Artifacts 12/3/4

Sculpture exhibit featured at Juden gallery

The work of Southeast Missouri State University art professor Dr. Edwin L. Smith will be featured in the exhibit "35 Years of Sculpture" from 5 to 9 p.m. today and from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Juden Schoolhouse Gallery, 900 W. Cape Rock Drive. The exhibit will feature 75 of Smith's sculptures, which are made from either wood or fabricated metal.

Faculty artwork on display at regional museum

Artwork from the faculty of Southeast Missouri State University's department of art will be exhibited at the Southeast Missouri Regional Museum in Memorial Hall from today until Jan. 23. An opening reception will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. today at the museum. The museum is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays and from noon to 4 p.m. on weekends.

Classic holiday play offered at Market House

PADUCAH, Ky. -- Jean Shepherd's "A Christmas Story" will be performed at the Market House Theatre at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays until Dec. 18. Sunday performances are at 2:30 p.m. Adapted from the well-known film, the play "A Christmas Story" follows 9-year-old Ralphie Parker during the holidays in the 1940s Midwest. For more information, call the box office at (270) 444-6828 or visit the theater's Web site at www.mhtplay. com.

A musical 'Christmas Carol' on stage at Shryock

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- A musical version of Charles Dickens' classic "A Christmas Carol" comes to Shryock Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. today. This take on the timeless tale was adapted to the stage by Buffy Sedlacheck from the Playwrights Center in Minneapolis and the original music was composed by Kevin Rotty. For more information, contact the auditorium at (618) 453-2787 or visit its Web site at www.siuc.edu/shryock.

Artisans to hold holiday gift sale in Pocahontas

The Bonney Bank Artisan's Guild will hold its third annual holiday gift sale from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday at the Bonney Bank art gallery in Pocahontas, Mo. Pottery, jewelery, baskets, fiber arts, glass mosaics and soaps, all made by guild members, will be available at the sale. For more information, call (573) 833-6147.

Cairo author to hold book signing at Gospeland

Cairo, Ill., resident and author Sandy Potts will have a book signing from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Gospeland Christian Book Store, 245 S. Broadview, where she will sign her children's book "The First Chirstmas Kitten." Proceeds from the sale of the book will go toward Project Kitty City, a program Potts implemented in Cairo that controls feral cat populations through neuteuring.

Take a 'Country Christmas Walk' in Ste. Genevieve

STE. GENEVIEVE, Mo. -- The 20th annual Country Christmas Walk will take place Saturday and Sunday. Festivities start off at 11 a.m. Saturday with a parade in the downtown area and will continue until Sunday evening. Some of the Ste. Genevieve historic log houses will be open for tours from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days, and holiday decorations will be shown at the Linden House and the new gift shop in the 1820 Bolduc-LeMeilleur House. A Christmas tree lighting ceremony will take place at 6 p.m. Saturday in front of the Interpretive Center at Main and Market streets and will feature carols by the children's singing group, Les Petite Chanteurs. The Ste. Genevieve Wind Ensemble will perform a Christmas concert at 4 p.m. Sunday at the Ste. Genevieve Catholic Church. For more information, call the tourist information center at (573) 883-7097.

Shop for arts and crafts from the Cat Ranch

MARBLE HILL, Mo. -- The Cat Ranch Art Guild is sponsoring an arts and crafts show from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday at the H&R Building. Items for sale at the show will include jewelry, pottery, scarves, stained glass, decorated gourds, folk art and oil paintings.

Guitar ensemble concert planned Monday

The department of music at Southeast Missouri State University will present the Southeast Guitar Ensemble in concert at 8 p.m. Monday in the Lutheran Chapel, at the corner of Pacific Street and College Hill. The trio will perform two excerpts from Manuel de Falla's opera, "Three-Cornered Hat," and a modern milonga and tango by Argentine composer Maximo Pujol. Other music students will join the trio for chamber works featuring the guitar, including Mario Castelnouovo-Tedesco's "Fantasia" for guitar and piano and English Renaissance duos for voice and guitars. A student string quartet will perform one of Luigi Boccherini's "Quintets for Strings and Guitar." For more information, contact the department of music at 651-2141.

Open auditions to be held Sunday for spring productions

Southeast Missouri State University's department of theatre and dance and the department of music will have open auditions at 6 p.m. Sunday in Rose Theatre for its spring productions, "Picasso at the Lapin Agile" and "Guys & Dolls." Community members are encouraged to audition. There are parts available for seven men and four women in "Picasso at the Lapin Agile," which runs Feb. 18 to 19 and Feb. 24 to 27 and up to 25 men and 15 women for "Guys and Dolls," which runs April 5 to 10. Those auditioning are asked to prepare a 60-second comedic or romantic monologue and 16 to 32 bars of up-tempo or ballad music. No prepared music is needed for those auditioning for "Picasso." Callbacks for "Picasso" will be Monday and callbacks for "Guys & Dolls" will be on Tuesday. Both callbacks are at 6 p.m.

Kevin Danzig CD release party set for Tuesday

Folk singer-songwriter and frequent Cape Girardeau visitor Kevin Danzig will kick off the release of his newest album, "Kevin Danzig," at a reception and concert starting at 8 p.m. Tuesday at Buckner Brewing Company, 132 N. Main St. Danzig's album was recorded at IBS 2 Studios in Cape Girardeau and features local musicians Ken Keller (who runs the studio), Jerimy Obergoenner and Jill Watkins. The album is available for sale at www.kevindanzig.com and will be released in selected stores nationwide starting Jan. 15.

Two-year anniversary for Underberg House Concerts

On Dec. 11, Underberg House Concerts, run by Gene and Larry Underberg, will celebrate its two-year anniversary with a performance by Nashville-based duo Bailey Jester, who last performed at the first Tunes at Twilight show in May. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Reservations are required and can be made by calling Jean or Larry Underberg at 334-7692.

-- From staff reports