Artifacts 12/20

Eomer (Karl Urban), a Rohan warrior and nephew to King Theoden, rides into battle in "Lord of the Rings: The Twin Towers."

Starcatchers to present plays for New Year's Eve

Starcatchers Community Theatre in Jackson hopes to start a New Year's Eve tradition by offering two one-act comedies with dinner Dec. 31.

The plays, "Funeral Tea" and "Ashes to Ashes, Crust to Crust," will be presented at Reflections Fine Dining, 532 W. Main St., in Jackson.

Appearing in the plays will be Elaine Carlson, Carol Groves, Kathy Panagos, Elizabeth Schumaker and Ann Swanson. Carlson is a retiree from Jackson, Groves is a foster mom from Poplar Bluff, Mo., Panagos is a physician's assistant from Cape Girardeau, Schumaker is a saleswoman from Fruitland, Mo., and Swanson is a travel agent from Jackson.

They play five cockney-accented women who have some unusual experiences during a funeral tea for an uncle.

First-time director Teri Jett says the plays are two parts of a trilogy written by playwright Pat Wilson. Jett previously appeared in one of the plays while a member of the Stage Company community theater in Poplar Bluff, Mo.

The evening will begin at 8 p.m. with a salad course, followed by the half-hour presentation of "Funeral Tea." After the main course of swordfish, prime rib or pork roulland, the players will return to the stage to perform the half-hour "Ashes to Ashes, Crust to Crust." Dessert and more entertainment will follow.

Alcoholic drinks will not be served, but the audience is invited to bring wine or champagne at a $5 corkage fee per bottle.

Tickets are $25. The plays also will be presented Jan. 3-4 with a less extensive menu. Tickets for those performances are $15. Phone 243-9883 for reservations.

Swanson hopes the evening may provide the impetus for starting a First Night tradition in Jackson similar to those in other communities. First Night events are offered in some areas as an alternative to the usual New Year's Eve celebrations.

Southern Illinois musician to sing on TV show

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Herrin, Ill., musician Zola Van will be featured on the WSIU-TV 8 and WUSI-TV 16 show "Studio A Presents" Sunday.

Van will perform a collection of Christmas carols on the half-hour show, which will air at 10 p.m.

She is best known for her CD "River to River Trail: The Hike," which celebrates the trail in the Shawnee National Forest.

Cape pianist plays in Branson show

Cape Girardeau musician Bob Dolle performed last weekend in Branson, Mo., with the Dalena show.

Dalena is a pop performer who can sing in seven languages. Dolle is a longtime local piano player.

SIU Arena director to retire Dec. 31

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- SIU Arena director Gary Drake will retire Dec. 31.

Drake became director of the arena in 1971, the same year he graduated from SIU with a bachelor's degree in business.

Bluegrass festival Jan. 3-3 in Eureka

EUREKA, Mo. -- The Ray Austin Memorial Bluegrass Festival will be held Jan. 3-5 in Eureka.

Among the groups performing are David Parmley & Continental Divide, Midnight Flight, Clear Creek, Bull Harman & Bulls Eye, Meramec Jets and the Rosa String Works Band.

The event will be held at the Day's Inn near Six Flags St. Louis.

For information, visit www.bluegrassamerica.com or phone (573) 938-5565.

'Living Color' at art museum

ST. LOUIS -- "Living Color: Dye-transfer Photographs from the Collection" opens Jan. 8 at the St. Louis Art Museum.

The exhibition features color photographs produced with the dye-transfer process.

The show continues through May 11.

'Copenhagen' begins Jan. 8 at The Rep

ST. LOUIS -- "Copenhagen," a Tony Award-winning play about the wartime meeting between German physicists Werner Heisenberg and his mentor, Niels Bohr, opens Jan. 8 at The Rep. In the play the men remember, revisit and reconstruct actions that may have changed the world. The play continues through Feb. 7.

Phone (314) 968-4925 or visit www.repstl.org for information.

'Dialogue with Clay' to open Jan. 10

"A Dialogue with Clay," an exhibition of ceramic works by four women artists, will be on display at the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri from Jan. 10 through 30.

An opening reception for the artists will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Jan. 10 at the Arts Council, 119 Independence Street.

Participating in the show are Petronella "Nel" Bannier, Amy Kephart, Barbara Thompson and Veronica L. Watkins.

Bannier is a native of the Netherlands who teaches at the University of Evansville. Kephart teaches at Southeast Missouri State University. Thompson is director of the Orange County Center for Contemporary Art in Southern California. Watkins is a Nebraska artist.

Classical music, Korean dance upcoming at SIU

CARBONDALE, Ill.. -- Upcoming presentations at SIU's Shryock Auditorium include the Hungarian Orchestra Pecs and pianist Makiko Hirata on Jan. 23 and on Jan. 31 The Little Angels, a presentation of Korea's traditional dance and culture.

Phone (618) 453-ARTS for information.

-- From staff reports