Draw Tippy. On my Arm Forever.

If you're coming to Guess Whose Hair I'm Wearing tonight or tomorrow make sure that you say "hi". I'll be the short fat ugly guy wearing black, a frantic expression on his face and a glass of box wine in his hand.

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The Franklin Barrow Civic has made a fantastic move in offering a family friendly price package for all remaining shows in the current season. You can buy 2 adult tickets and 2 children's tickets for $50. About $12 per ticket. While I'd like to see a drop to $10 per ticket and maybe even a student rush program (Tickets drop to $5 for students in the last half hour before a show). This is a fabulous step in the right direction of making the arts available and accessibly to everyone in Venango County.

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Speaking of the Barrow, Dave the tech guy (no last names please) is moving to a new position at Joy Manufacturing (with the very talented Linda Henderson of the Latonia Theatre). He will be missed.

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The two most fabulous things I saw in downtown Franklin this week?

A fully-loaded for-touring Rivendell Atlantis bicycle bizarrely leaning in front of Spanky's Tobacco Emporium and a guy with a homemade prison style Tippy the Turtle Tattoo

I wonder if they were related somehow?

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Venangoland has been updated with an essay on "Schools vs the Real World".

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Aluminum Lego Key Chains? Yes. Yes. And yes.

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The Erie Times News profiles the Chaffee Gathering Music Festival.

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Pittsburgh's Irish and Classical Theatre is presenting the complete plays of John Synge. Wow.

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Chatham University has announced thier "Bridges to Other Worlds: An International Literary Festival." from Oct. 4-5 will feature Robert Hass and, one of my daughter's favorite writers, Naomi Shahib Nye.

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A new music festival in Pittsburgh is founded in memory of Alexander Berkman -- the anarchist who tried to assassinate Henry Clay Frick.

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Pittsburgh's Brillobox, recently profiled in the NYTimes, has gone to an all vegetarian menu.

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Upcoming Shows Of Interest:

Guess Whose Hair I'm Wearing? at the Barrow Civic Theatre Little Theatre 91223 Liberty St, Franklin, PA) Doors open at 6:30, show starts at 7pm. Tickets $5 at the door - free for students and seniors with ID.

An Evening of Ragtime And Klezmer - 8pm Saturday and 3 pm Sunday at Foxburg PA's Lincoln Hall. $15 at the door.


The Butler Art Center's open mic Spirit Cafe runs Friday from 8-10

Gypsy Dave and the Stumpjumpers play Meadville's Artist Cup Cafe Fridy at 9 pm. No cover.

Newmen play a free show at Meadville's at 9 pm Saturday.

The Cellar Dwellers bring improv to Seneca's Brother Bean Saturday night from 7-9 pm. No cover.

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Free and Legal Downloads

Grace Potter and the Nocturnals Live at All Good Music Festival on July 11, 2008

Animal Collective Live at Lux Frágil on May 28, 2008

Spin Doctors Live at Fiesta Days on July 12, 2008

Venangoland has been updated.

Delwende is this week's Venango Campus Independent Film Series film. It starts at 7:30 pm in Rhoades Auditorium and is free.

SRU has another reason to be proud:
Simpson, better known as ChipBurger or Chip "The Phenom" Simpson, is the No. 6 ranked competitive eater in the world [and} a Slippery Rock University physical therapy graduate student. . .

The Great Lakes Film Association offices have moved to the Roadhouse Theatre For Contemporary Art. Which is interesting enough, but the bigger news for the consumers of culture is that "in the spring of 2007 the Great Lakes Film Association, in a cooperative effort with The Roadhouse Theatre for Contemporary Art, will launch an independent film theater offering alternative cinema."

Pittsburgh Irish & Classical Theatre has announced their 2007 schedule.

"[O]ne of the best known names in circusdom in regards to flying acts" and former Pittsburgh resident Inez Hubbell Beares has died.

Speaking of dead Pittsburghers, it's been 20 years since Warhol died and,"the Andy Warhol Museum is planning a series of events later this year to mark the milestone and Warhol's influence on art and culture."

Wowio is a pretty straightforward. Free books in pdf format. There's some Sontag, some Poe, a lot of Oxford University Press -- all quality stuff. The problem is, unless you have an email that ends in .edu or .gov, you have to give them your credit card number. Which is creepy. Luckily, I have two invites to give away which will allow you to avoid using a CC #. If you're interested, email me.

The NYTimes profiles my winter fantasy.

Circa 45 is a new blog devoted to old vinyl.