Trumbull New Theatre offers ‘God’s Favorite’

November 1, 2009 at 12:00a.m.

NILES — Trumbull New Theatre will present the Neil Simon comedy “God’s Favorite” for three weekends, beginning Friday. Terri Gilbert directs the show, which debuted on Broadway in 1974 and is loosely based on the Biblical Book of Job. The cast includes Jim Kilgore, Tom Burd, Anna Marshall, Craig Conrad, Aaron Fall, Megan Browning, Elizabeth Conrad and Joe Marshall. Friday and Saturday curtain times are 8 p.m. and Sundays are 3 p.m. Call (30) 652-1103 for reservations and show dates. The theater is at 5883 Youngstown-Warren Road.

In Praise of the Arts to highlight works

YOUNGSTOWN — The First Unitarian Universalist Church, 1105 Elm St., will conduct In Praise of the Arts, a two-week art show. The event begins Saturday with a 7 p.m. preview party that will include live jazz, hors d’oeuvres and wine. Many of the artists will be on hand to discuss their work. The cost is $10 in advance or $12 at the door.

Al Bright of Youngstown State University will serve as juror.

Two Sunday programs will be presented at the church: “The Call to Create,” 11 a.m. Nov. 8; and music and poetry, 11 a.m. Nov. 15.

For information or tickets, call (330) 747-3067.

Duo Allant to perform at Stambaugh event

YOUNGSTOWN — Duo Allant, a duo consisting of Francois Fowler on classical guitar and Kathryn Umble on flute, will perform at the Sundays at Stambaugh luncheon program at 12:15 p.m. Nov. 8. Fowler and Umble are faculty at Dana School of Music. Their program will include music from several countries.

Tickets are $25 for event, which includes lunch and is in Christman Hall.

The deadline for reservations is Thursday. Call (330) 747-5175.

Western Reserve PBS adds signal translator

KENT — Western Reserve Public Media installed a new digital translator that enables viewers in low-lying areas of the Mahoning Valley to receive WNEO (Channel 45). The translator was installed last week on WFMJ Channel 21’s tower in a space-rental agreement.

Viewers who receive their TV signal over the air should re-scan their TV or converter box to receive the new signal. “We are happy to once again be able to provide a translator signal to viewers who are unable to pick up our WNEO signal directly,” said Bill O’Neil, station manager. “Previously, our analog Channel 58 served this purpose, but it has been off air since November 2008 because of the need to convert it to digital.”

Viewers in the translator’s service area should now be able to pick up not only the station’s primary, high-definition channel, WNEO 45.1 Western Reserve PBS, but also its three subchannels: Fusion, WNEO 45.2; BBC Worldwide, WNEO 45.3; and V-me, WNEO 45.4.

New program to focus on the region’s economy

KENT — “NEOtropolis,” Western Reserve Public Media’s new half-hour weekly program that focuses on Northeast Ohio’s economy, will premiere at 9 p.m. Friday on WNEO/45.1, and will be repeated at 5:30 p.m. Saturday. NewsNight Akron, which formerly aired Fridays at 9 p.m. on Western Reserve PBS, will move to 9:30 p.m.

“NEOtropolis” will focus on regional economic issues and provide viewers with information and resources to endure challenging economic times.

The program is hosted by Thomas Mulready, publisher of CoolCleveland.com.

“NEOtropolis will offer timely information about the region’s business and economy in a fast-paced yet in-depth format,” said Duilio Mariola, Western Reserve Public Media executive producer. “We want to be a vehicle for dialogue about regionalism for the four major cities in our broadcast area — Akron, Canton, Cleveland and Youngstown. In the first episode, for example, we will explore the biomedical technology industry and its impact on our entire region.”