venangago-go: January 23, 2008

This year’s mini-Events at DeBence Antique Music World (1261 Liberty St, Franklin PA 16323) start on Sunday. Program starts at 1:30 pm, free and open to the public.

It seems like the new era of transparency has extended to the Franklin Barrow Civic Theatre as well! For the first time in my memory, they are seeking outside applications for the FCOA Board of Directors. Interested individuals should write a letter of interest in serving on the Board of Directors and submit it to Ted Smith, By-Laws an Nominations Chari, Barrow Civic theatre, POB 1089, Franklin PA 16323 or email barrowcivic@gmail.com by February 11th. Good luck!

The Allegheny College Playshop Theatre continues its 2008–2009 season with a production of the absurdist play Largo Desolato by Václav Havel.

Performances will be given at 8 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 30 and Saturday, Jan. 31 in the new Vukovich Center for Communication Arts on the Allegheny campus. Tickets for “Largo Desolato” are $7.50 for adults; $5 for non-Allegheny students, senior citizens and Allegheny employees. Admission is free for Allegheny students with identification, but they are asked to make reservations. For more information or to order tickets, contact the Playshop Theatre Box Office at (814) 332-3414

"Billy Elliot the Musical" will be holding open auditions in Pittsburgh on Saturday to find boys ages 9 through 12 to play the roles of "Billy" and "Michael" on Broadway.

Auditions will be at Reign Dance Productions, 7123 Saltsburg Road. Registration will begin at 10:30 a.m.

The show, with music by Elton John, is set against a British miners' strike and follows Billy's quest to become a dancer. The part of Billy requires a range of talents -- ballet, tap, street dance, singing, acting and dialect -- and plenty of stamina.

Audition requirements:

• Must be able to dance, sing and "act brilliantly!"

• Ages 9 through 12, and no taller than 4 feet, 10 inches.

• No broken voices.

• Bring: a recent photo, sneakers (and tap and ballet shoes if possible), plenty to drink, lots of energy and comfortable clothes (no leotards or tights).

No audition pieces needed. All ethnicities encouraged to attend. Boys should be prepared to stay all day, if needed. More information: www.bebilly.com.

The Allegheny College Art Galleries will present “Materialisms” and “Sometimes a Fantasy”—two exhibitions featuring diverse works by 13 regional artists—from Jan. 20 through March 4.

In conjunction with the opening reception, two of the artists will present slide lectures about the process, materials and content of the works they created for the shows. The lectures will begin at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 20 in the Art Galleries, with the reception continuing until 9 p.m.

These exhibitions and lectures are supported in part by Pennsylvania Partners in the Arts (PPA), the regional arts funding partnership of the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. This funding is provided through an annual appropriation by the Pennsylvania General Assembly and by the National Endowment for the Arts. The Arts Council of Erie administers PPA in northwestern Pennsylvania.

All events are free and open to the public. Gallery hours are: Tuesday through Friday, 12:30-5 p.m.; Saturday, 1:30-5 p.m.; and Sunday, 2-4 p.m. The Art Galleries are wheelchair accessible. Please call ahead to verify; programs are subject to change.

The Art Galleries are located in Doane Hall of Art, which is part of the Campus Center complex at Allegheny College, just east of North Main Street between College and John Streets in Meadville. For more information, call (814) 332-4365.

Lawrenceville’s TugBoat Printshop pulled into Washington, D.C. this week to take part in the inaugural festivities.

Who was Reno, PA named for?

Felicia Day (from Dr Horrible: amongst others) has compiled a list of authors who Tweet.

Keystone Edge takes a look at Pennsylvania Distillers including the people who make the best gin I’ve ever tasted, Bluecoat. Now is someone willing to look at my Venango based grappa distillery business plan?

Conor McPherson’s The Seafarer is coming to Pittsburgh

Science Fiction Writers' Cruddiest (And Craziest) Day Jobs

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So Indie It Hurts: Roir Rocks Volume One