Places to go, things to do

WLSC to present musical comedy

WEST LIBERTY - The Hilltop Players of West Liberty University will perform "Bat Boy: The Musical" today through Sunday at the university's Kelley Theater.

The play was inspired by a series of stories printed in the Weekly World News and involves a strange boy with pointed ears and fangs who is discovered in a cave near a fictional West Virginia town and a local veterinarian and his family who adopt him.

The cast includes Tiffany Lee, Ryan Ferrebee, Katie Schockey, Jessica Strader, Jesse Gagich, Anielle Troyan, Tony Oliveira, Doug Gouldsberry, Samuel Clark, Alex Perkins, Jeremiah Propst, Kassidy Wells and Jon Clark.

For show times and ticket information, call (304) 336-8103.

Christmas in the

Village returns

ELDERSVILLE, Pa. - The 22nd-annual Christmas in the Village Festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 6-8 at various sites in Eldersville.

Residents and groups will sell crafts and other items at their homes and other sites throughout the village. Food will be sold at the Jefferson Township Fire Hall, Eldersville Methodist Church, Heritage Hall, Cornerstone Mennonite Church and other locations.

Directories will be available throughout the village, and each site will be marked with a numbered sign.

The festivities will begin Nov. 5 with a community service and light-up night at 7 p.m. at Eldersville Methodist Church.

Santa Claus will be at the township hall on Nov. 7 beginning at 8:30 a.m. For tickets, call (724) 587-3832.

The festival's parade will be held at noon that day and will feature a variety of units, including Santa and a new attraction, the brightly colored village train created by Dave Choman.

The sixth-annual Chili Cook-off will follow at the Methodist church.

A veterans' memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Nov. 8 at the Veterans Memorial Site on Cedar Grove Road.

For directions or information, visit the festival's Web site at www.christmasinthevillagepa.com or call (724) 947-9015 or (724) 587-5866.

Acclaimed musicians at Pittsburgh gallery

PITTSBURGH - Termite Club of Leeds, England, presents a special performance by internationally acclaimed musicians Ashtray Navigations and Michael Flower, Chris Corsano Duo at 8 p.m. Friday at Wood Street Galleries, 601 Wood St.

Admission at the door is $10 for adults and $8 for students.

Ashtray Navigations was formed in 1994 in Stoke On Trent, England, by Phil Todd and was inspired by the United Kingdom's underground tape music scene. Using the barest minimum of outdated equipment, Todd recorded and self-released dozens of limited-edition cassettes (now much sought after by collectors), which presented his vision of homemade psychedelic rock and avant-garde noise electronics.

Flower has been involved in a number of solo projects and is best known for his work with Vibracathedral Orchestra. The original group came together when Flower began recording with Neil Campbell and Julian Bradley, who had released a number of homemade cassettes and an LP of their duo work. After self-releasing two albums, Campbell suggested that the nascent group work alongside Bridget Hayden and Adam Davenport, thus forming the five-piece Vibracathedral Orchestra.

Corsano is a drummer from New England. He often performs in an improvisation duo with saxophonist Paul Flaherty.

Wood Street Galleries is a project of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust. For information, visit www.woodstreetgalleries.org.

Community Players set upcoming activities

WEIRTON - The Weirton Community Players upcoming activities include:

Sunday - There will be a free scrapbook demonstration from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Drama Direct Studios. Barb Svokas will take those attending through the steps of choosing the right paper, photos embellishments, stamping, layouts, craft tools, journaling and quilling. Call (304) 723-2222 for reservations. There also will be a free demonstration from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on kids art. Call for reservations.

Dec. 2 - A free demonstration of ballroom dance for children will be from 4:45 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Drama Direct Studios. Call for reservations.

For information and to make reservations, call (304) 723-2222

Galleries to present art of Julien Maire

PITTSBURGH - Wood Street Galleries, a project of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, presents "Matter and Memory," the U.S. premiere of French installation artist Julien Maire.

The exhibition features four experimental forms of projection, highlighting simultaneously the simplicity and complexity of matter, vision and memory. The exhibition closes Dec. 31 as part of the Cultural Trust's First Night Pittsburgh celebration.

Maire is a French artist and performer based in Berlin. In his work and performance he deconstructs and re-devises audiovisual techniques. His performances and installations have been shown in several countries.

Located at 601 Wood St. above the T-Station in downtown Pittsburgh's Cultural District, the Galleries are free and open to the public from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday; and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday. For information, call (412) 471-5605 or visit www.woodstreetgalleries.org.

Hope Players to present 'Cheaper by the Dozen'

HOPEDALE - The Hope Players' upcoming production of Christopher Sergel's adaptation of "Cheaper by the Dozen," from the book by Frank Gilbreth and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey, has actors double cast in many of the roles, with two actors assigned to play the same character. The comedy will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 6-7 and 2 p.m. Nov. 8 at Harrison-Hopedale Elementary School.

Hope Players' Executive Director Andrew Pelegreen III, who is directing the show, said, "We had so many talented actors show up for auditions, that it would have been unfair to our audience not to have all of them on stage," Pelegreen said.

While 24 actors have been divided into "blue" and "green" casts, nine cast members will be seen at all performances of the show.

"There were some instances where only one actor was right to play the part," Pelegreen said. "The double casting is only a means to the end of presenting the best possible entertainment for our audiences."

Patrons who purchase advance tickets for "Cheaper by the Dozen " will save $2 on every adult and student admission. Advance tickets are $3 for students and $5 for adults. Tickets sold at the door will cost $5 for students and $7 for adults. Advance tickets may be purchased from any cast member or at the Hopedale Municipal Building from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays.

For information, call (740) 937-2208 or (740) 937-2629 or go to www.hopeplayers.org.

The Hope Players is a nonprofit, family-friendly community theater organization that is open to all area residents of all ages.

Vineyard Cafe's fourth writers' workshop

WHEELING - The Vineyard Cafe will host its fourth writers' workshop from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday.

The format includes an artist performing an original song and then cafe staff members, other musicians and other attendees having a chance to ask questions and comment on the song. The first round will be "works in progress" and more recently written songs. Additional rounds will allow more developed and polished songs.

The workshop is open to anyone. However, extraneous conversation will not be permitted. The Vineyard Cafe is at the Wheeling Vineyard Church, 647 Warden Run Road. For information, call (304) 224-1782 or visit www.vineyard-cafe.com.

Spooky Science exhibit Saturday at Carnegie Science Center, Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH - Carnegie Science Center is busy brewing up creepy concoctions and unleashing caldrons full of its most thrilling science for Spooky Science on Saturday.

Featuring Halloween-themed hands-on activities and programs, indoor trick-or-treating and special theater demonstrations, Spooky Science is a Halloween experience for kids of all ages.

The Science Center's mad scientists have scoured their labs for the most shocking, most disgusting and most hair-raising science demonstrations. From a one-million volt Tesla coil firing giant arcs of lightning to wrapping their own mummies, visitors will unearth a unique Halloween twist to the Science Center's ever-popular activities free with general admission.

Other activities include making glow-in-the-dark slime, creating grossly realistic wounds and piecing skeletons together in a giant puzzle. Children are encouraged to come in costume throughout the day for safe, indoor trick-or-treating.

In the Science Center's Works Theater visitors can discover the secrets of electricity in special presentations of Frankenscience, an interactive science program that demonstrates the properties of electricity and features the Science Center's own Frankenstein's Monster. On Saturday at 7 p.m. evening visitors can wrap up their Spooky Science experience with a Family Halloween laser show in the Buhl Digital Dome. Laser show tickets are $8 for all visitors, and a $5 add-on price is available for those who come to Spooky Science and stay for the laser show. Members can see the laser show at no cost.

Carnegie Science Center is at 1 Allegheny Avenue on Pittsburgh's North Shore next to Heinz Field. Visit www.CarnegieScienceCenter.org or call (412) 237-3400 for information.

Charles Ross in one-man show at Byham Theater, Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH - The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust presents master impressionist Charles "One Man" Ross at the Byham Theater at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Nov. 7.

A follow up to his popular "One-Man Star Wars," Ross recreates the world of J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth with nothing more than elbow pads and his imagination in his latest spellbinding creation, the "One Man Lord of the Rings." Journey through Tolkien's masterpieces "The Fellowship of the Ring," "The Two Towers" and "The Return of the King" in one hour of unbelievable kinetic entertainment. Ross plays all the characters, performs the music, fights the battles, cries the tears and ultimately triumphs over evil. Ticket prices are $25 and $30 and can be purchased at the box office at Theater Square, 655 Penn Ave., online at www.pgharts.org or by calling (412) 456-6666.

Trick-or-treat set at Treasure Island Marketplace

WINTERSVILLE - Trick-or-treat for those age 12 and under will be offered at 2 p.m. Saturday at Treasure Island Marketplace.

Free trick-or-treat goodie bags will be given to the first 100 kids who bring a non-perishable food item to benefit the Urban Mission.

Treasure Island Marketplace is located at 110 Main St.

Mr. E's Magic Show will be offered from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. that day. The magician will entertain on the center stage.