Artifacts 12/5

Christmas Gift Tree offers original art

Members of the Visual Arts Cooperative at the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri have contributed to a Christmas Gift Tree that will offer works of original art for sale during December. The tree will offer small paintings, drawings, carvings and clay works at prices from $5 to $30. Half the proceeds will go to the arts council. The arts council is located at 32 N. Main St. in Cape Girardeau.

Juden Schoolhouse show tonight, Saturday

Art by Southeast Missouri State University students Alexander Paulus and Jay Berhle will be exhibited today and Saturday at the Juden Schoolhouse Gallery, 900 W. Cape Rock Drive in Cape Girardeau. The gallery will be open from 5 to 9 tonight and from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday.

Musicals planned by high schools

Notre Dame Regional High School has chosen the George Gershwin musical "Crazy for You" for its spring production. Central High School will stage "South Pacific," the World War II-era musical by Rogers and Hammerstein.

SCC to present madrigal this weekend

ULLIN, Ill. -- The Shawnee Community College Chamber Singers will present the madrigal "Tomorrow is Another Day" tonight, Saturday and Sunday at the college's main campus. The madrigal will provide an evening of 17th century-style feasting and merriment. Performances are at 6:30 p.m. today and Saturday and at 2 p.m. Sunday. For information, phone (800) 481-2242, ext. 3323. Tickets will not be available at the door.

Christmas tour Saturday in Anna-Jonesboro

ANNA, Ill. -- A Christmas tour of homes will be presented Saturday by the Anna-Jonesboro Women's Club. Vina Pedigo-Young, an 18-year-old fiddler, will perform at the home of Dr. Jeff and Kathleen Plesko from 4 to 9 p.m. Other homes on the tour include Shane and Jenifer Osman (4 to 8 p.m.), Mike and Judy Stegle (4 to 9 p.m.), and Tammy and Jon Vicenzi (4 to 8 p.m.) Salem Lutheran Church, also on the tour, will be open from 4 to 9 p.m. Phone (618) 833-8025 for information.

Art show, Christmas walk Saturday and Sunday

STE. GENEVIEVE, Mo. -- The Ste. Genevieve Art Guild's 2003 Christmas Art Show and Sale will be held Saturday and Sunday at the County Services Building, 255 Market St. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. An opening reception will be held from 6:30 to 8 p.m. today. The city's annual Country Christmas Walk, which begins with a parade at 11 a.m. Saturday, tours of some of the city's historic 200-year-old houses. Phone (573) 883-7097 for more information.

'A Christmas Story' to be presented Sunday

"A Christmas Story," a show celebrating the holiday season with music and dance, will be presented Sunday by the Southeast Missouri Hospital Foundation. Directed by Mike Dumey, the show will feature pianist Shane Steck and dancers with the Academy of DanceArts. The Grace Notes Handbell Choir from Grace United Methodist Church will provide pre-concert entertainment. The one-hour program will begin at 2 p.m. at Cape Bible Chapel, 2911 Kage Road. For information, phone 334-9254.

Children's Arts Festival concert, exhibit Dec. 14

The Southeast Chambers Players will perform at 3 p.m. Dec. 14 in the final event of the fourth annual Cape Girardeau Children's Arts Festival. Soloists will be French horn player James Wehrman, tenor Dr. Christopher Goeke and contralto Dr. Leslie Jones. The concert will be presented at 3 p.m. at Old St. Vincent's Church in Cape Girardeau. At the conclusion of the concert, the exhibition of artwork created by schoolchildren during the festival will open at the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri, 32 N. Main St. in Cape Girardeau. For information, phone 651-2140.

'Nutcracker' rehearsals aiming for Dec. 18-20

Local dancers are rehearsing their parts for The Minnesota Ballet's performance of the "Nutcracker" to be presented Dec. 18-20 at Academic Auditorium. Daytime performances Dec. 18-19 will be free shows for area school children. The ballet will open its public performances at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 19, followed by shows at noon and 4 p.m. Dec. 20. For information, phone 651-2265.

Southeast Guitar Ensemble to play Monday

The Southeast Guitar Ensemble will perform Monday on the campus of Southeast Missouri State University. It will present works arranged for five guitars by J.S. Bach, Maurice Ravel and Igor Stravinsky, including Bach's "Sinfonia" and Ravel's "Empress of the Pagodas." Smaller student ensembles also will perform selections from Benjamin Britten's "Folk Songs" for soprano and guitar as well as a movement for flute and guitar from Astor Piazzolla's "Histoire du Tango." Luigi Boccherini's "Fandango" for string quartet and guitar will conclude the free concert. The ensemble is directed by Jeffrey Noonan. Members are Gabriel Deutsch of Jefferson City, Mo., Akira Kanzawa of Cape Girardeau, Patrick Rafferty of Jackson and Kensuke Suzuki of Japan. The free concert will begin at 8 p.m. at the Lutheran Chapel, 903 College Hill.

Market House Theatre named Kentucky's best

PADUCAH, Ky. -- The Kentucky Theatre Association has named Paducah's Market House Theatre as the best community theater in the state. The theater entered its recent production of "Proof" in the competition held last month at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green. The theater will represent the state in the 10-state South Eastern Theater Competition in Chattanooga, Tenn., next March.

Young Artists Competition deadline upcoming

PADUCAH, Ky. -- The application deadline for the Paducah Symphony's 2004 Young Artists Competition is Jan. 20 for pianists and Dec. 29 for all other instruments.

Winners will perform with the symphony April 3 at the new Four Rivers Center in Paducah. Information is available by phoning (800) 738-3727.

-- From staff reports