Artifacts 8/6/04

Opening reception at the Garden Gallery

Add the Garden Gallery to your list of Cape Girardeau art openings to attend tonight. The gallery, located at 833 Broadway above Grace Cafe, will have an opening reception from 6 to 9 p.m. today to welcome a new exhibit by the gallery's Artisans Cooperative. For more information, contact the gallery at 332-7123.

Swinging sounds of the Jerry Ford Orchestra

Cape Giradeau's Jerry Ford and his 15-piece orchestra will be performing music from the big band era at 7 p.m. today at the Clara D. Newnam Auditorium in Charleston, Mo. The performance is to support the Charleston Merchants' "Fall Festival." Guest performers include vocalist Pat Blackwell, trombonist Gene Stiman and the jazz duo Sounds Unlimited. A silent auction will be held midway through the show.

The fun at Butler County Fair starts Wednesday

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- This year's Butler County Fair runs Wednesday to Aug. 14 at Wiseman Park in Poplar Bluff, Mo. The truck pull takes place Aug. 13 and the demolition derby on Aug. 14. Both events start at 7 p.m. There will also be agriculture displays, carnival rides and entertainment. For more information, call (573) 686-8064.

'Charlotte's Web' auditions open in Paducah

PADUCAH, Ky. -- The Market House Theatre in Paducah, Ky., is having open auditions at 5 p.m. Monday and Tuesday for an upcoming production of E.B. White's classic "Charlotte's Web." The auditions will be held at the Market House Theatre's Studio Theatre at 120 Market House Square in downtown Paducah. Those auditioning will be asked to read from the script and participate in some theater games. For more information, contact the Market House Theatre at (270) 444-6828.

Broadway's '42nd Street' comes to St. Louis

ST. LOUIS -- The Broadway blockbuster "42nd Street" comes to The Muny outdoor theater in St. Louis Monday to Aug. 15. For more information, call (314) 361-1900 or visit the Muny Web site at www.muny.com. To charge tickets by phone, call (314) 534-1111.

KRCU Czechs into European bluegrass band

Fragment, a bluegrass band from the Czech and Slovak Republics, will be performing at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at the University Center ballroom at Southeast Missouri State University. The performance is part of radio station KRCU's "Folk Coffee House" series. For more information, visit the station's Web site at www4.semo.edu /krcu/ and to order tickets, call 651-5070.

-- From staff reports