Comedian John King is from Akron but he has quite a following in Youngstown. King begins a three-
Comedian John King is from Akron but he has quite a following in Youngstown. King begins a three-night run at the Funny Farm in Niles with an 8 p.m. show Thursday. Additional shows are 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. Friday and 8 p.m. Saturday. The Funny Farm is at 5580 Youngstown-Warren Road. Call (330) 759-4242 for reservations.
If you are one of those people who says, “The only thing that could get me to come to downtown Youngstown would be a fire-breathing mechanical dinosaur picking up a car and ripping it to shreds,” then get your coat on. Because the Monster Truck Nationals are returning and they are bringing Megasaurus. There will be two shows — 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday — at Chevrolet Centre. Tickets are $20 in advance through Ticketmaster ($5 for kids). k
Indie rockers Asleep, who are getting ready to release a new CD, play at Aces Wild Wings, 277 Boardman-Canfield Road (that’s in Boardman Plaza on U.S. route 224), Friday night.
Abby Abbondanza, who was the black-hat wearing singer for the late, great PovertyNeck Hillbillies, is a solo act these days. Abbondanza has a 10 p.m. show Friday at The Cellar, 162 S. Bridge St., Struthers. Call (330) 750-0199.
“Seussical, the Musical,” the ever-popular show based on the Cat in the Hat and other Dr. Seuss characters, opens Friday when New Castle Playhouse takes a crack at it. Curtain times are 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. The Playhouse is at 202 E. Long Ave., New Castle, Pa. Call (724) 654-3437.
Entering their second weekends are “Bug” at the Oakland Center for the Arts and “Smokey Joe’s Cafe” at Fairview Arts and Outreach Center. “Bug” will be performed at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at the Oakland, 220 W. Boardman St., Youngstown. Call (330) 746-0404. “Smokey Joe’s,” which is a dinner-theater production staged by Top Hat Productions, begins at 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Fairview is at 4220 Youngstown-Poland Road. Call (330) 755-6412.
Guitar heroes, prepare to do battle. Art Outreach Gallery in Eastwood Mall is holding a Guitar Hero competition, beginning at noon Saturday in the mall concourse. It’s for youths between the ages of 13 and 18, and parental consent is required. Registration forms are available at Game Stop and the gallery. Sign-in begins at 11 a.m. Saturday, and there is a limit of 64 contestants.
Fleetwood Mac, one of the few remaining supergroups of rock still standing, comes to Pittsburgh for a Mellon Arena concert at 8 p.m. Tickets range from $52 to $157 and are available through Ticketmaster.
It’s time to start thinking about outdoor concert season. Live Nation and Post-Gazette Pavilion are offering a Megaticket, that includes one ticket to three country concerts this summer at Post-Gazette Pavilion, near Pittsburgh. The Megatickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Monday at megaticket.com or by calling (877) 598-8703. The three shows are: George Strait with Blake Shelton, July 25; Rascal Flatts with Darius Rucker, Aug. 28; and Toby Keith with Trace Adkins, Sept. 11. Prices are $85 for lawn; $250 for upper pavilion; and $450 for lower pavilion. Each price level includes parking.
Saltimbanco comes to Chevrolet Centre for seven shows, beginning Wednesday. It’s the first time a Cirque du Soleil has ever been in Youngstown. Check Ticketmaster.
“Spring Awakening,” the Broadway smash that collected eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical last year, makes its first regional appearance with 16 shows, Tuesday through March 15, at the Palace Theatre in Cleveland. The show has a rock’n’roll score and spirit that has earned it comparisons to “Rent.” For ticket information, go to playhousesquare.org.k