Give the kids a taste of Indian culture with a visit to the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival’s exotic ”The Jungle Book.”
The play at DeSales University is filled with brightly colored, flowing costumes, lighting that evokes the leafy mystery of the jungle and a score of Indian-inspired songs built on the themes of inclusion, cooperation and respect for others.
Featuring an assortment of memorable characters — from the wide-eyed 11-year-old Mowgli to the hypnotic and dangerous Kaa the python — the tale may be a little scary at spots but is ultimately richly rewarding. It’s definitely not the Disney version of the Rudyard Kipling story.
The animals are creatively portrayed with stylized gold headpieces and paws on the back of their hands.
”The Jungle Book,” 10 a.m. today and Friday. Continues next week at 10 a.m. Wednesday and runs 10 a.m. most Tuesdays through Saturdays, through Aug. 2. DeSales University, Schubert Theatre, 2755 Station Ave., Center Valley. Tickets: $13; $11, ages 12 and under. MOVIES IN THE PARK
With the weather teasing us with a hint of summer, grab a blanket and head to a park for an outdoor movie. Allentown and Bethlehem offer free family-friendly movies in parks throughout the summer on inflatable outdoor screens.
Allentown presents the boy-meets-alien movie ”E.T.” at dusk Friday on a 16-by-9-foot screen in Roosevelt Park, Saucon and Woodward streets.
Bethlehem kicks off its movies at dusk Wednesday on its 25-by-14-foot screen with ”The Goonies,” a tale of adventurous misfits, in Friendship Park, E. North and Penn streets.
On June 12, the Ben Stiller comedy ”Night at the Museum” will be shown at Fairview Park, Fourth Avenue and W. Market Street.
Summer movies in Allentown include ”Apollo 13,” July 4 at Cedar Beach; ”Evan Almighty,” Aug. 1 at Irving Park; ”Grease,” Aug. 23 at West Park (with dinner; call 610-434-0657 to register) and ‘The Bee Movie” Sept. 5 at the Allentown Arts Park.

mcall.com

The members of Zobapago are, pictured from left: (front row) Anthony Sterns, Kim Salmons and Malin Friess; and (back row) Dan Salmons, Eric Bassett and Dr. Eric Jagar. Not shown is Rob Thompson.
WEST AKRON — A group of Akron parents is taking their love of music to children with a new act that emphasizes living healthy while having fun.
Zobapago (pronounced Zo-BOP-a-go) is the creation of Dr. Eric Jagar, a Highland Square resident, who began writing songs as a way to entertain his son, now 2.
“My first son had his first birthday and I was attempting to get him interested in music,” said Jagar, who recently became the father of twins as well. “I wrote a song about going to the doctor. It became a project of multiple songs and a storyline to entertain my children and other people’s children.”
The two came up with the name while listening to Ella Fitzgerald one day and scat-singing along with “zoobadoos.”
Jagar, who played instrumental music in high school in Madison, Wis., learned to play the saxophone while in medical school as a way to relax. After moving to Akron about five years ago, he began meeting other local musicians and making the connections that would someday help him form Zobapago.
During a one-hour show that is tailored to the attention span of the preschool set, Zobapago presents an energetic performance of catchy numbers about topics like shapes and gravity.
The musicians, veterans of local bands, are known by their alter egos in the band. Jagar is TaxiMan Zan, the sax-playing leader who guides the audience on a journey through the city of Zobapa-Dopolis. He is joined by his “garage band,” The New-Matic-Crew, led by vocalist Zeta Pipes (Kim Salmons), drummer Zed (Dan Salmons), bassist Zig (Anthony Sterns), percussionist Zeb (Malin Friess), and guitarists Zag (Rob Thompson) and E-Zee (Eric Bassett).

akron.com

The city of Martinsville and the Greater Martinsville Chamber of Commerce are inviting residents to attend the Economic Summit, a facet of the city’s economic development planning efforts at 9 a.m. Wednesday in the Morgan County Administration Building.
The summit will be a three-hour working session for community stakeholders to discuss and prioritize the strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities of Martinsville’s business climate. At the end of the meeting, the group will consider possible action issues to be addressed in the plan. While the public may attend, they will not be participating in this particular session. For more information, contact Jamie Thompson at info@martinsvillechamber.com or 765-342-8110.
Sharilee Gray, broker associate with Carpenter Realtors, has been named the manager of the Carpenter office in Martinsville. Gray has been with Carpenter Realtors since 1996 and was recently the assistant branch manager of the Mooresville office. Gray will continue assisting buyers and sellers with their real estate needs, in addition to managing the Martinsville Office. She may be reached at the Carpenter office at 400 Ind. 37N., Martinsville, by calling 765-342-8770 or 317-831-9407.
Bender Lumber Co. of Martinsville has received “Certified Green Dealer” status from the LBM Journal, a trade publication for the lumber and building materials industry. The program was developed to give an understanding of green-building basics and provide knowledge of green-building techniques and green product choices. This training allows the company to help customers make good choices for the environment and recommend earth-friendly products. The company is now capable of educating its customers about the best practices in building techniques so building projects are both energy efficient and resourceful.
Have you or a family member been diagnosed with a heart murmur? Are you unsure about what that means?
An upcoming “Ask the Doc” program, sponsored by the St. Francis Heart Center, might answer those questions on Tuesday. Cardiothoracic surgeon Marc Gerdisch, M.D., will explain why it is important to understand how heart valves may cause murmurs, and when it’s time to seek treatment.

reporter-times.com

It’s not about the pork.
It’s about the occasion to exhale, the chance to be in a space with people, throw back a beer, tell a good story.
Did you know that Memphis’ firebrand Circuit Court Judge D’Army Bailey just got back from a weekend at the Esalen Institute in California, where he chilled out and took some get-in-touch-with-your-feelings classes? He tells a funny story about it. And he told it at a booth at the MIM barbecue fest lastweek.
It wasn’t the angry D’Army, stirring up passions about race. It was the warm, friendly, self-effacing man who let his guard down around barbecue.
And Al Lyons’ bad knees?
Next year’s chairman of Memphis in May has been walking around his neighborhood with a big backpack to get in shape for a summer trip. Except that now his knees have given out. His story, told in another MIM barbecue booth, brought a laugh and commiseration.
Winding through the tents of the barbecue festival are the connections that bind people together. You see folks you haven’t called for a time. You catch up on who is sick (Pat Tigrett’s mother is in the hospital) and who is beating disease, who has a son graduating this year, and who has a son who will have to go back because of that bad grade in English composition.
Nothing really big changes around the barbecue grill.
The war is still out there. Along with senseless violence, ignorance and greed, all of which can fill up your craw and make you want to gag.
Standing there waiting for ribs fills you up with something else.
It’s a moment to savor, a moment to stitch together much of what is good about the South.

commercialappeal.com

ATLANTA. GA (2008-05-09) This evening is the opening night of the annual Sweet Auburn Festival when downtown’s Auburn Avenue fills with music, stands selling curios and clothes, and smells of fried foods and barbecue.
The street already smells like barbecue, as several stands are already warming up the grills, including Jerry Bernard’s:
BERNARD: Ribs and chopped barbecue and that fish. Oooh, we’ve got some of that good, golden-brown fish that you’ll ever want to eat.
He’ll have competition on the fish already Brian McGee from Trinity House, a men’s transitional housing program, was walking the street, advertising a weekly fish fry:
MCGEE: Best price on the street. We got two-piece fish dinner, two sides, free iced tea, for $5. Fish sandwiches, $3. So you see, look at that sign right there.
He pointed to a stand selling fried fish.
MCGEE: Two pieces of fry, $8. So, you tell me what the best price is Fish fry Friday! Fish fry!
The festival continues through the weekend.

publicbroadcasting.net

The drought that drove large festivals out of Piedmont Park this year won’t stop Atlanta’s popular street festivals. The annual Inman Park Festival, set for April 26-27, draws a diverse crowd of thousands to the neighborhood of bungalows and small parks just east of Little Five Points.
In addition to mingling in the streets, an artists’ market, and people-watching, the Inman Park Neighborhood Association also presents a dance festival, a tour of homes, a quirky Saturday parade, and live pop, rock, jazz, country and world music bands under a tent on Euclid Avenue, in Delta Park and on Poplar Circle. Gay favorites Elise Witt and Cowboy Envy are among the scheduled musicians.
The streets of Inman Park are closed to through traffic during the festival, and parking is often a problem, so a shuttle bus is available. Information on all of the events and logistics is available on the festival’s website.

southernvoice.com

The Green Apple Festival’s Earth Day message will be spread by the Neville Brothers,the Benevento/Russo Duo, Rose Hill Drive and the Heyday Sunday at City Park with a free show. Visit greenapplemusicfestival.com for more local venues and bands taking part in the national eight-city festival.
Yeasayer continues to bolster Brooklyn’s rep as a painfully hip epicenter of new music by looking back to the ’70s/’80s yacht rock scourge. Trust that they rock harder live. Saturday at the Bluebird Theater with Man Man.
Kimya Dawson’s critical drubbing smacks of more than a little misogyny when paired with the backlash to last year’s “Juno,” a movie heavy with her music. Dawson has never pretended to write anything but simple, melodic acoustic tunes. Tuesday at the Bluebird Theater with Angelo Spencer and L’Orchidee D’Hawai.
Ladyhawk’s animalistic approach is more Wolf Parade than Crazy Horse, but bits of both exist in the Vancouver band’s trembling, guitar-centric musings. Wednesday at the Hi-Dive with Neva Dinova and Vampire Hands.
John Wenzel: 303-954-1642 or jwenzel@denverpost.com

denverpost.com

FWST. He sold it to Efrain Benitez, a chef from Chicago. He still has Lonesome Dove Western Bistro and Love Shack. (Good eye, Joyce.)
Posted by T.G.

pegasusnews.com

The dogwoods are just starting to bloom but Dogwood Festival planning is already well underway. This year’s festival will feature a free concert by Vanessa Carlton.
FAYETTEVILLE — The dogwoods are just starting to bloom but Dogwood Festival planning is already well underway for second year executive director Carrie King. The festival runs from April 25-27.
“I think I have one of the best jobs in the world,” King said. “It’s absolutely a lot of fun. It is crazy, but it’s well worth it.”
The festival will feature more than 100 arts, crafts and food vendors. Pop singer Vanessa Carlton will be performing for free this year.
“To have someone of that stature come in and perform not only raises the profile of the festival, but it kind of really raises the profile of the city of Fayetteville, as well,” said entertainment chair Kelvin Culbreth.
Past performances have included McCain, Hootie and the Blowfish, and most recently pop star JoJo. The 2007 festival was also the grand opening for the city’s Festival Park.
King said about 140,000 packed the park last year, which is why parking was a major issue, but organizers have taken measures to keep that from happening this year. Parking for the disabled will be set up at nearby businesses, and patrons are encouraged to park at the Department of Social Services building on Ramsey Street where a shuttle will come by every 15 minutes.
The layout for the festival will also be slightly larger than last year.
“We’re utilizing the space that we had last year better,” King added. “Everyone will not be as elbow-to-elbow as they were last year. We’re allowing more space for our vendors and our patrons.”

news14.com

n 27th annual North Lake Tahoe Snow Festival “” Through March 9. Offering events and activities for all ages. Visit www.tahoesnowfestival.com for a complete schedule.
Napa Valley Mustard Festival “” Through March 29. Featuring food, wine, art, entertainment, cultural activities and more. Visit www.mustard festival.org for ticket information.
Pasadena ArtWeekend “” March 14-16. A celebration of visual and performing arts, featuring exhibitions, performances, cultural activities and more. 800-307-7977, www.pasadena artweekend.com.

A Taste of Yountville “” 11 a.m.-5 p.m. March 22. Featuring traditional samplings of gourmet restaurant fare, olive oils, vinegars, mustards, fine wines and micro-brews, along with live entertainment throughout downtown. 707-944-0904.
18th annual Redwood Coast Jazz Festival “” March 27-30, Eureka. Traditional Dixieland Jazz, swing, calypso, zydeco and more. 707-445-3378, www.redwoodjazz.org.
n 39th annual Mel Mello Farm Day Luncheon “” 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. March 28, Half Moon Bay. Local growers utilize their goods to create lunch, awards ceremony and more. IDES Hall, 735 Main St., Half Moon Bay. $25-$30.
Indian Wells Arts Festival “” 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. April 4-6. Arts and crafts, demonstrations, wine tastings, chalk drawing, children’s activities and entertainment. Indian Wells Tennis Garden. Free-$8. 760-346-0042, www.iwaf.net.
Sixth annual California Ghost Hunters Conference “” April 11-13, Sutter Creek. Hands-on workshops, ghost hunter tips and techniques and an investigation. $150. 408-244-8331, www.ghostvillage.com.
26th annual Santa Barbara County Vintners Festival “” 1-4 p.m. April 19. Food, live music and wine tastings from more than 80 wineries and restaurants. River Park, Lompoc. $25-$75. 805-688-0881, www.sbcountywines.com.
Scandinavian Festival “” 10 a.m.-5 p.m. April 19, Thousand Oaks. Scandinavian and Baltic dancers, musicians, arts and crafts, food booths and Tivoli Gardens. California Lutheran University, 60 West Olsen Road, Thousand Oaks. Free-$5. 805-493-3151,

contracostatimes.com