ARTifacts 6/8/12

VeggieTales Live! coming to Branson

BRANSON, Mo. -- Big Idea Entertainment has announced that the "Veggie-Tales Live! God Made You Special" show is coming to Branson for three weeks, June 20 through July 7. Popular VeggieTales characters Bob, Larry and the rest of the cast will share timeless values and lessons that celebrate just how unique and special each person is in this high-energy musical extravaganza. The musical will be performed at the Mansion Theatre and Entertainment Center. For information about tour dates and ticket sales, visit www.veggietales.com, or www.collectaville.com.

Super Con held during Superman Celebration

METROPOLIS, Ill. -- For the sixth straight year, Kevin Stewart Promotions is staging a "Super Con" during the Superman Celebration, which continues through Sunday in Metropolis. The convention features eight vendors filling about 25 tables with Superman and superhero-related collectibles, as well as other collectibles spanning several fields of fan and collecting interests. Super Con, 718 Market St., is across from the Artist's Alley and Thor's Gym, and next to the Man of Steel exhibit area and the Lois Lane statue. The event is free and open to the public. Super Con hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. today and Saturday, and 9 a.m. to about 3 p.m. Sunday, or after the end of the popular Superman Celebration Costume Contest. For more information, call Kevin Stewart at 270-444-6197 or email eyemangene@vci.net.

Cape Jr. High athletic facilities to be fixed up

The Mission Continues and Fox Sports Midwest will unite veterans and civilians in service for the second project in their Summer Service Slam partnership. Organizers are looking for 150 volunteers to work side by side Saturday with veteran leaders to refurbish the junior high athletic facilities and Lou Muegge Field in Cape Girardeau. The work will be done from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Registration will take place from 8 to 8:30 a.m. Volunteers will be asked to help mulch and replant landscaping beds; repaint mascots and stripes on scoreboards, the restrooms, the pressbox and storage buildings; repair and repaint the rules boards, kickball and softball backstops and dugouts, and paint and install foul poles and new treated bleacher seat boards. Mission Continues Fellowship Program alumnus Robert Wake, an Army veteran, will lead the project.

Workshop will teach musical theater

A musical theater workshop -- Show Stoppers -- will be held Monday through June 22 at the Academy of Dance Arts, 2136 William St. in Cape Girardeau. Cost of the two-week workshop is $130. Ages 5 and older are eligible to participate. Instructors will be Mike Dumey in music and theater and Kara Finley Skelton in dance. A performance showcasing the talents of the participants will be held at the conclusion of the workshop. For more information, call 651-4477 or 334-7602.

‘A Night in New Orleans' to play at The Venue

Bryan Lee and the Blues Power Band will be featured at "A Night in New Orleans" at The Venue, 80 S. Plaza Way, in Cape Girardeau on Sunday. Doors will open at 7 p.m., and the show will begin at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 in advance and $13 at the door. They are available at the Yellow Moon Cafe in Cobden, Ill., PMac Music in Cape Girardeau and Carbondale, Ill., Stooges in Jackson, and Shivelbine's Music Store, Primo Vino, Fumatore di Sigaro and The Venue in Cape Girardeau. Underberg House Concerts also has tickets at house-concerts@hotmail.com, or 270-1009.

Car wash benefits Special Olympics

SIKESTON, Mo. -- The Sikeston Department of Public Safety will hold a car wash Saturday at Carnell's Collision Repair, North Main and Tanner streets, from 9 a.m. to noon to benefit Special Olympics. Sponsors of the event are Carnell's Collision Repair, Lowes, Auto Zone, Slusher Farm and Home Center, Satterfield Wrecker Service and O'Reilly Auto Parts. All proceeds will go to the Missouri Special Olympics. Volunteers are needed to help wash and dry vehicles, as well as to help sell Special Olympics shirts.

Convention celebrates everything PEZ

ST. LOUIS -- PEZ collectors from all over the world will be in St. Louis Thursday through June 16 for the 20th annual National PEZ Convention. They'll come to buy, sell and trade anything PEZ related. The convention will be at the Marriott West Hotel. A show open to the public will be held from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. June 16. Admission is $5. For more information, call Marian Devlin at 314-293-0179 or 314-306-4582, or go to www.pezconvention.com.

-- From staff reports