Mystery comedy
The Young Thespian Players present “Murder’s in the Heir” by Billy St. John at 7:30 p.m. today and 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday in the Emporia Arts Council’s Black Box Theatre at 618 Mechanic St. The play is described as an “hilarious mystery.” For more information, call 343-6473.
Concerts
F An “Early St. Patrick’s Day Concert” will be performed at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Lyon County Historical Museum,118 E. Sixth Ave., by Regina Murphy and Sue Seeman. They will present a concert of Irish ballads intertwined with stories of the Irish in Lyon County. The concert is free of charge and refreshments will be served.
F The ESU Orchestra Concert will be held at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in Albert Taylor Hall. Information: 341-5431. General admission is $5; students and senior citizens, $4.
F Three Topeka Symphony Youth Ensembles will present their spring concerts at 2 p.m. Sunday in White Concert Hall at Washburn University. Performances will be by the Youth Orchestra, Youth Philarmonic and Debut Orchestra. Tickets, available at the door, are $5 for adults and $2 for students. Non-perishable foods items will be accepted for the Orchestras Feeding American National Food Drive. For more information, call (785) 232-2032.
Museum talk
The March Tuesday Night at the Museum at 7 p.m. March 10 features Bobbi Mlynar and Nancy Horst, Emporia Gazette reporters during the “notorious Bird murder case,” stated the news release. They will talk about separating history from Hollywood fiction. The free program will be held at the Lyon County Historical Society, 225 E. Sixth Ave. The public is encouraged to attend.
Art exhibit
The Emporia Arts Council presents Casey Wilson Photography through March 27 at the Emporia Arts Center, 618 Mechanic St. For more information, call 343-6473.
Choir performer
Maya Ballester, a fifth-grade student at Turning Point Learning Center in Emporia is a member of the Lawerence children’a choir. The choir took a two-day tour to Oklahoma City where they performed Wednesday at the American Choral Directors Association’s 50th annual conference. On Tuesday, the choir visited the Oklahoma City Memorial and performed beneath the Survivor Tree. Their visit is featured on the front page of the Oklahoma City National Memorial Website: www.oklahomacitynationalmemorial.org. Officials at the Memorial videotaped the performance.
In June 2009, the choir willl tour and perform in Lithuania and Latvia.
They are in the planning stages for a tour of Kansas in summer of 2010 and are particularly seeking to perform in historic venues like the Granada Theatre in Emporia.
To learn more about the choir, see www.lawrencechildrenschoir.org. Auditions for the Tour Choir will be in May . Scholarships are available to help defray the cost of tuition and other expenses.
Book talk
Jim Sharp of Manhattan will speak at 7 p.m. Monday in Council Grove at the Research Center of the Historical Society, the former Carnegie Library, at the corner of Main and Mission streets. Sharp has written two books, “Diary of a Combat Infantryman,” about his World War II experiences, and “Black Settlers on the Kaw Indian Reservation,” which he will sign. The public is invited to this free program; refreshments will be served.
Anime convention
The Naka-Kon Anime Convention at Hyatt Regency Crown Center in Kansas City, Mo., opens at 4 p.m. March 13 and runs through 6 p.m. March 15. Badges for the event cost $45 for the full weekend. Events include panels, game shows, contests,a vendor room and video game room. For more information, log on to www.naka-kon.com.
Club scene
F The Co-Dependents will play at 7 p.m. March 14 at Heidi Inn at Lebo; 9 to 11 p.m. March 21 at The Noose; and 9 p.m. April 18 at Cap’n Drinkwater’s in Strong City.
F The Benders will play music from the 1950s and ’60s at 9:30 p.m. tonight at Desperado’s.
Missoula troupe
Missoula Children’s Theatre returns this year with their week-long residency and performance of “The Princess and the Pea.” Each year, 50 to 60 young people in grades kindergarten to 12 participate in a production by the MCT. Auditions will be held, beginning promptly at 4:30 p.m. March 30 at Emporia High School. Those interested in auditioning are encouraged to arrive early for registration. The week will end with performances at 7 p.m. April 3 and 2 p.m. April. According to the Emporia Arts Council bulletin, “Those attending will enjoy the twists and turns of this Kingdom of Show where residents are Winter Wind Workers, Blizzard Bringers, Icicle Sharpeners and Snow Smoothers. This is one fiasco you won’t want to miss!” For more information, call the EAC at 343-6473.