Auditions for the outdoor summer musical, "Honk!," are planned for 7 to 9 p.m. Monday and Tuesday at the GILT temporary building, 2401 E. Highway 30.

Those auditioning are asked to bring a piece to sing and a small picture. An accompanist will be provided for the song.

The show requires 12 men and 12 women age 13 and up, as well as numerous children ages 5 to 12.

"Honk!" is a musical retelling of the Hans Christian Andersen story, "The Ugly Duckling," mixed with a theme of tolerance. The story is set in the countryside and it features an ugly duckling who discovers his inner beauty when he becomes a swan.

His tearful mother; a drake who "ducks" his fatherly responsibilities; a gaggle of geese; a sly tomcat; a wisecracking bullfrog and other barnyard creatures are also part of the cast.

The show has 18 musical numbers the cast will sing and dance to.

For more information, call Pam Ahlman at 370-6586 or producer Jeanee Mueller at 379-2015.

Slam poets coming to Grand Island

Matt Mason, a slam poet from Omaha, will make an appearance in Grand Island at 7 p.m. Tuesday at College Park.

Joining Mason will be Grand Island's own "loco poet" Terry Lee Schifferns and Sam Stecher of the Lincoln Star Poetry Slam Team.

Mason is a 2007 Nebraska Book Award winner for poetry; Stecher teaches in Kearney. Schifferns teaches at Central Community College-Grand Island .

There is no admission charge; for more information, call Schifferns at 398-7333.

MONA to host printmaker Karen Kunc

KEARNEY The Museum of Nebraska Art will host internationally known printmaker Karen Kunc at 2 p.m. Thursday (today) at 2401 Central Ave., in Kearney.

Inspired in part by Nebraska's landscape, Kunc's woodcut prints are exhibited in museums and galleries throughout the world. She refers to her images as "nature-based abstractions," compositions of color and shape drawn from sources like plants, cloud forms, and landscapes that take on a life of their own as she interprets them through the laborious woodcut printmaking process.

Born and raised in Omaha, Kunc holds degrees from the University of Nebraska-at Lincoln and Ohio State University. She resides in Avoca and is a professor of art at UNL. In 2007, she was among a group of five artists to be recognized in the Nebraska Arts Council's Nebraska Masterpieces program celebrating the work of Nebraska's most accomplished contemporary artists. The MONA collection includes four of her works.

For more information, call the museum at (308) 865-8559.

Final Friendship Gathering set for Saturday

WOOD RIVER The final Third Saturday Friendship Gathering of the 2007-08 season will feature Pat Rasmussen who will make a presentation on day lilies and offer suggestions and tips to kick off the spring gardening season.

Rasmussen, who grows literally hundreds of varieties of day lilies in her garden, will speak from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Saturday, April 19, in the Wood River Rural High School Performing Arts Theater Lobby.

All events in this series are free and open to the public thanks to the generous support of the Nebraska Arts council and the Donna Moyer Performing Arts Gift to the Wood River Foundation.

There is no charge for this program; support is provided by the Nebraska Arts Council and the Donna Moyer Performing Arts Gift to the Wood River Foundation. A freewill offering will be accepted at the door.

For more information, call Georgene Smidt at (308) 583-2606.

Raven-Symone to perform at Buffalo County Fair

KEARNEY Disney Channel's star of "That's So Raven," Raven-Symone will be the special entertainment for the Buffalo County Fair this summer.

Raven-Symone will perform at 7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 4, at the Buffalo County Fairgrounds in Kearney.

"That's So Raven," is one of Disney Channel's highest-rated shows. Raven-Symone co-starred with Martin Lawrence in the recently released movie "College Road Trip."

She will star in the upcoming Disney made-for-television film "Cheetah Girls 2" and is releasing her second album on April 29.

Raven-Symone started her career as Olivia in "The Cosby Show" and has also appeared in "Zenon-Girl of the 21st Century" and "Dr. Doolittle."

Tickets for the Raven-Symone concert go on sale soon.

For more information or tickets, contact the Buffalo County Fair office at (866) 301-1201 or (308) 236-1201.

MONA plans Third Thursday event

KEARNEY The Museum of Nebraska Art will host its monthly Third Thursday at MONA Art Sampler from 7 to 8 p.m. Thursday (today) at the museum, 2401 Central Ave., in Kearney.

The evening consists of three or four presentations of music, poetry, oratory, perhaps a short scene from an upcoming theater presentation, and discussion of an artwork.

The April schedule includes a vocal quintet from Horizon Middle School, an oral interpretation from Kearney High School students, Karen Kunc, an internationally know printmaker and art professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln; and a piano performance from Verle Straatman. Mayor Stan Clouse will emcee the event. A social time with light refreshments will follow.

For more information, call the museum at (308) 865-8559.

Hastings College to host Pikes Peak Ringers, bell choir workshop

HASTINGS Hastings College will host internationally renowned bell composer and clinician Kevin McChesney and the Pikes Peak Ringers in concert at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in Kiewit Gymnasium.

The Hastings College Bell Choir will also perform. The concert will conclude with a mass ring featuring the Hastings College Bell Choir, the Pikes Peak Ringers, and people who participated in an afternoon bell workshop.

The Pikes Peak Ringers, based in Colorado Springs, Colo., is an auditioned community handbell choir. The group was established by McChesney in 1991 to provide an outlet for advanced ringers and to create performances that showcase handbells with the highest quality presentation and musicianship. The group has performed a variety of styles of music including: classical, traditional, pop, jazz, new age, contemporary and original. The group has performed throughout the Pikes Peak region and has produced four CDs.

Bell choir members from area churches and other individual bell ringers will attend technique workshops from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Saturday in Perkins Auditorium, French Memorial Chapel and Kiewit Gymnasium. Participants will work with McChesney and members of the Pikes Peak Ringers on ringing technique, the presentational aspects of bell performance, and interpretation of the melodic line.

Byron Jensen, Hastings College professor of music, is coordinating the bell choir workshop and festival. For more information, call Jensen at (402) 461-7361.

The performance is free and open to the public.

Hastings Symphony plans 'Earth's Journey'

HASTINGS "Earth's Journey," presented by the Hastings Symphony Orchestra, is set for 3 p.m. Sunday at the Masonic Center in Hastings.

In addition to the orchestra, the performance will feature the Pikes Peak Ringers, a professional bell choir from Colorado Springs, who will perform "Ring of Fire," Kevin McChesney's one-of-a-kind concerto for handbells and orchestra. The work, requiring 16 people to manipulate seven octaves of handbells, is inspired by themes related to Heaven and Earth and has received many accolades for its imaginative use of musical resources.

McChesney is an internationally-acclaimed handbell composer and clinician with nearly 600 published works. This performance with the HSO concludes a weekend of activities that includes a handbell workshop and festival at Hastings College on Saturday.

Tickets are available at the door for $13 for adult and $5 for students.

For more information, call (402) 984-0293 or e-mail to hastingssymphony@alltel.net.

Minneapolis quartet plans Grand Island performance

Four Shadow, an a capella sensation from Minneapolis, Minn., will present the final concert of the 2007-2008 season sponsored by the Grand Island Concert Association. The concert is planned for 7:30 p.m., Saturday at the Grand Island Senior High School Auditorium, 2124 N. Lafayette.

Four Shadow features two tenors, a baritone and a bass. Stunning vocal music is the cornerstone of every Four Shadow show, but it's the interactive fun that keeps fans returning time and again across the nation. These men have appeared on NBC's "Today Show." They love what they do and you will, too!

Admission is by membership in the Grand Island Concert Association. To learn more, call Stanley Urwiller at 308-382-2309.

Flatwater Shakespeare kicks off new season

LINCOLN Flatwater Shakespeare's 2008 season gets off to a roaring start with a "wickedly modern version" of Molire's French comedy "The Misanthrope," freely adapted by director Bob Hall.

"The Misanthrope" takes the stage at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Sunday, and Wednesday, April 23, Thursday, April 24, Saturday, April 26, and Sunday, April 27, at the Haymarket Theatre, 803 Q St., Lincoln. A special 10 p.m. performance is set for Friday, April 26.

Tickets are $18 for adults and $15 for seniors and students; season subscriptions are also available ($49 for adults and $39 for seniors and students). Upcoming shows include "The Taming of the Shrew," set for June 5 through 22, and "Richard III," set for Sept. 12 through 28, at the Swan Theatre in the Wyuka Cemetery, 3600 O St.

For tickets or more information, call (402) 484-7640.

Lipizzaner Stallions plan trip to Lincoln

LINCOLN The World Famous Lipizzaner Stallions will make a trip to Lincoln with performances at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 1, and Friday, May 2, at Pershing Center, 226 Centennial Mall South.

Tickets are $19.50 and $22.50 for adults with discounts available for children 12 and under and seniors 60 and over; group discounts are also available, call (402) 441-7500. For other ticket purchases, call Ticketmaster at (402) 475-1212 or check the Web site at www.ticketmaster.com.

For more information, call Pershing Center at (402) 441-8744.

St. Petersburg Ballet Theatre plans Lied Center performance

LINCOLN With dazzling technique and vibrant enthusiasm, the St. Petersburg Ballet Theatre will be performing two classic works at the Lied Center for Performing Arts including "Romeo and Juliet" on Friday, April 25, and "Carmen" on Saturday, April 26. Both performances will begin at 7:30 p.m.

"Romeo and Juliet" is a ballet in two acts with music by Sergei Prokofiev and choreography and libretto by the company's artistic director, Yuri Petukhov. Set in Spain, "Carmen "is the story of the seductive gypsy and her lover, Don Jos. It is a tale of forbidden love and jealousy with a bullfight thrown in for good measure. Carmen is a four-act ballet with music by Georges Bizet and choreography and libretto by again by Petukhov.

Tickets range from $30 to $40 with student discounts available; call the box office at (800) 432-3231 or check the Web site at www.liedcenter.org.

Tech N9NE brings tour to Lincoln

LINCOLN Tech N9NE is set to bring its "Fire and Ice Tour 2008" to Nebraska with a stop planned for 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 30, at Pershing Center in Lincoln.

Special guests will include Paul Wall and Ill Bill.

General admission tickets are $25 in advance and $28 the day of the show and are available at the Pershing box office or through Ticketmaster; call (402) 475-1212 or check the Web site at www.ticketmaster.com.

Traditional country music show to feature the Green River Band

The Green River Band will headline an evening of traditional country music set for 7 p.m. Monday, April 21 at the Grand Theatre, 316 W. Third St.

Also performing will be Lorraine Worth and Elton Flodman.

Tickets are $12 and are available at Howard's Jewelry in downtown Grand Island. For more information, contact Flodman at 402) 757-3201 or (308) 940-2625 or e-mail him at musicatflodfest@yahoo.com.

This week at the Grand ...

"Fool's Gold" showing this weekend at the Grand Theatre, 316 W. Third. Showtimes are 7 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

A new clue to the whereabouts of a lost treasure rekindles a married couple's sense of adventure and their estranged romance. Starring Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson, this film is rated PG-13.

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

'The Spiderwick Chronicles' at the Lied Super Screen Theatre

HASTINGS The Lied Super Screen Theatre in the Hastings Museum will feature the 35mm film "The Spiderwick Chronicles" on the giant screen at 7:15 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 4:30 p.m. Sunday and again April 25-27.

From the beloved best-selling series of books comes "The Spiderwick Chronicles," a fantasy adventure for the child in all of us. Peculiar things start to happen the moment the Grace family (Jared, his twin brother Simon, sister Mallory and their mom) leave New York and move into the secluded old house owned by their great, great uncle Arthur Spiderwick. Unable to explain the strange disappearances and accidents that seem to be happening on a daily basis, the family blames Jared. When he, Simon and Mallory investigate what's really going on, they uncover the fantastic truth of the Spiderwick estate and of the creatures that inhabit it. "The Spiderwick Chronicles" stars Freddie Highmore, Mary-Louise Parker and Nick Nolte and is rated PG for scary creature action and violence, peril and some thematic elements.

All 35mm film admissions are $4.50 per person with discounts available for seeing both a large-format film and 35mm feature the same day. Seating is limited to 211 for each showing, so reservations are recommended. For more information, call Visitor Services at (402) 461-4629 or (800) 508-4629, option zero.

Hastings College to host Pikes Peak Ringers, bell choir workshop

HASTINGS Hastings College will host internationally renowned bell composer and clinician Kevin McChesney and the Pikes Peak Ringers in concert at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in Kiewit Gymnasium.

The Hastings College Bell Choir will also perform. The concert will conclude with a mass ring featuring the Hastings College Bell Choir, the Pikes Peak Ringers, and people who participated in an afternoon bell workshop.

The Pikes Peak Ringers, based in Colorado Springs, Colo., is an auditioned community handbell choir. The group was established by McChesney in 1991 to provide an outlet for advanced ringers and to create performances that showcase handbells with the highest quality presentation and musicianship. The group has performed a variety of styles of music including: classical, traditional, pop, jazz, new age, contemporary and original. The group has performed throughout the Pikes Peak region and has produced four CDs.

Bell choir members from area churches and other individual bell ringers will attend technique workshops from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Saturday in Perkins Auditorium, French Memorial Chapel and Kiewit Gymnasium. Participants will work with McChesney and members of the Pikes Peak Ringers on ringing technique, the presentational aspects of bell performance, and interpretation of the melodic line.

Byron Jensen, Hastings College professor of music, is coordinating the bell choir workshop and festival. For more information, call Jensen at (402) 461-7361.

The performance is free and open to the public.

Hastings Symphony plans 'Earth's Journey'

HASTINGS "Earth's Journey," presented by the Hastings Symphony Orchestra, is set for 3 p.m. Sunday at the Masonic Center in Hastings.

In addition to the orchestra, the performance will feature the Pikes Peak Ringers, a professional bell choir from Colorado Springs, who will perform "Ring of Fire," Kevin McChesney's one-of-a-kind concerto for handbells and orchestra. The work, requiring 16 people to manipulate seven octaves of handbells, is inspired by themes related to Heaven and Earth and has received many accolades for its imaginative use of musical resources.

McChesney is an internationally-acclaimed handbell composer and clinician with nearly 600 published works. This performance with the HSO concludes a weekend of activities that includes a handbell workshop and festival at Hastings College on Saturday.

Tickets are available at the door for $13 for adult and $5 for students.

For more information, call (402) 984-0293 or e-mail to hastingssymphony@alltel.net.

Minneapolis quartet plans Grand Island performance

Four Shadow, an a capella sensation from Minneapolis, Minn., will present the final concert of the 2007-2008 season sponsored by the Grand Island Concert Association. The concert is planned for 7:30 p.m., Saturday at the Grand Island Senior High School Auditorium, 2124 N. Lafayette.

Four Shadow features two tenors, a baritone and a bass. Stunning vocal music is the cornerstone of every Four Shadow show, but it's the interactive fun that keeps fans returning time and again across the nation. These men have appeared on NBC's "Today Show." They love what they do and you will, too!

Admission is by membership in the Grand Island Concert Association. To learn more, call Stanley Urwiller at 308-382-2309.

Flatwater Shakespeare kicks off new season

LINCOLN Flatwater Shakespeare's 2008 season gets off to a roaring start with a "wickedly modern version" of Molire's French comedy "The Misanthrope," freely adapted by director Bob Hall.

"The Misanthrope" takes the stage at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Sunday, and Wednesday, April 23, Thursday, April 24, Saturday, April 26, and Sunday, April 27, at the Haymarket Theatre, 803 Q St., Lincoln. A special 10 p.m. performance is set for Friday, April 26.

Tickets are $18 for adults and $15 for seniors and students; season subscriptions are also available ($49 for adults and $39 for seniors and students). Upcoming shows include "The Taming of the Shrew," set for June 5 through 22, and "Richard III," set for Sept. 12 through 28, at the Swan Theatre in the Wyuka Cemetery, 3600 O St.

For tickets or more information, call (402) 484-7640.

Lipizzaner Stallions plan trip to Lincoln

LINCOLN The World Famous Lipizzaner Stallions will make a trip to Lincoln with performances at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 1, and Friday, May 2, at Pershing Center, 226 Centennial Mall South.

Tickets are $19.50 and $22.50 for adults with discounts available for children 12 and under and seniors 60 and over; group discounts are also available, call (402) 441-7500. For other ticket purchases, call Ticketmaster at (402) 475-1212 or check the Web site at www.ticketmaster.com.

For more information, call Pershing Center at (402) 441-8744.

St. Petersburg Ballet Theatre plans Lied Center performance

LINCOLN With dazzling technique and vibrant enthusiasm, the St. Petersburg Ballet Theatre will be performing two classic works at the Lied Center for Performing Arts including "Romeo and Juliet" on Friday, April 25, and "Carmen" on Saturday, April 26. Both performances will begin at 7:30 p.m.

"Romeo and Juliet" is a ballet in two acts with music by Sergei Prokofiev and choreography and libretto by the company's artistic director, Yuri Petukhov. Set in Spain, "Carmen "is the story of the seductive gypsy and her lover, Don Jos. It is a tale of forbidden love and jealousy with a bullfight thrown in for good measure. Carmen is a four-act ballet with music by Georges Bizet and choreography and libretto by again by Petukhov.

Tickets range from $30 to $40 with student discounts available; call the box office at (800) 432-3231 or check the Web site at www.liedcenter.org.

Traditional country music show to feature the Green River Band

The Green River Band will headline an evening of traditional country music set for 7 p.m. Monday, April 21 at the Grand Theatre, 316 W. Third St.

Also performing will be Lorraine Worth and Elton Flodman.

Tickets are $12 and are available at Howard's Jewelry in downtown Grand Island. For more information, contact Flodman at 402) 757-3201 or (308) 940-2625 or e-mail him at musicatflodfest@yahoo.com.

Tech N9NE brings tour to Lincoln

LINCOLN Tech N9NE is set to bring its "Fire and Ice Tour 2008" to Nebraska with a stop planned for 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 30, at Pershing Center in Lincoln.

Special guests will include Paul Wall and Ill Bill.

General admission tickets are $25 in advance and $28 the day of the show and are available at the Pershing box office or through Ticketmaster; call (402) 475-1212 or check the Web site at www.ticketmaster.com.

This week at the Grand Theater ...

"Fool's Gold" showing this weekend at the Grand Theatre, 316 W. Third. Showtimes are 7 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

A new clue to the whereabouts of a lost treasure rekindles a married couple's sense of adventure and their estranged romance. Starring Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson, this film is rated PG-13.

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

'The Spiderwick Chronicles' at the Lied Super Screen Theatre

HASTINGS The Lied Super Screen Theatre in the Hastings Museum will feature the 35mm film "The Spiderwick Chronicles" on the giant screen at 7:15 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 4:30 p.m. Sunday and again April 25-27.

From the beloved best-selling series of books comes "The Spiderwick Chronicles," a fantasy adventure for the child in all of us. Peculiar things start to happen the moment the Grace family (Jared, his twin brother Simon, sister Mallory and their mom) leave New York and move into the secluded old house owned by their great, great uncle Arthur Spiderwick. Unable to explain the strange disappearances and accidents that seem to be happening on a daily basis, the family blames Jared. When he, Simon and Mallory investigate what's really going on, they uncover the fantastic truth of the Spiderwick estate and of the creatures that inhabit it. "The Spiderwick Chronicles" stars Freddie Highmore, Mary-Louise Parker and Nick Nolte and is rated PG for scary creature action and violence, peril and some thematic elements.

All 35mm film admissions are $4.50 per person with discounts available for seeing both a large-format film and 35mm feature the same day. Seating is limited to 211 for each showing, so reservations are recommended. For more information, call Visitor Services at (402) 461-4629 or (800) 508-4629, option zero.