Marquee Awards to be presented

Marquee Awards
to be presented

YOUNGSTOWN — The fourth annual Marquee Awards for Youngstown area community theater will be presented Saturday at the Saxon Club, Meridian Road. The awards serve as a cap to the 2006-07 local theater season.

J.E. Ballantyne Jr. is awards chairman. There are 40 categories that involve all aspects of theater from acting to technical. Ballantyne said that the level of quality at all theater venues has risen and sets the stage for exciting competition among individuals and theaters.

The event will begin with a social time at 6 p.m. followed by a buffet dinner at 7. Awards will be presented at 8 in a ceremony hosted by WFMJ Channel 21 anchors Laurie Lehosky and Scott Schneider.

Some tickets are available to the general public. Call (330) 518-6632.

Children’s choir
to release first CD

BOARDMAN — The ROCcK Children’s Choir has finished its first CD and will hold a release event at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at Maag Theater at Boardman Township Park. ROCcK stands for Raising Our Commitment to Cancer Kids. Participants, who range in age from 4 to 17 years old, are cancer survivors, siblings and those touched by cancer.

The CD will sell for $14.99; there are 15 tracks including one from Kelly Stevens, a local radio personality.

Denise DeBartolo-York, local philanthropist and businesswoman, financed the project. She will receive a thank-you award at the event. The choir will perform and be available for interviews and autographs.

Arts organizations
may apply for help

The Ohio Arts Council provides matching money to support more than 1,000 arts organizations, arts programs and artists in the state. Previous grantees and new applicants should notify the council if they plan to apply for support.

Sept. 1 is the deadline for the OAC’s Individual Creativity Program Individual Excellence Awards and the Arts Access Program. The excellence awards are peer recognition of creative artists for the exceptional merit of a body of work that advances or exemplifies the discipline and the larger artistic community. These awards support artists’ growth and development.

The access program invests in small and emerging arts organizations to strengthen the presence of the arts in Ohio communities. The program provides funds for organizations that have never before applied for OAC funding, startup organizations, community-driven one-time projects and organizations with budgets under $25,000. Activities must be between Jan. 1 through June 30 of this year.

For more information or application guidelines, call the Ohio Arts Council at (614) 466-2613 or visit www.oac.state.oh.us.

Susan Saxbe of Columbus is the new chairwoman of OAC, named by Gov. Ted Strickland.

Judah E. concert
at Metro Assembly

YOUNGSTOWN — Judah E., a Christian rap artist, will present a concert Saturday at Metro Assembly of God, 2530 South Ave. He recently released “Heart of a Servant.” Doors open at 6 p.m. Tickets are $3. There also will be a live band, singers, dancers and actors. Special guests are Jahcal and Vessels of Honor.

Jazz artist James Lloyd
singing at MetroPlex

LIBERTY — James Lloyd of Pieces of a Dream will present his first solo concert, “The Sounds of Jazz,” at 7 p.m. Aug. 19 at the Holiday Inn MetroPlex. Lloyd, an original member of the Philadelphia-based group, has been performing for some 30 years.

Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. Call Jerome Franklin at (330) 774-5186.

Cheerleaders compete

WEST MIFFLIN, Pa. — The 28th annual Cheerleading Day at Kennywood Park is planned for 11 a.m. Monday. More than 30 cheerleading squads, about 250 participants, will be involved. Trophies will be awarded.

DevilDriver joins
Ozzfest tour

DevilDriver has been added in midtour to fill in for Mondo Generator, who left the tour earlier this month. The band takes over the third co-headlining slot on the Second Stage, alongside Hatebreed and Behemoth.

Among dates in the region are Aug. 24 at the Post-Gazette Pavilion in Pittsburgh.

What she said

“It’s so funny. If you say you’re fat, all of a sudden people like you!” — Valerie Bertinelli, actress and Jenny Craig spokeswoman.