Artifacts 4/13/07

Student-directed play starts today

Jackson High School's student-directed play, "American Idle: Murdering the Music," by Randall David Cook, will show at 7 p.m. today and Saturday in the Jackson High School auditorium. For more information, call Jackson High School at 243-9513.

KRCU to air 'Shakespeare in American Life'

Southeast Public Radio, 90.9 FM KRCU, will air a series of stories starting Sunday called "Shakespeare in American Life," narrated by actor Sam Waterston. The program will air at 9 a.m. and continue at the same time April 22 and 29. The three-part series explores Williams Shakespeare's influence on American performance, education and pop culture. For more information visit www.southeastpublicradio.org or call 651-5070.

Choir presents spring concert Thursday

The Southeast Missouri State University Department of Music will hold its annual spring choral concert at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Old St. Vincent's Church in downtown Cape Girardeau. The concert will feature the University Choir and the Cantus Choralis chamber choir will organist Mary Van Hoet Miller on accompaniment. Selections to be performed include Stanford's "Evening Service in C"; "O Clap Your Hands" by Vaughan Williams; "Choral Dance" from the opera "Gloriana"; and a world premiere of "Mima'amakim," a cycle of three Hebrew texts by Iddo Aharony. For more information, call 651-2265.

Legal authors present forum and book signing

Morley Swingle, author of "Scoundrels to the Hoosegow," and Judge Robert H. Dierker Jr., author of "The Tyranny of Tolerance," will present a lecture about their books and the legal issues in those books at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the Program Lounge at the University Center on the campus of Southeast Missouri State University. For more information on the event, call Adam Hanna, student government president, at 986-6057.

Benefit wine festival scheduled for April 20

The Community Counseling Center Foundation will hold its sixth annual Community Benefit Wine Festival from 6 to 9 p.m. April 20 at Deerfield Lodge in Cape Girardeau. Twelve Missouri wineries will be in attendance. Wine samples, hors d'oeuvres and live music by Saxy Jazz are included. All proceeds benefit the Community Counseling Center Foundation. For more information, call Larry Essner at 334-1100, extension 219.

Wappapello theater opens this weekend

WAPPAPELLO, Mo. -- The Lake Wappapello Outdoor Theatre opens this weekend with performances by the Buzzard Run Bluegrass Band on Friday and Just Us on Saturday. Both shows start at 6:30 p.m. The theater will be open every weekend through the spring and summer. In case of rain the event is held in the Music Barn adjacent to the theater. For more information, call John Worley at (573) 222-8207.

Food vendors needed for seventh ArtsCape

Food vendors are needed for the seventh annual ArtsCape Community Arts Festival, May 19 at Capaha Park. Vendors may register for the event through May 15. For more information, call the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri at 334-9233.

Scenic Drive slated for April 21 and 22

The 17th Annual Mississippi River Valley Scenic Drive will take place April 21 and April 22 at locations throughout Southeast Missouri. The drive is a showcase for the area featuring food, festivals, folk music, dancing, crafts, living history events, camping and scenic vistas. For more information on this year's drive and a calendar of events, call the Center for Regional History at Southeast Missouri State University at 651-2555 or the Cape Girardeau Convention and Visitors Bureau at (800) 777-0068.

Sundays at Three to return April 22

The Sundays at Three concert series will return to Old St. Vincent's Church at 3 p.m. April 22 with an appearance by Musicke's Cordes, an early music ensemble specializing in 17th-century English and Italian works. Tickets are available at the door.

-- From staff reports