Artifacts 3/6/15

First Friday receptions, activities postponed

Because of recent inclement weather, the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri and other arts galleries and businesses in downtown Cape have postponed the First Friday with the Arts events to March 13 from 5 to 9 p.m. The VSA Poetry Workshop, scheduled for Saturday, has been postponed and will take place from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. March 28. A list of gallery closings and First Friday exhibit information are available at capearts.org.

ActingOut! auditions held for coming season

Acting Out!, a local stage troupe, will hold auditions for each of its productions in the coming season Saturday in the choir room of Cape Girardeau Central High School. The schedule of tryouts is "Twelfth Night" and "Night of the Living Dead" from 9 to 10:30 a.m.; "Plan Nine from Outer Space" from 10:30 a.m. to noon; tech interviews from 1 to 3 p.m.; and "Into the Woods" from 3 to 7 p.m. Anyone 9 and older may audition for "Into the Woods" and 13 and older for the other productions. Those auditioning are encouraged to bring resumes and headshots. ActingOut! also is looking for carpenters, designers, electricians and other crew members to help with the shows. For more information, email actingoutsemo@gmail.com or call 382-0630.

Dance auditions set

Victor Alexander, director of the Ruth Page School of Dance in Chicago, will hold auditions for the dance school's intensive summer program Saturday at Southeast Missouri State University's River Campus. Focusing on ballet and contemporary dance, auditions are scheduled for 2 p.m. in the River Campus Center Dance Studio. The summer program runs June 22 through July 17. Tryouts are open to anyone age 10 and older. For more information about the summer program, visit ruthpage.org/summer-intensive. For more information about the auditions, contact Hilary Peterson, assistant professor of dance in the Department of Theatre and Dance, at hpeterson@semo.edu or 986-7492.

Photo contest captures best of farm, rural life

The Missouri Department of Agriculture has launched the sixth annual Focus on Missouri Agriculture photo contest. The contest, open to amateur photographers across the state, runs through June 16. Contestants are asked to submit their best images of agriculture, up to three photos in each of the following categories: Beauty of the Farm, Faces of the Farm, The Farmer's Life and Pride of the Farm. A special category for children age 12 and younger is the Children's Barnyard. Prizes will be awarded through the department's AgriMissouri program. Winners will be announced at the 46th Missouri Governor's Conference on Agriculture, with the photos being displayed at the trade show. Winning photographs also will be displayed during the State Fair on Aug. 13 through 23. Entries must be submitted by June 15 using an online form at agriculture.mo.gov/focus. Rules for the contest are on the same page.

Feature film puts out call for actors

Bring Chase Productions is calling for supporting actors to participate in a feature film in the Cape Girardeau and Jackson area from March 22 through April 2. The film, "Sphere of Influence," centers around a young girl who believes she's seen a vampire on a decades-old VHS tape she discovers in the woods. The supporting cast will include males and females from teens and older. Those interested in participating should send a headshot or a quality photo, along with name, age and height to Melissa Jennings at mjennings2s@gmail.com. Jennings is managing director of Acting Out!, a local acting group.

'Seussical' to highlight Summer Arts Fest

The musical "Seussical," based on Dr. Seuss books, will highlight Southeast Missouri State University's second annual community River Campus Summer Arts Festival on June 20. The festival will offer live music, dance, magic, theatrical performances, art displays, museum exhibitions, hands-on family-friendly art activities and an art walk. New to this year's festival will be Plein-air painting at the Crisp Museum. The free festival will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Concluding the festival will be a performance of "Seussical" at 7:30 p.m. in the Rust Flexible Theatre. Additional performances will be at 7:30 p.m. June 18, 19, 25, 26 and 27, with 2 p.m. matinees June 21, 27 and 28 and a special 10 a.m. performance June 26. Tickets for the musical will go on sale this month. For more information about the festival, visit news.semo.edu/river-campus-summer-arts-festival-planned-for-june-20/.

Alumni invited to choral reunion, concert

The second Southeast Alumni Choral Reunion and Concert will be March 28 at the Southeast Missouri State University's River Campus, with all singers who have participated in any choral group at the university invited. The event will include a full day of rehearsal, led by former and current choral directors, and culminate with a performance at 7:30 p.m. in the Bedell Performance Hall. A reception will follow. A $16 registration fee is required, and each singer must obtain sheet music that will be performed. Registration and links to the music are available at semoalumnichoirs.webs.com, by following the SEMO Choirs Alumni on Facebook, or by emailing Carolinn Sullivan-Devos at semochoirsalumni@gmail.com. Tickets to the concert may be purchased from the River Campus box office by calling 651-2265 or online at RiverCampusEvents.com.

-- From staff reports