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Art, theater events planned for summer

From left, Logan Olszewski, B.J. Hyatt and Skylar Ruth appeared in the Butler Summer Dramatics' 2011 presentation of “Annie.” The Summer Dramatics Project 2012 will be the musical “Guys and Dolls” at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 2, 3 and 4 and at 2 p.m. Aug. 5 at the Succop Theater at Butler County Community College.

Here are some of the scheduled musical, theatrical and art events this summer in the Butler County region.

Music

The Butler County Symphony Association has announced its summer Concerts to Munch By series for Wednesdays from June 6 through Aug. 22, except for no concert on July 4.

Each week, a musician or group of musicians will perform free, half-hour concerts from 12:15 until 12:45 p.m. at the symphony office, 259 S. Main St.

The public is encouraged to take a lunch or buy one on site courtesy of Café Main. Cookies and cold drinks are free.

The schedule of concerts is:

• Sharp Edge Barbershop Quartet, June 6

• Tom Wotus and Mary Andreassi, piano and vocals, June 13

• Andrew Percy, fiddle, June 20

• Jim Cunningham and Friends, June 27

• Butler Symphony Percussion All-Stars, July 11

• Butler Faculty Jazz Trio, July 18

• Tom Panei, July 25

• Black Orchid String Trio, Aug. 1

• Lyric Strings, Aug. 8

• Washboard Tony and Friends, Aug. 15

• Mahoney Band, Aug. 22.

For information, call the symphony office at 724-283-1402, or visit www.butlersymphony.org.

———

The Musicians' Concert Band will perform five Thursday concerts this summer.

Concert dates are June 14 and 28, July 12 and 26 and Aug. 2, all beginning at 7:30 p.m. at Butler Intermediate High School. The Aug. 2 concert will include the MCB Swing Band.

Jeff Kroner is the conductor and music director.

Admission is $5. For information, visit the website www.musiciansconcertband.com.

———

A Free Family Summer Concert Series hosted by the Butler County Parks and Recreation Department will start at 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays in the Carousel Shelter at Alameda Park, off New Castle Road.

The concerts will feature:

• Moon Drag, rock 'n' roll, June 19

• Greater Cranberry Barbershop Chorus, June 26

• Shakin Bacon Cloggers, July 3

• Tom Panei Acoustics, July 10

• Divine Ridge, contemporary Christian music, July 17

• Back to the Good Stuff, classic rock, July 24

• Kelly McIntyre, family friendly music and live theater presentation, July 31

• Butler Tabernacle Singers, Aug. 7

• Mass Transit, oldies and rock 'n' roll, Aug. 14.

For information, call 724-284-5383.

———

The Harmony Summer Concert Series, presented by the Harmony Business Association, takes place from 7:30 to 9 p.m. on certain Thursdays in front of the Harmony Inn. Those attending should take their own seating.

The schedule is:

• Eugene and the Nightcrawlers, June 28

• Blues Orphans, July 19

• The Agway Shoplifters (formerly 706 Union), Aug. 2

• The Rendition Band, Aug. 16.

———

Chicora Medical Center's third annual “Rockin' the Rose” Concert Series will kick off May 31 with Chicora's own rock band, Straight Shooters.

The music starts at 7 p.m. outdoors at the facility at 160 Medical Center Drive, Chicora.

Take chairs or blankets, and the lawn seating is on a first come, first served basis. Refreshments will be available at the tent provided by Chicora Medical Center's neighborhoods.

The last Thursday of the month concert series will continue with The Beagle Brothers performing their bluegrass and folk music June 28, country band Backwoods Playboys of Pittsburgh taking the stage July 26, and Darren Miller and Craig Davison of Attagurl Rex playing everything from oldies to rock with their new band, Boofer, Aug. 30.

For information, call 724-445-2000 or visit www.ChicoraMedicalCenter.com.

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Watermelon Wednesdays will feature four concerts going on from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesdays from July 11 to Aug. 1 in Slippery Rock Park.

The address is 329 N. Main St., Slippery Rock, but the concerts are at the other end of the park, near the basketball court and pavilion.

Performing will be:

• Caboose, July 11

• Midnight Express, July 18

• Waldo, July 25

• Muddy Creek, Aug. 1.

Concert admission and watermelon are free.

For more information, call 724-794-8180.

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The Thursdays in the Park Concert Series in Cranberry Township will feature Tres Lads on July 12 and Joe Grushecky and the House Rockers on July 14, both beginning at 8 p.m. during Community Days.

Other performers in the series will be:

• Street Level, July 19

• Pittsburgh Philharmonic, July 26

• Donna Bailey & Kenny Blake Quartet, Aug. 2

• Jill West and the Blues Attack, Aug. 9

• Softwinds, Aug. 16.

These concerts begin at 7 p.m. in the Cranberry Rotary Amphitheater in the Community Park, Route 19 behind the fire station. Those attending should take their own seating.

A Friday Lunchtime Concert Series is planned for the Cranberry Municipal Center's front lawn gazebo. The schedule is to be announced.

———

Hartwood Acres Amphitheater will be the site of a 2012 Concert Series including the following:

• Joan Osborne, pop, rock and blues, 7:30 p.m. June 3

• Pittsburgh CLO presents “Another Gleeful Evening” featuring Gene Kelly award winners and CLO Mini Stars, 7:30 p.m. June 10

• Jimmy Beaumont and the Skyliners, oldies, 7:30 p.m. June 17

• Meshell N'Degeocello, funk, jazz and folk music, 7:30 p.m. June 24

• Pittsburgh Symphony, 8:15 p.m. July 8

• James Vincent McMorrow, singer-songwriter, 7:30 p.m. July 15

• Pittsburgh Blues Festival, July 20 to 22

• Toad the Wet Sprocket, alternative and '90s rock, 7:30 p.m. July 29

• BNY Mellon Jazz presents Spyro Gyra, 7:30 p.m. Aug. 5

• Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, soul, 7:30 p.m. Aug. 12

• Pittsburgh Ballet, 7:30 p.m. Aug. 16

• Hometown Music Festival featuring New Shouts, Joy Ike and others, 5 p.m. Aug. 19

• Allegheny County Music Festival, 5 p.m. Aug. 26.

Performances are outdoors in the Middle Road amphitheater at the park in Hampton Township, Allegheny County.

Most shows are free, though the festivals usually have a fee.

All performances are subject to change.

For more information, call 412-767-9200.

Musical Theatre Guild's summer production will be “Forever Plaid” with show dates of July 13, 14, 20, 21 and 22 at the MTG Production Center in Butler Memorial Park.Call 724-287-8243 for more information.———Freeport Theatre Festival will celebrate its 23rd summer season with two shows.The first production, William Shakespeare's “A Midsummer Night's Dream” will be staged at 8 p.m. July 6, 7, 8, 13, 14, 15, 20, 21 and 22.The season's second production will be Neil Simon's “The Odd Couple, The Female Version” with shows at 8 p.m. Aug. 10, 11, 12, 17, 18, 19, 24, 25 and 26.The theater is at the Steele Farm on White Cloud Road, two miles south of Freeport off Route 356 in Allegheny Township, Westmoreland County.Tickets are $12 for general admission and $10 for senior citizens and students.Call 724-295-1934 or visit www.freeporttheatrefestival.org.———The Summer Dramatics Project 2012 will be the musical “Guys and Dolls” at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 2, 3 and 4 and at 2 p.m. Aug. 5 at the Succop Theater at Butler County Community College.Gordon Cavalero is the director. He can be reached at 724-287-4214.Auditions for the show will be at 7 p.m. May 27 and 29 at St. Peter Roman Catholic Church, Franklin Street, for students ages 10 to 24.———Butler Little Theatre will put on its 2012 Summer Youth Production, “The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe,” dramatized by Joseph Robinette from the story by C.S. Lewis, on July 26 to 29.Auditions for youth ages 8 to 22 will be at 2:30 p.m. June 2 and 3 at the theatre.Program director will be Bob Snodgrass and student director will be Joey Hertzog.Call 724-287-6781 for more information.———ComtraTheatre on Route 19 in Cranberry Township has scheduled “Seussical The Musical” for May 25 to June 9 and “Legally Blonde The Musical” for Aug. 17 to Sept 1. More summer shows are being planned.Auditions for “Legally Blonde” will be from 2:30 to 5 p.m. May 26 and 6 to 9 p.m. May 27 at the theater. Those interested should take a prepared pop or Broadway style song to sing. There will be a dance audition as well. Performers must be at least age 15.———Sing Hosanna! will present a children's theater production of “The Reluctant Dragon” this summer.The second annual musical is just for children and teenagers. Those participating must be ages 6 through 19 as of Sept. 1.Performance dates are June 29 and 30 and July 1 at the Succop Theater at Butler County Community College.For more information, call Ralph Christy Jr., executive producer/director, at 724-285-3653.The annual comedy dinner theater show will be Aug. 18 at the South Butler Fire Hall, with two seatings at noon and 5 p.m.The event includes a full course meal, second-hand sale and comedy show.———The Red Barn Players' summer season will feature:• "The Lady Who Cried Fox,” a comedy, June 1-2, 7-9 and 13-16• “Tuesdays with Morrie,” a play, July 6-7, 12-14, and 18-21• “Over the Tavern,” a play, Aug. 10-11, 16-18 and 22-25.• “Suds,” a musical comedy, Sept. 14-15, 19-22 and 26-29.• Shows go on at the Red Barn Theatre on Route 228, Franklin Township, Beaver County.

Upcoming exhibit openings at The Art Center, 344 S. Main St.,include “Blow Your Mind” on May 25, The Photography Show on June 22, Science Fiction Art on July 6, and the juried Nature & Wildlife Exhibit on Aug. 3.Art classes are ongoing. Call 724-283-6922.———The Maridon Museum hosts a travel series at 6:30 p.m. May 24 and June 13 at the museum, 322 N. McKean St. Space is limited. Call for reservations.A self-defense class is planned for 3 p.m. June 2. All ages are welcome. The cost for the class will be a maximum of $7 per person, depending on the number of participants.Call the museum for reservations.Intro to Chinese Characters will be from 5 to 6 p.m. June 14 and 21, for children ages 8 to 13. The cost for the two-day program will be $10, which includes class materials.Reservations are necessary, and all children must be accompanied by an adult.Japanese Brush Painting is planned for July 12, 19 and 26 at the Maridon. Cost is $20 for all three classes, and materials are included. Call for reservations or more details.Asian Flower Design is set for 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. July 21. Cost is $35, which includes lunch and materials.Events are subject to change. Call 724-282-0123 for more information.The Maridon is open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays.Admission is $4 for adults, $3 for senior citizens and students, and free for children age 8 and younger. Guided tours are available with advanced notice for no extra charge.———The Saxonburg Area Artists Cooperative gallery at 215 Main St. rear in Saxonburg, is showing the third annual Invitational High School Senior Art Exhibit through June 2.Gallery hours are 1 to 9 p.m. Fridays and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturdays, with other hours by arrangement or during events. Call 412-260-5779.

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