Artifacts 8/15

River City Players Follies begins tonight

The River City Players second annual dinner theater follies will be presented tonight and Saturday night at Port Cape's River City Yacht Club, 19 N. Water St.

The show will feature comedians, musicians and other local talent.

Doors open at 6 p.m., with the show starting at 8 p.m. Admission is $19.95. Phone 334-0954 for reservations.

Design a chair for Jackson arts council

Area artists and craftspeople are invited to turn a chair into something creative or humorous in a fund-raising event called "Chairs for Charity."

The chairs will be exhibited in the fall and then will be auctioned in November as holiday gifts to raise money for the Jackson Area Arts Council.

For information, phone the Jackson Parks and Recreation Department at 204-8848, ext. 37. Chairs should be completed no later than Oct. 15.

Cobden Peach Festival begins today

COBDEN, Ill. -- The 66th annual Cobden Peach Festival begins at 5 p.m. today.

The festival will be held in a new location this year at the north end of Cobden Community Park.

Tonight, Fast Eddie's DJ Show and Karaoke will provide entertainment. Eleven young women will vie for the title of Peach Queen.

Activities Saturday will begin at 3 p.m. with a parade through downtown Cobden. Country Generations will play music at 6 p.m. The queen coronation will begin at 10 p.m.

Movie premiere Saturday evening in Jackson

The premiere of "Thunderblah!," a locally made movie by No Budget Pictures, will be presented Saturday at Cox Memorial Hall at New McKendree United Methodist Church in Jackson.

Doors open at 7 p.m. The premiere is free.

BYOC showcase in Jackson Sunday

Sunday's BYOC Sunday Showcase will feature vocalists Amanda Dumey, Sami Gross and Teri Jett along with storyteller Norman Popp.

BYOC stands for "bring your own chair." The talent showcase is presented monthly at 4 p.m. at the City Park Bandshell. Admission is free.

The BYOC Sunday showcase is sponsored by the Jackson Area Arts Council. For information, phone the Jackson Parts and Recreation Department at 204-8848, ext. 37.

Canned Heat coming to Cedarhurst

MOUNT VERNON, Ill. -- Canned Heat, the country-blues-rock band that had hits in the 1960s with "On the Road Again," "Let's Work Together" and "Going up the Country," will perform Aug. 23 on the grounds of Cedarhurst.

Though the band has had many personnel changes through the decades, leader and drummer Adolfo "Fito" de la Parra has been a member since 1967.

Audience members are invited to bring lawn chairs, blankets and supper. Tickets are $10.

Gates open at 5 p.m. The opening band, The Crave, will begin at the concert at 7 p.m.

Market House Theatre to begin season

PADUCAH, Ky. -- The Markethouse Theatre will begin its 2003-2004 season Aug. 28 with the musical revue "Smokey Joe's Cafe: The songs of Leiber and Stoller."

The show compiles 40 songs written by the famous 1950s pop music writing duo, including "Hound Dog," "Love Potion No. 9," "Stand by Me" and "Jailhouse Rock."

"Smokey Joe's Cafe" will be presented Aug. 28-31, Sept. 4-7 and Sept. 11-13.

The season will continue with the Pulitzer Prize-winning drama "Proof" beginning Oct. 16, the farce "Cash on Delivery" starting Jan. 22, "Murder at the Howard Johnson's" debuting April 8 and the musical "Oklahoma!" finishing the season in June.

For ticket information, phone (888) MHT-PLAY from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays.

Third Day to perform Saturday at Six Flags

ST. LOUIS -- The Christian rock band Third Day will perform at 7 p.m. Saturday in the Old Glory Amphitheatre at Six Flags St. Louis.

The band won the 2003 Grammy Award for Best Rock Gospel Album.

'Paintings of the Lewis & Clark Trail' opens Aug. 25

"Discovery: Paintings of the Lewis & Clark Trail by Kenneth A. Holder," opens Aug. 25 at the University Museum.

The 14 acrylic paintings, six watercolors and six sketchbooks are from Holder's Lewis and Clark Trail Project, which depicts the trail as it is today.

A professor emeritus at Illinois State University, Holder will attend a reception for the show to be held Sept. 19 in the museum galleries.

Choral Union to begin 'Messiah' rehearsals

The Choral Union of Southeast Missouri State University will begin rehearsals Aug. 26 for a December performance of Handel's "Messiah."

Rehearsals will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesdays in Room 205 at the Brandt Music Hall.

The Choral Union is a non-auditioned choir with members from the community, university students, faculty and staff. Among its past performances are Haydn's "Creation," "Wilberg's "Four American Folk Hymns" and "Orff's "Carmina Burana."

"Messiah" has been performed annually for more than 2 1/2 centuries. The complete work runs 2 1/2 hours. The Choral Union will perform only Part I.

The group is recruiting new members and has a particular need for more tenors and basses. For information about joining the choir, phone the director, Dr. John Egbert, at 651-2342.

Wine festival Aug. 30-31 at Alto Pass

ALTO PASS, Ill. -- The Shawnee Hills Wine Trail Festival will be held Aug. 30-31 at Alto Vineyards. Wines from all five wineries on the trail will be available for sampling from noon to 6 p.m. both days.

Food will be catered by Seafood Specialties of Anna, Ill., and Hunan Restaurant of Carbondale, Ill. Music will be provided by Shady Mix on Aug. 30 and by St. Stephen's Blues on Aug. 31.

Admission is $12, which includes a souvenir glass, wine tasting and a $4 coupon redeemable at any winery booth.

Those attending are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets.

For information, phone (618) 893-4898 or (618) 893-2557 or visit www.shawneewinetrail.com.

Nashville singer in house concert Thursday

Nashville singer/songwriter Cindy Kalmenson will perform Thursday in a house concert in Cape Girardeau.

Kalmenson was on the Los Angeles folk circuit before moving to Nashville seven years ago to record her first CD, "Let Me Out of Here." The recording is now in its third pressing.

Her second CD, "Witness," contains "Hobo Rock Star," which won the "Just Plain Folks" award for best up-tempo song in 2002. Performing Songwriters Magazine named the album the year's best independent release.

Kalmenson runs her own Nashville concert series called Girls with Guitars.

Thursday's concert is hosted by Larry and Jean Underberg. It will begin at 7 p.m. An $8 donation is suggested. For reservations and directions, phone 334-7692 or send e-mail to houseconcerts@hotmail.com.

Indian Days Pow-Wow Sept. 5 to 7

WOODSON TERRACE, Mo. -- The first annual American Indian Days Pow-Wow will be held Sept. 5-7 at Woodson Terrace City Park in the St. Louis area.

Dancers from more than 20 different tribes will perform in full regalia. There will be American Indian food and goods sold.

Admission is free. Bring lawn chairs.

Dancers will perform from 7 to 10 p.m. Sept. 5, from 1 to 5 p.m. and 7 to 10 p.m. Sept. 6 and from 1 to 10 p.m. Sept. 7.

For more information, phone (636) 978-8732.

'Sammy Cahn All The Way' Sept. 16-21

ST. LOUIS -- "Sammy Cahn All The Way," a cabaret performance by Jeff Harnar, will be presented Sept. 16-21 at the Grandel Theatre.

Harnar, winner of two Manhattan Association of Carbaret Awards for Best Male Vocalist, will perform such Cahn songs as "It's Magic," "Come Fly with Me" and "Time After Time."

Shows are at 8 p.m. Tuesday a through Saturday with a 3 p.m. Sunday matinee.

Tickets are $17-42. Phone (314) 533-8825 for information.

Yellowjackets to begin season at jazz club

ST. LOUIS -- The Grammy-winning group the Yellowjackets will begin the ninth season at Jazz at the Bistro Sept. 24-27.

Shows will be at 8:30 p.m. and 10:15 p.m. during the run. Tickets are $25 and $30 and are available by calling (314) 531-1012.

The Yellowjackets combine rhythm, fun, fusion and straight-ahead jazz. The lineup includes St. Louisan Marcus Baylor on drums, Russell Ferrante on keyboards, Bob Mintzer on saxophone and Jimmy Haslip on bass.

Also scheduled during the season are Erika Johnson Oct. 17-19, Michael Brecker Dec. 17-20, Jeff "Tain" Watts Jan. 7-10, the Cyrus Chestnut Trio March 3-6 and Jane Monheit March 31-April 3.

Jazz at the Bistro is a listening room located at 3536 Washington Ave., across from the Fox Theatre.

-- From staff reports