Orchestra to have singing competition

Orchestra to have singing competition

GREENVILLE, Pa. — The Greenville Symphony Orchestra will have a Rising Stars competition for amateur singers in the greater Mercer County area. Auditions and competition will be at Thiel College. There will be three age categories: 10-15, 16-25 and 26 and over. The prize package includes: cash or a savings bond; one hour of sound studio time; an invitation to sing with the Greenville Symphony Orchestra; four tickets to Kennywood amusement park; and an invitation to sing on the Kennywood stage in July.

Auditions will be Saturday at Thiel College with semifinals to follow March 27 and finals on April 23. The semifinals and finals will be open to the public.

For more information and applications, go to thegreenvillesymphony.org.

Valentine dinner-dance with Ron Chick big band

STRUTHERS — Ron Chick’s Friends All-Star Alumni Big Band will have its seventh annual Valentine dinner-dance show Saturday at the Elm Tree Banquet Center, 170 Walton Ave.

Doors will open at 5 p.m. with a buffet dinner at 5:30.

Vocalist Rachell Joy will sing during dinner, and the dance-concert will begin at 7 p.m.

Singles, couples and groups are welcome, and tables of eight or 10 are available.

The 22-piece big-band orchestra will play the favorite songs of the old Idora Park Ballroom.

Tickets are $35, which includes dinner; and $23 without dinner. For information and reservations, call (330) 788-0494.

‘Fuddy Meers’ to open

NEW CASTLE, Pa. — “Fuddy Meers” will open Friday at the Annex Theater of New Castle Playhouse, 212 E. Long Ave.

The show is directed by Paul Angelucci and will run for nine performances over the next three weekends. Friday and Saturday performances begin at 7:30 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m.

For reservations, call (724) 654-3437. All ticket are $12.

“Fuddy Meers” tells the story of an amnesiac, Claire, who awakens each morning as a blank slate on which her husband and teenage son must imprint the facts of her life. One morning, Claire is abducted by a limping, lisping man who claims her husband wants to kill her. The audience views the ensuing mayhem through the kaleidoscope of Claire’s world.

Choral workshop

SALEM — A choral workshop with the Salem Youth Chorus will be offered March 12-14 at Salem Community Theatre, 490 E. State St.

Over the span of the workshop, up to 15 participants, under the guidance of Music Director Jon Simsic, will conduct the Salem Youth Chorus in challenging but accessible choral repertoire that can be implemented in church, high school and civic ensembles.

An unlimited number of auditors to the workshop will also be accepted. The workshop will culminate in a public concert.

The Salem Youth Chorus was founded in 2007 by Simsic, who is also artistic director of youth music and theater for Salem Community Theatre.

The ensemble has 20 members, age 14-18.

For further information about the workshop or the chorus, call the theater at (330) 332-9688.

Broadway cabaret

NEW CASTLE, Pa. — The Hoyt Institute of Fine Arts will host a cabaret show of Broadway love songs from “Phantom of the Opera,” “Promises, Promises,” “Anything Goes,” “Showboat,” “Wonderful Town” and more at the museum at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 20. A cash bar, light hors d’oeuvres and dessert and coffee will be included.

Led by Gene DeCaprio, director of the Westminster College Celebrity Series, the evening will open with a dramatic reading from “The Prisoner of Second Avenue” by Neil Simon. Performers include Lynn Nelson Rafferty, who will accompany DeCaprio; and Neal Edman and Mary Ann Mangini.

Tickets are $25 per person or $15 for current Hoyt members. Reservations are required; call (724) 652-2882. Proceeds benefit the Hoyt’s free programs.

Covelli recognition

The Harlem Globetrotters tipped off their 2010 tour by breaking 35 box-office records through its first five weeks of touring, including the Jan. 30 show in Youngstown’s Covelli Centre.

The team is on pace to surpass the 62 box-office records set during the 2009 tour.

The Globetrotters will award venues where box-office records were broken in consecutive years with a specially made gold “Money Ball.”

The Covelli Centre will be one of the recipients.