plays in May and “Scenes from Shakespeare” in June. For more information, call Lapisardi at 724-880-3801 or e-mail him at 64crayons@jozartstudios.com.
Auditions for actors, directors and stage crew will be held from 10 a.m. until noon Saturday, 4 to 6 p.m. Monday and 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Jozart Studios, 333 Second St. (above the Dollar General store) in California for six short plays selected by 64 Crayons’ Writing Workshop for performances in late March. There are acting parts available for both men and women ages 18 through 70s. All participants will be paid in shares from ticket sales. For more information, call Fred Lapisardi at 724-880-3801 or e-mail him at 64crayons@jozartstudios.com.
Flatwoods Productions will hold open auditions for a musical revue at 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 18, at the Curfew Grange in Flatwoods. The building is located at the corner of Buena Vista Road and Route 201 South (across from the cemetery). Needed are men and women age 14 through 70 to perform and sing various songs from early Broadway through some of today’s newest hits. Those auditioning should bring sheet music for a song to sing and be prepared to do a short dance audition. All interested parties will be cast in some capacity. Newcomers and fresh young faces are encouraged to attend. Also needed are adults to work backstage on this production. Call or attend auditions to fill out a contact card. For more information, call the theater at 724-785-6896.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 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 Beesontown Singers of Fayette County continue its search for adult singers for the new spring season. Experienced 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.
Dutch Treat Barbershop Quartet will perform Wednesday after the Brownfield Seniors Luncheon at the Brownfield Community Center in Dawson. Lunch will be served at noon, followed by the quartet performance at 1 p.m. There is a small cost. Reservations are requested. For more information, call 724-529-2930 or 724-529-2530.Area residents will have a variety of art classes to choose from starting later this month. Artist and art educator Patrick Daugherty will be offering two painting classes and a drawing class through the Continuing Education Department at Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus. Two painting courses are one drawing course are being offered, a Thursday evening six-week painting course, starting Feb. 22; a Friday afternoon six-week painting course, starting Feb. 23; and a Saturday afternoon six-week drawing course, starting Feb. 24. Each class period is three hours. More information can be obtained by e-mailing patrick@patrickdaugherty.com or calling 724-245-6120. To register, call the 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 acceptthrough Tuesday. No more than two plays will be considered per playwright. A modest 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.
Mardi Gras 2007, a pre-Lenten dinner/dance sponsored by St. Therese Parish of Uniontown, will take place Saturday, Feb. 17. The event will be held at the Hopwood Social Hall. The evening will include hor d’oeuvres, dinner, traditional Mardi Gras complimentary gifts, fellowship and entertainment. The entertainment will be provided by Pittsburgh’s No Bad Ju Ju and Uniontown’s D.J. Paul McGrady. Tickets are available by calling St. Therese at 724-438-2341 or Brenda at 412-582-1568.
West Overton Museums in Scottdale announces the beginning of the winter Parlor Talk lecture series. The four presentations will be held in the distillery theater at 2 p.m. Sundays. Area experts will present a wide variety of historical subjects. The first lecture on Sunday will be on “The Battleground of the French and Indian War: 1975-1763” with Dr. Frank Cassell, president of the University of Pittsburgh, Greensburg campus. For complete series information, call 724-887-7910 or send an e-mail to director@westoverton.org. West Overton Museums is located on Route 819 between Scottdale and Mount Pleasant.
Ballet Lafayette Ballroom will offer ballroom dance lessons. Participants can learn the English waltz, salsa and more. Call 724-437-8653 for schedule and cost of lessons.
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.
Classes are being held at The Geyer Performing Arts Center in Scottdale for those interested in performance-related topics. Some of the courses offered include acting, vocals, songwriting, guitar and set design. The six-week courses are arranged by age from 8 to adult. The instructors include Josh Garsteck and Matt Starry. For information, call 724-887-0887 or stop by The Geyer Performing Arts Center at 111 Pittsburgh St., Scottdale.
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.
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.
Christian W. Klay Winery, 412 Fayette Springs Road, Chalk Hill, will present “Wine, Women & Song” from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 17. This marks the second event in the winter series.
The evening will feature a winter mountain backdrop, fine wine and the music of Tony Lee, a local popular singer/songwriter who writes songs from the heart. He has opened for such national acts as Chicago, The Marshall Tucker Band and ZZ Top.
The event requires advance, pre-paid reservations. Tickets can be purchased by calling the winery at 724-439-3424.
The Coal and Coke Heritage Center at Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus, will hold a three-day conference titled “Working Together, Living Together: African-American Miners and the Coal Culture of Southwestern PA, 1870-1970” March 15-17.
The opening session will be held Thursday, March 15, when a Pennsylvania historical marker will be dedicated acknowledging the Connellsville Coke Region.
The main conference, scheduled from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, March 16, will examine interactions among blacks and other ethnic groups who lived and worked in the region’s coalfields.
From 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, March 17, local history sessions will be scheduled and representatives from local historical societies will display and share current projects and membership information.
One goal of the overall program is to foster and develop scholarship of black miners living and working in this geographical region and throughout the United States, while promoting future study and research.
The conference is open to the general public with advanced reservations.
Call Pamela Seighman at 724-430-4158 or visit the Web site at www.coalandcokepsu.org for more information.
The Men’s Ministry of Third Presbyterian Church in Uniontown invites the men and boys of the area to a Wild Game Dinner on Tuesday, Feb. 20, at the church.
Registration and “bragging time” begin at 6 p.m., with dinner at 6:30 p.m. A program featuring Steve Chapman, an avid hunter, storyteller and songwriter, will follow at 7:30 p.m. There is a cost.
Third Prebyterian Church is located at 425 Union St., Uniontown, near the Craig Meadows neighborhood.
Call the church office at 724-438-2529 with any questions or to make reservations.
area
Associated Artists of Pittsburgh’s 96th annual exhibition will continue through Monday at the Carnegie Museum of Art. For information, visit the Web site at www.aapgh.org or the Carnegie museum of Art’s Web site at www.cmoa.org.
The Pittsburgh Chamber Players will perform at Waynesburg College as part of the Performing Arts Series at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in the college’s Performing Arts Center.
There is an admission charge, and the public is invited to attend.
For more information on the Pittsburgh Chamber Players or the Performing Arts Series, call 724-852-3293.Brazilian pianist and vocalist Ivan Lins will perform live at the Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild in Pittsburgh from Feb. 15-18. For tickets, call 412-322-0800.”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.
Hoedown square dancing, slow dancing, polkas, waltzing, line dancing and clogging will take place at the following dates and locations: 8:30 to 11:30 p.m. Saturday at Alwine Civic Center on Old Route 66, about two miles north of Greensburg; and 7 to 10 p.m. Friday, Feb. 23, at the Haydentown Community Center in Haydentown. The Dave Dahl Trio will provide music and figure calling.
Pittsburgh Wine Festival 2007 will be held from 5 to 9 p.m. April 26 in the East and West Club lounges at Heinz Field, Pittsburgh. For details and ticket information, call 412-281-2681.
A special Valentine Dance will take place from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 17, at the Arthurdale Center Hall in Arthurdale, W.Va. The event will feature hoedown square dancing, slow dancing, polkas, waltzing, line dancing and clogging.
There is a small cost. Children 12 and under will be admitted free.
Dave Dahl will provide music and figure calling.
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. 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 for more information.
Call the library at 724-938-2907.