Artifacts 7/28/06

River City Players take on Shakespeare

The River City Players community theater group will perform a humorous take on William Shakespeare in its next production, "The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)." The play has a cast of three actors who will attempt to perform all 36 of the Bard's plays in two hours while poking fun at the plays and the common man's knowledge of Shakespeare. Show dates are Aug. 18 through19 and Aug. 24 and 26. For more information, call 334-0954.

Sikeston Depot holds book lecture today

SIKESTON, Mo. -- The Sikeston Depot Museum will hold a program called "Born Amish: An Evening with Ruth Irene Garrett" tonight at 7. Garrett is a best-selling author and lecturer who has been featured on CNN and "20/20." Garrett, who lived in an Amish community until she was 25, will discuss her books "Born Amish" and "Ruthie Goes to Town." The museum is at 116 W. Malone Ave. in Sikeston. For more information, call (573) 481-9967.

Jackson student to solo at conference

Jackson High School student Jonathan Young has been invited by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to perform a piano solo for the Missouri School Administrators Association meeting Monday at Tan-Tar-A. He will represent the Missouri Fine Arts Academy at the performance, where he will play Mozart's Sonata in D Major, K 284. Young will be a senior at Jackson in the coming school year and plans to study piano in college.

Museum opens train photo exhibit

Starting Monday and running through Oct. 1, the Southeast Regional Museum on the campus of Southeast Missouri State University will hold an exhibit called "The Last Steam Railroad in America: Railroad Photographs of O. Winston Link." Link photographed some of the last steam engines between 1965 and 1970, and 36 of those photographs make up this exhibit. The exhibit is organized by Link's assistant, Thomas H. Garver, and produced in collaboration with the Center for Railroad Photography and Art. For more information, call 651-2301.

Missouri artists' work to be shown

During the month of August, the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri will present the work of Cape Girardeau artist James V. Parker and Joplin, Mo., artist Nicholas Kyle in its galleries at 32 N. Main St. Parker is a well-known and established local artist whose work includes collages and multimedia pieces, while Kyle's work includes paintings and works utilizing boxes. An opening reception will be held Aug. 4 from 5 to 9 p.m. For more information, call 334-9233.

Kids camp hold talent show today

The Redhawks Kids Camp at Southeast Missouri State University will perform a talent show at 10 a.m. today in the Student Recreation Center. The youth performers have been participating in a recreation-based camp at Southeast. Parents, relatives and friends are invited to attend. The cost of admission is one non-perishable canned food item.

Area man releases book on election

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Hardy Billington, the man responsible for bringing President George W. Bush to Poplar Bluff for a 2004 campaign rally, has written a book about his personal campaign for Bush in 2004. The book will be released soon by Tate Publishing and Enterprises. More information can be found at www.tatepublishing.com.

Weekend jazz concert at Kennett

KENNETT, Mo. -- The Southeast Missouri Regional Jazz Orchestra will appear in concert at 7 p.m. Saturday in Kennett. The concert will take place at the Mayes Fellowship Hall of First Christian Church and will include a program of pop, jazz and big band numbers. Admuission is free. For more information, call the Friends of Music at (573) 888-6396.

Wappapello holds UCAN festival Aug. 18 and 19

WAPPAPELLO, Mo. -- The Lake Wappapello Outdoor Theatre in Wappapello will hold a bluegrass festival to benefit the United Cancer Assistance Network on Aug. 18 and 19. Groups on the bill include the MoonPie Gang, Just Us, String Circle, Buzzard Run and others. For more information, contact Jerr Worley at (573) 222-8207, Shelley McClintock at (573) 820-4138 or Fisherman's Net restaurant at (573) 222-8083.

Ste. Gen winery shows a movie with dinner in a cave

STE. GENEVIEVE, Mo. -- Cave Vineyard in Ste. Genevieve will host a showing of "Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy" on Aug. 5 at 7:30 p.m. in its saltpeter cave. Dinner will be served. Reservations must be made by contacting Laura Oliver at (573) 543-5284 or by e-mail at loliver@cavevineyard.com.