On stage at Peter Pan
The Community Theatre of Emporia’s Midsummer Fair is winding up tonight and Saturday at Peter Pan Park with productions of “Puss in Boots” and “The Taming of the Shrew.”
Activities begin at 4:30 p.m. Friday and at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, followed by the children’s play “Puss in Boots” at 6 p.m. Written by Scott Rochat of Emporia, the play mixes friendship, magic and some really bad jokes to depict the classic fairy tale.
Shortly after the end of “Puss,” the adult actors of the CTE will put on a shortened version of Shakespeare’s “Taming of the Shrew,” one of the wildest love stories ever concoted. Both plays will be performed at the Peter Pan amphitheater, just across the street from Riverside Elementary School.
Prize drawings will be held after each show. The performances are free and are held in partnership with the Greater Emporia BBQ Festival.
For more information, call 341-9283 or check the Web at www.cteks.com.
Mixing it up
Emporia artists Terry Maxwell and Josh Finley will be featured at the ESU Eppink Gallery exhibition from Aug. 17 through Sept. 25. They will exhibit their collaborative work along with their personal work “showcasing their contrasting styles.” Both artists attended Emporia State University. The opening reception will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Aug. 17. For more information, call 341-5246 or see www.emporia.edu/art. Gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Book signing
Karen Manners-Smith, associate professor of history at Emporia State University, will read from her new book from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Aug. 25 at the Town Crier Bookstore and sign copies of “Time It Was: American Stories from the Sixties.”
The book is a compilation of stories from Americans living in the 1960s, including stories about Vietnam, social struggles, protests and landmarks.
Smith’s e-mail is ksmith@emporia.edu. For more information, call Town Crier, 716 Commercial St., at 343-9649.
Walnut Valley
Advance tickets are for sale for the 36th annual Walnut Valley Festival at Winfield, which will be held Sept. 12-16. For tickets, call (620) 221-3250; for more information see www.wvfest.com or e-mail to news@wvfest.com.
Stained glass
The EAC Stained Glass Workshop for middle school, high school and adults, led by Harry Hart (last stained glass class to be taught by Hart) will be held Oct. 1 through Nov. 9. The fee is $40. For more information and to register, call 343-6473.
Topeka Symphony
auditions youth
Auditions for the 2007-08 Topeka Symphony Youth Ensembles will be held Aug. 18 at Washburn University. The three youth ensembles are Debut Orchestra, Youth Philharmonic and Youth Orchestra.
Rehearsals start Sept. 4. All rehearsals are on Tuesday and concerts will be on Nov. 18 and March 9, 2008. Any musician 21 years of age and younger may audition. To be a member, a student also must play in his or her school orchestra or band, if such an organization exists.
Carolyn Sandquist is conductor of the Debut Orchestra, Carolyn Rich Voth is conductor of the Youth Philharmonic and Steven Elisha conducts the Youth Orchestra.
There is a nonrefundable $10 audition fee. Once accepted into one of the ensembles, there is a nonrefundable tuition fee of $75 each year, which includes music charges and rental. For families with more than one participating musician, tuition is $75 for the first member and $50 for each additional member. Tuition assistance is available for families with a need. Detailed information and registration forms are available at www.topekasymphony.org, click on “Youth Ensembles,” or by calling the symphony office at (785) 232-2032.