Competition will be offered in three divisions: kindergarten through fifth grade; sixth through eighth grade and ninth through 12th grade. Trophies and Conestoga Mall gift certificates will be awarded for top three winners in each division. First place will received $100; second place $75 and third place $50.

Fee for entries received by Feb. 12 is $5; fee is $10 after Feb. 12. To register or for more information call Wendy Meyer-Jerke at 385-5444 ext. 148 or log on to www.grand-island.com.

Ready for 'Clue: The Musical'?

KEARNEY Get ready to try to figure out who killed Mr. Boddy when the Kearney Community Theatre presents "Clue: The Musical," opening on Valentine's Day.

Based on the board game, this musical asks the audience who killed Mr. Boddy, in what room and with what weapon. The audience will help figure out the solutions from clues given throughout the show, but be prepared for a lot of surprises, twists and turns on the way to discovering "who dun it."

Show dates are Feb. 14 through 16; Feb. 21 through 23 and Feb. 28 through March 2 (matinee only on Sunday, March 2), at the theater, 83 Plaza Blvd.

Dinner will be served at 6:30 p.m. Thursday through Friday; the show follows at 8 p.m. A matinee only will presented at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 2.

Tickets are $28 for both dinner and the show; show-only tickets are $13.50; call the box office at (308) 234-1529.

Voices of the Past program set for Sunday

"The Battle of Blue Water Creek," a look at events leading to the first Sioux wars near Ash Hollow in western Nebraska, will be presented by Gilbert Adrian at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 10, at Plum Street Station, Sixth and Plum.

Adrian, a member of the Hall County Historical Society, is a native of Dodge City, Kan. and a professor at Hastings College. He served in the U.S. Navy and Army in World Ward II befoe attending college and graduate school. He spent 43 years in the American military.

The Voices from the Past program is sponsored by the Hall County Historical Society; there is no admission charge.

Qwest Center to host Cirque Du Soleil, dinosaurs, concerts

OMAHA "Cirque Du Soleil: Saltimbanco" is coming to the Qwest Center in Omaha for eight performance beginning Wednesday, April 2.

From the Italian for "to jump on a bench," this acrobatic show explores the urban experience in all its aspects. "Saltimbanco" is one of the oldest touring Cirque shows.

Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 2, Thursday, April 3, and Friday, April 4; 3:30 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 5, and 1 and 5 p.m. Sunday , April 6.

Tickets range from $40 to $90 and are on sale through Ticketmaster.

Also coming to the Qwest Center in April is "Walking with Dinosaurs The Live Experience."

Following 10 sold-out weeks in five cities in Australia, "Walking with Dinosaurs," is in the middle of a two year arena tour in North America. The awe-inspiring show features 15 life-sized and life-like animatronic dinosaurs, which represent the 200-million-year dinosaur reign. The tallest, the Brachiosaurus, stands 45 feet tall. During the performance, projection screens and special effects portray the splitting of the earth's continents, the transition of deserts to lush green prairies, the forming of oceans, erupting volcanoes and a massive comet.

Show times are 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 16, Thursday, April 17, and Friday, April 18, 11 a.m. and 3 and 7 p.m. Saturday, April 19, and 11 a.m. Sunday, April 20. Tickets range from $25.50 to $69.50 and are on sale through Ticketmaster.

Two concerts are set for the Qwest Center in April and July.

Santana will be appearing at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 22. Tickets range from $36 to $76 and are now on sale.

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, with Steve Winwood, will perform at 8 p.m. Sunday, July 20. Tickets range from $53 to $97 through Ticketmaster

For more information, call (402) 422-1212 or check the Web site at www.ticketmaster.com.

Craig Ferguson plans Omaha performance

OMAHA TV's Craig Ferguson takes a break from his Emmy-nominated "Late, Late Show," to perform live at Omaha's Orpheum Theater at 8 p.m. Friday, April 18.

The Scottish actor who played the boss on "The Drew Carey Show" steps into late night with an easygoing interview style that has captured an audience large enough to set all-time viewer records in three consecutive sweeps for his time slot since taking the helm of the "Late, Late Show "in January 2005.

Tickets are $55 and $45 and go on sale Friday through Ticket Omaha, 1200 Douglas St. in Omaha; box office hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and noon to 5 p.m. Saturday. Tickets may also be purchased by phone at (866) 434-8587, or online at www.omahaperformingarts.org.

Kearney High to host 'Zombie Prom'

KEARNEY Kearney High School will present its second musical of the season when "Zombie Prom" takes the stage beginning Feb. 14.

Show times are 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 14, Friday, Feb. 15, and Saturday, Feb. 16, and 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 17, at the school, 3610 Sixth Ave.

Music for "Zombie Prom" is by Dana P. Rowe and the book and lyrics are by John Dempsey. It is based on a story by John Dempsey and Hugh Murphy.

"Zombie Prom," is an off-Broadway musical set in the atomic 1950s at Enrico Fermi High, where the law is laid down by a zany, tyrannical principal. Pretty senior Toffee has fallen for the class bad boy. Family pressure forces her to end the romance, and he charges off on his motorcycle to the nuclear waste dump. He returns glowing and determined to reclaim Toffee's heart. He still wants to graduate, but most of all he wants to take Toffee to the prom. The principal orders him to drop dead while a scandal reporter seizes on him as the freak du jour. History comes to his rescue while a tuneful selection of original songs in the style of 50s hits keeps the action rocking across the stage.

Advance tickets are $6 for adults and $3 for K-12 students and are available at the school's main office, Snickerdoodle's, Shopping Tripps and Come and Get It. Tickets at the door are $7 for adults and $4 for students (K-12). Reserve tickets may be purchased at the KHS main office for $10.

For more information, contact theater instructor Mel Shoemaker at (308) 698-8101 or mel.shoemaker@kearneypublic.org.

Musical adventures of 'Flat Stanley' coming to life at Lied Center

LINCOLN In "Flat Stanley," an entertaining musical based on Jeff Brown's books, Stanley Lambchop finds himself flat and decides to mail himself around the globe for a one-of-a-kind adventure.

Kids will enjoy seeing their familiar pen pal friend brought to life in it's first stage adaptation, "The Musical Adventures of Flat Stanley," coming to the Lied Center for Performing Arts at 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 16.

As part of the Lied Center's Family Series, tickets are $14 with student discounts available. Call the Lied tickets office at (402) 472-4747 or (800) 432-3231 or check the Web site at www.liedcenter.org.

Grammy-winning Vanguard Jazz Orchestra swings into Lied Center

LINCOLN For more than four decades, the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra has been committed to engaging audiences in jazz.

The ensemble is said to be one of the most innovative big bands in jazz history and is a creative outlet for the nation's foremost performers, composers, and arrangers.

To the delight of loyal fans and new audiences alike, this musical ensemble will be appearing the Lied Center for Performing Arts at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 15.

In 1966, cornetist/composer/arranger Thad Jones and drummer Mel Lewis founded the band in New York. Jones and Lewis, along with their colleagues, approached legendary Village Vanguard owner Max Gordon and were booked at the Vanguard for three Mondays that first month. More than 40 years later, its founders long gone, the band now known as the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra proudly displays the original sound and swinging style while nurturing creativity and experimentation.

Opening for the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, will be the UNL Honor Jazz Band one of the high points of the UNL School of Music's Honor Jazz Weekend, Feb. 15 through 17. Select high school students from the region will have the opportunity to work with UNL students, faculty, and members of the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra in an exciting weekend of large and small jazz group playing, clinics, and master classes.

Tickets are $42 and $32 with student discounts available. Call the Lied tickets office at (402) 472-4747 or (800) 432-3231 or check the Web site at www.liedcenter.org.

History, love featured at the Frank House

KEARNEY In observance of African-American Heritage Month, Sarah Jones will present "The Frank Men: Leaders of the Abolitionist Movement," at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 16, at the G.W. Frank House on the University of Nebraska at Kearney West Campus.

The Frank family men were long-time members of the anti-slavery societies in New York. The Honorable Augustus Frank, brother of G.W. Frank (builder of the Frank House), was a U.S. Congressman during the Civil War.

February is also the month of love and you can share a little of it at the Frank House.

Come to the Frank House at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 9, to celebrate Valentines Day and "Take heArt!" You'll learn about the art and history of Valentine's Day and create your own message of love in a workshop led by Linda Vinderslev and Sue Divan of SL Stampers.

A Parlor Performance by "Roger Mexico," is set for 1:30 p.m. Feb. 23, Kearney's Paul Powell will be performing under his stage name. It will make a perfect Saturday afternoon date with your special someone.

Guided public tours of the Frank House are offered from 10:30 11:30 a.m. every Saturday. These tours highlight the history and art of the Victorian mansion, and its contents.

There is no admission charge for any of these events, but donations are accepted. For more information, call (308) 865-8484 ow check the Web site at www.frankhouse.org.

Senior Tea and Tour set for Feb. 12

HASTINGS The large-format film "Dolphins" will be featured during Senior Tea and Tour on Tuesday, Feb. 12 at the Hastings Museum. This is a monthly film and museum special for senior citizens on the second Tuesday of each month.

Refreshments and prizes will be offered at 9 a.m.; "Dolphins" will begin at 10 a.m. in the Lied Super Screen Theatre. The sky show, "Southern Sojourn", will follow in the J.M. McDonald Planetarium, as well as viewing museum exhibits, all for one low price. Admission is just $5 for members, $7 for non-members.

Reservations for the Senior Tea & Tour are due by Saturday; call guest services at (402) 461-4629 or (800)508-4629, option zero.

Program to feature 'The Man in the Moon'

HASTINGS The Hastings Museum of Natural and Cultural History will host Preschool Playday at 10 a.m. Tuesday and again at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 16, as part of its monthly program for preschool-aged children and their parents. This 45-minute program is an active learning experience designed especially for children ages 3 to 5 year-olds and focuses on having fun while learning.

Preschoolers are invited to bring their favorite adult to "The Man in the Moon" where children can learn about the moon and what it's doing this month. Regular museum admission or museum membership covers the cost of Preschool Playday. Reservations are requested by Monday for the Tuesday program and by Feb. 15 for the Saturday program.

For more information or to make reservations, contact guest services at ( 402) 461-4629 or (800)508-4629, option zero.

This week at the Grand ...

"No Country For Old Men" showing again this weekend at the Grand Theatre, 316 W. Third. Showtimes are 7 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Violence and mayhem ensue after a hunter stumbles upon some dead bodies, a stash of heroin and more than $2 million in cash near the Rio Grande; this movie has been nominated for eight Academy Awards including Best Picture. Rated R.

Tickets are $3.50 for adults and $2.50 for children under 12. For more information call 381-2667 or visit grandmovie-theatre.com.